OOC: I am sorry that my post here is actually behind where we actually are right now but Ulthok needed to have some questions answered before we entered the bordello again. I hope no one will be to upset by this but if I could get a couple of others to do a back post with me to answer some questions it would be much appreciated course only if our great DM will allow this. Thanxs
BIC:
As plans for what the party should do in their upcoming battle against whatever evil is holding the bordello and those inside. Ulthok more than any of the others has a great stake on the outcome of what happens next since the evil inside the bordello is holding his older brother captive and will probably kill him.

as different ideas are hashed over Cor gives his piece then calls Ulthok over for a private chat, and what he says, even though it makes perfect sense, is truly devastating to Ulthok.

"Those inside are not likely to allow your brother to live. His life is forfeit as we speak I suspect. They likely intend to use his life as a bargaining chip to dissuade us from the action we know we must take against them. Even if we were to agree to terms with them, which we cannot, they would likely kill him anyway. I have the power to raise the dead and so I offer you this very tough option. We take away their bargaining power. One of us, you if you wish though I or Connel will do it if asked, must kill your brother immediately upon entering the brothel. There is then nothing for the evil ones to hide behind and they cannot torture him to weaken our resolve. I will raise him when the battle is over. This is not without risks for there is a chance that his body will not survive the attempt and he will be truly and forever gone. I will give you time to think on this as it is likely the hardest decision you will ever make. I will be in my room when you have made a decision."

He listened with growing fear as he realized the direction that the conversation with Cor was headed.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he had the fear that his brother was probably not just being held by this evil but he knew how demons,and devils worked they enjoyed watching people being tortured and his brother was most likely being tortured every day. He might actually welcome death at this point.
He believes what Cor tells him and he knows that the evil will try to weaken them or diswade then by flaunting Divot to them while they hurt him.
he knows that what Cor has put forward is what needs to be done, and he feels that it is he who must do the deed. He only wish is that there was someway he could let his brother know what he was going to do and why. he doesn't want him to die, just in case he can't be brought back, thinking I have betrayed him.
As Ulthok continues to contemplate what Cor had asked him to do he wishes he could think of another way to take Divot out of the picture. He has an idea but there are many problems with it.First one and probably the biggest is that he knows when he tried to use magic inside the bordello last time it would not work. He needs to find out if there is anyway to know before they go in if that protection is still in place or not.He is not sure if a simple detect magic spell would tell him if the building was still warded against all magic. So while the group is still together discussing their ideas he will ask, I am curious if any one of us here would be able to detect if the bordello is still being protected as it was yesterday against any spell casting inside before we actually enter, or is that impossible to know? Would casting a detect magic on the entire building be able to tell us anything?He hopes that maybe one of them may have an answer to his problem.
While he waits for answers to come to his questions he makes it well known that he will be part of the party that goes back in tomorrow with the magistrate nothing could keep him away.

Cor was less than amused by the magistrate's obvious lack of faith in the party's warning. Then again, it was his life he was throwing away if he was wrong. Warnings had been issued and ignored so his blood was on his own hands.

The knight-cleric kept one hand on his trusted axe as the party entered the bordello. The scene was not the one expected for the owner sat at table with Divot who was unbound. Of course that was not physically bound, wheter there were binding spells at work he could not tell. The owner began speaking but Cor ignored his words. There was a more important task at hand. Cor searched the energy in the room for signs of the great evil he felt earlier. If it was here then banter and gestures were meaningless. However if it was not to be found then a new plan would be needed.

As he was finishing his search he heard the owner ask "what evil have I done?" Cor laughed to himself. Such were the words of lawyers and thieves who sought to twist words when they were well aware of their transgressions. It was going as Cor believed it would. The creature, for Cor did not believe for a moment the human form before him was ought but a ruse, was attempting to buy time and cause dissention. A good tactic it was for if the magistrate was true to form with others of his position Cor previously encountered the local leader would be lax to seek trouble. In fact it was more likely that the magistrate would end up siding with the creature and chastising the party for causing trouble. While seeking the evil, Cor attempted to cast a minor spell (detect magic) to see if the ward was still in effect.

Cor was glad he had adjusted his spells the night before to relearn his augury, change his cure critical to true seeing, changing 1 cure serious to Divine Power and adding a cure moderate to fill out his list.

Cynil did not sleep when she returned to her room, but spent the time in prayer and preparation. After consecrating the earth she gathered last night and adding the ground woods and mistletoe, she then borrowed a bucket and turned the whole mixture into a thick goo by adding holy water and a few drops of her own blood. Cynil took a stick of ash and tied a rag to it. With this she would paint the circle and the pentacle.

Before dawn she went to the warehouse carrying her bucket and inscribed the circle beseeching her Goddess to bless the circle and pentacle. If needed to draw the pentacle over the building she would change into an owl and fly over the building carrying with a bag of dripping goo to trail down the walls of the building and ther over the roof. She leaves all but a foot of the circle and the pentacle complete, which she will dfinish when they enter.

Cynil, when all are assembled, finishes painting the last of the pentacle. Then she casts a blessing on the group, and with her staff in her left hand and a few pepper balls in her right, she enters the Bordello with the others.

(OOC: Pepper balls are made of finely ground black pepper and hot peppers wrapped in paper with a rock. The rock is sharp to help break the paper open. Cynil has also put her vials of holy water in a belt pouch.)

Cor was just about to begin casting his detect magic spell when a wave of evil slammed into him like a sunami. The very fiber of his being burned in protest at the exposure. There was no mistake; this was the evil he had detected earlier but now it was even more pervasive. It was as if the entire world was somehow transformed into a bastion of evil. 'If this is not Hell, then it is damned close.' he thought to himself. Gathering his faculties, he ceased actively seeking out the evil and the pain subsided but did not disappear completely. In one swift move Cor hurled his dwarven thrower at the vile creature. "You exist! That is the evil you are guilty of!" Cor roared as he threw. There was no wavering in his voice; it was loud, clear and full of conviction. He indeed was a knight-cleric of Odin in his element. None could doubt that this was the first volley in a battle to the death. There was no turning back for the holy warrior. Either he would slay the foul creature and gain honor and glory in doing so or he would sit this day at table with Odin and receive his just reward. Instantly the hammer returned to his hand and without waiting to determine the effect of his first throw he released it again, this time at the woman.

OOC: Cor gets 5 attacks every 2 rounds so he should get at least 2 throws in round one assuming he has surprise.

Conall fought against the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as the evil in the room overwhelmed him. Never before had he felt such pure evil. He shook his head to clear his senses and heard Cor’s raging yell. An instant later a dwarven war hammer sailed past his head on its way toward the owner. That was enough for Conall to decide his course of action. Less than a moment later his throwing axe followed the dwarf’s hammer and sought the head of the owner. Unsheathing his sword, he charged. “Odin guide my hand and shield me from evil!” he called out in prayer as he swung at his enemy. “Take notes cleric, I will show you how paladins fight.”

Cynil grabs hold of her staff as her legs seem to turn to rubber. Never had she felt such EVIL.

"KITH JORA!" she cries out as she fights to throw off the effects of the Evil.

She reaches up with her hand holding the pepper balls to touch her Holy Symbol, carved from a branch that had fallen from a sacred oak struck by lightning during a thunderstorm. She was needed and surrcoming to evil would not allow her to aid those that battled the Evil.

Resolve stiffens her legs and she stands tall again. She must be there for the warriors, her friends and compatriots.

Cynil remains alert, using her eyes to watch for any threats to the embattled fighters.

As they enter the brothal with the magistrate that morning Ulthok still had no answers to his questions he did not know if the place was warded or not so has no idea if magic will work within. They enter with the magistrate and approach the table where the owner some woman and Divot are seated. One thing is obvious to Ulthok that Cor was right they have Divot right where they can use him against them, this upsets Ulthok greatly because he might have to do what Cor asked he only wished he knew if he could cast magic or not. As they approach the table the owner speaks first, “Welcome Magistrate how may I help you and your friends this afternoon” The Magistrate answers in a kind of chocked voice.Well sir it seems these people claim that you are evil and hold many here against their will.
As the owner answers to what the Magistrate had said with a bunch of double talk Ulthok slowly moves around behind the rest of the party to stand as close to Divot as he could without trying to draw attention to himself. He knows what he is about to do is probally going to be dangerous but when the owner says no one is here against their will Ulthok quickly speaks up If that is so I would like to walk out that front door with the halfling that is sitting next to you so I may speak to him in private.
OOC: I guess this would be just before the sudden feeling of evil that seems to overtake all those who can feel it.If there is a chance that the owner would answer him before all he!! breaks great or maybe his asking is what triggers the sudden evil I doubt the owner will just let us walk out but I have to ask.

Rayne prayed for her spells. Not kowing the true nature of the evil she mostly picked healing spells and protection spells. She preps Barkskin and holds it ready to case once she is in the bordello. She prings her Pegasus to the outside where Cyril will stay when she comes. out. IF I and the other fall you must get back to the king about this place. She uses her ring of communication to tell her Pegasus to carry any of this party who survives back to the King if they ask her to.

Rayne tells Cytil and the others that there is a note to the king on her Pegasus if things so badly for them.

Her prayers and preparations finished she dresses carefully adding her Mithril Shirt quilted bwtween silken cloth to lessen the sounds of her movements. Boot of Elven kind and her Cloak of Elven kin complete her readiness. Slining her bow and quiver on her shoulder she fastens on her sword belt. THe freshly sharpend and oiled blade slips smoothly in the sheath. several knifes are secured as well, on on her right hip and one in her boot. Picking up her buckle she most down to the common room and eats a light breakfast.

Once the other gather she takes out her Pegasus and walks her with them towards the bordello. She has planned as best as she can and gone over the various possibilities that may occur. Her response were carefully thought out, Rayne is a ready as she can be with so many unknowns.

Walking into the bordello with the Magistrate Rayne casts Bless on the group to see if it works.

OOC: Spell List for Rayne Also, I am not sure of the Gods of the elves in your world. In straight D&D I would wordship Corellon Larethian. Does Magic Vestment stack? if not I need to change that spell

SPELLS GRANTED/PRAYED FOR (Cleric)
1st LvL: 3 Cure Light Wounds / 2 Protections from Evil / Santuary
2nd LvL: 3 Cure Moderate Wounds / Flame Blade / Aid / Hold Person
3rd LvL: Continual Light / Magic Vestment / Prayer Protection from Fire
4th LvL: Abjure, Cure Serious Wounds
5th LvL: Raise Dead

SPELLS MEMORIZED (Ranger)
1ST LvL: Bless, Detect Evil
2ND LvL: Barkskin

DM EDIT yes just like any spell it can be memorized more then once but not cast on anyone more then once. Good call on that spell by the way as I have a hunch what its there for. Also Corellon is ok)

(BACKPOST) OUTSIDE THE BORDELLO
With the coming of the Noon hour the party found themselves before the door leading into the Bordello. As they stand and await the large doors to open Ulthok asks a question
“I am curious if any one of us here would be able to detect if the bordello is still being protected as it was yesterday against any spell casting inside before we actually enter, or is that impossible to know? Would casting a detect magic on the entire building be able to tell us anything?” He hopes that maybe one of them may have an answer to his problem but before any can reply the Magistrate is before them.
With Cynil’s Pentagram finished, the magistrate before them and the doors slowly opening the party enters.

INSIDE THE BORDELLO
“Welcome Magistrate how may I help you and your friends this afternoon” The Magistrate, trying for a voice of authority but for some reason failing miserably, returned the Owners greeting.
“Well sir it seems these people claim that you are evil and hold many here against their will.” “Is that so” The Owner then as if his movements were planned turned to the party
“So tell me good people why do you feel that I am evil. What have I done to make you think me such? I am but a lowly, yet very rich, business man no one is here against their will. They all knew the risks of gambling here yet still did so. Blame me not for that, for in the end they themselves are to blame for their fate."
Ulthok then was quick to ask .
“If that is so I would like to walk out that front door with the halfling that is sitting next to you so I may speak to him in private.” “He may do so gladly at any time” Pausing but briefly he continued.
“So I ask you all again, tell me what EVIL I have done.”
Cor not one to stand idly had his own way of doing things leaving the talk to the others he began to cast a Detect Magic spell, but never had the chance as the Owner spoke those words a great wave of evil hit them all. So strong was the wave that all did this time feel it not just the Paladin and Knight Cleric. It could only have come from one place and that place was here and now.

"You exist! That is the evil you are guilty of!" Cor roared.
Without any hesitation Cor at once had hammer to hand and it was thrown!!

Almost as if expecting such a move the Owners arm quickly rose and did swat the hammer aside as if it was but a pestering fly.

Then Conall was also to the attack sword drawn and raised, he moved forward, only to find his path blocked by the Captain of the Tortle guards, his weapon also to hand.

With a sigh of faked frustration the Owner did speak again as both his form and that of his wife behind him began slowly to change.

“Well it was worth a shot, Magistrate you may leave us now it seems we will have to kill them after all.”
“Yes my Sire”
With Cor’s hammer returned by nature of its magic, Conall facing the large Tortle captain, and the rest of the party ready as could be they watched as the Owner and his wife’s true forms were revealed.
Standing before them now were what the party had guessed at and mayhap feared 2 large Devils but not just any Devils but none other then two of the worst.
Mammon, Arch Devil, Ruler of the Third Plane of Hell. Behind him his wife revealed to be Glasya Consort to Mammon, Princess of Hell. So this Bordello, this house of ill repute, this house of gambling debts and lost souls, to the parties dismay could be no where other the Hell’s Third Plane!!

Standing almost as if lazy and as an afterthought Mammon struck Divot hard and the Halfling was flung bodily away from the table to land hard against the far wall.
Dazed but for a moment, the spell of silence broken, before him Divot did see, as if a present sent from the gods, a fallen axe, one of the many trophies upon Hell’s walls. But unarmored and still dazed did he dare take up the axe and fight.

“Kill them, Kill them all!!”
With those words ringing in the room did Tortles appear as if from nowhere and attack.

(OOC: OK there is the prelude to round 1. All combat actions posted will be round 1 actions. I will handle as always NPC actions. Good luck and remember next weeks post on Wednesday will be my last one for at least 2 weeks due to my Maryland trip.)

OK Enemis before you
2 Arch Devils Mammon & Glasya
1 Tortle Captain (Larger then the rest and better armored)
18 Tortles

Divot’s heart leapt when Ulthok and his compatriots entered the Dwarves and Babes in the company of Star Falls’ Magistrate… Leapt and then plummeted as if its jump for joy had taken it right over the edge of the highest cliff in the world. He was happy that someone sought to rescue him, of course, even more so that one of his would-be liberators was his very own brother but, at the same time, a much larger part of him had wished that Ulthok and his group could have simply forgotten about him and been on their way to wherever it was they were going… Sure ta th’ gods, their businiess ain’t in Star Falls, is it?… because, the tunnelrat was sure, none of them could have possibly known what they were in for when they showed up this morning. If they had been, they’d surely not have come.

He watched, muzzled by the Owner’s spells and his consort’s warnings, horrified as Ulthok accompanied by a troupe of others and the Magistrate entered and, in short order, “the dealings” (as the Consort had repeatedly referred to them while she tortured him last night) commenced. A rather nervous grin played upon Divot’s lips when one of Ulthok’s compatriots wasted no time in accusing the Owner of doing evil… Oy! If’n ya only knew th’ half of it, lad…A brave lot, these, he decided, but likely half mad, to boot. There be a paladin and a cleric amongst ‘em an’ I’m right afraid even that ain’t gonna quite do th’ trick… if’n those two can’t see this bloke fer what he really is, then we’s all dead right here… right now…
“…They all knew the risks of gambling here yet still did so,” the Owner said in reply to the charges leveled against him, “Blame me not for that, for in the end they themselves are to blame for their fate.”

Aye, an’ tricked inta believin’ it’s jus’ coin yer playin’ fer… Took in th’ shorts just as wit’ any other schemin’ money-grubber… Divot couldn’t help but hang his head. The owner was right, of course… whether the wager was money or blood or soul didn’t matter, those that made the wager to begin with had to accept at least some of the responsibility for placing the bets in the first place.

“If that is so I would like to walk out that front door with the halfling that is sitting next to you so I may speak to him in private.”

Divot’s head shot up and his eyes blinked in surprise when the owner replied affirmatively to his little brother’s request. Nice try laddy, but I don’ think that…
“He may do so,” the Owner replied, “gladly, at any time.”

Whaaaaaa…?!?! Yer kiddin’, ain’t ya? At first Divot was truly stunned… He was going to be permitted to walk out the front door of this hell hole? What was the catch going to be, though… That was the clincher…

“So I ask you all again,” the Owner continued after a brief pause during which Divot weighed the wisdom of slipping from the chair and joining his brother, “tell me what EVIL I have done.”

Just as the tunnelrat had decided that he would, in fact, get out of the chair and try to slip outside with Ulthok, everything went south.

“You exist,” roared the dwarven cleric-knight as he hurled a hammer at the owner, “That is the evil you’re guilty of!”

Oh shyte in me knickers, Divot thought even as the wave of evil washed over him and turned his stomach. Now he wasn’t getting out of the chair to simply get to Ulthy’s side, he was scrambling to get away from what he knew was going to come next… but he couldn’t scramble fast enough.

The Magistrate was dismissed by his master, the Tortles had been summoned, and Mammon and Glaysa dropped all pretenses of being simple business folk! “Kill them,” Divot heard Mammon order even as his own feet hit the floor a second too late, “Kill them all!”

Divot had been set to sprint out among Ulthok and his crew in hopes of at least getting a weapon in hand… no sense in dyin’ without a scrap, anyhoo … but, like many others he had had since losing that wager, that hope was quashed when he felt Mammon rise to his feet… The pain’ll be next…
…and it was. Divot felt the blow land, felt himself lifted from the floor and hurtled across the room in the wake of the strike, and nearly lost consciousness when he slammed hard into the wall across the room. He landed in a crumpled heap and, for a moment, could only listen as the sounds of battle erupted around him. Not dyin’ like some ol’ geezer, layin’ about onna floor, neither… he groaned, trying to get his legs under him, open his eyes and get to his feet…What’s that? There was no effort in opening his eyes, all of the sudden. His hand, as he had gotten it under him to push himself up, had rested upon a flat, cool surface that, as his trembling fingers explored it further, could only be one thing… The tunnelrat’s eyes shot open as his hand closed around the hilt of the axe and a tear of joy rolled down his cheek as he pulled the crescent shaped blade to his lips and kissed it gratefully. “An axe,” he laughed, “gods luv ya, an axe!!!”

Thinking no more, Divot leapt to his feet, an anxious, almost excited grin spreading across his features… he had a weapon… at long last… his eyes scanned the mayhem that had erupted, searching for Glaysa - I’ve made a promise ta tha’ slimy slitch that’ll be seen through! - and then, Ulthok. The absence of any sort of armor hadn’t occurred to him until he saw how many of the enemy stood between himself and the long overdue reunion with his brother and, even when it did, it didn’t seem to matter. If no one died here, today, it would be a miracle… if even one of them walked out of this place alive, it would be quite a bit more than that… You’ll walk out if no one else, me wee brother, Divot silently promised as he hefted the axe.

“Let’s you an’ me show ‘em what pain’s about, me luv,” he grinned, kissing the blade of the axe once more. Then, as if the little Halfling had completely lost his mind, he let out a war cry worthy of the most boisterous dwarven battle-rager and charged headlong into the frey, the axe swinging at the first target to present itself.

((OOC: Suh-weet… I’m scrappin’ nekkid! WooooooHoooooo!!! Divot’s off! He’s got an axe in his hand, vengeance in his heart, and a chance at either making his escape through dying here or killing the baddies! Come get some! Anyway, the little tunnelrat has got two priorities.. 1)Get to Ulthok and at least die fighting beside his brother and 2) exact a little retribution from Glaysa for all the torture. Of course, he’ll gleefully attack any and all Tortles that come between himself and those two things, first come, first served! Oh... an if one of you spell slingers might happen to have an armoring spell of some sort... *raises hand hopefully*...Pick me! Pick Meeeee!!!))

There were many moments in Magma’s long life where things had gone from bad to worse. This one, topped them all.

Two arch demons walk into a bordello… pops unwillingly into Magma’s mind and he laughs at the joke. Khazadul-Barmaz! ready at hand, Magma decides that dicing with demons is best left to those with holy powers, holy weapons or just plain magic.

But Tortles … they were all his now!.

Calling upon the power of his war axe, Magma launches himself against the leader of the Tortles. Hoping that by bring down this “Leonardo”, then the rest would lose morale.

Cynil kept her legs together and leaned on her staff. It gave her enough balance that when the Tortles charged forward she could throw her handful of paper pepperballs. At the same time she reminded herself that she owed the innkeeper for the pepper she borrowed.

Once her pepperballs were away she turned to the magistrate, here was one man she was not going to let get away. He was in Hell where he belonged, and she was not going to let him leave.

Conall watched as the Captain of the Tortle guard appeared before him. Shrugging his shoulders he spoke. "So you want the beating I had arranged for your boss. Fine with me." Conall swung his sword in an arch redirecting his attack at his new enemy. His eyes took on a glazed appearance and he entered the trance-like state in which instinct replaced thought.

(DM OOC: Kyle I assume your attacking the Tortle captain correct?)

Cor watched as his dwarven thrower was swatted aside by the devil. Such was not surprising; however it not returning to his hand as quickly as usual certainly was. There should have been no reason for dwarven magic to fail here but somehow it had been degraded. Cor replaced the thrower and drew his battle axe. He had taken but a few steps when a group of Tortles appeared before him, blocking the way to the devils. "Figures ya would hide behind real fighters you coward!" Cor yelled to the devil. "Afraid to face a cleric? Normally I would send ya straight to hell but seeing as we are already here banishment seems more in order." Cor smiled as he realised that if the Tortles had been gated as he suspected then the anti-magic sphere had to have been breached for such magic was not able to distinguish who cast a spell; it simply blocked them all. "Spellcasters target the devil, we will keep the fodder busy." Cor swung his axe at the nearest Tortle. He kept his eye on Divot as the crazy halfling had grabbed a weapon and shield and seemed bent on fighting naked. As such he would certainly require a cleric's touch in short order.