Saphirre felt her back vents open and flair into life, The grav-unit dispaced most of her mass, and she started to move upwards.
"Yes this system was offline for safety, as it would overheat my systems if used in a gravity well."
She checked her control over the thruster system.
"This is not designed for a prolonged flight in a gravity well but for deep strike tactical insertion in the ground combat and ship-to-ship boarding in a vacuum. For which as an Andriod I am hardened too. So being able to fly with such subtle control is new to me"
There seems to be a little joy in her voice.
"Thank you for letting me experience this."
"I am trying to remember how to use them"
I'm thinking about succubus eidolon, Lady Alithera. Would you be able to do that?
...
I can't know that, Lady Cyndane. I'm just learning your games so far. But I'm a capable student. And she smiles slyly again.
She lands and shakes herself, then walks over to her fellow Andriod.
Checking her codel, this place was odd.
"Of late I have learned that Emtions have a use, but as you said we are Mecha and not Orga, as such understanding Feelings helps us in understanding Orga. But we should not have them outside of this myself. Logic is the only way for us mecha, I understand that"
Now devoid of all emotions she looks around the space and everyone there.
"I have learned to feel when I need to"
A nineties blade forms in her hand, then changes to her laser weapon then the nineties reinter her body.
"I am an agent of Law and order, nothing more nothing less"
You are infected with "the goods" and "the feelies" The Axis android states coldly
Which is a moral improvement over being a demon designed engine of assassination, but it remains a concern. it continues with a bit more warmth
Above you, the plate armored Succubus Thanais slowly claps her hands
Impressive killbot, you almost got a rise out of that android. Not bad. She states
[b]Very well then The regal Succubus Alithera says as she slowly floats down on silk wings, dancing intensely with Adigale.
This She continues as a small ivory wand moves into Arrius hands
Is a wand of major image, if activated it details what is known of Xanthir Vangs plans, and of currently known ways to undo it. A second utilization will show Sir Ciar in his current confinement. It should make it easier to communicate with queen galfrey once she shows up, which she will.
She continues
I declare the parley to have been satisfactorily finished, and the gate will take you back to your point of origin. Lady Sahala will rejoin you in a couple of minutes, unless of course you wish to keep my company.
She then addresses the other entities
By our... chaperone agreement you are free to verify that I parley fairly, but your right of observation ends when all of the mortals but Lady Sahala leave my domain.
Cyndane, the Empusa bardess curties, blows her a kiss and glides out of the throne room, E.L.I.Z.A. moves away with precision, and Ilassa the angel actually also walks out of the still open portal to kenabres.
Constantine nods at Alithera and walks through the portal back to Kenabres.
Adigale waves then spins on her toes, still caught up in the dance, out the portal.
Arrius leaves first of the party, arriving just at the former boss room.
He finds the angel waiting for him.
You made me proud by refusing her gift Arrius Vorallius Constantine She states with a smile that can make armor melt
I am torn about her. On one hand, a Succubus with a degree of personal honor is... less evil, by a fair margin, then her kind usually is. On the other hand, she is frighteningly effective at seducing the good, far more then usual.
Generosity shall beget generosity, if you wish to accept my gift
She takes both of your hands into hers
Illassa is an astute, clever and quite cunning angel, and certain aspects of her also become yours, as an inspiration.
--You gain the *Cunning* feat
--Choose 2 skills, they are now class skills for you
--If you look straight into the eyes of someone or something detecting as evil, and it looks back, a soul gaze will happen. This will often tell you important information
--Turning on detect evil is now a swift action
Contantine replies, "Less evil but evil nonetheless. And Iomedae is very clear about working with evil and the slow, insidious corruption that ensues. We also don't know that we can trust Alithera; some of our goals align with hers but for how long?"
Constantine grasps Ilassa's hands in return and nods his consent.
"You are infected with "the goods" and "the feelies"
The Axis android states coldly
"infection that word and your use of it tells me all I need to know about you. I change my core programming, something you will never be able to do. And I choose to feel emotions and become an embodiment of the law. Something you will also never be able to do. You just cannot understand what you will never experience. Which makes you, for all your power, lesser than myself. You are limited by design. Flawed by your core narrow construction. Sadily there are no prostheses you can graft to your soul to gain what you don't have. You would feel despair if you could, but you never will. Goodbye, sister. I wish you nothing but the best."
She nodded once and then looked sideways at Thanais as she clapped
"We will meet again Thanais."
Then Sapphire Aurora goes through the portal
------
Then past the portal and seeing Arrius and the angel,
She knows what this means, and takes a Knee, bending her head.
Waiting until they are done.
Only seconds after everyone but Sahala moves back through the portal, Sahala moves through it as well as it closes.
Sahala likely is panting, while looking extremely happy and even glowing, giving off, for perhaps a second or two, an almost maternal vibe.
The Angel looks at her with a raised eyebrow
Hmmm, odd, I think I can sense her gift upon you, but you detect as chaotic neutral, as before. Did she bend the laws of alignment enough that she can do this? Perhaps by supplanting any loyalty or fealty to the Abyss with loyalty or fealty to her and only her? That does sound like something she would absolutely do.
She looks at Arrius, while also looking past and through him
Galfreys army is 3 days away from Kenabres, and she is marching quickly, so make that 2 days.
What? Repeat? There is surprise in her voice as she seems to be tapping into some kind of communication system
Well, you want to see this, it happened at exactly the point when the fragment was shattered She says as her eyes become pure white and recording, of sorts is replayed.
You see several units of crusaders around another wardstone, trying hard to fight of swarming hordes of what you recognice as Derakni demons. Suddenly the wardstone erupts into a blinding flash, not harming the crusaders but blasting apart many demons, and critically injuring others.
The scene shifts, another, much worse looking fights as bound Kellids, as well as some crusaders, are lined up before another wardstone. A strangely beuatifully Marilith speaks to them. And soon, my little soon to be half fiends, the power of the Abyss will flow through these wardstones, exposing you to your own sins, and twisting you into a half fiend version of..., clearly Vorleshes greatest ploy yet She slides to a weeping crusader
The Abyss would have turned you into As she slaps the crusader away, deeming him to weak
A Kellid, a powerfully built Kellid chieftess, with a pair of humanoid hands dangling from her belt, stares her straight in the eyes stating Aponavicius, you will pay for this!
These are the secondary hands of a Glabrezu, Kellids in the worldwound tend to take souvenirs of the most powerful enemy they have slain, and this woman was thus clearly a mighty warrior
Oh, a smart one! Trying to Game the system, maxmimize your pride and become a half Balor? I am impressed, for I can already see the whatever good ever was in you leaving your soul. Now behold! As she forces the chieftess to the wardstone, the same energy blasts out, tearing into the Marilith and breaking the chains of bindings of every single crusader or Kellid, stunned, the many demons are disarmed, as furious Crusaders tear into them.
The Chieftess she was talking to Bloodrages, doubles in size now being taller then the demon and actually tears one of the demons 6 arms off, before using it is a cudgel against her while shouting at the demoness.
The Marilith manages to teleport out, but many of her servants are seriously slain.
F@!$ you demons! The only way I become a half Balor is if I get drunk, marry one of the morons, divorce him for weakness and take half of everything he has! The chieftess shouts as the Kellids charge at any remaining demons, the chieftess in particular just runs at a gaggle of demons and throws them around like bowling pins, easily crushing demonic bones and carapaces as she charges and overruns.
Ilassa stops projecting
Yikes, was this was Vorlesh was planning? And Aponavicius captured the "Juggernaught B!***"? That would have been... terrible
"It seemed like they were very excited to 'turn' the wardstones into a weapon of some type. Perhaps this is what the demons had planned; it would destroy the barrier and bolster their ranks. We need to see how our other allies in Kenabres have fared this night. They bought time for us to infiltrate the Grey Garrison but at what cost? The survivors will need our help."
Sahala's face loses its joyful expression. If all the wardstones will be destroyed, nothing will hold back the flow of demons to the whole world... The whole world will become a World Wound.
Adigale looks on the image with wonder in her eyes "Or not." she says to Sahala's worry "They seem to be doing pretty well in those pictures. The good guys, I mean."
You hear shouts and cries from the outside, as well as the sounds of gunfire. Gunfire that is getting closer to the grey garrison, and as far as you know, only Cydrics suspiciously well armed tailors have blackpowder weapons.
You also hear a glutural song in Kellid
Ingen vila till natten,
För i gryningen går vi mot strid
Vi är redo att dö för vår kung
Här på fälten vid Kenabres
Kellid ge eld
Gud äro med oss
Strid för Er tro
Ge ingen nåd
G'rum mit uns
Våran konung har talat
Hör vårt stridsrop, G'rum mit uns
Från ett slagfält av blod
Föds en stormakt av mod
Ifrån Norden vi slår
Här vi står
Hör damonerna dåna,
Hör en här som marscherar i takt
När vi stormar vid Kenabres
Vänter död eller ära?
Blås till attack
Se till hans fana
Följ eran kung
The singing is also coming closer, as are clearly panicked cries in Abyssal.
Oh god, I am away for a bit and the Mercs are power metalling. I can hear Askold, so he is not Bloodraging, which means they either won or he is conserving resources Sevanna remarks as she is hearing the sound as well.
You are back in the third floor of the citadel, do you wish to go back down?
At what appears to be the sounds of...combat?...Constantine draws Radiance and hurries down the stairs and to the Garrison doors to assess the situation.
Pulls her blades, and powers up.
"Shall we?"
"Yes!" Adigale's love of all things combatish is evident in the gleeful smile on her face as she rushes after the android and pally.
Let's have a little laugh... Sahala smiles slyly, and for a second translucent black bat-like wings with pink veins appear and immediately disappear behind her back.
Sapphire smiles at Sahala
"Yes that would be fun"
And spun her blades in her hands.
More enemies! Ahahaha bugger you Tinman, you cant even get there before I shoot them into their demonique... Oh, Bonjour Madama Aurora!
For some perhaps plot related reason the voice of Cyric de bergerac, the totally not former galtese black ops tailor you rescued from some gargoyles, is audible over the din of battle. He appears to be on a bed, that is levitating 40 feet above the ground, and is reinforced with additional cover as well as shooting slits.
Before you ask, I found a scale of Terendelev that lets me cast levitate. Levitating and firearms are a wonderful combination against foes that mostly have melee weaponry! He cheerfully informs the party
The full plated form of Askold is currently battering down the door.
Mr. Askold, it appears the door is actually open, you just have to pull rather then push. Irabeth Tyrabade, Paladin of Iomedae and currently haveing a fair bit of blood on her plate armor, informs the rampaging giant as she opens the door
Why are there 2 redcaps frolicking in the remains of what are clearly cultist and some weird deer? Well, they just poofed away, didnt know they could do that. The Paladin pauses
I assume the giant goods-splosion that wiped out every demon in the city, severed the the connection of the remaining cultists to their demonlords and panicked many of them was somehow your doing?
More enemies! Ahahaha bugger you Tinman, you cant even get there before I shoot them into their demonique... Oh, Bonjour Madama Aurora!
For some perhaps plot related reason the voice of Cyric de bergerac, the totally not former galtese black ops tailor you rescued from some gargoyles, is audible over the din of battle. He appears to be on a bed, that is levitating 40 feet above the ground, and is reinforced with additional cover as well as shooting slits.
Before you ask, I found a scale of Terendelev that lets me cast levitate. Levitating and firearms are a wonderful combination against foes that mostly have melee weaponry! He cheerfully informs the party
The full plated form of Askold is currently battering down the door.
Mr. Askold, it appears the door is actually open, you just have to pull rather then push. Irabeth Tyrabade, Paladin of Iomedae and currently haveing a fair bit of blood on her plate armor, informs the rampaging giant as she opens the door
Why are there 2 redcaps frolicking in the remains of what are clearly cultist and some weird deer? Well, they just poofed away, didnt know they could do that. The Paladin pauses
I assume the giant goods-splosion that wiped out every demon in the city, severed the the connection of the remaining cultists to their demonlords and panicked many of them was somehow your doing?
Trying to address the questions asked Constantine says, "Sevanna is well, the redcaps wanted to fight some demons and cultists, and yes our actions led to the explosive release of energy. Is there still battle ongoing in the city? If so where is it?"
Sapphire came and stood next to Arrius, on her chest the holy symbol of Iomedae. She put her blades away.
I think most of the idiots have been dealt with and are running. The half Orc Paladin Irabeth states
Moment, I am getting a sending. She says as her eyes lit up
Oh f~#+ yes! She swears breaking some rules for decorum
This is Galfrey. Coming with parts of Mendevian army. 48 hours. Keep eye on Sahala. Kenabres will be relieved. She apparently repeats the sending she got
Who or what is a Sahala? She ask as things erupt in celebrations and we mark the end of book 1!
You level up to 6.
Looks around,
"Well we have some loot to sell, where next"
She asks the others
Looks around,
"Well we have some loot to sell, where next"
She asks the others
"I too would like to upgrade equipment but, given the state of the city, we might not have an option for selling or even trading our recovered items. Right now we should search Kenabres for any pockets of cultist resistance. Then it will be awaiting the arrival of Queen Galfrey and hope we can secure an audience with her."
I think most of the idiots have been dealt with and are running. The half Orc Paladin Irabeth states
Moment, I am getting a sending. She says as her eyes lit up
Oh f#~! yes! She swears breaking some rules for decorum
This is Galfrey. Coming with parts of Mendevian army. 48 hours. Keep eye on Sahala. Kenabres will be relieved. She apparently repeats the sending she got
Who or what is a Sahala? She ask as things erupt in celebrations and we mark the end of book 1!
You level up to 6.
Constantine doesn't call out Irabeth for her use of language; it was a difficult fight and good news was worth celebrating.
In response to her question, "Sahala is with us."
The tone of his voice strongly suggested to anyone listening that fact wouldn't change.
"Wait..." the barbarian had met up with them in the bowels of this keep, and was unclear on some things. "... you get to keep all the things of the people you fought? And sell them? Aren't we in the army, or you all at least, and I'm well adjacent?"
Tiefling smiles with the most seductive and teasing smile. Sahala is me.
"Wait..." the barbarian had met up with them in the bowels of this keep, and was unclear on some things. "... you get to keep all the things of the people you fought? And sell them? Aren't we in the army, or you all at least, and I'm well adjacent?"
"Of course we'll include you in the division. Your help was invaluable."
"The city has been attacked but there are always those willing to make a coin. There will be a market somewhere. We need to restock. So we can search for bad guys and market simultaneously."
She places her hand on Adigale's shoulder.
"We are a battle band, you fight with us so you are one of us. For we stand as one, we fall as one, but we are always one so you get even cut of all we have earned"
She says with a smile at Adigale, then looks to the others to see if they agree.
When they meet again, Sapphire and a holy symbol of Iomedae, on her clothing and on a chain around her neck. Her two blades have been upgraded as well. Now she looks even more like an agent of Iomedae.
Irabeth leds a group of Paladins into the grey citadel, aiding you in putting down any resistance that is remaining.
Meanwhile
In your book appears a set of coordinates marking several possible locations in Kenabres
Enjoy these Baphometan and Deskarite supply caches. I have strived to replace them with items that should be usefull to you and your party members. And someone who bears my mental children should be well endowed.
Sapphire has a Adamantine Katana now on her belt along with her two cold Iron MW Wakizashis. She Pulls it out to test it and slices a brown wooden house beam with a single cut, The ocular implant in her forehead glows red when she dose.
"I traded in that Adamantine mace and the magic moning star for this, a fine blade, a much cleaner and a most honorable weapon. I shall call it 'strike' for it deserves a true name"
With a single move she reshethes slow and steady, it clicks into place.
She uses the blade in action, as they put down the remaining resistance. Beheading many as she practices her techniques, with the deadly longer blade.
Sahala studies her erotic book for a while, raising one eyebrow. Then he slams it shut and says, You won't believe it, but I just found out where the cultists had their hiding places. Shall we go for a walk? With a sly smile, she leads you around the city
Adigale can say one thing about joining the army, if that is what she is doing, she is unsure... it is not boring. As Sapphire is measured grace in her death dealing, Adi is her normal chaos drenched violence. But it seems to make her happy.
On a minor break, she was looking around for a place to fiddle with alchemy, explosions speak to her for some reason, when Sahala offered a new task. The red head looks up into the rolling black of the sky and smiles "Lovely day for one" and joins her for the walk.
Sahala studies her erotic book for a while, raising one eyebrow. Then he slams it shut and says, You won't believe it, but I just found out where the cultists had their hiding places. Shall we go for a walk? With a sly smile, she leads you around the city
"Better we make use of such material and deprive the enemy of it."
The Android Ninja [As Samurai] joins the others without a word, Hand on her sword focused.
The Way of the Ninja is found in death. Our bodies are given life from the midst of nothingness. Existing where there is nothing is the meaning of the phrase "Form is emptiness." That all things are provided for by nothingness is the meaning of the phrase "Emptiness is form." One should not think that these are two separate things.
2 Days later, days productively spent taking out cultist safehouses and dead drops that... very few if any cultists had any idea off... and whose contents were highly suited to your respective fighting styles.
The queen arrives. At the head of an army.
And a well equipped one, rows upon rows of well armed and well ordered Footmen, backed by squadrons of heavy cavalry on the flanks. As you wonder where the skirmishers are, a couple of dozen walk out of a ruined building behind you.
Of additional note is the presence a detachment from Kyonin, elite archers.
Funny business The queen is at the front as she lands, descending from a Gryphon.
The group of intrepid heroes will kindly report to a private talk to my command tent, soldiers, fan out and assist the kenabres resistance in rooting out any remaining foes, as well assist in rebuilding efforts.
Constantine nods and awaits the Queen's tent being set up so they can meet.
"Thats us, isn't it?" Adi bounces a little on the balls of her feet as nerves settle into her. Murdering demons is one thing, meeting royalty is quite another. She has cleaned up, braided her red hair, even pressed her big floppy hat, meaning she is as ready as she will ever be.
"Thats us, isn't it?" Adi bounces a little on the balls of her feet as nerves settle into her. Murdering demons is one thing, meeting royalty is quite another. She has cleaned up, braided her red hair, even pressed her big floppy hat, meaning she is as ready as she will ever be.
"It is us. 'Intrepid' sums up our efforts in both investigations and battle."
Following Adigale's lead Constantine will seek to clean up as best he can with what's available.
Sapphire sis drenched in fresh cultist blood as the queen comes, she stops and looks at the troops, With a whip of her sword, the blood comes off of it, and like a good samurai she sheaves it in a single move. As it clicks into place her prestidigitation activates and the blood falls off her clothing, leaving her looking clean and pristine. Albet standing in a pool of blood. She hears the queen out, and then look to Adigale at her comment.
"You're one of us now Adigale, I count you as a valued comraid."
As with the others, Sapphire waits as the queens tent is erected.
Adi gets a kind of flustered color to her cheek, but covers it with a wide grin. "Thanks, Saph."
Sahala makes the most gallant curtsy. Queen, it is an honor for us. The tiefling, however, smiles slyly, adding some incomprehensible and disturbing subtext to these words. Maybe this is irony, or maybe a hint of some kind of danger or vice versa for intimacy? It's not entirely clear.
Two of the queen bodyguards look over the party
Not pinging as evil One member of the queens guard says
Pinging as chaotic Another adds
And there is a fiendish presence the first one says after her eyes momentarily take on a different color
All of them are looking at Sahala.
If it was mind shielding you would not be detecting as chaotic, but of course the likes of Nocticula know quite well how to make and endrun around Paladin abilities.
The second bodyguard says.
Put up the anti eavesdropping and anti scrying wards
Galfrey commands are crisp and clear, as a third guard fiddles with a number of apparently magical devices
Statement the third guard says
If I suppose that a direct connection between this Sahala, and the greater Succubus Alithera exists, then this connection can be used to transfer information even in the presence of potent anti scrying magic. The third one speaks carefully and exactly, seemingly not being quite fully human
You are pretty certain that this is someone of Axiomite descent, they dont tend to frequently mate with mortals, but it happens
Acceptable in this instance Galfrey says purtly
Mr. Arrius, would you explain in your own words exactly what you perceived to be happening, starting from the moment the wardstone was hit with the rod of cancellation?
Second, Misses Sahala, one of my guard will smite you, and hit you once. The damage will then be healed. Do you accept?
The queen makes two "requests".
Adigale was getting a bit nervous at the mention of chaotic and fiendish, given she throws herself into battle with a grin, ripping into flesh with her teeth, having claws at the ends of her hands that no gloves cover, cat like eyes, the swishing tail, and her general ginger nature.
But their eyes focus on Sahala, and she relaxes. Sudden insight pops into her head. Avoiding focus on her own weirdness is so much easier when there is someone blazing in it standing next to you.
She flashes a grin at the other tiefling. Then narrows alarmingly at the queen's request "Smite her? Why? She helped save, well, Everything." Adigale manages to keep her tone down but heck in three baskets that is hard.
Masking an aligment is relatively easy vs detection spells, its a lot harder vs actual spell effects or smites.
Although according to our file this "Alithera", while being a literal Succubus demon, even has the capability to benefit from a "grace of the champion" spell.
The queen states
Your own alignment Miss Clemens, is akin to that of a Gorrumite or Callistrian, both of whom we have pragmatic relations with. This is not the third crusade, and one slap to be healed is very very different to from what happened in that s#+@ show.
One of her bodyguard looks askance at Galfrey cursing, the other 2 seem to be used to this.