The Nodality - Part 2
It was a gambit, but moving everybody through the portal opened by Mostin’s mirror would have taken too long, and would have left them vulnerable during the period that it remained open. Instead, they appeared in three teams, organized for mutual support, triangulated around the crypt in which Feezuu and her allies were located.
Mulissu teleported into the northwest of the chamber with her own daughter, whilst Mostin appeared in the northeast with Ortwin and Tahl. Eadric and Nwm charged through the portal from the south.
They appeared simultaneously. All were acting with uncanny speed.
Iua immediately leapt forwards and began an earnest assault upon Uzmi, caught off-guard by the duelist’s awesome precision and reflexes. Ortwin and Eadric, from opposite directions, both sprang at Feezuu. Nwm, in the form of an enormous bear, leapt at the ape-like Bar-Lgura.
The first thing that Mostin did, after Eadric and Nwm were clear, was to erect a wall of force around the extradimensional opening. The idea of Feezuu – or any other fiend present – escaping back through it (and into his study) without effort would have been too much. He looked around quickly: neither the Succubus nor the Goristro appeared to be present. All of the others were..
Mulissu, desiring to return to her work as quickly as possible, decided that the easiest thing to do would be to Gate in a Solar. A Prismatic Spray issued from her hand, striking several Dretch down quickly. To target anything else with the spell would risk affecting allies.
Light flooded into the sepulchre as the Celestial manifested.
"Holy sh*t," said Ortwin, hewing at Feezuu.
Eadric smiled. "Good choice," he shouted, and hewed at Feezuu. White light erupted from his blade.
Oh, no, thought Mostin.
"Eliminate nearby fiends," Mulissu commanded the Solar. "Big ones first."
The Solar nodded, and suddenly vanished, which was, initially, somewhat confusing.
Tahl invoked a Righteous Might and grew to a height of twelve feet. He drew upon the power of the Eye of Palamabron and invoked a Zone of Revelation – his intention being to reveal any invisible fiends which were present. The sight that it unveiled was terrifying: the ether around them was alive with demons, their misty shapes hewing at the Archon, Zhuel, who had Teleported to the area of the Ethereal Plane coterminous with Eadric. The Solar was suddenly revealed engaging with them.
Iua had adopted a screening position, and was thrusting repeatedly at the Marilith, her enhanced blade easily penetrating the demoness’s natural defenses. Uzmi had still not reacted.
Feezuu herself, however, had mastered her confusion quickly. Reeling from the initial assault by Eadric and Ortwin, and perceiving that her death was imminent unless she acted quickly, she cast a Dimension Door and vanished.
"Naaaargh!" Mostin screamed.
Ortwin span around, brandishing Githla and his pick, leapt forwards, and ripped with devastating power into Uzmi’s flank. His scimitar whirled and an enormous BOOM echoed through the crypt as his pick plunged deep into the torso of the Demoness. She collapsed.
Eadric turned and, with three great strokes, cut one of the Bar-Lgura down. Nwm, his jaws and claws enhanced, shredded the other ape-demon and ripped its head off with his teeth.
A voice whispered in Mostin’s ear. "Protect me, Alienist. Save me from the Paladin." The succubus, Kalkja, had appeared behind him.
"Not bloody likely," Mostin said, shaking off the enchantment. He struck her with the primary Sonic from his enhanced chain lightning, with secondary arcs crashing down and eliminating all of the remaining Dretch. Kalkja was badly mangled, but Mostin ignored her. He cast a Discern Location followed by a quickened Dimension Door and vanished.
"What the…?" Ortwin grumbled. "Nice one Mostin! Just piss off and leave us, why don’t you?" But there was nothing left standing in the crypt except the Succubus and two quasits – at least on the Prime Plane.
Within the Zone of Revelation, Nalfeshnee demons bore down upon the Solar, and the shape of a Balor of enormous size appeared, its phantom outline as terrifying as its real presence, as Ortwin remembered it from their brief encounter on Limbo.
"Ainhorr," he whispered, and recalled the visions that Troap had evoked in his mind.
Without warning, another Gate opened. A statuesque demon, perhaps nine feet tall, with eyes that glowed an even brighter green than Mostin’s, stepped through. His skin was as black as midnight, and in his hand he held a huge, wavy-bladed bastard sword. He, also, was acting with great speed.
Looks of amazement crossed the faces of those present. Each of them, including Kalkja, thinking: That is not possible. It is against the rules. He cannot be here.
He smiled viciously, but did not attack. Instead, he spoke a spell. Mass Manifest.
Ainhorr, and four Nalfeshnees appeared on the Prime Plane. The immense presence of the ancient Balor filled the chamber. Terrible heat radiated from him.
Mulissu’s eyes almost popped out of her head. Mostin hadn’t mentioned Demon Princes and huge Balors. She targeted Ainhorr with two Disintegrations and a cluster of Magic Missiles. He grunted.
The Solar and Zhuel reappeared upon the Prime, even as Ainhorr’s whip lashed out and wrapped itself around Tahl, dragging him against his body. His immense flaming sword crashed down upon Eadric, biting into him with Unholy power. Fire issued from the Balor’s nostrils.
The voice of the great celestial echoed through the minds of those present: That is not Graz’zt.
Could’ve fooled me, Ortwin thought.
The Nalfeshnee sprang into action. A nimbus of rainbow light began to kindle around one of them, and an Unholy Aura erupted from another, bathing the fiends in protective blackness. More fiends materialized, as the remaining Nalfeshnees invoked summonings. Three Vrocks appeared, and immediately leapt at Eadric, attempting to rend him with their claws.
The two Quasits were flapping around Mulissu, trying to sting her and break her concentration.
Tahl called on the power of the Strength domain and, with difficulty, broke free of the Balor’s whip. His own scourge cracked in his hand, and bit into Ainhorr. Iua threw herself into the fray, reeled from a passing strike from the Balor, and began fencing with the black-skinned demon who, apparently, was not Graz’zt. Ortwin joined her.
Seeing his chance, and drawing on the power of his God, Eadric yelled, hefted Lukarn, and brought it full force down upon Ainhorr’s flaming sword. The Balor turned it with contemptuous ease. Eadric struck again, and a splintering sound was heard, sparks flying as the blades crashed together. He struck again, and Ainhorr’s ten-foot greatsword shattered, hewn at the hilt.* Shards flew across the chamber. Eadric smote the demon, and he screamed.
Nwm spoke two summonings in fast order. A large salamander with a longspear materialized, and a huge Earth Elemental grew from the floor. He threw them both immediately against the Nalfeshnee with the nimbus around it.
Kalkja unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Mulissu to disintegrate Eadric.
The demon who was not Graz’zt slashed at Iua, the force and speed of its strokes too great for her to avoid or parry. Gaping wounds appeared all over her, and she staggered backwards and collapsed.
Mulissu screamed, targeted the monster with two Disintegrations and the Simulacrum’s diminished resistance failed it. It vanished. One of the Quasits who was buzzing her succumbed to a burst of Magic Missiles.The Solar dramatically decapitated one of the Nalfeshnees with its greatsword, and cut another one down with three swift strokes, in an attempt to close with Ainhorr. Zhuel engaged the third.
The Great Demon spoke a single word of power, and another Balor appeared.
"Oh, for heaven’s sake," Ortwin moaned, before he imploded.
Unable to physically engage with Eadric – Ainhorr and the Vrocks now fully surrounding the Paladin – both Nalfeshnees targeted the Paladin with Feebleminds. Simultaneously, the rainbow coloured nimbus around one of them erupted in a burst of energy, causing Nwm to reel. Eadric’s mind collapsed under the pressure, and he sat down and began to drool.
**
Feezuu had not gone far – into a chamber only a hundred yards or so away. When Mostin appeared nearby, she was already mounting her Nightmare.
"I don’t think so," the Alienist said, and launched two doubly empowered sonically substituted lightning bolts and another quickened sonic at her.
"Almost," she said. And died.
But Mostin had exhausted his transportation spells. Rather unconventionally – for him at least – he had to actually run back to the chamber where the others were gathered. He crashed through a door, straight into the Goristro.
"Oops," he said. Fortunately, the Demon was even more surprised than he was. Mostin quickly summoned a trio of Pseudonatural Dire Bears.
"Kill," he pointed, and waited for a chance to sneak past.
**
Tahl, clawed and buffeted by attacks from the Vrocks, pushed through and interposed himself between Eadric and the Balor. Ainhorr slammed him with an immense, fiery fist, but Tahl’s spirit did not waver. He spoke to Eadric’s sword, which sat limply in the Paladin’s grip, and closed his hand tightly around it.
"Lukarn. Heal him." The Cleric commanded.
Nearby, on the ground, Nwm – still in the shape of a huge bear – hallucinated wildly. The Salamander was stabbing at one of the Nalfeshnees, whilst the Earth elemental pummeled it.
Kalkja grabbed at Tahl, and he lashed out at her. She pulled his head back, and kissed him. His knees became weak.
Mulissu darted over to Iua and, touching her neck, determined that her daughter was still alive. She was still livid. She opened another Gate, and a second Solar stepped through.
"What is you command?" It asked.
"I have none. Do as you wish." She cradled Iua’s head in her lap.
The Solar smiled, and opened yet another Gate. A cascade of white light began.
The Demons fled, as the Celestial host descended upon the ancient Necropolis of Khu, and hallowed it.
**
As the power coursed into him from Lukarn, Eadric looked around himself to see dozens of perfect winged forms standing in silent vigil. He wondered if he was dead, until he glanced across to see the crumpled form of Ortwin lying nearby. Tahl was tending to Iua, and Nwm stood pensively stroking his beard.
Mostin burst in, ready to fling sonics. He looked around, and fainted.
Eadric stood, walked up to a Planetar, and pointed at Ortwin.
"I don’t suppose that you’d…"
"Not even were he one of the faithful," the Celestial replied.
"He died fighting demons," Eadric pointed out.
"As have many others," the Celestial replied sympathetically. "Except in unusual circumstances, death tends to be final."
Bugger that, thought Nwm.
**
"Mmm," Ortwin looked in the mirror. He was a satyr.
"It could have been a lot worse," Nwm said. "A badger, or an owl, for example. Mulissu is willing to return you to your original form – for a hefty price, no doubt. I think you look quite dashing, and you must admit – it has a certain appropriateness."
"Yes, yes," Ortwin agreed enthusiastically. Mmm. Nymphs, he thought.
*Crit.
In answer to the 'buffs' question: all were hasted and death warded, and had protection from acid on them. Ortwin, Eadric, Iua and Tahl were also under protection from sonics in the event that Mosin needed to drop area spells on the melee fighters. Ortwin and Tahl were both under an enhanced bull's strength, Iua under an enhanced fox's cunning - useful for a duelist. Mulissu was Mind Blanked.
Greater Magic Weapon was on Iua's rapier, both of Ortwin's weapons and Tahl's whip. Eadric had a holy sword cast upon his own sunblade, and was also warded with a stoneskin.
Nwm had Greater Magic Fang upon both sets of claws, and his teeth.
There may have been others.
It's worth pointing out that as soon as the second Solar appeared (actually, maybe even the first), that it was a foregone conclusion.
My wife was running Mulissu during the session. She does, from time to time.
