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"You do realize that your very act of defiance against my father will upset the order of things here, if successful, do you not? It is... extremely unlikely... that he will still be in power upon defeat by a group from Toril, of all places." She puts her hand on her chin in thought. "And what outcome are all of you expecting from your actions here, anyway?" she asks.
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Feb 28, 2018 23:54
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 Merritt rests his hands on the pommel of his sword and quietly huffs in disgust from pretending to care about the affairs of devils. He is terse, but polite, in his reply. "Quite frankly madam, the outcome we expect is that we obtain what we seek and continue about our business and you, yours. A 'defeat' in the literal sense may not even be necessary. To be even more direct, I cannot say I am concerned with the state of affairs in this place after we complete our task. Rulers in the pits of Hell are not much different from rulers in Toril therefore I should assume chaos is nothing new to any of you, seeing as you deal in backstabbing dealmaking hidden by a veneer of law and order." After his "outburst," he turns back to Marcus with a nod and a smile, encouraging him to continue.
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Mar 1, 2018 04:47
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 Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet Marcus does a double-take at Merritt's outburst, then considers all possible ways to continue. Smoothing things over? Proposing a deal? Spinning a tale about actually being on her side? Then, the Archbard turns back to Glasya and clears his throat. "What he said."
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Mar 1, 2018 18:12
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"Very well," she says with a smirk, "you may continue on. I have some... preparations... to make." With that, you continue through Malbolge until you reach a large tunnel, the entrance to Maladomini, the next layer of hell. Maladomini is a great tunnel network, each miles across, strung together in a giant maze. Crumbling cities dot the land webbed by sludge filled rivers. Great swarms of flies buzz around, and a dark ichor seeps through cracks in the soil. Large areas have been mined bare. Baalzebul oversees this layer, and you should find his main consort, Baftis (whom you have agreed to kill), in the the capitol, Malagard. Malagard is a large, sprawling city, stretching miles across the tunnel in which it lays. Its perfectly vertical black spires tower over the tunnel, reaching almost to the top, and it's beautiful, flawless buildings and straight streets are connected by a myriad of bridges and walkways. It will be difficult to navigate the city without either an excellent sense of direction or aid from a resident. [Passive Religion] Baalzebul is a fallen archon of Celestia formerly named Triel who was promoted to devilhood by Asmodeus after he was cast down to the hells. Shortly thereafter he rose to the rank of archdevil, deposing the previous ruler of the Seventh and eradicating all traces of him. His once angelic appearance was transformed into his current sluglike form by Asmodeus as punishment for his participation in the Reckoning, the failed rebellion against Asmodeus. Baalzebul once was a very strict perfectionist, and the landscapes that dot the land are evidence of that--they were discarded after Baalzebul found a flaw, and ordered construction to begin anew somewhere else--though after his transformation into his current form he fell into a depression and stopped caring for the maintenance of even his current city.
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Mar 4, 2018 23:19
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet "I never thought I would say this," he remarks, "but I miss Stygia. At least they made some aesthetic effort there." Marcus surveys Malagard with a dismayed look on his face. "Still, we've agreed to kill a devil here, so it's best to get it done and not make any more enemies than we already have. Should we try to sneak in and navigate ourselves, or find some resident and convince them to help? I know some tricks that could help us in either case."
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Mar 6, 2018 21:02
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  Silenna Silenna finally sheds her serpent skin, and joins Marcus in looking out over the landscape, letting out a disgruntled sigh. "I have grown tired of this planes 'residents', and their endless schemes. We have power of our own. Let us use it." The Warden stretches out, her eyes narrowing. "All the same - we have long since passed Dispater and his agents' sphere of influence. Why shall we not simply proceed to the next layer?"
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Mar 6, 2018 21:18
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 Arka - PDF "While I'm getting just as tired as you, Warden," Arka says genially, "my papa taught me to honor my bargains. 'Sides, even implied contracts with a Devil are probably wise to keep. Are all young elves so loathe to put in a day's work in this age?" she lifts her bow like a farmhand would lift a shovel, "I think we should be about it, as quietly as we can manage, but if any bar our way we're more than capable of pulling those weeds. Baalzy probably keeps his consort close at hand, but who can say after his unique punishment."
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Mar 8, 2018 03:49
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Merritt fidgets with his sword belt and sighs heavily. "I agree with the Warden, on principle, however...I would be loathe to imagine the consequences of failing to uphold a bargain. Emissaries of Toril, marching and slaying their way through the layers of hell and then failing to keep their word? Given a particularly motivated devilish fiend, that could be grounds for...war? Or worse. I would hate even more so to imagine the consequences of these transgressions, past one's mortal life."
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Mar 9, 2018 04:19
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Silenna She glowers at Arka's patronizing comment, but all the same Silenna acquiesces to the wishes of the group. "Very well. I'll scout ahead; wait here, and prepare as you must." Once again, her humanoid form vanishes into that of the snake, and she disappears into the hellish landscape. As she surges forward, silent as the night, she keeps her eyes and ears open for any information regarding Baalzebul's whereabouts, and any guards he may have around him. Stealth at 1d20+32=51. Perception at 1d20+25=42.
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Mar 10, 2018 11:01
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Silenna manages to bend into the shadows and scout ahead a ways before coming into danger of getting lost. She does not see anything remarkable other than devils milling about in the streets performing everyday activities. Before too long, she realizes she'll have to wait for the rest of the party to catch up, lest she lose them. The city is sufficiently complex that finding Baftis' location will require some deft navigation or aid from the locals. You need to either make contact with a local or make some form of (justified) check for navigation!
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Mar 10, 2018 23:45
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Perception: 1d20+16 33 Merritt takes stock of the city's layout. Typically, cities in Toril would show some sort of sign of the location of somewhere important. Surely, devils weren't much different?
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Mar 12, 2018 03:20
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Arka - PDF Hell was decidedly underground-esque, especially this cave network, and last she checked Arka had been hunting underground horrors longer than the rule of several gods. Eyeing the skyline of this place, she orients herself with the architecture to get her bearings then sets about trying to find source of normalcy in the terrain to guide her forward. In a sudden moment of deja vu, Arka harrumphs with mirth, "Oh. Hmph. Is it really that easy? Follow me." Dungeoneering: 1d20+23 26 - orient myself underground Guidance of the Past Nature: 1d20+23 25 - discard Nature: 1d20+23 41 - obviously using this one for navigation towards the main palace
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Mar 12, 2018 20:46
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Following Arka, you are able to swiftly navigate through the confusing, busy streets of Malagard and up to a tall, spiraling, unmarked tower towards the center of the city and near the palace of Baalzebul. As you approach the tower, you notice a seven foot tall devil in jet black armor standing guard in front of the door. He moves forward a half step to greet you away from the ebony door. "Halt, travelers," he says, holding his left hand straight out while his right clutches his ranseur, "What business do you have with Lady Baftis?"
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Mar 14, 2018 21:13
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet "What business do you have stopping us?" he asks, one eyebrow arched. "We are honored guests and expect to be treated as such. Go on, check your list or whatever it is you use. Marcus Gellantara is surely on there." Even if the name drop doesn't get them in, it should give the devil a long enough pause for the others to find a way in. I'd be happy to just distract the guard while others do stuff, but on the off chance devils happen to respect Bardic tradition, I'd like to use the Demand Audience or Welcome Guest Signs of Influence abilities to get in. Bluff/distract the devil guard: 1d20+23 34
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Mar 15, 2018 20:10
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 Saint Gladys - PDF - Reference Before: Allowing the others to deal with Glasya feels right, giving Gladys a chance to steel herself against the mounting foulness of each new realm. It is also very satisfactory to hear Merritt tell it like it is... She does feel the need to chime in once they've reached the Seventh with that same sentiment in mind. "It would be folly to assume any Lord's influence fades past their layer of Hell. Backstabbing under a thin veneer of law and order..." She smiles with pride at Merritt. "... is best maintained by a generous amount of spying." And so she casts her own vote in actually honoring their agreement. If they must have an enemy in Hell, going this far before it happened was quite a feat! Currently: Religion 23: Pooling knowledge of this particularly hierarchy of Hell... Gladys draws a blank. Pursuing deeper knowledge of the infernal planes usually involves residing in or serving them. Anything more concrete is drawn from exposed heretics or actually challenging their dark lords. She sighs a bit and gathers all her resolve! Marcus needs help! And they'll need to present themselves in a way that matches what little they know of the layer and its Lord... as well as their likely too noble bearing. They were certainly a bit too clean for true servants of Baalzebul! Ah, but perhaps this was the key. Diplomacy 30: Gladys steps up beside Marcus and makes sure to pass a hand through her hair, giving notice to her horns. She smiles serenely at the guard and without acknowledging him reaches over with one hand, pressing a finger to Marcus' lips to silence him. "Forgive my servant, his zeal is foremost in his usefulness. I am Lady Gladness, Faithful of Lord Baalzebul. In his infinite wisdom, our Lord bids that we enter the mortal realm and offer his blessing to the receptive." She withdraws her hand from Marcus and strikes a little pose, casting her hair out a bit. None of Sune's church could fail to show off their beauty when it counted! "We shall approach in the guise of divine beauty, that they may know the true power of our Master, folded within his supreme cunning... and to my Lord's boundless sorrow, he laments that others must embody this for him. We must see Lady Baftis, that she will act as our sovereign and patron in the material realm." Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Mar 17, 2018 14:31
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"Very well," the guard says as he drops his hand and moves to the side. "Lady Baftis awaits." He opens the door and motions you in. You enter into a small, dimly lit audience chamber with few decorations, with guards stationed on either side of the Lady. Lady Baftis herself is roughly the size of a human and has a sickly green skin and oily, jet black hair. "And who might you be, appearing unannounced for an audience with the consort of Lord Baalzebul?" she asks. "I don't often get visitors anymore, especially ones that are not from Maladomini."
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Mar 17, 2018 21:42
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Arka - PDF Several blocks before the tower, Arka assumes her bird shape, flying up to land gracefully on Gladys's shoulder. Seated there she makes a very convincing familiar, her inquisitive owl eyes constantly watching around the priestess and bard, lest they be caught accosted by yet another devil. As the pair negotiate with the door guard, owl Arka watches him like a particularly plump mouse, her head swiveling to follow him once they eventually gain entrance. Once in Baftis's presence, Arka tries to size up any threats in the room while finding the best way to remove her quarry with the minimum of fuss. She will hoot softly into Gladys's ear if she notices anything untoward in her observations. --- Designating Door Guard as my Quarry (1) Perception: 1d20+25 40 - Searching for hidden traps, guards, etc before we light Baftis up. Designating Baftis as my Quarry (2)
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Mar 18, 2018 10:49
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Saint Gladys - PDF - Reference Upon actually seeing Baftis, an entire pantheons worth of morality broils over in her mind. If they annihilated this woman because it would be convenient... but their stakes were too important to play the part of the naive fool. She whispers to Arka: "If this goes poorly, we strike in tandem." It had been pushing it to mediate for the Lords of the Fourth, but peaceful prayer echoes in every bit of her soul to maintain clarity in these surroundings. She whispers to Marcus: "There.. are some ways to remove an infernal from Hell.." Oh, to Hell with it, pun intended. If Sune's own saint could shrink away from helping anyone in low station, what good was Her Lady's Radiance in the first place!? Gladys smiles at Baftis and steps closer to her, with an air and spacing of familiarity, hands held to her sides with palms out, a pose of walking divinity. "Lady Baftis, I ask that you listen to me with patience and a calm head. What I offer you is not done so lightly.. and we are of mettle not afraid to face down your Lord of Flies. But that is not why we are here. My name is Gladys, and I am a representative of Sune and her beauty. Please, tell me. Would you accept Absolution?" Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Mar 18, 2018 14:25
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"Absolution?" Baftis asks, leaning forward in her seat, resting her chin on her hand. "Just what do you mean by absolution? What precisely are you absolving me of? You think the goddess of beauty scares me? I'm far more attractive than she'd ever hope to become... Jealousy! Is that why you were really sent here?" she asks with a soft chuckle. She begins to motion to her guards...
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Mar 21, 2018 06:30
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet Marcus is slightly relieved that his younger days are behind him; otherwise he probably would not have been able to resist the succession of devils that have appeared in attractive humanoid forms recently. But the old bard has learned from experience. Those experiences have made for good, popular stories, but he figures he has enough of those for now. Instead of a seductive face, he adopts something cold and stern. "You would do well to listen to what my dear friend is actually saying," Marcus says. "There is no one on any plane who can offer you what she is offering, and refusing could turn out very poorly for--" Intimidate to aid other on Gladys's forthcoming Intimidate roll Assist Gladys's Intimidate: 1d20+21 37
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Mar 21, 2018 20:17
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Saint Gladys - PDF - Reference Intimidate 34(Crit!) "Listen here, you little minx." Gladys' voice cuts in like a striker thrown at a bell! "Self-confidence is the foundation of true beauty, so we will immediately move on to the business at hand and forget your little tantrum." She leans forward and glares at Baftis as though she just caught her granddaughter using the good furniture to craft a sparring dummy. "My companions and I have business with the Prince of Nessus," Titles straight from ancient script, that's right! "And we will not be stopped by the likes of you and whatever imbeciles you have playing at the part of adequate protection." Raw power surges from her, her skin turned a deeper red. Being the nicest Tiefling didn't quite remove the Tiefling part! "You are a denizen of Hell, and it is safe for me to assume you earned your damnation here. Another group of terrible people has made our passage to the Ninth easier in exchange for extinguishing what passes for your soul. In Sune's infinite grace and wisdom, she may permit you to find salvation under my mercy." Gladys steps forward until she's face to face with Baftis, head tilted down slightly so that her horns are prominent. "Hopefully this will satisfy our co-conspirators once it removes you from Hell itself." "Our work is too important to waste time with the uncooperative. You must have some regrets from your past life, a spark of decency left within you. You may allow me to open that path or we will shortly add to your sorrows." Gladys raises her hands and allows her halo to manifest, light of pure radiance, the living Saint of Sune! "Make your decision, NOW, young lady." Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Mar 21, 2018 20:17
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Baftis jolts back upright, eyes widened by the sudden display from Gladys. "What might this absolution do for me, physically, then? Will it hurt? I don't particularly want to die. I wonder though... getting away from Baalzebul may not be such a bad thing... he is rather controlling..."
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Mar 21, 2018 20:47
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Saint Gladys - PDF - Reference "You need only be sincere." Gladys offers her hands to Baftis, her simmering ardor cooling. Once the two have joined hands and linked fingers, the two sit together. Gladys concentrates on the feeling of contentment she gets from the simplest prayers to Sune, the first sacraments that neophytes undergo. To assist somebody in such a low point is one of her highest callings. "Do not fear the change, young lady. You have already done this before." She begins to channel a low-level bit of raw divinity, extending her halo to Baftis. She pierces through the sickly pallor and the oily hair, the greasy skin and the ambient wretchedness that had suffused through Baftis over time spent here. Mentally, spiritually, Gladys seeks her true soul, the part of her that had been seen as commodity to be plucked and shaped and kept in Hell... "Sune admires your beauty and smiles at the chance to return it to the world again... it is your responsibility to not tarnish it... carry it with dignity." In a flood of holy light, Gladys dissolves everything around it and beckons the soul to the afterlife, where at best a second chance as a mortal awaits. It was beyond Gladys to guarantee entry into Heaven, but perhaps a memory of the horrors that await those who choose poorly... an echo of that might better the odds. Satisfied, Gladys stands and looks to the others, then to the Guards. "We require passage to the Eighth Layer of Hell." She smiles peacefully. "Your assistance in that matter... would place you further, physically, from this palace when the Lord of Flies becomes aware of what has happened." She wills her halo to fade away again, as anything beautiful in this layer would be quite the obvious tell. Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Mar 21, 2018 21:25
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The guards step back away from Baftis as she is cleansed, eyes wide in shock. They begin to tremor in fear. The guard to the right of Baftis' throne reluctantly speaks up, "F-fine. We shall escort you... we must be quick, as Baalzebul will surely notice Baftis' absense before long." With that, the two guards rush you out a secret back door to the tower and down a series of side streets until you exit the city and its outskirts. They continue to hastily lead you through the tunnel as it eventually becomes frigid, with ice forming along the walls. The temperature rapidly drops to dangerously cold levels, chilling you to the bone as the corridor opens up into a great, frozen cavern. Icebergs miles high lurch across the great frozen landscape of Cania, the domain of Mephistopheles. Atop the largest iceberg, Nargus, sits a palace made of ice, illuminated by the bright green flames of Hellfire, a special type of magical fire derived from the very essence of the hells by Mephistopheles. The entrance to Nessus surely lies just beyond his palace. [Passive Religion]: Mephistopheles has long been plotting to usurp the throne of the hells from Asmodeus, and his development of Hellfire has greatly aided the expansion of his cults on Toril, which he hopes to leverage eventually in a coup against Asmodeus. He is also constantly at odds with Baalzebul, whom he constantly plots against, though his main goal remains to take control of the Hells. He is so confident in his eventual ability to do so that he has even told Asmodeus of his intentions, which surprisingly did not draw a strong rebuke from the King of the Hells.
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Mar 21, 2018 23:49
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Before... Seemingly unphased by the sight of Baftis' absolution, he ponders for a moment. "I suppose this is one method of removing a devil - by causing them to no longer be a devil. Personally, I would have just killed her, rather than allow a being with rot in their heart to walk free..." Merritt takes a moment while entering the next realm and gazes off into the distance. To the party, he is nodding and gesturing as though he is in a conversation with an unseen person. In his mind, he is hearing a warm voice that sounds not unlike any of his previous Tormtar companions. My lord, it is good to hear from you. Our methods in this realm leave my soul feeling tarnished... Take heart. It is noble to wish to purify the hearts of all those you encounter, but that is not your purpose in this realm. You continue to protect the innocent by not creating further strife between Toril and this realm. One day, these devils shall receive what is due to them but it is not yet their time. Proceed as you have been, do not lose sight of returning the tablets. One more thing... After a few moments, a peaceful smile crosses Merritt's face and he seems to become more fully present than he was before. He turns to Gladys and smiles warmly. "The Loyal Fury sends his kind regards and wishes to extend his gratitude for your aid in this cause. Even though I disagree, he also wishes to commend you for your...creative...means of dealing with those that may cross us. It brings to mind our differences in achieving similar goals. Perhaps that is a discussion for another time." Merritt catches himself shivering under his armor. Although he could think of many ways to warm himself and the others, they would unfortunately cause the party to be far more obvious than they already were. "How shall we proceed?" he inquires of the others.
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Mar 22, 2018 06:01
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Silenna Her snake form vanishes as they are hit with the merciless embrace of the freezing air. Silenna's usually grumpy face takes on yet more of a scowl, her serpentine nature at thorough odds with the temperature in the 8th layer. "Whatever the plan, it seems we must go through yet another fiend lord's resience. Let us discuss while marching," she grumbles, bunching in her armor as Arthion curls up around her arm and neck, unwilling to crawl along the frozen ground. "I hate the cold."
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Mar 22, 2018 10:14
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Saint Gladys - PDF - Reference Before: "Punishment without hope of reform is simply revenge." Gladys is in good spirits in the immediate moments following her duty but she'll not long justify her mercy before the more... eagerly righteous. Merritt's praise from his sovereign fills her with gentle warmth and she favors him with a childish grin. "Blessed are the peacekeepers, who make it possible that we may pray for the rotten without falling prey to them." Now: "My, are we already upon the Eighth? This journey has been so brisk, I might think eight damnations feel like only a single eternity!" She sighs following the mirth. "Our duty stands paramount. I will hold back my tears for the damned, and Sir Merritt, may we spend a great deal of time in prayer after this.. we must make a decision. The Devil knows we come. Glasya no doubt warns him, if she is not already at his side. Do we beseech the Eighth for aid?" Gladys frowns in a bit of introspection. "The ambitions of this Lord are no secret." Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Mar 24, 2018 19:22
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Silenna Silenna's glum scowl deepened at the realization upon her. "I suppose we must, yet again, be personable with a Lord of the Nine." With a resigned exhale of cold air, the Warden looks back at her companions. "I have expressed our doubts regarding the power invested in this mission before; and still I say we cannot go up against Asmodeus alone, let alone if he has gained some power from this tablet. If the Cold Lord can be persuaded to join our cause in this, I fear we have no other choice; but we must be wary that he does not steal our objective from under our noses at the end."
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Mar 24, 2018 19:41
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet "Gladys, that was..." Marcus can do little but stare at the empty space where Baftis once was. With little embellishment necessary, this could easily make one of the most epic verses of his work in progress of this journey, The Triumph Through Hell. "'Amazing' feels like an inadequate word to describe it. So for now, I will have to express it without words." He comes over and embraces Gladys tightly. On the journey through Nessus: "Yes, this would no doubt be Mephistopheles' best chance," Marcus says to Silenna as he strokes his beard. "We should seek an audience with him, at least to determine whether or not he is aware of the prize Asmodeus has. If not, then all we have to do is convince him that we seek only to overthrow the Lord of Hell, and we should have an opportunity to grab it in the chaos. If he is aware, then we'll need to be even more clever." He pauses and offers rummages through his packs for furs, pulling out pelts from such exotic beasts as golden lions, onyx dogs, and owlbears. "Also, you're welcome to share some of my furs, Silenna. I cannot abide such an incredible lady having to suffer through this discomfort." Marcus smiles with a warmth not even this Hell can take from him, and offers the skins to the druid, as well as anyone else who needs them. "I also have a tale for each of these, to pass the time on our journey..."
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Mar 26, 2018 17:36
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You trek across the frozen hellscape, shivering the whole way, your breath forming giant clouds as you exhale while climbing the glaciers. After miles of frozen land, you reach Nargus and climb it's steep slopes, battling through your feet constantly slipping on the smooth, icy path lit by bright green hellfire torches. At the tip of the glacier, you reach Mephistopheles great ice palace, a massive, majestic structure as beautiful as it is imposing. The guards at the gate initially halt you, but as they recognize you are not from this plane, they quickly usher you into the main hall, which, in contrast to the frigid temperature outside, is as comfortable as a warm spring day. Mephistopheles awaits in the audience chamber, a grand and spacious hall, its arcing ceiling roughly three stories high, lit in a now familiar bright green by chandeliers and sconces of hellfire. As you approach, the nine foot tall devil with bright red skin and jet black hair sits upright in his icy throne, his massive wings folded back behind him. "Ah, I see the group of adventurers from Toril have finally made their way to Cania. And why do you approach the great Mephistopheles? Is it to beg? To barter? I was under the impression that your business in these Hells was strictly with Asmodeus." he states, his red eyes boring straight into you.
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Apr 1, 2018 21:59
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Arka - PDF Arka was no stranger to terrifying things, be they undeath, monstrous, or both. A true devil, wearing his form so brazenly should elicit fear, awe, or respect... but she was quite a few lifetimes past being cowed by creatures wearing their self-importance like a scarf. Stepping forward enough to draw the beast's eye, she puts on her most civil of tones. "Since you know who we are, and where we are from, then you're only wastin' our time by pretending you don't know why we are here. Your prize is within sight, if you are but wise enough to see the opportunity that lies before you, and bold enough to seize it. Now, I am no sophisticate like my allies," she gestures broadly at her heroic companions, "but I've been around long enough to know that when a bull charges, you get out his way, or you get run down. And, child, we're a raging bull aimed right at Nessus. So you're either seein' yourself out of our path, gettin' us to our destination sooner, pickin' up the pieces. Or you're standin' there to delay us." Diplomacy: 1d20+13 26 Passive Insight: 28 - just trying to see how that lands for the social characters to come in stronger. --- Designating Meph as my Quarry (1) On each subsequent 'turn' I designate another quarry among targets I can see... just in case. Mortify fucked around with this message at 18:50 on Apr 3, 2018 |
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Apr 3, 2018 06:35
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet Smiling at Arka and her simple yet bold words, Marcus nods. "Beautiful Arka, you are more sophisticated than you think," he says to her. "Your sharp eyes have clearly perceived the truth, like the hunter marking its prey." He turns to Mephistopheles. "You are correct that our business is with Asmodeus, which is why this presents a great opportunity for you, if you're willing and able to seize it. It's not every day that glorious adventurers pass through Hell on a mission to weaken your greatest rival." Aid Arka's diplomacy: 1d20+23 38 or +2 to Arka's roll, depending on how we're doing this.
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Apr 3, 2018 18:21
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"Hmm... this is true..." he says as he raises his right hand to his chin in thought. "Perhaps... you are correct. If you succeed, it may put me in a very favorable position. If you would like, I could certainly lend some assistance to your endeavor..."
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Apr 5, 2018 03:11
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet "How much assistance are you offering? To be perfectly honest, it would have to be quite a bit, because my friends tire of making deals with your kind. But." Marcus makes sure Mephistopheles follows his gaze over the deadly weapons and deadlier countenances of his companions. "Do not mistake that weariness for weakness. You should know that the relative lack of bodies strewn in our wake is due to preference, not lack of prowess. Ask the upper Hells how we dealt with invaders from the Abyss if you doubt our abilities." Orbs fucked around with this message at 19:05 on Apr 6, 2018 |
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Apr 6, 2018 18:22
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"Well, my friends," he says, standing up, "I would like to offer you the gift of Hellfire to aid you in your fight against Asmodeus. Hellfire is energy distilled from the very planar essence of the Hells, and would serve as an extremely powerful weapon against him. It is not true fire, and would bypass any resistances he might have to it. However, since I am assuming you are not willing to pledge fealty to me, I can only provide you with items that employ it, not the power to summon it yourselves. Please, do tell me if you wish to accept my offer, and we will visit my armory together if so."
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Apr 10, 2018 21:39
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Assassins-Bane, Foe-Ender, Champion of the Moonsea!; Bard|Scholar, War Chanter, Sage of Ages! Arch-Bard Marcus's PDF Arch-Bard Marcus's Orokos sheet "I thank you for the offer," he says, "but I, at least, will decline. I certainly won't stop anyone else who wants to make use of your armory, but hellfire has no place in my story. I hope you will at least deign to guarantee us passage out of your realm and into the next layer? After all, even if we fail in our task, at least we pesky adventurers will be hero-ing in someone else's realm instead of yours, eh?"
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Apr 11, 2018 18:56
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Silenna "If such is the nature of your aid," Silenna starts, stepping forward, "I shall take it. Whatever compunctions my companions have about their use, I relinquish in favor of recognizing the need of power given the enemy we face. But I do not fight by weapons, nor by traditional magic." In Mephistopheles' eyes, she transforms into her serpentine form, and then back again. "Have you something that shall aid me in such a form, Master of the Eighth?"
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Apr 12, 2018 18:28
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Saint Gladys - PDF - Reference Before, with Baftis: Gladys finds that staying close to Marcus both warms her heart and the rest of her as they march through the frozen hell. "Perhaps you might write a few lyrics of the terror of passion, matched by the beauty, like two faces of a coin, separated only by the thinnest layer." Giving Marcus one of the older tenets of Sune is a bit less than he deserves for the compliment, so Gladys caps off with a kiss on the cheek and a small demand that he stick close. "Truly Hell is not to be outdone in pioneering unique torment... let none think that it will only be uncomfortably heated!" Meeting Mephisto: "A representation of your highest passion warms my heart, Lord Mephistopheles. I would accept so sincere a gift." She settles on smiling politely, a simple variation on her usual ever-pleasant demeanor. After all, she was sincere about it. Hellfire was the zenith of creation for Mephisto, something he had even over Asmodeus himself. Or did he truly? It was very difficult to credit all the civil treachery in Hell as being truly unique, truly organic. It was impossible for an outsider to ever know how much of it was sincere... and how deeply the font of power flowed from Asmodeus himself, as though he were a boy eternally pitting his own toys against one another, forever confident that at any moment he could sweep the board clean. Or could he? "M'Lord, as a clear master of warfare and deepest strategy, I find it unlikely that your cunning only extends to the Offensive. Does the art of Hellfire offer any Defenses against your fellows, oft as they are to brazenly challenge you? Protection against Devilkind would serve us well against Asmodeus." Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Nov 21, 2018 |
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Apr 12, 2018 18:56
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Feeling eased by his "conversation", Merritt briefly ponders the offer. A physical token of Mephistopheles' support was more reassuring than the deal-making they had been doing thus far. "My lord, I would be glad to accept what you have to offer us. A blade is all I ask."
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Apr 15, 2018 02:48
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Arka - PDF Meeting Meph: As the great devil offers access to his armory, Arka must push down a deep laugh. Surely her companions would likewise decline. As they each accept, even gentle Gladys, she feels a rising anger welling in her. She takes the moment to school her expression to stillness, reflecting on her patron and the wisdom to be found Selune's teachings. "I must humbly, but formally, decline your offer for aide, o' lord of the Eighth," Arka smiles as politely as a farmhand at festival, "but I will be happy to send Asmodeus your regards."
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Apr 18, 2018 01:45
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