The laughter of oblivion

[Ebiris]

Alicia closes the gate with a scowl while Marie exercises her own divine authority to clean the room up in the wake of that.

"We were told Bytopia itself would resist us but I didn't think it would be that blatant. We'll have to take a more circuitous route," Alicia says.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/7/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14

Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and 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 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4

[Anastasia]

"It might be proportional to how directly you approach the Memorial," Syala agrees.

[Ebiris]

"We'll gate to Elysium instead and use one of the natural portals at its border to enter Bytopia," Alicia decides once Marie's put their house back in order.

Assuming that's a thing and it wasn't sealed off when the gnomes fucked everything?

[Anastasia]

Yes.

The portal in question is quiet, sleepy. A small pond amid rolling hills, inviting any and all to come look into the clear waters.

[Ebiris]

"This pond is it," Alicia says once they've all stepped through her gate and onto Elysium. "If we swim down into it we should come out the other side on Bytopia."

"Have you ever been to Bytopia, Latha?" Marie asks. "I haven't, you never even heard people talk about it in Dweomerheart back when I lived there."

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14

Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and 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 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4

[Anastasia]

"I think so, once." Latha says at last, "I can remember sorrow most of all. It was beautiful, peaceful and every rock and tree was in mourning. I can remember it clearer now, though I've had no reason to think of it in a long time. It's easy to forget I was there at all."

Latha bows her head in quiet prayer before, "What did he do there, Alicia? What tragedy did he wrought?"

[Ebiris]

"Thoughts of Bytopia slip away easily even for the divine," Alicia says. "It's like a great shame of the upper planes, hidden away and forgotten for the good of all. I don't expect we'll find anything pleasant on this journey, so brace yourselves."

With that warning she plunges into the pond with barely a ripple, Marie following with similar ease.

Freedom of Movement SLA for all.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), freedom of movement (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14

Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35), freedom of movement (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and 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 50), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4

[Anastasia]

Your spellcasting was wise.

The currents are not placid once you swim down and begin to swim up. Suddenly the waters resist, a current pulling you away and down. Yet your magic is enough to resist that, to continue on towards the surface.

[Ebiris]

Alicia wasn't born yesterday! Propelling herself upwards she surges out of the water and into the air, floating up to take in her surroundings as Marie emerges hot on her heels.

[Anastasia]

The air is warm as you burst from the spring. A cavern, lit by a glow from the pool. It's quiet here, old torches set into the wall that pop ablaze once you stand here. You're at a dead end behind you, while ahead the cavern winds ahead and meanders upwards.

[Ebiris]

An effort of will dries them off as they take in their new surroundings. "Lets get to the surface and we'll see what we can see from there?" she suggests, starting to follow the cavern upwards.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+30
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{45}

As you go - huh! Marie sidesteps out of speed and instinct, as one of the wall torches just happens to break off and hurtle right at you. It hits the ground and sputters out, easily dodged.

"Let's do that, but on our guard." Latha concurs, picking up her pace.

[Ebiris]

"This is going to be just like those ruins we used to go to all the time, isn't it?" Marie asks.

"Probably worse," Alicia says, patting her back and continuing on. Warily.

[Anastasia]

"We have healing magic to suffice," Latha says, as you go on.

Perception.

[Ebiris]

[21:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 perception Alicia
[21:40] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+81 perception Alicia --> [ 1d20=20 ]{101}
[21:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+80 perception Marie
[21:40] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+80 perception Marie --> [ 1d20=2 ]{82}