051. "Congratulations. That was, without a doubt, a resounding victory!"

[Corwin]

[20:02] <Kotono> The preparations are complete. A Sending from the resistance sends word that the time is now! Elder Magi Tepen stands at the entrance of Aurora, preparing his gate spell. The armies are prepared and awaiting, electric whispers as all talk amid themselves.OOC: Go ahead and set yourselves up real quick.
[20:05] * Jaela never expected them to be striking one high-profile target after another so quickly. And if someone like she never expected that, their enemies will probably be caught off guard as well. "Coordinate the strikes," she calls out to the mage forces she is embedded with. "Attack in unison, together, and we will overwhelm their defenses and free our brothers and sisters!"
[20:06] <Afina> Afina stands at the forefront, to lead the charge and block any initial sallies from the tree with a prismatic barrier. Everyone knows their role, and the attack is seconds away... no time for her to give a speech, just to hope that all their planning and training comes to fruition at this moment...
[20:07] * Muirfinn stands, stoic as always, making sure Chok's chain armor is properly set for maximum mobility. The Leaf hangs from a leather loop around his wrist, his two staves strapped to the side of his shell. "Soon, we will be preparing not for another raid, but for an invasion. I look forward to that day." he says to the tortle contingent. "It's time to go introduce ourselves to what remains of
[20:07] * Muirfinn Lifasa's elves. Let's bring them peace."
[20:09] * Ithea just waits at the ready near Afina, leaving speeches to others as well.
[20:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+19
[20:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 and gets 26." [1d20=7]
[20:12] <Kotono> At this Elder Magi Tepen chants, a portal appearing before Aurora! But it is a portal stained with black, oozing like boiling oil! Elder Magi Tepen raises the Staff of Vithos up and intones a dreadful word of protective power, drowned out by a miserable, soul churning keen! The portal shudders and snaps closed mere moments later.
[20:13] <Muirfinn> "Err."
[20:13] * Afina flies up to Tepen. "What went wrong?" she asks, concerned.
[20:13] * Jaela peers at where the portal had just been to try and see what happened.
[20:13] <Kotono> OOC: K:A if anyone'w atching and wants to make a check.
[20:13] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+22
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+22 and gets 27." [1d20=5]
[20:14] <Afina> roll 1d20+33
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 and gets 35." [1d20=2]
[20:14] <Ithea> roll d20+37 K:A
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+37 K:A and gets 39." [d20=2]
[20:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30 and gets 35." [1d20=5]
[20:19] <Jaela> "I can't see how going through that might get past our shield," Jaela says quietly, joining Afina and Tepen. "How about you two?"
[20:20] <Kotono> "It shouldn't," Elder Magi Tepen, "Spiritual force usually doesn't penetrate walls of force. The difficulty will lie in opening a stable gate."
[20:20] <Jaela> "Let me try," Jaela says, before trying to open the Gate herself. She has a very good mental image of the target area, after all.
[20:21] * Ithea pays attention in case the spiritual feedback occurs again, maybe she'll be able to provide some advice on how to get through.
[20:23] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, CL cehck, Jaela.
[20:23] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[20:23] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 33." [1d20=11]
[20:24] <Kotono> This time the gate forms slower, but without the black sludge at first. It slowly tints black, but more like rippling, unstable air. But it's not collapsing, either.
[20:25] <Jaela> "Come on!"
[20:28] <Afina> "Elena, tell Misalea to take us in!" Afina relays the command to advance for their pilot.
[20:31] <Kotono> With that, Aurora advances into the Gates! At this a mournful howling overtakes everyone! Black. All is black, all is ruined. The skies are empty eyesockets silently weeping. The ground is gashed open with bloodless chasms, resembling broken flesh. Ahead is the vast Elven Tree - once beautiful, now dead and rotting. On it hang not leaves but over a hundred thousand corpses, like a grotesque
[20:31] <Kotono> ornamentation. There is an immediately dreadful feeling in the air, even within Aurora. A sense of profound wrongness, waiting to drag you in with it. The very spiritual sense screams at you, tears at you, demands at you.
[20:31] <Afina> "Advance!" Afina calls loudly in her cute little voice, charging out of the gate!
[20:33] <Jaela> "As one!" Jaela echoes Afina, advancing with their forces.
[20:33] * Muirfinn marches along with the rest of the troops!
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 and gets 26." [1d20=6]
[20:36] <Kotono> OOC: +2 to that.
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 and gets 28." [1d20=10]
[20:39] <Kotono> As you advance out, the keeling assails you! The crying of thousands, laments washing over you like a tidal wave. But you advance on, making progress towards the tree! Yet as one they appear, rippling into existance ahead of you like a wave! Great lines of barbazu, erinyes, orthons and squads of cornugons! In their hellish tongue they approach, the two armies striving to meet! At the same time,
[20:39] <Kotono> from far away adn beyond the tree are flashes of glorious light, momentarily illuminating the darkness! OOC: Let'sr oll init here. This is a full on army clash, so there will be a lot of abstraction. Right now the Aurora forces are coming headlong into the devil defenders. Go ahead and roll init.

[20:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+15
[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+15 and gets 34." [1d20=19]
[20:40] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+12
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+12 and gets 28." [1d20=16]
[20:40] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+6 Chok
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+6 Chok and gets 26." [1d20=20]
[20:40] <Afina> roll 1d20+25
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+25 and gets 37." [1d20=12]
[20:41] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Aurora army
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 Aurora army and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[20:41] <Ithea> roll d20+19
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+19  and gets 38." [d20=19]
[20:41] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Baatorian army
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Baatorian army and gets 10." [1d20=7]
[20:42] * Kotono changes topic to 'Ithea(38)>Afina(37)>Jaela(34)>Muirfinn(28)>Chok(26)Devils(10)>Aurora(9)'
[20:42] <Kotono> OOC: Open Ithea. All of you are at the end of things and about 200ft away from the defending line of barbazu.
[20:43] * Ithea opens up with a pair of lightning spells, wittling down the line before they can even react! (OOC: 2x chain lightning, one quick cast'ed)
[20:43] <Ithea> roll 2#d20+23 CL
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 2#d20+23 CL and gets 70." [2#d20+23 = 39, 31]
[20:44] <Kotono> OOC: Success. Damage on both, I'll handle ref saves.
[20:44] <Kotono> OOC: Also note DC.
[20:45] <Ithea> ooc:  reflex DC is 24 for half damage, hits for full on main target, half damage on 20 other targets per chain lightning
[20:45] <Ithea> roll 1.5*20d6 CL1
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 1.5*20d6 CL1 and gets 108." [20d6=3, 1, 5, 4, 1, 2, 4, 5, 5, 3, 6, 2, 5, 1, 3, 2, 4, 6, 4, 6]
[20:45] <Ithea> roll 1.5*20d6 CL2
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 1.5*20d6 CL2 and gets 111." [20d6=6, 6, 4, 3, 1, 3, 1, 5, 4, 4, 6, 4, 2, 6, 1, 6, 3, 4, 1, 4]
[20:46] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 20." [1d20=11]
[20:46] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 22." [1d20=13]
[20:47] <Kotono> The chained lightnings strike before anything else! Massive bursts of thunder and lightning tear ahead, ripping a large hole through the front of the devil forces! A good few dozen barbazu are nothing but dust on the wind now in light of the massive strike! Past them are orthons, deprived of meat shields! Battle cries begin to echo, in the hopeful words of Aurora and the hideous, chainbound
[20:47] <Kotono> speech of the devils! OOC: Afina.
[20:48] * Afina hastes the lead elements of Aurora's army but does nothing else, conserving her efforts to counter anything coming from the tree itself as she advances with the front.
[20:49] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Jaela, go.
[20:50] * Jaela closes the distance between herself and the devil army in half, thanks to Afina's aid. Gae Bolg appears in place of Gae Dearg, and she uses it as a medium to shoot lances of multicolored light at the orthons in the distance even as her own martial prowess is increased in anticipation of the coming clash!
[20:51] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22 Radiant Assault SR
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 Radiant Assault SR and gets 41." [1d20=19]
[20:51] <Jaela> roll 15d6 Will DC30 half
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 Will DC30 half and gets 40." [15d6=2, 1, 5, 2, 1, 1, 4, 1, 3, 2, 4, 6, 2, 3, 3]
[20:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 and gets 18." [1d20=5]
[20:51] <Jaela> roll 1d6 rounds dazed if fail save
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d6 rounds dazed if fail save and gets 4." [1d6=4]
[20:52] <Jaela> OOC: Quickened Divine Favor as swift
[20:53] <Kotono> A blast of pure light slams into a bunch of the orthons, knocking them back and leaving them blind! MAgic begins to gather on both sides, incantations of power clashing against effortless, hellish power summoned by the devils! Pentagrams appear all over ahead, the outline of other devils starting to solidify! OOC: Muirfinn.
[20:54] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+50 spellcraft before I act
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+50 spellcraft before I act and gets 70." [1d20=20]
[20:56] <Jaela> OOC: I'll take 10 for 44 on spellcraft to ID enemy spells I might try to counterspell
[20:57] * Muirfinn strides forward, waving a hand as a burs of fungal water explodes within the ranks of the assembled devils! He calls out to those around him, "Lots of low-level summoning circles up there! Lemures and hamatulas! OOC: Red Tide on the front wave of upper-level devils, burst comes from the center. 200 ft radius within their ranks. They're probably all immune to poison, so boo. But hey, now
[20:57] * Muirfinn they're all prone! SR applies. Erinyes are immune, but what can ya do?
[20:57] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+20 caster level check
[20:57] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+20 caster level check and gets 28." [1d20=8]
[20:58] <Kotono> OOC: Link me to red tide?
[21:01] <Kotono> The red tide slams into the row of devils, washing more of them back and prone! It pushes the hole in the line back further, causing more discord and a few summoning circles to fizzle out!  OOC: Chok. No save needed since the save affects the part poison immunity stops, so they're just knocked prone.
[21:04] <Muirfinn> Chok keeps stride with his master as the group moves, eyeing the creatures hungrily! OOC: He's talking a walking hold, pretty much. I'm not about to let him go off alone into combat.
[21:05] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[21:07] <Kotono> At this devils appear all around! Squalid lemures, roaring barbazu and howling hamatula! At the same time clashes of holy power, fire, lightning, ice, wind, water and force all rock, crossed patterns of unholy power emerging from all of them! In particular, a great burning green ball of acid begins to appear in the skies above...OOC: Cor, you said you wanted a chance to try and counter a big
[21:07] <Kotono> effect if it happens.
[21:08] <Jaela> This is what she had been waiting for! Jaela jabs at the sky with Gae Bolg in an attempt to disrupt this spell!
[21:08] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25
[21:08] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 and gets 33." [1d20=8]
[21:09] <Kotono> In the air, the ball of acid cracks all over and fades away, like a distant memory! Meanwhile arrows begin to rain from the erinyes, slanting down towards the party!
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Muirfinn
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Muirfinn and gets 23." [1d20=8]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Jaela
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Jaela and gets 31." [1d20=16]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Jaela
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Jaela and gets 28." [1d20=13]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Ithea
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Ithea and gets 35." [1d20=20]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Ithea hatebot
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Ithea hatebot and gets 31." [1d20=16]
[21:10] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Afina
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Afina and gets 20." [1d20=5]
[21:10] <Jaela> "Let's burn that empty husk!" Jaela cries out, confident that her crown of holy flames may succeed where a more conventional fire would fail.
[21:10] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Chok
[21:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Chok and gets 22." [1d20=7]
[21:10] <Kotono> OOC: I assume none of those but the natural 20 hit?
[21:10] <Ithea> ooc: AC 47
[21:10] <Afina> OOC: not even close
[21:10] <Jaela> OOC: Miss on me
[21:11] <Kotono> roll 1d8+15 Ithea does not beat DR
[21:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+15 Ithea does not beat DR and gets 22." [1d8=7]
[21:11] <Muirfinn> OOC: I am a brick wall.
[21:12] <Kotono> Ting! Tang! The arrows rain down, one grazing Ithea! Brave warriors behind and around you are wounded amid the flashes of magic as the summons and soldiers meet! The sounds of battle erupt around you, warcries joining the cries of the stricken and slain! Far beyond there is another flash of light, followed by the ground itself quaking and heaving - only dimly, as the tree begins to become darker!
[21:12] <Kotono> OOC: Ithea.
[21:15] <Ithea> "Tepen sent word. We're going to have to burn the tree somehow, but it's immune to fire," Ithea passes on to the others in case they haven't gotten their own messages. Casting another chain of lightning, aiming towards the group of erinyes and the devils surrounding them, Ithea begins to advance forward.
[21:15] <Ithea> roll d20+23 CL
[21:15] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+23 CL and gets 29." [d20=6]
[21:16] <Kotono> OOC: Success.
[21:16] <Ithea> roll 1.5*20d6 DC 24 reflex, same as before
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 1.5*20d6 DC 24 reflex, same as before and gets 102." [20d6=5, 5, 5, 1, 6, 4, 5, 2, 3, 2, 3, 1, 5, 5, 5, 1, 3, 4, 1, 2]
[21:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 and gets 26." [1d20=13]
[21:17] <Kotono> More lightning strikes! The aerial erinyes are shocked, a few plummeting down before recovering! More arrows begin to come, raining down harder as a fireball explodes just ahead of the foursome! OOC: Afina.
[21:19] <Afina> Leaving Simmer to handle the long range bombardment for now, Afina hastes some more of their soldiers and braces herself for the attack that the tree's darkening is likely to herald.
[21:21] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Jaela
[21:21] <Kotono> .
[21:22] * Jaela advances to be within a dozen feet of the melee, now! And that is when she venerates the Triune's name, calling upon her holy power in this desecrated land!
[21:22] <Jaela> roll 1d20+20 Holy Word SR
[21:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+20 Holy Word SR and gets 22." [1d20=2]
[21:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 and gets 24." [1d20=20]
[21:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 and gets 20." [1d20=13]
[21:25] <Kotono> The word of holy power sounds discordantly beautiful as Jaela sings it out, momentarily alightning the battlefield with something greater than the dreadful gloom! Several of the barbazu stumble back, visibly stunned and reeling, eyes gushing flame! OOC: Okay. Muirfin.
[21:25] <Muirfinn> OOC: Okay, so I'm marching with this army, right? Are we in melee range, or did Jaela just fly lioke a hundred feet into melee, or what?
[21:28] <Kotono> OOC: Jaela flew ahead.
[21:28] <Muirfinn> OOC: How far?
[21:33] * Muirfinn flows forward as his form becomes water, crossing the gap between the two armies and smashing into the front lines! OOC: 65 ft move, 15 ft reach
[21:34] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+37+1+1 whammo
[21:34] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+37+1+1 whammo and gets 46." [1d20=7]
[21:35] <Kotono> OOC: HIt.
[21:36] <Muirfinn> roll 4d10+5+14+2d6 holy power and 1 Con damage
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d10+5+14+2d6 holy power and 1 Con damage and gets 46." [4d10=3, 9, 7, 1][2d6=3, 4]
[21:37] <Kotono> A newly summoned barbazu gets his face smashed in as Muirfinn advances to the front line! As it falls back, reduced to ash and blood, the tree grows darker yet! A sudden scream of souls is heard, piercing the air! OOC: Chok.
[21:38] <Muirfinn> Chok's head whips about for a moment, looking at the armies and then moving to assault the summoned foes with his master! OOC: Charging
[21:39] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+33 jump check, gonna succeed
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+33 jump check, gonna succeed and gets 44." [1d20=11]
[21:40] <Muirfinn> roll 6#1d20+22+1+1
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6#1d20+22+1+1 and gets 223." [6#1d20+22+1+1 = 35, 43, 38, 42, 32, 33]
[21:40] <Muirfinn> roll 2#1d20+17+1+1
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#1d20+17+1+1 and gets 59." [2#1d20+17+1+1 = 23, 36]
[21:40] <Muirfinn> OOC: claws, bite, tail, rake
[21:41] <Kotono> OOC: Allb ut the 23 hit.
[21:42] <Muirfinn> roll 1d6+7+3 gimme a sec, these are disjointed.
[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d6+7+3 gimme a sec, these are disjointed. and gets 16." [1d6=6]
[21:42] <Muirfinn> roll 2#1d8+3+3
[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#1d8+3+3 and gets 25." [2#1d8+3+3 = 12, 13]
[21:42] <Muirfinn> roll 1d6+3+3
[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d6+3+3 and gets 10." [1d6=4]
[21:43] <Muirfinn> roll 1d6+7+3
[21:43] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d6+7+3 and gets 13." [1d6=3]
[21:43] <Muirfinn> OOC: There @_@
[21:44] <Kotono> Leaping into the melee, Chok gets right on a summoned barbazu! He claws into its chest, sending it's glaive tumbling to the side and impaling a stray lemure! As the lemure fade away he bites out its throat, ripping it's chest wide open! It fades away a moment later, slain! A moment later, there is a terrific howling of souls from the tree, as they appear and writhe along it! Thousands of faceless
[21:44] <Kotono> souls writhe together in a mass of ghostly flesh, screaming vile obscenities and pitiable laments! Then it happens - a great wave of unholy power spreads out from it, the screaming souls flying out in a wave of absolute hell! OOC: Afina?
[21:45] <Afina> This early the army hasn't managed to spread out much, so Afina on her own might be able to hold it off. The spell flies from her lips and fingers, a rainbow arcing before the still mustering army of Aurora, an impenetrable barrier that would destroy anything trying to pass it!
[21:45] <Afina> OOC: prismatic wall, 80x40
[21:49] <Kotono> A barrier of rainbow powre forms, followed by a few others of force connecting to it! The great welling of souls comes - and stops at the barrier! Oh, the walls of force begin to buckle and crack, the prismatic colors all tinting black! For several moments it lingers like this...and ceases! The walls crumble apart, but the assault is stopped! A moment later there is a titanic thunderclap, powerful
[21:49] <Kotono> enough to surely shatter glass! The devil army looks stunned a moment by it all, staring at the unbowed army! IT slows the pace of the attack and on the counter, Aurora surges forward! With the summons dented and a hole in the army the press on, the summons being quickly overwhelmed and pushed back into the barbazu lines! OOC: Ithea.
[21:51] <Afina> "Twenty seconds to prepare for next wave!" Afina calls loudly to remind those assigned to barrier duty.
[21:52] * Ithea pushes forward, saving her spells for the moment, as she goes join in the chaotic melee, slashing at some devil's throat, inviting the devils to try and move within her reach. (OOC: channeling VT and using greatreach bracers so I can AoO anything that moves within 25ft of me.)
[21:53] <Ithea> roll d20+43 attack
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+43 attack and gets 63." [d20=20]
[21:53] <Ithea> roll d20+43 crit?
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+43 crit? and gets 56." [d20=13]
[21:53] <Ithea> roll d20+29 CL for VT
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+29 CL for VT and gets 38." [d20=9]
[21:53] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. The AoOs will be handled on the devil t urn, remind me. That's a hit and a crit and a drain.
[21:54] <Ithea> roll 3#d10+25+2d6
[21:54] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 3#d10+25+2d6 and gets 114." [3#d10+25+2d6 = 40, 34, 40]
[21:54] <Ithea> roll 20d6 VT
[21:54] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 20d6 VT and gets 62." [20d6=4, 2, 5, 1, 6, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 4, 4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 5, 5]
[21:56] * Kotono changes topic to 'Ithea(38)>Jaela(34)>Muirfinn(28)>Chok(26)>Afina>Devils(10)>Aurora(9)'
[21:56] <Kotono> With one mighty cleave Ithea strides forward, cutting a pair of barbazu in half, then jabbing a hamatula with the butt of her glaive! It's enough to drain the life force from him and return him to dust, blown away in the wind! A moment later there is a teleportation next to Afina, as Simmer appears, "Tepen sent me along as requested," she replies, "What's the target-woah!" she pauses to sidestep
[21:56] <Kotono> an arrow, thudding between the two former fey! OOC: Adding her to init, but assuming she doesn't beat Jaela, Jaela's up.
[21:56] <Ithea> ooc: if I killed it, I have cleave now, so I should get another attack.
[21:57] <Kotono> OOC: Oh right, forgot. Go for it.'
[21:57] <Ithea> roll d20+43 attack
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+43 attack and gets 60." [d20=17]
[21:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 27." [1d20=17]
[21:57] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[21:57] * Kotono changes topic to 'Ithea(38)>Jaela(34)>Muirfinn(28)>Simmer(27)>Chok(26)>Afina>Devils(10)>Aurora(9)'
[21:57] <Ithea> roll d10+25+2d6
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d10+25+2d6 and gets 32." [d10=2][2d6=4, 1]
[21:57] <Ithea> roll d20+29 CL
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls d20+29 CL and gets 40." [d20=11]
[21:57] <Ithea> roll 10d6 VT
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 10d6 VT and gets 31." [10d6=5, 2, 1, 3, 6, 1, 4, 2, 2, 5]
[21:58] <Afina> "The tree has to burn but it's immune to fire," Afina tells Simmer briskly. "We can fix that. Give me a second and I'll make a connection to Fire so our spells are stronger, but we have to move ahead of the main army to keep from burning them."
[21:59] <Kotono> A moment later Ithea's glaive rips back up, tearing apart another hamatula! OOC: Go Jaela.
[21:59] <Jaela> Following Ithea's example, Jaela activates her own bracers to wreck havoc upon the crumbling center of the devil front lines! With that assault and her determination, followed by many more in Aurora's ranks, they will cause that line to crumble and slice it neatly into two disorganized halves!
[21:59] <Kotono> The summons are just about routed back now, the army lines subtly starting to move back and brace! The cornugons are taking ot the air now, gathering together behind the enemy lines!
[22:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+45+12
[22:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+45+12
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+45+12 and gets 65." [1d20=8]
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+45+12 and gets 73." [1d20=16]
[22:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40+12
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40+12 and gets 68." [1d20=16]
[22:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+35+12
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+35+12 and gets 58." [1d20=11]
[22:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30+12
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30+12 and gets 61." [1d20=19]
[22:00] <Kotono> OOC: All hit. Bring on the pain train. Mention the AoOs on the devil'sb urn.
[22:01] <Jaela> roll 5#1d8+39+8+8d6+13+2 divine might
[22:01] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 5#1d8+39+8+8d6+13+2 divine might and gets 470." [5#1d8+39+8+8d6+13+2 = 96, 95, 91, 93, 95]
[22:01] <Jaela> OOC: Gambit, 5ft step closer
[22:02] <Kotono> Several devils are utterly shredded in the whirlwind of Jaela's attacks, flying about in blood and scraps of flesh! The line is fully routed now, as...OOC: Muirfinn, go.
[22:04] * Muirfinn becomes a whirlwind of arms, slamming into the breached line over and over!
[22:05] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+37+1+1
[22:05] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+37+1+1
[22:05] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+37+1+1
[22:05] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+32+1+1
[22:05] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+27+1+1 CLEAVE GO
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+37+1+1 and gets 46." [1d20=7]
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+37+1+1 and gets 55." [1d20=16]
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+37+1+1 and gets 51." [1d20=12]
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+32+1+1 and gets 38." [1d20=4]
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+27+1+1 CLEAVE GO and gets 45." [1d20=16]
[22:06] <Kotono> OOC: Ow. All hit.
[22:06] <Muirfinn> OOC: Scuse me, Great Cleave
[22:06] <Kotono> OOC: I'll tell you how many extra after damage.
[22:07] <Muirfinn> roll 5#4d10+4+14+2d6 holy plus 1 Con damage
[22:07] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 5#4d10+4+14+2d6 holy plus 1 Con damage and gets 220." [5#4d10+4+14+2d6 = 39, 43, 52, 45, 41]
[22:08] <Kotono> OOC: 3 more.
[22:08] <Muirfinn> roll 3#1d20+37
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 3#1d20+37 and gets 148." [3#1d20+37 = 44, 57, 47]
[22:08] <Muirfinn> OOC: ONE'S A CRIT
[22:09] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+37 crit check
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+37 crit check and gets 42." [1d20=5]
[22:09] <Kotono> OOC: OOC: All hit.
[22:10] <Muirfinn> roll 2#4d10+4+14+2d6 plus 1 Con damage
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#4d10+4+14+2d6 plus 1 Con damage and gets 95." [2#4d10+4+14+2d6 = 43, 52]
[22:10] <Muirfinn> roll 2#4d10+4+14+2d6 plus 2 Con damage
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#4d10+4+14+2d6 plus 2 Con damage and gets 99." [2#4d10+4+14+2d6 = 50, 49]
[22:11] <Kotono> The line is utterly vaporized now! With advancing army lead by four heroes, the barbazu are routed and the orthons are fighting a losing battle! The tide is being pushed back!  Meanwhile Simmer waits a moment...OOC: Chok, go.
[22:11] <Jaela> "Crush them!" Jaela calls to their forces, ready to defend them against any devil counterattack with her superior reach.
[22:13] * Ithea is in the same position as Jaela, waiting for any devils to try and rush her or get past her.
[22:13] <Muirfinn> Chok hangs back, eyeing the bony monstrosities warily. He stands near his master's watery form, ready to assist him again. OOC: Holding.
[22:13] <Kotono> OOC: Afina.
[22:13] <Afina> "Now, Simmer!" Afina says, speeding herself up immensely as she flies above the pyrodryad and first invokes a planar bubble of fire, the bottom tip of it just touching Simmer and then launching a pair of delayed blast fireballs at the tree in the distance, one at its upper branches and one at the bottom of the branches where they emerge from the top of its trunk!
[22:13] <Afina> OOC: 7th level time stop
[22:14] <Afina> OOC: searing fireballs, obv
[22:14] <Afina> OOC: blistering, too!
[22:14] <Afina> OOC: 64 searing fire damage each. And 63 regular fire damage.
[22:16] <Kotono> Simmer does the same, a single fireball shot out and exploding in the brnaches as well! OOC: Maximized Fiery Searing Delayed Blast Fireball with Battle Spell.
[22:17] <Kotono> roll 90+30+15
[22:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 90+30+15 and gets 135."
[22:18] <Kotono> Fireballs explode all over the Wailing Tree, what cannot burnc atching aflame! Several fires start from those fireballs, slowly but persistently beginning to burn! OOC: Okay, devils are up.
[22:18] * Kotono changes topic to 'Ithea(38)>Jaela(34)>Muirfinn(28)>Chok(26)>Afina=Simmer>Devils(10)>Aurora(9)'
[22:19] <Kotono> The devils push ahead, trying to come back, as the cornugons form a complex, multilayered pentagram between them! Terrible red energy begins to gather around them! OOC: First of all, AoO away, both of you. You have an entire push of orthons coming your way.
[22:20] <Muirfinn> OOC: Both of who?
[22:20] <Ithea> ooc: myself and Jaela I think
[22:20] <Muirfinn> OOC: Okay
[22:20] * Jaela does her very best to keep the creepers at bay!
[22:20] <Ithea> ooc: since we extended our reaches for AoO'ing. You might get some too since you're bigger?
[22:20] <Jaela> roll 6#1d20+45+12+2
[22:20] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 6#1d20+45+12+2 and gets 437." [6#1d20+45+12+2 = 75, 63, 79, 75, 75, 70]
[22:21] <Jaela> roll 1d20+45+12+2 crit?
[22:21] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+45+12+2 crit? and gets 61." [1d20=2]
[22:21] <Ithea> roll 7#d20+43
[22:21] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 7#d20+43 and gets 360." [7#d20+43 = 54, 58, 55, 44, 55, 50, 44]
[22:21] <Kotono> OOC: Yeah you can make one too, Muirfinn. More if you have CR but I don't think you do.
[22:22] <Kotono> OOC: That's all hit, save for the 2 1s Ithea rolled. Hatebot.
[22:22] <Jaela> roll 6#1d8+39+8+13+8d6
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 6#1d8+39+8+13+8d6 and gets 560." [6#1d8+39+8+13+8d6 = 84, 96, 91, 102, 93, 94]
[22:22] <Ithea> roll 5#d10+25+2d6
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 5#d10+25+2d6 and gets 186." [5#d10+25+2d6 = 37, 39, 38, 31, 41]
[22:22] <Jaela> roll 2#1d8+39+8+13
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 2#1d8+39+8+13 and gets 129." [2#1d8+39+8+13 = 66, 63]
[22:22] <Ithea> roll 5#d20+29 CL
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 5#d20+29 CL and gets 206." [5#d20+29 = 36, 45, 49, 42, 34]
[22:22] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22 SR
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 SR and gets 32." [1d20=10]
[22:22] <Jaela> roll 4d6 burn, too
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 4d6 burn, too and gets 15." [4d6=4, 1, 6, 4]
[22:22] <Ithea> roll 5#10d6 assuming all SR checks passed
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Ithea rolls 5#10d6 assuming all SR checks passed and gets 168." [5#10d6 = 33, 34, 27, 30, 44]
[22:23] <Muirfinn> roll 5#1d20+37+1+1 guess who else has CR
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 5#1d20+37+1+1 guess who else has CR and gets 252." [5#1d20+37+1+1 = 47, 53, 49, 53, 50]
[22:23] <Kotono> OOC: All hit.
[22:23] <Jaela> OOC: silver+good+anarchic+epic, +16 if they have DR/silver
[22:23] <Muirfinn> roll 1d20+37+1+1 forgot one
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+37+1+1 forgot one and gets 41." [1d20=2]
[22:25] <Muirfinn> roll 6#4d10+4+14+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver
[22:25] * Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6#4d10+4+14+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver and gets 305." [6#4d10+4+14+2d6 = 55, 53, 54, 39, 51, 53]
[22:25] <Kotono> This charge is utter foolishness. Under the assault of arrows, magic and the long-armed heroes, the devil hoards are utterly obliterated! What must be over a hundred orthons are completely shredded in this ill advised push, the ranks breaking terrifically! Meanwhile the power amid the cornugons begins to erupt! OOC: Going to try and counter, Jaela?
[22:25] <Jaela> "You wish!" Jaela exclaims, doing her utmost to shut them down!
[22:25] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25
[22:25] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 and gets 31." [1d20=6]
[22:27] <Kotono> The magic swells, shudders adn breaks apart, sending the cornugons reeling with the flesh and scales flaying from their faces! At this Aurora rains down more power, the cornugons savaged by arrows and reeling terrifically! OOC: Free act at the moment, the army's advancing and the enemy line has been utterly stunned and ransacked in record time. Impressive.

[22:27] * Jaela charges in at the tree at her top speed! The sooner she consecrates its roots, the better!
[22:28] <Afina> "Clear some space around Simmer and I!" Afina orders the nearby troops so she doesn't burn them, descending closer to Simmer and advancing. "Keep fireballing, I have to conserve my spells till we're closer, now," she tells the pyrodyad. Plus she needs to be ready for any bad unholy energy if it comes.
[22:28] * Muirfinn sloshes after her, Chok at his proverbial heels!
[22:29] * Ithea moves towards the tree as well, though she's not sure what she can do to help burn the tree. She casts one chain lightning at it, checking to see if it helps at all or if the protections against burning protect it from catching fire from her spells.
[22:30] <Ithea> ooc: roll anything, or doesn't work?
[22:35] <Kotono> Troops burn space ahead, as Jaela flys ahead and Afina, Muirfinn, Chok and Simmer follow! Ithea takes a moment to try chain lightning - it crackles on the tree, charring a long gash of bark, but it doesn't cause any fires to spring up.
[22:36] <Jaela> As soon as she is there, Jaela consecrates the roots of that once-great tree with a Hallow, imbuing them with Death Ward for good measure in case the trapped souls are not freed in time and come after them.
[22:37] <Jaela> roll 4d6 burn, too
[22:37] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 4d6 burn, too and gets 11." [4d6=4, 5, 1, 1]
[22:37] * Ithea decides to just stand guard around the two that have proven themselves capable of burning the tree, staying in sync with them and watchful of more attacks.
[22:37] * Muirfinn watches Jaela's back.
[22:38] <Ithea> Ithea's eyes narrow as she looks in the direction she felt the pull, trying to search for its source. "Did anybody feel that?" she asks.
[22:39] <Afina> "Feel what?" Afina asks as she walks Simmer towards the tree in order to keep up the intensity of her fellow half-elemental's fireballs. Once they're closer she can add firebursts to the mix, but for now she's on guard duty.
[22:40] <Jaela> "Tepen?" Jaela both voices and thinks, in hopes that he is still listening in.
[22:40] <Kotono> Fireballs continue to flow as the roots are consecrated, the tree's flames rising up! As you do so ghosts begin to gather arond the tree, calling out in burning agony! But at the same time the fires spread further and further! 'Yes?' Tepen asks.
[22:40] <Ithea> "Something...no, someone was trying to pull me away from the tree. I didn't recognize the voice though."
[22:41] <Jaela> 'How's it going with Makaril?' Jaela thinks, adding a holy smite to Simmer and Afina's efforts.
[22:41] * Ithea looks over the army to see if anybody else looks like they're moving away from the tree, seduced by this mystery voice.
[22:41] <Jaela> roll 1d20+20 SR
[22:41] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+20 SR and gets 34." [1d20=14]
[22:41] <Jaela> roll 10d6
[22:41] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 10d6 and gets 33." [10d6=4, 5, 1, 3, 4, 3, 5, 1, 1, 6]
[22:42] <Kotono> 'They're holding - just barely,' Tepen sends, 'He's using the full powe rof Kalembar, but there's so many of them. They're excited over his sword - they're trying to disarm him, but they can't put enough pressure on him to do it. I've heard the name Mephistopheles uttered.'
[22:43] <Jaela> 'Are our forces there by now?'
[22:43] * Ithea seems to freeze as her look turns angry, as some words are said to her in her head.
[22:43] <Kotono> The tree continues to burn, the corspes starting to light aflame! It's spreading - fast! The groans of pain become expectant, exultant! 'Yes, they're helping with the hold,' TEpen says, 'No sign of further reinforcements. Hurry with the tree. If that goes, we win.'
[22:43] <Afina> Making sure no one but Simmer is within ten feet of her once she's adjacent to the tree, Afina unleashes a searing fireburst. "Ithea, Muirfinn! Go and aid Makaril, between our rapid force and our encircling armies, you should have plenty of help."
[22:44] <Afina> OOC: 95 searing fire from fireburst against the trunk
[22:45] <Jaela> "I'll make sure we have plenty of holy power here," Jaela agrees with Afina, before thinking to Tepen, 'Send Dame Mei and Mom here to help free the souls.'
[22:45] <Muirfinn> "Jaela," Muirfinn says, "Do you want me to go back up our forces aiding Makaril? I can gate out if necessary. Will you be fine here?"
[22:45] * Jaela gives Muirfinn a curt nod. "We'll follow suit once the tree's been destroyed and Aurora gates out."
[22:45] <Kotono> At this, the flames seem to reach a critical juncture! There is a sudden, powerful shudder - the entire earth quakes as flames erupt out from the tree all over!
[22:46] <Afina> "Anyone with holy attacks, bombard the tree now!" Afina calls loudly.
[22:46] <Afina> She has little to contribute herself, but she stabs the holy sword Hywelbane into the massively burnt trunk as some contribution.
[22:46] * Muirfinn runs after the trooms, seeking to bring up the rear!
[22:47] <Kotono> A scream as one erupts from the tree, as suddenly thousands and tens of thousands more ghostly spirits erupt out! They spread out, howling but one word in Elven, "REVENGE!"
[22:47] <Muirfinn> OOC: Troops, running, blah
[22:48] <Ithea> "Let's go, Muirfinn," Ithea says, her fur on edge, and an angry look in her eyes. "Let's help Makaril."
[22:48] <Kotono> OOC: Running or teleporting?
[22:50] <Muirfinn> OOC: Saving my Gate SLAs since we had trouble with them earlier
[22:50] <Ithea> ooc: Up to Muirfinn! I'm okay with either way!
[22:50] <Ithea> ooc: running it is!
[22:50] <Kotono> OOC: Just you two while Afina/Jaela stay here?
[22:50] <Ithea> ooc: yes
[22:50] <Afina> With the tree dealt with, Afina surveys the battlefield to see where she's best utilised...

[Corwin]

#ed

[22:53] <Kotono> It is a race to Makaril. On reaching them, you see a motley, rag-tag force - utterly triumphant. Only a few devils remain, being torn apart by the ghostly spirits gushing from the shattered tree! Makaril watches with impassive, calm eyes along with the rapid response force, a general cheer erupting!
[22:55] <Ithea> "Looks like we missed most of the fighting," Ithea comments to Muirfinn. "Still some scum left to take out though."
[22:56] <Kotono> Makaril departs away, flying over, "We are victorious," he greets quietly, "I-" He begins, but stops. The spirits begin to return to the burning tree, a steady thrum of throbbing, toneless noise, like thousands of voices speaking and blended together.
[22:57] * Ithea frowns and eyes the event, wondering if they're going to need to head back.
[22:59] <Kotono> As you watch, the tree's fires burn higher! A great blaze explodes out - yet strangely heatless to you all, the flames turning ghostly. The tree burns an burns and burns, crumbling to ash before your very eyes! Yet a moment later a certain, powerful NEED is expressed to you. One more favor. One more freedom. A gate. A crack in reality and they and leave this world made Hell.
[23:01] <Ithea> "It looks like things have worked out as they were supposed to," Ithea says to Makaril. "The spirits are being set free..."
[23:02] * Muirfinn makes a watery sound. "A gate? To anywhere?"
[23:04] <Kotono> "Anywhere," Makaril says, "Open one, if the power is with you!"
[23:05] * Muirfinn opens a portal to Ysgard, then!
[23:06] <Kotono> On the Gate being opened, all the souls as one fly to it! LIke water pouring out a hole in a bathtub the souls gush into it! More and more they pass in, fading away. Yet as they do the spirits fly around all the soldiers, passing through them! Wounds heal and energy is restored! The tree collapses - and for a moment, it as is as it was before. Sunshine beams down around the massive tree,
[23:06] <Kotono> living, vital elves around it in the endless dances of life. For a moment, it is as if the entire land sighs in relief. The sight brings a moment of overwhelming insight, as a wordless sentiment is expressed to all of you - the children of the world can triumph. Then all that is there is ash and darkness and crushed memories.
[23:07] * Muirfinn watches all this with wide eyes of purest water. "This world can be saved. We have seen proof of it."
[23:08] <Ithea> "Mhmm, it'll take time, but we'll drive them all away," Ithea says in agreement as the souls vanish from this world they once called home.
[23:09] <Ithea> "You know how to call upon us," she says with a nod to Makaril, before turning back towards the Aurora, raising a hand and calling for the rapid action team to join her and Muirfinn in returning.

[Corwin]

#d

[22:51] * Jaela takes personal command of the troops. Her goal is the utter destruction of the devils here, before she will send them back into the Aurora for its orderly retreat.
[22:52] <Kotono> The devils are routed. The ones that remain are now a victim of a grisly fate. The freed spirits ravage all over - when they reach a devil, they rip into it! Dozens of spirits tear each devil apart, shredding them into bits! The army watches in mixed terror and joy as these spirits fly about!
[22:53] * Afina looks towards Makaril's forces to ensure they're holding until the devils pressing them are defeated. She can contribute a fireball or two if needed, otherwise it looks like time to go.
[22:53] <Jaela> "There!" Jaela calls out at the top of her lungs, glowing brightly to draw yet more attention from the spirits. "More enemies await you there! Crush the oppressors!" She points in the direction of Makaril's forces, since this would be the best reinforcement she could send them.
[22:54] <Kotono> 'Warning,' Tepen replies, 'Ithea sends word that Velasca is hiding while her duty burns. THis mway not be over yet.'
[22:54] <Afina> 'Where?' Afina asks, looking around.
[22:54] <Jaela> Scowling, Jaela starts flying around the tree. Her eye might not spot someone hiding, but her magic-granted senses surely will!
[22:54] <Kotono> 'Unsure,' He replies, 'It's just a warning.'
[22:55] <Kotono> There's really not much left - no devils. The giant armies of angry spirits may have something to do with that.
[22:55] <Afina> roll 1d20+52 spot
[22:55] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+52 spot and gets 64." [1d20=12]
[22:56] <Kotono> Afina doesn't see anything - or even the subtle, tell tale signs of invisibility. No sign of a hidden devil at all.
[22:56] <Afina> 'No sign of her. Send the order to withdraw, Tepen,' Afina asks. "Time to go," she says for those nearby.
[22:57] <Kotono> As Afina says that? The spirits begin to return to the burning tree, a steady thrum of throbbing, toneless noise, like thousands of voices speaking and blended together.
[22:57] <Afina> "What...?" she looks up, unsure. Is this some diabolic compulsion? Or are the spirits seeking one last revenge against their instrument of torture?
[22:58] * Jaela cloaks herself in Grace, just in case.
[22:59] <Kotono> As you watch, the tree's fires burn higher! A great blaze explodes out - yet strangely heatless to you all, the flames turning ghostly. The tree burns an burns and burns, crumbling to ash before your very eyes! Yet a moment later a certain, powerful NEED is expressed to you. One more favor. One more freedom. A gate. A crack in reality and they and leave this world made Hell.
[23:00] <Afina> "Victory!" Afina raises her sword in a cute little cheer. "Everyone back to Aurora!"
[23:00] * Jaela answers that request, opening a Gate to Arvandor!
[23:05] <Kotono> On the Gate being opened, all the souls as one fly to it! LIke water pouring out a hole in a bathtub the souls gush into it! More and more they pass in, fading away. Yet as they do the spirits fly around all the soldiers, passing through them! Wounds heal and energy is restored! The tree collapses - and for a moment, it as is as it was before. Sunshine beams down around the massive tree, living,
[23:05] <Kotono> vital elves around it in the endless dances of life. For a moment, it is as if the entire land sighs in relief. The sight brings a moment of overwhelming insight, as a wordless sentiment is expressed to all of you - the children of the world can triumph. Then all that is there is ash and darkness and crushed memories.
[23:08] <Afina> Seeing that tree restored, even if one she never saw before in her life, it brings a tear to Afina's eyes, for all that it evaporates off her cheek within a second. "Lets go," she repeats more sedately, starting to return to Aurora herself but hanging back to ensure she can cover everyone else.
[23:10] * Jaela covers their retreat along with Afina, in case of any last minute devil trickery.

[Corwin]

[23:11] <Kotono> From there forces retreat - no more opposition, only an orderly and successful retreat. On the return to Air cheers erupt from the army, exultant and massive! Elder Magi Tepen and Adrian approach, the latter scuffed up but unwounded. Adrian's grinning while Tepen is more quietly sedate and serene. "Congratulations," he greets, "That was, without a doubt, a resounding victory." Gesturing out,
[23:11] <Kotono> "By your leave, we shall celebrate this evening."
[23:11] <Afina> "Hah, as if there was a question about it," Afina retorts, smiling. "This was a good day."
[23:12] <Ithea> "A well deserved celebration it'll be," Ithea says with agreement. "Wish we could have gotten our hands on Apasa and Velasca, but we did what we set out to do."
[23:13] <Kotono> "We freed them," Is all Adrian says for a moment, before grinning at Ithea, "Hey kitty, that's got to be a few hundred lifetime's worth of good deeds right there. We can get the traitors next time, once they stop hiding."
[23:15] <Ithea> "Oh, I know that. I promised Apasa we'll meet on the battlefield one day," Ithea says with strong conviction.
[23:15] * Muirfinn eyes Adrian. "We will find them. Our good deeds are far from over."
[23:15] * Jaela retreats for her suite once the immediate matters have been handled to be with Mirajane, sitting this one celebration out.
[23:17] * Muirfinn heads off to congratulate his people on their first successful operation as a unified tribe.
[23:20] * Ithea figures if everyone's splitting off to party with their people, she should do the same with the catfolk contingent. They might like hearing about Apasa yelping after getting called a bootlicker.

[Merc]

Ithea's PMs, changed the timestamp to match Corwin's:

Timestamp [21:09] - Tepen & Tree

Spoiler: ShowHide

[21:09] <Kotono> 'Ilsenine has succeeded,' Tepen sends. 'The Tree must be burned - what cannot be burned must be burned. Then enough holy power must be used to weakenthe bonds of the souls, so that they may free themselves and take revenge on the devils.'
[21:11] <Ithea> 'Tepen, what do you mean? How do we burn what cannot be burned?' Ithea asks back.
[21:11] <Kotono> 'The Tree is immune to fire and burning,' Tepen replies.
[21:12] <Ithea> 'And lightning?' Ithea asks, remembering the time that Simmer and her set a grove of trees on fire in Ysgard.
[21:13] <Kotono> 'I presume it will damage it but not burn it. I don't know,' Tepen replies with a thoughtful noise.

Timestamp [22:07] - Tepen & Makaril's forces

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[22:07] <Kotono> 'Update,' Tepen says, 'Scrying indicates that the Order of the Glacial Heart has chosen to engage Makaril's forces instead. We may have a clearer shot than the resistance in this case. They're pressing him and his lieutenants hard.'
[22:09] <Ithea> ooc question, is Sylvie with Tepen? As she read the message from 27 regarding them, want to see if I'd reply with asking him to talk to Sylvie about them, or tell him myself.
[22:10] <Kotono> He'd be aware of it, but she's off with the armies proper I believe.
[22:10] <Ithea> okay
[22:12] <Ithea> 'Tepen, 27 gave warning about them yesterday. Said the gelugons are more than they appear and have 'absolute zero'. Don't know if that warning helps any,' Ithea replies to that message.
[22:13] <Kotono> 'I'm aware,' Tepen says, 'I've passed that on. We're sending the rapid reaction force on the request of Afina and Jaela. Kalembar could be a serious problem if the devils get it.'
[22:14] <Ithea> 'Good. We're advancing well here. Who knows, with any luck we might be able to go help ourselves soon.'

Timestamp [22:37] - Apasa's taunts

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[22:37] <Kotono> Your blood boils silently. You feel an terrible, tremendous pull. A man's voice, soft and purring, 'Over here, Ithea,' it carols. It's compelling - not against your will, but you instinctively want to obey, even as your mind asserts itself.
[22:40] <Kotono> You don't see anything...yo uaren't sure what direction it came from, but it'll pulling you to the left side, away from the tree.
[22:41] <Kotono> 'Too cowardly to face me alone, kinswoman? I am the superior catfolk,' The voice silkily whispers, 'Afraid to die without your fortress and capable friends? After all, you are the weakest.'
[22:44] <Ithea> '...You're Apasa, aren't you? How dare you call yourself a catfolk? You gave up that right!'
[22:44] * Ithea hopes her thoughts pass on, though she isn't sure if he's using sending or what.
[22:45] <Kotono> 'I am superior...Velasca hides while her duty burns. I'm not hiding...I'm right over here, Ithea. Come meet me...or are you as cowardly as you are weak? Such a bitter dissapointment to our people. I sought and obtained true power. You? Eating the gutter leavings of your betters, begging for more scraps.'
[22:47] <Ithea> 'Funny...I thought that was you. I'm a leader and you? Do you lick the boots of the Duke of Destiny? Or maybe it's just Abigor? Is that why you try and fire your weak taunts? Are you scared of what's happening with your master? Trying to save yourself by drawing a fight with a general? Save your taunts, I have better things to do, but don't worry, I'll get to you at some point.'
[22:48] <Kotono> 'Y-AAH!' A yelp is heard, and suddenly there is no more sense of presence.
[22:51] <Ithea> 'Tepen, Muirfinn and I are going to help Makaril,' Ithea sends towards the other mage, ignoring whatever might have befallen Apasa. Hopefully it was something bad, or at least painful.
[22:52] <Ithea> 'Afina will probably catch up soon after,' she adds.
[22:53] * Ithea pauses and then sends something else to Tepen, as her eyes widen. 'Tepen! I had word that Velasca is hiding while her duty burns. Warn Afina and Jaela? She might be somewhere nearby.'
[22:54] <Kotono> 'On it,' Tepen replies.