Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="gfunk" data-source="post: 1045504" data-attributes="member: 1813">Session 47 The noose tightens Getting to this location had been quite the chore, but Aamuel’s orders had been explicit.  Any form of magical travel into Abysm would have been instantly detected by Hethradiah.  Thus, after entering the Brine Flats from the 66th layer of the Abyss (also known as the Demonweb Pits), the Cathezar was forced to fly through the muck that was Demorgogon’s realm.  The layer was full of water of extreme salinity, the merest touch could dehydrate a mortal within seconds.Pausing only to dispatch the half-fiends and demons that refused to acknowledge her authority, the Cathezar quickly made her way to the two colossal serpentine towers that were her master’s abode.  Of course, the bulk of this structure was located underneath the sea of salt – no non-demon had ever set foot in many of the lowest levels.Moving deeper and deeper, she descended to the nether regions of the towers finally reaching a dark, featureless room of black granite.  The Cathezar paused, her serpentine trunk coiling beneath her bulky form as she rested on the ground.  After what seemed like hours, she felt a slight tingling in her head, which quickly turned into a sharp, stabbing pain.  She clutched her ears in anguish.Had she been a lesser being, her mind would have been utterly corrupted by the vileness of Aamuel’s thoughts, “MY CATHEZAR!  WE HAVE NOT LONG, AS THE DESCENDANT OF DYDD AND HER COMPANIONS NEAR THE GOAL.  SOON AMMET WILL BE MINE!”The Cathezar could hardly maintain a coherent thought, “B-b-but, Mast . . . ““SILENCE!  SOON HETHRADIAH WILL NOTICE, WE MUST BE QUICK!  RETURN TO THE BASTION, I HAVE PREPARED A FORCE FOR YOU TO LEAD!  BRING ME BACK AMMET, MY CATHEZAR!”As soon as the telepathic communication ended, the demoness speedily exited the chamber and began to ascend.  From there she would move through the Brine Flats once again and then to the Demonweb Pits, to the Icy Wastes, and finally to the Realm of a Million Eyes where she could Plane Shift to the Positive Energy Plane unnoticed.She would secure Ammet for her master, but this task had become personal.  No one had taken her down before, and no one would do so again!  Little did the Cathezar know that Hethradiah had already sent an agent of his own – and that he had already been instrumental in her defeat.----------------------------------------------“Not just yet, Joachim.”The Inquisitor put away the diamond dust in his hand, the material component required to bring about Tyr’s miracle of resurrection, “What is it?”Entropy stood.  Without armor, and only a wooden quarterstaff in hand she looked particularly vulnerable in the backdrop of the featureless demi-plane they had entered for shelter, “As I mentioned before, we have a matter to discuss.  Do you recall, many months ago, a promise you made to me?”Joachim scratched his face nervously, “A promise?  Yes, I do believe I made an oath and, by the Maimed God, I have kept it!”“Not quite.  You promised me that, if I died, you would resurrect me.  In fact, to sweeten the deal you will recall I gave you quite a powerful ring in which to store the spell.  However, Noir has informed me that you reneged on our deal, in fact throwing my corpse in the fire rather than honoring your bond!  A bit of melodrama, that . . .”“But the fact is, I DID resurrect you in the end,” Joachim maintained, “so the letter of our contract was followed.”Entropy laughed, a sound that once lightened the hearts of her companions but now only promised the retribution and vengeance of Kiaransalee “Were you a priest of Bane or Helm, I might consider that a reasonable argument.  However, the fact remains that you violated the SPIRIT of our agreement.  Nurn virtually forced you to bring me back.  In any case, this is past history.  Since you violated your oath, I demand you give the ring back to me, now!”Joachim refused to be cowed by the Alienist, “Never!  You are alive, what more needs to be argued?”Smiling, Entropy returned to a seated position, “Suit yourself High Inquisitor.  However, I advise you to be cautious once we return to the Bastion.  As our first day of travels demonstrated, it is quite the lethal place.”“Are you threatening me?”“Of course not.  I merely wish you to understand the gravity of our current situation, that is all.”Joachim touched the ring on his finger.  In truth, after he had discharged the resurrection magic that he placed in it, he had replaced it with a powerful offensive spell.  He wanted it to be his ace-in-the-hole if he needed a powerful spell but was somehow restrained from casting.  Thinking a moment longer, he loosened the magic item from his finger and offered it to his companion, “If I give this to you, will you maintain your pledge to help me slay Nalavara?”“Yes, unlike some, I keep my promises.  You are still alive, right?”----------------------------------------------As she flew through the now thrown open gates of the Bastion, the Cathezar noticed the dismembered corpses of several half-dragons.  “Aamuel has known about the Bastion for weeks now, and has sent numerous demonic forces to soften Nalavara, yet they were turned back on every occasion.  The descendant of Dydd, it seems, has more potent resources at her disposal,” the demoness thought.Exactly as her master had described, the Bastion was like an octagon in shape with a web of rooms surrounding a central chamber, impossible to see because of a brilliant white light that permeated it.  There stood Nalavara and Ammet, impervious to all of Demogorgon’s incursions thus far.Moving from room to room, the Cathezar finally arrived in an area where a large swath of crystal trees was cleared out.  In their stead stood a 20 foot tall crystal tower, with no apparent entrances and three arrow slits.  Several demonic forms cavorted inside, while two massive glabrezu stood at the top of the tower.Flying down to meet her were two balors, “Greetings mistress.  I am Tamion and my companion is Buphalthus.  We place ourselves at your disposal.”“Where is the descendant of Dydd?”“Mistress, I do not know personally.  However, two of our Vrock scouts have spied a party of humanoids engaging various creatures indigenous to the Bastion as well Nalavara’s spawn.”“Where are they now?”The Balor bowed his head in chagrin, “I am afraid we have lost track of them mistress.  Undoubtedly, they have exited the Bastion to return later.”The Cathezar glowered at her new minions.  Tamion . . . this Balor was one of Hethradiah’s favored demonic servants!  The irony was delicious of course, one head of Demogorgon using the resources of the other to destroy his rival.“For now we wait for the descendant of Dydd.  There is no need to take her alive, for I can raise her later.  Direct all attacks on her and ignore everything else!”The demons grunted in affirmation and resumed their positions.----------------------------------------------Nurn stood up groggily as the effects of the spell were completed, “What . . . How much time has passed?  Why in the Nine Hells did you wait so long to bring me back?”“Aw . . . shucks Nurn, you know we love you but we thought you earned a bit of a respite.  After your heroic stand against that blind kobold and his ettin lackey, we didn’t want to resurrect you right away – that would have cheapened your sacrifice!”The violent expression on his face clearly showed the death slaad’s lack of amusement.  “So what has transpired in my absence?”As Hor’ahun filled the rogue in on the details, Joachim moved to resurrect Noir.  Smiling cruelly, the Inquisitor decided to use a lesser raising spell on the Blackguard, thereby ensuring that her return to life would be painful and draining.As Noir struggled to her feet, Entropy threw Nurn a bag of items.  As they clattered nosily at his feet, the Alienist explained, “While you were ah . . . resting . . . we managed to procure several items of power from Nalavara’s retainers.  Care to identify them?”Among his vast repertoire of magical powers, Nurn had the ability to identify the property of magic items with a mere touch.  As he moved through the items, they were distributed to the party members who could best utilize them.Finally, he reached the greatsword retrieved from the Paladin of Torm.  He paused momentarily and his eyes popped open, “Where did you find this!”“We found it on a noble Paladin.  Obviously, he was slain in this place attempting to destroy the Wyrm.”“This is no mere magical sword, but an artifact of great power!  It is enchanted specifically to slay dragons and grants the wielder several powerful abilities to make sure that goal is carried out.”Entropy looked at the other party members, each attached to their own weapons, and addressed Nurn, “I believe we would like you to have it.  Consider it a token of appreciation for services rendered.”“Excellent.”----------------------------------------------Sensing that the end was near, all the party members cast every conceivable defensive spell that they knew in preparation.  This lead to an interesting scenario, as Entropy rendered all party members invisible but also added an abjuration that prevented divinations from functioning.  Thus, even though all party members could See Invisibility , they could not see each other — though Entropy could see them -- because of the Non-Detection .Before they departed Entropy slipped Noir the ring she had taken from Joachim, “Noir, this ring may save your life.  I have determined that Joachim has placed an empowered Blade Barrier in it.  You may find it useful.”As they continued on Joachim speculated on the central room, pulsating with energy, that they had avoided thus far, “I feel that I am somehow attuned to the Node at the Center of the Bastion.  Yet, I also feel that I am now being watched.”Continuing on, they saw a large crystalline tower in the distance.  Within the structure and on the top, they saw a variety of demons.  Flying ahead, Entropy moved to neutralize the threat, “Pah!  More demonic fodder . . .”</blockquote>

Verification