Erik's songblade rings out with a piercing note that fells P1 in its tracks as Perigia moves into the room and forces P4 away from Ceara, and holding it in place in an arcane vise.
Calling on any deity who happens to be listening, Brujo finally finds the inner strength to cast off the chains binding him to the floor. His eyes flash as his feet are freed at last.
Move guardian to L11.
Kel switchs his quarry to P4 and uses twin strike.
arrow 1, attack vs ac, , damage =
arrow 2, attack vs ac, , damage =
save vs immobilized =
Kel uses the suspended Pain Devil for more target practice, bloodying it. Moving the radiant guardian to where it will form a welcoming committee when the devil drops, he frees himself from the binding chains.
From the rafters, some of the tormented Choir seem slightly more cheerful as it appears their long ordeal may be coming to an end.
Kelgan maintains his grip on the devil as he stabs it again.
Keeping his enemy close, Kelgan stabs the devil to the heart and lets the body drop to the floor.
Hobbes, seeing his companions have things well in hand, moves away from the pain devil and focuses on his own injuries.
Hobbes gets clear of the devilish aura and takes a moment to compose himself.
The remaining devils do their best to wreck more havoc among the companions.
P3 swings his scourge at Kelgan, gleefully hoping to slow the half-orc yet again, before moving clear.
With a resounding thud, P4 rejoins the party, and swings at Ceara from where he lands. The scourge snaps and wraps itself around the assassins ankles and the devil snickers as it crawls clear of Kel's radiant guardian.
Erik regains his full movement and moves up behind the devil while it's focused on his friends.
He clears his throat, and just as the monster turns around Erik lets out another rafter shaking, impossibly loud shout of defiance into the creature's face. The concussive blast slides his allies out of the devil's debilitating aura and moves Ceara to safety. The pain devil, ear drums nearly burst, is driven back by the bard's mighty roar.
Sound blasts around the room as Erik pulls his friends out of immediate danger and blasts the devil daring to harm them.
Backing up to the wall, Perigia keeps clear and bombards the bloodied devil with more magic missiles. Her aim is made accurate with fear and the force pummels the devil into the floor, quite dead.
Stepping into the room Brujo unleashes an arc of flames at the devil
Finally free to move, Brujo leaps into action to enormous effect, dazing the unsuspecting devil.
Move to J15 and use healing word on Ceara.
Spend a HS+3.
"Wakey-wakey, devils left to kill."
"You're all that's left, devil." Kelgan bounds across the room to attack the last foe.
"Since it has been working so well lately, I figured I'd cast it again." Hobbes says as he casts another acid orb at the remaining devil.
Dazed, bloody and close to death, the pain devil will not lie down, even as Hobbes lobs another ball of acid into it. It lashes viciously at Kelgan, determined to bring someone down with it.
Erik's songblade sings out a triumphant note as he lunges elegantly across the room and fells the last devil.
From above, the wails of the captives turn to hopeful whimpers.
"Now how do we get them down?" Hobbes says as he looks up at the terrible torture device.
Hobbes sees without any difficulty that the winches around the room will lower the chains binding the captives. In order to prevent hurting them further, all four winches need to be turned together.
"Why would we get them down? Yes, I know that for whatever reason you feel sorry for them. But, from a practical standpoint, what does helping them get you? Even if they have useful information, which they likely do not, afterwards you have to waste valuable supplies to feed and treat them or they will die anyway. At least right now, the deaths would be entertaining."
"You may follow the Spider Queen and be very practical about such things, but I follow the Lady of Love and Sune teaches us to be compassionate to those who suffer and are less fortunate than us. That's what makes us better people than these." And Hobbes points to the devils and the succubus. "If you don't want to help, then don't. But remember: the same compassion that compels us to help these guys will later compel us to help you when you need it. Just because you don't feel it, don't begrudge us because we do."
"I got one of the winches, who's got the others?" Hobbes asks to the others, blatantly looking past Ceara as if she wasn't there. He hopes she gets the message.
Rev
Hobbes
"You may follow the Spider Queen and be very practical about such things, but I follow the Lady of Love and Sune teaches us to be compassionate to those who suffer and are less fortunate than us. That's what makes us better people than these." And Hobbes points to the devils and the succubus. "If you don't want to help, then don't. But remember: the same compassion that compels us to help these guys will later compel us to help you when you need it. Just because you don't feel it, don't begrudge us because we do."
"I got one of the winches, who's got the others?" Hobbes asks to the others, blatantly looking past Ceara as if she wasn't there. He hopes she gets the message.
"I didn't begrudge you, Hobbes, I'm simply trying to understand how you think. Compassion doesn't seem very practical, and so I desire to understand the logic behind it. Even if I did feel compassion for them, I'd interrogate them first, while they had sufficent motivation to answer your questions, since they know you won't put them back up there." She starts studying the device, herself, as if trying to figure out how it works.
"It just feels like you do sometimes, Ceara. How would you like to be the one trapped up in that device? And someone down here who could free you didn't, just because it didn't seem practical to him or her? I told you before, I help people as much as I can because it makes me feel good, it makes my god proud, and because sometimes, just sometimes, people can surprise you and help you more than you know. You are probably right. These people are not in any position to help us now. They probably don't know anything useful. They aren't rich, so we can't expect any sort of monetary reward. But to turn your back on someone who you could help just because there isn't anything in it for you? It's just plain wrong. And who knows, maybe someday, one of these farmers will be able to put us up for the night during a cold winter. Love is better than fear. Fear may motivate people for a while, but love lasts a lot longer. Could you just help me free them? I'll pay you if I have to. It means that much to me." Hobbes looks her deep in the eye.
"I ask to try and understand the way you think and you reply with trying to bribe me? I'm not a mercenary. I'm trying to learn, to understand your value system. To me, it's a foolish risk that does nothing to help us with our task to do anything other than leave them where they are. You disagree, and I know and accept that. I think that you're an idealist always wanting to see the best and assuming everything is black or white, good or evil. But I don't share that point of view.
"I wonder why they are there in the first place? What they did to be put there, and if they might not be part of whatever group summoned those demons. I would put them to the question while they posed no threat, rather then free them, heal them, and then find out that they are foes. So, what does it hurt to ask them a few questions while we hold the key to what they want - freedom?"
Ceara turns, then, and walks to one of the winches. "You won't, though. You'll let them down, trusting in goodness and light. I'll help, because I find it amusing. Not as amusing as making them scream a little, but, still, amusing."