Firewalk (Jaela)

[Corwin]

"There's an alarm on the door, so I'm gonna use anti-magic and just waltz in," Jaela voices. "Stay real close to me and I'll drop it when we meet resistance."

Intending to cast Antimagic Field and walk in with Canderella and Vivantha right next to me unless one of them raises an objection.

Also, duration spent in Gehenna means Turn Anathema, Foresight and Fortunate Fate (this one on everyone) should still be up, if barely. They were cast as we started the attack on the crypt itself.

[Anastasia]

So noted.

The party enters into the archway. Past the immediate darkness is a small, oval chamber of scaffolding and tubes glowing red with lava inside. There's ways forward, gaps in the scaffolding all about. But 25ft away, leaning against a metal pole that runs ceiling to floor is a man. A human, albeit one with midnight-black tinted skin. The color of the night sky on a moonless and starless night. He's tall and bald, wearing leather armor with black stitching and with no weapon at his side.

"Hm?" He stirs and looks your way, "Well, it's been some time since celestials have been brave enough to enter here...and with a succubus?" he asks aloud, voice clear and soft. "Greetings."

[Corwin]

"Hello," Jaela responds, to not be churlish. "I'm not the unreasonable sort. Free all the souls outside, allowing them to find atonement."

[Anastasia]

"You heard the woman. Trust me, you don't want to see her when she gets smiting." Canderella adds, "I've seen balors less terrifying than she is."

Vivantha merely gazes evenly at the man, not looking away.

"Why?" The man asks back, "They made their choice in their mortal lives. What good are they except as fiend tainted penitents, far more likely to fall and return here than find any atonement? They all turned away their chances to atone in life and embraced evil. Why do you care to save them?"

[Corwin]

"We believe in second chances. It's as simple as that. I'm not saying magically turn them good. I'm telling you to give them another choice, in the here and now." Jaela shrugs. "Not to boast, but I see it fairly similar to talking to you right now rather than a dynamic entry through the wall. Those I try to reserve for the devils."

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+16
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+16 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{35}

Something about that statement draws pause to the man. He peers at Jaela, "Aurora. General Jaela of Aurora." His entire demeanor changes at that, "Perhaps we can come to some sort of accord."

[Corwin]

Jaela dips her head in a nod. "Lady Angharradh desires for the damned souls to have a chance at atonement and redemption. She does not necessarily desire this to happen as a result of a battle. I'm in full agreement with her on both counts." She wonders whether she should add that it's not some bluff, and that risks have been properly assessed, but her reputation surely speaks for her there and Jaela decides to leave it at that.

[Anastasia]

"Yes, yes," The man goes on, "But there must be compensation, you understand."

"Filthy lucre or something more unpleasant?" Canderella asks, idly twirling a bit of her hair around a finger. "You know, money always makes me want to think of thunderstorms. Bringing them, causing them, destroying entire cities in giant tornadoes. You know, the things that we do."

[Corwin]

"Even if you win, you will expend valuable resources in the battle. In fact, if you do happen to win you will also receive the enmity of Aurora and its other generals," Jaela calmly points out. "I believe Afina has spent some time in these parts, and would be all too happy to do so again to avenge my unfortunate and untimely death. Then again, there are the other options, likewise unappealing. Death, loss of property and riches...." She shrugs, trailing off. "I realize this must seem like a very unfavorable situation to you. However, such is life. I would chalk it down to the cost of doing business in human souls and all the divine anger that sometimes brings upon your head for seemingly no reason."

[Anastasia]

Make intimidate checks, Jaela and Canderella.

[Corwin]

I'm scary even when I don't try.

[22:00] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+36+15
[22:00] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+36+15 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{53}

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+47 Canderella Intimidate
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+47 Canderella Intimidate --> [ 1d20=20 ]{67}
> roll 1d20+67 exploding crit purely for the giggles
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+67 exploding crit purely for the giggles --> [ 1d20=14 ]{81}

No other rolling, since he can't even beat Jaela's check, let alone Canderella throwing a natural 20.

The man draws back from all of that, "Well then," he says, "Go on down. If you can get any of them to atone and a power willing to intercede, the chains will break on their own." He waves his hands, "We won't interfere."

'Until it's convenient to plunge a knife into our backs,' Canderella sends to Jaela.

[Corwin]

'If that happens you'll get to see if he has nice, shiny things,' Jaela assures Canderella, nodding at their host once more. "No time like the present," she says, proceeding.

I presume Antimagic Field got dropped when we got past the door and met this guy.

[Anastasia]

Okay.

The party heads back out. Canderella sends as you do, 'We had best make this count. How do you plan to do this?'

[Corwin]

Jaela starts glowing again in response, as this is exactly the time to draw attention to herself.

"Are you really sorry?" she calls out to the souls screaming for mercy. There is no way for her to outright shout them down, so she would need to rely on force of personality, boosted by theatrical aids. "Do you regret what you did in your mortal lives to get you here? Or is it being here that you regret?"

Her mental response to Canderella has the succubus lead her over to to the soul crying out to the Triune. Her best chance at success is approaching someone she shares common ground with. When that succeeds, she could leverage that for an in with the others.

"Think about your crimes. A lifetime of causing misery to others, a betrayal so deep it left marks on your very soul." Jaela gestures about her, as the bottom of the pillar and its assorted scaffolding glow with divine power. "Even now, you cling to your self-delusions. To the lies you tell yourself, no doubt blaming others for your circumstances. It was someone else's fault, or you were tricked. Pushed into hurting others, innocents. The blame lies with your childhood." She stomps her boot against the ground, as if to drive it into that idea itself. "Now you cannot do even that. So tell me, one by one, what did you do that got you here? And then, once you're done, tell me if you're really sorry."

Bead of Karma to boost my CL by 4, then Hallow with the Discern Lies imbued in it. Though the spell seems to be a caster vs other people one, I'm hoping the fluff in the desc about resonance in the aura might be visible to the souls themselves, given I'm not dealing with people.

Finally, intent is to stop by the soul crying out to the Triune and hear what it has to say under this effect. The glow is the Body of Light, btw.