OOC to begin this one.
1. Who is going with you three?
2. What do you know about your mission here, so I'm clear on what you know IC.
We'll take Kascha, shouldn't need more NPCs than that. Then we know there's an undersea volcano on Thalasia that we have to take the key to, hopefully that's specific enough for us to gate to since we don't have anything more specific than that. The key will hopefully open the way or something to let us in and find the first embers.
I'm fine with that.
I can supply Cloak of the Sea or Transformation of the Deeps for water breathing, freedom of movement, ect. for underwater stuff.
For the sake of ship loot we'll say it's still processing, Jaela.
You appear. It is warm here, pleasant like a summer day without any undue heat or humidity. A soft sea breeze rustles all of you. You stand on a small sandbank, barely above sea level. As all of you bask in this, you have a strong sense that you must head below the waves, that what you seek lies below.
18:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+10 heroes feast temp hp
[18:30] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d8+10 heroes feast temp hp --> [ 1d8=3 ]{13}Kascha is delegated with holding the key since she made it, and Afina walks over to put a toe in the water as the gate closes up behind her. She's wearing suitably aquatic attire, a glistening blue-white dress with jellyfish-like fronds trailing from her skirt and a white hat styled rather like a squid's tail perched atop her head. "How is everyone for underwater survival?" she asks. "I can provide water breathing, or an elemental transformation if needed."
Afina: 287+13/287, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 24 attached to epic mage armour), heroes feast (CL 20), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), epic mage armour (CL 24), moment of prescience (CL 24)
AC 87, spell resistance 39, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/10/9/9/9/8/7/7/6/5
[20:31] <@Rin> roll 1d8+10 temp hp
[20:31] <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d8+10 temp hp --> [ 1d8=8 ]{18}
Surraruthru begins chanting in arcane speech and casts a spell into the Tapestry, to aid all.
Cloak of the Sea, CL 25, Duration: 25 Hours.
While underwater, the subject functions as if affected by blur, freedom of movement, and water breathing and doesn't take nonlethal damage from water pressure or hypothermia for the duration of the spell.
Also, annotating pre-loading Resist Energy: Fire/Cold/Acid/Sonic into Tapestry.
Also casting Epic Mage Armor on Self. Will put up stat block after work.
"Let's go with that," Jaela agrees, having chosen to rely on her robes once more. "I'll save my own spell for that."
Cool.
Magic is woven around all of you, "Thank you," Kascha says, kneeling and running her hand through the waters. Sea spray splashes at all of you as the ocean waves lash against the sandbar. "Only way to go is down, then?"
"Lets not keep it waiting any longer then," Afina says, walking into the surf and vanishing beneath the waves once it gets deep enough (which is a lot quicker for her than it is for Kascha and Jaela) before swimming along the undersea shelf.
Jaela decides to keep by Kascha's side, just in case.
Aw, so cute.
All of you swim down. The waters are pleasantly warm and light penetrates easily. No dark depths here as you go down, the waters staying clear and well lit. Also, something odd. There's no easily seen undersea shelf or anything like that. The sandbar floats where it is, nothing supporting it beneath. You can see the depths go down farther than you can see. If anything, they get brighter as you go down.
Could be light from red hot magma or somesuch! Inverting herself vertically, Afina glides through the water as she swims straight down once past the sandbar.
All of you begin to swim down.
Round of Spot checks.
[18:57] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+38 spot
[18:57] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+38 spot --> [ 1d20=6 ]{44}
[20:57] <@Rin> roll 1d20+14
[20:57] <Kobot> Rin rolled 1d20+14 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{31}
Kascha'll take 10. Will someone roll for Surraruthru?
[19:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+35 iddyspot
[19:00] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+35 iddyspot --> [ 1d20=10 ]{45}
There is something below, a spot of light. All of you spot it and get the intense feeling it's beckoning you towards it.
"Well, at least it seems welcoming. Better than the last place Kascha and I were."
With that, Surraruthru angles down to follow Afina, lazily circling around Kascha and Jaela.
Surraruthru
HP: 344/344
AC: 38+20+4 (Deflection)
Touch AC: 18, Flat Footed: 26, SR: 34, CMB: 28, CMD: 44
Init: +13, Touch Atk: 29
Active: Epic Mage Armor, Cloak of the Sea
Passive: Improved Evasion, Diamond Body, True Seeing, Detect Magic
Moderate School Esoterica: If you are subject to a spell that has a partial or half effect on a successful save, you suffer no adverse effect if you successfully save.
Afina continues swimming down at a sedate pace, not wanting to pull too far ahead of everyone else.
Waiting on Jaela here since it might matter.
Doing these semi-retroactively since I didn't get a chance to pre-deployment buff before we set off, since work.
Tapestry Legal Spells (everyone gets these). Also, everyone gets Cloak of the Sea, if that wasn't clear. I've also pre-loaded Resist Energy, so everyone will be getting that as soon as combat starts. I'll also be providing Haste, Blink, Celestial Valor, and Might of the Planetar when fighting happens.:
Create Magic Tattoo, CL 25, 24 Hour Duration.
+1 Luck Bonus on Attack Rolls.
Create Magic Tattoo, CL 25, 24 Hour Duration.
+2 Competence Bonus on Attack Rolls.
Mighty Wallop, Greater, CL 25, 25 Hour Duration.
+2 Size Category to Bludgeoning/Unarmed Weapons.
Mage Armor, Greater, CL 25, 25 Hour Duration.
+6 armor bonus to Armor Class.
Self Only Buffs:
Mind Blank, CL 25, 24 Hour Duration.Surraruthru
HP: 344/344
AC: 38+20+4 (Deflection)
Touch AC: 18, Flat Footed: 26, SR: 34, CMB: 28, CMD: 44
Init: +13, Touch Atk: 29
Active: Epic Mage Armor, Cloak of the Sea, Mindblank
Passive: Improved Evasion, Diamond Body, True Seeing, Detect Magic, Blur (Underwater), Freedom of Movement, Water Breathing, Magic Tattoo (+1 Luck to Attack), Magic Tattoo (+2 Competence to Attack), Mighty Wallop, Greater
Moderate School Esoterica: If you are subject to a spell that has a partial or half effect on a successful save, you suffer no adverse effect if you successfully save.
Jaela follows after Afina, her robe floating around her rather than getting in her way solely due to the incredible amount of magic that went into it.
Will saves all, -20 penalty.
[16:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33-20+24 using moment of prescience
[16:38] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+33-20+24 using moment of prescience --> [ 1d20=15 ]{52}
Afina: 287+13/287, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 24 attached to epic mage armour), heroes feast (CL 20), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), epic mage armour (CL 24)
AC 87, spell resistance 39, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/10/9/9/9/8/7/7/6/5
19:22 <Tohsaka> roll 1d20+50-20+21 ditto
19:22 <Kobot> Tohsaka rolled 1d20+50-20+21 ditto --> [ 1d20=11 ]{62}
Need someone to rollfor me. Just +31-20
[12:34] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+31-20 for the dragon
[12:34] <Kobot> Nephrite rolled 1d20+31-20 for the dragon --> [ 1d20=11 ]{22}
> roll 1d20+6 Kascha (-20 ??)
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+6 Kascha (-20 ??) --> [ 1d20=9 ]{15}]
You all swim down deeper.
Huh?
You were...something. Talking? Strange. For a moment you swear you were talking to someone. The feeling soon passes, leaving a faint hint of confusion and dizziness that soon passes.
"Did anyone just feel dizzy?" Afina asks, noting that her moment of prescience spell has been expended. Something must have happened, and it wasn't enough? In any case she recasts it.
Afina: 287+13/287, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 24 attached to epic mage armour), heroes feast (CL 20), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), epic mage armour (CL 24), moment of prescience (CL 24)
AC 87, spell resistance 39, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/10/9/9/9/8/6/7/6/5
"Mm..." Kascha murmurs as if mostly asleep, shaking her head. "Now that you mention it, I do. What was that? It was something, I don't know what."
"It felt like there was another presence with us, I think," Afina says to better articulate her strange feeling.
"I can't remember any of it," Kascha frowns, "Something protected by anathemic knowledge could do that," she remarks, "Like with the Hidden Layers."
Afina hopes she didn't say anything compromising during the lost time. "Nothing we can do about it but continue on," she says, continuing her descent. They haven't been turned away at least.
"It must be something ridiculous to get past the Mind Blank," Jaela surmises, following Afina's precautions for the exact same reasons and then building up on them.
Recasting expended Moment of Prescience, casting Conviction and Good Hope.
All of you continue to swim down. The waters do not press you nor does it become any darker. Schools of colorful fish are everywhere, often swimming right along with you. After about a half hour of this, you spot something below. The top of a volcano, still well below you but waiting for you below. An entire mountain floating beneath the sea.
That's what they came to find. Afina casts greater heroism on herself now that the goal is in sight but continues swimming at the same pace.
Afina: 287+20/287, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 24 attached to epic mage armour), heroes feast (CL 20), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), epic mage armour (CL 24), moment of prescience (CL 24), greater heroism (CL 24)
AC 87, spell resistance 39, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/10/9/9/8/8/6/7/6/5
Jaela refreshes her expiring spell and grins a Kascha, before waving her over. Even though it should be safe, Kascha would be safest in the middle of their group with Jaela herself right on her heels.
Good Hope refreshed. Also, Sign.
Kascha blushes as you wave her over. "Um..." she murmurs, "Are all of you protecting me?"
"I know I am, but it's not because you're particularly fragile," Jaela responds honestly. "It's mostly because I like you."
Blushing even more, "Ah...I...aaaah!" Kascha flies face first into a big red fish, stopping her cold. Recovering and shaking that off, "I'm fine."
Jaela blinks, staring for a few moments. That just happened. Would she run into a bird while flying? There are huge birds like Arrel, so it could be possible....
"Glad to hear it," she finally forces out. "After you?"
Rubbing her nose, "Thanks," Kascha says abashedly, swimming further down.
You get closer to the volcano's top. You can see stairs are carved into the volcano's top, leading into the caldera. Past the very tip of it there's no more water but open space instead.
Afina doesn't see the point in getting rid of the water. If they can make it down here they can deal with water just fine, getting rid of it inside isn't being more hospitable. "Here we are," she says, swimming down towards the caldera and inverting herself so she's feet-down as she passes into the no-water zone, wings fluttering to carry her the rest of the way onto the stairs.
All of you reach the stairs uneventfully. Kascha dries herself with a cantrip, "No challenges and danger yet, that's encouraging. Maybe we won't have to fight that much here?"
"What would it prove?" Afina wonders. "We did enough of that to get the key." She doesn't bother using any magic to dry herself, content to drip on the stairs as she flutters down above them.
"That is correct," A man's voice is heard, amused. A rather strong voice, coming from all around you. "I think you've proven your might at arms quite well."
Jaela opts to keep herself clean and dry, relying on magic herself. "We'll do plenty of it once we have what we came here for, too," she points out, before jumping unsightly at the voice.
"Hello," Afina says, pausing at the sound of the voice. "Have we already spoken? I'm afraid I've forgotten if so."
"We have not. You can call me the Keeper," The voice says, "Please know you will be tested, but not a single one is a test of might. You need not worry of that, nor layer yourself in spells in anticipated combat."
"It's nice to meet you, Keeper. I am Afina Devilsbane," she responds courteously to the introduction, deciding to start descending once more but at a slow pace as they talk. "What sort of tests will we face instead?"
"Jaela," she pitches in, acting as if she had not been spooked at all. "Are any layered spells an obstacle? Given who we are it just doesn't make sense to leave home without them."
"Tests of yourself," The voice says in reply. "They will not be an obstacle, simply not needed."
"Works! So who's first?"
"Continue on and find out," The voice says. "It is not far."
Jaela proceeds at that invitation!
Surraruthru shakes the majority of the water off of himself, not unlike a dog, and follows after Jaela.
"Test of self, hm? Seems interesting enough."
Surraruthru
HP: 344/344
AC: 38+20+4 (Deflection)
Touch AC: 18, Flat Footed: 26, SR: 34, CMB: 28, CMD: 44
Init: +13, Touch Atk: 29
Active: Epic Mage Armor, Cloak of the Sea, Mindblank
Passive: Improved Evasion, Diamond Body, True Seeing, Detect Magic, Blur (Underwater), Freedom of Movement, Water Breathing, Magic Tattoo (+1 Luck to Attack), Magic Tattoo (+2 Competence to Attack), Mighty Wallop, Greater
Moderate School Esoterica: If you are subject to a spell that has a partial or half effect on a successful save, you suffer no adverse effect if you successfully save.
You walk down a ways, until the stairways lead to a simple door in the wall. It is made of plain wooden boards nailed together, the sort of thing you might find in a typical village. The door has writing on it that reads, "The Fool."
"Hmm... A tarot reference? We'll see, I suppose."
"Well, are you going to open it?" Kascha asks.
Surraruthru snorts.
"You just like the idea of my being the fool."
Regardless, Surraruthru does open the door.
The door opens. On the other side is...Surraruthru. Surraruthru meets Surraruthru's gaze and says, "Hello, Surraruthru."
Surraruthru squeezes his eyes shut in obvious frustration and annoyance.
"I guessed as much. Let's get on with this. What's the test going to be?"
"That was a setup for whoever opened the door, wasn't it?" Kascha sighs, patting Surraruthru on the back.
"Knowledge of one's failings is trivial with hindsight," Surraruthru says, "Real wisdom is seeing your failings in the future and preventing them. This wisdom is important to the power you seek. Surraruthru, show me you understand this wisdom. Tell me of a failing you have and how you intend to prevent it."
".... Greed. All dragons suffer from it, but I suffer from it doubly so. I thirst for gold and knowledge, and desire to hoard it. To prevent it... Be wary of it. Know it is there, and plan for it. Entrust access to my hoards to another. Kascha in this case, to remind me of the dangers of my greed."
"Greed is a dangerous sin," Surraruthru agrees. "Many plunge into eternal torment over coin and treasure, and more follow over greed for other things, like knowledge."
Surraruthru nods.
"Yes, I know. I desire both, and so, am doubly vulnerable. Arcane knowledge and treasure. Both sources of power, but both can drag me down. Allowing Kascha, and perhaps eventually a select few others, to access what I have freely will hopefully ward me against such single-minded focus."
Surraruthru vanishes at those words, the way ahead open. It's a simple hallway that leads onward before making a curving turn to the left.
"You're putting a lot of responsibility on Kascha's shoulders, Surraruthru," Afina can't help but observe as the doppelganger disappears.
"For now, yes. As I said, I intend to expand the circle I give access to. Kascha was the first one in Aurora that I knew. There will be others, eventually. And while there's responsibility there for her, there's benefit, too. She has free access to anything I know, and if she desires something from my hoard, meager though it may be for now, it will be hers."
"I'll manage it," Kascha steps forward boldly, "It won't be a problem."
> roll 1d20+8
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{18}
Down the hall is a stairway and you go down to it. It leads to another door with writing on it, identical to the last. It reads, "Light."
"That's your interest, isn't it Jaela?" Afina asks.
"I'm somewhat of an expert on the subject," Jaela says with a grin, fielding this one.
Jaela opens the door. Ahead is...Jaela. She meets Jaela's gaze and speaks, "The ability to see ahead and anticipate the future is vital. The real future, not your hopes or fears. Shine light on what your future will be, because light is what leads the way from the darkness of fear and uncertainty."
"My future is to keep training and become stronger, so much so that only a select few could oppose me," Jaela muses. "At the same time, I won't be doing anything truly impressive or memorable. Not on my own." She purses her lips. "There are at least two Primes freed from fiendish oppression in my future, too."
Jaela nods. "What of other things? What of your personal life?" she asks. "What of your friends and family?"
"My circle of friends will grow larger, that's pretty much a given. Family's family. For celestials, it's fairly static. When you have millennia most people don't rush to have more kids. Gonna get to know my brother better, I figure?"
Jaela shakes her head, "The light illuminates everything, even things we may not want to see or talk about."
"If you're talking about dating, that's one area that benefits from uncertainty. Where's the fun in knowing everything about it?"
"I mean details," Jaela says, "Not generalities."
Jaela blinks. "You know, you're a very pedantic me. But sure. Specifics? I'll spend the time with the freed slaves, see if anyone needs help to go home. Bond with Priest over it some. Grab Ebony for a chat about the coming meeting and see whether Antenora can stop by for a quick visit. Find the time to properly introduce my daughter to my brother and watch them train together. Arrange for Finnegan and the Master to put on a show for the aforementioned ex-slaves to invite those of them that catch the Crusading bug. Also, Kascha will trip and fall and I'll be there to catch her in time." She tilts her head, staring at her double. "Is that enough?"
In response the Jaela ahead vanishes, revealing a blue portal ahead.
Time to see if she passed the test! Jaela steps through the portal.
Kascha follows, commenting as she does, "I wonder what my clone will have to say?"
"Chide you about studying too much?"
"Hmmm... being too tolerant and accepting."
No replies as you head through the portal. It leads out into an identical room, this one with another door on the far side. It's like the other doors and has the following text on it, "Grace."
"Do you want this one or should I, Kascha?" Afina asks since Kascha was curious about what her double might say. But she might not feel grace is particularly relevant to her considering her clumsiness. On the other hand that might make it more relevant!
"Don't worry, Kascha! It's part of your charm!"
"Go for it. It'll likely lead to a revelation about yourself. You've had a few of those recently, and none of them were negative. I believe there's plenty of grace in you."
"No, I have this," Kascha says, opening the door.
> roll 1d20+8
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{11}
"Kyaaaaah!" Kascha stops back as a Kascha appears right in her face, stumbling back before spinning and face-planting right into the ground. She lies there a few moments and groans before picking herself up.
Meanwhile the other Kascha says, "Hi!"
She kept silent as the others were interrogated by their doppelgangers, but at this Afina can only utter a quiet, "Oh, Kascha..."
The other Kascha spins on her tip-toes, perfectly graceful even with a matching set of ioun stones flying around her head.
"Hi?" Your Kascha says, a little hesitantly.
"Hello. One must understand the concept of grace to properly use goldenfire." The other Kascha says.
"I understand it," Kascha brushes off a bit of dirt from her robes, "I'm just prone to occasional accidents."
"Not that sort of grace," The other Kascha says, "Heavenly grace."
Looking at the other Kascha, Afina is reminded of a concept she read about when studying how to make lifelike golems.
Uncanny valley.
Jaela helps her Kascha clean her robes with the handiest spell in existence, providing a silent support.
"You mean forgiveness?" Kascha replies, frowning a little. "What does that have to do with goldenfire?"
"What is good if not forgiving? Not even the greatest of angels are safe from temptation. Failure and sin will happen because of free will." The other Kascha says.
Slowly Kascha considers this before saying, "Are you saying that..." A long trailoff as she closes her eyes, looking down. "Ah! Are you saying that we need to know when to use goldenfire and when not to, for when forgiveness is the right answer?"
Don't those who have it use it pretty much all the time? When she and Mirajane are together on the same plane, it comes to them easily, Jaela muses. Maybe this just concerns the special goldenfire variant they're here to find?
"Yes," The other Kascha smiles, "That's exactly it. Goldenfire is a weapon, and like any weapon, there are times where you must sheathe it and use other means." The other Kascha then vanishes, revealing a stairway going down behind her.
"Actually, let me go first," Jaela tells Kascha, intending to be there to catch her if she falls on her way down.
"Excellently done, Kascha. I knew you had this without issues."
Afina is content to let Jaela take the lead, even if she should probably be the one to open the next door. She flutters along silently behind the angelic duo regardless.
Surraruthru simply strides along next to the group, content to remain out of the way as things progress.
The stairs go down and you soon find the walls are flecked with tiny deposits of gold. They burn with an inner light, illuminating everything as you go down. Down and down you go, until you read the bottom. Here there is a single door that says, "Duty."
"Oh, this is going to be pleasant." Surraruthru sits down on his haunches to wait this out.
"I believe this is my stop," Afina says, fluttering over Jaela and Kascha's heads before descending to open the door.
The door opens and Afina is there.
"Goldenfire is a great responsibility. Prove to me you have learned from the past encounters and tell me how you will use it."
"Past encounters with goldenfire specifically?" Afina asks to clarify.
Getting cut in half that one time certainly was educational.
Surraruthru holds his tongue, though he believes he's figured out the point of these trials already.
"No, from the past doors," Afina says, fluttering around the real Afina. Almost like stalking her.
Does she look like that to other people? She hopes not.
"I don't have any great revelation to offer, they're simple tests of character that are fairly rote to us by now, and easily gamed by those with any understanding of how these things go," she replies, keeping track of her doppelganger with blindsense rather than her eyes as she's circled. "Know your limits, don't be blind to your flaws, be willing to show mercy. That last one though, it's not a thing I'm willing to countenance when it comes to the despoilers of my home. Also it doesn't quite mesh with the other two which focus more around self-reflection, so perhaps I'm missing something."
"The need for grace and forgiveness must come from within," Afina says, "You have to ask for them, even though they are freely given to those who reflect and repent."
Afina then flies to stand before all of you, "You're right, you know all of these. You've proven yourselves many times. The final question is your duty with goldenfire and how to use it wisely. I am satisfied, come further below." Afina is then gone.
"Do I look like that when I'm flying around normally?" Afina feels compelled to ask the others as her somewhat predatory double vanishes.
Surraruthru simply smirks at Afina before striding ahead.
"Not to me. You have a much greater presence," Jaela responds. "You do more with your clothing, too."
"No, unless you're really trying to kill someone but can't close in, and that's rare," Kascha says as you proceed on, another portal ahead.
Jaela keeps a careful watch over Kascha as she heads through the portal.
"Okay, I'm glad," Afina says, reassured in her appeal as she flies to and through the portal.
You step through the portal and into a large, carved chamber. On a raised dais, decorated with whirls and engravings, sits a large brazier. Goldenfire rises from it, a steady blaze.
The ends of the chamber are indistinct, blurry. You can't see anything past them, just blur.
Surraruthru approaches the dias, inspecting, trying to identify any writings on it or who it comes from.
With the goal apparently in sight, Jaela nudges Kascha slightly. "That's our lock?"
"I think so," Kascha approaches, "Ah, all of you should stand back. Just in case."
Surraruthru moves to sit slightly behind Kascha.
Afina lands on the ground at the edge of the room to let Kascha go do her thing hopefully in safety.
"I'll stay near just in case," Jaela tells Kascha, giving her enough space to work with while remaining close enough to help should anything go wrong.
Kascha goes forth and - !!!!
Light, overwhelming golden light. All of you are knocked back in an instant, moving so fast that all you can feel is the jarring of flesh on stone. Yet it doesn't hurt even as you're blinded by light, unable to see anything.
Chance to react.
Surraruthru squeezes his eyes shut, trying to locate Kascha through his sense of smell, and listening in case anything new is walking around the room.
Afina emits an adorable little grunt as she's knocked down, rising back to her feet afterwards and monitoring everyone via blindsense to ensure they're all still intact. "Everything okay, Kascha?" she calls.
Jaela's blindsight attempts to keep an eye on Kascha, as she prioritizes Kascha's safety over her own.
Surraruthru can smell Kascha nearby, as Jaela also goes to her.
Fortunately the light soon fades away and what floats above the brazier is a simple golden coal. It burns faintly, simmering with flames.
Surraruthru blinks away the spots in his vision as he moves to check over Kascha.
"Warnings would have been appreciated."
"Is that--" Jaela comes closer to the brazier, looking at the ember.
Kascha stumbles a little but it fine otherwise. "I wasn't expecting that!"
The coal is really a burning ember, sizzling and showing no signs of going out.
"Who better than you to take it?" Jaela says, giving Kascha's back a light push.
Afina flutters over to the brazier now that the pyrotechnics are over with. "So we can make this into a weapon of some sort that destiny will provide no shield against," she summarises, studying the ember and reaching out to pick it up.
Kascha goes but Afina beats her to it, grasping it in her cute little pixie hands.
A golden light flashes throughout the room, gathering into the ember and then fading.
You find yourselves back on the sandbar, ember still in Afina's hands.
"I think Aurora was about to move to the deep ethereal right before we left, so I'll try that first of all," Afina says after confirming they've all been relocated, casting gate to open a path to where Aurora and Gytha's demiplane are at.
Returning home then, y'all?
Yes.
Yup
Yes
Plans once you do?
Put the ember into secure storage for now. Before we go anywhere near Benfal Afina will make it into some sort of weapon but it can keep for the moment. Jaela has her Muirfinn thing. I'm available if she wants me to come along, otherwise I'll go hang out with Bubbles for her treasure hunting idea she mentioned before.
Okay. Jaela and Surraruthru?
I want to grab Ebony and pay Antenora a visit to prepare for the Muirfinn thing, after which I want to do the Muirfinn thing.
Not really anything specific. Living vault, research meet Hope, Bubbles/scarfs (if anything more needs to be done there), and treasure so I can buy the necklace of natural attacks.
Alrighty. Afina gets a new thread! Jaela gets a new thread! Surraruthru...does not. Aaaaw. He gets a question instead: Since you're looking for treasure, maybe you can combo with Moore for his trip out? Just a suggestion since he's going to a slaad dungeon and that means loot.
That's fine with me.
Sure, that'd be fine. If that's the case then Moore would just ask Finnegan to go.
Cool, thread locked for now.
Unlocking for a sec. Afina, Jaela wants you along for diplomacy, so is there anything you want to do in the meantime? It's probably not enough time to go treasure hunting seriously.
I got nothing I can really squeeze in so I'll just bum around Aurora.
Okay, got something for you that's pretty quick and disposable. New thread time.