067: If it should be the will of my inquisitor

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> Deep within the corrupted heart of Whitsunhold, the party faces off against the dungeon's sadistic mechanical inquisitor and its arachnid henchrobots! The shiniest of the minute chrome menaces takes the first action--a low, tooth-rattling hum emanates from within the automaton's shell. It focuses its attention methodically left-to-right, turning its cyclopic gaze first upon one of the axe knights--
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort for axe knight
<Julia> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> --gravitational forces well up within the undead warrior, and in a flash it crumples inward to vanish into an infinitesimal speck, crushed to nothingness within the blink of an eye!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Adamantine bot (28) > Steph (27) > platinum bot x3 (23) > > Marina (22) > Istradi (21) > Julia = Rosey (20) > captain x2 (18) > Fran (17) > CLANKTRON (10) > Alice = axe guard (8)'
<Steph> Thank Pelor that wasn't her, Stephanie thinks. And then she decides to stay far away from that robot, instead pouncing onto the nearest platinum robot and bashing away at it with her trusty pair of maces!
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 36."12 [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 22."12 [1d20=6]
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 14."12 [1d20=3]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 20."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Steph> OOC: I can't crit robots, can I... life is horror.
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+3d6 (it's adamantine!)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+8+3d6 (it's adamantine!) and gets 29."12 [1d6=6][3d6=4, 6, 5]
<El-Cideon> Stephanie shears off a slice of the robot's shiny outer casing. In response, it revs up its buzzsaw and cuts at her! Meanwhile, one of its fellows charges up a sphere of crackling electricity and fires out into the hall through Julia and Rosemund! The last of the platinum trio then moves to plug up the cell door, taking up station next to the remaining axe knight and cutting at it.
<El-Cideon> OOC: ref for Rosey and Julia
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 Rosey and gets 23."12 [1d20=11]
<Julia> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+6 and gets 11."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 elec Rosey halves
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 elec Rosey halves and gets 47."12 [12d6=1, 3, 2, 5, 5, 6, 5, 5, 2, 3, 5, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 vs Steph and gets 21."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 vs axe knight
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 vs axe knight and gets 22."12 [1d20=9]
<Julia> OOC: Ac 20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d12+4
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d12+4 and gets 14."12 [1d12=10]
<El-Cideon> Marina chants her usual spell to grant the party supernatural speed, and Istradi charges in to swing once at the robot by the door--
<El-Cideon> OOC: party hasted, except Steph and axe knight
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 and gets 30."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10 sadly elec is of no use here
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10 sadly elec is of no use here and gets 20."12 [1d10=10]
<El-Cideon> Though the little robot seems to shrug off the electrical jolt of Istradi's weapon, it is nonetheless rocked by this blow!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia & Rosey
<El-Cideon> Rosemund rushes forward to swing her mace down once upon the same robot!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 and gets 29."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+7+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+7+2d6 and gets 20."12 [1d8=7][2d6=1, 5]
<Julia> "Owowowow!" Julia winces as painful tingles and burns run through her body, running off to the side of the corridor to present less of a target to those inside the room while she heals herself. "You, help Stephanie, and you just shoot at that thing that crushed your friend!" she orders her remaining minions.
<Julia> roll 4d8+13 inflict critical
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 4d8+13 inflict critical and gets 36."12 [4d8=6, 5, 4, 8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Captains!
<Julia> The captain remaining devoted to Julia strings back his bow and lets fly a cascade of dissolving arrows at the adamantine bot!
<Julia> roll 1d20+18 haste
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 haste and gets 24."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> roll 1d20+18 haste
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 haste and gets 27."12 [1d20=9]
<Julia> roll 1d20+13 haste
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 haste and gets 15."12 [1d20=2]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8 haste
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 haste and gets 25."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> OOC: robot is very nimble :(
<Steph> The chain-wielding abomination lumbers forward to assault the damaged little mechanical horror under attack by Stephanie!
<Steph> roll 1d20+16 power attack -5
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 power attack -5 and gets 30."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Steph> roll 2d4+23
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+23 and gets 29."12 [2d4=2, 4]
<El-Cideon> Gears grind fitfully as the malicious machine struggles to stay functional, the robot barely able to operate after this terrific blow!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska follows up on her threat by wishing the nearest of the automation to crumble, much like one of their undead suits of armor just had!
<Franceska> roll 10d8 Fort DC20 half
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 10d8 Fort DC20 half and gets 54."12 [10d8=8, 8, 7, 6, 7, 7, 6, 2, 2, 1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: CL check first if this is subject to SR
<Franceska> roll 1d20+16 okay
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+16 okay and gets 18."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: :(
<El-Cideon> The little robot resists Franceska' baleful influence for now! Meanwhile, the master bellows at Stephanie: "CLANKTRON WORK EASIER IF MORTALS STAY STILL. YOU STOP SQUIRMING SQUISHY PERSON." So saying, Clanktron exhales a cloud of sickly orange smoke in Stephanie's direction--
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort, Steph
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 22."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> --but Stephanie fights off whatever malign influence this might have forced upon her!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Alice and axe knight
<Julia> The axe knight contents itself with hacking at the nearby target blocking the door!
<Julia> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 and gets 19."12 [1d20=2]
<Julia> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+12 and gets 18."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> The knight's determined efforts avail it naught. The party's friendly shadows rushes in to try and finish what it started!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 Alice and gets 21."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> But the little robot continues to be agile as well as resilient.
<El-Cideon> The adamantine bot continues its focus on the door, moving on to where Stephanie previously was and generating a sphere of lethal gravitational force within space now occupied by Istradi--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 fort and gets 24."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> --but this time, resistance is successful!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> Stephanie swipes at the little beast with a flourish, stepping briefly around to flank it with her horrific ally!
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 and gets 29."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: little bots unflankable, FYI
<Steph> OOC: -2 from that
<El-Cideon> OOC: and hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+3d6 (it's adamantine!)
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+8+3d6 (it's adamantine!) and gets 15."12 [1d6=2][3d6=1, 2, 2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Adamantine bot (28) > Steph (27) > platinum bot x2 (23) > > Marina (22) > Istradi (21) > Julia = Rosey (20) > captain x2 (18) > Fran (17) > CLANKTRON (10) > Alice = axe guard (8)'
<El-Cideon> The robot collapses in a shower of sparks and twisted metal! Its uninjured companion marches right over to take its place, while the one by the door slips back a few to emit a beam of lightning--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 vs Steph and gets 22."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Alice ref
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 Alice ref and gets 29."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 Istradi ref
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 Istradi ref and gets 25."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 elec both halved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 elec both halved and gets 43."12 [12d6=5, 3, 2, 6, 5, 1, 5, 3, 4, 1, 5, 3]
<El-Cideon> --but the two companions evade the worst of the spell!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Marina and Istradi
<El-Cideon> Marina focuses an array of magical bolts on the gravitation-fixated adamantine bot, while Istradi tries to put down the door guard.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 CL check
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 CL check and gets 24."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 and gets 16."12 [5d4=1, 2, 3, 3, 2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 and gets 33."12 [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 and gets 40."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 and gets 16."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d10+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d10+10 and gets 43."12 [3#1d10+10 = 12, 17, 14]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Adamantine bot (28) > Steph (27) > platinum bot (23) > > Marina (22) > Istradi (21) > Julia = Rosey (20) > captain x2 (18) > Fran (17) > CLANKTRON (10) > Alice = axe guard (8)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: okay, now J & R!
<Julia> Julia begins casting a spell, craning her neck to look through the door from her current angle.
<Julia> OOC: summon undead v
<El-Cideon> Rosemund calls upon the power of her divine patron to bolster her strength before even thinking about charging into that cell.
<El-Cideon> OOC: captains
<Julia> With Julia giving no further orders, her captain keeps trying to get a bead on that adamantine bot!
<Julia> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 and gets 20."12 [1d20=2]
<Julia> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 and gets 26."12 [1d20=8]
<Julia> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 and gets 25."12 [1d20=17]
<Steph> The undead captain changes targets to the adamantine creature, lashing out thrice with his chain!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 27."12 [1d20=6]
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 28."12 [1d20=12]
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 24."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 28 hits!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21 and add one to everything, hate
<Julia> OOC: he's hasted remember
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and add one to everything, hate and gets 28."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: so does the 27+1!
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 19."12 [2d4=3, 3]
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 20."12 [2d4=4, 3]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 18."12 [2d4=1, 4]
<El-Cideon> The vicious little spiderbot is ground down to within an inch of its cold, unfeeling life!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
<Franceska> "Resist my magic, will you?" Franceska grumbles, calling upon a far more potent spell this time! The assembly line behind her comes to life, except its purpose now is not to make undead robot monstrosities, but ones of her own making! The materials fly through the doorway, narrowly missing friend and foe, only to assemble right between Clanktron and the horrifying adamantine bot and then,
<Franceska> towering above the former, the new robot strikes with all its might!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+15 vs Clanktron
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+15 vs Clanktron and gets 29."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Franceska> roll 2d8+10 size G, has reach of 20ft in case other robots move and provoke it
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d8+10 size G, has reach of 20ft in case other robots move and provoke it and gets 17."12 [2d8=1, 6]
<El-Cideon> Robot fist meets robot face with a resonant CLANG. The master torturer seems mildly phased by this blow. "CLANKTRON DEAL WITH BAD ROBOT IN MINUTE. CLANKTRON WANT BAD GIRL HURT CLANKTRON FRIENDS STAY STILL NOW. CLANKTRON MAKE BAD GIRL STAY STILL!" So saying, the machine steps towards Stephanie to swing at her twice--
<El-Cideon> OOC: provokes an AoO from Ahab moving in.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22 vs Steph
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22 vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 vs Steph and gets 34."12 [1d20=12]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 vs Steph and gets 39."12 [1d20=17]
<Steph> OOC: they both hit
<Franceska> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+15 and gets 17."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 4d8+10
<El-Cideon> roll 4d8+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4d8+10 and gets 29."12 [4d8=8, 2, 6, 3]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4d8+10 and gets 30."12 [4d8=5, 8, 6, 1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+24 improved grab is in play
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+24 improved grab is in play and gets 33."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: CMD?
<Steph> OOC: 36.
<El-Cideon> Stephanie takes two vicious backhands in succession, but for now evades Clanktron's clutches!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Alice and axe guard
<Julia> OOC: is the door-bot still up?
<El-Cideon> OOC: nope. There's 1x p. bot by Steph and GRAVITY BOT in the corner
<Julia> The axe guard enters the room in search of more prey, going after CLANKTRON himself!
<Julia> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> Unfortunately, the axe ricochets harmlessly off the golem's many metal spikes!
<El-Cideon> Alice hurries in to try and put an end to the adamantine bot before it can crush anyone else, one hand crackling with dark energy as she tries to overcome its magical resistance--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 vs SR and gets 19."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> --but her efforts are for naught! However, the robot does respond by trying to cut at the shadow rather than flinging more spells--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 and gets 25."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 ???
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d100 ??? and gets 72."12 [1d100=72]
<El-Cideon> --yet its whirring saw finds only air!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> "Fucking robot!" screams Stephanie, knocking away his arm, then flickering and vanishing from sight! A series of clangs and dents soon follow her vanishment-
<Steph> roll 1d20+20 nodex!
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 nodex! and gets 21."12 [1d20=1]
<Steph> roll 1d20+20 nodex!
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 nodex! and gets 26."12 [1d20=6]
<Steph> roll 1d20+15 nodex!
<Steph> roll 1d20+15 nodex!
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+15 nodex! and gets 34."12 [1d20=19]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+15 nodex! and gets 23."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: he has no DEX anyway. >.> 34 hits!
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+8+3d6 and gets 18."12 [1d6=1][3d6=3, 3, 3]
<El-Cideon> Stephanie's blow imparts a solid dent on the robot's chestplate. "THAT HURT," Clanktron protests. "IT NOT CLANKTRON JOB GET HURT. IT CLANKTRON JOB MAKE HURT!"
<Steph> "PAIN IS MY OCCUPATION!"
<El-Cideon> Finding little success against Stephanie, the remaining platinum robot scurries back into a far corner of the room before firing a beam of lightning through an undead captain, Fran's gigantic construct, and Alice--
<El-Cideon> OOC: AoOs from the first two as he runs for a safe spot
<Franceska> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+15 and gets 22."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab?
<Steph> OOC: Oh right!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 30."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 18."12 [2d4=1, 4]
<El-Cideon> The little robot takes a harsh blow as it escapes, but is not stopped from carrying out its intended plan--
<El-Cideon> OOC: ref for GIANTBOT, Ahab, Alice
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 Alice and gets 25."12 [1d20=15]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+3 and gets 17."12 [1d20=14]
<Steph> OOC: Ahab doesn't have combat reflexes so he only gets one.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ah, right Ex the hit then. Anyway, both halved this--
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 elec
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 elec and gets 45."12 [12d6=6, 5, 4, 2, 6, 4, 2, 4, 2, 1, 3, 6]
<El-Cideon> Alice simply seems to be where the lightning bolt isn't, but the lumbering construct is somewhat less nimble!
<Steph> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: M&I
<El-Cideon> Marina continues trying to pound the adamantine bot with missiles--and if that fails, Istradi will rush in to try and finish the job!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 vs SR and gets 14."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23+2 charge!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23+2 charge! and gets 36."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10 and gets 15."12 [1d10=5]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph (27) > platinum bot (23) > > Marina (22) > Istradi (21) > Julia = Rosey (20) > captain x2 (18) > Fran (17) > CLANKTRON (10) > Alice = axe guard (8)'
<El-Cideon> This machine will create no more black holes after all!
<El-Cideon> OOC: J&R
<Julia> As Julia finishes her spell a pair of undead wyverns manifest in the room, both going right for CLANKTRON! That done she finds herself lacking any spells remotely capable of harming a golem so she sullenly casts false life on herself with a belated, "You get in there too," to the captain still outside.
<Julia> roll 1d20+13 charge wyvern 1
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 charge wyvern 1 and gets 14."12 [1d20=1]
<Julia> roll 1d20+13 charge wyvern 2
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 charge wyvern 2 and gets 33."12 [1d20=20]
<Julia> roll 2d6+7 hurray
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 2d6+7 hurray and gets 12."12 [2d6=2, 3]
<Julia> roll 1d10+10 false life
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d10+10 false life and gets 15."12 [1d10=5]
<El-Cideon> Rosemund runs in to join in the general dogpile on the inquisitor--the cell is growing quite crowded by this point! It's unlikely another person could squeeze in and maneuver at all.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 and gets 23."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: :( Captains!
<Steph> The chain-wielding undead mobilises itself to assault Clanktron, lashing out to trip up the much larger being!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph (27) > platinum bot (23) > > Marina (22) > Istradi (21) > Julia = wyvern x2 = Rosey (20) > captain x2 (18) > Fran (17) > CLANKTRON (10) > Alice = axe guard (8)'
<Julia> The captain follows after Rosemund but finding the room too crowded is reduced to keeping up its arrow fire, this time on the platinum bot.
<Julia> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 and gets 20."12 [1d20=2]
<Julia> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 and gets 28."12 [1d20=10]
<Julia> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 and gets 16."12 [1d20=8]
<Steph> roll 1d20+21 chain is +2, haste is +1
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 chain is +2, haste is +1 and gets 36."12 [1d20=15]
<Steph> OOC: eb, does he fall over
<Steph> OOC: er, cid
<El-Cideon> OOC: 28 hits, Eb
<Julia> roll 1d8+9+2d6
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d8+9+2d6 and gets 22."12 [1d8=4][2d6=3, 6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22 CLANKTRON AoO
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 CLANKTRON AoO and gets 32."12 [1d20=10]
<Steph> OOC: That hits.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+24 CMB because improved grab in effect
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+24 CMB because improved grab in effect and gets 36."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 4d8+10 and damage!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4d8+10 and damage! and gets 29."12 [4d8=3, 8, 6, 2]
<El-Cideon> Clanktron deftly grabs the undead captain with the effrontery to try and trip him instead! (OOC: grappled)
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska orders her giant robot to continue the assault on Clanktron, while summoning a spike from below to impale it where it least expects!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+15 and gets 35."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: obviously hits!
<Franceska> roll 2d8+10
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d8+10 and gets 21."12 [2d8=8, 3]
<Franceska> roll 10d6 ref DC21 half
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 10d6 ref DC21 half and gets 30."12 [10d6=3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 5, 1, 1, 4, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 ref for spike
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 ref for spike and gets 24."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> Battered from all sides, the horrific automaton yet keeps on ticking. "BAD MORTALS SHOULD JUST WAIT IN LINE. CLANKTRON HAVE TIME FOR HURT EVERYONE. CLANKTRON ANGRY NOW. CLANKTRON MAKE REAL SPECIAL JOB BAD MORTALS."
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+24 CMB again vs Ahab
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+24 CMB again vs Ahab and gets 39."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> Grasping the captain by the arms, Clanktron flips the captain through the air to land upon one of the spikes on his back! And there Ahab must squirm and writhe until able to free himself.
<El-Cideon> roll 4d8+15 damage and pinned. Also Clanktron is freed up again~
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4d8+15 damage and pinned. Also Clanktron is freed up again~ and gets 31."12 [4d8=6, 2, 2, 6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Alice and axe guard
<El-Cideon> Alice joins the massive brawl around Clanktron and cuts at him once!
<Julia> The axe guard bravely strikes at CLANKTRON for having the temerity to strike a superior officer!
<Julia> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 and gets 25."12 [1d20=8]
<Julia> roll 1d20+12
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18+2
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+12 and gets 21."12 [1d20=9]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18+2  and gets 28."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> --But all efforts, in this moment, are for naught!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> Stephanie wisps back into beings, but her form still flickers and her blood-covered body is difficult to properly pin down. "Just a fake demon in metal skin!" she screeches in Abyssal. OOC: Activating displacement.
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 27."12 [1d20=9]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+13 and gets 33."12 [1d20=20]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+13 and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 29/33 hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+3d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+8+3d6 and gets 18."12 [1d6=3][3d6=3, 2, 2]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+8+3d6 and gets 25."12 [1d6=6][3d6=3, 3, 5]
<Steph> OOC: it's all adamant
<El-Cideon> Some of Stephanie's blows are baffled by the array of metal spikes protruding from the robot, but the hits that land badly stagger Clanktron!
<El-Cideon> Marina fires an array of missiles around the melee at the remaining spider bot, while Istradi pokes her glaive through the scrum around Clanktron--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 vs SR and gets 16."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23+2 and gets 36."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10+1d6 elec
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10+1d6 elec and gets 15."12 [1d10=3][1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: J&R&minions
<Steph> Ahab struggles to free himself!
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 23."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: it's actually a STR roll in this case. You're pulling yourself off a spike rather than actively combating him
<Julia> Julia walks up to stand next to Marina and just watches the fracas, unable to contribute further. Meanwhile her captain keeps doggedly shooting at that pesky bot!
<Steph> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+6 and gets 11."12 [1d20=5]
<Julia> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 and gets 24."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 and gets 32."12 [1d20=14]
<Julia> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+13 and gets 15."12 [1d20=2]
<Julia> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 32/27 hit!
<Julia> roll 1d8+9+2d6
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d8+9+2d6 and gets 26."12 [1d8=5][2d6=6, 6]
<Julia> roll 1d8+9+2d6
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d8+9+2d6 and gets 17."12 [1d8=2][2d6=5, 1]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph (27) > Marina (22) > Istradi (21) > Julia = wyvern x2 = Rosey (20) > captain x2 (18) > Fran (17) > CLANKTRON (10) > Alice = axe guard (8)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+2 Rosey
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+2 Rosey and gets 34."12 [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+2 Rosey and gets 34."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+27+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+27+2 Rosey and gets 47."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 and gets 22."12 [1d8=7][2d6=2, 3]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 and gets 19."12 [1d8=5][2d6=2, 2]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 and gets 25."12 [1d8=8][2d6=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> With a series of mighty thwacks, Rosemund finally bashes the malicious machine into a senseless collection of spare parts! From the debris, a gleaming emerald sphere rolls into sight. The cell is still again--yet extremely crowded, not least by the bloody corpse of Clanktron's last personal log entry.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<El-Cideon> "I am developing an extreme dislike for machines!" Rosemund admits. "We have met one polite one and all the others have been complete monsters."
<Julia> "Stupid golems," Julia grumbles, going about the business of healing all her minions. She stops briefly over the spot where axe guard A once stood and shakes her head before continuing her work.
<Steph> Stephanie fades into wisps, and soon reappears outside the room, clutching her ragged wounds. "Fucking robots," she swears, angrily.
<Julia> roll 3#3d8+13 axe/captain a/captain b
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 3#3d8+13 axe/captain a/captain b and gets 83."12 [3#3d8+13 = 24, 30, 29]
<Julia> And one more for Ahab!
<Julia> roll 3d8+13
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 3d8+13 and gets 28."12 [3d8=2, 6, 7]
<El-Cideon> "Is anyone hurt?" Rosemund adds, looking around. Alice points to Rosemund herself, and the armored priestess is suddenly reminded of her own minor injuries.
<Steph> "It'll get better."
<El-Cideon> roll 2d10+14 Rosey heals
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d10+14 Rosey heals and gets 30."12 [2d10=7, 9]
<El-Cideon> Alice, of course, tends to her own wounds in somewhat different fashion--
<El-Cideon> roll 2d8+10 negative heals
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d8+10 negative heals and gets 17."12 [2d8=6, 1]
<El-Cideon> This done, Rosemund looks over the fresh cadaver in the torture chamber. "So do you think that maybe this is one of the intruders who tried to kill the Queen?" she guesses.
<Steph> Stephanie sits down on some part of the floor that's free of blood while she waits. "Could be. We should ask it."
* Franceska checks to see if the corpse looks crippled or infirm.
<Julia> "Either that or one of the residents," Julia says after she finishes ministering to her gang.
<El-Cideon> The man looks like he must have been quite healthy, strong and fit before being subject to the robot's ministrations.
<Franceska> "I doubt it is one of the residents," Franceska notes, as her robot heads in a corner where it falls apart.
<Julia> "Want me to chat him up?" Julia asks.
<El-Cideon> "Who would create a machine just to do this to people?" Rosemund wonders with disgust, quite despite herself lingering on the words dug into the dead man's flesh.
<Steph> "Yeah, let's. Demons, Rosie."
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps it might be of use," Rosemund admits to Julia.
<Julia> Nodding, Julia goes up to the corpse and casts speak with dead!
<Julia> OOC: DC 23 will if not neutral
<El-Cideon> Julia finds that for once a corpse offers her no mental resistance!
<Julia> "What was your reason for coming to Whitsunhold?" she asks first, pleased to have found someone like-minded.
<El-Cideon> "Orders," the corpse's mind relates. "Kill fake queen."
<Julia> "Who gave you those orders?"
<El-Cideon> "Archmage Calloran," is the response, naming one of the King's advisors familiar at least in name to anyone casually aware of Solata government.
<Julia> Giving Rosemund a brief glance she asks him, "What happened to Azaleah Harbinger?"
<El-Cideon> The corpse's flat response is simple: "Eliminated."
<Julia> She winces. "What happened to her body?"
<El-Cideon> "Don't know," the corpse admits. "Disposed of somewhere," it speculates.
<Franceska> "Who killed her?" Franceska asks, glancing at Julia.
<Julia> Good idea, Julia nods to Franceska before relaying the question.
<El-Cideon> "Captain Bronwyn."
<Steph> "Ask where we can find her."
<Julia> "Last question," Julia says more for the benefit of her companions, "Where can Captain Bronwyn be found?"
<El-Cideon> "Dead," the corpse shares. "Put through machine."
<Julia> "Ahh..." Julia straightens up and regards her fellows. "I suspect there won't be enough left of the captain to question, should we even find her remains."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund is simply very quiet.
<Steph> Stephanie racks her brains over what she knows about this archmage...
<El-Cideon> OOC: K:Local?
<Franceska> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+12 and gets 15."12 [1d20=3]
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 32."12 [1d20=16]
<Julia> "I'm sorry, Rosemund," Julia shakes her head, annoyed at herself for focusing on that rather than the explicit confirmation of Leah's fate.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund swallows heavily and stares at the floor. "I knew that this probably true," she says with resignation. "It is a different thing hearing about it."
<Steph> "So. Is it revenge, then?"
<Franceska> "We would be best served focusing on this, first," Franceska voices, taking out the efreeti bottle. "How about trying it now, Rosemund?"
<El-Cideon> "I do not know what that would help," she admits to Stephanie. Her anger springs from a different confusion: "And I do not even understand why anyone thought that it would accomplish anything to kill her! She was only tring to find information to help us free these people!"
<Steph> "They were scared the secret would get out. They were probably scared about what it would mean for their positions. Calloran..." Stephanie snorts. "He's the apprentice of the guy who took over when Auranelle died. I bet he never told the King exactly what happened."
<Julia> "The same reason they sent these men and women to kill Auranelle, to keep the throne stable," Julia says, though she doesn't think it really matters.
<Franceska> "Before we discuss the possibility of a coup or a bloody vengeance through the leadership of our homeland, how about trying to bring Leah back, first? The odds are slim, but sufficiently good to try a few times."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund looks at Fran and the bottle. "I do not know, Franceska," she says. "I--I do not want to be selfish. There are many living people here that we have not yet set free, and--and maybe it would help the Queen too, if that is possible...?"
<Julia> "How about we finish up here first? There's no sense bringing Leah back in an already dangerous situation such as this," Julia says.
<Steph> "We get three wishes, right?"
<Franceska> "It is customary to have three wishes, so I could spare one on the Queen to make things more manageable."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund considers this and gives the decision a short, approving nod. "Yes, that--that is fine. We can try when our work here is finished." She picks up the emerald sphere and looks at it.
<Steph> "If that is our intent," speculates Stephanie. "Then we will only be able to complete our work upon summoning the correct efreet. We could be here for some time."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods more firmly this time. "Yes. Let us not play with things that only have a chance of working. We can do other things that we know work very well, such as hitting robots and zombies until they stop moving." Rosemund sounds on slightly firmer ground here.
<Julia> "Lets go down to the next level, then?" Julia says, heading back towards the elevator.
<Steph> Stephanie agrees, standing up and walking abrest with Julia.
<El-Cideon> There is one door set in the wall to your left as leave the torture chamber, and of course past the former assembly line (now lying as a pile of debris within the cell) is another, more ominous machine.
<Steph> Stephanie pauses, and turns to glance at the machine.
<Julia> "Oh, wait there's still other doors..." Julia says, shaking her head at her silliness and attempting to open it.
<El-Cideon> This door opens easily, and on the other side--
<El-Cideon> This storeroom is mostly littered with blasted shards of metal, incomplete paneling, stray rivets and screws, broken gears, and other mechanical debris, but upon a workbench in the center of the room is one largely intact figure: a mechanical construct fashioned in the image of a spider about the size of your average dog, with a scratched glass visor for an eye and a wicked saw where the mouth parts should be. Though battered and somewhat scorched, the robot looks mostly intact and possibly functional, albeit inactive at present. There is also a small cabinet by the door.
<El-Cideon> Stephanie should find it difficult to escape the observation that this other machine is plainly meant to restrain a human occupant and run it through some diabolical procedure. What its ultimate purpose is is not immediately clear.
<El-Cideon> "More robots," Istradi complains, glancing in. "At least this one has the decency to already be defunct."
<Julia> "As it should be," Julia agrees, going to open the cabinet.
<El-Cideon> Within is a small array of blue potions and a crimson, hexagonal gem of a precise shape to fit the central plate of the assembly line (or it would fit, if the assembly line still existed).
<Steph> Stephanie shudders. "What's this thing meant to do? It doesn't look like it's just for torture," she observes. "Fuck, maybe it's where they put the Queen. Person goes in, vampire comes out?"
<El-Cideon> "I don't think that's how vampires are made," Marina points out. "Usually there's more...biting involved."
<Julia> Ignoring the gem, Julia takes a moment to identify the potions. OOC: take 10 for 27 spellcraft
<Steph> "Well, uh, yeah..."
<Julia> "Yes, but something else made the first vampire, didn't it?" Julia proposes distractedly while she sorts the potions.
<Steph> "Probably a necromancer."
<Julia> "Probably," she agrees.
<El-Cideon> Alice walks over to the lever of the dire-looking machine, reaches out for it, thinks better, looks at the rest of the group.
<Julia> Julia leaves the hexagon and collects the potions, walking back out. "I have some healing potions here if anyone wants them," she calls, adding after, "Potions for people that aren't myself and Alice that is."
<Steph> "Hey, you're the fortune teller," says Stephanie, peering at Alice. "Show us the cards?"
<El-Cideon> Alice cautiously grasps the lever--then quickly reels away from the machine as if burned. She's bent double clutching her head for a long moment before resuming any fit state to respond to Stephanie. Eventually, after some mental struggle, she flips through her deck and pulls out an image of a puzzle being assembled, then turns this upside down.
<Steph> "Yeah, uh, let's leave it be, then."
<El-Cideon> Istradi, for her part, opts to down one of the healing potions while the party sorts out its next move.
<El-Cideon> roll 2d8+3 (wherever you're tracking group healing supplies, ex 1~)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d8+3 (wherever you're tracking group healing supplies, ex 1~) and gets 10."12 [2d8=3, 4]
<Steph> Stephanie cricks her neck and grimaces. "I hate it when my blood's on my clothes," she complains, turning back to head to the platform.
<El-Cideon> OOC: moving on? Next floor?
<Julia> Julia gives Istradi one more potion and foists the other two on Marina. Everyone else can self-heal anyway.
<Julia> OOC: yes
<El-Cideon> "I have a spell that could clean you up," Marina offers. Rosemund places the emerald stone in the panel and the display lights up down to Carniplex. Rosemund presses this, and--
<Steph> "Oh, great!"
<El-Cideon> The platform landing of this level is a more enclosed area than that of the other floors you've visited: immediately to your left is a wall inset with a single door. This door is heavy, metal limned with frost and with a prominent central wheel serving as handle.
<El-Cideon> To the right is a door leaning open to give view into something part storeroom, part surgery. One wall is stocked with flasks, vials, and other exotic glass containers, some looking recognizably medicinal while other jars--very carefully secured ones indeed--actually appear to be empty. This chemical debris sits collecting dust alongside shelves stocked with rods and some minor jewelry with an arcane look to it.
<El-Cideon> Along the opposite wall is a rusting surgical bed and an array of unhygienically stained and maintained medical implements; the doctor in residence appears not to have been much familiar with the hippocratic oath.
<El-Cideon> A simple metal door is also set into the wall past this makeshift hospital room.
<El-Cideon> Despite the obvious disrepair of the medical equipment, an imposing path trod through the dust suggests both doors see regular use (albeit the surgery passage with more notable frequency), even if little else on this floor does.
<El-Cideon> Marina pauses to cast Prestidigitation upon Stephanie to lift out the worst of those stains before taking in her new surroundings.
<Steph> "Hey... it's a giant fridge," observes Stephanie. "We've still got that ring..." she mutters, rummaging around in her bag. "Who wants the ring of ice resistance?"
<El-Cideon> "My hands are spoken for," Marina says. "As for as rings are concerned."
<El-Cideon> Alice strolls over to critically examine the medical equipment, though after her recent experience she's not eager to touch anything.
<Julia> "Lets just check this store-room first," Julia says, stepping through and giving it a good look over for magic as well as replenishing her healing supplies with any stuff that looks good.
<Steph> "Plunder away."
<Julia> OOC: detect magic and spellcraft take 10 for 27
<El-Cideon> Julia finds quite an array of materials at hand in the storeroom/infirmary-- (OOC: loot post incoming)
<El-Cideon> "Find anything good?" Marina wonders, keeping a healthy distance from all those rusted surgical instruments.
<Julia> Julia takes the acid-spewing rod for herself in case of further golem attacks and lists the contents in case anyone wants anything for themselves. Otherwise it can all go in the haversack or Stephanie's bag of holding for future sale.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, I haven't a necklace to wear just yet and this is rather nice," Marina admits, selecting the string of black pearls. "Almost a pity I might have to explode someone with them soon."
* Franceska finds the rod that poisons and traps other interesting.
<Steph> "Elixers of love! I'll give these to Thela," says Stephanie, pocketing them. "Ooh, and lethal perfume!"
<El-Cideon> Istradi doesn't seem to care about any of it, though she too maintains a hygienic distance from the surgical wing. "One suspects operations performed here had little benefit in mind for the patients," she observes without particular judgement.
<Steph> "It's for experiments. There's this specific breed of lunatic that likes to just cut people up and make them stronger, but uglier."
<Julia> After passing or stowing all the loot Julia steps out of the storeroom. "Well, hospital or coldroom?"
<Steph> Since nobody else seems to want it, Stephanie slips on the ring of the icy soul. "Let's check out the cold room," she suggests, walking to the wheel and trying to turn it.
<El-Cideon> The wheel grinds slowly, but steadily. With a distressing creak the door finally swings outward to reveal:
<El-Cideon> Meat carpets and adorns this storeroom, and a supernatural cold emanates from the walls to chill its contents into a state of static preservation. Most of it looks stripped clean from unfortunate former owners with such skill and subtlety that the clear outlines of humanoids of a variety of races and hues might be discerned--but, here and there, are stray slabs of mortal matter plainly hacked off with much more brute immediacy in the heat of battle, unclaimed limbs or even vital organs scattered about with abandon. Wherever you might look, or even step, there is little to accost the senses but a horrifying panoply of dead flesh.
<El-Cideon> Residing centrally within this chamber is a towering construct of unusual manufacture: less a machine it is than a walking vat of chemicals, acid sizzling quietly within a man-shaped envelope of some transparent, organic-looking tissue. A slithering observation bubbles up from out its mouth upon your entrance: "IMPURITIES DETECTED. ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROTOCOL: SUBDUE FOR RENDERING INTO COMPONENT COMPOUNDS."
<El-Cideon> Around this unnatural watchman, amidst the dense layering of preserved meat, shapes heave themselves up into horrible unlife: bits of men, legs, arms, the stray head stapled onto mismatched bodies in manic profusion, half a dozen horrors staggering into motion to shiver towards you in a crooked gait, stinking of corruption and boiling with necromantic energies.
<Steph> Stephanie tries to close the door immediately.
<El-Cideon> The alchemical brute lumbers forward to batter at the closed door from the other side. It doesn't sound like it opens from within.
<Steph> After turning the wheel to ensure it's properly locked, Stephanie turns to face the group. "The hospital!"
* Franceska just stares.
<El-Cideon> Marina, looking vaguely green, nods dully. "Are we...sure it will be any better?"
<Julia> "Maybe? I certainly don't want to get involved with what's in there, though," Julia says, not liking the look of a golem that's probably immune to acid.
<Steph> "There's nothing we want to deal with in there."
<El-Cideon> Istradi nods and, as per the example set by Julia's brave guards on the previous floor, takes up position by the far infirmary door in case there's something nasty waiting within this room as well.
<Steph> Stephanie slips the ring back into the bag, and turns to the infirmary door and tries opening it instead.
<El-Cideon> This door is also unlocked:
<Julia> "Don't bother with the bow anymore, you aren't even good with it," Julia distractedly tells her guard captain, following after Istradi and Stephanie with minions in tow.
<El-Cideon> Captain Bligh has the dignity not to look shamed.
<El-Cideon> Beyond the infirmary is an austere room some forty feet square. Obvious prison cell doors--metal, with sliding panels set in at eye level to allow surveillance of prisoners--ring the walls in pairs.
<El-Cideon> Across from you a brooding giant sits at rest upon a chair comicly small for him. Armored, and taking up a massive flail in each hand as it rises in response to your intrusion, this moldering undead goliath addresses you with deep and surprisingly clear articulation: "Her Majesty's prize is secure, and so shall it remain. She will sup at her leisure. Return from whence you came, mortals." An onyx sphere and a simple iron key dangle from a chain around the giant's neck.
<El-Cideon> The warden is not alone in guarding his station: along each side wall of the prison, flanked by the pair of metal cell doors, is a trio of bloated abominations that might once have been men. These necromantic wrecks, suppurating and bubbling with bile and filth, turn their rheumy eyes towards you and groan with a distressing eagerness to make new friends.
<Steph> "Ok, we're going!" Stephanie announces, backing out and closing the door.
<El-Cideon> The door shuts without trouble. Rosemund blinks. "That was very easy, but, ah...it sounded as though he was keeping someone in one of those cells."
<Julia> "Really?" Julia blinks at Stephanie's quick retreat. "Yes, don't we have to at least kill something to advance to lower floors and perhaps find interesting things? Also yes, rescue whatever meal the queen has waiting there."
<Steph> "No, not really," replies Stephanie, taking out her wand and tapping herself on the head with it. "I just wanna be properly prepared." She glances at the freezer. "Maybe we can get them to fight!" she adds, grinning.
<Franceska> "Yes, that was a bit weak," Franceska agrees. "I am going to summon an earth elemental to keep it busy, so open the door when I am good and ready?"
<El-Cideon> "If he is going to be so polite, then there is no reason we should not exploit this," Istradi points out, preemptively activating the magical protection of her armor.
<El-Cideon> Marina looks back at the freezer with wide eyes. "Are you SURE they'd fight each other instead of just us?" she asks skeptically.
<Steph> "No."
<Steph> roll 1d20+14 UMD
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+14 UMD and gets 20."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> "Yes, I rather think they're all on the same side."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund waits for Franceska to complete whatever spell she has in the works before endowing herself with another burst of holy power.
<Franceska> A greater earth elemental is summoned into their presence, before Franceska indicates it should open the door and charge at the brooding giant within!
<El-Cideon> Within, the giant tsks. "No manners at all," he complains sonorously before bringing his weapons to bear.
<El-Cideon> OOC: init~
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 24."12 [1d20=15]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+1 and gets 14."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 Alice and gets 10."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina and gets 21."12 [1d20=14]
<Franceska> roll 1d20-1 ROBOT
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20-1 ROBOT and gets 7."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 Istradi and gets 17."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 giant guard
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 giant guard and gets 3."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-2 left squad
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-2 left squad and gets 16."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-2 right squad
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-2 right squad and gets 12."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 10."12 [1d20=8]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Julia
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 Julia and gets 20."12 [1d20=18]
<Julia> roll 1d20+6 axeman
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+6 axeman and gets 11."12 [1d20=5]
<Julia> roll 1d20+6 Bligh
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+6 Bligh and gets 24."12 [1d20=18]
<Steph> roll 1d20+6 also ahab
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+6 also ahab and gets 9."12 [1d20=3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph = Bligh (24) > Marina (21) > Julia (20) > Istradi (17) > left squad x3 (16) > Fran (14) > right squad x3 (12) > axeman (11) > Alice = Rosey (10) > Ahab (9) > elemental (7) > prison guard (3)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph and Bligh
<Julia> "Go on then," Julia gestures forward and Bligh rushes the goliath with spiked chain ready!
<Julia> roll 1d20+18 -5pa charge
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+18 -5pa charge and gets 30."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> This fearsome yet determined blow merely pings off the giant's armor. "A credible attempt, but insufficient effort," he observes.
<Steph> Stephanie remains in a ready stance, rapier pointing loosely at the ground. "Why do they always get off on calling us mortals?" she mutters, under her breath. OOC: Holding.
<El-Cideon> Marina steps inside to get a look around Captain Bligh so she can aim a spell at the giant--
<Julia> "It's a fancy way of saying that we're going to die," Julia pipes up helpfully.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 ranged touch and gets 18."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 acid recurring
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d4 acid recurring and gets 5."12 [2d4=3, 2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Steph> OOC: Nah. I'll go ahead and act now, then.
<Steph> OOC: Well. Julia can act, too! Sorry. Presumptive.
<El-Cideon> OOC: sure, go ahead both of you
<Steph> Kicking her heel at the ground, Stephanie moves with a leap and a dash, then attacks the giant twice!
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 28."12 [1d20=9]
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 and gets 26."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> Julia decides to keep reinforcements from interfering, casting halt undead on trio of creatures on the right flank!
<Julia> OOC: DC 23 will of paralysed 13 rounds (breaks if attacked)
<El-Cideon> "I name you mortals because you have not introduced yourselves," the giant chides Stephanie while her swords ring harmlessly off his armor.
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+6 will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+6 will and gets 49."12 [3#1d20+6 = 8, 26, 15]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph = Bligh (24) > Marina (21) > Julia (20) > Istradi (17) > left squad x3 (16) > Fran (14) > right squad x3 (12, 2 paralyzed) > axeman (11) > Alice = Rosey (10) > Ahab (9) > elemental (7) > prison guard (3)'
<Steph> "I'm Steph. And I hate you," growls Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> Istradi charges in to link up with the rest around the giant and slash at him once!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+2 charge
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+2 charge and gets 29."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> But again his defences prove impregnable. The left squad of bloated undead peel away to each seek difference targets--one lumbers for Marina, one for Stephanie, and one for the brave Captain.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 vs Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 vs Marina and gets 11."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 vs Steph and gets 21."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 vs Bligh
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 vs Bligh and gets 18."12 [1d20=8]
<Julia> OOC: AC 27
<El-Cideon> OOC: clearly all whiff. You're up, Fran.
* Franceska focuses on keeping her elemental materialized while taking cover from the battle itself.
<El-Cideon> The remaining free representative of the left squad plods over to Marina to pin her between himself and his partner before clawing at her once!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10+2 and gets 26."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+5 also fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+5 also fort and gets 7."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 fort and gets 22."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> Marina nearly looks overcome by the overpowering stench of the creature as it draws near, but perseveres!
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman
<Julia> "You, go protect Marina!" Julia tells her remaining Minion, who runs up to chop at one of the ghouls!
<Julia> roll 1d20+14 -3pa
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+14 -3pa and gets 19."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Julia> roll 1d12+18
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d12+18 and gets 21."12 [1d12=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Alice & Rosey up
<El-Cideon> Hearing Marina's yelp of dismay, Alice and Rosemund each run in to take one on of her attackers.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+21 Rosey and gets 39."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 Alice and gets 28."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 Rosey and gets 22."12 [1d8=2][2d6=6, 4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+2d6 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+2d6 Alice and gets 17."12 [1d6=5][2d6=5, 5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab and elemental
<Steph> Ahab rushes to the fringe of the battle and lashes out at the giant with a swing of his mighty chain!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 33."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Steph> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 2d4+13 and gets 18."12 [2d4=3, 2]
<Franceska> The elemental, for his part, is guided by Franceska to first dispose of the things bothering Marina!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+23
<Franceska> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+23 and gets 41."12 [1d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+23 and gets 29."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: both hit
<Franceska> roll 2d10+10 slam
<Franceska> roll 2d10+10 slam
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d10+10 slam and gets 20."12 [2d10=1, 9]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d10+10 slam and gets 27."12 [2d10=9, 8]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph = Bligh (24) > Marina (21) > Julia (20) > Istradi (17) > left squad x3 (16) > Fran (14) > right squad x2 (12, 2 paralyzed) > axeman (11) > Alice = Rosey (10) > Ahab (9) > elemental (7) > prison guard (3)'
<El-Cideon> One of the abominations collapses until a pile of viscous goo, while the other blubbers senselessly in protest!
<El-Cideon> "You have suborned Her Majesty's guards," the giant sentry observes. "Her Majesty will not be pleased." Though assailed on all sides, he ignores his attackers and focuses his will upon the doorway, generating a burst of profane energy that washes over all near it--
<El-Cideon> OOC: will, everyone not currently attacking him
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11 me
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+11 me and gets 19."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+15 Alice and gets 32."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina and gets 25."12 [1d20=18]
<Julia> roll 1d20+10 my good save! +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy, +2 vs mind affecting
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+10 my good save! +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy, +2 vs mind affecting and gets 20."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 Rosey's bad save
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 Rosey's bad save and gets 29."12 [1d20=20]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+9 elemental
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+9 elemental and gets 17."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10 negative energy, this catches his goon in the melee there too as well as axeman
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10 negative energy, this catches his goon in the melee there too as well as axeman and gets 11."12 [1d8=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran and minion and Julia take full, otherwise halved
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph and Bligh
<Julia> Bligh continues to manfully pummel away at the giant!
<Julia> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+21 and gets 36."12 [1d20=15]
<Julia> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+16 and gets 22."12 [1d20=6]
<Julia> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+11 and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Julia> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 2d4+13 and gets 17."12 [2d4=2, 2]
<Steph> Stephanie flickers and vanishes from view again. Going unseen should make her opponents easy marks, but they're all encased in armour these days and she wonders if she needs better weapons...
<Steph> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+23 and gets 32."12 [1d20=9]
<Steph> roll 1d20+24
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+24 and gets 33."12 [1d20=9]
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 21."12 [1d20=3]
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 31."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first two hit
<Steph> OOC: he loses dex. I'm sure it doesn't matter.
<El-Cideon> OOC: last hits too then
<Steph> roll 1d6+11+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+11+3d6 and gets 27."12 [1d6=2][3d6=4, 4, 6]
<Steph> roll 1d4+9+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+9+3d6 and gets 21."12 [1d4=2][3d6=6, 1, 3]
<Steph> roll 1d4+9+3d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+9+3d6 and gets 24."12 [1d4=3][3d6=6, 3, 3]
<El-Cideon> The giant sentry appraises the apparently-empty space occupied by his unseen assailant with a critical eye. "Competence," he allows grudgingly as he's badly torn up.
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 recurring acid damage
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d4 recurring acid damage and gets 6."12 [2d4=4, 2]
<Steph> roll 1d6 oh yeah first sword is sacred
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6 oh yeah first sword is sacred and gets 3."12 [1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> Marina takes a step away from her disgusting opponent to favor him with his own burst of acid--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 ranged touch and gets 10."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 what's touch AC
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d4 what's touch AC and gets 4."12 [2d4=3, 1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> OOC: how bad off does the giant look?
<El-Cideon> OOC: let's say Badly Injured stage
<Julia> The giant seems well in hand, so Julia satisfies herself with paralysing the left flank of ghouls, mixed up as they are amidst the melee.
<Julia> OOC: DC 23 will or paralysed 13 rounds, breaks if attacked
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+6 will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+6 will and gets 46."12 [3#1d20+6 = 14, 16, 16]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph = Bligh (24) > Marina (21) > Julia (20) > Istradi (17) > left squad x3 (16, 3 paralyzed) > Fran (14) > right squad x2 (12, 2 paralyzed) > axeman (11) > Alice = Rosey (10) > Ahab (9) > elemental (7) > prison guard (3)'
<El-Cideon> The remaining horrors freeze up in place, staring dumbly at their opponents without resistance!
<El-Cideon> Istradi slashes thrice at the giant--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+2 and gets 43."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+2 and gets 27."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12+2 and gets 23."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+10+1d6 elec
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+10+1d6 elec and gets 12."12 [1d10=1][1d6=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran then axeman since goons are paralyzed
* Franceska peeks around the corner and waves her wand to send five magical missiles at the guard!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19 umd
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 umd and gets 27."12 [1d20=8]
<Franceska> roll 5d4+5
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 5d4+5 and gets 20."12 [5d4=4, 1, 4, 2, 4]
<El-Cideon> The giant grunts as he's battered. "Low tactics," he points out. "Hiding behind the cover of your more fearsome friends?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: axeman!
<Julia> "Go get the ghoul that's still moving, leave the frozen ones till later!" Julia orders her axeman who dutifully tromps off to hack up the remaining animate ghoul!
<Julia> roll 1d20+12 -5pa
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+12 -5pa and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<Franceska> "Always with the whining!"
<Julia> roll 1d12+22
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d12+22 and gets 24."12 [1d12=2]
<Steph> "He's right!"
<Franceska> "Efficiency trumps base heroics!"
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph = Bligh (24) > Marina (21) > Julia (20) > Istradi (17) > left squad x2 (16, 2 paralyzed) > Fran (14) > right squad x2 (12, 2 paralyzed) > axeman (11) > Alice = Rosey (10) > Ahab (9) > elemental (7) > prison guard (3)'
<El-Cideon> The axe knight cleanly slices the ghoul still near the door in two!
<El-Cideon> Alice moves in alongside Rosemund to complicate the melee around the giant--though the more obviously corporeal of the two earns herself a swing as she approaches!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 AoO first
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 AoO first and gets 23."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+21 Rosey and gets 32."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 Alice and gets 33."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6 Rosey and gets 24."12 [1d8=4][2d6=5, 5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+2+2d6 Alice
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+2+2d6 Alice and gets 15."12 [1d6=2][2d6=5, 6]
<El-Cideon> The giant is out of bold criticisms as these twin blows nearly put him down for good.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ahab then elemental
<Steph> Ahab strikes at the giant with a flurry of painful-looking swings!
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 25."12 [1d20=4]
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 29."12 [1d20=13]
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+11 and gets 25."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: alas!
<Franceska> "Go kill the whiner," Franceka commands, pointing at the guard dismissively with her wand, and the elemental is only too happy to assist!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+23+2
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+23+2 and gets 31."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> Painful-looking they might be, but accurate they are not! And no less so than Fran's assistant.
<El-Cideon> The giant calmly assesses its surrounding foes and selects the one he evidently deems the easiest target--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 vs Istradi
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 vs Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 vs Istradi and gets 21."12 [1d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 vs Istradi and gets 23."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 vs Istradi
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 vs Istradi
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 vs Istradi and gets 13."12 [1d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 vs Istradi and gets 12."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+5
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+5 and gets 7."12 [1d10=2]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d10+5 and gets 8."12 [1d10=3]
<El-Cideon> --yet the mercenary's aura of protection provided by her armor seems to absorb these blows after all.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph and Bligh
<Julia> Lacking the showmanship of Ahab, Bligh strikes at the giant with a series of workmanlike swings!
<Julia> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+21 and gets 38."12 [1d20=17]
<Julia> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+16 and gets 27."12 [1d20=11]
<Julia> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+11 and gets 30."12 [1d20=19]
<Julia> roll 2d4+13
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 2d4+13 and gets 18."12 [2d4=3, 2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: none? | Steph = Bligh (24) > Marina (21) > Julia (20) > Istradi (17) > left squad x2 (16, 2 paralyzed) > Fran (14) > right squad x2 (12, 2 paralyzed) > axeman (11) > Alice = Rosey (10) > Ahab (9) > elemental (7)'
<Steph> Briefly cheered up by apparent respect for her fearsome prowess, Stephanie looks on dejectedly when Julia's monster is responsible for disposing of it.
<El-Cideon> "Well fought," the giant acknowledges before crumbling to dust. Armor and weapons clatter to the floor.
<Franceska> "Yes, yes. Another pointless battle," Franceska sniffs. "Do dispose of all the paralyzed things now."
<Julia> "Suppose we'd better tidy up the remainders," Julia says, making no move to contribute herself.
<El-Cideon> Alice raises a hand and gestures excitedly for the axe knight and captains to leave the room.
<Steph> "It wasn't pointless," argues Stephanie, reaching down to pick up the key and the orb.
<Julia> "Do as she says," Julia says, the trio tromping back out.
<El-Cideon> Alice focuses on an unspoken prayer and divine magic washes over the frozen ghouls--
<El-Cideon> roll 4#1d20+6 will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4#1d20+6 will and gets 85."12 [4#1d20+6 = 22, 21, 22, 20]
<Franceska> "What lofty goal was the guard fighting for, then? Did it have a choice in the matter?"
<El-Cideon> Alice shrugs somewhat ashamedly as only one of the ghouls is nice enough to fall over dead.
<Julia> "It's alright, we all know the feeling," Julia consoles Alice.
<Steph> "If he had a lofty goal, then the battle really would be pointless," complains Stephanie, looking around. "I don't get what you mean."
* Franceska directs her elemental to bash in one of the ghouls.
<El-Cideon> It isn't much trouble for the group to surround and demolish each of the remaining enemies one by one, and soon the prison is empty of foes. There are, however, six closed cell doors here.
* Franceska proceeds to the cells, saying, "I suppose if there is a prisoner within, there would be meaning to the battle."
<El-Cideon> The cells of Whitsunhold merely serve their purpose: they are of modest size, perishingly dim within, and not provided with even the basest modicum of comfort for their inhabitants. This particular cell Franceska looks into is presently not occupied.
* Franceska checks the rest of them, just to be thorough.
<Steph> Stephanie peers into another of the cells, seeking out either corpses or living beings.
<Steph> "Are you sure? Maybe they were lawfully imprisoned by their reigning monarch. Who would actually be our reigning monarch," muses Stephanie. "Is there a law against undead queens?"
<El-Cideon> Three cells presently contain anything of note: one simply holds a skeleton and, next to it on the floor, a tattered old book. But the others--
<El-Cideon> Within one cell is a being of divine grace, resplendent in spite of its circumstances. Regally handsome and finely built, this angelic specimen bears his captivity with quiet confidence despite dangling from the ceiling by manacles around his wrists. His milk white skin is concealed only by a simple loincloth, and his long mane of unnaturally well-kept hair boasts a silver sheen matching his inquisitive eyes.
<El-Cideon> The last cell is also empty and alike in the manner of being oppressively gloomy and forlorn--but this one is covered the walls 'round with a dense scrawl of white chalk. Discerning some sense in this mass of writing would require closer examination than possible from without the cell door.
<El-Cideon> "I doubt anyone's had a reason to put it on the books before," Marina guesses.
<Franceska> "Death does tend to be used to indicate the transfer of power."
<Steph> Stephanie is quick to try and open the door containing this apparently-angelic creature. "My, my!" she remarks. "Let me get you down from there."
<Franceska> "Stop."
<El-Cideon> "Gracious thanks," the angel sing-songs to Stephanie in a gloriously fluid voice. Then he turns a curious look on Franceska.
<El-Cideon> "Franceska!" Rosemund protests. "Whyever would we leave him in there?"
<Steph> "Stop? Why?" asks Stephanie, stopping and peering curiously at Franceska as well. "Angels is angels."
<Julia> "I think deception is fairly unlikely this far past the facade," Julia says uncertainly.
<Franceska> "We heard that an angel lead the way for the Solatan force sent here to kill the vampire queen," Franceska elaborates. "The same force whose commander killed Rosemund's aunt. Would you know anything about that?"
<Julia> "Oh! Of course, I forgot all about that!" Julia says, shaking her head.
<Steph> Stephanie blinks. "You're right. How silly of me," she says, shaking her head.
<Julia> "Good catch, Franceska!"
<El-Cideon> "I know nothing of your friend's relations, but she has my sympathies if so," the angel says. "I was contracted merely as guide through the plane of death, my class of angel possessing specific resistance to negative forces, and know naught of what you speak. It was professed to me that this was a virtuous mission to smite an unholy power, and I have seen little here to dissuade me that this is truth."
<Julia> "Hmm... I suppose a planar bound servant can't be held responsible for what his caller did before he even arrived," Julia admits thoughtfully. Though it could be an elaborate ruse!
<Franceska> "It seems more complicated than that. The same people who contracted with you allowed their monarch to be abducted and turned into a vampire, abandoning her. Now, they are trying to cover up those events, to the point of silencing all who are in the know. I wouldn't put it past them to try and deal with you."
<El-Cideon> "It appears that all of consequence was not communicated to me," the angel replies with quiet understatement.
<Steph> Stephanie tapes the cage with the key. "They hired you to fix their mistakes," she reflects. "Say, do you know if there's a cure for vampirism, angel boy?"
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10 and gets 14."12 [1d20=4]
<Steph> roll 1d20+20 k:p
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 k:p and gets 37."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> The angel fixes a sad look upon Stephanie. "Would that there were such within my knowledge. I am not so all-knowing as the Gods themselves, but I may say such a cure is beyond my experience should it exist."
<Franceska> "How about a cure for being dead? Do you have any means of resurrection?"
<El-Cideon> "This is within my power," he acknowledges. "Albeit not without some loss of potency to the resurrected. And I should require some element of the deceased."
<Franceska> "In that case, resurrecting Rosemund's aunt would serve as sufficient proof of your innocence in the plot to have her murdered."
<El-Cideon> He looks around the group, still in his chains. "Is the mortal shell present?"
<Steph> "It's not... hey, do you know who summoned you?"
<El-Cideon> He nods. "I do. She is a court magician in the human kingdom of Solata." A frown. "I did not judge her to be a malicious soul...I begin to contemplate that in my zeal to execute justice I may not have perceived all necessary inquiries beforehand."
<Steph> "What was her name?"
* Franceska glances over at Rosemund. "We can free him and watch over him to ensure he is on the level, then stop by your home once we are done here. Some old hair from your aunt's brush might be enough?"
<El-Cideon> "Do you mean to carry out an act of vengeance upon her?" the angel asks Stephanie. "Have you clear proof she is responsible for what you claim?" Rosemund nods to Franceska, but the angel asks a pertinent question: "Ah, the deceased is not present? How long since she passed beyond the veil, then?"
<Julia> "Captain Bronwyn actually did the deed, we heard it from one of your teammates upstairs," Julia says.
<El-Cideon> "Ah, we do not actually know," Rosemund admits. "But we have been on this plane for a couple weeks now..." The angel shakes his head sadly. "It grieves to say that I cannot assist you in this manner, then," he says. "After such time, my powers are insufficient. My sincere apologies."
<Steph> "No. I want to ask her some questions," replies Stephanie, frowning at the angel. "We need to find our friend's remains, and this mage, I suppose, ought to be told what was really going on so her loyalties can be more accurately placed."
* Franceska grits her teeth in anger. "We might as well bring him along and hear all about those mages at the capital."
<El-Cideon> To Julia, he frowns again. "A stern, serious woman. Very committed to her duty." He sounds as though this would normally be considered a virtue.
<Julia> "Well she got fed to some machine so there's not much we can do about her. The person that gave her her orders, is another matter though."
<El-Cideon> A nod. "Very well. If you should release me, I will do what I may to assist at the least in purging the remainder of this den of iniquity. This is your end, I should hope?"
<Steph> "Naturally." Stephanie frowns. "Did you meet Auranelle?"
<El-Cideon> "Our villain paid me only the briefest of visits," he says, "before retiring to attend personally to my traveling companions. It was communicated that she savored tasting my divine blood later. She is malevolence personified."
<El-Cideon> Out in the prison main room, Alice is staring intently into the writing-covered cell. Eventually, she sits down before it and with much thought draws out two cards: one is the familiar blurry mirror, the other depicts a full solar eclipse.
<Steph> "She was truly malevolent?" asks Stephanie, curiously.
* Franceska decides to join Alice and see what the writings are all about.
<El-Cideon> "She expressed nothing to me but unnatural hungers and a thirst for inflicting unspeakable agonies upon her attackers," the angel says. "I can conceive of little that could assuage such barbarity."
<Julia> "She acts very civil and nice up on the top floor," Julia observes. "Not that I doubt you of course."
<El-Cideon> Franceska finds it difficult at first to make any sense of this cell, but at length might see the following:
<El-Cideon> Whatever unfortunate soul once occupied this cell evidently had nothing but time and a yen to capture their thoughts for posterity--writing in white chalk marches from left and right of the door to wrap all 'round the room. The cell is otherwise bare of all furnishing or decoration.
<El-Cideon> In fact, the cell appears to have been a shared one--the writing covering these walls is executed in two distinct hands. One begins work to the left of the cell door and is clear and disciplined, albeit shaky from fatigue and worry, or perhaps from the crudeness of its implement. The other, working from the right of the door, is vivid with wild and romantic flourishes; there is a violent and unhinged elegance to their work even before its words are accounted for.
<El-Cideon> The calmer diarist begins their record thusly: "I begged them for a stub of chalk. It is all that they have given me."
<El-Cideon> Further statements are no less dire: "They ask me no questions. Inquire not after strategy or secrets. They only wound. Wound in body mind and soul. Why is this? What is it they seek? Is cruelty alone their only motive? How can any man's heart bear such a force of malice for one only a stranger to him?"
<El-Cideon> Interspersed with these laments are prayers--to the god of sunlight, to the hosts of angels, to any heavenly power capable of hearing the writer's pleas. For release, in some small part, but more prominently for sound guidance and prosperity for the writer's son.
<El-Cideon> In time, the writer reaches a conclusion: "I will not survive these torments. I understand this as I should hope not to live long enough for madness to take hold. As it must in time for any woman. Can that be their purpose? The alchemist and his experiments the machine and its brute punishment the priestess and her lectures. Their formula could derive no other solution. I may understand now. It is not enough to destroy a person."
<El-Cideon> By comparison, the opposite side of the cell demonstrates no calm restraint in recording response to their imprisonment: gruesome torments are prescribed and described in stuttering, ungrammatical detail at considerable length. The chief subjects of this writer's ire are described as a charlatan alchemist, a harlot priestess, and--above all--their self-styled master. The writer's sentiments at first seem to evolve only in their eloquence and imaginative sadism.
<El-Cideon> But in time this incessant diatribe is interrupted by a calm query of the cell's more level inhabitant: "Who are you? Are you some jape played upon me by our captors? Or do you rest in my cell during my torments awaiting your own? I dare to hope for small comfort from another unfortunate soul and ask of you this only favor we might share: speak your sorrows to me."
<El-Cideon> The other writer's response bristles with sardonic contempt: "Who am I? Only a prisoner such as yourself. Yet one with a will for freedom still so more than can be said for you. GODS SAVE ME and LOOK OVER MY SON and WOE IS ME and so much other tripe! I had wondered what manner of simpering creature could abandon herself so as to declare her desired submission with such eagerness. Yes go on and cry your weakness for all our captors to see! But so little is there to occupy a soul in this cell that it does tease curiosity to know the hand behind this bleating. And so I ask who are you?"
<El-Cideon> Shortly in response: "A mother. A leader of masses and a steady guiding hand. A moral example to men in service to gods of light and strength."
<El-Cideon> Skepticism spikes throughout the answering diatribe: "That may be what you were though I doubt much your quality of dominance. What you were is of no account in this place. What you can make of yourself with the means available defines you now. Are you prepared to instruct them in the ways of their own cruelty? Tell me not so. I would know it for a lie. You would beg them BEG THEM for only a tool to proclaim your meekness! Know the planes a more sanctimonious failure? I think not."
<El-Cideon> In answer, with admirable calm: "Distress inspires these harsh words I am sure. I shall not begrudge you indignation for your circumstances must be as low as mine. Please know that whoever you are whatever you are you have my sympathy and my prayers. I can conceive of no crime deserving the punishments meted out here save perhaps the punishments themselves. Yet even then I wonder this of our tormentor: what manner of broken soul dreams up our torments? I think that no man can be born with such wicked designs within his heart and in his mind. Men must be bent and twisted to serve such ends. And such a waste of a life to be spent in such labors! What tragic squandering of existence to toil only for the woe of our fellows rather than their reward!"
<El-Cideon> Violent outrage erupts in response to this: "You express PITY for those who oppress us? Treasonous cow! Traitorous harlot! Such a softhearted fool I must endure it shames me near much as captivity alone!"
<El-Cideon> It can be discerned that a similar exchange has taken place on the opposite wall, albeit with obvious context of the familiarity expressed on the rightward conversation. A series of calm, composed prayers is interrupted with outrage: "Blubbering simpleton! What becomes of your pride? Have you no speck of resistance? Think you prayer will free you? I name it an insult to see more of this filth befoul our cell as each day passes."
<El-Cideon> The first writer takes this in stride: "If pride should account for your salvation then I'll not argue. One must seek deliverance wherever it hides in such a place as this. But I may only find my salvation where I know to seek it and so only offer you this advice: accede with grace when your end approaches. Persevere with quiet dignity. Keep firm grasp on the quality of mercy that they lack and for this know yourself stronger than they. I will not beg I will not implore I will only pray for your own sake you retain some piece of that humanity they wish to deny us."
<El-Cideon> The correspondent's answer is livid with spite and disdain: "No one comes for us! No one seeks our salvation! You answer this affront with surrender rather than defiance? Had you any human courage you should desire escape and if this should be what you desire you must seize it for yourself! It shames me to partake of the same air as such a feeble coward. Go expire already in your self righteous way and spare me this drivel!"
<El-Cideon> A composed answer: "I see no alternative. I understand now a woman must recognize when her choices narrow to these: to die on her own terms or to live on theirs. I know not what else you might propose. Force will not avail you. They are too many and too strong. How does one soul seek her freedom against such might?"
<El-Cideon> The response ripples with paranoia: "Oh but now you ask me for my plans? Perhaps now I do understand you. Perhaps better than you yourself! The priestess has made you her tool after all has she not? And no doubt you lack the wit even to know it! What are your plans you so calmly ask me so that you might fall at their feet pleading for an ease of your tortures at price of betraying ME."
<El-Cideon> A quiet protest--"Not so. Were there escape I would take it but I see none unless you choose to share such with me."
<El-Cideon> --provokes an explosion of umbrage: "A feeble attempt. They choose their tools poorly. Pathetic lickspittle! Gibbering today! Insipid wretch! Were you here I would strangle you with these hands! Your existence is a stain upon my dignity. You will meet your end soon just so surely as I shall end theirs! I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME. And I shall destroy you in so beastly a way as to make mock of your cherished serenity!"
<El-Cideon> The first writer accepts this with remarkable peace: "If that must be so then let it be done. I have led my people as rightly as I was able. I have done whatever lay in my power to secure legacy for my son. I claim no regret. But I would know the name of my assassin."
<El-Cideon> In snide response: "Only so fair as I should know the name of my victim."
<El-Cideon> Centrally on the far wall, direct across from the door, is written a single word in nine letters of an alternating hand: AURANELLE.
<Franceska> "This is where they held her," Franceska voices, gesturing towards the cell.
<El-Cideon> "Them?" a confused Marina guesses. "Maybe all the other cells were full."
<Julia> "Oh?" Julia goes to take a peek inside. "I suppose writing is a way to focus the mind in captivity, though I suspect it didn't work."
<Franceska> "It seems she broke, yes. I can only wonder if the old Auranelle is somewhere there."
<Steph> Stephanie drifted away from the angel to read the writing along with the others. "You met her, right?" she says, eventually. "What was she like?"
<El-Cideon> "Well-dressed," the angel says. "Matronly in look but not in manner. No veneer could hide such severe vanity and cruelty. I conclude that she hardly tried."
<Steph> "Not you. Them," says Stephanie, glancing over her comrades. "I didn't get a good look."
<Franceska> "We might as well free the angel," Franceska notes.
<Julia> "She was very nice, sort of mothering I'd say," Julia muses. "Honestly I'm surprised she hasn't come running back to butcher us by now. Maybe it truly is a split personality?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund frowns. "She was very...pleasant," she sounds uncomfortable with the admission given what the team has discovered in the lower floors. "Polite but very self-confident," Marina adds. Istradi's contribution is: "Superficially controlled, but likely brittle."
<Steph> "Her powerful persona, under a thin covering of decency?" wonders Stephanie, walking to unlock the cage.
<El-Cideon> "I don't know," Marina says. "She seemed happy to talk to strangers all about her wonderful country, even though it's really just a cave."
<Julia> "Yes, and she seemd quite happy to believe our lies about where we came from. How could you get from a neighbouring country into a walled garden like this? I mean Miraval is a lovely country, no swamps at all..."
<Franceska> "And ready to snap when suggested that anything might be less than perfect."
<Steph> "It seems like it might be a mix of them. I mean, at the end there, her name was in two styles, mingled," says Stephanie. "And... it's not like she's just a vampire. She's tremendous powerful, but Auranelle was never known as some great warrior..."
<El-Cideon> The angel slips from his bonds and rewards Stephanie with a graceful bow. "My deepest thanks," he says to her. "My name is Tarell, and though I know not where they have misplaced my sword, I will serve however able until our wokr here is complete."
<Julia> "Help yourself to a flail," Julia gestures distractedly at the giant.
<El-Cideon> "Does this change anything?" Istradi wonders disinterestedly at the speculation. "Whatever she is, she is in our way."
<Steph> "What? She's the Queen! She's been tortured and transformed into some... some.. malicious thing!" sputters Stephanie, before glancing uneasily at the undead guards all around them. "I have a duty to Solata to..."
<Julia> "It's interesting. I know she's nothing to you but she's an important figure in our national culture, so what's become of her does matter to us," Julia explains.
<El-Cideon> Istradi gestures to the general awfulness of Whitsunhold around you. "If you think you can argue with someone responsible for all this, I'll stand back and watch until you need me," she concludes with a smirk.
<Franceska> "In the end, what matters is if we're strong enough to subdue her and hold her captive. I doubt that."
<Steph> Stephanie snorts. "Then give back what we gave you," she replies, rounding on Istradi. "And go find your own way out."
<El-Cideon> "Hey! Nobody start fighting again!" Rosemund insists before the mercenary can reply to Stephanie. Istradi merely shrugs and answers Franceska: "Sometimes death is cleaner."
* Franceska inclines her head in agreement.
<Steph> "We can stake her. That freezes vampires, but it doesn't actually kill them." says Stephanie, turning back to people who she's inclined to try and convince. "
<Steph> "I think we can make an attempt at that. I'll try."
<Julia> "Do we have any stakes?" Julia asks, "In any case I'm all for neutralising her. Whether by making her harmless or killing her if need be. As interesting as she is, she can't be left to cause further suffering unchecked."
<Steph> "No, but there's wooden furniture and stuff around here..." says Stephanie, trying to recall some. "They're just sharpened bits of wood."
<El-Cideon> ~