Shifty Group Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

"Okay then. Let's move on." KArlan says moving towards the east door.

Kabal spit near the troll, clearly not impressed.

"Hah! Was that supposed to be their god? What a chump. Nice blade work Karlan."

The warrior picks up the trident.

"This should fetch a pretty penny though."

Bree grunts and wipes her blade off. "They're obviously not the brightest species. Might be more around, though."

"Nice work, Karlan! I'm not going to improve in my fencing skills at the rate that you take these beasts down, but considering the opponent, I think that will be fine."

Celestra casts detect magic and looks for any auras in the magical spectrum.

...there will be a larger update tomorrow :P You have (for all intents and purposes) overcome the Dams defenses - the next part is story narrative/plot device stuff - involves moral quandry instead :p

Pretty sure we brought Bree, Kabal and Sable on to deal with the moral quandaries. Harry was always good with those as well.

Hey Karlan, look over there. . . . Hmm, now how did this ranger die. How strange.

yep, we'll squander any and all morals if necessary

Is anyone else in need of healing or do you all have wands of CLW to help?

Bree should be at full HP unless I missed something. She does have a wand of url=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/i/infernal-healing]Infernal Healing[/url] so that can be used on anyone who isn't afraid of detecting as an evil creature while it works!

Once clear of the main guardian, you moved through the rest of the dams defences easily – only one last guardian remained, a curious scorpion-like construct from a olong forgotten Thassilonian age, however it was no barrier to the party moving through to the control room

A pool of water sits against the wall to the west of this chamber, with a set of steps leading down into it along the pool's east side. Opposite the steps is an alcove in which rises a fantastically detailed scale model of Skull's Crossing. The five skulls along its face seem to be actual human skulls, the bone polished to a gleaming sheen.

This scale model of Skull's Crossing once served to help regulate the water level on the Storval Deep side of the dam. When the water rose to within 30 feet of the top of the dam, this device would automatically open the five floodgates to prevent a catastrophic failure, however whatever magic is driving this failsafe has waned below the power required to do so.

An examination of the skulls revealed that the jaws of each can be pulled down like levers to reveal tubes leading into the wall. The scale model itself radiates strong transmutation magic.

Curious, you pressed on, following the clues to the grand engines driving this construction.

This narrow chamber ends at two curved alcoves, one to the east and one to the west. Each alcove is enclosed by a dull iron portcullis. A winch next
to each provides a way to raise or lower the gates.

Beyond each portcullis a circle of runes glows with a faint orange light on the floor. Inside the circle to the west is a pile of crimson ash, while inside the circle to the east is curled what appears to be a long-dead devil, its flesh taut and dry on its bones. Then it groans and reaches out feebly towards you, as though seeking assistance...

Ailetha looks with wonderment at the assortment of Thassilonian artifacts and wishes she had the time to stay and chronicle all that is to be found within this massive ancient structure.

When the party gets to the two portcullises, she is rather surprised to see that the infernal creature yet lives.

Knowledge(planes): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Not recognizing what it is, she instead turns her attention to the runes on the ground attempting to discern what their purpose may be.

Knowledge(arcana): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Sense Motive check.

Kneeling by the portcullis but well outside arms reach Karlan regards the devil calmly.

"Can you speak?"

Curious, Bree stands a few feet from Karlan also staying out of reach. Her knives still firmly gripped in her hands she watches and listens as Karlan attempts to converse with the devil.

Perception 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
Sense Motive 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Calling upon the powers of the raven's gift for language, Sable loosens his own tongue and addresses the creature after Karlan. "What are you?" Sable is fascinated by the creature, much as he was so many months ago when he met the one called Old Scratch.

Casting tongues.

The creature looks old and weathered, however with some imagination you know that at its prime it would have been a prince amongst its kind. You just have no idea what matter of Devil it is...

"Knight of Ozem" it regards Karlan "Dispel the magic of the circle that traps me or destroy the runes, grant me freedom"

It looks pained as it shifts its head to regard Sable, "I am the unwilling, trapped to do the unwanted, left for a millennia"

"If you know what I am then you are more than aware that what you ask is no mean request from one of your kind. What would you do with this freedom if granted it?"

Eh, detect evil.

Karlan is unsurprised by the outcome of Detect Evil - Christmas lights abound

"I wish to return home and rest, so long have I been here, so long..." it looks across at the ash in the other circle, a twinge of fear in its eyes "I am Avaxial, and for an age I have been used to power the floodgates, I wish only to return home HOME HOME HOME HOME!" it twitches then returns to its lethargy.

"So, you want us to free you, which would cause the floodgates to stop working; flooding the area it protects and killing all those people? Do you have another power source to offer up that doesn't involve simply putting someone else in your position or drowning the town?"

Kneeling, Sable regards the creature, asking his questions after Bree. "What happened to the other circle, and where is your home, Avaxial?"

"So, you want us to free you, which would cause the floodgates to stop working; flooding the area it protects and killing all those people? Do you have another power source to offer up that doesn't involve simply putting someone else in your position or drowning the town?"

"The floodgates aren't working, and wont work - I cannot power them any more - I feel the dam, I feel every ounce of it, every curve, I feel the strain of the water and I feel the gates struggle to draw the power they need to open - I feel it beginning to buckle and burst and my mind with it. A new source isn't up to me to offer up, don't be ridiculous, if I had that to trade I'd have left long ago - that problem is on you, what do YOU offer up to save those people? I can trade, you save me and I tell you how to save them, but the question of sacrifice is yours to answer... what are those lives worth to you?"

"The other circle..." his eyes shift across "My friend and companion for such an age, gone now, fuel for the dam. Home is away to my home plane - the depths of Hell"

Bree contemplates his response, but instead of addressing his offer she asks, "How did you come to be here, connected to this place?"

"How in the Nine Hells can we trust anything this damned demon has to say?"

Despite his misgivings, Kabal looked completely at ease.

"I do hate imprisoned creatures, but I hate to think what havoc this one would cause if it was free."

"Avaxial wants to return home, of that we can be sure. Those of you with tethers to unforgiving divines, understand that for the sake of many I intend to see the vile wretch freed. Kabal we can trust that freed this creature has the capacity to resume an existence of evil, but we can also trust that it will honor its word to the letter, as long as that word furthers its own agenda. So," Sable looks again at the devil, "Is the lie worth more than your freedom?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Bree contemplates his response, but instead of addressing his offer she asks, "How did you come to be here, connected to this place?"

"We were summoned in and bound by...Karzoug" the name rolls off the Devils tongue, venomous. "Break my bonds and I give my word I will tell you what I know, then I will leave peacefully"

Sable turns to Celestra and Karlan, but does not mention their names aloud. "I would hear your counsel on this before I move forward. If this is an act of damnation, I would rather the burden stain my feathers instead of keeping you from staying aloft."

Bree closes her eyes for a moment and rubs the back of her hand across her forehead. She moves to squat down next to Sable and asks him quietly, "You're sure this is what you want to do? I'm with you whatever you decide, I just want you to be sure."

Sable smiles, You remember Old Scratch? This being may be evil personified, but that does not justify its imprisonment or exploitation. What can I say, I have a soft heart for caged birds."

Bree nods, "I remember." She stands back up and moves back to where she stood before. "Well, that settles it for me, then."

"I have no plans on leaving it in the cage." Karlan says levelly. "At the same time what horrors will it unleash when it rests? What vengeance will it seek? How many will suffer because for our pity?" Karlan shakes his head.

"The only freedom I can offer is that given by the blade."

"That would be unfortunate, for I will still be trapped in this circle, just in an even worse state. Break or dispel the circle, I'll leave and you'll know how to use the dam... as safely as it can be done. Come Knight of Ozem, let us make a binding contract"

Karlan turns back at the devil. "That's a fool's bargain. Mortals built this dam. Mortals bound you. Mortals can figure it out without damning others. If you can't be killed and granted mercy that way then I'll have no choice but to seal you in. Ensure none can find you and leave you entirely in the hands of the Lady of Graves."

"As I said if you knew what I was you'd know we're not in the business of unleashing evil. We seal it up and throw away the keys."

"Sable, I must admit that I do not wish to oppose Karlan's wishes. He has always been a good judge of character. However much it pains me to see this one bound, the thought of permitting one who is this evil to freely cause harm does worry me. How can we banish him so we can guarantee that he will not harm another soul? I'm not sure we can."

Man I missed a lot of posts, spent 6 hours at a meeting last night.

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Knowledge(planes): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18 <-- trying to recall what she knows of devils in general - I assume the prior roll was what this specific one was

Ailetha listens to the others, unfortunately on this day her in depth knowledge of devils is simply eluding her. (Gotta love dice, considering that she grew up in Brastlewerk in Cheliax, I assume she knows a fair amount about devils).

I don't know what type of devil this is. However, if it is one of the infernal horde, then its word is its law. Devils do not break contracts or agreements. If we wish to guaranty that it leaves immediately, then we need only put into the contract that which is desired.

She looks over at Karlan:
I think that you are mistaking evil and chaos. Devils are creatures of law, just as you are. Admittedly, they are more interested in self preservation and gaining power than in helping others, but they are still ruled by law first and foremost. If this were one of the abyssal horde, and we have seen them before such as the creature you all fought beneath Sandpoint, then I would say kill it first and ask questions later. However, this is no demon, it is a devil and should be dealt with as such.

My vote is to bind it with a contract.

First, our obligation will be to grant it its freedom.

In return, it shall tell us all it knows of the working of this dam, how to repower the gates and the dam in general. How to operate the dam. It will also agree, once it has told us all it knows, to immediately return to its home plan, wherever in Hell that may be. It shall also agree to not return to this plane for 1000 years, and to never harm any living creature on the plane containing our home, Golarian.

If it wishes to wage war on the demons of the Abyss, or on some other race in some other plane, I will not require that the creature forgo this. After all, even if we were to do so, all that would accomplish would be something of which we would have no means of confirming its compliance.

She then looks to the others.
That is my choice. I grew up in Cheliax where slavery and the binding of devils such as this is the norm. I hate it more than anything. I may not agree with the goals of devils, but killing this one simply because it is innately evil truly accomplishes nothing more than killing a sheep because you dislike the color white. Sent it home, let it recover or do whatever it will do within the fiery pits of Hell, and we can work to save Turtleback Ferry and all those who are downstream.

She then turns to Karlan once more.
You are right, I am sure that I could figure out how to work this dam. However, I do not know how long that might take, or even if we have to tools to do so. Would you risk killing this devil to simply fulfill your desire to banish all that is evil, at the risk of having hundreds, no thousands, of innocent souls put at risk of drowning?

Kabal was suspicious by nature and especially about things arcane and divine. So he listened carefully to the demon...or devil as Ailetha says...same difference if you ask me but whatever....; his raised eyebrow evidence of his natural distrust..

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

"As well thought out as a contract that seems, I do not believe we have the power to contain Avaxial for a millennium in Hell- especially if some other power hungry caster learns of its name and summons it here again. Kill it, and it will probably return to Hell anyways- with our faces clear in its mind and a thirst for vengeance. I would rather not make an enemy of any otherworldly creature if within the realm of possibility."

Then lets see what contract it will agree to. Even if it is merely a contract the allow it to return to Hell, that would remove it from here. I do not think that the devil has any true animosity toward us. If you heard his voice, it is clear that his hatred is directed toward the Runelord of Greed, Karzoug.

As she says this, her eyes light up:
In fact, I believe that someone seeks to bring back the power of the long dead Runelord. Perhaps we can gain some assistance from this devil since his hatred after several millennium is clearly dire.

Sable regards the group, "If a bargain can be struck, as I said, I am willing to be the one to do it on my feathers the weight be, but I will not stand idly by with the decision to put the creature to the blade for being true to its nature. I have no qualms in sinking my talons in an enemy that has done me or my flock wrong, but to snuff out life because it is evil is exactly the trait of humanity that creates devil-kind."

"The Knight of Ozem is half right, mortals built the dam, but the Karzoug is no 'mortal'"

Ailetha spells out the terms of the bargain and it listens intently.

Kabal never played a game of poker in Cheliax, but he is certain that if he did, he'd recognise the look in the Devils eyes as the look of a player fresh out of aces and playing the dud hand he has as best as he can. You expect that at the height of its power this creature would have been grand and terrifying, but it has had a long time to become broken and has clearly been down here alone with its thoughts to the point of madness.

As Ailetha and Sable converse it continues to listen silently, but the word Karzoug triggers it again and it convulses in anger as best it can, but is still unable to summon much energy to the cause.

"The Chelish woman is wise, let's swear to the agreement - my freedom to return home in exchange for what I know... set pen to paper stranger, and let us both be bound"

Ailetha looks to Sable for his input.
So. You want to do the writing?

Bree paces the area a bit, looking around for any trouble and feeling on edge. I wonder how Winter would handle this mess.

Perception 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

"I will." Sable will pluck a feather from his mantled cape to use as quill. When paper and ink are put before him, he will lay the terms of the contract out, allowing everyone to observe him as he writes.

I, Sable Eboncrow, herein do enter into agreement with the devil called Avaxial upon <insert date>. The conditions of this contract are as follows; In exchange for information regarding the safety of those peoples protected by the floodgates fueled by Avaxial's life-force, for whatever knowledge Avaxial has in overcoming the entity named Karzoug, and with the promise that Avaxial will immediately and solely return itself to Hell leaving myself and my companions mentally, spiritually, and physically unharmed, I agree to free Avaxial from the confines of its magical confinement. Avaxial will only be freed after the exchange of information has been given.

Before signing the contract, Sable allows the party to read over his words and interject, and from where he stands, shows the document to the devil. "Are these terms acceptable?"

Celestra turns to Bree and asks, "How do they expect those words to have any binding weight? I didn't think that evil creatures were that interested in obeying laws and contracts. I know I would give much credit to them, and I'm a pretty decent person."

"I have no idea. Those two seem to know quite a bit about them, though, and they say that they will keep the contract. Perhaps it is bound somehow from breaking the contract? I can't say I particularly like the whole thing, but I don't see a lot of options. I don't trust it, but I suppose I've come to trust Sable enough to know that he wouldn't do this if he didn't believe in what he was saying."

"Ailetha claims that the inhabitants of Hell are bound by laws and rules, but that is not why I am doing this. The weight of Avaxial's word will carry the same as mine, for if I agree to this and do not act in kind, I will be no better than the evil you claim this creature to be. We were asked what the lives of the people are worth, I believe they are worth my word and the hopes that there is honor even in the Underworld. If I am wrong, may I lose every feather over and again and face whatever judgement I am owed." Sable shrugs, holding the contract aloft for the devil's perusal.

The Devil looks at the terms, reading them over and over to be sure. It spikes its nail into itself to draw blood, then signs upon the dotted line.

"Your turn, Eboncrow"

Karlan turns and leaves the room throwing his arms in the air clearly disgusted with the events unfolding.

Kabal wasn't above killing and certainly not devils...which we all know you cant trust... but there wasn't something almost sad about this one.

"It will abide. Its other options are much bleaker I'd say."

Bree finally ends her pacing standing near Kabal, as she so often does. She frowns slightly at her own behavior, but makes no move to change location. She takes in the ruins for a moment before chuckling. Glancing at Kabal she says, "Could you imagine Sebastian in this place? We'd never get him to leave again."

"I feel good about this decision to free the devil. However, I trust you Cheliaxian legal experts are able to arrange a deal that we learn everything we can about this dam and you also ensure that this devil does not cause any further trouble. I just hope a thousand years is enough time."