Afina and Elena wait in Jaela's suite, as...
Jaela and Afina, this one is up to y'all, so go ahead and open.
Jaela emerges in simple, cotton clothes, a fluffy towel drying her hair. "What did I miss?" she asks, to respect the pair that waited long enough to talk to her already.
"I spoke to Makaril about a potential attack on Lifasa," Afina says. "Something to alleviate the pressure on his side. He mentioned that Harkin would be hosting Duke Malphas soon, and while we investigated that it seemed too much like a trap. Still, I'd like us to investigate some sort of more active presence on Lifasa. Whether trying to catch one of the traitors directly or striking something else. The reason I waited is since most of our actions can be predicted by destiny, having you choose the target while holding that goldenfire spear would better guarantee us surprise."
"That makes sense," Elena says, "Though you'd need to move fast, since once others know, wouldn't their destinies start to reveal it?" She hums and huffs out a puff of air, "Destiny reading and divination always confuses me when it gets like that."
"It's still more advantage than we'd have otherwise."
"Yeah, that works," Jaela agrees. "Of course, we can just gather everyone and leave the decision to just before leaving. So what's our option, here? A swift strike at Harkin with a minimal crew, or an all-out assault on his bolthole? As for the others, Quinn or Mala would be a good match for us if we could get at either."
Elena is wearing a poofy ballgown and jewelry. "Also, shouldn't you have the spear out for this?"
"Of course not. We should discuss as many possible plans of action first, then take it out."
"The Harkin thing feels too well set up, we should leave him for now and go after one of the others. I'd suggest Ettan, since he and Willah are their greatest force multipliers," Afina says. "But the decision must be yours. We could look at our gathered intelligence, get any follow ups you need from divinations or prisoners on likely targets then have you choose a suitable one."
"Then let's collect information on those three," Jaela suggests, finishing toweling off her hair and materializing her armor. "Ettan, Quinn and Mala. I'll take a look at the Harkin plans as well, just to be on the safe side."
Silence. It stretches and stretches.
"Um. Are you waiting on me for something?" Elena asks.
"You're the one who listens to everything that goes on around here, and remembers it all," Jaela points out. "Whereas I'm the one that goes and fights that which must not be named."
"Lets go to the war room and look at some of our collected interrogation and intelligence reports!" Afina blurts out to rescue them from the awkwardness.
"Oh." Elena says, "Well, do you know anything about them at all already?"
OOC for one sec here. Let me know what you do know, so we're all on the same page and this expo bomb can go smoothly. Yuth's topic on the traitors may help you here.
We know all about who they are what they specialise in. We're looking for stuff like 'has a horrible torture factory at the ruins of Blisstopia' or 'trains elite forces in Scumville'. Just some fun hooks we can use to go make a mess of.
edit: We've captured and interrogated hundreds of devils but only a few notable ones got proper interrogation reports and a lot of the minor operational stuff never got recorded in thread but presumably Aurora does keep massive records on all this stuff that we can collate and put to use for stuff like this without needing to go gank a fresh devil or send Tannin out.
Ettan has a few notable holdings you could attack.
- The Camps. Ettan's hordes train and prepare here. It's a large and well organized camp on the ruins of a former Lifasan city.
- Blackhearth. A crevice in the ground well to the northwest of the camps, where great lava caves are filled with those who have earned Ettan's displeasure as well as Lifasan natives. Pain devils run this place as the innocent are dragged in, never to emerge. '
A few suggestions for Quinn.
- The Broken Cathedral. This is not a cathedral, but a great dumping ground for profaned holy relics and artifacts, the rubble of a thousand shattered churches, the bones of holy warriors and other such goodly things. Devils patrol it and ensure that the unholy rituals within are not disturbed.
- Stone Forest. A forest of petrified trees, where Quinn's defeated foes and various victims hang, their corpses soaking in necromantic energies until they arise as mindless undead. Diabolical necromancy ensures the soul stays within the dead body, trapped within and unable to do anything as their reanimated body commits horrible deeds.
Finally, Mala.
- Rime Tower. A tower of black ice risen amid the inferno of Lifasa by powerful magic. Geluons within practice magic that deals with ice and insects - the latter by adding insectile grafts to captive mortals, turning them into strange creatures - if they survive the procedures.
- Malorium. A library of stolen lore from across Lifasa, curated by a pit fiend archmage. Little is known about it, as security is high.
"We've got some good prospects here," Afina says as they spread out parchment with collated data on each potential target. "I'd lean most towards Blackhearth or Stone Forest personally, but we couldn't go wrong by destroying any of them."
Jaela nods slowly. "I like the Malorium myself," she notes. "I wonder whether Mala can afford to lose it, so she might turn up to defend it in person." Mala is the one that got away, after all! "The appeal of the Blackhearth is that we could roll right on to the camps in a two-for-one sort of deal. Elena, what's the likelihood of the traitors actually being there in person, from our information?"
"It's hard to say," Elena says, "Especially since they're being kept closer to the vest, and probably closer again after we got Willah."
"Got it. Okay, get everyone to grab a bite to eat at the cafeteria in shifts, have them use the arch and make sure Tepen is ready to relay a go to Makaril. I'll roll the dice once it's been done and we're in the courtyard."
Afina nods. "They're all straightforward enough that we could blitz in and do a lot of damage in a small group without needing to do a great deal of preparation. 27 said he and Hanna should come, although that was more when I was thinking about the Harkin and Malphas connection. I'll get them ready regardless so we can move out on your word."
"I'll catch some rest and be there," Jaela agrees.
Okay, plans here? OOCwise.
Everyone is on alert and gets out long duration buffs. I take a nap to recover my spells and what not, and a few hours later I'll show up at the courtyard and the decision will be made via spear!
Afina will summon up her trusty hunting hounds in readiness for this and apply all relevant buffs.
[18:57] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+10 Afina heroes feast
[18:58] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 14 > [d8=4]
[18:58] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+10 Garm heroes feast
[18:58] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 18 > [d8=8]
[18:58] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+10 Fenris heroes feast
[18:58] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 16 > [d8=6]
Afina: 303+14/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25)
AC 92, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/10/8/9/9/8/7/8/7/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7)
AC 43, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7)
AC 43, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +39 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
So the two of you plus Hanna and 21. Anyone else?
Baleruk. But no one is being told IC until the very moment we're going.
Hanna, Baleruk and 27. A chaotic team to be sure, but one that's on your side. The three await Afina (plus her dogs) and Jaela as...
Go ahead and set up.
This is a rare chance to see Jaela with her recently-forged golden spear! It shines even as Jaela studies the Astral just beyond Aurora, having tossed Hanna the matching pair of golden bracers that have brought so much luck to any who traveled with her.
"Elena, have Tepen tell Makaril it's a go," she says, opening the gate to the spot nearest Blackhearth their intelligence provided to them! And happily, Elena should be able to tell their destination through the view past the gate, in case it would help Makaril's planning.
She indicates Afina and her guardians, 27, Hanna and finally Baleruk Then, she is the first one across!
Precast spells are: Spell Turning CL 24, Contingency CL32, Permanency/Greater Blindsight CL32, Permanency/Mantle of Good CL33, Foresight CL25, Moment of Prescience CL23, Lore of the Gods CL28, Invisibility Purge CL28, Fortunate Fate CL15, Mind Blank CL17, Greater Mage Armor CL7, Planar Tolerance CL7, Heroes Feast CL20, Righteous Halo CL28, Vision of the Omniscient Eye CL28, Greater Heroism CL28, Sign CL28.
Afina and her dogs follow Jaela through, taking a moment to look around and get her bearings as she discovers which of the six targets have been selected.
Not to be a killjoy or slow y'all down, but I thought you were going to determine randomly, like a dice roll.
Everything was determined randomly IC!
Okay, will be a few while setting up a spoiler block for those three. Please hold.
Unless she genuinely has better bracers, Hanna gets the following:
[spoiler]Golden Bracers (Hidden Dawn): Ranks are unlocked by using them in battles of the appropriate CR or higher. Multiple ranks can be unlocked in a particular battle if it meets the CR requirements and is particularly epic.
Rank 1: CR 10 or sparring, fire resistance 10, 100ft range.
Rank 2: CR 13, +2 fortitude saves, 125ft range.
Rank 3: CR 15, searing light at will as an SLA, 150ft range.
Rank 4: CR 18, +2 reflex saves, 200ft range.
Rank 5: CR 20, flame strike at will, 300ft range.
Rank 6: CR 21, +2 will saves, 400ft range.
Rank 7: CR 24, +2d6 goldenfire damage on weapon damage rolls, natural attacks and spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor, 700ft range.
Rank 8: CR 27, immunity to fire, 1000ft range.
Rank 9: CR 29, save bonuses increase to +7, 5000ft range.
Rank 10: CR 32, goldenfire damage rises to +4d6, unlimited range as long as on same plane. <-- Current Rank
Rank 11: CR 35, sunburst at will as an SLA.
Rank 12: CR 40, goldenfire damage rises to +6d6, gain goldenfire spell as a bonus feat.
Fire. Fire and ash. Flaming ash falls from the sky like thick, crusty-solid tears. The smell of sulfur is overwhelming, making each breath you take a sickening ordeal. Ahead over the dead, ash-covered ground is a massive crack in the earth, over 200ft long and ranging from 5ft at the ends to 50ft wide in the center. Dark red light comes up from it, casting everything in the color of fresh globs of blood.
Fortitude save, all. Protection from being sickened stops it, as does a fresh air defense ala Moore or Kascha.
[spoiler]
Hanna
HP: 364/364
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
27
HP: 684/684
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Baleruk
HP: 552/552
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Golden Bracers (Hidden Dawn): Ranks are unlocked by using them in battles of the appropriate CR or higher. Multiple ranks can be unlocked in a particular battle if it meets the CR requirements and is particularly epic.
Rank 1: CR 10 or sparring, fire resistance 10, 100ft range.
Rank 2: CR 13, +2 fortitude saves, 125ft range.
Rank 3: CR 15, searing light at will as an SLA, 150ft range.
Rank 4: CR 18, +2 reflex saves, 200ft range.
Rank 5: CR 20, flame strike at will, 300ft range.
Rank 6: CR 21, +2 will saves, 400ft range.
Rank 7: CR 24, +2d6 goldenfire damage on weapon damage rolls, natural attacks and spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor, 700ft range.
Rank 8: CR 27, immunity to fire, 1000ft range.
Rank 9: CR 29, save bonuses increase to +7, 5000ft range.
Rank 10: CR 32, goldenfire damage rises to +4d6, unlimited range as long as on same plane. <-- Current Rank
Immune to it.Jaela takes the surroundings in, having swapped weapons for Gae Bolg as soon as she crossed her portal.
-MV x2 (gauntlets)
-GMW x2 (gauntlets) Gae Dioltas, Gae Trocaire
-Keen Edge x2 (gauntlets) Gae Bolg, Gae Dioltas
Greater heroism cast as we go through the gate, now I think of it.
[20:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=7]
[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+25 Fenrir fort
[20:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=14]
[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+25 Garm fort
[20:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=14]
Also Afina is fire subtyped if that helps her deal with ash and sulphur and the like. Also air subtyped which implies she is her own source of fresh air.
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25)
AC 92, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear
Spell charges: 6/10/10/10/8/9/8/8/7/8/7/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7)
AC 43, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7)
AC 43, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +39 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
Afina's off the hook then. Baleruk immunes.
> roll 1d20+39 Hanna
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+27 27
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=2]
The miasma is horrible, but everyone endures. The great crevice glows steadily. As you stand there, you can hear faraway screams, distant echos of agony. Words too faint to hear, surely cries for mercy ever unanswered.
Baleruk spreads his wings and huffs, "Now they will see my majesty!"
27 takes up the rear, looking down into the chasm.
Hanna has her axe out, "We won't be unnoticed long. Let's smash them."
"No finessing this, we go hard and fast," Afina agrees, hasting everyone before she flies towards the pit, her dogs close behind.
CL 25 haste for all
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28)
AC 93, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/10/9/8/9/8/8/7/8/7/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28)
AC 44, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28)
AC 44, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +39 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
"That's the plan," Jaela agrees, casting Mass Death Ward on all of them before taking the lead!
Spell Turning CL 24, Contingency CL32, Permanency/Greater Blindsight CL32, Permanency/Mantle of Good CL33, Foresight CL25, Moment of Prescience CL23, Lore of the Gods CL28, Invisibility Purge CL28, Fortunate Fate CL15, Mind Blank CL17, Greater Mage Armor CL7, Planar Tolerance CL7, Heroes Feast CL20, Righteous Halo CL28, Vision of the Omniscient Eye CL28, Greater Heroism CL28, Sign CL28, Mass Death Ward CL28, Haste CL25.
-MV x2 (gauntlets)
-GMW x2 (gauntlets) Gae Dioltas, Gae Trocaire
-Keen Edge x2 (gauntlets) Gae Bolg, Gae Dioltas
The party goes up and flies over the pit. Baleruk is higher up, flying ahead with his superior draconic speed. The others follow slower as...below...!!!
Thousands. Thousands being tormented. Chained to the walls, crucified, burning alive, being mutilated....it goes down hundreds of feet, countless little ledges or cages built into the wall where the innocent are tormented. As you fly over the cries suddenly become louder, so many.
Baleruk roars, "MISERABLE WRETCHES, REJOICE! TODAY YOU SHALL BE BLESSED WITH A RAINBOW COMING FORTH OVER YOUR PATHETIC EXCUSES FOR LIVES!"
You all are mind blanked, which protects you against the sheer psychological horror of what you're seeing.
Unfortunately all those prisoners means Afina can't be as indiscriminate as she'd like with her magic. Before doing anything to free them though, she looks for guardians or defences that might get in the way of such actions. Or torturers that just need to die.
Blanketing the area with protections against dimensional travel would make it harder to get these people out, and Jaela decides that she needs to first eliminate all the monsters below. Thankfully, she has a spell that can take out the vile while passing by the righteous....
Same as Afina, although with a focus on where I could do the most damage with a 40ft radius burst.
Okay, cool. Spot checks the both of you. More on reactions to Baleruk and all of this after that.
Taking 10 for 38
[18:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 Afina
[18:41] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=2]
[18:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19 Garm
[18:41] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=4]
[18:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19 Fenrir
[18:41] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=2]
There's lots of clusters. Any spot's as good as another, but you see a few particularly rich clusters you can aim at, full of pain devils plying their abhorrent trade.
The main defenses looks to be scads and scads of pain devils. They seem to all be able to fly, moving about the various torture locations freely. There's also a few erinyes amid them, usually commanding several, and you see orthon guardsmen deeper in, guarding what looks to be passages deeper.
Baleruk's roar has gotten the attention of the hundreds of devils below. It's a moment of surprise, everyone taking it in before starting to react.
While the devils are distracted, it's time to act! Jaela starts going through a spell before she even finishes her quick look around!
"For Lifasa! Die devil scum!" Afina shouts in her adorable little voice as she prepares her own magic!
[20:53] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+17
[20:53] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=7]
[18:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 Afina init
[18:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=9]
[18:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+15 Garm init
[18:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=16]
[18:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+15 Fenrir init
[18:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=13]
Hanna
[20:59] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+12 H
[20:59] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+11 27
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+5 Baleruk
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+9 pit o' devils
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=14]
Init is Afina (39) > Garm (31) > Fenrir (28) > Jaela (24) > Pit o' Devils (23) > Hanna (21) > 27 (13) > Baleruk (12)
Afina opens.
It's always good to make a solid first impression with these things, for all that the initial defenders are likely to be chaff with the meaner stuff waiting in the wings. So rather than doing a timestopped flurry of fireballs, Afina kicks things off by dropping a flaming magmaberg down on a big cluster of pain devils flying around the pit, crushing them down against the lava far below!
fire subbed iceberg spell.
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+29 iceberg sr
[19:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=19]
[19:12] <@Ebiris> roll 20d6
[19:12] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 73 > [d6=5,6,5,4,1,3,5,2,4,2,5,1,4,6,4,2,5,2,5,2]
[19:12] <@Ebiris> roll 10d6
[19:12] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 32 > [d6=4,6,2,3,3,3,5,1,2,3]
Anything within 20 feet of the centre takes the 20d6 and is buried/dropped with no save. Within 20-40 feet gets to make a DC 37 ref for half against the damage and to avoid being buried/dropped. 40-60 feet takes the 10d6 damage with a save for half but doesn't get buried or dropped regardlessIn the wake of that her two hounds rush down to attack some straggler devils too focused on torturing lone prisoners!
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+40 Garm bite
[19:14] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=1]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+40 Fenrir bite
[19:14] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 59 > [d20=19]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+25+10d6
[19:14] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 73 > [d6=4,3,6,4,5,4,5,4,1,4,4,4]
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28)
AC 93, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/10/9/8/9/8/8/7/7/7/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28)
AC 44, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28)
AC 44, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +40 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
Unless if your action depends on Afina's resolution, go ahead and go right away, Jaela. I'll resolve it at once, since line prep tends to take the longest in init for y'all, so more time to get that done is good.
"It is only fitting that the spell developed to avenge Lifasa's despoilers be first used on them!" Jaela announces, taking aim with Gae Bolg at another cluster of pain devils, hoping to catch at least one of their erinyes masters and not worrying about collateral damage in the least. This spell would do nothing to fellow Lifasans. "Stigma!"
Meanwhile, all those with her are invigorated through the power of the Triune!
Stigma hits any devils within a 40ft radius.
[21:33] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+28 SR
[21:33] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 43 > [d20=15]
[21:33] <@Annerose> roll 28d10 Will DC35 half
[21:33] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 149 > [d10=3,3,10,2,7,2,5,5,2,7,2,7,2,5,2,8,4,10,6,2,9,7,8,6,3,8,8,6]
Quickened Recitation on all of us: +2 luck to AC/attack/saving throws; +3 if worshiping the same religion
[spoiler]
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28)
AC 95, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/10/9/8/9/8/8/7/7/7/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
> roll 1d20+16 magmaberg ref
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+15 stimga will
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=9]
A magmaberg appears above the crevice, falling down with a great groan of stone and magma. It crashes down hard, shaking the ground as devils are crushed beneath it. At the same time Jaela calls on the Triune, the nightmare sky above breaking for one moment for a beautiful blue sky to be seen, a single sunray lancing down that explode sinto the Triune's wrath. Devils are obliterated before you, but you have only struck part of the whole.
Many pain devils, pierced bodies glinting in the light from below, race up towards the party. Others stay back and work strange and profane magic, uttering words that chill your bones as...
Fortitude, all.
[20:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+31 Afina
[20:00] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=1]
[20:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 Garm
[20:00] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=13]
[20:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 Fenrir
[20:00] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=14]
[22:01] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+64 J
[22:01] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 72 > [d20=8]
[22:01] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+41 H
[22:01] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 55 > [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+34
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+27
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=15]
A wave of horrid power washes over all of you. It's like a greasy wave that sets your nerves ablaze. For a moment the pain is overwhelming, but it is shaken off with sheer fortitude. Save for Afina, her delicate pixie body succumbing to the agony. Her world becomes pain and nothing but, wings locking up as she begins to fall. Screams tear themselves from her throat as torments pour into her.
She feels the pain of a hot poker sliding into her eye, the sizzling-wet pop as it gives way.
She endures the agony of hammer on bone, the latter shattering as methodical, unceasing blows rain down.
She suffers being pulled in all directions, body slowly tearing like a dishrag fought over by a pair of dogs.
All she can do is scream and fall, her world a miasma of misery as she suffers the torments of those below, echoing in her body like a perverse anthem to Belial.
Afina is helpless and falling from the pain.
Init is Afina (39) > Garm (31) > Fenrir (28) > Jaela (24) > Pit o' Devils (23) > Hanna (21) > 27 (13) > Baleruk (12)
Hanna's up. Go Hanna.
Hanna descends rapidly, matching her course with Afina's fall until she stops just below her!
[13:52] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+36 Hanna CMB AoO
[13:52] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=14]
A mid-air catch later, just as Afina is about to pass her by, and Hanna ensures they have some protection from the rushing devils by making the very skies weep in sorrow above their heads!
[13:54] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+24 SR
[13:54] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=16]
[13:57] <@Annerose> roll 20d6 acid, Ref DC 30 half, -4 to save for evil outsiders
[13:57] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 67 > [d6=6,1,2,4,4,6,3,2,3,1,3,1,5,2,4,5,5,3,1,6]
The cleansing rain washes over Hanna and Afina, expanding in an 80ft radius from them and pouring down strongly enough to get all the way to the surface and start running into the caverns....
The spell runs for 20 rounds, after which Hanna will be hit with the following strength damage:
[13:57] <@Annerose> roll 1d4 str
[13:57] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 4 > [d4=4]
I presume there's nothing Hanna sees via True Seeing that we can't, especially with Jaela's 140ft radius ant-invisibility aura? If Hanna needs a spot check, she'll take ten for 47.
Nothing invisible, no. At least not yet. She can see ghostly images of Afina's torments being inflicted on her, though.
Hanna darts down and grabs the helpless Afina, positioning so she lands in her arms as she invokes the cleansing rain. The skies open up and a sudden downpour falls, a gentle and clean way that washes away devil flesh like crumbs before a sponge. The pain devils howl in agony as they are eaten alive by the acid of the rain, the prisoners merely cleansed by it, some calling out in relief.
27 flies down, "You fight. I''ll help her." Then a flash of green light follows and - !!!
27 is using his 1/day wish SLA to help Afina.
> roll 1d20+32 caster level check for 27's wish
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+32 caster level check for 27's wish --> [ 1d20=14 ]{46}
It stops.
Afina sobs with relief as the agony ends, steaming hot tears leaking down her chin as the pain stops. "Better," 27 says, as meanwhile Baleruk flies above. "DIE WORMS!" The wave of devils approaching are met head on by Baleruk's Fivefold Breath, all the elements coming forth to cut a swathe through them.
> roll 12d8 fire
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 12d8 fire --> [ 12d8=58 ]{58}
> roll 12d8 cold
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 12d8 cold --> [ 12d8=58 ]{58}
> roll 12d8 acid
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 12d8 acid --> [ 12d8=59 ]{59}
> roll 12d8 electricity
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 12d8 electricity --> [ 12d8=55 ]{55}
> roll 12d8 sonic
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 12d8 sonic --> [ 12d8=50 ]{50}
> roll 1d20+16 ref
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+16 ref --> [ 1d20=12 ]{28}
Devils disintegrate in it, the spearhead blunted. More are coming, 100ft down and rising fast from all parts of the crevice. One dies only for another to take their place, not even the elements able to stop this many devils at once.
Afina.
Afina pants and her tears turn into steam that vanishes off her face as she recovers. "Thanks, 27..." she gasps, taking wing out of Hanna's arms with a grateful nod to the angel as well. She may as well be more aggressive if they're capable of taking her down so readily, so she starts moving very fast all of a sudden!
10th level slot for 5 rounds of time stop.
round 1: planar bubble
round 2: searing delayed blast fireball
round 3: searing delayed blast fireball
round 4: searing delayed blast fireball
round 5: searing delayed blast fireballRains evaporate around Afina as she floats a safe distance from Hanna and four titanic explosions blossom at four of the cave entrances devils are rallying from, carefully aimed to avoid the unfortunate captives.
[19:02] <@Ebiris> roll 4#1d20+29 fireball SR
[19:02] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 4#1d20+29 fireball SR --> [ 1d20=18 ]{47}, [ 1d20=14 ]{43}, [ 1d20=5 ]{34}, [ 1d20=12 ]{41}
Auto maximised from the planar bubble, so 4 lots of 150 fire damage, DC 35 ref halfMeanwhile her hounds continue to harry lone devils with their crushing jaws, each of them letting out bone-chilling howls!
Hunters howl, DC 28 or shaken for enemies within 120 feet.
[19:04] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42 garm bite
[19:04] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+42 garm bite --> [ 1d20=11 ]{53}
[19:04] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42 fenrir bite
[19:04] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+42 fenrir bite --> [ 1d20=19 ]{61}
[19:04] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+25+10d6 garm bite
[19:04] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 2d6+25+10d6 garm bite --> [ 2d6=7 10d6=41 ]{73}
[19:04] <@Ebiris> roll 2d6+25+10d6 fenrir bite
[19:04] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 2d6+25+10d6 fenrir bite --> [ 2d6=2 10d6=33 ]{60}
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29)
AC 95, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/10/9/8/9/7/8/3/7/6/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
Pain devils. Yes, in retrospect it should have been obvious. Jaela doesn't stop for recriminations, instead choosing to fix the situation by calling upon Sublime Revelry for all of them after summoning reinforcements! If there was ever a time to unveil Mountainous Fire, going after devil slavers on her homeworld is it!
Standard to summon Mountainous Fire to burn the devils, quickened Sublime Revelry CL29 on all of us including him.
Mountainous Fire appears amidst all the devils pouring out of the ground, and immediately punches at those closest to the prisoners! Then, he calls upon Simmer's magic to scour those within!
[21:15] <@Nonette> roll 1d20+55
[21:15] <@Nonette> roll 1d20+55
[21:15] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 1d20+55 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{65}
[21:15] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 1d20+55 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{75}
[21:15] <@Nonette> roll 1d20+55 crit?
[21:15] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 1d20+55 crit? --> [ 1d20=11 ]{66}
Actually +39 to hit, so results are 49 and crit confirm is 50.
[21:20] <@Nonette> roll 8d6+17+12d6 last is fire
[21:20] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 8d6+17+12d6 last is fire --> [ 8d6=28 12d6=43 ]{88}
[21:20] <@Nonette> roll 8d6+17+12d6 last is fire if normal
[21:20] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 8d6+17+12d6 last is fire if normal --> [ 8d6=27 12d6=49 ]{93}
[21:20] <@Nonette> roll 16d6+34+12d6 last is fire if crit
[21:20] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 16d6+34+12d6 last is fire if crit --> [ 16d6=63 12d6=42 ]{139}
[21:23] <@Nonette> roll 1d20+40 CL
[21:23] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 1d20+40 CL --> [ 1d20=14 ]{54}
[21:27] <@Nonette> roll 20d10+20 15ft radius, Simmer's Contagious Fireburst, Searing/Fiery/Sculpted to avoid innocents Ref DC 34 half
[21:27] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 20d10+20 5ft radius, Simmer's Contagious Fireburst, Searing/Fiery/Sculpted to avoid innocents Ref DC 34 half --> [ 20d10=98 ]{118}
> roll 1d20+16 Afina ref 1
> roll 1d20+16 Afina ref 2
> roll 1d20+16 Afina ref 3
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+16 Afina ref 1 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{35}
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+16 Afina ref 2 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{28}
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+16 Afina ref 3 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{28}
> roll 1d20+16 Afina ref 4
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+16 Afina ref 4 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{26}
> roll 1d20+15 will vs howl
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+15 will vs howl --> [ 1d20=11 ]{26}
> roll 1d20+16 Ref Mountainous Fire
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+16 Ref Mountainous Fire --> [ 1d20=4 ]{20}
Chaos.
Destruction.
Fire.
Mountainous Fire appears as Afina's blasts burst. "Burn," he intones, devils erupting in flames. One after another explodes, chaos spreading. The entire front line, dozens if not hundreds of pain devils, are wiped away in an instant. Erinyes as well, a few coming to join them. The numbers are devastated after, flame and Hanna's rain still falling. The survivors are rallying, falling back, orthons preparing at the doors further in.
From the prisoners the cries of pain stop. Few ar eleft to torment them, and a few even manage to look your way. A few weak cries of relief, joy, salvation.
Devils are shattered and falling back, using SImmer's spell was inspired. Hanna.
Hanna speaks in Celestial, the tide turning in their favor!
Rain continues, and she casts Celestial Valor CL24 on all allied forces!
[21:52] <@Nonette> roll 20d6 acid, Ref DC 30 half, -4 to save for evil outsiders
[21:52] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 20d6 acid, Ref DC 30 half, -4 to save for evil outsiders --> [ 20d6=63 ]{63}
All of you make a LIsten check, please.
20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 Afina listne
[20:06] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+43 Afina listne --> [ 1d20=1 ]{44}
[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19 Garm listen
[20:06] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+19 Garm listen --> [ 1d20=6 ]{25}
[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19 Fenrir listen
[20:06] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+19 Fenrir listen --> [ 1d20=18 ]{37}
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 95, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/10/9/8/9/7/8/3/7/6/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
Mountainous Fire takes 10 for 56, Jaela for 26, Hanna for 47
Hanna, Afina and Mountainous Fire hear a tearing sound in the sky above.
> roll 1d20+16 anything left int he cleansing rain
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=17]
Hanna's rain purifies what few foolish devils remain in it, reducing them to little more than fresh rainwater. At the same time, the sound of a mighty trumpet blares. The din of the prisoners grows to cries of joy as heavenly valor fills the party, momentary outlines of transparent angels surrounding you, protecting you.
27 starts to fly down, quietly adding, "Free them quickly. The enemy is coming. The master below is prepared, a token has been used. They resort to stronger and stronger measures. Hurry, before the worse comes."
Baleruk whirls in the air, looping around. Above you a bloody gash wide as the crevice, if not wider and bigger, splits out of the sky 500ft above. Blood rains from it like it is a torn open wound, a scream echoing. A scream that comes from everywhere, the ground quaking and queasiness echoing through Afina and Jaela. You feel it in your bones, your soul. Lifasa itself screams in pain.
From this gash you see them. A battlefield of hellfire, from where countless skeletal, emaciated devils ride nightmare stallions. They wear plate armor and carry lances and swords. You know these creatures - narzugons, the feared Hellish cavalry. The mind-killers who ride cloaked in the fears of those that see them, that can make hardened warriors quake in terror. Entire battles of the Blood War have been one with merely one such charge of narzugon calvalry.
Init is Afina (39) > Garm (31) > Fenrir (28) > Jaela (24) > Pit o' Devils (23) > Hanna (21) > Narzugon Calvary (18) > 27 (13) > Baleruk (12)
"YOU DARE?!" Baleruk bellows at the devil reinforcements, "I AM BALERUK AND I AM DIVINITY!" He flies up, ascending and roaring, "COME AT ME!"
Afina.
Is there any way Brilliant Aura will hamstring us, short of the enemy summoning golems or undead?
What are the specific dimensions of the planar rift above us?
Jaela: Beyond the noted drawbacks of the weapon property, none that you're psychic enough to guess. Hope Lixer isn't involved?
Afina: The planar rift is a bit bigger and longer than the crevice, matching it and outdoing it a bit. A very quick and dirty look suggests about 20ft on either end, but you could be off here by a fair bit.
Okay, so assuming at maximum the rift is 220 x 70 feet, Afina's prismatic walls are 100 x 50 feet. Unfortunately she can't shape them, but four walls should guarantee complete coverage.Not trusting a simple dimensional anchor spell to seal a rift of that magnitude, Afina does the next best thing by blocking it up! In a fashion that devils could still theoretically pass through but not without significant harm and a good risk of just being ejected to some other random plane instead. She'll give an additional headache for the devils trapped on the other side first though, as she conjures up an enormous drift of ash onto that hellfire-strewn battlefield on the other side of that rift.
Call Avalanche energy substituted to fire, presumably I have line of effect through the planar rift. 250 feet radius, does 48 crushing damage with a DC 33 reflex save to half. Anyone that fails the save and is colossal or smaller in size is buried, requiring a DC 25 strength check to dig themselves out.As her fiery avalanche falls, Afina proceeds to accelerate herself beyond mortal means so that she can follow it with a flurry of additional spells! First she converts most of that ashen drift into a necromantic energy trap so as to slowly kill the devils trapped beneath and sap the strength of any attempting to dig out their comrades, or just hamper any that try to clamber across it to reach the rift. Then she blocks the rift itself with a sequence of powerful abjurations, replacing ashen skies and a grisly view of hell with a brilliantly shimmering rainbow overhead! By the end of it all Afina floats only a few feet from Mountainous Fire's head, sharing her connection with the elemental plane of fire with him.
10th level spell sacced for 5 rounds of time stop
Round 1: Cast fire substituted Blood Snow on the avalanche with spell enhancer as swift. Affects 27 twenty foot squares. Works out to 540 square feet which she'll focus on the most densely populated area of the drift.
[17:26] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 blood snow SR
[17:26] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+31 blood snow SR --> [ 1d20=20 ]{51}
Anyone in contact with it has to make a DC 31 fort save or take 2 points of constitution drain. Also failing a save renders them nauseated for the duration of the spell (27 rounds) even if they make further saves against the con drain.
Rounds 2-5: Cast 4 prismatic wall spells to block off the rift.Garm and Fenrir hold pending further opposition showing up. Mountainous Fire is inside Afina's planar bubble so he can get a free maximise on his spells.
To save on back and forth rolling, anyone challenging the prismatic walls has to challenge their SR against Afina's +25 SR check, and make any saves against DC 33
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 95, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/9/9/7/8/7/8/0/6/5/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
What can she add to Baleruk's colorful cry? What could she cast to bolster Afina's magic? Her goal is not to try and upstage them, but to contribute meaningfully, and so Jaela opts to handle the other part of their rescue mission.
A curt request - just the way he likes them - has Mountainous Fire burn out the metal holding the prisoners restrained while not harming a hair on their heads, while he's ready to deliver fiery justice to any devil foolish enough to make its way over to the people he's fighting to liberate!
Meanwhile, Jaela herself opens a Gate to the Aurora and tells 27, "Go through and order Tepen to have all available officers open reciprocal Gates here for evacuation!" With 27's magic impaired, it would be the best use of his skills in the time it would take him to deliver the message and return. It shouldn't take more than a few moments, either, since she put the entire army on alert prior to departure to avoid giving up who she's taking with her. Once Gates open, she could let her own fade and concentrate on the enemies fully.
Quickened Divine Power on self as swift, Gate to Aurora as standard in the center of the Cleansing Rain so it'd be hard for devils to rush it.
The world slows to Afina as she speeds up, a quick, slashing gesture with her hand and a hissed word of arcane power. Flaming snow and debris fall on the narzugon vanguard, burying them as...
> roll 1d20+28 ref
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+28 ref --> [ 1d20=15 ]{43}
...time seems to come to a stop. In her element, Afina gathers the power of rainbows to her. From her chaotic soul they emerge, coming into reality through the shimmering, tangled strands of the Weave. At the same time blood snow appears on the far side, a massive downpour of it forged from brimstone and hellfire.
> roll 1d20+31 fort
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+31 fort --> [ 1d20=11 ]{42}
Meanwhile Jaela flies down as bonds and chains melt, falling away from prisoners like a summer rain. The gate opens, twisting and blowing air out as 27 prepares to go through.
A spell to melt the metal on them without frying them is entirely reasonable for primal magic to manage. Go ahead and have Hanna act, I'll roll the devils into the narzugon cavalry's actions, since they're not doing a lot immediately threatening. Since you broke them pretty badly there, y'know?
Init is Afina (39) > Garm (31) > Fenrir (28) > Jaela (24) > Pit o' Devils (23) > Hanna (21) > Narzugon Calvary (18) > 27 (13) > Baleruk (12)
Hanna holds. Rescued people are told to go through my gate. Just roll the 20d6 for her rain this turn please for me.
[18:07] <@Ebiris> roll 20d6 for Cor
[18:07] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 20d6 for Cor --> [ 20d6=79 ]{79}
The rains continue to fall. No devils remain within them, no one so foolish as to court them or tough enough to have survived that lone. No, the pain devils have broken, falling back. Prisoners cry out in joy, as some simply sigh in profound relief and lie still. Their bodies slowly crumble to dust, the whisper of a soul passing you by echoing in your ears.
Meanwhile, above the narzugons...
> roll 1d20+24
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+24 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{38}
There is the sound of a battle horn, loud and clear. The prismatic walls shake but hold, rainbow-hued walls cracking but enduring.
27 hurries through the portal, while Baleruk laughs. "Pathetic! You cannot even defeat a moment of my disciple's time. YOU ARE NOT EVEN WORTHY TO DIE AT MY FEET, DEVIL SCUM!"
Baleruk holds. Afina.
"We'll focus on defending this spot until all the victims are safe," Afina says, resisting the lure of exploring tunnels. She summons up some air elementals to help in moving the less mobile prisoners through Jaela's gate.
[18:31] <@Ebiris> roll 2d4 large air elementals
[18:31] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 2d4 large air elementals --> [ 2d4=3 ]{3}
Elemental Swarm sla
The three elementals appear and along with her hunting hounds proceed to start carrying prisoners who can't manage the trip themselves through the gate.
Cool. Jaela, I'll resolve you two at once.
Jaela's armor fades away in favor of her robes, and healing radiates from her in a massive wave!
Quickened Miracle of Life, so that all those on the brink of death survive to be evacuated!
[20:48] <@Nonette> roll 1d4+5
[20:48] <Rei-chan> Nonette rolled : 1d4+5 --> [ 1d4=2 ]{7}
Mountainous Fire holds. Hanna holds.
Healing spreads as more portals begin to open, as meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+24
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+24 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{35}
The battle horn continues to sound, the prismatic walls cracking further. Whatever they're doing, it's working. Baleruk stays well above, flying about and waiting for them.
No sign from the devils below yet, at least.
Afina. Any support portals will take a few rounds most likely, as Aurora wans't fully scrambled for this.
Afina elects to bide her time for the moment as her helpers do what they can to more quickly evacuate the prisoners. She keeps her attention fixed on her cracking rainbow, trying to figure out what means the devils are using to breach it.
Taking 10 for 55 on spellcraft, are they breaching colours one by one or is this some sort of all or nothing effect that's close to paying off? Either way readied action to time-stop and do stuff if the walls fall.
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 95, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/9/9/7/8/7/8/0/6/5/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
It's the latter. Some sort of infernal power, that's drawing on direct hellish energy to erode the magic. That's the sort of thing that's an epic magic item or even a minor artifact, so however they're doing it, they're well prepared for this.
Cool, readied action stands.
Jaela continues enabling the evacuation of her countrymen!
And a quickened Shield of Warding. Hanna and Mountainous Fire ready an action to explode devils from a distance if Afina's walls are breached!
Do me a favor and give me Listen checks again.
[19:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+43 Afina listen
[19:34] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+43 Afina listen --> [ 1d20=20 ]{63}
[19:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19 Garm listen
[19:34] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+19 Garm listen --> [ 1d20=9 ]{28}
[19:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19 Fenrir listen
[19:34] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+19 Fenrir listen --> [ 1d20=1 ]{20}
Mountainous Fire takes 10 for 56, Jaela for 26, Hanna for 47
Noted on the Listen checks, no immediate result for y'all.
The horn is heard again as prisoners flee. What few can, as the vast majority are not free from the bonds of gravity.
As that happens, the sound of the horn blasts across the battlefield.
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 35 > [d20=11]
More cracks. With a great, grinding crunch, the walls crumbling into a gorgeous glow of rainbow magic, like a broke stained glass window.
Go Afina.
Okay, so assuming at maximum the rift is 220 x 70 feet, Afina's prismatic walls are 100 x 50 feet. Same math as before, 4 walls will cover it.As soon as the current set of walls breaks, Afina freezes time and replaces them with four more. What could be more demoralising?
9th level slot for 4 rounds of time stop, 4 prismatic walls castAfter she's replenished the walls in an instant, she summons forth a gigantic celestial bird to help with ferrying prisoners from their cells to Jaela's gate. "That's bought us maybe half a minute, we need to hurry here," she says to her companions.
[17:46] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 celestial rocs with SMX
[17:46] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 1 > [d3=1]
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 95, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/10/9/9/7/8/7/8/0/2/4/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
Let me hold you all one sec, pending Iddy's topic since he's going to be part of the help there. Cor's away anyway right now, so no big.
Mountainous Fire gestures at the distant devils, and blinding fire erupts all over them!
Heightened Empowered Searing Fiery Fire Storm with a free Maximize via Afina~
200 fire damage, bypasses resistance and immunity halves, Ref DC 34
[21:02] <@Rin> roll 1d20+40 CL
[21:02] <Serith> Rin roll for Serith < 58 > [d20=18]
Hanna adds her own Fire Storm into the mix, able to reach across the distance with Afina's aid!
Consecrated Fire Storm, free Maximize and Enlarge from Afina.
60 fire damage and 60 holy damage, Ref DC 27
[21:05] <@Rin> roll 1d20+24 CL
[21:06] <Serith> Rin roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+28 ref
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+28 ref vs Hanna's
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=8]
Flames erupt as Afina erects her barriers, scorching the narzugons as....
One sec more to resolve other rooms, this shouldn't be more than 30-60 minutes.
As Hell's forces are held at bay, portals open wide. Familiar faces come through - 27 first. "We're coming!" he shouts.
Nod evils can immediately attack you right now, so a temporary free action.
"Devils are pacified, so help everyone make their way to the portals!" Jaela orders, and Hanna summons two massive air elementals to help out with the evacuation before joining them herself!
[22:01] <@Rin> roll 1d4+1 greater elementals
[22:01] <Serith> Rin roll for Serith < 2 > [d4=1]
Jaela may need to concentrate, but she can certainly fly over to freed people and have them latch on to her as she ferries them to an opened Gate.
Afina's bigger and stronger flying minions do more than she could when it comes to ferrying the prisoners from their ledges and cages to the portals, though Afina reserves her magic for further trouble.
Prisoners are moved as Surraruthru comes through the portals. He points at Jaela and says, "Jaela, reinforcements are here. This is Surraruthru with Kascha and Simmer. We're moving to rescue prisoners, inform us if you need use elsewhere."
"All enemy forces are subdued," Jaela responds. "The prisoners have been freed and revitalized. Open as many Gates to the Aurora as can be managed and help the prisoners over. Those capable of independent flight have already left. Sufficiently large air elemental summons should work best."
In response, Surraruthru begins casting spells!
Summon Monster IX, CL 26
Used to summon 1d4+1 Huge Air Elemental from SM7.
> roll 1d4+1
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 4 > [d4=3]
As soon as they appear, Surraruthru instructs them to begin ferrying people through the various portals, while looking around for any tricks or traps left by the devils.
Note that detect magic is running.
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+24
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=15]
Fortune is with the party. The prismatic walls begin to crack much slower this time, giving you vital time that's needed. With superhuman speed, magic and work, you evacuate approximately 60% of them. However, you're running out of time. The walls are getting close to cracking again, while the ground shakes. It quivers anew, another echo going through all the natives of Lifasa.
Lifasa is screaming in agony. It is calling to its children.
"I can replace the walls one more time," Afina calls to Jaela. "We have to be prepared to leave after that." She wishes she could quell those screams, that she could end the devil presence on her world at a stroke, but she can't. Not today. All she can is bring a few more of Lifasa's children to a place of safety and healing in readiness for the day they do take their world back.
Surraruthru inspects the prismatic walls, looking for a way to reinforce them and help Afina... Maybe something with a Time Stop threaded into the wall to slow the break-down of the spell? Or maybe threading reaving dispels through the walls to cannibalize the magical power of the incoming spells to strengthen the walls?
Surraruthru begins running magical formulas through his mind, hoping to figure out a way to make it work...
"Let me try something, first," Jaela says curtly, and then time speeds up around her!
It is unfortunate that her Gate will fade away a few seconds later, but plenty have sprung open and hers had done its job. She shoots up and keeps on going, traveling a truly ridiculous distance up before appearing, winded but not defeated to cast her spell of dimensional interdiction! It was designed to keep enemies from escaping her grasp, but should do just fine here, for this.
Boots-based Time Stop for 2 rounds, the run action at base speed 170ft for those two rounds and then a move action further still bring me 1530ft away. I then cast my Teleport Block spell with a radius of 1540ft that covers the entire rift in the sky and reaches all the way back to my original position (which was flying and ferrying people to my Gate). It should leave the other Gates untouched.
Surru, Spellcraft.
> roll 1d20+37 Spellcraft
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=9]
I'm sorry, that was meant to be K:A, I had a brainfart. What's the total with your K:A mod instead?
Mod is +41 so 50.
Two problems: Time Stop is inner focused, so you can't simply shift it into another spell.
Putting reaving dispels in the walls wouldn't help much, either, unfortunately. At worst it would speed up the collapse of the walls, but most likely the wall would simply block it.
"I can't think of a way to strengthen your walls at the moment.. Maybe simply channeling raw arcane power into it? Hmm..."
Jaela freezes time and flies forward. When it resumes...
Basically casting it and waiting for the walls to come down again so it affects it?
Basically. If it doesn't work Afina can put fresh walls.
Opposed caster level check time. Make yours first.
[20:01] <@Rin> roll 1d20+29
[20:01] <Serith> Rin roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+22
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=1]
There is a tremendous CRACK that echos horizon to horizon. The sky itself cracks as the bleeding portal vanishes, a dully glowing white scar in the air. Droplets of blood bead on it but don't fall, slowly turning the white light blood red.
That worked out superbly for you all. Act again.
"Get them out!" Jaela calls down. "All of them!"
As tempting as the tunnels are, Afina remains on station here until they've successfully evacuated all the visible prisoners. They can more easily scour the tunnels as a group when they don't have to worry about defending everyone up here.
> roll 1d100+50
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 112 > [d100=62]
With speed and all the means Aurora has at her disposal, the refugees are evacuated. As they are, 27 comes up to Afina and Jaela. "Something powerful is gathering below. It will not be an easy battle if you go," he warns, "Jaela's block will not last forever and you may find yourselves sandwiched. If you go below, choose and organize a strong party now."
"Surraruthru, Simmer, Baleruk, Hanna, and 27. With me!" Afina calls to gather a strike team for the assault. "The rest of you guard our rear." Then more quietly, "Do you know which route will take us there faster?" she asks 27.
Her dogs come as well, naturally. And she casts shield because why not.
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24), shield (CL 25)
AC 99, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 6/9/9/9/7/8/7/8/0/2/4/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
"Go," Jaela agrees, descending to her original position now that the gates have all closed and she is no longer getting in the way of the evacuation. "I have your back."
I'll drop down 1400ft roughly to my previous position, my range should still cover the scar by 50ft at least.
Right, I'm gonna split Moore into his own room. I'll do that then get you three moving.
Also, one problem with the plan. Baleruk is a big ass dragon, the tunnels aren't that wide on a glance. I should have pointed that out first post.
Didn't he transform into a guy while traveling with me that one time? Anyway, he's a dragon.
Can you recall where? I don't see it on his sheet offhand.
No. Maybe I'm wrong and he fails at the thing all dragons do.
We'll have to leave Baleruk then. What about 27 and the dogs, they're large. Can they fit?
Not all dragons get shape changing. A lot do or get it by a feat, but Baleruk's non standard. He also gets DvR0 and the abomination subtype with all that gives him. I'm trying to remember if it's something that just got lost in sheet shuffle. Wouldn't be the first time in a game this long somethin gets lost accidentally.
> roll 1d2
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 1 > [d2=1]
Okay, I'll say he has it and it's just sheet shuffle then, pending a review later for time purposes. Okay, marching order then and I'll start getting you all moving.
The tunnels are large enough for 27 and the dogs, barely. I'll have more info on them in my next IC post.
Lets go with a marching order of: Afina, Hanna, Surraruthru, Simmer, 27, Garm, Fenrir, Baleruk.
You find the orthons have retreated by the time you get down there, long gone into the deeper halls and not defending this point for whatever reason. There are several entrances, over a dozen. They all are burrows, about 10ft tall and perhaps 10ft wide. They are pitch black, none of the red glow penetrating deeper. This darkness rejects your darkvision, remaining opaque and hinting at magical means of darkness.
"Hanna, do you have any light spells we can use here?" Afina asks.
"Nothing beyond a continual flame or asking for Gwynharwyf's intervention," Hanna replies.
"Anyone else?"
Surraruthru has Daylight, helpfully enough.
Okay, unless anyone else is going to cast, I'll let Surru do that and sort it out after work.
"I've got it covered. I wish I had time to reweave my tapestry, but it is what it is."
Surraruthru pulls on his innate magical powers and lights the tunnels up with Daylight.
Caster level check.
> roll 1d20+25 CL
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=3]
Also, what precisely are you casting Daylight on?
Any stone or anything at hand. Push comes to shove, the haversack I'm wearing.
Surraruthru grabs a loose stone. The Daylight spell radiates from it, light turning the darkness into a dim gloom you can see through. You can also note, to some displeasure, all of the tunnels are identical on a glance, with no discerning marks or signs of where they're going. Within 40ft, they slope up, slope down, turn or otherwise go out of sight.
"Well, which way first? Anyone mind marking the path? Also if you're willing to wait a few minutes, I can weave you all into my Tapestry. I still have spells to cast that will be useful to have."
"I'm not sure we have that sort of time to wait, Surraruthru," Afina says. "They're gathering in power below and Jaela won't be able to hold off reinforcements forever. 27, do you know which way is best for us to go?"
27 peers about. "Afina. Surraruthru. Baleruk. That way," He points at one tunnel, then another, "Jaela. Hanna. Myself. Hurry."
Hopefully there's not too many branching paths to take after they're denied 27's input. "This way, come on!" she calls, flying for the indicated tunnel.
He never mentioned Simmer by the way, I guess she can go with Jaela since my team includes the dogs?
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24), shield (CL 25)
AC 99, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 5/9/9/9/7/8/7/8/0/2/4/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
My original understanding was that I should stay behind to keep the rift from reopening due to the blocking spell being a radius from me (an aura, you could say). Does 27 think I don't need to be present to keep it closed, and should go into the tunnels?
That's a fair point. Let me revise.
27 peers about. "Afina. Surraruthru. Baleruk. That way," He points at one tunnel, then another, "Hanna. Simmer. Hurry. Jaela stays here, she's blocking everything important for as long as it can be blocked."
Surraruthru picks up another pair of stones and casts Daylight on them; one for the other group and one for Jaela.
> roll 1d20+25 CL
> roll 1d20+25 CL
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=9]
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=15]
"Got it," Afina says. "Garm, go with 27's group. Follow their orders," she splits off her hounds to give some canine firepower to both sides as she flies for her designated tunnel.
Afina: 303+20/303, glaciante's spiteful ward (CL 27 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 25), moment of prescience (CL 25), greater heroism (CL 25), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), planar bubble (CL 25), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24), shield (CL 25)
AC 99, spell resistance 40, blindsense 30, immunity to fire, water, earth, cold, disease, poison, fear, 50% miss chance, freedom of movement
Spell charges: 5/9/9/9/7/8/7/8/0/2/4/2
Fenrir: 370+16/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Garm: 370+18/370, heroes feast (CL 20), greater mage armour (CL 7), mind blank (CL 17), fortunate fate (CL 15), planar tolerance (CL 7), haste (CL 25), death ward (CL 28), recitation (CL 28), sublime revelry (CL 29), celestial valor (CL 24)
AC 46, spell resistance 25, freedom of movement, immunity to electricity, exhaustion, mind affecting, fatigue, fear, poison
Attack: +42 (2d6+25) +10d6 skirmish, dimensional anchor
Since it wasn't perfectly clear, 27's aiming to stay with Jaela. Does that affect it?
Yes it does.
"Fenrir, Garm, you two go with Hanna and Simmer, keep them safe," Afina orders, delegating her mighty sylvan hunting hounds to the job of reinforcing the smaller group.
Okay, Afina and Surraruthru are going into a new topic real quick, then another post in this one to get Jaela going. Please hold.
It is strangely silent now. No more cries of torture or the din of battle. It is only a slow, simmering silence as you hold your position. 27 stays close to you, eyes sweeping around.
If you wanna do anything feasible while holding position, do so, Jaela. Otherwise I'll move you along as reasonable.
"Would it help or hurt if I arranged for a fresh fire for the devils to put out nearby?" Jaela asks 27, also deciding to bolster her spellcasting ability while she's at it.
Bead of Karma~
"They're coming, in a way you can't stop," 27 warns. "It doesn't matter, be ready instead."
27 slowly looks around, "You're the one who can win as the rearguard."
"I figured as much, but I can hold for quite a while," Jaela responds. "More specifically, do we use this chance and have Mountainous Fire destroy Ettan's Camps? I figure twenty minutes, half an hour tops, and he could reach them. The devils shouldn't have anyone that can stop someone as awesome as him, not while dealing with our allies and with us at the same time."
And since it appears time is extremely limited, Jaela decides to have a snack after using Prestidigitation to clean herself up.
Vanilla Angel Food Cake!
Refresh me on what that does?
"Send him," 27 suggests, "There is little benefit to keeping him here, this battle will not concern him."
A bunch of heals that don't concern me and a +1 CL that does!
"It's like you heard, Mountainous Fire," Jaela addresses her ally. "Some twenty minutes of brisk walking or jogging that-a-way is a camp where these shitty devils are training more losers like those the defended this place. Ettan's defiling a Lifasan city and I need you to burn everything and everyone there to the ground. You can leave home afterwards, no need to return here."
The elemental goes to do so, feet burning the ground as he hurries off. "Be ready, you have a little more time yet."
Give me up to 10 rounds of action and preparing. Note you may note get all this much time, so order actions appropriately.
Okay. Pre-existing spells:
Spell Turning CL 24, Contingency CL32, Permanency/Greater Blindsight CL32, Permanency/Mantle of Good CL33, Foresight CL25, Moment of Prescience CL23, Lore of the Gods CL28, Invisibility Purge CL28, Fortunate Fate CL15, Mind Blank CL17, Greater Mage Armor CL7, Planar Tolerance CL7, Heroes Feast CL20, Righteous Halo CL28, Vision of the Omniscient Eye CL28, Greater Heroism CL28, Good Hope CL28, Mass Death Ward CL28, Sublime Revelry CL29, Divine Power CL25, Jaela's DDoS CL29.
New spells: Sign + Bolt of Glory channeled into Gae Bolg, Shield of Warding CL34, Conviction CL34, Crown of Flame CL33, Freedom of Movement CL23
Since you have shenanigans, quicken and the like, is that over 5 rounds or faster?
5 rounds, since I don't have a strong need of any of these spells.
> roll 1d10 some luck here
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d10 some luck here --> [ 1d10=10 ]{10}
You get all the spells up and have a bit of time to spare before a shadow begins to fall over the crevice.
Well then. Recitation and Divine Power make their return as Jaela looks up!
Recitation covers the two of us, Divine Power is swift and only on me.
The figure in the sky stands on a chariot pulled by four burning nightmares. A pit fiend, clad in fire-charred steel plate armor, most of his scaly red hide covered in metal. He carries no visible weapon, though a large shield is kept at the ready. His armor has a design on it, some sort of writing, but it is hidden by the fire-charring. His shield has an upthrust sword burning with green fire on the front, undamaged.
Flying behind him is a slender, beautiful and feminine pit fiend. No, not a pit fiend. A paeliryon, clad in nothing but green war paint that crackles with flames. Her body is too easy to look at, alluring, demanding.
They are 200ft above you and 50ft away, descending in your direction.
"Your resistance ends here," The pit fiend calls, a loud and powerful voice. It carries through the silence like a blast of thunder, "I am Inquisitor Thalez. Surrender or face judgment for your heresy, celestial!"
"We both know that's not going to happen. You've forfeited your lives when you came out here to face me~" Jaela responds in a playful tone of voice, not appearing to take the opposition seriously. "Want to beg for your lives? I might be in a forgiving mood!"
"Oh, this one has spirit," The paeliryon advances, body hellfire red and pulsing with the green flames of her body paint. "Mmm, the last one who had spirit took longer to break. A joy for the pain devils as they had to resort all sorts of punishment to purge the heresy out." She smiles and beckons you closer, "I'll break you until you crave the lash and confessing your sins more than a lover, Jaela."
Jaela just laughs, in no hurry to approach them. She would be doing a poor job guarding the paths for the others, after all. "Isn't it a nice contrast, how you know my name but had to introduce yourselves to me? By all means, posture while you still can, you poor deluded things."
"Enough talk!" The pit fiend bellows, "Capture and burn the heretic!"
That as enough to start init, so roll 'em.
[20:36] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+17
[20:36] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+17 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{32}
> roll 1d20+14 pit fiend
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+14 pit fiend --> [ 1d20=18 ]{32}
> roll 1d20+18 paeliryon
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+18 paeliryon --> [ 1d20=7 ]{25}
> roll 1d20+11
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+11 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{14}
Nightmares act under the pit fiend's init.
Init is Jaela = Pit Fiend (32) > Paeliryon (25) > 27 (14)
Open Jaela.
Jaela adopts her signature stance inviting retaliation, while she and 27 are bolstered with sufficient might to take the pit fiends down!
Celestial Valor CL34 on the two of us, quickened Brilliant Aura CL33 on the two of us. Gambit with Gae Bolg.
Spells Active: Spell Turning CL 24, Contingency CL32, Permanency/Greater Blindsight CL32, Permanency/Mantle of Good CL33, Foresight CL25, Moment of Prescience CL23, Lore of the Gods CL28, Invisibility Purge CL28, Fortunate Fate CL15, Mind Blank CL17, Greater Mage Armor CL7, Planar Tolerance CL7, Heroes Feast CL20, Righteous Halo CL28, Vision of the Omniscient Eye CL28, Greater Heroism CL28, Good Hope CL28, Mass Death Ward CL28, Sublime Revelry CL29, Divine Power CL25, Jaela's DDoS CL29, Shield of Warding CL34, Conviction CL34, Crown of Flame CL33, Freedom of Movement CL23, Celestial Valor CL34, Brilliant Aura CL33.
The pit fiend looks unimpressed and merely waits a moment. It only takes a moment for a spell to gather in the paeliryon's finely manicured claws, strange bands of purple and black light gathering into a sphere there. You begin to feel weak, dizzy.
It's a spell that will attack you indirectly. Damage the air around you with negative energy, causing an explosion when it reacts to the ambient positive energy. Going to counter?
[21:17] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+35 countering
[21:17] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+35 countering --> [ 1d20=7 ]{42}
Your counter-spell flies true, the weave of magic in the paeliryon's hands inverting on itself. It shrinks and vanishes with a pop of displaced air, enough to make the pit fiend growl.
"Fine," he says, staying where he is and gesturing at you. A lance of fire appears at his side, then another and another and another yet. Four of them in total, all of them flying right towards you.
Countering is once per round due to using an immediate, isn't it?
Yes, he can shoot me with fire with impunity. I'm immune to it.
In fairness, I should note your K:P, K:A and general devil knowledge knows hellfire when it sees it. Aka goes right through immunity and resistance.
It's okay, presumably he needs to hit my AC and miss chance or I need to roll a ref save?
> roll 1d20+44 touch AC 1
> roll 1d20+44 touch AC 2
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+44 touch AC 1 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{49}
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+44 touch AC 2 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{46}
> roll 1d20+44 touch AC 3
> roll 1d20+44 touch AC 4
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+44 touch AC 3 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{48}
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+44 touch AC 4 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{56}
Touch AC?
67
A single sweep of your spear parries all four lances of hellfire, snuffed out like a candle dunked into water. Both devils pull back, eyes on you as you stay untouched from their sorcery.
Unfortunately for them, 27 does not stay still. He flies on the air, just making it to 80ft below them. Reality around him ripples, twists. It's wrong and right at the same time, everything changing wildly and engulfing the two devils and the nightmares.
> roll 32d6
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 32d6 --> [ 32d6=120 ]{120}
> roll 1d20+38 pit fiend fort
<Rei-chan> Space_Cat rolled : 1d20+38 pit fiend fort --> [ 1d20=16 ]{54}
Paeliryon is immune.
The twisting space turns the cries of the devils into writhing maggots that become rays of sunshine onto to slowly become letters of Infernal describing their pain most exquisitely. Yet both of them seem to endure, twisted but not down, as...
Go. You're up since the Inquisitor held.
Jaela shoots straight up, unable to resist the invitation for much longer! Rather than the usual direct assault she's known for, however, Jaela stops abruptly when a hundred feet away from the devils and grants them the honor of witnessing her newest spell! While at its epicenter, of course.
Jaela summons Terror Fog with the devils at the center, it spreads in a 100ft radius and is 100ft high. She will remain at the very edge of it upon casting, the 100ft away mentioned earlier. Jaela's dimensional travel block is still up, making life needlessly difficult for the devils. Jaela threatens everyone in the fog and is considered flanking them.
[22:18] <@Annerose> Are the Nightmares immune as well?
[22:19] <@Annerose> Maybe 27 will get them and we'll get a nice chariot
> roll 1d20+13 nightmarers, dur
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=6]
The nightmares are consumed, crumbling in the chaos and leaving behind the chariot, which plunges to the ground and crashes loudly. Not that they have time to deal with that, as you position. You are everywhere in the fog, senses extending as you see the paeliryon begin to gesture.
Provokes an AoO. You can also try to counterspell if you miss or if she makes the Concentration check after damage.
Jaela takes poorly to gesturing within her fog!
[10:38] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+69 AoO
[10:38] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 80 > [d20=11]
Forgot flanking, so should be 82.
[10:46] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire, 1 negative level, silver+good+anarchic+epic
[10:46] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 111 > [d8=2,5][d6=3,2,6,2,1,1,1,4,2,6,2,2,4,2,6]
[10:47] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+33 CL
[10:47] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=7]
[10:47] <@Annerose> roll 15d12 channeled bolt of glory
[10:47] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 81 > [d12=4,7,6,2,9,5,10,1,1,3,6,3,12,7,5]
If she saves vs all this I'm counterspelling her.
Not rolling Concentration, she can't make the DC.
You stab forward, your spear everywhere - including the back of the paeliryon. She gasps as you impale her, spear tip sticking out of her upper stomach before it vanishes, your moment of flanking done. She bleeds from both ends of the new hole she has, holding her middle with one arm. "This sorcery!" she manages to gasp out, as the pit fiend simply hovers in the air as his chariot crashes to the ground. Energy begins to gather around him, a pale night-black nimbus all around him.
Does not provoke an AoO.
27 will hold for the moment and play intercept if any of them have a way out of the fog or a new trick. Go Jaela.
She could take her time and draw this out, but instead Jaela decides to see how far she can take things with her current preparation! It wouldn't be a proper test of her new spell if she stacked the deck too much-- she stops, giddy as she is at the prospects, and reminds herself of just where she is.
Properly focused, Jaela stabs at the pit fiend as Gae Bolg passes through his armor as if it weren't even there!
[18:55] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+65
[18:55] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+65 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{78}
[18:55] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+65
[18:55] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+65 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{75}
[18:55] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+60
[18:55] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+60 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{64}
[18:55] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+55
[18:55] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+55 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{66}
[18:55] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+50
[18:55] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+50 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{63}
Brilliant Aura ignores his armor and shield. If he happens to die from one of the attacks, the rest are diverted to his body-painted friend.
[18:56] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=13 11d6=44 4d6=12 ]{129}
[18:56] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=11 11d6=44 4d6=17 ]{132}
[18:56] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=12 11d6=26 4d6=15 ]{113}
[18:56] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=5 11d6=41 4d6=19 ]{125}
[18:56] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=6 11d6=39 4d6=14 ]{119}
EDIT: Taking 10 on K:A for 60 to tell me what he's doing. Will use my swift action after resolution.
Init is Jaela (32) > Paeliryon (25) > 27 (14)
The pit fiend was gathering up power, but boy that just became irrelevant since he got a case of the deads.
Your spear is there. The pit fiend is impaled five times in a second, ghostly afterimages of your spear sticking out of his now blood-gushing wounds. He staggers forward, "Impo-" and can't even finish it. His body turns to solid stone and then erupts, sizzling lava splashing all around.
Swift?
"Are you sure you won't surrender?" Jaela's voice asks from everywhere inside the fog. "If you are taken prisoner and spill all you know about your superiors, you'll get to live in shame."
Quickened Divine Favor.
"Fuck you!" The devil snarls, defending herself.
Defending herself and holding. 27's in the same holding pattern. Go.
"No thank you," Jaela politely takes the bait, stabbing her!
[19:29] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+65
[19:29] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+65 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{76}
[19:29] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+65
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+65 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{81}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+60
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+60 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{64}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+55
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+55 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{72}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+50
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+50 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{61}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=11 11d6=29 4d6=12 ]{112}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=9 11d6=37 4d6=16 ]{122}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=13 11d6=39 4d6=17 ]{129}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=7 11d6=33 4d6=19 ]{119}
[19:30] <@Annerose> roll 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level
[19:30] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 2d8+60+11d6+4d6 last is goldenfire and 1 negative level --> [ 2d8=11 11d6=45 4d6=10 ]{126}
I forgot +3 damage to each attack, so please add that if relevant. If she survives this, I'll cast a quickened True Strike after.
Again, again and again. Three stabs into her back, the third going through the devil's heart. She crumbles to sulfuric gasses, leaving nothing behind save for memories and hate.
Free act.
As any belongings would be slowed by the solid fog, Jaela decides to use the time to take a look and put it away before fresh enemies arrive or 27 alerts her to a new threat!
I'll do a quick glance with Detect Evil, if something's not evil I'll put it away in a bag of holding. If something is evil, describe it please and I'll deal with it.
There's the pit fiend's armor, but that's as evil as you'd expect a pit fiend's armor to be. Namely, extremely evil.
The pit fiend also dropped a ring, which does not radiate evil.
The pit fiend dropped another ring, which does not radiate evil.
The pit fiend dropped an unholy symbol of Bel. It radiates evil.
The pit fiend's chariot is on the ground and you can't detect evil from it or not from here.
Jaela sunders the unholy symbol, pocketing the pair of rings before focusing on the armor. Since she doesn't have any immediate enemies to fight, she might as well discern its make.
Will take the time to spellcraft it, Divine Insight and taking 10 for Spellcraft 67
27 flies down as you examine the ring. "I have a bad feeling," 27 says, "The air tastes like disaster."
The armor is full plate+5. Grants an extra +2 profane bonus to armor class and saving throws.
Jaela decides to stow the armor away for now, leaving the fog up ahead to cover them. It should last for three more minutes, and while she can see through it the fog should provide a sufficient deterrent to most others.
Landing by the chariot, she asks 27, "What do you propose? We're buying time for our friends in the tunnels."
Divine Insight recast.
27 squirms and looks up to you. "The vision is blocked by winds. Howling winds, the Man of the Winds. I don't know why or how, or how he has this ability. He hears more than he acts. I believe he saw Muirfinn's fate coming. Muirfinn-dying-in-void. The winds tell him such secrets. I don't know why he's helping Hell, or if he's being forced into it, or if it's not even that and misdirection."
Jaela is silent for a few moments, before the Goldenfire spear replaces Gae Bolg in her hand. "Is this better?" she asks 27.
Paste me the info on the spear. What I wrote, preferably.
Goldenfire Spear
[spoiler]
Goldenfire Spear (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101784.msg1085180.html#msg1085180)
This spear is made of one of the first embers of goldenfire. It hails from the beginnings of Creation and has the ability to break the bonds of destiny through the limitless potential of youth.
In the hands of a non-good wielder, the spear deals 30d12 points of damage to wielder each round it is held. This damage is only taken if the spear is held willingly, any creature who has it forced on them does not take it if they choose to immediately drop it. The ability to break destiny is a heavy one and can only be taken by the willing, which allows this chance to escape the damage. Choosing not to drop the spear is interpreted as choosing to wield it and the damage then applies.
In the hands of a good aligned wielder, this spear is a +7 spear that deals an additional 3d12 points of goldenfire damage each hit. The wielder acts outside of fate and destiny, they are immune to divinations (with the exception of detect good, which always reveals an overwhelming aura of good). Luck and insight bonuses to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls and DCs do not apply against attacks on the wielder, while the same bonuses to armor class and saving throws do not apply against attacks the wielder makes. Additional abilities that explicitly manipulate destiny or use it as a tool also fail (the DM's discretion is used to determine abilities that qualify for this).
The Goldenfire Spear is a major artifact.
Thanks.
27 is still for a short time. Stone still, completely unmoving.
"No. It makes you invisible, but it doesn't stop the winds. Two barriers, rather than a barrier and an intersecting force. It is blocking them, but I can't see it blocking them." 27 begins to pace in circles, faster and faster.
At least it should prevent the devils from scrying on her and getting an exact fix on her location. That's something, Jaela muses. "What's your suggestion?" she asks 27. "Abandoning this post and rushing down to get the others out? You told them they should split up, so how do we do that?"
She eyes the sky past her spreading fog. "I feel I could hold against anything short of divinity for a few more minutes. Will Afina and Mom be done by then?"
27 is silent. "I'm sorry," he finally says, "My vision isn't perfect, someone's conspiring or got lucky. I don't know. Let me go after Hanna, the other group is stronger."
"What about Mountainous Fire? Our diversion? Or the locals staging their own attack?"
"They're going," 27 says, "Patience and trust them. I'm worried about here, not there."
"Unless you see certain ruin for Mom's group, stay here," Jaela decides. "I'll send you to get to them on the double with orders to escape if we actually run into an enemy I can't hold back before they're done freeing those kept prisoner below."
Let's study the chariot while we have a few moments to catch our breath!
As you go down...
'Jaela, Lifasa retreated to Elysium. Meet there. Vision of Bel leading attack on Aurora. Be advised. Repeat, vision of Bel attacking Aurora. Please be careful.' Tepen's voice.
'Understood,' Jaela responds. 'Alert Afina and Hanna, their teams split up on 27's suggestion. Have Hanna retreat to Elysium once her objective is secured or if threatened.'
Not going down! Studying the chariot~
The chariot is strong and enchanted to fly, but not otherwise magical. Good stuff all in all, but not like super fancy.
"Would've been nice to have it for the evacuation," Jaela muses, hoping she'll get to keep it when they're done.
As you stand there, pondering that?
'Jaela, update. It is possible Bel is coming to your location. Aid party sent and incoming.' This time it's Sage Vul'lath's voice.
What could possibly help her against Bel? Are they sending Sehanine Moonbow?
'Unfortunate,' she responds dryly, hoping that Vul'lath would appreciate it. 'Were Hanna and Afina alerted? Will send 27 after Hanna if overwhelming opposition appears. Hanna is to evacuate at once if that happens.'
No immediate reply.
That change anything you're doing?
No, I'm not second-guessing myself.
You wait and Lifasa screams.
There is no other word for it. Everything quakes as liquid agony burns through your mind, dropping you to your knees and unable to think. Several seconds of it, leaving you reeling from it. You're aware 27's at your side as the pain clears slowly, like awakening from a deep sleep.
"Did it get you, too?" Jaela groans, using her spear to stabilize her as she struggles back to her feet.
27 shakes his head. "Natives," he says quietly. "Only natives."
"So Afina. But not Hanna or Baleruk. Not Simmer. Surraruthru, fuck, why did they have to split up, again?"
With great wisdom and as close as a badger slaad can come to a smile, "It was a good idea at the time?"
"Fuck you, but it's my fault for listening in the first place. How soon can you get to Hanna? And after you did that, how quickly can you lead her group to Afina? Give me a ballpark, here."
"A few minutes," 27 says.
That's an eternity in combat. Jaela steals a look at the caverns, asking 27, "Do you know whether Aurora passed my orders on to her?"
A few minutes of traveling at top speed, even for a badger, should put the groups outside her range. So they can probably plane shift without interference--
"Also, any ideas whether dimensional travel is possible down there?"
"They are as we speak," 27 paces a bit, "I can see them, but not this."
27 pauses. "I...think so," he finally says, looking to Jaela, pausing completely.
"I know I'm outside fate or whatever bullshit you diviners use, but what do you think of this? I can either teleport you there after a passable description of the place, or come along with you. The devils will come pouring soon after, but we'll be able to get Hanna and Simmer, then repeat it for Afina's group. Give me some odds for this, along with the regular travel distance between their two groups."
27 is silent again.
"Can you drop your own teleport block," he finally asks.
"I could if we're scrubbing this," Jaela responds. "We're not sacrificing our own out of some hope for a perfect win." She snorts, then. "More perfect than what we already got, anyway. So come on, tell me if my plan's viable. I'm good for two perfect teleports in succession, but then I'm out, so we need you to either be able to describe their locations or tell me Afina's group is close enough to Hanna's that we could afford one mistake."
"I think so, now," 27 says. "Something's happening -" A full stop, "Bel's coming from below. Like a fiend from the depths of Hell, not an angel from the sky."
"Man, fuck Bel," Jaela snaps. "Change of plans."
She stops time with a thought, and then drops the spell barring dimensional travel with another. A Gate is opened to a random spot on Elysium, and she pushes the chariot through it.
Due to the Goldenfire spear, she should be above divinations of any sort, and so the devils should be taken by surprise at her actions. That means she has a shot, before the tear is reopened and they capitalize on things.
As time resumes, she gestures for 27 to go through while using her personal connection to the Triune to Send a message to Hanna, Simmer, Afina, Baleruk, Surraruthrue, Tepen and Vul'lath. 'Bel coming from below. Unable to assist in time. Taking down dimensional interdiction now. Escape off plane at once! That's an order! Evacuating myself.'
And then all that's left is to step through herself.
If I can only make a Sending that goes to two people like I originally asked, they would be Hanna and Afina.
Pausing you for the moment since Iddy and Eb need to catch up.
Dex check, Jaela.
[21:46] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+7+2 +23 more if moment of prescience can apply
[21:46] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=12]
What sort of action was the miracle, a standard action?
Yes, and the move action is to move through the portal as I speak.
The portal...tears. As you go through it begins to tear itself apart, but you feel something. 27 tackling you, pushing both of you through it as it tears apart. Your own words echo around you as you feel like you're plummeting, out of control and free-falling.
You land in paradise. You land besides a brook passing through a light forest, the feel of Elysium washing away the discomfort you previously felt.
Meanwhile...
> roll 1d20+8 Hanna
<Serith> Space_Cat roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=12]
Jaela just lies there for a moment to catch her breath, before Elysium rejuvenates her enough to flip over on her back. Staring up at the sky, she muses, "Team effort, eh?"
No replies came back, though they might've gotten delayed due to the strange echo, so she turns to the next best thing. "How are Afina's party and Mom's group?"
Afina: I think we made it just in time. That wasn't a fight we were prepared for. And I shudder to think what Bel's presence will-
As you hear that, 27 lies next to you. "I think they made it, my vision is clearing," 27 says. "Not even Bel will challenge Elysium, the House of Nature and Archangels by attacking us here. I think he had his own means of stopping escape going up, so we made it just in the gap."
Jaela nods, waiting for confirmation from her mother for a while longer.
Plan is to wait an hour, then teleport to Aurora's previous location on Elysium once my magic recharges. And keep an eye on the Bracers, since if Hanna is on the same plane as me again they'd start working once more.
Soon enough, 'We made it,' Hanna sends back. 'Barely. Rerouting to Aurora.'
Jaela finally allows herself to relax properly, telling 27, "Both their groups made it out. I'm gonna nap, wake me in an hour."
27 responds by shrinking down to Small size and curling up right next to you.
Plan remains as previously, wait for magic to recover and teleport to the previous location of Aurora on Elysium. If it's not there for some reason, I'll coordinate via Miracle. Hanna should know I'm also on Elysium when she gets here due to bracers.
Kascha's voice soon disturbs you. 'Jaela, all groups are accounted for. Do you need transport?'
'I heard, but confirmation is nice. Thanks! If Aurora not in its previous spot on Elysium, send me coordinates. Otherwise, I'll be there soon.'
Ready to move along then?
Definitely! Don't forget my new chariot~
Right, new thread time.