SFL 38

[b]Session: 38[/b]
Start of #starfalllake buffer: Sun Oct 30 06:22:23 2011
<[DM]> ---------------------------------------------------------------
<[DM]> The heroes propel themselves swiftly through the water, and well before the alarm could spread far, stand before a vicous black surface, which the stream passes through, seemingly unimpeded. The portal surface itself.
<Inari> Inari swims to a stop, still dragging Alveri along by her hands. "Well, I guess this it. Was there anything in the book about this, Slick?"
<[DM]> Slick recalls the natural key to this variety of portal, death, naturally. Either the living dead, or a live sacrifice upon it's surface would open it. Or the dirge-song from the book, but that would take long minutes while their pursuit arrives.
<@Alveri> Alveri grows hesitant as she nears the portal's surface, tugging her hands away from Inari's so that she drops off a little bit away from it.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno moves swiftly, weapon in hand.
<Slick> Slick sighs. "Naturally, a portal to the River is activated by death. We need to kill something or destroy an undead on the surface of the portal."
<Slick> "I got a song that'd work, but it takes a few minutes to sing."
<Jm2c> "Killing something is a bit inconvenient right now, given that we're on the run..." Inari looks at the black surface with a frown. "Or I could try the sword."
<Chiiruno> "The sword, give it a shot"
<@Alveri> "Isn't that risky...? We have Creo right here," Alveri replies, soon followed by a -heavy- sounding sigh.
<Slick> Slick sighs. "The sword's gonna be unreliable."
<Jm2c> "Oh, yes. Basically, we've got risky, risky, and slow."
<Slick> Slick turns to Alveri with a raised eyebrow. "...I'm not sure if you're serious or just fucking with us."
<[DM]> Behind them, down the tunnel, Inari can see a pair of distant merfolk holding onto a pair of enormous sharks by a fin as they haul ass towards the portal, giving an ululating cry as they do so.
<@Alveri> "Do you have ANY IDEA how many I've been used for this? FOR FUCKS SAKE, I need to start watching OAFS."
<@Alveri> Alveri rolls her cold gaze up to Slick. "Mm... We'll see him on the other side, regardless."
<Slick> Slick shudders slightly.
<Jm2c> Looking back, Inari comments, "Well, killing something is out unless it's Creo. The next possible subjects are charging towards us with a pair of sharks that could swallow mistuh Garrall whole right now."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno takes up position to face the sharks, bracing against their charge. "Just hurry up."
<@Alveri> "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT." A wattery swoosh is heard as Creo moves in and spreads itself across the surface, turning visible. "GET IT OVER WITH.  I'M ALMOST DONE WATCHING YOU IDIOTS ANYWAY."
<Jm2c> "Well, one way to find out what happens!" Summoning Skyrender to her hand, Inari slashes it across the surface of the portal in one motion.
<Slick> Slick silently swims backwards, frowning as he watches the portal.
<[DM]> The surface ripples as the blade glances off, throwing swirling sparks off, the sharks are almost onto them.
<Inari> Furrowing her eyebrow, Inari simply slashes again.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno mutters as her body shimmers in a protective field.
<[DM]> The slashed part of the portal surface remains open this time, and begins bleeding. The portal begins to scream from an earpiercingly high pitch to a bass moan as the crack rips apart and spews a geyser of crimson. Around them, the walls near the portal crack, releasing a cloud of debris.
<Slick> Slick slams his hands over his ears. "Sonnovabitch! I knew this was a bad idea!
<[DM]> Behind, one of the sharks convulse, stunned, while the other soldiers on.
<Inari> "Well, you didn't have a better one!" Being closest to the portal, Inari covers her ears with her hands as well, but too late.
<[DM]> Serrula and Inari feels a sudden pain in their heads from the shriek, knocked silly by the scream. The portal however, is now open.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno uses her prodigous strength, something that her size and frame seemed impossible with, grabs Serrula and Inari and blitzes themselves through the portal. "Let's go now!"
<@Alveri> Alveri covers her ears just in time, then pushes Inari through the portal ahead of her as she swims through.
<Slick> Slick follows the others through, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to see if their pursuers are, well, pursuing.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno waves her hand after she passes through and creates an ice wall thick and wide, as large as she could manage to block up the portal breach.
<[DM]> Slick's last glance catches sight of the shark rider wheeling up as the portal still expands, unable to fit the girth of the monstrous beast.
<[DM]> A sudden inversion of gravity is the first sign that they have made it through the portal. Down is now where the portal is, and dark water tinges red, with a strong metallic, yet rancid taste. Blood, wherever they are now, the water is strongly tainted with blood, nearly to the point of more blood than water.
<[DM]> To all but Inari's eyes, the water is nigh impenetrable, with vision coming to a halt within twenty feet of the crimson waters. A steady geyser of obsidian liquid gushes up from the portal below, turning the red into shades of purple of grey as it rises through a grate. The enormous chamber is an inverted pyramid, with five tunnels piercing the ceiling.
<[DM]> The ceiling is itself bulbous, and carved with disturbing sigils, with one Dewdrop-sized tunnel on each edge, and the massive central bore leading the stream up. There, little room remains where the waters surge, pulse and splutter through the wide bore tunnel.
<Slick> Realizing the group needs to make some ground and fast, Slick chants a familiar spell, doing his best to ignore the foul taste of the water.
<@Alveri> ".  .  ." Alveri quietly drags Inari to the side as she curiously looks around the place.
<Inari> Inari is clutching her head in pain with her eyes screwed up tightly and allows herself to be simply dragged along, paying little attention to the surroundings.
<[DM]> Slick, despite the rush, gets close enough to the sigils to read them. The central bore is marked wtih the abyssal equivalent of no-entry signs, with easily translated 'certain death' written across it.
<Slick> "Not this one..."
<[DM]> Around, clockwise, are written Beasts, Barracks, Storage, Visitors. At the same time, some of the runes appear to move stone, which given the width of the hallways, likely involve moving the stone to widen the entryways.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno remains near the breach as she keeps producing blocks and blocks of ice at the breach.
<Slick> Slick tries to identify one of the stone moving runes on the "visitors" branch. "I need a minute, but I think I can cut them off!"
<[DM]> The sigils are simple, rotating clockwise widens the tunnels, anticlockwise closes them.
<Chiiruno> "You have a minute but hurry!" pants Chiiruno as she forces the ice that she creates together, packing them as hard as possible while creating more as she goes along.
<Slick> "Man, kudos to whoever designed these... This is really nice." He begins rotating the sigils counterclockwise until the tunnel is narrow enough to only allow a couple of people through at a time.
<@Alveri> Alveri drags Inari behind her by the back of her breastplate, approaching Slick.  "Where does this lead...?"
<[DM]> Chii sees the muzzle of the enormous shark approach the ice barrier. Then a loud cracking sound and the ice is gone, broken to tiny pieces by the creature, which has flimed eyes, as if beginning to frenzy.
<Slick> "Sigils say this one's for visitors."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno breaks off and quickly swims back to the others. "They're coming!" she screams.
<Slick> Slick waves for everyone to start moving down the tunnel. "C'mon guys."
<@Alveri> Alveri darts ahead, kicking her tiny flippers as fast as she can and.... only moving about as fast as Slick, due to Inarianchor.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno will be the last to enter the tunnel and will use ice to plug the tunnel after she enters.
<Inari> Inari trashes around, seemingly trying to say something, but only manages to gasp as she glances around the room.
<[DM]> The party makes their way into the tunnel quickly, and the tunnel walls illuminate along the length of the tunnel as far as the party can see. Behind, the shark is squeezing into the chamber.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno continues to plug the tunnel with ice as she moves.
<Inari> Taking a deep breath, Inari finally manages to press out as they enter the tunnel, "Alarm runes!"
<Slick> "Yeah, 'cause I'm sure that matters given that we just sliced that portal. Let's keep moving!"
<Inari> Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Inari once again takes the initiative in draggin Alveri along instead. "Well, for starters, they'll know which tunnel we took."
<[DM]> Behind, Chii can see the merfolk pop into the chamber as she thickens the ice, the shark swimming furiously in circles, frustrated.
<[DM]> The tunnel rumbles as the stone begins to widen.
<@Alveri> Alveri flails a bit as Inari changes things up, but just pouts and lets herself get dragged. |<
<Slick> "The other tunnels were gonna be a lot less nice I think. Let's just keep going."
<[DM]> Ahead, the tunnel changes from the diagonal to the vertical, ending in a coral portcullis and a horn hanging beside it. Beyond, can be seen some kind of chamber, with two fins just barely visible beside the other end of the portcullis.
<Inari> Despite being in a fight-or-flight situation, Inari still finds the time to cuddle Alveri as she swims. "Aww, don't be like that, I'm reeeally grateful!"
<@Alveri> ".  .  .  You were only in the way," Alveri mutters. :<
<Inari> "Even when you were dragging me, behind you?"
<[DM]> The tunnel widens behind them, now big enough for a horse to walk through, the ice is going to take somewhat more effort to get past however.
<@Alveri> ".    .    .     W-Well, um.... S-Shut up!" |<
<Inari> Serrula charges forward, smashing her tree-turned spear into the portcullis. Who needs keys, right?
<[DM]> With Serrula's strike, the portcullis shatters into colorful shrapnel as the two guards startle and reach for their spears.
<@Alveri> Alveri readies her rifle, letting go of Inari and letting herself be dragged.
<Chiiruno> Using her speed, Chiiruno bursts through and continues swimming.
<Slick> Slick waves to the guards and gives a smile. "Sorry fellas, just passin' through." He continues swimming to follow the others."
<Inari> Inari charges through the now-open portcullis at the highest speed she can manage without leaving the rest of the party behind, ignoring the guards entirely.
<@Alveri> Alveri threateningly keeps her rifle trained on one of the guards as she's pulled along.
<[DM]> Jetting past the startled guards, the party emerges into a large chamber, with  stone benches in a variety of sizes, tunnels lead out of the chamber in all directions, with more merfolk grabbing for weapons(and some receptionists diving for cover) as the party smashes in. Inari swiftly recognizes the Abyssal runes for "Surface" on an alcove.
<Inari> Pointing at the alcove in question, Inari yells, "That way's the surface!"
<Chiiruno> As long as the party passes through tunnels, Chiiruno will plug them with ice once she goes past.
<[DM]> Behind in the tunnel they entered through, the walls have widened enough for the shark to pass. Thumps sound as they shatter their way through the ice blockades.
<Inari> "Some of them are calling for 'raiders', whatever that is. Probably bad news."
<Chiiruno> With so much practice, Chiiruno's ice plugs start to turn from crude plugs to somewhat sharp and jagged surfaces.
<[DM]> The alcove itself is open topped, leading into more waters. Some bags are tied to hooks on the walls, Floation bags, for rapid ascent.
<Inari> Inari grabs some of the bags for the others. "There, put these on to get up faster."
<Slick> As soon as he sees them, Slick goes for the bags. "Almost out of here."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno grabs one of the bags.
<Chiiruno> And cuts the hooks.
<[DM]> Chii almost immediately ascends out of sight.
<Chiiruno> "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~"
<Slick> Slick twists his wrist to pop out the dagger strapped to his forearm and does the same.
<@Alveri> Alveri firmly grabs hold of Inari's balloon, not trusting her -that- much. |<
<Inari> Inari takes one of the bags and uses its buoyance to supplement her own speed.
<[DM]> Behind, the sharks finally smash their way into the entrance hall, even as the last of the party ascends out of sight, Inari sees one start to smash open the alcove even as she soars up.
<Chiiruno> Gripping the bag with her legs, Chiiruno creates block of ice shaped like a drill and points it upwards, letting it cut through the water resistance so that she can ascend faster.
<@Alveri> Alveri flinches painfully and ducks her head down, looking away from the water she's traveling so quickly through.
<[DM]> Chii breaches surface first, she seems to be in some kind of dock area under dim light, with palely glowing boats tied to anchors. She doesn't see anything out of the ordinary.
<Chiiruno> Shooting out of the water with such speed that the backtrail of water resembles a waterspout, Chiiruno floats down onto the dock with weapons ready, waiting for the rest to surface.
<[DM]> Inari follows, and the first thing she sees is a feathered man-like Thing, perched  on a nearby building. On the ground around are miserable looking writhing creatures. All of these stop as the party breaks surface.
<[DM]> Above is baleful splotchy purple skies, with crimson and white stars shimmering.
<Slick> As Slick surfaces and sees the figure, he mutters, "Oh, fuck." Then he looks around and realizes where they are. "Ooooooh, fuck!"
<Inari> Mistaking the feathered thing for a relative of Creo's, Inari waves. "Hello there!"
<Chiiruno> "Where the hell is this place Slick?"
<@Alveri> Alveri climbs her way up onto the dock, looking around and frowning.  "This... This place knows little of law," Alveri tugs Inari's arm, trying to stop her.
<[DM]> A piercing call sounds, as the rest of the complex is alerted, they seem to be at the docks of some kind of fortification-island.
<[DM]> On the bright side, just outside the docks is the familiar obsidian flow of the River.
<Slick> "We're in Abbadon. Basically ground zero for the Blood War. And apparently a Demon fort. We need to move!"
<Chiiruno> Uttering a string of Fey curses, Chiiruno hauls ass.
<Inari> "...Oh. Well."
<[DM]> Inari feels thoughts raking across her mind, *My, my, my, new toys! AHAHAHAHAH*
<Inari> Inari grimaces, and thinks back, *Sorry, just passing through. Bye!*
<@Alveri> Alveri ratchets her rifle, loading up a holy round and taking aim.
<[DM]> "<Abyssal>Denl! B'santi! We have visitors</Abyssal>
<Slick> Slick hops into the boat, casting a quick Prestidigitation to dry everone off as the others get it ready to go.
<[DM]> The dretches mindlessly echo the words, repeating across the crowd. Then the Vrock leaps off it's perch, gaining height.
<[DM]> Below, the water shakes, the sharks are coming.
<Chiiruno> Getting onto the boat, Chiiruno readies her weapon and plants herself in front of Alveri as the latter takes aim.
<Slick> "Stay close to the shoreline, we may need to get on land to get away from the sharks.
<Inari> Tugging at Alveri's scarf, Inari drags her along to the boat. "Come on, you can shoot fromt he boat!"
<[DM]> The boat meanwhile, is narrow, and carries bows and silvered arrows, it writhes under their feet, as if alive, with a helm shaped like a trio of distorted faces.
<[DM]> Above, two other winged shapes flicker into view across the night sky.
<Chiiruno> "Concentrate firepower on the closest winged beast."
<@Alveri> Alveri smites the first vrock, a plume of ethereal feathers firing out from her shoulders as wings unfurl out of nowhere, catching even Alveri off guard.  But she quickly re-aims and begins firing.
<Slick> Slick begins playing a fast-paced tune on his saxophone as Alveri starts shooting.
<Inari> Seeing the boat is devoid of oars, Inari checks the front of it for other controls.
<[DM]> Inari, upon a brief examination, swiftly realizes the boat itself is literally three tortured and fused creatures. In that case it would be operated by inflicting pain upon one of the three knobs, which would presumably be three thrusters, one left, one right, and one reverse.
<Inari> "Uh..." Inari grimaces and mutters a prayer before slamming her hands down on the left and right knobs, steering the boat out and forward onto the river. "I hate this place already."
<[DM]> Meanwhile, Alveri's golden shot blasts into the sky, puncturing a hole in the torso of the first Vrock, which screams in outrage as the three demons begin to dive.
<Inari> Growing nervous, Inari continues to punch at the knobs as she looks back to the vrocks, ready to react if they get closer.
<[DM]> The vessel screams in a warbling manner as it accelerates through the blood, first slowly, then beginning to pick up speed.
<[DM]> One of the Vrocks dives towards the party, and then opens it's horrific mouth.
<Inari> At the same time, Inari lifts her hand, and rays of purple light streak towards the charging vrock from her fingers. "Mahnond lioht!"
<[DM]> The spell shatters harmlessly against the Vrock's maw, then it shrieks, the wave of sound smashing against the party.
<[DM]> Chii and Alveri almost tumble to the ground from the scream as it overwhelms their senses..
<Slick> Slick looks to Chii and Alveri as they falter, and decides to focus on the latter, playing a quick scale and ending on a shrill tone louder than the Vrock's.
<Inari> Inari screams back, <Abyssal>"Yeah, you too!"</Abyssal>
<Slick> As Alveri recovers, he continues the song unabataed. A single visible note of music shoots from his saxophone and hurtles toward the Vrock.
<@Alveri> Alveri immediately stands back up straight, her wings folding back.
<[DM]> The Vrock shudders and begins twitching uncontrollably in the air, impaled on a bolt of music. The second Vrock descends, a myriad of phantoms beginning to scream, dance and slash at the air even as it approaches.
<@Alveri> Alveri keeps her gaze fixated on the first vrock she shot, dropping two more shots into it before shifting to the cloned one and headshotting one of the mirror images.
<Inari> Serrula sweeps her hand sideways as if throwing something backhand at the Vrock that multiplied, and a loose string of shadow shoots from her hand towards the neck of one of them.
<[DM]> Akaiop tumbles as Alveri shoots it twice in the head, exploding into a black haze as it strikes the dark water flow.
<Inari> Inari continues slamming the controls, but extends one hand into the air, a translucent bolt of magic energy gathering there as she rears back to throw it.
<[DM]> The irresistably dancing Vrock curses in Abyssal, then, still jerking about, waves a clawed limb at Inari and she feels an unseen force start to bind around her.
<[DM]> Inari finds herself restrained by the telekinetic force.
<[DM]> The second Vrock completes it's dive, landing in the middle of the vessel as it slashes with a claw at Alveri, recognizing the threat posed.
<@Alveri> Alveri suddenly swings her effectively useless wings forward as she skids back to avoid the vrock's blow, then takes aim directly into its face.
<Slick> Seeing that images still remain, Slick draws his pistol and takes aim, trying to give Alveri a clear shot.
<[DM]> Slick's shots pepper the cluster of hallucinations, shattering one, but glancing off the hide of the Vrock on the second shot.
<[DM]> Now it resembles eerie twins.
<@Alveri> Without hesitation, Alveri unloads on the vrock, shattering the last image and hitting the real one in the teeth.
<Chiiruno> Charging her blade with frosty energies, Chiiruno uses her reach to execute a large slash, putting all her strength into it and follow up with another attack.
<Inari> Serrula moves in unison with Chiiruno, flanking the demon between them and running it through with a single powerful stab.
<[DM]> The creature staggers, oozing a disgusting fluid from a gaping wound in the chest.\
<Inari> Inari suddenly flashes and reappears some five feet from her position, stretching out her tounge at the dancing vrock and saying something rude in Abyssal to it.
<Inari> Rearing back, she kicks the vrock on the boat between its legs with full force.
<[DM]> Inari's klck sets up a destructive resonance, then the Vrock crumples and sloughs into a mass of loose grey-green feathers.
<Chiiruno> Wrapping her arm in a sheathe of icy gauntlet-like casing. Chiiruno plunges it into the gaping wound, ripping the heart out.
<[DM]> Behind, the final Vrock disappears. it either has gone for reinforcements or more likely, prefers to live.
<Chiiruno> Giving a roar of triumph while holding the heart, Chiiruno puffs her insignificant chest out.
<Inari> "Okay, let's run for it." Stepping back to the controls, Inari smashes a pair of small coins deep into the steering knobs with a grimace of disgust.
<Chiiruno> Stuffing the heart into a jar of preservatives, Chiiruno keeps the jar back into the portrait.
<[DM]> The vessel lurches, then swiftly accelerates  downstream, while behind, the lake of blood now has a greasy oil slick on top.
<Slick> Holstering his gun, Slick sighs, looking to the boat. "We'll put 'em out of their misery when we're done..."
<@Alveri> Alveri lowers her rifle, folding one of her wings infront of her and trying to touch it, pouting as her fingers go right through it.  |< "I want real wings some day.... but these are pretty neat."  She smiles slightly as she flaps them, one ethereal wing clipping through Slick.
<[DM]> Inari and Alveri however, note twin furrows of waves on the bloody lake surface in the distance. One pursuit is still on their tail.
<@Alveri> ". . . One of those sharks is still after us, but we will lose them at this pace... Shouldn't the river be harming them by now?"
<[DM]> Ahead, a scrubby shore comes into view, with dirty sand and twisted vegetation, the lake of blood now narrows into a river of blood.
<Slick> Slick leans back a bit as the wing passes through him, chuckling at the display. As to Alveri's question, he replies, "No more than it was harming us."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno sits down and takes a nap.
<Inari> Holding the coins down intot he steering knobs, Inari looks thoroughly uncomfortable with her position. "Can someone take these for a while? It's really simple, just keep pushing the left and right ones down..."
<Slick> Slick also sits down, trying to put their method of locomotion out of his mind. "I think we should be good just following the river for a while.
<[DM]> Overhead, monstrousities glide, and the occaisional glimmer of hurled magics light up the distant skies. The area seems relatively peaceful, except for the pursuing sharks.
<@Alveri> Alveri peers over Inari's shoulder.  ".  .  .  No, I think you're best suited for this." :<
<Inari> "I'm not that evil, you know..."
<Slick> Slick sighs and replies heasitantly, "I--I'll do it if no one else will... I guess."
<[DM]> While they debate, the party can see another structure looming in the distance ahead, splitting the river, Unlike the bulbous demon fortress behind, this is all sharp angles and lines.
<Inari> Inari nods thankfully. "We can take turns when it gets too uncomfortable for you."
<Slick> "It's already too uncomfortable for me. Hopefully we'll get a chance to put them out of their misery soon."
<[DM]> The clashing sound of blades on scales and rending screams can be heard over the air by Inari, Alveri and Slick.
<[DM]> Still distant, but the scale is enormous.
<[DM]> To be heard this far.
<Slick> Looking at the structure approaching, he sighs. "And now we meet the devils."
<Slick> "They're more likely to be willing to talk, at least..."
<Inari> "Well, yeah, but... you know. One has to do it, so we might as well not have one do it all." Looking to the structure. "Maybe the fact we just messed up a demon fortress would make give us some credit with them?"
<Slick> "You can hear that fighting I presume? I think we should try to detour if we can."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno's gentle deep breathing can be heard.
<Inari> "Yeah, but we probably need to go through there anyway, and we've got a shark on our tail?
<Slick> "But yeah, devils are... not SMARTER, but CALMER than demons... We can probably talk through if we get a chance."
<Chiiruno> Poor girl expended a lot of energy propelling the ice boat and sneaking through the fortress earlier.
<@Alveri> Alveri glares at Slick for but a few moments, "You guys are willing to cut deals with just about anyone, aren't you? Oof..." She strokes at one of her ethereal wings as it slowly fades away... meanwhile, somebody has suddenly realized that they are visible again.  Puchikins crawls across the boat towards Scrubble.
<Slick> "The sharks are losing distance, and worst case scenario we can go on land for a bit."
<Slick> To Alveri, Slick replies, "Would you rather try to take on an entire devil fortress yourself?"
<Inari> "Well, no. Devils are as disgusting as demons. Maybe more so, in some ways. But we've been doing fighting retreats for a while, and I don't want to take on yet another fortress."
<@Alveri> "I... suppose that makes sense... I just really don't want another Meekwater.  I suppose in this land, there's little good to protect, but still."
<Slick> Slick shakes his head. "Best to leave the demons and devils alone as well as we can, let them take care of each other for us."
<Inari> "Meekwater is a human village. This place has been full of devils fromt he start."
<@Alveri> Puchi begins tying shadowy elastic bands in Scrubble's hair, giving her a haphazard makeover.
<[DM]> Slick, on considering the matter, realize one thing, the devils would not pay for something the party has already done even if it cost them nothing. However, the heart is valuable enough alchemically to be worth a parley. They never give anything unless specifically bargained for.
<Slick> Slick muses the matter over for a bit. "The devils probably aren't going to give us much for killing a few demons. But that heart? Worth a bit to 'em. We might be able to negotiate with that."
<Slick> "So, we've got a few options. Beach to lose the sharks and sneak past, keep going and try to parley with the devils, try and find a spot to rest and do it in the morning."
<@Alveri> "I think if there's any chance we could sneak through unnoticed, we should take it.  I don't wish to deal with devils."
<Inari> "If we can find a more or less safe place, resting's probably good in any case. A battle would provide a distraction, but if we rest we can check how it turns out as well."
<Slick> Slick nods to that. "It'd be better, yeah. The heart gets us in, but they'd probably ask more of us to let us through."
<Inari> Scrubblemuffin pauses in her examination of the boat's controls and trying to make them work herself to begrudgingly allow the makeover, seeing how she can't touch the knobs anyway.
<Slick> "Well, we got people wanting us dead nearby, so I think resting is a bad idea.
<@Alveri> "Well then... I can scout ahead, even safer if one of you gives me invisibility.  As for the rest, invisible sphere? Or what?  Resting first is an option too... but the battle -does- provide a distraction."
<Inari> "I said if we can find a safe one, if being operative... though we've pretty much lost that sharkrider, and it's not like he can do much on land. I'm more worried about soldiers randomly coming by."
<Slick> "I'm low on juice, but I can give us some inivisibility. Lots of devils see through that though."
<Slick> "We just killed two vrocks in a demon fort. They're gonna be keeping an eye out for us."
<@Alveri> Thirteen randomly orientated ponytails later, Puchikins finishes her work and steps back to look at it, nodding aprovingly.
<Slick> "At the moment, I'm liking the sneaking option."
<[DM]> The boat cruises along, and ahead, a thin dark line can be seen, some kind of wall? Regardless they would have to choose soon, or run straight into the devils.
<Inari> "Demons don't exactly have empathy, and we're far out of sight from their fort. If they can't find us, they'd leave us be."
<Chiiruno> Unable to rest well, Chiiruno gets up. "Why not hop aboard the portrait, I hit an altitude so high I'm just a speck in the sky and we'll fly over the fortress.
<Slick> Slick sighs. "I'm thinkin' let's find a hiding spot for now and send Alveri, maybe one other out to see what this fight's about with invisibility."
<Slick> "We can decide after that."
<[DM]> The others do recall that height, would not be safety. Practically everything powerful here flies, and some of the stars are possibly warring Balors.
<Inari> Inari nods. "That's probably the best course of action. Alveri?"
<@Alveri> "Mm.... Well then."  Alveri turns around and stomps on the left control, grinding her heel on it. "Let's go."
<Slick> To Chii, Slick replies, "There are plenty of flying nasties around here."
<Chiiruno> "They fly to find each other, if we keep ourselves above the fray, they won't really notice."
<[DM]> The vessel shudders and swings toward shore violently, then skids up the rough surface with piteous yelps.
<Slick> Slick winces as Alveri slams into the controls, then steps ashore.
<Inari> Inari winces at the yelps and Scrubble swiftly undoes a number of the haphazard ponytails and resumes trying to claw at the controls.
<[DM]> The boat skips onto land, screaming faintly as they bounce ashore. Inari notices...the thing is not propelled by flippers or propellers or even fins. The propulsion jets are their mouths. It's moved by their continous screaming.
<@Alveri> Puchi claws the dirt trying to get back to Scrubble, apparently very upset about the undoing of her masterpiece.  She named it Ngaflaf.  :<
<Slick> Slick looks to the boat, sighing. "Yeah, while we're at it, mind if we kill this thing now that we're on shore?"
<Inari> Inari shudders. "Put it out of its misery? No objection."
<@Alveri> Alveri hops down to shore and loads up her rifle, firing into the boat several times, putting each of the three entities out of their misery.
<[DM]> Where they beached seems to be a clearing of warped and twisted shrubbery. Serrula recognizes practically all of them as venomous or carnivorous in some way, and must be cleared if the space is to be used for resting.
<Inari> Serrula quickly warns the others as to the nature of the plants.
<Inari> "Okay," Inari says, looking to Alveri. "You going to scout ahead?"
<Slick> Slick frowns. "'M thinkin' at least two of us should go. Lots of ways for these things to stun you, don't wanna be alone when that happens."
<@Alveri> "Mm... Which direction should I start looking? I mean.... it's a -wall.-"
<Inari> Serrula steps forward to volunteer.
<Slick> Slick shrugs. "That's why we're scouting. To see what's up."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno clears the vegetation by crushing them under sheets of ice.
<Inari> "Yeah, just look around and see what happens."
<@Alveri> "Mm... Well, I guess it's Serru and I again.  If we're not back within an hour, -do- look for us."
<Slick> Slick nods. "Be careful."
<@Alveri> "That goes without saying.  Please rest well."
<[DM]> ----------------------------------------------------------------
<[DM]> Alveri and Serrula take advantage of the covering terrain(at least the bits that aren't trying to kill them) and creep towards the devil emplacement.
<@Alveri> Alveri chooses to first check out the area around the river itself.
<[DM]> The woods are tangled with Lemures and Dretches, clawing noisily with each other even as the more aggressive plants spear them and drink the ichor.
<@Alveri> ". . . Do make sure that you warn me before I step near anything dangerous, Serru."
<Inari> Serru informs her that it would be easier to tell her when she's not about to step near anything dangerous.
<[DM]> As they approach, the fighting intensifies, with more than stray least devils and demons mauling each other, then the duo breaks through to the water's edge, there, devils armed with spears stab things swimming about in the waters, while occaisionally losing one of them to a suddenly grasping tentacle.
<[DM]> Meanwhile, back at the camp, there is a feeling of unseen eyes.
<@Alveri> "Ah.... I suppose that works, but would make for slow progress..." Alveri shifts her rifle into a scythe and starts clearing the brush, but then returns to the stealthier approach as she gets closer.
<[DM]> Imps, Inari senses some invisible winged figures watching them from the trees, coming and going in a regular pattern.
<Inari> Lazily looking around, Inari pokes the side of Slick's arm to get his attention. "Imps, watching us."
<@Alveri> Alveri gazes nonplussedly at the writhing tentacles and the devils stabbing them, then pulls her hood down and leads Serru down along the shore, keeping as concealed as she can.
<Slick> Slick sighs at that. "Well, so much for sneaking through..."
<[DM]> Meanwhile, Alveri and Serrula are now close enough to see the wall ahead. Bones of all shapes and sizes, mortared together by clay and a crimson fluid. Devils stand upon the top, systematically slaughtering the hordes of demons that clamber onto the walls.
<[DM]> Vrocks swoop across the wall's top, slashing at and being assaulted in turn by formations of bearded devils.
<Slick> "Hm. Could try hailing 'em to parley now..."
<[DM]> As she watches, a glob of flaming tar splashes down onto the field, incinerating a cluster of demons horrifically.
<Slick> "Prolly easier to do when not in the middle of a fight."
<[DM]> Here and there, demons managed to hold onto parts of the wall, only to be evicted as focused devil squads hit them and massacre the loose assault formations.
<@Alveri> "I can hardly explain how happy I am to see these foul fiends slaughtering eachother... but enough voyeurism."  Alveri turns her attention back to finding a stealthy route, whether it be through, around, above or under.
<Inari> "I could try to hypnotize them, but they're cycling in and out, so it's hard to tell how many there are..."
<Slick> Slick sighs. "If you can't get 'em all, don't get any. They'd report that back as us being hostile."
<[DM]> Alveri could however, see several approaches where they might pass unseen, one a shattered section of the wall, where there seems to be some undead, but few actual infernal forces.
<[DM]> Another is the edge of the water, if timed properly, the devils will be engaging the demons in the water.
<[DM]> Finally, they could wait for one of the infernal siege engines to blast a hole in the battle and rush through the gap.
<@Alveri> Satisfied that she has found the best options, though unsatisfied with the options, Alveri starts making her way back to the group.  "Oof... This won't be fun.  Even a deal with a devil sounds remotely appealing right now."
<Chiiruno> Raising her hands in a non-threatening manner Chiiruno approaches the closest imp at the most respectable manner. "I request to know your rules of engagement, we wish to parley and have no hostile intentions against your holdings or territorial rights."
<Chiiruno> "Please take us to your leader, let us engage in parley."
<Slick> Slick sighs. "Their leader is prooobably a bit busy for us actually."
<Slick> Looking to the hailed imp, he says, "We're just passing through, don't want any trouble."
<[DM]> Nine long minutes pass, then one of the imps reveals itself, then gabbles in a strange tongue.
<Inari> Inari places her hands on Chii's shoulders. "Please don't mind the girl. And... I'm afraid we don't speak Infernal, sirs."
<[DM]> Chii deciphers the phrases somewhat, "<Infernal>Speak your wishes and we will talk of price</Infernal>"
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno gives a glance at Inari with a look that says "Perhaps -you- don't know Infernal"
<[DM]> "<Infernal>Mortal tongue is desired, what value doth one pay for the privilege of being addressed with inferior speech</Infernal>"
<Chiiruno> <Infernal> I understand, I shall perform as translator for my companions.</Infernal> and with that she translates for Slick.
<Inari> "Never mind, looks like our slave here can translate." Inari gives the imp a strained smile.
<Slick> Slick raises an eyebrow as Chii translates. "Huh, you speak Infernal now, huh? Anyway." Looking to the imps, he says, "We just want to pass through the wall. Not looking for any trouble."
<[DM]> Slick gets the distinct feeling  the creature is highly annoyed at its inability to blackmail something more. "Very well. State your true names, purpose and offering."
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno whispers to Slick. "We've got the heart but we're wasting time on a grunt, let's use a jar or two of honey to sweeten his palm so that we can go to someone who has more authority."
<Inari> Inari quirks an eyebrow and can't resist blurting out, "Forget it. True names are payment, not introduction."
<Slick> Slick shakes his head to Chii. "That stuff won't work on 'em anyway."
<[DM]> Inari senses even more frustration. Slick gets the distinct idea that hes on a tight schedule here, perhaps he has no more than nine minutes...
<Slick> Forcing himself not to smirk, Slick shrugs. He directs his voice to the rest of the party, but lets the imp hear clearly. "Anyway. We've got all the time in the world. Let's take this slow, do it right, ya dig?"
<Slick> Looking back to the imp, Slick says, "Anyway. Our names and purpose don't really matter, I think. We just wanna pass through, that's all."
<@Alveri> Alveri sneaks up through the shrubs, listening in on the conversation.  Creo translating telepathicly.
<Inari> Inari lifts her eyebrows, then smiles when she figures out that Slick is taking some snipe at the imp. "Yeah, no hurry. Right?"
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno shrugs and translates.
<[DM]> "Only fools would take their time resting amidst a battlefield. The master has little patience with uninvited visitors. Passage has a price, what would you offer for my word of safe passage?"
<Inari> "For yours? You're a servitor, do you even have the authority?"
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno translates. (ad nauseum)
<Slick> "Considering any of us could prolly kill you by sneezing too hard? A friendly smile and wave."
<[DM]> Inari can hear grinding teeth, "Very well. I will convey the message and disrespect you have offered my master.  Remain here."
<Slick> "Cool. Take it easy."
<[DM]> Alveri takes some long moments, but she manages to mark out the locations of each of the imps watching the campsite.
<Slick> With that, he lights a cigarette.
<Chiiruno> Chiiruno starts chewing on ice.
<Inari> Welcoming Puchi back with open arms, Scrubble Tries to get her to let Scrubble work on her hair in return.
<[DM]> Time passes, then slightly over an hour and a half later, the image of a devilish aristocrat appears in the air, "Safe passage has been granted, for parley, Travel straight towards the Master's stronghold, and you will not be molested by any of Hell's armed forces for the next half-day. Deviate and die."
<[DM]> The image fades away.
<Slick> Slick nods. "Yeah, probably the best we can hope to do there."
<@Alveri> "None of the stealthy routes look promising in the least... there's just battle going on all around."
<Inari> Though she seems uncomfortable with it, Inari nods as well. "Yeah, probably."
<[DM]> -------------------------------------------END--------------------------
End of #starfalllake buffer: Sun Oct 30 06:22:23 2011