Fighting Fire with Fire - Arkadius Hogg - 16/06/2020
Jun 29, 2020 17:28:14 GMT
Igrainne (RETIRED), Jamie J, and 2 more like this
Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2020 17:28:14 GMT
Arkadius had not long finished his two songs in the Ettin, a smile on his face as he left the tavern to head to the stables to ensure that Sacha was being tended to while he was away. He would owe the stable hands a bit of gold for their sterling work when this was all through, and even some tips on top. But if everything was successful… that wouldn’t matter. What mattered was getting through the next steps. And saving the world.
He’d managed to get back to the Ettin before the feast outside was done, slipping back into the tavern for one last drink before joining up with Sheryl for the mission. The place was a little emptier now, adventurers had started portalling out to the battlefront. This made Arkadius feel… guilty, nervous, and… above all else, scared. ‘This is the moment’, he thought to himself, stepping back outside. Before he could give it a second thought, Sheryl, Markas, BB, Taz and Igrainne were all there with him. This had a comforting effect, knowing that he had such a well-knit team heading into the battle alongside him, he notched the chances of survival up from ‘hopeless’ to ‘imperceptibly possible’. It wasn’t much of an increase, but it was there. Barely.
Aurelia, flanked by a K’ul Goranian Senator, approached them, causing Arkadius to swallow and gulp. ‘Here we go’, he thought, ‘Time to save the world, and bring the Vanguard to its knees, at last!’. The thought made Arkadius smile again, ever so slightly.
As the case was to transpire, it wasn’t quite time to join the fray. The Senator explained that all the combined forces so far were not enough to win the war. In fact, additional forces were required; the Giants were not responding to messages, and the Shunned were protecting their own settlements. Additional forces were required, and it was up to the team at hand to travel to Sigil and meet with a contact who has… a source.
This confused Arkadius. ‘There’s a war going on that decides the fate of the multiverse… and… we’re not going there straight away? I mean, it makes tactical sense, but what forces are left for us to acquire?!’
If you had been listening, came the mental voice of Ida, You’d probably actually understand what was going on. Will you pay attention for once, instead of listening to your own internal monologue? Arkadius didn’t take too kindly to his own familiar berating him, closing off the connection temporarily as Senator Rhodes handed over a badge, telling them this would be their ticket back to him on the frontline when their diplomatic mission was over.
Through the transport circle the group headed, appearing in Sigil. The contact in question they were to approach was Lady Vermillion, a Yuan-Ti Pureblood. Upon meeting them, Taz’s statement of “We are short on time, cut to the chase” seemed a little harsh, but it echoed the feeling of the rest of the group. While they diplomatised, others were dying.
“You’ll find a demon lord, Bal’taz’narr, at the House of Wondrous Pleasures. Such a place is accessible by invitation only, and I have managed to secure you some. You will be going in as Cultists of Zariel, which brings me to the next part…” With her eyes hovering over Arkadius, she continued, “With the exception of one, none of you match the… how do we say, aesthetic,” Lady Vermillion stopped. Arkadius looked smug, but remained quiet until Sheryl noted it would be more dangerous for him to go in looking like himself. He ignored her complaint, noting that it would be fine, but he made sure that Ida was safely in her possession. “As always, we have each other’s safety at the forefront of our minds. Ida will keep you safe, and relay messages from you to me, where she can.”
Ida had fallen asleep, and barely stirred when she was passed over to Sheryl. Her soft hands made sure that Ida stayed asleep while she was safety tucked into a hiding spot apon Sheryl’s person. The rest of the group were subjected to illusion magic, disguising their persons to match the Vanguard/Zariel aesthetic. Arkadius was doubly-amused at Igrainne looking like a human, and Astra becoming too small to tangle with him. He took time to banter at this, with Astra rearing her teeny-tiny legs at him.
“Arkadius! That’s rude, and you know it. Astra could kick your ass and I won’t even stop her,” Sheryl bit back at him.
He was still grinning, “Sure she could, but she couldn’t right now.”
Lady Vermilion took the time now, reminded by the banter, to warn the group of the Lady of Pain. Following this, the group set off to the House of Wonders, not exactly sure what was to meet them there. As they approached the door, they handed over the invites, and the door swung open. Inside, a doll’s house sized house, looking glamorous. As they approached this, they seemed to shrink to the size of the house, and were greeted by Za’zymm, a djinn draped in many small gold chains that had wind chimes on the ends that kept up a constant sound of pleasuring music. They advised the group that any pleasure was inside, all they had to do was ask.
Arkadius spotted the demon lord inside the bar first, standing at the bar acquiring his classic Fire Whiskey. Taz had ordered first, and took a walk around the bar when Arkadius pointed out the demon lord’s location. The demon lord had two tag-alongs, a succubus and an incubus, as Sheryl pointed out. Taz returned to the group, letting them know that he was heading to the steam room. A plan then formed, a handful of the group would go in, spy, and find out information. Then a further plan could be formed.
Taz and Arkadius sneak into the steam room alongside the demon lord, and garner some information. They return to the group, and relay that he is quite partial to Soul Wine. A plan then forms, the second group would go in and anger him, by spitting all over the Soul Wine. Sheryl advises a plan B would also be wise, steal away one of the companions and anger him that way.
Sheryl, Markas and Taz volunteer for Plan A, going into the steam room and making falsehoods about Avernus Soul Wine, while Arkadius, Igrainne and BB would keep an eye on Amunet (one of the two companions), and if needed, either banish or polymorph her. After a while, Arkadius received a message from Sheryl with the simple words, ‘Plan B’.
He relayed this on, and BB leapt into action, persuading the companion to join her in a booth, and after a while polymorped them into a badger. They disappeared from the bar, into a side room, shortly joined by the rest of the group. The conversation turned to how to use this to their advantage, and anger the demon lord. It was agreed that Arkadius and Igrainne would wander into the pool where the demon lord was now cooling off, and chatter fake-quietly to be smug about their actions.
Long story short, this worked and he was furious.
The group left the badger-companion with Lady Vermillion to resolve, and were portalled to the front line, where the Harmonious Order had left them a gift in one of Menace’s pawn shop boxes, which they’d repurposed and painted over the logo. ‘How adorable’, thought Arkadius.
He’d managed to get back to the Ettin before the feast outside was done, slipping back into the tavern for one last drink before joining up with Sheryl for the mission. The place was a little emptier now, adventurers had started portalling out to the battlefront. This made Arkadius feel… guilty, nervous, and… above all else, scared. ‘This is the moment’, he thought to himself, stepping back outside. Before he could give it a second thought, Sheryl, Markas, BB, Taz and Igrainne were all there with him. This had a comforting effect, knowing that he had such a well-knit team heading into the battle alongside him, he notched the chances of survival up from ‘hopeless’ to ‘imperceptibly possible’. It wasn’t much of an increase, but it was there. Barely.
Aurelia, flanked by a K’ul Goranian Senator, approached them, causing Arkadius to swallow and gulp. ‘Here we go’, he thought, ‘Time to save the world, and bring the Vanguard to its knees, at last!’. The thought made Arkadius smile again, ever so slightly.
As the case was to transpire, it wasn’t quite time to join the fray. The Senator explained that all the combined forces so far were not enough to win the war. In fact, additional forces were required; the Giants were not responding to messages, and the Shunned were protecting their own settlements. Additional forces were required, and it was up to the team at hand to travel to Sigil and meet with a contact who has… a source.
This confused Arkadius. ‘There’s a war going on that decides the fate of the multiverse… and… we’re not going there straight away? I mean, it makes tactical sense, but what forces are left for us to acquire?!’
If you had been listening, came the mental voice of Ida, You’d probably actually understand what was going on. Will you pay attention for once, instead of listening to your own internal monologue? Arkadius didn’t take too kindly to his own familiar berating him, closing off the connection temporarily as Senator Rhodes handed over a badge, telling them this would be their ticket back to him on the frontline when their diplomatic mission was over.
Through the transport circle the group headed, appearing in Sigil. The contact in question they were to approach was Lady Vermillion, a Yuan-Ti Pureblood. Upon meeting them, Taz’s statement of “We are short on time, cut to the chase” seemed a little harsh, but it echoed the feeling of the rest of the group. While they diplomatised, others were dying.
“You’ll find a demon lord, Bal’taz’narr, at the House of Wondrous Pleasures. Such a place is accessible by invitation only, and I have managed to secure you some. You will be going in as Cultists of Zariel, which brings me to the next part…” With her eyes hovering over Arkadius, she continued, “With the exception of one, none of you match the… how do we say, aesthetic,” Lady Vermillion stopped. Arkadius looked smug, but remained quiet until Sheryl noted it would be more dangerous for him to go in looking like himself. He ignored her complaint, noting that it would be fine, but he made sure that Ida was safely in her possession. “As always, we have each other’s safety at the forefront of our minds. Ida will keep you safe, and relay messages from you to me, where she can.”
Ida had fallen asleep, and barely stirred when she was passed over to Sheryl. Her soft hands made sure that Ida stayed asleep while she was safety tucked into a hiding spot apon Sheryl’s person. The rest of the group were subjected to illusion magic, disguising their persons to match the Vanguard/Zariel aesthetic. Arkadius was doubly-amused at Igrainne looking like a human, and Astra becoming too small to tangle with him. He took time to banter at this, with Astra rearing her teeny-tiny legs at him.
“Arkadius! That’s rude, and you know it. Astra could kick your ass and I won’t even stop her,” Sheryl bit back at him.
He was still grinning, “Sure she could, but she couldn’t right now.”
Lady Vermilion took the time now, reminded by the banter, to warn the group of the Lady of Pain. Following this, the group set off to the House of Wonders, not exactly sure what was to meet them there. As they approached the door, they handed over the invites, and the door swung open. Inside, a doll’s house sized house, looking glamorous. As they approached this, they seemed to shrink to the size of the house, and were greeted by Za’zymm, a djinn draped in many small gold chains that had wind chimes on the ends that kept up a constant sound of pleasuring music. They advised the group that any pleasure was inside, all they had to do was ask.
Arkadius spotted the demon lord inside the bar first, standing at the bar acquiring his classic Fire Whiskey. Taz had ordered first, and took a walk around the bar when Arkadius pointed out the demon lord’s location. The demon lord had two tag-alongs, a succubus and an incubus, as Sheryl pointed out. Taz returned to the group, letting them know that he was heading to the steam room. A plan then formed, a handful of the group would go in, spy, and find out information. Then a further plan could be formed.
Taz and Arkadius sneak into the steam room alongside the demon lord, and garner some information. They return to the group, and relay that he is quite partial to Soul Wine. A plan then forms, the second group would go in and anger him, by spitting all over the Soul Wine. Sheryl advises a plan B would also be wise, steal away one of the companions and anger him that way.
Sheryl, Markas and Taz volunteer for Plan A, going into the steam room and making falsehoods about Avernus Soul Wine, while Arkadius, Igrainne and BB would keep an eye on Amunet (one of the two companions), and if needed, either banish or polymorph her. After a while, Arkadius received a message from Sheryl with the simple words, ‘Plan B’.
He relayed this on, and BB leapt into action, persuading the companion to join her in a booth, and after a while polymorped them into a badger. They disappeared from the bar, into a side room, shortly joined by the rest of the group. The conversation turned to how to use this to their advantage, and anger the demon lord. It was agreed that Arkadius and Igrainne would wander into the pool where the demon lord was now cooling off, and chatter fake-quietly to be smug about their actions.
Long story short, this worked and he was furious.
The group left the badger-companion with Lady Vermillion to resolve, and were portalled to the front line, where the Harmonious Order had left them a gift in one of Menace’s pawn shop boxes, which they’d repurposed and painted over the logo. ‘How adorable’, thought Arkadius.
