025.3 "I have no love for devil-works."

[Corwin]

[20:14] <Kotono> The teleportation is one of sudden jabbing hooks. White hot hooks jab into your entire body, fires engulfing you! When it clears, you stand a ways outside of the boulders that hide the house. The sky is the same ugly, burning red, the stench of sulphur and death making each breath a struggle.
[20:15] <Jaela> "Nice place," Jaela comments. Still better than the Abyss, which is a small comfort. "So, can you see it? Or is his shitty ward stopping you from it?"
[20:18] <Kotono> "All I see is more hell-blasted planes." Annalise observes, "It's hardly a poor ward if it works this effectively." A glance at Jaela, "Such a garish and unhidden contempt."
[20:21] <Jaela> "You expect me to respect the guy?" Jaela asks, taking Annalise's hand firmly in hers. There is no reason to sneak this time, so she is clad in her proper armor for this. "He betrayed his team and then hid away for millennia and didn't do anything useful. I'm sure it's all part of a master plan but I can't find it in me to give a shit." She starts leading the way towards the boulders. "You'll have to trust me on where exactly everything is, okay? If I do or say something, don't question it, just follow my lead."
[20:22] <Kotono> Annalise merely smirks, "Of course they aren't much to you, but..." She doesn't really follow that thought up, instead being lead along with Jaela. You reach the house without incident - nothing is immediately awry.
[20:24] <Jaela> "He had a bunch of cats that ran away, and probably some other minions too," Jaela cautions, leading Annalise to the smoke that is supposed to get them across. "Better be on guard. Anyway, you were saying? Don't tell me you actually admire that loser!"
[20:36] <Kotono> "I admire power," Annalise admits, pausing for just a moment. She doesn't answer beyond that.
[20:38] <Jaela> "Well, I took him down," Jaela states. Along with Afina, but that doesn't need to be repeated. "Pretty easily, too, for all his boasts." She takes out Val'Finnegan with her free hand. "So forget all about him."
[20:39] <Kotono> "Lead on," Annalise says, "All I see yet are blasted planes."
[20:40] <Jaela> "You'll see. It won't even be long, now. I'll show you great things!" She had seen all the devils emerge, so Jaela merely heads for the same spot with Annalise in hand and then attempts to do the same thing as she had seen in reverse. Perhaps it would be as simple as that.
[20:43] <Kotono> On stepping into the chimney, Annalise and Jaela descend down! There's a moment of free-falling before you stand in a gray place. Gray metal walls, covered in splotches of soot. Far ahead looks to be a forge, dozens of chains hanging from above around it. To the left is a door leading further in.
[20:43] <Jaela> "Think we should've asked for a map to this place as well?" Jaela wonders, calling upon Detect Magic. "Hey, you can see this place now, right?"
[20:47] <Kotono> "Yes," Annalise looks about, as Jaela detects magic from the forge.
[20:48] * Jaela casts a spell to prepare herself better for any fight, and then peers closer at that forge.
[20:48] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 and gets 30." [1d20=5]
[20:48] <Kotono> The forge has strange magic on it - magic you can't quite understand, something related to hiding and obscuring things. Its very nature makes understanding elude Jaela.
[20:50] <Jaela> "You're lots better at figuring out the magic or spotting hidden stuff, so just take a look around and tell me about anything interesting?" Jaela suggests to Annalise, knowing when she is out of her element. "I'll keep watch and defend us."
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28
[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 40." [1d20=12]
[20:54] <Kotono> Annalise takes a few moments, going to the forge and looking around it. "It's for making obscured, secretive items," she announces at last, "Some of the magic's rubbed off on it - it's hard to grasp the spells involved." Turning away, "Take point ahead through the door."
[20:56] * Jaela grins. "I think I should bring out that crown, again. If you stay a few feet behind me, it shouldn't get you. Okay?" Once Annalise is out of the immediate range, Jaela calls down the Crown of Flame and, the way ahead illuminated by it, opens the door.
[20:57] <Kotono> The door ahead leads into another room. This room is full of luxury - carpets, soft, oversized chairs and a rack of what looks to be wine bottles. Far in the back is a blot of darkness, obscuring everything ahead. It radiates magic.
[20:57] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25
[20:57] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 and gets 43." [1d20=18]
[20:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28
[20:58] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 36." [1d20=8]
[20:58] <Kotono> The darkness ahead is normal enough - simply a powered up darkness spell. It's obscuring something ahead - or perhaps decorating it.
[20:58] <Jaela> "Not bad for loner. Though lonely, I bet? No equals to share the wine with and all." Jaela snorts. "Okay, I'll counter the darkness."
[21:00] <Jaela> Daylight is something she can call upon with just a thought, and so Jaela approaches the wine rack, imbues one of the bottles with it and then rolls it towards that blot.
[21:01] <Kotono> The darkness is countered! Sitting on a table crafted of brimstone is a single, black covered tome. It radiates overwhelming magic.
[21:02] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25+15 I guess I really want to know here
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25+15 I guess I really want to know here and gets 46." [1d20=6]
[21:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28+15 Annalise will second that since this is the point of why you came.
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28+15 Annalise will second that since this is the point of why you came. and gets 54." [1d20=11]
[21:04] <Kotono> The book before Jaela has a dreadful, terrifying magic on it. A magic beyond mortal means, she is certain. A magic of pure oppression, of pure tyranny and terror. This book is a small epitome of those concepts.
[21:07] <Jaela> "I guess he wasn't kidding," Jaela mutters.
[21:07] <Kotono> "Well, he had the most interesting toys," Annalise approaches the book, going to run a finger along the cover, "I wonder if the answer to our questions is in this book...though the price is likely far too high."
[21:10] <Jaela> "You took the words out of my mouth," Jaela forces herself to say, just as she forces her mouth into a grimace that might be charitably called a smile. "I can't even be around it. That book stands for everything I'm fighting against. I didn't think a simple book could do it, but... but...." She shakes her head, her grip on Val'Finnegan tightening. "Annalise, I have to destroy it. I'm sorry that you won't be able to read your book."
[21:13] <Kotono> "I have no love for devil-works," Annalise admits, "Try. I fear it may be harder than you think. These sort of artifacts seldom succumb to mere force."
[21:15] <Jaela> "You... have a point," Jaela responds, forcing herself to calm down as much as possible. "But we'll try all the same. Get away from it, I'm going to blast it" Leveling Val'Finnegan at the book, a Daylight cast upon her armor adding to the brightness of her other spell, Jaela fires a lance of brilliance at that evil artifact!
[21:16] <Jaela> roll 1d20 do I miss the book?
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20 do I miss the book? and gets 18." [1d20=18]
[21:16] <Jaela> roll 15d6
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 and gets 49." [15d6=2, 1, 3, 5, 3, 6, 1, 4, 1, 5, 2, 5, 4, 4, 3]
[21:16] <Kotono> The lance of light strikes the book! For a moment the tome is obscured in brillance! When the lights of Jaela's magic clear, there is only an unblemished Book of Truth before her.
[21:18] <Jaela> "Holy power, next," Jaela voices, calling down a holy smite. The range is much greater than the very specific lance, but only the book should be affected.
[21:19] <Kotono> Holy power blasts the book! In the aftermath, there is only a still unblemished book before you.
[21:22] <Jaela> "If this goes wrong, please get me back," Jaela says, having one last idea left. "For now, watch this for any changes in the magic?" Death Ward will ensure that she will not be drained or killed on the spot by the more direct means, and then she comes to knife range and brings her fist down upon the book, channeling Dispel Evil through it!
[21:22] <Kotono> OOC: Caster level check.
[21:22] <Jaela> roll 1d20+16
[21:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+16 and gets 30." [1d20=14]
[21:24] <Kotono> Jaela's fist hits the book! The light in her fist explodes out, the entire Book shuddering as if alive! At the same time, a wreath of white hot flames escape, burning Jaela's hand! OOC: 27 points of hellfire damage.
[21:25] * Jaela pulls her hand away with a hiss, but then Val'Finnegan appears in it, and she brings it down upon the book in hope of it being weakened by her magic!
[21:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28
[21:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 48." [1d20=20]
[21:27] <Kotono> "Wait!" Annalise speaks up, voice sharp as a hand goes to arrest Jaela's swing, grabbing her arm.
[21:28] * Jaela trusts Annalise enough to pause. "It'll explode?"
[21:30] <Kotono> "The magic of the book reacted," she speaks slowly, "It drew in more law, as if to compensate for what you did to the evil." Pausing a moment to hum, "Can you manage dispel evil and dispel law back to back?"
[21:31] <Jaela> "'Fraid not. Mom might. Is it safe to bring the book to our dungeons?"
[21:31] <Kotono> "I think so," Annalise says, "As long as you don't open it."
[21:32] <Jaela> "Let's do it, then." Jaela heals the rest of the burns on her hand. "Want to bring a bottle back?"
[21:36] <Kotono> Annalise takes a bottle and offers her hand out. "Let's."
[21:37] <Jaela> There is nothing else they need here, and Jaela brings them back to the Aurora's courtyard.

[Corwin]

[21:41] <Kotono> Thereafter, Jaela goes to find Tannin. He's found in Grenalous's shop, examining the wares. Nearby is a blue skinned creature in chef's clothes, whilst Sylvie can be seen checking items on another shelf.
[21:43] <Jaela> "Found anything that caught your eye?" Jaela greets Tannin, stepping up to him. Her armor is bright and polished, courtesy of Prestidigitation -- why, you would never know she had been to Hell twice that day!
[21:50] <Kotono> "Fey-Nip is new," Tannin saks, taking a small pouch of it in hand. "Got another shop coming in finally," he begins without preamble, "Took longer than any of thought to get him up and moving."
[21:50] * Jaela snorts. "Yeah. Afina discovered it, actually. Listen, if you're not busy, can I have a word?"
[21:52] <Kotono> "Sure," Tannin puts the Fey-Nip down and turns, "What is it? Got another thing to investigate?" His eyes shimmer blue and white, like the sky.
[21:53] <Jaela> "Yep, but that's for later. Elena!" As she waits for the blue haired ghost maid, Jaela gestures towards the Fey-Nip. "Not gonna get that? I can lend you the cash, if you're broke right now."
[21:53] <Kotono> "I'll pick it up later," Tannin says as Elena appears. Her face is cheerful and at the same time blushingly annoyed, "W-what?!"
[21:55] <Jaela> "Sorry to take you away from your cleaning," Jaela says with the utmost insincerity, "but if the War Room is empty, can you ask Mom, Crystal and Annalise to come there? Separately, of course. You'll be welcome to sit in, too."
[21:58] <Kotono> "Okay," Elena says, "You want them there now?"
[21:58] <Jaela> "Yeah, cause Tannin's free." Turning towards him now, she says, "Let's get going ourselves?"
[22:02] <Kotono> With that, the five-some meets. Annalise sits primly, a hint of a smile on her face. Hanna is reclined back, resting comfortably. Crystal sits on the armrest of her chair, legs kicking off the side.
[22:04] <Jaela> Elena is free to choose if she wants to sit in, as Jaela said. In any case, she offers a chair to Tannin and then takes one near him. "Crystal already knows what this is all about, but now that you're back, I think we should go ahead with the preparations," Jaela speaks. "This is about Elrisa's old allies, the Knights of the Graceful Blow, still held captive by the dwarves and humans of their world. I need to know more about Glitterrock and about the attitudes of the captors. What can you tell us about them, Tannin?"
[22:09] <Kotono> "The Dwarves of Elrisa's world seem to be, as far as I've investigated, a monolithic race. No sub species or anything like that. Glitterrock is the grand capital of all the dwarves. It's a gigantic artifical cave full of dwarves and dwarven style design. Past that I haven't visited." A beat for that, "The dwarves are rather more ruthless than a typical dwarf, going by the observations of Elrisa's
[22:09] <Kotono> students. I haven't done my own research into that, and bear in mind they're not impartial sources." Crossing his arms as he sits back, "They made a pact with the humans against the elves, and the elves got beaten and occupied."
[22:10] <Kotono> "Are they evil or influenced by evil? Do they still worship the dwarven Gods?" Hanna asks, tracing a casual, erratic pattern on the armrest of her chair.
[22:11] <Kotono> Tannin shrugs, "I haven't done that sort of in depth study of 'em."
[22:15] <Kotono> "I'd like to know what lead to the pact and more of the underpinnings of the entire situation," Crystal pipes up, "Jaela, is that Tannin's next task?"
[22:16] <Jaela> "No." Jaela shakes her head. "At least, not right away. What I want us to decide here is whether we know enough to approach them at this time about getting the prisoners released into our care."
[22:18] <Kotono> Annalise shakes her head, "As of now, unless we expect them to release them out of pure altruism, I'd say no. We don't know how they view punishment and if they'll even consider this.  Unless we're going to try something like intimidation-based diplomacy, we're merely hoping they do it for us."
[22:19] <Kotono> "It is thin..." Tannin murmurs, "They didn't outright execute them, so that's a good sign. That is, unless they're getting tortured. How are you planning to approach them, Jaela?"
[22:23] <Jaela> "Their very reaction to us might show us a lot, don't you think? If they're ready to exchange Elrisa's pals for cash and a promise to keep them off that world, we take away a headache from them and have some way to settle it. And if they claim to have some other goal, they might well tell it to us to avoid pointless bloodshed, and we could consider our next move."
[22:27] <Kotono> "Get information by provoking them into a response?" Hanna hums quietly to herself, "How much of a ransom are you looking to pay?"
[22:29] * Jaela purses her lips. "I'll be clear. First of all, I want a chance to meet their leadership and see that they're on the level. If they're a bunch of Sharran assholes, then not a single copper. If they just fancied themselves on the other side of the elves, like Celestia or Mechanus, then any ransom demand depends on how easy it would be for us to pay it. On this, at least, is there any disagreement?"
[22:32] <Kotono> None is voiced, with Crystal in particular saying, "More loyal allies are always welcome."
[22:33] <Jaela> "Is that world open to the planes?" Jaela asks Tannin next. "Have them seen someone like Mom before? What about the fey presence? Undead?"
[22:33] <Jaela> To clarify, she adds, "I'm talking about the man on the street, not the leaders. Those know quite a lot, I bet."
[22:39] <Kotono> "My impressions are somewhat, yes and yes. Elrisa's group was already living in the Astral, so it's not a good sample group for the first," Making a slight face as his shadowed face shows eyes of gold and green.
[22:43] <Jaela> "Your eyes always look so weird," Jaela has to comment. But that's a mere diversion, and she returns to the main topic. "Anyway, this might be a good sign. If they're open to the worlds out there, then they'd know what sorta dangers they can face. We can use the Aurora as leverage, and they won't be able to shrug it off, and since they know about how things work, they won't rush to team up with the devils either unless they're retarded. We might be able to put pressure on them through their deities, too. I dunno about dwarven deities, but the human ones might be sympathetic if we approach one of their courts."
[22:46] <Kotono> "That makes sense," Crystal pipes up, "When are you going to make the offeR?"
[22:47] <Jaela> "I wanted to decide on things today. Who should go, besides us two--" Jaela nods at Crystal, "--how to frame our offer, who to ask for once we get there. Even where to appear, since I don't want to get misunderstood if I just plane shift above their capital. Thoughts?"
[22:49] <Kotono> "I'll go," Tannin speaks up, "I'd like to get a grasp on Glitterrock now anyway."
[22:50] <Kotono> "Half threat, half favor," Annalise says, "The iron fist covered in a silk glove approach. Just enough hint of the iron fist to make the silk touch irresistable."
[22:51] <Kotono> "It doesn't matter where if you're invisible," Crystal points out, "Unless they can all see invisible creatures by some cruel twist of fate."
[22:52] <Jaela> "That's the idea," Jaela asserts. "We'll be clear that we're not there to fight them and go the parley route. But if they refuse to give us the time of day, we'll be just as clear that our next offer will be backed up by a floating demiplane." She considers Crystal's words, before frowning. "It feels like we have something to hide. And if we are spotted after all, then it's a pretext for opening hostilities. I know I'd start off pretty pissed off towards anyone sneaking about the Aurora invisible."
[22:59] <Kotono> "Alright," Crystal nods, "The biggest question - do you think they'll be willing to release them?"
[23:00] <Jaela> "I'm betting on it. I think that they're hostages, held there to ensure they have leverage against their buddies if they try to fight back. But if we offer to take the Knights off their hands to fight in a Crusade against Hell, they might gift-wrap them for us."
[23:02] <Kotono> "If they're leverage, it may be harder to get them to give them up than we're hoping," Annalise speaks up, "Plus, there's no guarantee they won't come back to harry the dwarves when it's all over."
[23:06] <Jaela> "Might cause a split between shorter sighted humans and dwarves? So terribly sad," Jaela deadpans. "Money, the desire to end the dispute for good and the Aurora. Really, that's what we have to bargain with. Anyway, I'm not really expecting to be successful on the first try, but does anyone here think it's dumb to try this without Tannin scouting that world first some more?"
[23:07] <Kotono> "I do," Hanna says, "A few days or a few weeks to get information won't kill us here. If there's an obvious path or an obvious mistake that can be avoided, I'd say we should do our scouting."
[23:08] <Kotono> "Well, well," Annalise smirks, "Not charging right off and in? I'm so dreadfully disappointed."
[23:09] <Jaela> Jaela wants to say something, but then thinks better of it. Elrisa's allies deserve that much. "Okay. Let's focus on what we need to find out, then. The leaders of both races is an obvious one. The deities they follow, likewise. Where and how we might approach them could be useful. So is what caused the dispute, I think, since it reflects on how zealous they'd be towards their captives. What else?"
[23:12] <Kotono> "That's a good start," Tannin nods a bit, "Find out if the prisoners are in for life or if they're planned to be released."
[23:14] <Jaela> "Yeah, and we might as well think bigger. How about discovering the basics of their legal system? What sort of crimes carry similar punishments, whether they have other elves held up that weren't part of Elrisa's Knights, the works?"
[23:15] <Kotono> "Right," Tannin says.
[23:16] <Jaela> "How long do you figure it'll take you? We've sat on this long enough, and I don't want to keep them rotting in prison."
[23:17] <Kotono> "A few days to a week, barring no problems getting to or from and no hangups there," Tannin says, "Most of this is pretty simple knowledge. I can pass for human easily enough, especially if I obscure my eyes. I figure that since humans and warves get along there, a human won't get a second look."
[23:21] * Jaela nods. "And if you can manage it, it might be useful to know how the population sees their leadership, what happened to the elven possessions and why the prisoners happen to be below a dwarven city and not a human one." She snorts. "Hells, I wonder if the alliance between those two races is holding up, or they're eyeing each other now as the next to go."
[23:22] <Kotono> "Got it," Tannin rises, "I'll finish up my report for the merchant thing - you won't believe all the bad luck I ran into - and leave on the next one right away."
[23:24] <Jaela> "Oh, I'd believe it." Jaela snorts again. "Maybe our luck is finite. Afina and I certainly had our share of good luck lately."