Live and Let Die

Log Info

• Title: Live and Let Die
• Emitter: Aftershock
• Characters: Klaus, Asmli, Ezil, Elyanna, Cryosanthia
• Place: A Sleepy Village
• Time: Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 8:52 PM
• Summary: The Adventurer's Guild sends Klaus, Asmli, Ezil, Elyanna and Cryosanthia to a small sleepy village to assist at Priest of Vardama. No one in the town has died in monnth, and the Priest gives the party some tea which will send them through the Veil where they can investigate the causes from the other side. They discover a boy who has seen a Horned Man committ terrible acts in the forest, who has a bound man in a magic circle. The boy, Jorge leads the party into the woods. Ezil recognizes the Demon and all attack. The demon is overwhelmed, cries for mercy and Cryosanthia reminds Ezil to hold off so they can question it. The demon's surrender turns into a negotiation, some information about his master Eclavdran, a Duke of Hell, and a pact with Ezil. His prisoner is a Celestial servant of the Goddess Vardama, answers a question Cryo asked, and leaves to bring long awaited death to the village. The party returns to the priest and some difficult explanations.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* Live and Let Die *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Klaus        6'3"     225 Lb     Human             Male      Dranei human, 6'3" and thickset.
Asmli        4'2"     178 Lb     Storm Dwarf       Male      Blonde khazad with a dwarven urgrosh.
Ezil         5'11"    175 Lb     Human             Male      An armored man with dark skin, and grey-blonde hair.
Elyanna      5'11"    153 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    An oddly complicated woman in a raven feather cloak
Cryosanthia  6'7"     245 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, lithe white lizardgirl with tattoos.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The request from the Adventurer's Guild came in, but it was very vague. All you know as you head out toward the sleepy village is that there's some sort of trouble, and that the local cleric, a priest of Vardama requested you. When you arrive you notice firstly, how nice the weather is. The sun is out, birds are chirping... and it's still winter. It's vaguely unsettling and you're on alert as you approch the church which is a small affair set off to the side of the village meaning that you don't actually enter the village itself in order to get to it. Instead you take the road around and arrive somewhat later in the afternoon.

The priest introduces herself as Traci. She's a simple woman, and totally blind, yet she greets you as though she can see you which is unnerving in its own way. She peers into your eyes and it's as if she's seeing /through/ you. "Allow me to expain a little. You see... No one has died in this village in almost a month. At first, I thought it was just a few flukes. People getting greviously wounded but surviving. Now though I know it's something wrong with the natural order. Franklin, the local buchers boy got hit by a tree he was cutting down and was brought in here with a tree branch sticking out of his middle. No blood, just this ghastly wound that should have killed him on the spot. Now he's laying in the other room drinking tea with his father." She looks around at you. "Something's got to be done about it and it looks like you're who's got to do it."

Klaus peers at the priest who's explaining everything, and he hrms. "Well, I can try and stab a couple people," he offers. "But if that doesn't help, I don't know what to do."

The blonde khazad who had introduced himself at the Guild as Asmli crosses his arms, tapping his foot. "I ain't nobody to ask about magic stuff, but yeah, that doesn't bode well. So ... you want us to find out why these people aren't dying? And ... do what needs doing?" When Klaus speaks, he looks up at the man, face splitting into a bright grin. "Right there with you, but ... maybe there are some clues around here. Wouldn't mind a word with this Franklin boy."

Ezil seems a bit confused, looking to the other party members who have gathered, but is left scratching his chin. "This is fairly strange, but I agree." he says to Klaus, taking a moment to open his bag, and search it for his journal.

Elyanna glances at the large human at his offer, weighing it's direct charm against her ledger, then quietly, replies, "Let us see if we can neutralize the cause, first. After that, either the townspeople will succumb to their wounds, or continue to live a normal life. Neither case should require us to indulge in undue sport."

"Yes, I accept." The white sith-makar says. She's introduced herself to the party on the way over as Cryosanthia, and talked most of the journey. Enthusiastic as she sounds, it's clear her mind is as blank as her expression. She glancess over at Ezil, the others, then back at the priestess, "Talking to Frankin sounds good. Before we go, did anything usual happen a month ago? A caravan come through, a strange storm."

GAME: Ezil rolls knowledge/religion: (12)+5: 17

"Whatever it is, it is unnatural. People come back many ways, but this... refusing to die... is new to me. And clearly new to the Vardamans." Ezil mentions to Cryosanthia, waiting to hear the answer to the questions the Sith-Makar posed.

"Anything strange?" The woman considers this question carefully. "Just the odd change in weather. This place was knee deep in snow a month ago, then one night it simply vanished. I'm not even sure that it happened exactly a month ago, that's just when I noticed that something odd was happening."

She gives the warrior Klaus a short look. "You are /not/ going to run around stabbing my parishioners. In fact, I already have a plan." Traci pulls out a tea pot and starts to pour tea. She offers it to everyone with an expression that brooks no argument. "I want you all to go into the spirit realm and ask the spirits there whats going on. I can't ask the villagers to do it, their souls aren't prepaired for such tribulation, but I think a band of hearty adventurers should be up to the task. Just drink the tea and you'll wake up in the Veil between worlds."

Klaus shrugs about the stabbing of parishioners. "I was just trying to help," he says defensively. "So, is there anything specific you want us to do when we get there?" he asks. But he's fine with the going to the spirit realm if that will help, and so he'll drink his tea and see what happens.

Asmli blinks. "The spirit realm? How do we get back? I ain't minded to go to the Halls just yet, begging your pardon." He hasn't reached for the tea yet.

Elyanna folds her arms under her cloak. She, herself has only given her name as Elyanna, and has largely kept herself as shrouded as possible within the folds of her cloak. With the further musings about the oddities of the locals, her eyes flit from speaker to speaker, though for now she seems intent to listen and process rather than interject further. The instruction from the priestess, brings a somewhat bleaker, more intent cast to her expression and she returns, "How would this work?"

Ezil nods his head, putting his journal away, and intent to listen at the moment. He has spoken about his knowledge, now it is time to listen.

Cryosanthia takes the cup of tea, sniffing at it and holding it for the moment. She glances at Ezil, clearly taking cues from him. She is wondering the same thing as Asmli. Perhaps to stall she says, "This is weirdly opposite something I was investigating, an Immortal Queen who uses snow. This tea, isn't normally fatal, right? It wears off and we come back? Should we sit down or something...? Well... oh well."

If you can't trust a priest of the Death Singing Dragon, who can you trust. Be Bold. Cryo drinks the tea.

"You'll drink the tea and hopefully you'll speak to the spirits beyond the veil. The tea works quite simply. It will knock you unconsious and send your spirit to the here-after. When you return to this room, I'll cast a simple spell that will awaken you from your death-like slumber." Some of you have already taken your tea and it goes down with a warm and surprisingly good taste, but you find that nothing has apparently changed. Until you look behind yourself and note your body laying down on the floor behind you.

Ezil takes the tea, and follows the group, doing as the blind woman asks after her explanation, waiting to see what comes.

Seeing that some around him have drunk the tea, and hearing the answer, Asmli shrugs. "As long as I can get back, fine with me." He picks up his own teacup this time, and slugs it in one go in the way of one who is more accustomed to drinking beer in quantity.

Priest Traci seems entirely on the up and up, and through the veil everyone is wearing what they remember wearing.

Klaus looks back, notices his body lying slumped, and decides that as long as there's something to do the noticing, he's probably OK. "So can we still talk to you like this?" he asks the priest.

GAME: Elyanna rolls sense motive: (8)+7: 15

Elyanna considers the tea with some bonafide trepidation as she has... complicated relationships with near-death conditions. Steely eyes narrow on the blind woman, contemplative and, as her compatriots have already opted to transcend, she reluctantly settles in the corner with her cup to follow suit. At least unconscious, they won't notice the tremor in her hands as she brings the cup to her lips....

"Huh. I hope someone closes my mouth." Cryosanthia says, looking behind herself. She checks her equipment next, then reaches up to adjust her hat. She takes out her compass to see if it is doing anything different. Her head jerks to the side, to watch Elyanna's hands. The white sith looks away as she sees the woman's body fall. She looks up at the others, "I wonder if we can walk through walls. Our gear made it."

The priest peers around at you all, seemingly amused. "Well, /I/ can 'see' you, and hear you, but no one else will be able to unless they are already dead, or something that is touching the Veil. That should make your job a little easier. If something notices you, then it's probably something you should question or talk to." She starts to stand and open the door then laughs a little at herself. "You can walk through the walls yes. You'll find that you can't interact with the physical plane however much you can see it.

Klaus nods slowly. "Well, that's interesting, then," he says. He'll head outside, then, and shout out, "Can anyone hear me?" as loud as he possibly can. That should reel in some people we want to talk to. He's a direct thinker, he is.

Laughter bubbles up from Asmli at that, and he peers around behind himself at the crumpled khazad body on the floor. "I've always wanted to walk through a wall ... though it's really no proof of your strength, if you don't break the wall in the process...and oh, I am going to have a crick in my neck when I wake up." It's true, too. That position his body is lying in _cannot_ be comfortable.

Elyanna slowly gathers herself to her feet, takes a deep breath and looks down at her inert form. To the priestess her attention is drawn once more then steps through the door, "Be careful if any magic affects my body." she says and rejoins the group. Ezil huffs a laugh at Klaus' actions, looking to the party and then to his own body near his feet. "If that's what I look like when I sleep... eeesh." he says, taking a moment to orient himself, and then motion after Klaus. "Perhaps we should follow? If we get separated like this, it could be bad." leaving his body in the hands of the priestess. He takes his shield out, and keeps it in hand as he moves to leave after the other man.

Cryosanthia puts her compass away, the needle was useless and flopping about as she tilted it, definitely not working. "Thank you for the instruction, Priest Traci, please keep watch over our bodies, and perhaps nudge them to better comportment. Klaus has answered my first question, and Ezil asked my second. So I agree, to not split up. Let's go."

Cryo, as she said she would, heads outside through the wall and adds to the noise, shouting, "Restless Ones, we call you."

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls perception: (10)+0: 10
GAME: Ezil rolls perception: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Klaus rolls perception: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Elyanna rolls perception: (12)+2: 14
GAME: Asmli rolls perception: (6)+3: 9

There's no sign of a response to Klaus' call. Nothing. Not so much as a peep. There's a rustle of sound from behind you that's probably the priest moving about the room. Some sound from the room in front of you that sounds like two men talking. But that's it. Nothing else at all. You may as well be all alone in here.

Klaus will look around behind him for the sound of men talking, warily eying the distance for the presence of ghosts. "Hello, hello?" he continues to call. "Anyone home?"

The raven shrouded woman, unhooking her punch dagger under her cloak and fitting her bracer in place. Elyanna looks around as things proceed and she starts to listen, glancing askance as the big man sounds off again and shakes her head.

"It doesn't look as if we will find much just standing here," Asmli stays after a moment of fruitless waiting and looking around. "I want to see what else I can go thorugh, and what else is around."

Ezil pauses, watching the others roam back and forth as he raises a hand before him. A prayer to the community falls from his lips as his eyes shimmer for a moment with a light. A flicker and it's gone. "Something... something might of just run around that corner." pointing to the hallway as he turns to head that way. "It.. I... I am going to check." heading that way.

Cryo watches Elyanna bring out her weapons, then in the direction Ezil indicated. She leaves her rapier on her belt for the moment. "Ezil, hold a moment."

The white sith makar gestures in an arcane fashion, casting a Message cantrip on her friend. "See if this works, don't get so far away we can't arrive in a run."

GAME: Cryosanthia casts Message. Caster Level: 1 DC: 13

Klaus and Cryosanthia approach the voices; Ezil, Asmli and Elyanna follow the movement.

Half your group heads through the wall where the bucher and his son are having a lively discussion about the tree that felled the young man. The young man himself sits in a bed with bandages around his middle. He seems quite fine, but neither of them seem to be aware of your presence at all.

The other half of your group heads toward the movement that Ezil saw. Which turns out to be a small boy who is hiding behind one of the pews. He /definately/ can see you, and as you approch him he scuttles off to hide behind the alter at the apex of the church's main room.

Ezil messages Cryo as soon as he sees the boy, his words light. "We found something. A child. It can see us." hoping the magic will find it's way to the Sith-Makar's ear. His demeanor changes, hands shown, making an easing motion, despite his shield being strapped to his arm. "It's okay. It really is. We're here to help if we can, or... at least understand." trying his best to sound diplomatic and friendly. "Why are you running? We mean you no harm." crossing towards that alter slowly.

GAME: Ezil rolls diplomacy: (18)+10: 28

Klaus hrms, and wonders to the group that came after the voices, "This seems pretty ordinary. I guess we'll check out the other group?" He can only shrug to Cryosanthia, who came with him, and he looks for where the other group went off to.

Elyanna realizes that her relatively overbearing (proud, damnit!) and generally grim nature may not help Ezil assuage the boy's fears, so she allows him to take point on the matter and hangs back a touch, not sure she needs her weapons in this place, but as yet unwilling to restow them. Instead, she stays shrouded and simply listens for now.

"The others found a youngling that can see them." Cryosanthia follows the large Draenei, stepping into the room with the butcher and son. She checks around their residence, ensuring they can't see her primarily by leaning in face to face with each of them. Nothing. She turns and leads Klaus in the direction she last saw the others. "This way."

The boy peeks from around the alter and looks at Ezil suspiciously, but doesn't run off again. "I'm afraid." He utters softly, admitting the reason that he's hiding easily. He's not an adult to hide that fact away. Instead he looks at the rest of the group that's here. "Are you sure you're not going to eat me or anything? I saw that one guy eat someone whole!"

Ezil keeps his kind tone, but a look is shot to Elyanna. "No, kid. I don't eat people, neither do my friends. We... we are the ones who stop the people who do the eating." he tries to assure, still keeping his hands up, looking about the room more carefully. "Do you have a name? Can you tell us who's doing this eating?"

Elyanna arches an eyebrow at the look. What? She slips her accessories back into their places and steps forward just a bit and takes a knee so at least she isn't looming, anymore. Keeping her lips together as her more predatory choppers would be the opposite of comforting, she tries to smile reassuringly to the boy and show him her empty hands.

Klaus will follow over to where Ezil and the others went to, and to see what may be going on there. So he will quietly come up and add to the group, but it seems like Ezil is already talking to someone, which is further than he got. He will remain quiet for the moment.

Cryosanthia slips in and sees the group surrounding the boy. She takes a cue from the way Elyanna is hanging back, and does so herself. Her white colouration, white armour, might make her resemble a ghost and she doesn't want to startle the kid. She looks around, in case there's anything else to be seen or heard and stays quiet.

The boy shakes his head. "I'm Jorge. And I don't know! Some really big guy with horns! He has this other guy tied up out in the woods. I was there following my brother and saw the guy eat another guy! I swear it's true!" He seems to be being honest, but when Cryosanthia enters the room his eyes get huge. "Oh my gosh! Is that a sith-makar! I've never seen one before!"

Ezil laughs as the boy seems excited at Cryosanthia's presence. "Yeah it is. She's a good friend of mine too. I can introduce you, but... I would like to know where this horned man is." shooting a glance to the group now as he waves Cryosanthia over, but making a motion with his unshielded hand to 'keep a look out' to the other two. "She's very kind."

Well, that went swimmingly, didn't it? Ely, deciding that for the boy's sake, she's a non-issue and, thus far things are going so well, slowly gets to her feet and turns to poke her head back down the hallway, though she asides, (back turned so the boy doesn't see her teeth) "We need to find this man." It's wierd being this close to dead, particularly with her... quirks, and it's nagging at her.

Klaus doesn't really understand what's going on, but will definitely agree that we ought to check out this thing the boy saw. "We believe you," he says. "Can you show us where it is?" That'd be the easiest way to find it, he guesses.

"Yes, I am!" Cryosanthia hears her name and her head pops up behind the others. She sweeps around in a smooth motion and comes to Ezil's side, crouching down to the boy's height as she moves. Up close she dips her snout so her teeth aren't as obvious and smiles. To greet him properly, she thumps the ground with her tail, and has an odd blinking moment when she realizes it doesn't make a sound. "This one is Cryosanthia, Speaker for the Sith-Makar. We're going to protect you and sort everything out. You've been very brave, how long have you been hiding here? Your brother, he is safe?"

Unafraid of the sith the boy grins broadly. "Yes! He's in the other room, he got a tree to fall down on him! I've been hiding in here ever since because mom and dad are in the room with my brother and I'm mad at them." He makes a pouty face and then it vanishes into another grin and offers his hand to Cryosanthia. Offers the other to Ezil. "I'll show you the way to the way to the woods! It's not far and I'm braver than my brother is. I go WAY out there all the time."

Klaus smiles at the boy, and says, "You're definitely braver than he is." Nod. He'll follow out, when the boy leads us out there, that seems to be what's unusual here.

Ezil looks to Cryosanthia, a flare of his eyebrows given as he speaks. "Remember the other boy I told you about? Well I am blind right now, and we have a long walk." What he means is for the Sith-Makar, taking that boys hand if he can. "So, why are you upset with your parents, Jorge?" he then asks, letting the boy now lead this show.

Elyanna hmmm's and looks amongst the crew once more, curious, but falling silent, content, for the moment to let the locals handle the delicate stuff. Her way is... very direct and it bothers folk.

Cryosanthia returns Jorge's grin, and takes his hand firmly but softly. Her hand is like a soft leather glove, scaled with large knuckles and thick nails. Her voice is encouraging and light, trying to sound very casual although one word is emphasized. "Lead us small Hunter. There was a Horned Man. What sort of Horned horns? And a tied up Man, and another man? And... his victim. Did I count correctly Jorge?"

She looks over at Ezil, catching his implied meaning and nodding. Cryo catches Elyanna's eyes, pointedly looking at the weapons on her belt and making a closing motion with her free hand then nosing at the four directions around the party. She lets the boy lead her, keeping her attention on him.

The boy tugs on the hands he holds and eagerly leads the way practically skipping. "Mom and dad have been /ignoring/ me for /forever/ now. Practically everyone has, but not you guys! You guys seem nice!" You move at his pace which isn't terribly fast but he's good company sort of. He'll chat about how everyone has been ignoring him for /forever/ and how he followed his brother out into the woods even though he's not supposed to and saw the big guy out there while his brother was chopping down trees for firewood.

He has no problem holding your hands which is really your first clue that the boy is dead. Though perhaps it takes a bit longer to realize than it should since you're so used to people interacting with you. But the second is the fact that he leads you right through the church walls and out into the wilderness. It's easy without the worry about trees.

Eventually the boy slows down and lowers his voice to a whisper. "Okay. He's right through there." He points to the woods ahead of you. "In a clearing. With the guy he has tied up. I don't wanna get eaten though so we should turn back."

Klaus says to the boy, "You just wait back here while we check things out. We won't be gone too long, but you should probably stay hidden so noone sees you. We're gonna make sure everything is OK." Kind of sugar coating it, but it's a kid, even if he's dead. He'd sort of wondered why we'd be able to see the boy in our current state, but he's the sort of thing we were trying to find. On the other hand, how did this boy die when no one else did? Well, we're here to solve that mystery.

Elyanna considers the sith for a moment before glancing down at herself and returning to her original posture, keeping her arm movements small to keep her cloak from revealing the details of her equipment. That shift made, she falls into stride with the group. The level of interaction, to the 'physical' level yet, tells her a great deal and, it's with a grave shake of her head that the red woman continues to follow. At the boy's words, she intones a soft, "Stay safe." as her hand closes on the handle on her primary weapon.

Ezil looks to the boy, his smile softening as he speaks. "I think it's okay if you wait here for us like he says. We will check out the clearing. Just stay safe, Jorge." his hand taken from the boys as he raises it to ruffle the kids hair before speaking again. "Let's be safe." he says to the party, something about the realization of this situation sitting heavily on his chest. "You might try and speak with the priestess sometime kid. I think she might listen." offering a little hope. "Now be good and wait for us. We will take care of this eater of men. We ready?" his sword taken from it's sheath in preparation.

The clue takes a while to click for Cryosanthia, and provokes a small sadness she does her best to hide in her interactions with Jorge. She tries to keep his spirit up by skipping through a tree or other small actions. Once Jorge drops his voice to a whisper, she becomes more serious, "Yes, stay here, we'll be safe, but if you see a firework run back and tell the Priest, ok?"

The white sith-makar releases the boy's hand and draws her rapier. Her voice is low, "I'm do not sneak well."

You make your way through the trees to the clearing, leaving Jorge behind though he watches after you fearfully. Clearly worried that you'll get eaten, but he'll listen to you. In the clearing is a huge man, tall and wide and wearing an odd outfit that seems to mostly consist of a loincloth with a few other ragged bits. He is hovering nearby a magic circle inscribed into the ground where another man stands. This one is cloaked from head to toe in a black robe, his face obscured by the cowl of his cloak and he is ladened with chains. The larger of the two men holds a scythe in his hands, running his fingers over it with a broad grin on his face. He has black horns that arch over his forehead.

Even as you watch the heavier of the two men walks over to an alter that has been set up out here in the forest and picks up a cup. "How much longer do I have to be out here?" He asks into the chalice, laying the scythe down. "This isn't easy you know."

GAME: Klaus rolls stealth: (3)+0: 3
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls stealth: (6)+3: 9
GAME: Ezil rolls stealth: (14)+-7: 7
GAME: Elyanna rolls stealth: (18)+6: 24

Ezil steps in to that clearing slightly away from the group, his ability at stealth hard in the armor he wears. Seeing that same demon irks him, a twitch of his lip as he points at it with a sword. He tries to draw attention to himself, armed and ready, as to let the others possibly go unnoticed. "I know you." he says with a bit of venom, but not the rage from when they first met. "You back already?"

Elyanna edges along quietly as their guide wisely opts to hang back, "I'll try to get around them." and with that, she tries to skirt the area discretely to achieve that end. One hand slips her fanglike dagger from her back, while the other draws her magic whip, but doesn't let it uncurl. She hopes to get into a favorable position, but waits to see how the men respond to Ezil's challenge.

Klaus will move up beside Ezil, to take a stand beside the man, his long weapon held ready in both hands in case they attack. But he'll let the others do the talking since they seem to have a better idea what's going on.

 GAME: Cryosanthia spends a PANACHE (2 remaining)

The fight is on! Cryo darts from the trees, making a beeline for the altar. Tail stretched out behind her, she's almost raptor-like in her headlong rush. She avoid Ezil and Klaus, and has no idea where Elyanna is. Hopefully she won't mess up her plans. At the last moment when she passes close to the demon, she makes a sudden daring dodge, reaches and grabs for the chalice and attempts to keep going.

The chalice is picked up by the lightning-quick sith-makar, and she makes off with it much to the demon's ire. He picks up the scythe and points it at Ezil. "Thanks to my Lord I am returned, and you will be dead. One touch from this blade and that's the end of you adventurer." The demon smiles grimly. "How did you find me anyway?"

Cryosanthia might well notice at this point that the chalice that she is holding seems to be filled with a thick viscus liquid that is bubbling...

 GAME: Elyanna rolls cmb: (13)+4: 17

Elyanna is edging closer to the altar and the demon, considering the weapon thereuppon for a moment when Cryo takes initiative. As the demon takes up the weapon in the wake of the Sith's stride-by-yoinking, she changes tacs and instead, with a graceful, almost languid flow of her arm, the braided tresses of her whip uncurl from beneath her cloak to ensnare the demon's leg and yank it clean out from under him, "Your time ends now, subcreature!" <infernal>

GAME: Klaus rolls d20+7: (18)+d20+7: 25
GAME: Klaus rolls 2d4+6: (6)+6: 12

Klaus rushes in when the demon goes down. It's not like he wasn't expecting a fight, but it's not exactly how he imagined it going down, with the demon flat on his backside, but ever an alert man of action, or so he hopes, Klaus steps in and slashes with his long polearm, dealing a wound that ought to, at least, really inconvenience him. "Take that, demon," he says boldly, though he can't compare with Elyanna's taunt. It sounded really vicious, what he could make out of it.

GAME: Ezil rolls weapon4+3: (2)+5+5: 12
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+7: (7)+7: 14

Ezil rushes in, flanking with Klaus as he channels his divine energy through his blade. As he reaches his target, the sweeping blow lands, but barely, scoring the devil/demon with his righteous power. "Evil, you have faced me once. Be gone again!"

"Begone Hag!" Cryosanthia shouts into the chalice. Which... Huh. She was expecting to see a mirror-flat liquid and some other face reflected in it. Whomever the demon was communicating with. However gazing for any time into the chalice wasn't her plan. She waves it to spray the contents away from herself, then holds it inverted at arms length in case the liquid keeps pouring out. Wheeling around with her rapier en guarde she advances in a cross-step to a spot where she can lunge at the demon or the robed, chained man. She calls out. "Ezil has some questions. Don't kill the fiend!"

The demon cowers on the ground where it lays bleeding, holding up one hand to forestall the next blow. "Yes! Please! Don't kill me!" It simpers and whines and holds the scythe close to its body.

GAME: Elyanna rolls sense motive: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Elyanna casts Hideous Laughter. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+3: (18)+3: 21

"He plots, be wary!" Elyanna snarls before she makes an arcane gesture his way while growling an artfully dischordant melody to try and disable him, at least temporarily.

Ezil sneers, holding his action as he brings his shield up to guard, weapon at the ready. "They can spew a noxious miasma, be wary!" he warns, speaking then to the demon. "Who do you serve? What is this circle?!" impatient against this foe.

Cryosanthia shakes the chalice again, and checks it to ensure it's empty and safe to tuck into her belt, at her back where it won't easily be grabbed. She wants a free hand, and keeps her rapier ready.

The demon looks around at you guys, vaguely hopeful. "I serve Eclavdran the Great! Eclvdran the all-powerful! Eclavdran the-one-you-hung-up-on!" He sneers at Cryosanthia and clings to the scythe in his hands like it's a lifeline. "He won't like that you've gotten in the way of his plans, but if you act now, I'll put in a good word for you, yes I will!"

Klaus sneers at the groveling demon. "He's a demon, why are we not killing him again?" he asks tartly. He does not like demons, it seems. "This guys clearly a minor and inept functionary," he declares. "We're going to get more than in the way of, demon," he growls.

"Someone check the one chained." Ezil asks, unwilling to relent his position or stance. It's to the demon he speaks the second time. "I think you are done talking to this master. Now what about the circle?" a glance snapped to Klaus as he speaks, calmly. "Same demon, different scheme. I slayed him once... and he returned. I am trying a different approach. For the moment anyways."

"If we kill him, we lose the information he has." Elyanna replies, glaring scornfully at the snivelling planar, then turns to walk around the circle to examine the prisoner asking a clinical, "Are you injured?"

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls bluff: (6)+7: 13

"I shall thwart evil do-ers at all turns! Your empty words do not worry me, nor your all-craven master of tenuous ties." Cryosanthia taunts, bobbing the tip of her rapier and holding her other above her head, also pointed at the demon, "it is your existence which hangs in the balance, release that scythe or see what else I can do!"

The chained man reacts to the presence of someone coming closer to his circle by speaking in a deep voice that tolls like a bell. "Return to me my scythe and free me."

The demon hearing this clings even more fuitly to the scythe. "I... I... Can't! Eclavdran will /kill/ me. Kill me DEAD. Just... let me go! I'll run away and never be seen from again! Just... don't let him go. That thing'll kill you!"

Klaus is no expert on demonic affairs, but anything a demon doesn't want ought to sound good to him. Though he's got misgivings about the chained man. "So what's your deal?" he asks of the chained man. He waggles his Guisarme in a vaguely threatening manner at the demon.

GAME: Ezil rolls diplomacy: (18)+10: 28

Ezil switches tactics. "The Faring Tales have many lessons of never dealing with demons, but I will assure you... if you answer our questions. I can help you. I am the All-Friend, and I will protect you if you renounce this master." his guard still up, but offering the demon a chance, even if Ezil feels it undeserved. "Tell me about the circle.... about the chained being, and about your master. I think I can hide you, and find a way to send you home peacefully." making sure to phrase that last part correctly. There is no certainty there.

The voice of the chained man sends a chill through Cryosanthia, which is something of a unique experience for her. Is that a claw of the Lady Grey? The gears turn in her mind, releasing him is probably what they should do, but it may not be without risk. "This one does not doubt it will, when the Death Singing Dragon wishes me to join her chorus. That time is not now. Release the scythe, then we shall deal."

The demon's eyes widen and it seems to relax subtly. "You would make a deal... with /me/? You will return me home /alive/ and I will tell you about my master and the circle and what it holds yes?" The demon holds out its hand toward Ezil. "Agreed!"

In the circle the man cautions. "I would not do that were I you."

Ezil takes a deep breath, looking to Cryosanthia first, a solemn look on his face. It only lasts a moment, turning to the demon again. "I will do the best I can. I will protect you from this master even if it cost me my life. The All-Friend does not lie, but it may take time. Months or years. I will find a way to send you home alive, but I need your information now. Do we have terms?" withholding his hand until there is a true agreement.

Klaus grumbles as the cloaked man won't answer his question, and he says to Ezil, "He's a demon, you kill demons. Unless you're allied with them. You're not allied with them, are you?" He's just scowling now, but what can he do? Maybe his attitude will at least incline the demon to make a deal with Ezil?

GAME: Cryosanthia casts Ray of Frost. Caster Level: 1 DC: 13
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7

Cryosanthia wriggles her fingers in an arcane way, and points. A Ray of Frost shoots towards the Demon's hand, and misses. There's a second of silence. "Warning shot! Release the Scythe. No dealing, no promises, until you do."

She fixes Ezil with her gaze and shakes her head, "Do not pick the wrong door in the Vast."

The demon's hand backs away at the spell, but he nods, dropping the scythe and reaching out for Ezil's hand again. "Agreed, but you must protect me from others as well. From your friends mostly, but any who might try to harm me. You must protect me! Eclavdran could send an assassin! You protect me to the best of your ability, you send me home safely without killing, and I tell you about my master, the one I've bound, and the magic circle!"

Inside the circle the cloaked figure sighs.

Ezil watches that scythe fall away, extending his hand to seal this pact. "The Doors would of had me kill you again. I choose the unknown then." he says with a sigh, not knowing what he has gotten himself into this day, looking to the others, Klaus specifically. "I have to take responsibility for the path I walk. I am to offer everyone mercy if they will take it. It's what Telmentar guides."

"Wait, pick up the scythe first Ezil" Cryosanthia shouts!

Klaus will reach down and pick up the scythe when Cryosanthia calls out. He doesn't have much else to do, it seems. He glowers at the man in the circle, "And you'd better have a damned good story, too, buster. You've been quiet this whole time, so you've got no right to complain about the deals we make with evil." Klaus doesn't like it, but he feels bound since Ezil had made the offer. It's clear he's not happy, though.

The pact is sealed just like that, and the demon's claws prick Ezil's hand gently, but firmly enough to draw blood. Just a small bit of pain and then the demon pulls it's hands away in an apologetic manner. Holding them up to show itself still unarmed. It seems to be bleeding as well. As if it mingled its blood with Ezil's before pulling its hand away. Ew.

"A celestial being is trapped in that circle. It can barely talk its bound so tightly. A servant of Vardama. One of the villagers wished that people would stop dying so Eclavdran sent me here to guard the celestial to keep it from gathering souls here. He's a Duke of Hell by the way. A very powerful demon. One of the most powerful. Maybe THE most powerful." The demon grins. "See, I help!"

"Ezil, since you are going to through with it, there are things you must ask. That demon behave. You should not be bound if it eats babies and cackle at your vow. Your protection and assistance should depend on it never committing another evil act. Perhaps additional terms." Cryosanthia moves, staying at a wary distance closer to Klaus. She holds out her hand to see if the man will give it her. She's moving to the magic circle, and looks at the bound figure within. She crouches, attempting to see his face.

Ezil stares at the demon, the pact sealed as he can not help but laugh at that bit of trickery. Or was it? "You... you have tasked me with an enormous task I can not even fathom how I will tackle." his words coming with a heave of his chest, looking to Cryosanthia with shake of his head. "We need the priestess to advise us on this matter. Someone go get her? I am suddenly tired." he says, looking back to the demon. "I will need your name, Demon. I will need to know who asked for this.... but damn you. I will honor my word."

Klaus kicks dirt over the edge of the magic circle, and will step in, and he'll try to unbind the servant of Vardama, and return his scythe to him. "I apologize to the weak-willed among us who hope to treat with evil," he says, "Not that you care, I expect. But I am ashamed. Please return to your tasks, the villagers had noted your absence. And there is a boy close by, he's one of yours, I'm afraid. Please be gentle with him, he helped us."

"Claw of the Death Singing Dragon, This one deserves no boon but humbly requests: We need to know how to send an immortal into the Lady Grey's grasp. The mistress of the shard tower." Cryosanthia kneels beside the now scuffed magic circle, her head lowered. She inhales, exhales strongly, "And yes, please be gentle with the boy. He does not realize."

The celestial seems to /breathe/ as the circle is broken, the chains falling away easily and disappearing before they ever reach the ground. The figure who's face that Cryosanthia could not see even looking into his cowl rises up and settles his robe, accepting his scythe. "Evil and good are to be weighed at death, only Vardama herself can know the weight that lingers in the souls of the living." Inones the figure. It turns its head toward Cryosanthia and considers her words. "As a boon to you living who rescued me I will tell you this - all lives are taken by weapons such as mine. Surely if you had not come to my aid my own would have been taken to this demon lord for his use. Even the immortals are subject to such weapons."

"Now I must go. Death must come to those who wait in this village." With that the deathfigure disembarks from the scuffed out magic circle and walks out into the woods toward the village.

The demon waits for the deathfigure to be gone before he grins at Ezil. "There our deal is met. I don't have to tell you anything else! But! You can call me Jerboba. I'll wait here in the woods for you to come back with someone who can take me home. Or a spell that'll take me home. Whichever you please." It flashes sharp teeth.

Ezil smirks. "Fine, don't tell me. I said it might take a while, but.... if you wait here, or it takes too long, how can I protect you from assassins?" Ezil points out. "I'm fine with that. I am still doing my best, but you see. Deals like this aren't a simple thing." he points out. "I have tenets I can't break, and a deal I must uphold. You can make whatever decisions you want, but this doesn't seem like a good one, Jerboba. What will this general do if he finds out you have betrayed him? Time tells many tales." his own grin flashed.

Klaus is just glowering for the moment, and he says to the demon, "Your deal is with him," he gestures to Ezil. "But one hint of evil activity from you, and I'm preempting it." He gestures with his guisarme to emphasize how he's going to preempt it.

Cryosanthia shivers at the celestial's words, keeping her head bowed until she senses his departure. She rises slowly to her feet, holding a long, lingering gaze on the demon then Ezil. She sheathes her rapier, purses her lips and looks in the direction of the town. Her head turns back, scanning the ground in case there are any bones, someone was eaten here after all. Probably wouldn't be able to pick them up even if she did. Her breath comes out in one long exhale."I hope everyone healed up when they could."

Her unblinking eyes turn on Klaus, and she starts along the trail to the town, "Let's head back."

"You're right. Guess I'm coming with you." States the demon, deciding that it's much safer at the side of Ezil. Which makes it a long uncomfortable trek back to the town. It's a lot to explain to the priest once you have returned to your bodies. Jerboba as it turns out looks like a perfectly ordinary if somewhat large man when you're back in your own body. Seemed that the signs of his demonic nature are hidden unless you're in soul-form.

There are people crying in the church over the loss of their son who died unexpectedly of his injuries. The priest explains that this is the natural course of life, but it's hard to console grieving parents. As hard as it is to explain who Jerboba is and why he's following Ezil around like a lost puppy.

Dramatis Personae

Asmli
This khazad-mornir is a muscly ball of fire, snarl, and good humor. His head is shaven across sides and back, leaving a loose topper of straight blonde hair atop his head to do as it will. The beard, however, is much more carefully trimmed and cared for, being braided into several smaller braids and with each held in place with multiple metal cuffs and beads. These hang down nearly to his waist, over the breastplate and leathers that make up what is clearly the outfit of a khazad warrior without much coin to spare. Strong and craggy features of the khazad are covered with skin that runs on the fair side for a khazad, and hold sharp, twinkling brown eyes as well. Leather boots with hard soles cover his feet. Over his back, on a leather harness, is slung a dwarven urgrosh, one of the legendary khazad double weapons.

Elyanna
Tall, lean and dark, she stands most of six feet, skin a rich, cinnabar tone with a splash of carmine freckles across her cheeks and bridge of her nose. Her face is broad beneath her thick brows and widows' peak, with well defined cheekbones and a firm jaw. Her demeanor is solemn around harrowed steel eyes, though in the odd case of a smile, her teeth are those of a predator. Her hair is raven black, bangs parted by a burnished steel band to frame her face, and the rest allowed to flow to her beltline behind her. Should she speak, she does so in a contralto voice, her accent unmistakably that of Bludgun.
An ankle length cloak of raven feathers, almost matching her hair but for texture, with a fringed leather mantlet layered over that shrouds a chain shirt of Bludgun forging. The chain is polished to a almost mirror shine with a black suit of cloth, reinforced at the joints with matte leather, under. At her waist, a rectangular, fluted buckler hangs from a clasp on her crimson belt over her left hip, the coils of a whip braided of various hues of hair, to the silver tresses of it's popper, rides on her right on the scabbard of a Blod forged falchion, while a punching dagger that curls like a fang is tucked at her back. Polished black leather and blued steel chased in copper make up the gauntlet that sheaths her right forearm, matched by reinforced boots that fold back at the knee. The closest she gets to accessories is the afformentioned steal headband, crafted to resemble a braided leather band with a central 'strand' of polished bronze interlaced with the rest.

Klaus
Klaus is a large Deanei human, 6'3" and thickset, with sandy blond hair worn shaggy on top and hanging back over his shoulders. His square jaw is concealed behind a thick beard, which is cut short beneath his chin. He's got very broad shoulders, and a thick chest with muscles on his muscles, as many Dranei do. His waist is stout, and lean. No chance at thin, with his build, but athletic. His legs are tree trunks, reaching, well, from waist to ground. The greater wonder is there's no bark on them.
He's wearing a well-made steel breastplate across his broad chest, and a steel cap with iron studs in the rim crowns his unruly hair. Broad shoulders and barrel chest swell the breastplate, which has a bit of fancywork on it. His pants are sturdy brown leather, tucked into leather cavalry boots with steel toecaps and embroidery along the tops. The sleeves of a buff-colored coat protrude from the breastplate, and fighting gloves cover his hands. He wears a thick leather belt on which various pouches hang, and there's a pack on his back, on which are strapped a battle axe and a heavy steel shield.

Ezil's Demon Dude, Jerboba, aka Burger Bob
https://i.redd.it/c2vw2ueza7b31.jpg