He chuckles. "Of course. And all these civilians, lying here, on the ground? They look like they've been put through a meat grinder." His eyes widen in mock surprise. "Surely you didn't attack them! Surely you had your team mage banish the enchantments!""No, not really. And yes, I've got some nice holy weaponry for just such occasions. He's a tad resistant to it, by the way. Probably has to do with the whole spellcasting thing. But you know that, of course..." he says back, just as mockingly.He rolls his eyes. "Did you think we didn't know that? Hate to burst your bubble, here, but we've known about the cult for ages.
"Ah, so the mage is a fiend? That explains a lot. I don't suppose..." He says mockingly, "...that you brought certified fiend-fighting equipment?"
Looks at the mamluks, as there are no other people around here at all since the Bazaar was deserted when they entered.
"If you mean the Watch there, then yes - I surely didn't attack them. The fiend over here threw me into them. They're unconscious, and hopefully knocked out of Zhalail's control now."
"Now I believe I've answered all of the important questions. Can we get back to the task of trying to save the Bazaar and and its inhabitants now? Please?"
He nods. "Very well. We shall make a temporary truce. To remove the threat of Zhalail. I hope you realize, though, I'm probably getting demoted for this."
Devlyn genuinely smiles at that.
"You look like a guy who works for a living. Rank has nothing to do with doing the right thing - actions do." :)
Allura attempts to use False Sensory Input to confuse the sorcerer as well as Cloud Mind to keep Tristan hidden from him.
The clouds above the Bazaar gather faster as Arielle becomes more upset, and the first fat raindrops begin to fall.
In the gnomish confusion, the sorcerer-fiend slips away.
The clouds above the Bazaar gather faster as Arielle becomes more upset, and the first fat raindrops begin to fall.
Tristan take Arielle's by the hand.
::It's okay. He's gone. It will be alright.::
LK goes and collects his axe. He walks back over to Tristan and Arielle.
"I'm using claws and wolves next time, that's for sure."
The clouds above the Bazaar gather faster as Arielle becomes more upset, and the first fat raindrops begin to fall.Tristan take Arielle's by the hand.
::It's okay. He's gone. It will be alright.::
She nods in acknowledgement. The rain continues to fall gently.
"I called the storm too fast," she says glumly. "It's going to take days to untangle the mess I've made of the weather."
The clouds above the Bazaar gather faster as Arielle becomes more upset, and the first fat raindrops begin to fall.Tristan take Arielle's by the hand.
::It's okay. He's gone. It will be alright.::
She nods in acknowledgement. The rain continues to fall gently.
"I called the storm too fast," she says glumly. "It's going to take days to untangle the mess I've made of the weather."
Remember the fulgurite..
She nods in acknowledgement. The rain continues to fall gently.
"I called the storm too fast," she says glumly. "It's going to take days to untangle the mess I've made of the weather."
::That guy, Thuhl, I think he was stalling us. I think he doesn't want us to investigate the source of the smoke.::
A sense of urgency comes into his voice.
::We need to hurry. C'mon Kiba, Arielle. Let's go!::
A sense of urgency comes into his voice.::We need to hurry. C'mon Kiba, Arielle. Let's go!::
:If you've got a faster way to move, use it!:
He raises his fist and brings it smashing down on the ground. A large wolf forms out of the dirt and stone, taking shape next to Arielle. :Hop on!:
Shifting to his wolf form, LK readies himself to run, and bite anyone who would stop them...
A sense of urgency comes into his voice.::We need to hurry. C'mon Kiba, Arielle. Let's go!::
:If you've got a faster way to move, use it!:
He raises his fist and brings it smashing down on the ground. A large wolf forms out of the dirt and stone, taking shape next to Arielle. :Hop on!:
Shifting to his wolf form, LK readies himself to run, and bite anyone who would stop them...
"Thanks, LK," she says and climbs onto the wolf.
Devlyn scans the roofline for Shadow Pelt, but he sees no trace of him, and his scent is fading on the wind. He turns back to the kids, then to Allura.
"I think we may have a bit of a chore keeping up with them at this rate."
Devlyn scans the roofline for Shadow Pelt, but he sees no trace of him, and his scent is fading on the wind. He turns back to the kids, then to Allura.
"I think we may have a bit of a chore keeping up with them at this rate."
"Don't we always?" she said with a strained smile. "Guess we'd better hurry."
"Don't we always?" she said with a strained smile. "Guess we'd better hurry."
"No rest for the weary, eh love?" he asks, putting a hand on her cheek. "C'mon, let's go."
They take off after them.
"To bad I left my bike back at the Sanctum."
"To bad I left my bike back at the Sanctum."
"No worries there little brother. This shield is full of surprises, just like me."
"Brightwing, let's ride!"
Even as the celstial pegasus forms in front of him, Oroth holds his Shield of Prator before him, causing a chariot to appear an attach to Brightwing. He pushes Aidan into the chariot and hops into the saddle. Warning his brother to hold on, he signals Brightwing and they take off, flying about 60ft above Allura and Devlyn.
"If you want a ride, there's room in the back with Aidan!"
Even as the celstial pegasus forms in front of him, Oroth holds his Shield of Prator before him, causing a chariot to appear an attach to Brightwing. He pushes Aidan into the chariot and hops into the saddle. Warning his brother to hold on, he signals Brightwing and they take off, flying about 60ft above Allura and Devlyn.
"If you want a ride, there's room in the back with Aidan!"
Seeing that Arielle and Little Kiba left on or as their respective wolves, Tristan hops aboard the chariot and joins Oroth and Aidan.
On the chariot, as they approach the warehouse, Tristan develops a look a surprise and confusion.
::Who?! What?! Why am I hearing things?::
As our adventurers approach, they are the first to view a gruesome conclusion of violence and combat.
Scattered around the front entrance of the warehouse are bodies, all various humanoid, some abyssal in origin, some not, in states of injury and death. Flame, voltage, frost, lacerations, and blunt trauma abound with streams of red, orange, and green blood flowing into the street's gutters. Smoke is obviously billowing from the front entrance with the faint sound of moaning.
A single man with a grim unapproved vestige on his face stands amid the carnage.
Devlyn instantly recognizes him as he raises his staff to bear at the heroes.
"Are ye friend or foes! State your intentions quickly!."
As our adventurers approach, they are the first to view a gruesome conclusion of violence and combat.
Scattered around the front entrance of the warehouse are bodies, all various humanoid, some abyssal in origin, some not, in states of injury and death. Flame, voltage, frost, lacerations, and blunt trauma abound with streams of red, orange, and green blood flowing into the street's gutters. Smoke is obviously billowing from the front entrance with the faint sound of moaning.
A single man with a grim unapproved vestige on his face stands amid the carnage.
Devlyn instantly recognizes him as he raises his staff to bear at the heroes.
"Are ye friend or foes! State your intentions quickly!."
"We're no friends of Zhalail, her mercenaries or the fiends (either literal or figurative) she traffics with, if that's what you're asking," Devlyn says as he comes to a stop. "And since I don't know you from a hole in the wall, our intentions are our own business, though hopefully less damaging than yours," as he surveys the devastation, making a point to look out for innocent casualties.
"Now kindly point your staff somewhere else - unless you want me to make an assumption about your intentions. I'm betting that none of us have time for posturing and ego-waving. If you've got a quarrel with her and hers, you've got none from us. We're just trying to stop her from doing something under these streets that would be very bad for everyone up here or nearby."
"It's not under the streets that worries me."
He lowers his staff away from the group, but maintains a tight grip on it none the less.
"I'm seeking a young boy. A blonde haired waif named of Tristan De Mach. My investigations told me he was in the Bazaar living off trash and what he could steal. I'm here..., I'm here to take him home to his family, or rather what little family he has left."
"It's not under the streets that worries me."
He lowers his staff away from the group, but maintains a tight grip on it none the less.
"I'm seeking a young boy. A blonde haired waif named of Tristan De Mach. My investigations told me he was in the Bazaar living off trash and what he could steal. I'm here..., I'm here to take him home to his family, or rather what little family he has left."
"And why should we believe that?"
"Tristan is my nephew."
He lays his staff down on the ground.
"Consider this a gesture of my good will."
:Do you know this man, Tristan?: she asked telepathically. What he said seemed reasonable, but she was feeling especially cautious.
As Allura responds, Devlyn just looks at him for a long moment. He is actually trying to find any hint of resemblance between the two of them (but is making a point to not look at Tristan at all). He is using his Amulet of True Sight to make sure there are no illusions at work here either. More importantly, he is trying to tell if their scents are close enough to be kin.
As Allura responds, Devlyn just looks at him for a long moment. He is actually trying to find any hint of resemblance between the two of them (but is making a point to not look at Tristan at all). He is using his Amulet of True Sight to make sure there are no illusions at work here either. More importantly, he is trying to tell if their scents are close enough to be kin.
When Tristan arrives, he steps forward. He looks and his eyes widen. Allura can sense his amazement.
::Uncle Solmyr?!::
Without a second thought, he rushes right towards him.
"Yes lad. It's me. I'm still alive."
Devlyn lets out a long breath.
"Tristan is my nephew."
He lays his staff down on the ground.
"Consider this a gesture of my good will."
The gnome steps forward, looking hostile. "Solmyr, please note that failure to comply with Servant procedure is seen as an open act of defiance and will be dealt with accordingly. So I strongly recommend you simply tell us: Exactly what is going on?"
He holds out his staff, blocking Tristan's path. "Patience. Remember that we are facing mages. Illusions are possible."
A hard gust of wind knocks the gnome out of the way and Arielle sticks out her tongue at him.
"Tristan is my nephew."
He lays his staff down on the ground.
"Consider this a gesture of my good will."
The gnome steps forward, looking hostile. "Solmyr, please note that failure to comply with Servant procedure is seen as an open act of defiance and will be dealt with accordingly. So I strongly recommend you simply tell us: Exactly what is going on?"
He holds out his staff, blocking Tristan's path. "Patience. Remember that we are facing mages. Illusions are possible."
Tristan throws him a dirty irritated look.
::Stuff it pickle-nose. That's Uncle Solmyr. He doesn't do illusions.::
Tristan moves around the staff and proceeds forward.
Solmyr reaches out, picks up the boy, and hugs him tightly. Tears flow freely from his eyes.
"I thought I lost you Tristan. I really did. Even in the afterlife, my sister would never forgive me if I never found you."
Erus's men cry out in outrage and their hands go to their swords. Erus puts up a hand. "Save your energy." The men still look furious, but comply. Erus takes a step towards Arielle. "Now, you look here, young lady. Perhaps your parents let you get away with anything, back home. But you are not home. You and your friends are surrounded by my men. They are not the incompetents you fought before. So you will stop acting like a spoiled brat and show respect." He glares, and turns back to the wizard.
A tiny stream of silver fire strikes Erus in the seat of his pants.
"Earn respect before you demand it."
Erus's men cry out in outrage and their hands go to their swords. Erus puts up a hand. "Save your energy." The men still look furious, but comply. Erus takes a step towards Arielle. "Now, you look here, young lady. Perhaps your parents let you get away with anything, back home. But you are not home. You and your friends are surrounded by my men. They are not the incompetents you fought before. So you will stop acting like a spoiled brat and show respect." He glares, and turns back to the wizard.A tiny stream of silver fire strike the gnome in the seat of his pants.
"Earn respect before you demand it."
The gnome removes the flame with a wave of his hand. "You see, that was simply a stupid move. If you need to remove an enemy, hit him hard, before he can strike back. If you need to work with him, attacking him, however slightly, is really the dumbest move you can make. Especially since he is much more powerful than you are."
He seems to have calmed down now, as have his men.
Something flashes in Arielle's eyes. "You overestimate yourself," she said flatly and turned her attention away from Erus.
She whispers something into her cupped hands before setting it free.
Aidan, Oroth, LK (Tristan too but he seems a bit busy now)