031.7 "I am...not fond of returning to that. No matter, where is this place?"

[Corwin]

[20:20] <Kotono> Thus do the four meet. All are equipped for battle and ready, awaiting Afina's command.
[20:25] <Afina> With everyone here, Afina gives a proper explanation for Hanna and Drena's benefit. "Our objective is the Blade of Endings, a weapon of Unmatter lost ages ago in Acheron, that our best information suggests now resides in the 394th planetoid, placed there by Warlord Makan for 'worship'. If the Warlord still exists he's surely a powerful foe to have wrested the blade from its original owners grip,
[20:25] <Afina> but even if not the current inhabitants of this planetoid have defeated various devil incursions. Only gelugons so we can't infer too much about their power, but resistance is likely to be stiff. Any questions before we go?"
[20:27] <Kotono> "Do we know anything more about Warlord Makan?" Drena asks, "What sort of abilities he has?"
[20:29] <Afina> "No," Afina shakes her head. "What we got didn't go into any details as to how he defeated whoever previously bore the Blade of Endings. The best consolation is that if he put the blade to be worshipped then he likely won't be wielding it if we face him. Of course our information is thousands of years old, so don't take anything for granted."
[20:35] <Muirfinn> A moment, and a seagull swoops in toward the group. It lands and in a flash turns into the tortoid form of Muirfinn! "Ah, good. I caught you before I left. I heard that you were looking for me earlier?"
[20:37] <Afina> "Ah... Hanna mentioned something," Afina is briefly thrown but rallies herself swiftly. "We're going to Acheron to retrieve the Blade of Endings that was lost there thousands of years ago, and hopefully is still there. It's a realm of freezing winds and razor sharp blizzards, and we're expecting whoever currently guards the weapon to offer heavy resistance. If you're capable and ready, we could
[20:37] <Afina> use you."
[20:39] <Muirfinn> "I am. I'd be happy to join you."
[20:39] <Afina> "Alright. Anything else?" Afina looks over the expanded expeditionary group.
[20:39] <Kotono> "That makes five. I like those numbers better," Hanna says, axe in hand. "Are you all ready? I'm going to cast the proper protections now."
[20:40] <Kotono> "Where are we shifting to? The location of the sword or somewhere else?" Drena asks.
[20:40] <Afina> "Annalise, you're in charge of that. Can you get us to the planetoid's surface?"
[20:40] * Muirfinn nods. "My...friend, the water elemental, will not be joining us. He's a bit skittish, I'm afraid."
[20:42] <Kotono> "Hold on," Annalise says, calling on the magic of greater plane shift! OOC: More.

[20:42] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 20." [1d20=3]
[20:42] <Kotono> OOC: Fortitude saves, all.
[20:43] <Kotono> roll 1d20+14 Annalise
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+14 Annalise and gets 21." [1d20=7]
[20:43] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 Drena
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 Drena and gets 33." [1d20=15]
[20:43] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 Hanna
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 Hanna and gets 35." [1d20=9]
[20:43] <Afina> roll 1d20+17
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+17 and gets 32." [1d20=15]
[20:48] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26+6
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26+6 and gets 40." [1d20=8]
[20:49] <Kotono> roll 10d6 nontyped damage, Annalise only
[20:49] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 nontyped damage, Annalise only and gets 43." [10d6=2, 5, 5, 3, 2, 6, 6, 6, 5, 3]

[20:49] <Kotono> Explosive pain fills your senses. You are enveloped in darkness. N othingness. Void. Afina and Muirfinn float in utter blackness, no sign of the others.
[20:50] <Muirfinn> "Ah. This could be problematic." Muirfinn looks around. OOC: True Seeing make a difference?
[20:51] <Afina> "What?" Afina whirls around in shock at losing the rest of her team at the get go, conjuring a quartet of dancing lights around herself to light the blackness.
[20:51] <Kotono> OOC: Do you have it acti-oh right, mask. PM.
[20:51] <Kotono> The light dance in the darkness...and do nothing to illuminate further.
[20:54] <Muirfinn> "Afina...this is not natural darkness. It appears that we are surrounded by walls of darkness on all sides. I can see them moving with you. I can't seem to see beyond us though."
[20:54] <Afina> "How far away are the walls?" Afina asks, thinking she can try and teleport them just past them.
[20:55] <Muirfinn> "They are...against us. I believe. Even with True Seeing it is hard to see. They...envelop us. Trap us."
[20:56] <Afina> "Alright, hold on a second," Afina rests her hand on Muirfinn's shoulder and then dimension doors them both twenty feet ahead to see if that shakes them off.
[21:06] <Kotono> In a blink the two travel! You stand in a hallway hewn of black stone blocks of some sort. Behind you is a dead end wall. 25ft ahead is a door on the right wall, and 10ft ahead past that is a T intersection.
[21:08] * Afina floats back to that black wall behind her which is presumably the reverse of the trap, putting her perceptive skills and stoneworking knowledge to use in perceiving how it might differ from the surrounding walls so she has a better chance of seeing any others that might hide her allies in this place.
[21:08] <Muirfinn> "That's better. Good thinking." Muirfinn says. "I see no illusions from here on forward."
[21:10] <Kotono> The wall seems identical to the others - nothing is awry about it at all.
[21:12] <Afina> "This is bad, we've got no way to tell where the others might be... if they're anywhere near to start with," Afina frets. "Lets look around, there has to be something in charge here." Casting Greater Heroism to be safe, she advances to the door on the right, opening it.
[21:12] <Muirfinn> "Perhaps we will find them further onward." Muirfinn ventures, agreeing.
[21:13] <Kotono> The door to the right opens. Within is a 15ft by 15ft room. Within it lies several tan clay pots against the back wall.
[21:14] <Afina> Floating over, Afina lifts the lid off of one of the pots to see what's inside.
[21:15] * Muirfinn peers around as well, enjoying the novelty of his mask.
[21:16] <Kotono> Nothing is awry in this room that Muirfinn can see. Within the first pot Afina finds it is empty, though there are four other pots if she cares to check.
[21:16] <Afina> Why not? She's quick enough for it to take little time.
[21:16] <Kotono> In the third pot is a small pile of copper coins and in the fifth pot are a few gold coins.
[21:17] <Muirfinn> "Some sort of coin riddle?"
[21:17] <Afina> The money isn't enough for her to care about carrying it around, so Afina leaves it. "Nothing here, lets move on," she tells Muirfinn, floating out the door and to the junction.
[21:18] <Afina> "Or someone's change jar."
[21:19] * Muirfinn nods, heading out of the room as well and leaving the small change behind.
[21:20] <Kotono> Heading back out the two go to the intersection. There is a plaque with writing on the wall, and to the right you see it goes 15ft before hooking south, and to the left it goes 30ft before it goes to a door to the north and another door opposite it to the south.
[21:20] * Afina dubiously reads the plaque.
[21:21] * Muirfinn eyes the plaque as well.
[21:22] <Kotono> Written on it is, "Beware the burning rays of light."
[21:24] <Muirfinn> "Hmm...but where will we find a mirror?"
[21:24] <Afina> "Is that a riddle, too?" Afina asks sardonically, turning left so she can check out the doors, taking the north one first.
[21:24] <Kotono> The north door is locked! It does not open on Afina's attempt to open it.
[21:26] <Afina> Then she'll open the South one. How do you like dem apples?!
[21:28] <Muirfinn> "Allow me to try." Muirfinn says, his form shifting and flowing into a form of swirling clear water! He rears back a massive arm and slams into the North door with the force of a tidal wave! OOC: Water form
[21:28] <Muirfinn> OOC: Str check?
[21:28] <Kotono> The south door is not locked. Within you can see several chalk drawings on the floor, patterned and organized. OOC: Str check, Muirfinn.
[21:28] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+14
[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+14 and gets 24." [1d20=10]
[21:29] <Kotono> WHAM! The door flies off its hinges! Within lies a 10ft by 10ft room. In the center a floating spear hovers, but you barely have a chance to observe it! Just before it is a creature of pure black shadow, face a mask of thoughtless malice that pounces towards you! OOC: Init, you got its attention.

[21:30] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+5 init, no staff wooooooo
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+5 init, no staff wooooooo and gets 10." [1d20=5]
[21:30] <Afina> roll 1d20+23
[21:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13 shadow creature
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+23 and gets 29." [1d20=6]
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 shadow creature and gets 17." [1d20=4]
[21:30] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(29)>Shadow creature(17)>Muirfinn(10)'
[21:30] <Kotono> OOC: Go Afina.
[21:31] <Afina> Turning back from the drawings at that crash, Afina detects the threat and instantly springs into action! Surging forward and around Muirfinn's watery bulk, she stabs the shadowy creature twice with Hywelbane, moving into the room past it and stopping above the spear!
[21:31] <Afina> OOC: is it evil/outsider?
[21:32] <Kotono> OOC: Yes and no, respectively.
[21:32] <Afina> roll 1d20+39
[21:32] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+39 and gets 54." [1d20=15]
[21:32] <Afina> roll 1d20+34
[21:32] <Muirfinn> OOC: What to rool to identify monster?
[21:32] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+34 and gets 36." [1d20=2]
[21:32] <Kotono> OOC: K:R.
[21:32] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[21:33] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6 and gets 32." [1d4=4][2d6=3, 2][2d6=5, 1]
[21:33] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6 and gets 35." [1d4=1][2d6=6, 5][2d6=4, 2]
[21:33] <Kotono> Afina rips through the shadow, who whirls and pounces at her, trying to claw the tiny fairy that ripped a pair of gashes into it's black form!
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23 touch AC?
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 touch AC?  and gets 37." [1d20=14]
[21:34] <Afina> OOC: 32, 42 if shield/mage armour apply
[21:35] <Afina> OOC: wait, 35. 45 if those apply
[21:35] <Kotono> The ragged touch comes within an inch of Afina but narrowly misses her, clanging off a field of force in front of her! OOC: Muirfinn, go.
[21:35] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+24 K:R to ID
[21:35] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+24 K:R to ID and gets 38." [1d20=14]
[21:38] <Muirfinn> Muirfinn rolls forward, water sloshing ominously as he rushes forward! OOC: speed 20ft, reach 15ft. CAN I GET 'IM?
[21:38] <Kotono> OOC: Sure.
[21:38] <Muirfinn> OOC: Without charging? NEat.
[21:38] <Kotono> OOC: ?You don't even have to move - you have huge reach.
[21:38] <Muirfinn> OOC: Then I shan't.
[21:39] <Muirfinn> roll 2#1d20+33
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#1d20+33 and gets 88." [2#1d20+33 = 37, 51]
[21:39] <Muirfinn> ooc: Scratch
[21:39] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31  and gets 50." [1d20=19]
[21:39] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31  and gets 36." [1d20=5]
[21:39] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26 and gets 27." [1d20=1]
[21:39] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 and gets 37." [1d20=16]
[21:40] <Kotono> OOC: Just keep the original rolls and -2 to 'em. Three hits, the 1 misses but the other shit, anyway.
[21:40] <Muirfinn> roll 3#1d8+14+4
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 3#1d8+14+4 and gets 66." [3#1d8+14+4 = 21, 26, 19]
[21:40] <Kotono> Watery limbs surging forward, the elemental Muirfinn beats the shadow down! Already ripped, it cannot resist being pounded into nothingness, fading away! OOC: Free act.

[21:41] <Afina> "I doubt that was the keeper of this place," Afina watches it fade away, turning to look around and see if there's anything besides a spear in here.
[21:42] <Muirfinn> After making sure there are no more undead hiding in the shadows (ha ha), Muirfinn shifts back into his natural form. "Blasted undead."
[21:42] <Kotono> Afina doesn't see anything awry beyond the floating spear.
[21:43] <Muirfinn> "Ah, an illusion." Muirfinn points at the back wall. He heads forward and grasps the key hanging there.
[21:43] <Afina> "I hope that's not a key for the door you just tore down," Afina remarks blandly, taking a look at the spear. She knows weapons, so maybe it's something good that Jaela could one day use? Detect magic as well because why not.
[21:44] <Kotono> Going forward, Muirfinn pierces the illusion. The black key he withdraws from it is cold to his touch and oddly sharp, smooth lines somehow causing shallow, bloodless cuts on his hand.  OOC: Make spellcraft here.
[21:44] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+29 spellcraft
[21:44] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+29 spellcraft and gets 44." [1d20=15]
[21:46] <Afina> "Nothing special, probably a trophy from a gelugon they killed." Since it's at least worth something, Afina conjures a floating disc and puts the spear on that for easy carrying before she goes to see what the chalk drawings are all about.
[21:46] * Muirfinn nods, placing the key in his pack and heading after.
[21:47] <Kotono> OOC: K:A on the drawings Afina.
[21:47] <Afina> roll 1d20+28
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+28 and gets 37." [1d20=9]
[21:47] <Afina> OOC: 41 with GH
[21:48] <Kotono> These symbols and drawings are a partially complete summoning circle. It looks like it was meant to summon something infernal or fiendish - not demonic, at least. It's too incomplete to tell much more than that.
[21:49] <Afina> Afina's pretty familiar with doing that, anyway! But she's not interested in summoning anything right now, so time to go down the other side of the earlier T junction.
[21:50] <Muirfinn> Must not have been anything important, so Muirfinn follows the general!
[21:51] <Kotono> You walk to the right. As you approach, you can see it - a ray of semi transparent light, piercing the dead middle of the hall and hitting the wall. The passage ahead goes down 30ft before coming to doors to the east and west, another 30ft where it repeats that and then another 10ft before it turns to the east. The beam of light neatly bisects the middle of the hall, about 3ft above the ground
[21:51] <Kotono> and two inches wide.
[21:51] <Muirfinn> "Wait." Muirfinn calls.
[21:52] * Afina looks at the tortle expectantly.
[21:52] <Muirfinn> "We need a mirror. The sign said that a mirror could aid us here. Can you create one? I know you are skilled."
[21:53] <Afina> "What? It said to beware burning rays of light, it didn't say anything about a mirror," Afina retorts in confusion.
[21:53] <Muirfinn> "I'm not sure if you saw it, but the sign had an illusion."
[21:53] <Muirfinn> "It said, 'Deflect the light if you find a mirror."
[21:54] <Afina> Guessing that the blade of her sword is too small to suffice, Afina considers the matter. "Do you have any silver coins on you?"
[21:55] <Muirfinn> "What you had said about a riddle and your lack of reaction to what I said led me to assume that you had seen through it as well, but I was unsure." Muirfinn pulls a handful of ten silver coins from his pouch. "All I have right now."
[21:57] <Afina> "Set them down, they'll do," Afina nods, casting fabricate once they're on the ground to merge them together, making them thinner and wider, designs smoothing out until after a moment she's produced a decently reflective mirror. "How's that?" she asks, floating now behind Muirfinn. "Though I question the value of advice given by our captors."
[22:04] * Muirfinn shrugs, bending down and lifting the mirror. "Perhaps. That assumes that this place was designed by beings who wish for us to die here. PErhaps we are rats in a maze for their amusement."
[22:04] <Muirfinn> With that, Muirfinn proceeds forward, using the mirror as a second shield to reflect the light away from them.
[22:05] <Afina> "Who does that?" Afina asks in amazement. She can sort of imagine summoning devils up to put them through amusingly torturous gauntlets but it's still always going to end in death regardless...
[22:05] <Muirfinn> "I could see a yugoloth doing it." Muirfinn says.
[22:06] <Kotono> The beam of light is deflected back smoothly by the mirror! The mirror grows a bit warm, but nothing unbearable. Advancing 30 feet, you come to the first two doors. Each one is closed, and with a big, black gemstone set into the stone right above the door.
[22:07] <Afina> "You obviously haven't dealt with many of them," Afina mutters darkly, recalling the fortress they assaulted on Hades. While Muirfinn holds the shield up, she opens the left door.
[22:07] <Kotono> The door is locked and does not open.
[22:08] <Muirfinn> "None at all, really. I'm only assuming." Muirfinn says. "Perhaps the key in my pack will help?"
[22:08] <Afina> "Try it. Yugoloths are more likely to keep you incapacitated until they sacrifice you in a perverse ritual for power."
[22:10] <Muirfinn> "...unpleasant." Muirfinn says, his beak curving inward in disgust as he holds the mirror from the top, using a free hand to pull the key from his pocket and attempting to use it on the left door!
[22:10] <Kotono> Muirfinn finds there is no keyhole to insert the key into.
[22:11] <Muirfinn> OOC: The other door!
[22:11] <Afina> "Angle the mirror to point the light into that black gem?" Afina suggests.
[22:11] <Kotono> The other door lacks a keyhole as well.
[22:12] <Muirfinn> "Ah! An excellent idea!" Muirfinn places the key back into his pack and moves the mirror to do so!
[22:12] <Kotono> OOC: East or west door?
[22:12] <Muirfinn> OOC: The left one
[22:12] <Kotono> OOC: East or west?
[22:13] <Afina> OOC: West!
[22:13] <Muirfinn> OOC: Sure!
[22:14] <Kotono> It takes some angling, but you deflect the ray of light to the gemstone above the west door! The gemstone glows bright and the door swings open! Within is a wooden table, with what must be a few dozen bottles of potions sitting there.
[22:14] <Afina> "Keep it held there, I'll see if the potions are useful," Afina asks, floating in to take a quick look over the bottles.
[22:14] <Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft. Just one check here for the sake of expediency.
[22:14] * Muirfinn nods, holding steady!
[22:15] <Afina> roll 1d20+30
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 and gets 43." [1d20=13]
[22:16] <Kotono> They are, in order: A potion of cure light wounds, a potion of fly, a potion of bear's endurance, a potion of heroism, a potion of jump, a potion of mage armor, a potion of endure elements, a potion of bull's strength, a potion of owl's wisdom, a potion of cure light wounds, a potion of neutralize poison, a potion of jump, a potion of aid, an oil of barkskin+2, a potion of remove fear, a potion
[22:16] <Kotono> of spider climb, a potion of cure moderate wounds, a potion of darkvision, a potion of cure light wounds, a potion of neutralize poison, and a potion of pass without trace.
[22:18] <Afina> All a load of crap as far as Afina's concerned, but she'll put them all on her floating disc in case they're ever helpful. Floating back out into the hall, "Now try the other door?"
[22:18] * Muirfinn shifts the mirror!
[22:20] <Kotono> With the ray deflected again, the other gemstone lights up and the door swings open! Within this door is nothing at all, just a 5ft by 5ft room of no interest.
[22:20] <Afina> No magic in there either?
[22:21] <Kotono> The back wall radiates magic.
[22:21] <Muirfinn> "Another illusion on the back wall."
[22:21] <Afina> "What's past it?"
[22:21] <Muirfinn> "Another key."
[22:21] <Afina> "I'll get it, then," Afina declares, flying in to grab the key and back out again. "Onwards?"
[22:22] <Kotono> It is another black key - just like the other one.
[22:22] <Muirfinn> "Indeed." Muirfinn moves forward down the hallway!
[22:22] <Kotono> Advancing further, you find the second set of doors also have black gems above them.
[22:23] * Muirfinn repeats the process, west first.
[22:23] <Kotono> It works, the gem lighting up. Ahead is a 5ft by 5ft room. On the back wall is a door, with three visible keyholes in it.
[22:24] <Muirfinn> "Looks like we need another key."
[22:24] * Muirfinn moves the light to open the other door!
[22:28] <Kotono> The gemstone above this door bursts into light and the doors swings open as the other door closes. Within this is a 10ft by 10ft room. Lying on the floor of the room is Annalise. She is utterly immobile, limbs splayed out. A look of screaming horror fills her face, eyes wide and full of terror.
[22:28] <Muirfinn> "She is surrounded by the same black walls, Afina!" Muirfinn warns.
[22:29] <Afina> That's just so unlike Annalise that Afina's mind rebels from the concept! About to dismiss it as an illusion, Muirfinn's words prompt her to reconsider. "I'll get her out, then," she promises, flying on to grab Annalise and then dimension door her into the hall behind Muirfinn.
[22:32] <Kotono> "AAAAAAAH!" The scream pierces the air as Annalise appears in the hall, as her limbs flail a moment before she flips up. She looks about, eyes narrowed slits. "...Afina?" She slightly detenses, "Ah, what happened?"
[22:33] <Afina> "We were trapped on arrival. Were you in a black void?" Afina asks, very curious at the reaction. It certainly wasn't *that* bad, and Annalise has all the resources she had with which to escape.
[22:33] <Muirfinn> "...you had a moment." Muirfinn says.
[22:35] <Kotono> "That is precisely it. I could move but not move," Annalise looks about, "I am...not fond of returning to that. No matter, where is this place?"
[22:36] <Afina> "If caught in it again just teleport a few feet away, it can't catch up," Afina explains. "I'm not sure the purpose of this place, all we've encountered so far was a single shadow guarding a room before. We've found some keys and there are locks in that room," she gestures at the closed door, "But we need one more key. And Hanna and Drena, especially if they're in the same condition you were."
[22:36] <Muirfinn> "Some sort of facility for holding people who get trapped. Or a wizard's lab. Or both. We're still seeking the others."
[22:37] <Muirfinn> "Also, do not walk blindly into the hallway."
[22:37] <Afina> "Just stay behind me, you'll be fine," Afina reassures.

[Corwin]

[19:24] <Kotono> Annalise nods, falling into position behind Afina for now.
[19:25] <Muirfinn> OOC: What else is left? We still have another key and two party members to locate.
[19:26] <Afina> OOC: hall turns east 10ft after these two doors
[19:26] <Muirfinn> East we go at the turn then!
[19:28] <Kotono> The party advances to the east. The passage continues 30ft to the east, coming to a slight ramp up. In a nook just at the bottom of the ramp in the wall, there is a small hole with a rope going down. Going up the ramp 5ft you see the path continues, to doors to the east, north and south at a dead end.
[19:29] <Afina> How small? Mouse sized? Pixie sized? Tortle sized?
[19:30] <Muirfinn> "Let's clear the rooms ahead and go back to check the rooms we skiped earlier. I don't want to leave Hanna or Drena behind." Muirfinn says.
[19:30] <Kotono> The hole is roughly human sized to go down.
[19:31] <Afina> "We didn't skip any, though..." Afina replies in confusion. "Or did you see some that I missed with your goggles?"
[19:31] <Afina> roll 1d20+30 spellcraft
[19:31] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 spellcraft and gets 38." [1d20=8]
[19:31] <Muirfinn> "Ah wait...there is some sort of...shimmering area near the three doors down there." Muirfinn peers ahead.
[19:32] <Afina> "Don't go up the ramp, it's trapped to cause pain," the fairy warns as they approach it. "I can teleport past it, but let me take a quick look down that hole, first."
[19:32] <Muirfinn> "No...maybe. I don't think so? This place has me a bit confused, sorry. I didn't see an illusion there."
[19:33] <Kotono> The hole goes down 10ft until it reaches bottom. On a casual glance there's nothing special down there, just a dead end.
[19:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+30 spellcraft
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 spellcraft and gets 33." [1d20=3]
[19:35] <Kotono> Meanwhile Annalise hangs back, "This looks to be little more than a generic dungeon," she observes, "Perhaps this Warlord Makan has a background in these affairs."
[19:36] <Afina> "Definitely don't want to climb down there. I'll get us safely past the ramp," Afina draws the two closer to her and dimension doors them to the three doors ahead.
[19:36] <Kotono> Teleportation only takes a moment, bringing the trio past the magical trap safely.
[19:37] <Muirfinn> "Out of curiosity, what was down the hole?"
[19:40] <Afina> "Do tortles have the saying about curiousity and the cat?" Afina asks innocently, then to Annalise, "Our plane shift must have been intercepted, but this place makes no sense as a defence, either manned or unmanned."
[19:41] <Kotono> "That assumes a rational being created this," Annalise observes, "Certainly this plane skews to order, enough to where I wonder that as well."
[19:41] <Muirfinn> "We are occasionally more curious than is healthy." Muirfinn admits.
[19:42] <Afina> "Well if you go down that hole you die. Or at least get a lot thinner," the fairy explains. "Now what about these doors? You saw something on them?"
[19:43] <Muirfinn> "...ah." Muirfinn says. "No, I saw the field that we just passed earlier."
[19:43] * Muirfinn looks at the doors for further shenanigans!
[19:43] <Afina> Well, nothing to do but open a door. Afina chooses the North one.
[19:43] <Kotono> The doors look unremarkable and like the others, save for no gem atop them.
[19:44] <Muirfinn> OOC is there still a beam of light, or can I stop fooling around wiht the mirror?
[19:44] <Kotono> The north door is opened. Lying about are great heaps of junk - everything from swords to pottery to robes to books. Whole heaps of things. OOC: The beam of light stopped at the n dof the previous corridor.
[19:44] <Afina> Anything magic in here?
[19:44] * Muirfinn seeks illusions!
[19:45] <Kotono> There is magic coming from one of the heaps in the back.
[19:46] <Kotono> "A madman's junk pile," Annalise drawls, "How charming, unless we are little more the kobold scavengers."
[19:46] <Afina> "Don't be so sure," Afina cautions, fluttering towards one heap in particular...
[19:46] <Afina> roll 1d20+30 spellcraft
[19:46] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 spellcraft and gets 50." [1d20=20]
[19:48] <Kotono> Digging in, Afina comes to a shield of pure mithral. It's surface is broad and polished to shine like a mirror, Afina able to see a perfect reflection of herself in it. Afina can figure out that it is a shield+1, that as a standard action, can be used by the bearer to deflect any rays sent his way, like a mirror.
[19:48] <Afina> Chuckling, Afina carries the shield back towards Annalise. "Meet your natural enemy, Annalise!
[19:50] <Kotono> Annalise merely takes a glance at it before sniffling, "Hardly worth a trouble, though I assume it's at least worth taking as our own?"
[19:51] <Afina> "Better than it being in the hands of someone you end up fighting. How do those lightning rays of yours feel, anyway?" Afina asks, placing the shield on her floating disc full of crap.
[19:52] <Kotono> "Exquisitely lethal," Annalise replies lightly, as the shield is placed.
[19:52] <Afina> "Then you wouldn't want to shoot someone carrying that shield and have them bounce right back at you," the fairy nods in vindication. "One of you open another door?"
[19:53] * Muirfinn opens the south door!
[19:53] <Kotono> The south door is opened! All you see within is whirling black shards of ice...and abruptly, a fist as large as Muirfinn is and of pure black ice strikes out at Muirfinnb efore he can react!
[19:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 flatfooted AC?
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 flatfooted AC? and gets 42." [1d20=12]
[19:54] <Muirfinn> OOC: Blah 41
[19:54] <Kotono> roll 3d8+23+6d10 (6d10 is cold damage)
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d8+23+6d10 (6d10 is cold damage) and gets 60." [3d8=3, 5, 1][6d10=1, 8, 5, 7, 1, 6]
[19:55] <Kotono> WHAM! The first hits Muirfinn hard enough to send him reeling back! Within you can see the storm of ice - walls beyond it! Something heavy is hanging on one of the back walls, like a suit of armor, but you can only glimpse it as...OOC: Init here.

[19:55] <Afina> roll 1d20+23
[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+23 and gets 30." [1d20=7]
[19:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Pissed off ice fist
[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Pissed off ice fist and gets 14." [1d20=12]
[19:55] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+10
[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+10 and gets 30." [1d20=20]
[19:55] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina=Muirfinn(30)>POIF(14)'
[19:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Annalise
[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Annalise and gets 27." [1d20=12]
[19:56] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina=Muirfinn(30)>Annalise(27)?POIF(14)'
[19:56] <Kotono> OOC: Go yo utwo.
[19:56] <Muirfinn> Surprised and more than a bit upset, Muirfinn swiftly loses his shape and becomes a roiling wall of equally angry water! OOC: Water elemental form, cold immunity.
[19:56] <Muirfinn> OOC: Is the ice thing within 15ft reach?
[19:57] <Kotono> OIOC: YEs.
[19:57] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[19:57] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[19:57] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26
[19:57] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21
[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 45." [1d20=14]
[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 43." [1d20=12]
[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26 and gets 40." [1d20=14]
[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 and gets 35." [1d20=14]
[19:58] <Kotono> OOC: All hit.
[19:59] <Muirfinn> roll 4#1d8+14+4
[19:59] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4#1d8+14+4 and gets 89." [4#1d8+14+4 = 23, 23, 22, 21]
[20:00] <Kotono> The fist of ice is pounded, shattering into shards of broken ice! The storm of ice beyond roils, thickening within! OOC: Afina, go.
[20:00] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina=Muirfinn(30)>Annalise(27)>Storm(14)'
[20:01] <Afina> As soon as they're attacked all joking ceases and Afina lunges for the ice-storm, pushing into the room around it as her holy blade strikes out to pierce black shards with dizzying accuracy before she retreats back into the corridor next to Annalise!
[20:01] <Afina> OOC: outsider/evil/crittable?
[20:01] <Kotono> OOC: No, yes, no.
[20:02] <Afina> roll 1d20+39
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+39 and gets 48." [1d20=9]
[20:02] <Afina> roll 1d20+34
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+34 and gets 43." [1d20=9]
[20:02] <Kotono> OOC: Hit and hit.
[20:02] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6 and gets 33." [1d4=1][2d6=6, 3][2d6=1, 5]
[20:02] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6 and gets 38." [1d4=2][2d6=3, 6][2d6=4, 6]
[20:05] <Kotono> Afina flies into the storm and rips into it, tearing up several hunks of ice! Annalise looks into the storm with a curious, bored expression a moment. She mutters a single disintereste dword, as jaws of pure force appear and savage the icestorm!
[20:05] <Kotono> roll 10d6
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 and gets 42." [10d6=4, 4, 1, 5, 6, 4, 6, 2, 6, 4]
[20:06] <Kotono> Biting chomps take out hunks of the storm, more of it crashing down! Abruptly it begins to spin terrifically, before sending a thousand shards of ice from every angle at Afina!
[20:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 AC?
[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 AC? and gets 47." [1d20=17]
[20:06] <Afina> OOC: 52
[20:06] <Kotono> But Afina is a blur, somehow dodging each and every shard as they crash together! Afina is already past them, ignoring clanging hits! OOC: Afina and Muirfinn, go.
[20:07] * Muirfinn continues the watery smashing!
[20:07] <Afina> Second verse, same as the first!
[20:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26
[20:07] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 47." [1d20=16]
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 32." [1d20=1]
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26 and gets 35." [1d20=9]
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 and gets 33." [1d20=12]
[20:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+40
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 and gets 58." [1d20=18]
[20:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+35
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 and gets 50." [1d20=15]
[20:07] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6 and gets 36." [1d4=2][2d6=6, 5][2d6=5, 1]
[20:07] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6 and gets 30." [1d4=2][2d6=4, 5][2d6=1, 1]
[20:07] <Kotono> OOC: All hit for Afina, all hti but the 1 for Muirfinn.
[20:08] <Muirfinn> roll 3#1d8+14+4
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 3#1d8+14+4 and gets 65." [3#1d8+14+4 = 23, 20, 22]
[20:08] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 51." [1d20=20]
[20:08] <Muirfinn> roll 1d8+14+4
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d8+14+4 and gets 23." [1d8=5]
[20:08] <Kotono> Under assault from all sides, the storm is battered down! It collapses into a rain of black ice that crumbles into tiny, melting bits! Peace comes to the stormy room - it's another 10by10 room or so, but hanging in the back is what looks to be a set of full plate armor.
[20:08] <Kotono> OOC: Free act.

[20:09] <Afina> Is it magic or of noteworthy construction?
[20:09] * Muirfinn surges forward, eyeing the plate mail silently.
[20:10] <Kotono> The plate mail radiates magic, yes.
[20:10] <Afina> roll 1d20+34 spellcraft been forgetting GH on these
[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+34 spellcraft been forgetting GH on these and gets 46." [1d20=12]
[20:10] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+29 Spellcraft
[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+29 Spellcraft and gets 30." [1d20=1]
[20:14] * Muirfinn recoils, burbling with disgust!
[20:15] <Afina> "Lovely armour, can't speak much for its occupant," Afina mutters, momentarily paling. "Can you understand me?" she asks, projecting her voice loudly at the suit.
[20:19] <Kotono> For a few moments there is nothing...and then the armor begins to move! It falls from the wall, landing on the floor! The broken shards of melting ice flow along the floor into the armor, forming the body of a woman. A woman of ice with a face of utter uncaring hatred and malice, a fullblade of black ice forming in her hand! "Are you my enemy?" Her voice is a sadistic whisper, "I am death! I am
[20:19] <Kotono> the final and eternal nightmare! You...and you are nothing but dust on the wind before me!" Her voice raises to a roar by the final words, matching her raised sword, "Spirits of darkness, come to me!" OOC: Init here, it is not a friendly camper.

[20:19] <Afina> roll 1d20+23
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+23 and gets 37." [1d20=14]
[20:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Annalise
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Annalise and gets 22." [1d20=7]
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 Ice woman
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 Ice woman and gets 37." [1d20=20]
[20:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina=Ice Woman(37)>Annalise(22)'
[20:21] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+5
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+5 and gets 12." [1d20=7]
[20:21] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina=Ice Woman(37)>Annalise(22)>Muirfinn(12)'
[20:22] <Kotono> OOC: Go Afina, I need a sec.
[20:22] <Afina> "You've been sitting in a tiny room for too long," Afina retorts, lunging to tear out her freshly formed throat with her blade, retreating back behind Muirfinn afterwards!
[20:22] <Afina> roll 1d20+48 6th level arcane strike
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+48 6th level arcane strike and gets 68." [1d20=20]
[20:22] <Afina> roll 1d20+43 6th level arcane strike
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+43 6th level arcane strike and gets 54." [1d20=11]
[20:23] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[20:23] <Afina> roll 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4
[20:23] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4 and gets 60." [1d4=3][2d6=5, 4][2d6=5, 1][2d6=4, 3][6d4=1, 3, 4, 3, 2, 3]
[20:23] <Afina> roll 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4
[20:23] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4 and gets 55." [1d4=2][2d6=5, 6][2d6=2, 1][2d6=1, 6][6d4=3, 1, 4, 3, 1, 1]
[20:23] <Kotono> Afina tears into the ice, finding it deeply reinforced - harder than it was before, even! She manages to make scrapes into the neck of the creature, but not deep cuts
[20:23] <Kotono> !OOC: GAh.
[20:24] <Kotono> Afina tears into the ice, finding it deeply reinforced - harder than it was before, even! She manages to make scrapes into the neck of the creature, but not deep cuts! At the same time the woman races forward, pouncing ahead like a shot! She makes one great overhanded blow at Afina!
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+34 (-20 PA, +2 charge, +12 smite good)
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+34 (-20 PA, +2 charge, +12 smite good) and gets 42." [1d20=8]
[20:25] <Afina> OOC: AC 52
[20:26] <Kotono> The full blade rips down, missing Afina cleanly! It rips through the air with sizzling black power, narrowly avoiding her! OOC: Annalise.
[20:27] <Kotono> Annalise falls back nimbly, hopping back and firing off a trio of burning hot rays! OOC: Empowered Scorching Ray.
[20:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 37." [1d20=20]
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 28." [1d20=11]
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 19." [1d20=2]
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 12d6*1.5
[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 12d6*1.5 and gets 76.5." [12d6=6, 6, 5, 6, 2, 6, 4, 2, 5, 3, 5, 1]
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 76*1.5
[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 76*1.5 and gets 114."
[20:29] <Kotono> Three rays of scorching hot fire burrow through the ice and armor, struggling to pierce, but managing to melt off chunks of it! OOC: Muirfinn.
[20:30] <Muirfinn> OOC: I'm kinda in her face, so reach is assumed~
[20:30] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:30] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:30] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:30] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26
[20:30] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 43." [1d20=12]
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 33." [1d20=2]
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 33." [1d20=2]
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26 and gets 43." [1d20=17]
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 and gets 25." [1d20=4]
[20:31] <Kotono> OOC: Four hits.
[20:31] <Muirfinn> roll 4#1d8+14+4
[20:31] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4#1d8+14+4 and gets 90." [4#1d8+14+4 = 26, 19, 19, 26]
[20:32] <Kotono> Muirfinn pounds the armored woman harshly, the neck gash she got form Afina cracking under the pressures and holes Annalise made cracking as well! Yet the hateful thing endures! OOC: Afina, go.
[20:35] <Afina> Going for that weak-point, Afina tries to widen the crack in her neck before retreating into the room back where the armour was held up against the wall. "Who is your master?" she demands, hoping to at least learn something about who's responsible for all of this stupidity in their way.
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d20+48 6th level arcane strike
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+48 6th level arcane strike and gets 61." [1d20=13]
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d20+43 6th level arcane strike
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+43 6th level arcane strike and gets 47." [1d20=4]
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4 and gets 60." [1d4=4][2d6=1, 4][2d6=6, 1][2d6=4, 4][6d4=1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3]
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+19+2d6+2d6+2d6+6d4 and gets 63." [1d4=1][2d6=3, 4][2d6=5, 2][2d6=4, 6][6d4=4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3]
[20:37] <Kotono> The crack widens further, the woman's head falling off and shattering ont he groudn! Yet the body keeps going, silently raising her blade up! Black lightning congregates around her, before she points her sword down and a great nova of lightning engulfs everyone around! OOC: Ref saves, all.
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 Annalise, evasion
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 Annalise, evasion and gets 42." [1d20=12]
[20:38] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+25+6 evasion
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+25+6 evasion and gets 51." [1d20=20]
[20:39] <Afina> roll 1d20+37 evasion
[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+37 evasion and gets 40." [1d20=3]
[20:39] <Kotono> Despite the massive storm of lightning, not a soul is touched by it! Annalise simply dodges too fast to be seen, while Muirfinn slips between the bolts safely! Afina meanwhile dodges deftly, mixing the two styles into blazing speed and positioning with her size! Aftewards Annalise looks on with a look of utter disdainful boredom, "Is that your best, spirit?" Again she gestures, more scorching
[20:39] <Kotono> rays coming as she concentrates!
[20:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[20:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 30." [1d20=13]
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 18." [1d20=1]
[20:40] <Kotono> roll 8d6*1.5
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 8d6*1.5 and gets 42." [8d6=5, 3, 6, 1, 3, 3, 2, 5]
[20:40] <Kotono> roll 42*1.5
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 42*1.5 and gets 63."
[20:41] <Kotono> More piercing rays slam the ice-woman, cutting into her! The armor is starting to sag visibly, the fullblade dripping! OOC: Muirfinn, go.
[20:41] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:41] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:41] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+31
[20:41] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26
[20:41] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 51." [1d20=20]
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 35." [1d20=4]
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+31 and gets 40." [1d20=9]
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26 and gets 33." [1d20=7]
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 and gets 37." [1d20=16]
[20:41] <Kotono> OOC: Al hit.
[20:41] <Muirfinn> Muirfinn slams and slams and slams away!
[20:42] <Muirfinn> roll 5#1d6+14+4
[20:42] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 5#1d6+14+4 and gets 115." [5#1d6+14+4 = 24, 24, 19, 24, 24]
[20:42] <Kotono> Under tortle assault, the ice woman collapses! Her melting body is able to take no more, the entire form of it crumbling into a heap! The armor glows intensely dark a moment as a twisting woman's face rises up from it, before fading away! OOC: Free act.

[20:42] <Afina> Is it still possessed? Detect evil can help there!
[20:43] <Kotono> "Really? You're death? I've met death, and you aren't it," Annalise sniffs, crossing her arms.
[20:44] <Afina> "Muirfinn, do me a favour and load that armour onto the disc? It's a good find now we're rid of that temperemental spirit," Afina asks, going now to take the East door.
[20:45] <Kotono> The east door opens! Ahead of you is a raised stone table. Atop it you can see writing carved into it, and below the writing is another black key.
[20:46] * Muirfinn silently hefts the suit of armor, loading it up onto the disc and sloshing forward after the group.
[20:47] <Muirfinn> OOC: I'll take a look at the writing as well. True seeing ald all that.
[20:47] <Afina> Trusting Muirfinn to see the true message on the carving, Afina takes the key.
[20:49] * Muirfinn swirls, then becomes a tortle again. "'With these eyes, the other tw parts of fate are revealed.'"
[20:49] <Muirfinn> OOC: Two parts of fate
[20:49] <Afina> "That makes no sense," Afina replies, looking around. "What eyes? What two... oh! Hanna and Drena! It still doesn't make sense, but lets go put these keys in those locks we passed earlier?"
[20:50] <Muirfinn> "We still have one more door, remember."
[20:50] <Kotono> "If it refers to them, we are in more trouble than we realize. If the entity behind this can create and control a realm around us like this, we may be facing something...difficult," Annalise at last settles on, following. OOC: That was the third door, actually.
[20:51] <Muirfinn> OOC: See, I can't count.
[20:51] <Kotono> OOC: There was the junk room, the armor room and the table room, as you guys saw it.
[20:51] <Kotono> You return to the door with three keyholes. IT awaits silently.
[20:51] <Muirfinn> OOC: STrike my line then
[20:52] <Afina> "Lets turn them all at the same time," Afina gives her spare key to Annalise, putting the other in the centre lock.
[20:52] * Muirfinn pulls the key from his pack, putting it into the right lock.
[20:53] <Kotono> The three keys are inserted and turned! The keys and locks vanish, followed by the door! Ahead is a magic circle on the ground, blue light radiating up from it.
[20:53] <Afina> roll 1d20+34 spellcraftin' dis
[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+34 spellcraftin' dis and gets 54." [1d20=20]
[20:53] <Muirfinn> OOC: Go go True Seeing
[20:55] <Muirfinn> "I don't see any illusions or hidden dangers." Muirfinn informs.
[20:55] <Afina> "It's a teleport circle. Probably our best bet of finding our friends," Afina tells the other two. "This place doesn't make any sense, so why not risk it?"
[20:56] * Muirfinn nods.
[20:57] <Kotono> "Why not?" Annalise replies, "Shall we?"
[20:57] <Afina> With everyone agreed, Afina flies into the circle and lands.
[20:58] * Muirfinn enters the circle as well!
[21:00] <Kotono> For a moment, all is nothing. Then you stand in a dull iron cube - it's about 20ft wide in all directions and 10ft tall. The roof has a door, as does the floor, as well as the wall ahead of and behind you. The doors are made of the same drab iron.
[21:01] <Afina> Any magic around?
[21:02] <Kotono> There's magic all around.
[21:02] <Muirfinn> OOC: Any illusions or shenanigans?
[21:02] <Kotono> OOC: Nothing lik ethat.
[21:02] <Afina> roll 1d20+34 spellcraft s'more
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+34 spellcraft s'more and gets 45." [1d20=11]
[21:05] <Afina> "Carefuly about touching doors, the cube will roll around to have us face whichever one is touched." Afina warns in case of any accidental bumps and falls, going for simplicity to the one dead ahead and trying to open it.
[21:07] <Muirfinn> "Ah. Thanks." Muirfinn says, shifting into water form again.
[21:07] <Kotono> The door opens! Ahead is another cube - but this one is made of what looks to be high grade, unrusted steel. The same setup - a door ahead, and a door on the roof and ceiling. Hanging on the ceiling is an axe - Hanna's axe. Around it are several bloodsplatters on the roof, not dripping at all, and a few feathers. Besides it, several broken men made of metal lie on the roof, in several hacked up
[21:07] <Kotono> parts.
[21:08] <Afina> "Hanna!" Afina gasps, racing in towards the axe and then looking around wildly for any sort of blood-trail that could indicate where she went next. Or was taken.
[21:09] <Kotono> "Hmph," Annalise smiles just a little bit but otherwise stays silent. Flying up, you see that the upside down blood trail goes to the door in the roof.
[21:09] <Muirfinn> "No doubt she put up a fight."
[21:09] <Afina> "Brace yourselves," Afina warns, adjusting her flight to compensate as she touches the roof door to pull it open.
[21:10] <Kotono> Your senses swim as reality readjusts itself! You now stand on the wall, the door on the roof now straight ahead of you. In a moment your perceptions shift - the bloodstains, axe and feathers are on the floor as normal. Nothing is awry at all.
[21:11] <Afina> Not the mechanical shift she was expecting. Anyway, now shifted she puts Hanna's axe on her disc of stuff before opening the door.
[21:12] <Kotono> The next room is made of unrusted steel as well, the same doors as the previous two rooms. This room's floor is littered with dozen of broken metal men, as well as more bloodstains. The door ahead is ajar, the head of a metal man keeping it open.
[21:13] * Afina heads that way, opening the ajar door fully to proeed.
[21:13] * Muirfinn proceeds as well!
[21:15] <Kotono> This room is identical to the last - save that the far wall shows nothing but pure blackness, transparent. Resting against this wall is Hanna, lying in a puddle of her own blood. Her body is torn terribly - gashes all over, her clothing and toga shredded rags and bloodstained. Her head is down, "Still got..." she groans, looking up.
[21:16] <Afina> "Hanna! We're here!" Afina rushes over to the angel, casting greater heroism on her to give her a boost. "Muirfinn, heal her!"
[21:16] <Kotono> "'fina?" Hanna manages to grin a moment, using the broken arm of a metal man to come to a trembling rise. "These constructs - Spell Harvesters. Don't let them hit you if you find any more," Grunting low, "They rip the spells right out of you, and they adapt to get past resistance or regeneration."
[21:17] <Afina> "I won't," Afina promises, getting Hanna's axe and offering it to her as a more worthy crutch. She can ask more details after she's been healed.
[21:17] * Muirfinn surges forward, shifting back into tortle form, already gesturing and chanting! OOC: Heal on Hanna
[21:19] <Kotono> Hanna's wounds mend! She hacks up a bit more blood before wiping her lips clean, trying to adjust her rags a little bit for modesty. "Thanks," Wiping her face clean with one hand then taking her axe, "The way out of this damn cube-maze is right this way. Already took care of the guardian and protections. The Harvesters were its going away present."
[21:19] <Muirfinn> "Have you seen Drena?"
[21:20] <Afina> "Or any clues as to who's behind all of this?"
[21:20] <Kotono> "No," Shaking her head, "Haven't seen him since we got seperated."
[21:20] <Afina> "Here, let me get your clothes before we go on at least..." Afina gives Hanna a mending spell to fix her toga up. "Lead the way?"
[21:20] <Kotono> As Annalise chuckles, which Hanna seems to completely ignore, "The Guardian wasn't too forthcoming. I think it was completely mad. It claimed it was death and tried to tear me apart."
[21:21] <Afina> "We saw someone like that. Gave us a really nice suit of armour when we killed her, though."
[21:21] <Muirfinn> "Then we can't leave yet." Muirfinn sighs. "The ice spirit we fought said the same thing."
[21:21] <Kotono> "Yours had a better going away present," Hanna retorts with a weak smile, "Alright. This way," she goes for the door now on the roof, "Follow me."
[21:22] * Muirfinn nods.
[21:24] <Kotono> You go through one more door. In this room is another teleportation circle - just like the one that took you to this cube-maze. Much of the room is covered in a thick purple substance, splattered about. "The Guardian's blood," Hanna says as you step in, "Unfortunately, all the Harvesters came out of the circle there - I kept getting pushed back."
[21:25] <Afina> "That's a teleportation circle. Hopefully to where Drena is... I hope he didn't have to face such things himself," Afina worries, flying towards the circle and landing. "Come on, lets go."
[21:25] <Muirfinn> "Looks like you certainly gave him hell." Muirfinn comments.
[21:25] * Muirfinn steps into the circle
[21:25] <Muirfinn> .
[21:30] <Kotono> Into the circle the foursome goes! Another moment of blankness, then you stand in a massive black basalt throne room! Pillars are regularly spaced every 20ft, forming a 'hall' which you stand in. Beneath you is blood red carpeting. Ahead of you stairs go up 50ft, and atop it is a throne made of what looks to be platinum and gold. Sitting on it is a figure in full plate armor, face withered and
[21:30] <Kotono> skeletal. This eyeless gaze falls on you, and he rises and applauds. "Bravo! Bravo!" he cheers, gauntleted hands echoing as he claps.  At his clapping, the vast throneroom fills. Hundreds of spectral images appear - lords and ladies, each one rotting or skeletal. They begin to clap and cheer as well, and the armored man on the throne calls in an entirely too human, commanding voice, "Cheers to
[21:30] <Kotono> them, for they have pleased me with survival!"
[21:31] <Afina> "What about Drena?" Afina demands, now deeply concerned for Chan's grandson.
[21:35] <Kotono> The figure atop the throne snaps his fingers. In the air you see the image of Drena. He is beaten and battered, crucified on a cross of heavy stone. "He did not live up to his entertainment potential." The figure says solemnly, as a sigh and gasp comes from the hundreds of spirits around you. Several hang their heads or weep at these words, tearless or weeping black, dried flakes of blood. "I
[21:35] <Kotono> have not yet given leave for him to be finished off, while his companions live!" A gasp fills the spirits, looking up. They are silenced by the figure raising his hand, "I am willing to negotiate for his release."
[21:36] <Afina> "I would know who we negotiate with," Afina states as she advances to the base of the stairs. "I am Afina Petalwisp, General of Aurora." A pity Jaela isn't around, negotiations are much more her style...
[21:38] <Muirfinn> "Muirfinn of the Shellscale, and of the Aurora." he does not bow at the waist though!
[21:38] <Kotono> As you approach the stairs, you can see a gust of shimmering black light just before you step on them, surrounding them. "I am King Makan, lord of the Shades and Grand General of the Sphere."
[21:38] <Kotono> "Annalise," Annalise murmurs, a  hint of a smile on her face. Hanna doesn't justify his words with a comment, instead looking up at him, axe in hand.
[21:38] <Afina> roll 1d20+34 may as well spellcraft while I talk
[21:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+34 may as well spellcraft while I talk and gets 47." [1d20=13]
[21:40] <Kotono> King Makan leans forward in his throat, "Well, well, well. One of the direct chidren of the First graces our court...no matter how little she lives up to her reputation."
[21:41] <Afina> "Then I have two matters that bear negotiation. My companion comes first - for returning him safely to us I will offer entertainment of my own. Offer up any champion you choose from your servants and I will battle them for your amusement," she offers, thinking that's more than fair. "The second issue can be resolved after this is dealt with. What say you to my proposal?"
[21:45] <Kotono> "A fair proposal," King Makan considers, "Understand that if you fail and die in this realm, you will become part of my kingdom." A glowing teleportation circle appears behind Afina, "Your offer is accepted."
[21:46] <Afina> Dismissing her floating disc and leaving her goods in a pile by her allies, Afina turns to face the circle. "While my opponent arrive through this or am I to travel to face it?"
[21:46] <Afina> *Will
[21:47] <Kotono> "Travel through it," His Majesty commands.
[21:47] <Afina> "Worry not, I will be back shortly," Afina reassures her comrades, flying over and landing on the circle.
[21:48] * Muirfinn waves. "Good luck!"

[Corwin]

#dunes

[19:19] <Kotono> Afina steps into the circle and vanishes! A moment later she stands on a floor of black ice. It numbs her feet and sends chills all up her body, to the tip of her ears. Heavy mists block out everything - for just a moment, and then they fade. You stand in caverns of black ice, lots of nooks, crannies and holes in the ice, as well as pillars of ice about. 80ft away and 100ft above you, standing
[19:19] <Kotono> on a vast ice pillar, is a gray skinned humanoid. His flesh is drawn too tight around him, body wrapped in flowing sandy yellow cloth. In one hand is a blazing staff, "For the glory of His Majesty!" he bellows! OOC: Init here.
[19:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12
[19:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 29." [1d20=17]
[19:20] <Afina> roll 1d20+23
[19:20] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+23 and gets 41." [1d20=18]
[19:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(41)>Mr. Firestaff(29)'
[19:20] <Kotono> OOC: Go Afina.
[19:21] <Kotono> OOC: #evildunes, Yuth.
[19:23] <Afina> "For Aurora!" Afina retorts, hasting herself and flying up to match his height without moving forward, cursing her foe to be an easier target for her oncoming blade.
[19:23] <Afina> OOC: curse of impending blades. -2 AC. SR?
[19:24] <Kotono> OOC: None.
[19:26] <Kotono> The magic settles on the figure, as it stays there and...ack! For a moment you sense it coming forward with your blindsense. A ray aimed at your left side, coming right at you, yet unseen by your eyes!
[19:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 flatfooted touch AC?
[19:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 flatfooted touch AC? and gets 34." [1d20=6]
[19:27] <Afina> OOC: 41. Uncanny dodge
[19:28] <Kotono> But Afina's body is moving before she is! The unseen beam misses her and soars out of range - and a moment later, a pillar a good 200ft away crackes and hisses, acid suddenly eating away the center as it collapses in a heap of broken ice! Meanwhile the wrapped creature with a firestaff continues to gesture menacingly! OOC: AFina, go.
[19:30] <Afina> She'll need to restrategise. Imbuing herself with magic to speed up her perceptions and actions far beyond the rest of reality, she takes the chance to cast see invisibility and look in the direction the beam came from...
[19:30] <Afina> OOC: 6th level slot time stop for 1 round
[19:30] <Kotono> OOC: CL check on see invis.
[19:30] <Afina> roll 1d20+17
[19:30] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+17 and gets 28." [1d20=11]
[19:31] <Kotono> Afina looks about! 100ft away in the air is the sandy-wrapped creature, invisible and shielded! Around him whirl powerful shields of force - multiple of them, dancing around its body like a barrier! OOC: Anything else this round or is that it, Afina?
[19:34] <Afina> Moving faster than the eye can perceive, Afina repositions herself directly behind her foe and is already stabbing out as she slows back down enough to interact with the rest of reality. Counting on him being undead, she forgoes further movement and squeezes in an extra pair of stabs to make up for him having no weak points she can take advantage of!
[19:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+47 7th level arcane strike
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+47 7th level arcane strike and gets 64." [1d20=17]
[19:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+47 7th level arcane strike
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+47 7th level arcane strike and gets 66." [1d20=19]
[19:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+42 7th level arcane strike
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+42 7th level arcane strike and gets 48." [1d20=6]
[19:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+37 7th level arcane strike
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+37 7th level arcane strike and gets 41." [1d20=4]
[19:35] <Kotono> OOC: Damage, all hit.
[19:35] <Afina> OOC: evil? outsider?
[19:36] <Kotono> OOC: Yes and no.
[19:37] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+7d4
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+7d4 and gets 41." [1d4=1][2d6=5, 3][7d4=4, 4, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3]
[19:37] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+7d4
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+7d4 and gets 36." [1d4=3][2d6=2, 4][7d4=3, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 2]
[19:37] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+7d4
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+7d4 and gets 39." [1d4=1][2d6=4, 5][7d4=3, 3, 4, 1, 3, 3, 2]
[19:37] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+7d4
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+7d4 and gets 40." [1d4=2][2d6=5, 3][7d4=1, 4, 4, 4, 1, 3, 3]
[19:42] <Kotono> As Afina strikes, the shields of force come 'round, taking the blows! They intercept each blow, cracking with power! One of them shatters, leaving two other dented ones from Afina's attacks! The creature's neck does a 180 around, a black tongue coming to loll out of its mouth, "Oh well, now this will be interesting!" it rasps, as it vanishes! It appears 80ft down on the ground, tracing several
[19:42] <Kotono> sigils in the air! Abruptly freezing blue light explodes around Afina like a nova! OOC: CL first.
[19:42] <Kotono> roll 1d20+19 (+2 spell penetration), SR?
[19:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 (+2 spell penetration), SR? and gets 38." [1d20=19]
[19:42] <Kotono> OOC: Fort save.
[19:43] <Afina> roll 1d20+21
[19:43] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+21 and gets 26." [1d20=5]
[19:44] <Kotono> OOC: Any cold res?
[19:44] <Afina> OOC: 30
[19:44] <Kotono> roll 8d8 this might still get some through, we'll see.
[19:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 8d8 this might still get some through, we'll see. and gets 45." [8d8=3, 3, 5, 6, 8, 7, 5, 8]
[19:44] <Kotono> OOC: Full.
[19:45] <Afina> OOC: sac a 7th level spell to knock 35 off that
[19:45] <Kotono> The horrific blast of cold light causes Afina to throw up a spellshield, blocking the burst of light! It steadies itself but holds, saving her from beign frozen alive! OOC: Go Afina.
[19:47] <Afina> "No more of that!" Afina retorts with her own ray, a green beam that binds her foe and prevents any further teleportations as she dives down above his head with her blade pointed threateningly to prevent any further spellcasting even if he were to move to the side, otherwise cornered by the ground below.
[19:47] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 ranged touch
[19:47] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 ranged touch and gets 52." [1d20=17]
[19:51] <Kotono> The beam strikes...and hits one of the two barrier around the sandy-wrapped figure, sputtering away along with that barrier. Only one is left, dented up! He leers up at Afina as he winks away, appearing 75ft above her! "My defenses are perfect, better than even the spell shields you use," he grins as he looks down, "Behold my mastery of the Weave!" Conjuring far above, a massive spike of ice,
[19:51] <Kotono> the size of Baleruk if not larger, appears in the air, before slamming down at Afina! OOC: Reflex save, Afina.
[19:52] <Afina> roll 1d20+37
[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+37 and gets 51." [1d20=14]
[19:52] <Kotono> Afina is too fast! She's 40ft away in an instant, dodging the mountain of ice hitting the black ice below! The din of it hitting is cataclysmic, the ground collapsing into a great sinkhole! Below you can see it all shattering into a whirling tempest of black ice shards, but Afina is safe yet! OOC: Go Afina.
[19:54] <Afina> "Flashy theatrics might impress some," Afina replies, giving into the impulse to banter - she's supposed to be giving a show to save Drena's life after all, "But you need to learn subtlety," she chastises, waving a hand to freeze him solid as she floats up towards him, still ten feet away at the end.
[19:54] <Afina> OOC: Bone chill, fort save or held.
[19:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 DC?
[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 DC? and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[19:55] <Afina> OOC: 22
[19:57] <Kotono> The beam strikes home, only one shield unable to block it...but the mage dodges it at the last moment, ice forming on him but shattering! He blinks away again, just above the whirling hell of stabbing ice! "Subtlety, eh?" he asks, he points out and fires a single white ray at Afina!
[19:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (+5 staff burn) AC?
[19:58] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (+5 staff burn) AC? and gets 44." [1d20=11]
[19:58] <Kotono> OOC: Touch AC, rather. Excus eme.
[19:58] <Afina> OOC: 41. 50% miss chance.
[19:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 SR first
[19:58] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 SR first and gets 28." [1d20=10]
[19:58] <Kotono> OOC: SR?
[19:58] <Afina> OOC: fails
[19:58] <Kotono> OOC: +1, wrong number. +19 is th emod.
[19:58] <Afina> OOC: 33
[19:59] <Kotono> The beam strikes Afina - but crackles away harmlessly on her, the spell fizzling against her fey form! OOC: Go Afina.
[20:01] <Afina> Deciding it's still a decent proposition, Afina flies down closer to him and tries to entomb him in ice once again...
[20:01] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 never realised it was a ray attack
[20:01] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 never realised it was a ray attack and gets 43." [1d20=8]
[20:01] <Afina> OOC: DC 22 fort
[20:02] <Kotono> OOC: How close do you get?
[20:02] <Afina> OOC: lets say 20 feet away?
[20:03] <Kotono> As Afina comes within 30ft, she can tell the figure there is nothing but an illusion, her blindsense tipping her off that it's no more solid than air!
[20:04] <Afina> Two can play that way! Afina turns invisible herself and veers off fifty feet to the side, looking around to reacquire her prey.
[20:05] <Kotono> 200ft above and 60ft to the left you see your foe, looking down! OOC: Do you have nondetection or anything that stops see invis or similar?
[20:06] <Afina> OOC: No, but invis is a free action so I still have a standard left.
[20:07] <Afina> Acquiring him in her sights, Afina prepares to shoot him with some magic missiles to interrupt his next spell!
[20:08] <Kotono> 200ft above and 60ft to the left you see your foe, looking down! He chants a few words...OOC: Go, Afina.
[20:08] <Afina> Fly, magic missiles, fly! From her invisible spot a quintet of dark red projectiles blast out, seperating widely in flight but all converging to simultaneously strike her foe!
[20:08] <Afina> roll 5d4+5
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 5d4+5 and gets 19." [5d4=2, 4, 3, 1, 4]
[20:10] <Kotono> The missiles fly..and the last shield of force flies, stopping them cold! Your foe grins and starts to laugh, "Oh come now, you insult me!"  he says as he finishes his chant, "Any mageling with a salt knows that shields stop magic missiles!" Looking down at Afina, "Here I am, fairy. I'm waiting."
[20:10] <Kotono> OOC: Go Afina, he's done with his turn.
[20:12] <Afina> True enough, but nothing she has can reach him from all the way down here. Pushing herself to move with the utmost speed, she flies up to reposition behind him once more, forgoing invisibility in the interests of providing a better show as Hywelbane stabs out to ruin that last shield and then his face!
[20:12] <Afina> OOC: 6th level spell sacced for time stop
[20:12] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 51." [1d20=6]
[20:12] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 57." [1d20=12]
[20:12] <Afina> roll 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike and gets 57." [1d20=17]
[20:12] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 5th level arcane strike
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 5th level arcane strike and gets 37." [1d20=2]
[20:12] <Kotono> OOC: All hti.
[20:13] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+5d4
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+5d4 and gets 37." [1d4=2][2d6=5, 5][5d4=4, 3, 1, 4, 3]
[20:13] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+5d4
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+5d4 and gets 29." [1d4=4][2d6=2, 1][5d4=2, 2, 1, 3, 4]
[20:13] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+5d4
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+5d4 and gets 31." [1d4=4][2d6=3, 4][5d4=4, 2, 1, 2, 1]
[20:13] <Afina> roll 1d4+10+2d6+5d4
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+10+2d6+5d4 and gets 33." [1d4=4][2d6=4, 2][5d4=3, 1, 3, 2, 4]
[20:14] <Kotono> OOC: That it for you rturn?
[20:14] <Afina> OOC: yep
[20:14] <Kotono> The final shield takes two strokes to go down, collapsing into light! The other two blows hit - yet they have trouble landing a serious wound on him, flesh of his neck and face harder than adamantine to slice! But you do manage a few gouges, as abruptly his eyes widen and he screams, attempting to grap Afina with his hand!
[20:14] <Kotono> roll 1d20+48 (+20 quickened true strike) touch AC?
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+48 (+20 quickened true strike) touch AC? and gets 59." [1d20=11]
[20:15] <Afina> OOC: 36
[20:15] <Kotono> roll 10d10 and fort save.
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d10 and fort save. and gets 58." [10d10=4, 8, 6, 4, 7, 9, 1, 5, 9, 5]
[20:16] <Kotono> OOC: 58 damage is cold typed damage.
[20:16] <Afina> roll 1d20+21
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+21 and gets 35." [1d20=14]
[20:16] <Afina> OOC: sac a 5th level spell for -25 damage
[20:17] <Kotono> Afina gasps as cold erupts throughout her body, staggering her all over! She feels a heaviness come to her, heart going numb! She fights it...an urge to fall asleep in the cold snow, to fade away into winter's snowy tombs...but shrugs it off! She makes her heart beat and throws up a spellshield, resisting the spell! OOC: Afina, go.
[20:18] <Afina> Standing around might let her hurt him more, but it's too big a blow to her defences. Resorting to the mobility that is her greatest weapon, she weaves around his still extended arm to stab him twice in the shoulder and neck before darting away twenty feet!
[20:18] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 49." [1d20=4]
[20:19] <Afina> roll 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike and gets 55." [1d20=15]
[20:19] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[20:19] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 41." [1d4=1][2d6=2, 5][2d6=1, 1][5d4=2, 1, 3, 4, 4]
[20:19] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 41." [1d4=2][2d6=2, 1][2d6=2, 2][5d4=2, 2, 4, 3, 4]
[20:20] <Kotono> Two more blows struggle to wound him, but she manages cuts on his arm and neck! He doesn't bleed at all, flesh simply torn! As she retreats back he vanishes a moment later, appearing 60ft above her! He points down at Afina, an orb of pure force appearing on a finger before plunging down at her!
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 touch AC
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 touch AC and gets 45." [1d20=17]
[20:20] <Afina> OOC: 41, 50% miss chance
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 51." [1d100=51]
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 10d6*1.5 force damage
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6*1.5 force damage and gets 39." [10d6=2, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 5, 3, 3]
[20:21] <Afina> OOC: sac a 6th level spell for -30 damage
[20:22] <Kotono> The orb of force slams down into Afina, driving her back! DEspite a spell shield she feeles that one, bruised by the force of it! "Persistent for a little trickster," he grunts, "Why cling to a battle you can't win?"
[20:22] <Kotono> OOC: Go Afina.
[20:24] <Afina> "Because defeat isn't certain until I'm dead," Afina retorts, flying up to match his height, ten feet away and firing a freezing beam at him again!
[20:24] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 ranged touch
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 ranged touch and gets 48." [1d20=13]
[20:25] <Afina> OOC: DC 22 fort or held
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 28." [1d20=16]
[20:25] <Kotono> The beam hits him...but again he shrugs it off, blinking away a moment later! 80ft to your left, in the open spaces now that the icy floor has collapsed! He points at Afina, 5 missiles flying at her! OOC: Do you have shield or a MM stopper?
[20:26] <Afina> OOC: shield is indeed up. First time to be useful this fight!
[20:26] <Kotono> The magic missiles fly...and hits Afina's own shield head on, sparking away into glowing light! OOC: Afina, go.
[20:27] <Afina> Flying into those misiles without fear, Afina darts at her foe and past him again, leaving a pair of puncture wounds as she ends up twenty feet behind him!
[20:27] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 61." [1d20=16]
[20:27] <Afina> roll 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike and gets 47." [1d20=7]
[20:27] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[20:27] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 43." [1d4=3][2d6=5, 2][2d6=2, 2][5d4=1, 3, 4, 3, 1]
[20:27] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 53." [1d4=3][2d6=4, 5][2d6=5, 6][5d4=4, 4, 1, 1, 3]
[20:29] <Kotono> Again Afina rips into him! It's still hard going, but she manages to leave a pair of holes in him side, flying past him! He whirls around this time, abruptly blinking! 60ft above you this time, leering down as he chants, "Ice from the bone-shattering scythe of the north winds!" he calls, as a great scythe of ice appears in his hands! OOC: Go Afina.
[20:31] <Afina> This is something she could have done early on that would be a great help to her. Intoning her own magic, her body is blown away on a gust of fresh wind, leaving nothing but partially coherent air currents and mist in the same shape as a fairy. "Bones, you say?" she asks as she flies up with far greater ease than she's shown thus far, getting a further sixty feet above her opponent. "Winds?"
[20:32] <Afina> OOC: -1 attack/damage from attacks by airborne stuff to me
[20:33] <Kotono> "Hah," A mocking grin shows on the creature's face, showing his white, intact teeth. He flies up like a dart, scythe flying up to try and cleave Afina asunder!
[20:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+35 (+5 scythe, +2 charge)
[20:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+35 (+5 scythe, +2 charge) and gets 55." [1d20=20]
[20:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+35 (+5 scythe, +2 charge) crit?
[20:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+35 (+5 scythe, +2 charge) crit? and gets 52." [1d20=17]
[20:33] <Kotono> OOC: On yeah, duh. Gooood clal, Afina.
[20:33] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 25." [1d100=25]
[20:34] <Kotono> The scythe whizzes through Afina, missing her by inches as she zips away! OOC: Afina, go.
[20:35] <Afina> Zipping away and around, Afina gifts him with two more stabs from her sword composed of particularly concentrated air currents before drifting away a hundred and twenty feet to the side.
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 61." [1d20=16]
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike and gets 58." [1d20=18]
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 54." [1d4=2][2d6=3, 6][2d6=6, 6][5d4=4, 3, 2, 1, 4]
[20:35] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 40." [1d4=1][2d6=1, 4][2d6=1, 6][5d4=2, 1, 4, 2, 1]
[20:36] <Kotono> Tearing into him twice more, Afina manages to open up bigger cuts, using the previous ones to tear his neck open! It makes his speech gasping wind, as blinks away and reappears 50ft from Afina! He rears back and hurtles his scythe, flying right at her!
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+35
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+35 and gets 53." [1d20=18]
[20:36] <Kotono> OOC: AC?
[20:36] <Afina> OOC: 52
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 17." [1d100=17]
[20:37] <Kotono> Whoosh! The scythe swings by her by an inch again, as it loops back around and returns to the hands of your foe! OOC: Go Afina.
[20:38] <Afina> "Good," Afina approves at his difficulties in speech. "You talked to much, anyway," she states, surging towards him like a gale, her wind blade perforating his body in passing  before she veers upwards an extra fifty feet above him.
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 50." [1d20=5]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike and gets 47." [1d20=7]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 51." [1d4=3][2d6=1, 6][2d6=4, 4][5d4=3, 2, 4, 4, 3]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+17+2d6+2d6+5d4 and gets 46." [1d4=2][2d6=2, 5][2d6=3, 3][5d4=2, 3, 3, 3, 3]
[20:39] <Kotono> The two blows catch in his exposed neck, tearing up! With a sudden give she cleaves through his entire skull, splitting his head apart! The figure stays that way a moment, rotted black brain crumbling out, before it begins to fall...and then Afina is back in the throne room! BEsides her are her friends - including Drena, lying in a beaten heap!

[Corwin]

#ed

[19:21] <Kotono> ----
[19:21] <Kotono> Once the rest of the party is left beind from Afina, a great image of the battle unfolding appears before all! The court cheers and watches it as you see the mists clear and Afina's opponent make himself known.
[19:24] <Muirfinn> "Mmmh. Fire." Muirfinn looks unhappy.
[19:25] <Kotono> Hanna watches gravely as Afina begins to move up, "Afina can get inrange to cut him up quickly," she adds.
[19:32] <Kotono> As you see the unseen bolt hit and Afina dodge it, the Court gasps! As murmurs ripple through it, "Not bad," Annalise murmurs, "Her opponent is a skilled wizard and sneak. This should be good."
[19:34] <Muirfinn> "Madness and treachery, and you spoil for a fight to watch." Muirfinn shakes his head.
[19:46] <Kotono> Hanna whistles as she watches the creature's head do a 180, Afina throwing up a shield to stop the cold light from freezing her solid. Annalise meanwhile chuckles, "Oh, he's very good," he murmurs, "I haven't seen that particular spell in ages."
[19:46] <Kotono> "He's not that good. Afina's winning," Hanna retorts, "He's just delaying the inevitable against her defenses."
[19:47] * Muirfinn says nothing as he watches.
[19:53] <Kotono> Hanna winces at that mountain and gasps, before seeing Afina escape. She exhales, "Far too many tricks up that one's sleeve. Finish him up quickly, Afina," she murmurs.
[19:53] <Kotono> "He's good," Annalise at last agrees, "But you're right. He's not that good, not quite."
[19:54] <Kotono> Meanwhile the crowd is spellbound watching, hanging on every blow shown in the air above.
[20:07] <Kotono> King Makan begins to chuckle, "Cowardly fighting!" he calls, "But they keep going at it, like courtiers at dance!"
[20:08] <Kotono> In Muirfinn's mind he hears Annalise, 'In case Afina gets unlucky, we need a plan to salvage the situation,' she says. 'Do you have any ideas?'
[20:10] * Muirfinn blinks, then attempts to think back, "I can cause a very large distraction very quickly. Very large."
[20:11] <Kotono> 'Keep it ready, in case things go afoul, to cover our escape,' Annalise says, 'Just in case. I have nothing to worry about, but this little lordling is unworthy to turn any of you or take your lives.'
[20:12] * Muirfinn says nothing, returning to the fight.
[20:24] <Kotono> AS the battle drags on Hanna murmurs quietly, barely heard over the din of the crowd, "Dammit, Afina! Put him away!"
[20:30] <Kotono> "At this rate," Annalise murmurs as well, "Even if Afina triumphs, she'll be mostly out of magic. It will fall on us to do the main battles if needed, Muirfinn."
[20:33] * Muirfinn nods. "I can handle that."
[20:39] <Kotono> OOC: #dunes.

[Corwin]

[20:39] * Muirfinn immediately moves to Drena, slapping him with a Heal!
[20:40] <Afina> "That took far too long," the fairy laments her lack of technique against undead, sheathing her blade and approaching Drena as he's healed. "Are you well, Drena?"
[20:40] <Kotono> The gasp that runs through the court is considerable, as King Makan claps thrice. "A fine show, fo ra mage's duel."
[20:40] <Kotono> Drena groans, wounds healing as he looks up, "No," he coughs, "I have earth and stone all over me, it feels like!"
[20:42] <Afina> "Stand fast," Afina encourages him before approaching the stairs leading to Makan's throne. "The assassin's arts are wasted on those already dead, but I am glad my performance was sufficient. Would you be willing to hear the second matter I spoke of before, and our purpose for coming to your realm, your Majesty?"
[20:44] * Muirfinn quietly helps Drena to his feet as he keeps an eye on the king and his court.
[20:45] <Kotono> "Speak," King Makan says after a moment of Drena being helped up, "You're more interesting than the gelugons who blunder in."
[20:48] * Afina nods. "It is fitting, for devils are the source of our problems as well. They seek to define the fate of worlds by controlling Destiny, an unassailable force but for a few rare and potent exceptions. One of these is a blade forged long ago by Wisemen of Chaos... a blade that you claimed as a prize, King Makan."
[20:50] <Kotono> The court goes silent, before King Makan laughs. He laughs and he laughs and he laughs. With a sweeping gesture another circle appears, "Go and pay homage to it. Even attempt to take it, if you care ot. It will be the last thing you ever care about, in life or in eternity."
[20:52] <Afina> "Is that a warning against the blade's indiscriminate deadliness, or of your revenge against any so bold as to take what is yours, your Majesty?" Afina asks carefully, weighing the options.
[20:53] <Kotono> "Both." Leaning forward a little bit, "No being besides myself can master that blade. Even if you find a way to take it...the ultimate battle can only happen when I face the blade itself."
[20:55] * Afina nods in acceptance of those terms. She long ago decided that nothing would stand between her and a free Lifasa. Now Destiny does, and this is her only way to cut through - she'll cut through anything between her and it as well. "With me," she instructs her companions, proceeding into the circle.
[20:56] * Muirfinn nods.
[20:59] <Kotono> Annalise raises an eyebrow, but follows. As the party proceeds in, you stand in a great cathedral of black ice. Everything here is vast, enough for tens of thousands within. Vast pews and carpeted walkways, all leading up a single altar. Behind it are windows of ice, gleaming with a pure, deep blackness that seems to be nothing at all. Lying on that altar is a blade - no. It's a hole. A hole in
[20:59] <Kotono> the form of a blade, simply sitting there.
[21:02] <Afina> Walking on the frozen ground with ghostly footsteps of the spring breeze, Afina approaches the... void in reality shaped as a blade. "So, this is the Blade of Endings?" Afina muses aloud, stopping just before it and focusiing her attention on it with the eyes of a killer and a crafter both, trying to comprehend its nature and suitability for what she desires.
[21:02] <Kotono> OOC: Make an K:A check check here, Afina.
[21:03] <Afina> roll 1d20+32
[21:03] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+32 and gets 41." [1d20=9]
[21:03] <Kotono> Annalise follows, looking over it with a moment. She smirks a little bit, but otherwise says nothing.
[21:03] * Muirfinn comes up and eyes the blade as well. OOC: Anything to roll here to figure out what it'll do to us if we try to pick it up?
[21:04] <Kotono> OOC: K:A, Muirfinn.
[21:04] <Kotono> Hanna tags along, "That's really not a sword...it looks more like a gap."
[21:04] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+24
[21:04] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+24 and gets 40." [1d20=16]
[21:05] <Afina> "Not even a handle..." Afina breathes, glancing at Annalise afterwards. "What do you think? Could it end even you?"
[21:06] * Muirfinn winces. "We need to find a way to pick it up. Just taking it as-is is likely to be extremely and permanently lethal. Perhaps his Majersty knows the trick/
[21:06] <Muirfinn> "
[21:06] <Kotono> "I doubt it," Annalise replies, "I would think a power could create this if they put their mind to it, and I still exist despite Torm's efforts and thoe of his lackeys."
[21:06] <Kotono> *those
[21:09] <Afina> "Makan isn't the only one. This was forged and wielded long before he came into the picture," Afina notes for Muirfinn's benefit, privately thinking Annalise is bluffing. "It could kill me. Utterly beyond the Cycle forever, I don't doubt it. But there must be a way..." she leans forward, intently studying the blade. Even if it exacts a price, such as 21 did, would it not still be worth it to be
[21:09] <Afina> free of cruel Destiny? But only if she retains the capacity for action.
[21:10] <Kotono> The blade reveals nothing - only an emptiness that aches in Afina's bones as she studies the blade. "There certainly is," Hanna says, "But let's not do anything hasty about it. If we got here, we can get back here. If 27 gave us this information, then there has to be some way to take advantage of it. We just have to find a way to use it, then."
[21:10] * Muirfinn nods. "I understand. There must be some trick to wielding it though, because from what I can determine, if you or I touch it, it will do its job very quickly and efficiently. There will be nothing left."
[21:12] <Kotono> "That assumes any slaad thinks in logic," Annalise counters, "Still, Makan is proof it can be done."
[21:12] <Kotono> Drena speaks up now, "Then let's find this trick."
[21:12] <Afina> "You're right, Hanna. Staring at it won't offer any flashes of insight," Afina agrees, stepping back. "So finding these Wisemen of Chaos is our next priority. Lets return to Makan before we go home?"

[Corwin]

[20:36] <Kotono> You return back to Makan. He looks on as you reappear, "So I see you weren't eager to die," he greets you in return.
[20:38] <Muirfinn> "Not quite so much, no."
[20:40] <Afina> "It was a close run thing," Afina admits honestly. "But no, it would be a pointless gesture as things are now. We will take our leave of your court, now, King Makan. Should we return it will be after the secrets of Ending have been deciphered, and you will have that ultimate battle you spoke of. But for today, we leave you in peace," she bows her head, respectful of his openness. It hasn't been
[20:40] <Afina> that different from treating with an Unseelie, really.
[20:42] <Kotono> "You have amused me this day," King Makan calls, "You may come again to this court."
[20:43] <Afina> "Until then, farewell," Afina straightens and retreats towards Annalise. "Take us home, Annalise."
[20:48] <Kotono> In a circle nad pattern of arcane energy, the fivesome return to Aurora. Once there Annalise exhales, "Well then," With slinky-smooth good cheer, "I do believe this calls for research now, hm? Unless your hearts aren't so set on that blade after all?"
[20:50] <Afina> "Hah, I'm even more eager, now!" Afina retorts with a grin. "The rest of you have leave to attend other duties, but more eyes would be welcome in the library with us." she tells the other three who came along.
[20:52] <Kotono> "I have a suggestion if Medi's library does not bear fruit," Annalise adds in. "One better than the celestial libraries that I am certain Hanna is about to suggest. Matters of destruction are not the best fitting province of the Heavens, no?"
[20:52] <Afina> "27 and Limbo are both worth pursuing before other planes, but go on," Afina allows.
[20:53] <Kotono> "The Terminal Archive is one of the best," Annalise says, "Demons so have a preoccupation with destructive things as well. I would imagine such lore could be found there," Tapping a finger to her lips, "Who better than demons to know how to mindlessly destro?"
[20:54] * Afina nods. "We'll see. For now we'll start with our own library. Is anyone else coming?"
[20:54] * Muirfinn nods slowly. "They WOULD be the foremost experts on destruction and entropy."
[20:54] <Muirfinn> "I will assist you, Afina."
[20:56] <Kotono> Hanna shakes her head, "I need to rest a bit. I'll catch up later. Go see Tepen and lal those in the library, get them to help you too."
[20:57] <Kotono> Drena considers, "I am not a great scholar," he admits, "I know enough th know to get out form underfoot when real research happens."
[20:58] <Afina> "Alright. You've both earned a chance to rest, I suggest you take it," Afina advises them. "Come on you two, we need to research Wisemen of Chaos and Unmatter to get a better handle on this blade," she tells Annalise and Muirfinn as she heads for a portal to the library.
[21:00] * Muirfinn nods, following!

[21:03] <Kotono> OOC: Did you guys look this up a bit last time? What were your precise searches?
[21:05] <Muirfinn> OOC: Uhhhhhh
[21:05] <Afina> OOC: I specified 'Unmatter or the Blade of Endings'. The result gave details of the blade being lost in Acheron which implies the latter choice was used?
[21:08] <Kotono> OOC: Who has the highest K:A check?
[21:09] <Muirfinn> OOC: My mod is 24
[21:09] <Afina> OOC: Annalise and I are tied on 28
[21:10] <Kotono> OOC: Okay one of you roll a check with the library bonus and the other two assist. I presume you'll go with Afina since highest mod, but if not say so. Up to you two.
[21:10] <Afina> roll 1d20+33
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 and gets 35." [1d20=2]
[21:10] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+24 assist
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+24 assist and gets 37." [1d20=13]
[21:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20 Annalise aids
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 Annalise aids and gets 11." [1d20=11]
[21:12] <Kotono> OOC: Total?
[21:12] <Afina> OOC: 39

[21:26] <Kotono> It takes a few days. Days spent reading. At first it's just the three of you, but in times others join in. Tepen at first, then Kascha and Sylvie, followed by Sage Vul'lath. Days of following obscure leads and chasing down fragments that lead to other fragments that lead to paths to clues, but in time you come to something. In a book of ancient wisdom, you find the following: Non-being matter.
[21:26] <Kotono> What destroys all can only operate cannot comprehend paradox - for the nature of paradox cannot be destroyed at any single point in time.
[21:29] <Afina> "So we have to be paradoxical to be safe using the Blade of Endings - or any unmatter weapon," Afina sums up after reading that out. "What was so paradoxical about Makan, then? Or other wielders?"
[21:30] <Muirfinn> Thoroughly stumped, Muirfinn shrugs. "I have no idea."
[21:31] <Kotono> "I can answer one part of that," Sage Vul'lath speaks up.
[21:33] * Afina turns all her attention to the githyanki!
[21:39] <Kotono> "Now due to universal divine agreement, magic that manipulates time and time travel is forbidden. What you know as Haste, Slow and even Time Stop only meddle with speed, not time." Pausing a moment at that, "Before that ban, it is said that the mightiest spellcasters could travel in time and manipulate time. One such ability was the creation of paradox. Paradoxes are self reinforcing, closed
[21:39] <Kotono> time repetitions. Assume you find a glove on the ground and travel a day in the past. By accident you drop the glove where you would find it...and thus you have a paradox. The glove eternally cycles through time. It's said that Creation protects paradoxes as self contained wounds, lest one break open and rip time itself apart." Looking to all, "Do you all understand this so far?" he asks, his
[21:39] <Kotono> yellow gith eyes sweeping across the room.
[21:41] <Afina> "So I remember doing something, but in the future I'll actually go back in time to make that thing possible?" Afina internalises it to her own perspective, nodding afterwards. "So far so good..."
[21:44] * Muirfinn nods. "It makes sense."
[21:48] <Kotono> "The story goes as thus. One particular cleric of Dispater," a pause here to stroke his chin with a certain dry amusement flicking across his features, "Was burned at the sake soon after swearing himself to Dispater. Interestingly, burning him didn't take. Neither did the frightened townsfolk stoning him, drowning him or even attempted decapitation. Seemingly invincible, the cleric escaped and
[21:48] <Kotono> eventually became a dreadful and powerful tyrant and master cleric. In time he came to learn of time magic and went into the past. According to the lore," Steepling his hands together, "In the past he came on his mother, who he had long forgotten in anything but memory. 'tis said that this small flicker wa senough to catch his fancy, and he took her. From this union, he was born. The paradox of
[21:48] <Kotono> being his own father protected him, for he was the paradox. Creation would not let him die. It is not known what happened to him after, nor was his name Makan. But it is possible that somehow Makan is a paradox like that. As long as he is, not even that blade could bring him low. Creation would not allow it."
[21:49] <Muirfinn> "That's...a hell of a set of protections." Muirfinn admits. "If we had that, the retaking of Lifasa would be a simple matter. Imagine troops that could not die."
[21:50] <Afina> "I don't really fancy being my own mother..." Afina looks rather ill, "But I suppose an infinite number of paradoxes are possible. The only problem is that travelling through time is going to be even harder than handling unmatter... and if we can do it, why need it? We could go back and murder the traitors to prevent Lifasa ever falling."
[21:50] <Muirfinn> "Point." Muirfinn says.
[21:51] <Kotono> "Exactly." Nodding slightly, "I personally suspect that Makan may also merely have some item of paradox that allows him to hold the sword safely. A gauntlet or glove like in my tale, maybe." Sage Vul'lath replies. "If yo ucan find such an item of paradox, I am certain it would work."
[21:51] <Muirfinn> "So...know of any paradoxes lying around that nobody wants?"
[21:53] <Afina> "Something left over from another's time travel excursions?" Afina ponders. "If it was once possible it stands to reason that deritrus of such efforts litter creation. But how to tell them apart from items that have never travelled time? Shall we investigate stories of time travel and work from there?"
[21:53] <Kotono> "No. The only ones that might are the few who oversee Time. As a result of the ban of time magic - the Temporal Compact - each ethos in the Outer Planes chose a single champion to be part of a united council to prevent the abuse of time." Sage Vul'lath says, "I would also think this is not the only path to controlling the blade, and i tmay in fact be the most difficult. There is very seldom only
[21:53] <Kotono> one way to succeed at a task."
[21:53] <Kotono> Kascha hums, "That's a thought, Afina. There's just so much to look at it with it. Folk tales talk of time travel but I've rarely heard of more scholary incidents."
[21:54] <Kotono> "I've heard of a few," Sylvie speaks up, "If anyone would know, it's Oghma and his endless libraries. All the knowledge of Creation is supposed to be recorded there."
[21:54] * Afina nods. "Indeed. Pursuing Wisemen of Chaos who created the blade may be a more fruitful avenue. It helps to keep our options open, though. Why don't we split our efforts? Half of us can look into time travel and half try to find these Wisemen of Chaos?"
[21:54] <Muirfinn> "Mmmh." Muirfinn grumbles. "Perhaps using bands of force to protect the wielder?"
[21:56] <Kotono> "Easy way to find out," Elder Magi Tepen speaks up, "Try throwing a bit of solid force at it - an orb of force - and see if it's rent into nothingness or not."
[21:56] <Kotono> "Wise," Annalise nods to Afina, "How would yo udivide our efforts?"
[21:57] <Kotono> Quietly Kascha speaks up, "There's one other thing, too," she adds. "Um, I know Mechanus has Inevitables known as Quaruts. They help oversee Time. They may be able to help."
[21:59] * Afina ponders a division based on all of this. "Okay, Kascha and Sylvie, why don't you two pursue the inevitable angle? Muirfinn, Tepen, and Vul'lath look into time travel. Annalise and I will follow up on the Wisemen. Is everyone able to work with that?"
[22:00] * Muirfinn nods.
[22:01] <Kotono> "No objections," Sylvie said, and after a moment, "I think I'll see about bringing Ithea into this, too."
[22:04] <Afina> "If you can use her help. Just remember, the last group we sent to Mechanus had to deal with devil ambushes - keep your guard up at all times. It's hostile territory and that shouldn't be forgotten," Afina warns, not wanting Kascha to have another painful trip to the Cauldron.
[22:14] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. #dunes Muirfinn, #evildunes Afina.