Random DM nagging.

[Anastasia]

These are some old opinion/position summaries for several powerful players within Balmuria 3.

CELESTIA

The Hebdomad

The Hebdomad approves of going after Lifasa on general principals. However, the actions Aurora has taken in regard to both Helm and Bahamut are troubling. Opinions of the Hebdomad are split, but for now Zaphkiel has not taken any action. The current plan is to wait and see.

Bahamut

Is both angry and saddened by the actions of Aurora. He considers them enemies now who value the word of a renegade prismatic dragon than any source of righteousness. He considers them dangerous and erratic lunatics. He would have simply slain all concerned, had not both Tiamat and Renbuu's presence stayed his hand. He is seriously considering punitive action against Aurora. His current plan is to consider and prepare action, pending no other actions from Tiamat.

Helm

Is torn. He approves of the general actions - barring the Baleruk incidents - but agrees with Bahamut. He feels they're too focused on a goal and will take too many short cuts and bad choices to reach it. He hopes they succeed while fears they may very well fail or cause more harm than good. Fully believes that Annalise will not be saved or redeemed, despite agreeing with the concept of what Jaela's trying. His current plan is to watch and wait.

Tyr

Tyr has just received full information from his faithful priest in Brightwater. He is appreciative of freeing the long-held soul of one of his faithful from the Screaming Gate. Knowing Helm's situation limits him, he knows that any resolution lies with Bahamut and Zaphkiel. His current plan is to talk to both of them soon. If this goes favorably, he plans to send a personal diplomat to offer guidance and soothe tensions. A war between Heaven and Heaven serves none but the fiends, and he will not let that happen.

ELYSIUM

The High Ones

The Arch-Angels are aware of Aurora and the return of Medi's legacy. They are growing concerned that Aurora's friendliness to Arborea and growing hostility to Celestia could spark a rift between lawful good and chaotic good; they are preparing actions if that happens. The current plan is to pull strings if tensions rise, brokering an agreement for Arborea to withdraw support in exchange for Celestia staying its hand. Thereafter they will attempt to reason with Aurora, and if that fails, overcome it. Medi's legacy will not be wasted on fools.

ARBOREA

Corelleon Latherian

The Elf-Father does not agree with the lassitude the Triune Goddess has given Jaela regarding several manners, but has not seen fit to intervene yet. He has no love for Baator, and knows that Lifasa must be reclaimed. As he is aware of what's happening with Benfal, he is debating approaching Alicia Reynes and using her as a way to 'tame' Aurora instead. The current plan is to go to Alicia soon and do just that.

Queen Morwel

Queen Morwel has seen the many futures Aurora can bring. She believes it vital to push Hell back from Lifasa and that the Child of Lifasa CANNOT be allowed to be born. If need be, she will order Gwynharwyf to lead her berserkers to assassinate the Child and Queen Ilsenine, but only if no other options remain and the time of birth draws nigh. She believes that Aurora will do good, even if not in a way that pleases Celestia and perhaps Elysium. She is aware of possible tensions and accepts that if Aurora bungles things too far, she will have to ultimately comply with the High One's request. The current plan is to wait 4 months and see if Aurora can accomplish this, otherwise they will intervene.

YSGARD

Alicia Reynes

Has noticed Aurora. Times of liberation come soon to Benfal and she is discussing reaching out to Aurora to aid in that battle. She may send Antenora or Latha as a messenger soon. The current plan is exactly that, pending other things.

MECHANUS

Primus

Primus has taken notice of Aurora's return. Believing it to be another sign of the correctness of his calculations, he sees no reason to intervene. A looming war between law and chaos for Good will be yet another step to Shar ending everything. The current plan is for a regime of attacks on Aurora, both from Mechanus and from forces that may be mistaken as Celestia's. This war must be provoked.

LIMBO

Renbuu

Approves of Aurora, as much as he approves of any one thing in a constant way. Anything that enables his art and spreads chaos is (usually, sometimes, maybe) acceptable. He wants Baleruk to be spread far so his latest art can be properly appreciated. His current plan is to support Aurora as long as they continue to spread chaos, and give them occasional 'gifts'.

[Anastasia]

Wrote this near game start and forgot about it. It's done up to low epic, which isn't finished.

Teach me, Ko-chan!

So today I was asked how the PCs stack up regarding the greater multiverse. This is a valid question and one worth answering, so I'm going to respond with how I sort out power levels in D&D. I split it into 3 tiers, mortal, epic and divine. Each tier has sub-categories to further differentiate power levels. Before anything else, a few caveats: This only judges individual power by challenge rating. It does not account for other sources of power. A CR 1 prince who commands a trio of CR 25 solars is much more of a mover and shaker than a typical CR 1 creature, but that's not what we're measuring here. Exceptions can and do exist. Further, this is done from a DM and planar point of view. This isn't to denigrate mortal affairs or the Prime Material; a DM has to balance all aspects of the campaign world and understand how they work together. Further, as you reach into the epic tier and beyond, most matters involve the Prime Material less directly; highly powerful outsiders and divinities can't directly enter those realms without catastrophic and apocalyptic happenings.

Tier 1: Mortal

1-10 Mortal Tier

This tier is not limited to mortals, though mortal beings predominately make up its composition. This is for everyone from Mom and Pop to the blacksmith down the lane, to King Fancypants the 38th, to various adventurers, to mysterious elves and everything else you could imagine. Creatures at this power level range from affecting the immediate area to a few kingdoms. Such creatures usually lack the ability to adventure in and often withstand any plane but their own. While not fodder or weak within their kingdoms, they're of no notice to the greater Creation beyond them. Around the end of this tier, the means to transcend this tier begin to emerge - the ability to travel the planes, greater survivability in general, mastery of the basic circles of magic and the ability to break the rules of physics as we know them.

Roughly 99.95% of Creation resides in this tier. Of course, with parts of Creation being theoretically infinite, the number means relatively little.

11-20 Heroic Tier

This is the tier your characters currently reside in. It is the tier where characters begin to gain a great deal of personal power and are no longer just another knight, mage, cleric or what have you. You've made a name for yourself and are really starting to have an influence. In the mortal world, you are a hero of high renown or a feared villain, having accomplished many a deed. The planes of Creation are open to your explorations, legendary creatures can be faced and you can take abuse that would melt a peasant to ash without even blinking. In our parlance, you're a super hero. You aren't just another dismissible threat to be ignored or crushed, but instead a budding champion who can influence the courses of entire countries, a continent or even make an impact on the planes. As you advance higher in this tier, the rules of reality become less strict; oftentimes certain limitations lessers labor under become mere suggestions to you. At the peak of this tier, a fighter of this level can face down an army of goblins and win easily; a paladin can defeat a millenia old Pit Fiend that has influenced events in his world since the dawn of time; a cleric can invoke direct divine intervention in the form of a miracle; a wizard can speak his desires as a wish and see it become so.

At the end of this tier, one begins to glimpse even more power beyond. Epic feats and prestige classes become available, while the mortal plane begins to become less of a challenge. You likely have the attention of several planar entities; the name of a hero of this level invokes the fancy of fiends, wishing to slay them and gain great prestige, while your patrons are keenly interested in you and your continued growth.

Roughly 00.04% of all Creation resides in this tier.

21-26 Low Epic Tier

At this point, you have great power. A mortal of this level is a hero of legend, the sort born once a century at best. An immortal of this level has at last gained a measure of true power, further able to advance its aims.

Many find themselves limited by a mortal body at this time, the purified and powerful spirit chafing under the constraints of flesh. Those who are already outsiders find the material world reacting to them, unable to fully bear the intensity of their spirit.

Tiers

1-10: Mortal Tier. 99.95% of creation is here. Everything from a 2 HD blacksmith to a lantern archon to a dire bear is here. While not powerless, they are of no great importance in the grand scheme of things.
11-20: Heroic Tier. 00.04% of creation is here. At this point you have the power to do things and oppose more serious threats. Planar travel is possible and the rules of physics often bend to your will.
21-26: Low Epic Tier. You are a rising power in your own right.

[Anastasia]

Soul Harvest
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 11
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Target: 1 gemstone focus
Area: 300ft radius centered on the focus
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No

This spell transforms a large gemstone into the prison of many souls. The gem holds the trapped entities indefinitely or until the gem is broken and the life force is released, which allows the souls to pass on. When Soul Harvest is cast, the gemstone used as a focus turns an empty black. Any creature that is slain within the radius and that possesses a soul must make a will save one round after death or have its soul trapped within the gemstone. Note that as the material body has been left behind, any saving throw bonuses from equipment is lost, as well as any spells that were active on the deceased. Once absorbed, a soul is aware of nothing but a dim, hazy passing of sensationless time. This spell is not subtle, as each absorbed soul can be seen passing into the gem.

The gem can absorb a number of souls determined by its value. The gem can absorb 1 hit die worth of souls per 1,000 gold of its value. For example, a diamond worth 25,000 gold can absorb up to 25 hit dice of souls. To absorb a soul, the gem must be able to absorb all of the hit dice of the creature. If the value of a soul is higher than the remaining value of the gem, the soul cannot be absorbed and passes on safely. Unlike Trap the Soul, a soul that the gem is unable to absorb does not shatter the gem.

Once trapped within the gemstone, the souls can retrieved in a few ways. Shattering the gem will free the souls, allowing them to pass on. A Freedom spell cast on the gem can free one soul trapped within, the name and background of the soul must be stated at the time of casting. Finally, the spell Soul Collection can extract a soul from the gem into another vessel or into the hands of a creature capable of handling souls.

Resurrection attempts fail, as does reincarnation. A wish or miracle cannot free the soul, though a properly worded one can provide information on the location and fate of the trapped soul.

A gem used as a focus for this spell can be reused so long as it still has space to absorb souls.

Focus

The gem that is to be used to store the souls.

Soul Collection
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 11
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: 1 gemstone focus
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell allows souls to be trapped within the gem focus of a Soul Harvest spell to be extracted without shattering the gemstone. The caster may elect to collect as many or as few souls within the gemstone as he chooses. Once these souls are extracted, the caster has several options. He may deal with the souls one by one or at once as he sees fit. At any time he may choose to return to return the souls into the gemstone focus.

Imprison Soul

The caster may elect to imprison the soul in question within a single gemstone, identical to Trap the Soul. Note that as no material body was retained, the shattering of this gemstone allows the soul to pass on instead of reforming a material body.

Collect Soul

The caster, if capable by magic or personal power, may do what he wishes with the soul. This usually involves absorbing the soul into themselves, molding it into an outsider, or consuming it in certain vile rituals. A soul that is absorbed into an entity is considered lost beyond recovery, short of slaying the absorbing entity. A soul transformed into an outsider is likewise beyond recall, as is a consumed soul.

Demand Service

The collected soul may be called on to complete a service for the caster. They must agree to the service of their own will. Should the soul refuse, the caster may return the soul into the gem focus or do something else with it. If the soul is that of an outsider, they manifest a physical body and are bound to complete the service demanded. If the creature is mortal, they become a ghost and are bound to the Mortal Coil until this service is complete. Note that a mortal is aware of the fate they invite by accepting this demand and makes their own informed choice. Once this service is complete, the soul is freed to pass on as normal.

Free Soul

If the caster wishes, they may free the soul. Doing so allows it to pass on as normal.

Note

Deities do not need this spell to extract souls from a gemstone focus they touch. This spell is meant for powerful mortal spellcasters and outsiders who lack divinity.

Focus

The gemstone from Soul Harvest that contains the souls to be collected.

Shape Soul
Transmutation
Level: Clr 11, Sor/Wiz 11
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: 1 deceased mortal soul
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text.
Spell Resistance: No

This mighty spell allows a spellcaster to shape a soul into a form of his choosing. On casting this spell, he chooses one of the following forms to shape the soul into: Lantern Archon, Cherub, Courre Eladrin, Formian Worker, Colorless Slaad, Lemure, Larvae or Dretch. A transformation that matches the alignment of a soul allows no saving throw; for example, a lawful good soul may be transformed into a Lantern Archon automatically. If the soul's alignment and the alignment of the new form do not match, the soul is allowed a will save to negate. For each step removed from its alignment, the soul receives a +3 bonus to the saving throw; these steps stack.

This spell gains the alignment descriptors matching the form the soul is to be shaped into. For instance, changing a soul into a Dretch makes this an evil and chaotic spell.

While this spell is not intrinsically evil, it is at best meddling in affairs that mortals have no business in. Deities take an extremely wrathful view of souls destined for them being stolen and twisted into forms that does not match the form it should have taken. The use of this spell has a 75% chance of alerting the deity or power the soul was destined to of the caster's meddling and his current location. On rare occasions a power grants this spell and permission to use it to one of his most faithful. In these cases no wrath is incurred as long as the use is in keeping with the deity's will.

Material Component

The soul to be shaped.

[Anastasia]

Telay's Ice Horror
Evocation
Level: Drd 10, Sor/Wiz 10
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

With one finger you point at the victim, as his body is frozen solid.

The subject of this spell is engulfed in absolute cold. This deals 1d6 points of cold damage per caster level (max 30d6), if this spell kills the subject, its body twisted into an ice statue of the victim in agony. The subject's body is ice in all respects, including melting in above freezing temperatures. An ice to flesh spell can reverse this and produce a corpse, but it does not restore the subject to life. A body that melts is lost and can only be recovered by resurrection or miracle. Any equipment on the subject is not damaged and may be retrieved.

This spell is often combined with Telay's Ice Servant.

Telay's Ice Servant
Transmutation
Level: Drd 10, Sor/Wiz 10
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: 1 ice statue created by Telay's Ice Horror
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

With one arcane word handed down from the frozen wastes, your victim becomes a temporary thrall.

This spell transforms a creature slain by Telay's Ice Horror into an ice golem subservient to the caster. It will follow the caster's commands to the best of its ability, even to destruction. The transformed ice golem uses all the statistics of an ice golem (Frostburn pg 137) with the following exceptions: It uses the size, base attack bonus, hit points and saving throws of the creature that was slain to produce the statue. Any magical items or equipment worn by the statue work as normal, though the golem may not activate any effects. For example, it gains the benefits of a cloak of resistance, but cannot activate a wand of cure light wounds. The golem will use any weapons it holds and is proficient in them as long as the creature slain was proficient in them. For the golem's slam attack, see the table below. An ice to flesh spell immediately dispels this spell and restores the golem into a corpse.

At the end of this spell's duration, the statue melts into lukewarm water.

This spell is often combined with Telay's Ice Horror.

[Anastasia]

Golden Bracelets

Ranks are unlocked by using them in battles of the appropriate CR or higher. Multiple ranks can be unlocked in a particular battle if it meets the CR requirements and is particularly epic.

Rank 1: CR 10 or sparring, fire resistance 10, 100ft range.
Rank 2: CR 13, +2 fortitude saves, 125ft range.
Rank 3: CR 15, searing light at will as an SLA, 150ft range.
Rank 4: CR 18, +2 reflex saves, 200ft range.
Rank 5: CR 20, flame strike at will, 300ft range.
Rank 6: CR 21, +2 will saves, 400ft range.
Rank 7: CR 24, +2d6 goldenfire damage on weapon damage rolls, natural attacks and spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor, 700ft range.
Rank 8: CR 27, immunity to fire, 1000ft range.
Rank 9: CR 29, save bonuses increase to +7, 5000ft range.
Rank 10: CR 32, goldenfire damage rises to +4d6, unlimited range as long as on same plane.
Rank 11: CR 35, sunburst at will as an SLA.
Rank 12: CR 40, goldenfire damage rises to +6d6, gain goldenfire spell as a bonus feat.

[Anastasia]

Posting about what I said in chat, I'm hoping we can open Medi's quarters as our group coda for the game. Where it comes to picking it up some day, to answer Dune, I'd say that if I ever did feel like returning to Balmuria, I'd prefer resuming B1 over B3.

That works. We'll do that on Sunday.

I think I probably wouldn't want to resume later on, although I'm good for a coda/being here friday and saturday.

Do you have anything in particular you want to do Friday, Ithea? Edit: Besides the wedding which Cor brought up and missed/was said in chat.

So. Personal scenes? I was going to talk to Mirajane, and hearing about the rest of Hanna's kids would have been fun, I thought. Merc's suggestion of Adrian and Misalea's wedding would also be nice, even if it were largely abbreviated. Once more, a reminder that Jaela is a proper priestess! If not, Adrian/Misalea/Tepen have been with us for ages and I'd want to talk to them in some setting. I would also like to ask the Triune for an audience, perhaps alongside Mirima and Mei? If they want to come, that is.

There's plenty others, of course, but I think keeping things reasonably focused would work better.

Mirajane's fine, as well as Adrian and Misalea's wedding for you two (and Afina and Yuth if they're here/game for it Friday). Fair on the audience and we'll see how Hanna works out. That's about 4 or 5 scenes and I don't want to over commit immediately. Let me see how things shake out.

Eb and Yuth what about you two? If turnout is higher than expected, I may split this up into this Wednesday as well. We'll see.

[Merc]

Do you have anything in particular you want to do Friday, Ithea? Edit: Besides the wedding which Cor brought up and missed/was said in chat.

You've posted too much crap and missed it. I said it in this very thread when you asked about friday stuff earlier. =p

I don't have anything planned for friday. Maybe a visit to Sharess or having Adrian's/Misalea's wedding sped up to then would be nice things.

[Anastasia]

Well I suck. Thanks Merc.

[Yuthirin]

Hi. I should be available for any day you want. Whichever. :D

[Anastasia]

Very good. Now do you have anything you want to do?

[Yuthirin]

Kill the Father, woo Vivantha, annoy Jaela, tout dragonity in front of Baleruk, and see Lifasa reclaimed.

I'll settle for whatever though.

[Anastasia]

Okay seriously, do you have anything you want to do or is this more of a whatever?

[Yuthirin]

More of a whatever.

[Anastasia]

Very good then.

[Corwin]

I kind of want to know what these things might've become:

http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1036528.html#msg1036528
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1037052.html#msg1037052