Jask
"I'm an old man. Bad booze is for the young."Jask is sipping. "It is true that if you knew how she felt you would not have the blind choice you have now, but the choice to part was made without that being on the table." Another sip.
Larko
"It's my home. I love this city. And there are many good people. They just don't happen to be the ones with any power for the most part."
"I don't know about that." He answers, taking another drink. "I was pretty straight forward about my feelings for her."
"Well, that's how it usually goes. The moment anyone acquires power, they generally cease being a good person." He replies.
"But why this place? I mean... it's a pretty city and all, but what's so special about it that you're willing to brave night terrors and corruption?"
Azhar stops again, leans against the wall. He seems more irritated about not moving towards achieving their current goal, then about what is being debated.
A tight smile plays around Azhar's lips, "Assuming you are right, which again I have severe doubts, but as I've already said is admittedly possible. If you think she is 'security' then keeping her alive puts everyone here, everyone we brought with us and their families at additional risk since she can now identify us and she is supposedly working for the government. I am not particularly enamored with the thought of having the Dotari and possibly Hell Knights visiting the family of my friends.
You think I've strayed from our parent's path? Yes, Mother would not be entirely pleased, but did you learn nothing from our father? His philosophy was the epitome of balance. In this case, we are balancing the worth of the life of your potential paramour here, with that of our friends and again potentially, our friends families."
bluff: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 Apparently he has allowed himself to become more upset then usual.
Although he doesn't say it, his demeanor plainly says and if I disappoint you, at least now you know what I have become so accustomed to.Azhar raises an eyebrow, "So you do intend to try sneaking her out? If not, I suggest waking her up and getting on with whatever else you intend. There are only so many hours in a night and I'm sure the others would rather be continuing on than listening to us bicker."
How would they know who you and your friends are? I'm the only one who's name she's heard. Not to mention, why would she give us up? Last I heard, the penalty for failing death knights was death. Unless she's working for more than money, she's going to keep a low profile for a while." A small grin. "You cannot judge the worth of one soul in comparison to the worth of others. Only Pharasma has the ability to do so without error." He says. "She's not my paramour, potential or otherwise, but you can believe what you like. My friends and family know the risks of adventuring. Do yours? You continue making arguments against why she should not be allowed to live, but yet while you are willing to kill her when she is unconscious, you are unwilling to take her life while she's bound. Why is that?"
How would they know who you and your friends are? I'm the only one who's name she's heard.
Azhar looks slightly bewildered, "Um, she's seen our faces. We're here as guests of the Mayor, as are our 'guests'. We've kind of developed at least a little notoriety with the recent play you starred in and...failing all that, maybe a little something called investigation?" Azhar smiles, "Rev, I'm afraid I truly don't think it would be all that difficult."
Not to mention, why would she give us up? Last I heard, the penalty for failing death knights was death. Unless she's working for more than money, she's going to keep a low profile for a while."[/b]
Now he is truly bewildered, "Who said anything about death knights? I mean, that would be truly scary coming from an entirely different system and all. I mean 20 die fireballs? Not quite ready for that yet."
A small grin. "You cannot judge the worth of one soul in comparison to the worth of others. Only Pharasma has the ability to do so without error."
"Of course," he agrees, "and we mere mortals have to muddle through as best we can and make judgements as best we can with the information we have. Which is what I am attempting to do here. No?"
He says. "She's not my paramour, potential or otherwise, but you can believe what you like. My friends and family know the risks of adventuring. Do yours?
Azhar's eyes narrow, but he does not answer.
You continue making arguments against why she should not be allowed to live, but yet while you are willing to kill her when she is unconscious, you are unwilling to take her life while she's bound. Why is that?"
"I merely was saying it was your choice and you should take responsibility for your own actions which you then decided to pass off on me after you decided to let yourself get upset. I am not taking that bait. I tied her up and therefore she is now theoretically helpless. If I decide you are right, that she is 'hired security' or that she will put our friends and their families in enough risk. I will kill her. At this point, I still believe it is more likely she has been hired to retrieve something here or that she has been hired to take care of us directly, in which case the only additional risk is that she gets free and lets her employer know or attempts to finish the job herself. That is a calculated risk I am willing to take weighed vs killing an unarmed, helpless woman or not. Does that spell it out enough for you now, brother?"
bluff:The philosophical conversation, and even the delay is not upsetting Azhar that much, though calling him hypocritical and Rev being disappointed in him did seem to strike nerves. What Azhar seems to be most upset about is the perceived danger they may be putting innocents (like the families of the guests they brought) and ... there was something else but I forgot what it was. will edit if I remember soon enough.
At the same moment everyone exits from the rooms of their... moderately boring fears. Most look good, healthy, maybe a little burnt, but the three girls who tumble out of the blood door look more worried than most.
From the ceiling, ", you aren't dead dead." A smile with the sharp teeth, "Very good." She flips over, gliding to the ground. She holds out her tiny hands, each finger ending in a tiny claw. "Payment for your cure, please.".
Amaya looks over at the imp, then to Fiosa. She holds up grape-sized purple amethyest. "The over-sized mosquito turned into this..." A slightly pale Fiosa nods, Mathalen just shakes her head.
Melilot frowns at something Azhar says, and thinks carefully for a few moments.
you were right she says abruptly to Azhar. although i doubt it is her only purpose here she had instructions to kill us
my guess would be the mysterious council
Amaya looks over at the imp, then to Fiosa. She holds up grape-sized purple amethyest. "The over-sized mosquito turned into this..." A slightly pale Fiosa nods, Mathalen just shakes her head.
"These were snakes," Cassian says, dropping six pieces of jade from hand to hand.
Melilot frowns at something Azhar says, and thinks carefully for a few moments.
you were right she says abruptly to Azhar. although i doubt it is her only purpose here she had instructions to kill us
my guess would be the mysterious council
Azhar's brow furrows just slightly, "Maybe, though I wonder how they could have known that we would look for or find this place. Maybe they are looking for the same thing we are?" his smile is a little unsure.
Amaya looks over at the imp, then to Fiosa. She holds up grape-sized purple amethyest. "The over-sized mosquito turned into this..." A slightly pale Fiosa nods, Mathalen just shakes her head."These were snakes," Cassian says, dropping six pieces of jade from hand to hand.
The imp nods, her maroon eyes following the fall of the stones. "One for the doctor for the cure, rest for the patient." She nods eagerly.
Amaya looks over at the imp, then to Fiosa. She holds up grape-sized purple amethyest. "The over-sized mosquito turned into this..." A slightly pale Fiosa nods, Mathalen just shakes her head.
Azhar looks at the three girls with what is probably best translated as worried pride, then he addresses everyone as a whole, "Fire Elementals." holding up a fire opal, then moving to put himself next to Amaya.
he hugs her and gives her a quick kiss.
Gravlax looks a little peaked, and his pants are torn. "Garnets," he says.
The imp nods at each show of gemstones, almost vibrating. "And Doctor Livia heal you. Doesn't it feel good to be sane?" Tiny hands still out.
Azhar appears to be a bit amused, "And out of curiosity, what do you expect to gain with these stones?" he inquires curiously of the little imp.
Azhar appears to be a bit amused, "And out of curiosity, what do you expect to gain with these stones?" he inquires curiously of the little imp.
She looks at Azhar, her eyes widening, "They are " She shrugs, "And they make the hurty people go away."
Azhar smiles, shiny he understands. "Hurty people?", Azhar asks, "who are they?"
As you head down the stairs, which ends in a cylindrical, thirty-foot-high room that your flight of stairs and another allow access. Hundreds of flickering candles burn in narrow niches lining the walls of the room all the way up to the ceiling.
As Rev steps onto the floor, there is a painfully bright flash of light. (Fort DC 14: Azhar/Rev 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 71d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15) While Rev manages to shield his eyes, used to firelight as they are, Azhar is blinded by the bang-flash. Azhar is blinded for round 1. Immediately after the flash three sparks near the floor expand into medium fire elementals.
knowledge planes - how best to defeat these guys?
Rev moves into the room.
Unless he can effectively burst (don't know results of knowledge roll) he will step close to one of the elementals and stab it.
to hit with dagger
possible critical? if so addl damage
Azhar smiles, shiny he understands. "Hurty people?", Azhar asks, "who are they?"
The maroon eyes sharpen, "Pay shiny first."
"Ach, whatever. Eitherway she's unarmed. You're fooling youself Azhar."
wait what Melilot says. did i miss somethingGravlax also does a double-take at Azhar's statement. "I thought she was here as a guard."
Azhar answers Melilot briefly, "Don't know. Maybe." then turns to Gravlax, "Guard? Possible, but I doubt it. Undead would be the more standard guards in a thing like this, I think. You'd have to either suspect someone was coming to hire a special guard of her caliber and for enough to make it worth her while. Unless this guys richer 'en sin, which again, I guess is a possibility. However, I believe Cassian mentioned the mirror door thing normally has a strong magical trap which was recently disarmed via non-magical means. There was what looked to be a freshly dead elf with stab wounds in his front, wounds which could likely have been made by Sian's blades and no defensive wounds or signs of a huge struggle which led me to believe, admittedly conjecture, that he either knew his attacker and she attacked from surprise, or he did not see her until she attacked, either still being possibilities for the person in question. Lastly, she said and I quote, "the stuff you regret pays so much better than the things you don't." which again leads me to believe she was hired for a special purpose, namely to kill us.
Could I be wrong? Absolutely. But I feel it is the most compelling and likely outcome with the existing evidence." He shrugs, then continues with a wry smile at Rev, "but as father was wont to say, "everything you think you know may be false."
Rev shrugs at Melilot. Looks back at Azhar. Still not getting whatever answer he is apparently waiting for. Shakes his head. Looks at the fallen, and now tied woman.
Cassian shrugs. "Since we're keeping her alive, we could always, you know, ask her?"anyone have any practice as an interrogator Melilot asks the group in general.Janiven shakes her head. She looks at the bound-up woman with a bit of sympathy in her brown eyes, which hardens away. "Always had magic users for it. A little conversation, a little mind-reading."
Amaya and Fiosa both look a little confused, then horrified as Janiven's words sink in. Mathalen, for her part, stands a little straighter and concentrates on fishing around in the gunk.
"With enough time I could potentially prepare some spells, but I'm not that powerful a caster, and she can probably resist any of my spells. Might be able to hire someone though... if you lot don't mind waiting a day." He says, his tone perfectly reasonable.
** spoiler omitted **
"I know it's all conjecture, but I don't see better odds for anything else. I mean, why else would she be here?""Really, this is why I'm such a big proponent of the ask her plan." Cassian yawns. "I do know that if you gave me enough time with her, I could get her to admit she's the one who engineered the Delour wounding, but that doesn't make it fact. Our best approach is probably of the more sincere variety. Let Loverboy look for what he sees in her, and hey, maybe he'll find it. That's the best route to the information we're seeking. I mean, we can stand here and debate till we're blue in the face about whether she was hired to kill us, and we'll be right where we started."
Rev nods at Cassian's first words, then looks annoyed as Cassian continues speaking.
Azhar raises an eyebrow, "Though I do not necessarily agree with everything he says, and I think blue might be an interesting color for him, Cassian has a point." Azhar looks back at Rev, "Whatever you decide, whether to let her loose, leave her here or carry her out afterwards, I will assist you as best I can. But we should be on our way. Shall we?"
"Oh, now you're supportive?" Rev states.
Azhar smiles, shiny he understands. "Hurty people?", Azhar asks, "who are they?"The maroon eyes sharpen, "Pay shiny first."
"Probably us." Rev mentions, before Azhar can turn anything over to anyone. "Are you sure you want to give her those stones without knowing what that's going to do, or how it's going to affect us? It's interesting how trusting you are of this creature because it talks nice, but how willing you were to kill the female Tiefling who was more eloquent with her blade." He informs his brother. "Just because this thing is small and harmless looking, that doesn't make it so."
"Oh, now you're supportive?" Rev states.
Azhar just shrugs.
He informs his brother. "Just because this thing is small and harmless looking, that doesn't make it so."
Azhar decides to overlook his brother putting words in his mouth, "Not at all. It is an imp, though a miss-colored one. Imp's are evil. There may be one somewhere that is not, though I highly doubt that this is that one in a million scenario."
A striking tiefling woman with pitch black skin and flame-red hair dressed in red and black leathers.
The maroon eyes sharpen, "Pay shiny first."
Gravlax shrugs, and tosses a garnet up to the "Doctor."
Round 2
AC:18
hp: 55-4=51
Fort:5 ref:5 will:2
Azhar strikes at whichever elemental is most damaged first, hoping to take them both down.
to hit: Power Attack incl
dam: Power Attack inc.
other:
Cleave (if appropriate)
to hit: Power Attack incl
dam: Power Attack inc.
-2 AC if Cleaving
Cleaving Finish (if appropriate)
to hit: Power Attack incl
dam: Power Attack inc.
Gravlax shrugs, and tosses a garnet up to the "Doctor."
She grabs the stone from mid-air, flying back up to the ceiling tucking the garnet in a small hole. Leaning down from the ceiling, "See, I knew knew you may have forgotten important things when you were crazy insane."
Drops back down near Gravlax, "I will answer two questions for you." She looks around at the other people with gemstones. Fiosa takes the amethyst from Amaya. There is a sharp grin when Livia takes the stone. "And one question for you."
She smiles, "I can help times."
Cassian chucks a piece of jade at the imp, and patiently hopes for her to die.
She smiles at Cassian, "Thank you. One question for you." Looks around at the group, "How can I help? What do you need to know know? What did you forget?"
Her head bends down, pressing a kiss on the flesh at the top of his abdomen. The fully clothed woman smiles, "That would make somethings easier."
A nip.
He sips, "Were words involved?" He asks, taking another sip.
He smiles, "It's my home." Shrugs, "Besides it's a far better place than most that I've been. And there are many good people here that do want a better place to live."
Once everyone is done with Livia (one way or another), unlocking the padlock door is easy opening to...
This chamber lacks a visible floor and ceiling—instead, what appears to be an endless shaft stretches to infinity both above and below. A ring of stone stairs winds upward counterclockwise around the room’s perimeter, winding back on itself in a mind-bending twist that, impossibly, brings one back to the starting point’s elevation despite the fact that the stairs themselves seem never to change their ascent or descent. Stone archways, some opening into other similar rooms and some sealed with stone, extend off from landings here and there on the ring of stairs.
Quickly finding that the doors open to another room similar to the that one. However, should the door close between people in the party they end up in different chambers. Additionally the rooms are so much in flux that the atmosphere itself disorientates anyone in them.
Eventually the group is able to find everyone and find an exit to the pulsing shifting heart of the extra-dimensional plane.
"I have forgotten about the hurty people," Gravlax says. "Please tell me more about them."
Gravlax twitches at the nip, and grins. He wriggles underneath her, and peels off his shirt, tossing it over her head and in the general direction of his pants.
"So ... what exactly did you say that you had in mind again?"
The maroon eyes sharpen, "Pay shiny first."
Azhar holds out the fire opal. If Livia reaches for it he gives it to her and asks, "All right. My question which I wish to remember is 'who hired Sian, the tiefling for the job she was carrying out here in the Asmodean Knot?"
"I have forgotten about the hurty people," Gravlax says. "Please tell me more about them."
She smiles at Gravlax, "The hurty peoples work for the king. They are his fleshy fleshy minions."
Shakes her head with sincere disappointment, "Lunatics there are. And they never get any better."
Her maroon eyes turn all black, her voice losing all trace of the sing-songness that was there throughout. "Once a devil named Molikandus, betrayed Dargentu Vheed, cursed to eat filth and rot. Collect the devil to serve in his court."
The black light goes away in an instant and obviously not realizing that something else spoke through her, Livia continues, "Flesh bags rude rude break all the pretties. Take away the shinies."
She slides against him, licking the flesh she nipped, then her tongue tracing just a little lower. "Well... I've already eaten tonight." Kisses his lower abdomen, "And I've exercised."
"Where could I be headed here?"
Azhar holds out the fire opal. If Livia reaches for it he gives it to her and asks, "All right. My question which I wish to remember is 'who hired Sian, the tiefling for the job she was carrying out here in the Asmodean Knot?"
She takes the fire opal with something close to reverence, darting up to the ceiling, hiding all the gems in a pit of the beam. "You you finish set. Two questions you get."
Then that blackness and a blankness over her features, "The twins hired to free the twined. Weakened his bonds and opened the way."
She drops easily from the ceiling, her eyes back to normal, "Sorry, not know Sian." Her features set in a stubborn line, "But question still count count."
He strokes his chin with one hand. "You could be angling for another footrub," he says, twitching in small ways as he tries to keep his body from responding in larger ways. His free hand reaches down traces a lazy circle in her hair. "You could be reminding me that with leverage all things are possible."
She smiles at Cassian, "Thank you. One question for you."
"Okay?" says Cassian. He looks at the others. "What am I supposed to ask a brain-damaged shut-in?"
She smiles at Cassian, "Thank you. One question for you.""Okay?" says Cassian. He looks at the others. "What am I supposed to ask a brain-damaged shut-in?"
"Um, what color bubble gum does she chew?" Azhar grins, he doesn't seem to think it really matters. "Maybe something to do with what's in this place or what we're looking for...or maybe something about the king or her master?" Azhar shrugs.
"Um, what color bubble gum does she chew?" Azhar grins, he doesn't seem to think it really matters. "Maybe something to do with what's in this place or what we're looking for...or maybe something about the king or her master?" Azhar shrugs.
"Yeah, uh, that," Cassian says to the idiot imp. "Now let's see how she manages to impart zero information on this one! We'd be better off asking Rygel."
She looks confused, "You forgot so much..." thinks "Is okay, question question - in place are the ones that replaced the master wanted to torture."
Her eyes go black, "The Chelish Crux is in the Outcast King's horde. Everything with never ages, in stasis since the crown locked them away."
And then maroon, "And what are you looking for? Coin? Fame? Book stuffs?"
She looks confused, "You forgot so much..." thinks "Is okay, question question - in place are the ones that replaced the master wanted to torture."
Her eyes go black, "The Chelish Crux is in the Outcast King's horde. Everything with never ages, in stasis since the crown locked them away."
And then maroon, "And what are you looking for? Coin? Fame? Book stuffs?"
"At the moment, I'm looking for a tiny gag."
"At the moment, I'm looking for a tiny gag."
She ducks behind a broken chair, quickly, obviously not thinking about if she is telling the truth or not, "No gags here."
She ducks behind a broken chair, quickly, obviously not thinking about if she is telling the truth or not, "No gags here."
Rygel cuffs Cassian on the back of the head, leaps off his buddy's shoulder and scampers over to the chair. Baring his little monkey teeth and chirping, Rygel helpfully points to the fear rooms.
Jask
He sips, "Were words involved?" He asks, taking another sip.Larko
He smiles, "It's my home." Shrugs, "Besides it's a far better place than most that I've been. And there are many good people here that do want a better place to live."
"They kept getting caught in my thoat." He frowns.
"Your city... better than most? You need to get out more." Rev returns the smile. "But I understand your desire to make it better... not that I share it, mind you, but I've been around Azhar long enough that I understand." Maybe he shares the wish to make the people's lives better too, but he's not quite ready to admit that, just yet.
"Oh, now you're supportive?" Rev states.
Azhar just shrugs.
He informs his brother. "Just because this thing is small and harmless looking, that doesn't make it so."Azhar decides to overlook his brother putting words in his mouth, "Not at all. It is an imp, though a miss-colored one. Imp's are evil. There may be one somewhere that is not, though I highly doubt that this is that one in a million scenario."
Since Azhar has ignored the rest of Rev's words, he just crosses his arms and shakes his head.
Rev moves to provide flanking (if they can be flanked, if not he still moves so he can hit) one of the elementals for his brother, if the elementals are still standing.
"Are you sure you can't see, because it looks like you can see just fine." Rev responds as he moves. "Why am I even at this dance, you don't need me."
Uses his little dagger, because otherwise he will be out of channel energy before they get past all the dangers. to hit. damange
She ducks behind a broken chair, quickly, obviously not thinking about if she is telling the truth or not, "No gags here."Rygel cuffs Cassian on the back of the head, leaps off his buddy's shoulder and scampers over to the chair. Baring his little monkey teeth and chirping, Rygel helpfully points to the fear rooms.
Rev smiles.
Rev smiles.She ducks behind a broken chair, quickly, obviously not thinking about if she is telling the truth or not, "No gags here."Rygel cuffs Cassian on the back of the head, leaps off his buddy's shoulder and scampers over to the chair. Baring his little monkey teeth and chirping, Rygel helpfully points to the fear rooms.
The medically inclined imp looks around the corner, her eyes following the monkey's pointing finger. "Nothing nothing there. Just fears. Always fears, never ending always replacing. Nothing there."
Uses his little dagger, because otherwise he will be out of channel energy before they get past all the dangers. And his little dagger plunges into the living flame, damaging it.
Azhar strikes at whichever elemental is most damaged first, hoping to take them both down. Both of Azhar's hit strike home, injuring both but destroying neither.
The flanking elemental swipes again at Rev () and the other at Azhar (). Both attacks hit home, damaging the brothers, although Rev ignores the heat of the fists.
█████↑██
████↑↑██
████↑███
███◊◊███
██◊◊◊◊██
█◊R◊◊◊◊█
█◊◊F◊F◊█
██◊◊A◊██
███◊◊███
████↓███
████↓↓██
█████↓██
◊ floor
↓↑←→ stairs (double movement, arrow pointed up)
F = Fire Elemental
A = Azhar -10 (from this combat)
R = Rev -6 (from this combat)
fire1 -30
fire2 -25
fire3 -23
She smiles against the skin of his abdomen, then sucking and licking out in a spiral. "You do give quite good foot rubs."
She looks up the length of his torso, her hands resting on his upper thighs. "And just what would you like to leverage me into?"
He nods, no judgement. "And Sasha. You know you find her beautiful, that you respect her skill, enjoy her attitude." He sips, "Do you know anything of her beyond that?"
He shrugs, "I've been to many places in Cheliax, Westcrown is ignored and that means there is a chance to make it back into what it was before."
The medically inclined imp looks around the corner, her eyes following the monkey's pointing finger. "Nothing nothing there. Just fears. Always fears, never ending always replacing. Nothing there."
Rygel points at the imp, then points at the rooms more emphatically, baring his teeth and chirping even louder.
Cassian rubs the back of his head. "He wants you to go in. I think he's hoping that if you kill something, it'll turn into something he can eat." The rogue shrugs apologetically. "I don't think he understands how they work."
Round 3
AC:18
hp: 55-4=51-6=45
Fort:5 ref:5 will:2
"Are you sure you can't see, because it looks like you can see just fine." Rev responds as he moves. "Why am I even at this dance, you don't need me."
Azhar smiles, "I can see. The blindness was only temporary from the flash." concentrating on his opponents, he does not spare a glance for his brother, "you are at this dance, because I followed you, because every little bit extra can make a huge difference, because without you after I or the others fall down, we would be less likely to be able to get back up, and because you are my brother." he strikes at the elementals again.
to hit: Power Attack incl
dam: Power Attack inc.
other:
Cleave (if appropriate)
to hit: Power Attack incl
dam: Power Attack inc.
-2 AC if Cleaving
Cleaving Finish (if appropriate)
to hit: Power Attack incl
dam: Power Attack inc.