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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bluegodjanus" data-source="post: 2816865" data-attributes="member: 25098">Recovering the StolenBack in Sigil, Red, Kineshka, and Tick were meeting with Terragon, to recount their mission in Pandemonium. It turns out that a previous mercenary group Terragon had belonged to was down a member, and they'd needed his help to recover the person.The trouble, though, was that Tick had no memories. Terragon offered to search through various libraries in Sigil, seeking information on the Styx. Red took Tick around town, hoping he could berate the kobold into remembering something. Kineshka went to the Bleakers.'Yes?' a bored-looking acolyte said when he answered the door.'I have a friend who's lost his memories,' Kineshka said. 'I was hoping somebody could restore them.''That depends on how the memories were lost.''Well, you see, he fell into the River Styx...''Nothing we can do. Much like there's no purpose or hope in the multiverse, there's no purpose or hope for your friend. We could take care of him, though, if he's a bother to you.'Thus, over the next few days, nobody could figure out what to do about Tick. Until a man came to them, seeking their services specifically.Nekrotheptis Skorpios walked into their office. 'I hear you've been looking into the River Styx.''Yes. Our friend lost his memory,' Kineshka said.'I am a proxy of Set. My illustrious master has a problem which He wishes resolved, and in exchange He can grant knowledge and assistance in your problem.''What kind of assistance?' Big Red asked.'He can help to restore your friend's memories.''We'll do it!' Tick shouted.'What are we to do?' Terragon asked.'The so-called ruler of Stygia, Levistus, has been encroaching on my master's territory. He requires that it cease.'A few minutes discussion led the party to realise that none of them were particularly skilled in negotiations.'Can your master provide a diplomat for us?' Red asked.'I'm sure it can be arranged. Come with me.'The four followed Skorpios through the streets of Sigil, and through a portal into the desert realm of Ankhwugaht. Skorpios led them to a small oasis. 'Wait here,' he said, and strode off into the desert. After a short wait, a <a href="http://www.thebigegraphics.com/images/2DArt/Naga.jpg" target="_blank">naga</a> slithered into view, and introduced itself as Klenmus, diplomat for the great Set. The five of them went out into the snowy wastes of Stygia, a marked difference from the shadowed desert of Ankhwugaht. Only a short distance across the layer brought a pair of gelugons down in front of them.'Where does a group of mortals go within the domains of Prince Levistus?' one asked.'We're looking to talk to Levistus,' Red said.The gelugons laughed. 'Good luck with that. Shout loud enough, and maybe he'll hear. The frozen prince speaks to no one.''Then where is his general? Who leads his armies?' Red asked.'After what he's done, Levistus does not have his own army. Do you see that mighty glacier there?' it asked, pointing into the distance. 'Levistus is deep within the centre of it. Suitable punishment for his treacheries.''We are not familiar with Baator's history,' Terragon said. 'What treachery?''Long ago, the other Lords sought to rise up against the Lord of the Ninth and claim rule of Hell from him. He defeated them all, and some were punished. We shall not stop you from yelling at Prince Levistus' prison.' With that taunt, the gelugons flew away.Standing outside Levistus' prison, Red asked Klenmus, 'How are we going to negotiate with him?''I was hoping,' the diplomat said, 'that we could get his attention.''I know!' Tick exclaimed, and put his hand to the ice. After a few seconds, steam rose from his hand, and a trickle of water ran down from the spot he touched. Terragon, realising what he was doing, surrounded his chain in flame and began applying it liberally to the prison.'I don't think--' Klenmus began, when stormclouds flooded the sky. Lightning flashed, the ground rumbled with the potency of its thunder. Six pit fiends appeared around the mercenaries, trapping them against the mighty glacier.A cacophony of six shouting, thunderous voices forced its way into their heads. 'BY ORDER OF THE LORD OF THE NINTH, YOU WILL CEASE YOUR ATTEMPTS TO FREE LEVISTUS.''We're not trying to free him,' Kineshka said. 'We just wanted his attention.'Klenmus slithered forward to address the fiends. 'In the name of the mighty and glorious Lord Set, we have come to request that Prince Levistus cease his intrusion of the Lord Set's rightful domain in Baator.'Moments passed in silence. Then the voices came again. 'COME WITH US.'They found themselves in a dim room, walls and floor made of a dark stone. A table lie in the centre of the room, carved of the same stone, attended by chairs too large for a man. At the head of the table floated a <a href="http://community.dicefreaks.com/images/avatars/18643551384410864d11098.jpg" target="_blank">symbol</a> made of fire, a pentagram with a stylized '9' in the middle, with eight other nines surrounding it. The six baatezu sat in the three closest chairs on each side to the symbol. The mercenaries and their diplomat sat at the other end of the table.State your case. The voice seemed to come from the entire room.'In the name of the mighty and glorious Lord Set, we have come to request that Prince Levistus cease his intrusion of the Lord Set's rightful domain in Baator,' Klenmus said, and the negotiations began. It started with veiled threats regarding assistance from the rest of Set's pantheon.I removed the entire orcish and goblin pantheons from my plane. Your god will be no trouble to my power.It ended with promises of assistance towards the Lords of the Nine and the assurance that Levistus would be adequately dealt with.The symbol seemed to focus, then, on the four mercenaries. And what is your part in this?'Our friend lost his memory to Styx,' Red said. 'Set's servants offered us assistance with that if we helped him.'Would you like to have protection against such accidents in the future?'Well, we don't really need it, but if you want to give us...' Kineshka began.Protection is not given. It is earned. If you are interested, you will be contacted in the future.The five found themselves back in Ankhwugaht. 'I will tell my Lord Set that you have helped us,' Klenmus said, then slithered off into the sands. It took about fifteen minutes for them to notice a crevasse working its way across the land, towards their oasis. Red took to the air, for safety. As the gap got closer, it brought with it the sounds of torrential water, and they could see it was the River Styx, cutting jerkily across the sands. When it got to the oasis it stopped, and suddenly a marraenoloth was there. 'Come with me,' it said. 'I am told you are to be taken to the Heart.'This journey along the Styx was different than before, as it became fast and very dangerous for a time, rapidly shifting between planes and navigating fast, deadly waters. When it was over, they were in a grand cavern, housing an underground sea. The marraenoloth's skiff came to ground on the rocky shore.'Where are we to go?' Kineshka asked.The marraenoloth pointed up at the wall of the cavern. 'There is a room. Stairs will take you to it.''What's in the room?' Kineshka asked.'There is a room. Charon will see to you.'The stairs led to a room, which had a single round table. The rear wall had a sheet of Styx water falling down it, and it is in this wall of water that a skeletal visage appeared. It came forward, abruptly taking on the third dimension, and a robe fell from the bottom of the skull. It waved a skeletal hand towards the table, as if inviting them to sit, despite the fact that there were no chairs.'You have come to me,' the voice was barely audible, yet perfectly clear, 'seeking remedy. Normally we would ask for a great favour, if we even chose to grant such a boon. But you have already done something for us. Your work in Baator has upset some of the Nine, and will incidentally...' Charon trailed off, staring at the doorway. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the lurking observer. 'It will make some of our work easier.' It waved a hand at one wall, which parted like a curtain of liquid stone. 'It will take time to extract the memories. Wait there and I will contact you again.'Once inside the room, the wall closed behind them, leaving them in the dark. Though he ate some of the food, Red was sure to avoid the pitcher of water. In the morning, the wall opened again. The adjoining room was empty, except for a mug of black, oily water. They eventually figured that Tick had nothing to lose, so even if it was just your daily recommended dose of memory loss, he drank it anyway. Upon finishing the mug, he set it back on the table, and promptly fell unconscious.They waited five minutes to see if he'd awaken. When a marraenoloth appeared at the top of the stairs to declare that they must leave, having concluded their business, they did so. Part way through the journey, it warned them. 'This next part is dangerous. You should close your eyes.' When they did, they felt a splash, and the sensation of being slowly pulled apart, then no more motion.'Boatman?' Red asked. 'Can we open our eyes?' At hearing no response, he opened them anyway. They stood near the Ditch, in Sigil, the border between the Lower and Hive wards. After just a moment, Tick regained consciousness. He could remember everything.</blockquote>

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