JollyDoc's Shackled City

Just a quick note about the Erinyes, who, btw, was NOT scaled. I took the readers' advice, and left the adventure as written, which is a good thing, because the scaled occupant of this chamber would have been a Barbed Devil, and I'm not sure anyone would have escaped that. Aushanna was indeed advanced, though I don't want to go into too much detail because she ain't dead yet. Her CR is listed as 9 in the adventure (as opposed to 8 for a standard Erinyes). She had 12 HD (as opposed to 9) and the commensurate number of extra hit points. Her AC was the same. Her full attack with her bow was +18/+13/+8 or +16/+16/+11/+6 with rapid shot (vs +15/+10), with damage being the same. Her other abilities were the same as a standard Eriyes, including SR, but bear in mind the party casters were all about 7th level, giving them only about a 30% chance of succeeding. She had only one extra feat, Flyby Attack.

PS...don't write the dwarves off just yet...their full tale has yet to be told. Stay tuned constant readers!

So Pez is gone? Awww....Angcuru sad now.

But somehow I don't think gfunk really expected him to last that long when he wrote him up. I mean, if you want a really nice long-lasting character, you don't name him after an ellipsoid candy that comes out of something's neck.

Suddenly, he felt a rough, scaly hide slide beneath him, and he was lifted from the water to find himself on the back of a very large crocodile. "Charge!" the battlerager roared to Wathros as he straddled the druid?s back and pointed towards the stairs.

Nice scene right there.

Damn, JollyDoc, that's one long update post. And here I was thinking that my 3000-3500 word updates for my story hour were all bad-ass and long. But that's because I haven't really delved into the action scenes yet. *laughs maniacally*

But, if Pez died, and he's a clelestial not in the favor of the upper planes, what happens to him?

I'd think that since Pez died fighting a creature of pure evil, they'll make an exception. I think they'll take him back and just send him back down to finish up whatever in another hundred years or so.

Black_Kaioshin said:

But, if Pez died, and he's a clelestial not in the favor of the upper planes, what happens to him?

Click to expand...

Pez was sent to do a penance. The duration and terms of that penance were not disclosed to him. He was merely instructed to go among the mortals and live as they do. He fulfilled these conditions and gave his life in their defense. I think he has been redeemed.

JollyDoc said:

Pez was sent to do a penance. The duration and terms of that penance were not disclosed to him. He was merely instructed to go among the mortals and live as they do. He fulfilled these conditions and gave his life in their defense. I think he has been redeemed.

Click to expand...

So...technically he could request to Tyr that he be sent back to aid his friends, as he was doing more good actively fighting evil on the Prime Material than being a simple messenger in Celestia. But I don't think gfunk would go for that.

But, if Pez knows that by dying for his friends he can be redeemed, doesn't this cheapen his sacrifice? If he knows that the only thing he gets for dying is a free pennance, isn't this not a sacrifice at all?

Pez was a Native Outsider, not Extraplanar. So he is truly dead and must start at the bottom of the Celestial heirarchy again. But, as you will soon see, that doesn't mean other celestials won't take up his mantle and smite some infernal ass.

ANGER OF ANGELS

Ajacsalasan knew he had to move fast, inciting a slave rebellion was one thing but slaying a Red Wizard was quite another matter.

“Hurry!! Hurry!! Move quickly before the Thayan Knights arrive!”

The warrior had led a horde of literally hundreds of slaves miles across the deserts of western Thay. In a few minutes they would reach the border of Aglarond and freedom. He had been assured personally by a representative of the Simbul herself that there would be soldiers waiting, ready to give his followers the freedom that had been denied to them for so long.

Within minutes, they could see the promised contingent of the Witch Queen’s guard posted on the other side of the border. Once they reached them, the Thayans had no choice but to allow them to leave. To interfere would be to risk war with the Simbul, something Ajacsalasan was certain even the evil Szass Tamm would not risk.

Before liberation was theirs however, an immense wall of fire suddenly erupted in front of the fleeing slaves, sealing off their escape.

In their desperation to enter Aglarond, many of their number chose to continue moving forward, ready to risk their lives rather than live one more day in slavery. For their troubles, most were immolated outright and the remainder were set on fire as they died slowly on the other side.

“No, my friends! Run around the wall, I will hold off the Wizard!”

The warrior drew his cold iron long sword as he charged back into Thay searching for the unseen assailant. His sharp eyes noticed a Red Wizard standing behind a large rock, a smug grin of satisfaction crossing his visage.

“Murderer!! DIE!!”

Ajacsalasan’s sword sliced into the wizard’s torso and did some minor damage, but the mage had prepared himself as his skin was strong as stone.

Laughing, the wizard stepped back, “No, it is YOU who are the murderer. You have given these slaves false hope, leading them to an inevitable death. Thanks to you they only have to look forward to days of torture before they are sent to Myrkul's embrace.”

The wizard quickly began another incantation as a magical arrow appeared out of thin air, easily piercing his foe’s armor. Though the missile weapon itself only inflicted glancing damage, it constantly pumped out streams of acid, eliciting cries of pain from Ajacsalasan.

Taking in a deep breath, the warrior charged once again and hit the wizard with all his might. This time, he was able to draw blood but he could plainly see that the brunt of his attack was negated.

“Did you really think you could defeat me? Foolish slave, you are finished!”

Weaving arcane phrases, the wizard hit his hated foe with another spell and this time the warrior found that he could not move. The mage sauntered up to him and easily pulled the longsword from his paralyzed hands. Twisting the blade to the flat side, he smacked Ajacsalasan with everything he had. Once, then twice.

When the paralysis spell ended, the warrior fell.

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He awoke into a nightmare. The first thing he heard was the sharpening of a blade. The first thing he saw was an morbidly obese man in a dirty chamber, standing over a table full of razor-sharp instruments. Then he felt pain as his naked body was stretched taut on a rack.

His vanquisher, the wizard who had bested him in single combat, moved over his helpless form to gloat.

“You may think you have accomplished much fool. But Thay is a nation built on slaves, what are a few hundred less? Besides, we have years to torture you as compensation.”

Ajacsalasan screamed in pain as two hot pokers were thrust into his eyes, blinding him forever.

He prayed silently, his only shield against his tormentors, “Trust in Selune’s radiance, and know that all who love alive under her light shall know her blessing.”

He held fast onto his faith for months, before ultimately giving in to the call to Arborea.

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“Turn to the moon, and she will be your true guide. Promote acceptance and tolerance. See all other beings as equals. Aid fellow Seulnites as if they were your dearest friends,” Ajax completed the prayer he began over three hundred years ago.

The Lords of Good had determined his soul to be pure and his actions just. Upon his death he was sent to the Olympian Glades where he would spend eternity in a land of peace where all beings were forever free from the yoke of tyranny and oppression.

For centuries Ajax had been a petitioner on this plane. However, the Eladrins who ruled the plane saw his potential and, with the approval of the Council of Seraphim, promoted him to an Angel.

It was this transformation that heralded his return to the Prime, working with the Eladrins known as the Watchers. This was a group of celestials sanctioned by the Court of Stars in Arborea. Working on the plane of mortals they monitored the actions of fiends, protecting important mortals without their knowledge, and kept tyranny at bay.

Recently Ajax had been contacted by none other than Avanathor, a powerful Tulani Eladrin and possibly the most powerful Arborean on the Prime Material Plane. Of course, he did not have a direct audience but the sending he had received was sufficient, “Your mission has changed. Go to the town of Cauldron in Vilhon Reach. Make yourself available to the Temple of Tyr. More information will be provided to you at our discretion.”

Unfurling his mighty wings, Ajax immediately sped towards his goal. He was loathe to work for the agents of law but unlike the hordes of Abyss, celestials always worked together.

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Days later, a bald human with grey eyes, chainmail armor, sword and shield exited the Temple of Tyr. The high priest had told him all he needed to know. Apparently the Council of Serpahim had sent their own agent and he had fallen. Fallen to the most hated of foes, the fascist fiends of Baator.

He would avenge his compatriot.

Quickly he ran out of the city into the forests. When he was beyond the reach of mortal eyes, he resumed his true form.

He began his flight towards the Underdark.

Ajax (Astral Deva 7)
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Medium Outsider [Angel, Good, Native]
Hit Dice: 6d8+30 (60 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), Fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 31 (+5 Dex, +5 armor, +8 natural, +3 shield), touch 15, flat-footed 26
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11
Attack: Silver longsword +1 +12 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: Silver longsword +1 +12/+6 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilites
Special Qualities: Angel traits, uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, electricity, fire, acid, and cold resistance 5, protective aura, DR 7/evil
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +11
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10
Skills: Concentration +14, Escape Artist +14, Hide +14, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Listen +16, Move Silently +14, Sense Motive +12, Spot +16
Feats: Iron Will, Power Attack, Thick-Skinned
Environment: Vilhon Reach
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Goods
Alignment: Chaotic Good

A beautifiul, extremely tall, humanlike creature with long, feathery wings and a very supple and lithe body glows with an inner power that makes it hard to look directly at the creature.

Ajax was formerly a holy liberator who was enslaved by the Red Wizards of Thay. At the expense of his own life he led a slave rebellion, slaying his master in the process. Though he was tortured to death over many months, Ajax was able to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom in Aglarond.

Following his demise, Ajax's soul was elevated as a petitioner to the Olympian Glades of Arborea. His exemplary service and pure spirit earned his promotion to Angel after a few hundred years.

He now works on the Prime, serving the Watchers -- a group of powerful Eladrin working good deeds from behind the scenes.

Combat

His extremely impressive array of defensive powers makes Ajax a terror in combat. As an Astral Deva, he is immune or resistant to nearly all forms of attack. He prefers to let foes wear themselves down trying to damage him and, when they are spent, he moves in for the kill.

Angel Traits -- Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, +4 racial bonus on saves versus poison, tongues

Spell-like abilities (Sp): 3/day -- aid, continual flame, cure light wounds, detect evil, dispel magic, invisibility (self only), remove curse, remove disease, remove fear, and see invisibility. Caster level 6th.

Uncanny Dodge/Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Ajax retains his Dexterity bonus to AC, when flat-footed, and he cannot be flanked except by a rogue of at least 10th level. Ajax can flank charactes with the uncanny dodge ability as if he were a 6th level rogue.

Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20 feet of Ajax. Otherwise it functions as a magic circle aganist evil effecT and a lesser globe of invulnerability, both with a radius of 20 feet (caster level 6). This aura can be dispelled, but the angel can create it again as a free action on his next turn.

Major Magic Items

+1 silver longsword, cold iron longsword, mithral chain shirt +1, mithral heavy steel shield +1, claok of resistance +1, lesser hat of disguise, bracers of health +2, gloves of dexterity +2, +1 amulet of natural armor, 3 potions of cure moderate wounds, 4 potions of cure light wounds