Walking to Rosewater

[Anastasia]

With silver fire this is trivial enough. As you do it...

'What's our plan, Alicia?' Latha asks, awaiting your word.

[Ebiris]

'I think I've localised where commands are coming from. We'll burst up and you and I will clear the fodder while Syala and Antenora kill whoever looks in charge. If opposition looks too fierce to bear I'll get us a path to the edge of Rosewater so we can retreat, so make sure we all stick together,' Alicia replies as they cut their way through the underground base. She'd like to stay and thoroughly destroy everything, but she has to be realistic in the face of this sort of well-oiled response and what they're likely to be up against here.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 772+20/772
Active spells:  Many moments of prescience (CL 34), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 39), pass without trace (CL 34), greater heroism (CL 34), energy immunity (acid) (CL 34), energy immunity (sonic) (CL 34), telepathic bond (CL 34), sensual blessing (CL 34), recitation (CL 34), foresight (CL 34), greater visage of the deity (CL 34), power of the huntress (CL 34), repelling shield (CL 34), spell turning (CL 35), righteous wrath of the faithful (CL 34), invisibility (CL 34), opal protection (CL 35), celestial valor (CL 35), life's grace (CL 35), Seira's arcane thesis (CL 34), brilliant aura (CL 34), Latha's sunmantle (CL 34), keen edge (CL 34), extended dance of the unicorn (CL 35)
Defences: AC 110, CMD 114, spell resistance 49, energy immunity (fire, cold, acid, sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 49), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +10 armour AC, +10 circumstance stealth, +4 morale attack/saves/skills, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 insight AC/reflex, +1 natural armour, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +20 competence stealth, +8 enhancement natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 morale damage, +3 morale AC, +4 sacred attack/damage/AC/saves, +10 CL vs SR, +5 spell DCs
Perceptions: Arcane sight, low-light vision, blindsight/tremorsense 3 miles, perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/4/6/8/4/6/5/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/9

[Anastasia]

'Then let the light of Chronias guide us to victory,' Latha declares.

How far can you tunnel with silver fire in a round?

[Ebiris]

70 feet.

[Anastasia]

Tunneling, tunneling, rushing to the surface - and as you get close, your own tremorsense can detect sudden movements on the ground, moving away from where you're burrowing.

[Ebiris]

I did specifically ask for a spot 70 feet under the surface. If that was impossible I'd have changed plans (and probably time-stopped to make it work)

[Anastasia]

Oh sorry, must have been lost in the weekly pause. In that case gimme a quick Dex check, say?

[Ebiris]

[17:07] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+12 dex
[17:07] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+12 dex --> [ 1d20=10 ]{22}

[Anastasia]

Thus you break out - and in that moment you see it. Minions of all kind litter the grounds - from manes to sniveling dretches to mightier vrocks and hezrou. Yet nothing truly powerful is there.

It is the sky above where danger looms.

100ft up are dragons - a layer of them. Four green, two blue, two black, two red and two white. Ten of them fill the air, each truly massive, the smallest larger than a country manor house. They blot out everything above, only superhumanly keen eyes letting you see what lies beyond. 300ft up are a cluster of radiant lights, beautiful lilitu hidden within. Before you are The Radiant Sisters, glimpsed in totality, all of them present. Sitting on a floating throne 50ft above them is a familiar sight - the most beautiful woman you've seen save perhaps for Sharess, Sune (or Syala in your heart's honesty). Malcanthet sits on a throne, as if awaiting your challenge. Yet besides her throne is another.

In that second throne sits a brown creature, an avian face dominated by a massive beak. Four wings jut from his back, his body clad in loose, ragged pants and little else. He is muscular and lithe, handsome save for the hawk-like features that dominate his face. He holds a tremendous greatsword in one hand, one that seems to flicker with the winds.

Further out, spread about, are balors. Several dozen 500ft high and at varying distances, all surrounded by a vanguard of vrocks. Each has a fearsome lightning-weapon, ready to strike down at the party.

Feel free to make checks on anything you want to know more about. You'll get that and more details into them, I was a little vague there for the sake of getting it out and letting you dig in more as you like.

After checks you'll have a chance to act thanks to Supreme Init. Then any other Supreme Inits as well and we'll do init from there.

[Ebiris]

Yeah, take 10 for 65 on planes to identify anyone noteworthy (so radiant sisters or badass balors and up) and what to watch out for from them. 10 for 65 on arcana for the dragons too.

Also I counted 12 dragons total not 10.

[Anastasia]

It's 12 dragons, my math is bad. 4+2+2+2+2 is too much for an innocent DM.

First and foremost, the hawklike creature on the throne is Pazuzu, a Demon Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms. A known enemy of the Red Knight, he is said to be old and powerful. A being that delights in the destruction of purity. He is a canny foe and a powerful aerial champion, said to be nearly unmatched in aerial combat. It is said that his sword, Cyrine, can steal the ability to fly from a creature forever, as well as being an anarchic and evil weapon of vast power. Darker whispers suggest that he is invincible in the air, unable to be wounded or defeated at all. All the innocence and purity he has stolen is said to have made him mightier yet.

It is indeed the Radiant Sisters amid them. You notice Violet stands a bit above and apart of them, her gaze on you even now, tracking you while the others do not. Cherry the poisoner, binder of Flamejax. Midnight, the Dark Invocation. She constantly licks her perfect lips, shivers going through her as you see her mouth Syala's name, open anticipation there. Crimson clad in red, the arts of blood and passion swirling around her. She awaits. Jade, a staff of the same color in hand, her attention on it as glitters and fractals of color curl and undulate around it. Ash the Dead, beautiful and yet cold, a dozen mysteries swirling around her like a palpable force, ready to rend you to oblivion. Emerald, the deceiver of Argas, her whisper-soft and unseen blade said to have taken a thousand mortal heads. 

Rose, the Indolent Witch, a spellbook floating before her, her attention it as she reclines in the air. As if sitting comfortably, a look of boredom on her face. Hyacinth strums her lute, a perfectly gorgeous face awaiting as her song echos in the air, a sweet and far reaching song of encouragement to her allies. Tawny Angelbane, her body nude and covered with obscure, obscene markings that are unpleasant to read, speaking of vile lies and truths from the Abyss, each one enough to damn a mortal soul to eternal torment if they read and comprehend the profane nature there. Ivory the White, like newfallen snow, save for the blood that drips from her mouth, constantly licked up by her tongue. Azure, who awaits patiently, no weapon or armor worn, yet utterly calm, relaxed.

You see the balors. Flamejax is one, the dragon-balor said to have been bound by the Radiant Sister Cherry. A fearsome berserker, he rips apart any in his way. Palrug, a grizzled commander of the Blood War, said to have slain a million devils before starting anew with daemons. Machant the Bloody, a balor brawler, who exults in ripping apart any who defy his burning rages. Wylasp, only known as a reclusive sage, yet he watches on with keen interest, his face free of a balor's normal fury - said to be a sometimes servant of Oghma in some fashion, though the details are scant. Scraladax, a known commander here, with a greatsword of black fire, raised above his head. Others with lesser legends, newborns or simply those who are not known in the endless nightmares of the Abyss.

The dragons themselves are known to you. All mercenaries save for the greens - part of the Clawed Horde, a loose collection of dragons who deign to work for others for small fortunes. They mostly deal in mortal affairs, but have been known to get involved in extraplanar matters for enough coin or at the behest of Pazuzu, who is said to have defeated but spared them before. Madasarina and Icealiapa the White, Isolounapalas and Reddasa the Red, Blackout and Yulanarin the Black and finally Skiyene and Thunder the Blue. Of them, you recall Madasarina is known to have battled powerful heroes to draws and victories before, and prefers caution. Of Isolounapalas you can't recall reading of her, but Reddasa is known as a force mage of great skill. Blackout specializes in darkness magic while Yulanarin favors raw bestial anger and arcane strikes in close, as well as quickly used breath weapons. Finally, Skiyene and Thunder are a mated pair, and cast spells in perfect harmony that rip foes apart with unholy thunder.

The greens are Malcanthet's, her gate guardians and allies, and according to all reports, lovers. They have demonic powers and blood from those unholy couplings and are canny beasts who fight with power and little finesse. One of the green dragons has a rider, a succubus in glittering mage armor, visible to your enhanced senses. Rulalla is atop it, a rod of steel in hand and glistening with purple ice.

[Ebiris]

Is Radiant Sister Jade here the same one we killed in Limbo or is it a new face for the name?

Also can I tell if Malcanthet and Pazuzu are here in person or if they're avatars?

[18:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+37 CL for arcane sight probably relevant
[18:13] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+37 CL for arcane sight probably relevant --> [ 1d20=1 ]{38}

That was to get more info on buffs and see through illusions of anyone important. I do at least have blindsight and godly perception so if anyone's a projected image I'll probably know, and might be able to detect anyone hiding with invisibility.

[18:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+80 perception
[18:14] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+80 perception --> [ 1d20=17 ]{97}

[Anastasia]

A new face for the same name. It happens sometimes.

They're avatars.

The dragons have what you'd expect - greater mage armors and other defensive spells, as well as attack boosting spells. It's all combat stuff as well as basic nondetection, but you're strong enough to punch through that. Skiyene and Thunder have a spell called Twin Thunders on both of them, that aids them in sharing their magic together and amplifies it. I can go into a spell by spell listing for each dragon if you like, but it boils down to 'fight better the spell selection and a side of not sucking at init, please'. Your keen eyes also note that Icealiapa has a subtle illusion on her belly, one that hits a green, weeping scar. It oozes with a green pus, dribbling down from the injury.

The various minions you can see on the ground have minor spells at best, what you'd expect for such beings.

Everyone seems real enough here - no illusions you can sense with blindsight or the like.

[Ebiris]

"Ahh, you've brought me such a crowd..." Alicia says softly...

And then a titan stands over them, her presence dominating Rosewater, knocking dragons and demons aside like insects as she looms like a mountain over all her airborne foes. Defeating avatars doesn't amount to too much, but getting rid of all the radiant sisters - and snagging any proxy sparks that might have been carelessly handed out, is still worth her time.

"You should have known better." Her voice heralds death as her sword swings out with hurricane-like winds in its wake, bleeding deadly divine acid as it carves bloody ruin through everything around her, meagre demons and mighty dragons, fearsome balors and sultry lillitu alike.

Only Malcanthet and Pazuzu are spared, Alicia sending them a message as she gets rid of everyone unworthy to stand on this stage with a single attack.

Swift to go big+, swift for quickened true strike, whirlwind attack

[19:36] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+113 whirlwind attack, true strike ignores miss chance, brilliant blade ignores armour/shield bonus to AC. 12th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp. (+2 more vs demons from bane)
[19:36] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+113 whirlwind attack, true strike ignores miss chance, brilliant blade ignores armour/shield bonus to AC. 12th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp. (+2 more vs demons from bane) --> [ 1d20=14 ]{127}

[19:36] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+63+3d6+12d4+408 (408 is doubled vs demons/undead, but brilliant blade means I don't damage undead at all)
[19:36] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 6d6+63+3d6+12d4+408 (408 is doubled vs demons/undead, but brilliant blade means I don't damage undead at all) --> [ 6d6=21 3d6=14 12d4=26 ]{532}
[19:36] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+2 extra damage for demons
[19:36] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d6+2 extra damage for demons --> [ 2d6=9 ]{11}

So all demons hit take 951 damage, dragons or other creatures take 532.

[19:37] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3+4 rank check to inflict negative levels
[19:37] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+3+4 rank check to inflict negative levels --> [ 1d20=14 ]{21}

Also 1 negative level for anything not otherwise protected from those. And a DC 44 fort save or take a -10 penalty to armour and natural armour.

In the wake of that she also takes care to warp space slightly between the two thrones and her allies, linking a spot 20 feet above Antenora with one 40 feet below Malcanthet. 'I've given you a direct route on Malcanthet's avatar, straight up from Antenora,' she sends to her friends.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1044+20/1044
Active spells:  Many moments of prescience (CL 34), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 39), pass without trace (CL 34), greater heroism (CL 34), energy immunity (acid) (CL 34), energy immunity (sonic) (CL 34), telepathic bond (CL 34), sensual blessing (CL 34), recitation (CL 34), foresight (CL 34), greater visage of the deity (CL 34), power of the huntress (CL 34), repelling shield (CL 34), spell turning (CL 35), righteous wrath of the faithful (CL 34), invisibility (CL 34), opal protection (CL 35), celestial valor (CL 35), life's grace (CL 35), Seira's arcane thesis (CL 34), brilliant aura (CL 34), Latha's sunmantle (CL 34), keen edge (CL 34), extended dance of the unicorn (CL 35)
Defences: AC 114, CMD 136, spell resistance 49, energy immunity (fire, cold, acid, sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 49), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +10 armour AC, +10 circumstance stealth, +4 morale attack/saves/skills, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 insight AC/reflex, +15 natural armour, +40 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, -8 size attack/AC, +20 competence stealth, +8 enhancement natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 morale damage, +3 morale AC, +4 sacred attack/damage/AC/saves, +10 CL vs SR, +5 spell DCs
Perceptions: Arcane sight, low-light vision, blindsight/tremorsense 3 miles, perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/4/6/8/4/5/5/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/19/11/7/9

[Anastasia]

Give me a d100 to cover any possible miss chances so I can sort this entire thing out.