Nights of Steel and Fire (D&D)

[Rogue 9]

"Probably not much. Our going theory is that the fiends were summoned by cultists from Elturel. If the cursed creature didn't return to Baator with Grigor, it probably took him to the summoners. You probably won't hear anything about it, but in case you do, we need to know."

[Cynical Cat]

"Will do," he said.

[Rogue 9]

"Waukeen watch over you," Gaheris intoned. "All the usual assignments are in place, but this takes absolute priority." He turned and left the store, tipping his broad brimmed hat to the jeweler and adopting a smiling expression as he stepped out into the street to make his circuitous way back to the Abbey.

After another half an hour or so of wending his way through Westgate's streets and employing every mechanism he knew to check for tails, he arrived at the Abbey gate and went into the courtyard.

"Told you I wouldn't be gone long," he said upon coming across Torma. "Anything happen while I was away?"

[LadyTevar]

Torma, bored and feeling like she was in everyone's way, had found a sunny spot to nap in. The fact that spot happened to be in a place where she could/would see Gar as he returned was purely happenstance. That it was also where all the Abbey Cats were now gathered, some using Torma's body as pillows was just coincidence as well.

The brillant green eye closest to Gar opened as he spoke to her. "Nothing much..." she mumbled, her jaw resting on her crossed forelimbs. "Malkamar is helping clear up the battlefield and tend the wounded. I was informed the priests and monks did not need my assistance." Was there a certain ... tone ... to her voice as she spoke? "Astinius is in the library, pouring over whatever he can get his hands on... and did not need my assistance." Yes, a definate theme here. "Thus, I found a place I was needed, and have been here ever since."

Yes, the cats needed her. She was warm, she was big, and no one would bother the cats because then they'd be bothering the Dragon. And no one wanted to bother a sleeping dragon, right?

[Rogue 9]

Gaheris fought to keep an exasperated look off of his face. "Torma, we can't all do everything at all times. You'll have a role to play soon enough."

[LadyTevar]

The large eye closed. Torma would shrug, but there were too many cats in the way. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. So far, I've been damn useless."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Astinius toiled away in the library. His own collection of books, and those of the abbey. If he needed to he would journey to the city library and mage guild to find relevant information. On the Pit Fiends, the cult it was suspected summoned them, their deity, a magical affect which would strain the abilities of mystra to break, any of it.

Search: 16+11=27
Knowledge religion: 19+27=46
knowledge planes: 8+27=35
knowledge Arcana: 20+27=47

[Cynical Cat]

As Astinius had been told, there was no information at all about the cult in the Abbey's libraries. As for the ability to block scrying in the Hells, that is unfortunately quite common among the mightiest in the Hells. The arch-devils and their dukes possess immense power and plot against each other constantly. They also possess ability to alter their domains to conform with their will, to a greater or lesser degree. Furthermore the P\pit fiend generals who run the Blood Wars, the Dark Eight, also command the resources to put in place impressive scrying blocks to prevent surveillance by the hordes of the Abyss. If the pit fiends had connections, favors owed, or privileges with any of the above, they could hide someone beyond the ability of a mortal to find them.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Damn it" Astinius screamed as he closed his last book. He and the Abbey had nothing save for information on how demon lords could completely bar themselves from scrutiny. This did not help. Nor did he have any information on these cultists from Elturel.

He would have to go elsewhere. He pondered over it for a moment. There were many great libraries in the realms. Only a few of which he had been to.

He cam to a decision, and went to find the others. After several minutes of searching, he came across Gaheris and Torma.. who was covered in cats

"I have found nothing, save that if those Pit Fiends had connections, which they seem to, no spell I possess will allow me to locate the abbot. In addition, I have no information on the cultists, or their deity, and this is something that needs to be remedied. If any of you wish to accompany me to Silverymoon, I would welcome the company."

He was looking at the cat covered dragon when he said it

[SirNitram]

"The lords of Baator are involved.. Whoever we're dealing with is fairly well-connected.." Malkamar stroked his chin. "I'm afraid, however, that you have a point, Astinius. Whoever these folks are, the locals won't have much information. I'm sure there's some magic that can pierce Pit Fiend defenses.. Mind you, it'd be in the hands of the Tanar'ri, and thus not useful to us."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"There are several possibilities. Our malefactor knows the pit fiends in person and they owe him or her favors, in which case they are well-connected and very powerful, thus extremely dangerous. Or they know which individuals to summon and extract service from with payment. The spell needed to do that is not far removed from my ability if not inclination to cast. If that is the case however, our new 'friend' is very well informed, which on its own makes him or her more dangerous than their spell-casting ability might suggest... or I could be completely wrong and the bastard who can cast the spell just got lucky and, or the pit fiends are the ones directly responsible"

[SirNitram]

"I doubt your average Pit Fiend needs much encouragement to attack a temple of Tyr, nor abduct a high-ranking priest of his. It's a notch against the forces of Good, after all." Malkamar shrugged a bit. "But our hypothesizing is really quite useless without more information."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"True... but it is the power of the pit fiend to conceal itself that is the issue. You are right however. If you wish to accompany me, you would be welcome. I will be gathering my spell books and leaving shortly"

[LadyTevar]

"Damn it" Astinius screamed as he closed his last book.

In the courtyard, Torma's head raised, looking off in the direction of the sound. It disturbed a couple of the cats as she did so, of course, but after a moment she set her head back down on her crossed forelimbs. "Expect to see Astinius in a few moments."

He cam to a decision, and went to find the others. After several minutes of searching, he came across Gaheris and Torma.. who was covered in cats

"I have found nothing, save that if those Pit Fiends had connections, which they seem to, no spell I possess will allow me to locate the abbot. In addition, I have no information on the cultists, or their deity, and this is something that needs to be remedied. If any of you wish to accompany me to Silverymoon, I would welcome the company."

He was looking at the cat covered dragon when he said it

"Are you staring because of the cats, or because you believe I should go with you and leave Gar and Malkamar here?" Torma asked bluntly, the orange kitten on her head starting to wash herself thoroughly.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Bit of both" the mage replied. "I think you may enjoy Silverymoon and you expressed an interest in learning magic, and that means magical lore as well"

[Rogue 9]

"If you think that's best," Gaheris said to Astinius in a neutral tone.

He suddenly turned and smashed his fist against the wall. "Damn it all to the Hells," he snarled. "There's nothing else to do, and Grigor is out there, probably suffering, and certainly in need of a rescue we can't give him." He was fairly shaking with restrained rage.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Letting out a very quiet sound, Astinius signaled something to the toad in his robe pockets. Mr. Toad poked his head out, and was soon on Gaheris' shoulder, nuzzling him with his warty skin, doing what he could to allow Astinius to comfort him by proxy.

"It is horrifying my friend... But we are dealing with enemies we have not dealt with..." and idea struck him

He squickly took a folded sheet of paper from his pouches, and a pen. He scrawled out a note very quickly. The writing was bad, but legible.

'I dont know if they are scrying us, but you are not detectable right now. If we split up, with malk, torma and I going to silverymoon, for the next day, if you are disguised, they have no way of tracking you. You will be more free to do... whatever it is you do'

[Rogue 9]

Gaheris couldn't help but half-grin at the touch of a toad trying to comfort him. He took the note and read it, and pulled out a piece of charcoal that he used to leave signal marks on walls. 'It might be worth a shot,' he wrote back in a necessarily broad print. 'But I don't know what I'd do.'

[LadyTevar]

Torma gave her body a shake, and then started to rise slowly, giving the various felines time to move to safety. "I don't think I'll be going with you, Astinius," Torma said quietly as they scribbled their little notes on a sheet of paper. Honestly, did they think that would help? "But until you figure out something, what I am going to do is stretch my wings."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Why did dragons always have to make things complicated? Astinius thought to himself as he shook his head

"Suit yourself. but I cannot keep people from scrying on you, or watching you magically like I can Gaheris. So when he goes out doing...whatever it is that he does when I am not around, you need to stay behind. At least for the next day or so. That goes for you as well Malk. If you elect not to come with me."

[LadyTevar]

Torma gave a snort. "Why scry, when they probably skulk around much like Gaheris does?" she pointed out before moving away from the sun-dappled wall she'd been napping beside. Out in the courtyard she'd have more room to take off, although it would still take a good jump straight up to get enough clearance for the first downbeat.

"Who knows, I might see something while I fly around the city."

[SirNitram]

"Scrying uses up magical resources. If these folks are able to operate under the Masks' noses, they probably have plenty of mundane spies." Malkamar shrugged a bit. "If Torma is staying here, so will I. No offense, but you need some supervision."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"It does indeed. But it makes things easier,and honestly if someone has the resources to summon two pit fiends, a scying spell or two is not going to hurt them overmuch. It doesn't matter now however as the misdirection idea just fell apart... " the mage just sighed and went to go pack his stuff

[LadyTevar]

"It does indeed. But it makes things easier,and honestly if someone has the resources to summon two pit fiends, a scying spell or two is not going to hurt them overmuch. It doesn't matter now however as the misdirection idea just fell apart... " the mage just sighed and went to go pack his stuff

"Maybe if you'd made it more clear which part was the misdirection...?" Torma offered snidely before Leaping into the air, stirring up the dust of the the courtyard as her wings cupped the air. It took more than a couple beats to get level with the walls, where she could open her wings wider and grab more air. Those below were getting a nice breeze, at least, although Gar might want to pick the straw out of his hair.

[Rogue 9]

Gaheris just shook his head violently to clear off the dust and sighed.

"She's going to get herself killed," he grumbled. There was no point to taking off after her; she was faster and could keep going for far longer than he. He turned to the other two. "I honestly don't have a whole lot to do except wait, if divinations won't work. I could go out looking, but without a starting place I'd be unlikely to accomplish anything; I'm better off waiting for word to come. I'll go out and check for markers later this afternoon, but for now there's really nothing else for me to do."