Sunlight.
The warmth of the sun washes over your face as you rest back in the mountain hot springs. You close your eyes as you soak, a moment reminding you what you fight for against Shar. The battle is past for the moment and yet more remains. Syala is with you, an arm around you, holding you to her. There's no words, none needed right now.
Yet there is something hollow about the sunlight here. Latha has been gone since the battle, in her own retreat to consider and grow from what happened. A hollowness that you can sense keenly - until it is not, a warmth to the sunshine returning. A subtle presence, as obvious to you as anything else in your realm.
"Ah, Latha's back," Alicia says as the red seen through her closed eyelids intensifies. Turning her head to no longer be looking directly at the sun she opens them while lounging against the rocks up to her neck in steaming hot waters, a small white cloth perched atop her black-haired head.
Syala forsakes even that, white hair wet. She smiles at that as Latha appears, flying behind you and landing. "I return," she announces, "Sharpened and prepared for our coming wars."
With a slosh of water, Alicia swivels herself around and squats in the spring to look up at Latha. "Do you feel better? Come join us, you can tell us about your training," she invites.
Latha disrobes, looking no different physically. You can feel it though, a change to her posture, her being. A feeling of power surrounds her.
Syala watches her as well, "You have changed," she says, "Tell us."
Once in Latha sinks up to her neck in the waters, soaking next to you. With her eyes closed, "I sought advice from Lathander, who in turn granted me special training to help expand my abilities. I have contemplated my nature, focused on my nature as a champion and explored my nature weaving the sun."
To that Syala nods and after a moment, "Which is well and good, but it means...?"
With a wry smile, "I am stronger and more capable. I had coasted in a sense, gone along as many of us do without greatly expanding my powers. I did not realize until those moments how I could be more. I had dabbled in the arts of angelic champions, and now I grasp them all. My work in weaving sunshine is so much more now, magic will answer and sing to me anew."
"It often happens with outsiders, coasting along when there's no shortage of important foes you can confront on a certain tier of strength," Alicia says as she settles back in between Syala and Latha. "But we're called for far greater obstacles and must keep striving to match them. I'm glad you've found a new style that suits you. Hopefully it'll have a chance to be properly tested soon as well."
"It will be," Latha vows. "I've taken the magic of vivaciousness to a new level." Here she smiles, eve rso slightly. "It is mine to command."
"Is this going to be like Marie and her magic missiles?" Alicia asks, an amused smile of her own on her lips. "Well, can hardly argue with the results in that case..."
"I can apply it at will to the magic of the sun, as easily as I breathe," Latha confirms, her own smile showing.
"Well, that's enough for a good fight," Syala agrees, "You're more focused now, like how Antenora is?"
A pause. Latha nods after a few seconds, "Yes. I suppose her reason for being focused came far earlier than mine."
"It takes the right inspiration at the right time, I'm just glad you found it Latha," Alicia says. "You need to be more assertive and follow your instincts more, they won't lead you astray."
"I had spoke of it before, but this time I grasped it in full," Latha admits, "As if a barrier relented within me."
"Really?" Syala asks, turning towards her. "You felt you were limited before?"
"That's interesting," Alicia hums in thought, leaning forward and raising a hand to her chin as she looks pensive. "We should all try to be aware if we run into such barriers ourselves and how best to surmount them."
Here Latha's quiet a few moments, "Yes, though I wasn't aware of it until now. I was meditating underneath the sunshine when it came to me. I remember opening my eyes and viewing the light all around me, and I realized what I had to do and how to do it."
A rumination on that, "I've heard of it happening before," Syala says, "Many spirits become somewhat stagnant, only to break through suddenly to advance, as mortals sometimes do. Meaning matters to us, as what we are does."
"Moreso soon, perhaps," Alicia says quietly. "Hold onto that meaning, nurture and polish it. It'll be everything soon."
"I vow I will," Latha says, "We've humbled the efreet and challenged Shar. I-"
That moment, that connection again. Bright and vibrant between yourself and Latha, a radiance surrounding you.
Node update. Go read'n'review.
Seen.
"Oh... from Zaphkiel?" Alicia says, straightening up in the water. "That felt stronger than usual, didn't it? But still, we need to do a lot more than just challenge Shar."
"Much more," Latha agrees, murmuring a half heard prayer of gratitude. Afterwards she adds, "Which one first, Alicia?"
Syala is meanwhile silent a few moments and then adds, "If he gives us this strength so freely, I can't wait to fight what we'll have to fight before this is all over. It must be incredible."
"I'm hoping Selune or someone will attack Shar again soon and we can help, unfortunately that raid only showed it's not something we can handle on our own," Alicia answers, now rising up from the hot spring and stepping onto the rocks, her body drying as she grabs her clothes and starts to dress. "I've put forward some effort towards finding where Malcanthet is running things out of the Abyss, so we might soon be able to take steps on that front."
Syala follows as Latha lingers a few moments before joining you. "In the meantime?"
No immediate goals right now, need a lead on some bad dudes to go punch.
As you wait?
Sister, I've been quietly researching the divine seeds.
You have? Where have you been looking, and have you found anything?
Even Mystra had only ever seen one when shown directly by an Incarnation, which speaks to their paucity.
In a few friendly archives: I've found nothing, unfortunately. Have you any better ideas?
Alicia considers the problem before arriving at a potential avenue she wouldn't have thought of on first blush.
Mystra had only ever seen one when an Incarnation showed it to her, and such things are beyond the Weave for her to monitor... but if such things have been found by others in the past, then bartered for... Waukeen may have insight into such trades?
That is an gambit I hadn't considered. Thank you, sister.
Unorthodox means will have to be used to find such rare treasures, and at best this will only give a starting point. Still, good luck and tell me if you learn anything?
I shall, sister.
Good luck Jessica!
It's not long until you stand with Syala as you overlook Liberton, the two of you alone. "So," she says without preamble, "I've been thinking about trying to inspire more champions, you were there when I last asked about it."
"Yes, and we got some advice from Zaphkiel but ultimately it still boils down to trying to spot talent and hoping, doesn't it?" Alicia replies, having made little progress there herself.
"Then we need to go gather talent," Syala says, tapping her foot and arms crossed. "Even if only one in twenty is a success, we'll still bolster our ranks, and even those who are faithful and do not grow are still a victory for us."
"So where do you expect to find it? Generally heroes don't just hang around in taverns waiting for goddesses to come recruit them," Alicia points out.
"I was thinking we'd inspire lower rank celestial champions, who in turn net us more heroes on the Prime." Syala admits, "Who can help them forge bonds and serve us. A bounty by gathering up others who are willing to work for ourselves."
"When you say inspire..." Alicia begins slowly. "Do you mean something specific? I think we do lots of things that I'd class as inspirational but the way you phrase it sounds more like directly tasking people. That's fine too of course, I'd just like to better know exactly what's involved."
"Directly," Syala agrees, "Some sort of demonstration or way to get their attention and inspire them to serve us. There's a fair number of free or loosely aligned celestials who serve various righteous causes. We can target them."
"What sort of demonstration?" Alicia asks. "I'm sorry Syala, I'm not trying to be awkward I'm just not as comfortable with this sort of calculated action. I try and embody what I'm about every day and if people aren't already interested in my deeds I feel like making some special demonstration to get them on side cheapens what I do for everyone else."
A little nod to that, a comfortable silence as Syala takes your hand. "It's fair to everyone if you treat everyone the same way, then?"
Good thing it was a comfy silence and not an awkward one. Alicia squeezes Syala's hand when it takes hers, "I don't know that I think of it in those terms. Maybe it's more fair to me, though? I'm doing so much for so many people, and I don't begrudge any of it. But the champions I want are the people who respect that and want to join in, not the ones that are staying at home waiting for me to come make them feel even more special."
She pauses a moment to think and then says, "Like Latha. She wasn't the only one I rescued from the Halls of the Vanquished, there were others I've never heard of since. But for Latha - and Dawnhope, that was enough for them to want to join me and help. I didn't do it because I wanted helpers though, it just happened because it was right."
To this Syala smiles. She holds your hand and smiles, "Well, there goes the plan of us making out to inspire those in Rapture," she says lightly, and with a bigger smile after a beat, "If my dear wife feels like that about it, who am I to go against her wishes? Besides, you've developed a great left hook over the last decade. You need my support to keep being that example of what's right."
Waving her free hand, as if waving it off, "It means I'll follow your example to support you - after all, there's so many fiends and worse to be violently right against."
"If you think it's a good idea I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. It might work well for you," Alicia shakes her head. "It just doesn't quite go with my own style of doing things."
"I'll think about it," Syala says, "I struggle with that. I've become the wife, even when I want to be the husband, to find that balance of supporting you and being myself." A squeeze of your hand, "It's easier to fall back on some trite saying about smashing things around."
"You do fall back on that quite often," Alicia agrees dryly. "Just be yourself, whatever form that takes. If all this business with Antenora and One can teach anything, it's the value of having a clear self image and sticking with it."
"That we agree on," Syala says, "You're right, I was trying to support you too much. Not that you don't need a lot of support," Syala adds just as dryly.
"And I'm grateful for it," Alicia's tone turns indulgent, letting Syala have that win if only in her own mind.
As Alicia demonstrates one of the techniques of a successful spouse, meanwhile...
You were waiting, as I recall?
Yes, we need targets/hooks.
Soon enough Marchalu comes forth, "Some of the information you wanted about Malcanthet, ma'am."
"Thank you Marchalu," Alicia says, the two of them getting comfy in one of her studies, a pixie-sized seat for her spymaster as the two sit surrounded by tomes that aren't actually all that ancient, the recently written books nonetheless collecting information from all over in convenient format for one wishing to brush up on the arcane. "Lets start from the top, shall we?"
A nod, a small pair of glasses put on. "You're aware of Malcanthet's layer of the Abyss already, first?" After getting acknowledgement of that, "Information about Shendilavri is deceptively simple, as it has many visitors for an Abyssal realm. Accurate and insightful information is another tree altogether. Her palace is the most likely place to look, but most better intelligence suggests that the best projects are hidden deep underground, in what..."
A pause to adjust and read again, "Ah, in what are underground caverns of flesh and pleasure and beauty. A side of the realm that not even most of the succubi there see. What few accounts of them I saw suggests all of those three descriptions are accurate." Here Marchalu's lips press together, "Not entirely unlike some of what Semyaza wanted from Benfal."
"You often see similarities like that, regardless of ideological differences," Alicia says. "Right now we're not able to commit to a full on assault on Shendilvari so this makes more background than anything else. Still lets go through what you've learned, it may prove useful to know in any event."
With a throat clearing, "One known cavern is directly beneath the palace, though the distance is unclear. Hearsay suggests that it's some sort of treasury or repository." Marchalu reports, "The earth will not part even for earth elementals who approach it, and only Malcanthet can teleport into it and back. If those defenses are sufficiently powerful, excavation may be the only answer. Which would mean you need to hold her palace, which as her throne of power, means you've essentially won any war. More, a few whispering winds disturbed the branches to say that there's also guardians, as expected."
"Yes, if we're in a position to explore there the whole balance of power has just radically shifted," Alicia agrees. "It's something for a victorious party to clean up, not the target for a quick and daring raid."
"There's the prize of information here - rumors of a cavern that deals with souls, also sometimes conflated with the palace, but I think that's misinformation or misunderstandings," Marchalu goes on. "I believe you're interested in that one in particular."
"It would be useful," Alicia agrees. "But in the short term we're focused on interests outside of the Abyss, like Jade's castle on Limbo that we attacked recently. We want to nip at the flanks before we're ready to go for Malcanthet's head."
"Well," Going on and shuffling papers, "Our best lead is Rosewater. Believe it or not, it's in Hades. Her succubi have been busy - we just don't know exactly where on Hades. What's worse, people who go there seem to forget the details. It may be something like a memory altering spell or anathemic knowledge. The yugoloths," A frown at that, "Are good at secret keeping, and no one's a foolish enough stag to think that the daemons aren't being paid off to cooperate."
"With a name like Rosewater it may have a connection with the Styx," Alicia says. "I heard about a fortress of Lixer's on the ethereal plane that was doing something similar recently. What do we actually know about it?"
Another shuffle of papers, "Precious little. We think it's come up within the last decade, but we could also be wrong. There's ancient things in Hades no one but the worst of the 'loths know about. The sky there's rose and gold, rather than the gloom of Hades otherwise. Otherwise? No one really knows, be it hidden by magic or anathemic knowledge."
"We'll have to investigate more deeply to try and ferret out the location, either with exploration or capturing succubi or lilitu that could be connected to it," Alicia says, that being as far as they can go without knowing where it is. "What do you have next?"
"Well, there's all the piecemeal efforts we find - a succubus here, a lilitu there, a thrall after." Marchalu says, "Relatedly, Mial was wounded in an assassination attempt. What scant evidence there is suggests Malcanthet did it, but it's thin as moss gruel."
"Oh, poor Mial!" Alicia says. "I should ask Empress Sulia about that, I enjoy visiting her gallery when I'm in Brightwater."
Hello, Sulia? I just heard someone tried to assassinate Mial. Is she alright?
'She's fine, Alicia. Shaken by the brazenness, but fine in body.' Empress Sulia sends back.
I'm glad. Did you catch who did it?
"No permanent harm done it sounds like," she says aloud for Marchalu's benefit. "Moving on?"
'A sophisticated golem,' Is the answer, 'One with annoyingly no memories to comb.'
"Ahem," A clearing of the the throat before, "The one other point of immediate possibility is Kavaya. It's a small Astral free holding, and a succubus with known ties to Malcanthet currently owns it. It's a mish-mash of vagrants and travelers with no real goal or agenda, but there's been more bad than good coming out of it since the succubus took control."
That is annoying. She sends her commiserations to Sulia.
"Minor, but we can nip it in the bud before it grows into a bigger problem," she says to Marchalu. "What do we know about the succubus in charge?" It's probably something she can delegate rather than handle herself. Rosewater is more her speed but until they get a solid lead she'll have to stay her hand.
More paper shuffling.
"Marilye," Is the answer, "She styles herself Lady Marilye, though the title doesn't seem to be earned. She is, ah." A chuckle, "A crusader of Malcanthet. A dark paladin of slaughter. Though by reports she also has some skill at arcane magic and is...my. She uses a two bladed sword." Is the conclusion. "Quite well."
"That's rare to see," Alicia says. "Almost makes it a shame to kill her... though we'll want her captured and interrogated anyway. How far does her martial and arcane skill extend, do you know?"
"Last I heard, not too far. 4th circle, though she's a better unholy paladin," Is the report. "If she's not holding back. I hear she mostly wins battles in the succubus way: With her mouth."
Taking that, Alicia mentally pegs her as being around basic marilith tier. Threatening on a mortal scale but hardly insurmountable for her resources to handle without her needing to take direct action. "We can work with that. Know much about her allies or other local defences worth worrying about?"
"They tend to come and go, but I hear she has a loyal cadre around her. A tiefling assassin, a human warrior, a cansin sorcerer and several others." Marchalu says. "Plus whomever happens to be there."
"We'll arrange a snatch squad to go capture her and see what she knows that can help us. Either way she'll be taken out of circulation, and we can keep trying to find leads on Rosewater," Alicia says in conclusion. "Keep up the good work, Marchalu."
"Thank you, Alicia," Is the answer, then...
Okay, so how are you going to play all this?
So from the sounds of it this Marilye and her party are probably around CR 18, so I'll put together some of our guys of equivalent challenge rating and send them over to beat her up and capture her. We can then get any info she has about Malcanthet-based activities elsewhere.
Otherwise continue the hunt for other Malcanthet stuff and more leads on Rosewater through existing methods.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 70 > [d100=70]
Cool, any particular actions on Rosewater or just generic ones?
It's under Marchalu's control as part of the realm activity, but we'll put extra focus on Hades and the Styx in particular since it's probably related to that.
Sure thing, gimme a d100 real quick.
[22:07] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[22:07] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d100=16]
In the aftermath of the war thing seems quiet - at least for the moment. As you do?
'Alicia.' The soft voice of Asmodeus is heard, calm, serene. Like a whisper.
Never a pleasant voice to hear though, is it?
What do you want, Asmodeus?
She may as well be direct and keep the interaction short.
'Congratulations on your survival. We are pleased you did not fall before Shar.' A whisper indeed, right into your ear.
Was that the royal We or is it the communal opinion of all the other arch-devils?
The Adversary was concerned over my survival as well. I'm touched at receiving consideration from so many unexpected quarters.
There's a little tid-bit of information for him to do as he likes with, see if this goes anywhere beyond banal well wishes.
'Continue to survive,' Asmodeus says, 'We are watching.'
Then nothing.
Banal well wishes it is. Ominous of course, but what can you do? Her relationship with Hell is strangely complex at times.
Okay, so quick question. The force to deal with that astral succubus, did you have anything in mind to send or just something generically of a proper power to do it?
Something generic, I don't have specific details on Sylican forces at that level of power but presumably we have a decent selection who could handle it.
Sure, good chance for character building.
The astral deva who leads them is an old hand at this. Bylthel wields his mace as surely as a painter uses his brush, smashing evil with a deceptive ease. A paladin in recent times dedicated to you, he is a sure and steady hand.
Aiding him are three. The first is Curlah, a former human who serves Syala in the afterlife after passing while protecting her family in Syala's name. A cleric with some skill at sneaking and rogueish tactics, she's steady and skilled, if still somewhat raw (relatively).
The second is Mandol, a celestial dire tiger awakened by a quirk of the realm's magic. He serves Jessica in a way, identifying with her and in turn accepting small tasks. Feline in nature but strong enough.
Finally, there is Darmor. An honorable half elf knight, he has pledged himself to Antenora's service in recent days. A warrior brave and true, caring - and just a little dumb. Nonetheless he is sincere, and this is his first mission out.
Okay, there's just one question: Going to be fairly hands off as always on this?
Yeah, hands off and let them do their thing. I'll be watching and if a divine level threat shows up then an avatar or proxy can be sent but assuming the danger level is as expected then they should be able to handle things by themselves.
Marie will give Darmor a present in advance though.
Bracers of Celestial Protection: Grants a Protective Aura as angels possess.
For extra group defence against magic.
Sure thing.
Kavaya is a hunk of stone topped with dirt and grass, floating in the endless Astral Plane. Several buildings are built there, all of sturdy looking stone. People of all kinds mill about and head inside, mostly to the front most building, which has open doors to let anyone in. Merry noise can be heard from within, the sound of laughing, talking, drinking. Alicia knows well the sounds of a tavern.
With divine remote sensing there's nothing there that can be hidden from Alicia's gaze, and so she looks to see where the succubus and her cohort are specifically.
She doesn't intend on micro-managing the expedition but she will give a little guidance if they pray for it.
Glancing about, you find an unhidden in the back. Who is presumably Marilye rests upstairs of what may be the tavern, lying back on a bed as a nude man - handsome really, in every way - fans her. She's wearing just a loose silk shift, all relaxed.
Meanwhile the four approach, Bylthel leading. "Stay clam, stay relaxed, fit in like you belong," he says. "Listen more than you talk. Don't be afraid to pay for a drink or two, but don't pay for too many all at once, you'll get attention that way."
Curlah has hair as curly as her name suggests, blonde ringlets cascading down to her shoulders. She's dressed in a light, toga-like dress with iron bracers painted white and yellow-blonde to match her hair. She carries a short sword at the ready. "Be scenery, not the attraction," she agrees.
Mandol lets out a soft rumbling noise, rather like a grumpy purr.
Darmor wears heavy plate armor with an image of a black spear on it as heraldry. "Whatever gets us the information," he says, to the point. "So we can win, that's the glorious part."
Alicia just monitors it all while doing other godly things. Hopefully her squad can catch Marilye before she rouses her own allies and makes a proper fight of it, do this quick and clean.
> roll 1d20+23
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=5]
Thus they blend in, going in. Here is several dozen assorted types. You spy varied mortals, as well as nymph drinking and keeping to herself, hooded and hidden. Warrior types by and large or obvious mages, no weak or feeble here. A troll as well, drinking ale by the barrel and tossing handfuls of gold to pay. A humanoid mushroom, drinking and listening to an elf tinted by the essence of air go on about 'That great treasure hoard I just know is in Drymar.' A small group of goblins eating while stone silent, heads shaved and wearing only simple, tight clothing, eating in spite of it being the Astral.
You see your group blend in, break up to drink and talk. They look to be okay, though you can also see the goblins keeping an eye on Darmor and Mandol.
For his part, Mandol goes in front of the fire and sits, getting looks and attention for now.
It's important to eat when you're on the astral, especially if you're just about to leave!
There's nothing Alicia needs to intervene over, anyway.
They're talking, mixing when you see the succubus sit up. She sighs, "I am not in the mood for murder today," she grumps. "Darlim, why couldn't it be gluttony or lust?"
The fanning man makes no comment at that.
Shucking her shift aside and going into the back of the room, a stack of gear as she begins to dress, "Keep your ears open for any telepathic communications or normal alarms," she orders, equipping herself. Double bladed sword, breastplate and armor, so on and so forth. "In case that astral deva's looking for a problem to solve."
Looks like they'll have a fight on their hands after all. So long as they all stick together it should be okay, if any look to get too far separated from the rest she may have to give them a mental nudge.
Still though, it's something they need to do themselves so that they can learn and grow from the experience.
Meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+23
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=12]
You can see the four chatting downstairs. Bylthel and Curlah chatting with a pair of burly warriors. Mandol stays by the fire while Darmor is chatting up the elf.
"A succubus?" Curlah says, "Well, they do get around," she quips.
A chuckle from the bearded, muscled warrior who she talks to, "She's alright. Real fun. She'll drop in when she feels like, throw out some free drinks, get things interesting."
Meanwhile, the succubus is girded for war, striding...to a side window, nimbly flying out. She's not saying a word, but she alights to the roof, waiting.
She's probably using telepathy to gather the rest of her party and then ambush them when they leave that tavern. She has a look to see who else appears to be getting ready for a fight or moving towards their location.
The first to fly up is a man with darker skin, deeply tanned and with a hint of green eyes glimpsed. He wears a hooded cloak and chain beneath that, landing. "We on?" he asks, simply. His voice is quiet, but his eyes flash a deeper green as he speaks.
"Not yet, maybe soon," the succubus replies, waiting.
"Marbold is gathering up the minions," the man goes on, "Iletha will be here as soon as she's ready."
A terse, tight nod at that, to which the man smiles ever so faintly.
"She's disrespectful. If she'd stop indulging herself quite as far as she does, she'd already be here." The man points out.
When they talk about minions, anyone charmed or dominated? The protective auras Bylthel and Darmor have will mess that up at least... Alicia's rather worried at this point if only because the demons seem eminently prepared and ready for action, even if she predicated this engagement on her team being able to win in a straight fight. It's better if they can have a tactical advantage as well to eliminate risk.
As Alicia frets?
Is it always so hard to watch, when you wish nothing more than to smite the succubus yourself?
Extremely. I want to order them around and take charge like a commander, but that's Blythel's job and he won't improve if I do that. None of them will improve if I go and take care of it myself. But if they die here then they won't improve either. I dislike it.
We must have driven Mystra and Waukeen and Helm to madness at times.
Yes. And we succeeded without them whispering in our ears telling us how to overcome every challenge. That's what gives me strength at times like this.
Meanwhile, the other warrior talking to Curlah agrees, "Try meeting her," A glance at the astral deva nearby, "...or just move along."
Bylthel smiles not unkindly, "Maybe I will," he says, "Is she due to come?"
"She shows up when she shows up," Is the answer, a shrug, "Stay here long enough and she will.
Bylthel and Curlah share an unhidden look before getting up, "Thanks," he says, the two going to get Mandol.
Alicia continues to monitor the situation.
Darmor is chatting away when Curlah comes, "We're going," she says, to the point.
"Already?" he says but gets up, draining his mug dry.
"Yeah, best to move on," she says.
Meanwhile the succubus waits, ignoring the man. "They're leaving," she says, shortly.
"We going to...?" The man asks, leaving it open.
As they talk a man flies up. Smaller but well built, landing as he wears no armor but bracers. He's dressed in drab, dull gray and brown. "They're ready," he calls, "Iletha is ready."
"On my word," The succubus says, going to the edge of the roof, looking down at the front door.
This should be it then. Lets hope her team doesn't get ambushed and off to a bad start... she's not sure about all their sensory abilities but Mandol might be able to smell succubus.
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=4]
The party goes out - none of them seemingly the wiser when abruptly...
> roll 1d20+24
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=14]
A hand comes up, pulling Curlah into the earth, vanishing within it with a cry.
"Treachery!" Darmor declares, as with a savage, demented grin the succubus dives down, blade glowing with blue spellfire, all while her two minions are right behind her.
They will triumph. They have faith in me, I will have faith in them.
It'll be interesting to see someone else fighting with the rare weapon Alicia herself favours, if nothing else.
Yes. Watch and see them prove themselves.
From here the battle is joined.
Darmor brings up his metal shod arm to parry - and the bracers you gave him blocks the blow, spellfire scorching them but nothing more. It's a moment as Bylthel flies up, meeting the hooded man in midair. The two clash in a song of steel and blood, whilst Mandol turns - only for several armed humanoids to pounce him - a mix, really, but it becomes a melee of fur and iron.
> roll 1d20+27
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+28 (+3 arcane strike)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=3]
Darmor and the succubus trade blows, a flurry of them, neither hitting. That's when deep, greasy darkness around both of them, the succubus grinning even wider, too wide, "Your intestines will line my dinner plate tonight, mortal!"
Meanwhile the hooded man hits the ground hard, holding his stomach as Bylthel pounces down, a swing right for his head.
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+22 crit?
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 39 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+25 +4 vs poison
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=3]
Yet the hooded man rolls out of the way, through the deva's legs. He stabs up, into the deva's leg with a needle-like knife. He pulls it out a second later, blood gushing from th ewound, far more than it should, as immediately Bylthel staggers in the air, color around the wound blackening by the moment, spreading.
Alicia is... concerned, to put it mildly.
How's Curlah doing, does she look like she might escape from her underground imprisonment any time soon?
You look down. Curlah is grappling wildly with a nude woman made of stone, humanoid shaped and intensely snarling. The two are fighting, but it's clear Curlah is at a disadvantage. Then...
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=2]
Curlah tries to break away but the other is too much, bringing her head down for a headbutt.
> roll 1d8+12
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d8=3]
The blow cracks Curlah's nose open, leaving her eyes glazed over, unresponsive a few moments as she bleeds.
Her concerns intensify. It doesn't even look like Marchalu's information was wrong, it's just that her team is getting outmanoeuvred and allowing the demons to dictate the flow of battle.
Silently she wills them to regroup so they can at least support each other and get Curlah out of that mess she's in, since none of the current match-ups seem favourable.
Antenora is then there, "It goes poorly," she says, "The fortune of battle disfavors them greatly."
"It's teamwork," Alicia says. "Say what you will about the succubus and her minions, but they trust each other in battle and act to complement each other. Ours don't have that flow to their tactics."
"It may have been a mistake to send them to this without more teamwork practice," Antenora admits, breathing long and slow.
Meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+27
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=9]
> roll 2d6+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d6=4,1]
A heavy blow by Darmor knocks the succubus away, giving him a moment. He taps his armor, energy filling his body with a white glow. Healing - not much, but a little. A moment later the succubus spits out blood and grins, "Die! DIEDIEDIEDIE!" she howls, lunging for him.
> roll 1d20+28 (+3 arcane strike)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d8+15+3d4
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d8=2][d4=1,1,1]
A sharp blow across Darmor's shoulder, drawing blood as he moves to block it, at least on even terms with her. As they fight, meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 45 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+25 crit?
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 44 > [d20=19]
> roll 3d8+60
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d8=3,1,1]
Bylthel stumbles - and in that the hooded man sees his chance. He lunges, only for the astral deva to push forward. A simple back handed blow, catching the man dead on. He reels back, a spray of blood. It opens up the perfect chance, a heavy mace blow crushing the man's head, his body flung backwards from the shot.
"This was supposed to be practice in itself, and they were the best candidates we had for the job," Alicia shakes her head. "Individual skill is at least beginning to show its worth, Bylthel's brought some room but he has to hurry before that poison weakens him further."
> roll 1d20+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+28
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=10]
Meanwhile Mandol is holding his own, ripping out the throat of one minion while holding off the others. It's ugly, but working.
"We've too often seen those who tried and failed. How many tears and lamentations came from above when they failed?" Antenora muses, "Does Malcanthet or whomever claimed that soul even now lament over his timely demise?"
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+21
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=2]
Down below, Curlah seems to be holding her own, or at least neither of them can score an advantage. The battle hangs in the balance with each moment, as you can also hear noises in the taverns, people starting to react to the din.
"Malcanthet has feelings too," Alicia says. "Whether annoyed at a loss of face or angry at potential being thwarted, few can be immune to such feelings even if they express differently."
Antenora says, "Yes, but the only feelings of Malcanthet's I care about is the terror she feels when I impale her with my spear, since I doubt she'll ever accept atonement."
Alicia can only shrug at that. "You were the one who asked. I'll be there when you do."
> roll 1d20+25 +4 for poison
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=10]
Bylthel holds on just long enough to channel healing energy through himself, wound gone, as meanwhile the succubus and Darmor continue to wage war.
> roll 1d20+27
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d20=10]
> roll 2d6+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d6=5,5]
> roll 1d20+30 (+5 arcane strike)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 48 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20+30 (+5 arcane strike) crit?
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d20=7]
> roll 2d8+30+5d4
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d8=5,5][d4=4,3,1,2,3]
Both are blooded, by Darmor is knocked to his knee. He's breathing roughly, coughing up blood from being impaled, the succubus looming above him.
Antenora's expression is grim, "I'll be waiting for you," she murmurs, eyes on it.
And he got a special gift from Marie too! "Don't count him out yet," Alicia says, since Bylthel's free to hopefully intervene.
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=4]
As the succubus goes for the killing blow, it never comes. Bylthel rushes in, a mace blow avoided by an inch as she leaps back. It buys the wounded knight a moment, a moment to be healed by the deva's hands. Not all the way, but enough to stop the bleeding.
Antenora exhales at that, "Finish her," she murmurs.
"The odds are a bit better now," Alicia says. Mandol at least is holding his own if not contributing much else, though Curlah needs a hand for sure.
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 41 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d3+1
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d3=2]
> roll 1d20+13 SR
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+21
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d8+12
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d8=3]
Meanwhile below, Curlah manages to get away, shoving away the stone warrior and chanting, "Syala, burn away evil!" A flame strike scorches down, but somehow the stony woman isn't hurt by it. It's resisted, a chance to charge in and hit her right in the stomach. Curlah staggers from that blow, defenses dropping.
At the same time above...
> roll 1d20+28
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=4]
The minions are falling to the dire tiger, giving him the space he needs.
Meanwhile, in the main event? The succubus begins to gather power, at the same time Darmor staggers forward, swinging for her in one desperate lunge.
> roll 1d20+27
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=3]
> roll 10d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 40 > [d6=5,4,3,3,5,6,2,6,2,4]
> roll 1d20+8
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=8]
+4 more, forgot to add bracers to his saves notation.
> roll 1d20+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=6]
The blow is dodged, long enough for fire to spread everywhere. Bylthel is burnt but up, while Darmor burns and screams, armor reddening as he stays on his feet, somehow. At the same time Bylthel takes the change, one great mace swing right for her.
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=3]
Which sadly misses as the succubus takes to the air.
Mandol really needs to stop playing with the small fry and get involved with the real action! "Darmor can't take much more, they need to either put Marilye down or back off for him to heal."
> roll 1d20+28
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 40 > [d20=12]
With a final fury three of the minions are struck down, Mandol leaping into the air and chasing the succubus as she flees. The succubus turns to it - and in that one moment holy energy erupts around her.
> roll 1d20+16
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d20=11]
> roll 10d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d6=4,2,2,1,5,1,5,1,1,2]
> roll 1d20+23
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=1]
The wounded succubus screams as holy power dazes her, leaving her bleeding all over and eyes pure white. In this state she can't dodge Mandol's charge and...
> roll 1d20+28
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=3]
With her so wounded, a pounce does exactly what you'd imagine it does. The succubus is torn limb from limb, gear falling as her body is sent screaming back into the Abyss.
Alicia looks like she wants to sigh but is too classy to quite let it out. "Well, so much for interrogating her. At this point I'm just glad they're winning. Get Curlah out of the ground and they're done," she says to Antenora.
"Unfortunate," Antenora agrees aloud. "....I keep feeling that we've been on the other side of this."
"Next time you see Mystra, ask her how she felt watching us fight Zetsubokou?" Alicia suggests, picking an example of a battle gone horribly right.
Antenora concedes that without a word being spoken, while meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+21
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d8+12
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d8=3]
Curlah is taken, beaten, pounded. It's a tight battle but the terrain just disfavors her too much. Her head cracks like an egg and that, as they say, is that.
Above tavern goes begin to rush out, but Bylthel is there. He stands there, glaring at them.
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d20=12]
It stops the rush as he says, "Stay." Just a word cows them, while Mandol comes down, licking his chops and then sniffing the ground, around where Curlah was taken. He begins to dig, working on down.
Curlah already died, so this will be a case of having to simply recover in Sylica and being forbidden from the astral for some time. A shame, and a deeply unpleasant experience from everyone she's seen that had to endure it in the past.
Actually given how teleport spells work by you briefly going through the astral plane, is an outsider barred from the astral unable to teleport for the duration? And how does the ban duration work with the astral having no concept of time? Purely academic curiosity.
"At least get Curlah's things and then come home," she says quietly, her voice unheard by her followers.
It doesn't stop teleporting and it just works - from what you know about the Astral, it probably comes down to how the Incarnation set up the Astral. You can make a K:A check if you'd like more details.
Sure, why not. Take 10 for 60.
Both seem to work in spite of logic otherwise. It doesn't disrupt teleportation despite touching the Astral. The leading theory is that the repulsion the Astral provides to a soul that died there is used to propel the teleportation, but this is not proven. Likewise, bans expire when they should, in spite of the realm being timeless. That's one that's generally accepted as simply being the way it is.
Meanwhile your party begins the cleanup from there - healing, searching and digging up Curlah. There's no sign of the woman who got the better of her - she seems to be hiding or have fled. They're methodical about it, getting her equipment, then raiding the succubus's possessions. They search and a few glares from Bylthel stops any resistance, gathering up several things - including some writings and a diary from from the succubus.
A demon who keeps a diary? Alicia can't help but look at Antenora there. That sort of record-keeping seems more like her hobby and she wonders if she's going to venture an opinion.
Antenora matches that look right back. After several long moments, "I kept a diary a few years ago, until I ultimately fell out of the habit. Then again, is not a broken clock right twice a day? Even a demon struggles to be 100% wrong on every single subject, though many succeed nonetheless."
"Well, we'll see what thoughts she deemed it important enough to commit to page anyway," Alicia says, returning her attention to the action on the astral plane.
It's all over here - the escaped stone woman shows no sign of trying her luck, anyway. Soon enough they gather what they take and begin the trek back.
Curlah is reforming. Hardly a loss all considered.
Waiting for the survivors to return for their debrief, she replies to Syala as well.
I hope she can put the same positive spin on it. Still, they won so we'll have to take that and hope they do better next time.
Going to handle the debrief personally or just get the info afterwards?
Get the info afterwards, they're reporting to Marchalu since it's an intelligence operation.
Marchalu thus comes to you, "We got useful information," he says. "It was a trap, but not for them - for you or your avatars. It's not outright said in it, but if what's written is true, Malcanthet's instructions were to imitate you and keep a presence until she got your attention, at which point she was simply to stall for time when you attacked."
"Imitate me? How was she planning on going about that?" Alicia asks in disbelief. Goddesses don't make habit of hanging around ramshackle astral waystations.
"From what I gather, using your weapon and style, and making a name for herself over time. Even imitating you, though it hadn't gotten that far yet," Marchalu says, "In other words, bait for the hasty and angry. Fool's bait."
"Very foolish. Well, I'm happy we've nipped it in the bud, even if it hasn't led to any further leads on Malcanthet's other activities," Alicia says. "We'll just have to keep searching, and see if we can turn up any other leads on Rosewater or anything else of similar importance."
Okay, anything else you want to get out of this scenario or good to move on?
Lets move on.
As you work on these matters.
Alicia, I have need of you.
I can come to Dweomerheart. What do you require?
A strong blade and a stronger will, and an eye that will root out the deepest of secrets.
That's unhelpfully vague, if nicely poetic.
I'm on my way.
She opens a gate to Elysium at her own embassy in Dweomerheart and goes through. Hopefully she can get more clarification in person.
It is not hard to meet Mystra. She awaits you within Dweomerheart, amid a great room with a ceiling hundreds of feet high. Bookshelves run floor to ceiling, perhaps millions of tomes here. Everything is decorated in purple and silver, the throne itself pure silverfire that she rests on. Your footsteps echo a dozen times for each step you take, the room otherwise silent.
"Alicia," Mystra rises, "Thank you for coming swiftly."
"It sounded important," Alicia answers as she approaches the throne and comes to a stop once Mystra rises, hoping she'll make clear what this is all about.
Mystra begins to walk, "As you see, my realm has many books. Only the House of Knowledge would have more. For in books the wisdom of the arcane is laid down for each generation to learn from." Her hands are behind her back as you two walk amid the great chamber of books, "To fit that, I have libraries all across Dweomerheart. Most are only that, a place to store knowledge and learn knowledge. There are those hidden and forbidden from most eyes or even all but my own. Then there is one in particular, a great library."
Another step forward, "This Great Library is known for one particular aspect: The Deep Stacks. Are you familiar with them?"
Religion or arcana check? Or planes? Take 10 for 60 regardless of which.
Planes or K:L for Dweomerheart.
You think back and do recall a few things - mostly red by a few devout worshipers and gleaned through prayer about it, reinforced with some fragments you've picked up.
The Great Library of Mystra is a library in her place, only accessible to her favored (or if you have connections). It is a library said to be without end, perhaps infinite and some think it's an infinite demiplane or even another plane tucked into Dweomerheart itself. Others think that's just exaggerations, but one thing is notable: The Deep Stacks.
The Deep Stacks are said to be somewhere that space is bend too much and too often. A place where reality is thin, where odd things happen. There are minor things, like books coming to life to attack or offer magic, or to spells spontaneously manifesting, that happen without it being of great notice. The rumors and stories of greater things are more interesting. Of places where reality can flicker between potentials, where reality seems to fold in on itself as well. Dimensional distortions, some things too big or small, or paths too big or small. Flagrant impossibilities of space and reality.
"Only through rumour," Alicia answers. "Though those rumours tell stories of a library that matches some of what was in the gnome ruins outside Balmuria for danger and strangeness."
"They're mostly true, or come from a root of truth," Mystra agrees. "Knowledge is knowledge. No matter how much you learn, one plus one will always equal two. But what if that could be changed?" Mystra holds a hand up, a spinning sphere of glass resting in her palm. Your vision zooms in, where amid many mathematical symbols you see: 1+1=2. All the symbols hover together, linked together in a grand expression of mathematics. Before your eyes,it changes: 1+1=3. For moments all is still within, then your vision begins to zoom out. At the same time all the math around it begins to alter, equations cracking apart and cascading outward. Soon the entire sphere is cracking, the math within naught but an unstable blur.
"What happens if you trick a small part of Creation into thinking that one plus one is three?" Mystra lowers her hand, the sphere gone. "Creation's rules can be adjusted in many ways, altered temporarily through the Weave. But the underpinnings do not change, the foundational laws of it are constant as long as the Incarnations do not act or something beyond Creation comes."
"Like my spatial compression spell," Alicia says, pointing at the bookshelves to her left. "They're... 30 feet away from me." A change to compress that down. "Now they're two feet away," she reaches out to poke the spine of a book. "For distance alone and only along this direction, one plus one equals zero point zero three. The weave facilitates the change and nothing else is impacted. It doesn't cause instability like what you just showed me."
"You're right," Mystra smiles, "The Weave can affect Creation - but even permanent magic is ultimately a temporary change, suspending or changing rules for as long as the magic works. It can't permanently harm Creation, not in that way. Yet in a location put to great stresses, with mighty magic all working together to achieve just a result, combined with powerful divinations? It can stimulate some things, give glimpses of ways things could be or change. A few moments of seeing what might happen if one plus one did equal three, or ten, or five hundred. It is a test - but recently, a test has gone awry."
She pulls her stretched hand back and resets space to normal. "Something that shouldn't exist has come to be?" she asks. "Or changed something... someone, from how they should be?"
A nod. "Normally, the changes are phantasms, little more than images of what might have been, what could be - from personal history to knowledge to even fundamental physical laws. It is often useless, but on rare occasions I have gleaned great secrets from it." Mystra stops here, an image appearing before the two of you. "This time, something went wrong." Life sized images, letting you see it as if you were there when it happened.
In that image you see familiar faces. Moore, Cresiel and a robed man you don't know walk amid the stacks of a library. For a moment Cresiel and the man vanish, leaving Moore alone. Moore continues on - and in moments they reappear.
"At first, it was normal. Something changed that resulted in Moore traveling this path alone, rather than for the angel he sought within." Mystra narrates.
In between the blinks of an eye Cresiel is Canderella, who says, ""Let's keep going," Canderella says as she walks at Moore's side, matching Cresiel's pace despite being far smaller.
Moore opens his mouth as if to speak, but the words die in his throat, for he says nothing.
"Still, it's inferior," the robed man says, continuing on undisturbed.
To this Canderella sweeps her hand side to side, lightning crackling along it. "Would you like a demonstration of why you're wrong? I've been showing efreet lately, I could use a different target."
"Some change that resulted in Canderella working with Moore in Celestia, rather than Aurora." Mystra interjects.
Then it is Sylvie walking with Moore.
"I'm still working on it." Moore says to Sylvie. His expression is quietly determined as he says that.
"Working on what?" Sylvie asks, and with a ghost of a smile on her face, "That dispel of yours? You should just learn superb dispelling, it works better. You should focus more on lyrical magic for your bardic music."
A ripple. A shudder. What is said next is lost.
"Something happened." Mystra says, "I know she bore 21, and that is all the reason I need to suspect that is at fault."
Reality twists like taffy in that image, before Gathgorian now stands at Moore's side.
A smile of nothing but teeth and malice.
"I know. Her screams still echo," Gathgorian agrees, "We will finish this and return to Medicant. Is the celestial ahead?"
Another ripple, twisting again and again. Moore, Cresiel and the robed man continue on. Yet the image stays there, the occasional ripple repeating every several seconds.
"Something went wrong." Mystra says. More ripples. Flashes of...something. Flashes of Canderella, of Sylvie, of Gathgorian. The disturbance continues, cascading until after several seconds it solidifies. A thing that isn't quite a thing, a humanoid. Lightning ripples from it, magic flowing around it as a greatsword far too large for it appears in hand. "This time, the phantasm did not fade away, but became something else."
"An amalgamation? I know Canderella and Sylvie are both strong and talented, and Gathgorian... at least is capable. The work of an incarnation like 21 couldn't possibly be duplicated, but all the other factors still combine to something mighty. What has it done since it formed?" Alicia asks, intrigued.
"Wandered the stacks, reading. It has a thirst for knowledge and using knowledge," Mystra says, "It grows stronger by the hour. It must be confronted and..." A look at you, "I trust you for this, Alicia."
"Sylvie's influence, though neither Canderella or Gathgorian are dullards," Alicia says of its reading habits. "Regardless it can't be held accountable for the sins of the parents..." she trails off over figuring out how to describe their roles and asks, "You said using knowledge? How has it applied what it's learned? Has it interacted with anyone else?"
"A few books and phantasms have attacked it. It has defended itself and obliterated them." Here Mystra says, "It is mighty and growing mightier. It learns magic and lore, and has used the weak points it read to assault a weakness of a creature vulnerable to cold, as well as used spells it read previously."
She can't call any of that particularly objectionable. "I'll talk to it, then. If it can exist peacefully within Creation it deserves the same chance as the rest of us."
"Go. Teleport yourself, you will find no obstacle to finding it." Mystra instructs. "I will be watching."
Alicia thus vanishes, teleporting herself a couple of rows away from where Mystra showed the lightning-being reading in that vision.
Bookshelves.
They are all around you, a tight passage barely wide enough for you. Your shoulders scrape against them as you do, the sound of footsteps to your left.
With her divine senses it's easy enough to locate her target and then start walking openly towards it as well as knowing who or what else is in her vicinity.
It is tall and broad, like Gathgorian, though not to his massive size. It is muscled but lean muscle, not overwhelming. You see blonde hair, long and loose. A vaguely feminine body, hints of curves. Lightning crackles around it as it holds a book, reading.
Stuck in the ground next to it is a greatsword bigger than it is, awaiting.
"Hello," Alicia greets it in common, walking closer. "Do you know who I am?"
'Saint Alicia.' The answer comes in your mind, telepathy as soft as a gentle whisper in the night.
She nods, getting closer and having a better look at the being's features through that corona of lightning. Flexing reality to maintain telepathy herself she replies. 'Yes. Do you have a name?'
They're vaguely feminine but indistinct.
'No,' it says into your mind. 'I know names but they are not my own.'
Reminds her a little of Pistis Sophia, though she's more slender and petite. 'Do you know these names? Canderella. Sylvie. Gathgorian.'
'Yes,' A plain answer as the book is put aside, the figure studying you. 'Canderella, Sylvie, Gathgorian, Moore, Cresiel, Braxos.'
Alicia lets herself be studied as she studied it, garbed in her usual mithral armour and black undersuit, double-bladed sword across her back. 'I don't know Braxos. Who is that?' she asks, wondering why it would list an extra three names.
'He was here. He hid his face,' The creature says. 'He knows this place.'
Oh, that must have been Moore and Cresiel's guide. 'Do you understand why I asked about the three names I did? What their significance is to you?' she asks to get back on track.
'They are and I was them, but I am not them,' Is the answer you get. 'Chaos. Light. Order.' A beat. 'Life. Stasis. Death.' A beat. 'Destruction, eternity, conquest.'
Alicia nods before replying still in the telepathic medium. 'Yes, you're something new made of all three. An impossibility of unseen potentials made manifest,' she confirms. 'How much do you remember of them? Do you hold all of their memories and thoughts?'
'No. Only small fragments.' Is the answer you get. 'More of Canderella. Gathgorian is. The light blinds me to Sylvie.'
'Sylvie was known for being a voracious reader, though I imagine anyone would be hungry for information in your situation,' Alicia observes. 'What books have you found most interesting here?'
A pause, a moment. 'All of them,' Is the answer. 'Knowledge is knowledge. All thirsted for it, Sylvie most of all. Ideas are the forged metal of Creation.'
'None of them were dullards in that sense,' Alicia agrees. 'Information, lore, wisdom... one must always be willing to learn if they are to prosper in Creation. The ideas and discoveries of others are the foundations for forming our own. Just as a child is influenced by the teachings of their parents and the books they read, you are in a similar situation influenced by the natures of those three and by what you read here. Even talking to me, hearing my perspectives, will go some way towards clarifying your own.'
'I must learn more,' The being concurs quietly, the depth of your mind hearing his words. 'I do not have time to learn all these thoughts on my own, to think them and develop them without reading.'
'You don't have time? What's the hurry?' Alicia asks. That should be educational as to the being's plans... or fears.
'...I don't know.' A stop there, the being looking to you. 'Yet I am fearful.'
'Something from Sylvie, perhaps? An instinct with a root you've been blinded to?' Alicia suspects. 'I won't say it's amiss. Sylvie was close to a great many secrets, she carried a tool of the Incarnations and with it came insights few others could know of.'
'It may be so.' A consideration, 'I must learn more.' It goes and takes another book, 'I must keep learning.'
'A hundred mortal lifetimes wouldn't be enough, not to read everything in this library,' Alicia cautions. 'More, you may find books becoming out of date, as new knowledge supplants old. Simply working your way through the Deep Stacks one tome at a time isn't enough, you need a plan, and a goal.'
A consideration at that, a nod. 'Can you help?'
'I'd like to try. I could direct you according to what suits me best, but let me ask you instead - based on what you've read so far and remember from your other influences; what is wrong with Creation?' she asks.
'...I don't know,' it finally says. 'But I'm afraid.'
Alicia hums audibly at that. 'Do you know why I'm taking care not to give my own opinions too strongly? Gathgorian has ample reason to hate me, and so I fear his influence will temper your reaction to any advice I give. If you've inherited the power of those three, you're a mighty being in comparison to most in Creation and so your actions will have weight. Fear without direction could lash out blindly, or be taken advantage of by one offering easy answers. Neither would be good for you or those around you.'
She lets that proviso settle before she goes on. 'Creation has many problems, many worthy causes that need all the help they can get. Many wrongs that need putting to rights. But do they spark fear? No,' she shakes her head, body language used even while talking telepathically. 'Indignation is more appropriate. What primal fear drives you across all three influences and everything you've read? What name would best fit that dread? Is it that all this, everything, could End?'
'...no.'
The answer takes some time. The being looks on at you, 'I'm afraid. I'm afraid of the light. I know that there is no other light in Creation like it. Are you afraid of it?'
Well that was clarifying.
Of course the other reason Alicia didn't want to say anything was because if she guessed and was wrong it would be embarrassing. Which it is!
She does her best to roll with it however. That sort of thing sometimes happens with unclear prayers, too!
'The light of 21... unfortunately, I don't believe you'll find anything in this library or any other that will protect you from it, should you ever find it turned against you. Just as no other light in Creation is like it, so too can nothing in Creation repel it.'
'Then what is to be done about it?' Is the question back that you get.
'A good question,' she returns, because she doesn't know the answer. 'I do not know if it can be destroyed by any means in Creation. The Incarnations will not hear any plea regarding it. It was hidden in the Abyss for an extremely long time, perhaps it might be hidden again?'
'Then there must be a place in the Abyss to hold it.' The being agrees after some time, 'It will have to do.'
'Is hiding it in a place it was already found truly the wisest course?' Alicia asks, wanting to dissuade it from going to the Abyss or putting 21 in a place that's convenient for demons to find.
'Then what else is to be done?' The being asks you.
'Find a better hiding place or seal? To start with, Sylvie has it and she has vanished beyond anyone's means to locate her,' Alicia points out. 'So as things stand it's not in play. What would you do if you heard Sylvie was out and about somewhere and using 21?'
'I don't know,' The creature says, 'But I would avoid her.'
'Then you'd have no control over what happens to 21, so any plans for hiding it are moot,' Alicia observes.
'Then we are powerless?' The being asks, 'No. I do not want to be powerless.'
'No one does. You must either make peace with the existence of 21, or else commit to a course of action you can take regarding it,' Alicia says to try and help it reason through things.
'Then I must do something else,' Is the answer given to you, 'I must learn more.'
'We all have problems that seem insurmountable so that all we can do is keep growing and learning in the hope we have enough time to arrive at a solution,' Alicia says. 'Will you keep reading the books here, or search elsewhere?'
'Where is best to learn and grow?' The being asks you.
'There is no one single answer. Here in Dweomerheart you could learn magic better than anywhere else. In Ysgard you could learn battle. In Celestia you could learn self-mastery,' Alicia's biases are obvious in her answers here, but she warned it of those right at the outset. 'I've always believed that true growth can only come through action. Reading and introspection have their place, but without confronting and overcoming challenges, you will only stagnate.'
'To crush my enemies.' An answer, 'One of the few things all three agree about.'
'You have enemies?' she asks the obvious question that sparks.
'I will. It is inevitable. Gathgorian believes enemies are to be crushed so that they die or obey you. Sylvie believes enemies are to be defeated, so that your desires become reality. Canderella believes enemies must die before they can hurt you and take what you have.' A pause at that answer, for just a moment. 'Which is right?'
'There is no right answer, all three viewpoints have merit in how one deals with their enemies. What interests me however is who those enemies will be - Gathgorian and Canderella would both count different groups as their enemies. In fact they are enemies of each other. Who will oppose your desires is the question that must be answered first before deciding what is to be done to them.'
'It keeps coming to that,' The creature says, 'I need more understanding.'
'Context is important,' Alicia agrees. 'You're fortunate, you're a blank slate. You inherited the power of three mighty beings, all of whom have made numerous powerful enemies and rivals in their ascent. But you are free of that debt, free to make your own mark in Creation. But any mark you make, it will be opposed by someone, and you'll gain enemies of your own. It will take wisdom and prudence to avoid making them needlessly.'
She lets that hang for a moment before, 'Even just staying here and continuing to read, you are in effect declaring yourself with Mystra. Those who oppose her may see you as a potential threat. All actions - and inaction, have consequences.'
A consideration at that, 'Then I must choose what I do and where I am even more wisely.'
'I would offer you sanctuary in Sylica until you decide, but as with staying here you run the risk of being marked by my enemies. Gathgorian is one of them,' Alicia says. 'Barring that... take what you know of the outer planes, from borrowed memories and lore in books. Filter through the biases, and look deep within yourself before asking: which one is best. That will give you a good starting point.'
'To find an Answer,' Is the reply back, 'What everyone seeks. Which is right and best?'
'I'd rather phrase it as having an Answer and seeking to prove it,' Alicia clarifies. 'But that is the core you should start from. What is right and best, once you know that, you can act to make it reality.'
A nod at that, 'I know what I must do now,' the creature says. 'Thank you.'
'Can you tell me what you plan, then?' she asks. 'You know my coming here wasn't coincidence. Mystra was concerned over what your presence could portend and asked me to investigate for her.'
'I must go and learn, act and be. I must be.' The creature says, 'Everything will come from that.'
'Where will you go, then?'
'Where all refugees wander to find a plane: The Astral.'
'Then I wish you safe travels. Seira would surely welcome you at her Cauldron, and you are free to visit Sylica as I said before. Good luck, and - if you'll allow my preference? Be more like Sylvie and Canderella than Gathgorian,' Alicia stands to the side, symbolically offering a free pass out of the Deep Stacks.
Here the being pauses.
'Gathgorian hates you,' He says, 'But more than that, he pities you.'
She cocks her head to the side. 'An interesting insight. Does he pity me for my wrong-headedness, or for my eventual fate?'
'He sees that you have no future.' Is the answer you get.
'Then he is blind,' Alicia replies to that. She's not conceited, but her understanding of reality is superior to that of a blinkered devil, even one shepherded to becoming One by Eblis's tuition.
'...no.' Here the being warns you, 'The terror of Gathgorian is that he is not blind at all. He sees more than most. He has obtained a great drive and greater purity of purpose.'
That sort of single focus can more easily blind one to the bigger picture, Alicia thinks. But still, 'Then what in particular lends him to believe I have no future?'
'...I don't know,' Is the answer at last, 'Only that he is certain of it.'
'There is much that he does not know himself. Still.... thank you. For warning me. I will take it in the spirit it's given,' Alicia inclines her head towards the androgynous being.
A nod given in return, 'I wish to go to the Astral now. How can I best get there?'
Alicia casts a gate spell, aiming for the middle of nowhere in the astral. They'll know how it works to get anywhere once on the other side. 'You can use that.'
Thus the being flies through and off, off into the Astral to find his destiny.
A resonation.
...Gathgorian rises without a single word and walks through. The devil stands amid the Silver Sea, unconcerned as the portal is chained over, the sound of iron gates closing heavily behind him. Instead, once the portal is gone, he smiles - all teeth and malice - and begins to fly onward...
...and onward, face like stone as her heart grows heavier in the Silver Sea...
She frowns at that strange flash of memory from another being.
Hopefully this one will do better. She trusts her instincts on how she handled this, but she'll go back to Mystra now and see what she thinks.
Mystra awaits you, a simple nod before, "It is done and he is set on a path. Where do you think it will take him?"
"They seemed fundamentally self-absorbed," Alicia says. "In the short term they'll likely focus on acquiring more knowledge and avoiding notice unless and until a cause inspires them or an enemy provokes them. Considering the clash between Law and Chaos coming from Gathgorian and Canderella, they were remarkably stable," she concludes, recalling the gnomish experiments that led to Hugo and other less lucky beings.
"Remarkably well," Mystra agrees, "Thank you, Alicia. You've done well."
She smiles back at Mystra. "It was rather pleasantly peaceful compared to what I might've expected when you asked for me. Please call on me anytime."
A moment of shared warmth, smiles and contentment. Something so human in front of the entity that calls you a friend. "Bring Syala next time. Perhaps I'll have a paramour of my own. I'm rather feeling the urge watching the two of you."
That surprises Alicia alright. "Have anyone in mind?" she asks.
"Grumbar."
A beat.
Mystra smiles, for a moment almost like a real woman, a young woman at play. There's a youth to her that defies her agelessness in that moment, "I have several, none of which are stone."
Alicia cocks her head as she processes that answer before Mystra delivers an awful pun.
"Marie will be thrilled when I tell her about this," she says flatly.
The laugh that comes from Mystra is a beautiful thing. She laughs and laughs before composing herself. "Do smile, Alicia. Is it not said that your face can freeze like that?"
"Please don't invite Auril here," Alicia asks, before cracking a smile of her own.
Like this a moment of happiness is shared and...
Going back home now? Any actions as a result of this?
She'll tell Ebony all about what happened so she can pass word to Canderella back at Aurora. She deserves to know.
Ebony takes your story without a word until it is done. "That is troubling," she concludes at last. "Canderella will be informed. What of Moore, shall I inform him as well?"
"He was involved in it starting out, there's no harm in it," Alicia says as she meets with Ebony in person to relay events. "I'd rather it not be widely spread what strangeness can form in the Deep Stacks, but those directly involved ought to know."
"I'll see to it," Ebony promises, "There is one other: Afina. It may serve her well to know, but it may not be without risk to it. She has taken on her task with renewed vigor."
"Hmm... on one hand I fully support her endeavour to slay Gathgorian, but on the other this new being is innocent of his crimes. How do you think she would react to this news?" Alicia asks.
Here Ebony considers, "I've only seen her in passing since her retirement was interrupted," she admits, "She is rational but driven. So terribly driven. I do not think she would, but may consider such if she gets desperate in her pursuit of Gathgorian."
"Well... Her hatred for devils was well remarked on but she was able to work effectively with you and treat Antenora with civility," Alicia says after thinking it over a little herself. "And she's friends with Sylvie and Canderella, isn't she? You can tell her, she likely won't do any harm and might even help if she does run into them. And if it helps her defeat Gathgorian in the end, so much the better."
"Your will shall be done," Ebony agrees, and softer, "She also gets along well enough with myself, and I am not free of devilish collaboration."
"She's able to look past one's past if their heart is in the right place," Alicia agrees, smiling encouragingly at Ebony. "Go then, tell who needs to be told about this."
Ebony rises and bows deeply to you.
Anything else to add here or good to move along?
All done.
It's not long - barely two hours before Alicia gets word: Canderella petitions to speak to her directly.
How am I getting word? Is she praying, did Ebony pass along a message, has she appeared in Sylica?
She's appeared and Sylica and made the request through the normal channels. Ebony isn't with her, but she seems to know the right things to say and the right people to ask.
As Canderella's a pretty big deal in planar terms and they have a good relationship with the crusade she's part of, this petition of hers sees some swift results!
"Welcome, Canderella," Alicia says as she waits in one of Liberton's pleasant sitting rooms, two comfy chairs with a table and tea set between them, paintings on the walls showing fantastic landscapes that warp perspective in mind-bending ways. Marie, having shown the succubus in, goes to pour tea for them and act the dutiful maid for a bit after closing the door.
Canderella is clad in her adventuring gear, accepting a cup of tea and having a drink. She gives Marie a nod and smile for her service before, "Normally I'm aware of any children I birth," she begins without any preamble. "I do not expect my best friend to tell me I'm a mother, unexpected and unpredicted."
"The situation is rather unprecedented," Alicia says, having a sip of her own tea as Marie goes to stand dutifully and silently behind her. "The magic of the Deep Stacks creates... alternatives. What ifs, or variants. But they're mere phantasms, no more real than your reflection in a mirror. For that reflection to step out and take on a life of its own - well, if you surprise Mystra you can call yourself accomplished."
Letting that settle for a moment she continues, "She suspects it has to do with the power of 21 drawn by Sylvie's reflection, with your reflection and Gathgorian's drawn along and amalgamated in the final result," she gives her own explanation which may help Canderella understand it better than the second hand one from Ebony.
Another sip, a long one. Canderella doesn't reply at once, but finally scoffs, "It would be 21, wouldn't it?" she finally says. "I've seen it work and I saw the memory of what it did to the Child of Lifasa. Have you?"
"I've only ever heard descriptions, I've never seen it for myself," Alicia admits. "But the being in question was consumed with fear of 21 as their main drive when I spoke to them."
A sip. "Would you like to see the memory?" she offers, "I give you permission to view it from my mind. It struck me, because it showed many forms of what the Child of Lifasa could be. Many possibilities."
"If you'll lower your mental defences, I swear I'll only look for that particular memory," Alicia accepts the invitation, locking eyes with Canderella and probing her mind for the Child of Lifasa's death.
Aurora's courtyard, a portal open.
Chains. Ghostly and ethereal, all coming from the pregnant Queen Ilsenine. Sylvie's voice is heard, coming from her - her point of view, you realize. As chains continue to spread, wrapping around everything?
"I'm here. I think it has a sense of humor. I know what I need to do now."
Afina is there, watching the gate and calling, "Do something quickly, the alternative isn't pleasant. Annalise, get ready to close the gate!"
Ithea's voice, "Anything we can do to help," she asks as she hurries over to Ilsenine.
A book. In Sylvie's hand a book appears. She looks to it - and your mind recoils from it. Pure, unthinking terror takes you for a moment, an animal instinct to escape. Yet your divine will lets your master that, as you hear Sylvie say, "No. This is why I got involved with the entire wretched thing."
Jaela and Annalise come through the gate, as the chains wrap around them, unseen and ethereal and yet clinging to them. Sins. So many sins. You get a momentary glimpse of them, every single mistake and act of selfish evil they have done glimpsed.
Words. Terrible words, three terrible words.
The howl is unearthly, a scream as something comes out from the Queen. A thing connected to all the chains, spawning them. A thing that is many. A fetus, a king with a scepter, a great pit fiend larger than any you have seen before, a shapeless, nightmarish thing. All those and a dozen more are glimpsed before the light of 21 engulfs it, which causes it to draw in on itself and explode outward.
Do I recognise any of the dozen shapes or their significance?
They are all various infernal symbolism. Nothing truly remarkable by itself, but together and those chains - it could have dragged an entire world down, you feel.
Alicia sits back, no longer locking eyes with Canderella after witnessing that. "Symbolism. The concepts the Child of Lifasa was supposed to embody, of unstoppable infernal rulership. All of it stripped away by 21's power until there was nothing left," she concludes.
"My own thoughts," Canderella concurs, "Devils are so terribly gauche like that. Now...is this being something like the Child of Lifasa, recreated by 21?"
Alicia shakes her head. "The Child was never born for us to say what kind of being it would have been, but it was the product of long term manipulation of destiny and a discrete individual identity. This is both simpler and more unique, an amalgamation of three beings derived from magic only meant to create passing fancies."
She pauses after that, realising what Canderella might really be concerned about. "I don't believe they would have any power over you the same way the Child of Lifasa had power over those born of Lifasa. Only an insight into your methods and personality and the ability to use that as any thinking being might."
The slightest slackening, shoulders relaxed now. Canderella sips, "Far more tolerable an outcome. And you...let it go off on its own instead of nurturing it?" she asks, a sigh, "I have no desire to mother it, but neither am so reckless to leave it to its own devices. I'm not Sylvie and besides, Hell always carries a grudge and they aren't picky on how they satisfy it."
"They have the same right to an independent existence as any other, and a wealth of life experience to draw on," Alicia notes. "An offer was made to come to Sylica along with a warning that a being of such power would be noticed - there is as much danger in being at my side as there is travelling freely. Perhaps more. I made several suggestions, and had to warn them against investigating the Abyss too much when they showed an interest in that direction, but they ultimately seemed determined to go to the astral plane and find their own way. I had no good reason to prevent that."
"Hmph." Canderella rises at that, "Thank you for this, Alicia. I believe Ebony and I have a quest now. If he will not see the virtues of Sylica, then he may see the virtues of Aurora."
"Perhaps," Alicia has a sip of her tea. "I have some experience with handling beings of internal conflict - perhaps Ebony has mentioned Hugo? She likely hasn't mentioned much about where he came from however, or that he wasn't the only one there. Some were mindlessly hostile, others simply expired, their bodies unable to contain the warring natures inside of them. This being however seemed remarkably at peace with the drives of Chaos and Law that you and Gathgorian would have left it with. I wonder if Sylvie's nature acts as a bridge... or 21. It was created to understand Good and Evil, wasn't it?"
She hums at that thought and lowers her cup. "But I get off track. I was careful to treat this being gently and not restrict their options, nor give the impression that I coveted their power for myself. Gathgorian obviously has reason to hate me - I met him once and it was entirely disagreeable. Sylvie and yourself I at least hope think of me with benign neutrality," she smiles across at the succubus, "But there was no connection I could easily take advantage of, and I feared setting off a negative reaction by coming on too strong. You have an advantage there, however."
"A reason as well," Canderella says, "I'll make sure Ebony informs you how this turns out, Alicia. Thank you."
"You're welcome, please visit any time," Alicia says as Marie goes to show Canderella out.
Once Canderella's gone, Antenora appears. Her expression is openly piqued as she says aloud, "Someone," she declares, "Has been gossiping. Canderella said a 'prayer' to me that I couldn't ignore."
Thankfully Marie isn't around either. "Oh you better watch out... although I don't think Talos is the jealous type," Alicia says in amusement as she stands up. "What did she say?"
"How she'd like to kneel and 'worship' me, show me how a succubus does 'things' better than an erinyes, and other such things." Antenora's voice is flat, "She's lucky that she's Ebony's friend - and she knows she can get away with it." Blowing out a breath, long and slow, voice calmer, "I suppose it is ultimately only a prank, and goodness knows I've grown to appreciate Marie's idea of a prank."
"Yes Antenora, I know what 'things' are," Alicia says dryly. "I think that ought to necessitate some kind of response so she doesn't take you so lightly, though... where does gossip come in? It sounds more like she's teasing you with a rather generic probe than using any inside information for that approach."
"I know Canderella and Ebony talk a lot, and she hit a few points that are..." A gesture, "If not confidential, at least not well known. I do believe your point is well made and will consider the right response."
"I see, a word with Ebony might be in order as well," Alicia nods. "Sometimes you can take the high road and just ignore such things... in fact by reacting you may be giving Canderella exactly what she wants. But all the same I think a response is necessary - show her exactly who she's dealing with!" she concludes by giving Antenora a supportive smile.
Besides with them tussling with Malcanthet right now, Canderella serves as a nice low-stakes entertainment on a similar model.
A nod, "I don't believe it truly intentional nor malicious. A word should suffice with Ebony. Thank you, Alicia. All the power in Creation, yet the wisdom to use it well must be learned every day."
"It's easy when speaking with friends to speak of other friends, and even if no one great secret is told a perceptive listener can piece things together over time. Don't jeopardise a friendship that brings both such joy, but still protect your own interests," she summarises.
"Exactly." Antenora smiles, "And perhaps if I can get Canderella to calm down, I can make a friend of her as well. Perhaps."
"That would be nice, she's quite friendly from all indications. Even that prayer... teasing as it may have been, you have to open yourself up to someone to pray to them, don't you?" Alicia observes. "In a way it's a cry for attention, really."
"Perhaps that is the answer then," Antenora remarks, "I've not had Aurora's food in some time. I understand they spend a lot of time in the eatery."
"Ebony often composes her reports while eating cake and drinking tea with Canderella, I've noticed," Alicia confirms.
"Then cake it is," Antenora says, going off.
Anything else here?
Nope.
It's been about two weeks thanks to vacation time and with a weekend going, so let me get a refresher. You're waiting on info about Malcanthet, had you have any prioritized?
Yes, that Rosewater place on Hades in particular.
Also if Gathgorian lays a claw/spell on Ebony it will invite an immediate response.
Sure, give me a few to see how Moore's thing shakes out, okay? Post a reply so I know I'm not waiting on you.
Gotcha.
It's done. Ebony is safe. You hear her silent prayer, 'Watch over me, for I walk amid the shadows of evil. Next time, grant us the chance and strength to shatter Gathgorian's darkness with our light.'
Fear not, I was watching. Make sure you pass word of this to Afina so she can get closer to her target.
'I will, my lady. Your will shall be done.'
Alicia doesn't doubt it, and lets her approval and confidence fill Ebony.
'Saint Alicia, I report the following: Gathgorian said thus to Moore through mental contact:
"I have no reason to show mercy to Aurora now, but nor are they my primary concern. Include Afina. Her role for me is concluded."'
Thank you for your diligence, Ebony. Tell Afina all of it, it is her right to decide what she does.
Personally she really hopes she'll lance that unpleasant boil left over from the Lifasa crusade, but it's Afina's cause. Unless Gathgorian causes any trouble under Alicia's purview to rouse her specifically anyway.
Ready to move on now?
Yep.
We got something on Rosewater, Alicia.
Well that's a good reason to meet up with Syala and hear all the details in person!
Latha, and Marie, and Antenora get invited along too of course.
The meeting place is Antenora's new city, growing by the day as it is built. The four of you watch as Syala says, "I have extremely reliable information - the problem is it's from a demon who wants to betray Malcanthet and wants to be handsomely paid for the information."
"A reliable demon?" Antenora glances sidelong over at Syala.
"My avatar interrogated him," Syala says, "He's not lying."
"Why does he want to betray Malcanthet, and what's his price?" Alicia asks, the five of them atop a tower overlooking the city, the wind keeping their words from reaching any other, blurring their lips in case of eagle-eyed lip-readers watching from far away. "It feels a bit convenient."
"The thought did occur to me," Syala says, "He wants to betray her because Malcanthet let another demon claim souls he earned."
"It does feel convenient," Antenora agrees, "Could be a trick by Malcanthet to lure us into a trap? Surely she realized that we'd see it for what it is, though."
"It feels very much like a trap," Alicia agrees. "His price?"
"One hundred thousand gold coins, in Rounds only," Syala says.
"Greedy and daring and a betrayer and possibly a liar," Antenora lists off, "This fiend is at least courageous. He specified mercane coinage?"
"He wanted nothing to link him to Sylica from this," Syala notes, "He emphasized that point."
"Sensible enough," Alicia allows. "I dislike it, but a betrayal of Malcanthet should be rewarded - and if the information proves unreliable or leads us into a prepared defence he will need to be dealt with swiftly and with prejudice. How strong a demon is he?" One that can be called up with a planar binding spell is one that can't escape a betrayal after all.
"An ascended tiefling," Syala says, "His name is Robreaux. He's a smooth talker, smart and skilled with knives and smaller blades. Doesn't have much of a reputation, he's mostly stayed to the Abyss once he ascended. Still reasonably capable, he has a decent amount of authority and what I did find suggests he's a fair match to a nalfeshnee or so."
"Descended," Antenora corrects.
Alicia smiles at Antenora's correction. "We can work with that. If his information doesn't pan out, he won't have a chance to spend his money."
"Descended," Syala doesn't fight it, "Your point is well taken, Mrs. Reynes." Going on from that after, "Do you want to be there for this, Antenora?"
"Yes," Her answer is immediate, "Perhaps I can convince him to put aside more than Malcanthet."
"If that doesn't work and he's a liar, he won't get the chance," Syala agrees.
"Good luck," Marie says, giving Antenora a smile.
He could've asked for protection but given the currency he chose it's clear he's looking to remove himself far from the situation. Still, stranger things have happened so Alicia just nods, approving of Antenora's efforts and the spirit they're made in.
Marie gets a fond smile before, "Alicia, how intimidating can you be?" Antenora asks. "I believe putting the fear of the Heavens in him may be wise."
"A meeting with three deities? Even if we intimidate him it's still a lot of attention for just one tiefling," Alicia says with a faint scoff. "He might get conceited."
"Pride leads to a fall, does it not?" Antenora says, "I want you there to scare him like he's never been scared before. Let him know we are not fools to be played."
"Then I'll be at my scariest," Alicia solemnly promises.
For my own reference, how high can you get your Intimidate score up, assuming Antenora asks you nicely to go for it? Or otherwise employ some other measure of scariness.
+95 using greater heroism, greater visage of the deity, divine insight, and guidance of the avatar (with a circumstance +4 per size category I have over the victim if I decide to go huge, which I probably wouldn't for this unless Antenora asks).
She'd like you prepared as reasonably possible without it appearing that you're blatantly overdoing it. She trusts your judgment, so have that prepared.
The place of the meeting is a remote shoreside cabin atop a small cliff, the oceans of Sylica visible beyond and below the cliffside perch. Syala is off waiting for Robeaux while you and Antenora are ready for this, due to begin any moment.
The good thing about Alicia's habit of always casting nondetection is that no one can tell whether she's making a particular effort or not in terms of magical augmentation.
It's a minor benefit compared to avoiding scrying or true seeing or the like, but the little things do add up.
Inside the cabin Alicia stands, armed and armoured and looking out the window at the sea and islands beyond. She can see far farther than that, and in all directions, but that's where her eyes are pointed.
Not doing a full spoiler block but she's got greater heroism, greater visage of the deity, divine insight, guidance of the avatar, nondetection, and sensual blessing up as far as spells that may be immediately relevant.
Sure thing.
Antenora awaits, patient.
When the cabin door soon opens, it's your guest first. Robeaux is a tall tiefling, a hint of red to his skin. He wears well tailored clothes, impeccable, fine quality cloths of soft crimson. His hair is shiny black and kept loose and long, an easy, charming smile on his face. "So THESE are the ones I have to meet?" He says, "Your reputations precede you."
Alicia turns and takes him in, noting whatever magic he has on him with arcane sight.
Take 10 for 65 on spellcraft where relevant.
[21:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+37 CL if relevant
[21:20] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+37 CL if relevant --> [ 1d20=11 ]{48}
"You come offering information about a place where great pains have been taken to ensure secrecy, Robeaux," she says mildly while appraising him. "Indeed you reached out to us, so I should hope those reputations are foremost in your mind."
He has nondetection, mind blank and Palax's guile active on him. The latter is a spell that enhances the ability to tell and discern lies.
"So I do," he says, smiling and meeting Alicia's eyes. "Fortunately, we all have a good reason to get along, like little acolytes in a temple."
"Yes, I can tell you're not prepared for a fight. Prepared to prevaricate on the other hand..." Alicia holds his gaze in her own, her disapproval evident as if she can see right through him.
With a demon may care grin, "Prepared to understand prevarications," is his answer, "That's just good sense to have on you every day."
"Good sense for the Abyss, perhaps," Antenora steps forward, "Good sense for Baator. But...are you calling us liars you need to be prepared against?"
To this Robeaux quirks his head to the side, "The day is but young. Who knows where my path will lead? Does fair Mystra upbraid Alicia if she comes into her presence with a mind blank spell on her person, cast routinely?" With that same grin on his face, "Who am I to gamble on what can happen later in the day?"
"Well, in the interests of ensuring you don't have to go without for the rest of the day I'll refrain from dispelling that useful spell of yours," Alicia says, cutting off this part of Sylica from the weave to instead suppress it under what's effectively antimagic. "Now you needn't gamble on the rest of the day, and we needn't gamble on your ability to tell a lie with an honest smile."
Doesn't help if he's been manipulated by Malcanthet into this situation without realising it, but they can only do so much.
The demon's smile falters at this, Antenora's presence suddenly felt. It's a strong, gentle pulse that is undeniably her. As Robeaux pales, "You act like we are one step away from being charmed into your bed," she says, firmly. "Your arrogance is as stupid as it is galling."
Syala joins in, her presence like that of a forest day, of sunlight and joy. "You think we can't see through your petty games?"
Alicia doesn't use her aura, it's something she habitually keeps a tight lid on and she's not going to change that for one demon. It would only blot out Antenora and Sylica's auras anyway.
"Your Mistress has made herself a great nuisance to us. That is why you have our interest Robeaux, not from your own personality or deeds," she says. "So let us start again, shall we?" she gives him a chance to make a better attempt at convincing them to buy his information.
> roll 1d20+15
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+15 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{35}
> roll 1d20+15
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+15 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{16}
The demon looks away from Antenora - and Syala's firm gaze makes his voice die in his throat, his legs giving up on him. He collapses in wide eyed terror, the wet sound of his shame staining his pants. His mouth opens and closes every times as Syala simply keeps her gaze locked with his.
"I'm the nice one," she smiles, "Antenora and Alicia are the mean ones. Think carefully to what you do, demon."
Antenora's will cleanses him a moment later, at least sparing you from that stench.
Robeaux manages to rise on shaky legs, "Ah..." With a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, "My La- I mean my former Lady has made several q-questionable choices." He turns towards you, "S-so you see, here I am."
Alicia closes her eyes as Robeaux is reduced to urinating in front of them.
Antenora said be scary, and she's certainly been scary in the past, but that's never happened before.
Once Antenora's cleaned it she resumes looking at their guest. "Rosewater. You want to sell us information about Rosewater," she prompts him.
"Y-yes," The demon says quickly, a breath. "For 100,000 gold I'll tell you everything I know about it - and I know a lot."
"You'll get your money. But first why Rosewater, and why us?" Alicia asks. It'll be good to know where their efforts to find the place have been compromised after all.
Something in your gaze - or perhaps the other auras, or simply everything - makes Robeaux shiver. "...Antenora. She understands traitors because she betrayed Hell."
"I did not betray Hell," Antenora clarifies, voice not quite as strident as before. "I denounced it as the hateful lie it is. I understand those who realize they have erred and wish to atone. I understand those that feel the faintest flickering in their heart that there is a better way. I understand that there are people worth rising high for." Antenora's gaze goes to you and then Syala. "I understand that love in all its many and beautiful forms is the Answer, not hate that blackens the soul."
The demon doesn't look to Antenora, keeping his eyes locked on you.
"Antenora wasn't so quick as all that to denounce Hell in the beginning," Alicia says, a brief apologetic glance to her friend before she returns to looking at Robeaux. "But all journeys begin with a single step. What destination one begun on spite over Malcanthet's favouritism will lead to I couldn't say," she goes on, making clear that even if Antenora didn't start on the best footing, she doesn't think much of his either.
Now Antenora comes, laying a hand on Robeaux's shoulder. "Come sit down, join us," she offers. "You can turn and leave with your freedom. Both are a choice that determines how your life will unfold."
> roll 1d20+83 (+10 voice of the archon)
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+83 (+10 voice of the archon) --> [ 1d20=6 ]{89}
Robeaux follows - a table with chairs is here, sturdy and well made. Antenora sits once the demon does, while the demon's eyes are unfocused, hands shaking.
"S..she demoted the people I were in an a-alliance with," Robeaux blurts out. "I couldn't stay, not with all those bitches scheming against me. I'd end up in a dungeon somewhere."
"You're being marginalised," Alicia concludes, following Antenora and sitting at the table. "So you hope that money will give you a head start and everyone else will be too busy dealing with what happens to Rosewater to pursue you?"
"Y-yes," A lick of his surely dry lips. "Know when to cut and run, show up in a few thousand years somewhere else, once it's all blown over and most of them are dead."
"Logical," Syala agrees, "With whatever goods and gold you have plus that money, you'd be in a position to buy yourself somewhere safe."
A vague gesture with his hands, a sweep of them, his hand visibly shaking. "Yes."
"It's a daring plan. One that puts you in far more danger if things don't line up just so," Alicia says. "Antenora isn't the only here that you'd call a traitor... but we can talk about that later," he should know of course, Ebony and Marchalu are fairly high profile and there's a not insignificant number of others calling Sylica home. She doesn't make it the focus for now though, just putting the seed there for him to think about while they discuss things. "First: Rosewater."
"Rosewater," he agrees, "The sky's rose and gold, unlike the rest of the plane. Pretty, most of the succubi there like it. It lulls people to notice the fine green grass, to sit down, undress, sunbathe and then sleep. Easy prey. A pretty l-lie to fool anyone who stumbles on it."
"That's it?" Alicia asks disbelievingly. The fact that it's in Hades makes unwitting travellers stumbling across it and being stupid enough to take a nap vanishingly unlikely, but the place is under a strict veil of secrecy that none of her previous probes has been able to get past. That hardly fits for a bright lure to draw people in either.
Syala coughs, "Please, there has to be more."
"T-there is," Robeaux says quickly, "That was j-just the first one I mentioned since I mentioned the s-sky!"
Alicia waits a moment before prodding. "Well?"
"The entire place is shielded. I don't know how - the daemons did it," he says, "The ones that come up from the Styx. You can find it if you've been touched by the Styx and know the location." Taking a deep breath, "W-we all had to give up a memory in the ceremony that lets us come in. You have to be blindfolded or immersed in darkness to enter, or blind. Or with sunlight, real sunlight, not the i-illusion in the sky. B-but you die if you come in with real s-su-sunlight."
"This already doesn't make any sense," Alicia says impatiently. "How can anyone blunder onto it to go sunbathing if such artifice is required to enter?"
Here a shrug, "I don't honestly know," he finally says, "M-my lady, perhaps it's like using a shield as well as using armor?"
"You said earlier that you know a lot," Alicia says, leaning back as she regards the blustering tiefling coolly. "So far all you've given us is a contradiction you can't even explain."
"W-wait, I can tell you more," The fiend begs, "Just listen and let me talk!"
"We're listening." She hasn't thrown him out yet after all.
"I can get you in there," Robeaux says, "Past the defenses!" Looking at you wildly, "Just listen to me!"
Syala's smiling, unseen by him. "Antenora?"
> roll 1d20+15
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+15 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{25}
"He's telling the truth. A demon speaking truth," Without much mirth but a nod, "He's terrified and telling the truth."
Alicia just waits to hopefully hear something useful.
At least her avatar's being productive elsewhere. She'll be a lot happier when she has the others up and about.
"T-there's a secret entrance," Robeaux finally says, "For some of us to sneak in and out without having to deal with all the defenses. It's not supposed to be there, but we found a loophole in it."
Antenora nods after a moment, "It is true," she confirms.
"Go on," Alicia prods, mustering her patience.
"A passage," Robeaux says, "One I know how to open. It's beneath, caverns leading into it from the Weyburn. It can get you right in."
Take 10 for 65 on planes to know where/what the Weyburn is.
"Where specifically and how is it opened then?" Alicia asks, feeling like she's pulling teeth.
The Weyburn is minor region of Hades on the first layer. Nothing remarkable, named for one fact - long ago, an impressively powerful wyvern with fiendsblood had a lair there. It's said it was ultimately slain by heroes but the name stuck. It's mostly empty lands with the lairs of various nasties about. More wild animals and fugitives than proper yugoloths, though there are a sprinkling about.
"With this," A necklace of a pair of red lips is produced, laid down. "Along with the power word Hoynea. Go there, wear this and utter the words, and the way will open. From there keep on going and it's a straight shot, simple and usually without anyone else in there."
That doesn't sound like a loophole that wasn't supposed to be there, that's a very specific lock and key setup.
"I see," she says dubiously, more and more thinking the entire thing stinks and wishing she wasn't having her time wasted on it. "Is Rosewater close to the Weyburn outside of the caves?"
"No," Robeaux goes on, "It's because the way they set it up connects to places - and that looks like an unintentional connection." On hearing you, "It's true! So we put up defenses so it's safe but we can still use it to our advantage. Our secret, that's what it is. You could probably break through without that of course, our magic isn't as mighty as yours."
"Spare me the pointless flattery," Alicia says curtly. "Tell us more about what's inside Rosewater. What it's for and who runs it."
A breath out, "It's about the Styx. It's about memories and changing them, the memories of the mind and the memories of the soul. Everything around it, the defenses, the illusions, it's just to hide that fact. There's even pleasure houses to make it seem like a simpler venture. Even..." a pause, a stammer, "Even s-succubi prostitutes who are dead ringers for all of you." Taking a gulp, "Cheap ones."
Antenora's gaze doesn't flicker. "You tell us that why?"
"B-because everything I've heard says Malcanthet is furious with Sylica. Especially when the Radiant Sister comes here about it, she's been heard bit-I mean, compl-"
Syala cuts in, "Don't spare us. Just speak."
"Ah. A-alright. When the Radiant Sister comes and bitches about Sylica as well. M-Malcanthet is angry with Sylica, and in turn she is as well. She's amusing herself with insults and mockeries. All while inside they...they work with the Styx, with memories and souls. Souls that can be exposed to it but not lose anything, or lose everything and gain something else, something outside. Copies, I hear. Copies of knowledge and power and wisdom. A-and that there's been a breakthrough and...the Radiant Sister's grown far stronger from it. That this feud is going to be settled soon. That she has places for all of you, places to suffer."
It's all Alicia can do not to roll her eyes at the dead ringer succubus prostitutes. Honestly with shapechanging magic being so common it's not even the least bit shocking.
"This is the sort of information you should have lead with, this is actually interesting," she says on the topic of working with the soul and the styx. "Which radiant sister visits Rosewater and who's in charge when she's absent?"
"V-violet," He answers right away. "When she's not, Rulalla is in charge. A lilitu wizard who is Violet's lover. She's only there because Violet enjoys her company in bed, she's not half the leader Violet is. She's vain and easily distracted by arcane lore."
Violet's the one they're looking for so that brings things together, especially with all that about the Styx and gaining power in exchange for everything else. "Has Rosewater suffered any serious attacks from other parties, to your knowledge? What defences or plans does it have in place to handle hostile incursions?"
"A f-few probes, all crushed. As likely adventurers as anything,' Robeaux replies, "There's forces, magical defenses and I h-hear M-malcanthet may intervene with Violet and worse. And V-violet's so strong now."
"Please tell me more about these forces and magical defences," she asks. Malcanthet and Violet are certainly the main threat but she'd like to know what to watch for on the flanks.
"Legions of lesser demons and demons. As much as there are military forces, including incubi and hezrou in thrall to the succubi and Malcanthet," Is the answer, "A new balor leads them, his name is Scraladax. Good with a sword and better with an axe. The magical defenses are blasts of elemental magic and various beguilements and dispellings.""
Nothing particularly dangerous then. "Back to that secret way in you mentioned before. Who else knows about it?"
"Several of us...perhaps around a dozen total," Is the answer, "If that."
"Who is 'us'? Does Violet know?"
She's certain Violet knows and will operate on that assumption regardless but she wants to hear what he thinks.
A headshake, "W-we haven't told her, she'd probably fortify it and deny it to us," Robeaux says quickly.
"So you think she doesn't know?" Antenora challenges right back.
"S-she doesn't, as far as I know," Robeaux quickly insists.
"Hmmm." Antenora considers that a moment, "Tell me, demon. Violet manipulates memories and the Styx. How do you know what you say isn't a result of that and you are nothing but a pawn to be sacrificed?"
The silence stretches after that, Robeaux silent and ashen. "...I'm not," he finally says, weakly. "I'm not."
"You believe you aren't, you know you aren't as far as you know. It's true to the limits of your knowledge," Antenora considers.
"It's an elegant trap, isn't it?" Alicia agrees, smiling slightly. "Though perhaps less elegant and more terrifying from your perspective - what plans can be made for the future if your past isn't your own? It's fortunate you at least have a pre-existing reputation to compare against, but... you might not even be the real Robeaux. What was it you said earlier? Copies of knowledge and power and wisdom?"
"You may not even be anything more than a mane reforged, or a soul larvae," Syala agrees.
Robeaux's color is that of burnt ash, managing to stammer out, "I'm m-me! I remember my life!"
"A life. Robeaux's life, lived by you or perhaps another," Antenora concludes. "Something that defies easy analysis, since at heart it comes down to multiple blind guesses."
"It's not something we can easily test for right now, no," Alicia agrees. "Not until we see ourselves what's at Rosewater. Still, perhaps you ought to reconsider your immediate future plans and where the ideas for them really came from."
Robeaux is shaking, his head in his hands. He says not a word to that.
Antenora's expression softens visibly, tight lines giving way to gentle concern. "For the moment, you're safe here," she says.
Can we find a way to discern the truth of this?
Can we?
Like are there divinations that look into the physical past of a being rather than their memories?
As a deity can we look at a soul (even a non-worshipper) to see its past?
Yes, I'm sure there's divinations that could do it. I don't think there's any canon ones offhand, though it's possible there's something in a splatbook that would serve. At worst something homebrewed would do the job.
I'd be fine with trying to alter reality it that way, souls are what deities deal with, after all.
We can try brute forcing it with divinations. If there is a real Robeaux he's likely secured beyond reach of planar bindings.
"Antenora's right about your safety, and we can investigate your situation more thoroughly although you'll have to be patient," Alicia says to the tiefling. "Do you have any items on you that you regularly use? A weapon or protective piece of jewellery?" A Legend Lore could compare it against his memories, and Robeaux is powerful enough to count as a legendary figure for the spell to work with.
"This," A pendant with a small iron sphere is put down, "Golem's Tear." He takes a long, shaky breath, "It's powerful and old."
Marie teleports in at Alicia's behest and takes the sphere. "You'll get this back shortly," she says as the eladrin vanishes and hands it over to Alicia's avatar who now has to take some time casting legend lore on it.
[17:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4
[17:10] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d4 --> [ 1d4=1 ]{1}
Fortunately she'll only take ten minutes. Syala, can you manage a legend lore on Robeaux here? If he's a ringer he won't have any legends, since the spell doesn't touch on his memories just his physical impact on reality.
"We're using legend lore to look at your objective impact on reality. A fake, no matter how convincing its own memories, does not have the same history and that's what this spell contacts."
Syala begins to work on it as...
> roll 1d4
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d4 --> [ 1d4=4 ]{4}
"Just hurry. P-prove I'm me," Robeaux says, head back in his hands.
While the legend lores go off, Alicia examines Robeaux herself to try and derive the history of his soul and tell if he was some mortal who ended up in the Abyss before having his demonic memories stripped to make this being, or if he's a normal tiefling who's soul has no past beyond its current existence.
It's...just blank. Completely purged and yet there are memories there, like icing atop a cake, spread on to change how it looks.
She doesn't want to say it bluntly to him while the legend lores are going on, but she tells Antenora and Syala.
His soul is blank, emptied out and with memories layered on top rather than integrated. It's plainly unnatural and completely obscures whatever he was before.
That poor soul.
We really need to sit down with Violet at length. She's begun to annoy me.
She will account for her sins one day. Today the soul before us is the concern.
There's no telling what he was. Stripping away the Robeaux memories and powers would leave a blank slate, like a newborn. It's possible the original is recoverable at Rosewater but it's likely lost to the Styx entirely. And we can't trust anything we've been told today about it either.
Then all we have is a soul to save.
Alicia's right. It also means they know we're digging around, or at least guessed right. Even if we storm Rosewater now, they may have withdrawn valuable assets.
Meanwhile, Marie finds out her Legend Lore doesn't return anything. The object isn't legendary.
Is it magical?
Anything made by someone above level 11 should count at least a little bit as legendary even if it's just 'This never used sword was made by Afina the steam pixie archmage'.
Anyway if it's magical it'll get spellcrafted to ID it. Take 10 for 59.
All it has is a faint enchantment to make it look magical. Nothing special there, it might fool a casual examination but not Marie's gaze.
The pendant was made by Grolina, a succubus sorceress.
Marie returns to deliver the trinket, Alicia already aware of the findings through prayer. She places it on the table and vanishes.
Looking at Robeaux herself, she bolsters her spellcraft to examine the spells he came in with and tell who cast those.
Using divine insight and guidance of the avatar to bump my spellcraft up to +91 for each check so I can make the DC 85 'discover caster' epic usage.
Each spell is cast by Grolina.
"Do you know of a succubus called Grolina?" Alicia asks 'Robeaux' after a moment, poking the fake magic trinket with her finger and making it roll around on the table.
"Yes, she's a servant of Scraladax and supports him with magic, and also serves in a few other roles," Is the answer you get. His eyes are fixated on the pendant, watching it roll.
"She enchanted this with a magic aura spell - it doesn't actually do anything," Alicia draws her hand back. "She also cast all the spells you had on you when you came here."
"...what? No. No!" Robeaux slams his hands down, "I haven't seen her in a week!"
"I'm sorry," Antenora meets his gaze, "But you know we wouldn't lie to you."
"You know what this means," Alicia says, some sympathy in her voice. "When Syala completes her divination we may know what you were, but you are not Robeaux."
"But I remember! I REMEMBER!" HE stands, hands on the table to support himself, then quietly, "...I remember."
"Do you remember a celestial ever lying to you," Antenora's pressure is gentle but persistent. At this he begins to laugh, laugh and laugh and laugh and la-
Syala's behind him, a hand on his shoulder. "You're another victim of the Abyss. You came to the right place: We help victims."
"We'll learn what we can from Syala's divination," Alicia reiterates while Syala sits him back down. "Anything more may have to come from Rosewater. Though of course we can't rely on anything we've been told today."
Silence. Robeaux holds his head in his hands as Syala finishes her magic. She quietly shakes her head, no words needed to communicate that.
Whatever he was, he wasn't powerful enough to justify any legends.
"For now I think it best if you stay in Sylica," Alicia says. "We can prepare a safe place, though it will be cut away from magic so no one can scry on you or attempt a sending. I don't want Violet or anyone else knowing that we're aware of her tricks. You'll be protected until we learn who you used to be, or at least made sure Rosewater is no longer a threat. After that you'll have to decide what your own place in Creation is."
There's no resistance to that, just a nod.
This atrocity can't be overlooked. Turning souls into disposable copies?
She goes too far. Unfortunately even after all of this we're no closer to Rosewater itself. The secret passage certainly leads to a prepared trap elsewhere.
Okay can handwave getting 'Robeaux' set up. We'll put him in a remote house in Sylica with severed magic around it and a low-key guard routine protecting him/making sure he causes no trouble.
Once that's done, the three of you have a moment alone.
"Violet - if we can't get Rosewater directly, can we get her?" Antenora asks. "I fear we won't find good information after this, or at least not information we can trust."
"We still have our own scouts and enquiries trying to find it, this was just one prong that didn't work out," Alicia says. "Violet's been keeping her head down though, I think probably she spends most of her time either in Rosewater or Shendilvari, so getting her elsewhere is going to be a trick."
Antenora paces as she says, "I don't see much value in talking to Malcanthet herself - if Violet's as productive as we fear she is, I can't imagine anything that would make her abandon that research. Let alone with her being angry over our ascensions. No, there's little logic in her listening to us. Unless you see something I don't, Alicia?"
Alicia shakes her head. "Anything Violet is doing, she's certainly doing with Malcanthet's full sanction and working directly against us. There's absolutely nothing to be gained by talking to her about this. No, we need to find Rosewater and put a stop to what's happening there ourselves - bearing in mind doing so will almost certainly pull Malcanthet into the fray herself. The one saving grace is that it's so valuable she likely wouldn't trust the location to any of her usual patsies to handle the violence in her stead."
"Then we have to keep on it," Syala concludes, "I'll cast a wider net. Someone has to be willing to talk or knows something."
Antenora's considering a time, "Alicia, what of the Adversary?"
"As far as evil powers go, he's one we're not on the worst of terms with," Alicia concedes. "But there will be a price to pay for such assistance. Can we bear to pay it?"
Antenora closes her eyes, and ultimately says, "I can at least hear the price," she finally decides, "This is a sick mockery of the normal procession of souls. To take a soul and take all it knows - and make it a disposable fake of another? No. I will not stand idle at this."
Considering soul larvae are used as consumable spell components in the lower planes, Alicia can't even muster up outrage that Malcanthet is being especially derelict in her duty over and above the demonic norm. It's just more depressing evil awfulness even if the existential horror of 'Robeaux's' existence represents a novel twist.
"Then lets ask the Adversary and see where this will take us," she says. Their interest in Rosewater is obviously known to the enemy so there's nothing lost by asking at least.
Do you want to be the one who asks them or leave it to Syala or Antenora?
Let Anty take it since it was her idea.
Sure.
After perhaps a half hour, "The Adversary is willing to meet us," Antenora says, "He'd like to discuss this personally."
Alicia isn't surprised. "Anything worth talking about usually is done in person," she says. "Where does he want to meet? Since we're the ones asking we'll have to go along with it."
"Mechanus, on neutral ground," Antenora answers, "I'm surprised, I'd have thought he'd have insisted on somewhere to his advantage."
"That is surprising," Alicia agrees. "I expect he'll be asking for something substantial and that's to put you at ease, since your tastes are well known. Who do you want to go with you - or who has he requested, I suppose?"
"Marie," Antenora says, "The Oinoloth will use both law and chaos to get what he wants, I have no doubts I'll need her insights. Jessica as well, she's the sneakiest of this, and he requested her presence."
"She's working on looking for clues on divine seeds but I can call her back," Alicia says, not having a problem with those choices. "When are we doing this?"
"1 day," Antenora says, "Time enough to prepare."
"Lets hope this goes smoothly. Sooner Rosewater is wiped out the better off we'll all be," Alicia says.
Lets get a quick update from Jessica on how her search goes when we call her back and then we can move onto this meeting?
Sure.
"We're digging at phantoms right now, mostly," Jessica says, "Though Waukeen did have an idea of them. A few phantasmal things that might refer to them?" Jessica says at last, "One reference to the bottom of the Infinite Stair, another to a gate in the Astral. Obscure things." She sits by you and explains, "If they're out there and not in the hands of powerful entities, they must be hid beyond compare. If."
"It's been a long time since we've been to the infinite staircase but past excursions have been fruitful," Alicia says, considering that as something of a lead. The bottom of the stair is a more concrete goal than any other.
[17:34] <Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 buffed up planes check for the bottom of the infinite staircase
[17:34] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+91 buffed up planes check for the bottom of the infinite staircase --> [ 1d20=5 ]{96}
The bottom of the Infinite Stair is something theorized but never found. It's said it contains all manner of things and treasures - from everything ever dropped off the side of the stairs there to ancient relics to older things yet. The lillend believe that there is no bottom, for what it's worth, at least officially. Unofficially you've heard opinions vary amid them, a fragment of a report from Ebony mentioning a discussion with Vivantha.
What and whereever it is, if it exists, the way to find it isn't known.
"Of course infinite and bottom... well they're exclusionary, aren't they?" she concludes. "We can put out feelers with the lillend, though it'll be uncharted territory. Know anything more about this gate in the astral?"
"Nothing that I can find," Jessica remarks, "But I've barely touched it, sister. It's too vague, I'm trying to find more information to clarify first." Sitting back as she waves a hand, "Like a gust of wind. I think the bottom of the stair is easier to research, because it's a more concrete thing. I need to talk to Ebony and have her direct me to Vivantha, she'd be a good contact. Actually... I'm thinking mortal again. I'll invite her to come here."
A moment's concentration and then, "She's willing to come."
"She's a good starting point," Alicia agrees. "When will she be over? If it's soon we can talk to her before this meeting on Mechanus."
"Soon," Jessica says, and...
Where do you want to meet her and with who? She'll be here with time to spare for Mechanus.
Lets go with me, Jessica, and Marie? We'll use the same room I met Canderella in, with furniture appropriate for a giant snake lady to get comfy.
Vivantha slithers in soon enough. She smiles and bows deeply, "You helped us all when we needed your help," she says, "For both myself and Brave Hero, thank you."
There's a big red divan suitable for Vivantha to rest herself on while Alicia and Jessica have chairs. Marie stands around looking dutiful and efficient because she gets a kick out of such things. "No thanks are necessary, you too contributed greatly to freeing Lifasa along with your fellows," Alicia reassures Vivantha as they all get comfy, Marie pouring out tea for everyone. "We've asked for you because we're looking into unorthodox lore regarding the infinite staircase. Specifically the hypothetical bottom of it."
Jessica inclines her head in greetings, "We fought Hell. That's enough. Though - how is Muirfinn? Has he recovered fully?"
Vivantha takes the tea and sips, "Muirfinn's doing very well. The sick on Lifasa are well tended, and there will be tortles there. They're doing well, and recently they had contact with the new irrigo children. They were fascinated by the tortle's shells, and the tortles were happy to have a deep sea creature that was wholly friendly to them and theirs."
"I'm glad," Jessica says, then with a look to Alicia, "But we can talk about that later. If you would?"
"My apologies," Vivantha replies to Alicia, "Our legends say there is no bottom. In truth - we don't know and our kind privately holds differing opinions. We hear all manner of stories from our own and from others."
"That about matches what we've heard," Alicia agrees, having a sip of her tea. "Can you put us in contact with any scholars or explorers who've been searching for the bottom? I'm not sure how fruitful it would be since if they'd found it already we'd know, but perhaps we could help with reaching some form of conclusion."
"I will," Vivantha says, "Here." She takes off the delicate crown of crystal she wears, "Show this to any lillend, they will understand the gravity of the situation and aid you. I suggest starting by contact with Valnala- she is said to be the foremost of the scholar-sages who investigate it."
Alicia reaches over to take the crown from her. "Thank you Vivantha. We'll return this to you soon - and if there's ever anything we can help you with, don't hesitate to ask."
A moment's consideration.
"Could I speak to Syala?" Vivantha asks. "Brave Hero and I would like to start a family and..." A trail off. "We are not precisely compatible to make children without intervention."
Aren't outsiders supposed to be really good at that kind of thing? "Of course, let me get her now," Alicia says agreeably.
Syala, could you come visit? Vivantha is petitioning for your aid in a family matter.
Syala appears, "I overheard," she says easily, offering her hand to Vivantha. "I'll show you some options."
Once that hand is taken they're gone.
Jessica hms, "It's a start," she says, "Also, don't tortles lay eggs and lillend bear live young?"
"When has that ever stopped a half dragon from being conceived?" Alicia asks Jessica in a bland tone.
Jessica has a hand to her mouth, a few giggles muffled. "Well, then love will find a way?"
"I hope it will. After all the hard fighting to save Lifasa and what Muirfinn endured in particular, they deserve some happiness," she agrees. "Now, we don't have time to go look up Valnala right away so we'll leave that until after our meeting on Mechanus. Will you hold onto this?" she offers Vivantha's crown to her sister.
"Gladly, sister," Jessica takes the crown.
Okay, who is going on that meeting and any prep for it?
Alicia, Antenora, Jessica, and Marie. No specific prep beyond the usual spells for going out and about.
I mean I guess I'll make a knowledge check for the specific part of Mechanus we're meeting in. Take 10 for 101 on planes with all the buffs.
It's Gear 49240. It's remote and secluded, used for various quiet meetings under the protections of Mechanus for all sides. Nothing fancy there.
That's fine then.
The song of the gears is steady and soothing. As you step forth onto the gear - smooth metal, no semblance of nature on this one - you can all hear it.
Antenora takes a moment to listen, expression soft and contemplative.
Jessica turns to Marie and doesn't say anything, but smiles faintly.
Ahead lies a large domed building, blockish in build and made of polished steel. It's bright, well kept and unmarred. Vast doors lead within, large enough for a tarrasque to head in.
Marie just smiles and shrugs back at Jessica. It's dull and wearying but sacrifices must be made.
Alicia at least is soothed, waiting for everyone to get their bearings before she walks towards the building ahead of them. She's armed and armoured, but she doesn't really consider that important to worry about at a peaceful meeting, not with everything else they're all capable of. Going unarmed or the like is just posturing when magic and power are so readily available.
No matter what this music soothes me, Alicia. It gives us an advantage.
Meanwhile, Antenora and Jessica are the same for how it matters for beings of your power. You stride in, all one great domed space. The walls are richly colored silver-gold, with murals of the Inevitables here. All serving something higher, from the smallest ones to the greatest, from on end to the other to ultimately loop around and begin again.
It is here he awaits. The Adversary is robed in black, a hood up to hide his face. He studies the mural with seeming calm, hardly a reaction at all. Instead as you approach?
Sylica.
Alicia takes a look at the mural as she walks in, stopping once they're addressed. "Oinoloth," she says aloud. "We are here to parlay with you."
The robed creature turns to you, gaze hidden by his hood.
I know what you wish to gain. I can provide this information.
What is it you want then, daemon?
Sharran trinkets, enchanted items and even artifacts. If they relate to disease or poison, all the better.
Alicia considers this while conferring with the others.
We don't have anything disease specific - and I would be loathe to provide such anyway. Dragodan's sword or armour may suffice. Would you be willing to hand such items to the Oinoloth, Antenora?
Antenora does not turn away from the Adversary. I am loathe to. I fear all too well they'll end up back in Shar's hands.
Yet I know I would like no request the Adversary makes and that we must stop Violet. I can live with it.
"Marie, would you return to Sylica and fetch the sword and armour from your recent prize? Either should suffice here," Alicia says, Marie bowing and departing.
She'll return soon enough, but it does give time to converse if anyone wants to take it!
Assuming no one does, Marie returns bearing a suit of armour and a sword.
Shadow's Victory: This long sword+9, ghost touch and unholy is made of shadow stuff hard as adamantine and with double the base hit points of adamantine. As a free action, the wielder can have Shadow's Victory become any type of bladed weapon. Regardless of the form, it appears as a steel weapon with a serrated edge.
For every shadow within 400ft of the wielder, Shadow's Victory grants the wielder a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, armor class, saving throws and ability checks (maximum +20). If the total morale bonus +5 or higher, the wielder gains immunity to critical hits. If the total morale bonus is +10 or higher, the wielder gains a fly speed equal to a greater shadow's fly speed and the ability to pass through solid objects as they wish. If the total morale bonus is +20, Shadow's Victory deals double damage against living creatures.
Oblivion's Paean: Full plate armor+8. This armor increases the wearer's strike of oblivion class feature's damage by 2d4 points of damage. The wearer's caster level for spells with the darkness or evil descriptors rises by 1. Spells with both descriptors rise by 3 instead.
"We've seen little in terms of disease from Shar, but either of these is a prize worth Rosewater's secrets," Alicia says to the Adversary.
As Marie is gone?
Why did you oppose Aurora in the Astral?
There is a few moments of silence before, Why did you support them?
You're new, likely have a thousand daggers aimed at your back and you know that any serious expansion into the Astral would have every force agree to crush you. You're too cunning to make a foolish move like that without a strong reason. Plus what do you care of the slaad? You chose to meet at Mechanus.
Alicia lets Antenora try and sate her curiosity without any interruption. Whether the Adversary will be forthcoming or honest she rather doubts.
Silence is the answer.
I know you, daemon. I only question why you have made the choices you have made.
Jessica's quiet as well, watching the exchange.
You think you know me, angel?
Antenora gestures, a trail of opal blue light lingering in the air after. A sweep of her arm. Your poison betrays you, even if you have stilled your tongue. It's hardly a secret to us, devil. Even now, you chose Mechanus. Perhaps you have forsaken your lawful nature, yet still have many contacts here.
Another few moments before Antenora continues. Why?
For one moment it flares - a feeling of drowning in poison. It fades with the slightest effort of your own divine will, cleansing yourself of such a sensation.
We agree on one thing, angel. There is no future in Hell.
We agree.
"You have that much in common, even if you took that knowledge to different conclusions," Alicia says mildly as Marie returns with her Sharran treasures.
The sword and armor are examined.
A hand, death white and colorless, rises to grasp the blade. When contact is made shadows run up the Oinoloth's arm. He does not react to them.
In the air a scroll appears, of white letters on black parchment. Antenora takes it and scans it momentarily, "This should do," she announces.
"Then if there is no further business we'll take our leave," Alicia says. Maybe he just wanted to get a look at Jessica and take her measure?
The Adversary is gone, leaving the party alone.
Wordlessly, Antenora hand you the scroll.
Alicia gives it a read once it's handed over.
It looks like details about Rosewater - how to reach it, defenses and so on and so forth.
I'll get into details over the weekend, but we're near session pause time so I'm being handwavy for now.
Satisfied with that, they go home so they can plan their assault and lance this particular boil on Creation once and for all!
Rosewater
To reach Rosewater, you must be invited, been touched by the Styx or bear this scroll. You must travel the River Styx for 66 miles from Khin-Oin, any means of transport besides teleportation will do. I suggest magic to make yourselves unseen and unknown for this journey. With this scroll you will find Rosewater.
There is a trivial enchantment to make the weak lie down to die within. It is of no consequence to you, merely showmanship. Crush a golden statue of Malcanthet beneath Violet's manor if you wish to end it.
The demons will resist, there are legions of lusty thralls who serve the succubi and lilitu within. Slay them. This will be no great problem for you, they are for lesser beings. They are lead by a balor of no great power or renown, notable only for the triumph of a night's relations with the Queen of Succubi. His death will win you little honor, for he is a speck sent there as a pawn.
Teleportation is stopped by the astral links being severed around Rosewater. You will not be able to overcome these means from outside, but you may be able to inside. Your divine will shall suffice to do so. I will not oppose your effort.
There are whore houses and other entertainments, as well as dungeons beneath them. The demons and demon thralls within are of little consequence.
Beware Samora. She is the spawn of a green dragon and Malcanthet, though wholly free of divine potential. She is a sadist who can inflict pain on anyone with a word and a gesture. She has dallied with several devils who serve Belial and is served by the spawn from those couplings. She resides beneath Violet's manor. Samora and all of her spawn like nothing more to incapacitate a foe with pain, strip them and use them until they pass out from the pain. Violet finds them distasteful but Malcanthet allows them to live.
Robeaux is a powerful tiefling warrior who enjoys cutting his foes with blade and word. He is not quite a true threat, but he is an annoying foe is you are so foolish as to be ambushed by him. Unlike most demons, he is not immune to poison. He has been given a dark paladin's blade that bestows on him greater unholy powers.
Violet is strong. Stronger than she should be, for she has glutted herself on her research. She will be a worthy foe, should she live long enough to face you. Her magic is now potent.
Expect archers, spells and hidden catapults to oppose you as you march in. The true danger is Violet and Malcanthet herself.
---
You are back in Sylica. You sit in Antenora and Marie's garden, the plants a riot of colors and tangles - except where Antenora sits, which smooths itself out into orderly rows.
"We have our means in and information," Antenora begins, "Information I believe given to betray Malcanthet. Such is the nature of the yugoloths. We also must know that we cannot rule out the Adversary's double betrayal."
"We have our chance now," Latha concurs, "We take it and crush them. Alicia, I wish to go for this battle. I must test my new self."
"As will I. I will carve my ascendancy in the souls of the leaders of the wicked." Antenora concurs, "Jessica?"
"I have searching to do, though I can take a respite to watch Sylica. The divine seeds are my interest right now, Antenora." Jessica admits, sitting beneath a shady apple tree. A ripe red apple sways in the breeze, a short fall into Jessica's hand. She takes a bite before going on, "You want a mailed fist, not a silken sneak."
"A chance to fight Malcanthet? I'm going," Syala says, "This is long overdue."
"We are going to have to sneak in there so they don't see us coming," Alicia says, politely ignoring Marie as she braids daisies into her hair. "But myself, Syala, Antenora, and Latha should be plenty. We can make ourselves invisible and fly over the Styx - for the distance needed it should take a little over three hours. We can remain stealthy to bypass the initial defences and open our assault by attacking Violet or one of the other notables directly, gut their strongest defenders before they have a chance to prepare or rally. That way if Malcanthet does appear, she won't have much local support to count on."
"That hinges on an important fact: How strong is Violet now?" Antenora asks, "How far has her profane arts taken her? A first strike to slay her and capture her soul makes good sense, but it's worthless if she's become too powerful to assault."
"Nor if she's protected enough to make an ambush impossible," Jessica muses aloud. "Those are also worse case scenario. A third as well: Could she be a proxy of Malcanthet?"
Latha looks up at the sky, lost in thought for a few moments. "Reasonable worries, but also only worries. If we are not sufficient to do this, vanishingly few are and Violet may never be stopped."
"We've already handled one proxy of Malcanthet," Alicia points out. "But from my read... I don't think Violet would be a proxy. She's already gaining power quickly, power borne of theft. I don't think Malcanthet is naive enough to trust a part of herself to a demon with that skillset."
"Unless she's getting a lot out of it," Antenora says, "Is it possible Malcanthet is being augmented in the same way?"
"It doesn't change our plans," Syala points right out, "Consider it, but we aim to win no matter how strengthened they are."
"Yes, it's not as if we're going to scare ourselves out of acting just because the enemy is strong. Be aware of the risk but the cause requires it to be braved," Alicia says as Marie stands back to admire the cute little bouquet she's put into the war goddess's hair.
At this moment Jessica looks over, "Marie, that's good work. You should wear more flowers, Alicia, they suit you."
Antenora cracks a smile and clears her throat. "No fear, only rational consideration. A fair fight is a just thing, but knowing your foe is a wise thing."
"How pretty," Latha agrees, "Though I think more of a splash of color would work with Alicia's hair. Something with more strong, bright colors."
It's a pretty simple posey, just white and yellow from daisies. "It looks very girlish, brings out your youth," Marie says.
"Thank you Marie, but lets focus please," Alicia says, holding still with the flowers in place. "Does anyone have anything to add for our strategy that we can use in terms of those eventualities?"
"Nothing concrete, it all depends on getting there and managing this ambush, or having to fight it the hard way," Antenora finally says, "I'd suggest the strongest invisibility spells on the trip as well as mind blank."
Latha agrees with a quiet word, "Best that we not slog through legions of fiends and give Violet all the time she needs to prepare."
"Then we're agreed," Alicia stands up - carefully so as not to ruin Marie's hard work. "We'll depart in an hour, be prepared."
Okay then, that begs the question of prep. Go ahead and give me the generals, I'll make any additions others wish to add.
Alicia will cast extended mind blank and nondetection on all four of us (DC 46 on the nondetection), CL 35
Marie will cast epic mage armour on everyone for +22 armour AC, CL 39 (actually 35 but easier to mark it as 39 because she gets +4 to the DC to dispel her force spells)
Syala will cast pass without trace and mass camouflage on all four of us so we can't be tracked with scent and we get +10 circumstance to stealth. CL 34.
Alicia will alter reality an invisibility sphere for us when we travel and refresh it as we go so we can keep track of each other so long as we stick close. Same for greater heroism (CL 34, +4 morale attack/saves/skills and +20 temp hp.
Alicia HP: 704+20/704
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 34), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 39), pass without trace (CL 34), invisibility sphere (CL 34), greater heroism (CL 34)
Defences: AC 79, CMD 90, spell resistance 49, 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 49), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +10 armour AC, +10 circumstance stealth, +4 morale attack/saves/skills
Perceptions: Arcane sight, perception +55
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/4/8/8/7/7/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/9
I'm going to start this in a new thread I think, but getting the spoiler block up now, which I'll paste over after.
Pass without trace is alter realitied since it's a first level spell. Same with mass camouflage.
Latha has a couple of mass energy immunties, in case there's an element you think is worthwhile to block. She has celestial valor but that's cast closer to go time. Same with life's grace.
Syala has mass freedom of movement, mass power of the huntress and Syala's blessing to hand out, but nothing right now.
[spoiler]
TODO: Armor bonuses.
Antenora
HP: 816+20/816
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear)
Bonuses: Attack+4 (+4 morale), Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+4 (+4 morale), Skills+4 (+14 stealth)(+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Holy Fury 37/37 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 12/12 Channel Energy 17/17 Lay On Hands 476/476 Remove Disease 10/10 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 25/25 Divine Blast 17/17
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Nondetection (CL35), Epic Mage Armor (CL39), Pass Without Trace (CL34), Mass Camouflage (CL34)
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: 34 for base smite damage, 68 for charging smite +2 per per level. So 102 bonus damage baseline. Raw attack plus smite is 1d8+135+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.
Latha
HP: 756+20/756
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Holy Light 30ft (7d6+7 damage vs evil/round) Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 14/14 Sun Devotion 4/4
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active:
Notes: Level + 17 extra damage per hit vs undead during sun devotion.
Channel Energy: Multiply by 1.5 due to empower turning.
Syala
HP: 680+20/680
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 7/7 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 2/2 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active:
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.
What are the durations on those spells from Syala? We'll probably do most of our combat buffs once we're closer so this is just the travel stuff.
Acid immunity's probably a good call with the green-dragon girl around. Sonic immunity's probably worth grabbing for anyone that tries to get cute with circumventing the usual immunities.
FoM is 10 minutes per CL, Huntress is 1 minute per CL and Blessing is 1 round per CL.
Mass Energy Immunity x2 cast by Latha for acid and sonic. Okay, new topic incoming.
[spoiler]
TODO: Armor bonuses.
Antenora
HP: 816+20/816
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear)
Bonuses: Attack+4 (+4 morale), Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+4 (+4 morale), Skills+4 (+14 stealth)(+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Holy Fury 37/37 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 12/12 Channel Energy 17/17 Lay On Hands 476/476 Remove Disease 10/10 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 25/25 Divine Blast 17/17
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Nondetection (CL35), Epic Mage Armor (CL39), Pass Without Trace (CL34), Mass Camouflage (CL34), Mass Energy Immunityx2 (Acid, Sonic) (CL34)
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: 34 for base smite damage, 68 for charging smite +2 per per level. So 102 bonus damage baseline. Raw attack plus smite is 1d8+135+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.
Latha
HP: 756+20/756
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Holy Light 30ft (7d6+7 damage vs evil/round) Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+4 (+4 morale), Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+4 (+4 morale), Skills+4 (+14 stealth)(+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 14/14 Sun Devotion 4/4
Spells Used: Mass Energy Immunityx2
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Nondetection (CL35), Epic Mage Armor (CL39), Pass Without Trace (CL34), Mass Camouflage (CL34), Mass Energy Immunityx2 (Acid, Sonic) (CL34)
Notes: Level + 17 extra damage per hit vs undead during sun devotion.
Channel Energy: Multiply by 1.5 due to empower turning.
Syala
HP: 680+20/680
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+4 (+4 morale), Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+4 (+4 morale), Skills+4 (+14 stealth)(+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Rage 7/7 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 2/2 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Nondetection (CL35), Epic Mage Armor (CL39), Pass Without Trace (CL34), Mass Camouflage (CL34), Mass Energy Immunityx2 (Acid, Sonic) (CL34)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.