Lilandra twists away from the massive explosion, avoiding all harm, just!
Vriri will join into the speculation on planes.
She remembers the stories of great-grandmere having fangs and being able to take hot dishes from the stove without protection. But the blood is diluted in her.
She'll take out some of the more rakish items of clothing and arrange them on herself. But all of the others will know that Viri isn't very skilled at deception.
"If we need disguise, I will need assistance or to purchase magic."
You have come out on a walkway in the middle of a battle, all around Demons and Devils of all shapes and sizes are fighting, the sound of battle is defining, and now the walkway has been blasted and some if not all of you are falling down into a river of the larva. That twists away like a corkscrew. Then it hits you, there is no UP no Down, just slabs of land on which the battle ranges. Massive locks of rock slam into each other shaking off flying demons and devils that then dive into battle once more.
O S^&%!! you just ported into the middle a BLOOD WAR skirmish.
The ranked Army's of the 9 hells fighting the hoards of the abyss
Sona finds herself in the middle of a battle and immediately she engages those who would engage her (dressed as a chaotic-planar humanoid). There is a whirling whisk of death as her blades flicker into those lesser devils around them to create a bit of breathing room. Suddenly, the area is filled with intense sound waves as a massive devil screams at them.
"Just our luck. Look out!"
(Stupid missing DCs by 1)
"What is going on?" she thinks to her companions
As the walkway begins to crumble, she looks to see where she can land and if she can pick up either Madam Tia or Lilandra in flight. Focusing her inner self, she launches off of the chunk of rubble she is falling with, grabbing at her companion on the way.
Tia orients herself but takes the blast in full and staggers half-dazed, ears bleeding.
As the bridge collapse under her, she starts falling very slowly before starting to fly on her own.
The team reacts with speed and some jumping from falling rock to rock you see your chance. some jumping some flying some being grabbed you all land on a rock outcrop on the side of the lava river wall.
Some are injured and even deaf.
All is still for a moment, above you can see and some even hear as the battle carried on. You have a moment of rest bite.
The ground shakes as you feel another blast way up overhead. Large rocks fall down into the lava below. Bodies also fall and hit the melton rock.
If they have the time Lilandra takes a moment and casts an extended air walk on herself in case they are dropped further into the lava.
Tia lands bloodied and battered and proceeds to cast haste on the party.
Lilandra, could you heal me? As in the heal spell. My eardrums have ruptured and it will affect my spellcasting. I could do it myself but I prefer to keep it in case you are the one needing it.
Sona watches as their acrobat snags Lilandra. Sona goes to aid Madam Tia but the girl begins to fly. She now only has to worry about herself. Far below them, lava bubbles and threatens her. She notices a few pieces of rock falling along with her and will use them as rapid steps to give herself momentum back toward the edge.
Just like their monk, Sona will flip off that last bit rock and will snag ahold of safety. Up the edge she climbs. With a bit of haste on them, she now looks to the devil who caused them such agonies. He would pay, but it probably would astonish him that such a group of puny chaotic humanoids survived his deadly onslaught. He may wish to handle this personally. She will greet him with her blades.
You can't see the Devil that blasted you but you hear it and others in the battle above. You get the feeling the walkway was his target, not you. Your all there now, some of you can still act in round 1.
As you healing and watching for more attacks.
To the left of you, you see an opening, leading into some kind of complex.
It seems to be quit in there,
Viri flexes her hand and her gun appears in it. She carefully sneaks to check out the opening for immediate threats while the others are preparing.
Vira what you see a wall collapse leading to a large temple-like chamber inside which you see rows of steps leading to a alter [Now smashed] Choas symbolism is all around. But the most striking part is the carnage, all around you see dead demons and devils. There must have been one hells of a battle in here.
As you enter Vira all seem still but you stop and your scenes pick up something still alive. Someone big, Laying spread across the floor by the broken altar is a huge woman. Her hair is white, her skin pale, you can't see her eyes as they are close, but her clothing is a simple uniform of some kind. Black, and Silver.
Moving soundlessly closer you now see, She has got to be some 30'+ feet tall. Hard to tell with her laying there. Her head is resting by a chunk of smashed steps. Her lower body is pinned down by a huge headless demon body. But you spot one of her legs is twisted wrong, bone sticking out. One arm as well seems smashed, as you get close to the alter you start to feel off. Something here, something around the alters is repressive and Chaotic evil.
Then the huge woman coughs, a bit of blood, internally she must be hurt badly as well. She says, in a rasping voice, still not moving but to speak.
"Nice trap Demon, but your alter is smashed, your gate closed, no more are coming to help you in this fight, get on with it and be about your day."
Then she seems to wait for her fate. Some know she knows someone is there, but not who.
Then all is still once more, as she waits to die or be killed.
She is dying, without help, she will die very soon.
Her wounds seem to be Empowered by Choas and are bleeding wounds.
She seems to have little magic running, but her ailment is LN
The room some form of Desicartion running centered on the broken alter
All lawful magic and power become more and more dampened as you get closer. Some kind of anti-magic Anti law effect.
She is a hound of Hell. One of Laws police officers who hunt down Hell's own if they break Hell's laws. In times of war they often act as Commanders or special forcers. This seems to have been the case here.
Often, Clerics of law itself, Their word is their bond, this is sacred to them. They live by laws, rules, and order above all. Not good or evil.
She is a cleric of LAW. Their word is their bond, this is sacred to them. They live by laws, rules, and order above all. Not good or evil.
She is a Noble of the Hells, high ranking by the looks of it, 4th possible 3ed tier nobility. Possible even a Marquis
She will pause outside of the reach of the injured woman. She speaks simply and plainly, hoping that she hears her words.
"I am not a native of this plane nor a follower of chaos. I and my allies have been sent here in the service of my goddess to investigate a different crime. I and my friends can heal you and free you in exchange for information on the situation."
She opens up her hand, and the gun disappears. There is a momentary pause while she considers her words. Then she places both hands flat over heart. "I swear in the name of my Lady that I shall not harm you without violent provocation while we are on this plane. Conditional upon you swearing the same oath."
All of this is sent by telepathy.
The huge woman opens her eyes, tilts her head and looks at
you, where eyes should be silver orbs study up.
Then a look of hope comes onto her face. She sends back telepathically.
::"Fate, once more you show your hand. Well-meet traveler. If you offer one that is just I will accept. Even if an oath to one such as I, then be it my last act, I will take it."::
She closes her eyes as of prying.
::"I Rosa Luminass, Cleric of Law, hound of Hell, do here swear in the name of my faith that I shall not harm you without violent provocation while you are on this plane. And aid you as you aid me."::
This seemed to be too much and her head falls back.
::"There it is done"::
She leaps into action, using medical skill and her connection to the wellspring of life to aid Rosa. As she does, she comments wryly to the others,
::"One fewer person on this plane that wants to kill us."::
As you work you dumbfounded she is still dying,and you yourself start feeling sick.
Its the broken alter its draining life force.
Tia waits for Lilandra to heal her before following Viri into the building.
"What did you find here ?" she says as she tries to understand what is going on in the room.. "Oh, ooooh. Who is that? Do you need help?"
"Wait, the altar. That's where the problem is. It's still draining everyone around it. We need to move her out of here."
Sona recognizes the resolve in this huge woman before her. She doesn't know that Viri sent her a message but certainly receives one. She shifts in place as Viri seems to want to save this woman. In response, Sona doesn't seem pleased, but tolerant of the decision, like one who got heaped a crap-soup and now has to eat it too.
"Well, let's make the best of this..."
She finally sheathes her blades after a quick wipe clean. It is then that she begins to feel sick to her stomach. Despite this, she puts to motivation the will of Viri. Sona will help move the head of the demon off of her body with the leverage of some nearby curtains, a candelabra, and some of the stone from the altar.
"You've finally done it...You've driven me insane...what am I doing...?" the others will hear, as if Sona doesn't realize she's communicating to the group. It is said in the manner of affection more than true complaint.
"You all need to help me." She then looks to the giant woman. "I know you're hurt, but you need to try to help too."
Viri sees Sona's intent and throws her weight onto the lever to try and get the Head moving.
Viri with Sona's help are able to drag the body of the dead demon off the huge woman. You can see that this hurt her greatly her broken leg moving as you do. But she takes the pain and seems to breathe a little better. However, with so little strength left after the altered has drained so much, she is unable to move.
::"Thank you"::
Then musting what strength she has her eys open and she calls out
But nothing happens.
Her final strength gone her eyes close and she seems to lose consciousness.
The alter has a bound demon in it, activated as a trap, if deactivated the trap would stop the effect.
Tia eyes widen as she realizes what's going on and she calls out to her companions using their telepathic bond.
Sona! The altar! It has a demon bound in it but it functions as a trap. You can disable it!
Viri don't stay in the altar aura, it will drain you for nothing. If Sona fail to disarm the altar, I will move in and dimension door Sona and the hurt lady out of the altar's aura.
It serves her right for not observing the room and noticing the trap.
"Sorry, I'm off my game with all of this chaos around."
She quickly approaches the altar, and with eyes that have been trained to see such magical imbuing, can pierce through their hidden nature. Finding the thread of linking to the material plane from the astral weave, she attempts to disarm it.
Sona you find it, a small orb inside the alter itself. As you pull it out it brakes.
And THIS comes into being.
An aura of powerful evil permeates the area surrounding this demonic-looking creature. It stands twice the height of a normal man, has powerfully muscled arms and burning crimson eyes. Its body is covered in shaggy black fur and marred with what appear to be century-old battle scars. It wields a wicked-looking halberd.
This is the Demon Lord Baphomet, Demon Lord of Beasts.
Look him up on D20 hehe
This is not a demon! This is BAPHOMET the Demon Lord. We need to get out and away, NOW.
To her, the demonic overlords were no different than the draconic overlords of her past. Just as with them, she could not run or present a threat. While her companions seem to quiver, she stands defiantly looking up at the materializing demon lord, but not so with disrespect. She appears to be waiting, which considering his presence, likely is not something he's seen in a while. Most may run fleeing. Not her. Never her.
"If you can get us out of here, then go for it. I doubt I can outrun him with my speed, even hasted. He can probably teleport."
"There is a war raging outside...Grand Demon Lord Baphomet"
"I can't be sure if he came from the orb, but he was linked to it somehow." Whatever the case, she waits for Tia's action. In his presence though, she will stand strong.
As the Demon Lord appears, Tia flies in in contact with Sona and the injured Giant Lady from Hell.
Melani, mist now., she calls.
Just before she touches her intendad targets, you hear a muffled sound from inside Melani familiar satchel and a 20' bubble of fog surrounds Tia.
Then Tia touches Sona and Rosa and Dimension Door them back outside the structure a little to the side of the entrance but not too far from it.
The bubble of fog stays right in front of the Demon Lord.
Liliandra, Viri, we are just to the left side of the entrance. Join us quickly. We need to get the Hell out of here.
The 20' radius mist remains defiantly in front of the Demon Lord, obscuring its vision and providing some sort of cover for Viri and Lilandra.
Watching the back, she turns. Before she catches sight of it, she gets the message that this is a Demon Lord. She pauses long enough to see Tia cast the Dimension Door and then rushes out of the building, immediately moving to get cover between her and the Demon Lord. She hopes that it can't see through solid objects.
Once she is behind cover, she'll slowly move to rejoin the others.
You move and are once more outside on the rocky outcrop. As inside the Demon, lord forms darkness Spreads out in a 60' area. It bellows in rage and anger.
Meanwhile, the tall woman rose moved, Teleported to her now is a massive black H2 sword. Somehow it was healing her, breaking the evil magics that had sapped her health and being away. Her leg moved as it reknit her arm flexed bones now rejoined. Her eyes opened at the bellow and her hands moved to grab the hilt. With some effort, she stood.
The Sound of the Demon moving inside as it bellowed more and he calls 4 lesser Demons to his side, weakened this is all he can do.
Rosa hound of Hell looked down at you four.
"I think you, and this is not your fight if you wish to go, go, But I can not. If he gets to the Demon hord they will prevail. He must be stopped here and now"
With that she hefts the blade, Black flame covers it, and goes to smash throw the wall of the temple wall and to face the Demon lord alone.
So what are you going to do?
Tia quickly communicates with her companions.
"I think we can help her, but not to the risk of our lives or our mission. If we see we're loosing, we can cut our losses and teleport or plane-shift away. What do you think?"
This doesnt seem like our fight! Let's get the hell out of here she shouts telepathically to the group as she also hustles her way outside. [/i]
]
You take time to puff and get ready then charge in with Rosa, you find
Demon Lord stands in the center of the room around him 4 lesser demons each screeching and rawring at you. Rosa goes for the demon lord as you take on the lessers.
::While this is not our fight, we can't search for evidence until this is over. I agree that we need to stay near each other and watch each other's backs.::
Doubt takes over Lilandra and Sona considers her strong-thought words.
"We risked my health rescuing this 'Rosa' and now we're going to abandon her to let Baphomet rise? Nah...I'll do my best to fight and end this conflict. I'm with what Viri and Tia thought. We can hold out and do what we can. If worse comes to worse, we can try to run."
With that, she will vanish from sight. The next time she will appear, she is flanking one of the demons surrounding Rosa with a flurry of blades. Each strike hitting critical areas which seems to sap its strength. Each swing of their enemies is met by a counter.
"Chumps..."