Home.
Not that you have time to rest. All of you are busy with the work of directing your realm's war machine, of a thousand orders to give and more yet to be done. Yet late at night you take a respite, avatar dealing with matters of state and war. It is then that you get an image in your mind.
A table for two atop a jagged cliff, overseeing Sylica's oceans. The scent of the sea is strong here, smelled as if you were there. A pair of plates are there, food stacked up. The view is spectacular, a natural vista that shows both the ocean and the deep, dark night sky. 'Come,' Syala invites, 'It can be both business and pleasure.'
For my own reference:
1. Syala's node perhaps fulfilled?
Syala: Good, Loyal, Eager, Romantic Love. ("Efreet? Devils? Dao? I can't wait.")
2. Talk to Celestia/The Cauldron about integrating our participation in the war with theirs.
Realm breakdown will need to be updated for this as well.
"Marie, can you sort through these lists of who we're rotating back from Aurora for leave and make sure they don't get mixed in with the Abolition war task forces?" Alicia asks her proxy who leaps at the task. There's a lot less rest and relaxation in Sylica right now since they're all hands on deck with three wars to fight while still having to maintain a rock solid defence and expand their infrastructure, but there still needs to be some chance for people to get a bit of respite and enjoy what's supposed to be heaven.
With that task put in capable hands she stands and sheds her armour, leaving her just in her black undersuit, long sleeves and leggings worn. "I'll be with Syala if anything urgent comes up," she adds, getting an understanding look before she teleports to that cliff edge she was just shown.
The breeze is just like you imagined it. Syala stands besides you, her lights off and as she naturally is. "Welcome, my love," she says, taking your hand, "I trust this will stir your blood more than ordering ours around?"
Alicia smiles at the view, taking Syala's bare hand in her own and giving it a squeeze. "It's nice to distract ourselves for a bit," she agrees, even though with their avatars hard at work they can't ever be truly off the clock.
As if reading your mind as she squeezes your hand back, "What you never truly get is that there's no complete rest for us now. I'm just as aware of my avatar and of all the faithful and prayers as ever. I'm hearing wedding vows, listening to prayers, even hearing my name cried at the height of passion."
Then, looking out over the vista ahead, "But that doesn't mean we can't try to get the next best thing."
"Exactly. We still get the benefit of mental respite so long as one of us or our avatar takes a break," Alicia says, the divine multi-tasking thing having its upsides beyond simple productivity. Letting go of Syala's hand she sits at the table and takes a deep breath, smelling the food on offer.
It's fresh fruits and delicately cooked seafood. Nothing heavy at all. Smells good, well prepared and spiced.
Syala joins you, producing a cup of ambrosia. "Here's to kicking the efreet until they gave up," she says.
"And vampires, and aboleths, and devils, and demons, and Shar," Alicia lists off everyone else they have to worry about kicking or being kicked by, still taking a cup for herself and clinking it against Syala's before having a drink.
A long drink is shared.
"That was a good warmup," Syala breaks the silence. "Efreet and all the minions they could muster. Short but a fine warm up, I want more already."
"Talking work anyway?" Alicia laughs briefly, grabbing a fruit and having a bite. "I don't mind. We're going to be pressed hard alright, so we need to take the field and punch above our weight to even the odds as much as possible. I'll need to talk to Seira and Celestia about how we'll work with them soon."
"Talking work but enjoying a pleasurable view to split the difference," Syala says, as your black undersuit and undergarments are suddenly in a stack nearby, not on your body. Looking you over, "Of all the wonders we have here...this is still the best view I've ever seen here."
With a warm smile, "Still, a win is a win and we won, and proved ourselves again. Proved that this war has a place for us and -!"
It's then you feel it, the connection to Syala blossoming.
Node update for Syala.
"Ahhh," Alicia leans back, body bare as she reaches back to loosen her hair and shake it free over her shoulders. "I'll assume that was approval for your stance on the war and not your stance on my nakedness," she says amusedly.
Syala's smiling, "Who knows? Maybe Zaphkiel likes you, too. He can't have you, but I can understand liking you. I can feel it inside of me now, like a wellspring of every time I've looked at a terrifying opponent and charged in with a smile on my face."
"Wouldn't be the first time someone complained about Celestia trying to poach me," she lets out a laugh now. "But I'm sure that feeling will come in handy with all the terrifying opponents we have lined up ahead of us."
A nod to that, a pause to eat. A comfortable pause, togetherness where no words are needed. Syala looks out at the ocean after the meal, "We still took losses," Syala says quietly, "More now than ever, we need to encourage and foster our mortal worshipers, so that they grow strong and find a place here when their lives are done. We need more champions, Alicia."
"I know," Alicia sighs there. "Did you see Ranbar? She's one of Seira's and she came from nowhere to being good enough to fight alongside her against Imix. I don't have anyone like that, none are even as strong as I was when we took on the furnace. What I thought was near the precipice of mortal power now seems so small."
"Ranbar was also empowered," Syala concurs, "But you're right." She scoots her chair over, putting an arm around you now. A hug, pulling you to rest against her. "Our champions flourish, but we've yet to come across one to rise truly high yet. One to rise to our level, unless you count Ebony."
"I don't, she was already close to our level when she joined us and has kept up since then," Alicia says as they re-position their chairs to lean against one another. "I have many talented mortal worshippers, ones who do good work and I'm proud of, but none with truly world-shaking power."
The two of you look out to the sea, "I've had high hopes for some who stagnated, who died or who simply found a passion in life that wasn't the path of a hero," Syala admits, "Who would think, people like you don't grow on trees." Smiling and squeezing your shoulder, "Gotten any good advice from other deities that you can share, dear?"
She shakes her head. "I've tried to do much like Mystra did for me, in other words sit back and let them grow by overcoming adversity on their own rather than babysit them. Aside from being a bit more hands on while celebrating recent ascensions I've tried to avoid letting anyone grow complacent by leaning on divine support. I know someone who has an excellent track record for raising people from obscurity into terrifying powerhouses, but firstly I don't want to ask Shar for advice, and secondly her champions still always lose in the end."
"That," Syala breathes out and shuts you up with a kiss. That rather stalls the conversation, but when it's past, Syala close enough to feel her breath against your face, "Is because she's fighting us. We'll just have to ask around and find out what works and how to foster more champions."
She's startled at the abrupt kiss but goes with it, meal forgotten as she and Syala distract one another for a bit. When it ends she holds an arm around the other goddess, keeping her close. "I always thought challenge and calamity was what did it - look at how fast the leaders of Aurora grew in the last year. But you can't in good conscience engineer that for your prospective champions."
"And I've seen situations where my faithful just don't grow, even in challenge and calamity." Syala admits, "Mortals that advance like that seem to be the excep..." a pause here. "Zaphkiel," she mutters quietly. "Who can advance even a normal person to our heights. The secret to how and why some mortals advance rapidly is a secret to many, and if anyone knows, I would think he does."
"In that case we have another reason to visit Celestia. Lets bring Latha along and go there tomorrow?" Alicia says, figuring it's worth a shot.
A slight nod at that. "Then it's tomorrow's task." Syala murmurs. After a pause to just cuddle, "Dear, have you ever thought about expanding your horizons? I'm happy with you, but I think we could both enjoy tasting other fruits on occasion."
"Like when Marie and Antenora were with Latha?" she asks, turning to look intently at Syala. "Who do you have your eye on?"
Syala doesn't hide a moment of surprise, but smiles, "Honestly? I hadn't gotten that far, like a dog who finally caught his tail." Blowing a breath out slowly, "There's a few approaches - for romantic reasons, for purely physical experiences, for something else." She admits that plainly, "Antenora and Marie could be fun if everyone was willing, but it would be emotional. There's a lot of strong feelings between all of us, born of all the battles and years we've spent together."
"You're right it would complicate things enormously if you made a move on those two," Alicia says, putting it lightly. "I'm... not wanting to hold you back if that's something you're really interested in, but it's not for me. I like having deep friendships without making it carnal, and I don't really want to pursue simple physical pleasure with people I'm not close to either. You keep me satisfied there."
"I've been tempted occasionally, but I don't want a pass to do it on my own. I want you with me." With a fond smile at that, "As I've said before - I'm patient, I have forever. I'll warm you up to it one day."
"Never say never," she allows indulgently. "Just don't hold your breath and we'll see what the future holds for us."
"Yes. Besides..." With a wicked little smile, "Maybe Mystra likes you, too."
Alicia sighs in despairing amusement. "It's not even worth making that observation about your patron, is it?"
With an impudent grin, "She already likes when you make her purr, Alicia." Syala retorts.
"Most of the time when I see her she is a tiny cat, which is adorable but doesn't lend itself to where your mind is going," she pokes Syala in the stomach with her finger.
That poke gets Syala to tsk, "Dear, don't deflate a perfectly good joke." Reaching out to poke your nose in retaliation, "We could go have fun with her, no questions asked. Sharess likes you and in spite of propaganda, she can be picky. She doesn't give a good time to anyone who asks, after all. Cats are aloof and choosy. It's an honor, not a foregone conclusion."
"Yes I know dear but it's a joke Sharess has beaten you to by many years," Alicia chides, having heard it all before. "Anyway I'm pleased the offer's there for the potential future in which I'm inclined to consider it."
"One day," Syala says and then adds, "In the meantime, we have some free time." She pulls you in and...
Anything else to add here?
Nope, lets go visit Celestia and see if Zaphkiel has time for us.
Okay, so prep post. Who is going and any prep to be done or anything else like that?
No significant prep, Alicia will go with Syala and Latha.
Thus you step forward into the waters of Lunia. You stand at the edge of the beach, waters lapping against your ankles. Latha and Syala are with you, and as the three of you stand there - the light from Chronias is bright, and yet you can feel a sense of welcoming, of being welcomed and acknowledged.
"Here we are," Alicia says, wading onto the sand. "Lets find out if Zaphkiel has time for us first of all?"
Thus she wills that her voice be heard by the head of the hebdomad. Zaphkiel, Syala and I would like to consult with you on the matter of encouraging mortal champions.
Rise. Approach Xerona at the Bridge of Al-Sihal.
Thank you.
"We know the way, come on then," Alicia says, her feet lifting off the sand as she begins to fly up the mountain towards Jovar.
d100 real quick?
[17:46] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[17:46] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d100=9]
You fly up a time until you spy something. Over a mile above a familiar child comes to perch on a cliff, munching on a sandwich. Calley is there, dangling his feet over the edge as he eats.
Is this still in Lunia or are we on a higher layer yet?
Lunia.
"There's someone who should be in Balmuria," Alicia mutters on catching sight of him, coming to a stop as she floats near the boy. "Hello Calley, fancy meeting you here. Is Dawnhope with you?"
A shake of his head as Syala's eyes narrow a bit, "She stayed with Elyssa for a little while," he says, "She has a lot of ideas, but I wanted to have a break." A bite of his sandwich, "And I wanted to talk to someone here."
"She's there for your safety, Calley. I would appreciate it if you didn't try to duck her as some onerous watchdog," Alicia tells him. "Who were you wanting to talk to in Celestia anyway?"
"Moore," A munch and then another, "And Elyssa wanted Dawnhope to stay, and she's really hard to say no to once she wants something." A thought, "She'd make a scary Mom one day."
Latha smiles ever so faintly at that, "Still, even if you're safe here, you shouldn't be alone."
"Who is Elyssa anyway?" Alicia asks as the name comes up a second time. "Someone at Whimsical Sweets?"
A headshake, "Um, Gond's daughter," Calley says, "Seira introduced us. She builds things like Gond, lots of things. Mom knew a lot about those things from watching others and helping Afina, I think, so I know a lot too."
"Ah, well she should be a good influence on you," Alicia says approvingly. "Did you get what you wanted from visiting Moore?"
"I haven't gotten there yet," Calley admits, "I got hungry first."
"Planning ahead to bring a snack was a good idea then," because even minor instances of forward thinking should be commended in children. "Do you know the way to where Moore lives?"
"Brought? That's what magic is for," Calley says, "Elyssa had a scroll of Greater Create Food and Water." He munches away, and this for some reason makes Syala smile a bit.
"Moore's...down there," he points down and to the left, "Hope's Landing. The light's very bright there."
"For one sandwich that's an incredibly wasteful use of magic," Alicia says in disappointment. "Anyway so long as you know the way. We have a friend to visit further up, so take care Calley."
"Uh uh, if I made more I'd eat more and gain weight," Calley retorts, but nothing more.
Once you're up and out of earshot, "I need to thank Seira, that was a good idea," Syala says aloud. "I don't doubt Gond's watching them together, so that keeps him somewhere safe and busy."
"Better that his hands are turned to industrious learning than idle mischief," Latha concurs, "Even if I quietly lament his path only leading to more power, for I have no doubt he's learning from her."
"If nothing changes the kid's going to be a great champion for someone one day. Better that it be Gond or Oghma than some fiend getting his claws around him." Syala counters as she flies up, giving Latha and amused look, "No time for childish frivolity for him?"
"Hardly that," Latha's retort has no sting to it, no heat. "Only that I wish he was on the path of a normal child."
"It's not right," Alicia agrees with Latha. "So much power handed to him as carelessly as a packed lunch. Nothing earned, no hard-won lessons, just sheer entitlement. Even with the best will in the world, I worry at the mindset such privilege breeds. Even a mighty dragon has to struggle and survive as a vulnerable wyrmling first."
"It might be the first time Sylvie even made him a packed lunch," Syala says, "If what I hear about her parenting is true."
Meanwhile Latha looks less that impressed with that but adds, "I worry as well, but we are here and we can ensure he grows up understanding and with compassion."
"Perhaps so," Alicia agrees with Syala. "But there are far worse examples of motherhood all around to get angry at before judging this one too harshly. If she were of noble birth and left her son to be raised with a nanny or governess few would bat an eye."
"Still," Syala says, as you fly on and up and on and up.
There is no further intererence and soon enough you arrive at the sparkling hills of Jovar. The light of Chronias is almost blinding here, like a radiance that never ends, stretching farther than your eyes can see. It's like standing next to the sun, basking in a warm light that banishes all doubt, all uncertainty.
It's not your time. Not yet.
Even if for one raw, aching moment every part of you wishes it was.
It's an alluring pull, but certainly not. She has Sylica.
They know where the bridge is, after Latha's adventure guarding it, and so that's where they go.
The Bridge of Al-Sihal is busy. A line stretches far as you can see, people entering the Bridge and beyond one at a time. Xerona stands guard over it all, watching each, permitting them to pass. Yet as you approach she says but a word, the line stopping. Her gaze is on the three of you as you approach.
"Hello again Xerona," Alicia greets the seraph who helped them free the children of Androlynne. "We do not wish to pass, but Zaphkiel told us to come here."
"Come," Xerona commands.
Syala does so, while Latha bows and follows.
Alicia approaches Xerona but where are they going to be led? Surely not across the bridge?
Once you approach, the crowds seem faraway, dazed, lost. No one in the line is looking your way at all, lookingupwards here.
"We can converse here in privacy," Xerona declares. "I speak in the name of Zaphkiel, ask what you wish."
"Thank you," Alicia says. "Syala?" she invites her wife to explain what she's looking for.
Syala steps forward, "I find myself in need of more champions," she begins, "We all need more champions. A challenging task, as many champions perish, lose the way, find a place where they no longer grow or otherwise move away from that life. How do we make our champions advance and how do we gain more of them?"
To this Xerona smiles. It is a beautiful thing, again making you ache to go ahead, to pass beyond into the blinding light beyond her, a light so bright not even your divine eyes can see beyond it. "The greatest blessing all creatures have in Creation is free will. Many of our greatest efforts fall aside, only because that champion chooses not to advance further. Those like Alicia are rare, ones who will keep striving forever on. Love, family, injury, other passions, duties. All can veer a champion off that road. Yet you already know that."
"I do," Syala admits, "I can't fault a champion for retiring to raise a family, or because they find a love that occupies them."
"But you need more," Xerona agrees. "It comes down to the question of how and why mortals grow fast, and why sometimes immortals do as well, but so often seem to stagnate?"
"It is about the Answer?" Syala asks, "Everything seems to trace back to that." Crossing her arms now, "But it also seems fitfully inconsistent. I know spirits smarter, wiser, stronger and altogether superior to how I was before, yet I've grown while they're the same today as they were a hundred thousand years ago. Many mortals never progress far, no matter what life they lead, or die so soon that we never find out."
"It feels like certain people and events form nexuses of growth," Alicia volunteers her own insight. "I was on an upward trajectory that swept you, Antenora, and Latha onto it. Something similar happened with the heroes that fought to liberate Lifasa - the planetar Hanna had been stagnant for millenia but progressed rapidly once she started fighting alongside Jaela. The mortal wizard Tepen as well, was on a plateau towards the end of his life, before the Crusade saw him break past his limits and surpass what mortal magic is capable of. Then there was the dragon Surraruthru - a literal wyrmling who leapt in power to wield more magic than even a great wyrm expects to command at the culmination of its long life."
"That is a wise observation," Xerona agrees, "You are both correct. Groups and events that are relevant to an Answer are both more likely to experience this growth - but it is never consistent, never fully predictable. The divine can nurture it, gain a wise eye for when it is more likely. However, there is an inconsistency to it. The work of the Incarnation of Chaos and perhaps the unknown nature of the Answer is why. The simplest way to gather champions and groups together is to Compete and thus create situations that pertain to the Answer."
Syala takes that in, "That's what' we're doing," she finally says. "Give important champions important tasks that mean something. Sound advice nonetheless."
"Watch for those who advance suddenly for no seeming reason," Xerona councils. "The opposite is true as well. At times one advances for seemingly no reason at all. Not only are they valuable, but they may have found an insight or some meaning that eludes us."
She remembers what Eladi warned her about, of Ao's distractions. The God King was one of them, and it still spurred growth... yet the Answer is fundamentally irrelevant as well given Creation is to be ended regardless.
Troubling to think about.
"What was that you said about Ranbar being empowered earlier, Syala? Is there some way to simply force it?" she asks her wife. "I was just thinking about Calley. He was given all of Sylvie's skill and power... but what is given, can't it not also be forcibly taken?" That would be a terrifying escalation, heroes and dark champions alike being ambushed by those with yet greater power and harvested to graft their talents onto more compliant followers.
Ranbar was my will.
The voice of Zaphkiel comes from the lips of Xerona, spoken clearly.
"As I thought," Syala says, "That's..." A trail off there, "I've never heard of that happening in such a way, but...that sounds like something she could do." Syala's voice trails away, into a worried grimace. "We've seen some variant of it is possible with Malcanthet's scheming, though that may be more like a loan given and taken."
"I don't see long term value in it," Alicia admits. "Power given can't be wielded as effectively as power learned... if you grow into it you learn the ins and outs of every spell, every stance, you develop techniques to handle equivalent opponents and refine them to tackle greater threats. That wisdom can't be given. But for disposable assassins and shock troops it's frightening, especially if you can recall that strength and just give it to another catspaw afterwards."
"Still, it's a distraction from the main point. What we want is a better way of encouraging our followers to actually surpass those limits of power on their own, the right approach or nudges to boost their odds. It sounds like considering the Answer and the clash between ethoses and morals is the way forward?"
Xerona agrees with, "Yes. Practice and time will give you a better eye for it. Be fruitful and continue on and this will resolve for you - and in the meantime, gather those to you who are already advancing and growing. Lure them to you away from darkness, away from the wicked. Emmaline is one such you have saved, Antenora is another. Do not content yourself with only pursuing those already sworn to you."
"So it sounds like we're on the right path, but need to keep going and keep getting better." Syala concludes. "Oraga's another one. Maybe that one traitor of Lifasa who showed regret could be another to one, some day. Find those without any deity and bring them to us as well."
"It's easier because we already have our eyes on those ones, someone like Emmaline falling into our laps already strong and trained up by the enemy is a fortuitous happenstance. It's something we can keep an eye out for though." Pity they're stretched thin with all the wars, can't really spare resources for that sort of hunt. But the crucible of war may yet produce champions on Aurora or Daun or wherever the Abolition War is fought.
"Thank you for indulging our questions Xerona, Zaphkiel," she bows her head. "We won't take up more of your time."
"Thank you," Latha comes forward and bows her head as well.
At this Xerona and turns to the light. "You stood here once, Latha. Would you do it again?"
A stunned silence follows, "I would be honored, but I can't. Not now. I know if I look again, I won't come back." Latha says, regret in her voice, "Answer me this instead: When it's over, when all is safe and we at last have an Answer one day in the future, will I be able to pass this bridge?"
"Yes. On the last day, if on no other day," Xerona agrees with that, voice calm. "We would have everyone have that joy, even those who dwell deepest in the darkness, should they be willing to seek it."
Latha takes a breath and turns away, towards Alicia and Syala. "Let's go," she says, framed by the light of Chronias from beyond.
You've grown strong of heart, Latha. Do not forget that.
Alicia focuses her eyes on Latha, silhouetted by that light. "I'm grateful you remain with us, my friend," she says, reaching out to take Latha's hand as they depart from the bridge.
"Lets go and visit the Cauldron next? We can learn more about where and how the war progresses so we can better deploy our forces and our own strength where it's needed."
Latha takes your hand...and pulls you into a hug. As you feel her warm body against yours she murmurs, "All of you are the strength that allows me to stay," she says, softly. "The reason I have to stay here and rise higher, to grow higher rather than leave all of this."
Amid that you feel the connection to Latha strengthen and grow as...
Node update. That was the right reply to that chance for it.
She smiles warmly at Latha. "Like she said, it will always be there waiting for you. For now all of us have much still to do."
And thus you return and...
Next move?
We'll go visit the Cauldron and get caught up on the war and see where might be good for us to go see some action.
Thus the three of you appear outside the Cauldron. As you do?
The bonds you have with us are beautiful, Alicia.
Thank you.
Pausing at the edge of the Cauldron she gives a divine 'knock' for Seira or Amaryl or Kascha to respond to.
Ah...hello?
She smiles and projects her divine voice back. Hello Kascha, is that you? It's Alicia with Syala and Latha. We're here to talk about our contribution to the Abolition War.
Oh! Alicia, hello there. Amaryl's busy and Seira's out, but come in.
Alicia thus leads her party into the Cauldron proper, asking Kascha where she is in particular so they can teleport there and talk to her in person.
Wait, can you teleport in the Cauldron or does it not work because astral? Well they can fly there too, just as easy.
Kascha is there in moments, "Hi," she calls, smiling. "Come with me, I'll have one of our generals advise you and tell you what you want to know."
"Kascha," Latha greets, "We're all looking forward towards another victory."
"Thank you Kascha, you're looking well," Alicia compliments as they go along to get a briefing now that they're full participants in the war.
Thus you are brought to Valar, "Alicia," he greets you gravely, rising to offer you his hand. "Syala, Latha. Welcome to history being made."
She leans forward to clasp Valar's hand. "Yes, it's good to be taking part in this instead of just watching. I'm here to find out what you've learned in the war so far, and where Sylica's strength can best be used to bring us to victory."
Handshakes all around, Valar's grip strong after all these years, in spite of time wearing at him. After various pleasantries are made and everyone has a seat, "First, your forces are not seriously impeded after the last battle?"
She shakes her head. "We weren't heavily engaged and Syala and Antenora were able to handle the worst of it," Alicia says as she gets comfortable. "Nor did the recent invasion from the Abyss make much headway."
"Events have all been in our favor so far," Syala agrees.
"Then then general situation. In the aftermath of the failed attack on Zaaman Rul, all signs point towards the efreet and allies regathering their forces." Valar begins, "Zaaman's Rul's forces are recovering and filling in losses from that battle, and still stay on a defensive footing for the moment. Various allies are helping him fill the holes until he's ready to go on the offensive while maintain an acceptable defensive force at home."
Going on from that, "What intelligence we have about the Sultan's forces is that they weren't hurt too badly, nor were the dao. Imix took the worst of this, and by reports he's secluded himself and is working on something. What we don't know." Valar reports. "Our light is strong and so is Lathander's light, but the glow of fire can hide well."
"Have you noticed any movement from Hell to support the efreet?" Alicia asks. "We'll be better used fighting away from Fire since most of our soldiers have to rely on magic to withstand even the environment so operating on other fronts makes most sense for us, guarding your flanks so to speak."
"That's my own conclusion," Valar agrees, a pause as he taps a finger on the table. "I've heard reports that Hell's mustering, but there doesn't seem to be any move to go on yet. Like a plague, they're going to strike when most opportunistic."
Latha frowns slightly at this, "They were chastised over Aurora, but they're hardly diminished. Why such a lukewarm support of a traditional ally?"
"I've heard nothing of strain between Hell and the efreet, though there are murmurings at court about it," Valar goes on, "Though Zaaman Rul's intelligence there only goes so far. We're working under the assumption it's a plot."
"Assume they'll strike when it'll prove most devastating and you won't be disappointed," Alicia surmises. "It's only a matter of time, they just haven't found the right moment yet."
"They must not have had faith in Imix," Latha speaks up, "A Hellish advance as well may well have been decisive. If we had lost Zaaman Rul, then we may well have lost Fire for ages." Her expression is pensive, "Perhaps Eblis as well if he had chosen to take the field. I don't think all of us combined had a chance if he challenged us."
"Or rather they had faith," Alicia corrects Latha. "On paper the force attacking Zaaman Rul's realm had high odds of victory. If they'd been more committed things could have gone differently. I don't fancy my chances against Eblis any worse than I do against the Grand Sultan or Imix, those two could well have been sufficient."
"Regardless, it went in our favor," Valar cuts in, "The dao are holding well in Earth and making some gains, but so far that's been the secondary theater.
"Then we'll try and force them out of the war," Alicia declares. "Have the Cauldron or Celestia taken the fight to Earth much? What do we know about how they're arranging themselves?"
"Some, but it's been a secondary front on all points," Valar admits, "There's been resistance from the xorn thanks to Seira, but right now the dao are getting the better of that."
Syala sits back, "What about everything else?"
A pause, Valar getting another sheet of paper out and checking it. "There were widespread distraction and occupying attacks against Celestia's interests, clearly an effort to keep Celestia occupied. Celestia used strike teams and reinforcemetns to help mitigate this, though losses and setbacks across the planes did happen. On the better side, a particular ancient vampire was slain and soul captured thanks to Duke Moore and his allies. He doesn't seem to have been related to this beyond given a nudge at the right time to take action."
"Lots of ancient vampires are being scared out of hiding by Aurora's current crusade," Alicia notes. "Hopefully more will follow that one's example."
"A win, if incidental," Valar agrees, "Speaking of Earth, you may well do better intervening there."
"That's what I'm hoping. Tell me about any targets you know of but haven't been able to remove and I'll see what we can do about them?" she invites.
"Right now the xorn could use reinforcement," Valar begins, "Beyond that, the Great Dismal Delve is essentially unassailable right now - it's defended and at a massive advantage against any attacking force, far more so against those who can't glide through stone. That sort of attack infeasible for the foreseeable future. We're concentrating on targets outside of that - gem mines, military installations, trading posts, anything that affords the dao power."
After a pause, "There's one we could stand to have neutralized, because both the xorn and the native elementals can't handle it well. It's the Abyssal Lake, a massive pocket of toxic water from a region where Ooze borders Earth. The dao have purified the center of this lake and have found means to extract precious materials from the waters in safety, where great palaces of stone sit in the purified, water free center of the like. All of the native forces are at a tremendous disadvantage trying to fight in, and our forces aren't in position to deal with it."
"That sounds like something we can deal with," Alicia agrees. "Have any previous attempts been made at attacking it?"
"A few over the eras, none that ended in anything better than total defeat," Valar says, "Few creatures of water who can manage to maneuver in those waters wants to stay once they're in it."
So none recent, that's fine though they can do their own reconnaissance. "I'll investigate it before we attack then, see exactly what we're likely to be up against. In the meantime if you need us to reinforce a weakening front or help push through a faltering attack, don't hesitate to call on us. We're in this now after all."
"And call on us if you need our aid," Valar agrees, as...
Anything else to add here?
We'll go home and then I'll ask Jessica to go recon the place for us.
When you arrive back, you find Jessica waiting for you.
"Sister," shes ays, "Your timing's good. This just arrived for you."
"Oh, what do you have?" Alicia looks at either what's in Jessica's hands or what she's pointing at.
It is a scroll, one that crackles with flames. "This," Jessica says solemnly, holding it.
"That looks ominous, who delivered it?" Alicia asks, holding out a hand to take it.
"It appeared in a flare of fire outside of Sylica's border, visibly so," Jessica explains, the scroll crackling with fire in your hand.
The mere touch of it and you feel hatred, fury, disgust, contempt. A toxic stew of emotions, bubbling up like bile up your throat.
"Ahh, I think I know where this came from," Alicia says flatly, steeling herself as she unfurls the scroll to read whatever invective it contains.
It reads as follows: Come. I await you, creature of dust and clay.
Oh, she was wrong. She thought that was Imix but actually it was Eblis, no one else uses that turn of phrase. "Eblis wants to see me. I'd better fetch Antenora too then - hold down the fort here until I get back?" she asks Jessica.
"I will, sister," Jessica promises, as...
Any prep?
Anty can recast Opal Protection and we'll get Latha and Marie to recast Celestial Valor and Epic Mage Armour on us, same loadout as when we went to Fire earlier.
Opal protection from Anty
Celestial valor from Latha
Epic mage armour from Marie
Following from Alicia:
Recitation (CL 33): +3 luck attack/saves
Greater heroism (CL 33): +4 morale attack/saves/skills, +20 temp hp
Spell turning (CL 33): 1d4+6 spell levels reflected
Ghost touch weapon (CL 33): Weapon gains ghost touch property
Vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33): +10 insight to perception, immunity to blindness/dazzled
Freedom of movement (CL 33): +15 CMD vs grapple, move freely despite impediments
Alicia: 651+20/651
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), opal protection (CL 33), celestial valor (CL 33)
Defences: AC 91, CMD 100 (117 vs grapple), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48)
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +3 morale armour, +4 sacred attack/damage/ac/saves
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 2 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/5/7/7/5/3/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/22/22/22/11/7/6
You and Antenora or is Latha coming too, or merely providing spell support?
Latha's just casting a spell before we go, this is Alicia and Antenora alone.
And thus the two of you are ready, Antenora at your side.
"Together," Antenora vows to you, "I'm ready when you are."
[spoiler]
Antenora
HP: 768+20/768
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear)
Bonuses: Attack+11 (+3 luck, +4 sacred, +4 morale), Damage+4 (+4 sacred) AC+7 (+3 morale, +4 sacred), Saves+11 (+3 luck, +4 morale, +4 sacred), Skills+4 (+14 Perception)(+4 morale), Checks+0 2d6 holy
Resources: Holy Fury 36/36 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 7/7 Channel Energy 17/17 Lay On Hands 448/448 Remove Disease 9/9 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 25/25
Spells Used: Opal Protection
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Opal Protection (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism(CL33), Spell Turning (CL33), Ghost Touch Weapon (CL33), Vision of the Omniscient Eye (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes: Can always inflict nonlethal with attacks, spells, SLAs and abilities.
Smite Notes: +2 damage/paladin level on a charging smite. Each point of favored PA on charge is worth 9 points of damage, post charge multiplier (15 on crit).
Typical Charging Smite Baseline: 3d8+480 plus +4/+4d6 vs fiends plus 2d6 holy plus 2d6 axiomatic 19-20 x3 (base charging smite bonus damage is 64+64=128, includes favored enemy bonus)
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.
"I hope that this means something and we won't simply be goaded," Alicia says, still holding the invitation scroll as she opens a gate to the edge of Eblis's realm, where they went the first time they visited, and walks through.
Alicia: 651+20/651
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), opal protection (CL 33), celestial valor (CL 33)
Defences: AC 91, CMD 100 (117 vs grapple), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48)
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +3 morale armour, +4 sacred attack/damage/ac/saves
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 2 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/5/5/7/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/22/22/22/11/7/6
"So do I," Antenora seconds. Before you is the edge of Eblis's realm, where flames burn. Yet a path already awaits you, a clearing. An invitation, no doubt.
Antenora wastes no time, striding forward.
Alicia follows, matching stride with Antenora.
The heat is overwhelming.
The hate is worse.
The skies weep bitter tears of poison and flame, raining down fruitlessly on the endless inferno here.
You walk. In the distance a great tower can be seen, but before it? Eblis looms. He is gigantic, standing and waiting for you.
What should she take from him not showing off his collection of tortured souls here? Has he learned to feel ashamed of them? Is it a subtle de-escalation?
Well if so why'd he still call her a creature of dust and clay?
Either way, they advance until they're within speaking range, Alicia remaining human sized even if she could match Eblis's stature easily. She won't because Antenora will be left out.
Though it would give her something to talk about with Marie later...
"I got your note," she speaks up, holding the once again furled flaming scroll up.
Before you, Eblis slowly shrinks. He is only towering now, bigger than both of you yet not a mountain.
A drawing of a sword. A sword of flame is within his hand as he saws, "Draw your weapons," His voice is cold, controlled.
The scroll is dropped and Alicia's double-bladed sword is whipped forward into a guard position before her, the movement easily avoiding Antenora's space so she doesn't endanger her friend with its sharp edges.
This doesn't quite feel like he wants to fight and kill them. Perhaps it's taking their measure somehow?
Antenora does the same, meeting his gaze. His presence is suffocating, a miasma of hatred.
A vision. You fall. Eblis rears above you sword coming down, yet Antenora is there. She is cut in half, utterly annihilated in a moment. Yet you live on, untouched.
Eblis stands before you, taking your measure.
A vision. Antenora speaking, vowing to you that she'll do anything to serve you.
Heaven's Tears is raised high, as if to strike from above.
A vision. Antenora floats in the whiteness, the emptiness. She floats in the Far Realm and faces herself.
Eblis looks on at the two you, blade raised yet not coming down.
Alicia waits. She sees the visions but she also sees Eblis, not taking her eyes off him and his sword.
"What do you want, Eblis?" her voice cuts the suffocating silence.
"Show me." Eblis speaks in barely a whisper, sword slowly lowered. "What did you do to Antenora? How did you change her to become One and stand as she is now? How did she not return to Hell?"
"We showed you when we first met, I showed you my history with Antenora. More than any other has seen, you were gifted," Alicia responds, her own sword held securely and unmoving in her guard stance. "She is One because she found her Answer, an Answer that resonated through being in defiance of the very matter that being was composed of, and an Answer she has lived true to in all the years since."
For reference:
Instead she meets Eblis's gaze. "See, then." She alters reality to pass on memories and experiences directly to the other deity, days and weeks unfolding in an instant as she graces Eblis with her and Antenora's experiences when they first came together. Vulnerabilities and all, moments of connection and exasperation, arguments and agreements on the nature of Law and Chaos, Good and Evil. There's no singular transcendent experience, the closest being the moment Antenora saw Alicia cry after losing Beth and felt sadness instead of glee, her wings turning grey. But it's a continuum, a series of events and slow changes that all built to that, rather than a single world-shattering experience.
The fallen angel's face twists with an angry scowl, a furious glare.
"Isn't that the crux of everything, Eblis?" Antenora ventures softly, "You've seen what's better and you've seen what's right. You've seen the truth of what Alicia did, what we found together. Will you deny that like you deny the truths of the Heavens? Can you say the few words that could set you free from all of this?"
"I'll ask again: what do you want?" Alicia picks up after Antenora. "What is your Answer?"
CLANG!
In less than an instant Eblis is before you, face a mask of fury. His flaming sword meets Bonds and your blade holds. A defensive move, a parry of pure instinct - yet you feel he held his blow. Whatever it was, it wasn't as overwhelming. You can tell when someone attacks and doesn't want to strike true.
"I am sufficient! Father has no use for these miserable mortals, these miserable creatures that none of us have need for! Join me!" he demands, "Put aside the last vestige of your weakness. I am all Father ever needed! He needed nothing else, especially not the mortals he holds up as if dust was gold! Let their faith rot in the streets with them. Let them pray to empty churches. Let us move beyond them, destroy them as the mistake that they are! I am One! I am the only Answer needed!"
The ground crunches under her heel as she sets her blade to parry that hit, feeling vibrations down her forearm from it. Maybe just making a point but if she weren't on the ball it could still have been nasty
"You are One, but so is Antenora... so is even that worm Gathgorian, and another yet. It's significant but it's not definitive!" She heaves her blade against his to push him back despite the gulf in their sizes. "And if there is one thing that Creation has taught me, it's that One alone is never sufficient. It's only when we band together, combine our strengths and perspectives, that great things are done. Even now you're asking us to join you, because you know it in your heart!"
Give me a Diplomacy check here, +7 bonus.
[23:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+63 diplo
[23:49] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 79 > [d20=16]
Slowly, the sword of flame slides off Bonds, lowered. For a moment, Eblis is silent, gaze downward.
She's silent now, not pressing with more words that would only dilute her point, letting Eblis consider things in his own time.
Antenora comes forth, laying a hand on Alicia's shoulder.
"We all have the greatest gift of the Incarnations: Free will. The right to choose. Choose, Eblis." Her voice is steady but not pressing, "I put aside my pride for Alicia and it gave me what even you failed to do. Make the same choice as I did."
> roll 1d20+61 diplo Antenora +7 same as Alicia
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 79 > [d20=18]
"...Father." Eblis murmurs, "I did for my Father's sake. To give him the Answer he sought for, to be all Creation needed. To turn him away from all those ants he invested himself in. Mortals are nothing, dust and dirt and clay. Nothing but test subjects to feed us information. Nothing. Nothing at all. I was the One who overcame everything, the greatest of us - and he chose them. He said that they had surpassed us already. That those tiny things meant more than us, that they were his hope for the future."
Perhaps it's so. Look at who he's chosen for those nods - all mortals or former mortals. "And the Gods too are test subjects, only ones created more directly by the Incarnations. It all flows from there, doesn't it? Everything in Creation does... and so the only value is that which we make for ourselves." She shakes her head. "I'm a God, Eblis, and yet I was once mortal. Mystra is a God and she never was anything but. Antenora is a God, and even if she wasn't mortal she was still something lesser than she is now. Some things change, many things don't."
Interesting observation there, Alicia.
There is silence after your words, a long silence. Eblis says nothing for those moments, unspoken words heavy like raindrops ready to fall.
"More importantly," Antenora's voice is gentle now, "We could even stand beyond this test and this Creation, but what does it profit to us? What profit is it to trade Creation for the yearning Beyond? What profit is it to destroy all of them, to stand alone against all that emptiness? I dread the possibility, Eblis, even as I prepare should it come to pass."
A breath.
"We're all in this together. We can choose to stand apart and fall as Shar grows stronger and plunges all into darkness. We can give into our hate, our selfishness, our fear and our pain to let her win. We can stand with that pride and embrace the eternal Beyond with open arms. We can go racing to what madness awaits us there, embrace it like a lost lover and struggle for unknown eons in the small hope we recreate one fragment of what was lost with Creation."
Another moment.
"Asmodeus would like that."
A beat.
"Do you think he enjoys seeing you like this, Eblis? To see you wallowing in your own hate and misery, all because you can't accept your Father's judgment, that you cannot accept his choice? A useful tool to raise others as his plans dictate? Another cog he has suffer, suffer like so many others in Hell suffer?"
Really what more can be said from that? Alicia lets Antenora's words hang in the air, doing nothing to cut away from their portentousness.
"Unity." Eblis murmurs.
"Unity." Antenora says, "What cures being lonely other than unity? We are not meant to stand apart and alone, Eblis, even if we gain the ability to do so. We're meant to gather people to us and care about those people. Care about those you've gathered to yourself - you understand that. No, you never forgot that lesson from your Father, for it's both a holy lesson and an axiomatic lesson."
Here Antenora looks to Alicia, "Alicia, what would Asmodeus and Hell say to that? Would Asmodeus provide a unity worth the air it takes to utter the word?"
"I know that!" Eblis snaps that, a moment of the flames roaring up, roaring high as the sky.
"Of course he'd tell you be provides Unity," Alicia says, a note of scorn in her voice once she gets used to the flames roaring up. "One must decide for themselves if they are a fully realised part of something greater, or merely a disposable extension of another's will."
"There is another that became One, Eblis. They left this doomed Creation and sought to master the Beyond, to create for themselves. Nothing lasted, and so they came back - whether you are One or not, there is no future outside of Creation. It must be protected, all of it, even the least parts of it that seem as dust and clay to the greatest parts, because it's all part of the whole."
Another stretch of silence. A harder one. The flames roar, Eblis closing his eyes. He is still and silent as the flames roar louder and louder.
"...I can't forgive him. I won't forgive him." Eblis says, voice steady even amid the flames.
'Finally,' Antenora sends to you, a single word filled with satisfaction.
"Thus, Asmodeus wins." Antenora agrees, "Shar wins. Evil wins. Go on then, prove that you've turned against him. Your harem, your family, your sons? Put them to the sword or cast them into Hell. Revoke your protections. No paragon of evil could have such things, Eblis. Any self respecting devil would mock your love for them, accuse of weakness and if they had the power, send you for 9,999 years of torment as re-education."
Gesturing wide, "If you reject your father and refuse to forgive him, you embrace Asmodeus and all he represents. Accept his twisted version of unity, Eblis. Go on. Let go of what he's taught you and accept what you've become. Welcome the Beyond when it comes, because it's exactly the Answer you've chosen."
It's not quite the stark dichotomy Alicia would have pushed for, but Antenora seems to have a handle on this so she'll trust her. Besides if one considers the status quo as the compromise option clearly it doesn't work.
"Your mistake," Alicia speaks up after her friend finishes, "Was in thinking because he put his faith in mortals that he had no faith in you. He'd have been right not to, with how you've lived your life ever since, but faith is much like love. When spent freely it doesn't run out."
She takes a breath and glances at Antenora. "It is interesting how this all revolves around forgiveness. Because that concept was pivotal to Antenora becoming One. She needed to be forgiven, and I needed to forgive her. All the years we've spent together, trusting my life and my secrets to her... that was the first time I actually said it. And with it came a new beginning and new possibilities."
"In a real way that's the core of the great question: To forgive and love or to not forgive and hate." Antenora seconds after that. "You know what you have to do, Eblis. You know what you need to do. A few words spoken from the heart can do what all the raging here cannot and will not. Being forgiven set myself free to rise even higher. Come join us and don't be alone anymore."
Diplo check with a +7 bonus, Alicia. Antenora will aid you for +2 more.
[18:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+65 diplo
[18:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 83 > [d20=18]
In that moment, you have a sensation of being at a crossroads.
My son.
A path of flame and fury, and one of blinding white light.
I've never stopped waiting for you, because I wish for nothing more than to save everyone, no matter how long it takes. Even you, my son.
Why you feel this you could not say, but you feel it with a sudden intensity and absolute knowledge that you're right.
Especially you, my son.
"...I'm so tired, Father," Eblis murmurs. "I hate Alicia and Antenora so much. How could she...how could they....surpass even me?"
Even faster than I ever dreamed it would happen, even in these monumental days.
Silence.
You never had any failings, my son. You never had a reason to learn how to forgive yourself and to be forgiven. Your brother looked towards the light of Chronias, while you chose to look inward. How could he not find the ways to forgive you while you found no such thing within yourself? How could One alone stand against the many within the light together?
"Father, I....." Eblis trails off. "I..."
Alicia quietly wills Eblis to say the words, because if she actually tells him to say them he might react badly to being told what to do.
And really he has to take this step for himself, not for her or Antenora. He hates them anyway so why would he do it for them, right?
"...help me, Father." Eblis says with a shudder, silent after. "I...I...I never wanted this. I wanted to make you happy, to please you and to provide for us all. I...I wanted to do it for us and I couldn't. I'm sorry."
A shift. A sudden feeling of everything shifting, as if reality has changed in some fundamental way. A thrill of power from it, sharp as a sword. Everything seems to quaver, shake.
The ground shakes as the flames quench. From horizon to horizon the flames of Fire are extinguished, leaving behind only barren rock. For one moment darkness falls - and then there is light. The light of Chronias shines so bright as to banish all shadows, to illuminate every rock. The gray and black volcanic stone is leeched of dark colors, becoming shining whites and veins of gold, spreading everywhere the light of Chronias touches.
Where that light touches, screaming souls appear and become still. A moment, a sense of tension as you feel power keeping them here and power against that, until Eblis shakes his head. That power fades and the souls suddenly fly free. A vast hoard of them, more than you can count or see even with your senses, fly forth everywhere. Flying free and into the mists that await to guide them, flying unburdened and forgiven.
"Look!" Antenora says as she looks up and points. From above a great, golden hand descends, large as a mountain.
You only had to ask, my son.
Eblis looks up, face pained and tired. He reaches up as if to grasp the golden hand from above.
Alicia watches those souls go to freedom, her heart unclenching. Seeing them on her previous visits, being unable to do anything for them, it had hurt so much. "Sorry it took so long," she whispers to Eblis's many victims who can at last know peace.
Of course she can't ignore that hand - bigger than even she can make herself with her control over her size. A change has come to the order of Creation that she's once more at the centre of, much like when she took part in freeing the children of Androlynne. And Eblis is reaching out for it, he doesn't need any further prompting.
Her own hand reaches over and takes hold of Antenora's as they watch.
Antenora holds your hand back and squeezes as you watch.
Eblis reaches up and takes the hand - and in that moment that they touch, he is gone. All is gone here - the tower, the land, all of it. For a moment there is absolute void until Fire comes back and reclaims it. Normal Fire, normal flames. The divine realm of Eblis is gone, taken away.
Thank you. I will tend to my son and those he cares about. You will not see them for some time, there is much my son must say and do to atone. This is only the beginning for him.
In that moment you feel the triumph surge from within you, blossoming out like a flower. Power flows as...
To be clear on a few points here first of all: Everyone involved in this series of events will move along their divine rank, with more participation getting more movement. You're pretty close to DvR3 now Seira, even if you only played a role a few times in it. Keep doing well in the war and scoring victories in Competition and you should get it in due time.
This quest is Antenora's purpose to a T, it obviously moves her along in a direct and overwhelming way.
I don't think Amaryl did much here but she'll get some as well. Syala likewise, though she mostly left this quest to Alicia and Antenora. I don't think anyone else touched on this quest, but I'll do some double checking later.
Alicia has risen to divine rank 3. Antenora has risen to divine rank 1.
FYI, this was supposed to be a later game quest: To put it in video game parlance, this is doing a level 70 dungeon at level 20. You managed that one sequence break that blew everything open and one thing lead to another. The one key to have any chance to get through to Eblis was someone becoming One without his aid or anyone's aid. The fact that it was Antenora was thematically fitting as well, which helped. So enjoy the reward that was meant for later and be happy you didn't quite trip about half a dozen incidents that would've initiated combat with him. His AC was higher than his sheet says, just FYI, and that was also the stinger intentionally not posted with his sheet.
Topping this for DvR4 is going to be a trick, Alicia.
This quest was designed for Alicia, Moore or Seira's nodes. Any and all had a lead and a possibility to work on it at some point.
"We know the journey well, don't we Antenora?" Alicia says as new strength blossoms in her chest, gauntleted hands squeezing each other but the warmth felt clearly between the two of them. "Come, lets go home. There's nothing left to find here."
Antenora's smiling, "I've become," she announces, in a voice that is hers and so much more. "Nothing but regrets left behind are here now."
And in an instant, the two of you are back in Sylica.
"To save a single soul is a worthwhile life's goal," Antenora says, still holding your hand. "We accomplished a miracle today, Alicia."
"It just shows that anything is possible, isn't it?" she agrees, still riding high on their triumph.
"Anything." Antenora turns to you as you feel it. Her divine will, grown and blossomed by this miraculous event. Magic and power flow together as inseparable twins around her, responding to Antenora and Antenora alone.
Antenora's sheet is updated with the changes. Go look.
They both now have an AC of 69.
Nice.
"Would that we had time to properly celebrate. Still though, lets round up Syala, Latha, Jessica, and Marie to share the good news before I send Jessica to recon that Abyssal lake for us," she says as they go to get with their inner circle.
It's not hard to do that at all.
"So Eblis has been taken?" Syala asks once the tale is told, sitting back at Jessica's kitchen table, the group gathered there. A simple, quick meal is laid out - breads, baked goods and juices. "That's a relief, not to mention how much it'll aid the war effort in Fire."
"Better than that, all those souls freed," Latha says, "I'm proud of both of you for how far you've come. More than words can say."
Jessica comes back with the last of the food and puts it down, then joins you, "Do you think he'll follow through?" she asks, "It took more than a few words for Antenora to be remade. It was only a beginning."
"The most important beginning," Antenora says, holding Marie's hand. "I may not trust Eblis, but I do trust Zaphkiel not to waste this opportunity. Not for what it cost and how I doubt a chance like that will ever come again. No. I think I was the perfect weapon to challenge Eblis and pierce through eons of rage, hate and self justifications. Something his nature wouldn't allow him to look past, something he could hate but not dismiss."
Syala has a pastry fly to her hand and has a bite before, "I'd say the same about Queen Morwel if she were in that position. Even then, if he's never seen again, it's still a win for all of Creation. Aaaaah. Let's see Asmodeus try and portray that as part of his plan."
To that Antenora smiles widely, "What an amazing day."
"Yes, it burned me every time I went there and couldn't do anything for all the souls he was tormenting," Alicia nods to Latha as they go over all of it. "At least it paid off in the end. I don't know where in Celestia he'll be and how he'll be atoning, but I'll trust his intentions and Zaphkiel's judgement now that the first step has been made."
"It all turned out pretty well, Antenora's right about her situation making her the perfect fit for it. If you read it in a story you'd see the plot development a mile off," Marie pipes up as she leans against Antenora's side.
"All thanks to one moment of defeating long odds and doing the near impossible," Syala says, smiling now, "So often those moments where the odds are supposed to defeated end with the odds bearing out. I've seen too many funerals of brave heroes who failed to beat the odds." Not even that dims her smile, "But for once, for one beautiful time, we beat those odds."
Latha raises her glass, "Cheers to that." The clink of glasses before she goes on, "How often does Creation turn on those moments where the unlikely leads to a miracle? Let alone something that happens in the Beyond having such titanic an impact, something beyond those of Creation to protect and cause a miracle?"
There's some pause at that before Jessica pauses from nibbling on an airy chocolate confection to add, "I don't know, but it's good enough that it's happened once."
A lull there, enjoyment until...
Antenora smiles at Marie, "Also, dearest Marie, I've gained so much. One of those..." she trails off a moment, "Is the ability to see through any lie, no matter how chaotic."
Marie gasps and recoils from Antenora. "They're not lies, they're creative embellishments!" she insists quickly. "Your life will be much poorer without them, too!"
"It's alright Marie, we all knew you never invented magic missile," Alicia says in a disinterested tone, biting into an eclair afterwards.
Marie's face reddens before she manages, "Well I certainly redefined it, I don't think anyone can argue that!"
Antenora merely says, "You did improve it," she admits that much. "Besides, I love you just the way you are, Marie."
"I love you too, and you can use your new ability to verify that!" Marie beams back at Antenora, recovering.
"Anyway," Alicia wipes her fingers on a napkin after finishing her eclair, "I'd like to relax and celebrate more, but we do still have a war on. Jessica, can you go and look into the Abyssal Lake on Earth? The Dao have a fortress there that Valar's asked us to attack, I want to get fresh information on its defences before we commit."
For the moment, Antenora and Marie only seem to have eyes for each other. As they have their fun?
Jessica finishes off her treat and rises, "The Abyssal Lake? What can you tell me about it?"
"It's a wasteland of water," Latha speaks up, "I've heard of it, a friend lost companions to it and never recovered them or the bodies. The waters are befouled from Ooze."
"It's a great lake on the border of Ooze," Alicia picks up from Latha. "Toxic except for the centre where the Dao have purified it and built palaces of stone from which they extract precious metals from the water. There haven't been any previous successful attacks on it, the environment is too hostile for the natives to handle."
"Water, I need the proper spells," Jessica considers, "Any other inhibitors to stealth or dangers, sister?"
"Valar didn't have much I'm afraid, that's why I wanted to send you in first so we have a clearer picture of what's all there," Alicia admits. "Between the water and toxic fumes there's the usual issue of being better hidden at a distance but your body displacing the gas or liquid makes you stand out to someone sharp-eyed."
"I'll do what I can," Jessica agrees, "Is any level of dimensional locking known of or accounted for?"
"Valar didn't mention anything either way. Given the setup I'd expect there's a sole safe point within the purified zone to allow teleportation so they can import supplies and export minerals without traversing the toxic lake. Either a gap in a dimensional anchor, or probably a teleport trap that directs attempts to a set location."
"This'll keep me busy," Jessica agrees, "I'll see you all soon as I can. Just...have the springs ready for me? I'm going to need a long soak once I get back." Here Jessica makes a face.
"I'll set up something nice. Just be careful and don't over-extend yourself. This is just so I can have a bit more than third hand hearsay on what to expect there, it's more important that we don't tip anyone off as to our interest," Alicia says, rising to her feet now.
Thus Jessica goes and...
Anything to do while you wait on Jessica to work her magic?
Nope, we're waiting on that now.
Quick d100.
[19:36] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[19:36] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 61 > [d100=61]
You return to your favored office to do work. When you get there, you find a small, golden box sits atop it. It looks beautifully carved even from this distance, everything perfect and symmetrical.
It could be a nice gift from someone like Zaphkiel or Eblis...
Or Beezlebub. Wonder what he thinks about all this?
And just as likely a horrifyingly trapped thing to assassinate her, or at least inconvenience her. So she examines it for magic!
[19:59] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+36 arcane sight caster level check if needed
[19:59] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 54 > [d20=18]
[19:59] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+68 spellcraft with divine insight
[19:59] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d20=1]
There's no magic to it at all, save a faint aura. An aura of magic that is not magic, an aura of overwhelming and glorious light. It flares around the chest a moment and is gone thereafter.
That seems like Zaphkiel, doesn't it? Well if something happens her avatar can tell people.
Shame her other two avatars are nearly a year away from being useful.
Anyway, she goes over to her desk and tries to open the lovely box.
Within the box is a small hand mirror, made of smooth gold and clear glass.
She obliquely looks at the mirror to see if it has any magic before she does anything foolish like looking at her reflection.
[20:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+36 arcane sight caster level check if needed
[20:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 39 > [d20=3]
[20:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+68 spellcraft with divine insight
[20:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=8]
The mirror has magic - it is keyed to only work for you, Antenora, Latha, Syala, Jessica or Marie. It seems to hold memories.
Well, now she takes the plunge. Going to sit at her chair behind the desk, she looks into the mirror's reflective surface.
In the mirror you see a teenager. A beautiful angel with six wings, a solar. He walks the hills of Jovar, another walking besides him - your point of view. He seems unnaturally handsome, flawless, radiant in a way that shines even in memory. Tall, beautiful and with hair like woven gold, clad in golden armor.
"There's so much to learn, Father," the young man says, "Creation is as wide and varied as you said it was. Filled with so many, yet less than we are. But there are so many of them." He's facing you, his face serious, contemplative. "Brother says that they must be guided to here. He's found his place, Father."
Alicia settles in to watch. The mirror's too small for lots of them to view it at once but she can show her companions afterwards.
"Have you?" The voice is gentle, kind. It is beautiful and strangely almost like yours and yet not.
"...no, not yet." The solar admits, expression contemplative. "You created me to shine bright. If Brother is meant to guide people to the light, then I am meant to be the light." A pause, the figure's eyes, a beautiful golden blue that draw you in even across ages and time, gaze into your own. "We need an Answer. If I am to be the light, then I must have an Answer."
A moment of silence, after which the solar's expression melts into a smile - the smile of the faint but familiar annoyance of a familial joke, of an old point sanded to comfort by ages. "I know you won't tell me my purpose, that you want me to grow into it. Just like all those mortals, Father? Worry not, I will go and find an Answer, and be the shining light to herald the reopening of Chronias."
A brief pause as he considers, a hand coming to his chin. A moment in a thinker's pose, "You believe in mortals, Father. The Answer must come from them, from within one of them. It must come from inward. Yet if they can manage that, then I will do the same looking inward far more easily than they could. I will study them as well I think, so better guide myself."
From such good intentions, hmm? Well hopefully now it's come full circle something good can come of it at last.
There's nothing to interact with at all here, so this would probably best be served as just one big lore post rather than breaking for Alicia to go "Hmmmm," every few lines.
That's fine, it's lot to write so I'm breaking it into chunks so I don't spend an hour on a post.
Unthinkable years pass, all with a gaze on one figure. On the figure before you. You see him dealing with mortals, studying from them, observing them. At first he seems interested, invigorated and hopeful. Yet over the years he slowly becomes less and less so, kind but reserved, slowly growing distant from them. He is more and more silent, often alone and lost in his own thoughts.
Then libraries. So many tomes read in the blink of an eye, the solar endlessly seeking. An expression of interest slowly changes to one of discontent.
Wise men. Sages. Loremasters. All of them are visited by the solar, yet none seem to quell his discontent, nor soothe his distant frowns.
Now the solar paces back and forth, lost in his own thoughts. You watch him as he paces across the hills of Jovar until at last he turns. "Father!" He smiles now, banishing his reserve.
"My son," The same voice again, rich and beautiful.
"I have sought long and yet no mortal seems to have an Answer, nor does all the knowledge the planes produce." The solar declares, "I fear I was right from the beginning, Father. They are less than us - perhaps they have meaning and value in ordered masses, as do ants, but they will not find an Answer."
Silence.
"No," Again the solar speaks, determined, "The Answer can't come from them. It can come from me, your creation." He gently taps his fist to his chest, "Yet I must throw off every restraint and be able to face myself in full. There must be a way to do that, Father, for an Answer can be found. I know I can produce it."
"You know not what you ask, my son," The voice replies gently, "Creation's limits are wisely made."
"Then I will go beyond them," The solar does not back away, does not hesitate. "Father, you made me for this. I believe that now with every ounce of my soul. You made me to find the Answer and I will not fail you."
"No," The voice replies, "Not for this, not for what it may cost you."
"Father." The figure says, meeting his gaze. It is still a beautiful gaze, still an otherworldly love within it. "Please. We have free will and this is my will. Let me be what I was meant to be."
A longer silence follows this until at last the voice declares, "Beyond. There you can focus inward without restraint. But know that without Creation's protections, you may well never return or worse. You seek to become One."
"One..." The solar murmurs, "I understand." His face is radiant with a smile, "I will not fail you in this, Father. I will not fail you as mortals have. I will return victorious, now and forever."
A shimmer of light and now you see another memory.
From faraway you see yourself, Syala and Antenora in the Beyond. Events you know well, your triumph there seen with another set of eyes. There is no comment throughout it, until at last the three of you are gone. Finally the voice declares, "Then shall we Compete, Asmodeus? At last we both have a piece in play."
The voice that responds is one you know, the words of the Lord of the Ninth heard. "As long as they stay within our courts and not the courts of the other two."
"Agreed."
A moment, shadows and darkness flickering in the edge of the memory's vision. "You failed one child," Asmodeus says coldly, "To see you fail the one stolen from my realm will be gratifying. Any of her friends she takes with her will be a delight to savor for an eon."
"Eblis, Gathgorian and Bel," Is the voice's answer, "None of them will avail you in this."
"They already have availed me," The voice of Asmodeus is even more hostile now, then calm. Utterly calm. "It matters not. Our quarrels will resume soon, but not yet."
"Soon," The voice echos, "There will be hope eternal. Leave me, monster."
Then the memories fade, leaving you holding the mirror.
"Who are the other two?" Alicia wonders aloud, on the off chance Zaphkiel is listening. "Morwel and..." the Abyss has no leader of course, but there's one name that's come up relating to all of this isn't there? "Pale Night?"
We meant those who are not of law.
That's who she meant as well, Morwel being Zaphkiel's opposite... although not of law and of chaos are different things. "Of neutrality and chaos, then?"
Yes.
"This is where I'm obliged to mention my loyalty to Mystra once more," Alicia says dryly, while sending a mental summons for Antenora, Marie, Latha, and Syala to come attend to her so they can see what was hidden in this mirror.
Getting everyone together isn't too hard.
"Alicia?" Latha asks once you're assembled, "What is it? Is Jessica back already?"
"Not Jessica," she shakes her head. "A gift from Zaphkiel," she holds up the mirror. "This contains within it memories, those of Eblis's youth. You should all look into it and see what it has to show, as I have done."
Antenora needs no prodding, the mirror taken. The three crowd around it as Antenora adds, "Come here, Marie."
Marie makes things easier for everyone by shrinking down to her old-fashioned coure size, albeit she still looks far nicer than she ever did back then despite lacking the gossamer wings. This way she can sit on Antenora's shoulder and not have to jostle for view with everyone else.
Antenora flashes Marie a quick smile at that as they watch.
There is silence after from all at first, until Latha speaks. "What a tragedy. I see now why his father sought to save him so persistently."
Antenora's gaze is narrow and narrowed more yet, and utters one word like a malediction, "Bel."
"I told you he wasn't dead," Marie says. "It was obvious from the start."
"Surprising we found out so trivially though, isn't it?" Alicia says. "I would have expected that to be some kind of revelation, not just casually dropped in amidst something unrelated."
"As am I," Syala says, "It has to be intentional, a reward." She considers the mirror for long moments, "Some insight into what Asmodeus is doing. Zaphkiel and Asmodeus struck me as loathing each other, but they also seem to have a working relationship."
"It is good confirmation, though I agree with Marie. In such a time, I doubt Asmodeus would waste a resource." Antenora ruminates, "It also shows us that they're willing to cooperate on some things - on our greatest problems - but we can't forget what they are and what Asmodeus is - a hateful, petty little tyrant." Now her voice hardens, "That when shorn of all his grace and dignity, wants us to suffer. He merely didn't hide it for once and we got to see it."
"Hopefully Afina will kill Gathgorian soon... honestly if she doesn't I might make it a priority of my own," Alicia says, returning the mirror to its box for now until Jessica gets back so she can see it. "We know then that Bel was the 'one other' that Eblis mentioned when the topic of One first came up. I didn't think Io was included in that count since it seemed clear to be Hell's own squadron of Ones rather than a grand total which would have included Antenora when she became One, but that's confirmation anyway."
"Then we'll have to stop Bel before this is all over," Antenora says, as surely as if talking about the inevitability of day and night.
"This also provides insight into our sponsor," Latha speaks up after that, "He allowed Eblis to follow his own free will, he left him to accomplish it as he sees fit, find his own path up the Holy Mountain."
"Which is familiar with how he's dealt with us," Syala agrees, "He tells us some things, but mostly seems to want us to grow on our own and reward us for advancing. It's not what I'd have expected from him." Here she looks to you, "I won't call it chaotic," Holding up a hand, "So spare your words, Latha."
Latha smiles but stays quiet.
"Nonetheless, from what we know now: he trusts mortals. To find an Answer at the least, to live and find the path to Chronias." Syala continues. "He truly believes in everyone's better nature is what I think, that even his fallen son can be redeemed."
"I'd expect nothing less. Celestia is no tyranny, everyone there is free to find their place within the limits of their abilities," Alicia says, not finding that insight to be terribly surprising. "And Eblis like many others - including the one who built what would become Sylica, failed to measure up... at least in the short term. Who knows what the long view holds on such fallen after today?"
"A better tomorrow," Antenora answers, as...
Anything else to add here?
No, lets wait on Jessica now.
Quick d100 to see if anything transpires while.
[20:35] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[20:35] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d100=2]
Soon enough Jessica returns - you meet with her at the mountain hot springs. She's already unclad and soaking, eyes closed.
Disrobing herself, Alicia slips into the steaming mineral rich waters next to her sister. "Did you have a safe trip?"
Jessica gives you a long, exasperated look, "Sister, I spent hours in what could generously be called a poison lake. Safe wasn't ever going to be a reality."
She's probably talking up the danger of it, given how little such environmental considerations mean to beings of their power, but... "It was that bad?"
"The dao have added some kind of red colored stone to the water. I'm not sure what, but there's pockets of it floating free. It makes it even worse." Jessica grimaces, "Water also slows down close to it, struggles to move. It creates stills in the water, fairly sure it would give a water elemental difficulty. It also releases this reddish material into the water, everything's worse around it. It seems to enhance the foulness of the water."
"Syala might know what it is, hold on..." Alicia calls on Syala or her avatar to come join them for this.
Since she has knowledge (dungeoneering) which may be useful here.
Syala appears with a little splash, lights fading as she sinks into the waters. She puts an arm around your shoulders and says, "You called, dear?"
"It's about these stones," Jessica begins, filling her in quickly.
> roll 1d20+68 K:D assuming she alter realities up a +10 insight bonus and a +10 competence bonus (Lore of the Gods and whatever else)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 83 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+68 K:P assuming she alter realities up a +10 insight bonus and a +10 competence bonus (Lore of the Gods and whatever else)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=16]
Syala listens, only a faint flex of divine will to tap her into lore noticed as she does.
"Have you ever heard of iron coal?" Syala asks. "It's a minor good trade from Earth. It's like coal but better, it doesn't make smoke when it burns. If you've ever seen coal burning, you know it sends up black smoke everywhere. It's just as potentially smoky and unpleasant as coal can be, but with no smoke, it doesn't produce the hazards and they ultimately burn off harmlessly. What's lesser known is that if you get an iron coal deposit close to the border of Magma, the iron coal can be exposed to various toxic gases that leak over from Magma. The iron coal sucks them right in over the ages and turns red. Red iron coal's mildly poisonous and rare - but if you place it in water, lets the poisons dissolve into the water and spread them. Makes the water undrinkable and toxic, much worse than normal exposure to red iron coal. The rest of it I'm not sure about, but that sounds like what they're using."
Iron coal is from Dragon 347, just by the way.
"Interesting," Alicia says, learning something new. "How big are the red iron coal rocks they're using and how close together are they? Is it enough to cover the lake entirely or are there paths between them?"
"There are paths," Jessica says, "Which I strongly suspect are monitored. It doesn't cover quite everything and the stones move, but it seems...now that I think about it, coordinated in a way, or at least enough."
"One thing I wasn't clear on from Valar's description - is it a lake like you'd see on the prime or here where it's a flat surface of water with air on top, or is it a fully enclosed mass of water filling the cavern from top to bottom?" she asks so as to better visualise it.
"The latter," Jessica says, "I'd estimate sphere-like from what I saw, but I can't verify that."
"Thank you, that makes the most sense," she nods. "So what else did you see over there?"
"I didn't see much in the way of creatures," Jessica says, "And stayed far away. But I think I saw a few dao in protective magic and clothing from a distance. With how unpleasant the water is, I would suspect magic and scrying oversees most of the observations. Unless they're recruiting Ooze Elementals."
Syala grimaces at that, splashing a bit of water over to Jessica. "This sounds like a bigger death trap than usual, though I am getting dungeon ideas."
"It's not really suitable for sending an army. Might be best if we or our avatars went ourselves to subdue the defenders then gated in forces to capture it once we've taken control of the safe zone in the middle," Alicia says on reflection.
"I don't like going in alone when they get an army and we don't," Syala agrees, just as reflective. Her gaze goes upwards as she thinks, "If the Cauldron can spare her, Sanzha could be useful here."
"Hmm. We can ask but they've had her all along and still haven't felt able to handle this front," Alicia says. "I can ask though. Myself, Marie, and Sanzha should be sufficient to bypass the defences and defeat whoever they have guarding the place and afterwards we can gate in forces to capture it. Did you catch wind of anything of note regarding the dao or other active forces defending it, sister?"
"Nothing substantial. Open water like that makes stealth almost impossible," Jessica says, "I didn't push it too far, enough to know we at least aren't walking into a defensive line."
"Well in that case I'll fetch Marie and we'll go visit the Cauldron again to see if Sanzha can be spared," Alicia rises out of the water. "Thank you for checking that all, Jessica. Gives me more comfort about going in there."
Jessica smiles, "If you need me, call on me. I'll even go again if you want me to come."
"Warmed up to the place after all?" she asks Jessica amusedly. "Alright, it can be four of us for the initial assault. You worked well with Marie last time."
"One thing," Jessica says, "For the love of Mys...of myself," she says with a queer, confused expression, "...nevermind, that's something to think about later. Just make sure we have a telepathy spell in place so we can communicate non verbally with ease."
"Oh yes, that was a problem last time wasn't it?" Alicia smiles a little as she dries off and starts to get dressed.
Lets get Marie and go see if Sanzha's up for fun at the Cauldron.
Any prep needed for this?
Not immediately, we'll buff up once/if we team up with Sanzha and before final departure.
The Cauldron is busy.
No, the Cauldron is hectic.
Soldiers bustle and hurry about all the while, coming and going. Traders as well, guards and soldiers at the ready, watching the perimeter and beyond. When you 'knock', you immediately have Amaryl appear, "Alicia, Marie," she greets you. "Welcome."
Jessica's there too!
"Hello Amaryl, things are looking busy here," Alicia says. "Is Sanzha available right now? We could use her expertise on an errand."
"She just got back," Amaryl says, and as yo ugo, "Is there any news on the war effort?"
"Not from our end since the battle with Eblis," Alicia shakes her head. An act of will ensures no one but Amaryl and her companions will hear or be able to lip-read what she says next, "Valar asked us to deal with a Dao installation on Earth, just had Jessica scout the place out and it seems ripe for working alongside Sanzha to handle if she's fit for battle."
"Oh, that one," Amaryl frowns, "It's formidible."
"Disgusting, too," Jessica chimes in. "It's not worth trying to leverage an army, so we're going to try and disrupt it with a smaller force."
"No sense letting it go to waste though, after we've ousted the defenders it might be worth taking for ourselves. Probably more easily held by Cauldron elemental forces but we can see about dividing that up after it's actually been taken," Alicia says.
"Our own safe staging area," Amaryl muses as you fly down and down, everything becoming a blur as you pass into the undercaverns in a moment. "We'd have to make sure the dao didn't leave contingencies to retake it."
Amaryl goes to a door, "Oh, and we can talk here, Sanzha's inside taking it in. I saw the most lovely lair recently and I just had to make a copy of my own. It's so fiery and rustic and whimsical."
"Oh that should be good. Most dragon lairs I see are rather sparse, aside from the hoard part," Alicia says, curious what appeals to Amaryl's sensibilities.
Ahead is a volcanic crater, with you atop the volcano and looking down.
Inside the volcano's crater lava waterfalls come from above, forming a great lake of pure, red-orange molten rock. Here great islands of solid steel float, and on them are bookshelves. Great bookshelves stacked on top and top and top and top of others, making spires of them. Each bookshelf is taller than Hanna, stuffed to the brim. In spite of the heat here not a book burns.
A series of elevated bridges and steel pillars rising from the lava sea provide passage from one island to another, forming a great maze of bookshelves, steel islands and bridges, often with gaps or tops in the shelves forming great ledges, where various equipment and strange things sit.
Jessica pauses at this, "Oh, a red dragon's lair. How silly of me to think otherwise." Her voice sounds like that explains it all, curiosity giving way into understanding.
"Isn't it perfect for that? It's actually a copy of a magma para elemental's home, I'm going to customize it more, but isn't it striking and pretty?" Amaryl says, "It's so dragon."
"I like it," Alicia says after taking it all in. "A maze of books is always an interesting motif, since it offers multiple ways to lose yourself."
"Having to make the books fireproof is a bit of a pain, though. I always like stone carvings, or rune-embossed adamantine for things built around lava," Marie adds.
"Mmmh," Alicia makes an agreeable noise. "Actually now we're here and it's safe to talk? I'm sure it'll be widely known shortly, but just in case? Eblis has returned to Celestia," she tells Amaryl. "Antenora was able to get through his skull at last, and he's attempting to reconcile things. We don't have to worry about his part in the war any longer."
"I think I like the dissonance of this," Jessica remarks to Marie, "And the reminder of how fleeting wisdom can be, and easily it can fall into the flames of ignorance and hate."
"Truly?" Amaryl gasps, a hand to her mouth, "That's wonderful news, the best news! With that we can prosecute the war without his shadow lingering over us."
"My," Sanzha calls, coming from behind a bookshelf, "You have been busy."
"That's why I like things that are built to last," Marie says to Jessica.
"Antenora deserves the credit, without her none of it would have been possible," Alicia says, turning and smiling at the marid when she appears. "But in the interests of staying busy the three of us were going to attack the dao outpost on Abyssal Lake, and thought you'd make a good fourth."
A moment's frown, "Ah, you want me to go swimming in toxic waters. Well, water is water," she resolves, "And Akil's not making himself useful by appearing, so I do have time to kill. Amaryl, I'll need my duties covered."
"I'll see to it," Amaryl promises.
"We should be able to skip most of the water I hope - Jessica how far from the edge of the lake to the fortifications in the middle?" she asks her sister on that note.
"It's not short - about a mile and a half," she says, "There's space to work with for them."
"So it'll take us about twenty seconds to traverse using space compression," Alicia considers. "Toxins aren't an issue for us of course, I can neutralise them. So it's just a matter of how quickly they can respond with that."
"Hope to storm and crush them before they can rally?" Sanzha says, "Dao aren't the fastest, but they can be fast when needs must. However, they seem entrenched for a defensive effort, rather than a fast storming."
"Yes, if we get past the lake and have Marie put up a wide-scale teleport interdiction, we can deal with the on site defenders without having to worry about reinforcements since any that come will have to go through that same poison water themselves. Once they've been defeated or surrendered we can consolidate and move in our own forces to occupy the place for ourselves," Alicia outlines the basic plan. "I doubt they'll have anyone on site that can seriously threaten us anyway."
"This seems like it'll work and it makes sense," Jessica finally says, "So are we simply overwhelming them, or is this something they've planned for, too. They aren't the devils or even the efreet, but I wonder, sister."
"Then make a backup plan," Sanzha smiles faintly, "Waves don't win alone, they win because they are persistent. Every beach you've ever seen is a testament to that."
"It would be a waste to have someone on our level stationed guard there full time, especially when it's already so well protected by the environment. If they're outmatched they'll certainly call on reinforcements and the dao surely have mobile heavy-hitters equipped for the challenge, but that's where Marie comes in to stop that at least until we've cleared the deck so that we can give any reinforcements our full attention."
"My, you make this sound easy," Lady Sanzha says, "Let's see if lives up to your hopes."
Any prep to do here?
Marie will offer an epic mage armour to everyone who's going.
Epic mage armour (CL 33) +22 armour AC
Alicia will add the following
Recitation (CL 33) +2 luck attack/saves (+3 if you worship Alicia, so no joy for Jessica and Sanzha)
Greater heroism (CL 33) +4 morale attack/skills/saves
Telepathic bond (CL 33) lets us talk telepathically
Alicia: 684+20/684
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 90, CMD 94, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/5/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 627+20/627
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/4/6/4
No freedom of movement? Going into a water area that seems like a no brainer, enough for everyone to mention that.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 615+20/615
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil)
Bonuses: Attack+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/2
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2.
Lady Sanzha
HP: 512+20/512 (fast healing 3)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Damage+0 AC+13 (+13 armor), Saves+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Water 14/14 Bardic Music 32/32 Water Devotion 1/1 Trident Elemental Damage 3/3
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33)
Notes:
Yeah my bad, toss that on via alter reality for everyone.
Freedom of movement (CL 33) frees movement.
As you all gather?
"I can perform to grant us courage before we go," Lady Sanzha offers, "Do you all wish for it?"
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 615+20/615
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil)
Bonuses: Attack+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/2
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2.
Lady Sanzha
HP: 512+20/512 (fast healing 3)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Damage+0 AC+13 (+13 armor), Saves+6 (+4 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Water 14/14 Bardic Music 32/32 Water Devotion 1/1 Trident Elemental Damage 3/3
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes:
"We'd be honoured if you graced us with a performance," Alicia agrees with a smile and a nod, preparing to open a gate to Jessica's earlier entry and departure point once Sanzha's done her bit.
Sanzha's voice is beautiful - a stirring tales of ocean waves, somehow made all the more heroic as you listen. It leaves you filled with energy, ready to strike all that stand in your way.
+8 morale attack rolls, weapon damage rolls and saves against fear. Lasts for 5 minutes.
+6 morale saving throws and +6 dodge armor class. Lasts for 5 minutes.
4d10 temporary hit dice, and since you all have max HP per HD, calculate it that way, so 40 plus your con mod added in four times. +4 competence attack rolls and +3 competence fort saves. Lasts 5 minutes.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 615+88/615
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil)
Bonuses: Attack+14 (+4 competence, +8 morale, +2 luck), Damage+8 (+8 morale) AC+16 (+6 dodge, +10 armor), Saves+8 (+11 fort)(+6 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/2
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2.
Lady Sanzha
HP: 512+76/512 (fast healing 3)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+14 (+4 competence, +8 morale, +2 luck), Damage+8 (+8 morale) AC+19 (+6 dodge, +13 armor), Saves+8 (+11 fort)(+6 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Water 14/14 Bardic Music 30/32 Water Devotion 1/1 Trident Elemental Damage 3/3
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes:
"That was lovely," Alicia says, Marie taking notes for her own performances. A gate is opened and they pass through, arriving on Earth in a tunnel close to that toxic enclosed lake.
Alicia: 772+20/772
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 96, CMD 107, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/4/6/4
The smell.
The smell is the first thing you have to endure.
It's like trash and rot and sun baked filth, boiled and intensified a dozen times over. You're certain that if you were still mortal, you'd be violently ill right now. A greenish-black sludge clings to the walls, everything here damp, moist.
Alicia has dance of the unicorn up in case that helps with the smell as well as poisons.
You surround yourself with a purifying swirling mist with a radius of 5 feet per caster level that washes the air clean of smoke, dust, and poisons.
Your magic soon cleanses away the smell, and just in time.
"Disgusting," Jessica wrinkles her nose, "Thank you for that spell, sister."
Lady Sanzha is unperturbed, "At least it's not Bwimb."
"Yes, that spell's key to this whole endeavour," Alicia smiles. "Never had the pleasure, though a visit to the wilds of Ooze was bad enough," she adds to Sanzha, starting to head down towards the tainted water.
Marching order and give me a quick d100.
Order is Alicia, Jessica, Sanzha, Marie.
[18:44] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[18:44] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=10 ]{10}
You progress down the tunnel. Around a bend and another, the way further head blocked. The tunnel is clogged with green black slime, blocking the way entirely.
"Was it like this before?" she asks Jessica, a lance of silver fire evaporating the slime in her path to clear the way.
The slime is burned away, recoiling, "Yes," Jessica says, "Though I didn't come on a blocked passage."
"Hurry along then, they may be prepared for our arrival," Alicia says, flying along down the now revealed path.
Down, down and down some more. Down a t unnel to an opening - and ahead is a sphere of filth, of tainted water. No one is obviously about here, at least to your eyes. The waters are tinted red, seeming to spread all over it, as well as many reddish stones floating about in the water.
Past all of that you can see a great city, a city of stone and wealth. A city full of dao, glimpsed amid gaps in the stones and things blocking your vision.
With her godly vision able to behold everything within three miles, it's not as if the polluted water offers anything to stop her. "Stick close now," she says, pinching space between herself and a spot halfway towards the dao outpost, stepping through and waiting for the others to follow, the tainted waters cleansed around her by her magic so as to not prove any obstacle. One more should bring them into the clean and dry area in the middle and then things can go off.
Gimme a quick Perception check.
[15:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+89 perception
[15:55] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+89 perception --> [ 1d20=13 ]{102}
Alicia: 772+20/772
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 96, CMD 107, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/4/6/4
You peer ahead as you move in, space twisting and contorting. No signs of immediate reactions at the midway point, though you are moving fast.
Once Marie brings up the rear after Sanzha and Jessica, the four of them in the water that's being cleaned around Alicia, another pinch of space contracts ahead of them to bring them within about a thousand feet of the air-filled bubble, Alicia stepping through and waiting before she contracts the space ahead once the others join her, the next move being the one that takes them into the enemy's midst.
Quick CL check.
On the space compression?
[16:56] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+36
[16:56] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+36 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{56}
There's resistance.
Something that folds back against your space. A defense of some kind? A counter? You aren't sure, but it doesn't matter. It can't keep up, resistance breaking to your own efforts. It gives up, becoming slack and no longer opposing your own effort, and a moment's concentration lets you...
Are you going for any particular place in there?
She only just invented this spell a little while ago and someone already has a counter? She supposes it's her own fault for not being secretive about her spells...
Plus side she can study the counter and it'll hopefully lead to further avenues of spell development. All glory to Mystra!
[17:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+52 spellcraft
[17:17] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+52 spellcraft --> [ 1d20=4 ]{56}
Spellcraft to tell what's trying to interfere, she has arcane sight up.
As for where aiming, it depends on the layout of the structures. Someplace visible but not in a killbox - like on a tower rather than in a courtyard for instance.
Alicia: 772+20/772
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 96, CMD 107, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/4/6/4
Less that and more that space folding isn't a total unknown. Something brushed against it rather than your spell already having a personal counter.
You can see it. It looks to be a defense, stretching out space to further slow down those that get close, but only those heading towards the city. It does not impede those going from it. It's a ring, projected outward from somewhere just within the city. It isn't as strong as yours, or in the common parlance, yours was bigger.
That's fine, just wanted to know for knowledge's sake.
Amid the spires and minarets the party appears, atop one towertop. Nothing's here, just a natural viewpoint amid the city. Splendor is in all directions, save for ringing the outer perimeter, where water is passed through, in and then out, surely stripped of wealth and value once in.
The air here is clean and pure, yet with a faint sensation of almost must, like cave air. It's rich. Scents exotic and enticing are carried from below.
"Marie?" she asks, her proxy nodding and starting to cast, a ban on all teleportation extending across most of the lake.
Enlarged Jaela's teleport block cast, 3300 foot radius blocking all teleportation and summoning.Alicia then steps off the minaret as she clears her warped space, water dripping off her before she expands to colossal size, dominating the towers and minarets with physical presence while making her voice heard to all within.
"Dao of the Abyssal Lake. This facility is now claimed by Sylica. Lay down your arms, depart your posts, and present yourselves for surrender, and you will not be harmed."
Alicia: 1068+20/1068
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 102, CMD 129, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural armour, -8 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/6/4
Give me an Intimidate or Diplo check, that's on the border depending on how you're aiming.
[18:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+58 diplo/intimidate are both the same, though intimidate gets size bonuses. She hasn't said the 'or else' so we'll call it diplo to be fair.
[18:10] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+58 diplo/intimidate are both the same, though intimidate gets size bonuses. She hasn't said the 'or else' so we'll call it diplo to be fair. --> [ 1d20=1 ]{59}
Your words echo in the minds of all as...
We are merciful to those who turn to peace. There is a better way than defending your own evils.
Antenora aids for +2 more for 61.
Obviously, there's no immediate verbal response, but on the streets below you see dao freeze up, servants pause, everyone lost in a moment of surprise at the messages.
Antenora isn't here, btw.
I mean she could be watching with remote viewing, I'm not stopping her, but it's a bit odd for her to interject in this situation and you've misplaced NPCs before so making sure you haven't made a mistake like that.
The party is Alicia, Jessica, Marie, and Sanzha.
I have no idea why I've had Antenora on the brains lately for your groups. I really don't.
Strike that line.
Please, don't fight a doomed battle. Come to our mercy instead of facing our wrath.
Okay, fixed. Anything to add to that since this ended up being an embarrassing interrupt.
Alicia just looms for the moment, blade in hand, eyes sweeping slowly around as the frozen moment stretches... the tension will break and the first to surrender or fight will spark a stampede one way or the other.
That's why Marie is also looking around attentively over Alicia's shoulder and the first person to try and incite a defence is going to get messily ended.
Ah, Marie sees it - a dao in rich clothing, drawing a heavy mace and pointing up, starting to shout something.
Go ahead and make your example or at least try to, oh dread sorta pixie.
Marie casts her readied spell and a pair of huge force-blades cut that dao into chunky segments!
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+73 twinned queen's displeasure
[19:09] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+73 twinned queen's displeasure --> [ 1d20=2 ]{75}
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 30d8+30
[19:10] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 30d8+30 --> [ 30d8=153 ]{183}
366 total damage because twinned.
Edit: +16 more damage from Sanzha's song so 382 total.
Alicia: 1068+20/1068
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 102, CMD 129, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural armour, -8 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/5/4
That strikes fast and hard, severing the poor dao down before anyone even has a chance. As he falls, utterly ruined?
Okay, and now that's worth an Intimidate check.
[19:35] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+54 intimidate, add size bonuses based on difference between colossal Alicia and whatever size others are
[19:35] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+54 intimidate, add size bonuses based on difference between colossal Alicia and whatever size others are --> [ 1d20=17 ]{71}
The carrot and stick approach.
edit: Actually if that was Marie doing the intimidation it's +51 for a result of 68.
What happens is...well, chaos. Less organized resistance and the dao in the streets, hurry inside, seeking cover rather than immediately organizing an offensive.
Lady Sanzha looks on, "Ah, good. Creatures like that usually understand diplomacy backed by a rod of iron."
Alicia looks momentarily displeased before her voice is heard once more.
"I said surrender, not scurry around like rats. Put yourselves in order or I will put you in order myself!"
On the upside, you're not seeing any organized resistance. Instead...
'My lady,' A smooth, refined voice says, telepathic communication springing into your mind. 'I am Faridoon Diamaj, General and commander of the Abyssal Lake. Come, none will raise hands to you by my command. I invite you to discuss matters with me personally.'
'All I require from you is your unconditional surrender, there will be no terms,' Alicia replies through the same telepathic medium. 'All who surrender will be remanded safely as prisoners to Sylica until the cessation of hostilities. You have five minutes to make your decision before your lives become forfeit.'
Alter reality that telepathy track spell I've been meaning to write up properly so I can tell where this guy is, and then monitor him with my godly range vision/hearing to make sure he doesn't just start buffing up for battle.
'Then, my lady, you will have blood.' Is the answer you get.
"They've chosen blood. Try and take alive anyone that hasn't taken up arms," Alicia says to her companions, descending to begin clearing out the fort of any who oppose them.
Alicia: 1068+20/1068
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 102, CMD 129, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural armour, -8 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/5/4
Nothing in the streets immediately - but ahead you can see down the streets, where soldiers march out, where forces are beginning to muster.
"Then let's crush them before they can gather," Jessica says, "Keep them on the back foot."
Are the streets wide enough for colossal Alicia to fit actually?
It'll be extremely tight and uncomfortable, hindering your movement and attacks.
Is gargantuan okay or would I need to go down to huge/large to move freely?
Gargantuan would work, if a smidge cramped.
I'll go with huge to be on the safe side then.Alicia shrinks somewhat to fit better on the streets, but she still towers over everyone else as she approaches those mustering soldiers, compressing space so it only takes her a step to get into their midst before she strikes!
Lets roll init? Alicia has supreme init so probably a formality.
[16:57] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 Marie init
[16:57] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+11 Marie init --> [ 1d20=19 ]{30}
Alicia: 920+20/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/5/4
> roll 1d20+24 Jessica
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+24 Jessica --> [ 1d20=6 ]{30}
> roll 1d20+20 Sanzha
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+20 Sanzha --> [ 1d20=8 ]{28}
> roll 1d20+5 Dao
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+5 Dao --> [ 1d20=2 ]{7}
Init is Alicia (Supreme Init) > Jessica = Marie (30) > Lady Sanzha (28) > Dao (7)
The party follows smoothly, space retreating around all of you as you see them. Pools of soldiers spreading out, while commanders shout commands, ordering them about. They are all armored and well dressed, jewelry on each and every one.
Go.
Couldn't stop looking at what?
(is this a meta-IC thing like the invisitext?)Faster than they can react, Alicia is already in their midst and her sword swings out to cut apart all within her reach!
[17:19] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+80 whirlwind attack, 3rd level arcane strike, maximised vampiric touch
[17:19] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+80 whirlwind attack, 3rd level arcane strike, maximised vampiric touch --> [ 1d20=12 ]{92}
[17:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+40 vampiric touch SR
[17:20] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+40 vampiric touch SR --> [ 1d20=15 ]{55}
[17:21] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6+28+13+3d4+60 should've power attacked
[17:21] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 3d6+28+13+3d4+60 should've power attacked --> [ 3d6=9 3d4=8 ]{118}
[17:21] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+2 evil outsider damage where relevant
[17:21] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d6+2 evil outsider damage where relevant --> [ 2d6=9 ]{11}
[17:22] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6 and 1 negative level holy power damage where relevant
[17:22] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 3d6 and 1 negative level holy power damage where relevant --> [ 3d6=11 ]{11}
Alicia: 920+20/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/5/4
No, that wasn't meant to be posted. A bit of DM scribbling that wasn't edited out, whoops. Disregard it.
And in an instant several are cut down as Alicia rushes in, cries of alarm, "Alicia," one is heard calling out, while a commander calls, "R-rally! For the honor of the dao!"
Amid all this...
Anything else this turn?
Alicia's all done. Jessica can go next before Marie just to break it up.
> roll 1d20+86
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+86 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{99}
Jessica vanishes from sight as she sprints ahead, silent and unnoticed as a single, errant raindrop in a downpour.
Superior invisibility used, using stealth as well to go on and touch someone. Rapier first and violently, most likely. Go Marie.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 615+88/615
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil)
Bonuses: Attack+14 (+4 competence, +8 morale, +2 luck), Damage+8 (+8 morale) AC+16 (+6 dodge, +10 armor), Saves+8 (+11 fort)(+6 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 2/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/2
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2.
Lady Sanzha
HP: 512+76/512 (fast healing 3)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+14 (+4 competence, +8 morale, +2 luck), Damage+8 (+8 morale) AC+19 (+6 dodge, +13 armor), Saves+8 (+11 fort)(+6 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Water 14/14 Bardic Music 30/32 Water Devotion 1/1 Trident Elemental Damage 3/3
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes:
Everyone else will probably kill the enemy faster than Marie's magic missile barrages can do the job, and she doesn't want to use the amazing barrage on just the small number of foes nearby while extending it over the fort indiscriminately will likely hit a lot of noncombatants, so Marie's options are surprisingly limited right now. So she points at one of the shouting commanders and sends a bolt of lightning at him, secondary discharges arcing off to strike his supporters nearby.
Empowered chain lightning SLA
[18:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+35 empowered chain lightning SR
[18:05] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+35 empowered chain lightning SR --> [ 1d20=15 ]{50}
[18:05] <@Ebiris> roll 20d6
[18:05] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 20d6 --> [ 20d6=67 ]{67}
100 damage to commander, 50 to 20 nearby targets. DC 31 ref half.
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/5/4
> roll 1d20+20
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+20 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{21}
Sucks to be them.
Lightning erupts amid them, the officer screaming as he's fried and shocked, soldiers around him also catching it. Amid this Lady Sanzha hums, "Hardly a challenge," she announces, a gesture at them. "Bow now." A great tsunami springs up ahead of the party, washing into the mustering soldiers.
> roll 20d6
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 20d6 --> [ 20d6=62 ]{62}
> roll 1d20+25 better at fort, at least
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+25 better at fort, at least --> [ 1d20=20 ]{45}
The tsunami hits the line - it holds despite it, even if some of the shocked member sin the second line are carried away, slain and crushed. It crashes against a nearby building, water spreading out everywhere from the impact.
Between that, lightning and a swipe, the dao are visibly depleted, line holding but hurt, back ranks injured and down. "Retreat, retreat," One calls, "We can't hold like this!" Like this the dao begin to retreat back or down alleys, breaking apart before sufficient force.
WAlls of stone rise up from the ground, 10ft tall and trying to block the way to them, blocking vision for the shorter of you as they retreat.
Go Alicia.
Given everyone here can fly she's not sure those walls are much use. And with Jessica invisible there's a risk of hitting her if she were to throw silver fire at the walls, so Alicia just flies over them and summons some elementals who won't be impeded at all by the environment, designating one as her familiar to bolster its power.
Maximised SMX for 3 elementals, it's automatically empowered here on Earth so I get 4. Swift used to make one of them my familiar.
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 22, attack +27/+27 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 39, attack +42/+42 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells"Slay any dao under arms!" she commands the elementals in Terran, the huge creatures lumbering off to start punching out genies, walking clear through stone walls without breaking stride.
[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42 familiar elemental melee
[18:47] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+42 familiar elemental melee --> [ 1d20=16 ]{58}
[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+27 regular elemental melee
[18:47] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 3#1d20+27 regular elemental melee --> [ 1d20=7 ]{34}, [ 1d20=20 ]{47}, [ 1d20=9 ]{36}
[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 crit check for #3
[18:47] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+27 crit check for #3 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{32}
[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 3#2d10+11
[18:47] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 3#2d10+11 --> [ 2d10=17 ]{28}, [ 2d10=6 ]{17}, [ 2d10=9 ]{20}
[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 4d10+22 for the crit if it landed
[18:47] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 4d10+22 for the crit if it landed --> [ 4d10=30 ]{52}
[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 2d10+11 if it didn't
[18:48] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d10+11 if it didn't --> [ 2d10=9 ]{20}
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/5/4
The elementals slam into the dao, joining a bitter brawl. A fighting retreat, dao falling as others are taken, the walls overcome simply enough for you.
Amid all of this, a dao's head crushed while one of your elementals is cut deep?
> roll 1d20+68
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+68 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{85}
> roll 1d20+68 crit?
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+68 crit? --> [ 1d20=8 ]{76}
> roll 2d6+64+23d6+1d6 and 2 str
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 2d6+64+23d6+1d6 and 2 str --> [ 2d6=10 23d6=73 1d6=3 ]{150}
A scream from within one of the buildings, long, loud and fading into nothing.
Worry not about the officers escaping, sister. They're in here with me.
Marie.
Marie hastes those elementals before they all get too far away, and then follows up with a very limited amazing barrage, solely targeting the armed soldiers that she can see.
Quickened/twinned/repeat/fell drain/entangling amazing barrage
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3+31
[19:13] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d3+31 --> [ 1d3=3 ]{34}
68 damage and 2 negative levels to all struck.
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
With that, those who are still out fall. For a moment the streets are yours, the forces ahead beaten - for now.
Free act. First wave down.
"Jessica, Sanzha, Marie? Regroup with me," Alicia says before they start moving towards where the dao commander is. "You four, circle the perimeter before where it gets wet, remember my orders," she adds to the summoned elementals.
Ahead is a large barracks, where the soldiers came from. The commanders fled that way - and...
Do you have tremorsense right now?
Yes, Alicia and Marie both via sensual blessing. 60 feet for Marie, 3 miles for Alicia.
Deep below, Alicia can feel the rumbles of movement.
Considering it's Earth, even encased in water, this isn't a surprise.
Meanwhile Jessica sends back, 'I'm busy right now, sister. I have a lead on Faridoon. I believe he's coming to lead from the front. Brave, if a mistake.'
Down below as in below our feet on this island, or further down in the ground underneath the lake?'As you like, we won't be far behind though,' she returns to Jessica, considering she's headed towards him herself.
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
The first.
"Elementals, change of plan," Alicia calls to her summoned minions. "Movement in the ground below. Intercept it and subdue it!"
The elementals obey without a word, going to fulfill your will.
"Expected," Lady Sanzha says, "My, they seem to think they can meaningfully stop us here."
"They must have a line on some strong reinforcements," Alicia reasons. "Lets make sure we have the area cleared before any can arrive."
Meanwhile no further reinforcements are coming out. Perhaps they're defending?
"They must," Lady Sanzha agrees, "Prudent of them, if likely a wasted effort."
Alicia continues leading the group towards where the telepathic contact came from earlier.
I have 3 mile radius blindsight/vision/hearing so it shouldn't be any issue to know where the defenders are holding up and go visit them.
You can hear them within, deeper within and below. The barracks - below the barracks and behind them.
In case that changes your calculus.
No, we'll go to the barracks and leave the summons to handle stuff underground.
Thus you head into the barracks. Ahead the halls in are blocked with walls of stone, impeding immediate progress in further. How do you dispose of such a simple barrier?
Rather than blowing holes in it bit by bit, Alicia elects to handle it all at once. "Sanzha, sending a tsunami in there after I complete this spell should work well," she suggest to their marid ally.
Limited wish for Transmute Rock to Mud on as much of the walls as I can get, which is 66 ten foot cubes.
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/8/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
A moment later the walls are mud, a tsunami bringing a wave of mud and water ahead, cries as everything is swept away. Ahead is a simple, functional hall, big enough for several to walk abreast. The image of a dao in white robes and full of golden jewelry can be seen, regal and imperious, large mural on the side walls. The dao here are in a heap on the back wall, the tsunami spreading water all over.
You can hear them deeper within, fortifying and preparing. Except to the east, where soldiers are having a pitched discussion with a commander over quietly surrendering.
"It's not worth it! She's DIVINE!"
"Suicide fits the slaves, not us!"
"But it's our duty!"
She pauses a moment so she can contact Jessica.
A quick demonstration in the command centre at the east of the barracks could push them into surrendering, sister.
Give me just a moment, sister. I'll make that demonstration.
Trusting Jessica to handle that, Alicia leads Marie and Sanzha towards the fortifications deeper within.
Thus you step deeper into the barracks. A great mustering hall is here, soldiers lined up behind small fortifications of stone. They use them for cover, dao and earth elementals blocking the way, with a screen of humanoids without weapons or armor in front, chained to the ground. No words at this - only the cold, savage launching of stones and magic, as...
Init.
[18:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 Marie init Kobot
[18:49] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+11 Marie init Kobot --> [ 1d20=6 ]{17}
Alicia has supreme init.
Go ahead and go if you aren't holding, I'll sort out init after that as needed.
"Despicable," Alicia pronounces on seeing the slaves bound at the front of the battle-line as human shields. It won't help however, as she compresses space between herself and the back line, a single step
stretching as she bypasses their defences and appears at their flank, sword eviscerating every dao within her reach!
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 whirlwind attack, 3rd level arcane strike, maximised combust, -30 power attack Kobot
[19:10] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+50 whirlwind attack, 3rd level arcane strike, maximised combust, -30 power attack Kobot --> [ 1d20=5 ]{55}
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6+88+13+3d4+80
[19:11] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 3d6+88+13+3d4+80 --> [ 3d6=6 3d4=6 ]{193}
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+2 bane where relevant
[19:11] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d6+2 bane where relevant --> [ 2d6=6 ]{8}
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6 and 1 negative level holy where relevant
[19:11] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 3d6 and 1 negative level holy where relevant --> [ 3d6=13 ]{13}
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+40 combust SR
[19:11] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+40 combust SR --> [ 1d20=20 ]{60}
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/8/9/15/8/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
And in a flash of fire and flame, dao are set asunder, or at least chunks of them are. Your single attack is devastating, clearing the space around you as...
> roll 1d20+24 Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 43 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+20 Sanzha
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+7 Dao
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=15]
Could I get Marie init?
[18:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 Marie init Kobot
[18:49] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+11 Marie init Kobot --> [ 1d20=6 ]{17}
Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Jessica (43) > Sanzha (34) > Dao (22) > Marie (17)> roll 1d20+68
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 81 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d6+32+23d6+1d6 an 2 str
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d6=6,1,1,2,2,4,2,3,3,3,3,3,1,3,5,5,3,5,1,6,1,3,1,3,3][/i]
In the distance you hear a scream and then Jessica's voice, "You have your warning - surrender or perish from the shadows."
The soldiers still alive visibly startle at that scream but hold as Sanzha looks on in disapproval, "Cowards," she says in a single word of contempt, "Hiding behind slaves?" With a snap of her fingers the chains of the slaves come undone as she walks forward into them. "Flee," she commands them, slaves crying out, several stumbling away, chaos in the front.
"D-demon! Monster!" One dao screams, the blood of his comrade splattered across his face and chest. He stumbles away from Alicia, "W...we can't fight this!"
Not that the elementals care, but several of the dao throw down their weapons, or others turn to flee.
"It-it's as bad as facing Zaaman Rul or Seira!" ANother blurts out as the elementals turn, several of them lumbering towards Alicia.
All sorts of AoOs are provoked, Alicia. Feel free.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 615+88/615
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil)
Bonuses: Attack+14 (+4 competence, +8 morale, +2 luck), Damage+8 (+8 morale) AC+16 (+6 dodge, +10 armor), Saves+8 (+11 fort)(+6 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 2/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/2
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2.
Lady Sanzha
HP: 512+76/512 (fast healing 3)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+14 (+4 competence, +8 morale, +2 luck), Damage+8 (+8 morale) AC+19 (+6 dodge, +13 armor), Saves+8 (+11 fort)(+6 morale, +2 luck), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Water 14/14 Bardic Music 29/32 Water Devotion 1/1 Trident Elemental Damage 3/3
Spells Used: 1 9th level
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL33), Recitation (CL33), Greater Heroism (CL33), Greater Telepathic Bond (CL33), Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Notes: 50% spell failure.
Though openings are offered, Alicia doesn't risk over-extending herself against weaklings ever cognisant of the risk someone more deadly could appear and strike while she's distracted.
Not taking it.
Marie then.
Marie aims a bolt of lightning at the healthiest looking dao, arcs splitting off afterwards to hit other dao and then elementals as targets allow!
[20:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+35 empowered chain lightning SR, kobot
[20:05] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 39 > [d20=4]
[20:05] <@Ebiris> roll 15d6
[20:05] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d6=1,2,5,5,5,2,1,5,4,5,6,1,6,5,6]
88 damage to primary, 44 to 20 secondaries. DC 31 ref half.
> roll 1d20+18
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=14]
Lightning slams home, the elementals rocked back as a chunk of dao are hit. Defenses are left barren, soldiers giving it up faster and faster as...
Ahead you can hear, "S-sir," a voice gasps, "We can't hold. We can't stop them!"
Alicia.
This time Alicia's blade swings out for elementals as well, anyone still active within her reach felled by a sweep of her blades before she pinches space ahead and moves further on towards that voice to make very clear how true that appraisal is.
[20:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 whirlwind attack, 3rd level arcane strike, maximised combust, -30 power attack
[20:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d20=3]
[20:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+40 combust SR
[20:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 47 > [d20=7]
[20:29] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6+88+13+3d4+80
[20:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 196 > [d6=6,3,1][d4=2,1,2]
[20:29] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+2 evil outsider bane where relevant
[20:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d6=3,2]
[20:29] <@Ebiris> roll 3d6 and 1 negative level holy power where relevant
[20:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d6=5,2,5]
[spoiler]
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/10/8/9/15/8/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
[/spoile]
It's like scything through wheat: More dao fall, unable to oppose you, unable to stop you. You slice through, leaving another hunk of ruined earth in place of elementals. Then you warp forward, past all of this. Down the next passage are a small group of dao barring the way, a shorter dao listening as he says, "It doesn't matter, we have to -!"
Anything else this turn?
"Have to what?" Alicia asks as she makes her presence known, keeping that space compressed behind her so Marie and Sanzha can more easily follow.
That's worth an Intimidate check, I think. Scary.
[17:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+58 intimidate plus size bonus for huge vs their size
[17:06] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d20=11]
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/10/8/9/15/8/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
They all freeze at this, staring openly a moment at your rapid advance.
"I'd suggest dropping your weapons," she suggests levelly. She's a little bit tempted to use her divine aura and show them exactly what they're dealing with, but if they resist it it'd be really embarrassing so she'll just rely on her native threat level.
The clanking of metal is audible as all of them do exactly as you commanded. They kneel after, no longer resisting at all.
"Good. Who's giving the orders here?" she asks them.
"General Faridoon Diamaj. He's below, in the Purification Center," The commanding dao says quickly, keeping his gaze averted. "He went there as soon as you made your ultimatum, oh magnificent one."
"Go back there and do what the eladrin tells you," Alicia points back through the twisted space. "Marie, take charge of our prisoners and make sure they play nice with their own former captives. Sanzha, with me?"
Can I sense anything below with my 3 mile tremorsense/see a path to get there?
There's paths going below, yes.
Alicia squares that circle by sending a wide blast of silver fire down in a direct line so she and Sanzha can get there directly. She'll have to shrink to normal size to fit down the tunnel but that's no real impediment to her fighting ability!
Down and down and down you go. Through a burrowed tunnel, Sanzha at your side. She's smiling tightly, "A purification center - this should be something, Alicia. Do you need any preparations?"
"I'm well prepared. If it's what keeps the water in the centre from being poisonous we want to avoid damaging it, though," Alicia cautions Sanzha while Marie keeps an eye on their prisoners and Jessica does what Jessica does.
You bisect several rooms and halls - a storage room iwth no one there, a hall with dao fleeing and a training room that's empty of soldiers. Down and down and down you go, hurrying on. You come out in a vast, hollow chamber. Here great rivers of foul waters flow into a series of magical diagrams and then into a great metal sphere dozens of feet tall and wide, floating above the ground. Standing atop this sphere is a dao in an ornate military uniform, medals and honors by the dozens pinned there.
With a slight bow, "My ladies," The same voice as before, General Faridoon greeting you. "A thousand lamentations that you've come this far, but ten thousand exultations for your coming defeat." He's rather average and has a full beard kept well, his arms open and spread out, as if to encompass everything here. "I could say much," he says, "But do you not agree actions speak louder than words?"
Alicia of course is able to immediately take in everything that's going on here, though she's almost certainly going to kill Faridoon before he can perform whatever action he's so hyped for.
Arcane sight is up, taking 10 for 63 on spellcraft to see what sort of deadly trap he's rigged here before anything else.
The sphere is absolutely radiant with magic. Overwhelming power rests within, an incredibly ancient and crystallized spell that's transcended magic. A focus of filth, of waste and poison, left to accumulate power for unthinkable eons.
It is alive.
As you talk, the sphere shakes. One side of it bursts open and then the other, massive arms of pure, black filth erupting out. The flow of waters in and out stops, spraying about everywhere. Two legs follow from the bottom of the sphere, and from atop it a neck and head emerges. It consumes General Faridoon with this, who speaks from within.
"Do you think enriching ourselves was our only purpose here, Saint Alicia? Eons and eons of poison siphoned away as treasure is removed from the waters here. This Heart of Poison shall be your end."
I wasn't talking! But fine, supreme init lets do this.
Dance of the unicorn negates whatever poison abilities it has if it has less hd than Alicia (33), otherwise we get a +4 bonus on our saves.
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/10/8/9/15/8/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
As he talks, an editing snafu. Dur.
Noted about the dance. The creature is about 120ft away and 15ft in the air or so. Go ahead and go since Supreme Init, I'll figure out init after that.
"You're a fool if you think poison will suffice against me," Alicia says contemptuously, asserting her divine will to purify what the dao have spent so many years harvesting.
Alter reality for an at range neutralise poison style effect, I have the purification domain so this is on brand.
That was an extremely apt choice.
I'm going to rule that on top of anything else, this deals 1d12 points of damage to the creature per hit die of yours, so 33d12 damage. Roll it before anything else.
[19:26] <@Ebiris> roll 33d12
[19:26] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 235 > [d12=10,7,6,12,7,7,12,2,10,5,4,9,8,2,7,11,3,5,11,11,10,2,4,10,1,11,9,2,6,8,3,9,11]
> roll 1d20+23 constructs do not have good saves
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=13]
The wave of purification makes the entire thing stagger desperately, black limbs becoming more of a dirty brown. The entire thing wobbles violently from this spell, the air surely growing more breathable beyond your purified zone around you.
Meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+20 Sanzha
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+15 Heart of Poison
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=10]
Init is Alicia (Supreme Init) > Sanzha (35) > Heart of Poison.
Anything else on your turn, Alicia?
I have two swifts."Now do you see how poorly conceived this was?" she asks archly. A pair of invisible walls of force spring up to partially bisect the chamber, a gap through which spells could be thrown but only something the size of a human could walk through. Of course it's not big enough to cover the entire chamber so one could walk around the long way as well, if they could see the walls of force to navigate past them anyway.
2 quickened walls of force.
Alicia: 920+60/920
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 115, spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +10 insight perception, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort, +16 str, -4 dex, +8 con, +5 natural armour, -2 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 3 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +89
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/10/8/9/15/6/8/4/8/6/6/6/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/10/7/7
Marie: 711+20/711
Active spells: Extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), extended ray deflection (CL 33), greater arcane sight (CL 33), bibliotheca arcana (CL 33), telepathic bond (CL 33), freedom of movement (CL 33)
Defences: AC 92 (CMD 86), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (electricity), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), nondetection (DC 48), ray deflection, freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 morale skills, +15 insight knowledge, +8 morale attack/damage, +6 morale saves/dodge AC, +4 competence attack, +3 competence fort
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +77
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/9/8/7/8/7/3/4/4
Elementals 2, 3, 4: 228/228 hp, AC 23, attack +28/+28/+28 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground
Elemental 1: 457/457 hp, AC 40, attack +43/+43/+43 (2d10+11 19-20/x2), DR 10/-, +1 attack/damage when it and foe are touching ground, 2/day limited wish, improved evasion, spell resistance 38, deliver touch spells
"Aaaaaagh!" The cry of General Faridoon is heard as Lady Sanzha titters. It's not a very kind laugh at all, openly mocking.
Sanzha's holding with the walls in place and will move to counter or contain if it can get past them.
Weakened or no, the Heart of Poison lumbers forward, hands coming together in a titanic double axe handle, slamming into the unseen wall.
> roll 1d20 1 check
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=13]
The blow hits - and the wall flickers visible. Hissing sections of it seem to recoil from the poison, but nothing more.
"What did you do?!" Faridoon growls from within the creature, voice echoing now. "What did you do to it?!"
Suffice to say that I made this well before Alicia both gained another DvR and chose Purification, let alone before she was the one to face it. Talk about an encounter running into a cooler. Alicia, go, that was meant to do a lot more but didn't.
She's actually always had purification, it was liberation she picked up recently.
"You don't hoard poison, you neutralise it. I'm doing what you should have been doing yourselves all this time," Alicia says, leaving her walls up as she aims through the gap to continue purifying the whole sordid mess.
Alter reality again, rolling the same dice?
[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 33d12 assuming same again
[20:06] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 198 > [d12=5,9,1,8,10,5,1,12,10,1,1,8,11,11,7,8,7,8,5,8,1,1,1,3,8,6,4,10,5,8,2,2,11]
Dur. You can see I'm together today.
Anyway, yes.
> roll 1d20+23 constructs do not have good saves
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=11]
The Heart of Poison staggers again, this time draining to a lighter brown, going to fall in a heap, rolling about as arms and legs thrash in the air. Lady Sanzha's snickering becomes downright contemptuous, "Really, this is it? Your great hope writhes about like a dying vermin? Oh General, you are a fool. Fortunately, the reward of all fools is coming to embrace you."
Sanzha holds again.
The Heart of Poison struggles to rise, managing to do so. It rears back and spews light brown waters...that do nothing at all. Most is blocked by the wall and what gets through fizzles out in the radius of your protective magic.
Go.
"Actions really do speak louder than words," Alicia says, slowly but surely neutralising that poison, rendering it harmless as water.
[20:17] <@Ebiris> roll 33d12 more of the same
[20:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 216 > [d12=7,7,3,5,5,12,2,9,2,12,3,6,10,3,10,9,12,4,8,1,10,2,12,10,10,8,2,2,1,8,6,10,5]
At this the waters become clear and pure. The limbs of water break apart, spilling about. These clean waters meet the befouled waters all about, cleansing them as they touch them. The sphere does not move any further, only the sounds of rushing water.
It's over.
Free act.
"It looks like his body was consumed by the poisons. Nothing left, what a fool," Alicia shakes her head and removes the walls of force, her voice heard once more across the fortress.
The heart of poison is purified, General Faridoon is dead. Surrender and you will be treated honourably, otherwise you will join him soon.
With your sudden and decisive victory, with Marie managing and Jessica striking from the shadows?
It happens.
Dao begin to surrender, resistance ceasing everywhere Alicia can see and here.
Regrouping with Marie, Alicia has her proxy lower her teleport interdiction so they can open gates between here and Sylica, evacuating dao prisoners and any particularly mistreated workers where some will be held prisoner and others will be cared for and repatriated to their homes, meanwhile an occupation force from Sylica comes over to secure the place while other workers present will be employed to advise the occupiers on how things function here so they can take over the running of the place and allow the rest of the workers here to be removed to Sylica for their own eventual repatriation (unless any really want to stay here, though any that do will be looked at oddly and vetted to ensure they're not spies or saboteurs).
There is one immediate problem as you move to go, "We need to deal with this first," Sanzha follows, pointing at the befouled water still flooding in. Even as it purifies, it's still flooding.
"Ah... I was never much good at fixing magic items," Alicia admits.
Marie can you lower the teleport block and start moving prisoners to Sylica and look after our forces coming through? I need Latha to come to where I am.
Once Marie does that, Alicia's avatar handles things on the Sylica end and opens a gate between Latha and the purification center.
Since Latha has the item creation feats and Alicia has the divine purification mojo lets see if we can repair this thing and change it into a proper purifier rather than condenser?
"Then I'll at least manage the waters," Lady Sanzha says, turning her magic to that.
It's not hard to get Latha through. She comes to it right off, inspecting it with your magic shielding her. Sanzha is busy in the background working away, while Jessica watches. "It is an interesting device," Latha finally says, "It does indeed purify in part, but it also shunts a part - now clear thanks to the buildup of ages being cleansed. Changing it is possible." A consideration, "A mage well versed in metals would be helpful here as well, the work is specialized and would do better than with greater magic brute forcing solutions."
"Lets keep it stable for the moment, I'll see if Yandrazt can be spared from the Cauldron," Alicia says as her avatar takes a quick trip to the Cauldron to try and recruit a gnomish metal mage to help with their little brain-trust here.
Quick check: Any objection, Seira?
Go with my blessing, metal gnome~
Soon enough Yandrazt is there, working away with Latha. The two are busy, utterly absorbed in the task.
"Sister," Jessica calls, "Will be able to safely use to extract metals, if we desire?"
"Once we've got everything up and running, anyway," Alicia says, floating over towards Jessica now since most of the work is being done by Latha and Yandrazt. "It'll work as well for us as it did for the dao - the water's full of dissolved rare metals as much as poison, and the line between the two blurs a bit."
A moment's smile, "I only have one question then, sister. How strong was that beast you purified, for Faridoon to put his hopes into it?"
"I wish I could even tell you," Alicia smiles faintly. "It never had a chance to show off its power, I eroded it to nothing before it could threaten Sanzha or myself." She looks over at the broken metal sphere now. "The power of aeons worth of poisons, condensed and crystallised into a god-slaying weapon? No one will ever know what it might have been capable of."
A free hint:
Aura of Poison (Ex)
30ft, DC 53 Fort, 2d6 all six ability scores/4d6 all six ability scores, secondary damage is by round instead of by minute. This is an epic poison. The save is required each round a creature is within 30ft of it.
Corroding Touch (Su)
...
Materials of all kinds can be eroded by the Heart of Poison's touch. Even magical barriers such as walls of force or a prismatic sphere are subject to this corrosion.
...
Jessica smiles wryly, "It's almost too bad you had to destroy it, sister. It sounds like it could have been powerful."
"It almost sounds like you're disappointed I didn't get beaten up," Alicia says suspiciously, before leaning closer and lowering her voice. "Honestly I felt sorry for him too. Sanzha has a very emasculating laugh."
Jessica cracks a smile at that, "The General or the poison?" she asks. "You're also right." Keeping her voice down, "I've learned as a wife that the coldest, cruelest thing I can do is to undercut Roald's sense of masculinity. I would pity him, too."
"Not enough to stop of course, he made his bed..." she sighs a little and looks at the metal sphere once more. "He sounded so confident, too."
Jessica inspects as Latha hammers the outside of the sphere and Yandrazt pokes his head out, as if steel was nothing more than air and says, "More on that side, it needs more adjustment for the changes."
"It must have been a remarkably powerful creature," Jessica shakes her head.
Also, it's good to engage Latha in this. She needs more yet, sister. She...I never dreamed I would say she needs to catch up to me. She's been our guide and guardian for so long.
She's been pulling her weight well enough lately, but I suppose your ascension would change your perspective on things. Still, this is particularly her area of expertise.
Jessica merely watches as the work.
As you organize matters and the sphere is worked on further...
Give me a quick d100.
[17:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[17:34] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d100=27]
As you work, a prayer catches your attention. It's from Gladsun, a ghaele serving you.
'Saint Alicia, give us strength, for with what I see, this entire city may be about to be destroyed.'
What city's that? She focuses her attention on Gladsun to see where they are and what they see.
Remove sensing to perceive everything within 3 miles around them.
Gladsun is in one of the underpassages beneath the city. A secret door has been opened, revealing a complex magical diagram within.
It's a simple spell trigger: When triggered it unleashes several massive earthquakes. On a glance with your magic, the trigger looks to be not being reset with a certain magical item every 24 hours or so.
What city? Where is this?
[17:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+68 spellcraft with divine insight
[17:56] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d20=1]
Spellcraft to see if I can tell what magic item is needed, and also if I can see it within 3 miles of Gladsun.
This city, notably. It looks to be the Abyssal Chair and yes, you can sense it in the Abyssal Lake, in the General's now former office.
I thought it was a base/fort rather than an actual city.
"Jessica, could you do me a favour?" she asks. "There's a magic item in Faridoon's office," she describes it. "Unless it's placed in a ritual chamber down below it'll trigger earthquakes to destroy the city. I need to stay here to maintain the purification until Latha and Yandrazt finish so I need you to go get it and take it to the chamber." She then gives Jessica directions for everywhere she needs to go for this.
Phrasing issue there, admittedly
"I'll see to it, sister." Jessica promises, going.
> roll 1d20+47
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 48 > [d20=1]
Soon enough?
Sister, it's done. It needs a dao to sit in it to work, but fortunately, we have several volunteers on hand.
Fortunate, as I was not able to make it work myself. It was almost a disaster.
Thank you. Once we've finished with the purification center we can see about dismantling that earthquake setup afterwards. The level of spite is revolting.
This was not an easy trap to find, we could have missed it before it was too late. I believe we had less than an hour when I stabilized it.
It may also be prudent had that creature of poison slipped its bonds. When you cage a tiger, you have a sword ready should it slip its cage.
...though perhaps my entire mindset is faulty if I am advocating for the dao.
Perhaps, though I'm unsure if mere earthquakes would stop a creature like that. It feels more like an anti-revolt measure.
Soon enough all of you gather again before the sphere, the work done. "It's finished," Latha announces, "We can begin immediately."
"There's more," Yandrazt declares, "First, it can focus on one type of rare metal or get less but aim for all of them. Secondly, there's still a tremendous seed of energy within even now. The first metal extracted should be gold, and I'm claiming part of it for my own research. The rest will still be formidable, and should be an item of power - and edible, even to a normal person."
"I believe small amounts of gold can be eaten as is it, sister?" Jessica speaks up, a half question. "I've seen that in a few fancy restaurants across the planes."
"True, for most humanoids," Yandrazt goes on, "But this will be charged with a tremendous amount of energy and empower whomever eats it. Choose wisely, there will be enough for one person."
"That can be your reward Latha, since Yandrazt has claimed his share," Alicia says, making that decision easily enough considering her hard work and what Jessica was talking about earlier. "Can it be tuned to change what metal is focused on later or does setting it once lock that decision?"
Jessica smiles at that, "Go on," she prompts, "Taste the fruits of your labors."
"It can be reset," Yandrazt notes, "I wouldn't change it more than once every day since productivity takes time to ramp up, but you can change it freely."
"Thank you, Alicia," Latha agrees, going to the sphere and touching it. Arcane circles appear around it, spinning and attuning, "It's begun. Watch."
She nods. "We can leave it on the general setting for now," she says, lacking any specific metallurgical needs for the moment. Stepping back she watches the thing spool up to begin dispensing their reward.
It starts slow - a few specks of gold appearing in the air, forming next to the sphere. A metal slat appears under it, extending from the sphere as magic gathers. A speck a minute perhaps, everyone watching.
Then two a minute. Three. Five. Nine. Ten.
Before your eyes over the minutes, a single ingot of gold forms. Gold radiant as sunshine, an ingot over a foot long and quite thick. Yandrazt goes to it, a pass of his hand. Sheer radiance comes from the cut ingot, half taken by the metal gnome and the other half left. "Latha," he calls.
Latha comes forth, taking the half ingot and raising it to he rmouth. The faintest taste - and gold is bitten as easily as bread. Latha's eyes go wide and she tucks into it, taking big, needy bites out of it. She devours it like a hungry man devouring a feast, the gold consumed swiftly. Light lingers around her in a radius, blending into her own glow, which seems faintly more gold-shaded now.
Latha gains the following:
Golden Light (Su)
Spells Latha casts are filled with the purifying light of the sun. Any spell that she casts that targets a living ally heals 1d12 points of damage and cures 1 point of ability damage to all six ability scores.
Additionally, Latha's racial resistance to poison increases to immunity.
"What did it taste like?" Alicia is curious to know after seeing how Latha went at it with such gusto.
"Like a warm summer day through the lens of nostalgia," Latha finally says.
"Good, good," Yandrazt puts his half away, "The research to be done with this," he murmurs, "Now all you have to do is hold this location and harvest the metals."
Jessica's smiling at that, smiling widely - as you feel it, a connection to Jessica, growing bright and strong.
Node update, go read. It's for your sword, both sides of it.
Read it.
"That is nice," she says, smiling back at Latha, then she nods to Yandrazt. "Yes, fortunately the natural defences will serve us as well as it did the dao. We'll set up dimensional interdiction and a moderate garrison should be able to hold it long term."
Next of course she needs to disarm that earthquake trigger permanently.
With that in agreement you go to do just that.
Quick Spellcraft, just for my own reference.
[18:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+68 spellcraft using divine insight
[18:21] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 73 > [d20=5]
Studying it carefully, you can see it can be done. It will require sublime skill - it's woven in quite well, but it's not like sublime skill is in short demand for you and yours. You could do it yourself with a bit of time and effort.
Alicia will get Marie to do it, since she's skilled and particularly good at subverting other people's magic!
(wouldn't dispelling it just work?)
Could try that, sure. Spellcraft or a dispel check, whichever you prefer.
Marie has this!
She'll use her Snatch Spell ability if she can.
Snatch Spell (Su): At 8th level, an incantatrix can attempt to seize control over a persistent effect created by another spellcaster. The effect must be one that does not depend on concentration but still relies on or responds to the caster's control (such as a summon monster spell or spiritual weapon, but not a wall of fire or acid fog). Furthermore, the effect (but not necessarily the spellcaster) must be within 30 feet of the incantatrix. The target spellcaster and the incantatrix make an opposed caster level check. A divine spellcaster receives a +2 bonus on this check. If the incantatrix wins, she gains control of the spell until its original duration expires. The spell functions as though the incantatrix had cast it, except that any variables determined when the spell was cast (including its caster level) remain as determined by the caster. The original caster can be affected by his own spell, though he receives a +2 circumstance bonus on any saving throw allowed against it. If the spell is dismissible and the incantatrix wishes to dismiss it, she must make a second successful opposed caster level check to do so. If she fails, the spell remains in effect and control reverts to the original caster.
[18:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33 Marie CL
[18:48] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=16]
She'll then dismiss it if she takes control, which requires another check.
[18:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33 Marie CL
[18:49] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=3]
If none of that works, here's her spellcraft check.
[18:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+52+15 Marie spellcraft with Alicia granted divine insight
[18:49] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+37
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 48 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+37
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 54 > [d20=17]
Marie manages to get it but can't dismiss it, the spell resisting. Alas.
Instead she works the long and hard way, slowly and carefully disarming the spell. It takes some time, but in the end it's no longer a threat, the earthquakes stopped for good.
A good job by Marie!
They stick around a while longer, rebuilding defences, getting the new garrison and workers organised, and then it's time to return to Sylica with a job done and a new stream of resources pouring in.
On your return Antenora awaits in your office. Once you enter, "There is a three day ceasefire in the war, due to negotiations," Antenora begins, "Both Celestia and the Cauldron believe this is the time to force the Grand Sultan because politics have turned against him in all directions - including Water. I'm not clear on it, but the war turned in such a way that the Water Lord was willing to participate. Between the Battle of Father and Son and the situation with Eblis, the political landscape has sharply turned against the Grand Sultan, and is further complicated by intrigue at home."
"Looks like we just got our attack on the Abyssal Lake in under the deadline then," Alicia says. "It'll be a relief for our soldiers not to have to see much fighting after all. Lets pull them back to defend Sylica - chances are someone like Malcanthet or Shar was planning on attacking us while we were busy fighting abroad anyway."
"I already began that," Antenora agrees, "Also...I never truly understood. I only have handfuls of faithful at most, many yours who also pay me homage now, and yet it's so much. My mind is constantly awhirl with everything from that." Resting back, looking up, "It feels right to tend to them, does it not?"
"It's a God's role, it's why we exist," Alicia nods. "Even as One, the template is the same. A responsibility and a duty."
"A duty," Antenora seconds. She pauses a few moments, lost in thought. "If the war winds down, do we have a plan to advance forward?"
"That's something we'll have to decide on, isn't it?" Alicia returns. "We have problems of our own with Shar, Malcanthet, Hell, our outstanding commitments to Aurora and Daun. Honestly if the war does wind down I'll want to re-prioritise Sylica's resources back towards growth and giving our people more time to rest and pursue their own interests. We're stretched extremely thin right now and we're lucky that hasn't been tested."
"Extremely lucky," Antenora says, "Shar's been quiet after Dragodan, I suspect she's preparing something." Rising, going to the window and looking out at the sunlight, "Also all the more reason to get a little rest in while we have only a need for vigilance. With commands given, I am going to take Marie to a beach for sunbathing. A respite before more coming trials, or further war if the war continues. Would you, Syala, Jessica or anyone else care to join us?"
"You and Marie go have some private fun, we've been busy enough you haven't had much time for it," she encourages, gesturing for Antenora to go. "Build a few sandcastles or something."
With a growing smile at that, "I think Marie's hands will have other things to occupy them." Antenora says with a contented warmth. "But thank you."
"Just go have fun," she says with an indulgent smile.
Going to be doing anything in particular during this time or holding down the fort/seeing if anything bad happens?
Playing defensive for the moment.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 48 > [d100=48]
It is a lull of momentary peace, of everyone regearing and preparing for what may come. As the sun sets you stand atop a cliff, looking over at Sylica below. As you take it in, your thoughts tumbling over each other as you watch it all?
"She was right," Syala says, at your side in an instant. "We won't have a chance to rest for some time even if we get peace."
Well she found a few minutes, even if her avatar is busy elsewhere... and two other avatars are growing with painful slowness towards finally being useful themselves.
"There's never peace in Creation, not everywhere," she answers, turning towards Syala.
"Yet when I'm with you, I have enough," Syala reaches up for your cheek, to cradle it - and stops. In a soft voice she whispers, "Shar."
Alicia cocks her head to the side. "Is she talking to you?" she asks. It can be annoying when that happens.
A faint nod as Syala focuses. "She's challenging me."
She keeps quiet then to not distract Syala, she can explain what it's about when she can focus, but better she direct her mind fully to figuring out what Shar's game is.
A longer pause before, "She's challenging me to Compete," Syala finally says, breathing out. "There's a souls she's chasing that has some interest in me, but hews closer and closer to her darkness."
"She's probably close to sealing the deal, but I'm not sure Competition matters or would make a difference if it's not a meaningful challenge or effort," Alicia postulates. "What do you think?"
"That if I give up on someone who would reach to me, I should quit while I'm ahead and go back to guarding a tree," Syala smiles tightly.
"I do wonder how someone could be close to both you and Shar, but good luck anyway," Alicia says. "Lets keep up our winning run against her."
"For everyone's sake," Syala agrees, "It's done, I'll see to it."
It's Syala's contest, all Alicia can do is wish her well.
After a pause, your hand is taken. "What a few days," Syala says, "All springing out from one date night. We should have dates more often." With a slight smile as you two overlook the horizon, "Two decades of establishment, of waiting and working - and now it feels things are moving again."
She squeezes Syala's hand back. "Just have to keep up the momentum, then."
Turning to meet Alicia's gaze, "We'll be together in this, until the end, whatever it is."
Give me another d100 real quick.
[16:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[16:54] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d100=65]
Soon enough as you work?
Congratulations, Alicia. You continue to impress me. You have guided a force of tyranny into a light that will save souls every day, to give them a chance to live and others to live free of tyranny.
She pauses what she's doing and smiles at the recognition. Antenora deserves most of the credit, but thank you. When Eblis is ready to return the stage, I hope he'll make a real difference.
You have done a marvelous thing this day. Waukeen shall lose this coming game of bragging over our risen servants.
You can feel real warmth and amusement in Mystra's words, like a sunrise's smile.
I will arrive shortly. I wish to meet Antenora and take her measure, now that she has fully joined us.
You're always welcome, I'll let her know you're coming.
And she'll do just that, she's had a couple of hours to relax with Marie at least.
How are you doing that?
Godvoice.
'Thank you, Alicia.
Is it a formal meeting or a casual meeting? I recall she enjoyed the beach last time, but this strikes me as a more serious matter.'
'She's known you for years, Antenora, if she's deciding to take your measure it strikes me as a serious matter,' Alicia cautions telepathically. 'Keep things formal and put your best foot forward. Marie and I will be there to support you.'
'I'll be ready then.'
Any prep for this?
Antenora can pick out a nice spot on the Opal Mountain since that's 'her' spot more than anywhere else in Sylica.
Hidden in one of the many craggy cliffs is a pillared temple - a small one, open air and secluded by tricks of the terrain. Within is polished stone with opal blue accents, the interior of the temple airy and with many tunnels into the roof, leading to various hidden, aerial exits above and to the sides. Beyond that, there is a large pool of water here, seemingly plain on a glance, situated in the center-back of the floor.
Here Antenora awaits in full armor as you feel it - Mystra's presence, 'knocking'.
Speaking aloud even as she sends her will, "You're welcome here, Mystra," Antenora says.
Alicia stands nearby similarly in her usual armour, while Marie wears a purple and gold set of wizard's robes as she loiters by the pool, an important enough presence to be here but not important enough to be prominent.
Alicia just nods as Antenora responds to the knock, as is her right with this being her divine realm too.
There is a flash of silver fire, a few motes that expand outward. From this Mystra emerges, striding forth. The silver fire clings to her edges, burning against her without harming her at all.
Antenora steps forward, "Welcome, Lady Mystra," she says, "I would show you something I have begun."
"Thank you, Lady Antenora," Mystra returns that with a hint of a smile, though it doesn't last. "Show me."
Alicia and Marie keep quiet to let Antenora run the show, since it's in a sense her big debut.
The group is lead to the pool, Antenora nodding slightly to Marie. 'Thank you for tending it, love,' she sends, kneeling before the pool.
"This pool will allow those who come to it to see what they need to seek redemption for. It will provide clarity and insight to those who are serious, for reaching this place is no trivial task." Here Antenora dips her hand into the water, lifting it up and letting it gently pour back down. "A place for wounded and penitent souls to begin a journey of healing."
Mystra kneels as well, placing the tip of her pointer finger atop the surface of the water. "It's not finished," she observes. "Are you unable to?"
"Not yet," Antenora admits, "I can manage to simulate it with divine will, but to create it as a magical location is still beyond my grasp. Latha has always been the artisan of us."
"I had thought you would show me something grander," Mystra admits removing her finger from the waters. "Something to impress me, to show me your worth and measure." Her tone is neutral, no accusation or anger in it.
"Mystra." Antenora says, "You've seen me at my worst. You've heard my prayers." With a nervous smile, "You've even celebrated with us before. I instead show you that my journey is not finished, but I still am what I have become. I'll not bewitch you with glamour, I will instead show that I am still the one you have known all this time. I am still one who will strive forward to tomorrow, to see that errant souls are saved and that this Creation grows ever so slightly brighter each day. Not by self serving glories or empty praises, but by my own work, dedication and toil. Imperfect as it may be, it is what I have and it is what I will stride forward with."
"You are what you are." Mystra concludes, rising. "Better that than anything else, or you would have already betrayed yourself."
"I am what I am," Antenora agrees, offering her hand out to Mystra.
Mystra takes that hand, shaking it. "You will be what you will be, and Creation is better for it."
That was unexpectedly harsh from Mystra, and even if she moderated her tone the words were still very unkind.
At least she recovered afterwards so Alicia doesn't have to speak up too stridently in her friend's defence, but still... "Antenora's deeds resound far further than her creations. It was no craft that drew Eblis back to the heavens, no artifice that saw her ascend herself. What she is and what she does are what matter, why she's earned a place as one of Creation's Gods and protectors." she speaks up, stepping towards the pair.
Mystra and Antenora share a look as they shake hands.
"I bear Antenora no ill will, she has acquitted herself well in the past and present," Mystra agrees.
"I know you don't," Alicia nods, but still something needed to be said.
Mystra smiles ever so softly to you, then glances to Marie. "Marielle," she says, "Will you seek to follow the trend Antenora and Jessica have begun?"
"It's not an explicit aim, but if an opportunity arises..." Marie smiles gamely back at Mystra. "I've never been one to just sit still."
"You always have been gifted at taking opportunities when they arise," Mystra agrees.
Somehow when Mystra says it it sounds less positive. Still, Marie smiles anyway bereft of shame!
"Keep doing so. I've see how happy you two make each other, and now more than ever Antenora will need your support." Mystra says, then turns to Alicia. "I'm proud of them, and proud of how you've helped them grow, Alicia."
"Thank you, we all keep striving ever onwards and upwards," Alicia says. "There's still a long way for us all to go."
Mystra offers your her hand at that, "Keep guiding them well, Alicia."
Reaching out, Alicia clasps Mystra's hand in her own and nods. "And please keep supporting us."
Good to wrap this up here, then?
Yes.
A big scene with multiple groups is coming, so let me pause you until that forms shortly.
Belated lock.