Jisara makes good use of the breathing room she's bought for herself, weaving together a whirlwind of shadows that bite and stab and harry Barzillai and Rivozair both. Breathing hard, she hopes it's enough of an edge to turn the tide. Something within Thatch stirs, and the familiar erupts with light that reaches across the space between to tear at Barzillai's armor and the frail human beneath it.
“Hasn’t Kintargo humiliated you enough? Why would you ever come back? Go be Lord Mayor of East Nowheresville, that would more your speed! You think you can rule Kintargans? You aren’t fit to clean our boots!”
Chance continues his courageous anthem and sustains Reprisal’s Sacred Glow, then walks a few steps closer to Kintargo’s erstwhile Lord Mayor .
4 spirit to Vitalis
4 spirit to Edrakk
Chance maintains his glow and song, and moves through the hellfire!
Vitalis screams at Rivozair then Strikes at the dragon!
He then moves over, causing Rivozair to bite at him!
Vitalis then swings his halberd directly at Barzillai , managing to tear straight into his armor and embed the axe-head directly into the Thrune’s shoulder, nearly amputating the Inquisitor! But…he still stands??? And even stranger, this massive wound in Barzillai’s left shoulder bears no blood. None whatsoever. Vitalis shoves Barzillai away and healing himself , and he finds his halberd to be disturbingly clean of any crimson blood.
Barzillai staggers back, clearly barely standing and barely on his feet, as he suddenly stops, and stares past Vitalis, and past Rivozair. Seeming to see some unseen figure that leaves him practically paralyzed.
Edrakk drinks an elixir then throws a bomb at Barzillai, causing his equipment to magnetize! This crushes his partially-amputated arm back into place and makes him further off-balance! But he still stands there, seeming to grow even more wide-eyed! ”N-no! Not yet!”
Edrakk then patches himself up.
Jisara then summons forth a whirlwind of shadows!
Thatch then pounces on the Inquisitor!
Barzillai is bombarded on all sides by the shadows, and they manage to pierce straight through his armor and tear off chunks of flesh, until Thatch comes in and manages to finish Vitalis’s job and sever Barzillai’s left arm! But even as the Inquisitor loses an arm, he stares with wild eyes, seeming to ignore his wounds as much as he can, but failing. ”Not here! This is NOT where you claim me! I still have time!”
Barzillai continues standing, unable to move his own feet despite desperately trying!
4 persistent spirit
”M-my Lord! I’ve done everything you have asked of me! These petulant children are but one more obstacle to be taken care of! The apotheosis will go as planned!”
The shadows tear off more chunks of Barzillai’s flesh, and even digging into bone, making him look…almost zombie-like…
Rivozair stares at Barzillai with grim horror, the dragon disturbed by what is becoming of the man… She then regains her senses and attacks Vitalis!
Round 5
Casualties: 8
==============
Barzillai Thrune <Red> (-341 from “2” attacks [before resistances]) {4 persistent spirit; 2d4 persistent force & clumsy 1 & enfeebled 1; wounded 7; stunned 4; off-guard; Expand Aura: Round 4 of 10}
Rivozair <Blue> (-201) {frightened 1; drained 1}
Chance (-64) {4d6 persistent hellfire; +2 status to Will vs mental}
Vitalis (-91) {Fast Healing 14: Round 2 of 4; Expand Aura: Round 4 of 10; Hasted: Round 5 of 10; +2 status to Will vs mental}
Edrakk (-40; +15) {frightened 1; 4d6 persistent hellfire; 4d6 persistent mental; greater numbing tonic: Round 1 of 10; +2 status to Will vs mental; concealed}
Jisara (-86) {2d10 persistent fire; Fast Healing 14: Round 3 of 4; +2 status to Will vs mental}
Thatch (+1) {+2 status to Will vs mental}
Event
==============
Vitalis notices the peculiar nature of Barzillai. It seems almost as if he has been transformed into some form of undead or construct. But Vitalis does not has the luxury of pondering the mystery while a dragon looms over him.
Barzillai seems out of the fight, at least temporarily, so Vitalis turns his attention back to the dragon that won't stop biting him.
Jisara, cackling in triumph, sends another spell through the conduit she shares with her familiar to undermine the dragon's concentration and reflexes.
Edrakk quietly cheers at Barzillai being momentarily incapacitated and runs over to Vitalis to patch him up, before throwing a dagger at the dragon and drawing a fan.
Chance allows his melody to fade for the moment, but keeps Reprisal’s Sacred Glow alive.
Hoping to take advantage of the former Lord-Mayor’s immobilization, he summons a host of discordant notes long imprisoned in the eternal winds of the Plane of Air and sets them free at the center of the bridge, in the space surrounding Barzillai (or at least, the creature that was once Barzillai Thrune).
Chance keeps Reprisal’s glow ongoing, then summons an orchestra right on top of Barzillai!
The blast of sonic damage knocks away much of what remains of Barzillai’s feeble body, practically obliterating his torso, and all without a drop of blood!
Clank clank clank
Barzillai’s armor falls to the ground, a clattering sound indicating that, despite his flesh’s obliteration, there’s something rattling around inside the breastplate. All that remains of the Inquisitor is but his head, inexplicably still wide-eyed and staring at an unseen figure standing directly above him. And he speaks!
”N-no! Please! There is still so much to be done, my Lord! T-the situation can s-still be salvaged!”
Vitalis steps forward and attacks Rivozair!
Edrakk runs over to patch up Vitalis!
But Vitalis intercepts the attack and moves to strike at the dragon!
plus 4 8 persistent spirit
And with one final swing, Vitalis chops Rivozair’s head clean off, killing the mighty dragon!
Edrakk and Jisara then turn their attention towards the various devils attacking the citizens.
Said devils, however, see Rivozair’s fall and Barzillai being but a head, they decide their terms of service have reached its end. The vast majority of the devils teleport away, leaving only those that can be easily disposed of by the Silver Ravens.
The disembodied head of Barzillai Thrune stares up in horror as the spiritual energy of Shelyn encompasses him. The head screams in terror and desperation—an act made morbidly impressive given he has no lungs anymore.
Barzillai’s head explodes in a burst of bone and viscera (though no blood). All that remains of the tyrant’s body is mush and the occasional broken bone.
*
The majority of the panicking crowd does not stop in its tracks upon the devils’ departure and the dragon’s defeat. They all still run away from the Silver Span for their own safety, until all that is left are members of the Silver Ravens.
Rexus Victocora and Jackdaw—the people who started it all in their own ways—walk over to the bent and broken armor of Barzillai Thrune, as well as the other regalia that he wore.
”Is…is it over…?”
Vitalis looks up to the sky and issues a prayer to Shelyn. "Thank you."
”Is…is it over…?”
"No. It's never over with Barzillai!"
He throws down his halberd in anger and starts stomping on the remains of Barzillai, crushing his husk of a body into splinters.
"Damn Barzillai! Damn Mephistopheles! Damn it all! When will the people of Kintargo be safe? This was meant to be a celebration, but instead it was yet another in a long string of bloodbaths."
Vitalis walks over to the edge of the bridge and stares off into the distance. "How many innocents did we lose this time? How many more funerals will I need to attend? Can the Silver Ravens truly keep the city safe when devils can appear at any given moment? I'm just so tired of it all."
Burned, bloodied, and bruised, Jisara limps over and leans on her staff for support.
"He was just a man," she mutters to herself, echoing something she said a long time ago. "And a man can be killed." She looks back up at Rexus and Jackdaw's approach.
"There's always something on the horizon. We'll deal with whatever's next, but first things first: what are we doing for the injured?"
"He was just a man," she mutters to herself, echoing something she said a long time ago. "And a man can be killed."
“He was just a man, before. I’m not sure you can say that about what we just fought. A man should bleed when his arm gets cut off, shouldn’t he?” Chance shudders and wiped burned hair off his face. “Something kept him alive until it didn’t. If it was Mephistopheles, why? We stopped the ritual required under his contract! Did the bastard sign another one?”
He kicks at an overturned tankard, abandoned at the start of the massacre. “OK, nobody needs my ranting. Let’s pick up the pieces and help the survivors, and then figure out who to make sure Barzy stays dead this time.”
"He was just a man," she mutters to herself, echoing something she said a long time ago. "And a man can be killed."“He was just a man, before. I’m not sure you can say that about what we just fought. A man should bleed when his arm gets cut off, shouldn’t he?” Chance shudders and wiped burned hair off his face. “Something kept him alive until it didn’t. If it was Mephistopheles, why? We stopped the ritual required under his contract! Did the bastard sign another one?”
"I-I wouldn't put it past him." Edrakk kicks a bit of what's left of Barzillai. "H-he should've seen this coming, t-though. I mean, h-his head exploding. Y-you can't make a d-deal with a devil and e-expect it to go w-well."
”Is…is it over…?”"No. It's never over with Barzillai!"
"I might... h-hazard that it is, actually. T-there's definitely m-more to be done, but at least with him, I-I don't think it's e-easy to come back from an e-exploded head and everything."
Suddenly, Edrakk's head snaps back to the dead dragon, dissecting it with his eyes.
"The outside is slightly burned, but I think enough of this is raw to work with... I-I might know something that might lift p-people's spirits a bit."
Question for the other players: Are there any objections to cooking the dragon and serving it at the festival?
”Then…what should we do with all this?” Jackdaw says as she kicks Barzillai’s armor.
”Bring it back to base and we can assess from there.” Octavio replies.
As the Silver Ravens gather up Barzillai’s gear, the source of the rattling in Barzillai’s armor can be found: a wooden-and-metal dodecahedron that is about 6 inches in diameter. Each of the faces has a symbol engraved on it, and looking at it carries the disturbing feeling that the observer can see too many sides of the dodecahedron at once. It seems to be empty, with some objects rattling around inside.
Regardless, the group takes Barzillai’s gear and returns to the Lucky Bones.
*
A +2 greater striking greater flaming impactful mace
3 fear gems (one of which is affixed to the mace)
A +2 greater resilient greater ready winged half-plate
2 Greater grim trophies (one of which is attached to the half-plate
A wand of 6th-rank detect scrying (has already been cast today)
A +1 striking wounding dagger
3 greater potency crystals (one of which is affixed to the dagger)
A helm of zeal dedicated to Asmodeus.
A tunic that functions as a greater ash gown
A greater symbol of conflict
A Chelish crux
Curiosity getting the better of them, the group turn their attention o the Chelish Crux in an attempt to get it open.
It takes a bit of time, but Jisara does indeed manage to solve the puzzle box. When solved, the box unfolds into a 2-foot square flat sheet of metal and wood, upon which rests two items: a scroll case and a necklace.
The necklace is indeed magical, and it has a pendant the size of a pear that bears an engraving of a disembodied, sharp-toothed mouth.
And the group has absolutely no idea what the necklace is.
The thick scroll case is very interesting, as it is made completely of dawnsilver! Inside the scroll case are three parchments: two magical scrolls and one simple, nonmagical sheet of paper.
The first scroll the PCs look at is one that is so lengthy it borders on comical. The scroll unfurls to be at least 100 feet long! A reading of the scroll makes it clear that it is written in Diabolic legalese complex enough to make the best Chelaxian barrister’s head spin. All that the PCs can truly ascertain are the title at the parchment’s very beginning—“Heart’s Harvest”—and the signatures at the very end:
Contracting Mortal: Barzillai Thrune
Contracted Devil: Mephistopheles
The second scroll is significantly shorter—only 5 feet this time—and it seems to be a lengthy prayer to Mephistopheles (also written in Diabolic). Though, as Jisara examines it further, she finds that the magic on this scroll seems to have altered the text, but a part of the original text can be read, albeit by painstakingly determining which word is the real text and which is not.
The nonmagical sheet of paper—also written in Diabolic—reads as follows:
Your visit to my offices was most educational and informative. Even though you are not my client in the traditional sense, I consider myself to be a zealous advocate of our mutual interests in Ravounel. Should you require additional consultation on the Kintargo Contract, I would be delighted to clear my schedule. For your convenience, please find enclosed a small magical trinket. Use it to call the hellmouth Gingorox to expedite transport directly to my offices. My staff are instructed to interrupt me if necessary and I will be with you shortly.
Of course, my staff are also tasked with protecting my holdings, so should you need to return to my offices to speak with me again via Gingorox or any other method, use the word I gave you to unmask the copy of the Kintargo Contract that I supplied you; my staff well recognize it as my guarantee of your safe passage. I shall not repeat that word here. If perchance you have forgotten, you will need to fight or bluff your way through my guardians, I fear. In such an event, I shall not hold damages done to my staff against you. Minions are a simple matter to replace, after all.
Regards, Odexidie, Vice Barrister of Terrestrial Prospects, Fallen Fastness of Dis
If you critically succeeded, open the spoiler below
If you critically succeed, open the spoiler below
Question for the other players: Are there any objections to cooking the dragon and serving it at the festival?
Contracting Mortal: Barzillai Thrune
Contracted Devil: Mephistopheles
"Either B-Barzillai had the best lawyers i-in Cheliax... or h-he really g-got screwed."
"The F-Fallen Fastness... that's a legal library, r-right? That's where t-the contract devils keep t-their contracts. And Odexidie... h-he helped Asmodeus d-draft the Cheliax C-contract."
Vitalis shares what he knows.
"Barzillai was interested in the Kintargo Contract. That's the document that has allowed the Thrunes to win the civil war and rule over Cheliax. Why was he interested in that? He's already a member of the ruling family. Unless he was such a megalomaniac that he was looking for a way to usurp the queen. What am I saying? Of course he was."
"That document seems to indicate that that trinket will open a portal to Hell, specifically the Fallen Fastness of Dis. I am absolutely loathe to ever step foot on that plane and even more loathe to actually make a deal with a devil. But we need to find out what Barzillai's contract entailed. If he is still alive in whatever form, be it living or undead, or if Kintargo is still in danger, we need to know and we need to stop the threat. This Odexidie devil may be able to translate the document into a simplified form that we can comprehend. But there is no doubt that he won't do it for free. We best be prepared to pay."
"And I don't suppose there is any way to discover the password Barzillai was supposed to use? But if not, cutting our way through a swarm of bureaucratic devils is not an unpleasant thought."
"There must be something in the contract that's specifically about ruling Kintargo, otherwise there's no reason for Barzy to go through all this and then risk us handing him his butt." Chance shakes his head. "We're sure that was really him, right? We didn't just see another body double lose his head?"
"That document seems to indicate that that trinket will open a portal to Hell, specifically the Fallen Fastness of Dis. I am absolutely loathe to ever step foot on that plane and even more loathe to actually make a deal with a devil. But we need to find out what Barzillai's contract entailed. If he is still alive in whatever form, be it living or undead, or if Kintargo is still in danger, we need to know and we need to stop the threat. This Odexidie devil may be able to translate the document into a simplified form that we can comprehend. But there is no doubt that he won't do it for free. We best be prepared to pay."
"O-of course." Edrakk sighs. "Why not, a-at this point?"
*
*
It takes the PCs some time to figure out how to utilize the “small magical trinket” mentioned in Odexidie’s message to Barzillai, but what seems to work is demanding (in Diabolic) the hellmouth Gingorox to appear before the necklace. As that is done, the head of a massive stone fiend seems to grow out of the ground, opening its 10-foot diameter mouth to reveal a glowing orange tunnel. With little else to do, the PCs step through.
*
*
*
The snarling face of an immense canine looms along one wall of this room, its open jaws revealing a pulsating, raw tunnel that coils off into the infinite. The rest of the room has a strangely mundane appearance, with wood-paneled walls and a pair of leather sofas facing each other across the room, giving the chamber the look of a sort of waiting room. Near the wall opposite the hellmouth sits a simple wooden desk. Flickering fires burn in lamps hanging from the walls. Seated at the desk are a pair of munagolas—executioner devils.
The devils look up at the newcomers—sneering in Vitalis’s direction—before they put down their paperwork.
”Do you have an appointment?”
"We do not have an appointment but Odexidie is expecting us. We're supposed to have a password but for the life of me, I just can't recall what it was. Odexidie said if we forgot it, we'd just have to kill you instead. That's a real shame, isn't it. Tell me, is your desk job worth your life? Because I'd be more than happy to take it. Just being here is filling me with a bloodlust that needs to be sated."
The devils are shocked at Vitalis’s decorum at saying he’s eager to kill them. They look at each other, shrug, and draw greataxes!
Round 1
==============
Jisara
Thatch
Munagola <Red>
Munagola <Blue>
Chance
Vitalis
Edrakk
==============
Jisara raises an eyebrow at Vitalis, her expression a mix of surprise and approval. She incants a spell as Thatch bounds forward onto one of the couches and opens his mouth, spitting out an electrified wire at the closer devil.
Success
Jisara sends an electrified wire at Blue!
Each of the devils Fly forward and attack!
Round 1 —> 2
==============
Jisara
Thatch
Munagola <Red>
Munagola <Blue> (-9)
Chance
Vitalis
Edrakk
==============
Vitalis swings a warm up strike. Then he throws out an insult at the munagola in front of him.
"Is that the best you can do, you pencil-pusher? You should be ashamed to call yourself a devil. I've met imps more threatening than you."
Then he strikes again, this time harder.
◆Strike (Red)
◆Demoralize (Red)
◆Strike (Red)
"Is that the best you can do, you pencil-pusher? You should be ashamed to call yourself a devil. I've met imps more threatening than you."
"F-frankly, I'm not sure if they've even earned the title p-pencil pusher." Edrakk quickly draws a silver dagger, coats it in poison, and stabs at one of the devils.
"Working for Hell's lawyer,
What a way to spend eternity!..."
Chance starts singing one of his inspiring tunes then concentrates for a moment to start Reprisal's Sacred Glow.
"Working for Hell's lawyer,
What a way to spend eternity!..."
Chance starts singing one of his inspiring tunes then concentrates for a moment to start Reprisal's Sacred Glow. casts his favorite spell. A glowing skeletal apparition appears before the damned bureaucrats and, with unnaturally long, ectoplasmic fingers, reaches for their throats!
Jisara flings another bit of electrified metal, this time switching targets to support Vitalis.
Chance begins singing and attempts to frighten the devils.
Vitalis scares Red and hits her, his holy, silver weapon searing into her flesh!
Edrakk poisons his dagger and stabs a devil!
Jisara sends electrified wire at Red!
Red swings!
Red then Flies back, away from the poltergeist.
Blue swings!
And Blue likewise Flies back.
3 persistent “poison” to Blue
Round 2 —> 3
==============
Jisara
Thatch
Munagola <Red> (-59)
Munagola <Blue> (-39)
Chance
Vitalis
Edrakk
==============
Vitalis chases after the fleeing devils and strikes twice and the one to his right (red). "Where do you think you are going? Are you not having fun?"
◆Stride
◆Strike (red)
◆Strike (red)
Jisara switches tactics a bit, shouting a command to her familiar as she hurls a cloud of silvery needles at the retreating devils.
"You might lose your minds,
'Cause the dead will come for vengeance..."
Chance continues his song, then aims the Dischordance at the blue devil.
“Your contracts are filled with typos and your executions lack finesse!”
Edrakk applies more poison to his dagger and runs forward, attacking one of the devils.
Chance sings and sends a scathing word at Red!
Vitalis moves forward and swings at Red!
Edrakk moves forward and stabs at Blue!
Jisara and Thatch attack Red!
Red Steps forward and attacks Vitalis!
Blue attacks Edrakk!
But Vitalis protects the tengu!
plus 4 persistent spirit
Blue takes 4 persistent spirit damage
Round 3 —> 4
==============
Jisara
Thatch
Munagola <Red> (-173 from “1” attacks [before resistances])
Munagola <Blue> (-85 from “1” attacks [before resistances]) {4 persistent spirit}
Chance
Vitalis
Edrakk (-11)
==============
Vitalis' weapon thirsts for the blood of the devil that struck Edrakk and Vitalis uses a blessed counterstrike to quench it. "Not on my watch!"
Then he turns his attention back to the devil he has been fighting and strikes at it again. Afterwards, he takes a step closer to Edrakk.
◆Blessed Counterstrike (Blue)
◆Strike (Red)
◆Step
Another hail of silver barbs emerges from Thatch's mouth, embedding into the devil harassing Edrakk.
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Chance switches to a new song, one which echoes a familiar melody, before insulting the devils (or remaining devil) once more.
"Can you feel the people fight?
Fighting for ev'ry Kintargan.
It is the drumbeat of a people
Who won't bow to devils again!"
“How did you two even get this job? Worst doormen EVER!”
Edrakk stabs at the devil again a few times before backing away.
Chance begins singing a verse from the Song of Silver then sends more biting words at the devils!
Vitalis swings his halberd in a wide arc, cleaving both devils in two as they fall to the ground!
As the PCs stay in this room for a bit, the hellmouth Gingorox groans a bit, but otherwise seems unchanged.
The group enters a brief hallway, and as they turn the corner they see a large room. The domed ceiling of this octagonal chamber rises to twenty-five feet at its apex, from which numerous iron chains suspend a sixteen-foot-tall sculpture of dull black stone and metal. The sculpture appears to be of a fallen angel, its wings twisted, arms broken, and feet bound together by metal bands. What appear to be spiked manacles are affixed to the sculpture’s torso. The sculpture hangs above an octagonal pit seething with coiling lengths of flickering hellfire. Iron plaques hang over the two double doors exiting the room.
Four more devils—these ones four-armed and wearing robes—are in this room. Their daggers are drawn, as it is clear they were expecting to use them!
Round 1
==============
Chance
Vitalis
Jisara
Thatch
Uniila <Red>
Uniila <Yellow>
Uniila <Green>
Uniila <Blue>
Edrakk
==============
Vitalis glances warily at the row of doors to his right. "Let them come to us. I don't want to get flanked by anything coming out of one of these rooms behind us."
Vitalis' weapon stretches to impossible lengths across the room to smash the face of the devil in front of him. "How do you like that, devil? Your doormen didn't even put up a fight. Do you think you can do better?"
◆◆Extend Gauntlet, Strike (Yellow) (Up to 120 ft.)
◆Regrip Halberd
"Well, let's encourage them to get a move on," Jisara replies, swiftly conjuring a swirling vortex of biting wind and sleet amongst the devils.
Chance tries to identify the four-armed devils, then summons a host of discordant notes long imprisoned in the eternal winds of the Plane of Air and sets them free on the far side of the pit .
Chance summons forth an orchestra on the devils!
[ooc]If my armor is standard-grade silver, does the gauntlet also count as standard-grade silver? Or does it need to be purchased separately.
Vitalis punches far against Yellow!
Jisara summons a blizzard right on top of the devils!
All of the devils reel from the attacks coming at them. Red and Blue both Cast a Spell
And then each unleash 9 shards of magic that attack at Chance, Vitalis, and Edrakk!
Green and Yellow then use Fearsome Magic followed by Casting a Spell!
And two explosions of fire bursts on top of the group!
Success
Success
Success
Failure
Success
Success
Success
Critical Success
Success
Success
Round 1 —> 2
==============
Chance (-21)
Vitalis (-19)
Jisara (-8)
Thatch (-43) {frightened 1}
Uniila <Red> (-25)
Uniila <Yellow> (-109)
Uniila <Green> (-54)
Uniila <Blue> (-25)
Edrakk (-40)
==============
Jisara immediately casts a spell to heal her familiar as Thatch bounds forward toward the devils, hissing and spitting the whole way. She follows slightly after, a magical shield held in front.
I say rush them, they seem less powerful than they look. And they're outside the range of most of my spells, anyway.
Vitalis boosts his speed and dashes across the room, roaring as he does so. "RRRaaaaarrrrgh!" He takes his weapon and slashes at uniila in the rear.
"From the defeat of Barzy's goons
To our beating of Ex-Mayor Thrune..."
Chance darts forward and picks up his riff on the Song of Silver to inspire his friends while maintaining the discordant cacophony for the yellow and green devils.
◆: Stride 25'
◆: Cast a Focus Spell, Courageous Anthem
◆: Sustain a Spell, Phantom Orchestra
Edrakk runs forward and throws a dagger at one of the creatures.