En route to the end

[Ebiris]

[18:14] <@Kotono> Stepping through the portal is an odd sensation. Planting, growing, sprouting, shedding. It's something difficult to describe and only takes up a split second. You stand underground once more, Mr. Smiles lugging along a big old sled. The bugbear-ed dwarf looks around before nodding, "Hopefully the spiritmen will be quiet for this."
[18:16] <@John> "Well, if not I bet we can take them," John says, considering all the other stuff they've handled lately.#
[18:17] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "They should be quiet since that Chameleon fellow did what he needed to do."
[18:17] <@Kotono> *Smiley
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:18] -castleheck.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Serith into the channel.
[18:18] * Joins: Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com)
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:18] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 72 > [d100=72]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:18] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d100=32]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:18] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 49 > [d100=49]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:18] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 24 > [d100=24]
[18:20] <@Kotono> Days of travel pass. The party heads to and past the shrikes. It's the afternoon as the party goes on. Myann and Feather walk side by side, while John takes point. Gildas is currently resting a moment on the sled, along with Forgar. Casual conversation lightens the trip, "You know, if we see Ribby again," Myann says, "We should ask hima bout that man made of silver and the Lost Half." The terrain
[18:20] <@Kotono> is unremarkable here, as much as alien terrain can be. But farther ahead, one can spy something - a lake, a lake of what looks to be boiling magma.
[18:22] <@John> "Could just ask El about the silver guy," John says, not that he wants to. "Looks like the lava's up ahead."
[18:22] <Gildas> "I'm glad Ribby wasn't one of those Fellowship members." Gildas responds with a small yawn that he covers with his hand. "Oh, perhaps we've arrived, then."
[18:23] <@Kotono> Forgar rustles around, taking out the map, "We still have some ways to go," he remarks, "It just looks like a lake. There's actually something close to fish in those. On fire."
[18:24] <@Kotono> As the party looks to the lake...OOC: Perception checks, all.
[18:24] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+17 Myann
[18:25] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=15]
[18:25] <Feather> roll 1d20+15
[18:25] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18
[18:25] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=6]
[18:25] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=6]
[18:25] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[18:25] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=1]
[18:28] <@Kotono> Myann suddenly stiffens as she looks at the lake, "DOWN!" she calls, diving flat and covering her head with her arms.
[18:28] * @John ducks!
[18:29] * Feather doesn't even need to think before following suit, throwing an arm over Myann's head!
[18:29] <Gildas> Gildas follows suit!
[18:33] <@Kotono> Forgar grunts and dives down, Smiley doing the same. A moment later, a ripping burst of air comes up at head level. It's like a scythe of pure wind and heat, something to cut all of you in twain. But your reaction was fast enough to avoid it. As you recoil from that, a voice booms in all your minds. 'I am here to end you. You have proven to be a threat capable of slaying my mother.' The lake of
[18:33] <@Kotono> lava, 200ft ahead, begins to violently churn and swirl. 'We know not how you did it without doing it, but no chances can be taken.'
[18:33] * Quits: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net) (Ping timeout)
[18:33] * Joins: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net)
[18:34] <@John> "That was in a dream!" John protests, getting back upright.
[18:35] <@Kotono> Myann rises as well, slowly and carefully. "It wasn't our doing, but the doing of a Sidhe of dreams. If your mother is who we think it is, we don't even know where to find her, nor do we bear her any ill will."
[18:36] <Feather> "Are you stronger than your mother?" Feather feels obliged to ask.
[18:37] <Gildas> "Is this the other half, I wonder...?" Gildas asks aloud.
[18:38] <@Kotono> Forgar merely takes a defensive position, Smiley rising and guarding him.
[18:42] * Joins: Ko-TempleoftheLostMushroom (WinNT@ip68-96-9-49.hr.hr.cox.net)
[18:42] <Ko-TempleoftheLostMushroom> 'The fey, always making more problems,' From the pool of lava, a creature rises. A dragon of fire, lava and black stone. A familiar sight to you, for you saw this dragon in the shrikes. It rumbles in a world-shaking bass, "I know you now. Humans capable of ending the haunting of the shrikes would be fearsome indeed."
[18:42] * Quits: @Kotono (WinNT@ip68-96-9-49.hr.hr.cox.net) (Killed (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ko-TempleoftheLostMushroom)))
[18:42] * Ko-TempleoftheLostMushroom is now known as Kotono
[18:42] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Kotono Kotono
[18:43] <Gildas> "If we're stronger than your mother, don't you think we can beat you?" Gildas asks the obvious follow-up to Feather's insinuation from earlier.
[18:43] <Feather> "Not that we wanna do either," Feather follows up on that. "Just pointing out it's pointless. Let's talk it out instead!"
[18:44] <@John> "Do we actually have to?" John asks, since if it just sits in lava and chucks stuff at them, stronger or no, they're pretty fucked.
[18:44] <@Kotono> "Yes. Would you court our offense over a mere dream?" Myann adds, "We have no quarrel with you."
[18:47] <@Kotono> The dragon rises from the lava lake. It flies up and over to the party, a mere 20ft away. It casts night's shadow over all of you, save for the orange glow of the magma that burns in its body. It sniffs the air but once, "All of you are drenched in power."
[18:49] <@John> "Yeah well, we're on a quest where we'll need it," John says.
[18:49] <Feather> "I, uh, guess we are," Feather muses. "On the subject of avoiding trouble, is there some trick to not getting those spiritmen to attack and to just stay away?"
[18:53] <@Kotono> The dragon is silent as it stares down at them. Rings of runes circle around its head, forming arcane phrases that burst out into silvery energy. This energy dances across the dragon's eyes. "Also some of the Stratum's power, and the power of fairy royalty." The dragon looks down, booming, "What ARE all of you?"
[18:55] <Gildas> "Would you believe us if we said we went to a place created by the mantle of dreams and happened upon the power there?" Gildas asks, looking up at the dragon.
[18:56] <Feather> "Name's Feather," he decides to introduce himself.
[18:56] <@John> "We're adventurers!"
[18:59] <@Kotono> "Exactly," Myann says, "We're not the remotest bit interested in your mother. We defended ourselves against a shard of dreams - which I doubt was a full representation of your mother's power, anyway."
[19:02] <@Kotono> The dragon stays still for a time, "...Ectanbaros," it finally says, "What are you doing down here now?"
[19:02] <@John> "We're gonna fix the fey mantles so they stop being crazy and creepy," John replies, glad they're getting off on the right foot now.
[19:03] * Quits: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net) (Ping timeout)
[19:03] * Joins: Feather_ (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net)
[19:05] <Gildas> "Gildas." He smiles a little bit since the dragon is actually being friendly! "Essentially, what he said."
[19:07] <@Kotono> "The mantle system needs to fit a world without insane Sidhe," Myann agrees. "The Fellowship opposed our plan. There's no more Fellowship. Their flying fortress is a lovely castle now, up in the next layer. We're trying to fix at least a small part of our world. Your mother's not related to that at all.""
[19:07] <Feather_> "Do you want to maybe help? With this, or to deal with some crazy people two layers up?"
[19:07] <Gildas> Well, unless Slayer was one of her children, which would be awkward, Gildas thinks to himself...
[19:12] <@Kotono> You get a long dragon stare again, followed by more silence. "You'd also pick a fight with the Stratum?"
[19:12] <@John> "I wouldn't!" John blurts out. "Remember if we mess up they can destroy the world!"
[19:13] <Gildas> "They might take notice once we change the mantle system." Gildas says with a frown.
[19:14] <@John> "Or they might not. You need to be a bit more persuasive than that, man."
[19:15] <Feather_> "I'm with John, here," Feather voices. "'Cept that if they do have really crazy leaders, we gotta be ready. Those Fellowship folk couldn't have been the only ones against us. And if it comes to that, it'll help to have someone like you on our side?"
[19:15] <Gildas> "Well, my point is that if they take notice, we'll deal with them." Gildas responds. "We're not just going to let them shoot whatever that thing was called at us."
[19:22] <@Kotono> There is more silence. "Is it called the Lalestos?" The dragon asks, calming.
[19:23] <Gildas> Gildas blinks. "Yes, actually."
[19:24] <Feather_> "I know it's just a dream, but there was this guy who sounded all crazy. Felt like he'd use it just because he can."
[19:24] <@Kotono> "Who?" The dragon asks right away.
[19:26] <@John> "I don't remember a name," John admits. "Only person that seemed to know just called him the bastard."
[19:27] <Gildas> "He was made of silver." Gildas responds. "I don't... think we got his name, no. He was too intent on trying to kill us."
[19:28] <Feather_> "Angry silver bastard sounds right to me."
[19:30] <@Kotono> Silence. Your answer is silence. "His name is Xanam." When the dragon breaks it at last, it is with that. The Lalestos is the weapon of last resort against the aberrations, able to destroy entire regions. It was supposed to have been destroyed by common agreement once the war was won. But you say it was activated?"
[19:31] <Gildas> "Ah... well, it was in a dream..." Gildas says. "So it's only a possibility... We can't tell you for certain."
[19:32] <@John> "Yeah, s'weird since all the stuff there was meant to come from our own minds, but that - and the stuff with your mother, sure as hell didn't."
[19:32] * Joins: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net)
[19:32] <Feather> "There was this woman that opposed him, and we're trying to see if she's real," Feather informs the dragon. "If she is, we can just ask her!"
[19:33] * Quits: Feather_ (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net) (Ping timeout)
[19:35] <@Kotono> "What is her name?" The dragon asks.
[19:36] <Feather> "Uh, she had an accent? And was from Sal Farano?"
[19:36] <@John> "Don't know that either," John admits. "It was a dream and it just kinda threw us into the thick of these battles, to challenge us and awaken our strength for dealing with the mantle thing. What ifs, they were, if we'd taken different roads. But we just skipped right to the climactic battles."
[19:40] <@Kotono> "I see. This information is...worth allowing you to go. I may be in contact again," The dragon rises and takes to the air, calling down, "I am capable of finding you."
[19:41] <@John> "Alright, bye," John waves the dragon farewell. That was nice.
[19:41] <Gildas> "If you decide to visit the farm, could we impose on you to do so, ah... smaller?" Gildas asks with a hopeful smile.
[19:43] <@Kotono> Myann exhales as the dragon flies off, a hand to her chest. "I'm glad at least some people are willing to talk. Or dragons."
[19:43] <Gildas> "I think this makes us 1 for 4 in terms of successfully working with dragons. That isn't that bad..."
[19:46] <@Kotono> "Better than 0 for 4," Myann echos. "Shall we get moving?" OOC: Ready to continue on, y'all?
[19:47] <@John> OOC: yeah
[19:49] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:49] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 64 > [d100=64]
[19:49] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:49] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 58 > [d100=58]
[19:49] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:49] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 4 > [d100=4]
[19:49] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:49] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 1 > [d100=1]
[19:49] <@Kotono> roll 1d100 1 is a subtables result
[19:49] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 35 > [d100=35]
[19:50] <@Kotono> Another day and a half of travel passes. It's morning, just after a hot breakfast (who knew mushrooms could taste like bacon, anyway?) when the party chances on a crumbling house. It's rather large and made of stone, walls sagging and chipped. It looks really rather ancient, a spread of gem fruit trees growing around it.
[19:51] <Gildas> Gildas glances over at Forgar. "Got any ideas on this one?"
[19:53] <@Kotono> Forgar goes over and takes a look, "It looks like dwarf stonework," he announces, "But the fire dwarves down here, rather than my group."
[19:57] <Gildas> "Do you want to investigate?" He asks the others. "We found some interesting things when we went around the shrikes."
[19:58] <@John> "May as well," John asys, heading over.
[19:59] <Gildas> Gildas nods and goes over as well!
[20:01] <@Kotono> Thus the party heads on over. It's a single story house as they begin to look around the empty, dusty reaches. OOC: Perception, all.
[20:01] <Feather> roll 1d20+15
[20:01] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=16]
[20:01] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[20:01] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=15]
[20:01] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[20:01] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=5]
[20:03] * Joins: Feather_ (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net)
[20:04] * Quits: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net) (Ping timeout)
[20:04] * Feather_ is now known as Feather
[20:06] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18
[20:06] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=1]
[20:11] <@Kotono> Searching around, there's not much upstairs. However, Feather and Myann find a false wall in a closet. It can be pushed back to reveal something, looks lik.e
[20:13] <@Kotono> Myann pushes aside a dress that's more rags than anything else by now, pointing, "If we give that a good push," she says, "It's prettly clearly a false wall."
[20:14] <Feather> "Just what I was thinking," Feather muses, putting his shoulder to it.
[20:15] <@Kotono> The wall gives way. Behind it is a room with several hanging furs and animal skins. They're long since rotted, little more than ragged decoration now. Against the back wall is a chest.
[20:18] * @John goes to open the chest.
[20:20] <@Kotono> The chest has several rotted furs within it. But below them you find what looks to be a cache of gold coins as well as a few scattered gemstones. Interestingly, all the gold coins are in pristine condition and decorated with a mushroom motif. Myann picks one up, holds it up to inspect and then sighs. "I still don't understand why it insists on coins like this."
[20:20] <@Kotono> OOC: Also loot post, dur.
[20:21] <@John> "Well, royalty always has their faces on coins?"
[20:22] <@Kotono> Shrugging at that, "Then how come we haven't seen any coins with Prince Broadpyne's faces or something like that?"
[20:23] <Gildas> Gildas chuckles. "Maybe he has trees with his face on them."
[20:23] <@John> "He probably keeps 'em all for himself."

[Ebiris]

[18:02] <@Kotono> OOC: I presume y'all are taking the coins+gemS?
[18:02] <@John> OOC: sure
[18:03] <Gildas> OOC: Yar. I'll throw them into my Fairy Bag.
[18:04] <@Kotono> OOC: Makea  quick post on that.
[18:04] <Gildas> OOC: Roger
[18:06] <@Kotono> With more treasure than before, the party continues on. The terrain is unremarkable still - no signs of civilization this way, just ground and the occasional gem fruit tree. As you make camp for the night, Myann and Forgar study the map. "We should reach it tomorrow," Myann announces, "But we'll have to get over a river of lava to do it. If need be, we can all fly and leave Smiley behind for
[18:06] <@Kotono> now. Anyone have any ideas on how to get him and the wagon across a river of lava?"
[18:08] <Gildas> Gildas rubs his chin. "How far do you suppose it is from one side to the other?"
[18:09] <@John> "See if we can find any big rock pillars we could make into a bridge?" John suggests, figuring it's like knocking over a tree to cross a river up above.
[18:10] <@Kotono> "It doesn't say. 10 to 30 feet, I'd guess, if it's like rivers above," Myann rubs her own chin.
[18:11] <Gildas> "We could try teleportation magic." Gildas suggests. "Wouldn't that be the easiest way?"
[18:12] <@John> "Does anyone have a spell for that?"
[18:13] <@Kotono> Myann shakes her head. "I don't."
[18:14] <@John> "S'not very easy then if nobody can cast it."
[18:14] <Feather_> "If flying magic won't work, why would teleportating?"
[18:15] <Gildas> "I can transport myself through plants or trees, but... hmm..." He looks at the ground and taps his foot. "I think I could bring someone with me... hmm..."
[18:16] <Gildas> He eventually shakes his head. "No, I think it'd be too complicated to try and take Smiley through. I guess we'll have to find another way."
[18:17] <@Kotono> "Can we make a bridge?" Myann asks, "Anything like that?"
[18:18] <@John> "Yeah, if there's a big enough pillar of rock," John reiterates what he said. "Or if someone can make it cold enough to freeze the stuff into rock for a few minutes that'd do it."
[18:21] <@Kotono> "Hmmm," Myann murmurs, thinking on that. "Gildas, could you manage that?"
[18:22] <Gildas> Gildas rubs his chin again. "I think... I could use a spell to shape the stone into a bridge easily enough."
[18:23] <Gildas> Then he nods to Myann. "I could try that, too."
[18:23] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, we have some ideas and plans. Ready to move along?
[18:24] <Gildas> OOC: Sho nuff.
[18:27] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:28] -eraniss.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Serith into the channel.
[18:28] * Joins: Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com)
[18:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:28] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d100=22]
[18:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:28] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 99 > [d100=99]
[18:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100 subtables
[18:28] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 80 > [d100=80]
[18:28] <@Kotono> Not long past dawn, the party finds a large, sprawling grove of gem fruit trees ahead. It goes on a goodly ways. OOC: Marching order?
[18:29] <Gildas> "I wish we could get these to grow up above. Maybe I can try and control the temperature and try again during the summer..." Gildas says as they pass the trees. OOC: John, Gildas, Feather, Myann?
[18:30] <@John> OOC: John on point, smily/dwarf in middle. Feather/Myann on flanks and Gil at the rear?
[18:30] <@John> OOC: strike, sorry
[18:30] <@John> "I dunno, they're kinda too mushy if you ask me," John says.
[18:32] <@Kotono> Thus the party goes on. "I like them myself," Myanna dds in, "They're a nice change of pace and so pretty." As John goes along under the trees? OOC: Perception, John.
[18:32] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[18:32] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=8]
[18:32] <Gildas> "You think so? I just like how they combine certain flavors that we're used to." Gildas says. "Maybe I can get some advice when we go back."
[18:32] <@Kotono> John hears a scraping noise above, taking a moment to look-OH SHIT GIANT BLACK BEAR FALLING RIGHT AT HIM! DODGE!
[18:32] <Feather_> "Taste weird if you ask me. But weird's not bad."
[18:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+12 AC John?
[18:33] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=13]
[18:33] <@John> "Bear!" John yells in alarm as he dives aside!
[18:33] <@John> OOC: 32
[18:34] <@Kotono> But John is too fast, diving aside. The bear lands in a crouch, seemingly undamaged by the fall. It quickly looks around before...OOC: Init.
[18:34] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Myann
[18:34] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=12]
[18:34] <Feather_> "Bullshit!"
[18:35] <Feather_> roll 1d20+12
[18:35] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=20]
[18:35] <Gildas> roll 1d20+4
[18:35] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=11]
[18:35] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Forgar
[18:35] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=19]
[18:35] <@Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Smiley
[18:35] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=17]
[18:35] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[18:35] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=11]
[18:35] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 tree bear
[18:35] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=17]
[18:36] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(32)>Tree Bear(25)>Forgar(23)>John(20)>Smiley(16)>Myann=Gildas(15)'
[18:36] <@Kotono> OOC: Open Feather. You're 10ft back from it.
[18:37] <Feather_> Feather doesn't even wait to see what's going on. Maybe the bear has a really good reason for laying an ambush from a tree, but it attacked like most things in this place and so it's getting sliced into ribbons with all haste!
[18:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+19
[18:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=1]
[18:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+14
[18:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=2]
[18:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+9
[18:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=3]
[18:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+18+4
[18:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=19]
[18:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+13+4
[18:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=5]
[18:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+8+4
[18:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=7]
[18:37] <Feather_> OOC: First three should've had +4 to them, too
[18:38] <Feather_> roll 1d20+18+4+4 crit?
[18:38] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=2]
[18:38] <Gildas> Gildas shakes his head with a frown. "I could try and calm it, but I don't think these are the types that really take that well..."
[18:39] <@Kotono> OOC: AC is 20, you can work it out from there.
[18:39] <Feather_> roll 1d6+9+4+3d6+1d6 last is fire
[18:39] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 33 > [d6=3,3,6,4,4]
[18:40] <Feather_> roll 1d6+6+4+5d6
[18:40] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 27 > [d6=2,1,5,5,3,1]
[18:40] <Feather_> roll 2#1d6+6+4+5d6
[18:40] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 25, 33 >
[18:40] <Feather_> roll 33+27+25+33
[18:40] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 118 >
[18:41] <@Kotono> Deftly, the tree bear is met with blades. It is sliced and diced apart, fallling in hunks of meat and sprays of blood. John and Feather are both bloodied by its sudden and violent end. OOC: Free act. Ow.
[18:41] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+12 AoO
[18:41] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=3]
[18:41] <Feather_> OOC: Alas poor violent bear
[18:41] <Gildas> "Oof." Gildas says. "I wonder if I could intimidate them by traveling as a similar bear or if that would just rile them up."
[18:42] <Feather_> Feather dances around the copious spurts of blood as best as he can, coming to a halt a short distance away with his blades sheathed once more.
[18:43] <@Kotono> "Well then," Myann shakes her head slowly, "That was quick."
[18:43] <@John> "Can if you want," John obliges, futilely wiping blood off his trousers and just getting it on his hands before he switches places with Gildas.
[18:44] <Gildas> He decides he might as well and shapeshifts to his Dire Bear form but as close in resemblance to the the former tree bear as possible to continue on!
[18:44] <@Kotono> OOC: Make an intimidate check, Gildas?
[18:45] <Gildas> roll 1d20+17
[18:45] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=4]
[18:47] <@Kotono> The rest of the walk through the grove is unmolested. Soon you come out the other side, Myann having collected several fruit as you go. She rides in the wagon right now, going over it as she also snatches mushrooms out from the air. "We'll have a good lunch," she calls. From there, you travel until just past lunch (and it was good). Ahead of you is a roaring river of lava. It is perhaps 50ft
[18:47] <@Kotono> long, glowing like an intense ribbon of liquid flame.
[18:49] <@John> Any gigantic 60 feet+ stalagmites very close to the river?
[18:49] <Gildas> "I certainly am glad I never had to stick my arm in there..." Gildas says with a smile. "I can try to cast the blizzard spell again to see if that would cool the lava off enough for us to pass, but we'd have to also contend with the snow as we went. Alternatively, if you can give me until tomorrow, I think I can just build a bridge with some stones."
[18:49] <@Kotono> There's a few here and there, but not many that are particularly tall.
[18:50] <@John> "Reckon you'd need better than a blizzard, yeah," John nods.
[18:50] <Feather_> "Can wait a bit, yeah."
[18:50] <@Kotono> Myann approaches within about 20ft of the river, before coughing and turning back. "The river smells as foul as brimstone," she reports, "Hot as an inferno, too."
[18:51] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "Well, we can also try and find a slightly more narrow side of it while we wait."
[18:55] <@Kotono> OOC: So what's the plan? Search for a narrower point, and if that fails, rest?
[18:55] <Feather_> OOC: y
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: How far and in which direction, up or downstream?
[18:57] <Feather_> OOC: An hour each direction
[18:58] <@Kotono> Checking up and downstream, you don't see the river narrow much in an appreciable way.
[19:00] <Feather_> OOC: Let's wait till morning
[19:01] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:01] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 45 > [d100=45]
[19:02] <@Kotono> Night passes unremarkably. Come morning, you can see something has changed. The river's banks are lined with fiery red and orange mushrooms. Several are actually on fire, yet do not burn. Floating pads of fungi drift down the river's center as well. Myann takes one look at it and shakes her head, "I didn't do it. At least not on purpose."
[19:03] <Feather_> "Can you eat them?"
[19:03] <Gildas> Gildas laughs a small bit. "I remember those."
[19:05] <@Kotono> "I could, of course," Myann says, "They'd set any of you on fire unless I make sure they don't." Here she lightly shrugs, "Why, do you want some for breakfast?"
[19:06] <@John> "No thanks," John says quickly.
[19:07] <Gildas> "All right, so..." Gildas looks around. "I think I should be able to make a bridge out of all the stone that's around here. Give me just a moment."
[19:08] <Gildas> OOC: My intention is to use stone shape to create a bridge that goes across the laval that will support Smiley and the wagon.
[19:09] <@Kotono> To Gildas's magic, the stone near the bridge rises up on both sides. It arches together and meets in the middle, a bridge formed well over the lava. It looks sturdy, though it lacks guard rails or anything like that.
[19:09] <@Kotono> "Good magic," Forgar says, "Come on, Smiley, up and over the bridge."
[19:10] <Gildas> Gildas wasn't expecting a compliment, but smiles and nods nonetheless. "Thank you."
[19:11] * @John waits till Smiley is all the way over. If it can handle the golem it can handle the rest of them.
[19:15] <@Kotono> Smiley and wagon cross without incident. Myann follows via air, taking bird form to fly over and resuming elf form on the other side.
[19:15] <@John> "Good job, Gildas," John compliments after that, heading over himself.
[19:16] <Gildas> Gildas decides to walk over his own bridge!
[19:19] <@Kotono> Once done, the party proceeds on. Within an hour, you see it ahead. A great ocean of lava, spreading ahead on the horizon as far as you can see. It's getting hotter as you approach, the foul scent of brimstone clogging the air. Myann checks the map, "We need to follow the coast a bit and we'll find a small cliff and cave. That's our goal."
[19:19] <@John> "Lets follow the coast from a distance, then," John suggests.
[19:22] <@Kotono> The party does just that. Within an hour, you casee a low cliff rising in the distance. It's just against the edge of the lava, Myann pointing at that. "That's it. We need to find the cave entrance and then be prepared to deal with whatever guardians are inside."
[19:23] <Gildas> "Do you think the other two will be waiting for us?" Gildas asks.
[19:24] <@John> "What, the fellowship? Nah, they ran off, remember?"
[19:32] <@Kotono> OOC: So what's your plan for finding this cave? Anything special or just go on up and look?
[19:34] <@John> OOC: go and look
[19:34] <Gildas> OOC: Yep
[19:35] <@Kotono> OOC: PErception all.
[19:35] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[19:35] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=14]
[19:37] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18
[19:37] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=5]
[19:37] <Feather_> roll 1d20+15
[19:37] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=15]
[19:38] <@Kotono> OOC: John?
[19:39] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[19:39] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=2]
[19:41] <@Kotono> The party searches around before Myann and Gildas resort to bird form to look out over the lava-side of it. Here they find it - 20ft up and facing over the lava sea itself, a narrow cave entrance. Flight or climbing is essential to reaching it.
[19:42] <Gildas> Gildas will try to land inside the entrance to see if anything happens upon doing so, like some kind of trap!
[19:43] <@Kotono> Gildas lands. It's solid stone and unremarkable. No great fireball or response comes from doing so.
[19:45] <Gildas> Gildas shapeshifts back and calls out to the others. "It's up here! You'll have to either climb or fly."
[19:45] <Feather_> "I love climbing! But less so when it means a fall into lava."
[19:45] <@Kotono> Myann follows and takes form, "Alright, who needs flying mushrooms?"
[19:46] <@John> "Guess Smiley'll have to stand guard?" John wonders, having no trouble climbing himself.
[19:47] <Feather_> "I'll fly up on my own," Feather tells Myann with a grin, soaring up and landing next to Gildas.
[19:48] <@John> roll 1d20+21 climban
[19:48] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=12]
[19:49] <@Kotono> Forgar and Myann exchange words, the dwarf at least getting a mushroom. Myann takes the other and keeps elf form as she flies up. Soon the party sans Smilely is up there. The narrow passage widens out ahead to about 15ft wide with a 10ft tall ceiling. It looks like a natural cave ahead and is pitch dark. Myann's light lets you see only 40ft ahead.
[19:49] <Gildas> Gildas will keep an eye out for anything beyond what Myann's light can see!
[19:50] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, marching order?
[19:50] <@John> OOC: Gil, Feather, Myann, John?
[19:50] <@John> OOC: Forgar somewhere too if he comes down
[19:54] <@Kotono> OOC: He'll slip in between Myann and John.
[19:56] <@Kotono> With Gil on point, the party walks ahead. At a mere 20ft in, the air 10ft ahead ripples. They appear - three man-sized figures of stone, blocking the way ahead. He holds a stone spear in hand. They are carved to resemble armored soldiers, tips of their spear bursting into bitter cold as...OOC: Init. The natives have stirred.
[19:56] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Myann
[19:56] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=8]
[19:56] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Forgar
[19:56] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=16]
[19:56] <@John> roll 1d20+9
[19:56] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=17]
[19:56] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 statue trio
[19:56] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=8]
[19:57] * Kotono changes topic to 'John(26)>Forgar(20)>Myann=Statue Trio(11)'
[19:57] <Gildas> roll 1d20+4
[19:57] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=11]
[19:57] * Joins: Nerem (NeremWorld@71-217-109-251.tukw.qwest.net)
[19:57] <Feather_> roll 1d20+12
[19:57] <Serith> Feather_ roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=17]
[19:58] * Quits: NeremWorld (~Nerem@71-217-118-46.tukw.qwest.net) (Ping timeout)
[20:00] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(29)>John(26)>Forgar(20)>Gildas(15)>Myann=Statue Trio(11)'
[20:00] <@Kotono> OOC: Feather opens. Gil's 10ft from them, Feather 15ft, Myann 20ft, Forgar 20ft at the entrance and ditto with John. Note that they have sharp, pointy spears with reach. Go Feather.

[Ebiris]

[18:00] <@Kotono> > OOC: Feather opens. Gil's 10ft from them, Feather 15ft, Myann 20ft, Forgar 20ft at the entrance and ditto with John. Note that they have sharp, pointy spears with reach. Go Feather.
[18:04] * Joins: Feather (~DarkFlame@bzq-79-178-203-167.red.bezeqint.net)
[18:04] <@Kotono> > OOC: Feather opens. Gil's 10ft from them, Feather 15ft, Myann 20ft, Forgar 20ft at the entrance and ditto with John. Note that they have sharp, pointy spears with reach. Go Feather.
[18:09] <Feather> Silves swords drawn, Feather suddenly dashes towards the rightmost figure! A single stab, while he dances away from the spear that comes too slowly for him, and then he gets way back to stand before Myann once more.
[18:09] <Feather> roll 1d20+18
[18:09] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=11]
[18:10] <Feather> roll 1d6+6-1+3d6
[18:10] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[18:10] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 13 > [d6=1,4,1,2]
[18:10] <@Kotono> Feather darts in and out, dodging spears as he hacks at the rightmost guard. He cuts into the stone shallowly, the material resisting his blade almost entirely. It's barely a scratch on it. OOC: John.
[18:11] <@John> Turning invisible, John moves up behind the left figure before cracking it round the head with his staff!
[18:11] <@John> roll 1d20+23 invis
[18:11] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=8]
[18:11] <@John> roll 1d6+14+3d6 assuming non-crittable
[18:11] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 24 > [d6=2,1,5,2]
[18:11] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit and yes, non-critable.
[18:13] <@Kotono> John swirls back and around, dodging a spear-flail as he gets behind them. His staff hits the creature on the back of the head, cracking the stone. It doesn't do a ton of damage - it resists the blow notably. OOC: Forgar's up, he'll hold a sec. Gildas.
[18:17] <@Kotono> Forgar stays back and chants out a quick spell. The bodies of the party begin to grow stony and toughen! OOC: +2 enhancement bonus to natural armor for all. Go Gildas.
[18:17] <Gildas> Gildas Shapeshifts into his Dire Bear form and moves in to try and strike the same statue that Feather went for! OOC: I have a feeling I'll need to eat AoOs to do so, which is fine. AC is 38
[18:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+23
[18:19] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=2]
[18:21] <@Kotono> OOC: How tall is your bear form? Ceiling's only 10ft tall, so it may be a problem.
[18:21] <Gildas> OOC: Uh... I'm not sure! It's Large.
[18:22] <@Kotono> roll 1d2
[18:22] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 2 > [d2=2]
[18:22] <@Kotono> OOC: I'll say it's too short for dire bear form for this session, and look ups ize details after session so we can have a consistent ruling for later.
[18:24] <Gildas> OOC: OK.
[18:24] <Gildas> OOC: In that case I'll just go Predator and do the same thing I just tried.
[18:26] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, what's your total attack roll with it then, with the roll of 2?
[18:27] <Gildas> OOC: It would be 23
[18:27] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14 stab
[18:27] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14 stab
[18:27] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=11]
[18:27] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=3]
[18:28] <Gildas> OOC: My AC would be 34 in that form, well, actually 38 to AoOs, so
[18:29] <@Kotono> Gildas leaps in, dodging spears as he bites down on the right most guardian. But he can't get it, stone too tough to chomp into. Then Myann snaps her fingers, fire mushrooms falling on herself and Feather. OOC: Fire mushroomed. Statues are up.
[18:31] <@Kotono> The statues strike - two on Gildas, with the third spinning its spear around. Winds gather, before a small, horizontal tornado gushes out at Feather!
[18:31] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14 stab vs Gildas
[18:31] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14 stab vs Gildas
[18:31] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=17]
[18:31] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=16]
[18:31] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+13 touch AC, Feather
[18:31] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=17]
[18:32] <Feather> OOC: 25 touch
[18:32] <@Kotono> OOC: Str check.
[18:33] <Feather> roll 1d20+4
[18:33] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=3]
[18:34] <@Kotono> The good news is that Feather's bracers stop a fall from hurting. The bad news? The whirlwind slams into him like a thrown spear, picking him up and tossing him out of the cave. He plummets down and splashes into the lava! His mushroom fades and he blinks in and out, momentarily protected from frying like an egg. OOC: Myann is -very- happy she 'shroomed you. Ia lso assume you'll expend the
[18:34] <@Kotono> mushroom here, since it's fucking lava. Say so if not. Feather, you're up.
[18:36] <@Kotono> "FEATHER!" Myann screams and whirls around.
[18:36] <Feather> Crying out "Fuck! Lava!" Feather instinctively uses his flight spell to hop out of the lava and back into the cave. He lands warily just ahead of Myann and focuses on making himself harder to hit.
[18:37] <Feather> OOC: Force Screen
[18:37] <@Kotono> roll 1d3
[18:37] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 3 > [d3=3]
[18:37] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(29 3 rounds)>John(26)>Forgar(20)>Gildas(15)>Myann=Statue Trio(11)'
[18:38] <@Kotono> Lava clings to Feather, sizzling on him still. If he doesn't stop it, he'll start burning to death soon! OOC: Okay, there's till lava doing its best to burn you. It'll start next round since you fell in just before your turn. John.
[18:40] <Feather> "I'm on fire! In a bad way!"
[18:41] <@John> "I got it!" John says, turning invisible focus without interruption as he attempts to send the lava clinging onto Feather on a journey through time! "Better move and nobody stand in that spot for a minute, though," he warns afterwards.
[18:41] <@John> OOC: Time Hop to send lava 8 rounds forward in time
[18:41] <@Kotono> OOC: Link me real quick?
[18:41] <@John> OOC: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/timeHop.htm
[18:43] <@Kotono> The lava on Feather blinks and vanishes, gone in a burst of silvery light. OOC: Forgar'll hold to save spells, since this looks well in hand for the moment. Gildas.
[18:44] <Gildas> The smaller bear raises up to try and pummel the nearby statues, just like old times!
[18:44] <Gildas> roll 1d20+20
[18:44] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=14]
[18:44] <Gildas> roll 1d20+15
[18:44] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=9]
[18:44] <Gildas> roll 1d20+15
[18:44] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=4]
[18:45] <@Kotono> OOC: One hit. Not your rolling session.
[18:45] <Gildas> OOC: Apparently.
[18:45] <Gildas> roll 2d8+14+1d6+1d6 cold then fire, not sure if they're immune to those
[18:45] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 30 > [d8=4,4][d6=2,6]
[18:46] <@Kotono> Gildas manages a blow, hitting the slash Feather left. It's enough to make a few cracks across it, not serious damage, but a start. Myann meanwhile chants again, this time Feather and Gildas getting a fire mushroom. OOC: Okay. Statues are up.
[18:46] <@Kotono> The statue before Gildas spins its spear, before a horizontal tornado tries to catch him dead on.
[18:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+13 touch AC?
[18:46] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=4]
[18:47] <Gildas> OOC: 19!
[18:49] <@Kotono> But Gildas is just a hair too fast. It slams downwards after, spreading some cave dust but nothing else. The center warrior meanwhile goes for Gildas in a more stabby way.
[18:49] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14
[18:49] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=6]
[18:50] <@Kotono> But as Gildas parries that with a flick of his paw, the leftmost one stabs his spear into the ground. Icicles rise up on the ground in a line, racing towards Myann.
[18:50] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+13 touch AC
[18:50] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=20]
[18:50] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+13 touch AC ow
[18:50] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=7]
[18:50] <@Kotono> The icicles hit her dead on. Her fire mushroom fades, saving her from impalement from the groin to her head. The icicles quickly melt away, leaving behind puddles of water. OOC: Feather.
[18:51] <Feather> It's time to start breaking the statues up, so after a grateful nod to John, Feather glances at Myann and advances grimly upon their enemies!
[18:52] <Feather> roll 1d20+16
[18:52] <Feather> roll 1d20+11
[18:52] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=4]
[18:52] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=17]
[18:52] <Feather> roll 1d20+6
[18:52] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=18]
[18:52] <Feather> roll 1d20+16+3 previous should've been at +3 as well
[18:52] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=14]
[18:52] <Feather> roll 1d20+11+3
[18:52] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=19]
[18:52] <Feather> roll 1d20+6+3
[18:52] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=2]
[18:52] <@Kotono> OOC: Three hits.
[18:53] <@Kotono> OOC: Which ones are you going for? Also four hits since I missed the +3 note.
[18:53] <Feather> roll 1d20+11+3+4 crit?
[18:53] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=6]
[18:53] <Feather> roll 1d20+6+3+4 crit?
[18:53] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=20]
[18:53] <Feather> roll 1d20+11+3+4 crit?
[18:53] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 38 > [d20=20]
[18:53] <Feather> OOC: I'm moving from left and going on to the right when something breaks. Using the silver swords with the cheat that lets me do my precision damage.
[18:54] <Feather> OOC: 1 hit 3 crits?
[18:54] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay. 24 isn't a crit, other two obviously are.
[18:54] <Feather> roll 1d6+6+3+5d6 first hit
[18:54] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 30 > [d6=1,5,5,6,2,2]
[18:55] <Feather> roll 2#1d6+6+3+5d6 first crit
[18:55] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 31, 33 >
[18:55] <Feather> roll 1d6+4+3+5d6 second hit
[18:55] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 26 > [d6=3,2,5,1,4,4]
[18:55] <Feather> roll 2#1d6+4+3+5d6 second crit
[18:55] <Serith> Feather roll for Serith < 32, 27 >
[18:56] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(29 3 rounds)>John(26)>Forgar(20)>Gildas(15)>Myann=Statue(11)'
[18:56] <Feather> OOC: I get AoOd by whoever's in range, and there should've been -1 to damage for each hit since silver
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay. Doesn't change anything.
[18:56] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14
[18:56] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+14
[18:56] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=15]
[18:56] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=11]
[18:56] <@Kotono> OOC: AC?
[18:56] <Feather> OOC: 46 vs AoOs now!
[18:57] <@Kotono> Feather sweeps left to right, swords flashing with light as he cuts through statues. Two go down, cut into ribbons with repeated, focused slashes. Only one remains. OOC: Okay. John.
[18:57] <@John> Reappearing with a five foot step to the last statue, John lays into it!
[18:57] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[18:57] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=15]
[18:57] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[18:57] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=11]
[18:57] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[18:57] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=4]
[18:57] <@John> roll 1d20+13
[18:57] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=14]
[18:57] <@John> roll 1d20+13
[18:57] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=18]
[18:58] <@Kotono> OOC: Four hits. Boom.
[18:59] <@John> roll 4#1d6+11
[18:59] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 14, 12, 12, 15 >
[19:01] <@Kotono> The blows solidly thwap the knight in the side, pounding it on down. It staggers from the blows but doesn't go down. OOC: Gildas.
[19:02] <Gildas> The smaller bear once again tries to tear into the last remaining statue!
[19:02] <Gildas> roll 1d20+20
[19:02] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=2]
[19:02] <Gildas> roll 1d20+15
[19:02] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=16]
[19:02] <Gildas> roll 1d20+15
[19:02] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=13]
[19:03] <@Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[19:04] <Gildas> roll 2#2d8+14+1d6+1d6 cold then fire
[19:04] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 30, 33 >
[19:05] <@Kotono> Already dented, the statue goes down. As it does, its spear swings out - and hits something just below the roof. A wooden block, several golden coins falling from it. The way ahead is clear and victory is yours! OOC: Free act. Loot post.
[19:07] <@John> "Phew, that was a lucky escape with the lava. Thought you'd be a goner when I saw you go over," John admits to Feather.
[19:07] <Feather> "No kidding," Feather agrees, shaking his head. "Good thing I can fly, eh? And you and Myann here saved me from the worst of it."
[19:08] <Gildas> Gildas shapeshifts back and leans down to inspect the spears. "Do you think these were the source of their abilities?"
[19:09] <@Kotono> Myann approaches, as meanwhile lava splashes down where Feather was. She glances at it before looking at the spears, "Maybe?" She also grabs a coin and shakes her head.
[19:09] <@Kotono> Forgar comes over and inspects them, "Good worksmanship," he says, studying the remnants. "The enchantments in them were likely well made too, considering what they did."
[19:10] <Gildas> "We may as well hold onto them in case we can use their powers for anything inside here." Gildas says as he leans down to pick them up.
[19:11] <@Kotono> OOC: Post what you're taking.
[19:12] <Gildas> OOC: OK
[19:13] <@Kotono> From there, the party walks on. Soon, you come to a stairway winding down. Heat rises up from it, in steady, baking waves.
[19:15] <@John> Unless it actually gets scalding it won't deter John!
[19:17] <@Kotono> John thus steps down. The moment he goes two feet in, the air all around him explodes into flames! OOC: Ref save.
[19:19] <@John> roll 1d20+18 improved evasion
[19:19] <Serith> John roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=13]
[19:20] <@Kotono> John's quick enough to dodge the only way he can - but leaping up and out of the stairs. The flames - white hot and tinged with blue - go on for a few more seconds before ceasing. Tremendous waves of heat batter the party, like sticking your face inches from a roaring fire.
[19:21] <Gildas> Gildas rubs a temple and does a quick analysis for what exactly kind of magical traps are waiting for them down the stairs!
[19:21] <@John> "Ooof... dunno how we'll get down there if that keeps up," John says after escaping.
[19:22] <Gildas> OOC: Sorry, using Detect Magic.
[19:22] <@Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft.
[19:23] <Gildas> roll 1d20+25
[19:23] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=17]
[19:23] <@Kotono> "That looks fearsome," Myann remarks, rubbing her chin as she hmms. Meanwhile, Gildas can tell the entire stairway is rigged to explode in searing flames when anyone walks on it. Fire resistance won't help at all against that and even the immune will burn to those flames.
[19:25] <Gildas> Gildas nods to himself. "It's the stairs themselves. If you step on it, the flames will kill us. Although..." OOC: Based on that analysis, would avoiding the stairs going down work? I.e. by flying and not touching them at all?
[19:26] <@Kotono> OOC: Should.
[19:26] <Gildas> OOC: Okay.
[19:26] <Gildas> "I believe if we fly and don't touch the steps, we should be fine." He states. "Or we could try and dispel the magic on the steps, but... I think avoiding them is easier."
[19:28] <@Kotono> Myann wiggles her magical tail, "Does anyone need a leaf mushroom, then?"
[19:28] <@John> "Can't jump it with it winding round... hey, how far does it actually go?" John asks, "If it's not too far I could wallrun it and save a spell."
[19:29] <Gildas> Gildas kneels down to see if he can spot the end of the stairs from where they are.
[19:32] <@Kotono> Gildas can't see a bottom sixty feet down. It goes below the lava line outside, notably.
[19:33] <Gildas> "Let me look." Gildas says as he shapeshifts to his aerial form in order to fly down to avoid the stairs and look around.. since he can see in the dark anyway.
[19:33] <@Kotono> "I don't mind," Myann says, "I have more spells than I know what to do with now," She idly casts leaf mushroom, "This ring is stupid. It's the sort of thing wizards would go to war over." OOC: Leaf mushroomed.
[19:34] <@John> "Alright, thanks," John says gratefully, wiggling his tail to take off and then fly down the stairs.
[19:35] <@Kotono> Forgar follows, "This is the strangest forgefucked way of flying." he grumbles.
[19:37] <@Kotono> Down the party goes. Down and down and down - at least a good two hundred feet. At the bottom is a simple doorless archway. Ahead is a large space - and dominating it is a massive craft of stone and metal. It looks like an enclosed ship, about 100ft long. It's in the shape of a long, narrow tube with rounded ends. Past it is a shimmering field of force, semi-visible thanks to the lava on the
[19:37] <@Kotono> far side constantly lapping against it. Ahead is the lava sea, endless and shedding orange light throughout the room.
[19:38] <Gildas> Gildas shapeshifts back, well away from the stairs, and casts another Detect Magic about 15 ft. away from the archway, in case there's another surprise.
[19:39] <@John> "Wow... so there's our ship... guess we won't have trouble getting it into the lava, then."
[19:39] <@Kotono> There's plenty of magic all over. OOC: Spellcraft.
[19:39] <Gildas> roll 1d20+25
[19:39] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=5]
[19:39] <@Kotono> Myann whistles, "Found it already. They weren't kidding about it being lightly guarded."
[19:40] <@Kotono> Meanwhile Forgar approaches it at a jog, looking around front and back. "Door's on the other side," he calls over, as meanwhile Gildas studies the magic. It's all about protecting this room and the lava field. The craft's coming up as a blank - likely warded.
[19:41] * @John follows Forgar to get inside and have a look.
[19:42] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "It looks like they just protected it and then hid it from magical detection."
[19:44] <@Kotono> Within is a massive open space. There's a few chairs in the back. The front is taken up by a ship's wheel. As you step inside, the front nose becomes transparent, giving you vision ahead. However, several parts of the floor are torn up. Within you can see complicated magical constructs and arrays, often half taken apart or simply with gaps in them.
[19:44] <@Kotono> Forgar immediately gets to it, starting to inspect and search.
[19:45] <Feather> "Any arms to it?" Feather asks curiously. "Or weapons?"
[19:45] <@Kotono> "I'll let you know when I know," Forgar grunts, studying one mostly intact arrya. "This might be a good while. Have the patience of stone."
[19:45] <Gildas> "Huh. Doesn't this look awfully familiar?" Gildas asks. "It's kind of strange how that book was able to replicate this..."
[19:47] <@John> "Never saw any arms on the outside. And wasn't the whole thing see through in that dream?"
[19:48] <Gildas> "Don't you remember? We tried fending off that... ...thing with the arms, but it never worked quite right for us." Gildas says. "It also might all become like that when it's fully activated."
[19:48] <Gildas> "Wait, no, you came up with those..." He frowns.
[19:48] <@Kotono> "Hmmm." Myann murmurs, resting against a wall. She settles down to sit after a bit, putting her pack down. "Maybe the book can divine certain things?"
[19:49] <Feather> "Hey, then we can maybe use it to figure out about that woman from two layers up?"
[19:49] <Gildas> "I really think we should use it at least once before we try and do anything with the system." Gildas says. "Write something in it like 'There the heroes stood in front of the mantle system...' and then we can figure out what might work and what won't."
[19:51] <@Kotono> Meanwhile Forgar sticks his head up, having crawled into one of the holes. "If you're going to run your mouths, do it outside! I'm trying to concentrate and this is some damned complicated work!"
[19:52] <Gildas> Gildas holds his hands up apologetically. "Sorry. Perhaps we should."
[19:52] <@John> "Sorry," John says, going outside to just look at the lava. Maybe he'll see a monster!
[19:53] <Gildas> Gildas will follow suit!
[19:53] <@Kotono> Myann follows. "We can experiment with the book as our practice run, you think?"
[19:54] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "I think that would be a good idea. We don't have to go through the whole thing from start to end... just the last and most important part."
[19:55] <@John> "Still think you're putting way too much faith in it, but suppose there's no harm in it," John shrugs uncaringly.
[19:57] <Gildas> He nods. "We could always also just write out 'And then the party used the pixie with no mantle in the system!' or something to that extent."
[19:57] <@Kotono> From here, a few hours pass. The party watches the lava and Forgar works. Eventually he comes back out, "The good news is that the frame of the ship isn't damaged. It's lavaworthy. The bad news is that the overheating magic is partially disabled. We can't go long or deep before we'd fry like eggs. Not to mention all the weapons are down as well. It's nothing that can't be fixed, but it'll be
[19:57] <@Kotono> expensive and take time."
[19:58] <@John> "Will we have to go back up to get the stuff to fix it or can any of it be found around here or in the Shrikes?" John asks.
[20:01] <@Kotono> "I brought some supplies, but I'll need more," he says, taking out a scroll. "I'm guessing around 7,500 gold for the cooling system, that's mostly gone and we can't skimp on it. The rest? There's cold jets that are about 7,000 gold to fix, arms that cost 4,000 to fix and searing fire cannons that cost 8,000 to fix."
[20:02] <Gildas> "Looks like it might be time for us to go and get those coins we left down here." Gildas says.
[20:02] <Feather> "I have enough to cover the cooling system, give or take," Feather muses. "How are we doing on the rest?"
[20:03] <@John> "I could cover the cold jets or fire cannons," John adds. "Is it just money then?"
[20:04] <Gildas> "I'm not sure how fire cannons really help us when we'll be in lava." Gildas says.
[20:05] <@Kotono> "I don't have a whole lot," Myann says, "About..." Trailing off and counting, "A thousand in coin, more if I sell things."
[20:05] <Feather> "It's hotter than hot fire," Feather says wisely.
[20:06] <Gildas> "I could cover the cost of the arms I think. I have some metals and gems I bought from the kobolds a while ago which have probably gone up in price since then." Gildas says. "We also have the heavy armor none of us can use that we could sell."
[20:07] <Feather> "So we might manage to cover everything with a bit of effort?"

[Ebiris]

[18:11] <~Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:11] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 91 > [d100=91]
[18:11] <~Kotono> roll 1d100 subtables
[18:11] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 71 > [d100=71]
[18:12] <~Kotono> roll 1d4
[18:12] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 1 > [d4=1]
[18:14] <~Kotono> A few days pass as Forgar works, getting done what he can before going back up for supplies. The party is outside while he works inside, sitting near the ship and idly chatting. This is stopped when a massive THUMP sounds throughout the docking bay. Smashed against the wall of force is a long shark, glowing red and with burning scales all over it.
[18:15] <~Kotono> "So then the mush-" Myann startles and stares past the semi-visible wall of force. "T-that's a lava shark?!"
[18:16] <@John> "Uh... reckon it can get through at all?" John wonders, walking closer to get a better look on the assumption it can't. Or if it can then he's closer and can hit it!
[18:17] <Gildas> Gildas jumps himself and looks over. "I would imagine if anything could get through it probably would have by now, don't you think?"
[18:17] <Feather> "Wanna take a look at the magic to make sure it's not dropping or something?"
[18:17] <~Kotono> The shark's maw is a dozen feet long, smashed agaisnt the wall of force. It snaps against it, the wall not giving in the slightest bit. Burning black eyes glare balefully at the party.
[18:19] <Gildas> Gildas decides to check to make sure! OOC: Yeah, i'll just DM it to be safe.
[18:19] <~Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft real quick.
[18:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+25
[18:19] <Serith> Gildas roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=16]
[18:19] <~Kotono> Gildas can tell the magic's holding up fine. No weakness whatsoever.
[18:19] <@John> "Wow, it must really be hungry," John notes, considering how eager it seems to be to get at such comparatively tiny morsels as they.
[18:20] <Gildas> "It won't be getting through. They were really meticulous with this barrier." He states.
[18:21] <~Kotono> Again and again the beasts pounds against the barrier, until it at last relents and swims off.
[18:23] <@John> "Least we know what to expect out there."
[18:23] <~Kotono> From there, a few more days pass until the party needs to go up for supplies. Thus the journey back begins...
[18:23] <~Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:23] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d100=29]
[18:23] <~Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:23] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 93 > [d100=93]
[18:23] <~Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:23] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 37 > [d100=37]
[18:25] <~Kotono> You're about halfway back, traveling an unremarkable path in a fantastical land. Sitting in the middle of the path is a large, ornate tent. It's colored blue and is big enough for a king. The tent flap is pulled back, open.
[18:26] <Gildas> Gildas wonders who in the world they're going to run across today as he approaches the tent, but casts another quick detect magic in case it's some sort of incredibly elaborate trap!
[18:26] <~Kotono> The tent radiates no magic whatsoever.
[18:27] <@John> "Another circus?" John wonders.
[18:27] <~Kotono> "I hope not," Myann murmurs, "We don't really need another problem right now."
[18:29] <@John> "Want to just ignore it then?" he asks her.
[18:29] <Gildas> "It's not magical. I don't think it's like the other one."
[18:30] <~Kotono> Myann shrugs, "I'd prefer to keep going, but it's up to you all."
[18:30] <~Kotono> Forgar calls back from his wagon, "Well, make up your minds already!"
[18:31] <@John> "Alright, alright," John says, moving to walk around the tent. Alas their other quest takes precedence.
[18:33] <~Kotono> OOC: Going on past the tent then, y'all?>
[18:34] <Gildas> OOC: Sounds like it.
[18:34] <~Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:34] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d100=5]
[18:34] <~Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:34] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 75 > [d100=75]
[18:35] <~Kotono> From there, the rest of your trip is uneventful. On reaching the portal back up, you find someone waiting for you. The Enforcer sits in a deep-backed chair of gold with crushed crimson-red cusions. He watches you approach and nods once you come close.
[18:37] <@John> "Alright?" John nods in greeting.
[18:37] <Feather> "Hello there," Feather greets him, waving.
[18:38] <~Kotono> Forgar pulls up, "Hold, Smiley!" he calls, the golem coming to a stop.
[18:38] <Gildas> Gildas nods to him in greeting as well!
[18:39] <~Kotono> "If anyone did this, it as all of you," he says, heavy weariness in his voice. "All of you are incredibly saturated in pure potential and power."
[18:41] <@John> "Yeah, we went to this dream mountain where you get really strong," John nods.
[18:41] <Gildas> "It was an interesting glimpse into what could have been."
[18:42] <Feather> "Yeah, maybe you could tell us what could've been?" Feather muses. "There was this crazy guy from Stratum, and some mother of dragons?"
[18:43] <~Kotono> "Mph." He gives each of you a long look, "I felt enough power coming from this region to make me think you'd destroyed the mantles, but they're still intact. You threw off enough power to be felt on the other side of the continent."
[18:44] <@John> "Really? How do you sense that?" John wonders curiously. Detecting magic or psionics is hard enough at range!
[18:46] <Feather> "You sure it wasn't the dragon?"
[18:46] <~Kotono> "Magic," he says tiredly, waving a hand to cut John off. "It isn't important. I wanted to make sure you hadn't touched off an apocalypse or worse."
[18:47] <Feather> "Nah. There's still time for you to help us figure this all out!"
[18:48] <@John> "Yeah, we're just fixing up that boat you told us about right now," John says.
[18:48] <~Kotono> He nods and then to Feather, "Figure what out?"
[18:48] <~Kotono> Myann hmms, "If we threw out magic that far, will other creatures have noticed and be coming our way?"
[18:49] <Gildas> "Well, that's probably how Ectanbaros found us the first time." Gildas says.
[18:51] <Feather> "Things. With the Mantles. Such as, what if you used that sane pixie?"
[18:53] <~Kotono> "That one?" Here th eman shrugs, "Nothing. It doesn't have a mantle in the first place. It was an aberration, a mistake. Not like the creatures but a simple error."
[18:54] <Feather> "What if we changed the thing that makes mantles to use her?"
[18:54] <~Kotono> Here the Enforcer looks up, face lined and drooping. "I honestly don't know," he finally says. "If you manage that level of control over the system, you can probably rig up something without her anyway."
[18:55] <@John> "Yeah, like you said if we used Myann it would be all mushrooms everywhere. What if we used a fey with no mantle, kinda like as a baseline for safely having no mantles without any of them dying from the shock or anything," John nods excitedly.
[18:56] <Feather> "Not that mushrooms are bad."
[18:57] <~Kotono> "I honestly don't know," he repeats, "We never got to the bottom of why she didn't get a mantle. We wrote her off as an anomaly. It's impossible to say if it would work or if she has some unknown aspect that would disrupt it like it disrupted her obtaining a mantle."
[18:59] <Feather> "Thing is, what I'm really asking if you're just checking in on us, or if you wanna help out? Look at it again, except from a new angle? You got all that knowledge, we might have new ideas. Why not put them together?"
[19:00] <~Kotono> "I'm checking in," he clarifies with another shake of his head. "If you do make a mistake that endangers the region or worse, someone has to be here to clean it up. When I sensed all that energy, I wondered if you' done exactly that."
[19:07] <Gildas> "Does that mean that you're the only one who's interested?" He asks, trying not to sound insensitive about it.
[19:07] <~Kotono> "I doubt others didn't notice," The Enforcer replies, 'If they'll do anything about it is an open question."
[19:09] <Gildas> "Well, they're not here with you, so does that mean those two won't be joining you in cleaning up our mess, should we fail?" He asks, clarifying his statement.
[19:10] <~Kotono> Slowly he shakes his head, "Those two? They've fled entirely. I doubt they'll come back."
[19:11] <Gildas> "Well... If you have time, later, I'd like to talk to you about all of this. I'm sure you'd be welcome to just relax at the farm for a day or two... I mean, you want to keep an eye on us anyway, right?" He offers with a small smile.
[19:11] <@John> "Well, if any random giants or krakens want to investigate hopefully they won't get here till we're done," John says.
[19:15] <~Kotono> "Perhaps," The Enforcer rises, towering over all of you. "Are you going down soon?"
[19:16] <@John> "Yeah, we're just getting ready, pretty much," John answers. "Boat's nearly fixed."
[19:17] <~Kotono> He pauses here, again looking at all of you. "Good luck," he finally says. "Victory or famine, it all rests on your shoulders now."
[19:19] <@John> "We'll get this sorted, don't worry," John promises.
[19:19] <Feather> "Gonna be victory," Feather tells him. "Count on that."
[19:22] <~Kotono> "WE won't lose," Myann agrees, walking to the portal. The Missus sticks her head out from it, "Oh, there all of you are! We have lunch ready!"
[19:23] <@John> "Good timing!" John grins, waving to the Enforcer as he heads over to get some grub.
[19:26] <~Kotono> Soon enough, the party's in the castle. The Missus and the brood have taken over the kitchens, the party eating at a fancy table dragged on in here. Laughter fills the air as you tear into a fancy summer salad with chopped meat and dressing. Tall glasses of cooled, watered down wine go with it. "All of you are always off and running around lately!" The Missus says as she serves everyone. "So
[19:26] <~Kotono> how long are you here this time?"
[19:28] <Gildas> "Ah, we're working on a project." Gildas says with a smile. "I think we're probably here for a bit while we wait for it to be complete."
[19:30] <~Kotono> "We're here to make some purchases downb elow and then get back to it," Myann says after a few mouthfuls. "Once that's done, we should finally have some time to rest."
[19:31] <@John> "Yeah, kinda just a last supply run before we go fix the mantles," John agrees.
[19:32] <~Kotono> "One last go," Myann echos as she eats. She puts her fork down, "I just hope we pull it off."
[19:32] <Gildas> "We will." Gildas says. "We've already dealt with the other possibilities, after all!"
[19:32] <~Kotono> "So do I," The Missus says, glancing back into the kitchen, "PUT YOUR SISTER DOWN NOW!" she calls, before clearing her throat and turning back to the party. "You're family around here, but you're always off and about."
[19:36] * @John chuckles a bit at the kid's antics. "Well, I reckon once the fey stop being crazy things'll calm down a lot 'round here, give us more time to relax."
[19:36] <Feather> "Would be good, yeah."
[19:36] <~Kotono> "Mmm-hmm," Myann murmurs, "Do things a family does in our free time," Glancing at Feather out of the corner of her eye, "Maybe, I reckon, starting to worry about our own family."
[19:40] <Feather> "S'why we need to win this thing. Do right by everyone. Then, we get all the time we want!"
[19:43] <~Kotono> '
[19:44] <~Kotono> "Yeah," Myann smiles to herself as the party eats. OOC: Okay, so going to do your purchases and prepare. This may be your last shop trip and homebase check in game. Anything you need to get done before returning to the depths?
[19:45] <Feather> OOC: I'm good
[19:45] <Gildas> OOC: Besides the things I listd, no
[19:45] <~Kotono> OOC: Myann's good. She'll spend some quality time with everyone and the mushrooms to unwind, but that's purely offscreen.
[19:46] <@John> OOC: nothing for me
[19:46] <~Kotono> OOC: Okay. For the claws, do you have any cash to do it with and fund the entire thing?
[19:50] <Gildas> OOC: Depends on how much it is, I have backup sources of money.
[19:51] <~Kotono> OOC: About 3k.
[19:52] <Gildas> OOC: Then probably not unless I dig through a bunch of stuff that'll take too much time right now.
[19:52] <~Kotono> OOC: Okay, see #elysium, so you can dig over the weekend. The sword can be done afterwards, since none of it looks likely to mechanically impact yoru trip down.