Door to Nowhere (Part 2)
The servant looks at Harkashan in horror and says, "Oh no! That's terrible! We're going all the wrong way then. I'll get you there right as rain Ser." He smiles helpfully and turns the group around, leading you back through the house the way you've come.
Once you are back to where Harkashan came through the servant points to a red line along the wall "Just step right through here Ser."
It's easy enough to follow the path through and back to the Plane of Fire.
Now you just have to find the binding.
Dolan has been quieter than a noise-canceling headset in a fog bank the entire time they were in the servant's company, surreptitiously removing a white and gold mantle from his attire while the servant's back was turned, and only when the portal closes behind them does he let out a breath and dare speak. "A binding and a ritual." He looks around, turning his gaze and his body from face to face, his harlequin stare wholly set and purposeful. "When we were here before, I felt evil down the path behind us. Strong evil, but some distance away. It ain't likely to be that far from that house, since they're feeding it. I'd say going towards that evil's a good place to start."
He turns away, and back in the direction of the evil he'd sense, narrowing his eyes. "Holy Sunlord, show me the presence of Your enemies."
The Plane of Fire. Heat immediately overcomes him. Unlike the others, with a spell protecting them, Harkashan has no such protection at this time. Yet for now, there's a slight sense of comfort for him still.
The crimson Sith-makar gazes around. The binding should be close by. Upon Dolan's suggestion of chasing down the sense of Evil, Harkashan nods in agreement.
"Apologies for getting us waylaid. I'm surprised the servant was so willing to aid me." As his scaled strange wings adjust over his back and the red and horned Sith-makar scratches the edge of his muzzle.
"I guess I must have made for a very convincing lie."
With a raised brow, Rune looks between the servant and Harkashan, wondering what exactly she missed while they were pondering how to rescue the cleric from his trip to another realm. However, she knows better than to comment on it before they finish stepping through the portal, back into the warmth of the Fire Plane.
"So... how exactly did you manage to convince that guy you were an ally?" She asks, looking almost impressed.
However, the shift from silence to speaking has Rune's eyes shifting his way, "Seems as good a place to start as any." It's obvious that the rogue doesn't have any such senses, so she depends on those who are more aligned to their gods to be able to source out such matters. "Lead the way. I expect we'll find trouble sooner rather than later."
Telamon places a hand on Harkashan's shoulder, and murmurs a spell. "We'll need to hurry, Dolan. I can protect Hark from the heat, but there's not always good air here." His starry eyes blaze. "Lead the way, Corona. Sun and moon together."
He grins at Rune. "Not every creature of the planes is wise and well-learned. Indeed, their lords and masters prefer them to -not- be so, to avoid any... untoward thoughts about upwards mobility."
GAME: Telamon casts Resist Energy. Caster Level: 18 DC: 20
"Hey, we learned what the fuck is going on, Hark, I can't exactly be upset," Andelena replies to Harkashan's apology, grinning. "I don't know how the fuck you pulled it off, either, but I'm not exactly bitching about it."
She looks to Dolan and more firmly nods. "I agree with my husband," she says. She can't really help it; she's still grinning whenever she gets to call Dolan that. "Head in the direction of the big fucking evil. But we may want to... I dunno, Starman, do you have any big fuck-off showy spells that'll disguise all of us as Hark's dedicated underlings or some shit?"
She sort of gestures to herself. "I mean, the servant thought we were all okay to be in there, but that doesn't mean the fuckfaces we're about to meet will."
While the others are talking, Dolan nods to himself, and turns in a particular direction. "This way." He takes several strides, then turns back towards the others, clearly waiting.
"Honestly? He just assumed I belonged when I stepped through the Gate, and I went along with it." The horned Sith-makar answers Rune with a shrug of his shoulders.
Then, addressing Telamon; "Do not worry. My scales will protect me from some of the heat. And... I can always hold my breath for a really long time." He then touches a spot over his chest. "Though I believe I may manage to garner some additional aid within this place." Harkashan adds. What with his Patron being on this very Plane.
At Andelena's suggestion though, Harkashan rumbles; "You do recall that I do not have Rune's gift of gab... best I can do is approach quietly. And just... pretend to belong."
He follows Dolan as he's signaled.
"So, it's either that Harkashan looks devilish, or they're just incredibly stupid. Got it." Rune smirks. The situation really should be serious, but she can't help but be a little bit amused at what the Makari managed to trip himself into.
"Let's not go drawing an entirely other extra-planar entity into this mess." The last thing they need is some sort of evil entity taking over a dragon and making an absolute mess of matters. "So maybe best to keep your dragon friend under wraps."
At the suggestion of disguises, Rune does pull her hood up. Her dark clothing wouldn't look too strange among a servant of some evil entity, but she doesn't quite have the appearance to suit the part.
Then, she moves to start following Dolan, keeping her weapons along her back rather than in her hands, as to not alarm anyone along the way.
Telamon swiftly moves along in Dolan's wake, but Andie's question has him thinking. "V himself can probably see through the illusion, more's the pity. But this might buy us time to get in close." He begins to chant, "Galam, uktin saglul, iri emegar," tracing an elaborate pattern that ends with him making a sweeping gesture across his face.
Suddenly, the party is altered. Harkashan the least so, though there is something fiendish in his form now, the crimson and black contrast sharper now. Andelena and Dolan are clad in black robes, hoods drawn up to hide their faces. Meanwhile, Rune has taken on the appearance of a fearsome erinyes, while Telamon resembles a somewhat sleeker bearded devil with a curious star-shaped tattoo across his face. "Let's go, Dolan."
GAME: Telamon casts Veil. Caster Level: 18 DC: 25
Andelena blinks two times at the implication that Harkashan's got an extraplanar ally on the Plane of Fire, but some things are appropriate to inquire about in the moment and others... are not.
Once Telamon's magic washes over her, Andelena--err, the robed cultist formerly known as Andelena, nods. "Any time bought's good time. Let's fucking go."
She tracks off after her husband into the planar unknown.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Sense Motive: (19)+19: 38 GAME: Harkashan rolls Perception: (11)+10: 21 GAME: Andelena rolls Perception: (13)+13: 26 GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (16)+25: 41 GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (1)+17: 18 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls Will+3: (11)+19+3: 33 GAME: Andelena rolls Will: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Andelena rolls Will: (3)+11: 14 GAME: Rune rolls perception: (13)+19: 32 GAME: Rune rolls will: (2)+7: 9
The way ahead is clear as far as the eye can see. Dolan leads you by sensing the evil that lies this way. It should be close, but there's... nothing there. Nothing _here_.
Deeply focused on his sensing of evil, Dolan slows down as he nears the supposed spot, barely even hearing any of the banter around him. He comes to a stop, then, looking around him. "I was sure it was around here somewhere,"
When Rune is changed, Harkashan does pause for a moment. The horns and wings and all that...
"I think I like this look on you." He rumbles to Rune with a playful look on his face. "The red wings especially. Very nice." He shifts his closer to hers. "We almost match." Aside from those 'feather' like patterns on his wings being more like physical scales.
At Andelena's blinking, Harkashan seems to pick up on the confusion. "Astahii Svaust Uclar Thirku." He declares, as if this explains the matter. Though it's a big question on whether or not that means anything to her.
They proceed, only to move upon... well... nothing. Just more fire plane. Fire and land and lava flow as far as the eye can see. Harkashan rumbles a deep growling sound, before touching his hand onto Telamon's shoulder. Markings on his body glowing for a moment, as he lets Thirku's mind... and gift... touch his ally for a moment.
"Do not be alarmed." Harkashan remarks to him. "But this may aid us." While Dolan tries to figure out where they are and where to go.
Perhaps a bit of warning would have been useful before the strange effect of Telamon's magic passes over Rune. All of a sudden, she has the appearance of a very hot, very badass looking individual with horns and some fantastic feathered plumage. "If nothing else, Tel, you really do have good taste." The erinyes formerly known as Rune comments, looking over her hands before falling into step with the others.
As for Harkashan's comments, if she could blush in this form, Rune would be doing so. Alas, she cannot, so she just looks momentarily flustered and awkward before she starts walking again.
It only takes her a short time to get into character, thankfully. The walk, the posture, the brooding attitude.
The only problem is, Rune sees a whole lot of nothing. "So. What are we looking for?"
The trick to sounding ominous is to throw a little guttural growl in. But it can be done. Telamon's now bizarre countenance bends in a twisted smile, and he rasps, "Master, we are observed." He points to an apparently empty section. His eyes fix on one spot. "Step forth and be recognized, by the Iron Throne, and be -quick- about it!"
GAME: Telamon rolls spaceBS: aliased to Bluff+3: (6)+26+3: 35
"Yeah, I don't see shit, either," Andelena murmurs to Rune--and then Telamon points to a point that apparently he can see. Not that anyone can see her eyes underneath her robes, but she's certainly got a brow raised in skepticism.
She's opened her mouth to talk but... 'the Iron Throne' sounds foreboding, and she's awful at lying. The only talking she's really good at, in fact, isn't really talking at all, but using her talking sword to cut down fiends.
Which she might be doing soon enough.
A guttural non-gender specific voice rises from the nothingness. "He lies. He is not a servant of the Iron Throne." This is touched by amusement.
Another voice beside that one lifts as well, this one less than pleased. "I see. They appear to be adventurers to my eyes."
Finally at last a male voice, this one pleased and almost purring. "Is that you Brydion? You and your friends? I do hope so. Please tell me you were foolish enough to bring your woman with you. She'll make an excellent appetizer to this event!"
GAME: Harkashan casts Invisibility Purge. Caster Level: 9 DC: 18
"Well, we tried it your way." Harkashan rumbles, before drawing out his Khopesh and firmly stepping forward towards the voices he just heard, just a few feet... then moves forward in the hopes he's evaluating the situation correctly...
And touches his armor, causing a sigil to extend down from his armor to the ground, spreading across the land. Grey feathers lifting from the ground and flurrying about lazily, trying to touch through that space.
GAME: Telamon casts Dispel Magic. Caster Level: 18 DC: 21 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+sorcerer: (11)+18: 29 GAME: Telamon casts Haste/Quicken. Caster Level: 18 DC: 25
"Indeed." Telamon-devil is no longer guttural, but rather weirdly mellifluous hearing his voice come from the distorted mouth of the fiend. And then he begins to chant. "Emegar, sag dar!" making a clawing motion. The illusion dissolves, ripped away by Telamon's magical energy to reveal two fiends and a woman with pure black eyes.
"Found you," Tel says in a cheerful tone, before snapping out, "Lukas, sa-i'iz!" A flash of silvery light connects the whole party, quickening their movements.
GAME: Dolan rolls ranged+2+1: (1)+9+2+1: 13 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Dolan rolls ranged+2+1: (18)+9+2+1: 30 GAME: Telamon rolls spellcraft: (1)+23: 24 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Dolan rolls spellcraft: (3)+13: 16 GAME: Andelena rolls Spellcraft: (18)+15: 33 GAME: Harkashan rolls Spellcraft: (20)+15: 35
Dolan's grin is bright and wide, stretching the scar tissue across his face in an eerie mask that holds _nothing_ of mirth. "Yeah, Jal'goroth," he counters, pulling a sphere with a great gem on it from his belt pouch. "I simply couldn't wait to celebrate your momentous occasion with a little gift." The quicksilver surges through him, and the smile turns to a nasty scowl. "The bright Sunlord's justice is upon you, you sack of moldy horseshit. Catch."
With all his strength, he flings the pokeball at Jal'goroth, ignoring a shooting pain through his shoulder as it leaves his hand. It smacks the creature square in the chest, leaving him to blandly look down at it - and then he vanishes, the ball rolling a little along the ground.
The woman with black eyes picks up the thing that sucked Jal'goroth into it, and begins chanting in a language that skitters across your ears and senses. Her black eyes dead and lifeless as she peers at you all. She looks... like a woman possessed.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+20: (8)+20: 28 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+15: (4)+15: 19 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (16)+10: 26 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+7: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+7: (3)+7: 10
The secondary devil moves forward, it's body covered in paper scrolls. Three of which roll out and two connect with Dolan, drawing blood and wrapping around his body tightly.
GAME: Andelena casts Liberating Command. Caster Level: 6 DC: 14 GAME: Dolan rolls escape artist: (12)+-2: 10 GAME: Rune rolls acrobatics: (10)+18: 28 GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2: (13)+14+2: 29 GAME: Rune rolls damage1+1d6: aliased to 1d6+1+1d6: (2)+1+(3): 6
The fact that there are invisible voices speaking has Rune immediately on edge. The Erinyes turns and reaches for her weapons, ears following the source of the sound. The rogue seems about to rush right into the fray when...
The cultist formerly known as Dolan throws something at the head demon and they vanish into the object. The surprised look on her veiled face is almost comical. The problem follows that Dolan is in a vulnerable position. "Shit." She growls under her breath.
The Erinyes moves forward, drawing out two blades that look far more wicked than Rune's regular ones. "Let him go!" Rune shouts, her not-real wings flaring behind her as she stabs at the leg of the one holding on to Dolan.
GAME: Andelena spends ONE use of TOUCH OF GOOD. GAME: Andelena casts Liberating Command. Caster Level: 6 DC: 14 GAME: Dolan rolls escape artist: (7)+-2: 5 GAME: Dolan rolls escape artist +15: (2)+-2+15: 15 GAME: Harkashan rolls Melee: (11)+7: 18 GAME: Harkashan casts Bestow Curse. Caster Level: 9 DC: 18 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (18)+10: 28
Andelena grinds her teeth as her first prayer of escape doesn't result in Dolan's favor. She has to get him free. Has to _try_ to get him free. "Someone who's better at magic, take care of Respa! She's summoning something that's gonna tear us a new planar asshole!"
She runs up to Dolan. "Daeus, Holy Knight, I pray to you, help Brydion in his time of need, free him from this demon!" It's the only thing she can think of. Beseeching him for a little bit of help. She reaches out, touches Dolan, and then, she prays:
"Brydion, be freed with His light!"
But something falters. It's just not enough.
"Hmm, that didn't work." Harkashan rumbles, only for Telamon to do what needs to be done, drawing away the illusion that was covering them. "Ah, there they are." Revealing the trio, including the woman with the black eyes.
Followed by the woman moving her hand along that sphere that Dolan just threw, and casting... something.
"I don't like that spell. She's summoning something big." He growls, before moving his hand across his blade for a moment, drawing just a small bit of blood before throwing his hand forward and trying to press his palm to her mouth, in an attempt to curse her mouth sealed. Trying to get the spell to take hold, to press her lips together. To silence her...
But a burst of magic as she rejects the spell, and Harkashan stumbles back. "Damnit, stop her from finishing that spell Telamon!"
GAME: Telamon casts Suffocation/Quicken. Caster Level: 18 DC: 27 GAME: Telamon casts Telekinesis. Caster Level: 18 DC: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+sorcerer+8: (14)+18+8: 40 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (19)+10: 29 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+sorcerer+4: (19)+18+4: 41 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7+14: (20)+7+14: 41 GAME: Dolan rolls knowledge/the planes: (12)+13: 25 GAME: Dolan rolls weapon2+2+2+1: (8)+14+2+2+1: 27 GAME: Dolan rolls 1d8+5+2+2+2d6: (6)+5+2+2+(10): 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20: (4): 4
Well, this is rapidly spinning out of control. Telamon begins gesturing, hooking his fingers in at the contract-laden fiend grappling with Dolan. The air suddenly rushes out of the devil's lungs, causing him to writhe and cough.
Then Tel reaches down deep for more magic, eyes blazing. His bearded-devil illusion distorts weirdly around him, three-lobed wings and flickering barbels crackling in and out as he hooks his fingers once again, a telekinetic force wrapping around Respa. "No," he growls. "You will not win this day. You. Will. Lose."
Panicked as the coils wrap tight around him, Dolan struggles, but to no avail. The one brown eye is wide and wild, but as it has done so often before, the inner inquisitor whispers. _Think. You can harm the contract._
Of course.
With an effort, he wrenches the longsword at his hip free of its scabbard, first whispering, "Holy Knight, be my strength, that I might be an instrument of Your will." Then, he raises his voice. "And that Your power might be these creatures' _BANE_!" The sword comes free and rips through the paper of the contract with a flash of pure sunlight, his strike just enough if far from perfect.
The devil inhabiting Respa's body is beset by a number of spells, and maybe it's a bit more than the devil was anticipating because it suddenly up and decides to leave her body. A plume of black smoke rises from her mouth in a forceful wave and the devil hastily ports out, leaving the summoning nearly done while Respa herself collapses to the ground, hugging the ball to her chest and weeping freely.
"Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!" She screams and curls up to protect herself.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+16: (12)+16: 28
The devil covered in contracts and scrolls steps back, bleeding and covered in Dolan's blood. It throws the scroll covered in viscous crimson toward Respa and the contract sizzles into ash, and leaves the ground bare. "V!" The contract devil says, then vanishes into thin air.
When he is freed, Dolan fairly crumples to his hands and knees, longsword in one hand, covered in blood and breathing hard. "Fuck."
GAME: Harkashan rolls Spellcraft: (16)+15: 31
The Erinyes that is Rune is just stepping forward to start utilizing those blades of hers to try to cut Dolan free when the creature seems to flee the situation. Her body tenses, and then she draws her weapon back as Dolan crumples to his knees. "Shit, are you okay?" She asks, weapons still raised in a defensive posture.
"What the fuck just happened?" There was a lot of magic being thrown around, and on the best of days, most spells escape her understanding.
"I don't like the fact that the scroll-covered asshole just noped the fuck out of here and started calling for their master. Sounds like trouble incoming..."
Harkashan grabs for his chest, letting out a baited breath when the devil suddenly burns out of Respa and she collapses onto the ground. His spell grasping for her, fear struck into her heart. "You may wish to pull her away from me, as long as this spell of mine is active." He rumbles, before looking towards the devil covered in scrolls. Taking note of the way they're bleeding...
And throws that scroll while calling out for V.
"That can't be good. Do we rush to the Mansion to see if they are showing up there and continue with interference? Or..." Pause.
"Guys, don't stand around doing nothing. That thing just completed the summoning! And I don't think we're ready for what is about to come!"
GAME: Andelena rolls 3d8+6: (16)+6: 22
Suddenly the illusionary disguises are wiped away, dismissed, as the telekinetic spell fades as well. Boots land on the blasted plain, next to the sobbing, fearful Respa. Telamon... looks as he did before. Cream colored loose fitting tunic, linen trousers, broad brimmed white hat. "It's all right," he says soothingly. "It seems we've freed you from a terrible fate indeed."
He looks to the others, nodding to Hark. "I think it might be wise to find someplace else to be right now," he remarks. Looking down at the girl again. "Why don't you come along?"
GAME: Telamon rolls talky: aliased to diplomacy+5: (17)+30+5: 52
"Babe!" Andelena immediately takes a knee. She places a hand gently on his chest, murmuring a prayer of healing, successfully drawing on Daeus's light to mind her husband's wounds. It won't clean the blood and it won't fully soothe the ache, but they don't have time to clean blood anyway.
Especially as Harkashan reveals what he knows. Her steel-gray eyes are wide--not that anyone can see under her cultist robes. "Shit! We need to get moving then!"
GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (10)+25: 35
There's a wind billowing across the plane of fire. A gentle thing that offers no recourse from the heat though you are all protected from it. It carries a voice. Neither male nor female. A voice that whispers along the edge of that wind. "_You have done well to win this day. You deserve your victory, but you will not survive what comes next. Hear me and leave this place. Leave the woman. Leave and go._"
Cleaning the blood is the least of Dolan's worries, and Andelena's hand provides far more than a simple healing. With an effort, he quiets, breathing slowly and deeply, and gets to his feet, taking any assistance offered in doing so. "Yeah, Rune. I just hate being tied up, is all. Fucking contract demon. We need to get out of here."
His head snaps towards the woman, and he merely regards her with that harlequin gaze for a long moment. "She can come with us but we'd better decide fast."
A quick flick of the eyes takes in Andelena and Dolan, even as Rune seems to face her defenses outward, ready for any additional attacks that might come their way. She does, however, look a bit less intimidating as the spell falls away, revealing the regular half-sil and her ordinary blades, "I assume one of you still has enough magic left in you to get our asses out of here?"
As the voice from nowhere speaks, Rune gives a small chuff of a sound that she likely picked up from her time among the Makari, "Yeah, fuck that. I've never been very good at following orders, especially orders given from creepy wind-voices. So, that's a resounding 'no'."
Then, she looks towards Telamon, expecting that the archmage would be the most likely one with an escape clause.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Sense Motive+2: (13)+19+2: 34
Harkashan rumbles when he hears the voice at the edges of the wind. Dispassionate. Unlike the woman, who is still scared out of her wits. Largely of his own fault. "Let's go." He nods to the others. "I don't think it'd be a good idea to face off against this 'V' thing with so much of our resources spent."
Telamon stares hard at something beyond the others' field of vision. Star-shot eyes glittering. "...No. I don't abandon -anyone-." With that, he moves his hands in that practiced pattern, silvery crackles of lightning forming a path. A portal. A Gate back to Ea.
He looks down at the girl. "Come with us if you want to live. Dolan, don't forget the trap. I don't think we should leave it here."
GAME: Telamon casts Gate. Caster Level: 18 DC: 27
"Good, Starman, because I'm not abandoning the girl, either," Andelena says, looking sympathetically at Respa. She's a Sunguard. Compassion's what she does.
So when the gate opens back to Ea, she helps Dolan back up. "Holy Knight, see us home," she murmurs quietly. A prayer. A prayer for them, because they'll need it. A prayer for them, because they'll need it in this war to come against V.
Andelena walks towards the Gate with intent to leave.
"May His light guide us all home, and in the days to come," Dolan echoes Andelena, then strides over to the girl, reaching to take the ball from her. "That ain't safe to hold for long, here. I'll take that." Whether she gives it or not, he turns to follow Andelena. "Come on, all of you move."
Once the way is opened before them, Rune wastes no time in heading towards it. This is not a place she would like to end up trapped within. "Let's go. Hurry." She even sheaths her blades, making it a little easier for others to move along side her as the rogue heads right for the gate and out of this horrid place.
Seeing the girl continue to suffer her fearful fit, Harkashan touches one of the lavastones on his armor, releasing one of the spells on him, and letting it fade from the girl's mind. "Moving." He then rumbles, following right after Andelena.
"Come on, hon," Andelena says gently to Respa. She goes to take the girl's arm. It's a kind set of words, the Compassion of Daeus on display. She's hoping that they're a little bit of relief from the awful things that Respa's had to endure, that they're a little bit of relief from the darkness that Respa's had to harbor inside of her mind.
It won't be enough to banish them completely. She knows better than to hope for that. But a little bit of kindness can be enough to open the door.
Like the one Andelena's walking through. Respa gets up willingly, walking toward the gate on her own power, and everyone marches through, Respa handing the ball to Dolan shyly and with no small amount of fear on her features. Everyone passes through one at a time, and then...
Little runnels of ice form on Telamon's clothing, and then evaporate in this plane of flame. The sorcerer watches people go through. Hark, Rune, Andie, Dolan. Then the girl Respa starts to go through... and stops in confusion. Then horror, as she is being dragged backwards inexorably. "No!" Telamon snarls, reaching out to grab for her--
And then a -force- takes hold of Telamon, and violently flings him towards the gate like a crossbow bolt. As though he was a child, the archmage passes through the boundary, and suddenly the silvery portal snaps shut as he slams to the green turf of Alexandros with a gasp, his eyes wide with shock and dismay.
-End