The Cardinal smiles at Annabelle. "I've vetted all my potential servants, only the most pleasing are here, now."
As the last of his recruits sign the Compact the Cardinal claps his hands.
"Excellent! My first command; Return to Branderscar and slay all there. My agents have isolated the prison and cut off all contact to the outside, return there and take your revenge...My first lesson to you, the ninth group of my agents: Never leave a living enemy at your back if you can help it, make it so only the dead wish you ill will."
The Cardinal takes to his feet and casts out his arms, announcing. "I name you the Nessian knot, named after the ninth and final layer of the Hells, and you will one day be my strongest servants and rule Talingarde at my behest, go forth, and make the world tremble before the might of Asmodeus!"
"Hmm that sounds fun enough. A bit easy though. It's like shooting fish in a barrel..." Angelica says, slightly dissapointed.
Grinning broadly, Damien responds "It has a nice ring to it Cardinal, you do us a great honor."
Rubbing his hands together, Damien nods concurrently with Angelica "Now, too easy you say Angelica? Perhaps, but when the task seems lackluster, you can always make it more exciting by creating a game of it." Winking, Damien adds "We could even make another wager to spice things up a little..."
The doctor shakes his head at Damien. "I'll go and prepare, I'll be ready in 2 hours. I'll meet you all at the front door then."
Yanev gets up and bows to the cardinal before leaving to prepare his potions.
Annie smiles, Now can I burn the prison down?
She looks at her replacement teddy, how about that Tibbers, we can burn that place down.
Grumblejack meets you at the front door as well as you finish preparing.
"So what do you say, shorties?" He asks. "Back through the swamp or should we take the road like proper gentlemen, the Cardinal made it sound like it was safe."
"The road, I think," Johann suggests. "I see no appeal in traversing the swamp again."
"Definitely the road. We are well armed this time so unless the entire church of mitra and their paladins await us we should be fine."
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Taking the road is something you find infinitely preferably to sloshing through the swamp, and far faster too. Arriving at Branderscar you find several Bone Devils, scorpion tails balancing their strides as they stalk around in a graceful glide, patrolling the front of the prison and keeping its inhabitants trapped inside.
"The Cardinal sent you." One says as it licks its fangs and looks at you.
You aren't sure if that is a question or a statement.
"I guess the Cardinal is true to his words. And quite in favor of Asmodeus by the look of the devils he has under his control.
Are the inhabitants of the prison aware of their situation?"
"Getting back in will be a challenge. They will be watching, perhap a ruse would be best."
"I guess the Cardinal is true to his words. And quite in favor of Asmodeus by the look of the devils he has under his control.
Are the inhabitants of the prison aware of their situation?"
"Mmmm, yes. We have devoured a number that were looking for you and killed the ones outside before they shut the gate." The Devil replies, hungry and malicious joy dripping from his every word.
Johann inspects the devils for a few moments before speaking up.
"Why create a ruse? We could simply bring the whole place down on their heads and sweep up the survivors. Or we could go in and slay them personally. I recommend the latter."
"Sure that sounds like a good plan too, after you."
You can see five guards armed with crossbows cowering behind the gate across the bridge, how would you like to approach?
A wicked smile crosses annie's lips. And with a shimmer of magic Annie suddenly looks like a battered and lost little girl. She looks to one of the devils, Chase me, like i am your next victim while i run for the gates
"Whatever you say." Responds the Bone Devil, licking its fangs, before charging at you.
"Ohooo that sounds like fun. I'm sure we can fool those idiots in opening the gates. The fools probably cannot look into the dark that well, they cannot see the difference." Angelica says with an evil glint in her eyes.
Johann lets Annabelle does as she will, standing back to watch events proceed. He glances at the bone devils, recognizing them for what they are, and knows any infraction would be reported. Slay all in the prison indeed.
Crossing his arms, Damien falls in beside Johann to see how the little firebugs plan would play out. "Got to hand it to her, she's brave... foolish maybe, but brave." With a quick shrug, Damien grins before adding "Hell, it could work though knowing these bleeding heart Mitrans."
"I'm fine with a ruse to get in but was looking forward to seeing Johann bring down the walls. Maybe he can do that anyway, afterwards."
"The rest of us should get as possible to lend assistance if required."
"Whatever you say." Responds the Bone Devil, licking its fangs, before charging at you.
As the devil starts the chase, Annie runs toward the front gates screaming in panic, like her life is in extreme danger. arms flailing she holds her teddy bear with a near death grip.
She screams hoping to get the guard's attention.
Nodding and clapping with quiet appreciation at the performance, Damién snickered "Hah! Bugger me, but our little firebug sure can act!"
The doctor nods "Impressive all right, and to think that her true talents lie in making things burn. I suspect she'll get to that soon."
The panicky guards open the gate, letting Annabelle in before barely shutting it in time before the Devil lunges through.
"Are you alright?" Cries one guard as he looks Annabelle over for wounds.
Annie is crying, she can barely speak.
looking about the entryway she tries to keep the guard's attention distracted she also is trying to get a general lay of the entryway.
my...my...my...daddy is a guard..and..a..and when the bad people got out they...th...they, attacked my home...mommy got hurt...real bad...I ran here to find daddy.. she tries to relate the story among her sobs.
"That worked well," Johann comments. "Now we wait for her to let us in."
Though there is a portcullis it is current up and the gate is a heavy, reinforced door with two parts that opens in the center.
There is a large bell with a pulley that serves as the alarm mounted above the door to the right and five guards stand around you with no others current visible, the hall you are in has many doors though, so you are not sure who is about.
A metal bar falls across the door to seal it and one guard is current trying to put it in place.
The guards share a dark, angry, look at Annabelle's tale.
"Mitra will bring them to justice little one, one way or another." The comforting guard says. "Who is your father?"
Annie stops for a moment trying to recall the names of any of the guards they already killed.
soon she tries to change the subject, please, mommy is by the swamp, I need some one to help me get her. hurry before the bone monsters find her!
Annie hold her teddy ready to use it against the guards (wand of summon ediolon)
With the guard distracted Yanev will move up trying to keep bushes between him and the gate.
The guard looks sad. "Sorry kid, just one of those things killed ten of us earlier, there is nothing we can do but wait and hope some of our men got away and can fetch help."
"Perhaps she needs another distraction to get to the gate or the stupid girl got herself caught. I'll try to get in as well." Angelica says.
She approaches one of the bone devils and addresses him casually. "You there, let's see if we can get the idiots to fall for the second trap. But to make it a little more convincing let's mock fight. I'll fake downing one of you so they think I am a paladin of Mitra. I'll throw a couple of them outside for you to toy with if you agree." Angelica says with an evil smirk.
The Bone Devil cackles. "Let's give them a show then." It agrees.
Angelica enters the guard's field of vision with a devil hot on her tail, she calls out for them to open the door as she races for it, turning on her heel as she reaches the gate and they haven't yet moved.
The Devil lunges for her, claws and teeth snapping and scorpion tail striking.
Aptly dodging its blows Angelica rains down a storm of blows of her own, forcing the Devil back and to the right until it backs into the guard rail.
With one final blow she forces the Devil over the rail, where it shrieks as it falls until disappearing into the waves below with a splash.
Seeing the Devil defeated the Guards open the gate for Angelica.
Annie looks up as the gate open and sees Angelica, MOMMY! she yells as she runs up to Angelica.
"This woman is your mother young one?" The guard asks.
"Annie! Ah I'm so glad you made it!" Angelica says and hugs the little girl. To the guard she mouthes "adopted" with a sweet wink.
"Now give me a sitrep. What's with those devils out there. What do we have in here to fight them off with?"
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"We don't know where they come from and they have proven nearly invincible." The guard replies. "I can summon Blackerly if you want, he is the Warden's adjutant and probably knows more of our options, we are just guarding the gate as best we can."
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