Shadow rondo

[Ebiris]

"We wanted to ask about your trip first," Alicia says in their defence. She literally just got here.

"But yes, Jessica came across several across the planes, all making waves to some degree at least for her to hear of them even if she never met them. All different, both in shape and manner and goal... so we may as well try and find out what this means in relation to layer 666. The name was mentioned to us for a reason."

[Anastasia]

"Then there's no point in waiting," Antenora rises to her feet, "Who will go?"

[Ebiris]

"Us three," Alicia says. "Jessica's already done the investigating and has the leads, and if there's any trickery or lies involved you're the best one for seeing through them. We'll be going to Nidavellir, that's where you heard about it, right Jessica?"

[Anastasia]

"Yes," Jessica confirms, "We'll need to be ready for..."

Which is really just a segue to ask you for any prep so I can do spoiler blocks.

[Ebiris]

Everyone gets:
Greater heroism (CL 37, +4 morale attack/saves/skills, +20 temp hp)
Recitation (CL 37, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Many moments of prescience (CL 39, +30 insight to AC/attack/save/opposed skill or ability check 4 times) given via divine familiar bullshit
Epic mage armour (CL 37, +22 armour AC) given from MArie
Extended nondetection (CL 40, DC 55 to overcome) given via divine familiar bullshit
Freedom of movement (CL 37)

[spoiler]
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)
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
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/8/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/16/4
Moments of prescience left: 4
[/spoiiler]

[Anastasia]

Warmth.

Nidavellir is warm as you appear in a cavern.  A cavern that glitters with mica and perhaps fool's gold, the light you all shed reflected many times over. A beautiful cavern, heat plentiful as Jessica goes forward. "This way," she calls.

"Which is?" Antenora asks as she follows, your footsteps a soft retort amid this place.

"It's close to Nardvir, a trade hub and close to where I've heard rumors of Colke. We can begin here," Jessica explains. "They have anti teleportation measures, and while not strong, there's no reason to attract attention by opposing them."

[spoiler]

Antenora
HP: 959+20/959
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 42/42 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 13/13 Channel Energy 18/18 Lay On Hands 555/555 Remove Disease 11/11 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 25/25 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+145+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.

Jessica
HP: 779/779
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (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: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 3/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Greater Heroism (CL37), Recitation (CL37), Many Moments of Prescience (CL39), Nondetection (CL40), Freedom Of Movement (CL37)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.

[Ebiris]

Alicia has a concealing cloak on as she often does when travelling about when not in full divine symbol mode. She hasn't magically changed her appearance or anything, it's more downplaying than disguise so she won't attract a crowd (or some idiot that wants to try their luck) from a passing glance.

"Shouldn't be hard to find an army of stone golems led by a rogue gorgon," she opines. That sort of thing draws notice.

[Anastasia]

The others copy you - not unusual for Jessica at least. "It shouldn't be," Jessica agrees, "The only reason I'm not working more directly is in case some power or another is involved. A little effort to do this the mortal way may save us a headache."

[Ebiris]

"There's definitely something fishy about it all," Alicia says, hopping over broken and cracked ground easily enough as she follows Jessica.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 81 > [d100=81]
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d100=65]

Nardvir is a walled fortress, a small city around it with another wall protecting that. A few roads go into it, in a cavern so large that the ceiling above has misty, sparkling clouds form. Even as you approach the sound of blacksmiths and metalworking fills your ears, easily audible to here from your divine senses. The steady, masterful work of dwarven smiths, of those who have spent a lifetime perfecting such an art.

[Ebiris]

Perhaps as good as you'd find in Clangeddin. At least when it comes to making implements of war, it's hard to beat Ysgard.

"Nice place. I don't often come down this far," Alicia says as they approach the cavernous city, most of her time on Ysgard spent on the mountains and valleys far above their heads.

[Anastasia]

"Every generation or so, enough sparkly fragments get caught up above to cause a rainstorm, rain laden with glitter. It's a shame that none of it's valuable, but I've heard it's gorgeous." Jessica glances up at the clouds above. "It's still a few years away, but I intend to see it next time."

"It's homey," Antenora agrees as you find no guards at the gate - only arches with a message that reads as thus. 'Enter, those with a clear heart and unburdened soul. Those who are not will succumb under the weight of sin.' "I can imagine the dwarves that live here, being industrious."

[Ebiris]

Not very warlike for Ysgard but not everyone has to be spoiling for a fight at every moment otherwise permanent settlements would be rather hard to organise. "There's a lot of them, beating metal into shape," she agrees with Antenora as they go inside, following Jessica's lead for how she plans to dig up information.

[Anastasia]

Jessica's going to diplo to GI. Go ahead and give me an aid another check for it, please?

[Ebiris]

[18:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+67 aiding
[18:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 82 > [d20=15]

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)
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
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/8/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/16/4
Moments of prescience left: 4