042.2 Muirfinn

[Corwin]

[19:45] <Kotono> Finding Balyss is simple, and Muirfinn and the Lunatic meet just outside of Aurora. "So you need me to transport you to the Deep Ethereal?" she clarifies, "Anything else? How are you getting home?"
[19:59] <Muirfinn> "I was thinking I'd just find a color pool to Ysgard, unless you wanted to go along."
[20:04] <Kotono> "Are there color pools in the Deep Ethereal?" Balyss says, "I thought those were in the Astral."
[20:05] * Muirfinn pauses. "...yes. They are in the Astral. I have my planes mixed up again." He sighs. "I'll grab a scroll of Sending from Vul'lath and call for help when I'm done."
[20:08] <Kotono> "I'll just wait out here," Balyss goes to sit down, looking up at the daytime sky.
[20:14] <Kotono> Soon enough Muirfinn returns to Balyss. She's lying out there, Stille sitting nearby along with Dana. They're chattering away as you approach, "So that's when I fucking ran him through!" Dana calls.
[20:15] <Muirfinn> Raising a scaly eyebrow, Muirfinn says, "Ah, hello everyone."
[20:18] <Kotono> "Ah, Muirfinn," Stille gestures for him to come over, "We were just discussing inflicting mayhem on diabolical ranks. Do you think it's more appropriate to impale or decapitate a pit fiend as a killing blow?"
[20:19] <Muirfinn> "I'm more prone to smashing or using divine fire." Muirfinn says.
[20:22] <Kotono> "Fair options," Balyss rises, "Are you ready now, Muirfinn?"
[20:22] * Muirfinn nods, patting his toothy companion on the head. "Had to go grab Chok as well, but yes."
[20:27] <Kotono> Extending her hands out, "Take my hands and I'll shift you over."
[20:27] * Muirfinn takes Chok's foreleg and Balyss' hand!
[20:30] <Kotono> In an instant, you are gone. Mist. You stand in thick mist as far as you can see. No, not stand. You float motionlessly in a void of mist. You can barely see anything ahead, everything swaddled in deep, deep mists!
[20:35] * Muirfinn peers through the mists. "Mmm...This could take a while, eh?" He begins to search.
[20:36] <Kotono> OOC: Going in any particular direction or just wandering?
[20:37] <Muirfinn> OOC: I am directionless at the moment, so searching is my best bet.
[20:37] <Muirfinn> OOC: Eyes are peeled.
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:37] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=46 ]{46}
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:37] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=78 ]{78}
[20:39] <Kotono> For a time Muirfinn wanders. The mists show nothing, providing only blankness to everything around him. It's hard to have a sense of time like this, isolated in the cool, clammy fog. But eventually you see something not far ahead, just barely visible in the mists. It looks like a...human? Hard to tell, but it has the right shape.
[20:43] * Muirfinn heads for that shape!
[20:43] <Kotono> As you approach, the image fades away into mist! As it does so, you hear the following. "...for this feast amen..." Like a faraway, distant whisper.
[20:47] * Muirfinn pauses for a brief moment, his mouth turning far down in disgust. He reaches into his pouch a moment, removes a pearl, and pops it into his mouth. He shifts into an air elemental form and heads further forward toward the figure. Hopefully he's wrong about his assumption, but he doubts it!
[20:53] <Kotono> The figue is gone, naught but mist into more mist yet. Yet as you search, you hear, "You are mine your mind is not strong enough your will was not strong enough you are not alone you will not be alone I am with you my child let it be so amen!"
[20:58] * Muirfinn knows full well his mind is strong enough, and his faith and conviction are stronger than this evil! He forges ahead, seeking this beast, or the the spirit that attacked him in the Infinite Stair! One or the other will do just fine.
[20:58] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:58] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=65 ]{65}
[20:58] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:58] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=85 ]{85}
[21:20] <Kotono> For a time Muirfinn wanders.  Then...hm? Ahead, far in the mist, you can catch a glimpse of green.
[21:21] <Muirfinn> Green is a new color! Muirfinn speeds toward it!
[21:26] <Kotono> Flying ahead, you find that the mists part around a green field. It is bright like sunlight, even though above you are mists instead of a blue sky. An endless, windblown field, the ground flat and seeming to stretch ahead forever.
[21:28] * Muirfinn sets down, leading Chok onto it as well. How odd. He looks around!
[21:33] <Kotono> Strangely, you smell nothing despite the grasses. It's just a flat field - oh, wait. There is one thing. Ahead you can see a single rising tree, tall and going up into the mists.
[21:34] * Muirfinn goes to check the tree, his companion nosing all all around.
[21:37] <Kotono> As you approach the tree, you can see a figure on it. He is pinned to the base of it, crucified. A sandy haired man, rusty-red blood trickling out of his wounds. The flesh of his chest has rotted, revealing his ribs and beating heart. His head is bowed, a broken noose hanging from it.
[21:38] <Muirfinn> "By the depths, man!" Muirfinn exclaims with a windy voice as he reaches to pull out the pins. "What happened here?"
[21:51] <Kotono> The man looks up. His face is haggard, eyes empty and glassy. "There is no what. There is no why." He intones, voice a dull, broken monolouge. "There are no answers.  There is no meaning."
[21:53] <Muirfinn> "There's always meaning, friend." Muirfinn says, grasping and pulling. "Who on earth did this?"
[21:56] <Kotono> "There is no meaning. There isn't any meaning," The man shudders, staring at Muirfinn. "Thor...azul."
[22:00] <Muirfinn> "Thorazul...that's the name of the deathdrinker demon, yes? You are aware that we destroyed him, no?"
[22:05] <Kotono> "There is no escape. You can't free me," he whimpers, "No one can."
[22:07] * Muirfinn eyes the pins. OOC: Make a knowledge/spellcraft check to find out what the hell?
[22:09] <Kotono> OOC: K:R.
[22:13] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+24
[22:13] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+24 and gets 35." [1d20=11]
[23:06] * Muirfinn shifts out of elemental form, eyeing the pins. He casts a spell! OOC: Greater Dispel!
[23:07] <Kotono> OOC: Dispel check.
[23:08] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+20
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+20 and gets 28." [1d20=8]
[23:08] <Kotono> With a crackle, the nails that hold the man before you vanish, the noose gone as well! He collapses to the groundi n a wretched heap, lying there.
[23:10] * Muirfinn eyes those wounds next! OOC: Check?
[23:12] <Kotono> OOC: Heal check.
[23:14] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+9 blarg
[23:14] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+9 blarg and gets 29." [1d20=20]
[23:14] <Muirfinn> OOC: +1
[23:20] <Muirfinn> Muirfinn nods, identifying the problem. Immediately he intones a divine prayer! "By the guiding eddies of the Mother Ocean's heart, be healed!"
[23:23] <Kotono> The wounds across the man's body mend! He looks up with dazed eyes, "You're...you're...serious." he finally says, starting to cry, "I beg of you, ahead! Break the sphere of souls and free me! I'll reward you for it!"
[23:25] <Muirfinn> "Of course I'm serious. If I weren't, I'd have never come. Tell me where these spheres are, and I will destroy them." Muirfinn says.
[23:30] <Kotono> "A-ahead..." With one shaking hand he points ahead, "Go. If you succeed, beneath it...the word is zhamazar."
[23:31] <Muirfinn> "Zhamazar, got it. Stay here." Muirfinn says, retaking windy form. "Come, Chok. No, he's not food." Muirfinn says to the curiously-sniffing reptile.
[23:32] <Muirfinn> OOC: Moving on!
[23:33] <Kotono> Thus Muirfinn advances ahead! As you advance on, the plains become mist choked, the way ahead being obscured! Muirfinn finds his pace slowing to a crawl, then to a stop! Even a single step forward feels impossible into the thick, all pervading mist.
[23:34] * Muirfinn struggles against the mists. "Let me pass!"
[23:35] <Kotono> OOC: Make a str check.
[23:35] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+14
[23:35] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+14 and gets 34." [1d20=20]
[23:36] <Kotono> Roaring with might, Muirfinn pushes his airy body ahead! With a great cry he breaks through the mist, which scatters behind him! Ahead of you stands a ziggurat. Atop it night falls, blanketing what lies ahead.
[23:36] <Muirfinn> OOC: True Seeing?
[23:36] <Muirfinn> OOC: Includes 120ft darkvision
[23:37] <Kotono> OOC: It's too high up. You'd have to climb a ways up.
[23:37] * Muirfinn sets off, climbing up toward his goal!
[23:40] <Kotono> As you climb up, you can see up top. Atop the middle of the ziggurat's peak is a floating black sphere. It's quite large, about the size of his current oversized fist. In that sphere you can see a distorted image of a face flickering, writhing.
[23:47] * Muirfinn surges forward, goal in sight! He raises a fist to smashsmash it into pieces.
[23:48] <Kotono> As you reach the top of the ziggurat, 30ft away from the orb? It flares to malevolent life, a dread chill passing over Muirfinn! A black aura begins to swirl around it, as...OOC: Init. Whatever it is, it be hostile.

[23:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 orb
[23:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 orb and gets 15." [1d20=11]
[23:48] * Kotono changes topic to 'Sphere of Souls(15)'
[23:48] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+12
[23:48] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+12 and gets 22." [1d20=10]
[23:48] * Kotono changes topic to 'Muirfinn(22)>Sphere of Souls(15)'
[23:49] <Kotono> OOC: Go Muirfinn.
[23:49] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32
[23:49] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32 and gets 44." [1d20=12]
[23:49] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32
[23:49] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+27
[23:49] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+22
[23:49] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32 and gets 39." [1d20=7]
[23:49] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+27 and gets 39." [1d20=12]
[23:49] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+22 and gets 33." [1d20=11]
[23:50] <Muirfinn> OOC: Forgot companion!
[23:50] <Kotono> OOC: Roll for him.
[23:50] <Kotono> OOC: You have true seeing active, don't you?
[23:50] <Muirfinn> OOC: Init roll
[23:50] * Kotono changes topic to 'Muirfinn(22)>Chokk(17)>Sphere of Souls(15)'
[23:50] <Muirfinn> OOC: Yup
[23:50] <Kotono> OOC: Three hits. DAmage. What do your weapons count as?
[23:51] <Muirfinn> OOC: MAgic. Does the Holy effect make them count as Good?
[23:51] <Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[23:51] <Muirfinn> OOC: That too then
[23:51] <Muirfinn> roll 3#2d10+4+14+2d6
[23:51] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 3#2d10+4+14+2d6 and gets 98." [3#2d10+4+14+2d6 = 38, 30, 30]
[23:53] <Kotono> Windy blows hammer down on the orb! Little cracks appear over it on the assault, as...OOC: Chokk's up. Go.
[23:54] <Muirfinn> Meanwhile, the dino charges up the ziggraut, leaping into the air and coming down on the orb, a whirling mass of teeth and tail and claws!
[23:54] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+19+2 claw
[23:54] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+19+2 claw and gets 40." [1d20=19]
[23:54] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+19+2 claw
[23:54] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+2 bite
[23:54] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+2 tail
[23:54] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+19+2 claw and gets 41." [1d20=20]
[23:54] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+2 bite and gets 26." [1d20=7]
[23:54] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+2 tail and gets 31." [1d20=12]
[23:54] <Muirfinn> OOC: Crit?
[23:56] <Kotono> OOC: It's an orb, it's not object to crits. Two hits, d100 on both unless it has a true seeing effect too.
[23:57] <Muirfinn> roll 2#1d100
[23:57] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#1d100 and gets 41." [2#1d100 = 17, 24]
[23:57] <Kotono> Chokk leaps down at the orb, but is lost in the darkness, somehow ending up behind it isntead of managing a successful blow! A moment later, the sphere groans! Faces swirl with it, before a tormented, agonized face erupts out of it, the size of a small cottage, and races right for Muirfinn!
[23:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC?
[23:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC? and gets 26." [1d20=8]
[23:58] <Muirfinn> OOC: Aw, 25
[23:59] <Kotono> roll 10d6*1.5 force damage
[23:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6*1.5 force damage and gets 58.5." [10d6=4, 6, 4, 6, 3, 5, 2, 4, 2, 3]
[00:00] <Kotono> The face slams into Muirfinn, enough to send him reeling back from the forceful impact! For a moment his vision swims with stars, but he shakes it off! OOC: Go Muirfinn.
[00:03] <Muirfinn> Muirfinn gives the sphere another good smashing!
[00:03] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32
[00:03] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32
[00:03] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+27
[00:03] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+22
[00:03] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32 and gets 41." [1d20=9]
[00:03] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32 and gets 50." [1d20=18]
[00:03] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+27 and gets 29." [1d20=2]
[00:03] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+22 and gets 27." [1d20=5]
[00:03] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[00:03] <Muirfinn> roll 2#2d10+14+4+2d6
[00:04] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#2d10+14+4+2d6 and gets 70." [2#2d10+14+4+2d6 = 30, 40]
[00:05] <Kotono> Two more slams rock the orb, which begins to crack all over! At this happening, from one of the cracks a tendril of black energ lashes out at Muirfinn after his second strike!
[00:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC, then Chokk is up. This is a counter.
[00:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC, then Chokk is up. This is a counter. and gets 22." [1d20=4]
[00:06] <Kotono> But Muirfinn is too fast, harvesting the speed of the wind to zip aside and dodge the tendril! OOC: Go Chokk.
[00:07] <Muirfinn> Chock shakes his head like a dog, confused! He turns about, sniffing at the air before charging the sphere again!
[00:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+19+2 claw
[00:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+19+2 claw
[00:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+2 bite
[00:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+2 tail
[00:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+19+2 claw and gets 32." [1d20=11]
[00:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+19+2 claw and gets 37." [1d20=16]
[00:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+2 bite and gets 25." [1d20=6]
[00:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+2 tail and gets 22." [1d20=3]
[00:08] <Kotono> But finds himself to the side of the orb now, confused and missing again! From the cracks of the orb, two black tendrils lash out at Muirfinn, a windy howling following!
[00:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC 1
[00:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC 1 and gets 24." [1d20=6]
[00:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC 2
[00:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC 2 and gets 33." [1d20=15]
[00:08] <Muirfinn> OOC: One hit
[00:09] <Kotono> roll 1d4*1.5 negative levels, speak up if you have negative level protections up
[00:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4*1.5 negative levels, speak up if you have negative level protections up and gets 4.5." [1d4=3]
[00:09] <Muirfinn> OOC: Crikey
[00:09] <Muirfinn> OOC: None.
[00:09] <Kotono> The tendril lashes across Muirfinn's arm, draining the like from him faster than a dozen sword wounds! Spells vanish from his mind and his body weakens, as...OOC: Ow. 4 negative levels. Go Muirfinn.
[00:14] * Muirfinn groans like raging wind, swinging in at the orb and slamming down on it to hopefully break it!
[00:14] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32
[00:14] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32
[00:14] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+27
[00:14] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+22
[00:14] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32 and gets 33." [1d20=1]
[00:14] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32 and gets 43." [1d20=11]
[00:14] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+27 and gets 29." [1d20=2]
[00:14] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+22 and gets 27." [1d20=5]
[00:14] <Kotono> OOC: One hit.
[00:14] <Muirfinn> OOF -4 to all
[00:15] <Kotono> OOC: No hits then. Ow.
[00:15] <Muirfinn> OOC: Erg
[00:15] <Kotono> Muirfinn strikes over and over, but can't quite manage a blow against the orb with his energy sagging! OOC: Ow. Chokk is up.
[00:16] <Muirfinn> The dinosaur looks downright irritated now, lunging forth to slam into the sphere!
[00:16] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+19+2 claw
[00:16] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+19+2 claw
[00:16] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+2 bite
[00:16] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+2 tail
[00:16] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+19+2 claw and gets 22." [1d20=1]
[00:16] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+19+2 claw and gets 38." [1d20=17]
[00:16] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+2 bite and gets 21." [1d20=2]
[00:16] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+2 tail and gets 22." [1d20=3]
[00:18] <Kotono> This time he ends up behind the sphere once more, unable to strike it! At this the tendrils come out again, striking fast and hard for Muirfinn!
[00:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC 1
[00:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC 1 and gets 24." [1d20=6]
[00:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC 2
[00:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC 2 and gets 25." [1d20=7]
[00:18] <Kotono> OOC: Still 25?
[00:18] <Muirfinn> OOC: Believe it or not
[00:18] <Muirfinn> OOC: Looks like yes
[00:19] <Kotono> roll 1d4*1.5
[00:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4*1.5 and gets 1.5." [1d4=1]
[00:19] <Kotono> OOC: 1 negative level.
[00:19] <Kotono> The tendril lashes against Muirfinn's leg, a weak graze that nonetheless drains life and vitality from him rapidly! OOC: Ow.  Go Muirfinn.
[00:23] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32-5
[00:23] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32-5
[00:23] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+27-5
[00:23] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+22-5 :(
[00:23] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32-5 and gets 47." [1d20=20]
[00:23] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32-5 and gets 34." [1d20=7]
[00:23] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+27-5 and gets 41." [1d20=19]
[00:23] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+22-5 :( and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[00:24] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[00:24] <Muirfinn> roll 2#2d10+4+14+2d6 (-5 if negative levels affect this)
[00:24] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#2d10+4+14+2d6 (-5 if negative levels affect this) and gets 74." [2#2d10+4+14+2d6 = 37, 37]
[00:25] <Kotono> Under that hammering assault, the orb cracks again! A tendril lashes out, even as a second blow shatters the orb into glass shards, raining down below! OOC: Resolving this attack, since the second one KOed it, and then more.
[00:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18
[00:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 and gets 23." [1d20=5]
[00:26] <Kotono> But the tendril misses, as glass rains down! The darkness of the night fades, as beneath you lies a simple sigil of the sun. OOC: Free act.

[00:32] * Muirfinn shivers for a moment before shifting back into his natural form. He stoically resists the urge to go lie down and instead casts a spell, howling winds stirring up and blasting the shards away from the symbol. OOC: Control Winds to clear the ground.
[00:36] <Kotono> Winds cast the glass away, the sun sigil now uncluttered by darkness. A soft light begins to glow from it, like the first rays of dawn.
[00:40] * Muirfinn utters a prayer, calling on the Mother Ocean to bless this place and clear away any remaining evil. After his prayer is finished, he gathers himself and a frustrated Chok and heads back to the freed man.
[00:43] <Kotono> As you do so, a mote of light dances around Muirfinn. Like a sigh of relief on the wind you hear, "Thank you...I'm so tired, and I can finally rest. Beneath the sun sigil...the command word is zhamazar. Chaos and fortune will be at your command..." Then, as you watch, the mote of light flies up and fades away into the mists.
[00:45] * Muirfinn nods, satisfied. He turns and faces the sun symbol and says the word, "Zhamazar."
[00:46] <Kotono> The sun sigil glows and fades away, as well as the stone beneath it! Below is a small recess, where a plain wooden box sits.
[00:47] * Muirfinn reaches in and takes the box, looking it over.
[00:47] <Kotono> It is a plain wooden box made of oak. It has a top that can be opened, like a jewelry box. It's about a foot long and four inches wide.
[00:51] <Muirfinn> Taking the spirit's word for it, he stows the box in his pack and takes out the scroll. With it, he sends a brief message to Balyss. "In the Deep Ethereal. Success. Ready to pick-up."
[00:51] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[00:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 59." [1d100=59]