054.9 Goldenfire

[Corwin]

[21:22] <Kotono> Arrel, Jaela, Afina and Kascha gather. Kascha burns with fire, her body seeming to be made of it. Arrel doesn't seem to mind her sitting on his back while on fire at all. He awaits just inside Aurora. OOC: Go ahead and set yourselves up/getting moving, y'all.
[21:24] <Afina> Patting Jaela on top of her head once, Afina suffuses her body with fire! But rather than painfully burning, it transforms her into a creature of elemental fire!
[21:25] <Jaela> Burning merrily, Jaela abstains from casting any unique spells at this point. She will manage if and when they reach the guardians.
[21:28] <Kotono> "Are we ready?" Arrel asks, "Will all of you be riding?"
[21:29] <Jaela> "I will, at least," Jaela says. "If you don't mind? I'll cover you from any sudden attacks."
[21:31] <Afina> "You're the best flier of us, so it'll be fastest that way. We can all fly on our own to break off once combat starts," Afina says, settling on near the giant draconic eagle's tail.
[21:32] * Jaela keeps to the front, herself.
[21:33] <Kotono> With that Arrel settles in, flying outside into Air and awaiting a portal or shift!
[21:34] * Jaela goes with a shift!
[21:37] <Kotono> OOC: Where exactly are you shifting to?
[21:38] <Jaela> OOC: A random spot high up in the skies of Elysium
[21:43] <Kotono> Thus the group appears in Elysium's sky! The ground below is spread out and above you are clouds and blue depths of the sky. Arrel promptly begins to ascend, flying up.
[21:45] * Afina looks down to admire the view, only occassionally scanning the sky for anyone coming their way.

[Corwin]

[18:56] <Kotono> Thus you fly! The air up here is warm and easy to breath. You ascend up towards the clouds, Arrel keening out a mighty cry as you plunge into them! You are surrounded by warm white mists! Within them you can see the outlines of angels, glimpsed within as you race higher up.
[18:57] <Afina> Unless they move to intercede Afina can assume they're just random angels enjoying a fly. Still, now that the clouds block sight of the ground, she's more apt to scan the sky instead.
[18:58] * Jaela is strictly there to defend them from attack. Where it comes to the others flying in the area, she merely gives any who looks at her a slight nod of acknowledgement.
[19:04] <Kotono> Higher and higher you fly! You break through the cloud, wispy white clinging to all of you as you ascend higher! Now the ground is gone - below you are clouds obscuring everything. The air here is thicker yet - you find your breaths becoming shorter and less regular, yet you don't feel short of breath at all. As you ascend up, you can see shimmering far above, as if heat rising up off the ground.
[19:05] * Afina squints and sensibly avoids looking directly at the sun... though it may prove unavoidable later.
[19:06] <Kotono> "I wish I wasn't on fire," Kascha pipes up, "I'd love to write about this while it's fresh in mind. Normally higher altitudes have thinner air."
[19:07] <Jaela> Here, too, Jaela decides to rely on her blindsight rather than her eyes. "We can use a spell to refresh your memory after," she offers to Kascha.
[19:08] * Afina nods. "Pixies normally can't even fly high enough to become short of breath, our wings just aren't suited for high altitude flight."
[19:10] <Kotono> "Thank you," Kascha smiles winsomely to Jaela, "How high up can a pixie fly, then? A hundred feet? Five hundred?"
[19:12] <Afina> "Fifteen hundred is usually the limit," Afina explains, "Some a bit higher, some a bit lower. I'll probably lose that limit myself if I become part air elemental."
[19:14] <Kotono> As Kascha processes that you fly higher up! The heat shimmers solidify, fading away as you reach them. Behind the shimmers are floating islands. Great chains of floating islands, covered in every type of terrain imaginable - even snowy and icebound ones - save for anything volcanic. Each island is dotted with buildings, as if each one is home to an extremely spread out village. "Higher?" Arrel
[19:14] <Kotono> asks.
[19:16] * Afina stares at the islands for a moment before she looks up to try and see the sun out of the corner of her eye to gauge how far they are. And isn't that absurd to start with? No way this would ever work in the real world!
[19:18] <Kotono> The sun is higher up - it does seem bigger and brighter up here. Kascha peers at the islands, "Oh, I never knew about anything like this! I wonder what these islands are for?"
[19:20] <Afina> "Still higher, Arrel. We can investigate the islands on our way back."
[19:23] <Kotono> Thus does the party ascend up higher yet! As Arrel flies you can see the sky begin to darken above. Yet as you fly, a wind from above blows! It is a powerful wind, causing you to clench to Arrel to hold on! Arrel himself struggles with it, a squawking cry as he barely manages to hold position! "Hold on!" Arrel calls, "I need to concentrate, but this magic should get us past the wind!"
[19:24] <Afina> "I'll haste you!" Afina calls to support him, hasting everyone else to boot!
[19:24] * Jaela doesn't need to be told a second time!
[19:24] * Merc-zzz is now known as Ithea
[19:26] <Kotono> At the same time as speed magic wraps into Arrel and the party, Arrel focuses! His body suddenly seems unbound and free, zipping up through the wind like a knife! The howling of the wind drowns out everything, but yet Arrel takes you up and above! In an instant you break through it, the blue sky left behind! You are in a starscape of black now, a great blue plane beneath you. Far away is the
[19:26] <Kotono> sun - a glorious thing of pure light above. Arrel continues to ascend!
[19:29] <Afina> "It's best not to think about it..." Afina mutters, shaking her head as she looks down at the infinite blue plane rather than the expected sphere, deciding it best to turn around and put her eyes elsewhere.
[19:29] <Kotono> "My!" Kascha looks around at it all, "What's wrong, Afina?"
[19:31] <Afina> "This," she waves her hand expansively. "It's like it's trying to get the details right but it only highlights how off everything is."
[19:33] <Kotono> "I think the better question is if the material world gets the details wrong instead," Kascha says, as above the party can begin to see large stars gather above, right in the path Arrel is taking.
[19:34] <Jaela> "Can you avoid the stars, you think?" Jaela asks Arrel, focusing on the potential threat.
[19:35] <Afina> "I think we can leave the discussion for now if we're going to have to fight stars," Afina says, sitting up and looking at them as they move to intercept.
[19:35] <Kotono> "I should be able to if they don't follow," Arrel replies.
[19:46] <Kotono> Flying up higher, you are able to see that the stars are not stars at all. They are six winged angels of tremendous light, wearing starshine as armor and blade. There are about five dozen of them, and as Arrel comes within 100 feet of them? "Halt!" One speaks, a voice powerful, absolute command.
[19:47] <Jaela> "What's the matter?" Jaela calls over to the speaker.
[19:47] * Afina sits up attentively, anticipating these to be the fierce guardians Lathander warned them about.
[19:52] <Kotono> The one who speaks is clad in gleaming starlight armor. He has a greatsword forged of starlight. The light of is beautifully terrible to gaze at, like every falling star you've ever seen. "Only the pure are allowed past this point. Should you wear the raiments of sin and persist, your lives will end in the light of the eternal sun."
[19:53] <Afina> Oh, so that's how it is... "No alternatives, I take it?" Afina asks, knowing well the weight of her own sins.
[19:54] <Jaela> "The Morninglord sent us on our way," Jaela responds, stating the fact rather than being arrogant about it. "We should be pure by his definition."
[19:55] <Kotono> "Are you? If you believe yourselves to be pure, fly on," The angel gestures, the host of celestials parting above you. "But know the consequences of vanity and pride should you be in error."
[19:56] <Jaela> "I believe in my patron who believes in me, more like," Jaela admits, taking off from Arrel's back and flying up past the celestial host.
[19:58] * Afina shakes her head. "I've lived as an assassin, of course I'm not pure," she reasons, staying right where she is. "This isn't a test I can pass."
[20:01] <Kotono> "Afina..." Kascha murmurs as Jaela flies up and past. The light is devastatingly bright! The sun is much larger with just a tiny bit of travel, its light overwhelming her! She feels the heat of the sun boiling her blood, running through her veins like liquid fire. But she withstands it, managing to hang in the air despite it as the sensations pass.
[20:02] <Jaela> They can still succeed in their quest, even if only she is able to proceed. That would be enough, especially with Afina's help in protecting her from heat that would've destroyed her many times over already. Thus, she continues to ascend.
[20:03] <Afina> "You two go, if you think you can pass," Afina suggests, "I'll help you however I can from here," she says, casting greater mage armour upon both of them and then hasting them. It's not much, but it's all she can manage.
[20:04] <Kotono> "Afina..." Kascha murmurs again as Jaela flies off, "Isn't the invitation of Lathander enough? Afina's an important part of our group."
[20:06] <Afina> "This is something that requires two to pass. Perhaps I can be more useful on Thalasia?" Afina says, keeping up her spirits somewhat. Still it rankles that Celestia would send her off to get something it had to have known wasn't within her abilities.
[20:08] <Kotono> "Please," Kascha looks to the angel, "At least answer if there is any way at all. It isn't fair to leave one of our number and it isn't fair to send the rest of us shorthanded and in greater danger."
[20:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+29
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 and gets 41." [1d20=12]
[20:12] <Kotono> "If you can believe in yourself and your own purity, you may find the way ahead." The angel finally says, "By inviting you, the Morninglord has allowed the possibility of your ascent higher. The other was correct in her belief."
[20:16] <Afina> "Maybe I pass by whatever means Lathander or you set, but you asked if I considered myself pure," Afina responds with a frown. "I'm a nice person, perhaps. I give my all to help others and fight against Hell to save my world. But that doesn't erase my past - I've killed people who didn't deserve to die, I've done things I'm not proud of. None of that will ever go away. So no, I'm not pure, nor
[20:16] <Afina> will I ever be," she declares resolutely, not wanting some lightshow to pretend like none of it ever happened just because her Queen hasn't asked her to murder anyone lately.
[20:22] <Kotono> The angel regards Afina at that, "All this and you would abandon your role in this quest in the name of self honesty?"
[20:24] <Afina> "If I can't be honest to myself I'm nothing," Afina says severely. "I'm upset enough to want to look for another way, but Jaela seems confident. I'll just have to rely on her for this step."
[20:27] <Kotono> "I am impressed," The angel says, "I cannot say that honesty is anything but a virtue, and you embrace it even to your detriment." Soft starlight begins to glow around Afina, "Go on. Perhaps you are not pure, but you have impressed me and earned the invitation Lathander gave you. Tell Jaela I am happy to have met the two of you."
[20:29] <Afina> "Very well," Afina nods, it would be churlish to hesitate now that she's been given blanket permission. "Still confident, you two?" she asks Kascha and Arrel before trying to catch up with Jaela.
[20:30] <Kotono> Arrel's answer is to surge forward, Kascha nodding with a smile, "Arborea has accepted me and purified me before. I fear...oooh!" Kascha winces as you fly ahead, several seconds of her eyes being wide before she relaxes. As you fly up, "JAela, hold on!"
[20:31] * Jaela slows down enough that she will land on Arrel's back again as he flies over.
[20:31] <Afina> "I was let through anyway," Afina tells Jaela, "The angel said he was happy to have met us."
[20:32] <Jaela> "Huh. Nice."
[20:44] <Kotono> Thus you fly on and higher up! The sun becomes larger and larger as you approach, soon blocking out everything ahead. It is hot here, painfully hot and getting hotter! Yet it suits the elementally aligned party. As you fly up, you notice something - you aren't breathing. Yet you don't seem to need to at all. At the same time you can begin to see flares of golden light. Dancing flares, each one
[20:44] <Kotono> demanding your attention and stunning you with a bright beauty.
[20:46] <Jaela> "Goldenfire?" Jaela voices. "Think we can just try to take some here?"
[20:47] <Afina> "Ahh, this view appeals to me," Afina sighs, looking over at the fiery sunscape. "I don't think that would do any good, though. It'd be like trying to bottle a dragon's breath - we need the source if we want to channel it ourselves."
[20:48] <Kotono> "Solar pixie," Kascha says with a giggle, "Simmer would be so jealous!"
[20:49] <Afina> "She would. Maybe I can bring her here another time?" Afina wonders hopefully.
[20:52] <Kotono> As you discuss this Arrel flies on! The solar flares cascade around you as the eagle-dragon ascends higher! The wind whipping against you is hot enough to rival Fire and yet it feels so good, so right. The bursts of sunfire do not burn you at all, even when they wash over the party! As you ascend up, the sun looms larger - and yet, you see something! Ahead is a great opening, an upside down
[20:52] <Kotono> mountain hanging in the air above, the base of it clinging a great sea of golden light. As if a volcano was placed here upside down as you ascend towards it!
[20:53] <Afina> "Head for that volcano, Arrel!" Afina calls, pointing ahead.
[20:54] * Jaela gets a spear out, since they are likely to encounter the guardians soon, judging by their progress!
[21:02] <Kotono> Thus you fly up to the volcano! As you approach, the world goes topsy turvy! When you were ascending you are now descending, Arrel landing on the lip of the right ways up volcano. Below you can see a deep golden glow, and hovering in the center of the mouth is a stone slab with faint golden lights forming letters on it.
[21:02] * Jaela peers down at the letters, adjusting to the shift with a mental shrug.
[21:03] <Afina> "Lets go take a look at that slab, it might tell us about the key?" Afina suggests, taking off from Arrel once the new gravity is established and then flying down into the volcano.
[21:05] * Jaela follows!
[21:07] <Kotono> Arrel follows as well, as does Kascha. As you approach to read the lettering, you see that they shift into words you understand. Elven for Jaela and Sylvan for Afina. "Transport system is active. Current areas active: Volcano entrance. Step onto the slab and state your destination to be taken there."
[21:08] <Afina> "Isn't this the volcano entrance?" Afina wonders aloud. "I'll try it in case there's another entrance." Landing now she states, "Volcano entrance."
[21:09] * Jaela nods back at Afina, waiting to see if this gets them anywhere.
[21:14] <Kotono> In a blink the party vanishes away! You stand within a volcano of golden light, on an identical stone platform. Far above you can see the volcano opening. Below the volcano spreads out into golden light. Before you is a path leading deeper into it, down fourty feet before curving into a passage into the volcano wall.
[21:15] <Afina> "Lets go this way," Afina points to the path, letting herself be led for now as she flutters along.
[21:16] * Jaela has no problem leading the way. "We can be on the lookout for these stone slabs?" she says. "If they're used for transportation here."
[21:21] <Kotono> You descend down into the light. The path is made of light brown stone, the color mostly washed out. Into the cavern you go. Here the walls have indents in them covered with glass. Within that glass you can see golden fire within, flowing like a stream. Both walls are rife with these as the path leads you along, at a gentle curve along.
[21:22] * Jaela heads down that path at a steady pace!
[21:24] <Kotono> Kascha slows, going to tap a finger on one of the glass panes. "It's solid. It feels more solid than glass, rather." Hmmming to herself, "Glassteel? Do any of you know how much heat glassteel can withstand?"
[21:24] <Afina> roll 1d20+33 craft armour/weapon related?
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 craft armour/weapon related? and gets 41." [1d20=8]
[21:25] <Jaela> "I just know it makes for entertaining armor," Jaela responds, shrugging.
[21:26] <Kotono> Arrel follows along, the path more than large enough for him to follow. If anything the path is spaceous enough for you to walk twenty abreast with room to spare. The ceiling reaches up a good ten dozen feet, line after line of glass covered goldenfire flowing.
[21:27] <Afina> "About one and a half thousand degrees," Afina says, "An adult dragon can output more than that with its breath, but just because goldenfire ignores normal resistances doesn't mean it has to actually be hotter... though it's more likely the glass is enchanted."
[21:28] <Kotono> "Entertaining ar-oooh!" Kascha blushes and giggles into her hand, "I saw Lady Rosa has a mace made out of it, but I haven't seen armor made of glassteel. I recall it serves well for it?"
[21:28] <Afina> "It's very hard," Afina nods, "Comparable to adamantine, and with a weight more like mithral."
[21:28] <Kotono> "Ah, right." Kascha turns away and back to the glass, tapping it again, "That assumes it is. I wonder if it's a new material altogether?"
[21:29] <Afina> "Or it could be ordinary glass supported by a wall of force," Afina adds while they're theorising.
[21:31] <Kotono> "I wonder if it's like Cauldron Iron?" Hefting her own blade out of its sheath momentarily, "It could use water magic or ice magic to hold the fire back instead of more heat."
[21:32] <Afina> "Why don't you cast detect magic to see if there's any in play?" the pixie suggests, fluttering around Kascha's shoulder.
[21:32] <Kotono> Kascha does just that.
[21:32] <Kotono> roll 1d20+43
[21:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 and gets 52." [1d20=9]
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+46 K:A followup
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+46 K:A followup and gets 62." [1d20=16]
[21:34] <Kotono> "Oh!" Kascha's hand goes to her lips, "It's decidely an entirely new material! The magical weave in it is much different than glassteel. It's suffused with sacred power, I can feel it as I study it. Jaela, have you studied this? Do you feel the same thing?"
[21:34] <Jaela> Now intrigued, Jaela decides to take a look herself with Detect Magic.
[21:35] <Afina> "Think it'd be good in armours or weapons? And if you can replicate its creation?" Afina asks, interested herself, now.
[21:35] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30+15+1 spellcraft
[21:35] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30+15+1 spellcraft and gets 51." [1d20=5]
[21:36] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30+10+1 K:A
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30+10+1 K:A and gets 54." [1d20=13]
[21:37] <Kotono> "I think so, if we could get some," Kascha says, "I can't tell on malleability or how well it would be suited for weapons or armor, but I'd like to find out."
[21:38] <Jaela> "Mmm. Soothing," Jaela muses. "I think something along the lines of a holy avenger would go well with it."
[21:39] <Afina> "Something to watch out for. But lets not dismantle anything while we're here as guests," Afina says smoothly, flying away from the wall and resuming the trip down the path.

[Corwin]

[20:15] <Koaway> As you advance along this massive path, you walk for about ten minutes. As you continue to walk this path...OOC: Make a listen check, all. Afina, would you roll for Arreland would you roll for Kascha, Jaela?
[20:16] <Afina> roll 1d20+33 Afina
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 Afina and gets 36." [1d20=3]
[20:17] <Afina> roll 1d20+26 Arrel
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+26 Arrel and gets 30." [1d20=4]
[20:17] <Jaela> roll 1d20+28 K
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+28 K and gets 32." [1d20=4]
[20:17] <Jaela> roll 1d20+11 J
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+11 J and gets 29." [1d20=18]
[20:18] <Koaway> Ahead Afina and Jaela can both hear a rumbling, reverbating through the glass. The path continues to curve down ahead, with hints of brighter light coming from beyond the curve.
[20:19] <Afina> "Hear that?" Afina asks, fluttering up to the wall and placing her hand over the glass.
[20:20] <Jaela> "Yeah. I think we're getting closer," Jaela responds.
[20:22] <Koaway> "Oh yes," Kascha says as she goes along, reaching out to touch the glass as well. It shakes lightly, passing after several seconds. Yet after, you can hear a loud, burning whine from below, rising in intensity.
[20:24] <Afina> "Something's going to happen, anyway..." Afina says as she starts to fly forward again, unable to prepare without knowing exactly what.
[20:25] * Jaela advances after Afina with Gae Trocaire, soon overtaking her to lead the way.
[20:27] <Koaway> As you fly ahead, Kascha takes up the rear with Arrel covering her. As you advance you see a vast chamber ahead. Here great, free flowing rivers of goldenfire wind through the walls and air. They are connected to glowing shapes of runes and sunburst patterns, making aerial cauldrons, pots and clusters of goldenfire lines. As you watch, you can see the lines are growing bigger, throbbing and
[20:27] <Koaway> shaking as they expand!  All about are beings of goldenfire, about mansized. They go about and chant strange, glorious words that make your heart burn aflame.
[20:28] <Koaway> "Oh, what is..." Kascha begins, a hand to her mouth. But she stops and quickly takes to the air as the lines expand. "Ah, ah, ah, I don't like this!" Kascha says, "If a volcano is shaking and more magma is flowing up, that means an eruption!"
[20:29] * Jaela defers ti Kascha's fiery expertise, following suit!
[20:30] <Afina> "Look for a spot we can take shelter in, then!" Afina says, flying up and looking for any nooks or crannies unlikely to be filled with magma during an eruption.
[20:31] <Jaela> "I can wall us off with stone," Jaela muses, "if it looks like it'll help any."
[20:32] <Koaway> The walls are fairly smooth - no real nooks or cranni- oh wait, there is one on the ceiling, an overhang above of a hunk of white-washed brown rock.
[20:33] <Afina> "Up there!" Afina points, "That's our best hiding place to wait it out," she says, flying upwards.
[20:34] <Koaway> "Up!" Arrel says, "Against the ceiling! I can shield you with my wings as well!"
[20:38] * Jaela makes sure that Kascha is protected, first of all. But once that's been taken care of, she summons enough stone to make an inverted dome over them on the ceiling in the hopes of diverting any magma from them. Or its brunt, at the very least.
[20:39] <Afina> "We'll just have to wait it out in here," Afina says, bracing herself up at the 'ceiling'. "Although since eruptions can last days... well, hopefully this is a quick and clean magic thing."
[20:50] <Koaway> The dome quickly closes them in, darkness falling! Yet it inhibits none as the stone around you begins to shake! Then it becomes hotter - so much hotter. A heat that sings in the souls of JAela and Afina, the walls of the dome glowing golden.
[20:50] <Koaway> "Oh...oh..." Kascha murmurs, hand to her chest, "Do you feel that?!"
[20:53] <Afina> "Yeah... oh, it's nice," Afina sighs happily, going to sit on the glowing bowl and then lay herself on it. Part of her really wants to go out and soak in the heat, but if she's sensible she knows getting swept along with big chunks of magma crushing her to bits wouldn't be healthy.
[20:54] <Jaela> It feels altogether strange to like fire so much, but Jaela just goes along with it. "This way," she murmurs, "it's okay even if it does take a few days."
[20:55] <Afina> "We'll run out of air," Afina points out. Though it would take a lot longer if everyone was properly sized like she is.
[20:55] <Jaela> "I don't need air." Jaela glances at Kascha. "Do you?"
[20:55] <Koaway> Kascha goes to join Afina, the rock vibrating as well. It sends massaging heat into your muscles, enough to melt a mortal to slag and ash within a single breath. "I'm not sure," Kascha speaks up, "Remember how it was becoming easier to breath and we needed to do it less as we rose?"
[20:58] <Afina> "I didn't notice," Afina admits. Just the fact that she could fly and breathe at heights where it should have been impossible told enough to her.
[20:59] <Koaway> OOC: Are y'all just going to wait it out now or...?
[21:00] <Jaela> OOC: y
[21:01] <Afina> OOC: waiting
[21:06] <Koaway> Time passes quickly. Despite being nothing to do, the warmth of the heat and the sensations it spawns within you makes it a pleasant wait. It has been perhaps an hour when THUMP! There's a thumping on the underside of the dome, near where Kascha lies.
[21:07] <Jaela> "Is anyone there?" Jaela calls over, knocking on their side of the dome.
[21:08] <Afina> Given the utter lack of banging she'd expect from magma, Afina assumes this is someone trying to get their attention. "I open a hole. It's probably safe, anyway."
[21:12] <Koaway> Kascha stumbles up and into the air, "Eeeep!" Dashing behind Arrel with wide eyes, "What was that?!" As she sputters in surprise, there's another thump! The gold glowing stone gives way, a glimpse of a roaring stream of pure flowing goldenfire! From this hole a head emerges, a head of the same stuff. It peeks in and looks about, taking in the party.
[21:13] <Jaela> "Hi!"
[21:13] <Afina> "Hello," Afina greets the new arrival.
[21:14] <Koaway> "Intruders!" The creature's eyes of fire widen, "What are you doing here?!"
[21:15] <Afina> "We're looking for a key we can use to find the first embers of goldenfire down on Thalasia," Afina explains.
[21:18] <Koaway> "Then why are you hiding?" The creature challenges, voice strident as it turns to Afina. "Are you afraid of the goldenfire?"
[21:19] <Afina> "No," she shakes her head, "But it sounded like an eruption and we're used to them being full of magma which would smash us to bits while rushing to the surface in normal volcanoes."
[21:20] <Jaela> "No one really told us otherwise," Jaela pitches in, agreeing. "Well, no one till you came along. We're supposed to go out there, then?"
[21:21] <Koaway> "Oh, I understand now," It says, "Yes, come out," it says, head dipping back down and into the stream of goldenfire.
[21:22] <Koaway> "Come out? It wants us to come out?" Kascha murmurs, "Gah, I'm repeating myself!" Blushing lightly at that, "Afina's right. Even if breathing isn't a problem, a lava flow would carry us along under normal circumstances."
[21:22] * Jaela follows it outside the dome!
[21:22] <Afina> "Well, lets go," Afina promptly disintegrates more of the barrier so Arrel can fit and then flies out.
[21:25] <Koaway> You find that the stream of goldenfire doesn't move you at all. It's like air, flowing all around you. It doesn't inhibit your sight, though everything has a goldish tint. Ahead the chamber of goldenfire is now fully filled, runes directing swirlds and eddies of it about. More of those figures of goldenfire move about, speaking strange words as the fire continues to flow.
[21:27] * Afina allows herself a few minutes just to bask in the pleasant heat. "Ahh... but we really should get moving..." she allows at last, looking for any way they can go besides backwards.
[21:28] <Jaela> "Think we're supposed to... swim ahead through the fire?" Jaela asks uncertainly.
[21:28] <Koaway> Kascha lingers as well, flying ahead. "There's no resistance," she says, her voice clear despite the fire all around you. "I'm not going to pretend to understand it, but isn't it incredible! It's so unearthly!"
[21:29] <Koaway> Arrel follows, "It must follow rules native to this region of Elysium. I would think any creature that is not righteous would be incinerated here, protected from flame or not."
[21:30] <Afina> "It must be," Afina says, "If it's goldenfire that's the point of it, after all. Like searing fire that discriminates. And burns through Destiny."
[21:34] <Koaway> As the party stands there and talks, "Ho ho ho!" A booming voice says, as it comes out from the vast chamber, hidden by the wall. It is two dozen feet tall if not more, as if Hanna was stacked several times head to toe. The golden creatures scurry out of his way. He wears heavy plate armor and bears no weapon. He has a vast blonde beard, matching his shoulder length hair. "Visitors! I just heard,
[21:34] <Koaway> by Lathander's beard!"
[21:35] <Jaela> "Hello!" Jaela greets him, weaponless at present herself. "We're from the Aurora, and the Morninglord pointed us this way. I'm Jaela!"
[21:36] <Afina> "Afina," the pixie waves up.
[21:37] <Koaway> "Kascha," Kascha curties as Arrel adds his own name.
[21:38] <Koaway> "Is that right? So what are you here for?" Idly cracking his knuckles, "You know how it is. Guardians, tests of courage and all that." Cracking his neck after, rolling it slowly, "Whatever you're looking for, you'll have to get past me first."
[21:40] <Afina> "We're looking for a key to the place where the first embers of goldenfire are," Afina explains, floating up to his eye level. "What kind of test are you going to give us, then?"
[21:42] <Koaway> "Let's start with something simple," Looking at them, "A test of strength." Offering his huge hand out, "If any of you can push me back and make me surrender, I'll help you and let you go further in."
[21:43] <Jaela> "Any rules to it?"
[21:45] <Koaway> "No summoning something to do it or using telekinesis. Real strength," he says confidently, "You have to be stronger than a titan to advance further!"
[21:47] <Jaela> No rules against boosting yourself with magic, then! Sounds simple enough. "Arrel, wanna handle this?" Jaela muses. "You seem like the best fir for this."
[21:51] <Koaway> "I am strong," Arrel says, "A titan is nothing to a dragon!"
[21:52] <Koaway> "Oh ho ho, a dragon!" With a hint of mockery in his voice, "A feathered bird dragon? Fine, c'mon!"
[21:56] <Koaway> "A dragon," Arrel emphasizes with a flap of the wing, settling into place. There's a pause before the two look at each other, "That won't work since you don't have hands," The titan says with a note of annoyance, lowering his hand. "Fine, try pushing me back then without that."
[21:58] <Jaela> "Go for it!" Jaela cheers Arrel on. "Even though he's just goading you, showing our new pal what you've got!"
[21:59] <Koaway> AT this Arrel draws back,b efore plowing dead on into the titan before him!
[21:59] <Koaway> roll 1d20+13 Arrel str
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d20+13 Arrel str and gets 19." [1d20=6]
[21:59] <Koaway> roll 1d20+16 titan str
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d20+16 titan str and gets 32." [1d20=16]
[22:00] <Koaway> But Arrel hits a mountain, the titan not even budged in the slightest! With an easy wave of one hand Arrel is pushed back and away, "Not bad. I've known old widows who hit as hard. I was hoping you'd at least manage to hit as a hard as a child, dragon."
[22:04] <Afina> "Here, Arrel," Afina flies up to him, taking off her hat to reveal a horrible case of hat-hair and placing it carefully atop the feathered-dragon's head. "This'll help!"
[22:06] * Jaela channels a spell into her gauntleted fist, before tapping Arrel with it. Then, she does it again as Arrel grows in size, with a different spell that fills him with even greater righteousness. "Might as well go all out. Knock him flat on his ass!"
[22:06] <Koaway> Kascha stares before giggling, whilst the titan throws his head back and laughs, "Ahahahahahahhahahahahahhaha! The mighty dragons, relying on the gifts of fairies!"
[22:07] <Koaway> Arrel snaps his beak open and close, before pouncing right on the titan! OOC: +3 from the belt, what are the bonuses from the others?
[22:07] <Jaela> OOC: +8 str overall and he's a size larger
[22:08] <Afina> "Wait..." Afina looks up at him, "Did you just insult a fairy gift? Really?"
[22:10] <Koaway> roll 1d20+13+6+3
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d20+13+6+3 and gets 24." [1d20=2]
[22:10] <Koaway> roll 1d20+16
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Koaway rolls 1d20+16 and gets 22." [1d20=6]
[22:11] <Koaway> The titan doesn't have a chance to reply as Arrel grows bigger! He bowls into the titan as holy power suffuses every feather on his wings, knocking the titan ass over end and sprawled out on the ground!
[22:11] * Jaela laughs just as boisterously as the titan had been just previously!
[22:11] <Afina> "That's the spirit!" Afina grins, going to collect her hat once more. Then she points accusingly at Kascha, "And you, you're not helping!"
[22:14] <Koaway> Kascha tries not to laugh, but her face slowly crumbles into giggles. "I'm sorry! But it just looked so silly on Arrel!"
[22:14] <Koaway> "Silly Afina," Kascha adds, "He's a dragon, not a fairy! Dragons don't wear hats!"
[22:15] <Koaway> Yet even as Arrel wears the hat he caws deeply, lowering into a heavier, dragonlike roar. "And that," he adds, "Is the strength of a dragon!"
[22:15] <Afina> "Well... fine," Afina flips her hat, "You can laugh at the dragon but don't laugh at the hat," she tells Kascha primly before popping it back on her head.
[22:18] <Koaway> Grunting and getting up, "Dragons are solitary creatures. They don't have hats or angels to cast spells on them," he says, getting up to one knee and then rising. "You're a queer one for a dragon, but you won." Looking to Jaela, "Are you guiding them, Jaela?"
[22:19] <Jaela> "We are," she responds, nodding at Afina. The titan is probably talking about the Aurora's leaders, she figures. "Hey, what's your name?"
[22:31] <Koaway> "Wyslind," Dusting himself off once he's up, "What you're looking for is deep within. This entire place," Gesturing wide, "Is designed to be a challenge. If your cause was not worthy and your hearts were not true, you would not have made it here. Still, you have to prove yourselves to find what you seek."
[22:32] <Afina> "We're used to that, at least," Afina shrugs, "Which way do we go now?"
[22:35] <Koaway> "There's more to it," Wyslind says, "Important things. Ahead you'll find dangers and many paths to take. Some are in the open air and some are in goldenfire. But hear this - if you step into goldenfire seven times, your soul will merge with the fires here. As of now, this exposure counts as your first, unless you've been directly exposed here earlier."
[22:36] <Afina> "Oh, that's not nice. Is there a way to come back from that?"
[22:40] <Koaway> "No, so tread carefully," The titan so warns, "You'll be tested as well. Fell guardians roam these halls below and will fight, or demand challenges of you. In addition, finding the way down is difficult. There are occasional slabs that can teleport you to other slabs you have found. Stone slabs - there was one at the volcano's mouth if you saw that."
[22:41] <Jaela> "We did," Jaela responds. "But you said you'll be our guide if we pushed you back, didn't you?"
[22:43] <Koaway> "I said I'd help you and let you go further in." Here the titan smiles a little bit, "I'm forbidden from going far with you. Not even a solar is allowed to freely access what you seek. I'll answer any other questions you have."
[22:45] <Afina> "Are there any repercussions if we kill any guardians that attack us?" Afina asks, since it can easily happen in a fight.
[22:45] <Jaela> "Fell guardians? Around goldenfire?" Jaela asks. "How literal is that?"
[22:46] * Jaela snorts, as they seem to be thinking along similar lines.
[22:46] <Koaway> "Can we de-ah, that," Kascha adds ina moment later, "I'd hate to take an innocent life."
[22:50] <Koaway> "You can. Death means little for them," The titan says, "Unleash your powers as you see fit."
[22:52] <Afina> "Okay, if that's the way it's to be," Afina nods. "Anyone else have anything to ask?"
[22:53] <Koaway> Arrel speaks up, "Will my size be prohibitive anywhere?"
[22:54] <Jaela> "Nah," Jaela responds for her part, while Arrel asks a relevant question she hadn't considered with the way corridors had been thus far. "I figure what we seek is clear enough when we reach it? Same with navigation."
[22:57] <Koaway> "You'll have space enough," The titan asserts, while Kascha hums, "Is any magic prohibited or enhanced here?"
[22:57] <Koaway> After a moment, "Oh, and this counts as part of Elysium if I perish?"
[22:58] <Koaway> "Any magic to do with fire and heat is enhanced, as is righteous magic. Evil magic and cold magic are deeply inhibited and require great skill to cast, as is water magic," Wyslind goes on, gesturing occasionally as he talks. Little gestures, as if chopping up spells to sort out as he explains.
[22:59] <Koaway> "It does," he says, "So be cautious and be aware."
[23:05] <Koaway> "Mmm-hmm," Kascha hmms to herself, "I can work with that," she announces brightly, "I'm ready!"
[23:05] <Jaela> "Likewise," Jaela agrees with a slight nod.
[23:06] <Afina> "Right, lets go then!" Afina announces, fluttering onwards past Wyslind.
[23:14] <Koaway> The group progress on. As you pass through the room Kascha turns, "Oh Afina. Did you hear what he said about goldenfire and how it would burn the unrighteous?"
[23:17] <Afina> "Yes?" Afina half confirms half asks, turning towards Kascha.
[23:18] <Koaway> "Weren't you going to summon Simmer if we needed help?" Kascha asks, chewing on her lower lip. She blushes and looks away, "I mean...Simmer's not the most righteous person. I don't want her to get hurt."
[23:20] <Afina> "I think she's nice... but I suppose my standards aren't the ones that count here. If you think she'd have trouble then yes, we should keep that in mind and not try bringing her over," Afina admits, nodding in acceptance.
[23:24] <Koaway> Ahead you find there is a short passage. It leads to a circular room with two passages ahead. One is open and the goldenfire flows through it, arching upwards. The other is a plain arch ahead, the goldenfire ceasing there and open air ahead.
[23:25] <Jaela> "Let's stick with the fire for as long as we can?" Jaela proposes, gesturing at the passage curving upwards.
[23:27] <Afina> "So long as we can avoid touching it," Afina says, looking to see if a path can be navigated safely.

[Corwin]

[20:00] <Jaela> "Doesn't it still count for the same one exposure as long as we don't leave the fire?"
[20:01] <Kotono> "I believe so," Kascha says, tapping her foot a moment as she looks up, "So as far as that goes, it would be wisest to go up - even though it's taking us in the wrong direction."
[20:02] <Jaela> "Pretty much what I was thinking, too. We could always head back if it looks like the wrong path."
[20:02] <Afina> "Oh, this makes it more interesting. Alright, so whatever you do, stay in the goldenfire?" Afina absorbs that lesson, following the fiery route.
[20:04] <Jaela> "Unless we see a really good reason to leave it," Jaela responds with a nod, flying alongside her. "Besides, it's what this whole place is about. Might as well stick with it."
[20:05] <Kotono> "Whenever possible," Kascha says, "Well no, the trick is to stay in the goldenfire as long as you can and then stay out of it as long as you can," Explaining that with a thoughtful hum, "We can enter the goldenfire 7 times, and on the seventh we become part of this place. We've been in it once."
[20:06] <Afina> "Make sure we keep a careful count. It'd be embarrassing to all die because we weren't paying attention."
[20:09] <Kotono> OOC: Walking order here?
[20:10] <Afina> OOC: Jaela, Afina, Kascha, Arrel?
[20:15] <Kotono> The path inded leads up in a graceful arch. As you climb it, you can see about 60ft up. As you go on, you see something ahead, coming into view! It stands atop the arch, arms crossed. It is a gargantuan creature, easily looming over you and blocking the way ahead. It is a humanoid-shaped body of glass and goldenfire, wrought together with cunning skill. It has two gigantic fists, both at the
[20:15] <Kotono> ready! Floating in the air around it's head are two tiny things, little dots of wrought glass. It speaks in an overpoweringly loud voice, "YOU SHALL ADVANCE NO FURTHER, UNWORTHY ONES!"
[20:16] <Jaela> Gae Trocaire is summoned into her arms, as Jaela raises an eyebrow. "Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel," she calls back to the creature.
[20:17] <Afina> "Second challenge up," Afina says, drawing Afame and debating between spell and sword for this one.
[20:17] <Kotono> "A roundabout way and a guardian?" Kascha says, already beginning to chant, "I bet they're making us work because we took the wise option! Vei Ssaran!" Thus she begins to chant in Celestial, as...OOC: Okay, there's no real surprise or shock, this is rapidly heading towards the typical festivities of combat. Let's roll init.

[20:18] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13." [1d20=1]
[20:18] <Afina> roll 1d20+25
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+25 and gets 27." [1d20=2]
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 Kascha
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 Kascha and gets 25." [1d20=13]
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Arrel
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Arrel and gets 12." [1d20=2]
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 goldenfire golem
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 goldenfire golem and gets 19." [1d20=11]
[20:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 orb 1
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 orb 1 and gets 31." [1d20=6]
[20:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 orb 2
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 orb 2 and gets 36." [1d20=11]
[20:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(27)>Jaela(13)'
[20:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Jaela(13)>Arrel(12)'
[20:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Patrol Orb 2(36)>Patrol Orb 1(31)>Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Goldenfire Golem(19)>Jaela(13)>Arrel(12)'
[20:22] * Yuthirin (~erics@98.sub-174-235-192.myvzw.com) has joined #dunes
[20:23] <Kotono> The spinning orbs around the golem's head begin to buzz - a low, sonorous sound. As they do they split apart into geometric shapes of glass, surrounding a core of bright white! From this core comes a beam of light, one firing at Jaela and the other at Arrel!
[20:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 touch AC Jaela
[20:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 touch AC Jaela and gets 43." [1d20=16]
[20:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 touch AC Arrel
[20:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 touch AC Arrel and gets 33." [1d20=6]
[20:24] <Afina> OOC: hit on Arrel
[20:24] <Jaela> OOC: Definitely hits me, 20% miss chance?
[20:24] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 46." [1d100=46]
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 7d6 nontyped on Jaela and slowed for 1 round
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 7d6 nontyped on Jaela and slowed for 1 round and gets 28." [7d6=6, 2, 3, 3, 3, 6, 5]
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 7d6 nontyped on Arrel and slowed for 1 round
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 7d6 nontyped on Arrel and slowed for 1 round and gets 27." [7d6=2, 5, 4, 4, 3, 6, 3]
[20:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Patrol Orb 2(36)>Patrol Orb 1(31)>Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Goldenfire Golem(19)>Jaela(13, slowed 1 round)>Arrel(12, slowed 1 round)'
[20:26] <Kotono> The beams both strike true, Arrel taking a clip on the wing and Jaela getting grazed across the hip! The beams cut straight through without any resistance, leaving clean, flawless cuts! At the same time the world seems to speed up for Jaela, everything too fast and her too slow!
[20:26] <Kotono> OOC: Afina.
[20:27] <Afina> Hasting her allies, Afina flies up over the giant's head and detonates a searing blast to hit both it and the two guardian orbs alike! "Burn!" she cries shrilly.
[20:28] <Afina> OOC: 190 searing fire, DC 29 ref half
[20:28] <Kotono> OOC: Haste and slow cancel out, right?
[20:28] <Afina> OOC: yes
[20:29] * Kotono changes topic to 'Patrol Orb 2(36)>Patrol Orb 1(31)>Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Goldenfire Golem(19)>Jaela(13)>Arrel(12)'
[20:29] <Kotono> OOC: What spell?
[20:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+32 yes, the +25 inift orbs have awesome ref saves, why do you ask?
[20:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 yes, the +25 inift orbs have awesome ref saves, why do you ask? and gets 38." [1d20=6]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+32 yes, the +25 inift orbs have awesome ref saves, why do you ask?
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 yes, the +25 inift orbs have awesome ref saves, why do you ask? and gets 46." [1d20=14]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 golem
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 golem and gets 27." [1d20=17]
[20:30] <Afina> OOC: greater fireburst
[20:30] <Kotono> OOC: Damage? 150, right?
[20:30] <Afina> OOC: 190 searing fire
[20:32] <Kotono> A torrent of ruby red flames erupt from Afina, burning golem and orbs alike! The orbs avoid the worst of it, forming back into orbs as they're partially melted! The golem is burnt all over, but never anywhere serious or deeply! OOC: Kascha.
[20:35] <Kotono> Kascha vanishes from sight, slipping under greater invisibility and splitting off to the right! OOC: Greater invis SLA, positioning away from others for the moment. Jaela.
[20:36] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40 K:A
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 K:A and gets 52." [1d20=12]
[20:45] * Jaela swaps weapons and goes for a charge! With no useful spells to use, she decides to take out one of the floating orbs and see about her next move from there.
[20:46] <Jaela> roll 1d20+36+5+3 quickened divine favor, divine might, charge
[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+36+5+3 quickened divine favor, divine might, charge and gets 56." [1d20=12]
[20:46] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. What's your reach?
[20:46] <Kotono> OOC: Oh wait, nevermind. Hasn't gone yet.
[20:46] <Kotono> OOC: HIt.
[20:48] <Jaela> roll 3d8+80+15+9+42 lancing one of the orbs
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3d8+80+15+9+42 lancing one of the orbs and gets 168." [3d8=6, 8, 8]
[20:48] * Kotono changes topic to 'Patrol Orb 2(36)>Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Goldenfire Golem(19)>Jaela(13)>Arrel(12)'
[20:49] <Kotono> Jaela's lance is quick, getting the singed orb right in the core! It cracks and crumbles into broken glass, raining down on the golem's shoulder! OOC: Golem's up. Should have gone before you, but near as I can tell I just missed it
[20:49] <Kotono> .
[20:49] * Kotono changes topic to 'Patrol Orb 2(36)>Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Jaela(13)>Goldenfire Golem>Arrel(12)'
[20:50] <Kotono> As the orb crumbles, the golem's fists become a blur, striking out at both Jaela and Afina! "DO NOT RESIST!"
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA) AC you two?
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA) AC you two? and gets 50." [1d20=7]
[20:50] <Jaela> OOC: 42 after charge, hoping for miss chance
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d100 miss chance
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 miss chance  and gets 46." [1d100=46]
[20:51] <Afina> OOC: 60
[20:51] <Kotono> roll 4d12+40
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d12+40 and gets 62." [4d12=5, 8, 7, 2]
[20:51] <Kotono> OOC: DR applies to it.
[20:52] <Kotono> Jaela gets smashed right in the chest! It's a heavy blow, one that would have smeared her years ago! But now it's weathered with a grimace and little more! MEanwhile Afina dodges with laughable ease, avoiding the heavy strikes of the golem! OOC: Okay. Arre.
[20:52] <Kotono> Arrel swoops forward, claws out with a tremendous shriek as he goes for the head of the golem and the surviving orb! OOC: Swoop. Death from ABove applies to the orb but not the golem.
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 (-1 swoop, +1 haste) golem
[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 (-1 swoop, +1 haste) golem and gets 43." [1d20=15]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 (-1 swoop, +1 haste, +2 death from above) orb
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 (-1 swoop, +1 haste, +2 death from above) orb and gets 29." [1d20=1]
[20:54] <Kotono> OOC: +2 to that, but it 1'ed anyway.
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 4d8+15
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d8+15 and gets 24." [4d8=1, 1, 5, 2]
[20:55] <Kotono> Arrel's claws scrape across the face of the golem, shredding glass with a terrible screetching noise! MEanwhile the orb dodges, before opening up and sending a beam at Arrel!
[20:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 touch aC
[20:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 touch aC and gets 43." [1d20=16]
[20:55] <Kotono> roll 7d6 nontyped Arrel
[20:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 7d6 nontyped Arrel and gets 25." [7d6=5, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 4]
[20:59] <Kotono> Another blast gets Arrel's other wing, more feathers sliced through perfectly! OOC: Afina.
[20:59] <Afina> The orb's next, and Afina flies up to stab it twice and then back to where she started right in front of the golem! OOC: swift dodge
[20:59] <Afina> roll 1d20+44 4th level arcane srike
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+44 4th level arcane srike and gets 49." [1d20=5]
[20:59] <Afina> roll 1d20+39 4th level arcane srike
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+39 4th level arcane srike and gets 51." [1d20=12]
[20:59] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[21:00] <Afina> roll 1d4+20+2d6+4d4
[21:00] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+20+2d6+4d4 and gets 38." [1d4=1][2d6=4, 2][4d4=1, 4, 4, 2]
[21:00] <Afina> roll 1d4+20+2d6+4d4
[21:00] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+20+2d6+4d4 and gets 43." [1d4=1][2d6=6, 6][4d4=2, 1, 4, 3]
[21:02] <Kotono> The orb is hit twice, glass cracking under the assault of arcane fires! It's cracked but not down, the shapes showing them as the orb opens up! OOC: Okay. Kascha.
[21:06] <Kotono> Kascha continues to hang back, chanting as five large magic missiles fly out at the orb! OOC: Free empower on her magic missiles.
[21:06] <Kotono> roll (5d4+5)*1.5
[21:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls (5d4+5)*1.5 and gets 24." [5d4=4, 1, 1, 1, 4]
[21:07] <Kotono> The barrage of missiles hits the already badly cracked orb, causing it to collapse into a tinkle of broken glass! OOC: Jaela.
[21:07] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(27)>Kascha(25)>Jaela(13)>Goldenfire Golem>Arrel(12)'
[21:09] * Jaela vanishes in a burst of magic, appearing on the other side of the golem from Arrel! She doesn't let it adjust to her presence, already striking at its flank with Gae Trocaire!
[21:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+36+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa)
[21:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+36+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa)
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+36+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa) and gets 48." [1d20=12]
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+36+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa) and gets 41." [1d20=5]
[21:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+31+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa)
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+31+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa) and gets 45." [1d20=14]
[21:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+26+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa)
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+26+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa) and gets 41." [1d20=15]
[21:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+21+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa)
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+21+5+3+2-10 (divine might, flanking, haste, 10pa) and gets 22." [1d20=1]
[21:14] <Kotono> OOC: Four hits.
[21:14] <Jaela> roll 4#1d8+30+5+3+14+20
[21:14] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 4#1d8+30+5+3+14+20 and gets 301." [4#1d8+30+5+3+14+20 = 75, 73, 77, 76]
[21:14] <Kotono> Under this assault, Jaela stabs out again and again! THe golem cracks all over before collapsing in a way of glass and goldenfire, making a grand heap of it! OOC: Free act.

[21:15] <Jaela> "Weaker than he looked," Jaela muses, reaching down to pick a piece of the glass.
[21:16] <Afina> "You'd have probably killed any of my golems with that," Afina says, "That's really their problem, they can't stand up to as much punishment as you'd expect looking at them."
[21:16] <Jaela> "What if you outfitted them with a helm that kept on casting repair on them?"
[21:19] <Afina> "Magic items like that are hideously inefficient," Afina shudders and shakes her head. "Much better for people to cast repair, or even give them an item they can use to cast it."
[21:19] <Kotono> Kascha approaches, still unseen to unaided eyes. "Hm?" The sound of her voice as the glass ripples, picking up a piece herself. To Jaela it looks like normal broken glass. Whatever it is, it's critically damaged, crumbling as she holds it.
[21:21] * Jaela pats Arrel's wing to bring him up to strength, and then gestures ahead with her spear. "Let's see where this leads us, then?"
[21:21] <Afina> "Lead the way," Afina takes flight behind Jaela.
[21:22] <Jaela> Whistling to herself, Jaela does just that.
[21:28] <Kotono> You continue up, coming to the top of the path. A shimmering field of force blocks the way ahead. A pair of black blocks hover in the center of the field of force. They're a perhaps as big and wide as your hand.
[21:29] * Afina floats up to look at the blocks and see if there's any writing on them.
[21:30] * Jaela checks the magical side of things, in the meantime.
[21:30] <Kotono> The blocks are pure and pristine. Meanwhile...OOC: Make spellcraft, Jaela.
[21:30] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30+15
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30+15 and gets 47." [1d20=2]
[21:30] <Jaela> OOC: +1 to that!
[21:32] <Jaela> Frowning, Jaela says, "Let me try something, so stand back a bit?" and then places a hand on each block before pulling them apart.
[21:32] <Kotono> The blocks do not move,d espite Jaela's efforts. On touching them, the blocks turn from black to fire red.
[21:33] <Jaela> "Huh. These are the controls for the field, I'm sure about that. Someone else wanna try it?"
[21:33] <Kotono> "Is it some manner of riddle?" Kascha asks in the meantime, "Like in the bardtales?"
[21:33] <Afina> Afina tries touching just one of the blocks to see what happens.
[21:34] <Jaela> "Probably." Jaela shrugs, tapping the field itself experimentally. "But I don't get much of it beyond that they change when we touch them."
[21:34] <Kotono> Both blocks shift, becoming a golden yellow. At this they emit a ringing hum as the field of force fades away.
[21:35] <Afina> "I solved it!" Afina grins brightly despite having no idea how. But she's not going to let that stop her flying onwards anyway.
[21:35] <Kotono> "It always seem sos unrealistic," Kascha admits, "The only place you could see osmething like this is in a designed trial. But oh," Kascha lingers, "Wait! Um, do you mind if I experiment with it first?"
[21:35] <Jaela> "Kind of. Let's not lock ourselves by accident and just go," Jaela says apologetically, proceeding ahead.
[21:38] <Kotono> Kascha frowns and blushes, but follows along. The path curves back down, and about 40ft down is another shimmering field. In the center of it float three black blocks.
[21:38] <Jaela> "You're in luck," Jaela deadpans. "Experiment away."
[21:39] <Kotono> "How utterly convinent," Arrel deadpans as well.
[21:39] <Afina> "Someone touch all three blocks and someone else touch just one," Afina suggests what seemed to have worked last time.
[21:41] <Kotono> "Hmmmm," Kascha comes forward, studying them. She sends a dirty look back at Jaela and Arrel, "Well, that assumes the solution is the same. What we need to be figuring out is the rules behind how the blocks work. Each time we touched one of the previous two, they both changed color."
[21:42] <Jaela> "If anything, I figured Afina would be the fire red."
[21:42] <Afina> "I don't think it matters who touches what just so long as it's touched," Afina reasons.
[21:44] <Kotono> "Let's find out?" Kascha says, reaching out and touching the left block. On touching it, the left block and center block become fire red. "Hmmm..." Kascha murmurs, "It didn't change the rightmost block. Oh, I get it! This is simple enough - it's like a puzzle where changing one thing changes the states of the things right next to it. It's a logic puzzle, but this one's easy. Let mse eee..."
[21:45] <Jaela> "Red for Afina, so Afina gets to tap the red blocks?"
[21:46] <Afina> "Want me to try?" Afina asks, fluttering up behind Kascha.
[21:46] <Kotono> "Mmmm. Try tapping it once, and if it becomes golden, tap it again," she says, "The same block I touched."
[21:47] <Afina> Afina obligingly touches the left block.
[22:08] <Kotono> The left block is touched! It becomes golden, as does the center block. The right block is still black.
[22:10] <Afina> "The goal is probably to turn them all golden. Touch the one I just touched to see if they move off of gold?" Afina suggests.
[22:13] <Kotono> Kascha does so! The left and center block become black once more.
[22:14] <Afina> "Right, touch the left and right blocks then I'll touch the middle?" she suggests now.
[22:14] <Jaela> "Nah, how about touching the center from the start?"
[22:15] <Afina> "Alright," Afina shrugs and does so.
[22:15] <Kotono> "I think Jaela's right," Kascha says, "If the center block is close enough to affect both the other blocks, then the solution is touching it twice to turn all three from black to gold." Afina touches the center block! Allt hree blocks become fire red.
[22:16] * Jaela follows up on it by touching the central block herself.
[22:18] <Kotono> The three blocks become golden, the field ahead of you shimmering out of sight and fading away!
[22:19] <Kotono> "Got it!" Kascha smiles widely, "Well, that was easy now that we know how it works. Oh, I bet we can figure out the next one easily! Or maybe we'll have to face one under a time limit of approaching lava, or with those big golems attacking us from behind?"
[22:20] <Afina> "I do well with time limits," Afina says reasonably, flying ahead.
[22:20] <Jaela> "I'll hold the golems off with Arrel, you guys tap whatever needs to be tapped if it happens?" Jaela agrees, continuing herself.
[22:25] <Kotono> Down the party goes! You come to another circular room. A passage to the left leads ahead, the goldenfire continuing that way. Ahead and up is another passage, goldenfire ceasing in it as it rises up. To the right and down is a passage with goldenfire.
[22:27] <Afina> "Lets go down?" Afina suggests, pointing to the right.
[22:28] <Jaela> "Before that, dumb question. You guys are sure we're supposed to go down?"
[22:28] <Afina> "I'm assuming all roads go to the same place eventually."
[22:29] <Kotono> "I...suppose we are," Kascha says, "We came in the top of the volcano. I assume that what we seek is lower within."
[22:29] <Jaela> "Good point. Then sure, down it is. I figured we might also reach one of those platforms and travel with them for part of the way."
[22:31] <Kotono> Thus the party procees down!  You find the walls here to be coated in a thin sheen of silver or silver like metal instead of stone. Ahead 60ft is a floating sphere in the air, made of the same metal. To the left and right of the sphere are more passages, both curving slightly downwards and within, as if looping back but lower.
[22:36] <Afina> "Left," Afina picks at random, flying around the sphere and down that way.
[22:37] <Kotono> "Hm?" Kascha begins to walk towards the sphere, "Have either of you came on a place like this before? It rather reminds me of the Cauldron. Hence why I believe downwards is the proper choice." As you reach it, you see that the left passage has no more goldenfire past a few yards in, while the right passage keeps its goldenfire as far as you can see.
[22:38] <Afina> "Or maybe right..." she changes her mind, backtracking. "Think we should do something with the sphere?" she asks Kascha before going on.
[22:40] <Jaela> "I can touch it," Jaela volunteers, also looking at Kascha. "If you think it's some new riddle."
[22:41] <Kotono> "I don't know what it is," Kascha admits, peering at it. "I don't see anything puzzly...unless, oh! Unless it extends the goldenfire down that other passage?"
[22:43] <Jaela> "Or explodes, or summons more guardians!" But all the same, Jaela decides to tap it lightly.
[22:45] <Kotono> The sphere begins to spin, like a globe spun on its axis. From it a man's voice asks, "I am what all creatures shall strive for, never deserved but always granted when asked for. What am I?"
[22:47] * Jaela can't think of anything that exists which people might ask for and everyone would grant, and so bides her time to see if anyone can suggest a decent answer for them.
[22:48] <Kotono> Arrel opens his beak butnothing comes out. He frowns, starting to claw at the ground. "Perplexing," he mutters.
[22:48] <Afina> "It's a tough one," Afina agrees, thinking.
[22:49] <Kotono> "Hm..." Kascha crosses her arms, "Hm....what does everyone strive for? It can't be deserved but it's always given anyway...hm." She frowns, "What's something that isn't deserved but given when it is asked for?"
[22:49] <Jaela> "Maybe forgiveness?" Jaela muses. "If it doesn't have to be granted by the one those creatures ask, particularly. Plenty of those exist who'd do it."
[22:50] <Afina> "Maybe. Probably on the right track at least," Afina agrees, still wracking her brain.
[22:51] <Kotono> "Forgiveness. Mercy? Salvation? Love?" Hmming, "It does make sense it would be something like that on Elysium, wouldn't it?"
[22:52] <Jaela> "I don't really like that you need to twist the question a bit to make it fit," Jaela admits.
[22:52] <Afina> "It's just the surety of it. *All* creatures strive for, *never* deserved, *always* granted... you can think of lots that fit some of the time but for everyone always?"
[22:52] <Kotono> As Kascha says that Arrel clicks his beak together, "Any good riddle is twisted and makes perfect sense when you understand the answer. It makes for fine mind games but difficult challenges."
[22:53] * Jaela nods at Afina. "That's what I meant, yeah. It takes a pretty liberal interpretation of those absolute terms to make it work." She just grimaces at Arrel's words.
[22:53] * Jaela shrugs, then. "I suppose 'nothing' can also work as an answer."
[22:54] <Kotono> "I can't think of a constant thing that all creatures would want conciously. Perhaps it's something more integral than that? Some sort of truth?" Kascha says, "One could say fiends and angels never want the same thing, but at the same time, that would assume that a fiend's desires are valid and not the result of the evil within it."
[22:56] <Afina> "Break it down to fundamentals - all fiends and angels would want to succeed," Afina reasons, "How that's shaped is another matter. But well success isn't always undeserved nor a given. Safety, shelter, food... no, nothing works, and there are always edge cases. In fact, my answer is nothing - the riddle's a paradox, it just doesn't work," she shakes her head, giving up.
[22:57] <Jaela> "That's two votes for nothing, then," Jaela muses. "Let's go with that?"
[22:57] <Kotono> "Alright," Kascha says, "I can't think of anything better, either."
[22:58] * Jaela nods, before addressing the orb. "We believe that the riddle as stated has no answer. Nothing that fits the parameters specified exists."
[23:00] <Kotono> "I find your lack of wisdom...lamentable," The voice from the orb says, as from behidn it eight tiny patrol orbs come out, spinning in the air as beams of cutting white light gather within them! "Eeeek!" Kascha cries as...OOC: Init.

[23:00] <Afina> roll 1d20+25
[23:00] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+25 and gets 40." [1d20=15]
[23:01] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
[23:01] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 14." [1d20=2]
[23:01] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 Kascha
[23:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 Kascha and gets 15." [1d20=3]
[23:01] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Arrel
[23:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Arrel and gets 30." [1d20=20]
[23:01] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 orb swarm
[23:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 orb swarm and gets 43." [1d20=18]
[23:02] * Kotono changes topic to 'Patrol Orb Swarm(43)>Afina(40)>Arrel(30)>Kascha(15)>Jaela(14)'
[23:02] <Kotono> From the orbs eight beams of white shoot out, converging into one beam that flies at Jaela!
[23:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 touch AC
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 touch AC and gets 38." [1d20=11]
[23:02] <Kotono> roll 1d100 miss chance
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 miss chance and gets 19." [1d100=19]
[23:02] <Jaela> OOC: At last!
[23:02] <Kotono> OOC: Abotu time.
[23:03] <Kotono> But Jaela seems to flicker and writhe, the beam somehow missing her despite going right through her! OOC: Okay. Afina.
[23:03] <Jaela> "I don't suppose," Jaela says calmly as her cloak shields her from harm, "that you could tell us what you think is the right answer?"
[23:03] <Kotono> There is no answer from the sphere or the swarm of orbs.
[23:04] <Jaela> "Ah, I see. It would be such a shame to break the lot of you over a misunderstanding, but the choice's yours."
[23:05] <Afina> "I bet it's redemption or something self centred like that," Afina complains, hasting everyone and then flying up above the fray to fire a grinding rust-red beam at one of the orbs!
[23:05] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 ray of deanimation ranged touch
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 ray of deanimation ranged touch and gets 36." [1d20=1]
[23:06] <Kotono> The beam is fired, but somehow arcs through the orbs without hitting a one! OOC: Arrel's up.
[23:07] * Jaela snorts. "Hey, Kascha," she calls out, "how many angels do you know that seek redemption? Or slaad, for that matter?"
[23:08] <Kotono> ARrel is a sudden flurry of claws and beak, laying into the swarm of orbs with a shriek-roar of draconic fury!
[23:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 47." [1d20=20]
[23:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 41." [1d20=14]
[23:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 37." [1d20=10]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 29." [1d20=7]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 32." [1d20=15]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 30." [1d20=3]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 47." [1d20=20]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 33." [1d20=6]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 36." [1d20=14]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 24." [1d20=7]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 (-2 flurry, +1 haste)
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 (-2 flurry, +1 haste) and gets 23." [1d20=11]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 bite
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 bite and gets 34." [1d20=8]
[23:10] <Kotono> roll 4d8+15+4d8+15+4d8+15
[23:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d8+15+4d8+15+4d8+15 and gets 94." [4d8=2, 3, 5, 2][4d8=7, 3, 6, 7][4d8=5, 2, 3, 4]
[23:10] <Kotono> Claws rip into the swarm of orbs, chipping many and causing cracks over them, but no decisive blows! OOC: Kascha.
[23:12] <Kotono> "Not the time!" Kascha eeps, "I-I need to fight!" Drawing her blade, Kascha swings at the creatures in front of her! A sphere of energy engulfs them...but nothing happens! "Oh no, I was afraid of that!" Eeeping that as...OOC: This is really not her dungeon. Go JAela.
[23:13] * Jaela attacks with Gae Trocaire, aiming for the cracked orbs first!
[23:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+36+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor
[23:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+36+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor and gets 61." [1d20=17]
[23:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+36+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor
[23:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+36+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor and gets 48." [1d20=4]
[23:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+31+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor
[23:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+31+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor and gets 46." [1d20=7]
[23:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+26+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor
[23:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+26+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor and gets 45." [1d20=11]
[23:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+21+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor
[23:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+21+5+3 divine might, quickened divine favor and gets 44." [1d20=15]
[23:16] <Jaela> roll 5#1d8+30+5+3+14
[23:16] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 5#1d8+30+5+3+14 and gets 291." [5#1d8+30+5+3+14 = 59, 57, 57, 58, 60]
[23:17] <Kotono> With a flurry of stabs, Jaela shatters three of the orbs and cracks two others, the swarm's numbers quickly cut down! The survivors turn to her, beams firing out at her again!
[23:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 touch AC
[23:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 touch AC and gets 37." [1d20=10]
[23:17] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[23:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 92." [1d100=92]
[23:17] <Kotono> roll 35d6 and slowed for 1 round
[23:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 35d6 and slowed for 1 round and gets 134."]
[23:19] <Kotono> The flurry of beams catches Jaela right in the chest, five new holes over! Nothing vital is hit, but blood still comes flowing from the penetrative wounds! OOC: Ow. AFina.
[23:20] <Jaela> "I'm breaking the damned sphere," she mutters darkly, staggered by the beams.
[23:21] <Afina> Upping the stakes from rays of deanimation, Afina circles around and fires a lurid green disintegration ray at one of the orbs! Preferably a fairly intact looking one to get the most out of it.
[23:21] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 ranged touch
[23:21] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 ranged touch and gets 41." [1d20=6]
[23:21] <Afina> OOC: DC 29 fort
[23:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 10." [1d20=4]
[23:23] <Afina> roll 40d6+2+2d6
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 40d6+2+2d6 and gets 128."][2d6=3, 1]
[23:24] <Kotono> Another orb disintegrates into dust, only four left after Afina's well aimed beam! The remaining four orbs are cracked and chipped as Arrel again tears into them, feathers and wigns flying!
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 32." [1d20=5]
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 28." [1d20=1]
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 35." [1d20=8]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 and gets 37." [1d20=15]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 19." [1d20=2]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 21." [1d20=9]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 38." [1d20=11]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 31." [1d20=4]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 32." [1d20=5]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 and gets 32." [1d20=10]
[23:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 37." [1d20=20]
[23:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12
[23:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 30." [1d20=18]
[23:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26
[23:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 and gets 30." [1d20=4]
[23:25] <Kotono> roll 4d8+15
[23:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d8+15 and gets 36." [4d8=4, 7, 7, 3]
[23:26] <Kotono> Another orb gets caught in Arrel's claws, slammed into the ground and shattered! Three left! OOC: Kascha.
[23:27] <Kotono> "Ah...ah...Yaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" KAscha draws her blade, striking into the cloud of orbs!
[23:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (+1 haste)
[23:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (+1 haste) and gets 34." [1d20=8]
[23:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (+1 haste)
[23:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (+1 haste) and gets 38." [1d20=12]
[23:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22
[23:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 and gets 38." [1d20=16]
[23:27] <Kotono> OOC: -1 on that one.
[23:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16
[23:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 and gets 31." [1d20=15]
[23:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12
[23:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 25." [1d20=13]
[23:28] <Kotono> But she can't land a single blow, nearly tipping over with her first slash! The second makes her stumble back, taking to the air and chopping down! But by this time the orbs have fled apart, nothing but air hit! OOC: Jaela.
[23:29] * Jaela grimaces. "This is pointless," she mutters, not giving thought to healing herself as she pushes past both pain and the magical tethers placed upon her to wreck the remaining orbs.
[23:29] <Jaela> roll 1d20+35+5+3 bypassing DR now
[23:29] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+35+5+3 bypassing DR now and gets 50." [1d20=7]
[23:29] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30+5+3 bypassing DR now
[23:29] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30+5+3 bypassing DR now and gets 57." [1d20=19]
[23:29] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25+5+3 bypassing DR now
[23:29] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25+5+3 bypassing DR now and gets 52." [1d20=19]
[23:30] <Jaela> roll 1d20+20+5+3 bypassing DR now
[23:30] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+20+5+3 bypassing DR now and gets 34." [1d20=6]
[23:30] <Jaela> roll 3#1d8+30+5+3
[23:30] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3#1d8+30+5+3 and gets 133." [3#1d8+30+5+3 = 45, 43, 45]
[23:30] <Kotono> With three mighty thrusts, Jaela cracks each of the last orbs! They crumble, leaving only the undamaged sphere floating in the air! OOC: Free act.

[23:31] * Jaela scowls at the sphere.
[23:31] <Afina> "Lets move on, there's no point trying to pry into its mind to guess what the expected answer is," Afina says, heading towards the right path.
[23:32] * Jaela does likewise with a huff.
[23:32] <Kotono> "Why are you so offended, Jaela?" Kascha asks as she falls in step behind Jaela and Afina.
[23:34] <Jaela> "Bad manners. It's clearly either something that'll teach us some new way of looking at things or difference in interpretation. But all I have in the end are five holes through my chest."
[23:55] <Kotono> "Do you need healing?" Kascha asks, staring at those holes with open dismay.
[23:56] <Jaela> "My armor will take care of that in a few minutes, and it's not like the pain is anything new."
[23:59] <Kotono> Thus the party proceeds to the right. It corkscrews downwards, the metallic sheen leaving the walls. After about five loops as you head down (1 minute for HP, Jaela), you come to another shimmering field. This one has four blocks, three from right to let and one just above the center block. All but the center block are black. The center block is gold.
[00:01] <Kotono> "I wonder if the other path leads down here but doesn't have a puzzle," Kascha murmurs, "This one's going to be a bit more complicated."
[00:01] * Jaela presses a hand each on the leftmost and rightmost blocks.
[00:02] <Kotono> THe leftmost block is pressed! This turns the left block red and the center block black. Then Jaela presses the right most! This t urns the right block red an dthe center block red. Current alignment is: Left: Red Center: Red Right: Red Up: Black
[00:03] <Kotono> Jaela finds the result being the same even if pressed at the same time.
[00:04] <Kotono> "I wonder if we can force our way past the wall?" Arrel asks, "Or circumvent this troubling thing."
[00:05] <Afina> "Disintegrate should do it, but we can spare a few minutes trying to solve it," Afina opines.
[00:05] <Kotono> "I get it," Kascha murmurs, "You have to have two of the non center blocks gold and the center and one other block red, so you can press the non center block and finish it," Kascha says, "The trick is getting it there."
[00:05] * Jaela presses on the center.
[00:06] <Kotono> The center block is pressed! The left, center and right blocks become gold and the up block becomes red. Current alignment: Left: Gold Center: Gold Right: Gold Up: Red
[00:10] * Afina taps the left and right and then the top in that order.
[00:12] <Kotono> Kascha comes up to Jaela, speaking quietly, "Thinking?" she asks, looking up at Afina touches the blocks. The left block is touched! This turns the left and center blocks black! Then the right block is tapped! This changes the right block to black the center block to red! Finally, Afina hits the top block! This changes the up block to gold and the center block to gold. Alignment: Left: Black
[00:12] <Kotono> Center Gold Right Black Up Gold.
[00:13] <Afina> "Oh, wait, I should have done another sequence on the left and right," Afina mutters, shaking her head and going back to visualising things.
[00:14] <Jaela> "Yes," she responds quietly. "Might take a while, but it's okay since I still have plenty of holes in me."
[00:16] <Kotono> "There's something profoundly wrong with that statement," Kascha says as she watches, "You know, if we were facing a pit fiend, it would be dead a few times over by now, while we struggle with a simple puzzle." Chuckling to herself, "Hmmmmm."
[00:16] <Jaela> "Maybe not. They run away pretty quickly."
[00:18] <Afina> "This should work," Afina proceeds to tap left and right again, repeating again, and then taps the top one until both top and middle are gold. Should be twice, she thinks.
[00:18] <Kotono> OOC: So you're going left, right, left, right, and then top how many times?
[00:19] <Afina> OOC: twice, or maybe three times actually
[00:19] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[00:22] <Kotono> Afina taps left! The alignment changes to Alignment: Left: Red Center Black Right Black Up Gold. Afina taps right! The alignment changes to Alignment: Left: Red Center: Red Right: Red Up: Gold. Afina taps left! The alignment changes to Alignment: Left: Gold Center: Gold Right: Red Up: Gold. Afina taps right! The alignment becomes Left: Gold Center: Black Right: Gold Up: Gold (More)
[00:23] <Kotono> Afina taps up! The alignment becomes Left: Gold Center: Red Right: Gold Up: Black. Afina taps up again! The alignment becomes Left: Gold Center: Gold Right: Gold Up: Red. Afina taps up again! The alignment becomes Left: Gold Center: Black Right: Gold Up: Gold.
[00:24] <Afina> Afina promptly disintegrates the wall of force.
[00:24] <Kotono> "Oh, by Tymora's feathers!" Arrel sighs in exasperation, "Just disintegrate the damned wall!"
[00:24] <Kotono> Kascha blink-blinks, "Tymora has feathers?"
[00:24] * Jaela pats Afina's shoulder comfortingly.
[00:25] <Kotono> "Seriously," Arrel says, a click of his beak after, "You're an assassin. Assassine that wall!"
[00:25] <Kotono> *assassinate
[00:26] <Kotono> The wall is promptly disintegrated! The way ahead is now clear!
[00:26] * Jaela proceeds ahead, shaking her head.
[00:27] <Kotono> "Really, Tymora has feathers?" Kascha repeats as she begins to follow Jaela. "Did anyone else know that?"
[00:27] <Jaela> "She so doesn't."
[00:28] <Kotono> OOC: Also, what are your spot/listen and any special perceptions?
[00:28] <Afina> "Never seen her."
[00:28] <Jaela> OOC: blindsight 60ft
[00:28] <Afina> OOC: spot/listen +33, darkvision, low-light vision.
[00:30] <Kotono> "She could if she wanted to, and I'm sure that counts," Arrel states airily, as you head down another corkscrew. Past it is another shimmering wall. Just past it is a dead end with a floating stone slab, just like the one at the entrance of the volcano. This cube has a line of four cubes going down with one to the right of the bottom cube. All of the cubes are gold, save for the upmost one,
[00:30] <Kotono> which is black.
[00:31] <Kotono> "Afina, kill it," Arrel  clacks his beak together hard enough to echo, "Please."
[00:32] <Afina> "Disintegrate!" she duly incants. Or more like growls, really. But the effect is all the same!
[00:33] <Kotono> Kascha sighs as the wall of force is destroyed! "It's too bad," she says, "This would be a fun puzzle to spend some time figuring out."
[00:33] <Jaela> "You know how they work, so just write it down for now?" Jaela suggests, heading onwards. "Play with it after we get back."
[00:35] <Afina> "I can make you a set to play with when we're home," Afina offers.
[00:36] <Kotono> "Oh! Would you?" Kascha smiles happily as you approach the slab. It's writing twists into the following words: "Transport system is active. Current areas active: Volcano Entrance, Ring 1, Slab H. Step onto the slab and state your destination to be taken there. In addition, this transport can send you to Ring 2, slab Y. Be advised: Going to Ring 2 will take you out of goldenfire."
[00:37] <Jaela> "We'll need to leave the goldenfire anyway," Jaela muses. "Unless we want to go way back and take that path that didn't curve down?"
[00:37] <Kotono> "Going down seems like the right idea," Kascha says, "Since we had to go to trouble to reach here anyawy."
[00:38] <Afina> "That's helpful to let us know," Afina approves, landing on the slab.
[00:38] * Jaela waits for everyone to land on the slab before asking it to take them to Ring 2.
[00:50] <Kotono> The slab lifts up a moment, revealing a hole beneath it! With that the slab sinks down into it! It comes into a tunnel of glass, free of goldenfire. There's faint pangs over your bodies as you leave it, a chill wracking you despite how hot it is here. Outside the tunnel you can golden light - or is it liquid? You can't be sure. Below you is much more stone, the tunnel leading you into it. Once
[00:50] <Kotono> you go in you find it to be a boxed in dead end on all sides, save for a level dead in front of you, set into the wall.
[00:52] <Jaela> Since she'd know if it were an illusion, Jaela pulls on the lever before them.
[00:54] <Kotono> With the level pulled, the walls around you vanish! You are in a large room - jampacked with goldenfire men like you saw before! You're completely surrounded and in an instant they're charging in at you en masse! OOC: Go ahead and drop reactions if you want (not actions, just reactions) and we'll pause here before init.
[00:55] <Jaela> "Oh come on!" Jaela grumbles, making certain to keep Kascha between she and Arrel.
[00:55] <Kotono> Kascha looks out with wide eyes, "Oh my!"
[00:56] <Afina> "These aren't golems, though..." Afina says dubiously, nonetheless drawing her sword as they charge.

[Corwin]

[20:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+25
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+25 and gets 42." [1d20=17]
[20:07] <Kotono> OOC: Init all.
01[20:07] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
06[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 29." [1d20=17]
[20:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+25
06[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+25 and gets 31." [1d20=6]
[20:07] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Arrel
06[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Arrel and gets 15." [1d20=5]
[20:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 (+5 nerveskitter) Kascha
06[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 (+5 nerveskitter) Kascha and gets 20." [1d20=3]
[20:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Goldenfire Elemental Mob
06[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Goldenfire Elemental Mob and gets 28." [1d20=18]
03[20:09] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(31)>Jaela(29)>Goldenfire Elemental Mob(28)>Kascha(20)>Arrel(15)'
[20:09] <Kotono> OOC: Open Afina. There are huge masses of goldenfire men in every direction.
[20:11] <Afina> Not wanting to commit to murder just yet, Afina hastes her allies and then charges into the mass of elementals, kicking and punching as she ricochets between them!
[20:11] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 nonlethal
06[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 nonlethal and gets 47." [1d20=12]
[20:11] <Afina> roll 1d20+30 nonlethal
06[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 nonlethal and gets 34." [1d20=4]
[20:12] <Kotono> OOC: One hit.
[20:12] <Afina> roll 1d4+15+2d6
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+15+2d6 and gets 27." [1d4=2][2d6=6, 4]
[20:13] <Kotono> Afina snapkicks one elemental and bounds into the stomach of another, landing two solid blows! Yet even as two are stunned a moment, the entire horde is still onrushing! OOC: Jaela.
01[20:14] <Jaela> Following a different mindset from Afina, Jaela drops a barrier of spinning phantom blades off to one side of her, while firing off a series of piercing light beams from Gae Trocaire to cover her other flank!
01[20:14] <Jaela> OOC: Blade Barrier as swift, Radiant Assault as standard, Gambit
01[20:14] <Jaela> roll 15d6 barrier, Ref30
06[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 barrier, Ref30 and gets 61." [15d6=3, 5, 6, 1, 6, 5, 4, 4, 5, 2, 3, 5, 5, 3, 4]
01[20:15] <Jaela> roll 15d6 RA Will31
06[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 RA Will31 and gets 57." [15d6=5, 3, 3, 1, 3, 2, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 5, 6, 6, 5]
[20:15] <Kotono> OOC: How close to you is the blade barrier?
01[20:15] <Jaela> OOC: Say 10ft away
[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 ref
06[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 ref and gets 27." [1d20=9]
[20:20] <Kotono> The blade barrier appears, screening Jaela from the elementals! It slices into the terrifically, cutting deeply into several of them! As they stagger back from the wounds, the burst of light flies! Yet when it clears, the Radiant Assault seems to have done no damage at all, the elementals not phased! The mob advances relentlessly, save at the blade barrier! It buys Jaela space and time, while
[20:20] <Kotono> the others are beset by elementals in all directions!
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Afina
06[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Afina and gets 70." [1d20=20]
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Afina ow
06[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Afina ow and gets 52." [1d20=2]
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Kascha
06[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Kascha and gets 65." [1d20=15]
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Arrel
06[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+50 (-5 blade barrier blocking way) Arrel and gets 55." [1d20=5]
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d100 miss chance
06[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 miss chance and gets 22." [1d100=22]
02[20:21] * Sierra_Naptime (~Melanchth@pool-173-79-9-135.washdc.fios.verizon.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 14d6+35 Kascha and Arrel. -10 for Kascha from DR. Ditto with ARrel.
06[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 14d6+35 Kascha and Arrel. -10 for Kascha from DR. Ditto with ARrel. and gets 74." [14d6=1, 5, 5, 6, 2, 1, 5, 1, 4, 2, 3, 1, 1, 2]
[20:27] <Kotono> The plummeling is fierce, but Afina is faster! She blurs in and out, dodging every kick and punch with intense concentration! Meanwhile Kascha and Arrel are beset, plummeled from all directions! As Kascha reels from this, she takes off into the air! She flies to the roof, 20ft up and hopefully out of range! "Don't give up!" She calls, as powerful hope swells intothe party! OOC: Surge of Hope.
[20:27] <Kotono> +4 morale to saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. Immunity to fear. Lasts 20 minutes. Arrel's up.
[20:29] <Kotono> At this Arrel looks about, "You challenge a dragon?!" He demands, empowered by haste and zipping along! His blows come raining down, a flurry of claws and teeth!
[20:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
[20:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 36." [1d20=5]
06[20:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 49." [1d20=18]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 45." [1d20=14]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 31." [1d20=5]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 41." [1d20=20]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 22." [1d20=6]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 41." [1d20=10]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 48." [1d20=17]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 41." [1d20=15]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 33." [1d20=12]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 30." [1d20=14]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 bite
06[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 bite and gets 31." [1d20=1]
[20:31] <Kotono> roll 24d8+114
06[20:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 24d8+114 and gets 205." [24d8=2, 4, 2, 3, 1, 8, 3, 1, 6, 6, 6, 2, 2, 3, 6, 4, 2, 6, 2, 2, 6, 4, 5, 5]
[20:32] <Kotono> Arrel becomes a catastrophe of clawing, ripping elementals apart! This pushes the mob back slightly, buyign time as half a dozen are wounded and two others are shredded apart! OOC: Afina.
[20:36] <Afina> Since they attacked with lethal force, Afina has no qualms about retaliating in kind, swapping fists for sword she stabs viciously in all directions without breaking from her current position!
[20:36] <Afina> roll 1d20+50 5th level arcane strike
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+50 5th level arcane strike and gets 63." [1d20=13]
[20:36] <Afina> roll 1d20+50 5th level arcane strike
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+50 5th level arcane strike and gets 68." [1d20=18]
[20:36] <Afina> roll 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+45 5th level arcane strike and gets 56." [1d20=11]
[20:36] <Afina> roll 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+40 5th level arcane strike and gets 48." [1d20=8]
[20:37] <Afina> roll 1d20+35 5th level arcane strike
06[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+35 5th level arcane strike and gets 54." [1d20=19]
[20:37] <Afina> OOC: swift dodge, too!
[20:38] <Kotono> OOC: All hit.
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+15+5d4
06[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+15+5d4 and gets 30." [1d4=1][5d4=4, 2, 4, 2, 2]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+15+5d4
06[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+15+5d4 and gets 32." [1d4=4][5d4=4, 3, 2, 3, 1]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+15+5d4
06[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+15+5d4 and gets 29." [1d4=3][5d4=4, 2, 2, 1, 2]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+15+5d4
06[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+15+5d4 and gets 29." [1d4=3][5d4=4, 2, 3, 1, 1]
[20:38] <Afina> roll 1d4+15+5d4
06[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d4+15+5d4 and gets 32." [1d4=3][5d4=1, 3, 4, 4, 2]
[20:39] <Kotono> The elemental mob is further gashed open as Afina holds her position! She forces several back and downs one, the mob taking grevious wounds under the party's combined assault! OOC: Jaela.
06[20:39] * Jaela retaliates against Kascha's attackers, seeking to drive the mob back once and for all!
01[20:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+45
01[20:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+45
06[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+45 and gets 58." [1d20=13]
06[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+45 and gets 46." [1d20=1]
01[20:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40
06[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 and gets 60." [1d20=20]
01[20:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+35
06[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+35 and gets 39." [1d20=4]
01[20:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30
06[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30 and gets 48." [1d20=18]
[20:42] <Kotono> OOC: Three hits.
01[20:43] <Jaela> roll 3#1d8+30+5+4
06[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3#1d8+30+5+4 and gets 129." [3#1d8+30+5+4 = 42, 46, 41]
[20:44] <Kotono> The mob gets three more stabs for its effort, another elemental falling low from it! When it goes down, it simply sparks out into nothingness! At this the mob advances - wounded but still intact, still attacking with silent determination!
[20:45] <Kotono> roll 1d20+44 (-5 blade barrier blocking way, -6 damage) Afina
06[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (-5 blade barrier blocking way, -6 damage) Afina and gets 47." [1d20=3]
[20:45] <Kotono> roll 1d20+44 (-5 blade barrier blocking way, -6 damage) Jaela
06[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (-5 blade barrier blocking way, -6 damage) Jaela and gets 55." [1d20=11]
[20:45] <Kotono> roll 1d20+44 (-5 blade barrier blocking way, -6 damage) Arrel
06[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (-5 blade barrier blocking way, -6 damage) Arrel and gets 53." [1d20=9]
[20:45] <Kotono> OOC: ACs?
[20:45] <Afina> OOC: 60
01[20:45] <Jaela> OOC: Hits, but miss chance?
[20:45] <Kotono> roll 1d100
06[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 32." [1d100=32]
[20:46] <Kotono> roll 18d8+25
06[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 18d8+25 and gets 94." [18d8=1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 6, 6, 3, 8, 5, 1, 8, 6, 6, 3, 6, 1]
[20:46] <Kotono> OOC: Strike, wrong die.
01[20:46] <Jaela> OOC: Remember the +4 from counter
[20:46] <Kotono> OOC: Oh wow, looked at the wrong column. Go me.
[20:46] <Kotono> roll 10d6+25
06[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6+25 and gets 66." [10d6=6, 4, 1, 4, 6, 3, 5, 4, 6, 2]
[20:47] <Kotono> OOC: DR applies.
01[20:47] <Jaela> roll 1d20+45 counter
06[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+45 counter and gets 49." [1d20=4]
[20:47] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
01[20:47] <Jaela> roll 1d8+30+5+4
06[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d8+30+5+4 and gets 40." [1d8=1]
[20:51] <Kotono> The assault pushes the party back further! Wounds are exchanged, blows rained down! It's a mass of strikes all over, no precision and pure bulk volume battering defenses down! Only Afina is fast enough to evade, and Kascha manages to fly overhead! Meanwhile she opens her arms wide, lightning gathering in them! "Yaaaaaah!" She cries, as a great arching, splitting blast of lightning flies out into
[20:51] <Kotono> the mob, striking one before splitting around into them!
[20:51] <Kotono> roll 19d6
06[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 19d6 and gets 71." [19d6=6, 4, 5, 3, 1, 3, 3, 6, 1, 1, 3, 6, 4, 5, 5, 3, 5, 2, 5]
[20:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 ref vs 23
06[20:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 ref vs 23 and gets 26." [1d20=8]
[20:53] <Kotono> The lighting devastates the rear and mid section of the mob, bolt after bolt shocking through! As they're devastates, Arrel sends out a shriek of defiance as he strikes again and again!
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 47." [1d20=16]
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 41." [1d20=10]
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 32." [1d20=1]
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 41." [1d20=15]
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 41." [1d20=20]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 34." [1d20=18]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 38." [1d20=7]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 50." [1d20=19]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 42." [1d20=16]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 31." [1d20=10]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope)
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 (-2 flurry, +1 haste, +4 surge of hope) and gets 34." [1d20=18]
[20:54] <Kotono> 24d8+114
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 24d8+114 and gets 233." [24d8=4, 5, 8, 3, 5, 8, 7, 1, 7, 1, 1, 2, 1, 8, 4, 6, 8, 8, 7, 5, 2, 7, 5, 6]
[20:55] <Kotono> The rapid assault further thins the ranks of the elementals! BEtween the party's efforts, the mob has thinned out! You can see the end of them now, about half of them down in the chaotic press of bodies and violence! OOC: Go AFina.
[20:57] <Afina> Flying up above the fray, Afina imitates Kascha in conjuring lightning onto the battlefield, a crackling sphere of ball lightning rolling over the remaining elementals!
[20:57] <Afina> roll 15d6 DC 28 ref half
06[20:57] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 15d6 DC 28 ref half and gets 45." [15d6=3, 1, 4, 4, 2, 5, 4, 2, 3, 5, 4, 1, 3, 3, 1]
[20:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18
06[20:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 and gets 24." [1d20=6]
[20:58] <Kotono> The ball lightning rolls into the mob, shocking several and sending already wounded elementals to dissolution! They're fading fast now, only perhaps half a dozen pressing forward! OOC: Jaela.
06[20:58] * Jaela makes a final push to break their ranks, conserving her few battlefield control spells!
[20:58] <Kotono> "Huff...huff..." Kascha breathes heavily, one arm holding a bleeding gash on her shoulder, "They're really serious about this!"
01[20:58] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40 5pa
01[20:58] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40 5pa
06[20:58] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 5pa and gets 47." [1d20=7]
06[20:58] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 5pa and gets 49." [1d20=9]
01[20:58] <Jaela> roll 1d20+35 5pa
06[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+35 5pa and gets 54." [1d20=19]
01[20:59] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30 5pa
06[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30 5pa and gets 45." [1d20=15]
01[20:59] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25 5pa
06[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 5pa and gets 39." [1d20=14]
[20:59] <Kotono> OOC: Four hits.
01[20:59] <Jaela> roll 4#1d8+30+5+4+10
06[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 4#1d8+30+5+4+10 and gets 216." [4#1d8+30+5+4+10 = 52, 56, 55, 53]
01[20:59] <Jaela> "Go figure, right?" Jaela calls back to Kascha.
[21:02] <Kotono> Jaela presses the assault with all speed, stabbing and thrusting into the remainder! Under her spear they are laid low, impaled and crumbling into naught! The way is at last clear! You are in a simple, rough hewn room roughly in the shape of a square with the part ahead bulging forward. There is a door to your left, a pillar on each side of it.  To your right is a passage curving downwards and
[21:02] <Kotono> out of sight. Behind you is a cleft in the wall - just big enough to squeeze into for Jaela or Kascha, but too small for Arrel. Hints of golden light come from it, drawing attention to the cleft. OOC: Free act. Sec, RL.
01[21:03] <Jaela> "Check the door first, then go right?" Jaela suggests, healing Arrel and Kascha.
[21:03] <Afina> The half-Hanna wide cleft is easily wide enough for Afina to investigate so that's where she focuses her attention. "They were quite maddened, weren't they?"
01[21:04] <Jaela> "Very dedicated."
[21:10] <Kotono> "Thank you," Kascha alights down, wounds restored. Meanwhile Afina checks the cleft. About 10ft in she can see goldenfire resume. From her position without going in, she can see that it extends 40ft, before entering what looks to be a larger room. The walls of this room look to be coated in glass, veins of goldenfire running through it even as it fills everything anyway.
06[21:11] * Jaela opens the door next to her.
[21:12] <Afina> "Goldenfire and glass that way," Afina says for everyone's benefit, fluttering over towards Jaela.
[21:13] <Kotono> The pillared door doesn't open. Seems to be locked or jammed.
[21:14] <Kotono> "Arrel can't get through there anyway," Kascha says, "Let's ignore that cleft."
01[21:14] <Jaela> "Break down the door or take the path to the right from the start?" Jaela asks. "I don't mind either way."
[21:15] <Afina> "Lets just go right, since it's there," Afina shrugs, heading that way.
06[21:16] * Jaela goes along with that.
[21:16] <Kotono> Thus the party follows the curving passage. It goes down in a corkscrew - a familiar pattern after the last long passage down. But briefly in you come to an intersection. The path continues down, but another path has been carved into the far wall, a straight chute down. It's big enough for even Arrel to go down, and it bubbles with goldenfire, filled up with it.
[21:17] <Afina> "I like the look of that," Afina says of the chute.
01[21:17] <Jaela> "Our plan's to try and maximize exposure, to goldenfire or air," Jaela says, shaking her head. "Plus it just looks too convenient, and if there's trouble can Arrel even fly back up or reorient himself?"
[21:18] <Afina> "He's more maneuverable in the air than I am."
[21:18] <Kotono> "Of course I can," Arrel says with a hint of haughty amusement, "I can move as freely as an air elemental. That's not a problem."
01[21:19] <Jaela> "My original objection still remains," Jaela muses. "Kascha?"
[21:20] <Kotono> "The way it goes down, I bet it's a shortcut," Kascha allows, "But unless there's a huge obvious gain, I don't think extra exposures to goldenfire are worth it." So pausing, "...all of this doesn't matter if we die, does it?"
03[21:20] * Ithea is now known as Merc
[21:23] <Afina> "We're not going to die," Afina assures Kascha, "But I think we should take the chute. There always seems to be a choice of goldenfire or not rather than being forced, and I think this one looks fruitful."
01[21:24] <Jaela> "It doesn't look the least bit convenient to you?"
[21:25] <Afina> "It looks as convenient as any other path. I just like to feel as if going down is making more progress so going down really quickly is worth it," Afina explains her position.
[21:26] <Kotono> "It looks like a shortcut," Kascha agrees, "I do think it's convienent, but...hear me out a moment," she says, "So far we've been puzzles but we aren't being forced into goldenfire. What if that's one of the puzzles? A test of wisdom - at the end the way ahead will require going into goldenfire and wastrels won't have the exposures left before dying."
01[21:26] <Jaela> "We actually got here by going up at first and eventually finding a platform that took us here," Jaela points out. "I don't think directions are that important."
[21:28] <Afina> "Okay, we'll stick with the air unless we've got no choice but to use goldenfire," Afina bows to the inevitable, taking the curving passage.
[21:30] <Kotono> Further down you go - another corkscrew and a half. The path ahead continues, but you find another passage on the outer wall. This one goes perhaps twenty feet before hooking sharply to the left and out of sight. Set into the wall just inside of the new passage is writing.
06[21:31] * Jaela heads over to read said writing.
[21:32] <Kotono> It shifts to Elven, Jaela able to read the following: Down the corkscrew: Chosen Ambition. Down the road not taken: Another Possibility.
06[21:33] * Jaela waves the others over to the notice, shrugging. "Chosen Ambition for us, I figure? Considering what we're after, we might as well keep at it?"
[21:34] <Afina> "We know our goal and we'll stick with it, if it's symbolism," Afina agrees, decending onwards.
[21:35] <Kotono> "My thoughts exactly," Arrel says as you continue down. You go down another little bit until you come to a shimmering wall. This wall merely shimmers in place, no blocks on it at all.
06[21:36] * Afina sticks her hand on it to make sure it's not an illusion or something else before blowing a spell on blowing it.
01[21:36] <Jaela> "Follow my lead," Jaela says, kneeling and pressing her hand against what seems to be solid air. She withdraws it then and points directly at it.
[21:36] <Kotono> It seems solid to Afina.
[21:37] <Afina> "Oh," Afina then mimics Jaela.
[21:37] <Kotono> On Jaela doing this, the air wavers! A black block appears, just barely touching the field. It turns red on Jaela's touch and then gold on Afina's! The shimmering field fades away!
06[21:38] * Jaela proceeds ahead.
[21:38] <Afina> "Hoped we'd seen the last of these," Afina mutters as she flies on.
01[21:38] <Jaela> "Disintegrate always works!"
[21:39] <Kotono> "At least that one was a misdirection," Arrel grumps, "By Bahamut's wings I'd prefer that to another inane puzzle."
03[21:39] * Sierra_Naptime (~Melanchth@pool-173-79-9-135.washdc.fios.verizon.net) has joined #dunes
[21:40] <Kotono> Down the party goes, further down. The corkscrew ends, becoming a simple slope down. AS you go...OOC: Spot all.
[21:41] <Kotono> OOC: Has been 3 minutes for healing, which means surge of hope shoudl stillb e up.
[21:41] <Kotono> roll 1d20+32 Kascha spot
06[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Kascha spot and gets 38." [1d20=6]
01[21:41] <Jaela> roll 1d20+13
06[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+13 and gets 15." [1d20=2]
[21:41] <Afina> roll 1d20+37
06[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+37 and gets 46." [1d20=9]
[21:41] <Kotono> roll 1d20+34 Arrel
06[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+34 Arrel and gets 46." [1d20=12]
[21:43] <Kotono> 40ft or so ahead, you can see the end of the path - it opens up into a bigger space. However, Afina catches a glassy glint of light, a tiny sign! Looking carefully, she spies another of the tiny flying orbs. It isn't moving, just staying in place.
[21:44] <Afina> "Watch out, there's one of those guardian orbs," Afina points it out. "Something we do here will probably provoke it."
01[21:45] <Jaela> "Let's shoot it down before it spots us, then?"
[21:45] <Kotono> "Oh," Kascha stops as Arrel looks to AFina, "I saw it too. One quick, decisive strike to shatter it before it can send an alert to others."
[21:45] <Afina> "Okay," Afina says, firing a disintegrate up at it.
[21:46] <Afina> roll 1d20+38 ranged touch
06[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+38 ranged touch and gets 40." [1d20=2]
[21:46] <Kotono> OOC: Down at it you mean? Hit anyway.
[21:46] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 fort
06[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 fort and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[21:46] <Afina> roll 40d6+2+2d6
06[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 40d6+2+2d6 and gets 170."][2d6=6, 1]
[21:47] <Kotono> A quick beam of disintegration flies out, hitting the orb dead on! It crumbles to dust, utterly destroyed!
[21:47] <Kotono> "Good shot," Kascha says, "How many more times can you disintegrate things here, Afina?"
01[21:48] <Jaela> "Nice!"
[21:48] <Afina> "Sixteen at most," she replies. "But I have other good spells as well," she hastens to assure everyone.
[21:49] <Kotono> "Oh. Oh." Kascha blushes, "My goodness! Nevermind!"
[21:50] <Afina> "Hm?" that reaction just prompts Afina to flutter closer to Kascha and peer closer at her blushing face. "What is it?"
[21:52] <Kotono> "It's...just that my prepared spells are so useless here," Kascha admits, "My vest can recover expended spells, and if you only have a few more, I would lend it to you." Quietly going on, "But I could use the vest fully and you'd still outpace me here. I'm just...I'm sorry I'm being a burden."
[21:53] <Afina> "Oh, don't be like that. With your support spell and lightning you helped a lot in the last melee," Afina reassures Kascha. "Haven't you got more like that?"
[21:57] <Kotono> "Not as many as I'd like," Kascha admits, "Several of my most powerful spells are worthless here, such as a twinned greater fireburst," Shuffling her feet, "But um...you're right, and we need to keep moving!"
[21:59] <Afina> "After this Simmer and I can teach you how to make searing fire," Afina pats her on the shoulder before she continues flying onwards.
01[21:59] <Jaela> "For the longest time, my strongest spell failed to actually do anything," Jaela mutters. "Even against fiends, which it specifically targets. I'm so happy it's not my strongest spell anymore."
[22:02] <Kotono> "Oh?" Kascha manages to smile at Afina gratefully, before turning to Jaela, "Whichs pell?" Meanwhile you proceed down. Ahead is a vast chamber - full of freefloating tunnels and tubes of glass. Goldenfire flows into it, a veritable jungle of them with only a single path ahead. You have to duck past overhanging tubes and step over low lying pipes, but you could follow it. It leads deeper within
[22:02] <Kotono> this mass of tubes.
01[22:03] <Jaela> "Holy Word. Goddess, Holy Word! It does nothing!" She grimaces. "Learning to make the fire hotter is one way, but getting different spells also works."
[22:04] <Afina> With her small size Afina can easily fly around dodging obstacles in her way. "I never used offensive magic at all until I became part fire elemental. Then I just fell in love with making things burn."
[22:04] <Kotono> Arrel dodges around, going slow but making progress. Kascha nods along, "Seira's so good with fire magic," she sighs, "She uses those unicorn arrows better than I can. But she can breathe goldenfire anyway. I've learned so much from her magic, but she's still so much better at it than I am."
01[22:05] <Jaela> "I just like to shoot lots of light beams from my spears," Jaela says, flying after Afina. "My magic isn't the best at blasting things."
01[22:06] <Jaela> Unicorn arrows sounds like such a dumb name that the spell itself must be pretty impressive to remain in use, she thinks to herself.
[22:06] <Kotono> Ahead through this congested path of tubes you come to a bit of a clearing. 20ft of open space, with narrow paths going ahead and to the left right - like the perfect points of a compass. In the center of this clearing all the tubes connect to one great glass tube. In this tube is goldenfire, and floating withint hat goldenfire is the outline of an angel. Six wings throb with light, yet its body
[22:06] <Kotono> is largely obscured, only glimpsed. As you stare at it, a primal sense of presence assails you. Not as strong as Auril was or even Lathander, but there is undeniably a presence radiating from that tube.
[22:07] <Afina> "What about arrows? If they're non-elemental they should work fine here, right?" Afina suggests to Kascha before slowing in front of the tube. "Is this one of the angels we saw outside powering up?" she wonders.
03[22:08] * Sierra_Naptime is now known as Double0Sierra
[22:08] <Kotono> Kascha doesn't reply, instead looking up at the celestial within the tube. In a quiet voice, "On guard," she whispers, "This is something not to be trifiled with!"
01[22:08] <Jaela> "I draw my line at fighting golem guardians," Jaela mutters, before addressing the other angel. "Hello." It's always good to greet others!
[22:20] <Kotono> At this greeting, the figure within stirs! Cracks suddenly spread over the tube before the glass crumbles. It falls away like heavy sand, not flying out how it should. Pure molten goldenfire leaks out the bottom of the tube and from the broken tubes connecting to it! The figure within is so much goldenfire and light. "I am..." It speaks slowly, the goldenfire all around flaring into highter
[22:20] <Kotono> flames at his words, "I am Glory of Radiance. Why have you awoken me?"
[22:21] <Afina> Afina sure doesn't know!
[22:22] <Kotono> "Ah..." Kascha glances at Jaela, "You woke him up, didn't you?"
01[22:24] <Jaela> "Jaela," she introduces herself politely. "It seemed rude to try and sneak past you. If this entire place is a test of our worthiness, then I don't think acting like thieves is the right approach. Could we trouble you to ask about the best way to get down to the source?"
06[22:24] * Afina looks indignant. She sneaks all sorts of places and she's no mere thief!
[22:28] <Kotono> "My purpose is to test the mettle of those who have made it this far...and yet, you are the first to awaken me willingly after avoiding the Patrol Orbs."
[22:30] <Afina> Yes... avoiding... "What sort of test?" Afina quickly pipes up.
06[22:31] * Jaela scratches the back of her head. "I see. Well, I do hope there's more than just combat to test us from the guardians. I'm not talking about the blocks and the forcefields."
[22:34] <Kotono> For a long time the celestial before you is silent, "I shall test your mettle. If you are the true righteous, then present me with something that signifies this."
06[22:36] * Jaela glances at Kascha, first thing. Her spells, apparently ill-suited for this place, might just come in handy here.
[22:38] <Afina> Catching Jaela's look, Afina nods. "Here's proof of our righteousness," she flutters beside Kascha, gesturing at her, "She's an angel and she's the nicest and kindest person I've ever known. I'm proud to be her friend," she declares.
[22:39] <Kotono> "I...uh..." Kascha turns bright red, "Me?!" she squeaks!
[22:40] <Afina> "Yes, no fairy or angel or anything else is as nice as you, Kascha," Afina assures her earnestly.
[22:41] <Kotono> "Good is not always nice," The celestial states as he stares at Kascha. He stares at her for several moments as she squirms and blushes. "...I understand." It finally says. "You have been part of Arborea and called back. Your friends speak truth. Take the passage straight ahead. Just beyond the end of the tubes is a secret door hidden in the wall."
06[22:42] * Jaela bows to the angel in gratitude, and with a voiced, "Thank you," follows his directions.
06[22:43] * Afina smiles and gives the angel a curtsey before flyig on herself.
[22:44] <Kotono> Thus you advance on and ahead. As you travel ahead in the maze of pipes, "Me?" Kascha repeats as you reach the end. Here the passage continues on, but a quick search reveals a hidden door. It blends flawlessly in - the only reason you found it is because you knew it was there.
01[22:45] <Jaela> "There is more than one path to righteousness," Jaela muses. "Still, who can deny yours is one of them?"
[22:46] <Afina> "I meant every word," Afina swears.
[22:50] <Kotono> "Thank you," Kascha murmurs as the secret door is opened. Here is a simple square room. Another door is on the far wall. The center of the room is taken up by another transport stone slab. The golden lettering on it glows, reading the following: "Transport system is active. Current areas active: Volcano Entrance, Ring 1 Slab H, Ring 2 Secret 3. Step onto the slab and state your destination to
[22:50] <Kotono> be taken there. In addition, this transport can send you to Extra Portal 2. Be advised that more information will be provided at Extra Portal 2."
[22:51] <Afina> "That's where we want to go," Afina says, landing on the platform and waiting on the others before requesting, "Extra Portal Two."
06[22:51] * Jaela likes the sound of it herself!
[22:56] <Kotono> "Really?" Arrel asks as the party is whisked away! It's cool here. Bitterly cold to those of Fire, merely 80 degrees or so. This room is simple and small. The back wall is taken up with a portal, gold rimmed and twisting with goldenfire highlights. As you stand there, a woman's voice speaks, "This portal leads to a sealed demiplane. Within this demiplane is a treasure put aside by Lathander
[22:56] <Kotono> and," The next word is simply n ot there. It is said but it is incomprehensible to you, a momentary disorientation resulting from it, "It has no bearing on your current quest, but would be useful to you nonetheless. Be advised that once you have achieved your ultimate goal there that access to Extra Portal 2 will be revoked. If you choose to enter Extra Portal 2, be advised that you will be
[22:56] <Kotono> stripped of all equipment and gear for the duration. It will be returned when you leave. In addition, all forms of elemental protection will be negated within. You will have a time limit of thirty minutes on entering. Should time elapse, you will be ejected from the demiplane."
[22:57] <Kotono> "A bonus trial, in other words?" Arrel says, "It must be a fine treasure to be worth the trouble."
[22:58] <Afina> "All forms of elemental protection, even innate?" Afina wonders. "Well, it won't be an inferno that would kill us instantly, would it?"
[22:58] <Kotono> No response, "I would think not," Kascha finally says, "This place is dangerous, but it seems to operate on good faith. I don't see why Lathander would do that."
01[22:58] <Jaela> "We could always recast a few protective spells quickly," Jaela muses.
[22:59] <Kotono> "What I'm more concerned about," Giving the portal a wary look, "Is that it's one of those portals. Like the one you, Dana and Mirima went through on Ysgard," Kascha says, going forward to start to study the portal, "Those are always a good way to get in a lot of trouble."
[23:00] <Afina> "Negated not dispelled," Afina points out. "Still Kascha's right, I say we go for it. We're all able to handle ourselves without equipment - especially you, Arrel."
01[23:01] <Jaela> "Nothing to lose by trying," Jaela agrees. "Let's do it."
[23:01] <Afina> With agreement given, Afina flies through the portal!
[23:01] <Kotono> "You're right, it's no trouble to a dragon at all," Arrel says, "We don't need flashy magical trinkets to be powerful." Arrel follows!
[23:02] <Kotono> Kascha stares as they go, before turning to Jaela, "...let's be careful, alright?"
01[23:02] <Jaela> "If your biggest worry is over your dignity, I think we'll be fine," Jaela says with a grin, heading into the portal after those two.

[Corwin]

[20:03] <Kotono> Stepping through the portal is like passing through a waterfall. It's cold and cleansing. It's a sensation of a moment before you take in your new surroundings. You stand in sundrenched plains, before you a great golden palace, or perhaps a temple. It glistens in the sunlight, seemingly made of glittering amber and sunshine melted together. A moat surrounds the castle, with a drawbridge leading
[20:03] <Kotono> over the moat and towards the entrance. All of your equipment is gone, leaving you bare and bereft. As you look about, Kascha shivers. It's chilly out here, like a fall morning, despite the ample sunshine. She puts her hands over her bosom and draws in on herself, "Jaela," she says, "What exactly did you mean about my dignity there?"
[20:04] <Jaela> "Seems like you were right," Jaela muses. "You do realize it's pointless to act like that, though? Let's just go beat this thing!"
[20:04] <Afina> Afina is just glad Balyss isn't around to comment on her boney slenderness, taking a moment to run her fingers through her hair and loosen it out a little. "You don't realise how much you rely on your equipment until it's gone," she comments, casting shield but taking no care of her modesty otherwise like Kascha's doing. Despite what others may think she has nothing to be ashamed of.
[20:07] <Kotono> "It's not the point," Kascha grumbles, exhaling and sighing. She lets her arms drop, "Fine, I can't fight like that anyway. It's just...nevermind. Later." When Kascha looks up now, there is something different about her. She blushes and looks meek, but at the same time absolute terror runs through you on seeing her. Her bashful look may as well be a dragon full terrifying presence on you, "It's
[20:07] <Kotono> terribly undignified and embarrassing! It's not like the baths or that beach, which are at least private. Who knows what's watching us now?!"
[20:08] <Jaela> "Lathander," Jaela instantly supplies, casting Sublime Revelry upon them. They might as well be happy about the whole thing!
[20:09] <Afina> "Never knew you had it in you, Kascha!" Afina grins approvingly. "C'mon, we're on the clock so lets not dawdle," she adds, flying towards the castle entrance.
[20:11] <Kotono> Kascha sighs as the party goes over the drawbridge. The entrance is a relatively small doorway - doesn't look big enough for Arrel at all.
[20:12] <Jaela> "Let's check what's past the door?" Jaela suggests. "We can try to teleport past it with you, Arrel, if there's space."
[20:12] <Afina> "Or you can fly over the wall if it just leads straight to a courtyard," Afina adds, going to open the door.
[20:14] <Kotono> "As you wish," Arrel says, keeping quiet. The door ahead is opened! Within is a well lit hall, candles adorning the wall by the dozen. Thick, heavy candles that burn. It's noticably warmer in here and brighter as well. It goes on perhaps 50ft, beginning to dim after that and fade into darkness.
[20:15] <Afina> Flying inside Afina looks to see if it's big enough for Arrel. He's not that much bigger than Hanna, after all!
[20:17] <Kotono> The hall is pretty narrow - Arrel might be able to squeeze through but it would be wings-on-wall tight.
[20:20] <Afina> "This is no good at all," Afina shakes her head. "Kascha, you remember how you made Crystal big? Can you make Arrel small?"
[20:21] <Kotono> "I used a Wish to do that," Kascha admits, rubbing the back of her head, "I could, but it would cripple my magic for the duration here. But if you think it'll help..."
[20:22] <Afina> "Think a limited wish could manage it?" Afina asks so she could do it instead. Kascha needs magic far more than she does.
[20:25] <Kotono> "I'm...not sure. I think so," Kascha finally says, rubbing her chin and turning to Arrel. "The theory isn't that advanced, it's just more difficult to change other creatures besides mortal humanoids."
[20:25] <Kotono> "Do hurry," Arrel says, "We're on the clock. I can wait or look for another entrance if you're not willing."
[20:26] <Jaela> "Dragons are pretty at home with polymorphing," Jaela notes. "Should be okay."
[20:26] <Afina> "I'll try if it fails you have to find alternate entry," Afina says, fluttering over Arrel and wishing with all her brave pixie heart that he were a petite half-Hanna!
[20:27] <Kotono> OOC: What exactly are you wishing for here? Go ahead adn vocalize it so I have something to work with.
[20:27] <Afina> "I wish Arrel was smaller by half!"
[20:29] <Kotono> Arrel shudders, before shrinking on down! He's not closer in size to Jaela, far smaller than before! "Curious," he says with a clack of his beak, before going into the hall.
[20:29] <Afina> "Okay, lets go!" Afina says, flying onwards into the candlelit hall!
[20:30] * Jaela brings up the rear after Kascha.
[20:36] <Kotono> Thus you advance into the warm, lit hall. It's a pleasant walk until the light begins to fade - no more candles on the wall. Ahead isa nother 50ft before a stairway leading down. You can feel the cold radiating from the darkness, bringing shivers to all of you.
[20:37] * Afina grabs a candle off the wall from the last sconce to see if it carries warmth with it into the cold dark area.
[20:39] <Kotono> The candle flickers and shduders, but emits light. The light warms the darkness, holding the cold at bay.
[20:39] <Kotono> "Ooooh," Kascha says, going to take a candle of her own. She holds it close to her chest, "Like holding a holy symbol and praying," she adds, "Except that it's warm."
[20:40] <Jaela> Jaela is still providing them with illumination, although she can't say she's happy about the way she's glowing in this setting. She decides to channel a Moon Bolt into her fist in preparation of meeting any opposition, but otherwise is quite content to follow the others. Her free hand picks up a candle of her own, since everyone seems to be doing that!
[20:40] <Afina> "A simple puzzle to start with," Afina nods, holding her candle in both hands and advancing towards those stairs.
[20:42] <Kotono> With candles held the night is held at bay. You find the stairs go down into deeper darkness - not enough for darkvision but still dim. It's even colder as you walk down them. With your candles your breath can be seen, bodies shivering with cold. However, it is bearable. You head down and down the stair, coming out at the bottom. Ahead is another hallway. This one starts dark and slowly has
[20:42] <Kotono> candles appear on the wall, to about 100ft ahead. At that point the candlelight becomes too bright to see any more.
[20:42] <Kotono> Arrel follows, staying within the shed light of the three carried candles.
[20:44] * Afina puts her candle down. "Maybe we're not meant to bring our candles further?" she suggests, guessing it might reduce the radiance if they're not brought amidst other candles.
[20:45] <Kotono> Kascha follows suit, "We don't need them in any case. There's more than enough light ahead."
[20:46] * Jaela does likewise, tilting her head. "You really think it's a puzzle?"
[20:46] <Kotono> "Well, the last hallway looked like a puzzle to me," Pausing to tap her chin thoughtfully, "Though I'm surprised with all that palace we're going down instead of up."
[20:47] <Jaela> "Well, if we passed within say sixty feet or so of some illusionary wall that hid a passage elsewhere, I probably would've spotted it," Jaela muses. "Maybe we just have to follow the path and see where it leads."
[20:48] <Kotono> As you advance in the light, it quickly becomes warm and then hot. As you approach the blinding light, you can feel massive heat radiate off, sweat immediately springing up on all of you as you are basted by the radiating warmth.
[20:49] <Afina> "Wait! Blow our last candles out, that might work better!" Afina says as the heat becomes strangely uncomfortable. They're still shedding light, after all! She goes back and lands on the ground to blow hers out.
[20:50] <Kotono> Kascha follows suit, blowing hers out as well. "Do you think? Or maybe we'll need to blow out the ones on the wall?"
[20:50] <Jaela> "I can't believe that I'm part fire and I'm sweating from heat," Jaela mutters, even as she does likewise.
[20:51] <Kotono> The three candles are blown out. The light becomes less blinding - fading down to a massive radiance, but you can faintly see ahead. There's another stairway going down, just barely able to be glimpsed in the radiance.
[20:52] <Afina> "There, see? Now we can get close enough to blow out a few more if we need to. Lets try again," Afina says, advancing once more!
[20:52] <Kotono> It's not quite as warm - still blazingly hot, but enough that despite instantly becoming woozy from the heat, that you can endure. But going and further is going to turn sweating into pain - as it is you can virtually feel your skin going from tanned to burned.
[20:53] <Afina> Afina blows out candles as she advances, step by step!
[20:54] <Kotono> This dims the light and heat enough to advance, Kascha doing the same on the other wall. Despite sweating considerably, you are able to make it to the stairway unharmed. The light dims within the stairway - only a few candles in it, relative coolness felt as you approach.
[20:55] <Afina> "It actually feels refreshing to appreciate cool air again," Afina says with a nostalgic tone as she flutters down the stairs.
[20:58] <Kotono> "Being cold's overrated," Kascha mutters, as you head down. "Isn't it, Jaela?" The stairs wind on a time, until you see ahead. The next hall is checkered with slowly rotating patterns on dim light, blazingly bright light and pitch darkness. They rotate around the hall like a kaledioscope, the way ahead seen in glimpses. Another hall, looks like, no candles. No visible light sources all for the
[20:58] <Kotono> lit squares. Each square is perhaps 2ft by 2ft - just enough for one of you to pass through.
[20:59] <Jaela> "I don't really like extremes," Jaela muses. "I do kinda get what Afina's saying. Being able to enjoy a pleasant cool breeze, pretty much?"
[21:01] <Afina> "Yes, I haven't enjoyed that at all for a while now even though I used to find it pleasant. Nice to remember that," Afina nods to Jaela before looking over this new hall. "At a guess I'd say we need to stick to the dim light here," she says, looking to see if a path can be found.
[21:01] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm, I've gotten used to fire in the Cauldron," Kascha peers ahead, "Lady Sanzha's theorizing that in a few centuries of living there, I might start ignoring fire and being vulnerable to electricity again." Looking ahead at it, "That does look like the best solution," Kascha adds. "If light is hot and dark is cold."
[21:01] <Kotono> OOC: Concentration check here, Afina.
[21:02] <Jaela> "Again?" Jaela asks, silently agreeing with Afina and Kascha. "What do you mean?"
[21:02] <Afina> roll 1d20+26
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+26 and gets 29." [1d20=3]
[21:03] <Kotono> "As a ghaele electricity does nothing to me," Kascha explains, "I remember being mortal and being vulnerable to lightning." Afina is able to study the flow ahead. It looks to be fairly predictable in the front and back, and middle looks to be a mess of tough stunts to get through as the lights swirl. The front and back won't be too hard, requiring some dexterity, and the center will require a
[21:03] <Kotono> lot of dexterity.
[21:04] <Jaela> "What's fire got to do with it, though? If you go back to the mortal way, you wouldn't get to ignore it, would you?"
[21:05] <Kotono> "If I'm exposed to supernaturally hot heat for centuries, Lady Sanzha thinks I'll adapt." Kascha explains, "Let alone all the elemental energies around the Cauldron."
[21:05] <Afina> "There's a pattern but it's tricky. I'll haste us all to make it easier but watch carefully how I do it and then follow, okay?" Afina asks everyone, making sure they're all paying attention before she flutters, capers, and dances through the squares!
[21:05] <Kotono> OOC: Make a dex check, Afina. +1 bonus for haste.
[21:06] <Afina> roll 1d20+11
[21:06] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+11 and gets 30." [1d20=19]
[21:06] <Kotono> Afina dances adn capers through the front! She stays in the dim squares, not too warm or not too hot! She has to take a longways around, often riding horizontal lines wall to wall to reach the next save vertical move. But on she does, reaching the center! OOC: React and then another dex check, Afina.
[21:06] <Jaela> "Nice! So maybe you'll get some resistance back just as you're about to lose it?"
[21:07] <Kotono> Kascha whistles, "She's good at that," she says, before replying to Jaela, eyes still watching Afina, "We'll find out. Lady Sanzha's not quite sure. She hasn't worked much with eladrin before."
[21:08] * Jaela is paying attention as well, even though she's certain that her own attempt will show them what happens when you make a misstep in that pattern. "Mmm. It's nice to be that close to your higher ups, I think."
[21:08] <Afina> "This is where it gets tricky so pay close attention here," Afina warns before tumbling and sliding every which way to get across. It'd be easy to accelerate herself so the squares aren't moving but that won't help anyone study the pattern she follows.
[21:08] <Kotono> Arrel watches with keen eyes, "Men would pay gold by the fistful to watch this," he murmurs, "Such artistry in her movements. Baleruk, I see..."
[21:09] <Afina> roll 1d20+11
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17." [1d20=6]
[21:09] <Jaela> "What are you going to sell the memory?"
[21:11] <Kotono> Afina darts ahead, but the squares so hard! She darts for a dim square but mistimes it, flying into a dark square! Immediately Afina is ice cold, frozen almost solid! She manages to stumble out and into a bright square, flash fried! The pixie assassin is disoriented, stumbling into another bright square and dark square, able to escape the center burnt and frozen! OOC: Damage and then react/dex
[21:11] <Kotono> for the final stretch.
[21:11] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 (equal mix cold and fire damage, doesn't matter since no res in play)
[21:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 (equal mix cold and fire damage, doesn't matter since no res in play) and gets 41." [3d6=4, 6, 6][3d6=2, 2, 2][3d6=3, 1, 6][3d6=6, 1, 2]
[21:12] * Jaela pulls her mane of hair over her shoulder, starting to braid it. "Thought I'd be the one who gets messed up," she mutters, observing Afina's efforts keenly. "Just makes me wonder how bad it'd be for me if she's having trouble with it."
[21:13] <Afina> "Ahhh!" she cries, but can hardly stop now! "See what I meant!" she just has time to call, lamenting that she couldn't give a proper example that would help anyone to follow. Not that she can risk trying again as badly hurt as she is, just having to refocus and make for the end!
[21:13] <Afina> roll 1d20+11
[21:13] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+11 and gets 19." [1d20=8]
[21:13] <Kotono> Kascha hums, "Good idea," she says, starting to tie up her own hair. She winces at Afina's missteps, "Bad." she whimpers, "But we've endured pain before. Seira once told me being able to stand pain is a great ability of a hero."
[21:13] <Jaela> "Then I must be an epic hero."
[21:14] <Kotono> Afina darts along, managing to break through! She reaches the stair further untouched, the last part a simple bit of timing to dart out at the right time.
[21:14] <Kotono> "Do you want to go next?" Kascha asks to Jaela before calling, "Are you alright, Afina?"
[21:14] <Afina> "Mmm... thirsty," she murmurs before raising her voice, "Now you three!"
[21:15] <Afina> "Got burned and frozen really bad in the middle," she calls over, "It hurt a lot!"
[21:15] <Jaela> "Go for it, Kascha?" Jaela offers as Afina makes her way across, nodding at the pixie in understanding. "I'll be right after you."
[21:16] <Kotono> Kascha gulps and looks on, "Seira protect me. Arborea protect me." Taking a deep breath, "Magic protect me!" With that she flies into the light, trying to dodge through!
[21:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demonstration)
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demonstration) and gets 11." [1d20=3]
[21:17] <Kotono> Kascha flies on but immediately stumbles into a dark square! Her eeping cry is heard throughout as she leaps out - right into a hot square! "Kyaaaaaah!" Kascha leap-flies out of it into a dim square, pained but skipping much of it as she reaches the center!
[21:17] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6
[21:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6 and gets 17." [3d6=3, 4, 2][3d6=1, 1, 6]
[21:17] <Jaela> roll 1d4+5 close wounds
[21:17] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d4+5 close wounds and gets 7." [1d4=2]
[21:17] * Jaela gestures towards her reflexively, cursing herself for not doing the same with Afina just earlier.
[21:18] <Kotono> With burns and ice clinging to her body Kascha flies along, wounds partially healing as she dives forward, "T-thanks!" she calls back!
[21:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 (+1 haste, +1 failed demo)
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 (+1 haste, +1 failed demo) and gets 20." [1d20=13]
[21:18] <Jaela> "You're almost across!"
[21:19] <Kotono> To her credit, she outdoes Afina. She avoids the first trap and makes it a good way into the center, before slipping again! She wobbles about, arms spinning, before tumbling into a hot square! "Aaaaah! OW!" Kascha cries, rolling into another hot square and out! She's burnt all over again but still going, past the center now!
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6 and gets 26." [3d6=5, 5, 2][3d6=6, 2, 6]
[21:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo)
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo) and gets 23." [1d20=15]
[21:21] <Kotono> Mimicking Afina's path, Kascha is able to land besides her safely, sagging down after and huffing. "Ow, ow, ow," she whimpers softly, before calling, "I made it!"
[21:22] <Jaela> "Alright! Then I'm next!" Jaela responds. It's a bit sad she lacks a bow to put in her braid, but she's done, at least. And so, she does her best to follow a proper path through the kaleidoscope!
[21:22] <Afina> "Good work, you did well," Afina encourages her.
[21:22] <Kotono> OOC: Dex check. +1 haste, +2 successful demo.
[21:23] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+2+1+1+2 (fire, swift grace, haste, demo)
[21:23] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+2+1+1+2 (fire, swift grace, haste, demo) and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[21:24] <Kotono> Jaela rushes on! She nails the first parts of it, coming close to the center! It's then she make sa mis-step, her timing failing as she leaps right into a cold square instead! She's consumed in ice, flash-frozen as she manages to get out and head towards the center! OOC: Damage, then reaction and dex check. Your next check is +1 haste and +1 failed demo.
[21:24] <Kotono> roll 3d6
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6 and gets 9." [3d6=1, 6, 2]
[21:25] <Kotono> "Careful!" Kascha calls as Jaela gets frozen, "Watch your feet!"
[21:26] <Jaela> "Fuck. Fuck!" Jaela rubs at her arms, shivering. At least she didn't get tossed into a furnace, though she has a dark suspicion that this little pleasure is just across the corner for her....
[21:26] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+2+1+1+1 (fire, swift grace, haste, demo)
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+2+1+1+1 (fire, swift grace, haste, demo) and gets 25." [1d20=18]
[21:27] <Kotono> Somehow, with her speed and watching, Jaela nails it! She skips through the center, totally focused as she avoids Afina's mistake, making one graceful leap through a triple-line of dim squares and through safely! OOC: React and then final check, same as the first check.
[21:28] <Afina> "Oh, nice improvisation!" Afina applauds such effort.
[21:28] <Kotono> Kascha whistles, "I can't belive she just did that," she murmurs, "Good jump, Jaela!"
[21:29] * Jaela can't resist a pirouette in her unexpected triumph, before she leaps the rest of the way across!
[21:29] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+2+1+1+2 (fire, swift grace, haste, demo)
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+2+1+1+2 (fire, swift grace, haste, demo) and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[21:29] <Kotono> The last leap is almost perfect. Almost. She mistimes it, the last square she goes through burning bright-hot instead of dim! AGH! But even burned, she lands besides Afina mostly unharmed!
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 3d6
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6 and gets 9." [3d6=2, 6, 1]
[21:30] <Kotono> Meanwhile Arrel looks on, "Then by the grace of valor I go," he says, heading into the light!
[21:30] <Afina> "You did the hardest part perfectly and that's what counts," she tells Jaela before focusing on Arrel's attempt.
[21:30] <Kotono> "You alright?" Kascha asks, hovering over Jaela. She starts to offer a hand out but thinks better of it, "Are the burns bad?"
[21:30] * Jaela grins as she lands, minor burns aside. Her hand lands on Afina's shoulder, and she does her best to make her wounds nothing but a bad memory. Kascha gets a similar treatment next.
[21:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo)
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo) and gets 28." [1d20=19]
[21:31] <Kotono> Arrel soars through the first part, deft as Afina despite his size! He plunges right into the center, wasting no time!
[21:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 15." [1d20=7]
[21:31] <Jaela> "I really did have worse. A lot worse, a lot of the time," Jaela tells Kascha, shaking her head. "So it's okay."
[21:31] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 and gets 57." [3d6=6, 1, 6][3d6=6, 5, 5][3d6=5, 6, 2][3d6=5, 5, 5]
[21:33] <Kotono> But Arrel's speed is his undoing, blundering into a frozen square! Squawking as he tries to correct, he bludners into another cold square, a hot square and then another! Burnt and frozen, he half blindly stumbles ahead into the last segment!
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 29." [1d20=20]
[21:33] <Kotono> Which he zips through easily, recovering and landing with a harmph. He shakes his wings, burnt and bits of frost raining down from it.
[21:33] <Afina> "Not one of us could get through unscathed, but at least we're all intact," Afina reflects after Arrel joins them. "Lets see what worse is in store ahead?"
[21:36] * Jaela heals Arrel and herself, last, as an afterthought. She looks thoughtful, but then shakes her head. "Say, Afina, if we come across some raw materials you could make us stuff, right?" she wonders out loud.
[21:37] <Afina> "It won't be easy with my magic disconnected but I can certainly try," she assures Jaela, grateful for the healing.
[21:37] <Jaela> "Right. Then-- actually, Kascha, can I ask for a small favor?"
[21:38] <Kotono> As you walk down the steps Kascha turns, "Yes?"
[21:38] <Jaela> "Can you hold your hands like this?" Jaela asks, mimicking a bowl.
[21:39] <Kotono> Kascha does so, "Okay?" she says, before, "Wait, are you thristy too?"
[21:40] <Jaela> "Yeah. So I'm gonna conjure up some water and it'll be a bit weird but let's pretend it's not, okay?" Jaela says, summoning just enough to not make it overflow and then bending down for a drink.
[21:41] <Afina> "Oh, good idea! I'm first too, is it okay?" she asks, hovering by Kascha's hands after Jaela's drunk.
[21:41] <Afina> *thirsty
[21:41] <Kotono> "Me too," Kascha says, as Arrel comes over, "As am I."
[21:42] <Kotono> The water is drunk by Jaela then Afina, Arrel and finally Kascha. It quenches your thirsts, coolly refreshing after your trials so far.
[21:42] <Afina> "Ahh, that was nice. Thanks Jaela, Kascha," Afina smiles at both of them, "But we'd better get moving or we'll run out of time. Lets go?" she says, turning and flying ahead.
[21:43] <Jaela> "Magic is so great! So's having friends!" Jaela exclaims, her good cheer more than restored by a combination of her revelry spell and the water. She's more than happy to follow Afina at Kascha's side.
[21:44] <Kotono> A smile comes to Kascha's face, "They are!" Following along, you come to the next floor. It's dominated by twisting, stable and loopy patterns of bright light and deep darkness. Like a three dimensional maze of it, often becoming narrow and painfully difficult to squeeze past. At the far end, just past the stairs, is a huge candle. It burns with a large flame, a thick white crystal in front of
[21:44] <Kotono> it. It refracts the like, forming it into the patterns that bar your way ahead.
[21:45] <Kotono> *the light
[21:46] * Jaela studies the way ahead, as Afina had done previously. If a path exists, she would give it a try.
[21:46] <Kotono> OOC: Concentration check.
[21:46] <Afina> "Someone throw something at that candle to knock it over away from the crystal?" Afina suggests a shortcut. "Or a gust of wind if anyone can cast that?"
[21:47] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23+15
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23+15 and gets 57." [1d20=19]
[21:48] <Kotono> Jaela can find the best pattern through. It's still a tough one, requiring several spots of contorting, angling and twisting to get through safely. From the way it looks, the candlelight should be 'safe' and the darkness should be freezing, painfully cold.  It'll require three unique stunts of maneuvering to successfully reach the end with this route. All other routes require more and even harder
[21:48] <Kotono> tricks.
[21:49] <Kotono> "I don't think I have anything without a wish," Kascha says, "I can do that if it's really hard."
[21:49] * Jaela considers whether summoning up a wall of stone in some fashion might help ease the task.
[21:50] <Kotono> It would stop the light at least. Beyond that Jaela isn't sure - she'd need to spend some time studying the complex patterns.
[21:50] <Jaela> "I pretty much could," Jaela muses in belated response to Afina's question. "But I don't know if it's easy to do without knocking the candle over as well by accident. And we need it."
[21:50] <Afina> "Oh, so just the crystal is the problem?" Afina asks before committing to anything.
[21:50] <Kotono> "I think so," Arrel says, "It's splitting the light. It' sa prism."
[21:51] <Jaela> "I think so. Looks like we should stick to the candlelight."
[21:51] <Afina> "Let me see if I can squeeze out a disintegrate, then," Afina says, taking a breath and focusing to draw forth her magic...
[21:51] <Afina> roll 1d100
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d100 and gets 86." [1d100=86]
[21:51] <Kotono> OOC: Success. Ranged touch.
[21:52] <Afina> roll 1d20+32
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+32 and gets 52." [1d20=20]
[21:52] <Kotono> OOC: No crit on an object. Hatbot mocks.
[21:52] <Afina> OOC: it's dead anyway
[21:52] <Afina> A green line stabs forward to unmake the crystal!
[21:52] <Kotono> The beam flies out, hitting the prism! It crumbles to dust immediately! The way ahead is warm with bright but not too bright candlelight, no more darkness!
[21:52] <Afina> "That's a timesaver," the fairy nods in approval, flying forward blithely.
[21:53] * Jaela snorts. "And here I was about to heroically sacrifice myself," she mutters good-naturedly, following.
[22:03] <Kotono> Kascha just smiles happily as you advance on, down the next stair. Ahead is a path with alls and ceiling studded with glass spheres. Each one emits massive amounts of light, the entire hall ahead nothing but light and heat! Even from the stairs it is painfully hot! Meanwhile, from above a woman's voice intones, "Twenty five minutes remain."
[22:04] <Jaela> "It would be pretty funny if we went the wrong way," Jaela muses, even as she peers ahead for anything to block the light with. If the walls and ceiling have the glass spheres, perhaps the ground?
[22:05] <Kotono> The ground doesn't have any, but it's awash in light from all the other spheres.
[22:05] <Jaela> "So should be try breaking a couple?"
[22:06] <Kotono> Kascha steps back, shielding her hands with her eyes, "I don't suppose any of us can cast darkness or any spells like that?" she asks, sounding hopeful.
[22:06] <Kotono> "It stands to reason," Arrel says, "Unless...we needed to refract the light with that prism," he adds thoughtfully, "A pure wall of light could be split up."
[22:07] <Afina> "I sure can't disintegrate all of those," Afina comments. "Best I can do is either some fog or put a wall of ice along one of the walls and we hurry along before it melts hoping the cold it puts out counters the heat."
[22:07] <Jaela> "So we paid for a shortcut? Could be," Jaela muses, thinking the suggestions over. "Well, I can summon either an obscuring fog or walls of stone. Which path do you guys want to try?"
[22:08] <Kotono> Kascha hms, "A wall of ice might melt, but I doubt a wall of stone would," Kascha says, "Can you summon enough to make an arching tunnel," Kascha says, "To stop the light and let us go straight ahead?"
[22:08] <Afina> "Put a wall of stone on one side and I'll put a wall of ice on the other, then we dash?" Afina suggests. "Or Kascha's idea if you can make a tunnel."
[22:09] <Jaela> "That's what I figured," Jaela agrees, nodding at Kascha. "I could save the mist for another time."
[22:10] <Jaela> In a sense, it would be an inversion of what she had done when they had arrived at this place, except instead of a perfect hemisphere she aims to extend a narrow tunnel they could follow single file as long as she can.
[22:14] <Kotono> Calling on the power of stone and earth, Jaela forms a tunnel ahead! It stretches a way - not all the way, but a goodly tunnel passing a decent way down the hall. In it is dimness but not darkness, cool air coming from it.
[22:14] * Jaela is the first to proceed down it. She can summon another wall at its end to ensure safe travel.
[22:15] <Afina> Afina follows after Jaela, it seems the matter is well in hand.
[22:15] <Kotono> Kascha follows, the stone wall warm but nothing more. "Good thinking," she says, Jaela going ahead. A second wall forms a passage to the stairs!
[22:16] * Jaela follows the stairs to their next challenge!
[22:18] <Kotono> Down the stairs is another hall. This hall is empty and dimly light, save for the center and back. In the center is a simple fountain, old mossy stone and clear water. At the end is yet another stairway heading deeper down. OOC: Spot checks, all.
[22:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 arrel
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 arrel and gets 33." [1d20=3]
[22:19] <Afina> roll 1d20+30
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 and gets 48." [1d20=18]
[22:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28-3 Kascha
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28-3 Kascha and gets 44." [1d20=19]
[22:19] <Jaela> roll 1d20+10
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+10 and gets 20." [1d20=10]
[22:20] <Afina> "There's something in the water," Afina says, fluttering over the fountain. "I think it's invisible," she adds, sticking her hand in to grope around for it and grab it if portable.
[22:20] <Kotono> OOC: Stop right there, all.
[22:20] <Jaela> "Invisible?" Jaela asks with a frown, trying to see with her senses.
[22:26] <Jaela> "Yeah, definitely invisible. And fuckhuge," Jaela cautions, shifting to stand before Kascha.
[22:28] <Afina> "What, is it alive?" afina stops, pullingher hand out of the water.
[22:29] <Jaela> "Totally looks that way!"
[22:29] <Kotono> As Afina approaches the fountain, the water surges up! From it comes a massive figure of water, vaguely humanoid and with two arms! A massive fist-blow comes at Afina before she can react further!
[22:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 AC, Afina?
[22:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 AC, Afina? and gets 38." [1d20=13]
[22:30] <Kotono> OOC: Flatfooted.
[22:30] <Afina> OOC: 46
[22:30] <Afina> OOC: uncanny dodge
[22:30] <Kotono> But Afina is too fast, reacting with pure instinct and darting back and out of the range of those fists! It slams into the ground just past her, sending a crack along it! OOC: Init here.
[22:30] <Jaela> roll 1d20+6+2
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+6+2 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Kascha
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Kascha and gets 16." [1d20=7]
[22:30] <Afina> roll 1d20+19
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+19 and gets 36." [1d20=17]
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 Arrel
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 Arrel and gets 19." [1d20=7]
[22:31] <Kotono> OOC: -2 to Arrel's roll.
[22:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 water elemental
[22:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 water elemental and gets 26." [1d20=16]
[22:32] * Kotono changes topic to 'Afina(36)>Jaela(27)>Elemental(26)>Arrel(19)>Kascha(16)'
[22:32] <Kotono> OOC: Go Afina. You're 10ft away after dodging. The others are 40ft away.
[22:33] <Afina> "Dry up!" Afina calls upon her connection with elemental water to evaporate the rival elemental before flying back behind the others and hasting everyone!
[22:33] <Afina> roll 20d8 horrid wilting DC 28 fort half
[22:33] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 20d8 horrid wilting DC 28 fort half and gets 100." [20d8=4, 3, 1, 8, 8, 4, 3, 8, 7, 8, 3, 7, 2, 4, 5, 7, 4, 4, 5, 5]
[22:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+19
[22:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 and gets 22." [1d20=3]
[22:34] <Kotono> Calling on her elemental power, Afina flies back as the water elemental withers! Water dries up all over, leaving it smaller and reduced! It says not a word, but it's face is twisted into a grimace of agony, mouth silently agape! OOC: Okay. Jaela.
[22:36] * Jaela adds to that agony by flash-freezing what little water remains on its surface!
[22:36] <Jaela> roll 15d6 cone of cold ref27 half
[22:36] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 cone of cold ref27 half and gets 64." [15d6=2, 3, 6, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 6, 5]
[22:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16
[22:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 and gets 32." [1d20=16]
[22:37] <Kotono> The cone of cold twirls out, freezing hunks of the water! The elemental shakes and roars, the fountain cracking all over! Water gathers up into its dessicated form, before spraying out in a pressurized torrent at the party!
[22:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 touch AC on all of you
[22:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 touch AC on all of you and gets 41." [1d20=19]
[22:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 touch AC on all of you crit check owwies
[22:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 touch AC on all of you crit check owwies and gets 29." [1d20=7]
[22:38] <Afina> OOC: 33 miss chance?
[22:38] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 41." [1d100=41]
[22:38] <Kotono> OOC: Afina's off the hook, Kascha and Arrel both are critted. Jaela?
[22:38] <Jaela> OOC: Come on, it's like 13 now
[22:39] <Kotono> roll 10d10 and stunned for 1 round
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d10 and stunned for 1 round and gets 53." [10d10=3, 1, 6, 2, 9, 6, 7, 2, 8, 9]
[22:40] <Kotono> The blast of water slams into the party with pure, unbridled force! Kascha and Arrel are both knocked back into the stairs, lying amid water and dazed, unable to move! Jaela's caught and plastered back into the wall, a wet impact as she slides down it ot land on her rear. Her world is water and dizziness, everything a blur! OOC: Kascha and Arrel are stunned. Go Afina.
[22:44] <Afina> That was really her best spell-like... but she's not completely out! "Burn!" she calls, flying past and around the elemental to occupy its attention away from her friends.
[22:44] <Kotono> "Oooh...don't look, Finnegan..." Kascha groans, eyes crossed and a trickle of blood training down her forehead.
[22:44] <Afina> roll 20d6 fire storm DC 28 ref half
[22:44] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 20d6 fire storm DC 28 ref half and gets 72." [20d6=1, 3, 5, 6, 1, 3, 5, 6, 3, 6, 6, 3, 3, 6, 1, 3, 4, 1, 1, 5]
[22:44] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16
[22:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 and gets 26." [1d20=10]
[22:45] <Kotono> The burning assault hits it dead on, fire exploding around the elemental! You capture its attention as more water steams off, another great torrent of water coming - right for Afina!
[22:45] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 touch AC
[22:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 touch AC and gets 26." [1d20=4]
[22:45] <Kotono> But Afina's too fast, dodging the torrent of aqua! Meanwhile Arrel staggers up, before coming in and breathing a great gout of fire at the defiant elemental!
[22:45] <Kotono> roll 1d20+16 vs DC 26
[22:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 vs DC 26 and gets 24." [1d20=8]
[22:46] <Kotono> roll 12d8
[22:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 12d8 and gets 54." [12d8=7, 5, 4, 4, 1, 1, 8, 1, 2, 5, 8, 8]
[22:46] <Kotono> More fire lashes into the elemental seconds after Afina's assault ends! It's enough to make the entire thing turn to steam, fading away into the now warm and balmy hall! OOC: Free act.
[22:46] <Kotono> "Oooow...
[22:46] <Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[22:47] <Kotono> "Oooow...!" Kascha slowly sits up, rubbing her forehead and looking at her bloodied fingers. She tries to get up but stumbles, falling to her knees. "Help..." Kascha calls, "B-blurry."
[22:47] <Jaela> As she shakes her head to clear it, Jaela reaches down to offer Kascha a hand. "What was that about Finnegan?" she asks, channeling her healing power into her friend.
[22:48] <Kotono> Kascha rises after that, "I think my brain was rattled," she says, "My vision was blurry and I was dizzy. And I didn't say anything about Finnegan."
[22:49] <Jaela> "If you say so," Jaela agrees with a wide grin, healing Arrel and then herself.
[22:49] <Kotono> Kascha turns entirely red at that, covering herself with her hands, "I didn't! What are you implying by that!?"
[22:49] <Kotono> "I imply that we're still against a time limit," Arrel says, with a brief click of his beak in thanks to Jaela, "We should continue."
[22:49] <Jaela> "Nothing!" Jaela raises her hands in mock surrender. "Whyever would I imply that you wanted Finnegan to look at you?"
[22:50] * Afina agrees with Arrel and flies onwards!
[22:50] * Jaela salutes Arrel, quite content to bring up the rear once more.
[22:52] <Kotono> "That's right, Finnegan would never want to look at me!" As soon as Kascha says that she turns even redder, "That's not what...I..." Hurrying along and shutting up, Kascha follows! As you come d own this flight of stairs, you reach the next floor. Yet another hall. This one is the same moving pattern of lights as the third floor down, yet this one is different. Each horizontal row of squares
[22:52] <Kotono> has regular bursts of darts flying from one wall to the other, not ot mention the squares are moving faster. In the center it's nearly a maelstrom of color, Kascha immediately wincin when she sees it. She opens her mouth and utters one thing, "Eeep!"
[22:54] <Jaela> "I'll go first," Jaela offers. "Might as well test if the darts are any real threat, too."
[22:54] <Afina> "They're probably not," Afina says, "Not without someone aiming them at our vitals, anyway."
[22:54] <Jaela> "I was thinking something like poison, really," Jaela says, casting Greater Heroism and then studying the pattern in preparation of her dash through.
[22:55] <Kotono> OOC: Concentration check.
[22:55] <Kotono> "Poison's a more serious concern," Kascha affirms, "Especially one that dulls the reflexes and mind.
[22:55] <Kotono> "
[22:56] <Jaela> roll 1d20+27+25
[22:56] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+27+25 and gets 59." [1d20=7]
[22:57] <Kotono> Jaela's certain of one thing - it's going to be a lot harder. There's two possibilites. One is a slower path that avoids the darts, but greatly increases the chance of slipping inot dark or light squares. The other risks the darts but is safer in reguard to squares. It's also a bit quicker that way, and perhaps slightly less time spent overall.
[22:58] <Jaela> "Alright, so here's what I'll do," Jaela says, briefly describing the alternatives. "I'll brave the darts. If they're worse than we think, try the other path?" And then she's off!
[22:58] <Kotono> OOC: Dex check, Jaela.
[22:58] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+2+1 (fire, swift grace)
[22:58] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+2+1 (fire, swift grace) and gets 25." [1d20=20]
[22:59] <Kotono> Jaela is like beautiful angelic dancers, albeit in the nude, as she hurries through! Darts and squares are avoided, as she somehow makes it to the center part without being touched by anything! OOC: Go ahead and react then dex again.
[22:59] <Kotono> Kascha whistles quietly, "When did Jaela get so good at this?" she asks, "I wonder if all that armor makes you stronger and faster when you have it off?"
[23:00] <Jaela> "Just like that! Somehow! Do it like that!" Jaela calls back, hoping that the choice of the shorter path will pay off.
[23:00] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+2+1 (fire, swift grace)
[23:00] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+2+1 (fire, swift grace) and gets 7." [1d20=2]
[23:01] <Kotono> Jaela starts to go but immediately miscalculates! Her world becomes a blur as she stumbles through hot and cold squares, alternating between burning and freezing to death! Her path is erratic as darts slam into her, her path a stumbling trip through the middle! OOC: Damage resolution first. This is a bunch.
[23:01] <Afina> "The Graceful Blow would be proud," Afina agrees, before wincing, "Well... at first."
[23:01] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 fire/cold damage
[23:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 fire/cold damage and gets 70." [3d6=1, 2, 4][3d6=2, 2, 6][3d6=2, 4, 6][3d6=6, 5, 1][3d6=6, 4, 4][3d6=4, 3, 1][3d6=3, 2, 2]
[23:01] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 damage from dart, bypasses DR. Fort save. This is poison, note if immune or resistant.
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 damage from dart, bypasses DR. Fort save. This is poison, note if immune or resistant. and gets 5." [1d4=1]
[23:03] <Jaela> roll 1d20+34+4+4 (GH, half celestial)
[23:03] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+34+4+4 (GH, half celestial) and gets 55." [1d20=13]
[23:04] <Kotono> Jaela is burned and dart-riddled, but she stumbles to the last part! OOC: React then dex again.
[23:04] <Kotono> "Jaela!" Kascha calls, gasping as she puts a hand to her mouth.
[23:05] <Jaela> With a cry of "I've had worse!" Jaela lunges across the final stretch and towards safety!
[23:05] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+2+1 (fire, swift grace)
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+2+1 (fire, swift grace) and gets 13." [1d20=8]
[23:05] <Jaela> OOC: 14, then
[23:05] <Kotono> Jaela races on, enduring! She stumbles through two cold dark squares as she reaches the stairs at the other side safely!
[23:05] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6 and gets 21." [3d6=1, 2, 5][3d6=2, 6, 5]
[23:07] <Afina> "Okay, I'll go now," Afina says, resolving to try and cut a clear path to help Kascha and Arrel on their turns. Waiting a moment for the pattern to align correctly, she races forward full tilt!
[23:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+11
[23:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+11 and gets 15." [1d20=4]
[23:07] <Kotono> OOC: Wait until prompted for rolls. +2 to this one from Jaela's successful demo of this part.
[23:08] <Afina> OOC: sorry. 17
[23:08] * Jaela glances at the darts lining her side, before double-checking with a cantrip. "Poison after all!" she calls out to the others. "I'm ready in case we need it!"
[23:09] <Kotono> Afina goes through the first section! It's faster - startlingly faster! She miscalculates slightly, slipping into a burning bright square! As she stumbles out of it, she's struck by darts, reaching the middle at the same time! OOC: Damag eresolution first.
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 3d6
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6 and gets 9." [3d6=2, 1, 6]
[23:09] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 Afina fort vs poison.
[23:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 Afina fort vs poison. and gets 8." [1d4=4]
[23:10] <Afina> roll 1d20+17 beats DR?
[23:10] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+17 beats DR? and gets 29." [1d20=12]
[23:10] <Kotono> OOC: Bypasses, yes.
[23:10] <Kotono> roll 1d6 dex damage
[23:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 dex damage and gets 2." [1d6=2]
[23:10] <Kotono> Fire and darts wound Afina, stumbling slightly as her body begins to feel sluggish! OOC: React'n'dex. +1 from Jaela's failed demo of this part.
[23:11] <Afina> "Ahh, definitely poison!" Afina winces, forcing herself to compensate as her muscles twitch and seize up unhelpfully!
[23:11] <Afina> roll 1d20+10
[23:11] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+10 and gets 16." [1d20=6]
[23:12] <Kotono> Afina's trip ahead is one of near dodges and required hits! She has no choice but to dive through a pair of cold squares and take darts in the arm, the path she desires mistimed and lost! It avoids further calamity, followed by a pair of hot squares as she painfully stumbles on!
[23:12] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6
[23:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 and gets 45." [3d6=4, 3, 4][3d6=6, 1, 4][3d6=6, 3, 5][3d6=3, 2, 4]
[23:12] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 no more fort since already poisoned. React and go.
[23:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 no more fort since already poisoned. React and go. and gets 6." [1d4=2]
[23:12] <Kotono> "Afina!" Kascha calls, watching with a wince, "Jaela, help her!"
[23:13] * Jaela is already on it, sealing Afina's wounds with a thought!
[23:13] <Jaela> roll 1d4+5
[23:13] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d4+5 and gets 9." [1d4=4]
[23:13] <Afina> "Oww!" she cries out as she's darted, then hissing as she's burnt and fluttering out of alignment. "I'm nearly through. I can do this!" she insists. She could even do it with fantastic ease if she really bothered, too.
[23:13] <Afina> roll 1d20+10
[23:13] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+10 and gets 15." [1d20=5]
[23:14] <Kotono> Afina is half flying, half falling! One wing takes a dart and gives out, doing a skidding bounce off the burning ground and then rolling through the frosty darkness! But she makes it to the other side!
[23:14] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6
[23:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6 and gets 21." [3d6=5, 5, 1][3d6=2, 4, 4]
[23:14] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4
[23:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 and gets 5." [1d4=1]
[23:16] * Afina groans and lays there for a little bit. "M'okay..." she mumbles so as not to worry anyone.
[23:16] * Jaela catches Afina as she finally gets across. "Hey," she says, opting for levity. "At least we have some raw materials now?"
[23:16] <Kotono> "I'm coming, Jaela!"  Kascha hollers on over, before lowering her head and starting to test the gauntlet of color and darts!
[23:16] <Afina> "Just pluck them out... probably some good metal there," she agrees woozily.
[23:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo)
[23:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo) and gets 19." [1d20=11]
[23:17] * Jaela sets to the task, first working on Afina. But her eyes remain on Kascha, ready to intervene.
[23:17] <Kotono> Kascha manages to slip and stumble - right into a pair of dim squares, rolling under darts and ending up in a half fluttering fly into the center!
[23:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo)
[23:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 (+1 haste, +2 successful demo) and gets 16." [1d20=8]
[23:18] <Kotono> OOC: -1.
[23:18] <Kotono> Kascha isn't nearly nimble enough for this - like Afina she is lost in the whirl of color, frozen, burned and darted as she stumbles on!
[23:18] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6
[23:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 and gets 49." [3d6=1, 5, 2][3d6=5, 3, 2][3d6=3, 3, 2][3d6=3, 6, 4][3d6=3, 1, 6]
[23:18] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 adn fort
[23:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 adn fort and gets 5." [1d4=1]
[23:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23
[23:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 and gets 33." [1d20=10]
[23:19] <Jaela> "Come on!" Jaela waves her over. "You're almost there!"
[23:19] <Kotono> Burned, frozena and bleeding, Kascha nonetheless manages to hurry on, "Almost," she cries, trying to keep moving!
[23:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7
[23:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13." [1d20=6]
[23:20] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6 and gets 24." [3d6=5, 2, 4][3d6=4, 3, 6]
[23:20] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 and gets 6." [1d4=2]
[23:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 and gets 28." [1d20=5]
[23:20] <Kotono> roll 1d6 dex
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 dex and gets 4." [1d6=4]
[23:20] <Kotono> Kascha makes it. She just barely makes it, darts sticking out all over her body! She's burnt and frozen both, collapsing in a heap next to Jaela. She softly cries, saying nothing as she lies there.
[23:21] * Jaela moves on to removing the darts from Kascha, now, trying to soothe her body before she would heal it right back.
[23:21] <Kotono> Meanwhile Arrel watches, going full tilt into the maelstrom of light!
[23:21] * Afina feebly reaches out and pats Kascha's arm. They're all in this together!
[23:22] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[23:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 21." [1d20=12]
[23:22] <Kotono> Arrel nimbly flies through the first unharmed, focused as he dives into the maelstrom!
[23:22] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[23:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 15." [1d20=7]
[23:22] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6
[23:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 and gets 50." [3d6=3, 4, 3][3d6=2, 6, 4][3d6=5, 2, 4][3d6=2, 5, 4][3d6=2, 3, 1]
[23:22] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4
[23:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 and gets 5." [1d4=1]
[23:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23 Also Kascha should've failed the first save, misread her sheet, doesn't matter
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 Also Kascha should've failed the first save, misread her sheet, doesn't matter and gets 27." [1d20=4]
[23:23] <Kotono> roll 1d6 dex
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 dex and gets 2." [1d6=2]
[23:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 11." [1d20=3]
[23:23] <Jaela> "It's okay!" Jaela calls to Arrel as he stumbles. "Everyone slipped up at that horrible spot!"
[23:23] <Kotono> roll 3d6+3d6+3d6
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d6+3d6+3d6 and gets 29." [3d6=5, 5, 3][3d6=1, 1, 4][3d6=6, 3, 1]
[23:23] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 and gets 7." [1d4=3]
[23:23] <Kotono> In wretched shape like the rest of you, Arrel arrives and lands. "Miserable trial," he declares, "Lesser heroes would have left this life from it."
[23:24] * Jaela removes the darts from Arrel and then her own person, before raising her head to the ceiling. "By the Triune's name, be healed!"
[23:24] <Afina> "Oh... oh, that's much better," Afina pushes herself up and smiles. "Alright, let me see how many darts... what sort of weapon do you want, Jaela?" she asks, seeing what she has to work with.
[23:24] <Kotono> Glorious healing removes the pain, the poison and all of it! Kascha's crying ceases, the eladrin sitting up and wiping her tears away. "Thanks Jaela," she says quietly, "Afina, are you better now? Those traps were abysmally painful."
[23:25] <Jaela> "A longspear is ideal," Jaela responds. "But is it also possible?"
[23:25] <Kotono> A few dozen small metal darts. They're not much by themselves, but together should be enough for a big medium weapon or two small weapons/smalle rsized medium ones (like daggers).
[23:26] * Jaela can't help but wipe the remainder of Kascha's tears away. Someone who cries at this sort of life really should stay in the library where it's safe, she muses.
[23:26] <Afina> "The darts were the worst. Getting pierced all over after you've been frozen and burned hurts!" she agrees, before breathing out the bad feelings. "Not enough for a longspear without some wood or bone for the haft. I could probably make an all metal shortspear for you?"
[23:27] <Kotono> Kascha sniffles slightly, before smiling, "Thanks, Jaela. I'll be stronger. It just hurts." She rises now, standin before the stairs, "And I just hate that it's like this,"G esturing at her body, "I'm constantly mortified."
[23:28] <Afina> "Well, maybe a thin longspear. It might be a bit bendy but I'll try," Afina appends, attempting a fabricate!
[23:28] <Afina> roll 1d100
[23:28] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d100 and gets 53." [1d100=53]
[23:28] <Kotono> The metal darts shift, becoming a slender metal longspear!
[23:29] <Afina> roll 1d20+30 to see how good! (guaranteed masterwork anyway, just for fun)
[23:29] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 to see how good! (guaranteed masterwork anyway, just for fun) and gets 36." [1d20=6]
[23:29] <Jaela> "You'll get over it. Hopefully." She frowns. "It's not the first time for me, and probably not the last." Shaking those thoughts away, she looks up just in time to grin at Afina's handiwork before enchanting it with powerful magics!
[23:30] <Afina> "You've got nothing to be mortified about," Afina assures Kascha, "We're all here together in the same condition, and we'll get through it together. Now c'mon, we've got a prize to win!"

[Corwin]

[19:48] <Kotono> "It's just..." Kascha blushes, before going down the stairs.
[19:53] <Kotono> Arrel follows along, heading down the stairs as well. "We still need to hurry," he says, quickly following.
[19:54] <Jaela> "We're not really stopping to look around," Jaela voices, shrugging.
[19:54] <Afina> Afina is moving with the quickness!
[19:59] <Kotono> Down the stairs you come to the next room. It is pitch black ahead, massive amounts of cold radiating from the darkness. A deep chill comes to each of you as you approach, bodies involuntarily shivering. OOC: Listen check, all.
[19:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28-3 Kascha
[19:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28-3 Kascha and gets 27." [1d20=2]
[19:59] <Afina> roll 1d20+30
[19:59] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 and gets 37." [1d20=7]
[19:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 listen Arrel
[19:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 listen Arrel and gets 28." [1d20=2]
[19:59] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
[19:59] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[20:01] <Afina> "There's something moving in the dark ahead," Afina mentions, "But we've got a bigger problem with the cold... any ideas?"
[20:02] <Jaela> "I might as well try this," Jaela muses, summoning a crown of righteous flames atop her head.
[20:02] <Kotono> "We need some source of warmth," Arrel says, "Or we'll freeze solid blundering around-" He stops when Jaela casts. The crown sheds warmth and holds the cold at bay, yet it doesn't illuminate the darkness ahead.
[20:04] <Jaela> "Okay. I think this might work for the cold. I'll just take the lead and hope my reflexes stop us from getting mobbed horribly?"
[20:04] <Afina> "We should've just kept hold of a candle to blow out and light as needed. Want me to go back and get the one from where the prism was?" Afina offers before they brave the darkness.
[20:05] <Kotono> "Afina, you can't go back through that gauntlet again," Kascha says, "It hurt you badly, and you'd have to come back after."
[20:06] <Afina> "I can do it easily if I speed myself up so fast the gauntlet won't even be moving in comparison," she refutes.
[20:06] <Jaela> "Let's just take that lesson with us and grab the next usable candle," Jaela voices. "We've fought in darkness before, it's not that bad."
[20:07] <Afina> "Alright, hopefully it will be quicker this way," Afina relents, sticking close to Jaela for their advance.
[20:08] * Jaela advances, her newly-forged dart-spear at the ready!
[20:08] <Kotono> OOC: Marching order?
[20:08] <Jaela> OOC: Jaela+Afina, Kascha, Arrel?
[20:09] <Afina> OOC: Jaela with Afina and Arrel on either side and Kascha right behind? We don't want to spread out after all.
[20:11] <Jaela> OOC: Sure
[20:11] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[20:11] <Kotono> OOC: LIsten checks again, all.
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 listen Arrel
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 listen Arrel and gets 46." [1d20=20]
[20:11] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28-3 Kascha
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28-3 Kascha and gets 38." [1d20=13]
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[20:11] <Afina> roll 1d20+30
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+30 and gets 46." [1d20=16]
[20:12] <Kotono> You head into the darkness. So cold but not hideously so, the party stumbling ahead in pitch black. As you slowly make progress...you come to the other end of the hall. There's just enough dim light here to see stairs going down. At the same time, you can here a distinct scraping noise from a ways behind you.
[20:13] <Afina> Afina doesn't care enough to go back and investigate.
[20:14] * Jaela waves Afina and Kascha ahead, intending to follow them to the stairs while bringing up the rear.
[20:16] <Kotono> Down the next set of stairs you go! Ahead is a warm lit hall - not too warm, no danger. But standing here is a familiar sight, a goldenfire golem! It stands 30ft away in the dead center of the hall, head scraping against the roof even with it hunched over.
[20:17] <Afina> Afina flies towards it to see if it makes any offensive moves!
[20:18] * Jaela goes around the golem to try and avoid conflict.
[20:20] <Kotono> As you come within 25ft, the golem begins to move! In that too loud voice that thunders and echos in the enclosed hall, "ADVANCE NO FARTHER!" Straining against the ceiling, the mammoth golem begins to lurch-crawl forward! OOC: Init.
[20:20] <Jaela> roll 1d20+8
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+8 and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[20:20] <Afina> roll 1d20+22
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Kascha
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+22 and gets 23." [1d20=1]
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Kascha and gets 26." [1d20=17]
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Arrel
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Arrel and gets 28." [1d20=18]
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 goldenfire golem
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 goldenfire golem and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[20:21] * Kotono changes topic to 'Arrel(28)>Kascha(26)>Afina(23)>Jaela=Goldenfire Golem(14)'
[20:24] <Kotono> Arrel leans back and caw-roars, letting out a great torrent of flame! At the same time he utters a word of, "Gangorak!" The flames flow forward, stopping and forming together! Ahead of you, right in front of the golem, is a huge fire elemental! It slams big arms right into the golem!
[20:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Arrel=Huge Fire Elemental(28)>Kascha(26)>Afina(23)>Jaela=Goldenfire Golem(14)'
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 37." [1d20=20]
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 21." [1d20=4]
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 2d8+4
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+4 and gets 15." [2d8=5, 6]
[20:26] <Kotono> The lash of a huge arm smacks the golem in the face, momentarily drawing it's attention! It doesn't seem to do much damage, though. OOC: Kascha.
[20:29] <Kotono> Kascha holds for now, waiting! OOC: Holding for now. Go AFina.
[20:30] <Afina> Afina flies to the side to avoid hitting the elemental and blasts the golem with a great surge of freezing ice!
[20:30] <Afina> roll 15d6 DC 25 ref half, cone of cold SLA
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 15d6 DC 25 ref half, cone of cold SLA and gets 40." [15d6=1, 1, 5, 4, 1, 1, 3, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 2, 6]
[20:31] <Afina> She hastes everyone, too! Even the elemental.
[20:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 ref
[20:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 ref and gets 12." [1d20=2]
[20:32] <Kotono> Waves of ice cause crackles to appear over the golem, ice hanging off it in crazy-long icicles! Yet as this happens it raises a fist up...OOC: Jaela, you and golem are up. Go.
[20:32] * Jaela surges forward to crack the golem's head open!
[20:34] <Jaela> roll 1d20+36+2+4-5 (charge, GH, 5PA, gambit)
[20:34] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+36+2+4-5 (charge, GH, 5PA, gambit) and gets 47." [1d20=10]
[20:34] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[20:35] <Jaela> roll 1d8+25+10
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d8+25+10 and gets 43." [1d8=8]
[20:36] <Kotono> Jaela charges in, impaling the head of the creature with her spear! It penetrates in deep, but can only go so far, its head far thicker than the spear! At the same time it tries to punch Jaela as she darts in, but it's arm hits the ceiling instead! "DO NOT RESIST!" It bellows, turning it's attention to the elemental!
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (-20 PA)
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (-20 PA) and gets 34." [1d20=1]
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (-20 PA)
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (-20 PA) and gets 45." [1d20=12]
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 4d12+50
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d12+50 and gets 66." [4d12=1, 1, 9, 5]
[20:38] <Kotono> The fire elemental is struck right in the chest, Arrel's breath taking it with part of its chest simply gone after! But it is still up, swinging at the golem!
[20:38] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:38] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 18." [1d20=1]
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 25." [1d20=8]
[20:39] <Kotono> But it futilely attacks as Arrel hangs back for now! OOC: Kascha's holding too, she's holding a spare wish in case someone goes critical. She doesn't have much that can harm it. Go Afina.
[20:42] <Afina> Afina doesn't have much to go on now, so she focuses to try and invoke her magic - it worked the last two times, after all!
[20:42] <Afina> roll 1d100
[20:42] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d100 and gets 81." [1d100=81]
[20:43] <Afina> And it does work, a blade of searing flame projecting from her left hand! She flies around behind the golem in readiness to attack!
[20:44] <Kotono> Afina positions aroudn the golem, as it again tries to move to attack her! But it hits the ceiling, the mass above you shaking from the impact! OOC: Jaela, go.
[20:44] <Jaela> Strongly disappointed that she didn't draw a powerful rebuke from the golem that she was ready to exploit, Jaela continues stabbing it in the head in a more conventional manner!
[20:45] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40 divine might, gambit
[20:45] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40 divine might, gambit
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 divine might, gambit and gets 54." [1d20=14]
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 divine might, gambit and gets 44." [1d20=4]
[20:45] <Jaela> roll 1d20+35 divine might, gambit
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+35 divine might, gambit and gets 55." [1d20=20]
[20:45] <Jaela> roll 1d20+30 divine might, gambit
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+30 divine might, gambit and gets 33." [1d20=3]
[20:45] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25 divine might, gambit
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 divine might, gambit and gets 34." [1d20=9]
[20:45] <Afina> "I don't think the golem can hit anything that's not directly in front of it," Afina realises. "Maybe we should just... leave it behind?"
[20:45] <Kotono> OOC: Three hits.
[20:46] <Jaela> roll 3#1d8+25+11
[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3#1d8+25+11 and gets 116." [3#1d8+25+11 = 38, 40, 38]
[20:46] <Jaela> "That's what I was trying to do before!" Jaela calls back to Afina, stepping away to see if it follows after her.
[20:46] <Kotono> Jaela strikes the golem again and again! She lands several deep thrusts into it's head, ripping holes into it! The entire beast convulses at that, even as it manages to assail the elemental once more!
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (-20 PA)
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (-20 PA)
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (-20 PA) and gets 50." [1d20=17]
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (-20 PA) and gets 45." [1d20=12]
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 4d12+50
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 4d12+50
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d12+50 and gets 79." [4d12=6, 3, 10, 10]
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d12+50 and gets 73." [4d12=3, 11, 1, 8]
[20:47] * Kotono changes topic to 'Arre>Kascha(26)>Afina(23)>Jaela=Goldenfire Golem(14)'
[20:47] * Kotono changes topic to 'Arrel>Kascha(26)>Afina(23)>Jaela=Goldenfire Golem(14)'
[20:47] <Kotono> The fire elemental is plummeled, collapsed into a gush of fire! The golem crawls forward slightly, trying to maneouver in the hall! OOC: Arrel.
[20:48] <Kotono> At this opening Arrel shrieks, darting in at the constrained golem!
[20:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+30 (+2 charge)
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 (+2 charge) and gets 39." [1d20=9]
[20:49] <Kotono> Arrel's claws scrape against the golem, landing no deep blows and instead glancing off! Meanwhile Kascha holds a little longer, waiting! OOC: AFina.
[20:50] <Afina> "Lets just move on," Afina says, refraining from attacking and just flying away towards the next stairs. "It's not really a threat."
[20:52] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Jaela.
[20:53] * Jaela gestures for Kascha to circle around the golem, intent on keeping herself and her spear in between. Not within melee, however.
[20:54] <Kotono> Kascha does the same, flying around and past! Meanwhile the golem takes this chance, slamming hard into Arrel!
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (-20 PA)
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+33 (-20 PA)
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (-20 PA) and gets 41." [1d20=8]
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 (-20 PA) and gets 34." [1d20=1]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 4d12+50
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d12+50 and gets 80." [4d12=10, 3, 9, 8]
[20:55] <Kotono> Arrel gets hit on the wing, a sickening CRACK as it turns at an angle it shouldn't bend at! Despite it Arrel stays airborn, "A dragon," he hisses, flying around it as it futilely tries to swing at him, "Has no time for trifling golems!" With that you fly past the elemental, the stairs past it! OOC: Free act. It can't really do much to you now.
[20:56] <Afina> "I wonder if there's other things like that ahead to stall us for no reason? Better stay aware," Afina suggests, flying onwards.
[20:57] <Jaela> "Probably," Jaela mutters, fixing Arrel's wing with a Heal.
[21:00] <Kotono> Amid a thanks from Arrel, the party continues down. Ahead is yet another hall - surely about the 10th basement or so, if not deeper. Here the hall is dimly lit. Yet flying through the air like strobe lights are bands of incandescent light and pure darkness, scything through the air in a deadly dance. It turns a quiet hall into a death gauntlet to be overcome, constantly cutting through the air.
[21:03] <Kotono> "I'm starting to think that whomever made this likes death traps too much," Kascha says faintly, staring ahead with her hands to her chest. "Much too much!"
[21:04] <Kotono> "It's not bad," Arrel says, "Better than facing the condemned sons of Baator. Through this one may be tricky."
[21:05] <Afina> "Yes..." Afina agrees, wanting to take the easy method but also wanting to help her friends... "Lets wait a moment and see if they follow a pattern we can memorise," she says, watching the display intently...
[21:07] <Kotono> OOC: Concentration check.
[21:07] <Jaela> "How about we use the mist this time?" Jaela suggests after spending a few moments thinking about their problem. "Maybe if we display a unique way of beating this sort of death trap Lathander will get tired of it and stop throwing them in our way?"
[21:07] <Afina> roll 1d20+26
[21:07] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+26 and gets 41." [1d20=15]
[21:08] <Afina> "Would mist actually affect temperature or would it just make it harder for us to see danger coming?" Afina asks as her eyes flicker back and forth.
[21:09] <Jaela> "I'm thinking it would stop the scythes from above and keep the temperature reasonable as we just dash past."
[21:10] <Kotono> Afina can pick a path out. It's not risk free, but quick reflexes and speed should allow you to run right through in a near straight line.
[21:11] <Afina> "Oh, I see a good path. It's almost a straight line if you're quick enough," Afina says. "Want to try your mist first though, Jaela?"
[21:13] <Jaela> "Sure!" And with a few words of praise to the Triune Jaela become enveloped in fog.
[21:16] <Kotono> OOC: What spell?
[21:17] <Jaela> OOC: Obscuring Mist.
[21:21] <Kotono> Mist spreads all over! As it does, you are transfixed. Before you is a gorgeous spread of mists and blades, fading in and out as they chop and dance amid the spreading fog. The light and dark shine amid the fog, for moments an ethereal light show at home in the Deep Ethereal. Then you notice the fog fading as the bright blades pass through them, cutting it apart.
[21:23] <Jaela> "That's not how the spell goes!"
[21:23] <Afina> "How does it go?" Afina asks curiously despite the timewasting.
[21:23] <Kotono> "Huuuuuh." Kascha murmurs as she watches it, hmming slightly to herself.
[21:24] <Jaela> "You can't see anything and nothing can see you!"
[21:24] <Afina> "Maybe you casted it wrong. Do you want to try it again or do we do this the old fashioned way?"
[21:25] <Kotono> "That's true. The temperature differences of the blades must be altering the spell," Kascha says, "You know, when we get back, we should try it with various combinations of hot and cold. Then again, there's spells like Freezing Fog and Acid Fog already....hm."
[21:25] * Jaela shakes her head. "I'm sure I cast it properly. Lathander probably wants to see Kascha dance."
[21:26] <Kotono> At this Kascha reddens again, "Lathander's not watching! He's a gentleman and wouldn't watch someone like this!"
[21:26] <Afina> "Okay. Anyway, watch closely what I do and when I do it. The window for this path is narrow and if you miss it you'll have a much harder time," Afina warns, waiting and counting until it's time before she surges forth with all due speed!
[21:26] * Jaela snorts. "Yeah sure."
[21:27] <Kotono> OOC: REflex save. +1 for each 10ft of speed you have over 60ft (standard move speed) and -1 for each 10ft of speed below 40ft.
[21:27] <Afina> roll 1d20+25+7
[21:27] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+25+7 and gets 33." [1d20=1]
[21:32] <Kotono> Afina flies on through, fast as can be! She's racing for it, going for the stairs - NO! At the last moment a blade lashes out, her timing a moment off as...(More, depends on total damage here)
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 15d6 fire damage, doesn't matter
[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 15d6 fire damage, doesn't matter and gets 59." [15d6=1, 5, 5, 6, 6, 1, 5, 4, 3, 6, 6, 3, 2, 4, 2]
[21:36] <Kotono> The agony of burning blinds Afina to everything else as she stumbles down onto the stairs. The others can see it in painfullly slow motion - her legs cleanly sliced away by a bright blade, bursting into flame as they fall away from her body! Afina from the hips down is gone, as the greviously wounded pixie lands hard on the stairs! No blood flows - her flesh is perfectly seared shut, staunching
[21:36] <Kotono> the wounds.
[21:36] <Kotono> "Oh Seira!" Kascha turns deathly pale, starting to step forward before stopping herself, "AFINA!"
[21:37] * Jaela picks Kascha up into a bridal carry and dashes down the path left by Afina! She'll try to protect Kascha, and get one of them close enough to Afina to regenerate her body properly while there is still time!
[21:38] <Kotono> OOC: Ref save, Jaela. Same mods as above.
[21:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+29+3+4 (90ft speed with haste, GH)
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+29+3+4 (90ft speed with haste, GH) and gets 54." [1d20=18]
[21:39] <Afina> Afina screams loud enough to wake the dead. She can endure some pain certainly but being cut literally in half? That's beyond it. There's no thought just incoherent shrieking and flailing as she flops around in a dismembered mess, her wings flickering spastically and pathetically as she howls and rolls around like someone who's just been cut in half.
[21:39] <Kotono> "AFINA!" Kascha screams again as Jaela rides forward with pure speed, haste blessed body clearing the blades in a few terrifying instants! Kascha half leaps and half rolls out of Jaela's arms, a hand going to steady Afina, "Hold on, we're going to help," she says, "Afina, listen!"
[21:40] * Jaela waves Arrel hurriedly after them, before she kneels at Afina's other side.
[21:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 (+1 haste, +5 speed)
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 (+1 haste, +5 speed) and gets 38." [1d20=10]
[21:41] <Kotono> Arrel hurries over silently, taking through safely as well!
[21:41] <Afina> Afina's limbs lash out at Kascha as if she's seeing someone else, but there's absolutely no strength behind them, flopping like landed fish rather than striking. Her eyes are too wide with fully pupils reduced to pinpricks and her mouth open in constant screaming agony.
[21:41] <Afina> She is not one to go quietly into the good night.
[21:42] <Jaela> "I'll hold her," Jaela tells Kascha, using her superior strength to pin the halved pixie down. "Use your Wish to regen Afina before her mind gives out!"
[21:42] <Kotono> "Jaela! Do it," Kascha says, nearly snapping, "Pray! Help her or I'll use a wish to do something!"
[21:44] <Kotono> Kascha begins to intone words, the scent of lilacs and a cool breeze blowing through. "Weave, here me! Please help Afina! Help us...Seira, help us!" she cries, as Afina's pain grows deeper. It's the pain of severed nerves reporting the agony of being cut, the pain of new flesh growing out of the old. Slowly Afina's lower body regrows, a pain that fades and brings some measure of clarity back to
[21:44] <Kotono> Afina!
[21:46] <Kotono> roll 4d8+19
[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d8+19 and gets 31." [4d8=3, 1, 3, 5]
[21:46] <Afina> She struggles vainly against Jaela's hold and screams throughout the entire process until when the last of her toes is fully formed she collapses limply in utter exhaustion.
[21:47] * Jaela channels her own healing through her gripping hands to ease Afina's pain as best as she can.
[21:47] <Jaela> roll 3d8+15
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3d8+15 and gets 27." [3d8=2, 6, 4]
[21:47] <Kotono> "It's okay," Kascha strokes Afina's head and back, "You're safe. We saved you. Shh." Slowly picking up Afina as she heals, she hugs her against her chest. "It's okay, Afina."
[21:49] <Jaela> "It's not really okay," Jaela says, dropping down on the ground for a breather. "But you're alive and safe, that's about right."
[21:49] <Afina> No resistance is offered to being picked up, Afina closing her eyes as her head is buried into Kascha's chest. Thought slowly returns and her first thought is 'look over there and you'll see your legs. These ones here? They're not yours! Yours are gone!' and her breathing starts to pick up as panic threatens to blow her rationality away as soon as it ahd returned. Shivering and curling up as
[21:49] <Afina> small as she can be against Kascha, she fights with all her will to stay calm, to assure herself she's alive and whole...
[21:51] <Kotono> "Shh." Kascha murmurs, holding Afina close. "Shh." Looking up to Jaela she mouths, 'Say something,'.
[21:54] <Jaela> Like what? 'Crystal took it better'? Jaela stares uncomfortably for a few moments before asking, "Want to give up? It's not really in my nature but it's just a detour. We can take you back to the Aurora to recover properly, Afina."
[21:57] <Kotono> "It's okay, it's okay. You're here and together, Afina. Breathe," Kascha murmurs, "Jaela, I...I think we should go on." She speaks quietly, "It would be easy to give up, but...That doesn't make you strong. That makes you someone who never comes out of the library and doesn't help. That's not what someone brave does. That's not what Seira would do."
[21:57] <Afina> Realising she's being called upon, Afina slowly and awkwardly straightens herself out and disentangles from Kascha. "N-no," she responds haltingly. "Have to come back again," is her explanation before taking a deep breath to try and calm herself. Her gaze unwittingly wanders towards her original legs, the ones that carried her (or hung under her while her wings carried her) around for three
[21:57] <Afina> hundred and fifty eight yeard. She pales and looks away, cheeks bulging as if she's about to vomit.
[21:58] <Afina> OOC: strike
[21:59] <Afina> Realising she's being called upon, Afina slowly and awkwardly straightens herself out and disentangles from Kascha. "N-no," she responds haltingly. "Have to come back again," is her explanation before taking a deep breath to try and calm herself. Her gaze unwittingly wanders in search of her original legs, the ones that carried her (or hung under her while her wings carried her) around for three
[21:59] <Afina> hundred and fifty eight years. Not seeing them, she starts shivering again as it only raises more questions.
[21:59] <Kotono> "I'll carry you," Kascha volunteers, rising, "Just rest, Afina. We won't let anything bad happen to you."
[22:00] <Kotono> OOC: Strike.
[22:01] <Kotono> "If you need help, I'll carry you," Kascha volunteers as she stands, "Don't be afraid to ask for help, Afina."
[22:02] <Jaela> "This place is pretty horrible," Jaela voices as she sees Afina shiver. "I really can't see how it could be here. It's pretty nasty in a very brutal way."
[22:02] <Afina> "Okay," she responds in a small voice, "L-let's just go." Turning to the stairs she waits on others to take the lead this time.
[22:04] <Kotono> Down the stairs you go. This set of stairs is longer - and as you go down them, a female voice intones, "Twenty minutes remain." But below is a swirl of amber and sunlight, radiating light up. It seems to form and flow up, forming a gateway below at the bottom of the long stair.
[22:04] <Jaela> "The end, I hope?" Jaela says from her place in the lead. She heads towards the gateway to be the first to test it.
[22:07] <Kotono> As you walk to it you are warm. Warm like a late spring day, soothing your fried and frozen muscles. Past the archway is a grand gateway, pure serene white. Standing in it's shadow is a perfectly gray sphere, perhaps the size of a human's head. It floats in the air, occasionally rippling as if liquid. Notably, the gates ahead are closed. The walls are decorated with sunburst patterns, the light
[22:07] <Kotono> from them neither too hot nor too cold.
[22:09] * Jaela decides to do the smartest thing yet, and reach out to touch the floating sphere once she is close enough to it.
[22:11] <Kotono> The sphere shifts, becoming a duller gray. A sense of melancholy spreads throughout the room, poignant and despairing.
[22:12] <Jaela> "Still alive," Jaela says in some surprise. "Even have my hand and head. Kascha, wanna give it a try?"
[22:14] <Kotono> "Okay," Kascha does so, reaching out and touching it. The sphere ripples a faint green with ripples of orange. A sense of sadness and concern fills the room, so much concern for Afina.
[22:15] <Jaela> "At a guess, we need to make it a serene white here too? Somehow?"
[22:16] <Kotono> "Mmm-mmm." Kascha says, "Peace of mind and serenity. That'll take focus with what we've been through...which is probably the point." Kascha sighs a little bit, "Want to try focusing or should I?"
[22:17] <Kotono> Arrel stays back in the meantime, near Afina. He keeps an eye on her quietly.
[22:17] <Afina> Reluctant to risk touching anything, Afina is glad to have a ready excuse not to touch the orb since her feelings are surely unhelpful.
[22:17] <Jaela> "Let me," Jaela says, closing her eyes to focus. "I've just come back from meditating against some really horrible shit."
[22:17] <Kotono> OOC: Make a concentration check, Jaela.
[22:17] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23+4+15
[22:17] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23+4+15 and gets 49." [1d20=7]
[22:18] <Kotono> It's hard for Jaela, calming herself and bringing serenity. It takes a few minutes, but she brings peace to herself and pushes away her feelings.
[22:20] <Jaela> Breathing in and out evenly, clearing her mind through her training and her devotion to her goddess. Those are the first steps. Then, she examines the recent events and the emotions that they evoked in her, before casting those aside. It is a process that doesn't always succeed, she intellectually realizes, but this time around she is not fighting against an ancient quasideity fiend's essence. Her only enemy, if it could be termed such, is herself. Her feelings properly marshalled, she then reaches out to tap the sphere once more.
[22:22] <Kotono> The sphere ceases to ripple and becomes serene white! The sound of a bell chiming is heard, as if it is noon at a church. Amid this ringing the gates ahead open! Ahead is a radiant path, and a woman's voice from above intones, "Past the Gates of the Hidden Dawn the time limit will be temporarily suspended."
[22:23] <Jaela> "Let's hope we won't get told we went the wrong way," Jaela says cheerfully, heading inside.
[22:25] <Afina> Afina silently follows.
[22:27] <Kotono> Kascha follows, lingering besides Afina. She smiles at her as they go on. Arrel goes to keep up with Jaela. Ahead is plain earth. Within it, at the end of a simple cave passage, is a pool. A pool in the shape of a tear, filled with what looks to be molten gold. Sitting besides it is a downscaled goldenfire golem. It's human sized, moving with easy dexterity as it rises. It speaks in a genderless
[22:27] <Kotono> voice that projects calming warmth, "Welcome to the Gate of the Hidden Dawn, friends."
[22:28] <Jaela> "Hi. Thanks."
[22:28] <Kotono> Kascha nods to that, "Thank you. May I ask if we've succeeded within this demiplane?"
[22:31] <Kotono> "Almost. This is the last trial - and a reward unto itself. At the bottom of this pool lies what was put aside. Whomever enters this pool shall be augmented and purified. Creatures of fire and dragons are best suited to this," he continues, "But whomever enters will be unable to use what was put aside."
[22:32] <Kotono> "Finally," Kascha's shoulders sag, exhaling a long sigh of utter relief. "That last hall was horrible!"
[22:33] <Jaela> "Yeah, I probably won't sleep easily tonight," Jaela agrees.
[22:34] <Kotono> "It is not an easy sight," Arrel says, "But I have seen that and worse in the fields of Ysgard. These trials were pain and blood, requiring those to endure the puzzles of the mind - the hardwon coin of a battle tested warrior who has learned well of guile."
[22:34] <Afina> It takes a massive effort with her currently weary and distressed mind, but Afina forces herself to fly a bit more straight and look less morosely apathetic, to try and give herself a chance to shed those feelings. This is something she can help with, and she's used to making things for other people so this is similar. But she's still afraid she'll be hurt again if she goes inside...
[22:36] <Kotono> "It is your choice whom enters. Of what I know of you, Afina or Arrel would be the best choices." The golem says, "When you have chosen and are prepared, you may enter. There is no time limit here, so take all the time you need."
[22:37] <Jaela> "Why did we keep on going down below?" Jaela asks curiously. "What with the structure being built above ground?"
[22:37] * Afina turns to Arrel and shrugs. "I can do it, but if you'd rather...?"
[22:37] <Kotono> "Misdirection," The golem explains, "Powerful beings are far more likely to aim magic to circumvent the trials above, not below ground."
[22:39] <Kotono> "Or fly up and assume it's above," Kascha adds with a little smile, "I'll have to remember that one!"
[22:39] * Jaela snorts, before she starts laughing in earnest.
[22:40] <Jaela> "That only works on smart people!" she says, shaking her head. "People like me would just follow a path if they see a door ahead of them."
[22:40] <Kotono> Kascha starts as well, laughter coming fast and easily! As her tension leaks out in mirth, Arrel comes up to Afina. His beak snaps as he replies, "Do you have the strength left in you for this, Afina? I am willing to go, and more than willing if your will has been ground down. Whatever is below is nothing I have need for. A dragon needs no magic baubles to wear."
[22:42] <Kotono> "I think we're smart," Kascha retorts as she wipes her eyes, "But we took the right path anyway."
[22:42] <Jaela> "Good thing, too! We probably wouldn't have made it back in time to try again."
[22:43] <Kotono> "Above ground is filled with powerful creatures and traps," The golem replies, "It is much more deadly than this path."
[22:44] * Jaela glances at the dart-spear she is carrying, and offers it to the golem. "Here, as a gift? It's pretty nicely forged! A shame I didn't get to use it properly."
[22:44] <Afina> "I can do this," Afina insists, "I won't be useless." It's still going to take a lot of work back on Aurora to really get past her current mental issues, but she can at least do this and endure the rest of their journey here. "I'll go, then," she takes a deep ragged breath and flies over to the pool.
[22:44] <Kotono> "May Selune watch over you," Arrel says, "May Lathander as well."
[22:45] <Jaela> "See?" Jaela whispers to Kascha. "Arrel thinks they're watching, too."
[22:45] <Kotono> "AAAH!" Kascha turns beet red and covers herself, "That doesn't even make sense! Why would Selune want to watch?!"
[22:46] <Jaela> "Why wouldn't she?"
[22:46] <Afina> Looking down, Afina descends into the molten gold, moving slowly this time to trade haste for caution, though.
[22:46] <Kotono> "I don't think Selune's interested in watching naked women," Kascha retorts, "Go through deathtraps!"

[Corwin]

#d

[22:47] <Jaela> "Shows how much you understand Selune! Have you even seen any Lunatic ritual?"
[22:52] <Kotono> The spear is taken! "Thank you," The golem holds it, "I am honored." Meanwhile Kascha hums, "No, but I've talked to Balyss a bit. There's nothing particularly...girls like girls about it. It's not like Balyss likes girls either, so I really don't follow!"
[22:54] * Jaela nods at the golem, before rolling her eyes at Kascha. "Fine, fine. I'll take you to see one of their full moon dances some day."
[22:55] <Kotono> "Okay," Kascha says innocently, before turning to the pool. "I hope Afina does alright."
[22:56] <Jaela> "Yeah no kidding. Having your limbs sliced off is pretty horrible."
[22:56] <Kotono> "In retrospect, going right into a trial after that trauma may not have been wise," Kascha admits, "Do you think she's okay?"
[22:58] <Jaela> "Only Afina can choose when she's ready for something," Jaela reasons. "It can't really be any other way. If anything, it really does make sense to try and get over the scars by force."
[23:00] <Kotono> "Seira willing." Kascha looks on as the top of the molten gold bubbles, coming up fromb elow, "Afina, be strong for us."

[Corwin]

#ed

[22:50] <Kotono> Gold and fire. They surround Afina, this time the fire doesn't burn. It doesn't burn...at the same time he rmind flashes back. The feeling of the blade slicing into her legs. The agony of nothingness there, as if her legs are gone again. That moment of primal terror, echoing in Afina's mind!
[22:52] <Afina> Only now does Afina remember that her elemental protections are negated here and she should have been instantly immolated. That coupled with flashbacks does nothing for her state and she starts shivering and trying to restrain rising waves of nauseating panic that threaten to overwhelm her!
[22:52] <Kotono> OOC: Make a will save.
[22:53] <Afina> roll 1d20+22
[22:53] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+22 and gets 28." [1d20=6]
[22:54] <Kotono> Nausea and panic overwhelm Afina! Terror spreads through her horribly, her breathing becoming quick and her throat stinging with rising bile. Her legs are gone her legs are gone her legs are gone, the raw panic in her blossoming into outright terror!
[22:56] <Afina> Seizing up completely Afina screams soundlessly in the liquid metal, flailing and jerking erratically just as she did right after being dismembered as her higher brain shuts down again!
[22:56] <Kotono> OOC: Make another will save.
[22:57] <Afina> roll 1d20+22
[22:57] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+22 and gets 30." [1d20=8]
[22:59] <Kotono> The agony spreads. The panic becomes overwhelming as her arms explode into pain and then nothingness, followed by her wings! Gone, just like her legs, all gone! As Afina screams and screams, "Afina, I'm proud of you." Five words are like ice water to Afina's mind, snapping hysteria and bringing a panting, desperate clarity. Queen Ilsenine's voice, coming from around her.
[23:04] * Afina jerks still at that. What's to be proud of a fear-stricken cripple? What's Afina ever suffered compared to what Ilsenine endured under Gathgarion? How pathetic she must seem compared to Crystal who lost her own limbs and continued fighting regardless and never uttered a word of complaint afterwards. What a miserable assassin, so cheaply ending the lives of her victims who go to their
[23:04] * Afina deaths with a dignity she can't even scrape together in the face of being injured.
[23:04] <Afina> She's shameful, pathetic, weak... but she doesn't want to be. She wants to earn that pride. Marshalling what scraps of courage she can gather and hoping they'll last long enough, the fairy accelerates herself tremendously, displacing tons upon tons of molten gold in an instant as she dives straight down!
[23:04] <Afina> OOC: 8th level time stop
[23:08] <Kotono> Afina plunges deeper! Down she goes, the sense of her limbs returning! Yet as she plunges down, time returning to normal? There's a faint outline below, something close. At the same time...Afina sees through her eyes, Gathgorian looming above her, hideous voices chanting supplications to things that must not be! Then her limbs rent away, torn, broken, yet fighting on. The pain is put aside,
[23:08] <Kotono> a deep wellspring of noble courage shoving it from mind. OOC: Make a will save.
[23:08] <Afina> roll 120+22
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 120+22 and gets 142."
[23:08] <Afina> roll 1d20+22
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+22 and gets 32." [1d20=10]
[23:09] <Kotono> The terror is in Afina. The fate of her friends threatens her own. She feels the terror they felt, like an intoxicating wine. Somehow she puts it aside and continues on. Ahead is a gilded box, resting at the bottom of the pool. It's no bigger than a jewelry box, sitting there in defiance of the molten gold around you.
[23:10] <Afina> Grabbing the box in both hands, Afina swims up with all the energy her grafted on water-born heritage provides her!

[Corwin]

[20:02] <Kozzz> Thus do Jaela, Kascha and Arrel await. A short time passes until the surface of the molten gold erupts, Afina swimming out! Her mind is half dazed from the nightmarish terror that lingers in her! She carries a gilded jewelry box with her.
[20:03] <Jaela> "Good going!" Jaela cheers, helping Afina get out onto solid ground.
[20:04] <Kozzz> Kascha's right behind Jaela, "Are you hurt?"
[20:05] <Afina> "Not hurt, just... it was hard," Afina gasps, leaning heavily against the two angels as she staggers out and puts the box down.
[20:05] <Kozzz> Kascha reaches out to stroke Afin'as hair, "You did fine," she smiles warmly, "Thank you."
[20:07] <Afina> "Mmmm..." she closes her eyes and sighs, slowly calming down from her desperate exertions under this affectionate treatment. "See what's in the box?" she asks, voice soft.
[20:09] <Kozzz> Afina is picked up, Kascha holding her in a hug and stroking her hair. "Could you, Jaela?"
[20:10] <Jaela> "Be a pleasure," Jaela responds, helping out.
[20:12] <Kozzz> Within the box lies a pair of bracelets. They are made out of gold, undecorated and otherwise unremarkable. On first glance they look like something a rich lady would wear, but nothing remarkable.
[20:12] <Jaela> Holding them in the palm of one hand, Jaela takes a second look with the aid of Detect Magic.
[20:14] <Kozzz> The bracelets radiate no magic at all.
[20:15] <Jaela> "Either a decoration or a crazy artifact," Jaela decides, raising an eyebrow as she glances at the golem. "I don't suppose you could shed some light on this?"
[20:16] <Kozzz> "There is power within those bracelets," The golem says, "They must be worn by a pair who cares deeply for one another, and worn while in battle. It need not be romantic feelings, friendship and the bonds formed by comrades will do."
[20:18] <Jaela> "Okay."
[20:18] * Afina listens but doesn't offer any input, happy enough just being held by Kascha.
[20:19] <Kozzz> "The bracelets won't work if Afina wears one of them," The golem continues, "But she has gained her own strength. You're free to walk up and return to the entrance now. A portal will be there to return you."
[20:20] <Kozzz> Despite everything, Afina finds Kascha smells good. Like the nostalgic part of a dusty library mixed with ink and fruit. She just keeps holding Afina, "Thank you for your help."
[20:20] <Jaela> "Can we teleport over?" Jaela dutifully asks. "To avoid going through all the traps again?"
[20:21] <Kozzz> "Unfortunately not, but the traps are disabled," The golem says, "The walk back will be safe."
[20:21] <Jaela> "Alright. So hey, now that this place isn't holding anything anymore, do you want to come back with us?"
[20:23] <Kozzz> "Despite appearances," It answers, "I have no operating intelligence. Lathander created my magic with the ability to respond correctly. Now that my task it done, I will await future commands. But if you like, I will ask him if that will be my next command."
[20:24] <Jaela> "Alright!"
[20:24] <Kozzz> "Wait, you can create a spell that precise and adaptive?" Kascha speaks up, "A hyper advanced illusion or some sort of self correcting divination?" Biting her lip, "Oh, I'll have to think about that!"
[20:25] <Jaela> "We have one living spell staying with us already, so it's not like we don't have a precedent," Jaela is all too happy to point out.
[20:26] <Kozzz> "That is true..." Kascha says, "You guys, do you want to go back to Aurora and rest before we continue? I could use a chance to restore my spells and select better ones. Plus..." she just looks down at Afina, stroking her hair. "Afina, would you like to go home and rest for awhile?"
[20:27] <Afina> "Could just be a lot of commands to supply answers to all expected contingencies," Afina murmurs. "Most wouldn't remember, though... mmmm, if we go we'll have to start again, won't we?"
[20:28] <Jaela> "Actually, we can travel by platforms, I think," Jaela muses. "Kascha's got a good idea."
[20:28] <Kozzz> "I think that the slabs can teleport us. There's one right at the entrance to the volcano," Kascha points out.
[20:28] <Kozzz> "Of that," The golen speaks up, "Be aware that only creatures that have been to a slab may teleport to it. If you bring new companions, you'll need to start over or leave them at the entrance."
[20:29] <Jaela> "Expected as much," Jaela affirms, before inquiring, "Did Lathander respond to you, by chance?"
[20:29] <Afina> "Okay, then," Afina allows. "A rest would be good."
[20:29] <Kozzz> "Not yet," The golem says, "My task is not complete until you have left the demiplane."
[20:30] * Jaela salutes it, and then glances at her friends. "Let's get back, then."
[20:42] <Kozzz> Walking up is peaceful. All the halls are brightly lit, yet only warm. As you walk back up, "How long do you all want to rest? One night or longer?" Kascha asks, amid murmuring soft little lullabyes to Afina.
[20:44] <Jaela> "I don't think a night would be enough here. Maybe take half a week to a week?"
[20:45] <Kozzz> "As much time as Afina needs," Kascha says softly, "I could use a day's rest after that as well. I think we all could."
[20:46] <Afina> "Two days," Afina pipes up, her adorable voice sounding more meek than usual. "We shouldn't wait too long."
[20:47] * Jaela is reasonably fresh, at least in comparison. But she can't begrudge Afina and Kascha the mental rest, and she could use a change of pace herself. "Use a Sending for me when you feel like challenging it again, if nothing pressing happens?"
[20:48] <Kozzz> "Of course. Do you have plans?" Kascha inquires as you reach the entry hall. Here the amber and sunlight glows brighter, as if celebrating.
[20:49] <Jaela> "Not plans-plans. Just... plans. You know?"
[20:50] <Kozzz> Kascha smiles gently, "Just...plans. Are they with..." Blushing a little bit at this, despite a wan smile, "Mirima?"
[20:52] <Jaela> "I think I'll keep it a mystery."
[20:54] <Kozzz> Kascha's smile hasn't dimmed by the time you reach outside. There is a simple portal waiting you, identical to the one that brought you here. On going through it, you find yourselves back at the stone slab in the secret passage. There is still an unexplored door ahead. As Kascha goes onto the slab, "Are we ready to go back?"

[Corwin]

#d

[20:58] <Kozzz> Crystal is found in the growing fields. In the green serenity she sits atop a ripe pumpkin, seemingly at rest. She glitters with pixie dust, watching Afina come with a welcoming smile. "Baroness Devilsbane," she greets, "Hail and well met!"
[21:00] <Afina> "Crystal," Afina nods, still subdued even though she's trying and making some progress to working through things. Landing on a neighbouring pumpkin she asks, "Remember the battle here on Air when the devils attacked with portals inside the courtyard?"
[21:01] <Kozzz> "How could I forget?" Crystal says, turning to Afina as she talks. She positions to be facing her, "I suppose that's straight out of bad literature, but I doubt I'll forget that battle."
[21:05] <Afina> "I remember seeing you at the gate as I closed the portals, fighting so valiantly even though you'd been tremendously maimed," Afina recalls quietly before looking at Crystal, "How did you do it? How did you keep your wits?"
[21:07] <Kozzz> Crystal's quiet after that. She turns to look out at the rolling magical fields. "Many reasons. There was no one thing that kept me going, it was the totality of my faith in myself and the Court of the Stars, my sworn vengance against Hell and those who would die if I failed. I gave up much of my identity as a pixie to become a weapon to slay evil. A weapon does not stop until it is completely
[21:07] <Kozzz> broken." With a thin smile, "I was not completely broken. My body was maimed, but my faith was not."
[21:12] * Afina feels shamed by those words. "I had my legs cut off," she says. "It was so sudden, so shocking... even now I'm having trouble with it. I've endured dismemberment before," she looks at her left hand, the one that replaced her far realm infested one, "But then I was prepared. Braced for it, and I knew it would be fixed right after. Having it happen by surprise, I just couldn't cope at
[21:12] * Afina all."
[21:16] <Kozzz> "So you failed because of that?" Crystal asks, voice calm. "Reduced to screaming, mindless agony?" Sighing a little bit, "Don't take my words are slings and barbs. By the direction of your questions, I suspect you've said the same to yourself. Is that right?"
[21:22] <Afina> "It made me realise how little I've suffered. Burning to death was at least quick, and freezing was almost beyond enduring, but nothing has reduced me to such a pathetic state before... in battle I'm always the one who dodges, always the one who emerges unscathed. Thinking of how others have endured far worse since Lifasa fell, it shames me."
[21:22] <Kozzz> "Afina?" Crystal asks, voice still calm.
[21:24] <Afina> "Hm?"
[21:28] <Kotono> "Be realistic." Crystal says, "The fact that Queen Ilsenine functions at all is a damned miracle achieved by the strongest, most stubborn woman I've ever known. The fact that I endured is because I tossed so much of myself away to become an anomaly within the fey. Do you remember when I first awoke in Aurora? The first thing I did was to get ready for war, checking on the weapons and planning.
[21:28] <Kotono> I made myself into a weapon to fight evil. There's nothing to be ashamed of that you couldn't mimic that a moment after you were cut in half. Don't feel shame over it. Feel a reason to improve yourself instead. Find a reason that will give you the strength to keep going."
[21:33] <Afina> She *had* considered herself a weapon. An avatar of retribution against Hell, ready to push past any obstacle and fight beyond reason to end every devil that so much as touched a speck of Lifasan soil. "I'll try," she says, standing up. "Thanks, Crystal," is added before she flutters off.
[21:34] <Kotono> "Afina," Crystal calls as she goes.
[21:34] <Afina> "Yes?"
[21:35] <Kotono> "Talk to Her Majesty. She'll understand," Crystal says, and after a pause, "When I comforted Ilsenine through her nightmares, it wasn't only for her benefit. She aided me as well."
[21:36] * Afina nods. "I'll go and see her now."

[Corwin]

#ed

[20:59] <Kozzz> On your return, you find Mirima. In fact, you find her easily. Mirima, Canderella, Misalea and Adrian are fighting in formation with about a dozen of the Graceful Blow ladies. Behind them is Gisfal, barking orders sharply, "Turn! Slash! Parry!" As if fighting invisible opponents they all react, with startling speed at each of his commands.
[21:00] <Jaela> "Mind if I cut in for a sec, Gisfal?" Jaela asks, waving at Misalea and Mirima.
[21:03] <Kozzz> "Yes." Gisfal sends Jaela a steely glare, "They aren't done yet! They aren't done until I'm satisfied with their progress. Faster!" he barks, arms crossed. "I want to see you fast enough to slice a orthon brigade apart double time! FASTER! Lifasa's depending on you!"
[21:04] <Kozzz> Thus do they all go faster, Mirima manages a momentary nod to Jaela before swinging faster! She's all sweaty - but so are all of them, huffing for air as they work fast, faster and faster yet.
[21:04] <Jaela> "Don't be like that," Jaela tells him quietly. "I've got one of Lathander's artifacts with me, made for battle. What better time to test it out than this?"
[21:10] <Kozzz> Jaela gets another steely look, "Continue with the same pattern," he says, before stepping away and quietly replying, "Out of earshot," he says, looking to them and stepping further away.
[21:13] * Jaela follows him, the box retrieved. "I think it's too risky to use in a real battle for the first time, so sparring or training sounds like the best option, especially with expert supervision." She flips it open, showing Gisfal the contents. "Ever heard of this? Think he called it Hidden Dawn."
[21:17] <Kozzz> "I haven't," Gisfal says after giving it a cursory examination, "Who would be suited to them, do you think?"
[21:19] <Jaela> "I'm assuming it's not some cursed artifact you can't take off," Jaela says, "so I figured no one was better suited than Mirima and Misalea. They're both at the lead of their school, and they're very good at mastering it. That all but means they can fight well together and anticipate one another. And they'll notice best how it boosts them." She grins. "We'll notice too, since their approach to the style is slightly different."
[21:21] <Kozzz> "Mm." A moment's thought, "I'll have them put them on. If it doesn't react to the rest of these exercises, I'll have them spar with each other."
[21:25] <Jaela> "Or together against the rest!"
[21:29] <Kotono> A nod and then Gisfal goes back. "Halt!" he announces, coming over to them. He hands one bracelet to Mirima and the other to Misalea, "Put those on and continue. Jaela and I will observe you. Faster now!"
[21:30] * Jaela finds a spot for herself a short distance away.
[21:33] <Kotono> Under sharp commands does the Graceful Blow return to it! Faster and faster they go, a blur to the eye! Gisfal constantly orders them about, punctuated by sharp cries of, "FASTER!" As you watch - you're not certain, but you swear you catch a few flashes of gold from Mirima and Misalea as they practice.
[21:35] <Jaela> She never doubted that they have a strong bond between themselves. Now, it remains to see what would come out of it. She wouldn't interfere in Gisfal's training, but spend a bit of time watching him for his reaction as well.

[Corwin]

#d

[20:01] <Kotono> Queen Ilsenine's court is busy. Lady Skye is there, guiding a line of fey seeing her. Queen Ilsenine watches it, as a nymph sitting atop a luminous butterfly plays a harp. It's a soft and subtle melody, intermixing with the notes of a piano. It's a smooth melody, very relaxing. A few clusters of other fey are about, chattering away quietly. Besides the portal is a pixie, "Her Majesty has decided
[20:01] <Kotono> today shall be a day of introspective music," he says, "Please keep your actions and bearing in accordance to the music."
[20:05] <Afina> "I understand," she says back. Not wanting to disturb the business of court, Afina just finds a spot near where the butterfly nymph plays and chooses to relax for a while, greatly aided by the music. To be honest it's good to mentally drift like that for a while before having to recall and talk about being cut in half again.
[20:09] <Kotono> The music brings an easy peace to Afina. Her mind naturally shies away from her trauma, letting herself drift to the music. The court's business is subdued and quiet. Pixies come to see Lady Skye, who talks ot them and either sends them off or directs them to Her Majesty. None of the business seems particularly pressing. Other fey come and chat, little clusters. A few times Elena comes in,
[20:09] <Kotono> exchanging brief words with the gate-pixie before vanishing away. After about an hour of this, Lady Skye's line ends. She goes to Queen Ilsenine and talks briefly, before coming to Afina. In a low voice that barely carries to Afina, "Her Majesty wishes to know if you have business or if you are merely attending court. She understands your tasks often keep you away, and wishes not to further
[20:09] <Kotono> delay you if you wait here with purpose."
[20:12] <Afina> Speaking similarly softly, Afina replies, "It's a personal matter and can wait. I'm content as I am, right now." There's no need to end court early on her behalf and she doesn't want to speak about her problems in front of everyone. Just being here is good enough to soothe her worries some.
[20:13] <Kotono> Lady Skye merely nods and slips away. From here the gentle movements of court continue - until a familiar face comes up. Simmer comes to stand next to Afina, "When you think court, you think excitement and intrigue. This is like court with everyone nursing a hangover." Thinking on it a moment, Afina didn't notice her come in.
[20:16] <Afina> "There's no one to plot against, really," Afina opens her eyes, "You would have been more impressed with our court back in the Gloaming Forest. My services as an assassin were in high demand."
[20:18] <Kotono> "No one left. I've heard Her Majesty's speeches," Simmer says lazily, "Her Majesty is against further loss of fey life." A pause as the music drifts amid you, like the sounds of the fall wind, "Fire doesn't do subtle, so..." Smiling slightly, "Crystal said you may appreciate going to set things on fire to let stress out. Let me know if you want to."
[20:20] <Afina> "Mmmm... yes, that's a good idea, actually," she decides after a moment. Burning things just hits the right pleasure centres in her brain to take her mind off most problems. "Anything in mind for us to burn?"
[20:23] <Kotono> "You think I don't have an idea of what to burn at all times?" Simmer pouts at that, "Actually, I always do because Dana's been trying to get me to burn her up. But besides her, I was thinking of going back to Ysgard. I heard of some old valley forests there."
[20:27] <Afina> "Dana's an idiot," Afina says firmly and with conviction. "I suppose you can do whatever you want in Ysgard and it doesn't matter, though. Alright - are you able to provide transport or will we need a third?"
[20:29] <Kotono> "We'll need a third," Simmer says, "I can get Balyss to do it, she owes me a favor. Or do you have someone in mind? We'll also need to visit Tepen, he's been pushing getting warded before leaving Aurora again."
[20:30] <Afina> "Balyss is fine," Afina agrees. A pity she already turned Jaela into a half-fire elemental or Balyss would be able to join in the pyrotechnics. "Lets go, then."
[20:39] <Kotono> From there you're warded and heading out of Aurora. Balyss is whistling to herself, a spring in her step as you head out.
[20:41] <Afina> "Did something good happen today?" Afina asks Balyss since she seems so chipper.
[20:43] <Kotono> "Huh? Oh yes, by Selune's light it did!" Whistling happily, this gives Simmer a chance. She cuts in, "We got a letter from Whimsical Sweets in Balmuria as well as a care package."
[20:43] <Kotono> "Simmer!" Balyss glowers, "Don't interrupt! Just for that, you're not getting any more of the elf bread or the gel honey!"
[20:43] <Kotono> "We've been eating candy all day," Simmer goes on airily, ignoring Balyss, "Balyss is probably more honey and sweetness than flesh by now."
[20:46] <Afina> "Oh, that's nice," Afina smiles, the unimportant conversation and friendly company after a period of relaxing introspection doing much to lighten her mood. "Have you got anything good on you? And how is everyone back home?" Not that she knows any of them but she cares about Simmer and Balyss.
[20:48] <Kotono> "Try this first," Balyss takes out a cloth wrapped glob. It's about the size of a fist, a solid jello-like substance the color of honey. She tears off a small piece, "Josa's been experimenting with jellifying things after reducing them to a liquid and mixing them with sugar and spices."
[20:50] * Afina gratefully accepts, biting off half and inhaling it as it starts to further liquify in her overheated mouth, the other half soon joining it!
[20:50] <Kotono> "This is what happens when a Candymancer fights an intelligent ooze," Simmer shakes her head, "See, apparently Aaeru and Whurric - oh, do you know them at all? Anyway, they were on a job and it turns out that the blocked pipes were the result of Josa dumping failed brews and they jelled together. Apparently they fough a pitched battle all across the Commerce Quarter with a 20ft tall candy blob."
[20:52] <Kotono> It's like solid honey, with hints of cinnamon and warm spices. Almost like a honeyed tea, but not as sweet. It's a mellow but pleasing taste, and none of the stickiness of normal honey. It goes down smooth.
[20:53] <Afina> "That must have been a lot of failed brews," the pixie comments, "But the jelly is nice. I'll see if the mess can recreate it later."
[20:54] <Kotono> "I have some apple jelly for later and some applejack," Balyss steps outside, offering her hands out, "I know where we're going. You two ready?"
[20:56] <Afina> "Yes," Afina puts her hand in Balyss's.
[21:00] <Kotono> In an instant you are in the colda gain. The chilly air of Ysgard is around you. Below you is a thickly forested valley of pine trees, Simmer skipping off down the rocky slope. "C'mon, Afina!"
[21:02] <Afina> "You might want some fire resistance now, Balyss," Afina warns the golden aasimar before she flutters after the skipping pyrodryad.
[21:07] <Kotono> "I'll be staying up here. I'm already protected," Balyss says, "Head this way when you're done."
[21:10] <Afina> "Alright. Send up a flare if you have any trouble," Afina suggests before picking up her pace to catch Simmer.
[21:13] <Kotono> Simmer hurries down below the tree line, into the thick, chill forest. She's whistling and skipping, leading you deeper in. It becomes denser, pines clustered together with a rich green underbrush. "Afina," Stopping now, "I want you to pour what's bothering you into your magic and show me some real fire. I want tos ee passion and emotion. I want to see that make this forest BURN."
[21:19] <Afina> Putting feelings into magic is at least easier for a sorcerer than a wizard, Afina admits to herself. "It was fire that hurt me," she tells Simmer, more able to speak freely without feeling weighed down after some time to digest things. "Like it hurt me before. And just like last time, it hurt me because of a stupid mistake!" she raises her voice into a cry and turns, sweeping her arm and
[21:19] <Afina> churning the earth before her as it erupts into a massive wave of magma spreading out and turning over trees in its path, burying and burning them in thick molten rock!
[21:26] <Kotono> Magma responds to her, a torrent of it that burns the pine trees into a funeral pyre! Afina feels rage and emotion boil up within her, as if fully unleashed by that spell! Yet at the same time, the burning wood, the rising smoke, the glorious heat - all enthralls Afina's gaze.
[21:27] <Kotono> "Then burn it!" Simmer's voice is strident amid the flames, "Burn it all! Anything that hurts you should BURN!" Her voice dips into a passionate snarl, "Burn it!"
[21:31] <Afina> "I hurt myself because I'm sloppy!" Afina vents, unleashing more of her fury in the form of a ball of rolling fire that she sends tumbling off past the cooling magma. Reaching up and clutching empty air in her hand, a small incandescent sphere ignites under her fingers and gets tossed off to the side to detonate with a fierce blast of flame in the distance. "I can't pay attention when it
[21:31] <Afina> matters and all it does is cause me pain!"
[21:35] <Kotono> An explosion from the fireball is followed by the detonation of her orb, trees exploding out into flaming shrapnel! A spray of burning wood flies past you, as refreshing as cold water was once before. "Give them pain!" Simmer calls, as the burst of a fireball behind you sends superheated air buffeting by, "Fire will ALWAYS give you what you need, Afina, you just have to accept it and reject
[21:35] <Kotono> everything else. Let the fire work through you!"
[21:41] <Afina> Afina has her own views on that but she's too busy venting to articulate them. She's used to Simmer's sermonising enough to just let it roll off her back anyway. "If I'd just been quick and done it properly I'd never even have been touched!" she yells shrilly, sweeping her hand in the opposite direction she sent the fireball to send a wall of flame lancing through the forest. "But I didn't...
[21:41] <Afina> because I wanted to guide my friends on a safe path so they wouldn't be hurt..." she concludes, her wings slowing until she lands on the charred ground, feeling empty and liberated after a good purge of her feelings. The fire doesn't need any more help to rage on its own, anyway.
[21:44] <Kotono> Fire and smoke. The world is fire and smoke. Magma boils just below your feet, the ground sizzling hot. Simmer's there in the glorious warmth, destroying the chill of Ysgard. "Why do you think fire hurt you, Afina?" she asks, a hand on her back. "Did you do something anathemic to fire?"
[21:46] * Afina shakes her head. "We were in a place where elemental protections were negated. An obstacle course of fire and cold," she explains. "I was too slow to react and a line of fire sliced my legs off."
[21:48] <Kotono> "You took water into you," Simmer continues, "Are you so surprised that it happened to work out like that?"
[21:55] <Afina> "That's what this is about?!" Afina whirls away from Simmer's hand, turning to face her, surprised and hurt. "I thought you wanted to help, not sermonize and threaten!" That Simmer would have been hurt just as badly in the same situation - and indeed Afina could burn her at leisure with the same technique Simmer herself showed her only adds to her indignation.
[21:57] <Kotono> Simmer's eyes widen, "No!" Staring at Afina, "I'm not threatening you! It's just...you know what you did isn't natural. Is it so surprising that something might happen?" Looking down and away, "I'm concerned. When you said that fire hurt you, what was I supposed to think?"
[22:02] <Afina> "Fire can hurt you too if it's searing. Or goldenfire. Or hellfire," Afina rattles off, at least somewhat mollified by Simmer's response. "I was hurt because of all the reasons I just said," she goes on a bit more calmly, "Not because of any revenge for what I've done. Trust me, I had to reconcile the hatred Fire and Water hold for each other inside my own body before I could undergo this
[22:02] <Afina> transformation," she gestures at herself. "And I'll do the same for Earth and Air before I'm done."
[22:07] <Kotono> Amid the continuing crackles of the burning forest, a flaming branch lands nearby. Simmer doesn't even react to it, "Alright." REaching up and taking a bit of burning branch, "I'd offer you an olive branch, but they're all on fire now."
[22:09] <Afina> "That was the idea, anyway," Afina accepts the branch, more of a handful for her small stature. "Still friends?"
[22:13] <Kotono> "Still friends," she says, "Even if you're a horrible heretic." Smiling a little bit at that, "When Balyss mentioned applejack, that's code for her wanting to get happy from drinking too much of it. Let's go join her and do our part so she doesn't get too drunk to take us home."
[22:15] <Afina> "There are worse places to get drunk," Afina opines, flying up and perching on Simmer's shoulder.
[22:16] <Kotono> OOC: Skip along a bit now?
[22:16] <Afina> OOC: sure
[22:17] <Kotono> An hour later returns Afina back. Applejack and candies of all sort have drunkeness and sugar affecting her in equal measure. Balyss and Simmer trot back into Aurora, the former going on, "And that's how Whimsical Sweets met a phoenix!"
[22:18] <Kotono> "Oh yeah, good story," Simmer says agreeably, "Aaaah, home. Even if it isn't burning. Say Afina, are you going back to court now?"
[22:20] <Afina> "Did you know," Afina says, all smiles now that she's filled with alcohol, "We made a phoenix our symbol when we found Aurora. But we never made any flags or anything, we just said it and forgot about it!" she laughs, holding onto both Simmer and Balyss's arms between them. Even if she has better tolerances for liquid refreshment as a part water elemental, she's still a tiny pixie and fairly
[22:20] <Afina> easy to affect compared to big'uns. "Oh, uh court? No... no I shouldn't, not right now, hee hee."
[22:24] <Kotono> "Oh shit!" Balyss blurts, "We'll need to make a flag!" Snapping her fingers as Afina holds on, "Aurora needs a flag!"
[22:25] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm," Timmer titters in time with Afina, "Let's do something else instead of flagmaking."
[22:28] <Afina> "Yeah, that can wait," Afina agrees, "Lets find some more fun people and go someplace where we can drink and talk and have fun!" she insists, bouncing up and down between the other two. "Like Crystal and Kascha and Elena and Jaela and Candy and Sylvie and Tepen and..." she continues going on, listing most of Aurora's upper echelons at a rapid clip.
[22:30] <Kotono> "Simmer, take her back to my room. WE'll start there," she says, then reaches into her pocket. She takes out a bit of hard candy, "Here. Suck on this, Afina. I'll be back soon with just the right thing!"
[22:32] <Afina> Afina lets go of Balyss in order to put the candy in her mouth, her wings flickering as she lifts herself under her own power once more. "You're the best, Balyss!" she cheers around the candy before following Simmer.

[Corwin]

#ed

[19:54] <Kotono> It goes on for a little while - the occasional flash, as everyone goes faster yet! Then? "Stop!" Gisfal cries, as they do exactly that. Several collapse - Mirima goes to one knee, Misalea stumbling and leaning against a doubled over Adrian. Canderella is breathing heavy but upright, while the rest of the girls look completely dazed. Gisfal murmurs after, "They were at the limit. Did yo usee
[19:54] <Kotono> what you were hoping for?"
[19:56] <Jaela> "Flashes of gold," she responds just as quietly. "I don't doubt you saw it too. How about a spar after this break?"
[19:58] <Kotono> "Yes," Gisfal watches them recover, giving them a few minutes. As Misalea recovers she turns to Gisfal. Her hair is a sweaty mess, face deeply flushed as she breathes deeply. "Sir?" Addressing Gisfal, "Is this bracelet supposed to feel warm?"
[19:59] <Kotono> "Possibly," He says, "Do you feel anything else from them?"
[20:02] <Kotono> "They're just warm," Misalea says, Mirima rising and shaking her head, "Warm but nothing else, G-Sir." Coughing a moment before the sir, "That's it."
[20:03] <Kotono> "Misaela on one side," Gisfal commands, "Mirima on the other. Individual sparring to begin once you're in a stance and on my mark. Fight until I give you leave to cease. No serious strikes, point strikes only."
[20:04] <Jaela> Was she wrong about the conditions? No, that can't be it. How many bonds would be stronger? Then there really might need to be a battle of some sort to trigger the power....
[20:06] <Kotono> The two position, Gisfal waiting a moment before calling, "BEGIN!" At this both warriors clash as the others settle back to watch. It's a flurry of graceful moves and careful parries, a dance as much as a battle. As they go, a strict battle of sword on sword, Jaela can catch sight of the bracelets glinting again.
[20:07] * Jaela tries to note what the girls are doing when the bracelets shine.
[20:11] <Kotono> After a good few minutes of sparring, Jaela can't detect a pattern. It seems to be entirely random, as long as they're moving and at combat. Matchwise, Mirima has a narrow lead over Misalea, Gisfal's voice occasionally calling, "Point!" when one or the other lands a blow to a vital area.
[20:13] <Jaela> Touching Gisfal's elbow lightly, Jaela suggests, "Can we have them fight together against a group of attackers?"
[20:15] <Kotono> A slight nod back, "Break!" Gisfal cries, both women stopping and breathing heavily, "Misalea and Mirima together versus everyone else! It will continue until they are both disarmed and unable to defend themselves without magic." The slightest murmur is heard at that, stopped cold with one glare to them. Everyone positions, "On my mark....GO!"
[20:15] <Jaela> Her anticipation is quite high at this point!
[20:19] <Kotono> The battle begins! As Mirima and Misalea weather the first probing wave, bracelets still occasionally glinting, "If this fails, a summoned monster would be my recommendation. It may have a specific idea of what a battle is, as artifacts tend to obey their rules instead of ours."
[20:21] <Jaela> "I thought the same thing," Jaela agrees. "In fact, let me take care of that. Elena!"
[20:24] <Kotono> Elena appears after a moment, dressed normally. "Yes?" she asks, as Mirima parries Adrian's blow while Canderella slips into wallop her across the ribs. The red head visibly winces, stumbling back and Misalea moving to fall back in defense of her.
[20:25] <Jaela> "We would appreciate some sorta summoned monster for a serious fight. Do you think you could manage that through one of our resident mages?"
[20:32] <Kotono> "What type of monster?" Elena asks right after.
[20:33] <Jaela> "Something huge and dumb would be best."
[20:39] <Kotono> "Tepen can," Elena says, "Want me to get him?"
[20:39] <Jaela> "Yeah. Please tell him what we need, and that we need it for training, okay?"
[20:41] <Kotono> Thus she's gone. It's not long after that thet wo are downed, surrounded and disarmed. "Break!" Gisfal calls, "Rest for the moment." As they recover, Elder Magi Tepen emerges. Ellese follows a step behind him, head bowed. "Jaela," he greets.
[20:42] <Jaela> "Tepen," she returns, waving at him. "Ellese. Hope I didn't drag you guys away from something important?"
[20:45] <Kotono> "Nothing pressing," He replies, shaking his head slightly. "We'll need to head out of Aurora for a summoning."
[20:45] * Jaela nods. "Of course. I'll come along." She glances over at Gisfal to make sure that he heard this.
[20:53] <Kotono> "Mirima and Misalea follow me. The rest of you are dismissed," Gisfal calls, heading out. Once outside, "Jaela, you run this," he says, "It's your experiment now, they're done with training for the day."
[20:57] <Jaela> "Sure," Jaela agrees, intending to keep this very simple. While Tepen heads out to handle the summons, she taps first Mirima and then Misalea over the shoulder. A Heal, to get their blood going properly once more. And Fortunate Fate, to be on the safe side. "Alright," she tells them. "You probably got the idea that there's something about the golden bands. To put it simply, they're what comrades in arms wear to better defend each other in battle. What this is all about is to see if they accept you as their masters and contribute properly. With me so far?"
[20:58] <Kotono> "That makes sense," Misalea blurts, before ever so slightly blushing, "What I mean is that I felt something wasn't quite right when I wore the bracelet. Like I was trying to start a fire but I couldn't the spark I needed."
[20:59] <Jaela> "Yeah. We didn't want to start with a real fight from the start. Who knows how suddenly feeling that sort of thing would work, right? If it distracted either of you at a critical moment...." Jaela shakes her head. "Anyway, it's solid light and sacred fire. It would work for you, I'm sure of it."
[21:08] <Kotono> "Alright," Mirima says after that, "Let's give it a go."
[21:08] <Kotono> Tepen steps back, "I shall be summoning an elder fire elemental," he announces, as everyone floats in the air, "You should be able to dispatch it without mortal danger."
[21:11] <Kotono> "I'm ready," Misalea says, taking position.
[21:11] <Jaela> "Fight for real!" Jaela instructs them, herself ready to intervene if something goes badly. Otherwise, she will merely observe how the artifacts behave with mage sight. "Old man, let's go!"
[21:11] <Kotono> WIth that, Elder Magi Tepen chants! A pentagram of fire appears ahead of you, and from it a titanic being of pure living flame emerges! At this the battle is joined, Mirima whooping as...OOC: Okay. You mean Arcane Sight or something else?
[21:12] <Jaela> OOC: I think DM will be fine. If I see magic happening, I'll try to figure out what's going on.
[21:20] <Kotono> Thus the battle is joined! It is a battle of steel versus living flame, of speed versus the crackling rush of fire. As they fight, the bracelets begin to glow more - yet Jaela detects no magic. "Got it!" Mirima and Misalea call at once, as Mirima leaps up and swiftly decapitates the elemental! It stumbles back as Misalea lunges forward, bisecting it from the groin up in one mighty leap!
[21:21] <Jaela> "Nicely done!" she calls out to the pair. "You got the fire started, I take it?"
[21:23] <Kotono> As the elemental fades back to Fire, "I can's speak for Misalea, but I divined some information. The bracelets need to be worn in battles - the more and stronger the battles, the better. Right now they only protect against heat." Mirima comes over to Jaela, taking her bracelet off. "Here, were you going to take them back?"
[21:27] * Jaela takes a while to decide, before nodding slowly. "Yeah, for now. We should try using them a few times in sorties before handing them out for good."
[21:28] <Kotono> Misalea returns hers as well, "Is that all? I want to go wash all this sweat off."
[21:31] <Jaela> "Thanks for the help! And yeah, that's all," Jaela responds, having to restrain the urge to summon a stormy cloud above Misalea. "I think you two would be the best candidates for wearing these things, but at the same time I doubt you'll get to face the very strongest opponents due to your positions at the head of an army. We'll have to figure something out here...."
[21:36] <Kotono> Misalea and Mirima quickly slip away, leading Elder Magi Tepen and Gisfal. Ellese is there as well, silently studying the bracelets. "Do they have to be worn by one pair, or can any wear them and benefit?" Tepen inquires.
[21:37] <Jaela> "A pair of comrades works," Jaela responds. "If you're interested about the jewelry, I think it might be in the library under Hidden Dawn." She shrugs. "Or I could be entirely off base, of course. Feel like trying them out with me?"
[21:40] <Kotono> "Yes," TEpen holds his hand out, "So where did you get these?"
[21:43] <Jaela> "A locked away demiplane of Lathander's," Jaela responds, handing a bracelet to Tepen while placing one over her right arm. Her own will need to be removed, but she has proven ample times that she could defend herself well without the crutch of her material possessions.
[21:45] <Kotono> The bracelet is put on. It feels warm to Jaela, like rays of sunshine.
[21:46] <Jaela> "What are you thinking of summoning now?" she asks.
[21:50] <Kotono> "Something simpler - I don't have another Summon Monster 9 on hand," Tepen says, "A large elemental is most likely."
[21:51] <Jaela> "How about you, Ellese?" Jaela asks, looking between the two.
[21:54] <Kotono> "I don't have any summoning magic," she answers, "Even if I did...I'm not sure I'd wnat to summon what I'd summon."
[21:56] <Jaela> "Alright. A large earth elemental it is!"
[21:59] <Kotono> "In Air?" Tepen asks, "That won't be much of a fight, even if we summon it successfully."
[22:01] <Jaela> "I figured the locals would like it." Jaela shrugs. "What were you thinking of, then?"
[22:01] <Kotono> "A fire elemental again," Tepen says, "It works and can handle the flying here, so it can at least put up a token effort."
[22:02] <Jaela> "And we can see if there's any change to what already happened with the bracelets?" Jaela considers it. "Sure, worth a try. Go for it! This time, I'll cover you and preempt it, while you take it down. We'll see if that works?"
[22:06] <Kotono> With that, another pentagram appears, 30ft away! It's smaller - only double the size of Jaela! A being of pure flame, thrashing briefly before emerging out and charging at JAela and Tepen! OOC: Init.

[22:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 elemental
[22:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 elemental and gets 17." [1d20=8]
[22:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 Tepen
[22:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Tepen and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[22:06] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
[22:06] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 18." [1d20=6]
[22:07] * Kotono changes topic to 'Tepen(24)>Jaela(18)>Elemental(17)'
[22:09] <Kotono> Tepen quickly gestures to each of the cardinal directions, a whirling band of snow forming around him, "By the north winds, hear my call, Weave!" TEpen calls, a concentrated beam of cold appearing in his hand, "Freeze him in an eternal coffin of ice!"
[22:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 touch AC
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 touch AC and gets 36." [1d20=18]
[22:10] <Kotono> roll 19d6*1.5
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 19d6*1.5 and gets 93." [19d6=6, 3, 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 4, 6, 2, 6, 3, 6, 2, 2, 6, 2, 1, 4]
[22:11] <Kotono> The beam hits the elemental in the chest, flash freezing it instantly! It stays that way for amoment until it fades away, leaving a tittering cascade of crumbling ice behind.
[22:11] <Kotono> OOC: Free act.

[22:11] * Jaela coughs into a fist. "Right. Did you feel any different?"
[22:14] <Kotono> "Not particularly," Tepen says, "But that was a weaker enemy that was trivial to dispatch."
[22:14] <Jaela> "Ah well. I'll keep them locked away for now?"
[22:18] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then. Anything else you're going to do for now?
[22:19] <Jaela> OOC: Up to you here
[22:22] <Kotono> That evening brings a pensive mood to Jaela. Nothing much is going on - the epitome of peace and quiet. Her quarters are silent, allowing peaceful introspection and putting the long day behind her. As she sits there, lost in the ever-tumbling of her thoughts, the portal into her quarters ripples. Canderella enters, "Elena said you were here," she says. "Not disturbing anything, am I?"
[22:23] <Jaela> "No, it's fine," Jaela says good-naturedly, waving her over. "Just pondering an arcane problem, that's all."
[22:28] <Kotono> Canderella comes over, taking a seat next to Jaela. "Are you going to be in Aurora for the next few days?"
[22:29] <Jaela> "Hard to say. Chances are I'll have to leave for a couple hours, but it's always possible to delay that, too. What's up?"
[22:31] <Kotono> "Mirima mentioned you may be taking a trip out soon," Canderella explains, "It'll affect my schedule."
[22:32] <Jaela> "What sort of schedule?"

[Corwin]

#d

[19:48] <Kotono> Afina happily flutters on towards Balyss's room, "Sweets and drink? You must be feeling good," SImmer observes as you head into the officer's quarters.
[19:52] <Afina> "Well I mean oh goodness my legs got cut right off!" Afina blurts out, "It hurt and it was horrible and I hated it. But the important thing is I'm better now and I have great friends!" she concludes with a big smile, zipping around Simmer.
[19:57] <Kotono> Giggling at this, "You're hyper as a child," Simmer shakes a finger, as you head into Balyss's room. It's a bit on the disorganized side, little knick-knacks all over. Balyss goes to a paper wrapped package on Balyss's bed, "Hey, let's have you try a maplestick."
[19:59] <Afina> "Yeah this is how I am when I'm drunk," Afina agrees, taking a look at the much more lived in room than her own. "It's why I don't drink normally but it's good and I like it," she says, happy to accept whatever Simmer presses on her.
[20:02] <Kotono> It's a six inch long stick of what looks to be solid maple syrup. It's dusted with sugar, passed over. With an exaggerated wink, "Don't eat these around the boys, they get the wrong idea. They're formed maple syrup." Taking one and happily sucking on it, "Mmmmm. You know, when Josa realizes Fire is supreme, he really should set up a candy shop somewhere on Fire."
[20:05] <Afina> Afina giggles and after a lick she sticks the whole thing in her mouth, though it turns out to be quite a tight squeeze. Sucking for a bit anyway she pulls it out to speak, "Oh, Simmer. You can't enjoy snow-cones! That's awful!" she cries after her attempt to think about fiery sweets only pointed out the reverse.
[20:09] <Kotono> It's like a mouthful of maple syrup flavor, caressing her tongue without the stickiness. "No great loss," Simmer says lightly, as the door to Balyss's room is thrown open! Elena trots in, followed by Stille. Stille carries what looks to be a tub of clear liquid. From the smell, it's booze of some sort.
[20:12] <Afina> "Hiii, you two!" Afina waves, giving her candy another lick. "We're having a party!"
[20:22] <Kotono> "I heard," Stille says, placing the metal tub down. He then goes back out, moments later coming back with a basket of apples. He tosses them in, "We're setting up for dear Balyss, General Afina Devilsbane. Speaking of, you have my congratulations on your award."
[20:24] <Afina> "Had to kill a lot of devils to get it! But I'da done it anyway," she says before sticking the maplestick in her mouth, looking nothing at all like the murderous scourge of the lower planes that she really is.
[20:26] <Kotono> Elena giggles, coming up to Afina and pinching her cheek, "You're adorable when you're like this!" she blurts out.
[20:26] <Kotono> "Hold on!" Balyss is heard calling from outside, "Stille, I need help setting up the tubs out here!"
[20:28] * Afina pinches Elena right back! Or tries to, solidity not being expected out of her. "Thanks, Elena!" she takes out the half eaten candy from her mouth to talk. "See, why couldn't you be like this when we needed an emotional experience? We coulda done somethin' together!"
[20:30] <Kotono> "Coming!" Stille says, slipping out. You hear clangs of metal and grunts from outside, as, "Whoo hoo!" Lief's voice, also from outside. Meanwhile Simmer goes to lie back on Balyss's bed. Elena replies in the meanwhile, "It helps that you're drunk?" Elena offers. "You're so cute when you're like this."
[20:31] <Afina> "Yeah, I shoulda gotten drunk for Kascha," Afina admits. "But we got by! Say is she coming?" she asks hopefully.
[20:40] <Kotono> "She should," Elena says, "I need to pass more word around, back soon!"
[20:42] <Afina> "Thaaaanks!" Afina calls as Elena vanishes, finishing off the last of her candy and flying up to sit on Simmer's stomach. "Toasty!"
[20:45] <Kotono> Reaching up to pat Afina's head, "It's too bad you aren't a boy pixie," she giggles, "Then it could be like we were on a date!" Meanwhile outside you can hear, "I have the wolves," Stille calls, "Where do you want them?"
[20:46] <Afina> "I get told that a lot," Afina pouts, "I even look like a boy... huh, wolves? Where are the wolves going, this room isn't that big!"
[20:49] <Kotono> "The tomboy look is cute on you," Simmer sits up slightly, not enough to disturb Afina, "Something out in the hall. I'm sure they know what they're doing."
[20:49] <Afina> "Well lets go see!" she says, fluttering her wings to take off and then fly out the door.
[20:56] <Kotono> Out in the hall, Afina finds that several large metal tubs have been set up. They're full of steaming hot water, fire elementals pacing by to occasionally warm them by touching the outside of the tub very carefully, away from the water. A good half dozen of Annalise's wolves sit at attention against one wall, Balyss fixing some sort of collars on to them. Lief is fluttering around, draping bright
[20:56] <Kotono> decorations all over, colorful paper and streamers. Stille's meanwhile carrying a large wooden keg on over.
[20:57] <Afina> "What's with the collars?" Afina asks, fluttering up from behind Balyss and looking down at the nearest canine.
[20:59] <Kotono> EAch collar is a different color: White, black, blue, red, green and purple. "Oh, for when we get pixies to race on them later." Balyss says easily, "So we can tell which is which. Preferably drunken pixies, so keep doing what you're doing."
[21:00] <Afina> "I'm faster than any wolf!" Afina giggles raucously and pinches Balyss's cheek before she does indeed go to procure herself another drink.