JJ stands, staring at the six armed demon with cold eyes. He knows he doesn't appear threatening - which in this place should be warning enough to anything of intelligence to stay clear.
So, rather than risk messing up the dialogue he just remains quiet, keeping a watchful eye on all the other demons around the place.
He does ponder the words of Byakala through, how might Marigold free her?
There is nothing about the Smoking Eye or the rulership of Occipitus that Marigold knows about how to imprison or free demons from Carceri. Of course, the word of the Ruler of Occipitus has the weight to undo the rulings of the previous ruler and, of course, there is the means of planar travel that you can use to travel back to Occipitus.
JJ knows sometimes there are written contracts that are preserved to bound souls, but that is more the liking of devils in Hell. In the case of demons things are more akin to wish and a desire to fight back or not. He knows there is no portal from Carceri to any other world, and the only way out is through plane shift.
Byakala eyes twitch, uncomfortable about the silence "And so?"
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Maxim looks to Marigold;
"The enemy of our enemy could be our friend. 'course first rule o' business is buyer beware..."
He fishes out a stogie and sparks it to life as the group parley;
"Fir what its worth Lil' Miss. Byakala here is the lesser o' two evils. Grant it liberation... with a warnin' o' retribution if that decision proves damagin' to our cause."
The gun-mage eyes the little oracle, then the marilith through a haze of primo Sasserine leaf smoke.
Or, the enemy of our enemy can be...not-an-enemy-today, at least.
<"Very well,"> Marigold nods; like it or not, Byakala's assistance would be the most expedient way to unlock the path to Skullrot. <"It sounds like we've got a common enemy, so let's help each other. I'll do everything in my power to see you free from here and in return, you share what you know on getting to Skullrot. And I can tell you're not a fool, so I know you won't make us regret helping you,"> she smiles sweetly. <"Deal?">
"Ruler Byakala, if I might so bold as to ask you- what does freedom mean to you, and to Orthrys, if you give up your rule in Harrowfell?" Kikinnin feels like they're done sealing deals with demons for now, so it won't hurt to ask where a freed demon might go. She'll be easier to slay, away from her hordes...
After a minute JJ can't keep totally quiet.
"Your eye also smokes. Tell us about that."
"Your eye also smokes. Tell us about that."
"Adimarchus punished me for attempting to pass the test. He left on me the mark as a means of a prank" the marilith growls displeased by the memory.
Byakala nods to Marigold "Deal then. Skullrot lies in a swamp more than a thousand miles from here. You will easily recognize it because it is a tower made with the skulls of demons, the single construction in the middle of the murky bogs." but she follows with a sly smile "And I will tell you the exact direction only once you take me out of here. To where? I do not care that much, but Occipitus sounds like a good place. I do not care about Harrowfell." the demons look around at each other, but rather than surprise you feel they are gauging who to kill first to grab the leading position that is likely to be left empty.
This also answers Kikinnin's questions.
Not that I trust her roaming around Occipitus but at least it's better than roaming around the Material Plane. And at least in Occipitus I can somewhat keep an eye on her.
<"Hmm...unless one of my allies has a better suggestion, then I think transport to Occipitus could be arranged,"> the halfling nods, glancing at the others to see if they have any input on the matter.
"Oh another layer of the abyss. Do you really want her trying the test again while you are off plane?" asks a suspicious JJ.
"There are also other ... people... that might prefer she was not dropped off there."
Kikinnin listens to the negotiation, to the marilith's answers, and resigns himself to the lesser of two evils, as Maxim astutely assesses. He really wants to glow up Eldgammel, and square off against the Ruler of Harrowfell, but he stays his hand, and waits for the transaction to complete itself.
"Byakala, you best honor your pact with the Ruler of Occipitus. It would be a tragedy if we didn't finish our mission, and end Adimarchus. Worse still if he learned you were freed, and could do something about it. His reach is extending beyond this plane, even now." The black beard can only pray to Abadar this is the way forward.
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After some debate you join hands and touching Byakala you do finally plane shift into Occipitus.
Landing on the interior of the Skull, sit of the throne, the proctors are surprised by the appearance of the group, but they are swift to vow in front of Marigold and offer their assistance "Lord ruler"
As some of you feared, Vhalantru's orb body is here, slowly regenerating.
Byakala is ecstatic "" she looks around and for a second you fear she might flee but she abides to the power of the ruler of the land and your pact. Pointing with her extended hand to Marigold's head, she telepathically transmits the location of Skullrot to the halfling "Our deal is sealed."
With the transferred information and Orthys fork, it is just easy now for Marigold to plane shift the group to the outskirts of Skullrot.
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Kikinnin watches Byakala interact with Marigold, his eyes unblinking. When it's clear that Marigold is unharmed by the marilith's extended hand, the black beard waits for the halfling lass to confirm that they have what they need.
He almost expects some sign of divine disappointment, for having made a deal with a demon. He's surprised as he feels a surge of strength, a feeling of growing anticipation for the travel to Skullrot, and a clear sign he's meant for this mission.
"Abadar is good. Something feels different. Like the first time I felt my first chin hair. Probably like the first time Maxim felt the first sprout in his trousers." Kikinnin cuffs the blond beard on the shoulder, the sense of peril swelling between his own shoulder blades.
"Whatever Skullrot has in store for us, I couldn't ask for a better band of fools willing to travel back to Orthrys."
The ominous feeling of dread continues to build within JJ. He checks the magical amulet, which he hopes may let him escape the prison is still in his possession. Then he runs his fingers through the scarf that Sara gave him before leaving.
I will return. I will.
But he has recurring thoughts of lobster traps. And how could he escape a prison that has held a god?
Marigold nods at her companions. "It's d-done. I can t-take us to the outskirts of Sk-Skullrot at any time, n-now."
To Byakala, she gives another nod, one of cautious respect. <"You kept your word and for that, I thank you. You may stay in Occipitus for now, until you decide your next destination.">
When she gets a moment of relative privacy with her proctors, she whispers, <"Keep an eye on Byakala and see that she doesn't tamper with anything she shouldn't be. As for Vhalantru...should he revive again before we return, remember that you only answer to me. But feel free to tell him where we went, if he wants to know.">
If he can get to Skullrot on his own, better facing him again there than him terrorizing our homes while we're away!
As some of you feared, Vhalantru's orb body is here, slowly regenerating.
When Marigold excuses herself to speak to the Proctors, Kikinnin takes the opportunity to mince Vhalantru, resetting his slow regen clock for a small peace of mind, while they absent themselves from Occipitus, and head to Skullrot.
"A prison which prevents prying. Once we're in, we're in. Anything we should secure for our inventory?"
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[ooc[ Sorry gang - bereft of any inspiration at the moment[/ooc]
Maxim nods sage like in agreement;
"Ain't nuthing from me needed."
"We're set, then. I'll prepare my Boons from Abadar for the day, and we can travel to Skullrot when JJ and Marigold feel they're ready. I imagine Skullrot harbors more than just the mad god, being a prison and all."
The mind blank from the crystal spans for 24 hours, so there is that for you if you skip directly to Skullrot without delay.
The proctors nod to Marigold and proclaim they will check on the marilith "As you command Master"
Kikinnin sinks his axe on Vhalantru, the deep wounds punishing him to restart the regeneration.
Once you are ready, Marigold takes your hands and using the Cagewrights fork, you plane shift back to Orthrys.
You arrive into murky, stench-ridden bogs region that surrounds you, extending for miles in every direction. Swarms of large black mosquitoes, more annoying than dangerous, hound creatures attempting to cross the black quagmire. The swamp surrounding the asylum is vast and trackless.
A bare black rock rises above the fetid quagmire, and upon it stands a towering white edifice over two hundred feet high. Frightful screams and howls fill the air around the structure. Dozens of iron cages hang from bone spurs along the outside walls of the upper floors, each one holding a humanoid skeleton or corpse. Four massive, horned skulls surmount the structure. The ground surrounding the tower has been trampled flat by a horde of fiends—a horde that now lies slaughtered to the last. Strange leprous fungi and other fruiting bodies grow from the field of carrion with hideous, almost visible speed. Rooting through the horrific mess are dozens of lumbering scavenger beasts the size of elephants.
These six-legged creatures look vaguely like tusked hippopotami with long, flat tails, and the thunderous sound of their bellows and open-mouth fungus chewing fills the air with a rumbling accompaniment to the howls and shrieks from the tower itself. One creature in particular is truly massive in size, its ridged back nearly as tall as the tower itself—the others give this cantankerous-looking bull a wide berth as it roots through its horrid dinner near the tower.
Skullrot looms high above the stench-ridden swamps of Orthrys and can be seen from a mile away. The entire building is made from fiendish skulls cemented together with hard resin. Four massive goristro demon skulls are fixed to the uppermost floor, glowering menacingly into the tortured sky.
The creatures feeding on the fungus blooming from the dead fiends are dozens of thunder beasts. Massive creatures from the Abyss able to trample creatures at large. They are usually peaceful if unmolested, but they can be very territorial. These ones seem distracted eating the recently fallen army. They are Huge in size, but near the tower, there is one of colossal size.
Thunder behemoths are sent out by the gods to destroy wicked cities, raze great temples or monuments that offend divine eyes, and otherwise act as instruments of divine wrath either on the surface of a world or just below it.
It seems the Cagewrights army of demodands was slaughtered here after you closed the gate between planes, only for them to be destroyed by these creatures.
You are approximately a mile away from the tower and the colossal hippo.
Kikinnin commits the vista to memory, so he might be able to share bits of it with Gemma and Malachite. Only enough to convey the horror, without offering unforgettable images to disturb anyone's sleep patterns.
"Well done, Marigold. We've got our destination. Now we've just got to avoid undue attention from those hippos. Don't suppose we have the magics to drop us on the doorstep, eh?"
The black beard produces Kythel's Boon, casting his magics to lift his boots from the swamp waters.
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"Right, well those beasts while horribly dangerous are not wicked or evil. Just hungry. So we avoid them. Looks like they are busy eating demodands anyway." mutters JJ.
"I'll take the lead, so try not to make any really large noises.. or look too yummy."
JJ will slip into the lead, giving his terrain mastery bonus to the team.
"Stick close, if we look to have grabbed their attention, I'll try to shift us closer to that abysmal place." he says, pointing at the demonic tower.
"Oh, hold on a moment..." the lad pauses, then reaches out and touches each member of the Watchers, and his grandmother. A subtle blue light passes to each, quickly fading away. "This may help us remain unnoticed."
"Follow me."
"JJ's r-right...if we can k-keep away from them, we sh-should be okay," Marigold confirms after studying the rooting beasts for a few moments. "That b-big one is a th-thunder behemoth, b-basically a never-ending appet-tite on legs. It'll eat anything, b-buildings, c-creatures, the v-very terrain itself; see how the others k-keep their distance? That's the one we w-want to avoid at all c-costs."
When JJ urges the group to follow him quietly she looks at Kikinnin and then herself and snorts. "Ok-kay, sure. At least I can h-hide my footsteps..."
Using her own powers she rises a few inches off of the ground and moves to follow after the others.
Lead by the knowledgeable walker of the planes, you quickly cover up the distance to the tower through the bogs, without calling the attention of the thunder beasts.
Now, avoiding the behemoth is completely a different thing, as it roams near the tower and seems to be very active.
When you are almost reaching the balcony entrance of Skullrot, the thing looks towards you and moans towards the red sky of Carceri, his shout bringing instantly your attention.
JJ has been studying and preparing himself for this, he is in his terrain, he is prepared way before any of you notice the attack is coming. You all follow his lead before the behemoth roar can intensify alerting the tower occupants.
"Get into the tower. I'm thinking a prison capable of holding a god should be able to withstand that beast." suggests JJ as he starts to work his way up the building.
"ಸರಿ! ಮ್ಯಾಕ್ಸಿಮ್, ನಿದ್ರಾಮಾ, ನೀವು ಹಾರಬಹುದೇ ಅಥವಾ ನಾನು ಸೇತುವೆಯನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಬೇಕೇ??" Marigold nods, ready to either conjure a moonlit bridge to reach the balcony or simply fly up there under her own power.
"Right! Maxim, Nidrama, can you fly or should I build a bridge??"
______________
The balcony, made entirely of skulls, rises 30 feet above the swamp. Tall iron doors bar entry into the structure.
"Lets get up there, we'll worry about the doors when we are at them." - suggests JJ, giving a hopeful look at Maxium.
Kikinnin feels no desire to engage with the huge hippo, harkening back to the innards of a Worm much, much bigger than any of them. The teeth of the hippo alone give him palpitations of sledgehammers cracking down on anvils...
He takes to the balcony, at the corner closest to the behemoth, watching it while the others take to the door, hopefully opening it swiftly.
Maxim gives the tower a once over, puffing from the right side of his mouth, before moving his cigar to the other side of his mouth, to puff from the left side of his mouth, as he considers the behemoth hippo.
"That'll have to wait. Hippo beast like that, an' we're likely to waste our energy before our siege has even begun. Not even dropping my bror on its head like the anvil he is would dent it, methinks."
The blond beard enjoys a couple more lungfuls of tabac, before taking to the sky on his own magical energies. He clicks his heels together three times, mumbling something about there being no place like home, and his Winged Boots carry him to the balcony, where he gives the doors a fierce study.
Seeing that everyone has the means to reach the balcony Marigold does the same, taking flight to land at the corner opposite Kikinnin.
Let's hope we can get inside before that thing kicks up enough ruckus to draw attention!
Nidrama extends her wings and flights to the balcony after you.
Perhaps surprisingly, not even the walls of the tower are needed to protect yourselves. For some reason, the behemoth does not even try to approach the tortured bone structure. The hippo starts to roar loudly in the air.
Although you are away of its deafening reach, the noise seems to awake the sorrowful existence of the souls within Skullrot. Creatures inside start to wail and the creatures inside the hanging cages of the facade budge and growl, causing a terrible grating as their metal containment swings in the air.
Looking around you count no less than 42 zombies and 30 skeletons, all staring and cursing at you while the disguised Maxim works in the lock.
Mournful howls resonate within this dark chamber. The walls of leering skulls bring no comfort, and the floor is covered in sticky tar.
The floor is coated in adhesive slime.
A staircase of skulls rises up out of the slime and leads to the west.
The room is infested by a group of ten farastu demodands that shout at you at first sight! They are all covered in more of that adhesive slime.
Neutral Evil outsiders with SR, immune to acid and poison, resistant to cold and fire, DR to non magical weapons, and able to use a small amount of magic, like summoning other demodands, scare, dispel magic, enfeeblement rays, etc.
"Why don't we just wait for them to come to us Kikinnin?" suggests JJ, readying Alakast to give a present to the first of the hosts to approach.
Marigold's Round 1
"ಮೇ ಸಹ, ನಾವು ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಒಂದು ruckus ಕಿಕ್ ಅಪ್ ಬಂದಿದೆ," Marigold agrees as she calls upon a blessing of fervor for herself and her friends.
"May as well, since we've already kicked up a ruckus."
______________
Maxim draws his trusty wand and fires away!
"Magische Raket!"
The wand blasts 5 force bullets that unerringly strike one of the demodands;
"Why don't we just wait for them to come to us Kikinnin?"
Kikinnin sets his feet, looking over his shoulder at the behemoth, before answering, and agreeing with the celestial-speaking Marigold. "Aye, we can wait. Let them fight to get through the doors to fight us. Can't go giving them the chance to surround us."
The black beard watches Nidrama, anticipating how the wave of farastu will attempt to drive them from the balcony. He's only glad all of them can take to the air, without falling to the grounds below.
JJ holds his position at the doors, Alakast at the ready.
Marigold brings the favor of her dominion to the room, boosting her comrades.
Maxim draws his wand with expertise shooting a good barrage at the closest demodand.
The force missiles suffocate against the farastu's natural resistance.
Nidrama raises her flaming greatsword that starts to shine as the flames roar "The power of goodness is with us, move away evil creatures, return to the corners of Darkness, for Light is with us!" you are all blessed by a prayer.
The farastu then move forward ensemble emitting loud shouts of hate, fear and black rays emanating from them.
The crimson, black and orange use fear on the party, although Kikinnin's courageous presence inspires you all.
Cyan, blue, yellow and red, all shot black weakening rays at JJ.
The other three enter into a frenzy fury and as they approach, JJ gives the first one a good whack with Alakast.
Only one of the farastu's manages to scratch the young man with its claws while he manages to unstuck his staff from the lime.
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Fear grips JJ, he is about to turn and flee...
But he remembers his grandmother. She is right there behind him. And what kind of grandson would run away leaving his grandmother to face beasts such as these[/ooc]
The youth winces as the black rays pay over him, trying to sap his strength. Black wars with the blue light within him. The light pulses strongly, but in this place what light can fully prevail?
Gritting his teeth, the youth tries to fend off the swarm of demons. His speed is unnaturally fast as he blasts into them with Alakast.
Blessing of speed - extra attack from fervor.
Extra +20 to hit and damage from FT/terrain mastery
+1 to hit and damage from prayer
+2 to hit and damage from outsider bane
+2d6 to damage from outsider bane
+2d6 damage from holy.
+1 to hit and damage from fighting outsiders. (astral terrain mastery)
-5 to STR gives -2 to hit and either -2 or -1 to damage, depending on whether it is an offhand attack or not.
Total is +22 to hit and +22+4d6 to damage (+21+4d6 for off hand attacks)
JJ fights white until it drops, then moves onto purple then pink.
AC = 36/16/35
HP = 264/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor, Prayer
Smite Evil = 7/7
Lay on Hands = 17/17
Divine Bond = 4/4
Kikinnin finds himself weighing scales in his mind. He knows he should have considered bringing Far back to glow Eldgammel before the doors were thrown open, and he still considers taking a moment to do so. When JJ tries to plug the hole all by himself, the black beard thinks differently.
Kikinnin steps up into the breach, and uses Marigold's wind to swing as many times as he can, hoping to take a head or two off. If JJ leaves any standing, that is.
Seeing his wand come to naught Maxim trades it out for his pistol.
JJ forces his will to stand the ground in front of his grandmother, while the rays sap his strength, even if he fights half of the draining effect.
Then, he starts opening a breach through the host of demodands, pushing the first body out of his way with a single swing, he follows up destroying the second with two more, then dances tearing the body of the third one with two more hits.
As he finishes and Kikinnin steps by him, there is no enemy left in the doors, all flying lifeless in the air by the sudden push of the planar fighter.
Maxim stoves his wand and readies his gun in the other hand with a quick switch back and forth worth of the fastest market hands.
"Well done grandson! Light will prevail!" Nidrama throws herself through the breach opened by JJ, swinging her greatsword wildly, and blessing it as she goes to cleave through the next line of demodands.
The flames roar and although the demodands resist the fire, the blade cuts deep into their sinful flesh.
AC = 36/15/35
HP = 264/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel(Divine Bond- Holy/Speed/Flaming)
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor, Prayer
Smite Evil = 7/7
Lay on Hands = 17/17
Divine Bond = 3/4
Kikinnin watches with pride as three demodands are escorted from their existence in Skullrot, all by JJ's hands. The pride bleeds over, bringing Eldgammel to greater might, his Far's spirit infusing the head of the Axe with Abadar's Unhesitating Smolder.
Almost overcome, Maxim composes himself and focusses on the weight of the pistol in his hand. He breathes deep and holds fast.
Maxim holds his position despite the fearful magical attacks all while Kikinnin calls for the hastening holy spirit of his far!
Marigold does something heroic!
The farastus become rageful moving over the doors to fight Kikinnin.
One of the claws scratches all over the doorstep which saves Kikinnin from a strike.
One falls over JJ.
Who easily dodges the attack hiding behind the wall.
And the rest swarm over Nidrama.
And she is nearly butchered as the farastu nastily attack her from all sides cutting her in many places.
Three of the demodands also bring hold of the angel.
Words of summoning are heard from far up into the stairs to the west.
"Shut!" Nidrama quickly clicks the talons of her boots and they magically teleport her at the back of the group. She spits some blood to the balcony "I had forgotten how those devils made you taste blood"
The demodands shout and protest as she magically escapes their grab.
"GrandMa!" cries JJ, distraught at seeing her mauled by the demons. Then relieved when she vanishes from the middle of the pile.
"They'll pay for that.
Alakast swings again and again, the youth flowing with the supernatural speed granted him by his sister.
Blessing of speed - extra attack from fervor.
Extra +20 to hit and damage from FT/terrain mastery
+1 to hit and damage from prayer
+2 to hit and damage from outsider bane
+2d6 to damage from outsider bane
+2d6 damage from holy.
+1 to hit and damage from fighting outsiders. (astral terrain mastery)
-5 to STR gives -2 to hit and either -2 or -1 to damage, depending on whether it is an offhand attack or not.
Total is +22 to hit and +22+4d6 to damage (+21+4d6 for off hand attacks)
If Alakast gets stuck he'll just continue his flurry with fists (improved unarmed fighting so no AOOs and doing lethal damage)
Attacks vs yellow, and then blue.
If both go down he will 5' step up to the square that blue was in and then continue against light blue.
AC = 36/15/35
HP = 264/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel(Divine Bond- Holy/Speed/Flaming)
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor, Prayer
Smite Evil = 7/7
Lay on Hands = 17/17
Divine Bond = 3/4
With Nidrama safely blinked back behind the front line, Kikinnin joins JJ in the slaughter of farastu. "I'll take some pride in knowing we're purging this tower of these foul things. Just, you know, leave some for me, JJ." Eldgammel rings in the black beard's hand, agreeing with its wielder. The blade is almost lurching out of Kikinnin's hand to get at the demodands. It's first powerful swing strikes true, to put a point on it.
Kikinnin will begin on Dark Blue, so if it falls, he'll 5' step into the room, to take on Light Blue without the doorway interfering in his swings...
edit:
Buoyed by his boots, Maxim takes to the air and attempts to fly past the clamour of the melee;
He lands at a further corner of the chamber and loads his pistol with an alchemical cartridge
JJ's and Kikinnin's ire is well felt, as the combination of staff and axe quickly strikes down the three demodands in front, cutting them in pieces and reducing them to evil pulp over previous evil pulp.
With the way open, Maxim has an easy time flying through, avoiding any further attacks. The dwarf expertly reloads the gun.
Nidrama limits herself to cure her wounds, from the safety of the group's back.
Hmm,
JJ considers the options. While grandma being attacked has annoyed him, the floor is sticky, and moving forward will let the demons attack him with their full arsenal of claws before he has a chance to respond.
Chomping down hard he stands ready, but doesn't step further forward.
Marigold reaches JJ and touches him with a freedom of movement for him to ignore the slime.
Kikinnin and JJ hold their position in the doorstep, behind the fallen demodand bodies.
Marigold does test the demodands with a holy smite.
The orange demodand falls to the ground dead, while the crimson one is unaffected. The red one ends blinded.
The remaining demodands move forward, climbing over the bodies and attacking at Kikinnin at JJ with rage!
But with shield and great agility, they avoid all of the attacks.
Meanwhile the summoning words deeper in the complex finish without nothing happening apparently.
A bloated and filthy fiend with batlike wings and six rubbery arms appears in the stairs, his black skin is coated in wretched green slime and sings in Abyssal as he spots you "What madness is this? What madness, indeed! Endless torment, dark despair, caged in bone, can't be freed. All the tales end the same: see you screaming, twisting, dreaming, dreaming you never came."
As he finishes his song, an acid fog materializes around you.
As the fog appears, Maxim remains the only one able to see the new fiend up the stairs.
This new fiend resembles a kelubar demodand, but he is way larger and has six arms!
Still, Kelubar demodands have acidic claws, immunity to acid, cold, fire and poison, enjoy evasion and has spell resistance.
Their stench is nauseating up to 30' radius .
They enjoy some spell like abilities and sneak attack.
They do not have any particularly lower save.