Anvil (Afina)

[Ebiris]

Everyone's bragging about what they're doing. Maybe she should as well? "Thank you Elena, can you send Vivantha over here?" she asks. "It looks like our forces are about to make a breakthrough so I'll give her a message she can deliver to Celestia's forces."

[Anastasia]

"Done," Elena nods and vanishes.

[Anastasia]

And then Ithea makes a transparent wall and you can see ahead, the mountains, the fiends and the battle ahead. Dana whistles, "Well fucking finally," she says, "They hit gold."

[Ebiris]

"We're late to the party though," Afina says. Although on the bright side it could mean Aurora's forces play a decisive role in ending this battle, which is good for prestige at minimal risk. It's a bit cold-blooded to think of it that way, though.

[Anastasia]

"That mean we're the ones who tip the scales," Dana retorts, "Be the wedge that penetrates in."

[Anastasia]

"Hmmm," Dana watches, "Looks like they're charging and trying to break through. Now if you fucking ask me -," Suddenly Dana stops.

Elena appears, gushing out, "We're under attack! A demon army's attacking the celestial camp's flanks and they're also coming at Aurora. They came out of the Astral rather than the the rift. Gisfal's starting to ready the defenses, plus Domiel's taken to the field to lead Celestia's forces against the demons directly."

[Ebiris]

"Well timed," Afina notes as she stands up. "Get to your squad Dana, your wish just got granted."

Then without further delay she zips through the portal to the courtyard, rushing to find Gisfal so she can assume command.

[Anastasia]

Afina and Dana hurry out, the latter grinning as they race to rejoin their allies. The army is gathering in the courtyard, preparing. Flashes of light rock the Astral as you do so, the rift still held in check. You meet Gisfal immediately, who nods to you, "What is the strategy?" he asks.

[Ebiris]

"We'll split our forces," Afina tells Gisfal, having little time for anything fancy. "One group sallies out to engage the enemy and relieve the pressure on Celestia, the other stays behind to plug any holes and act as a reserve, the rest inside Aurora as our last line. We'll rotate back forces from the vanguard back into Aurora for healing as needed and replace them with forces from the reserve to keep our front line fresh."

Now as to the division of the forces she'll do it quick and dirty. Flying up to be seen and calling loud, "Catfolk! Tortles! Elves! Humans! Giants! Satyrs! Behemoths! All of you on my right come forward, you're my vanguard! All of you on my left, you're our second line under Gisfal! Everyone else stays to defend the courtyard!"

That's it for the regulars, now to make use of her officers. "Dana! Vivantha! Ellese! With me. Sylvie! Ebony! Master of War! With Gisfal! Morniel! Tannin! Jarl! You stay here!

I'm aware we have other officers who haven't migrated to the new topic, any that aren't listed can be assumed to be on courtyard duty.

Disposal of forces should be like this:
Vanguard: Afina, Dana, Vivantha, Ellese
2 Slaughterstone Behemoths
22 cloud giant warriors from Elysium. They range from 17 to 17 hd, having levels in fighter. Alignment: Neutral Good and Chaotic Good. Morale: 100/100 (Devoted)
115 elven warriors. They range from 4 to 8 hd, having levels in various classes. Alignment: Chaotic Good. Morale: 83/100 (Fanatic)
81 catfolk warriors of medium size. They range from 3 to 8 hd, having levels in many various classes. Alignment: Neutral, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral. Morale: 98/100 (Fanatic)
71 tortles of medium size. They range from 3 to 7 hd, having levels in many various classes. Alignment: Neutral, Neutral Good. Morale: 90/100 (Fanatic)
496 refugees from the burning aeropolis. They range from 4 to 12 hd, having levels in monk, fighter, swashbuckler and various monk PrCs. Alignment: Neutral, Neutral Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Good. Morale: 87/100 (Fanatic)
50 satyrs of the sunrise. They range from 5 to 8 hd, having levels in bard, jester and battle dancer. Alignment: Chaotic Good. Morale: 72/100 (Good)

Reserve: Gisfal, Sylvie, Ebony, Master
1 Slaughterstone Behemoth
23 cloud giant warriors from Elysium. They range from 17 to 17 hd, having levels in fighter. Alignment: Neutral Good and Chaotic Good. Morale: 100/100 (Devoted)
116 elven warriors. They range from 4 to 8 hd, having levels in various classes. Alignment: Chaotic Good. Morale: 83/100 (Fanatic)
82 catfolk warriors of medium size. They range from 3 to 8 hd, having levels in many various classes. Alignment: Neutral, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral. Morale: 98/100 (Fanatic)
72 tortles of medium size. They range from 3 to 7 hd, having levels in many various classes. Alignment: Neutral, Neutral Good. Morale: 90/100 (Fanatic)
496 refugees from the burning aeropolis. They range from 4 to 12 hd, having levels in monk, fighter, swashbuckler and various monk PrCs. Alignment: Neutral, Neutral Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Good. Morale: 87/100 (Fanatic)
50 satyrs of the sunrise. They range from 5 to 8 hd, having levels in bard, jester and battle dancer. Alignment: Chaotic Good. Morale: 72/100 (Good)

Defense: Morniel, Tannin, Jarl
1 Ironwyrm Dragon
1 Shredstorm
66 dire wolves. They range from 6 to 8 hit dice, having levels in fighter, spell-less ranger and scout. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 95/100 (Fanatic)
50 earth elementals of medium size. They range from 6 to 7 hd, having levels in fighter and ranger. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 84/100 (Fanatic)
50 fire elementals of medium size. They range from 6 to 7 hd, having levels in fighter, scout and hexblade. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 89/100 (Fanatic)
50 water elementals of medium size. They range from 6 to 7 hd, having levels in fighter, rogue and monk. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 89/100 (Fanatic)
50 air elementals of medium size. They range from 6 to 7 hd, having levels in fighter, rogue and ninja. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 84/100 (Fanatic)
25 conflagration oozes of large size. They range from 7 to 7 hd, having levels in fighter. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 69/100 (Good)
12 earth elementals of large size. They range from 8 to 10 hd, having levels in fighter and dwarven defender. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 84/100 (Fanatic)
120 fey-blooded centaurs of halas. They range from 4 to 9 hd, having levels in fighter and deepwoods sniper. Alignment: Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral. Morale: 68/100 (Good)
50 dire lions. They range from 8 to 12 hd and do not gestalt. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 50/100 (Fair)
50 griffons. They range from 7 to 12 hd and do not gestalt. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 50/100 (Fair)
46 mineral quasi-elementals. They range from 3 to 10 hd, having levels in fighter. Alignment: Neutral. Morale: 60/100 (Fair)

Spoiler: ShowHide

Afina: 208+14/208, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 23), moment of prescience (CL 23)
AC 60, spell resistance 38, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/6/7

[Anastasia]

So I'm perfectly clear here, where is your reserve relative to your defense and your vanguard?

[Ebiris]

Vanguard is wherever the enemy is, defence is inside Aurora, reserve is at the midpoint between the two.

[Anastasia]

Right, thanks.

Afina leads her forces out. she finds the back of Celestia's camp beseiged. Demons of all kinds assault it, a loose line of celestials holding it. A force that would be routed, save for Domiel. He leads the defense, flying about and cleaving through demons as if they are not there. He seems to be everywhere at once, holding the line's weaknesses as the camp begins to rally. At the same time, a large group of demons is looping down and then up, to go under and then up to Aurora, to end up before its gates. It looks to be a hundred of so - about half least demons such as manes and rutterkin, while the other half are things like hezrou, nalfeshnee and vrocks.

Leading them all is a massive figure of fire and hate, towering over everything as the Astral curls away from him. A creature Afina knows from her many battles - a balor. It wields a jagged blade of lightning and lashes out with a whip in the other hand. The creature barks out a deep laugh as his forces race to Aurora, "Kill, kill, kill! Don't stop killing!"

Behind all this you see more demons on the horizon, starting to darken the Astral's horizon. They are a ways away yet, not having joined any battle.

They're coming at Aurora, so you have the initiative to meet them, form a line or take whatever gambit you see fit.

[Ebiris]

Casting greater heroism and shield as we get ourselves sorted

"Conserve your spells for now, there's a lot more enemies on the horizon," Afina advises her forces as they move to intercept the demons headed towards Aurora. "Dana, the Balor is yours, keep it tied up and everyone else give them some room. Rushing Tiger, Reflection, circle the flanks from the sidesand trample as much as you can. Everyone else, split above and below to envelop the demon lines." And just as they split up to take their assigned attack vectors, she casts haste on as many people as she can!

Basic plan is Dana goes straight in and solos the balor, everyone else gives them a wide berth so as not to get caught in its deathsplosion. Golems split on the horizontal plane and wreck shit up, army splits on the vertical plane and mops up. Afina will lead the upper force, Vivantha and Ellese go with the bottom force.

Haste beneficiaries are Afina, Dana, Ellese, Vivantha, Rushing Tiger, Reflection, and 17 giants

Spoiler: ShowHide

Afina: 208+20/208, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 23), moment of prescience (CL 23), greater heroism (CL 23), shield (CL 23), haste (CL 23)
AC 72, spell resistance 38, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/9/8/9/9/7/8/6/7

[Anastasia]

Magic washes over the party as the demons rush right in. No strategy, no attempts to avoid being flanked and encircled. It's a battle of rage and fury, teeth and claws. Elves and catfolk meet the demon line, manes and rutterkin assaulting them with all the fury they can manage. It is a contest of screams, blood and pain. But as the lines meet, it is one your trained forces quickly take the advantage on.

Amid this clash, Dana and the balor meet. Flames and blade lash Dana, but she cackles and strikes back, strike after strike forcing the demon back. Thrust after thrust bloodied the fiend, Dana tearing holes in it.

Your forces look to be doing well, though the sheer ferocity of the demons is inflicting injuries and causalities fast. On the other hand, such wanton disregard results in the demons being mowed down just as fast.

Ball's in your court, they willingly walked into your gambit and are going out with all the swinging they can manage.

[Ebiris]

They outnumber the demons nearly ten to one. Any casualties at all is unacceptable especially given their numerical advantage is going to evaporate once those forces on the horizon get here! "Stay close and support each other!" she calls to try and rally her flagging forces, the joke she told Dana earlier revealed for the bravado it is.

Of course that doesn't apply to her golems who are doing a smashing job of smashing up demons. Taking a more visceral hand in things herself she extends her hands and flings out a fireball down over the centre of the demon forces, slowing and burning as much as she can before they get too mixed up with her own army for such attacks to work. Then she flies to wherever her lines look the weakest, stiffening their resolve with her presence and eviscerating the most troublesome fiends!

[21:52] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 SR
[21:52] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+27 SR --> [ 1d20=6 ]{33}
[21:52] <@Ebiris> roll 23d6 DC 32 reflex half
[21:52] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 23d6 DC 32 reflex half --> [ 23d6=73 ]{73}

Fire damage ignores resistance and does half vs immune

[21:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+49
[21:53] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+49 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{65}
[21:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+44
[21:53] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+44 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{64}
[21:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+44 crit?
[21:53] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+44 crit? --> [ 1d20=13 ]{57}
[21:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+24+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6
[21:53] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d4+24+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 --> [ 1d4=4 2d6=8 2d6=6 5d6=12 2d6=7 ]{61}
[21:53] <@Ebiris> roll 2d4+48+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6
[21:53] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d4+48+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 --> [ 2d4=3 2d6=8 2d6=7 5d6=16 2d6=4 ]{86}

Sword strikes as magic/good/chaotic/silver

Spoiler: ShowHide

Afina: 208+20/208, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 23), moment of prescience (CL 23), greater heroism (CL 23), shield (CL 23), haste (CL 23)
AC 72, spell resistance 38, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/9/8/9/9/7/7/6/7