Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Kowsauni]

Outside the ward...

Irene would respond back to Ruin. "Oh, well, I can try and see what I can do. If you made them mad though and they know I'm with you they aren't going to be exactly fooled if I start asking for the same exact ritual and supplies you were asking for before."

As for the soldier Ruin addressed he would respond he did not know who he was talking about but assured him that cleric probably wouldn't leave the safety of the fort.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the ward...

The feigned smile would finally drop from the clerks face as she responded. "Lady, I wouldn't let you touch one of our patents with a ten foot pole. I would suggest in the future if you want help from someone you shouldn't insult them with every sentence you utter. Now, leave my office." The clerk would nod to the soldiers at the door and they would come into the office. Flanking Kouri, one of them would say. "It's time to leave."  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

Ruin gave Irene an understanding nod, "good point. Forget I said anything. Instead give them this." He said, placing his gold pouch on the table by her. "Best case scenario, I won't need it and they could use it to purchase tonics and what not. Worst case... I still won't need it."

"Revenge, I think you have taken one to many blows to ye old noggin. I know I told you about him... Or was it the other paladin we passed." Ruin pause for a moment to gain his mental bearings "Ok, Quick recap then... I don't know who it is either. I just know he, or she, is a devil and I stole power from it. And now it wants it's power back and will take my soul as interest. But some infernal law states it can't have either 'till I am d.e.a.d."

Taking a second moment, to scratch his head. He would add with a bit of confusion, "Technically, I didn't steal it... Only accepted it?"

It was explained in detail in a book in his master's study. From how to perform the ritual to summon the Blade of Annihilation and the precise laws that would protect him. At the time the young Ruin only wanted the power to avenge his family, quickly. And felt the wizard wasn't interested in having an orphaned apprentice

"Not that it matters, anymore. If anyone wants me will be by the front gate."  

[PupSage]

She holds her hands up, "I don't have to touch them. My brother is among the wounded, I have no reason to harm them." She looks to the soldiers, "I want to do something good before I leave. There is a good chance that I won't make it back." She pauses, "If not all of them, at least let me heal my kin. Maybe if it works, he can guide us instead."

If allowed she will go to L19 (or within 7 of Augmahl, but near the center.)
She will activate her battle standard of healing, creating a zone extending 5 squares in every direction. Any time a healing surge is spent inside the zone, all others heal 1 hp.
Angellic witness to summon an angel on a square near Augmahl, double points if another injured soldier is within 1sq of it.
Healing word on Augmahl, summoning another spirit at O21 and healing Augmahl for surge value +22hp and granting him a saving throw
All others in zone heal 1
Injured Soldier near O21 gets a Healing Word for surge +22 and a saving throw
An angel appears at H22
A soldier near H22 Gets to spend a surge (weapon power) for surge+23 hp and gets a saving throw and all others in zone get 1 hp
Kuori will use her second wind to heal herself by an angel, healing for surge +5 and healing others in the zone for 1
Then she will ask the soldiers to steel themselves. If they spend surges on their own, more heals.

She will ask Augmahl if he feels well enough to help them, then she will leave, with him if he is, without him if not She will take her standard and leave with everything and everyone that she carried in.  

[Psychofish]

Illikan gave a grim smile, nodding to the paladin. "Aye, I'd prefer that too." The warden dusted off his armor, looking after Ruin, and cocked a thumb toward him. "Hopefully I can introduce you more properly under better circumstances. For the moment, I suggest we follow suit before anyone grows uneasy-" He heard voices from within the ward and frowned.

"...I understand her brother is in there, but after the earlier friction, it might be best we wait to ask favors or linger until after we've earned some more good will. I can speak with them on her behalf afterward if need be. Would you mind coming along, as a peace keeping party?" Asking the paladin to help him collect the cleric and usher their exit. Hopefully Revenge being along would make the two holy adventurer's feel easier, and his own might help the workers of the base feel easier.

Assuming this was agreeable, he'd step inside the ward, taking a look around to try and make sure no one looked like they were about to get up in arms again before attempting to find a gentle-yet-firm tone. "Kuori. I believe it's time we go."  

[Mongooseh]

Valac who was done with most of the conversations already turned and left for his original destination.  

[Rain Yupa]

When Ilikan asked him to help talk down Kuori, Revenge would instead look thoughtful, the proverbial gears turning in his head. He would stroke his chin with one hand for a few moments.

"... maybe. One moment. Ruin, a word?"

He would gesture for the tiniest tiefling to follow him a few paces away to where he can speak lowly with him. "Ruin, that ritual that they were talking about in there, to go fight the demon... what type would it be? It's not forté, but maybe you can help confirm. Do you think it would be based in Faith, or in the Arcane? It doesn't sound like a ritual based on Healing or the Wilds."

Quote:

Arcane of 14, Religion of 27 to see if Revenge himself may know if the demon-fighting ritual is Arcane or Religion, respectively.

 

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"It is a devil, not a demon. Big difference. For example there is supposed to be a war between the two. So stop trying to confuse me. As for the ritual, it would largely depend on the method of transmission. But, If I had to guess..." Ruin start to answer, before shaking his head. "Wait, Why are you asking? And you know it is odd for us to be whispering"

Arcane: 28 Revenge's answer.

(D&D lore is interesting)  

[Kowsauni]

In the ward....

As Kuori left the office, she was followed by the soldiers. Everyone looked a bit tense as she put down her standard--and then they looked bewildered as she briefly summoned an angel. However, she is not attacked by the soldiers. Her heals aren't necessarily unappreciated but the kind of wounds that could be repaired by magical healing have already been healed by the healers and clerics in the army. The wounded solders in the ward are recovering from more long term inures that simply cannot be whisked away with a spell.

As Kuori approaches her brother he finally stirs away from his bed. He looks up at bleary eyed at his sister before mumbling, "...Maukein?" He then recognizes who he is talking to and continues. "Oh... Kuori. I'm glad to see you are back okay. Did you find Gotham? I had the strangest dream. Maukein was here and she told me everything was going to be okay... but I don't see how that can be."

When Kuori addresses her brother about guiding them, he reveals that he still does not have his strength back, considering how he had almost been worked to death by the drow and it had only been several hours since she spoke to him before. He however explains to Kuori the way to navigate back to the Lightlost village and she realizes it has not changed much in the decade she has been gone. Kuori feels pretty confident that she can get the party to the location of her tribe's village with the information her brother gave her.

It is around this time Ilikan pops back into the ward and reminds Kuori it is time to leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside the ward...

((Revenge, based on his knowledge, and the fact that they are performing the ritual in the church, leads him to believe there is definitely a religious aspect to the ritual))

After Kuori gathers her standard and emerges from the healing ward with Ilikan they see Irene still sitting at a table playing cards with some guards while Revenge and Ruin whisper to themselves about something in front of the suspicious eyes of the other soldiers. Valac has already left the scene.

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At the front gate...

Valac approaches the front gate and it appears to be business as usual as the soldiers go about their busy tasks at the fort. The carriage is there but Breezy has packed away her ballista and and the only guard standing outside of it right now was Mr. Roland.  

[Rain Yupa]

"Hmm... I'm definitely thinking it is Religious in nature. As would be the ritual that Kuori was looking to get. What do you think the chances are, that this mage not only have just one, but two Religious rituals in his ritual book? Especially those he would be able to acquire here at this very fort? Fairly good, I say..." he would muse quietly, before clearing his throat.

"My apologies, Ruin," he would say again at normal volume. "I was being rash in by decision earlier. You were right, it would be negligent of me to not try and bless their attempt to help Faeleen. You seemed in decent terms with that man earlier; let us head to that church you mentioned earlier."

He would turn to wave somewhat dismissively to Ilikan, before he re-entered the infirmary. "I was convinced to visit Faeleen while they try to free her of her suffering. You go on ahead to keep Kuori on her best behavior. Ruin and I will meet you and Valac at the gate. Come along, Ruin." Revenge would gesture for the two Tieflings to abscond from their current location.  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

"Oie vay" Ruin moaned, be following Revenge.

Revenge's plan seemed flawed, even to the hexblade. Asking if two different ritualists had the same ritual would be like finding two four leaf clovers on the same day ... Now compounded by the fact he was asking for those two clovers to share the same blemish.

It was true he wanted to go to the church... But, that was different. The mage stated his hexblade was different to a material blade constructed of the same thing. The essence of a slain devil; unless if he was wrong that would be a soul. Added to this was Valac's want to face a devil in combat. And should they fail, and the devil took over, the church could be set ablaze with the possessed Faeleen inside with the tieflings, making for a hell a battle ground.

(Better to ask for forgiveness, than permission. Kind of thinking.)

But, going there alone without Valac to steal the mage's Ritual book, seemed wrong on so many levels. But, Ruin walked behind the paladin, fatally curious on how far down the rabbit hole they would be going.  

[Rain Yupa]

"They'll need some time to transport Faeleen, set up, and actually cast the ritual. Let's take a few wrong turns on our way there, stopping to ask for directions as often as we need to. I want them to be underway by the time we arrive." Revenge would say lowly to Ruin when he would have the chance.

"They're bound to trust me less than you after earlier, so I'll pontificate a prayer while you see if he has the ritual. Let me know if you don't have the stomach for it. Remember, we need only borrow it long enough to get the ritual, then I will return it personally."

Ideally, Revenge would want to spend about 15 minutes getting to the church.  

[PupSage]

True to her word, Kuori gathers up her things and heads outside, as Ruin and Revenge head off, she heads back to the entrance of the fort. She takes Gotham's body and begins to preform his final burial rites as her allies finish their scheme.

All the while a certain anger present in her motions.  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

Quote:

"Adventurers are assholes..."

"Wait," Ruin said, grabbing Revenge's hand and stopping. "We have allies, and potienal allies here, who are going to be walking a tight rope due to the actions you and Kouri have done. Now you want to add weights? Are you drunk, or does worshipping a god make you believe you are above reproach? Because, what ever you have Kouri does as well."

"She can partially forgiven, on grounds of having an emotional week. You on the other hand won't get off so easy."

Losing all signs of emotion, the dwarven tiefling would continue. "So, I will ask once, rethink your plan. If you still think there is no other way. Then so be it." (Rain likes it, intimidate 24 )  

[Rain Yupa]

"..."

He would stop in place, and sigh. "Keep to the shadows, avoiding the blazing light of zealous good and the utter darkness of evil," he would say aloud, reciting one of his church's mantras.

"No, I do not believe I am above reproach and I am willing to face any consequences my actions may bring. But Kuori is too emotionally invested, Ilikan's loyalties are questionable, and Valac's talents lay elsewhere. You were the ideal person to ask and I cannot do this alone. When people's lives are at risk and presented with a wall, I will do what I can to scale it in order to save them."

Revenge would turn to Ruin. "Why did you want to go, then? What is your motivation in all of this, Ruin? Why try to talk us into going into the church in the first place?"  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

"The devil," Ruin would state simply, "and the court needs allies. As much as I want to trust my people, and your gnome, to solve their dilemma. I feel it won't be so simple. And they will need allies for what is to come. The devil possesed as a fitting target to that end. And at the same time a chance to examine the differences between the essence of a slain devil, what my blade was forged from, and the soul of one."

"Besides, I didn't know of the church, nor the ritual's needs at first. Or I might of suggested it instead of trying to force my patron off against an unknown entity." Ruin would wave his hand to dismiss the thought. "But, with everything needed already there. We could of face stab a devil and been back before water could boil. With other benifits, like feel goods for everyone involved. Possible forgiveness for past transactions, and Kouri's ritual. All this, and a fall back plan if the church is more than a tent. It would be a risk worth any reward. And I get to feel all paladiny for saving a life."

"The only problem, was getting everyone there. Incognito was perferred." Ruin added with a shrug "Not that it matters anymore. As time continues we are nothing more than a drain on resources, at best, or thanks to our mistakes we are viewed as a possible threat. To which borrowing will only tarnish our appearance even more. I am sorry, but our situation was made before Kouri's attack. Maybe, before you summoned me instead of Valac. Women tend to like his muscles or something. But, at the moment we are left with only saving the Lostlight tribe or taking a dirt nap in that cause. And no ritual of talking dead will change that."