015. "Ten years of hard work before I reached this rank!"

[Corwin]

[20:10] <Kotono> The four plus Arrel gather in the courtyard of Aurora, ready for a trip to Fire. The great eagle awaits patiently as the others gather...OOC: Go ahead, all.
[20:11] <Jaela> "We ready for Fire?" Jaela asks, about to plane shift them into Kossuth's realm as soon as assent it given.
[20:12] * Afina briskly flits around everyone to cast resist energy, only stopping on Arrel since he's immune to fire. "A world where everything is constantly aflame... it sounds terrible, but I wonder what it will really look like?"
[20:13] * Willim nods, even looking a bit cheerful. He munches on a hunk of meat. "Sounds fun."
[20:13] <Jaela> "Lots of warm colors." With everyone thus ready, they shift takes place!
[20:17] <Kotono> "There is beauty in the-" Arrel begins, but then you shift! Heat. Burning heat engulfs each of you as your vision becomse a bonfire. Your eyes explode out, scorched away in boiling flame! You soar ahead on a blazing updraft, dizzed and lightheaded. The faint scent of smoke fills your nostrils as your vision recovers, eyes intact despite the boiling sensation. You stand amid flames. Flames are
[20:17] <Kotono> everywhere, dancing amid you. You stand on what look sto be black-charred volcanic rock, enough for the five of you. Beyond that is flames, dancing and crackling high. As you have but a moment to look around, a figure emerges from the flames before you. It is titanic - larger than Arrel, a humanoid body made of naught by fire. A human-shaped thing larger than a cloud giant, stomping forward to
[20:17] <Kotono> you. It speaks in the voice of an exploding volcano, "You do not burn. In the name of the Father of All Flames, you are strong and wise enough to hear. What business do you have in the Undying Pyre?"
[20:18] <Jaela> "Name's Jaela," she decides to first introduce herself, before getting right to the point. "We're from Lifasa, and we heard there was another guy from there that ended up here. A human going by Crellen. We're here to look him up."
[20:19] <Willim> "I am Willim." Willim says around a mouthful of now-charred meat, pointing at himself.
[20:20] <Kotono> "You may find the way to him. Bravely travel ahead through the inferno, and do not flinch away from the guiding flames. Prove yourself strong enough to pass through the flames and you shall find the true path." THe creature points ahead into the flames, "If you are too weak, you shall be consumed and burnt down to nothing."
[20:21] <Jaela> "That's pretty straightforward. Sure, I'm good with that." Jaela glances at the others. "How about you guys?"
[20:21] * Willim nods. "Endure or die."
[20:21] <Willim> "Seems fair."
[20:21] <Afina> Another trial of the planes to leave its mark upon them... Afina faces it without flinching, knowing Hell would offer far worse, and will when the day of reckoning finally arrives. "This is what our lives are, now."
[20:22] <Ithea> "We do this 'proving ourselves' thing every time we want to meet someone, what's one more time?" Ithea says with a shrug.
[20:22] <Kotono> Arrel laughs, "I fear no flames."
[20:23] <Kotono> "Go forth into the flames," The creature points again, "Give glory to the fires as you pass through them."
[20:24] <Afina> Her transluscent green wings darkened with smoke yet beating fully all the same, Afina starts to fly at a sedate pace in the direction given.
[20:24] * Jaela heads into the flames! It's all pretty straighforward, so she ends up crying "Glory to the fires!" as she rushes ahead.
[20:25] * Willim tromps forward, hooves crushing igneous rock underneath them. He keeps an eye out for danger(or a potential fight)!
[20:25] * Ithea follows along, keeping to a comfortable pace right behind them.
[20:26] <Kotono> Into the flames you go! The way ahead and behind becomes a blaze, the roar of fire around them! As you walk the flames begin to become hotter and hotter - you start to feel uncomfortable, despite your warding magics against fire.
[20:28] <Jaela> There is nothing to do but to head straight, and calling upon Divine Vigor barely slows her down. If her protections are actually overwhelmed, she could reinforce herself with Greater Vigor at that time.
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 5d10
[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 5d10 and gets 26." [5d10=4, 4, 6, 10, 2]
[20:29] <Afina> This is actually a problem for Afina! Having habitually cast a spell to ensure perfect temperature equilibrium and comfort every day of her life for the past several hundred years, the little fairy just isn't inured to being overheated. She's still fast enough that even a flagging pace keeps her with the others, but sweat begins to mar her brow and her clothes, becoming dirty as smoke clings
[20:29] <Afina> more readily to her form.
[20:31] <Kotono> Fire sizzles around you, growing hotter yet! None of you burn, despite feeling the heat keener than before. Beneath you the rock grows softer, giving and squish beneath your feet. The flames are growing hotter and brighter, but ahead you can see what looks like a path - a line of boiling black rock, the flames all around it but not over it.
[20:31] * Willim steadfastly ignores the heat. He's been uncomfortable before, and will be so again soon. Seeing the path, he sets out to leave the flames. No hurry, though.
[20:32] <Jaela> That's the path they are meant to follow, so Jaela heads towards it. Whether it would be better or worse than the flames is another matter entirely, but she can only wait and see.
[20:32] * Ithea picks up her pace with a grimace, the sooner they finish here, the sooner they can get back to the more comfortable environment of Aurora. It's way too damn hot here...
[20:32] <Kotono> roll 6d10 fire damage all
[20:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 6d10 fire damage all and gets 32." [6d10=4, 9, 2, 1, 8, 8]
[20:33] <Kotono> The flames crackle hotter, burning against the party! Slight red marks and blisters start to rise on your overheated bodies, as you reach the path! The rock is nearly molten, your feet nearly sinking in as you continue on! The air is twisted in a heat-haze, the path ahead growing indistinct.
[20:34] <Afina> At least she doesn't have to put her delicate feet on the path, still flying along. But oh, she can literally feel her skin baking... or rather stewing, given the copious sweat marinading her petite form.
[20:34] <Jaela> Nothing to it! It is only because this is a trial that Jaela even walks, otherwise she would just fly ahead.
[20:36] <Kotono> Ahead you walk into the haze. All around you becomes a daze of heat-haze, everything obscured. The way ahead and behind is lost, the flames around you growing fearsome!
[20:37] * Willim walks along, ignoring the heat as best he can, trudging forward as his hooves kick up semi-molten rock on occasion. He peers through the flames. "Is there an end ahead, Jaela?"
[20:37] <Jaela> "Duh. S'why we're walking, yeah?"
[20:38] <Willim> "I was wondering more if you could actually see something." He gives her a flat look.
[20:38] <Afina> Really feeling the heat, Afina calls on a rarely used but nonetheless indispensible spell to sooth her skin with a layer of falsely living insulation that should absorb a few minutes worth of fire before she starts to really hurt again.
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d10+10 false life
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d10+10 false life and gets 19." [1d10=9]
[20:39] <Jaela> "Nah, but it's pointless." Jaela shrugs. "See, this is a divine realm. So we're pretty much walking because a destination exists, and the destination exists because we're walking towards it. That's how it works, so I don't need to see it."
[20:40] <Kotono> roll 6d10 fire damage all
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 6d10 fire damage all and gets 31." [6d10=4, 10, 1, 5, 7, 4]
[20:40] <Kotono> The flames continue to bake at you - the haze holds strong, your progress stopping! You can't seem to progress at all - everything is indistinct as you try and go ahead, dizziness assailing you as you try and pick your way through the haze.
[20:41] * Willim nods slowly, ignoring the blast of heat that washes over them. "I don't know much about other planes. I'm still getting used to clear thought." He looks arouns as the group halts.
[20:42] <Jaela> "Remember Elysium? How we took a shortcut back to the portal to Astral? This place is different, so stuff like that just won't work."
[20:42] * Jaela grins. "No! Instead you go 'Glory to the motherfucking flames!' and try to charge ahead!"
[20:43] <Afina> A weak high pitched voice calls out, "Charge!" and suddenly everyone finds themselves moving faster! Even if it's just moving in place.
[20:43] <Ithea> "Doesn't seem to be working that well that way either," Ithea mutters, flicking steaming sweat off her brow, glad for the spell taking the worst of all this fire. It's already pretty unpleasant.
[20:44] <Jaela> "Because you guys ain't doing it too! C'mon, try it!"
[20:44] <Kotono> Arrel flies on, utterly unperterbed. "Glory to the flames?" He hovers above as he flies, "When in fire, supplicate towards the flames?"
[20:44] * Willim thunders forward, roaring as the fires stoke his dormant rage!
[20:45] <Jaela> "Shit, yeah! Victory or a fiery death!"
[20:47] * Ithea rolls her eyes, and gives a dry "Glory to the flames, yay..." exclamation as she raises her weapon as if cheering, and continues to try to make sense of their path through this inferno.
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 6d10 fire all
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 6d10 fire all and gets 23." [6d10=3, 2, 4, 4, 5, 5]
[20:49] <Kotono> As the flames blaze around you and the party advances, the haze parts! Ahead of you the path continues...and then you see it ahead. A landscape of blazing fire and molten stone, hills ablaze. Ahead of you is a stony, rugged and burning area. Far ahead, on the horizon, you see what looks to be a rising flame, in the shape of a perfect rectangle rising up from the ground and reaching high into
[20:49] <Kotono> the sky.
[20:49] * Jaela grins widely. "See? No one even cares if you're faking it!"
[20:51] * Ithea shakes her head, thinking it ridiculous that even worked, assuming it wasn't even just some coincidence. She doesn't say anything about it, instead just choosing to continue following their path.
[20:52] <Jaela> "I wonder if part of the trial kicking the shit out of some fiery dudes," Jaela muses, quite happy at the prospect.
[20:53] <Afina> "We can't kill people here just for fun," Afina remins Jaela, looking over the warped and apocalyptic landscape before her. Yet in a strange way it teems with life and vibrancy... "Which way, do you think?"
[20:53] <Kotono> As he lazily flies overhead, "Where did you learn to talk like that," Arrel speaks up, "Are you not a paladin? I would imagine your teachers or your master when you squired would have instilled more refined speech."
[20:54] <Jaela> "I can hold back, it's all good," Jaela assures Afina. She gestures towards the fiery rectangle, adding, "Let's go that-a-way."
[20:55] * Jaela snorts at Arrel's words. "Yeah they all died horribly. Speaking nicely didn't save them, so why bother?"
[20:55] * Willim shrugs. heading forward.
[20:55] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 25." [1d100=25]
[20:58] <Kotono> You walk for about an hour, slowly closing distance towards the rectangle. It's still a goodly ways away, the party making decent but not fast time over the high hills. As you crest another one, you can see the next hill. A river of what looks to be magma runs down it and into the nook between the hills, forming a small lake of magma with the edges becoming half-solid gray-black rock. Within
[20:58] <Kotono> that pool are three heads - one looks human but blue, another is dwarven and the third looks human, but with too big eyes. Each head screams out in pain, yet stays perfectly still.
[20:58] * Willim blinks. "What the?"
[21:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18
[21:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18 and gets 32." [1d20=14]
[21:00] <Willim> roll 1d20+1+4 K:R
[21:00] * Hatbot --> "Willim rolls 1d20+1+4 K:R and gets 19." [1d20=14]
[21:00] <Ithea> roll d20+17 K:R
[21:00] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+17 K:R and gets 23." [d20=6]
[21:02] <Jaela> "It's training." Jaela whistles. "Man, Kossuth's church doesn't fuck around."
[21:03] <Afina> "Why are they screaming then?" Afina asks, confused. "Stop and take a break if you're reduced to that!"
[21:04] <Jaela> "They don't burn alive but they feel like they are," Jaela is quite ready to explain. "And they asked to do it. Hardcore, right?"
[21:04] * Willim watches the heads in the pool with unabashed curiosity. "Intense."
[21:05] * Jaela proceeds ahead. "The entire clergy's probably made of Dana."
[21:05] <Ithea> "Not what I'd call it, but to each their own," Ithea comments as she keeps moving along.
[21:09] * Afina just shakes her head and follows. If you're screaming you should stop! Such training should be endured with stoic discipline if attempted at all!
[21:10] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 61." [1d100=61]
[21:12] <Kotono> Another hour or so of walking passes. Above, the blazing sky begins to thicken - almost cloudy, with great gouts of fire throbbing in the sky above.
[21:13] <Afina> "What kind of rain will fall here?" Afina wonders as she looks up, at least a lot more comfortable now that the temperature is properly moderated by her spells.
[21:13] * Jaela doesn't answer, but calls upon Divine Vigor once more. Just in case.
[21:15] <Kotono> "Magma, perhaps?" Arrel looks up, "I've heard of lava-rain when a particularly powerful volcano bursts and seeds the clouds in Ysgard."
[21:16] * Willim shrugs.
[21:16] <Jaela> "Can't be worse than Avernus, and we're gonna go there one day soon so we might as well see how it works?"
[21:17] <Afina> "There were lots of volcanoes in Gehenna," Afina notes thoughtfully, recalling the long time she spent stalking its slopes and crevasses.
[21:20] <Kotono> As you walk along, the rectangular fire still far away, there is a booming crash in the air! It's heavy and loud, not really thunder. It's heavier, weightier, stronger. The full fires above start to throb visibly, as if struggling to hold something in!
[21:21] * Willim whips his head around, hair flying in all directions as he looks for the source of the noise!
[21:21] * Afina looks around for any potential shelter, since being buried in lava isn't good for any of them.
[21:21] <Jaela> "Arrel, you're immune, right?"
[21:22] <Kotono> It's all rocky and burning hills - no sign of immediate cover. Arrel looks up, "Fire will not burn me," he confirms.
[21:22] <Jaela> "S'cool if I use you as cover, then?"
[21:23] <Afina> "If it's a deluge it's a problem for any of us," Afina warns, though she nonetheless drifts towards Arrel and under his wings.
[21:24] <Jaela> "Just gather around," Jaela says, gesturing over for good measure. "I'll dimension door us way up if it's that bad."
[21:24] * Willim moves closer to Jaela! Just in case!
[21:25] * Ithea does the same.
[21:25] <Kotono> Arrel alights down, spreading his wings wide. "Very well," he confirms, "Hide beneath my body,t hat and my wings will shield you from all directions."
[21:25] <Jaela> "Works for me!"
[21:30] <Kotono> As the party gathers around, Arrel spreads his wings wide, wrapping them around the party! A dimness spreads as you are covered, a dome of half-dragon eagle protecting you above. You don't have much time to ruminate on this, for seconds later you begin to hear a thudding outside! A few soft ones, before heavier ones are heard, muffled by the wings and body around you! "A hail of fire and
[21:30] <Kotono> brimstone!" Arrel calls, "As if the sky was weeping fire and vomiting up stone as one!"
[21:30] <Kotono> roll 2d12 bludgeoning damage, DR 10 applies.
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d12 bludgeoning damage, DR 10 applies. and gets 4." [2d12=2, 2]
[21:30] <Kotono> OOC: Arrel only, also moot for him.
[21:31] * Jaela presses her hang to Arrel's wing, imbuing him with Greater Vigor. "Nice mental image! Thanks!"
[21:31] <Afina> Crying and vomiting, who doesn't love that feeling?
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 20#2d12-14
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20#2d12-14 and gets -16." [20#2d12-14 = -6, 0, 0, -3, 2, 3, -6, -8, -3, -3, 3, -8, -8, 7, 2, 3, 7, 5, -3, 0]
[21:34] <Kotono> The pounding rages for a few minutes, the heavy, constant thudding of stone and hissing of fire your only companions in close! Arrel holds over you tightly, not a rock getting past him! After these few moments the thuddings slow and cease, Arrel calling, "It's over."
[21:35] <Jaela> "Sky's all better now?"
[21:35] <Afina> "That was brief at least," Afina smiles, coming out from under the eagle's protective plumage and surveying the landscape after the storm.
[21:35] <Kotono> A moment later his wings spread away, restoring vision of around you. The ground is littered with heavy, broken black rocks, ranging in size from pebbles to nearly Galuh-sized stones.  Holes in the ground are about, some hissing with little deposits of magma. The scent of brimstone and sulphur is thick in the air, the sky clear once more.
[21:36] * Ithea whistles at the sight. "Glad you came along, Arrel," Ithea mutters.
[21:36] * Willim is used to the smell of sulfur and brimstone, it's what he smells like on a daily basis. "What now?"
[21:36] <Jaela> "That huge fire won't get to us by itself."
[21:37] <Jaela> Thus, Jaela starts walking once more!
[21:38] <Kotono> Arrel takes to the air, the party resuming! OOC: End of duration on resist energies is coming up. Going to refresh those?
[21:39] <Jaela> OOC: I'll handle this round
[21:39] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, note the duration in cauldron.
[21:42] <Kotono> You travel on for another two hours, spells refreshed shortly therein. After cresting innumeral hills, you come to what looks to be a shallow, short valley. Within it are several short, squat houses. They are made of red brick, unburning inthe flames. There are several deep holes in the ground, no one about otherwise.
[21:42] <Kotono> Ahead the rectangle of flame is much closer - getting closer, you can tell you're perhaps an hour or two away from it.
[21:44] <Jaela> As no house looks different from the others, indicating an inn or a townhouse, Jaela just approaches the nearest one and knocks twice on the door.
[21:47] <Kotono> There is no answer to Jaela's knocks.
[21:47] <Jaela> "Anyone here? Any-- oh fuck, does anyone speak the burning language?"
[21:49] * Afina mutely shakes her head.
[21:50] <Ithea> "I don't," Ithea says.
[21:50] <Jaela> "We'll look so dumb. Ah well, anyone else? Figured he might be here or someone'll know of this guy, but I guess we'll have to keep going towards the big fire."
[21:51] * Willim shrugs.
[21:51] * Jaela starts walking again. In about ten minutes or so they'll need to recast their protective spells, anyway.
[21:52] <Kotono> OOC: Who has round 3 of protection then?
[21:52] <Jaela> OOC: Eb, let's split it halfway?
[21:52] <Ithea> ooc: I'll cast it next
[21:52] <Afina> "We can try another house," Afina suggests, picking one at random to knock on.
[22:00] <Kotono> Another door is knocked on! Again there is no answer at all.
[22:02] * Ithea looks down as she raises her foot, feeling something odd at her ankle.
[22:02] <Afina> Then it's for the big fire!
[22:03] <Kotono> Looking down, Ithea can see a hand on her foot! She pulls it up - it's attached to a short, squat humanoid. It has skin like burnished bronze, wearing naught but a metal-strip kilt.  It has a neutral face with no expression, a wreath of fire burning around its head.  It speaks a few words that sound sharp and bubbly, words that mean nothing to any of you.
[22:04] <Kotono> The creature comes right out of the ground as if it's not bothered by going through the solid matter, not even disturbing the ground much in it's wake.
[22:05] <Willim> "...nice trick."
[22:05] <Ithea> "...what the heck are you?" Ithea asks as she moves from her current spot to one a bit further away, trying to figure the creature out. "Speak common? Elven? Draconic? Something I know?"
[22:07] <Kotono> The creature stares impassively back at Ithea, speaking more unknown words. After that and a frown, it slowly says, "Speak...trade? Com..mon? Trade?" OOC: K:P here if you're curious as to what it is.
[22:08] <Ithea> roll d20+28 K:P
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+28 K:P and gets 48." [d20=20]
[22:11] <Ithea> "Oh good, you do speak something I know!" Ithea says pleasantly. "What do you have available for trading, I guess?"
[22:14] <Kotono> Arrel hovers down closer as the creature looks about, then back to Ithea. "Trade...? Fire. Firemetal trade." He says slowly, frowning as he says the words. "Fire-metal. Firesteel." Frowning even more and snapping his fingers, muttering something in words you don't know, "Burning steel?"
[22:16] <Kotono> As the giant eagle lands near Jaela, Willim and Afina, "It doesn't seem intimidated or scared," he murmurs, "Most little creatures would stare or panic on seeing me. What is it?"
[22:17] <Ithea> "That sounds kind of interesting...oh, and do you know a guy named...Crellen?" she asks, turning to look at the others for confirmation on the name.
[22:17] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18
[22:17] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18 and gets 34." [1d20=16]
[22:17] * Jaela nods back at Ithea, even as she whispers to Arrel, "Fire dwarf."
[22:19] <Kotono> The azer frowns quite deeply at that, muttering again in foreign tongues. That is, until you mention Crellen. At that he glances towards the rectangle, "Firefriend. Crellen. Crellen firefriend."
[22:19] * Willim grunts, leaning back. "He wants to trade? Who's Crellen?"
[22:19] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18 and gets 21." [1d20=3]
[22:21] <Ithea> "Oh, that's good. You think you could lead us to him and introduce us? He can help us with our business, and maybe help you do your trading too."
[22:22] <Kotono> "Business? Trade?" The creature grunts, looking back and forth, "No trade. Gift. Give. GIFT." The last word is muttered, something rather dark and annoyed uttered in unknown words. At last he glowers, "Sit. Stay." he manages, before sinking into the ground.
[22:23] <Ithea> "...huh, I think I might have offended him," Ithea mutters, as she scratches her head.
[22:24] <Kotono> "His grasp of Common is poor," Arrel observes, "A pity he doesn't seem to speak a better tongue, like dragonspeech."
[22:24] * Willim looks at Ithea. "You pissed him off!"
[22:25] <Ithea> "Not on purpose! He mentioned trading first!" Ithea replies.
[22:27] <Kotono> As the heroes discuss matters, another creature comes up from the ground. This one is similar to the last, save for carrying a cherry red, steaming hot pickaxe in one hand. In a light accent that draws pops into his vowels and crackles to the end of his sentences, "You aren't natives of fire. Are you a trading delegation?"
[22:28] <Jaela> "Oh hey." Jaela perks up. "We're looking for this Crellen guy, but we can trade too if you know about him. Do you?"
[22:30] <Kotono> The creature looks towards the rectangle, "Flammar Ideel lies a few hours ahead by foot. You'll find Crellen there. As for business, do you have gems?"
[22:32] * Jaela raises her hands. "I'm broke where it comes to cash and gems."
[22:33] <Kotono> "No gems, no trade." The azer shakes his head, sinking back into the ground and out of sight.
[22:34] <Ithea> "Pity, that firesteel stuff sounded a little interesting," Ithea says as the fire dwarf vanishes.
[22:34] <Afina> "That was completely pointless. Lets go where we were already going," Afina speaks up at last, continuing on towards the big rectangular flame.
[22:34] * Ithea nods and starts heading in that direction again.
[22:36] <Jaela> "It kinda was, but confirmation's nice," Jaela muses.
[22:37] <Kotono> Another hour and a half of travel passes as you come closer. Ahead of you the rectangle of fire looms large into the sky. Coming close, you see that an archway of chiseled, shiny black stone leads directly into the flames, as if a gateway into burning.
[22:39] <Jaela> "Oh, glorious flames!" Jaela charges into the archway!
[22:42] * Afina follows amiably after Jaela.
[22:43] * Ithea charges in as well, though she holds back on any fake cheering.
[22:46] <Kotono> Into the archway you go! To your surprise the air cools. It becomes only roastingly hot, something that perhaps the worst summer day in a decade could bring. Ahead is a small room, the floor covered with black ash. Sitting in the middle is a nude man. He wears nothing and is emancipated, body covered in red and purple tattoos. Throughout his body needles are jagged, steaming hot. He does not
[22:46] <Kotono> bleed, nor does he rise. What he does speak is lost to you, perhaps more Ignan or some other fire-based tongue.
[22:48] <Jaela> "Sorry, no Ignan," Jaela says in that language, the only phrase she knows in it. "Speak Common?"
[22:49] <Kotono> "Common?" He answers, voice low and brooding. "If that is what you speak. I am Berop, the Lowest Ember."
[22:51] <Jaela> "I'm Jaela, uh, Aurora's pilot." It'll work till she gets a proper title. "We're looking for Crellen, since we're from Lifasa too. Is he here? We went through fire, literally."
[22:54] <Kotono> "Brazier Crellen is here. You desire an audience with him, if I may presume?"
[22:56] <Afina> "We have heard is mighty," Afina breaks in before a tone of them being supplicants can set in. "We wish to see if that is so and add his strength to our own, so our sundered world might be reforged."
[22:56] <Jaela> "Bra-- nevermind, yeah, we do. Like Afina said, just tell him we're from Lifasa too and we all hate devils, so let's hate them together."
[22:59] <Kotono> "Walk with me," Berop rises, leading you on. You are escorted to the next room - which is a grand stair made of pure white stone, unblemished by burns. You ascend up several stories, passing by several doors. The doors begin plain and unremarkable, nothing but black stone. As you rise higher the doors are made of shinier black stone, the last few before Berop stops being inlaid with what looks
[22:59] <Kotono> to be silver. It is here that Berop stops, at one of those shiny silver and black doors.  "I shall call on the Brazier and ask for your audience," he says.
[22:59] <Jaela> "Thanks!"
[23:01] * Afina nods gravely.
[23:02] <Kotono> A minute or so passes before Berop emerges. He holds the door open and says nothing, merely stepping out of the way ahead.
[23:03] <Jaela> "Thanks again!" With their audience granted, Jaela proceeds inside.
[23:03] * Afina takes the implied invitation and flies in after Jaela.
[23:03] * Willim clops in after the two girls.
[23:03] * Ithea gives a quiet nod of thanks to Berop before following along.
[23:07] <Kotono> Within this room ahead you find that the floors are fine marble, inlaid at the corners with what looks to be a light toned wood. Paintings and tapestries hang on the walls, each showing scenes of various things - nothing fiery, but instead the pastoral, the natural, the beautiful skies. Several soft, stuffed chairs are arrainged in a semi-circle before a high backed throne. Here a man sits. He
[23:07] <Kotono> has ruddy red hair and a reddened face, as if blushing. But on closer look you can see the redness is even, as if soaked into his very flesh. He wears ornate red and orange robes, ruby encrusted jewelry worn. His face unremarkable otherwise, expression cautiously neutral. He doesn't smile though he does not, "Be seated if you care to. If not, speak your peace."
[23:09] * Ithea plops on one of the chairs.
[23:09] <Jaela> Since the man is sitting, Jaela does likewise. "Brazier Crellen? I'm Jaela. We all have something in common."
[23:10] * Willim sits in a chair!
[23:12] <Kotono> "Really?" Brazier Crellen replies, "If you speak of our land of birth, you are correct."
[23:12] <Afina> Afina is happy flying, and really she's a bit smoky to be sitting in people's furniture. "I am Afina, this is Jaela, Willim, Ithea, and Arrel," she introduces herself and her companions, steel in her high voice. "We are of the few who survived Bel's invasion of Lifasa. Like you we watched as hellish feet trampled our home, our heritage, and our birthright. We lost everything, but we will not
[23:12] <Afina> let this stand - and so we ask of you; will you fight to overturn the hopeless? To drive back certain defeat? To avenge all that was lost?"
[23:13] <Kotono> "No." He answers after another moment, shaking his head, "'tis a fool's errand. Hell won and shattered our strength. If we could not defeat them with all our might, how can a few lost fragments have a chance?"
[23:14] <Jaela> "See, this is why you listen first before you mock us."
[23:14] * Willim blinks, confused. "No?"
[23:15] <Jaela> "I think you're misunderstanding something here. Do you think we're beggars, here asking you to help us out? What you should be asking yourself instead is, just what do these weirdoes have that lets them say something so outrageous."
[23:16] <Kotono> "What have you that could compete with Abigor's advantage on our world?" He frowns slightly now, "I have looked into the depths to find an answer, and none comes. Time will not repeat its course, nor will any force that can be mustered likely avail itself."
[23:16] <Kotono> *repeal
[23:17] <Jaela> "The Aurora, for starters. Old name, Medicant. We've even hit them once and freed some of the others."
[23:18] <Afina> Afina looks disappointed but doesn't care to protest. "So be it. Many of Lifasa's children have followed this path - though none with the fearsome reputation you enjoy. Live out your days in the desmense of your God if that pleases you, I bear you no ill will." She turns now and flies out. If anyone wants to try and talk him around they can waste their breath without troubling her ears.
[23:23] <Kotono> "So you have some fragment of the past and a few survivors." A short nod to Afina as she turns to leave, "I know Abigor enjoys total tactical superiority and the backing of Warlord Bel. What strategy do you have to defeat the legions of narzugons that will decimate your ranks? How will you defeat the erinyes that spread dissent and confusion from above? Do you have a counter for the Pit Fiend
[23:23] <Kotono> leaders who can slay a hundred normal men in a few moment's effort?"
[23:25] <Jaela> "The pit fiend that faced us in battle fled. That's us, not the Aurora or our army. Our strategy? It's simple enough. Hit devils, recruit worthy people, rescue the prisoners. We heard you made a name for yourself over hating devils. You're just fine with letting them be without doing anything about it?"
[23:27] <Kotono> That gets a snort from Crellen, who sits back and folds his hands together, "I'll speak with directness and slowly, as you seem to have trouble grasping my intent...or is your strategy so utterly simple? Do you have any plan for victory, or merely hoping to follow those vague ideas and expect it to beat Baator's best? What of your army, how strong is it? What of allies?"
[23:28] <Jaela> "You think I'm dumb enough to go into details with someone who won't even commit to come back with us to check things out?" Jaela raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, no. We've got our plans, from the immediate to the long term. It's not something we share with just anyone on the first date. Or is that some sort of cute test of character?"
[23:32] <Kotono> "Yes," Hea nswers without even blinking, "You strike me as one of the copper a dozen hot-blooded warriors who serve Fire. You expect me to go along with these promises from an angel, a pixie, a...I'm not sure what you are," A look at Ithea, "A...I'm not sure WHAT you are, some kind of fiend?" A wrinkle of his nose at Wililm, "And an overgrown bird? You want me enough to come find me, so tell me
[23:32] <Kotono> more than those vageu, hopeful words."
[23:34] <Willim> "I'm Willim." he shrugs.
[23:34] <Jaela> "Look," Jaela says, leaning forward, "are you being on the level with us or not? If you are, come and see for yourself. It's just a plane shift away, and I've got you covered on the return trip. You'll see for yourself just what we accomplished together in under a month."
[23:45] <Kotono> "Right," A glance at Willim before he goes on, "No." He shakes his head, "You come here and ask that I join you, and put the entire onus on myself to come. I am an honored member of this church. Ten years," He jabs a thumb at himself, "Ten years of hard work before I reached this rank, then the struggle to establish myself here and earn distinction. I am not some dog to leap up at your request
[23:45] <Kotono> and take your word on things."
[23:46] <Ithea> "You have to keep in mind, we're not teleporting to Abigor's home and assaulting the very moment we get one more person to join us, whether it's you or someone else. This started with one man, then four more, right now we have a whole lot more.
[23:46] <Ithea> We're testing our strengths, doing some surprise attacks where we can, and improving our strenghts and defenses. You say Lifasa was at it's strongest when it was assaulted. How? It was a world of peace, nobody knew what was coming.
[23:46] <Ithea> We're gathering the people that want to fight, that know there -will- be a reckoning. If you're not willing to sacrifice even a visit, well, maybe Afina had the right idea after all."
[23:46] * Ithea stands up then, and follows after the pixie.
[23:48] <Jaela> "Ten years?" Jaela blinks. "Sorry, we've got the wrong guy. Keep up the good work!" She stands up, offering him a quick nod, and then jerks her head towards the door. "C'mon guys, the others are waiting."
[23:49] <Willim> "Ten years? Lifasa hasn't been gone that long. Why ten years?" Willim asks, standing.
[23:49] * Jaela doesn't really care and leaves by then.
[23:50] <Kotono> As Jaela goes Crellen rises as well, stopping to look towards Willim, "Do you think Kossuth's church is entirely unknown to Lifasa?" He snorts again, "Were I not well initiated by the time of the attack, how would I have known to come here or have obtained status here?"
[23:53] <Willim> "So...you ran before the devils came? I suppose it doesn't matter. If you want to stay here, we won't hold a grudge over it. We're after the freedom of our world, not making more enemies." Willim shakes his head. "Have a good day, then."