Silken touch

[Ebiris]

We'll aim for some tunnels/caverns about ten miles from Windglum and make the rest of our way there on foot moving at half our normal speed so we won't stand out so much if anyone picks us up via exotic senses.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/4/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16

[Anastasia]

The darkness is only matched by the icy cold, whip-like spray of water. The winds of Pandemonium howl in this foul passage, droplets of water falling like a steady rain. Everywhere are great stalagmites and stalactites, like narrow teeth rising up all around you. Everything is weathered and wet, the scent of frost and mold thick in the air.

Syala bundles her black cloak tighter around herself as Jessica shakes her head.

It's simplest if we don't talk at all when we don't need to. Words can echo here forever, and I've heard reliable reports that those words can become monsters. It's said that the words eventually get absorbed by the rain, and in puddles monsters inspired by the twisted, echoed words spawn.

It's like someone took a fall rainstorm, one on the verge of of being an icestorm, and married that to the most miserable caverns there are. I hate it here already.

It's also the most populated layer of Pandemonium, at least by mortals, because the water means there's food and that enables life without magic or imported food.

[Ebiris]

Alicia simply nods under her thick water-slick cloak, starting to advance with seemingly hurried strides that don't really cross distance as quickly as she would at her normal walking pace.

It's far from the worst place we've visited, but I doubt Talona's presence improves it any.

She does have a zone of purified air around her at least, the mist caused by dance of the unicorn abating some of the smell and rot.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d100=3]

Fortunately your travels are quiet in the short term. You wander these twisted caves, no great obstacle at first. Then, further ahead, the echos are heard. Distorted and twisted, but you can hear it. A song in Abyssal, fragments caught.

"...blood and..."

"...praise all the..."

"...Let poison flow from your fangs..."

[Ebiris]

Lets not show our full power. If they cause us trouble we'll return them to Talona but lets try and skirt by them unless they give us a reason.

Beyond the echoes, she can hear well enough within five miles and she has sensual blessing up to give her blindsight and tremorsense that far too, ensuring a good idea of what's ahead of them and how to easily navigate to avoid them too.

[Anastasia]

You can tell it's about a half mile away as the crow flies. Through twisted and broken passages it's much longer than that. You can feel about a dozen people moving about there, and the vibrations of a few more barely moving.

[Ebiris]

They've got a bit of time before they reach them then, and they'll make use of the twisted caverns to avoid running directly into them if they can help it.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d100=3]

Your luck holds and you go around. As you do?

We should do something, sister. What if innocents are there?

[Ebiris]

It's sounded just like a generic ritual so far, they don't all have to involve blood sacrifice of the innocent!

Still, knowing her luck. Then investigate more closely, they'll never see you.

[Anastasia]

They won't ever see me.

Once Jessica hurries ahead?

She's right. Our mission is important, but so are others. We can't let our own crisis let us become callous to others.

This assumes there's innocents there, but I put nothing past a lower plane.

[Ebiris]

I won't ignore a cry for help, but bashing down every door we find in case there's trouble behind it doesn't come free of consequence.

[Anastasia]

A faint nod as Syala waits and...Soon you hear the echos, moments of distant cries of alarm, before there is nothing but silence. The echos cease, no more sound coming from that ritual, nor any movement at all.

[Ebiris]

Well, Jessica clearly found something that displeased her, but given how everyone's dead it doesn't look like she rescued anyone. Alicia starts to glide ahead to catch up.

[Anastasia]

Jessica soon approaches. She opens her cloak as she does - for in her arms, a small, white foal sleeps against her chest. It has a tail that is embers, which yet do not burn Jessica in the least.

You can recognize a unicorn foal when you see one, but the fire tail is rather unusual.

[Ebiris]

Alicia gives her an approving look from under her cloak. Well done, Jessica. Shall we send them to Sylica for now?