(Arc 8-1) Beneath the Temple of Helm! Above the Foot of Helm, however!

[Anastasia]

> ----
> The trip to the north is a long one. Away from the sea breezes of Balmuria, winter still keeps a dying grip on the countryside. Hints of snow blow, chilly winds and short, dim days. Past vast rolling fields and farms, large enough to to suit a town. Small family farmships, little villages, bigger farms, growing towns, you see them all. You pass by many - at first you pass iron shipments incoming from Parsifal, beasts of burden passing on the United Baronies lifelines. But soon you head north, deeper in. (More)
> United Baronies lifelines. But soon you head north, deeper in. (More)
> These mountains are not brutal. This is the first thought one could have on passing into the northern highlands. Unlike the Galkass mountains border with Malmuth, these rise slower, the air clearer. People can live here, towns on the flatter ridges and valleys. The areas become somewhat more isolated, hardworking folks earning a life amid nature's often uncaring whims. (More)
> It is here you enter Pilltain. Away from where anyone may know you, a land once owned by Lyselle herself. It is a land that struggles to survive, yet lives in it's own right. A few villages, towns, and so forth. Rills of snow remain on the ground, the sky cloudy. Finding the temple of Helm is not hard, the directions given excellent. It is set into a cliff rise at the very bottom, fenced in with tall walls. Grand, severe wooden doors, taller than Berlioz thrice over, await you.
> Grand, severe wooden doors, taller than Berlioz thrice over, await you. Snow begins to fall, a slight flurry in the air. Painted over the door is a grand, unblinking eye embedded into a steel gauntlet.
* Seira gives the doors a long look, before stepping forwards and knocking on them.
* Lyselle looks up and around herself, seemingly distracted and a little touchy for the while they've been on this trip, , reabsorbing the area she used to live in. Mountainous regions rarely changed all that much.
> The knock seems tiny in this place, carrying but faint even in the thinner air of the high altitude. Yet soon the doors rumble, pulling open. A gush of warm air refreshes the party, as inside they can see a long hall, full of weapons and armor. Armored men stand at perfect attention, unmoving. But the person who opens the door is young, perhaps 20 or so. His head is bald, his body toned. "Travelers?" he inquires.
<Seira> "We have come to seek Helm's wisdom," Seira replies, inclining her head.
* Shamal carefully pulls her hood back and smiles at their greeter, bidding Laika to heel as the dog seems to have found a distraction in chasing snowflakes while they waited for the doors to open.
* Berlioz adjusts his monocle, dusting off his coat, a vaguely annoyed expression dwelling in his face.
> "Well then." He nods once, "Welcome to the abode of the Tireless Guard." He steps back respectfully, "Be it even in a land of harshness, but Lord Helm does not turn away."
> "What wisdom do you seek," he asks after a few moments more, starting to lead you inside. On the deep sides of the wall, large fires burn, spreading heat throughout.
<Seira> "We would be grateful for any insight," Seira responds, stepping inside. "Our path seems unclear, and it was at that junction that we heard of this place."
> "Really now?" Inside he leads you, past the armored man, towards a simple altar with an eye engraved in, the hints of gold around it's outline. "You do not look quite like you come from this region, if I do say."
<Seira> "We don't?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
<Shamal> "We hail from Balmuria," Shamal offers, shaking some of the snow off her cloak before she enters.
> "You look very well taken care of. This is not a rich region in many ways..." A pause as he shakes his head, "We were immersed in war before the War against Malmuth, and with one after another it greatly taxed this region. So many never came back..."
* Lyselle holds back a small sigh, coughing softly. "I was born in these mountains," she corrects, helmet removed and tucked under one arm, her hair in a coronet of blonde braiding. "It's interesting to return."
> "Did you? You were born in Pilltain? Armasea, perhaps?" His expression is slightly wistful, smiling as he leads you to the altar. "Sit, sit," he gestures at a few plan wooden benches in front, "I'll summon the master of this temple."
<Seira> "Thank you."
* Lyselle sits, smiling weakly at the man. "Armasea, in the Count's castle, when there was a Count," she answers obliquely, nodding.
* Shamal sits down on the bench while Laika curls up around her feet, the blonde turning slightly to give Lyselle a supportive smile.
> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 26." [1d20=20]
> "...oh yes. I remember that." He looks at Lyselle a moment, curious. "I recall it was a Countess briefly, but now Baron Mulgrew reigns. I believe she went off into the army?" But with that he turns and goes, to the back and through a side door.
* Lyselle winces visibly once he's turned around, biting back a sigh. That could've been just memory...clerics are always difficult to deal with. "That's me..." she mutters.
> Soon enough the doors open. The man is old - surely into his 80th year or beyond. His step is sure despite that, eyes crystal clear and brown as the fairest soil. His gnarled body still functions, wearing a light chain shirt. "Welcome, welcome," he begins, then stops and looks at Seira. He looks a few good seconds at her, before going on. "May I ask your name and how you came to this temple, wayfarers?"
<Shamal> "I am Shamal Velka," Shamal introduces herself, standing up. "A Sir Farmsturt in Balmuria told us of this place, and that it was special for those that have been touched by the Watcher, though he was only repeating what he had been told here. We wished to learn more, due to our own recent experiences."
* Seira adds, "I'm Seira," with a curt nod.
* Lyselle sighs faintly, holding back that expression under her breath, though. "Lyselle Armasea," she offers, omitting her title and the extended name all nobility are encumbered with. Not like it'd fool a man that lived through her and her parents' lives in the area.
> "Aaaah." A particular smile at Seira, "So I see. So I see." His smile grows, content. "Countess Armasea, no less. A cleric of the wild as well, and...you sir?" A look to Berlioz.
* Berlioz sighs blankly, nodding his head. "Berlioz Garland Finley, at your service. Aspiring historian, nothing fancy."
> "Then, if you will...May I suggest you pray and meditate here? The Watcher will see you, and if he has touched you, I am sure his wisdom will reach you." A smile to each, waiting.
* Berlioz grumbles slightly to himself, not even trying to disguise his annoyed expression. Praying has never been much of a pleasure to this bard.
* Seira offers a quick prayer for guidance, before proceeding to the meditating stage she is so familiar with.
* Lyselle faintly smiles at the recognition, nodding and foloding her hands in her lap. "Thank you," she offers quietly, at least glad that her recognition didn't go beyond just that.
* Lyselle starts more of a personal mental review, a listing of her duties, old and new, considerations upon each and the weighing of her homeland and its needs or her desires in its regard to where she is now, obstructed by the impenetrable mists of the future.
<Shamal> While she prefers to commune with her own Goddess in more natural surroundings, Shamal at least appreciates that this is as much a place of power for Helm as any ancient grove is for Mielikki. Getting off the bench, she moves to kneel before the altar, Laika dilligently sitting next to her as she bows her head and begins to pray, thinking of Helm and all that he represents. Duty. Loyalty. Vigilance.
* Berlioz sits down, pondering for a moment about the chain of events that has passed in his life so far. The lethargic first life in Malmuth, the shocking difference between his days in Balmuria and his birthplace. Strangely, it's as if his origins were so distant now... yet, it felt like it haven't even begun. Berlioz ponders a moment - considering that, even now, his existence seems lacking. Farther from his ambition than he'd like.
<Berlioz> Is that what Helm is about, even? Only thing he seems to realize is that someone seems to watch...
<Shamal> Shamal seems to shudder slightly, though her eyes remain closed and her hands clasped, the blonde witch focusing on the vision Helm has bestowed upon her, meeting the metaphysical gaze of that hateful being with her own defiance. If this is a warning, it will be heeded.
<Seira> "No!" Seira exclaims, her hands stretching forward as her eyes regain their focus with the return of all her senses.
* Lyselle clenches her hands around her helmet, eyes slowly opening with a shudder as she looks straight ahead, nervously bititng her lip. "Who..." she breathes, almost begging that question from Helm as she closes her eyes again, focusing more on her home, the grey fortifications she was born within, and the mountains of her homeland with that impending terror on it. Who and how?
* Berlioz blinks, slowly widening his eyes afterwards, in silent meditation. The vision seemed... increasingly brutal. In the end, is that what awaits the world? The bard rubs his temples, unsettled, confused. A vision of ruin embedded in his eyes.
* Lyselle slumps in her seat, frowning as her eyes peel open and she slowly collects herself again. Something new and terrible, rushing towards them? She has no idea -when-, but all she can assume is that it's relevant to her, and thus all too soon for her home. She will have to do what she can, though, however she can.
* Berlioz hears the vague echoes of a question, pondering, vainly looking for an answer. "... why?", the bard mutters, pondering the very waste that might be presented to him.
<Shamal> As everything goes white in her vision, Shamal's eyes snap open, the blonde staring forward in alarm even as Laika whines and worriedly nuzzles her. "Gods, was that the past... or the future?" she murmurs in horror.
<Lyselle> "I'm fairly certain I got the future," Lyselle murmurs, sighing and shuddering. "Even if I wish so dearly that it was the past," she adds, toying with her signet ring. "Though...no, he was too tall."
> The head priest is turned from you, looking at the altar. His voice is reverential, "...I see." he says, stepping away. The eye on the altar glows white, imperitive.
* Seira tries to cling on to the remnants of the visions, frantic.
* Berlioz nods. "I am fairly certain that I had a vision from the future myself. Nothing to make me believe otherwise."
<Shamal> "I saw... the earth, everything in it turning to rot... and *he* was there, Daa-Vid. The Gods confronted him, so much fury... so much anger... and then nothing," Shamal relates what she saw, breathing deeply and leaning on Laika for support.
> "There's an old legend in this temple - it was built on a ruin. It says that the Watcher watches over many things..." he pauses, thoughtful. "When Helm's eye beams with his vigliance, go forth below. The seal will open."
<Lyselle> "I just saw an army...full of monsters and magic, with a man in a crown leading it..." Lyselle adds, frowning for a moment and tapping her helmet. "It could be Daa-vid, or it might not. He seemed tall...but a God-King may not be the same as other gnomes. And he was advancing on Armasea."
* Seira grabs her bow, a feral glint in her eyes. "Let's go. Now."
<Shamal> "What did you see, Seira?" Shamal asks as she uses her quarterstaff to help as she clambers to her feet.
* Berlioz bites his lips for a moment. "I saw... something quite different from that. I'm not sure if it has nearly the relevance yours did..."
* Seira twitches. "I need to shoot a great many things. There is a ruin below and we are invited."
<Shamal> "Very well..." Shamal doesn't push the twitchy half-elf. "And you, Berlioz?"
> The old priest nods, starting to walk towards the rear. "Then if you will," he says.
> As he does walk, "I know not your visions that were sent, but..." He pauses, "The Watcher has been more active in the past years. Many have come this way."
* Berlioz sighs. "The vision I saw was clearly directed at me. In a painfully personal manner. Helm...", the bard sighs once again, and shakes his head. "Nevermind. It can be discussed later."
* Seira follows with quick, angry steps, remaining silent.
* Lyselle seats her helmet again, gathering herself to follow the priest.
<Shamal> "Very well..." Shamal relents, following the priest with Laika at her heel. "It appears that events are building towards something, however," she agrees with the priest.
> In this room is a small storage room, with stairs into a cellar. He goes down them without pause, only a few candles on the wall lighting the way. In the dank, unremarkable cellar is another stair way even deeper, this one followed as well. "Helm's vigliance will protect us, and protect those that follow his words."
<Shamal> "Do you know anything about these ruins?" Shamal asks the priest, belatedly realising that she never got his name.
> "No. Only that Helm watches over them." He shakes his head, "It's an open secret among those in this temple that there is something below, but we are forbidden by holy writ to discuss it with others. Such is Helm's wish."
<Shamal> "We will have to trust Helm knows what he is doing in leading us here, then," Shamal affirms, resolved to continue onwards no matter what after the vision she was just subjected to.
* Lyselle nods, cautiously tightening the fastenings of her armor and shield, following on behind.
> Down the stairs you go. Long stairs, lit by fewer and fewer candles - but at last they come to a head. A door of bright mithral sits here, Helm's eye over laid on his gauntlet. They glow whiter and hotter, runes dancing across the door rapidly.
* Seira seems annoyed, and fairly torn between caution and a desire to open the door to proceed.
> As you reach the end, the door begins to swing open, creaking. Ahead light comes - it's a hallway of sleek stone and metal, the walls glowing with a faint light. Enough to show the way ahead, natural.
* Seira marches on!
> "I wish you well," The old priest steps back, "May Helm watch over you in what lies ahead."
* Berlioz sternly marches forward, in cautious steps. Seems careless to advance like the rambunctuous half-elf is doing.
* Shamal takes out a scroll and briefly reads off the spell on it, paper dissolving in her hands as the magic takes effect to ward her and Laika with Mage Armour. "I'm ready," she affirms after that, carefully advancing past the doorway.
> So Seira takes the lead! It's not a long hall, coming to an arching room of pillars and a dome. Here on the ground a great magic circle in red, white and black is enscribed, dozens of letters and symbols engraved in. Past this there is another door, closed. It's quite warm in here.
* Shamal promptly casts Detect Magic and takes a look around.
> OOC - What tongues can you speak?
<Shamal> OOC: Common, Druidic, Terran, Auran, Aquan, Ignan, Sylvan
* Seira has calmed down enough to give the door a customary glance for entrapments.
> There is strong magic in this room. The circle's writing is partly in Ignan - it talks of a link to 'The Eternal Bonfire of Souls'. OOC - Knowledge: Arcana, Shamal.
> OOC - Detect traps, Elfess.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8 arcana
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 arcana and gets 12." [1d20=4]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+13 spellcraft to identify school
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 spellcraft to identify school and gets 17." [1d20=4]
* Seira walks towards the door, giving the magic circle a wide berth, and says, "Should be safe," before attempting to open it.
> The door opens. Ahead is...
<Shamal> "Be careful around the circle," Shamal cautions, following Seira, "I think it's the same sort of teleportation magic as at the other ruin, but in this case it may still be active."
<Shamal> "There is also some magic just past the door, Seira. Wait a second," she cautions, trying to identify it.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 and gets 14." [1d20=1]
* Berlioz shakes his head. "Let me try to help with this, Shamal.
<Shamal> She shakes her head after a moment, "I'm sorry, the flows of magic are strange here, I can't exactly identify it..."
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 and gets 11." [1d20=2]
> Ahead is a small defensible spread. A few bunkers of stone arch up, several ledges making excellent cover and protection. About ten of them in total, all jutting out from the floor and made of stone. On the far wall is another door, heavy metal of some sort.
* Shamal takes a sling bullet from her pouch, backing away from the door as far as the edge of the magic circle. "Everyone keep away from the door, I'll see if I can trigger it by throwing something through."
* Lyselle slowly moves forward, staying outside the magic circle as she follows behind the mages. "Alright..."
* Berlioz grumbles and backs out of the way. If basic spellcraft fails...
* Seira moves aside silently.
* Shamal tosses the pebble through the band of magic she can see.
> It passes through the band of magic! It lands on the floor past i-uh oh. As it rattles in the emptiness, the room starts getting warmer. Much warmer. The circle begins to sping and twirl, as if the very stone it is laid on is malleable!
<Seira> Time for some magic detection of her own!
<Lyselle> "...I think we'd better move out of the room before this gets much more interesting..." Lyselle cautions, starting to back towards the first door.
<Seira> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
<Shamal> "Erk..." Shamal spins around and steps back from the circle, "I didn't think it would trigger something behind us... uh, let's get out of here!" she suggests, before rushing through the door with Laika on her heels!
<Shamal> OOC: the door we just opened
* Lyselle follows in a wave of fleeing blonde.
* Berlioz doesn't waste time with words, simply rushing -away- from the place, following the blonde dynamic duo as fast as his spindly legs allow!
* Seira brings up the rear, closing the door behind her.
<Seira> "Something wicked this way comes," she murmurs, observing the band of magic that served as the trigger.
> As the door closes, you hear a laugh. A deep, bellicose laugh, harsh and hateful. No, two of them. Nasty laughs, the sound of something hard hitting the stone ground, heard evne through the closed door.
<Seira> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13." [1d20=6]
<Shamal> "The writings back there mentioned the Eternal Bonfire of Souls... Um... how about we keep moving?" Shamal suggests as she hears the laughter behind them.
* Seira proceeds for the next door, taking a bit more time to observe it.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 12." [1d20=6]
> It's a heavy door, non magical. It doesn't seem to have any traps - but it does look, well, heavy.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 97." [1d100=97]
* Seira tries to open it!
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 42." [1d100=42]
> roll 2d10
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d10 and gets 9." [2d10=6, 3]
> It's locked. You can hear more noise behind you, echoing through the door. It's some sort of gibberish.
> *from the rear door.
* Seira tries to open the door... with her trusty lock pick!
<Seira> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+10 and gets 18." [1d20=8]
* Shamal stays near Seira, looking worriedly back towards the door they closed behind them for any sign of pursuit.
* Lyselle for once remains closer to the rear, watching the door they closed behind them carefully.
> The door isn't unlocking that easily. Uh oh. The door's opening!
> The door isn't unlocking that easily. Uh oh. The rear door is opening!
<Seira> "Delay them," Seira says in a monotone, trying once more!
> OOC - If you're waiting for them, I'll give you a surprise round, then we'll roll initaitive.
* Lyselle just readies herself, drawing her icy blade and waiting.
* Berlioz prepares to unsheathe the rapier, just a step behind Lyselle.
<Seira> "Devils, most likely," Seira warns, opting to draw her bow in the end.
> The door opens! What opens it is a shambling mass, nearly a blob! It's red-pink flesh is spongy and fatty, it's face distorted and limbs barely functional! OOC - Go, Seira.
> You can see at least 6 of them coming, going through the door, and more behind them, clogging the way!
<Shamal> Deciding that Lyselle is their best bet for continued survival here, Shamal pulls out a scroll and hurries over to cast it on her, making her muscles expand!
* Seira draws a pair of silvery arrows, notching them together, and coldly releases them into the monstrosities assaulting them!
<Seira> roll 1d20+7 a1
<Seira> roll 1d20+7 a2
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 a1 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 a2 and gets 16." [1d20=9]
> OOC - Both hit.
<Seira> roll 1d8+2d6 silver1
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+2d6 silver1 and gets 14." [1d8=6][2d6=3, 5]
<Seira> roll 1d8+2d6 silver2 devil2~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+2d6 silver2 devil2~ and gets 15." [1d8=5][2d6=6, 4]
> Two arrows fly out! The front two creatures are dispatched, letting out moaning cries of regret as they fall apart! With the way cleared, you can see better! There are seven more of those, and behind them? They're green, big, and have horrific beards on them, sawtoothed glaives dripping blood! Two of them, a ghastly, fleshy cloak of wings over their bodies! OOC - Initiative.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+1 and gets 7." [1d20=6]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+2 Shamal
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+2 Shamal and gets 14." [1d20=12]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+3 Laika
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 Laika and gets 20." [1d20=17]
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
* Lyselle moves towards the door, partially blocking it with her armored figure and lashing out at one of the globby flesh...things.
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+13 and gets 19." [1d20=6]
> OOC - Hit.
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+8+1d2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+8+1d2 and gets 18." [1d20=9][1d2=1]
> Lyselle's icy blade cleaves through the next closest! The mindless masses groan as the third melts away, foul ichor staining Lyselle's boots!
<Lyselle> roll 1d8+8+1d2 bah
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+8+1d2 bah and gets 12." [1d8=2][1d2=2]
> OOC - Strike my line.
> Lyselle's icy blade cleaves through the next closest! It digs ind eep, but it's foul blubber is hard to cut through, only a partial injury to the foulness!
<Shamal> Laika bounds forward after Lyselle, lunging up to wrap her teeth around the neck of the one hurt by Lyselle!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
> OOC - Hit.
<Shamal> roll 1d6+4
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+4 and gets 9." [1d6=5]
> Just barely! AS Laika finds this thing incredibly bad tasting, it's neck snaps and it falls away, into a puddle of ichor!
* Berlioz sighs. "This isn't the time to tell tales, but...", the bard remarks, coughing. He closes his eyes and entonates a few rhymes, of a fairy tale about brave children against overwhelming odds... (OOC: Inspire Courage. >_>)
<Seira> roll 1d20+9 Nerveskitter
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+9 Nerveskitter and gets 27." [1d20=18]
> roll 1d20+0 Lemures are a collective for initiative. Fuck rolling them at once.
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+0 Lemures are a collective for initiative. Fuck rolling them at once. and gets 19." [1d20=19]
> roll 1d20+6 Bearded Devil 1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Bearded Devil 1 and gets 16." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+6 Bearded Devil 2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Bearded Devil 2 and gets 25." [1d20=19]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+2 Shamal
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+2 Shamal and gets 16." [1d20=14]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+3 Laika
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 Laika and gets 17." [1d20=14]
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 and gets 6." [1d20=4]
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+1 and gets 11." [1d20=10]
<Seira> The bearded soldiers of darkness and fire clearly must meet their doom! May it be by her blessed silver arrows!
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 a1
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 a2
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 a1 and gets 19." [1d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 a2 and gets 13." [1d20=8]
> OOC - First hits
<Seira> roll 1d8+7+2d6 silver~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+7+2d6 silver~ and gets 19." [1d8=3][2d6=3, 6]
> The flying arrow of silver slams into the bearded devil's chest! The silver serves well, making it buckle on it's feet! It glares hatefully at Seira, vanishing! In a split second it appears at Seira's flank, arrow sticking out! It's glaive is a menance, almost ready to slam down on innocent elf! OOC - Lemures are up now.
> The lemures ooze forward, groaning out for relief for damnation! Two of them can swarm Lyselle, trying to claw her in desperation!
<Seira> "Unnatural abomination!" Seira spits at the devil, gripping her bow.
> roll 1d20+2
> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 21." [1d20=19]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
> OOC - AC?
<Lyselle> OOC - 22
> It grins, mouth full of rotten teeth, "Perish," it croons, in a ghastly singsong! Meanwhile, Lyselle easily parries off the feeble attacks of the lemures! OOC - Laika.
<Shamal> Laika growls ferally at the nearest Lemure even as Shamal calls out, "Laika, hold a moment!"
> The lemure does not seem impressed, only making an unearthly crying at Laika!
> The second bearded evil grins as well, vanishing! It appears behind Lyselle, pinning her between Lemures and Bearded Devil! OOC - Shamal.
* Shamal incants another spell, causing twin barriers of shimmering force to briefly crystalise around her and Laika before vanishing from sight! "Now, Laika, get that one!" she points at the devil menacing Seira, as Laika bounds forth to attack it, heedless of the danger it puts her in!
<Shamal> OOC: both devils would get AoOs on her, as well as a lemure, probably
> OOC - Devil next to Lyselle willt, Lemure will and the other bearded won't.
> roll 1d20+9 bearded
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 bearded and gets 26." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+2 lemure
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 lemure and gets 14." [1d20=12]
<Shamal> OOC: AC 27!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+7 Rin's attack
> Laika is able to sprint past a vicious slice of the glaive, then just outrun a lemure's claw!
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 Rin's attack and gets 20." [1d20=13]
> OOC - Hit.
<Shamal> roll 1d6+4
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+4 and gets 9." [1d6=5]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4 trip check
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 trip check and gets 23." [1d20=19]
> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 21." [1d20=18]
> While the tackle and bite doesn't do much damage to it's unholy skin, it does make the Bearded Devil go down hard! It falls to it's knees and then face down, tripped up! OOC - Shamal.
> OOC - Oh wait, spelled, right.
> OOC - Berli-chan!
* Berlioz sharpens his aim and stabs the fallen bearded devil, in hopes to finish it off!
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 for ohgoddon'tfail
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 for ohgoddon'tfail and gets 16." [1d20=7]
> OOC - Hit.
<Berlioz> roll 1d6+2
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d6+2 and gets 5." [1d6=3]
> The rapier digs in, a vicious wound attempted! It's unholy body seems resistant, but it still does some damage! OOC - Bonde.
> OOC - Blonde.
<Seira> "That bastard has a magical glaive!" Seira calls out, pointing at the downed devil.
<Lyselle> Seeing the bearded devil behind her distracted by the huskie, and noting the lemures to be highly ineffective, Lyselle dashes across the room to add to the attacks on the downed bearded devil, slashing down into its unholy flesh with her silver enchanted blade!
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+16 and gets 18." [1d20=2]
> OOC - Amazingly, that hit under the circumstances. Damage.
<Lyselle> roll 1d8+8+1d2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+8+1d2 and gets 13." [1d8=4][1d2=1]
> While not fully effective, Lyselle drives Frozen Oath deep into the demon's stomach! It's back arches up, black and red bloods flowing out - or it some other vile substance? OOC - Seira?
> The downed demon looks most unhappy, writing in pain as it's tripped!
<Seira> That stupid teleporting devil left himself all unguarded, Seira notes analytically as she dances away a step from the chaotic melee while making sure to keep it between herself and said devil to make a direct approach impossible. A pair of arrows are launched at him in posthaste, light glinting off their silvery tips!
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 a1
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 a1 and gets 23." [1d20=18]
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 a2
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 a2 and gets 10." [1d20=5]
<Seira> roll 1d8+7 silver~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+7 silver~ and gets 12." [1d8=5]
> The arrow flies true, slamming into it's neck! More blood flows as it staggers, brought nearly to it's final end! But the wretch lives, attempting to evoke it's spelllike power! OOC - This allows anyone threatening him to make an AoO if they wish. Trip is rape.
> OOC - Strike, misread Cor's line.
> The arrow flies try, striking into the other devil's side! It turns in anger, silvery missive coming out from it's hip! It looks most irritated now! Meanwhile it's partner attemps to evoke it's magical spell like ability to teleport! OOC - Threateners who are meleeing it can make those AoO things.
> OOc - That means, Berli, Lyselle and Laika.
* Berlioz tries yet another stab at the downed wretch. Persistant mongrel.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+12 Laika's AoO
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+12 Laika's AoO and gets 25." [1d20=13]
<Shamal> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+5 and gets 11." [1d6=6]
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 for hit
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 for hit and gets 23." [1d20=14]
> OOc - Hit, Berli.
<Berlioz> roll 1d6+3 for godly damage
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d6+3 for godly damage and gets 7." [1d6=4]
<Lyselle> Lyselle slashes viciously downwards with her silvery icy blade of death!
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+18 and gets 20." [1d20=2]
> OOC - Damage.
<Lyselle> roll 1d8+8+1d2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+8+1d2 and gets 18." [1d8=8][1d2=2]
> Lyselle rips it's head in twain! Green brain matter splatters out, the demon dead! It doesn't even manage to cry out, overwhelmed in a moment! OOc - Let's pause here, work.

[Anastasia]

> The Lemures ooze forward! With the doorway unguarded, the blobs of dead flesh and cursed souls comes forth! Two slither in and claw at Lyselle, groaning for flesh! Another whimpers and wobbles as it lurches towards Berlioz, and the other three slowly pour in!
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 1 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 2 and gets 9." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+2 Beriloz
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Beriloz and gets 11." [1d20=9]
> Yet all the creeping, fleshy attacks fail! They just blubber and blobber about, no danger to the party! OOC - Laika.
<Shamal> "Now, Laika, take down that one!" Shamal points at the remaining bearded devil, those two clearly the leaders of this hellish band... well, one, now. Ever obedient, Laika bounds forth towards the creature and lunges upwards to sink her fangs into its neck and drag it to the ground!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
> OOC - Hit.
<Shamal> roll 1d6+4
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+4 and gets 8." [1d6=4]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4 trip check
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 trip check and gets 18." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+3 and gets 16." [1d20=13]
> The bite does little, but it does knock the demon down! It falls to it's knees, stunned by Laika's powerful charge - or it would be, but it attempts to stand right up! OOC - Laika can AoO it if she wishes.
<Shamal> Laika wastes no time in continuing to press her attack on the vulnerable hellspawn!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
> OOC - Once again, hit.
<Shamal> roll 1d6+5 forgot bardsong
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+5 forgot bardsong and gets 9." [1d6=4]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4 trip
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 trip and gets 24." [1d20=20]
> roll 1d20+3 you have got to be kidding me.
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+3 you have got to be kidding me. and gets 14." [1d20=11]
> So unbalanced again, the weakened devil takes it's chance - it's glaive lashes out instead, even from this bad position!
> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+5 and gets 17." [1d20=12]
> Yet the evil glaive's sawing comes to naught, unable to damage the dog! OOC - Shamal.
<Shamal> Seeing that Laika has things well in hand, Shamal goes to attack the fleshy blob monsters, her quarterstaff coming downwards to cave in the nearest skull!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+5 and gets 10." [1d20=5]
> The quaterstaff just bounces off it's lardy frame, doing no damage to it at all! OOC - Berli.
> The remaining bearded devil glares on, glaive loosely held in it's hand.
* Berlioz sighs and takes a swipe at the downed glaive devil, vaguely conscious of how ineffective his strikes seem to be.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 lulz
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 lulz and gets 22." [1d20=13]
> OOC - Hit.
<Berlioz> roll 1d6+3
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d6+3 and gets 9." [1d6=6]
> The rapier struggles but opens a wound in the demon's shoulder, resistance not enough to stop the direct piercing! It looks to Berlioz, a fearful curse in a hellish tongue said! OOC - Lyselle.
<Lyselle> Another demon on the floor means another victim for Lyselle's icy silver blade, moving into place above her opponent and slashing down viciously with the sword!
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+18 and gets 28." [1d20=10]
> OOc - Hit.
<Lyselle> roll 1d8+8+1d2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+8+1d2 and gets 14." [1d8=4][1d2=2]
> The slash rips open a hole in the demon's stomach! It's shoulder is pierced, it's stomacha nd legs chomped and tackled, it's guts ripped open! Ice lingers on it's body, bruises and dust clinging! It still kneels on the floor, downed hard! OOC - Seira!
<Seira> The nasty devil is probably dead or well on the way, so Seira shoots at some fleshy ones!
<Seira> roll 1d20+8 a1
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+8 a1 and gets 14." [1d20=6]
<Seira> roll 1d20+8 a2
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+8 a2 and gets 9." [1d20=1]
> OOC - First hits.
<Seira> roll 1d8 silver
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8 silver and gets 1." [1d8=1]
> The arrow grazes the lemure, making a line of shaking, greasy body matter fly out from it's body, splattering on the floor! The lemures do not look fazed! Thet wo on Lyselle attack her full out, whilst two go for Laika, one for Berlioz and one at Shamal, the battle joined!
> roll 1d20+2 L 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L 1-1 and gets 4." [1d20=2]
> roll 1d20+2 L 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L 1-2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
> roll 1d20+2 L 2-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L 2-1 and gets 18." [1d20=16]
> roll 1d20+2 L 2-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L 2-2 and gets 14." [1d20=12]
> roll 1d20+2 L Laika 1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L Laika 1 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+2 L Laika 2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L Laika 2 and gets 5." [1d20=3]
> roll 1d20+2 L Berli
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L Berli and gets 9." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+2 L Shamal
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 L Shamal and gets 16." [1d20=14]
> Despite good efforts, the creatures are barely coordinated, none of the semi sharp talons tearing into the tough heroes! OOC - Laika.
<Shamal> Laika growls and clamps her jaws around the prone devil's neck, wringing her muzzle back and forth violently as she tries to finish it off!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+12 and gets 14." [1d20=2]
> Amazingly, the devil is just able to roll out of the way, the attack failing by a bare margin! As it evades, the demon screams, a furious bellow! It's entire frame shakes, before it rolls and thrusts it's glaive at Berlioz!
> *Laika, my fault, silly typo.
> roll 1d20+7 Laika
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+7 Laika and gets 16." [1d20=9]
> But Laika just falls back, a magical shield stopping the glaive cold! OOC - Shamal.
* Shamal huffs and pulls back her quarterstaff, before swinging it wide like a bat to whack the nearest Lemure upside the head!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+5 and gets 10." [1d20=5]
> Whiff. Shamal just outright misses, her quarterstaff slamming into the floor as it arcs down! OOC - Berli.
* Berlioz yet again swipes at the fallen glaive demon. This is starting to approach a state of mental masturbation.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 Kotono has a filthy mind
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 Kotono has a filthy mind and gets 17." [1d20=8]
> OOC - Hit.
<Berlioz> roll 1d6+3
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d6+3 and gets 7." [1d6=4]
> Another wound in the demon, this one drawing blood from it's lower arm and ripping out! It's not a serious wound despite that, the demon's flesh barely tearing! OOC - Lyselle.
<Lyselle> Lyselle continues her violent lashing downwards upon the demon, ripping into its flesh with slash after slash of her blade.
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+18 and gets 34." [1d20=16]
<Lyselle> roll 1d8+8+1d2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+8+1d2 and gets 16." [1d8=6][1d2=2]
> The demon's hard flesh is torn open by Frozen Oath! As it's torso is shredded and left with misty, melting ice all over, it's body writhes! It's not quite dead, even if it's bleeding profusely, screaming out! OOC - Seira.
<Seira> The bearded devil was actually alive? Maybe she could put an arrow through the mess of people and canines crowding it!
<Seira> roll 1d20-1 a1
<Seira> roll 1d20-1 a2
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20-1 a1 and gets 6." [1d20=7]
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20-1 a2 and gets 4." [1d20=5]
> Yet both arrows fly wide! One nearly clips Lyselle's ear, while another plunks in the floor! OOC - Lemure swarm.
> The lemures continue to swarm! Two continue to fully attack poor Lyselle, joined in by two on Laika, one on Berli and one on Shamal!
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-1 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-1 and gets 17." [1d20=15]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-2 and gets 5." [1d20=3]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 1-1 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 1-2 and gets 9." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 2-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 2-1 and gets 18." [1d20=16]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 2-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle Laika 2-2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle Berli 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle Berli 1-1 and gets 12." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle Berli 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle Berli 1-2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
> OOC - AC, Berli?
<Berlioz> OOC - 15.
> roll 1d4 one hit?!
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d4 one hit?! and gets 2." [1d4=2]
> roll 1d20+2 Shamal 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Shamal 1-1 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
> roll 1d20+2 Shamal 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+2 Shamal 1-2 and gets 12." [1d20=10]
> So the useless hordes fight on! THe only one to do anything in a sea of failure is the one on Berlioz, claw grazing his leg, opening a shallow, futile cut! OOC - Laika.
<Shamal> Ignoring the pesky flesh things as they flail uselessly against the wondrous magical protections gifted upon her by her beautiful and generous mistress, Laika continues trying to savage the bearded devil to death!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+11 and gets 13." [1d20=2]
> OOC - I don't believe it.
> Despite her overwhelming advantage, Laika isn't able to strike! Seeing it's desperate situation, the devil growls and lashes out, but this time at Lyselle, desperate!
> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ko-Castlevania rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13." [1d20=6]
> Tink. That's the sound of a solid shield meeting a sawtoothed glaive, pushing it away with expert skill! OOC - Shamal.
<Shamal> "Just go back to the pit you crawled out of!" Shamal cries as she again tries to bring about a violent meeting of wood and demonflesh!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 and gets 8." [1d20=4]
> Whiff. This one is even worse, it hits it dead on - but bounces off, entirely at the wrong angle! OOC - Berlioz.
* Berlioz sighs, taking -yet- another stab at the glaive demon. This is like playing card games with a rock.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 omg crits???
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 omg crits??? and gets 21." [1d20=12]
> OOC - Hit.
<Berlioz> roll 1d6+3 Shiho
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d6+3 Shiho and gets 9." [1d6=6]
> With a final, epic lunge the blow strikes! The piercing goes through the demon's chest, it's black heart poked! With that it's life draws to an end, body falling down into a useless pile of demonic flesh! OOC - Lyselle.
<Lyselle> Lyselle steps over the demonic body, slashing out at the nearest Lemure she can reach, trying to cut it down in a single blow!
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9." [1d20=6]
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+13 and gets 31." [1d20=18]
> OOC - Hit.
<Lyselle> roll 1d8+7+1d2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+7+1d2 and gets 10." [1d8=2][1d2=1]
> The lemure is slashed, the frozen blade struggling to slice through it's sad mass! It's still up, bleeding and alive! OOC - Seira.
<Seira> Everyone seems to have the unholy population under control, and she doesn't really need to shoot more things to get over her anger... but she might as well shoot the fleshy things.
<Seira> roll 1d20+3 a1
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+3 a1 and gets 8." [1d20=5]
<Seira> roll 1d20+3 a2
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+3 a2 and gets 21." [1d20=18]
> OOC - Second hits.
<Seira> roll 1d8 silver
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8 silver and gets 1." [1d8=1]
> The one Lyselle slashed is grazed by an arrow, again wounded! But it...lives?! So do they all, as they begin to attack again, mindlessly hacking!
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-1 and gets 22." [1d20=20]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-1 crit confirm
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-1 crit confirm and gets 14." [1d20=12]
> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4 and gets 2." [1d4=2]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 1-2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-1 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Lyselle 2-2 and gets 12." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+2 Laika 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Laika 1-1 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+2 Laika 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Laika 1-2 and gets 3." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+2 Laika 2-1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Laika 2-1 and gets 5." [1d20=3]
> roll 1d20+2 Laika 2-2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Laika 2-2 and gets 21." [1d20=19]
> roll 1d20+2 Berli 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Berli 1-1 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
> roll 1d20+2 Berli 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Berli 1-2 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
> roll 1d20+2 Shamal 1-1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Shamal 1-1 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
> roll 1d20+2 Shamal 1-2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Shamal 1-2 and gets 7." [1d20=5]
> While one manages to graze Lyselle's underarm, a tiny cut opened, the creatures are still completely ineffective! OOC - Laika, please kill one.
<Seira> "It is one epic fleshy devil underling," Seira muses to herself, observing the wounded lemure critically.
<Shamal> Laika turns from the deceased fiend and whimpers slightly at the prospect of once more getting lemure flesh in her mouth, but dutifully lunges at the most badly wounded one to try and finish it off!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 and gets 24." [1d20=17]
<Shamal> roll 1d6+4
> OOC - Hit.
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+4 and gets 5." [1d6=1]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4 trip why not
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 trip why not and gets 9." [1d20=5]
> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 5." [1d20=5]
> But Laika does just that! She chomps on it and chews on it, dragging it down, even as it hangs onto the last vestige of it's cursed life! OOC - Shamal.
* Shamal resists the urge to point out just how... silly, this battle has become. Really, what on earth can these fleshy things accomplish, even if they are stupidly resilient? Gritting her teeth, another swing issues forth.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 and gets 21." [1d20=17]
<Shamal> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d6+1 and gets 7." [1d6=6]
> As Shamal clubs and connects at last, doing damage, you feel it! A rush of energy, the lemures vanishing! You can hear a humming from the previous room, seeing the portal shimmering! OOC - Free action.
<Shamal> "Is everyone okay?" Shamal asks, glancing around at her companions before peering at the portal through the doorway to see if she can see where it goes.
<Seira> "Sorry about the... arrow thing," Seira tells to Lyselle, uncomfortable, and immediately turns away, hurrying towards the closed door.
> Shamal can catch a glimpse of a red place, glowing black in an eternal night.
* Lyselle nods, blinking a little at Seira, apparently unaware of how close she came. "Ah...okay," she nods, cleaning her blade and sheathing it. "I've jsut got a tiny scratch, don't worry about it," she adds to Shamal, smiling.
* Berlioz sighs, cleaning off the blood from his rapier with a clean swipe. As he resheathes the weapon, he shakes his head. "This was a waste of time."
* Seira nods at Lyselle, and tries to open the door.
<Seira> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+10 and gets 19." [1d20=9]
> The door isn't opening this try. It's a solid lock.
<Seira> As many tries as it takes!
<Seira> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+10 and gets 30." [1d20=20]
<Shamal> "Yes, well, I can't help but be a little concerned with the apparent portal to... um, Hell, that's right behind us," Shamal comments worriedly. "Does anyone have any clues about closing it? My studies have more or less neglected the planes..."
<Seira> "It just summons things when you trigger the magical trap," Seira tells Shamal, waving dismissively as she concentrates on the door.
* Berlioz rubs his temples in clear annoyance. "I can't say I've paid any more attention to the Planes than you did. Regardless, that a temple of Helm has a portal to a demonic dimension is eyebrow-raising."
<Shamal> "But it's still open. I mean, couldn't any random fiend just wander through?" Shamal asks, staring at the hellish landscape.
> Click! Seira finally finesses the lock opened! Ahead is a long hall, walls glowing metal. Banners hang from the walls, a conical hat on all of them, velvet red.  There is a door far ahead, and three doors on the sides - one in the center left and center right, and a smaller door on the upper right.
> As you watch, the portal slowly closes shut.
<Seira> "It was clearly made by the gnomes before a temple to Helm was here before," she says distractedly, peering beyond the door.
<Shamal> "Oh, it closed..." Shamal blinks. "Okay... let's hope it stays that way..." she mutters, backing slowly away and towards the door Seira's at.
> The hall is fairly large, wide enough to suit several dozen marching through. It's airy, the roof reaching a good thirty feet up.
* Seira frowns. "Berlioz, do you see any magic ahead?"
* Berlioz chants a typical dystic to activate Detect Magic. "Let me see."
<Seira> "Aside from the magical glaive," she feels the need to point out.
> The hall has faint magic all over on the walls, a thin coating. The glaive has moderate magica round it.
<Berlioz> "Not everybody is as thick-headed as you are, Seira", the bard deadpans.
* Berlioz squints his eyes. "Hmmm. The entire hall is thinly coated in magic, actually."
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 for school detection
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 for school detection and gets 26." [1d20=17]
<Seira> "I believe this was you volunteering to be our vanguard," she responds, gritting her teeth ever so slightly.
* Lyselle just rolls her eyes a little, reaching out to carefully touch the glaive. Demon weapons aren' things you just go and pick up out of nowhere.
> The walls have evocation magic.
> Lyselle touches the weapon without incident.
* Seira checks the edges of the corridor and the floor for any traps, careful not to step inside.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 16." [1d20=10]
* Berlioz nods. "Coated in Evocation-based magic. Whoever crafted these halls must've been quite an artificer..."
> Seira does not notice any traps as she creeps alone.
> *along
<Shamal> "Probably the light spell that makes the walls glow," Shamal guesses.
<Shamal> Recalling that the gnomes favoured magic traps, and the lack of any other auras mentioned by Berlioz, Shamal ventures forward to the centre left door and attempts to open it.
* Seira rolls her eyes at the bard, and follows Shamal, intent on providing her with company should they get blown up.
> The door is not locked. You see dozens of small beds lined up here - looks like a barracks room. It's quite plain and unremarkable.
* Seira enters the room, searching it!
* Shamal helps Seira!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+3 aid another
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 aid another and gets 7." [1d20=4]
<Shamal> But she mostly just gets in the way and distracts the half-elf with idle chatter, making her work even harder!
<Shamal> After puttering around the room for less than a minute, Shamal gets bored and goes to open the right hand door!
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19." [1d20=13]
> OOc - Which one?
<Shamal> OOC: middle one
> With some searching, Seira finds an old bag of gnomis coins, silver and copper. It's tucked under a bed, but the barracks are mostly empty. Odd.
> There are more barracks in the middle left room. It's much the same as the right, but it doesn't extend as far upward. Looks like the upper left room takes a fair bit of space.
<Seira> She'll be back later! Deciding upon that, she opens the center right room.
> *Center right.
<Shamal> Not sticking around to search this one, Shamal goes to open the far right room, hoping that if there is something nasty there, they can deal with it while her defensive spells are still running.
> What is this? You come into a room with beds lined up against the wall. Sitting on a table are ancient scapels, hooks, tongs and more. A few skeletons lie on the bed, long forgotten. On the the walls are magical circles and patterns, as well as diagrams of human, elven, gnomish and dwarven bodies, as well as more than you do not relate a name to offhand. There are ample drawers about, coated in dust.
* Seira searches the second room briefly as well, before following Shamal to the next one, going for the thorough approach.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 8." [1d20=2]
> Seira doesn't turn anything up offhand.
* Seira gives the room Shamal is in a cursory search!
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 15." [1d20=9]
<Shamal> "We can search them all properly later... I want to look over those magical patterns, but let's move on - my shield and strength spells aren't going to stay up much longer," Shamal comments before opening the last door.
> Seira pokes around - in one drawer you find rotted bandages, broken bone shards, empty vials - and a pure white gem, glowing in the light as you open the drawer.
> The last door is locked - it's heavy like the door from the room of bunkers and now dead demons.
<Seira> "Yes, and someone could certainly help by taking a look with their magical sight," Seira agrees, before her eyes light up on the gem. She waivers, but an urge to possess it overwhelms her common sense, and she takes hold of it.
> Nothing happens when Seira holds the gem.
* Seira pockets it, rejoining Shamal at the door by the end of the corridor.
* Shamal listens at the doorway to see if she can hear anything beyond it. "Door's locked," she tells Seira.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+10 listen for fun
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+10 listen for fun and gets 26." [1d20=16]
> Shamal hears water on the other side of the door.
<Seira> "Not for long," she responds, giving it the search for traps before taking out her lock pick.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
* Berlioz snickers at Seira's remark. "You could have asked for company and help, you know. I even can read your mind if I care to, but I'm fairly sure nobody sane would ever want to", the bard deadpans as he heads up to the room.
<Seira> "I asked you to use this specific magical spell. Then I asked you to come." She sounds frayed and quite frustrated. "Must I beg you to open your eyes and look, at that?"
<Shamal> "I can hear running water... I wonder, we just got past a fire themed portal to hell, is this going to be a water one?" Shamal wonders, trying to tune out the bickering.
> Berlioz can see that the room's glyphs and bodily symbols have faint magic. The gem also has moderate magic.
<Seira> The gem is in Seira's pocket and he can't see that!
> OOC - Point, my fault.
* Lyselle picks up the glaive, carrying it with her as she follows up to rejoin the rest of the group. Who knows, maybe it'll be useful in some situation. "All as normal..." she sighs at the conversation, snorting.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 for school detection zomg
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 for school detection zomg and gets 10." [1d20=1]
<Seira> roll 1d20+10 open lock
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+10 open lock and gets 25." [1d20=15]
> OOC - Will save, Berli.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+4 and gets 12." [1d20=8]
> Berlioz shakes his head. The wall's information pours on him as he tries to study with his magical aura. It gives him a bit of dizziness, but he shakes it off quickly. Meanwhile, the lock's not opening.
<Shamal> Since it seems they have some time while Seira works on the lock, Shamal decides to go look over the magical and biological diagrams in the operating room.
* Seira frowns. "The lock may take some time. Any magical options for help are appreciated."
<Seira> roll 1d20+10 again~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+10 again~ and gets 16." [1d20=6]
<Shamal> "Oh, here," Shamal pokes her head back out and mutters a brief prayer, "Mielikki, please show this wayward soul the path to her goal," before tapping Seira's shoulder and going back to her studies.
<Shamal> OOC: guidance~
* Berlioz blinks. "Dear lord, what is that..."
<Seira> OOC: Let's take 20 and pass~
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
> After a lot of fiddling Seira pops the lock open!
<Seira> "Onwards, to the next trap," she proclaims.
<Shamal> "Oooh..." Shamal studies the diagrams, resolving to come back and translate the writings later. Even just with the pictures... "Those gnomes sure knew their stuff... although I have to wonder where they learned so much about anatomy." Nodding to herself, she comes back just as Seira pops the lock.
<Seira> "Anything interesting?"
* Lyselle just looks around, utterly baffled by this magic, and waiting for something more ifnormative from her magician comrades. "Um...it would seem like dissection," she answers Shamal, eyeing some of the skeletons.
<Shamal> "The diagrams," Shamal points back to the room, "They're very educational." Nodding to Lyselle, she frowns, "Yes, but given what we know about the gnomes, I wonder if those dissected were still alive."
<Seira> "Fascinating. Charming creatures."
* Berlioz coughs. "Opening the door, Seira?"
<Seira> "Oh, right." She snaps her fingers. "Berlioz, please look straight and let the magic envelop you in a friendly cocoon of magical danger warning." She points at the door, and beyond it.
<Berlioz> "Yes, my fair fairy princess", the bard replies vaguely scoffing.
* Seira opens the door, then, keeping out of sight should there be anyone to greet them.
> As the door opens, Berlioz can see magic. Strong magic indeed, first off. For the room ahead is a large cube - about twenty feet by twenty feet by twenty feet. But at the cusp of the door and beyond, it is filled to the brim with water. Pure and clear water, not spilling out from the open door despite all gravity does. You can just see a door on the right side wall.
> As the door stays open, the water ripplies and stirs, here and there.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 for godly school detection skills (watch the 1 roll)
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 for godly school detection skills (watch the 1 roll) and gets 13." [1d20=4]
* Seira takes a look, and blinks slowly.
<Shamal> "Oh, my," Shamal gasps, unable to help herself as she casts Detect Magic to take a look over whatever dweomer suspends the water in place.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 and gets 27." [1d20=14]
* Berlioz grumbles, unable to detect the type of magic, but leads the forewarning. "Even a blind dog could realize this room is imbedded in strong magic... damn."
<Shamal> "It appears to be a spell of the sixth circle, I'm almost certain of that..." Shamal posits thoughtfully. "Can't quite tell what. And there's... something else, very faint... almost hidden," the blonde goes on, her eyes staring at the unseen auras permeating the chamber.
> OOC - Make another spellcraft check.
<Seira> "That nicely eliminates that idea. A shame. A nice swim would have been nice about now."
<Shamal> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 and gets 28." [1d20=15]
<Berlioz> "Of all things, you were considering taking a dip in that, Shamal? That's slightly light-hearted of you", the bard scoffs.
<Shamal> Shamal's gaze tilts upwards towards the ceiling above the orb of water. "Yes, the other aura is up there... evocation. It could be the light source, but it's rather strong. I'd suggest caution..." She then blinks, turning to stare at Berlioz. "Swim? What?" she asks, confusion apparent.
<Seira> "If it's just water I can hold my breath long enough to open the other door," Seira tells Shamal, while ignoring Berlioz. "But if there's something dangerous in there, I would rather ask you to summon a sea creature inside the room, first."
* Berlioz winces. "... SEIRA. Apparently, I can't even keep the names straight anymore. I blame the fairy princess."
<Shamal> "We look nothing alike," Shamal stares at Berlioz in horror for a moment, before centering herself and nodding to Seira, "Yes, a Water Elemental would be useful here. One moment," she steps into the room and stops a few feet from the edge of the water.
* Seira takes the moment to tie a length of rope around herself, handing the other end to Lyselle. "If there should be danger, this would be better than my imitation of swimming."
<Shamal> "I call to the eternal oceans of the plane of water, send forth one of your avatars to answer my call!" she intones, one hand stretched upwards before she thrusts it down and points into the waters, sacrificing her Flame Blade spell to conjure forth a small water elemental within.
> The water is cool. She finds herself submerged and wtihout air! A small water elemental appears to her command!
<Shamal> OOC: Shamal did not go into the water.
* Lyselle raises an eyebrow, but dutifully takes the rope and secures it with her own strength.
* Seira proceeds calmly towards the other door, trying to open it.
> OOC: Sorry, my fault.
<Shamal> "Go and open that door," she instructs in the burbling tongue of Aquan.
> So the elemental and Seira go! The elemental, being in it's element, moves faster! As it crosses about the halfway mark, Seira at the 1/4 mark. As this happens, a soft sliding of metal sounds. From the roof a small metallic rod - or perhaps a wand? - pokes out! It begins to sparkle, crackling with electricity, before a bolt slams out, diffusing the water into a death trap!
> OOC - Ref saves. -4 on yours, Seira, since you're freaking underwater.
<Shamal> roll 1d20 elemental
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20 elemental and gets 4." [1d20=4]
<Seira> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 and gets 20." [1d20=16]
> roll 5d6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 5d6 and gets 23." [5d6=6, 3, 3, 6, 5]
> The elemental is fried! IT breaks apart in the electric rage, shattered into bubbles! Seira somehow avoids the diffusions of lighting, unhurt!
* Seira immediately signals to the others that they pull her back!

[Anastasia]

> Meanwhile, the lighting producing staff stays out, starting to spark again!
* Seira also moves towards the exit herself!
* Lyselle quickly helps Seira out of the water with some dragging on the rope.
> Between the two of them Seira gets out of the water in time! Once she leaves the aqua and can breath again, the lighting rod slowly begins to slide back up into the ceiling.
<Seira> Once on firm ground once more, Seira finally takes a breath, and cheerfully throws an orb of acid at the retreating lightning rod!
<Shamal> "Are you alright, Seira?" Shamal asks, somewhat surprised at the rapid expiration of her elemental.
<Seira> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17." [1d20=9]
<Seira> "I feel very invigorated," she responds to Shamal in a happy tone of voice. "Near death situations do that to me every time!"
* Berlioz golfclaps. "No wonder you're so quick to jump into danger."
> OOC - Go ahead and roll damage.
<Seira> roll 1d8 acid~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8 acid~ and gets 5." [1d8=5]
> The ball of acid flies! The orb gets a dark green splash, metal sizzling! It's a hit just as it withdraws, the rod scarred and serrated by the orb!
* Seira snaps her fingers. "Score!"
<Shamal> "I don't think it's destroyed completely, though... do you have anymore of those spells?" Shamal asks, eyeing the little recess the rod came out of.
> The recess has closed, a little flap of metal sliding over it. It blends reasonably well into the roof, only seen now since you know that there is such a device in place.
* Seira smiles at Shamal, turning around. "Of course! Do you have more elementals to summon? I'm thinking you could summon one as close to the other door as possible, and have it try to open the portal."
<Shamal> "One more," Shamal affirms, repeating her little ritual to conjure forth a second water elemental adjacent to the far door. "Open the door," she instructs in what sounds like incomprehensible gibberish to everyone else.
<Seira> "If anyone has a crossbow, they work through water," Seira suggests, and takes out her brand new wand, keeping it trained on the ceiling.
> The water elemental opens the door! You can see a dark room ahead of it, mostly hidden by the angles. As this happens, the ceiling's little recess opens! It's scarred and damaged, but still working as sparkings of lighting come from it again, filling the water and turning it into a dead zone!
> OOC - SAve, mr. elemental.
<Shamal> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20 and gets 3." [1d20=3]
> roll 5d6
* Hatbot --> "Kobrb rolls 5d6 and gets 12." [5d6=2, 6, 1, 1, 2]
> The elemental is shocked and zapped, electricity arching along it's body, but it maintains form!
* Berlioz clears his throat, preparing ahead for what may come. He takes out a small scroll from his pocket, and begins reading a lyrical piece of poetry - a typical piece about dungeons and dragons...
<Berlioz> (OOC: Inspire Courage.)
<Seira> The wand sings, an orb of acid on its way towards the lightning rod!
<Seira> roll 1d20+9
<Shamal> "Now, see if you can grab that wand!" Shamal commands in strident Aquan, the elemental moving rapidly through its element before it reaches the wand and tries to yank it out of its recess.
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13." [1d20=4]
> OOC - Damage.
<Seira> roll 1d8+1 acid~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+1 acid~ and gets 2." [1d8=1]
> OOC - Str check, elemental.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+4 and gets 16." [1d20=12]
> As the wand is scarred up more, metal badly pitted and wrecked, the elemental grasps the wand! With a rip it comes out of it's hole, a two and a half foot long metal wand withdrawn!
<Seira> "Not bad," Seira compliments.
<Shamal> "Good job! Now bring it to me!" Shamal instructs happily, gesturing for the elemental to approach, which it dutifully does and hands the wand over to Shamal's waiting hands.
> You can see that the wand is pitted and damaged quite severely. There are a few words etched down the length, but they're both unfamiliar and distorted, parts of it lost due to acid damage.
* Shamal casts Mending on the wand!
<Shamal> http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/mending.htm
<Shamal> The spell can repair a magic item, but the item's magical abilities are not restored.
> OOC - Strike Shamal's typo.
> The wand is restored! It's now a well made and slender wand, steel and with writing engraved. On a look, you can see that one word each is engraved to each fourth, unfamiliar words.
* Seira glances at the writing, comparing it to Gnomish.
> It looks to be gnomish on a glance.
<Shamal> "Hmm... I'll try and translate that later, I suppose," Shamal decides, putting the wand away. "Anyway, shall we go on?"
<Seira> "Yes, we can read everything we found later with a spell," she agrees. "Have your elemental secure the other end of this rope to that door?" Seira asks then, handing it to Shamal.
<Shamal> Sadly the elemental chooses this moment to vanish, eliciting a sigh from Shamal. "I can't keep them around that long," she laments, starting to go through her belongings so she can leave scrolls and parchment and other things she doesn't want soaked behind.
<Seira> Seira's equipment is watertight, so she volunteers to take the rope over herself. "Keep an eye out for any other wands, please," she asks of the others. "If you see any, well... as before, help me out?"
* Shamal nods to Seira. "I only saw one magic aura, so I think it should be safe," she affirms, before bundling up her belongings and stashing them in the surgery room.
* Seira takes a deep breath, and proceeds.
* Seira goes towards the other door!
> Seira goes into the drink - and crosses over without incident. On the other side, she can see a long, rectangular box of a plain room. On the side just past the door, there are little indents where you can see the sides facing the water room slide back, perfect places for archers or spell slingers. But past this thick carpeting begins, soft on your feet. Two doors straight ahead - one is grand, an archway with a door of solid onyx fitted into it, and a small, forgettable door on the side.
> Two doors straight ahead - one is grand, an archway with a door of solid onyx fitted into it, and a small, forgettable door on the side.
* Seira searches for a place to secure her end of the rope before proceeding further, confident that her friends would do likewise at the other end, before waving them over.
> There's plenty of places on dry land here to do so, especially the door.
<Shamal> With her belongings safely away, Shamal ties the rope to... something, before she instructs Laika to follow her and holds Flopsy tight as she takes a deep breath and swims across!
> Shamal gets over without incident. She's wet now, however.
* Seira takes the chance to search the premises!
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 12." [1d20=6]
* Shamal casts prestidigitation to dry off herself and her companions once they're all on the other side!
> Seira doesn't find much of note.
<Seira> "Thanks," Seira tells Shamal, before shrugging. "Can't spot much around here. We should probably do a more thorough search of the complex on our way back, if at all possible."
<Shamal> "Agreed," Shamal nods. "I want to copy down those diagrams in the surgical room as well. For now, though... the little door first?"
<Seira> "Naturally," she responds with a smile.
* Seira proceeds to observe the door in question for any entrapments.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 10." [1d20=4]
> Seira doesn't find anything.
* Berlioz begins chanting Detect Magic's dystic to save himself the trouble of Seira asking him things to begin with.
<Shamal> "There's strong magic behind that doorway," Shamal notes, trying to identify exactly what it is.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 and gets 15." [1d20=2]
* Berlioz squints his eyes and backs away a very slight bit. "Something... let me try to identify this."
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+9 fail
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+9 fail and gets 12." [1d20=3]
* Seira sighs, and proceeds to open the forgettable door.
<Shamal> "It's beyond me... a lot of magic is, these days," Shamal notes embarrassedly. "Er, I suggest caution, anyway."
> In this room you see what looks to be a large lounge. Deep but small chairs are here, ancient glass bottles sitting on recessed shelves. A fireplace springs to merry warmth as you enter. Paintings of a vast underground city are on the walls. The floor is carpeted, a deep, wine shaded red. Over the fireplace sits a large breastplate, hung on the wall.
> OOC - Strike.
> In this room you see what looks to be a large lounge. Deep but small chairs are here, ancient glass bottles sitting on recessed shelves. A fireplace springs to merry warmth as you enter. Paintings of a vast underground city are on the walls. The floor is carpeted, a deep, wine shaded red. Over the fireplace sits a breastplate, hung on the wall.
<Seira> Surprisingly, Seira searches this room as well!
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14." [1d20=8]
<Seira> "No magic on the breastplate, right?" she asks.
<Berlioz> Wrong.
<Berlioz> *"Wrong."
> Seira doesn't find much of note. The carpet is very soft an the room is pleasant.
<Shamal> "There's faint magic on the carpet, and a strong aura seems to permeate the whole room... but especially focused around the breastplate," Shamal explains. "But not from the breastplate."
<Shamal> roll 1d20+13 to ID the faint aura
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 to ID the faint aura and gets 31." [1d20=18]
<Shamal> "The carpet has faint conjuration magic on it... Summoning?" Shamal looks a bit confused. "I don't know what that could be for, though."
<Seira> "Right, no triggering of the magical traps," Seira agrees, staying off it.
<Shamal> OOC: strike my line
<Shamal> "The carpet has faint evocation magic on it..." Shamal looks to see if the carpet is glowing at all.
* Seira still finds no reason to step on the carpet!
> Seira notes that the entire floor is carpeted and soft, so it's rather difficult not to step on it.
<Seira> Then clearly it is time to vacate the room before deciding on the next move!
<Shamal> "It could be a heat spell," Shamal muses, before searching the shelves but conspicuously leaving the breastplate alone.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 and gets 19." [1d20=16]
> Shamal finds that the shelves are plain. Airtight bottles of what looks to be some sort of alcohol are the main things held.
<Seira> "Maybe," Seira agrees from outside the room. "Should we try the other door now?"
<Shamal> Since they aren't radiating magic, Shamal leaves the bottles alone for now. Probably worth grabbing on the way out, if nothing else. "Let's leave the breastplate alone. Something nasty will probably be summoned if we interfere with it," she agrees, joining Seira by the larger door.
> It's quite a large door, two pullrings available if one wishes to open them. They're of pure oynx, poilshed even after all this time.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6 obligatory trap search on door
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 obligatory trap search on door and gets 9." [1d20=3]
> Seira thinks the door is aces.
* Seira leaves the door for someone stronger than she to open.
<Shamal> "It's safe to open, right?" Shamal asks Seira.
<Seira> "As far as I can tell," she responds honestly. "Seems pretty heavy, I don't think I can do it."
<Shamal> "I don't think gnomes were renowned for their physical strength," Shamal notes, but nonetheless attempts to open the door.
> With a bit of a pull the door opens! Ahead of you is...
> A stairway, a grand stairway going down. It's wide enough to walk ten abreast wth confort and ease, the steps flawlessly carved brown stone with white, metallic edges. The walls do not radiate light, but orbs hang in the air - about half a dozen, each one the size of a melon and shedding enough light to fully illuminate. It goes down farther than you can see, lots of little cubbys and side holes, highly defensible.
<Seira> "Seems familiar, somewhat," Seira comments.
<Shamal> "Those gnomes certainly took their defences seriously," Shamal observes, patting Laika as she moves forward to advance down the stairs.
<Seira> "Wait," Seira requests, not moving just yet.
* Berlioz pokes Shamal. "I hear a howling."
<Seira> "If this place is like the other ruins, wouldn't there be a golem below? Are we ready to face it, as is?"
<Shamal> "I hear it as well..." Shamal nods to Berlioz. "If the golem is like the other one, I don't see why not. I'm more worried about the howling, to be honest, Seira."
* Seira listens to the howling!
> Strangely, Seira does not hear anything.
<Seira> "I don't hear anything. And I tried." Seira points at her pointed ears. "Describe this howling for me?"
* Lyselle frowns, trying to lend an ear to the sound she can't seem to locate. "I can't hear anything..." she admits.
> Strangely, Lyselle cannot hear anything.
* Shamal glances at Laika to see if her ears are perking up as they normally would to any strange dog-like noises she'd hear.
* Seira meanwhile decides to inspect one of the orbs. She checks it for heat, then for tangibility.
> The orb is slightly warm to the touch and tangleable. There is a clear material - glass or crystal, perhaps - that forms it's outer shell.
* Seira checks to see whether it is connected to something, or merely floating, and gives it a slight nudge with the blunted tip of an arrow.
<Shamal> Starting a little, Shamal's gaze settles on the path down the stairs. "We should continue onwards," she says flatly, her quarterstaff clicking softly on the steps as she begins to descend.
> It floats there effortlessly.
> When nudged, the orb moves slightly.
* Berlioz rubs his temples, shaking his head as if his eardrums were just greeted by the sound of an explosion. "WHAT?"
* Seira tries to take it!
> Seira holds the orb of light.
<Seira> "Shiny!"
> Seira finds that the orb is ever so slightly warm to the touch and nice to hold.
* Berlioz grimaces, looking to Shamal. "Did... did you hear a booming voice?"
* Seira follows Shamal, bringing the light source along.
<Shamal> "Yes," Shamal answers curtly. "I don't know why only us two can hear it, but I want to get to the bottom of this."
<Seira> "Only two of you have the spell for detecting magic on," Seira comments. "If one of you were to cancel it...."
* Berlioz shrugs, muttering a few dystics to undo Detect Magic. "Let's see."
* Lyselle nods, following closely behind Shamal and Seira, keeping the stolen glaive in her hands, keeping an eye around herself.
> As the party walks on, Seira and Lyselle begin to hear it. A howling, then a splurt of earthy voices shouting, then overwhelmed by a heavenly chours, crying out of vengence. Down you go, flickers beginning to show on the floor - of gnomes, bearded and armored, each one vaporizing in a wreath of burning white fire.
<Shamal> "It seems their defences availed them not..." Shamal comments distantly, eyeing the spectral images as she continues onwards.
<Seira> "How much could they really do against true divine fury?"
> You begin to see them - figures of pure divine energy, crying out for revenge! Striking down all they see, flames roaring out. Yet they flicker out and fade as you approach, as do the gnomes. A dancing movie all around you, playing over and over.
<Shamal> "Not enough to remain in the world of today, it seems," Shamal murmurs.
> As you walk and walk, the minutes pass. The stairs blur together, time passing by. After about ten minutes of work, the images at last fade. For ahead is another oynx door, but it is guarded. Here he sits - eyes like ruby fire, vaguely human like and yet burning with etherial, heavenly flames. It waits for you, voice strong. "I welcome you." It's face is too bright to look at, making your eyes squint.
* Shamal contents herself with looking just above the being's head to avoid the glare. "Who are you?" she asks bluntly, though not rudely. It's a fair question, after all.
> "The guardian sent to watch over the deep reaches where this fragment of the past lies." It's voice sounds pure and calm, restrained if powerful. "Lord Helm sends a message to you."
<Seira> "We would gladly welcome his wisdom."
* Shamal nods expectantly, at least by now somewhat used to having the apparent personal interest of a God focused upon her. Strange as it is, her life isn't much for normality, and never has been.
> "You come close to taking on a great duty. Out of many, the four of you have come together. Through these doors lies the full power of a fragment of the gnomish past. If you wish to go in and find it, wish to become a part of what brews, and wish to take this responsibility onto your soul, then proceed on when you are ready. But, Lord Helm warns that this is a difficult path, for you, your city and your country."
<Shamal> Not wanting to take this lightly, Shamal decides this would be an excellent time to ask some questions. "The vision I saw before, up in the temple - was it of the past or the future?"
> "The wrath of the pantheon given form - you saw the past, Seira saw the present, Lyselle and Berlioz saw the potential future." It looks to Berlioz in particular, then Lyselle, "Be it a good future or one of ruin."
<Seira> "Will I be able to find him if I were to proceed?" Seira asks expectantly.
> "I do not know. The one you seek to is close to your heart, but his path is a potent one, hidden. But...his creations are seen even now."
<Seira> "The orbs?"
* Lyselle shivers a little at the mention of her vision. She wished without a doubt that it could've been the past, not another plague on her homeland... But then, how could she NOT embroil herself in just that? If she was to ever live down having left the hills and mountains for Balmuria, this would be the place to dive back in...
* Seira shakes her head, then, speaking slower. "The gems we have been coming upon? The ones that hold spells? Are they the creations you speak of?"
> A pause, then the being speaks. "Yes. Those are the handiwork of the man you follow, your father. The secrets the gnomes discovered are beginning to come out from the long slumber in the earth."
* Seira nods deliberately. "Then I must follow his footsteps. That is the only possible path."
* Shamal blinks at that revelation, before considering if any other questions are needed on her part... No. She certainly needs to learn more about what's happening, but she has enough to make her decision. "I will also proceed," she affirms, nodding resolutely.
* Lyselle adds a nod with her deliberations. "I'll go as well."
<Seira> "Is it dangerous for us to collect the Resorts?" Seira takes the chance to ask. "Would, in doing so, we risk returning the goblin God-King to life?"
> *gnomes
<Seira> OOC: Yes! Though we hate both!
> "By themselves, no. The fate of the God King is in the hands of mortals...as is the fate of this world, the Gods rarely walk with you. It is your struggle to overcome now, as the divine edict so states."
* Seira nods. "I must admit, though the gnomes seemed like a nasty bunch, I do not know what they did that was so despicable the Gods themselves decided to wipe them all out. Could you tell us?"
* Shamal has her suspicions thanks to her earlier vision, but is content to let the servant of Helm explain things in his own words to see if she was right or not.
> "The folly of the God King, the Heresy to challenge the order of Creation." It's voice hardens, full of fiery wrath.
* Seira is quite content with the order of Creation, not challenging it!
<Shamal> "He consumed the forces that bind creation to fuel his ascension?" Shamal asks, clarifying her interpretation of the vision.
> "Nay, he challenged the Gods themselves!" The voice rumbles, as Berlioz nods blankly. To this, the spirit stands aside. "What lies beyond the doors is stronger than what was in front of them. Go in when you are ready - be it now or in time. This place is watched by Helm, and amid all others should be relatively safe."
<Shamal> "Can you tell us what awaits on the other side so we can better prepare ourselves?" Shamal asks hopefully, now feeling a bit mystified as to what exactly the gnomes did to set the higher powers off. Challenge? In what way? It's not likely she'll get any explanations here, sadly.
> "A Church to the God King, deep inside which rests an altar. On that altar...it awaits you."
<Shamal> "What is it?" Shamal asks, only twitching a little bit.
> "The fifth piece, the fifth resort. A shield to stop any attack, a perfect defense when all else fails."
<Shamal> "Is it guarded at all? Will we face any obstacles in retrieving it?"
> "The guardians and protections remain. Lord Helm decrees that only those strong enough to take on this duty and face it's wrath are worthy."
<Shamal> "Hmm..." Shamal looks thoughtful. "While I do want to see this through, I can't help but think that we're not quite ready, yet. Irenes has shown us that there are powerful forces interested in the Resorts - would we be adequate guardians of it?" she asks her companions, not really sure herself.
* Lyselle shakes her head a little, frowning darkly. "If it is one of the resorts proper...I would think a bit longer, perhaps...but then I am conservative," Lyselle admits quietly, eyeing the door.
* Seira shrugs. "If we bypass the defenses, at least as competent as what is in place right now. But if you prefer to wait, I can wait along with you."
> "It is your choices, mortals. The Gods merely watch in this age from afar." With that, the figure stands, "Time has no meaning for me. I will wait here as long as Lord Helm desires."
<Shamal> "I'd feel more comfortable if I could cast at least third circle spells before taking on such a responsibility, to be honest," Shamal admits. "Right now, well... Honestly, I'd feel inadequate. I mean, Irenes can cast at least Fifth circle magic, so I'm not sure we could protect it from someone like him if he found out we have it."
> "Very well then." The being speaks plainly, "We shall await."
<Shamal> "We will return," Shamal promises. "Please guard it well until we do."
* Seira bows to the being, and returns up the stairs, where she proceeds to collect the other light orbs!
> There are a few dozen, it takes Seira and company a bit of work and time to get them all up. They're quite bright together, thoguh.
<Seira> "Ah, decorations!" she comments, heading back towards the room with the magical carpet.
> The party heads back to that room. It's still there, breastplate, carpet, chairs and all.
<Shamal> "Maybe we shouldn't take too much treasure from here?" Shamal suggests, "If we sell a large number of pristine gnomish artifacts back in Balmuria, certain parties might take note of where we've been recently."
* Seira deposits the orbs in a safe place, bundling them together, and glances at the breastplate. "Magic, right?" she asks, examining it carefully for any hidden mechanisms. "Oh, and I'm not selling the orbs of light," she comments.
<Shamal> "The magic is around the whole room, it just gets stronger around the breastplate - it's all one spell, though," Shamal confirms. "What're you going to do with them all, then? Taking one I can see, but that many?"
<Seira> "Decorations," she repeats. "For my place. I already purchased the land. Want to take a few home, yourself?"
<Lyselle> "I think we'd need a cart..." Lyselle remarks plainly, lifting an eyebrow at the pile of orbs.
> Seira can't detect a trap around the breastplate.
<Seira> "Well. The armor does not seem trapped, though it's always possible I missed something," she muses out loud, recalling those other ruins. "You want to leave it alone?"
* Shamal shakes her head. "I could never sleep with my house so brightly lit."
<Seira> "Alright," she agrees. "More for my home, I suppose."
<Lyselle> "We could try lifting or cutting it down with the glaive..." Lyselle notes, hefting the polearm.
* Seira examines the carpet, estimating how difficult it would be to try and persuade the room to part with it.
> It's fitted around the chairs and walls. It's attached to the floor - you'd need to cut the edge and then try to slowly pry it loose, roll it up and angle it out.
* Seira tries to do so along one of the walls.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 34." [1d100=34]
> OOC - What are you using to cut
> ?
<Seira> OOC: Normal dagger!
> The dagger cuts the edge - it's hard for Seira's non physically aided body, but with some effort she's able to start lifting it up. Beneath is a cold stone floor.
<Shamal> "I suppose... I'm pretty sure something bad will happen as soon as someone touches that armour, though," Shamal replies to Lyselle.
<Shamal> "And... what are you doing, Seira?"
<Seira> "More decorations," Seira murmurs, proceeding. "Tell me if anything untowards happens?"
<Shamal> "Can't you buy carpet in Balmuria?" Shamal asks, somewhat horrified.
<Seira> "Not a mysterious carpet of evocation," Seira affirms.
<Seira> "It still is a mysterious carpet of evocation, isn't it?"
<Shamal> "That... just..." Shamal gives up, sighing in dispair. "It looks more like a roughly hacked apart mess."
* Seira methodically proceeds to liberate the carpet!
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 93." [1d100=93]
> As Seira works, she eventually peels it away from near where the armor hangs. As this happens, Seira gets a surprise! The carpet suddenly turns from red, wine shaded opulence to red, fire tinted burning pain! It's heat is close enough to sear her right off, in view of her friends!
> roll 1d10
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d10 and gets 9." [1d10=9]
* Seira stops and moves out of the room, glaring at the carpet. "It really was evil," she mutters. "Is there any magic left in the room, at least?"
<Shamal> "I'm sure there's a lesson in that, somewhere..." Shamal mutters as Seira is burnt. "Look, let's just take the armour and go - you all head past the water and I'll catch up," she suggests.
> Seira's hands smoke a bit, body rather heat blasted. The smell of very rare half elf fills the air, not to mention makes Seira's skin tell her loud and clear: OW.
> Berlioz nods once, smirking a little bit as he murmurs a few enchanted phrases. "It's all still there," he nods, "The carpet's still magic."
<Seira> "And the armor?"
> "The same - the strong aura is still very strong around it - the carpet's aura isn't where it's been pulled up."
<Shamal> "The armour isn't magic," Shamal repeats once more. "It's the aura around it that is."
* Seira looks at the carpet, estimating how much of it is left to peel.
> About one third or so. Despite the flames, the furniture and chairs touching it aren't burning at all.
<Seira> "Crap. My carpet is on fire."
<Shamal> "Oh, you cannot be serious... let it go, Seira!" Shamal cries, aghast. "How would you even carry it out of here, anyway?"
<Seira> "Very carefully, I suppose."
> The carpet continues to burn, not melting down at all. It's like a steady fire, sizzling away.
<Seira> "Berlioz, if you help me with the carpet, I'll treat you to some wine," Seira voices. "Some time in the future."
> Berlioz raises an eyebrow, aghast. "I don't think I want to burn alive," he comments dryly.
<Seira> "Fix me up so I'll burn alive on my lonesome, at least?"
> "Oh, very well," Berlioz allows, casting a simple healing spell to mend Seira's burns.
> roll 1d8+5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+5 and gets 7." [1d8=2]
<Shamal> "Okay, I'm going to... be somewhere else," Shamal murmurs weakly, somewhat broken by all this. "I'll assume you're all dead if I don't hear from you in half an hour, I suppose." With that she turns and heads back towards the surgery, taking a little swim in the process.
<Seira> Keeping outside the room and the carpet's burning rage, Seira chants a quick spell and takes hold of her dagger with the power of her mind, commanding it to keep on peeling the carpet off!
> As Seira casts her spell, she notes that the dagger'll have to come very close to the quite merrily burning fire to do so.
<Seira> She has more daggers!
> The dagger begins to cut! However, this exposes it to hot, burning flames!
> roll 1d10
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d10 and gets 6." [1d10=6]
> This doesn't go so well. The problem is that a dagger is still a dagger, and getting burned by hot, magical flames isn't exactly a good idea. After a few efforts it's scorched and useless, burnt by the carpet.
<Shamal> Drying herself off on the other side of the water, Shamal uses her scroll of comprehend languages to read what the wand says, before she begins looking over all the physiology diagrams and any writings there, copying down as much as she can while the spell lasts, and still working to duplicate the diagrams onto parchment even after she can no longer read the words.
* Seira stares longingly at the carpet. "I'll return for you, my pretty," she murmurs, before continuing onwards, taking her orbs of light with her after securing them with a waterproof tent.
> Shamal finds out that the staff reads the following: Lighting Rod 'Mundgar'. OOC - Mmm. Make a knowledge arcana and a healing check.
> Meanwhile, Seira eventually gets her goods through with the waterproof tent, though it takes her some time.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8 arcana
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 arcana and gets 10." [1d20=2]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8 heal
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 heal and gets 22." [1d20=14]
* Seira spends even more time to search all of the three adjacent rooms, enlisting the aid of Berlioz and Lyselle!
> While Shamal botches some of the magically related parts, she gets a lot of information on biology, including much she didn't know before. If someone studied this, they'd surely find it useful for the healing arts.
> Meanwhile, Seira searches. The barrack rooms are generally empty - strangely so. The room where Shamal studies has nothing more of note, a white gem already in Seira's pocket.
* Shamal puts all of her notes in order - maybe she can make more sense of it when she comes back after advancing her studies. That done, she notes the others are still alive, "Did you at least get the armour?" she asks.
<Seira> "Not yet, I wanted to get the light orbs here, first," Seira responds. "Let's go get it, now?"
<Shamal> "I'll go get it," Shamal sighs, leaving her perishables behind and taking another swim, not bothering to dry herself this time since she'll be coming right back.
* Seira follows, chancing a glance to see whether the carpet still burns.
> As the party arrives back, they find that the carpet is indeed still on fire.
* Seira appreciates the fiery fury of the carpet.
* Shamal approaches the breastplate, sticking to the side of the room that's already been de-carpeted by Seira. "Okay, as soon as I touch that, something nasty is going to show up. Do you people want to fight it or would you rather do something sneaky?"
<Seira> "Sneaky works."
<Shamal> "Wait out of sight and get ready to run, then," Shamal instructs, casting silent image to conjure forth a replica of the guardian they encountered down below, hovering above the flames.
* Seira does so, bow ready just in case!
* Shamal then casts Ghost Sound to create the same heavenly chorus she heard on the stairwell, emanating from the guardian. Facsimile now in place, she grabs the armour and bolts for the door without sticking around to see the results!
> Shamal RUNS! As she runs out of the room, she feels a blast of heat lick her back, a roar sounding behind her, a lion's roar!
* Shamal slams the door shut behind her! "Come on, through the water!" she encourages, not sticking around as she tears past the others and *dives* into the gravity defying aqua to quickly swim to the other side with her precious cargo.
* Seira doesn't need to be told twice!
> So the party flees! AS they swim through, they hear roaring behind them, stopping at the edge of the water!
<Shamal> As soon as she reaches the other side, Shamal takes out her newly liberated wand of lightning and turns to see if anything is pursuing her through the conductive liquid. That trap can now be turned to their advantage...
> At the other side, stopping in front of the water? A lion is there, mane burning aflame! It roars once more, heat making the water ripple!
* Shamal actually laughs a little. "Oh, my... the disadvantages of a tiered multi-elemental system of defences?" she comments. "How lucky for us."
<Seira> "Want to shoot it so we won't have to when we return?" Seira suggests. "Nice plan, by the way."
> The lion paces and bares it's teeth, sharp and long teeth white, with little wisps of flame coming out from it's mouth.
<Seira> "Or, if you could summon something to push it into the water...."
<Shamal> "It was summoned, so it will probably vanish on its own," Shamal shakes her head.
<Seira> "Well, if you think so," Seira muses. "I want to check something, so wait a few, alright?"
<Seira> Having said that, she decides to check the corridor and the three non-watery rooms it leads to for any concealed doorways.
* Shamal nods, using prestidigitation to dry herself off and taking a moment to calm down Laika as she growls through the water at the lion, before gathering up her belongings.
> The lion growls back at Laika!
> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 23." [1d20=18]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+5 and gets 8." [1d20=3]
> Seira searches long, high and low! She is absolutely, positively certain that there are no secret doors here at all.  They're just normal barracks.
* Seira feels very happy to know that!
> As Laika is shaken, you see that the spell wasn't done! A second lion crowds in, also roaring! Two aflame lions, looking quite pissed.
<Seira> "Let's close the door and leave," Seira suggests.
<Shamal> "Yes, let's," Shamal agrees with a sigh, closing the door and patting Laika to console her.
* Seira locks it for good measure
<Seira> "So... avoid the devil-summoning trap on the way up, if it's there, and identify what we got tomorrow? How is that for a plan?"
<Shamal> "Works for me," Shamal agrees. "Let's see if we can get back to Balmuria in time to catch all the fuss with Lord Salman."
* Seira nods.
<Seira> "The carpet will wait for me, no doubt."
* Shamal grits her teeth but says nothing.

[Anastasia]

> On returning from the depths, magic items and orbs of light in tow, the party decides to rest a day. It's a perfectly sane option, and the church has no problem putting you up for an evening. While the rooms are spartan, they're still  better than the cold ground outside. But after some rest, Seira has things to do. She rises, going out to the main hall. The head priest is there, sitting in front of the altar, lost in meditation.
* Seira is fairly impatient, but is wary of antagonizing a god who is not, it seems, as withdrawn from this world as his brethren. She waits!
> He meditates for a time, head bowed deep in reflection. After about a score of minutes his head rises, a sweep of his vision seeing Seira. "Can't sleep?" he offers poiltely.
<Seira> "I can sleep just fine," she returns, overt politeness winning over her inner annoyance. "But if I succumb to slumber, how would I gain the answers I seek?"
> The old man turns back to the altar, "Very well then. What is it you wish to know?"
<Seira> "I got the feeling you knew me -- or of me -- when we exchanged pleasantries," she states categorically, cutting straight to the chase. "And yet, this is my first visit to these parts, and I'm afraid I have no recollection of meeting you."
> "Oh." A long smile as he looks ahead, "I'm sorry, your father mentioned you in passing and I made the connection sooner than later. He came here...a year ago? He came searching, but it was not Helm's will for him to find the ruins here."
<Seira> Her strength of will keeps her from grasping the priest by the folds of his robe, and only a twitch escapes her control, appearing in Seira's left eyebrow. "Tell me more of this visit, please," she requests.
> "He came searching. I believe he suspected what was below the temple, but he did not press the matter. We talked a night away. He talked about how his current obligations and ventures kept him busy. He was quite enthusiastic in his way about it. The only thing that made him draw pause was when he mentioned you."
> The head priest smiles, eyes fixing onto the altar ahead of him. "He was not of the faith of this temple, but he had great dedication to what felt to be his duty. I respect him for that."
* Seira feels her anger returning. "What did he feel to be his duty?"
> "I am not certain." The old priest shakes his head, back and forth. "He truly lit up for two things - his unnamed duty, which I suspect to what lies beneath this temple, and to the mention of his daughter."
<Seira> "I need to find him," Seira tells him, speaking haltingly. "Did he mention any other names? A friend? A place?"
> "Not as much as you would like, I fear. I had to deflect some pointed questions about what lied beneath this temple and it's purpose. He returned the favor in kind. He made mention of Malmuth - a fellow wizard there, though I did not catch a name."
<Seira> "A description, then? Anything? Anything at all?"
> "No, but I suspect and inferred that his purpose was devoted to the same purpose as his visit here." A pause, "For him to leave his daughter - you - behind, it must be important. His resolve on these matters was exceptional."
> The old priest considers at that, standing up. "I'm sorry I don't know more. I know you want to hear more and better information, don't you?"
<Seira> "Oh yes. Exceptional." It is times like this Seira regrets her lack of ability to inflict a massive fiery vengeance. "I do," she tells the head priest. "What would you suggest?"
> The old priest pauses once, bowing his head. "If your father is connected to the same explorations you are, perhaps your paths will cross in time that way? An elven wizard passing through is rare, search for that? Ask colleages? Even petition the Gods if all else fails, but so many of them are quiet."
<Seira> "I'm already at the stage where the Gods themselves are being petitioned," Seira grumbles. "Though, perhaps, I have been lax at the more mundane research. It would gall me to find that he visited Balmuria as I was stationed there, right under my nose."
> "Yes indeed." The old priest agrees, calm. "I wish you the best with this...I'm sorry Icould not help you more, but he wished to keep his ultimate motives close to chest."
<Seira> "Should he chance upon your temple again, perhaps following our footsteps, please convey my sincerest desire to get in touch to him and tell him where to contact me?" Seira requests, quickly scribing her new address on a spare bit of parchment. "And, of course, should you ever travel to Balmuria, you are welcome to stay at my abode, as you shared yours with my friends and I."
> "I thank you deeply," he smiles to Seira, "If Saul comes back this way, I will send a message to you."
> -------