Corlith's words make Jander wince, more with each sentence. "Please..." he attempts again as the tiefling turns, eyeing the others to see if his plight might fall on more sympathetic ears.
At Corlith's last question, "Why... why I would tell you where the citadel is!"
"That is where you draw the line?", Corlith replies to Reed. "Undead skeletons, demons, devils, hags and their minions and vehicles powered by souls are ok, but vampires are too much?".
He turns back to Jander, "You heard him, sorry. Telling him where the citadel is may change his mind, but that is out of my hands".
He then holds his hands up in supplication, turns and walks away from the conversation.
Ironmaiden sits down whilst the others are speaking to the vampire, and then slips down to lay on the iron forest floor looking up at whatever the hells seem to have for a sky, obscured by smoke and ash, "we have odd morals this is true, but he did just say his entire existence as a vampire is reliant upon these stirges feeding him tainted blood, perhaps if he were to be cut down he would move on as he says, but I do not believe so, his instinctual need to survive in the face of danger as suggested by his abandoning his post in the hells is also an instinctual function which would allow him to say anything to get him out of this situation... That is where I question his intention once released. Though I am interested in the result from a scientific view point." Without looking at any of the group IronMaiden stays laying on the ground and reaches up to the sky tracing smokestacks with their fingers and apparently caught up in some kind of lazy but whimsical shape theories
Reed looks skeptically at the vampire and shakes his head.
"We've dealt with lots of undead and devils and demons," Reed says to Corlith. "But we didn't exactly go out of our way to save them. I'm not going home and explaining to everyone I'm a vampire now because we rescued a cursed one."
Reed cocks his head to one side while he listens to Lulu then he nods and looks around to the others.
"So who's got the map?" Reed asks. "Lulu said this isn't the right place but that are are two other places that can help us find it. There's a place demons manifest, whatever that means. Maybe where they're coming into Avernus. And then a place demons get destroyed. I like the sound of that one."
He looks back to Lulu.
"If she can see the map she can point out the two areas."
Corlith turns, "It is not like I was considering releasing him in the sense of freeing him physically. And I don't believe he knows where the citadel is, it sounds like he ran before it was even created. Anyway, you are right, as was my first instinct. He is where he deserves to be".
He then produces the map from his backpack and opens it for Lulu and Reed to take a look at.
Virro listens to the back and forth, curious to what the group would feel about this, the discussion of the vampire, the decision regarding his fate. “I tend to agree with you Corlith. He’s right where he should be. We should move on.” He looks over Corlith’s shoulder at the map, curious about what Lulu will point out.
As the map opens up, Lulu flits over to it and spins around a couple of times. She points to dead looking tree on the right side (circled in blue) and in your heads you hear, "This is a place where demons manifest". Then she points to a bright spot on the left side (circled in purple), "This is a place where demons are destroyed."
"Ok, so we either have to cross the river to get to the place where deomns are destroyed, or we have to go back past the fort we attacked as we left", Corlith summarises. It certainly isn't ideal.
"Is there a way to cross the river with our vehicles?", he asks Lulu.
"Not everyone flies here," Reed says. "There must be a bridge or barges or something to get across."
Remembering that they're on a hill, and looking at the map, Reed looks around and heads over to the crest of the hill that looks like it might overlook the river. From there he tries to spot any means to get across (Perception: 22)
Virro walks over behind Reed, standing there looking as well, trying to gauge their way forward. He looks up at Lulu, thinking “How do we get across, can you see any other way from where you are?”
As people are crowding around the map, Ironmaiden puts a gauntleted finger in the center, "here, this lake on the other side of the river, what is that keep in the middle lulu?"
After receiving a telepathic answer to Thier question the IronMaiden needlessly scratches their chin in thought, or the chin part of the metal visor. "Come, we should move, deliberating for so long is going to get us nowhere, Lulu says there are bridges and so we are just going to have to find one. I'm going to head south along the river edge and cross, it seems foolish to look for a bridge further north if we need to return south on the other side. Hopefully Lulu can find her bearings and get us to the sword once we have crossed and begin heading toward this demon destroying place." And with that IM begins walking, casting a look over their shoulder to make sure that the group don't fall too far behind.
Corlith nods and gives Jander a final glance and shake of the head before turning his back and following the Ironmaiden.
"Agreed, I don't want to have to walk the whole way", he says, but assumes that was what Ironmaiden meant, although who knows, they might be quite capable of walking the length and breadth of Avernus without tiring.
Jadar whimpers once more as another stirge injects him with blackened blood. "Please... don't leave me. I repent!" But the group turns their backs on him as they make the trek back down the hill. As you look at the others that are impaled, they all have names etched in the iron trees.. knights of all names.
But you find your two vehicles unharmed and you pile back in as you were, Roo and Corlith in the two-seater and Iron Maiden, Reed, Wilfred and Virro in the other. I believe Roo and Iron Maiden are driving?
Lulu spins around a bit and starts towards the River Styx and as you get closer, you see a stone bridge that is surprisingly vacant. You take your time as you approach, making sure no traps are waiting, but all is clear at the moment - must have hit it at a good time. You all cross the bridge without incident.
CHAPTER 3: AVERNUS - PATH OF DEVILS
The way to the spot that Lulu described as the location that demons are destroyed is not the easiest to find. You notice that landmarks on the map aren't always in the spot you would expect them to be... that things are consistently changing. But between Corlith's navigation and Lulu's eye in the sky, you arrive to the edge of it. And as you do, the actual map in Corlith's hand speaks up.. the voice you heard before. "The purest of souls lures fiends into a hellish trap. Zap! Zap!"
Looking out towards it, you see an orb of radiant light that cascades from a rusted metal monument shaped like the upraised mandibles of a giant beetle.
"Ah well, worth trying", Corlith says. "So I assume that there orb will try and kill anything that gets close. I don't see a citadel Lulu, are we in the wrong place?".
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Corlith's words make Jander wince, more with each sentence. "Please..." he attempts again as the tiefling turns, eyeing the others to see if his plight might fall on more sympathetic ears.
At Corlith's last question, "Why... why I would tell you where the citadel is!"
Reed’s ears perk up and he looks around at the others.
”Are we glossing over the part where he just said he’s a vampire? That seems like it should play a part in what we do here.”
"That is where you draw the line?", Corlith replies to Reed. "Undead skeletons, demons, devils, hags and their minions and vehicles powered by souls are ok, but vampires are too much?".
He turns back to Jander, "You heard him, sorry. Telling him where the citadel is may change his mind, but that is out of my hands".
He then holds his hands up in supplication, turns and walks away from the conversation.
Ironmaiden sits down whilst the others are speaking to the vampire, and then slips down to lay on the iron forest floor looking up at whatever the hells seem to have for a sky, obscured by smoke and ash, "we have odd morals this is true, but he did just say his entire existence as a vampire is reliant upon these stirges feeding him tainted blood, perhaps if he were to be cut down he would move on as he says, but I do not believe so, his instinctual need to survive in the face of danger as suggested by his abandoning his post in the hells is also an instinctual function which would allow him to say anything to get him out of this situation... That is where I question his intention once released. Though I am interested in the result from a scientific view point." Without looking at any of the group IronMaiden stays laying on the ground and reaches up to the sky tracing smokestacks with their fingers and apparently caught up in some kind of lazy but whimsical shape theories
Reed looks skeptically at the vampire and shakes his head.
"We've dealt with lots of undead and devils and demons," Reed says to Corlith. "But we didn't exactly go out of our way to save them. I'm not going home and explaining to everyone I'm a vampire now because we rescued a cursed one."
He looks over at Lulu.
"Any idea where to go next?"
Reed cocks his head to one side while he listens to Lulu then he nods and looks around to the others.
"So who's got the map?" Reed asks. "Lulu said this isn't the right place but that are are two other places that can help us find it. There's a place demons manifest, whatever that means. Maybe where they're coming into Avernus. And then a place demons get destroyed. I like the sound of that one."
He looks back to Lulu.
"If she can see the map she can point out the two areas."
Corlith turns, "It is not like I was considering releasing him in the sense of freeing him physically. And I don't believe he knows where the citadel is, it sounds like he ran before it was even created. Anyway, you are right, as was my first instinct. He is where he deserves to be".
He then produces the map from his backpack and opens it for Lulu and Reed to take a look at.
Virro listens to the back and forth, curious to what the group would feel about this, the discussion of the vampire, the decision regarding his fate. “I tend to agree with you Corlith. He’s right where he should be. We should move on.” He looks over Corlith’s shoulder at the map, curious about what Lulu will point out.
As the map opens up, Lulu flits over to it and spins around a couple of times. She points to dead looking tree on the right side (circled in blue) and in your heads you hear, "This is a place where demons manifest". Then she points to a bright spot on the left side (circled in purple), "This is a place where demons are destroyed."
"Ok, so we either have to cross the river to get to the place where deomns are destroyed, or we have to go back past the fort we attacked as we left", Corlith summarises. It certainly isn't ideal.
"Is there a way to cross the river with our vehicles?", he asks Lulu.
"Not everyone flies here," Reed says. "There must be a bridge or barges or something to get across."
Remembering that they're on a hill, and looking at the map, Reed looks around and heads over to the crest of the hill that looks like it might overlook the river. From there he tries to spot any means to get across (Perception: 22)
Virro walks over behind Reed, standing there looking as well, trying to gauge their way forward. He looks up at Lulu, thinking “How do we get across, can you see any other way from where you are?”
As people are crowding around the map, Ironmaiden puts a gauntleted finger in the center, "here, this lake on the other side of the river, what is that keep in the middle lulu?"
After receiving a telepathic answer to Thier question the IronMaiden needlessly scratches their chin in thought, or the chin part of the metal visor. "Come, we should move, deliberating for so long is going to get us nowhere, Lulu says there are bridges and so we are just going to have to find one. I'm going to head south along the river edge and cross, it seems foolish to look for a bridge further north if we need to return south on the other side. Hopefully Lulu can find her bearings and get us to the sword once we have crossed and begin heading toward this demon destroying place." And with that IM begins walking, casting a look over their shoulder to make sure that the group don't fall too far behind.
Reed looks at IM and then back down the hill.
"How about we go get our rides and see if we can drive across the bridge?" Reed says.
Corlith nods and gives Jander a final glance and shake of the head before turning his back and following the Ironmaiden.
"Agreed, I don't want to have to walk the whole way", he says, but assumes that was what Ironmaiden meant, although who knows, they might be quite capable of walking the length and breadth of Avernus without tiring.
"Let's hope there is a bridge before the fort".
Jadar whimpers once more as another stirge injects him with blackened blood. "Please... don't leave me. I repent!" But the group turns their backs on him as they make the trek back down the hill. As you look at the others that are impaled, they all have names etched in the iron trees.. knights of all names.
But you find your two vehicles unharmed and you pile back in as you were, Roo and Corlith in the two-seater and Iron Maiden, Reed, Wilfred and Virro in the other. I believe Roo and Iron Maiden are driving?
Lulu spins around a bit and starts towards the River Styx and as you get closer, you see a stone bridge that is surprisingly vacant. You take your time as you approach, making sure no traps are waiting, but all is clear at the moment - must have hit it at a good time. You all cross the bridge without incident.
CHAPTER 3: AVERNUS - PATH OF DEVILS
The way to the spot that Lulu described as the location that demons are destroyed is not the easiest to find. You notice that landmarks on the map aren't always in the spot you would expect them to be... that things are consistently changing. But between Corlith's navigation and Lulu's eye in the sky, you arrive to the edge of it. And as you do, the actual map in Corlith's hand speaks up.. the voice you heard before. "The purest of souls lures fiends into a hellish trap. Zap! Zap!"
Looking out towards it, you see an orb of radiant light that cascades from a rusted metal monument shaped like the upraised mandibles of a giant beetle.
Corlith looks down at the map curiously, "So it was the map that spoke before. That I didn't expect".
He looks at it, "Can you answer questions? Where is Zariel's Sword?".
There is no response from the map, even though that was a good question.
"Ah well, worth trying", Corlith says. "So I assume that there orb will try and kill anything that gets close. I don't see a citadel Lulu, are we in the wrong place?".