Dark Rumblings

[Anastasia]

The shadows hiss at you and slip into the ground, fleeing away, retreating behind the embrace of stone and dirt. Are they running? Have you won?

Free act for the sec, Marie.

[Ebiris]

Marie has greater arcane sight up, what spells can she see on Taldeer and the surrounding environment?

[17:59] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+46 spellcraft
[17:59] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d20=7]

This doesn't take an action.

[Anastasia]

Taldeer's magic is shattered and fading. She once had an array of protective spells, but they were torn apart.

There's magic here to enhance shadows and strengthen them. It's custom work, a variant of the principles of unhallow and necromancy without directly making it unholy ground.

[Ebiris]

Marie fades into the visible spectrum, her gloriously unclad body surely giving Taldeer something to cheer about after her ordeal. "Taldeer, can you stand? We're getting out of here," she says.

[Anastasia]

"I...can...Marie?" She blinks and stares, managing to get to her feet. "You're big and naked!"

[Ebiris]

"I got promoted!" Marie says cheerfully, hooking her arms under Taldeer's armpits to lift her as she begins to levitate upwards while from above the ceiling begins to open and admit daylight, Alicia's avatar reshaping the sand to form a tunnel from the surface down into this chamber.

Using alter reality and some sort of specialised sand shaping spell that surely exists, basically digging a vertical shaft and firming up the sides as it goes so it won't collapse in on itself.

[Anastasia]

Pretty sure that's in Sandstorm, yeah.

Like this Marie escapes the shadowy depths, coming out into the sunshine above carrying Taldeer, no shadows pursuing.

[Ebiris]

Alicia's avatar smiles at Taldeer and beyond her a gate lies open to Sylica, maintained by the real thing. "Go through the gate to Sylica, Taldeer. We can discuss things there."

Then she looks at her nude proxy as her sword shimmers oddly, "Garb yourself Marie. We have some cleaning to do."

Alter reality for ghost touch weapon there.

"Sure thing!" Marie smiles and sets Taldeer down on the sand away from the hole she just flew up out of, going to retrieve her clothes along with the magical amulet and ring.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Marie: 515/515
Active spells: Extended superior resistance (CL 31), extended mind blank (CL 31), greater arcane sight (CL 31), extended repelling shield (CL 31), bibliotheca arcana (CL 31), extended nondetection (CL 31), sensual blessing (CL 31), extended ray deflection (CL 31)
Defences: AC 93 (touch 35), CMD 76, spell resistance 45, energy immunity (electricity, negative energy), energy resistance 10 (acid, cold), (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), protective aura, nondetection (DC 46), ray deflection
Stat buffs/penalties: +11 shield AC, +15 insight knowledge, +25 perception
Perceptions: Darkvision 60, blessed sight 120, see invisibility, greater arcane sight, scent, low-light vision, tremorsense 60, blindsight 60, perception +71
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/9/8/8/7/7/6/6/6/7/6/5/2
Limited SLAs available: Limited wish, radiant assault, heal, meteor swarm, time stop

Avatarlicia: 582/582
Active spells: Extended nondetection (CL 32), many moments of prescience (CL 31), ghost touch weapon (CL 31)
Defences: AC 56 (touch 32), CMD 73, spell resistance46, status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 47)
Stat buffs/penalties:
Perceptions: Darkvision 60
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/13/12/11/9/9/11/8/8/8/7/6/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/17/17/16/9/6

[Anastasia]

From within the gate one can hear Syala chuckle.

Taldeer goes through, stumbling to Alicia. "I have a story," she manages with a weak chuckle, before sinking to her knees.

As predictable, a powerful and naked outsider is getting plenty of views by the common people outside, murmurs amid them along with shouts of alarm.

[Ebiris]

Alicia ceases concentrating on her gate now that Taldeer is safely in Sylica. "I would very much like to hear it," she says, offering Taldeer a hand up and rejuvenating her of anything Marie's healing might have missed.

Greater restoration via Silver Fire.

"Syala, can you arrange for a detachment of spirit-hunters to plane shift to Coolwater Oasis on my prime? We'll need them to secure the town against shadows that flee from below."

---

Back on the prime material, Alicia's avatar teleports closer to the oasis while Marie dresses herself, and a sweep of her arm consecrates the sands around it.

Consecrate is level 2, so alter reality has enough room for some sort of expanded radius version.

"People of Coolwater Oasis, a nest of vile Sharrans lurks below your feet. Remain close to the water or seek shelter within a temple until the threat is passed!" her voice rings out, heard across the entire town as she ensures that any shadows coming up from below won't have an easy time creating spawn of the townsfolk, while the reinforcements from Sylica will soon be on hand to act as a more active defence.

[Anastasia]

Gimme a quick Diplo check here.

[Ebiris]

[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+47
[19:11] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 52 > [d20=5]

[Anastasia]

Holy power settles over the area, spreading all about.

Your words seem to calm the locals here, enough to quiet them and stop any sort of panic.

We'll cover Taldeer once this here is hashed out, Alicia.

[Ebiris]

Preparations complete and Marie dressed, the avatar teleports back to rejoin the tulani and the two descend back down the shaft she'd made earlier, a single line of sunlight piercing down into the gloom.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Marie: 515/515
Active spells: Extended superior resistance (CL 31), extended mind blank (CL 31), greater arcane sight (CL 31), extended repelling shield (CL 31), bibliotheca arcana (CL 31), extended nondetection (CL 31), sensual blessing (CL 31), extended ray deflection (CL 31)
Defences: AC 93 (touch 35), CMD 76, spell resistance 45, energy immunity (electricity, negative energy), energy resistance 10 (acid, cold), (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting), protective aura, nondetection (DC 46), ray deflection
Stat buffs/penalties: +11 shield AC, +15 insight knowledge, +25 perception
Perceptions: Darkvision 60, blessed sight 120, see invisibility, greater arcane sight, scent, low-light vision, tremorsense 60, blindsight 60, perception +71
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/9/8/8/7/7/6/6/6/7/6/4/2
Limited SLAs available: Limited wish, radiant assault, heal, meteor swarm, time stop

Avatarlicia: 582/582
Active spells: Extended nondetection (CL 32), many moments of prescience (CL 31), ghost touch weapon (CL 31), epic mage armour (CL 31)
Defences: AC 69 (touch 32), CMD 73, spell resistance46, status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 47)
Stat buffs/penalties: +13 armour
Perceptions: Darkvision 60
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/13/12/11/9/9/11/8/8/8/7/6/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/17/17/16/9/6

[Anastasia]

Thus the two of you go down. Down, down, down and down. Shadows dance around this place, but with time and clear eyes, you can see there is a door on the northern wall, mostly hidden by darkness.