076: A fire of unknown origin took my baby away

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> Moving from one forsaken settlement to the next is now as easy as having Rosemund warp the ship home and back again, so the team quickly bids farewell to Gray Hope--"I can do this one more time today, and then I am out of spells," Rosemund shares between transitions--and aims for the landmark of Howler's Crag a layer further down Pandemonium. It looks like there might have been a town here once--immediately around you upon arrival you are the stubs of columns and broken walls, some of which shelter a few a wretched, emaciated denizens, but there are a scant few standing monuments apart from the Crag itself, a drunkenly leaning pile of masonry that almost sways in the wind up out of sight. A few flickering magelights highlight signs suggesting the few permanent establishments here are burrowed underground, out of the wind.
<Julia> Earplugs are back in and communication is limited, but Julia points to one of the magelights, as going underground to see if things look better seems promising.
* Franceska nods, and then writes for everyone to see in her notebook, "Don't forget to swiftly kill the first enemy with overwhelming force!"
<Steph> Stephanie gives Franceska a thumbs up!
<El-Cideon> Illuminated in lurid purple nearest is a sign conveying in a handful of common languages, "The Last Laugh." The proprietor did not have the steadiest handwriting one could hope for.
<Julia> Julia nods and hopes to herself that said first enemy has good minion potential. And thus they're off the boat, leaving two menacing undead that may have been forbidden lovers in the past or something to stand guard.
<Julia> Taverns are always good sources of information... er, so the stereotype goes. Not that Julia's had much luck with them. But regardless, she points down into the tunnel and shrugs, seeing if the others want to go look there or try somewhere else.
* Franceska heads for the tavern!
<Julia> Fair enough, Julia heads on down too. Assuming it is a tavern and not a comedy club or joke shop!
<Steph> Stephanie floats in alongside them, standing atop her newly-acquired floating shield.
<El-Cideon> The town is even more a mournful place on foot: maddened denizens from all manner of races, oft dressed in tattered rags, lurch out of shadows to gabble heresies one should perhaps be thankful for being unable to hear, then stagger off again. It's no doubt a relief to again be out of the wind (and away from the transient populace); though the alesink itself is not the most welcoming such establishment one could hope for, it's certainly nice being able to hear again. Steps descend to a sturdy wooden door, on the other side of which is a vaguely bowl-shaped room with battered wooden furniture scattered around its hemispherical side. The bar is manned by a stout dwarf of grey pallor with an appalling dent in his forehead; present patrons of the bar currently include a sharp-looking human man poised with a scattering of wares by the entrance to a wing of dormitories; a naked woman of slender proportion and composed seemingly of cloud sitting atop one end of the bar; and a devilish woman sitting at one far table, skin lightly tinged powder blue with vibrant red hair. She is lightly armored with scorched wings furled behind her, working at a drink as she looks up from a book.
* Franceska looks between the naked cloud woman and the cloudish Stephanie curiously.
<Julia> Julia points out the naked cloudy woman and nudges Stephanie!
<Steph> A shop! Stephanie drifts towards this bold, adventurous salesperson!
<Julia> Since the ambient noise is reduced here, Julia plucks her earplugs out and walks towards the bar. May as well get a drink while she's here.
<El-Cideon> "Good morning, traveler!" he says gregariously. He raises an eyebrow at Stephanie's new nigh-elemental state of being. "Is that catching, then? Well, at least you managed to keep your clothes on, unlike our fair maiden over there. What can I do for you, lass? I've got potions, I've got weapons--what do you need?"
<El-Cideon> The bartender acknowledges Julia's appearance with a curt nod. The cloud woman offers no particular greeting, looking vaguely piqued with everyone and everything at the moment. "What'll it be?" the dwarf grunts.
* Franceska chooses to approach the redhead, gesturing to a chair at her table and asking, "Is this seat taken?"
<Steph> Stephanie pops out her earplugs as she reaches him, and smiles indulgently. "Well, I don't know that you have anything I haven't seen before," she replies magnanimously. "I'm not interested in common potions or workaday swords some apprentice churned out in his off hours. I want unique things, you know?"
<Julia> "Depends what the local offerings are... anything you'd recommend?" Julia asks, unwilling to dive in bravely.
<El-Cideon> There is a faint shimmer in the air by the obvious erinyes; it's difficult to make out, but it seems the outline of a ferocious beast lurks docilely by her side. You can hear a deep rumble as it breathes in its sleep. "It is not," the woman says. Her countenance and speech both are decidedly composed and aristocratic.
<Franceska> "Thank you," Franceska says, sitting down opposite her and glancing over curiously at the book's title.
<El-Cideon> "Well normally I'd say ale is best, puts hair on your chest, but I don't reckon that's something you'd like," the bartender says. "I've got a bottle or two of your human wine around if you're wanting a taste of home."
<Julia> "I suppose I'll try that then," Julia nods. After all, 'human' wine encompasses a vast variety of types, so it shouldn't be too pedestrian.
<El-Cideon> Franceska can see the book is unlabeled. It looks more like a logbook; she was just writing in it.
<El-Cideon> Vigilia, for her part, keeps by the door; her celestial companion chatters agitatedly in warning at Rosemund, and one might infer from the general directions of the archon's gyrations that Franceska's companion constitutes the source of its distress.
<Franceska> "Would you mind terribly helping a newcomer get a bit more familiarized with this place?" she inquires with the erinyes. "I would be happy to buy you a fresh drink for your trouble."
<El-Cideon> The bartender produces a wineglass--alas, perhaps not the cleanest one might hope for--and fills it with a deep red wine.
<El-Cideon> "I got a variety of magic weapons," the man says to Stephanie. "You know, odds and ends. You find all sorts of things out thisaways, little of it ordinary. Anything particular you might be looking for?" Most of the plainly displayed wares are potions and the like, but he looks prepared to rifle through a bag of holding for particular requests.
<Julia> "Thank you," Julia says, taking it and having a sip before she tries her hand at getting the local gossip from the bartender. "Seems a rather diverse crowd for an out of the way place like this. Is this typical?" she asks as her opening gambit.
<El-Cideon> "I am amenable to that offer," the erinyes says. Her drink of choice, judging by an empty mug near at hand, might well have been molten lava.
* Franceska gestures for the bartender to bring another drink over. She doubts her companion had made her way to the bar and back on her.
<El-Cideon> "It's nice and quiet right now," the bartender says, over the background hum of the winds scouring the surface above. "Had a gang of slaad through a couple days ago. Roisterous layabouts!"
<El-Cideon> "One moment, miss," the dwarf says, uncorking a secure metal flask and pouring something steaming and bubbling into a steel-reinforced mug; he returns after delivering it to the erinyes.
<El-Cideon> The erinyes inclines her chin in acknowledgement of the favor. "What would you wish to know?" she asks Franceska.
<Steph> "Daggers, my bare hands, light weapons of all kinds- if it's a unique weapon, it will have my eye."
<Julia> "Ahh, so this is a spot of some traffic then," Julia says, wondering if that's good or bad. She assumes good, they're less likely to find what they want in some backwater, unless the ones she seeks prefer their seclusion. "Tell me if any of these names sound familiar amoung your clientele then, please? The Skirl, Wat the Worm, or the Collective?" she asks hopefully.
* Franceska retrieves a few golden coins from the small part of her fortune she brought along. She really should think of something grandiose to purchase with it-- no, not the time. "I've spent a short while traveling this plane," she tells the erinyes. "Several names were dropped along the way. The Skirl, Wat the Worm and the Collective. Would you be able to educate me as to their function and
* Franceska whereabouts?"
<El-Cideon> "They don't come here, if that's what you're asking," the bartender says, sounding as though he has negative use for entities unwilling to personally pay for drinks. "But you're not the first lass come looking for answers to questions she shouldn't be asking, so it's come to my attention more or less where they hang about."
<Julia> "Yes that's me, far too inquisitive for my own good," Julia laughs a little before smothering it with a drink of wine. "So are any of them nearby at least, then?"
<El-Cideon> "I concede that I am not a local resident, and am not familiar with these individuals you are searching for," the erinyes says, correcting, "or multitudes, as the case may be. My business here is of a more transient nature, and I look forward to leaving once it's concluded. I regret that I cannot fulfill your inquiry more satisfactorily."
<Franceska> "I can understand leaving once one's business is concluded," Franceska agrees. "If you are not a local, how do you navigate through these parts, if you don't mind the question?"
<El-Cideon> "Stabbin' weapons, is it?" the man says to Stephanie. He rifles through his bag and slips out a short sword and a dagger. "Well, you'll not want anything around these parts if it's not enchanted. This one here--" he points to the sword, "--will do a number on those sorts that have chaos in their nature. But, ah, it won't be too happy with you if you've not an orderly mind yourself. But the dagger's got a priest's blessing, it does. Cut right through those fiendish sorts," he says, with a demonstrative nod towards the erinyes.
<El-Cideon> "Tracking is my profession," the erinyes says. "I am not unaccustomed to hunting in strange places. And my companion here is also of benefit." She gestures to the vague cat shape looming by her side.
* Franceska nods in understanding. "How much do you charge to track someone through the planes?" she asks with interest. "To come here on your own you must be accustomed to a spot of danger while on a job."
<El-Cideon> The bartender scratches his chin. "Near enough. Gather they all trade in information, and you'd want to be near civilization for folks to find you, right?" He spreads his hands to encompass the bar and emphasize that this clearly constitutes the local hub of society.
<El-Cideon> "I do not charge," the erinyes says stiffly, with a hint of wounded pride. "It is my duty."
<Steph> "I can get those sorts of things anywhere," replies Stephanie. "I suppose there's no such things as too many fiend-slaying weapons, but I was hoping for more interesting things. Is there anyone around here who specializes in the weird and the wonderful?"
<Franceska> "How unfortunate. You do not accept private commissions, then?"
<Julia> "Oh, that sounds good," Julia nods, otherwise poor Rosemund would run out of spells. "Can you give any further directions?"
<El-Cideon> "It's all weird and wonderful around here, lass," the man says, storing his weapons again. "In some mixed proportion. 'course, most folk dropping in on the Last Laugh are just here for the Crag itself." He nods up to the surface.
<Steph> "I can't imagine too many reasons to come here," confides Stephanie. "Are you a local, or just passing through, same as us?"
<El-Cideon> The erinyes says, after some consideration, "My quarry has already fled this realm. I had thought perhaps to find some other useful business to prevent the visit being a complete waste. Beyung here, for example, detected a tanar'ri scent on the local winds that I should like to see annihilated. But if you have a proposition, I may listen."
<Franceska> "I'm looking for a disgraced paladin of Pelor who happens to be a thief, but she is very elusive."
<El-Cideon> The bartender says, "Sure, lass, sure. None of 'em are in town itself, though. They're, ah, strange sorts, so I hear." He marshals into this statement all his bewilderment at those beings so exotic as not to visit alehouses. "The Skirl lives in a storm round this portal to Air a ways down the Styx. You keep going until it drops off a waterfall into the next layer and you should see this nexus across the way. Hope you can fly a bit to reach it, through. And she's mad, real mad, says she listens to the winds and they tell her everything they've carried about the plane, and lemme tell you you don't really want to know some of the things the winds of Pandemonium might have to say. Never know what she'll ask for, either. The Worm, now, he's in this graveyard on the other side of the Styx. Not too far, but most folk steer clear unless they've got protection. He's got a way of turning things round him to stone. Says he talks to the dead, though, and that they told him about all kinds of hidden things about Pandemonium. He don't like visitors much, though. Bring him something dead to eat and might be it goes a little easier for you." He clears his throat before moving on. "The Collective is, ah, I don't rightly know, exactly. Folk who come back aren't entirely clear about it, and more oft than not they're pretty shook up. But I haven't heard anyone come back saying they didn't get the answer they were looking for. It--they, whatever--makes a home out of this old church you can find a day or so down the river."
<El-Cideon> "It's mostly just the Crag," the man confirms for Stephanie. "Not much else in town. Legend says if you shout something from off the top, you can reach whoever you want to hear it, wherever they are in the planes. So curious folk wander in looking to try that and I sell 'em what I can before they move on their way. Anyone looking to move further on into Pandemonium, they want some good scrap to fight off the beasties, right? So I don't plan on putting down roots here, but it's a nice place to rub a couple coins together to make more if you've got weapons to spare."
<Julia> "So the Worm and the Skirl are in the same direction downriver?" Julia ponders. They all have their upsides and downsides really, it'll be something to confer with the others about. In the meantime, she finishes off her wine and asks, "Thanks for the drink and the directions. What do I owe you?"
<El-Cideon> It comes to a couple silvers. A pittance for Julia's finances, but more than you'd expect to pay back home! Supplying a bar on the plane of madness must not be cheap or easy.
<El-Cideon> "I should require more information than that," the erinyes says. "Is she on this plane? Have you proper clues or last known whereabouts?" With a more speculative look, she adds, "Are you yourself at odds with the church of Pelor, or in service to it?"
<Julia> The coins are duly handed over and Julia retreats back to the lightweights by the door. "I have directions to our three information sources," she tells Rosemund and Vigilia. "Just have to wait on Franceska and Stephanie to finish their own business."
<Steph> Stephanie blinks. "Anyone throughout the planes, eh?" she wonders. "Has anyone done some proper tests on that?"
<El-Cideon> "Well, I dunno," the man says. "See, it's easy to go up and shout to your heart's content, but then you gotta find your friend on whatever other world and ask 'em if they got the message." He shrugs. "Guess all you can do is walk up and try it, right?"
<El-Cideon> "Franceska should not be talking to that woman," the archon buzzes agitatedly at Julia. "She's a bad person!"
<Franceska> "There is no great love lost between us, but I see no reason to directly interact with that church," Franceska responds. "I'm not certain which plane she is on at present, as she tends to travel a lot. I do have detailed descriptions of the companions she travels with. As for last known locations, it has been quite some time since she had been there. Would this be enough to try?"
<Steph> "I think we can try giving it a crack! I mean, it's not too different from a Sending spell," reasons Stephanie. "But hey, maybe you can yell out to people who have died! You've got to think of the permutations!"
<Julia> "They seem to be getting along well enough," Julia says, not really concerned.
<El-Cideon> "It should be a very involved investigation without knowing first on which world I must search," the erinyes says. "I am not discouraged by this fact, but I mention it because my official duties cannot wholly be ignored. It's of value to you to find this person?" she asks with a speculative look.
<El-Cideon> "Well there you are, then," the peddler says to Stephanie. "Might as well try it in the name of science."
<Franceska> "I would very much like to punish her in person for her transgression."
<El-Cideon> A curt nod demonstrates that the erinyes recognizes and respects this motivation. "Provide me whatever details you can and I will gauge what manner of compensation I should require in return. I will also add that if the eradication of demon filth is an agreeable goal, then I would be pleased to allow your assistance in scourging this local taint to be rewarded with a share of whatever material possessions they may have."
<Steph> "Right you are. Well, I might drop in again in a little while," she remarks. "If you happen to come across something interesting, head up there yourself and shout for Stephanie! I do so love novel little trinkets."
<El-Cideon> "But that's how they work!" Tiel beams out in a conspiratorial whisper. "They act perfectly nice and reasonable at first and *then* they ask you to sign away your soul."
<El-Cideon> "Sure thing," the man says to Stephanie in parting.
<Julia> "Franceska's a lawyer. I expect it would be the devil who ends up signing away *her* soul," Julia says confidently.
<Steph> Stephanie leaves him with a bright smile, and then wanders over to the cloudy girl at the bar. "Hey! You look down. Wanna team up and go on an adventure together?"
01<El-Cideon> An extraordinarily long mane of hair floats around the girl but does little to obscure her state of basic indecency. She's short and slender, but superficially human, if likely originating from a human realm distant from your home to judge by the angularity of her exotic features. "Hey, you can still carry stuff!" she exclaims by way of greeting. "How does that work?"
<Franceska> "Perhaps we can arrange to meet once your official business here has been concluded?" Franceska suggests. "As for the demonic scum, I would be normally happy to assist. Presently, however, I wish to spend as little time upon this plane as possible." She offers the erinyes her hand. "Franceska Durant." If the erinyes prefers to hear the details right now, she would just share what she has on
<Franceska> Polaris and her traveling companions, as well as that little abandoned prison camp.
<Steph> "Well, after I drank the draught of air, I was just able to somehow hold it together," replies Stephanie. "Uh, I'm pretty sure that if I didn't, I'd have less substance than a cloud. How'd you end up like that?"
<El-Cideon> The erinyes' grip is warm, but firm and unforgiving. "I am known as Veythis. May I seek you out on your home plane, Franceska Durant?" she asks with a very official air.
<Franceska> "The locals are a bit touchy about that sort of thing," Franceska responds. "I wouldn't want to burden you with that kind of reception. Perhaps Mechanus, coordinated through a Sending?"
<El-Cideon> The cloud girl reaches up to scratch her head, but this instinctive gesture rather goes awry when her hand passes right through her cranium. She offers Stephanie a frustrated shrug. "Oh, uh, see, I don't exactly remember everything. There was a lot of drinking going on that night, and at some point we wandered into the lab, and after that it's all a little hazy but I woke up the next morning all cloudy. At first I had some control over this and it was fun, but now I can't turn it off!"
<El-Cideon> "If that must suffice," Veythis allows.
<Steph> "Ooh! You must have drunk something similar, then, if it's still happening!" Stephanie clucks her tongue. "That's really interesting. Maybe it was a prototype?... Where's this lab?"
* Franceska inclines her head and stands up. "I must be off. Until we meet again?"
<El-Cideon> "It was at my house! My lover, see, he makes and sells potions for a living--or I guess he used to, I don't even know where he is anymore! It's just the next plane over, on Air. I can't get back there now, though--I mean, I don't think I can, I don't know what would happen I went out into the wind. I might just blow away into little pieces for all I know!"
<El-Cideon> "Of course. Until then," Veythis says in parting.
<Steph> "Oh, I see, I see." Stephanie claps her hands. "Did you try calling for him from the top of the Crag?"
* Franceska heads out to join with Julia.
<Julia> "Good talk?" Julia asks curiously. "I've got directions to all our potential sources of information."
<El-Cideon> She sighs. "See, that's why we were here, he thought he'd try and track down this bigshot wizard that trained him or something and maybe he'd be able to figure it out. But we didn't know where this guy was, right?" She spreads her arms in a helpless shrug. "So we decided to go yelling off a magic pile of rock and hope that got his attention. Because hey, we're already in a bad situation and I'm turning into a cloud so why NOT go to Pandemonium, right?"
<El-Cideon> "She didn't make you sign anything, did she?" the archon asks Franceska worriedly.
<Franceska> "Hardly. But I think we should plane shift back immediately and spend the night at home."
<Julia> "Oh, what has you worried?" Julia asks.
<Steph> "There are definitely worse places to look for inspiration," replies Stephanie, feeling diplomatic. "How come you got separated?"
<Franceska> "Apparently my new friend is taking a detour to eliminate the demon-blooded filth in the area and I would be very happy if Rosemund did not get drawn into it by accident."
<Julia> Julia nods, accepting this rationale. "It'll leave Rosemund with more spells if we delay a day anyway."
<El-Cideon> "Well, that's the thing, he went on up the Crag and he never came back," the girl says. "That was a month ago and I'm too scared to go up and look. Like I said, the wind and all. I've been stuck in this room for a month now! Old Slope there let me serve drinks for a while and that was okay, but now I can't carry anything anymore! So he said maybe I should dance for the customers, but I said I think they're getting enough of a show already."
<Franceska> "And I did indeed have a very good talk. Veythis is a sort of bountyhunter and she seems quite amenable to tracking down Polaris for the right price."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund frowns. "Are we sure that we want devils looking for her too?"
<Julia> "Do you think she'd have better success than we have?" Julia asks doubtfully. They've put a lot of work into this!
<Franceska> "Different sources, obviously. Perhaps she will chance upon a clue that we will otherwise miss."
<Steph> "I was thinking of heading up there myself! Let me know what he looks like and I'll tell you if I see him?"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, sure! Thanks. He's like this tall," she raises a hand about half a foot over her own head. "Snappy dresser, brown hair, keeps a beard and mustache I can't get him to trim enough, looks like a total idiot when he smiles. But in a good way," she clarifies.
<Steph> "No worries! Oh, and what are your names? I'm Steph!"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, I'm Hiroko. He's Elwin. So if you find a kinda doofy-looking but basically harmless mage named Elwin lost up there somewhere, that's our guy."
<Steph> "No problem, no problem. Don't go falling apart on me, Hiroko!" Stephanie waves at her before going to rejoin the others. "How did it go, sisters?"
<Julia> "I know where we can find the Skirl, the Worm, or the Collective," Julia says, "Though Franceska suggests we go home and come back tomorrow on account of the fiendish presence."
<Franceska> "Quite."
<Steph> "Huh? She's just one erinyes, we can take her," replies Stephanie, confidently. "I wanna go check out the Crag while we're here."
<Franceska> "She's not alone, nor is there any merit to fighting her."
<Julia> "I don't know, she could be useful," Julia says speculatively, eyeing the erinyes like a piece of meat. Yes, she'd make a promising zombie. "But I'm sure we can go to the crag and then go home, it won't take long since it's right here."
<Franceska> "Alright. Why are we going there?"
<Steph> "Because I wanna go. Apparently if you shout stuff off the top, people will hear it!"
<Franceska> "On the plane of not hearing anything," Franceska says dubiously.
<El-Cideon> "That is what normally happens when you shout..." Rosemund says, not seeing the distinction.
<Steph> "Yes! It's a miracle, right?" Stephanie nods to herself. "The cloud-girl's friend went up there too, and hasn't come back, so I thought an act of charity was in order."
<El-Cideon> "Oh!" Rosemund brightens up. "That makes much more sense."
* Franceska sighs. "Might as well."
<Steph> "Apparently your voice can be heard by someone anywhere in the planes if you try and shout it to them up there," remarks Stephanie, as she heads out. "It could be interesting, no? I'm going to try and yell to my future husband~"
<El-Cideon> The not-town around the Crag is hardly less dreary with with some alcohol in your system. If the negative energy plane represented the end of all personal existence, this might stand in more for the dissolution of societies--all that's left of the few inhabitants you see are the dregs of howling dementia that your earplugs fortunately spare you from hearing. The Crag itself is impossible to miss from anywhere in the city, looming as it does into the unlit darkness above the town. It's a round tower of the crudest masonry, and the lone door you can find at the base is presently warded by a humanoid figure that looks assembled with not much more skill than the tower itself: a vaguely man-shaped lump, thick around the middle and appearing sculpted from mud or earth, its face has two indentations that mimic eyes and a bristly mustache underneath a stubby nose, but this is the extent of its anatomical detail. It is sitting in a state of apparent contemplation when you arrive; it looks up at your appearance, and within each of your heads a flat, laconic voice echoes: *You wish to ascend the tower?*
<Steph> "Er, yes!" replies Stephanie. "Uh, by the way, did a dapper young mage head up this way about a month ago? About this tall... has facial hair?"
<Julia> "So are there stairs inside? That sounds much better than climbing," Julia says gladly.
* Franceska is too busy wondering whether she should yell out something to the mystery woman that appears in her nightmares.
<El-Cideon> *He did* the creature beams. *He has not returned. It worries me. I should return his memory but I cannot* To Julia's query, it responds, *There are stairs inside. I have assured their safety*
<Julia> "Wait... do you have to forfeit your memories or something to climb up?" Julia asks.
<Steph> "You should return his memory? What do you mean?"
<El-Cideon> *Only one* the creature answers. *It will be returned to you upon your descent. I collect experiences, but I do not hoard them*
<Steph> "Huh." Stephanie clucks her tongue. "Do we get to pick?"
<Julia> "Well I know what one I'm giving up," Julia says. No longer will she have to recall the dripping fat rain of the abyss! At least for a little while.
<El-Cideon> *Yes*
<Julia> "Alright, do I just have to think it at you or what?" Julia asks, stepping forward.
<El-Cideon> The figure reaches out its hand towards Julia's forehead (assuming she doesn't resist); you can feel that you need only recall a specific experience to mind in order to transfer it.
<Franceska> Rosemund will want to go there and she can't really leave her alone, so Franceska makes to follow.
<Julia> Riding Battersby along a road in the abyss, hunching forward with her hood covering as much as she can get it to while big globs of smelly fat pour down like rain from the bleak skies overhead. She thinks of it, grimaces, and then it's gone! Somehow Julia's disposition is 5% sunnier afterwards!
<El-Cideon> Surely the Abyss must have had perfect weather throughout your visit, because you simply have no recollection of it now! Rosemund and Vigilia follow suit, then it's just Stephanie's and Franceska's turns.
<Steph> Stephanie heads in, and when her turn comes she decides to forget the battle with that fallen angel, and all that it entailed.
* Franceska surrenders the horrible nightmares where she is tortured to death.
<El-Cideon> *Your contribution is appreciated* the figure says, stepping out of the way. Within the open door of the tower is a set of stairs spiraling up and up towards an unseen height.
<Steph> "I wonder what would've happened if we just flew to the top," muses Stephanie, floating up the stairs.
<Franceska> "Do you want those memories back?" Franceska asks, heading up.
<Steph> "I don't know!"
<El-Cideon> The sound of wind is muted to a dull roar within the tower. "Oh, but we do not even know what they were, do we?" Rosemund asks. "In fact, how can we be sure we gave anything up at all?"
<Steph> "We should've written them down first."
<Julia> "I imagine all my experiences have been valuable, so I wouldn't want to live without any of my memories," Julia says with a bright smile, never dreaming that any sort of experience could diminish her.
<Steph> "Really? But what about all those times things have stabbed you? Those can't have been all that valuable."
<El-Cideon> "I should think that whatever I gave up would have been a pleasant experience," Vigilia says. "This way I needn't despair when I get it back."
<Julia> "The only way to know is to come back down when we're finished and get our memories back. Oh it adds a personal touch to this quest, how exciting!" she goes on, voice chipper and bright. "Every time I got stabbed only taught me better to dodge, surely!"
<Franceska> "How depressing."
<El-Cideon> At the summit of the tower the wind resumes its terrible volume, and the ramshackle tower itself almost noticeably sways in the gale. There is a crumbled parapet ringing the roof and not much else. Stephanie doesn't find a wayward mage conspicuously adorning the stairs or the top floor upon arrival.
<Julia> Earplugs back in, Julia goes to the parapet and looks over it in case the mage fell down.
<Steph> "Oh..." Stephanie frowns. "That must be why dad was such a fan of corporal punishment. He knew it would make me stronger," she mutters to herself. "Hey, nobody's here. That's no good," she says into the roaring wind!
<El-Cideon> The wind carries Stephanie's words away, unheard even to herself back in the full roar of Pandemonium. Julia sees nothing in particular over the edge expect the faint, scattered light of the town's few standing establishments, perilously far below.
<Julia> She turns to the others and shrugs helplessly, indicating the lack of any mages present. Oh well, she may as well take advantage while she's here, and shouts out, "Thing, you better be behaving yourself!" into the howling winds.
<Franceska> "It's Franceska," she calls out to the winds, thinking of her mother. "Franceska Durant! If you're still alive out there, somewhere, say something!"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund marches to the edge of the tower and yells something that is lost to the others in a howling gale.
<El-Cideon> Vigilia, after some consideration and conferring with her celestial minder on the stairs, declines to contribute.
<Steph> Well, here she is, able to talk to anyone! Can she do it more than once? Or should she make her one message count? She should use chances like this to be responsible, so... Stephanie sucks in her breath. "Jill Cook! What you have been forced to do is wrong! Reclaim who you were!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll perception, folks
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+17 --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{26}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 Rosey pro as ever
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20-1 1,0Rosey pro as ever --> 6,0[ 1d20=6 ]4,0{5}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+25
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+25 --> 6,0[ 1d20=17 ]4,0{42}
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+2 --> 6,0[ 1d20=7 ]4,0{9}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 Vigilia
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20 1,0Vigilia --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{2}
<El-Cideon> Stephanie and Franceska are alert enough to spot a figure gliding towards the tower from the air--silently, given local conditions, but not invisibly, and therein lies its failure! It's a demon--a vrock, swooping over the tower with claws outstretched to snatch someone or something off of it! (OOC: the two of of you can take a standard action ahead of its arrival if so desired)
<Steph> Stephanie takes off from the top of the tower and hurtles towards the vrock to meet it mid-flight! OOC: Can I partial charge it?
01<El-Cideon> OOC: since you can actually fly, sure
06* Franceska takes a half step back and stretches her arm directly at the vrock as she unleashes her most powerful spell upon it!
<Steph> roll 1d20+24 OOC: +2 charge, +1 air master
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+24 1,0OOC: +2 charge, +1 air master --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{28}
01<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Franceska> roll 1d20+9 disintegrate ranged touch
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+9 1,0disintegrate ranged touch --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{13}
01<El-Cideon> OOC: also hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+9+2d6
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d6+9+2d6 --> 6,0[ 1d6=5 2d6=12 ]4,0{26}
<Steph> OOC: Is it an SA?
<Steph> OOC: I'm fuzzy on surprise stuff
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13 SR
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+13 1,0SR --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{28}
<El-Cideon> OOC: I'm going to say no in this case. Also, SR passed
<Franceska> OOC: Fort 24
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 fortness
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+14 1,0fortness --> 6,0[ 1d20=18 ]4,0{32}
<Franceska> roll 5d6 full, yes this always fails doesn't it
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 5d6 1,0full, yes this always fails doesn't it --> 6,0[ 5d6=15 ]4,0{15}
<El-Cideon> Assailed in midair, the demon howls in unheard frustration and veers off course, denied its intended target through interference. A smattering of sizzling, demonic blood patters across the tower roof with its passing. (OOC: it's peeling off and flying away. If anyone capable of flying wishes to continue assault we can roll it out, but it's not sticking around for a standup fight)
<Steph> OOC: I'll let it go for a bit, but then tail it to see where it heads off to; is that plausible?
<El-Cideon> OOC: you're faster than he is, so yes
<Steph> Stephanie allows the vrock to get a bit of lead, but then floats after it, rising somewhat higher to try and stay in his blind spot. Preferably, against whatever passes for a sun in Pandemonium.
<Julia> Not having heard anything, Julia only notices when the green ray flashes out from Franceska and turns to see where it was aimed. But already the vrock is too far for her to do anything, so she just looks slightly irritated.
* Franceska lets it go with a shrug.
<El-Cideon> Stephanie is able to trail the demon for what feels like a couple miles out of town; its panicked flight takes it into a yawning cavern bored into the wall curving upwards to the east of town.
<Steph> A few moments later, Stephanie returns to the top of the tower and waves at the group to head back in.
<El-Cideon> "What just happened?" is the first thing Rosemund asks once in environs where conversation is possible again.
<Julia> Julia nods and descends back down, eager to restore her happy memories and become whole once more!
<Steph> "The birdbrain was trying to snatch one of us away! I saw where it was lairing at," replies Stephanie, flexing her palms. "Let's go kill it."
<El-Cideon> "Oh! Yes, I am sure it will try this again next time someone climbs up if someone does not do something about it," she concludes.
<Franceska> "Can we not just leave this to Veythis?"
<Julia> "It probably got that mage," Julia says, doubtlessly unnecessarily.
<Steph> "Yeah, that's why I wanna go after it. Plus, it tried to gank us?"
<Franceska> "That was a very pathetic effort," Franceska tries half-heartedly.
<El-Cideon> At the base of the tower, the odd gateman returns each visitor's memories to her in the same manner in which they were taken: Julia recalls the true horror of Abyssal weather, Stephanie recovers understanding of Rosemund's transformation and condition, Franceska has the dubious pleasure of reliving her dreams; Rosemund flushes with embarrassment at her own returned memory, whereas Vigilia actually looks serenely satisfied with hers.
<Franceska> "What did you choose to forget?" Franceska asks Rosemund curiously.
<Steph> Stephanie visibly cringes.
<El-Cideon> "I cannot tell you that!" Rosemund swears.
<Franceska> "I'm certain you can."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shakes her head vigorously.
<Julia> Julia staggers and leans her hand on the wall. "I was such a fool...!" she nearly cries.
<Franceska> "Are you keeping secrets from me?" Franceska asks disappointedly.
<El-Cideon> "It is only one of them!" Rosemund insists.
<Steph> "I know what you mean," mumbles Stephanie, patting Julia on the shoulder.
<Franceska> "That's not good!"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, but there must be something that you have not told anyone either," Rosemund guesses here, looking to her other friends for support.
* Franceska tilts her head. "No, I'm pretty sure you know everything."
<Steph> "O-oh, yes, everyone has their little secrets! A person with nothing to hide is a boring person!"
* Franceska glares at Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund looks from Stephanie to Franceska.
<Franceska> "You hide it from people you don't care about or random strangers!"
<Steph> "That's a really skewed way to look at things!"
<Julia> "I had to let the whole necromancy thing out of the bag pretty early on in our travels didn't I?" Julia sighs. "There's nothing exciting past that, really."
<Steph> "O-oh." Stephanie rubs her head. "Sorry, Julia. It's just a figure of speech."
<Franceska> "And people have been cautiously respectful ever since!"
<Franceska> "Of course you'd apologize to her but not me," Franceska then mutters with a huff.
<Steph> "Ahaha, but you're upset all the time with what I do," replies Stephanie, slapping Franceska on the back. "If I started apologizing now there'd be no end to it, right?"
<El-Cideon> "S-so, shall we be on our way?" Rosemund suggests in unapologetically awkward transition.
<Franceska> "It would be a start," Franceska says, before giving Rosemund a disappointed look. "Well, if we must kill the demons ourselves, then we must."
<Julia> "Lets hope it doesn't melt, a vrock's corpse can be very useful!" Julia says, brightening as at least part of the abyss can be useful. Unlike the rain... Earplugs go back in and she steps out of the tower.
<Steph> "Hee. You lot are the best, you really are. I couldn't stick around people this long if they weren't curious," replies Stephanie, following suit.
<El-Cideon> Outside of town, the bare rock of Pandemonium curves in an arc that briefly presents the bewildering perspective of looking down perpendicularly at the town as though standing on a wall above it, then darkness swallows it up in the distance. The demon's retreat is a circular cavern a couple miles away; the wind shrieks across the stone gateway as though air blown across an empty bottle, and within the passageway shortly bends out of sight to the right.
<Steph> Stephanie's transparent form seems to shiver and flicker in the blasting winds, but she does continue to take one heroic step after another towards the distant cavern.
<Franceska> How did this happen? Rather than have an erinyes track the demons for her or kill them all on her own, now Franceska is forced to look for them in this forsaken place.
<Julia> Julia trudges along, hugging her arms around herself and with her body stooped forward against the wind.
<El-Cideon> A powerful smell of carrion assaults you the moment you step in out of the gale, and two sounds echo down the corridor towards you: one is an impressive string of curses and invective in Abyssal hurled at some unseen target; the other is a sound of...breathing? Snoring? Something huge, or something amplified by echoes?
<Steph> This ought to be good; Stephanie creeps ahead to get a look at what they seem to be up against.
<Steph> roll 1d20+24 let's sneak it up
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+24 1,0let's sneak it up --> 6,0[ 1d20=5 ]4,0{29}
<Julia> Julia casts false life outside the cave for extra protection.
<Julia> roll 1d100 deafened spell failure, want 20+
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d100 1,0deafened spell failure, want 20+ --> 6,0[ 1d100=20 ]4,0{20}
<Julia> roll 1d10+10 lucky
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d10+10 1,0lucky --> 6,0[ 1d10=9 ]4,0{19}
<Julia> That all done, she moves in with the rest of the group, removing the earplugs so she can listen to the abyssal cursing. Sounds like Thing, really.
<El-Cideon> Bones crackle underfoot as you progress; it does not require Julia's medical expertise to recognize them as humanoid and extensively gnawed upon. Further on, Stephanie could judge the winds relaxed enough to speak and hear normally if desired. She soon reaches a bend round which she might peek (hopefully without detection!) at the sought out demonic gathering: the central figure in a cavern littered about equally with broken bones, rotting viscera, and spills of coin is a goatlike figure some dozen feet tall; its flesh looks mottled and diseased, and it holds at hand a polearm nearly twice its height. The obvious object of its scorn is an injured vrock cowering at its feet in abject failure. Two of its companions look on in amusement from rocky perches higher up in the cavern. Behind the collective group is a hulking, hairy shape; you might guess it to stand some twenty feet tall in full, but at present it seems well asleep and oblivious to the raucous noise of its compatriots.
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+23 vrocks are reasonably sharp!
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 2#1d20+23 1,0vrocks are reasonably sharp! --> 6,0[ 1d20=7 ]4,0{30}, 6,0[ 1d20=12 ]4,0{35}
<El-Cideon> The two alert vrocks hiss sharply at their master; the goatlike figure turns to swivel a misshapen, pus-weeping eye in Stephanie's direction. It kicks the cowering vrock in frustration before addressing Stephanie. "Well fine, fine! Prey wants to come to us, maybe that's easiest way after all." It swings its weapon around in your direction. "Hi prey! Nice eating you."
<El-Cideon> OOC: init and we'll pause. I'm assuming the rest of the gang is a little ways behind Steph, but we'll roll everyone in
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+1 --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{10}
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+2 vrocks
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 3#1d20+2 1,0vrocks --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{11}, 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{17}, 6,0[ 1d20=20 ]4,0{22}
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+2 --> 6,0[ 1d20=11 ]4,0{13}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+2 1,0Rosey --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{21}
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+11 --> 6,0[ 1d20=11 ]4,0{22}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 Vigilia
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+11 1,0Vigilia --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{26}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 lantern hero!
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+4 1,0lantern hero! --> 6,0[ 1d20=3 ]4,0{7}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 big sleeping shape
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+3 1,0big sleeping shape --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{7}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 boss demon
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 1,0boss demon --> 6,0[ 1d20=7 ]4,0{15}
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 on CHA-based checks for lawful characters | Vigilia (26) > vrock = Steph (22) > Rosey (21) > vrock (17) > goat demon (15) > Julia (13) > vrock (11) > Fran (10) > Tiel = ??? (7)'
<El-Cideon> ~