Rocky slowly sinks sideways into the gelatinous portal and a few moments later begins to emerge on the other side. By the time Rocky is emerging, Mack has begun passing into the portal.
The oread sees Leventi awaiting him on the other side, palm ready to strike. Stuck as he is in the portal, he may wonder what the devil has planned for him, but his head passes free and bows forward just as Leventi strikes. The devil's hand passes just above Rocky's skull.
In the time it takes Leventi to draw back his hand, Rocky is fully free and can act.
Rock gives Leventi another opportunity to hit him with his charged hand, but the devil misses again. The oread's attempt to take hold of the devil is rebuffed rather easily.
Fek emerges from the portal next.
Non-Combat. Round 8. Bold may act.
Leventi
Rocky (-0 hp; haste) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability checks)
Fek (-19 hp) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability checks)
Milo (-0 hp) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability checks)
Keos (-0 hp; haste; heroism) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability checks)
Mordiskitos (-0 hp; haste) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability checks)
Davina (-0 hp; haste) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability
Zarta (-0 hp)
Mack (-0 hp; haste) (pain: -4 to attack, skills, ability checks)
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Milo comes through invisible, but not quit expecting to be right beside the devil!
He does his best to get out of reach, to varying degrees of success, given the awkward entry point, and starts chanting in draconic as the air grows dry once more.
He appears a moment later, electrical energy arcing along his hands, and over a metal rod held there, before fanning towards Leventi, somehow arcing around his fellow Pathfinders in between.
(DC 20 reflex for half)
While Rocky tries to figure out how he could possibly be bested by a powerful devil, Milo slips through after Fek. He unleashes a torrent of lightning. The arcane nature of the devil nearly resists the magic, but Milo is able to press through.
Leventi collapses to the ground, his essence draining from his body. A haversack made of a thin, translucent white leather hangs from his shoulder.
Everyone else makes it through the portal.
Zarta compliments you, "Good work."
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Mack emerges from the portal and is both pleased and relieved to see his companions have laid the slippery contract devil low. "Nice work, team."
He clicks the heels of his boots of speed, kneels down next to Leventi. "For Kelinahat!" he hisses in the fiend's ear and plunges both kukris into his evil heart.
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Rocky looks down at Leventi then up at Mack.
"He was to be tried for his crimes."
Thinking for a moment.
"Where do the denizens of hell go when they die? Will he reform here? Or is there a greater hell beyond this one?"
He then picks Leventi's body up.
"A body will have to do. Let's collect any remaining evidence and report our findings to Vetrivides."
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"This is the git's home turf. He ain't making a grand return." Milo says, apparently quite satisfied by that fact.
He then scowls... though he always seems to be scowling... and casts a quick divination before examining the dead devil.
He doesn't touch anything, merely points out items of interest to the others.
"Can we bail now?" He mutters, wincing as the pain from the Symbol still makes the slightest movements ache.
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Grasping his discerning way finder in one hand, Mack helps Milo pick up any magical auras within the room, including Leventi's body and belongings.
Satisfied that he's done, Mack jerks his thumb toward the sin scroll portal. "We should search Leventi's lair as well, before we check in with Vetrivides."
Recalling the symbol of pain, he winces. "Maybe wait an hour first, eh?"
The haversack radiates magic.
Zarta retrieves the haversack from Leventi's corpse and opens it. Looking inside, she comments, "Well, isn't this handy."
She reaches into the satchel and removes a soul jar and a contract. She hands the haversack off to whoever would like to look deeper.
Eight legal texts in different languages (qualifies for recovering named or previously unknown texts on Faction Journal Cards)
A handful of gemstones
Several carefully wrapped parcels that, once unwrapped, comprise the pieces of an elaborate set of full plate armor. The pieces bear glowing red runes and create the appearance of a horned devil. Spellcraft (DC 28):
Gellius Thrune manifests his face in the soul jar and regards Zarta. He conceals a scheming smile with reminiscences about a brief fling with Rufino Davian. He asks for his freedom, but Zarta pockets the jar and contract, saying, “All in due time.”
Returning to Leventi's sanctum reveals the contracts to lie inanimate on the floor and several souls have appeared. They wander aimlessly and in complete confusion. There is no other valuable treasure to be found there.
Exiting the scriptorium, Vetrivides gives you curt thanks for your service to Hell and bids you to promptly leave Dis with the barest amount of courtesy as the terms of your contract are complete. Teena Forster thanks you for saving her even as she is placed in chains by the osyluth pending her testimony.
Zarta leads you back to the hellmouth where you entered and through to the archives beneath Skyreach. She consults with Gellius for a moment before removing the talisman she brought with her.
The talisman briefly flares as Zarta closes the hellmouth. The infernal scents fade slowly as Gellius Thrune’s bound soul bobs approvingly. “Closed as promised, Lady Davian.” Zarta winces slightly. “Of course, I cannot promise perfect control in this state…” The disembodied head nods within its glass prison. “But before we quibble over terms, let me speak plainly, for I see in you the same need that has consumed me for centuries: revenge against House Thrune.”
Gellius offers Zarta aid leveraging her Davian lineage to strike at Thrune.
Zarta twirls the point of a blade on Gellius’ infernal contract as she contemplates his offer. “I admit I’ve yearned for this: a chance to slide the knife in, slow and deep, and see those who betrayed me twist on it. Not only did Thrune betray me, but I’ve known for only a few years that they were also responsible for the deaths and erasure of my ancestors, House Davian. However, as I look at you, my treasures, the choice is less clear. I have made a home here, with those who risked their souls to rescue me. Undermining Thrune and restoring Davian would mean leaving this behind, resigning my position, so that Thrune’s reprisals would not target the Society.” She smiles. “So please, tell me how you can’t bear to be without me or how my absence would only stoke your ardor.”
Zarta looks to you sincerely for advice.
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Milo tries to get an idea what the items in the bag are... but he has a hard time concentrating on anything, the pain from the symbol only aggravating the discomfort of being in Hell in the first place.
Eventually, he just tosses them aside with disgust, breaking into a long string of colorful curses.
"Cark it all." He growls. "Lets rub outtta this hole while we can."
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The gnome gives an almost audible sigh of relief as the portal finally closes, and they are left standing in the room the started in, beneath Skyreach. The infernal screws that had been boring at his subconscious since the moment they arrived in Dis, finally stop turning.
Other than a few obligatory curses at the experience, he doesn't really feel like talking.
But Zarta apparently does, as she ponders the choice of revenge or moving on.
"Don't be a barmy git." He finally exclaims with an angry scowl. "That prig's been coolin' in Brimstone for his beef." He points directly at the Gellius. "He'll just lag you there too, if ya start earing his patter."
"Cheliax flams everyone. Yours ain't special. Don't go tossin' something flush, to get jiggered by that nobbler again." He finishes.
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Mack tries but fails to determine the properties of either Leventi's sack or the fragments of armor contained therein. "If no one else can identify these enchanted items, we'll figure it out when we return."
Mack listens with a professional intel operative's critical ear to Gellius Thrune's cold pitch to Zarta. Sloppy, brother. Recruitment 101: Never make the pitch until you're certain you'll get the answer you want.
"Cap'n, your position within the Pathfinder Society enables you to undermine Thrune far more subtly and with more tools at your disposal than any alliance with a trickster like Gellius Thrune ever could. Would you really want to ally yourself with a man whose genius got him enslaved to the likes of Leventi?"
He grins and raises an ironic eyebrow. "Stick with us. I'll even throw in a free back rub."
---
One piece of unfinished business to attend to. We blew our chances earlier to free Ophelia Peran and the trio of Hellknights. But I think I can still set things right.
Outside the erstwhile Leventi's sanctum, Mack bids farewell to Arthylget. "My compliments, friend, you've proven yourself one of my trusted contacts. One last task for you today, Arthylget. Take this diamond to Yseldra, the night hag. Exchange it for the contract of Ophelia Peran. She'll reappear within the week. Give the contract to her. She'll choose her own destiny. Let the Hellknights outside the Ghetto of Outcasts know that they're off the hook here, too."
He pats the imp on the shoulder. "You'll find that as a member of my 'information brokerage', you'll all its benefits, and I won't call on you too often."
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Davina looks at Mack and frowns.
Free back rub? How disgusting!
She turns to Zarta.
"Paracountess ignore the...ah *ahem*..*words* of some of my companions. I'm sure Valsin will miss your place around the Lodge if you feel to leave the Society. But if you want to place revenge above ALL else then leave your position. If you want to lead within the Society then stay. Revenge can leave one wanting more purity in the end and something else selfish. But I'm sure some in the Dark Archive who seek hidden knowledge will miss your leadership if you leave." She turns up her nose slightly.
While OTHERS want you out sooner rather than later! Chelish strumpet
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"'Fraid, I'm gonna have to insist, friend Milo" Mack says, reading the gnome's inner dialogue from the expression on his face. "We can trust Arthylget. He works for me now, after a fashion."
"Remember, we were on our way to undertake that task ourselves, before we got 'diverted'. We had another chance, if we'd taken a different approach with Leventi. I went along with the team's decision on that, despite my misgivings."
"Cap'n says we got to go now, but we have another chance to do the right thing. Let's do it, friends." He looks to the rest of the team for support. "You said you wanted to deliver Hell's justice to Leventi. Fine. Where's your righteous sense of justice now?"
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Milo snorts derisively, at Mack's belief he's in control of the imp. Trusting the imp is not even an option.
"We were after scruff ta take down the devil. We don't need that now. You snatching those that belong here, is no better then that prig Leventi tricking those that didn't to end up in this salt box." He growls.
"Peran weren't no shiny rube."
Zarta listens to your recommendations and promises to take your advice under consideration.
With the hellmouth closed, the Grand Lodge returns to its usual relative peace. Zarta takes several days leave to contemplate her future. Ambrus reminds you to finish your reports regarding the events in Hell. A few days later, you hear rumors that Zarta leveraged the recent adventure's success to secure more resources from the Decemvirate as the Dark Archive continues to grow with renewed enthusiasm.