Darian kisses Jesse goodbye. "Off to work, dear. Don't wait up for me."
Niko staggers into the room, obviously a bit hung over. "Hey, Occa...before we leave, ya might wanna make arrangements for your place here. Sounds like the sh*t's gonna hit the fan here pretty soon. The city of Marmador fell almost a month ago...there are rumors of war in the eastern lands beyond the Mississippi River...and it is said that press gangs will soon be turned loose on the streets here to look for volunteers. Doesn't paint too pretty a picture."
Darian looks at Jesse with concern. "You'd better be careful, love. I don't want to find out that you've been drafted into the army.
"Occa, is there anything we can do to ensure that doesn't happen?"
"Oh, yeah...there's also some problems with a whole area blocked from teleporting and scrying...not sure how it may affect us, though."
"That sounds bad."
"Which area, Niko? Sandas or Marmador?"
Niko shrugs. "Wherever the army of Mestom seems to be..."
"I think that I know something about this," says Equinox. "When I was traveling with Kadlian and company seeking some clerical artifact or other we came into an area for which we could not scry nor teleport. No one could figure out why but we came to the conclusion that the reason had to be some very potent sorcery or the grant of a request to a God from a High Priest. I am pretty sure that it has something to do with the armies of Mestom because when I flew to where I initially met up with my present comrades - you - I passed over most of the army of Mestom."
"I think we ran into the telporting and scrying problem when we were in Casablanca. Equinox, how big was Mestom's army?"
"Mestom's army was HUGE. If I recall, Mestom's troops extended for miles and miles and miles."
"Occa, we need to get Salaam back quickly. Because I think we are going to be needed to help with the war. We're just a few folks, but it sounds like every able-bodied person is going to be needed."
Occa shakes his head. "If this is true...then I expect we won't be able to get back to hell from here. I expect we are probably stuck."
He tries to teleport the group back to hell....and away you go, leaving Jesse in mid-pucker.
You reappear in the same chamber where you battled the daemons, slaadi and frogs. All is as it was when you left it, except that the wall of force is gone.
Occa says, "I am surprised that worked. Good news, though. Let's find that dog Salaami."
Occa casts wizard eye. He sends it into the pool of water for a quick look. After a bit he reports that the water extends under all of the floors and walkways of the chamber, under the walkway which exits the chamber to the north, and eventually back out into the water-filled chamber outside, where you had the big battle with the giants and daemons...where Gilstrock got iced.
Then he sends it down the corridor.
Through the 5' wide entrance is a 5' wide passage running east, for 15' in all. In the 6' - 13' section is a 7' wide passage running north. At the end of the east passage is a pile oc platinum coins and gems.
To the north, the passage runs for 40' and ends. Its width varies. For the first 10' it is 7' wide. Then, for the next 12' it becomes 10' wide. There is a 10' wide, 10' long pool in this section. After that it becomes 5' wide for the next 5'. Finally, it widens out to 10' again. There is a second pool taking up almost the entire end of the passage. As Occa previously noted, these pools are all connected underwater, with exits at the lend and also to the left and right leading out into the main pool.
You move into the passage and collect the treasure, finding 450pp and five gems (150gp ea.).
Otherwise, the passage is deserted.
"Any suggestions, folks?"
"I vote we go back down into the water to go where I saw those fire giants...I think it takes us to a lower level of Hell. Do we have enough water breathing spells?"
"Sounds good. Let's do it."
"I have a couple of part water spells memorized. That should help. If not, everyone will be able to breath underwater," Orlon mentions.
"I will need some help eith the water breathing," Emm notes. "Um, how long do those spells last?"
"My spell would last for three hours," Orlon tells Emm.
"I do not need a water breathing spell, so do not worry about me." says the druid.
"I have one water breathing spell that Thor has granted me. Given a few hours, I could probably pray for more spells." Al replies.
"Not down here you can't," Orlon tells Al.
"Occa, are you going to use my cloak? If you have another means of breathing/swimming underwater, I'd appreciate it back for now."
"The part water should work for everyone. I can also dimension door. So, you can have your cloak back."
Niko gladly accepts the cloak back and dons it. "Are you sure the part water will work when we cross to the next level of Hell?"
"Only one way to find out," Orlon smiles. "Unless someone has an augury spell. By the way, I just remembered that I have a part water spell on a scroll. That would be three in total. When everyone is ready, I will cast my first memorized 'part water' spell."
"What makes you think we are going to another level of hell? It could be anywhere including here."
Niko shrugs "When I crossed this archway, it just felt different...same feeling when I came back."
"Do we have a plan of attack for those fire giants on the other side? There were quite a few of them in some pretty heavy armor...and the air is terrible over there!"
"We kick ass! Real simple!!" Al says. "We attack and kill them!"
"Blast the heck out of them is my plan."
"Well, I hope we get the chance to do so..."
"I can hit them with a couple of Freeze Metal spells right at the outset. That should freeze their armor and, given a few rounds, may incapacitate one or all of them."
"Umm, if we part water, won't the fire giants know we are coming?" Emm asks. "If Equinox is going to hit them with his spell, we want to use those few moments of surprise to our advantage. We lose that advantage if the water parts before he gets off his spell."
"You are probably right. But unless there is another way of getting everyone safely through the water, that may be our only choice," Orlon answers.
"Someone could make me invisible and I could swim to where the Giants are as a dolphin, convert back to human form and cast my spell. You guys could join me shortly thereafter." Equinox suggests.
"And iffin youse runs inta more o' doze toad-dinks, me dinks youse be lunch... perhaps weez needs ta gits some sneakin' plan's in before we parts da water. How-bouts youse, me an' da Niko fella all swim in, hides in shaders and when da water's part an dem giants start lookin, weez hits em from behinds. Niko, youse'l haf ta drag me in since I can't swim like da fish youse is. An' I'll need dat rope ding ta git meself outta da water at da oder end," offers Gonzo.
"Better yet, hang on to my dorsal fin when I convert into dolphin form," suggests Equinox, "I will get you there in no time and you won't need a rope."
Occa says, "That is a good idea."
He casts invisibility on Equinox.
"Who else needs to be invisible?"
"Not me," Niko replies as he uses his ring to turn invisible.
"Gonzo, the air is really bad on the other side, so don't start coughing when you surface," Niko warns.
"Put cloth over you face and wet it. That will help filter the air."
Occa does so as well.
"Just give us a signal and I will start casting," Orlon comments.
"How long did it take you to swim to the room last time, Niko?" asks Equinox.
"Not long at all...less than 30 seconds."
"Then everyone else should wait for 1 minute before casting Part Water and following us. Someone else should also come with the first group who can cast some kind of cold based attack upon the creatures."
"I plan to cast a few lightning bolts."
Using Emm's rope, you climb back up to the level above, and make your way out onto the pier which juts out into the water-filled chamber. The dead giants and the daemon are still there, untouched, except for some maggots and flies.
Niko points to the middle of the north wall, 20' away from the end of the pier, and you see a faint glow coming from below the water at that point.
Then, Niko, Equinox, Gonzo and Emm lower themselves into the water. Niko and Equinox are invisible, so no one sees them turn into a manta ray and a dolphin, respectively. Gonzo and Emm grope around for a moment, then you see their heads - just above the waterline so that they can breathe - moving across the gap towards the north wall. There is a pause, they inhale deeply, and then suddenly drop below the surface and out of the sight of those staying behind.
Orlon, Darian, Occa, Gilstrock, Al and Robert wait on the pier. Tracy did not accompany you.
A minute passes, then Orlon begins casting his part water spell. It takes a long time to cast the spell, and you watch while the high priest intones, shakes and does the shimmy-two-step for ten minutes while Al claps in synch.
Suddenly there is a rumble, and the waters part, creating a dry passage which runs from the pier to the middle of the north wall. Revealed in the middle of the north wall is a 10' wide opening leading into a passage angling upwards. Light shines down this passage.
You see two potential problems immediately.
First, the opening that you want to get to is 20' above the bottom of the pool. You will require some way to get from the bottom of the pool up to the opening.
Second, you see that the angled tunnel is still filled with water. Seemingly defying the laws of physics, the water forms an opaque wall at the entrance to the tunnel. Wherever that tunnel is, it obviously lies outside of the range of Orlon's spell.
Occa says, "Okay...we need to move. Orlon, let's cancel your spell...I will turn into a huge alligator with polymorph self. Then everyone grab hold and I will drag you through."
"No, leave the spell alone. Then we just have a small distance to swim. Occa, you can do your polymorph right at the edge of the portal. And Gil can levitate when he goes through, dragging anyone who can't manage on their own."
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go," Orlon prepares to grab the croc's tail.
Niko pokes his manta-ray-head through the wall of water at the entrance of the tunnel, and looks across at the rest of you, still standing on the pier.
Before him is open air. Orlon has parted the waters, and the floor of the pool lies dry, 20' below Niko. Ten feet to either side, the waters of the pool still stand.
Niko calls, "What are you guys doing lollygagging around here? Those fire giants are starting to beat each other up! Are you guys coming?"
The debate, however, continues.
Orlon suggests that you all go to the necessary location, underneath the opening. Occa becomes a croc, the spell can be cancelled, then Occa won't have that far to swim.
Darian doesn't think so.
"Won't that pile 20' of water on top of us? After all, it's not going to just lift us up, it's going to come rushing in from above and below and we're going to be stuck in the middle."
"It'll be like surfing a big wave. We'll just hold on, with ropes if necessary, and ride it out," Orlon smiles.
"Ok, let's go." Occa does his thing.
Al activates his ring of flight and stays as close to the alligator as possible.
Holding his breath, Al flies into the water and travels to the other side.
One way or another, by canceling the spell or not, you all eventually end up in the drink, clinging to a giant alligator with the head of Al.
Occa swims up the tunnel. Al and Niko escort him. Passing through the entrance, you feel a change...perhaps in the water pressure...perhaps in the gravity...perhaps it is hard to tell. The tunnel itself is only 10' long, then it opens out into another pool (odd shaped: right wall runs 10' east, then 10' northeast, then 50' west, then 10' southeast and 10' west to close up). The floor is inclined at a steep but ascendable angle upwards towards the north.
Surfacing, you see an odd shaped area before you (from the northeast corner of the underwater area, a wall runs east for 10', north for 20', west for 5', south for 5', west for 15', north for 5', west for 30' (door in middle), south for 5', west for 15', north for 5', west for 5', south for 20' and east for 10' to meet up with the pool).
It is clear that you are out of doors...but not on any plane that you are familiar with. Perhaps you have passed through a portal from Avernus to...someplace else. The east, west and south walls are of rough stome, and seem to radiate heat. The wall to the north is of dressed slabs of the same stone. There is a 10' wide door in the middle of it. The door is closed. A strange hollow is in the middle of the door.
Above you, a 10' wide bridge of stone spans the distance between the north and south walls, some 50' up. Beyond that is an inky black sky, dotted with what appear to be stars. A brightly glowing orb hangs up there, casting a garish light and throwing parts of the area before you into shadow.
The air here is smoky and hard to breathe. You fight the urge to cough.
Standing in a group before the door, having a brawl, are six fire giants. They wear field plate armour. They seem to be enjoying themselves.
There is no sign of Gonzo, Equinox or Emm.
Darian carefully ties a wet piece of cloth over his mouth and nose so that he can breathe easier.
He then looks to Occa for direction.
Occa changes form again. He ties a wet cloth over his mouth as well. He watches with interest and tries to spot his companions before he opens up on the giants with lightning bolts.
Darian will follow suit, using two-forked lightning bolts to back up Occa's.
There is still no sign of your companions. The giants are making quite a din.
"Occa, can you lay down a cone of cold or two for ground fire and then Gil, Darian, and I will attack while the giants are confused ?" the invisible Al asks the mage.
Occa thinks for a moment. "I do have a cone of cold, but it won't make much difference from a lightning bolt. Even so, it is useless in hell, so I will use it here."
"Someone detect for magic. I wonder if one of those giants is a friend of ours. I would hate to kill one of our own."
"I don't have one, Occa."
"As long as we kill the bastards, I don't care what spell is used." Al says as he waits for the spells to be unleashed.
Gilstrock makes sure he's all the way out of the water, and then draws Thawbreaker. However, upon hearing Occa's second statement, he pauses before emitting a Warrior Yell [TM] and charging.
"GRUNKITY HEEZA GOOBA!!" exclaims a giant in mid punch, suddenly spotting Gilstrock out of the corner of his eye. Another giant nails him while he is distracted, sending the monster flying into the pool, just missing the rest of you.
The other giants now see the warrior, and start jumping into the water to get at him.
At the same time, Equinox suddenly pops into view as he completes a spell. He then starts another. He is standing in a shadowy corner, away from the monsters.
Niko lets loose a volley of Magic Missiles at the first giant entering the water. His five missiles blast into the monster. He then engages the giant in the water with his magical cutlass and dagger.
The giant, swinging with the obligatory blunt instrument, misses the elf. Niko, however, is accurate with his cutlass and opens a nice cut.
Darian sighs, rises up out of the water to stand on its surface and draws his broadsword. He then begins to run across the water, to meet one of the giants head on.
This elf dodges another swinging blunt instrument, then connects with his broadsword.
Al approaches the giant who originally spotted Gilstrock, enveloped in invisibility, and then cuts into him with Claw. The giant splutters when the cavalier appears bove him, but recovering quickly, butts him for 15 hit points. This barely puts a bruise in Al's ego. Swinging again, Al opens up a second wound in the giant.
Dragging himself out of the water, Orlon asks, "Aren't you interested in where Gonzo, Equinox, and Emm are? Maybe these guys know where they went. Killing them all won't help. How about leaving one alive for information."
He then takes his 'big bruiser' footman's mace and prepares to engage in melee.
Orlon faces an angry giant, who immediately puts a dent in the high priest for 17 hit points. Orlon then fans with Big Bruiser.
Suddenly Gonzo answers Orlon's question with a loud -
"KARUMBA."
- as he steps out of the shadows and stabs one of the last giants in line in the back, opening up a massive, frosty wound. The giant bellows and spins around, lashing out more out of reflex than anything else, but swinging high and missing the dwarf.
Gilstrock moves over to help Orlon, as Robert makes for the last giant.
Using his boots to levitate himself just enough out of the water so that he can fight with Thawbreaker, without being in danger of encasing himself in an ice cube, Gilstrock attacks. His frost brand opens a nice icy would in the monster.
Next, Emm steps out of the shadows and stabs at the giant moving towards Robert. However, he misses. The giant ignores Emm and instead concentrates on the warrior in front of him, bouncing his blade rather ineffectually off of Robert's shield. Robert then buries his bastard sword into the giant's thigh.
Equinox completes another spell.
All of the giants are busy with one or more of you.
Niko's next swing with his cutlass is wide, as is the giant's swing at him. With his now non-glowing dagger the elf misses again...then fans a second time with his cutlass.
Darian is bopped over the head for 17 hit points. He easily connects with his broadsword a second time, though...then again a second time. He nver seems to miss with this weapon.
Al again draws blood with his scimitar, dodges an incoming blow, then lands a third hit. His giant is looking very ill.
The giant battling Orlon is looking uncomfortably cold, and frost is starting to form on his armour. Nevertheless, the cleric is clobbered for a further 18 hit points, as he misses again with the silent Bruiser.
Gilstrock is there, though, and he connects rather easily, twice, leaving the monster staggering about.
Gonzo faces a giant alone. After a quick jab with his frost brand he is belted for 16 hit points. His second jab does the job, though, and the first giant dies.
The giant battling Robert is also looking uncomfortable, as Robert misses with his blade. Sidestepping an incoming club, the warrior swings again, this time connecting.
At the back, Emm tries again with the silent Bubba, and misses.
Gonzo grins from ear-to-ear, his ugly face becoming even more ugly in his glee... he then looks for another appropriate target to commence mayhem upon.
Darian continues to swing the weapon. "I really got to find out what kind of blade this is..."
Darian sidesteps a swinging club, before carving another chunk out of his foe.
"How on earth does that ranger, Op Code, manage to hit these beasts?" Orlon shouts frustratingly.
The giant bounces a club off of the high priest's shield. Swinging Big Bruiser again, Orlon finally connects, and the monster drops.
Gilstrock continues to lay into the fire giant, even though it is dead, courtesy of Orlon.
"Take that, you foul walking furnace!"
Suddenly realising that the fight has become moot, he looks around for something else to attack.
Niko continues to attack from the water with his cutlass and dagger. Gliding through the water easily, he wonders why he's having such a difficult time hitting the stupid giant!
The giant attacking Niko fans yet again. The elf lands a minor hit with his cutlass, then connects with his dagger, then lands another strike with his cutlass. The giant is suddenly almost dead, and Niko tries to finish him off with his dagger, but misses.
"Die, foul spawn," Al challenges as he increases the ferocity of his attacks on the fire giant.
Al lands a final hit on his giant, and it drops dead.
Robert is crunched for 18 hit points but is unfazed, and then lands a lovely blow with his defender. This giant is definitely being affected by his now-freezing arour as well.
Emm continues his efforts, hoping all will not be futile. "Come on Bubba. I know you can do it."
Bubba is silent, does not glow here, and continues to be ineffective.
Gonzo steps up and swats the giant with his frost brand. The giant drops dead.
Occa, about to cast a cone of cold, sees giants dropping left, right and centre, and decides to save his spells.
Two giants remain...make that one, as Niko finishes off his adversary.
Only the monster on Darian remains, and both Al and Gilstrock are converging on it.
Darian is again missed...then again hits with his broadsword. Al also connects, and the last giants drops.
Equinox goes to anybody injured and offers all his healing abilities, up to 2 Cure Serious Wounds and 4 Cure Light Wounds.
The most seriously wounded are Darian and Orlon. Equinox heals them for 7 and 3 hit points, respectively, then heals Al for 5, Gonzo for 1, Robert for 6 and Orlon for an additional 1, expending all of his available healing spells.
You climb up onto the dry part of the area before the door. There are some sacks lying about. Opening them, you find 6000gp, 2667ep and two enormous diamonds (2000gp ea.).
Examining the door, you note that there is no obvious way to open it. You do observe that the hollow in its centre matches the diameter of the mysterious eyeball that you took from the dead fire giant in the watery chamber previously, though...
"Thanks, Al," says Darian. He shrugs. "Thanks, Equinox, but you should've saved your spells. Anyone else need healing? Make a line in front of me."
Darian heals himself and anyone else who lines up for it.
Gilstrock holds the diamonds up to his chest and bellows out a particularly noisome rendition of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".
After a few moments, he realizes in just how poor taste this is, and desists. Clearing his throat, he says, "Er, right, what next?"
Al pockets one of the diamonds and gracious accepts the healing.
After a few moments Darian has healed up everyone.
"Okay, who's got the eyeball? When we're all ready, plunk it into that spot on the door."
Niko fishes out the eyeball on the chain.
"Niko, you can do the honors," Al says with Claw in hand in case some thing decides to jump through the door.
Emm stands to one side of the door, to avoid any fireballs or other nasty surprises that might be awaiting the party.
Niko inserts the eyeball into the socket.
Suddenly the eyeball comes alive.
It blinks, then rolls around in the socket for a moment. Finally, it winks at Niko...and the door opens.
Through the door there is a 10' wide passage, running to the left and the right. To the right it only runs for 30', then ends. The last 10' of floor in that direction seems to glow a dull red. To the left it runs for 40', turning north after 30'. There are two alcoves, one to the left and one to the right, in the same wall as the door.
Standing here to greet you are three creatures, clearly of a demonic, daemonic or diabolical origin. Enormous, 12' tall, winged and ugly, they have huge fangs jutting out of their mouths and long, grasping tails. For all that, they speak to you in voices that are decidedly feminine in tone and manner.
"Hi. We'd like to talk to you about commitment," says one.
"And feelings," says the second.
"And having babies," adds the third.
Such words are enough to make even the most fearsome warrior amongst you quake with fear.
Gilstrock quakes with fear.
He then draws Thawbreaker, and charges the demons. "Thou shalt perish for thy foul words!" he cries.
"Practice is something I love!" Al says, "but I don't have a bag big enough to put over any of your heads - yeeck - polymorph into something young and nubile!" Al shudders, and then charges with Claw out.
"You sound just like that stupid cleric that Vrith brought down here a few weeks ago!" says one of the monsters.
"His brain was in his penis!" says the second.
"We soon took care of him!" cries the third, "At 'em, girls!"
It doesn't affect Darian in the least considering he's already married and talking about children. "I'd like to talk to you about searing cold and hell freezing over."
Darian attacks with his frostbrand.
The rest of you feel waves of fear washing over you, but then you look at the mighty cavalier, as cool and composed as ever, and you take comfort.
Emm sheaths Bubba the Silent. He draws his bow and starts loosing arrows at the closest creature (assuming he has a clear shot).
Equinox casts Faerie Fire on the creatures to prevent them from turning invisible and to make it easier for the warriors to close on them in melee. Equinox has three Faerie Fire spells available to him so he will recast it if necessary.
Gilstrock swings his sword at the first monster, then freezes up solid in mid-swing. The devil then bites his head off, and that is the end of Gilstrock...at least for this battle.
Al next feels his muscles tense up, but he apparently is stronger than Gilstrock and is able to successfully resist. With his scimitar he digs a deep wound in the devil. She curses and misses him. Al connects again, opening another massive wound. She in turn misses a second time.
Simultaneously, Darian swings his frost brand and misses. The elf also feels an unholy paralysis trying to stop him but also fights it down. With an angry scream, the she-devil lashes out at him for 7 hit points, as he fans a second time.
Emm looses an arrow, but it bounces off of its target and breaks without affecting her.
Equinox casts his three faerie fire spells...however, none affect any of the devils.
With a fatalistic grin, Robert moves up to take the decapitated Gilstrock's place.
"You killed Gil, you bastard !" Al roars as he continues to slice and dice with Claw.
"Did not! She did!" the devil replies, pointing at her companion.
Al lands a grazing blow on the monster. She is looking very hurt, now. She lashes out at the cavalier, but he sidesteps her blow and swings again. This time he misses.
"Begone, you foul wenches," Orlon shouts as he tries to turn them.
The devils are undeterred.
"Occa, we could use some magical support."
Darian swings again.
The elf draws his first blood, a glancing blow, but she curses him nevertheless. His next swing also connects, but barely. In turn, he manages to avoid all of her attacks.
Emm shrugs his shoulders and puts away his bow and arrow. He moves into the shadows, maneuvering to try to get at Gilstrock's sword.
Equinox takes out his darts and throws all his magical darts at any available devil.
After bouncing a couple of darts off of the devil's hides and watching them snap, he realises that they are completely ineffective against these hellish monsters.
Then he draws MC Hammer and moves to protect Occa from attack by the Devils.
Occa opens up with magic missle on the daemon that took out Gilstrock.
Three of Occa's five magic missile spells get through, and by the time he is done she is screaming blue murder at him. Suddenly he feels his joints start to stiffen, but he is barely able to resist. He starts to cast a lightning bolt next, as Robert jumps in to distract her. Swinging his bastard sword wildly, he connects, and she suddenly vanishes in puff of foul-smelling smoke.
An arm snakes out of a conveniently located shadow, and Emm snatches Gilstrock's frost brand.
Occa's forked bolt goes off next, aimed at the two remaining devils. One is unaffected, and he just barely avoids catching Darian and Al in it as well. The one devil caught takes moderate damage.
"Nice shooting, Occa, maybe a refresher course at wizard school might be a nice idea," Al smirks as he launches another attack with Claw against the female devil that has been dancing with him.
"Very funny, Al!" Occa chuckles.
Niko, no longer paralyzed by the devils' words, forks a lightning bolt at the devils.
Darian swings at the devil again.
Frustrated by his inability to turn the devils. Orlon casts Dispel Evil, then moves to battle the devils.
Occa will cast a polymorph other on one of the daemons...into a kirin. He will then turn invisible.
Al and Darian swing at their respective foes together. Both connect.
Suddenly both devils vanish, only to reappear, one on either side of the resident arch mage. One clobbers Occa over the head with a club for 7 hit points, ruining his spell in the process, while the other one hits him twice for a grand total of 13 hit points.
Niko releases his lightning bolt. Neither devil is affected, but he does manage to catch Occa in it, shocking him for 17 hit points.
Occa is suddenly looking very hurt.
Orlon has now completed casting dispel evil, and rushes to Occa's aid.
"That is definitely going to leave a mark," Al chuckles as he sees Occa being battered.
Everyone, realising that Occa is their sole ticket out of the lower planes, rushes to his aid.
Occa utters a word of Power at one of the devils. She is unaffected.
The devil swings her club again at him, and Occa takes 8 hit points. He dodges her second attack, luckily for him.
"Here I come, mage!" Al roars as he leaps into the air, activating his ring of flight. However, Al comes up flat-footed, as his ring does not seem to function here.
Equinox, right beside Occa, turns and attacks a devil with MC Hammer.
He fans badly.
Orlon reaches out to touch a devil, but misses.
Occa then uses his last magic missiles on the other devil. The first spell does not penetrate its magic resistance, and he does not get a chance to use to use his second. She nails him for 8 hit points and he drops.
Darian casts dimension door and reappears next to the devil that just dropped Occa, as she grabs his body.
The elf buries his weapon into her flank. She yelps, then laughs, then disappears...with the body of Occa.
One devil remains. Equinox attacks it again, but MC Hammer only manages to stir up a slight breeze in the smoky air, as suddenly his target vanishes also.
You killed one devil, but the other two have fled somewhere. The corpse of Gilstrock still stands frozen, and minus its head.
You look about and see Darian, Gonzo, Robert, Orlon, Equinox, Niko, Emm and Al.
Gonzo says, "Ut OH!"
Darian sighs. "Oh geez... We're in deep doo-doo."
"All things being equal, I think that I would prefer not to spend the rest of my natural life, which would presumably be rather short, in Hell." Equinox says worriedly.
Emm calls out from the edge of the combat zone, "Who has that Paradise wand?"
"This is not good," Al muses. He turns to Darian and says, "Can you establish a mental link with Occa, perhaps?"
Darian shakes his head, sadly. "I can't do telepathy. But, I can do know the spell teleport. The only problem is that I don't have it memorized and I'm not powerful enough to take much with me. One maybe two people. We could go for help, though.
"And Occa might come back. He's got a ring of regeneration on him so he'll recover, if they give him the chance..."
"I don't know. What do you folks want to do? I could take Emm and Equinox since they don't way much in the way of armor..."
"I'd still like to know who has the wand," Emm asks as he joins the group. "And why don't we do a quick look around to see what the devils were guarding, before we do anything else."
Emm does a 360, looking for anything of interest.
"I've got it still," says Niko, as he pats the rod on his belt. "But we're not going anywhere without Occa. We've got to locate him first."
"Me dinks weez all should sticks tagetter... splittin up now would not do us any good. Perhaps dem dinks lair is close by and dey took da Occa in der ta 'play' wid him. We should keep going till weez finds dem" ponders Gonzo.
"Alas poor Gil... dey done you bad... anyone got a sack weez kin put him in till we gets an chance ta figure out what ta do wid him?"
Gonzo looks around to see what exits or possible directions the party can go to find the critter's lair (and hopefully Occa).
The pit fiends had been guarding the entrance to a passage that runs east-west. To the east it runs for 30' and ends. There is a 5' deep, 15' long alcove in the south wall, corresponding to a jutting section of wall on the outside. To the west, the passage runs for 40', turning north after 30'. There is a similar alcove on this side as well.
Orlon suggests, "I can memorize 'Regenerate'. That should bring Gilstrock back then. As for getting back, I have the ability of casting 'Plane shift', 3 times, to the prime material. Each spell can take up to seven people back. We just need to get to a safe place first so I can learn the spells. As for Occa, there is nothing we can do for him right here. Let's get out of here and then I can try to talk to Thor for some guidance."
"Well, I can get us to Paradise, although, I'm not sure if you can regain your priestly spells there..."
Orlon suggests, "If I can't contact Thor there, then I can teleport back to Sandas, relearn spells, then teleport back to Paradise. I say it is worth a shot."
"OK," Niko replies, as he draws the rod, "Somebody grab Gil and then let's all join hands."
Equinox goes over the Gilstrock, grabs his boot and drags him over to the rest of the party so you can all go to Paradise. (Although Gilstrock might not enjoy it as much as he has in the past.)
When everyone is ready, Niko activates the rod.
You find yourselves back in Niko's version of Paradise. The women swarm you as usual, but you have other fish to fry.
You set about resting and recovering.