057. (Coda 2) Part 1: A quiet day

[Anastasia]

> OOC: How are y'all planning on getting to the mountain, first off?
<Lief> OOC: Dunno. Fly?
<Muirfinn> OOC: I can turn into a dragon the size of a large house and fly, yo.
> OOC: Right. Okay then, more coming.
> roll 1d100
> roll 1d100
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 35." [1d100=35]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 89." [1d100=89]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 18." [1d100=18]
> roll 1d100 sub table
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 sub table and gets 47." [1d100=47]
> You fly towards the west, making good time on dragonback. Muirfinn's dragon-form has excellent speed and you pass over the lands. It is a rich lands of plains that give way to forests, switching between the two with the occasional village or small town dotted about. Far on the horizon are gigantic mountains, snowcapped talons that rake up at the faraway sky. But largely it is a vast, untamed wilderness. It's a few hours past noon as you fly along. You're current soaring over an open plane when you see something ahead, a sight that stands out more than mundane birds. A winged horse flies to you, snow white in color and making no secret of its approach. It's currently about a thousand feet from the party and closing in.
* Lief stares at it.
> OOC: Any of you can make an K:A check here if you wis.
> OOC: Wish.
> roll 1d20+48 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+48 Kascha and gets 53." [1d20=5]
<Lief> OOC: K:Nature apply at all?
> OOC: ENough to tell you that it's not a natural creature. Wings don't sprout horses and horses don't sprout wings normally. It's likely magic of some sort.
<Lief> "That's... unusual to see."
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+23 and gets 34." [1d20=11]
<Muirfinn> OOC: +3
<Muirfinn> "I've seen weirder."
> Muirfinn can tell the beast here is a pegasus. A majestic beast that is noble and good hearted, one that serves as a mount to elite paladins and champions of good.
<Muirfinn> "It's a pegasus. Creatures of good. Let's see what it has to say."
> "It's a pegasus," Kascha says, "Seira has a few fire-touched ones in the Cauldron. A gift from Zaaman Rul," she adds absently as she peers ahead.
* Lief nods slowly.
> The pegasus approaches.  It comes to within 30ft of Muirfinn, then lowers its head. It keeps it this way several seconds, a submissive posture, before looking it. It gestures with its head, ahead and a little to the south. It flies a few dozen feet ahead and repeats it, then starts flying again.
<Lief> "So it wants us to follow it?"
* Muirfinn follows it, matching it pace for pace. "Appears so."
> "Yes. They're intelligent but they can't speak," Kascha confirms. A moment of concentration has her eyes glow a crackling white, "I don't detect the taint of evil, either," she says in a lower voice.
<Lief> "Don't suppose anyone has a mind-reading spell handy?"
<Muirfinn> "I can speak to animals with a spell. That might work as well."
<Lief> "If we need it, I should be able to detect its thoughts, with a little effort."
> "I can detect the creature's thoughts," Kascha remarks, "As can Lief. It won't ally true communication, but Muirfinn can do that."
> Meanwhile the pegasus seems content to have you follow it, leading the party along.
> OOC: Going to do anything or just follow
> ?
<Muirfinn> OOC: For now!
> It's about an hour of following. You're lead to a smallish forest surrounded by the plains. Here the pegasus lands and heads inside. There's a well worn path leading right in, making for easy passage for it.
* Lief takes flight and zip between the tree branches, practicing staying hidden in the forest.
* Muirfinn lands, letting everyone down before shrinking down to medium size.
> Kascha lands and extends her wings, stretching out. Once done she follows.
* Muirfinn trots after the pegasus.
> The path leads into the forest and to a clearing. Here lies a single white horse. Yet it lacks wings in favor of a golden horn atop its head. A unicorn, a creature easily identified by the group. Eyes of sea blue tearfully gaze down on the ground before it. Here lies another unicorn, middle torn open and blood staining the grass around it. It looks up as everyone enters the clearing, teary eyes widening at the sight of the party. "Oh, Lellenus! T-those people," The voice sounds masculine, full of sorrowful majesty. "A pixie, a dragon and an angel!"
> The pegasus - Lellenus, apparently - comes forward and whinnies, before standing at the unicorn's side.
* Lief zips through the branches, keeping an eye out for any danger, and looking for any sign of what did this.
> OOC: Spot check followed by a survival check.
* Muirfinn grimaces, stepping forward. OOC: Is the downed unicorn dead?
> OOC: You don't need ranks in heal to see it isn't breathing and torn open terribly. It be dead.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot and gets 49." [d20=17]
<Muirfinn> OOC: Alas
<Lief> roll d20+32 Survival
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Survival and gets 35." [d20=3]
> Kascha stares, hand going to her mouth. "No, no, no! Who did this?"
<Muirfinn> "Yes. Who has done this?"
> No sign of anyone currently here, but Lief can find well hidden tracks going to the south. They could be followed - but the skill at which they were hidden suggests someone well trained in covering trails.
<Lief> "Tracks. To the south. They're well hidden, so it's someone who knows what they're doing. I can try to follow them after... we.. finish here.."
> The unicorn looks down at the dead unicorn once before replying. "My mate...no, Belassa," The unicorn stumbles, "She was due to give birth to our foal. A human came with wolves that stunk of winter. He struck my wife down, rendered me stunned and...took our foal." The creature's voice wavers at that, "He only said that he had need of a foal."
<Lief> "A hunter *with* wolves? That's unusual... And taking a foal... It's against nature to do this. I say we go after them, if we can't do anything here."
* Lief glances apologetically at the unicorn, knowing he sounded a little harsher than he meant to.
* Muirfinn shifts bright, cool eyes at Kascha. "Have you magic of ressurrection?"
> "I can do something. I can try, at least," Kascha says, kneeling before the slain unicorn. "This is recent, Belassa has barely begun to travel the Well of Souls. There is a good chance to call her back before she passes to Mielikki." That causes her to look up to Muirfinn, "I can't, but I was thinking of going to Aurora to bring someone who can, while you and Lief track down the offenders."
* Lief continues to study the tracks, trying to glean as much information from the as he can.
<Muirfinn> "A good plan. I'd much rather hunt down the vile excuse for a man that did this."
> OOC: Make another survival check?
<Lief> roll d20+32 Survival
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Survival and gets 41." [d20=9]
<Lief> "What kind of weapon did the hunter use?"
> The tracks match - it's wolf tracks and a single set of humanoid tracks. The wolf tracks are a bit big for wolves, while the human was wearing some sort of light shoes or boots that barely left a print at all.
> "I can only thank you," The unicorn bows his head againt to the party, "He used a sword."
<Lief> "The hunter is traveling light.. The wolf tracks are larger than normal.. Did you get a look at the wolf? Enough to tell us what kind it was?"
<Lief> OOC: Can I try a K:Nature check to identify the type of wolf?
> OOC: From the description and tracks, yes.
> "Muirfinn, open a gate to Aurora for me," Kascha asks, "I'll take care of the rest here."
* Muirfinn waves a forelimb, a circular monoplanar circle of light opening onto the plane of Air.
> Kascha steps through and vanishes within. OOC: Okay, what are you two going to do?"
<Lief> roll d20+30 K:Nature
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 K:Nature and gets 40." [d20=10]
> The creatures sound like winter wolves. They're nasty, icy predators. Watch out for the ice breath and all sorts of nasty wolfpack tactics.
<Lief> OOC: Go after them? I doubt the unicorn wants to leave the body, but the pegasus might want to back us up.
<Muirfinn> OOC: They'll be a hindrance
<Lief> "Hmm.. Looks like the wolves are Winter Wolves... Hunt in packs and have ice breath.. They're smart, know how to hunt together.. If there's a hunter with them, this is going to be dangerous."
<Muirfinn> "Ah yes, winter wolves. Unpleasant creatures. Let's go kill them all."
> OOC: Going to go a-trackin', then?
<Lief> OOC: Yarp.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Let's do this shit.
> OOC: Make another survival check, Lief.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Survival
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Survival and gets 35." [d20=3]
> The going isn't as fast as Lief would like. The guy is -good- at covering his trail, not to mention the trail of his wolves. But Lief is just that much better, able to follow at a slow pace. About three hours of travel pass, the afternoon well along now and night not too far. You can see it far ahead - it looks like a large farmhouse. The tracks head towards it.
<Lief> "They went to that farmhouse.. We'd have to get closer. I can use my invisibility and stealth, try to stay upwind of the wolves. Any ideas?"
<Muirfinn> "I can manipulate the wind if you like to kep your scent away."
<Lief> "It'd have to be subtle... If it changes too drastically, they might pick up on it not being natural."
<Muirfinn> "A simple light breeze should suffice. I do not think more is necessary for now."
* Lief nods and lets himself turn invisible, waiting for the breeze before starting his hopefully stealthy approach to the farmhouse.
> OOC: What precisely are you using, Muirfinn?
* Muirfinn shrinks down, becoming a tortle again as he calls upon the skies to grant him a light breeze, blowing over and away from the house. OOC: 5mph winds, Control Winds over a blanketed area 1/4 mile wide
> OOC: Okay.
> OOC: Make a move silently check, Lief.
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 44." [d20=8]
> Lief silently flies towards the farm. On the far side of the farmhouse lie about half a dozen winter wolves. They're largely sleeping and don't seem to be too terribly aware of anything. No sign of anyone else about outside, though.
* Lief flies closer to the farm house, looking for windows or spaces to look into.
> There's a heap of windows about. You can see a kitchen, dusty and unused. A sitting room is more productive. Here sits a cloaked man, feet up in front of the fire. He's staring into it quietly, his features hidden by a cloak and hood.
* Lief studies the man, trying to see his weapons and armor before returning back to Muirfinn.
> You can't see any armor, but it could be beneath his cloak. You also can see the hilt of a sword, resting against the side of his chair and poking above it.
* Lief takes off back to Muirfinn.
> This goes without incident, Lief returning. OOC: Go ahead.
<Muirfinn> "Were you able to find the foal?" Muirfinn asks as Lief returns.
<Lief> "No, but I found the hunter and his wolves. Six Winter Wolves on the other side of the building. Seem to be mostly sleeping in the yard. The hunter is in the sitting room. His sword is next to him, but he's just staring into the fire for the moment. He's wearing a full cloak and hood, so I couldn't make out anything else about it."
<Muirfinn> "Damn, I was hoping to find out where it was so we could avoid killing it."
* Lief nods.
<Lief> "With how good this guy is, and with that many wolves there, I didn't want to risk being found. At the very least, we know exactly where it isn't. If you can lock down the wolves, I might be able to take the hunter by surprise and, hopefully, knock him out. Or kill him."
<Muirfinn> "Anything I do won't be subtle."
<Lief> "Doesn't have to be. Just needs to be after I hit the first time."
<Muirfinn> "That'll be fine." Muirifnn nods, his scales flickering and rippling as they fade from polished silver to a bright burnished gold. "It'll at least be fast."
* Lief nods.
> OOC: Okay, what's your plan here?
<Lief> OOC: I plan to stealth back over to the window and nuke him. I want to buff up a bit first. I'd like to do it non-lethal, but I don't really have that choice unless there's something in the build that I'm missing.
<Muirfinn> OOC: I'm gonna roast the wolves and hopefully not the foal.
> OOC: Okay. Muirfinn in here and Lief in #evildunes. Sec then we'll get this rolling.
<Lief> OOC: Ideally, I'd like to use up True Strike and Critical Strike. I'll hold off on distracting strike until Muirfinn finishes off the wolves.
> Muirfinn flies over the house, coming to the other side. He can see the wolves down there, lying about. They don't seem to notice him right away, though the shadow he's casting should tip them off pretty quic.
* Muirfinn circles the house for a moment before turning into a steep dive, growing larger and larger as he falls. His wings catch the light breeze to buffet him in and land with colossal clap of his wings and a dull THUD right in front of the wolves' resting spot. He eyes their prone forms balefully.
> OOC: Make an intimidation check.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+14 lol rolls
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+14 lol rolls and gets 24." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 and gets 8." [1d20=1]
> Muirfinn does what a dragon naturally does to lesser creatures - pure, unthinking terror. The wolves slink back in alarm, momentarily off guard from the sheer terror! OOC: ACt, you have the proverbial initiative.
> Muirfinn does what a dragon naturally does to lesser creatures - pure, unthinking terror. The wolves slink back in alarm, momentarily off guard from the sheer terror! OOC: ACt, you have the proverbial initiative.
* Muirfinn takes a deep breath and with a titanic roar, introduces the wolves first hand to the unrelenting power of a gold dragon's fire!
<Muirfinn> roll 22d6 shit's on fire yo
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 22d6 shit's on fire yo and gets 80." [22d6=6, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 1, 3, 6, 5, 2, 3, 6, 6, 5, 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, 4, 4]
> roll 1d20+8 DC?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 DC? and gets 17." [1d20=9]
<Muirfinn> OOC: More'n that. 30.
> The wolves barely get a chance to make any noise before flames slam into them. Fires burn all over and around as the winter wolves are immolated, burning up before your very eyes. That takes care of that.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Also no reflex saves if prone
> OOC: Prone doesn't say anything about that. It's not relevant, but where you'd get that?
<Muirfinn> OOC: I probably made it up
> OOC: Right. Anyway, ball's in your court now that the wolves are all toasty.
* Muirfinn begins to prowl around the building, waiting for the hunter to come out or Lief.
> Nothing comes out right away. Whatever's happening seems to be happening inside.
* Muirfinn gets tired of waiting and shoves his entire head through the south wall of the house!
> OOC: Lief's just a tad behind you so let me give him another line or two before I resolve that.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Gotcha
> WHAM! The south wall is barreled through! It opens a nice new hole into the living room, the entire house shaking.
* Muirfinn LOOKS AROUND!
<Muirfinn> OOC: WITHOUT CAPS!
> It's a living room. Oddly, there's a sword in the fireplace. The leather sheathe that holds it is starting to smoulder in the flames.
* Muirfinn gives the sword an odd look, snaking his head further inward to peer about.
> Muirfinn heads into a hallway. Meanwhile Lief is zipping down it, visible to Muirfinn's true seeing enhanced eyes.
* Lief pulls into a hover, looking around the room with bow drawn!
<Muirfinn> "Oh. Hey."
* Lief lowers his bow.
<Lief> ".. Hi.. I thought you had a war going on in here. I found the foal, in the room back there. Hunter was tying its legs up when I found him. Seems to be asleep, but it may be more. You need to check it over."
<Muirfinn> "Of course." A brief moment of writhing flesh and loudly cracking bones and Muirfinn is a tortle again. "Show me the way."
* Lief flies back to the room, leading Muirfinn to the foal.

[Anastasia]

> OOC: Repeat your plan here real quick for buffs?
<Lief> OOC: Ideally, I'd like to use up True Strike and Critical Strike for the opening strike. I doubt I'll one-shot him, but I might be able to cripple him enough that, combined with Muirfinn doing the dragon thing and destroying his wolf backup, I might be able to bluff him into surrendering.
> OOC: Okay. Set up your actions including the spells and I'll sort it out.
* Lief focuses and calls on his magic, pulling his powers out to cast his True Strike and Critical Strike spells on himself, then preparing to slip back into stealth and return to the window of the sitting room.
> OOC: You know both of those last only a round, so you generally have to have your shot ready before casting them. Since it's your first time using them, fair heads up that you may want to change that order of operations.
<Lief> OOC: Ah, okay. I will indeed.
<Lief> OOC: I'll break this up, then, because I think you'll want a check or two in there if I'm approaching.
* Lief slips back into stealth and returns to the window of the sitting room, double checking to make sure his target is still present..
> His target is gone. His sword sits against his chair, but he's not to be seen.
* Lief takes a moment to stare in surprise before trying to jimmy open the window enough to slip in...
> OOC: Str check real quick.
<Lief> roll d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+1 and gets 20." [d20=19]
> The window's jammed and hard for a little pixie to open. But Lief pulls it off, pulling it open. OOC: Go ahead.
* Lief zips over to the sword, looking over the room incase the hunter is hiding in a corner, and then tries to knock the sword into the fire, hopefully to prevent the hunter from using it.
> The hunter doesn't seem around. Getting the sword - in a plain leather sheathe - into the fire goes without incident.
* Lief starts to search through the farm house, looking for either the hunter or the foal, both spells on the edge of his mind and an arrow at the tip of his fingers.
> OOC: Quick move silently check.
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 42." [d20=6]
> Lief slinks down a hallway. At the end is an open door. Peeking over, he can see the cloaked man's back to him. He's kneeling in front of something - whatever it is, his body is blocking the view. The room inside looks like an old bedroom, in good condition if dusty. "Hmph," The man's voice carries, "Fucking...there we go," he mutters.
* Lief edges around the sides of the room to get a look at what he's doing...
> Invisible, Lief sneaks around. The man's tying up the foal's legs, binding them tightly together. Said creature is a deep, glossy white and has a tiny nub of a horn. It's a small little thing and looks to be asleep.
<Lief> OOC: Okay, question since I've never used spells with Lief before. If I cast them, will it alert him, or will I still be on the down-low?
> OOC: If they have a verbal component, yes. If not, no.
<Lief> OOC: I think they both do, so I guess I'll pass on them.
> OOC: Okay then, ball's in your court. Act.
* Lief lines up his shots, unleashing his wrath on the hunter.
<Lief> OOC: Go ahead and roll the full attack set?
> OOC: Yeah, you have the drop on him completely. He has no idea you're there.
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 47." [d20=3]
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 61." [d20=17]
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 49." [d20=10]
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 43." [d20=9]
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 47." [d20=18]
> OOC: They all hit and they're all sneak attacks. Damage.
<Lief> OOC: I forgot the easy parse for that. 5#d6+5#d6?
> OOC: You'd roll 5# and then followed by the damage output.
<Lief> roll 5#d6+24+7d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 5#d6+24+7d6 and gets 253." [5#d6+24+7d6 = 52, 49, 58, 51, 43]
> Tiny pixie arrows fire, slamming into the chest of the unawares man. His chest now has five new holes that gush blood, the arrows going straight through and slamming into the wall. It takes big hunks of his internal organs with it, vicera dripping from the arrows as the man falls over. Based on the fact he's missing most of his chest and some of his abdomen now, he's dead. Oh, and the massive bleeding's a good cue too.
* Lief drops his invisibility and yells out!
<Lief> "Muirfinn! I found the foal! The Hunter's down!"
> At the same time, the house shakes violently!
<Lief> OOC: Back to #dunes? Want me to repeat my line there?
> OOC: No need yet. Go ahead and act in here for now.
* Lief zips back over to the door way, arrow drawn and ready for whatever running battle Muirfinn just brought into the house!
> OOC: Now into #dunes.

[Anastasia]

> The foal is found where it was before, along with one extremely dead kidnapper. Good chunks of his innards are nailed to the wall by arrows.
* Lief looks vaguely satisfied at the giblets.
* Muirfinn assesses the foal. OOC: Any wounds? Alive/dead?
> OOC: Quick heal or handle animal check. Whichever's higher.
* Lief lets Muirfinn do his thing, but takes the time to search through the room in case the hunter set any traps or left anything in the room.
<Lief> OOC: I can assist with Handle Animal.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21 Handle Animal
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 Handle Animal and gets 37." [1d20=16]
* Lief recognizes what Muirfinn's attempting and stops his search to help!
<Lief> roll d20+31 Handle Animal
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+31 Handle Animal and gets 46." [d20=15]
> The foal's not wounded, just asleep. This isn't uncommon for newborns to begin with, plus from the sleep there's hints it may have been sedated. The foal doesn't look to be in danger from it.
* Muirfinn reaches down and carefully hoasts the foal into his arms. "Lief, do you want to search the place before we leave?"
<Lief> "It'd be a good idea to search the body and his belongings... He might have been hired to do this, and if we can find a clue..."
* Lief trails off before sighing and moving to investigate the corpse and house.
<Lief> "Though, with all the stress the foal has gone through tonight already, what do you think of letting it stay here and bringing the Pegasus and Unicorn here?"
* Muirfinn nods. "That works fine for me. We won't have to hurry the search then."
* Lief nods.
> OOC: Do you have ranks in search?
> OOC: Going to take 10 or 20?
<Lief> "I'll just check this room real quick for anything immediate, and worry about the house later. After I finish, I'll get the others."
<Lief> OOC: I have ranks in search.
<Lief> OOC: +30.
> OOC: Make a check and/or take 20. Taking 20 will take a lot of time, bear in mind.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search!
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search! and gets 35." [d20=5]
<Lief> OOC: Knew that was going to bite me in the ass on rolls.
<Muirfinn> OOC: You can always make another! Search checks are repeatable!
<Lief> OOC: I'll try again after I get the others.
> Searching. The house is largely empty, but in another spare bedroom, you find a cache of items there. They are...OOC: Loot post. Feel free to DM or try ot ID if you succeed on finding magic, Muirfinn.
<Lief> "Muirfinn, take care of things here, I'm going to bring the others."
* Muirfinn nods, putting the foal away in a safe place in the house before gathering the goods.
> OOC: Where are you going, Lief?
<Lief> OOC: To the clearing we left Kascha, the Unicorn, and Pegasus in. Wanna bring them to the house/barn instead of moving the foal.
> OOC: It's a few hours without having to follow his tracks (by air) and that'll put you well into the night. You okay with that? This is a refresher as much as anything from last session.
<Lief> OOC: I'm cool with that if Muirfinn is. I don't think there's much of a chance of getting lost, and I should be able to stealth through it if need be.
<Muirfinn> OOC: I an turn into an unnecessarily-large dragon and burn down the entire area for 50 square miles without any strong effort. I'll be fine.
> OOC: Okay. While Lief's gone, what are you going to be doing, Muirfinn? Muirfinn in here, Lief in #evildunes again since the room name just suits him. I dunno.
<Muirfinn> OOC: What's the local temp?
> OOC: 60ish. A little chilly and it'llprobably drop at night.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Alright, I'll build a fire to keep the kid warm.
> OOC: Okay. Make a listen check.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+33
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+33 and gets 43." [1d20=10]
> As Muirfinn sits before the fire, he can hear noise outside. The gentle thudding of footsteps drawing closer. It sounds like the opposite side that he made an entrance on.
* Muirfinn silently acknowledges the noise, tending to the fire as though he hears nothing. OOC: Basically presuming that whoever is out there will announce their intentions soon enough.
> OOC: Okay.
* Muirfinn (Muirfinn@174-26-91-226.phnx.qwest.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
* Muirfinn (Muirfinn@174-26-91-226.phnx.qwest.net) has joined #dunes
> The noise comes around the side of the house, before you hear a hiss of surprise. Sounds like someone sucking in their breath, whispers too far away to hear intelligently just barely heard. This is followed by the sound of footsteps going back the other way.
* Muirfinn nods to himself. He glances at the draconic cat at his side, lazing by the fire. He nods his head at the noise. "Go get 'em."
> OOC: Sending Chokk into action?
<Muirfinn> The cat groans, stretching as it rises. Nevertheless, it heads out into the night through the hole in the house.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Alani, but yeah
<Muirfinn> OOC: It's dragon kitty time
> OOC: Darkvision or any sort of night-time vision?
<Muirfinn> OOC: None on the sheet, but I think it might be wrong
<Muirfinn> OOC: One sec please
<Muirfinn> OOC: FUCKing finally, low light vision
> In the mere star and Selune-light, Alana is able to see her prey. They're 90ft away as she comes around the side and fleeing fast. Two are looking back as they run - good odds they see her. There's four in total, each wearing a heavy black cloak. OOC: Init.
> roll 1d20+4 Cloak 1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 Cloak 1 and gets 15." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20-1 Cloak 2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Cloak 2 and gets 5." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+11 Cloak 3
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 Cloak 3 and gets 12." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+5 Cloak 4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Cloak 4 and gets 13." [1d20=8]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+7 and gets 14." [1d20=7]
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
* Kotono changes topic to 'C1(15)>Alana(14)>C4(13)>C3(12)>C2(5)'
> The first cloaked man stops and turns. His face is hidden by night's shadow, said shadows dancing around his hands as bands of darkness slip over Alana! OOC: Will save. Enchantment(compulsion), mind-affecting and paralysis, in case you hit any of those resistances or immunities.
<Muirfinn> OOC: that a spell?
> OOC: Yes.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+4+4+6
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+4+4+6 and gets 20." [1d20=6]
> Suddenly, Alan can't move! Its like her body is paralyzed and completely unresponsive! The man turns and runs into the darkness, followed by the others. OOC: Hold monster. Allows a Will save each round, so roll it.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+4+4+6
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+4+4+6 and gets 15." [1d20=1]
* Nerem (NeremWorld@71-217-99-185.tukw.qwest.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
* NeremWorld (NeremWorld@71-217-99-185.tukw.qwest.net) has joined #dunes
<Muirfinn> OOC: Alani cannot roll. Also, how many times are you gonna mispell this name.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Not mad, just curious
<Muirfinn> II__++: I think it's funny.
<Muirfinn> OOC: OOOOOKAY
<Muirfinn> OOC: I should stop
> OOC: Okay.
> OOC: Roll again and again. If you fail two more I'll make another line.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+4+4+6
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+4+4+6 and gets 18." [1d20=4]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+4+4+6
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+4+4+6 and gets 33." [1d20=19]
> Finally Alani manages to move again. But the four are well away now, completely out of sight in the night. It's less a question of combat and more a question of tracking now...OOC: Free act.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20 survival untrained I guess to track.
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20 survival untrained I guess to track. and gets 13." [1d20=13]
> No good. There's not much in the way of tracks, oddly. The grass doens't even look disturbed where it should be. It's quite confusing to the dragon-cat. OOC: Int?
<Muirfinn> OOC: 2
> OOC: Carry on, rest is beyond the creature's intelelct.
<Muirfinn> Having lost the trail and with nothing to go on, Alani prowls back to the house.
> OOC: Going to do anything here Murifinn, or move you along now?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Move along, not going to leave the foal.
> Soon enough Lief and company return. The two unicorns look about, "Where's the foal?" The mother asks right away on seeing Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn points at the dozing foal.
> "We brought-" Kascha begins, but is cut off as two unicorns press past her, right to the foal.
> "Yah!" Kascha wobbles and takes to the air, almost hitting her head on the ceiling.
* Lief floats around Kascha's head.
<Lief> "You okay?"
> "I'm okay." Kascha smiles as the unicorns, "How about we give them some privacy?" she suggests.
* Muirfinn snorts.
* Muirfinn turns to the unicorns. "Your foal is sedated. Stay here until it wakes. Keep an eye out as well, there are others involved in this. They came in the night, but were chased off by Alani."
> "There are?" Kascha asks, "They got away?"
* Muirfinn nods. "There are. They did. Alas."
> "Well," Kascha puts her hands on her hips, "Why don't we go follow them? Lief's good at tracking."
<Lief> "Yeah. Where did you see them?"
<Muirfinn> "Let's have Alani show you. She saw them. I only know they were on the other side of the house from the custom entrance."
* Lief nods and hovers around the dragon-cat.
> OOC: Okay. Survival check, Lief.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Survival/Tracking
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Survival/Tracking and gets 42." [d20=10]
> It's hidden - the leaves and grass seem to rebel keeping a trail. It's like it's been wiped clean by an unseen force - but you can still follow it. It reeks of magic to Lief, this isn't natural at all.
<Lief> "I can't find it so well... But it's unnatural. Really, really unnatural. I can almost *smell* the magic that's hiding their tracks. But I can follow it, I think."
<Muirfinn> "LEt's go, then."
> OOC: Going to follow then?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Sure. Might as well knock out the Sacrifice Unicorns For Dread Purposes Club before the dragon.
<Lief> OOC: Sure.
> OOC: Okay then.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 71." [1d100=71]
> Hours of walking pass. The night is wearing on and Selune sinks low into the sky, promising Lathander's dawn soon. But the tracks lead you to somewhere. It's a little circle of stones on the planes. The tracks stop here. The circle's maybe 10ft across and utterly unremarkable on first glance.
* Muirfinn frowns. "A teleportation circle?" Muirfinn examines the circle closely.
* Lief zips around the circle looking for any other clues.
> OOC: DMing or just straight looking, Muirfinn?
> OOC: Search, Lief.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search and gets 41." [d20=11]
> The stones are unusually well lined up. They form a near-perfect circle. It's not impossible to happen naturally, but it's exceedingly rare. It speaks to this being the act of intelligent creatures rather than natural whimsy.
<Muirfinn> OOC: I'll DM
> OOC: Quick spellcraft.
> Kascha utters a basic chant of detect magic, working on the circle as well.
> roll 1d20+45 Kascha is good at this
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+45 Kascha is good at this and gets 54." [1d20=9]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+50
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+50 and gets 66." [1d20=16]
> "Hmmm, hmm..." Kascha works away, trailing off as she inspects it. It's a teleportation ring of some sort. It looks old - the magic's survived well for the age of it. You'd need a password for it or be able to fake it (UMD). Your insightful reading would give yo ua bonus to faking it as well. From the looks of it, it leads to somewhere fairly far away.
<Lief> OOC: I've got UMD, if she tells me.
<Muirfinn> "Looks like an ancient teleportation circle. Still works and has a passcode, but the magic of it might be able to be subverted due to its age. If one is skilled enough, I suppose."
<Lief> "Hmm.. I can try, unless someone has a better idea."
<Muirfinn> "Go right ahead."
* Lief zips over the stones.
<Lief> roll d20+31 UMD
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+31 UMD and gets 39." [d20=8]
> Lief works. If he chants this, invokes the 10th rune and...oh! A perfect, shimmering silver portal appears before you. It is still, not a single ripple to be seen in it.
* Lief blinks at the portal.
<Muirfinn> "Well done!"
<Lief> "There we go... Whatever it is, though, it's not fey. I can tell you that much."
* Muirfinn nods. "Let's see what this is about then."
<Muirfinn> OOC: We're goin' in!
* Lief pulls up his invisibility before going through the portal.
> Thus the trio step through the portal. There's a sensation like flying upside down and shaking all over. When it clears...OOC: Let's pause here, it's a good point.

[Anastasia]

> OOC: For reference, make a move silently check. I presume you're going invisible too.
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
<Lief> OOC: Yep on invis.
<Lief> OOC: Bot!
-eraniss.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#evildunes- Kotono invited Serith into the channel.
* Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com) has joined #evildunes
> OOC: Roll.
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
<Serith> Lief roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 90 > [d100=90]
> roll 1d100 sub table
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 17 > [d100=17]
> OOC: Lief doesn't see invisible, does he?
<Lief> OOC: Uh, I don't think so.
> roll 1d100 vs ??? Resurrection chance roll
<Lief> OOC: Nope. Just a couple detect good/chaos, ect. and detect thoughts. No invis stuff.
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 65 > [d100=65]
> The trip back is without incident. Kascha is there, along with not one but two living unicorns. Kascha's sitting while the unicorns slowly pace about. OOC: Go ahead.
* Lief drops invisibilty as he enters the clearing.
> "Lief!" Kascha calls and stands, "How did it go?"
> "Did you find the foal?" The unicorns ask, virtually at the same time.
<Lief> "Kascha! You did it! Amazing! We found the foal, too! It's alive and well from what we can tell. It's asleep right now in a barn a few hours from here."
> Cheers go up at that, whinnies and happy clapping from Kascha, "Good! Where's Muirfinn? He's bringing the foal along, right?"
<Lief> "We didn't want to move it, considering how much has already happened. Muirfinn's with the foal taking care of it right now. The hunter and his wolves have all been taken care of. I can lead you straight there. It's a few hours of a journey."
<Lief> "We weren't sure putting the additional stress of the foal waking up to see Muirfinn's dragon form would be wise."
> "I can travel," The resurrected unicorn says, "Take us there."
* Lief nods and takes the lead!
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 83 > [d100=83]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 44 > [d100=44]
> As you walk along in the night, Kascha steps forward to walk in synch with Lief's flight. "Good work. Priest had to leave - I don't know if you've met him, so I'll introduce you when you get back. He's one of those celestials that's completely dedicated to his calling, to the point of his social life being non-existant."
* Lief nods.
<Lief> "Sounds like someone good to have around. Dedication like that can go both ways, though. How're the Unicorns and the Pegasus doing? I know they must be on the edge of panic."
* Muirfinn (Muirfinn@174-26-91-226.phnx.qwest.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
* Muirfinn (Muirfinn@174-26-91-226.phnx.qwest.net) has joined #evildunes
> "Lellenus looks to be doing well. He went out to secure food and check around," Kascha says, "He won't be back until tomorrow at the earliest."
> OOC: Gah.
> "Lellenus looks to be doing well. He went out to secure food and check around," Kascha says, "He won't be back until tomorrow at the earliest." Kascha explains, glancing back, "The unicorns are quiet. They're still dealing with the shock of everything that happened today."
* Lief nods.
<Lief> "What happened shocked them down to their core. I can sympathize with that."
* Lief gets a flat, vacant look in his eyes for a few moments before continuing.
<Lief> "Still, as long as they get reuinited, they'll start healing. And a new Unicorn is something to celebrate, regardless of the circumstances."
> "Mmm-hmm," Kascha murmurs. "Say...do you have nightmares of Hell's invasion?"
<Lief> "... Occasionally, I guess. It's hard to tell the difference between a nightmare and a memory. It's just something that's always there."
> "Like an old injury that doesn't heal all the way," Kascha admits. "I'd probably have nightmares of the Destroyer if I hadn't been with Arborea for so long."
* Lief nods.
<Lief> "I don't think it'll ever pass. Just a shadow lurking behind me, I guess."
> "Looking ahead," Kascha says, doing just that. "And you've made a new court, too, even if you're not deeply involved."
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "It helps. But doesn't make it go away."
> OOC: Let me pause you pending how the skirmish in #dunes works out.

[Anastasia]

> You stand amid ruins. The crumbled ruins of a temple are all around you. What was once perhaps white stone is now little more than rubble and overgrowth. It is dark, night's embrace covering everything. Ahead amid the overgrowth, a small path has been cleared ahead. It leads to a crumbling old building, the pillars and style suggesting a shrine or other similar thing. Statues adorn the walls as well, but you'd have to get closer to inspect them. Behind you is the end of the courtyard, an intact, tall wall blocking a view of what is past that.
> Kascha begins to look about...
* Lief keeps his voice low.
> roll 1d20+34 Knowledge: Local(Lost Eastlands) check
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+34 Knowledge: Local(Lost Eastlands) check and gets 38." [1d20=4]
<Lief> "We should use that wall as cover. I can scout out the area while you keep an eye on the building. Sound good?"
> "I know what this is," Kascha whispers as she looks about, eyes going wider and wider. "How? The Destroyer was supposed to have shattered everything."
<Lief> "Why do I get the feeling this won't be good for our safety?"
<Muirfinn> "What is it, Kascha?"
> "Are you familiar with the deity Mask?" Kascha whispers back, eyes darting around. "He rules over secrets, thieves and darkness. In the past, before the Destroyer, people said that he had his faithful make decadent temples and hid them away from all. Only the most skilled faithful could find them and be rewarded for it."
> OOC: Either of you can make K:R on Mask if you like.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+25+3
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+25+3 and gets 29." [1d20=1]
<Lief> OOC: I only have K:Nature.
> Muirfinn knows that Mask is all that Kascha surmised. He is the patron of theives and a nasty piece of work. He's not the most well known deity due to his nature - very much a stick to the shadows type. He's also a loner and avoids entanglements with other deities and powers. He even stays out of the Blood War entirely, which is no mean feat.
* Lief looks slightly interested.
<Muirfinn> "...huh. Well, supposedly the temples were filled with decadence. Probably material wealth."
<Lief> "A temple for thieves? Interesting.."
<Lief> "Still, we're here. If nothing else, we should check it out just to mark it off the list. Want me to scout around for tracks? And traps, I guess, since this was a thief temple."
> "We'd best be careful and stick to the path," Kascha remarks, "I don't know if any traps have survived, but if they have, they could be deadly."
* Muirfinn nods. "KKeep an eye out. I can spring them at a distance if we see any."
* Lief nods and sets himself to the task.
> OOC: Going to scout and look for tracks/traps, Lief?
<Lief> OOC: Yarp.
> OOC: Make a quick search check for me.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search and gets 37." [d20=7]
> There's signs of old traps on the path cleared ahead - but they've been removed and deactivated. It looks safe to Lief.
* Lief returns to the others.
<Lief> "It looks mostly safe. Most of the traps I could spot have either been removed or deactivated. I think we'll be good until we get to the building."
* Muirfinn nods. Let's move on then."
> "That makes sense. They may not have expected anyone to make it here," Kascha remarks, as the party heads onwards. Getting closer, you see the statues are of sneak-thieves, masked men and other shady looking figures. There's no door leading inside, just an opening archway. It's been covered with a long black cloth to block the view within.
* Lief motions for the others to take positions to the sides of the archway and then drops to the ground, going invisible and sticking to the shadows before lifting the bottom corner of the cloth as little as possible to get a view inside.
> Kascha does so. As Lief peeks in, he sees a grand plaza ahead. It's in ruin, several dry fountains and crumbled statues about. The last fragments of rotted tapestries hang on the walls, as well as pots that once perhaps held beautiful plants. The room itself is a high-ceilinged, long retangular shape, more or less. Doors are all over on the walls - including some well above the floor level or too small for a human to ever get through. All the doors have what looks to be bright red writing inscribed on them. The writing looks far fresher than everything else, almost brand new.
* Lief lowers the edge and turns to the others, keeping his voice low.
<Lief> "It's a.. plaza. Hall of some kind. Fountains, dry. Doors. Lots of doors. All over the place. All different sizes. The doors have writing on them that I can't make out, but the writing looks new, so someone or something is here."
> "Hmmmm," Kascha considers, "I wonder if Mask directed followers here, or some adventurers somehow found this place?" she supposes aloud. "If I were exploring a long abandoned place with that many doors and traps, I might be tempted to start labeling things. It's easier to keep track that way."
* Lief shrugs.
<Muirfinn> "Let me have a look. Perhaps I can translate it." Muirfinn says, carefully pushing the drape aside and looking in.
> IT's not that it's unreadable, it's that the writing isn't that big and you're far enough away that you can't read it. Going up to a door would help a lot.
<Lief> "I won't make guesses without more information. But... I have a feeling. I'll let you know if I think it's solid or not."
* Muirfinn heads in! Consequences be damned!
> Muirfin heads in. Stunningly, no great horde of traps or magic comes to smite him down. No one seems to be around at all. He could easily go to one of the many doors and take a look, if he wished, or do something else.
* Lief gapes at Muirfinn for a moment, then follows, sticking to the shadows and using stealth to stay hidden.
> Kascha nods back to Lief, and after Muirfinn comes in and no obvious sounds of pain or traps come, she heads in as well. Almost as an afterthought she vanishes from sight, invisible as Lief. (Except to Muirfinn's true seeing enhanced eyes.)
* Muirfinn approaches the nearest door, wary for exploding runes and ancient traps.
> This door reads the following: Locked - Possible one way.
* Lief studies the door.
> OOC: Also spot checks, y'all.
<Muirfinn> "Well."
> roll 1d20+32 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Kascha  and gets 51." [1d20=19]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+48
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+48 and gets 65." [1d20=17]
<Lief> rool d20+32 Spot!
> OOC: Roll, not rool.
> OOC: You'll rue the day you used rool instead of roll.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot!
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot! and gets 52." [d20=20]
> OOC: Or not.
<Lief> OOC: Pwn'd. I SEE EVERYTHING!
> It's incredibly subtle and skillful - which to the vision and awareness of the party, is fairly obvious. The walls and door subtly shift as you go around. As if some doors are only visible at certain angles or positions. Muirfinn can also glimpse something - momentary fragments of multiple spaces and places overlapping in dimensions that make his head throb. OOC: Quick K:A check here, tortle.
<Lief> "So. Anyone want to hear my theory?"
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+23+3
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+23+3 and gets 38." [1d20=12]
<Muirfinn> "Love to."
> "What do you think?" Kascha inquires back.
* Lief lets his gaze wander the hall.
> Muirfinn can see that there's some serious dimensional and space manipulation going on here. While things are relatively constant, space is expanded and contorted here. It's likely far bigger and complex on the inside than the outside and may ignore aspects of rational geometry, design and physics.
<Lief> "I think this was a *major* temple of Mask's. I think this is more of a travel hub than a temple, though. I think these doors are some variation of a dimension door spell, or something like the Endless Stairway, and each of these doors leads to either another temple of Mask, or a major Thieve's Guild."
<Muirfinn> "I'd wager you're right, Lief. I'd also wager that the current inhabitants aren't of the faith."
* Lief nods.
> "Probably," Kascha admits, "So the question is...what do we do next? How do we approach this problem?"
<Lief> "I'm not sure why Mask is tolerating their presence if they're not. And if we have to clear them, I think we might earn enough favor to walk through this place without it trying to kill us for it."
<Muirfinn> "It's possible the previous inhabitants had a falling out with their god, or the place was profaned in some way and Mask no longer watches over it."
> Kascha's voice drops a little bit, becoming cooler. "Lief. Anyone with the favor of Mask is not a person I want to be friendly with. Especially ones with ties to a unicorn killer and kidnapper."
<Lief> "If they *don't* have Mask's favor and are here, us taking care of him may earn us enough points to walk out of hear alive, I meant."
<Lief> "If they *do..* Well, I doubt they'll let one failure keep them from what they want. So at that point, we have to decide.. Do we want to have a home-ground fight against these guys?"
<Muirfinn> "I find it unlikely that Mask supports the group involved here. Slaying a unicorn would likely gain the ire of Meilikki. He tends to avoid inter-deific conflicts."
* Lief shrugs.
> "The thing is that there's so many doors," Kascha gestures around, "Maybe we should start by cataloging them so we at least have an idea of what's going on here?"
<Lief> "That'll take a long time. If you two want to start, I can keep scouting the area. I might find tracks somewhere."
<Muirfinn> "Good idea. Any fresh footprints could lead us straight to our quarry."
* Lief nods and sets to work.
> OOC: Survival Lief. Make a spot check, Muirfinn/Kascha.
> roll 1d20+32 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Kascha  and gets 35." [1d20=3]
<Muirfinn> "Good idea. Any fresh footprints could lead us straight to our quarry."
<Muirfinn> OOC: Blarg
<Lief> roll d20+32 Survival/Tracking
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Survival/Tracking and gets 50." [d20=18]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+48
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+48 and gets 49." [1d20=1]
> There's 83 doors when done carefully to see all the doors that can't be seen at all times. It's a staggering amount. There is a trail and it leads to the 42nd door. OOC: Post in nagging with the information written on each door.
* Lief returns to the others.
<Lief> "I found a trail. It leads over here."
* Lief points to the 42nd door.
<Muirfinn> "Alright, let's see if we can't get to the bottom of this."
> "So many doors," Kascha mutters, rubbing her forehead. "This is a job of weeks or months."
<Lief> "... I still kind of want to explore them."
<Muirfinn> "Never enough time." Muirfin shakes his head.
<Lief> "So, how do we want to do this?"
> "If we can neutralize those within or otherwise deal with them, we can come back later," Kascha points out, "WE don't have a strict time limit, but losing ourselves for weeks may not be a good use of our time."
<Lief> "Do you want me to go in stealthy, or do you want to just bust in?"
<Muirfinn> "Check it out in stealth, then let us know."
* Lief nods and cracks the door just enough to squeeze through and begins the stealthy scouting.
> Ahead is a long, comfortable looking hall. There wereonce carpets here, but now only scraps remain. Several statues line the walls, most of them broken. Arrows, darts and odder bits of metal lie about the broken statues. Several floor plates have been removed, dissembled pressure plates from the looks of it. A hunk of ceiling has been bashed up pretty good as well. The remnants of some sort of mechanical clockworks can be seen within. At the far end is a broken down door. Instead of that, another black cloth blocks the way ahead.
* Lief moves down the hallway as stealthily as possible, but watching for traps. Who knows if they used parts from disassembled traps to make their own?
> OOC: Search real quick, as ewll as move silently.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search and gets 38." [d20=8]
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 52." [d20=16]
> Meanwhile, Kascha turns to Muirfinn. "This really is too much of a diversion from our mission," she admits, "I confess I'm curious as well, but..."
> Lief sneaks ahead, reaching the curtains without incident. No sign of new traps, just old and disabled ones.
* Lief does the same with the previous cloth, lifts as small a portion of the bottom corner as he can.
> Ahead is a small little plaza, more dead pots that once held plants, perhaps. Open archways lead to several bedrooms. On a glance, three of them have beds with people in them. One has two people, notably.
<Muirfinn> "If I were driven by mere curiosity, I would agree."
* Lief takes a moment to inspect the area for any items of interest before moving back to the door.
> The plaza has nothing of note beyond old pots. You'd have to go into the rooms to search them.
* Lief heads back to the others.
> This goes without incident and Lief returns to them.
<Lief> "There's four people, in three beds, in three rooms."
<Muirfinn> "What are they doing?"
<Lief> "Sleeping from what I could see."
> "Sleeping?" Kascha echos, hmming to herself, "That complicates things just a little bit."
* Muirfinn glances at Kascha. "How so?"
<Lief> "How so? That makes it easier to sneak up on them."
> "Nevermind," Kascha says after a moment. "Do we have a plan?"
* Disconnected
* Attempting to rejoin channel #dunes
* Rejoined channel #dunes
* Topic is 'Feather=Tindas(24)>Hylath(23)>John(16)>Myann=Wood Titan mk 2(5, prone webbed)>Gildas(3)'
* Set by Kotono on Wed Feb 26 14:57:24
* Kotono (WinNT@ip68-96-9-49.hr.hr.cox.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
* Kobrb is now known as Kotono
* ChanServ sets mode: +qo Kotono Kotono
> "Nevermind," Kascha says after a moment. "Do we have a plan?" OOC: Was there a line after this in peer?
<Lief> OOC: Nope.
<Muirfinn> "Go in, cause terror, find out what they're up to." Muirfinn says.
<Lief> "Three rooms, three of us."
> Kascha nods at this, "Alright then." OOC: Okay, describe exactly what your scheme is here and how y'all are doing it.
<Muirfinn> OOC: That all depends on how high the ceilings are.
<Lief> OOC: I figure we'll let Muirfinn get the room with two people in it since he can go super-dragon and terrify the hell out of them. I'll take a room and hold up whoever's inside, same with Kascha. If they move to attack, we butcher.
> OOC: Fairly high, about 12ft or so.
<Muirfinn> OOC: I'll go in and take the room with the larger bed. Bronze dragon, large size. Should fit ok.

[Anastasia]

> OOC: Okay then. Let's do this at once. Write out going in and your actions in there. I'll do Kascha's room last and sort that out. Note that Muirfinn's taking the room with two in bed.
* Ko-NitorisStPaddysDayMassacre is now known as Kotono
* Lief slips in ahead of the others, using his stealth to get to the farthest-from-the-door room quickly, preparing to nock an arrow in case he has to make a fast kill.
* Muirfinn shifts, scales growing larger into a somewhat shiny brushed bronze color, he grows a bit as well. he strides forward carefully, pushing aside the curtain with his head as he moves toward his chosen room.
> Kascha takes her room, slipping in slightly as she flies just above ground level...OOC: Move silently, Muirfinn/Kascha.
> roll 1d20+32 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Kascha and gets 34." [1d20=2]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+ 6 lololol
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+ 6 lololol and gets Error: Check syntax." [1d20=7]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+6 lololol
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+6 lololol and gets 12." [1d20=6]
> As Muirfin goes in, he sees one of the figures on the bed stir. He peers up, sleepily gazing about with sleep-crusted eyes. OOC: Okay ,the party has a surprise round now, but someone's woken up so no free acting. Go ahead. We'll start with Muirfinn since it's one of his that woke.
* Muirfinn exhales a sigh through his nose as the person in the bed stirs. He steps up to the bed, claws clicking lightly on the stone. He looms over the bed, snout pointed down. "Do try not to panic." He rumbles lowly at them. OOC: I'm gonna be nice and give them a chance instead of melting them with acid.
> OOC: Okay, that calls for an intimidation check. +8 circumstancial bonus since holy fuck, you wake up with a dragon looking over you.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+14+8+3
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+14+8+3 and gets 40." [1d20=15]
> The man - it's a man, you can see now, bleary blue eyes staring in horror, somehow manages not to scream. He just raises his hands slowly and silently. OOC: Going to do anything to react, Lief?
<Lief> OOC: did my guy do anything yet?
> OOC: Not yet.
<Lief> OOC: I'll hold until he does anything, then I'll drop, "We have a dragon."
> OOC: Okay. Carry on for now, Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn eyes the man. "I have questions. I believe you can answer them. Shall we make an exchange?"
> Meanwhile, the other person in the bed stirs. A woman with long brown hair, looking up in that sort of half asleep way. "Dear?" she mutters incoherently, "What...?"
> "Stay calm," The man says, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We have a ...uh... visitor." He gulps at the end of that.
* Muirfinn curls his lips back in an unpleasant smile, inch-long teeth shining. "Good morning. You should stay calm. Things will go much better. We can have a nice civilized discussion."
> "Bahamut's balls!" she exclaims, staring in complete horror at Muirfinn. "DRAGON!"
<Muirfinn> "Or not."
* Lief takes aim on his target..
> Kascha sighs, as meanwhile Lief can see his target stirring. Followed by the sound of a blade clanging down.
> roll 4#1d20 Kascha's going for knockout on hers, -4 nonlethal, isn't missing 'cept on a 1 here.
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4#1d20 Kascha's going for knockout on hers, -4 nonlethal, isn't missing 'cept on a 1 here.  and gets 34." [4#1d20 = 4, 8, 15, 7]
> roll 8d6+28+4+4+4+4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 8d6+28+4+4+4+4 and gets 77." [8d6=1, 4, 5, 4, 4, 6, 4, 5]
<Lief> OOC: Can I non-leathal with a bow? >.>;
> OOC: I'm...not sure, actually. Hold on, rules check.
> OOC: No, melee weapons only. Ranged ones don't have the needed control or design to do it.
<Lief> OOC: Is there a, I dunno, disabling attack? Crippling?
> OOC: Not really. Bows are pretty lethal as far as they go.
* Lief remains invisible, but speaks.
<Lief> "Do not try to get up. If you do, I will kill you. And my dragon friend will kill everyone else."
<Lief> OOC: Bluff or intimidate?
> OOC: Intimidate.
<Lief> OOC: Ouch, don't have ranks in that. +2 synergy with Bluff, right?
> OOC: I believe os, yes.
<Lief> roll d20+9 Intimidate god I hope.
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+9 Intimidate god I hope. and gets 20." [d20=11]
> The man - it's a man, you can see - stares in shock. "The fuck," he utters in a whisper, but obeys Lief's command. OOC: Free act for now, you have the cowed or knocked out.
* Lief raises his voice.
<Lief> "He's staying. Ask your questions."
* Muirfinn eyes the loud woman briefly. "Do you wish to raise a complaint?"
> The man gently pushes her down and shakes his head. "Shh, Anna," he whispers, "So you have us. What do you want to know?"
* Muirfinn turns to the man, head leaning in and turning to the side to stare the man directly in the face. "A unicorn was murdered, and its foal stolen for foul purposes. This act offends me greatly. You will tell me what you know; who sent you to that house last night and why. I heard you outside. We tracked you here. We have found you. I am irritated. Answer."
> "It was..." he licks his lips and stares, "Just a misunderstanding. We didn't want any unicorn murdered. We needed a baby unicorn to study for something, right you are. But we didn't pay for any murder."
<Muirfinn> "Ah, perhaps not, but the deed is done. A noble and innocent creature's blood is upon your hands." Muirfinn leans back, eyeing him cooly. "I am not a mere beast, though. I will give you this chance. Explain yourselves. Fully. Right now."
> "Right you are," The man nods quickly, "You see, we work for mages on demand. Need some item to make something? We get it for them. This mage - real stand up fellow, just a bit daft if you ask me - wanted to study a unicorn. You know how a unicorn's horn can heal? He wanted to see if he could duplicate it."
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+26 sense motive
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+26 sense motive and gets 42." [1d20=16]
> He's so full of shit that Muirfinn is drowning in it. This is pure, unadulterated bullshit.
<Muirfinn> "So, as a proxy, you hired a man who used winter wolves as hunting dogs?" Muirfinn snorts. "A sound career choice for the enterprising businessman. My patience wears thin."
<Lief> "I have a personal distaste for that part myself."
<Muirfinn> "Care to make another attempt?"
> "How about another tack?" The woman speaks up, "Look, you have us. How about we resort to compensation and tribute rather than making this unpleasant."
<Lief> "The death of a unicorn isn't something that can simply be *paid* for."
* Lief replies in anger.
<Muirfinn> "Unpleasantness is guaranteed. The severity is up to you." Muirfinn says.
> The woman gets another hand on her shoulder. As he does...OOC: Spot check, Muirfinn.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+48
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+48 and gets 55." [1d20=7]
<Muirfinn> OOC: Also true seeing and darkvision
> OOC: Follwup spellcraft.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+50+3
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+50+3 and gets 69." [1d20=16]
> The woman is preparing a spell, silent and stilled. It's some sort of force blast that'll slam into Muirfinn good and possibly stun him. It looks like a modified orb of force. If it stuns him, he'll be down for a goodly while and vulnerable. She's going to cast it in a second, but picking it up so quickly and deftly gives Muirfinn a chance to do something beforehand.
<Muirfinn> "Poor choice, girl." Muirfinn snarls, abruptly becoming a whirling ball of draconic death.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+43 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+43 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+38 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+33 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+28 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39 Claw
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39 Claw
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39 Wing
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39 Wing
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39 Tail
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+43 Unarmed and gets 51." [1d20=8]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+43 Unarmed and gets 53." [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+38 Unarmed and gets 44." [1d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+33 Unarmed and gets 52." [1d20=19]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+28 Unarmed and gets 43." [1d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39 Claw and gets 45." [1d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39 Claw and gets 42." [1d20=3]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39 Wing and gets 41." [1d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39 Wing and gets 45." [1d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39 Tail and gets 55." [1d20=16]
> OOC: Those all hit.
<Muirfinn> roll 5d10+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Unarmed)
<Muirfinn> roll 4d6+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Claw)
<Muirfinn> roll 2d8+5+17 (Wing)
<Muirfinn> roll 4d6+5+25 (Tail Slap)
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 5d10+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Unarmed) and gets 49." [5d10=5, 5, 4, 2, 2][2d6=6, 3]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d6+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Claw) and gets 43." [4d6=3, 4, 4, 2][2d6=2, 6]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2d8+5+17 (Wing) and gets 32." [2d8=5, 5]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d6+5+25 (Tail Slap) and gets 49." [4d6=6, 6, 5, 2]
> Muirfinn is a blur. Claws, teeth and blows rip into the hapless sorcerer, tearing her apart. Blood and torn bedsheets go flying, splattering against the wall and her bedmate. He stares in sublime horror, the remains of her chest and head resting against him. That's when he begins to scream. Meanwhile, in Lief's room, the man on that bed suddenly darts aside, trying ot get out of the bed fast in a panic! OOC: Feel free to act, Lief.
* Muirfinn turns to the man, blood and viscera dripping from his scales. "Now, shall we try this again, or do you simply wish to die? You might still live."
* Lief instantly releases his arrow at the man, then reaches to continue unleashing his full anger! OOC: Full attack. Does Sneak Attack apply?
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 58." [d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 55." [d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 48." [d20=9]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 38." [d20=4]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 36." [d20=7]
> OOC: Those all hit. It does, he's flatfooted. Damage.
<Lief> roll 5#d6+24+7d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 5#d6+24+7d6 and gets 265." [5#d6+24+7d6 = 50, 54, 59, 46, 56]
> The man doesn't even make it off the bed. A bevy of arrow pin himb ack through it, impaling his chest, legs, arms and head. He simply bleeds out there, dead before the arrows finish flying. OOC: Init for everyone+the one surviving screamer. Kascha's guy is out cold still since she clubbed him.
> roll 1d20+12 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 Kascha and gets 32." [1d20=20]
<Lief> OOC: Lief grants an init bonus!
> roll 1d20+7 screamer
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 screamer and gets 20." [1d20=13]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+12 and gets 32." [1d20=20]
> OOC: Kascha's out of line of sight for it, but it's also going to be waaay irrelevant here.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Hah
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
<Lief> roll d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+21 and gets 33." [d20=12]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(33)>Kascha=Muirfinn(32)>Screamer(20)'
<Lief> OOC: +5 for Lief's bonus, right?
> OOC: Open Lief. You're in another room, remember.
<Lief> "This one's dead!"
* Lief calls out as he zips into the main room, still invisible, and tries to get a clear line of sight into the other two rooms!
> Lief darts out and gets just that. Kascha's still over the bed of her target, who is quite out cold. He can also see the bloodied man near Muirfinn that's still alvie. OOC: Yous till have a standard action if you want to snap off na arrow or somethign.
* Lief takes aim and fires off an arrow at the wall next to the bloodied man.
> OOC: Trying to intimidate him?
<Lief> OOC: Yeah. Trying to help Muirfinn.
> OOC: Intimidation check, +8 circumstancial bonus.
<Lief> roll d20+17 Intimidation
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+17 Intimidation and gets 27." [d20=10]
> The arrow goes flying, hitting the wall. The man, amazingly, keeps on hysterically screaming. OOC: He's already in a bad place and this just made it worse. Impressive. Muirfinn, you're up.
* Muirfinn gives the man a look. "Get a grip, man. Like you've never seen someone die before."
<Muirfinn> "Though," Muirfinn says, scratching his chin with a claw, "probably not like that. To be fair."
<Muirfinn> OOC: Giving him a minute, he's not going anywhere. I'll ready an action for if he tries to bolt.
> roll 1d20+8 will
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 will and gets 23." [1d20=15]
> It's no good. The man seems to know nothing but fear, stumbling out of the bed and trying ot run. OOC: Go ahead, Muirfinn. He's clearly panicking.
* Muirfinn punches the man in the face! OOC: Dragonpunch! Nonlethal!
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+43
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+43 and gets 46." [1d20=3]
> OOC: Hit.
<Muirfinn> roll 5d6 nonlethal go
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 5d6 nonlethal go and gets 14." [5d6=1, 3, 2, 5, 3]
> Muirfinn's quick, socking him right in the face. This causes a crunching sound as his nose breaks, but he's still going. He stumbles out of the room in a daze...just as Kascha comes out. "Stop," she utters in Celestial, a momentary corona of light surrounding her. OOC: She was on the same tick as you and held since she had nothing to do. She's trying a hold monster SLA.
> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 11." [1d20=3]
> And just like that, the man falls over. He's dead rigid and unmoving as Kascha says, "He's held. He shouldn't move for a bit." OOC: Free act for the moment. He'll get a save each round to try and break it as normal for hold monster.
<Lief> "I'll check the bodies."
* Lief moves to check loot on the two bodies.
<Muirfinn> "Ah, thank you Kascha." Muirfinn says, leaning back on his haunches. "Shame she decided that a fight was necessary."
> Kascha positions over him, as...
> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 22." [1d20=14]
> He starts to rise, just as Kascha's blade comes down for his head, flat end first.
> roll 4#1d20 -4 nonlethal, 1 is the only miss
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4#1d20 -4 nonlethal, 1 is the only miss and gets 48." [4#1d20 = 13, 13, 7, 15]
> roll 8d6+28+4+4+4+4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 8d6+28+4+4+4+4 and gets 79." [8d6=6, 6, 2, 4, 6, 1, 4, 6]
> The clang of metal on bone is followed by your hapless friend finding out what unconciousness is like. He's out cold, lumps rising on his bruised noggin. OOC: Free act.
> "It didn't go perfectly," Kascha admits, "But it's done. What do you want to do with these two?"
<Lief> "If we want to keep the intimidation thing up, we could tie them upside down from the ceiling in the bloody room."
<Muirfinn> "I'm quite interested to know who is employing them."
> "There's no need for unpleasantness," Kascha makes a face, "I can use magic to make them answer in truth. It feels wrong enough to cut down someone in their bed, even if it was perhaps justified by the acts they committed."
<Muirfinn> "Yes, I believe that would be best." Muirfinn says. "Fear is not having the desired effect. Alas."
<Lief> "Alright. Sounds good."
> From there Kascha picks up the broken nosed man and carries him to an empty bed. "Muirfinn, could you manage a healing spell? Enough to waken him."
<Lief> "Should we tie him down first?"
> "Wouldn't hurt," Kascha remarks as she puts her sword down.
<Muirfinn> "Once you are ready." Muirfinn nods.
<Lief> OOC: Do I have rope? Does anyone have rope? >.>
> OOC: Yes.
> "I'll be using a wish," Kascha explains, "Probe Thoughts is a fairly spell, and I'll use some of the added power of the wish to make it work out loud instead of telepathically. Anything you'd like me to ask him?"
* Lief moves to tie the man down, hands and legs.
> OOC: Quick use rope check, for reference?
<Lief> roll d20+32 Use Rope!
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Use Rope! and gets 39." [d20=7]
<Muirfinn> "What the purpose of taking the unicorn was, and who he was working for."
> "Do it," Kascha says, once he's tied down, "After you finish telling me any questions you'd like answered. Alright. What about you, Lief?"
<Lief> "Nothing, personally."
* Muirfinn shrinks down to tortle size, pulling a wand and, with a swish and a flick, taps the man.
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 cure critical
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 cure critical and gets 39." [4d8=6, 5, 6, 5]

[Anastasia]

> Healing washes over the man, causing his eyes to open. At the same time Kascha gestures and traces a circle around her. "He won't remember being mentally probed, even with him speaking aloud," she remarks, "So don't address him directly. Now...Mother of Magic, open the path and loosen this man's tongue!"
> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 20." [1d20=14]
> The man's eyes go slack, Kascha asking him right away, "What was the purpose of taking the unicorn?" To that he answers right away in a dull, inflectionless voice, "The payment was good and the ritual was of Neurah's choosing. It was the price for the keys to open this place."
<Muirfinn> "Whose price?"
> "Who is Neurah?" Kascha asks a moment later, to which he says, "Neurah is Neurah. He came to us with knowledge and offers. He is a prophet of the Lord of Shadows. There are riches hidden away and ripe to be taken, he claims. He is powerful in the ways of might and the ways of magic. He has instructed us in the ways of the Lord of Shadow." He doesn't seem to hear Muirfinn or react to him. In a low voice, "Remember, he's under a spell and it's tied to me," she murmurs to Muirfinn, "Lord of Shadows is one of Mask's titles. Ahem!" Clearing her throat, "What was the payment and who gave it to you?" Kascha asks.
* Lief takes the conversation as cue to start checking over the rooms and bodies, also keeping sentry. Just in case.
> "The payment was ten thousand marks of the United Baronies. Neurah gave it to us, so we could go west without suspicion later. There is even more opportunity to the west and even more riches to be taken." Is his only reply. OOC: Lief, make a quick spot and search check.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search and gets 46." [d20=16]
* Muirfinn snorts.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot and gets 39." [d20=7]
> Kascha makes a little nothing noise in the back of her throat, narrowing her eyes as she thinks. Her normally pleasant demeanor shifts as she ponders, "What does Neurah look like?" Meanwhile she turns nad murmurs, "Any other questions, Muirfinn? Lief?"
<Lief> "Why did they want the keys? What did this Neurah teach them about this place?"
<Muirfinn> "And who led you here?"
> "Neurah is tall and slender. He is a tanned man that resembles a king. I do not know why he does, it may be magic or the blessing of the Lord of Shadows. He wears rings and armor of great power and great wealth. His hair is black and his eyes are green." After that Kascha asks, "Why did you want the keys?" To which he replies, "There is great treasure hidden here. There are also portals to realms with more treasure. In the western land there are active portals that result in wealth and prosperity. It is easy money if we can awakena nd control these."
> This gets Kascha to frown a little bit, momentarily cute before her expression hardens. "Seira built those portals. Long story. Someone's been cribbing notes from her, it looks like." Clearing her throat again after, "What did Neurah teach you of this place?"
> Meanwhile Lief searches around. There's gear tucked away in dressers and the like, and no sign of an active threat. OOC: I'll post a loot rundown of what you find afterwards, lemme sort this questioning out first.
<Lief> "What was the ritual for? What was it supposed to accomplish? Bringing Mask back to power here?"
> "He told us of the treasure within. He told us of the password to the portal and to mark the doors. There is magic here that will erode your memories and confuse you, the writings help resist that, as well as organize the massive amount of passageways," he says, to which Kascha then asks, "Who lead you here?" to which is said simply, "Neurah. He showed us the path."
<Muirfinn> "How can we find Neruah?"
> Clearing her throat again after, "Whatw as the ritual for and what was it to accomplish?" she asks, eyes hardening. The answer comes, "Unicorn parts sell for great profit and the ritual can restore injuries that cannot heal in any other way. Neurah desires this ritual, though he is not injured. We do not understand why, we think it is to bolster an ally."
> This gets Kascha's jaw to clench, "How can we find Neurah?" she asks tensely. "I don't know. Neurah finds us. Neurah sees farther than us and is great in the ways of magic."
> "Any other questions? I still have some left," Kascha speaks up, the normal kindness in her voice absent.
<Muirfinn> "Are there others? Those of your group not present? Anyone due to check up on you soon?"
> A trio of nos come with that, "Anything else? There's still a couple of questions." Kascha asks.
<Lief> "What specifics do they know about the treasure and the doors? Which are safe and where do they lead?"
> Kascha asks the first, which comes back as, "We are still exploring, but all we know is written on the doors." A rather long summary of what you already saw on the doors follows. The second question presents much the same. Once done, "Muirfinn, would you knock him back out?" OOC: Refer to that nagging post with all the info. I won't repeat it here IC for the sake of brevity.
> OOC: Also loot post.
* Muirfinn takes a small amount of joy in punching the man very squarely on the side of the head. OOC: Roll? It's not like he's gonna move to dodge.
> OOC: No need.
> WHAM! One punch knocks himb ack out.
> Kascha meanwhile looks over what Lief found, "That's a lot. We may want to drop it off at Aurora...though I'd say we should at least give the gold to the unicorns if they want it, or the items if they're compatible." Hmming ot herself, "What should we do with the survivors?"
* Muirfinn eyes the unconscious man. "How many others are there?"
<Lief> "One dead on my end."
> "Two. This one and mine," Kascha replies, sheathing her sword.
<Muirfinn> "Well, looks like we will have to turn them over to proper authorities. Or lock them up on the Aurora and ask Chauntea what she wants done with them."
> "Mielikki," Kascha corrects absently, "That sounds like a good idea. Unicorns are her favored species and she takes assaults on them poorly. Spreading a bit of good will wouldn't hurt Aurora's political standing over there."
<Lief> "They might still have useful information on this place, if we're going to put these portals into our control."
* Muirfinn nods. "I have a spare set of Gate spells I can use to get them back and forth."
* Muirfinn turns to Lief. "I'm rather inclined to get the local gods into action on this.
<Muirfinn> "
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "If nothing else, this magic would be useful to learn about. If we can replicate ourselves, it could be a windfall."
<Muirfinn> "I'm not saying give it up. Just get them involved. They're already friendly to us, and them having foreknowledge of a potential Mask cell would be welcome."
* Lief nods.
> "Speaking of that," Kascha speaks up, "I may - emphasis on may - have a lead on who Neurah is."
<Muirfinn> "Oh?"
> "Back when Seira and Alicia were exploring here after defeating the Destroyer, they came on an old ruin. The entire thing was kept and maintained by a follower of Mask named Angreal. He implied that he was immortal and had succesfully hidden from the Destroyer the entire time - it was all underground, so it's plausible. If he was telling the truth about that, he's probably immensely powerful. It may or may not be related," A shrug follows. "It also doesn't help us find him. His entire lair was a deathtrap and had a lot of lateral thinking. I'm not sure he'd be there or if we could get through even if he was."
> After finishing and no immediate reply, Kascha clears her throat again. "So...going out now
> After finishing and no immediate reply, Kascha clears her throat again. "So...going out now?"
<Lief> "I've got nothing else here, unless we start checking doors."
<Muirfinn> "Which we're not doing right now." Muirfinn says, shaking his head. "He have previous engagements to attend to. I'm fine with closing this place up and informing Seira and Alicia about it."
> "This could be the work of weeks or months," Kascha agrees, "We can always come back later."
> OOC: Quick plan summary?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Gate back to the Aurora, drop off the gear/prisoners, send midssives to Mielikki, Alicia, & Seira.
<Lief> OOC: Accompany Muirfinn.
<Muirfinn> OOC: After that, gate back, get our asses kicked by the ice dragon, then get the Gilded Heart and go home. Prepare for next ass-kicking.
> OOC: Right, let's pause here. I'm tired as hell, we'll run again tomorrow.

[Anastasia]

> OOC: Also, quick question. It was the middle ofthe night, is the party going to take the time to rest?
<Muirfinn> OOC: I suppose. Might as well borrow the cloak wheil we're there. It'll come in handy if we need to hide
> OOC: Okay, noted. More coming.
> It is a cloudy day as you head for the mountains. There's not much else at dragon-flight heights to bother you and soon you approach the looming mountains of the Amaryl Ranges. "It's one of the border mountains," Kascha speaks up, shouting to be heard over the wind. She points down at one of the lesser mountains, "I think it should be around there!"
* Muirfinn eases down toward the indicated spot.
* Lief keeps an eye out, ready to deal with any attention the landing dragon catches.
> The mountain top is snowy. Cold numbingly licks at the trio as Muirfinn descends. It is a classical peak from the stories, a triangle rising up to stab at the sky. About 200ft or so beneath the peak is a large cliff, hundreds of feet wide. It is surrounded by ice and snow, seeming to blow from nowhere. It covers this perfect landing spot in nature's fury, blocking any good view inside. OOC: Spot checks, y'all.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot and gets 40." [d20=8]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+48
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+48 and gets 68." [1d20=20]
> roll 1d20+32 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Kascha and gets 51." [1d20=19]
> The party can see the faint outline of a cave entrance 100ft ahead, past all the wind and snow. Further, the party can notice the wind blows in patterns and seems to be blowing in such a way as to prevent creatures from reaching within.
<Muirfinn> "Interesting wind patterns. Likely magically controlled. The dragon will know if we dispel them."
<Lief> "How about just passing through?"
> "Can we force our way through? Is it safe?" Kascha asks as she peers ahead. One hand goes out to shield her eyes as her breath mists around her face.
<Muirfinn> "Only one way to find out."
> OOC: If you're doing it, do so.
* Muirfinn heads into the winds!
> The winds blow intensely against Muirfinn and the party! Winter's wrath hits them head on! OOC: CMB check by the wind incoming against all of you. Let me know if you pass/fail.
> roll 1d20+45 CMD, y'all?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+45 CMD, y'all? and gets 55." [1d20=10]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+52
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+52 and gets 59." [1d20=7]
> OOC: CMD, not a roll, Yuth.
<Lief> OOC: 48, so no.
<Muirfinn> OOC: It's 52
> The winds blow like a hellish hurricane. The winds are screaming, tornado force gales. They batter Muirfinn as he glides in, battering the dragon and party. They are sent flying out, careening back. "Ugh," Kascha coughs, eyes crossed as she shakes her head clear. "We need more momentum or something ot ge through that, I think."
* Lief tumbles and shakes his head dizzily.
* Muirfinn grumbles, righting himself. "Irritating."
* Lief checks his wings for injury.
> Lief's wings seem okay to him. "That wind's really strong. They also didn't mention anything like this...is the dragon upgrading its defenses after the previous incursions?"
<Muirfinn> "Or it found out we were coming."
* Muirfinn eyes the winds. "Perhaps I can control the winds long enough for us to get through."
> "By all means," Kascha remarks, "I suppose it was too much to hope for a simple time of it," she adds with a little slump of her wings.
<Muirfinn> "Alas, the path of the adventurer is fraught with peril."
* Muirfinn shrinks back down to tortle size, doing his best to ignore the biting cold as he reaches out with his magic, seeking to control the winds and calm them. OOC: Control Winds, trying to reduce their speed.
> OOC: Link me?
<Muirfinn> OOC: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/controlWinds.htm
> The winds shudder and slacken, dying off under Muirfinn's control. The snow fall sstraight down, a curtain of white as the air goes still.
<Muirfinn> "Let's proceed." Muirfinn says, shifting into the form of a silver dragon once again as he strides forward.
* Lief takes to the air and pulls up his invisibility, sticking to the group's left flank.
> Kascha follows. The snow is heavy but no real barrier to your entrance. The cave entrance ahead is fairly large, as is the tunnel leading further within. Big enough for Muirfinn to pass through without any difficulty. It goes straight down, plunging into the darkness.
* Muirfinn proceeds.
> As you go down, the walls and ground become covered with ice. The going is slippery, enough to where Kascha starts to fly rather than walk. Coming down, you reach a massive cavern room. Columns of ice are all about, shades of blue and white. Within these columns you can see glimpses of wealth and treasures, emtomed within. There's plenty of space here - but no dragon.
* Lief keeps towards the outside of the room and watches for traps, but makes sure to stay close enough to the others to support them.
<Muirfinn> "No dragon. It's either out or elsewhere here."
> OOC: Search check, Lief.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search and gets 34." [d20=4]
> "If it's out, we're abnormally lucky," Kascha remarks, "How often do you get here and the dragon isn't home?" Meanwhile Lief can detect traps around the pillars. Magical traps that will entomb anyone but one creature within the ice columns of they touch them or otherwise try to melt or damage them.
* Lief moves next to Muirfinn and Kascha and speaks, keeping his voice low.
<Lief> "The pillars are trapped. Ice magic to entomb whoever tries for them."
* Muirfinn nods, avoiding them for now.
* Lief moves back out, keeping eyes out for anything useful.
> There's not a whole lot her eotherwise. No obvious passages leading further in or anything like that. It's just a large cavern full of frost and ice columns.
<Muirfinn> "Well. We can either wait, or set traps and then wait."
<Lief> "Hmm.. Could we somehow cover our traps with the dragons? Reduce the chances of them being noticed?"
<Muirfinn> "I suppose it's possible." Muirfinn shrugs. "I haven't actually set a trap in ages, and that was for rabbits."
<Lief> OOC: So I can set up physical traps, Muirfinn does magical?
> OOC: Okay. What traps are you thinking of here, you two?
<Muirfinn> OOC: I really don't have any way of setting them magically.
<Muirfinn> OOC: I was sort of just making a suggestion
<Lief> OOC: I'm thinking of something that'll reduce mobility. Pitfall or anchored snare.
<Lief> OOC: Magic? Maybe some kind of blinding flare? I dunno what Muirfinn can do trap-wise.
<Lief> OOC: I'm looking over the trap list right now, not sure what we have materials on hand for, though.

[Anastasia]

> OOC: Last time, you all were talking about trapping the dragon's lair since he's out. What did you come up with?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Nothing on my end! It was really just a off the cuff suggestion.
<Lief> OOC: Not much, considering it's a dragon. Only things I could come up with are a ceiling collapse and an arrow trap. I'm still not sure if we have mats for them.
<Muirfinn> OOC: We sort of don't.
> OOC: Realistically, probably not. So if not a trap, then what are y'all gonna do?
<Lief> OOC: All I have is concealment and ambush after that.
<Lief> OOC: Unless Muirfinn has a magical solution.
> OOC: Do you, Muirfinn?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Well, I might be able to use Stone Shape
<Muirfinn> OOC: Now that I think about it
> OOc: Link me.
<Muirfinn> OOC: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm
> OOC: Possible, depending on what you have in mind. What do you have in mind?
<Muirfinn> OOC: I was thinking a large set of rocks attached precariously from the ceiling. Loose enough for Lief to push loose or something
> OOC: Sure thing. That would incur the 30% failure chance, though, so fair warning. Failure would result in the rocks falling prematurely at some point.
* Ithea is now known as Merc
<Muirfinn> I'll take it
<Muirfinn> OOC:
> OOC: Roll 1d100. Also sec.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d100 and gets 19." [1d100=19]
> Muirfinn chants and shapes a bit of clay. The ceiling above shifts to loose rocks - and moments later chunks of it begin to fall! The crashing echos throughout the cave, a pile of rocks littering the ground now. Fortunately, at least everyone had the good sense not to be under them.
<Muirfinn> "...damn."
> Kascha looks up and sighs, "Too bad," she laments, "We should clean up those rocks. Otherwise when he returns, he'll notice something's wrong right away."
* Lief nods.
* Muirfinn eyes the rocks for a moment, shifting into an earthen elemental and shoving them to the side.
> OOC: Just going to move the rocks aside or something else?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Probably hide them behind the pillars or push them into passages.
> One that's done, there's still no sign of the dragon. "Now what?" Kascha asks. She frowns as her eyes follow the ioun stones going around her head, "Any other plans?"
<Muirfinn> "We'll just wait, I suppose. I doubt the dragon will be gone for long."
* Lief nods and goes to find an ambush point.
> OOC: Going to hide then? Make hide checks, everyone. Als note if you're using invisibility or any other exotic means of covering yourself.
<Lief> roll d20+40 Hide with Invisibility
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+40 Hide with Invisibility and gets 47." [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+32 hide for Kascha, also casting greater invisibility as an at will SLA as needed. She'll drop it on Muirfinn as well if he wants.
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 hide for Kascha, also casting greater invisibility as an at will SLA as needed. She'll drop it on Muirfinn as well if he wants. and gets 49." [1d20=17]
> OOC: And strike that offer, the racial SLA is self only. Forgot.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+6 hurray
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+6 hurray and gets 14." [1d20=8]
> Several hours pass. It's cold and boring. Only Kascha's invisibility spells mark the time, coming every two minutes. It's then the party hears a loud THUMP outside, followed by softer thumps that grow closer.
* Lief readies himself and arrows...
> Unseen, Kascha stirs and renews her invisibility, all while beginning to chant a few arcane words of Celestial.
<Lief> OOC: Give me a sec.
<Lief> OOC: I'm looking at spells, I may want to ready one.
> After a beat, she chants a simple spell, one that fills the three with hope. OOC: Surge of Hope. +4 morale bonus to a bunch of things, see thecauldron for details.
<Lief> OOC: Did you ever decide on Fell the Greatest Foe?
> OOC: It's fine for ranged weapons.
<Lief> OOC: alright, I wanna prep that, then.
> OOC: Okay. Giving Yuth a sec to add in his own two cents.
<Lief> OOC: Not 100% sure on it since I don't often play spell casters. Can I just cast it beforehand, or can I ready it and trigger it before I launch my SA?
> OOC: Cast it beforehand, sounds like the dragon'sc oming. Lasts for 1 round/level so it's fine.
* Lief pulls his magical abilities and casts Fell the Greatest Foe..
* Muirfinn readies Deadfall at the entrance.
> OOC: To be cast when it shows itself?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Yes please
> OOC: Okay.
> roll 1d20+34 spot
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+34 spot and gets 54." [1d20=20]
> The creature advances! The entrance is 45ft away as it comes in. The creature is a massive dragon the size of a manshion, dominating over everything and darkening the room. It is made of pure ice, glittering like a thousand diamonds in the dim light. It immediately begins to look around, eyes narrowing as...OOC: We'll resolve your deadfall and then do init. It aced the spot check, so the odds of a surprise round aren't happening.
<Muirfinn> roll 20d6 no save no SR, DC 28 reflex save or prone
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 20d6 no save no SR, DC 28 reflex save or prone  and gets 73." [20d6=1, 4, 2, 5, 5, 6, 5, 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 2, 5, 1, 3]
> roll 1d20+30 (+6 ???, +5 ???, +1 ???)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 (+6 ???, +5 ???, +1 ???) and gets 31." [1d20=1]
<Muirfinn> OOC: WOW.
> A giant mass of dead wood appears, raining on the dragon! It's battered and knocked down, the groudn shaking as it falls! It growls loud enough to rattle your teeth as...OOC: It's prone. Init. Lief's aura isa  +5 init bonus and Kascha's surge of hope also provides a +4 morale bonus to init.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+12+4+5
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+12+4+5 and gets 22." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+21 Kascha (+5 Lief, +4 surge of hope)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 Kascha (+5 Lief, +4 surge of hope) and gets 32." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+19 (+6 ????, +5 nerveskitter)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 (+6 ????, +5 nerveskitter) and gets 23." [1d20=4]
<Lief> roll d20+30 (21+5 Lief +4 SoH)
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 (21+5 Lief +4 SoH) and gets 40." [d20=10]
> OOC: Your bonus is already in your init block, since you always get it, unless you changed that?
<Lief> I just copied it. So it's 35.
> OOC: Okay.
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(35)>Kascha(32)>Ice Dragon(23)>Muirfinn(22; miko and proud)'
> OOC: Open Lief. The dragon's 45ft away and proneski.
<Lief> OOC: SA is 30 ft, right?
> OOC: Correct.
> OOC: Sniper's Shot can mitigate that for a round as a siwft.
<Lief> OOC: YEah, but I can't use it and Critical Strike at the same time, right?
> OOC: Yes, one or the other.
* Lief mutters under his breath and triggers Sniper Shot, and then unleashes his rain of arrows, supplimented with Fell the Greatest Foe!
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 60." [d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 60." [d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 41." [d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 48." [d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 45." [d20=16]
<Lief> OOC: What's the dragon's size?
> OOC: Gargantuan.
> OOC: Four hits.
<Lief> OOC: so +5d6 from the spell.
<Lief> roll 4#1d6+24+7d6+5d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 4#1d6+24+7d6+5d6 and gets 276." [4#1d6+24+7d6+5d6 = 61, 69, 66, 80]
<Lief> OOC: that look right?
> The prone dragon, slower than his ambushers, is riddled with arrows all over. Its icy body is penetrated four times, great canyons made and cracks running all over it. The dragon thrashes on the ground, the deadfall cracking around him as it struggles to get up. But meanwhile Kascha strides out invisible, starting to chant. "Gates of the Heavens, open wide and shine down on the sinner before you!" she calls, as a mass of holy light descends from above, onto the dragon. It explodes in a burst of pure glorious radiance, all over the downed dragon.
> roll 1d20+29 SR check purely academic
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 SR check purely academic and gets 49." [1d20=20]
> roll 20d6*1.5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6*1.5 and gets 111." [20d6=1, 1, 4, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 2, 6, 3, 5, 2, 5, 6, 4, 6, 5, 5, 4]
> roll 1d20+35 (+6 ???, +5 ???, +1 ???)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+35 (+6 ???, +5 ???, +1 ???) and gets 53." [1d20=18]
> The blast of holy light causes parts of the dragon to melt into white feathers, with the rest of the runoff turning the color of melted gold. A split-second later, Kascha draws a sign of a gate with her fingers. From the earth a greater earth elemental rises, plummeling the downed wyrm!
> roll 1d20+23
> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 and gets 40." [1d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 and gets 43." [1d20=20]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(35)>Kascha=Greater Elemental(32)>Ice Dragon(23)>Muirfinn(22; miko and proud)'
> roll 1d20+23 crit
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 crit and gets 32." [1d20=9]
> roll 2d10+10
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d10+10 and gets 18." [2d10=2, 6]
> A stony fist hits the dragon in its neck, cracking it further. The wyrm tries to rise, but the body before you dissolves into motes of snow and ice. The dragon's body cracks apart, everything suddenly consumed in a massive, sub-zero blizzard! OOC: Fort saves, y'all.
> roll 1d20+30 (+4 surge of hope) Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 (+4 surge of hope) Kascha and gets 46." [1d20=16]
> roll 1d20+17 elemental
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 elemental and gets 33." [1d20=16]
<Lief> roll d20+30 Fort Save (please be high)
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Fort Save (please be high) and gets 39." [d20=9]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+36
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+36 and gets 47." [1d20=11]
> OOC: 180 cold damage. Kascha half, Elemental full, Lief full, Muirfinn half. This is piercing cold damage, so resistance doesn't apply and it deals half damage to creatures immune to cold. More coming.
> The blizzard leaves all the party prone and frozen. The party is covered with snow, entombed within it. Each of you can only see snow surrounding you in all directions.
> "Ow..." Kascha's voice is a whimper, heard by all. It sounds far away, muffled and distorted by the snow.
<Muirfinn> OOC: SLAs possible here?
> OOC: Yes. They have no somatic or verbal components.
* Muirfinn concentrates, sending healing energy through himself. "Everyone alright?" OOC: Heal SLA.
> "Alive. Frozen but alive," Kascha's voice is underlaid by the sound of her teeth chattering. "Yaaaah!" Her cry is followed by a gushing sound, "Aaaah! I'm out! Hold on, the snow's nearly as deep as I am tall."
* Lief remains quiet, keeping his location secret as best he can...
> "Ugh..." Kascha's voice is heard, a little farther away. "Lief? Muirfinn? Where are you? Shout out so I can come over and help dig you out."
* Muirfinn turns himself into a 16 foot tall fire elemental.
* Lief waits until Muirfinn speaks up, first.
<Muirfinn> "...here."
<Lief> "Here."
> That does more to get Muirfinn out than any words. The snow around him melts and turns to steam, freeing him. A good four feet of snow covers everything. Kascha has taken to the air, sodden wet and shivering. The liquid is already freezing on her, covering her with a sheen of ice. "Right," she says, teeth visiblity chattering. Soon enough she helps dig Lief out, freeing him as well.
* Lief takes off tot he ceiling, keeping watch just in case.
<Muirfinn> "That went...far easier than I expected it to."
* Lief keeps his voice low.
<Lief> "I expect it wasn't.
<Lief> "
> "Dragons don't explode when they die," Kascha shivers, starting to brush ice off herself. "This is strange. Also, could you heal us, Muirfinn?"
* Muirfinn nods, shrinking down. "No, they do not. Come here."
* Lief moves in closer.
> Kascha also comes closer.
* Muirfinn pulls out a healing wand, tapping each in turn.
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Kascha
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Kascha
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Kascha and gets 30." [4d8=6, 1, 3, 3]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Kascha and gets 28." [4d8=2, 1, 5, 3]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Kascha and gets 34." [4d8=5, 2, 4, 6]
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Lief
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Lief and gets 32." [4d8=1, 6, 6, 2]
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Lief
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Lief
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Lief and gets 35." [4d8=2, 7, 7, 2]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Lief and gets 36." [4d8=6, 6, 5, 2]
> roll 30+28+34
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 30+28+34 and gets 92."
> Wound heal to Muirfinn's wand. As the wounds heal, you notice that it's getting colder - rapidly. The cold cuts through you like the cold of the dragon's death, piercing through your defenses.
* Lief moves closer to the firey Muirfinn.
<Muirfinn> "Well that's probably bad." Muirfinn says, laying a hand on Kascha and using the other to tap Lief again. OOC: Heal
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 Lief
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 Lief and gets 38." [4d8=4, 8, 1, 8]
<Muirfinn> OOC: Estimated time to encounter?
> OOC: No idea. Feel free to make an K:A check.
> roll 1d20+48 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+48 Kascha and gets 66." [1d20=18]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+23+3
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+23+3 and gets 38." [1d20=12]
> Kascha mutters a word of magic, her eyes glowing blue as she sweeps over. "I don't think the dragon's coming back. All its life energy has spread out. This area is going to be permanently sub-zero with piercing cold, but that's it. It won't be safe for anyone here momentarily."
<Lief> "In that case... Anyone able to break the magic traps on the treasure?"
<Muirfinn> "Fantastic. Well, at least the hoard isn't going anywhere." Muirfinn says, collecting his things.
* Lief drops his invisibility and eyes the treasure.
<Muirfinn> "I probably could break it down, but not in the time we have."
> "It's probably possible to dispel it," Kascha says, "But the treasure's not going anywhere at the moment."
<Muirfinn> "Freezing to death would be uncomfortably ironic."
> "If you're hellbent on it, I'll try a wish," she adds, as ti continues to get colder by the second.
> roll 1d6 piercing cold damage
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 piercing cold damage and gets 2." [1d6=2]
> OOC: To all.
<Muirfinn> "It'll take too much time to gather it. We can come back after devising a way to stave off the cold."
> roll 1d6 piercing cold damage to all
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 piercing cold damage to all and gets 1." [1d6=1]
<Lief> OOC: Muirfinn healed me up to full, right?
> OOC: Yes.
<Muirfinn> "It's likely to keep out everyone on the plane."
> "I mean to reverse the cold," Kascha says quickly, shivering visibly.
> roll 1d6 piercing cold damage to all again
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 piercing cold damage to all again and gets 3." [1d6=3]
<Muirfinn> "Oh. Yeah sure, give it a shot."
> roll 2d6 piercing cold damage to all again and more after this, since Kascha's casting. The DC from the cold is trivial for her concentration.
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 piercing cold damage to all again and more after this, since Kascha's casting. The DC from the cold is trivial for her concentration. and gets 7." [2d6=1, 6]
> Despite her cold, Kascha stands firm. She raises her wrist to her hand and bites down, drawing blood. She flicks her wrist, sending the blood flying. "By the burning blood and explosive passions in this body, I demand that the Weave bring heat once more! Let my blood burn like the blood of Zaaman Rul and purify away cold!"
> roll 1d20+23 CL check
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 CL check and gets 40." [1d20=17]
> The cold stops, fires springing up all around. The snow melts as Kascha continues, "Hear my wish, o Weave of Mystra! MELT!" The fires arch up and the cold simply ceases. The painful cold is gone, the fires fading. It's chilly in here but nothing more now.
<Muirfinn> "Wel done!"
* Lief claps.
<Lief> "You impress me more and more."
> "Thank you," Kascha says, glowing blue spellfire mending the wound on her wrist. She brushes off half-melted ice from her body, "The treasure's still trapped, but the worst of it's dealt with." OOC: Sacrificing Scorching Ray to heal 10 HP from her self inflicted bite.
* Lief nods.
> OOC: Okay, any plans with the treasure? Going to try something to get it out?
<Lief> OOC: Too bad DD doesn't apply.
<Muirfinn> "I can deal with the trapped goods." Muirfinn says, pulling an ornate staff from his pack. A sharp rap of one end on the ground and a massive earth elemaneal pulls itself from the exposed stone of the cavern. OOC: Hello expendable meatshield.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Earth monolith
> OOC: It could to disable the traps at least, Lief.
<Lief> OOC: Okay then!
<Lief> "Let me try.. I might be able to disable a few things before that."
<Muirfinn> "If not, this fine gentleman would be pleased to assist."
<Lief> OOC: How many pillars? I can roll all of them at once.
> OOC: Just one roll's fine.
<Lief> roll d20+26 Disable Device!
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+26 Disable Device! and gets 28." [d20=2]
> Lief works the pillars. Working on it...working on it...gah! Touching one! Touching ba- OOC: Make a Will save.
<Lief> roll d20+23 Will Save
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+23 Will Save and gets 37." [d20=14]
> Lief resists. It feels like his body is being sucked in, but he throws off the compulsion and flies back! OOC: Check failed but you can try again since you weren't trapped within.
<Lief> "That was... Uncomfortable. It felt like I was being sucked in... I can try again, though... I think."
<Lief> roll d20+26 Disable Device
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+26 Disable Device and gets 40." [d20=14]
> This time Lief goes about. HIs fingers stick into the magic around them, a few names called on and auras twisted...there! The spell's disabled on the pillars. All you have to do is get the goods out.
<Lief> "Done!"
<Lief> "Damn magic traps..."
* Muirfinn nods at the elemental as it lumbers forward, pushing over a pillar at a time. "Let's get to work. Hopefully the ice isn't holding the roof up. If it is, I can probably deal with it."
* Lief nods and starts gathering what he can, keeping an eye out for the Heart.
> OOC: Okay, this is largely uneventful and is mundane. We'll pause here and I'll post what you got out later tonight.

[Anastasia]

> OOC: Okay, so you got the treasure and presume itw as dropped off. So now what's on your agenda, you two? Go back and get the Heart or something else?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Yep, that's the plan
<Lief> OOC: Sounds good to me.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 46." [1d100=46]
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 51." [1d100=51]
> The trip back to Liberation Point is without incident. It involves a normal rest on the way, a chance for the party to recover and refresh. Soon enough you meet with Uless once more, "By your presence, does this mean the dragon is dead?" he asks once everyone is seated on those hard stone benches.
<Muirfinn> "Extremely so."
* Lief grins.
> "It's done," Kascha nods in response.
> Uless inclines his head and sighs long and deep, "You are relentless. All that's left is to build the monument."
<Muirfinn> "Relentless is a new description." Muirfinn says idly.
> "It fits Aurora, but never mind it. Do you have something in mind yet, Uless?" Kascha inquires.
> Papers are gotten. They are full of sketches of a massive stone cathedral. It juts out over the mountaintop and juts out, a monument to be seen by one and all.
<Lief> "I like it?"
<Muirfinn> "It very large." Muirfinn contributes.
> Kascha bites her lip, "We'll need magic to speed it along as well as someone with skill in architecture."
<Muirfinn> "I can assist with heavy lifting if needed."
* Lief whistles distractedly, looking around the room.
> The room's fairly barren and spartan. There's not much of real interest around. "Yes, and magic can as well. Someone on Aurora should have the knowledge we need," Kascha concludes, "Do either of you happen to be skilled at it, personally?"
* Lief stares at Kascha for a momen.
<Lief> "No.."
* Muirfinn shakes his head. "Minor skill at the very best. I wouldn't want to try my hand at architecture in something like this. No sense building a house of massive stone cards atop a mountain."
> "We'll need to go back and ask around, then," Kascha says. "Unless either of you have an idea?"
* Muirfinn shakes his head. "I don't beleive we ever had cause to particularily look for one."
<Lief> "I don't."
> OOC: Okay, then the obvious next step is to head back and look for someone with the requisite knowledge. Want to move along to that?
<Lief> OOC: Sure.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Probably for the best
> The return to Aurora is peaceful. The fortress still sits in Air and you head in. Getting Elena to do a few inquires for you is easy enough and you sit down in a meeting room. A meal has been brought in from the cafeteria, a spread of conjured food and drink. Kascha idly nibbles on ab it of sweetened elf bread as Elena appears to explain. She's dressed up like Finnegan today, down to the hood. "So I asked around. We have some engineers in the non-commisioned ranks. Past that, there's two officers that are suitable for building something like that. That's a huge cathedral, by the way."
* Lief eats as well.
<Muirfinn> "Yes, it is. Who do you have?"
> "Mmm." Kascha sits back and makes happy little noises as she eats. Her ioun stones sit in her lap and her sword rests against her chair.
> "The first is Elder Magi Tepen. He's a man of way more talents than I ever imagine." Elena admits, "He saw the drawing you brought and suggested ways to improve and support it. With his knowledge and magic, he can help. The second is Sylvie. She said she doesn't have any particular knowledge of it, but between her prism and talents, she can pick it up easily." With an unladylike snort, crossing her arms, "She was starting to make suggestions with Tepen by the time I left, just from watching him work."
<Muirfinn> "Unsurprising. Sylvie can apply herself to anything and be successful."
> "Want me to get them?" Elena asks.
<Muirfinn> "If you wouldn't mind, thank you Elena."
> Once Elena vanishes, "So what do you all want to do with the treasures we brought in?"
<Muirfinn> "We can sort them out once this is done I'd think."
* Lief nods.
<Lief> "I'm thinking of changing my gear up a bit, too. I think it'll be better to deal with after we finish with the Heart."
* Muirfinn nods. "Best to see to any changes before the next leg of our task."
> That gets a simple nod from Kascha. Soon enough Tepen and Sylvie arrive. Sylvie is a busty blonde, wearing a sturdy tunic and pants. She has leather straps wrapped around her wrists and fists. She wears a slender pair of glasses and has a confident smile. "You need us for building something?" she asks.
<Muirfinn> "Large stone temple on a mountain peak."
> "We can get that done," Elder Magi Tepen remarks after a moment, "With the proper magic and putting our heads together, we can get it done in record time. How important is speed?"
<Muirfinn> "A few days?"
<Muirfinn> "Maybe a week?"
> Tepen and Sylvie exchange a look, "For that sort of speed, we'll need some funds to supplement the magic we'll have," Sylvie says, "There's some Mercane in to see Afina and they're selling what we'd need. It'll cost 20,000 gold, but it'll help us get it done in time."
* Muirfinn nods. "I can swing that."
> OOC: Okay, go post the expense in loot, tortle.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Done
> OOC: Okay, ahead is goingot be a skip along as work is done. You'll have a few days of relative downtime as they work, anything y'all wanna do? Loot will be done during this as well.
<Lief> OOC: Not off the top of my head. My thing'll get done out of session.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Desperately need a bag of holding
<Lief> OOC: Yes, that I agree with.

[Anastasia]

> The days slip by as work is done. After the fourth day of construction, the work is over half done. The spell that it goes on at is breath-taking, magic and summons vastly increasing the speed of the monument's construction. Muirfinn, Lief, Kascha, Sylvie and Elder Magi Tepen sit in the half-finished entryway, as Sylvie speaks up, "So I had some spare time last night," she says, "I poked around that cave in the back, where the dragon laired."
<Lief> "Find anything good?"
* Muirfinn ladopts an interested look.
> Kascha's eyes are on her newest ioun stone, attention on watching it orbit her head. "Was it about the cold magic there?"
* Lief eyes the stone as it floats as well.
> "The magic there is fading slowly. Whatever the root of it is primally powerful," Sylvie absently brushes a strand of blonde hair back behind her ear. She sits with one knee up, leaning forwar dto rest her head atop it. "I also think that the dragon exploding wasn't quite right. It wasn't like a balor's death explosion, or even anything meant to destroy in the strictest sense. It was trying to alter the terrain to be an arctic wasteland closer to the Para-Elemental Plane of Ice, Stygia or Cania. I think the intense damage you suffered was a side effect of that rather than the aim - it wasn't aimed AT you, precisely."
* Muirfinn nods. "Fortunately, Kascha's efforts negated that."
> Elder Magi Tepen rubs his chin as he nods slowly. "Interesting. If the dragon does that, are you suggesting that it has a purpose beyond merely being a living creature?"
<Lief> "Eco-forming?"
> The white sphere floats slowly. It glows with a pearly light. Lief can see it maintains a smooth orbit. When it passes closer to Lief, he feels warm.
> "It wouldn't have been a nice place to be," Kascha says quietly. "I'm glad I did." She doesn't reply to the rest, but her interest visibly shifts to Tepen on his words.
* Lief decides to follow it in it's orbit around Kascha.
> "More or less," Lief gets a shrug from Sylvie as she blows out a long breath. "From what all of you mentioned, the dragon was unusual to begin with. It might've been a golem or some sort of creation engineered to do that. Suggesting it was created for a reason demands a motive from the creator and it likely isn't a good one."
<Lief> "Hmm.. Lots of things are showing up there. The dragon, the temple.."
> "I-" Kascha begins as Lief follows. Her eyes go criss-cross as she starts to follow Lief around her head. Closing her eyes and shaking her head at the ioun stone and pixie parade around her noggin, "It would fit the running theory that Seira's followers and my own information suggests...but it's not truly our battle." Kascha adds, "At least not right now."
> "Lots of things being uncovered has been the theme of my world - this world the past generation," Sylvie taps the ground with her hand. "It's not really surprising."
* Muirfinn nods. "Our focus is now on Kina-ja. Our efforts can be refocused once our current task is complete."
> "If whatever's down there and behind this is evil, 21 can end it," Sylvie shrugs again, "Plus this world has a heavy destiny and all of that." She adds with a little pfft at the end, "What's Kina-ja about? There's a book that describes her, oen of the Abyssal Lore series, but what are you working on with her?"
> OOC: Listen checks, all.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Listen
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Listen and gets 48." [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+32
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 and gets 42." [1d20=10]
> OOC: Kascha.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+33
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+33 and gets 46." [1d20=13]
> roll 1d20+19 spot and listen are like Sylvie's only two seriously mediocre skills
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 spot and listen are like Sylvie's only two seriously mediocre skills and gets 22." [1d20=3]
> roll 1d20+32 Tepen
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Tepen and gets 34." [1d20=2]
> Lief and Muirfinn can both hear something - their own stomachs starting to rumble. With it is an odd sensation. Hunger blossoms within you, an odd feeling of being induced. Meanwhile Sylvie sits up, "I'm hungry," she says, "I'm going to go fish out some of the food we brought."
<Muirfinn> "So am I. I don't think it's normal." Muirfinn says, rising and casting a spell. OOC: Greater Dispel
<Lief> "Hm... I just suddenly got hungry, too."
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+20 and gets 35." [1d20=15]
> OOC: On who or what, Muirfinn?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Area
> Just as suddenly as it started, the feeling of hunger vanishes.
> "What was that?" Tepen follows it up by a muttered phrase, pausing to study the unseen Weave all around.
> roll 1d20+31 spellcraft
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+31 spellcraft and gets 45." [1d20=14]
<Lief> "Why.. Why would someone pick hunger?"
* Lief looks confused.
* Muirfinn grimaces. "It's better if you don't ask."
> "The Weave is...hungry." Tepen mutters as his eyes widen, "It's coming from that way," He points back, towards the dragon's cave.
> Sylvie leaps to her feet in one fluid motion, slamming a fist into her palm. "The Father then, isn't it?"
<Muirfinn> "Let's hope not." Muirfinn says. "I've had about enough of him."
<Muirfinn> "Either way, we need to check it out. If it's not, perhaps we can repair it. If it is the Father, then we need to erase the influence immediately."
<Lief> "The who?"
> "Ravenous demonic horror," Sylvie says shortly, already starting to walk, "It nearly got Ithea, and it's been bothering Muirfinn and the others off and on since then."
<Muirfinn> "Demon god. Very bad"
* Lief hmms and reaches for his bow, checking over his new scrollcase and checking over his quiver.
* Muirfinn strides alongside Sylvie, grim-faced.
<Lief> "Want me to scout ahead?"
> Kascha's own expression is grim, following. OOC: What's y'all's plan here? Any prep or just rushing in?
<Lief> OOC: I dunno. I can scout.
* Muirfinn casts as he walks, preparing himself. OOC: Casting Owl's Insight, Halo of Sand, Death Ward.
> OOC: Kascha will cast Surge of Hope on the party. Sylvie will cast Spell Resistance on herself, as well as death ward and freedom of movement. More coming.
> The party pauses to cast a few spells and to otherwise hurry along. Thus fortified, you return to the dragon's lair. Here the cold is gone. All about is a massive chasm. The walls, floor and ceiling are covered in mouths. They range from pinprick-sized to huge enough to swallow a giant whole. The sound of teeth gnashing is joined by the sound of gurgling from ahead. "Come come, dinner's done," A cheery young boy's voice calls from somewhere ahead. It echos all around, punctuated by hundreds of teeth clashing. "Muirfinn, I'm hungry to meet you and we'll have such feasts together and it's time to come home!"
<Muirfinn> "...oh damn it all." Muirfinn says, staring at the scene.
* Lief pulls up his invisibility and readies to deal death.
> Kascha steps back with a look of profound disgust. Sylvie doesn't blink, peering ahead, "Hundreds of thousands? No. Millions. Millions on him alone, countless more on all the others he spawned. That he caused."
> As the party stands there and talks, the mouths begin to chomp! Somehow, the space between you and the sea of mouths shrinks as they bite into the air. It's as if space itself is being devoured before you as...OOC: Init.
> "Enough talk!" Tepen calls, "We have to purify this infestation before it can expand further!"
> roll 1d20+28 Sylvie (+4 surge of hope)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 Sylvie (+4 surge of hope) and gets 38." [1d20=10]
<Lief> OOC: My aura gives +5 init
> OOC: 43 for Sylvie.
> roll 1d20+15 Tepen
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Tepen and gets 17." [1d20=2]
> roll 1d20+21 Kascha
<Lief> roll d20+25 Init with Surge
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 Kascha and gets 24." [1d20=3]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+25 Init with Surge and gets 29." [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+6 great mouth swarm
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 great mouth swarm and gets 12." [1d20=6]
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+4+12+5
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+4+12+5 and gets 25." [1d20=4]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(43)>Lief(29)>Muirfinn(25)>Kascha(24)>Tepen(17)>Father's Maw(12)'
> OOC: Sylvie opens.
<Muirfinn> "Avoid lightning, cold, and sound! He's fire resistant! Use acid and healing on him!"
<Muirfinn> "And don't let it touch you!"
> In Sylvie's hand a book appears. She opens it up and utters three words of profound power. From her a 30ft wide beam of pure energy erupts out, plunging into the maw of mouths.
> roll 1d20+17 ref save
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 ref save and gets 20." [1d20=3]
> roll 21d12+21
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 21d12+21 and gets 158." [21d12=6, 8, 3, 12, 5, 8, 9, 4, 7, 11, 2, 9, 4, 6, 11, 6, 4, 9, 8, 3, 2]
> The blast rips through the maw like a great, unending arrow. It is soundless, allowing you to hear a raw scream of pain come from all around. "Die." The book vanishes from Sylvie's hands, the beam finished. There's a 30ft wide path carved ahead, utterly devoid of mouths. It stretches farther than you can see in the dark. The screams of pain continue, echoing madly in the cavern! OOC: Lief, go.
> "It's consumed millions," Sylvie shouts over the ear-piercing screams. "Ignore what it says and destroy this!"
* Lief decides to act on Muirfinn's advising on the acid, reaching for one of his new scrolls: Acid Fog!
> OOC: Okay. Make your UMD check.
<Lief> roll d20+31 UMD
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+31 UMD and gets 38." [d20=7]
> OOC: Success. Where are you positioning it.
<Lief> OOC: Over the same mouth/maw that Sylvie hit, I guees.
<Lief> guess*
> OOC: As noted, the path was cleared of mouths from 21's blast. It wouldn't be in contact with any to acid them.
<Lief> OOC: Ah, then over the densest number of mouths.
* Nephrite (~rscuderi@6532248hfc76.tampabay.res.rr.com) Quit (Quit: BRB)
> OOC: Okay, roll acid damage.
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(43)>Lief=Acid Fog(29)>Muirfinn(25)>Kascha(24)>Tepen(17)>Father's Maw(12)'
<Lief> roll 2d6 Acid Damage
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 2d6 Acid Damage and gets 7." [2d6=1, 6]
<Lief> OOC: haha, so typical.
> The acid fog settles over a cluster of the mouths on the left wall. They begin to hiss in the solid fog, dissolving as they're hidden from sight. The screams slow and a man's voice demands, "Muirfinn, I'm so hungry now! Come with me and eat and eat and eat and eat, AMEN!" OOC: Tortle,go.
* Muirfinn growls, eyes cold like orbs of ice. "The Father deserves no quarter. No mercy. He will give none. Every speck must be destroyed. None can remain." Muirfinn inhales deeply, form shifting as he does. With a series of crackling bones and cartiledge, he reforms into the shape of a massive bronze dragon. Immediately the air blasts out of his mouth, along with an acrid spray of acid and bile!
* Muirfinn OOC: Breath weapon, line of acid. 5 high by 5 wide, 140 ft long. DC 30.
<Muirfinn> roll 22d6 acid yo
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 22d6 acid yo and gets 74." [22d6=4, 1, 1, 5, 6, 5, 4, 1, 6, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 4, 3, 3, 5, 2, 3, 3]
<Muirfinn> OOC: Targeting the half not targeted by Lief!
> roll 1d20+17 ref save
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 ref save and gets 27." [1d20=10]
> OOC: DC?
<Muirfinn> OOC: 30
> Acid is shot out at the other side of the mouths. Several of them are splashed and sizzle, while others half melt down. From within a rumble comes, like a stomach yearning for food! AS this happens...OOC: Kascha.
> Kascha leaps back, her wings up in a defensive gesture. At the same time she withdraws a curious ivory figurine, of an eagle riding a unicorn, "Seira, unleash your unicorn hordes!" she calls, as suddenly all ahead dozens of purple, ghostly unicorn heads appear, plunging into the mouths!
> roll 1d20 touch AC here, only misses on a 1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 touch AC here, only misses on a 1 and gets 3." [1d20=3]
> roll 1d8+24 (this gets repeated a lot, so I'm going to roll once and assume it's average)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+24 (this gets repeated a lot, so I'm going to roll once and assume it's average) and gets 31." [1d8=7]
> Unicorns meet mouths all over. Some slam in and others are consumed, a momentary festival of pure violence. In the aftermaths, mouths are pierced and bloodied, while other sgnaw on semi-ethereal unicorn heads. The air around twists and churns as...OOC: Tepen.
> Tepen holds, the words to a potent spell on his lips. OOC: Keeping a wish ready in case bad shit goes down hardcore. Maw's up.
> The mouths are torn up. Unicorn arrows, acid breath, acid fog and 21 have all devastated the nightmare ahead of you. But as they writhe in battle, the ground rumbles. "Oh, let us come together and feast and eat together all of you my beautiful blessed children!" From ahead, a great storm of razor-sharp teeth come flying out, bombarding all the party! OOC: Reflex saves, all.
> roll 1d20+32 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 Kascha and gets 46." [1d20=14]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+28+6+4
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+28+6+4 and gets 43." [1d20=5]
<Lief> roll d20+41 Ref with Surge
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+41 Ref with Surge and gets 42." [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+45 Sylvie evasion (+4 surge of hope, +14 cunning insight)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+45 Sylvie evasion (+4 surge of hope, +14 cunning insight) and gets 64." [1d20=19]
> roll 1d20+27 (+4 surge of hope) Tepen
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (+4 surge of hope) Tepen and gets 32." [1d20=5]
<Muirfinn> ooc: mINE HAS EVASION
<Muirfinn> OOC: Yay caps
> OOC: Yes, make sure to note evasion/improved evasion in your roll if you have them.
<Lief> OOC: Improved Evasion.
> roll 22d8 (-3d8 due to acid fog blocking some) Kascha half, Muirfinn full, Lief half, Sylvie none, Tepen full
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 22d8 (-3d8 due to acid fog blocking some) Kascha half, Muirfinn full, Lief half, Sylvie none, Tepen full and gets 78." [22d8=1, 3, 2, 5, 2, 2, 7, 2, 1, 6, 7, 1, 8, 1, 6, 3, 6, 1, 7, 3, 3, 1]
> roll 78/2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 78/2 and gets 39."
> The rain of teeth shreds through the party! Kascha is able to throw herself flat and avoid most of it, while Muirfinn's size works against him. He gets shredded by a few dozen teeth, ripping against his scaled form. Lief's relatively slow, only hit by a few instead of dodging altogether. TEpen's knocked back by the blasts, wounded in several places. Sylvie somehow dodges - how yo uaren't sure, but at the end she's untouched. The ground rumbles again, as 60ft away (20ft down the tunnel), you can see a massive tongue emerging. It's approaching the party and nearly fills the passage ahead! OOC: Adding to init.
> roll 1d20+6 Father's tongue
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Father's tongue and gets 16." [1d20=10]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(43)>Lief=Acid Fog(29)>Muirfinn(25)>Kascha(24)>Tepen(17)>Father's Tongue(16)>Father's Maw(12)'
> The tongue before the party writhes and drools. It makes the ground shake as it moves against it, yet Sylvie doesn't step back. She instead draws 21 once more, uttering three words as a blast of otherworldly power slices into the tongue and the maw.
> roll 1d20+17 ref maw
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 ref maw and gets 24." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+19 tongue
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+19 tongue and gets 20." [1d20=1]
> roll 21d12+21
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 21d12+21 and gets 158." [21d12=4, 5, 2, 5, 10, 2, 12, 6, 11, 12, 2, 3, 11, 1, 6, 10, 8, 8, 10, 4, 5]
> When the flash of light clears, the tongue is split in twain. Two smaller tongues lie there, twitching as the center has been vaporized by 21. Again the Father screams, a terrible sound of unthinking agony. "More!" Sylvie calls, grimacing. OOC: Lief. Acid fog damage first.
<Lief> roll 2d6 Acid
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 2d6 Acid and gets 2." [2d6=1, 1]
> OOC: Go.
<Lief> OOC: Am I in SA range of the tounges?
> OOC: Yes.
* Lief takes aim at the nearest tongue and lets loose a volley of arrows at it!
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 56." [d20=12]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 59." [d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 57." [d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 44." [d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 35." [d20=6]
> OOC: Did you include surge of hope?
<Lief> OOC: Shit, no totally forgot.
> OOC: 39 for the last, which also hits. All 5 hit. Remember the +4 to each damage roll too.
<Lief> roll 5#1d6+24+7d6+20
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 5#1d6+24+7d6+20 and gets 372." [5#1d6+24+7d6+20 = 80, 68, 70, 79, 75]
<Lief> OOC: the +20 was the 5x+4 for Surge
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(43)>Lief=Acid Fog(29)>Muirfinn(25)>Kascha(24)>Tepen(17)>Father's Tongue(16 ko)>Father's Maw(12)'
> The tongue is riddled with arrows! Both of them are pierced all over and fall, going limp. They aren't moving much, twitching more than anything else. OOC: Down but not dead. Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn snorts, flicking his head as healing energies envelop him, only to leap from his form and envelop the mass of mouths! OOC: Heal on the maw, testing the bit about healing magic dealing damage.
> OOC: How much does heal restore for you? 150?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Yes. MAx.
> roll 1d20+16 will for half
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 will for half and gets 36." [1d20=20]
<Muirfinn> OOC: DC 31
> The tongue curls up and blackens from the touch, wilting instead of restoring! It's still down, both halves black and lightly twitching. "That's it! Keep it up!" Tepen calls. Meanwhile...OOC: Kascha.
> With the tongue down, Kascha chants in Celestial! A great smite of holy power slams down from above on the tongue and maw.
> roll 20d8*1.5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d8*1.5 and gets 127.5." [20d8=3, 1, 7, 4, 8, 5, 3, 5, 7, 1, 8, 5, 2, 3, 8, 1, 2, 4, 4, 4]
> OOC: No save for the tongue, doesn't matter if it halves it or not.
> roll 1d20+13 maw
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 maw and gets 29." [1d20=16]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(43)>Lief=Acid Fog(29)>Muirfinn(25)>Kascha(24)>Tepen(17)>Father's Maw(12)'
> The tongue blackens further and crumbles away, revealing a horribly maimed stretch. The mouths are mostly gone, blasted away before they could get going. Before your eyes they slowly begin to fade, the cave returning to normal. OOC: Free act for the moment.
* Lief drops his invisibility
* Muirfinn eyes the receding madness. "He does not retreat. The Father is relentless. Be on your guard.
<Muirfinn> "
<Lief> "That was... Creepy."
* Muirfinn nods at Lief. "The demon is a monstrosity of the worst kind."
* Lief eyes Muirfinn, then brings up his invisibility at that.
> OOC: Advancing on then?
<Lief> OOC: I'm not. I'm following the guy with experience at fighting this thing.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Might as well.
* Muirfinn proceeds into the cavern with extreme caution, eyes flickering about. "Keep well alert."
* Lief does so, moving closer to the ceiling to get a better view.
> OOC: We'll pause there then. It's a good point before kicking off another battle, encounter or whatever you find within.
<Muirfinn> OOC: You devious bastard
<Lief> haha.

[Anastasia]

> Ahead, the former cavern of the ice dragon has changed. It has twisted into a passage plunging into the chill mountain's interior. For the moment it is only dull stone as you plunge in ahead. OOC: Marching order/anything else as you go in?
<Muirfinn> OOC: ME FIRST! ME ME ME OH PLEASE PICK ME!
<Lief> OOC: Works for me. Muirfinn has point. I'll stick with invis and out on the flanks.
> OOC: Sylvie will take second, Tepen in the middle and Kascha in the rear. Lief will cover the flanks. Okay. More coming.
> The party hurries down. The passage slopes downward and the temperature rises. It's getting warm in here - and you notice the stone beneath your feet is becoming softer. More giving, with shuddering pulses shaking the walls. Ahead the path continues for 60ft. Past that is a wide open room. 30ft into that and 90ft from the party hangs a writhing ball perhaps 10ft wide and tall. It is an amorphous shape of mouths, tongues and emptiness. The walls within the room have mouths, but many are cracked and surrounded by empty space. You can hear dozens of whispers, conflicting and with cracked voices. From them one voice rises in volume, "Hunger...hungry, my children, let us eat together and feast together for today is the promised day and the promised day has come and we will eat! AMEN!" Tongues extend from the sphere of mouths, starting to advance towards the party, six of them! OOC: Init here.
<Lief> roll d20+21
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+12+4+3
<Lief> OOC: don't forget my bonus.
<Lief> OOC: BOT
<Muirfinn> OOC: I didn't.
> OOC: Moment, I'll rouse ab ot.
* Hatbot (~Hatbot@72.183.113.233) has joined #dunes
<Lief> roll d20+21 Init
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+21 Init and gets 36." [d20=15]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+12+4+3
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+12+4+3 and gets 38." [1d20=19]
> roll 1d20+21 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 Kascha and gets 33." [1d20=12]
> roll 1d20+15 Tepen
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Tepen and gets 21." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+33 Sylvie
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+33 Sylvie and gets 44." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+10 mouth core
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 mouth core and gets 23." [1d20=13]
> roll 1d20+8 tongue 1
> roll 1d20+8 tongue 2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 tongue 1 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
> roll 1d20+8 tongue 3
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 tongue 2 and gets 25." [1d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 tongue 3 and gets 22." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+8 tongue 4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 tongue 4 and gets 19." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+8 tongue 5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 tongue 5 and gets 19." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+8 tongue 6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 tongue 6 and gets 15." [1d20=7]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>Lief(36)>Kascha(33)>Tepen(21)'
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>Lief(36)>Kascha(33)>Tongue 2(25)>Mouth Core(23)>Tongue 3(22)>Tepen(21)>Tongue 1(20)>Tongue 4=Tongue 5(19)>Tongue 6(15'
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>Lief(36)>Kascha(33)>Tongue 2(25)>Mouth Core(23)>Tongue 3(22)>Tepen(21)>Tongue 1(20)>Tongue 4=Tongue 5(19)>Tongue 6(15)'
> OOC: Sylvie opens.
> Sylvie stands her ground, scowling as she watches the horror unfold.
> OOC: Gah.
> Sylvie stands her ground, scowling as she watches the horror unfold. "Any of you have a plan?" she banters back.
> "Killing it?" Kascha says, "Just looking at that thing makes me nauseous!" A hint of a greenish cast comes to her cheeks as she shakes her head.
<Muirfinn> "Well we could try to make friends." Muirfinn responds, putting forth some bravado.
> "Right. Massacre it is," Sylvie glances at Muirfinn, before withdrawing 21 once more. The air hums with silent power, vibrating before you as three words are uttered, a torrent of power following that gushes down the hall.
> roll 1d20+29 core
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 core and gets 37." [1d20=8]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 1 and gets 31." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 2 and gets 28." [1d20=8]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 3
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 3 and gets 36." [1d20=16]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 4 and gets 30." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 5 and gets 26." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 6 and gets 37." [1d20=17]
> roll 21d12+21
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 21d12+21 and gets 171." [21d12=11, 5, 2, 8, 4, 10, 1, 6, 6, 11, 12, 6, 12, 12, 6, 8, 4, 7, 2, 8, 9]
> 21's blast shakes the entire mountain. The mouths on the wall shatter into nothingness, fading before your eyes. The tongues and core are charred terrifically, as if put into a bonfire. The burns on them glow a soft white, great chunks of flesh dissipating. OOC: Ow. Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn heaves a deep breath, blasting the mass of mouths with an immense streak of acid!
<Muirfinn> roll 22d6 acid, save is DC 30
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 22d6 acid, save is DC 30 and gets 73." [22d6=4, 4, 1, 5, 2, 4, 3, 4, 2, 4, 1, 6, 5, 5, 1, 2, 4, 4, 1, 5, 2, 4]
> OOC: What's the range on your breath weapon?
<Muirfinn> OOC: A lot. 140 ft
> OOC: Okay then. Refs incomign.
> roll 1d20+29 Core
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 Core and gets 41." [1d20=12]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 1 and gets 40." [1d20=20]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 2
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 2 and gets 21." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 3
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 3 and gets 22." [1d20=2]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 4 and gets 28." [1d20=8]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 5 and gets 31." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+20 tongue 6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 tongue 6 and gets 37." [1d20=17]
> The whispers have stopped. There is silence for a moment before an ear-piercing scream erupts from all the mouths. It is just in time for Muirfinn's great gush of acidic fury, burning fury engulfing the tongue and core. The Father's screams echo amid the the cavern! "Get it!" Kascha calls, "Before it can mount an offensive! The battle's going our way!" OOC: Lief.
<Lief> OOC: are there tongues near me, or are they all dead?
> OOC: Tongues are 90ft away and have taken obvious heavy damage. Core's also 90ft away.
* Lief moves into a better position to launch an attack on the core. (Moving into SA range, 60ft. Fly speed)
> OOC: Okay. Just the move or anything else?
<Lief> OOC: Think that pretty much takes up my whole turn, doesn't it
<Lief> ?
> OOC: Fly's a move action.  You still have a standard.
<Lief> OOC: He just gets the one attack on a standard, right?
> OOC: Yes.
<Lief> OOC: eh, it's something I guess. In SA range now, right?
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK: Core
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK: Core and gets 59." [d20=15]
> OOC: Yes and hit. Damage.
<Lief> roll 1d6+24+7d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 1d6+24+7d6 and gets 61." [1d6=4][7d6=2, 6, 6, 3, 5, 5, 6]
> Lief jets forward towards the chamber. Here he can see the sphere throbbing as mouths crumble, only for new ones toe merge. These mouths are half formed and falling into other ones, devoured instantly. His arrow flies into the sphere, shattering teeth and splitting lips as it bursts through acid-charred inner materials. At this Kascha flies ahead 20ft, pointing ahead, "There! Strike! Queen of Stars, open the gate to the realms of power and eradicate what I see before me!" From above a burst of light comes down, exploding amid the core and mouths.
> roll 1d20+29 SR
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 SR and gets 41." [1d20=12]
> roll 20d8
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d8 and gets 91." [20d8=2, 1, 4, 2, 7, 5, 7, 8, 6, 6, 1, 3, 4, 2, 3, 7, 8, 7, 2, 6]
> roll 91*1.5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 91*1.5 and gets 136.5."
> roll 1d20+27 core
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 core and gets 39." [1d20=12]
> roll 1d20+17 tongue 1
> roll 1d20+17 tongue 2
> roll 1d20+17 tongue 3
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 tongue 1 and gets 28." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+17 tongue 4
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 tongue 2 and gets 25." [1d20=8]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 tongue 3 and gets 33." [1d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 tongue 4 and gets 28." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+17 tongue 5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 tongue 5 and gets 27." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+17 tongue 6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 tongue 6 and gets 20." [1d20=3]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>Lief(36)>Kascha(33)>Mouth Core(23)>Tepen(21)'
> Having been battered by power far and wide, the tongues disintegrate into thin ash. The core spins around and around, teeth falling out from dozens of maws. The long, loud scream continues as all the mouths open wide! The core itself splits into a recess of countless more mouths. From this recess a greasy black miasma comes out, spreading nigh-instantly all about! OOC: Fortitude, all.
> OOC: Remember the bonus from surge of hope.
> roll 1d20+30 Kascha
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+30 Kascha and gets 46." [1d20=16]
<Lief> roll d20+30+4 Fort Save
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30+4 Fort Save and gets 52." [d20=18]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+4+36+6
> roll 1d20+39 Sylvie
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+4+36+6 and gets 66." [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+39 Sylvie and gets 46." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+24 Tepen
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 Tepen and gets 38." [1d20=14]
> roll 20d6 Tepen
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 Tepen and gets 59." [20d6=5, 4, 4, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, 1, 4, 1, 2, 5, 3, 1, 4, 3]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>Lief(36)>Kascha(33)>Mouth Core=Fog(23)>Tepen(21)'
> Absolute darkness falls. The miasma thickens into a solid fog. It feels strangely chilling to the touch and you can barely seen a foot away from you, let alone move! From far away, Muirfinn can hear Elder Magi Tepen screaming in pain. OOC: Essentially blind in this strange fog. Doing something about it might be ag ood idea. Movemetn is also highly limited ala solid fog. Tepen's up.
> Muffled voices. Neither Lief nor Muirfinn can see what Tepen does, but...
> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 and gets 21." [1d20=1]
> Nothing seems to happen! OOC: Rotten luck. Sylvie's up.
> roll 1d20 touch AC, only 1 misses
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 touch AC, only 1 misses and gets 2." [1d20=2]
> roll 1d20+28
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 34." [1d20=6]
> Whatever Sylvie does is lost in the fog. OOC: Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn shrinks down to tortle size, waving his hands through a quick series of motions. a magic circle briefly appears beneath his feet, blasting out to scour the fog away! OOC: Greater Dispel, same as Tepen
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+20 and gets 36." [1d20=16]
> This time the fog shatters. The fog is gone like glass crumbling away, revealing the battlefield once more! OOC: Successfully dispelled. Lief, go.
* Lief lines up his shot at the Core and lets loose with his full barrage of pointy death!
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 49." [d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 51." [d20=7]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 42." [d20=3]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 48." [d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 31." [d20=2]
<Lief> OOC: Damn, forgot the +4 to those.
> OOC: Four htis.
<Lief> roll 4#1d6+24+7d6+16
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 4#1d6+24+7d6+16 and gets 295." [4#1d6+24+7d6+16 = 73, 77, 76, 69]
> "Thank you," Tepen wheezes, his face now a waxen, sweaty white.
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>???>Lief(36)>Kascha(33)>Tepen(21)'
* Muirfinn nods at Tepen.
* Kotono changes topic to 'Sylvie(44)>Muirfinn(38)>Lief(36)>???>Kascha(33)>Tepen(21)'
> Arrows fly on the damage, exposed core. They rip into it over and over, the entire thing pierced and dribbling out green gas. A scream echos through the air as the mouths devour one another, until nothing is left at all. Around you, the open space begins to become stone once more - fast! OOC: Kascha's up.
> Kascha eeps as she ducks, a hunk of solid stone becomign fully real where her head was a moment ago. "We need to escape!" Kascha calls, "To me! Take my hands and form a circle!" At this Tepen nods, stumbling over to Kascha. Sylvie turns back and nods grimly, hopping over a hunk of rock, "Teleportation?" she asks as the air shimmers as more stone appears, everything rapidly becoming filled in. OOC: Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn joins Sylvie at her side, rapidly casting a spell. He reaches out to the stone, forcing his will upon it. OOC: Stone Shape, attempting to halt the fill-in until we can gather.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Sylvie should be Kascha.
> OOC: Make a CL check here. Competing effects.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+22+1
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+22+1 and gets 33." [1d20=10]
> The appearing stone forces back, enough to give the party a little more time and space! OOC: Success. Leif.
> OOC: Lief, even.
* Lief moves back towards Kascha, landing on her shoulder, not seeing any current threats...
<Muirfinn> "I've slowed it down, but it won't hold forever. Let's leave."
> Once together, Kascha quickly chants, "G'home! G'home to where my heart forever lays!" she says, as reality bleeds away. The slam of stone hitting stone echos as you traverse, a moment that stretches out seemingly forever. You then stand in a deep forest glade, the air warm and the scents pleasant. A burbling brook is nearby. Kascha sighs, "Whew. Arborea. It had the shortest incantation I could think of."
> OOC: Free act.
> Sylvie cracks her knuckles, "That one wasn't so bad as far as battles go," she remarks. "If only we didn't have to face nightmares for something worthwhile to use 21 on." She wanders to the brook and kneels, getting a double handful of water and drinking.
* Lief drops his invisibility and takes to the air over their heads.
> "Hold on," Kascha looks up to her newest iouns tone, which flashes a glorious white as healing energies flowthrough the group. OOC: Mass Heal on all, +200 HP healing.
<Muirfinn> "I will be sincere. I do not like dealing with the Father's antics." Muirfinn sighs. "Thank you, Kascha."
<Lief> "That thing was creepy as hell."
> "Thank you," Tepen echos, leaning on the Staff of Vithos. "Have you faced a stronger manifestation of the Father before?"
* Muirfinn shakes his head. "This is the worst yet, I believe."
> "You should see what I saw," Sylvie looks over her shoulder towards Lief. "21 lets me see every single sin when I look at someone. He has to have eaten millions and millions of lives and souls, and Oghma only knows how many more are to blame from his followers."
<Muirfinn> "The largest, at least."
> Kascha kneels and slowly sits, resting on the grassy ground. She tucks her wings in and leans against a tree. "Could the Father be getting stronger or the seal weaker, or were local conditions to blame?"
<Muirfinn> "I do not know."
> "If worst comes to worst, we know 21 can finish him," Sylvie remarks after another mouthful of water. "In case we can't find that Glasae Queen or someone else that fits. You never got around to tracking her down, did you?"
<Lief> "What is it, anyway? If we knew what it was, maybe we could kill it? At least start looking into it while we deal with Kina-ja."
<Muirfinn> "I know exactly what it is, and how to kill it."
<Muirfinn> "Mirajane fits the bill of the Glasae queen rather nicely."
<Muirfinn> "She has also stated a desire to help. All I need to do is find the forces to take him down. Then we can release and destroy him forever."
> "Allow me," Tepen speaks up, "There's no point keeping it quiet with you now, since you fought him. In short, the Father is a demon outcast and is said to be the child of Pale Night and Demogorgon, two of the most powerful demon princes. He seems to represent cannibalism and bottomless hunger. From what I understand, he takes mortal form and passes himself off as a holy man. But all his lessons lead to mortal creatures becoming mindless cattle and cannibals. He brought a prime world to ruinb efore he was sealed away in a book."
* Lief looks at Muirfinn.
<Lief> "How do you keep getting me into things like this?"
* Muirfinn chuckles in spite of himself. "You agreed to come along. I did warn you that there would be horrors."
* Lief rolls his eyes.
> "The Father was bad luck," Kascha admits, "If I recall, wasn't his book mixed up in other, innocent books?"
<Muirfinn> "The initial book was, yes."
> "Still," With a shrug, Kascha looks up, "How about we rest here then return back to our work?"
* Lief nods.
* Muirfinn nods, stretching. "A short rest works for me."
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 12." [1d100=12]
> OOC: Rest passes without incident. Restore spells and daily resources. Any spell changes?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Not today
> OOC: Okay. More coming.
> A few more days pass. Soon enough the party stands just past the temple - a massive, rising cathedral of granite slotted into the mountaintop. It juts out proudly, catching the sunlight. It is a grim thing, a citadel atop the lower mountain, as if blocking the way to the higher peaks of the Amaryl Ranges ahead. With you is Uless, who looks on it all. He closes his eyes as a single tear escapes his eyes, "It is done," he whispers, "Who was I to doubt servants of the slayer of the Destroyer? Now...now even if the faith fades, it will not be forgotten. Our suffering will not be forgotten."
* Muirfinn Observes the temple solemnly.
> "It won't be," Kascha murmurs to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
> "It's good work. It'll last," Tepen adds as he looks up at it all.
<Lief> "The defenses are really impressive."
> "Here," Reaching into his tunic, "The Gilded Heart." What is in his hand looks to be a gem interwoven with thick bands of gold and steel.
<Muirfinn> "Ah, thank you." Muirfinn says, taking it gently.
> On taking the heart, Muirfinn feels a deep sense of melancholy overtake him. In the meantime, "There is one other thing," Uless tears his gaze from the heart and to Kascha, "You recall the underling who was rude? Well, he recently had a run-in with Seira's church. He was found with stolen treasure from their church, in spite of his claims of never having been there."
* Lief makes a point of not watching the conversation...
> "Yes...?" Kascha says slowly, "I recall him. That sounds strange. Did they ascertain the truth? Is there some complication I could help with?"
> "They did. He was innocent. The auguries were not entirely clear, but they suggested a fairy's deed was to blame. Lief, Kascha, are there any fey up to mischief at Liberation Point that you know of?"
<Lief> "Fey usually are, no matter where they are."
<Muirfinn> "Best to just avoid them altogether."
<Lief> "Hey now."
* Muirfinn snorts.
> "Not that I personally know of," Kascha says.
> "I will tell them that," Uless says. OOC: Congratulations, you got the heart! Sub-quest 1 of 3 down! We'll begin next time with setting up the second one. Which of the two remaining ones do you want to tackle first? As a reminder, they are: The blood of a child of Jormugandr OR finding the Lover's Tree and and getting a fruit from it.
<Lief> OOC: I'm down for True Blood.
> OOC: Child of Jormugandr it is. Okay, I'll have that ready for next session.
> OOC: Bear in mind ways yo uwant to get info about them and any people you want to come along to help, if any.
> OOC: Ebony suggested talking to the guardian of the Felic Gate in Sylica, but beyond that it's up to y'all.
<Muirfinn> OOC: We'll start there

[Anastasia]

> OOC: So you two are going to talk to the Guardian of the Felic Gate. Going alone or taking any company?
<Muirfinn> OOC: That's a good question.
<Lief> OOC: I don't know any of these people.
> OOC: Feel free to suggest along roles you think would help then, Lief. I can suggest.
<Lief> OOC: Well, I dunno. Tanky person, maybe? But we have enough damage output that it may not totally be needed.
<Muirfinn> OOC: I mean, Baleruk's kinda tanky.
<Muirfinn> OOC: So is Ellese.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Both are somewhat dodgy though.
<Muirfinn> OOC: OH
<Muirfinn> OOC: LET'S TAKE DANA
> OOC: Dana it is then. She's tanky and has psionics, so she fits that well.
> OOC: I'll set the two of you up.
> Dana's found in the library. She's tucked away in a corner, snoozing away in a chair. Despite her heavy armor, she manages to be sprawled out. Her head lolls against the back of the chair, her body slumped down, as if frozen in the middle of sliding off. She's snoring gently.
* Lief hovers in front of her for a moment.
* Muirfinn clears his throat.
* Lief thinks better of what he was going to do.. First impressions and all.
> Dana cracks one eye open, "Muirfinn, Lief," she says, yawning after. She doesn't cover her mouth and instead says, "The fuck do you two want?"
<Lief> OOC: Does Lief know her?
> OOC: A little bit.
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "We're headed to Jormugandr. Thought you might want to come."
<Muirfinn> "Well." Muirfinn says, straightening regally. "The current plan is to go to Ysgard and likely thrash one of Jormungandr's spawn. You in?"
> "Ysgard and fighting some giant serpent? Hell yes I am," Dana stands and adjust her armor, getting a heavy shield out from behind the chair. It has a silver dragon motif, little wisps of cold leaking from the dragon's mouth. She cracks her neck after, "So where in Ysgard is this?"
* Lief flies around her, inspecting her armor.
> The armor is full plate. It looks to be made of a radiant stone - and on the inside you can see there are large metal pins that plunge right into her body. In spite of that, she doesn't look to be bleeding.
* Muirfinn shrugs. "We have a location somewhere. I have it written down."
> "Good enough! Let's go," Dana says. OOC: Okay, so heading to the felic gate now or something else?
<Muirfinn> OOC: WE RIDE FOR GONDOR AT THE DAWN
<Muirfinn> OOC: I mean, yeah, let's go.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 79." [1d100=79]
> The trip into Ysgard and then Sylica is without incident. Stepping through the portal, you find yourself before a rolling plain. It's verdant, beautiful and peaceful. On the horizon rises a great mountain that shines with an opal-colored glow. The peak is shrouded in light and hidden away. All around you is a sense of gentle peace and rest. This lasts a moment, before a massive wyrm-snake descends from the sky. It's scales are slightly off, each one a different shade of worn brown or gray. The creature eyes the party without comment.
* Lief stares at it silently for a moment before going invisible.
> The creature's gaze fixes on Lief, peering at him even as he hides behind invisibility. It slooowly licks its lips with a flickering, snake-like tongue.
* Lief floats behind Dana.
> Dana smirks and says, "Aaaw, you're scaring the little guy. So what's with the big, strong and dumb routine, asshole?"
* Lief readies arrows.
> "I have been told you may come," The Guardian says, "You seek a child of World Serpent?"
> OOC Gah.
* Muirfinn raises an eyebrow. "Greetings. Yes, we do. Can you help?"
> "I have been told you may come," The Guardian says, "You seek a child of World Serpent?" The creature's voice is surprisingly human-like, yet seems to softly echo in your ears. Occasionally flickers of blue magic show around its body as you watch it. The creature is large enough to wrap around the three of you thrice over without difficulty. "I can. My primary duty is to guard the gate of Sylica." Its tail flicks back and forth in the air, "I am rarely the one seekers come for knowledge." The creature's scaly lips slowly begin to go upward, showing teeth. "I believe it is customary for a quest first?"
> This causes Dana to roll her eyes, "Here we go. Hey, you need something, so we're going to be your bitch to do it. Bend over, fetch and take it."
<Muirfinn> "And what would you have us do?"
> "I'm studying the arts of a beguiler," The Guardian says, "I have heard Aurora has a Fey Queen who is a master of those spells. I would like an introduction to her." The creature's smile grows higher, "In all truth, Antenora and Syala asked me to cooperate already. There's no need to bother with a serious quest. I've heard of your victory in the Abyss."
* Muirfinn blinks. "Oh. That's refreshing. You wish for an introduction to the queen?"
* Muirfinn taps his beak. "Are you allowed to leave your post?"
* Lief drops his invisibility and lands on Dana's shoulder.
> "I can, but I prefer not to. This is my lair and home," The Guardian says, "I would like for you to bring the Queen here."
> Dana starts to shrug, but stops as Lief lands. "Whatever," she says.
<Muirfinn> "...I will ask her. She is somewhat reclusive since her rescue."
> "Very well. In the meantime, the children of Jormugandr," The Guardian goes on at this, "Have secret lairs patterned after the true World Serpent. Most are secret. Those that are publically known are suicidal to assault. I can suggest three - one a mountaintop palace of stone, snow and boiling water, one a deep cave of frozen animals and ancient fossils and one a burning firescape of magma, with an abode of pure force carved out in the depts of the magma. Choose one and I will tell you how to reach it."
<Muirfinn> "They all sound so delightful." Muirfinn says. "I find it difficult to choose."
<Lief> "Well, we've already delt with snow once."
<Muirfinn> "I'm not the largest fan of fire, myself."
<Muirfinn> "Deep cave?"
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "Works for me."
> "Deep cave sounds good." Dana agrees, "Whichever works for me fine."
> The great wyrm chants. IT sounds strange, as its voice becomes far gruffer and rumbles. When the chanting is done, the wyrm shimmer-shakes once. In your mind knowledge flows - a series of high mountains, one of an infinite number of nameless mountains in the endless expanses of Ysgard's top layer. They overlook a fjord as large as mortal nations, water a deep blue that matches the finest sapphires. Atop one of those mountains you see a secluded cave entrance. "I have passed a location into your minds. It is sufficient for teleportation magic to take you there. It will not be an easy or a safe journey to reach the child. Be prepared and be ready. The fossils need only a moment to return to life and the frozen animals await, alive and aware, ready to strike. These are not ordinary animals, but things tens of thousands of years old. Be wary."
* Lief turns to Muirfinn.
<Lief> "So, want to load my arrows?"
> Dana nods and begins to smile, "This is going to be fucking awesome."
* Muirfinn nods at Lief. "We'll take a day to do so. Just let me know what you want."
> "Bring the Queen before or after, as you wish," The Guardian says, "I suggest you prepare well. It has had ages to prepare a lair. It will not be a short journey."
* Muirfinn nods. "We'll prepare."
> In that moment, reality dims. There is a tremendous sense of presence before you, nigh choking everything else out. She is not there one moment and there the next. A white haired angel, clad only in light and glory. Syala rests a hand on the Guardian's neck, stilling the wyrm instantly. It is all you can do to not stare at her, all of your senses overwhelmed by the goddess before you. "I sense the Gilded Heart. I'd like to see it while you're here."
<Lief> "Well, how about Flame Strike and Vortex of Teeth? If we go back to Aurora first, Enervation. And Rot of Ages for the lesser arrows. And Splinterbolt....."
* Lief trails off at the appearance of the angel and just stares.
> Dana takes a step back and weakly shakes her head, "Aw fuck," she murmurs, gaze glued to the angel before her.
* Muirfinn raises both eyebrows. "...ah. Yes, of course." Muirfinn says, reaching into his robe. "I have it right..." A consternated look. "Wait. It was just..Ah."
* Muirfinn pulls the metal and stone heart from his pack. "Here it is."
> The heart is taken in Syala's hand. She looks down at it with a serene smile, "...yes, it will do," she finally says. "Keep it safe until it's time." The heart is handed back. "You're doing better, keep this up." Her gaze goes to each of you in turn, the pressure of it a palpable force, making it hard to breathe. Once the heart is taken, Syala is gone - there one moment and another simply not. Reality readjusts at that, the rest of the world relevant to your senses once more.
> The Guardian audibly exhales, a scrape of teeth on teeth. "I...Was there anything else?" it says, sounding a bit dazed.
> "The hell was...was that about?" Dana mutters, rubbing her eyes, "Shit, doesn't she have anything besides completely overwhelming?"
* Muirfinn just sort of stares, not moving for a moment. Just standing there, holding the Heart.
* Lief continues to stare as well.
* Muirfinn shakes his head, jowl skin flopping a moment before straightening. He puts the Heart away. "Right. We have preparations to make if we don't want to spend the next eternity getting slaughtered as we push our way through the cave."
> "S-she was projecting," The Guardian says after several moments. "She rarely does anything but hold her presence back, let alone project it like that," it says. "Y-yes, prepare."
<Muirfinn> "She was making a point." Muirfinn says.
> "What the fuck kind of point was that? A don't fuck with me point?" Dana rubs the back of her neck, "Did you piss her off or something?"
> After a moment, she reaches up and taps the top of Lief's head with a finger. "Lief?" Dana asks, "You still in there?"
<Lief> "Maybe not a 'don't fuck with me,' but a 'don't fuck up' point."
* Lief turns to Muirfinn.
<Lief> "I didn't know we had *those* kind of eyes watching us on this."
<Muirfinn> "The point, I believe, is that she is watching, she approves, and that she is willing to show her support in both powerful and obvious ways." Muirfinn says. "Lief, remember what kind of adventures I promised you."
* Lief scoffs, but takes to the air again and puts his arrow away.
> OOC: Okay, heading back now?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Yes.
> OOC: Okay. First off, any non item/loot prep to do before heading to the cave, either of you?
<Lief> OOC: Not for me, I don't think. I just need to get my arrows loaded.
<Muirfinn> OOC: The hat is a charisma thing and It's not ready. Will have to wait.
> OOC: As for the rest, there's a chance to do prep now. This won't be a casual dungeon as noted, so y'all have a choice to pause here and get loot in order with the rest of the session's time. (Dana will also take advantage if so.) Otherwise, we can progress on now sans any more prep.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Oh let's pause. I want to do up some scrolls tomorrow
<Lief> OOC: OKay. I'm open to suggestions on poisons. I can afford one, maybe two of the epic ones.

[Anastasia]

> Any last minute purchases coming? Any last prep to do before heading off to your destination?
<Lief> OOC: Uh, 5 of the greater spellstoring arrows getting Enervation, 5 getting Greater Dispel Magic, 5 Quill Blast, and 5 Flame Strike. Unless those are bad choices. (I should have posted this but forgot to until you asked)
<Muirfinn> I'm set.
> OOC: Quill blast isn't compatible with spellstoring since it's not a targeted spell and it doesn't really make sense to work on an arrow anyway. Others are fine. RAW flame strike isn't but it's really no different than a fireball arrow or whatever, so I'll allow it. Post that and assume CL 21.
> OOC: Feel free to swap the 5 quill blasts for something else real quick. For the sake of time, if you don't have a sub lined up, just copy one of the other three spells iwth those.
<Lief> OOC: Sure.
<Lief> OOC: Posted
> OOC: Okay. Meantime, how are yo uplanning on getting to that mountain entrance? Gate by Muirfinn or something else?
<Muirfinn> OOC: We'll gate in unless there is another preference?
<Lief> OOC: I don't care.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Gate it is!
> With a gate, the three appear within Ysgard. You stand atop a mountain, one seen in your vision granted by the Guardian of the Felic Gate. Immediately you are battered by the bone-chillingly cold air of the fjords, cutting into your like frost-rimmed knives. Behind you and far below is a massive fjord of emerald blue water, stretching farther than you can see, even from this lofty vantage.
* Muirfinn immediately shifts into the form of a silver dragon, basking in the cold.
* Lief shivers.
<Lief> "Should have gotten a cloak."
<Muirfinn> "Probably." Muirfinn nods sagely.
> Dana shivers just a little bit and smiles, "Good start," she looks around. The cave entrance is big enough for a large-sized dragon, looks like. It's a passage going downwards - unremarkable on a glance.
<Lief> "Want me to scout ahead, or just cover?"
<Muirfinn> "Likely a good choice. Stay high and wary."
<Muirfinn> "The scouting, that is."
> OOC: Make hide and move silently checks, Lief.
* Lief nods, pulls up his invisibility, and takes to the top of the cave, staying a little ahead of the others, keeping watch out for traps and surprises.
<Lief> roll d20+40 Hide
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+40 Hide and gets 52." [d20=12]
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 52." [d20=16]
> The passage winds downwards for perhaps a minute of cautious, stealthy flying. You notice the ground and walls get icy within. People who rely on walking would doubtlessly find it slippery. Eventually you can see something ahead as the path levels off. A large room dominated by a huge block of ice in the center. Within is a snowy tiger the size of a house. It is frozen in an eternal roar, face twisted in feline fury. On either side of the feline is a passage leading deeper within. They hook off in opposite diretions.
<Lief> OOC: The others with me, or still hanging behind?
<Muirfinn> OOC: You're scouting
<Lief> OOC: Yeah, but I've scouted before and had people right behind me.
* Lief takes note of it and returns to the others.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Not today!
<Lief> "It gets icey inside. Ground and walls look really slippery. The tunnel opens into a huge room with what looks like a tiger the size of a house frozen in a block of ice. It looks unhappy. Remember the warning we got?"
> OOC: They'd have stayed back, yeah.
* Muirfinn nods. "Well, we'll be ready to fight if it animates."
> "A tiger that big? Fuck the hell yes," Dana smirks, drawing her rapier.
<Lief> "Can't you maybe... Talk to it? It *is* an animal. You are a druid, aren't you?"
<Lief> "I might be bale to empathize with it, too, if it does.." OOC: Wild Empathy, right?
<Muirfinn> "Well I suppose I could at that." Muirfinn says.
> OOC: Yes.
<Lief> "I'm sure the place is littered with fights. Having at least one non-fight or possible ally could help? Besides, I kinda wanna see Dana ride to war on a house size tiger."
> "That's also boring as shit," Dana retorts, "...though that idea's a good one too," she admits.
* Lief stares at her flatly.
<Lief> "You'd love the hell out of a giant war tiger and you know it."
* Muirfinn snorts.
* Muirfinn proceeds inward to the cave.
> OOC: Muirfinn, walking or flying?
<Muirfinn> OOC: For hilarity, I'll walk in as a dragon. Quadruped ftw.
> OoC: Cold dragon+that, so you should be fine.
> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20  and gets 19." [1d20=19]
> The party heads on down. It's slippery but both Dana and Muirfinn make it through alright. The party makes it down to just outside of the room with the giant, snowy tiger. OOC: Ball's in your court, y'all.
<Lief> "Want me to go in and check it? If it's a proximity trigger, I'll be invisible. Might give you two an advantage."
* Muirfinn peers in, eyeing the tiger. "...wow, that's impressive."
<Lief> "Told ya."
<Muirfinn> "If you like, go ahead, but be wary. It likely has a keen sense of smell and may be able to locate you regardless."
* Lief nods.
* Lief heads in, but sticks close to the top of the cave, watching the ice block.
> Dana looks on with a growing grin. In th meantime, Lief heads into the cave, 60ft from the tiger. The moment he crosses the threshhold, the ice around the tiger shatters! You are buffeted by a mighty roar, the tiger licking its chops as it looks about - before pouncing right at Lief! OOC: It's awake! AWAKE! Init.
> roll 1d20+10 Dana (+5 Lief)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Dana (+5 Lief) and gets 18." [1d20=8]
> roll 1d20+15 giant tiger
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 giant tiger and gets 33." [1d20=18]
<Lief> roll d20+21 Init
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17+5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+21 Init and gets 25." [d20=4]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17+5 and gets 33." [1d20=11]
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
* Kotono changes topic to 'Giant Tiger=Muirfinn(33)>Lief(25)>Dana(18)'
> OOC: Muirfinn and Tiger act at the same time. Go haead, Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn drops dragon form, quickly casting a spell while pulling a rod from his quiver. OOC: Speak with Animals, extended
<Muirfinn> "Hello there!"
> OOC: D'you have wild empathy?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Traded it for something else!
<Lief> OOC: I have it, but I dont' think I have Speak with Animals.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+21 Handle Animal holy shit
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+21 Handle Animal holy shit and gets 34." [1d20=13]
> This gets the tiger's attention - it's bowling right past and through Lief now, focusing instead on Muirfinn! OOC: Lief, make a reflex save.
<Lief> roll d20+37 Ref Save
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+37 Ref Save and gets 45." [d20=8]
> Being already high up and fast, Lief darts out of the way of the massive beast. But now it's pouncing right at Muirfinn!
> roll 1d20+44 (+4 charge) claw 1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (+4 charge) claw 1 and gets 51." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+44 (+4 charge) claw
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (+4 charge) claw  and gets 63." [1d20=19]
> roll 1d20+44 (+4 charge) bite
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (+4 charge) bite and gets 45." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+44 (+4 charge) claw crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (+4 charge) claw crit? and gets 50." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+44 (+4 charge) rake
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (+4 charge) rake and gets 49." [1d20=5]
> roll 1d20+44 (+4 charge) rake
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 (+4 charge) rake and gets 46." [1d20=2]
> OOC: AC, Muirfinn?
<Muirfinn> OOC: FIFTY.
> "Let's play!" The giant tiger rumbles gleefully, as it claws and bites into Muirfinn. OOC: Hit and a crit then.
> OOC: To be clear, it said it to Muirfinn since he's all animal speaky right now.
<Muirfinn> "NOT THE FACE!"
> roll 4d8+25+12d8+50 chomp any DR?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d8+25+12d8+50 chomp any DR? and gets 139." [4d8=2, 5, 6, 8][12d8=7, 5, 1, 3, 2, 7, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 1]
> roll 1d20+48 CMD?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+48 CMD? and gets 50." [1d20=2]
<Muirfinn> OOC: Nope
<Muirfinn> OOC: Dear Christ.
> OOC: No, what's your CMD?
<Muirfinn> OOC: 55
> OOC: Okay thanks, needed it for something.
> The tiger pounces in! One claw, bigger than Muirfinn, bats him up into the air like a toy! It goes right up to the cat's mouth level, where it promptly snaps him up in a bite! Muirfinn is shaken around like a mouse, jostled back and forth before tumbling back to the ground in a heap! "Taste fishy! Like fishy!" The tiger says.  OOC: Ow. Prone.
> OOC: Lief, go. It's 20ft past you and 10ft below you at the closest point.
> Dana merely grins wider at this.
> "This is going to be an amazing adventure!" Dana'sg rin just grows bigger and bigger, "Oh fuck Muirfinn, that has to have hurt!"
* Muirfinn lies there on the floor. "...not as planned."
<Lief> OOC: I'm gonna try Wild Empathy just 'cause.
* Lief studies the animal, trying to figure out a way to make it more.. amiable.. to the group..
<Lief> OOC: Does that take a round of study, or just roll for it?
> OOC: Just roll it.
<Lief> roll d20+15 Wild Empathy
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+15 Wild Empathy and gets 16." [d20=1]
<Lief> OOC: hahahah
> The tiger turns, and Muirfinn hears it say in a sadistically playful voice, "There's a mouse up there too!" OOC: Dana's up.
> "Let's do this!" Dana steps in, rapier out as she unleases a storm of thrusts at the giant feline.
> roll 1d20+37 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+37 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience) and gets 42." [1d20=5]
> roll 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience) and gets 42." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+27 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience) and gets 38." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+22 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 (-3 rapier storm, 16 pp for a swift action +5 damage offensive prescience) and gets 26." [1d20=4]
> roll 1d6+24+1d6+24+1d6+24
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+24+1d6+24+1d6+24 and gets 79." [1d6=4][1d6=2][1d6=1]
> Dana goes right into the face of the cat, thrusting elbow-deep with her rapier. Dana leaps up and stabs, impaling it half a dozen times in its chest as her body shimmers, an after image predicting her moves a second before she does them. A soft hum comes from her as she thrusts and thrusts and thrusts, finally falling back down. Trails of blood come from the wounds, staining the tiger's snowy white fur. OOC: Ow. Muirfinn and the kitty. Go Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn stares at the tiger's underside for a brief moment before shifting intn an uncomfortably large dragon and proceeding to return the mauling. OOC: Gone colossal.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+43-4 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+43-4 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+38-4 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+33-4 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+28-4 Unarmed
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39-4 Claw
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39-4 Claw
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39-4 Wing
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39-4 Wing
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39-4 Tail
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+43-4 Unarmed and gets 50." [1d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+43-4 Unarmed and gets 49." [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+38-4 Unarmed and gets 50." [1d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+33-4 Unarmed and gets 39." [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+28-4 Unarmed and gets 34." [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39-4 Claw and gets 50." [1d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39-4 Claw and gets 49." [1d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39-4 Wing and gets 37." [1d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39-4 Wing and gets 55." [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39-4 Tail and gets 36." [1d20=1]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+39-4 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+39-4 crit? and gets 48." [1d20=13]
> OOC: AC's 36, figure it out from there.
<Muirfinn> roll 4#5d10+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Unarmed)
<Muirfinn> roll 2#4d6+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Claw)
<Muirfinn> roll 2d8+5+17 (Wing)
<Muirfinn> roll 2#2d8+5+17 (Wing)
<Muirfinn> roll 4d6+5+25 (Tail Slap)
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4#5d10+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Unarmed) and gets 222." [4#5d10+5+17+2d6 = 64, 57, 55, 46]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#4d6+5+17+2d6 holy damage, plus 1 Con damage each hit. Counts as magic/good/bludgeoning/silver (Claw) and gets 85." [2#4d6+5+17+2d6 = 44, 41]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2d8+5+17 (Wing) and gets 32." [2d8=8, 2]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 2#2d8+5+17 (Wing) and gets 60." [2#2d8+5+17 = 27, 33]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d6+5+25 (Tail Slap) and gets 46." [4d6=2, 6, 3, 5]
<Muirfinn> OOC: That's a total of 6 con lost
> Down on the ground, Muirfinn grows gigantic! Dana is knocked back with a yelp, send skidding on the icy ground. The giant tiger is kicked up, the prone dragon battering, clawing and biting its underside. The tiger is constantly slammed into the roof, only to be hit again as it comes down! Leaping upf or the final blow, a massive tail strike sends the tiger flying again, back to the ice that held it - and right at Lief! OOC: Ref, Lief.
<Lief> roll d20+37 Ref Save
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+37 Ref Save and gets 55." [d20=18]
> Lief darts up again, narrowly avoiding the flying cat. It lands in the ice, innards trailing behind it from a torn open underside. It lies there in a bloody heap, dead as can be! OOC: That was amazingly brutal. Free act.
* Muirfinn drags himself to his feet. "That cat was tremendously rude."
* Lief coughs.
<Lief> "Well. Uh. Think we can use the pelt, at least?"
> It's tough getting pu this large. Muirfinn scrapes against the walls and hits against the ceiling, but manages to rise. "Damn," Dana remarks, "It's dead as hell."
<Muirfinn> "It'll be fine tomorrow." Muirfinn warns.
<Lief> "So.."
* Lief flies down next to the... Corpse... and tries to figure out a way to take the pelt.
<Muirfinn> "Skin it if you like, but be mindful that it WILL be alive tomorrow. And probably unhappy."
<Lief> "Well.."
<Lief> "Maybe on the way out."
> "So which way?" Dana asks as she walks on up. "Left or right?"
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "Pick one and I'll check it out."
<Muirfinn> "I'm assuming that we'll die at least once in this cave." Muirfinn says. "Take that as you will."
> "Left then," Dana says absently, going to sit on a chunk of ice near the slain tiger.
* Lief heads left, going invisible again.
> OOC: Quick hide and ms checks again.
<Lief> roll d20+40 Hide
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+40 Hide and gets 58." [d20=18]
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 43." [d20=7]

[Anastasia]

> Past the broken corpse of the house-sized dire tiger, Lief flies down the left passage. He is invisible and silent as the wind, gliding on. The path begins to wind in a broad circle, sloping downward. The icy ground gets worse here, a casual look suggesting walking will be troublesome. The passage also narrows. While Muirfinn's oversized dragon form could manage the entrance, it soon shrinks to small enough to allow only large sized creatures. On and on it winds for a good 5 minutes. At the bottom it opens into a large chasm full of walls of ice that reach from ceiling to floor. IT forms a maze of ice. Ahead there's a passage that leads ahead and one to the right.
* Koaway is now known as Kotono
* Lief silently grumbles to himself and returns to the others.
> This takes another five minutes. Muirfinn and Dana await...OOC: Goa head. Fast healing should've patched you up by now, Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn /join #thecauldronshrinks accordingly, expanding as they enter the chasm. "
<Muirfinn> OOC: Ooooops
<Lief> "That one goes on for a while. Floors get really slick, it looks like, and it narrows down quite a bit. Don't think you'll fit like that, Muirfinn. Heads down to a maze, two enterances. Maze walls go from floor to ceiling."
> "A maze? Really?" Dana shrugs, "Beats the last maze I was in, though."
<Lief> "Want me to check the other passage?"
<Muirfinn> "Blast. A maze. Made of ice, I suppose?" Muirfinn ponders. "If you wouldn't mind, Lief. Be careful, though. I'm sure there are other traps waiting for us. Don't depend too heavily on your invisibility."
* Lief nods.
<Lief> "I'm sticking to odd angles along the ceilings. The more powerful things are, the less they tend to look up. At least, that's what I always hope for."
> OOC: Another quick hide/ms combo set.
<Lief> roll d20+40 Hide
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+40 Hide and gets 45." [d20=5]
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 53." [d20=17]
> Lief flies down. This passage starts to wind, but after two minutes abruptly goes to the right and straight ahead. The walls have a dim radiance down here, negating darkvision but providing adequate illumination. 60ft ahead you can see a room opening up. There's a few dozen blocks of ice about, each one holding a rather large and angry looking bear. Based on your knowledge of nature, you can tell those are dire bears. Really strong dire bears, no less.
* Lief notes the numbers and heads back to the others.
<Lief> "Winding passage, a couple minutes of flight long. Opens to a room full of frozen Dire Bears. Stronger than normal ones, too."
<Lief> "Lights up a bit, too. From the walls and ice."
> The trip back is also without incident. Lief returns. He finds Dana leaning against a broken hunk of ice, talking, "...so then I was like, why don't you just cut off his fucking - oh. Giant angry bears? Sounds better than a shit-eating maze."
* Lief shrugs.
* Muirfinn nods at Dana, amusemed. He turns to Lief. "Mazes are more dangerous, I'd wager, and frustrating. Lots of blind corners. Let's give the bears a try."
* Lief returns to the ceiling and moves above Dana and Muirfinn.
> The party heads down. The flooring is icy but not unmanageable down this passage. It takes two minutes to reach 60ft away from the bears...OOC: Go ahead, ball's in your court.
* Muirfinn heads inward carefully, focusing his sing to see where the trigger is for melting the ice. OOC: Assuming it's a magical proximity trigger. Gonna try to stop right at the entrance before triggering.
<Lief> "So my way didn't work so well last time.."
> OOC: Your sing?
> OOC: No really Yuth, what the hell is your sing?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Oh WOW
<Muirfinn> OOC: Sight
> OOC: Quick spellcrafting.
<Muirfinn> "None of us died. I'd say we still came out ahead. At least we know the beasts' demeanor."
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+50
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+50 and gets 57." [1d20=7]
<Lief> "Mine's about to match theirs."
> It looks like it starts the moment you step into the room 60ft ahead. The room looks to be about 30 by 50ft or so. It's hard to tell details due to all the bear-bearing ice blocks.
<Muirfinn> "...that's a lot of bears."
> "Hell yeah it is," Dana grins, cracking her knuckles before drawing her weapon.
* Lief likewise readies his bow and arrows.
* Ebiris (Ebiris@cpc9-sgyl30-2-0-cust73.sgyl.cable.virginm.net) Quit (Quit: )
<Muirfinn> "The ice will melt as soon as we cross the threshold. We know that this time, so we may have the initial advantage. Stay on your toes." Muirfinn shifts back to tortle form, pulling a staff from his quiver. "I'll make a distraction. Are we ready?"
<Lief> "I am."
* Lief returns to invisibility, not that it helped last time.
> "Ready," Dana says.
<Muirfinn> "Let's go." Muirfinn says, crossing the border and casting a summoning spell through the staff. OOC: Summoning earth elemental monolith. Earth glide ftw.
> OOC: Where exactly is it manifesting?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Outta the floor, probably waist high due to height constraints.
> OOC: How large is it?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Gargantuan
<Muirfinn> OOC: The size chart seems to be eluding me at the moment
> Where exactly relative to the room is it appearing?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Center of room
> OOC: Okay.
> The earth monolith appears in the center of the room! Ice blocks are pushed aside as it rises up! At the same time, your view into the room vanishes away. The floor at the opening in splits open, a giant slab of stone smoothly rising up from the opening to block the way ahead. OOC: Roll init here? You can keep concentrating on the monolith to keep it around as you please, but the stone ahead is at least a temporary damper on commanding it.
<Lief> roll d20+21 Init
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+21 Init and gets 35." [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+10 Dana (+5 Lief)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Dana (+5 Lief) and gets 16." [1d20=6]
> roll 1d20+6 dire bear horde
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 dire bear horde and gets 20." [1d20=14]
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17 and gets 31." [1d20=14]
> OOC: Roll for the monolith too.
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(35)>Muirfinn(31)>DBH(20)>Dana(16)'
<Muirfinn> OOC: I thought they act on my turn
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(35)>Muirfin=Monolith(31)>DBH(20)>Dana(16)'
> OOC: Go Lief. You're 60ft from the now blocked off entrance to the bear room.
<Lief> OOC: I'm outside of the room, or inside? And if inside, how far from the closest bear?
> OOC: Outside, 60ft away as I just said.
* Lief approaches the door, but doesn't do anything, waiting for the local magic specialist to figure something out. OOC: Full movement to the door.
> OOC: Okay. Muirfinn, go.
* Muirfinn keeps stride with Lief, pulling out a wand and tapping the barrier, causing it to destabilize. OOC: Wand of Crumble.
<Muirfinn> roll 10d8 ignores hardness
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 10d8 ignores hardness and gets 35." [10d8=5, 8, 1, 5, 3, 3, 6, 1, 2, 1]
> Before you, the stone slab crumbles away. Within you can see the monolith is surrounded on all sides by uniced and angry dire bears! Roars echo about as...OOC: Command the monolith, Muirfinn.
<Muirfinn> "Kill all the bears!" Muirfinn says in Terran.
> "Alright!" Dana calls, "Let's go in and do this!"
<Muirfinn> The elemental lunges forward, massive arms swinging together to mash the closest particular dire bear into dire paste. OOC: 20 ft reach yo
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 57." [1d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 46." [1d20=4]
> OOC: Two hits.
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 46." [6d8=7, 6, 1, 4, 5, 5]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 41." [6d8=2, 3, 5, 4, 1, 8]
<Muirfinn> That done, Muirfinn ducks to the side, allowing the others through.
> WIth an overwhelming swing, the monolith grabs two dire bears and slams them together. It's like a pair of boulders meeting, with a meaty grinding following as the bears are reduced to naught but bone fragments, bit sof fur and splashes of blood. OOC: Two bears down. DBH is up.
> The bears advance as one on the monolith before them! OOC: The monolith can make an AoO first.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 45." [1d20=3]
> OOC: Damage.
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 51." [6d8=2, 8, 6, 7, 4, 6]
> The elemental strikes out, a boulder-fist hitting one leaping bear and sending it hard into a far wall. It lands in a broken heap, but a dozen others pounce on it, biting and clawing away!
> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)
> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)
> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)
> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)  and gets 56." [1d20=13]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)  and gets 47." [1d20=4]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)  and gets 50." [1d20=7]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)  and gets 57." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)  and gets 54." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+43 (-10 PA, +4 rage, +2 ????)  and gets 58." [1d20=15]
> OOC: AC?
<Muirfinn> OOC: 25!
<Muirfinn> OOC: Assume they autohit if it lives.
> roll 2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30+2d4+30 and gets 217." [2d4=4, 4][2d4=1, 4][2d4=4, 2][2d4=2, 3][2d4=4, 3][2d4=4, 2]
> OOC: If it has any HP left, note it in thecauldron
> .
> OOC: I imagine it has some DR to take the edge off that.
<Muirfinn> OOC: DR 15
> OOC: 75 total off that.
<Muirfinn> OOC: 90 by my calc. 15*6
> OOC: You're right.
> OOC: Anyway, does it survive?
<Muirfinn> OOC: By a lot
> The dire bears leap on the monolith. They cling to him all over, clawing and biting away hunks of stone. The mighty earth creature is cloaked in dire bears, trying to shred it from top to bottom. Meanwhile Dana advances, catching up with Lief and Muirfinn.  OOC: Lief.
<Lief> OOC: How far is the closest bear?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Definately within range
> OOC: 20ft. It's a huge swarm of them. You're within SA range.
<Muirfinn> OOC: The elemental takes up a 20x20 square
<Lief> OOC: excellent.
* Lief floats inside the the room, just to ensure the door doesn't close on him again and takes aim at the closest bear, launching a volley of arrows at it!
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 63." [d20=19]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 54." [d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 55." [d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 42." [d20=8]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 35." [d20=6]
> OOC: All hit, these aren't bastions of AC.
> OOC: You're invisible and they can't detect it, so those are SAs.
<Lief> OOC: Dana's +damage thing only hits her, right? Not me?
> OOC: Yes, it's just her.
<Lief> roll 5#1d6+24+7d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 5#1d6+24+7d6 and gets 258." [5#1d6+24+7d6 = 50, 56, 50, 52, 50]
> A pair of perfectly aimed arrows go into the back of the head of the nearest bear. It topples over, dead. More fly at the monolith, hitting a duo of bears clinging to it. Two more headshots, two more bears falling to the ground with pixie-arrows in the brain. OOC: Ow. Muirfinn and monolith.
* Muirfinn squeezes past Lief, shifting into dragonform and snapping at a hanging bear.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+44
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+44 and gets 46." [1d20=2]
> OOC: How big a dragon? There's already a big-ass monolith in there.
<Muirfinn> OOC: Large?
> OOC: That's fine. Hit.
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17 bite bite
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 bite bite and gets 31." [4d8=4, 2, 1, 7]
> Muirfinn snaps the arm off a dire bear! He tears it away as the beast falls in agony, bleeding all over. As the transformed dragon spits that out...OOC: Monolith.
<Muirfinn> The monolith smashes bears across the room, sweeping its arms in wide arcs across its body!
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 49." [1d20=7]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 50." [1d20=8]
> OOC: Hits.
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 48." [6d8=5, 2, 6, 3, 8, 6]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 45." [6d8=6, 7, 2, 1, 8, 3]
> A sweep of the elemental's arms sends bears flying! One heads right for Muirfinn, bashed badly and flying like an arrow, landing just before him. As this happens, the swarm continues to attack the monolith.
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) and gets 49." [1d20=11]
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) and gets 39." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA)
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) and gets 40." [1d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) and gets 41." [1d20=3]
> roll 2d4+35+2d4+35+2d4+35 and more coming after this
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+35+2d4+35+2d4+35 and more coming after this and gets 123." [2d4=1, 2][2d4=4, 4][2d4=4, 3]
> The bears and the monolith continue to wage war! Great gaping hunks of earth are torn away as a few intrepid bears crawl into claw and teeth made holes in the monolith. They begin to wreck it from the inside out, relentlessly battering it. The sound of roars and stone hitting the ground echos, as a few bears turn and attack the other nearby, visible target - Muirfinn!
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn and gets 55." [1d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn and gets 58." [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn and gets 52." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+38 (-15 PA) vs Muirfinn crit? and gets 49." [1d20=11]
> OOC: AC?
<Muirfinn> OOC: 70
> roll 2d4+35
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+35 and gets 40." [2d4=1, 4]
> A bear goes up and latches onto Muirfinn's draconic shoulder. It bites down on his scaly body, ripping away flesh and scale. OOC: Ow. Dana.
> Dana wades right into the battle, grinning from ear to ear, "Fuck yeah! Here, you dumb bastards!" she calls, before her rapier flashes out.
> roll 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, -5 PA)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, -5 PA) and gets 49." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, -5 PA) crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, -5 PA) crit? and gets 42." [1d20=10]
> roll 1d20+27
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 45." [1d20=18]
> roll 1d20+27 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 crit? and gets 41." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 and gets 36." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+22 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 crit? and gets 38." [1d20=16]
> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 33." [1d20=16]
> roll 1d20+17 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 crit? and gets 34." [1d20=17]
> roll 2d6+58+2d6+58+2d6+58+2d6+58
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+58+2d6+58+2d6+58+2d6+58 and gets 265." [2d6=2, 6][2d6=1, 5][2d6=4, 4][2d6=6, 5]
> Dana wades into the battle fearlessly. A quick swipe pierces the heart of the bear before Muirfinn, before she runs into the battlefield. Thrust after thrust downs bears, three more falling to holes in the heart or head. "Come on, you fucking cocksuckers! Here I am! Right here!" OOC: Ow. Lief.
* Lief follows the swath of blood Dana cuts with his own arrows, hoping to make similar holes in the bears!
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 61." [d20=17]
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 57." [d20=13]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 50." [d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 54." [d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 47." [d20=18]
<Lief> OOC: Woot, 20. I roll that same +bonus, right?
> OOC: Crit threat on the third roll. Yes.
<Lief> roll d20+34 Crit
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 Crit and gets 42." [d20=8]
> OOC: Third roll is a crit. That means triple damage - except forthe SA dice, which don't multiply. Anyway, the other three also hit.
<Lief> OOC: Okay, so I'll roll 4#1d6+whatever and then roll the crit seperate? Or hows the best way to do this?
> OOC: Roll the three normal htis normally then roll the crit seperately.
<Lief> OOC: Three? Four, right?
> OOC: You hit four times. Three are normal hits and one is a crit. Resolve the normal hits and then resolve the crit
> .
<Lief> roll 3#1d6+24+6d6 (Normal)
> OOC: Oh no, you have five attacks. I'm an idiot and you're right.
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 3#1d6+24+6d6 (Normal) and gets 146." [3#1d6+24+6d6 = 47, 47, 52]
<Lief> roll 1d6+24*3+1d6 (Crit)
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 1d6+24*3+1d6 (Crit) and gets 80." [1d6=4][1d6=4]
<Lief> roll 1d6+24
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 1d6+24 and gets 26." [1d6=2]
<Lief> OOC: Okay, that confused the hell out of me and I think I did it wrong. Redo it?
> OOC: You left off the SA damage. #elysium a sec.
> OOC: Yeah, just reroll the entire thing since you botched the SA too. It's 7d6.
<Lief> roll 4#1d6+24+7d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 4#1d6+24+7d6 and gets 218." [4#1d6+24+7d6 = 51, 65, 52, 50]
<Lief> roll 3d6+72+7d6
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 3d6+72+7d6 and gets 97." [3d6=4, 1, 2][7d6=1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 6, 2]
<Lief> OOC: 315 total.
> More arrows fly, dire bears pierced through the heart. One on the golem catches an arrow in right through the eye, toppling off like a broken toy. The bears are thinned out now - the recent flurry of violence has reduced them to about a dozen. You're winning! OOC: Muirfinn'n'Elemental time.
<Muirfinn> The elemental swings!
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+42
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 47." [1d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+42 and gets 55." [1d20=13]
> OOC: Bot hit.
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 43." [6d8=5, 5, 2, 4, 4, 5]
<Muirfinn> roll 6d8+18
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 6d8+18 and gets 40." [6d8=2, 6, 1, 6, 6, 1]
* Muirfinn takes a quick step, snapping out another bite at a bear! OOC: 5ft step
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+44
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+44 and gets 56." [1d20=12]
<Muirfinn> roll 4d8+17
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 4d8+17 and gets 29." [4d8=3, 3, 1, 5]
> Already wounded bears are smashed together, another hit with a bite that tears it in half! The remainder is reeling, most on the elemental who gets the worst of the weakened assault.
> roll 1d20+28
> roll 1d20+28
> roll 1d20+28
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 31." [1d20=3]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 47." [1d20=19]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 and gets 42." [1d20=14]
> roll 1d20+28 Muirfinn
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 Muirfinn and gets 30." [1d20=2]
> roll 1d20+28 Dana
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 Dana and gets 32." [1d20=4]
> OOC: Elemental AC
> ?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Autohit
> roll 2d4+20+2d4+20+2d4+20
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+20+2d4+20+2d4+20 and gets 72." [2d4=1, 1][2d4=3, 2][2d4=2, 3]
<Muirfinn> OOC: They literally can't miss
> The elemental gets further shredded, torn open by the remainder. But what few left have another problem - Dana strides in with  sneer, "Is that it? I'm not even fucking bleeding? The fuck is wrong with you? You're bears, you maul us instead of...this!"
> roll 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, -5 PA)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 (-3 rapier storm, -5 PA) and gets 39." [1d20=7]
> roll 1d20+27
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 and gets 44." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+27 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 crit? and gets 45." [1d20=18]
> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 and gets 39." [1d20=17]
> roll 1d20+22 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 crit? and gets 27." [1d20=5]
> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 30." [1d20=13]
> roll 1d20+17 crit
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 crit and gets 18." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d6+29+2d6+58+2d6+58+1d6+29
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+29+2d6+58+2d6+58+1d6+29 and gets 196." [1d6=3][2d6=1, 5][2d6=5, 6][1d6=2]
> Dana walks about with a bored expression. Absent-minded rapier thrusts pierce the remaining bears. She blinks with a puff of ectoplasm, appearing atop the remaining bears as thrust after thrust finishes them off. She lands as the last few bears hit the ground. With the ice and bears gone, you can see ways ahead. In the back of the room is a circular chasm going down, a pole there, as if to slide down. To the right is another passage as well, curving up slightly.  OOC: Free act. Bears got massacred.
<Lief> "That went well.."
* Lief drops his invisibility and hovers in front of Dana.
> "Too damned easy," Dana grumps, kicking a dead bear in the head. A pixie arrow falls out, hitting the ground.
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "I'm sure we'll find worse the further we go. Should we check for treasure, or just keep going
<Lief> ?"
<Muirfinn> "Don't get too upset. I'm certain we'll all get to see some pain. I've already had plenty." Muirfinn says with distaste.
<Lief> "Says the giant dragon with a giant elemental at his beck and call."
* Muirfinn dismisses the elemental, looking innocent.
* Lief rolls his eyes and goes back to his question.
<Lief> "Treasures or keep moving?"
> "What sort of treasures would a bear have? Honey and bearshit?" Dana cracks her neck, "Let's get going."
* Lief shrugs and moves to scout ahead.
* Muirfinn nods. Unlikely they'll have anything but what they are. This isn't a well-trafficed area, so anything left behind is likely to be obvious.
* Muirfinn nods. "Unlikely they'll have anything but what they are. This isn't a well-trafficed area, so anything left behind is likely to be obvious."
> OOC: Which passage, Lief?
<Lief> OOC: Good question!
<Lief> "Up or down?"
<Muirfinn> "Down."
* Lief zips to the back of the cavern, going invisible and then heading down, following the pole.
> OOC: Normal 2 stealth checks, and also make a spot check.
<Lief> roll d20+40 Hide
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+40 Hide and gets 46." [d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 51." [d20=15]
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot and gets 43." [d20=11]
> Lief flies down. As he does, he can notice the pole has little needles and blades hidden along it. Subtle things, the sort of thing that would slice people going down the pole. Beyond that, it takes about a minute to reach the bottom. The pole stops as it empties into the low-hanging roof of a massive underground lake. Said lake is cold and has chunks of ice floating in it. It's a dark color that contrasts with the light the ice chunks shed. From the end of the pole and the opening it's about a 30ft drop.
* Lief takes a moment to study the water and cavern, looking for any sign of movement or clue as to why the water is so dark.
> OOC: Spot check real quick.
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot and gets 48." [d20=16]
> Lief can discern slight ripplings in the water. It's subtle but hints at something moving in it. Something big.
* Lief grunts with disatisfaction at being unable to identify what it is, but heads back up to the others.
> The trip back up is without incident. As you approach, "...That's the worst of it," Dana says, chatting with Muirfinn. "He didn't even have one in the first place, so he - oh, Lief's back."
<Lief> "Long way down. Pole stops at the top of a cavern, pole is trapped with blades by the way, and then a 30 foot drop to water. There's ice floating in it, giving off light, but the water is pitch black. I saw ripples in it, too; something big is in there, but I couldn't catch a glimpse of it."
> "Sounds great," Dana says, walking up to the edge of it. "Did you see how sharp the blades were?"
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "Small blades and needles. It would cut you up pretty bad, I think. Worse for you if there's poison on it."
<Muirfinn> "How big is big?"
<Lief> "I couldn't catch a glimpse of it, but the lake is massive. Anything that needs that much space has to be *really* big. The water looks ice cold, too."
> "It sounds good, what it is," Dana remarks, "Are we going to do this or look at the other path?"
* Lief shrugs.
<Lief> "I'll go wherever you want me to."
<Muirfinn> "I'd rather pass on fighting something in the water. My kind are bred for it, but neither of you have any advantages under water. Let's have a look in the other direction."
> OOC: Goign to scout the opposite direction then?
<Lief> OOC: Sure.
* Lief nods to Muirfinn and goes invisible, heading the other way.
> OOC: Stealth checks plus a quick spot check.
<Lief> roll d20+40 Hide
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+40 Hide and gets 41." [d20=1]
<Lief> Roll d20+36 Move Silently
<Lief> roll d20+32 Spot
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+32 Spot and gets 52." [d20=20]
> OOC: No Roll, just roll.
<Lief> roll d20+36 Move Silently
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+36 Move Silently and gets 53." [d20=17]
> OOC: Lowercase.
> You fly along perhaps half a minute. It's getting to be a fairly steep gradient up. As you go...suddenly you notice something on the ground. The ground beneath you is starting to ripple, and you can see something just starting to surge up at you. OOC: You can react, be it to dodge, attack or whatever. You successfully nailed the spot check and then some.
* Lief moves to dodge out of the way, getting his bow ready for retaliation.
> Lief darts 10ft back. A moment later a large hand of earth rises up, snapping closed around where he was. OOC: Init, Lief.
> roll 1d20+2 hand of stone
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 hand of stone and gets 11." [1d20=9]
<Lief> roll d20+21 init
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+21 init and gets 40." [d20=19]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(40)>Hand of Stone(11)'
> OOC: Go Lief.
* Lief lets a volley of arrows off at the hand, also keeping an eye out for whatever might be doing this.
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 51." [d20=7]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 49." [d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 50." [d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 39." [d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 49." [d20=20]
<Lief> roll d20+29 Crit?
> OOC: All hit. No SA or crits, it's a construct.
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 Crit? and gets 32." [d20=3]
<Lief> OOC: Ah, forgot that.
<Lief> roll 5#1d6+24
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 5#1d6+24 and gets 135." [5#1d6+24 = 29, 30, 25, 25, 26]
> A bevy of arrows rip through the stony hand. Parts of it crumble as the rest sinks back into the floor and out of sight. OOC: Free act.
* Lief cautiously advances again, keeping ready for any other surprises...
> You go up another half minute, when you can see something beneath you - the exact same sort of ripple, like another hand is coming.
* Lief prepares to have the same response and moves to clear the area..
> Lief darts back, avoiding another hand! OOC: Go, it literally can't beat you in init, so feel free to take the first action.
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 1
<Lief> roll d20+44 ATK 2
<Lief> roll d20+39 ATK 3
<Lief> roll d20+34 ATK 4
<Lief> roll d20+29 ATK 5
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 1 and gets 62." [d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+44 ATK 2 and gets 61." [d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+39 ATK 3 and gets 55." [d20=16]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+34 ATK 4 and gets 42." [d20=8]
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+29 ATK 5 and gets 42." [d20=13]
> OOC: Damage.
<Lief> roll 5#1d6+24
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls 5#1d6+24  and gets 141." [5#1d6+24 = 28, 27, 28, 29, 29]
> Another volley of arrows wrecks this hand just a sgood, falling back into the ground and out of sight. OOC: Free act. Wasn't even a bump to you.
* Lief continues his scouting!
> Another minute is event free. You come to a narrowing of the passage, just big enough for a door to block the way forward. It's an unremarkable iron door on first glance, a pull ring in the center.
* Lief inspects the door suspiciously, looking for locks and/or traps.
> OOC: Search check.
<Lief> roll d20+30 Search
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+30 Search and gets 32." [d20=2]
> No obvious traps. However, the door's really rather warm. Much warmer than it should be based on the ambient temperature.
* Lief is curious, but decides to head back to the others.. The oddity making him cautious.
> The trip back down is without incident. You find the two waiting for you...
<Lief> "Trapped passage. Stone hands from the ground. Tunnel narrows down to a door. Couldn't spot any traps, but the door was warm. *Much* warmer than it should be."
* Muirfinn ponders, pacing. "So we either have some sort of water creature...or something that produces an abnormal amount of heat. Water or fire."
<Lief> "Yep."
<Muirfinn> "Granted, of course, assusuming that it's actual fire." Muirfinn says. "How was the passage itself, aside from the animated stone?"
<Lief> "Steep and narrows down to the size of the door."
<Muirfinn> "That'll have to do. Let's give it a shot. Worst case, it dead-ends and we have to go through the water anyway."
* Lief nods and heads up!
> OOC: Walking order?
<Muirfinn> OOC: I'll go first
<Lief> OOC: Me on Muirfinn's shoulder, ready to take flight.
> OOC: Dana'll follow right behind. Okay.
> The walk up is unremarkable. No hand resurgence as you reach the iron door.
<Muirfinn> Muirfinn's scales ripple as he shrinks to fit into the passage, shifting to gold as they approach the door. "If you would kindly get behind me, I will protect you from burns if I can. If there are any." Muirfinn examines the door,
* Lief uses Muirfinn as cover and concealment.
> "Boring," Dana remarks, but stands behind him. OOC: How are you examining the door?
<Muirfinn> OOC: Looking for evidence of extreme heat. Glowing metal, maleability, etc.
> The door's solid iron. There's no sign of unusual heat, save for the warmth from touching it.
* Muirfinn takes hold of the ring on the door and pulls.
> The door is pulled open with one heavy claw. Behind it is...lava! A wave of lava, holding solid in defiance of gravity for just a moment, before it begins to pour out! OOC: Init here.
> roll 1d20+10 Dana (+5 Lief)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Dana (+5 Lief) and gets 19." [1d20=9]
> roll 1d20 lava flow
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 lava flow and gets 7." [1d20=7]
<Lief> roll d20+21 init
* Hatbot --> "Lief rolls d20+21 init and gets 28." [d20=7]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(28)>Dana(19)>Lava Flow(7)'
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17 and gets 22." [1d20=5]
* Kotono changes topic to 'Lief(28)>Muirfinn(22)>Dana(19)>Lava Flow(7)'
> OOC: Lief, go.
* Lief eyes the lava and waits for Muirfinn to do something about it... OOC: Holding action
> OOC: Muirfinn.
* Muirfinn shoves the door closed.
> Muirfinn goes to close the door - but it's resisting, an odd grinding sound as he tries. OOC: Str check.
<Muirfinn> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Muirfinn rolls 1d20+17 and gets 22." [1d20=5]
<Lief> OOC: Can I move to help since I held action?
> It takes a tremendous effort, but Muirfinn is able to slam the door shut. A few bits of lava hit im, but his gold dragon form is little more than warmed by it.
> OOC: No need, DC was 20. Free act.
<Lief> "Well then... Lake of cold water?"
> "Damn," Dana eyes the door, "Guess so."
* Muirfinn eyes the door. "This place is ridiculous."
<Lief> "So now we're left with a lake or a maze."