Ah, rest and relaxation. Battles are done, no drama is immediately in sight and Ithea's in her room by her lonesome. She feels better already, sprawled out on her bed after enjoying a nap. 27 and the cats are even being good for once, curled up on the foot of the bed and not making trouble. Truly, life is good.
Then Elena appears, "Hi, Ithea?" she says, "You wanted to keep up on the Balyss and Sylvie situation?"
Ithea pauses at that, then sighs. "I'm sure I won't be happy to hear what you have to say, but lay it on me."
"Well..." Elena looks down, pushing two fingers together, "Um..."
"...or are they friends again? Because that would be amazingly fortunate."
"Ahahahahahaha." Elena laughs, completely deadpan. "You're funny. The thing is, they're talking. Not fighting but talking. Arguing politely, really."
Ithea blinks. "Not what I would have guessed. But that could be a win, I guess?"
"There's one problem," Elena says, "They're both blaming you for it. Sylvie said you enabled her and Balyss says you should have stopped her. They're a bit upset and they're coming to visit. You might want to manage that and talk them down."
"Well, that's not exactly fair of them, but okay. Thanks for the heads up, Elena," Ithea says. "If they're already headed here, I'll just wait for them, I guess."
Elena's gone, just like that. A fee moments later there's a rather loud knocking on Ithea's door, almost a pounding. "Ithea?" Balyss calls. "You awake? Ithea?"
"I'm awake, both of you can come in!" Ithea calls out.
Balyss leads the way, Sylvie behind her. Both look unhappy, frowning as the Lunatic marches right up to Ithea - and squish! She pulls her right into a hug, head into her chest. "Oh Ithea," she laughs, "Today's a good day!"
"If that's the case, why'd you and Sylvie look unhappy coming in?" Ithea asks drily as she's pressed to Balyss' chest.
Balyss giggles brightly, a whiff of something strong on her breath. Applejack, if you don't miss your guess. She hugs you even tighter and says, "Because we figured out you had Elena keeping an eye on us and I thought you could use a little bit of a scare. So I talked you into it."
In a faux whisper, loud enough to be easily heard, "She's been drinking. Everything seems like a good idea to her right now."
Applejack is the Element of Honesty *nods nods*
Ithea raises an eyebrow. "Alright then?" Is all she can really say to that. Balyss will hopefully add more to that?
"Alright!" Balyss giggles again, "So you know what you need to do, Ithea?"
"....what do I need to do, Balyss?"
Balyss pulls out a silver flask and pushes it, "Have some! Let's celebrate!"
Sylvie shakes her head, "Better than her being upset. Honestly, we got tired of arguing. It seemed a little silly after the mess in the Astral. We aren't going to agree, but it's old news."
Ithea snorts. "Does that mean a friendship trip to the slaad's dungeon is in order once we're all sober again?" she asks, grabbing the flask and smelling it.
Oh wow, this is a strong batch. The scent hits you like a charging dire tiger, leaving your eyes watering.
"Oooh, that's a great idea!" Balyss declares, "Wonderful!"
"Holy crap this smell strongs..."
Ithea tries a sip of the alcohol.
Woah.
Woaaaah.
Woaaaaaaaah.
This is strong stuff. Stronger than normal, strong enough to make Ithea feel that sip.
Ithea makes a face, scrounching up her nose at that. "...that's some freaking strong stuff. Where'd you even dig this up?"
"Briiiightwater," Balyss smirks, "Where else, silly? The apples are from the Beastlands, I heard."
"Right," Ithea says. Then tries a few more sips, carefully getting used to the strong flavor.
It's strong as hell, no doubt. Balyss claps, "Drink up, make merry!"
Sylvie goes and grabs a seat, "At least she's not so far gone as to start chanting for you to chug." She smirks a little bit.
"Selune says women are just as good as men, even better in places. So why not drink like a man?" Balyss challenges back, hands on her hips as she drunkenly glares at Sylvie. "Chug, Ithea, chug!"
"Has Sylvie drunk? You don't look drunk," Ithea replies at that, but takes another sip. "And I'm not gonna chug. Waaaay too strong for that."
Sylvie smirks a bit, "Magic," she says, "I drank plenty." She then winks at Ithea.
Balyss grumbles, "Cheater," she says, "And you're missing all the fun!"
"I'm not a fan of hangovers, so don't expect me to drink this fast or drink too much more," Ithea says. "It's not so bad in sips, the kick feels almost a bit pleasant that way."
"Anyway," Sylvie says, "We made peace. After all, Balyss will be like this one day. Probably sooner than later," Sylvie adds pointedly, looking at Balyss's wings. "Selune favors her. Mortals of her power that gain favor seldom stay mortal for long. I just took control of my own destiny, that's all."
Balyss blows a raspberry, "Yeah, sure. Never seen much favor from Oghma for you. Oh, he doesn't mind you calling on him for your spells, but he doesn't support you, either. You're a fair weather follower and he knows it. It's why he didn't get upset and smite you."
Perhaps surprisingly, Sylvie doesn't react to that beyond rolling her eyes. "I've never claimed to be anything else. I don't need to sing songs or praise Oghma constantly to do things that please him. All the knowledge I learn, record and spread is amply enough for him. Why would he get in the way of that?"
"Hmph, so some day I'm going to be an old lady and you're all going to forget about me a few millenia from now. I see how it is," Ithea says with a sniff as she goes for a third sip. Or is it the fourth now? No, she's sure it's just been three. Damn, that's strong.
It's really strong, alright, each sip hitting her hard.
"Nonsense," Balyss waves a hand, "Sharess won't let you die, you're too valuable. We're all too powerful, too valuable."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. I certainly don't plan on using Medi's tool, and if Sharess will do something herself, well, that remains to be seen. I'm certainly not presumptous enough to ask her if she has such plans," Ithea notes. "And used to be not too long ago that my opinion of the gods was rather sour. It was deities like Solonor, Selune, and Sharess that caused my opinion to soften and change, through their actions and aid. And many other deities since then have also shown me otherwise, but I still did have a rather sour opinion, you know. Still surprises me when some of them look on me with any favor."
"That means you just need to find the right ones, like that. You should consider Selune, too," Balyss comes forward and throws an arm around you. "You could be the first moon cat to contrast with moon dogs."
Sylvie again rolls her eyes, "Anyway," she says, "Unneeded amounts of drinking aside, do you have any plans now, Ithea?"
"A few. I still need to complete some quests that I let languish due to what's been going on. Lady Sunnis' hunt, and the destruction of that hunger demon that shall go unnamed because I don't need the headache while drinking," Ithea says while taking another sip. "I also want to check on Kina and give an update to Sharess about what's happened, I'm sure she'll appeciate what happened with the Hanged Raven and the demons. I do also want to hit up the slaad's dungeon again to try and raise some gold for a... personal project, let's call it. Two of them, really."
"I need to visit the House of Knowledge," Sylvie adds, "I want to find out what my native plane is now, in case something happens to me. If Oghma didn't smite me already, I should be safe to do so."
"Yeah," Balyss adds cheerfully, "And we should go to Balmuria and visit Ves and Aaeru, then Josa and Yuria and Whurric and all of them."
Sylvie just elects to not address that, a silent sigh as Balyss goes on. She instead interjects, "Y'know, you shouldn't take us to visit Rapture, Ithea. You should take Stille."
"I can, I suppose. I've done it before, in case you're trying to do something weird or romantic or whatever," Ithea points out.
"Well yeah," Balyss grins and then giggles, "Gotta watch out for my brother. Mrow!" She makes a cat-like sound, her hands clawing at the air in mimicry.
"You're not even embarassed about saying that are you? Jeez, you're drunk," Ithea says with amusement, as she passes the drink over to Sylvie.
"Oh yeah," Balyss giggles, "Or you could take me and complete the family set!" She giggles and blushes terribly, Sylvie quietly facepalming.
"That's enough, time for you to go sit down," Sylvie says, taking Balyss by the shoulders and half guiding, half forcing her over to the couch. She shoots Ithea a look, "I don't know why this is hitting her so hard today. She normally holds her liquor better that this."
Ithea shrugs. "It's -really- strong alcohol."
"Anyway," Sylvie goes right on, "Once Balyss dries out, what do you want to do?"
"I'll be heading to Brightwater first,but after that I think I want to handle Lady Sunnis' request. I've let that idle long enough, and I've put her gift to a lot of use lately," Ithea answers, gesturing with a glance to the mace sitting atop a desk. "I'll worry about the order of other things I'm thinking about after that gets resolved, hopefully that dungeon slaad sends one of his invitations by then, and I can figure out who wants to challenge that."
"Right," Sylvie says, as...
So you're going to Brightwater next? Go ahead and declare who you want to take and your goals there, so we're on the same page.
I'll go on my own and chat with Sharess. I just want to find out what's going on with Kina after we got her and if she's doing any better, if she's still got issues, etc. Also just basically catching up, letting her know about what happened in Astral, thanking her for the dreams before that, and the anarch power manifestation. If it comes up as a valid conversation topic, might broach Sylvie/Balyss's comment on mortality/future, but it probably won't come up.
Using your bracelet to travel over? Assuming so, correct me if I'm wrong.
The trip to Brightwater is like falling through a waterfall and into a beautiful, golden realm. You quickly travel through Waukeen's quarter and towards Rapture.
> roll 1d100-2 Ithea
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d100=94]
> roll 1d100-2 Ithea subtables
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 44 > [d100=46]
Ithea is walking down a street in Brightwater. One she's been down before, golden and splendid. All around you are merchants buying and selling when...
Spot.
Yes, Ithea will use her bracelet.
[20:32] <Sailor_Mercury> roll d20+51 spot
[20:32] <Penuche> Sailor_Mercury invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d20=14]
Hm? As you pass by, you see a strange ripple in the air near you. Subtle as anything, only noted by your beyond-keen eyes. Your arcane knowledge suggests this is someone under a powerful invisibility spell.
Can I make out more details with blindsight?
It's not showing up to it, which is quite unusual.
Ithea moves closer towards the invisible someone, moving as if she spotted something in a stall, and once closer enough, attempts to grab onto them without drawing attention to her actions in a noticeable manner. If she can grab onto them, she'll whisper a question, otherwise she'll see how they respond to the attempt to grab them and if they flee, if she can even attempt to chase after them just knowing that they're there and tracking the minute ripples she knows to look for now.
[21:51] <Sailor_Mercury> roll d20+7+6 bluff + inspiration to avoid panicking merchants
[21:51] <Penuche> Sailor_Mercury invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=13]
[21:51] <Sailor_Mercury> roll d20+46+11 CMB+inspiration grab invisible guy
[21:51] <Penuche> Sailor_Mercury invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=15]
Ithea reaches out, grabbing the invisible figure on what feels like an arm. She can feel the creature's arm stiffen up, perhaps in surprise or in the intent to move. No immediate reaction by the people around you.
Whisper away, Ithea.
"That's a nice invisibility spell there. Care to share your reasons for it?" Ithea whispers in a pleasant non-threatening voice. Why its surely just a question filled with curiosity and no implied threats at any undesired answers!
"Let go!" A man's voice hisses, whispered right back. "They're looking for me. If you don't want to get involved, let me go!"
"Who's looking and who are you?" she whispers back. Pausing briefly, she lets go. "If you try and run without answering I'll chase," she warns. If he wants to stay hidden, he'll want to avoid drawing attention.
"Won't be very subtle about it either," she adds cheerfully.
"Bad men," Is all the voice says, before you can see the faint rippling moving ahead - yep, he's running full tilt.
Ithea follows! Since he answered, if slightly and partially, she tries to avoid drawing attention to herself as she tries to keep pace. "And your name? If you need help..." she starts to offer, curious about the mystery the invisible stranger holds.
Make a Dex check. You gain +4 bonus for every 10ft above 30ft your movement speed is.
Speed is 40, so if someone can roll for me it'd be d20+7+11+1
The +11 is from Brains over Brawn.
[19:18] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+7+11+1 Merc rollan
[19:18] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=19]
Man, the steam pixie even delivers good rolls. Is there any economy she doesn't wreck?
> roll 1d20+5+12
<Penuche> Space_Cat invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=12]
The blur is fast and almost impossible to track. A normal person or even a normal hero would be hopelessly outclasses. But Ithea's vision is sharper than an eagle's and she is smarter than to chase. She cuts around and through several booths, avoiding crowd that would slow her down, and looping around and ahead. In time to get ahead of him and pounce, grabbing a hold of him at an intersection. You push a few people aside to it, feet landing with a metallic thump on the golden streets. Got him!
"Now why'd you go and run?" Ithea asks with a whisper, making a tsk tsk sound. "You're going to draw that unwanted attention if you don't humor me, you realize."
If I let to of him and he starts running again, how hard would it be to herd him towards Rapture by playing cat and mouse? I can go faster still with haste boots and swift expeditious retreat spell.
He's fast, so pretty hard.
You do note you're getting a few looks from the people around you as suddenly...
> roll 1d20+15 touch AC, flatfooted unless uncanny dodge is in play
<Penuche> Space_Cat invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=7]
Touch AC, Ithea?
I do in fact have Uncanny Dodge. Touch AC is 39.
But Ithea instinctively twists to the side, avoiding something. She isn't sure what, but from the feel of air moving against her, it was something fast.
"You sure you don't want to just talk? Seems to me you're just making me draw attention towards you. If these 'bad men' are hunting for you, wouldn't you rather try to make an ally?" Ithea asks.
Pausing briefly, she then adds, "Oh, how rude of me, haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Ithea. Ithea of Aurora."
"It's none of your business," The voice hisses right back, more attention coming your way, "I beg of you, let me go!"
"I'm nosy," Ithea says. "Also, if -you're- the bad guy being chased and I just let you go, what would that say of me? Now, if you were to introduce yourself, give me a little more information, maybe I'd be more inclined?"
> roll 1d20+15 vs Ithea's SR
<Penuche> Space_Cat invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=10]
That fails to beat your SR, Ithea. It was a 7th level spell, choose what you will as a benefit.
A surge of arcane power is the answer, but nothing happens as Ithea's resistance holds. "Y-you're just some person!" The man fights futilely against Ithea's grasp, "It's impossible for anything but a greater fiend to resist my magic! What are you?!"
Let's go with speed in case I have to chase him down again. So for 7th level: +35 ft speed.
"Just some person," Ithea replies cheekily. "A very -strong- person, mind you, but just a person."
"Now, I'm pretty sure we're drawing a fair amount of attention and you're not being quiet either, so at least I don't look crazy talking to thin air... but you seemed worried about someone or something, so how about you put a little trust in me being able to handle myself? We can probably get a little bit more privacy in Rapture if you'd like."
Is it wrong that I'm just a tad depressed that he hasn't heard of Aurora?
Can't win them all.
Make an intimidate check, Ithea.
Technically she's trying to be diplomatic, but I never claimed she was good at that. Unfortunately she's worse at intimidation. Someone roll a d20+4 for intimidate.
[17:42] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 Merc intimidate
[17:42] <Plushie_Ithea> Ebiris roll for Plushie_Ithea < 23 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+17
<Plushie_Ithea> Space_Cat roll for Plushie_Ithea < 30 > [d20=13]
"How about you fuck off?" The man snarls, raising his voice. You can hear the sheer fury, "I'm probably dead because of your damn nosiness!"
"Hrm...I did want to see if I could meet with Lady Sharess today, hut I'd hate to have a dead man on my conscience as much as I'd hate letting someone loose who might be trouble."
Ithea looks briefly pensive before opening a gate back to Aurora. "Well, tell you what. You can come with me to Aurora for a coversation where you don't have to watch over your shoulder and if you're a decent, if clearly irritable, person, then Aurora can lend you a hand with whatever is troubling you," she offers, gesturing to the formed gate. "Or we can wait for whatever you're afraid of, and I can figure out then if I'm fighting with you or against you based on what I see then."
> roll 1d100+21
<Plushie_Ithea> Space_Cat roll for Plushie_Ithea < 110 > [d100=89]
Ithea opens the portal. The man starts to say something, but suddenly blinding golden light fills your vision. Ack!
Fortitude save, Ithea. Mr. Invisible too.
I'm not rolling fort for him! As for me, someone roll d20+36+11 fort+inspiration
[18:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+36+11 Merc fort
[18:38] <Plushie_Ithea> Ebiris roll for Plushie_Ithea < 65 > [d20=18]
I should say I'm rolling for you when I roll my own stuff
Afina is the bestest roll buddy one can ask for.
The steam pixie delivers.
> roll 1d20+13
<Plushie_Ithea> Space_Cat roll for Plushie_Ithea < 23 > [d20=10]
Cries on the street as bystanders are hit with the light. All seem blinded save for Ithea, who is able to resist. Six angels surround you - astral devas, maces at the ready. They push back the bystanders and form a circle around the two. The seventh is above you - a six winged angel, a creature Ithea knows without needing to think. A solar, power rolling off it like tidal waves slamming into the beach. It wears armor of pure gold and carries no weapon, eyes ablaze with molten gold light.
"Enough. Both of you kneel, right now!"
Unfortunately, you got the attention of the Waukeen's security forces. Amazingly, making a scene then opening a portal in the middle of a deity's realm gets attention. Who knew?
Ithea does so.
You see the other fi-wait. You see him now, shown in the golden light of the solar. A ragged looking half-elf, scarred terribly and wearing a dirty suit of leather armor. His blue-green hair is a mess, a long beard with dirt and twigs stuck in it. He's shaking as he falls to his knees, hiding his face in his hands and groaning.
Two of the devas come forward, each one taking one of your arms. In an split-second you are elsewhere. You stand in a small cell, a single bed and a basin of water. It's a nice bed at least, plus most cells don't have walls of creamy white and green marble. One wall is made entirely of bars, and the two devas are on the opposite side. They silently depart, and a moment later the solar appears where they were.
"Ithea of Aurora," he greets, voice strong and solid. You swear it shakes the walls when he speaks. He studies Ithea briefly, closed eyes and a murmured prayer. You don't catch much of it, just a few words like 'reveal' 'Waukeen' 'destiny'. After that he says, "You're promised to Sharess as well. You are not an enemy, explain what happened."
"I apologize, this chaos is mostly my fault," she says, appearing contrite. "I was traveling to Rapture when I sensed a very powerful invisibility spell in place by a stall, it felt like it was glancing in my direction. I wasn't sure of the purpose, and initially I was concerned of some sort of assassin or such. I quickly established that I wasn't the target and felt I could easily overpower him if necessary. However he would not reveal much else besides someone supposedly chasing and wanting him dead. After he fled from me, I may have been a bit too...playful in my search for further answers. Didn't really take him too seriously but I didnt want to let him go in case he WAS dangerous. I was planning on dragging him to Aurora when you appeared, drawn by all that."
The celestial watches you, not blinking once. "A cat on the hunt," he says, as much a question as a statement. "You are not the first Sharessian to inappropriately play with your prey. That is one thing, the other is opening a portal in the middle of Brightwater." He leans forward, drumming his fingers on one bar of the jail door. "There are designated places for portals and plane shifts. These are not suggestions, but instead mandatory. Are we clear on that?"
"Yes."
"This is your warning," He says, the bars vanishing. "You're free to go. But before that, did the half elf mention anything else of interest to you?"
"Just that he was being chased by bad men, but he wouldn't reveal more," Ithea admits. "Has he said anything in your company? He was quite willing to use high level magic to try and escape me. I'm still wondering who he is and what he's afraid of."
"We don't know yet. If he is telling the truth, then he needs help. If he is not, he needs mental help for delusions and paranoia." The golden solar turns and begins to walk, "He seems resistant to any offer of help."
"He did at that," Ithea agrees. "Oh, he did mention that his magic should be capable of affextng aything short of a greater fiend. Don't know if that would be helpful. If he at least gives a name, could you pass that on to us? I might be able to find out more with that."
At the very least she got a good enough glance to give Tannin a project starting with the half elf's appearance.
The solar considers briefly before nodding. "We will," he says. "Are you heading to Rapture?"
"If you don't feel I should head back to Aurora for a while, I might as well continue with my original plans. I don't wish to cause trouble by being seen on the streets so shortly after causing trouble though. Would it be fine, or is there a chance things might be a bit difficult for you then?"
"We will take a third option," The solar says, leading you to the wall. A door is there, "This will take you right to Rapture."
Ithea blinks. "Ah, handy. Thank you," she says before stepping through.
Comfortable shadows embrace Ithea. She's in one of the many allies of Rapture, a secluded and intimate place. It leads right out to the street. As she stands here, Ithea feels like she's home. It feels so right here, as if she had lost something and only now just found it anew.
Ithea looks for signs of cats, as they are sure to lead her to Sharess.
Coming out, Ithea can see cats everywhere. They lounge about on windowsills, in the shadows and near walls, on barrels, wherever there is space and sunshine. People come and go here, usually pairs holding hands or with linked arms. No sign of Sharess, but there are cats here, oh yes.
Ithea just walks around casually in Rapture then. If she can't find Sharess, Sharess will find her instead. And she's in no hurry.
> roll 1d100
<Plushie_Ithea> Space_Cat roll for Plushie_Ithea < 98 > [d100=98]
> roll 1d100 subtables for Ithea
<Plushie_Ithea> Space_Cat roll for Plushie_Ithea < 71 > [d100=71]
Ithea wanders for a little bit, going down a sunny road and passing a shadowy alley. As she passes, she hears a feminine cry from deep within the alley.
What sort of cry? The sort that goes "Help! Help!" Or the type to leave the virgin cathirl blushing?
Make a Listen check real quick.
[19:05] <Harley> roll d20+54 listen
[19:05] <Plushie_Ithea> Harley roll for Plushie_Ithea < 57 > [d20=3]
Woah. That's not an unhappy maiden. Well, not a maiden from those sounds. Heck, really not a maiden. She's having a good time, possibly with more than one person.
Right then, not an alley she wants to walk down! Ithea happily heads down another path. And winces as she considers that the not-maiden might even be Sharess.
"That would be so weird, and I'm glad I didn't go that way," she mutters aloud to herself.
You hear a chuckle in your ear, warm and with an undercurrent like purring. "Are you? You might like it."
"When I'm older and married. I'm old fashioned."
The voice laughs, "Well then, champion. Tell me what you seek."
"Not much. A status update on what's been going on with Aurora, and also to check up on the status of Kina before what happened with Muirfinn and Lief."
"Mrrr," A cat's curious little noise, turning into a steady purr. "You came to tell me about? Do tell." You feel a weight on your shoulder as a tabby cat, pacing about with unnatural grace and balance. The cat rubs her face against Ithea's cheeks, "Pet me."
Ithea pets the cat, and scratches it under the cheek.
"As I told you before, we were launching operations against known holdings of Lixer in retaliation for Muirfinn and Lief. They were pretty much all successful, though one of them lead to a mess in the Astral due to a rip in reality. The demons and slaads seemed interested in seeing it grow while pretty much everyone else was trying to shut it down. Thankfully, we did in fact succeed in shutting it off, and I had an interesting encounter with the Hanged Raven. During which apparently my anarch powers developed further and I was able to summon an army of quasi-real felines to assault the demonic forces and drive her off. No major losses, thankfully," Ithea summarizes that whole mess fairly succinctly.
Ithea is rewarded by loud purring as the cat kneads Ithea's shoulders. "Mmmrrrr, I heard about that ugliness in the Astral. Aurora was naughty to cause it. Put your arms out, I want to be held."
Ithea does so. "We did fix it, and it wasn't -all- Aurora," she points out.
The cat leaps right on in, burrowing against Ithea's arms and chest, purring loudly. "So you cleaned up your own mess. If Aurora were a dog, I'd say it was housebroken. Better than leaving it to fester, though."
"...I have never met a dog that cleans up its own mess, you know," Ithea remarks.
"Anyway, that's basically what's been going on. Figured you might appreciate a story about felines slashing up some big bad demons too."
"Good," The cat purrs, before suddenly leaping out of Ithea's arms. "Bored now," she declares, walking in the air next to Ithea. At head level, able to lock eyes with Ithea on an even level. It's as if things like gravity just don't matter to her. "Still, you did well. I saw your battles and you mauled that bird." The cat smiles - an expression that seems most unnatural on a cat's face. "It's only a shame you didn't get the kill."
Ithea frowns and nods. "Yes, I'd have liked that as well. I'm sure we'll meet again though. Beings like that don't take mortals surviving, let alone getting the better of them, very well."
"So on your side, how is Kina doing?" Ithea asks. Then pauses as an idea comes to mind and she almost hesitates but powers through the thought. "Wait, don't tell me that alley..."
"No." The cat says flatly, a little hiss escaping after. "She's doing well. Being re educated and dealt with."
"Oh, well, okay then..."
Ithea pauses, not sure how to move on from that awkward conversation point.
The cat paces a bit, tail flicking out. After that pause stretches a bit, "Oh, you're forgiven. Just don't put the image of getting intimate with a snake," she hisses at the end of that word, "In my mind again. Or a half snake, or a marilith or anything like a snake."
"Will do. Or won't do, rather," Ithea says, briefly correcting herself.
"Good." The cat pads along on the air, tail flicking straight up. "I do approve of you and what you're doing," she goes on, "You know, I've promoted mortals for less than you've done."
Ithea blinks. "Promoted? Wasn't that what the Champion thing was about, I thought?" Ithea asks. You can hear the emphasis on Champion.
"Mmmm, yes, but that mortality of yours," Sharess comments languidly as you walk along, no one seeming to bat an eye at the two and the strange conversation. Or even notice you, simply moving out of the way without stopping what they're doing as you go along. "Thinking about what you've accomplished, Ithea. I like followers who go out and do things like this. So many take the most carnal meaning from that and think they're making me perfectly happy."
"Oh. That. Huh...My friends Sylvie and Balyss suggested that might be the case when I spoke of growing old some day," Ithea admits.
"I guess that still kind of surprises me given my stance on deities not that long ago. I used to be so bitter about Lifasa..." Ithea notes, before smiling. "But I suppose I just needed to have some better experiences to change that, and I did. Speaking of better experiences, thank you so much for that dream before that Astral thing. That helped a lot. Really."
"You're welcome," The feline sniffs, "Now if you were still on Lifasa and went this far without exploring the planes, you might age and die naturally. But there's really no point letting you waste away like that here, is there? Even if you did, you'd just waste time being old and then end up right here anyway." Sharess hops back onto your shoulder, sitting there and shrinking a bit to fit perfectly. Her fur turns midnight black, her tail swishing against your shoulder.
"Mortal life's meant to prepare you for all of this. But what's the point when you've already learned, grown greatly and made your choice? You know why that friend of yours got away with what she did? Because she'd already made her choice, too. She's going to be a good little battle librarian until the end of time. People like yourself, her, and your other friends? There's no point to mortality and you're too valuable for it."
"That's what they both said," Ithea says with a nod of understanding, making a mental note to pass the comment on to Sylvie.
Out of curiosity, how does that work outside of devices like Medi's? I'd assume Ithea would know something about that or could make a knowledge check to have some passing knowledge without just having to straight up ask Sharess?
Sure, make K:P and clarify your question.
[12:30] <Merc> roll d20+42+11 K:P+inspiration - What does Ithea know about 'promotion' from deities, specifically deities making mortals into outsiders?
[12:30] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=10]
Most mortals live and die normally, then become outsiders or petitioners. That's fairly routine. The occasional exceptional mortal ascends far higher than that. So valuable and worthy, they are directly transmigrated into an outsider by the deity they serve. This is a great honor and a mortal promoted this way retains memory of their mortal life. They aren't reborn into a new life as an outsider like normal mortals.
You know it's also used to protect powerful mortals. At the point you're at, a mortal of that standing has earned the attention of the planes. Not all of this attention is good and groups opposed to you and your patron can and will try to take you out. If they can steal your soul, convert you or otherwise prevent you from passing to your deity's realm, they've stripped them of a powerful servant and reap the rewards of triumphing over an opposed ethos or ideology. This becomes far harder once a mortal becomes an outsider and means less (unless they convert the outsider, which is also much harder than converting a mortal).
In short, it says two things: Sharess is fond enough of you to want you around forever and she wants to protect you against those who would interfere with that.
A quick side note: Becoming an outsider through your own power is possible. There are certain ways to do so (rituals, acquired templates, prestige classes and so forth) and that's your prerogative. It is your soul and if you have the power to remake yourself, so be it. Medi's device doesn't make that distinction and can transform anyone who cares to be transformed. That sort of meddling goes over poorly with deities, as it's directly interfering with what they do. Medi's warning is there for a good reason, as doing that sort of thing can get you personally smited by an avatar or summoned bodily to account for yourself to the deity you've offended.
Ithea scratches Sharess' ear and thinks.
She doesn't really have any reason to reject what Sharess is offering, and it's not like she was going to change in any way that matters.
At the same time, it's kind of awkward to just say "Sure, go ahead and remove my mortality. I'm happy working for you for eternity."
"If you have to think about it," Sharess purrs, "You probably aren't ready for it."
"Oh, it's not that I'm thinking of saying no actually, I just wasn't sure how to respond," Ithea answers and voices her thought. "It's definitely an honor, and I guess it's not something that really changes who I am, just what I am. Just...it feels a bit weird to talk about giving up my mortality. I guess I'm wrapping my thoughts more around not the fact that I'm giving up something, but that I'm gaining something."
"Oh, it changes you. Make no mistake about that," Sharess remarks, as you head down the street into a sunny, bright square. Cats are everywhere, lounging about and napping. No cobblestones here, gone in favor of soft grass. You've been somewhere like this before, as you recall.
"How much it does depends. Some are like your little battle librarian friend and don't change much. Others change greatly, taking on the race and powers of a spirit. Like how those traitors you deal with became pit fiends."
"I don't imagine changing much, and if I did, I can't see it being a negative way. Perhaps those traitors changed by falling under the thrall of the Duke of Destiny, but you're a different being to Taelfagn just as I differ from those traitors," Ithea says with certainty. "Besides, aren't I already changing in some ways just by being your champion and just by living my life and experiencing what comes my way? It's the nature of beings, mortal and outsider to change, to not remain stagnant. Just the length of the lifetime to do it in seems to change, and the speed of that change."
With a leap, the cat is gone from your shoulders. As it flies through the air, it transforms into a large, snow white tiger. She lands perfectly and curls up, as if taking a nap in the sun. "Yes, everything changes." The cat agrees, resting her head on her paws. "But not everything changes at the same pace or same time. Change when you are ready, Ithea."
"How would I know when I'm ready? I...kind of thought I was?" Ithea asks. "Or at its worst, I might have thought that I was taking a leap of faith."
The cat chuckles, "Then if you say you're ready or want to take a leap of faith, come here," Suddenly the cat is gone, a curvy, beautiful woman in dancer's silks standing before you. Her hair is dark, long and curly. She is without a doubt the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, enthralling to glance at. She crooks one finger forward, "Come here then, Ithea."
Ithea takes a deep breath, and nods with certainty, stepping forward, closer to Sharess. She trusts in Sharess.
It's like falling asleep. Ithea finds her vision dimming and darkening, lethargy as she advances. She has the dimmest image of falling forward, being caught in a pair of strong arms. Someone is saying something, but it's just too far away.
Mmmm.
Mmmmmmmm.
Ithea's eyes blink open.
The world is there, and yet it seems more, somehow. You're lying in a comfortable, four poster bed, a canopy blocking the rest of the world out. Your vision seems slightly sharper, clearer. As you lie there, you find yourself marveling. Little aches and pains are gone, the legacy of a hundred battles waged. Despite having just woken up, you have no need to answer nature's call. You are not thirsty nor are you hungry.
You just feel...more, somehow. Like you're at the absolute peak of your game, fully rested and ready to go.
Changes will be discussed shortly.
Alrighty.
[13:30] <Infinite_Ko_Loop> Going for more than a single wor dpost, Ithea? >_>
[13:31] <Merc> I interpreted your ooc to say 'wait for changes'. I can react though!
Ithea gets out of the bed and looks around, trying to figure out where she is right now first before considering what changes she's probably undergone.
Her body seems the same as she gets out. She's wearing simple white underclothes, nothing fancy there, albeit comfortable. Going out, you find yourself in a large bedroom. Your gear is stacked up in a corner and a single white cat sleeps besides it. One that stirs as you come on out, stretching and yawning. "Mmmr," he says, "Oh, you're awake. Great Cat Mother, she's awake!" he calls.
"Hello," Ithea greets the cat.
"Hi," The cat says, voice full of energy and peppy. "The Great Cat Mother wanted me to tell her when you woke up. But in the meantime she has a message for you. Ahem." The cat clears his throat - and odd, almost purr-like sound - and says, "The changes were the minimum, as if you had used Medi's machine. I was just talking to Angharradh and she has the most interesting plans for your friend Jaela. If you decide you want more, you can help her with those."
Your type changes to outsider. No other changes, including no new subtypes.
"Ah, okay. Do you know how long I was asleep? And what's your name, out of curiosity?" Ithea asks the white cat. "I'm Ithea, by the way."
"Snowy," The cat answers, tail flicking back and forth as he studies Ithea. "You were asleep awhile, I went through four naps before you woke up."
"Ah," Ithea responds. Four naps isn't very helpful, but probably a day or two at most?
"I met a Snowy cat before. Nice to meet another one, I guess, he was rather nice, and you seem that way too," she says to him with a smile.
Snowy starts to respond, but stops and his eyes widen, "The Great Cat Mother's coming!" he yelps, looking all about.
Ithea blinks at that and stretches out her senses, trying to sense Sharess as well. A small part of her is just a tad annoyed that the small cat sensed her before she did, and she at least wants to find her before Snowy does. It's a competition!
You don't sense anything. Instead, a black and white cat hops onto your shoulder, perching there with perfect balance. "Feel better?" she asks.
For the record, Sharess sent a simple telepathic message she was stopping in to Snowy. The only things he senses is prey and naps, usually.
Ithea can still be jealous!
"Ah, yes," she says, just slightly startled, but not enough to knock the cat off her shoulder. "Some of the usual aches and such are just gone, I just feel...better, for lack of a better word. But not really changed otherwise. If there's any difference besides that, I'm not really aware of it."
"Unless you truly believe you need to ache and hurt, a spiritual body won't barring outside interference," Sharess explains, "Otherwise you're the same. I didn't even forge a connection to good or chaos within you."
Snowy watches, "Great Cat Mother! Great Cat Mother!" The feline runs around Ithea's legs, like a little furry bolt.
"If I had a connection to those, what would have happened? Particularly chaos, given my anarch abilities?" Ithea asks curiously. "Are there other connections as well?"
Sharess wiggles her nose, and suddenly your gear is back on and in place. Not that it disturbs her in the slightest. "You'd feel them more. Words don't properly explain it," she admits, "Human common is ill equipped to explain transcendent experiences." Another wiggle of her nose and you're back on the streets of Rapture, everyone still ignoring the two of you.
"Well, I -am- versed in a multitude of languages, if it helps," Ithea replies almost cheekily.
Sharess's tail flicks up, as she walks off Ithea's shoulder, ignoring gravity completely. "The second and largest benefit is that death is not the end for you, not now. You will reform in this realm, albeit shorn of everything you possessed when slain. But whatever you do, you must not die in this realm, or there will be no second chances for you."
Ithea nods more seriously. "Understood."
"Now then," You walk along, at one of the bridges that leads out of Rapture, "Go on and keep doing what I approve of, Ithea."
Ithea nods again.
Before she leaves though, she asks, "You mentioned something about Jaela and Angharradh, through Snowy?"
On a glance, you see Snowy isn't there anymore. Must not have been teleported or moved when Sharess moved you.
No response to the question from Sharess?
The cat before you laughs richly. "Oh yes, there are plant there, but it's not my place to spoil them. Speak to Jaela about them."
Sorry, misread your post.
Ithea nods. "I will."
With that, she starts making her way out and back to Aurora.
So noted. What's next on your agenda, kitty?
Might as well detour and find out what Jaela is up to and if Ithea can help since she's gotten curious. She'll want to describe that one elf dude to Tannin and ask him to look into him, but dunno if that needs to be done IC.
Jaela's off in Balmuria and will likely be there awhile, plus Cor's off in China. It would be best if you get something else done right now instead.
I shall gather fleshy ones and outsidery ones to join me in an epic quest of Earth hunting! Also, I need a diviner to find that prey. Who's available? I know Moore does that stuff, not sure who else.
Balyss tends to do a lot as a cleric of Selune. Comes with the territory. Who in particular do you want to grab for this excursion?
Oh right. Sure, let's go get drunk-chan sober so she can help.
Do any PCs want to come if they aren't busy with other stuff?
And is there any knowledge check on the valeoloth/Zalmoch situation to figure who's appropriate?
Balyss it is, then. She's sobered up.
Up to them, though I think all are busy right now. You'd need to wait a bit for any of them to free up, your call on that.
K:P. Elaborate exactly what you're checking with plenty of info on it, since it's been awhile and a refresher would be good.
[21:31] <Harley> roll d20+42 K:P who/what the heck was Zalmoch again? Besides some ancient imprisoned evil Ithea almost unleashed.
[21:31] <Penuche> Harley invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d20=17]
[21:32] <Harley> roll d20+42 K:P what are valeoloths and what are their weaknesses/strong points so I know who to take. Do they hate Fire? Do they burn well?
[21:32] <Penuche> Harley invokes Penuche's magic: < 58 > [d20=16]
Yes, I think I'll take Simmer if they don't have RE(fire) or immunity or something.
Someone didn't want to do their homework. Lemme give you a few links.
For Zalmoch, reading these logs may help.
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,102487.msg1039125.html#msg1039125
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,102463.msg1038831.html#msg1038831
You've fought valeoloths before and you've gotten info on them, so here's the basics.
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103072.msg1050539.html#msg1050539
I'm lazy, and you're here to do homework for me on good knowledge checks. That's all I need~
Catching Balyss is easy. She's found in her quarters, dressed down in sleeping clothes. She opens the door mid-yawn, stretching. Her wings stretch as her arms do, the aasimar blinking slowly and yawning. "Mgh, morning breath," she mutters, making a face. "You're ready for trouble this early in the morning," she gives Ithea a long look, "I spend all day yesterday doing divinations, but today's going to be more energetic, isn't it?"
"That depends," Ithea responds. "I was thinking of tracking that loose valeoloth from Earth, and was hoping to borrow some divinations to track it down. If you can manage that though? Yeah, sure to get more exciting. Especially since it's had time to prepare and do whatever it wants since it got loose."
Balyss groans, flopping forward into a loose arms hug of Ithea. "I don't want to," she groans, using Ithea like an upright bed. She rests against her for a few moments before pushing off and grumbling, "Fine, but you'll need to wait an hour. Meet me back at the temple and bring something good for breakfast."
Ithea laughs. "Some coffee too, I'm guessing?"
"Surprise me," Balyss says, stepping back in. "Who else is getting dragged into this?"
"It's a surprise. Or in other words, still thinking about it," Ithea says with a wave as she turns towards the cafeteria.
Going to get Simmer first or meet with Balyss. If the latter, what are you bringing her for breakfast?
Simmer won't work as I just checked the not cemetery and she's banned there (barring the valeoloth having abandoned Earth).
Are Hanna and Ebony available? They were involved in that, as was Stille. I'll grab people and then food. If too many NPCs, probably leave Stille behind if all are available, though I imagine Hanna or Ebony are likely busy elsewhere.
Bzzt, wrooooong. She's banned from the Prime of Balmuria, which isn't the same thing. Read carefully.
Ebony's about to get grabbed by Surraruthru, so no. Hanna is.
I don't get why they called their world Earth, it'd be like if we went around calling Lifasa Bytopia.
On the other hand if we told everyone that Bytopia had been conquered by devils and we needed their help to free it we might get a lot more people signing up?
Just about everywhere except there it says Balmuria instead of Earth! It's confusing! Anyway, okay, I'll grab Hanna, Balyss and Simmer for this. I'll skip on Stille so there isn't NPC overload. I'll grab Simmer then Hanna then food for Balyss.
IC reason: Old myths about the source of the world conflating it with Earth. It stuck.
OOC reason: Sometimes something you do in passing when first starting a world doesn't jive, so you just grandfather it in and deal. It's not really a deal breaker, just an odd little quirk.
The trick is finding Simmer. She's not in her normal haunts, and asking Elena gets her to say, "Oh, she's in the lava baths. All the fire elementals are avoiding anywhere but that, they really don't like Water."
"Ah, could you let her know to head out to Selune's temple when she's done? Have a mission planned, it'll get her out of Water and hopefully give her something to burn. Probably heading to Earth, but Balyss may point us elsewhere."
Ithea waits for Elena to confirm and adds, "Do you know where I can find Hanna also? Hopefully somewhere more approachable?"
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d100=95]
"Training with Mirajane," Elena reports, "They're fairly far into it, so should be done when you get there or close to it."
Ithea nods. "Thanks, Elena. When you talk to Simmer, let her know I might be a bit just because Balyss asked me to grab her something from the cafeteria while she gets started on the divinations, if she wants to maximize her time at the lava baths."
"Got it," Elena says, vanishing right away.
Finding Hanna's easy. She and Mirajane are at the training room, toweling off after a hard bit of exercise. Mirajane's gaze is on Ithea right away, and as she approaches, "Congratulations?" she offers, half a question. "How do you like it?"
Ithea blinks. "Well, you're the first to pick up on it, if you're talking about what I think you are. Not very different as far as I can tell."
She pauses, and then says. "And yeah, thanks. Definitely a congratulations."
Hanna tilts her head to the side, curious.
Mirajane chuckles a bit, "She's no longer mortal, mother," she answers, "You'll notice it in a few days. You'll get up to eat breakfast after not sleeping all night and it'll hit you."
"Sharess," Ithea says by way of explanation. Should be sufficient.
"On a different note, do you remember that mess on Earth, Hanna? You weren't there for all of it, but I'm finally going to try and deal with the valeoloth and was hoping you'd be interested in joining. I think I put it off aside for much, much longer than I planned to, unfortunately.
Pausing, she adds, "You're welcome to come too if you'd like, Mirajane," as an offer mostly to be polite, but there's some interest in working with Mirajane, not having really 'adventured' with her, so to speak.
Not really sure if you want to deal with 4 NPCs total and that was the original reason I didn't approach Stille. Felt awkward to invite Hanna and not Mirajane!
I can run Balyss in combat, and maybe Hanna or Simmer. Not that familiar with Simmer (but how hard can fire be?), and not at all familiar with Mirajane.
"Stay here," Hanna says, resting an arm on Mirajane's shoulder. "Jaela might need you, and that aside, you aren't ready to face a valeoloth yet." Mirajane merely nods to that, as Hanna says, "Good. Where are we hunting it?"
"Balyss is doing some divinations for me. I'm assuming Earth if it hasn't found a way to get out of there, and it might still want to figure out how to free Zalmoch and stay close, but we'll find out then. I invited Simmer as well, and we'll be meeting at Selune's temple. I was going to grab some food for Balyss since she just woke up a while ago, and I guess I can grab something for Simmer as well on the way."
"I'll be there," Hanna promises, "Let's finish this."
Good to move on? If so, what are you getting for Balyss?
https://www.dennys.com/food/breakfast/moons-over-my-hammy/
And pancakes too!
So a breakfast sandwich and hash browns? Okay.
The four gather in the temple of Selune. It's quiet here right now, Stille dealing with a few to the side, keeping Balyss free.
Simmer's here, arms crossed and huddled up. She focuses on the flames in her hands, rolling them over her body like a protective talisman.
Hanna's fully equipped, waiting to go patiently.
Balyss is dressed and armored up, but goes right to you as you enter. She takes the plate without a word and starts eating at a fast clip. After the first few bites, "Tavern food?" she remarks, and then adds, "It's the sort of thing you might get in a tavern or a shop in the morning as a day laborer from where I come from. Something you can carry and eat." She waves her half eaten sandwhich, then goes to making it fully eaten.
"Well, the pancakes not so much, but yeah," Ithea says.
"Anything useful? Or one of those pesky 'hide from divinations' effect up?"
Can we assume I got enough for everyone just so everyone benefits from a Heroes' Feast effect? Or is it only if you specifically eat at the cafeteria?
I assume people eat to benefit from that before going out, it's generally handwave able barring unusual situations.
Balyss sits and finishes her meal before answering. Plate put aside, she says, "The 'loths are good at secrets, so of course it's shielded. But I found a few things out. It's not on Earth right now, I'm sure of that, but it's in the elemental planes. Most likely a quasi or para elemental plane, though I'm still winnowing them down. One final bit, it's one with lava and magma. Which helps lower our range greatly."
As Simmer perks up at that, starting to smile, Hanna interjects. "That still leaves us an entire plane to work with. That's simply not good enough."
"I know. We're going to need a consultation on this one once we narrow it down to a plane, but I have a plan," Balyss smiles, "So what planes could fit?"
[21:09] <Merc> roll d20+42 K:P (what planes could fit?)
[21:09] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 61 > [d20=19]
Fire or any plane attached to Fire could. The likely suspects are the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Radiance, the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Ash, the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma and the Para-Elemental Plane of Smoke.
Logically, Smoke is the least likely due to it's connection to air. Solid things or even liquid things are less common there. Magma's the most likely, followed by Ash. Radiance is pure light, so while possible, it's another that's not likely. You can't fully rule out Fire, either, of course.
"Well, of the fire planes or those attached to it, Magma and Ash are the most likely. Fire itself is possible. Smoke and Radiance the least."
"I'd say we'd best assume Magma for now," Simmer pipes up, "Actual lava's rarer on Fire than you'd think. Less liquid rock and more ever burning flames. There's still plenty, but there's more on Magma."
"Regardless of which plane, we should prepare to deal with the effects. Outside of Simmer, the rest of us will need protection, and some backups in case the valeoloth has ways to dispel them."
"Probably does," Hanna concurs, "I can prepare energy immunity many times."
"So can I," Balyss says, "That should cover it."
"Good," Ithea says with a nod. "Well, it looks like we narrowed it down to a plane, probably anyway, and you said you had a plan to deal with the fact that its still a pretty vast plane to search, Balyss?"
"Simple. We're going to the Gates of the Moon," Balyss says, "It's high time we pay honor to Selune and consult the great seers there."
"...any appropriate gifts to take there?" Ithea asks.
"Something that means something to you. It doesn't have to be valuable in the material sense," Balyss says, "A toy from childhood, your favorite shirt, whatever you like. It simply has to have meaning to you, so that it's a meaningful sacrifice."
"Hmph." Hanna murmurs at that, but doesn't elaborate.
"Nothing I can think of that I'm willing to part with at the moment. I'll just take a nice bouquet of flowers and let you do the talking."
Balyss sighs a bit, "You're buying dinner the next time we're in Brightwater, then."
"Sure, sure," Ithea says easily enough.
Ready to move along, Ithea?
Yes.
Next post will be a few, need to set up NPC stat blocks for the adventure. Fair warning.
Thus the four head on out. As you approach, Simmer grimaces and says, "Air bubble," flatly, arms crossed. Scowling. "I'm not getting wet."
[spoiler]
Balyss
HP: 228/228
Spells Active: Iron Silence (CL23), Undetectable Alignment (CL23), Mind Blank(CL23), Divine Insight(CL23)
Bonuses: +15 insight on a single skill check, mind blanked.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Hanna
HP: 335/335
Spells Active: Detect Evil(CL22), Detect Snares and Pits(CL22), Discern Lies(CL22), See Invisibility(CL22), True Seeing(CL22).
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Simmer
HP: 322/322
Spells Active: Greater Mage Armor(CL22), Superior Resistance(CL22)
Bonuses: +6 armor bonus to AC, +6 resistance bonus to saves. If she gets another +6 bonus, she hits the Abyss jackpot.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Balyss casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the Moon, Oracle and Protection domains. (Caster level 23rd; caster level 30th for augury and divination; caster level 25th for other divinations.) The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her metamagic option is Quicken Spell (+4). Her spell themes are lunar magic and miscellaneously useful spells.
[6/day]0: Cure Minor Woundsx6
[7+1/day]1: (Identify), Bless Water, Comprehend Languages, Detect Undeadx2, Healer's VisionCS, NightshieldSC, Remove Fear, SignSC.
[7+1/day]2: (MoonbeamSC), Close WoundsSC, Consecrate, Find Traps, Iron Silence, Make Whole, Status, Undetectable Alignment.
[7+1/day]3: (Moon BladeSC), Create Food and Water, Selune's GraceSC(1), Locate Object, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Dead.
[7+1/day]4: (Fear), Assay Spell Resistancex2SC, Control Water, Discern Lies, Divine Powerx2, Neutralize Poison.
[6+1/day]5: (Moon PathSC), Atonement, Commune, Hallow, Quickened Divine Favorx2, Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]6: (Legend Lore), Greater Dispel Magicx5
[5+1/day]7: (Insanity), Control Weather, Greater Restoration, Holy Word, Quickened Mass Aid, Word of Chaos.
[5+1/day]8: (Mind Blank), Earthquake, Fierce Pride of the BeastlandsSC, Heat Drainx2SC, Summon Monster 8.
[4+1/day]9: (Foresight), Miraclex2, Quickened Dragon's BreathSC, Quickened Life's GraceSC, Quickened MoonwebPTGFAlt: Trade out quickened life's grace and moonweb, get two gates.
[2+1/day]10: (Moonrise), Miracle of HealthHome, Quickened Heal.
Balyss casts as a 21st level favored soul. (Caster level 22nd, 24th for divinations, 29th for augury and divination.) Her save DCs are 18 + spell level.
[6/day]0: AmanuensisSC, Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Virtue.
[8/day]1: Bless, Divine Favor, Entropic Shield, HandfirePGTF, Moon LustSC, Shield of Faith.
[8/day]2: Augury, Divine InsightSC, Divine ProtectionSC, Healing LorecallSC, Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth.
[8/day]3: Cloak of BraverySC, Invisibility Purge, Mass AidSC, Mass Align WeaponSC, Mass Resist EnergySC, Moon BladeSC.
[8/day]4: Divination, Fear, Mass Shield of FaithSC, Moon BoltSC, Sheltered VitalitySC, Wall of MoonlightPGTF.
[7/day]5: Life's GraceSC, Mass SanctuarySC, Moon PathSC, MoonwebPGTF, Zone of RespiteSC, Zone of RevelationSC.
[7/day]6: Banishment, Bolt of GlorySC, Heal, Lucent LanceSC, Vigorous CircleSC, Visage of the DeitySC.
[7/day]7: Bastion of GoodBoED, Holy StarSC, Insanity, Lunatic's LightHome, Mass Spell ResistanceSC, Rejuvenating LightCC.
[7/day]8: Chain DispelPHB2, Holy Aura, Dimensional Lock, Maddening WhispersSC, Mass Death WardSC.
[6/day]9: Greater Visage of the DeitySC, Mass Heal, Miracle, Undeath's Eternal FoeSC.
[3/day]10: Curse of InadequacyHome, Energy ImmunityHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Selune's ShieldHome
Always active: Detect Evil, Detect Snares and Pits, Discern Lies, See Invisibility, True Seeing.
Spell-like abilities
At will-continual flame, dispel magic, holy smite, invisibility (self only), lesser restoration, remove curse, remove disease, remove fear, speak with dead; 3/day-blade barrier, flame strike, power word stun, waves of fatigue; 1/day-earthquake, greater restoration, mass charm monster, waves of exhaustion. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs are 16 + spell level.
Hanna casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the War and Wrath(BoED) domains. The save DCs are 20 + spell level. Her spell themes are holy magic, healing and extended buffs. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1).
[6/day]0: Create Waterx6.
[8+1/day]1: (Doom), Divine Favor, Ray of HopeBoEDx2, Shield of Faithx3, Twilight Luckx2BoED
[8+1/day]2: (Spiritual Weapon), Close Woundsx2SC, Eagle's Splendorx2, Extended Divine Favorx2, Hold Personx2
[7+1/day]3: (AfflictionBoED), Cure Serious Woundsx2, Prayerx2, RefreshmentBoEDx2, Telepathy TapBoED. S(1d3 str).
[7+1/day]4: (Radiant ShieldBoED), Blood of the MartyrBoED, Dimensional Anchorx2, Extended Prayer, Freedom of Movementx2, Stars of ArvandorBoED.
[7+1/day]5: (Righteous Might), Dancing WebBoED, Extended Freedom of Movement, Greater Commandx4, Sacred GuardianBoED.
[6+1/day]6: (Extended Righteous Might), Antilife Shell, Healx3, Extended Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]7: (Power Word Blind), Extended Exalted RaimentBoED, S(1d4 str), Fortunate Fatex4SC.
[7+1/day]8: (Power Word Stun), Consecrated Radiant Assaultx4, Extended Fortunate Fatex3, Lion's Roarx2SC.
[7+1/day]9: (Foresight), Consecrated Fire Stormx2, Mass Healx3, Miracle, Righteous Exilex2FC2.
[2+1/day]10: (Extended Storm of Vengeance), Celestial ValorHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Summon Monster XHome
BoED - Book of Exalted Deeds.
FC2 - Fiendish Codex 2.
S - Sanctified spell. Sacrifice cost is noted in parentheses.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Hanna casts as an 11th level Champion of Gwynharwyf. The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her spell theme is anything that helps while in a rage. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1)
[5/day]1: Divine Sacrificex5BoED
[4/day]2: Shield Otherx2, Warcryx2BoED
[4/day]3: Cure Moderate Woundsx4
[3/day]4: Break Enchantmentx2, Glory of the MartyrBoED.
[2/day]5: Cure Critical Woundsx2
"Remind me to talk to Jaela, Afina and Adrian when we get back. Probably should move to a more neutral plane if we're forcing some of our residents to hide away in the lava baths," Ithea says to no one in particular, before focusing on Balyss. "I don't suppose you can provide Simmer with the air bubble? Not my kind of magic, and unless anarch powers work in Water..."
She gestures towards the water and concentrates briefly...
Just for shits and giggles...
[18:18] <Merc> roll d20+8+10 anarch roll even work here?
[18:18] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=16]
As one would expect, nothing happens as there is no chaos-stuff of Limbo to manipulate.
"Yep, no chaos stuff in that water," Ithea says with a nod, not having expected much else.
"What," Simmer has a hand on her hip, glaring hotly at Ithea. Quite literally, flames dancing in her eyes. "Were you expecting this to be Water, but in Limbo?"
"No, just pointing out that I can't do much to provide an air bubble, hence why I asked Balyss to."
"Well, one thing first. Will Water actually hurt you?" Balyss asks, "It's just water, it's not going to put you out."
Simmer hisses, like an angry cat. "It's WATER!" She throws her arms up and glares at Balyss, "You're not going to get out of this. You don't even need to save the spell, we're going to the Gates of the Moon!"
"I actually think it would hurt Simmer, not enough to kill her since she's powerful enough, but definitely something I think would hurt," Ithea comments. "Keep in mind how uncomfortable the three of us are likely to be when we eventually get to Magma, no reason we can't spare Simmer that discomfort."
Out of curiosity, would Balyss recover her spells at the Gates of the Moon as Simmer implies? Or how's that work?
K:P.
[20:47] <Merc> roll d20+42 K:P
[20:47] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 57 > [d20=15]
Ithea doesn't recall hearing about anything like that. What Simmer meant is anyone's guess.
Well, Ithea's just going to wait for Balyss to be a trooper! Or Hanna!
Or barring that, maybe she'll just have to get a scroll made just for this (or if people are all in Aurora, maybe they can just move it out of Water).
Surely some opportunity to do something to let them portal out will occur soon.
Noooooot really sure what you want me to say or do. Like I said, Ithea's got nothing to help here.
This ends up going into unproductive bitching until Hanna holds a hand up. "Enough!" she says forcefully, invoking a word of power that makes Ithea's fur stand up on end. "It's done. Let us go." She grabs both Simmer and Balyss, taking them out into Water, which indeed stays away from them both.
[spoiler]
Balyss
HP: 228/228
Spells Active: Iron Silence (CL23), Undetectable Alignment (CL23), Mind Blank(CL23), Divine Insight(CL23)
Bonuses: +15 insight on a single skill check, mind blanked.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Hanna
HP: 335/335
Spells Active: Detect Evil(CL22), Detect Snares and Pits(CL22), Discern Lies(CL22), See Invisibility(CL22), True Seeing(CL22).
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions: 50% spell failure for 1 hour
Resources Used:
Simmer
HP: 322/322
Spells Active: Greater Mage Armor(CL22), Superior Resistance(CL22)
Bonuses: +6 armor bonus to AC, +6 resistance bonus to saves. If she gets another +6 bonus, she hits the Abyss jackpot.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Balyss casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the Moon, Oracle and Protection domains. (Caster level 23rd; caster level 30th for augury and divination; caster level 25th for other divinations.) The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her metamagic option is Quicken Spell (+4). Her spell themes are lunar magic and miscellaneously useful spells.
[6/day]0: Cure Minor Woundsx6
[7+1/day]1: (Identify), Bless Water, Comprehend Languages, Detect Undeadx2, Healer's VisionCS, NightshieldSC, Remove Fear, SignSC.
[7+1/day]2: (MoonbeamSC), Close WoundsSC, Consecrate, Find Traps, Iron Silence, Make Whole, Status, Undetectable Alignment.
[7+1/day]3: (Moon BladeSC), Create Food and Water, Selune's GraceSC(1), Locate Object, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Dead.
[7+1/day]4: (Fear), Assay Spell Resistancex2SC, Control Water, Discern Lies, Divine Powerx2, Neutralize Poison.
[6+1/day]5: (Moon PathSC), Atonement, Commune, Hallow, Quickened Divine Favorx2, Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]6: (Legend Lore), Greater Dispel Magicx5
[5+1/day]7: (Insanity), Control Weather, Greater Restoration, Holy Word, Quickened Mass Aid, Word of Chaos.
[5+1/day]8: (Mind Blank), Earthquake, Fierce Pride of the BeastlandsSC, Heat Drainx2SC, Summon Monster 8.
[4+1/day]9: (Foresight), Miraclex2, Quickened Dragon's BreathSC, Quickened Life's GraceSC, Quickened MoonwebPTGFAlt: Trade out quickened life's grace and moonweb, get two gates.
[2+1/day]10: (Moonrise), Miracle of HealthHome, Quickened Heal.
Balyss casts as a 21st level favored soul. (Caster level 22nd, 24th for divinations, 29th for augury and divination.) Her save DCs are 18 + spell level.
[6/day]0: AmanuensisSC, Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Virtue.
[8/day]1: Bless, Divine Favor, Entropic Shield, HandfirePGTF, Moon LustSC, Shield of Faith.
[8/day]2: Augury, Divine InsightSC, Divine ProtectionSC, Healing LorecallSC, Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth.
[8/day]3: Cloak of BraverySC, Invisibility Purge, Mass AidSC, Mass Align WeaponSC, Mass Resist EnergySC, Moon BladeSC.
[8/day]4: Divination, Fear, Mass Shield of FaithSC, Moon BoltSC, Sheltered VitalitySC, Wall of MoonlightPGTF.
[7/day]5: Life's GraceSC, Mass SanctuarySC, Moon PathSC, MoonwebPGTF, Zone of RespiteSC, Zone of RevelationSC.
[7/day]6: Banishment, Bolt of GlorySC, Heal, Lucent LanceSC, Vigorous CircleSC, Visage of the DeitySC.
[7/day]7: Bastion of GoodBoED, Holy StarSC, Insanity, Lunatic's LightHome, Mass Spell ResistanceSC, Rejuvenating LightCC.
[7/day]8: Chain DispelPHB2, Holy Aura, Dimensional Lock, Maddening WhispersSC, Mass Death WardSC.
[6/day]9: Greater Visage of the DeitySC, Mass Heal, Miracle, Undeath's Eternal FoeSC.
[3/day]10: Curse of InadequacyHome, Energy ImmunityHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Selune's ShieldHome
Always active: Detect Evil, Detect Snares and Pits, Discern Lies, See Invisibility, True Seeing.
Spell-like abilities
At will-continual flame, dispel magic, holy smite, invisibility (self only), lesser restoration, remove curse, remove disease, remove fear, speak with dead; 3/day-blade barrier, flame strike, power word stun, waves of fatigue; 1/day-earthquake, greater restoration, mass charm monster, waves of exhaustion. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs are 16 + spell level.
Hanna casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the War and Wrath(BoED) domains. The save DCs are 20 + spell level. Her spell themes are holy magic, healing and extended buffs. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1).
[6/day]0: Create Waterx6.
[8+1/day]1: (Doom), Divine Favor, Ray of HopeBoEDx2, Shield of Faithx3, Twilight Luckx2BoED
[8+1/day]2: (Spiritual Weapon), Close Woundsx2SC, Eagle's Splendorx2, Extended Divine Favorx2, Hold Personx2
[7+1/day]3: (AfflictionBoED), Cure Serious Woundsx2, Prayerx2, RefreshmentBoEDx2, Telepathy TapBoED. S(1d3 str).
[7+1/day]4: (Radiant ShieldBoED), Blood of the MartyrBoED, Dimensional Anchorx2, Extended Prayer, Freedom of Movementx2, Stars of ArvandorBoED.
[7+1/day]5: (Righteous Might), Dancing WebBoED, Extended Freedom of Movement, Greater Commandx4, Sacred GuardianBoED.
[6+1/day]6: (Extended Righteous Might), Antilife Shell, Healx3, Extended Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]7: (Power Word Blind), Extended Exalted RaimentBoED, S(1d4 str), Fortunate Fatex4SC.
[7+1/day]8: (Power Word Stun), Consecrated Radiant Assaultx4, Extended Fortunate Fatex3, Lion's Roarx2SC.
[7+1/day]9: (Foresight), Consecrated Fire Stormx2, Mass Healx3, Miracle, Righteous Exilex2FC2.
[2+1/day]10: (Extended Storm of Vengeance), Celestial ValorHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Summon Monster XHome
BoED - Book of Exalted Deeds.
FC2 - Fiendish Codex 2.
S - Sanctified spell. Sacrifice cost is noted in parentheses.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Hanna casts as an 11th level Champion of Gwynharwyf. The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her spell theme is anything that helps while in a rage. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1)
[5/day]1: Divine Sacrificex5BoED
[4/day]2: Shield Otherx2, Warcryx2BoED
[4/day]3: Cure Moderate Woundsx4
[3/day]4: Break Enchantmentx2, Glory of the MartyrBoED.
[2/day]5: Cure Critical Woundsx2
[/quote]
Assuming that Ithea knows just where to open the portal to, she'll use her bracelet to open a gate for them to these Gates of the Moon. If not, Balyss can do that.
[00:38] <Merc-zzz> roll d20+42 K:P (or K:R if that's better, same modifier either way)
[00:38] <Penuche> Merc-zzz invokes Penuche's magic: < 45 > [d20=3]
Balyss readily does that, the party passing through a portal. You stand on a beach, rocky and jagged, but with paths through it. It is nighttime and all the stars in the sky sparkle, joined by the moon overhead. It is full and bright, shining down on all the island.
[spoiler]
Balyss
HP: 228/228
Spells Active: Iron Silence (CL23), Undetectable Alignment (CL23), Mind Blank(CL23), Divine Insight(CL23)
Bonuses: +15 insight on a single skill check, mind blanked.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Hanna
HP: 335/335
Spells Active: Detect Evil(CL22), Detect Snares and Pits(CL22), Discern Lies(CL22), See Invisibility(CL22), True Seeing(CL22).
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions: 50% spell failure for 1 hour
Resources Used:
Simmer
HP: 322/322
Spells Active: Greater Mage Armor(CL22), Superior Resistance(CL22)
Bonuses: +6 armor bonus to AC, +6 resistance bonus to saves. If she gets another +6 bonus, she hits the Abyss jackpot.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Balyss casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the Moon, Oracle and Protection domains. (Caster level 23rd; caster level 30th for augury and divination; caster level 25th for other divinations.) The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her metamagic option is Quicken Spell (+4). Her spell themes are lunar magic and miscellaneously useful spells.
[6/day]0: Cure Minor Woundsx6
[7+1/day]1: (Identify), Bless Water, Comprehend Languages, Detect Undeadx2, Healer's VisionCS, NightshieldSC, Remove Fear, SignSC.
[7+1/day]2: (MoonbeamSC), Close WoundsSC, Consecrate, Find Traps, Iron Silence, Make Whole, Status, Undetectable Alignment.
[7+1/day]3: (Moon BladeSC), Create Food and Water, Selune's GraceSC(1), Locate Object, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Dead.
[7+1/day]4: (Fear), Assay Spell Resistancex2SC, Control Water, Discern Lies, Divine Powerx2, Neutralize Poison.
[6+1/day]5: (Moon PathSC), Atonement, Commune, Hallow, Quickened Divine Favorx2, Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]6: (Legend Lore), Greater Dispel Magicx5
[5+1/day]7: (Insanity), Control Weather, Greater Restoration, Holy Word, Quickened Mass Aid, Word of Chaos.
[5+1/day]8: (Mind Blank), Earthquake, Fierce Pride of the BeastlandsSC, Heat Drainx2SC, Summon Monster 8.
[4+1/day]9: (Foresight), Miraclex2, Quickened Dragon's BreathSC, Quickened Life's GraceSC, Quickened MoonwebPTGFAlt: Trade out quickened life's grace and moonweb, get two gates. 1 gate used.
[2+1/day]10: (Moonrise), Miracle of HealthHome, Quickened Heal.
Balyss casts as a 21st level favored soul. (Caster level 22nd, 24th for divinations, 29th for augury and divination.) Her save DCs are 18 + spell level.
[6/day]0: AmanuensisSC, Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Virtue.
[8/day]1: Bless, Divine Favor, Entropic Shield, HandfirePGTF, Moon LustSC, Shield of Faith.
[8/day]2: Augury, Divine InsightSC, Divine ProtectionSC, Healing LorecallSC, Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth.
[8/day]3: Cloak of BraverySC, Invisibility Purge, Mass AidSC, Mass Align WeaponSC, Mass Resist EnergySC, Moon BladeSC.
[8/day]4: Divination, Fear, Mass Shield of FaithSC, Moon BoltSC, Sheltered VitalitySC, Wall of MoonlightPGTF.
[7/day]5: Life's GraceSC, Mass SanctuarySC, Moon PathSC, MoonwebPGTF, Zone of RespiteSC, Zone of RevelationSC.
[7/day]6: Banishment, Bolt of GlorySC, Heal, Lucent LanceSC, Vigorous CircleSC, Visage of the DeitySC.
[7/day]7: Bastion of GoodBoED, Holy StarSC, Insanity, Lunatic's LightHome, Mass Spell ResistanceSC, Rejuvenating LightCC.
[7/day]8: Chain DispelPHB2, Holy Aura, Dimensional Lock, Maddening WhispersSC, Mass Death WardSC.
[6/day]9: Greater Visage of the DeitySC, Mass Heal, Miracle, Undeath's Eternal FoeSC.
[3/day]10: Curse of InadequacyHome, Energy ImmunityHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Selune's ShieldHome
Always active: Detect Evil, Detect Snares and Pits, Discern Lies, See Invisibility, True Seeing.
Spell-like abilities
At will-continual flame, dispel magic, holy smite, invisibility (self only), lesser restoration, remove curse, remove disease, remove fear, speak with dead; 3/day-blade barrier, flame strike, power word stun, waves of fatigue; 1/day-earthquake, greater restoration, mass charm monster, waves of exhaustion. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs are 16 + spell level.
Hanna casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the War and Wrath(BoED) domains. The save DCs are 20 + spell level. Her spell themes are holy magic, healing and extended buffs. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1).
[6/day]0: Create Waterx6.
[8+1/day]1: (Doom), Divine Favor, Ray of HopeBoEDx2, Shield of Faithx3, Twilight Luckx2BoED
[8+1/day]2: (Spiritual Weapon), Close Woundsx2SC, Eagle's Splendorx2, Extended Divine Favorx2, Hold Personx2
[7+1/day]3: (AfflictionBoED), Cure Serious Woundsx2, Prayerx2, RefreshmentBoEDx2, Telepathy TapBoED. S(1d3 str).
[7+1/day]4: (Radiant ShieldBoED), Blood of the MartyrBoED, Dimensional Anchorx2, Extended Prayer, Freedom of Movementx2, Stars of ArvandorBoED.
[7+1/day]5: (Righteous Might), Dancing WebBoED, Extended Freedom of Movement, Greater Commandx4, Sacred GuardianBoED.
[6+1/day]6: (Extended Righteous Might), Antilife Shell, Healx3, Extended Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]7: (Power Word Blind), Extended Exalted RaimentBoED, S(1d4 str), Fortunate Fatex4SC.
[7+1/day]8: (Power Word Stun), Consecrated Radiant Assaultx4, Extended Fortunate Fatex3, Lion's Roarx2SC.
[7+1/day]9: (Foresight), Consecrated Fire Stormx2, Mass Healx3, Miracle, Righteous Exilex2FC2.
[2+1/day]10: (Extended Storm of Vengeance), Celestial ValorHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Summon Monster XHome
BoED - Book of Exalted Deeds.
FC2 - Fiendish Codex 2.
S - Sanctified spell. Sacrifice cost is noted in parentheses.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Hanna casts as an 11th level Champion of Gwynharwyf. The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her spell theme is anything that helps while in a rage. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1)
[5/day]1: Divine Sacrificex5BoED
[4/day]2: Shield Otherx2, Warcryx2BoED
[4/day]3: Cure Moderate Woundsx4
[3/day]4: Break Enchantmentx2, Glory of the MartyrBoED.
[2/day]5: Cure Critical Woundsx2
"Nice place," Ithea comments as she looks around for what's their most obvious destination.
Balyss looks up to the moon, murmuring words in Celestial. You catch something like, "Thank you, Moonmaiden, for guiding us," or something like that.
Simmer looks around and moves away from the shore. She sighs deeply, "So much better."
There's a fair few paths. As you look?
Spot.
[12:27] <Merc> roll d20+51 spot
[12:27] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d20=18]
Paths lead to meadows, valleys, forests. Your vision swims as you try to take it all in, the paths leading to places they shouldn't and yet do, all under the light of the moon. It's highly disorienting, leaving Ithea momentarily woozy.
"A bit disorienting...but a nice place," Ithea reiterates with a nod after shaking off the wooziness. Then waits for Balyss to lead on.
Balyss looks around and chooses a path, going right down it. "Don't worry, we'll find the way," she says.
Hanna just follows, looking around every so often.
Make another Spot check real quick?
[11:02] <Merc> roll d20+51 spot
[11:02] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 71 > [d20=20]
You swear everything is ever so subtly rippling in the moonlight. Like a ghostly image, shining brighter and shimmering.
"Is that illusory effect normal?" Ithea asks.
"What?" Balyss pauses in her walk, Hanna just barely stopping before running into her. "Say what, Ithea?"
"You don't notice it? It's like everything is rippling in the moonlight. It's like some subtle illusion or something like that?"
"Oh, dreams and moonlight," Balyss says lightly, "Don't worry about it, the moon shines on us."
"If you say so," Ithea remarks half-heartedly as she continues to follow Balyss and try to pay less attention tothe disorienting background.
> roll 1d100 Ithea
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d100=96]
> roll 1d100 Ithea subtables
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 99 > [d100=99]
The four of you wander the path Balyss leads you on. It becomes darker and darker around you, everything fading away into the night sky. Soon enough you stand in perfect darkness, the stars and moon gone.
"Eh?" Balyss pauses, drawing the Sword of the Moon. Moonlight comes from it, illuminating the four of you. Far above you in the empty sky, lights begin to gather.
[spoiler]
Balyss
HP: 228/228
Spells Active: Iron Silence (CL23), Undetectable Alignment (CL23), Mind Blank(CL23), Divine Insight(CL23)
Bonuses: +15 insight on a single skill check, mind blanked.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Hanna
HP: 335/335
Spells Active: Detect Evil(CL22), Detect Snares and Pits(CL22), Discern Lies(CL22), See Invisibility(CL22), True Seeing(CL22).
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions: 50% spell failure for 1 hour
Resources Used:
Simmer
HP: 322/322
Spells Active: Greater Mage Armor(CL22), Superior Resistance(CL22)
Bonuses: +6 armor bonus to AC, +6 resistance bonus to saves. If she gets another +6 bonus, she hits the Abyss jackpot.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Balyss casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the Moon, Oracle and Protection domains. (Caster level 23rd; caster level 30th for augury and divination; caster level 25th for other divinations.) The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her metamagic option is Quicken Spell (+4). Her spell themes are lunar magic and miscellaneously useful spells.
[6/day]0: Cure Minor Woundsx6
[7+1/day]1: (Identify), Bless Water, Comprehend Languages, Detect Undeadx2, Healer's VisionCS, NightshieldSC, Remove Fear, SignSC.
[7+1/day]2: (MoonbeamSC), Close WoundsSC, Consecrate, Find Traps, Iron Silence, Make Whole, Status, Undetectable Alignment.
[7+1/day]3: (Moon BladeSC), Create Food and Water, Selune's GraceSC(1), Locate Object, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Dead.
[7+1/day]4: (Fear), Assay Spell Resistancex2SC, Control Water, Discern Lies, Divine Powerx2, Neutralize Poison.
[6+1/day]5: (Moon PathSC), Atonement, Commune, Hallow, Quickened Divine Favorx2, Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]6: (Legend Lore), Greater Dispel Magicx5
[5+1/day]7: (Insanity), Control Weather, Greater Restoration, Holy Word, Quickened Mass Aid, Word of Chaos.
[5+1/day]8: (Mind Blank), Earthquake, Fierce Pride of the BeastlandsSC, Heat Drainx2SC, Summon Monster 8.
[4+1/day]9: (Foresight), Miraclex2, Quickened Dragon's BreathSC, Quickened Life's GraceSC, Quickened MoonwebPTGFAlt: Trade out quickened life's grace and moonweb, get two gates. 1 gate used.
[2+1/day]10: (Moonrise), Miracle of HealthHome, Quickened Heal.
Balyss casts as a 21st level favored soul. (Caster level 22nd, 24th for divinations, 29th for augury and divination.) Her save DCs are 18 + spell level.
[6/day]0: AmanuensisSC, Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Virtue.
[8/day]1: Bless, Divine Favor, Entropic Shield, HandfirePGTF, Moon LustSC, Shield of Faith.
[8/day]2: Augury, Divine InsightSC, Divine ProtectionSC, Healing LorecallSC, Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth.
[8/day]3: Cloak of BraverySC, Invisibility Purge, Mass AidSC, Mass Align WeaponSC, Mass Resist EnergySC, Moon BladeSC.
[8/day]4: Divination, Fear, Mass Shield of FaithSC, Moon BoltSC, Sheltered VitalitySC, Wall of MoonlightPGTF.
[7/day]5: Life's GraceSC, Mass SanctuarySC, Moon PathSC, MoonwebPGTF, Zone of RespiteSC, Zone of RevelationSC.
[7/day]6: Banishment, Bolt of GlorySC, Heal, Lucent LanceSC, Vigorous CircleSC, Visage of the DeitySC.
[7/day]7: Bastion of GoodBoED, Holy StarSC, Insanity, Lunatic's LightHome, Mass Spell ResistanceSC, Rejuvenating LightCC.
[7/day]8: Chain DispelPHB2, Holy Aura, Dimensional Lock, Maddening WhispersSC, Mass Death WardSC.
[6/day]9: Greater Visage of the DeitySC, Mass Heal, Miracle, Undeath's Eternal FoeSC.
[3/day]10: Curse of InadequacyHome, Energy ImmunityHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Selune's ShieldHome
Always active: Detect Evil, Detect Snares and Pits, Discern Lies, See Invisibility, True Seeing.
Spell-like abilities
At will-continual flame, dispel magic, holy smite, invisibility (self only), lesser restoration, remove curse, remove disease, remove fear, speak with dead; 3/day-blade barrier, flame strike, power word stun, waves of fatigue; 1/day-earthquake, greater restoration, mass charm monster, waves of exhaustion. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs are 16 + spell level.
Hanna casts as a 22nd level cleric with access to the War and Wrath(BoED) domains. The save DCs are 20 + spell level. Her spell themes are holy magic, healing and extended buffs. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1).
[6/day]0: Create Waterx6.
[8+1/day]1: (Doom), Divine Favor, Ray of HopeBoEDx2, Shield of Faithx3, Twilight Luckx2BoED
[8+1/day]2: (Spiritual Weapon), Close Woundsx2SC, Eagle's Splendorx2, Extended Divine Favorx2, Hold Personx2
[7+1/day]3: (AfflictionBoED), Cure Serious Woundsx2, Prayerx2, RefreshmentBoEDx2, Telepathy TapBoED. S(1d3 str).
[7+1/day]4: (Radiant ShieldBoED), Blood of the MartyrBoED, Dimensional Anchorx2, Extended Prayer, Freedom of Movementx2, Stars of ArvandorBoED.
[7+1/day]5: (Righteous Might), Dancing WebBoED, Extended Freedom of Movement, Greater Commandx4, Sacred GuardianBoED.
[6+1/day]6: (Extended Righteous Might), Antilife Shell, Healx3, Extended Righteous Mightx2.
[5+1/day]7: (Power Word Blind), Extended Exalted RaimentBoED, S(1d4 str), Fortunate Fatex4SC.
[7+1/day]8: (Power Word Stun), Consecrated Radiant Assaultx4, Extended Fortunate Fatex3, Lion's Roarx2SC.
[7+1/day]9: (Foresight), Consecrated Fire Stormx2, Mass Healx3, Miracle, Righteous Exilex2FC2.
[2+1/day]10: (Extended Storm of Vengeance), Celestial ValorHome, Mass Freedom of MovementHome, Summon Monster XHome
BoED - Book of Exalted Deeds.
FC2 - Fiendish Codex 2.
S - Sanctified spell. Sacrifice cost is noted in parentheses.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Hanna casts as an 11th level Champion of Gwynharwyf. The save DCs are 19 + spell level. Her spell theme is anything that helps while in a rage. Her metamagic options are Extend Spell (+1) and Consecrate Spell (+1)
[5/day]1: Divine Sacrificex5BoED
[4/day]2: Shield Otherx2, Warcryx2BoED
[4/day]3: Cure Moderate Woundsx4
[3/day]4: Break Enchantmentx2, Glory of the MartyrBoED.
[2/day]5: Cure Critical Woundsx2
[/quote]
Ithea glances towards the lights trying to make out their source.
"Oh!" Hanna murmurs, looking up. You see the lights solidify into two figures. One is a woman of radiant moonlight, ageless and yet young and old at the same time. She wields a mace. The other is a dark, seductive woman in leather clothes and carrying twin short swords. Her darkness absorbs the light of the moon as the two do battle. A battle of force and magic, incalculable energies thrown about in mere moments. Great tidal waves of darkness are countered by bursts of moonlight, motes of electricity parried by balls of absolute nothingness.
"The great battle!" Balyss speaks up here, "It's said that Selune and Shar do war in the night sky and neither has ever emerged victorious." After a moment's pause, "At least a representation of a past battle," she appends.
Ithea takes the opportunity to observe the two fighting styles, to see if she learns anything useful from either combatant.
Make an Int check then, Ithea.
[21:20] <Merc> roll d20+11 int check
[21:20] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=5]
It's too hectic and overwhelming for Ithea to follow, but you notice Selune's style and modes constantly change. Sometimes she is a young warrior-maiden, fighting directly with her mace. Other times she becomes a crone, slinging magic capable of shattering continents. At other times she takes to Shar's shadows, slinking along and fighting as a sneak-thief.
It does remind you an awful lot of someone. The way she switches easily and moves so fluidly between varied tricks brings to mind Sylvie's fighting style. She prefers her fists instead of a mace, but the fundamentals are scarily similar.
Since I posted this in nagging awhile back, Selune's an epic level chameleon and changes with the phases of the moon. It's not a spoiler as much as a nod to that.
Ithea decides not to make that observation outloud, since who knows how Balyss would take that sort of comparison for all that the two seem to have made up.
> roll 1d20+4 Balyss Int
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=15]]
As Simmer watches this she hmmms lowly, "They fight like cats," she observes, "All viciousness and holding nothing back."
"...I must be going crazy," Balyss shakes her head, breaking her gaze away, "Selune fights with the phases of the moon. Is that why you're showing us this, Moonmaiden?"
"You think that's a hint to finding the valeoloth?" Ithea asks doubtfully.
"....no." Balyss finally says, as the images above fade and the path returns. "Did you notice how Selune fought?"
"Yes," Ithea answers. "Very flexible fighting style, switching between combat styles as the situation calls for. So?"
Balyss looks up at the now starry sky once more, "Do you..." A long, slow trail off. "Never mind. We should be moving." She quickly takes the lead, hurrying along.
"What were you going to ask?" Ithea asks while following.
"It's not important," Balyss says, picking up her pace.
"Hrm...alright. If you're...sure," Ithea replies, as she keeps pace with Balyss.
This gets Balyss to turn, a hand on her hip and a scowl, "Of course I'm sure," she says quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Just wondering if it was a reaction to how close it was to Sylvie's fighting style barring the unarmed versus mace part," Ithea can't help but dig for answers even though she was originally not planning to.
"I did notice that. Sylvie blends many techniques together and Selune does the same," Hanna says, "It's obvious if you know what to look for."
"Selune's like Sylvie, or Sylvie's like Selune? I don't think being quick to learn is part of her doctrine," Simmer points out, idly flicking a ball of fire between her fingers. Her attention is on that, "So how's that make sense?"
Balyss closes her eyes and sighs, shoulders slumping. "Fine. Yes, it was. As the phases of the moon changes, so does Selune. She wears many faces and many guises, and all of them are her aspects. Selune help me, Sylvie does fight like Selune, only not that quick to change. But the roots of the style are obviously the same."
"Nothing wrong with Sylvie fighting like Selune, you know," Ithea points out as she sees Balyss' shoulders slumping. "It's just an observation, but there's no hidden meaning in it, I'm sure."
"Yes, and I'm the Queen of Malmuth," Balyss rolls her eyes and straightens up, "Selune wouldn't have shown me that without a reason, so I have to discern what that reason is."
"Hrm...valid point. Well, at least you seem to have made up with her for the time being...."
She doesn't think the issue was resolved at all, and Balyss never seemed to follow up on the suggestion of bringing Sylvie's son and her friends to visit Aurora, but it was a reminder that there was something to deal with there, even if there was a temporary ceasefire, or whatever the two were calling it right now.
"Selune is ever distant in the sky, yet protects us. We only see her from afar." Balyss looks away at this, "Perhaps that's another similarity she's pointing out."
"...how do we ask her about the magma thing?" Ithea asks, trying to redirect Balyss to their original goal instead of her introspection.
Oh, Balyss doesn't reply. She looks lost in thought, gazing up at the sky above.
"A-HEM," Simmer clears her throat, "We're talking about important things, like Magma. But since this is a divine realm and the ruling deity doesn't seem to mind us being here, we wander until we find it? These sort of things work themselves out, right?"
"...yeah. Yes." Balyss finally looks away from the sky, "Just follow along with me."
Ithea shrugs and follows along quietly, keeping an eye out for further phenomena.
> roll 1d100+7
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d100=2]
You wander for a time, coming to a cave of sorts. The roof is simply not there, as if the very top was seamlessly removed. It allows moonlight to shine down in the cave, which is a general downward slope that leads to a large pool of opaque liquid. Balyss walks on and into the cave, only stopping a few steps in. "Oh? Oh! We've found something, yes, as Our Lady of Silver guided us."
Hanna's follows behind, cross armed. "Yes, about four steps too late. Pay attention, or you might miss something Selune's trying to tell you."
"Hrm?" Ithea asks, aiming the question towards Hanna.
"Sorry," Balyss says, "You're right." She hurries along to the pool, "We found our way here under the moonlight, so this must be Selune's will." The pool is wide - big enough for Ithea to go in the middle and not quite be able to touch the ground from any direction.
Ithea is distracted from Hanna and looks towards Balyss and the pool. "So... do we drink from it? Swim in it? Just look inside while the moon reflects on it?"
"I don't know," Balyss admits openly, kneeling next to it. "Do what you will. I'm going to try a prayer first."
Hanna glances at Ithea and then Simmer, before starting to casually disrobe, "I'll try swimming in it and to the bottom."
"I'll look in it," Simmer says, creeping close to it (but not too close) and peering at the white waters.
Any knowledge or other skill or ability check to try and figure out best option?
K:P.
[21:02] <Merc> roll d20+42 K:P
[21:02] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 51 > [d20=9]
It's said that pools of Selune's tears sometimes build up in the Gates of the Moon. These pools are full of mystical energy and Selune's desire for a better future, each tear coming from a tragedy happening that could have been prevented. A skilled seer can study and imbibe a tiny amount of the liquid to have a powerful vision. Careful, the tears are poisonous if more than a little bit is drank, leaving creatures in delirious rapture for days, weeks or even months, depending on how much is drank.
"Wait, Hanna. I don't think you need to go for a dip. If I recall correctly, yu're supposed to drink a tiny amount to have a vision. Too much, and it becomes a poison. But I don't know how much is too much....although I don't think it's lethal at least?"
Ithea scoops some of the pool's liquid, basically half of what she might be able to cup in between both hands held together and takes a deep breath. "Here goes..." she mutters before taking a sip, consuming Selune's tears.
Hanna stops half undressed and starts putting her equipment back on. "Glad you caught-" Hanna stops as Ithea takes a drink. It tastes like nothing at all, and...
Fort.
[21:20] <Merc> roll d20+36+11 fort+inspiration
[21:20] <Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=2]
[21:20] <Merc> grr
Balyss kneels to drink as well in the meantime, "Ithea, why did you drink if you aren't a seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"
Woah. Woaaaaaaaah. Rainbows and cubes dividing together into a sum of circles, all of them making circles. You laugh as you feel acid ran fall on your face. You drift along the rainbows and unicorns, moonlight carrying you off and away.
Tannin collapses against the wall, bleeding from his torn open stomach. His head is bowed and a hand on his wound, leaning against the broken remnants of a Medicant Golem. He looks up as a shadowy, looming figure raises a greatsword up. All he can do is spit at it and say, "Do it, you cockless devil fuck."
You drift on a river of silver and white, buffeted like rapids. Shining diamonds and a sea of silver ink, the krakens spewing it all. An endless ocean of light, 27 destinies within it that were lost. You can only watch the cubes divide into circles, the circles become squares and the squares give birth to the moon, over and over again.
Adrian and Misalea stand alone. Both are badly bloodied but stand over a large corpse. You can't see it, but Adrian spits blood out and to the side. His breathing is heavy, "Too late," he grins, sounding almost giddy. "Willah's ours now and she's the last one."
27 divided by 3 becomes 9. You see nine circles before you, each one darker than the last. Three diamonds shine in the night sky as one great moon, surrounded by the unseen nimbus of the radiant sun. They are not krakens, but things bigger. They stretch everywhere, touch everything. A million million million connections, each one strong and firm. Incalculable meaning.
A female knight in shining armor and with long black hair. A great dragon, shining gold and red. A twisted, broken angel, beautiful and yet terribly fallen to your eyes. In the angel's hand is a globe, a world. Its blue waters and green lands are held in his hands, almost like a talisman of defense against the knight and dragon. They wage battle, one that shakes all the world around you.
Ugh. Ithea's head pounds. She's curled up and barely able to register anything except an overwhelming headache.
"That...was not nearly as good an idea as I thought it'd be," Ithea mutters as she holds her head against the palm of her hand and rubs her forehead. "Fuck, that was trippy."
PAIN!
Speaking wasn't a good idea. It just makes your head pound more. Your throat is dry and your words come out weak and strangled.
Ithea just whimpers and waits for the pain to decrease.
After some time, the pain lessens enough that Ithea can open her eyes. She's lying in a dark room and on a bed, no blanket covering her. Your vision isn't 100% at the moment, but you think you see what's a common inn room.
Ithea looks around for the others.
No sign of them. The door's closed and it's pleasant dark, dim.
Ithea decides to keep resting for a bit and keep resting away the experience she had.
She'll rest away let's say 10 minutes.
10 minutes helps the world be less terrible. Near the end of it, the door opens and light spills in. It's painful but not overwhelmingly so. Simmer strolls in, "Oh, you up," she asks, "How do you feel?"
"Terrible," Ithea rasps. "How long was I out?"
"About 12 hours," Simmer comes on over, "Balyss went crazy trying to figure out why you said only a seer should drink it and then only a little, then you went and drank some. What happened?"
Technically speaking, I didn't say the 'only a seer' part.
A fair point. Let me reline that then.
"About 12 hours," Simmer comes on over, "Balyss went crazy trying to wake you up, but it had to run its course."
"Yeah, okay, that was definitely as stupid an idea as I thought. I got curious once I realized it wasn't lethal."
"And now you've used up one of your nine lives," Simmer says dryly, "On the other side of the ledger, Balyss did find out what we needed to know."
"That's good. Because I have no idea how to interpret what I saw. Although I'm sure it had nothing to do with what I was looking for."
"Balyss did say she had no idea what you'd see," Simmer admits, "She also mentioned that only a seer should drink the waters. Someone who isn't practiced in divinations has no chance to control them."
"We can figure out what I saw afterwards," Ithea answers as she starts to get up. "Where are the others anyway? And where are we also? Its not Aurora?"
"We found an inn soon after we carried you away," Simmer says, "They're out there, waiting for you."
"Ah," Ithea replies, as she tries to stand, checking to see if the worst of the effects are gone yet.
The worst of it is. Your head hurts, but you're functional otherwise. Thirsty too, now that you think about it.
Ithea gets up and grabs her gear. "Okay, let's meet up with the others, and drink something that won't give the worst hangover ever."
You find the others in the inn's taproom. It's unremarkable enough, save for one wall being entirely glass. It lets in the moonlight, giving everything a pale, ghostly glow. "Ithea!" Balyss turns, a mug in hand. She drains it and stands, marching on over, "What possessed you to drink that?"
Hanna's meanwhile eating a small bowl of berries one at a time, not rising and instead watching it all.
"Curiosity. And the knowledge it wasn't gonna kill me," Ithea answers honestly. "Not an experience I plan to repeat though. The visions? You can keep 'em."
WHAP! A slap right upside the head, Balyss scowling, "I'm all for trusting Selune, but don't drink toxic things and expect her to save you because it's her home! I already have one friend who makes stupid, self destructive choices, don't start copying her!"
"On another note," Hanna speaks up, quite loudly, "We found the information we need."
"On another note, my visions had nothing to do with what we were looking for, so that's good," Ithea comments. "And don't worry, it was a one time thing. Probably."
"Good," Balyss deflates with a heavy sigh, "So are all of you ready to head on back now?"
"I'd like something to drink that won't give me the worst hangover ever, if you don't mind. I'll be good to go after that."
There's no barkeep, but Balyss goes behind it and gets Ithea a drink. "Here," she slides it on over, "Don't worry, it's an open bar. All travelers can find safety and protection under Selune, they need only ask. Anyway, our 'loth's in Magma, just like we thought. There's a city of fire giants in Magma known as Thermax. Our 'loth is somewhere in there."
"Good to know. Remind me to discuss my visions with you later too. They involved Tannin, Adrian, Misalea, and some sort of female knight that I didn't really recognize," Ithea says as she takes a long gulp.
It's fruity with the taste of strawberries. It also has a decent kick to it, fairly strong. "A recruit for the future?" Balyss asks, "We could use more help."
"Maybe. I guess we can discuss the visions now if you guys are interested?" Ithea says as she takes another drink. "That experience left me thirsty enough that wouldn't mind not diving into the depths of Magma just yet."
Pausing she adds, "So there were three visions, and the rest was just kind of trippy nonsense. I think. First vision was Tannin, second was Adrian and Misalea. Last was the mystery knight, along with a dragon and an angel. Not sure how I forgot those two, guess the knight just struck a more memorable figure?"
Anyway, she shrugs and takes more sips of her drink as she waits for them to suggest which vision to go over first.
Simmer takes a seat at the bar, "Go on," she encourages.
Balyss fixes herself a drink - you can see it's just water with some sort of clear liquid added. From the scent of it, it's probably mint extract.
Hanna stays where she is but says, "Yes, let's get to this. What were your visions, precisely?"
Well, since nobody requested any particular order, she might as well go in order, and she describes her full visions as best as she recalls them, even the weird shit with the krakens and 27 and circles and stuff.
Normally I'm fine with skipping expo, but in this case it may matter. I'm going to ask that you write out your expo, Ithea.
Booo
"So...it started with rainbows and circles and unicorns, and lots of random stuff. Nothing I can figure out there, and it shifts to Tannin against a wall, bleeding. His stomach's pretty much ruined and there's a broken golem by him, and some looming figure with a greatsword. I couldn't make anything out, but given how Tannin insulted him, I'd say it was a devil of some sort," Ithea starts off, then takes another sip.
"Vision moved back to the random stuff, rivers and krakens, circles and squares and a cycle between them. That bled into the next vision of Misalea and Adrian. Like Tannin, they're pretty badly injured, though in their case it looked like they won? They were standing over someone's corpse, and Adrian was gloating or something like that. Said uh..."
Ithea scrunches up her nose briefly as she recalls and snaps her fingers, "Ah, he said, 'Too late! Willah's ours and she's the last one.'"
"More weird transitional nonsense, lots of symbolism with the number 27, not the badger slaad, before you worry, Hanna. Something with three diamonds in the sky? I dunno. That led to the last vision which is with the three mystery characters, a female knight in shining armor with long black hair, a dragon somehow shining both gold and red, and some sort of twisted angel with a globe of a world in his broken hands that he held like a shield against the other two as they all fought."
"And then I woke up with a headache and a parched throat."
"27's hung up on Tannin," Hanna observes, tossing a berry up and right into her mouth. "But this is hardly 27, so that's interesting. Something bad happens to Tannin, maybe on a mission somewhere? The devils catch up to him? He might need to take more allies or have better gear."
"That could be," Simmer admits, rubbing her chin. Sparks come from the flesh on flesh contact, raining down onto her lap. "It might be a warning to protect him better, help him fight more effectively. You can't run or con every enemy."
"It might be," Balyss says, "Before we get into the other visions, can you recall anything else that might be helpful about it? It sounds like it might be a cornugon because of the greatsword."
When you mentioned a medicant golem, did we have golems from pre-Afina? I can't imagine we'd call them Medicant golems instead of Aurora golems, but I don't recall having golems other than those she built.
It's referring to the guardian golems in the hallway. They're in the old NPC topic, Afina didn't make them. They're leftovers from Medi's time and defenders.
"Well...one of the things I noticed was that the golem wasn't one of Afina's. It was one of the old Aurora golems, like, the ones in the hallway? Not sure why Tannin would be with one of those though, but I also can't imagine Aurora -falling- to devils, so I'd imagine Tannin would have taken one with him for some reason?"
"Or something went wrong and it's a warning of our last stand," Balyss frowns, features darkening. "We may need to secure an understanding with Ben-Hadar or the Water Lord to ensure Baator doesn't trivially try a head on assault."
"We could move to a Heavenly plane again. Hell won't mount a serious attack on us there because of the simple realities of the situation. They're inviting the locals to come and play, and the locals include powers who will relish smashing a diabolical incursion." Hanna finishes her berries, sitting back. "One of Aurora's greatest strengths is our ability to move and prevent the devils from seriously coming after us due to realities and politics."
"That's assuming that's what it is," Simmer admits, "Maybe he took a golem somewhere or something went wrong. We just don't know. But at worst, we can arm Tannin with more fire. Some good, searing fire should prevent that from happening."
"We can always ask Elena to keep an eye for Tannin planning any trips with just a golem by his side, and warn him then. If it's an attack on Aurora, we can head back and make sure everyone's prepared or set up for another move as well. What about Adrian and Misalea? Any chance it could be connected, or was it a completely separate vision?"
What do I know about this Willah? If anything?
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,102335.msg1035940.html#msg1035940
This may prove illuminating.
Ah, right. Didn't recall the names. Thanks.
"I almost assume it could be connected if it was an assault on Aurora, although it'd be odd that they would have let the restriction on those traitors go. They've been kept away from encountering us for the longest time now..."
"Maybe something changes?" Simmer suggests.
"Or we go on the offensive and get them," Hanna points out, "We need to deal with them eventually."
Ithea nods. "We will."
"Heavy symbolism," Balyss says, "But too much to be easily meaningful. I'll check our various leads on it and see if anything comes up."
Ithea nods again. "Right, let's go deal with the valeoloth and Thermax. You said it was a city of fire giants?"
"Yeah," Balyss says, "I took some time to dig up a history of it while you were indisposed. It was founded by migrant fire giants from the Prime and has grown into its own kingdom. The giants there have intermarried with outsiders and been influenced by the power of Fire being so close. They're powerful and smarter than the average fire giant back on the Prime. They're giants but they're not brutes, more like cloud giants with their own culture. They also rather lean towards devils in nature, though giants tend to be individual first, which waters that down."
"In other words, they're inclined to law and evil but fire first and foremost, as well as themselves." Simmer says. "So there will be exceptions and they aren't monolithic like the efreet."
"How much trouble can we expect then? Should we disguise ourselves or something?" Ithea asks curiously.
"Probably not," Simmer says, "They're not devil thralls or anything," she wavers a hand back and forth, "But best to bear it in mind and not get into any religious or philosophical arguments."
"Hrm, alright," Ithea says. "Well, I think I'm mostly good to go now. What about everyone else?"
A chorus of readies follow this.
What's your plan now?
Go back to Aurora for food buffs, talk about concerns with Water (visions + fire elementals) with others and seeing if we should move to another plane, then head out to Magma, I guess, barring any other diviners agreeing that a possible invasion is coming in which case we stick around?
Food buffs are unremarkable. Who do you want to talk about water with?
Add the rest of it to your pending stuff in case of this running long so we don't forget.
we can talk to Adrian? That way dont have to disturb the others since I'm being blah about posting lately.
That's fine, blah happens.
Ithea goes to catch up with Adrian. He's found deep in training. He is shirtless, muscled body sweaty as he swings a weighted greatsword about. A training one made of solid metal, surely heavier than his enchanted blade. He uses it to cleave through wooden dummies with sheer crushing force. He's moving fast as lightning, darting from one to the next with grand sweeps of his blade and rapid lunges.
Misalea stands off to the side, occasionally calling out, "Strike," "Sweep!" "Lunge," "Thrust!" "Dodge," and so forth, Adrian reacting to those and doing what his wife asks.
If I shout "Do a barrel roll!" Think he's concentrating hard enough to try it?
Ithea waits off to the side, letting the two concentrate for a few minutes...or until she gets bored and wants to clear her throat to get their attention.
He wouldn't get it and the odd command would break him out of it.
Adrian does finally finish, breathing heavily and turning around. He towels off with Misalea's help and says, "Hey Ithea. Looking to stretch your claws a bit?"
She shakes her head. "Not right now, and sorry to interrupt your workout. I wanted to discuss some concerns with you that came up recently while I'm handling a request from Lady Sunnis I've had pending."
"Yeah?" Adrian asks, "What is it?"
"First, when we came to Water, we didn't really consider most of the fire elementals, and they've locked themselves into the lava baths to cope with their discomfort. Took effort to get Simmer out to join me, and we may want to reconsider moving Aurora to another plane that's less discomforting to a portion of our population," Ithea comments.
"The second thing was a vision I had while I went with Balyss to the Gates of the Moon. A tip if you ever go there yourself: Don't drink from the pools of water there," Ithea adds.
"That said, vision showed Tannin in danger and with a Medicant golem by his side. I couldn't tell if it was in Aurora or elsewhere, but we'll want to keep an eye on any missions where he might want to take a golem with him, as I at least found it unlikely to be an invasion here. If it was though, then you probably led a pretty good defense because I also saw you and Misalea standing over some corpse and saying that Willah was the last one, which is...encouraging, I guess? Either way, it might be that we'll start seeing more of the traitors again some time soon."
Adrian puts a shirt on in the meantime, wiping his now water-wet hair down with a towel after. "The earth elementals coped with our visits to Air. Why are the fire elementals so upset? Maybe they need to relax and deal with it."
Misalea frowns, "I do remember no real troubles there," she seconds, "But maybe Simmer's serving as a catalyst?"
"Maybe. Either way, if we need to move, we need to move. It's pretty here, but it is a hassle." Adrian rubs his chin, "Prophecy? Well, good thing we know how to spoil ones we don't like."
"Hrm, hadn't considered the earth elementals, but fair enough. If Simmer's acting as the catalyst, then I'm going to be keeping her busy for a while. Anyway, mostly just wanted to warn about that stuff, especially since I figure you're staying here for the foreseeable future?" Ithea asks, just to make sure she's not assuming incorrectly.
"Yeah, I'm managing things here," Adrian remarks, "I'll talk to Tannin and have some of our own seers work on that. But if it's about challenging the traitors, we're going to do that sooner or later."
"Especially if they stop hiding away so we can actually get to them," Ithea comments. "Anyway, you have things in hand, so I'll leave you two alone and get back to valeoloth hunting."
"Good hunting," Adrian says, then smirks a bit. "Pounce away."
"You're supposed to say that to Misalea after I walk out of here," Ithea remarks as she makes her way out of the room.
Laughter follows Ithea out as...
What's next, kitty?
To magma!
Any changes to the party?
Nope
The four gather near Elrisa's Tower, waiting for Ithea. Once she arrives, Balyss says, "So what's our strategy here, boss?"
"Don't really have one. We basically just ward against things we know the valeoloth is likely to use and against the planar effects, then we just search for him, and when we find him, we capture or kill him. Hopefully the fact that we haven't moved against him in so long means his guard will be down and we find him easily and catch him by surprise. Otherwise, we don't know enough about the city or the valeoloth itself to plan more, I don't think?"
"We don't," Hanna confirms, "Unless you'd like to go information hunting first."
"I think I had enough information hunting five drinks ago."
"See?" Balyss comes over and throws an arm around Ithea's shoulder, "She learns!"
Simmer giggles at that, "That she does. Drinking water never goes well." She says it firmly, with a little nod at the end.
"Y-wait no, that's not it at all!" Balyss scowls back, but soon breaks into a smile.
"Ahem," Hanna coughs gently, "Shall we be going?"
Ithea nods. "Let's. Everyone do their own preparations? Getting something to eat, using Afina's new archway, etc, etc, etc?"
Not sure if Afina's new toy is up yet or not, I can edit if not.
It is.
Only question is who is going to do transportation?
Ithea will cast Gate once we're in place. Hanna and Balyss can handle the defensive buffs. And Simmer can just set things on even more fire in Magma.
Okay. Unless the spoiler block is needed right away, holding off on that until we're done, since it'll be a lengthy one.
With Ithea opening a portal, slipping through is easy. Into an ocean of orange-red, boiling your blood and charring your bones to ash. You cook alive, your last moment an agonized cr-ah!
You blink away the vision, standing in a field of black volcanic glass. The air is thick with gasses, difficult to breathe, but the protective magics on you help. Ahead is a vast ocean of magma as you stand in a gigantic cavern, huge waterfalls of lava miles away, pouring down into the ocean of magma. Perhaps a mile or so away is a huge island full of oversized buildings made of various volcanic stones.
"We're protected, but be careful if your protections get dispelled. Your lungs will shrivel up and die from the gasses here," Simmer warns, then takes a long sniff, "They don't bother me, so don't worry if something happens to my magic.
"Yeah, got it. I assume we're flying that way?" Ithea asks, pointing towards the island with her glaive. "Not sure how close I managed to get us, could be a different town, but hopefully it's the right one."
As you get a view, you see the oceans are not empty. Boats of what looks to be black stone float on the magma, with sails ablaze as they travel along. They're mostly going to the left side of the island, back and forth.
"Simplest," Simmer says, "We could've gone to a settlement on a shore and bought passage on a boat, but no point."
"On guard," Hanna warns, "If they lean to evil, my presence may well provoke them. So will Balyss if any know of Selune." She hefts her axe and takes to the air.
"Don't worry, I don't plan on becoming toast in Magma," Ithea remarks as she follows.
From here the party takes to the air, flying right along. As you approach, you see the buildings are all fairly utilitarian in design. Not much decoration, with function over form dominating. Great giants of red and fire walk the streets as you approach from above, each a towering, powerful specimen.
Balyss whistles, "Gonna be hard dealing with the locals," she murmurs, "But we'll manage."
Ithea just nods as she searches for a good spot to land. Or any signs of a valeoloth, though it probably wouldn't be something they'd have the luck to just spot from above. One can always hope though!
There's plenty of too big streets or roofs to land on. An alley big as a street in a human sized city is the landing spot of choice, the party coming on down. "So let's go find a valeoloth," Balyss says.
Ithea lands in one of the alleyways. "Too bad we couldn't just spot him from the sky. Not really sure where to start. Some seedy giant tavern?"
"We could," Balyss seconds, "Or just try our luck on the streets."
Simmer sniffs the air, "Whichever you prefer," she says, "It's not like we're getting away from the giants here."
Ithea shrugs and heads to the street, looking at the giants around to try and figure out who might look like he has answers. Or if she can even tell them apart enough to figure something like that out.
Spot check.
[00:39] <Merc> roll d20+51 spot
[00:39] <Kobot> Merc rolled d20+51 spot --> [ 1d20=15 ]{66}
The streets are full of giants, most dressed surprisingly well. No furs and crude armor here, but well made clothes and skillfully forged armors. There's also lesser beings with them. Usually humanoids or the like, carrying things or following a giant.
You notice some are dressed better than others. Some have jewelry or other signs of wealth, such as circlets, inlaid or bejeweled weapons and so forth. They tend to have more humanoids trail them as well.
"Hrm... Some sort of giant upper class?" Ithea mutters.
"Of course," Hanna steps forward, returning a few looks your way with a steely, unflinching gaze. "It's only natural for them."
Ithea blinks. "It is?"
"To stratify themselves, for some to get ahead and others to fall behind. You see it in every society except the celestial ones," Hanna remarks, "Even then, there are castes."
"Hrm, well, can't recall that in Lifasa, but that might have just been the valley I was from and my age at the time. I guess I have seen that sort of thing before, but not really enough to have thought it commonplace," the duskblade remarks back. "I imagine there's some sort of protocol to even approach them without starting trouble?"
"Most likely," Balyss says, "So we can try daring or we can try a bar?"
"Well, given we have to find a bar first, daring will work either way," Ithea replies and searches for any giants that give a friendly impression, or barring that, that their 'help' looks happy-ish, hopefully signifying a more friendly giant.
Most of the giants look surly or busy - just going along. But you notice one passing with a single human servant, smirking as he strolls down. His servant's outright grinning.
"How about him?" Ithea gestures subtly in the direction for the others. "Something is going on there...question is if it can help us."
"Go for it," Simmer encourages.
Ithea approaches the giant. "Excuse me..." She tries to get his attention.
As the others follow, "What do you want ser-" He stops and peers on down, "My, you're no servant! You're an adventurer!" he slams a palm into his fist, "A real life adventurer, all brave and poking around here." He replies in Common and then laughs boomingly.
"Indeed. Thank you for stopping for me," Ithea says politely while the giant is humoring her.
The giants passing by also slow, eyeing the party. Hanna eyes them right back, a few staring contests.
> roll 1d20+19 giants intimidate
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+32 opposed level check, Hanna autowins
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 43 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+34 Hanna's counter intimidation
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 51 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+17 giants opposed level check, can't win
<Serith> Kowork roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=6]
None of the giants stay for long, Hanna's resolute glare and steady hand on her axe making them all decide discretion is truly the better part of valor.
Amid the burning heat, the gas-choked air and the fleeing giants, Ithea's giant continues to boomingly laugh. "An adventurer with a celestial friend. If you're looking for Air or Radiance, you're way off. If you're looking for Hell, you're also off."
"We're looking for a valeoloth actually," Ithea answers frankly.
"A valeowhat?" The giant says, "That sounds like you just hocked something foul up."
Balyss snorts at that, holding in a laugh. "It's slimy enough to be. It's a type of yugoloth, you know how daemons are."
Ithea does her best to recall what it looked like and describe the creature for the giant. "While I doubt you've seen that creature yourself, is there any chance you might know someone we can ask for more information to find it?"
I'm going to guess you don't remember at all. Would you like a copy/paste of its default description?
"See this," The giant looks around at the other giants, who are mostly fleeing Hanna's unrelenting gaze. "Bah, cowards." Shaking a big fist, "May Galuh stones land on your heads! But this right here? This is balls! Balls almost as big as mine! Come up to a giant and interrogate them for information about a dangerous fiend, with an angel with them no less! My friends," he raises his voice loud enough to carry, "We are in the witness of fearless heroes! So I say to them this - march right into Manalan's Curios and demand the location of your 'loth. Put the fear into him and he'll spill, since I bet he knows."
Wouldn't hurt!
"Manalan's Curios? Sure, we'll head there. Thanks for the information. Speaking of Galuh, if you're a fan and have the means to do so, feel free to visit Aurora. We have an excellent Galuh board there, and I am sure that if nothing else, you would appreciate the betting that goes around it."
Valeoloths are around 10 to 12 feet tall. They appear as withered humanoids with dull brown, iron grey or rust red skin. They tend to look beaten and depressed, with eyes that are locked in a moment of wide eyed terror. Great blades erupt from the valeoloth's back, forming crude and bloody wings.
There.
"Hah," The giant just laughs, "I may just, I like your balls. Huge cat balls!" He cackles, "Just don't let the 'loths neuter you." Laughing, the giant strides on off.
"Charming," Simmer says, "Like we were a dog that learned how to talk."
"He gave us a lead. That's good enough," Hanna says, "He had courage too. All the other giants hurried away."
"I suspect he'll be a common sight at the betting area, if I got anything out of his personality," Ithea says drily now that he's gone. "He's clearly obsessed with giant balls."
Simmer snickers while Balyss smirks and says, "Going to take his advice?"
"Of going to this Curio? Sure. Anything involving balls? Hell no."
"Giant balls aren't so bad," Hanna says, "More to play with and more to work with when you resort to a low blow."
"Clearly those other giants had good reason to flee from you," Ithea says drily again.
"It wins fights," Hanna says, "Complaints afterwards can be ignored."
"Sure, sure," Ithea says placatingly. "Anyway, let's find this place he mentioned and get more answers, hopefully."
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 86 > [d100=86]
No encounter. Make a GI check since you're trying to find the location.
[21:32] <Merc> roll d20+28+6 GI+Inspiration
[21:32] <Serith> Merc roll for Serith < 54 > [d20=20]
Turns out it's not hard for Ithea at all. A few questions, a couple of glares from Hanna and you're in business. Manalan's Curios is a big, towering building right in the heart of the city. You march in as the giants pointedly avoid the powerful and seemingly terrifying adventurers. It's made of black stone and is bleak, uninviting and decidedly unpleasant to look at. No windows, either. Merely a single heavy, giant sized door leading in.
Ithea eyes the door, figuring if they can be pulled or pushed at her size. Seems rude to just break them!
Hanna strides forward, casually kicking the door open. It's kicked inward and the way ahead is revealed - a darkly lit room of shelves full of strange curios and objects. Shadows cling to everything and a howling voice demands as cold winds begin to blow, "Who dares invade Manalan's Curios so brazenly?"
Typo above. ares->dares*?
Oh. Well.
Guess Hanna took care of the choice for her!
"My name is Ithea. I would not call this an invasion, though we do seek information you supposedly hold. We seek a valeoloth, and were told you would know where it is hiding. If we get the information, well, we'll kindly leave on our way, of course! Certainly no invasion then!"
Hanna looks around, "I'm sure there's something unholy here that would require smiting and purification. Unfortunately, that tends to be messy. Then I like Simmer here to clear up that mess with fire. Lots of searing fire."
Simmer comes in, "Oh yes, I see piles of ashes and burn victims everywhere here, just waiting to be made."
"Oh yes, no reason for Selune to shed her light down on every little thing that may be wrong here." Balyss idly adjusts her shield and mace, "Our enemy is the valeoloth, but we'll settle for you."
Make Intimidate checks, all.
[22:15] <Merc> roll d20+4+6 I'm just a cute catgirl, not intimidating at all.
[22:15] <Serith> Merc roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+34 Hanna Intimidate
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+9 Simmer
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+8 Balyss
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=6]
The cold wind blows fiercer, "You dare? You DARE?!" The voice demands.
"Yes. I have walked through Hell, plunged into the Abyss and seen the depths of the Nadir," Hanna says, "I stand here, strong and unbroken. If you wish to challenge that over a fiend, then here I am." She spreads her arms wide, "Come and try to do what they couldn't."
Ithea stretches her senses deeper into the room trying to pinpoint the source of the voice while Hanna distracts it with her cool intimidating play.
What senses?
Listen/Spot/Blindsense/darkvision/low light vision! Whichever fits best!
Range on Blindsense?
Whoops, I meant blindsight, not blindsense!!! 60 ft on that.
So noted.
You don't sense or hear anything nearby that shouldn't be there. Must be magic.
> roll 1d20+34 Hanna Intimidate
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=10]
Silence follows Hanna's words briefly, then, "I could cast you into a nightmare of no awakening, a maze no escape!" The voice barks, while Hanna merely keeps her arms spread wide and says but one word.
"Try."
Well, not being able to sense the owner so far, she leaves things to Hanna. She seems to have things well in hand.
The silence stretches on after Hanna's declaration, "I have it in my possession as a curiosity," The voice finally says, "What is it worth to you?"
"Possession? Haaah... that's interesting. I suppose a counter question is what is it worth to you to part with it then?" Ithea chips in.
"100,000 gold," The voice offers.
Hanna hefts her axe, "I named this axe Diplomacy. Can you imagine why?" she asks, calm and controlled.
> roll 1d20+34 Hanna Intimidate
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=14]
After no answer is coming, "It's because I settle problems with it. A pit fiend demands me as a slave," She calmly slashes ahead, a straight vertical slash. "Two halves and no problems. A marilith wants to rip me apart?" A swift horizontal slash, "No head and no problems. Tell me, do I have a problem here?"
What is the market price going rate on valeoloths anyway?
Have ranks in Appraise or any other relevant skill?
Knowledge skills and GI are about it, really. I could try to sense motive to see how much he's trying to stiff me by?
You could try SM, sure.
[23:52] <Merc> roll d20+13+6 sense motive+inspiration #3
[23:52] <Serith> Merc roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=17]
The voice seems a bit shaken. Subtle but it's there.
With no immediate reply, Hanna walks right up to a shelf, leaps up and cleaves it straight through. There's a loud crash of breaking things as it all falls to the ground, colored bursts of light from some curios. "I said is there a fucking problem?" Hanna says, still serene. "I'm starting to see one, and I won't rest until it's smited and the daemon is dealt with."
"She's suggesting you lower your price," Ithea offers helpfully.
"She's very good at diplomacy and haggling. Very good at cutting to the root of the problem, you could say."
"I am a champion of Gwynharwyf. So far I have restrained myself and my rage," Hanna says, "That can change. If I need to, I will tear down every brick and rock here until there is nothing but rubble for Simmer to burn." Still flawlessly calm, holding her axe up and pointing it ahead. "Your choice. Do I have a problem?"
"Yeah, just quit while you're ahead. The other giants were smart enough to turn tail and not get fried," Simmer says, starting to juggle a ball of fire from hand to hand.
"Oh, and did we mention? The Ithea here is General Ithea of Aurora. You know, the group that spits in Hell's face and dares them to bring it on? Last time we sallied out, we smashed the Prince of Hell's playgrounds." Balyss says, "But if Hanna's not enough of a problem for you, we can bring Aurora over to visit. Say Ithea, how fast can we gate Aurora over?"
Ithea rolls her eyes theatrically. "Well, if you want me to abuse my position like that, I suppose it wouldn't take more than a few minutes to send the command. It seems a bit much when this fellow is just trying to do some nice reasonable business. What was that price again, by the way?"
"10,000 gold," The voice repeats quickly, "Yes, I believe that is an equitable price."
[11:31] <Merc> roll d20+13+6 Sense Motive+inspiration #4
[11:31] <Rei-chan> Merc rolled : d20+13+6 Sense Motive+inspiration #4 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{31}
Checking to see how much better that offer is.
Well, Ithea knows basic math. 90% off is a great deal. He sounds even more shaken now.
"Oh my. Sounds like you really don't want Aurora summoned here!" Ithea exclaims. "Well, for that sort of price, I certainly don't feel it's necessary to call them over, though I don't know if that's sufficient for my companions..."
Ithea glances over to Hanna and her axe, Simmer juggling a ball of fire, and Balyss....well, the first two are still scary enough.
Balyss is just watching.
Hanna considers and nods curtly, "Pay him," she says, "Once the 'loth appears before us, properly restrained."
"You heard the lady."
Will save, Ithea. Note any mental protections as well.
[12:41] <Merc> roll d20+33+11 will save+inspiration
[12:41] <Rei-chan> Merc rolled : d20+33+11 will save+inspiration --> [ 1d20=11 ]{55}
Ithea has immunity to fear from dragons, or +4 against other fear effects, should have the Mind Blank CL17 from readiness archway, spell resistance if that matters, and...that's it?
The valeoloth appears - by the floor splitting apart and a platform raising up. It's bound in chains that glimmer with purple light and covered in sheets of paper. The paper have glowing green writing on them.
Ithea uses Detect Magic to check over the containment. "How did you capture it, out of curiosity?"
It's quite strong magic.
Spellcraft to study if you want, then I'll reply in the same post to your question.
[14:37] <Merc> roll d20+40 spellcraft
[14:37] <Rei-chan> Merc rolled : d20+40 spellcraft --> [ 1d20=9 ]{49}
It's a complicated array of wards. It prevents teleportation, escape or any of the creature's spell-like abilities. Fairly potent and also keeps it fairly docile.
"The beast is not smart, the proper enticement ensnared it," the voice says.
Going to pay him? If so, post the expense in loot.
"How long will the containment last?" Ithea asks. Given it's magic, it could fall once they are out of the building, and wouldn't that be terrible?
"24 hours from the point of leaving," The voice announces. "The payment?"
Ithea pulls out the money. "Where do I leave it?"
"On the floor. Take it and leave."
Hanna keeps her axe at the ready, and in a quiet voice, "I loathe paying for another soul, even if to free it from slavery or to bring it to justice. Nonetheless, avoiding a greater conflict is wise."
The valeoloth doesn't react, deeply and thickly warded and bound.
Ithea leaves the money on the floor and tries to figure best way to transport the captive valeoloth. "Drag it out and casting a gate back to Aurora sound good? We can drop it off and reinforce everything while we figure if we can get an audience with Lady Sunnis to see if she wants anything in particular done or if we just have free reign to handle it?"
"Yeah, one problem with that," Balyss says, "It's bound, remember? So it can't teleport away?"
I will note that how it was worded, it only sounded like the bindings were on the creature, not that they outright prevented transportation from the outside. But whatever.
"Not sure why that would prevent it unless it's the same principle as a bag of holding inside another bag? Ugh, magical exceptions are retarded. The only other thing I can think of is knocking it completely unconscious and as soon as the wards expire, move it then while it's still unconscious. Or I guess most of us could wait here and watch over it while someone heads to Earth directly since there's still plenty of time for that."
Hanna hefts her axe, "You say that like it's a problem, Ithea. How about I knock it silly now and then you dispel the wards once it's done?"
"My dispel magic is woefully outdated, unfortunately. I might have a scroll of greater dispel though...hang on," Ithea says as she digs around.
And here's where my sheet being out of date hurts. I'm certain I bought scrolls of greater dispel after Muirfinn became a lawn gnome, but frankly, not up to digging through Loot thread for it at the moment. Maybe this weekend, though with how I've been doing with this, who knows.
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101784.msg1066407/topicseen.html#msg1066407
There.
As Ithea finds the scrolls, Hanna gets to it. One helpless valeoloth is battered, beaten and broken down by her fists, slams eventually knocking it out.
Ithea gives the valeoloth an extra few whacks just to ensure it stays out and then starts using the scroll to try and dispel the magic wards on it.
Someone else will need to roll for me.
> roll 1d20+20 Ithea roll
<Rei-chan> Kowork rolled : 1d20+20 Ithea roll --> [ 1d20=11 ]{31}
Yep, that did it. Wards are down and out.
"Okay, let's get him somewhere secure for when he wakes up. Don't want to drag him as is to Lady Sunnis' place."
Any issues with opening a Gate right there? If not, assume we drag him over every rock on the path out of the town and then open a gate back to Aurora.
Easy enough. Getting back to Aurora is without incident. Anything to do before you go on hiatus, Ithea?
Not particularly
Alrighty then, one valeoloth in the dungeons. Enjoy your break and hope work sucks less, Merc. I'll check in within a few weeks, feel free to poke me earlier if you wish.