Shadow rondo

[Anastasia]

Movement speed?

[Ebiris]

230 with blinding speed.

[Anastasia]

One round of blinding speed consumed for both yourself and Antenora.

The two of you fly ahead at top speed. It's a raw sprint, nothing but speed. You rush in a gash in the castle, a broken wall and into cover. In - but the way is not clear.

Warmth again from the gemstone.

Before you a bull blocks the way. A bull with four human like arms coming from its side, each bearing a whip of flame. It is a massive beast, a blockade against further ingress. It has a face, the peeled away flesh of a man's face plastered atop its bovine one. Bloody nails secure it, driven into the beast's skull and jaw.

Atop its a woman. An old crone, hunched over. She is nude, her entire body withered as if she were hundreds of years old. Her eyes weep tears of pus and her body is impaled a dozen times by swords. Yet she lives and stares down at you.

'I...I am....' Her voice is the dying whisper of an ancient crone as she peers at you, eyes weeping all the while. 'I am...The Lady of Repentance. I exist to...bring everything to cry eternal lamentations. You who stand in the way of my throne...shall cease to be!'

The bull's lips twist, a too deep and too pained song from it, "Glory to you! Glory to you! Glory to you!"

Antenora's gaze is ice cold, utterly determined. "Goodbye, nightmare. You'll not live long enough to regret those lies."

They join init. Keeping the others in init for now in case they can impact things.

> roll 1d20+16 Lady
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+16 Lady --> [ 1d20=6 ]{22}
> roll 1d20+19 Bull
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+19 Bull --> [ 1d20=8 ]{27}

Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Faranos (Fell Hunter) > Bull of Glory (27) > Antenora (23) > Lady of Repentance (22) > Hand (19)

Go Alicia, it's a new round.

[spoiler]

Antenora
HP: 959/959
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Divine 20ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Damage+0 AC+3 (+3 luck), Saves+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Holy Fury 35/42 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 11/13 Channel Energy 17/18 Lay On Hands 555/555 Remove Disease 11/11 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 22/25 Divine Blast 18/18
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Greater Heroism (CL37), Recitation (CL37), Many Moments of Prescience (CL39), Nondetection (CL40), Freedom Of Movement (CL37)
Notes: Can always inflict nonlethal with attacks, spells, SLAs and abilities.
Smite Notes: +2 damage/paladin level on a charging smite. Each point of favored PA on charge is worth 9 points of damage, post charge multiplier (15 on crit).
Typical Charging Numbers: 36 for base smite damage, 72 for charging smite +2 per per level. So 108 bonus damage baseline. Raw attack plus smite is 1d8+147+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.

[Ebiris]

"Forget them and keep moving," Alicia says, not wanting to lose more time and resources on what are fundamentally distractions.

A twist of space ahead of Antenora connects a spot with one as deep within as she can see of this room/corridor, and then she walls the bull and its rider off with a pair of force walls both behind and ahead of them. Then she rushes through that twisted space to get past them and keep hurrying towards the throne room and the entrance to 666 beyond it.

Free action to twist space, 2 swifts on quickened walls of force, then run action with blinding speed to get moving.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1150+60/1150
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 113, CMD 139, 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, +40 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour AC, -7 size attack/AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/5/9/0/8/3/6/7/5/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/6/16/3
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

Another round of blinding speed for both of you.

A raw gambit to flee.

You flee.
You think you can escape?
Antenora is at your side, fast as a gale. You rush the entrance to 666 - and stop. The door to it is barricaded. Boards are hammered over the door. Perhaps no barrier to you, but the door and everything beyond it is in black and white. No color, no movement. Cold as ice.
Your cowardice will take you no further.
The gemstone of truth is warm against your chest. A flicker. Words, speech. Hidden from your perception and now audible.

You flee.
You think you can escape?
Antenora is at your side, fast as a gale. You rush the entrance to 666 - and stop. The door to it is barricaded. Boards are hammered over the door. Perhaps no barrier to you, but the door and everything beyond it is in black and white. No color, no movement. Cold as ice.
Your cowardice will take you no further.
The gemstone of truth is warm against your chest. A flicker. Words, speech. Hidden from your sight and now audible.

You feel it ahead. A presence, a foulness that sickens the body, mind and soul.
Will you face a Demon Prince, upstart? I have been born only to kill you.
You hear his words. You feel his hatred. A hatred so pure and clean that it would be pure, were it anything remotely righteous. It resides ahead, within that place of no color and no warmth.

Always.

[spoiler]

Antenora
HP: 959/959
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Divine 20ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Damage+0 AC+3 (+3 luck), Saves+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Holy Fury 35/42 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 11/13 Channel Energy 17/18 Lay On Hands 555/555 Remove Disease 11/11 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 21/25 Divine Blast 18/18
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Greater Heroism (CL37), Recitation (CL37), Many Moments of Prescience (CL39), Nondetection (CL40), Freedom Of Movement (CL37)
Notes: Can always inflict nonlethal with attacks, spells, SLAs and abilities.
Smite Notes: +2 damage/paladin level on a charging smite. Each point of favored PA on charge is worth 9 points of damage, post charge multiplier (15 on crit).
Typical Charging Numbers: 36 for base smite damage, 72 for charging smite +2 per per level. So 108 bonus damage baseline. Raw attack plus smite is 1d8+147+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.

[Ebiris]

They're operating perhaps on different definitions of 'flee' considering her every step brings her closer to the heart of evil here.

Then again, it is a place of lies, so perhaps it only makes sense?

"So what you're saying is the Abyss is sending newborns at us?" she asks, cutting through that trash talk as she has a look over the magic past that barricade. Chronomancy?

Take 10 for 86 on spellcraft, divine insight popped.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1150+60/1150
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 113, CMD 139, 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, +40 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour AC, -7 size attack/AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/5/9/0/8/3/6/7/5/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/6/16/3
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

No, an intensely, almost unthinkably powerful abjuration. One that freezes space within it. It won't move, it won't fold.

Come and find out, paladin.

The last word is spat, as if a vile curse.

[Ebiris]

So does that just counter my space compression spell or does it prevent actual movement within? Would freedom of movement work against it if so?

[Anastasia]

Your best guess is that it would stop movement inside without freedom of movement, and most likely stop space compression cold.

[Ebiris]

Alicia disintegrates the barricade with silver fire then. It would be satisfying to kick it open but the fragments would just get caught in the air and still be in the way.

[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 40d10
[20:22] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 40d10 --> [ 40d10=221 ]{221}

Damage if needed but should auto-disintegrate objects.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1150+60/1150
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 113, CMD 139, 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, +40 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour AC, -7 size attack/AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/5/9/0/8/3/6/7/5/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/6/16/3
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

The door is gone - and the passage beyond is the same black and white. You can feel the presence within, something forming as you watch.

Antenora readies her spear.

[Ebiris]

Alicia advances, trusting her magic to protect her and Antenora.

They both popped freedom of movement in prep.

[Anastasia]

A very wise choice.

You step in.

The hallway stretches ahead to the path to 666.

The figure ahead has flesh of stone, garbed in armor of steel, decorated with smoky quartz. Stones of it embedded into his armor all over, almost like overlapping scales that obscure the metal entirely. Gray on gray, save for his face. He has no face, only a glow of putrid, pale green light.

Paladins.

You who advance truth have no future.

In his hand is a double bladed sword, almost identical to Bonds.

You speak boldly for a dead man. Repent or face judgment.

There is no judgment, there is only what I want, forever and ever. Your words mean nothing here. I will show you by slaying you and feasting on your innards!

[Ebiris]

Sound won't carry either, will it? Well that's alright, they can speak their wills.

You've been fed a banquet of lies to believe in your victory here.

[Anastasia]

My name is... Cythos. Know the name of your executioner!

I think the conversation's about run its course, so I'm going to call for init.