042.1 Afina and Ithea

[Corwin]

[20:28] <Kotono> Thus, searching for a new, special fire alloy to craft a weapon for Zaaman Rul, did Afina and Ithea seek out Kascha. The eladrin is found paging through a book in the library, a pair of tiny, thin spectacles just barely balancing on the edge of her nose. She wiggles her nose occasionally, keeping them just barely on and in place.
[20:30] <Ithea> "Hey Kascha. Reading something interesting?" Ithea asks with a wave as they approach.
[20:30] <Afina> "Trying a new look, Kascha?" Afina asks curiously, fluttering by her face and looking at the far too small to be worthwhile glasses. And don't angels have perfect vision?
[21:12] <Kotono> "Oh!" Looking up as her glasses fall off and hit the book with a tiny plop, "Some magical theory and application," She responds, "Do you like them? I think they're cute."
[21:13] <Afina> "They don't look comfortable," Afina admits. "Maybe if they were big enough to sit properly on your nose?"
[21:14] <Kotono> "The point is that they're lik ethat," Kascha replies, pausing, "At least that's what Elena said, and Filbrez encouraged me on that too."
[21:15] * Ithea laughs. "Should have known it was Elena. She had glasses like that some weeks back, didn't she?"
[21:16] <Afina> "I think so, but she doesn't have to worry about hers falling off. Anyway, if you like it who am I to judge? I'm often told I have no sense for aesthetics," Afina goes on thoughtfully, shaking her head after, "Anyway, I wanted to ask you about something related to Cauldron Iron."
[21:19] <Kotono> Closing her book after snatching her glasses out and putting them away, "She said it suits my style. Anyway, what is it you need to know?"
[21:22] <Afina> "I have enough money now to make something I can trade to Zaaman Rul for the Quilium armour, and I was thinking of a weapon, but I think it's better if it's not just made out of steel," Afina explains, landing on the table by where Kascha was reading. "You must have investigated a lot of elemental materials when making Cauldron Iron, right? I'm looking for something effective against fire
[21:22] <Afina> creatures, since those are his greatest enemies, but not anything that hurts just to hold, since they're his followers as well."
[21:28] <Kotono> "You came to the right person," Kascha smiles briefly, "Seira did much of that part of the research herself, but I'm familiar with her work." Going back to think, "Simple antipodes are out, since cold and water are painful to Fire. Seira investigated several mythical weapons of Fire - Courageous, Zaaman Rul's weapon of choice in person and studies of several other similar weapons, such as weapons
[21:28] <Kotono> of Eblis, Imix and the Sultan of the Efreet." Pausing a moment to nod, "We came to discover that they're all made of the same material. It is empowering to creatures of fire, yet can burn even fire elementals."
[21:29] <Afina> "Ahh, that sounds perfect," Afina smiles, leaning forward eagerly to hear more.
[21:30] <Ithea> "...And the material is?"  Ithea prompts with her hand gesturing for Kascha to keep going.
[21:33] <Kotono> "Everblaze," Kascha replies, "It is exceedingly rare and only forms on Fire. It forms in superheated wells deep in burning mountains within Fire. It's terribly difficult to recover, as the flames around it burn even fire elementals and magic proved ineffective in countering the intense heat. It's even hotter than hellfire, and with none of the evil energies involved."
[21:34] <Afina> "Hmm. Could be difficult to recover, but it'll be worth it if I can. Do you have any ideas for likely mountains to hold deposits?"
[21:35] <Kotono> "We have a location, but we ultimately decided it wasn't worth it. We got a sample elsewhere, and it's completely impossible to mix with other elements," Kascha replies, "Earth turned to magma, air into steam and water dissolved instantly. We dropped a pebble in and it immediately evaporated about 10,000 gallons of water."
[21:36] <Kotono> "So," Kascha smiles a little bit, "You're welcome to try and get it."
[21:36] <Ithea> "Would any of us be able to help Afina as well, or is the fire even worse for the rest of us, even with magical protections?" Ithea asks.
[21:38] <Kotono> "Oh, you'd want to bring help," Kascha says, "That's the other reason we didn't bother. The powerful forces tend to attract mighty paragons of fire. Are you familiar with the concept of Primal Elementals?"
[21:38] <Ithea> ooc: Am I? >_>
[21:38] <Kotono> OOC: K:P.
[21:39] <Afina> "Are they like the ones Muirfinn summons?" Afina asks, having seen and battled a few gigantic elementals in her time since leaving Lifasa.
[21:39] <Ithea> roll d20+32
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+32 and gets 44." [d20=12]
[21:42] <Kotono> "Worse," Kascha says, "Much worse." Here she pauses, "
[21:42] <Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[21:43] <Ithea> "Those are monoliths. Primal elements are even more powerful and smarter," Ithea answers Afina. "So those get involved when Everblaze is to be found?"
[21:43] <Kotono> "Worse," Kascha says, "Much worse." Here she pauses, thinking, "As I recall, they can control fire and mimic any fire based ability you've ever heard of. They can breath fire like an elder red dragon, then cast fire magic like Simmer, then cause your blood to boil, or then turn your body hair into flame. If it can be done with fire, they can do it."
[21:44] <Kotono> Nodding, "They tend to be drawn to them. They're more trouble than it's worth to subdue, and they attack anything, even an Archomental. They're so focused on Fire they can't comprehend anything else."
[21:47] <Afina> "So there'd be a horde of those things to fight past? Hmm, alright that's not sounding so easy," Afina considers. "Sneak, maybe... I'll need to do some investigation. Are there likely to be other natural hazards of those mountains? Anti magic? Dimension locks?"
[21:50] <Kotono> "Heat, more heat and more fire," Kascha says, "The area around the well is so supercharged with power that it usually scrambles scrying and teleportation, but if you want to gamble sometimes it works. If it fails, you're risking considerable harm. We drew up a plan for how to get it if we had to use force," Kascha says, "Want to hear it?"
[21:51] <Afina> "Please," Afina nods. "I'm thinking it sounds a lot like Magmasoul, but with more mindless hostility to contend with."
[21:55] <Kotono> "First off, we wanted at least two creatures capable of enacting magical retreat that were naturally immune to fire," Kascha says, "You and Simmer would fit that off the top of my head, so escape can be managed if things go wrong. Second of all, those who are relying on magic have several redundant ways to protect themselves from heat. A few seconds unprotected there could be catastrophic. Third,
[21:55] <Kotono> come in hard and fast - a direct blitz, overwhelming elementals. When this is no longer possible, retreat. Fourth - win a battle of attrition if need be. Seira was certain that they couldn't replace their ranks with any sort of effective speed."
[21:58] * Ithea whistles. "Definitely a lot involved into the effort."
[22:00] <Kotono> "Yeah, that's a part of why we didn't pursue it," Kascha admits, "Seira wanted to, but the fact that the sample was so unproductive ultimately dissuaded her. If you can get enough of that to make a weapon, you'll have a chance to craft equipment of legend. Especially now that Fire burns in your soul, Afina."
[22:02] <Afina> "Yes, it would take a large force and court disaster. I think attrition might be our best chance, since it could take a lot of effort just to bring down one, we do that then retreat for healing, come back for the next, and so on until a clear path is forged. So before that we ought to survey the area and see just what sort of numbers we'd have to overcome," Afina nods after thinking it over.
[22:02] <Afina> "Could you bring us near the location without being close enough to set them off, Kascha?"
[22:03] <Kotono> "Of course. I'd want to prepare for it. Hmmm...if I can just master then 10th circle like Seira," she murmurs, "I could protect anyone from the heat there, absolutely. Unfortunately, I don't think Aurora has anyone who can do that yet, do we?"
[22:03] <Kotono> *the
[22:03] * Ithea shakes her head in the negative to that question.
[22:05] <Afina> Still on the 'mere' seventh circle, Afina shakes her head. "Simmer mentioned wanting the same for protection against cold, but she isn't there. And even if a battle seems futile, stealth could remain an option."
[22:07] <Kotono> "Right. Well, tell me when you want to go," Kascha says, "I'm available."
[22:08] <Afina> "Perhaps now?" Afina looks at Ithea to make sure she has nothing else to do.
[22:10] <Kotono> "Alright," Kascha rises and dusts off, "Just let me get out of the library and turn myself into a fire elemental." Suddenlyb lushing, "The last time I did it, Elder Magi Tepen scolded me for being on fire around all these books."
[22:12] <Afina> "Mmmm..." Afina looks at the books with new eyes thanks to that seed of thought being planted. Dilligently closing her eyes as she realises, she shakes her head, "Don't put such tempting ideas in my head!" she pleads, taking off and flying for the portal!
[22:14] <Kotono> "What...oh!" Kascha reddens like a tomato, "I forgot!"
[22:20] <Ithea> "Please don't go setting the books on fire," Ithea says dryly. "I'm okay with now if it'll distract you from the temptation."
[22:23] <Afina> "Lets go, then, to the land of fire!" Afina proclaims before vanishing into the portal.
[22:25] <Kotono> Thus the trio head out of Aurora! OOC: Warding yourself against fire, I assume, Ithea?
[22:25] <Ithea> ooc: No, I'll merrily burn to death. =p
[22:28] <Kotono> With a fire elemental's body for Kascha and protection from fire for Ithea, the three teleport! Heat. So hot. So blazingly hot! To Ithea it feels like an oven, roasting her from all directions! For Afina it feels like glory, chasing away a deep rooted lack of heat in her bones, filling her with rightness, with happiness, with a sense of being home. You stand in a wide cavern - the walls are a
[22:28] <Kotono> deep black with lines of magma glowing through. Ahead the cavern goes on, before tucking away into a narrowing side passage. "The warmth here is relatively minor compared to deeper in. The elementals avoid this region," Kascha explains, "It's a safe point to enter from."
[22:30] <Afina> "Ahh, so they dwell within the mountain? I'd expected to see them on the outside, so this will make it harder to gauge their numbers. Lets advance - quietly - and see how far we can get before seeing anything?"
[22:30] * Ithea grimaces. "Minor, she says," Ithea mutters outloud, before nodding to Afina.
[22:32] <Kotono> OOC: Just for reference, everyone make MS checks real quick?
[22:32] <Ithea> roll d20+53
[22:32] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 Kascha
[22:32] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+53 and gets 73." [d20=20]
[22:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 Kascha and gets 38." [1d20=10]
[22:33] <Afina> roll 1d20+33
[22:33] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 and gets 50." [1d20=17]
[22:37] <Kotono> On the trio goes! Ahead is a relatively narrow passage - only 30ft wide and 50ft tall. As you advance down it, you notice the right-side wall has flaming runes engraved on it - Afina can identify it as Ignan right away. "Oh!" Kascha stops, "Occasionally, the elementals write down poetry, stories and lore about Fire. They use the walls to do it."
[22:38] <Afina> "So they do have culture, then," Afina muses, pausing to read.
[22:38] * Ithea doesn't know ignan, so she can't enjoy the surely rivetting poetry of fire elementals! (It probably is all along the lines 'burn, burn, burnity burn~' anyway)
[22:41] <Kotono> The writing is on the glories of fire and how it sublimely burns all. Afina finds it immeasurably moving, making prideful tears come to her eyes. OOC: Make a wis check?
[22:41] <Afina> roll 1d20+6
[22:41] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+6 and gets 16." [1d20=10]
[22:43] <Afina> "Oh, it's beautiful," Afina whispers, rubbing her cheek. "There's more to it, somewhere else here. We should keep an eye out for more as we go."
[22:44] <Ithea> "Don't get too absorbed into it," Ithea says. "Not unless you want to collect the poems and present them to Zaamal Rul along with your handcrafted weapon," Ithea says with a raised eyebrow. Was the poetry really that touching?
[22:45] <Kotono> "Lumenbur, one of our fire elementals," Kascha keeps her voice down, "Said the same about a wall painting we found. It doesn't do much for me, so it probably only affects creatures of Fire."
[22:45] * Lucie is now known as Cidward
[22:46] <Afina> "No, there's wisdom in it," Afina shakes her head. "If I could gather it all I'm sure it would help my mastery of fire."
[22:46] <Ithea> "Huh, well, I'll keep an eye out for you then," Ithea says.
[22:48] <Afina> Nodding, Afina resumes her progress into the depths...
[22:53] <Kotono> Down this passage and another, coming to a turn. It's getting even hotter here, mana to Afina and making sweat bead up all over Ithea's body. Speaking in a whisper, "The cool zone ends about here. You two are obviously better at this than I am, so one of you go ahead and peek ahead?"
[22:54] * Ithea nods and starts sneaking ahead, flicking off some sweat that melts as it leaves her fingers.
[22:55] <Afina> Since Ithea's stealth skills are peerless thanks to her cloak, and they may be close to her limit for heat anyway, Afina nods to the catgirl and lets her lead.
[22:59] <Kotono> Ahead is a vast cavern, at least 300ft wide and 200ft tall. A mammoth creature is 500ft ahead - as tall as the ceiling, made of blazing fires that beat down over here! It is like a fire elemental, only far larger. It stands with its hands open, head raised to the ceiling.
[23:01] * Ithea observes the creature for a bit, trying to figure out what it's doing as well as the layout of the cavern seeing if it might be possible to just sneak around it to keep moving on.
[23:02] <Kotono> The creature is vast - easily 100ft wide. One could perhaps sneak around it - ! In a voice that is the sound of an inferno blazing at its zenith, the elemental begins to sing! Words Ithea does not know, but they reach Afina! She is immediately stricken by the absolute beauty of the words, her blood burning as...OOC: Fort save, Ithea. Will save, Afina and Kascha.
[23:03] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 Kascha
[23:03] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 Kascha and gets 40." [1d20=18]
[23:03] <Afina> roll 1d20+27
[23:03] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+27 and gets 46." [1d20=19]
[23:04] <Ithea> roll d20+27+7 inspiration
[23:04] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+27+7 inspiration and gets 43." [d20=9]
[23:05] <Kotono> Ithea shudders. With all her heart she wishes to burst aflame, to burn and burn forever! Somehow she marshals that feeling down, even as her fur begins to smoulder for a moment, and stops it! Afina feels content. She is enthralled, fascinated for a second - but clears her mind. Nonetheless, vast energy fills her! OOC: Afina, you gain temporary hit points equal to your maximum hit points. Basically
[23:05] <Kotono> you'r eat double normal HP.
[23:07] <Afina> Her mouth making a little 'o', Afina finds herself drawn by the noise nonetheless, creeping up after Ithea to see what's causing it.
[23:08] * Ithea meanwhile starts moving backwards to the other and meets Afina half-way!
[23:08] <Ithea> ooc: others*
[23:10] <Kotono> The massive elemental continues to sing, extolling the virtues of Fire! It sings and sings, Afina feeling an unbridled joy surge within her. Ithea has to constantly fight the feeling of wanting to willing burn out of her head, insistent urges that fire is power, fire is everything, fire will purify her. Kascha follows with her jaw hanging open, stumbling a few times but staying up.
[23:11] <Afina> Listening raptly for a few moments, Afina pulls back, tugging Kascha's hand to retreat back towards Ithea. "They're not mindless at all," she whispers, "I won't kill any just to get Everblaze, so we'll have to sneak by or wait for it to move."
[23:12] <Ithea> "We can sneak past it while it's singing," Ithea whispers as well. "Hopefully we can get far enough ahead for his singing to stop."
[23:15] <Afina> "If you can both turn invisible I can dimension door us past it and far down the cavern," Afina suggests a way to sneak by that doesn't put them within stomping distance.
[23:18] <Ithea> "I can only turn invisible for a brief, swift moment," Ithea answers.
[23:21] <Kotono> "I can do it," Kascha pipes up, "We'll just need to be quick and teleport somewhere we can hide, then."
[23:21] <Ithea> "Alright..." Ithea says with a nod.
[23:21] <Afina> "Let me see if I can spot anywhere good from this side then," Afina whispers, going back around the corner to peer around and past the mammoth elemental, seeing what the far side of the cavern portends.
[23:26] <Kotono> OOC: Make a spot check? It's a big distance with a big, salient obsticle.
[23:27] <Afina> roll 1d20+29
[23:27] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+29 and gets 39." [1d20=10]
[23:30] <Kotono> Just past the elemental's leg is a large custer of heavy stones, piled up. It gives cover, just past the elemental's back.
[23:31] <Afina> Rather too close, but perhaps from there they might see better cover. Returning to Kascha and Ithea, she turns herself invisible and takes their hands. "I'll teleport us just behind some rocks near the elemental. Hunker down under them and stay very quiet, it'll give us a chance to look for cover further on," she explains, waiting for them to object or turn invisible before casting her spell.
[23:32] * Ithea just nods, concentrating on not exploding from fire and naturally being quiet and hard to notice thanks to her cloak.
[23:33] <Afina> Thus it's time to teleport!
[23:33] <Kotono> In an instant you appear behidn the pile of stones, about 20ft tall from here. Just behind you is a source of incredible heat, baking Ithea even as Afina feels so right, so drawn to it on every word!
[23:34] <Kotono> roll 6d10-30 fire damage Ithea, res is already factored in with the -30.
[23:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 6d10-30 fire damage Ithea, res is already factored in with the -30. and gets 2." [6d10=2, 4, 2, 8, 7, 9]
[23:34] <Kotono> OOC: Act.
[23:36] <Afina> First thing she does is make sure she's properly concealed by the rocks before turning visible. Then she takes a look in the direction of that heat, hoping they've found some Everblaze already.
[23:38] * Ithea winces, hiding as best as she can and concentrating on her magic, making sure it's enough to keep her through this trial.
[23:40] <Kotono> Right behind you is the elemental, as he should be considering you teleported just behind him.
[23:41] <Ithea> "Keep going?" Ithea asks quietly in question. "I think I can still take the heat for now..."
[23:41] <Afina> Oh. Feeling rather foolish, Afina turns her attention back up the cavern to see where it ends or turns.
[23:45] <Kotono> Ahead the cavern is littered with rocks for about another 400ft, before sloping down and around another meandering corner.
[23:46] <Afina> That's in range, alright! Grabbing Ithea and Kascha, Afina dimension doors them around that corner!
[23:49] <Kotono> OOC: Does Dimension Door have a verbal component?
[23:50] <Afina> OOC: Hmm. Good point. He might chase after us. Lets try stealthing it and keep that as a last resort!
[23:50] <Afina> Gesturing towards that slope, Afina turns invisible again and starts creeping towards it...
[23:51] * Ithea nods as she gives one last look at the gigantic being behind them and starts sneaking along after Afina, using the cavernous environment to help hide her.
[23:52] <Kotono> OOC: MS checks, all.
[23:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 Kascha
[23:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 Kascha and gets 35." [1d20=7]
[23:52] <Ithea> roll d20+53
[23:52] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+53 and gets 70." [d20=17]
[23:53] <Afina> roll 1d20+33
[23:53] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 and gets 47." [1d20=14]
[23:55] <Kotono> Thus the party sneaks along in pserfect silence! 100ft, 200ft, 300ft and 400ft! You reach the next passage - a grand downward slope, with little rills of lava along th efloor, trickling down in tiny streams. It goes on a long ways, until you can't see anything more in a haze of heat.
[23:57] <Afina> Turning visible once they're around the corner, Afina nods in satisfaction. "Going well so far. Still with us, Kascha?" she whispers.
[23:57] <Kotono> Kascha nods, "Down this way," she murmurs, "Carefully."
[23:58] <Afina> Thus Afina keeps on going downwards!
[23:59] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[23:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 86." [1d100=86]
[23:59] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[23:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 17." [1d100=17]
[00:00] <Kotono> You walk down for a good 20 minutes - down and down and down and down. At last you come to something of interest. On the far left side the wall has a gap in it, about 60ft wide. It leads into what looks to be some sort of magma-spring, the red glow of it glimpsed within.
[00:01] <Afina> That might be a nice spot to put a poem, and it's big enough for a primal elemental to fit. "Wait here a second, I want to have a look at that spring," Afina asks her companions, zipping down that way.
[00:01] <Kotono> As Afina zooms down, "Are you holding up well," Kascha asks Ithea, keeping her voice down still.
[00:02] <Ithea> "I'm...managing," Ithea answers slowly with a frown. "The sooner we get back the better though, all things considered."
[00:04] <Kotono> Thus Afina goes on towards the lava spring. It is about 50ft in diameter, and in the center is a block of unmelted black stone. Sitting atop it is a flame. A flame crafted and shaped into the image of a griffon, ablaze and yet maintaining that shape.
[00:06] <Afina> Lacking any poetry, Afina just has a good look at the griffon, casting detect magic for good measure.
[00:07] <Kotono> "Let me know if you need water," Kascha murmurs, keeping her eyes open. Meanwhile, the griffon radiates strong magic. OOC: Spellcraft, AFina.
[00:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+32
[00:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+32 and gets 51." [1d20=19]
[00:09] * Ithea nods, deciding to look around the cavern while Afina examines the spring. Keeping herself distracted observing their surroundings is one way to keep herself distracted from the heat somewhat.
[00:09] <Kotono> The griffon is a balanced expression of fire and form. If taken by a worthy creature of Fire, it will becomes a loyal servant. If taken by another, it will burn them to the bone.
[00:11] <Afina> Not wanting the complications of dragging a griffin around on a stealth mission, Afina flies back to Kascha and Ithea. "Thought there might be another poem down there, but there wasn't. Lets keep going."
[00:11] * Ithea nods, leaving her musings and continuing along with Afina and Kascha in their search.

[Corwin]

[19:27] <Kotono> Down the trio continues. After perhaps another ten minutes of downward traveling you come to the end of the slope. Ahead is another huge cavern that goes ahead for 50ft, then turns to the left. In the wall to the rigth is a huge, gouged out hole ascending up as well.
[19:28] <Afina> They want to go down, but Afina creeps up to take a peek up that gouged out hole before committing to the left path.
[19:35] <Kotono> The gouged out hole is melted slag, wavy and runny. It's about 70ft wide and goes up at a sharp angle. Above and in the distance, you can see a red-orange glow amid the heat haze.
[19:36] <Afina> Waving for the other two to come up and join her, Afina asks, "Kascha, any idea what that could be?" she asks of the red-orange glow.
[19:38] * Ithea isn't about to stick her head up the hole, despite any curiosity over what Afina might have found, and instead moves towards the corner and peeks to the left, checking out what's up ahead.
[19:40] <Kotono> Peering up, "Oh, that might be some!" she calls, "Look at how the t unnel is melted!" Meanwhile Ithea peers 'round the side! Ahead 30ft is a skeleton! The vast maw of a dragon is split open, showing passage into a gigantic rib cage. From above streams of lava pour down, turning the ground beneath the rips and spine into a lake of lava. Despite that the skeleton shows no signs of sinking. You
[19:40] <Kotono> can't see what's past it from here.
[19:41] <Afina> "Alright, I'll go see if I can get some. You two hold back so if I can get into trouble you can assist me," Afina suggests, turning invisible and creeping up towards the orange glow.
[19:42] <Ithea> Hearing Afina's statement, and having not seen anything immediately dangerous up ahead, Ithea turns back to join Kascha to wait for Afina.
[19:48] <Kotono> "If we're lucky," Kascha whispers as Afina rises, "We can get enough here and escape without a fight!" Meanwhile Afina rises up! The heat is becoming hotter, gloriously hotter! Her skin begins to grow uncomfortably warm, feeling wonderful and painful at once.
[19:49] <Afina> Well it is hot enough to even burn fire elementals. Luckily she's very quick at crafting, so if this is the real thing it shouldn't take her long.
[19:53] <Kotono> OOC: What's your fly speed?
[19:54] <Afina> OOC: 80, but to save time lets cast haste and make it 110
[19:55] <Kotono> roll 6d6 fire damage, bypasses immunity and more text coming. Just getting this done first.
[19:55] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 6d6 fire damage, bypasses immunity and more text coming. Just getting this done first. --> [ 6d6=19 ]{19}
[19:58] <Kotono> Up Afina flies! The heat becomes nigh overwhelming, Afina's firey soul catching ablaze! Her hair changes to burning tendrils of flame, her eyes weeping tears of liquid lava! Yet higher ups he goes - and above you, just above you now. It looks like red rock constantly ablaze and melting, throwing off intense, incredible waves of heat! It's embedded into the rock nearby, which boils despite being
[19:58] <Kotono> perfectly solid.
[19:58] <Kotono> OOC: Make a listen check, Ithea?
[19:58] <Ithea> roll d20+42
[19:58] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : d20+42 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{55}
[20:00] * Ithea turns around, simultaneously using magic to detect any invisible foes. Hopefully it's just her imagination, but...well, better safe than sorry, and she hadn't seen or heard anything before now.
[20:02] <Afina> This must be it! Working quickly, Afina casts Fabricate to create a large greatsword from the deposit... (1 round per cubic foot. I figure 2 or 3 rounds for a large greatsword?)
[20:03] <Kotono> As Afina casts, Ithea turns around! Behind her is a giant of pure fire, just like the singing on before! It's a mere 30ft away, near utterly silent as it approaches the duo! OOC: Make a craft check, Afina? Init here.

[20:05] <Afina> roll 1d20+30
[20:05] <Rei-chan> Afina rolled : 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{46}
[20:05] <Ithea> roll d20+17
[20:05] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : d20+17 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{35}
[20:05] <Afina> roll 1d20+26 init
[20:05] <Rei-chan> Afina rolled : 1d20+26 init --> [ 1d20=18 ]{44}
[20:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 Kascha (+5 nerveskitter)
[20:06] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+17 Kascha (+5 nerveskitter) --> [ 1d20=4 ]{21}
[20:06] <Ithea> "Uuuhh...Kascha? Afina? We -might- want to hurry here," Ithea says with concern in her voice.
[20:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+32 elemental
[20:06] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+32 elemental --> [ 1d20=7 ]{39}
[20:06] <Kotono> "AH!" Kascha whirls around and yelps, "AFINA! ELEMENTAL!" Her eyes widen as she fumbles for her blade, trying to draw arcane symbols in teh air at the same time! Meanwhile Afina's blade begins to craft...OOC: Okay. Starting init now.
[20:07] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(44)>Ithea(35)>Kascha(21)'
[20:07] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(44)>Primal Fire Elemental(39)>Ithea(35)>Kascha(21)'
[20:08] <Kotono> OOC: Afina, go. The blade is starting to craft but it's gonna be a few rounds, looks like. Probably 3.
[20:09] <Afina> That means she needs to go even faster! Channelling a haste spell into her casting, she speeds herself up immensely, the blade forming in an instant! Or not at all if the fire proves too much for her concentration...
[20:09] <Afina> OOC: 7th level spell for 2 rounds time stop to finish off fabricate. I'll still take damage from fire while time stopped so do that and I'll roll concentration?
[20:09] <Kotono> roll 12d6 and go concentration
[20:09] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 12d6 and go concentration --> [ 12d6=45 ]{45}
[20:10] <Afina> OOC: is that per round or did you roll both rounds?
[20:10] <Kotono> OOC: Both rounds.
[20:10] <Kotono> OOC: 6d6 per, which doesn't work for concentration. STrike, I'll reroll it as two.
[20:10] <Afina> OOC: roll them seperately since my DC is affected my the damage per round
[20:10] <Kotono> roll 6d6 1
[20:10] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 6d6  --> [ 6d6=16 ]{16}
[20:10] <Kotono> roll 6d6 2
[20:10] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 6d6  --> [ 6d6=16 ]{16}
[20:11] <Afina> OOC: DC 26, I autopass with +26
[20:11] <Kotono> Channeling magic into the weapon, a blade of sizzling, fire red stone is crafted! As it forms, it looks more and more like heavy steel, hardening as the heat buffets Afina! OOC: Okay. Primal Elemental is up.
[20:13] <Kotono> Flowing faster than mercury, the fire elemental pounds the ground before the two, causing the floor beneath the duo to explode into a torrent of hellish lava! OOC: Reflex saves, you two.
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 Kascha
[20:13] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+25 Kascha --> [ 1d20=1 ]{26}
[20:14] <Ithea> roll d20+25+7 inspiration and ouch Kascha, it doesn't pay to go out with me does it?
[20:14] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : d20+25+7 inspiration and ouch Kascha, it doesn't pay to go out with me does it? --> [ 1d20=16 ]{48}
[20:15] <Ithea> ooc: evasion also
[20:15] <Kotono> OOC: Remember to note reflex if you have it. Er, evasion, not reflex.
[20:15] <Kotono> roll 20d6 Kascha full, bypasses immunity and owwies
[20:15] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 20d6 Kascha full, bypasses immunity and owwies --> [ 20d6=64 ]{64}
[20:16] <Kotono> Ithea leaps back to the edge of the tunnel, balancing deftly and avoiding the hellish fires! Meanwhile Kascha is caught dead on, sinking up to her knees in lava, coated head to toe in burning stone! OOC: And I quote, ow. Ithea.
[20:16] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(44)>Primal Fire Elemental(39)>Ithea(35)>Kascha(21; soaked in lava)'
[20:17] * Ithea hisses at the primal and returns fire with ice! (quick casting polar ray, then readying action to dimension door myself and Kascha on Elemental's next attack)
[20:18] <Ithea> roll d20+24+7 inspiration
[20:18] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : d20+24+7 inspiration --> [ 1d20=4 ]{35}
[20:18] <Ithea> ooc: ranged touch, obviously
[20:18] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[20:18] <Ithea> ooc: any SR?
[20:18] <Kotono> OOC: Nope.
[20:19] <Ithea> roll 20d6
[20:19] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : 20d6 --> [ 20d6=66 ]{66}
[20:19] <Kotono> The freezing white beam hit sthe elemental dead on! Line sof frost form over its body, before burning away seconds later! The entire flaming giant flashes white-cold, stumbling back with a hissing crackle! OOC: Ow. Kascha. She's immersed in lava and takes ongoing damage now.
[20:19] <Kotono> roll 20d6 owwies
[20:19] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 20d6 owwies --> [ 20d6=58 ]{58}
[20:21] <Kotono> Kascha cries in piteous pain, "Ithea...help!" she wails! OOC: Holding since she can't make the concentration check to cast after that heap of damage. Afina, go.
[20:21] <Afina> OOC: is the sword done?
[20:21] <Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[20:23] * Ithea grimaces, but continues to hold her action, focusing on the elemental, her hands twitchy, ready to teleport the pair of them on the elemental's action. If she acts now, she won't be able to do anything then, while Afina's working on the sword.
[20:23] <Afina> Hearing Kascha's cries, Afina speeds herself up again, grabbing the sword and zipping back down to Kascha and Ithea just as time reasserts its flow on her and she dimension doors both Ithea and Kascha along with herself back a thousand feet up the tunnel they came!
[20:23] <Afina> OOC: 6th level slot for 1 round time stop
[20:23] <Kotono> OOC: What's yoru str core, Afina?
[20:24] <Afina> OOC: 14
[20:26] <Kotono> Afina drags the blade back with her, grunting but just barely able to manage it! A moment later she teleports the both of them a t housand feet away from the elemental! OOC: Whatever the elemental does you can't see. Ithea, go. May want to heal or do something about Kascha's lava facial.
[20:27] <Ithea> Afina was faster than expected! Given that, Ithea immediately goes to heal Kascha instead!
[20:27] <Ithea> roll 4d8+20
[20:27] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : 4d8+20 --> [ 4d8=23 ]{43}
[20:28] <Kotono> Kascha's wounds heal, as the lava on her body scalds Ithea, piercing right through her protections! OOC: Healing goes through, you take the damage incoming and Kascha's up.
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 5d6 ow
[20:28] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 5d6 ow --> [ 5d6=14 ]{14}
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 10d6 not immersed but still covered in lava ow
[20:28] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 10d6 not immersed but still covered in lava ow --> [ 10d6=43 ]{43}
[20:29] <Kotono> Kascha stumbles, trying to cast something but her magic fizzles in pain, as her body charrs and burns, ablaze with lava! OOC: Ow. Afina, go.
[20:32] * Ithea grimaces. "All I have left is a wand, that's not going to do much good if we can't get the rest of the lava off her!"
[20:33] <Afina> "Hold very still, Kascha," Afina warns her, placing her own hands over the magma coating her and fabricating it into a solid cube which she promptly tosses away!
[20:33] <Kotono> OOC: You'll take contact damage like Ithea, so you'll need a concentration check.
[20:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+26 DC 10 + damage
[20:34] <Rei-chan> Afina rolled : 1d20+26 DC 10 + damage --> [ 1d20=20 ]{46}
[20:34] <Kotono> roll 5d6
[20:34] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 5d6 --> [ 5d6=16 ]{16}
[20:34] <Kotono> oOC: Nice time for a 20.
[20:34] <Afina> roll 1d20+23 sculpting just for fun
[20:34] <Rei-chan> Afina rolled : 1d20+23 sculpting just for fun --> [ 1d20=10 ]{33}
[20:34] <Kotono> The cube of searing lava appears and Kascha's body is cleaned of the boiling rock! She stumbles to her knees, panting in agony! "To me..." she whimpers, "Home. Going home!"
[20:35] <Afina> "Hurry," Afina puts her hand on Kascha's shoulder, the other holding the greatsword off the ground.
[20:36] * Ithea also holds onto Kascha, with a grimace. Once they're somewhere safe, she'll try to alleviate some of the wounds with her wand if there's no healer nearby enough to do more.
[20:37] <Kotono> Woosh! In an instant Kascha channels her magic, sending the three of you home! You appear before the gates of Aurora, Kascha falling to her knees and then onto her side. Her typical dress is little more than ash now, falling away as her flesh begins to mend. She lies on the ground, groaning and uncaring.
[20:38] <Ithea> "Go get help, Afina. I'll use up some of my wand charges to relieve the pain meanwhile," Ithea says.
[20:38] <Ithea> roll 5d8+5 (using five charges)
[20:38] <Rei-chan> Ithea rolled : 5d8+5 (using five charges) --> [ 5d8=29 ]{34}
[20:38] <Afina> "Ysgard will help as well," Afina reassures, clasping Kascha's hand gently and leaving the sword as she zips inside to find the nearest healer in the courtyard.
[20:41] <Kotono> Kascha's wounds mend over magic and Ysgardian healing. She sits up slowly as Afina dashes off, "I..." she begins, before she eeps! Her face turns red as her only half charred arms go to cover her chest! A moment later she looks about, before chanting, "Weave, this is Kascha, be quick about it, just make me some clothes! Just do it!" Drawing a pattern in the air with  one free hand, abruptly a
[20:41] <Kotono> simple, homespun dress appears over her.
[20:42] <Ithea> "...I was about to place my shield over you to protect your modesty. Glad you're looking alive again," Ithea says with a small smile. "Want me to carry you in, or you okay with just waiting for a healer to get here, Kascha?"
[20:43] <Kotono> "Carry me?" Kascha asks hopefully, "At least I didn't die this time."
[20:44] * Ithea smiles weakly. "You would be giving me a complex about going out on trips with you if you'd gone and done that, you know..." Ithea comments as she picks up Kascha carefully and then starts carrying her towards the fortress like a blushing bride. Minus the blushing, and more burns than one would care for.
[20:45] <Kotono> Kascha rests her head against Ithea's shoulder as the two come in...

[Corwin]

[20:55] <Kotono> Thus do four gather. Ithea, Kascha, Afina and Drena. The latter is dressed formally, while Kascha wears a simple, humble dress.
[20:57] * Afina looks at Drena wearing clothes for a long moment, just to savour the oddity, before she gestures to the crackling black and orange greatsword resting upon her floating disc, "This is Darschyedtan, perhaps the greatest blade I have ever forged. Do you think it will suffice as trade for the armour of Quilium?" she asks Drena and Kascha since they were involved in those negotiations.
[20:59] <Ithea> "I'd certainly hope so," is all Ithea says.
[21:00] * Ithea will also stand by the belief that Afina's greatest blade is the one on her glaive, and assumes it's just the fire in the pyrofey doing such silly talk!
[21:23] <Kotono> Drena comes to kneel before it, inspecting the blade up close. He examines every angle, edge and cranny of it. At long last, "Yes, I do," he announces, "It is a fine weapon."
[21:24] <Afina> "Let us hope Zaaman Rul agrees," Afina smiles at the appraisal. "Shall we depart for his Court, now?"
[21:26] <Ithea> "I'm ready," Ithea answers, turning to look at Kascha next. "Recovered enough and all?"
[21:27] <Kotono> "I'm ready," Kascha announces, "Who will head the group once we arrive?"
[21:28] <Ithea> "Is there any reason for Afina not to?" Ithea asks.
[21:29] <Afina> "If you two can fill me in on any particular protocols, I will," Afina says just after Ithea's question.
[21:32] <Kotono> "Just be respectful," Kascha says, "Zaaman Rul isn't huge on protocol as long as you're helping to rid Fire of evil."
[21:33] <Afina> "That's easy enough," Afina nods, starting to head out of Aurora onto Ysgard. "Kascha, could you take care of our transport?"
[21:49] <Kotono> With that, Kascha transports the foursome to the realm of Zaaman Rul. You appear amid terrific flames, all consuming and overwhelming! To Afina it feels wonderful - like Fire and something else, something sublimely right. Within this all consuming blaze a voice speaks, "Who seeks the realm of Zaaman Rul?"
[21:52] <Afina> "Afina, General of Aurora," Afina speaks up boldly, hoping for no repeats of her last visit here, "With me are General Ithea of Aurora, Kascha, of the Cauldron, and Drena, Grandson of Chan. We seek to barter with Zaaman Rul."
[21:54] <Kotono> "You are known to us. Approach through the flames," The voice replies.
[21:55] <Afina> With her floating disc trailing her, Afina flutters through the fires.
[21:55] * Ithea follows after Afina!
[22:02] <Kotono> You step long through the flames. It is a trip through searing fire, burning everything but you away. Ahead lies a great, great lake of magma, vast as an ocean. Towers of ash, boiling stone and pure lava molded and contained with super-heated glass intertwine with black lava-rock buildings. You are above it, looking down from it via a great, high mountain cliff of burning rock. Standing besides
[22:02] <Kotono> you is a fire elmental, towering over each of you and with a face of half boiling iron, wearing armor of the same. He speaks in Ignan, his words burning with intense heat, "I am Nobilerno. We are before Purity, where those who would cleanse Fire of evil band together under the flag of Zaaman Rul."
[22:04] * Ithea stays quiet, letting those that understood what was said reply.
[22:05] <Afina> "Greetings, Nobilerno," Afina greets him in Ignan, though without any chaotic coloured speech... that just makes her think of Annalise and feel sad. "As I said, we have come to make an exchange with your lord Zaaman Rul. Can you escort us to him?"
[22:07] <Kotono> To this the great elemental begins to descend the cliffs ahead, "It is my duty. Come."
[22:07] <Afina> With that, Afina silently follows.
[22:07] <Kotono> Kascha nods, "Thank you," she replies, flying just above the surface of the cliff as she descends.
[22:09] <Kotono> Drena follows as well, and as he walks, "Nobilerno," he replies in Ignan as well, "Does the conflict still rage?"
[22:09] <Kotono> The fire elemental replies in a single word of Auran, "Yes." To this Drena nods slightly and follows the rest down.
[22:12] <Kotono> At the bottom of the cliff await several dozen fire elementals, each clad in armor made of fire, brimstone and lava held within superheated crystals. As one they salute as the party approaches. Just past them are four stallions the color of coal. "These steeds will take us further into Purity."
[22:15] <Afina> Considering the size difference she'd be as well riding her golem. Still, grabbing her oversized sword, Afina alights on an oversized horse and tries to maintain her balance atop it.
[22:15] <Kotono> As Afina settles onto the horse, she finds that she fits perfectly onto the seat, as if big enough, despite her size.
[22:19] * Ithea has no idea if she's supposed to get on a horse like Afina and waits to see if the other two do so as well!
[22:19] <Kotono> Kascha does so, settling in onto the horse and stroking its neck. Drena does so as well, the horse taking his airy body with no discomfort at all.
[22:21] * Ithea also goes get on a horse then! It will be horrible if one of the others were to look horrified at her for some non-apparent faux paus!
[22:22] <Kotono> Once on, the foursome is lead further in. The group rides to the lake of lava! Here the caravan of horses and your fire elemental guide pass over it as if it were solid! As you approach, the lava rises up! It bands and weaves together, forming a helix-flame, weaving around itself with a great crackling of fire! They form a pair of towers for each helix, before your eyes as your steeds advance
[22:22] <Kotono> on.
[22:24] * Afina looks at the helixes as they go, trying to discern what function they have or if it's just aesthetic.
[22:24] <Kotono> "Beautiful, isn't it?" Kascha murmurs to Afina. OOC: Do you have any relevant skill ranks here or anything like that?
[22:25] <Ithea> ooc: I have architecture/engineering!
[22:26] <Afina> OOC: I don't!
[22:26] <Afina> "It's much better than a fountain," Afina agrees readily with Kascha,w atching the fiery patterns.
[22:26] <Kotono> OOC: Make an int check, Afina. Make a K:A/E check, Ithea.
[22:26] <Ithea> "Much better than those mountain caves too," Ithea adds, finally some conversation she can follow!
[22:27] <Ithea> roll d20+13
[22:27] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+13 and gets 18." [d20=5]
[22:29] <Afina> "Would've been nice without the constant danger," Afina muses, of the mountains. Shame she never found any more poetry.
[22:36] <Kotono> With this, the party is lead into the helix towers, out of their horses. They ascend up on stairs of moving flame, gaps in the walls allowing you to move between helixes as needed. Higher and higher you climb, to the top of the helixes! They meet as one at the very top, uniting into a single throne! From here you have an amazing vantage of everything below, the blazing sky above so close you
[22:36] <Kotono> can almost touch it. Sitting on that throne is a being of red fire. He has straight black hair and intense black eyes. He wears a leather kilt, a flaming sword at his belt. He is quite large, peering at the four of you. Around him ten great bonfires burn, sending near-overwhelming bursts of heat. Beyond them stand huge elementals, clad in flame-woven gold armor. (More)
[22:38] <Kotono> In a voice that is every fire in the realm, overwhelming in the absolute heat it channels towards each of you, Zaaman Rul speaks. He speaks in the words of Fire, yet even Ithea can find she understands them perfectly. "So do the cycles of time bring forth a new inferno to cleanse evil. Welcome, champions of Aurora."
[22:41] * Ithea gives a respectful bow to Zaaman Rul. She isn't sure what spell is being used to make sure she can understand him since nothing was cast on her that she can sense, but she appreciates the gesture. Still, she doesn't introduce herself, leaving the action to Afina to do as with the earlier fire elemental.
[22:42] <Afina> "Your welcome is gratefully accepted, Zaaman Rul," Afina dismounts her steed and bows low as she would to any monarch. "As our emissaries discussed with you on their prior visits," she gestures to Kascha and Drena, "I have come to bequeath to you a powerful weapon to aid in your battles against the many dark forces within Fire, in exchange for an armour that would aid in our own struggles with
[22:42] <Afina> the Pit."
[22:50] <Kotono> To this Zaaman Rul rises, offering one huge hand out to Afina, "Well spoken and well met, newborn child of Fire. Fire needs more of your skills."
[22:55] <Afina> Stepping forward and laying the blade at her side, Afina places her own tiny hand inside of Zaaman Rul's, unable to really clasp it since it's far too big to get her fingers around anything. Still, the thought is there, and when she withdraws she collects the Everblaze sword and presents it to the Archomental. "It's name is Darsychedtan, it will burn its enemies whatever they may be, and protect
[22:55] <Afina> its wielder even against the most powerful foes. May it please you, Prince of the Brightfires."
[23:07] <Kotono> The blade is taken from Afina, bursting aflame in his grasp! In it all Creation seems to burn, as he raises it aloft, to the sky, almost high enough to touch it! "This blade will see to the further dissolution of evil within Fire. It is good." Taking the blade, placing it across his lap as he returns to sitting, "The armor you seek..." Before you it appears. It appears to be metal armor
[23:07] <Kotono> - yet it's hard to look at. Your eyes slide off it, or no. No, it changes in form and shape. Your eyes resist observing it.
[23:09] <Afina> Yes, this is it alright. Conjuring a floating disc under the armour, Afina has it shift to the side to no longer impede her view of the Archomental. "This has been of a great service to Lifasa. I hope that Darsychedtan is of similar help to you in your battles." She bows once more, not quite as low this time, "By your leave?"