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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1540924" data-attributes="member: 15043">The Day that Tess Snapped “Travelers in Possession of the Staff:I have a proposal that thou might wish to hear before risking thine lives in the depths of the Abyss.  A proposal that might keep thine human hides safely cool, and still gain the results thou seekest.  There are powers that wish for the same as thee regarding Graz’zt.  Remain close by, so I might find thee.  An Unlikely Friend”“I’m in favor of bolting back to Sigil was quickly as possible,” Shaun said, voice shaking slightly.  “I don’t like the idea of someone knowing we have the staff and wanting to talk to us about ‘alternatives.’”“Said alternatives probably involve us dead, I bet,” Orion said dryly.  “To my surprise, I must back the rogue on this one.”“Well, lets get a move on, then,” Tess said quietly, her demeanor unusually calm in comparison to her frantic comrades.  Inwardly, her mind was roiling.Who would send a note like this?  A friend of Asuri’s?  No... the old man wouldn’t rat us out if he wanted us to spread the truth about his past that badly... who else...What about the girl in Sigil?  The erinyes?  That means...“Devils,” Tess said quietly.“Great... so our little girl spy got back to her superiors,” Siabrey grunted, as she hefted supplies onto her horse’s back.  “Just great!  Tess, why are you chuckling?” The fighter’s face looked at her friend in confusion, as the end of a light laugh left Tess’ lips.“Oh nothing,” Tess said to her friend.  “Just thinking about how it just seems that everyone and their uncle is after us now... demons, devils... celestials maybe?”  And how the next demon or devil I see… be they child, man, woman, dog, or whatnot, I am going to blast them!  I don’t care!  I’m TIRED of pussyfooting around these bastards!“Thank goodness Anias saw the light,” Siabrey commented flatly.  On their way to see Asuri, Luke’s guardian angel had returned, with several other archons on a rogue mission to dispense with the staff.  A shouting match between Siabrey and Anias had ensued, and the asura’s angel cohorts had finally left him, and he’d chased after them.   “Too many damn fools after us.”The party rode long and hard the next few days, managing to shave nearly three days off of their trip, before their hurried retreat was interrupted.It was nearly a week out from Asuri’s house that the party found themselves galloping through a rainstorm.  As their horses seemed to slow in the mud, they all heard a voice come into their heads... quiet, soothing...”Why did you run so far?  I had to spend several days looking for you.”  The voice came from within their heads, not without.“Who are you?!” Tess reined up, and shouted into the air.  By Corellon’s tonenails, this is getting out of hand!  Devils, Yugoloths, Demons!  Who the hell now!?  Her horse’s breath obscured her vision for a few seconds as the patter of rain striking the ground.”Someone of great importance, who is willing to assist you in your quest... I merely ask you to stop and listen to my case, before you judge me or my request.”“Why do you hide?” Siabrey called, her eyes searching around for something.  While visually she couldn’t see anything, her magic sight caught a massive glow of magic about 60 feet ahead of the party on the road.  “We would be more willing to listen to someone that would be willing to come out and talk to us!””I am invisible... until I am sure that you will listen, and not bring harm to  me.  Call me cautious, but I have heard of your battle history... many in the Nine Hells would be proud to have that many demon skins on their belts!”So you are a devil, Tess’ mind groaned.  Why does it seem evil is always following us, always trying to tempt us, trying to hurt us!?  Which bastard are you?!“We won’t harm you!” Siabrey called out.  “And your invisibility is pointless, I can see your magic, ahead of us!  Talk in the open, and let us discuss this like civilized beings!”  The fighter had already alighted from her horse.  ”Very well, I shall discuss this with you face to face,” the voices in their heads said.  “However, I wish the Empress to be the only one to approach me, as it looks she speaks for all of you.”Siabrey gave a quick look at the other party members.  Shaun shook his head slightly, but to her surprise, both Orion and Tess gave vigorous nods.  She walked over beside Vin, and then turned back to the shimmering point she alone could see.“Creature, I request that I may bring my bodyguard close by.  Otherwise, I fear Vin would be apprehensive!  And by what name may I call you, so that I may properly address you!” Siabrey called out.  What are you... perhaps your name can jog Tess’ or Aeron’s memory, so I’ll know better what I am facing.  You are clearly powerful... to have tracked us this far...”You may keep the archer nearby.”  To the front of the party, where Siabrey alone stared, the rain and air seemed to shimmer, and shudder.  From the pregnant bank of magic stepped a creature out of most mortal men’s dreams.She was tall... fully as tall as Lucius, her skin a rich cinnamon-brown.  Her hair was raven black, hanging down to her back.  Her eyes shone like beautiful rubies, and as she stepped further out of the massive pall of magic that once surrounded her, small, black, leathery wings showed on her back, as did a slim, forked tail.  Without her wings or tail, one would not have been able to distinguish her from an exquisite example of human perfection. “As for my name... you have a right to know who you deal with.  My name is Baalphegor... my consort is Mephistopheles, a Prince of Hell.  My father is Asmodeus himself.  They have sent me here to gain from you this artifact you carry, that we might end the Blood War... once and for all.”Those names meant nothing to Siabrey... she was not versed in the politics of other planes, but Tess’ mind sharpened suddenly.  Asmodeus is the Prince of Hell... and Mephistopheles is one of the other great princes of the devils...  if what she claims is true, then all the weight of the Nine Hells is coming to bear on us!Why?! Why do they all want to bother us?  Why do they all threaten us!?  We want to be left alone!  We want to get this evil away from us, and go home!Enough is enough!“Milady,” Siabrey bowed partially, assuming the names meant she was of some high ranking blood.  The creature, a devil she assumed from Tess’ earlier statements, seemed pleased at the show of deference.  “We have directions on how to neutralize this device... and if you say you wish it neutralized as well, you will let us go on our way.  We want the same, do we not?” “My simple Empress,” the devil said, a smile crossing her lips, “You do not understand.  We do not merely want the staff you carry... we require it.  For thousands of years, the Blood War has spilt the blood of devils and demons alike... we seek to crush the demons once and for all... would you not like to see the demons crushed as well?” her words dripped persuasion, but Siabrey’s mind firmly stood where it was.”Can you hear me?” Siabrey heard Aeron’s voice in her head.  The fighter mentally said yes, easily recognizing the spell Rary’s, no  Asuri’s Telepathic Bond she corrected herself.”What do we do now?” she heard Shaun ask quietly as the devil continued to talk.  ”Aeron, can you teleport us out of here?!  Or can we outrun her?!” “You are talking amongst yourselves, are you not?  I can feel the magic connecting between all of you.  Let me continue my logic... you all seem reasonable, and I trust you aren’t foolish.  You wish for Graz’zt to not bother your world ever again?  Give us the staff... and he’ll never bother your world, nor any other worlds ever again.  And... assisting us will provide your Empire with many powerful allies, Empress...” the devil offered enticingly.  ”Uncounted legions of disciplined devils at your call, should you need them... we’d even be able to make a bound agreement to not try to take over your world... and a devil, unlike a demon, IS as good as his word...“Before we make any decision on whether you get the staff, I want you to agree not to harass our world,” Siabrey said quickly.  She’s  brought up the legalistic side of devils... so I’ll use it against her.  We can’t run from her... and we can’t take her out... we need to make her want to go away... set up terms that she has to go back to check with Asmodir and Mephis-whatshisnot before she can agree... and then we can ride like hell back to Sigil, and get out of her reach! “That normally would be a massive, extensive request, my dear Empress... but this situation is grave, and the potential rewards for us, admittedly, are quite large in comparison to such a small promise.  I would have to discuss that, however, with others in the Court of the Nine Hells.  In the meantime, let us discuss matters we can decide here...”As the reasoning and debate continued, no one took note when Tess sidled up next to Shaun.  She leaned over towards him, her mouth open as if she was going to speak......and then an ear-shattering shriek thundered through the air, directly at the Princess of Hell.The creature seemed to reel from the blow, stumbling backwards under the fury of the blast.  To Tess’ chagrin and horror, the beast did not turn to dust as she expected... instead, Baalphegor let loose a roar of pain and anger.  (Tess tried a Destroy utterly with sound, and failed) “Treasonous whores!  If you wish to fight, then so be it! she screamed at them, her eyes now glowing feral.  She opened her mouth in a snarl, and her once perfect white teeth suddenly grew long, sharp, and black.  Claws sprang from her fingers and toes, and she took alight, hovering just off of the ground.“Tess!” Siabrey screamed at the bard in a fury.  Dammit!  How the frick are we supposed to defeat... THIS THING!? the fighter’s mind screamed, even as she drew her two blades.  Talking by this point was hopeless, just from the creature’s eyes.  “We’ve got to fight now!” Siabrey screamed at everyone, dashing away from Baalphegor towards the rest of the group.As those words left the fighter’s lips, Baalphegor let loose with a ferocious scream of her own, one of her clawed hands now extended directly at the party.  Arcs of blue energy lanced between her fingers, and slashed out towards the party.  The bolt of lightning slammed full bore into Siabrey, hitting her with mind-shattering force.  The bolt then seemed to arc from her to those closest to her... Vin, Geoffrey, Tess, and Orion.  This blast was less powerful than the one that hit the fighter, but nonetheless, Geoffrey was badly mauled.  The blast them arced from these four to the other members of the party, until everyone had recieved a powerful jolt of electric power. (chain lightning, as cast by a 20th level sorcerer.  The party was really lucky that I rolled crappy for her damage... only 80 points.  Once half the party passed their reflex saves, this cut the damage taken down considerably.  Poor Geoffrey right off the bat found almost all his hit points gone, though).Siabrey was immediately in the devil’s face, her blades flashing to and fro, only cutting a few gashes into the creature, whose skin seemed tougher than steel.  Geoffrey’s arrow shot at her was deflected with no problems (DR 30/+3).  More alarmingly, the lightning bolt that Aeron attempted to launch at her fizzled just in front of her (SR 31).  Panicked, Shaun fired an arrow that flew wide.Orion charged to his position in front, and delivered a furious series of body blows and kicks on Baalphegor.  The devil staggered backwards, reeling under the hits (Orion’s fists now count as +3 weapons).  Vin fired a slew of arrows, and while all hit, only one seemed to do any kind of damage.  The others seemed to hit her, and immediately fall from her body, leaving her unharmed.The Princess of Hell then backed away from the party, and pointed a finger at Tess.  A word filled with unholy power came from the beasts lips, and Tess felt her very soul being yanked out of her body.  For a split second, the bard felt the world spinning about her, her vision going black.  Her spirit, filled with fury and anger at all of this evil that had kept hunting them, harassing them, following them, pushed the darkness away. (finger of death, Tess passed her save, barely)Tess recovered enough to launch three sonic screams at the devil, the sonic darts finally piercing the devil’s protections, and impacting her fully.  Baalphegor reeled again, stumbling backwards.  The devil then launched, with a vicious, sharp word, a blast of unholy energy over the party, further hurting many who were already nigh unto death’s door.  The powerful wave of energy knocked Geoffrey to the ground, and left Tess, Shaun, and Aeron all nearly dead.Siabrey didn’t know much about magic, but she knew when someone pointed a single finger at one of her friends and uttered frankly horrific words, it wasn’t good.  The fighter redoubled her assaults, and her blades flashed viciously through the air.  This time, they made deep, wide slashes, cutting deeply across the devil’s throat and chest.  It was apparent she was nearing her end.With a shout, Vin leapt onto Andar’s back, and the two charged the Princess of Hell full bore.  The fox managed to knock her over, allowing Vin’s dancing blades to slice hard and fast through her prone frame.  Despite the Princess’ magic attempting to heal her wounds, the damage came too fast in too great amounts, and her head was soon separated from her body.Leaning on her blade, Siabrey stared at her friend the bard in disbelief.  “Tess!  Dammit!” She reached a bloodied hand up to her blonde crown, and plucked out a single hair.  The Empress stared at it momentarily, before trotting over to the bard.“Oh!  Look!  Is that a gray hair?  And it has TESS’ name on it!” she snarled.  “What the hell were you thinking!?”“I... wasn’t?” Tess coughed, spitting out some blood.  “Listen. I thought if I could catch her offguard and destroy her with my sound, then maybe...”“Um... guys?” Shaun pointed up the road in alarm.  Through the mists of falling rain, two enormous shapes could bee seen, each nearly 20 feet tall.  Long, straight horns came from their heads... not the curved horns of balors, but the horns of pit fiends.  “We have company, and I doubt they’re going to be happy...”“Um... Aeron!?  Teleport?!” Siabrey screamed, as everyone instinctively backed away from the pit fiends.  The wizard was busy looking in his supplies, and gave a sharp curse.“What?!?” Tess turned to him and shouted, as the massive shadows loomed closer.  One of them stopped, and a brilliant light seemed to be coming from its hand.  More alarmingly, the decapitated head of the Princess had slid back into its normal position with an audible squinch.“If I’d know I had this spell-book, we wouldn’t have had to march three weeks,” Aeron said quietly, as he flipped the pages to the appropriate spell.  “I had some of the stuff in hand, but I gotta read it!  It’ll take a few seconds!”“Sigil!!!  Get us to Sigil!!!” Shaun yelled, as Baalphegor slowly started to rise from the ground.“Working on it!!!” Aeron shouted, before his voice launched into a series of arcane words.  As the devil princess rose fully standing, the wounds on her body seemed to close.  A few words came from her mouth, and a threatening longsword formed in her hands, its blade seeming to be wreathed in black flames. “You traitors seemed to not take into account my pit fiends... or their yearly ability to wish... and NOW YOU SHALL PAY THE PRICE!As Baalphegor started forward, the party disappeared suddenly in a flash of light.</blockquote>

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