Warming back up (Afina)

[Ebiris]

Looks like they won't be seeing this famous Balmuria then. Though it makes sense since that city's supposed to be even better protected than the Throne of Heaven was back in Lifasa. "Magic, right?" she smiles at Kascha, taking flight. "I think the three of us should be enough, right Crystal?"

[Anastasia]

"Naturally so," Crystal says, "Unless these are some fearsome giants of the highest caliber."

"Oh, they're bad, but we should be fine," Kascha says, "We've faced worse."

[Ebiris]

"We have! We just saw off a great wyrm pyroclastic dragon yesterday," Afina nods. "Do you have anything to take care of first or shall we head off now?"

[Anastasia]

"Hmmm." Crystal stands, "No, we can leave when you're ready. Are we?"

[Ebiris]

That depends entirely on the last member of their trio, so Afina waits to see if Kascha can go now or has something else she needs to do first.

[Anastasia]

"I'm ready," Kascha says, "After all, sleep is nice but you don't get paid to sleep. I heard that from a visiting Waukeenite at the Cauldron and it is true. You have to get up and do things to make money. Unless you're really rich and have your money make money..." A little hum as she considers, "Financial systems like that are a bit like magic. Either you're a wizard who learns how to manage them, you're a natural sorcerer who just can, or you're lost and have no clue of what  to do."

[Ebiris]

"I think that's why we let those mercane hold onto so much of our money, yes," Afina agrees, heading for a portal so they can get out of Aurora for Kascha to take them to her prime. "I don't have a great understanding of it myself, it seems odd but apparently it works?"

[Anastasia]

As you're already in the courtyard, no portal is needed. As you pass by the Graceful Blow practicing, Crystal's eyes drifting over, "It's making money by moving and controlling money. Sort of." Kascha nods as she goes along, "It's about value and using money to make money, as well as so many other things."

Crystal tsks as she flies along, "It sounds something better suited for Baator's clerks as they scrabble for every last copper penny. Things have value and money is money. Is that not enough?"

[Ebiris]

"There's something called interest as well," Afina says, not greatly caring but making conversation. "Like if I'm 'interested' in a the contents of a dungeon or something I give money to some adventurers so they can outfit themselves with equipment and go clean out the dungeon, then they give me back my money as well as some money from the dungeon as thanks for my interest in them. That's right, isn't it?"

[Anastasia]

"It's not close to enough," You go out the gates and into Air, flying int he eternal blue sky. "And Afina's correct." Wobbling briefly in the air as she adjusts herself, "Now are all of you ready? I'm going to take us over."

With that, there is transport. For a split second the world turns white and then you're back on Air.

> roll 1d20+46 Kascha spellcraft
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 55 > [d20=9]

"That's new. They must have recently put in anti-Astral wards. That's unusual for cloud giants." Kascha hums aloud, "Now if they did that, that means it probably extends in no more than a mile's radius and I was aiming rather close. That would be a rather conservative estimate, as there's no ley lines or obvious means to strengthen teleportation defenses there. Unless there's some sort of localized phenomenon going on or something tied to that legendary xixecal." On and on Kascha goes, speaking aloud as her gaze isn't quite there. "So change of plan. We'll teleport to the ground level and fly up. If that's somehow warded then something's gone way wrong."

[Ebiris]

"That's fine, we're all good fliers," Afina says, not really having expected to drop right on top of the giant's house anyway.


[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+10 heroes feast temp hp
[20:22] <PlushieIthea> Ebiris roll for PlushieIthea < 17 > [d8=7]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Afina 208+17/208, greater mage armour (CL 23) and moment of prescience (CL 23), heroes feast (CL 20).
AC 55 (touch 41, flat footed 55), blindsense 30, spell resistance 38, immunity to fire, disease, water, poison.
Spell charges remaining: 6/9/9/8/9/8/8/8/6/7

[Anastasia]

"Speaking of that," Kascha pauses, "Afina, did you read the report about the the xixecal there? I think Muirfinn mentioned it and I know I passed word of it up. I don't think it will be relevant here, but xixecals are tied to the Queen of Air and Darkness. Well among others, Auril of course has ties to them since they're gigantic glaciers with a divine spark."

Crystal clears her throat, "Fascinating, though I do fear we're getting rather afarfield from our current objective, no?"

[Ebiris]

"I haven't so much as thrown a dirty look at an unseelie since Lifasa fell," Afina says, more indulgent of Kascha's digressions than Crystal. "I suppose I'll be a little disappointed if I have to break that streak now. I think the ritual we were trying in the Gloaming Forest would have awakened a similar sort of creature, but you're better speaking with her Majesty about it than me, I wasn't involved beyond just hearing the word during a lull in the fighting."

[Anastasia]

"Well, in very short: Don't mention it and don't spread news of it. Such a creature can sometimes tell its being talked about. That's bad." Ticking off fingers as she goes on, "There's some mountains where legends suggest one lies and it's stirring. Just in case this ties to it. I don't think it will, but..." With a light shrug and a smile, "Let's go - oh, are you bringing Hope, Crystal?"

Crystal shakes her head, "Hope deserves rest after his injuries yesterday. We're sufficient to deal with giants in any situation."  There's a moment of silence wheres he meets Kascha's gaze, "...though with what you say, prudence suggests bringing Hope is more important. A moment." Crystal quickly returns with her mount, "Now I'm ready."

You appear in a snowstorm. It blows all about a flat plane, a light storm that sends eddies of winter all about. It's cold here, well below freezing.To the west you can see massive, faraway mountains reaching towards the highest points of the horizon. The sky is gray with snow clouds, no sun in sight.

[spoiler]

Crystal: 223/223
Kascha: 258/258
Hope: 484/484

[Ebiris]

So long as she bears the sword Afame Afina always exists in a state of comfortable damp heat that most would struggle to find outside of a sauna, so she doesn't pay much mind to the freezing winds. But she has concern for her friends and so casts endure elements on both Crystal and Hope. "You naturally resist the cold, don't you Kascha?" she asks, thinking it's probably not needed for her. "Anyway, lets fly up above the clouds so we can find this cloud castle?" she suggests, rising into the air.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Afina 208+17/208, greater mage armour (CL 23) and moment of prescience (CL 23), heroes feast (CL 20).
AC 60 (touch 46, flat footed 60), blindsense 30, spell resistance 38, immunity to fire, disease, water, poison.
Spell charges remaining: 6/7/9/8/9/8/8/8/6/7