Paralogue 2: I Never Asked For This, Dood!

Ullar W. (GM) you go to the bar, known as Cayden's Cup
make a local check
Atticus: let's see..
19 Fazij
Ullar W. (GM): ok then
the bartender of the bar is Kris Turrner, a well-liked and well-known man.
he has a son, named Arlo
he seems somewhat resentful of the hellknight presence in the town
Atticus: "So, don't mention who is paying for our stay here?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Agreed."
Atticus: what time is it?
Ullar W. (GM): rather late in the day
Atticus: like, late afternoon or late night?
Ullar W. (GM): late afternoon
it is a bar
filled with noise
Atticus: "I suppose we may as well check in."
Ullar W. (GM): people being drunk
there is even a drunk woman dancing on a table
Atticus: "The smell is overpowering..."
Ullar W. (GM): Kris doesn't seem to mind though
there is a well-dressed man talking to the bartender
Fazij: "You're telling me."
Kris notices you
"Hello, there. How can I help ya?"
Atticus: "Hello, I'd like to get a room here. I believe a reservation was set up under 'Atticus' or something similar."
Ullar W. (GM): "Atticus, eh...lemme check real quick.
he checks some papers and things just below the bar
"Ah, here we are."
"Apparently, your stay is...I see."
his mood turns rather dour
"Rooms are upstairs."
Ullar W. (GM): he hands you a key
Atticus: "Well, uh... thanks."
Ullar W. (GM): "Second one on the left."
Atticus: we go up
Ullar W. (GM): he goes back to having his discussion with the other man
as you go up the stairs
Atticus: "I wonder... that man looked like a noble of some kind."
Ullar W. (GM): the man suddenly slumps over in his chair
everyone in the bar laughs
"Looks like summun' can't hold his drink!"
feel free to roll spellcraft
Atticus: 20
Ullar W. (GM): the sleep that the man dropped into looks
remarkably like the effects of a polypurpose panacea
Atticus: "Strange... let's have a look at this."
Ullar W. (GM): Kris says that he'll just bring him down to the basement real quick, wake him up and such.
Atticus stops him "Do you have a purpose for drugging this man, barkeep?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Drug?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, stranger."
Atticus: "The polypurpose panacea you slipped him, why did you do it?"
Ullar W. (GM): "...Like I said. Don't know whatcha mean."
he has cold anger now
Atticus: "Now, I'm not one to get into pointless arguments, but then again, I'm not one who enjoys being lied to."
Ullar W. (GM): just then, you see a young head peer up from the basement
Atticus: "I could be... convinced to turn the other way, but you seem to be uncooperative."
Atticus sees head.
Ullar W. (GM): "Father?"
Atticus: "Curiouser and curiouser..."
Ullar W. (GM): this is Arlo
btw
as part of your local check
you know Arlo is currently an initiate (not quite an armiger) of the local Godclaw contingent
"Just go back down, son."
Atticus: "Now, what is your son doing here?"
"And why are you bringing this unconscious sap down there?"
Ullar W. (GM): "..."
he turns and runs for the basement
"Get down there, son!"
Atticus: "Fazij."
Ullar W. (GM): the boy goes down
Atticus: is he in the basement?
the barkeep I mean
Ullar W. (GM): yes he is
he locked the door behind him
Atticus: "You know what to do."
Ullar W. (GM): "Right."
Atticus: Fazij DD
33
Ullar W. (GM): the lock opens effortlessly, but it takes a few seconds
Atticus: "Let's hurry."
Atticus: we both go down
Ullar W. (GM): you see a door down there
and you hear Kris talking to his son
Atticus: Atticus Perception 9
Fazij Perception 22 +2 if for traps
Ullar W. (GM): "See? You can't trust any of them!"
"All they want to do is stifle your very soul!"
the son is silent
door is unlocked
Atticus: Fazij opens the door after a few seconds
Ullar W. (GM): you see
the barman and his son
some barrels of ale
and what looks like an alchemical workshop
the barman looks frantic
let's roll dat init
Atticus: Atticus Init 11
Fazij Init 8
"I do so wish I had any idea what was going on."
Ullar W. (GM): 15
10
"You Hellknights stay away from my son!"
"I won't let you turn him into one of you soulless machines!"
barman turn
5-foots back
Ullar W. (GM): slings a bomb at the two of you
The pudgy bartender slings a bomb at you 19 for 13 fire dmg! If it misses, 7 for direction. All adjacent areas for place of landing take 3 fire dmg.
Atticus: "The patron upstairs... he was a signifier wasn't he?"
Ullar W. (GM): "DIE!"
Atticus: who does he throw it at?
Ullar W. (GM): atticus
Atticus: ok
Fazij takes no damage
Fire resistance
Ullar W. (GM): oh right
he needs to make a reflex
or not
nvm
Atticus: Atticus Reflex 10
Fazij Reflex 18 +1 on traps
Ullar W. (GM): atticus turn
Atticus: he makes it anyways I assume
Ullar W. (GM): he takes no dmg anyway so whatever >_>
Atticus: I will cast Cause Fear on him with my trait
Ullar W. (GM): I always forget saves
DC?
Atticus: 14
Ullar W. (GM): 2
nope
Atticus: 4
Ullar W. (GM): and yes that is a negative mod
Atticus: 4 rounds frightened
jeez
Ullar W. (GM): kk then
Atticus: not very wise is he?
Ullar W. (GM): he tried to kill a signifer in broad daylight
and he's an alch
Atticus: true
Ullar W. (GM): with a mutagen
anyway
Arlo turn
Atticus: "Don't be alarmed!"
Ullar W. (GM): he sees his dad frightened
he starts to cry
and casts a spell
spellcraft?
Atticus: 12
damn
Ullar W. (GM): nope
fazij turn
"Dad?!"
Atticus: charges at him
Cold Iron Short Sword 9 does 7
Ullar W. (GM): nope
Atticus: christ
not even with the +2 would that ever hit
Ullar W. (GM): Kris turn
pushes his son out of the way
moves to that corner
atticus turn
Atticus: "Are you okay?"
Ullar W. (GM): "What did you do to my dad?!"
Atticus: (no action)
Ullar W. (GM): boy turn
he feebly tries to punch you
0
Atticus: "He attacked me, I just... neutralized him for the moment."
Ullar W. (GM): and that's it I guess
fazij turn
Atticus: Swift action Deadly Dodge, charges again
Cold Iron Short Sword 9 does 6
ok
Ullar W. (GM): idgi
1's all around today
barkeep turn
he is cornered
5-foots over
draws his rapier
Ullar W. (GM): provokes
Atticus: Cold Iron Short Sword 27 does 8
crit
Ullar W. (GM): there we go
Atticus: Cold Iron Short Sword 27 does 10
Ullar W. (GM): roll to confirm
Atticus: confirms
Ullar W. (GM): ok then
does quite a bit of dmg
Atticus: 18
Ullar W. (GM): and he tries to stab Fazij
The bald man tries to stab you with his rapier 15 for 4 dmg!
Atticus: nope
Ullar W. (GM): atticus turn
Atticus: deadly dodge
he provokes with his miss
Cold Iron Short Sword 13 does 7
Ullar W. (GM): ...
misses
Atticus: nope
Ullar W. (GM): atticsu turn
Atticus: hmmm
charge
Lol pathetic attack roll 21
Lol pathetic damage 6
+2 to hit
Ullar W. (GM): Lol pathetic down
Atticus: wooh
Ullar W. (GM): he is down
Atticus: we sheathe our weapons
Ullar W. (GM): Arlo runs over
Ullar W. (GM): and casts stabilize
Atticus: or that
"I am sorry."
Ullar W. (GM): "Why...why did you do this to my father?!"
Atticus: "He... he threw a bomb at us."
Ullar W. (GM): "Because you just barged into the basement!"
Atticus: "Because he drugged a signifier upstairs and was going to kill him."
Ullar W. (GM): "You don't know that!"
"..."
Atticus: "Well, to be fair, I didn't know he was a signifier..."
"Do you wish to see the man that your father poisoned?"
Ullar W. (GM): "...fine."
Atticus: "You may even be able to speak with him when the toxin wears off."
"...Several hours from now."
Ullar W. (GM): "...dad just said we should have a talk with him."
Atticus: "Why did your father hate the hell knights so much?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Dad didn't like the hellknights...I don't know why..."
Atticus: "From the looks of what he was preparing down here, I doubt that man would get to talk..."
We take Arlo upstairs to the bar and find the signifier
Ullar W. (GM): ok then
you find an unholy symbol of Asmodeus on the drugged man
Atticus: "Your father will be fine. He'll have a bit of a headache for sure, but consider what we did far more merciful than what would have happened had the hell knights found out he was going to kill one of their men."
"As I suspected."
Ullar W. (GM): do you try to wake him?
Atticus: yes
Heal check?
Ullar W. (GM): nah, just shaking him will do it
b/c panacea
Atticus: "Wake up."
Ullar W. (GM): "...hm?"
Atticus: "Do you always sleep on the job?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Who...who are you?"
"I...how?"
Atticus: "Atticus, and you were drugged."
Ullar W. (GM): the man's eyes get beady
Atticus: "I took care of it."
Ullar W. (GM): he stands up, ready to shout at Kris
only to find his unconscious body
"I see."
Atticus points at Arlo "I imagine you are here for him?"
Ullar W. (GM): "I merely came at his request to talk about his son joining the Hellknights."
"He never likes us...he was always so uncooperative."
"No respect for the law."
"His son...he was different."
"He had an...interest in our cause."
Atticus: "Well, you may have to wait a while, he suffered a pretty nasty spill."
Ullar W. (GM): "I see."
Atticus: "Perhaps you should side with them. This town is at the brink of the Worldwound.. Should the situation get any worse, this town will need all the protectors it can get."
Ullar W. (GM): make a diplo check
Atticus: 20
Ullar W. (GM): "...you have a point. I...I guess so."
the man leaves with Arlo
later, hellknights storm the bar
and recover Kris' body
Atticus: "What do you plan on doing with him?"
Ullar W. (GM): Random Hellknight: "He tried to kill one of us. What do you think?"
"At the least, a significant sentence in prison."
Atticus: "Far be it from me to tell you how to do your job, but you just gained a new member."
Ullar W. (GM): "And saved another."
Atticus: "Now would it be a good idea to enrage that initiate and lose him just as easily?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Perhaps you don't get the big picture."
"Law is law."
"It has no sympathies, no bending."
"We may lose a potential candidate today"
"But many more are discouraged from performing such acts as these"
Atticus: "Perhaps..."
"There is reason in what you say."
"However, do not let incidents such as these mount on your record."
Ullar W. (GM): he glares at you
Atticus: "The common people can form an impressive force when they are angered."
Ullar W. (GM): "Either way..."
he gives you a small sack of coins
"This is...our debt repaid."
it has 250 gp
"The common people still need to be governed. Keep that in mind."
Atticus: "Keep the man alive and imprisoned then, perhaps use his freedom as carrot at the end of the stick for the boy."
 Atticus smirks, "I am after all, looking out for your best interest."
Ullar W. (GM): "I can tell."
Atticus: "Depart then, I have wounds to sleep off."
Ullar W. (GM): he bristles slightly at being commanded
but he leaves
what do you do now
Atticus: we check the basement for phat loot
Ullar W. (GM): most of it was cleared out by the hellknights
but
Atticus: "Salvage anything, Fazij?"
Ullar W. (GM): Fazij couldn't help but grab the +1 rapier the man had
and there is enough to salvage an alchemist's kit
and finally
you find an old, worn book
Atticus: "What is it?"
Ullar W. (GM): it is
apparently composed of several
formulae
Fazij seems interested in this
Atticus: "I had no idea you were so attached to equations and formulae. Stay up all night studying them if you wish, I'm exhausted."
Ullar W. (GM): "Eh, it looks neat enough."
Atticus: ok, we rest for the night
in the now-ownerless tavern...
Ullar W. (GM): Fazij eventually falls asleep
Ullar W. (GM): it is morning
and people are kindly asked to leave the tavern
Atticus: "I suppose we should see the head of the order now."
Ullar W. (GM): as the hellknights scour the place for any more seeds of dissent from Kris
ok then
so back to the chapel?
Atticus: ya
Ullar W. (GM): ok
the hellknights let you in again
Atticus: "So, how long have you suspected the owner of being a dissident?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Pardon?"
Atticus: "You do not expect me to believe you had no idea what was going on in that tavern and that it was a 'happy coincidence' we found it."
Ullar W. (GM): "You're smarter than you appear."
Atticus: "So what was this? Some kind of test?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Call it what you will."
"I will ask you a question, first. I have asked you this before, but give me a different answer."
"Why did you forsake the powers Baalzebul gave to you?"
Atticus: "Because he was weak."
Ullar W. (GM): "And what do you quantify as weak? Or not weak?"
Atticus: "A minor deity who concerns himself with delusions of true strength is weak."
"I realized this when the Wardstone gave me a fraction of a true god's power."
Ullar W. (GM): "So. A true god is not weak to you?"
"Are you weak?"
"You have no powers."
Atticus: "I am weak now."
"But I was weaker living in the shadow of the Prince of Flies."
Ullar W. (GM): "The Prince of Flies lives in a shadow of his own...so your plight hardly surprises me."
"The shadow of Asmodeus."
Atticus: "You are correct..."
"I realized something though... Yesterday at the tavern."
"I still have a portion of Baalzebul's power."
Ullar W. (GM): "Hm."
"Rather odd."
Atticus: "It must have been a reaction to the power of the Wardstone..."
"Somehow, I managed to siphon a small portion of his magic."
Ullar W. (GM): "So. You believe yourself special?"
Atticus: "Ha! Special is a relative term. By being here, I have proved my superiority over most of mortalkind."
Ullar W. (GM): he gives a small smile
it seems almost
condescending
just then
you feel a small breeze
and a voice whispers in your ear
Ullar W. (GM): "Baalzebul will give you his power once more. Return to the Worldwound and seal it. Your glories will know no end."
Atticus whispers"I will... I will return to the Worldwound. But not with your power, Baalzebul. You will not reclaim what I have taken from you."
Ullar W. (GM): "What was that?"
the priest says
FAzij looks at you funnily as well
Atticus: "It was... nothing. I thought I heard a fly to be swatted."
Ullar W. "Ahem."
Atticus: "Sorry about that."
Ullar W. (GM): "Alright then."
"As I was saying..."
Atticus interjects "I have... made a decision that may please you."
Ullar W. (GM): "Oh?"
Atticus: "I will return to the Worldwound."
Ullar W. (GM): he laughs
"I see. And what do you expect to do there?"
"Poke a demon with your stick?"
"You are little more than nothing at the moment, Atticus. Face it."
Atticus: "I expected such a response. I recognize my weakness, that is why I am going to request the aid of your lord himself..."
Ullar W. (GM): "You..."
"You wish to join the church of Asmodeus?"
Atticus: "I wish to make a contract with the lord of hell."
Ullar W. (GM): "I see."
Atticus: "I will not go so far as to say I will worship him. Decry my pride all you wish, but it will not allow me to accept blind fealty to any master."
Ullar W. (GM): "All he demands is service. Service to Hell."
Atticus: "I will fight for the force of law and exterminate demon-kind."
"Fazij excluded of course."
Ullar W. (GM): Fazij smirks
"And this is your decision?"
"Once you make it, there is no going back."
Atticus: "It is, my life is a vessel for the force of law. My afterlife as well. Just know this, god of devils, do not attempt to betray our deal... Look at the last god whose power I spurned."
Ullar W. (GM): "Very well then."
he goes behind the altar
and places some incense on top of it
"I keep some around. There's always the apprentice who needs chastening."
note: this exchange begins about an hour later
"Now..."
"Let us pray."
Ullar W. (GM): he begins casting a spell
Atticus: 27
Ullar W. (GM): atonement
Atticus smirks a little bit
Ullar W. (GM): "Atticus Fellwing."
"You have sought to forsake your ties to Baalzebub and join the ranks of Hell under their true general, Asmodeus."
Atticus: "Indeed."
Ullar W. (GM): "Do you swear to follow Hell and Law, with unswerving loyalty?"
Atticus: "I do."
Ullar W. (GM): "Do you place yourself before Asmodeus, Prince of Darkness, swearing to follow his commands?"
Atticus hesitates just a moment "Yes..."
Ullar W. (GM): "Do you pledge to see through the ends of Asmodeus, god above all other gods, gaining whatever reward he sees fit to give?"
Atticus: "I will accept his graciousness."
Ullar W. (GM): "And his graciousness is great, as is his wrath."
"May the unswerving powers of Law protect you in these days. And may it crush your foes underneath its heel."
Atticus: "As the worms they are."
Ullar W. (GM): "Atticus Fellwing."
"I name you: Cleric of Asmodeus."
Ullar W. (GM): "You may rise, a member of our unholy union."
Atticus: "You still awake, Fazij?"
Ullar W. (GM): Fazij dozed off, but he started at the sound of you guys talking again
Atticus: "So... now what?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Now?"
"Now you do as you see fit. And as the Prince of Darkness sees fit."
"Nothing compells you to go to the Worldwound immediately."
Atticus: "I was wondering, might you have interest in having a representative of the Order at the Worldwound?"
Ullar W. (GM): "So. you are so eager to get what power you need, you will throw yourself at any organization whose goals coincide with your own?"
Atticus: "Might it not be beneficial for the Hell Knights to be seen as a major force in the final crusade?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Certainly, it would be."
Atticus: "I can only imagine the political favor you will curry with Queen Galfrey should you all be seen at the head of the venture to reclaim the Worldwound."
"Or at least a member of your order."
Ullar W. (GM): "You make a fair point."
Atticus: "An unbeliever who converted and came into your light, even!"
"A more favorable light has not been shone on the Hell Knights in centuries, no?"
Ullar W. (GM): "I am not as easily pliable as you would like to believe."
"Alas, I cannot make a field induction into our ranks, even if I wanted to."
Atticus: "No, you can not. But this deal would work out for both of us and I am willing to go through any of your initiation procedures necessary."
Ullar W. (GM): "Fair enough."
Ullar W. (GM): "So you wish to join the Godclaw? I think something could be arranged."
Atticus: "I was thinking that or the Order of the Gate."
Ullar W. (GM): "Hm. Order of the Gate would certainly have interest in the Worldwound."
"I am biased towards Godclaw, I must admit, being our local paralictor...but I will not try to decide for you."
"I know how much you would hate that."
Atticus: "This is a decision not to be made today, anyway."
Ullar W. (GM): "Agreed."
Atticus: "So then, if you cannot induct me here, who should I see?"
Ullar W. (GM): "Oh, I never said I couldn't induct you here."
"Jsut not on the spot."
Atticus: "I see."
Ullar W. (GM): "You would certainly need to prove your worth."
"And of course, perform the final test."
Atticus: "I know of your summoning ritual."
"I have little experience in conjuring or fighting devils, but I suppose that is what training is for."
Ullar W. (GM): "Indeed."
"In any case, I will find you new quarters at our institution."
"Enjoy your free time today - training begins tomorrow."
Atticus: "I was hoping you'd provide lodging... I don't think last night's is available any longer."
Ullar W. (GM): "Naturally."