conversations: human
conversations:  The news had not yet spread to the rest of the multiverse, but the Lords of the Nine knew, and now, so do you. Each of you, for your own reasons, has at least agreed to inspect the crime scene, and, here you are, the lowest layer of hell, suspended above what appears to be a small lake full of blood.
  
  The body of the Master of the Nine lay in that lake, the massive snake-thing still slowly twitching. All around it, the forms of thousands of pit fiends slowly melted away into blood, slowly dripping away, forming the lake.
  
  All of the Lords of the Nine stood there, in person, or in proxy, and some chattered amongst themselves, but all kept a sharp eye on the powerful newcomers. Mephisto was the first to truly approach any of you, and that was by speech. " Please, dear friends, we need you now to help us in our time of need. Know that you will be payed handsomely for the service you provide. Asmodeus is dead, and we need you to find out why. It's no secret that there was little love between the Arch-Devils and him, but surely, you understand the need for such investigations. " His speech drones on a bit after that, but, it was nothing worth hearing. After the speech, he stepped down from his podium, and bade you start asking questions.
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  Among the detectives, there is a young man appearing to be in his late twenties. A mantle of shadow is covering most of his body wearing black from head to toes. The young man take a good look at Asmodeus in the lake. It is quite unexpected to see such a scene.
  
   "When did you find out Asmodeus was dead?" 
conversations: Hyperion:
conversations: human
conversations:  And a woman with slightly blue skin, long red hair, and a pair of sweeping draconic horns looks thoughtful.
  " We must be dealing with something tremendously powerful. I can't imagine him going down to anything without a fight... "
conversations: Lix Lorn:
conversations: human
conversations:  Mephisto looks over to the two who spoke. " About four hours ago. But the body was already cold, so it may have been some more time than that. And, yes, which is why it was so surprising, why we had to call you in. "
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  The young man rubs his chin.
   "Four hours ago..."  He picks up a few rocks on the ground not far from the lake.
  
   "Say, tell me did you see anything unusual today?" 
  
  No the young man isn't talking to any of the archfiends but instead talking to the rocks in the palm of his hand. The power of Gaia enables him to talk with rocks and plants, understanding them as well.
conversations: Hyperion:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cruciatus looks at the lake, absorbing everything that has been said.
  
  I cast Greater Arcane Sight. If I don't see any auras, I'll fly until I'm within forty feet of Asmodeus (unless I'm already within that range) and cast Mage's Disjunction, hopefully removing any spells messing with the auras.
conversations: nerd-7i+42e:
conversations: human
conversations:  nerd-7i+42e 
   
   Spoiler 
  
  The aura is something you think you remember from a lesson, long ago. It emanates from somewhere outside the normal realms of reality, from somewhere... else.
   
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Did Asmodeus cast magical aids on himself every so often, just as a precaution?
  
  "Also, I don't suppose any of you have a spell that improves one's knowledge?" 
conversations: nerd-7i+42e:
conversations: human
conversations:  Mephisto nodded. " Of course he did. We all do, I'd assume so, anyway. "
  
  The representative of the Ice King, a balor, looked at Cruciatus. " I do. May I have permission? "
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cruciatus nods at the Balor.  "Of course." 
conversations: nerd-7i+42e:
conversations: human
conversations:  "I see."  He put down the rocks and now look around for some other clues.
  
  He searches around the scene of the crime for anything that seem out of place while his colleagues are looking for clues in their own ways.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  
  1d20+32
   
conversations: Hyperion:
conversations: human
conversations:  The Balor walks up to Cruciatus and touches him on the shoulder. Suddenly, new, fresh knowledge floods into your mind, a fleeing almost as if ice was poured into your head.
  
  Johnny spots a small silver medallion floating in the lake of blood.
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  Volfe stood aside from the rest, silent for a while as they talked. His memories and thoughts swam with muddled clarity; his eyes glazed over, seeming to be off in the distance and alert at the same time.
  Dressed in worn clothing and concealing robes, he nonetheless manages to cut a striking and exotic image, inspiring fear of the unknown in even the most well-traveled, causing even the wisest and most learned to feel a temporary shudder on their spine.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Spot:  (1d20+7)[ 24 ] 
  Listen:  (1d20+40)[ 43 ] 
  Sense Motive (on everyone and everything; have me roll more if you feel the need):  (1d20+28)[ 46 ] 
  Spellcraft (again on everything):  (1d20+39)[ 54 ] 
   
  
   "Now where exactly was the sport of the death? Or do we know? If you all won't mind my staying here a while, I do happen to have this delightful ritual. Only problem is, it requires a rather pricey diamond. And silly me, I just forgot to leave my house with one of those. So if by any chance one of you here has an hourglass shaped diamond, I'll certainly refund you for it. Or perhaps you know a place I can be buying one?" 
  
  His speech is slurred slightly. He looks at no one in partucular while he is talking, his eyes wandering, never making solid contact. When he finished, he just stands there, whistling a bad tune.
conversations: distant quasar:
conversations: human
conversations:  The gathering of Archdevils looks around at one another for a moment, though whether they are silent or simply communicating through some sort of telepathy, it's not obvious. Finally, Mephisto sighs. " Yes, yes, I can bring one, though it will take some time. And keep it, I'll just subtract it off whatever reward money you get. Assuming you get one, of course. "
  
  Cruciatus, you realize where you recognize the aura from. It's from a place called the Far Realms, from somewhere far outside what any entity would call normality, where things creep in the minds, a place where ancient elven mages tried to tame and failed, causing the deaths of billions.
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  Volfe turns slightly as Mephisto speaks, but not the direction of his voice. "Excellent. Before you go out of your way, it might be best to ensure divinations are not blocked in this area. I can't see any reason they would, bu that's just me."  he grins slightly.  "Anyone know any different?" 
conversations: distant quasar:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cruciatus thanks the balor before addressing Volfe.
  
   "I just cast one, to detect magical auras in the area. It worked fine."  He turns to the rest.  "Speaking of which, there's an aura of the Far Realms here. I don't suppose Asmodeus had any known enemies from there powerful enough to conceivably kill him?" 
conversations: nerd-7i+42e:
conversations: human
conversations:  Mephisto sniffed. " Far Realms? Would you mind coming into private with me for a moment? We need to discuss something. "
  
  Dispater approaches Volfe as Mehpisto is talking to Cruciatus. " Most, if not all, of the protections of this place emanated from Asmodeus himself, and now that he is dead, I think it should be safe. "
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  The irony of the situation was not lost on him. He was in the lowest layer of the Nine Hells, with all sorts of Devils nearby, and overlooking a Lava Pit as these three... people, inspect the body,  as Mephisto continues to talk. And here he was... with a cold. He sniffled.
  
  He moves towards the body below, and floats in the water next to it, ignoring the blood staining his body and clothes. He crouches down, and starts looking over the body, moving his eyes and hands over it, looking for any... oddities. 
   
   Spoiler 
  Sorry I'm late.
  Search:  (1d20+42)[ 59 ] 
   
conversations: Cardea:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Certainly,"  agreed Cruciatus.  "Lead away." 
conversations: nerd-7i+42e:
conversations: human
conversations:  Volfe looks over at Dispater as he approaches, but his eyes do not focus on him. Instead they appear to be looking at everything and nothing at the same time.  "Excellent. I'll just get to my work then, as soon as that jewel gets here." 
conversations: distant quasar:
conversations: human
conversations:  Mephisto leads you away into a smaller chamber- a bedroom of some sorts, by the look of it. Richly carpeted, velvet bedding, golden furniture. Any number of odd amenities, some you don't know the use of, litter the room. Mephisto quickly looks you over, then stands close, seeming to tower over you. " What do you know of the Far Realms? "
  
  Morrison, you find a small, silver medallion, along with several scattered body parts. The actual 'body' of Asmodeus is a massive, massive thing, perhaps several thousand feat long. It takes you a minute to descend, and that impresses upon you the massive size of the thing. The lake is perhaps 200 feet in diameter, roughly circular, and and the body is coiled very deep.
  
  After about thirty seconds, a pit fiend walks up to Volfe, and kneels, holding out an hourglass shaped diamond.
conversations: Halna LeGavilk:
conversations: human
conversations:  Volfe takes the diamond from the fiend, not bothering to look at him. Or amybe he just forgot.
  
   "Thanks." 
  
  He then walks over to Asmodeus's body, moving with a strange sort of unintentional grace, despite the fact that he sways from side to side occasionally, and his path curves randomly until he arrives. He then sets the diamond in front of him, and begins to move slowly, chanting under his breath in a sort of mysterious melody. The diamond begins wearing away slowly, bits of it flying off like dust, until it resmembles a normal hourglass, with the sand floating up rather than falling down. Over the course of the hour his movements speed up and his chanting becomes louder until the spell is completed and the diamond turned to dust.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Casting Hindsight (Bard 6th level)
   
conversations: distant quasar:
conversations: human
conversations:  "I never devoted a large amount of studies to it, so all I know is what was necessary to learn about other topics. It is a place far beyond what we would consider the 'normal' part of the multiverse, filled with things that 'strange' barely begins to describe. The Elves tried to tame it at one point and failed horribly. I believe I have a book about it in my library, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head." 
conversations: nerd-7i+42e: