024.3 Jaela and the Terminal Archive

[Corwin]

[20:05] <Kotono> Annalise is found in the library. She has a few books open, scribbing on a scroll occasionally. Her brow is furrowed as she reads, seemingly utterly consumed in her research.
[20:07] <Jaela> "I'm back from Brightwater," Jaela announces, peering over Annalise's shoulder obnoxiously. "Is that the Medi research, or the creepy magma head research?" The only two she really knows of, where it comes to Annalise.
[20:09] <Kotono> "The oddity from Limbo," The book is written in a language Jaela doesn't know, Annalise leaning back and looking up at Jaela. "I have better things to do than to argue with that little blonde harlot over the same portal books. So, you return unsmited and safe. How was it?"
[20:13] <Jaela> "Pretty decent." Jaela takes the seat by her. "Can't speak for what Lord Tyr will do or even can do, but we were treated okay. That's the sort of law I'm fine with! This sorta honorable behavior's important, and so's remembering the key parts, who are your enemies and who are just people you disagree with." She colors slightly. "Heh, ended up rambling about that instead of just asking you how you were. So how are you?"
[20:20] <Kotono> "Mmmm, it's quite the puzzle that's bothering me." Closing the book she was reading, its dull red cover making a light thump as leather hits paper, "I think whatever that thing is, it's relatively new. Someone's new twist, probably from the Abyss, Hades or one of those realms. That, or perhaps a lone mortal, but if so he's an unusual one."
[20:21] <Jaela> "Think he's dead enough to qualify for the spell that talks to dead people?"
[20:25] <Kotono> "No, I tried. He's alive - a regenerator that doesn't die to anything I've tried. Cold iron, silver, adamantine, good, evil, law, chaos. Not a single success, alone or in various combinations. Now, unless you're a superior specimen," Annalise smiles a moment, "There's always a way to overcome regeneration. I'm thinking more that this thing has found a relatively unusual way to do that, or some
[20:25] <Kotono> workaround. Fascinating for what it is, really."
[20:26] <Jaela> "He's cheating, on a planar scale?" Jaela snorts. "Good for him. If he's alive, then, can't you interrogate him the way you did the devils? I know he must be fucked up in the head, but even then simple questions of how he became that way could be answered?"
[20:29] <Kotono> "It's happened before," Annalise says, "Long, long ago there was a mortal that managed to manipulate his records in Mechanus to do it. Another did it by having a font of overwhelming life within him." Smirking at that, "It hasn't worked. He's hideously insane, so much that the magic can't seem to compel him. Be it his own or something inflicted on him to protect trade secrets. No, if the secrets
[20:29] <Kotono> are going to be found, it's going to take footwork, I think."
[20:30] <Jaela> "Literally? As in, you wanna take a trip sometime with me to figure it out?"
[20:32] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm." Smiling now, gently as she says, "You'll need some illusory magic and a strong stomach, but you're welcome to come along."
[20:33] * Jaela winces. "Just how horrible is this place?"
[20:37] <Kotono> "It's in the Abyss," Without really breaking her smile at all, "It's relatively civilized for the Abyss - there's a non-aggression agreement within its walls. Of course, information is never free. You'd best come with information of your own to offer, or something to tempt one of the demons there into talking. Anything's tolerated there, celestials, yugoloths, inevitables...even devils. Of
[20:37] <Kotono> course, it's not productive if a white-winged angel is there. It's far better if you can fake a much darker cast to your heritage, hm?"
[20:38] * Jaela rolls her eye. "The Abyss is fucking horrible, so yeah, it should've been my first guess. Isn't illusion magic pretty useless around detection spells and true seeing, though? That sounds like the sort of place where I couldn't just hide myself."
[20:40] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm. That's why you take further precautions," Annalise says, "It's not perfect, but it keeps the riff-raff from raising trouble. Anyone with an ounce of refinement isn't going to risk the librarian's wrath, or that of his pet dragon."
[20:43] <Jaela> "I figure if anyone could help me blend in, it'd be you," Jaela muses, thinking it over. "And if I can accept not smiting devils if I see them in Brightwater, I can do that here as well. But anyone crosses the line, and you back me up when we kick their ass?"
[20:45] <Kotono> "Oh certainly," Annalise agrees, "Though be wary. Only the strong are in the Terminal Archive. Battles there are best avoided by all." There's a few moment's pause, Annalise smiling even more, "This is a place where might makes ruination. Understand that well."
[20:46] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18+15 do I know of it?
[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18+15 do I know of it? and gets 51." [1d20=18]
[20:48] * Jaela nods seriously, not smiling in response. "I'll only act to save someone, but I can bide my time on the rest. Just like with Abigor."
[20:53] <Kotono> "Good." Annalise says, "We can leave whenever you're ready and prepared, then."
[20:55] <Jaela> "I'll grab the bestial armor and then you can have fun rubbing soot into my wings?"
[21:09] <Kotono> "How utterly plain," Annalise chuckles pleasantly, "But yes, let's do that."
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 disguise, +15 Divine Inspiration
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 disguise, +15 Divine Inspiration and gets 27." [1d20=2]
[21:10] <Kotono> Soon enough Jaela has soot blackened wings, wearing her hide armor. Dusting her hands clean with a few words of magic, "That should do well enough on first sight," she announces.
[21:11] * Jaela peers over her shoulder and nods. "Got a spell for the magical detection?"
[21:14] <Kotono> "Unfortunately not," Annalise replies with a slight frown, "I had assumed you had that sort of magic."
[21:15] <Jaela> "Nah. C'mon, you know me. Given a choice between drawing devils to me and hiding from them, which would I choose?" Jaela snorts. "Let's go and bum Tepen for a casting? Maybe he has a scroll or something lying around."
[21:29] <Kotono> There is a curious lack of feeling as you are plane shifted. Just a moment of darkness and then? You appear beneath a blood-red sky. The endless sky throbs like an infected wound, the air around you hot as a desert at noon during high summer. It is a dry heat, not a trace of humidity in it. You stand in an intricate magical circle, six of them interlocking together into one defined, yet erratic
[21:29] <Kotono> whole. Ahead of you is a cobblestone path, leading ahead into the endless, flat planes around you. "Hmph," Annalise murmurs, "It seems we'll have to walk a bit. Come, Jaela. Keep your eyes open."
[21:30] <Jaela> "Sure thing." She doesn't ask about drawing a weapon, since this plane should make violence unlikely in the extreme. "Is that because of me, or does that happen?"
[21:34] <Kotono> "It happens if you aren't in current favor of the librarian," She replies, "Two thousand years is apparently too long for him. Alas." After a moment, "Oh yes, the treaty of safety only extends into the library. Do be on guard for the Memory Thieves."
[21:36] <Jaela> That's all Jaela needs to hear to bring Gae Trocaire into play. "Fuck, anything else you forgot to mention?"
[21:36] <Kotono> "Nothing important," Annalise comes forward, "Besides, this'll make the walk pass faster."
[21:39] <Jaela> "Just let me know if you spot one," Jaela asks, knowing her own limits. She keeps by Annalise's side. "Say, this isn't the best of times, but you keep on putting it off. You know. The part about how you were before, or how you did it? Blondie was rude as fuck, but I can't really blame her for calling bullshit that one time."
[21:44] <Kotono> "If you must know," Annalise proceeds along, with a regal strut in her step, "I seduced the First. I believe I told you this before, now that I think of it." A smirk comes to Annalise as she recounts that, "A powerful being, no doubt - but still a man before me, a creature of passion that can be ignored with the right spark."
[21:45] <Jaela> "Yeah, you told that first thing." Jaela grins at the memory. "But what came before that? Why did you do it? Did you have to outrun death and grab power, or was it just a whim?"
[21:46] <Kotono> Annalise doesn't reply right away. She continues to walk along, looking up at the sky, "Would you accept anything but the best out of you, for your Crusade?"
[21:47] <Jaela> "You're asking if there are things I won't do to become the best I could ever be and all that?"
[21:48] <Kotono> "I suppose I am," Annalise replies, "Do you deserve to give yourself anything but the best?"
[21:51] <Jaela> "Remember the time when we met and I was all pathetic and whiny? I'm not really like that anymore." Jaela snorts, shaking her head at the memory. "Yeah, I'll definitely do all I can now to be at my best. But since there's more than one way to get there, I figure it's up to me to choose the way. So you're saying it was like that for you? You hit some, uh, plateau or whichever, and figured the best way to keep going was to seduce immortality out of some guy?"
[21:54] <Kotono> "Not quite. But I decided that I deserved the best. The First was the best. I put my sights on it and obtained it," Annalise says, matter of fact until the end, when she smirks again, "Really, the Gods want you to just die so you can serve them or feed them as a soul. What profit is it for you to look past the lies and obtain power for yourself? I dared to look past, to make my own destiny. I
[21:54] <Kotono> took another path and took it into my own hands."
[21:56] <Jaela> "To even know that much, you were... what, some sorta archmage? Like blondie and all?" Jaela peers at Annalise sideways. "Is it really that strange that I wanna know more about you?"
[22:00] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 50." [1d100=50]
[22:00] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 71." [1d100=71]
[22:01] <Kotono> "I mastered the nine circles by the time I was 21," Annalise says with a negligent wave of her hand. "But yes, I was." After a moment, "No, I suppose not. Curiosity is a sign of a well functioning mind, one that looks beyond the drivel and propaganda they're fed."
[22:01] * Jaela grins again. "Are you gonna be jealous if I beat your time?"
[22:04] <Kotono> "Not at all." Annalise replies airily, "I was a late bloomer - I learned precise body strikes and evasive tactics before taking up magic proper. I rather handicapped myself with that."
[22:05] * Jaela gives her a patient look. "If you say so." As something occurs to her, she asks, "But then, if you weren't damned or whatever, why not just say so and shut blondie up?"
[22:06] <Kotono> "As if I would give into that pathetic woman's jibes," Annalise sniffs, "She annoys me."
[22:09] <Jaela> "She's pretty arrogant." Like you, Jaela doesn't add. She almost frowns as she considers just how alike they superficially seem. "Still, whatever. Maybe she'll mellow out or something. Eh, instead of talking about her, wanna tell me more about your mortal life? What sorta world was it? Did you have any family? Fuck, did you know your family, or were you pretty much like me?"
[22:15] <Kotono> "Entirely uneventful and filled with envy by others," Annalise snorts, "Oh, she's barely an adult and throwing about that magic?" Annalise laughs low in her throat, as you see something on the horizon. A towering building, of floors of dissimilar size. It's all made of pure brown stones, seemingly glued together solidly. A great gate leads to within, several statues glimpsed, but you're too far
[22:15] <Kotono> away to make any of them out.
[22:16] <Jaela> "Jealous fuckers, the lot of them," Jaela readily agrees. "Like adults are better. Please!"
[22:20] <Kotono> "Shh." Annalise begins to walk faster, "We're in sight. We should be safe, but all the same, pay attention."
[22:21] * Jaela gives her a curt nod of acceptance back. She can always ask Annalise more another time.
[22:22] <Kotono> As you walk ahead, you can see that the statues are of creatures far and wide. Demons, devils, angels, slaad, and a dozen other things you don't immediately know. They all loom over you, as Annalise sedately hurries along. The gates leading inside are closed, "When I stop and announce my name, come up next to me and do the same."
[22:23] <Jaela> "Will do."
[22:26] <Kotono> Soon enough you stand before the gates! They are made of pure blackened iron! Annalise stops, "I am Annalise, requesting entrance to the Terminal Archive," she announces, "For the sake of knowledge."
[22:27] <Jaela> "I am Jaela, requesting entrance to the Terminal Archive for the sake of knowledge," Jaela repeats after her word for word after stepping up to Annalise. Who knows what deviating from the script even slightly would cause?
[22:34] <Kotono> At this, the iron gates open! There is silence as they do, not a sound from the vast iron moving. Ahead of you, you can see bookshelves. Endless bookshelves, stretching out as far as you can see. Rows and rows and yet more rows, no walls in sight. "Ah yes, right into it," Annalise says, "Unless you want to read until we get lucky, it's best if we find someone who can help."
[22:38] <Jaela> And thus Gae Trocaire goes back into storage, until she needs to call upon it once more. "Is it okay to just pick a book and leaf through it?" Jaela asks Annalise curiously. "Ooh! Maybe there's even something about that asshole Lixer, since we're at a library? Or on how to deal with our prisoners permanently?"
[22:39] <Kotono> "There may just be. But knowledge is not free, remember." Annalise steps forward, "Think about what you might give to obtain that knowledge, Jaela, as we walk."
[22:42] <Jaela> "Right-o. Not touching random books for a glance." Jaela can't help but frown, however. "I don't wanna sound more jealous than I am, but just what are you gonna be offering to your old pals?"
[22:43] <Kotono> "You'll be happier being curious," Annalise replies as she begins to walk along.
[22:44] <Jaela> "Yeah, no question about it. But I can take the truth."
[22:51] <Kotono> "Souls will do," Annalise says, "A larvae raid on Hades or another realm can produce what we need."
[23:03] <Jaela> "What else will do?" Jaela wonders, thinking it over. She never really considered the issue of evil souls used as currency as something more than theoretical before, and it's as good a time as any. "Since your old realm was okay, maybe so are all sorts of stashes you kept of priceless stuff?"

[Corwin]

[20:01] <Kozzz> "If I had resources," Annalise drawls lazily as she walks, "Don't you think I'd have used them already?"
[20:02] <Jaela> "Dunno." Jaela shrugs for good measure. "People keep stuff for a rainy day. It's not like you really need much in your daily life, with us and immortality and being an archmage."
[20:05] <Kozzz> Annalise chuckles at this, but is otherwise silent as you walk...(More)
[20:05] <Kozzz> roll 1d100
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Kozzz rolls 1d100 and gets 98." [1d100=98]
[20:05] <Kozzz> roll 1d100
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Kozzz rolls 1d100 and gets 9." [1d100=9]
[20:06] <Jaela> "I was serious, though," Jaela insists. "What else will do? I'm sure you know, with having been here lots before."
[20:08] <Kozzz> For perhaps twenty minutes you wander, through the shelves. You come to a single winding stair and ascend, the second floor the same. The rows are more erratic up here, stacks of books lying about. As Jaela replies, she begins to smell the stench of bile and offal. "Oftentimes, I prefer to negiotiate with the demon or entity who has the knowledge. Demons are ever variable in what they desire from you, save for utter destruction and ruination."
[20:12] <Jaela> "Taking out their enemies might work for us, depending on who they are," Jaela muses. "It'll nab us good info, too, in the process." Since the library was declared to be safe, she doesn't put herself more on guard than she already is, being in the Abyss. "I'm sure someone as cunning and knowledgeable will be able to get a favorable deal." She winks at Annalise. "But if you're ready to throw in the towel, I could always try in your place."
[20:14] <Kozzz> Annalise chuckles again, as she sniffs the air, "Ah, how miserable. I do believe we're close to a demon, at least. Shall we?"
[20:15] <Jaela> "And here I was trying to ignore the smell," Jaela mutters, tagging along.
[20:21] <Kozzz> Past a few more rows, you come in sight of it. An decapited male humanoid is impaled on a stick sideways, stomach up. Said stomach is torn open, digestive track visible. The miserable thing looms over the skewed body, eating bits of intestine and bile. It is twenty feet tall and with a hairy, ape-like body. Tiny black wings jut from its back. It's face has tusks, a look of eternal displeasure
[20:21] <Kozzz> and rage visible on it.
[20:23] * Jaela gives the demon a look of scorn and disgust that would not look out of place either on her regular features or on those of her current disguise.
[20:28] <Kozzz> The creature returns that look, as Annalise clears her throat, "We are looking for information."
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 aye carumba these things have spot out the bunghole
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 aye carumba these things have spot out the bunghole and gets 33." [1d20=2]
[20:32] <Kotono> The creatures reaches out and rips out a bit of pink inner flesh, chewing it noisily before replying, "What information do you desire?"
[20:33] <Kotono> "Information on a creature that cannot die."  Annalise replies, "A relatively new comer to the stage, I believe."
[20:33] <Jaela> With negotiations, she could certainly help. She can be the counter to Annalise, come up with some weird idea of payment or even just look imposing. The actual request for information, however, regrettably must come from someone who actually studied the mutilated head from Limbo, and she keeps silent for now.
[20:34] <Kotono> More meat eating, the body being slowly consumed, "Above. Fifth floor. Look for Darvul," The creature says.
[20:35] <Jaela> "Hmph." Without giving it a second glance, Jaela starts heading away.
[20:39] <Kotono> Annalise is step and step with you. In your mind you hear, 'A disgusting triviality, but unavoidable.'
[20:39] <Jaela> She can't do anything for those already dead, and thinks as much back to Annalise.
[20:40] <Kotono> As you are now a little away, Annalise replies aloud, "That's just the body. The soul is likely in a far more lamentable state."
[20:42] <Jaela> "Likely," Jaela repeats, not contesting that. "You know, I can't believe I'm back in the Abyss so soon. Once was enough. Once was more than enough. I really must be crazy."
[20:44] <Kotono> Annalise smiles at that, "The Abyss isn't so bad. Why not embrace it? Demons can be vulgar, vile things...but they understand their priorities. They serve themselves and refuse to accept anything else. In a way, they are worth of praise from all."
[20:48] <Jaela> "I'll pretend you're just kidding. You probably are. Come on, that smell? Ugh." Jaela shakes her head, unable to really smile back even if it's a joke. "Anyway, since we've got a breather away from that freak of nature and until we find Darvul, I just wanted to be clear, okay? You can't agree blindly to whatever the fuck he wants. I mean, even if it's something you did in the past. We're starting from a clean slate, right? So I don't want you to taint yourself and all that. Don't demean yourself by doing something like raiding for souls."
[20:57] <Kotono> "Please, if I raid for souls, it'll be destroying an entire collective and gathering enough souls to serve many times over." Annalise retorts. "Besides, it hardly matters. They're going to suffer no matter what for their sins. It's only a matter of which tormented realm they get."
[20:58] <Jaela> "It's still a shitty thing to do. Slavery, basically, innit? And really, if your argument is 'everyone here does it', that's kinda proving my point for me."
[21:02] <Kotono> Annalise merely shrugs, "These souls made their own damnation. The greater crime would be saving them from it altogether. Otherwise, what point were their lives? No, they've earned nothing more than to be used and tormented. Unless..." Drawling a moment, "Perhaps all those things you've heard may not be entirely true?"
[21:05] <Jaela> "It's not about that." Jaela shakes her head. "Aren't you looking at it wrong? It's about us, not them. What we do matters." She scowls. "You know what's happening to prisoners in Hell, but does that mean you should go and rape the devils we've got locked up? Corny as it sounds, I don't want you to sink to their level. If it's something anyone here would do without a second thought, that's probably a good sign we shouldn't."
[21:10] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 92." [1d100=92]
[21:10] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 5." [1d100=5]
[21:11] <Kotono> As you walk, the bookshelves grow narrower. The lightning becomes dimmer, the air colder yet. Annalise starts to reply but pauses instead, "Well, well. Hold that train of thought a moment, Jaela."
[21:12] <Jaela> "As much as you need me to," Jaela is content enough to respond. "A friend, this time?"
[21:16] <Kotono> As you speak, the way ahead is blocked! Great heaps of books appear, towering up to the ceiling and blocking progress! There is a soft groan as the bookshelves begin to close in, as if to crush you between them! Jaela can faintly hear whispers, whispers of, "Give us...Give us...Give us..."
[21:17] <Jaela> "Annalise?" Jaela voices, mildly worried. But she can always plane shift out, can't she? She should be able to....
[21:18] <Kotono> "Droll," Annalise replies, "The books are hungry. Jaela, can you manage a bit of fire to make them think better of it?"
[21:21] <Jaela> "I can manage a lot of fire." Probably, if luck favors her. "You sure it's okay to break out a prismatic spray in here?"
[21:22] <Kotono> "Do you wish for your mind to be siphoned off and all you know to be fed to the hunger of the books?" Annalise replies, as the shelves inch close, currently 12 feet away on either side and closing!
[21:25] * Jaela calls upon an inferno to descend upon her at that prompting, a blazing crown settling upon her head as it briefly displaces her helm!
[21:26] <Kotono> The Crown of Flame appears on Jaela's head! Instantly the bookshelves recoil, slamming back! The whispers cease and the books ahead tumble down, the way ahead over a heap of books now. "Good," Annalise proceeds on.
[21:27] <Jaela> Still burning for the time being, Jaela stays by her side. "Does this hurt you?" she has to wonder out loud. "Sorry if it does."
[21:30] <Kotono> Annalise holds up a hand. For a moment there are mild burns there, but they fade away in a second. "Hardly. The power you call on is hardly enough to even get my attention." With a smirk as she continues on, "You may want to banish that shortly, other beings may become unhappy on feeling that. It's undiplomatic."
[21:31] <Jaela> "Sure thing." Once they are past the hungry books, she extinguishes the holy flames with a thought. "I'm still sorry you were hurt, even a tiny bit. I just don't really have much in the way of straightforward elemental spells."
[21:34] <Kotono> "It's really nothing. Come now, let's work our way upstairs before another imposition finds us." With that, Annalise picks up her pace.
[21:35] <Jaela> With a snort, Jaela easily keeps pace with Annalise. "Say, random thought. Why can't you go to Brightwater? Is it because the gods all have contracts between themselves, or they hate you for something in particular?"

[Corwin]

[20:23] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "I like not being smitten," Annalise replies easily, "Really now, Jaela. Even if the Gods stay their hands, which I doubt, there is nothing stopping myriad servants from taking umbrage with a vampire's presence there. They've been fed those lies and propaganda for all their lives."
[20:25] <Jaela> "I saw fiends there," Jaela points out, even as she has to grimace again. "Why can they come visit but you can't?"
[20:33] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "See?" Annalise looks back, "The hypocrisy of the Gods is unhidden. They consider us worse than the fiends they welcome in," Sniffing the air, "Am I worse than a fiend, Jaela?"
[20:34] <Jaela> It doesn't really sound fair, but then again Annalise never did say she tried and got chased away. "Say I get you an invite. Will you come with me?"
[20:35] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "No," Annalise shakes her head, "Frankly, I don't trust them. They can have their shining city on the hill."
[20:36] * Jaela pouts. "You really need to have more faith! In me, at least!"
[20:37] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "I have faith in you." Annalise glances back, a look of unhidden amusement, "The rest there aren't extended that priviledge."
[20:41] <Jaela> "I bet you're just saying that," Jaela muses, resting her hands behind her back as she walks. "If you really did, you'd know I could do this! The heavens have plenty of contracts between them, seems like, and I can work with that. And anyone dumb enough to mess with you under even temporary immunity will have to go through me, anyway. Their loss, right?"
[20:48] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "No, as a matter of fact, you can't." Annalise stops here, "Jaela..." She pauses, smiling despite it, "You mean well. The Gods and their servants don't. In my times, I've battled enemies that would make the legendary solars look akin to nothing more than a flickering candle in the wind. If one was willing to go through you to get to me, you would be obliterated."
[20:49] <Jaela> "So, basically...." Jaela stops at well. "I just need to get stronger?"
[20:53] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Annalise sighs. It is a long sigh, shaking her head, "Jaela. Not all enemies can be defeated by that mindset. Strength is not the only answer to every problem...and frankly, you don't have enought strength. You could have all the power of a thousand lifetimes, and a Goddess such as Waukeen or Lliira would still dispatch you in barely a moment, if they even deigned to deal with you directly."
[20:56] <Jaela> "Oh, I get that," Jaela agrees. "So it's two things, then. Get strong enough to send the mortals and outsiders packing, and find a way to get the deities to keep out of things." She nods to herself thoughtfully. "I can do that."
[20:56] <Tiny_Ko_Army> After a moment Annalise shakes her head, starting to walk again, "Jaela, a rhetorical question. What is a God?"
[20:58] <Jaela> "An immortal Power that's ruled over by the Three?"
[21:03] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Annalise pauses there, "That's surprisingly knowledgeable for you," she gives Jaela another look, face utterly inscrutiable. "It's a true answer, but it's not the right answer here." Going on, "A God is every prayer, every drop of belief, every soul dedicated to it. Your faith is enough to call on powerful magic. Imagine an absolute infinity of yourself, all unknowingly pouring power into the
[21:03] <Tiny_Ko_Army> divinity. Further, a God has eternity to learn and develop these powers to a razor keenness. Do you think any fine words or force will deter or defeat that?" Annalise looks ahead, "Long ago, far long ago, I came to battle to the Avatar of Torm. Merely a piece of Torm's might...and I survived, but barely. I didn't win, but I managed to survive and escape. At that time, I could work magic that
[21:03] <Tiny_Ko_Army> would leave you breath-stolen and stunned, and it was naught but raindroplets to him. Only the greatest of fools presumes to manipulate or defeat a God...no matter how hypocritical of self righteous they are."
[21:08] <Jaela> Mental note, don't battle Avatars of Torm until Annalise tells her that her magic is at least on the same level.
[21:08] <Jaela> "That's why you do it subtly--" Jaela's eye narrows, and she adds preemptively, "And I know what that means! Anyway, it's not like you need to manipulate a deity or overpower one. You can either rely on one deity to restrain another, or you can work with their interests and make it worth their while to give in to something relatively simple to gain a better benefit. Or, alternately, you might create a situation where it's just more trouble than it's worth to act against you. It's not like mortals are entirely out of options!"
[21:10] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 41." [1d100=41]
[21:10] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "That you aren't," Annalise agrees as you continue to walk down the halls, a stairway ascending up to the third floor ahead. "But after all this, can you say that it's worth all this trouble for something I hardly want in the first place?"
[21:11] <Jaela> "Yep! Because I wanna take you there."
[21:12] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Annalise merely shakes her head, goins ilent as she proceeds along.
[21:12] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 4." [1d100=4]
[21:12] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 33." [1d100=33]
[21:14] <Tiny_Ko_Army> This floor has even less shelves, books just stacked up in great leaning towers that form passages and little crannies. The stairway to the fourth floor is easily found, Annalise ascending it with Jaela. Here the books all float in midair, forming stairs and walls and passages. "I see there's been another reorganization since I was last here." Annalise murmurs, "The demons are never content
[21:14] <Tiny_Ko_Army> leaving things alone."
[21:16] <Jaela> "See? Another reason why it's ridiculous to admire them. You don't mess with what works." Grinning at her, Jaela mentions in the same breath, "So I've been thinking. Should I train out of relying on armor? It's like I'm the only one lugging around huge plates of metal and I still get hit the most. It's clearly not working."
[21:17] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "The problem with armor is that you have to keep improving the enchantment or hunting down better materials to base it on. You'd be strong enough for something like Earthbone Steel, but the best materials are also frusturatingly rare." Annalise pauses a moment, "A new spell or training tend to improve with greater ease."
[21:18] <Jaela> "Earthbone Steel?"
[21:21] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Annalise taps her lips with a finger as she ascends up two stairs, up into a hallway of books. "A rare iron ore harvested on Earth by the native elementals. It comes in desposits no bigger than your thumb, and is harder than even adamantine if probably refined into steel. It makes absolutely superior smashing weapons or metal armor. Of course, it takes millenia to harvest enough for one single
[21:21] <Tiny_Ko_Army> order for a creature your size and the elementals refuse to sell any of the raw ore. It really is bothersome to get, but ever so worth it. A suit of full Earthbone Armor has roughly double the defenses of normal steel armor."
[21:22] <Jaela> "Wow, that's pretty grand. I suppose it's not sold, then? I'll have to hope some dragon coming after me has it?" Jaela asks, quite curious now. "Anyway, I like the feel of armor. It's weird if you're on a battlefield in your fucking pajamas, innit? I can't fight properly against a real opponent if I'm in my undies or something stupid like that. So it sounds way better than just prancing around in some airy dancing outfit."
[21:24] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "It isn't sold, ever. You have to get it from being in favor fo the Princes of Elemental Earth, finding and harvesting your own or acquiring your armor from someone who doesn't need his any longer." Annalise chuckles at the last, "Once I came into possession of a tiny ingot of it, perhaps as wide as three of your fingers and twice as thick. I sold it for the riches of an entire kingdom, and
[21:24] <Tiny_Ko_Army> could have had more if I bothered to drive up a market for it."
[21:25] * Jaela pouts. "I bet we'll just sell it even if we did find it."
[21:37] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "Probably." Annalise continues on, as...
[21:37] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 87." [1d100=87]
[21:37] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 4." [1d100=4]
[21:37] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 86." [1d100=86]
[21:39] <Jaela> "You're supposed to go, 'No, Jaela, we'll get you all sorts of strange and new armors to switch between!'" Jaela insists, shaking her head. "Let me dream a little!"
[21:42] <Tiny_Ko_Army> You come further in, down hallways and around and around the fourth floor. Eventually, you turn yet another corner. Here a man stands, reading a book from the nearby wall. He is tall, perhaps seven feet or so. A set of ram's horns decorate his bald head, entire frame heavily muscular. He wears a tight fitting, sleeveless jerkin and pants, both colored a dull green. His ears are barely two holes
[21:42] <Tiny_Ko_Army> on each side of his head, decorated by circles of golden studs. Around his neck hangs a heavy medallion, a red mace engraved into it with what looks to be ruby.
[21:43] <Jaela> Their quarry is rumored to be on the fifth floor, so it probably isn't him. Jaela glances at Annalise sideways to judge her reaction, first and foremost.
[21:47] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Annalise chuckles, 'Jaela, that medallion,' Annalise says, 'Do you know that symbol?'
[21:51] <Jaela> She does. It would be impossible for anyone to miss it. For the first time on that trip, Jaela's promise to respect the neutral grounds is being tested. "Let's go," she says curtly, forcing herself to march rigidly away. But she commits the man to memory, first.
[21:52] <Tiny_Ko_Army> The man looks up from his book as you take in his features. He smiles - a smile of pure mirth and malice together, licking his lips. "Good day," he greets.
[21:53] * Jaela twitches.
[21:55] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Holding the book in one hand, the man approaches as Jaela twitches. "Ah, another adoring maiden." He reaches out for Jaela's cheek, as if to cup it, "Struck by my apperance, fallen?"
[21:57] <Jaela> "That must be it," Jaela drawls, quelling another twitch. The back of her left hand comes up to nudge his out of the way, while her right arm wraps around Annalise's waist. "Reading anything interesting?"
[21:59] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "Nothing you could comprehend, woman," With a dismissive wave of his hand as he takes a bare glance at Annalise, "I won't pain your pretty little mind by explaining it. But perhaps you'd like to see something of mine that you can comprehend far better? 'tis the only thing your type is good for."
[21:59] <Tiny_Ko_Army> 'Jaela,' Annalise murmurs in Jaela's mind, 'Realize that he's trying to provoke you. Don't let him.'
[22:04] <Jaela> "Would you? Would you really?" Jaela asks girlishly, her smile wide and hopeful all of a sudden. "Ooh! Maybe I could even bring Mom along! I know she'd want nothing more than to see it!"
[22:11] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "Bring all you want," He chuckles, a sound that resembles the rattling of chains. "One cow, two cows, three cows. 'tis hardly a difference."
[22:14] <Jaela> "Awesome! So when and where do we set the date?" Since the devil is so accomodating, Jaela sees no need to refuse him. "I'd offer now, but you're clearly busy with things my pretty little mind can't understand."
[22:20] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "Anytime. I'll be right here," The devil replies with a bigger grin. His hand goes out, slapping Jaela on the ass. "Good cow."
[22:23] <Jaela> It doesn't matter what he's bleating about, or what he thinks he's doing. Jaela's smile matches his for malice and she pulls Annalise away, calling back, "Count on it, Darling~"
[22:25] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Annalise comes with Jaela, 'Well played. Clearly he was trying to get you to attack him and bring retailation on you.'
[22:26] <Jaela> "A shame the place doesn't have some 'no grabbing' rule," Jaela mutters, miserable once she is out of sight and hearing range. "Let's ask him to step outside when we go back, okay? Don't you want that little bitch to pay for it?"
[22:31] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "I do," Annalise agrees, "But I suspect he knows well the rules and limits of this place. I've seen his type before - they exploit the rules to get away with outrageous things or cause those they upset to be punished for attacking them."
[22:32] <Jaela> "So a bully, pretty much?" Jaela makes a face. "That's just sad. How about I try grabbing him back and if that's not enough to get him all enraged we can see what else might work?"
[22:47] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "We could ignore him. It's the best way to handle someone who's trying to provoke you like that," Annalise points out, "He's likely strong enough to protect himself from any hot-headed demons who want a fight. HE was wearing his symbol of Asmodeus openly."
[22:49] <Jaela> "The insult I can deal with. But think about what we could learn if we took him out and brought him back with us," Jaela responds.
[22:51] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "We don't have to pick a fight with every creature we come across," Annalise shakes her head, "We can try if you are deadset, but not until we finish getting information here."
[22:53] <Jaela> "I'm keeping my eye on the goal," Jaela all too readily agrees. "We're here for you, before anything else. After that... well, you can't say we won't find information useful, especially from one of Asmodeus's flunkies."
[23:07] <Tiny_Ko_Army> "Indeed,"At that Annalise continues along, as...
[23:07] <Tiny_Ko_Army> roll 1d100
[23:07] * Hatbot --> "Tiny_Ko_Army rolls 1d100 and gets 65." [1d100=65]
[23:08] <Tiny_Ko_Army> Soon enough a stair of books is found. Going up, you come to the fifth floor! Here there are no books - just loose pages, swirling in an eternal storm! "Quaint," Annalise observes in a single word, brushing some papers away from her face. "Now to find Darvul."
[23:09] * Jaela is only an incantation away from burning any troublesome pages away, and is ready should she need to resort to that. "Do you actually know the guy?"

[Corwin]

[20:02] <Koaway> "No. There is a certain amount of turnover amid the assistants." Annalise says, "He may be new, or even an old demon with a new name."
[20:02] <Jaela> "That actually happens? Getting a new name?"
[20:04] <Koaway> "If a nalfeshnee or a balor start calling themselves something different, who's going to argue with them about it?" Annalise says dryly, a half-smile. "Really now."
[20:05] * Jaela snorts. "I didn't say they couldn't. But what's the point, right? Your name's your reputation. It's one thing to use another while sneaking somewhere, but how can you ever build up one if you keep on changing it?"
[20:09] <Koaway> "Demons don't think like that." Annalise points out as she wanders, "Nevermind it." As you two travel along...
[20:09] <Koaway> roll 1d100
[20:09] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d100 and gets 43." [1d100=43]
[20:09] <Koaway> roll 1d100
[20:09] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d100 and gets 17." [1d100=17]
[20:09] <Jaela> "So a name's just like a face to them? Something they choose based on mood?"
[20:11] <Koaway> "As they desire, yes." Annalise replies as you come 'round a few more corners. Annalise sniffs the air and takes a left, pages blowing around the both ofyou. "We're getting closer," she murmurs, "Pay attention now."
[20:11] <Jaela> "Never stopped!"
[20:13] <Koaway> Ahead you find it. It is a scaled creature like a gargoyle, larger than either of you. It is held in place by rigid chains of pages, flesh flayed open by dozen of papers. Its mouth is held wide open, page after page flying in and erupting out of its lower back, cycling back and forth in a loop. As you approach through the paper storm, you hear in your minds, a silken soft whisper, 'Are you the
[20:13] <Koaway> seekers of knowledge?'
[20:14] <Jaela> "Yes." Jaela sticks to voicing the answer, since she's yet to learn how to project her thoughts elsewhere.
[20:17] <Koaway> "That we are," Annalise inclines her head forward, and there are a few more moments of silence. The creature's eyes are open, boring into the two of you. 'So that is what you want, corpse? That information may be given. I return, I demand the knowledge of the celestial's fears.'
[20:19] * Jaela peers at Annalise curiously. That probably refers to her, but she's not too worried since it's supposed to be a neutral place to visit. But the particulars are another matter entirely, and they might as well go over those first.
[20:25] <Koaway> There are another few moments of silence, 'The corpse says you are not aware. I shall deign to inform you, creature.' It's voice becomes heavier, like gravel and iron scraping against stone. 'Come before me and relax your will. The knowledge shall pass to me, and I shall give you the knowledge you seek in return.'
[20:27] <Jaela> "A moment," Jaela responds, still looking at Annalise. She hoped that the hint would be picked up on, but she's not averse to doing it publicly either. "Not that I won't pay that price for something you want, Annalise, but can you explain just what will happen? If the knowledge passes, do I lose it? Or is it... I dunno, read and copied?"
[20:31] <Koaway> Annalise speaks up, "Allow me. Jaela, the information will be read from your mind and copied. You will not lose it - though you will experience all of your fears for the time it takes to copy them."
[20:37] <Jaela> "Oh wow, and you were gonna tell me when?" Jaela can't keep a scowl off her face. "You ever thought what would happen if that just started without warning? I'm pretty violent, you know!" She runs a hand through her hair. "You owe me for this."
[20:37] <Jaela> A deep breath, then, and she steps closer to the impaled gargoyle as instructed. Her fears are numerous and varied, but she's hardly in denial about them. Vermin, especially large roaches. Becoming vermin, especially large roaches. Losing Annalise to idiot overeager deities. Losing Annalise due to betrayal. Getting betrayed by the Seldarine. Not being able to die. Not being able to die by being shoved into a soul gem. That should about cover the important parts that she just can't deal with and stay in any sense composed.
[20:41] <Koaway> In a moment, pages swirl around Jaela! They are blank and pass into her body, cutting without drawing blood. The pain is momentary, then...the roaches. Death. Dying. Eternal life without death, without release. Loss. Betrayal. Allt hose fears and more bombard Jaela, as if happening to her at once. Becoming a vermin, stomped and forgotten by all. Unable to die,c rawling amid waste and filth. The
[20:41] <Koaway> scornful looks of her friends as they shatter her body over and over, experimenting on what she has become and laughing, no one hearing her cries...!
[20:44] * Jaela loses her balance. She can hardly think of even keeping it in such a situation, nor can she try to arrest her fall. Jaela crashes heavily into the floor, her forehead bruising, and barely manages to raise herself back to her hands and knees before she throws up.
[20:46] <Koaway> As she vomits, Jaela shudders. The iamges keep bombarding her, crushing her...and then, they fade. Theyf ade back. Above her floats a sheaf of pages, now filled with writing. From nowhere a white leather cover comes to frame it, a new book created. This book flies  around once before darting down like an arrow and away. 'It is done,' Darvul pronounces. Before him floats a black book, 'In this
[20:46] <Koaway> book shall you find what you desire.'
[20:47] <Koaway> Annalise steps forward and takes the book, "It is done," she echos him, then goes to Jaela. She kneels before her, offering a hand.
[20:49] <Jaela> Jaela sincerely wishes anyone reading that book to share in those same shitty feeling with a great deal of vehemence. Create Water takes care of the taste in her mouth, and she spits, taking Annalise's hand and rising unsteadily back to her feet. Prestidigitation. She's definitely finding a way to make it work when they get back.
[20:52] <Koaway> In Jaela's mind as she rises, 'Is there any information of your own you'd like to pursue now?' Annalise inquires, 'There are many answers here, if you are willing to pay.'
[20:58] <Jaela> 'Finding a way for you to be able to live a normal life is the most important thing, but I doubt the Abyss would hold the answer to that?" Jaela thinks back while Annalise is reading her mind. She shrugs. 'I'm sure if I keep at it I'll find my way. Though I guess I can ask something for Afina while I'm here....' Her voice is far from steady when she speaks, but it doesn't stop Jaela from voicing, "What would the price be for learning of a way to kill devils that someone like me will be fine with using?"
[21:00] <Koaway> The creature's voice laughs in your head, 'Killin gthem is simple. Your spear alone should suffice. I can tell you 666 ways to torture and murder the baatezu scum, celestial.'
[21:01] <Jaela> Right. Loopholes. Jaela nods. "My bad. I'm new at this. New conditions, the death must be permanent and not allow for reincarnation or respawning or bullshit like that, and it's not the way where you just plane shift them home and kill them there. How about now?"
[21:08] <Koaway> 'It can be done.' There's a long pause before a reply, papers swirling furiously around Darvul! It almost entirely obscures him from view. 'Go to the sixth floor and seek Forgotten.'
[21:08] <Jaela> "Mind staying longer?" Jaela asks Annalise, looking pale enough to surely rival her now. "It's a good chance."
[21:15] <Koaway> "No objection," Annalise starts to proceed along, "Let's find the next passage up."
[21:17] * Jaela walks by her side, although with far less energy in her step now. "What sort of ways can you think of to kill devils permanently, Annalise? We might as well exclude those from the question when we ask."
[21:19] <Koaway> "Nothing too helpful. I never bothered to look into it," she replies as you start to wander along, "I do know that it's a difficult feat, at the least."
[21:22] <Jaela> "You gotta be wondering if it's not just easier to shift them all over to Avernus or something and execute the fuckers. I know I am."
[21:22] <Koaway> "If it were easy, we wouldn't be here," Annalise answers just like that, as...
[21:22] <Koaway> roll 1d100
[21:22] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d100 and gets 77." [1d100=77]
[21:23] <Koaway> A few more wanderings leads you to a stair of swirling pages. At the base of the stairs a book has been impaled to it, open to a page with large writing.
[21:24] <Jaela> "What now? Is it a warning?" Jaela doesn't actually go read it, wary of the price that might be involved.
[21:40] <Koaway> Annalise does take a look at it, "A warning. Beware of the untamed Mindvores above. Go up at your own peril."
[21:46] <Jaela> "The what now?"
[21:50] <Koaway> OOC: You can make an K:A check here if you like.
[21:51] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18 and gets 23." [1d20=5]
[21:53] <Koaway> roll 1d20+28
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d20+28 and gets 45." [1d20=17]
[21:54] <Koaway> Jaela draws a blank, while Annalise continues, "They're mind-eaters. They eat memories, knowledge, sensations, everything that defines what you know. A wound from one doesn't hurt your body. Oh no. You'll forget how to speak a language, or what your best friend's face looks like."
[21:55] <Jaela> "Eh, fuck it. Let's just go back. We know who to ask now, and it's not like coming again will have some admission fee so we're good on that front." Jaela is perfectly fine with turning away from an unfortunate obstacle like that. "Let's see if that little bitch is still back on the fourth floor and if we can't get him to come outside?"
[21:56] <Koaway> roll 1d100
[21:56] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d100 and gets 52." [1d100=52]
[22:02] <Koaway> The trip back down is without incident. You find the rather offensive devil where he was, reading another book.
[22:05] <Jaela> "How about that date now, love?" Jaela asks him perkily.
[22:16] <Koaway> The ram-horned man smirks, "Back so soon, cow?" he says, putting the book down. "Ready to bend over and be useful?"
[22:27] <Jaela> "Keep your fetishes to your, you limp-dicked ass bandit," Jaela tells him, still as perky. "I don't give a shit about your bull-fucking yearnings. What I'm asking, bitch, is if you'd care to have a go against someone who kicks back." She taps her foot impatiently. "Which is it? Gonna man up after all your big talk, or skulk away and keep at your lonely cock worship? Busy girl here."
[22:31] <Koaway> At this the man smirks, "Unfortunately, I have no time for vulgar whores such as yourself. If you want a fight...I'm right here." He spreads his arms wide.
[22:35] <Jaela> "A fight? Really? All I was talking about was having some mutual, consenting bit of fun," Jaela responds, sounding quite shocked. With him so unguarded, she sees her chance to visit the humiliation she went through upon him in turn, and pats the devil swiftly. "Big ruby mace, small horns." Her eyes glance at said horns, before drifting far lower, and Jaela nudges Annalise. "I guess it's true what they say about Asmy's altar boys?"
[22:36] <Koaway> Annalise has an airy chuckle to go with it, "Oh yes, I've heard. They need that big ruby mace for...compensation."
[22:37] <Koaway> The creature's eyes narrow, before he laughs. "Unfortunately for you, I've played this game for longer than you have." Het urns and goes back to his book, "I'll pass on it. Go back to bleating."
[22:37] <Jaela> "Come on, you don't explain the joke!" Jaela pouts, but it is more for not crushing the devil's balls when she had the chance.
[22:42] <Jaela> "But I guess you're right." Jaela sighs, shaking her head. "Cows, balors, now sheep. Who knows where else this thing's been, greedily slurping his way up the hierarchy for the chance to some day bend over before the duke of his dreams?"
[22:44] <Koaway> If the ram horned devil hears you, he makes no sign of it save for his eyes narrowing a bit more.
[22:46] <Jaela> "Good luck with your self-gratification," Jaela earnestly wishes him, walking away with a lighter heart. "Let's go home," she tells Annalise, "shall we?"