The group found themselves once again approaching the shores of the river Styx. The travel along the path had lasted about an hour as each use before had. During that time, the party had determined, by various means, what some of the objects were that they had found in the Palace of Filth. The black slippers with web like designs on them that Tidal had were slippers of spider climb. The golden rod Dido kept was a Wand of Wonder. The two scrolls that Rachel held onto were for the spells "Erupting Earth" and "Conjure Volley".
"Back from your personal roader I see." came the upbeat voice of Syllucraff as the party came to a stop by the banks of the Styx.
The ferrymen stood in his boat, just as he had the last time they spoke. His eyes examined the group as they found resting spots near the boat. They glowed a bright amber color from under his hood. His black robes flowed down into the boat where it was difficult to tell where the robes ended and where the boat began. With a short wave of his hand, he continued,
"I'm pretty chuffed to see you lot return! I was a little concerned that some Chavs might have gotten to you at Malagard."
Syllucraff made a small mock gesture pinching his nose as if he was smelling the stench coming off the group.
"Seems you lot had a little kerfuffle, eh?"
The party still couldn't tell Syllucraff's facial expression as, aside from his glowing eyes. The rest of his features were still hidden beneath the shadow of his hood. He could be smiling or scowling for all they knew. They weren't even sure if his face was still covered in flesh, or skeletal for that matter.
"We fought all manner of creatures!" Tidal exclaimed in his deep gravely voice. "Though that last one didn't put up much of a fight. Some big flabby thing with a stitched face."
"Ah! Nupperibo!" replied Syllucraff. "Common sight in these parts."
"We also happened to be successful in our venture." chimed in Dido, tapping on a pouch tied to her belt.
"Well now that's just bloody brilliant!" exclaimed Syllucraff.
"So what do we need to do to remove this affliction from me?" Dido inquired, gesturing towards her glowing skin.
"Well..." Syllucraff began, mock stroking a non-existent beard in contemplation before continuing, "First thing you'll need to do is open the coin to release it's soul."
Caravaggio spoke up from near the back of the group, arms folded while he leaned against a fairly large boulder near the bank of the Styx.
"And how do we do that?" He inquired in a slightly irritated tone
"Have you lot got any hellfire weapons on you?" Syllucraff replied as his robed head turned to look towards Caravaggio.
The group traded looks with each other, many shrugging their shoulders.
"Well I guess you haven't nicked any since arriving at Baator."
Syllucraff paused a moment before clapping his hands together and carrying on.
"No matter then! You're in luck as someone who can preform the task is on this layer."
Syllucraff gestured towards the direction he had originally when he had spoken last time about the Carnival Eternal.
"Make your way to the Carnival and visit the Duke." he stated.
"Who's the Duke?" chimed in Rachel.
"Duke Zapar!" Syllucraff gestured with raised hands like he was singing the duke's praise.
"He's taken up a bit of a permanent residence at the Carnival. Has a tent at the top of the Ferris wheel there. He's also a bit of a dodgy bloke if you know what I mean." There was a slight flicker in one of Syllucraff's glowing eyes, almost like he was winking. "But then most residence of Baator are. He's a bit of a gambler and thrill seeker."
Syllucraff paused a moment before he continued, "But the Duke will likely be able to help you, for a price."
"Are there any other options?" asked Dido.
"Well, there's Baalzebub. But I think his cost will be a little beyond your grasp at the present." replied Syllucraff dismissively.
"Could we make more soul coins? It seems like they're just iron disks that hold souls." interjected Rachel.
"That my dear," Syllucraff turned to face Rachel and gazed down on her diminutive form, his tone softening akin to a parent explaining the ways of the world to a child, " that would require the acquisition of an infernal machine. One may only purchase such an item up in Minauros, the third layer of Baator. But they are exceedingly expensive and are rather large devices. It wouldn't fit into my lovely sherbet here." He gestured towards his feet and the motionless skeletal boat which he stood in. "In any case, you're best bet will be the Duke."
The party shared some glances as they mulled over the advice. Most reasoned it might be a bit challenging trekking out to the Carnival while still being wounded form their previous encounters from the palace.
"We're not exactly in peak condition right now." voiced Flewid, putting his hand over the side of his abdomen where he'd taken a solid hit from the fecal octopi. "We're probably going to need to take a rest somewhere."
"Any chance we could rest on the boat, out in the Styx until we're good to go?" inquired Tidal as he nodded towards the craft that Syllucraff stood in, or was a part of. Tidal was unsure.
A boisterous laugh came from Syllucraff.
"My sherbet's a little small for you all to get a leather arse in my friends." Syllucraff replied, still chuckling at the thought.
"Then maybe there's an Inn somewhere we could rest at?" continued Tidal.
"My boy! This is Maladomini! This is no place for an Inn." Syllucraff gestured at their surroundings with a tone of mock grandiose. "The only refuge you're likely to get is hiding amongst the ruins scattered throughout this realm or the sweet embrace of the Styx."
"Then we will have to take our chances at the Carnival." Dido stated with conviction in her voice and a look of determination on her face. She made eye contact with each member of the party in turn, her fierce green eyes confirming with them the willingness to make the journey from under her filth encrusted silver plated armor. Each other member of the team nodded in agreement when it was their turn to lock eyes.
"Excellent!" Syllucraff said with excitement as he rubbed his skeletal hands together. "Then off on you're next little roader. I'll be waiting for your return so that we can finally get crackin' on our actual voyage."
The group gathered their things and faced towards the direction Syllucraff had indicated for the Carnival. As before, Caravaggio drew some blood, this time from Flewid, and made a little painting on the boulder he had been leaning against. As he completed this, the bricks that formed the path once again emerged from the ground like sharks cresting the surface of the waves. The bricks began to form up and create the path that the group was growing accustomed to seeing. They began to make their way for the Carnival Eternal.
***
Roughly another hour had passed as the group came to the end of the path. As with each journey, it had been hard to focus on their surroundings as they traveled. It wasn't as if everything they passed was blurred, but more akin to their short term memories becoming hazy and seeming more like a dream evaporating when one woke up.
The scene before them, however, broke them out of their introspection. Before them was indeed a carnival. The Carnival Eternal was an expansive fair ground. There were many tents, both big and small. Their weathered white and blue canvases a stark contrast to the reds and blacks of the Maladomini hellscape. The perimeter looked to be marked with a tall iron fence, though the iron seemed more reflective, like obsidian. There was a cacophony of sounds coming from the carnival. Laughter and whoops of delight intermixed with the moans and screams of torment. There was music coming from somewhere within the park. It was both upbeat, but melancholy at the same time.
One of the largest visible attractions from the group's position was a giant black iron Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel had eschewed carts with chairs however, for large metal platforms with no guard rails. Near it's top, at about a forty five degree angle, was a large tent. The platforms seemed to stop in front of it allowing it's riders to access the tent. The other large attraction was a roller coaster that seemed built on to the side of a mountain. Some kind of large creatures were riding in it, but it was hard to tell from this distance what they were. Trolls maybe, or giants?
The group began to slowly move towards what seemed to be the entrance. They could see all manner of demons and devils heading towards the main gate. Each was usually part of a small group, with some of the members looking exhausted and weary.
The main gate consisted of a tented booth. In front of the booth stood a Nupperibo. It was completely motionless as the other one they had seen back at Malagard. It was hard to see form where they were, but as groups arrived, they would pause in front of the Nupperibo, exchange something and then proceed into the carnival.
Dido stopped the group about two dozen meters from the gate. She stopped them to better inspect their surroundings. Looking closer at the entrance, they could see that flanking the Nupperibo were two very large posters. However, they seemed to be written in infernal, as none of the text made any sense to them.
The other thing they noticed was another little red imp who seemed to be hanging out half way between them and the entrance. Much like the imp they first encountered when they arrived in Maladomini, and which had caused Dido's current affliction trapping her to this layer, this little imp was scrawny with only a small amount of cloth covering it's body. It's red skin looked leathery and it had a few strands of black hair upon it's head. The imp took notice of the group but didn't move from it's spot. It seemed to be waiting, possibly for someone, or maybe something.
"So what's our plan?" asked Caravaggio.
"Well, we have to figure out how to get inside. Then we need to find the Duke and get him to lift this affliction from me." replied Dido.
"Well how about we talk to that imp?" Flewid suggested, pointing over his shoulder towards the creature.
"That might be our best option at the moment." Dido said, pausing for a moment to think.
"We should also consider somewhere to set up a base camp if we need to rest." offered Caravaggio, scanning their surroundings for a suitable spot.
The rest of the group looked around them. The Carnival seemed to be in the middle of a very flat area of Maladomini. There was little in any kind of features breaking up the barren hellscape. The vast empty and flat land seemed to extend for a hundred meters in any given direction. It was also oddly square shaped, with the carnival being roughly at it's center. On the perimeter of this barren hellscape, were mounds of dirt that rose about waist high for someone of Tidal's large size with what could only be charitably described as vegetation extending from that point onwards. Dead trees and tumble weeds made a sort of thicket where the mounds started.
"Not much to work with if we want to ambush anybody for their soul coins." Tidal remarked in a hushed tone.
"We'd have to work near the perimeter." Caravaggio added, pointing to the edge of the flat hellscape.
"Well, let's get some information from the imp and we'll see where we go from there." Flewid said.
The group began to make their way towards the imp. The imp took note of this right away and turned to face them, watching with it's beady little eyes as the party closed the distance. It licked it's hands and slicked it's few black strands of hair back, while muttering something, likely in infernal, that the group couldn't make out. The group came to a stop in front of the imp and it sniffed at each party member in turn. Then it spoke first.
"I-I-I know why-y-y you're here!" the imp taunted with a squeaky cackle while rubbing it's hand together. "You s-e-e-e-k to enter the carnival!" It smiled showing some fanged teeth.
"Very astute." replied Dido with a deadpan expression.
"I-I-I can help you get in. Yes, yes." the imp carried on. "Pipyap can give each of you a ticket to enter!"
The imp revealed to the group a mundane paper ticket. It was a faded blue with a few creases along it's surface. The group looked at each other contemplating what Pipyap was telling them.
"But!" the imp continued holding out it's other hand, "Pipyap will need you to give it ten tickets each in return when you leave!"
"How does one get tickets?" Rachel asked with an inquisitive tone, tilting her head slightly to the side and squinting as if to examine the ticket the imp held.
"You play games! Or ride rides!" the imp cackled with barely contained energy.
"Or we could just ignore you and enter the carnival." Dido said in opposition.
"Bwah!" Pipyap cried and waved it's hands dismissively at the group. "It would cost you a soul coin each to enter!" The imp's eyes narrowed and it sneered, pointing at the group. "And Pipyap can smell that you don't have enough!"
"How do we even know that a ticket will get us in?" Caravaggio interjected, glaring at the imp.
"You watch! You see!" Pipyap replied as it scampered over to the entrance. The Nupperibo placed out a hand expectantly. The imp placed the ticket in the offered hand. As the ticket was placed in the Nupperibo's hand, which was palm up, the hand began to shift. It inverted itself into a palm down position holding the ticket. The fleshy golem then proceeded to place the ticket in one of the folds of skin on it's torso. The imp the proceeded into the carnival and stopped about ten paces in. It then turned around and waved back at the group.
"I don't trust it." Tidal growled.
"It appears to work." Rachel offered.
After a moment of contemplation, Dido turned to Rachel.
"I agree with Tidal. I do not trust this Pipyap." Dido started. "I think we should find an area to make camp for now to tend to rest up and then finalize our plans."
Rachel nodded in agreement. Caravaggio stepped closer to the group. Pointing back towards the nearest edge of the flattened hellscape.
"That's where we should make camp." Caravaggio stated.
Everyone nodded in agreement and began to walk towards the intended camp's position. Rachel glanced back over her should to see Pipyap come strutting back to it's original spot. It seemed to be grumbling but made no gestures towards the group.
The group soon neared the edge of the flat land. Where this terrain ended and the wilderness beyond took over, there was a dividing mound of dirt the ran between the two like a natural wall. The mount was about 4ft high with a smooth curve. It almost seemed intentional, as if someone had wanted the land surrounding the carnival to be one big barren flat surface. There was some meager shade from the dead trees which did nothing to abate the heat.
Rachel started her incantations as the group began to set down their equipment and setup their resting spots. Once the ritual was complete, the familiar walls of the hut materialized and a more comfortable atmosphere filled the interior. It was a welcome reprieve from the environment of Maladomini's constantly arid air.
Each member of the group tended to their wounds, helping each other if asked. Tidal went about checking his weapons as did Caravaggio. Dido and Rachel began different forms of mediation and introspection. Flewid stretched out and began to thumb the pages of Hupperdink's journal hoping to find some nugget of information that might help in their cause.
***
The group rested for about 8 hours. Each member taking a turn on watch incase any devils drew too close to the hut for their own good. As the end of the eighth hour elapsed, the walls of the hut vanished. As they did, so too did Flewid. The group watched as it happened again. Flewid's form glowed with a vibrant light before collapsing in on itself back into the pipe. Dido picked up the pipe and secured it with her belongings as she had done before.
"Alright comrades," Dido addressed the remaining members of the group. Her armor was once again gleaming a bright silver as she had taken her time on watch to cleaned and polished it. "We will try to make a deal with the imp. If we cannot, then I will go in alone and the rest of you will try to find an easy mark and secure some more soul coins."
Tidal smashed his fists together in front of him in excitement.
"I hope your negotiations fail then! I'm itching for a fight!" Tidal responded with excitement.
"I would prefer they succeed." Dido countered before she cautioned. "We are better off together as a group than divided."
Tidal dismissively snorted, waving her off before he turned and began to head for Pipyap. The rest of the group followed. Dido remarked that Tidal had not taken the opportunity to clean his armor, such as it was. The red metal that made up his pauldrons and around his waist were caked in filth and it was hard to tell if any of his hide had been cleaner as well. Flecks detritus clung to every part of his body. Quickly checking the rest of the group, Dido noted the everyone else had, at least to some degree, cleaned up their armor. The only thing that looked clean on Tidal were the axe and hammer strapped to his back.
As the group came to a stop once again in front of the imp, it smiled back at them.
"Returned you have?" Pipyap inquired rubbing it's little hands together.
"We have considered your offer and wish to make a counter offer." Dido replied with a firm tone.
"Well you are in luck!" the imp cackled back. "Pipyap's offer today is for each ticket Pipyap gives you, 15 you give back." The imp sniffed the air in front of the group. "And you smell as desperate now as you did before."
Dido stared Pipyap directly in the eyes.
"I counter that we will give you 5 tickets for each one you give us, and that is our final offer."
The imp barely considered the offer before countering. "Pipyap's offer is now 25!" and it started to cackle some more.
Dido could see Caravaggio and Tidal tense up, ready to draw their weapons. Dido's patience was also being stretched and she could tell they would not have any leverage short of threatening the imp's life.
"Then I say good day to you." Dido spat. "We will enter without your help."
And with that she turned on her heel and started walking towards the main gate. The group followed her. Pipyap just kept laughing and shouted "You'll be back!"
Dido stopped about half way to the gate. The group came to a stop around Dido. Dido then turned to Rachel and Caravaggio.
"I will take the coins and proceed solo." Dido said matter of factly. "The rest of you will try and find an easy mark. If I complete this procedure before you find the means in, I will rendezvous with you back at our camp site."
"No argument here!" Tidal said clenching his fists and cracking his neck. "This was the outcome I had hoped for."
Caravaggio and Rachel handed over the soul coins they were holding. The final memories of the souls contained within once again injected themselves into Dido's consciousness. It was as unnerving as before. She quickly secured them and began to make for the gate. The rest of the group began to make their way in the opposite direction to begin to survey the crowds of devils and demons.
As Dido reached the gate, the Nupperibo at the booth placed out it's fleshy hand expectantly. Dido placed one soul coin in it's palm. Just as it had done with the ticket previously, it's hand morphed from palm up to palm down and moved the coin into one of it's skin folds. Then the other hand removed a string of tickets from another fold of skin and offered them to Dido. She took the ticket and headed into the carnival.
As Dido entered the initial square of the Carnival Eternal, which was just steps past the entrance, she began to take in the sights of the fair around her. There were several tents lining the various paths that branched out from the square. Creatures of every type were wandering around and seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves.
Dido said a quick prayer to Severash under her breath as she tried to orient herself. There was a fairly large path making it's way to the Ferris wheel. She headed for it and began to walk at a quickened pace. The smells of brimstone and the cacophony of sounds grew stronger as she travelled along the path. As she drew closer to her destination, Dido began to realize that the carnival was structured like a large pentagram, and the Ferris wheel being at it's center.
Reaching another fence that blocked off the perimeter of the ride, Dido could see another Nupperibo manning the gate to access the platform. It seemed to be taking patron's tickets and permitting them entrance. Dido figured she might be able to save the tickets for other uses.
Scanning her surroundings quickly, she found a narrow alley between two tents out of the way from prying eyes. At a hurried pace, Dido nipped into the alley and pulled out the scrolls she had with her. Thumbing through them, she finally found what she was looking for. Pulling out the scroll of invisibility, she quickly recited it's incantation. Within moments, she had disappeared. It was a rather disorienting experience as she couldn't see her own body anymore.
Adjusting fairly quickly, she made her way over to the fence near the ride. Hoping to hop over it and scale the wheel up to her destination, Dido reached out and grabbed the fence. Her plan was immediately interrupted however as she began to pull herself up over the fence. With a flicker, the Nupperibo manning the gate had appeared behind her. It's one hand out waiting for it's ticket., the other resting firmly on her shoulder, holding her in place. Resigning herself that her plan was not going to work, Dido fished one of the tickets out of her pocket and handed it to the Nupperibo. The golem put the ticket in it's skin fold and flickered back to it's post. Dido walked over to the gate and passed through without being obstructed.
As she found a relatively safe spot to stand on the platform, the ride began to move. The platform rose through the air towards the tented structure near it's top. It was quite the view as the platform raised. Dido could see for some distance beyond the park. The pentagram layout was also very evident from this vantage point. As the platform neared it's destination, Dido's senses became overwhelmed with the heavy scent of incense, devilry and liquor. She closed her eyes and focused. As she opened them, the platform was beginning to slow as it arrived at it's destination. The entry flaps to the tent were pulled back and tied off permitting Dido with an unobstructed view of inside. There were empty bottles and hookahs scattered all around. Several individuals, mostly devils, were passed out seemingly where ever they had been when they had collapsed. Some were on the floors, while others were sprayed out over settees around the room.
The place looked like the aftermath of a giant party. Not a single creature stirred as Dido made her way off the platform and towards the tent's entrance. There was a noticeably larger settee on the far side of the room opposite the entrance. Slumped upon it was a devil with the most regal of attire compared to the rest of the individuals passed out in the room. It looked as if the devil was wearing a three piece suit. Dark hues of red made up the outer jacket, while the vest underneath was the color of glowing fire in the night. Long wild locks of dark hair flowed from beneath a rimmed hat. The hat was slumped over his face, covering the eyes as he presumably slept on his settee. His skin was a dark red tanned color, with black talons at the ends of his fingers and horns on either side of his brow.
Dido believed that this individual must be Duke Zapar.
Comments
Post a Comment