Lost Lab of Kwalish

Perception: 10

"Huh, tell me more about the 'enlightened ones'?" Omiy asks. She looks around the peaceful scenes of this monastery. Does it look like the same one we've been before?

I think Omiy still has the rod of the mercurial, she didn't get to hand it to anyone else. It's a pretty big rod so she probably has it strapped on her back.

Leann perception: 9

"They are our most venerated members. They have kept this place running for all these years. It is to them we owe our very existence." Brother Meimbaol answers.

Omiy fails to see under the monk's cowl. Leann, however, notices as they walk: graffiti scratched into the walls in thieves’ cant and Infernal. (Assuming she points it out to a rogue, it reveals dire sentiments regarding how the doubtful are punished, and how only service to the monastery can keep it aloft.) 

In addition, the original metal of the structures here has been melted and reworked in many places into a preponderance of leering skulls.

This monastery greatly resembles the place you visited previously, though you would have only seen it from overhead earlier. Some of the small buildings are in different locations and there seem to be a few more of them than what you saw previously.

Quote from WhiteByakko >>

I think Omiy still has the rod of the mercurial, she didn't get to hand it to anyone else. It's a pretty big rod so she probably has it strapped on her back.

 Whoever walks behind Omiy would notice the quicksilver in the cryatal staff begin to flow rapidly upon reaching the monastery, but rather than favoring on one side of the rod, it thrashes about in a manner reminiscent if a compass sat upon a magnet.

Omiy gets a leery feeling, being stared down by countless empty skulls. "I see you have a lot of... decorations," She looks back at her companions and looks at the monk again, asking, "What is the business that Grand Master has with us? He knew we were coming?"

"The Grand Master know of all who enter the monastery." The monk replies.

Mary clarifies, "The Sphinx and I got to chatting.  She says this is where your Kwalish was holed up.  It seems he made his way through the planes from Faerûn to the Abyss, across the River Styx to Baator and eventually set himself up here.  Apparently, he hasn't been seen in years, but to the best of her considerable knowledge, he remains here.  I told her I'd wait for you." She pauses in thought for a moment, then continues,  "She must have told the monks about you.  By the way, what did you think of Sigil? I've never been, but I hear it's really cramped and oppressive." She shudders slightly at the though. "Not really my style. I'd hate to feel like I was trapped in a little box with no way out, eh Ctenmiir?" She asks the vampire, rapping on the lid of his coffin.

"Of course," Omiy replies.

She lags behind a little to talk to Mary, "I liked it. Sigil. I got a lot of stuff there, see?" She lets her giant tiny hamster peeks out its head from the neckline of her armor, and she scratches its fluffy little head, "it was alright, some arseholes, though, but otherwise very interesting people, and robots." She then looks ahead to see if the monk is paying attention, then lowers her voice and asks Mary, "where are we supposed to get these brains?"

Leann has fallen back to the rear of the group, wanting to keep an eye on their back trail, and to be ready when the monks turn on them. She would have her hand on the hilt of her sword, clearly not willing to trust the monks one inch.

Sigurd falls in with Leann at the back, keeping watch.

Perception:11

"I haven't the faintest idea.  Nora says they run this place and that they are some of the finest minds on this plane.  She was rather tight-lipped with the details though." Mary says.  

Ooc: I'm assuming this is whispered in the hopes the monk doesn't hear you asking about brains in jars? 

A massive pair of cathedral doors open onto a long nave. Rows of balconies line the walls, occupied by a couple of dozen hooded monks seemingly come to watch the audience about to take place.

At the far end of the nave, a throne resembling a twisted metal captain’s chair rises from a metallic dais backed by an ornate arch. There sits the Grand Master of the Distressed Body — a bone devil flanked by two massive bodyguards. The Grand Master wears a patchwork leather robe and a gleaming crown, and it carries a scepter set with odd crystal bumps and metal flanges. With its other hand, the devil taps the arm of the throne, showing off nails set with gleaming metallic shards.

“Welcome,” the Grand Master says. “We get few supplicants here of your obvious experience and skill. You shall do well in service here at the monastery. But will that service be with the strength of your bodies or the strength of your minds?”

The Grand Master turns his attention to the monk who escorted you, "Lean Meimbaol, you have served me well these many years, yet, today, you disappoint me. You have allowed outsiders bearing weapons to be brought into my holy presence.  That will not do." he growls.  By this time you have noticed that the devil’s horrid leather cloak is crafted from the faces of flayed monks, the flesh cured to leather and roughly stitched together. The scepter and crown it bears appear almost mechanical in nature, and are crafted from repurposed magical-mechanical parts. Large rings seemingly crafted in the same way encircle the devil’s arms and tail.

"East Wind, West Wind: Let what must be done, be done." At these words, two half-orc monks on either side of the Grand Master step forward, each bearing a longsword.  The old monk protests, but the pair unceremoniously execute the elder monk with fleet strikes displaying uncanny speed and precision.

As they return to the Grand Master's side, several other monks come to remove the body from the chamber.  Even as they arrive, the Grand Master begins anew, in a pleasant tone, "Sorry about that business.  Welcome again to our sanctuary.  Now, what service do you wish to offer?"

"Offer your flesh!" Cslls one of the brethren gathered on the mezzanine.  "Give your body to the Grand Master! " shouts another. "Serve the Master and you will be rewarded!" echoes another. "This is the way. This is the way. This Is The Way!" A chorus of voices begins to chant.

The uproar halts in an instant when the Grand Master, feom upon his throne raises a finger skyward, demanding silence.

"Let them speak for themselves," he hisses. "My children, what have you come to offer in exchange for your salvation?"

“Don’t freak out, don’t freak out, don’t freak out...” Hondo is whispering to himself. He moves up to Omiy. “I think we should attack this monstrosity, but I’ll support what you decide,” he whispers. 

Omiy looks up, her thoughts drown out by the cheering and chanting of the audience, wave after wave, that her hamster gets scared and burrows back under her armor. She turns to Hondo and whispers back, "don't worry," her fists tightens at the hilt of her sword, "we got your back." 

"We offer your doom." Her eyes returns back to the bone devil sitting above, the haunting imagery of the cape made of faces, as her echo conjures herself right up on the throne against the bone devil, the sword comes unsheathed, her echo strikes down.

"Agreed." Leann says, drawing forth her longsword. "We are not here for salvation, but your destruction." She then casts shield of faith

Samogri looks at the bone devil then looks at omily “we will take the devil yess” then will draw his scimitar and cast hunters mark on the bone devil at 1st level 

I see we're doing this. Huarache places Echo down in attack position as he pulls out his Duskcrusher, which flares to life as he adjusts his stance.

Seeing the way things are going, Sigurd takes out and activates his sunblade, while growing to twice his size and taking a ready stance.

Silently, the Grand Master raises a gleaming talon and thrusts it toward the group.  The two half-orcs spring forward to attack.

Ooc: Anyone with initiative +3 or higher is up, then the enemies, then anyone under +3.

 First of all, DM, could we have a battle map? Secondly, since I realized that Heat Metal would have no practical effect on Echo's weight or mass, can we retcon that I cast it?

Quote from Shonisaurus >>

 First of all, DM, could we have a battle map? Secondly, since I realized that Heat Metal would have no practical effect on Echo's weight or mass, can we retcon that I cast it?

 

 I mean... Regardless of heat, on the astral you have no weight.  If she didnt have that out she might have fought you for it.  Plus that was like three scenes ago.