This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Adray will carefully study Polly, her behaviors her manurisms and the likes. Then turns to the devil. "She is still Polly, just a new package as she states, and I'm assuming bound to your service. Any other changes?"
"I'm right here, Adray. You could ask me. I am aware of all the changes and I'm not trying to hide a thing from my companions," Polly answers, her voice sharper with annoyance than she had ever before let it be.
Adray turns to Polly, his eye dark and fierce and holds her gaze. For a long uncomfortable he holds that stare. Inside his mind he can almost hear the the heavy breathing of and stares of the five headed queen and the very real heat from the mark left upon him.
He does close his eyes and surprisingly pulls Polly in for a quick hug. "You are you, but your thoughts are no longer private," he whispers. Quickly releasing Polly. He awkwardly steps back. "This will take some time but we are on a tight schedule so we'll have to adjust quickly. Anways, you said there is a task, favor for favor.. "
Whether it was real or just Polly's imagination got wild after Adray's worning, but she suddenly did feel "the presence" - cold calculating smiling in satisfaction presence. No additional voices, though and - only now she realized it - the impossible heat, slowly killing anything alive in here, did not feel that bad anymore.
Bel let the group to fully absorb Polly's transformation, not interrupting with another attempt to seduce unmoved by temptation Choir, Fran and Ordrag. Then he spoke - openly and in Common.
"The task is simple," Bel did not waste time with long descriptions, "a spy had stolen something from the Forge. The traitor is caught and punished," the way he said it killed any curiosity about the way it was done, "but he managed to hide what he steal - nine adamantine rods - in a place that is difficult to reach. The bottom of The River Styx." He let the information sink and continued. "I have someone working on it, but it seems the one responsible can use some help. I need you to get those rods for me. You will be escorted to the place and help to retrieve it. Once I have the rods, I will give you the creature that knows about the thing you are looking for. The creature is sane - relatively, as they all are, and mostly intact, capable of talking and showing the path should you want to take it with you. Do with it as you pleased, should you need a few pointers how to make it talk, it will be provided as well."
"Hmm, you need these rods. Nine of them you say. Can you tell us more? Like size? Weight? Can we carry them in our vehicle or something different," Adray says. He has also begun pacing. "Are we to expect major opposition in this task? I expect some because well its Avernus, but if there are major forces trying to prevent this then I'd say providing suitable arms wouldn't be out of reason."
You is a powerful devil, states Ordrag simply, not in a sycophantic way, but just because it is plainly obvious, and therefore a strange request for one so mighty. Why do you need us to do it if you have armies of devils? What do us have that you don't?
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How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
"There are many reasons why only few are assigned to retrieving the rods. And eventually I would get them, of course. But you give me the opportunity to speed up the process and I take it. Do you take that chance to get what you want? If so, you can go. The expected danger is no greater than anywhere else in Avernus - aside the River itself, but that will be explained to you on place. There you will also get what you need to complete the task. The rods are 3ft high and light enough to carry even for one mortal."
Ordrag nods stoically, but is trying hard to mask his apprehension at having to retrieve something from the bottom of a river. Perhaps he won't have to enter the water himself, at least he hopes so.
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How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
"No problem," says Choir. She hopes her Control Water ability will be as useful in the Styx as it was for filling barrels with holy water. Maybe they won't even have to get their feet wet.
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Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) WoodElf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2 Last Tree StandingTabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1 Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
Choir has her doubts: there is a reason Styx is called "the river of Blood", not to mention magical properties of the "water" in it - it might work but there is no guarantee.
“We will do what we can,” Polly says, dryly. “After all, we need to in order to get the one who will direct us...”
“Still, it would behoove you to give us any aid you can.” Polly continued. “No pun intended... We were robbed of much of our belongings at our last stop. Not you’re concern, I know. But we’d have been better equipped to do the job otherwise... So anything you could spare to assist would be beneficial to both sides of this pact - arms, armor, knowledge or even just good old fashioned advice...”
Polly shrugged and let the sound of her voice trail off. Was almost silly to ask a demon for help, specially for free, but if he wanted these rods badly and quickly enough then it was worth an ask.
Fran would be lying if she said some of those things wouldn't be nice, but Bel would have had to do better than that to entice her into that kind of commitment. Not that she was hoping he'd keep trying. The redhead was plenty satisfied with reserving herself for another and keeping her own thoughts private. She did honestly believe she understood Polly, and Adray's, reasons for their choice, and respected them all the more for it. I'll watch over them. She'd give Brutus a good hallow pat to one side, Mooncolour a gentle brush of his mane and glance up to Lulu before panning over the rest of her compatriots. All of 'em. There were plenty more favours to be had and deals to be struck. So she'd listen, and keep her mouth shut.
As the artificer listened to the task, her stance would gradually shift to something more familiar. Her arms would be crossed and her face thoughtful. In turn, everyone added something to the conversation for consideration, sending her deeper into thought. She'd move a hand to her chin. Could she craft anything they haven't already thought of to retrieve something from the styx, without touching it?
When Polly would pipe up with her ask, Fran couldn't help but nod along. "Yeh, any materials, even scraps, that best be suited fer handling teh Styx?" She'd shrug. She was with Polly. It was worth the ask.
Bel cast a long look at Adray. "You kept your lives and your weapons. By far more than many could tell about themselves." "I would not send you if there was not a chance for you to succeed (Whether it was truth or not, you would not be able to tell) "And there is something better than scabs is waiting for you at the place. Should you survive, you might even find the experience entertaining."" He snapped his fingers and one of the devils that brought you here moved to the exit on the opposite side of the cave, making a sign to the group to follow.
"You have got many gifts today. Prove your worth - and much more await you." Bel's voice in Polly's head was even and somehow ... truthful?
The invitation to leave could not be timed better - the heat made even Mooncolor barely standing, a few minutes more and heat-shock could become a reality.
The corridor, led went on for a long time but eventually ended on the shore of the River Styx. Red sky of Avernus never looked so attractive before, and even oily, greasy and foul, covered in bubbles and debris "waters" of the river felt attractive. An iron barge moored on the shore was waiting for you. The head devil must have given the order, as twelve merregons under the command of a bone devil sat at the oars, waiting for group to get on board.
You did not have to do anything, just ride, "enjoying" the view of the banks, lined with the rotting remnants of battles old and new. Eventually you arrived at something resembling rusty old docks: a massive iron structure that appears to be a pair of docking arms straddles the River Styx and extends out over it. Hefty clamps, chains, and bars are fixed to the docking arms to lash large vessels between them. Before you dock, you saw a gigantic basalt citadel shaped like a sword blade that somehow took of to the air and flew away.
After docking, you were greeted by an engine oil covered horned devil , which constantly chewed on a shard of smoking, red hot coal. After silent (telepathic, most likely) communication with your crew, he looked each of you over and asked: "So, what an old Bazelsteen can do for a few mortals?"
"Well you could jump in the river and swim us up nine adamantine rods. That would do us up right good!" Polly suggested as she scanned the surroundings. "At the very least, we were told we would be escorted to the place they need be retrieved from. That you, big guy? You our escort?"
Adray sat himself in the boat with the others. He found it slightly odd. Just days prior they were killing demons practically on-site. Now, two of them were tethered greater evils and they are neck in their "help." Rather than stare at the odd devils he closed his eyes for a bit. Not to sleep but to just take a few minutes devoid of distractions. Everything had been so mentally taxing and he had been too exhausted to refocus his mind to focus on himself. Taking the time to do so, he focused on the turmoil of his inner energy. He was shocked by it, what had once been a calm serine inner ocean, now felt like a raging storm screaming for release and it felt centered to the mark. Adray's eyes snapped open. He had come to the conclusion that the mark had affected his ki. It had become more primal and destructive and as much as he did not like the thought, it was something he would have to use.
When meeting the devil, Adray was about to speak up and hesitated. In that time Polly, jumped in. It was surprising and yet a little bit of a proud moment.
"Aight." Fran too was close to her breaking point with the heat. She'd busy herself in the boat tinkering with her scraps. Surely there was a way she could rig up some fans or cooling agents to run through her gear. Left and right, the artificer would pluck tools from her belt to tamper and experiment with a few parts and gears. Occasionally she'd curse beneath her breath, but would otherwise be focused on the task to keep busy. And hopefully have something to show for it. At minimum though, she'd learn what didn't work. Zap!
Once docked, she wouldn't even skip a beat, Fran would continue to tinker away. She would however, be sure to look up from her work time to time to do a head count, watch the conversational exchange and take a gander at their surroundings.
Choir begins pondering other ways the rods might be retrieved if her water control spell doesn't do the trick. The myriad scattered dead bodies remind her of another possibility. "Animate Dead," she mentions, pointing at the corpses. Tomorrow....maybe." Better to send some hapless demon skeleton under the waters than one of their team. Too bad she hadn't thought of preparing that spell...
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Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) WoodElf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2 Last Tree StandingTabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1 Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
"Interesting thought," Polly says quietly to Choir. "But could you animate enough corpses? Or will we need to find one reallybig corpse? And hey, maybe instead of damning the river with dead bodies maybe you could just have one swim down and get the rods?"
It was unclear if Polly was making a jest or not.
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Adray will carefully study Polly, her behaviors her manurisms and the likes. Then turns to the devil. "She is still Polly, just a new package as she states, and I'm assuming bound to your service. Any other changes?"
Insite check 22
"I'm right here, Adray. You could ask me. I am aware of all the changes and I'm not trying to hide a thing from my companions," Polly answers, her voice sharper with annoyance than she had ever before let it be.
Adray turns to Polly, his eye dark and fierce and holds her gaze. For a long uncomfortable he holds that stare. Inside his mind he can almost hear the the heavy breathing of and stares of the five headed queen and the very real heat from the mark left upon him.
He does close his eyes and surprisingly pulls Polly in for a quick hug. "You are you, but your thoughts are no longer private," he whispers. Quickly releasing Polly. He awkwardly steps back. "This will take some time but we are on a tight schedule so we'll have to adjust quickly. Anways, you said there is a task, favor for favor.. "
"He," Polly says, a jerk of her head indicating Bel, "hasn't said what he wants yet... But he has promised us a guide to Zariel's sword."
"So, what is it B? Whatcha want in return?"
Whether it was real or just Polly's imagination got wild after Adray's worning, but she suddenly did feel "the presence" - cold calculating smiling in satisfaction presence. No additional voices, though and - only now she realized it - the impossible heat, slowly killing anything alive in here, did not feel that bad anymore.
Bel let the group to fully absorb Polly's transformation, not interrupting with another attempt to seduce unmoved by temptation Choir, Fran and Ordrag. Then he spoke - openly and in Common.
"The task is simple," Bel did not waste time with long descriptions, "a spy had stolen something from the Forge. The traitor is caught and punished," the way he said it killed any curiosity about the way it was done, "but he managed to hide what he steal - nine adamantine rods - in a place that is difficult to reach. The bottom of The River Styx." He let the information sink and continued. "I have someone working on it, but it seems the one responsible can use some help. I need you to get those rods for me. You will be escorted to the place and help to retrieve it. Once I have the rods, I will give you the creature that knows about the thing you are looking for. The creature is sane - relatively, as they all are, and mostly intact, capable of talking and showing the path should you want to take it with you. Do with it as you pleased, should you need a few pointers how to make it talk, it will be provided as well."
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"Hmm, you need these rods. Nine of them you say. Can you tell us more? Like size? Weight? Can we carry them in our vehicle or something different," Adray says. He has also begun pacing. "Are we to expect major opposition in this task? I expect some because well its Avernus, but if there are major forces trying to prevent this then I'd say providing suitable arms wouldn't be out of reason."
You is a powerful devil, states Ordrag simply, not in a sycophantic way, but just because it is plainly obvious, and therefore a strange request for one so mighty. Why do you need us to do it if you have armies of devils? What do us have that you don't?
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
"There are many reasons why only few are assigned to retrieving the rods. And eventually I would get them, of course. But you give me the opportunity to speed up the process and I take it. Do you take that chance to get what you want? If so, you can go. The expected danger is no greater than anywhere else in Avernus - aside the River itself, but that will be explained to you on place. There you will also get what you need to complete the task. The rods are 3ft high and light enough to carry even for one mortal."
"Do we have a deal?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Ordrag nods stoically, but is trying hard to mask his apprehension at having to retrieve something from the bottom of a river. Perhaps he won't have to enter the water himself, at least he hopes so.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
(Not "a river", THE river - Styx. Those who touched or drank from the Styx risked completely forgetting their past lives temporarily or permanently.)
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"No problem," says Choir. She hopes her Control Water ability will be as useful in the Styx as it was for filling barrels with holy water. Maybe they won't even have to get their feet wet.
Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) Wood Elf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2
Last Tree Standing Tabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1
Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive
Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth
Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
Choir has her doubts: there is a reason Styx is called "the river of Blood", not to mention magical properties of the "water" in it - it might work but there is no guarantee.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
“We will do what we can,” Polly says, dryly. “After all, we need to in order to get the one who will direct us...”
“Still, it would behoove you to give us any aid you can.” Polly continued. “No pun intended... We were robbed of much of our belongings at our last stop. Not you’re concern, I know. But we’d have been better equipped to do the job otherwise... So anything you could spare to assist would be beneficial to both sides of this pact - arms, armor, knowledge or even just good old fashioned advice...”
Polly shrugged and let the sound of her voice trail off. Was almost silly to ask a demon for help, specially for free, but if he wanted these rods badly and quickly enough then it was worth an ask.
Fran would be lying if she said some of those things wouldn't be nice, but Bel would have had to do better than that to entice her into that kind of commitment. Not that she was hoping he'd keep trying. The redhead was plenty satisfied with reserving herself for another and keeping her own thoughts private. She did honestly believe she understood Polly, and Adray's, reasons for their choice, and respected them all the more for it. I'll watch over them. She'd give Brutus a good hallow pat to one side, Mooncolour a gentle brush of his mane and glance up to Lulu before panning over the rest of her compatriots. All of 'em. There were plenty more favours to be had and deals to be struck. So she'd listen, and keep her mouth shut.
As the artificer listened to the task, her stance would gradually shift to something more familiar. Her arms would be crossed and her face thoughtful. In turn, everyone added something to the conversation for consideration, sending her deeper into thought. She'd move a hand to her chin. Could she craft anything they haven't already thought of to retrieve something from the styx, without touching it?
When Polly would pipe up with her ask, Fran couldn't help but nod along. "Yeh, any materials, even scraps, that best be suited fer handling teh Styx?" She'd shrug. She was with Polly. It was worth the ask.
just an unstable unicorn.
Bel cast a long look at Adray. "You kept your lives and your weapons. By far more than many could tell about themselves." "I would not send you if there was not a chance for you to succeed (Whether it was truth or not, you would not be able to tell) "And there is something better than scabs is waiting for you at the place. Should you survive, you might even find the experience entertaining."" He snapped his fingers and one of the devils that brought you here moved to the exit on the opposite side of the cave, making a sign to the group to follow.
"You have got many gifts today. Prove your worth - and much more await you." Bel's voice in Polly's head was even and somehow ... truthful?
The invitation to leave could not be timed better - the heat made even Mooncolor barely standing, a few minutes more and heat-shock could become a reality.
The corridor, led went on for a long time but eventually ended on the shore of the River Styx. Red sky of Avernus never looked so attractive before, and even oily, greasy and foul, covered in bubbles and debris "waters" of the river felt attractive. An iron barge moored on the shore was waiting for you. The head devil must have given the order, as twelve merregons under the command of a bone devil sat at the oars, waiting for group to get on board.
You did not have to do anything, just ride, "enjoying" the view of the banks, lined with the rotting remnants of battles old and new. Eventually you arrived at something resembling rusty old docks: a massive iron structure that appears to be a pair of docking arms straddles the River Styx and extends out over it. Hefty clamps, chains, and bars are fixed to the docking arms to lash large vessels between them. Before you dock, you saw a gigantic basalt citadel shaped like a sword blade that somehow took of to the air and flew away.
After docking, you were greeted by an engine oil covered horned devil , which constantly chewed on a shard of smoking, red hot coal. After silent (telepathic, most likely) communication with your crew, he looked each of you over and asked: "So, what an old Bazelsteen can do for a few mortals?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"Well you could jump in the river and swim us up nine adamantine rods. That would do us up right good!" Polly suggested as she scanned the surroundings. "At the very least, we were told we would be escorted to the place they need be retrieved from. That you, big guy? You our escort?"
Adray sat himself in the boat with the others. He found it slightly odd. Just days prior they were killing demons practically on-site. Now, two of them were tethered greater evils and they are neck in their "help." Rather than stare at the odd devils he closed his eyes for a bit. Not to sleep but to just take a few minutes devoid of distractions. Everything had been so mentally taxing and he had been too exhausted to refocus his mind to focus on himself. Taking the time to do so, he focused on the turmoil of his inner energy. He was shocked by it, what had once been a calm serine inner ocean, now felt like a raging storm screaming for release and it felt centered to the mark. Adray's eyes snapped open. He had come to the conclusion that the mark had affected his ki. It had become more primal and destructive and as much as he did not like the thought, it was something he would have to use.
When meeting the devil, Adray was about to speak up and hesitated. In that time Polly, jumped in. It was surprising and yet a little bit of a proud moment.
"Aight." Fran too was close to her breaking point with the heat. She'd busy herself in the boat tinkering with her scraps. Surely there was a way she could rig up some fans or cooling agents to run through her gear. Left and right, the artificer would pluck tools from her belt to tamper and experiment with a few parts and gears. Occasionally she'd curse beneath her breath, but would otherwise be focused on the task to keep busy. And hopefully have something to show for it. At minimum though, she'd learn what didn't work. Zap!
Once docked, she wouldn't even skip a beat, Fran would continue to tinker away. She would however, be sure to look up from her work time to time to do a head count, watch the conversational exchange and take a gander at their surroundings.
just an unstable unicorn.
Choir begins pondering other ways the rods might be retrieved if her water control spell doesn't do the trick. The myriad scattered dead bodies remind her of another possibility. "Animate Dead," she mentions, pointing at the corpses. Tomorrow....maybe." Better to send some hapless demon skeleton under the waters than one of their team. Too bad she hadn't thought of preparing that spell...
Edeleth Treesong (Aldalire) Wood Elf Druid lvl 8 Talaveroth Sub 2
Last Tree Standing Tabaxi Ranger, Chef and Hoardsperson lvl 5, Company of the Dragon Team 1
Choir Kenku Cleric, Tempest Domain, lvl 11, Descent Into Avernus Test Drive
Poinki Goblin Paladin, Redemption, lvl 5, Tales from Talaveroth
Lyrika Nyx Satyr Bard lvl 1, The Six Kingdoms of Talia
"Interesting thought," Polly says quietly to Choir. "But could you animate enough corpses? Or will we need to find one really big corpse? And hey, maybe instead of damning the river with dead bodies maybe you could just have one swim down and get the rods?"
It was unclear if Polly was making a jest or not.