[AP] The Shackled City Adventure Path by GM Rutseg (Inactive)

Game Master Balacertar

While Kikinnin finishes with a swing the first owlbear, Marigold casts a searing light but she fails to properly conjure the power and instead of a ray, there is a sudden flash of divine energy.

The distraction is good enough for Kikinnin to cleave back with his axe at the only surviving owlbear. Stupefied by Marigold's sudden spell mishap and squeezed between the columns, the bloodthirsty ire in the eyes of the beast suddenly turn off when the axe chops him down.

The owlbears finally can rest of their life of tormented fury.

Combat ends!

With the fiendish beasts defeated Kaurophon starts packing up things "I do thing it is better we have a rest in some other space far from here. I don't want them to track us once more here"

gaining a bit of room from the tainted owlbears, Ryan offers his key towards the heavens to focus Abadar's healing mercies.

channel positive: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 1, 1, 4) = 12

"Can't say I'd want to sleep next to them either if additional company wasn't a problem."

After Ryan heals the party you find a new place to camp in the Ossary Forest. Some food and you give yourselves a good deserved rest for the day.

You have only traveled a mile or two after completing your rest when there is a change in the landscape.

The flesh of the plane takes on colourful striations, veins of green, black, yellow. You stumble over lumpy, solid nodules that float just beneath Occipitus’ skin. Nearby, the ground rises and gives way to a ridge of worked marble extending for miles in either direction.

“The Celestial Rubble,” Kaurophon exclaims "We are close now – maybe just hours from the Cathedral of Feathers.”

"The striations in the Occipitan flesh are from veins of Celestial marble not yet fully digested. Gradually, at a glacial pace, what remains of Celestia is being consumed by the plane" you can easily hack at the ground to expose the lumps and nodules as chunks of marble that are slowly being absorbed into the essence of Occipitus.

The field of celestial rubble is elevated above the surface of the Ossaic Forest. It is only when you crest the ridge that you grasp how vast it is.

Terrain of marble reaches out for miles. The stone is uneven, latticed with cracks and fault lines, as if the entire mass was thrown down from a great height. Rubble lies strewn across the expanse, along with the remains of toppled columns and grand structures decimated by the impact.

Miraculously, some buildings remain. There is a sad beauty to their classic and damaged facades, having survived the catastrophe that brought them here.

Kaurophon looks across the field “Celestia’s great sorrow. Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, an angel opened a gate to the Abyss, allowing demon hordes to enter the sacred realm. This angel commanded the demons as an army. Through the shock of surprise they captured an expansive valley on Proelera – the second level of Heaven. The horde opened more abyssal gates, and the demons continued to arrive."

“By the time Heaven defenders had regrouped from the initial assault, drastic action was required to excise the cancer. In a chorus of grief and sorrow the Heavenly Host expunged the valley from the face of Proelera. A golden angel, Haloen, sacrificed himself and many of his own angelic allies using the Crystal Trumpet. It plunged through infinite depths until it came to a final violent rest here on Occipitus."

“This Celestial rubble we walk on resists being consumed by the plane. It is free of the abyssal taint. Still, we must be cautious. The ruins draw treasure hunters seeking unplundered tombs and the lost estates of angels. Powerful guardians from the time of the valley’s fall still protect these lands. So let us proceed prudently.”

"The striations in the Occipitan flesh are from veins of Celestial marble not yet fully digested. Gradually, at a glacial pace, what remains of Celestia is being consumed by the plane." You can easily hack at the ground to expose the lumps and nodules as chunks of marble that are slowly being absorbed into the essence of Occipitus.

Kikinnin does just that, some stone sense of mortification that true rock is being dissolved into the abhorrent flesh of Occipitus. He cuts out several small pieces of Celestial marble, tucking them into his belt pouch, observing what lies beneath the Occipitus skin while he works them out.

"Alright then. This is enough to keep my interest burning in this hellish place."

The black beard doesn't give much thought as to how Kaurophon has come to understand this place so deeply. He starts to picture the half-fiend and the blackblood Juraan as both learned men who sink their teeth into studies of less savory subject matters. He doesn't, however, lend any near the level of trust he's placed on Juraan to Kaurophon himself. Someone who's spent time in these lands as long as the devil-blooded is likely corrupted too deeply to be saved. Kikinnin bides his time with their ghoulish guide, never turning his back on him, always returning his gaze to Kaurophon's back, where he pictures his Axe buried deeply.

"Haloen..." Marigold murmurs, the name oddly familiar to her ears. Like a name she'd read in a book...or heard in a dream.

Her eyes widen.

"Haloen! That's the n-name!" she gasps. "Remember? F-from one of my d-dreams! I've b-been dreaming of this p-place!"

Maxim raises a bushy eyebrow in concern at Marigold's proclamation;

"You been eatin' some mighty powerful cheese afore bed Lil' Miss to be dreamin' o' this nightmare vista!"

He mulls on her words and those of their guide before continuing;

"So we're treasure huntin' fir an angel's bugle? Am wonderin' if Lil' Miss might remember naught from her dreams, o' where Haloen's trumpet lies..."

following the conversation but got pulled in to head down to Florida for Hurricane Matthew's restoration, posting as able but bot to keep things progressing.

Ryan rest to the side fingerling a small piece of the heavenly quartz, trying to remember what Marigold has told about her dream.

"I've b-been dreaming of this p-place!"

Kikinnin flinches as the halfling speaks on her connection with Occipitus. "So... what do you make of it? If I remember correctly, you thought of yourself as demon, in your dream. Do we have something to worry about, with you?"

Marigold shoots Kikinnin a dark look, not really appreciating the dwarf's change in tone. It reminded her too much of someone double-checking a corner for a spider they thought they'd seen....so it could be squished.

"I'm n-not like our g-guide, okay?" she mutters. "As b-best as I can remember, each of my d-dreams...w-well they went like this..." she says, launching into as detailed a description as she can give of each one. "And th-then...there's the one I h-had just the other, um...n-night..." Marigold finishes. She looks around at her companions...friends?

"Wh-what do you think? I d-don't know how or why I'm h-having these d-dreams, but...if they c-can help in some way...m-maybe it's w-worth the torment..."

Kikinnin is silent for several moments, taking in the halfling's account of her dreams. He goes back to earlier segments of her storytelling, his less flexible mind struggling to piece together the bigger picture, much like her accounting of piecing souls together.

"I'm not so good with riddles and mysteries, miss Marigold. From your dreams, from where you stood in them, it sounds like you were a Prince in the ranks of Celestia, who made a deal with a Devil, got their soul ripped in two, and given back, half-black of a demon's own soul. That you were there to witness the fall of this piece of Heaven, saw the final decision to sever the battlefield, as the armies collided. That you walked the blistered land of Occipitus, before being declared Ruler."

Kikinnin doesn't speak as a judge reading a litany of charges against a defendant in the court. He speaks as a co-investigator at a table, moving papers about, bringing certain pieces together, while pushing others away.

"The last part of your dream- it's not about the past, is it. It's about what you might be faced with, as we get closer to our end on Occipitus." The black beard lowers his eyebrows, seeking something in Marigold's demeanor. "You still haven't answered my question, miss Marigold. What do you make of it, and do we have something to worry about, with you, when the time comes, and we're standing in front of that fiery column of demon flame?"

Maxim eyes his fellow dwur with a deepening scowl;

"Hell's Teeth Bror! Lil' Miss' proved herself pure o' intent an' heart more times than I've sparked a stogie... She ain't fir turnin', an I'll stake my best bottle o' rum on it too!"

The gunmage squeezes the halflings shoulder with a hard smile;

"I an't about to try an make sense o' them dreams o' yours Lil' Miss. Ol' Ironbeard there might be right an' you were somethin' celestial in a previous life... Or as I reckon - you've either had a helluva past life or that cheese was mighty potent!"

He chuckles, trying to defuse the situation;

"Say you don't recollect any treasure hoards or such in these dreams? Maybe these demons an' angels were as bountiful in their wealth as they were in their warfare..."

Marigold hesitates...everything that once was flashing through her mind yet again. "I...d-don't know," she admits, lowering her head. "I d-don't know if I've just got the b-blood of this f-fallen angel in my v-veins or if...if I'm th-that angel reborn s-somehow. B-but...I think...I th-think that..."

She pauses again, struggling for the right words. She looks up at Kikinnin and then at the rest of her friends.

"I th-think that no m-matter what the answer is, that m-maybe I've been given a s-second chance. To p-put things right and help free this p-place from the Abyss," Marigold says, her voice quiet, determined. "And th-that's what I aim to do. B-but I'll not step on my f-friends to s-see it done. I'll f-find some other way."

"I'm sure your dreams would serve us well here somehow, Marigold.
"It can't be a coincidence you've had these dreams and look where we are now."

Kourophon listens with care all the conversation. When no one in the party has else to comment he just adds while staring at Marigold "That sounds like you might have some ancestry related to the plane, or perhaps more probably, you are more sensitive than others to the influence of Occipitus, specially while you dream. Maybe both"

Resuming the trip, Kaurophon now leads the party on this last leg of the journey. Walking across the devastated landscape, at times the party must climb up or down ridges and across clefts of shattered marble. Despite the beauty of the distressed landscape, the desolation and isolation is undeniable.

The party passes ruin after ruin – some no more than mounds of crushed rock. Others provide a hint of their former stature – fallen plinths and obelisks, or majestic carved roofs now toppled to the ground revealing angelic bass reliefs.

Occasionally, the party also sees stairways or shafts that lead beneath the surface "Don't follow those ones, we do not want to alert any guardians" warns Kaurophon.

As you make your way through the maze of shattered marble, a regal feline voice echoes across the ruin "Go no further until I take your measure. You stand on sacred ground"

Marigold stops, eyes narrowed as she looks about for the source of the mysterious voice.

"Wh-who speaks? And wh-whose sacred ground do we st-stand on?" she calls back.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

Juraan tries to get some sense of where the voice is coming from:
perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

Marigold and Juraan observe a figure concealed within the sotny ruins. At this point, a lioness, powerfully muscled, emerges from behind the remains of toppled columns. She majestically walks on two feet, clad in simple robes that do not mask her strength. “Ah... you return Kaurophon. And what makes you think I shall let you pass this time? To what end has your lust to rule Occipitus driven you now.”

Kaurophon calmly looks the lioness in the eye. "Lady Guardinal, I have long since realized I am not destined to succeed in such a quest. Yet Occipitus is rudderless without a leader. I have returned with those who may shift Occipitus’ future in Celestia’s favour. I am their guide. I must lead them to the Cathedral of Feathers."

The lioness pauses to consider.

"Hell's Teeth Bror! Lil' Miss' proved herself pure o' intent an' heart more times than I've sparked a stogie... She ain't fir turnin', an I'll stake my best bottle o' rum on it too!"

"I'm only listening to her tale, and making sure she's ready for what Occipitus might ask of her, bror. I don't fear her turning on us, I only fear her blood turning on her."

...

"Ah... you return Kaurophon. And what makes you think I shall let you pass this time? To what end has your lust to rule Occipitus driven you now."

Kikinnin doesn't interrupt the guardian, only marks her words, and deepening his judgment of Kaurophon, as the lioness confirms more of his suspicions.

The black beard stands where he is, and waits for the Guardinal to either ask questions of them, or demand of them some action to prove their worthiness. He wonders if she has enough animus against Kaurophon as to ask them to confront their guide...

knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Since Juraan can't really tell just what Lady Guardinal is, he watches the exchange between her and Kaurophon silently, for now...

Sense Motive (DC 29): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20
Kn. Planes (DC 22): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

Marigold's eyes widen at the sight of Lady Guardinal, quite astonished to see a creature such as her on...in...within?...Occipitus.

"Oh! U-um....L-Lady Guardinal? Wh-why are you here in this p-place? It's a l-long way from Nirvana, isn't it?" she asks, quite sincerely. Then, to her companions, she adds, "The L-Lady is a l-leonal agathion...and agathions are g-good beings that c-come from the p-plane of Nirvana."

"Then we're in good company." Kikinnin bows his head to the leonal agathion, as Marigold comes to educate them on her nature.

Sense motive (DC29): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

Having remained quiet and introspective through the majority of their trek across the fallen angelic kingdom, Ryan listens as the others answer the challenge provided by the Leonal agathion as Marigold described it.

"Greetings Mi'lady, it seems our guide has come before and been found wanting. Yet even now I sense he holds something back. I wonder, is it from you or more likely from us. As it appears you two are well aquainted."

Turning towards Kaurophon, Ryan waits to see if he will reply.

Kikinnin looks at JJ, tapping his nose, and pointing to Ryan, as if to suggest that he pay close attention to those of his friends who have a knack for sensing things, and trust their intuition. When he's good and sure the boy has a grasp of things, he turns back to Ryan and Kaurophon, and he waits. Silently. For now.

"R-right..." Marigold agrees, glancing at Kaurophon as though seeing him in a new, less-flattering light. "I think we need to h-hear the whole st-story before anything else happens."

The guardinal negates with his head to Ryan "We just shortly met in one occasion. I am here because I fall with the rest of Celestia like many other angels and good celestials. I attempt to guard what remains from that goodness here, trying to keep protected the way to the Cathedral of Feathers, but it seems increasingly difficult as the Abyssal influence extends through the plane"

Kaurophon speaks up "It is terrible to be judged by the nature of your parents, but this is an inconvenience I have grown used to. All I demand guardinal is these heroes are granted access to the first part of the Test. I act here just as a guide. I truly believe they can save Occipitus"

The guardinal reflects again, then seems to take a resolution "I must take the measure of your minds. If all is as Kaurophon states, then you may proceed."

The lioness extends her hands "Submit your mind as I study your thoughts"

The guardinal casts detect thoughts one by one on you, waiting for each of you to approach and submit so she can read your thoughts while she asks these questions "Why are you here? What do you love? What do you hate?"
Any of you that approaches, can state something aloud and spoiler your thoughts to the questions so only the guardinal will know your actual thought.
I you want to resist the spell but fake some thoughts, include a Will save and a Bluff check inside your spoiler

"I'll g-go first," Marigold remarks softly and then steps forward to face Lady Guardinal, bowing her head in submission as she allows the agathion to share her thoughts.

"My n-name is Marigold Montajay and I'm h-here with my f-friends to seek a way to s-save the city of Cauldron...my h-home," she states in reply to the first question...though there seems to be more that she's leaving unsaid.

"I love my h-home and the p-people in it: my little s-sister Anafa, Kristof at the sh-shrine of S-Sarenrae, my f-friends L-Lissa, Zinli, and Losriel, all the p-people at the orphanage where I grew up," Marigold answers to the second question, this time with a clear, strong voice and without hesitation. "And my f-faith in Sarenrae herself...and the c-companions standing with me n-now."

To the last question, she pauses, thinking hard. Finally, she answers, "I hate b-being afraid. I always used to b-be so afraid, afraid of s-something happening to me or to s-someone I c-cared about. With everything we've b-been through, I've had to f-force myself to not be afraid...or to act even when I w-was. And I've g-grown stronger for it. B-but I still hate that f-feeling and I g-guess I always will."

Her answers given, Marigold raises her head to gaze at the agathion and await judgement.

Juraan will mostly follow Marigold's lead; although he'll be every bit as informal as ever...

"I am Juraan Uthlatch. Like the others, I'm here to help save our home, Cauldron."
Then he seems to think on that for a moment, as he often does when speaking...

"I too love Cauldron and her people.
"Including all my friends here, who are all like family.
"Although it might not seem so with my fondness for hilarious pranks."

"What do I hate? That's easy! I hate feeling incapable!
"I know I can't do everything, but I hate not being able to do my bit."

Maxim eyes the angelic being with a stoic eye

Angels an' demons. Opposite sides o' the same darn coin iffen ye ask me. Leastways they're more congenial in their demandments...

When asked for introductions, the gun-mage steps forward after Juraan offering himself up with a scowl;

"Go by the name o' Maxim Snaphånce. Once of Malachite now o' Cauldron. Ah'm here with my friends... Doin' right by them. Right by Cauldron."

At the question of his loves, the dwur pulls forth a cigar, pausing to light it;

"Love me a good stogie... an' a shot o' rum to accompany. Love the jingle o' coin at my hip. Love the smell o' black powder in the mornin'... That good enough for yah?"

When questioned on hate, the dwur smiles wryly and takes another puff;

"Hate? Huh... Reckon I hate bein' asked questions o' morality by someone I don't know..."

Before approaching the guardian, JJ spends a moment considering his own motivations and feelings on the matter. The trip through the layer of the abyss had not been without its challenges. However for once he had been able to put his training to good use, and he felt that his skills in navigating the pitfalls of Occipitus had perhaps made a significant difference for the group.

"I am JJ Surabar. Descendant of Surabar Spellmason, and the blood of Celestials runs through my veins, just as it did through this land once."

He pauses, finding within himself what he was looking for.

"I came here to help save my uncle Alex - albeit it is a round route we have taken. But beyond that to save Cauldron. However now I am here I think our task is larger than that. It is to save Occipitus itself. The land itself bleeds - and that means it suffers... but is trying to heal.."

Ryan steps forward as JJ steps away from the guardian, his brain turning the questions over and over, aware that an incorrect response, a lie in truth, would be detected by the guardian's innate magic.

spreading his hands open wide Ryan bows his head forward in preparation for his own testing.

"I am Ryan Taskerhill, cleric of Abadar, the god of the Cities and Master of the First Vault.

"Why are you here?
"My first task is to protect Cauldron my home, and when I sought direction from Abadar about accompanying Kaurophon, it was indicated that this trip to Occipitus would benefit Cauldron. So here I am."

What do you love?
"What do I love, it's a good question. Life, progress, good companions and the occasional dollop of dwarven whiskey. All of these are enjoyable, and at the end of a long day being able to look back and see that I've brought joy and peace to those around me, that brings great satisfaction to my soul."

What do you hate?"
"That is the easiest to answer, I hate chaos. Order and structure allow society to grow and support each other, yet turmoil and chaos causes those gains to be lost in seemingly an instant. Even the 'Last Laugh' requires a healthy dose of order and structure to make a profit."

JJ nods to himself as Ryan answers the questions.

"What do I love? I love my hometown. Flawed though it may be. It is the true legacy of Surabar. I love that it stands as a safe refuge in a brutal land. A place where people can be safe... at least relatively."

He looks around the group. "I guess you could say I love my friends too. There is little I wouldn't give for them. Even those tough-as-boots dwarves. My litle brothers and sister, and of course Gretchen. They are as much family as my uncle, though a different sort of family perhaps."

He thinks long and hard about what he hates, "I'm not sure that I really hate anything. Seems to me the world has enough of that going on without me adding to it. Maybe I've just never been wronged badly enough to hate. I don't like feeling that someone is taking advantage of me or my friends though."

He smiles as he looks around.

"Oh I know. I really hate standing downwind of Maxim when he lights up... "

"Actually I really hate being told what I have to do." he finally concludes.

Kikinnin realizes that the leonal agathion has begun something like his Look, upon he and his friends. He doesn't step forward immediately, letting the others have their say first, while he Looks over the lioness himself. Detect Evil, at Will.

When his turn comes, he steps forward, as he is bid to do.

"My name is Kikinnin Rouradont, of Clan Rouradont, son of Pocca and Mirna, brother to Gemma. My roots run deep in the halls of the Malachite Fortress, which sits beneath the city of Cauldron."

The black beard looks from Marigold to Kaurophon, then returns his gaze to the agathion.

"I'm here, because I will not leave my friends alone in the company of Kaurophon, in the hopes of frustrating a dark brotherhood called the Cagewrights, which has brought nothing but woe and suffering to my people, both of Malachite and of Cauldron."

Kikinnin visibly flusters at the lioness's second question.

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

For the final question, Kikinnin is more ready with an answer.

"Corruption." The black beard waves to the blistering lands behind him. "Suppose you'd call it Evil, pure and powerful, that which seeks to blight your alabaster, that which seeks to enslave good people, that which seeks to desecrate sacred halls..."

Kikinnin pulls on his beard slowly.

The lioness guardinal silently listens to your answers as she focus in your minds. When you are all done she thinks for a while.

"I am curious to discover this place you call Cauldron. It sure should be an exceptional place if you all are akin to fight through the planes and place your own life in danger to end those who seek the end of your land" the guardinal turns to Kikinnin, the last to speak "I cannot march with you, if you are here to conquer this land to safe it from itself you will have to prove yourselves I fear. I can though help you and protect you if you come back here when you need rest"

"I see whether you came here to discover a part of yourselves, to save Occipitus, or just on duty to your God or your own companions, it is good feelings and goals which motivate all of you" the guardinal steps to the side and shows you a small path up the hill of ruin stones of Celestia "Up the top lies the Cathedral of Feathers, your first test if you want to stop the corruption of Occipitus. I desire you good luck"

"As for you" the agathion looks at Kaurophon "I can see the evilness in your soul. You cannot pass"

The man of the planes makes a grimace "But I am their guide! Without me they might never find the path to the salvation of Occipitus!"

The guardinal looks at you "Do not talk for them, I want to know what they want to say on this"

"Kaurophon hasn't done anything for me not to trust him."

"… as yet …"
Juraan silently reminds himself.

"Nor can I rightly denounce him for his ancestry or lineage.
"I myself have the blood of black dragons in my veins.
"Many would recoil from me just for that simple fact.
"I'm neither proud of nor ashamed of that.
"None of us can control how we were begotten."

diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13… meh …

JJ nods at Juraan's words. "I've been trying to convince my stern friends here for a while now that aura-sight is not always a reliable indicator of trust-worthyness. Kaurophon has helped us in the day couple of days and showed no sign of treachery. "

He pauses for a moment.

"However you know more of his history than we do. I'm willing to be guided by you if you have more than aura-sight to go on. "

He sighs. "About this first test.... what more can you tell us?"

"I can't speak for Kaurophon, however as Juraan has said, his blood harkens back to a black drake. He has been a stalwart friend in the time I have known him with no tendencies to perpetrate evils upon Cauldron and it's citizens. On the contrary he has helped to defend it from evil."

With a glance towards their resident paladin, Ryan continues " He does have the scholar's thirst for knowledge in all things, his heritage included. That can be a slippery slope yet he has maintained his footing to my knowledge and I have every faith that he will continue to do so."

With a glance to Kaurophon, Ryan returns his gaze to the guardinal.

" I cannot speak against the man's birth but only against what he has made of himself in the time since. Mistress can you speak to the reason why you would not have him join us?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

"Kaurophon hasn't done anything for me not to trust him."

"Kaurophon has helped us in the day couple of days and showed no sign of treachery."

" I have every faith that he will continue to do so."

Kikinnin hears several of his companions vouch for Kaurophon, and finds himself interested in what Maxim and Marigold have to say about their 'guide'. This doesn't stop him from speaking first, however. He speaks to the Lioness.

"This is why I've stayed with my friends. They are far too trusting of the half-fiend." The black beard turns back to his companions.

"This agent of Celestia has looked over all of us, including Kaurophon, and has seen evil only in him. Not Juraan, not Marigold. Only Kaurophon. He admitted his association with the Cagewrights, for Abadar's sake. That alone should be reason to withhold trust from him. He lusts for control of Occipitus, according to the Lady Guardinal. I trust Her, and Her words, which means Kaurophon is using us for rudder, himself the new captain." Kikinnin looks over those who have already spoken in defense of the half-fiend.

"He's brought us this far, so you can thank him for his assistance. You trust him at your own peril. A snake was born to bite. If the Lady Guardinal understands the Tests, then we can ally with Celestia Herself, and seek out the Cathedral ourselves, without Kaurophon."

The guardinal listens carefully to Juraan and JJ, then slightly grimaces at Ryan's pronouncements but concludes with a barely imperceptible nod. The lioness though nods effusively to Kikinnin's appreciations.

"Your dwarven friend has it right here. A snake is a snake and cannot change its nature, and I sense clearly his nature. Kaurophon is an evil being and for much well he conceals his utter motives I am convinced they are not those he openly defends" the guardinal turns towards Kaurophon "For much convincing you sound, I am convinced of the contrary, it is in your nature"

She turns again to Ryan and you see her hair shines in gold on the reddish light of Occipitus "That said, you are right Ryan, the rightful Hand of Abadar, there is nothing I can say against him other than my own instincts. I do admit he has knowledge about Occipitus and this Test that goes far beyond my own understanding, and that I can understand it might be necessary to you despite my own dislike" the lioness makes a further step aside giving pass to Kaurophon "This is your decision then. If you are to safe Occipitus this decision will be the first stone towards that goal"

Kaurophon smiles satisfied "A wise choice. Together we are stronger, we will reach further and be better prepared to temper the goodness and evilness that mix in this place"

JJ's ears pop up at that. "I don't think we want to temper the goodness, but rather nurture it.." he starts.

"Kaurophon, I'm going out on a limb for you. I think it is important to trust. Yes, it is betrayed sometimes, but by never trusting, one is lessened. That said." he pauses and gives the sorcerer a hard look.

"Your arrival at exactly the same time as the demons appeared to attack Alex... was unusually fortunate."

Kikinnin is wholly disappointed that the leonal agathion won't be serving as competent replacement for Kaurophon. That Kaurophon holds more intelligence about the Tests, making him somewhat still useful in their pursuit of Occipitus and its cleansing, Kikinnin only waits for the time when they no longer need to associate with the half-fiend.

The black beard looks towards those who haven't spoken up, but feels as if their group decision has already been made. He resigns himself to Kaurophon's continued presence, as they proceed to the Cathedral.

Ryan nods to the guardian, fully understanding that she may not trust the fiend-blood to act outside his fiendish tendencies.

"Thank you for your honesty Mi'Lady, I am aware he has chosen not to reveal all in honesty to his current companions. So we will not move forward blindly in trust, however if he will lend assistance to our quest, I would grant him leave to join us as well. Perhaps he truly desires for Occipitus to become a better place"

Turning back to Kaurophon, steel enters the cleric's polite voice.
"Yes, together striving in the same direction we will be stronger however, we companions have been to the brink of death multiple times together and will stand as one if you choose to pull your own way against us."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22

Marigold nods. "As r-rare as it is, I've h-heard stories of beings who r-rise against their b-birth and their very nature to become m-more than their ancestry and b-blood would say they could b-be," she offers. "If s-someone wants to t-try, I mean really t-try to do g-good and be g-good...I think we should encourage it."

"But."

She lets the word hang in the air for a moment before continuing.

"But if you b-betray us or t-turn against us in any w-way...then we'll d-do what we have to d-do. R-Remember that if you ch-choose to go with us."

Kaurophon glups at the groups menaces "Perhaps I should not relay as much into your kind hearts. You start to sound as much despotic as those angels. But what can I do now, you are the last hope for this plane... let's move in, we will have to trust each other"

With that you leave the lioness guardinal at your back, as you climb up through the rubble.

After passing the guardinal, it is no more than two miles to the Cathedral of Feathers. Its graceful spires shortly come into view.

The cathedral itself is tilted because it sits on a slight slope. The frontal area of the cathedral is crowned by a set of two stone doors. A first inspection discovers they are stuck and will require a great combined strength to budge them open. The walls around the cathedral have large windows made of sealed glass. Though to the Cathedral tilt though, you are able to appreciate the roof has some holes on it, but climbing up there will be also a difficult task.

Cathedral of Feathers map is now available!

JJ gives the doors a hopeful shove.

"Open in the name of Celestia!" he tries.

STR: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

"Maybe I should go up and have a peak through those holes?"

Quickly he scales the side of the building, and looks out from the top.

JJ pushes but the doors will not budge. He has an easy time to climb up the walls and pick through the holes.

"M-maybe you should...er, n-nevermind," Marigold sighs as JJ scurries up the side of the cathedral. She looks at the doors and frowns.

"They c-can't be that hard to open, r-right?"

More out of curiosity than anything, Marigold puts her shoulder to the door and attempts to force it open.

Str: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

"....um, I g-guess they can..." Marigold sighs, rubbing at her shoulder.

JJ scurries back down as fast as he can.

"Spider Centaurs!" he calls out with a worried look on his face.

As he rapidly descends the youth ponders what powers he might have coming down toward his back...
know(planes): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 13 + 6 = 36

Kikinnin looks over the stone doors, nodding his respect to the celestial creation. "Well, let's give the doors a try, then. Unless you think the spiders are going to open the doors for us?"

The black beard produces a crowbar, and nods to the others to help him leverage one of the doors. Will take any Aid Anothers of course.

Strength Check to Open Door, Crowbar: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 3 + 2 = 22

Juraan puts his shoulder into to help Kikinnin.
STR check to assist Kikinnin: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
I guess that's my good roll done and over with before combat! :D

If simple muscle power from all of us together doesn't work, Juraan still has a Ring of the Ram with 22 charges on it.
I'm sure that would add some 'oomph' to opening that door.

Kikinnin and Juraan shoulder over when they heard JJ's rushing down the walls. The doors creak but do not cede, untile Juraan uses his ring to add to the strong push of the doors. The strength of the dwarf, the professor and his ring combined finally force the doors open with a thud.

NARTHEX
This was once a beautiful cathedral. The remnants of tapestries hang on the cracked stone walls. and broken furniture and fallen stonework cover much of the floor. In the wall opposite is another set of stone doors.

Inside there is large pit in the middle of the room, but there is no trace of any creature.

The light inside is dim thanks to the one entering through the holes and the door.

Round 1: Juraan, Marigold, Maxim, JJ, Ryan, Kikinnin, Kaurophon