94b: Deadly Alliance

Patarm 2nd
defeating the pontifica

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Experience: 4,533 xp (88,205 total)
Versus the Pontifica, 8000
Zentil's Allegiance, 1400
Sleria's Conversion, 1400
Mara Alliance, 1400
RP Bonus, 1400

New Companions
Sleria Dovili (Diana): A half-succubus shocked and awed into surrender by Diana's dual Kalindian-Void nature, only to be saved by the vampire a few moments later. Convinced she is some sort of heavenly saint, Sleria agreed to aid Diana in hopes of protection from her former hellish ties, perhaps even redemption. However it's quite apparent she has a dark, sexual streak, nothing new to Diana's friends really. Sleria wields a magic spear and can summon and dispel writhing masses of leather thongs which act as wings.

New NPCs
Baron: A particularly old, decrepit tiefling with blue-gray skin, a long, greased beard nearly to his knees, and stunted, iron horns. Hunched, wrinkled, and overweight, it's a wonder he's lasted so long in the cutthroat landscape of Ribcage, never mind that he rules it, but his appearance belies a wicked cunning and a hidden strength (Renato watched him survive 41 fire damage without so much as a burn). He promised the party great rewards for his safety and is currently gathering his blackguard captains while under the protection of Sleria, intent on reconvening at the Ivory Towers.

Zentil Filtheater: The stout, hunched necromancer looking mostly human, heaped in ragged black robes, able to scurry up walls and onto ceilings, who was persuaded by Diana into helping bypass the soul barrier and, to the best of his abilities, keep Mara out when the time comes. His actual skill will quickly be put to the test.

Returning NPCs
Mara D'Amoria: The succubus wasn't so thrilled with the appearance of the new Dark Three, and made that clear in a number of ways, still she accepted the aid of such unlikely allies all the same. When the pontifica was defeated, and Rimmon dead or banished, Megaera attempted a soldier's parlay with her, which infuriated Mara and nearly ran her off. However, Meg did manage to strike one successful chord: in their current situation, alliance was necessary. Mara decided to stay with the party and play nice until Asmodeus was foiled. She did not seem very receptive to the idea of releasing Isabella's soul from her bauble, however, what turned out to be the Astralheart itself! Then again, there is still time, and more than one way to snatch a Heart.

Flamen Pontifica (dead): The high priestess of Asmodeus summoned burning lattices from the depths of Gehenna and commanded the allegiance of the royal fiend Rimmon Damas. She could break wills and teleport across whole chambers in wisps of flame. However still she was defeated, largely by the combined offensive of Megaera and Mara, the former sending her reeling backward into her own shredding, red-hot summons. There she pleaded for another chance, for revenge, but the lattice devoured her quickly and it was a wonder if she wasn't begging big A himself.

Rimmon Damas (dead/banished): The frightful hulk swung and fired for Renato throughout the battle, but some unlikely help from the chaotic pyromancer sent him reeling long enough for the assassin to reach Baron. Still he pursued, turning devilish minions into screaming grenades. When Ren and the Baron managed to escape even that, he transformed into a rolling fireball and chased them down the escape passage, scorching everything up to the assassin's whipping cloak fringes. Only Megaera's execution of Flamen Pontifica that very next moment spared untold harm upon the fleeing pair. Rimmon vanished.

Kinimo (dead): The sexy half-succubus was not as lucky as her sister Sleria, quickly realizing she was an expendable cog in the pontifica's designs and finding herself cornered and trapped between the dead ends of the manor and the growing lattice. She was ultimately flung into the twisting metal wreckage, crucified upon its spikes and tangles, and then burned away into a blackened, charred husk.

Developing Quests
Cabal of Asmodeus: The once-minor House Flamen has brought the word of Asmodeus to Ribcage, having orchestrated the religious-political coup of the entire city, manipulating the elders of House Garadin into a crazed embargo, usurping the Temple of Darkest Secrets as a home base and slaying all the half-blood clergy, placing the Baron under house arrest and stealing away fiends to be converted, not to mention casting a dire curse, Asmodeus' Decree, which prevents all fiends who have entered the city from leaving.

Calypso explained the key to restoring order was in the death of the Flamen heretics, potentially with the help of a freed Baron.

The Dark Three decided the Baron was essential to retaking the city, his once-disciplined soldiers nothing more than roving street thugs without his leadership. They stormed his keep and found a mysterious third party slaying scores of Asmodean jailors. That third party was Mara! In a risky alliance, the party and the succubus witch defeated the resident Flamen, Asmodeus' own high priestess, and her cadre, including the fearsome royal fiend Rimmon Damas. A new convert to their side, Sleria the half-succubus, escorted Baron out of the wreckage to assemble his captains, while the rest of the party looks to pierce the soul barrier and destroy or subvert the Souls Engine- instrumental to Asmodeus' plans, but still mysterious in exact purpose.

Next Session
95b: Diana and Zentil seek passage through the soul barrier ahead of Mara, whose been and is being delayed by Renato and, unwittingly, Megaera. Beyond lies the infernal Souls Generator, the duergar engineer, and potentially Asmodeus himself! Meanwhile, Sleria escorts Baron in his summoning of the city captains- a secret bid to retake the city now underway.