"I'm not here to provide the answers to your questions, Azhar," Zsz replies. "I'm here to help you find the answers inside yourself. So, tomorrow, then?"
"That should be something." Azhar says with just the hint of quirk in his left cheek, "Tomorrow."
She glances to the window that looks towards the rooftop where the Shae had been lurking, "And you'll be safe when you head home?"
Azhar keeps a straight face, barely, "Okay, so Tarvi," he says as he turns to face her, "as the resident specialist, shall we try to find out what the layout of this place looks like first? What do you suggest? Maybe see what we can find out and then head there tomorrow night?"
"Oh, that's easy." And then, as the food trickles in from the kitchen, she sketches the Devildrome. An open arena surrounded by observation seats and booths. A entrance where bets can be made and food purchased, a hallway leading to the owner's office.
"Cass wanted to check something out there and took me as backup."
Fiosa looks up puzzled. "You had an audience for your love life crashing and burning and no one told me?" She looks a little miffed then she ruins it with a soft smile, "Sorry, but it seems like if it was public it was kept decently private... for whatever that is worth."
"Anything else I can do for you, Zsz?"
Khazrae's eyes follow the throw and the fall of the blade, the set of her lips firm, "I remember when i had loyalties like that," her tone bitter, "they did not prove to me receprocal."
Tarvi, noticing the darkening, bumps her brother slightly, "That means she did her job, didn't let the b#~@# throw her off." Millech, without seeing the change, agrees, "I've been at all the rehearsals, so I could feel the difference... plus I can see the backstage."
Tarvi waves excitedly at Millech, who just looks suspicious at the overt friendliness. Slowly, with one eyebrow still raised in the direction of the girl, "Miss Nymmis's dresser can help with a costume and since this place doesn't have the magical wards that the bigger places do, I can shore it up with a little glamor." Tarvi immediately volunteers to come back after the show and help. Observe. Something along those lines.
Tarvi pauses, looks at Cassian. "But that means if something does go wrong, we won't be close enough to help you." Her sapphire eyes frank, "Which means you'd better not let anything go all funny on you." A glance of her own past the curtains, no sympathy for the apparently well-deserved fate of the lady.
Suddenly she smiles, "You should go see her and if you can work in that none of what her evil stepmother was doing affected her performance gracefully that'd probably cheer her up." A shrug, "She takes this performance thing so seriously she's probably berating herself for screwing up, even though she didn't."
Then she asks Cassian, "Do we move on as soon as you're healed of damage, or should we wait until you've fully recovered?""I'm fine," Cassian says.
Thekla gives Cassian a tight smile, "Hurts like a b#*$+ when she does that. That's what finally knocked me on my ass." Then she unceremoniously starts to strip the body of anything that is worth anything, tossing it in a pile.
"Buddy, can you stop throwing poop at the dead woman and pass me the healing wand?" The monkey reaches into the pack and hands over the wand.
With an unceremonious smack, he activates the wand.
Janiven, green eyes switching from watching the room they came from and the party, offers a potion vial to the rogue. "Arael did a batch last week."
Amaya takes a potshot at the cleric.... her bolt instead hits Azhar. There is a long string of quiet cursing in Tien. (Azhar takes 6 hit points.)Azhar looks slightly startled, looks down at the glancing wound, bolt still tangled in his armor. It appears he struggles with the notion of feigning a wounded expression, isn't able to quite pull it off and changes course. He turns to Amaya and leans close, "I thought Cupid's arrows were supposed to proceed falling for you." he chuckles, then adds "Don't worry love, it's merely a scratch."
She looks at her crossbow, "And I've just proved to be more hazardous to the health of the group than the guards." Her voice acidic. But she shakes her head, not looking for sympathy.
Thekla gives Cassian a tight smile, "Hurts like a b$#!! when she does that. That's what finally knocked me on my ass." Then she unceremoniously starts to strip the body of anything that is worth anything, tossing it in a pile.
"Got a new favorite person, I guess." He flexes his arms, wincing in expectation of the breaks.
Janiven, green eyes switching from watching the room they came from and the party, offers a potion vial to the rogue. "Arael did a batch last week."
"Thanks, Jan." Cassian accepts the potion and downs it.
"Trust too many people and betrayal is inevitable. Trust no one at all, and betrayal is assured." He shrugs. "You've lived longer than I have... than I will... so I'm not shining you on when I say this, but I think you just put your loyalties in the wrong place."
"Don't worry about me, Tadpole. I'll be fine."
"Oh, that's easy." And then, as the food trickles in from the kitchen, she sketches the Devildrome. An open arena surrounded by observation seats and booths. A entrance where bets can be made and food purchased, a hallway leading to the owner's office.
"Cass wanted to check something out there and took me as backup."
"Awesome," Azhar looks up from the sketch, smiling, "So where is our target on this? I assume we're going to try to go in when there aren't people in the stands."
Janiven, green eyes switching from watching the room they came from and the party, offers a potion vial to the rogue. "Arael did a batch last week.""Thanks, Jan." Cassian accepts the potion and downs it.
Azhar's eyebrow raises slightly, "Okay. And since he's fine as far as the rest of us are concerned, would you like to hold these as well?" Azhar holds out 3 potions to Janiven.
She looks at her crossbow, "And I've just proved to be more hazardous to the health of the group than the guards." Her voice acidic. But she shakes her head, not looking for sympathy.
"Everybody makes a mistake sometime in their life, love. That's a relatively minor one. And easily corrected." he says as he pulls out another vial and downs it.
"S'long as it's somethin' I can walk away from, no big deal."
"And now that a bit of time has elapsed, I should probably go."
"And I can't think of anything else to ask of you. You've been quite marvelously helpful. Thank you."
Moving on from the room the guards had been using to rest, the last door in the room opens to hallway fronting three prison cells. The stink of rot and death hits the group as they open the door. The cause: each of the prison cells holds a mound of dead bodies in various stages of rot and destruction.
"There are more here than before." Thekla comments, pointing towards the bottoms of the piles, "those are some of the first people Avazhi sent into the spiral. Some got fried in that." pointing to a door at the end of the hall on the right. "Then when I pointed out the rat lair she tried that for a while." Pointing at the end of the hall, this time on the left - to a blank wall.
"A few of them made it past the hallway, and got steamed by something else." Pointing to a few boiled bodies. "Don't quite know how they manage to stubble back."
"And some she just summoned their bodies after she felt them die."
Standing at the double doors on the right, your hair starts to stand on end, and the psst-crack discharge of electricity every few seconds is very clear.
Janiven -6
Mathalen -5
Azhar looks to Cassian, "Any preferences?"
Azhar looks to Cassian, "Any preferences?"
"Left is better," Cassian says, going over to the door Thekla waved to and attempting to disarm the trap.
The hidden door that Cassian opens reveals a short passageway chipped from the limestone. The air, not the reek of decaying bodies, but still thick and muggy, heavy with body odor and unwashed flesh. Past the ten foot passage, it opens into a large, almost natural, cavern. Filthy bedrolls and slumped straw mattresses line the walls of the cavern, while a pair of rickety tables with old, dried rations and slightly moldy food sits in the center of the room. The cave is lit by a single sputtering fire pit just east of the tables.
There is a scampering, a group of humanoids, banding together at your entrance. All are tieflings, marked obviously with horns and tails. All are filthy, reeking of sweat and dirt. All are, even if clean, not particularly attractive. All are armed but only with makeshift weapons - screwdrivers, wire cutters, bats.
Although they look terrified that you are going to attack, they look at the two exits from the room, one to your right and one to your left, and clump tighter together, not willing to flee either way.
"Hello. I am the legal bearer of the contract," Zsz says, brandishing the document in question. "I'm sorry you've been having trouble with unauthorized intruders; we're attempting to take care of that problem."
"We also have need of the Stygian Keyrod to make adjustments to the engine. Do you have it? If not, might Veladness know where it is? Is Veladness about?"
(If they do not respond, she will try repeating the above in Infernal.)
(+6 from bluff for 26)
The six filthy humanoids look at the group, armed to the teeth, the fire reflecting from slightly metallic eyes. Finally, in a base pitched so low as to be hard to hear but that vibrates, He points to the passage leading off to the left.
As he motions the group back away, so they don't block your ability to move in any direction you'd like, but keeping their make-shift weapons near to hand. Just in case.
The six filthy humanoids look at the group, armed to the teeth, the fire reflecting from slightly metallic eyes. Finally, in a base pitched so low as to be hard to hear but that vibrates, He points to the passage leading off to the left.
As he motions the group back away, so they don't block your ability to move in any direction you'd like, but keeping their make-shift weapons near to hand. Just in case.
"Thank you," Zsz says.
"Well, shall we go to 'her', then?" she asks the rest of the group. "Since she has Veladness and Veladness has or had the rod, it would seem to be the next step."
She takes a half-step towards the left hand passage.
"Thank you," Zsz says.
"Well, shall we go to 'her', then?" she asks the rest of the group. "Since she has Veladness and Veladness has or had the rod, it would seem to be the next step."
She takes a half-step towards the left hand passage.
"Let's go."
This cavern has been outfitted as a combination bedroom and study. The entire cave has been decorated with hanging black curtains, paintings and tapestries, thick swaths of black carpets and rugs, and a large number of guttering black candles, filling the cavern with a thick, intoxicating odor. Bits of jewelry lie scattered throughout the chamber, and what appear to be dozens of fresh, polished skulls decorate the area around the rumpled bed. Mounted on a stiletto driven up through the back of the bed’s headboard is a tiefling’s severed head.
Sitting up in the bed as you approach, resplendant in a loosely knotted silk robe is a dark haired, dark eyed woman. Bat wings curve around her as she smiles at you all, her attention pausing briefly over Amaya and Cassian but seemingly pleased to see you all. Beneath the robe is a leather corset and almost hiding in her cleavage is a spiky rune.
Scattered about the room, slumped against the bed and the walls are a number of drained humans, most naked.
She stretchs, curves playing under silk, her smile growing. "Hello sweetlings, what brings all you lovely people to my dingy and humble abode?"
When they are pleased with someone they can place a gift upon them, granting the mortal increased strength or virility or mashismo.
"Hi," Zsz says, stepping forward, her smile broad and friendly. Her gaze flick down ever so briefly to the spiky rune - or perhaps the woman's chest? - before coming back up to meet her dark eyes. "We were hoping to chat with one Veladness about a tool we wanted to borrow, but, ah ..." Zsz's chin motions towards the severed head. "I'm guessing he's a bit indisposed right now?"
"I'm Zsz. Zszdiirajss," she clarifies, introducing herself. "Might I ask what I may call you?"
Cassian nudges Azhar and nods toward Sascar Tilernos, one of the unconscious people. "There's a reward for her safe return."
Azhar glances over at the green eyed, dark haired lady, sans her silken green dress and shrugs, "All the more reason to see her home safely then." he comments matter-of-factly, "Though I think Antonio would be more the one to have any comment on the matter than I, if I am recalling matters correctly." He glances briefly at the eyebrow cocked inquiringly.
pulls out two potions and drinks them before moving on.
seems to have no idea what Azhar is talking about.
"Nice rune," he says. "I am , and I'm accompanying Zszdiirajss here. ...and I forgot what we were doing here, so I'm glad she remembers."
"Hi," Zsz says, stepping forward, her smile broad and friendly. Her gaze flick down ever so briefly to the spiky rune - or perhaps the woman's chest? - before coming back up to meet her dark eyes. "We were hoping to chat with one Veladness about a tool we wanted to borrow, but, ah ..." Zsz's chin motions towards the severed head. "I'm guessing he's a bit indisposed right now?"
"I'm Zsz. Zszdiirajss," she clarifies, introducing herself. "Might I ask what I may call you?"
The woman turns lazily to smile up at the gristly head, "Yes, he watches over me when I sleep." Her attention turns back to the group with a sad smile, "Unfortunetly he isn't up to doing much else these days."
Her attention bats around the room to the people talking, like a cat contemplating a toy, before settling back on Zsz, "I'm Joriavah." One hand starts to play idly with a raven-lock, "Dear Veladness here called me up when his world stared going to hell." A luxurious shrug, "He tried to start ordering me around and that just would not do."
"But I am enjoying your little city."
"Nice rune," he says. "I am , and I'm accompanying Zszdiirajss here. ...and I forgot what we were doing here, so I'm glad she remembers."
"It really must not be that important then." She says, "But I'm sure you all can think of something more enjoyable to do."
"But I am enjoying your little city." ...
She says, "But I'm sure you all can think of something more enjoyable to do."
"Oh yes," offers. "Westcrown is the jewel of Cheliax, and she offers all sorts of pleasures for the discerning traveler."
looks around at the carnage, and his tone sharpens. "But I guess you know that already, don't you?"
The chuckle is dry, "You know, I think you may be right." The eyes get hard, ruby chips of blood glowing slightly in the dark. "It was my own fault. I showed weakness, I lost. That was enough to prove I wasn't good enough to be what I was."
"And how are you choosing where to put your loyalties?" Her tone intentionally lacking curiosity.
Tarvi barges into Cassian's room, flopping on his bed gracelessly. "I was pathetic, wasn't I?"
The look on Tarvi's face is halfway between, 'Lair' and 'You'd better be'. But she takes a deep breath and turns a brillant smile on the hunchback, followed by a rapid-fire percussion of questions about the design and layering of illusion that the old man crafts for the plays.
A pause, "The guards are somewhat dim."
"Oh yes," offers. "Westcrown is the jewel of Cheliax, and she offers all sorts of pleasures for the discerning traveler."
looks around at the carnage, and his tone sharpens. "But I guess you know that already, don't you?"
Azhar's eyes follow a similar path as the . They harden as they return to those of the winged woman.
As the tone of the conversation grows darker, Cassian begins to fan out like the predator he is, getting out of the succubus's field of vision.
Bluff:
Stealth:
"I don't know," he says truthfully. "I mean, I know I can trust my sister. But truth be told, I've always been a sucker for a pretty face." He pauses, his thumb rubbing out some imaginary blemish on the blade of his dagger. "I think... I think maybe when you're weakest, that's how you know who to trust."
Cassian exchanges an amused look with Khazrae. "Why, dear sister, whatever do you mean?"
Cassian lifts a flower and hands it to Rygel. "Take this to Cali, buddy."
"Didn't see any human-sized statues in his office. The combat arena was lined with busts but we didn't really get a chance to look at any of them in detail."A pause, "The guards are somewhat dim."
"So I guess we just need to make sure we know what he looks like." Azhar says. "Tonight then?"
Azhar informs Amaya he plans on going to Zsz' to see Molly Missy and that Zsz has offered cookies and to give answers to questions he wasn't aware he had and would she be interested in going?
Amaya blanches a bit, her porcelain skin going shades paler. "That's okay. Sounds like fun, but I'm..." Her excuse dies in a hot blush. Shakes her head, "The truth is the dolls creep me out to no end."
The Raven returns the hug, seemingly heedless to the disapproval of the raven on his shoulder. "Enjoy your life. Make it your own," he says to the halfling.
He keeps close tabs on the doctor until they get outside and start herding (almost-former-)slaves to the next safehouse.
"Don't be jealous," he says quietly to the doctor. "I'm unlikely to ever see her again."
He pauses, able to stop himself from continuing the thought.
Mumbling, "Especially if the place were to go up in flames."
Then, immediately contrite, "But I wouldn't. Really. Promise." Her red purple eyes wide, landing on his shoulder with pleading, puppy dog eyes.
The remainder of the halfling are delivered without incident.
A tight smile, "That is how I found that I couldn't trust any of them." Khazrae's eyes linger on Cassian for long moments, "And why part of me thinks you must be doing this because you want something." Her voice flat.
A pause, "Your kind is so ephemeral, do you really know what game you are putting yourself in?"
Tarvi scoochs enough that her head hangs off the bed, observing her brother up-side down. "You're telling me you didn't hear that whole pathetic thing, where I was so wishy-washy that a ni..." pauses when she realized that word really doesn't fit their guest, "...a interesting girl has to ask me if I'm interested." A pause, "Which I wasn't... but I..." Tavri huffs for a minute before grabbing Cassian's pillow and letting a little scream out in it, muffled.
The monkey scampers off, deftly avoiding the backstage crew and bustle.
Tarvi's questions continue, drawing out the old man. None of her verve or interest feigned, but Cassian can feel her gaze on him at odd moments, worry quickly hidden in the light blue eyes.
And, perhaps a little bit longer than expected later, Rygel returns. "She got the flower, smiled. Wet her makeup, got mad that she smeared the grease paint." The monkey holds up a folded piece of paper.
On it, Calseinica's elegant script:
'I love you.'
'Thank you so much.'
Amaya blanches a bit, her porcelain skin going shades paler. "That's okay. Sounds like fun, but I'm..." Her excuse dies in a hot blush. Shakes her head, "The truth is the dolls creep me out to no end."
Azhar chuckles, "Yeah, I think Zsz thinks I look at them the same way. Don't worry love, I'll be careful." he bends down, kissing her lightly, "I'll be back soon. Promise."
Zsz's glance slides to the rest of the group. "Let's not be over-hasty here. There's no reason not to talk."
And back to Joriavah. "While I can think of any number of quite delightful things I'd rather be doing at the moment, the task my comrade seems to have forgotten is rather an important one. We're trying to eliminate the Pit Fiend imprisoned at the heart of this place before it is freed either by its infernal allies or our diabolist enemies."
"We've been given to understand that this task would be aided by the use of a certain keyrod that Veladness usually carried on his person. Do you know what might have become of it?"
A slight pause. "And, as long as we're having a friendly discussion, I think some of my friends would feel a bit more comfortable if they could see your playmates escorted safely back to their families. They all look fairly worn out anyway. Perhaps we could take them off your hands?"
"I'm sure I could make the gesture worth your time," Zsz murmurs, looking at Joriavah through lowered lashes.
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"Come in! The cookies are baking and should be ready soon. The dolls helped," she adds.
"Me, too."
A slight crack of the mask of Zsz's face, showing a flash of sadness, quickly vanishing, smoothed away.
And she is gone.
"Keyrod?" Joriavah says with feigned ignorance for a moment, which shifts to a possessive smile, "Oh, do you mean the Stygian Keyrod?" The question asked as she stretches along the bed, one hand sliding under the pillows. She pulls out a two-foot long rod-like device with a knot of metal branches and coils on one end. "My Stygian Keyrod?"
Her fingers play along the shaft of the rod for a moment as she looks around at her 'playmates'. With a shrug, "Everything has a price, make me an offer."
"Keyrod?" Joriavah says with feigned ignorance for a moment, which shifts to a possessive smile, "Oh, do you mean the Stygian Keyrod?" The question asked as she stretches along the bed, one hand sliding under the pillows. She pulls out a two-foot long rod-like device with a knot of metal branches and coils on one end. "My Stygian Keyrod?"
Her fingers play along the shaft of the rod for a moment as she looks around at her 'playmates'. With a shrug, "Everything has a price, make me an offer."
Cassian's blades slide soundlessly from their sheaths, indicating what price he'd be happy to pay. He glances at Azhar expectantly, clearly waiting for a signal.
Her fingers play along the shaft of the rod for a moment as she looks around at her 'playmates'. With a shrug, "Everything has a price, make me an offer."
shuffles a little in place, his fingers twitching. "I have baubles and trinkets," he says. "And sinews and steel. And a really nifty ring of keys. What do you value?"
Joriavah looks at The Raven for long moment, her eyes alight with a red shine. Slowly her smile deepens, very white teeth showing. The tip of her tongue peeks out as she licks her lips, "You'll do."
Eyes steady, "Accept my blessing, a few trinkets to make moving a little easier and I'll give you the key and them." Waving carelessly at the stupored humans in the room.
Joriavah looks at The Raven for long moment, her eyes alight with a red shine. Slowly her smile deepens, very white teeth showing. The tip of her tongue peeks out as she licks her lips, "You'll do."
Eyes steady, "Accept my blessing, a few trinkets to make moving a little easier and I'll give you the key and them." Waving carelessly at the stupored humans in the room.
"I'd be happy to contribute any or all of the moving fund," Zsz says. "اگر آپ کے وزٹرز کا ریکارڈ رکھا جائے گا. میرے کے سب سے اوپر پر"آدھی رات کو ملاقات کریں گے، ہم معاملہ باہمی دلچسپی کے ہو سکتا ہے کے بارے میں بات کر سکتا, as the old saying goes. 'A generous hand in time of peace may be rewarded in time of strife.'"
This is not actually what that saying means.
Joriavah looks at The Raven for long moment, her eyes alight with a red shine. Slowly her smile deepens, very white teeth showing. The tip of her tongue peeks out as she licks her lips, "You'll do."
Eyes steady, "Accept my blessing, a few trinkets to make moving a little easier and I'll give you the key and them." Waving carelessly at the stupored humans in the room.
Azhar's jaw tightens, he does not appear pleased. He turns to the , but does not let Joriavah out of his sight, "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" his demeanor makes it obvious that he is dubious about letting Joriavah go, even if resources would be saved for a more pressing engagement.
Eyes steady, "Accept my blessing, a few trinkets to make moving a little easier and I'll give you the key and them." Waving carelessly at the stupored humans in the room.
"What does that entail?" asks. "I have no desire to wake up unconscious on a rooftop and uncertain of where half the evening has gone. Again."
Azhar's jaw tightens, he does not appear pleased. He turns to the Raven, but does not let Joriavah out of his sight, "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" his demeanor makes it obvious that he is dubious about letting Joriavah go, even if resources would be saved for a more pressing engagement.
Cassian fidgets with his sword, getting antsy. He does, however, narrow his eyes at Zsz when she repeats her aphorism. Rygel shakes his little monkey head in obvious disappointment.
Zsz's attitude towards Joriavah is mildly surprising to Azhar, something in the response, apparently more so. "Again?"
Zsz flings the door open and gives Azhar an enthusiastic hug. Blotches of flour dust her arms and face, and she looks a bit more disheveled than usual."Come in! The cookies are baking and should be ready soon. The dolls helped," she adds.
Azhar returns the hug, though not inappropriately so, of course, based on what he remembers hearing from Zsz, its quite possible nothing he could think up would be considered completely inappropriate. He grins, "Oh? Is that what all the.." he gestures expressively to encompass face, arms, and all the floury goodness.
"Sounds like a plan. Talk to the Pathfinder types, get a description or better yet a picture, and head out?"
"I believe a description and possibly a sketch was mentioned...in the Delvehaven, was it?"
The nervous tension Zsz has been keeping tightly leashed for the past few moments apparently breaks.
"She's a member of my religion, all right?" Zsz bursts out. "Which among other things could make her a very powerful ally against the creatures that currently stalk Westcrown by night, since they're the servants of an ancient enemy of our order."
"I was trying just now to set up a meeting to discuss the possibility of such an alliance with her, which I might have done more openly if some of you weren't so obviously intent on killing her. If you want me to have a discussion with her about her future actions while she is in town, I'd be happy to, but I am not thrilled with idea of provoking a fight with her before I get the chance to do so."
"And I would like to point out that she hasn't threatened us at all and she's been open to negotiation regarding everything we've asked of her so far."
'A generous hand in time of peace may be rewarded in time of strife.'
She doesn't look away from The Raven as she answers, "I'm very good with appropriate rewards."
"What does that entail?" asks. "I have no desire to wake up unconscious on a rooftop and uncertain of where half the evening has gone. Again."
"A touch. Six little seconds." She smirks, "You get to remain conscious, it makes you better."
While she is not lying, she is holding back something.
She straightens as Zsz's outburst, looking far more ready to at least dodge rather than lounge.
At Zsz's outburst, the look on Cassian's face could best be described as dubious. Rygel chirps. "Oh yeah, buddy. All over again. At least this one looks like she knows what rope is."
When she speaks to Gravlax, Cassian clears his throat. Assuming she looks over, he grins, shrugging with the blades in his hands, showing her how much danger she was really in. "You're holding something back, sister. Spill your guts, or I'll do it for you."
She looks back over her shoulder, eyes sharpening at the bright blades. "The price on this gift is negligible, which is why I didn't mention it. Just a line of communication from me to..." looking back at The Raven, "you."
If I offer to take the blessing if Gravlax doesn't want it, do I think she would agree?