Meeting Hell (Afina, Jaela, Tryll)

[Ebiris]

"This is a matter between Lifasa and Baator," Afina confirms her understanding of the situation, her eyes never leaving the devil contingent.

[Corwin]

"We have many friends," Jaela adds to that, "and wish to make more still, but this is indeed a more private affair."

[Anastasia]

Hellfire-filled gazes meet Afina's.

"So it will be," Vlaakith says, as Man'kel hurries over to the other side. "First, I introduce Baronet Zquji, an observer for Duke Gathgorian."

The devil that emerges from behind the 8 pit fiends is a cornugon. He is a typical one, forged in hellfire and battle. He wears a military uniform bedeckoned with medals and awards, a saber at his hip and a helmet obscuring his face. He takes a seat on the far right end of the table.

Morniel turns his attention to them, and through the link, 'If you know of any devil introduced, say so. The knowledge may be useful.'

[Corwin]

'Related to Zquujaj?' Jaela wonders at Morniel's prompting.

[Anastasia]

Morniel takes 10.

'No, zqu is a rarely used but valid Infernal syllable. It's an uncommon name, nothing more than that.' Morniel replies.

[Corwin]

'Worth bringing it up if he gets uppity. Besides, we have a score to settle with his boss.'

I intend to test my K:P knowledge once they're all introduced.

[Anastasia]

"Next is Knight Temtral, representing Duke Taelfagn."

With these words another devil emerges. This oneis clad in the loose robes of a wizard, a pit fiend that walks with an unnatural, eerie grace. His blank white eyes look over all of you, then he goes and sits.

"Next is Colonel Derkel, representing Duke Malphas."

The colonel is a thin, severe looking humanoid-ish devil, only a blue cast to his skin and small horns marking him as one of Baator's own. He has a thin mustache and a scowl, he wears a well made and pristine breastplate with an open face helmet.

"Next is High Necrolyte Halles, representing Prince Lixer."

This is a withered, ancient-looking pit fiend. He looks so thin as to be about to break apart, black robes hanging from his body like a funeral pyre. You can see every bone in his face, skin so tight that it highlights his skull.

"Next is Lady Kaessa, Mistress of the Brachina, representing Lord Glasya."

Kaessa is a brachina with lavender skin, an impossibly beautiful figure, long brown hair and regal features. Shadows cling to her face, giving her a darkly seductive look. She moves with a grace that draws attention to her purple eyes, which all of you find bewitching to stare into. She wears a black dress that clings tightly to her figure, tantalizing.

"Next is Baron Sanfir, Reserve General of the 18th Iron Legion, representing Lord Dispater."

Baron Sanfir is a pit fiend that's a bit on the short side and rather fat, coming over to his seat as he rubs his greasy hands on the sides of his fine iron-gray doublet. He looks over all of you as he gets comfortable.

We'll do them in two chunks for the sake of pacing. Go ahead and if anyone wants to react or make rolls here, og ahead.

[Ebiris]

I'll take 10 on planes for 52 on all relevant personalities

Afina watches each devil as they're introduced, her expression severe and seeming to give none of them any greater or lesser regard.

[Corwin]

Jaela smirks at Lixer's representative, though Glasya's proxy gives her pause. Is it a good thing or a bad one that she chose to decorate herself with light, given the devil's use of shadows for the same purpose?

And then she gets to wondering about how an outsider could be anything less than perfect. Aren't they, herself including, the ideal version of the self coming from the soul? That might explain why fiends are ugly, but then you have the surface-deep pretty ones which seems to go against the whole thing.

Taking 10 for K:P 60 on all of them.

[Anastasia]

Afina knows the following, as does Jaela.

Knight Temtral is a veteran soldier of the Blood War. A former captain (and thus a technical superior to Gathgorian before), he has hitched his wagon to Gathgorian's. He's known for his brutality and through nature, refusing to allow a single demon to escape his soldiers. He was once called to a Prime where he greatly wounded it and lead five kingdoms into ruin before being banished by a solar sent by Lliira. He came close to plunging an entire continent into a war with weapons that would have had the fallen in that conflict rise as hungry undead and was on the brink of victory. Even then, it took centuries for those kingdoms to recover.

Colonel Derkel is a weapons researcher for Duke Malphas. His military rank is official but understood to be honorary based on the Duke's authority rather than the Dark Ministry. He is mainly known (and pursued by the Heavens) for his involvement in the slave trade. He buys slaves not suitable for the Blood War and uses them for weapons testing, sacrifices or simply to torment with his various creations. He's a sadist in that regard who enjoys crushing mortals beneath his great inventions. More relevantly to Afina, he's also a golemcrafter, though he doesn't innovate as much as provide more golems for Malphas and the Blood War.

High Necrolyte Halles is relatively little known. A fairly recent and fast riser in the ranks, he transferred from duty in Mammon's personal guard to Prince Lixer's service. He keeps to himself but seems to have an understanding with Lixer. The reasons why aren't clear and Halles keeps his interests mostly to himself. He's a powerful necromancer and more than capable of defending himself and serving the Prince of Undeath.

Lady Kaessa is an enigmatic figure. A devil that rose to power in Sammael's court in ancient times, she vanished shortly before Sammael was banished from Hell. She vanished for time uncountable, until she emerged with the title Mistress of the Brachina. She is the commander of the brachina as a whole as well as friendly with Glasya. She's a poisoner of great skill and a seductress who can keep up with Glasya herself. Her touch is a venom that has damned countless souls and slain many more.

Baron Sanfir is an old noble from Dispater's court. He's had his position for longer than any of you can be sure of. He's a smart, steady and conservative sort. He enjoys all the fine things and like and heads a subcommittee on fey studies for Dispater. What he does to the fey he captures as a part of that is best not thought about.

[Corwin]

Jaela runs dispassionate mental commentary on the devils as they are introduced, as per Morniel's earlier request.

[Yuthirin]

'So hey wait a sec,' Calleigh pitches in, 'so only the Duke himself showed up? Everyone else sent representatives? Huh. Think they're up to something?'

[Corwin]

'They're showing how ridiculously strong they are, and that they don't need to show up in person. It's just posturing.'

[Yuthirin]

'That's not strength, it's just arrogance! Why would you send a proxy who could screw it up when you could just come yourself and make sure it's done right! Unless you're planning something. Maybe they're not here because they're planning something?'

[Anastasia]

Antenora's mental laugh is dry and brief, 'Hell IS arrogance, Calleigh. What seems foolish and meaningless to us means everything to Hell. Also, as someone who is Alicia's right hand, the amount of work a power has to do is incalculable. Delegation is essential.' She adds the second part as an afterthought, reflective.