Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Kowsauni]

((This is no mere Pit Fiend. Kuori is pretty sure this must be the arch devil Lydia referred to that laid waste to Lightlost on its warpath to the surface where he was ultimately defeated. Somehow, the mindflayer figured out a way to bring him back to life using her people as the catalyst. Other then that she know no more information on him.))

"Well." Irene would comment as she sauntered back over to the group. "If the ritual book isn't here, then it must be back in the city." She would point to the stalagmite spires that were now aglow with the fires burning around them. Even as the party watched one of the towers crumbled as it was struck by a massive fireball. The sounds of battle rang out form everywhere. The entire citadel was now a warzone.  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Right, my countrymen... crap..." Ruin ran towards the buildings targeting the most important looking one.  

[Mongooseh]

Valac who was resting watching the others who seemed to know what they were doing. When Ruin calls out Valac gets to his feet and follows.  

[PupSage]

"They're bringing their general back from the dead." Kuori sighed, "We need to figure out how to stop this, and then we need to stop my sister." She starts heading towards the city.


Novi looks at her, "What about Maukeen?"


Kuori responds, "She joined the Arian forces and wants to save the Tribe, but if she succeeds, then our tribe become test subjects for magical experiments. I can't let that happen."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"The process is painful and the end result for those who survive is something between a humanoid with beast parts or an unstable beast with a shattered humanoid's psyche. Some of the survivors block the memory or forget who they were to cope with it. The rest aren't so lucky." Ruin interjected back to Novi and Kouri's conversation.

"Even in their current state, I would rate my countrymen are a higher threat to your people than Chrimarl ever was."  

[Kowsauni]

As the party starts heading in the direction city Irene shouts to them "I'm going to stay here and continue to work on getting all the cages open! That way we can be ready to leave once you guys figure out how to undo this!" Broak is unable to lift the massive cages by himself so he instead resorts to just ripping the doors off them. The rest of the free thralls begin to run away, scattering in all directions, though, none of them head in the direction of the burning citadel.

As the party enters back into the city the place is a mess. Burning rubble lies everywhere strewn with an occasional body of some denizen. Smoke obscures their vison in many directions though every thing is alight with a dull orange glow. Though the mainstay of the fighting has not reached this part of the city yet the siege weapons have already done there work and, by the sounds of it, the fighting was not far off.

The party does there best to climb over the broken debris towards the largest stalagmite tower still standing while avoiding the sounds of battle. Progress is slow but they do make headway. Eventually, they enter a quieter part of the citadel that has seemed to survive relatively untouched by the battle so far. The place seems deserted except for one strange occurrence. As the party walks down the street they begin to encounter statues of people. The statues are of duergar, drow, deep gnomes and some of the other more monstrous creatures that reside in the underdeck. Several of them are dressed like the thralls that the party had encountered before while some looked more like front line fighters. The statues all seemed to be in poses of mid reaction and there faces were twisted in looks of surprise or confusion.

The further down the street the party went the more and denser that statues became until they came to what appeared to be the most crowded spot. There, in the middle of dozens of statues stood a young woman in an Arian Solder Uniform. Here hair was white with speckles of black. A row of short red horns ran down the center of her forehead. Her arms also ended in white wings that were speckled like her hair. A long red lizard tail stuck out from under her skirt and her scaly yellow legs and ended in talons like that of a bird. Her back was slightly turned to the party as she spoke into a glass orb that she held at eye level. There was an image reflected in the the glass orb but the party was too far away to see it clearly. They also could not make out what the woman was saying at this distance. So far, she has not given any sign that she has detected the parties approach.  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin would sheath his rod and approach. "Good Day, Soldier, Ma'am." With a nod of respect, he would try to pass by her nonchalantly.

Getting the Goliaths out before the Arians found them, or worse someone restarted the ritual, was paramount at the moment. Ruin didn't want to face down the army, nor a misguided Demi, if he didn't have to.  

[Kowsauni]

As Ruin walks up he would hear the tail end of the lady's conversation with the image in the orb. "Uh huh, I understand. Lionel, is already there. He should be done shortly, I will continue on with my part of the mission. I have to go, someone is approaching." The image disappears from the glass orb and she puts it away in a pocket in her uniform. She then turns to face Ruin as he approaches. She smiles at him with a soft expression on her face. "Oh wow, hello. To approach me so casually, you must not be with the Ilithids. The question is then, why are you here? Don't you know what's going on? I figured the battle would be hard to miss."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Portal gates, Invisible Soldiers, Guided by a Goliath-Roper hybrid, the Aria's forces launched a large scale invasion into this area of the Underdark that may lead to Entrapment, Enslavement, and Demi-human experimentation. There is also a ritual to call forth a Lord of Hell. I don't think, I am missing anything." Ruin would turn back to Kouri and Valac for confirmation and possible beratement...

Turning again to the soldier. "I am taking a saunter with my friends to the Citadel. We are looting it before it is destroyed."

Bluff: 22 In case it is needed, but it is technically the truth... we would be looting.  

[Kowsauni]

The girl smiled a little wider at Ruin's words. "Well, some of what you said was correct. Would you like to know what it was?" She would let out a laugh. "Nonetheless, I'm afraid I can't let you pass, at least not for now. In the meantime you and your friends can hang out here with me if you want. You sure do seem to know a lot about stuff you shouldn't. I'm sure we could have an interesting conversation."  

[PupSage]

Stealth 12 ... oof


Kuori was going to attempt at being stealthy, but Ruin was already announcing their presence. Fine, whatever, but she was not about to "hang out" with Arian troops. "Yeah, last time I hung out with Arian Troops Captain Nathaniel tried to kill me, so if we're going into that, and from the sounds of your choice of words it seems inevitable, I'd rather skip the boring parts. I get that you've been brainwashed to believe that the terrible things your country does to people are just fine, but I can't deny what I've seen, and I don't have the time to slow down and wait for your friends to enslave my family." She hefts her morningstar.


---

Novi was still putting together the story, but her tribesman was hefting a weapon, so they did too. With a growl they slam their spear into the ground [Intimidate 17] "We need to stop this ritual. We aren't going to wait around with you." They point over their shoulder at the massive devil in the skyline. "I'm not waiting on them either."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin was surprised at Kouri's lack of action... He expected her to attack first. It was the reason he continued this conversation thus far. So she, the new gal, and Valac could close in. But, if they wanted peace...

Pinching his nose. "For the record, Aria used to be my home... Nice statues by the way." Ruin would say before pressing forward. If she was going to stop him, it would require more than words.  

[Kowsauni]

?????

The girl looks confused at Kuori words. "Captain who? Enslave your family? The Arian's are here for the Elder Brain. Just what did you think their goals were?"

The girl would jump a bit as Novi slammed her spear into the ground and peer in the direction that she indicated, but it was hard to make out much in the smoke and darkness. "Is that was that is? I thought you just wanted to loot the building? Well, I think Maukie is working on that problem, which is why I cant let you disturb them. Oh, I probably shouldn't have said that, ohhh welllll. heart "

The girl would give Ruin a broad grin at his comment. "Thanks, my favorite one is is that one over there, you should have seen his expression. Well, I guess you still can, his face is still frozen in it, hehe. wink "

As Rain continued to advance the girl would pout for a moment . "Aww, don't be like that. Sit down, lets have conversation. I don't get out much you see and it's always fun to talk to new people. But... if you insist..." The girl would smile once again and take up a defensive stance. "I'm always up for testing my skills more. The people here were such push overs, and they were boring conversationalists too!"

((The girl looks ready to fight. If you wish to try and force your way past her, go ahead and roll initiative. Otherwise, you may continue talking))  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin would look back to Kouri "Take Valac and your tribesman and go around her. Our options go to zero if they find that book first. And you would be able to cast it, not me... Just, if you see Maukein, no arrow-like introductions this time. Please..."

Turning back to the soldier "Looting is to take private property from an enemy in war. The squid-faced are just as much the tribe's enemy as yours. The number or intended use of the items taken doesn't matter by the definition of the word. So, still, I would have been correct in my statement. But, if you want to break rations..." he would draw his rod and place it on the ground. "My name is Vaius Mizviir or Ruin of the Shadow Fox's Court. Adventurer, mentor, and traitor to the nation of Aria, according to the Captain. Who's a** we kicked back near Gladesdale." Extending his hand out to shake her hand.  

[Kowsauni]

The girl would respond to Ruin, still smiling as she took a step back. "Nice to meet you Vaius. My name Pierette. Purveyor of fine stonework. I'm going to ask again that you don't come any closer. Especially if it is an attempt to distract me so your friends can sneak by. When I said you need to wait I was referring to all of you."