Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War

[Emperor Valerian]

Back in Sigil Again

“I think your new title should be Madame Disaster... yes, Siabrey, I’m taking the title away from you, and giving it to her,” Shaun said dryly. He wasn’t afraid to speak now, the party was safely in Sigil... where hopefully the threat of the Lady of Pain’s intolerance for organized violence would keep the devils at bay. The dim lights of the party’s rented room shone off of plaster walls and wooden floors... it was night-time now in Sigil.

“Tess... do you realize what a firestorm you just caused?” Aeron looked up from rubbing his temples, his face furious. “When you attacked her, you attacked the wife of the second most powerful devil, and the daughter of the most powerful of that evil kind in existence! Hell, Asmodeus could easily take Graz’zt on possibly in terms of power... maybe even Orcus or Demogorgon himself!”

“DAMMIT I KNOW THAT!” Tess snapped back, before she grabbed her head as well. What the hell did I just do? She rubbed her temples, not able to understand the full gravity of what had happened.

“Tarantor’s flaming butthairs!” Siabrey swore again. The fighter was already trying to figure out what the heck they were going to do. We can’t just sit in Sigil forever.. good gods... “Aeron? Do the devils frequent the Abyss at all?” Please tell me no!

“Not usually... what few that manage to get through only hit the first layer of that vile world... the places Asuri is sending us are far too deep.... unless they mount some kind of invasion the likes the Abyss has never seen...” The wizard’s voice drew silently, and the others thought they heard several muttered curses coming under his breath.

“Oh, stop being an old goat!” Shaun gave a grin. It looked only slightly nervous. “Tess, you’re important, but I don’t think you’re that important! Besides, the important thing is that we survived!”

“By the hairs of our necks?” Siabrey growled. She was piling her items into her pack as she spoke.

“Yes, but we did survive!”

“Point,” Siabrey finally sighed. “Well, we’ve covered the same arguments for the last three hours. I think its old ground, and by the gods, I’m going to do something productive.” She started strapping on her armor, and swords.

“Like getting me some alcohol? After that disaster, I think I deserve some,” Geoffrey volunteered, causing the rest of the party to groan.

“No,” Siabrey shook her head, “but I am going to teleport back tonight, and get us some potions or oils or something from the Court Mages to provide some protection for us. From the way Asuri talked, it sounded like two of the places we’re going are extremely hot and extremely cold. I don’t want burns or frostbite.” At the last statement, she gave her armor a shake, and saw that it stayed.

“Siabrey, how much will we owe you?” Orion asked, reaching into his own pouch. The fighter looked at him, eyes wide in annoyance.

“Hello?! Empress?! On a mission to save the Empire?! I get that stuff for free!”



Fortunately, the massive, multi-story inn the party was now staying in had a teleportation chamber in the basement. After depositing some trade bars that weighed in at several hundred platinum, she walked into the small, rather dingy chamber, and the mercanes running it began the spell processes. The world spun, shook, and vibrated, and as it slowed, Siabrey recognized the jewel encrusted walls of the Imperial Teleportation chambers in Iskeldrun.

“Majesty!” the few mages present hurriedly bowed. Siabrey waved them over.

“Sir, I need a couple things done. One, I need eighteen vials of the most powerful oils and/or potions you have that protect against cold... extreme cold. And I need the same, except for protection against extreme heat. Got it?”

“Yes, Majesty. We do not have them in our stores at present, but,” the mage she’d aimed her gaze at stuttered, “we can have those ready in three hours. Is that sufficient for Your Majesty?”

“Excellent, friend mage,” she patted his shoulder. “Next, I need word sent to the Emperor that the Empress is here, and she wishes to see him.”

“Oh, um... that is... rather unfortunate, m’lady,” the same mage said, starting to stutter again. Siabrey could tell her presence was clearly unexpected, and several were about to soil themselves. “His... Majesty is in talks with the ArchDuke of Erelion at this time, and left specific instructions not to be disturbed!”

Siabrey’s face frowned at that. It wasn’t like Luke to leave instructions that specific. Its not like Luke was expecting ME back... and something about this ArchDuke doesn’t sit right... if Luke is in indepth talks with him one-on-one. Normally, he should wait in line like all the other petitioners...

I should go!

“Take me to the throne room, and we’ll let His Majesty be the arbiter of whether he should have been interrupted or not,” she gave a grin to the mage. The wizard, for his part, got a look of pale pallor, and at first seemed like he might refuse.

“Y...yes, m’lady,”

It took nearly a half-hour for the mages to lead Siabrey through the palace corridors, and the fighter was amazed (and her commoner mind appalled) that all the servants already recognized her, and immediately dropped to their knees in bowing. At first she tried to get them to sit up each time it happened, but it quickly began to take more time getting servants up than travelling. For expediency, she let it go... for now.

As she and the retinue drew beside the massive gilded doors that led to the Imperial throne room, Siabrey could already hear the noise of raised voices... shouts. One voice, cursing and swearing strong enough that she would’ve sworn it was Alexander otherwise, was Luke’s. The other, she didn’t recognize.

“-and I’ll be damned if I let a beardless boy with no claim on the throne greater than the hairs under my armpits sit on what rightfully should be mine!” the other voice roared sharply. Siabrey could hear Luke’s voice sputtering... a noise he made when he was enraged.

“Gentlemen,” the fighter said, politely bowing in her armor to the mages, “please attend to my other requests. It sounds like I’m needed in here.” Its time for a little diplomacy... my way! she grinned. From somewhere, winches and chains creaked slightly, and the massive doors slowly swung open...



Tess stirred quietly, tossing on her bed. She couldn’t sleep, not after what had happened that day. Every time her eyes closed, legions of pit fiends seemed to grab at her, snarling and biting.

Siabrey would have been in the room with her, but the fighter was back home fetching items. A few minutes after she left the party had all gone to their individual rooms... a luxury that the safety of Sigil could afford them. Tess knew it would probably be another four hours or so before Siabrey returned...

And then she heard the noise... a tramping outside. The bard pulled her covers closer to her head, her mind thinking nightmarish thoughts as she wished the noise to go away. Its probably just some loud travellers, or one of those large mercanes coming to his room!

The noise instead grew louder, and when Tess thought it not possible, louder still... until a massive crash rent the room apart, and the cowering bard found herself face to face with a pit fiend. The creature was hunched over, the 14 foot room forcing him to crouch, which made his visage all the more terrible.

“I bear news from Baalphegor, bitch!” the beast rumbled in a deep, thunderous version of Common. “You are lucky you cower inside the city of Sigil. But we watch, and we wait! The beast swung at the mirror and dresser in her room, shattering both. “Your treasonous acts shall be avenged! It is you we shall hunt... you and you alone!” The beast then picked up her pack and emptied its contents all over the room. “Here I cannot harm you, but do not count yourself safe, Tesseron Keldare!” Its massive form suddenly turned towards her, its foul breath clogged her nose as it hovered mere inches from her face. “We devils live for an eternity... and thus tend to hold grudges a long time!”

The beast then turned, and stomped back down the hallway, as Tess whimpered in her bed...



Siabrey’s face broke into a grin when the doors had opened far enough that Luke noticed. He was sitting on the throne, clad in some finer clothes than she was used to, but nothing ornate. His face, locked with explosive anger, was priceless when it changed to absolute shock.

“H...hon?” he called uncertainly. A tall noble, with short jet black hair and a goatee, stood halfway between the entrance and the throne. His face was a full scowl, that his dark robes of state seemed to reflect.

“Who is this interloper? Lord Caladron, if you insist on letting your courtesans interrupt important affairs of state-“

“I am his wife! The Empress!” Siabrey put all the umph she could into her own snappish reply, and drew great satisfaction at seeing the man recoil on hearing her words. Turning away from him, in the sweetest voice she could manage, she asked Luke simply, “Is Lord?”

“Lord Evermys, ArchDuke of Erelion,” the man said stiffly.

“Is Lord Evermys giving you trouble, Luke?” she used his nickname on purpose. She also saw the look of glee that came into Luke’s eyes when he realized her intent, and he vigorously nodded his head. Giving her husband a devastating smile, Siabrey then turned to Lord Evermys... the same sweet smile still going.

“From what I overheard, Lord Evermys, you were making statements that sounded a lot like threats to rebel... hon, what exactly is that called?” she called over her shoulder.

“Sedition.”

“Sedition... yes...” she started to circle him, as a vulture circles an already dead carcass, “and if my memory serves me right, that is a form of treason... punishable by seizure of estates, prison time... or even,” she stopped and stared him in the eye, her own eyes going big as an unnerving smile crossed her lips, “death?”

“What I said was not seditious!” the noble started to sputter. “I have a stronger claim to the throne than-“

“Who has the backing of the Imperial Army, the Mages Council, and the Churches of Pelor, Hieroneous, Tarantor, Honoria, Kord, and... shall I go on, my Lord?” her voice suddenly became as steel, a change that was marked by a timely sliding of Kelir out of his scabbard. Her voice dropped to a quiet, deadly whisper, “Count yourself luck, Lord Evermys. For if I ever... ever hear of you making threats or statements like that against my husband again, there are many younger, smaller nobles who know how to better respect Imperial authority... Stodiana Sipner? Count Balreis?” she started circling him again, before suddenly stopping.

“Go!” she pointed. With a huff of annoyance, Lord Evermys snarled, and stormed out of the chambers. With a wave of her hand, Siabrey motioned for the doors to close... and Luke began laughing.

“Hon, you claim you don’t have the blood for ruling an Empire in you... but by the gods you do a better job than I do at times!” he grinned.

“Oh,” she said quietly, as she took off the belt that held her swords around her waist, “I only deal with major problems. If I dealt with everything hon, it would be like taking Grumki’s warhammer to an eggshell.”

“So, what brings you back? The staff has been neutralized?” Luke asked anxiously. Siabrey’s smile grew even larger when she read the thoughts going on in her young husband’s head.

“No... I came back for rest, relaxation and supplies.” Siabrey said matter of factly before her armor clanged on the stone floors of the palace. Before he could do anything, she’d already pulled off her tunic as well.

“Um... how long are you here?” he stammered slightly, staring as he fully realized her intent. Siabrey giggled again... she loved seeing that silly look on his face... the mixture of happiness and shock. She sidled up towards the throne, staring at him the entire time, inviting him...

“Three hours.”

“Well, I think we should just head over to the bedcha- Uf!” Luke gasped as she leapt from the mid- stairs of the palace on top of him. “Um... here, in the throne room?” he said nervously, a grin on his face.

“Yes... here on the throne,” she grinned, kissing him again.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Noises on Sigil... and A Strange Old Man

“What the hell noises were those?” Shaun shouted at Tess shortly after the pit fiend stormed out. “And whoever your interior decorator was, I’d hire a new one.”

“P…Pit F…F…Fiend,” the bard stammered from under her bed.

“Oh great,” Shaun rolled his eyes as other party members arrived. “Hey guys, she got visited by a Pit Fiend. Other than scaring Pelor’s Ghost out of you, did he hurt you at all?”

“N... no,” Tess stammered, taking his hand when he offered it. Gently, the rogue guided her from under the bed. Once she was standing, he gave her a reassuring hug.

“Well... I say the next one that comes, Tess... just sing that really shrill note you love and make his head explode, ‘k?” Shaun whispered in her ear. The bard laughed nervously... which was far better than her crying shamelessly.

“Tess, I’ll stay here with you, and I’m sure the others will too,” Orion said, gently stroking her shoulder to try and comfort her. “I doubt he’ll be back...” the monk said, as the party heard more feet coming up the hallway. “Great... hope I didn’t speak too soon.”

“Nah... that sounds like a woman’s steps,” Shaun said quietly, “not 20 foot tall knock down your house and act like a horned-punk steps.” Despite his expert analysis, Shaun pulled out his rapier, and held it at ready.

“Lovely, official sounding description,” Aeron groaned dryly, before he began readying spells, just in case.

The steps drew closer and closer... until they seemed to stop just beyond eyesight through the broken down door. Then, the steps resumed, as a tall, gangly man dressed in a sergeant’s uniform of the Imperial Guard peeked his head through the doorway. His skin was slightly bluish.

“Anias! Buddy! Pal! We’re so glad to see you!” Shaun rushed forward, grabbing the angel and yanking him into the room. “Diddya hear what kind of stunt Tess pulled?”

“Look, I said I was sorry,” the bard growled, her face still wet.

“I don’t know what in the world happened, but I have never seen so many devils marshalling!” Anias said with a huff, his hands on his sides. “Listen... I talked with higher ups, and you all were right, the staff can’t be destroyed outright. I talked to some of the upper archons, and originally a few solars were supposed to accompany you, but this sudden mess sidetracked them! I tracked you down to make sure you’re... what’s wrong?”

“Tess, stop it, they’re not after you! It’s just a show of force!” Aeron groaned as the bard nearly broke down again. “They’re upset, yes! But they aren’t going to invade Sigil! The Lady of Pain would crush them in an instant!”

“Why would she think they were...” Anias started, before Shaun launched into an eager and overly descriptive explanation of the events of the past few days. When he finished, Anias nodded his head.

“Oh,” the angel said quietly, “that explains many things. Well, I think congratulations are in order Tess!” he grabbed her and wrapped one of his thin, wiry arms around her. “No solar or archon I know of has gotten the Nine Hells this up in arms in years!”



“Dammit!” Siabrey swore under her breath as the gentle rapping noise sounded again from the large doors of the Throne Room. “They won’t go away,” she blew an errant strand of hair from her eyes, “maybe one of us should tramp down there in our birthday suit and tell them to go away.” A mischevious grin danced in her eyes as she looked down on Luke.

“Um... I’d much rather both of us just stay here?” he offered, trying to pull her back in. She managed to evade his attempt to grab her, and with a tsking noise, starting to put her clothes on.

“Its been three and a half hours... you got bonus minutes,” she grinned. “And I should be getting back... they’re all likely sitting there waiting for me.” She didn’t bother telling him what Tess did... she had precious little time with him, and she saw no reason to cause him worry when he should be having some bliss.

“You’re right,” he groaned, making it well known he wasn’t happy with her choice of action. Reluctantly he started dressing as well. “Its too bad there’s a silly Empire to run and save... I’d much rather have a small cottage and spend all my time-“

“Sh... loverboy,” she grinned and gave him a kiss. “Help me with my armor...oh!” she suddenly shouted, as her mind jumped to something. “I forgot the gnome!”

“What gnome?” Luke asked, confused.

“Pyrion! We’re in shirts and trousers... respectable enough!” she pulled away from his grip and dashed to the door of the throne room. She creaked it open slightly, and peered through the crack.

“Sorry! Forgot one thing! Can you fetch us the gnome known as Pyrion, and then come back here?” Siabrey asked. Before they could reply, she uttered a quick, “Okay! Thanks! Bye!” and pulled the door shut again.

“There! I bought us another fifteen minutes!” she laughed, running at Luke again.



“My my my,” Anias shook his head in astonishment. “We had to pull out some four hundred solars and the like to keep an eye on this... that’s impressive, Tess,” the angel gave a slight grin. “They say there are legions of devils out in the Outlands... and now I know why they’re waiting.”

“I’m not steeping outside of this city, unless I head to another plane,” Tess said firmly. “No way!”

The room was even more dimly lit now, as Orion had relit the one candle that was recoverable from the pit fiend’s fury. Shaun stood by the doorway, nervously watching the hallway, as Aeron, Geoffrey, Grumki, Hidalas and Vin all stood close around the angel and the bard.

“Psst! Hey!” Shaun whispered, suddenly ducking into the room ahead. “Don’t look now, but a horned female is coming up the hall, headed this way!”

“Horned? Great... Hieroneous’ piss pot,” Tess swore, earning a sharp glare from the angel. “I want to blast her. I’m tired of this! Can I blast her?”

“No, the last time you just ‘blasted’ someone is how you got into this,” Orion said dryly. “She can’t hurt you, and we’ll kindly stand between her and your items so nothing else gets broken.” Tess growled at his observation... she was really tired of this mess... and as long as her friends were here, and no pit fiends thundered through, she felt confident enough to stay out from under the bed.

“Well well well,” a voice echoed from up the hallway, “I mean no harm, I merely wish to talk... and I sincerely hope my talk doesn’t end the same way your talk with my sister did...”

Sister?! Oh gods! Tess groaned. Within a few seconds another beautiful woman, same cinnamon brown skin, raven black hair and red eyes ambled into the doorway. Unlike the other, this devil had two small horns above her eyes, and while her wings were smaller, her tail was longer. She bared a brilliant white smile, and to the party’s surprise, extended a hand.

“Thank you for.. distacting my sister Baalphegor for a bit. She thought she could pull a trump card to one up me... but instead she got embarrassed, while I took care of a few of her... minions, the devil grinned. “My manners are poor... pardon me... I am Glasya, consort to Mammon and daughter of Asmodeus.”

“Pleased... to... meet... you?” Shaun stammered, as Anias glowered at her. The devil princess looked at the angel momentarily, then with a laugh, flitted her hair to the side, looking directly at Tess.

“Your friend can stop glowering at me any moment... him wishing for my demise won’t make it happen!” she chuckled. “You won’t need your angelic escort much longer anyways... with the help of my consort, my ally Bel and a few other infernal princes, I’ve convinced my father to send the devil legions back home. Don’t thank me yet,” her smile turned icy as she looked at Orion, who still clutched the staff tightly in his hands.

“If we weren’t in Sigil, and the Lady of Pain didn’t look down so highly on stealing artifacts, you would all be dead right now, and I would have the staff. We still desire it... and we’ll find one way or another to relieve it from you. Put in those blunt terms, would you like to hand it over, and save not only us but yourselves the pain of a long, and ultimately boring chase?” her smile faded somewhat. At the party’s silence, she gave a scowl.

“I was prepared to offer you the safety of your person, Tesseron, but seeings that you are... unwilling to cooperate, that offer has become stillborn.” She gave Tess a hard stare. “Unwittingly, you assisted me in the politics of the Nine Hells... and for that I am grateful. By not grabbing you and teleporting you back to my father’s palace, I am repaying that debt. Consider it the only repayment. We devils live for an eternity...”

“And thus your grudges last for an eternity... yadda yadda yadda,” Anias said in annoyance. At her furious look at him, the angel merely shrugged. “What are you going to do, put out a hit on a celestial?” The angel gave a grin, and Glasya stormed out of the room.

“Phew,” Tess breathed finally. “So... two Princesses of Hell met, one slain, one angered. What’s that put my score sheet at, Shaun?”

“Dumb and dumber,” the rogue replied, also relieved that Glasya had left the room.



The teleportation chamber slowed to a stop, as Siabrey and Pyrion returned to the dingy chamber below the party’s tavern.

“Eh, I’ve seen better looking toilets,” the gnome growled. He shifted uneasily under the weight of his equipment.

His shifting made Siabrey wistful for a moment. After Pyrion had been fetched, the mages had patiently waited another ten minutes, before softly knocking and calling through the door again. Very reluctantly, Siabrey and Luke had bid each other goodbyes... until Luke saw all the flasks and oil containers she would be carrying, and gallantly offered to take most of them. She’d tried to resist, but his kisses could get her to do wonders.

It’d taken many of those to prep her for going back... and she smiled sadly at remembering it was her that had to push him away when they’re departure had been delayed enough. He’s still madly in love with me... despite being Emperor, despite the fact he could dredge up concubines... She was still amazed that he’d not used any concubines during her time away...

He might have to wait quite a while longer before I return again, she thought sadly as she and the gnome trudged up the stairs... more she trudged, the gnome climbed. The stairs were designed for creatre’s slightly larger than men... a medium between the large mercanes and the smaller humanoids. For poor Pyrion, it was like trying to climb a cliff.

“Gah! Maybe I should mount the head of the guy who built this place!” the gnome grumbled as he reached the top stair. Siabrey was right behind him, until she heard him whistle. “Ooo... looks like somebody wasn’t wanted up here!”

“Somebody... what?!” Siabrey said in surprise, peeking her head into the hallway. Seeing the room on the far end open, and a few papers and the like strew outside of it, she ran inside... to find everyone clustered around a very tired, very annoyed, and very scared Tess.



It had taken a good ten minutes for everyone to explain what had happened... the pit fiend, Anias’ return, and Glasya’s threats. Siabrey agreed to honor her promise to sleep beside Tess, and the bard, for her part, sang a few notes to form a mobile, extra-dimensional hole, which she proceeded to set on the floor and climb into to sleep.

It was some three hours later, in the dead of the night, when both Siabrey and Tess awoke to more steps in the hallway outside of their room. The steps were halting... as if someone was looking for something. Cautiously, Siabrey rose, and crept up towards the awkwardly hanging door that Shaun and Orion had partially remounted. Through the crack between the door and its broken frame, she peered out.

She saw an old man, clad in simple, brown robes, making his way up the hall, looking at each door and then an object in his hand... which looked like a key. Siabrey wanted to laugh... it seemed as if the poor fellow couldn’t find his room. But only a second later, his eyes turned and looked not at their door... but at her. And suddenly his gray eyes flashed lavender.

For a split second Siabrey’s mind flashed back to an old friend who had lavender eyes... one who had fallen in battle long before. Before her mind could even dismiss this thought, the old man had shuffled with unnatural speed to their door, and looking right at her peeking eye, knocked. Loudly.

“Open up! I see you peeking!” his voice cracked. “I need some help finding my room! You young little...” his voice descended into elderly grumbles.

“Should I open it?” Siabrey looked back to her friend, and she only saw the top of Tess’ head and the bard’s eyes peering from above the rim of the hole. “Aw, c’mon Tess, its an old man! And if its someone polymorphed as an old man,” Siabrey tapped Kelir, “you don’t have anything to worry about!”

“Okay,” the bard said reluctantly. Pit fiends can polymorph... but if Siabrey confronts this one... maybe it won’t assault me or my sense of self preservation so bad...

Siabrey swung open the door, and before she could say anything, the old man had puttered into the room, and was rumaging through Tess’ broken things.

“Tsk tsk tsk... it looks like somebody didn’t like you, young lady,” he turned immediately to Tess, who was half-hanging outside of the hole. This raised alarm bells in Siabrey’s head. How did he know she was the one who was here? And that this is her stuff?

“What if I told you I was the one people didn’t like, and that is my stuff that a demon destroyed?” Siabrey challenged him. Let’s see if there’s anything fishy about him...

“I’d say you were a liar,” the old man smiled. “A pit fiend did this... and these items belong to Tesseron Keldare... not Empress Siabrey Sipner,” the old man’s teeth were out of alignment... and Siabrey’s eyes found themselves drawn to the gaps as she considered his words... even more alarmed.

“For someone who cannot find his room, you know quite a bit, old man,” Siabrey said guardedly, her hands already traveling towards Kelir’s hilt. “Who are you... and what do you want with us?” If all else fails... bluntness!

“Ah... who am I?” he ambled over towards her, “Its a question that man, elf, dwarf, and all other races have sought to answer since time began.” His eyes flitted down momentarily towards Siabrey’s hand. “You do not need to draw Kelir, I am a friend,” he grinned again.

“You know me, you know her, you know the name of my katana,” Siabrey said, her hand still resting on Kelir’s hilt, “Who are you? You clearly are not the old man your face and body claim to be!”

“As to what I am... give me a second,” the old man smiled, and his form seemed to shudder... and then grow. His skin, wrinkled and broken, stretched, and became smoother, younger, more pliant... and a brilliant shade of emerald green.

His eyes, previously slate gray, took on the lavender that Siabrey saw for a brief second. His frame, formerly thin and broken, now grew strong, and muscular. His thin strands of white hair melded into his head, until it was gloriously bare. When his transformation was done, two pairs of enormous, feathery wings sprouted from his back, and Tess and Siabrey gasped at the form of a full solar looking down upon them.

“As for who I am... I was known by some as Pell. I should like to be known as that again.”

 

[K_S_Snyder]

Fantrastic stuff, EV.

Nice playing by the players, too. You know, I'm really liking the more simplified view of the demonic/devilish politics as opposed to other more... ahem... in-depth presentations that can be found on these boards.

Brought Pellaron back as a Celestial, eh? slick...

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

That thing with Tess was kind of... an I don't know what. She was really sick and tired of being chased by everyone and their dog, that and I thought we could take her. I knew I had made a tactical error when EV started ruffling through his papers and looking up her spells; he obviously hadn't planned for us to fight her, and I knew that that meant I was SOL. Fortunately this party has ungodly luck.

And seriously, when Tess got back to Sigil, she sold some stuff she had and bought a portable hole and hid in it until Siabrey came back. She got kinda stunned at her own audacity and realized she needed to go bury herself for a while. Yeah... that was kinda fun. And freaky.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Yeah... I'm not well versed in all the intricacies and the like... other than the basics. Such as:

1) Demonic politics are chaotic... demons versus demons. Servants against masters, the great princes always against each other. Orcus versus Demogorgon versus Graz'zt. Etc.

2) Infernal politics are more organized. A recognized hierarchy, but jostling amongst devils, trying to change or create position. Hence Glasya taking out some of Baalphegor's supporters when her sister was busy. It would be uncouth to take out her sister outright, but if her sister's position is weakened... blah blah blah. More Machiavellian that the simple demonic idea of, "beat him up!"


As for Pellaron, I'd originally thought of the celestial about five minutes before as the final person to 'calm them down' and let them known that the firestorm had subsided... for now. Didnt have a name for him originally, but the party asked... and I was talking as I was getting some water. Pell was the first name that came to my head. It wasn't until a second later or so when they started whooping and jumping up and down that I realized what I'd said... so I rolled with that punch too. It was fun

 

[Emperor Valerian]

An Old Friend Returns

“P..P..Pell?” Tess stuttered. Pellaron? How? Why... huh?

“W... was that your name in your old l...life?” Siabrey stuttered as well, and the tall solar gave a brilliant smile. His emerald skin seemed to crawl, even shimmer with light.

“Yes,” his voice, now a deep, resonating tenor said. “My nickname used to be the dragon-slayer... a nickname I hated?” His face switched between the two women, who stood there in shock and confusion. Siabrey was the first to break free from the confusion, and ran forward, gripping the solar in a massive bearhug.

“Pell!” she shouted gleefully, her force crushing enough that the angel was gave an “uf!”

Tess was still standing in utter shock.... thoughts screaming through her head. He’s back! He died with your image in his head... but he’s back! He’s back! Momentarily, the bard was beside Siabrey, and buried the solar in her own crushing bearhug, tears streaming down her face. “You’re back! You’re back!”

“Yes...ack!” Pell squirmed under the force of Siabrey’s hug, “I’m back! Though I think your friend might crush even my angelic ribs!” At his comment, Siabrey let go, and looked up at him. Tears were in her eyes, but so was a look of mischief. She spun around, and looked directly at Tess.

“Look! Tess! Your friend Pell has gotten so big!” she said impishly. Tess was too happy to notice at first, but the solar immediately gave Siabrey a look of admonishment.

“I’ve been back only two minutes and you’ve already started again!” he said, trying to inject some exasperation in his voice. The grin that formed on his face betrayed his attempted look.

“Siabrey, get your mind out of the gutter,” Tess alone gave Pell an emotional hug. In quieter voice, so the fighter couldn’t hear, she mumbled, “Pell... I’m so happy you’re back!” The solar merely looked down at her and smiled.

“What’s all this noise?!” came Shaun’s voice from up the hall. A few seconds later, the rogue’s disheveled, sleepy head peered through the door, and he stood stunned for a couple seconds. “Um... why is Tess hugging an angel?”

“Its Pell!” Siabrey pointed happily, “Hey Pell? You still have that Sune book?”

“You never stop, do you?” the solar gave her a glare as he let Tess keep hugging him. “Oh well... I didn’t miss the teasing!”

“So... Pell? Is there any special name we have to call you now, since you’re an angel and all?” Shaun asked guardedly. More heads peered around the doorframe, and soon the entire party was filing in... Anias was the last... and he giggled.

“No special name,” the solar answered as Tess finally let glow of him, and he wiped several tears away from her eyes. “I am still Pellaron... Anias here told me where you all were. And after Tess’ brave act, though dangerous act,” the solar smiled down on the bard, “I thought you could use some encouragement.” His face then turned more somber, and he leaned down to eye level with the bard. “No more stuff like that from you, Tess. For your sake...” His voice trailing off also let her know it was for his own peace of mind also...

...a thought that made her feel warm inside, and her heart fluttered a bit, before she clamped down on it. That wasn’t anything... she told herself. She was thankful for a moment that Shaun had said something inane, and everyone save Pellaron was busy castigating him. None saw her face go, for just a moment, a slight shade red. Except the solar, who gave her another enormous smile with both his brilliant teeth, and those lavender eyes she found herself staring into for a moment... until the voice of Shaun brought her back into reality.

“Ahem,” the rogue cleared his throat. “Pell? How long are you staying? Are you going to come with us to the Abyss?” Shaun asked hopefully. Anias was already going with... but if a solar came with... that would help immensely.

“Sadly, no,” Pell shook his head, and gave a sigh. He rubbed a large hand over Shaun’s head, even as his other stood in mid-air, halfway towards Tess. It shifted towards her slightly, then pulled away. “A solar appearing in the depths of the Abyss would alert every demon with more intelligence than a rock that something was up. An asura,” he motioned to Anias, “won’t attract nearly as much attention... indeed, there are some fallen asura down there.”

“The line we walk in our work can be a fine one,” Anias admitted with a huff. “Don’t say it! I’m not falling! I am rough and tumble, but I know where to draw the line!”

“I unfortunately have to go to the Northern Tundras of your world for a few days,” Pellaron took the speaker’s spot back. “It seems a shaman has introduced several tribes there to the worship of Nerull... and we can’t allow that. I basically have to show up, yell the celestial equivalent of ‘boo,’ set their scared minds on the right path, and leave,” he grinned. “Afterwards, should I not have another mission, I’m headed to Iskeldrun to watch over Luke.”

“How often will you be on mission?” Tess said worriedly. Siabrey and Shaun could tell something unsaid accompanied her question... and that the solar understood whatever it was. His reassuring grin said so… as did her smile also.

“Whenever Hieroneous needs me. I’ve been assigned to watch my... well... your world now,” he gave another smile, “considering I know its geography better than many of the other solars... I know its people, etc... so when I polymorph,” his form suddenly twisted, switched and changed, until the form of the same elf they had laughed with and fought beside looked at them, “I can pass for a local.”

The small mole that had been on his elven chin was gone, and his entire body looked like physical perfection... for an elf, or a human. It wasn’t until a few seconds had passed that Tess realized she had been staring... for a far different reason than the wonder and amazement of the others.

“When do you leave Pell?” Siabrey asked. “And that is a neat trick. Does everything shrink back to elven size?” she smirked, giving a glance towards Tess. “Tess, pick your jaw up off of the floor.”

“Siabrey...” the elf turned to her in annoyance. “I missed the teasing, but its getting old very fast.” There was a bit of steel in his voice that Siabrey had never heard him use in life, and the fighter almost felt like backing away from him, before he continued on in his normal voice. “At sunrise, I head out. Like I said, I wanted to stop by and make sure all of you were okay... and let you know that whenever I can, I’ll stop by to check on you,” the last sentence was delivered when he was looking directly at Tess.



It was only about an hour later when Pell left the party, adopting his elven pose to leave their quarters. He’d given everyone a big hug in goodbye (except the gnome, Geoffrey and Aeron... Pell had never met Pyrion or Geoffrey, and had a dim view of Aeron). Siabrey and Shaun both noticed the hug given to Tess had far more warmth in it than any of the others... which caused both to raise their eyebrows.

A few minutes after he left, Siabrey nudged the bard. “So... Tess? What says you about the new and improved Pellaron?”

“Something that’s none of your damn business,” the bard replied with a smirk.

“Ouch... zing!” Shaun laughed. “I think she answered that question, and told you to buzz off, Majesty!” Shaun giggled at misusing Siabrey’s title.

The fighter, for her part, leaned very close to Tess’ ear, and whispered, “However you go about it, I don’t think you could pursue anything higher than a celestial, Tess. By the sounds of it, he’s as decent and kind now as he was then. Go for it!”

“We’ll see,” Tess turned to her friend and smiled. “The future holds many things, none of which I can predict.”

“Well, that’s a far more positive response than any you’d gotten on that subject than you would’ve a month ago,” Shaun observed with a giggle.



The next morning, the party made ready. Siabrey distributed the potions and oils she had fetched the day before. Pyrion then produced his machine... a small and oddly strange thing. It was shaped like a box, save all sorts of strange wires, crystals, and pumps came out of its form.

“Do you have a picture of where we’re headed? This thing merely calls upon a mass teleport spell. Amazing all these pumps can do the same thing that friend Aeron here can,” the gnome grinned.

“Can that machine toast your uncouth head with a fireball?” the wizard growled.

“No... but my cousin Calder is working on a machine that can spew flames!” the gnome said excitedly, and the wizard growled in distaste.

“Here... The Noisesome Vale,” Tess produced the little device Asuri had given them. A small mist boiled over the small box, billowing larger until it glowed with an internal fire. The glow grew, driving the mists away, until their destination came into view.

The sky overhead was a greenish yellow, looking sickly and nauseous. The landscape itself looked like bleak, bare plains, covered with spires of dark, sharp rocks. Between these monoliths were long, brilliant trails of red and yellow... the rivers of lava Asuri had spoken about. Long, dark shapes sjostles and shifted inside the molten streams... each seemingly massive. The image was accompanied by no noise, but the party could only imagine what sounds came as those beasts slid past each other.

“Ready?” the gnome asked after staring at the image, imprinting it in his head. A few seconds later, and the machine in his hand gave a sharp whine and growl. Steam seemed to boil from within its small form, and cover the room around them. The party felt like they were spinning, teleporting to someplace far away...

... into the Abyss, for the final stage of getting rid of their bane...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

The Noisesome Vale

“Yech.”

Tess’ simple comment summed up the entire party]s view on their new surroundings. The air, while breathable, was nauseous, and seemed to burn slightly as they breathed it in. The greenish-yellow sky overhead cast a strange pall onto the barren and rocky ground all around them.

Ahead of the party was a rise in the ground, towering cliffs of rock on either side. Beyond that, a fiery glow showed over the horizon. Every second, the party’s ears were assaulted by noise... harsh scratching noises, fierce hissing, and deep rumbling noises. They all combined to form an unholy chorus... the same chorus that gave this place its name.

“I think that glow on the horizon might be the place where we’re headed!” Siabrey shouted over the chaotic hissing and screeching. “Asuri said we have to dip it in the laval river that runs beside the old owner’s palace!”

“Not near the palace necessarily, I hope?” Shaun shouted back. Siabrey shook her head no, and the rogue gave a sigh of relief. “No offense, Empress, but I think they’ll recieve Your Majesty worse than even the most scandalous of nobles!”

“Point,” Siabrey nodded, as they scrambled up the hill. The climb was difficult... not due to the slope, more due to the fact that rocks kept slipping from under them, and they would slide back ten feet for every fifteen they’d climb. Finally, the party reached the crest of the hill, and took in the view of the ground below.

Far in the distance was, indeed, a palace. Unlike others they were more familiar with, this palace was wreathed in flames. Towering columns of fire licked upwards to form turrets and spires, while squat billows of flame marked its halls and apartments.

Far closer to the party was the enormous river of lava that stretched from the palace towards the ground below the party, rumbling by. Within its fiery grip the party could make out many many enormous shapes... each easily ten feet across, and one hundred feet or more in length. The party also saw for themselves what Asuri had told htem... the grating noise was coming from the massive shapes bumping and grinding against each other...

...the great worms.

“Um... we might want to stay away from those,” Aeron said quietly, pointing towards the enormous beasts. “I don’t know if their docile, but I wouldn’t want to find out the bad way...”

“Well, get a levitation spell on me, and I’ll float over it and dip it in,” Orion said nervously.

“You don’t need to float... just dip it in the side... that way, you can run if one of those-“ Shaun started to point out, before a voice entered the party’s heads.

“W...Who a...are y...you?” it stammered. The voice sounded weak... tinny. More like that of a bookkeeper or shy mage’s student, not that of any kind of demon or other beast (DM’s Note: The voice sounds alot like that of the stapler guy, off of “Office Space.” ). ”You come to my master’s realm with something powerful... w...why? I b...believe m...my master w...would l...like to s...see you.”

“What the heck is that?” Tess was looking around, her harp out nervously. No shapes appeared over the crevices and rocks above, or the slopes down below.

“One of the old balor’s servants?” Siabrey asked, her voice nearly drowned out by the noise.

“I am Kerzit the Guardian... I watch these lands until my Lord Taurben returns...” the voice said slowly, guardedly in their heads. “W..why a..are you here?”

“I say we ignore him... he sounds like an accounting quasit, not a big balor or something,” Shaun said, starting down the slope.

“S...S...STOP! I...If you d...don’t s...stop I...I’ll h...have to h...harm you!” the weak voice threatened.

“Bring it on!” Shaun shouted, before Siabrey could cover his mouth. “What?” he said, his voice muffled by the fighter’s hand. “He’s a punk quasit I bet. Or a dretch!”

“He’s named, ‘the Guardian,’ Shaun! I’m guessing he’s more than a punk minion!” Siabrey hissed.

Suddenly, the dark shapes in the lava to the party’s front stopped their grinding, hissing movements against each other. With a deep, resonating rumble, twelve of the beasts closest to the bank the party was near suddenly seemed to vanish... before exploding out of the lava, rising from the depths till their maws hung some fifty feet over their fiery pit.

As their wreathed in the air, shuddering and shaking as rumbles and roars arose from their deep bellies, the laval still clinging to them fell away, revealing massive, purple scales running along their body, splotches of red and black mottled in with the purplish hue. The party recoiled, as they realized what they were...

Fiendish Purple Worms?! Tess’ mind screamed in fear, as she scrambled back towards the rise, towards the cliffs above... when her eyes caught movement. “He’s there!” she pointed, screaming.

AS everyone else’s gaze picked a spot high above, an enormous wolf-like head peered over one of the rocks. With a suddenly leap, the creature jumped from its hieght to a position only thirty feet from the party on the path. Covered in black, matted fur, the beast stood some nine feet tall. Its eyes shone brightly as silver, and when it bared its teeth, the black fangs dripped grayish liquid. Large, octopus-like tentacles came from its shoulders in place of arms, as well as short, furry arms equipped with saw like claws from just below the tentacles.

“Now that y...you know my p...power,” one of its tentacles waved, and the party saw that the worms swayed in concert with the long tentacle’s movement, “P...please s...stop, a...and a...answer my q...question. W...why are y...you here?”

“We are merely traveler’s who are lost,” Siabrey lied blatantly. She had no plans to tell this beast, no matter how brain drained it may seem, about the staff.

“S...strange t...that you t...travel here. I...I have h...had n...no visi..visi...visitors s...since Master l...left. I...I...shall k...keep y...you until h...he ret...retu...returns.” the beast stammered in their minds. “H...he w...will... find the a...artifact you c...c...carry m...most in..intere...interesting,” the beast motioned towards Orion and the staff. “ “H...he w...will likely h...have many q...q...questions about i...it.”

“Don’t you DARE hand me over to that incompetent wretch! His master has been missing for a full millenia! And thanks to Orcus and Demogorgon, he won’t be returning! This poor excuse for a junkpile wouldn’t know whether to use me as a backscratcher or a chamberpot! Graz’zt snarled from within the staff. Orion felt the demon lord try and intrude in his mind again, and the monk merely shrugged it off. He was used to it by now.

“Your master is never returning, Kerzit,” Orion said bluntly. Let’s see how he reacts to this. If he runs away crying, we might not have to fight.... “He’s never coming back.”

“D...D...DON’T S...SPEAK OF MY MASTER T...THAT WAY!” the demon roared, advancing menacingly. “M... MASTER TAURBEN WOULD N...NOT LEAVE K...KERZIT ALONE!” The creature’s tentacles flew to its face, and it seemed to give a wail... a noise that was heart rending in sorrow. As it did so, whatever control he had over the purple worms let, and the twelve beasts slid back into the lava pool.

He’s breaking... at least worms have gone away, Orion reasoned. As much as its mean... I need to keep pushing this. If I can break him down, we might be able to get him to help us... or at least run away in tears. Imagine that! A demon crying? the monk almost had to chuckle at that thought.

“He’s gone, Kerzit.”

“WHO T...T...TELLS Y...YOU SUCH V...V...VILE LIES! KERZIT I...IGNORES T...THEM!”

“A little birdie, hidden inside this staff,” Orion smirked. The smirk vanished, when the enormous beast shuddered, and then looked at the staff, its silvery eyes burning with metallic hate and fear.

“K...KERZIT THEN WILL K...KILL THE B...B...BIRDIE!” the creature roared, not understanding the metaphor, “THEN K...KERZIT WILL K...KILL YOU F...FOR S...SPREADING S...SUCH LIES!”

As the demon roared, the party heard a moaning roar, and saw in the lava some 80 feet from them, the massive form of one of the fiendish purple worms arise from the lava, casting an enormous shadow overhead.

“Holy...” Shaun said in shock and amazement, as the enormous creature grew.

“Pretty, huh? Got bigger things to deal with right now!” Siabrey spun him around to face the onrushing Kerzit. The fighter and Orion charged the demon, which headed straight for the monk that had caused him so much mental anguish. The two tentacles lashed out at the monk, knocking him about viciously, the suckers on their underside shredding his flesh.

The beasts two claws clawed at Siabrey, cutting open her arm and shoulder. The blood spilling from her shoulder and left arm seemed to drive the fighter harder, however, and her blades danced through the air. Within seconds, the beast found itself with two deep katana slices and a washazki thrust. However, the demon seemed to absorb the damage from the fire on her blades with no problem.

Shaun, seeing that Kerzit was indeed the more immediate threat, launched three arrows at him. Two seemed to glance off the creature’s hide, but one stuck deep in Kerzit’s shoulder, causing the beast to squeal in pain. Tess added her voice to the assault, her sonic screams causing Kerzit to grab his head and scream in pain.

Anias, still in sergeant form, drew his nightblade, and launched two pulses of energy from the blade at Kerzit, burning the beast slightly. As usual, Orion’s fists of fury punched hard and deep into Kerzit, and two arrows from Vin imbedded themselves deep in Kerzit’s side. Yet after all of this ferocious damage, the massive demon seemed unfazed, as Grumki called upon his divine favor with Kord before launching himself into the melee.

Aeron alone turned to face the purple worm behind them. As the beast loomed, rising higher and higher, the wizard nervously flipped through his spellbook, till he reached the page he desired. A powerful, single arcane word came from his lips, and his finger pointed at the beast. Dark power surged through the wizard’s body, and the worm’s rise seemed to pause. The beast gave a deep, rumbling gurgle, before tumbling back into the lava. At the loud noise, Tess turned momentarily... long enough she gave a whoop. (finger of death)

Siabrey was the creature that had hurt Kerzit the most, and his simple mind deemed her the greatest threat. His full assault launched itself at her... both tentacles, both claws, and his vicious, poison ridden bite. The fighter reeled under the blows, her armor banging and slamming into her body, leaving her with bruises where she wasn’t sliced open. Fortunately, the blood rushing from her shoulder wounds seemed to push out the poison Kerzit tried to put in her body. The fighte responded with more devastating attacks, her katana finding Kerzit an amazing six times in the space of six seconds... and her washazaki finding him twice in the same time! (a bunch of potential crits... she only confirmed one) Nonetheless, Kerzit, while bleeding badly, seemed to just not understand he was hurt, and kept on his assaults.

Shaun sent another two arrows wide. Tess’ however, made more sonic assaults connect, pounding the demon viciously again. Kerzit backed away, holding his head in pain at her screams.

“Y...Y...YOU ALL S...S...SHALL DIE! Y...YOU H...HURT K...KERZIT!” the beast screamed.

Anias now charged headlong into the melee, and his nightblade danced through the air. The one angelic blow that did connect made a flash of holy light, and the demon seemed to recoil again. Orion’s fists struck the demon again, though the monk’s attempted leg sweep to trip the demon failed... Kerzit merely stumbled backwards again.

Vin this time sent four arrows into the demon, peppering its stomach with holy energy. The half-elf gave a snarl of satisfaction at seeing the demon reel. “That’s for my father!” she screamed, her own eyes feral in hatred.

As the demon had backed away slightly, Hidalas issued a prayer to Tarantor, pleading for the god’s intercession. Even in the depths of the Abyss, his piety was rewarded, and a column of fire tumbled down from above, crashing hard into Kerzit, covering the beast in a flaming pyre. Kerzit stumbled from the firestorm, his fur smoldering, his silver eyes vicious and hard.

“YOU B...BURN K...KERZIT!” the beast shouted in shock. Its confusion was rewarded with a powerful crunch as Grumki’s warhammer slammed into its belly. Several loud cracks were heard, and one of Kerzit’s hands flew to his belly, as the pain of broken ribs flashed through the demon’s body.

IN response, Kerzit focused his bites and flailing assault on Grumki. The half-orc found himself nearly knocked down by the vicious and sharp blows, as the demon was now, for the first time, feeling pain... and it flailed about dangerously as a result.

Aeron’s lightning bolt seemed to be bent away from the demon by some magical force, and instead cartwheeled up into some rocks high above. The demon did not even notice the discharge that missed him, as Siabrey’s swords once again slashed hard and fast. This time, it seemed as if most of her blows were deflected by his hide, and the Empress let out a loud and entirely un-noblelike string of curses.

Shaun’s two arrows once again went wide... the rogue was firing in a panic. At the same time he was trying to put as many arrows as possible in the air, he was also trying to not hit his friends. Tess’ two sonic assaults also seemed to be bent away from the beast.... it was then she realized he had magical resistance (SR 30).

Orion’s bodyblows seemed to make Kerzit scream in pain more, even as the beast started to turn towards him. The demon’s assault was pre-empted, however, as Vin, in a fury that seemed entirely beyond herself, waded into the midst of melee, her own two blades flashing through the air, leaving one of the demon’s tentacles and one of its arms lying on the ground in her wake.

“That is for my husband!” she screamed as her blades slashed through the demon. Kerzit stood, reeling. Blood gushed from his the stumps of his arms, and he stumbled about, blood dribbling out of his mouth. Grumki strode forward, and putting all the strength he could into a swing that would have scared a dragon, he crushed the demon’s skull with his hammer.

“That is for Kord!” Grumki bellowed as the beast collapsed.



“You alright, Majesty?” Vin was immediately by Siabrey’s side, checking her over. The fighter waved her bodyguard away.

“I’m fine,” Siabrey coughed, and blood came from her mouth. She tried to give a reassuring smile, but the blood in her mouth made it more disgusting than reassuring. “Grumki’ll take care of me. You alright? You went into a battle rage of some kind back there...”

Vin looked at Siabrey, and then back at the demon’s twisted form laying on the ground, then shook her head. “I don’t know.... I don’t know what came over me. I just saw images of what happened to my father, and my husband... and all this...”

“’Tis alright, Vin,” Siabrey put an hand on the archer’s shoulder, even as she winced when Grumki started probing her other shoulder’s bloody wounds, “... you helped me take down this thing.”

“Us,” Orion said gruffly, already headed down towards the lava, “she helped US.”

“Us then! Ouch! Dammit!” Siabrey bit her lower lip and hissed. She closed her eyes, and when they reopened, she was back in control of her body’s reactions to the pain. She then looked back at Vin. “My point issss...” she hissed again suddenly, “...is that we beat it... and you were a vital part in helping out with that. I don’t know how many more of those tentacle swipes me, Grumki, or Orion could have taken.... what?” she spun her head in annoyance at a shout from Shaun.

“Dear goddess...”

Siabrey spun around, yanking Vin with her. Annoyed, Grumki looked up, and stopped work as well, as the party beheld a sight that would stay in their nightmares forever.

Orion was holding the end of the staff in the lava, causing smoke and fire to issue in billows towards the greenish sky. Beyond the towering columns of smoke arose the massive, sinuous forms of what seemed to be hundreds of purple worms, writhing in the sky. As the party watched, they all began to bellow, roaring, shouting as one, in seeming pain at the staff being in the lava. As the smoke dissipated, and Orion withdrew the now neutralized end of the staff from the fiery river, the roaring ended. The fifty or so worms the party could see then, as one, lowered themselves back into the lava... and the hissing, grating noise of them sliding against each other resumed.

“Holy gods in Celestia,” Tess finally breathed. The bard looked around at the others, her eyes wide with fear and relief that they had survived. “That... that...”

“Um... I don’t think I want to be healed on this side of the hill,” Siabrey said uneasily, as the monk returned. “You... you stood there while all of those?” she pointed alternately and gawked at Orion, who seemed to be unfazed.

“All those what?” the monk asked, confused. “I couldn’t see anything... the smoke billowing up from the damn thing blocked everything. What happened?”

= = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = == = = == = = == = =

(DM's Note: Kerzit can be found in the Creature Catalogue on this site. I did a few slight modifications to him mostly for flavor. One was making him the servant of the missing balor lord of the Noisesome Vale. As such, I thought it would be reasonable he could communicate with the 'worms' that gave the place its name... and as the worms weren't described, I thought throwing in purple worms would give the players a big scare.

Second, I gave him his stuttering, halting speech on a whim. All the demons and devils the party had previously dealt with had the stereotypical demonic voice... loud, rumbling, threatening. I wanted Kerzit to be different... and how far can you get from commanding than the voice of the stapler guy off of "Office Space?" The little ploy worked... a downright fearsome demon with a weak, tinny, halting voice.

As for Kerzit himself... I picked him out as he could just plain soak up damage. Siabrey triple crits and inflicts 104 points of damage? Kerzit just has 312 left where that came from. He was meant to be a challenge... even more of a challenge if his purple worm friend had come into play. I had Aeron do the thing a panicked wizard would do... try and kill the big purple thing the fighter's weren't busy with... and I rolled the worm's fort save in the open... a 1. Worm dies .

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Thanatos

The air swirled around the party once again, as the belching flames and toxic fumes of the Noisesome Vale seemed to pass away in a mere blur.

“This anti-cold stuff itches,” Pyrion complained. “Why do we need it, again? Why couldn’t we just bundle up?”

“Because,” Tess growled, holding her head from the nausea, “its the realm of the undead, and its VERY cold.” Shutup already, you pint-sized moron...

The spinning mists of teleportation slowed, then stopped. As the party’s sight began to view the world around them, a frigid blast of air slammed into their very bones... despite their oils to protect against the worst of the cold.

Snow surrounded the party, deep as their shins. It surrounded them, flying through the frigid air, swirling around their heads. It quickly fluttered into their eyes, and flew into their nostrils. Surrounding them, as far as the eye could see, was a sight that would have made even the most steadfast shiver with more than cold.

Tombstones.

Thousands upon thousands of tombstones, with names scrawled in Common, elegantly scripted in Elven, or hammered in with Dwarven. Hundreds of other tongues the party could not recognize decorated some of the stones.

“Great... a graveyard... I’m already creeped out,” Siabrey complained, shuddering. “Aeron, any specific tombstone we’re supposed to be at?”

“Yup,” the wizard was already looking down at stones, and growling in displeasure over the wind. “None of these match! Though this demon is supposedly only... hmm...” the wizard started tramping off to the left... and the party was left with little choice to follow.

“Whose tomb do we plunge the Pelor end into, again?” Siabrey asked uneasily. The last thing I want is that staff to wake something up...or someone...

“Asuri’s consort, from millenia ago. Her fiery death spurred him to make the original power staff, it was originally a staff of vengeance... till he lost it, and someone changed it around to suit their purposes,” Aeron said absentmindedly, before suddenly stopping.

“That one it?”

“No,” the wizard looked up, but then bent over again, and pointed. “Looks like this poor person didn’t want to be buried.” The party recoiled at seeing a few broken fingernails imbedded in the stone.

“Just hurry up, Aeron. This place creeps me out, and I don’t want to meet any of the locals...”

“Um...” Aeron suddenly stopped. “That’s where we need to go.”

“Where?”

“Um...” Aeron stuttered again... and then the party saw them.

Three large shapes, looming in the blizzard. They looked like men, save they were massive, nearly fourteen feet tall. Two carried massive axes, while the third, in the center, was devoid of obvious weapons. As they approached, the party made out two shimmering shapes to their sides... shapes that looked vaguely humanoid.

“Greetings, travelers,” a thundering voice boomed from the center creature. As his form finally became visible, the party indeed shuddered. His skin was a silvery-white, his large mane of a beard and mustache fluttered snow white, and his deep blue eyes spoke of the pent up power of a frost giant. His two large companions also revealed themselves to be the same. “You possess an item that we wish to take a look at... and we have done significant work... we’d knew you’d arrive here eventually.” The massive beast gave a toothy smile.

Shaun, however, stood in shock... not at the frost giant, but at one of the smaller, shimmering spectres as their side. One specter looked like a miner... save his upper torso appeared crushed in. The other appeared almost an exact copy of Shaun... save several years younger.

“You,” its voice hissed, vicious and hard. “You...”

The rogue was stunned, and couldn’t move at all. Couldn’t be! He died so young! He wouldn’t end up here! As the specter began to move towards him, Shaun began to stutter.

“Shawn! I... um...” the rogue sputtered. Images flooded back into his mind... his father fawning over his twin. His twin sitting at the table, enjoying his parents company while Shaun was banished to the garden. His twin standing aside, watching his father beat him viciously for something he didn’t do.

He did NOTHING! part of Shaun’s mind hissed viciously. NOTHING to help you! He stood aside, and watched! In that mute brain of his, he was LAUGHING at you, Shaun! the darker side of the rogue chided. His fate was coming to him... and you sank to HIS level by killing him!

Shaun, the rogue heard Elenya’s cool, soothing voice in his head, It’s ok... the deed is done, love. You can only do one thing, if this indeed is your slain brother... you can apologize... The party looked on in confusion, as a tear welled up in the rogue’s eye, and ran partway down his cheek before falling towards the ground below with the plink of ice.

“Shawn... I... I... I’m sorry,” the rogue opened his hands. “I had no right... I had no reason... I... I don’t know what else...” he said. He did not expect a smile and hug from the ghost of his brother... and his heart was steeled when he saw the look of hate in the specter’s eyes. His weapons were away, as he walked towards the ghost. He’d thought about this moment often.

Would I be ready to offer the only true repayment for what I did? he had often wondered. Would I be willing to let him kill me?

The rogue found his feet walking him forward, towards the snarling remains of a soul, even as his mind wrestled with the question. Part of him wanted to scream that he’d changed, that he was a new man, that he was now a father... another part felt that this was the only way to make things right.

“You... vile fiend!” the ghost snarled. A wispy, ethereal finger extended towards the rogue, and the specter snarled again, “As you took my life, what I held most dear, I shall return! And when I do, I shall steal what YOU hold most dear... your precious wife and your three children!”

Shaun’s forward movement stopped. Elenya? The children? They were innocents! They had done nothing! Shaun Dice had committed the evil, not those four innocent souls!

“They have done nothing!” Shaun snarled back. “Your quarrel is with me, Shawn! Me, and me alone! Should you wish to take my life, brother, I owe you no less! But Elenya has done nothing! Neither have the children! Leave them out of this!”

The specter floated hauntingly closer, a cackle coming from its lips. “You were always the dim one Shaun... never realizing the full potential of father’s life, the rewards for tact! Even now, you don’t recognize! I want to cause you the same pain you caused me... you offer me your life... willingly! But I want you to feel pain... terror... horror! So I refuse your offer, and instead I shall steal what you love most from you! Then you will feel my pain!”

The party’s weapons were already drawn, as both they and the frost giants watched the exchange uneasily. The rogue himself reached for his rapier, just before Tess’ voice carried over the cold wind:

“Shaun, don’t give in! Don’t!”

The rogue did not hear, or care to hear. His mind was focused on one thing... the threat to his new family... his innocent wife, his pure unborn children. And like a fatherly lion, he was fully prepared to die defending the cubs that had yet to see the light of day. With a shiin his rapier flashed out of its scabbard. In a similar hissing noise, his voice carried only as far as to let the specter hear it.

“This is between you and me.” It would finally be settled, between them. One on one. The frightful war would end. Now. And it will be done with my blade, by myself! No one will have his destruction as theirs to call, save me!

As the specter backed away, to let the two settle their feud once and for all, a piercing shriek broke through the air. From over Shaun’s shoulder, three powerful pulses of screeching energy slammed into the ghost. Shawn’s form let out a terrified shriek, before exploding into cartwheeling bits of ectoplasm. The rogue spun just in time to see Tess’ mouth closing from her sonic assault. Before he had a chance to scream his fury at her, the rest of the party leapt forward with a roar.

Siabrey dashed forward towards the frost giant in the middle who had spoken, her two flaming blades cutting massive gashes into his form. In their wake, his skin seemed melty, even liquid-like after their fiery passage.

In the same eyeblink, Vin had placed four arrows into the closest greataxe frost giant, yet the massive beast hardly blinked. Instead, it let out a terrible roar, and hefted its blade above its head.

The other specter flashed through the air towards Siabrey, and grabbed the Empress. She shuddered, feeling the indescribable, as it seemed part of her soul, her very lifeforce, was sucked out of her arm by the creature’s grip ( one negative level). Grumki and Hidalas both got absolutely sadistic grins on their faces, and jointly called upon their respective deities. Two massive flamestrikes crashed down upon the frost giants, turning even more of their skin the same melty, semi-liquid transparence.

The Frost Giant sorcerer, in the center, backed away from Siabrey’s ferocious blades, and with an unholy word and lifting of his arms, snarled forth a command. The ground around the party seemed to shudder, and rise... its pregant ice giving birth to icy skeletons all around (18 in total).

Anias charged to the front, his nightblade finding itself locked in furious duel with one of the mighty beasts’ greataxes. For a while, the angel held his own, until a vicious and strong blow from the giant knocked his blade aside for a second... long enough that the axe carved an vicious, deadly wound through the angel’s chest and side. Anias stumbled away from the fray, bleeding profusely.

Grumki’s holy warhammer found the specter that plagued Siabrey, sending it back to the depths of horror from whence it came, and the gnome Pyrion, with many blasts and booms, emptied two pistols into one of the frost giants.

Then the skeletons surged forward.

They came with bluish blades, icy short swords, which they lunged with at Siabrey, Grumki, Orion, and Shaun. All save the rogue managed to dodge the furious blows. One skeleton managed to stab the rogue in the shoulder, and he felt a feeling of icy cold blasting through his body, even though the blade barely cut him (1d6 cold damage).

Before the frost giant sorcerer could call upon more magic, Orion silenced him forever with a series of vicious and well timed kicks and punches. The beast attempted at one point to grab the monk as he launched his assault... Orion merely laughed, and with one arm, blocked the beast’s punch, before delivering a leg sweep that downed the creature. The monk then leapt into the air, and with a furious down-kick to the giant’s neck, snapped its vertebrae and crushed its windpipe.

Siabrey’s dancing blades found the giant to her front, cutting down the weakened beast as her blades converted its chest and belly from icy strength to watery goo. Three well placed arrows from Vin slammed into the last frost giant’s head, downing it just as it was about to deliver a devastating blow on the reeling angel Anias.

Hidalas then pulled from under his cloak a golden symbol. Resembling a sword embedded into a set of scales, the holy symbol of Tarantor glowed, as Hidalas repeated a mantra to banish the undead and unholy beasts of the deep. The skeletons shuddered, cracked, and under the force of Hidalas’ compulsion, all proceeded to explode into shattered pieces of bone.

“Mighty impressive, Hidalas!” Siabrey breathed uneasily as Grumki rushed over and began trying to restore the parts of her broken soul. “Last time I remember you doing anything productive was outside of Mephys!” she joked.

“Quiet you.”

Shaun, for his part, was still furious. The rogue stormed over to Tess, and in a snarling voice, demanded why she had killed his brother when HE, and he alone, had the right... the honor... indeed the duty, to face the ghost alone.

“I was the one that caused the wrong that made him into this!” Shaun shouted. “I was the one! Not you! Not any of you! That’s why I needed to face him, alone!” The rogue shuddered in the cold, and the bard grabbed hold of him even as he tried to struggle to get free.

“Shaun,” she whispered, “Shaun shaun shaun...” she cooed to him, trying to calm him, “I did that for you.”

“What?!” he snapped, pushing away. “How the hell was doing that helping me!?”

“Shaun!” she finally snapped, annoyed, “would you have been able to live with the image etched in your memory, forever, of you killing your own brother, again? Would you?!”

Shaun’s ranting suddenly stopped. His eyes still spoke fury, and his hands yet clasped and unclasped the air between their fingers, but he remained still.

“Shaun... Elenya told me... all about it,” Tess said quietly. “About what happened so long ago. You’re a different man now, Shaun. Indeed... now you are a man. Then you were nothing more than a punk kid.” She put an arm around him. “And there is no reason for the man to be haunted by the deed he had to finish from his days as a kid. It would’ve torn you apart to relive killing your brother... again and again... every night before you went to sleep!”

“And so you took the image into yourself?” Shaun asked uneasily.

“I have the images of many dead in my mind,” the bard smiled sadly. “I have much rage... much anger. I have learned to deal with it... better me than you.”

“I found it!” Aeron’s whoop echoed over the snow, and the wizard motioned towards Orion. “Bring it over here! Right there! Now!”

The monk plunged the staff into the deep, wintry snow, and once again smoke billowed into the frigid air around the party. To Orion’s horror, at his feet, the ground churned, and a long decayed and rotted head, with long golden strands still attached, exploded from the ground. The skeleton made no noise, its mouth merely open in soundless screams, before it collapsed back into the receiving earth.

“This world is done,” the monk said quietly, pulling the staff back out. “One more left.”

"Yeah," Geoffrey rolled his eyes, "just one more. Then I get my wine reward, right?!"


==================================================

(DM’s Note: I might not have mentioned this before, but by this point in the adventure, the players ARE running multiple people for combat purposes. Shaun’s player also ran Geoffrey (who was mostly ineffective, save a griping or comic relief), Siabrey’s also ran Pyrion (much of the same... the guns just never rolled well) and Vin (whose player had gone home already), Orion’s ran Hidalas, and Tess’ ran Grumki. The only characters I ran were Anias and Aeron... and whatever baddies they fought. )

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Azzgrat, Part One

“I hope this time,” Orion grunted towards Pyrion as the frigid world around them started to spin, “your little device is more accurate!” The gnome ignored the monk’s critique, and merely clutched to Siabrey’s leg, his face greenish.

The world about them spun, viciously, causing the gnome to finally lose his stomach... again. Siabrey pulled back in the swirling mists in disgust... now nauseous more from Pyrion’s breakfast covering her boots than the swirling of teleportation.

The mists around the party ceased their swimming motion, and lifted away, burned by a bright, reddish sun now dominating the sky. The air around the party seemed clear, and while it stank, it was breathable. On the ground there appeared to be grass even.

A fact that made Orion snarl.

“We’re off course again!” the monk complained as he searched for the supposed sixty-six minarets and towers of Graz’zt’s palace.It didn’t take long... they dominated the horizon to the party’s left... but seemed at least twenty miles away. More importantly, between the party and Azzgrat lay a massive field of white, that seemed to be moving. The air reeked of salt.

The monk gingerly walked to the edge of the field of white, and as he neared, he could hear roaring from its expanse. That alone was enough to convince him it would be wise to not cross it by foot. The jagged nature of its ever-changing surface doubly convinced him.

“Um,” he asked, returning from his short hike to the party, “is there any way that we can possibly fly to Graz’zt’s palace? There’s something very large and unpleasant down there in the way.”

“Well, I can make people levitate, Tess offered... for quite a long time... about18 minutes. However, they won’t be able to move quickly... hey Aeron? Do you have a spell of flying in your spellbooks?”

“Just one second,” the wizard grunted, pulling out one of his large spellbooks. “Hmm... here, yes. I just need some time to prepare it, and memorize the proper incantations... half an hour?”

“I don’t know if we have that much time,” Shaun offered. “Say... Tess? In your bag of holding, weren’t there some rather neat boots we stole... ahem... I mean ‘liberated’ off of one of the demon corpses back in Holstean?”

“Yes,” the bard said guardedly, “why?” Her eyes were unsure what Shaun meant.

“Well, I turned them back in because I had some issues with controlling them, y’know?” the rogue continued. “They made me hover and zip, but too fast for me... damn, never thought I would ever say that.”

“They... made you fly?” Siabrey asked in shock. “And you didn’t tell us, and merely put them back in Tess’ bag?!” Dammit! I could have used those for training on how to handle my wings!

“Yeah. Maybe Orion here has fast enough reflexes to handle them,” Shaun offered. Seeing Siabrey’s scowl, he gave her a grin of apology. “No offense, Siabrey, but if they’re too fast for me, they’re definitely too fast for you to handle, at least on this short of notice.”



“Hey, am I forgiven?” Shaun asked Siabrey some ten minutes later. “Hey, at least you’re flying in a way,” he added with a smirk.

“I get those boots when this is all over,” the fighter said, in her most commanding voice. Carefully she went upward as an air current shoved the rogue underneath her. “Orion, more careful with this flying business!”

“Sorry,” the monk said from upfront, still dragging the ropes connected to the levitating party members. With his flying impetus, it had taken them a while to get to speed, but now they flashed through the air at great speed. Fast enough Siabrey didn’t want to think of what would happen if one of them hit the ground.

“I was looking at the white fields, and just realized what they were,” Orion called back over the rushing air. “Its a river made of salt! If we’d tried to cross it, likely we would’ve ended up crushed after falling through a crack! The roaring I heard was massive blocks breaking and shifting!”

“Good call!” Tess shouted from off to the left. “By the looks of it, we’re going to get to that palace with time to spare! Aeron?” she barked off towards the frightened looking wizard zipping along beside her, “Where do we have to put the staff exactly in his palace? The throne room?”

“Uh huh,” the wizard mumbled slightly frightenedly.

“Well, where’s the throne room at? You know?”

“No clue,” the wizard stammered out, his eyes squeezed shut, “though I’m g...guessing it’s in the middle of his palace! Probably big and ornate. T...throne rooms tend to be like that!” A few seconds later, Tess barely caught the wizard’s voice asking for his mother. She gave him the best reassuring grin she could, only to realize his eyes were still closed.

The party flew onward, Orion in the lead, towing the others. Ahead, the palace at Azzgrat loomed larger. Its walls seemed to be made from gleaming ivory, the tops of its towers glowed like platinum and adamantine. Orion, at Tess’ urging, selected the largest dome in the center of the complex, and put brakes on his flying. He slowed, allowing the others to fly ahead and him act as a brake, slowing them down.

“Um, hey!?” Tess shouted, looking ahead. With a hand she pointed at two reddish shapes lazily rising from by the massive dome.

“Balors!” Siabrey and Orion shouted simulatenously.

“Two of them!?” Tess called, unnerved. As she watched, the shapes loomed larger from their approach... still lazily drifting upward on a course perpendicular to the party. They’re lazy course continued... it was apparent that the party hadn’t been spotted for the intruders they were.

“Alright! On the count of three, everyone load and blast them with whatever you can, ok?!” Tess shouted. “Orion, can you move really fast again, and then stop to snap us forward, so Siabrey and Vin can get close range?”

“I’ll see what I can do!” the monk called back, accelerating forward. As he raced, suddenly he stopped, slinging the party forward.

As the party passed directly overhead, Tess let loose a shriek, sending her infamous sonic dart assault forward into one of the balors. Even as the beast cringed, twin columns of fire from heaven thundered down, as Hidalas and Grumki happily found their prayers for flamestrike answered yet again. A frigid blast of cold air leapt from Aeron’s fingers, covering both creatures in layers of frigid frost.

Near the end of the arc of the party snapping ahead, both Vin and Siabrey drew their swords, and delivered vicious, sharp assaults as they passed by the stunned beasts. As their blades left the right-most balor, the massive beast’s wings crumpled, and it tumbled several hundred feet onto the hard ground below.

The other balor still staggered in the air for a few moments, before Geoffrey and Pyrion, both with daggers drawn, flashed towards it. Pyrion did the correct, planned manuever... he stabbed the balor as he went by. Geoffrey misjudged his angles, however, and slammed full bore into the balor’s head.

Sickening cracks leapt up, both from Geoffrey’s shoulder and arm, and the balor’s face. The beast tumbled after its partner, crashing to the ground below, while Geoffrey cartwheeled onwards, conscious and screeching in pain.

“Hold on!” Orion shouted, as he sped up again to act as a brake once more. As the party continued its drift towards the central dome of the complex, Orion pulled on Geoffrey’s rope, and Hidalas adjusted till he caught the floating, moaning halfling and proceeded to complete his first healing under levitation.



The party set down some two minutes later on the roof of Graz’zt massive palace, and began to consider the problem of their entry.

“I don’t know about you, but jumping in the front door would NOT be my preferred method of getting in,” Siabrey grunted. The slope of the dome was shallow enough that walking on it was no problem, but the dome was nearly 300 feet up... and the levitation magic had worn off.

A solid wham echoed in the air, and the party turned to see Orion, grinning, looking at a small dent in the roof. “Adamantine,” the monk announced, before taking another swing, making the slight dent even deeper.

“Are you nuts!” Shaun shouted. “That’s adamantine! You’ll break your fists before you break through!”

“I bet this thing is ten feet thick!” Siabrey chimed in.

“Try twenty,” Orion grinned, punching again. Tess then cleared her throat, and motioned for the monk to move aside. “What?”

“If you’re going to do that, I should help,” she said with a grin. The same shriek she had called on that turned the Countess to dust was now focused on the same bit of roof Orion had been striking. The metal seemed to bend, to flex, and shuddered into dust that billowed away.

When the dust pall cleared, there was a hole, ten feet across, and ten feet deep, into the roof. With a grin, Orion jumped down into the pit, and began pounding again onto the metal (Using his sundering ability on the roof).

“Won’t this attract some attention?” Shaun asked as the clangs and bangs of the monk’s fists continued to crack further and further into the roof. “I meant, call me a rogue, but shouldn’t we be going for subtlety... not banging on the roof of the most guarded chamber?”

“What would you have us do? Swing through the front door?” Tess rejoined, and the rogue was forced to shrug... before his jaw dropped.

“Um... Tess?”

“I told you! This might not be a good plan, but its the best we h-“ the bard started to snap at him, until her eyes followed his finger to the party’s left... and her jaw dropped as well.

In the skies, high above, were thousands of small forms, each pinprick drawing closer, as a distant rumble bespoke of thousands of wings beating. It looked as if a swarm of beens or locusts was approaching... yet everyone realized that each of those locusts was likely larger than a man.

“Um... guys?” Siabrey said nervously, pointing in the opposite direction. The skies there showed much the same... save the closest pinprick on this side looked orangish... as if wreathed in flames.

“Dammit! Orion!” Tess leaned into the pit, now far deeper, “Hurry up! We’ve got company! Lots of company!”

“How many? We can take ‘em out!” the monk called back between sundering punches.

“Try two armies worth!” Tess yelled down.

= = = = = = = = = = = = === == = = == = = = == = == = = =

The two balors the party faced were basic balors... and the beasts were crushed under a tidal wave of damage before they could respond. I have to say, their decision to fly to the palace and their tactics in the air were quite smart... save poor Geoffrey, who failed his reflex save and became a projectile himself. He took and inflicted 30 points damage, which merely left him with about 15 left, and killed the balor...

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Azzgrat Part Two

“Two armies?!” Orion’s head popped up in the hole momentarily has he jumped to look. His head popped up again as he cursed, and quickly the noises of fists breaking through metal redoubled.

The army to the party’s left was now even closer, and the party could barely make out the figures within its mass. It was led by a tall woman with massive, leathery wings. Her skin was ebony black. Claws were in place of her hands, and small fangs hung from her lips, yet despite this, one might confuse her with a nymph with regards to beauty. Behind her came 4 glabrezou, 8 hezrou, and hordes other lesser demons... a veritable army of thousands. As Orion and the party furiously banged, 12 mariliths appeared over the side of the dome, having climbed over the top.

To the other side, the flaming figure resolved itself to be a massive, thin form with purplish skin and a titanic longsword. The sword, like its massive palrenthee owner, was wreathed in sheets of flames. The party could make out a balor, succubi, palrenthees, and others within its hovering mass.

At the moment the two massive creatures landed on the dome, Orion broke through the roof... fully 20 feet down. Several sharp kicks later, and a hole wide enough for one was made.

“Kind intruders,” the woman’s voice echoed, smooth and silky, ”You return with the staff that bears-“

“Silence, vile witch!” the glowering palrenthee stormed over. The heat from his approach was so intense that the party still on the roof (Siabrey, Vin, Shaun and the little people) shied away from him. The massive beast seemed to not care, and lurched forward again, eyes menacing...

...at the ebony skinned demon, not the party.

”You would trick these interlopers as you tried to trick me!” he snarled, before turning to the party, “Listen not to her sweet words, for they drip with poison!”

“And you, dear Pelenub, are all too familiar with poison, having tried to assassinate your master’s daughter by those means!” the woman snarled, stepping towards the beast that was twice her height. “Yet I am still here, Pelenub, to restore my father to his rightful place!”

“If by ‘restore’ you mean ‘usurp’ you are indeed correct, Kanz’ztera!” the other creature snarled, and the two loomed towards each other as if physical combat might happen.

“Orion!” Siabrey hissed into the pit. She glanced up, and saw the two demons and their retinues were too busy watching each other... none had noticed her. “Get the staff down there! I’ll keep them distracted!” The monk gave a nod, and clutching the staff in one hand, peered into the hole... only to see five massive balors, the largest he’d ever seen, staring up at him.

“Gods,” his heart entered his throat, and he closed his eyes. If it is my time to die... if they strike me down... the staff is back in the chambers... the evil has been put to rest...



“Kantera? Pelnub?” Siabrey said, wincing when she butchered their names. “Indeed, we had the staff that held your father,” she told truthfully, before adding the small lie, “but in the last minute, it was taken from us!”

“Taken?” the beautiful demoness growled. “Surrender it, Pelenub, and I’ll have my father only banish you forever from Azzgrat! After the plotting you have done!”

“Why do you lie so, vile wretch!” the palrenthee snarled. “Surrender the staff, and I shall only inform my Master, thy father that you only attempted to kill me and usurp the throne! You shall be the banished one!”

“Now now...” Siabrey said, raising her hands for quiet. To the her disconcerting fear, the shouting match continued, and the female demon suddenly produced a wicked looking greatsword, its black blade dripping with reddish liquid. The two beasts, and their retinues closed with each other, till the party was surrounded on all sides by balors, demons, quasits and the like snarling and growling at each other, only feet apart.

Orion! Hurry! Siabrey winced, as Tess jumped in.



The monk meanwhile had swung through the hole he had made, and grasped the ceiling of the chamber... thankful that it was some two hundred feet above the balors, and thankful of his spider climbing ability. Carefully, he used tiny cracks in the mosaic ceiling, and carefully made his way down.

The room was ornate and massive... a perfect circle, easily three hundred feet high at the top of the dome, and several times that amount across. At one end of the room was a throne, seemingly carved out of solid ebony, with bits of a dark metal Orion didn’t recognize giving it a brilliant glow. It was massive... designed for someone that was easily far larger than a man...

Ever few seconds, he would look down, and ten beady eyes, glowing red, would look back at him. The balors followed his movements with interest, their massive heads watching him as he clambered across. Beneath the feet of the behemoths, smaller demons dashed about. Thankfully, Orion saw no vrocks... otherwise, he was sure, he would already be dead.

There.... halfway down the side, Orion thought to himself. So far the balors weren’t following him. It was as if something was keeping them rooted in place... and then it dawned on him.

The staff? Why would the staff keep them in place? The thought worried him immensely. Graz’zt was up to something... he knew it.



“Kanz’ztera, Pelenub, come come!” Tess called loudly. If these two decide to fight it out, we’re right in the middle... and we’ll probably die in the first volley of magic... “Now Kanz’ztera. What exactly did Pelenub do? And Pelenub, you will have your chance to make your case when she is finished.”

“But this vile bitch tried-“ the palrenthee began to snarl, before the smaller demon princess drowned him out with her own shrieks.

“He tried to slay me, during my father’s absence! He tried to kill my chief balor aides! He deserves to die! I merely wish to restore my father to his throne!” Simultaneously, a voice rumbled into Tess’ head. It was strong, yet silky smooth, even sexy... Traveler... I merely wish to take my father’s mantle. You come from a material plane, do you not? I detect good in you... you wish for the destruction of Graz’zt... yes? Tell me... in your mind... where the staff is... we both want the same... do we not?

“I did NOT try to poison you! You pulled that stunt yourself Kanz’ztera, to gain backing!” the other demon roared.

“What of the marilith’s seeing you personally pouring that drinking cup!?” Kanz’ztera snarled back. Meanwhile Tess found it hard to keep the thought of exactly where the staff was from popping into her head. Instead she managed to think confusion. Deep, in a guarded corner of her mind, she relaxed. At least they’re talking... a few more minutes for us!



Orion was now three fourths the way to the massive throne, clambering along as quickly as he could. It had taken several agonizing minutes, and would likely take several more agonizing minutes, even with his spider-climbing and superior monastic speed. To check on his progress, he glanced behind him...

...and uttered a curse.

One of the balors was moving... quickly... towards the throne. It was several hundred feet away, far enough that Orion couldn’t see its eyes, but he could feel them burning into him... boring in. And he felt a sudden flush of heat eminate from the staff.

Graz’zt, you rotten bastard! he wanted to snarl.

“I think I have you, at least... goody-two shoes.” the voice inside the staff laughed. “Once they let me free... I shall have your friends as well...”

Orion quickened his pace. Clambering, running as fast as he could. Several times he nearly slipped... he was after all running upside down along the ceiling of the massive structure.

“You are too late, pansy!” Graz’zt laughed, using his other nickname for the monk as the monk scrambled and clambered.

Orion grew closer and closer to the throne, racing along the ceiling, his movement further troubled as he pulled the staff from its position strapped to his back. Now he was racing along the ceiling, using only one hand and his feet. A few seconds later, he hovered over Graz’zt throne, and gently fell to beside it (feather fall). He carefully placed the staff, even as the ground around him began to tremble from the approaching demon.

“There, you bastard!” Orion snarled, “Fooled you! I can jump out of here any time I want! Pays to be a disclipined monk!”

“No you haven’t. Once I am freed, you think I cannot merely teleport to the roof of my palace to collect you all?” the demon chuckled. “If you, mere mortal can dimension door to the roof, surely a being of my powe can as well! Silly mortal. Before you get too far... goodbye, Orion! It was... not a pleasure!” the beast snarled. "I shall certainly enjoy torturing you... and your friends!"



“She wishes to kill her father and usurp his power! I merely wish to set the order of things right!” Pelenub shouted to Tess, the heat radiating from his body even more intense. His voice as well jumped into Tess’ head.

Graz’zt and the other demons, for too long, have oppressed me and my kind! I merely want vengeance on Graz’zt! And you wish him to be dead too! Together we shall-

AHA! I have caught you! Kanz’ztera’s voice rumbled in Tess’ head, as the demon princess’ sword suddenly shifted from a neutral position by her side to an aggressive stance. The massive palrenthee reacted similarly with his massive sword.

Tess’ own mind was in confusion, as her own thoughts began to be driven away by the shouting of the two in her mind as well. She wasn’t sure what part of her possessed the sense to do so, but somehow she whispered to Pyrion to start his machine, and have it on standby. With the two armies so close, all with weapons drawn... none would notice... and as the machine whirred and pumped... Tess was right.

Kanz’ztera was merely inches from Pelenub’s face, and the two continued hurling insults at each other. Warily, Siabrey looked down into the hole, and saw, in the distance, a thin, black shaft sitting Graz’zt throne.

“The staff is down there,” she told Shaun. “Orion just put it there. Now, if he would only hurry up, we could just get out of here!”

“Tess? You alright?” Shaun asked, as the bard held her head. Wearily, Tess nodded.

“I think they’ve gone back to arguing in person, instead of in my mind,” she groaned, and then frowned as Pyrion smacked the machine, growling. “Pyrion?! Please... for the love of all that is holy...”

“I’m working on it!” the gnome growled.

Orion’s hands suddenly reached up through the hole, and with a flip, the monk was soon on the roof, squatly between two sneering mariliths, too busy gauging each other to notice the small human between them. His face was dead frightened... something unusual. Normally he gave a grin when he used abudant step.

“Pyrion! Get your machine going!” Orion snapped. "That-"

“I’m WORKING on it!” the gnome snapped back, by now very annoyed. He smacked the machine again, and spoke several unsavory words in dwarven.

“Um... guys?” Shaun said nervously, looking into the hole. “That balor has the staff.”

“WHAT!?” everyone, from the party, to Kanz’ztera, to Pelenub stopped whatever they were doing.

“Uh...” Shaun stammered, before backing away, towards the close circle the party had made around Pyrion and his machine. As Kanz’ztera and Pelenub crowded close, peering into the hole, Shaun turned and hissed at the gnome. “Get this piece of junk going in ten seconds, otherwise we won’t live another twenty!”

“DAMMIT! I’M WORKING ON IT!” Pyrion snapped, by now furious that his concentration had been broken yet again. To accent his fury, his fist slammed into the top of the machine...

...and its sputters turned into contented, purring motion.

As the mists of teleportation surrounded the party, a bright flash beamed out from the hole, into the faces of the two rival demons. There was a collective gasp from all the demons as the mists grew thick enough the party could no longer see them.

The last sound the party heard of the Abyss was a very surprised Kanz’ztera, squealing with surprise and alarm: “F...Father! You’ve... returned! How... wonderful?”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Well, there's at least one post for this session to put up, and after that, another session. The "Ten Years Later" session. And after that, who knows, maybe some short stories by me should I have the time.

As for the baddies in this... Kanz'ztera can be found in the Rogue's Gallery... BLACKDIRGE's monster thread if my memory serves me correct. Pelenub was a creation of myself... and shortly I shall have his stats posted if anyone is interested.

EDIT: Fixed the situation with Orion's movement. Sorry about forgetting that