The guardian will snap off two more feathers - not as precise as those using tools, but certainly effective... (It's not immune or resistant to psychic damage, but it does regenerate!)
Khessa takes the hand of the sacred Firbolg as she squeezes her shoulder: "I am not convinced... Tamiel did not harm us and, on the contrary, helped us. If this is truly a punishment for a crime he committed, perhaps he has redeemed himself... but to me it seems more likely that Demon Lord Madness is responsible for the aggressive behavior of some of the Angels. However, once we have banished the Demon Lords, I will try to help him... at worst, if you're right, it just won't work".
"But I believed that Angels and Fiends were invariably good and evil respectively..." the blonde arcane warrior marvels at her friend who is more expert in matters of religion "Isn't it like that, instead, Lulu? Can an Angel really become evil? And conversely... can even a Fiend become good? Demons that we are killing without thinking twice about... could they possibly decide to turn to goodness, if we gave them this possibility?"
The tall adventuress seems rather disconcerted and shocked by this eventuality, which until a moment before she thought was absurd and impossible...
Lulu doesn't have the heart to tell the human that, as was similar in her own case, it could have been that she simply fended off whatever ill effect the angel might've inflicted on her.
"We are all of us capable of changing our nature, Miss Khessa. Though it can be the hardest thing one will ever do." She looks to Traydark with a soft smile, quite an example himself of one changing a nature they were forced to accept. "And it takes intentional action to do so. Choices. A desire. An angel can fall, just as a devil can rise. It is the strength of our will that allows us to be who we choose to be. No' who we were made to be. Ye yerself have met many already who have done the same. Our goblin friend and indeed, even Veldyskar." Seeing Khessa distraught, she adds, "But no matter one's nature, we have a right to defend ourselves against those who would do us harm."
"No one believes in the power of freedom more than I do..." Khessa mutters "And yet, it had never occurred to me that it was capable of changing even creatures like Fiends and Angels".
"And so," the blonde arcane warrior concludes, with a broad smile, patting her on the shoulder "even any Angels who have fallen can get up again! I thank you for broadening the horizons of this poor cabbage farmer!"
In good spirits, the tall adventuress observes the Shield Guardian while she collects the last necessary feathers ... The construct should not suffer any harmful effects... should it? If nothing else extraordinary occurs, she is ready to continue the journey...
"Well, now that we have our feathers I guess it's onward?" Katryl comments. She doesn't have anything else she wishes to do before moving on. She does think the group should approach with caution. Perhaps Traydark's creature can keep an eye ahead.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The noble drow merely listens to the discussion about fighting one's nature. He still wasn't sure it was his nature but rather his upbringing that had made him what he was. He sincerely doubted the same could be said for demons though and he groaned at the thought of trying to decide with each demon if they were in fact struggling to be good before actually fighting them. Then again, who knew, maybe even the great demon lords were in fact struggling to be good and maybe they should try to save them all, turning them all into peaceful cabbage farmers. If they only were optimistic and positive enough it could surely be achieved...
Traydark's creature does indeed scout ahead to assess the area which supposedly holds the Maze Engine, reporting back to it's master before the team arrives.
The artificer nds at Lulu's words. He knew that he could change the very nature of matter and the elements by magical workings - so why couldn't the nature of living beings be changeable? This gives him a new line of thinking about what his runic inscriptions and alchemical concoctions might be able to do to people and creatures!!
He will revert back to misty form to approach the Maze Engine (assuming there is still time left for the spell...), keeping an eye and ear out for anything inherently threatening.
In anticipation of any interactions with the Maze Engine, Khessa ritual-summons her Faithful Butler just before reaching it so she can intervene indirectly if necessary.
Aside from that, the blonde arcane warrior simply stays at the front of the group, along with the three Gauntlet infantry she was able to bring with her: Thora, the formidable she-fighter with braids that make her look vaguely like an overgrown child, Sylrien, the well-built, curly brunette who maintains a determined look despite all the horrors she has seen so far, and Olaf, the big redhead man with the imposing physique who often fidgets nervously with the magical dagger he earned along the way.
'I wonder how Elias and Tamryn are doing?' the tall adventuress wonders for a moment 'I really don't like that we're separated, in a hostile environment like the Demon-infested Underdark... I really hope that both they and the refugees are okay...'
Before Grax'xt gets close, a voice bellows with a rather disgruntled voice in an abyssal tongue:
"By the hells, what is this!? Some paltry creature lost its way? And what's this? Clouds? No..."
A porky demonic laugh ensues and echoes down the rocky area as you begin your approach, and Grax'xt eventually reports the presence of a portly, winged creature sitting on a pile of rocks not far from a deep crevasse. A quick sweep of the area notes that there is a large object wedged down in the chasm about halfway down.
Do you stay back a ways to revert forms? Or fly on in closer to the chasm still in your cloud form before starting to revert?
'Hmmm... A powerful demon near the Maze Engine is precisely the scenario I would have liked to avoid... Perhaps Baphomet himself got there before us!?' Khessa thinks, as she stays back a ways to revert forms 'And, of course, as usual, seeing him will be dangerous for our minds... Let's hope Lulu has some means to improve our chances. And that there's some not-too-difficult way to make the Maze Engine not usable for him anymore'.
Seeing Khessa preparing to revert to solid form, Katryl moves back as well and does the same. Even as she is doing that, she tries to find a good spot to hide, anticipating the demon may follow back to them. (Stealth: 22) She waits to hear what the others might decide to do.
As his familiar reports back to him, the noble drow takes solid form and explains the situation to the others. "Having made us the trouble to come here I would say we should simply slay the demon but I suppose there is an argument to be made for approaching it peacefully. Who knows, it might really be struggling to be good? Given our record of peaceful negotiations I believe anything but a swift kill is a waste of time though. If anything we could hope to trick it to divulge why it is here and what it wants with the machine." He says with a smirk, ready to go along with what the others decide.
"The idea to trick the demon to divulge why it is here and what it wants with the machine seems a good one..." Khessa muses aloud "Maybe it can help us understand the Engine - and whether we can try to use it or we should simply try do destroy it".
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The noble drow hesitates briefly but then shrugs. "Better get this over with then."He says tiredly and starts to openly approach the demon who apparently aleady had seen them coming anyway.
Traydark then goes ahead and uses his drow magic to place a magical darkness about 100 feet away from the demon, then erecting the adamantine tower in the center of it, stepping inside and calling out to the demon in Abyssal. "Greetings, who are you and what do you want with the Maze Engine? Perhaps we can help each other out?"
Persuasion to get the demon to talk: 16
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(You need 2 more feathers btw, unless I have miscounted.)
==>
Khessa takes the hand of the sacred Firbolg as she squeezes her shoulder: "I am not convinced... Tamiel did not harm us and, on the contrary, helped us. If this is truly a punishment for a crime he committed, perhaps he has redeemed himself... but to me it seems more likely that Demon Lord Madness is responsible for the aggressive behavior of some of the Angels. However, once we have banished the Demon Lords, I will try to help him... at worst, if you're right, it just won't work".
"But I believed that Angels and Fiends were invariably good and evil respectively..." the blonde arcane warrior marvels at her friend who is more expert in matters of religion "Isn't it like that, instead, Lulu? Can an Angel really become evil? And conversely... can even a Fiend become good? Demons that we are killing without thinking twice about... could they possibly decide to turn to goodness, if we gave them this possibility?"
The tall adventuress seems rather disconcerted and shocked by this eventuality, which until a moment before she thought was absurd and impossible...
Lulu doesn't have the heart to tell the human that, as was similar in her own case, it could have been that she simply fended off whatever ill effect the angel might've inflicted on her.
"We are all of us capable of changing our nature, Miss Khessa. Though it can be the hardest thing one will ever do." She looks to Traydark with a soft smile, quite an example himself of one changing a nature they were forced to accept. "And it takes intentional action to do so. Choices. A desire. An angel can fall, just as a devil can rise. It is the strength of our will that allows us to be who we choose to be. No' who we were made to be. Ye yerself have met many already who have done the same. Our goblin friend and indeed, even Veldyskar." Seeing Khessa distraught, she adds, "But no matter one's nature, we have a right to defend ourselves against those who would do us harm."
"No one believes in the power of freedom more than I do..." Khessa mutters "And yet, it had never occurred to me that it was capable of changing even creatures like Fiends and Angels".
"And so," the blonde arcane warrior concludes, with a broad smile, patting her on the shoulder "even any Angels who have fallen can get up again! I thank you for broadening the horizons of this poor cabbage farmer!"
In good spirits, the tall adventuress observes the Shield Guardian while she collects the last necessary feathers ... The construct should not suffer any harmful effects... should it? If nothing else extraordinary occurs, she is ready to continue the journey...
(Sorry I missed that! I really dislike the way the reminders work sometimes)
The shield guardian is able to get the last feathers without issue.
Is there anything you wish to do before heading to the Maze Engine? How would you like to approach the engine?
"Well, now that we have our feathers I guess it's onward?" Katryl comments. She doesn't have anything else she wishes to do before moving on. She does think the group should approach with caution. Perhaps Traydark's creature can keep an eye ahead.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
The noble drow merely listens to the discussion about fighting one's nature. He still wasn't sure it was his nature but rather his upbringing that had made him what he was. He sincerely doubted the same could be said for demons though and he groaned at the thought of trying to decide with each demon if they were in fact struggling to be good before actually fighting them. Then again, who knew, maybe even the great demon lords were in fact struggling to be good and maybe they should try to save them all, turning them all into peaceful cabbage farmers. If they only were optimistic and positive enough it could surely be achieved...
Traydark's creature does indeed scout ahead to assess the area which supposedly holds the Maze Engine, reporting back to it's master before the team arrives.
Grax'xt perception: 7
The artificer nds at Lulu's words. He knew that he could change the very nature of matter and the elements by magical workings - so why couldn't the nature of living beings be changeable? This gives him a new line of thinking about what his runic inscriptions and alchemical concoctions might be able to do to people and creatures!!
He will revert back to misty form to approach the Maze Engine (assuming there is still time left for the spell...), keeping an eye and ear out for anything inherently threatening.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
In anticipation of any interactions with the Maze Engine, Khessa ritual-summons her Faithful Butler just before reaching it so she can intervene indirectly if necessary.
Aside from that, the blonde arcane warrior simply stays at the front of the group, along with the three Gauntlet infantry she was able to bring with her: Thora, the formidable she-fighter with braids that make her look vaguely like an overgrown child, Sylrien, the well-built, curly brunette who maintains a determined look despite all the horrors she has seen so far, and Olaf, the big redhead man with the imposing physique who often fidgets nervously with the magical dagger he earned along the way.
'I wonder how Elias and Tamryn are doing?' the tall adventuress wonders for a moment 'I really don't like that we're separated, in a hostile environment like the Demon-infested Underdark... I really hope that both they and the refugees are okay...'
Lulu also takes cloudy flight as they continue on their way.
Before Grax'xt gets close, a voice bellows with a rather disgruntled voice in an abyssal tongue:
"By the hells, what is this!? Some paltry creature lost its way? And what's this? Clouds? No..."
A porky demonic laugh ensues and echoes down the rocky area as you begin your approach, and Grax'xt eventually reports the presence of a portly, winged creature sitting on a pile of rocks not far from a deep crevasse. A quick sweep of the area notes that there is a large object wedged down in the chasm about halfway down.
Do you stay back a ways to revert forms? Or fly on in closer to the chasm still in your cloud form before starting to revert?
'Hmmm... A powerful demon near the Maze Engine is precisely the scenario I would have liked to avoid... Perhaps Baphomet himself got there before us!?' Khessa thinks, as she stays back a ways to revert forms 'And, of course, as usual, seeing him will be dangerous for our minds... Let's hope Lulu has some means to improve our chances. And that there's some not-too-difficult way to make the Maze Engine not usable for him anymore'.
Seeing Khessa preparing to revert to solid form, Katryl moves back as well and does the same. Even as she is doing that, she tries to find a good spot to hide, anticipating the demon may follow back to them. (Stealth: 22) She waits to hear what the others might decide to do.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Lulu, likewise, reverts, knowing full well they're both vulnerable and limited in these airy forms.
The artificer and both constructs solidify into their regular forms, ready to take on the fat demon!
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
As his familiar reports back to him, the noble drow takes solid form and explains the situation to the others. "Having made us the trouble to come here I would say we should simply slay the demon but I suppose there is an argument to be made for approaching it peacefully. Who knows, it might really be struggling to be good? Given our record of peaceful negotiations I believe anything but a swift kill is a waste of time though. If anything we could hope to trick it to divulge why it is here and what it wants with the machine." He says with a smirk, ready to go along with what the others decide.
"The idea to trick the demon to divulge why it is here and what it wants with the machine seems a good one..." Khessa muses aloud "Maybe it can help us understand the Engine - and whether we can try to use it or we should simply try do destroy it".
The noble drow hesitates briefly but then shrugs. "Better get this over with then." He says tiredly and starts to openly approach the demon who apparently aleady had seen them coming anyway.
Traydark then goes ahead and uses his drow magic to place a magical darkness about 100 feet away from the demon, then erecting the adamantine tower in the center of it, stepping inside and calling out to the demon in Abyssal. "Greetings, who are you and what do you want with the Maze Engine? Perhaps we can help each other out?"
Persuasion to get the demon to talk: 16