Devil's in the Details

Your mission tonight comes from a blue-scaled sith-makar and it seems simple enough. All you need do is go to the residence of one 'Daed' and retrieve him. Real name? Daechir Calithailin. He's a fellow member of the adventurer's guild, but not a particularly well-known one. You are once you have secured him, to bring him to the Temple of Daeus where the blue-scaled sith-makar himself waits for you.

You are warned most strenuously that this might be an extremely dangerous task. That a demon of great power might have it out for this man, and thusly you are placing yourselves. Your bodies and your lives between that danger and this man. Why? Because he might have information. And even if he does not... This is what you do for your fellow adventurers. You put your shoulders against there's and defend one another.

So you walk through the biting wind toward the nobility district, his address written on a piece of paper for you in neat scrawl. His house, is a smaller one on the edge of the district where the old money lives. It has a nice large yard, and is well-tended to. Currently there's a light burning in the window.

Seems someone is home.

GAME: Jinks used a Disguise Kit.
GAME: Jinks rolls Disguise+2: (17)+9+2: 28

Bina is here specifically because demons are mentioned. Powerful demons, well she only knows of one in the city, currently, even if she knows of other lesser ones. The job itself perks her interest and, well, tending to the Tarrace isn't all fun all the time. What better way to spice up life then to go poke one's nose into demonic business?

She's all smiles with her mithral coyote half-mask on. Her peacock is on her shoulder though once they arrive she sends it flying towards a higher perch. Demons mean danger. "Shall we knock then? It's only polite to do so."

Un'eth is not often in the city, nor particularly inclined to much of its daily activities. She was, however, recently in the Temple of Daeus and in the company of a blue-scaled sith-makar. Were that not enough, the shaman is also quite in agreement that any interests of fiends are in the interests of all to deny.

"Ssa," she agrees with the masked one. "Then we drag him politely to the temple." It may be in their interests, but nest-sitting a random softskin is not necessarily a thrill.

The Temple of Daeus is involved in this quest, even if only peripherally, so Gaerth volunteered for this mission. He's still young, however, and has only the basic knowledge of demons and fiends from his training. But if such Evil seeks to harm this man, then the Evil must be opposed. And that is the purpose of the Dawnblades. As the group decides the course of action, Gaerth stands to the side, watching, hand on the hilt of his sword and shield at the ready. Plate-padded leather gloves run back over shiny blue-black hair pulled into a single long plait as an olive-skinned gnome rallies with the rest near the door. His armor is a faded black and creased, dull metal studs missing in places, and the green knit trim fraying. The patches on the coat's elbows are mismatched. He grunts and nods for Sabina, folding his arms and tapping a foot idly.

There's motion inside the house, and eventually the door is opened. Knocked upon or no. The man who opens the door is mul'niessian, his skin onyx dark as is his hair with only his red eyes having any color to them at all. Even his vestments are largely in black, though touched here by silver, and his ears which are adorned with crystal and silver in equal measure so that they shine and shimmer as he moves his head.

At first glance his black hair appears short, but at second it measures nearly to his waist, braided down with a length of red cordage. "You make quite the racket you know." The man says, not without humor. "Are you my guides then? I received a letter asking me to wait here at home in preparation of such."

Bina steps closer and grins at the man. "For better or worse, yes we are. I'm somewhat surprised the guild sent word ahead of time. I'm Sabina of Tarien. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Daechir." She whispers a prayer to Tarien, clasping her holy symbol for a moment.

Un'eth's eyes shift promptly to the man as the door is opened and linger there. Firmly. No, glaringly. It may be more for worse than better, from her standpoint. Even as Sabina utters prayers, she asks the most relevant question. "Why should we believe he is -not- a fiend?" Her eyes narrow more.

“Nenklendanderhandible." The gnome grumbles, uncrossing one arm to wave. In response to Un'eth, "Elfman has good choice in hairstyle. Is worth points, neh?" He reaches back and grabs the tail-end of his own braid, waving it indicatively even as he looks up and down the street.

"Gaerth Colwyn, Dawnblade of Daeus," the paladin introduces himself with a slight, but respectful bow. "I have sworn myself to seeing you safe to the Temple. And I will see this done, even if it means my life." He looks over at Sabina, nodding to her. "Perhaps we should get started on our path then?" Looking back at Daechir. "If you have gathered all that you need to take with you, that is."

"As far as I know, I have nothing I need bring with me." Offers Daed before turning down his lamp. He leaves it inside the house and closes, locks the door behind him. "I think the letter came from the temple of Daeus, though I did not quite believe it. Who has ever heard of a sith-makar named Zeke?"

He nods to Un'eth. "No offense meant, but I did not realize that you were real you understand. Is there some reason to think that I might be a fiend?" Daed clearly thinks that Un'eth is Zeke, and he exits his home smoothly, quite ready to head toward the temple.

Bina chuckles as she stares openly at the Mul and nods. "If you please? Would you mind walking by me?" She asks politely. While she speaks her clothing starts to change and begins to darken, matching what Daechir is wearing. She then raises her hands and casts a quick spell of the arcane type, right after she takes on the looks of the man himself, if not perfectly.

"Ssa..." Un'eth keeps her response to the man at that, turning as he exits. She seems intent to take up the rear, as opposed to having the mul'niessa at her back. "The faster we reach the temple, the faster we are done."

Jinks falls into place at the back, folding his hands into fists and tapping the metal plates of his gloves together to go clak-clak. He turns and walks on his heels to watch back the opposite direction before pivoting again and looking ahead. "Is a simple-but-powerful truth," he agrees with Un'eth. "God Raven approves."

Nope! Not Jinks! Nenklendanderhandible. There is no Jinks here.

As the party moves out, Gaerth takes up the front rank, hand on sword, ready to intervene. He watches the streets carefully as the group proceeds, trusting to the others at the reat to guard his back. "Lord Daeus, " he quietly prays, "grant me the sight to see the Evil that threatens us from completing your will..."

GAME: Gaerth rolls concentration: (12)+4=16

Daechir does as he is bid, allowing himself to be surrounded by the group. He smiles lightly at the way that Sabina becomes him and arches one dark eyebrow at her. "Shall I become you in turn?" He asks with interest. "Or perhaps disguise myself to be more like this mimicry of me that you have become?" They are all of them now on their way to the temple, but at an easy, moderate pace.

Bina giggles softly, trying to keep the volume down. Her voice hasn't been disguised after all. "Mimic me as I am now sounds wonderful. Try not to talk too loudly either? Oh.. and keep your eyes open. If I had the ability to see the invisible I'd have it active now." She tries to walk as he walks, its the small things that make it so hard to do correctly.

Un'eth has her eyes open; attention split between Daechir and their flank. It is perhaps more on the former than the latter as she hisses low. "Less talk, more walk." Sprinting across the city could draw a lot of unwanted attention, but would get him out of her sight more quickly.

Nenk continues to half-turn toward the way they came and take a few strides at a sort of hopping crab-walk before jogging a bit to catch up. After a few times he'll toss the braid over the front of his shoulder to keep from it whipping about. There's a certain rhythm to the whole affair as his boots drag and scuff on the cobbles and loose bits of dirt or gravel. "Next time will pony up for pony," he grumbles to himself.

Gaerth continues walking at the head of the group. The pace that has been set is steady and not so fast, allowing him to maintain his concentration on his divine gift to see and sense the presence of Evil. No demon or fiend shall escape his sight. And while he appears to walk as casually as the rest of the group, all of his muscles are tense and alert; ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

All at once, out of the shadows - a figure appears. A mul'niessa, all too familiar to many, wrapped in monk's robes. A perfect likeness of Aya. The shadows all but eject her into the street before you, a silhouette broken only by the light of the mana-lamps on a face with entirely black eyes, from pupil to iris.

In an instant, she is before you, her expression contorting, but her steps steady.

Daed immediately steps toward Aya, his expression one of joy - love - even. "Aya!" He calls out to her, obviously glad to see her. "What brings you here?"

Bina paces forward with Dae and tries to stop him. "No! It's not her! He owns her now! It's time to run!"

GAME: Sabina casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14

Bina pulls forth her holy symbol again, giving up pretense of being Daechir as Aya appears. She calls to Tarien. "Oh lord of laughter, protect your children from the clutches of evil!" She touches Daechir and urges him to run off as a silvery protection surrounds him and then fades.

GAME: Un'eth casts Wall of Stone. Caster Level: 19 DC: 22
GAME: Landslide rolls 1d20+22: (18)+22: 40

Now there are -two- of them. This has shifted from uncomfortable to worse. Un'eth would much rather tail-slap a mul than protect one, but maybe she can do both at once, in a sense. "Move him!" she agrees with Sabina as she then calls upon Ea. The world as an ally is a powerful one, and stones like dragon's teeth rise from below the cobbles in rapid succession to surround the unknown black-eyed mul'niessa. Not -quite- rapidly enough, however, as she sidesteps before it closes.

Daechir shakes off Sabina's hand and moves toward Aya in spite of the warnings. The /spells/ being tossed in her direction. "What are you talking about? She is likely here to assist you in taking me to the temple!" He shakes his head at them, holding out his arms and looking at them like they're crazy. "Who does she belong to?" He laughs. "I hold her heart and know that no man commands Aya!"

GAME: Landslide rolls 1d20+27: (6)+27: 33
GAME: Landslide rolls 2d10+7: (14)+7: 21

If it's Aya, it is a very good likeness, despite the eerie black eyes. Even her trademark smirk pulls her lips into a position all too familiar, one well-known to any who know her. "If you're foolish enough to offer me your heart ... then I will take it."

Fast as a striking snake, and unerring as one, her hand snaps out and strikes her fellow mul square in the chest, the sound of the strike lost in the snap of cracking bones that splinter, dig into the lungs, making it hard for the man to breathe. The palm stays there, quivering for a moment, moving with him.

GAME: Jinks casts Glitterdust. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17
GAME: Landslide rolls 1d20+17: (11)+17: 28

Nenk was immediately cursing under his breath in Gnomish with an impressive, breathless rapidity. He winces when the shadow elves meet and fists begin to fly, glancing down at his belt pouches and digging in to select a scroll. The gnome half-turns but hesitates, choking down the latest swear. His other hand finds a sagging pouch and snags a pinch of ground stone. He sings something in his native tongue, light, high, and trilled as the dust spirals and glows towards Aya. It bursts in a brilliant nova of cobalt blue leaving the mul covered in sparkles but otherwise unaffected.

"She traded hers for the soul of the child kobold to the Duke of Hell." Well, that certainly SOUNDS like a familiar gnome after the accent is abandoned-- but he doesn't look any less like Nenk.

GAME: Gaerth rolls 1d20+2+2+3: (2)+2+2+3: 9

Sensing the Evil in the Mul woman that appears, Gaerth readies himself. He agrees with Sabina that Daechir should start running to the temple, but the man is obviously bewitched as he moves towards the graceful mul woman. "Daeus, guide my hand so that I might be the instrument to send this abomination back to the Void!" he prays. Then, reaching into a belt pouch, Gaerth pulls forth a vail of clear liquid and hurls it at the opponent. However, either Daeus isn't taking any prayer requests or the woman is too agile. Either way, she dodges out of the way of Gaerth's throw. The young Paladin sets himself to prepare for a counter-attack.

GAME: Sabina casts Invisibility. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Stegosaurus rolls weapon0: (17)+20: 37
GAME: Stegosaurus rolls 4d6+strength+3+1d6 acid: (11)+8+3+(3 acid): 25

Bina, behind Daechir, clearly hears the crunch of bones and knows the only way to extract him now is to keep Aya from knowing where he is. "Tarien! Grant this one your cloak of trickery!" She touches Daechir again, this time cloaking him from sight.

"AYA! Fight Eric's control! Just give us a moment, please! Fight him!"

GAME: Stegosaurus rolls cmb: (1)+26: 27 (EPIC FAIL)

Stegosaurus explodes, near-literally; her scales instantly expand to allow for several additional tons of bone, muscle, and sinew. Her tail grows longer and sprouts a quartet of long, sharp bone spines. All the more perfect to enact that desire to tail-slap the mul. The strike connects and bone scores flesh, though the same spikes catch on the cobbles as the tail attempts to curl up like a constrictor. The city. Were it not here as a scar upon Ea..

Daed's eyes widen as her fist connects with his chest, and a gout of blood leaves his lips. The pain is numbing. "Aya!" He says, and he vanishes from sight, stumbling a step backwards as tears begin to stream down his face. Aya... Had sacrificed herself? It made too much sense and he understood suddenly things that he had not before. Understood everything. Aya...

GAME: Daechir rolls fortitude: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Landslide rolls 1d4: (1): 1

If Daechir cries, Aya watches impassively, that smirk still firmly in place. "You make this too easy." She merely stares at the man she once had called lover - and for just a moment, her expression twists. Anguish is written deeply into that twist, and then it disappears again.

"The rest of you tried to defend him? More fools." Her eyes rove the group, turning next to Sabina.

Nearly silently, Daed falls to the ground, his eyes already far away. There's no one to see him reach out one last time for Aya. No one to see him try to speak her name. He's a phantom already. He dies silently, breathlessly, and invisibly.

"Mulria's sideways smile, tallmen, she's not stopping! Move those idiot long legs of yours." Well, now that's definitely Jinks. He cracks the wax seal and tosses the tube even as he pulls loose the scroll. He scans the bars on the page, sight-reading as he sings. The paper turns to pink motes of power that become neon streaks as he abandons the melee and heads for the Temple Square.

There's conflict in Gaerth as the mul rains her attacks on an unseen target. He can't see Daechir's death, but he can tell by the woman's finishing posture...she has succeeded and they have failed. He wants to rush in and attack this Evil. But part of him knows how futile that gesture would be at this point. He might as well charge a dragon, naked and armed with a wooden training sword.

He can't do anything for Deachir now. But he can help his teammates.

"Daeus forgive me..." he whispers, tears burning their way down his cheek at the shame of this failure. And as Jinks' spell empowers him and the others, he runs in retreat, following the gnome.

Bina watches Aya and speaks quickly. "We still care about you, Aya." She tells the Mul. Then a single added word of magic and the Tarienite vanishes from view and moves quietly off in another direction, hoping the monk can no longer hear or see her now.

GAME: Stegosaurus casts Shapechange. Caster Level: 19 DC: 25 
GAME: Landslide rolls 1d20+17: (1)+17: 18 (EPIC FAIL)

Stegosaurus does not like the idea of fleeing, and especially not from a mul'niessa. Even those with black eyes that may be (otherwise helpfully?) ending other mul'niessa. The one was desired at the temple, and she seeks to honor that request... if he can be found. There's also the matter of deterring the attacker.

Thus the sizable reptile calls upon Ea further... and grows further. Plates and spikes recede, while scales shift to a verdant green. Neck elongates while claws and teeth grow. Lastly, a pair of substantial leathery wings sprout forth and splay...

... much to the dismay of second-story dwellings in the immediate vicinity. Sadly, city planners did not account for such when crafting the arrangement of streets and structures. A bellowing roar is loosed at the face of the enemy.

There was this one time. Not too long ago. In a noble's outbuilding practice suite. A well-meaning half-oruch with the slightest taint of demon's blood decided to spar with Jinks and that quickly resulted in unscheduled naptime. So any pretense of bravery is abandoned with a corrupted Aya stalking the streets. Loose debris curls up in the wake of the speeding gnome as he tears down the street, the long braided tail whips back and forth before the extensions fail and the plaited length is left to fall tangled in the street.

There' only one thing for Gaerth to do. Run. Not away from the fight, but towards something. He pushes himself as fast as he can go, until the air comes into his lungs like fire. Somehow, he manages to stay upright as he takes corners in the street much faster than would be safe. But the sound of the fighting behind him lend the young paladin speed. One more dash down a street, and he can se his destination, shining like a beacon in the night.

Green Dragon may dislike the city, but demolishing it is not her intent; completing the accepted task IS. Through keen nostrils and acute sense of reflected sound, her maw extends out to pick up the fallen one. No, no chewing. She then begins to backpedal as best she is able given the tight confines. Turning about may be all but impossible. The only other option is taking flight... which requires freedom to move her wings. As it is, just moving landbound is still enough to drag facades from too-near or poorly-constructed building fronts or overturn abandoned carts.

The city is in an uproar. People flee in every direction, but in the temple district people are pouring out /into/ the streets. Paladins and clerics prepare for a demon attack are met instead with the sight... of a dragon. They draw their weapons valiantly, boystered by the calming effect of the paladins, particularly en masse. Some... still break and run. But some stay. Stay and advance on the horrible creature that is destroying everything in its wake.

Bina looks for Daechir's body, trying to stay away from Aya and most certainly away from her line of sight even if she's invisible. The uproar in the streets makes her sigh. For now she retreats a block over and waits and watches the best she can.

Aya's eyes go wide, and in an instant, she's turned and vanished without trace into a shadow, reappearing just in front of the direction that Jinks and Gaerth are moving. That smirk remains, and one hand sprouts vicious-looking claws. "You didn't think you'd get away so easily, did you?" she asks, stalking toward them -

Until another pair of figures bursts through the doors to the Temple of Daeus. The first one is a man in full armor, its opalescent sheen quiescent beneath the light of the mana lamps, his hair a bright ginger-blonde, two cloaks fluttering behind him as he takes the steps at a run, drawing an ornate-looking and rather out of date sword. In his shadow is a blue-scaled sith-makar in the robes of Daeus.

Aya stops cold, turning towards the steps to the Temple, even as the chaos swirls around her, as if listening to something only she can hear. She backs away, slowly, then turns tail and _runs_, vanishing into another shadow as if shot out of a cannon.

Gaeerth sees the Dawnblades and other paladins arriving. And the demonic mul appearing before them. "Her!" he manages to shout between ragged pants of breath. "She's the demon!" And then, Aya is gone, vanished into shadows. Others with more experience and skill can track her down, however; Gaerth still has a duty to perform. He doubles up for a few moments, catching his breath, then turns back to offer his comrades what aid he can...

And when did a dragon land in the city?

Puzzlement quickly gives way to determination, and Gaerth switches out his greatsword for his longsword and shield as he runs back towards the fray.

Bina returns as Aya seems to vanish. The invisible woman moves back to where she was previously and begins to search for Daechir's body, knowing he thuddied to the ground near where she was previously. She has to stay alert and dodge those running about and gets shouldered twice along the way.

Jinks puts his heel ot the cobblestones when Aya appears in front of him, going nearly horizontal as his momentum continues to carry him forward. This sort of speed might just be another day at the dojo for some pugilists-- but it's a marked occasion for the gnome! He eventually tumbles to a stop and fumbles for his ornate mithril rapier with its coyote-shaped basket hilt. It's not even free of the scabbard before reinforcements arrive to see the cursed mul stepping into a long shadow and vanishing. "Perfect timing," he greets Seldan, quirking a groomed eyebrow at Zeke in wonder.

The olive-tone pancake makeup has begun to run, dampened by perspiration conjured more by stress than exertion. "Zeke and Sabina are back there somewhere." Grunts the gnome, scrambling to his feet.

A great green sacrificed everything to purify and protect these lands! Do the softskins not know this?! Un'eth slows her movements to potentially slow the damage, or threat of stepping on something or someone soft. "Dahp! Ah an nah da enemah!" It was much easier the last time she had a mul'niessa in her jaws, as she just bit him in two.

A large claw lifts near her snout and she spits into it. "I am not your enemy! This one is needed by those of the Dragonfather!" The one in hand that may well still be unseen.

The other paladins are looking to Seldan, but arranging themselves around the dragon in case it attacks. Many of them look more than willing to loose their weapons given the perception that the dragon has /already/ attacked. Yet they weren't expecting a dragon. Demon yes. Dragon no. Could it possibly be friendly in spite of its rampant destruction? They wait for Seldan to find out.

Seldan's about to go after Aya, but she's far too quick for him, and is gone before he can gather himself. Seeing that the others are looking to him, Seldan instead strides forward towards the dragon, sword still in hand, looking up at her without a trace of fear. "Stand down, and release what you have, do you speak the truth! If you are not an enemy, you are nonetheless injuring innocents and destroying the city, stand down!"

Zeke, standing behind Seldan moves forward hesitantly, looking up at the dragon without recognition. "Thisss one ssservess the Dragonfather." He says warily. "Do asss Sseldan sssaysss. Ssstand down, and we will ssshare wordsss." Everyone waits with tense expectation for the dragon to release its hold on whatever its got, and 'stand down'.

"That might be, Zeke." Jinks ventures, turning to look back even as he scurries behind Seldan and whoever this blue sith turns out to be. "Just, you know, deeper-voiced. Can Zeke turn into a dragon?"

Un'eth can share words, and intends to. Preferably without sharp objects prodding at her scales, as well. The open claws lower slowly to the ground, palm up, the rest of her crouching low to both aid with that and perhaps to appear less a threat. Her form then ripples and condenses, shedding great mass as furled wings melt back into her form.

When it completes, the known blackscale is hunched on the stones of the roadway, hand patting at and around the ground immediately in front of her. "I bring the one you requested, Zeke. He is concealed by magic, though not enough to protect him."

Green Dragon ripples and alters, gaining or retaining humanoid form, yet growing a muscular tail as her body smooths over in fine ebon scales.

-End