Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

This takes place a little before the current arc of the Coda. It's in Afina's most recent block of free time and is meant as a warm up while the others finish the dungeon they're in.

The clang of metal on metal fills Afina's ears as she works on another suit of armor. Such is her life many days, devoted to equipping Aurora's crusade with the best equipment she can make. Glorious heat billows out from the forges, but yet it is a sadly dry heat.

As Afina puts the finishing touches on this set of armor, Simmer watches from nearby. She keeps quiet during Afina's efforts, merely keeping her company. Of course, this solitude does not last. Elena pops in briefly - dressed unremarkably for once. "Afina," she says, "Crystal's looking for you."

Afina is fully equipped and ready for trouble at a moment's notice! Her only buff at the moment is Greater Mage Armour which can be assumed to always be up unless dispelled.

With her steamy white hair and clammy skin both covered in clothes of vibrantly clashing colours, Afina's an odd looking little pixie of indeterminate gender from a casual glance, though the skirt and otherwise feminine cut of her attire helps make up for her biological shortcomings when it comes to expressing her gender. Not to mention her adorably girlish voice heard as she speaks up while moving the mithral chainmail away from Medi's forge onto a floating disc of magical force so she can drop it by the laboratory for enchanting. "Did she say what it was about?" she asks, heading towards one of Aurora's ubiquitous portals.

"Want company?" Simmer straightens and stretches. She starts to fall in step towards the portal as well.

"Yes," Elena smiles a little bit, "She's looking for a partner to make some money with. She's still deeply in debt and doesn't want to sell anything."

"Sure, it'll probably be less boring for you than watching me craft," Afina gives Simmer a little smile, knowing her own magic and alacrity focused methods of item creation, while impressive, lack the pyrotechnical flair of someone more bent on pounding hot metal over a roaring forge. "Where can we find Crystal, then?" she asks Elena, heading through the portal to one of the labs so she can leave her latest creation for later enchantment when she has free time, knowing Elena can easily keep up the conversation through any transits around the fortress.

"The cafeteria," Elena says, winking away once that's done.

As the two pass through portals, heading towards there, "It's not that it's boring," Simmer retorts, "It's that you don't use enough fire. I mean, you melt the metal, but there could be more fire."

Crystal's found in the cafeteria. The noise of it is familiar, warriors coming and going. There's a few familiar faces - Balyss and Tepen are eating and deep in discussion. Canderella's off by herself, slowly eating some grapes and staring off into space. In any case, "Afina," Crystal smiles, "Good day to you."

"It's just quicker and easier to reshape the materials with my mind rather than messing around with hammers and anvils," Afina says, flexing a slender and unassuming arm, "Don't really have the build for it either," she adds, for all that her unlikely musculature fair abounds with elemental potency. "Crystal!" she smiles at her fellow pixie, fluttering over to join her at a table. "What's this about some money-making scheme?"

Simmer chuckles but lets it go, following Afina.

"The simple truth is that I'm both destitute and in crippling debt. As of this moment, I owe over 58,000 gold." Crystal sips a pixie-sized glass of milk, "A remedy is needed immediately, especially since I can't even afford proper protections for Hope."

"I'd offer to lend you some," Simmer settles on, concentrating before a plate of something completely burnt appears before her. "But that wouldn't really help, would it?"

This gets Crystal to grimace and shake her head, "I need to escape poverty, not sink deeper into it. It's disgraceful for a high member of the court to be so indebted."

"I'd probably still be in debt if Jaela hadn't helped me out with Dana's armour," Afina admits, seeing no shame in such a situation, for all that it is certainly a pain. "I don't have much in the way of money available to loan myself either," she adds, pausing a moment before a plate of boiling hot spicy soup and some crusty buttered bread appears before her, in appropriately pixie-sized portions. Dipping the bread in the soup and taking a bite, she looks over at Crystal, "Which means of course that I'd be happy to take part in any sort of money-making scheme for my own benefit as well. Do you have any ideas for something we could do to gain some quick wealth?"

Crystal sighs and takes a long drink of her milk before replying. "Unfortunately, the best way is the most common way. As it is so crudely put, kill evil and take their things. I can't come up with anything better that would be more effective, though I'm loathe to fight evil with a purely mercantile mindset. What profit is it to do good purely to line one's own pockets, instead of for what's right and the freedom of others?"

Simmer slowly nibbles on her...whatever it is. Charcoal or close enough with how it's burnt. "There's always gambling in Brightwater. If Tymora blesses you, you can make a fortune in a single day. Or you could go fundraising, requesting money for Aurora's crusade."

"No." Crystal swiftly shakes her head, "I'll not go as a pauper purely to line my own pockets. Though, I confess I had expected an answer involving much more fire."

Crafting can make one quite wealthy, although Afina's been quite diligently putting all the profits from her efforts into the Aurora general fund - since everyone paid to get Medi's wondrous laboratories and forges rebuilt it seems only fair that everyone should profit from their fruits. Besides, it wouldn't include Crystal and she'd be insulted by charity. "Robbery really is the quickest way to wealth," she says without sugar-coating it. "It's served us well so far, though we should probably avoid going after any dragon hoards. Things have been quiet on that side lately so lets not be provocative. Didn't Ithea have some sort of dungeon in Limbo that she did quite well out of?" she finishes off her bread as she thinks, before bringing a scalding spoonful of soup to her lips, trying to think of any avenues that could work for them...

Between her craft skills at +35 (weapons, armour, and sculpting), and knowledge arcana and nature at +35/+37 respectively she'll take 10 on relevant checks that might provide quest hooks suitable for their needs.

"I know, I know." Crystal sigh as Afina thinks.

Crafting can earn good and steady money, but it's not quick and not something Crystal can do herself. Arcana and nature bring something to mind. As magical creatures, pixies are sometimes sought by spellcasters for pixie dust and other components. A pixie that's willing to do things like that can make solid money in it, let alone pixies as exception as Afina and Crystal. Dweomerheart would be the natural place to seek this.

"I might know something in Fire," Simmer pipes up, "Remember when you first met me and I had those scrolls, including that spell that restored your memories? There's a few groups there I don't really get along with. One's allied to Imix, Prince of Elemental Evil for Fire. There's always knocking a group of them around. You could also go after efreet, but they tend to be more organized and careful, like devils. They're not far removed from them."

Unfortunately Afina's wings are more apt to produce pixie condensation rather than pixie dust these days, though she doesn't doubt there's someone who'd pay for that. Given Hell's scrying tendencies she's leery of selling any body parts however. "Either one of those sounds a likely prospect," she says, liking Simmer's idea. "I suppose the two criteria are which would net the biggest reward, and which would benefit our cause most?"

A pause as Crystal frowns mightily, "Ah yes, the efreet. Slavers and monsters, one and all of them. I have heard nary a single word that exonerates them from the same sin as the baatezu."

"They are. I don't know a lot, but common fact on Fire holds that they sell captives to serve in the Blood War." Simmer finishes her meal, dismissing it with about half left. "I've met a few who have been cordial, but I learned early on that efreet respect displays of power. When I meet one, I make sure they know I can cook them as easily as anything else." A little smile comes to her face, "The one that tried something anyway burned so wonderfully."

"Be that as it may, I still don't know that much about them. Do you, Afina? If not, we should ask another who is more knowledgeable. I confess they strike me as foes worthy of smiting. Especially the slavers."

"We could ask the Three Wise Men," Afina says, using her nickname for Tepen, Vul'lath, and Muirfinn as she finishes off her soup, letting the crockery vanish the same way it appeared now that she's fed herself. "But the general concept of attacking slavers who support the devils is sound - back before we found Aurora I battled many soul traders across Gehenna." Though it took her a little while to figure out the difference between devils and demons, and even that the two hated each other so much. Eventually she managed to target her efforts a bit more. "It's a disgusting business, but also one that enriches those who participate. If we can find a group that say supplies slaves and mercenaries to Bel's armies, we'd be winning on both counts."

"Let's," Crystal says, the three going to find information. By chance, Tepen's unavoidably occupied with Balyss and Muirfinn is busy with something to do with The Father. It's Sage Vul'lath that is found in the library, looking up from a tome wider than he is and massive, floating in the air with  magic.

> roll 1d20+57 K:P Vul'lath
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 70 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d20+28 academic lore Vul'lath
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 35 > [d20=7]

"The efreeti," Sage Vul'lath frowns, a gesture of his hand closing the book in front of him. It flies back to Aurora's libraries, "You seek the ones who supply the Blood War? There are many, though most ultimately can be traced to the same diplomat. Efreeti are fond of order as the devils are, there are ultimately easily traceable lines of authority. Slavery for other means is far more diversified, but the political climate of The City of Brass and the Sultan's Court encourages a certain isolation in the main slaver for Baator."

"It must be an enormous business," Afina says, thinking that if they go after someone responsible for all of the flesh traffic between Fire and Baator they'd need to mobilise all of Aurora's forces for a grand battle. "Can you tell us about this diplomat? And if he's too well fortified for a small force to take, perhaps a lesser subsidiary so we can at least do some pruning around the edges?"

Crystal's tiny little fist balls up, while Simmer just takes a seat to listen.

"I can," Sage Vul'lath says. "His name is Akil bin Faheem, emir of the efreeti and known as the special diplomat of the Crimson Firebrand. He is one of the oldest surviving emirs, he served under the Crimson Firebrand - the original Grand Sultan - during his conquest of the efreeti tribes and the establishment of the City of Brass." Here the old gith sits deeply back in his chair, steepling his hands together. "He has cast his lot with Baator. He is the main liason between Baator and The City of Brass, the cog that ensures that the Treaty of Flamesky is honored and cooperation between the two races continues."

After a moment and no immediate reply from the others, "He is also unassailable. He resides deep within The City of Brass, surrounded by his servants as well as devil retainers. To attack him directly would be an act of war against the efreeti, for the Grand Sultan could not overlook such an affront. No." A long shake of his head, "Finer means are required. No, I would recommend attacking his slave ranches dotted about Fire."

There's another pause, before Crystal says tightly, "Slave ranches?"

Vul'lath smiles ever so slightly. It's not a nice smile, "Yes. Here slaves are properly prepared to serve Baator and held until they are sold. Crush one, free the slaves and take the wealth the efreeti so crave."

She'd like to say that the Sultan's time will come, but killing Asmodeus and his eight cronies is already the work of an eternity... nevermind Tiamat's on the list as well. Afina's a small fairy with big plans! "A pity, but we don't need to open up another front," she say. Besides, the city of Brass is probably as fortified as the Brass Citadel on Avernus, and perhaps too much even for Aurora's full might at the moment. "But attacking slave ranches is sound - we followed a similar approach when we attacked minor devil holdings across Lifasa not too long ago, when we rescued Ellese. Any ideas for fruitful targets, then?"

"Information on them is scarce, but I do know of one." Vul'lath says, "There is a swamp in Fire. Not as we reckon it, but one of lava and strange rocks that grow as trees, known as the Pyre's Marsh. Within there is a slave ranch, along with a portal to Avernus."

"That's well and good," Simmer says, "But where in it? I've heard of it, it's not small."

"Details elude me, but I know of one thing. It is within a day's travel of a great dragon's skeleton, a foolish white dragon wyrm that sought to devastate Fire. He challenged the efreeti and lost."

"If a portal's there it's probably highly trafficked, we could certainly do worse for targets. Are both of you interested?" Afina asks Simmer and Crystal. "I could either give you fire resistance or make you part fire elemental again, whichever you prefer," she adds for her fellow pixie. "Same for Hope."

"I'm in," Simmer says, "They do sound like the sort that need to be more on fire."

Crystal nods, cute little pixie face twisted with a sharp frown. "Yes. I'd rather you not draw on that power, I know it weakens you. I can get full protection from fire from Tepen and you can have your full resources for this skirmish."

She just likes to share the gift of fire, it'd be nice to have three pyrofey all in on this... even if she's part water elemental now she still maintains a strong connection to fire so as to hold up her agreement with Magmasoul after all! "Speaking of Tepen and his spells I'll need to requisition a scroll of Gate so we can evacuate the slaves afterwards. Plane shifting and teleporting will suffice just for getting there." Turning back to Vul'lath she bobs in the air before him. "Thanks for giving us this tip, hopefully we'll find a nice present for you amongst the efreet's belongings!"

Scroll of Gate purchased here (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101784.msg1059653.html#msg1059653)

Plan is to use racial plane shift to Fire then Simmer can teleport us to Pyre's Marsh and we can search from there

Crystal and Hope have energy immunity (fire) cast on them, CL 22nd.

The party - Afina, Simmer, Crystal and Hope - plane shift to Fire first of all.

> roll 1d100 Since you appear in a range with planeshift, seeing if you appear anywhere interesting
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d100=23]

The party appears in an open place in Fire. Flames are all around, the ground blasted slag beneath them. Simmer looks around and takes a deep breath of smoky, choking air. "Home," she says with a happy little sigh. "Do you want to try aiming for the dragon or try elsewhere in it?"

This thread has 3 NPCs going, so I'm going to be tracking them in topic, versus just notes for Sylvie in the other thread. A conditions update will be in the next post.

[spoiler]

Simmer: 278/278 - 1 7th level charge spent.
Crystal: 223/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22.
Hope: 484/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22.

Afina casts Moment of Prescience as her other all day buff before departing.

The steam pixie looks similarly content to be on one of the two elemental planes her spirit is tied to, for all that Fire's inhabitants are on the whole far more objectionable than Water's. Though she's only met one marid to compare with the devil collaboration of the efreeti race, it's enough for her to pass judgement! "The dragon's our only lead so far, so lets go with that," she agrees, looking around and seeing nothing noteworthy in her immediate surroundings. "Once there we can strike out and circle around it to find any traces of this ranch."

Crystal coughs a few times, waving a hand in front of her face. "Let's," she says, perched on Hope. Simmer likewise nods, casting her spell to take them along.

> roll 1d20+22 CL check
<Serith> Kozzz roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=11]

You appear before it - a burnt black dragon skull, far larger than any of you. Flames dance around it yet do not touch it. You stand on a small island' of ash and volcanic rock, lakes and pools of boiling lava all around you. This is broken up by islands as well as trees. These trees are made of solid rock of black, red and brown, rising up from the lava. They bear leaves of fire, crackling like miniature campfires.

Simmer quickly looks around, "Something tried to interfere with the spell," she speaks up, a frown following. "I think I was able to power through it."

This is certainly one of the prettier parts of Fire, appealing to sylvan and elemental sensibilities both! Even the lakes of lava are enough to fool her watery side into feeling comfortable, for all that it's the wrong kind of liquid. At Simmer's comment she frowns as well, casting detect magic and looking around. Their start point was random and innocuous, so any interdiction must be on this end, she thinks.

[16:56] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+37 spellcraft
[16:56] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=5]

> roll 1d20+31 Simmer will do the same
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 38 > [d20=7]

Afina can detect there's a few enchantments around the skull. One is a spell to make teleport more accurate when this is the destination, reducing the odds of the teleport missing. The second is a sort of shunting, diverting a teleport to a second location once it's fixed onto the skull. In other words, it draws you in and then sends you off somewhere. Fortunately, sufficiently strong magic can overwhelm it. It aims more for subtlety than raw power.

Simmer's frowning as she looks around as well, "A good sign," she finally announces with a growing smile, "It means someone cares enough about this area to protect it. Most likely it means there's future burn victims to be found."

[spoiler]

Simmer: 278/278 - 1 cantrip and 1 7th level charge spent.
Crystal: 223/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22.
Hope: 484/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22.

"Who knows, it could even redirect a teleport straight into their slave pens," Afina muses, half considering a teleport to let it do whatever it does... but no, if they're to fight it should be on their own terms, not in a killing ground of the enemy's choosing. She's been on the other end of that often enough with her devil bindings to know how that's likely to go. "Lets head out this way," she points in the direction the dragon's skull is pointed at, just for a random reference, "And start spiralling around. It might take a while but we should find something sooner or later," she says, starting to flutter off in the direction indicated.

Alright, let's begin with Spot checks from all. Roll and post yours, Afina.

[17:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+35 spot
[17:38] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 52 > [d20=17]

Of course Afina is naturally attentive to her surroundings, looking for any clues as to slaver activity or random ambush both!

If Simmer needs flight Afina will use a limited wish to give her Overland Flight, speed 40 average manoeuvrability for 23 hours. This gives her 50% spell failure for the next hour.

> roll 1d20+31 Simmer spot
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 51 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+6, aiding Afina Crystal
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+32 Hope
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 37 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d100=20]

You wander for several hours, getting an idea of the terrain. The local terrain continues in the same manner. This isn't anything new - great cauldrons of lava frothing against stony shores, trees of ashen rock rising up towards the bonfire sky and the constant crack-hiss of flames. It continues like this with no end in sight.

Meanwhile, the local fauna is considerable. There are large lizards who bask on the stone islands and roll in the ash, orange-red and disinterested in the party. Sparrows of flame fly in the skies and nest in the stone trees. They sing sweet songs that resemble the bubbling of boiling water. The clouds weep a rain of embers that covers all in gray-white grit, which is blown away as winds pick up.

It is in this that you finally come on something interesting. Afina is flying when she spots a ripple far ahead. An odd waver in the air, a blue tint to it. It's a few hundred feet away, wavering to her keen eyes.

"Wait here, I think I see something," Afina tells her companions, flying low to make use of natural cover to occlude her approach as she casts detect magic and approaches within 60 feet of the ripple to give it a better look.


[18:45] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41 hide note darkstalker feat
[18:45] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=5]
[18:45] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+37 spellcraft
[18:45] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=10]

Conditions: Fire dominant (3d10 fire damage a round), fire enhancement (fire spells and SLAs are maximized and enlarged as appropriate), water impeded (water spells are impeded, DC is 15 + spell level.

Crystal comes to a stop, a hand on Hope's neck stopping the fairy dragon. Simmer just hovers where she is, "Alright," she murmurs, settling in to wait.

Studying the ripple from a save spot behind a stone tree, Afina can tell it's a wide area invisibility spell. Simple but impressive in scope, far more area covered than a mere second circle spell. Further, it's specially enchanted to be effective against outsiders with the fire subtype or any elemental. These creatures can't see it with anything short of true seeing. However, Afina's sharp eyes were able to notice the subtle shifting of the spells wavering around each other. On such a large scale, the wavering is unusually large.

Could this be the slave ranch? She'd honestly expect it to be more out in the open given the dominant ethos on Fire, but then again she does know it only takes a few people with the right stuff to make some serious trouble for an entrenched evil. Flying back to Simmer and Crystal she relays her findings, "It's a wide scale invisibility field, tailored to block out Fire creatures in particular... thinking about it, didn't that devil outside of Gathgorian's fortress use something similar? Food for thought," she hums. "I'm going to try sneaking past it to see what's on the other side without bringing it down - it doesn't seem to be alarmed, but be ready to charge in if you hear a racket?"

Crystal nods, "Of course. I'll be ready the moment you need it, should your efforts go awry."

Simmer merely smiles and looks on, "Save a few for me, don't hog all the burning to yourself."

Calling on her rarely used invisiblity, Afina once more sneaks back towards the shimmering, and this time doesn't stop until she's gone past the area warded. Not too far, just enough to see what's on the other side.

On passing beyond the shimmering, Afina finds herself at the front gate of a massive, fenced ranch. It stretches quite a ways in all direction, the lava pools here giving way to cooled rock. It's much cooler here, akin to a hot day on the Prime Material. There are about a dozen fenced in areas, each one with a few hundred creatures wandering there. They wear rags and simply stumble about, glassy eyed and unresponsive. Each one has a pair of efreeti watching over them, usually leaning against the wood fence. The efreeti are armed with scimitars and wear chain mail, many with conical helmets to go with it.

Beyond all of that is a large farmhouse in the classical style. It's as if someone took a farmhouse from the Prime Material and put it here. There's also a red and white painted stable to the side.

And there it is! Afina holds back on the urge to go infiltrate that house, since she doesn't want to deprive Simmer and Crystal of their fun, so she flies back to her fellow fey. "It's the ranch alright," she says, appearing out of thin air before the two. "Thousands of slaves and maybe two dozen efreeti out in the open, and surely more inside the buildings I saw there." Nothing they can't handle of course, unless they happen to be legendary genies, which she doubts for those who spend their days watching over dispirited and either drugged or enchanted slaves. "The interior keeps the conditions of Fire away as well - the slaves don't look like locals, so be careful if you throw any dispels around," she warns. Though with that many getting them all out of here even with a gate is going to be tricky, they can call for further help from Aurora if needed. "Do either of you have any preparations to make before attacking? Do them now," she puts that into action herself, casting a few beneficial spells for the impending battle.

Casting Shield and Greater Heroism

"Slavers," Crystal scowls, readying her sword. "Queen of Stars, aid me in turning vanquishing the nightmare ahead of us." She bows her head in prayer and says that in a calm, clear voice. Holy light expands around her and Hope like a nova, dimming the red flames around you with an explosion of light. "There will be justice today." It is almost painful to look at Crystal now, more angel of light than pixie.

Crystal casts barkskin herself and shares it with Hope through share spells. That's an effective +2 natural AC for her and +5 for Hope. She then follows up with righteous fury on herself and Hope for +4 sacred to Strength and 50 temp HP for both of them. Then she follows up with Inner Beauty for +4 sacred Dex and Cha for both of them.

Meanwhile, Simmer considers and then shakes her head. "I'll be fine." Still, she pauses to murmur a few words, a disc of force surrounding her.

Shield on Simmer for +4 AC.

Go ahead and let them on, Afina.

Leading her friends back towards the distortion, Afina brazenly flies above the ranch's outer pens with Hywelbane II drawn and at the ready, the tiny silver blade gleaming with holy potency that's all the same drowned out by the aura Crystal is generating. "Slavers and collaborators with the Pit, know that your actions have not gone unnoticed!" she calls out in a voice far too cutesy sounding for these kinds of declarations. "Your enterprise here is henceforth terminated, in Lifasa's name! Lay down your arms and surrender, you will receive no further warnings!"

Not that she expects for a moment that they'll surrender, but it's important to let them know who they're dealing with. She's fully prepared to start gutting genies at the first sign of resistance.

Casting a searing fires of purity just before crossing through

Crystal follows, Hope growling low as she follows right behind Afina. Simmer takes up the rear, "One and only chance," she calls in Ignan, "Give me a reason to burn you alive."

The various slaves don't even react to it. They just stare about, seeing everything and nothing with those far away gazes. The various efreeti look up at this declaration, laughter erupting as they draw blades, taking to the air to rush to the party. "Women dare?" One jeers, while another leers with eyes like coal, "Little pixies playing at hero?"

Init here, zero chance of either side surprising the others. More info will be in the post that sums up initiative.

[21:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+26 init
[21:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 35 > [d20=9]

> roll 1d20+10 Simmer
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+13 Crystal
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+16 Hope
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+10 efreeti gang
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=20]

Initiative order is: Afina (35) > Efreeti Gang (30) > Crystal (29) > Hope (27) > Simmer (11)

Open Afina.

The efreeti are gathering - they're spread out right now, but they seem to be rallying approximately 50ft ahead and 10ft above the party. There's space in all directions to work with and no sign of noise from the farmhouse, which is 500ft or so away.

Unfortunately any wide area effect spells will endanger the slaves, so Afina can't really just lay waste to the efreeti as a collective. That just means she'll have to take a bit more of her time with things. Hasting herself and her allies as a matter of course, she answers their laughter with her blade, scything through two of the nearest ones before flying straight up and above their assembly point!


[21:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+49 bounding assault assuming evil outsiders #1
[21:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=1]
[21:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+49 bounding assault assuming evil outsiders #2
[21:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 67 > [d20=18]
[21:23] <@Ebiris> OOC: -5 on that last one
[21:23] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+22+22+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 fire/holy/bane/skirmish/swift
[21:23] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 91 > [d4=2][d6=4,2,6,6,2,2,5,5,4,4,5]

Afina dives into the fray, blade slicing at the first. This one is unnaturally fast, bringing up his scimitar to block the blow. But the second isn't nearly so skilled, stomach slashed wide open by the blow. Moments later, holy power explodes in rays of light throughout its body, causing it to cry out as it collapses into a heap of burning charcoal.

The various genies stop cold at that decisive strike. All eyes turn to Afina, the laughter gone. Some point at Afina, others gesture. But several things happen at once. Beams of fire slam into and around her, but they have no effect on her. Dull red light surrounds her, lulling her eyes slowly shut...

> roll 1d20+13 SR check vs Afina's SR
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=6]

But this magic crumbles before her, little more than a mild annoyance. As they stay and gawk, Crystal is not idle. She spurs on Hope and they charge at the one Afina missed, plunging right at it with a wordless battle cry.

> roll 1d20+20 Efreet AoO
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+52 (+2 inner beauty, +13 smite, +2 charge)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 68 > [d20=16]

Also Rhino's Rush. I'd normally not allow it since I forgot to include it in the roll, but as this is the first time using her in awhile, I'll give her a pass on it this time.

> roll 3d6+93
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 106 > [d6=2,6,5]

The efreet swings at her as she closes in, but Crystal is too fast. She zips by, blade out. A flash as flesh is cut, a starburst of pure white light exploding from the efreet's shoulder. It spreads rapidly, consuming the genie in one fell swoop.

Hope holds since he's part of Crystal's routine right now. Simmer's up in the next post, sec since this one is getting long + chance to react.

[spoiler]
Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 1 st level paladin spent, 1 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 36, Hit+37, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +4 ref.
Hope: 484+50/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 58, Hit+39, damage+2, ref+2.

Realistically she knows, no matter how skilled you are not every hit is going to land. It's just a simple matter of luck in the end. Even so she feels irritated at missing that first one, thinking she must have spent too much time making weapons lately and no enough time wielding them. At least Crystal's there to spare her blushes by cleaning up afterwards!

Simmer stays where she is, merely gesturing as 4 of your foes suddenly...

Casting Horrid Wilting. Using greater maximize rod to maximize. She applies empower to make it a 9th level spell and also makes it a battle spell. She wants them rather dead, you see.

Damage is 120+60+60 for a total of 240 base damage.

> roll 1d20+12
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=5]

The four simply shrivel up like an old sponge. They become bunched up and crumble away into dust in mere seconds. As alarm raises even higher...

Afina, you're up. Go.

"I think that was a little bit excessive, Simmer," Afina laughs, seeing the sheer magical potency that the pyrodryad put into that one spell. "Save some for whoever's in charge around here!" She briefly debates trying some fancy aiming so she can take out more than two with a fireball or something, but deems it more trouble than it's worth to do so without hurting Crystal, so she satisfies herself with blitzing through another pair of efreeti with lethal stabs before moving further towards the house.


[22:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 bounding assault #1
[22:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 58 > [d20=8]
[22:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+45 bounding assault #1
[22:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=2]
[22:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+22+22+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 fire/holy/bane/skirmish/swift (fire ignores fire res/immunity)
[22:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 89 > [d4=2][d6=3,1,2,6,4,1,5,5,5,6,5]
[22:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+22+22+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 fire/holy/bane/skirmish/swift (fire ignores fire res/immunity)
[22:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 79 > [d4=1][d6=4,5,1,2,4,1,3,5,3,5,1]

With a flash of speed, Afina decapitates one after the other. Two more fall, little more than brunt charcoal on the ground. As the slaves silently watch the proceedings, the remainder vanishes away, each one blurring before they vanish entirely.

Free act for the moment, the survivors beat a hasty retreat.

Well she can't begrudge them wanting to flee in the face of such an overwhelming assault. Killing these guys doesn't give her the same satisfaction as she'd get from killing devils anyway. "Come on, lets hit the main building," she tells Simmer and Crystal, ignoring the slaves in their pens for the moment as she flies towards the big house.

"Onward!" Crystal cries, Simmer following more sedately. You fly to the farmhouse. It's two stories with windows, if one cares to go that way. There's also a fancy front door if you'd rather try that. No one seems to be around except slaves, at least for now.

[spoiler]
Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 1 st level paladin spent, 1 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 36, Hit+37, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +4 ref.
Hope: 484+50/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 58, Hit+39, damage+2, ref+2.

While destroying the house would destroy the treasure they're hoping to steal, Afina has no qualms about doing a little selective destruction rather than wasting time with possibly trapped doors. So she points a hand at the wall of the building above the front door and launches a green beam of disintegrating power to vaporise a huge chunk of the house's front wall away!

disintegrate kills as much as a 10 foot cube, which depending on wall thickness could strip away a pretty huge section. Restraint is not being practiced.

[23:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 ranged touch
[23:05] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 59 > [d20=16]

With a large part of the door now gone, the remainder hits the ground with a loud clatter. Ahead is a nice, fancy sitting room. There's a huge stone fireplace with a roaring fire, plenty of nice furniture and a golden tint to the walls. Gold and amber decorate tastefully, making the firelight all the richer. Standing a mere 15ft away, right before an overstuffed chair, is an efreet. This one wears bracers, a loose white tunic and red pants.

The efreet smiles. A smile that shows lots of teeth as he claps, slow and regular. "So is this how fey commit suicide?" He asks. "Do you have any idea who you're crossing here?" He speaks in crisp, perfect Sylvan. There isn't a hint of an accent at all.

"Please, do you think this was happenstance?" Afina retorts, not sullying her native language to banter words with this one. "Your commerce with Baator has been noted and marked you as our enemy. Your fate will stand as a warning to others who stand by devilkind," she says, keeping up with the terrible and ominous language at odds with her natural tone of voice. "My name is Afina Devilsbane. I stood against Tiamat. I killed Abigor. And I am not concerned with the threats of an arrogant genie collaborator. En guarde!"


[23:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+26 init
[23:20] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=19]

"No, it's how self entitled, arrogant pigs face justice." Pointing her sword at the genie, "It's high past time to bring it to you, slaver." Crystal's eyes narrow as she says that, "How many lives sit outside, interrupted for coin?"

"Too many," Simmer adds on, "I don't care who your boss is and how offended he'll be. Time to burn." She tosses a little fireball from hand to hand, "You ready?

> roll 1d20+10 Simmer
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+13 Crystal
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+16 Hope
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+12 Efreet
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=3]

Init order is: Afina (45) > Simmer (29) > Crystal (20) > Efreet (15)

Not listing Hope since he'll just hold on Crystal anyway. Open Afina.

Vul'lath did say there was a portal to Avernus here, and if Afina were a gambling pixie she'd... well she'd be in Brightwater trying to make money that way. But she'd also be willing to bet that the portal's in that white and red building off to the side. And much as she'd enjoy the prospect of slaughtering any devils that try to poke their noses through, she knows that with her name dropped it would only be a matter of time before Nessian Pit Fiends or worse showed up to make things altogether more complicated. Thus before dealing with the efreet she makes time to deal with the suspected portal, channelling her natural affinity for speed magic into a tremendous burst that accelerates her beyond perception - and firing off another disintegrating ray at the stable to expose whatever it hides! And whatever it is, she'll deal with it.

Sacrificing a 7th level slot for 2 rounds of time stop, using the first to fire a disintegrate at the stable...
[07:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 ranged touch
[07:42] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 55 > [d20=12]
Will determine what actions to take on the second once this resolves.

Where exactly at the stables are you aiming for?

The wall facing me from where I am at the front of the house

The beam hits the side of the barn, a cube-hole made in the wall. Inside you can indeed see a barn, down to bales of hay and some horses. But in the middle, you can glmpse a swirling red portal, flames occasionally poking out from it.

Maybe she should have gone to Brightwater after all? No, this is much more productive. A prismatic wall springs into being flush against the portal, putting paid to the hope of any diabolical reinforcements coming from that avenue, and as the magic begins to fade and reality around her speeds up its subjective time, she rushes at the efreeti slaver,  stabbing Hywelbane II  into his chest and stomach before kicking off and flying back right where she started!


[16:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+55 5th level arcane strike bounding assault #1
[16:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 74 > [d20=19]
[16:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 5th level arcane strike bounding assault #1
[16:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 66 > [d20=16]
[16:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+55 5th level arcane strike bounding assault #1 crit check
[16:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 61 > [d20=6]
[16:55] <@Ebiris> roll 2d4+44+44+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 fire/holy/bane/skirmish/swift (fire ignores fire res/immunity, base damage counts as silver/holy and epic)
[16:55] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 128 > [d4=3,2][d6=6,6,3,1,3,2,3,1,6,3,1]
[16:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+22+22+2d6+2d6+5d6+2d6 fire/holy/bane/skirmish/swift (fire ignores fire res/immunity, base damage counts as silver/holy and epic)
[16:55] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 87 > [d4=3][d6=3,6,3,1,2,4,6,4,6,2,3]
[16:56] <@Ebiris> roll 10d4 arcane strike damage, forgot to include that
[16:56] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 21 > [d4=3,3,3,1,1,1,1,4,2,2]

The figure moves fast - faster than you'd expect, almost a blur. Yet Afina is faster, plunging blade into his middle. The efreet flickers once and vanishes, save for a few motes of light. Afina doesn't need much to know an illusion or projection when she sees one.

Free act.

This is kinda my bad since I didn't start noting it in the spoiler bit until a couple posts ago, but I have blindsense 30. Would the illusion have fooled that? I don't want to waste time redoing stuff but if so I may as well claim those 5th level arcane strike charges back.

"I've blocked the portal for a few hours, but he's probably organising reinforcements from his own side," Afina says to Crystal and Simmer, nonplussed by the illusion and its attempt at stalling them. "Lets start turning the place over for anything we can use before we deal with the slaves. Even with the portal blocked I don't doubt it'll be long before Nessians start gating in on us."

That's reasonable. I'll chalk it up to you not having ran Afina for a long while. We'll both need to keep that in mind for the future. His illusion defeating blindsense would depend on what your blindsense is based on.

"I will stand watch with Hope," Crystal says, "Listen for my shout in case the enemy emerges swiftly."

Meanwhile, Simmer cracks her knuckles and smiles, "Sounds good. Let's find something to make this worth it, then make a nice bonfire out of the place."

Searching the place, I presume? What's the plan and what are you looking for?

Primary searching for magic stuff with detect magic up, then portable wealth in the form of jewellery or statuary (Afina only has +10 appraise with her native int, but she has +35 sculpting so she should know what's what when it comes to statues), and then coinage. Floating discs will be used to carry stuff unless Simmer or Crystal has a bag of holding they can lend. Taking 10 for 47 on search

"You could start organising the slaves," she suggests to Crystal, "They'll need to be well positioned and mobilised to get them all through the gate in the time it will stay up, so we may as well get ready to leave now. We'll take them to Aurora on Air and then see about repatriating them to their homes afterwards." Confident her two friends can handle things from there, she sets to diligently and efficiently turning over the manor for anything that can be requisitioned for their Crusade.

Simmer has a bag of holding, she uses it for her emergency supply closet of fire.

Afina and Simmer get to searching the place as fast as they can.

> roll 1d20+31 search Simmer
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=19]

The first story is a luxurious sitting room, a smoking room (it literally is filled with smoke), a fancy dining room, kitchens and a few bedrooms. You toss them in a hurry, finding little within your parameters. There's gold and amber decorations in the sitting room you fought in, but they're securely fit into the wall. Not impossible to undo, but it would take time. The dining room has a collection of silver studded with small rubies, which could be taken if you wish. The smoking room has an 9 inch tall figurine of a cornugon, carved of glassy obsidian and with little chips of opal for eyes.

You also find a stairway to the second floor, as well as a discreet passage that leads to a stairway going down. No noise from Crystal yet, as Simmer says, "Up or down?"

I'll update loot when y'all are done searching.

"You go up and I'll go down?" Afina suggests, thinking it better to hurry through this. She doesn't think there's any opposition waiting for them inside at this point, but every moment brings reinforcements closer down on their heads.

silverware is looted, cornugon statue is smashed

Simmer goes on down to search with a quick nod, the two hurrying along. Upstairs, Afina finds mostly bedrooms. Nice ones by and large, well decorated and some looking lived in.

Notable things found include the following:

4 caches of coins. One is a loose pile in a drawer, two others are coin bags and teh last is a chest full of coins. Counting them would take time. They're mostly gold and platinum and are of various mintage and makes.
Several pieces of jewelry. Bracelets, rings and earrings are the most common.
A gold statue of a dancing woman.She's quite pretty. The statue's about 6 inches tall.

There's lots of other riches beyond Afina's chosen scope - decorations, paintings, finery and so forth, but they'd take more time.

The coinage is all dumped on a floating disc hastily conjured, Afina not bothering to empty any of it from its containers and just dumping bags and chests wholesale onto it, where they're swiftly joined by jewellery and the tiny statue - it could be a wingless erinyes or something but really only cornugons in particular draw that much ire from Afina where she's offended simply by their image. Not wasting time trying to figure out which paintings are masterworks and which are trash, she takes a look out a window facing the pens to check Crystal's doing okay before she flies downstairs to find Simmer.

You see Crystal is herding the slaves towards the exit and generally together, all while keeping watch. No sign of trouble - yet. Going downstairs, you find smoke rising from the basement stairs, Simmer standing just past them. "I found a few things, but down there is largely ash now. It's where the efreet dealt with the slaves, I think."

"This hasn't really been as productive as I hoped," Afina admits, funnelling the contents of her floating disc into Simmer's bag of holding. "I suppose the 'wealth' kept here is the slaves, but we can hardly sell those. Lets go home," she says, flying out to rejoin Crystal. Once all the captives are appropriately lined up she brings out her thankfully fireproof scroll of gate. "I'm about to open a portal to the elemental plane of Air," she calls, projecting her cutesy voice to carry. "Starting at the front I need you all to walk through in order. Keep moving so those behind you can pass. You'll be cared for on the other end and returned to wherever you called home. Do you all understand?"

As Afina says that to Simmer, starting to move contents of her disc into the bag of holding...

Will saves, all. Bonuses and protections against scrying apply.

[17:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+34 will
[17:00] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 35 > [d20=1]


edit: do note that scrying typically allows sr

> roll 1d20+21 vs Afina's SR of 38
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+23 Simmer Will save
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+21 vs Crystal's SR of 36.
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 37 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+29
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=15]

I'm aware, but it's easier to have you roll the save first and see if it's even relevant. (I had to get up as I was finishing that post, so moving it onto you speeds things up a bit.)

The party heads right on out. The slaves obey without protest, no reaction to it beyond simple obedience.

How long does a gate spell last?

17 rounds assuming I bought a CL 17 scroll. That's what I paid for anyway.

Reading from the scroll a gate appears to the peaceful blue skies of Air. "Now go, go, go!" Afina urges the prisoners, not wanting any time wasted on gawking or questioning.

Slaves begin to go through. They are not the most energetic travelers ever, but they obey. As they begin to, Simmer comes in, "There was a well down there, one that produced a poison. I think it's what did it to them. It's burning now."

The rate looks to be about 5 per round. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40. It's then that there's a rumbling - the sky shakes, the ground cracks beneath your feet. The light of the burning sky dims even as the 45th slave reaches the freedom of Air.

Afina starts hasting the slaves because that is an abysmal rate of travel, and certainly not enough for her to get them all through on just one gate spell. "Good work, we should clean it out of them at Aurora," she says to Simmer. "But I don't think one gate is going to be enough for this many. Can you run through and fetch Tepen or someone else that can cast another gate?" she asks before looking up at the darkening sky. "I don't think we'll be unopposed for long."

Lets say I spend 5 hastes on hurrying things up. Affects 115 targets

Haste doubles the rate. 55, 65, 75. "On it," Simmer says, hurrying through the portal and away. Meanwhile, the sky darkens even more. It shudders and ruptures like a wound bursting its stitches. What comes through it is a massive wyrm that blots out the fire-light of the sky, plunging the ranch into near darkness. It is made of black scales with lines of lava-red running throughout it, providing faint light to see.

K:A checks here.

[17:51] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+35 arcana
[17:51] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=14]

> roll 1d20+31 Simmer K:A
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+33 fairy dragon has K:A too
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=16]

The creature before you is a pyroclastic dragon. A great wyrm in particular and it looks furious. They're noteworthy for having a breath weapon that deals either sonic and fire damage or disintegration. They have immunity to fire and sonic as well as an array of spell-like abilities along the same lines. They lack the draconic sorcery that metallic and chromatic dragons have, but many train in magic anyway, which just makes them even deadlier.

The majority of them actually live in Gehenna rather than Fire or Baator, but they're known to serve as mercenaries to any and all. They usually aren't (overly) violent except when they're really angry. Unfortunately for you, this one looks angry. Afina's internal musings are disrupted by the dragon roaring loud enough to crack the ground beneath the party.

Saves vs dragon fear. The slaves are too drugged out to feel anything like fear, so they're immune. Rolll init after, as we're going right into this. This is the slightly delayed effects of the dragon's appearance, just put off a post so that we can get knowledge checking done first.

Currently immune to fear thanks to greater heroism
[09:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+26 init
[09:05] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=14]

> roll 1d20+31 Crystal Will save (+2 inner beauty)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 51 > [d20=20]
Hope is immune to a dragon's frightful presence as a fellow dragon.

> roll 1d20+11 Crystal init
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+14 Hope's init
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=19]

> roll 1d20+10 dragon init
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+9 ???
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=2]

Initiative order is: Afina (40) > Hope (33) > Crystal (31) > Pyroclastic Dragon (22) > ???(11)

Open Afina.

[spoiler]

Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 1 st level paladin spent, 1 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 36, Hit+37, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +4 ref.
Hope: 484+50/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 58, Hit+39, damage+2, ref+2.

Unfortunately Afina has to keep this gate in place until someone comes to put up a new one, so she can't chastise this dragon as she'd like. But that doesn't mean she can't help in her own way. Hasting herself along with Hope, Crystal, and a bunch of unfortunately drugged up slaves, she flies up towards the dragon and draws Afame for the extra defensive boost it can grant her. With the brand on her forehead she should present a good target and allow Crystal and Hope some free shots on it. "I even specifically tried to avoid dragons," she grumbles, preparing to dodge whatever it does.

Swift to cast haste, move to move and draw weapon, standard to concentrate on gate spell. Keeping at least 50 feet from the dragon and trying to get altitude so any breath weapons aimed at me won't hit the slaves.

From the category of I should've included that in the last post, dragon's 500ft above the party. How far do you fly in light of that, Afina?

60 feet straight up is all I can manage so I'll do that.

Afina flies up 60ft, coming to 440ft of the dragon.

Crystal bristles, raising her sword to the dragon. "For Queen and Lifasa!" she calls, spurring Hope on. They fly 200ft straight up, the beginnings of a charge towards the dragon above. Both suddenly glint as if a mirror reflection, before multiple pixies and fairy dragons dance around one another.

Popping greater mirror image. Dragon is up.

> roll 1d4+6 8 max
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 7 > [d4=1]
> roll 1d4+6 8 max Hope
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 7 > [d4=1]

7 mirror images for both of them via share spell.

[spoiler]

Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 1 st level paladin spent, 1 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 4th level paladin spell, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 37, Hit+38, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +5 ref, 1 extra attack on full attack. 7 images, 1 regenerates a round.
Hope: 484+50/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 59, Hit+40, damage+2, ref+3. 1 regenerates a round.

The dragon hovers where it is, a roar that shakes the world around you. There's a potent surge in the air, Afina able to feel magic being drawn into the dragon. It then extends a claw out, a thin blue beam arcing for Hope.

> roll 1d8 mirror image 1 hits
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 1 > [d8=1]
> roll 1d20+44 touch AC
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 64 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+44 touch AC uh oh
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 52 > [d20=8]

No caster level check, as it can't fail the roll.

> roll 1d20+22 fort
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=5]
> roll 80d6
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 307 > [80d6=307]

That is some marvelously bad luck for Hope. The disintegration was largely just seeing how the party would react to it, since mirror image is up and range is a concern right now. Sometimes you draw 4 cards and get 4 aces.

Crystal's trusty steed is hit dead on. Parts of it simply crumble to ash - a wing, part of its side, most of a leg. Blood gushes from the new wounds, pouring down below. Yet Hope doesn't stop, flying on at Crystal's shrill cry. But as this happens, ghostly, mostly invisible armor appears over the dragon. The dragon is girded like a warhorse in barding now.

'Aurora,' A silky voice rustles in Afina's mind, 'Surrender or be dragged into Baator for all time!'

Afina, you're up. Go. Spellcraft can be made on either spell if you care to.

Taking 10 for 47 on spellcraft

"Whatever they're paying you isn't enough," Afina grumbles, flying up another sixty feet while maintaining her focus on keeping the gate going.

Using Afame's swift action for +4 dodge AC

Afina can tell the first one easily enough. It's disintegrate. The second one's another classic, greater mage armor. Not only is it a dragon, it's now an armored dragon. That can't be good.

Meanwhile, Afina reaches to 120ft up, 380ft from the dragon. As she positions, "Forward!" Crystal calls, as they move to 100ft away from the dragon. Hope obeys despite his grisly wounds, and as he does, his body partially heals. Wounds cease to bleed and flesh regrow, fixing the worst of the injuries.

Heal mount on Hope, +150 HP to him. Dragon's up.

As Crystal continues to rise, the dragon stays still. Yet blue spellfire gathers around it in a tempest, slowly becoming a sphere. This sphere flies down at Crystal and Hope, exploding around the duo.

> roll 1d20+41 Crystal evasion
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+27 Hope improved evasion
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=15]

But when the burst clears, Crystal and Hope are untouched, continuing their headlong charge at the dragon. As this happens, a shimmering field appears around the pyroclastic wyrm.

Afina's up. You can spellcraft if you please.

[spoiler]Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 1 st level paladin spent, 2 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 4th level paladin spell, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 37, Hit+38, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +5 ref, 1 extra attack on full attack. 7 images, 1 regenerates a round.
Hope: 377/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 59, Hit+40, damage+2, ref+3. 1 regenerates a round.

"Great, a dragon arch mage," Afina grumbles before calling out a warning, "Careful Crystal, it's magic is more advanced than mine!"

Not stronger of course, she just followed a different path in her studies. But all that speed is worthless with her chained to this Gate.

taking 10 for 47 on spellcraft and ascending another 60 feet.

Apologies for the delay, eye doctor visit and a cold got me.

The spell fire is something unique, a customized spell. It looks like fire but is actually not. The second is something akin to shield of faith, which means the dragon now has a deflective field around it, rendering it even harder to strike.

"I noticed!" Crystal calls back as afina rises up to 180ft up, 320ft from the dragon. "We need Simmer back!" Nonetheless she charges in, braving the dragon's maw. The wyrm moves fast - not as fast as Afina, but still enough to be a blur to most. It goes right for Hope, trying to finish the wounded fairy dragon off.

> roll 1d9 vs images, +1 on turn thanks to greater mirror images
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 3 > [d9=3]

Hope is down to 8 images, Crystal is up to 9. Was a longshot, but hey, a freebie is a freebie.

But the dragon guesses wrong, chomping through a ghostly dragon image instead of the real thing. "Queen, guide my blade!" Crystal declares, as they barrel right into the underside of the dragon. She bursts into light, a nova of pure white that turns her into the outline of a pixie encased in glory.

Brilliant Emanation cast, forces the dragon to make a Fort save or be blinded.
> roll 1d20+35 pyroclastic dragon fortitude save
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 52 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d4 duration
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 4 > [d4=4]

Was a long shot too.

> roll 1d20+53 (+2 charge, +2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +13 smite evil)
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 57 > [d20=4]
> roll 2d6+62
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 66 > [d6=2,2]

Despite mystical armor and deflective force, Crystal strikes true. Her blade plunges into the dragon, a tiny thorn compared to the massive bulk above her. But the injury glows with the same radiance as Crystal, traveling in between the wyrm's scales. Cracks spread out as red light becomes white.

The roaring of the dragon shakes Crystal on Hope, making her cling on for dear life. She withdraws her sword and swoops back down, the dragon leaning into spew a blast of ash at paladin and rider.

> roll 1d20+41 Crystal evasion
<Serith> Diseased_Ko roll for Serith < 61 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+27 Hope improved evasion
<Serith> Diseased_Ko roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=13]
> roll 24d6 half fire and half sonic damage. Crystal takes no damage and Hope takes half damage thanks to improved evasion
<PlushieIthea> Sunshine_Ko roll for PlushieIthea < 78 > [d6=1,1,6,2,1,1,3,5,5,1,6,3,4,6,5,1,1,2,6,5,5,4,2,2]
> roll 1d4-1 recharge
<PlushieIthea> Sunshine_Ko roll for PlushieIthea < 1 > [d4=2]

39 damage to Hope.

The blast catches the two dead on. Hope suffers through it, burnt by ash and shaken by the titanic BOOOOOM after it. Crystal is untouched, not a single bit of it coming close to her. Suddenly the dragon begins to move faster, sped up in a familiar way to AFina. She doesn't need anything to know that the dragon just got a haste spell cast on it.

'It's your mistake. Only a fool challenges efreet royalty unprovoked.' The silken voice purrs into Afina's mind, 'We have the resources and power to bury your little crusade, Devilsbane.'

You're up, Afina.

[spoiler]Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 1 st level paladin spent, 3 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 4th level paladin spell, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 37, Hit+38, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +5 ref, 1 extra attack on full attack. 7 images, 1 regenerates a round. 3 rounds of brilliant emanation.
Hope: 338/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 59, Hit+40, damage+2, ref+3. 1 regenerates a round.

"Commerce with Avernus is all the provocation we need," Afina replies distractedly as she continues her painfully slow ascent, forced to keep the gate in effect rather than aid Crystal in battle.

same routine as last turn.

260ft up, 240ft to go.

No words from Crystal, who settles on pressing her assault instead, dodging draconic blows as she strikes. The light around her grows as she does, a wordless prayer capped by a battle cry.

Divine favor, +3 luck to hit/damage for Crystal and Hope.

> roll 1d20+41 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 43 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+54 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor, +13 smite evil)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 61 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+36 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 43 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+31 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 44 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d20+26 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 30 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d6+33
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 35 > [d6=2]

> roll 1d20+43 Hope bite (+2 righteous fury, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 51 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+38 Hope bite (+2 righteous fury, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 49 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+38 Hope claw (+2 righteous fury, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 39 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+38 Hope claw (+2 righteous fury, +1 haste, +3 divine favor)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 54 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d6+15+1d4+9
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 30 > [d6=3][d4=3]

Dragon and rider tear into the pyroclastic wyrm above. It's a fury of elegant slashes and savage bites on the dragon's underside. For every hit there's several misses, but they continue on relentlessly.

Instead of further pressing the assault, the dragon winks and blinks as more magic surrounds it. It teleports 250ft to the west, now 240ft above and 260ft to the west of Afina. At this angle you can see atop the dragon - a single efreet in red robes stands on the dragon's back. He kneels down and rubs something into the dragon's scales. As you watch, the dragon's wounds reverse, healing magic restoring it to full vitality.

"So that's your measure? A fortress that breaks us down and crushes us with futility?" Crystal shouts, "I won't have it! I won't tolerate it! Not from one of your murderous kind!"

Afina, go.

Chained as she is to the evacuation gate Afina is sadly unable to contribute at all, just flying another sixty feet up and taking a bored look down to see how the slaves are progressing through the portal. It's going to cut out in a few seconds whether she likes it or not but she can at least let a few more get away to safety. Not to mention providing an easy avenue for Simmer and whoever she recruits on gate duty to come through, since the teleport interdiction on the area might interfere with an incoming gate. "Just play defence for the moment, Crystal," she calls to her friend. "This will end shortly."

60 feet up, swift action for dodge bonus, concentrate on gate. And unless I miss my count it has 1 round left before it expires. Also adding heroes feast to cheat sheet - she did eat right before this after all.

Meanwhile Crystal covers 200ft to the west, positioning. As she flies on, the dragon spews another cloud of horrid ash at the duo.

> roll 1d20+41 Crystal evasion
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 56 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+27 Hope improved evasion
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 35 > [d20=8]
> roll 24d6 Crystal none thanks to evasion, Hope half thanks to improved evasion
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 98 > [d6=3,4,6,2,4,5,5,5,3,2,6,6,6,4,3,1,5,4,3,5,5,5,4,2]

49 damage to Hope.

But the light around Crystal vaporizes all that comes close to her, while Hope merely bowls through it, enduring the painful blast. The efreet meanwhile points at Hope.

> roll 1d20+19 Hope
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 26 > [d20=7]

Whatever that is, it doesn't seem to phase or slow down Hope at all.

At this, a second portal appears besides Afina's. Simmer steps through, "Afin-" she begins, before looking right up at the dragon.

> roll 1d20+23
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 36 > [d20=13]

But she shakes it off, calling, "Through here! Through here! In the portal," she shouts.

Adding Simmer to init.

> roll 1d20+10 Simmer init
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 20 > [d20=10]

Afina (40) > Hope (33) > Crystal (31) > Pyroclastic Dragon (22) > Simmer (20) > ???(11)

Go Afina.

[spoiler]Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 2 1st level paladin spent, 3 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 4th level paladin spell, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 37, Hit+41, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +5 ref, 1 extra attack on full attack. 7 images, 1 regenerates a round. 3 rounds of brilliant emanation.
Hope: 289/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 59, Hit+43, damage+2, ref+3. 1 regenerates a round.

And that is when a whole lot of things happen at once! Afina's own portal vanishes, hopefully the slaves can be smart enough to figure out they need to switch over to the new one, she has things to do. Speeding herself up massively through innervated haste, she starts flying more decisively towards the dragon and efreeti duo, casting as she goes! A trio of searing timed fireballs are launched out at the comparatively static wyrm and its rider, while brilliant flames coruscate up and down Afame's length. When time seems to return to normal for everyone else she's stopped at the same altitude as the dragon and 60 feet away, pausing just a moment to bask in the apocalyptic fury of her fireball spread tearing into them before she casts her free hand out and disjoins all the protective enchantments they've woven!

Sacrificing a 9th level slot for 4 rounds of time stop to move and cast, sending 2 searing delayed blast fireballs and 1 searing/blistering delayed blast fireball out, and casting a searing/blistering fires of purity on myself. Then Mage's Disjunction time!

The fireballs are all maximised for being on fire, and ignore all resistance/immunity. 23d6 for the first two and 23d6+14 for the last, so 138 + 138 + 152,  DC 32 reflex half. If the save on the blistering one fails they take -2 to attack rolls and checks until my next turn.

[22:02] <PlushieIthea> Ebiris roll for PlushieIthea < 30 > [d20=3]
[22:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 spell resistance searing fireball #2
[22:02] <PlushieIthea> Ebiris roll for PlushieIthea < 33 > [d20=6]
[22:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 spell resistance searing/blistering fireball
[22:02] <PlushieIthea> Ebiris roll for PlushieIthea < 46 > [d20=19]

Let me know how many rolls to make for disjunction and I'll do that in my next post?

Six effects, Afina. Roll for each one.

[spoiler]Simmer: 278/278 - Shield (+4 AC). 1 cantrip, 1st level and 1 7th level charge spent. CHANGED STATS: AC 44.
Crystal: 223+50/223 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22, Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. 1 2nd level ranger spell spent. 2 1st level paladin spent, 3 3rd level paladin spell spent, 1 4th level paladin spell, 1 5th level paladin spell spent. 1 smite used. CHANGED STATS: AC 37, Hit+41, damage +2 more. +2 fort/will, +5 ref, 1 extra attack on full attack. 7 images, 1 regenerates a round. 3 rounds of brilliant emanation.
Hope: 289/484 - Energy Immunity (Fire), CL 22. Barkskin (+5 natural AC), CL 18th. Righteous Fury (+50 temp HP/+4 sacred Strength), CL 18th. Inner Beauty (+4 sacred Dexterity and Charisma), CL 18th. Buffs: +5 AC, +4 Strength/Dexterity/Charisma. CHANGED STATS: AC 59, Hit+43, damage+2, ref+3. 1 regenerates a round.

Remember it nukes items too!
[23:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6#1d20+23
[23:34] <PlushieIthea> Ebiris roll for PlushieIthea < 26, 39, 31, 32, 43, 43 >

I'm aware, yes.

> roll 1d20+22 dragon
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 37 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+22 dragon
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 36 > [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+22 dragon
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 34 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+19 efreet evasion
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 23 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+19 efreet evasion
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 23 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+19 efreet evasion
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 28 > [d20=9]

Blasts of fire come from Afina, exploding at once as her augmented speed passes. The blast leaves them wracked and dazed, followed by magic around them crumbling. The glowing armor around the dragon fizzles out, following by it jerking it and shuddering in the air. All the fireballs caught them, the efreeti screaming as he melts down to boiling lead. The dragon roars in fury, screaming in draconic, "You little maggots BURN me?!"

Init is now Afina (40) > Hope (33) > Crystal (31) > Pyroclastic Dragon (22) > Simmer (20)

Crystal does not seem impressed, charging in without hesitation once more. She chants a spell once more, "Size is meaningless, only what lies within!"

Fell the greatest foe cast. Should've done this round one, forgot she had it. Rusty.

> roll 1d9 mirror image
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 4 > [d9=4]

Mirror image stops AoO.

> roll 1d20+43 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor, +2 charge, fell the greatest foe quick cast with battle blessing)
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 62 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+43 (+2 inner beauty, +1 haste, +3 divine favor, +2 charge, fell the greatest foe quick cast with battle blessing) crit?
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 55 > [d20=12]
> roll 3d6+60+5d6
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 94 > [d6=5,3,2,3,5,5,5,6]

Crystal's chrage goes right into the dragon's face. She leaps off Hope and lands atop the dragon's burning eye, before plunging her blade right into it. The dragon howls in pain, but she stays on there and does so again and again - until the eye gives way with a wet pop, gushes of blood and magma pouring from the now empty eye socket. Crystal leaps back onto Hope, pulling up and away from the wyrm.

The dragon concentrates - and is suddenly gone, vanishing with a ripple of magic energy.

Free act. You can act for now.

She should have dimensional anchored the dragon, but really killing it would have just resulted in Tiamat using its corpse to do something horrid like she had with that sapphire dragon Ithea had to contend with. At least she avoided that with that Rust dragon back on Lifasa, but the Blade of Endings isn't in play any more. "Good work, Crystal!" she smiles, flying over to regroup with her friend before descending towards Simmer and the remaining evacuating slaves. "Come on, lets hurry this up, there's nothing left to stay for here."

Crystal hops back onto Hope, the two flying down. "Yes, let's. I fear that was merely the emir's personal retaliation, rather than Baator's. I do not wish to face down the Nessians after a wyrm; for valor and discretion go hand in hand."

Flying down, you find Simmer herding the slaves through. "Tepen and Drena are handling them on the Air side. They don't even think to try and fly." Shaking her head, "They're completely dazed." Over half are through and more yet come. "I'm hoping Akil isn't willing to send an urgent message to his devil owners. Let's hope he's too prideful to make this even more interesting."

"It would be quite the loss of face for him to go running for help at the first sign of trouble," Afina agrees, "But he could play it as doing them a favour by telling them where to find us. We all know how much Hell likes to scry on our comings and goings."

For lack of much else to do she flutters around impatiently waiting on the slaves to all make good their escape.

The rest of the evacuation is uneventful. No further attacks, only the fire-crackling silence of Fire. As the last few go through, "A good day's labor," Crystal speaks up, healing Hope's wounds in the meanwhile. "Thank you, Afina. Know that should this slaver," Contempt colors Crystal's voice, dark and loathing, "Find this to be cause to raise arms against you, that I will be there."

"I should hope so, it was your idea," Afina banters back at Crystal good naturedly, pausing just before she goes through the portal to turn and drop a magmaberg onto the slave manor. There was lots of potentially valuable stuff there she never bothered looting, no sense letting anyone else get at it. And then they're back in Air, a nod to Tepen so he can close the gate. "Unfortunately I don't really think we made much money out of that once everything's all tallied up. They were the main product being stored after all," she gestures at the listless slaves.

Still, they'll spread some good word about the Crusade back in their homes once they're recovered and repatriated, and making commerce with Avernus more of a losing proposition for the efreet was worth doing all on its own. "A good day's work anyway. We should perhaps organise more privateering."

That magmaberg was just an iceberg spell energy swapped to fire. It's 20d6 bludgeoning damage either way across an 80ft radius, although I think it'd be maximised on fire because it's the spell descriptor and not the damage type that matters? Either way it's just a cheap parting shot. Plan now is to feed the slaves heroes feast food from the mess hall for poison immunity and if that doesn't fix them just put them up in the infirmary till they recover and we can start plane shifting/portalling them to wherever they call home over the next few days.

The magmaberg falls heavily on the farmhouse, smashing it and setting the timbers ablaze. It burns as a funeral pyre to the camp as you depart through the portals.

I was planning on condensing a lot of the slave recovery information, unless you want to be more hands on about it?

Not really, hence my summarising a general plan which can be delegate downwards! Lets go appraise our earnings and see if Crystal's clawed her way out of debt?

Loot post. We can sort that out on the side as we go on.

The rest of the day is lost to sorting and recovery. The next day has Crystal and Afina meet with Elena, who provides a summary of what's going on. She's dressed as a librarian today, down to ghostly glasses.

"Ahem!" Elena clears her throat, "The first part is a summary of the former slaves. They're from all sorts of places. Some are travelers in Fire and others were seized in raids here and there. Interestingly, few were taken on the Prime Material. Faheem's operations focus more on the Inner Planes and the Astral. The majority are skilled warriors but not greatly skilled. Nothing like Aurora's forces, which suggests he either avoids powerful mortals or keeps them elsewhere. There's also passingly few spell casters. Warriors are preferred, which may be his overall goal or may simply be the purpose of that ranch."

Elena clears her throat again. "Secondly, there's an appraisal of taken goods from ranch." She passes around a paper to both of them.

"Probably a lot end up as fodder for the Blood War," Afina surmises at the preponderance warriors rather than other more servile trades. "Still, if most are from the inner planes that probably means we can get them all at least close to their homes with only a few gates rather than having to filter between a few dozen different prime materials. And they can spread word of our Crusade and perhaps drum up more support for us across those planes?"

As the paper is provided Afina gives it a look, seeming unsurprised. "Once the attack was underway I started to realise we weren't likely to see much monetary profit out of this one. How's your debt looking now, Crystal?"

"Dented but intact." Crystal goes over the papers as well, "A blow has been struck against it, yet truly the greater victory was one of the soul. For all the zeal and righteousness of our previous battle, it is evident that the greatest value is in saved souls, rather than gold and lucre." She puts down the paper and taps a finger, "I greatly appreciate that and know it is more valuable than any amount of mere treasure, but doubtlessly it leaves us stuck in the same corundum as we began in."

Elena clears her throat here, "Ahem! So that means you need to vanquish more evil?"

"It's that or go gambling in Brightwater," Afina nods her agreement with Elena. "Unless you've come up with any other ideas?" she asks Crystal. "The only one that occurred to me was selling pixie dust for spell components, but since that can be used to scry on us..." she shrugs, "It's fairly demeaning too."

Crystal sighs long, "Gambling in Brightwater could be an adventure, but I admit I am loathe to put my trust in Lady Luck, for her whimsy and whim are as unfathomable as the slaad. I do think that perhaps a trip to Dweomerheart is not without merit, and that if done properly, it could be extremely rewarding in more senses beyond mere monetary gains."

"Hm," Elena hums at that, "Tepen has another idea. You just want to go take shiny things from evil doers, don't you?

This gets Crystal to perk up, "That would be a splendid option to have."

"Done properly, right," Afina repeats. "How do you even go about it? Stand on street corners and waggle your wings suggestively at passing wizards?" She giggles a little at the image conjured before perking up at Elena's interjection. "Preferably evil doers involved with Hell, but yes."

"AFINA!" Crystal reddens like a tomato, "You make it sound as if we would be common streetwalkers!"

Elena giggles as well, "That aside, I put Tannin and Tepen on finding a new quest for you. Galariel was sure you'd need it and he was right. You've heard of Mineral and all the treasures there? If you  haven't, the plane is fiercely guarded by the elemental inhabitants. It's the classic get rich quick scheme. You sneak in, succeed on getting a king's ransom and get out. The problem is that it's really hard to do since the elementals are relentless.

It turns out Hell can't resist. There's a little hideaway they have near the border to the Positive Energy Plane. One that serves Mammon and tries to steal anything they can. It would be a shame if something happened to it, don't you think?"

"That is what I was going for, yes," Afina chuckles before listening in to Elena's spiel. "I don't think extracting wealth from Earth or its linked planes is a good idea for us - Sunnis and Entemoch have been supportive towards us and they both made their disapproval of that practice very clear when we last met. Though speaking of I should visit the Cauldron soon to see about taking Earth into me..." she trails off at that digression and shakes her head. "Perhaps we could attack it and return the wealth to its proper place, but just like the last raid 'the greater victory will be of the soul,'" she quotes Crystal's own words from earlier.

"Hm." Crystal glowers a bit at Afina before going on. "Then perhaps we are going about this wrong. Rather than relying on our own efforts, perhaps we should talk around Aurora. Surely others will have ideas?"

Afina is singularly unimpressed by that glower, only showing a fractional smile in response. "Lets start with Kascha, then?" she suggests. And not just because she adores the eladrin. "She follows not just a dragon goddess, but one who in turn followed the merchant goddess and built herself up to her current station from nothing. I'm sure she'll be full of tales and ideas to inspire us on the road to riches."

Amid laughter, Elena says, "Yes, that's not a bad idea. She's in the courtyard with Ebony."

Meanwhile, Crystal just continues to give Afina a dirty look. "Yes, there may be wisdom in that. You mean Seira and Waukeen?"

"Don't pout Crystal, there's no shame in showing off a nice pair of wings like you have," Afina continues to tease if only because Crystal keeps biting. "I'm sure you'd have wizards lining up for you." Rising up from her seat and fluttering her own wings to take flight she allows herself to get back on topic. "But yes, that's who I mean. Lets stop by the library first though, since I did promise Vul'lath something nice from our raid. I hope he won't mind that the naked lady statue doesn't have wings, though."

Oh, Crystal's red as can be, but now she's gone from giving Afina a dirty look to pointedly not looking at her.  "Yes, let us get going."

Do you want to cover giving Vul'lath the statue IC?

Unless it turns out that Vul'lath does mind the lack of wings on his naughty statue, I suppose it can be skipped.

Vul'lath seems quite happy with his statue. As happy as he ever gets, anyway.

---

Catching up to Kascha isn't hard. She sits on a couch of phase spider silk, watching the Sylican spiders weave their webs. Ebony seems to have moved on since Elena mentioned her whereabouts. Kascha's gaze is steady as she watches them weave away in a corner of Aurora's courtyard. She doesn't even seem to notice or react to Afina and Crystal approaching.

"Hello Kascha, how are you today?" Afina asks, fluttering over and landing on the couch's armrest with her feet dangling off the side, torso twisted to face the blonde ghaele.

Crystal perches besides Afina, "Good day," she adds.

Kascha blinks and rubs her eyes, turning to the two pixies. "Oh! Sorry! I was completely lost in my own thoughts. Say, are pixies afraid of spiders?"

"Certainly not these ones," Afina says, given she's wearing a very fetching outfit of dyed phase spider silk right now. "Well, I can only speak for myself I suppose. Has anyone else been avoiding them?" she wonders. One of Ilsenine's rivals back in the Gloaming Forest had a very spidery motif and greatly favoured the creatures, but there aren't very many Gloaming Forest pixies around besides the four of them.

"Some of the common soldiers dislike them," Kascha admits, and then quietly, "I wasn't terribly fond of spiders in my mortal life, either."

"After the devils, what is a mere spider?" Crystal demurs, "Facing down Hell's servants renders fear over a mere spider quaint."

"That's a shame," Afina opines. "I don't really have any strong opinions either way on spiders in general, but there's certainly something charming about these ones," she nods her head towards the playful and obliging phase spiders. "Anyway, I was wondering if you'd be able to help Crystal and I with some advice," she says, moving to the point. "We're looking for ways to acquire wealth so Crystal can erase the debt she's fallen into. We tried raiding slavers on Fire, but their currency wasn't exactly one we could liquidate for ourselves. But I thought your Seira must have gone through a few fortunes in her time, and that might give you a few ideas you could possibly share with us?" she asks hopefully.

"Oh, you need money? Well, there's an easy way for pixies like you to make money," Kascha hums, "But you may not want your dust or essence out and about there, since it makes strong scrying links."

Crystal nods at that, "Yes, we've...discussed the possibility already, hence coming to you rather than embarking on a trip to Dweomerheart."

"Well Kascha is a wizard, you can't blame her if that's the first thing she thinks of when she sees you," Afina consoles Crystal. "But I don't think that'll make money in the quantities we require even aside from the scrying thing."

"Are we nothing but chances for magic for your kind?" Crystal crosses her arms, "Though I concede my own spell casting suggests the same."

Kascha smiles, eyes lighting up from that. "Well, I do have some experience. Seira sends me to my home lands sometimes and I have contacts there. I've picked up bits and pieces of ways to make money. In fact...hmmmm. It's in the same prime as the city of Balmuria and these occur in both regions. There's castles in the clouds that are owned by powerful giants. Some are upstanding folk and others, ah, are not."

"I see your meaning," Oh, Crystal turns back to her and smiles, "I have a spell that's quite useful for just that occasion."

"Do they drop galuh boulders on unsuspecting innocents living below?" Afina asks. With time and mellowing she feels a bit guilty over how she so harshly conscripted those giants who were only trying to enjoy their ysgardian holiday, though she can't deny it's worked out well for all concerned!

"No, but they do lead war parties for raids," Kascha remarks with a long, sad little sigh. "Most of the bad apples just lord over the landlings, but not all of them. I know a few that have done terrible things and that mortal efforts to stop them have failed."

"Well considering all the help we've had from your world, rooting out a few rotten giants is the least we can do," Afina declares. Not just in terms of the quality of recruits among their officers, the two deities from that world have both supported the Crusade greatly as well. "I like fighting giants anyway," she confides to Crystal, "They always get so indignant when you hit them."

"This is true," A smile grows on Crystal's face as she nods, "Yes, I do think this is a promising course of action."

That's it settled then. "So where are we going to find the worst of these cloud lords, then?" she asks Kascha, eager to go repay some of the favours Lifasa owes her world. "And do you want to come along with us?" she asks, making sure to offer since Kascha lives a less sedentary life than Vul'lath and might want to contribute to her own suggestion.

"I'll take you there. The one I'm thinking of is over eastern Pallanth, a local elven nation." Kascha gets up slowly, "It's an isolated tundra...that borders temperate forests on one side and warm plains on the other." Clearing her throat a little bit, "Geography can be a little strange in my world, especially after all the history involved."

Looks like they won't be seeing this famous Balmuria then. Though it makes sense since that city's supposed to be even better protected than the Throne of Heaven was back in Lifasa. "Magic, right?" she smiles at Kascha, taking flight. "I think the three of us should be enough, right Crystal?"

"Naturally so," Crystal says, "Unless these are some fearsome giants of the highest caliber."

"Oh, they're bad, but we should be fine," Kascha says, "We've faced worse."

"We have! We just saw off a great wyrm pyroclastic dragon yesterday," Afina nods. "Do you have anything to take care of first or shall we head off now?"

"Hmmm." Crystal stands, "No, we can leave when you're ready. Are we?"

That depends entirely on the last member of their trio, so Afina waits to see if Kascha can go now or has something else she needs to do first.

"I'm ready," Kascha says, "After all, sleep is nice but you don't get paid to sleep. I heard that from a visiting Waukeenite at the Cauldron and it is true. You have to get up and do things to make money. Unless you're really rich and have your money make money..." A little hum as she considers, "Financial systems like that are a bit like magic. Either you're a wizard who learns how to manage them, you're a natural sorcerer who just can, or you're lost and have no clue of what  to do."

"I think that's why we let those mercane hold onto so much of our money, yes," Afina agrees, heading for a portal so they can get out of Aurora for Kascha to take them to her prime. "I don't have a great understanding of it myself, it seems odd but apparently it works?"

As you're already in the courtyard, no portal is needed. As you pass by the Graceful Blow practicing, Crystal's eyes drifting over, "It's making money by moving and controlling money. Sort of." Kascha nods as she goes along, "It's about value and using money to make money, as well as so many other things."

Crystal tsks as she flies along, "It sounds something better suited for Baator's clerks as they scrabble for every last copper penny. Things have value and money is money. Is that not enough?"

"There's something called interest as well," Afina says, not greatly caring but making conversation. "Like if I'm 'interested' in a the contents of a dungeon or something I give money to some adventurers so they can outfit themselves with equipment and go clean out the dungeon, then they give me back my money as well as some money from the dungeon as thanks for my interest in them. That's right, isn't it?"

"It's not close to enough," You go out the gates and into Air, flying int he eternal blue sky. "And Afina's correct." Wobbling briefly in the air as she adjusts herself, "Now are all of you ready? I'm going to take us over."

With that, there is transport. For a split second the world turns white and then you're back on Air.

> roll 1d20+46 Kascha spellcraft
<PlushieIthea> Kotono roll for PlushieIthea < 55 > [d20=9]

"That's new. They must have recently put in anti-Astral wards. That's unusual for cloud giants." Kascha hums aloud, "Now if they did that, that means it probably extends in no more than a mile's radius and I was aiming rather close. That would be a rather conservative estimate, as there's no ley lines or obvious means to strengthen teleportation defenses there. Unless there's some sort of localized phenomenon going on or something tied to that legendary xixecal." On and on Kascha goes, speaking aloud as her gaze isn't quite there. "So change of plan. We'll teleport to the ground level and fly up. If that's somehow warded then something's gone way wrong."

"That's fine, we're all good fliers," Afina says, not really having expected to drop right on top of the giant's house anyway.


[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+10 heroes feast temp hp
[20:22] <PlushieIthea> Ebiris roll for PlushieIthea < 17 > [d8=7]

"Speaking of that," Kascha pauses, "Afina, did you read the report about the the xixecal there? I think Muirfinn mentioned it and I know I passed word of it up. I don't think it will be relevant here, but xixecals are tied to the Queen of Air and Darkness. Well among others, Auril of course has ties to them since they're gigantic glaciers with a divine spark."

Crystal clears her throat, "Fascinating, though I do fear we're getting rather afarfield from our current objective, no?"

"I haven't so much as thrown a dirty look at an unseelie since Lifasa fell," Afina says, more indulgent of Kascha's digressions than Crystal. "I suppose I'll be a little disappointed if I have to break that streak now. I think the ritual we were trying in the Gloaming Forest would have awakened a similar sort of creature, but you're better speaking with her Majesty about it than me, I wasn't involved beyond just hearing the word during a lull in the fighting."

"Well, in very short: Don't mention it and don't spread news of it. Such a creature can sometimes tell its being talked about. That's bad." Ticking off fingers as she goes on, "There's some mountains where legends suggest one lies and it's stirring. Just in case this ties to it. I don't think it will, but..." With a light shrug and a smile, "Let's go - oh, are you bringing Hope, Crystal?"

Crystal shakes her head, "Hope deserves rest after his injuries yesterday. We're sufficient to deal with giants in any situation."  There's a moment of silence wheres he meets Kascha's gaze, "...though with what you say, prudence suggests bringing Hope is more important. A moment." Crystal quickly returns with her mount, "Now I'm ready."

You appear in a snowstorm. It blows all about a flat plane, a light storm that sends eddies of winter all about. It's cold here, well below freezing.To the west you can see massive, faraway mountains reaching towards the highest points of the horizon. The sky is gray with snow clouds, no sun in sight.

[spoiler]

Crystal: 223/223
Kascha: 258/258
Hope: 484/484

So long as she bears the sword Afame Afina always exists in a state of comfortable damp heat that most would struggle to find outside of a sauna, so she doesn't pay much mind to the freezing winds. But she has concern for her friends and so casts endure elements on both Crystal and Hope. "You naturally resist the cold, don't you Kascha?" she asks, thinking it's probably not needed for her. "Anyway, lets fly up above the clouds so we can find this cloud castle?" she suggests, rising into the air.

"Yes, I'm f-" Kascha takes a step forward, only to slip and fall right on her rear. "Aaaaaah!"

"Thank you," Crystal nods as she and Hope are protected. She looks around, "Viciously - are you alright, Kascha?"

"Oh, Kascha..." Afina winces at that tumble, fluttering over to take the blonde's hand and help pull her to her feet. Despite being so much smaller she's pretty strong, enough to bear a ghaele's weight without too much difficulty. Somewhere someone must be feeling awfully disillusioned at this display of eladrin clumsiness though.

"Owwww!" Kascha winces as she gets up, "Thanks, I'm fine." She promptly takes to the air, "Let's go." With that she flies on up, blush hidden as she goes.

Making nothing more of it, Afina takes flight herself, ascending in a lazy spiral straight up.

The trio flies up and through the clouds. As you ascend up...hm? You're about 2000ft below the clouds now, they're rather low lying and it's not a far flight. In them you can see what looks like little currents of electricity running through them, starting to gather.

"Lightning... we can probably evade it, but why take chances?" Afina says, casting resist energy first on Crystal, then on Hope, and then on herself.

Protection from lighting is spread to the party. It turns out to be wise, for as you ascend to the clouds, lightning begins to crash down - including in the path of the party. It colors the snow electric purple as it flashes, disrupting the snow showers where it strikes.

Ref save, Afina.

[spoiler]

Crystal: 223/223, Resist Energy 30 (Electricity)
Kascha: 258/258
Hope: 484/484, Resist Energy 30 (Electricity)

[14:58] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+34 evasion
[14:58] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 43 > [d20=9]

"So Kascha," Afina begins, briefly fluttering to the side to avoid a lightning bolt crashing down towards her. "What can you tell us about these giants?" she asks as if she weren't interrupted. "What defences or abilities are we likely to see? What have they been doing to the people living below?"

> roll 1d20+36 Crystal evasion
<Serith> Ko-NitorisShotgunWedding roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+36 Hope improved evasion (share saves, forgot this last time. Rust.)
<Serith> Ko-NitorisShotgunWedding roll for Serith < 53 > [d20=17]
> OOC: Strike that since I stupidlyjust rolled the save instead of recalculating from the base save, dur. Shouldn't do mathy things right out of bed. Regarldess, a base of 17 + whateve rmods Hope has will almost certainly pass.

Kascha doesn't even dodge. She's hit dead on, unruffled by the lightning as Hope and Crystal swoop aside.

"They're giants. Lots of physical strength, thrown boulders and so on. They wear armor and usually have some natural magic. Don't bother with electricity, they shrug it off. The leader is Omibagh Mightythrow. He'll throw anything at you, so long as its big. Good shot, so be careful of him."

So lots of galuh rocks will be thrown at them, alright. There's nothing else to say so she just focuses on ascending higher and higher into the sky.

Like this the group flies up. Lightning crashes and thunder pounds, but the party is relentless and far too fast. Clouds are passed through and soon you break past them. Above is a watery, wintry sort of sunny day, freed from the shadow of the snowclouds. It's viciously cold up here, a crispness that's almost sharp against your skin.

Farther up sits a massive, puffy white cloud. Atop it rises a huge castle of stone and archways of rainbows.

"Now's a good time to start casting spells before we get into a fight," Afina says, leading by example as she casts shield and greater heroism on herself before they reach the fluffy white castle-cloud. She also casts greater heroism on her three companions, since it's a good spell that everyone can benefit from.

Shield and greater heroism cast! Latter on Kascha, Crystal, and Hope as well. +4 attack/saves/skills, +20 temp hp, and immunity to fear

The spells are so cast. Once done, Kascha says, "Go ahead and lead on, Afina."

[spoiler]
Crystal: 223/223, Resist Energy 30 (Electricity)
Kascha: 258/258
Hope: 484/484, Resist Energy 30 (Electricity)

Greater heroism on all. +4 attack/saves/skills, +20 temp hp, and immunity to fear.

Kascha really needs to up her buffing game.

Flying straight up to the castle above, Afina brazenly approaches the front door. Or portcullis or gate or whatever.

Her main group boost is surge of hope, which is also a morale bonus. Conflicts with greater heroism.

Thus the three fly right on up. The castle sits serenely on the clouds, quiet and undisturbed. Boulders dot the area in front of it, sitting about here and there. The front door is a grand double door, dozens of feet tall. It's solid wood and engraved with designs of clouds.

"Do we respect these giants enough to knock and deliver an ultimatum or should I just disintegrate the door and start killing everything I see?" Afina asks Kascha, fluttering before the comically oversized door.

"We talk to them, of course," Kascha says, "Maybe we can make this their wake up call."

To this Crystal nods, "Noble sentiments, but I fear two pixies will not strike fear into a giant's heart."

"Only if they don't recognise us," Afina reassures Crystal with a smile, flying forward to rap her tiny little hand on the door. "I'll leave listing the litany of their crimes to you, Kascha?" she offers, flying back to regroup with the others afterwards, taking a moment to admire the rainbows.

There's a long pause - no one answers the door.

"How rude," Afina says, calling upon her connection to water now to summon a team of friendly water elementals to knock with a bit more vigor than she can manage herself!

Using Elemental Swarm sla to summon 2d4 large water elementals. In 10 minutes 1d4 huge ones will appear and in 20 a greater one will appear, but I doubt we'll be standing around that long.
[17:56] <@Ebiris> roll 2d4 elementals
[17:56] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 3 > [d4=1,2]

Three elementals answer her call and start banging watery appendages insistently against the door!

The elementals appear and bang on the door. Still nothing.

"Huh?" Kascha cocks her head ot the side, "Maybe they're out right now? Isn't that terrible timing?"

Crystal sighs, "It's one thing to claim treasures after a victory against evil, but another to barge in like common burglars, distasteful and unpleasant as well as cowardly."

"Maybe they're too busy fighting for their lives against local heroes?" Afina suggests before burbling in aquan, "Open the door!" Prompting her three elementals to heave their muscle into shoving the door open!

Elementals have strength 20 if it's relevant

It is, have the elementals make Strength checks.

[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 elemental #1 str
[18:28] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=9]
[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 elemental #2 str
[18:28] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=2]
[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 elemental #3 str
[18:28] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=5]

The elementals pound on the door. None of them make much of an impact, Crystal watching. "I say, it is barricaded or something, otherwise, you may wish to summon different elementals next time."

"I never specialised in summoning," Afina says, shaking her head. "They came because our blood is alike." Raising her voice she calls, "Come on you three, put your backs into it!"

Make Strength checks again.

[16:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 elemental #1 aiding elemental #3
[16:47] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=6]
[16:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 elemental #2 aiding elemental #3
[16:47] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=10]
[16:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 elemental #3
[16:47] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=7]

Cowering at the disappointment they're getting from the heated up aquapixie, the three elementals coordinate their efforts in hopes of impressing her with some astounding teamwork! Then with commendable speed they duck out of the way as Afina raises her hand and fires a green beam at the door, disintegrating a ten foot wide square of it to make an entranceway.

[16:51] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+37 ranged touch for disintegrate
[16:51] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 53 > [d20=16]

"We'd have been here all day at this rate," she mutters, flying through her new doorway. "Just entertain yourselves, will you?" she suggests to the elementals, not foreseeing that they'll be any help in savage pitched battle against giants.

"Afina, I'm not going to lie. You need better elementals," Kascha suggests as they watch the elementals slam into the door, only to barely budge it, "You should meet some in the Cauldron and summon them." Fortunately, Afina's disintegration opens up a hole into the door that the three can pass through. Within you find a massive, oversized entry hall. Suits of armor tall as several men loom over you, each carved stone in the floor wide enough to stand on by itself. Great pennants of royal blue with a three-pronged lightning bolt hang on the walls.

No one seems to be around, though.

Are these decorative suits of armour, genuine articles, or golems? Afina is a master at making such things and can surely tell because of her learnings!

taking 10 knowledge arcane for 45 or craft sculpting/armour for 45 respectively

"Well really I need to go to the Cauldron to work on getting the other elements into me. Once I become prismatic I probably won't be able to summon anyone," she says, giving the suits a look over. "Speaking of, would it still be Sanzha I deal with for Earth and Air or would it go to a different specialist?"

The armor are genuine suits of armor, just giant sized. They're well cared for. They're nothing exceptional as far as construction, though that doesn't count in if they're enchanted.

"Another specialist," Kascha says, "Probably, though there's been discussion about it."

Meanwhile Crystal advances ahead a bit, quiet and looking about with Hope.

> roll 1d20+32 spot Hope
<Serith> Kozzz roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+35 Listen Hope
<Serith> Kozzz roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=4]

"It seems quiet," Crystal calls back, "Not even a mouse scurries, save for us."

"Could be they're out causing trouble elsewhere. How many giants are likely to live here, Kascha?" Afina asks as she flutters openly down the middle of the entrance hall. If there are any side paths she'll shout back for her elementals to go running down them just to try and lure some giants their way, but otherwise she'll go right to the end of wherever this hall leads.

"A few dozen," Kascha replies as she looks around, "Along with some retainers and pets - usually dire wolves, which are like playful pups for them." There are indeed side doors and paths down the hall, wide open and easy to see. There's even what must be a secret passage, the seam plainly visible to the party. "The main hall's ahead, they have rooms and other things spread about to the sides. If anyone's here, they're probably straight ahead."

"You two go that way and that way," Afina instructs two of her elementals. "If you see anyone just shout at them and try and get them to follow you back here. You, wait for the next elementals to show up and send them down this way." She doubts this will last long enough for reinforcements to appear far less matter, but who knows? Besides it must do them good to feel useful.

"Playful is nice," she smiles at Kascha next. "The ones Annalise brought aboard were always a bit too obedient. Lets avoid hurting the wolves unless we have to?"

The elementals scurry right off.

"I don't know," Kascha says, "An obedient dog's easier to deal with - they're just well trained. Then again, vampire." She droops a little bit, "Dogs are nice and those wolves act like them."

"They've been a lot better since Muirfinn took charge of them," Afina says. "Back with Annalise... it was like they were waiting all the time, living just to be commanded." She falls silent a moment, considering the parallel to her own servitude under Queen Ilsenine. Remembering that life also spurs another thought, and she chases it rather than be bogged down with introspection. "Say Crystal, do you remember the Hunter of Heroes? His hounds were something special weren't they?" she smiles as the thought occurs that Crystal might even have been jealous given her love of riding canines. "A pity we haven't caught any trace of them since the fall, I remember they reaped quite a toll in the last battle."

"Vampire hounds can be like that," Kascha remarks as you go on.

"It is a pity," Crystal sighs slightly as you advance on ahead. "I miss so many things from Lifasa. In all truth, I had intended to get you a good riding hound once we I return to financial solvency."

"It's kind of you to offer, but I'd only ever treat it like a pet," Afina says. "My wings are all I trust to bear me where I need to go." Or sometimes her feet if she's feeling lazy, but she won't say that. She has an image to uphold after all.

"But you'd look adorable on one," Kascha interjects, before blushing and putting a hand over her mouth.

Crystal cracks a smile as you reach the end of the hall. A set of massive wooden doors lead further in. "A pet or not, a worthy mount is not something to discount, Afina." She pauses to pet Hope's neck, "Even if a hound cannot compete with a dragon."

"Well Hope, why don't you show some of your worthiness by knocking on the door before I have to disintegrate our way through?" Afina suggests he put some of that draconic might to use for them.

Crystal leads Hope back, before the two brace on and charge dead ahead at the door.

> roll 1d20+5 Crystal helping out
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+10 HOPE SMASH
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=6]

WHAM! The impact shakes the door - but nothing happens, it doesn't budge. As Crystal pats Hope and leads him away from it, "The door didn't give. It may be barred or locked."

Once again nothing a trusty disintegrate won't fix. "I should really start bringing some golems along on these things. The behemoths would love this," she reflects, raising her hand and firing a green beam of unmaking at the door to open their way forward.


[18:15] <@Inari> roll 1d20+36 ranged touch
[18:15] <Serith> Inari roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=11]

A new doorway is made, a hunk of wood disintegrated. Ahead lies a great hall with a massive, long table. It's sized for creatures far bigger than a pixie. The heads of giant animals adorn the walls, as well as more blue tapestries. A massive fire pit int he back burns, making the room quite warm and toasty.

There's also still not a single soul about. Crystal crosses her arms as her wings twitch, "Did we truly arrive with the manor empty and the lords off carousing?"

"It seems so," Kascha says, taking to the air and looking ahead. "I don't see anyone. So how about we prepare them a fine welcome?"

"Honestly it's making me suspicious. Surely they'd still have servants and retainers to mind the keep?" Afina says, flying through the hole and ascending above the long table so she can look around. "If not for the lack of blood or damage - besides our disintegrated doors, I'd think someone beat us to the punch here."

"That part I can explain," Kascha says as she flies along, Crysta following. "These giants don't like slavery or servants. It falls to the lesser members of the clan to do menial tasks. It also means one of the perks of leadership is to be exempt from them. The closest they have are retainers, who serve a martial capacity."

"So when they go out to carouse or hunt or pillage they don't leave anyone at home to keep enterprising pixies from stealing everything not nailed down?" Afina asks. "Well, alright... I suppose we could just go wait by the front door for them to come back so we can challenge them to righteous combat. Unless you just want to start looting and go home before they even turn up?" she asks Crystal, already knowing the answer but she feels it should be asked.

"Most people aren't so daring or end up regreting it," This makes Kascha frown a little.

Meanwhile Crystal shakes her head. Instead, "How about we use this as a chance for, ah, field testing your remarkable golems of stone and steel; for would they not marvel at returning home to several golems waiting to challenge them and prove their strength against your creations?"

"Can you manage a gate spell, Kascha?" Afina asks, casting detect magic herself and looking for the anti-astral ward that prevented their initial entry to the castle.

[18:50] <@Inari> roll 1d20+37 spellcraft
[18:50] <Serith> Inari roll for Serith < 52 > [d20=15]

"One more," Kascha says, "That's it."

Meanwhile Afina studies - yes, it's there. A general, strong ward coming from somewhere within the castle. She can't quite pin down where, other than above.

Would a disjunction spell cast right here break the ward/break the ward within the spell's radius/do nothing?

No. You need to track down the source of it.

"The source of that astral ward is somewhere above us, we'll have to track it down before we can bring in reinforcements." Afina says. "Just remember they'll earn a share of any loot,  Crystal."

Crystal pauses at that, "Afina, with all due respect towards your wondrous golem creations, I do no see why mindle-" she begins, but stops. "Ah, you awoke the ones you have in mind, di you not?"

"Which means they deserve a share for facing down the danger," Kascha says.

"They're still young and impressionable," particularly with regards to their Creator which gives Afina a lot of influence, "But that's all the more reason to treat them fairly for devoting themselves to our cause."

In any case she looks for any paths beyond this room that might lead up lest she have to disintegrate the ceiling. Such a great spell!

Some searching turns up a kitchen, which in turn has a stairway upstairs nearby. From there you wander the halls, coming to a few things of note. First of all, at the end of one hall is a large blue stone. It's the size of Hanna or so. A simple detect magic confirms it is the source of the ward.

There's also a heavy steel door that you pass on the way. It stands out from the other doors, quite sturdy and un-wooden.

Still no sign of anyone.

Afina briefly considers just disintegrating the wardstone (it's such a handy spell!) but stays her hand. Even if Aurora has its own more than capable wards interdicting dimensional travel, that's not to say such an artifact wouldn't be worth its weight in gold to someone else. Formulating a different magical pattern in her mind she raises her hand, "Stand clear both of you, you don't want to be within forty feet when this spell goes off," she warns, giving Kascha and Crystal time to evacuate the area before she violently disjoins the magic!

[16:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+23 mage's disjunction, assuming just one spell/item in the area
[16:49] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=4]

The blue stone briefly glows electric blue as the magic around it is undone and dispelled. You're fairly sure you got it.

"Did it work?" Crystal calls, both her and Kascha well back.

"I think so," Afina answers. "Hope or Kascha, do you think either of you could carry it? It's probably worth a lot by itself. I was thinking we could plane shift back to Aurora, round up the golems, and have someone Gate us back here. That way Kascha will still have her Gate spell available for when we leave."

Kascha goes to pick it up and oofs, turning red in the face before slowly lifting it. "It's heavy!" She gasps and slowly walks with it, straining.

"Don't strain yourself, I have a contingency for this," Afina says, conjuring up a floating disc besides the ghaele. "Just set it down there, it should bear the weight," she encourages.

Floating disc, can carry 2300lbs

The blue stone is put right on down, "Ooof!" Kascha gasps, rubbing her hands after. "I didn't think it would be so heavy. It's more like steel than stone for weight."

"Still even lifting it at all would be beyond me," Afina say, pulling her floating disc closer so she can rest a hand against the stone while the other finds Kascha's grasp. "Have any more plane shift spells left or should I use a limited wish?"

"I'm out," Kascha says, "Besides the one gate I have left."

Meanwhile Crystal studies the rock, "Interesting. To think a hunk of stone would have such power. Is it a natural power or the power of worked magic?"

"It could just be that the stone holds an enchantment well," Afina answers Crystal. "We can study it better back on Aurora, for now everyone gather round. This won't be precise so I don't know where exactly we'll end up," she cautions before wishing really hard she were on Air.

Limited Wish to emulate Plane Shift. Roll is for miles distant to Aurora.
[11:21] <@Ebiris> roll 5d100
[11:21] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 265 > [d100=77,16,19,76,77]

> roll 1d100 random encounter chance due to plane shfiting randomly, 90+
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 37 > [d100=37]

After a moment, the trio reappears in Air. In this case, you are in a cloud bank, fluffy white mist all around you. Small air elementals lazily fly about in it, breathing in the mist and exhaling it.

"I'll try teleporting us back to Aurora now, just be patient in case it fails," Afina says, keeping her hand in Kascha's and another on the stone as she focuses past the magic burn limited wish left her with to try and replicate it.

13:37] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 37 > [d100=37]
[13:42] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100 limited wish spell failure chance is still a thing
[13:42] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 61 > [d100=61]
[13:43] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100 teleport studied carefully
[13:43] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 39 > [d100=39]

And a second later they appear before the gates of Aurora! "I'll want to wait an hour before leaving so my magic has time to recover. Lets go put this rock in the labs for later and then round up the golems," she suggests, fluttering through and into the courtyard.

Kascha flies off once you get back, "I need to do something in the mean time," Kascha says, while Crystal stays along.

Which golems are you going to muster, Afina? What's your plan here?

Plan is to muster the 3 behemoths and the ironwyrm and have someone gate us through to the giant castle. Then we hang around till the giants come back home and challenge them to righteous combat.

By chance, it is Elder Magi Tepen that deals with the gating. As the golems head through his gate, "Alert us if you need a gate back," he says, "Good luck."

Crystal merely nods, while Kascha smiles and says, "The giants aren't that tough. It should be fine. What's the worst that can happen?"

The golems are a motley lot despite all being constructed in the same fashion. The ironwyrm goes through the gate first with Afina standing proud atop its head, its mostly white crystalline form splotched with paint in various hues all over while a few ornamental feathers protrude from the frills around its head in testament to the two biggest draconic influences it can look up to around Aurora. As for the behemoths, one is decorated with flags and battle standards rising from its back, while the next has been painted in orange and black stripes bringing to mind a tiger and suiting its monstrously feline appearance, the last of the three has a more restrained appearance at first, though closer inspection would reveal intricately carved prayers and blessings written across its form in various languages.

Intelligent golems need names, so Ironwyrm is called Smrgol, martial behemoth is called Vanguard, animalistic behemoth is called Rushing Tiger, and divine behemoth is called Reflection.

Thus the two of you appear back at the cloud castle. Outside's still silent, no sign of anyone. Crystal pats Hope and murmurs something to him, while Kascha peers around. "Still nothing. Let's take positions, though perhaps something impressive is called for?"

[19:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4 huge elementals
[19:41] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 3 > [d4=3]

There should be 3 huge water elementals and 1 elder water elemental milling around by now unless something came along and splattered them

"Well first of all, all the giant closed doors offend me," Afina says, taking flight from her iron dragon's head and fluttering around. "Boys, open it up!"

I now have a bunch of huge minions with absurd strength scores. Is rolling required?

Sure, why not? I wanna see what their numbers look like for reference.

[20:27] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+7 huge elementals
[20:27] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 27, 19, 21 >
[20:27] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+8 greater elemental
[20:27] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=11]
[20:27] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+20 ironwyrm
[20:27] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=7]
[20:28] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+14 behemoths
[20:28] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 22, 30, 21 >

Under multi-pronged golem and elemental assault, the front gate is torn down. As it clatters Crystal watches and whistles, "Your creation are superbly designed at simple mayhem and destruction, and may you be blessed for it, Afina."

Kascha claps as the doors are beaten down, "Nice, but not what I meant. I was thinking of something more magical, a proper stage for the confrontation."

"I just meant open it up, boys," Afina says, grinning a bit herself at the mayhem unleashed on the poor unsuspecting door. "But good enough!" Holding off on going on a rampage through every door inside the castle she turns to Kascha, "What did you have in mind?"

Crystal comes forth, putting an arm around Afina's shoulders. "It's always a treat to see you smile, Afina. More doors must meet your golem's wrath."

This gets Kascha to chuckle, "Oh, I was thinking about a wish to shape this front yard into something more impressive."

"Thanks," Afina nods to Crystal. "I've made more effort to be demonstrative ever since my heart got turned to ice. And I was thinking we ought to go through the castle and make sure all the doors are open. But Kascha's arena sounds fun."

Crystal turns to watch Kascha, who kneels down. Her fingers glow with  blue light as she traces a magic circle around her feet, a seven-fold circle inscribed with writing in celestial. "Oh Weave, hear me! By the will of Mystra, make the fantasy of dreams into reality!"

The clouds shift as cloud-stuff transforms into stone. A grand arena forms, a circle surrounded by stands. Overlooking the action is a box with three thrones, two pixies sized and one human sized. Banners hang, ones that show a dragon in flight.

"There,' Kascha rises slowly, "Shall we take our seats and wait?"

"If only we had a big enough audience to fill the stands," Afina says, fluttering over to take the leftmost mini-throne. "Everyone form ranks up front, will you?" she asks the combined golem/elemental squadron, as Smrgol takes the centre position flanked on either side by the larger in stature if not in threat behemoths and elementals. "I am still a bit concerned at how abandoned this castle seems to be. If no one shows up within the hour I say we just loot and wreck everything."

Kascha slightly nods at that as the three-some settles in to wait. Fortunately, it's not long. Within 15 minutes, you can see them. Easily over a dozen giants, dressed well and smothered in jewelry. They have pale blue skin and fly without any wings, soaring up and to the castle. You can see them point at the arena as they come closer, as Crystal smiles. "Finally. I do believe this is your show now, Afina."

"Finally," Afina echoes Crystal, nodding. Then before they get too close she leans closer to Kascha. "Quick, Kascha! Tell me things about these giants? What are they called? What have they done?" she asks. She's used to just giving devils a summary speech about answering for their guilt in nonspecific crimes against Lifasa, but that obviously wouldn't wash here.

[spoiler]
Afina 208+17/208, greater mage armour (CL 23) and moment of prescience (CL 23), heroes feast (CL 20)
AC 55 (touch 41, flat footed 55), CMD 70, blindsense 30, spell resistance 38, immunity to fire, disease, water, poison.
Spell charges remaining: 5/5/6/8/9/8/2/6/6/6

Smrgol 459/459
AC 50 (touch 8, flat footed 50), CMD 71, construct traits, immunity to magic, immunity to rust

Vanguard 435/435
AC 37 (touch 8, flat footed 37), CMD 55, construct traits, resistance to acid/cold/electricity/fire 10, spell resistance 23
Rushing Tiger 435/435
AC 37 (touch 8, flat footed 37), CMD 55, construct traits, resistance to acid/cold/electricity/fire 10, spell resistance 23
Reflection 435/435
AC 37 (touch 8, flat footed 37), CMD 55, construct traits, resistance to acid/cold/electricity/fire 10, spell resistance 23

Greater Water Elemental 199/199
AC 22 (touch 13 flat footed 17), CMD 40, elemental traits, damage reduction 10/-

Huge Water Elemental #1 152/152
AC 21 (touch 12 flat footed 17), CMD 35, elemental traits, damage reduction 5/-
Huge Water Elemental #2 152/152
AC 21 (touch 12 flat footed 17), CMD 35, elemental traits, damage reduction 5/-
Huge Water Elemental #3 152/152
AC 21 (touch 12 flat footed 17), CMD 35, elemental traits, damage reduction 5/-
[/spoiler

Quietly and out of the corner of her mouth, "Pillaging, looting, killing, banditry. The leader is Omibagh Mightythrow and the clan name is Mightythrow."

Nodding in satisfaction, Afina waits for the giants to get into earshot before she raises her voice to carry as best it can. She's not going to make herself hoarse for these fools, and she's never going to sound terrifying, but she'll do her best to get the message across. "Clan Mightythrow!" she shouts. "For too long have those below suffered under your predations! But no more. In the name of Seira and Aurora you will be called to account! Have you the courage to face our challenge?"

Is Hope with Crystal or is he on the field with the combatants?

Hope is with Crystal and perched besides her.

The giants land in the arena, the speech getting attention. They begin to laugh - until Seira's name is heard. The laughter dies in their throats, "A little PIXIE challenges us with such grown up names?" One steps forward, slamming his fist into his palm. "A pixie with big toys!"

"My name is Afina Devilsbane. If that means nothing to you, so be it," Afina says, leaning back in her throne with a lazy smile. "You have two choices, Clan Mightythrow. You can indulge my 'toys' in a little tournament where the loser must leave this place and never return, or all of us can enjoy a battle royale until the bloody finish. Which will you choose?"

"A tournament," The giant calls back, stepping forward. "I'll crush any of your puny little golems!" The other giants cheer at that, raising axes and spears.

"Choose four among you to represent your clan, then," Afina invites. "The rules are simple - one of yours faces one of mine in a battle to death or submission. The winner stays on. This continues until one side lies broken and defeated. Oh... and to spice things up a bit, each side can benefit from one outside spell per round. You might use this to enhance your champion, or to blindside his opponent. Any interference past that and we may as well skip to the battle royale." She's really just making this up as she goes, but it sounds reasonable for a tournament setup. She's just not sure whether she ought to handicap herself by letting the elementals compete or not... maybe she'll throw one in and see how it performs? Given the power of Smrgol losing one round isn't a great blow.

"Any questions?"

"Hah, easy enough," The giant glares up at Afina, gesturing to three other giants. "This will be fun, little pixie. Are you ready to suffer?"

"I will be very surprised if I am required to take the field," Afina draws before gesturing at the greater elemental and ordering it in Aquan to move to the centre of the arena.

At this, a giant advances. This one wears a chain shirt and carries a rather heavy looking axe. "C'mon," he calls, "Little pixie, little elementals, it doesn't matter!"

"Hmm, this is still missing something, isn't it?" Afina reflects, before smiling over at her fellow pixie. "Crystal, follow my lead," she asks, before using her natural ability with illusions to manifest a persistent image of a cheering crowd filling the stands to her left. Pixies, giants, trolls, nymphs, angels, dragons, elementals of all stripes... all sorts are represented and all of them are baying for blood!

CL 23 persistent image to fill 27 ten foot cubes with a packed crowd. I'll monitor the illusion to have people cheer appropriately for either side when telling blows are struck and such. Atmosphere!

"Now... begin!" she calls to let the tournament commence with what may be an easy victory to the giants unless she's grossly overestimated them.

Format is basically a one on one fight but each side can interfere with a cast spell once per battle. Rather than doing lots of init rolls maybe just have each side act on their champion's init for the first round and then if they don't act they can treat it like a held action to interrupt whenever?

[17:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 greater elemental init
[17:34] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+5 greater elemental init --> [ 1d20=6 ]{11}

Crystal aids, soon the arena full of phantasmal fans and cheering. The other giants step back as everyone positions, the battle joined.

> roll 1d20+1 cloud giant
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+1 cloud giant --> [ 1d20=6 ]{7}

Golem opens. Go Afina. The giant's 50ft away.

Seizing the initiative, the enormous serpentine water elemental undulates its way across the arena, crashing into the giant with the force of a tsunami!

[17:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+15 (+2 charge, -4pa, -4 for not being underwater)
[17:54] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+15 (+2 charge, -4pa, -4 for not being underwater) --> [ 1d20=19 ]{34}
[17:54] <@Ebiris> roll 2d10+8 (+4 from power attack, -4 for not being underwater)
[17:54] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d10+8 (+4 from power attack, -4 for not being underwater) --> [ 2d10=14 ]{22}

"Think it's worth bolstering the elemental with our spell or should we just blast the giant with something?" Afina asks Kascha as she watches the mayhem.

"Blast away," Kascha says, "Seira has a good saying for this: There's always reason to use more dragon fire!"

Go ahead and throw your action this round in, I'll describe it all once done.

"Alright," Afina says, not moving from her throne as she raises a hand and launches an orb of flame at the giant, blasting past the elemental's writhing form to slam into his chest!

[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+36 ranged touch orb of fire
[18:20] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+36 ranged touch orb of fire --> [ 1d20=18 ]{54}
[18:21] <@Ebiris> roll 22d6 fire, ignores resistance. DC 29 fort or dazed 1 round
[18:21] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 22d6 fire, ignores resistance. DC 29 fort or dazed 1 round --> [ 22d6=72 ]{72}

Doesn't orb of fire cap at 15 or 20 d6? Do you have something that works around it?

The elemental smashes the giant right in the side, knocking it back and right into a deftly fired orb. He catches flame, roaring in fury as he turns on the watery foe "I'm the Axeslasher!" he roars, "Undefeated! Undefeatable!"

> roll 1d20+18 giant fort
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+18 giant fort --> [ 1d20=1 ]{19}

But it's too much, the giant staggering back from the assault and dazed. Meanwhile the lead giant calls, "Get your shit together, Axeslasher!"

+2 morale to attack/weapon damage/saves for the giant. Golem and Afina are up.

Caps at 15 dice, flaming soul lets me exceed the cap on fire spells by my levels in firesoul mage. Also you keep calling it a golem but it's an elemental! Golem comes up next round!

Having used her spell for this bout, Afina leaves it entirely in the hands of her elemental. Resting an elbow on the side of her throne she cups her chin and watches with lazy interest, knowing this match is no real barometer of what's to come. Regardless the elemental is eager to capitalise on the opportunity it's been given, rearing up until it towers over the dazed giant before crashing down with the force of tons of water!

[18:57] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+13 -4pa, -4 for not being underwater
[18:57] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+13 -4pa, -4 for not being underwater --> [ 1d20=15 ]{28}
[18:57] <@Ebiris> roll 2d10+8 (+4 from power attack, -4 for not being underwater)
[18:57] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 2d10+8 (+4 from power attack, -4 for not being underwater) --> [ 2d10=10 ]{18}

All around the stands the crowd cheers fiercely at this energetic display of elemental mastery!

Direct hit. The giant takes it right on the chin, head cracking back from the impact. But it's enough to rouse him, the giant's battle cry shaking the stands as its axe comes to cleave the elemental apart.

> roll 1d20+29
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+29 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{44}
> roll 1d20+24
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+24 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{35}
> roll 1d20+19
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+19 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{24}
> roll 1d20+14
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+14 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{24}

> roll 4d6+20
> roll 4d6+20
> roll 4d6+20
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 4d6+20 --> [ 4d6=15 ]{35}
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 4d6+20 --> [ 4d6=18 ]{38}
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 4d6+20 --> [ 4d6=18 ]{38}
> roll 4d6+20
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 4d6+20 --> [ 4d6=13 ]{33}

I have to run to work, so does that finish your elemental off, Afina? I'll resolve it tonight.

95hp left on the elemental

The axe rips into the watery elemental, cleaving off gallons and gallons from it. "Hah," The giant spits a wad of blood out, "That's all you have, water man?" He kicks the elemental back, smirking despite blood trickling from his mouth.

Elemental's up.

In the interests of fairness Afina has a few sections of the crowd cheer for the giant's triumphant counterattack, but it's not over yet! Rearing back, the elemental powers into Axeslasher with all the unyielding inevitability of the rising tide!

[08:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+10 -4 not underwater, -7 power attack
[08:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=19]
[08:06] <@Ebiris> roll 2d10+11 -4 not underwater +7 power attack
[08:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 22 > [d10=7,4]

Another block rocks the giant back, knocking a tooth out along with some blood. As it reels from it, Crystal glances at the illusions. They begin to cheer louder, switching to boos as the giant rallies. "You want to play it like that, boy?"

> roll 1d20+24 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+19 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+14 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+9 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=20]
> roll 4d6+30
> roll 4d6+30
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 50 > [d6=5,6,6,3]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 42 > [d6=3,2,2,5]

The elemental's watery head is smoothly decapitated, leaving it headless as its body is hacked up. It just barely maintains a coherent form, more a mass of moving water than an elemental. Cheers erupt from the giants at that, calls of, "Finish it!"

Go.

The elemental has no fear in its heart, knowing it is a mere summoned shadow that will face no consequence for defeat or death in this arena. And so as the crowd rallies behind it, cheering for a watery triumph, it swirls around Axeslasher like a waterspout to bash him from all angles in its last hurrah!

[17:26] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+8 -4 not underwater -9 power attack
[17:26] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=5]
[17:27] <@Ebiris> roll 2d10+13 that didn't hit surely
[17:27] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 23 > [d10=6,4]

Fearless it may be, but the giant is relentless, "Got you," he calls, axe going for a flurry of finishers.

> roll 1d20+24 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+19 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+14 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+9 (-5 PA, +2 morale forgot to mentiont hat last time. No change in result since it was factored in.)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=17]
> roll 4d6+30
> roll 4d6+30
> roll 4d6+30
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 44 > [d6=3,2,5,4]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 45 > [d6=4,6,3,2]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 45 > [d6=5,4,4,2]

The elemental is overkilled.

A final, mighty slash bisects the remaining water, causing it to vanish away. "Hah!" Axeslasher calls, as a wave of cheers comes from the giants. Crystal merely leans forward and smiles, while Kascha hmmms. Aloud she says, "This should be good."

The crowd goes wild, celebrating Axeslasher's triumphant victory! Afina is more sedate, merely clapping her small hands together slowly. "And so Axeslasher remains undefeated," she says, wondering if the giants front-loaded their strongest warriors in hopes of sweeping through all opposition, or if like her they're keeping the strongest in reserve. "Lets see how long he keeps that up. Rushing Tiger?" she says to the visible disappointment of the other two behemoths, but he seemed the most vigorous in attacking that door earlier and so deserves a reward. "Take the field."

And with steps that shake the entire arena the titanic stone behemoth clomps forward, great smashing stone pillars rising from its back between each pair of its six legs. The crowd falls to hushed silence in anticipation, and Afina allows herself the barest smirk before calling, "Begin!"

[17:44] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 init
[17:44] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=13]

> roll 1d20+1 Axeslasher init
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d20=4]

Open Rushing Tiger.

Unlike the elemental, her behemoth can benefit with an augmentation spell, and Afina obliges by bestowing haste upon it as it breaks into an all out charge, slamming into Axeslasher with a terrific blow even as its very steps shake the ground beneath enough to potentially topple the giant!

17:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 charge -15pa
[17:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=3]
[17:54] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+33
[17:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 51 > [d6=3,4,3,1,2,5]

DC 31 fort or dazed for 1 round by dazing blow, and thunder step requires a DC 25 reflex or he falls prone

The giant braces for the charge, axe coming up to strike - but your golem is quicker. It hits him right in the chest, the crack of bone audible from the impact. The giant is knocked down and groans, trying to get up and failing. After a few moments, the clan leader grimaces and says, "Axeslasher's beat."

"Alright Rushing Tiger, back off," Afina calls, pleased at the performance. The crowd proves gracious enough to applaud Axeslasher for his performance even as he's forced to endure the walk of shame. "Bring forth your next champion, Clan Mightythrow!"

Less a walk and more of being dragged off by two other giants. He's in no condition to get up. "Go, Smithsmasher," The clan leader declares, a giant with a big longspear at the ready stepping forward, 30ft away from the golem. His expression is calm, studying the golem in some detail.

Rushing Tiger returns that scrutiny, the painting over his head giving him a bestial mien even if he's rendered expressionless by the rigidity of his construction. "Very well. Begin!" she calls, debating if it's worth bolstering Tiger some more or just throwing out a spell. Perhaps she'll wait and see what Smithsmasher is made of before deciding?

[18:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 init
[18:14] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=18]

> roll 1d20+5 init smithsmasher
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=20]

The giant braces, spear at the ready and gesturing. "C'mon," he invites, beckoning the golem forward.

Go Afina.

Rushing Tiger takes that invitation, pixing up steam as he lumbers forward into melee! It's not quite the headlong charge he did against Axeslasher, stopping with enough distance that Smithsmasher is unlikely to fall over from the earthshaking steps of the behemoth. But that's no protection from the earthshaking force of its hammerblow!

[18:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 -13pa
[18:21] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=14]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+31
[18:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 51 > [d6=4,1,6,2,6,1]

Has 15ft reach, DC 31 fort or dazed for 1 round

> roll 1d20+22
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=20]

With on charge coming, the giant just braces into the blow. He takes it solidly, standing firm despite the shot. "Not bad," he finally says, whirling his spear about in a blurring circle of movement. He slams it butt-first into the golem's chest, pounding him like a drum.

> roll 1d20+28 (-2 PA)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+28 (-2 PA)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20+23 (-2 PA)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+18 (-2 PA)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+13 (-2 PA)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=6]

> roll 4d6+34
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 47 > [d6=5,5,2,1]

"So that's how it is, hm?" The giant mutters to himself as he slams the butt of his spear into Rushing Tiger's chest. A crack as stone gives way and a small crater is made, stone chips peppering everything around. He whirls back and snaps his fingers, as suddenly a lightning bolt strikes from the clear blue sky.

> roll 1d20+18 vs SR 23
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=9]

Reflex save, Rushing Tiger.

[18:50] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 reflex
[18:50] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=15]

> roll 10d6 halve this
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d6=1,6,1,4,2,6,3,3,6,2]

17 electricity damage, which deals 7 damage after resistance.

The bolt hits the golem, a few sparks from the blast but otherwise doing no serious damage. The giants cheer and watch as...

Go.

Dinged but far from ruined, Rushing Tiger endures the assault with a minimum of harm, stepping closer to Smithsmasher and letting its great stone crushers practically blur with movement as they lash out one after the other in a terrifying sequence before the first one sneaks in another blow thanks to Afina's haste spell. As for the pixie herself she holds her spell in reserve, content to let Tiger handle himself here.

19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 -13pa
[19:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=1]
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 -13pa
[19:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=1]
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 -13pa
[19:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=3]
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 -13pa
[19:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=16]
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 -13pa
[19:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=10]
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 3#6d6+31
[19:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 50, 52, 59 >

3 saves vs Dazing Blow, DC 31

> roll 1d20+22
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=7]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=17]

Rushing Tiger gets in the giant's face, crushers mangling him with blow after blow. The giant groans as he'sknocked to a knee, dazed and unmoving.

Go, he's dazed.

"Careful not to kill him, Tiger," Afina calls, continuing to hold back on any magical aid as it seems unnecessary. And while she ordinarily wouldn't care about killing a few giant bandits, it would ruin the festive atmosphere of their little tournament. Following Afina's advice, the great stone behemoth attacks more slowly now, pausing for a brief instant after each strike so as not to overdo things.

[19:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 stopping if he gets downed
[19:30] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 57 > [d20=14]
[19:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 stopping if he gets downed
[19:30] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=6]
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 stopping if he gets downed
[19:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=6]
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 stopping if he gets downed
[19:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 63 > [d20=20]
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 stopping if he gets downed
[19:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 61 > [d20=18]
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 stopping if he gets downed crit check
[19:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 56 > [d20=13]
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 4#6d6+18
[19:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 43, 40, 39, 33 >
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 12d6+36 for the crit
[19:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 88 > [d6=4,2,5,6,6,5,1,6,6,6,3,2]

More blows rain down - just a few more, knocking the giant down and out. He groans, tries to get up and ultimately fails. Crystal smiles brightly at that, "I do believe that is your second defeat! Are you ready for your third?"

Meanwhile, the giant leader scowls. "Stonefist, get in there!" he declares, as a giant with no weapon strides forward.

A rousing chant of "Ti-ger! Ti-ger!" is taken up by the crowd as another challenger comes to face against the wrecking machine. Afina merely adopts a lazy slouch as she watches the impending mayhem, raising her hand and calling out, "Begin!" as it drops.

[17:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 init
[17:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 6 > [d20=2]

> roll 1d20+12 init
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=19]

Needless to say, Stonefist wins init.

Before the golem can react, Stonefist charges head in with a huge shoulder-first tackle.

> roll 1d20+33
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=8]
> roll 6d10+23
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 54 > [d10=10,2,4,8,6,1]

The golem takes it right in the middle, knocked back hard from the heavy impact. "C'mon, you pile of stone, show me better than that!" Stonefist demands.

Go.

"Kascha, how about you handle our spell for this round?" Afina asks, confident Tiger has it in hand but figuring a bit of help couldn't hurt. Still, even if he's got a few cracks from that impact Rushing Tiger is undeterred, striking out with a massive flurry of strikes with his great crushing pillars!


[21:15] <@Ebiris> roll 5#1d20+30 -13pa
[21:15] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 38, 39, 34, 43, 34 >
[21:15] <@Ebiris> roll 5#6d6+31
[21:15] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 53, 54, 49, 55, 56 >

But fast as the wind, each blow is avoided. At the same time Kascha says, "I'll save it if the golem gets in trouble. He can really dodge, so emergency repairs might help."

A chance if you wanna do the spell yourself or ask Kascha to do something different.

Afina nods agreeably to that. "This giant definitely seems a cut above the last two."

> roll 1d20+33
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+28
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 35 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+23
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+18
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=14]

> roll 6d10+23
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 51 > [d10=7,7,7,2,1,4]

Stonefist grabs the Rushing Tiger and lifts it up, flipping it upside down and tossing it up. The golem lands right on its head, a rather shark CRACK from it. The giants cheer even louder, while Crystal leans forward and frowns. "I daresay that I dislike this particular giant quite a bit."

Golem's up.

"Have to respect skill when you see it," Afina says ambivalently, before raising her voice to cry out, "Come on Tiger, you can take him!" And how could he not, bolstered by his creators own confidence? Rallying from that abusive wrestling technique, the golem strikes out with more care and less enthusiasm now that he's seen Stonefist's dodging skills for what they are.

[17:18] <@Ebiris> roll 5#1d20+43
[17:18] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 48, 55, 51, 55, 59 >
[17:19] <@Ebiris> roll 5#6d6+18
[17:19] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 39, 39, 40, 37, 47 >

With far less power and greater care, Stonefist is beaten like a drum. Blow after blow doubles him over, knocking him to a knee. He tries to rise but a blow to the head fells him, getting him to groan and call, "Enough! Enough!"

Crystal claps at that, "One more!" she murmurs. The giants meanwhile stare on surprise, mutterings about. Afina's sharp ears can hear things about strange golems and machines like the Dark Lady's herself.

"Any idea who this Dark Lady is, Kascha?" Afina asks quietly while the giants deliberate over who to send as their next representative.

> roll 1d20+35 Kascha
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+14 she'll also roll lore for more
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=19]

"An informal title for the Lady of Loss," Kascha murmurs, "I think you've put the fear of Aurora into them."

"Shar makes golems as well?" Afina says, humming as she watches the giants continue to mutter. Deciding a little more fear might be called for she speaks up, "Rushing Tiger concedes the next round!" she calls, giving the behemoth an apologetic look. "You've done well Tiger, but Smrgol deserves a chance to shine as well. Smrgol shall be our next champion!" And so a pleased looking multicoloured and feather festooned iron dragon lumbers forward as the behemoth trudges back to join his siblings with earthshaking steps.

"Don't think so," Kascha whispers back, as meanwhile the leader lumbers forward. "So that's my foe, is it? Time to prove our clan's superiority!"

Init.

[17:43] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 init
[17:43] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=7]

> roll 1d20+6
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=4]

For the sake of speed, higher mod wins init.

Before Afina's dragon-golem can react, the giant reaches into ap ocket and takes out a tiny stone. He hurls it, becoming a massive boulder as it flies right at its target.

> roll 1d20+33
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=17]
> roll 10d8+35
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 75 > [d8=3,2,4,3,4,5,7,1,5,6]

The boulder lands right on the back of the golem, a massive crack as it breaks apart into hunks. A hesitant cheer comes up from the remaining giants, watching the golem with unhidden nervousness.

Go.

Smrgol takes it on the chin, cracking and denting his crystalline form... but it begins to slowly but steadily reform, white crystal reshaping underneath chipped paint. "IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN THAT TO DEFEAT A DRAGON!" the wyrm roars in emulation of one of its two idols, lowering its neck and blasting forth a torrent of raging blue-hot flame!

[17:53] <@Ebiris> roll 20d10 DC 26 ref half
[17:53] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 111 > [d10=5,5,9,2,6,9,6,10,7,1,10,1,6,7,5,1,2,3,9,7]
[17:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4 recharge
[17:53] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 1 > [d4=1]

> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=3]

And like that, the clan leader is now on fire. He screams as he burns, trying to put himself out in vain. He leaps back, hurling another pebble-boulder as he does so.

> roll 1d20+33
<Serith> Ko-NitorisDream roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=13]

Alas, being on fire is poor for your aim. He misses by a bit, giving the dragon an opening.

Go.

Continuing to repair his structure, Smrgol lumbers forward rather than continue to battle at range with his breath weapon, snapping out to take a massive bite out of the Chief!

[21:32] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+31 -30 power attack
[21:32] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 38 > [d20=7]
[21:32] <@Ebiris> roll 2d10+52
[21:32] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 59 > [d10=1,6]

Another blow hits the clan leader right in the chin, knocking him to a knee. He falls flat on his back, shaking the earth as he lands. "Enough," he groans.

Free act.

And the crowd goes wild! As illusory spectators celebrate madly, Afina raises a hand and they fall to a hush. "And so the tournament ends, the day carried by Aurora and Seira. Leave this place, as agreed Clan Mightythrow. Leave and never return." And with that the spectators vanish, the arena silent and empty but for the victorious golems and defeated giants.

The giants stare daggers at Afina - buat the sight of their golems, they slowly withdraw. Crystal's outright smiling now, "So, then the question is what we do with this castle...?" she hums, "I confess I've always wanted my own keep."

"We could bring Aurora through and integrate it," Afina allows, they've done it with a few established structures. "But everything's too large for comfort. Still, we can take everything valuable we can lay our hands on and decide what to do with it later?"

I'm going to largely handwave the looting and searching of the castle, unless you'd prefer to do it the long way instead?

We've held everyone up enough. Handwave away! Assume we're doing a fairly destructive take 20 search to strip the place down.

What's everyone's search totals in that case?

57 for Afina, no one else has search so lots less for them.

Okay, I'll summarize this in loot shortly.

Locking this thread, an ETA on the combined thread will be in nagging soon.