"♪I don't want to set the world on fire...♪" Esstrey floats through the camp full of her enemies. Zealots, opportunists, nobles and the gullible, all gathered in one camp. Even the avatar of a god is here, and he already doesn't like her. The golem is exactly like all the stories, but the stories never told of his cunning. She knows he can tell there's something wrong, but without solid evidence, he won't turn the Malencian delegation into ash over a hunch.
"♪I just want to start a flame in your heart♪" Esstrey is busily making herself known to the camp to make sure this stays that way, she hardly believes politics to stand in the way of the war god too long. She's currently accomplishing this by checking up on the troops and equipment who all set out on this expedition while humming a tune.
"♪In my heart, I have but one desire♪" Plenty of demons have been spotted as of late, every second that passes it becomes clearer that the adventurer team dubbed 'the hero's party' wasn't just talking out of their asses. Even more impressively is the force they had effectively mobilized against this threat, Esstrey's colleagues of The Infernal Host would most likely not appreciate their plan being foiled this quickly.
"♪And that one is you, no other will do♪" Esstrey has eyes for something other than some adventurers who seem to know everything, and that's a literal avatar of something proclaiming to be a god being involved. A being that from up close has confirmed Esstrey's suspicions, there is roughly a liter of blood within that golem, god-blood would be the natural conclusion.
The opportunity that lies in such a large amount of god-blood is great, almost as great as the chance of getting annihilated by the golem surrounding it. Six arms, each wielding a blade of adamantine imitating fire, the bastard is almost as big as Esstrey, and many times more armored. Or at least he would be, currently he's posing for some camp whores. It seems that the war god isn't some being beyond the temptations of the flesh, despite the 'rock' in 'rock hard abs' being quite literal.
The whores catch Esstrey staring, quite hard not to when her gaze is locked on the avatar, when his entertainment flees Belluzoar looks back to Esstrey. For a moment the two share what some could loosely describe as an intimate moment, they do all the things intimate couples could do in that situation. Both also realize what the other really wants, and neither is scared of it.
The complete and utter annihilation of the one opposing them. Both will get what they want eventually, time has a way of righting all wrongs. For now, the two split ways, both aware of a fellow predator having spotted them. However, unlike actual predators in nature, neither of these individuals is as forgiving. There will be no delineation here.
Esstrey finishes her rounds of the camp, the expedition force consists of roughly two-hundred Faerune elites from the capital commanded by a few royal guards, with various levels of auxiliary support from nobles either significant or close enough to provide it. Captain Crendell is among the auxiliary forces, but his allegiance lies with Malencia, not the kingdom. Various churches of the gods have also provided paladins, holy knights numbering a few dozen that apparently rival the royal guard in skill. The entire force is supplemented by roughly fifty adventurers, it's hard to get solid numbers on them even with some clever talking as they tend to act much less organized. None of these groups come close to the skill of the Hero's party, but they are a step above the standard elites. Belluzoar is also with these figures, and is bound to be a source of trouble for any opposition.
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Facing this camp is an unknown and ever-growing number of demons of various degrees, Esstrey requested Crendell to capture one of the more sentient figures, and he obeyed without too much fuss. She was planning to interrogate said demon, and didn't want anyone to know she was. Demons are from an immaterial realm, and no threat can make them talk. Or at least, no threat conjured by the priests and soldiers of the kingdom. Everyone has fears, everyone bleeds, everyone dies.
Moving out of the camp, Esstrey heads for the dead drop she agreed upon with Crendell, sure enough at the dead drop is a hulking, winged fiend chained to the ground with various objects radiating light magic nearby. How the hell Crendell managed to capture this thing is a small miracle, Esstrey will have to write a letter of commendation for him. Approaching the thing, she can already tell its breath stinks to high hell, and interrogating it will require a very advanced technique.
"I hope my boys didn't treat you too harshly, sir...?" Esstrey emerge from beneath the trees, but if the fiend is surprised, it isn't showing it.
"Bar'kof, and what kind of cursed being are you?" The demon is still a curious being by nature, and Esstrey is a curiosity all on her own.
"I'm Esstrey, I was hoping to get a chat with one of the Infernal Host officers currently active in the region. I was curious as to what you guys are doing here." Esstrey sits herself across from the fiend, just outside its reach.
"And oh tell me, why should I tell you anything? Who knows who could be listening? I'll whisper it to you if you get closer." The demon smiles at the mermaid, whether the attempt to get her within arms reach is a genuinely pathetic attempt of manipulation or if it's just mocking her, only the creature knows.
"Because we are allies? Are you in any way familiar with Zha'klos? Or the cult in Malencia? I frequently make deals with Zha'klos and work as a form of overseer for said cult, hence why I'm wondering why I wasn't informed of such an operation like this." The fiend thinks for a bit while staring at Esstrey, giving the words a thought.
"Probably because the one who organized it doesn't get along very well with Zha'klos. To me, as long as she gets results, she's fine in my tome." The fiend said it as an afterthought, but Esstrey now knows about some interservice-rivalry going on.
"Really? I'm assuming their doctrines vary wildly and are also incredibly restricted as a result." The fiend relaxes somewhat, no longer seeing Esstrey as a threat.
"That would be a correct assumption, Zha'klos heavily prefers a slow and cunning approach like at [Hyldra]. That was a great victory for demonkind where the mortals practically tore each other apart with minimal cost, while Kly'zar prefers a quick and brutal approach, [Zanbar] and [Fujinrai] fell as a result of the portal invasion doctrine, a more costly but guaranteed method of success, because of the costs incurred the latter was reclaimed by zealots from a neighboring planet. From a practical standpoint, I prefer Zha'klos's method, but ended up joining Kly'zar because it's more fun. Speaking of fun, release me. There are many more mortals out there that require destruction." Bar'kof sees no reason not to tell the mortal any of this, what is she even planning to do with that kind of info?
"Alright, be a dear and inform Kly'zar of my presence, I care little for the internal politics when it comes to the benefits." Esstrey cuts the chains on Bar'kof, who sizes Esstrey up for a moment before deciding that delivering said message is better than trying to kill her for now.