Okay, so you're heading back to the Barbarian Lands to get druids, right? Who are you taking and what's your plan here?
Antenora said she had people in mind, though it wasn't clear if they were from the Barbarian Lands or another plane. I'll invite Mirima, giving Ellese time to rest and practice her stuff for now.
Grabbing Mirima's easy enough. You have a message from Antenora waiting for you at Aurora. In short, it boils down to, "Meet a red haired elf in Seira's Inn. Tell him Antenora sent you."
"Same as before?" Jaela suggests, taking advantage of the previous disguise with a fresh Veil and plane shifting the two of them a short walking distance away from Balmuria.
"Something more foresty. Green hair." Mirima says, "I can be fey or plant blooded."
"I'll just stick to myself, then," Jaela decides, choosing to become a healthy redheaded elf in full plate armor.
Healthy?
Once that's done, the two start the walk to Balmuria. It's warm today as Mirima glances sidelong at her. "Did that meditation really bear fruit for Ellese?"
No disfigurements or eyepathes!
"I felt it make a difference," Jaela responds, nodding happily. "It's a method that worked for me before, so I'm pretty familiar with it."
Oooooh okay, I though you were making a reference to having a big bust.
"Still not as good as stabbing it in the face or something to make her heart race, but results are results," Mirima admits. Glancing sidelong at Jaela as the sun shines down, "Do you miss all this," she gestures at the road and nature before you, as you head to Balmuria. It's early but the paths are already full of people, wagons, horses and donkeys. "When you spend months at a time in worlds beyond the Prime?"
"I don't let myself miss it," Jaela responds. "Simple as that. We have a purpose and that's above all else." She snorts, adding immediately, "But I don't want to end up as some automation, so that's why I like these little vacations. Even if they can become working vacations."
"Yes. All work and no play turns you into an Inevitable," Mirima sniffs, "Utterly unacceptable."
"Speaking of! Any juicy gossip to share from the Graceful Blow?"
"Well, Canderella stopped in again the other day and..."
From here your trip to Balmuria is uneventful. Seira's inn is as it was a few days ago, and sure enough, there's an elf with coppery red hair at a table. He's sipping a glass of water and reading a book.
"Greetings, fellow redhead!" Jaela greets the other elf, taking a seat opposite him.
The elf wordlessly gestures for you to join him, Mirima doing that. "Who sent you?" He asks, looking up from his book.
"Antenora," Jaela says, lowering her voice. "What are you reading about?"
"Woodcraft," The elf says, "If you're ready, I'd rather talk outside of the city."
"We've just arrived, but sure!"
The trip back outside is brisk and pleasant. Once you've left the city behind, "This is a favor," The elf explains, "So tell me what you're looking for here. Just an introduction?"
"Antenora said she knew people who wanted to join the Crusade," Jaela tells him. "An introduction would be great, as would telling us about them. What they're like, why did Antenora think they'd be a great fit for the Crusade, what do they hate? That sort of thing."
"Explain your Crusade more," The elf says, "I need to know more."
It might be arrogant of her, but can there really be someone in the know who hasn't heard of the Aurora even in passing? Jaela doesn't dwell on that, however, telling him, "It's a Crusade against the Hells and devils. Our primary goals, beyond the obvious, are to retake our conquered world of Lifasa and end slavery wherever our reach extends. Our base of operations is the demiplane Aurora, an impregnable fortress through the magic of its creator Medi and the strength and determination of our troops."
"Devils are fiends?" The elf asks, and after getting confirmation from Mirima, "You'll get some for sure. No one around here likes fiends."
"Even they don't like themselves," Jaela is all too happy to agree.
Mirima snickers at that, "All the tyranny in the world and they still mope like scorned children."
"It's a journey of several days to reach Aeryholm," The elf says, "Call me Maple and let's get going."
"I suppose we could," Jaela allows. "Or I could teleport us over if you describe the destination. Unless it's a faux pas or something?"
"You have such powerful magic?" The elf asks, eyes going wide and wider yet. "Then yes, we can use that. It floats in the treetops of the Barbarian Lands, a city of wood and iron woven amid the trees. The canopy is manipulated to let in as much light as possible and land has been raised up for farming."
"All of Aurora's officers are very strong." She inclines her head at Mirima, smiling. "Alright, let's see if I can get us over on a first try."
I'll aim for the ground underneath this city.
Tohsaka
roll 1d100
Kobot
Tohsaka rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=17 ]{17}
It's dark. Your darkvision allows you to see up, where the trees are clogged with platforms and dirt, blocking any sunlight from getting through. Mirima looks around, "Is there an easy way up?"
"We could fly up, or teleport up," Jaela responds. "Or maybe there's a way up we could find. I didn't want to just rudely appear mid-city. What do you think, Maple?"
'This way," Maple says, "There's a ladder over here." Sure enough there's a support tree nearby with a ladder up it.
"Nice!" Jaela lets Mirima go first, and intends to climb up after her.
The party climbs up. Soon enough you come up into the light and sunshine. Here is a city of dirt, wood and metal, all woven amid the trees. Sunshine and sunlight beams down from above, ever so bright and clear. The canopy provides just a bit of shade, cool spots mostly over houses. People in simple, homespun clothes are all about, toiling away at the day's labors.
Jaela switches out to Brokion, looking expectantly at Maple. "Any insights to share before we meet the locals?"
"Be forthright," Maple says, before putting his fingers into his mouth and whistling loudly. This draws a crowd of people on over, looking over the two guests and murmuring amid themselves. As they do, "Everyone!" Maple shouts, "These are the guests that we were told about and they have a message and offer for us!"
It goes without saying that you don't recruit loyal soldiers by lying to them. But how to tailor an offer right off the bat, without any information about them....
"Hey there!" she greets those gathered with a happy wave, deciding to stay casual. "Sorry about the form I'm wearing, but I don't travel to a Prime as myself anymore. You probably knew that already if you heard one of Aurora's generals was going to be stopping by, though?"
It's not a question, and Jaela doesn't wait for someone in the crowd to answer it. "Like I was telling Maple here while we traveled, the Aurora is the home base of our Crusade. Our goals are nothing less than spreading freedom across the planes. We fight the devils --fiends -- as we had ever since they conquered our home of Lifasa, and we stand against slavery and restrictions of free will. The heavens support our Crusade, their denizens making up a large part of our armies as one might expect from a Crusade, but our forces are the most varied across the planes. Elementals have joined our cause. Dragons fly under our banner. The fey hold court at Aurora, and their warriors shine brightly in our midst. Constructs and slaad fight shoulder to shoulder with mortals, covering for each other's weaknesses and becoming the other's strength."
Jaela pauses. "My friend Antenora has told me that brave warriors and mages are here, waiting for a worthy cause to join. Whether you choose to do so or not, there is none worthier amidst the planes! The devils must be stopped-- no, more than that, they must be driven back! Lifasa will be freed, and other worlds they have encroached upon will follow. They might be endless and powerful, but nothing less would teach these fiends that their powers have limits! That in a decent universe, their likes are not allowed to flourish!"
Make a diplo check, +5 circumstance bonus for mentioning Antenora, since they owe her a favor.
<Tohsaka>
roll 1d20+55+5 (+2 if elves)
<Kobot>
Tohsaka rolled 1d20+55+5 (+2 if elves) --> [ 1d20=16 ]{76}
Your speech draws them in, words powerful and alluring many. As you go on, more and more listen intently, hanging on your every word as you gesture or speak. At the end, applause and cheers explode out, drowning out everything else.
Jaela cheers herself, grinning at Mirima.
"I think we have them," Mirima tosses her hair, "What do you think?"
Jaela nods her agreement, waiting to see if there would be any questions or introductions!
"We want to join. How do we?" Is the sort of question you get. Rather rapidly by the druids of Aeryholm, dozens of them stirred by your speech.
"Great!" Jaela tells the volunteers. "Glad to hear it! Joining up with the Aurora is pretty simple. I'll open a Gate right here to the Plane of Water where we're currently based, Mirima here will go through and alert our patrols and defenses, and then all of you that want to join the Crusade just follow her! Even though it's Water, just take a deep breath and you'll be fine on the other end, inertia will handle that."
Thus the portal is opened. You see them go through - dozens of them, going into Water and into Aurora. Maple lingers behind, "My lady," he murmurs, "How...where did you learn to speak like that? Your words were not that of a human or elf."
"I trained as a knight in the order from what I was a kid," Jaela says, letting the Veil fade away. "Melding of the Three," she elaborates, nodding slowly to herself. "So actually they were the words of an elf. I built upon it later, since you can't lead and not improve yourself in every area. The responsibility you have for your troops... it goes beyond just physically keeping them safe and leading them to victory."
"You must be favored by her," Maple says, "No other priest has ever spoken that way, nor champion. Not like that."
"I hope so. I respect the Triune, and she's given me plenty of leeway in how to go about everything so far," Jaela muses, placing a hand on Maple's shoulder. "Coming? I might be a pretty strong mage, but even I can only hold a spell like this for a couple minutes."
"...yes." Maple says after a moment, "If you'll have another."
"Happy to!"
From here the group returns to Aurora, forces bolstered by Jaela's diplomacy and charms.
Okay, most of this is straightforward enough so I'll update the Aurora topic soon. In the meantime, what's next on your todo list?
Go to train in regen and as a celestial to Arvandor and invite Mirima. If she wants to bring anyone, that's fine by me.
In the interests of coordination, Ithea was given a nudge in your direction for that as well. Up to her if she wants to go along and you if you want to wait (though she's getting close to done with her current excursion).
Okay, going to move you along for now. Where in Arvandor are you planning to go? Just gate in and work from there?
I'll try to aim for the place the Triune received me during Helm's trial, but if that fails a random section of Arvandor works.
The two of you appear in twilight forest. You can see the first rays of moonlight mixing with the last rays of sunlight as the orange-black sky above shines on down. Like this the forest is a mix of shadows and dying light. It smells good here, natural and right in a way Jaela can't elaborate. It's like she's home after a long journey and she forgot how wonderful her home is. It's like she's forgotten how central it was, and now everything's safe and correct once more.
Bearing the armor with the Triune's mark upon it, Jaela takes a look around as she smiles fondly. Can she have several homes? Lifasa, Aurora, Arvandor? That's what happens when your original home is destroyed.
Shaking those thoughts aside before she gets melancholic, Jaela waits to see if there is any sign from her patron on how to proceed.
Mirima looks around, breathing in and out the cool air that soothes you. It's like air at the very start of fall, yet the trees are alive and vibrant. She's smiling ear to ear.
A soft voice murmurs in your ear, "To forge your own path..." Ahead your eyes are drawn to a thick part of the forest, where undergrowth, vines and fallen trees make it virtually impassable.
Virtually impassable for normal people, Jaela immediately corrects her first impression. But not for her.
Destroying the forest feels sacrilegious, so she doesn't even consider any of her destructive spells. As for the others, while it was fun to get to use them a few times recently Jaela wants to make sure her physical training is still up to par. Therefore, she decides to try and force a path for herself through strength alone!
Strength check.
[22:03] <Annerose> roll 1d20+8
[22:03] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{20}
You labor away, using your mighty strength to clear the way. Mirima joins in and helps out as you go, a path slowly made. After about 30ft of it, you see a natural, clear path starts behind all of it, just waiting for you.
Jaela gets on the path, brushing off bits of shrubbery.
"Whatever made you go plunging into the bush?" Mirima says, and after a moment scowls and gives into a short laugh. "The underbrush, rather."
"I followed my intuition on where to go," Jaela responds, rolling her eye.
"I..." Mirima laughs more, "Oh, nevermind it." Shaking her head and wiping a tear from her eye, "Shall we?"
"Sure. Don't you want to see where a road leads when you come across one?"
The road leads along to a river, broad and wide. There's no bridge, but there's a series of little stones you could use to skip across if you cared to.
Forgoing her armor in favor of comfortable cotton clothing Jaela sometimes wears while resting in her room in Aurora, she decides to try and have fun with nature's challenge!
Dex check.
[19:25] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+6
[19:25] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+6 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{21}
It's easy enough to hop on over, Mirima following after a moment's consideration.
> roll 1d20+10
<Rei-chan> Kowork rolled : 1d20+10 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{27}
Mirima follows, both of you clearing the bank and continuing on. Soon ahead you come to little cracks in the path, gorges usually no more than 10ft across. They're constant - from the looks of it you could cross by starting to run, jump and keep on running and jumping, but it wouldn't give you much time to react if something went wrong.
She does have wings, but where's the fun in that? Jaela keeps going!
Mirima again follows. It quickly becomes a steady pace - hopping along, running without resting. It goes on and on and on, as...
Con check.
<Tohsaka> roll 1d20+9
<Rei-chan> Tohsaka rolled : 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{20}
You keep the pace. A pace that turns grueling through sheer repetition, but you keep it.
> roll 1d20+6 Mirima
<Rei-chan> Kowork rolled : 1d20+6 Mirima --> [ 1d20=19 ]{25}
It takes about 20 minutes of steady running and jumping to reach the end. You're breathing heavily and so is Mirima, but you've cleared it without difficulty. Your girlfriend goes to the nearest tree and rests against it, "If it was the body to be tempered, then the fires were not hot enough."
"Plus it was fun!" Jaela pipes up. "A shame I didn't think to bring a snack." Magic is just waiting to support them if she were to beckon it, though Jaela abstains for the time being. "Think you could give me a hint as to where you'd like to vacation some day? Maybe to celebrate a birthday or someone at the school reaching mastery?"
"Sune's quarter of Brightwater, but that's so mandatory as to be passe," Mirima considers, "Perhaps the deserts of the third layer of Arborea? I hear there are great oasises like beaches there, if one only knows where to find them."
"Works. Actually, Brightwater is a great idea. I wouldn't mind taking a few drawing lessons and who better to have as a model?"
Mirima makes a weary grimace, "Yes, but everyone that's anyone on the planes goes to Brightwater sometime. It's so...so...done. Boring. Expected."
"Maybe you could find the unexpected, underground spot across the planes where artists hang around and surprise me?"
Mirima tosses her hair, "Perhaps I should," she says, "Whoever talks about Oghma and Gond's realm, full of creators?"
Jaela has to admit that she doesn't often think about them herself. She grins at Mirima, before looking around. "Ready to keep going, or need a magical pick me up?" she offers even as she seeks out the direction her path will take.
"I'm fine," Mirima falls back in.
> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> Kowork rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=13 ]{13}
You soon come to a dead end. There's a small spring here, a little pond lined with smooth, mossy stones. The water's clear.
Jaela drinks from the spring, splashing some on her face after to freshen up.
Mirima follows. The waters are cool and clear. After they clear from the disruption, you see your faces in the water. A perfect reflection, your own gaze meeting you.
Jaela waves!
Your reflection waves back...for longer than you wave.
"Awesome! Can you talk, too?"
"You tell me," Jaela says, as Mirima steps back a bit.
"I've often wanted a twin!"
"Really?" Mirima remarks, "I hear it's not everything you'd imagine it would be."
"I grew up around a bunch of other kids, so what's one more?" Jaela muses, shrugging. "Hey, twin me, what do you think? Would've been pretty fun growing up together?"
"Yeah," Jaela says, a sad smile. "What could have been with a different leaf of the tree. Maybe Mom would've stuck around then." She scowls, "But probably not. Maybe she would've taken us with her. Hey though, we'd have gotten in even more trouble with a partner."
"Yeah she'd totally ditch us," Jaela readily agrees. "She's a great person but isn't much of a parent. Some people are just like that. I think we're better because of Mirajane, though, so at least it's not something that's passed in the family." Peering at the reflections, she asks, "Think you can come over to this side? My room's got plenty of space back in Aurora."
"If only I were real," The other Jaela says, "Just a reflection of what could be. There are times I don't really like ourselves. Many times. Couldn't ignore it after 21, though we never did anyway."
"So you're Depressed Me?" Jaela tilts her head, eyeing Mirima's reflection speculatively, "How about you?"
Mirima stepped back, her reflection gone. "No, honest," Jalea replies.
"Are you sure? Because I could easily say we haven't liked ourselves since Lifasa," Jaela points out. "We just ignore that most times and focus on things and people we like or the Crusade."
She taps her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe even that is wrong. I mean, sure, we sometimes feel sorry for ourselves, no one's perfect. But we really couldn't still be alive and badass and with a pretty girlfriend to boot if we didn't like ourselves more than the other way around."
Your clone smiles - this time it isn't sad at all. "Guess you really can't lie to yourself."
Jaela snorts. "Lying's too troublesome to keep track of, not to mention pointless. Got any words of wisdom for me, Other Me? Something from a different viewpoint or perspective I haven't figured out consciously just yet?"
"What is a soul but everything you are?" She says, and with an impudent grin, "We have that sort of talk. Your soul is YOU. The soul is the seat of all your power. If you seek power, why aren't you looking there?"
"At a guess, because I was born and raised a mortal," Jaela posits. "It must be a conceptual barrier of some kind. I just can't properly reconcile what I intellectually know and what I actually feel about souls." She shrugs, spreading her arms in a gesture of helplessness. "You know that I've gotten too good at emulating the celestial powers instead of gaining them innately. The tricks with projecting and manipulating light are only the latest magic I mastered. I'm not really sure how to interact with the soul directly, instead of through the medium of magic."
"Then," The image begins to fade, "Know yourself and know your soul. Talk and discover your answer."
"Come on, a hint? A tiny hint?"
"Discuss what you know," Your own voice says, then silence.
"That's not a hint!" Jaela complains just a bit petulantly, before looking for Mirima. Discuss it is.
"I've been drafted?" Mirima tosses her hair and goes to a nearby tree, sitting back against it. She pats the ground next to her, "Since apparently you want or have to talk about it, talk. What do you know about souls and how is that different from how you feel?"
"The soul is who you are," Jaela responds, sitting down next to her. "Somehow, outsiders have their souls double as their bodies, which are different for mortals but the same thing for outsiders. It doesn't make any sense, does it? And how do you use the soul, anyway? It's one thing if a spell changes the composition of your body, I know how to turn myself into a celestial temporarily. But if you don't use magic, do you just... what, wish really hard and wait for your body to explode and wish really hard again for your soul to form a new one?"
"Honey, you should've brought the gith or Tepen," Mirima smiles and throws an arm around her shoulder. "There's a lot of talk there about you, yourself, souls and all of that. I won't pretend to know much about it, but I do know one thing. Being mortal is about choosing and where you end up for eternity. A brief bonfire that burns out around the unburnable soul to decide which way it will go."
Mirima watches the pond grow still once more, free hand going to smooth her hair back. "From what I've gathered at Aurora from the various spirits and outsiders there, that's important. That choice until the moment of death, when all is decided."
"That's how it normally works," Jaela agrees. "But there's stuff that doesn't make sense. Mom had kids, so her soul made her a proper, normal body. Except it's better in combat in every way. And I studied enough to tell she's not an exception. Though speaking of exceptions, there are people who can force it. Change without dying. And then there's Medi's cheating chamber. If you can take what's her face and turn her into an outsider, it suggests this is just a matter of finding the right arcane formula. But that's not really how it should happen! Still, the Triune told me it was valid? She might let me make my own mistakes, but there's a difference between making a bad choice emotionally and making it based on a lack of information I couldn't fill in on my own."
"I think..." Mirima stops there for a little while, listening to the whistle of the wind. "More than anything else, I don't think Medi's chamber is indicative of anything, save that Medi's perhaps the greatest wizard to ever live. Aurora is unlike anything I have ever seen and I pray I do not see its equal."
A rabbit hops by, Mirima watching it go before smiling a little and going on. "What I think is that if it's possible to force it and ascend through some sort of enlightenment? No, not always that. De-enlightenment? Fiendish exultation? Semantics. Perhaps the chamber suggests it's not a question of finding the right formula, but that the chamber has some way of finding that mystical key to make the transformation. That it transcends magic and is a work of the soul rather than the Weave."
Then Mirima turns with a smile, "I find such speculation to be little more than the gas of the efreet - hot air."
"True enough!" Jaela agrees. "Maybe it breaks the body and gives you the chance to change or die." There's no way they're running actual tests, so she decides not to dwell on it.
"So I know the theory well enough. I know I can actually do this. But not the how." Jaela focuses on forming her light gauntlet, stretching her arm forward. "Is it control like this, except on a bigger scale?"
"It might be, or some cosmic truth you realize." Mirima says, "There is one thing I've learned at Aurora - if you lack the knowledge to answer something, change the game and ask another person who does know."
"If I had any realizations, it's that it's okay to fail and try again," Jaela muses. "Mm. You know what, let's Gate in someone who might have an insight. How about Mirajane?"
"As you like," Mirima says.
The magic reaches out across the planes at that, seeking to bring Mirajane over!
Mirajane emerges, in armor and ready. "You called, Mother?" she greets her.
"Yeah, thanks for coming!" Jaela says, waving her over. "Mirajane, you know how I'm on a quest to better myself by tapping into my nature? I've hit a wall because I can't really bridge how I visualize souls and existence with what I know about them, and because I can't just figure out how to draw from my soul directly without magic. I need advice to get going properly. A push in the right direction."
"There is one way I know of that works for everyone, to come to death's door. The soul loosens from its bonds of the body, ready to fly free." Mirajane says, calm. "Have you ever been terribly injured, Mother? Your vision may grow red or white, you feel loose from your body and drawn somewhere?"
Mirima shakes her head, "That sounds stupid and dangerous. What, cut her own throat and slowly drown in her own blood to do it?"
"I did die for a bit," Jaela reminisces. "I was a mess at the time, but I did have one desire before all. Getting back and fulfilling the mission." She peers at Mirajane. "You don't think my attachment to the Crusade is holding me back, do you?"
Mirajane joins the two of you and sits down nearby. She rests her spear right besides her, ready to be taken. "It gave you unfinished business and drew you back. In a sense, yes, but it isn't a bad thing. When you do pass, you know that your soul goes to the plane or deity you serve. Still, the Crusade was more important than going there to you. You were able to choose to return to us. That choice put that above the nature of your soul and the choice your life had made, Mother."
"So what, Aurora's less important than the great hereafter?" Mirima asks, a bit scathingly.
"Mmm, yes and no." Mirajane says, "It's good that Mother returned. Mother, what do you remember about dying?"
"Uh. Walking listlessly like a zombie? Not sure about the context, but it felt like that. I don't really feel like I reached here." Jaela tilts her head. "Unless you mean the actual dying. I went pretty hard against a Nessian, and I'm pretty sure I saved Mom by jumping in so I was pretty happy with that. Also, it was an incredibly painful death. Don't recommend it to anyone not Dana."
Mirima buries a laugh into her hand, "Charming image."
"You didn't make it far. The Well of Souls and not far into it." Mirajane says, "Do you remember anything but the pain when you were dying? Any sense of disconnection, of being drawn somewhere?"
Jaela tries to force herself to remember but ends up shaking her head with a frown. "I can't shake the feeling that maybe there was something, but I don't remember it. Maybe it's faded, or maybe I'm repressing it. I don't know, can you try to guide me? Maybe through a meditation? I'm good at those, at least."
"Let's try that," Mirajane agrees right away. "Not everyone remembers. Few remember everything." She scoots around to sit right opposite you, taking your hands. "Close your eyes, relax and meditate."
It was her suggestion and Jaela doesn't need to be told twice, happy that it had merit. It's almost second nature for her by now, and being in Arvandor while her mind is clear only makes it all that much easier.
Wisdom check, +2 bonus.
[21:31] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+11
[21:31] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+11 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{25}
You drift in your memories. Memories of Hanna are what comes first. Training with her, talking with her, arguments. Battles together, facing down the devils and worse. Meeting her for the first time. Around and around they go - a flash. The Nessian's booming voice that speaks with the terrifying majesty of Hell. The pain as your body is torn asunder, so much pain. Hanna calling your name (or was it your imagination?). You aren't sure.
Pain.
Pain.
Pain.
Peace.
You made it. Lost amid all the pain, you remember it clearly now. A sense of acceptance and understanding, a knowledge that your time was done. Your body grows numb and light, falling away like a tattered dress. You float above it all, serene and uncaring. You can feel and remember the choices you made, every word and benediction you spoke to glorify the Triune. Your worries were gone, your cares put aside. In those moments as you dimly saw the battle with the Nessian continue over your broken body, you knew true and absolute peace.
Jaela follows that feeling. Peace. It hadn't been anywhere near her original suspicions, but it makes a strange sort of sense. Whenever she felt sorry for herself, she'd just find ways to disturb it. Then shouldn't she try to go the other way for a change?
Peace.
You are complete.
You lose yourself in that feeling...lost to all and yet...
Wisdom check, +2 again.
[22:06] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+11
[22:06] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+11 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{25}
You understand. Peace is accepting your life. More than that, it's understanding the point of it. The point was to make a choice, and in that moment you understand you have chosen the Triune. In a way that defies other understanding, an absolute and steely knowledge.
If mortal life is to make a choice and you have made your choice, why are you mortal?
It's true to the point where even if she had been in the habit of lying to herself, Jaela would accept this conclusion. Her road must have been a strange one, but she'd made that choice, alright, at every point that mattered. She had been asking the wrong question, Jaela realizes, but now the right one presents itself before her and to it, she honestly answers that there is no reason to remain such.
Make one more Wisdom check, +10 bonus.
09:15 <Tohsaka> roll 1d20+9+10
09:15 <Kobot> Tohsaka rolled 1d20+9+10 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{27}
Peace comes to Jaela. For moments she loses track of everything as she floats in harmony, just as before. There's no pain to hide it this time and you watch in calm serenity as your body crumbles to dust, blown away by a sudden wind. Mirima yelps in shock as nothing of you is left. Yet here you are, floating and beyond all worries.
Of course you still have arms. You raise them to look at them.
Of course you still have legs. You stand up and look around.
Of course you still have eyes. You see your daughter and your friends before you.
Of course you have a body. You always had it, and in a moment of clarity as your serenity leaves you, you realize that you never saw it until now.
You feel sharper. Any fatigue from your journey is gone. You feel more, more, more. More somehow, your body perfect. Aches and pains from previous injuries are gone. The little nibbling of hunger you previously felt is no more. You feel right, in a way that eludes words to explain.
"Jaela, what happened?" Mirima demands and rises, grabbing your shoulder. At the same time Mirajane merely says, "Congratulations. Do you see now? The Triune was waiting on you."
You lose the native subtype. More may follow, but that's it as of this post.
"The Triune is a tease," Jaela says with a fond smile. "Some people are just better at acting." She looks around at Arvandor in wonder. "It doesn't matter. All the inconsistencies I came up with, all the things I couldn't reconcile, none of them mattered when I finally got it."
"Now you sound like a monk who's spent too long meditating," Mirima grouses, but smiles back.
Mirajane takes your hand, "You understand now, Mother."
"I've got forever now, so what's too long for me?" Jaela asks philosophically, before grinning. "I think we should go celebrate! Mirajane, wanna come too? I'm thinking Brightwater, because Mirima's cute when she suffers through mediocrity."
"I am not cute!" Mirima snaps, standing, "I am beautiful."
"C'mon," Jaela offers, stretching her wings. "Brightwater and a celebration?"
"Oh fine," Mirima rolls her eyes, "This does call for one. Just the three of us?"
"Yeah, I think so. I'll catch up with Mom later once we're finally back to Aurora," Jaela responds, giving Mirajane a chance to bring up other duties before summoning a Gate.
Off to celebrate, eh? Congratulations! IC or OOC for the celebration?
I think OOC works this time. I want to ask Mirajane to see if she can help Ellese with her magic contamination issues and try to knock out the lingering quests I have since I dislike leaving things open. Who's available and would like to come with me on those?
Sure.
What quests do you have?
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1036528.html#msg1036528
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1037052.html#msg1037052
Sure. As for people available, everyone's available except Dana, Mei and Moonlight right now.
Unfortunate! And Mirajane is busy. Let's invite Hanna and Crystal!
Hanna's found atop Aurora, watching everything below. She seems lost in thought, though she raises her hand in greeting as you approach.
"Busy?" Jaela asks, alighting on the roof next to her and looking the same as always minus her customary eyepatch.
"No." Hanna gestures you over, "Reflecting, nothing more."
"What about?"
"Growth. How one can advance so swiftly in months when thousands of years went by with seemingly no changes in retrospect." Hanna says, "I feel my might rivals a solar's now, at least a beginning one. Before I knew I was nowhere close to them."
"It comes from adversity," Jaela says with a shrug. "You kept busy in those thousands of years, but not on the level of fighting Nessians, yeah? We probably grow the most when we overcome things outside our comfort zone."
"I had adversity, I faced things. Terrible things, wonderful things, relentless things." Hanna looks out over at Water beyond Aurora, "Once I joined Aurora, it's as if a block I wasn't aware of crumbled."
"In that case, don't think too hard about it. I had this epiphany recently! It doesn't matter. The important thing is to do the right thing, and the rest will follow." Jaela nudges her mother's shoulder. "Fancy a trip out to get your mind off this? I've got this hammer that needs an attitude adjustment!"
"Gladly. That one devil hammer?" Hanna rises, wings fluttering as she takes to the air.
"Yeah. It is time! You can never have too many hammers when forging different things." Jaela rises after her, stretching. "Wanna go together, or invite Crystal along? It feels forever since we hung out."
"Crystal? Why not." Hanna peers at you, "So when are you going to tell me?"
"You know that epiphany I had? It was about going with the flow and not making a big deal of things even if they confused me. Wouldn't really feel right to make a big deal of what realizing it lead to, you know?"
Hanna reaches into her clothes, withdrawing a folded up slip of paper. "I wouldn't mind that normally, but the way I found out is tiresome. Take a look at this."
"Oh, c'mon, you're pretty much the first one I'm telling. And would've mentioned it on the trip anyway. What's up?"
"I'm not upset at you," Hanna says, "Just look at it." She presents it to you.
Jaela dutifully takes a look.
It's a child-like drawing. It shows a stick figure with your armor and hair color down on the ground, xes for eyes. Yep, she looks dead. Next to her is a stick figure with red hair like Mirima and another that rather resembles Mirajane. Next to it another Jaela stands, all new and shiny.
"27." Hanna says, shaking her head.
"Oh this is bullshit!"
"It is!" Hanna replies with feeling and a scowl, "27 looked at me and said he just wanted you to be safe, then wandered off. I already yelled at Ithea about it, so that's covered, for the good it'll do."
"Man, and there's no way to guard from this crap, either," Jaela mutters. "It's not like I could advertise the attempt ahead of time, and I just got back after a stop to celebrate. I figure you used a divination since no sendings hit me?"
"I didn't use any magic. I figured it out once I asked Elena where you went," Hanna sighs, and as if commanded, Elena appears.
"Not to interrupt, but Tannin just got back and needs to talk to you, Jaela."
"Sorry you had to go through that," Jaela says, pulling her mother into a hug. "And thanks for watching out for us, Elena. If Tannin got back, tell him I'll catch him at the courtyard?"
Elena agrees and vanishes, Hanna returning the hug. "Congratulations anyway."
"It's a start! I've still got nowhere near your conditioning, but that's actually what I asked Tannin over. Mind inviting Crystal for me while I catch up with him?"
After Hanna agrees, you find Tannin in the courtyard. He's travel stained, dirty, muddy, bloody and generally tired looking. He raises a hand in greeting, sitting against Aurora not far from the entry gate.
"Heya," Jaela greets him as she waves back, magic sparkling around her fingertips. "Want to get cleaner?"
'Yeah, sure." Tannin says, "So there I was, running through the stacks of the Grand Library and all I could wonder is if I'd stain any of the books with blood."
"How come you got so bloody in the first place?" Jaela inquires, prestidigitation going to work.
"A source went bad on me," Tannin says, "So I looked into it for two things - lost demiplanes and insane challenges. There's heaps of old lost demiplanes, most of them not very big or interesting. The owner died and the single portal into it's lost. But there's heaps more that are, entire little worlds waiting to be found."
"Got a lead on one?"
"On a few," Tannin says, "First one's the Clockwork Paradise. Some Inevitable went insane ages back and took his ball over to a demi plane he got his hands on. Made his own place to play at and story is he's still making stronger and stronger clockwork creatures in there."
"That's a challenge, alright," Jaela muses. "But the realm itself won't be compatible, so I doubt I'd be able to pick up anything good there."
She pauses, then, and peers at Tannin. "Just so we're clear, I'm looking for either a challenge set out by the owner or a challenge in the owner deserving to get his ass beaten. Anyway, that's one. What's next?"
"Other promising one is for a daemon, an ultroloth named Kras. Story is he stole some wizard's prize demi plane and made it his own. Rules it as the top dog and has as many bloody souls and servants as he can get. Only downside is that the wizard's dying breath put a curse on 'em. No matter how well he hides, he'll always be known and ways to the demiplane will be found. 'course, no one's taken him out yet."
"That's more like it," Jaela agrees with a tight-lipped smile. "So those two, I take it? Any other info or advice, aside from the directions?"
"Yeah. Clockwork Paradise you can reach from Arcadia. Got the details here," he pulls out a sheet of paper, "For Kras, his portal is on the Astral. Just think about it and you'll get there sooner or later."
"Thanks!" Jaela glances at the information, before stowing it away for safekeeping. "Interested in exploring either?"
"Nah." Tannin shakes his head slowly, "You want the truth, I'm realizing I'm not on any of your levels. I can sneak and talk good, but outright fights? All of you way outdo me. The Master was talking about going out with you, probably do a sight better. He can run laps around me."
Jaela nods her understanding. "He's one of those rare few I'm not confident about taking down in a straight fight. Anyway, thanks. I'll look into this once I'm back from my trip."
Ready to move on then?
Sure. I can fill Crystal in off-screen, and take us to a destination she or Hanna suggest might help with the second part (I already got the sword forged earlier).
Just so we're clear, where are you aiming for with this?
If neither of them has a better idea, let's try Ysgard.
Getting Crystal isn't terribly difficult. You meet in the courtyard.
"Excuse me," Crystal says, "If you could explain this a little more, I'd be terribly grateful," Crystal says, "You wish to uncurse this hammer and...?"
"And give it to Mom!"
"Fantastic. The conditions are...? As in they sounded rather obtuse and entirely subjective or symbolic, rather than something we can easily accomplish." Crystal says.
"I think the Triune is just testing my ability to think outside the box on that one," Jaela admits to Crystal. "Take the first condition. Hand of a virgin, right? To be honest this just weirded me out because I didn't want to stalk people or ask them if they had sex, but then I was suggested to talk to an elemental blacksmith. So with the second part, too, I suppose we could stalk pregnant angels or divine the birth of some predestined hero, or we could go to a divine realm where souls are transformed in their afterlife... or just go to this realm where a bunch of people die and then get reborn the next morning. Saints like fighting same as the rest of us!"
"Makes sense," Crystal finally concedes, "If not, it's a harmless effort to try."
"Yep!" Jaela leads the way past the patrols to the gates, opening a Gate from to Ysgard once there. "Speaking of harmless things, what have you been up to lately?"
"The duties and making a terrible mess of things," Crystal sighs, "It seems my ability to read people needs a great deal of refinement."
"That happens so often," Jaela commiserates, stepping past the Gate into Ysgard.
Random spot. Guide my way, Triune~
You stand in Ysgard. A sharp valley with the sounds of battle nearby, as the cold air braces you. Then...
> roll 1d20+32 Crystal fort
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=2]
Crystal shivers and falls to her knees, before doubling over and being noisily sick. She shakes like a leaf, being ill over and over again.
1 point of Constitution damage to Crystal.
"The hell?!" Jaela shares a look with her mother, before studying Crystal with an eye for magic.
Take 10 for 45 Spellcraft.
Hanna exchanges that look with you, kneeling down to help Crystal. You don't detect any magic on her. She shakes and shudders, slowly calming herself, "I'm...I'm alright," Crystal says, as Hanna takes out a cloth and wipes the pixie's mouth clean. "I fear the gate may have upset my stomach."
"I'd offer to take us right back, but...."
No magic suggests it's not too bad, Jaela muses to herself. The other threat would be poison, but she doubts someone would have from within Aurora. Still, she decides to be thorough and check with another orison.
"Did something like this ever happen before?"
No poison.
"No, not with portals. I once got terribly sick from bad food," Crystal takes to the air and perches on Hanna's shoulder, slumping. "It reminds me of that. My stomach is queasiness."
"Find a boyfriend lately?"
Hanna smirks at that, while Crystal blushes lightly. "I can assure you I have not. I have been fretting over the love lives of others, not my own."
Jaela snorts. "I suppose that's what happens the one time I forego the sensible thing of eating at the Aurora before leaving. We've got all those unspoken rules for a reason." She thinks about the situation a bit more, before nodding. "I can't find any outside or troubling source, so I think we should continue. Even if it makes you stumble at a key point in battle, I'll cover you." Actually, now that she thinks about it Jaela looks around for evil just to be properly thorough.
"If you're fine with that, let's go check out the nearest battle for any promising saints."
No sign of evil, but it is Ysgard. It's not really expected here.
"Yes, let's," Crystal says, slowly fluttering off Hanna's shoulder. "I will endure."
"So you were talking about reading people?" Jaela voices, in part to take Crystal's mind off her suffering. She launches herself into the air, keeping a speed both Hanna and Crystal would be comfortable with.
As you start to fly along, battles far ahead and heard as you go, "Yes, I rather made a hash of an attempt to pair Moore and Afina together." Crystal bows her head, "As well as made several blunders thereafter, once Her Majesty's interest in Moore become abundantly clear."
Jaela winces. "Yeah, don't try this matchmaking thing. Now, gossiping? That's just fine! So Moore's been getting around?"
"Oh goodness," Crystal shakes her head, "Did you hear what happened when he met Queen Ilsenine?"
"Oh? Do tell!"
"He introduced himself...and she blushed!" Crystal laughs a little, "Like a maiden stunned when she first meets her prince. Clearly love at first sight."
"You don't say! Did he get a title out of the deal, to make it more socially acceptable?"
"Goodness no, such a move would be far premature, they've barely begin to court one another." Crystal says, "She has given him a few tasks, to which he will be expected to excel at and earn her favor." This gets Crystal to sigh a little bit, "I thought him a good match for Afina, but the fickle fates had another idea, such is the lot of the plans of pixies and fey."
"Afina can find her own match easily enough," Jaela dismisses. "It's just awkward to have a friend set you up." She grins. "I can only imagine how you'd react in her spot." Rather than embarrass Crystal too much, Jaela instead asks, "How about your training?"
"Yes, that's usually a parent's role," Hanna remarks, giving you a sidelong look.
"If Afina tried, I would at least be flattered. Yet I doubt she ever thinks of such things, so occupied with the Crusade, her magic, her forging and her duties. Ah, such is my lot." Crystal then says, "That goes well. Hope and I continue to improve, striving to bring ourselves together into a perfect fighting unit."
"Ah yes, I'm still repressing that time you tried to do that," Jaela responds, flashing her mother a grin. "Anyway, don't worry about it. Not everyone needs it, or even looks for the same things in a relationship. Besides! Get someone first, then worry about your friends."
She nods at the hope to improve, reasonable as that sounds. "Same here, where training goes. I'm pretty sure I'm on the verge of some things, but no great paradigm shifts. I did want to teach, or maybe train people. I'm just not sure how to start. Recruiting for the Crusade is one thing, but recruiting solely for my own school of combat feels like treading too closely to seeking out worship. I've seen how bad that goes. But! I do so want to pass on my school! Not everyone wants to prance around in practically nothing like the Graceful Blow. Some people actually like armor!"
"Yes, quite," Crystal says, "I find those who go without it to be puzzling, though perhaps understandable with magic or bracers, for surely the touch of cool steel against your body is a tremendous bolster to yourself confidence."
"And it looks imposing! Before you even cross blades you're already fighting against your opponent's perceptions and willingness to commit to battle."
"An opponent willing to fight me is already committed," Hanna says, "One does not challenge a planetar lightly. Armor does little to make it any worse and it really only gets in the way."
"Really? So when you're out on the field of battle, one out of many combatants, you don't think the enemies just take a look at what's available and decide who they want to go up against?"
Hanna rolls her eyes, "Don't be obtuse," she retorts as you get closer. Ahead, at the bottom of the valley, is a grand melee. Hundreds battle against each other. No real sides or tactics, seems to mostly be one big brawl.
"Rolling my eyes to ignore a valid point, what a masterful debate technique!" Jaela comments with a grin, looking over the melee. "Anyone spot a saint in dire need of rebirth down there?"
"I don't know," Crystal admits as you look down. It's warriors doing warfare, "They don't come with labels, do they?"
"Then I guess we'll fight them all!" Jaela cheerfully decides. "I'll introduce us with something showy, so get ready!" She holds out three finger, then two, finally one before diving into range as she yells, "Honey, I'm home!"
Lion's Roar! Feel free to roll 10d8 sonic for me, Fort DC 31 half, 1d8+20 temp hp to us three.
[19:03] <@Ebiris> roll 10d8 sonic damage
[19:03] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 10d8 sonic damage --> [ 10d8=38 ]{38}
[19:03] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+20 temp hp
[19:03] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d8+20 temp hp --> [ 1d8=4 ]{24}
Jaela lands amid the hoard, screaming in fury. Her foes are buffeted by it, a few going down from the sonic burst. A ways away, Hanna descends and...
"CEASE!" A man's voice echos horizon to horizon, bringing the battle to a sudden and confused halt.
"WHY?!"
He lands - twenty feet tall if you're a foot, plummeting from the sky to land about 20ft from you. A huge, buff man with chalk white skin and wearing heavy armor. Only his face and hands are visible, for he forsakes gauntlets. "I was trying to settle which of my warriors was the strongest in a grand melee, but you just interfered with the results," he glares, waving a hand. Warriors scatter at his call, "Odal Dalson, cloud giant warband leader."
"Jaela, looking for a fun fight on the plane of fun fights!" she introduces herself right back, saluting him with Gae Bolg. "I'd say it's a great chance for your guys to experience an outside condition beyond their control just like in a real battle! But if you're prudish about it, we're gonna find someone more fighty to challenge. Up to you, Warband Leader!"
"You, a planetar and someone's familiar," The giant snorts with barely a glance at Crystal. He cracks his knuckles, "You and me, Jaela, one on one."
Crystal stiffens and softly interjects, "I am not someone's familiar, but a Knight of Stars. I serve the Court of Stars and will be referred to as such."
"Don't like it? Go flutter back to Morwel's skirts and hide there." His gaze doesn't leave Jaela, a grin on his face. "Up for the challenge?"
"Always!" Jaela responds with a matching grin. "And I'd be saying yes if you hadn't pissed Crystal off, so now I'm thinking it'd be far more fun to see her pixie boots stamping on your face repeatedly. Do I really need to crudely manipulate you into things by questioning your bravery in facing her one on one?"
"No, I fear the gauntlet has already been cast," Crystal draws her longsword, "Thank you, Jaela, you saved me the trouble of challenging this graceless cur. Giant, I challenge you and spit in the face of your ignorant and brutal nature. If you have any courage in your overstuffed body, come at me."
"What's this?" The giant laughs, "I had mistook you for a female pixie, since only a male would have the balls to say what you just said. Fine then, here I come!" The giant charges Crystal, as Hanna quickly scurries out of the way.
I'll be dealing with this combat. Going to do anything but watch?
Absolutely stay out of the way unless unholy soul-destroying powers are used, somehow. And cheer for Crystal!
> roll 1d20+12
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+12 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{14}
> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{14}
> roll 1d20+12
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+12 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{31}
> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{18}
Reroll due to tie, Crystal wins tiebreaker. Init is Crystal > Giant. Init numbers don't matter in a one on one duel, just the order.
Crystal steps forward, growing in size. In moments she's almost as tall as Jaela, then suddenly many images of her dance around her body.
Using righteous might and greater mirror image. No rolling for images since she gets the max automatically due to caster level.
With a lusty battle cry, the giant closes in on Crystal and tries to tear her apart with his bare hands.
> roll 1d20+31
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{48}
> roll 1d9
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d9 --> [ 1d9=3 ]{3}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=2 ]{33}
> roll 1d8 gets an image, doesn't get Crystal herself
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d8 gets an image, doesn't get Crystal herself --> [ 1d8=5 ]{5}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=20 ]{51}
> roll 1d7
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d7 --> [ 1d7=6 ]{6}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=17 ]{48}
> roll 1d6
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d6 --> [ 1d6=2 ]{2}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=7 ]{38}
> roll 1d5 gets an image if it hits but doesn't hit Crystal
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d5 gets an image if it hits but doesn't hit Crystal --> [ 1d5=5 ]{5}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=9 ]{40}
> roll 1d4 gets an image if it hits but doesn't hit Crystal
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d4 gets an image if it hits but doesn't hit Crystal --> [ 1d4=4 ]{4}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=18 ]{49}
> roll 1d3
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d3 --> [ 1d3=2 ]{2}
> roll 1d20+31 cleave
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+31 cleave --> [ 1d20=1 ]{32}
The giant's blows rip apart image after image, only one left when he at last tires. One image becomes two, three Crystals intently dodging as they try and tear the giant apart, "Oversized fool!"
Fell the greatest foe as a swift for extra damage. +2d6 to be precise.
> roll 1d20+35
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+35 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{43}
> roll 1d20+30
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{36}
> roll 1d20+25
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+25 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{26}
> roll 1d20+20
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+20 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{31}
> roll 1d8+16+2d6
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d8+16+2d6 --> [ 1d8=3 2d6=10 ]{29}
> roll 1d8+16+2d6
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d8+16+2d6 --> [ 1d8=8 2d6=4 ]{28}
Crystal leaps up and kicks the giant in the stomach, before landing in a crouch. The force of it is enough to stop the giant's advance and her sword whips out. Deep cuts are carved into the cloud giant's legs, armor sliced through like cardboard. "Surrender or awaken the next morning, defeated and slain," Crystal warns, voice low.
"Sonovuabitch!" The war band leader grits his teeth in pain, "Never! My honor is my life, and you're nothing but a speck!" His body begins to vibrate with multicolored energies then...
> roll 1d20+33 (+2 ???)
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+33 (+2 ???) --> [ 1d20=7 ]{40}
> roll 1d2 hits an image but not Crystal cleaving by the way
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d2 hits an image but not Crystal cleaving by the way --> [ 1d2=2 ]{2}
> roll 1d20+33 cleave vs 46
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+33 cleave vs 46 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{35}
Images are ripped into nothingness, but Crystal stands unbowed and untouched. She simply lashes out again, seeking to carve the giant's body apart.
Dropping a divine favor for +3 luck to attack and damage rolls.
> roll 1d20+38 (+3 divine favor)
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+38 (+3 divine favor) --> [ 1d20=3 ]{41}
> roll 1d20+33 (+3 divine favor)
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+33 (+3 divine favor) --> [ 1d20=6 ]{39}
> roll 1d20+28 (+3 divine favor)
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+28 (+3 divine favor) --> [ 1d20=3 ]{31}
> roll 1d20+23 (+3 divine favor)
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+23 (+3 divine favor) --> [ 1d20=18 ]{41}
> roll 1d8+19+2d6
> roll 1d8+19+2d6
> roll 1d8+19+2d6
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d8+19+2d6 --> [ 1d8=3 2d6=6 ]{28}
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d8+19+2d6 --> [ 1d8=7 2d6=5 ]{31}
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d8+19+2d6 --> [ 1d8=1 2d6=9 ]{29}
Crystal duels him face to face, slicing into him more each time. A gash on the arm, a stab into his side, a cut across the cheek. The giant's blood is flowing freely, to the point he falls to a knee. With a deep grimace, "Yield!" he gasps.
Free act.
[spoiler]
Crystal
HP: 245/245; 1 images
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Righteous Might (CL22), Greater Mirror Image (CL22), Fell the Greatest Foe (CL22), Divine Favor (CL22)
Bonuses: +4 size to Strength, +2 size to Con, +1 net to AC, -1 to attack rolls, +1d6 damage per size category a creature is larger than Crystal, +3 luck to attack and weapon damage rolls.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Spell-Like Abilities
1/day-confusion, dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts, dispel magic, entangle, permanent image. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs 21 + spell level.
Crystal casts as a 22nd level paladin. All of her paladin spells are automatically quickened. She may memorize ranger spells in her 1st-3rd level paladin spell slots.
[6/day]1: Divine Favor, Lesser Restorationx2, Rhino's Rushx2SC.
[5/day]2: Eagle's Splendor, Fell The Greatest Foex2SC, Mirror ImageFP.
[5/day]3: Heal Mount, Righteous Furyx4SC.
[3/day]4: Greater Mirror Imagex2FP, Holy Swordx2.
[2/day]5: Divine AgilitySC, Inner BeautyFC1, Righteous Might
FC1 - Fiendish Codex 1.
FP - Extra spell granted by fey paladin.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Crystal casts as a 18th level ranger. All of her ranger spells are automatically quickened. She may memorize paladin spells in her 1st-3rd level ranger spell slots.
[5/day]1: Lesser Restorationx2, LightfootSC, Rhino's Rushx2SC.
[4/day]2: Barkskinx4.
[3/day]3: Brilliant EmanationBoED, S(1d3 str), Heal Animal Companionx2SC.
[2/day]4: Freedom of Movement, SunmantleBoED, S(1d4 str).
"Aww, you grew in size!" Jaela complains, coming over to clap Crystal over the shoulder. "Nicely fought." This time, she tells it to both combatants. "I liked how you dealt with the images, and having the sense to end the fight the way you had is good of you."
She reaches out to help the giant to his feet, channeling a Heal into him. "Know of any great fights around here? I'd love to challenge myself against a mighty celestial, maybe see about extending the invitation to Aurora for those who feel like joining the best fight across the planes."
"Thanks," He clasps your hand and rises with your help. "I know several, and well fought. Far better than I expected for a little fairy."
"Some of us have fangs," Crystal says, deadpan. "Honor is satisfied."
"Fangs bigger than your body," The giant rubs his shoulder, "Looking for any in particular?"
"Not by name, no," Jaela responds. "Just anyone that fits the criteria! Restless celestials looking for a cause or celestials happy to have a friendly fight."
"There was a great one until a few decades ago. Name's Strength of Light, but he's taken now," The giant says, "Damned shame, he's always busy now. Oh, there's Anagormos, a tulani war band leader."
"Anagormos it is," Jaela decides. "Point us the right way?"
"You'll need to find the Valley of Fire and Ice. You can teleport there, it's where he keeps his warband. They might not be there, but if they're gone, they'll usually be back within a few weeks."
"Thanks!" Another salute with Gae Bolg, and Jaela shifts the three of them to their next destination!
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Koaway roll for Serith < 72 > [d100=72]
You stand amid fires. The valley's ground burn around pools of lava, ground further broke up by great, jagged shards of ice jutting from the ground. Heat and cold simultaneously freeze and warm you, a nonsensical combination that numbs and burns at the same time. Looking up, you see that the great shards of ice are connected by wood bridges, with tents and cabins atop the shards.
On the bridges warfare goes, warriors dueling to pass and advance on. All one versus one battles, often with allies on both sides holding back and watching.
Jaela gains a bit of altitude, looking out for a leader. Tulani or not, there's bound to be at least two given the way the battles are progressing.
You fly up with Hanna and Crystal. You see it's a sprawling expanse of these, but off to the northern side is a huge cabin that sits above all the others, where blue and red pennants fly.
[spoiler]
Crystal
HP: 245/245
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5)
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Spell-Like Abilities
1/day-confusion, dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts, dispel magic, entangle, permanent image. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs 21 + spell level.
Crystal casts as a 22nd level paladin. All of her paladin spells are automatically quickened. She may memorize ranger spells in her 1st-3rd level paladin spell slots.
[6/day]1: Divine Favor, Lesser Restorationx2, Rhino's Rushx2SC.
[5/day]2: Eagle's Splendor, Fell The Greatest Foex2SC, Mirror ImageFP.
[5/day]3: Heal Mount, Righteous Furyx4SC.
[3/day]4: Greater Mirror Imagex2FP, Holy Swordx2.
[2/day]5: Divine AgilitySC, Inner BeautyFC1, Righteous Might
FC1 - Fiendish Codex 1.
FP - Extra spell granted by fey paladin.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Crystal casts as a 18th level ranger. All of her ranger spells are automatically quickened. She may memorize paladin spells in her 1st-3rd level ranger spell slots.
[5/day]1: Lesser Restorationx2, LightfootSC, Rhino's Rushx2SC.
[4/day]2: Barkskinx4.
[3/day]3: Brilliant EmanationBoED, S(1d3 str), Heal Animal Companionx2SC.
[2/day]4: Freedom of Movement, SunmantleBoED, S(1d4 str).
"I've been rude enough for one day," Jaela says, pointing the cabin out as she starts flying towards it while avoiding the actual battles. "Let's check in there first."
"Triune, am I hearing right?" Hanna murmurs, looking to the sky as she follows you.
"They say that hearing's the first thing to go."
"Ahem!" Crystal cuts in and loudly clears her throat, "Can we spare the verbal sparring until after your mission is complete? I still feel mildly unwell."
"Anything for you, Crystal!" Jaela readily agrees.
> roll 1d20+32 Crystal
<Serith> Koaway roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=4]
"Thank you..." Her voice trails off as she pales, a hand going around her stomach as she visibly grimaces.
"Maybe you should meditate while we're there?" Jaela offers as they approach the tent. "I've found it helpful with all sorts of things that keep me off balance."
Crystal slumps to the ground and is promptly ill, bile spewed and then wracking dry heaves.
Another -1 to Constitution, so she's down 2 points of Con.
[spoiler]
Crystal
HP: 223/223 (-2 Con)
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5)
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Spell-Like Abilities
1/day-confusion, dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts, dispel magic, entangle, permanent image. Caster level 22nd. The save DCs 21 + spell level.
Crystal casts as a 22nd level paladin. All of her paladin spells are automatically quickened. She may memorize ranger spells in her 1st-3rd level paladin spell slots.
[6/day]1: Divine Favor, Lesser Restorationx2, Rhino's Rushx2SC.
[5/day]2: Eagle's Splendor, Fell The Greatest Foex2SC, Mirror ImageFP.
[5/day]3: Heal Mount, Righteous Furyx4SC.
[3/day]4: Greater Mirror Imagex2FP, Holy Swordx2.
[2/day]5: Divine AgilitySC, Inner BeautyFC1, Righteous Might
FC1 - Fiendish Codex 1.
FP - Extra spell granted by fey paladin.
SC - Spell Compendium.
Crystal casts as a 18th level ranger. All of her ranger spells are automatically quickened. She may memorize paladin spells in her 1st-3rd level ranger spell slots.
[5/day]1: Lesser Restorationx2, LightfootSC, Rhino's Rushx2SC.
[4/day]2: Barkskinx4.
[3/day]3: Brilliant EmanationBoED, S(1d3 str), Heal Animal Companionx2SC.
[2/day]4: Freedom of Movement, SunmantleBoED, S(1d4 str).
That's just--! "We're going back," Jaela says tersely, opening a Gate leading to Aurora, picking Crystal and stepping past it. Another step takes them past the entrance and into the courtyard.
Crystal sags in your arms, color waxen and pale. She clings to you, shuddering and weeping. Once you're inside, Elena appears, "Crystal, you're back, Queen Ilsen...nine...ew." Elena makes a face, "Looks like she needs the infirmary and I'll need to tell Moore, too," she says, "There's been strange signs of a sickness affecting the fey, he's researching it."
"Oh, bullshit!" Jaela heads directly to the infirmary, gesturing with her head to get Hanna to follow her.
"We live in interesting times," Hanna concurs as you follow, getting her to the infirmary. Hanna promptly gets Crystal on a bed, the pixie knight shivering all over. "Elena, would you ask someone who knows what's going on to come here?"
Jaela doesn't do much aside from helping with the cleaning, though she inquires, "I presume you tried the usual magics, short of Miracle?"
"I'm trying them," Hanna says, doing that. "I don't think it's working."
Jaela settles in to wait for the healers in the know Hanna called upon.
Soon Balyss and Priest are there, the three working together. They cast spells, look over her and altogether check up on her. As Jaela waits, Mirajane enters. She comes in and rests her hand on your shoulder, eyes on Crystal.
As everyone works, Moore also comes in through the portal.
"Any ideas?" Jaela voices. "What do we know? Who's got this, how it started? Are the symptoms the same?"
"Ah, um... I have a working theory." Moore says. "I'll explain all about the seer I met in Celestia, but to summarize: It's my belief that the devils are using Lief to poison Yggdrasil and we're all starting to feel the effects of it."
He flies over to Crystal and speaks quietly. "Crystal? It's Moore. I know this is going to sound odd, but where do you think Yggdrasil is? Do you have any inkling?"
How can that even be a thing?! Plenty angels fell but Hell's not using any of them to poison Arborea. Lief is a touchy subject, however, and Jaela keeps her reservations to herself, while confirming, "This is what Celestia believes? Elena, is Morniel here? What does he think?"
"I'll bring him over," Elena pops in and then vanishes.
"There's more," Mirajane says softly, "About a journey to Yggdrasil and a chance to save Lief's soul."
"We're working on it," Balyss calls back, "It doesn't look good, it's resisting magic."
Augh, does he need to repeat the whole thing for a third time? There has to be an easier way than this... Oh, wait, doesn't Tepen somehow make a copy of his speeches? Oh well.
"I'm going to leave out everything that happened before, because I don't think it matters. Anyway: I was told that there is a rot -- a poison within me and of a funeral veil that drapes over me to block out life. It's starting to make sense now -- Crystal has fallen ill, Afina mentioned feeling ill herself, and I myself felt ill at one point.
She -- ah, the seer, I mean, said 'the harmony of order speaks of malice, that a song of hatred ripples through it all. A captive world where the poison of one suffering soul flows'. This is why I think that it's Lief that's being used -- poisoning Yggdrasil somehow."
"They couldn't defeat Medicant last time, so they resorted to discord, strife and betrayal." He quotes.
"Save he who is lost or drown in poison. Evil never learns, never changes. It always degenerates. The devils repeat themselves. Do you understand? Save him or drown in poison. End his suffering, give him the rest a hero deserves." Moore says. "I was told then to 'pierce the veil' and go with Her Majesty and anyone she trusted with her life for this mission."
He takes another breath. "We are to go to the place above all to our kind, and apparently someone already suspects we need to go there. We must to the Yggdrasil. Now that Crystal is back, I think she has to be the one who knows."
"Corny as that sounds, you've got my help," Jaela asserts. "Unless it's some pixie only thing?"
"There was no indication to me that it just had to be us." Moore says. "I think it's more of a Lifasan thing than a pixie thing, really, despite what's going on."
Balyss looks up from their work, "She's stable and not getting worse."
Hanna then says, "It seems like the progression stopped once she entered Aurora. It's somewhat akin to the spiritual damage Abigor inflicted on yourself and Adrian, but slower and escalating."
"Yes, though Aurora seems to stop the progression, if not reverse the damage." Priest agrees. "I have not heard reports of any fey suffering while in Aurora, though I cannot be certain that will continue indefinitely."
"The thing is that this is absurd. Using one soul to poison all of our fey? It must be an adaptation or a leftover from the last time, like Moore suggested. Selune help me, this has the fingerprints of the Duke of Destiny on it. Some sort of obscure plan that somehow works far better than it should? He's behind this."
"Where's Afina? Do we have any fey outside Aurora right now?" Jaela asks. If none present could answer, Elena is always listening. "Do we have Tepen, Vul'lath or Sylvie working on Moore's Yggdrassil angle?"
Elena promptly appears. "She's off on a mission in Smoke, though she requested that she be contacted immediately if events move forward here. I already have a sending being sent her way. Tepen and Vul'lath are looking into matters, as well as a recent flare up from The Father."
Jaela's head dips into a nod. "Let me know when they have something, or if they require any aid or resources. And in case it hadn't happened already, keep a watch on the gates to prevent fey from leaving without being aware of the dangers of travel. If the fey hadn't been told, Ilsenine's aides can fill them in."
Meanwhile, Moore stays next to Crystal, quiet and frowning.
"I'll get it done," Elena says, as another Elena appears next to her. This one's dressed up like Jaela, eyepatch and all. "We'll get it done together. Let's go!" Then they're both gone.
Meanwhile, "I would think my funeral would be more somber, or at least have more black." Crystal says, voice raspy. "What calamity befell me?"
"We think someone is poisoning Yggdrasil." Moore explains quietly. "You probably got the brunt of it because of that fruit you ate." He adds, then takes a breath. "This is going to sound ridiculous, I realize, but after you ate it, did you have any kind of sensations about Yggdrasil? Some sort of... I don't know, feeling or inclination that you suddenly knew where to find it?"
"Yes," Crystal says, "I had the strangest sensation of time passing. A great deal of time, and something else I can't remember."
"What does your gut instinct tell you?" Moore asks. "If you had to just spit out an answer as to where you think you'd find Yggdrasil, where would that be?"
"I confess that I'm not sure," Crystal says, "In time, maybe I can find the answer."
"Oh, Afina's back," Elena pops in, "Are you going to want to get everyone together?"
Time... Time! That's it!
"Do any of you know any kind of realm that deals with time, by any chance? I think that's it -- that's what I was told by the divination Balyss did -- time would solve this. That has to be it... that has to be where Yggdrasil is." Moore says.
I'm not sure if he could do any kind of relevant check to put any strings together on that himself, but there it is.
"I know of one," Hanna says quietly, "So does Afina. The rest of you've forgotten, since you weren't there. You probably heard about it at the time, but it's anathemic knowledge unless you go there."
"If it's a lead, let's talk it over together with Afina," Jaela says firmly.
Afina soon arrives. Balyss and Priest see to Crystal, checking her over head to toe and murmuring spells on occasion. Calls to the Triune and Selune, holy names invoked over the pixie's suffering form.
Go ahead, Afina.
Afina flies in and immediately beelines for Crystal, landing beside her bed. "Crystal, what happened?" she asks, looking over her fellow pixie with evident concern.
With a wan smile, "Would you believe some bad honey?" she asks, "Devils. A devil plot, Moore can explain it. It sickens us once we leave Aurora."
"I heard about the plot, but it seems to have hit you far harder than anyone else," Afina replies, patting Crystal's arm. "I take it they've asked you if you know where Yggdrasil is?"
"Yes. I wasn't sure, but something I said caught Moore, and his comment about time resonated with Hanna." Crystal says.
"Yes. Afina, do you remember our trip to Arborea's hidden layers?" Hanna asks.
"Right now it seems like our best clue," Jaela says, waving at Afina in belated greeting.
She never did get to drop-kick a baby pit fiend. However, she did make Kascha a promise. "You know I can't talk about that, Hanna," she says, shaking her head.
Hanna looks down at Crystal, "You may have to make a hard choice then, soon. Talk to Kascha."
It must be nice to be an eladrin and not have to worry about promises and debts. "Even if I did, what does that kind of place have to do with the World Tree? It's the root of all Primes, it has nothing to do with the outer planes."
"That assumes fey lore is right," Hanna says, sighing a bit, "Look, it's the only thing I can think of other than going in blind. I'm an angel and I don't even know how Primes are made."
"I mean... maybe this doesn't make sense since I haven't been there, but... if something is the root of all Primes, doesn't it... make the most sense for something called the World Tree to be there?" Moore asks.
"I think whatever it is might reveal itself when we bring Her Majesty -- I mean, that's at least my gut instinct, anyway." Moore adds.
"I'll go talk to Kascha, then," Afina turns and flies off, waiting until she's out of the room before she asks Elena where to find Kascha so as to preserve the drama of her exit.
Of course she doesn't know know either, but the fey are the eternal guardians of the natural world. Of course the stories she's been told all this life and every life beforehand are accurate.
"In the meantime," Hanna suggests, "How is Aurora going to respond to this?" She looks to Jaela.
"Oh for fuck's sake," Jaela mutters, before grabbing her mother's arm and dragging her away for relative privacy. "I can't act if you don't tell me what I need to know. If it's okay for Afina to make tough choices and what not, why not you? Since you know?" She frowns. "Unless you don't think it's relevant, in which case we shouldn't spend time wondering about it. So yeah, how does Aurora respond without all the information it needs? Poorly."
"...So, um... ...Can I get you a drink or something, Crystal?" Moore asks quietly.
"It's complicated," Hanna says, once you're well away from the others. "I found out and I wasn't supposed to. You'll forget I even mentioned the hidden layers in a day's time if I do nothing else. I'll tell you without a doubt in my heart, but I want Afina to be clear on it first."
"So it sounds like the two of you and Kascha are in the know?" Jaela asks, merely stating a fact rather than accusing. "I'd say we have the time to let Afina and Kascha figure it out, given your reaction. Aurora's response will delay until then, and we'll just keep on quarantining fey and giving them the best of care while researching alternate means of curing them. All of those handled already, in other words."
I'll wait on either being let in on the secret, being told we're not exploring that option or on being offered another avenue by a diviner or researcher.
"Yes. Once you visit, you can recall them," Hanna says, "Afina and I visited on a mission. Kascha knows because of her nature and time spent in unison with Arborea."
Okay, waiting on Afina to wrap up real quick.
Locking this thread, we'll start next time with a new one.