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[Anastasia]

A few things don't quite line up, so you think it's probably and 'merely' an avatar. Emphasis on 'merely'. You aren't 100% - such things are hard to say since a deity can easily make an avatar look like themselves - but that's where you'd guess.

[Nephrite]

"XANDRA!" Moore shouts. "THIS WAY!"

Moore squeezes his stone -- he can't really do much by himself here, but hopefully...

'Lord Erathaol, I'm afraid you were correct. An avatar of Orcus is here. We are trying to rescue Xandra, but the others have fallen prey to his presence.'

If he has to try and muster the power of a Miracle, he will, but if there's some other way...

[Anastasia]

Xandra...turns. For one moment, bloodied as she is, she turns and out of sheer hope and need, offers her back to her foe as she flees. The marilith lashes out, mouth opening to spew a black sphere, hurtling at Xandra's back.

Amid this skeletons covered in ice grapple with a pair of barbazu. A flash of death as a charging hezrou's head is obliterated by a thin beam, leaving naught but dust behind. You see not the caster as a man-shape blizzard plummets down, green light spreading throughout it, consuming it from within.

> roll 1d20+53
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 54 > [d20=1]

Lucky, that was touch AC.

Yet somehow, by some miracle Xandra gets away with it. The orb is errant in the chaos of battle, a stray arm - from who or what you cannot say, only a moment's glimpse of it - flies forth and grazes the sphere, instantly destroyed along with the sphere. Xandra moves to flee, moves to escape the carnage, comes closer - and your blood stops. Your breathing dies in that instant, as the two dead eyes of Orcus gaze at you. In that instant, all darkness and snow between you and him fade, the Demon Prince's attention wholly on you.

Kaja convulses harder, jerking wildly. Jetina stares ahead, gaze utterly empty now, not the slightest movement from her.

Yet Xandra races on in that deadly instant, a beam of green narrowly missing her as Orcus raises his horrible wand. Despite his obscene bulk, he does it faster than you've seen anyone move before, a split second of coruscating purple light gathering around the head as Xandra flees, Xandra runs, Xandra - !!!!

> roll 1d20 greater powers maximize any result, this is purely to check for a critical threat
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=6]

Fortitude save, Moore.

[Nephrite]

[22:36] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+61 fort
[22:36] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=13]

Mettle, if it matters.

[Anastasia]

The beam hits you...and you know pain. An agony of dying, an agony of being dragged down. Your breathing shudders and stops, yet somehow...you live. You exist. The faintest glimmer of light out of the corner of your eye. Even as you are slain, obliterated, you hold onto the light, somehow...somehow...you take one, horrible, pained breath. You feel weaker than you ever have, but you live. You shake, you convulse, you shudder.

You failed the save. You get: 30 negative levels plus an additional -6 profane penalty to saving throws and armor class. Be very happy you don't have any other negative levels right now.

You are barely there. Almost transparent, a dying thing on the verge of the hereafter - or what passes for it in Orcus's grasp. Yet you live, yet you breath. Xandra races to you, bleeding profusely. Her left side is mostly gone, one eye closed and not opening. Gashes cover her back and sides, "O-orcus," she manages to pant in a word.

The fiend watches on, a glare of sheer fury as his wand glows again -

That one is mine to kill, wretch.

- only for Orcus to whirl. The roar that comes from  him is not remotely human. Elementals burst into black blood on that roar, lesser devils simply melting to a slurry of dust and blood. In a voice that you have no words to describe beyond unthinkable rage, words are bellowed back in challenge.

LIXER!

YOUR SOUL WILL SCREAM FOR EONS!

Come and fail as you always do, Demon Fool.

[Nephrite]

I am guessing it bypasses immunity, but I want to verify: Moore's armor has the Soulfire property, which is this: immune to all death spells, magical death effects, and energy drain, and any negative energy effects (such as from chill touch or inflict spells). I am going to roll that it didn't apply, but let me know. It's a lot more lame even if it does apply, if I'm being honest.

Moore can't manage to do anything except pray -- pray inwardly, outwardly.

Pray for the Light of Celestia to come to their aid -- to come and rescue them.

"Pray." is the only word he can manage to muster in his current state.

Pray.

[Anastasia]

It does not, Orcus is immunity penetrating here.

All the battles pause at that horrid sound, every gaze turning to Orcus as he leaps up and away, bounding to the far side of the building with a cry that seems to deafen everything.

For a few moments, none are looking your way, not even the marilith who tried to slay Xandra.

Taking a shuddering breath, Xandra extends her arm out, "Hold on," she manages to you, offering you her forearm. She grabs Jetina with one hand and Kaja the other, trying to pull them away.

Hurry.

Hurry.

[Nephrite]

Moore can't do much besides that, but he can at least... can he...?

He waves a hand idly around, as if he thinks something will happen.

Perhaps even a miracle, today.

He's using his Ioun stone for a Mass Heal for everyone. Hopefully it helps Xandra and also maybe will get the other two back on their feet.

[Anastasia]

Xandra's wounds heal and with that she pulls you along, "My thanks," she manages as you slip into the blizzard, forward and then simply falling, plummeting away, letting simply falling put distance between you and the chaos, falling down and slightly away.

Her strength is sufficient to drag them without a check. Unfortunately Heal doesn't touch negative levels.

[Nephrite]

"Cresiel... gate." Moore manages to murmur. "Keep... forward."

Was it like this when he died his first death?

[Anastasia]

Jetina just stares ahead blankly while Kaja shakes, blood starting to trickle from his mouth. "No good," Xandra says as she grimaces, pulling them along, "We'll go fastest falling with all this weight. Use the stone, contact someone to get us out of here."

[Nephrite]

"I have..." Moore murmurs, as he draws a flute-looking object out of his pack and waves it meekly towards Xandra. "Gate."

[Anastasia]

Gimme a d100, Moore.

[Nephrite]

[23:29] <Nephrite> roll 1d100
[23:29] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d100=22]

[Anastasia]

Down you fly and - !!!!

"No getting away, little archon." A hissing voice declares. Glancing up, you see the marilith following, blades menacing, 50ft above and falling in your direction fast. You have a problem!

Init. Kaja and Jetina are not currently combat capable, so it's up to Moore and Xandra. Good luck.

[spoiler]

Xandra
HP: 391/538
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+8 competence, +18 morale, +4 sacred, +2d6 holy weapons), Damage+22 (+18 morale, +4 sacred) AC+16 (+12 morale, +4 sacred), Saves+16 (+19 fort)(+12 morale, +4 morale, +4 sacred)(+14 more vs charm/fear), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used: 2 9th, 4 10th, ALL 11th, ALL 12th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL32), Celestial Valor (CL32), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL32), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL32), Mass Death Ward (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL20), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL??), Surge of Hope (CL31)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.