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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 2380505" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 421Carceri. Everywhere was devastation, from one horizon to the next, alternating between marshes fetid with the stench of rot, to blasted hills covered with razor-sharp black weeds that oozed poison from their tips, to cracked flatlands where wisps of toxic vapors swelled unpredictably from the ground.  Above it all was the unchanging sky, its colors a mélange of blood and mud and foulness.  In whole the place was unwelcoming, unpleasant, and inimical to long life. But life did exist here.  Demodands, the masters of the plane, tormenters and wardens and guardians of those condemned to this place.  Other races of fiends were common, and even some other outsiders could be found, pursuing their own business.  There were very few other indigenous species, most of which eked out a hard existence preying upon members of those other categories.  There were settlements scattered across the plane.  Most were prisons, fortresses tall or squat, but alike in the cries of agony and madness that filled the air around them.  There were no cities per se, but one could find the occasional safehold, a place where visitors and residents of the plane could meet to trade and deal, using any of the varied currencies of the planes where souls and magic were as important as coins and gemstones.  It was toward one of these sites that the companions from Faerûn traveled.  Their conveyance was the large magical carpet that Cal had acquired, flying low over the ground, just high enough to avoid the obstacles of terrain that occasionally rose out of the blasted landscape.  The carpet was loaded down almost to its maximum capacity, and it traveled barely further than a man’s brisk walk, but it did not cease, and they made good time toward the destination.  Dana had cast her find the path spell shortly after their arrival; while the spell had since faded, they continued in the direction that it had indicated, toward the hold that the Harper researches had indicated might hold some answers for them. “The Bastion of Lost Hope,” Dannel said, breaking a silence that had lasted for almost an hour.  “It does not sound like a pleasant place.”“Let Dana and myself do the talking,” Cal said.  “I will see that we are all veiled to disguise our true natures, and my tongues spell will ease communication, if necessary.  We’ve dealt with these sorts of creatures on their home planes before.”“Arun, will you be okay with this?” Mole asked.  “I mean, there’s bound to be a lot of nasty folks there who won’t like bumping elbows with a paladin.”“I can… restrain myself,” he said, though his hand drifted to the hilt of his holy sword as he spoke. “Even so, you may wish to wear that extra ring of mind shielding that we took from the Cagewrights after their little ambush,” Cal pointed out, holding up his own hand to indicate the silver ring there.“What of Beorna?” Arun asked. “I can ward myself,” the templar said.  “Do not worry about my presence or actions spoiling your schemes; if necessary you can have we warriors represent ourselves as your bodyguards.”“An excellent suggestion, and in line with my own thoughts,” Cal said. “We’ve got company,” Dannel said, drawing their attention ahead and to the left, where a small speck was visible in the distance, flying at what looked to be a few hundred feet off the ground.  The companions readied weapons and spells, and looked warily in that direction. “What is it?” Beorna asked, stringing her bow.  She’d replaced the compact weapon that had been so ineffective against Vhalantru with a full-sized longbow she’d purchased in the village.  It was a bit crowded on the carpet, and Dana had to dodge back to avoid being poked in the eye with the weapon.  “Too far to tell,” Dannel said. “Time to put on our disguises,” Cal said, casting his veil spell.  “Remember your roles.”“It just got a lot closer… I think we’ve been spotted,” Dannel said.  And indeed it had suddenly just… shifted closer, maybe a thousand yards out, now, close enough to identify it.  “Vrock demon,” Dana said, somberly. “Should we land and dismount?” Lok asked. “Wait, let’s see if we can bluff past a confrontation,” Cal suggested. “If it comes to a fight, we’ll be at a disadvantage, all squeezed together here,” Beorna pointed out. “If need be, you and I can dismount,” Dana said to the genasi, casting her fly spell upon him.  Her own magical boots offered the same means of mobility. “I’ll take the carpet down, if it looks like trouble,” Cal insisted.“More of them,” Dannel reported, although they could all see the two additional vrocks that had teleported in, flying now well off and above them, giving them a thorough examination from a safe distance. Cal stood.  “HINDER THE EMBASSY OF THE YUGOLOTHS AT YOUR PERIL, FIENDS!” he shouted, his voice greatly augmented by a ghost sound cantrip. The vrocks did not appear fazed by the warning, continuing their lazy flight around them before all three teleported away. “Think they bought it?” Mole said. “That, or they’re getting help,” Dannel replied. There was nothing to do but press on.  Several nervous minutes passed without any sign of the demons.  Finally, when they were starting to think that they’d escaped a confrontation, a massive demon nearly twenty feet in height appeared directly ahead of them, hovering in mid-air.  It looked to be a humanoid cross between an ape and a boar, with tiny wings that nevertheless seemed quite able to keep it in the air.  The vrocks had returned with it, six of them, now, flying a good distance above and around them.  That wasn’t all; a quartet of demons had appeared on the ground below them, loping in pace with the carpet; hezrou demons with bloated bodies and toad-like visages.  Cal reflexively brought the carpet to a halt, maybe thirty feet away from the demon blocking their path. The nalfeshnee laughed.  “I thought I would pay my respects personally, to the mighty ‘embassy’ of the Yugo…”It never got a chance to finish, for Cal had quickly recognized the nature of the demon, and realizing that it possessed the ability to see right through their disguises, he shouted, “Take it!”</blockquote>

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