Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

Okay, gimme your plans here, you two.

give infos please, we'll plot after

Refresh me what you want to know in detail that she hasn't already talked about, relevant your current task. Other info that's extraneous can be dealt with later.

what do we know about the old fortress, what coukd Apasa had discovered there....

First of all it's a quick meeting with Tepen.

"Syrel was lost thousands of years ago, according to myth and legend," Tepen says, "Divinations suggest it will be dangerous, and holds something vile. Something alive, which suggests it is what Apasa is after." He sits down, hands folded together as he speaks. "That or something else in the fortress, but I doubt we're that fortunate."

"Some sort of horrible sealed evil then," Afina concludes. "If we're lucky it hasn't been roused yet, or isn't something Apasa can actually control."

"If we're relatively lucky," Tepen says, "Unfortunately, records are scant and divinations are inconclusive - I suspect diabolical play blocking them."

"I'm not very stealthy," Jaela points out. "Not if I want to be as effective, anyway. If we commit to stealth during our approach, do we want to try the same thing as at Ettan's place?"

"The teleport blocking can work in our favour to keep them from running, I don't mind attacking openly and sticking together," Afina says. "I think that's safer than splitting up in this case, anyway."

"The two of us, the Master and Mei?" Jaela proposes to Afina. "Usual protections and a telepathic link to a dedicated mage. Let's see if Vul'lath is free. That way, Old Man, you'll be able to handle emergencies without splitting your attention."

"That's a workable group," Afina agrees. "We'll open a gate as close as we can and storm the place. Perhaps check with Balyss first in case she has anything relevant to share?"

"I wish you good fortune, may Mystra guide your magic," Tepen says, and then with a wry smile. "Win or lose, make sure to come back. Should we fail and Lifasa fall, at least we'll still have each other afterwards. Don't let yourselves get captured."

"Death is preferable to capture, even if it means I won't be able to participate in the battles on Lifasa," Afina agrees. "We'll be careful."

Okay, next move?

Go consult with Balyss to see if she has any warnings to give us about attacking this place.

You find Balyss - waiting for you by the portals. "Afina, Jaela," she greets, her voice many and one. "Walk with us."

Walk is surely a figure of speech, so Afina flutters along at Balyss's shoulder height alongside her, not saying anything and letting the divine moutpiece speak what she will.

The two of you walk out and into the courtyard, no one around you - somehow. Everyone's just elsewhere, in spite of Balyss glowing with bright moonlight.

"You understand what an abomination is?" It's half a question and half a statement.

Taking 10 for 51 on planes to confirm if Afina knows about the epic monster stuff of the same name.

You do, you have Baleruk who is one so you have first-hand knowledge on top of it.

"Beings divine but cursed," Afina summarises her knowledge of such things. "Like Baleruk, a God of Dragons who no dragon can ever worship."

"Yes, or the Hell's Pawn, whom you have heard of before as the True King of Hell, or the Voidchildren, Shar's damned offspring," Balyss says. "Also the Father, the spawn of Demogorgon and Pale Night."

"I take it that such a being is what's trapped under Syrel?" she reaches the obvious conclusion.

"Those tend to have pretty specific conditions for dying, don't they?" Jaela muses, drawing on her memories for the plan to deal with the Father permanently. "Do you know who's down there, under Syrel, and how to kill them?"

"We do not, they are often hidden from many eyes, even our own," Balyss speaks, "We were not directly involved in that incident at that time, nor has knowledge of it come to our faithful. We understand what it is from our lack of vision, but there are many abominations, both those myriad in number and those a single, unique and cursed blight."

"Hmmm," Afina hums and glances at Jaela. "I don't think we have time to go trawling through every other deity that might have had followers in Syrel at one time or another in hopes of them knowing. We'll just have to hope we can get in and deal with Apasa before he wakes it up, whatever it is."

"Syrel wasn't in elven territory, was it?" Jaela asks. "That would be one source of knowledge we could afford to approach, if so."

"It was not," Balyss confirms. "It is your choice if you pursue knowledge first and sacrifice time to do so.  If you choose to do so, do so wisely."

"In that case, I'm with Afina. Let's hit it right away."

"Yes, there's no guarantees anyone we ask will know more than we already have. If it does awaken we can retreat and at least have what it looks like and how it behaves to research it more fully for ways to kill it," Afina agrees with Jaela. "Lets get the Master and Mei and we'll set off."

Alrighty then, any plans or ready to go?

Think we're good. Beyond the Aurora buffs Afina will cast the following on Jaela/Mei/The Master
Greater heroism (+4 morale attack/saves, +20 temp hp), epic mage armour (+20 armour AC). Both CL 27.

Spells I cast on everyone: Recitation CL30 (+2 luck to AC/attack/saving throws; +3 if worshiping the same religion), Sublime Revelry CL31 (take only half damage from melee and ranged attacks and are immune to mind-affecting effects), Mass Death Ward CL30 (immunity to death effects, energy drain and negative energy/negative levels), Good Hope CL30 (+2 morale to attack/damage/saves/ability checks/skill checks). Interplanar Telepathic Bond CL26 via Vul'lath. Hidden Dawn still shared with the Master.



Golden Bracers (Hidden Dawn):

And finally since I'm fuzzy headed today, where precisely are you gating to?

[spoiler]

I'll do these properly when tonight or tomorrow, when I'm not so drained. Master and Mei.

Name
HP:
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:

Name
HP:
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:

Greater heroism (+4 morale attack/saves, +20 temp hp), epic mage armour (+20 armour AC). Both CL 27.

Spells I cast on everyone: Recitation CL30 (+2 luck to AC/attack/saving throws; +3 if worshiping the same religion), Sublime Revelry CL31 (take only half damage from melee and ranged attacks and are immune to mind-affecting effects), Mass Death Ward CL30 (immunity to death effects, energy drain and negative energy/negative levels), Good Hope CL30 (+2 morale to attack/damage/saves/ability checks/skill checks). Interplanar Telepathic Bond CL26 via Vul'lath. Hidden Dawn still shared with the Master.

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.

As close as we can get to Syrel given the anti-teleport defences there. Hopefully Velasca gave us something useful there.

We're not worried about the terrain or cover since we're just gonna fly straight in and start wrecking things.

Earthquake is so handy!

You appear in a cavern. It's as dark as you'd expect, warm but not overwhelmingly hot. It winds on ahead and rather sharply downwards.

It's a classical cave otherwise - stalagmites and stalactites, worn rock and that sort of thing. Nothing too fancy or unusual here.

Hoping Velasca's directions are good, Afina starts flying onwards at a good clip, not having any need to make a light source to see by.

Marching order?

Afina, Mei, Master, Jaela

Works. I'm glowing and have a spear out and can interrupt (not flat footed) in case magic's cast on us.

Great. Listen check for Jaela and Spot check for AFina then.

Taking 10 for 26.

[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+70 spot, blindsight 200
[18:34] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+70 spot, blindsight 200 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{76}

Afina can see it ahead with her supernaturally acute vision - faint wavers of semi visible magic, radiating around. There's sorcery ahead, likely various abjurations.

"Magical defences ahead," Afina warns, casting detect magic and slowing in order to analyse them.

taking 10 for 57 on spellcraft

It's fading magic. There were various anti entry and protection wards ahead, but they've been broken apart. A powerful dimensional lock has not been, however.

"Nothing we need to worry about," she shakes her head and continues onward.

As the Master follows, "They've done the hard work for us already," he murmurs thoughtfully, "Hopefully they have not fully recovered."

Meanwhile the cavern slopes sharply ahead and down, starting to narrow considerably. Far ahead and down looks to be a deep chasm, from which you can see a pale red light emanate. You can also see them ahead - dozens and dozens of barbed, humanoid devils flying in the air. Spinagons, a foe you have faced before.

Afina introduces herself to the spinagons by firing a ray of lightning at one, which splits off to arc through the nearest two dozen of them!

[19:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27 chain lightning SR
[19:02] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+27 chain lightning SR --> [ 1d20=10 ]{37}
[19:02] <@Ebiris> roll 20d6
[19:02] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 20d6 --> [ 20d6=69 ]{69}

69 damage to primary target, 35 to remainder. DC 31 ref half.

Jaela does her part by smiting a dozen from a distance!

Holy Smite, Will DC28 half

21:06 <PingOfDeath> roll 1d20+27
21:06 <Rei-chan> PingOfDeath rolled : 1d20+27 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{46}
21:06 <PingOfDeath> roll 10d6
21:06 <Rei-chan> PingOfDeath rolled : 10d6 --> [ 10d6=40 ]{40}

What happens is utterly predictable. Mere spinagons are no match for your powers, holiness and lightning smiting them by the dozen, clearing away the screen of them. Mei nods firmly and advances on afterwards.

Hopefully that got them before any warning could go out, so Afina flies onwards and down towards the glowing redness.

Down the party flies. Deep below you see it - a twisted, broken castle. A fortress of sorts, seething with red energy. As you see it, you feel a sense

leave go away run it's too late run run run run run run RUN

of something, but it passes.

The castle's glow seems to be getting brighter as you look at it.

"Add 'primal fear response' to what we know about this abomination," Afina mutters. "Everyone okay past that?"

"It's not actually one of my supernatural defenses, so if this gets me, try to snap me out of it."

"I'm fine," The Master replies, "How shall we assault this? I see no other forces, but perhaps few can withstand ahead?"

"Direct, we're not going to split ourselves up or do anything fancy here. They're backed into a corner after all," Afina answers the Master as they descend.

The party descends down. You see no guards below, but no easy path into the strange castle. No windows, no doors, no stairways in.

"Jaela, suggestions where I disintegrate?" Afina asks, knowing she has some understanding of architecture.

Jaela nods in acknowledgement of the request, taking a closer look.

K:Architecture, taking ten for 32.

With a place like this? Avoid the roof and the walls, aim for something less protected like a tower.

Granted, magic is afoot here so shenanigans could ensue.

"Go for a protrusion like a tower, that seems like the best target. Sort of like the joints on a building."

Afina agreeably picks out a squat looking tower and disintegrates a chunk out of the side!

[20:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20 1 check
[20:16] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=9]

You hit the tower and it shudders, the stones thinning out but no more. Far less than a normal disintegrates effects, little gaps in it rather than actual holes. Additionally, you can see those holes slowly filling in, repairing itself.

"That's like Aurora's walls," Afina is moved to comment before asking Jaela, "Phase door?"

"We lose nothing by trying," Jaela agrees, using the spell.

Jaela casts phase door, a passage in the stone walls appearing at your command.

Afina leads the way through the newly created passage!

You stand in a tower room. The interior walls glow a brighter red, the area within hot. Unpleasantly so - at least for a mortal, for all of you it's hardly a problem. The room has ancient furniture and twisted things about, half merged into the walls. There's a stairway going up as well as down here, as well as a door on the wall to the right.

"I think we should focus on getting down and towards the middle of the place, that makes the most sense as to where the abomination is sealed and where Apasa would be trying to release it," Afina says, and unless anyone has any better ideas she'll take the stairway down.

"Logical, if not somewhere in a basement," The Master says, "Also, fiends go down, rather than up. It leads me to suspect the lowest floor or a basement as well."

Mei merely follows Jaela in the meantime, at the ready.

Agreeing with Afina, Jaela waits for her to lead the way. She can't beat Afina's keen senses, but she would be right there to assist if she needs to.

Down the party goes. You go down a dozen steps before a problem - the wall arches out, sealing the way ahead, stairs twisting into it and elongating, like ribbons of stone taffy stretched out and far.

"How many more phase doors can you make?" Afina asks Jaela, coming to a stop before this new obstacle.

"Just one more," Jaela admits in consternation. "It's never come in handy before!"

"Unfortunate," The Master murmurs. "Then perhaps where a single strike failed, concerted force will see the day through?"

"It's alright, I can summon help," Afina says, casting a slaad-summoning spell.

Summon Monster X for 1d4+1 blue slaads, they get passwall as an at will SLA
[20:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+1 blue slaads
[20:00] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 3 > [d4=2]

A trio of giant blue frogs appear at her command! "Make a path through that blockage," she instructs, receiving ribbits and compliance in reply!

They have CL 8 passwall (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/passwall.htm) so one casting gets through 20 feet and they can keep casting to go further if needed.
They'll be around for just under three minutes so lets hurry along to try and get good use out of them.

The slaad appear as commanded, only one needed to open the way to the stairway, which continues with a gap in it from the wall.

"Follow us," Afina orders the slaad, flying along through the opened passage and continuing down the stairs. She hastes everyone to pick up the pace so she can use those slaad to deal with more obstructions as they appear without needing to expend another spell on summoning more.

CL 27 haste

Is the passwall at will?

Yes

Four more blockages are bypassed until you reach deeper within. The end of the stairs lead into a small room with a door leading further along. A door of solid metal - adamantine if you don't miss your guess, and covered in glowing symbols an runes.

Afina takes a moment to decipher the runes!

[18:08] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+47 spellcraft
[18:08] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 67 > [d20=20]

Jaela swaps weapons just in case, ready to break it down after a dispel once Afina's decided on their path.

The door is heavily reinforced, set to go off in an alarm spell if it is touched on this side or attacked in any way and heavily shock any creature that goes through it ethereally.

Oh Cor, are you on mobile on your day off? You haven't been around, busy or just away and I forgot/wasn't told? I was wondering.

"The runes ward against ethereal travel, and sound an alarm if it's touched," Afina reports. "One moment while I check for more mundane traps, as there's nothing to stop us breaking through so far..."

[18:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+47 search
[18:14] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=3]

Oh, there are. Needles that jut out from the handle, as well as the door keeping a pressure plate down. You aren't sure what it'll do if triggered, but it can't be good.

You can also tell this is new work - definitely not part of the fortress as it normally is.

"Pressure plate under the door, as well as needles in the handle," Afina reports. "I think this was added by Apasa, it doesn't match the rest. Lets see if we can work around it," she decides, ordering one of her slaad to dig a passwall down through the floor in the middle of the room.

"Did they think to cover the walls as well?" Jaela inquires. "Might be easier to break down than adamantium."

How far does the passwall reach?

20 feet per casting.

You open up the tunnel below - and you see lava - a great pressurized jet of it from a chamber below, erupting up to spray all over the party.

Ow. Is anyone here not immune to fire?

Mei has resist 20, Master has nothing, slaads have resist 5.

Afina is of course immune.

Ref saves them unless you're immune. Let me know, Jaela.

[18:40] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+8 slaad saves
[18:41] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 24, 20, 16 >

The Master and I are immune to fire due to Hidden Dawn.

> roll 1d20 Mei's only at risk on a 1
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=16]

> roll 20d6 Mei half, slaad full
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 60 > [d6=1,1,3,3,3,4,5,4,2,2,4,4,1,2,4,5,3,6,1,2][/i]

Lava sprays up - the slaad burn as Mei leaps back and up, covering her arms as her forearms are burnt. It's going everywhere, erupting out into the room.

[spoiler]

30 damage to Mei, forgot the todo of assembling full spoiler blocks from them. That's a tonight project.

Slaad are on 13 hp after that

Afina reflexively shoots a cone of cold down against the surging lava!

[19:02] <@Ebiris> roll 20d6 cone of cold
[19:02] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 61 > [d6=1,2,4,2,2,3,4,4,5,6,6,2,1,1,2,6,4,2,1,3]

So with her res 20 and temp hp 20, she loses 10 temp hp?

Jaela reaches for Mei and taps her shoulder as this oversight of protections is revealed, imbuing her friend with immunity to fire for the remainder of the day.

The crackle-hiss of cooling rock fills the room as Mei is protected, a new rime of black volcanic rock blocking up the passwall, clogging it good. It stops the lava flow completely.

Now that she knows its there, Afina lands on the rock and presses her ear to the ground to listen for the sounds of shifting molten rock beneath, then assuming she can hear something and once familiarised with it, she listens against the ceiling for more of the same.

[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+70 listen
[19:13] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 76 > [d20=6]

You can hear it below, yes. Checking the ceiling, you don't hear any up there.

"Should be safe to go above," Afina says, though she sends two slaad back out of the room for safety's sake while the last makes a passwall angling up through the ceiling above the door.

You open up a passage in the wall. This opens up a passage above, into what looks to be some manner of room - you can't tell from here, but no lava spray, either.

Up they go, and then another passwall will take them back down on the other side of the door.

Leading the way, Afina. Listen check.

[19:59] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+70 listen
[19:59] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 80 > [d20=10]

You can hear the faintest sounds above - footsteps, soft breaths. Someone is in the room above, several someones.

Afina halts and switches to telepathy. 'We've got company in the room above us,' she says, listening attentively to try and count them out and mark their positions. Hearing any speech would be even better.

'How about below?'

About half a dozen, you think. No, half a dozen minus one. Five of them in total.

'They may be about to advance or waiting on us to come through. We have little time, for a tiger ready to pounce is dangerous and attentive.' The Master adds silently.

'Nothing below, five above,' Afina reports, gesturing a slaad over. 'I'll have a path opened then we'll strike quickly,' she says, waiting for assent before she orders her slaad to passwall straight up at the edge of where she thinks those five are, so they won't come up in the middle of them.

'Agreed,' The Master replies.

Sorta waiting on the big J here.

Jaela readies Gae Dioltas as the only answer necessary!

"Passwall up there," Afina points for her slaad, positioning so she can fly up and start killing things immediately afterwards.

The passwall opens up and you see them past it - five hooded figures, human sized and preparing magic, gesturing as...

Go ahead, surprise round.

Afina doesn't hesitate as she floats up into the room, immediately darting into the midst of them and detonating!

[18:30] <@Ebiris> roll 26d10 greater fireburst, searing
[18:30] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 169 > [d10=3,7,9,8,7,7,9,8,7,6,5,6,6,2,10,4,10,10,7,4,9,8,6,4,6,1]
[18:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33 sr if needed
[18:30] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=1]
DC  33 ref half, ignores resistance/immunity

[18:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 init
[18:31] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=1]

Jaela charges at the one in the center, seeking to impale it while roasting everyone as an aside!

[20:27] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+51+7
[20:27] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 63 > [d20=5]
[20:29] <@Luiza> roll 12d8+138+18+6+4d6 divine might, goldenfire
[20:29] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 221 > [d8=5,7,3,1,2,2,3,2,4,8,4,5][d6=6,1,2,4]

[20:30] <@Luiza> roll 2d6+4d6 goldenfire to everyone
[20:31] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 23 > [d6=3,3,6,4,6,1]
[20:31] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+30 CL
[20:31] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=16]

20:31] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+18 init
[20:31] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=13]

> roll 1d20+22 ref
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=9]

Dc, Afina?

33 half

As flames erupt, setting the cultists on fire and getting screams of agony, the Master follows Jaela, striking sharp and quick. Yet even as he does, the cultists are already ablaze, broken and impaled by searing and golden fires. They fall, unable to resist as...

Free act. This particular encounter was way under CR unless they got the ambush.

Afina looks to see if there's anything of relevance in this room.

Take 10 for 57 on search

'Let's get back down,' Jaela relays to the others, flicking flaming devil guts from Gae Dioltas.

A small room but a normal door leading further in can be seen.

Descending back down, Afina sees where the passage leads on the other side of the heavily trapped and warded door that they bypassed.

It leads into a downward sloping hallway, the reddish light within growing brighter.

And that's the direction they go!

Thus you go down the hallway. Ahead you can see them - the way is blocked by two bulky, muscular fiends with tower shields. You can barely see them from this angle, about 80ft away now. "Retreat or die," one snaps in a deep, rumbling voice.

Jaela's answer to this challenge is to charge at them!

Init unless my blindsight 60 or Afina's blindsight 200 reveals bullshit.

Afina doesn't dignify that with any more response than her blade!

[19:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 init
[19:38] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=12]

[19:40] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+2 slaads
[19:40] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 13, 14, 14 >

[21:39] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+18
[21:39] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=5]

> roll 1d20+9 Master
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+12 Mei
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+9 devil 1
> roll 1d20+9 devil 2
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=20]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=2]

Init is Afina (42) > ??? (36) > Mei = Devil 1 (29) > Jaela (23) > Slaads (13) > Master = Devil 2 (11)

Slaads are all on 13 for ease of notation since it doesn't matter. Go Afina.

Darting forward, Afina flies between the two devils and stabs each of them in the side before coming to a stop twenty feet past them!

[19:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+61
[19:53] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 79 > [d20=18]
[19:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+56
[19:53] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 75 > [d20=19]
[19:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+56 crit?
[19:53] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 72 > [d20=16]
[19:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+30+3d6+3d6+4d6+6d6+2d6+1d6 and 2 negative levels
[19:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 101 > [d4=3][d6=5,6,5,3,5,5,5,4,4,1,5,1,2,2,4,1,2,3,5]
[19:54] <@Ebiris> roll 2d4+60+3d6+3d6+4d6+6d6+2d6+1d6 and 4 negative levels
[19:54] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 129 > [d4=4,1][d6=5,4,4,2,2,1,2,3,6,4,4,2,5,1,2,4,1,6,6]

I'll need an Escape Artist check to see if you can get by them, Afina. It's pretty tight.

[20:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+46 I am small and have freedom of movement if those help
[20:09] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 62 > [d20=16]

Reminder that I'm not flat-footed and will counterspell

Oh, also I have a swift action still available which I may use if ??? is some sort of boss devil dude hiding behind the shield guys.

Afina slips behind the shields nimbly, slicing into the devils - powerful, muscled and large barbazu, holding the line. Both bleed but stand firm despite your slashes, as you see no one here - just more hall, sloping down more and into a room ahead, though at this angle you can't see much besides red glow.

Last call on your swift.

carry on

Init is Afina (42) > ??? (36) > Mei = Devil 1 (29) > Jaela (23) > Slaads (13) > Master = Devil 2 (11)

A wave of...something passes. Something dark, something horrid. It makes your bodies quake and souls recoil, darkness everlasting bursting everywhere and...!!!!

Fort saves, all. Bonuses against evil magic apply, though this is not a spell/SLA and cannot be countered.

[18:01] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30+29 using moment of prescience
[18:01] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 76 > [d20=17]

[20:09] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+66
[20:09] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 73 > [d20=7]

Reminder that the Master gets +7 to saves from Hidden Dawn too.

> roll 1d20+37 Master
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+49 Mei
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 64 > [d20=15]

Both of you feel it - wetness coming from your eyes. Jaela can see it - blood running from the Master's and Mei's eyes, even as they seem alright, not slowing down or crying out in alarm. A horrible sense of dread fills all of you, a nameless terror.

SOON.

Mei and Devil 1 are up in the next post.

[spoiler]

I'll do these properly when tonight or tomorrow, when I'm not so drained. Master and Mei.

Master
HP: 339/339
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Recitation (CL30), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Mass Death Ward (CL30), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +2 luck attacks/AC/saves, half damage melee and ranged, immunity to mind affecting, death ward immunities, +2 morale attack/damage/saves/skills/ability checks, +7 saves, +4 attacks/saves morale, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Name
HP: 472/502
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Recitation (CL30), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Mass Death Ward (CL30), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +2 luck attacks/AC/saves, half damage melee and ranged, immunity to mind affecting, death ward immunities, +2 morale attack/damage/saves/skills/ability checks, +4 attacks/saves morale, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Greater heroism (+4 morale attack/saves, +20 temp hp), epic mage armour (+20 armour AC). Both CL 27.

Spells I cast on everyone: Recitation CL30 (+2 luck to AC/attack/saving throws; +3 if worshiping the same religion), Sublime Revelry CL31 (take only half damage from melee and ranged attacks and are immune to mind-affecting effects), Mass Death Ward CL30 (immunity to death effects, energy drain and negative energy/negative levels), Good Hope CL30 (+2 morale to attack/damage/saves/ability checks/skill checks). Interplanar Telepathic Bond CL26 via Vul'lath. Hidden Dawn still shared with the Master.

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.
[/quote]

The first bearded devil holds his position, and as he does he lets out a shout. Both barbazu swell up, growing more muscled, more potent as meanwhile Mei raises her hand. She utters one single note of noise, heartbreakingly beautiful as it resonates amid the three of you.

The sense of dread withdraws for one moment as she speaks, as Jaela feels the warmth of a summer day and can smell the rich scent of the forest.

Heavenly Blessing, +52 temporary hit points for everyone but Afina since she's otu of range. Jaela, go.

[spoiler]

Master
HP: 339+52/339
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Recitation (CL30), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Mass Death Ward (CL30), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +2 luck attacks/AC/saves, half damage melee and ranged, immunity to mind affecting, death ward immunities, +2 morale attack/damage/saves/skills/ability checks, +7 saves, +4 attacks/saves morale, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Mei
HP: 472+52/502
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Recitation (CL30), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Mass Death Ward (CL30), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +2 luck attacks/AC/saves, half damage melee and ranged, immunity to mind affecting, death ward immunities, +2 morale attack/damage/saves/skills/ability checks, +4 attacks/saves morale, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Greater heroism (+4 morale attack/saves, +20 temp hp), epic mage armour (+20 armour AC). Both CL 27.

Spells I cast on everyone: Recitation CL30 (+2 luck to AC/attack/saving throws; +3 if worshiping the same religion), Sublime Revelry CL31 (take only half damage from melee and ranged attacks and are immune to mind-affecting effects), Mass Death Ward CL30 (immunity to death effects, energy drain and negative energy/negative levels), Good Hope CL30 (+2 morale to attack/damage/saves/ability checks/skill checks). Interplanar Telepathic Bond CL26 via Vul'lath. Hidden Dawn still shared with the Master.

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.

In a relatively conservative move, Jaela mirrors her earlier charge while conserving her magic!

[20:29] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+67+7 smite!
[20:29] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 86 > [d20=12]
[20:30] <@Luiza> roll 12d8+138+96+18+6+4d6 divine might, goldenfire
[20:30] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 316 > [d8=2,8,3,6,3,8,1,1,2,7,4,3][d6=1,5,2,2]

[20:30] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+30 SR
[20:30] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=14]
[20:31] <@Luiza> roll 2d6+4d6 goldenfire
[20:31] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 22 > [d6=2,2,3,4,5,6]

Charging the one on the right, burning both, switching to Gae Bolg and falling into Gambit after.

Jaela charges forward, blinking blood out of her eyes. Her spear goes right through the barbazu's shield, the entire thing bursting aflame with golenfire. The fiend is immolated, impaled through the heart and reduced to ash on the wind. The other grunts as it burns, holding position at least for now, in spite of its injuries.

Slaads.

[18:39] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+10 belated slaad fort
[18:39] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 22, 17, 16 >

Assuming they're still functional after that...

Ribbiting, the slaads drop a trio of chaos hammers on the remaining devil!

[18:40] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+8 SR for chaos hammer
[18:40] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 25, 18, 12 >
[18:41] <@Ebiris> roll 3#8d6 chaos hammer damage, DC 14 will half, slowed if save fails
[18:41] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 35, 30, 31 >

The slaad are blinded as they all failed the save.

They can still blindfire a chaos hammer, it's an area attack. So the action stands.

> roll 1d20+16 oh will, head dur
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=7]

The last assault is too much - the barbazu crumbles before you, as the entire fortress shakes. The red glow intensifies, hotter and hotter within here.

Free act.

"Hurry!" Afina shouts back to the others, zipping off ahead and leaving her slaad to bumble blindly after her. Even if they can't see it they must know how proud she is of them for killing a devil, right?

Jaela follows on Afina's heels!

The four of you race along, fast as you can.

What speed are you all setting here? I assume the run action for obvious reasons.

Afina is speed 120 (so 480 when running) and she's not slowing down for others to keep up.

Slaad are speed 60 and can't run because they're blinded. In fact they're reduced to speed 30 and can only manage double moves!

On second thought, since apparently the Master and I are both speed 140, the two of us will run together for 560. Afina and Mei will catch up!

Jaela and the Master are fastest, blurs down the hallway and past even Afina. Down another slope and into the next room head long, this one made of red-hot iron and leading to a stairway in the center going down. There's just one little problem.

Standing before the stairway is a small herd of skeletal warriors, blackened bones burnt from the flames. They were ancient plate armor and carry heavy weapons like hammers, maces, greataxes and greatswords. The two of you are moving full speed as you come down and...

What are you going to do here, Jaela. Offensive actions'll throw you into init.

Jaela decides to try and get through this hurdle without stopping if at all possible by flying at top speed near the ceiling! Still, it's best to be prepared and Gae Dearg takes its place in her arms while Jaela ensures that any tempting strike at her gets a proper retaliation.

Switching to Gae Dearg, swift to cast GMW on it, the other swift to cast Greater Displacement upon myself. Flying next to the ceiling at a height of 15ft. Gambiting so that if someone does try to hit me, I'll hit them back and clear some of the way for the others.

Init checks to see who is faster here, not a proper init if you win.

Also, sorry, I autoburn everything evil and outsiderish/undead within 10ft of me.

[21:34] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+30
[21:34] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=18]
[21:34] <@Luiza> roll 2d6+4d6 goldenfire
[21:35] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 23 > [d6=3,2,6,3,5,4]

[21:35] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+18
[21:35] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=7]

<Luiza> roll 1d20+18
<Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+11 Master
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+5 skeletons
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=9]

> roll 1d20 they need 20s to hit him
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d20 they need 20s to hit him
> roll 1d20 they need 20s to hit him
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 4 > [d20=4]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=16]

The two of you fly swiftly and fast, down the stairs in a blur. The skeletons slash at the Master, but he jukes in midair, weaving around them as the two of you reach the stairs. Going down, you feel the heat intensifying rapidly, as meanwhile Afina catche sup, reaching the passage down and seeing the skeletons.

Act, both of you.

Afina briefly turns invisible as she flies right through the skeletons, reappearing on the other side. It's not something to rely on but it's surely sufficient for meagre foes like this.

Jaela burns large swaths of the skeletons like a fiery scythe before she's out of sight! The increasing heat is a minor concern for now, given her immunity, and she doesn't pause in her race downstairs!

[21:51] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+27
[21:51] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=14]
[21:52] <@Luiza> roll 15d6+4d6 Ref DC29 half
[21:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 64 > [d6=2,2,4,5,1,6,6,2,5,6,3,1,3,4,3,2,4,2,3]
[21:52] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+27
[21:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=4]
[21:52] <@Luiza> roll 15d6+4d6 Ref DC29 half
[21:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 61 > [d6=4,3,4,2,3,6,2,6,4,3,1,1,3,2,1,1,5,4,6]

> roll 1d20+16
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+16
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=20]

Flames erupt as Afina passes and...

> roll 1d20 needs a 20
> roll 1d20 needs a 20
> roll 1d20 needs a 20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=7]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 1 > [d20=1]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d20=5]

Another pulse. Pain. Fire. Everything burns around you as...

Fort all.

[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30+29 another MoP
[20:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 60 > [d20=1]

[20:06] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+10 will slaad ever matter again?
[20:06] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 24, 14, 19 >

[22:15] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+66
[22:15] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 69 > [d20=3]

> roll 1d20+49 Mei
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 53 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+37 Master
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=2]

> roll 25d6 damage Afina full, everyone else half
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 76 > [d6=2,5,1,1,1,3,3,5,4,5,1,6,6,1,5,2,2,6,2,3,2,1,1,6,2]

Agony erupts amid all of you, burning that does not burn. It hurts tremendously as all of you race ahead, down the stairway, hurrying.

AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS, IT IS FINALLY TIME.

"Like hell it is!" Jaela can't help but respond, dashing down!

14 temp hp remaining, no actual damage.

12th level slot sacrificed with spell shield to reduce damage by 60.

Down. Down, down, down. Down the stairs. The entire fortress shudders, as if a woman in labor pains. The three of you race along - Mei behind, fallen behind and not as fast, but hardly the concern at the moment. You race down - and almost run headlong into a thick wall of ice, showing signs of melting but still intact, clogging the way ahead.

[spoiler]

Master
HP: 339+14/339
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Recitation (CL30), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Mass Death Ward (CL30), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +2 luck attacks/AC/saves, half damage melee and ranged, immunity to mind affecting, death ward immunities, +2 morale attack/damage/saves/skills/ability checks, +7 saves, +4 attacks/saves morale, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Mei
HP: 472+14/502
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Recitation (CL30), Sublime Revelry (CL31), Mass Death Ward (CL30), Good Hope (CL30), Interplanar Telepathic Bond (CL26), Greater Heroism (CL27), Epic Mage Armor (CL27)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack rolls and will saves, immunity to fear and poison, +2 luck attacks/AC/saves, half damage melee and ranged, immunity to mind affecting, death ward immunities, +2 morale attack/damage/saves/skills/ability checks, +4 attacks/saves morale, +20 armor bonus AC.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Greater heroism (+4 morale attack/saves, +20 temp hp), epic mage armour (+20 armour AC). Both CL 27.

Spells I cast on everyone: Recitation CL30 (+2 luck to AC/attack/saving throws; +3 if worshiping the same religion), Sublime Revelry CL31 (take only half damage from melee and ranged attacks and are immune to mind-affecting effects), Mass Death Ward CL30 (immunity to death effects, energy drain and negative energy/negative levels), Good Hope CL30 (+2 morale to attack/damage/saves/ability checks/skill checks). Interplanar Telepathic Bond CL26 via Vul'lath. Hidden Dawn still shared with the Master.

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.
[/quote]

Jaela flings two more holy flame strikes with a thought as she dashes ahead!

If the two swift spells and finally my aura of fire don't make a suitable path through for me, I'll charge into the remains with Gae Dioltas!

[20:28] <@Luiza> roll 15d6+4d6 goldenfire'd flame strike 1!
[20:29] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 67 > [d6=4,3,4,6,6,1,5,3,1,1,3,1,6,3,3,6,3,5,3]
[20:29] <@Luiza> roll 15d6+4d6 goldenfire'd flame strike 2!
[20:29] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 64 > [d6=6,3,1,3,1,4,1,6,4,6,1,2,6,1,4,3,5,4,3]
[20:29] <@Luiza> roll 2d6+4d6 10ft aura of fire
[20:29] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 22 > [d6=3,2,4,5,2,6]

Forgot that my flame strikes are twinned, so that's 117 and 113 respectively.

The wall of ice melts, most of it gone - as well as the next one 5ft ahead, and the next, but more are after it, blocking the way.

As you race towards them, 'Ants cower in their nest, seeking to hide from the purifying touch of light. Mere ice will not stop us, will it not? You are mighty in brute force; charge through as a tiger charges through prey.'

Jaela was already doing that! And swooping down from her spot by the ceiling to make even more of an impact!

[20:40] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+51+7 diving charge, divine might
[20:40] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 71 > [d20=13]
[20:41] <@Luiza> roll 16d8+184+8+4d6
[20:41] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 291 > [d8=3,4,1,7,6,7,8,4,6,6,8,3,4,7,7,4][d6=3,4,1,6]

Jaela is like a plunging meteor, smashing through wall after all of ice. They shatter before her as she goes down, keeping her speed as the stairway curves and goes further down. After a few dozen there's no more, and ahead is a door leading further in - you can see a shimmering wall of force in front of it with your magical sight.

Then - !!!!

Fortitude, all.

[20:45] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+66
[20:45] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 82 > [d20=16]

[18:46] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30+29 MoP
[18:46] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 68 > [d20=9]

> roll 1d20+37 Master
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+49 Mei
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 56 > [d20=7]

A flare of pain, like a phantom wound across your heart.

NOW EVERYTHING WILL END.

'Why the fuck don't I get to stab literal pain into the hearts of my enemies just by existing?!' Jaela complains, pissed off enough about this slow and painful taunting to forget her promise to be nicer to her goddess. Still, she can't go any faster than she already is!

Going to do anything about the wall of force you saw across the door with true seeing?

Disintegrate!

[21:03] <@Luiza> roll 1d20 not one
[21:03] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=10]

Your thin green beam hits thew all of force, smoothly dissolving it into nothingness.

Thus allowing Jaela to charge onwards without even stopping for a moment!

Make another attack roll for the door in that case.

[21:15] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+51+7 diving charge, divine might
[21:15] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 73 > [d20=15]
[21:15] <@Luiza> roll 16d8+184+8+4d6
[21:15] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 294 > [d8=5,5,5,7,8,3,8,2,1,8,7,6,6,4,5,5][d6=3,3,6,5]

WHAM!

The door shatters as Jaela bursts through, the Master right behind her. Afina's not far, having caught up at the momentarily delays the vanguard ran into.

Ahead is a vast, cathedral like chamber, everything in here glowing an overwhelming red. An entire line of cornugons and erinyes block the way ahead, but from behind it, you can hear it. Apasa's voice, chanting in front of something. Something massive, about 120ft away. You can hear the sounds of snapping chains as...

Chance to react, offense will lead to init.

Apasa needs to die right now, and so Jaela stops time!

[21:36] <@Luiza> roll 1d4+1
[21:36] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 3 > [d4=2]

That's close enough to an offensive action, so init instead.

[19:42] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 init
[19:42] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 34 > [d20=4]

[21:43] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+18
[21:43] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=9]

> roll 1d20+9 devils
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+28 Apasa
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+9 ????
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+11 the master
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=16]
> OOC: Mei isn't here yet, will roll on the round she arrives.

Init is Apasa (39) > Afina (34) > Jaela = Master (27) > ??? (25) > Devils (24)

Apasa opens.

Apasa continues to chant, the sound of chains breaking growing louder.

NOW I SHALL COME FORTH AND CRUSH YOU LIKE INSECTS!

Afina.

Afina speeds up as much as she can!

12th level slot sacrificed for 7 rounds of time stop
round 1: Fly into room and take a good look around with godly perceptions. Are there physical chains that are snapping here?
Further round actions to follow based on what I see.

A vast figure is chained with thousands of chains, snapping rapid fire - from the looks of super speed, anyway. Something devilish, something fiendish. Big, red, burning. It's mostly obscured, but the chains all over it are cracking, most of them in the process of breaking at this very second.

Apasa stands right before them, chanting with a book open in one hand.

It makes sense that one could use fabriciate to turn a broken item into a fixed item, since the raw materials are right there, right?

Afina immediately gets to work fixing some of those chains as she flies closer!
Round 2: Cast fabricate on chains to fix them!
Round 3: Cast fabricate on chains to fix them!
Round 4: Cast ferocity of sanguine rage
Round 5: Cast spell enhancered many moments of prescience
Round 6: Cast searing delayed blast fireball on line of devil mooks
Round 7: Cast searing delayed blast fireball on line of devil mooks

[20:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33 searing fireball SR
[20:05] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=15]
[20:05] <@Ebiris> roll 27d6
[20:05] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 95 > [d6=4,2,5,2,5,5,2,5,3,2,1,6,5,4,3,1,3,4,2,3,2,2,6,4,4,5,5]
[20:05] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+33 searing fireball SR
[20:05] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=17]
[20:05] <@Ebiris> roll 27d6
[20:05] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 103 > [d6=6,2,5,4,4,5,5,4,6,3,2,6,2,5,3,2,2,6,1,1,6,3,6,5,1,3,5]
Ignores resistance/immunity, DC 35 ref half

As time reasserts its flow, Afina is floating above Apasa and she proceeds to stab him mercilessly while fireballs detonate in the background. She's less interested in taking him alive than she is in stopping this thing from being released, so she's not particularly careful in her stabbings.

[20:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+71 12th level arcane strike
[20:10] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 72 > [d20=1]
[20:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+71 12th level arcane strike
[20:10] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 80 > [d20=9]
[20:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+66 12th level arcane strike
[20:10] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 78 > [d20=12]
[20:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+88 12th level arcane strike moment of prescience
[20:10] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 105 > [d20=17]
[20:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+83 12th level arcane strike moment of prescience
[20:11] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 93 > [d20=10]
[20:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6+12d4 and 2 negative levels
[20:12] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 108 > [d4=4][d6=5,3,6,4,6,3,5,2,3,2][d4=1,2,4,4,3,4,2,1,4,1,3,4]
[20:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6+12d4 and 2 negative levels
[20:12] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 88 > [d4=1][d6=2,3,6,3,1,2,2,4,4,2][d4=2,2,4,2,1,1,2,4,1,1,2,4]
[20:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6+12d4 and 2 negative levels
[20:12] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 98 > [d4=2][d6=2,1,6,4,3,4,1,6,1,4][d4=4,1,2,3,2,3,1,4,1,3,4,4]
[20:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6+12d4 and 2 negative levels
[20:12] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 102 > [d4=4][d6=1,4,1,3,3,6,4,3,5,4][d4=1,2,4,2,3,4,3,1,4,2,4,2]

> roll 1d20+26 ref 1
> roll 1d20+26 ref 2
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=7]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=7]

It seems its your lucky day, steam pixie.

Fireballs explode amid the devil line, devastating it as it holds nonetheless, erinyes aflame and cornugons burning. You stab deep into Apasa, fields of force around him parting before your blade like the wind, nothing more. You stab into the traitor over and over, his chanting disrupted as he falls to a knee, bleeding and holding his devastated shoulders. He's down but not out, bleeding profusely as...

Jaela and Master.

Jaela drains what little water the burning devils have remaining in their bodies, before time stops!

[22:37] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+25 SR
[22:37] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=11]
[22:37] <@Luiza> roll 20d6 Fort DC33 half
[22:37] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 77 > [d6=1,6,5,1,6,3,4,4,6,1,3,5,4,4,6,1,6,4,5,2]

Quickened Twinned Horrid Wilting on the mooks, so 154 damage.

Now! Round one! Standard: Moonlight Revelation. Swift: Divine Favor, Swift: Divine Power.

Once her temporal magic takes hold, Jaela swiftly makes her way over to Apasa to a position that makes it easy to flank with Afina, and swaps her weapon for Gae Bolg as she sheds a silvery light to illuminate the chamber.

Nodding to Jaela as time stops around them, Afina rebuilds some more chains using this reprieve!

I'll just cast fabricate each round of the time stop to fix more chains. 3 castings I believe.

Jaela imbues Gae Bolg with the power to break through any of Apasa's remaining defenses, and taking no chances calls upon the favor of the Heavens. Then, properly prepared, she strikes at him as soon as time resumes its rightful course!

Superb Dispelling channeled into Gae Bolg. Celestial Valor cast on myself and Afina. True Strike as time prepares to return, and now the attack!

[22:49] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+53+13+20-4 true strike, divine might, nonlethal, his ac is at -5
[22:50] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 84 > [d20=2]
[22:50] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+41 superb dispelling
[22:50] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 60 > [d20=19]
[22:51] <@Luiza> roll 4d8+40+11d6+23+4d6
[22:51] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 137 > [d8=7,4,3,2][d6=6,5,3,6,3,1,4,5,1,6,5,5,4,3,1]
[22:52] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+53+13+2-4+14 true strike, divine might, nonlethal, his ac is at -5, forgot flanking before, smite
[22:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 84 > [d20=6]
[22:52] <@Luiza> roll 4d8+40+11d6+23+4d6
[22:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 119 > [d8=5,2,7,1][d6=2,2,2,1,1,1,5,1,2,5,2,6,2,4,5]
[22:52] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+48+13+2-4+14 true strike, divine might, nonlethal, his ac is at -5, flanking, smite
[22:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 89 > [d20=16]
[22:52] <@Luiza> roll 4d8+40+11d6+23+4d6
[22:52] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 133 > [d8=5,3,8,5][d6=6,3,3,2,1,5,2,6,2,2,1,5,1,5,5]
[22:53] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+43+13+2-4+14 true strike, divine might, nonlethal, his ac is at -5, flanking, smite
[22:53] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 75 > [d20=7]
[22:53] <@Luiza> roll 4d8+40+11d6+23+4d6
[22:53] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 136 > [d8=5,5,1,3][d6=5,3,2,5,1,5,3,5,4,5,6,5,5,1,4]
[22:53] <@Luiza> roll 1d20+38+13+2-4+25 moment of prescience, divine might, nonlethal, his ac is at -5, flanking
[22:53] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 79 > [d20=5]
[22:53] <@Luiza> roll 4d8+40+11d6+23+4d6
[22:54] <Serith> Luiza roll for Serith < 143 > [d8=3,8,5,6][d6=1,6,5,2,4,3,3,6,1,3,6,5,6,1,6]

Also the mooks save vs my spell at -4, forgot that. So effective DC is actually Fort 37 half for them.

If he drops from one of the earlier strikes I won't spend all the smites and MoP here, so let me know?

> roll 1d20+25 fortitude
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+25 fortitude
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 37 > [d20=12]

Init is Afina (34) > Jaela = Master (27) > ??? (25) > Devils (24)

Devils shudder and collapse as you turn then into dried out husks, but that's not important. You slam Gae Bolg into Apasa twice, knocking him down and out. He collapses as time resumes, a horrid moment as magic erupts all around Apasa and the chained creature, chains straining even as you dispel magic and...

Caster level check, Afina. You two may just have a shot at stopping this with those actions.

[17:57] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+27
[17:57] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=1]

> roll 1d20+27
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=9]

The chains shudder, snap - but there's too many of them as the magic crumbles. Barely, just barely the head and red light dims and the battlefield goes still. Witht he devils routed, Apasa defeated and no further manifestations from whatever it is...have you won?

Free act.

Not taking anything for granted, Afina speeds herself up and repairs a bunch more chains in the blink of an eye!

10th level time stop for 5 rounds, and 5 castings of fabricate to do repairs

'We've won,' Jaela declares to her friends and Vul'lath back on Aurora. 'I'm grabbing Apasa, can you get his book, Afina?'

She also makes sure to part Apasa from his ring to store it safely.

Done and done. As Mei catches up, the Master approachs, "Yet only one question remains: Can we leave this place beyond, for other devils to journey to?"

Afina looks to see how those chains are holding up, and compares her repaired ones with the ones that managed to survive unsnapped entirely so she can determine how secure this thing is now.

Jaela studies any present or fading magic in the area! And takes a look at the book Apasa was using afterwards.

Spellcraft, Jaela.

The chains look to be intact enough - holding and the pressure on them is slackening.

Taking 10 for Spellcraft 69.

"I think we're in the clear for now," Afina says, turning to the others and seeing Jaela has already grabbed the book. "We can't secure this place without committing Aurora to its defence, unfortunately. Anyone we left here would be over-run sooner or later if the devils are determined to release this beast."

"Then what do we do?" The Master says, "It is a horror, I have no doubt about it. Yet if we leave it, it will emerge to trouble us in our final battles. That seems transparently clear."

There's some intensely powerful sealing magic that's recovering, as magic to undo it fades away. From the looks of it, it was on the verge of collapse.

"Still, this place was lost for millennia...." Jaela trails off, trying to see if that was via some magic that still remains in fragments, or if their ancestors merely buried the whole thing really deep and hoped no one would show up at the front door.

Afina lets Jaela study it, because hopefully the bindings aren't something that can be casually undone by the next devil to happen along. "I'm not sure we can weather the attacks that will come if Aurora appears on Lifasa, not yet. The best we can do might be to leave enough of a force here to stall any further attempts long enough that we can send heavy reinforcements in." She glances at Apasa. "I'm hopeful this was an independent gambit of his that no other devils will be keen to follow up on, but we can't count on that."

While she thinks about this conundrum, Jaela asks Vul'lath, 'What's the best way to leave a sensor here to tell us if the bindings are being messed with by another devil? Persistent scrying efforts?'

Elaborate what you're trying to find out, Jaela?

Epic magic to hide this fortress from everyone, which Apasa might've broken through when he came here. I figured I might be able to see if it existed at all from the seals and anything in the ambience.

Nothing that you can detect from here.

'In the short term,' Vul'lath replies, 'More sophisticated measures and rituals in time would be desirable.'

'Let's go,' Jaela declares. 'Vul'lath will make sure we keep an eye on the place and we can Wish the entrance out of existence, at least.'

Afina nods and creates a floating disk for easily ferrying Apasa around.

Going to do that then just get the hell outta here?

Yes. I'll open a Gate to Aurora and Afina can Wish the entrance to be eliminated as if it never existed and we'll step through?

Afina only has limited wishes, and I don't get what you mean by entrance anyway. Do you mean the caves? The phase door you made earlier? The front door to the place that we never actually found?

Also Afina will have to summon more slaads for passwalls so we can get back out the way we came, since the ones made earlier vanished when the summon ended. She has spells enough for that though.

I meant the caves, and I could do it with Miracle if we want to.

Okay, so miracle? Go ahead and word it, Jaela.

'Get the gate, Afina?' Jaela requests. 'I've got an idea for the entrance.'

"Goddess," she beseeches the Triune. "Please restore the anti-entry and protection wards that were broken here, so that our dying world is spared this new horror while we fight to free it. Please keep it safe and out of sight of the devils as it had been all this time."

Afina casts a Gate back to Elysium and waits for Jaela to finish her spell before they evacuate with Apasa.

As Jaela makes her plea, she understands that doing so will draw from her, leaving her exhausted for the day and requiring rest. As an inhabitant of Lifasa she is a suitable vessel, but this wounded land cannot support such magic on its own. She doesn't believe it will be anything permanent for her, though, only temporary exhaustion.
Do you wish to continue?

"I understand," she says solemnly. "I'll pay that price."

Okay, make a Constitution check.

20:30 <Baymax> roll 1d20+12
20:30 <Serith> Baymax roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=1]

There is the sound of a bell ringing, Jaela glowing bright before she collapses. For one moment she is one amid many, held aloft as magic works. For that moment she is more, slipping away from her memory as she collapses after. She is bone weary, utterly exhausted. She isn't sure if she can even stand up, vision blurry.

Mei's there in an instant, catching you in her arms.

You are exhausted, Jaela. The spell failure from miracle is 80% instead of 50%.

"Carry her through, Mei," Afina asks, sending the floating disc containing Apasa ahead and intending to follow after the two Triune worshippers.

Like this the four of you escape, back to Aurora. You hurry in, Elena appearing at the gate, "Is that...you got anther one," she cheers, "Good work!"

"Thanks," Afina smiles to Elena, pleased at such a smoothly run mission. "Lets get him put in the dungeons before he wakes up. Hopefully he won't be out as long as Mala."

Great. Plans?

Loot Apasa, and interrogate him. And Mala if she's awake.

Also Mala loot post is still outstanding.

I'll leave the interrogation in your capable hands, and instead rest up properly.

You're going to your own thread now, Jaela.

Afina, you're in here. I'll do looting tonight, we'll do interrogations now. What's your plan for interrogating?

I'll bug Ilsenine into handling the Dominate Monster bit so Apasa (and Mala if she's coherent) have to answer truthfully and fully, and I'll ask them stuff.

There may be a smidge of tasteful gloating involved.

Ilsenine smiles.

It is not a kind smile.

Ilsenine's gaze is on two cells, two traitors within. She slowly claps, "Excellent work, Afina. We will dominate their minds?"

"Yes, just to make them pliant enough to avoid prevarication," Afina agrees. "Though their usefulness as an intelligence resource has been diminishing ever since we captured Yian. Less and less gets trusted to the traitors by their masters."

"Distressingly logical," Ilsenine says, "Which one is first?"

"I think Mala's rested long enough," Afina says, looking to see how coherent the wizard pit fiend is.

She's up and staring death at you, silent in her cage.

Then that means she's fair game for being subjected to dominate monster!

> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=10]

Repeated castings, but Mala endures.

"Her mind is strong," Ilsenine says calmly, "She resists. We will need more potent measures."

How lucky for Mala that she had time to sleep off all that energy drain Afina inflicted on her before. But that's a thing that can be given to her as many times as necessary. "One moment, your Majesty," she asks, stopping time long enough for her to enter Mala's cage and close the door behind her, then when it restarts she's floating above the pit fiend and proceeds to smack her around the head with her sword a few times.

[20:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+59 nonlethal
[20:21] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 70 > [d20=11]
[20:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+59 nonlethal
[20:21] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 69 > [d20=10]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+54 nonlethal
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 70 > [d20=16]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+49 nonlethal
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=1]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+44 nonlethal
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 53 > [d20=9]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6 and 2 negative levels
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 77 > [d4=1][d6=5,5,3,6,6,4,4,1,5,5]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6 and 2 negative levels
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 73 > [d4=4][d6=6,4,1,5,1,5,5,2,3,5]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6 and 2 negative levels
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 76 > [d4=3][d6=5,2,4,3,5,4,2,5,5,6]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d4+32+3d6+3d6+4d6 and 2 negative levels
[20:22] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 60 > [d4=1][d6=3,3,2,1,4,1,2,5,1,5]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 init if she's conscious and cares to make a fight of it after that
[20:23] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=17]

For Mala's it's enough. The blows knock her down, the caged fiend unable to resist and battered into unawareness.

Ilsenine looks on coolly, "That will suffice for the moment. Well done, Afina."

Afina sees herself out. "We'll have to wait for her to wake up again, but she'll be sufficiently debilitated for another day that further attempts should go more smoothly. Do you wish to focus on Apasa for the moment or save him till after?" she asks rather than just asking if she has enough spell slots, not wanting the Queen to have to show any weakness in front of the prisoners.

"Focus on Apasa," Ilsenine says after a moment's consideration.

Thus they shift over to Apasa's cell so Ilsenine can try dominating his mind instead!

Lemme strike that, I misunderstood the intent of your questions there.

Ilsenine shakes her head, "We'll save him until after," she says.

"Very well, they can stew a while longer," Afina nods, escorting Ilsenine out of the dungeons. Disappointing, but Mala had already been kept a day, and as she said their value as an intelligence resource isn't so great as it once was.

"What of the defector?" Ilsenine asks once you're out of the dungeons.

"We have her cosied up in a guest room," Afina answers. "We can thank her for Apasa's capture."

"Very well," Ilsenine agrees, "Lead on, Afina. I wish to lay eyes on her directly."

"As you like," Afina nods, leading Ilsenine off to Velasca's guest quarters.

You find Velasca sitting before the fire, watching it crackle. The pit fiend is a spot of red amid the guest room's other colors, a looming blob of hatred spread over reality. She looks up as you enter, "Well?"

"Apasa is enjoying our dungeons," Afina says, fluttering to the side of the more regal pixie. "Her Majesty Queen Ilsenine was interested in meeting you."

"You survived Gathgorian, the Child of Lifasa and the Duke of Destiny's ire," Velasca drawls, "Congratulations, Your Majesty. A little pixie has humiliated a Duke of Hell. Not all of that can be Hell's failings."

Ilsenine merely returns that with a cool expression, "Is that all you are, fool? Gibbering and scratching for a better hole to hide in, after the last failed you?"

Afina keeps her peace and just flutters a little behind and to Ilsenine's left. Hopefully she won't be asked to kill Velasca when she inevitably offends Ilsenine beyond her patience.

Velasca...sighs. It is a long sigh, her head bowed.

"I am a fool," she concurs. "I trusted Hell's sweet whisperings, trusted that I would have power unstoppable, that I would be a Queen."

"Hoping to become more than a fool by knowing you are a fool? Can a bird become a dog by knowing they are a bird?" Ilsenine asks, voice acidic, caustic. She glares coldly at the devil before her.

"Easy for you to speak of this, as-" That's as far as Velasca gets.

Ilsenine's voice is ice cold, "Easy for me to speak, for I speak for the millions murdered because of your greed. I speak easily because I speak for every soul wronged by you, damned to torment and eternal misery because of you. Be silent when your betters are talking, devil dog. I care nothing for your self pity or regrets. You live because you have made yourself useful, when what you deserve is torment or oblivion, whichever will suffer to have you."

Velasca goes silent at this, looking back to the flames. "Do you know of Antenora, the Opal Angel?" Her question is after some time. "The one only spoken of with fear, for her punishment will be legendary when she is caught. A traitor to Hell itself. Proof that there is a path beyond Hell for me. I am not a saint, not when I was mortal and certainly not now. Yet if a mere erinyes can free herself, then I will cast off Hell's mind and forge my own path."

"I met Antenora," Afina speaks up. "She is tolerably pleasant. Easy enough to think her a simple angel if one doesn't know the truth. But I don't care about random devils, so I made no issue of it. All the fiends of Cania and Malbolge and the rest can do as they like. It's the ones who raised their hands against Lifasa that concern me."

"In that you are the fool," Velasca says, "All of Hell is arrayed against you, now and forever. Do not think that because you don't concern themselves with them that they likewise ignore you."

"All of Hell is a whole lot, it's important to set yourself manageable expectations," Afina replies blandly. "Just working through the list will be the work of many mortal lifetimes."

Velasca is silent again at that, at least for a few moments. "I see," she finally says.

Afina is expressionless as she floats by her Queen, her interjection said and leaving it to Ilsenine if she has further need for conversation.

"We're done here," Ilsenine agrees, shooting you a moment's glance.

"Yes, your Majesty," Afina goes to get the door for Ilsenine, not having any further pleasantries for Velasca.

Once gone from the room Ilsenine speaks, fluttering along. "What will you do if some Heaven sees fit to take her in?" she asks, "Should she somehow reform herself. I do not believe it will happen, but it raises the concern."

"It would depend on the situation," Afina admits. "I expect I'd still kill her, but it's hard to say what the me of tomorrow will feel on seeing her reformed, and on who exactly has taken her in." As an elf she could well end up serving Morwel if she were to truly repent, after all.

A slight nod from Ilsenine, "She does not strike me as a penitent. Still, a bridge a century away. How many traitors are left now, Afina, and do you have any leads on them?"

"Harkin; the golem-crafter. Quinn; the scout. Ettan; the warchief. Silvber; the dark speaker. We have five of the nine in our power, less than half left," Afina replies. "No specific leads though. We'll see if Mala and Apasa have anything, otherwise we'll simply attack their territories to draw them out."

"Make it so," Ilsenine commands. "Victory draws closer."

"By your leave, your Majesty," Afina bows and flutters off, that being a clear dismissal to her.

Anything else to do on day 85?

Nothing important, Afina'll just do busywork around Aurora/crafting until tomorrow when we can take a fresh crack at the prisoners and then hopefully lead into another raid.

Alrighty, let me pause you for the moment then.