056: Sometimes the angels punish us by answering our prayers

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> As Stephanie drifts up from the bottom of the cavern on her flying shoes, her succubus companions flying up on their own power at her side, her arrival on the next floor is just in time to coincide with her companions emerging from a cave mouth onto a ledge of stone overlooking the chasm. It looks like the rest of the group has managed to find each other: Franceska has managed to find a clingy black dress and a flashy silver crown somewhere, Rosemund wears chainmail but no proper clothing, whereas Julia and Aria have yet to find anything at all to wear. Aria's cat has also been located at some point.
<Steph> "Ahh! Rosemund, please tell me that has padding!" exclaims Stephanie, clad in her usual outfit and with an insufferable smirk. "You can't wear chainmail against the skin! It'll grate you like cheese!"
<El-Cideon> "That is better than being naked!" Rosemund counters. In truth she looks rather flushed regardless.
<Julia> "It doesn't," Julia testifies. "But that big sack of yours perhaps promises to bring some of our proper clothes back!" she concludes hopefully.
<Franceska> "It seems as if you managed to locate our things? Returning them sooner rather than later would be appreciated."
<El-Cideon> "Care to introduce me to your friends?" the blackhaired succubus asks Stephanie in businesslike tone.
<Julia> "Oh yes, forgive my rudeness," Julia says, "I've just been so looking forward to recovering my belongings. I'm Julia, and these two are Thing and Leslie," she introduces quasit and shadow both. "Good job finding more friends, Stephanie."
<Steph> "Is it? Is it really." Stephanie snorts, and drops her bag of holding and Julia's own haversack at their feet. "I don't know, the dress-crown combo looks like it'd go down well at the bar- oh," Stephanie shrugs. "So this is Lorice. She killed a Burning Hand goon and told me where to find our stuff so she's in the good books, far as I'm concerned. That's Rosemund, that's Franzy, that's Julia,
<Steph> that's Aria, and... that's a cat."
<El-Cideon> "Barnaby," Aria clarifies on behalf of her feline companion.
* Franceska looks for her shoes, first thing.
<Julia> With the bags available, Julia crouches down and sets to pulling out everything that looks like hers from it, starting the process of getting dressed once more. Evidently she prefers black lace in her undergarments.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund digs out her own possessions and eagerly changes back into her familiar clothes and armor, eyes of strangers or no.
<El-Cideon> Aria, after dressing herself, applies a studded metal collar to her cat, somewhat to its evident chagrin. "You enjoy being able to murder demons with impunity? Then sit still," she chides the animal.
<Steph> "Anyway, guys, we're kind of in deep shit since they're watching our every move, and they're sending some warden after us?" she muses. "They're all downstairs. Meandor's providing colour commentary on our exploits. He's got, whatserface... Grinda! Remember that chick guarding the Dao from Peridot? For some reason she's here. There's some giggly teenager as well, and a vrock. Fucking vrocks."
<Julia> Re-dressed herself, Julia ensures Thing puts on his own costume before nodding in satisfaction. "I don't suppose you've seen Battersby on your travels?"
<Franceska> "Downstairs sounds about right," Franceska muses, arming herself properly. Changing will just come later.
<El-Cideon> "Or my golems?" Aria queries.
<Steph> "Yeah, they're all where our stuff was. Which is right below where *they* are, actually."
<Julia> "Is there a way to get by them without a confrontation first?"
<Steph> "Uh... Yeah, if it's just you and me, we could swing it? Aria, can you cast invisibility?"
<El-Cideon> Aria shakes her head. "I tend to operate much more directly."
<Julia> "Oh nevermind, we'll kill them all without our minions if need be," Julia shrugs.
<Steph> "Meandor looked pretty freaky. He had no eyes where his eyes would be, and eyes where his wings were."
<Steph> She frowns. "He's not some kind of super-beholder, is he?"
<El-Cideon> "He sounds like a very poor angel," Rosemund guesses.
<Julia> "I don't know," Julia says, walking over to the wall and experimentally poking one of the eyeballs in it.
<Franceska> "If he has no wings, it just makes him easier to impale," Franceska says happily.
<El-Cideon> The eyeball swivels to give Julia a disapproving stare.
<Julia> "Do you think he felt that?" she wonders unapologetically.
* Franceska pokes the eyeball with a flaming rapier.
<El-Cideon> The eyeball melts and runs down the wall in a sickly gel as the orb is punctured.
<Franceska> "I hope so."
<Steph> "Anyway, we can pretty much go straight there," reflects Stephanie. "I guess stealth is out, so get dressed fast. You two keep an eye out," she adds, glancing at the succubi.
<El-Cideon> "So where exactly are we going?" Rosemund asks.
<Julia> Once dressed Julia takes a second to cast False Life on herself before chirping, "Ready!"
<Julia> roll 1d10+10
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d10+10 and gets 14."12 [1d10=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10 Aria False Life
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10 Aria False Life and gets 19."12 [1d10=9]
<Steph> "Well... I think we can just go back the way we came," suggests Stephanie, pointing back down. "Julia can't fly but I can just carry her, and Rosemund can take Aria if she can't make it?"
<El-Cideon> "For those of you who can't fly..." Lorice points towards the eastern archway. "Stairs. Should take you to the waste pit. Right next to the cavern. Just keep to the perimeter of the room."
<Julia> "Well we already went through a swamp, how bad can a waste pit be?" Julia resigns herself to it.
<Franceska> "Yet one more reason to kill him horribly," Franceska agrees.
<Steph> "Worse than my arms," mutters Stephanie. "We'll meet you two down there?" she says, glancing at the succubi.
<El-Cideon> The walkers find that the stairs arc down to a broad, open cavern with a deep impression constituting most of the open space. Corpses sprawl in whole and in pieces all across the floor of this vast dumping ground and an unseemly, rotten haze drifts over it all. Out in the center of this collection of organic debris one can discern a spear jutting up, the metal point glittering in the dim light; elsewhere in the field, wormlike scavengers snuffle through the once-living for sustenance. There are obvious exits northeast, southwest, and northwest; the lattermost should likely link up to the bottom of the chasm.
<Steph> "Soo. Nobody tell that Lorcia chick that we killed Reinafiel," says Stephanie, once the succubi are gone. "Because she totally thinks there's opportunities a-plenty for her in Tenterground."
<Franceska> "Alright. I'm sure the demons watching us won't tell her either when we confront them."
<El-Cideon> "Can he hear?" Aria wonders. "Or just see?"
<Julia> Do any of the corpses look particularly interesting?
* Franceska pauses and stares at Julia.
<Julia> "What?" Julia says defensively, "I'm scouting for talent!"
<El-Cideon> They look mostly human or humanoid; there are some discernibly demonic bits out there, but little in the way of wholly intact bodies.
<Julia> "But this place doesn't look promising anyway. I'll have to settle for our host after he's been killed," she admits.
<Steph> Stephanie grimaces. "Trust me to put my foot in it," she mutters.
<Julia> "Anyway, lets get going?" Julia says, circling around to the northwest passage.
<Steph> Stephanie snorts, and troops after Julia.
<El-Cideon> The two succubi (neither of whom looks greatly eager to acknowledge the other's presence) wait in a cavern with exits north and west. Stalagmites jut up from the floor all over this room, and in the center particularly small stone spikes poke up sharply in a manner that could render walking across them hazardous. Amidst this field of spikes, a black pit yawns.
<Franceska> "Is he far, actually?"
<Steph> "So, down there," says Stephanie, pointing out the ominous pit. "There's like a staircase." She glances at Franceska. "Nah. Couple minutes to the throne room, but it's fucking huge."
<Franceska> "Vanity." She shakes her head disappointedly. "What happened to utility?"
<El-Cideon> "If you are going to rule, you had better do it in style," Lorice points out. "What subjects might respect a tyrant who presents himself as simply one of them?"
<Julia> "Aren't throne rooms supposed to be big for court functions?" Julia asks. "Also if you're on the throne and a band of murderous thugs enter the front door you want lots of room between you and them."
<Franceska> "It wouldn't help much, and fomenting jealousy amongst your servants is not a recipe for success."
<Steph> Stephanie shrugs, and floats over the spikes. "Since none of you are tyrants of anything, let's get on with it?" she suggests, floating into the hole. "The ramp starts around here!"
* Franceska shrugs, staying near Rosemund for now.
<El-Cideon> "But your servants must respect and fear your resourcefulness," Lorice counters to Franceska, "and thus must be made to realize that you are a person of means and distinction."
<Julia> "Even noble and good queens need to get their money's worth out of a throneroom," Julia says, gingerly picking her way through the spikes.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 vs Julia touch AC, +2 if you've got shoes on
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 vs Julia touch AC, +2 if you've got shoes on and gets 2."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 vs Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 vs Rosey and gets 9."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 vs Aria
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 vs Aria and gets 13."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 vs cat
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 vs cat and gets 14."12 [1d20=14]
<Julia> OOC: I have shoes on, touch AC is 8
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 vs Fran
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 vs Fran and gets 14."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> Everyone navigates the field safely, and finds themselves peering down a broad ramp that spirals down into pure darkness. The supernatural light of the labyrinth does not extend so far down, it seems. Rosemund lights up her mace to lead the way--and, on belatedly noticing Julia's laggardly pace, hurries over to dispel the lethargy still plaguing the necromancer!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Restoration is had
<Julia> "Oh, thank you Rosemund!" Julia beams, perking back up to her usual unholy vigour.
<Steph> "You guys got any enchantments to spare?" asks Stephanie, indeed taking the opportunity to bless her dagger.
<Julia> "Mine don't tend to be helpful."
<Franceska> "Barkskin," Franceska says, indeed casting it on Stephanie. "The better to kill demons with."
<El-Cideon> "Most of mine do not last so long that I can cast them in advance...but here is a simple one," Rosemund offers, chanting a short prayer over the group. (OOC: Bless, +1 morale bonus to attacks/saves vs fear for 11 minutes)
<Franceska> OOC: Using bead of karma for 10min, Barkskin is CL15 for +5
<Steph> Stephanie shivers in delight, and then continues to lead the way. "So there's like a bird... and then the rest of them, just after that. Unless they moved."
<El-Cideon> Down you go, to touch down at the base of a wide tunnel. The only light here remains that emanating from Rosemund's mace, and a dim suggestion of...a doorway, further along? But Stephanie does not this time perceive the fiendish crow perched above the door--instead, those with sharper than human eyes can discern something waiting for you in the darkness some thirty feet ahead. It looks part spider and part construct, but ALL chittering demonic horror, and the moment you step into sight it lumbers forward with claws outstretched!
<El-Cideon> OOC: init
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 23."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 9."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Aria
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Aria and gets 16."12 [1d20=9]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 kitty
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 kitty and gets 13."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 succubi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 succubi and gets 18."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 mechademonspider
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 mechademonspider and gets 20."12 [1d20=17]
* Retrieving #astronomy modes...
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+1 and gets 13."12 [1d20=12]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Steph (23) > retriever = Julia (20) > Xondra/Lorice (18) > Aria (16) > Barnaby/Fran (13) > Rosey (9)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: you're up Steph
<Steph> "Fuck, I forgot about this thing!" complains Stephanie, before shrugging and just running towards it to strike at it twice!
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 24."12 [1d20=8]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 and gets 29."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: both hit. Note usual construct effect on SA
<Steph> OOC: I forget, is this thing actually an evil outsider?
<El-Cideon> OOC: construct, but definitely evil!
<Steph> roll 1d6+7 ineffectual poking
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7 ineffectual poking and gets 11."12 [1d6=4]
<Steph> roll 1d4+1d8+6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+1d8+6 and gets 10."12 [1d4=2][1d8=2]
<Steph> roll 12d6/2
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 12d6/2 and gets 22."12 [12d6=2, 3, 1, 6, 3, 2, 5, 2, 6, 5, 5, 4]
<El-Cideon> The retriever is damaged but far from finished. It lashes out systematically with its forelegs at Stephanie then leans in to try and grab her with its mouth. Meanwhile, a beam of opaque grey energy jets out from one of its multitudinous eyes towards Franceska!
<El-Cideon> roll 4#1d20+15 claws vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4#1d20+15 claws vs Steph and gets 102."12 [4#1d20+15 = 23, 29, 25, 25]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 bite vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 bite vs Steph and gets 17."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 touch vs Fran
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 touch vs Fran and gets 26."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: clearly hits Fran, roll fort?
<Franceska> OOC: That hits
<Franceska> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
<Steph> OOC: My AC is higher than those rolls
<Franceska> roll 1d20+12 reroll
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+12 reroll and gets 27."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> As the bolt strikes home and dark energy washes over Franceska, she has only a moment of horror to recognize the effect before she is turned into senseless stone--or not! As a burst of willpower overcomes the effect at the last second.
<Julia> "Don't bother trying to kill this thing, Leslie," Julia says, beginning the process of summoning up some help.
<El-Cideon> Xondra bravely teleports and reappears behind the retriever! At least Stephanie will have someone to distract the monster for her? Lorice seems to find herself more suited to providing moral support.
<El-Cideon> From afar, Aria batters the demonic construct with two arrays of magic missiles.
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 and gets 18."12 [5d4=3, 2, 2, 4, 2]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 and gets 17."12 [5d4=4, 1, 3, 3, 1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and kitty
* Franceska stretches her hand towards the retriever, before clenching a fist as its outer layer begins to erode!
<El-Cideon> Barnaby rushes forward to slash and bite at the creature in a flurry of teeth and claws!
<Franceska> roll 10d8 fort dc20 half
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 10d8 fort dc20 half and gets 60."12 [10d8=8, 3, 8, 8, 1, 2, 8, 7, 7, 8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 fort and gets 8."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 pounce!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 pounce!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 pounce! and gets 35."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 pounce!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 pounce! and gets 30."12 [1d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 pounce! and gets 17."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 7."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 8."12 [1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> Tottering badly from Franceska's magical assault, it takes only the lynx's impact to send it crashing down on the floor in a collection of rusting fragments!
<El-Cideon> OOC: that was quick
<El-Cideon> "Oh wow," Xondra gushes. "You're all so DANGEROUS!"
<El-Cideon> "Yes, very impressive," Lorice echoes drily.
<Julia> All too belatedly an ogre zombie appears amidst the rubble. "Oh." Julia says. "Well we better press on so we can get some use out of this thing."
<Franceska> "Yes, let's."
<Julia> "Run forward and kill the first thing you find, zombie!" Julia orders. It'll need to get moving fast given how slow it is. And she of course follows behind it.
<El-Cideon> "I wouldn't mind if we could pry some information from our host," Aria says as you move on. "It's necessary for me to learn who his accomplices in Azure might be. I lack personally the ability to interrogate a corpse. One hopes he's the boastful sort."
<Franceska> "Julia has you covered."
<Steph> "I hope he's sensible enough to realise he's made a really fucking big mistake letting us in at all and begs for forgiveness. How come they never do that?"
<Julia> "It doesn't always work though, so I'll focus on killing the others and just weakening him," Julia says.
<El-Cideon> "Arrogance," is Aria's immediate response.
<Franceska> "That, and the sensible thing would be to recognize that there can be no forgiveness."
<Steph> "Let's ask him why he fell! I bet he'd love to talk about that," muses Stephanie.
<Franceska> "I asked him that. He stopped talking to me."
<Steph> "Did you ask him in a really bitchy way?"
<El-Cideon> The ogre charges bravely ahead of the group and out through the doorway! There's the sound of a woman's raucous laughter echoing out from beyond, and the noise of a scuffle--
<El-Cideon> --then a large body hits the floor. "Really, guys?" the woman mocks.
<Julia> "Well that was disappointing," Julia admits to herself as she heads through the door to confront the bully of undead.
* Franceska casts her strongest spell that boosts her power beyond normal limits, and follows suit!
<Steph> "Sorry, sorry. We figured that'd be enough for a glorified guard, y'know?" calls Stephanie, taking a moment to protect herself from death before stepping in as well.
<El-Cideon> "Proper waste of good poison," the woman is tsking to herself as you arrive. Beyond the door is a vast gulf of blackness below and a series of platforms constructed from the verdant plant matter of the labyrinth hovering over it, supported from an unseen roof by thick, fibrous columns. Beyond the door is a fifteen-foot-wide bridge, running some thirty feet or so before splitting into three. One branch ramps up to an open bedchamber standing open a high platform, one spirals down out of sight to the right, and straight on some thirty feet more is a stone throne. (more)
<El-Cideon> Sitting upon the throne is what might once have been an angel, but very little of his celestial glory remains if ever any there was. Maeandar is tall and well-built, and might once have been quite handsome, but now his flesh is mottled and gray, the eye sockets in his face gape deep and vacant, whereas his wings are misshapen protrusions of bone decorated all over with variegated eyes. He wears nothing, and a heavy mace of pitted iron sits by his side. Standing next to him is an adolescent girl wearing a splendid evening gown; her copious mane of midnight hair is luxurious and well-cared for. Minding the bridge just as it splits into three platforms are: a bird-demon, a vrock; and a figure perhaps dimly recognizable from past adventures, an imposing woman in midnight armor with wild black hair and a set of claw scars down her face. "See?" Grinda calls back. "I told you it was these chicks again. Girls just won't let a body have any fun," she chides you.
<Steph> "Sister, you really need to find better employers," notes Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> "You may properly introduce yourselves and make your heroic boasts," Maeandar deigns to condescend. "I give you such allowance."
<Julia> "Why do you have the worst employers?" Julia asks her. "Oh, also? BATTERSBY! GET UP HERE!" she shouts down the spiralling path. Hopefully her wyvern heard that and will come running.
<El-Cideon> "Hey, don't get me the wrong way here, dao were just part of the game," Grinda says.
<El-Cideon> The swoop of wings becomes discernible from down below.
<Franceska> "Franceska Durant," she properly introduces herself. "I hope your death is as painful as I imagined."
<El-Cideon> Maeandar looks over the gang of intruders and his gaze settles on Rosemund. "But what's this--it seems Opal dear has sent us a new pet. How thoughtful of her. Come along, dear." Rosemund, staring dumbly, takes a mindless step forward.
<Steph> "Ah, so you're actual scum, not just a professional working for scum? I guess the torture and all gave that way. Oh, and I'm Stephanie Sundown," chirrups Stephanie. "So... I just wanna ask," she says, peering up at Meandor. "How come you can't see invisible shit- what."
<Julia> "What? Rosemund, what are you doing?!" Julia gasps in alarm.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund appears insensible to the objections of her friends as she starts to walk forward.
<Julia> "Sorry Aria, he dies now," Julia says, beginning to cast a spell!
<Steph> "Fuck, she's dominated!" says Stephanie, in alarm.
<El-Cideon> OOC: init if you're casting anything~
<Franceska> "Die!"
<Franceska> roll 1d20+2
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+2 and gets 14."12 [1d20=12]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 20."12 [1d20=11]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Julia
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 Julia and gets 17."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 Maeandar
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 Maeandar and gets 28."12 [1d20=20]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Leslie
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 Leslie and gets 14."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Xenobia
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Xenobia and gets 9."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 Grinda
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 Grinda and gets 7."12 [1d20=1]
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 Thing
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+7 Thing and gets 11."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Vrock
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Vrock and gets 21."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 succubi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 succubi and gets 18."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Aria
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Aria and gets 17."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 cat
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 cat and gets 24."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 8."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Battersby for when he gets here
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 Battersby for when he gets here and gets 17."12 [1d20=15]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 1: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21) > Steph (20) > Xondra/Lorice (18) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (9) > Rosey (8) > Grinda (7) '
<El-Cideon> OOC: ETA on Battersby is round 2. Fallen angel is up now.
<El-Cideon> Maeandar stands from his throne and utters a profane commandment. A dark aura of protection bolsters himself and his followers! "You should know the condition of your friend is no work of my hand. I have only now beheld the child in my personal presence. Not that I should imagine this makes any difference to your bloodlust."
<El-Cideon> Barnaby rushes forward and launches himself at the vrock before it can move!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 34."12 [1d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 27."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 27."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 7."12 [1d6=2]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 7."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+1 and gets 2."12 [1d8=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 CMB
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 CMB and gets 21."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> The eager lynx bites and tears up the demon, but fails to establish a hold before it can fight back!
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+15 vs kitty
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+15 vs kitty and gets 49."12 [2#1d20+15 = 24, 25]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+13 vs kitty
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+13 vs kitty and gets 58."12 [3#1d20+13 = 22, 19, 17]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+6 and gets 15."12 [2d6=4, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+6 and gets 12."12 [2d6=1, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+2 and gets 4."12 [1d8=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> OOC: What distances are we looking at?
<El-Cideon> OOC: 30 to vrock/Grinda, 60 to Maeandar/Xenobia
<Steph> Stephanie rushes at Grinda. "Time to learn why you're on the wrong side, bitch," she snarls, flickering faintly and rushing towards Grinda. OOC: Activating displacement, using w-w-w-w-wolf fang strike
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 23."12 [1d20=7]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 and gets 25."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> Grinda manages to be precisely where Stephanie's blades aren't. "I like a challenge," she concedes, "but I'm not sure I see one yet."
<El-Cideon> As in in some unspoken plan, both of the succubi vanish and reappear on either side of the youthful sorceress. "Hi there!" Xondra chirps.
<El-Cideon> OOC: J & A
<Julia> Completing her spell, Julia instructs, "Thing. Kill that angel." The absurdity of the matchup of quasit vs fallen angel somewhat belied by the ominous negative energy crackling off her familiar's claws. "Leslie, kill the girl up there." Might get another shadow out of this.
<El-Cideon> Aria peers around the battlefield and selects the demon mauling her cat as the first target--after muttering a quick spell to bolster the party, she points at the brock and unleashes a beam of green energy.
<El-Cideon> OOC: party is hasted
<El-Cideon> roll1 d20+11 touch vs bird
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls d20+11 touch vs bird and gets 21."12 [d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 vs SR and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 fort and gets 33."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d6 passed
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d6 passed and gets 23."12 [5d6=5, 1, 6, 6, 5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: F & L
* Franceska sends a spike through that hateful angel, before following Stephanie in double-teaming Grinda.
<Franceska> roll 10d6 ref DC21 half
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 10d6 ref DC21 half and gets 38."12 [10d6=4, 6, 6, 6, 1, 1, 4, 3, 1, 6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16."12 [1d20=4]
<Julia> Leslie glides across to join the two succubi in molesting the most inoffensive looking member of the enemy party.
<Julia> roll 1d20+9 touch charge
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+9 touch charge and gets 16."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiff
<El-Cideon> OOC: Thing!
<Julia> Cackling maniacally at the power over life and death with which he's been gifted, Thing charges across the throneroom to touch Maeander!
<Julia> roll 1d20+13 melee touch
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 melee touch and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Julia> OOC: DC 24 fort or die
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 and gets 17."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: actually, is that subject to SR?
<Julia> OOC: it is
<El-Cideon> OOC: CL check then
<Julia> roll 1d20+21 hero pointing it up
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+21 hero pointing it up and gets 24."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: :(
<El-Cideon> The vile energies dissipate as they touch the fallen angel's sickly flesh, alas!
<Julia> "Uh oh," Thing says, now in close range with the much stronger outsider.
<El-Cideon> Hemmed in on all sides, Xenobia focuses on casting a spell--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 concentration
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 concentration and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> She winks out of sight altogether!
<Steph> "Cheating whore!"
<Julia> "Leslie, go kill Grinda instead," Julia orders so her shadow remains useful. "And Thing, get back here!"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund continues to trod dumbly forward, and freely allowed passage by the vrock and Grinda strides right up to the fallen angel! "Hey, looks like your friend's fallen for the boss," Grinda taunts Stephanie as she quickly applies something unseemly to her greatsword and swings thrice.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+21 and gets 35."12 [1d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 25."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 20."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: AC?
<Steph> OOC: Miss chance, 50%
<Steph> OOC: and 34
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 51 or better hits
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 51 or better hits and gets 63."12 [1d100=63]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+12+1d6 acid also roll fort, note -2 penalty to saves while you're in melee with her
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+12+1d6 acid also roll fort, note -2 penalty to saves while you're in melee with her and gets 21."12 [2d6=3, 3][1d6=3]
<Steph> roll 1d20+8 ow, saves.
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+8 ow, saves. and gets 27."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> As the greatsword cuts deeply into Stephanie, *something* enters her bloodstream and threatens wooziness--but she fights it off for now!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 2: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21) > Steph (20) > Xondra/Lorice (18) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (9) > Rosey (8) > Grinda (7) '
<El-Cideon> "You can run," Maeandar says to the brave little quasit, "but I wouldn't advise it." At a wave of the fallen angel's hand, a hurricane of flying swords flashes into existence, neatly cutting the fight into two halves with the bridge combatants on one side and Maeandar (and Rosemund/Thing/Leslie) on the other.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Blade Barrier up just past Grinda/vrock scuffle
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+17 kitty vs bird
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+17 kitty vs bird and gets 76."12 [3#1d20+17 = 27, 25, 24]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 17."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 9."12 [1d6=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph you might as well line up while I'm rolling out birdy
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+15 and gets 47."12 [2#1d20+15 = 28, 19]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+13 and gets 72."12 [3#1d20+13 = 22, 32, 18]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+6 and gets 12."12 [2d6=2, 4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+3 and gets 4."12 [1d8=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+3
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+3 and gets 6."12 [1d6=3]
<Steph> "Here's another challenge you won't see," swears Steph, before blinking out of sight and setting out to give Grinda a thorough education on the concept of quantity over quality.
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 32."12 [1d20=11]
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 23."12 [1d20=1]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 36."12 [1d20=14]
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 32."12 [1d20=16]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 and gets 23."12 [1d20=6]
<Steph> OOC: no dex
<El-Cideon> OOC: 32s and 36 hit. Please also roll d100 for any potential SAs
<Steph> roll 3d100
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 3d100 and gets 157."12 [3d100=36, 78, 43]
<El-Cideon> OOC: second is a successful SA. Others normal hits
<Steph> roll 1d6+7
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7 and gets 11."12 [1d6=4]
<Steph> roll 1d4+6+1d8+6d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+6+1d8+6d6 and gets 25."12 [1d4=2][1d8=2][6d6=5, 1, 3, 3, 2, 1]
<Steph> roll 1d6+7
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7 and gets 13."12 [1d6=6]
<El-Cideon> "Okay," Grinda admits with a touch of approval, "that one stung a little." Meanwhile, in the epic struggle of cat vs bird, while both are notably mauled cat is clearly seeing the worst of this contest!
<El-Cideon> With a shrug, Xondra winks out of existence again and reappears next to Grinda. Lorice wears a skeptical expression and holds her ground for now.
<El-Cideon> OOC: JAB team
<El-Cideon> "Barnaby, I fear you may have not chosen the most ideal oppoent this time," Aria sighs, again pointing towards the demon assailing her counterpart and firing off a deadly beam of energy.
<Julia> Battersby appears out of the darkness below between the various paths through the throne room, and Julia gladly climbs aboard before firing off an enervation through the blade barrier at Maeander!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 touch and gets 13."12 [1d20=2]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 ranged touch and gets 21."12 [1d20=13]
<Julia> roll 1d20+13 SR
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 SR and gets 18."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: still hits through BB AC bonus, but whiffs SR
<El-Cideon> OOC: Battersby will emerge on the other side of the barrier, for what it's worth. He could hit with a charge
<Julia> OOC: oh, strike part about climbing aboard then
<Julia> "Battersby, get that angel!" Julia calls on seeing her zombie draw near, and a final push of his wings forces the undead wyvern right at Maeander!
<Julia> roll 1d20+19 talon charge
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+19 talon charge and gets 30."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits
<Julia> roll 3d6+8
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 3d6+8 and gets 16."12 [3d6=2, 3, 3]
<Julia> roll 1d20+17 improved grab
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 improved grab and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiffs CMD even pinned
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and shadow
* Franceska goes on the attack herself, even as she wards herself against the poison Grinda seems to be using. Her rapier strikes thrice, and then she attacks with claw and teeth both!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,flank
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,flank and gets 34."12 [1d20=12]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,flank
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,flank and gets 27."12 [1d20=5]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+5+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,flank
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+5+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,flank and gets 28."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Julia> Leslie drifts over to Grinda and steals some of her strength!
<Julia> roll 1d20+9 charge touch
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+9 charge touch and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+8+1+1+8+2-2 haste,bless,bite,flank,multiattack
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+8+1+1+8+2-2 haste,bless,bite,flank,multiattack and gets 27."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: as does Leslie
<Franceska> roll 1d20+8+1+1+8+2-2 haste,bless,bite,flank,multiattack bite
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+8+1+1+8+2-2 haste,bless,bite,flank,multiattack bite and gets 28."12 [1d20=10]
<Julia> roll 1d8 str damage
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d8 str damage and gets 7."12 [1d8=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 2: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21) > Steph (20) > Xondra/Lorice (18) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (9) > Rosey (8) > Grinda (7, -7 STR) '
<Franceska> roll 1d6+2+1+7+1d6 last is fire, used Oaken Resilience as swift
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d6+2+1+7+1d6 last is fire, used Oaken Resilience as swift and gets 20."12 [1d6=6][1d6=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Thing is up!
<El-Cideon> Grinda is notably less hale and hearty after a swipe from the shadow!
<Julia> Thing turns invisible and flies under the blade barrier to return to Julia's side.
<El-Cideon> Xenobia reappears near the descending ramp and fires a bolt of dark energy at Stephanie through the barrier. Meanwhile, Lorice--as though waiting for the opportunity--glides over to the sorceress and focuses her will upon the girl. "I've spent more than enough time catering to your perverse little whims, how about we finally return the favor, hm?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 ranged touch vs Steph, +4 cover bonus to AC because BB
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 ranged touch vs Steph, +4 cover bonus to AC because BB and gets 21."12 [1d20=11]
<Steph> OOC: ha ha, it misses. I'm going to shoot her back with it.
<Steph> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Steph> OOC: I don't know what it does.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 negative levels
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4 negative levels and gets 3."12 [1d4=3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 2: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21) > Steph (20) > Xondra (18) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8) > Grinda (7, -7 STR) '
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12-3 X will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12-3 X will and gets 24."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> Xenobia fights off whatever charm Lorice attempted to impose upon her. She seems hardly to notice the succubus's presence. "Sorry, Grinda, I tried!" she laments.
<Steph> "Keep trying~"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund simply kneels before the fallen angel and bows her head in reverence. Meanwhile, Grinda herself looks around and exclaims, "You know what, chuck this for a game of silly buggers. How's about all of you go bug someone else?" So saying, she raises both hands and an aura of force bursts out from her bracers--
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort all in melee with Grinda, -2 to save
<Franceska> roll 1d20+12-2+4
<Julia> roll 1d20+1 Leslie does not like fort
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+12-2+4 and gets 31."12 [1d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+1 Leslie does not like fort and gets 18."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6-2 Xondra
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6-2 Xondra and gets 6."12 [1d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+8 and gets 10."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> All of Grinda's assailants except for Fran and Leslie are forcibly thrust back ten feet. Grinda takes this opportunity to simply step off the bridge and plummet into darkness.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 acro to avoid AoO
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 acro to avoid AoO and gets 10."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 also this pushes Xondra into the Blade Barrier, CL check first to see if it matters
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 also this pushes Xondra into the Blade Barrier, CL check first to see if it matters and gets 19."12 [1d20=7]
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 that was insufficient acrobatics (touch)
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6-4 ref, it does
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+7 that was insufficient acrobatics (touch) and gets 24."12 [1d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6-4 ref, it does and gets 6."12 [1d20=4]
* Franceska simply can't let her go without trying to stab her one last time!
<Julia> roll 1d8 str damage
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d8 str damage and gets 2."12 [1d8=2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 2: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21) > Steph (20) > Xondra (18) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8) > Grinda (7, -9 STR) '
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10+1+1+8+2
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 and gets 31."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 damage to Xondra
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 damage to Xondra and gets 44."12 [12d6=1, 5, 4, 2, 2, 2, 6, 5, 5, 5, 1, 6]
<Franceska> roll 1d6+2+1+7+1d6 last is fire
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d6+2+1+7+1d6 last is fire and gets 20."12 [1d6=4][1d6=6]
<El-Cideon> Grinda slips over the edge and falls out of sight. Alive or dead? She makes no last taunts, for what it's worth. Meanwhile, Xondra wails in shrieking pain as the repulsion effect thrusts her right into the whirl of blades, utterly rending her to pieces in the blink of an eye!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 3: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21) > Steph (20) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> Maeandar tries to wring himself away from the spear of stone to more freely attack the undead menace assaulting him--
<Steph> "No!" Stephanie yells, despite herself.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+19 escape artist
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+19 escape artist and gets 31."12 [1d20=12]
<Franceska> OOC: Success
<El-Cideon> --succeeding with contemptuous ease! "Were you attached to her?" he wonders at Stephanie's distress with some bemusement.
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+17 kitty
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+17 kitty and gets 86."12 [3#1d20+17 = 28, 25, 33]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 17."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 10."12 [1d6=5]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 and gets 10."12 [1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 CMB
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 CMB and gets 20."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+15 and gets 54."12 [2#1d20+15 = 32, 22]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+13 and gets 74."12 [3#1d20+13 = 33, 27, 14]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#2d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#2d6+6 and gets 26."12 [2#2d6+6 = 15, 11]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d8+3 and gets 12."12 [2#1d8+3 = 4, 8]
<El-Cideon> Though badly maimed itself, the vrock's opponent looks unlikely to weather another full assault!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> "What would you know?!" snarls Stephanie, dropping her sword and grabbing Franceska's back. "Hold on," she mutters. With powerful beats, the wings on her boots soon carry them to the other side.
<El-Cideon> OOC: J&A&B
<Julia> "She was a better person than you ever were!" Julia calls over at the obnoxious fallen angel. Sure she was a demon, but she pretty pleasant and actually gave her life for a friend. That deserves respect. Meanwhile she tries her hand at taking down that obnoxious blade barrier! "Leslie, kill the Vrock now," she adds so her shadow doesn't waste time chasing Grinda.
<Julia> roll 1d20+10 dispel magic
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+10 dispel magic and gets 28."12 [1d20=18]
<Julia> And Battersby keeps on trying to grab the angel in his giant talons!
<Julia> roll 1d20+17 talons
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 talons and gets 36."12 [1d20=19]
<Julia> roll 3d6+8 and improved grab
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 3d6+8 and improved grab and gets 24."12 [3d6=4, 6, 6]
<Julia> roll 1d20+17 grapple?
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 grapple? and gets 28."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: grapple failed :(
<El-Cideon> The former angel is badly battered by this point, but maintains a detached sort of condescension. "You really believe me responsible for all your troubles? Typical mortals." His shield of swords, meanwhile, vanishes altogether.
<Julia> "No, I just don't like you and want you to die!"
<Steph> "You- stop escaping responsibility! You are a villain!"
<El-Cideon> Aria carries on trying to disintegrate the demon before it can put down her companion for good, firing off another green bolt and prepared to follow it up with another magical barrage if necessary--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 touch and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 vs SR and gets 19."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 vs SR for something else!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 vs SR for something else! and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
<Franceska> "And now's the time to make it happen!" Franceska snaps. "Die already, you degenerate!"
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 and gets 22."12 [5d4=4, 4, 1, 4, 4]
<El-Cideon> "Barnaby, withdraw!" Aria orders her partner as a barrage of missiles strikes home where disintegration failed.
<El-Cideon> OOC: F&L
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge Lion's Charge as swift
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge Lion's Charge as swift and gets 27."12 [1d20=5]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge and gets 32."12 [1d20=10]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+5+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+5+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge and gets 20."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 32 hits
<Julia> Leslie is there to take up the slack in dealing with the vrock!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+8+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge claw, multiattack
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+8+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge claw, multiattack and gets 29."12 [1d20=9]
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+7 touch and gets 19."12 [1d20=12]
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+7 touch and gets 22."12 [1d20=15]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+8+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge bite, multiattack
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+8+1+1+8+2 haste,bless,bite,charge bite, multiattack and gets 24."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 29 also hits
<Julia> roll 2d8 str damage
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 2d8 str damage and gets 7."12 [2d8=3, 4]
<Franceska> roll 1d6+2+1+7+1d6 last is fire
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d6+2+1+7+1d6 last is fire and gets 18."12 [1d6=6][1d6=2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 3: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21, -7 STR) > Steph (20) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8)'
<Franceska> roll 1d8+8+1
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d8+8+1 and gets 15."12 [1d8=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Thing!
<El-Cideon> Maeandar is stabbed to within an inch of his unholy life. "Did I invite you here?" Maeandar challenges. "Did I invade your homes and slaughter your servants? I think not."
<Julia> Thing waits to be amped up with magic before he tries again, though he does make his presence known in case Julia isn't aware of it. "Got any more of the bad magic, master?" he asks hopefully.
<El-Cideon> The young sorceress steps away from the grasping succubus and, in a voice disturbingly older than her years, croons to Stephanie: "You know, you fight pretty well. How about you do it for our side?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: will
* Franceska scoffs. "You did, actually! Just ask Aria!"
<Steph> roll 1d20+16 momentofperfectmind, screw you for eating my swift
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 momentofperfectmind, screw you for eating my swift and gets 31."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> Stephanie fights off the creeping mind control attempt! Will her assailant do the same as Lorice attempts to suborn Xenobia's will again?
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12-3 X will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12-3 X will and gets 16."12 [1d20=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 3: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21, -7 STR) > Steph (20) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL, charmed)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8)'
<Steph> "Do you think I'd associate with succubi if that would work on me, fool?"
<El-Cideon> Xenobia looks upon Lorice with suddenly fawning eyes. "That's more like it," the succubus says, drawing close to the girl.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 4: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21, -7 STR) > Steph (20) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL, charmed)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> Rosemund remains in her trance, eyes following the fallen angel with apparent adoration. Aria takes a moment to call out to him: "I *found* one of your servants in *my* home!" she challenges.
<Franceska> "See? You're just an embarrassment!"
<El-Cideon> "Ahhh," he realizes. "They receive their orders from me, so as not to endanger the game in progress if discovered. But my role in the game is best considered as, what is the human sporting term...'referee?' And I am hardly inclined to watch it be interrupted." He raises his mace and swings it thrice in succession at Franceska.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+21 and gets 27."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 36."12 [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 crit?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 crit? and gets 35."12 [1d20=19]
<Franceska> OOC: Can't be critted right now. AC is 30 at present
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d8+12 also rollt fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d8+12 also rollt fort and gets 29."12 [2#1d8+12 = 15, 14]
<Franceska> OOC: Shouldn't he have hit just once?
<El-Cideon> OOC: oh, right!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+12+4 fort
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+12+4 fort and gets 25."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+12 ignore fort then!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+12 ignore fort then! and gets 17."12 [1d8=5]
<El-Cideon> Grudgingly surmounting feline pride, Barnaby slinks carefully back to his mistress's side. The demon pursues, frothing madly, charging ahead to swipe at the cat with one claw!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Leslie AoO
* Franceska grunts from the strike, though her glare changes into a smile all of a sudden. "You're about to die," she notes conversationally. "Want us to send the reason for it after you?"
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+7 touch and gets 24."12 [1d20=17]
<Julia> roll 1d8 str
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d8 str and gets 4."12 [1d8=4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 4: Maeandar (28) > Barnaby (24) > vrock (21, -11 STR) > Steph (20) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL, charmed)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10+2 charge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10+2 charge and gets 21."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+1 and gets 10."12 [2d6=3, 6]
<El-Cideon> "From last report," Maeandar intones ominously, "I believe your interference no longer of any consequence."
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Franceska> "Just die sad and alone, then, you creep!"
<Steph> Stephanie's flickering soon comes to an end, and she dances to the angel's side and swipes at him with her dagger. "The sun casts a shadow and that shadow is me," she chants- the blessed weapon drives itself towards his all-too-fleshy ribs.
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 37."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Steph> roll 1d4+1d8+7+6d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+1d8+7+6d6 and gets 27."12 [1d4=2][1d8=7][6d6=3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1]
<El-Cideon> Holy flame sears and chars the fallen angels sickly flesh; his weapon *clanks* to the ground from nerveless fingers and his body soon follows. Aria follows up with a quick flurry of spells to try and put down the pesky demon for good.
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+18 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+18 vs SR and gets 56."12 [2#1d20+18 = 23, 33]
<El-Cideon> roll 10d4+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 10d4+10 and gets 35."12 [10d4=3, 3, 4, 2, 3, 1, 2, 2, 1, 4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: -2 to CHA-based checks for Lawful and Good characters |  Round 4: Barnaby (24) > Steph (20) > Julia/Aria/Battersby (17)> Fran/Leslie (14) > Thing (11) > Xenobia (-3 NL, charmed)/Lorice (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: we can functionally shift to free act, the only one left is Xenobia and Lorice has her charmed and embraced.
<Steph> "Hey! I have questions for her! Don't kill her, tie her up!"
* Franceska looks briefly disappointed, but then she casts Detect Magic and looks Rosemund over.
<Julia> "I'll go see if I can interrogate the corpse, then?" Julia says, making her way around to the throne. "Rosemund are you feeling better now?" she calls.
<El-Cideon> Lorice draws apart from the kiss she was in the midst of delivering. "If you insist," she says with a shrug. "But she is mine when you finish," she presses.
<El-Cideon> Whatever is wrong with Rosemund does not radiate magic. She shakes the haze from her eyes and looks around. "Oh, what--what was I doing?"
<Franceska> "Genuflecting. Don't ever do that again."
<Julia> "I think someone or something called Opal put a trigger in your mind," Julia says warily as she nears. "Does the name mean anything to you?"
<Steph> Stephanie frowns. "Yeah, sure," she says, producing some rope and moving to secure their latest prisoner. "Aria, if she tries to cast a spell, blast her."
<El-Cideon> "I--I feel very strange," Rosemund admits. Her breathing is fast and labored. "Do I look alright? I feel like I must be on fire, or, or something..." To Julia, she simply shakes her head. "Should it?"
* Franceska looks for any effects of poisons next.
<El-Cideon> Aria climbs down the ramp to order her automatons back into obedience, and then up to the bedroom to rifle through the cabinets therein.
<Steph> Stephanie glances at Lorcia. "Ask her for us. Ask her what her friend did to Rosemund."
<Julia> "He said Opal had brought him a gift when you went into a trance it looked like," Julia says. "I think we ought to get you looked at when we return to Air."
<El-Cideon> Franceska does not detect any poisons within Rosemund's system.
<El-Cideon> "Xenobia," Lorice purrs, "do you recognize this child? Do you know what might have been done to her?"
* Franceska frowns.
<Julia> "Well, if you don't know he might," Julia says, crouching over Maeander's corpse and attempting to cajole it into speaking.
<Julia> OOC: DC 21 will if not neutral
<El-Cideon> Rosemund fidgets, tries to scratch at her back but her armor gets in the way.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 definitely not Neutral!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 definitely not Neutral! and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<Franceska> "Take off your clothes," Franceska orders Rosemund.
<El-Cideon> "Y-yeah, I was about to do that," Rosemund admits, scrabbling at the clasps of her armor with shaky hands. She is having some trouble coordinating much of anything.
* Franceska reluctantly helps her with that, intending to take a look at the skin on her back.
<Steph> Stephanie pauses. "Oh, fuck! Fuck me, it's the leeches!" she says.
<El-Cideon> "Curse," Xenobia says. "She showed up with a curse. Opal made it better."
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 and gets 4."12 [2d6=1, 3]
<Julia> "Leslie killed all the leeches though," Julia says. "Unless... they're inside her?"
<Steph> "A curse? What curse? What kind of curse? Why would Opal care?"
<El-Cideon> "Great joke," Xenobia beams.
<Steph> "Why would she cure her curse?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund's armor clatters to the floor--just in time, as it turns out. With a wrenching scream and a tremendous gout of blood, wings erupt from Rosemund's back. Rather far from the sort she would ever have desired--they are large, leathery, batlike. Quite a lot like Lorice's, in fact.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund drops to her knees and topples forward.
* Julia gasps!
<Steph> "What?!"
* Franceska stares at Rosemund, stunned.
<El-Cideon> Aria hurries down the steps to see what the sudden commotion is about. There is a handwritten book in her grasp.
<El-Cideon> "You do have a penchant for collecting my brethren after all, don't you?" Lorice observes calmly.
<Julia> "Rosemund isn't a succubus!" Julia cries out, gathering her wits and leaning over to inspect her back for any further trauma caused by the new wings. Or leeches.
<Franceska> "Fix it!"
* Franceska looks around wildly. "Right now! Make her Rosemund again!"
<Steph> Stephanie glances at Lorice, shaking her head slowly, before walking towards Rosemund. "Rosemund, Rosemund, what did they do to you?" she asks, gently. "Oh, Rosemund..."
<El-Cideon> They appear healthy, insofar as one could judge unexpected wings to be healthy, but Rosemund's skin is tremendously hot to the touch. Worse than any fever you've treated.
<Julia> "I could amputate, but that wouldn't do any good if her problem is spiritual or from something further inside her body," Julia says, trying to figure out what she can do... this would be so much easier if she had actual healing magic!
* Franceska searches her mind for a remedy!
<El-Cideon> "We have urgent business back on in Azure," Aria delicately interrupts. "Perhaps someone there could assist, but..." She looks decidedly uncomfortable about something.
<Steph> "She, I... Leah should've told me," mutters Stephanie, undeterred by the heat and peering into Rosemund's eyes.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund's eyes have adopted a curious amber hue. Though they are open, she seems unconscious.
<Steph> Stephanie stands up, shaking. "Have you ever heard of this?" she demands, turning to Lorcia.
<El-Cideon> She shrugs, disinterested. "If she wasn't *always* one of us all along--which I would imagine you in a position to confirm or deny--then I am afraid I am at a loss. Usually it requires mortality and then a great deal of work to rise to my station," she preens.
<Julia> "Thing, get over here," Julia suddenly orders her quasit who ceases posing atop Maeander and scurries over. "Ask your demonic patron if what happened to Rosemund can be reversed, and then try to narrow down how it can be reversed - ask about magic, locations, that sort of thing." And so Thing begins to commune with horrific dark powers in search of answers...
<Franceska> "Urgent or not, we have the time to kill Opal," Franceska notes darkly.
<Steph> "Fuck Opal! I'm going to have words with Leah!"
<Julia> "Did Leah ever hint at something like this?" Julia asks while Thing communes.
<Franceska> "No!"
<Steph> "No, but she's an old spinster, I'm sure she can fucking lie!" Stephanie shakes her head. "You can't just become a succubus! And that charmed idiot said she was cursed. She can't be lying! What if she really was one all along, just, I don't know, sealed- how does that happen?"
<Julia> "Master, they dunno!" Thing blurts out, proving entirely how worthless demonic patrons are as a source of knowledge.
<Franceska> "But-- but, wouldn't you notice a curse? It should leave a signature!"
<Steph> "Leah's a mage! She can hide things like that, right? She'd have to if Rosemund's serving as a cleric... she's still a cleric, just because her body has changed shouldn't change her..."
<El-Cideon> Aria gestures significantly with the book in her hands. "Whatever plans they were in the midst of are in motion. At the very least *I* cannot tarry here. Your friend's condition is obviously tragic but we stand better chance of treating her back in civilized lands. Might we consider evacuating this foul den at last?"
<Franceska> "We can't return to Azure like that! Not without killing all their guards!"
<Julia> "Right, fine, lets go," Julia says, popping a black onyx into Maeander's mouth and re-animating him as a skeleton. "Can you plane-shift us away, Aria?"
<Steph> "We can't return to Solata like this, either... they'll never let a succubi slip by." She glances at Rosemund. "Unless she masters her innate abilities, but..."
<Julia> OOC: 20hd gem
<El-Cideon> "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE GUARDS," Aria counters. "Let them rot here. My city is in immediate danger of mass corruption and I will not waste further time here." More sedately, she nods to Julia.
<Steph> "What? We can't. There are slaves here," protests Stephanie, shaking her own head. "I, I can't just leave them, I have to go get them."
<El-Cideon> "Then go get them, if you can do so without delay," Aria says with approval, but adding insistently: "Hurry."
* Franceska picks Rosemund up. "Then, send us to Solata? By the time we reach it, we'll figure something out."
<El-Cideon> "If I could prevail upon you for further help," she says uneasily, adding with distinct discomfort, "I may shortly need it."
<Steph> Stephanie nods dumbly for a moment, and then rushes off.
<Julia> "We'll do that then. Hopefully it'll give Rosemund time to recover before we go home," Julia nods as Maeander sloughs off his flesh and rises.
<El-Cideon> "He may as well serve some purpose, yes?" Aria acknowledges grimly as the fallen angel rises again.
<Franceska> "If you deal with the guards you don't care about," Franceska allows. "They're not going to be stopping us." There is a decent enough temple there that already helped Rosemund before, anyway.
<El-Cideon> "No one will stop us," Aria clarifies heatedly for Franceska. "I will rip through worlds to get us back."
<Steph> Eventually, Stephanie returns with ten girls of various ethnicity, dressed in clothes far too nice for this awful place. "You," she says, glancing at Lorcia. "So I owe you one." She frowns. "You really don't wanna go to Tenterground. I guess this place is yours now, anyway," she mutters. "How lucky! We don't have time to plunder it. Have fun. If I see you again on another plane, I'll kill
<Steph> you."
<Julia> Julia puts Rosemund aboard Battersby where she should be safe and then climbs aboard herself.
* Franceska reluctantly asks for permission to climb aboard as well.
<Julia> "Plenty room for more!" Julia allows.
<El-Cideon> Aria eyes the liberated girls. "I can't take this many with us. Not in one trip. However, I'm unlikely to have space for my golems either..." She turns to the automatons: "Cassius, Brutus: watch the girls until my safe return. Crush anyone that attempts to bring them harm." To the group in general: "There is some food and drink in the bedroom cabinets. Please exercise moderation. You have my word that I will return to retrieve you all shortly." To Lorice: "And if you bother them in any way, I will destroy you."
<El-Cideon> "I'll be on my way as soon as I've had my fill of Xenobia," Lorice says sweetly. For Stephanie, she has only a disdainful parting glare.
* Franceska focuses on Rosemund, and little else.
<El-Cideon> Aria mounts up on her mechanical horse and collects Battersby + related allies into a circle. "To Azure," she intones.
<Steph> Stephanie snorts. "Don't be mad, all's fair play right?" she says, clambering on board the skeleton. "Weren't you proud of your talent at making people need you? Be happy you got a chance to learn from the master, girl."
<El-Cideon> Aria chants and reality shifts--
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity |'
<El-Cideon> --and you reappear at the edge of Azure. Recognizably in quite near proximity to your lodgings, in fact. Upon the passing breeze, screams and shrieks distantly reach your ears. Aria looks around, surprised. "This isn't right. I meant to bring us to the Union temple. We have more than one sort of business there," she adds darkly.
<Julia> "Well we better get in there quick by the sounds of things," Julia says. "Onwards!" she spurs her assembled minions to battle!
<Steph> "It's happening! We must hurry!"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund has by now developed a prehensile, spade-tipped tail and a pair of dainty horns.
<Steph> Stephanie shrieks. "We can't go in with her like that! I-" Stephanie looks flustered. "Franceska, do something! Hide it!"
<Julia> "I think people in Azure have bigger problems than sleeping beauty here," Julia notes.
<Franceska> "I-- I actually can!" Franceska exclaims, rooting through her pack and then hurriedly dressing Rosemund in very bulky and concealing robes.
<Steph> Stephanie rummages around for a hat, and does her best to tuck her tail into her pants. "Yeah, but I don't want some mage tossing a fireball at us for fun," she mutters.
<El-Cideon> ~