A Task for Hades
From SCross
<Paste from Bahumat>----------------------------
Benjamin has been tasked to find and destroy the Former Church Cardinal, Vincent Alfonso DeCruex. DeCruex has previous ties to the game. He's excommunicated Rebecca back during the HotE story line, he 's know for disbanding the Inquisition during the Rise of the Engineers. He's been the voice of the Pope and most famously, the Cardinal who convinced the Mages Guild that they wielded power via Divine Intervention and thus Magic was the province of God, therefore the Mages Guild was under the rule of the Church.
Towards the end of the Rise of the engineer Story Arc, DeCruex stepped down as Cardinal. Truth of the matter is that he was asked to step down by the Pope, who felt that DeCruex wielded a bit more power than she did. To ensure a blance, the Pope asked DeCruex to step down and retire. He did so, knowing that open conflict with the Pope would result in total disgrace and any chance of future plans would go down the crapper. He retired to the Northern Lands, seeking solitude at the roof of the world, hoping to discover some way of getting back into power. During his retirement, DeCruex found little in the way of power. However, he did develop a nice relationship with the people of Tifa's Crossing and Solotares. Solotares for their fanaticism were heavy favorites of DeCruex, and he spent many a day in their city learning and teaching of what he knew of the world.
Roughly, 2 years ago, DeCruex caught pneumonia and passed away a bitter middle-aged man. So bitter was he, that he had been ousted before his time, his Spirit clings to its former life refusing to allow The Wheel of Fate to reincarnate him back into this world. This is something Hades will not stand for. Up until now, Hades has been too busy to deal with this problem, but now he has someone else to handle it for him. In exchange for defeating the Renegade DeCruex and allowing the Wheel of Fate to turn, Hades will return to Benjamin, The Death Penalty.
It's well-known, amongst the whispers of the refugees from Solotares, that the formidable DeCreux still holds a room deep in the fortress, the unsent thing railing and raving and asking his merciful captors to let him free of the fine room he is kept, to strike a blow against the undead heresies threatening his last bastion of power.
Connor mumbles to himself as he goes to take a clove and bring it to his lips, hmming, "So seriously...that stuffed shirt of a washed up cardinal is still...in undeath and really, you talked with hades and are now in a deal with him, his head for your weapon?" he asks Benjamin, eyeing the other alair with a look of increduality
Benjamin looks reserved as he skulks along, nose wrinkling at the scent. "You're saying I'm lying?" he asks silkily, crimson eyes casting a sidelong glance to the other Alair.
Connor shakes his head, "No, did I say that it's just that...hell, I mean, you would think the church would have sent him on already if he was such a big wig" he says, making sure his blade is free from the frost in the scabarred, "so, hm, do we kn ow what can harm, or kill him...er, again?"
The Alair youth draws his clunkier firearm, opening it and checking the chambers for ammunition. "He was a resourceful man in life, I would think he would be so in death," Benjamin responds while snapping the gun shut.
Connor nods his head, "Well then, let's rock and roll, did you want to do shock and awe? Just go in, kill everytyhing that moves untill we get to him" he asks, "Or do you have somthing a little closer to a plan?
"A frontal assault with two people?" Benjamin asks while casting a sidelong glance to Connor. "No, we do this thing quietly." His nose twitches again in irritation.
Connor nods his head and he pulls a final drag upon the heavy cig and then tosses it down into the snow, "Well then, lead the way aye...I'm following you"
Benjamin reaches his armored hand up to tug his mantle further up. "Solotares, then," the youth murmurs as his crimson eyes harden.
Connor nods, "Right, let's go smite some evil, or whatnot"\
The teleporters are still operating there, and the price for two is twenty gil.
Benjamin expends 20.00 gil.
Benjamin fishes out a twenty-gil coin and pays the price to the Merchant's Guild teleporter operator.
A flash, the momentary sensation of the world turning under your feet... and then the slightly darker evening of Solotares greets you, summer festival here little more than a few revellers outside the pub, a man with an accordian singing along quietly. In the northwest of the small city, a fortress rises, thick, gray marble, drab and boxy, intended to withstand attack, not beautify the skyline.
Connor nods his head, "Right...well" he looks back over to Ben, "really need to make sure our little town doesn't end up like this one" he fishes another clove out of his breast pocket and lights up, taking another small puff
Benjamin lets his steps take him toward the fortress, gaze dark and guarded as he seems to hunch slightly, body taut with tension.
The fortress rises high in the night, and guards are at every gate, of course, standing purposefully.
Connor hms, "So do we try to bluff our way in? Since you ah ve some military connections, and sneak our way in from there"
Benjamin makes the approach to the guards as they near the fortress, holstering his firearm. "I'm here to see the man you've kept here in solitary confinement," the Alair you starts out. Nice and simple.
Disaster usually starts nice and simple. A whistle blown, spears crossed across the gate, the creak of leather and steel. "What's your business with the Cardinal?"
Connor watchs idly as the smoke drifts from his clove, and he looks with a sideways glance at Benjamin, and then he begins to count the number of guards, "You would raise your weapons to Nobles of the Empire?"
"I'm here to pay my respects to the man," Benjamin responds, raising a hand to silence Connor. "Lord Benjamin Alair, sir." Those crimson eyes look to the guards as he remains tense.
The guardsmen don't sway; nor are the weapons raised, but they certainly do bar the path. "The Cardinal is indisposed." comes the stern reply of the captain.
Connor let's ben do the talking, smoke drifting from his clove
<Dice/Official> Benjamin rolls Charisma+Subterfuge+5 and scores 4 successes.
Benjamin looks to the guards at the gate, seeming calm. "That's unfortunate. You see, I was rather a fan of his work in the Capital and I'd really like to speak with him."
<Dice/Official> Bahumat rolls 20 and scores 2 successes.
One of the guardsmen narrows his eyes, but then nods. "Let them through. Pardon, sir, but are you suffering the same condition of the Cardinal?"
Connor puffs and hmmmms glancning at Ben raising both his brows but he'll follow after
"No, I'm very much well thanks to Doctor Kagane's help," Benjamin responds as he goes to move past the guards and into the fortress.
A guard captain nods, and waves you in. "Right this way please then, sir. I will announce you to the Cardinal but... I fear he will probably not see you. He is unhappy with his necessary seclusion."
Connor looks again to Ben, now curious what part two of his master plan is, but now saying nothing and falling into step behind him, hmmming, and finishing his smoke, tossing the butt away before getting inside
Benjamin smiles slightly to the guard, "I think he will see me. We've ... a similar history, he and I." His eyes sparkle dangerously as he rolls his shoulders, following the guard captain.
The guard captain leads you down deep into the bowels of the fortress, row upon row of men at guard, here and there, gates opened, then locked behind you, steel bars and stone accepting you further and further in. Finally, a waiting room reached, two guards at each door, the captain pausing there. "Please wait here, m'Lords. Anything specifically I should pass on?"
Connor is feeling less and less comfortable the deeper in, the whole place full of soldiers and all on high alert and with defenses, trying to keep track of the entrnaces and exits, it's still not looking very good as he hmms and nods to Ben
Benjamin looks to Connor before looking back to the guard captain, "Yes, please. Tell him I bring information from the Capital that is for his ears alone." The youth gives a slight bow of his head to the guard captain.
The guard captain frowns. "And from whom does this information come?"
"The Council of Cardinals," Benjamin responds. The man takes to looking around, waiting.
The guard captain frowns again, but turns this time, and heads into the adjoining room, the door soundly closed. Two minutes pass, and then the captain emerges, looking surprised. "He will see you. Please leave your weapons with my men here."
Connor looks at Ben, and waits for him to move first...
Benjamin gives a rather flat look to the guard captain before pulling his firearm from his holster, handing it over slowly. "Be careful with it," he says, looking uneasy at being without it.
Connor tisks and he offers his two swords to the guards as well, nodding his head a moment to Benjamin, "Well then...I suppose that's that" he says as he makes sure the blades are handeled carefully
The guardsman accept the weapons, the captain pulling open a door. "Please knock when you wish to emerge. We will not open the last door, but you may speak through the bars." The door pulled open, and an eight-foot-long hallway, broad enough for one man, and a wooden door with iron bars inset is seen at the end of the short hallway.
Benjamin nods to the man as he steps in, his nose assaulted with the scent of the undead immediately--which smells surprisingly like molding socks. His crimson eyes glitter dangerously as he waits for Connor to follow along.
Connor wouldn't have so keen a nose but he follow behind Ben, now unsure what the scion plans to do with all of this secuirty
The door closed behind you, and inside the door, a man... a seemingly ordinary man stands inside the next cell, his pallor slight, his eyes and face intense as he peers through the bars of the last door. "You bring word?!" hisses the man, in a thick Valentian accent.
"I do," Benjamin replies. "Your Emminence, I believe there is someone who is rather displeased with your still walking the land and refusing to reincarnate." His crimson eyes continue to glitter as he takes to absently drawing a glowing white rune on the air, filled with healing magicks.
Connor looks back behind at the door, and he hears Ben and winces, "Plan?" he asks him
|______________________[ Benjamin's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | True Cure II(cura+cure true) | | Successful Components: | | cura(2) and cure true(1) | | Failed Components: | | None | | Damage [White 370] | | Total Damage [370] | | MP [18] - Casting [0 Charge] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [2] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [2] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
The unsent's eyes open widely, and he bellows: "ASSASSIN!" A hand raising to throw a protective spell around himself, snarling.
________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ DeCreux's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Protect+shell | | Successful Components: | | protect(3) and shell(5) | | Failed Components: | | None | | MP [20] - Casting [+600 Charge] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [5] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________| .________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ Connor's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Counter-spell | | Successful Components: | | counter-spell(2) | | Failed Components: | | None | | MP [3] - Casting [Same Action] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [2] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
The spell flickers a bit under Connor's assault upon the flows, but the blast magic is well-formed, and the magical protection stands.
The magical shield finishes forming around DeCreux, a dark laugh rising off the man. "Fools!"
Connor looks at Ben, "I wish you had a little bit MORE of a plan then that" he says as he looks at the door, "I'll try and bar the door you kill the damn cardninal" he says as he goes to run to the other end of the hallway and push his weight against it, to try and wedge it shot to prevent a hoard of guards to come in and smack the crap out of them
<Armor> DeCreux attempts to defend with Defense/soaking it like an undead bitch and scores 0 succs. <Armor> Physical Soak: 7%. <Armor> Armor: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, Toughen 7 <Armor> Armor Weight: 0/12 <Armor> Elemental Soak: Fire: 3% Ice: 3% Poison: 3% Lightning: 3% Water: 3% <Armor> Elemental Soak: White: -7% Black: 21% Earth: 3% Air: 3% Other: 3% Official: DeCreux spends 395(107% of 370) point(s) of HP. <Health> DeCreux's condition has worsened, they look weaker from the beating. Official: DeCreux spends 293(107% of 274) point(s) of HP. <Health> DeCreux's condition has worsened, they look weaker from the beating. Official: DeCreux spends 184(107% of 172) point(s) of HP.
The blast sends a good portion of DeCreux's chest open, fluttering, sparkly magics leaking from him, clutching himself in surprise.
The door shudders, shivvering under the shoulder and impact of the guard captain, Connor able to brace the door, but shouts and calls for axes are heard.
Connor is now pushing right up agaisnt it, grunting, "Finish it quick Ben, I don't got a sword and I don't fancy an axe to the face" he says, trying to think of the exit strategey
The unsent, clutching at his ruined body, narrows his eyes. "Assasin! If I'm to die... you'll join me, bastard!"
________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ DeCreux's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Death-sentence | | Successful Components: | | death-sentence(3) | | Failed Components: | | None | | MP [8] - Casting [+200 Charge] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [3] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
<Resister> Benjamin does a stamina resistance check with a 15 bonus. Their resistance level is 9!
"You wish, sweetheart," Benjamin says, his fingers moving to start the process all over again with the healing magic. He feels it wash over him and fail. The rune glows brightly once more.
.________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ Benjamin's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Revitalize(Cure) | | Successful Components: | | cure(8) | | Failed Components: | | None | | Damage [White 109] | | Total Damage [109] | | MP [3] - Casting [Same Action] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [8] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
Connor keeps his weight up against the door, "Anytime now sweetheart!" he calls out
Another hard shoulder hits the door, crunching wood a bit. "OPEN UP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!" roars the guard captain.
Connor glances up at the door, "I'm sorry, but we're in the middle of doing the laundry! Can you come back later when we're hanging it up to try"
"Sorry, Your Emminence, but it's time you went back to Hades' realm," Benjamin says, eyes glinting hard as his fingers move again in the white magic spell on the unsent, the same rune glowing once more quickly.
.________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ Benjamin's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Revitalize(Cure) | | Successful Components: | | cure(5) | | Failed Components: | | None | | Damage [White 97] | | Total Damage [97] | | MP [3] - Casting [Same Action] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [5] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
The unsent tries to throw a hand up in time, but this time the spell blasts his head apart, and the creature drops to the floor.
"Hades, now would be a good time to come collect him!" Benjamin shouts to the air as he prepares yet another rune to try and destroy the remains of the unsent.
Soft laughter, and the sight of the Death Penalty seen through the door, hovering in mid-air, suspended by a skeletal hand. No problem. Just one stout oak-and-iron door between you and it.
Connor keeps his hands pressed against the door, "Ben...tick tock, I hope you have a teleport rune or SOMTHING"
"Shit," Benjamin curses under his breath as he sees the object of his desire, something he'd been without since being put in the ground and the grave. His eyes glow a luminiscent amber as he begins to call upon Chaos' strength just to get at that item they both want dearly.
<Dice/Official> Connor rolls strength+athletics+athletics/brute strength and scores 7 successes.
SLAM! Something hard and heavy hits the door Connor is trying to brace, and it holds with ease.
Connor says, "BEN! WE NEED A HOLE! FAST!"
Anger fuels Benjamin as he stretches his hand out toward Death Penalty, that weapon calling to him. He knows he came all this way for it not to be stopped now!
Stretching one's hand out doesn't help terribly against an ordinary, if very sturdily-built door, blocking your way.
Connor grunts, "Ben, break it down and grab it already"
Benjamin frowns before grabbing at the door with his armored hand, tugging on the handle as he tries to get the door opened to get to his prize.
<Dice/Official> Benjamin rolls Strength+Athletics+Athletics/brute Strength and scores 3 successes.
[RP/Official] Bahumat rolls 1d10+0 and gets 6 for a result of 6.
The door holds firm, and behind you, the tell-tale sound of an axe hitting oak-wood.
"I'm not going to give up," Benjamin growls as he tries to pull on the door again, wanting so desperately in there to get Death Penalty. He can feel Chaos' anger inside, wanting to get out.
<Dice/Official> Benjamin rolls Strength+Athletics+Athletics/brute Strength and scores 3 successes.
<Dice/Official> Connor rolls strength+athletics+athletics/brute strength and scores 6 successes.
Connor keeps trying to brace the door, "Ben...AXE!
[RP/Official] Bahumat rolls 1d10+0 and gets 5 for a result of 5.
And still the door rattles firm. Perhaps trying to force what is effectively a dungeon door is best accomplished without relying on raw muscle?
"Shut up, I'm trying!" Benjamin growls, patting himself to try and find anything to use as a lockpick. In frustration, he pulls on it again, the anger built up as he doesn't find anything to use to pick the lock for this door.
<Dice/Official> Benjamin rolls Strength+Athletics+Athletics/brute Strength and scores 1 successes.
Connor grunts, "have you tried...fire? Come on you're a mage, melt the lock!" he says as he looks down at his own door and hmmms, lifting a hand up to see if he could "Weld" the lock on his door shut
<*Official*> Connor proves that they posess a stat named fire with a value of 15. [Found in: Special]
Benjamin turns a baleful, yellow glare to Connor, "I don't know the fucking component." His voice is a sibilant hiss as he feels dark energy swirl about him in a fit of rage at the door.
________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ Benjamin's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Chaos Blast(Dark-Bolt+Asphyxiate) | | Successful Components: | | dark-bolt(5) and asphyxiate(6) | | Failed Components: | | None | | Damage [Black 75] | | Total Damage [75] | | MP [16] - Casting [+600 Charge] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [6] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
[RP/Official] Bahumat rolls 1d200+0 and gets 30 for a result of 30.
The door blasts apart, splintering and sending shards of wood throughout the room. The lock, under Connor's attention, begins to glow red-hot, the wood curling into black smoke around the edges.
Connor grunts and he stops firing it, and letting it cool, now the door will ahve to be literally knocked down since the locking mechanism is melted into a solid ingot, "Ok Ben, you got your gun, now...exit strategey?" he asks
Benjamin feels a great deal of accomplishment as he snags up the gun in his hand. He takes a brief moment to whisper his thanks to the Greater Spirit for keeping his end of the bargain and looks to Connor. "Have any more magic tricks?"
Connor says, "uhhhh, unless you want to try and blow a hole in a wall, find the weakest point..." he says as he steps away from the door since he's confident it'll last a few moments without him, "I mean, this is a prison room, but we need to find somthing." he takes a look around, prehaps for anything else of value, since he's going to be losing both of his swords..."
Benjamin looks to the air, muttering, "You wouldn't mind helping us out of here, would you Hades?" It's worth a shot after coming in and doing the Greater Spirit's dirty work.
The room is fairly spartan and bare; a cot, a table, the most valuable thing in the room, a jeweled holy symbol left laying atop the ruined bits of corpse. Hades, eyes fading away, chuckling. "I can take you to only one destination, mortal..."
Connor kind of stares at hadesa nd bwahs! he hasn't seen the spirit and he looks to Ben and back to Hades, "PASS!" he says, grabbing the symbol, looking towards the east wall and running up to it, setting both hands upon it and blasting a shot of fire into it
.________________________________________________________________________. |______________________[ Connor's Spell Formula ]______________________| | Formula: | | Fire | | Successful Components: | | fire(4) | | Failed Components: | | None | | Damage [Fire 72] | | Total Damage [72] | | MP [3] - Casting [+800 Charge] - Range [33 yards] - Health Levels [1] | | Extra Targets [None] - Status Resist [4] - Duration [Instant] | |________________________________________________________________________|
That barely makes a scorch mark against the thick stone wall..
Benjamin grumbles, "Shit." He raises the firearm and points toward the door, calling out, "I order you to stop beating on that door!" It's worth a shot.
Connor points, "Wat about that gun, can't it blast down a wall?" he points
Axes continue to chop away at the door. Guardsmen aplenty outside.
Benjamin gives a shrug and aims at the east wall with Death Penalty. "Here goes," he says, pulling the trigger to the legendary weapon.
A few things. One, the wall blasts apart, opening a gaping hole. Two, you discover to your dismay that firing off an explosive weapon within a confined space hurts. A lot. Your ears ringing, deafened by the blast... but the way is open, through the wall.
Connor nods and grabs ben and runs! "YOINK!" he says, "you owe me some swords!" he says as much running like sissy girls ensues
End Log------------
