Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

You meet Balyss first, for one simple reason. You bathe to begin the day, a long and hot soak. As you settle in, alone for once, Balyss strides in and slips in next to you.

"Hey," she says, up to her neck hot water, leaning back against the edge of the bath. "Been eating right lately?"

"My diet's been keeping about the same," Afina responses, bobbing in the water with just her head above it, a damp white cloth folded up atop her cute bob of iridescent hair. "I ate some weird things when Renbuu was here but nothing harmful."

"Have an omelet with some meat for breakfast," Balyss advises, "I sensed that you needed to see me?" she asks. "Selune continues to guide me."

"I don't eat meat," Afina reminds Balyss. "I'll have an omelet with mushrooms instead," she still offers a compromise. "Anyway, I'm going to be attacking Mala's Rime Tower today. Do you know if anyone notable is likely to be present or if there's any unexpected dangers to watch for?"

"I'm not sure," Balyss says after several moments, "A fog surrounds that tower today."

"As opposed to other days?" Afina asks. "How does tomorrow look?" Could Taelfagn be visiting perhaps?

"Clearer," Balyss says, "The fog is gone."

"Well, you're the diviner. What sort of things could be causing the fog?" Afina asks, this being outside her own speciality of going fast and setting things on fire.

"Magic blocking divinations, but it's strange that it would only cover a single day," Balyss says, "Normally it blocks everything."

"Probably something very important is happening there today," Afina decides at that. "It could equally be a trap, of course. They have their divinations as well to work on for predicting our movements."

It's a dilemma, alright. But Lifasa's running on a deadly clock, and that means risks have to be considered. "I'll just have to risk it, then," she rises smoothly out of the water with nary a ripple, wings fluttering into motion. "Thank you, Balyss."

"Selune will walk with you, do not be afraid," Balyss says, "Return victorious."

She nods to that and then goes off to round up her prospective team of Bubbles, Crystal, and Cresiel!

Cool. Any prep?

Other than her usual all day spells and the mission readiness arch, Afina will cast the following buffs:
Everyone: Greater heroism (+4 morale attack/saves, +20 temp hp), epic mage armour (+20 armour AC). Both CL 27.
Self: Shield
We'll also get an interplanar telepathic bond via Tepen.

Soon enough all of you are ready, standing by Aurora's gate.

Go ahead and get this rolling.

[spoiler]

Bubbles
HP: 298+20/298
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Crystal
HP: 444+20/444
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Hope
HP: 619+2/619
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Cresiel
HP: 596+20/596
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

"Our mission today is to destroy Rime Tower," Afina tells her companions. "One of the traitor Mala's holdings, majority opposition is expected to be gelugons and verminous aberrations. Also something there is presently interfering with divinations, so it may be hosting something even more novel - or dangerous. I'll Gate us in a mile away to avoid any close in defences, and we'll approach under the best stealth we can manage - I know this isn't a sneaky group, but once we do reach there we'll be quite loud and obvious in our presence as we set about destroying the place. Questions?"

"Do we expect Mala?" Crystal asks right off. She sits on Hope, ready to charge into battle.

"I think it's quite possible," Afina says. "That could be why divinations are being blocked, if she's visiting. Equally likely it could be Taelfagn, so we have to be prepared to retreat if we're outmatched. That, I'm afraid, is Jaela's fight and not ours."

"Fine," Bubbles says, "Love, what about Gathgorian? We can't discount him, either."

She smiles a little at Bubbles' term of endearment there. "We'll consider the situation as we find it, depending on the level of support he has I'd lean more towards fighting in that case. We have to be flexible and ready to withdraw if we feel outmatched, though. This is a raid, not a pitched battle. Even with Lifasa's deadline we can still come back to fight another day."

"Then let's go," Cresiel says, "Lifasa awaits us."

"Can you cast a mass death ward on us, Cresiel? Mala's fond of necromancy," Afina asks, waiting for that to happen before she opens a Gate to a mile away from the Rime Tower, at a sheltered spot in the local environment in whatever direction affords them the best cover on approach.

"Oh light of Celestial, walk with us now and forever," Cresiel prays, as death ward protects all of you. He kneels to do this and then rises, "Forward."

The chill of winter is thick here. The sky burns and yet this is a realm of ice, a black ice that does nothing but suck in light, leaving it pitch dark here, save for the faint radiance of the burning sky. Amid the buzzing of insects in the air - horrid fat things, spiders with wings, roaches with bloated stomachs that float like dandelion fluff and centipedes that creep-crawl through the air as if they were swiming - you see a tower of black ice far ahead.

The terrain is broken - lots of stray rocks and boulders, the ground uneven and with icy hills and sharp dips ahead.

[spoiler]

Bubbles
HP: 298+20/298
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Crystal
HP: 444+20/444
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used: Mass death ward

Hope
HP: 619+2/619
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Cresiel
HP: 596+20/596
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Can we hold up a bit since we're now waiting on Jaela who can be part of this excursion after she finishes her thread?

Oh sure, I didn't realize you were waiting on her. Certainly, Afina.

Soon enough Jaela joins you.

"Are you ready?" Cresiel asks solemnly.

Get any buffing and a spoiler block up, Jaela.

[spoiler]

Bubbles
HP: 298+20/298
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Crystal
HP: 444+20/444
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used: Mass death ward

Hope
HP: 619+2/619
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Cresiel
HP: 596+20/596
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
[/quote]

Aside from the usual protective spells, Jaela shares a couple with the others before indicating readiness!

Cast on the whole group: Sublime Revelry CL31, Good Hope CL30. Also let's have Tepen keep us in telepathic contact as previously, so Interplanar Telepathic Bond CL26.

With Jaela along to help bolster their odds, Afina's warning about not facing Taelfagn no longer applies! "Disgusting," she mutters on seeing the warped insects that greet them, taking control of the winds around her to blow them away and keep them away. "Come on, try and stick to cover but haste is better than secrecy with this group," she says, flying low to the ground towards the blackened tower.

Control Winds SLA used

"Abominations," Jaela agrees, keeping up with Afina.

"Vermin," Cresiel thunders, "The devils court like to like and surround themselves with their kin."

"The one life from Lifasa that they encourage and it is vermin," Crystal scowls, "I grew weary of them already."

[spoiler]

Bubbles
HP: 298+20/298
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Crystal
HP: 444+20/444
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used: Mass death ward

Hope
HP: 619+2/619
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Cresiel
HP: 596+20/596
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Wanting to hurry along, Afina casts a haste spell on everyone. "It'll all burn soon," she reassures the group.

Okay, marching order?

I'd also like spot and listen checks from everyone.

Afina takes 10 for 80 on spot and listen. She has all-around vision, see invisible/ethereal, and blindsight 200

Marching order is Afina, Crystal/Hope, Jaela, Bubbles, Cresiel

As for Jaela's senses, she takes 10 for Spot 49 and Listen 26. Blindsight 60ft, as usual.

As you go, Afina's superhuman vision notes something. The tiny, insectile eyes of all the vermin are watching you, staring at you. Hard to see without vision far above mortal, but Afina manages it.

'Every single insect is watching us, these aren't just grisly set dressing I'm certain their vision is being relayed to a devil somewhere. Abandon stealth entirely,' Afina sends telepathically to the others as the winds surrounding the group flare up to the intensity of a tornado, a violent cyclone extending over a thousand feet in every direction.

DC 30 fort or get fucked if you're a tiny swarmy creature, basically. If you're large or smaller this applies:
Blown Away: Creatures on the ground are knocked prone and rolled 1d4×10 feet, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per 10 feet. Flying creatures are blown back 2d6×10 feet and take 2d6 points of nonlethal damage due to battering and buffeting.

As the winds move violently to her will she rises further into the air and starts flying directly for the tower at the best speed she can manage while still keeping her allies within the eye of her personal storm.

Boosting her speed and the overall resistance of the group, Jaela follows Afina's lead!

Grace CL30 on self, Recitation CL30 on everyone in the group.

[spoiler]
Also, since I haven't posted this yet:
Hidden Dawn used with Cresiel
Gae Bolg: GMW, Keen Edge
Gae Trocaire: GMW, Keen Edge

Golden Bracers (Hidden Dawn):
Searing Light at will as an SLA
Flame Strike at will
Immunity to fire
Save bonuses increase to +7
Goldenfire damage on weapon damage rolls, natural attacks and spells and spell-like abilities with the fire

descriptor rises to +4d6, unlimited range as long as on same plane.

Okay, how fast can you all get to the tower? Assume it's a flat mile away for math.

Bubbles is our slowest at speed 30 (60 with haste). Assuming we hustle it'd take four and a half minutes.

You rush the tower in the eye of the storm. Bugs of all kind are battered aside, pushed away. While a few make it through, they are little threat to you alone. On and on you fly, now only 1000ft from the tower. A tower with no windows, bleak ice and stone woven together. No entrance that you can see, like a pillar rather than a tower someone would live in.

Except for what looks to be forces gathering on the roof, of course. Gelugons if you don't miss your guess at this range, along with...things. Insectile things, horrid things.

Jaela refreshes the short-term spells she cast earlier, and now a fresh one joins them as they continue closing the distance.

Recitation CL30 on the group. Grace CL30 and Moonlight Revelation CL30 on self.

Haste refreshed en route. Not radius of my control winds is 1,080 feet, although it's only 40 feet high so those on top of the tower are likely safe. For now.

"They're organising on the roof," Afina tells everyone. "Earthquake, Jaela?" It'd take a few to bring down a structure like that, but in the immediate term it'll throw off their response and Jaela has spells to spare for the task. The base of the tower is already being lashed by tornado force winds which can't helping its stability much either.

Trusting Jaela will do her bit, Afina exercises her own control over the Earth and makes it shudder beneath the tower!

Earthquake SLA
Structure
Any structure standing on open ground takes 100 points of damage, enough to collapse a typical wooden or masonry building, but not a structure built of stone or reinforced masonry. Hardness does not reduce this damage, nor is it halved as damage dealt to objects normally is. Any creature caught inside a collapsing structure takes 8d6 points of bludgeoning damage (Reflex DC 15 half) and is pinned beneath the rubble (see below).

Doing one better, Jaela sends a twinned earthquake in tandem with Afina's!

Have two more.

Earthquakes rock the ground, a trio of them one after another. They make the ground violently toss, the tower starting to crumble before you - and then it stops. The tower rises up, surrounded by pale red energy. Cracks mend themselves as the tower flies towards you.

"AURORA!" The voice is one you know, having heard before. Mala's voice echos around you, "Thank you for coming to your deaths!"

Gelugons and other creatures race back into the tower, flying into it. Insects buzz in the storm, the tower resisting the tornado winds, story after story relentless in coming right at you.

Init. Congratulations, you're fighting an entire tower.

[18:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 init
[18:10] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=16]

[20:15] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+18 I'm strangely okay with it
[20:15] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=16]

> roll 1d20+13 Bubbles
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+13 Crystal+Hope, one will hold forthe other so whatever
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+14 Cresiel
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20 tower
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=20]

Init is Afina (46) > Jaela (34) > Cresiel (25) > Bubbles (21) > Tower (20) > Crystal (19)

Open Afina.

[spoiler]

Bubbles
HP: 298+20/298
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Crystal
HP: 444+20/444
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used: Mass death ward

Hope
HP: 619+2/619
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Cresiel
HP: 596+20/596
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27), Mass Death Ward (CL24), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale attack rolls and saves, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

How fast is the tower coming at us and how tall/wide is it?

It's got to be over 100ft tall if not more, certainly a colossal creature. It's coming at you fairly fast, surprisingly despite its size.

"Allow me a little room, it's going to get hot," Afina asks, flying a bit clear of her companions before a gigantic magmaberg drops on top of the tower.

6th level slot for 1 round time stop, cast elemental bubble then cast elemental subbed iceberg
[18:43] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33 iceberg SR
[18:43] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 37 > [d20=4]
DC 37 ref, 120 damage to anything within 20 feet of impact (no save, also buried), 120 damage for 20-40 feet of impact (save for half and avoid burial), 60 damage for 40-60 feet of impact.
All damage ignores resistance/immunity and does 250% on anything vulnerable to fire.

Size of the magmaberg?

The spell radius is 60 feet but that includes 'splash' from it shattering on impact. It's described thus:

When cast, the spell creates a single large block of ice that drops from the sky onto a spot you select.
The iceberg then shatters if it encounters a solid surface.
Elephant-sized blocks of ice scatter in all directions, affecting nearby creatures based on how far they are from the center of the area.

Assuming lowered damage comes from the splash after 40 feet, we could guess it's 40 feet wide? No idea how tall.

> roll 1d20+10 Ref needs a 20, really, towers aren't evasive
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=19]

The magmaberg slams into the top of the tower, stone giving way from the impact. The upper stories collapse onto each other, the entire tower driven into the still quivering ground. Fires spread over parts of it, ablaze from the magmaberg's impact.

However, it's already starting to rise again, in spite of the damages.

Jaela.

Taking 10 for K:A 60 on understanding the tower.

An entire tower animated by magic like this is no easy feat. It suggests an epic spellcaster or artifact, unless the tower was carefully designed to be one already, but that's one hell of a task. It's like any other construct - hit it hard enough to break it and it'll stop.

Jaela follows through with another pair of Earthquakes while the tower had been driven into the ground! And regardless of the outcome, continues her advance at an angle to attempt to draw Mala's enmity towards her.

Moving 150ft ahead and to the left to get out of the direct path the tower was on.

Remember to make a fort save against the winds if you go more than 40 feet from Afina. Don't 1!

[21:37] <@Annerose> roll 1d20 not 1!
[21:37] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=10]

> roll 1d20+20 tower fort in bad shape with more earthquakes
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=4]

Earthquakes rock the tower, ground ripping apart beneath you as the tower shudders. Cracks run all up and down it, hunks of stone and ice falling away. It's like it's crumbling before you as...

Init is Afina (46) > Jaela (34) > Cresiel (25) > Bubbles (21) > Tower (20) > Crystal (19)

"Wisdom," Cresiel intones, as the earth again shatters. At this point the entire land is breaking apart, canyons forming and magma erupting from below. The screaming of rock tearing like paper is a hideous din. The entire tower shudders one last time and starts to break apart, plunging into the rends in the earth, into the magma revealed like the land's corrupted blood.

Well that was a boss fight that got owned quite thoroughly. Free act.

"I think we're done," Afina says, stilling the winds and then casting a Gate spell to open the way back to Aurora.

"Weren't we supposed to have come to our deaths?" Jaela repeats curiously, unable to resist.

"Hardly a challenge," Crystal says, looking down, "Do you think Mala survived that?"

"I sincerely doubt she was in the tower personally," Afina says. "She's an inveterate coward to the core, she'd never be anywhere near a battle if she could help it. Still, Balyss did say divinations were blocked here today specifically, powerful enough to affect Selune. Maybe we should investigate before its all consumed." She dismisses the Gate on that note and flies towards the shattered tower.

Jaela telepathically asks Tepen, 'Has Balyss's divination changed? Can you check whether Mala perished and we need to dig her out?'

'Asking now,' Tepen says.

You can see the tower is slowly melting, sinking slowly into the exposed magma. It's quite a wreck. No sign of devils - but they can teleport, so that means little. Bugs of all kind emerge from cracks in the tower, flying in every direction.

Those bugs are summarily shredded by the winds which pick back up into tornado force around the tower. "Someone scan for magic, I'll feel it out with blindsight," she asks, descending close enough where her long ranged blindsight can perceive through the cracked and shattered walls to map what she can of the layout that isn't yet submerged in magma, and pick out any notable creatures still trapped within.

How close is that, Afina?

We'll get to about 50 feet above so it's within easy range for detect magic.

Take 10 for me, please. I have greater heroism for +4 above sheet value.

Cool, Jaela.

As Afina flies in, Jaela stud - !!!!

The entire tower is glowing with a new surge of powerful magic. It's going to gather up all the power in the tower, mix it with the magma and turn it into a torrential blast of pure hellfire, a fire that will even burn Afina to ash.

Chance for Jaela to react here.

"Afina, back!" Jaela calls out in warning, thrusting Gae Bolg in the direction of the ruined tower and channeling her magic!

[20:53] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+41 superb dispell
[20:53] <Rei-chan> Annerose rolled : 1d20+41 superb dispell --> [ 1d20=12 ]{53}

The magic surging in the tower winks out under your dispel, the tower beginning to fall apart anew. Hunks of it fall off and sink into the magma, the entire structure melting down that much faster now.

"Well there's definitely nothing there now," Afina flies back up. "I take it that was a last-ditch trap? More proof Mala can't have been here."

"Yes. Let's go before trouble returns," Crystal agrees.

Afina makes another gate back to Elysium and flies through it.

"I actually hoped some trouble returned...." Jaela laments, waiting for everyone to cross before following suit herself.

The party returns uneventfully.

"I am not one to begrudge a successful mission, but that went with a smoothness I rarely expect," Crystal says, "Thus I wonder if it was too easy, and then I realize I may well be falling into meaningless mind games thanks to the devils."

"For a long time we've convinced ourselves that Lifasa belonged to the devils, that it was an unassailable bastion only confronted when we could muster our full strength," Afina reflects. "But the truth is that barring direct support from Nessus the forces there are stretched thin and not of the same quality as veteran Blood War units. The traitors themselves are individually potent, but... well, they're tactically inept when left to their own devices. I don't mean to encourage complacency for us, but we should be aware of our own advantages and use them."

"I've read that trillions of forces on all sides are busy in the various wars and  tasks each plane has," Bubbles says, "That must be it, there's only so many to spare from Blood War, personal bodyguards and other such things. Sugar, perhaps our strength is now sufficient to overcome any, save for the greatest warriors of Hell, for too many are occupied with..." she trails off.

"Love," she says, "Perhaps the only reason we have a chance is because of the demons and evils being eternally a-war."

"To be fair, the one event we were always afraid of took place." Jaela shrugs with visible discomfort. "Since we're already past that, nothing's holding us back anymore."

'Apologies for the delay, but Balyss was not able to help further,' Tepen replies.

Meanwhile, "That is true. We have nothing left to lose." Crystal agrees.

"And we'll have to pick up the pace even further as time slips us by. But for now we can rest and prepare for another raid tomorrow. I'll have a look through our intelligence to get an updated target list since we've mostly worked through the last one."

"Plus, the more times we escape these inescapable, sure-kill traps the more it feels like a trend than mere luck?"

Awesome. Plans, you two?

I'll invite Afina to go bug Balyss for why we can't catch a traitor and what to do about it.

I'll go along with that, and afterwards dig for further Lifasan places that would be improved by volcanoes.

Easy enough. You find Balyss in Selune's holy grounds, resting in contemplation.

Go ahead.

"Hi again," Jaela greets Balyss. "Listen, we really need to do something here. So far, we've hit zero traitors for five attacks. Seeing their holdings burn is nice and all, but the sooner we get the rings, the sooner we can push for liberating our world, so I'm really hoping you have a more definitive insight for our next destination."

"Taelfagn is scared," Balyss says, in a voice that is not her voice at all. "He his hiding them. They are the keys to his victory, or at least to deny Aurora victory. However, all is not lost and he cannot hide them perfectly."

"We're ready to go after the ones who aren't hidden perfectly!"

"He hides at least one somewhere you have been before," Balyss says, "Somewhere Aurora has triumphed and would not return to otherwise."

"The elven tree or the burning aeropolis, then?" Afina guesses. "I'd lean towards the tree, I suppose. While we succeeded in our goals at the Aeropolis we didn't destroy it utterly, so we'd have reason to return there at some point. Less so with the now cleansed tree."

"Hold," Balyss says. "Tepen is about to contact you."

'Jaela, are you and Afnia back yet?' Tepen sends, 'We may have a problem.'

"Or even that place with the Gray?" Jaela voices, before responding to Tepen, 'We're with Balyss.'

"Moments ago, Moore sent in a request for aid due to devil attack. I cannot contact him since, interdiction of telepathy or unconsciousness are suspected.' Tepen sends. 'He is currently on the Choking Path of the Para-Elemental Plane of Smoke.'

"Moore's in trouble on Smoke," Jaela says out loud, asking Tepen, 'Anything more? Enemy numbers, enemy strength?'

To Balyss, she says, "Sorry, have to go. But keep circling targets for us!"

Taking 10 for 55 on planes for the choking path.

Afina's already moving, heading for a portal to get out onto the courtyard and then hurry her way out of Aurora.

Are you familiar from Moore's thread or do you need a refresher, Afina?

I'm familiar, I just want to establish that Afina knows it's a giant tradeway sort of deal and not a small singular location where we can just open a gate to and expect to be right on top of Moore.

She does know that.

Okay, you two just rushing to the courtyard and to the portals ASAP or doing anything else en route?

Who do we see in the courtyard right at the gate?

'Do you know where on the Choking Path Moore is?' Afina asks Tepen. 'It's too large an area for us to hope we'd find them in time gating randomly.'

> roll 1d100
<Serith> Ko-NitoriCantHandleTheTruth roll for Serith < 97 > [d100=97]

Besides normal soldiers, there's Gold and Arrel, Gold in his dragon form. They're going over some sort of claw and bite strikes.

'The general area, but no more,' Tepen says, 'He aimed for the center of it.'

'How long ago did he leave and what direction was he travelling?' Afina asks, assuming he wouldn't just hang around the middle of a giant road like that for no reason but must have been going somewhere.

Ready to open the gate once Afina has her info. I'm not familiar with Moore's thread, however.

'Approximately an hour and a half or so ago, and he didn't say. Along the path, though, so one of the two directions it goes in.' Tepen replies.

Assuming Moore was going slowly due to poor visibility? She'd estimate he'd make it maybe five miles in that time? It depends a lot on if he was waylaid or distracted, or on the other hand was making any effort at hurrying. There's no way to know, unfortunately.

"Jaela, make a gate five miles North along the Choking Path, I'll try South," she says, casting a gate and then flying through hers to have a look around, concentrating on maintaining it.

Jaela is happy to follow this plan!

She does ask, however, 'Tepen, does Balyss have a preference for a direction?'

'I'll ask,' Tepen sends back, 'information in soon. Be prepared to teleport over, both of you.'

For Jaela:

You've heard of it, it's a road that runs through Smoke. It's the main travel and trade passage, with a few safe spots with towns where the miasma isn't overwhelming. It has lots of branches and side tracks, as well as local dangers.

It's known that the natives of Smoke tend to guard and monitor it to their own ends. However, the more remote stretches are mostly left to their own devices, to better and for worse.

Really, as long as you have magic to breathe or don't need to breath, it's not the worst path. Dangerous but there's more dangerous unless you get unlucky. Of course, that goes out the window in the remote stretches.

Listen, Afina.

[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+70 listen
[18:47] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 81 > [d20=11]

Afina can hear far away roars, perhaps? The sound of something large expressing displeasure, she thinks.

Meanwhile Jaela is a few steps behind, opening her portal. As for hers...

Listen.

Can I take 10 for 55 on arcana/planes and 10 for 57 on nature to identify what sort of creature is making those roars?

Taking 10 for 41

Jaela doesn't hear anything from her portal.

Not normally, Afina, but you know this creature so it's plausible.

A chill goes down Afina's spine. She knows the fury of Nessian Pit Fiends, having survived multiple encounters with them. It sounds like at least several of them.

'Nothing here,' Jaela reports. 'Not that I can hear, anyway.'

Afina flies back through her gate. "Jaela, mine is near them. Come on!" she calls. "Nessians, lots of them!"

"I'm there!"

And Jaela crosses over through her gate and then through Afina's in one swift motion!

Short pause as I get Moore's thread moving.

In the meantime, how fast do you all move?

Speed of 140ft. I'll likely match Afina's double move/run, whichever works.

Afina can fly at speed 120 once hasted, and she will be hasting them. CL 27 for Jaela's reference.

Jaela will cast Grace (swift) and Sign as they set off.

As a standard action for sign, Jaela?

You know what, I have multiaction and two swifts. Let's live large without standars~

Afina and Seira race along. Soon you see it in the smoky, choking fog ahead. Portals - portals opening all around, Nessians pouring out. Over a dozen to be sure and more ahead, only glimpsed in the fog. They're currently about 60ft away at the farthest, just coming into visual range.

Presumably with my 200 foot blindsight I can tell that Moore and friends are in there as well, before I start indiscriminately fireballing things?

Yes, at the edge of it. So they're approximately 200ft away.

Can I get a count of how many nessians I can sense within my blindsight and what sort of spacing they have?

My blindsight may only extend to 60ft, but between that and a mental link with Afina how many could I target with Burst of Glory? As a reminder, it is a range of 100ft for me.

A little under four dozen and mostly converging towards Moore and friends.

100ft per level, Jaela?

No, 100ft total at my CL.

Assuming there's more nessians equally spaced in all directions outside the range of her blindsight? 'We're looking at nearly two hundred Nessian Pit Fiends,' she reports to Jaela and Tepen.

Which begs the question of why no one's dead yet. It doesn't matter how good your spell resistance is, they can throw down enough magic to blast through it and turn everyone there to a fine mist. Even she'd expect to be killed within seconds against those numbers, sheer volume would overwhelm her ability to dodge. 'I think they're holding back deliberately, probably to lure reinforcements like us in so they can strike at full strength then.'

Actually can Tepen even hear her or are they being interdicted like Moore is?

Thanks, needed the clarity, Jaela.

You could get half a dozen with it.

No reply from Tepen.

'How horrifying,' Jaela mutters in Afina's mind. 'I can take out half a dozen in the direct path, or get in real close and double that. Preference?'

'Get in close and double it,' Afina responds reluctantly. 'All we can hope to do is try and clear a path for our allies to evacuate, even then the numbers are extreme. I'll follow up with an avalanche to at least disable some.' Not for very long given they can teleport, but a temporary reprieve might be enough.

Nodding, Jaela closes into what amounts to knife range with Gae Bolg out before exploding into radiance!

Init?

Sure, init.

[19:24] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 init
[19:24] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 37 > [d20=7]

[21:24] <@Annerose> roll 1d20+18
[21:24] <Serith> Annerose roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=2]

> roll 1d20+17 Nessians
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=14]

Init is Afina (37) > Nessians (31) > Jaela (20)

Afina goes very fast and things happen!

10th level slot for 5 levels time stop
round 1: prismatic wall
round 2: prismatic wall
round 3: prismatic wall
round 4: prismatic wall
round 5: prismatic wall

Walls are 108x54 feet. Arranged to partition the battlefield so there's a clear path for Moore and company to reach us but all other avenues are blocked.

To save on my rolling, its +27 for SR checks on it and the save DCs are 33

A series of brightly glowing prismatic walls appear, a long line stretching on either side as well as above and below leading from Afina and Jaela straight to their allies, with a further wall cutting across their rear to block that path. Hopefully it's obvious enough what direction to retreat in.

She follows that up by dropping an ashen avalanche, the prismatic wall above their allies heads protecting them from it while any devils above said wall will get crushed through all its layers, and the ones on the perimeter will just get dropped.

Fire subbed call avalanche, DC 33 ref half
[19:58] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6
[19:58] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 28 > [d6=4,2,3,3,6,3,5,2]
If they save they're not buried, if they don't they are. But with no ground here I imagine they just get dragged down by the falling avalanche for whatever distance it falls?

Okay, integrating you into the other threat.