044: The light that never warms

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> Ron has produced a detailed map of the local area for the group when they gather for departure back to Arcadia. He points to what looks like a low mountain with the top of the cone lopped off. "This is the experimental outpost. Rosemund informs me that her spell for shifting us across the planes is inaccurate. I have therefore sketched in local settlements for your reference." He points out a few X's scattered around the surrounding countryside. "These are Harmonium training camps. They are very inquisitive with regard to visitors. I would suggest that we avoid them."
<Julia> "Nobody likes a nosy parker," Julia agrees, peering over the map.
<Steph> "Harmonium?" asks Stephanie, surveying the map.
<El-Cideon> There are some squares dotted around as well. These are marked as towns; by the map's scale, one looks to be within a few hours of the facility. "They are a band of Arcadian warriors," Ron explains. "They are very concerned with maintaining properly orderly conduct in their home. Often they talk about reclaiming the layer of Arcadia that fell into Mechanus; although from my knowledge, this is an impractical goal."
<Julia> "If they're that concerned with order they'd probably feel more at home in Mechanus anyway," Julia mutters.
<El-Cideon> "I will suggest this if we meet any of them," Ron notes. "However, if we cut across country and ignore the roads, we should not do so. Are we ready for transit?"
<Franceska> "As ready as we'll ever be, I suspect," Franceska voices.
<Steph> Stephanie taps the town on the map. "Just about. We'll aim to bring the prisoners back here?" she suggests.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods and gathers the group in a circle. "Alright, let's go!
<El-Cideon> roll 5d100 inaccuracy
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 5d100 1,0inaccuracy --> 6,0[ 5d100=227 ]4,0{227}
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for chaotic characters | '
<El-Cideon> Life on the second layer of Arcadia is even more obviously regimented than the first: the grass has the proper consideration to stop growing at all the same height, so no one need trouble themselves hiring a gardener to maintain a respectable lawn, and even the clouds march in formation here.
<El-Cideon> You find yourself atop a low hill, with that mental itch nagging at Stephanie and Rosemund stronger than before. Ron takes a moment to survey your surroundings and get his bearings. "We should proceed in that direction," he concludes, pointing directly to the west.
* Franceska nods to herself in approval, before consulting their map to orient herself. "How far away are we?" she asks Ron.
<Steph> "I can see a duck," remarks Stephanie, peering at the sky. "There it is again. And again."
<Julia> "The clouds all look the same!" Julia complains. Where's the fun in saying 'that cloud looks like...' when they're all identical?
<El-Cideon> "Two-hundred and twenty-seven miles," Ron says with precision.
<Franceska> "Alright. Lead the way, then."
<El-Cideon> Ron wobbles in that awkward bow which is the closest a creature without an actual head can get to a nod. "Of course. I will lead us around any settlements if you prefer. The route may be circuitous at times. I estimate travel time of twelve days if we take care to avoid local inhabitants."
<Franceska> "Twelve days it is."
<Steph> "Mmm. And if we do meet them, what should we do?" muses Stephanie.
<Julia> "Act exceptionally furtive and suspicious? Or we could just wave hello and walk briskly along," Julia says.
<El-Cideon> "Townsfolk should be polite and agreeable," Ron says, "but the Harmonium will wish to know your business and attempt to convert you to their cause if possible. You could attempt this human behavior I have heard about," he suggests. "Lying?"
<Franceska> "It can't hurt," Franceska agrees. "And we should stick to a simple lie, such as traveling on business to a town on the other side of that outpost. Ron, do you have any suggestions for a destination?"
<El-Cideon> Ron considers this. "There is a dwarven settlement called Norreyhill a week's travel beyond the facility. It would be reasonable to suggest we are en route to commission an order of weapons."
<Franceska> "Then that is our story and we are sticking to it."
<Steph> "Hurray! You know, if these Harmonium guys have a beef with Mechanus, you'd think they'd have done something about this outpost already," remarks Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> Ron wobbles further agreement and marches out due west. "The administrators represented us to the local towns," Ron states. "The presence of modrons at the facility was not advertised."
<Steph> "Oh, they weren't modrons themselves?" asks Stephanie, curiously. "Huh."
<El-Cideon> "The administrators were principally human," Ron confirms, striding down the hill.
<Julia> "Are they just there to be public faces or are they actually involved in the running of the place?" Julia asks.
<El-Cideon> "They are the architects of the establishment," Ron clarifies. "Our assistance was requisitioned for our ability to provide constant monitoring and maintenance of the experimental subjects," he adds.
* Julia smiles, pleased there'll be people she can use necromancy on instead of just summoning fodder to throw at golems.
<Steph> "Hey, hang on, wasn't..." mutters Stephanie, reaching into her vest and pulling out her logbook. "Yeah, this sounds like what the guy was doing, now that I think on it. That lich, Tetrarchus?"
<Franceska> "Experimenting on people, you mean?"
<El-Cideon> "I apologize, Stephanie, but I am not able to confirm or disprove this theory," Ron states. "I am unfamiliar with this entity and was not privy to the ultimate goal of the experimental outpost."
<El-Cideon> "He is supposed to be dead," Rosemund points out. "That was what Marcus said."
<Franceska> "Besides, plenty of horrible people like to do this."
<Steph> "So they do!"
<Franceska> "Terribly wasteful, of course."
<Julia> "Well, Tetrarchus was doing breeding experiments or something, wasn't he? What exactly is going on with the modrons and their human administrators up here?" Julia asks.
<El-Cideon> "I did not observe breeding to occur during the experiment," Ron points out. "It was considered of paramount importance that the subjects remain quiescent."
<Steph> "Remind me what usually happens in the experiments?"
<Julia> "So it's different then. There's all kinds of experiments after all," Julia concludes, seeing no link between lich and construct.
<Franceska> "There was that wizard on Limbo as well."
<El-Cideon> "I am sorry, Stephanie," Ron says as apologetically as he can, "but I was not present to witness the outcome of the administrators' work. It was only my duty to ensure that the subjects remained in sound health throughout."
<El-Cideon> Ron's careful path wends through the orderly wilderness for days and nights, spontaneous as such transitions are in Arcadia, without any sign of humanity save the occasional glint of sunlight on metal glimpsed from the top of a hill (far-off Harmonium encampments, Ron says). Finally he stops at the edge of a cornfield to point out something on the horizon--a high hill sheared off clean some ways down from the top of what would've been the peak. Some low structure is barely visible from this distance. "We near the facility," Ron points, adding with a trace of hesitation. "There is the town of Brenton nearby if we wish to rest for the night before engaging the facility's defenses."
<Franceska> "Or we could stay in a magical hut for the night."
<Julia> "I wouldn't mind a bed and a proper meal," Julia admits, "But isn't there a risk of someone warning them?"
<El-Cideon> "It is not inconceivable that the administrators might be present in town procuring food or supplies," Ron concedes. "Although in my experience they wished to minimize such contact."
<Steph> "Huh. If they do that regularly, though, maybe we could wait, then ambush them?" suggests Stephanie.
<Franceska> "How often did they do this?"
<El-Cideon> "They principally purchased food from the local citizens," Ron says. "Any rare substances needed for the experiment were teleported in from other worlds. And their visits to the town were routinely on a weekly basis."
<Steph> Stephanie nods to herself. "Then how about this? We could wait in the town. When they come in for supplies, we'll head out and ambush them on their way back?" she suggests. "Don't wanna do it there and get the locals mixed up."
* Franceska glances at Ron speculatively. "Would they recognize you on sight?"
<El-Cideon> "It is unlikely that the administrators would recognize me specifically," Ron decides. "But it would not be usual for a modron to loiter in town."
<Julia> "Lets just skip the town then," Julia says, "Better to just surprise them at their hideout."
<El-Cideon> "Their field of view from the top of the hill is unobstructed," Ron points out. "Surprise may be a more viable tactic at night."
<Steph> "Typical! Should we try and go for the windows?" asks Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> Day blinks into night, and the team creeps forward to get a better look at the outpost. The hill, a perfect cone unblemished by erosion in the fashion of Arcadia, slopes up a hundred feet or so before giving way to its flat top. Upon the truncated peak is perched a two-story building of aggressively utilitarian construction. It plainly resembles a barracks, with high walls, no windows save a few intermittently lining the second floor, and solid stone construction. There are no lights on within those windows to illuminate the interior.
<El-Cideon> "They must all be asleep?" Rosemund guesses.
<Franceska> "Do we want to burrow underneath?" Franceska suggests.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, that is not a bad idea," Rosemund agrees. "No one ever looks for invasion from beneath, do they?"
<Steph> "Or maybe, if we're lucky, it's abandoned," remarks Stephanie. "They sure don't. Do you mean to come up in the building itself, or just within the walls?"
<Franceska> "Within the walls, I was thinking. Then, I have a few spells to bring a few walls down. We free whatever is there and leave, while having decoys guard our retreat?"
<Julia> "Sounds simple and hopefully painless," Julia says.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund chants a quiet prayer to boost the group's morale before they head into the breach! (OOC: Bless is on, +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saves vs fear for ten minutes. No help for Ron since it's mind-affecting though :( )
* Franceska activates her recently-acquired karma bead, before casting Barkskin upon herself and Stoneskin on Stephanie.
<Steph> "We'll need to give Rosemund time to rouse the prisoners," notes Stephanie, reaching to uncork a bottle of fly. "Ron, can you point out which walls we should break to get to them fastest?"
* Julia casts false life on herself.
<Julia> roll 1d10+10
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d10+10 --> 6,0[ 1d10=9 ]4,0{19}
<El-Cideon> "We are looking up at the outpost's front wall," Ron says. "The experimental subjects were kept in a large room in the rear of the facility. Breaching the walls to the north or south of that room should allow proper egress for the subjects."
<El-Cideon> "I must note," Ron says, "that as all the subjects were confirmed in the course of my rebellion to be able spellcasters, that rousing them sufficiently to aid our assault might be of use."
<Franceska> "I see. Well then, how would you like to dig a route for us?" Franceska asks Ron. "And once we're out, point out the wall so that I could take care of it."
<Steph> Stephanie nods. "That's your job, Rosie," she notes, reaching to uncork a potion of fly. "I'll make sure the ground's clear for you to pop up from," she says, nodding to Franceska as she downs it, and then taking off! She stays low as she approaches the wall, and then turns invisible when she rises above it to look over the grounds from above.
<El-Cideon> "My sense of direction is faultless," Ron declares with possibly a hint of pride?
* Franceska casts Burrow on Ron, ready to follow after him!
<El-Cideon> Stephanie finds no one out walking the walls. The yard between the walls and the outpost proper is sparse and barren. There's only one obvious door at the front of the main building; it's heavy, wood reinforced with iron bands.
<Steph> While her invisibility lasts, she takes a moment to peek in one of the windows...
<El-Cideon> Ron's many arms flail away and quickly bore a tunnel right through the hillside. Within a moment he announces, "We have passed beneath the outer wall. Is this sufficiently far to proceed upwards? Twenty feet further and we will be beneath the administrators' sleeping quarters."
<El-Cideon> Stephanie sees what looks like a workshop? Picked out in Arcadian starlight she can see battered old tables, scarred and dented from use, some old scraps of broken wood and metal.
<Franceska> "I think it's good enough. I never tested this spell on actual structures, so better stick with what we know."
<El-Cideon> Ron wends his way diagonally upwards to leave a ramp his teammates can follow up, and soon emerges in an empty grass yard between the outer wall and the building itself. The building's front door looks imposingly sturdy.
<Franceska> "Where to next?" Franceska asks, preparing to unleash a Crumble spell on the wall Ron indicates.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund emerges and peers up cautiously at the wall. "There is no one on guard," she observes. "They are being very lax in their security tonight!"
<Julia> "It all seems very derelict," Julia whispers in agreement.
<El-Cideon> Ron points forward, to the left of the door and then to the right: "Administrators' quarters here, main corridor behind the door, mess hall over there," he lists.
<Steph> Stephanie drops down to meet the others. "Yeah. Maybe, nobody's here," she remarks, looking for a window into the administrator's quarters. "Want me to check out if anyone's even in the sleeping quarters?"
* Franceska lowers her hand with a frown. "Yes, might as well," she agrees.
<Steph> Stephanie nods, and swoops to go and voyeuristically peak into the administrator's room.
<El-Cideon> There are no windows along the stretch of wall Ron has pointed out, at least not on the first floor. "The room above the administrators' quarters was a storeroom," he points out. "It is unlikely to be populated at this time of night." Stephanie finds this an accurate statement--in fact, there's little in there but some empty burlap sacks and broken boxes.
<Steph> Stephanie swoops back. "The storeroom is empty. I'm sure this place is abandoned, now," she says. "Well, we came here, so we might as well pick through it and see if there's anything of interest."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund walks up and tries her ear against the front door. "It does not sound as though anyone is about inside," she agrees.
<Franceska> "Agreed. Get the door?" There is no need to waste one of her spells on that, so Detect Magic is all she'd use for now.
<Steph> Instead of wasting time trying to pick it from the front, Stephanie heads into the storeroom and walks around to unlock it from the inside.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund grabs at the door handles, huffs and puffs to haul it open. Without much success! It does seem secured from the inside despite the outpost's evidently abandoned state.
<El-Cideon> Stephanie finds a set of stairs leading down just outside the storeroom; across from her on the second floor would be the empty workshop. Downstairs there is a door each to her right and left, as well as a big one behind her, across from the main door. The front door itself is simply barred, and Stephanie has no difficulty removed this to allow her friends entry.
<El-Cideon> "No one is home, then?" Rosemund assumes.
<Steph> "They must have abandoned it after the insurgency," suggests Stephanie, heading over to the large door across from the main one.
<Julia> "Seems like a wasted trip so far..."
<Franceska> "If they left in a hurry, there would be documents left," Franceska reasons.
<Steph> Stephanie looks a little cross. "Well, I can't complain if they've stopped," she admits, trying to open the door.
<Franceska> "Stopped? Merely relocated."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund strolls over to the door on the left of the hall, pries it open and takes a glance inside. She frowns. "What do you suppose that means?" she says, pointing inside. As for Stephanie, she finds beyond this door a grand, open room, practically airy as a ware house. Starlight trickles in through the high windows to illuminate: an odd pattern on the floor, marks as though something were once bolted in place across the floor, the dimensions about right to make out a series of modest beds; a pile of debris in the center of the room constituting a couple broken-down golems and what can only be described as an agglomeration of ruined Rons; and far across the room, stairs leading up a second-story door, with a window overlooking the room.
* Julia goes to look at what Rosemund's looking at.
<Steph> Stephanie winces. "Don't remind me of the truth," she protests, walking back to join Rosemund.
* Franceska snorts, catching up with the others.
<El-Cideon> There are empty beds running across the length of this side room, stacked bunks; whoever lived here was obviously not concerned with privacy. Splashed across the wall opposite you in gold paint, in some fervid but nonetheless controlled hand, can be read: "SHE IS MANY AND WE ARE ONE."
<Julia> "Maybe they formed some kind of hive mind?" Julia suggests. "Either that or it's a revolutionary slogan of solidarity. Who the 'she' is I couldn't guess though."
<El-Cideon> Ron peers in. "This is where the administrators slept," he confirms simply, having no particular comment on the graffiti.
<Steph> Stephanie snorts. "Or they're talking about some god," she remarks, before deciding to go and check the room at the other end of the warehouse.
<Franceska> "Creepy either way."
<Steph> "Hah! After that thing we saw in Limbo, there's still stuff that creeps you out, Franceska?" asks Stephanie, grinning, now.
<Franceska> "In an objective sort of sense."
<El-Cideon> As soon as Stephanie sets foot in the main room, there's a disturbance in the air. A shiver crosses your skin, hair stands on end, and three translucent figures blink into existence in the air above the pile of debris: a beautiful woman with a copious mane of black hair and the long, green lower body of a fish and a necklace of shells around her neck; a gnarled little kobold with a crown of beaten copper and upthrust dragons' teeth on its head; and a handsome human man with a shining mane of blond hair, a gleaming silvery band around his neck; each is dressed only in the same plain, white gown. "Oh no!" the mermaid exclaims in sudden horror. "They've come back for us!"
<Julia> roll 1d20+15 can julia tell if these are ghosts?
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+15 1,0can julia tell if these are ghosts? --> 6,0[ 1d20=20 ]4,0{35}
<Steph> "Eh? Eh?! H-hey, Julia!"
<Julia> "It's alright, we're not here to hurt you," Julia says soothingly, then whispering sotto voce, "They're ghosts, don't startle them."
<Franceska> "We came to save you. And, err, it seems we are a tad too late for that?"
<El-Cideon> "Kagnithx not believe stupid human lies," the kobold spits out. "Kagnithx was KING of ENTIRE MOUNTAIN at last, then robed humans come take Kagnithx and put him to sleep. Well, Kagnithx put YOU to sleep this time. Put you to sleep forever!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll init
<Steph> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=14 ]4,0{22}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 mermaid
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+3 1,0mermaid --> 6,0[ 1d20=20 ]4,0{23}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 human
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+3 1,0human --> 6,0[ 1d20=10 ]4,0{13}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 kobold
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+5 1,0kobold --> 6,0[ 1d20=16 ]4,0{21}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1 whyyyy
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+1 1,0whyyyy --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{16}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 Ron
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+3 1,0Ron --> 6,0[ 1d20=18 ]4,0{21}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+2 1,0Rosey --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{11}
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+2 --> 6,0[ 1d20=20 ]4,0{22}
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for chaotic characters | Uta (23) > Steph = Julia (22) > Kagnithx = Ron (21) > Fran (16) > Morrison (13) > Rosey (11)'
<El-Cideon> "No, not again!" the mermaid cries out. "You don't understand, he's waiting for me, I have to get back home, please don't put me back to sleep!" A shining aura springs to life around her, at the same time a font of water spirals out of the ground at her feet to take on humanoid form.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for chaotic characters | Uta = water elemental (23) > Steph = Julia (22) > Kagnithx = Ron (21) > Fran (16) > Morrison (13) > Rosey (11)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph and Julia
<Franceska> "Can we not fight?!" Franceska exclaims. "This is doing wonders to teach me not to try and rescue people, just so you know!"
<Julia> "Don't worry Kagnithx, I'll take good care of you," Julia reassures him, working her necromantic power to suborn his will under her own!
<Steph> "Fight? Or flight?!" asks Stephanie, fumbling for her sword and dagger.
<Julia> OOC: command undead, will DC 19
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{23}
<El-Cideon> "You should have thought of that before you stuck us all in a box forever," the human says mournfully to Franceska.
<Franceska> "I never did that! I-- I'll break the box for you? If you tell me where it is?"
<El-Cideon> The irate kobold ghost proves stubbornly resilient to Julia's attempt at wresting away his self control, for now at least!
<Steph> Somewhat unnerved at having to have a stupid fight, Stephanie bolsters herself with a ward against death!
<El-Cideon> "YOU STAY OUT OF KAGNITHX'S MIND!" the kobold howls at Julia, hovering down to just within thirty feet on ground level to fix a withering glare on her.
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort
<Julia> roll 1d20+4  +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+4 1,0+2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{8}
<El-Cideon> roll 2d10 basic damage
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 2d10 1,0basic damage --> 6,0[ 2d10=15 ]4,0{15}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 CHA damage
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d4 1,0CHA damage --> 6,0[ 1d4=4 ]4,0{4}
<Julia> "Oww! You little beast! I was trying to be nice!" Julia howls.
<El-Cideon> A wave of shivering corruption overcomes Julia, sapping her very confidence! Ron steps in to open up on the revenant with his new weapons. "I apologize for your present condition," he says. "But I will not allow you to harm my friends."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{22}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=13 ]4,0{26}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=13 ]4,0{21}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=6 ]4,0{14}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 miss chance vs incorporeal
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d100 1,0miss chance vs incorporeal --> 6,0[ 1d100=42 ]4,0{42}
<El-Cideon> One bolt whizzes right through the kobold's head without effect!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
<Franceska> "Why did it turn out like this?" Franceska laments, animating the rubble around her into lumpy shapes. Two of them converge upon the water elemental, while the smallest of the three remains standing before Rosemund for protection.
* Franceska changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for chaotic characters | Uta = water elemental (23) > Steph = Julia (22) > Kagnithx = Ron (21) > Fran (16) =AL (H) = AL(L) = AL (M) > Morrison (13) > Rosey (11)'
<Steph> "I don't know! I'm questioning my life decisions!"
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11 slam, huge
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+11 1,0slam, huge --> 6,0[ 1d20=13 ]4,0{24}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+7 slam, large
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+7 1,0slam, large --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Franceska> roll 2d6+7
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 2d6+7 --> 6,0[ 2d6=4 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> As the water elemental shudders from this impact, the human ghost drifts down near Franceska. "I'm sorry about this," he sing-songs. "I dislike violence, but the oppressed have only one recourse~"
<El-Cideon> OOC: will
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+10 --> 6,0[ 1d20=10 ]4,0{20}
<El-Cideon> Franceska fights and shrugs off a fit of wholly inappropriate laughter. Imagine that, Franceska laughing? Never!
* Franceska grimaces. "Do we even look like the people who oppressed you?" she tries to reason once more. "Look at them! They hate it here! Why would they come here to stay on this plane for any length of time?"
<El-Cideon> "We came here to free everyone!" Rosemund protests. "But if you are going to hurt my friends, then I have no choice but to put you all down!" She closes her eyes and chants down a column of holy fire upon the violent little kobold spirit.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 will
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 1,0will --> 6,0[ 1d20=11 ]4,0{19}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 incorp cheese?
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d100 1,0incorp cheese? --> 6,0[ 1d100=1 ]4,0{1}
<El-Cideon> As the kobold dimensionally sidesteps Rosemund's attempt to chant it out of this plane of existence, the mermaid quietly adds another protective layer to her aura, murmuring in fright all the while.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 elemental vs huge AL
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+6 1,0elemental vs huge AL --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{15}
<El-Cideon> OOC: AC?
<Franceska> OOC: 13
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4 damage
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+4 1,0damage --> 6,0[ 1d8=5 ]4,0{9}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & Julia
<Julia> "Alright you ingrates, I don't even like this spell but you forced my hand!" Julia rails, fishing in her satchel and pulling out some diamond dust which she throws into the air, the crushed stone glowing in vanishing as she calls out, "Undeath to Death! Rest in pieces!"
<Julia> roll 10d4 for hit dice affected
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 10d4 1,0for hit dice affected --> 6,0[ 10d4=27 ]4,0{27}
<Julia> OOC: how many ghosts will 27hd cover?
<El-Cideon> OOC: two
<Julia> OOC: mermaid and kobold must die. DC 20 fort save.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 mermaid
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+7 1,0mermaid --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{16}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 kobold
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+3 1,0kobold --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{22}
<El-Cideon> An awful wail wrenches itself from the mermaid's shade before it dissipates. "My beloved, I'm sorry!" But instead of merely vanishing, two strange things occur: her shell necklace materializes fully, clattering onto the ground...and a trail of spiritual energy flashes into the pile of ruined automatons. A tall, humanoid conglomeration of metal stirs and rises to its feet, an eerie green light flickering in its eyes.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for chaotic characters | Guardian = water elemental (23) > Steph = Julia (22) > Kagnithx = Ron (21) > Fran (16) =AL (H) = AL(L) = AL (M) > Morrison (13) > Rosey (11)'
<El-Cideon> "Nothing stop Kagnithx!" the kobold crows triumphantly. "Kagnithx eternal!"
<Steph> Stephanie looks morbidly upset, but nonetheless, she pounces at the kobold with a rapier and dagger. OOC: Disabling the consumptive effect on my dagger for this fight. For obvious reasons.
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+14 --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{33}
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+15 --> 6,0[ 1d20=3 ]4,0{18}
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+9 --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{13}
<Steph> roll 1d20+10
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+10 --> 6,0[ 1d20=1 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+1d6 sacred whee
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d6+7+1d6 1,0sacred whee --> 6,0[ 1d6=4 1d6=4 ]4,0{15}
<El-Cideon> OOC: have to pass a d100 first though, unless that's ghost touch
<Steph> OOC: It's not, sadly.
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=20 ]4,0{20}
<El-Cideon> Stephanie's blade strikes true...but passes harmlessly through the malevolent shade.
<El-Cideon> "Huh, you stab Kagnithx?" the kobold barks. "Kagnithx show you bad touch!" He drifts away behind the shelter of his vanished companion's elemental, then points and aims a beam of green light at Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> OOC: AoO as he bolts?
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+14 --> 6,0[ 1d20=20 ]4,0{34}
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=65 ]4,0{65}
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+1d6
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d6+7+1d6 --> 6,0[ 1d6=3 1d6=1 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 ranged touch vs Steph
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+11 1,0ranged touch vs Steph --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{30}
<Steph> OOC: Horribly enough, it hits.
<El-Cideon> 1d4 negative levels
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 negative levels
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d4 1,0negative levels --> 6,0[ 1d4=1 ]4,0{1}
<Steph> OOC: But I've got death ward, so I'm safe!
<El-Cideon> "Please rest and find peace," Ron advises the remaining ghosts with admirable calmness. Focusing on the nearest target, he trains his crossbows on the human ghost.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{15}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{15}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=13 ]4,0{21}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=1 ]4,0{9}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=43 ]4,0{43}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska gestures for her makeshift golems to beat up the water elemental, while she raises a spike of stone up through the eerily-glowing humanoid automaton.
<Franceska> roll 10d6 piercing, ref 21 half
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 10d6 1,0piercing, ref 21 half --> 6,0[ 10d6=42 ]4,0{42}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+5 --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{9}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+11 --> 6,0[ 1d20=7 ]4,0{18}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+7
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+7 --> 6,0[ 1d20=10 ]4,0{17}
<El-Cideon> All of Franceska's animated allies miss, but her own aim is true!
<El-Cideon> "The same air of righteousness pervades you," the human ghost sings with distaste. "Forgive me, but justice must be done for us to be free!" He rears back his head and cries out a piercing shout that ripples through all his nearby enemies!
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort for Fran/Ron/Rosey/Roseybodyguard/Julia
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+11 --> 6,0[ 1d20=5 ]4,0{16}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 Roseyfort
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+12 1,0Roseyfort --> 6,0[ 1d20=18 ]4,0{30}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Ronfort
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+10 1,0Ronfort --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{12}
<Julia> roll 1d20+4  +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+4 1,0+2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{6}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+2
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+2 --> 6,0[ 1d20=6 ]4,0{8}
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+1 --> 6,0[ 1d20=5 ]4,0{6}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+0
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+0 --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{19}
<El-Cideon> roll 5d6 sonic damage, only Rosey halves this
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 5d6 1,0sonic damage, only Rosey halves this --> 6,0[ 5d6=19 ]4,0{19}
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6 deafened this many rounds for all but Rosey
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 2d6 1,0deafened this many rounds for all but Rosey --> 6,0[ 2d6=7 ]4,0{7}
<El-Cideon> Everyone by the doorway except Rosemund is suddenly dwelling within a perfectly silent world!
<El-Cideon> "Leave my friends alone!" Rosemund cries out. "I am sorry for your unfortunate fate, but hurting others will not help you now!" Again she tries chanting holy wrath down upon her immediate attacker.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 will
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 1,0will --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{10}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 failure chance
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d100 1,0failure chance --> 6,0[ 1d100=31 ]4,0{31}
<El-Cideon> Rosey again finds her magics insufficient to damage the otherworldy foes, while the pinned construct struggles to free itself!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 STR check, remind me of the target?
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+6 1,0STR check, remind me of the target? --> 6,0[ 1d20=3 ]4,0{9}
<Franceska> OOC: 25
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 elemental vs huge AL
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+6 1,0elemental vs huge AL --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{21}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4 damage
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+4 1,0damage --> 6,0[ 1d8=4 ]4,0{8}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Stpeh * Julia
<Steph> Stephanie rushes at the kobold anew, lashing out twice when she reaches it! Ghost or not, she'll somehow find a weak point when it's flanked like this!
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+16 --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{20}
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+17 --> 6,0[ 1d20=17 ]4,0{34}
<El-Cideon> OOC: latter hits
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=27 ]4,0{27}
<Julia> "You go to time out!" Julia shouts as loud as she can, though she can't hear herself regardless as she follows up by blurting out the spell to command undead once more, now on the villain that deafened her!
<Julia> OOC: DC 17 will
<Julia> roll 1d100 spell failure
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d100 1,0spell failure --> 6,0[ 1d100=74 ]4,0{74}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=3 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> The singing ghost halts in place, its eyes unfocusing and then focusing again. "I understand now. My profuse apologies, madam...how may I assist you?"
<Julia> Not as if she can hear it!
<El-Cideon> Kagnithz fastens his beady eyes on Stephanie. "You cause Kagnithx too much trouble. Kagnithx say you be lizard now!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 concentration
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 1,0concentration --> 6,0[ 1d20=3 ]4,0{16}
<El-Cideon> But whatever curse he had in mind fades on his ghostly lips in the hubbub of all these distractions!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10 K:A
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+10 1,0K:A --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{19}
<El-Cideon> Ron trundles across the room to get a clean shot at the kobold, now that his immediate target is apparently a friend?
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=11 ]4,0{24}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=83 ]4,0{83}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+3 finally!
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+3 1,0finally! --> 6,0[ 1d8=2 ]4,0{5}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
<Franceska> Her automations continue to blissfully attack the water elemental!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+11 --> 6,0[ 1d20=5 ]4,0{16}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+7
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+7 --> 6,0[ 1d20=8 ]4,0{15}
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiffs
* Franceska herself heads after the kobold, activating a rarely-used talisman!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10 charge, healing belt at max
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+10 1,0charge, healing belt at max --> 6,0[ 1d20=13 ]4,0{23}
<Franceska> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=4 ]4,0{4}
<El-Cideon> Lacking any further direction, the charmed ghost merely stands in place and sings, a haunting, mournful lament of life stolen and the hope of liberation. (OOC: anyone not presently deaf gets a +2 morale bonus to attack/damage, saves vs charm/fear; note that this overwrites Rosey's bonus)
<El-Cideon> "I will stop you!" Rosemund promises, turning her attention to the kobold. "I will stop one of you today!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 will
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+9 1,0will --> 6,0[ 1d20=2 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> OOC: +8, but fails anyway
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=35 ]4,0{35}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 STR for guardian to escape
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+6 1,0STR for guardian to escape --> 6,0[ 1d20=8 ]4,0{14}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 elemental vs huge AL
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+6 1,0elemental vs huge AL --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{21}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+4 --> 6,0[ 1d8=5 ]4,0{9}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph/Julia
<Steph> "I'm gonna make you a robot, then beat the crap out of the robot!" exclaims Stephanie, before lashing out at the kobold with an absence of restraint! (flashing sun whee)
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+16 --> 6,0[ 1d20=7 ]4,0{23}
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+17 --> 6,0[ 1d20=17 ]4,0{34}
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+16 --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{20}
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+11 --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{20}
<Steph> roll 1d20+12
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+12 --> 6,0[ 1d20=20 ]4,0{32}
<El-Cideon> OOC: 23 and above hits
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=55 ]4,0{55}
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=39 ]4,0{39}
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=13 ]4,0{13}
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+1d6+((6d6)*.5)
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d6+7+1d6+((6d6)*.5) --> error: malformed expression
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+1d6
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d6+7+1d6 --> 6,0[ 1d6=5 1d6=3 ]4,0{15}
<Steph> roll 6d6
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 6d6 --> 6,0[ 6d6=17 ]4,0{17}
<Steph> OOC: Halve that. So 23.
<Julia> Seeing if not hearing that the human ghost is no longer causing a fuss, Julia turns her ire back on the kobold. "Sit down and be good!" she yells, another command spell being thrown out at him!
<Julia> roll 1d100 spell failure
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d100 1,0spell failure --> 6,0[ 1d100=78 ]4,0{78}
<Julia> OOC: DC 17 will
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 will first, then curses!
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 1,0will first, then curses! --> 6,0[ 1d20=6 ]4,0{14}
<El-Cideon> The kobold shakes its head, startled, and exclaims. "You not bad robed human. You just ugly robed human!"
<Julia> Good thing she can't hear that either.
<El-Cideon> Seeing both of the ghosts evidently standing down from violence, Ron turns his bolts towards the adversarial robot. "I am sorry that it is not within my abilities to fix you," he laments. "Please accept the peace of oblivion instead."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=18 ]4,0{31}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13 --> 6,0[ 1d20=12 ]4,0{25}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=12 ]4,0{20}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+8 --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{27}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+3
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+3
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+3
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+3 --> 6,0[ 1d8=7 ]4,0{10}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+3 --> 6,0[ 1d8=3 ]4,0{6}
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+3 --> 6,0[ 1d8=8 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
<Franceska> The automations continue their sad fight!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+11 --> 6,0[ 1d20=14 ]4,0{25}
<Franceska> roll 1d20+7
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d20+7 --> 6,0[ 1d20=4 ]4,0{11}
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Franceska> roll 2d6+7
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 2d6+7 --> 6,0[ 2d6=6 ]4,0{13}
* Franceska herself, not really sure what is going on, steps away from the immediate melee and focuses her will on the trapped automation!
<Franceska> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 1d100 --> 6,0[ 1d100=62 ]4,0{62}
<Franceska> roll 10d8 crumble, fort 20 half, SR?
<Rei-chan> 6,0Franceska rolled :6,0 10d8 1,0crumble, fort 20 half, SR? --> 6,0[ 10d8=45 ]4,0{45}
<El-Cideon> OOC: no SR
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+5 --> 6,0[ 1d20=14 ]4,0{19}
<El-Cideon> The clanking collection of junk rocks and shudders, but doesn't quite fall! Rosey hefts her mace and charges in. "I am going to break something today, I swear it!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13+2+2 charge/morale
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+13+2+2 1,0charge/morale --> 6,0[ 1d20=15 ]4,0{32}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+7
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+7 --> 6,0[ 1d8=6 ]4,0{13}
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for chaotic characters | Water elemental (23) > Steph = Julia (22) > Kagnithx = Ron (21) > Fran (16) =AL (H) = AL(L) = AL (M) > Morrison (13) > Rosey (11)'
<El-Cideon> Despite all its allies being destroyed or converted, the fading water elemental continues its sad fight to avenge its mistress.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 vs huge AL
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d20+6 1,0vs huge AL --> 6,0[ 1d20=19 ]4,0{25}
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4
<Rei-chan> 6,0El-Cideon rolled :6,0 1d8+4 --> 6,0[ 1d8=1 ]4,0{5}
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph/Julia
<Julia> Did she hear something? Are her ears getting better? Best check. "What?!" shouts Julia.
<Steph> Stephanie advances on the elemental, ready to reluctantly put it down. She strikes at it with a bone-shattering blow- well, it would shatter bones if it had any... OOC: Mountain Hammer
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+20 --> 6,0[ 1d20=9 ]4,0{29}
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+2d6
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d6+7+2d6 --> 6,0[ 1d6=1 2d6=3 ]4,0{11}
<Steph> roll 6d6 (halve this)
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 6d6 1,0(halve this) --> 6,0[ 6d6=20 ]4,0{20}
<El-Cideon> The elemental melts into a non-sapient puddle on the floor, and the room is silent once again, but for the human ghost's mournful singing.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<Franceska> "What? What happened?"
<Julia> She saw Franceska's mouth move. "What?!"
<El-Cideon> Kagnithx looks around the room, seeming incredibly confused. "Kagnithx not understand. Beds all gone! Stars all gone! Except stars in sky. They still in right place."
<Steph> "We're not your captors, you nitwits! They're long gone!"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund strolls up to Franceska and Julia in turn, shouting at each of them. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
<Franceska> "No, I don't like it here!" Franceska shouts back.
<Julia> "WHAT?!"
<El-Cideon> Morrison stops singing, turns his doleful gaze on Stephanie. "All apologies, fair lady. Rage had hold of us. Even now I feel it, held back by your dark friend's charm...without her hold I feel we would revert to the brutes we were."
<El-Cideon> With a sad smile, he adds, "The shock should pass momentarily," gesturing to Franceska and Julia.
<Steph> "Oh. Well, that's alright, then..." says Stephanie, glancing uncertainly at her shouting comrades. "Oh, so they're not just being morons? Alright. Soooo... we came all this way 'cos we heard some people were being tested and stuff! But that's done with already." She scratches her head. "You guys tried to break out, I'm guessing?"
<El-Cideon> "We did," he confirms. "We failed." Kagnithx adds in, still sounding angry and irrational despite not actively attacking anyone. "One of walking boxes wake us up. Kagnithx not understand! Other boxes just keep us asleep."
* Franceska snaps her fingers a few times, until she finally hears the sound. "Hey, what does 'for she is many and we are one' mean?" she asks of the two ghosts which, for some reason, stopped fighting them. "What is it all about, and who wrote it there in the first place?"
<Julia> "Oh, I heard that!" Julia says in delight.
<Steph> "Well, even a walking box can learn to care," says Stephanie, nodding to herself.
<El-Cideon> "Hm? Oh, something the robed ones were fond of saying," Morrison recalls. "They didn't trouble to explain themselves overly much to us. From what I could discern, it was the same for most of us: we were out in the world living our lives, and without warning these men and woman in robes turned up out of nowhere to snatch us away here. I knew none of them in life, nor could I understand what injury I might have caused anyone to provoke this assault. ...Well, perhaps a few disgruntled husbands," he remembers with a wistful smile.
<Franceska> "So the first time you heard it was here? Not, say, in a dream?"
<Julia> "So where did they all go then? And what happened to all the prisoners?" Julia asks.
<El-Cideon> "That is correct," Morrison confirms. "My dreams were much nicer than this drear place." "Kagnithx too!" the kobold interjects. "Kagnithx dream of being big chief of mountain with harem of many nubiles. Wait, Kagnithx WAS big chief of mountain with harem of many nubiles!" Morrison looks around, as if just recognizing that the room has been cleared. "They're gone. They're all gone," he realizes. "Leaving us as just shades of their crimes, I suppose." He suppresses an existential shudder. "I don't see a pile of corpses to go with the robots...I would venture to say they were taken when the owners of this awful place relocated."
<Julia> "Do you know what they were even trying to do with you?" Julia asks.
<Steph> "Can you tell us anything about them?" asks Stephanie, eventually. "Something that might help us find them, apart from that weird message?"
<El-Cideon> He steps around the room, looking the pattern of boltmarks regularly marring the stone floor. "I can only guess at their aims. On waking, I felt somehow...exhausted, in my soul. I don't know how properly to explain it. And I see that they took the beds. The coffins they kept us in. So they did not leave hurriedly. No doubt a deliberate departure to other facilities...from my few moments of waking, I gather they had others, though I lament to say that I could not direct you where." He looks up. "There may be some sign in the overseer's office yet, have you searched there?"
<Franceska> "We can all search together. Being a ghost must help to look in all those hard to reach spots?"
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps so," he admits with a smile. Yet when he drifts up the stairs and presses against the door, he finds it as firm a barrier as though he were still flesh and bone. He looks back down at you helplessly.
<Steph> "We were on our way there when you guys popped up," says Stephanie, starting for the office. "Hah! If they've sealed it from you, then there's something there worth taking! To get the best prize, go for the hardest lock~" she says, walking over to it and peering it over.
<Steph> roll 1d20+13 search for traps? search for traps.
<Rei-chan> 6,0Steph rolled :6,0 1d20+13 1,0search for traps? search for traps. --> 6,0[ 1d20=8 ]4,0{21}
<Julia> "Either it has a force component or you're restricted to where you can haunt," Julia says, suspecting the latter and doubting the prospect of keeping them on as minions.
<El-Cideon> Stephanie finds no apparent traps left to deter such a determined looter as herself!
* Franceska casts a spell to detect any secret doors in their path, just in case.
<El-Cideon> Kagnithx experimentally tries stomping on the floor. His foot impacts it as would a normal person's. Then he tries flying straight up, to be stopped by the ceiling. "Kagnithx king of NOTHING!" he declares.
<El-Cideon> Franceska doesn't detect anything beyond the normal door at the top of the stairs!
<Steph> Stephanie just tries to open the door, then.
<El-Cideon> It opens, easily. Inside, beneath a layer of dust, is a simple cot, a cabinet, and a desk. There is a simple switch inset obviously into the surface of the desk.
<Steph> Stephanie decides to ransack the room, and if she fails to turn up anything, flicking the switch is next.
* Julia remains safely outside of the room.
<El-Cideon> The room itself has been carefully stripped of anything valuable. Flipping the switch prompts a series of letters to materialize before the window in coldly burning script: "Pandemonium, Air, Arcadia, Fire, Death. Know my works and you should know my name. Speak it."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund sidles into the room after Stephanie fails to mysteriously explode or anything similarly unpleasant.
* Julia bravely peeks in and reads the words, trying to figure out what the planes all have in common...
<Julia> roll 1d20+12 planes check?
<Rei-chan> 6,0Julia rolled :6,0 1d20+12 1,0planes check? --> 6,0[ 1d20=14 ]4,0{26}
* Franceska looks towards Rosemund.
* Julia frowns. "Those are all planes where Marcus's group hunted someone down. Did all their enemies have a collective name?"
<El-Cideon> "Not that I know of," Rosemund says. "But ah, their enemies were their work. So we should name his group, or someone in it?"
<Steph> "Hey, we've got another freaky message in here!" Stephanie snorts. "Galina Merowyn?"
<El-Cideon> The firey script winks out and is replaced by the image of a woman:
<El-Cideon> She is tall, armed and armored. A sunburst glare is enameled on the chestplate of an old set of heavy mail--recognizable as the sigil of Pelor, but flaked, bleached, gray of hue. Sword and shield are at her side, the latter bearing the same fading sun.
<El-Cideon> Her hair is a honey blonde shading into grey, long and not particularly well-cared for. Lines crease an imposingly handsome face, beautiful more in the sharp manner of a piece of architecture than something to arouse love and passion. Some faint lines of age at the corner of eyes and mouth, but principally scars: long pale marks across her forehead, the bridge of her nose, an immobile patch of dead tissue marring her right cheek.
<El-Cideon> Though obviously of advancing years, the onset of the feebleness and fragility of old age is nowhere evident. Her posture is perfectly upright, she demonstrates no apparent difficulty bearing the weight of all that steel, and there is an undiminished fierceness of purpose to her expression. Her eyes are hard, grey, and sharply alert.
<El-Cideon> The apparition speaks, addressing no obvious representative of your group, looking out into the air itself:
<El-Cideon> "My friends," she starts. There is little of warmth in her voice, but her tone does convey a degree of gravitas and respect. "I leave this message for the contingency that you have expended considerable effort in searching me out. Understand that I am touched by your interest and concern, but that I no longer wish to be found. Solata is not yet ready for my return, and there is much work yet to do.
<El-Cideon> "I must apologize for whatever trouble you took in searching me out. I am grateful to count such devoted friends in my past, but the work ahead is mine alone. Understand that it is not without a degree of regret that I ask you to go back home. I ask you to appreciate your well-earned rest. Know that no one went further or sacrificed more to safeguard Solata than you did, and that I recognize this shared debt with gratitude even as our king did not. But I ask you not to search for me. I aim to finish what was begun, and the path forward is one I cannot walk with you by my side.
<El-Cideon> "And finally, in the light of all that we shared, I ask you not to interfere with this grand endeavor which I have begun. You could only impede the cause of justice by doing so. Know that for all we suffered together, and that for all the love I bear you, I will strike down any person who tries to stop me. It is not without pain that I give you this warning, but that which lies before me looms larger than any one life, even one so greatly cherished.
<El-Cideon> "I pray that you understand me now and heed my earnest request, for both our sakes. You will know my reasons in time. You will see them upon my return. Until then, fear not for my personal safety on this crusade..." With a tight grin, she adds: "...for I will *not* be alone."
<El-Cideon> Then she disappears.
<Julia> "Hmm. Don't think we were the intended recipients. But does that mean Polaris was actually responsible for this?" Julia asks in confusion.
<Franceska> "Well then, time to go home and forget all about this!"
<El-Cideon> "That could not be true!" Rosemund exclaims. "She served Pelor!"
<Julia> "It would be the polite thing to do," Julia agrees with Franceska.
<Steph> "You guys have fun, then! Me and Rosie will handle it from here?"
<El-Cideon> "No!" Rosemund announces. "Stealing people is MUCH WORSE than stealing things! How could you just go home after seeing this?"
* Franceska snorts. "But in seriousness, this presents the following question. Just what are our plans for dealing with her once we do find her? Are we heading in with the intent to kill her?"
<Julia> "I suppose we're not very polite people... And well, we just wanted Rosemund's sword back. Or mace, I forget. But if she's responsible for places like this, killing does seem appropriate."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shifts uncomfortably. "Well, I do not know if she would listen if we just asked her to stop..."
<El-Cideon> "But that does not mean we should not ask first!" Rosemund clarifies.
<Steph> "If we gotta," replies Stephanie, folding her arms. "Look, she's clearly flung herself off the deep end if she set up something like this, and then decides she's gotta keep it from her closest allies." She purses her lips. "I don't really like the sound of it. Just being some great war hero doesn't give you a free pass, right?"
<Franceska> "Of course not! And we should try to ambush her if at all possible instead of giving her the chance to attack us first!"
<El-Cideon> "Speaking strictly in terms of efficiency," Ron interjects, "killing a person responsible for heinous acts ultimately prevents them from repeating said heinous acts. Although," he's forced to amend, looking down at the floor, "there are times when they realize this themselves and stop doing these things."
<Julia> "Awww," Julia reaches over and pats Ron's boxy form. "You're a good one you are," she tells him.
<Franceska> "I suppose that we will have our lead once we hear from our contact on Fire?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund looks downcast. "I just...I do not understand how someone from our church would think this is right." Her shoulders slump in a sad sigh. "I do not understand!"
<Steph> "Ends justify the means, right? She's probably thinking something like, "I gotta make sacrifices to serve the greater good!"" She shrugs. "I don't know if I wanna just jump her. I wouldn't mind hearing her out."
<Julia> "She's probably subscribing to a different doctrine of faith than you do, Rosemund."
<El-Cideon> "I will not consider that!" Rosemund exclaims angrily. "If she is doing things like this then she is no longer righteous in the light of the sun. That is the only answer there could be!"
<Julia> "Well, leaving that aside, the question remains of what to do with you two," Julia turns to her two ghosts. "I don't suppose you have any ideas as to what would let you pass on peacefully, do you? Any unfinished business that can hopefully be wrapped up without going too far out of our way?"
<Steph> "If Pelor actually does condone this, then..." Stephanie glances down at the ghosts. "Nah, wouldn't happen. Fuck, if he did, this place would be on Elysium, not Arcadia." She braces herself against he desk. "But if she really did fall apart like that, the holy sword wouldn't do her much good, would it?" she asks, glancing at Rosemund.
<El-Cideon> "I...do not think that it would," Rosemund admits.
<Franceska> "What if Pelor doesn't care much either way? Not endorsing her, but not bothering to send some angels to stop her either?"
<Steph> "I don't think it works that way. I mean, if she's not on Elysium, I dunno if he can act through anything but a cleric."
<El-Cideon> "Kagnithx want revenge for wasted life!" the kobold announces, adding for emphasis. "VENGEANCE." For his part, Morrison contributes: "Knowing our persecutor, I admit, is of some small solace. There is no returning to our past lives, I think, but knowing that no more would be consumed in this manner, perhaps...Is this a thing that you can promise us?"
<Franceska> "We can do our best," Franceska responds.
<Julia> "Yes, we're going to kill her," Julia assures him. "Does that sound suitably vengeful to you, Kagnithx?"
<Franceska> "She will probably get impaled and die horribly!"
<El-Cideon> "I swear in the light of the sun that I will not rest until this injustice is rectified," Rosemund promises solemly. "This will be my quest! She was once one of our own, so fair enough that it falls to us to stop her." She bows her head.
<El-Cideon> Kagnithx nods enthusiastically. "Kill her twice for me! Kill kill kill!"
<Franceska> "We can try to make it an even more horrible death than that snake bitch's."
* Franceska glances at Julia. "It's possible, isn't it?"
<Steph> Stephanie whirls around and seizes Franceska by the collar. "Is this some kind of joke to you?" she asks, angrily.
<Julia> "I can probably manage that. Anyway, I'll leave the spell on you so we can leave safely leave and- oh my, perhaps you should calm down, Stephanie?" Julia suggests, unsure if she wants to actualy physically intervene and risk getting bruised.
* Franceska brushes Stephanie's hand off with a scowl. "Yes, can't you see me laughing?"
<El-Cideon> "Kill kill kill!" Kagnithx echoes enthusiastically. Morrison, fading out of sight, reaches out to take him by the shoulder. "Come along, little hill king. I am sure your harem awaits you in the next life. You wouldn't want to disappoint them, would you?" The revenants flicker out of sight on the steps outside the office; in their place, Kagnithx's dragontooth crown clatters to the ground alongside Morrison's silver choker.
<Steph> "I'd rather you didn't make light of this," she replies, scowling right back. "You sound just like the kobold! She had a reason to do what she's done, and even if she's hopelessly misguided, I don't doubt her original principle was worthwhile. There's a lot of cruel and stupid people out there, you know? Worth making a fool of them whatever way you want. But she's not the same." She folds
<Steph> her arms. "Even if we do have to kill her, I plan to make it quick."
<Franceska> "Don't be feebleminded. It got him to leave, didn't it?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shoves herself between Stephanie and Franceksa. "No fighting, the two of you! The person we have to fight is out there!" she waves vaguely to the sky. "...Somewhere!"
<Steph> "We're not fighting."
<El-Cideon> "Well...good! Do not start!"
<Franceska> "And in any case, my sympathy for that woman is low. She had a reason to do what she's done? Well, who hasn't? What about that Morgan fellow?"
<Julia> "Really, I think we're owed a few vengeful thoughts no matter how good her past deeds might have been, considering we'll probably look as old as she just did by the time we finish this endless chase," Julia says, going to recover the grave goods of the ghosts.
<Franceska> "I really would be trying to get us to return home if it weren't for that ominous message of her returning to Solata once she is done and achieves ultimate power or whatever it is she seeks."
<El-Cideon> "All of that said," Rosemund says with a sigh. "Where should we look next? There was no clue, only a lot of dead modrons."
<Steph> "What about him? He's still around, isn't he?" mutters Stephanie, sighing. "Jill Cook," she says, eventually. "I think we should focus on Jill Cook."
<Julia> "Mechanus? We could find their hall of records or something, see if modrons have been dispatched to any of the other planes she's been to?" Julia suggests idly as she detects any magic on the goodies.
<Julia> OOC: taking 10 for 25 spellcraft
<Franceska> "Pandemonium, Air and Death are left," Franceska says reasonably. "How about going to Air and getting that mercenary company to look into more outposts like this there for us? By the time we get somewhere, we should hear about a possible spot on Death as well."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund blinks. "We have seen other modrons! They were on Earth, in Peridot, standing outside that ruined sorceress's house."
<Franceska> "And then they all left mysteriously. But since she was connected to Air...."
<Julia> "So they were!" Julia gasps.
<El-Cideon> Julia finds that all three of the ghosts' cherished possession radiate a magical signature. (OOC: loot post in a few~)
<Steph> "You think she established facilities like this in several places?" asks Stephanie, uncertainly.
<Franceska> "Didn't she brag about it?"
<El-Cideon> "This was experimental outpost beta," Ron points out. "Alpha precedes beta."
<Franceska> "It doesn't need to stop at Beta, either."
<Steph> "That's true... alright. Air, then."
<Franceska> "Rosemund, can you see if Vigilia is around there still?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods obediently. "Of course!"
<El-Cideon> After a few moments, Rosemund nods confirmation. "Yes. She says that it is very pleasant. She is staying at an inn in the city of Azure."
<Franceska> "Tell her we'll be heading to Air ourselves now? Give or take two weeks for us to reach Azure, given past accuracy?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods, and continues her far-off communications.
<El-Cideon> ~