Comparing Notes
Adelphin calls for a meeting and Mitzadu readily agrees as he has some info he wants to share. Liam isnt back yet but shows up during the meeting bearing food and drink from his trip to Tir Na Nog. He gives two apples to Adelphin and two to Mitzadu, these are the famous Emain Ablach from the Isle of Apples, sometimes called Avalon. They will help recover magical energy from spellcasting. Also he is carrying a keg of beer and a side of bacon with healing properties. The rather irreverent Suveer tries to swipe the back for a sandwich but Liam guards it carefully.
The team is brought up to speed on everyone's recent meetings and visits with family, friends or associates and a plan is hatched for finding and rescuing Cora from Poseidon's clutches as we know she is on earth, likely guarded by Spartans.
Mitzadu shares some of the sake he got from his father and tells everyone he was advised they should talk with the Oracle of Delphi who is in town for the harrowing. Hes not thrilled about it as he doesnt much like prophecy or predestination and Greek prophecies tend to be among the worst.
He also tells them about the plans he made with the police chief, his meeting with Ares, and requests Adelphins help in contacting Hades.
Hello Hades, Have Some Sake and a Sandwich
While the rest chill in the conference or war room, Adelphin and Mitzadu head to the roof where she summons Hades. He immediately pops in and exchanges brief pleasantries and a drink with Adelphin before turning his attention to Mitzadu.
Mitzadu puts his diplomatic skills to the test and tries to show his respect and flatter Hades while not coming off like a sycophant, then he gets to the points.
#1 Is the issue with Hades and the sword. Mitzadu figures Hades already knows whats going on but he does actually respect Hades, certainly much more than most of the Olympians and wants him to not be killed by Poseidon. He mentions both for him to keep his guard up and in hopes of eliciting cooperation in getting the pieces as far away as possible. Hades indicates he is under an oath to hold it but if someone steals it that would not be his fault.
#2 With that core business out of the way of trying to save a bunch of gods from a potential war he talks about the Spartans. He explains, just as he did with Ares that coming after him was fine - if a bit cowardly and against the spirit of the Compact by killing off rival gods before the harrowing formerly begins. However they killed mortals who were not part of the war and kidnapped a Kitsune and magically crippled her. The Spartans need to pay the blood debt and be discouraged from such behavior. Simply go directly after the godlings they want to kill.
Mitzadus aim here, as with Ares is to minimize collateral damage and hope the leadership tells the Spartans the price of their current strategy is too high and to change it once they have been hit hard enough. He isn't expecting any help or to have his name taken off the Red List, but why make all the Olympians thinks he despises them and will be a threat to their earthly assets.
After this conversation Hades asks Adelphin to tell Yannis that he would like to speak with him. Yannis doesnt immediately answer his phone and Adelphin goes to talk to him face to face. While waiting Mitzadu tries to entertain Hades who seems a bit depressed and offers him the second gourd of Sake. Turns out its potent stuff and Hades gets a little tipsy! He asks if Hades would like anything to eat and when Hades tells him about a specific bistro on the east coast that made one of the best sandwiches he ever tasted Mitzadu recalls eating there himself. He pulls out a relic he recently purchased called the Magical Mo of Shennong which is an ancient Chinese rice grinder and using simple rice can make any food the bearer desires and knows how to prepare. Making a few excellent Culinarian! rolls he presents the sandwhich to Hades who is pleased with the results.
Eventually Adelphin comes back and informs him that Yannis is unwilling to meet him so he offers a magical tattoo to Adelphin to give to Yannis, saying its from his mother. Also some personal messages best left off this journal as its not Mitzadus story to tell.
The Rescue at the Red Means Go Motel
The party gears up for combat, donning any armor, casting a few spells, and passing around charms before they try scrying for Cora.
Mitzadu tosses a Safeguard charm at the parties bullet magnet, Liam and casts Kojins Visage to help him be better aware of his surroundings. Adelphin tries to hand Mitzadu a charm but its effects wont cooperate with his Safeguard and Lesser Celerity charms. Liam improvises a Bat Vision and Dark Vision charm as the godling in the room appears to possess darkness powers.
Yannis takes the lead on scrying with help from Adelphin, Liam, and Mitzadu who also cast supplementary spells.
They wind up with a perfect birds eye view of the motel and the forces present. Yannis is asked to create two portals into the room, one near Cora and one opposite her by the entrance. He reluctantly complies.
Portal #1 lets in Suveer, followed by Adelphin, Rui, and Auriol. Suveer breaks a Safeguard charm on Cora and tosses her to her mother. Rui and Adelphin block off that half of the room with deadly barriers, one of fire and one of whirling swords. One of the guards dives into the bathroom to avoid getting caught in the fire.
Portal #2 lets in Mitzadu followed by Liam, Chad, and a reluctant Yannis. Mitzadu goes for the godling resting on the bed, dodges a bolt of darkness and chops him up pretty well, he is finished off by an arrow to the arm from Chad. Liam does what he is best at and draws enemy fire from the two guards with guns on this side of the room.
Liam surprises everyone by dodging some of the bullet fire and his barkskin armor is shredded by the ones that hit. He slams one of the guards (the one with the sign saying "I'm a mage!" through both barriers, killing him quite thoroughly. Unfortunately his death curse brings down the portals, cutting off the teams escape.
The whole area heard the gunfire and Spartans who were stationed in several rooms, likely to catch those coming in from the street in a crossfire head over.
The Spartans had prepared the room by putting in a fake wall from a room next door into the bathroom. The wall is knocked out in hopes of surprising us, unfortunately for them the bathroom door is covered by a deadly wall of flames.
They shoot up the wall by group #1 and are killed by Adelphin and Rui for their trouble. Auriol tries to shelter Cora and Suveer dances between the barrier of blades and flames using his power to get through obstacles.
On the entrance side of the room a guard pops in and tries to shoot Liam in the back. Yannis cuts loose and seeing more guards coming up to the room amps up his rainbow blast, making it a large cone and blinds or kills about a dozen guards or mages, including the one in the door.
Mitzadu looking out through a hole in the wall that used to be a window before being shattered by bullets and beams of light sees one of the godlings standing defiantly on a car and charges him. He gets close enough to strike with the Katana but is expertly parried.
Suveer runs out and sees the remaining godling on the ground just outside the door, having been shot by one of the guys trying to shoot Liam.
Liam finishes off the last Spartan remaining in the room.
The Spartan godling Yorimi Sakakihara dances back on the car and gestures for Mitzadu to follow. Mitzadu taunts him by challenging his honor saying he expects him to step on top of the car and be cut down by the two dozen or so gunmen. He declares no one is to interfere and Mitzadu, now committed prepares to attack.
Yannis not caring about such things calls a beam from the sky and takes out most of the remaining gunmen. Suveer is in the area but not hit by the precise attack and along with Rui go off to finish off the remaining forces.
Liam steps out and take care of a couple at the door. Yorimi vanishes away from the beam and appears about 20 yards away. Mitzadu heads over to continue the fight.
Mitzadu and Yorimi trade blows but both are expert swordsman and parry each other. They try a few tricky moves and Mitzadu realizes Yormi is much better than he is but his spells help even things. Yorimi, seeing his forces wiped out goes for a finishing move called "Death by 88 Cuts" which is a blur of rapid fire strikes and Mitzadu manages to dodge many but not nearly enough and takes mortal wounds. Knowing he has one shot left and barely hanging onto consciousness Mitzadu opts for an aggressive set of Deceptive strikes to the heart and two of the three get past Yorimis defenses. Yorimi dies but as his dying words say that Mitzadu will regret his actions.
Aftermath
Mitzadu killed a powerful Samurai and picked up the war domain, his foe was the child of Hachiman and Uzeme so Mitzadu plans to inform them directly that though he served the Spartans he died with honor.
Liam beheaded the Egyptian god Mitzadu and Chad took out and increased his Strength domain.
Adelphin absorbed the godling unlucky enough to be killed by his own men and gained star powers.
Liam summoned a rainstorm to put out the fires and the group left, with Adelphin animating the bodies and marching them off to her collection.
The godlings were carried out and the motel and remaining guests left to deal with the arriving police and fire department. Lots of blood and bullet holes to explain, never mind two seeming explosions.
The news will enjoy the ratings boost, the police will likely get some extra funding, and the local business community not be too happy.
