The Deep Wastes -- Demonic Raiders -- April 8th, 2012

For defeating the guardians of the Demonic Portal you each gain 11,200 experience points.

Nantazar dismisses his summoned Dire Crocodile with a stern phrase and a wave of his grey-armored hand. Those of you with ranks in Knowledge: The Planes seem to notice something strange about the creature before it disappears. You noticed that it didn't seem to actually do as much damage to the Vrock as you would have expected, and come to think of it, it physically looked more like a Fiendish Dire Crocodile than a Celestial one.

D'yb dusts his hands off in a gesture that says "well, that's that" he turns to the cleric.

"I know a celestial when I see one, Nantazar. I like to summon, too. It was hard to tell during the fight with all the commotion, but that appeared to be a fiendish dire crocodile.... whoops?"

Moxie eyes him suspiciously, trying to figure him out and more importantly trying to detect evil on him.

"Tell you what....Logain should be walking through that fiery hole first. looks like your kind of thing. Any of you magic guys got something that could help with this situation?" Brutus looks at the portal, licking his lips at the fighting he is sure to participate in. "Need some payback for that last fight. Not a lot of fun going from the floor to the roof to the floor like some children's toy."

Moxie detects no evil aura from Nantazar

He shrugs at you nonchalantly and speaks in a friendly tone, "The beast served it's purpose well, what's the problem? As a wizard of your caliber should know, such creatures are simply useful tools, a fiendish crocodile can withstand the attacks on demons much more effectively than it's celestial counterpart." He seems to be completely forthright.

Nantazar approaches the flaming portal and examines it with a cursory eye. "I've seen work like this before. I don't believe it to be a interplanar portal, or else you would likely be seeing much more Abyssal seepage and far more demons on this side. It probably leads to somewhere on this Material Plane, perhaps the Demons are being called in there. I believe the flames are nothing more than a cosmetic effect pleasing to the portal's creator, you won't need any protective magics to cross over safely." He puts his hand in the flames with no apparent effect to demonstrate it.

"Shall we enter? I'd guess this would not be a very safe place to rest. More demons may come through this way, and whoever posted those two I just banished here will likely notice soon enough. I'm only down a few spells, we should still have enough resources to answer any threat on the other side, best to get on with it, unless anyone requires healing? I'd be happy to assist if so."

You can roll a sense motive or whatever other checks you like, I'm comfortable with the honor system for rolls.

"I am ready to smash some demons, but I know our magic guys may need to replenish. The choice is theirs to make."

D'yb grimaces at Nantazar.

"You young ones are always so brash. We all heard you say you were summoning a celestial dire crocodile and, had you actually done that, the Vrock in its mouth would've been dead in seconds. A dead enemy makes no attacks.

Yes, they are but pawns in the great game of battle but a dire crocodile without damage resistance would still hold its own long into the fight and could have smiten a demon.

Forgive me if my suspricions are unfounded, but I find it strange that you would've changed your mind mid-summoning."

[Sense Motive Checks! Good Hope would still be in effect for my characters, so... Moxie 19+5+2 = 26, D'yb 11+2+2=15]

D'yb goes on to examine the portal for himself. Paying close attention to the things Nantazar pointed out and even closer attention to the things he didn't.

[Knowledge Arcana checks! Good Hope, and Moxie assisting.
D'yb rolls a 14 +23 +2 +2 = 41]

"Interesting points, and I'd be happy to debate the finer points of summoning with you, perhaps at a later date when we are not in such a dangerous location?"

Nantazar again seems to be completely forthright with you, while perhaps his choice of summons isn't what you would have done, it doesn't seem particularly suspicious either considering he stated originally that he worships a neutral diety.

Upon examining the portal you also find that he is pretty much right, the nature of the runes used leads to to believe it doesn't lead to another plane but rather somewhere on this one. The flames seem to emit light light a torch but not heat. You also discover that this is a limited use portal. You believe it can be activated by touch from this side only once per day, by as many creatures as can touch it in 1 round after it is activated. Without passing through it you have no way of determining what the conditions might be on the other end, but there must be a paired portal there in order for demons to have passed here in this direction. That portal might also be limited use, or might have totally different properties.

[OOC: It's suspicious because Ryan said he summoned a celestial dire crocodile. What would have happened if he had announced a smite? It's just weird to go back on something like that. As a player I don't know if I'm getting a gentle reminder that fiendish creatures take less damage from evil creatures due to DR or if I'm being given a clue that an NPC isn't all he seems to be. Tough to roleplay.]

[OOC: When Ryan says he summons something playing a guest npc that's pretty much out of character talk. He didn't know the summoning list very well so you and he were talking about it out of character. I don't think that necessarily means that any kind of in-character conversation took place along the same lines, it seems cheesy to assume every time someone's casting a spell they shout in character "I'M SUMMONING A ____________________!!!!!"]

Brutus has no idea what these guys are arguing about, all he knows is that the demons were killed and there are still more to be killed.

"You guys can talk about this later, all I know is that there are sure to be more demons beyond this portal. Either we charge through now or back track to a safer distance and rest."

Turning to D'ybb and talking in a quiet voice.

" I see by the expression on your face and the tenseness of Moxie that you don't completely trust Nantazar, but it seems at this point we need him. If at a point in the future that that isn't the case just let me know and I will help you in any way I can."

[OOC: Noted for next time. Please give me a knowledge roll to identify NPC summoned monsters in the future. It's true that we're not Pokemon masters shouting out "CELESTIAL DIRE CROCODILE, I CHOOSE YOU!"

So my bad for assuming Ryan's stated action and the actual action were the same. I won't make that mistake twice.

However, bringing up contradictory stuff after a fight just confuses us... well, me, I can't speak for the others. This is especially important when we know we're dealing with a demon that works with subterfuge. I'm looking for inconsistencies in any/all NPCs.

Moreover, I want to understand your world/story and when I have the wrong information my character and I look like assholes.

Also, I agree that fiendish creatures with their DR are good against demons if your intention is to just have a big meat shield. In my experience the monsters haven't attacked my summoned creatures much at all, so it's been best to go full offence (thus my penchant for celestial) and from previous gaming experience with Ryan I figured he'd like something that put the hurt on the bad guys.

So, again, sorry - where do we go from here?]

[ooc: I would just say we get ready for the next session, the new guy we would never trust completely anyway, being a close mercenary group. not knowing the capabilities of the new guy would make us watch him closely. We play as if he has done nothing wrong because as far as we can tell (brutus anyway).]

Logain squares his shoulders and takes a step towards the portal. "He killed demons. That's good enough for me for now. There are more through there, and I for one am going to go finish some more off."

"(in Orcish) You best have some more protection from evil magic tucked away, cleric...(in common) a cleric of your caliber would know that not all demons attack with their claws. This demon we're facing... This Beluiri... she'll no doubt attempt to get into our heads with evil enchantments. I'm afraid Moxie's wand may prove inefficient and I only have one protectection spell prepared for the day. Jaxx usually takes care of that.

I don't want to be facing any of you in combat alongside the enemy. If we can't be prepared for the demon lord, we could be walking into certain doom. I may be able to hide us for a night if it is needed. Should you all be gungho to enter through the portal, I will use my magic to assist you to the best of my ability.

Just give me a moment to prepare another haste spell or a magic circle against evil... it would be cramped, immobile, and thus a tactical problem but atleast some of us could keep our minds shielded.

Above all, just remember that a demoness will ask for your cock, but take everything. Be prepared."

Nantazar grins smoothly and says "Of course, my friends. I have a True Seeing spell prepared as well as one that would grant Spell Resistance. I could cast your choice of those on everyone by the grace of Kelemvor's Legion's Blessing, but not both. Which would you prefer? I've also these scrolls of Death Ward that you gentlemen were so wise to purchase, would you like me to place those spells upon you before we head through the portal?"

D'yb averts his gaze back to the portal, not one to look a gift-horse in the mouth.

Moxie speaks up.

"Don't mind him. He's just pissed that his precious new "Banishment" spell didn't wo~ooork!"

She barely finishes her sentence when D'yb yanks her to him.

D'yb (in secret master-familiar language) "Just who's side are you on anyway?"

Moxie "Yours. Always."

D'yb "I'm doing this for you, you know."

Moxie "I know, and don't worry... you're still the best! " she holds him lovingly.

D'yb moves his hand painlessly through the "fires" surrounding the portal. He turns and addresses the group in common.

"Let's finish preparations and get this over with."

Brutus also moves over to the portal to run his hand over the flames, amazed the magic at work here. He also tries his hardest to look through the portal to see if he can see anything on the other side. He pulls Demoralizer off his back and holds it at the ready.

"when you guys have finished yapping back there, lets get on with it. My blade is getting hungry."

All that is visible through the depths of the portal is a swirling mass of black nothingness occasionally interspersed with hints of flamelike colors.

ohhhhhhh....pretty

[ooc: so now we just wait until the next session? or is there more we can do?]

(ooc: if we can resolve that you want to move through the portal or rest we could do that on the forums and even do buffing here, so that next sunday we could move directly to the next encounter)

Nanzatar points out that although you might be able to hide and rest nearby the problem is that if the forces on the other end of the portal are able to summon more reinforcements they are likely to do so and once they notice the demons guarding the portal have been overcome they may decide to place an even stronger presence there which would put us in the same or worse a position than now. Also, once they notice that, they'll realize there is a hostile presence coming from this side and might even decide to close the portal here. He demonstrates that the party should rather seize the opportunity they currently possess.

[OOC: Well either way it's going to be tough. D'yb will prepare a few spells, namely another Haste, and perhaps something of 4th level such as a second dimensional anchor? Or an area affect like ice storm? Dunno. This will take him a little over a minute to do.

As far as Nantazar's Door #1 or Door #2 but not both deal... I'd say go with True Seeing, if any baddies have Deeper Darkness I don't want to deal with it (seriously played out after a few encounters!), not having to worry about mirror images and other illusions is a plus too. Also, with spell resistance 30 or whatever the number is it's gonna be impossible for the wand of protection from evil to do anything unless each person casts it on themselves (duration sucks anyway, and who knows how many rounds will go by after passing through the portal)

And, also <meta>boss characters can probably get past it anyway with their caster levels being anywhere between 15-20</meta>

[ooc: i am for getting enlarge before the encounter and another good hope...if at all possible displacement could be handy. I also vote for true seeing, deeper darkness and mirror images are a bitch....but all of these things could be useless if they have greater dispel like last encounter]

[OOC: Yup, and note that Dispel Magic spells aren't blocked by Spell Resistance. Enlarge is tricky because we don't know what's on the other side of the door or how high of ceiling will be there]