Shadow rondo

[Ebiris]

Pulling her hood up, Alicia casts gate and walks on through to that location.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 854+20/854
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 39), extended mind blank (CL 40), extended nondetection (CL 40), greater heroism (CL 37), extended ray deflection (CL 40), epic mage armour (CL 37), sensual blessing (CL 37), greater foresight (CL 39), keen edge (CL 37 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 37), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 39), repelling shield (CL 39), freedom of movement (CL 37), greater visage of the deity (CL 37), recitation (CL 37), good hope (CL 37)
Defences: AC 108, CMD 118, spell resistance 52, 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 55), 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, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/6/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/16/4
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

It's a dark lake. A swamp. The buzz of insects, the shadow of dead trees at midnight. A thousand shapes only hinted at, underneath a sky that weeps a greasy, thick rain that sticks to your flesh and clothing more than wet it or slide off. Almost like foul smelling globs of congealed grease.

"This'll do, we need to go into the waters," Jessica says, "Grant yourself freedom of movement if you don't have it, you'll need it." She then hops into the water, swimming down.

[Ebiris]

She's been worse places, she supposes. Resigned to it, Alicia wades in after Jessica, sinking under the brackish water.

At least this way she can't feel the rain hitting her.

[Anastasia]

The water is the same greasy, thick misery. It is overwhelmingly salty, worse than seawater, more salt than liquid.

Why are all the lower planes so unpleasant, Antenora? Do fiends enjoy these environs?

Hardly. Some do, those twisted or adapted to a particular location. The majority do not. Remember, the Hells are punishments and a reflection of the souls that inhabit them. The point is misery, the point is suffering, the point is sorrow. Every native here has made choices that granted them a seat in this misery.

It consoles me, slightly.

Through the thick, salty, greasy water. Downwards, deeper in and deeper. The bottom of the lake is riddled with cave entrances, Jessica swims down towards one of many.

Slightly?

Never forget that every soul that suffers here is also a tragedy. Imagine how much brighter the Heavens would shine if even one in a thousand of the damned had chosen otherwise, had applied their gifts to the paths of the righteous. Imagine if the Adversary turned his talents towards noble goals, imagine the benefits from merely his aid and abilities serving a righteous cause, and then the changes that would come forth from that one difference.

No, even the lowliest lemure is a tragedy, because they could have been so much more. When I see a dark god or a fiendish lord, I rail against them for every sin they have committed, and yet I also mourn the tragedy that is all their great gifts, wasted to the last.

[Ebiris]

Alicia swims along easily through the miserable water, following Jessica.

If only more of them suffered from sins of sloth rather than being so talented and industrious towards miserable aims.

[Anastasia]

Antenora cracks a smile even as you head into the cave.

If only.

[Ebiris]

There's not much else to say, so into the cave under Jessica's direction.

[Anastasia]

Once you enter the cave, dry land. The water stops. Jessica lands on her feet and walks forward, the barest effort of divine will cleansing her body. Antenora does the same once Jessica does and follows.

Is there danger here?

Jessica shakes her head before she responds.

'Not directly,' she switches to telepathy. 'If the walls grow eyes, ignore them. If the walls grow ears, ignore them. If the walls grow tongues, ignore them. If the wall grows...male parts, ignore them. Same with female parts.'

Silence save for footsteps.

A flesh mage?

'That's my presumption.' Jessica agrees, 'It's not erotic, just uncontrolled. Like muscle spasms.'

A moment later, an eye bigger than your head appears right above Alicia, bulging out of the ceiling and staring at her. From the middle of the pupil a dangling hand grows out, reaching in vain for Alicia's hair.

[Ebiris]

Alicia pulls her hood back over her head after she cleanses and dries herself, trusting Jessica's advice and ignoring the eye as she steps quickly past the reach of that grasping hand.

[Anastasia]

Onward. You ignore various body parts and come to a larger cavern. Here a city of tents can be seen, a riot of darkened colors. Daemons walk openly here, the faraway walls and ceiling flailing with various bodily parts.

"This way," Jessica murmurs, hood up as is Antenora's. "If someone meets your gaze, lower your head and accept their superiority or strike them down on the spot for their arrogance. The choice is yours."

[Ebiris]

"Point of the hood is to hide our gazes anyway," Alicia says, face shadowed. She doesn't want to pick any pointless fights here but she's not about to accept a daemon's superiority either.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d100=75]
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d100=92]

You walk amid the bustling, near silent movements. Past ancient tents that stink of death, past puddles of liquids foul as any poison. Then - "You." A huge, hulking, green thing with four arms. A Nycaloth. It wears only a loincloth that does nothing to hide his masculinity, Antenora turning her gaze at least a little more upwards. It blocks Antenora's way, "Meet my gaze, bitch." His body ripples with muscles, each of his arms ending in wicked, hooked claws. Its face reminds you of a gargoyle, inhuman and with eyes that glow a dull gray.

"That," Antenora speaks softly, "Would be the final mistake of your life. We haven't met eyes yet. Run and hide while you still can."

[Ebiris]

Do nycaloths usually have less than 200hp? Take 10 for 71 on planes.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 854+20/854
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 39), extended mind blank (CL 40), extended nondetection (CL 40), greater heroism (CL 37), extended ray deflection (CL 40), epic mage armour (CL 37), sensual blessing (CL 37), greater foresight (CL 39), keen edge (CL 37 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 37), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 39), repelling shield (CL 39), freedom of movement (CL 37), greater visage of the deity (CL 37), recitation (CL 37), good hope (CL 37)
Defences: AC 108, CMD 118, spell resistance 52, 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 55), 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, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/6/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/16/4
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

Usually, but any particular one who chooses high hit dice gestalting, takes toughness or otherwise improves it can easily slip over. So it's a gamble.

[Ebiris]

Alicia elects to let Antenora handle this rather than risk using a spell that does nothing and will only inflame feelings of fiendish superiority that must then be violently disabused.