The Band of Four (The Village of Oester)

[Hairy Minotaur]

Tharhack walks over to Lorilei, his skin feels the temperature drop as he crosses in front of the tate. Reaching Lorilei's prison Tharhack stands and awaits her orders, unconcerned with her new features. During Tharhack's trek across the floor, Lorilei shed her clothes dropping them to the floor and stepping out of them. Great bat like wings unfurl from her back, and two small horns protrude from her forehead. Her eyes glow orange as she awaits the flesh vessel to bring her another soul for her collection.

Tharhack walks up to the globe, just a fraction of an inch from it's surface, and stares blankly awaiting Lorilei's instructions.

"Good my pretty, very good." Lorilei licks her lips "I need you to follow my directions very carefully, we don't want something bad to happen to you if you mess up this little job do we?"

Tharhack shakes his head no.

"Good." Lorilei breathes heavy "I need you to go up those stairs beyond that disgrace of a woman."

Tharhack nods in agreement, but continues to stare into Lorilei's demonic eyes.

"Once you reach the top of the stairs, you will be behind the blindingly annoying eyes of this place. On the wall opposite the eyes, you will find a stone throne, I need you to sit down on the stone throne. That's all you need to do." Lorilei tells Tharhack

Tharhack turns and begins his trek to the stairs, as he makes his way past the other globe Tharhack can tell that the temperature of the area near the globe has increased. The air and even the floor feel hot. Tharhack pauses as if a some thought or information was trying to tell him something.

Lorilei notices the pause, "What's wrong my sweet?

Tharhack's thought becomes lost under a massive block of suggestion, and he continues on his way towards the stairs. Lorilei watches as Tharhack disappears up the stone steps, then turns her attention to the sleeping woman.

"You get more clever with each sacrifice, I'll give you that. That just means your failures are even more glowing." Lorilei snickers "By the way, aren't you up earlier than usual?"

No response is returned, and the other woman remains laying on the floor of the globe.

"Hey could you flame on and get it a little hotter in here? Emthur has been keeping this place in perpetual winter for so long, I've forgotten what home feels like." Lorilei speaks

As Tharhack climbs the forty or so steps, he notices that the heat in the air has combined with the humidity in the air, to form moisture on the steps. The treacherous footing catches the charmed Tharhack unawares, and he slips on the third to last step from the top, falling forward and slamming his jaw onto the floor. Tharhack becomes temporarily dazed.

"I just want you to know that I think one-hundred sixty souls will be a nice sacrifice to my lord, in fact I think I'm going to be looked on most favorable. If you like I could put in a good word for you, who knows, maybe a dretch would like to start a harem?" Lorilei taunts the other woman

Still silence, from the other globe.

"Such a loser, couldn't keep your love from me, couldn't save him from Emthur, and soon won't be able to even save yourself. Such a pitiful creature, tell me, how it is that you managed to even get to the mortal's plane? Let alone even convince one of these pathetic souls to even talk to you? I do hope the only reason you're here is because your kind couldn't stand looking at you any longer." Lorilei began turning up the insults as she's done for the past one-hundred years.

Tharhack shakes the fog from his thoughts, his fall to the wet stone floor has broken the succubi's charm on him. Tharhack remembers the physical change Lorilei went through, the instructions she gave him, and the increase in temperature. The other woman was trying to warn him, Tharhack wondered if all of the other guests who came before all feel into the same trap, and were now filling the ranks of the restless spirits.

Carefully pushing himself to his feet, Tharhack gets a good look around the floor. He spots the stone throne positioned so that anyone seated on it, would get a terrible view of the black tower at the other side of the canyon, by looking out through the nasal cavity. Tharhack then spots the eye sockets. A beautiful glowing bluish-white object hung in mid air in both eyes. Looking upon them, Tharhack was filled with a warm peaceful feeling. The pure peace that Tharhack felt, drew him towards the closest ladder which would take him to the object in the right eye.

"What's taking him so long, can't a half-orc figure out how to sit in a chair? Tate go see what's taking him so long." Lorilei commands

The tate blinks his way to the stairs, and then up them. It doesn't see Tharhack anywhere, searching all around the throne area, the tate was about to give up when it heard Tharhack's voice coming from one of the eye sockets. Following the sound, the tate blinks it's way up to the level with Tharhack on it.

Tharhack stares intently into the object, which has turned out to be the most massive diamond Tharhack is ever likely to see. Tharhack can see something inside the gem, a dark something, almost like the gem is a cocoon. Tharhack reaches out to touch the diamond, and the tate hisses and blinks infront of Tharhack. Startled Tharhack reflexively defends himself, throwing a swing from his fist at the tate, and missing. Tharhack's blow crashes into the gem. Bright light fills the area as cracks appear along the surface of the gem, The tate becomes blinded from the light which burns at it's very nature. Tharhack seems unaffected by the brightness of the light.

The light dies down, and a hairy human male stands naked in the gem's place, Tharhack looks on in awe. The tate bumps into the wall a few times, unable to see where it's blinking too. The man looks over Tharhack with approval, then turns his attentions to the tate. The man's features undergo a change, as a coarse dark brown hair grows to cover his body, his nose becomes pronounced, like that of a pigs', his lower two incisor teeth grow so that they protrude from his mouth an inch or so. His muscles seem to grow before Tharhack's eyes, his feet become hooves, his ears become wider like that of a boar's.

The tate blinks closer to Tharhack and the man, and as it blinks in next to the man, it gets a fist slammed into it's head. Immediately stunning it, the next fist creates a concave indentation on the tate's head. It's spark of life gone, the tate dissolves into the floor. The beast turns to Tharhack with deep blue eyes, and smiles. Tharhack feels safe here, somehow.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Tharhack asks the man

"I am Ageanent of the Boar clan, my clan was defeated on the field of battle, as per the custom of my clan my life became forfeit to the victor. A just man by the name of Mycilk, a powerful wizard, after I surrendered he cast a spell on me. He told me that I would find the peace I so longed for, then I was inside a glass chamber. I couldn't break any of the glass though, and I was trapped. Then on every face of the glass I was shown every deed of my life, the bad and good, and the outcome from that deed. For what seemed like an eternity, I watched as the families my tribe razed weep for their loss, I watched as my family members lives were wasted by my ambition. Even my own son's life.." Ageanent stops speaking as if caught in a memory

"I'm not fully understanding this, you were a prisoner. forced to relive your life?" Tharhack asks

"Not just to relive it, but to atone for it. I spent what seemed an eternity, reflecting on all my past mistakes. As I sat in reflection, I began to understand, to realize that my greed and blind ambition would drive all those I cared for away. I would stop at nothing to get want I want, even destroy my own son. I wept for many days. Then a miracle happened, I felt remorse and pity. Thoughts of mercy came to me, my heart longed for the love of life not for the blood of battle. The missing piece of my being that I thought I would find thru the death of others, came to me in the tears of my own pain. I renounced my former life, and the glass prison was filled with such a warm peaceful light, all the scars from my past life were erased as the light fell about me. I am no longer that man I once was, Mycilk has given me the opportunity to redeem myself, hopefully in the watchful eyes of my son." Ageanent finishes

"I have never heard of such magic that can redeem a soul, where is this Mycilk now?" Tharhack asks

"You do not know? I thought you were with him." Ageanent answers

"No, I am Tharhack priest of Kord. My friends came here to rescue one of our own from an evil wizard, who was using souls to create a means to become immortal." Tharhack replies

"What year is it?" Ageanent asks

"It is the tenth month in the year 1137." Tharhack answers

"Oh my, I have been away for three-hundred ninety years. Where is this place?" Ageanent asks

"We are approximately a ten day trek north of a little hamlet called Thumble, beyond that there is not much for almost twenty days." Tharhack replies

"What of the Blue Spire Mountains? and the river Tigoruth?" Ageanent inquires

"I know of no such places around here. Perhaps you were transported from Mycilk as well?" Tharhack offers

"This is most dizzying, I wish to see what became of my tribe, hopefully without me they faired better." Ageanent laments

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you've admitted your errors and that is the hardest step to take, join with me and I will help you find your former homeland. Together we shall make evil tremble before us, and crumble in our wake." Tharhack says while flexing for Ageanent

"It would be nice to have a fellow champion of honor to show me what has become of the world since I left it. I accept." Ageanent shakes Tharhack's hand and smiles.

"Do you know who or what is in the other gem?" Tharhack asks

"I do not, although there were two other gems in the room when I was transported inside mine. Perhaps we shall find others who have been given another chance like myself." Ageanent replies

The pair climb down the ladder, and then up the left ladder to the glowing gem in that eye socket. Tharhack and Ageanent look inside the diamond at the shifting pattern of darkness within.

"Oh my lord, I can't believe it." Ageanent stammers

"What? I see nothing but a mass of black pudding." Tharhack tells Ageanent

"You have to turn your head slightly and then bring your head either closer or further away from a facet slowly, then the image will appear." Ageanent comments

Tharhack does as described and his jaw drops and his eyes widen. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, it appears to be." Ageanent answers

"If it works on that, then this truly is the greatest treasure. Imagine the good one could bring to the world." Tharhack states

"I wonder if it's finished with it's trial?" Ageanent ponders

"This would explain why the succubus is here, if this spell works on anything, then that would put a big damper on their evil plans." Tharhack thinks aloud "Things are starting to make a little more sense now "Well there's only one way to tell if it's worked or not, let's break it open." Tharhack says as he slams a fist into the gem, and white light streams out from the cracks along the gem's facets.

Lorilei waits as the minutes go by, waiting for something to happen. Not only has the half-orc's ghost not appeared alongside the rest of the ghosts, but her tate as yet to return as well. Frustrated at the lack of response, Lorilei throws a tantrum in her globe. The other woman hears her screaming, and realizes it's an angry scream, not one of Lorilei's jubilation shouts, the woman sits up and looks around.

"Go back to sleep, you've gained nothing, just a little delay." Lorilei shouts

The other woman stands up, hearing panic in the voice of her cellmate. Smiling the woman allows a little hope to enter her heart, two-hundred years of listening and watching the succubus gain and gloat. Now it's time for Lorilei to feel defeat, now is the time to put all these waiting souls to eternal rest. Maybe this would be the one who would free her from her cell.

More minutes go by, still with no tate, and no new ghost. Lorilei's temper rages within her confines.

"I've won, you got greedy. Your doom is coming, I'm going to rip out each of your ribs one-by-one, then burn your heart in a pyre between my two hands." The flame haired woman tells Lorilei

"You're full of feces, one-hundred years of silence and that's the best you can come up with? Pathetic, no wonder you lost your little human to me. I can still taste him on my tongue after all these years." Lorilei laughs at the other woman

Between the hands of the other woman, a small flame comes into existence, burning bright with the power of vengeance.

 

[Jon Potter]

So what's in the other diamond?!!!

That would be a pretty world-shaking artifact if it worked on just anybody. Imagine:
"Here, Asmodeus. Could you hold this huge diamond for me?"

Of course, if it took 300+ years for an evil human to repent how much longer would it take for something truely evil by nature? Hmmm...

Come to think of it, Tharhack might have his spiked gauntlets full with whatever comes out of the cracked gem/prison.

More! More!

 

[pogre]

"It would be nice to have a fellow champion of honor to show me what has become of the world since I left it. I accept." Ageanent shakes Tharhack's hand and smiles.

I love a good buddy film.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Unaffected by the blinding light, Tharhack and Ageanent watch as a large creature forms out of light. Tharhack makes out the outline of huge wings unfolding off the creature's back, two wicked horns protrude from the outsides of his brows and point up to the ceiling at a forty-five degree angle. A thick tail snakes it's way around the creature's massive feet, the creature's color begins to show throw the white light. A deep red rust color outlined in black, begins to take the place of the light. Two sharp teeth point like tusks from it's upper jaw, down towards it's chin. Eyes the color of hot coals finally complete the visage.

Not one to fear anything, Tharhack feels his skin tighten and the hair on his neck become as ridged as a porcupines. Ageanent watches as the massive creature unfurls it's wings and stands erect, and thus blocks out all of the light streaming in from this eye socket.

"Have you come to kill me?" The beast says in an old common dialect.

Tharhack and Ageanent stand speechless, within an aura of utter reverence.

"No, I sense no evil about you. Has the time come for me to begin again?" The beast asks

"Begin what?" Tharhack blubbers out

"The time of repentance, I have much I wish to atone for. I have chosen a new outlook upon my life, and I have waited long enough." The beast replies

"How long were you in there?" Ageanent asks

"Four-hundred twenty five of your years, contemplating the meaning of evil, of good, and of neutrality. Only to discover I had chosen the easy path that never ends. I wish to be challenged, I wish for there to be finality. These cannot be accomplished sitting on a throne of bodies lording over a pit of conniving underlings, all of them wishing for a mistake from me to claim my place upon that throne. I had never known passion until I relived it through the eyes of a ghaele I strangled to death, I know now why they fight with a passion my legions will never come to know. I learned that mercy is for the strong, for if you can let your enemy go free knowing they were bested then your legacy will grow stronger through the embellishment of the tale. I remember everything, every soul, every body, every wish, every plead. To have a heart that within it beats the blood of compassion is very humbling, in a thousand years I was never bested, yet within my prison I fell and submitted to myself to one being I could not beat, myself." The beast answers

"I too was imprisoned, this man freed me, and I too wish to atone for my deeds." Ageanent tells the fiend

The beast looks Tharhack over, wicked eyes and a mouthful of teeth exude an aura of power and Tharhack feels that if it wanted to the fiend could rip his arms off and beat him to death with his own fists.

"A priest? Tell me what to you see when you look into my being?" The beast asks leaning over so that it's head looks down perpendicular to Tharhack

Tharhack stumbles through a hasty detect evil, hands shaking, the result comes back as Tharhack hoped but not what he truly expected.

"Satisfied little one?" The beast asks Tharhack, who had never been called little before.

Ageanent waits for Tharhack to ease up on his fear level. Seeing Tharhack give a little smile to the beast, seems to cut the tension a little.

"This magic Mycilk weaved, could reshape the world. Imagine helpful liches, compassionate beholders, fiends of mercy. The possibilities are endless." Ageanent says

"Who is this Mycilk you speak of?" The beast inquires

Tharhack and Ageanent look at each other before Ageanent speaks "Mycilk was the wizard who imprisoned my, I just assumed he was also the one who imprisoned you as well."

"No, I was contained by an elven mage who got lucky. Although I am grateful for the result." The beast replies

"I am Tharhack Bonepounder." Tharhack offers the beast his hand

The creature looks over Tharhack's hand, and reaches his own out. "I am known as Empythacoreaus the Pain. Although I feel that I shall have to lose that moniker once I am amongst your people." Empythacoreaus answers

"Amongst.... my people?" Tharhack answers

"You mean you plan on staying... here? and mingling?" Ageanent asks

"I can not go back to my former home, nor can I go to Mount Olympia and asks for admission." Empythacoreaus answers

"I see you point, but don't you think walking around looking like you just stepped out of a gate from hell, is really the best way to illicit help from a human?" Tharhack asks

"I am what I am, and I do not wish to hide behind a facade that is to deny what I have become, I am not naive to think that I will change anyone's perspective. Yet, I will show people that even in the pits of despair, redemption is possible." Empythacoreaus replies

Tharhack relates his tale of this edifice up to this point.

"A succubus? You were tempted by a succubus? and yet you were able to break it's charm. Impressive, although they are only half as good as my erinyes, they would've been bathing in your on blood as you happily slit your wrists for them." Empythacoreaus tells Tharhack

Tharhack shifts uncomfortably in his boots. Ageanent listens on in wonderment at news of the world, outside of his diamond prison.

"I shall like to meet this succubus acquaintance of yours, one less succubus around help us all." Empythacoreaus says

"I shall like to meet this red headed woman you spoke of." Ageanent replies

"The shape changer wishes to make new friends immediately does he?" Empythacoreaus's response struck Tharhack as odd. How did the pit fiend know Ageanent was a shape changer, and what kind of shape changer, or was it some kind of inside joke relating to their imprisonment? Tharhack wasn't sure.

 

[Jon Potter]

How did the pit fiend know Ageanent was a shape changer, and what kind of shape changer, or was it some kind of inside joke relating to their imprisonment?

Ageanent of the Boar clan? Hmmm... I wonder...

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Ageanent of the Boar clan? Hmmm... I wonder...

Well now that the diamond is open, what did you think was in there?

Basically this what I deemed would happen to those subjected to a Sanctify the Wicked spell. (from Book of Exalted Deeds)

next up: The "other" woman.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Empythacoreaus is now posted:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1313358#post1313358

 

[Jon Potter]

Well now that the diamond is open, what did you think was in there?

I definitely thought Fiend, but certainly not one of that stature. As I was reading Empythacoreaus' description for a second I thought, "Oh oh! Red dragon!" Of course that was quickly replaced with, "Oh oh! Pit fiend!!!"

Basically this what I deemed would happen to those subjected to a Sanctify the Wicked spell. (from Book of Exalted Deeds)

I picked up The Book of Vile Darkness, but didn't grab Exalted Deeds. Maybe I should.

next up: The "other" woman.

I can't wait.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Your tate is dead and my salvation is at hand." The flame haired woman tells Lorilei

Lorilei fumes against the side of her globe rapping her fingers against it's solid wall. The ghost gallery stands as confused as the women, no one had ever not come back as a ghost.

********

The three men scour the stone throne looking for a way to disable it.

"Necromantic magic, interesting loop the person has ensorcelled into it, looks flawed though. Maybe a prototype." Empythacoreaus tells Tharhack and Ageanent

"You can tell all of that just by looking at it?" Tharhack asks amazed.

"Yes, when you're as old as I am, discerning patterns and probability become second nature. I could see the magic weaved into this throne with my eyes closed." Empythacoreaus answers

"Will destroying the throne release the ghosts?" Ageanent asks

"Let me rephrase your question for you. Will destroying the throne make the ghosts free willed? Yes, but I don't think that's a good idea." Empythacoreaus answers

"No, but I also will not allow them to remain in limbo. There must be a way to let them rest in piece." Tharhack responds

"Well, the succubus must've found a way to do something with the ghosts. If she sent you to your doom, instead of having you free her, then she might know how to get out of here. From there I can research how to send the ghosts on their way." Empythacoreaus replies

The three men agree, and head for the stairs down to the succubus.

"Look here, the floor and half of the wall is soaked with moisture. Oh, feel that heat. Was it this way when you arrived up these stairs?" Empythacoreaus asks Tharhack

"Yes, there also was a hot area around the other woman imprisoned downstairs." Tharhack answers

"Really, well I think she saved you. This is recent activity, the moisture hasn't always been here." Empythacoreaus tells Tharhack

Empythacoreaus grabs a hold of both men and flies down the stairs, startling both woman and the gallery.

"Yes, one-hundred fifty eight ghosts is quite a sight." Empythacoreaus comments

"I was worried about you, lover. What seems to be th." Lorilei's comment is dropped once the visage of Empythacoreaus comes into view.

"Silence demon! I have need of your answers." Empythacoreaus shouts at Lorilei

"Bah! I have nothing to say to you devil, you can rot in here with the rest of us for all I care." Lorilei answered

"Wrong! You have two choices, give me my answers and you shall perish at my hands, or not, and I shall send you to burn for eternity atop the peak of freezing Mount Olympus. Personally I would like to see you answer my questions." Empythacoreaus spreads his wings in an attempt to intimidate the succubus.

Ageanent spots the other woman alone in her globe. "Whoa Tharhack, you didn't say she was naked. Must be cold in there." Ageanent walks over to the globe and reaches his hand out to touch the globe, feeling it's magical surface.

The woman turns and stares into Ageanent's eyes, it is then that Ageanent sees the flame dancing between the woman's hands. Looking up at her face again, Ageanent watches as her hair seems to dance in rhythm with the flame. Ageanent backs away thinking it best not to get involved.

"Uh, she looks mad." Ageanent points out to Tharhack

Empythacoreaus steps to the other woman's globe, and speaking a language unknown to either Tharhack or Ageanent, converses with the woman. To Tharhack it sounds as though they are speaking a language that sounds like a crackling fire, lots of pops and even some sizzles. The woman's expression goes from fear to shock to disbelief, she glances at Tharhack and Ageanent as Empythacoreaus speaks to her.

Ageanent smiles back at her and leans into Tharhack "What're they saying?"

"I don't know, I have never heard that language spoken." Tharhack replies

"Wouldn't that mean she's a demon also?" Ageanent replies

"I don't think so, I don't speak infernal but I have heard it, and it has words. This is more like a campfire speaking." Tharhack answers

"It's not infernal, it's ignan the language of the flame." Empythacoreaus breaks into Tharhack and Ageanent's conversation

"Fire huh? I could have told you that, look how hot she is." Ageanent replies

"Do try to curtail your animal instincts boarman. Once we're out of here, I promise to find you a nice goat." Empythacoreaus tells Ageanent

"Really? So, what is she? A fire demon, a fire spirit?" Ageanent asks

"Fire nymph, and her name is Charekyal." Empythacoreaus relates as he's backing away from her globe, and making his way over to Lorilei, "and for almost two-hundred years," Empythacoreaus reaches Lorilei, "she's been keeping a ruse."

Lorilei screams at the mention of Charekyal's name "It was you! You imprisoned me here! I remember now, no wonder you never spoke your name to me nymph." Lorilei screams as Empythacoreaus makes his way over to her

Reaching Lorilei Empythacoreaus gives his offer one last time "How bout those answers now dretch?"

"Go to heavens with you, you need me to get out of here. I'll make you a deal, free me so that I may tear that @#$#@ to pieces, and I will gladly show you the way out." Lorilei counters

"I don't need you to show me the way out." Empythacoreaus replies

"What... do you want then?" Lorilei's response came tentatively

"The souls, I want them freed." Empythacoreaus answers

Confused Lorilei looks at Tharhack and the hairy man standing next to him. "No deal." Lorilei tells the pit fiend

"I was hoping you'd say that." Empythacoreaus slams his fist and whips his tail onto the globe, causing the field to dissipate. With his free hand, Empythacoreaus grabs the succubus' throat, and slams her against the wall.

Looking down into the eyes of the very afraid demon, "Two hundred years, and all you had to do was have someone beat down the force cage, and you'd be free. Stupid demon." Empythacoreaus tells her.

Lorilei tries to wiggle and scratch at the pit fiend, but to no avail. Empythacoreaus eyes turn a bright white as a beam of pure goodness shoots from his eyes, melting Lorilei's head off her shoulders. Empythacoreaus releases the dead husk and it falls to the floor.

"One down." Empythacoreaus says, looking at the ghost gallery "Which of you wish to rest in piece?"

Almost all of the ghost respond with a "Yes."

"Good, I didn't want to have to destroy all of you." Empythacoreaus tells the ghosts

Tharhack, Ageanent, and Charekyal stand in awe.