A new hill

[Anastasia]

All of you surge forth - and your haste buys time, but not enough.

No words this time, only a murderous pain in your head, focused like a thousand strokes of a titan's maul.

Fortitude, Alicia. Good luck.

[Ebiris]

[18:50] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 improved mettle
[18:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=19]

[Anastasia]

Yet you endure even that, a pain that leaves you breathless. A pain that turns all the world red as you yet step forward, each moment a new pulse of agony.

You stumble.

Yet you keep going.

Ahead lies water, a path that leads to a large lake.

It is a lake full of eggs, of strange things you know are eggs. Spheres of white, spheres of black. Ovals of all colors, all shapes, all sizes. Creatures scurry away, frog like and otherwise.

For in the center of the lake is a vast, smooth stone. A stone a comfortable, worn gray color that the moment you see it is agony and pain and the Spawning Stone rejects you, screaming in your mind.

"We made it," Sulia declares as she holds on tight, "Cease this, you accursed rock!"

Queen stands despite the pain, as - !

One more Fort save.

[Ebiris]

[19:15] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 improved mettle
[19:15] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=5]

[Anastasia]

You somehow hold your ground.

Nothing else can be said, for you endure a pain that makes your head want to burst. Even now you can taste copper in the back of your throat, but you endure it all. Suddenly, clarity returns. The pain stops and it's like the world is anew.

The lake is a vast place, of so many eggs and colors and shapes. Millions and millions, more in every direction in every second. Great clusters of them, great masses of them that mix, smash together, merge and split apart. A cycle chaotic and without any end, all amid the gentle sound of water flowing.

The Stone is so many shapes and sizes, as varied as the eggs, different in between a blink of the eye. It is a blue diamond larger than Hanna, from where eggs ooze out. It is a broken circle that leaks the eggs out through unknown locomotion. The Spawning Stone is a tower that gently casts the eggs out from countless windows, like a rain of unborn potential.

Potential. Begin again. The first time was insufficient. The second time will be guided. Be reborn.

[Ebiris]

Alicia grits her teeth, making sure Sulia and Queen are doing okay in her hand in case healing is needed.

Don't be absurd. That's not why we're here. Our current existence isn't anywhere near its end!

[Anastasia]

Sulia hops off your hand and grows back to her normal size.

Oh, don't be silly. The best is yet to come for us, let alone an end.

Queen joins her and slithers forward before she raises her sword, as if in challenge to the Spawning Stone.

Deviation is not allowed. Those who come to the Spawning Stone and resist are eliminated.

[Ebiris]

We are not slaad to be formed into a template. We are not here to spawn. Please don't interfere, we will do it no harm.

[Anastasia]

You at least earned a Diplo check there, so give me one.

[Ebiris]

[20:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+63
[20:13] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=17]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
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), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, 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 attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81

[Anastasia]

Then defeat the Spawning Stone. Survive.

[Ebiris]

"As if we'd do anything else," Alicia says more conventionally, a glance at Queen and Sulia to make sure they're with her before approaching, her eyes sharpening to see the reality of things.

Alter realitied True Seeing.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
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), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35), true seeing (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, 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 attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81

[Anastasia]

Gimme a CL check on True Seeing real quick, +3 circumstance bonus.

[Ebiris]

[00:01] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42
[00:01] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 46 > [d20=4]

[Anastasia]

Before your eyes the Spawning Stone shifts vibrantly and violently, the waters churning as black slaad suddenly line the rim of the lake, as...

Init. For reference, you're all 60ft from the Spawning Stone. The distance to the slaad lining thelake varies by position, but the closest is 80ft away.