> roll 2d6 fire damage
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 7 > [d6=6,1]
Hits Jaela, Vivantha and Canderella.
Pain. It hurts, oh it burns. You lie on a hard slope, the edges sharp where your bare skin touches. Jaela's face down and aching all over, her body gently sizzling in great heat.
"Hguh." Canderella's own groan from nearby. She sounds like she's in considerable distress.
Growling, Jaela forces herself to her feet and takes a look around with all her senses.
Vivantha pulls herself up and, upon hearing Canderella, moves over to see what's wrong!
Vivanatha has Resistance to fire 20 so she's fine for now.
301/301 (heroes feast, attune form, telepathic bond, freedom of movement, damage reduction 2/-, celestial valor) (Prot. acid 15)
+10 Init, 110 ft fly (good)
52 AC (+2)
psychic aura 10ft (+2 morale init, spot, listen)
darkvision 120 ft, immunity to poison, resistance to fire 20
Saves: Fort +36, Ref +37, Will +31 (+2)
13/23 bard music uses
Spells: 4/7/7/7/5/6/6
You're standing on a sloped little island - little more than an overgrown rock - in a massive river of lava. The skies burn crimson and flecks of boiling rock constantly bombard you. Canderella rises and takes a sniff, "Nostalgic," she murmurs, "But not where you were aiming for, was it?"
"Nostalgic?" Jaela repeats, eyebrow raised. "And no, it wasn't. But I got us out of the ever-expanding void just fine."
If Mirajane is within 1000ft, the Crown of Flame upon my head would have Goldenfire. Does it?
It does not.
No reply to Jaela's call. A hot, foul wind blows, as Canderella just looks around, arms crossed.
7:12 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+48 K:P do I know where I am?
7:12 PM <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+48 K:P do I know where I am? --> [ 1d20=2 ]{50}
7:13 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+35 Spellcraft do I see any magic beyond what existed on us or anything in the environment?
7:13 PM <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+35 Spellcraft do I see any magic beyond what existed on us or anything in the environment? --> [ 1d20=10 ]{45}
"How are you doing for spells, Candy?" Jaela asks, deciding to address those she managed to bring back with her directly. "And your health? Or yours, Vivantha?"
Jaela knows Gehenna when she sees it. The first layer (or mount as the locals call it) known as Khalas, in particular. Great place to go to suffer or become a toy of the 'loths, not so good for nice things like surviving and being happy in life.
As far as magic goes, the three of you are absolutely drenched in magic. It's soaked into your magic and trying any sort of plane shifting or teleporting will likely fail and have extremely unpleasant effects. Anything dimensional's a really bad idea.
"I'm tired but not spent," Canderella takes to the air, moving out of the spray. Vivantha does the same, taking to the air immediately.
"We've got us half an hour, just about, of various protections," Jaela muses, following suit. "Which is good, because I'm glowing. We're stuck here for a while. It's probably Lixer's fault, the spiteful little bitch, so we'll check up on the magic every ten minutes or so to estimate the rate it erodes at." She snorts. "So is Gehenna nostalgic, or this part of it in particular? Cause if there's a devil outpost nearby or a place we can rest at, either works better than just flying around aimlessly."
It's all sharp slopes and lava rivers, running down the endless mountain. The air is hard to breathe, a choking miasma of volcanic gasses and decay.
Canderella flips her hair aside and brushes herself clean, "Just in general. You know how the Abyss is."
'Tepen will likely try to check in on us once Mirajane reports in,' Jaela thinks to the others. She hardly needs to breathe, and this way she can keep her mouth closed and avoid the miasma. 'Even if she was thrown off course as well, she still has that link to him. But it might be a good idea to make this procedure, adding a Sending or Scryng component to any away mission like ours say ten minutes after contact is cut off.'
Seeking out a spot where lava is in short supply, she starts flying towards it.
You fly to a relatively wide slope-plain between two rivers of lava, landing on the safest points of a field of volcanic glass razors.
"Horrifying. The ones who sought this place from the Infinite Stair were always just that - horrifying." Vivantha remarks, sneezing after.
'Speaking of, do you know where the Stair entrance would be here? Any easy ways to track it down?'
If nothing happens and no one has any ideas or suggestions, I'll wait for ten minutes and spellcraft the dimensional magic again to see for changes. I'd like Candy to pitch in as well.
Mentally, Vivantha replies, 'No. I know the other sides better, but this simply appears to be generic Gehenna.'
This causes Canderella to chuckle, 'If we're going to wait, some measure to hide ourselves would be wise. There's little benefit to meeting the natives here.'
'Let's see if we can find a cave to wait things out in. I'd rather keep glowing, on the off chance something does find us. It helps a lot!'
6:54 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+13 spot
6:54 PM <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+13 spot --> [ 1d20=3 ]{16}
> roll 1d20+29 Spot Vivantha
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+29 Spot Vivantha --> [ 1d20=6 ]{35}
> roll 1d20+30 Spot Canderella
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+30 Spot Canderella --> [ 1d20=13 ]{43}
Nope, no sign of a cave. At least around here.
Let's give it ten minutes and see what happens.
> roll 1d100+15 (+15 due to glowy Jaela)
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100+15 (+15 due to glowy Jaela) --> [ 1d100=6 ]{21}
Ten minutes pass unpleasantly but unremarkably. Vivantha looks faintly ill, while Canderella hums to herself and sends little currents of blue electricity running along her body, jumping about it. It seems to keep her occupied, anyway.
With time passing, Jaela gives Canderella a nod and looks into the erosion of the dimensional interdiction of them and its rate, to estimate when it might be gone.
Spellcraft, Jaela.
7:23 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+35+15
7:23 PM <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+35+15 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{56}
Candy can roll for a second opinion, too!
Sure, she'll do that.
> roll 1d20+33 succubus spellcraft
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+33 succubus spellcraft --> [ 1d20=5 ]{38}
Huh. It's not showing any signs of decaying at all. As a matter of fact, it's grown stronger and solidified.
"..." Canderella tilts her head to the side, "Is this as bad to your eyes as it is to mine?"
Jaela bids Canderella to keep on observing the magic as she breaks out the dispels on the three of them in quick succession.
[19:39] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+30
[19:39] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{38}
[19:39] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+30
[19:39] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{36}
[19:39] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+30
[19:39] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{43}
[19:39] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+30
[19:39] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{35}
[19:40] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+30
[19:40] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{44}
[19:41] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+30
[19:41] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{32}
It matters here, what spell you using?
Chain Dispel
Nothing happens. The magic just refuses to budge.
Eye narrowing, Jaela turns to the Triune for aid!
Miracle
What's your caster level on it?
CL 25
There's a vicious moment of struggle. It makes her bones ache, the insides of her teeth vibrating and growing hot. She draws on all the power she has to make her request, but in the end - the magic is still there. She feels tired after it, her body aching and the swirls of magic becoming visible to the naked eye around her. Far away, she can swear she hears the sound of sweet elven voice singing, encouraging her. But it fades, not qutie there.
Based on her knowledge, it's probably one of those horrible cursed that requires a particularly powerful spellcaster to undo. These are rare indeed, but someone like Lixer could probably set that sort of spell up. It's the domain of epic spells and deities. As powerful as Jaela is, apparently she doesn't have quite enough power for this one. The reaction at least hints that she may be close, at least.
Canderella stands watching, "Anything?"
"Not quite there, yet," Jaela admits, before powering down. The glow around her lessens, moment by moment, before she stops it altogether.
"Change of plans. Candy, do you expect to run into trouble if you meet a local? If not, fly around to scout for a place we can take cover properly. Alert us telepathically to anyone or anything you come across. Aim to return about the time your magic recovers if you don't find anything suitable, and we'll try a different strategy."
Spell slots 7-9 exhausted
"Depends," Canderella says, "Better odds than you, though. Will all of you be waiting here?"
"Yes. Try the usual spiral search pattern, and we'll stay in constant contact via telepathy. Both to check in at regular intervals and to alert each other to any changes."
A nod of acknowledgement, Canderella taking off.
Going to just stand around or do anything while waiting?
VV will take watch since she's not actually blind. I'll be covering the area within 60ft to make sure no one sneaks up on us invisible or otherwise via Blindsight.
So noted.
> roll 1d100 Canderella
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 Canderella --> [ 1d100=96 ]{96}
> roll 1d100 Canderella sub tables time
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 Canderella sub tables time --> [ 1d100=88 ]{88}
> roll 1d100 Jaela
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 Jaela --> [ 1d100=84 ]{84}
> roll 1d20+30
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{33}
> roll 1d20+50
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+50 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{54}
Time passes. The air becomes no less palatable, the head slowly baking the party even from this safe place. Were Jaela unprotected and mortal, she knows she would be pained and suffering greatly here, perhaps already slipping towards death's door as sweat and thirst stole away her energy. Vivantha merely stays on guard, keeping her gaze always moving. She seems lost in her thoughts otherwise, though one or twice you see her murmuring things, too softly to hear.
About a half hour passes until Canderella sends a short message, 'Contact with another wanderer. Glabrezu demon, trying to prevent an unneeded fight.'
'What direction are you from us, and roughly how far?' Jaela thinks back. 'We'll be there to support you if the unneeded fight happens.'
'A mile or so,' Canderella says tersely.
> roll 1d20+39 K:P
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+39 K:P --> [ 1d20=16 ]{55}
After a few more moments, 'I think I have this,' she sends back. 'He's leaving. Isn't heading in your direction.'
'Congrats,' Jaela thinks to her. 'Nothing on the shelter so far? Or any clues as to the nearest settlement?'
'Nothing yet. We could be in a wasteland the size of a Prime Material world for all we know,' Canderella replies in your mind. 'Outer planes don't care about concepts like reasonable distance or being finite. I'll let you know if I find anything.'
'We'll be waiting.'
> roll 1d100+20 (+20 ???)
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100+20 (+20 ???) --> [ 1d100=70 ]{90}
> roll 1d100+20 (+20 ???) Let's see what she found
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100+20 (+20 ???) Let's see what she found --> [ 1d100=91 ]{111}
Another half hour passes until Canderella sends, 'Found something. It's a cave that's been used before. There's beds and some supplies. Fairly well hidden, too.'
'Great. Lead us to it!'
Canderella soon returns and leads the trio to the cave. It's in a sharp, almost vertical slope. The black mountain has a gap, only barely visible due to the sheer darkness of the stone being almost identical to the pitch darkness within. "It's lit inside," Canderella says.
"Let's reassess," Jaela says, stepping inside. "I'm fairly sure that the Triune encouraged me to not give up, so if I keep trying it might eventually work. But maybe there is a better way to tackle things.
"Tepen," she continues, "has three options, as far as I can see. It has now been an hour since he lost contact with us after I had Mirajane inform him we were breaching the Crypt and get his confirmation. He can either try to contact us, and Lixer's magic is stopping it. Aurora's resources might be overwhelmed at the moment, or they started with Divinations over Sendings and were told we were fine and could return on our own. Or he's an idiot that doesn't think to check up on us. I kinda doubt it's the last one."
Turning towards Canderella, she asks, "What do you think are the limitations of this fucked up magic? I know outright teleporting or shifting would be explosive, but I'm less clear on travel through Gate or a natural portal or the Stair. If we get Aurora to come here, do we blow up as we cross the threshold into the demiplane? Do you think it stops scrying and Sendings back and forth?"
Within is a small, tidy space. There's a few beds - human sized - a small fire pit, a few barrels that look full and a small stone chest.
"I fear its Lixer's magic," Vivantha says, "After last time..." A momentary pause as she closes her eyes and looks down, "He's pulling out any stops. He wants our souls."
"Tepen is many things, but not stupid," Canderella agrees, "I wouldn't try a Gate, but maybe the Stair? Vivantha?"
> roll 1d20+29 Vivantha K:A
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+29 Vivantha K:A --> [ 1d20=14 ]{43}
"The Stair is essentially portals - close enough, anyway. It would be a gamble." Vivantha admits. "But finding one would be the harder part, unless your magic can bridge that."
"So that brings us to how we do this. I'm thinking I want you to use a Wish to cast Veil on us, Candy. And then, an hour later once you've had time to recover, follow up with a spell to block us from divinations so that any idiot demon with Detect Good doesn't see through it. This means being patient, but once we've done that we could try some divinations of our own to see where and how far the Stair, or try a Sending. I'm also thinking I could summon an angel and task him to pass a message to Tepen. Whatever Lixer's magic does, it can't possibly extend to everyone we happen to talk to."
Jaela shrugs. "Since you've found us this hideout, we can instead focus on contacting Aurora. Any preference? Oh, and how many Wishes do you have left in store?"
"Enough to get it done," Canderella says, "I can manage two more at least. But first, I'd suggest you try your divinations or attempts to summon an angel. If that can work, why bother going out at all?
"My magic still needs time to recover, so how about you use one of your Wish spells to call for a Planetar? We could ask one to visit Aurora and then return, ferrying messages for us."
Canderella laughs lightly. "Certainly, I'm sure one will be happy to come to the call of a succubus."
Jaela rolls her eye. "It's either you give it a try, use the basic Sending to report on our situation and see if we get results, or we take a nap and wait for my magic to recover enough."
"Fine," Canderella rolls her eyes right back, getting to it.
What spell do you have in mind for Wish to mimic?
Planar Ally (clr6) or Greater Planar Binding (wiz8) should be covered by a Wish.
After hearing Jaela's suggestion, Canderella shakes her head. "There's a problem. Talos isn't going to send a planetar, even if planar ally was strong enough to summon one. Secondly, greater planar binding might work, but we lack a magic circle to make the trap. Plus I'm worried the planetar will see me and be the smite first, ask questions later type."
"We need you to call someone or something that could be trusted to carry the messages faithfully, has the ability to travel between planes accurately and will be trusted by the Aurora. Can you think of any suitable summons Talos would allow? As for the magic circle...."
Jaela snaps her fingers, summoning a couatl.
Intent to use the Summon Monster IX SLA to bring a couatl, then ask it to provide a Magic Circle against Evil. And possibly to have it pass on word to the Aurora once the summons fades.
I'd rule that having a summon (short term SM style summon) do something after the summoning is generally beyond the scope of the spell. Creatures summoned are essentially isolated from any consequences of the summoning - they don't die if killed, resources they used while summoned don't count once done and so on and so forth. Planar ally and planar binding exists for things like that and has a mechanism built in for negotiating services, you'd be best off looking at those spells.
The couatl is summoned, creating a magic circle against evil as requested. "Well, fortunately, I do know a few who might fit the bill. It won't be perfect and she'll want payment, but it's manageable."
"Go for it. With a bit of luck, maybe we'll recruit her after it's all done?"
Canderella steps around the circle, starting to chant. She uses Common for it, "Talos, thunder down!" She repeats, mixing in various names and words you don't recognize. She does it in a slow, steady pattern, building up to with increasing sound. Flashes of bright light join it, rumbles of thunder afterwards. Then - abruptly, a figure appears within the circle.
She is tall for a woman, approaching six feet. Slender, lithe and angular. Inhuman in grace and form, despite appearing as one. She wears chain mail that covers her from feet to neck, shimmering and shifting as she moves. Her hair is long and milk white, her eyes closed. "Hm? Who summons...ah. You." A slight frown comes to her face. "What do you want, Canderella?"
"Something you'll be fairly compensated for and easy too. We need you to take a message to Elder Magi Tepen in Aurora." Canderella crosses her arms and sighs lightly, a look of faint pique. "Assuming we didn't interrupt something."
"Oh, is this role play?"
The frown on the woman's face grows as she sniffs the air. "I smell celestial," she growls, "Done exploring all the warm bodies in the Inner Planes?"
Canderella scoffs, tossing her hair and glaring at Jaela. She makes a gesture, a slash across her throat. "Magama," she says slowly, "I summoned you for a task, one you will be compensated well for. All it takes is a trip to the Positive Energy Plane, which I know you can manage safely."
"Oh, you know?" Magama tilts her head to the side, eyes still closed. "Ten thousand gold coins, succubus. Nothing less."
If these are her friends, Jaela wonders about Canderella's enemies. Still, she apparently wants to handle it herself so there's no need to intervene.
"Done," Canderella says, "You'll get your payment from Tepen, tell him I'll reimburse Aurora once we get back." Now she turns to Jaela, "Jaela, what's the message?"
"Take a look at the magic on all three of us, Magama," Jaela requests. "I need you to tell Tepen that Lixer, that pale-faced motherfucker, somehow mixed it in the Crypt's explosion. Tell him that Mei went first, then Adrian and Hanna, then us. And if Mirajane isn't there with Moonlight and Mirima, it likely happened to them as well, even though I sent them ahead." She pauses briefly in thought. "Took us about two minutes to break Lixer's shit and kill two of his Nessians. He did send lots of ghosts out into Vacuum for some reason."
Jaela shrugs. "Anyway, I tried to break this stupid curse myself but it didn't go well. I think I'm close, though, so if he doesn't have a better idea I'll try the same tomorrow. And we haven't received any Sendings or the sort, so if he's been trying to get in touch this stuff must be getting in the way."
She glances over at Canderella. "Tell Magama what you saw on your end of how the vortex started? I think that'd be it, aside from telling Tepen exactly where we are." She tilts her head. "You'll bring us his answer, right?"
"We were fighting Necrolytes - Lixer's cornugon necromancers - and a pit fiend in a cathedral of Asmodeus. We were winning until the prick of a pit fiend had the Necrolytes kill themselves to power a spell. It created a vortex that soon expanded to fill the cathedral and then the entire crypt." Canderella says.
"Done," Magama replies shortly, "He will be told. Is there anything else?"
"I think we're good. If you ever feel like traveling across the planes in the best demiplane in existence and beating up asshole devils, look us up?"
"Hmph." Like that, Magama is gone with a clap of thunder and flash of lightning.
Canderella takes a seat after, "She's a bitch, but she knows how to get things done with the tools she has. She's so arrogant that she hasn't changed a lick in a thousand years."
"Yes. The wisest thing to do seemed to be slient," Vivantha admits, "But ten thousand gold for a safe task? She gouged you."
"It's about how much the guaranteed completion of the task is worth to us, than how risky it is for her," Jaela muses. "She's not running a charity. So long she does this right, we're good."
"Yes, that. It wasn't worth fighting with her and her choosing to resist," Canderella said, "She knew I needed her help and wouldn't say no, unless she went to absurd lengths. Besides, it's how the game works. You get called and you make as much as you care to off of it. Maybe it's gold, maybe it's deeds, maybe it's something else." She then leans back onto her elbows, lying back with her wings wrapped around her body. "I made a lot of money through planar ally spells. Either of you ever have the pleasure?"
Vivantha sits down as well, "I can't say as I have," she admits, "Not to extent."
"I'm just a half. Three quarters, now, maybe. I doubt I could even be called up like this, but I definitely couldn't as a teen on Lifasa before everything went to shit," Jaela says, storing her armor away and resting on one of the beds. Canderella has the right idea, as far as she's concerned. "Want to try it later?"
"It can be done, but spirits like us usually need a specially developed spell," Canderella says. "It's even possible to summon a deity, or so I've heard. Mirima mentioned something about Kossuth in a place you visited?"
Vivantha curls up, her own wings around her. She rests against the side of a bed, her eyes closed. "Really? What happened?"
"Kossuth and his dudes are pretty hardcore. Like, training for them is being flayed alive by lava, except unlike with devils they volunteer for that shit. I did run across this guy from Lifasa who served Kossuth, but he was a giant pussy and didn't feel like leaving his safe place in Kossuth's realm." Jaela snorts. "I guess it takes all kinds."
"That doesn't sound like them," Canderella says, "But maybe it does." She twirls a bit of her hair and considers a time, "We have to capture Lixer." She just says it casually, "I don't think any less of a bargaining chip will do."
Vivantha glances over and smles - a sad, small thing. "I think so, too. That's the only way to free them, isn't it?"
"That or force them off Lifasa without a final crusade." The succubus looks away at nothing at all, "But I think it's the only way to save them, while we can force the devils off Lifasa through strength of arms."
"I don't think it's happening so long as we can't even casually break Lixer's spells," Jaela muses. "But hey, maybe we're really close to that?"
"Maybe." Canderella murmurs, "But I fear we won't ever get the chance. It's a rather vexing problem, for if we're strong enough to attack Nessus and capture him, we're strong enough to destroy him outright."
"I won't quite lose hope. Sometimes unexpected things happen. Remember the thing with Auril? She's hardly our friend or a friend of the Crusade, but she ended up helping us get our revenge. Maybe an enemy of Lixer will come make a similar trade with us."
"Maybe we'll return to Aurora and find out magical liberation elves have freed Lifasa," Canderella smirks, "I hardly think banking on luck will do us any good here. Which means it falls on us, as always."
"Don't diss luck! It's pretty much how we made most of our friends, for good or ill. Think about it this way. If Lixer actually planned to get us stuck here so we'd fight some of his other enemies, then what's to stop us from making a deal with some of them to rescue our friends?"
Canderella goes quiet, considering that. Like this, time begins to slip by.
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Ko-TheHuntforKappamech rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=20 ]{20}
Time passes. How long you aren't sure, for Jaela falls into a light, fitful doze. It's mostly from the boredom of waiting, until suddenly she perks up and twitches. Sounds in her head- a terribly garbled voice, distorted and broken. It goes on for several seconds before stopping.
"I couldn't get any of that," Jaela muses, shaking her head. "Candy, Vivantha, did you hear anything? Anyone using telepathy?"
"Nothing," Vivantha says, sitting up and looking around.
"Same," Canderella adds.
"Let's keep a watch out, just in case? I'm practically blind so work out a schedule."
"That's fine, I'll take first," Canderella agrees.
Just going to keep waiting then?
Until either Candy's friend returns or I recover my spells to try again.
> roll 1d100+1
<Kobot> Ko-TheHuntforKappamech rolled 1d100+1 --> [ 1d100=22 ]{23}
More time passes - until suddenly, a thunderclap rattles the entire cavern, loud enough to cause your ears to ache sharply.
"Hm?" Canderella only blinks at it and sits up, before smiling. "Someone wants attention," she says, "If you excuse me a moment."
"Telepathy's all gone," Jaela reminds her, perhaps needlessly, "but we're still a dash away."
"Careful," Vivantha says, readying herself.
All you get from Canderella is a wave and soon she returns with Magama. Her eyes are still closed, though she walks with sure steps. "I come with a message," she says. "They are working on it, but from the Sending, even message across the planes are garbled to you. Oh, and apparently they expect an imminent attack on Aurora."
"From whom?" Jaela asks curiously. Doing anything in this situation is beyond her, regrettably. "Did anyone from my group manage to make it back, at least? Did they have any contact with the others, similarly to how we went about it?"
"You're the first," Magama says, wrinkling her nose after sniffing the air. "Elder Magi Tepen can confirm they're all alive with divinations. And by Hell, of course."
"Look, I know there's only so much prestidigation can do, we've been happily killing devils and undead and didn't get a chance at a hot shower along the way," Jaela says defensively. "Anyway, anyone specific from Hell? Or, like, the entire might of the Nine Hells decided to take a break in all the oppresison across the planes and come after us? Cause if it's the latter, is there a reason Tepen isn't shifting over to Ysgard or something? Have a heart and give me more than scraps here, these are my people and I can't even be there with them."
"Hmph, I suppose they did pay well." Magama says. "The truth is..."
And I need to pause Jaela here so the other two threads can catch up. You're a bit ahead and things that happen here depend on what happens there.
Also loot post incoming.
Magama continues. "The truth is that Aurora's expecting an attack. Divinations support it, apparently they've managed to prevent Aurora from moving somehow. It hadn't happened before I left - what they're doing seems aimed at stopping Aurora from easily escaping than from a single person plane shifting."
Canderella frowns, "This really has all the hallmarks of Hell. An overwrought plant hat they can feel smug about if it somehow works out through sheer luck? Absolutely. Get rid of some of us for a time and hit them with the nastiest low blow they can."
"Has anyone actually tried opening a Gate and taking Aurora somewhere?" Jaela asks. "The Old Man's got a tendency to go all theory and rely on divinations rather than simply trying things."
"He didn't say," Magama retorts, "It's your fortress." She licks her lips after, "Old man? He didn't look old at all."
"We got him these waters that rejuvenated him, but the name's stuck," Jaela explains. "It's actually how I met Candy. So getting back on track, even Mirajane didn't make it back? And no one else figured out a way to send word? What about the other teams?"
"Nothing yet," Magama replies, "Though they were hopeful that would change soon."
"Huh. Guess we were the fastest," Jaela muses. "Candy, feel up to trying to break this spell? We probably don't have the time to wait till I can manage it myself, and maybe it'll work better if you do it, I dunno."
"Very well," Canderella says, "Sit down in case this gets explosive."
"Sure thing," Jaela agrees, paying attention as a spectator, this time. "Thanks again for the news, Magama. What do you do with your time?"
"This century I'm for summoning and calling," Magama stands well aside, "I'm saving up for something special."
Canderella snorts softly, but doesn't comment. She instead begins to cast, murmuring words as crackles of lightning appear around her. They go faster and faster and faster yet, as...
Are you DM + Spellcraft here, Jaela?
[19:26] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+35+15 spellcraft
[19:26] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+35+15 spellcraft --> [ 1d20=17 ]{67}
"You know, I believe I mentioned that devils have a lot of things and just can't wait to part with them. It's like every encounter they'd yell 'Aurora! Take our things!'"
"Yes, but we do pay 50% of anything to Aurora," Canderella murmurs, face locked in concentration, "It's a drain on any profit..." A grimace as she chants, letting that go. Jaela can see power pool around her - but it's the same as before. She can see Canderella's just not strong enough, falling to her knees with a soft whimper. The magic around them is stronger than steel and resists all the power she can bring to muster.
"We get top gear at a quarter of the price, so that's only fair, innit?" Jaela muses. "And we've got surprisingly good contacts all around for being a Crusade."
She reaches to pat Canderella comfortingly. "Hey, at least you tried. Now we've really covered everything short of divine intervention."
"I'll be obligated to seduce you if you join," Canderella says, "So unless you want to be my bed warmer..." she trails off, meeting Magama's gaze.
Magama merely laughs haughtily. "I'm not free to join this moment, for Lord Talos assigned me to summonings and callings. Don't make threats you may have to live up to, Canderella. Though perhaps I should petition him. I've heard of Afina's crafting from the Mercane."
Vivantha merely watches all of this, eyebrows rising throughout. "So that means we are stuck here for the forseeable future?"
"Do think about it. No rush, even if I'm not there Aurora won't fall to dickless devils."
There is no need to make a strong recruitment pitch right now, not if Canderella knows how to get in touch with Magama, and Jaela is content to leave it at that. "Yeah, Vivantha, seems like it. We could try praying, or go out to pick a fight with the locals, or just wait until my magic responds properly. I'm the one of us who specializes in counterspelling, after all."
"I'd like to pray," Vivantha says, "Even if I have no hope for myself, I have hope for Selune. She walked with us to destroy Athux, she will not lightly abandon us."
"Praying it is!" Jaela brightly agrees. "Candy, watch out for the locals? And if you guys change your mind about going out and saying hi I'm ready to go at a moment's notice!"
Since rest doesn't come easily, she muses to herself, it really might be the best way to spend her time. And so Jaela prepares to meditate and see whether the Triune has any guidance for her.
Make a Wis check.
[20:31] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+9
[20:31] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{14}
As Jaela settles in, "Oh, I almost forgot." Magama stops as she leaves, "A message: If it takes you time to escape and you don't hear word, check the old location on Ysgard. It's where they'll go if they can shift away after all."
"I figured as much, but I'm glad to not have to go on assumptions, Magama," Jaela thanks her with a grin.
> roll 1d1000 Vivantha will try
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d1000 Vivantha will try --> [ 1d1000=135 ]{135}
Jaela tries to settle in - but she just can't find her center. She finds herself restless - and it isn't helped by Canderella quietly cursing. A rather vile curse in Abyssal, you have to wonder what Lixer's mother and her horse farm did to her, anyway.
She can certainly understand the reason behind said restlessness, but it's not like she can do anything else. Not productive, anyway.
Jaela decides to give meditating another try before trying to sleep.
Make another Wis check.
[21:02] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+9
[21:02] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{20}
Jaela finally falls into a restful meditation, leaving behind her pain and worries. She drifts, lost in thought.
In her mind's eye, she sees an arrow fired. It flies true, only to be deflected from its course. But instead of falling to the ground, it flies on, hitting another target altogether.
"Hey, girls, listen up," Jaela says as she comes out of her meditative state. "The Triune thinks there might be something worth bringing down locally."
"Of there is," Vivantha replies, "This realm is poison hate."
"Naturally so," Canderella stands in one smooth motion, "But who and how?"
Jaela shrugs. "I just know that I must be the arrow in the vision, and I'm supposed to find another target. By simple circumstances it must mean something we can reach from here. Candy, you did see a demon scout here, so maybe if we try to retrace his steps or follow his original path?"
"Good an idea as any," Canderella says, "Too bad, this place is almost homey."
"We can return if we don't find anything, interpreting visions is ridiculously hard," Jaela voices, bringing out Gae Bolg to write on the wall 'J was here!'. "Okay, lead on, Candy!"
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=76 ]{76}
Canderella takes you to a blasted spot of Gehenna, a lava river nearby. "Around here, I believe." It's much like any other spot on this miserable realm, broken, barren and blazing hot.
"Following the river or crossing it? Let's pick a direction and stick with it."
"Following," Canderella says.
"Following it is!" Jaela picks a direction and starts flying down it.
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=20 ]{20}
You wander along the blazing river for a little while. A half hour of following the blasted thing, enduring all the heat and befouled air of this realm. Flying helps even as you head uphill, avoiding the pain of a long, difficult uphill journey. After a half hour of flying along, you notice something. The ground beneath you, safely unused thanks to the party's flight, shifts and shapes. The edges become razors and all the ground is a killing field.
Vivantha looks down with widening eyes, "Do you see that?"
"Ah yes, Gehenna must be thirsty," Canderella lightly observes, "That's called a razor shift. You can imagine what it does to travelers who get caught in one."
"Any exciting dangers in the skies?" Jaela asks, staying on course. They have wings, they might as well use them.
"Of course there are," Canderella says, "But none this moment." She gestures at the crimson sky, "Do you recall that one spell Muirfinn used that caused embers to rain from the sky? That happens naturally here. Great clouds of volcanic gas float along that choke anything that can't tolerate them. Fiendish rocs hunt in packs and swoop down on anything that looks like prey. The successful ones become bloated with the realm's essence and mutate into half-fiends."
"Lovely." Jaela keeps on track, trusting in her interpretation of the Triune's vision for now.
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=14 ]{14}
Another period of travel. Perhaps an hour, perhaps less or more. Travel in this realm is a silent misery, Jaela having to force her mind on it instead of thinking of better things. It's then that you see something ahead. A flattening above you, a great plateau. Even from here, you can tell it is dominated by two things. The first is a massive lake of lava, glowing brightly. The second is a tower-esque building that rises from it. The bottom is all metal scaffolding and tubes that suck up the lava into the tower above.
Chained to this scaffolding are humanoids - from fair humans to monstrous ones like ogres. Hundreds - no, thousands. The moment you see them and take them in, you hear the screams. They cook before your eyes, like a roast that is never quite done and must be kept on the flames. Even from this far away, the voices are a dreadful din, joined by the crackle of cooking meat.
"HELP! MERCY! I'M SORRY! STOP! STOP!" Cries mix in with the gnashing of teeth and wordless expressions of agony.
Vivantha pales terribly and looks away, while Canderella looks on with a grave expression. "Damned mortals," she remarks, "Those who embraced evil and did not repent, denied even the mercy of becoming larvae."
Do I have enough knowledge on where in Gehenna I am now, and if so, what rests within a radius of a day's travel from me?
Do I know what can be done about/for/with these damned mortals?
K:P.
[20:07] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+48
[20:07] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+48 --> [ 1d20=7 ]{55}
What lies before you is Menazzar's Tower. The pain of the mortals is captured in great furnaces and used to make various compounds, as well as various lava-craft objects. There's nothing really around it, Menazzar is a powerful ultroloth who prefers his privacy. Uninvited guests that attract his attention usually vanish and are never seen again.
As for the mortals, they are those who died in evil. It is their own sins that dragged them down to this place, the chains around them a manifestation of it. Only atonement could possibly save them. Of course, it would require overcoming the evil that dragged them down here in the first place. You recall that Menazzar mostly deals in murderers and betrayers, so likely the mortals here committed those crimes.
"Feel like taking on Menazzar, girls?"
Canderella pauses and eyes upward. The rest of the tower is made of blackened metal, beams and scaffolding woven so tightly together as to be solid. It rises up at least four dozen stories, a knife into the crimson sky above. "Not terribly," Canderella admits, and ignoring the scandalized gasp from Vivantha, "They did earn their fate there," she gestures towards the tower, "I've seen plenty of mortals like this in my old life. You can rest assured you'd smite them out of hand if you met them while living. So tell me, why fight their punisher now?"
"Canderella!" Vivantha interjects, ignored as the succubus goes on. Once she's finished, "Even that aside, what about all the wickedness Menazzar does? What if there's even a single innocent soul in there, stolen away from its promised rest?"
That gets a dry look, "I'm not concerned about that. I really want to know what Jaela thinks. This," she gestures at it again, a sweep of her arm. "Is Creation working as designed and evil earning the reward Good wards it will earn. Why interfere?"
"I'm with Candy in that I doubt there's an innocent soul here," Jaela admits to Vivantha, shrugging apologetically. "In his possession, maybe. But not here."
She eyes the tower. "Still. Still... who said Creation working as intended was a good thing? It was working as intended when the devils moved in on Lifasa and took it. And Lifasa's not the only world like that. It's working as intended by involving mortals in the devil and demon little spat across Avernus. It's working as intended, so even though the lower planes are literally at war while the heavens are largely united against them, no one's winning."
She grins at Canderella. "Maybe it needs a push from the right side, now and then?"
Canderella sighs, "You really want to attack this tower, don't you?" she asks. She then cracks her knuckles, "I suppose I don't see why not if you're really stuck on it. At worst, we're captured and tormented until our minds shatter and become slavering slaves to the 'loths for all eternity."
Vivantha frowns now, "What draws out this cowardice? You seem indisposed to attacking this place."
"I have a bad feeling," Canderella admits, "You two would run off without thinking about to go smite anything inside."
"It you need practical reasons, it's the only thing of note around," Jaela points out to her. "We take it and we're as safe as we can make it on Gehenna, in case the decursing takes a bit more time than expected. So we do that, get a chance at offering atonement to these souls and maybe, with luck, find an even better bed for the night than what we left behind. What do you say?"
"Well," Canderella sighs, though it isn't a terribly sad one. She even smiles, "You're going to command me forward anyway, aren't you? You have your orders from above. But maybe we can make some chaos first, say by interfering with the damned?"
"I love being practical when it involves chaos," Jaela says with answering smile. "Go for it, I'll back you up."
Canderella flies in, looking amid them...
> roll 1d20+30 Canderella listen
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+30 Canderella listen --> [ 1d20=16 ]{46}
She flies for a little bit before returning, "Small complication," Canderella admits casually, "One of them was calling out for Angharradh's mercy."
Jaela blinks slowly, before inclines her head. "My bad. I honestly didn't see that coming."
Despite her casual words, magic comes to her swiftly to bolster the three of them.
Sign, Conviction, Turn Anathema, Foresight and Shield of Warding on myself. Conviction (CL26) and Good Hope (CL25) on Canderella and Vivantha."Detail your original plan to me, if you will," she tells Canderella in the meanwhile. "As well as how a potential innocent alters it."
Jaela
HP: 318/318
AC: 66 normal, 58 touch, 60 vs incorporeal, 20% miss chance.
CMB +29, CMD 72. Fort +51, Ref +48, Will +51; evasion.
Spell Resistance 33 (42 vs Evil spells).
Effects: Heroes Feast (CL20), Attune Form (CL22), Moment of Prescience (CL21), Longstrider (CL21), GMW x4 (CL25), Magic Vestment x2 (CL27), Lore of the Gods (CL25), Divine Insight (CL25), Permanency/Greater Blindsight (CL29), Permanency/Mantle of Good (CL30), Turn Anathema (CL25), Foresight (CL23), Shield of Warding (CL26).
Boosts: Immune to fear and poison, +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and Will saves, immunity to planar conditions, Blindsight for 60ft, Spell Resistance vs Evil Spells of 40, evil creatures within 40ft suffer a -2 penalty to saving throws against Jaela's spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities; -4 against evil outsiders and undead.
Spell charges total: 6//10/9/9/7/9/8/8/8/8//5
Spell charges remaining: 6//6/3/6/1/9/4/0/0/0//5
Resources used: 1/3 Lesser Extend charges, Foresight x2, Spell Turning, True Strike x1, 6/16 Turning charges, 3/6 Smites.
Bolt of Glory channeled into Gae Bolg
"Plan?" Canderella asks, "I was going to make something up with lots of lightning. This? Just because someone calls for Angharradh doesn't mean they're innocent. I heard people calling to Lathander, Sylvanus and Mielikki as well, I only mentioned that one because it's important to you."
"It doesn't sound like it'd help with the owner, so let's just kick in the door," Jaela decides, deciding to do just that as she looks for a door to crash through!
Also, how long has it been since we arrived to Gehenna?
No doors - just a steely tower. Of course, you're away from it and only on one side, so there could be one on the other side.
"I had the impression you'd want to go to him and try and help him," Canderella remarks as you settle into position.
With the traveling and the waiting, about 4 hours now.
"Of course I want to help him," Jaela says matter of factly. "The only way to do it is to first get Menazzar. But you're probably the expert here, so if there's another way...?" She circles the tower to get a better idea of it and, perhaps, to find a door and some guards.
You circle the tower. The far side indeed has a door. A yawning archway of darkness, very traditional and gothic. If not for the screams of the damned, you might think you could hear a cold wind blowing and crows cawing.
Jaela studies the archway and its surroundings for any magics, and if she senses nothing that can harm her presses on through the gate!
Spellcraft if needed.
9:47 AM <Rin> roll 1d20+35
9:47 AM <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+35 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{55}
The archway's enchanted. The magic there silently sets off an alarm elsewhere.
"There's an alarm on the door, so I'm gonna use anti-magic and just waltz in," Jaela voices. "Stay real close to me and I'll drop it when we meet resistance."
Intending to cast Antimagic Field and walk in with Canderella and Vivantha right next to me unless one of them raises an objection.
Also, duration spent in Gehenna means Turn Anathema, Foresight and Fortunate Fate (this one on everyone) should still be up, if barely. They were cast as we started the attack on the crypt itself.
So noted.
The party enters into the archway. Past the immediate darkness is a small, oval chamber of scaffolding and tubes glowing red with lava inside. There's ways forward, gaps in the scaffolding all about. But 25ft away, leaning against a metal pole that runs ceiling to floor is a man. A human, albeit one with midnight-black tinted skin. The color of the night sky on a moonless and starless night. He's tall and bald, wearing leather armor with black stitching and with no weapon at his side.
"Hm?" He stirs and looks your way, "Well, it's been some time since celestials have been brave enough to enter here...and with a succubus?" he asks aloud, voice clear and soft. "Greetings."
"Hello," Jaela responds, to not be churlish. "I'm not the unreasonable sort. Free all the souls outside, allowing them to find atonement."
"You heard the woman. Trust me, you don't want to see her when she gets smiting." Canderella adds, "I've seen balors less terrifying than she is."
Vivantha merely gazes evenly at the man, not looking away.
"Why?" The man asks back, "They made their choice in their mortal lives. What good are they except as fiend tainted penitents, far more likely to fall and return here than find any atonement? They all turned away their chances to atone in life and embraced evil. Why do you care to save them?"
"We believe in second chances. It's as simple as that. I'm not saying magically turn them good. I'm telling you to give them another choice, in the here and now." Jaela shrugs. "Not to boast, but I see it fairly similar to talking to you right now rather than a dynamic entry through the wall. Those I try to reserve for the devils."
> roll 1d20+16
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+16 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{35}
Something about that statement draws pause to the man. He peers at Jaela, "Aurora. General Jaela of Aurora." His entire demeanor changes at that, "Perhaps we can come to some sort of accord."
Jaela dips her head in a nod. "Lady Angharradh desires for the damned souls to have a chance at atonement and redemption. She does not necessarily desire this to happen as a result of a battle. I'm in full agreement with her on both counts." She wonders whether she should add that it's not some bluff, and that risks have been properly assessed, but her reputation surely speaks for her there and Jaela decides to leave it at that.
"Yes, yes," The man goes on, "But there must be compensation, you understand."
"Filthy lucre or something more unpleasant?" Canderella asks, idly twirling a bit of her hair around a finger. "You know, money always makes me want to think of thunderstorms. Bringing them, causing them, destroying entire cities in giant tornadoes. You know, the things that we do."
"Even if you win, you will expend valuable resources in the battle. In fact, if you do happen to win you will also receive the enmity of Aurora and its other generals," Jaela calmly points out. "I believe Afina has spent some time in these parts, and would be all too happy to do so again to avenge my unfortunate and untimely death. Then again, there are the other options, likewise unappealing. Death, loss of property and riches...." She shrugs, trailing off. "I realize this must seem like a very unfavorable situation to you. However, such is life. I would chalk it down to the cost of doing business in human souls and all the divine anger that sometimes brings upon your head for seemingly no reason."
Make intimidate checks, Jaela and Canderella.
I'm scary even when I don't try.
[22:00] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+36+15
[22:00] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+36+15 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{53}
> roll 1d20+47 Canderella Intimidate
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+47 Canderella Intimidate --> [ 1d20=20 ]{67}
> roll 1d20+67 exploding crit purely for the giggles
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d20+67 exploding crit purely for the giggles --> [ 1d20=14 ]{81}
No other rolling, since he can't even beat Jaela's check, let alone Canderella throwing a natural 20.
The man draws back from all of that, "Well then," he says, "Go on down. If you can get any of them to atone and a power willing to intercede, the chains will break on their own." He waves his hands, "We won't interfere."
'Until it's convenient to plunge a knife into our backs,' Canderella sends to Jaela.
'If that happens you'll get to see if he has nice, shiny things,' Jaela assures Canderella, nodding at their host once more. "No time like the present," she says, proceeding.
I presume Antimagic Field got dropped when we got past the door and met this guy.
Okay.
The party heads back out. Canderella sends as you do, 'We had best make this count. How do you plan to do this?'
Jaela starts glowing again in response, as this is exactly the time to draw attention to herself.
"Are you really sorry?" she calls out to the souls screaming for mercy. There is no way for her to outright shout them down, so she would need to rely on force of personality, boosted by theatrical aids. "Do you regret what you did in your mortal lives to get you here? Or is it being here that you regret?"
Her mental response to Canderella has the succubus lead her over to to the soul crying out to the Triune. Her best chance at success is approaching someone she shares common ground with. When that succeeds, she could leverage that for an in with the others.
"Think about your crimes. A lifetime of causing misery to others, a betrayal so deep it left marks on your very soul." Jaela gestures about her, as the bottom of the pillar and its assorted scaffolding glow with divine power. "Even now, you cling to your self-delusions. To the lies you tell yourself, no doubt blaming others for your circumstances. It was someone else's fault, or you were tricked. Pushed into hurting others, innocents. The blame lies with your childhood." She stomps her boot against the ground, as if to drive it into that idea itself. "Now you cannot do even that. So tell me, one by one, what did you do that got you here? And then, once you're done, tell me if you're really sorry."
Bead of Karma to boost my CL by 4, then Hallow with the Discern Lies imbued in it. Though the spell seems to be a caster vs other people one, I'm hoping the fluff in the desc about resonance in the aura might be visible to the souls themselves, given I'm not dealing with people.
Finally, intent is to stop by the soul crying out to the Triune and hear what it has to say under this effect. The glow is the Body of Light, btw.
Make a caster level check for Hallow, then a Diplomacy check.
6:07 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+27 CL
6:07 PM <Rei-chan> Rin rolled : 1d20+27 CL --> [ 1d20=17 ]{44}
6:07 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+53 friendship, +2 with elves
6:07 PM <Rei-chan> Rin rolled : 1d20+53 friendship, +2 with elves --> [ 1d20=2 ]{55}
I was going to use Divine Insight on the Diplo roll for +15, but forgot to call it. Up to you if you'll let it count or not.
The fabric of Gehenna shudders as you call on the Triune, golden light banishing the endlessly, gloomy shadows. The cries of the damned cease as Jaela speaks, but it is still easy to find her target. He seems to stand out - a male elf, chained to burning hot scaffolding. He weeps tears of blood and fire, "Help! Mercy!" he cries, "I...I betrayed my family and town for orc gold."
"Did the money make you happy?" Jaela asks, looking for the capacity for honesty in the tortured elf. "Did it benefit you for a good, long while? Was it enough for those same cries of help and mercy from your family and neighbors to fall on deaf ears?"
Intention is to have Divine Insight continuously recast whenever I use it to have it ready if I need it again.
Noted.
"No!" he howls, sobbing. "They killed everyone and left me! It was a mistake, I see that now!"
"Treason is one of the worst sins," Jaela announces. "And betraying your kin, that's as bad as it gets. We're not wired like that, so it means we have to ignore our basic instincts to commit a sin like that."
She gestures at the chains binding the elf to the scaffolding. "That sin is what binds you now. It takes the form of those chains, so heavy that you may not cast them aside on your own. That's how bad your action were." Jaela pauses, before returning to her original point, "But do you regret the act or the outcome? Given the chance to do it all over again, if I promised that your family and loved ones would be saved. If only people you weren't close to were harmed by your betrayal, and you got on to live a long life with your family and keep the orc gold. What would your choice be then?"
I will, of course, be monitoring for truthfulness via Discern Lies.
"I regret it all," he wails, "Everything! Damn the orcs and let them keep their filthy gold! The coins haven't spared me one moment of this misery!"
"It's not the worst of the outcomes, if you head down the same path again," Jaela says gravely, as the spear of mercy materializes in her outstretched hand. "But Lady Angharradh believes in second chances. As your remorse is sincere, let these chains of sin be broken!"
She slashes with Gae Trocaire to punctuate her words, stopping just short of the elf or his chains.
I'll wait a moment to see if the Triune accepts things as they are and acts, but if she doesn't I'll attempt to use the Resurrection SLA.
Jaela strikes near the chains. In that moment reality slowly stretches out, wavy and indistinct. Whispered voices utter alien words, the darkness creeping up until only you glow amid a sea of shadow. Your captive vanishes into it, as a cold, clear certainty comes to you, as if from Angharradh herself. Gehenna will not allow a soul in its grasp to leave lightly.
'This is the backstabbing part, I think,' Jaela sends to Canderella. 'Gehenna's opposing us. But good news! The Triune is watching, so we're on the right track. Got anything helpful for this? Spells, powers, knowledge? Ask Vivi, too.'
Speaking of knowledge, is there anything of use I can think of? The darkness seems to easily ignore the light from my glow, but is there a stronger light spell that could do the trick? Any way to use the established Hallow effect to my advantage?
No answer from Canderella.
K:P.
[19:15] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+48
[19:15] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+48 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{62}
Gehenna is folding in around you. It will surround you, suffocate you and drown you in the shadows. If you do not want to die, you must find something holy that will drive away the shadows. Jaela's religious knowledge lets her know that a soul beginning the path to redemption would suffice.
Jaela fearlessly crosses the distance towards where the elf had been, wrapping her arms around that spot. Gehenna is trying to enforce its reality upon her, but the plane is not truly mutable. She knows the way things should be.
"You're not alone," she proclaims. The Triune does not give trials beyond the abilities of her faithful, and she does not intend to fail in hers again. Therefore, be it by overcoming Gehenna's trickery or through the Triune's direct intervention, she would be able to reach the repentant soul. "Lady Angharradh is here with you. She has listened, same as me. And we are granting you a second chance! But you must reach for it!"
You can feel warmth there, hear a voice far away. But it's all muted as you struggle against the shadows. They gnaw at you, tearing at your flesh and ripping at your soul.
> roll 10d6
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 10d6 --> [ 10d6=27 ]{27}
Damage to Jaela. DR does not apply.
It's getting hard to move. Your chest aches, as if you can't breathe. Darkness is everywhere, squeezing you tighter and tighter. But you can feel that warmth, close. Ever so close.
She doesn't need to breathe. Emboldened by the warmth, Jaela stubbornly reaches ahead.
"There will be others to show you the way. Different chances to repent, to make amends," she speaks into the darkness. "But you're taking the first step right here with me! Accept his penance, Lady Angharradh!"
And at the invoking of the Triune's name, a brilliant radiance seeks to drive off the shadows!
Invoking Holy Aura.
The darkness around you parts like mist battered by the winds. You see nothing, but there's a feeling of relief and joy. For a moment all seems calm, before the realm around you explodes violently.
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=69 ]{69}
Jaela has a sensation of twisting and falling, before landing face down on something soft and surprisingly comfortable.
"Explosions and fluffy comforts," Jaela muses, aches forgotten as she rolls onto her back. Blindsight is just not the same, not when she can look around with her eye. "My favorites! Gehenna gave up the ghost, I take it? Literally?"
You are lying on a verdant green hill under a vibrantly blue sky. The sun shines warmly down on you, a place Jaela knows even as the sense of joy and allure fills her. Elysium, the first layer in particular.
Canderella's nearby, rubbing her head as she pushes herself up - a rather large rock under where her head was.
Vivantha's already on her feet, looking around.
How things changed, she muses, that's it's no longer a plane she is immediately suspicious of for trying to get her to stay.
"What happened after the darkness hit?" she asks Vivantha, looking with her magical sight to study the magic around them and upon them alike.
Spellcraft, if needed.
[21:38] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+35
[21:38] <Kobot> Annerose rolled 1d20+35 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{54}
The problem's still there, albeit a little less twisted.
"Darkness all around and then we ended up here," Canderella says, "Someone didn't like what we were doing."
"And yet, someone liked it even more?" Jaela muses. "We're still travel-locked, despite everything, but I'm pretty confident I could break it, now. Do you think we managed to bring more than just that elf?"
"I have no idea," Vivantha admits, "Nor who the motivator was. I thought I heard something, but I'm not sure what. A voice, maybe."
"I thought it was the Triune's voice," Jaela admits. "Still, unless someone tells us about the elf's fate we'll have to wait until we're back on Aurora to look into any of that. For now, let's just wander for now?"
She picks a direction heading down the hill and onwards. If Elysium has something in store for her, she shouldn't keep it waiting. And if not, that just means they'd find a nice place to rest and try their hands at the decursing on the morning.
> roll 1d100-7
<Kobot> Kowork rolled 1d100-7 --> [ 1d100=97 ]{90}
A few hours of wandering leads you to nothing in particular, just the gentle, soothing wilderness of Elysium. You end up camping next to a small brook, lulled to rest by its endless babbling. Rest is easy like this, morning bringing recovery and restoration.
Canderella's sitting by the brook on a flat rock, a beehive next to her. She's cracked it open, scooping out honey with a finger and sucking on it. The fact that she's being stung by bees doesn't phase her in the least, as not a one seems able to pierce her skin.
Vivantha's curled up on a low branch, perching there with her wings wrapped around her body.
Jaela stows Brokion away after using as a pillow. "Morning," she calls out cheerfully. "Ready for that second try?"
As Canderella happily suckles on honey, Vivantha leaps down and lands smoothly. "I am," she says. "Do you think it'll work this time?"
"We can stack the deck as much as possible," Jaela responds, stretching out her wings before getting to her preparations. "If either of you have easy means of supporting in the casting of spells, let's do that first. Otherwise, we'll have to trust in the Triune and go for it. Doing it from Elysium rather than Gehenna would help, too."
Asking for CL boosters if they have the means. I know Candy can use Wish to emulate Spell Enhancer on me for +2 CL, and I have the bead of karma for +4 CL. If Vivi doesn't have anything, and Candy lacks a better idea, let's use those and then go for a Miracle asking the Triune to break the curse.
Canderella finally looks up and moans, "Oh, this is soooo good," she virtually purrs, licking her lips slowly. "You have to try som-oh, Jaela, you're ready. Were you saying something?"
Not intending to comment, Jaela briefly recaps her plan again and waits on input.
Canderella idly swats a few bees and says, "I could do a wish for that, I suppose," she says.
"That's what we'll do," Jaela states, before praying to the Triune to destroy the curse Lixer had placed upon her and her allies so that they could return to the aid of their friends upon the Aurora.
With a little pout, Canderella puts down the beehive and comes over. In Auran she chants, "From the sky comes the wind that sweeps everything away. Knock thrice on the door and throw it open so that power flows down from the tower!" A whirling circle of electricity appears beneath her, thunderbolts striking from the clear blue sky around her. They all gather into one ball of lightning over Canderella's heart, which flies to slam into Jaela.
The thunder ball doesn't hurt in the slightest, instead Jaela's blood singing with overwhelming electrical power. She feels it surge through her as she invokes her patrons.
What's the total caster level of your miracle, Jaela?
CL 31 for this Miracle!
There's a lout CRACK as reality turns sepia toned. For a moment all seems frozen, locked in stasis. Then energy bleeds out from the three, crumbling away into nothingness.
Jaela offers a prayer filled with endless gratitude to the Triune!
"Did it work?" Canderella asks, going back and grabbing the beehive.
"That's how it looked like!" Jaela says cheerfully, though she, of course, checks the magic upon them. "Can anyone use a Sending?" she asks in the meantime.
Spellcraft.
7:47 PM <Rin> roll 1d20+35
7:47 PM <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+35 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{37}
The curse on the party is gone.
"No," Vivantha admits, while Canderella ads, "Not without another wish."
"Alright, then! We're not in any danger here and it's been long enough the attack on Aurora must've come and been pushed off. We don't actually know where Aurora would be, either, and jumping into hostile planes like Positive Energy without protection and with overtaxed magic is bad. So we're waiting an hour here to recover properly, and then I'll bring us over. First the positive plane, then Ysgard if they're not there. If we can't find them by that point, we'll try communicating via Wish."
> roll 1d100-7
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100-7 --> [ 1d100=89 ]{82}
An hour passes peacefully. Canderella finishes off her honey and otherwise nothing noteworthy happens.
"Close your eyes," Jaela orders, after checking the time. She's glowing again, just as she likes it. "We're going to the Positive Plane."
She does likewise, deciding to rely on her blindsight after planeshifting just outside where the front gates used to be.
Nothing's there. Just the endless rush of the positive energy plane, the empty light that brings live everlasting until it cannot be withstood any longer.
In that case, she trusts in Magama's warning and planeshifts the three of them over to Ysgard, several hundred meters away from their original spot on it.
Sure enough, you open your eyes and see Aurora before you. It's bustling with preparations, the courtyard visibly busy.
"Success!" Jaela cheers. "Vivi, go check on the others once we're back. See about sendings and divinations, in case the Triune broke the curse upon all of us. Candy, let's go see what the fuss is about!"
Fantastic. I'm going to merge you into the new thread when that goes up (pending finishing up Ithea), so this thread is locked. You made it just in time.