The Necromancer's Pact IX: City of Weeping Ghosts

[barawn]

Damian

Damian glances at Tiriel, and to the newly-changed demon. "I hate to speak frank, but do we really have time for this? We can't guide... him out. The best we could do is possibly give directions in return for information."

He sighs, and looks to the demon. "I'm not sure going outside would be in your best interest in any case."

As he says this, his daggers still remain lightly wielded, and his knees are slightly bent, ready to spring.

[Koji]

Khazrael

With a smirk, Khazrael stares down at the little demon.

"What are you doing away from your horde, Zeodoras? Even on this plane, a lone demon is a dead one."

Khazrael turns to the others and says, "Look around for more, and be creative--if he's lying, we're in trouble."

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Knowledge (the planes) check rolled a 6 (even with my bonus). Invisible castle will back me up on that, but I'm sure you don't need to check such a low roll.

[Dr._Bob]

Khazrael recognizes the tiny demon as a quasit. Zeodoras gazes at Khazrael's feathers appraisingly, then bows subserviently.

"You speak the truth, master. But there are fates worse than death, even for our kind ..."

[Aveda]

Gala

And I thought I'd just about seen it all... A talking dog was strange enough, but one that transforms into a demon, trying to play for sympathy? It's almost too much for Gala. Instead of trying to talk to the demon, she leaves it to others a bit more...qualified...to do the talking and immediately begins to search the party's surroundings for signs of an ambush.

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[roll0]

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"Lovely... A pet... Demon... Thing... Well, let's ignore it and continue on our quest. Nice meeting you. Have a nice day."

[Koji]

Khazrael

With a grin, Khazrael points up, indicating the demonic armies presumably on the surface above him.

"True. I'm sure the elder fiends wouldn't have much trouble cooking something pretty vicious up. What'd you do to raise their anger?"

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

For the first time since donning her mask, Tryntha wishes the others could see the look on her face,

I cant believe we're standing here in this tunnel talking to this demon-thing. My countrymen are dying outside and we are dallying with the enemy.

Standing up straight she looks in Callos's direction and says bluntly,

"Do we really have time for this. Every moment spent here, is another life in jeopardy out there. This thing has done nothing but delay us so far, as was probably its intention. It hid it's true form and is playing to our sympathies...a commodity I for one try to save for those deserving of it."

She shifts her gaze over to Tiriel, hoping for support from the angelic woman.

[Koji]

Khazrael

Ah, there's the reaction I expected...

"A few minutes talking to a quasit isn't going to slow us down," he says, "Let's at least hear him out."

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"No, of course not. And as it's impossible to walk and talk at the same time, I suppose we might as well sit down and form a big circle where we can all discuss our feelings. I'm sorry Khaz, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. The quasi-thing can slow us down." He pulls an everburning torch out of his pack and prepares to set off down the tunnel. "I know I'd rather not be stuck at night on in a city with vampires..."

[barawn]

Damian

Damian looks over to Fizahn and Tryntha and nods slightly. "I agree we really don't have time. But the demon can help us, and we can help him. We need information, and he needs to get out. We can't take him out, but we can tell him the right path. The only question is whether or not he can even be trusted to give us real information, and not lead us into a trap."

Looking back to the quasit, his expression loses all emotion again. "So perhaps he would like to attempt to explain why he can be trusted. Preferably quickly. We are in a rush."

[Dr._Bob]

Zeodoras tilts his head to one side. "Trusted? Why would your kind trust one of my kind?"

The quasit eyes your weapons, particularly Retay's axe. "All I ask is that you not slay me outright ... and that you allow me to go my own way."

"I am obviously no threat to you, and I daresay, based on your direction of travel, that you have ... what is your idiom? ... bigger fish to fry."

"I will detain you no longer. Best of luck to you all. When you get to the portcullis, the hidden lever is to the lower right. Gray ooze lies at the bottom of the cistern. Umm ... and that's about it. Farewell."

Zeodoras edges his way around your party as best he can, bowing to each of you subserviently.

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika remains in the shadows, watching the odd little creature. So it's a 'quasit...' It's pretty small for a demon, it can't be too powerful... although if it can have a dog illusion, it could be something else illusory, or transformed, although Tryntha would probably know... she saw through the first one, anyways.

When the quasit is gone, Anika comes out of the shadows. "Can we trust what that thing says?"

[Naleh]

Retay

The barbarian hesitates for a long moment, then runs forward. "Wait!"

((if noone stops him, although someone probably will:))
Retay runs up to the "quasit", and as an afterthought, lowers his axe. He begins to describe the path the party has taken as best he can remember.

[namo]

Adalmar

He lays a hand on Khazrael's shoulder and looks him in the eyes. "You apparently know this kind of creature. Are you certain he will not denounce us as a way to... I don't know, maybe regain favor ?

I'm not willing to trust anyone we meet here."

[Matticus]

Grynde

Hidden lever, bottom right. Gray ooze, cistern. Hidden lever, bottom right. Gray ooze, cistern. Doing his best to drill that into his memory, Grynde returns his bow to his pack and retrieves his torch from the ground.
As interesting as it is, standing here, I think there are some evil pricks in need of an ass-kicking. Time to hasten to our demise, I think.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel blinks at the retreating form of the mini-demon-thing. Well that was easy... maybe too easy? Weird if nothing else.
"Okay, well that's that. Where there are armies, there are deserters. Let's move on."

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael's footfalls echo through the tunnel as he steps boldly toward the little demon and speaks in its native tongue.

"Hold it, Zeodoras. I'm not letting you run off now that you know that we're using the tunnels. What's to stop you from telling the others that we're down here? I think you'd better come with me."

He casts a sidelong glance to Retay and his axe.

"It's certainly a better choice for you than the alternative, wouldn't you agree?"

[Dr._Bob]

The party begins to move on, deeper into the caves. Khazrael lingers behind for a moment talking to Zeodoras in the dissonant tones of abyssal. Khazrael attempts to persuade the quasit to stay, but it is clear that the tiny demon is eager to part ways, and he has no qualms about saying so ...

The quasit does take a moment to thank Retay for his generosity, but then his eyes drift off over the barbarian's shoulder. Zeodoras stops in mid-sentence, an expression of fear on his alien face.

Suddenly, Anika reappears out of the darkness. She had been scouting ahead, and has spotted something approaching.

"Whatever it is, it's large, it's moving fast, and it is heading directly for us!"

Almost before you can ready your weapons, you can hear the scrabbling of many feet growing louder by the second. Small pebbles begin to fall from the ceiling, dislodged by a faint rumbling that you feel deep in your bones ...

[Koji]

Khazrael

"Hrmph! I knew you were hiding something! What is it you were going to let us walk into, you little cretin?!"

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Intimidate check:
1d20+11=17--+8 bonus from being two size categories bigger than Zeodoras.

Eyes flashing, Khazrael takes one step forward toward the quasit, mimicking the intimidation tactics he's sure that Zeodoras is used to folding to.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"Gods! I assume we're going to fight. It seems fast!" Fizahn moves towards the entrance to their little cavern where he assumes the creature is going to come from and jumps behind a rock. His 'short sword' is gripped tight in his hands and he's looking intently at the area he can see.

OOC: hide - (1d20+13)[23]
Readying action to attack anything demonic looking that comes around the corner.

[Dr._Bob]

In terrified abyssal, Zeodoras answers with one word, "Retriever ..."

In moments, it is upon you. A enormous horror lunges into view - black as night, armored and spiked, with at least six legs and at least four horribly glowing eyes. The monster fills the passage, its carapace grinding against the adjacent stone ...

[barawn]

Damian

The instant that Anika yells, Damian immediately activates the dragonfly ring and lunges for cover, his form blurring out of focus as he slips into the darkness.

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Hide - (1d20+13)[25]

Demon or undead? Well, I guess the easy answer is whether or not it has flesh hanging off its bones... Can the others get out of the way fast enough? Is it even possible to fight this thing here?

[Matticus]

Grynde

With an air of confidence, Grynde drops his torch and draws his swords.
Come and get me, ugly he murmers as he readies himself for combat, eyes scanning the thing for weak points.

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika, too, slips into the shadows, drawing her sword. She is gasping for breath. That thing is huge... and well armored, too... how are we going to be able to deal with it?

(OOC: Hide Check (1d20 +26=29))

[namo]

Adalmar

He flings himself out of the way of the incoming monstruosity, melting within the (already crowded) shadows. He unshoulders his bow as he comes back to a stand.

He's hoping someone knowledgeable will warn him what manner of creature this is, but he does not dare formulate that question out loud.

Gripping the bow suddenly reminds him of the ring, and he whispers the word that will activate it.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

What was it about demons that he was supposed to remember?...It was hard to remember in a place like this, but the word Retriever gave some of it's own revelations. Maybe, just maybe, this thing was after Zeodoras and not them, and in this case it'd definitly be better to just get out of it's way! Callos wasted no time in plastering himself against the wall of the tunnel, trying to make himself look as small as possible even as whispered furiously to Grynde. "Move you jackass! It might not even be after us so get out of it's way!"

[Koji]

Khazrael

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Initiative: 1d20+1=18

Khazrael's first reaction is inborn. His hands weave a familiar pattern and he thrusts his palms forward, sending a violet-red bolt of lightning flashing toward the retriever.

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Lightning Bolt Damage - Save DC 16 7d6=24

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Here in tuneness with nature screached at her at this abomination in front of her. Backing down the tunnel, she prepares a spell of her own hoping to send thiis thing back from wherever it came from if her comrades have little luck doing it the old fashioned way.

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Initiative - (1d20)[5]

Move 20' backwards down the tunnel and ready the action to cast Dismissal if no one manages to damage the creature in any way.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel feels her mind slip into the familiar realm that she associates with fighting. Since she already has a sword drawn she does the obvious and uses it on the nearest limb of the creature.

initiative: (1d20+3=16)
attack(1d20+11)=[20, 11]= 31 Crit!
threat roll: (1d20+11=29) yay!
damage: (2d8+12=25)

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan watched as Zeodoras stood still and his companions scattered to hide. Sure a few stood to fight this new monster, but the lack of morale of the others was not heartening to the shadow mage. The monster looked much like what he, Graevic, Thokk and Linda had fought before entering the underdark, but this one seemed different than the first; felt different. Unlike the Beblith, it did not feel wise to confront this creature.

Following the lead of the others, he shoves himself close to a wall and wraps his cloak around him, hoping to hide himself and let the Retriever pass by.

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Hide - (1d20+5)[24]