068: A ravenous breed

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> The increasingly large and unwieldy party gathers back at the teleportation platform. The giant's keystone illuminates the instrument panel down to Ossuary. Rosemund presses the button, and then--
<El-Cideon> You land in a gallery of bones.
<El-Cideon> The path forward leads only to the right and through a morbid museum of carefully maintained mortal remains--lining the walls to either side before you are skeletons, raised on display stands and posed with some degree of aesthetic care. Even the torchlight here is pervasive and arranged to permit the most careful examination of the hall's exhibits.
<El-Cideon> While the skeletons are predominantly humanoid, even these simple specimens are posed with grace, subtlety, and perhaps a degree of dark humor. Most look paused in the midst of some action that might have been familiar to the subjects in life: a boxer, fists raised for a bout of pugilism; a runner leaning in ready position for the start of a race; stage-perfect poise and posture announce one skeleton ready to belt out an aria, had it only lungs; and sitting at a table, as if on some corner cafe, one doting pair stares deeply into each other's empty eye sockets.
<El-Cideon> The hall boasts some more exotic representatives as well, however, such as a skeletal chimera with all three heads intact, a towering giant, and one blackly shining set of bones with the look of a vrock about it. And at the end of the gallery, just at the juncture of where the corridor splits into two branches, looms the skeleton of a great dragon, poised as if ready to snatch up some hapless peasant for a quick snack, or perhaps belch fire upon an offending knight errant.
<Steph> "So are they gonna wake up, or is this a benign sorta graveyard?"
<Julia> Julia's eyes light up as she spots the dragon. "If not then I can wake them up."
<El-Cideon> Istradi eyes the collection speculatively. "Perhaps we should break them all just in case."
<Steph> "I'm good for either of those."
<Julia> Then again... could the dragon fit through the elevator and the various doors around here? For that matter the party is already at the limits of most magical travel... considering that, Julia reigns in her enthusiasm. "Still, I suppose I have enough minions right now."
<Steph> "So we're smashing everything?" asks Stephanie, walking to the boxer and artlessly kicking out his knees.
<Julia> "We don't have to..." Julia mutters, following along without touching anything.
<El-Cideon> "Let us not rouse these abused dead from their untimely slumber," the party's angelic tagalong sings in agreement. He disapproves less vocally of Stephanie's vandalism, merely frowning at the destruction of already desecrated remains.
<Steph> "'s just puppetry, innit?" wonders Stephanie, walking away from the boxer and proceeding down the hall.
<El-Cideon> The pugilist skeleton collapses into a heap without inappropriately animating itself or anything. The hall echoes with clattering bones.
<El-Cideon> Further down the hall, down the split paths, Stephanie can see:
<El-Cideon> The leftward branch proceeds some hundred ostentatious feet towards a grand set of doors engraved with detailed depictions of death in all its diverse forms. On the left side pitiful human figures succumb to plague, predation, grievous injury, drowning, famine, or--perhaps inspired by the suffering of their fellows--die by their own hand. The right, in sharp opposition, is a joyous riot of skeletons in celebration, timeless and imperturbable in their deathless preservation.
<El-Cideon> The path toward the door is well-lit and, judging by the smoothness of the approach, frequently trod by great numbers.
<El-Cideon> The right branch shortly gives way to a descending ramp that yawns into darkness. The stone of this sharp, slanting descent is scratched and scarred and leads to a destination unknowable--no light illuminates its depths and it is too far beyond sight for those in the party with darkvision to discern what lies below.
<Franceska> "Both paths lead somewhere horrible, don't they?"
<El-Cideon> "Everything here is somewhere horrible!" Rosemund affirms.
<Steph> "Oh, sure, being alive sucks if you focus on all the bad bits, but I never saw an actual skeleton party before!" complains Stephanie, walking down the hallway that seems to glorify being dead. "But I guess they do smile all the time."
<Julia> "Yes, but at least we have a choice," Julia says, ever eager to see the bright side. "I say the well traveled door."
<El-Cideon> The door does not appear locked or secured in any obvious way.
<Julia> One of Julia's armoured skeletons bravely opens it first!
* Franceska wearily casts Barkskin.
<El-Cideon> The doors open onto a macabre shrine:
<El-Cideon> This great hall, a hundred and twenty feet long and half that wide, is as estimably high-ceilinged as any respectable Prime cathedral, albeit boasting much less conventional decor. The support beams here are stone columns carved with great care to resemble stacked pillars of massive, joined femurs. The petitioners' benches, pushed against the side walls and evidently not seeing much use, are framed with arm bones and utilize spare ribs for seats and back support. The altar is a marble berth stained in such a way that demands no imagination for one to guess at the manner of offering proffered herein, and the divine patroness watching over this temple is none other than Queen Auranelle herself rendered nude in marble in some primitive hand, her expression radiating cold dominance, casting one commanding, outstretched hand over her flock.
<El-Cideon> As for the worshipers themselves--well, they could only expect to be found moldering in the lichyard of any mortal church. Rank upon rank of skeletons kneel in prostration starting twenty feet from your position--there must be dozens in total, easily blocking your access to the altar.
<El-Cideon> Far past this undead flock, a hundred feet beyond your point of entry into the shrine, stands the evident master of ceremonies: a robed skeleton, flanked by three more in armor. The central skeleton wears a cloak frilled with nasty spines, split in black to allow the freedom of two bony, useless wings, and two curving horns jut from its forehead. The surrounding armored skeletons each bear in turn a weapon: one a longbow, one a gleaming falchion, the last a curiously complicated crossbow. Additionally, in one corner of the shrine beyond this group sits a massive conglomeration of skulls and bones in the shape of a menacing hound.
<El-Cideon> Upon your uninvited intrusion into the shrine, the robed skeleton turns toward you with an agitated rattling of its jaw. The petitioners soon rise in turn. The shrine fills with the maddening echoes of hundreds of gnashing teeth as the undead vicar points one clawed finger forward and, with a silent scream, orders the horde to attack!
<El-Cideon> OOC: that would be init~
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 12."12 [1d20=3]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Julia
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 Julia and gets 7."12 [1d20=5]
<Julia> roll 1d20+6 axeman
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+6 axeman and gets 17."12 [1d20=11]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+6 B
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+6 B and gets 10."12 [1d20=4]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1 me
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+1 me and gets 19."12 [1d20=18]
<Steph> roll 1d20+6 A
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+6 A and gets 16."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 8."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 Alice and gets 6."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina and gets 25."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 Istradi and gets 16."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 demon skellie
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 demon skellie and gets 19."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 warrior skellie
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 warrior skellie and gets 26."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 xbow skellie
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 xbow skellie and gets 19."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 archer skellie
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 archer skellie and gets 18."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 skelemob
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 skelemob and gets 12."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 doggie
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 doggie and gets 7."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 angel boy
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 angel boy and gets 20."12 [1d20=12]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Warrior (26) > Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = priestess = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Steph = skelemob x40 (12) > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> The falchion-wielding skeleton silently grips his weapon and waits in safety on the other side of the shrine for the moment. Marina takes advantage of the initiative to cast a spell boosting the speed of her allies!
<El-Cideon> OOC: party hasted. She only gets ten targets so leaves herself out.
<El-Cideon> "Poor abominations," the angel laments over the undead crowd before casting a prayer over them. "Back to your eternal reward, each and every one of you!"
<El-Cideon> roll 10#1d20+2 will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 10#1d20+2 will and gets 115."12 [10#1d20+2 = 16, 7, 7, 17, 15, 11, 11, 12, 8, 11]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d8 skellie squads all failed
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d8 skellie squads all failed and gets 22."12 [5d8=3, 8, 4, 4, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Warrior (26) > Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = priestess = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Steph > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> As holy light washes over the crowd of petitioners, the unlife within winks out and they clatter lifelessly to the floor!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran, you're up along with 2x enemy.
<Franceska> "No. No! There are still too many of you things!" Franceska cries out. "Why won't you just die?" She wishes she had a spell to just kill them all at once, but sending a spike through the falchion-wielder will just have to do for now.
<Franceska> roll 10d6 ref DC21 half
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 10d6 ref DC21 half and gets 31."12 [10d6=6, 1, 2, 6, 3, 3, 5, 2, 2, 1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 ref
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 ref and gets 23."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> Bones rattle as the warrior is struck--but not pinned! Meanwhile, a shimmering bubble of magical force erupts into being around the crossbow-wielding skeleton. The skeletal priestess raises her hands, chatters darkly, and...?
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Warrior (26) > Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = priestess = ??? = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Steph > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> The archer slips into one far corner and takes a careful shot at Stephanie!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20 and gets 40."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 crit?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20 crit? and gets 28."12 [1d20=8]
<Steph> OOC: it's not a crit
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6 (not damage)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6 (not damage) and gets 3."12 [1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+3+3d6+1d6 last d6 cold
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+3+3d6+1d6 last d6 cold and gets 23."12 [1d8=7][3d6=5, 2, 1][1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> An arrow crackling with frost streaks across the arena to embed itself in Stephanie's chest!
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman
<Julia> At a gesture from Julia the axeman rushes forward to give his former minister a good chopping to emphasise the change in leadership!
<Julia> roll 1d20+14 charge -5pa
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+14 charge -5pa and gets 32."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: double move gets you 80 ft, but they're 100 off
<Julia> OOC: Doh!
<Julia> The axeman rushes forward through the space once occupied by the mob!
<Julia> OOC: run action for 80 feet
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab and Istradi
<Steph> OOC: how bunched up are these chumps
<El-Cideon> Istradi charges forward with weapon ready to keep pace with her undead colleague! (OOC: also heavy armor, so 80 ft)
<El-Cideon> OOC: Rat: priestess in middle, warrior/inquisitor 10 ft to either side, doggie and archer in corners 20 ft off
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph and Bligh
<Steph> Ahab gestures towards the concentration of skeletal warriors, and a blast of fire flies out to strike the priestess, the warrior and the inquisitor!
<Steph> roll 12d6 ref DC 18 half
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 12d6 ref DC 18 half and gets 39."12 [12d6=2, 5, 4, 5, 2, 1, 4, 3, 3, 4, 1, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 priestess
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 priestess and gets 25."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 warrior
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 warrior and gets 11."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 inquisitor
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 inquisitor and gets 24."12 [1d20=17]
<Franceska> Bligh soon follows suit, before advancing forward!
<Franceska> roll 12d6 same
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 12d6 same and gets 37."12 [12d6=4, 3, 1, 4, 2, 1, 3, 5, 4, 1, 3, 6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 priestess
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 priestess and gets 19."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 warrior
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 warrior and gets 20."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 inquisitor
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 inquisitor and gets 22."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> The warrior skeleton is badly maimed by the blast, but his superiors seem less badly singed from the burst of foul magic.
<Steph> Stephanie charges into the warrior a moment later!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 22."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> Alas, bones tangle her fight en route and her strike misses the mark!
<El-Cideon> From the safety of the doorway, Rosemund points one accusing finger at her skeletal counterpart and emits a beam of holy light at the demonic skeleton priestess!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 ranged touch and gets 23."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 10d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 10d6 and gets 36."12 [10d6=3, 5, 1, 6, 1, 2, 5, 6, 1, 6]
<El-Cideon> The skeleton manages the impressive task of hissing without a tongue as it's struck!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia and bonedoggie
<Julia> Wishing there were pews to duck behind, Julia gestures to the inquisitor and suddenly a horde of tentacles erupt from the ground, encompassing all of the skeletons in its 20 foot radius while just barely missing Stephanie. Grasping, twisting, and crushing they do their best to tie up the boney minions of evil!
<Julia> roll 1d20+20 grapplan
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+20 grapplan and gets 28."12 [1d20=8]
<Julia> roll 1d6+4 if that got anyone
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d6+4 if that got anyone and gets 6."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: priestess and inquisitor grappled
<El-Cideon> The gathering's canine protector rouses itself at last and rushes forward to bite once at the nearest target--Stephanie!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+2 charge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+2 charge and gets 28."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also roll will
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 25."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> OOC: carry on!
<El-Cideon> Alice silently charges forward up next to Stephanie to try and put down the warrior before he can take any offensive action!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+1+2 charge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+1+2 charge and gets 27."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+2d6 dead?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+2d6 dead? and gets 11."12 [1d6=5][2d6=1, 3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: not quite :(
<El-Cideon> The warrior skeleton somehow bears the look of a sneer despite his lack of flesh, as he turns to slash away thrice at Stephanie!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 and gets 36."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 and gets 36."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 and gets 31."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 crit threat
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 crit threat and gets 34."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 crit threat
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 crit threat and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: AC?
<Steph> OOC: 32
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4+16 normal hit
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4+16 normal hit
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d4+16 normal hit and gets 22."12 [2d4=3, 3]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d4+16 normal hit and gets 19."12 [2d4=2, 1]
<El-Cideon> roll 4d4+32 crit
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4d4+32 crit and gets 43."12 [4d4=4, 2, 4, 1]
<El-Cideon> The skeleton's strikes are fast and unerringly accurate, the flurry of slashes more than enough to have Stephanie seeing red--and then black.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Warrior (26) > Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = priestess = ??? = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> "Stephanie!" Marina cries in dismay, immediately launching an array of missiles to avenge her fallen friend!
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5 VENGEANCE
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 VENGEANCE and gets 16."12 [5d4=1, 3, 3, 2, 2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = priestess = ??? = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> "Hold fast, brave soul!" Tarell calls out as he glides forward across the field. "I shall restore you yet!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: that's a double move. Fran, you're up.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 priestess CMB to escape grapple
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 priestess CMB to escape grapple and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 inquisitor CMB to escape grapple
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 priestess CMB to escape grapple and gets 15."12 [1d20=4]
<Franceska> Putting her conflicted feelings aside, Franceska wills the enemy undead to freeze in their tracks!
<Julia> OOC: should have a cmd of 30
<Franceska> OOC: Half Undead, Will DC20. SR?
<El-Cideon> OOC: depends, which targets?
<Franceska> OOC: Priestess, inquisitor, dog
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 priestess
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 priestess and gets 29."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 inquisitor
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 inquisitor and gets 21."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: dog gets no save
<El-Cideon> OOC: but it does have SR!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+16 and gets 26."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: pass!
<El-Cideon> Despite having other distracting problems, the humanoid skeletons are able to resist Fran's mental influence! The dog, however, freezes in its tracks.
<El-Cideon> From behind the group, out in the hall, there comes suddenly the tromp of heavy, bony feet--from out of nowhere, the skeletal dragon lunges in to bite at Marina!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = priestess = bone dragon = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+2 charge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+2 charge and gets 34."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d8+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d8+10 and gets 17."12 [2d8=5, 2]
<El-Cideon> The archer skeleton bolts from her corner, hopefully to the safety of a less tentacle-strewn quarter, to capitalize on the sorceress's surprise to let loose one long shot in her direction--
<El-Cideon> OOC: grapple attempt for tentacles as she bolts
<Julia> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+20 and gets 38."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: got her
<Julia> roll 1d6+4
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d6+4 and gets 9."12 [1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> --but in the end, she's only caught with her companions!
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman
<Julia> Unfortunately with everything in the middle of the tentacle field, the axeman can't get into melee. So he readies himself to strike if someone escapes!
<Julia> OOC: readied action to charge anyone who leaves the tentacles
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab and Istradi
<El-Cideon> Istradi exploits the reach of her weapon to maneuver around and finagle one careful jab past the tentacles at the priestess!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 and gets 28."12 [1d20=5]
<Steph> Ahab draws his bow, and fires four times upon the crossbow-wielding archer!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10+1d6 elec
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10+1d6 elec and gets 17."12 [1d10=4][1d6=3]
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 21."12 [1d20=3]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 33."12 [1d20=15]
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+13 and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Steph> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> OOC: sans DEX, all but the first hit
<Steph> roll 1d29+9
<Steph> roll 1d29+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d29+9 and gets 18."12 [1d29=9]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d29+9 and gets 25."12 [1d29=16]
<Steph> roll 1d8+9
<Steph> roll 1d8+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d8+9 and gets 17."12 [1d8=8]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d8+9 and gets 12."12 [1d8=3]
<Steph> roll 1d8+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d8+9 and gets 14."12 [1d8=5]
<Julia> OOC: don't forget the 1d6 acid!
<Steph> roll 3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 3d6 and gets 10."12 [3d6=1, 4, 5]
<El-Cideon> The skeleton is struck thrice, but not downed yet!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Bligh
<Franceska> Bligh changes directions and charges the dragon down instead!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+20 4PA
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+20 4PA and gets 29."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Franceska> roll 2d4+13+8
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d4+13+8 and gets 28."12 [2d4=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> Rosey turns and follows suit, trying to batter down the undead beast before it can do any more harm!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 25."12 [1d20=9]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 29."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 and gets 28."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+7+2d6
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+7+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+7+2d6 and gets 16."12 [1d8=2][2d6=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+7+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+7+2d6 and gets 18."12 [1d8=8][2d6=2, 1]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+7+2d6 and gets 19."12 [1d8=7][2d6=2, 3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia is up, doggie is frozen
<Julia> "Should have gone with my first instinct," Julia mutters as the dragon enters the fray. Well if it wants to move around, it can move around under her direction!
<Julia> OOC: Command undead, DC 22 will
<El-Cideon> OOC: nonintelligent undead, no save.
<Julia> OOC: or that!
<El-Cideon> The dragon cranes its neck in obeisance to its new mistress!
<El-Cideon> Unable to directly reach any active enemies due to the field of tentacles, Alice instead mimics Tarell's first move and utters a silent prayer for their destruction--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 priestess
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 priestess and gets 19."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 inquisitor
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 inquisitor and gets 26."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 archer
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 archer and gets 23."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d8 all made it
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d8 all made it and gets 20."12 [5d8=1, 3, 5, 8, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = bone dragon = inquisitor (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> Though all resist the spell, one succumbs nonetheless!
<El-Cideon> Marina slips away from her now friendly yet still menacing attacker and emits a bolt of acid at the inquisitor skeleton--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 ranged touch and gets 19."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 acid recurring
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d4 acid recurring and gets 5."12 [2d4=4, 1]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = bone dragon (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> Tarell kneels down and applies a healing hand to Stephanie's many grievous wounds--
<El-Cideon> roll 3d8+9 heals
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3d8+9 heals and gets 27."12 [3d8=3, 7, 8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and dragon. Direct action, I'll roll for him at the moment
* Franceska gives the skeletal dragon a dubious look, before coming closer to Marina to shield her. There is little need for her to go into the fray, so she resorts to her wand of magic missiles instead!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = bone dragon (19) > archer (18) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Steph > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<Julia> "Go stand by that dog but don't hit it yet," Julia orders the dragon, not wanting to awaken the dog prematurely.
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19 UMD
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 UMD and gets 35."12 [1d20=16]
<Franceska> roll 5d4+5 archer
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 5d4+5 archer and gets 16."12 [5d4=2, 2, 2, 2, 3]
<El-Cideon> Battered by arrows, the archer skeleton makes an attempt to free herself--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22 escape artist!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 escape artist! and gets 31."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: vs CMD
<Julia> OOC: 30, passes
<El-Cideon> --succesfully wriggling out and slipping past the tentacle field to lurk at the back of the shrine!
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman
<Julia> The axeman was born for this moment and like a meteorite he crashes right into the archer who perhaps was once a boon comrade in arms!
<Julia> roll 1d20+14 -5pa charge
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+14 -5pa charge and gets 32."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Julia> roll 1d12+22
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d12+22 and gets 29."12 [1d12=7]
<El-Cideon> The skeleton is knocked off balance, but yet clingns to its unlife!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab and Istradi
<Steph> Ahab fires at the archer with a battery of sizzling arrows!
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 37."12 [1d20=19]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 22."12 [1d20=4]
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+13 and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Steph> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Steph> roll 1d8+9+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d8+9+1d6 and gets 19."12 [1d8=8][1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> Istradi charges in after him to try and finish the job!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 and gets 35."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10+1d6 elec
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10+1d6 elec and gets 24."12 [1d10=10][1d6=4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Marina (25) > Tarell (20) > Fran = bone dragon (19) > axeman (17) > Ahab = Istradi (16) > Steph > Bligh (10) > Rosey (8) > Julia = doggie (7) > Alice (6)'
<El-Cideon> Finally, the only foe left in the field is frozen in its tracks, locked in a silent growl!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Stephanie, creeping back into the fight!
<Julia> "Everyone who likes hitting things, just gather around the dog and all attack at once?" Julia suggests. "Also good to see you back on your feet, Stephanie!"
<Steph> Stephanie's eyes blink open, and she clambers awkwardly to her feet, snatching a potion from somewhere and guzzling it down. "M'feet? Still got those," she mumbles.
<Steph> roll 2d8+3
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d8+3 and gets 13."12 [2d8=2, 8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: it is basically a formality at this point, yeah. If everyone's just going to swarm and pounce at once, we can handwave the rolling. It *probably* wouldn't survive. It's pretty beefy, but eh.
<El-Cideon> After some minor maneuvering to surround totally the hapless bone dog, and a brief but very busy moment of extreme violence, the undead monstrosity is bashed to stray fragments of bone before it can take a snap of those monstrous jaws at another person, and the shrine is silent again but for the labored breathing of certain wounded combatants.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<Julia> "Go wait by the elevator down there and kill anyone who comes by that isn't us," Julia orders the dragon, figuring it can cover their rear quite adequately.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund, after seeing to Marina's wounds, rushes up to her tiefling companion. "Oh my, Stephanie, are you alright? It looked very much as though you were killed for a moment there!"
<Steph> Stephanie walks towards the skeletal head of the thing that managed to strike her down, and picks it up. "So close, Joey! I'm gonna put you on my mantle," she says, tucking it into her bag.
<El-Cideon> The dragon lumbers off as ordered.
<El-Cideon> roll 3d10+19 Marina heals
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3d10+19 Marina heals and gets 26."12 [3d10=5, 1, 1]
<Julia> Julia sees the dragon off with some critical negative energy!
<Julia> roll 4d8+13
<Steph> "I'm as surprised as you, dear. Gods, it's cold down here."
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 4d8+13 and gets 40."12 [4d8=6, 7, 6, 8]
<El-Cideon> "As the grave," Istradi agrees. "What else would one expect?"
<Franceska> "I just don't know what to say anymore."
<Julia> "Well, lets see if they had anything worth taking before we try the other passage?" Julia suggests. "I rather like that statue of the Queen. Would make a nice conversation piece, wouldn't you say?"
<Steph> "It's a bit big."
<El-Cideon> "And naked," Rosemund adds.
<Julia> "Yes, a shame that. The sculptor is probably dead, too... though that does drive up value, so I hear."
<Franceska> "What if the sculptor is undead?"
<El-Cideon> Along with a gleaming ruby sphere and a tattered, handwritten journal, the skeleton collective had a scattering of weapons, armor, and other oddities amongst them-- (OOC: loot post incoming)
<El-Cideon> OOC: priestess had the sphere and journal, to note
<Julia> "I'm not sure," Julia admits. "Ask Allister sometime?" with that she goes to identify any magical gear left by their foes, or just decorating the church.
<Julia> OOC: taking 10 for 27 on spellcraft
<El-Cideon> Rosemund picks up the journal and flips through it, frowns as if looking for an answer to this question and finding other ones instead. Confusing ones.
* Franceska comes over to Rosemund to take a look.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund hands it over for Franceska's inspection, at which point you could read:
<El-Cideon> Scrawled elegantly in sinuous Abyssal script, in a flaking red ink that one could be forgiven for suspecting as blood, this carefully maintained journal tracks the spiritual pulse of Whitsunhold for several years before succumbing to a sudden silence just like the dungeon's other logs. Before the unexpected cessation of records, the writer details in about equal proportion: regular devotions to the demon lord Orcus; blood sacrifices, most typically of humanoid sentients, performed in that dread entity's name; often necromantic rebirth of these hapless subjects; internal relations amongst Whitsunhold's staff; and amorous liaisons with same (with an emphasis, more often than not, upon their romantic shortcomings). The writer appears to have held the spiritual devotion of most of her peers in contempt, though she does express admiration for the deviousness and cunning of Whitsunhold's master, "Commendable for a tanar'ri, sterling for a mortal."
<El-Cideon> Of interest in regard to the party's current quarry are the entries leading up to the journal's mysterious termination. The priestess relates in analytical psychological detail a series of meetings with the Queen, describing at length her insight into the kidnapped monarch's mental state, and progress in bringing Auranelle 'round to a conscious conversion and adherence to the demon lord of undeath--or, in equal measure, lack of said progress, though oddly the diarist treats this as clear a success as the Queen's documented moral compromises with her captivity. The priestess's efforts appear to have eschewed the overt intimidation and brutality applied elsewhere by Whitsunhold's inhabitants, instead adopting an approach of quiet indoctrination, subtle mental manipulation, and duplicitous concern that belies the viciousness of her other work and goals.
<El-Cideon> In time, the priestess begins to track her meetings with the Queen in two split series of results that demonstrate operation in clear awareness of Auranelle's twin identities. This development is not reacted to by the priestess with surprise--quite the contrary, it is instead treated as an affirmation of the cult's progress in breaking their royal prey. Several key notes may be characteristic of the priestess's differing approach to her two regal supplicants:
<El-Cideon> -Of "Her Righteousness," the priestess observes a continuing adherence to celestial deities of light, strength and justice; a persistent gentleness of spirit (the fact that the priestess perceives this trait as a moral weakness is contemptuously obvious); and an adamant refusal to take part in the blood rites of Orcus even under threat of torture (this duly administered by the priestess's mechanical coconspirator upstairs). Despite evidently running counter to Whitsunhold's values, this stubborn resistance and adherence to mortal ideals is recorded as a desirable result. The priestess even notes good reaction on the Queen's part to "interaction with foul implements of celestial ceremony."
<El-Cideon> -Of "Her Transcendent Majesty," the priestess speaks with open approval of Auranelle's gleeful sadism, her devious and subtle vindictiveness, and her overpowering hunger for blood in both figurative and literal sense. Here the Queen's willing and eager execution of human sacrifices performed in the name of Whitsunhold's abyssal patron is related with particular relish.
<El-Cideon> These diverse responses do not represent two series of events following one upon the other, but are instead relayed in parallel with notes demonstrating acknowledgement and approval of their contrast. One could be forgiven, if not already familiar with the Queen's current mental state, for perceiving them as descriptions of two different people entirely.
<El-Cideon> The priestess makes only minor note of Auranelle's "death" as announced on the Prime, sufficiently enjoying her own work to carry on with the Queen's conversion even without immediate prospect of successfully deploying her charge for doctrinal purposes in the conflict then still raging in Solata. The final entry merely notes with mundane wickedness the priestess's retrieval of Her Transcendent Majesty from her cell for routine sacrifices which, insofar as one can conclude from the journal, must not have occurred on that particular day--or at the very least in no manner that the priestess expected or intended.
<Julia> "Oh, this is interesting," Julia says, plucking out the heart after appraising all of the magical items, none of the others of much interest to her.
<Steph> When her turn to read the book comes, Stephanie flips through it in search of any particular method by which the writer could call up one or the other of Auranelle's personalities.
<El-Cideon> The writer does not elaborate upon any method of determining which Auranelle would be in charge of the body.
<Steph> Stephanie scowls for a moment, and then drops the book back into her bag. "Nutters. What's that thing do, Julia?"
<Franceska> "So any answers might be left further below?" Franceska muses. "I don't suppose there was a key here?"
<El-Cideon> The ruby sphere amongst the priestess's belongings looks an apt fit for the teleportation panel.
<Julia> "It replaces the heart, working equally well on a living or undead subject... though naturally it's harder to implant in a living person without killing them. It bestows various boons to sturdiness and general resistance... and electricity resistance to the living but not to the dead. I believe it belonged to a succubus," she says, turning it around in her hand. "Unless anyone wants to risk
<Julia> it, I'd like to put it in Friday."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shakes her head vigorously.
<Steph> "Hahaha, you're funny!"
<Julia> She just smiles. "I thought it only polite to ask."
<Franceska> "We just ran out of time," Franceska says grimly. "She's back. Want to meet her in the Sanguinary?"
<El-Cideon> "What would be the risk in such in a procedure?" Istradi asks Julia curiously. "Precise risk of death?"
<Steph> "Let's discuss assisted suicide later?" suggests Stephanie, glancing at Franceska with a nod.
<Julia> "Yes, we better get ready to fight," Julia nods, stowing the heart away. "If you need it, there's a ring of protection there, and one of force shield," she indicates the two, thinking armour would take too long to don.
* Franceska picks up the ruby sphere and heads back.
<El-Cideon> Istradi eagerly takes both rings, of course.
* Julia follows after Franceska, her minions leading the way.
<El-Cideon> Julia's new recruit patiently waits at the teleportation platform. None of the other gallery displays appear to have animated during the party's absence.
* Franceska places the sphere into the slot and, once everyone is present, chooses the final level.
<Steph> None of the gear is of much interest to Stephanie, but she presses the longbow into Ahab's hands before heading after the others.
<El-Cideon> The party transitions to the furthest recess of Whitsunhold, wherein they find:
<El-Cideon> The deepmost floor of Whitsunhold is simple and austere: the cylindrical landing room is a bare stone chamber with one set of doors to your left. In dimension and grandeur, they match those of the Vivarium so many floors above. The landing is otherwise decorated by only one thing: a corpse.
<El-Cideon> This is not a fresh cadaver. It has obviously weathered many a year in its present position, withered and dessicated and matted with old blood from the myriad woundings of its long-ago passing. This man's death was neither swift nor gentle: rusted iron spars perforate the body in great profusion, penetrating into the wall beyond to hold the corpse up on display. One might only hope the lethal spearing through the man's forehead was among the earliest of such wounds, but given the labored cruelty of his demise such a mercy seems unlikely.
<El-Cideon> The dead man is dressed in a tattered black robe, and from around his neck dangles a simple silver chain bearing a sigil. Wrought delicately in onyx, the symbol is a grisly wand topped with a skull.
<Franceska> "The one responsible for all this?"
<Steph> "I wonder if he's regretting his life decisions."
<Franceska> "His soul is with Orcus, no doubt."
<El-Cideon> "It does appear that someone took out her frustrations upon him," Istradi agrees.
<El-Cideon> "And let it be gnawed upon by that demon lord for all eternity!" Marina echoes Fran.
<Julia> "Can't really blame her for that," Julia says, as bad as her current behaviour may be. "Do we explore or do we wait here... can she even follow us without the control crystals?"
<Steph> "She might have her own. Nothing says there's only one of each."
<El-Cideon> "I know not," Tarell admits. "She did not deign to demonstrate such capacity in my presence, restricting herself only to threats."
<Franceska> "Unless we want to ambush her right away, there is no harm in looking past these doors."
<Julia> "Well, I'll leave the dragon here while we look around," Julia decides, going to open the doors on the left.
<El-Cideon> "Well, in any case, I should have done this much earlier," Marina says, somewhat abashed as she belatedly conjurs up a Stoneskin spell for her protection.
* Franceska casts Greater Vigor herself, following Julia.
<Steph> Stephanie taps herself with a wand, before following Franceska.
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+14 and gets 34."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> Julia can hear music from the other side before she opens the door--a set of pipes making a merry jig? On the other side--
<El-Cideon> This lavish antechamber is a bastion of unaccustomed luxury amidst the cold sterility of Whitsunhold's lower floors. Circular in shape, some sixty feet in diameter, it is decorated centrally with a merrily burbling crimson fountain. A gentle spray of blood spurts from the mouthpiece of a statue--carved in stone with admirable detail is a naked man half in life and half in death, a careful anatomical study of the stages of decay.
<El-Cideon> All about the room are sofas, divans, cushions and blankets. The native stone and steel of Whitsunhold is everywhere obscured--a person could fall nearly anyplace here and count on a soft landing. The room is otherwise furnished by half a dozen coffins, sunk discreetly in recesses behind gauzy curtains.
<El-Cideon> Half a dozen figures also populate this room, only one amongst them still obviously flush with warm blood in his veins. The one obviously mortal man amongst the lot has a dazed look about him. Stripped to the waist, he is young and well-built. He looks to have been engaged in a lively dance before the cessation of the music. Recent sets of twin puncture marks can be seen at his wrists and neck.
<El-Cideon> Of the pallid remainder, most of the group is lightly dressed. All possess an elegant bearing and radiate a supernatural, undying glamour. Immediately adopting an air of confidence and command is an officiously dressed and cloaked blonde woman with a mannish cut to her hair and a natural expression of smug superiority.
<El-Cideon> Her cohorts include: one beefy, burly man with a hawkish cast to his features; a slender, black-haired beauty dressed in wisps of silk; a handsome, elegantly coifed brunette wearing a toga and holding a set of pipes; and a solemn-looking man with brilliant red hair and black robe both in sharp contrast to the pallor of his skin.
<El-Cideon> "Wouldn't you know it," the blond woman chirps, "Queenie said we had some guests, and look what walked right into our parlor. Didn't say you'd be here quite so soon, though. Or that so many of you'd be cute."
<Steph> "Are you... are you hitting on me?"
<El-Cideon> "Well, maybe not you specifically," she says disinterestedly.
<Franceska> "Even the vampires don't like you," Franceska notes. "Why don't you run off and kill them for it?"
<Steph> "I could so make a vampire like me if I wanted," argues Stephanie, rounding on Franceska.
<El-Cideon> The lead woman arches an eyebrow and watches with amusement before Rosemund forces herself between her friends. "You are not starting this nonsense again at this time!" she insists.
<Julia> "I have a more secure way of gaining a vampire's affections. And we could use a few more... room-temperature bodies to throw at Auranelle," Julia says.
<Franceska> "Yes, I cannot believe you would attempt to seduce a vampire just to prove some stupid point. You wanted to see if you could stake one without killing it, so why not give it a try?"
<El-Cideon> "Tch, yeah, I see you recruited some of Her Majesty's goons upstairs. She's not gonna be happy about that. 'course, you're not the only one here can play mind games, hon."
<Steph> Stephanie frowns. "I didn't stop to make any." She turns back to the vampire. "Hey, is it actually true that you're all slaves who can't do anything your boss doesn't let you? That's rough."
<El-Cideon> "Well, maybe *technically*," the woman says, then adding with a toothy grin, "but there's plenty leeway and freedom for interpreting her commands. Anyways we get to see the planes picking up the fodder and never worry about being short on something to drink. Her Majesty's maybe not the most stable employer I've ever had, but hey, it's a fair gig all told."
<Franceska> "Are you in any way interested in betraying her, then?"
<Julia> "I don't think interest matters," Julia points out. "Though if we killed her they'd become free... assuming she made all of them personally."
<Franceska> "It would be just so hateful to return here to kill any that want her avenged. While if they want her gone, they might share some weakness she clearly has."
<El-Cideon> She rolls her eyes, amidst a chorus of mocking laughter. "Oh, what, you gonna bribe us now? You got all of one thing I want, hon, and I don't think you're about to offer me that. Ah, but maybe if I ask you right, you'll change your mind~" To Julia, she nods. "Sure she did. Gotta follow her commands, even when they don't make much sense. But like I said, we get what we need out of it. So you folks are here to try and put down Her Majesty, huh? Whoo boy. Well, you made it farther than the last batch," she admits.
<Franceska> "Ideally, I would like to capture her and bring her back to where she came from so they'll see what happened to her," Franceska notes.
<El-Cideon> She scans through your group and picks at Tarell at the back of the crowd. "Oh, you sprung Her Majesty's snack. She was looking forward to that, you know. Not every day a girl gets to drink angel blood."
<Steph> "Yeah, that's because of the utter lack of a coordinated defensive system," notes Stephanie. "The whole 'let's leave random, brainless minions in random rooms' is pretty poor as far as deployment go, even if they are all really strong."
<Franceska> "It is fairly terrible design, but she does seem to be crazy. And before, this whole building was built by demons? That explains so much."
<Steph> "Yeah, there's not even a bell to ring when intruders show up."
<Julia> "She probably had generals for that back when she was ruling Solata," Julia notes. "But yes, being crazed can't help."
<Steph> "Though I do wanna ask what the fuck that thing in the fridge was."
<El-Cideon> At Franceska's statement, she simply laughs riotously. "Yeah, sure, just ask her real nice and see what happens." To Stephanie, she raises her hands defensively. "Hey, look, I never said she was a master strategist. You know you can't expect too much tactical sense from a girl spends so much time making war on herself."
<Franceska> "I don't suppose you know of a way for us to help her win?"
<El-Cideon> "And why would we even *want* for that to happen?" she asks incredulously. "Hey, it's a crazy setup, but it keeps the cattle in line, right?"
<Franceska> "Because this angel will heroically kill you otherwise, and everyone will help."
<Steph> "How does the whole thing work? War on herself? So she plots shit down here, goes up there, and then turns all light and fluffy?"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, I'm terrified," the woman says with mock horror. "He did such a good job of that the first time!" She gives Franceska a withering glare and turns back to Stephanie. "Yeah, pretty much, far as I can tell. Sometimes she gives us orders to go snatch folk for rendering. Sometimes she forgets about it later and we can play with 'em ourselves." She shrugs. "Works out either way in the end."
<Steph> Stephanie throws up her hands. "So now we're going to kill you all. Again. Any last words?"
<El-Cideon> "You look delicious."
<El-Cideon> OOC: init~
<Steph> "See! I told you I could do it!"
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 23."12 [1d20=14]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Julia
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 Julia and gets 12."12 [1d20=10]
<Franceska> "Just remember! The first one to turn treasonous gets to not die!"
<Julia> roll 1d20+6 axeman
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+6 axeman and gets 24."12 [1d20=18]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1 me
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+1 me and gets 17."12 [1d20=16]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+6 B
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+6 B and gets 9."12 [1d20=3]
<Julia> roll 1d20+5 dragon
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+5 dragon and gets 11."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 8."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 Alice and gets 23."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina and gets 20."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 Istradi and gets 23."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 brute
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 brute and gets 16."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 harlot
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 harlot and gets 26."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 black robe
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 black robe and gets 22."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 musician
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 musician and gets 24."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 chancellor
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 chancellor and gets 11."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 dazed man
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 dazed man and gets 14."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 Tarell
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 Tarell and gets 27."12 [1d20=19]
<Steph> roll 1d20+6 a
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+6 a and gets 17."12 [1d20=11]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Steph = Alice = Istradi (23) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > dazed man (14) > Julia (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> Tarell's immediate action is to summon an aura around the party to ward off evil foes, swiftly following this with another burst of holy magic that catches half of the enemy group--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 black robe
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 black robe and gets 25."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 musician
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 musician and gets 14."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 chancellor
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 chancellor and gets 29."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d6 first and last made it
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d6 first and last made it and gets 18."12 [5d6=4, 2, 6, 4, 2]
<El-Cideon> Lacking any immediate means to breach the angel's aura of protection, the scantily-clad vampiress opts to wait for someone to make a move against her or her comrades! (OOC: holding for now, axeman and bard are up)
<Julia> The axeman runs over to engage the beefiest vampire!
<Julia> roll 1d20+17 -2pa charge
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 -2pa charge and gets 29."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> As he does so, the musician pipes a trill on her instrument to enhance herself and her allies with supernatural speed!
<El-Cideon> OOC: enemy party hasted, and hit
<Julia> roll 1d12+16
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d12+16 and gets 23."12 [1d12=7]
<El-Cideon> Vampiric resistance blunts the axe's impact, but it's still a fearsome blow!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph/Alice/Istradi
<El-Cideon> Istradi charges forward to slash once at the same target as the undead axe knight--but as she does so, the scandalous vampiress loops around behind her to punch once from behind! Alice follows up to slash at this enemy in turn.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23 vs brute
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 vs brute and gets 25."12 [1d20=2]
<Steph> Stephanie crouches, biding her time within the protective circle.
<Steph> OOC: I'm holding. For now.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10 elec is irrelevant
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10 elec is irrelevant and gets 17."12 [1d10=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20+2 flankies vs Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20+2 flankies vs Istradi and gets 39."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5+6d6 SA, also -2 NL and -2 STR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5+6d6 SA, also -2 NL and -2 STR and gets 33."12 [1d6=2][6d6=6, 6, 6, 1, 3, 4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Steph = Alice = Istradi (23, -2NL -2 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > dazed man (14) > Julia (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 Alice, can't flank roguery
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 Alice, can't flank roguery and gets 24."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiff, black robe is up
<El-Cideon> The robed vampire sidles up next to Istradi and reaches out one blackly glowing hand--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15 concentration first!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+15 concentration first! and gets 34."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 touch and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 fort and gets 23."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 3d6+12 saved!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3d6+12 saved! and gets 22."12 [3d6=1, 6, 3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: shoulda had -2 save penalty due to NL, still just makes it
<El-Cideon> "Fucking vampires!" the militant woman curses as she's drained and then infused with vile energies. Marina, meanwhile, executes her standard first move--
<El-Cideon> OOC: everyone hasted but herself and...Tarell, because she'd have to deal with SR
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and Ahab
* Franceska becomes a fearsome bear!
<Franceska> OOC: transformation as swift, bite of the werebear
<Franceska> Ahab, in the meanwhile, prepares to lash out at any vampire that comes close!
<Steph> roll 1d6 what element am I today
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6 what element am I today and gets 4."12 [1d6=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: ice!
<El-Cideon> The brutish vampire sneers and reaches out for the foe directly in front of him, looking to make friends his own way!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+1 CMB vs Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+1 CMB vs Istradi and gets 41."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: grappled!
<El-Cideon> The dazed, half-dressed man rushes forward, evidently not at all bothered by Tarell's aura, and whips out a rapier to stab once at the menacing bear!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+1+2 charge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+1+2 charge and gets 22."12 [1d20=2]
<Franceska> OOC: Misses. Also, AoOs?
<El-Cideon> OOC: correct
<Franceska> roll 1d20+21 Ahab trip
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+21 Ahab trip and gets 41."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: that is obviously a success!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Steph = Alice = Istradi (23, -2NL -2 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran (17) > Brute (16) > dazed man = Ahab (14) > Julia (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> The yet-mortal enemy tumbles awkwardly at Franceska's feet as he's tripped by her undead protector!
<Julia> Reigning in her enthusiasm to take part in the battle, Julia first gives Stephanie the power to fight vampires with impunity! Unless they dominate her, then they're in trouble. But if nothing else, Stephanie is renowned for her steadfast and unyielding will!
<Julia> OOC: death ward on Steph
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Steph = Alice = Istradi (23, -2NL -2 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > dazed man (14) > Julia (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<Steph> Briefly, Stephanie sheds a tear at an entirely unwarranted surge of faith. Then she steps forward to lacerate the prone vampire, whilst remaining neatly inside the angel's magical circle.
<El-Cideon> OOC: dragon + chancellor. Note dragon can't physically push past the group of mages hiding around Tarell
<Steph> OOC: I'm barging in to act now.
<El-Cideon> OOC: go ahead.
<Steph> roll 1d20+22 (+4 prone to this, I believe)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 (+4 prone to this, I believe) and gets 30."12 [1d20=8]
<Steph> roll 1d20+22 (+4 prone to this, I believe)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 (+4 prone to this, I believe) and gets 27."12 [1d20=5]
<Steph> roll 1d20+23 (+4 prone to this, I believe)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+23 (+4 prone to this, I believe) and gets 26."12 [1d20=3]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17 (+4 prone to this, I believe)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 (+4 prone to this, I believe) and gets 35."12 [1d20=18]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Alice = Istradi (23, -2NL -2 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > dazed man (14) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<Steph> roll 1d20+18 (+4 prone to this, I believe)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 (+4 prone to this, I believe) and gets 32."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+1d6+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+1d6+3d6 and gets 28."12 [1d6=5][1d6=1][3d6=5, 2, 4]
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+1d6+3d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+1d6+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+1d6+3d6 and gets 32."12 [1d6=6][1d6=6][3d6=1, 2, 6]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+1d6+3d6 and gets 27."12 [1d6=5][1d6=4][3d6=2, 3, 2]
<Steph> roll 1d4+8+3d6
<Steph> roll 1d4+8+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+8+3d6 and gets 21."12 [1d4=2][3d6=5, 5, 1]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+8+3d6 and gets 21."12 [1d4=2][3d6=2, 6, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Alice = Istradi (23, -2NL -2 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<Julia> The dragon merely looms in the backgrond, guarding their rear.
<El-Cideon> "Mortal trash," the blond woman sighs. "Well, there's plenty more fodder upstairs," she adds with a shrug, before pointing one finger at the group by the door and emitting a bolt of lightning that ricochets from one target to another!
<El-Cideon> OOC: ref for everyone but axeman/Alice/Istradi, +2 resistance bonus from Tarell's aura
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 36."12 [1d20=14]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+13 and gets 21."12 [1d20=8]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 and gets 9."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: +1 from haste as well!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6+2+1 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6+2+1 Marina and gets 11."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12+2+1 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12+2+1 Rosey and gets 35."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab/Bligh/dragon?
<Julia> roll 1d20+9 dragon
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+9 dragon and gets 26."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 needs to pass SR vs Tarell
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 needs to pass SR vs Tarell and gets 21."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 ref, passed
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 ref, passed and gets 24."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 elec to initial target (Fran)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 elec to initial target (Fran) and gets 33."12 [12d6=3, 1, 5, 5, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 4, 6]
<El-Cideon> roll 6d6 elec everyone else, Steph/Rosey/dragon halved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 6d6 elec everyone else, Steph/Rosey/dragon halved and gets 26."12 [6d6=3, 3, 4, 6, 4, 6]
<Julia> OOC: ahab and bligh have sr 22
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 CL check!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 CL check! and gets 15."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 CL check!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 CL check! and gets 23."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab nukes it, Bligh still gets hit
<Steph> roll 1d20+8 bligh
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+8 bligh and gets 21."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: full
<El-Cideon> OOC: Bligh is up
<Steph> Bligh advances, and lashes out with his chain to try and trip up the harlot!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 41."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: success!
<Steph> OOC: and I think he's done.
<El-Cideon> The scandalous vampiress tumbles in an undignified heap to the ground!
<El-Cideon> Rosemund focuses and chants a prayer to call upon the might of her divine patron!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Rosey is now SUPER ROSEY. Angel is up
<El-Cideon> Tarell lays a hand on Rosemund's shoulder and grants an additional boon-- (OOC: Death Ward Rosey!)
<El-Cideon> The roguish vampiress stands again and glares at her attacker!
<El-Cideon> OOC: AoO as she stands.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 Alice AoO
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 Alice AoO and gets 26."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiff, Bligh taking one?
<Steph> roll 1d20+25
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+25 and gets 45."12 [1d20=20]
<Steph> OOC: I'm counting the +4 vs. prone thing
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 17."12 [2d4=3, 1]
<El-Cideon> She takes one hit but, secure as she is in her agility, she goes back to ignoring the undead foe and lashes out once more at Istradi's exposed back!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20+1
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20+1 and gets 40."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5+6d6 SA -2NL -2 STR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5+6d6 SA -2NL -2 STR and gets 28."12 [1d6=4][6d6=6, 4, 4, 1, 1, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24) > Alice = Istradi (23, -4NL -4 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman & musician
<Julia> With the brute ignoring him in favour of Istradi, the axeman does his best to give him something else to think about!
<Julia> roll 1d20+15 -2pa
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+15 -2pa and gets 28."12 [1d20=13]
<Julia> roll 1d20+10 -2pa
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+10 -2pa and gets 23."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> The musician sings a note, and an array of duplicates flashes into existence around her!
<El-Cideon> OOC: both hit
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+4 MI
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+4 MI and gets 8."12 [1d4=4]
<Julia> roll 1d12+16
<Julia> roll 1d12+16
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d12+16 and gets 17."12 [1d12=1]
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d12+16 and gets 22."12 [1d12=6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice = Istradi (23, -4NL -4 STR) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> Unable to land a slash on the nimblest foe, Alice adopts the axe knight's bold example and slashes thrice at the grappling vampire! Meanwhile, her companion struggles to break free--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18+2
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18+2 and gets 26."12 [1d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18+2 and gets 39."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13+2 and gets 18."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+2d6 silver!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+2d6 silver!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+2d6 silver! and gets 10."12 [1d6=6][2d6=1, 1]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+2d6 silver! and gets 13."12 [1d6=1][2d6=6, 4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 CMB Istradi's pretty fucked
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 CMB Istradi's pretty fucked and gets 30."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> OOC: fail. Black robe is up!
<El-Cideon> The robed vampire again reaches out a hand infused with vile energies towards the trapped mercenary--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15 concentration (Alice and Bligh are in range)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+15 concentration (Alice and Bligh are in range) and gets 23."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 touch and gets 25."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 much reduced fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 much reduced fort and gets 18."12 [1d20=5]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Black Robe (22) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Brute (16) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> --and this time, with her resistance weakened, she succumbs to the deathly influence and collapses lifeless on the spot!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Marina is up, Fran and Ahab can line up as well since she shouldn't alter their turns any
<El-Cideon> Marina focuses her last barrage of missiles on the most weakened foe, hoping to strike down that grappler before he can snatch anyone else!
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 and gets 16."12 [5d4=4, 4, 1, 1, 1]
<El-Cideon> But he yet barely clings to unlife, fastening a glare upon Marina to suggest the sorceress might be next!
* Franceska runs down the robed vampire, while Ahab does his very best to follow suit, targetting the brute!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+24 Ahab charge!
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+24 Ahab charge! and gets 36."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Franceska> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d4+13 and gets 18."12 [2d4=4, 1]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+27 (5pa, lion's charge)
<Franceska> roll 1d20+27 (5pa, lion's charge)
<Franceska> roll 1d20+27 (5pa, lion's charge)
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+27 (5pa, lion's charge) and gets 38."12 [1d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+27 (5pa, lion's charge) and gets 42."12 [1d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+27 (5pa, lion's charge) and gets 32."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Franceska> roll 1d20+17 (5pa, lion's charge, bite)
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+17 (5pa, lion's charge, bite) and gets 34."12 [1d20=17]
<Franceska> roll 3#2d4+10+4+5 magic
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 3#2d4+10+4+5 magic and gets 74."12 [3#2d4+10+4+5 = 23, 24, 27]
<Franceska> OOC: Sorry, +8x3 to that
<Franceska> roll 2d8+5+8+5 normal
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d8+5+8+5 normal and gets 27."12 [2d8=4, 5]
<El-Cideon> The profane-casting vampire is rent to within an inch of its vile existence, crying out in unexpected fright at this assault! Ahab's foe, also, barely lingers on. Ignoring the undead enemy assaulting him, he punches out once at the largest living foe available--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+1 vs Fran
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+1 vs Fran and gets 27."12 [1d20=4]
<Franceska> OOC: AC33, Death Ward
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia and Steph are up!
<Julia> Retreating somewhat, Julia moves behind the dragon and then to all appearances drops dead!
<Julia> OOC: magic jar, I can try and possess something next turn
<El-Cideon> OOC: noted
<Steph> Stephanie bounces after Franceska to finish the job on the robed figure and the brute, in that order.
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 23."12 [1d20=1]
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 39."12 [1d20=17]
<Steph> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+23 and gets 39."12 [1d20=16]
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 38."12 [1d20=20]
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 28."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Steph> OOC: the first doesn't
<El-Cideon> OOC: well, except the 1!
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+1d6+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+1d6+3d6 and gets 28."12 [1d6=2][1d6=2][3d6=4, 4, 5]
<Steph> roll 1d4+8+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+8+3d6 and gets 24."12 [1d4=4][3d6=3, 6, 3]
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+1d6+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+1d6+3d6 and gets 32."12 [1d6=6][1d6=5][3d6=3, 4, 3]
<Steph> roll 1d4+8+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+8+3d6 and gets 18."12 [1d4=1][3d6=1, 2, 6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Marina (20) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: dragon + chancellor
<Julia> The dragon stands guard over Julia's seeming-corpse.
<El-Cideon> "Okay, you're pretty good," the blond woman says with an air of approval and little concern for her friends. "How about you put that murderous spirit to use for our side, huh?" So saying, her eyes blaze as she focuses her malevolent will upon Stephanie!
<El-Cideon> OOC: will, outside of Tarell's aura by now
<Steph> roll 1d20+17 mopm
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 mopm and gets 30."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: pass!
<Steph> "The voices say no!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: Bligh! Rogue girl is still in melee range, anyone else and you have to move
<Steph> Bligh promptly attempts to sweep the rogue off her feet again, and then whacks her repeatedly.
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 34."12 [1d20=13]
<Steph> OOC: Does that trip her?
<El-Cideon> OOC: not this time!
<Steph> roll 1d20+22 sad day
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 sad day and gets 23."12 [1d20=1]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Steph> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 and gets 37."12 [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: natural 20 obviously hits, otherwise :(
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 19."12 [2d4=3, 3]
<El-Cideon> As the two slain vampires disapparate into clouds that veer instinctively towards their coffins, Rosemund charges in to try and help her undead friends put down the most agile of the lot!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 and gets 31."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 and gets 21."12 [1d8=7][2d6=2, 2]
<El-Cideon> Tarell wades into the antechamber to reach out towards the chancellor and fill her full of debilitating positive energy--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 concentration
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 concentration and gets 19."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 touch and gets 16."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: failed. Roguery is up.
<El-Cideon> Tumbling nimbly through the melee surrounding her, the vampiress moves toward the door where one unprotected spellcaster still lingers--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+25 acrobatics to void AoO, vs CMD of basically everyone in that huge central melee
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+25 acrobatics to void AoO, vs CMD of basically everyone in that huge central melee and gets 41."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> --to take up a position near Marina and focus her dominating presence upon her!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina will and gets 16."12 [1d20=9]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Marina (20, dominated) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: that's her turn, whether DEVIL BEAR FRAN gets an AoO doesn't fundamentally change her action. Axeman and musician line up while Cor figures it out?
<Julia> Bereft of instruction with its target dead, the axeman falls idle. It's controller may seem dead, but the spell controlling it is still present.
<El-Cideon> Singing a cheery note, the musician blinks out of sight!
<El-Cideon> Alice veers after the mind-controlling vampire and slashes at her in one charge--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18+2 and gets 29."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+2d6 and gets 14."12 [1d6=5][2d6=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> Crying in pain at the touch of a silver blade, the vampiress croons to her new thrall: "They're trying to murder me, my pretty thing! Use your magic! Burn them all!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7+2 secondary save to resist murdering her friends!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7+2 secondary save to resist murdering her friends! and gets 26."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> Marina freezes in place, defiant for this moment!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and Ahab
<Franceska> Ahab draws his bow and shoots at the underdressed vampire!
<Franceska> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d6 and gets 1."12 [1d6=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: fire!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 and gets 30."12 [1d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 and gets 22."12 [1d20=3]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+14 and gets 28."12 [1d20=14]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+9 and gets 23."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first and third hit
<Franceska> Franceska, too, can hardly let that go and turns her sights upon the vampire whore!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+26 charge, 8pa
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+26 charge, 8pa and gets 34."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits
<Franceska> roll 1d8+10+1d6 last is fire
<Franceska> roll 1d8+10+1d6 last is fire
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d8+10+1d6 last is fire and gets 21."12 [1d8=8][1d6=3]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d8+10+1d6 last is fire and gets 21."12 [1d8=5][1d6=6]
<Franceska> roll 2d4+10+8+4+8
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d4+10+8+4+8 and gets 34."12 [2d4=1, 3]
<El-Cideon> The beautiful abomination wails as her perfect skin is rent and torn!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia and Steph
<Julia> As an intangible spirit, Julia's view of the battle is rather muted. All she can really perceive is living and undead spirits, and vague differences in the power between them... and the undead ones are dropping off quickly. The most powerful is surely the dragon, and the weakest is the axeman, but as for the rest? It could be vampires or it could be undead captains, unfortunately there's no
<Julia> way to tell, so she tries her luck by inserting her consciousness into one of them to see what happens.
<Steph> Stephanie darts towards the chancellor, and a distracting blast of fire echoes from behind her whilst she lashes out twice!
<Steph> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+22 and gets 36."12 [1d20=14]
<Steph> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+23 and gets 26."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits, Steph
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+3d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+3d6+1d6 and gets 29."12 [1d6=4][3d6=2, 4, 3][1d6=5]
<Julia> roll 1d6 ahab, alice, bard, bligh, chancellor, harlot
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d6 ahab, alice, bard, bligh, chancellor, harlot and gets 4."12 [1d6=4]
<Julia> roll 1d20+14 sr vs bligh :(
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+14 sr vs bligh :( and gets 20."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8 will vs DC 25
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 will vs DC 25 and gets 13."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> Silver or no, Stephanie finds her blade cutting much less deeply than she might have anticipated. "Ow, that hurt a little," the chancellor deadpans.
<Julia> And Julia now finds herself looking out from the eyeslits of some bothersomely heavy armour. She can't cast in this!
<El-Cideon> OOC: dragon and chancellor are up
<Julia> The dragon continues to loom.
<El-Cideon> "Yeah, this is gettin' a bit messy," the chancellor admits. "Someone should probably tell Her Majesty to climb out of the bath and put some damn clothes on. Ah well, let's leave you with a parting gift--" She steps back and, at a gesture, a cloud of bilious vapors fills the center of the room!
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort for everyone not by the door (so Marina/Julia excluded)
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: note +2, Tarell's aura moved with him to the center of the room.
<Franceska> OOC: I'd be by Marina, since I'm attacking the vampire dominating her
<Julia> At least she doesn't need to breathe right now... it's rather like a preview of what lichdom will bring, isn't it?
<El-Cideon> OOC: okay, no Fran either!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 CL vs Tarell SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 CL vs Tarell SR and gets 20."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 fort and gets 19."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13+2 Rosey!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13+2 Rosey! and gets 29."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 CON damage, Rosey halved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4 CON damage, Rosey halved and gets 3."12 [1d4=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Bligh is up!
<Julia> OOC: Bligh is imprisoned in a magic gem
<El-Cideon> OOC: Rosey, then!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27, -3 CON) > Harlot (26) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Marina (20, dominated) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> Rosemund charges out of the vile cloud after the wounded roguish vampire, trying to put at least one undead menace down for good!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+2 and gets 40."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 and gets 21."12 [1d8=3][2d6=5, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27, -3 CON) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Marina (20, dominated) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon = Chancellor (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> Despite a distracting fit of coughing, Rosemund's mace is right on the mark, bashing the vampiress's head in and sending her right into her alternate, gaseous form! The vampire merely being discorporated doesn't necessarily seem to clear Marina's mind, though...
<El-Cideon> Tarell steps forward and lashes out thrice with his stolen flail before the chancellor can make good on her promised flight!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 14."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 and gets 15."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+4
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+4 and gets 5."12 [1d10=1]
<El-Cideon> It isn't very effective for an angel!
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman and musician
<Julia> With a gesture from 'Bligh' the axeman suddenly springs to life and charges the Chancellor. Whether the negative energy link is felt with Julia in her new body or it is simply the actions of a soldier following his superior officer, who can say?
<Julia> roll 1d20+12 -7pa charge
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+12 -7pa charge and gets 25."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: alas!
<El-Cideon> From somewhere within the cloud, a note rings out--a note for Franceska's ears only, trying to put unyielding iron into her very bones!
<El-Cideon> OOC: will
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+11 and gets 22."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: passed!
<El-Cideon> Alice whirls around to try and dispel the glamour over Marina before the sorceress can cast any spells upon her own friends!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 break enchantment!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 break enchantment! and gets 14."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC :(
<El-Cideon> Marina continues attempting to follow through on her last command while her new mistress remains yet among the unliving (if still a cloud)--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 to not murder friends!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 to not murder friends! and gets 16."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> Marina raises one hand and emits a pulse of lightning at Franceska!
<El-Cideon> OOC: ref
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+11 and gets 27."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 10d6 elec halved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 10d6 elec halved and gets 46."12 [10d6=3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4, 4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and Ahab
<Franceska> Ahab switches targets to shoot at the only remaining target, while Franceska braves the dangers of the lethal cloud to have a chance at putting her down!
<Franceska> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d6 and gets 6."12 [1d6=6]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 and gets 32."12 [1d20=13]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 and gets 27."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: lightning!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+14 and gets 19."12 [1d20=5]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+9 and gets 17."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also first two hit
<Franceska> roll 1d8+10+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d8+10+1d6 and gets 22."12 [1d8=8][1d6=4]
<Franceska> roll 1d8+10+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d8+10+1d6 and gets 16."12 [1d8=1][1d6=5]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+26 charge, 8pa
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+26 charge, 8pa and gets 44."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Franceska> roll 1d20+30 CMB for grapple, too
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+30 CMB for grapple, too and gets 40."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: pass
<Franceska> roll 2d4+10+8+8+4 magic
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d4+10+8+8+4 magic and gets 33."12 [2d4=1, 2]
<El-Cideon> "Nobody said anything about BEARS!" the chancellor complains as she's badly rent by Franceska's claws!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia and Steph
<Julia> She really doesn't want to risk casting and fizzling her spells in this heavy armour, so instead 'Bligh' takes a commanding pose and exercises his rarely used mouth parts to say, "Cower!" as a wave of overpowering necromantic power pulses through the chamber!
<Julia> roll 1d20+9 turning check
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+9 turning check and gets 17."12 [1d20=8]
<Steph> Stephanie flickers out of view and then assaults the chancellor in order to properly bring her up to speed with the tiefling's artistry.
<Julia> roll 2d6+19 amount of hd affected
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 2d6+19 amount of hd affected and gets 26."12 [2d6=5, 2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+24
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+24 and gets 30."12 [1d20=6]
<Steph> roll 1d20+25
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+25 and gets 30."12 [1d20=5]
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 21."12 [1d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 and gets 35."12 [1d20=15]
<Steph> roll 1d20+24
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+24 and gets 37."12 [1d20=13]
<Julia> OOC: if vamps are 13hd or less then both have to cower. If more then the closest cowers.
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit since she's denied DEX in a grapple
<Steph> OOC: ignore all that
<Steph> roll 1d6+1d6+11+3d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+1d6+11+3d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+1d6+11+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+1d6+11+3d6 and gets 28."12 [1d6=3][1d6=4][3d6=3, 3, 4]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+1d6+11+3d6 and gets 34."12 [1d6=4][1d6=2][3d6=6, 5, 6]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+1d6+11+3d6 and gets 29."12 [1d6=2][1d6=4][3d6=1, 6, 5]
<Steph> roll 1d4+8+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+8+3d6 and gets 20."12 [1d4=2][3d6=6, 2, 2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27, -3 CON) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Marina (20, dominated) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> The chancellor disappears into a cloud of undead flesh--and then just a cloud! Manically steering toward one of the coffins. Her spell, however, lingers on behind her--
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort for Steph/Fran/Tarell, Rosey charged out of it
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 28."12 [1d20=17]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+17 and gets 32."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 CON damage, both halved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4 CON damage, both halved and gets 3."12 [1d4=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 angel fort!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 angel fort! and gets 25."12 [1d20=18]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Tarell (27, -4 CON) > axeman = Musician (24, 8MI) > Alice (23) > Marina (20, dominated) > Fran = Ahab (17) > Julia = Steph (12) > dragon (11) > Bligh (9) > Rosey (8)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: dragon and Bligh!
<Julia> The dragon continues to loom, and Bligh continues to enjoy a relaxing getaway inside a tiny crystal.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund continues efforts to try and break the spell over Marina!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 break enchantment!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 break enchantment! and gets 14."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> Tarell, not seeing the remaining foe, grants a healing touch to Franceska before evacuating the cloud with all possible speed.
<El-Cideon> roll 3d8+9 heals!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3d8+9 heals! and gets 18."12 [3d8=4, 1, 4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman, musician is cowering somewhere, invisible and mirror imaged
<Julia> Seeing no threats, the axeman starts to relax, until his commander brings him up short. "Go make some stakes out of the chairlegs!" 'Bligh' rasps, showing uncharacteristic motivation and grasp of the situation. With an axe the axmean is aptly suited to the task, and chops off the nearest chairleg to leave a jagged point on the broken end.
<El-Cideon> Alice makes another attempt at freeing Marina before more lightning bolts can be thrown!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 just Dispel Magic this time, sadly
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 just Dispel Magic this time, sadly and gets 12."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 Marina will for not killing people
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 Marina will for not killing people and gets 24."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> Alice shrugs helplessly, but at least this time Marina overcomes her murderous impulses!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran/Ahab
* Franceska emerges out of the cloud to grasp Marina tightly. So much, perhaps, that she won't be able to electrocute her again.
<Franceska> roll 1d20+30 CMB grapple
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+30 CMB grapple and gets 34."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: she has like no CMD, so!!!
<Franceska> Ahab, for his part, switches weapons once more and stalks the cloud while searching for the remaining vampire, his chain sweeping through it regularly.
<Steph> Stephanie rushes out of the cloud, coughing all the way.
<El-Cideon> Marina is easily grasped and dragged out of the poison-filled room with the other living heroes. Alice lingers behind, casting a spell to penetrate all illusions and then coordinating with Ahab to pinpoint and destroy the remaining vampire!
<El-Cideon> OOC: basically free act!
<Julia> Meanwhile Bligh grabs the freshly made stake and starts puncturing vampire hearts in the coffins with surgical precision!
<El-Cideon> Ultimately, Bligh finds the right slumbering vampire to destroy and break the magical hold over Marina, who slumps pathetically and babbles profuse apologies. "I'm SO sorry, I tried to kill you but I didn't want to!"
<Steph> "That was the worst," opinies Stephanie, staring balefully at the poisonous cloud. "Did we bring a diamond? We'd better raise Istradi before Auranelle shows up. If the cloud goes away. Oh, no problem. Fucking vampires."
<El-Cideon> "It can't last forever," Marina says of the cloud. "I think the spell is some minutes in length?"
<El-Cideon> "Does anyone need help recovering?" Rosemund says promptly, her usual helpful self.
<Julia> After becoming an ace in vampire slaying terms, Bligh goes still and a moment later Julia rouses herself as if waking from a brief slumber. "There's no harm in waiting, I don't think Auranelle's coming down to find us."
* Franceska turns back into her human self, grimacing. "I will recover soon enough, I think," she says. "But I am also almost out of spells."
<El-Cideon> As Rosemund provides recovery for those poisoned by the cloud, the cloud itself does, eventually, dissipate.
<Steph> "Yeah, that cloud did a number of my lungs." Stephanie pauses. "What've you got left?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: Restorations for Steph and Fran! Alice provides one for angel boy and a lesser for Rosey
<Julia> "I have diamond," Julia volunteers. Five thousand gold worth exactly! Though it was meant for less charitable ends, diamond is diamond.
<Franceska> "I can't even turn into anything," Franceska says in disgust. "Deal with a crowd of worthless skeletons? Dispel a trap? Maybe pin someone if I manage that."
<El-Cideon> Once the cloud clears, there is in each coffin a pile of ashes and a scattering of belongings for each slain vampire, not to mention Istradi's lifeless body.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, allow me?" Rosemund says, accepting the diamond if it's offered for that purpose.
<Julia> A bit more magic detection filters the wheat from the chaff amongst those belongings, while Rosemund is given the diamond dust to do with as she pleases.
<Julia> OOC: taking 10 for 27 on spellcraft
<Julia> Julia also heals herself as she appraises.
<Franceska> "And in the meanwhile, I think this must be said. We've found nothing, regrettably, that would help us do something about Queen Auranelle."
<El-Cideon> Along with a familiar crystal sphere--this time diamond--and another tattered log in the chancellor's coffin, there is a handful of magical debris.
<El-Cideon> (OOC: loot post incoming)
<Julia> "I found another crystal for the elevator. Wasn't this the bottom, though?" Julia wonders, holding it up briefly before she hands the log off to someone else to read for them while she sorts the magic stuff.
<Steph> "Perhaps we haven't looked everywhere yet," replies Stephanie, agitatedly, walking towards the log and peering it over.
<El-Cideon> "Yes, it was," Marina says, sounding confused herself.
<El-Cideon> Stephanie reads:
<El-Cideon> This journal is written in a cramped and precise hand which, despite elucidating plots and schemes of considerable complexity and detail, demonstrates a fundamentally impatient personality at work in the clipped and sterile nature of its narration. While theoretical and practical implementation of necromantic energies occupies much of the diarist's time, at least an equal portion of the journal is concerned with the management of abyssal forces on the Prime. Much of the information contained herein would have been of considerable strategic value to Solati authorities had they only acquired it thirty years ago.
<El-Cideon> Like all other logs found throughout Whitsunhold, this one terminates without explanation twenty-six years ago. Before doing so, however, it relates the following scientific speculation of interest to the party's present goals:
<El-Cideon> "Theory: that natural abhorrence of transcendent conditions stems from philosophical opposition to habits of predation engaged in by transcendent organisms; that transcendent organisms driven to compromise life philosophies by hungers innately fostered by transcendent condition; that given preservation of mortal subject's 'better nature' and ignorance of said hungers, transcendent organism may retain life relation to natural circumstances."
<El-Cideon> The writer then goes on to propose the following:
<El-Cideon> "Experiment: initiate subject transformation in trance state; maintain ignorance of base persona and facilitate indulgence of subject's 'morality'; cultivate transcendent persona for weaponization in doctrinal conflict; reinforce subject's resistance vs. natural circumstances and confirm resilience via introduction to 'holy' artifacts spells & effects; presuming survival, reintroduce subject to base circumstances and allow resumption of base persona's familiar existence; maintain remote contact with transcendent persona and employ for conversion, reconnaisance, assassination, etcetera."
<El-Cideon> The ultimately desired utility of this idea is stated explicitly in direct reference to Auranelle: after suitable absence from her kingdom, the Queen was to be returned via a "rescue" operation facilitated by intelligence leaked through abyssal agents in Solata; the preservation of her original personality and morality would deter detection while she performed her official duties in typically muddled fashion through daylight hours; and at night, the vampiric identity fostered by Whitsunhold's staff would go to work covertly turning those who could be coerced into abyssal service, forcibly converting others, and eliminating the more stubbornly upstanding representatives of Solata's government, churches and military. Mutual antagonism of the Queen's identities was not only acknowledged as possible, but in fact also desirable as a means of speeding the kingdom's collapse, and an appreciable irony that Solata's compromised state should reflect its monarch's personal dichotomy.
<El-Cideon> The intent of this architect's sadistic project is in short summarized by him thusly: the kingdom of Solata was to be corrupted at its core and converted to an undead thrall state in service to the demon lord Orcus by the one human in the kingdom least likely to be suspected of such a degree of wickedness. Some key entries from the preliminary stages of this failed project are as follows:
<El-Cideon> -"Habitat prepared. Initial fodder acquired cheaply from drow matrons. Start of good relationship, matrons' greed enables fair price on elderly & disabled servants otherwise meant for spiders. New thralls offer no resistance, matrons adept at stripping thralls of recalcitrance. Admirable first crop. Perhaps supplement chattal by trades with orc & goblin raiders in leaner times."
<El-Cideon> -"Retrieval operation principally successful. Royal guards interrupted abduction but unable to prevent egress with subject. Acceptable result: her people should recognize her absence & long for retrieval before she is returned to them; though some servants killed in attempt, no truly important or knowledgeable thralls left behind. Secrecy of purpose should be intact with tolerable losses. This is well enough. Operation should not appear without cost on our part."
<El-Cideon> -"Queen placed in cell to perspire overnight. Work should commence shortly. On the morrow? Rather allow day of deprivation for fear to worry at composure. Unaccustomed cold & hunger should compromise resolve. Queen bold in initial meeting, but I remain unimpressed. Pride does not equal courage."
<El-Cideon> -"Transcendent condition gifted under hypnosis. Priestess Belmora confirms ignorance of transformation by base persona. Will refrain from spiritual litmus test until confident dual natures taken firm hold. Cannot allow base persona's perception to be skewed by conflicting results."
<El-Cideon> -A week or so later, on a date precisely coinciding with the public announcement of Auranelle's "murder" on Solata is the following simple entry: "THE TREACHEROUS SCUM. I WILL FEED THAT WIZARD HIS OWN INTESTINES BEFORE THIS WAR IS THROUGH."
<El-Cideon> The journal then sulks in sullen silence for some time before resuming entries without any mention of Auranelle. The writer busies himself with a variety of necromantic projects and coordination of war efforts on the Prime with a distracted air, noting only detachedly any further concern with his royal prize as he relates in disinterested, offhand manner his surbordinates' continuing work with the Queen. But finally, after some time appears the following grudging acknowledgement of progress:
<El-Cideon> -"Priestess Belmora relates persistence of Auranelle's chief mortal values in base persona vs. evolving wickedness of true persona. Base persona placed in habitat with natural results; perceives significance & authority in world unchanged. Would be promising if still possible to return to throne. Useless now. Just another vampire."
<El-Cideon> And, among the last entries:
<El-Cideon> -"Queen's schism cleanly established. Priestess Belmora describes stubborn resistance in daylight hours vs. gleeful collaboration in night. Test with implements of celestial devotion vs. daylight persona successful. Queen responds as original spirit untouched by Orcus's gift. Contrarywise, transcendent persona eager participant in all rites & nighttime transgressions. Sound work done by all subordinates & original theory seemingly validated, though lacks final test of sunlight exposure. Assuming success, would be ready for deployment in original purpose but for Regent's gambit. Should have been ideal agent. Confounded man. Queen perhaps still of use on other fronts, will consider alternate employment."
<El-Cideon> The writer does not in fact appear to have given the subject much further thought at all. Some weeks later is a brusque final entry:
<El-Cideon> -"Priestess Belmora relates Queen's transcendent persona asks for audience. Wishes to be of use for the cause. No doubt just desires sustenance from fresher more vital thralls rather than habitat chattal, but will hear petition and determine whether zeal warrants reward."
<El-Cideon> Scrawled in the margin next to this final entry in some other, undisciplined hand, is the following, incongruously jocular note: "Gee, how'd that work out for you, bud?"
<Steph> Stephanie snorts with laughter.
<El-Cideon> In the antechamber, Rosemund chants, ritually powders a diamond, and revives the slain mercenary, who regains life with a shocked heaving of breath.
<El-Cideon> ~