“Sounds like we’ve got a real witch on our hands.” Arlette murmured confidently, as Oriax passed her a wooden bowl filled with piping-hot stew, “No other way to explain it. I mean, you said those spined devils were practically groveling at her feet? There’s experience there.”
Orcus closed his eyes, nodding quietly.
The party sat together around a small campfire, tucked away in the secluded pocket of a cave just farther down from the chasm’s ridge. A hard series of bends at the entrance ensured that spotting the light source from the outside would not be easy, and that their voices would be heavily muffled.
“Witch?” Oriax asked confusedly, next handing Orcus a bowl, “Like…. creepy old ladies in the forest that steal babies?”
“Those are tall tavern tales, Oriax.” Arlette scoffed, but said more thoughtfully, “Mostly, anyway. I’m talking about real witchcraft here. The kind of dark covenants and fell pacts that can bring a person all manner of power and prestige. I learned a great deal about this subject during my time as an acolyte in Silvermere. And I bet His Eminence knows exactly what I’m talking about too.”
Orcus grunted in agreement, ripping a piece of partially stale bread part before dunking it into his dinner. Chewing slowly, he said, “Witchcraft... it's standard practice among mortal followers of the di Inferi. I would think that most of them belong to the Lady Proserpina, or even Lord Mors, given their predispositions toward dark arcanum. As far as covenants and pacts go? I couldn’t say, I… never really paid much pay attention to my offerings.”
“And you call my Lord a good-for-nothing thief?” Arlette muttered, who immediately sputtered her lips over a spoon to cool off its contents.
“That woman…” Seku said softly, a hint of disbelief in her voice, “She bore three golden bands on her arm, I’m sure of it.”
Orcus furrowed his brow, “I take it that means something to you?”
Seku nodded, a lost look in her eyes, “It means that she’s obtained three blessings of Ssaranrath: One of our most sacred ancestors. I don’t know who she is, or which clan she belongs to, but she must be a very influential person.”
“Perhaps she serves the Kingsnake Astlir then?” Terminus pondered aloud, “To help oversee his plans in this area? It would make sense if the rest of the Kingsnake’s focus has been on the eastern part of the valley.”
“Mm, I don’t know.” Seku replied warily, “Maybe with one blessing. But three? She would have a claim to becoming a Kingsnake herself. Blessings are an integral part of our cultural hierarchy. The Ssatho clan may be very secluded, but someone with three blessings simply doesn’t go unnoticed among the Ishu. It’s odd that I don’t know who she is…”
Handing Seku a bowl, Oriax asked, “She hurting those people down there? The prisoners you saw?”
“Sounded like it.” Arlette nodded, “Chains and capped mouths does sound oddly specific though. They must be mags, since that's the surest way to suppress a spellcaster. Although, that begs its own number of questions. Has she been taking them in and out of th delve as her own retinue of casters? Strange…”
“…Closer…Closer…”
Although it had been a few hours since the last one, yet another whisper proceeded a stint of ringing in Orcus’s mind. It was louder this time, and much sharper. He winced at the slight pain, and nearly dropped his dinner.
That voice again? Orcus groaned, disregarding the scalding liquid now dribbling down his hand. He was at least certain this time that it was a feminine voice. Regardless of whether it was significant or not, it was starting to irritate him. In any case, there were more important things to attend to right now.
“Are you alright, Your Highness?” Terminus squawked worriedly.
“I’m… fine.” Orcus shook his head, otherwise pushing the curious happening to the back of his mind for the present, saying, “Let’s just get back to the task at hand. If we still wish to assault the camp, our primary concern will be that woman and her pets. I'm not saying we go in full charge here, but that central tent should be a point of interest to us.”
“Three spined devils or more, an Ishu woman of unknown potential, two armored warriors, and a dozen cultist?” Arlette resounded, “Far be it from me to suggest this, but I doubt we’ll be able to handle all of that in a night.”
The Prince of Demons couldn’t help but think that she was right.
Given their latest string of results, or rather the close nature of their victories, it was difficult to argue. Truthfully, Orcus’s own ideas also involved a greater degree of discretion as well. He was used to courtly intrigue, after all. And although it wouldn’t be his first choice of tactic, Orcus had considered deploying a bit of deception to get what he wanted. If they could find a way into that camp without causing a fight, they just might be able to gain some insights as to what was really going on.
“Maybe… we don’t need to attack right away?” Oriax proposed out of nowhere.
“Is that so?” Orcus smirked, somewhat perplexed by whom the suggestion had originated, “How do you propose, Oriax?”
Oriax shrugged, “Don’t know, it’s just… it might be easier to get past them, if they let their guard down first. Or maybe, if they don’t see us as a… threat? Like how those guys a few nights ago thought they were all tough and shit, and then we taught them a lesson right when they weren’t expecting it.”
“An infiltration.” Orcus nodded pleasingly, seeing that he’d had the same exact thought, “That is certainly a route worth exploring.”
“No way, something like that has a thousand ways to go wrong.” Arlette shook her head, “One slip up, and we’re all dead. If our goal is to save the adventurers, assuming they’re inside the delve, then that should be our target. We need to break through the defensive line on that tunnel entrance, and forget the rest.”
“The key word to your suggestion is assuming they’re inside the delve.” Orcus replied, “We simply have no way of knowing for certain, and those prisoners might have valuable information regarding what’s been going on here. That's information we currently lack, priestess. We aren’t trying to free them, but I have half a mind to get in there and speak with them on that basis alone. So, I present the question to this party, how do we achieve that goal while also expending as little time as possible in getting to the delve?”
“Well—” Arlette stammered, “What makes you think we can pull this off in the first place? If we go the scorched earth route, we’ll be outnumbered four-to-one, or more if you include individual ability. And forget negotiations. One look at us, and that woman will call our bluff. We’re not exactly inconspicuous, you know. Either way we’ll just end up in a fight.”
Orcus grumbled at her point.
They still weren’t even sure if the larger host of cultists knew about them yet. Though they’d managed to kill mostly everyone the other night, including those snakes in the warehouse, there was still the matter of Darrien. That and there was no telling who or what else was in on Garimor’s operation, and if they’d relayed any information ahead of time. Not much time had passed since that day, but who could say? For all Orcus knew, his party would be walking straight into a trap. Was it worth the gamble? They didn't have any other information to go by, which meant they were going in blind either way.
“We don’t need to kill anyone, we just need to slip past them and get inside the delve, right?” Seku murmured hesitantly, and everyone turned to look at her, as she added, “I know how to get that woman’s attention. And if we can hold it long enough, then someone else can get in to see those prisoners.”
Orcus squinted amusedly.
“How on terra could you possibly know that?” Arlette said, baffled by the admission, “You just said a moment ago that you didn’t know who she was.”
“I don’t.” Seku glanced up at Arlette, and then looked across at Orcus, “But she’ll have to know who I am. And… she won’t be able to resist, if you tempt her with an offering… me.”
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“Offer?” Orcus echoed, “What could she possibly want with you?”
“I’ve… been on the run for a while now, so she’s probably getting desperate.” Seku replied softly, a twinge of shame in her voice. Twiddling the spoon in the bowl, she added more confidently, “I’m certain you can gain her trust by giving me up. Perhaps miss Arlette can then move in on the central tent, while we perform a distraction.”
Who is ‘she’, and why would ‘she’ be getting desperate to find you? Orcus thought to himself curiously for a moment. Seku couldn’t have meant that woman in the camp, seeing that they didn’t know one another. So, who was she referring to?
“I… actually have some magic that might be able to help me in a scenario like that.” Arlette murmured ponderingly, “I always prepare a few spells scrolls ahead of time, in the unlikely event that I have to make a quick getaway.”
“I’m so relieved to hear that we have your full confidences, priestess.” Orcus groaned annoyingly. Never put it past a thief to think of a self-evacuation plan!
“Hey, I’m just saying.” Arlette chuckled, “If we wanted to pull a fast one over on these fools, I’d be game. That central tent must have something good in it… anyway, I could theoretically blend right in if you give me a small window. Plus, I have enough cantrip utility to provide us with an out on the backend. This could actually work. Do we still have some of those cultist clothes from town?”
“Yeah, in my pack.” Oriax nodded, but asked, “So are we just going to walk right in there?”
“Why not?” Orcus replied, “If we’re trying to cause a distraction, that would be the easiest way to do it. We march straight into their camp and garner all the attention on ourselves.” Turning toward Seku, Orcus added, “The only question is, are you certain that she’ll bite? I won't presume to know what it is you're hiding from. But if she doesn’t take the bait, all of our leverage is gone, and we may find ourselves in a spot of dire trouble.”
Seku nodded, “I am.”
The Prince of Demons was skeptical.
His trust in Seku was waning somewhat, but that didn’t mean it was a terrible plan. But if everything hinged on that Ishu woman taking Seku as bait, it could still be very risky. Maybe it was better to go in and kill discreetly, or better yet break for the cave tunnel first and foremost and forget about the prisoners? Orcus still had a gut feeling that they were important to whatever was going on at the delve. For all he knew, they were some of the adventurers. The question was, did he have it in him to give Seku a chance on this one?
“…Very well.” Orcus replied belatedly, “Let us make our final preparations.”
----------------------------------------
A horn resounded throughout the chasm, as Orcus led his party of two toward the center of the cultists’ camp.
One lone watcher had seemingly spotted them on the descent, and had quickly roused the rest of his compatriots as to potential danger. Swiftly, the entire camp was up-in-arms. Cultists flung themselves from their haphazard tents, desperate to make themselves ready for a possible attack.
For his part, the Prince of Demons enjoyed the consummate confusion and fear emanating throughout the entire area. It was part of the plan, after all. Glancing over his shoulder, he regarded the rest of his party for a moment.
It was only Oriax and Seku. Arlette was somewhere else, likely creeping her way into the camp by now, and hopefully being cautious. She was supposed to be setting up a secondary distraction, for when the party was ready to make its escape. Though they wouldn’t be able to help her otherwise.
Oriax walked steadily some seven feet behind Orcus, and in front of the larger man walked Seku, who was feigning an attempt at dragging her feet. With some of the party’s spare supplies, Oriax had bound her arms, as well as fashioned a gag in such a way that it would be easily escapable when the need arose. For all intents and purposes, she was to come across as their prisoner. Although Orcus didn’t like it too much, Arlette had suggested they remove her from the party for the time being, just in case anyone in the camp could discern party affiliations, like she could with her special vendor status.
“Rember the plan.” Orcus said telepathically to both Seku and Oriax, “We have one shot at this. The priestess has twenty minutes maximum to get in and then out again. We wait for her signal, and then we break for the cave tunnel. If she does not return, we break on my signal. If all else fails, we fight our way out.”
Oriax simply grunted, and Seku shifted slightly, responding with, “Understood.”
Orcus turned back ahead, supposing he couldn’t ask for anything else.
Shortly thereafter, the party was completely surrounded by aggravated cultists, most of whom were in and out of their usual attire but appeared to have been in various states of rest. They all bore their weapons, however, though looked upon the party with wary, uncertain expressions. There were murmurs among them, as they waited for someone to make a first move.
“I am here to speak with the leader of this camp.” Orcus said loudly enough for all to hear, further drawing attention onto himself and his party, as he halted them just before the central-most tent, “We have travelled long and far to conduct our business, and I will not be kept waiting.”
Even more murmurs arose throughout the gathering of people, but nothing seemed to change from the central tent itself. However, nearly a minute later the tent flaps flew open, and the three spined devils lurched into the air. They circled around the party, before taking off into the night sky, surveying the rest of the camp from overhead.
Behind them, the dark silhouette of the Ishu woman came slithering out.
Similar to Seku, she bore a pale, silvery complexion, though her hair was shocked with both black and white. It was then that Orcus noticed a golden chain around her waist, from which ten or more purplish-black ears dangled freely; he recognized them as belonging to the spined devils, and figured that it was likely the way in which she bound them to her service.
“Who are you to call upon me, human?” She hissed friskily, her golden eyes piercing Orcus as if ready to strike. Occasionally, a forked tongue dithered from her lips, as she added, “Speak quickly, before I feed your entrails to my creatures.”
Orcus smiled, “That is no way to treat a guest.”
“Guest?” She cocked her head to the size, studying him somewhat, “Neither do I know your face nor remember inviting anyone such as you to stand before me. So, you’re either foolish enough to walk in here of your own volition, or arrogant enough to think that you could do so without any consequence. So I ask you this, which is it?”
“Yes, very dramatic.” Orcus replied unamusingly, who then stepped to the side somewhat to reveal his other party members, “But spare me your longwinded delusions. I brought you a gift, after all.”
The Ishu woman looked past Orcus, and her eyes widened for a moment. She regarded Seku for a fraction of a second, and opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. However, she shook her head slightly thereafter, and turned her attention back toward Orcus, saying, “How… bold of you to bring my shed-kin bound in ropes. Did you think I would reward you, this—this insult?”
“Perhaps you won’t.” Orcus shrugged, circling around to place his hand on Seku’s shoulder. She flinched for good measure, as he added, “I understood that the Ishu were looking for this young woman.”
There was no response, only a calculating expression.
Orcus continued, “If that is not the case, she’ll fetch me a fairer price in more secluded markets. And here I thought we were both going to benefit greatly… no matter, it seems I was wrong. We'll take our leave.”
As Orcus beckoned his party to turn back around and head the way they’d came, the woman interjected.
“Stop!” She raised her voice slightly, and it startled the surrounding cultists, who didn’t seem sure whether they were supposed to be gearing up for a fight or not. Regardless, they imposed themselves in front of Orcus’s party so that it couldn’t leave. Composing herself, the Ishu woman smiled slightly, resuming her self-assured tone of voice, “I should have you killed right this second, for even daring to turn your back on me.”
Furrowing his brow, Orcus said without turning around to face her, “Try it. She'll be dead before your spineless wretches could get within a foot of me. Is that what you want?”
This was it… Seku’s gamble. If that woman willed it, they were sure to be done for.
A system prompt suddenly filled Orcus's overlay.
*************
--- Fate Roll initiated; Deception initiated; ---
--- Initialize Deception [Orcus] ---
--- Initialize Deception bonus; Charisma Score = +3 to fate roll ---
--- Initialize Help action [Seku]; Advantage granted ---
--- The die of fate is cast… d20(11) + 3 = 14 ---
--- The die of fate is cast… d20(16) + 3 = 19 ---
--- 19 total [Orcus] ---
--- Versus ---
--- Initialize Passive Insight [Hidden] ---
--- Initialize Passive Insight bonus; [Hidden] ---
--- Fate Roll successful ---
*************
“No, that… won’t be necessary.” The Ishu woman hesitated for a split second, and she belatedly waived for the surrounding cultists to stand down.
Orcus smirked slightly, and finally glanced over his shoulder, saying, “Then how about we make a deal?”
For now, it seemed the gamble was paying off. It was up to the priestess now.