Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

After dropping Elegy off - "Why thank you for this," Elegy says, "It's shame about the looting, but I think keeping my skin here is a reward." - the two of you return back to the Cauldron. Donald's whistling as you appear just outside of it, starting to fly on up. "Geez, I thought you were getting a bit too domestic," he says, "We needed that! Though Glasya was a total bitch, wasn't she?"

Elegy got to be a part of history, and the recording of Lixer slaying Bel that she slipped into his things via some very sneaky sleight of hand should make for a nice consolation prize, given his affiliation.

"Domestic," Seira echoes, snorting. "You don't say. As for Glasya, I'm afraid I missed all of the excitement due to fighting Lixer and his loser lich squad-- hey, do you think their phylacteries went up in flames after all that happened?"

"Maybe, depends if they were there," Donald hums, as you feel a connection with him. A line of power, connecting you to him and others, glimpsed as you feel it thrum between the two of you. My blessing to you.

You cleared a node goal. Go read the update and post that you have in your next post.

Seira extends her fist for Donald to bump. "Good times were had by all, except Lixer and family." As they clear the Cauldron's entrance, Seira nods at the guards and exerts her influence over her realm to form an animated scene of her dramatic confrontation with Lixer! Him standing there menacingly, her appearing out of shadows to stab and burn him, and Lixer fleeing after giving her that constipated-looking angry face.

"How about you? Any scene you'd like to immortalize for our visitors?" she offers to Donald, ready to draw upon her powers to make it happen.

Node read.

Donald starts to and pauses, "Hey Seira, did you feel something?"

Meanwhile you make the images as desired, appearing at your command.

"You felt that, too?" Seira asks in surprise. "Maybe it's because I proxy'd you."

Note since I didn't include it and I probably should in node update posts: Donald got +1 strength there.

"..maybe? Hey, isn't that the sort of thing you should know?" Donald asks right back. "That was new to me, too."

"I kept waiting for the right guy~" Seira delivers in sing-song. "And it only took him a couple decades to be halfway passable."

She raises an eyebrow, eyeing her outstretched fist. "Come on, don't keep a girl hanging. And give me a good battle scene from your side, so we have a fuller picture!"

A bump and a bump. Once done Donald hums, "Sure, it was probably nothing anyway," he says. "Here, I got Glasya once with a jumping slash across her forearm." Donald leaps and swings Guardianil, a short and sharp swing. "Yah! Like that. I think she meant to deflect it but it caught her just right."

"Focus on the memory, I'll use my ridiculously unfair magic to draw it out of your current thoughts," Seira promises, doing just that. Once the image of Glasya's perfect skin being marred by Donald's expert hand joins the humiliation of Glasya's brother, Seira muses, "I do actually know what happened, if you're interested. Wanna hear about it?"

"Go on," Donald steps back and marvels at the image, smiling.

'Seira," Syala's voice sounds in your head. 'Have you felt any unusual sensations lately, a connection between you and another, and a possible gain of power?'

'I have,' Seira responds. 'Hold on a sec, let me tie Donald into this as well since I was planning on doing it.'

As Seira proudly leads the way down the grand staircase inset into the Cauldron in homage to the Infinite Staircase, passing by colorful stalls that operate around the clock, she speaks in Syala and Donald's minds. 'I'm a goddess, and I'm saying this for Donald's benefit, since it means there is a part of me which is not just more than what I used to be as a mortal but utterly alien to it. It's the part that allows me to stay true to my ethos and to draw on the hopes and prayers of my faithful, as well as render them aid when I feel their need. Until now, I've only been able to do this when the need spikes or the amount of worshippers gathered together is great. Recently, however, I've started feeling the worries of my closest friends and family. I thought it was related to Amaryl being close to her own divinity until you contacted me, Syala. Am I to take it that you've experienced it as well?'

Noise.

The noise of people calling your name, of business done and concluded, of laughter and merriment, of the click of coins. Donald keeps on walking down the stair, Guardianil slung over his shoulder at a jaunty angle. He sidesteps a Waukeenite in rich robes, ducks past a dragonborn and then a mercane and elf squabbling over prices, all while others move out of your way in respect.

'Yes, myself and Alicia and now Latha and Alicia,' Syala sends back. 'This time Alicia got a new spell from Latha, her sunmantle spell.'

'Yeah, I feel stronger after it happened with Seira and I,' Donald says, then blinks, 'Please don't tell Elle if this got you pregnant, Seira. I'll be stuck sleeping on the floor for a month!'

'Well, it's clearly not following my wishes, or Donald would be feeling wiser,' Seira muses, deciding to be upbeat rather than upset about the whole thing. 'I think he's my first strengthened link because I finally settled on a proxy before we went to Avernus, but I can definitely feel others. I hypothesize that others I'm close to would eventually manifest the same link, and it is merely a matter of time.'

All the practice in splitting her attention between multiple spells and later multiple selves has honed Seira's ability to smile at her guests and followers and greet them as she descends, stopping here and there to follow up on a previous inquiry as part of her effort of keeping a hands on job where it comes to her worshipers.

'We can only make miracles so large,' Syala banters back as Donald protests with a loud, mental, 'Hey!'

'Alright, I'll tell Alicia. Let us know if you come on anything else like that happening?'

'Sure thing! Give everyone my best!'

Deciding to try following the guidance that cannot be adequately put into words, she says, "Hey, Donald, how about you clear the next week? I think we could do with a bout of arcane training. I've been thinking it's time to fine-tune my heritage spells and release them to the faithful." She laughs, adding, "Can't be shown up by that plucky dragon kid!"

"Sure," Donald says agreeably, "As long as you clear it with Elle. I like not finding spell components in my dinner, thanks."

"You clear it with her!" Seira orders, shaking her finger at Donald. "I'm not abducting you to some training dungeon twenty four seven, we'll just do intense brainstorming a few hours each day so you can't go off on a long trip across the planes."

"Geez! Fine," Donald says and from there..

Next move?

Also, query. Are you going to keep the proxy template on Donald?

For now, it's not bothering anyone! Next move is seeing Kascha, but Amaryl and/or Emily are welcome there since we'll chat about cool things.

Also, I think Alicia has a great idea so I'll send my SeirAvatar to Lifasa to be chill and help out and fly the flag~ (offscreen, IC focus is on Kascha)

The three of you - yourself, Amaryl and Kascha gather in Kascha's rooms. Her main room is a cave like place, almost hoard like. It makes Seira's draconic senses tingle, claws twitching for gold. Deep chairs looking like clouds held in a silver dragon's claw are all about, Kascha taking one.

Amaryl takes another, "Emily just dropped in, she had some business to see to on the Inner Planes. She got a little cagey and wouldn't go into why. I wonder if she's met someone?"

"You know, this independence thing I thought would be such a great idea? I was wrong! It's a terrible idea!"

Kascha laughs and adds, "Well, I could introduce her to Surraruthru. He should be able to manage a human form, they might hit it right off."

Amaryl sighs, "I know! What...what if she gets pregnant? She's much too young if she gets swept off her feet by someone. She should know how to be careful, but she's young and if she's in love, that's a recipe for disaster."

"That's not a problem," Seira insists, shaking her head at Amaryl. "We're rich and powerful, so she'll be provided for everything. And if whoever Emily fell for is unworthy we'll get to show our scary side."

At Kascha's suggestion, she frowns. "No. No matchmaking. That's also a terrible idea. Besides! I met my princess while adventuring, so this is a family tradition!"

A light laugh, the room's mood improving. After that Kascha goes on, "Really though, I learned so much at Aurora. I really feel like I spread my wings there. Oh! Don't take that the wrong way, and I forgot refreshments," Kascha gets up and goes to a table, a bit of invoked magic summon tea and cakes. As she walks back over...

> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{16}

She smoothly sits back down and goes on.

"Spread your wings," Amaryl asks, letting it serve as a question as she takes a little cake lightly glazed with honey.

"I remember the way your first meeting with them went," Seira says with teasing grin, partaking in the cake as well. How could she say no to a cheesecake glazed with honey? "You needed to be shaken up, and it's been a very good experience for you." She pouts. "Even if we all missed you. You didn't visit nowhere near enough!"

"Except when I died again," Kascha makes a face. "Sorry, I was just so busy with everything. If it wasn't Afina, it was Jaela. If it wasn't Jaela, it was Ithea. If it wasn't Ithea, was Muirfinn. If it wasn't Muirfinn it was Surraruthru. If it wasn't Surraruthru, it was Tepen. If it wasn't Tepen....oh, you get the point," she huffs out.

"I get being busy," Seira commiserates. "Even two bodies isn't enough. I've actually seriously considered making little Seira snowmen--" She pauses, blinking. "Snowgirls? That sounds risque, somehow. But! You get my point. Simulacrums could pick up the slack, and there will be a helpful demigoddess for every task!"

Her face falls, then, and she breathes a lick of fire at her teacup, reheating it to the temperature she likes. "That serious idea lasted until I realized the obvious. It would've been even dumber than living in a wooden hut."

As she takes a sip of now-perfectly heated tea, an expression of Seira's will modifies the standard Sending spell with ensuring that the message will be delivered when it is convenient to the recipient, even if that results in a delay. Her message to Emily is simple, and consists of, 'Hi, darling. Which plane are you on? Any plans for this evening? I'd like to see you if you're free.'

"Oh, I know! I tried researching a clone duality spell, but I couldn't make it work. I think it can be done, but at a higher circle of magic than I can cast." Kascha sips her tea and smiles, "Tepen and I worked on that just before working on some of his own spells. How do you like Bibliotheca Arcana? You got the notes of it I sent over, didn't you?"

"I'm using it," Seira affirms, nodding at Kascha. "The way your mind is sharpened into perfect recall is very helpful. I studied an esoteric magical effect while fighting Lixer's liches, and now if I wanted to, I could spend some time examining the memory in detail to work it out."

Or she could stop by Mystra's place and ask politely. That would probably work too, Seira muses. "Did you help Surraruthru with his spells as well?" she inquires. "I've yet to try them, but I really liked the idea of a set, not to mention being the patron of such self-improvement."

A little nod at that, smile growing, "Well, it's a good spell. Tepen did the frame work, Vul'lath and I helped with the formation and the names to call on, and Sylvie did the connection to the ideal of a library. Tepen had wanted it to stay a personal spell for Aurora, but...heh, heh." Blushing as she laughs, a hand to her mouth, "It was just too useful and spread quickly."

"Oh, I did, but he did most of the work himself. He's very self motivated about his magic." Kascha agrees.

"And having you clean up after him," Amaryl drawls, nibbling away on her snack. "You'd be a wonderful mother."

Kascha just blushes hotly at that, fumbling and stumbling for words.

"You're pretty adorable!" Seira agrees. "Like a kid sister!" Smiling, she adds, "Since you have this huge nurturing side in you, I think I've got just the task for you."

"Oh?" Kascha looks up, still blushing. "What is it?"

"You've been to plenty of places while with Aurora, haven't you? And the inner planes in particular-- actually, that reminds me, Ben Hadar wanted to know if we heard anything about Ice or its borders with Water. Didn't you go there with Surraruthru recently?"

"Oh! Yes, we did, or at least a border region. Surraruthru got his cryohydra friends there," Kascha remarks, "There wasn't really anything unusual there, but it was pretty there."

"You'll get to tell Ben Hadar all about it, then," Seira decides. "I intend to send Emily out on a goodwill tour of the Inner Planes, to foster better ties and see where we can improve our trade. Mineral has excellent opportunities, and we could check up on the suspicions Donald picked up while there. And ideally, it would conclude on Astral with an audience with Vla'akith."

Nodding along with that, "Have you ever been - it's called the Crystal Reef Sea," Kascha goes on as she listens to you, "There's tunnels of coral and ice, they're really gorgeous. It's very maze like, though, not much open space except between islands of ice, coral and seaweed. I don't think Surraruthru liked it, but oh! Those hydras are so nice, too. He awakened them and they're just dears. Like the time Surraruthru started teaching them about magic, have you heard the story?"

Amaryl listens along to it all, "The trick is getting along with Crystalle," she murmurs, "The locals aren't the friendliest bunch, rather like nettles."

"Emily's a better pick than me, in that regard," Seira insists. "So I'm ever-hopeful."

To Kascha, she tells, "Not that one, no. One on one tutoring, or did he build a classroom?" She reflects on her own earlier efforts to teach magic as she listens to the story, musing on the parallels.

"Oh, he taught them from their pool, using a bit of ice and magic as a board," Kascha says, "One of them - Frost - thought he was adorable doing it. Another thought he was fetching doing it. The others paid attention, at least," Kascha giggles away, "Surraruthru being a dragon - confident and a bit arrogant, but also knowledgeable. All while a hydra virtually had love hearts floating over her head."

I admit I'm taking mild liberties here, but a lot of hydra stuff was done off screen, so for the sake of stories here we go.

"Are we expecting little abominations and crimes against nature, now that Aurora's battles are over for the time being?"

Giggles, bright and airy, "I don't think so," Kascha shakes her head, "Oh, but I feel like I learned so much," she says, as suddenly you feel warmth, a connection.

Node update for Kascha, she cleared a goal. Go ahead and check it out and post that you have.

She was reasonably close from an earlier conversation.

seen it

Seira laughs, repeating, "Then it's a good thing you stayed with Aurora to study there."

The sudden connection makes her smile, and she says, "I'll give the basics to you and Emily together once she gets back, but is there anything you'd like to ask before she joins us?"

'Busy, thanks Mom talk later,' Emily sends back, your sending replied to at last.

"Mmm..." Kascha considers, "How is Lady Sanzha's work coming? I haven't talked to her much except when I visited with Afina."

Amaryl closes her eyes, focusing on something in the meantime.

"I have an idea to help advance her work. Another thing Donald picked rumors of, located in magma," Seira responds. "And I think it might do Amaryl and I some good to visit Lifasa. My avatar's busy building a library at the site of my battle with Bel, and you've just inspired me so we could add a magic school as well! I bet it'd be easier to develop your powers there, Amaryl."

"Shh!" Amaryl says, eyes closed tight.

> roll 1d20 Amaryl
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20 Amaryl --> [ 1d20=15 ]{15}

Kascha goes silent at that, looking at you in confusion.

Well then. Nodding slightly at Kascha so that she humors Amaryl's request, Seira tries to see which of her worshippers could have drawn her attention so.

> roll 1d20 Amaryl
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20 Amaryl --> [ 1d20=18 ]{18}

Lucky.

An elf.

An elf kneeling in a grove in Balmuria, the Elven Mission.

Her name is Ales as you hear her speak. "Dragon Princess and Dragon Consort, my boyfriend is in danger now, and I cannot help him. Please watch over him...Amaryl most of all, for I know you understand this."

You can feel Amaryl, yearning towards the prayer, as if metaphysically reaching for it with all her being.

Here is how, Seira tries to relay to Amaryl without words, without even the comfort of telepathy, merely with the familiarity of their years of marriage. Seira's not so old she's forgotten how that first time connecting to a worshipper's felt, and that experience suits her well now, augmented by Kascha's spell.

> roll 1d20 Amaryl one more check
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20 Amaryl one more check --> [ 1d20=3 ]{3}

Amaryl reaches, hearing faintly, more and more...before it ends and she loses the connection. "Close!" Amaryl hisses out, "I can still feel her voice, almost. So close."

"We are here," the fiery manifestation that wasn't there a moment ago speaks to the elf. It hovers a foot away from her at eye level, golden and warm yet not dangerous to anything or anyone in the grove. "We are listening, Amaryl and I."

She's decided to be even more hands on that she'd already been, and Seira extends that to Amaryl as well. They have a telepathic bond that's endured for decades, and possess magic that makes the sharing of senses trivial. Her recent experience with connections with her proxy, Donald, and with Kascha just then drive Seira to follow the same link she has to Amaryl and see about turning it on for just the moment she'd need to guide her.

"Ah!" The elf gasps softly, a hand to her mouth. "Thank you," she says quickly, "Please make it so that Cormac comes back alive. I've heard what happens when Sharrans attack."

Amaryl's senses are plain to you, focus and awe, need and pressure, presence and will.

Focus, Seira instructs Amaryl gently. Channel that need into presence and open the link back to bring perception into play.

The flame wavers, while Seira checks up on Cormac and the Sharrans. The link to it weakens, hopefully enough that Amaryl could slide right in through an exertion of her will.

A basic divination shows that the battle is over, the Crimson Guard and a pair of Syalans healing up from it.

> roll 1d20 Amaryl one more check
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20 Amaryl one more check --> [ 1d20=7 ]{7}

Amaryl's close, painfully close - but in the end, she's still not quite there and ready. Soon for sure, but that last hurdle is not quite ready to be surmounted.

"Ease your fears," Seira tells Ales. "Cormac is fine, as are his companions. Nothing a little healing cannot fix, and he's getting the help he needs."

The fire burns itself out, several locks of hair dropping out of it instead of ash. "A little something for when he tries to finish the job. Be well, Ales."

"Thank you," Ales says as you return to the Cauldron. Amaryl...

> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=7 ]{15}

Has finished her first cake and Kascha is passing her a second. "So close!" she declares, "Oh Seira, I'm so close!"

"Well, we can just take a trip to Lifasa earlier than I planned, then? It's got the best symbolic connection I can think of." After all, Amaryl was there for the fight against Bel.

"Kascha, do you mind staying on top of things here in the meanwhile?"

"Of course, Seira," Kascha consents, "Go get them," she adds with a smile, getting up, "Oh, do eithe rof you want another cake?"

> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{24}

Of course, she does this perfectly, no dropping them all over Amaryl or anything silly like that.

"Thanks, I'm good," Seira tells her with a grin, offering Amaryl her hand. "Shall we, love?"

This time, there is no need to go through the Cauldron. Seira simply wills Amaryl to depart, arriving at the library her avatar is building through magic and the aid of locals!

It's getting late in the session, so lemme do some table setting for tomorrow real quick. What's your plans here on Lifasa?

Relieve my avatar who will be headed to Magma in stealth mode to observe the elementals for my and Sanzha's research (with Biblioteca~).

Ensure that library and magic school are built properly, along with an inn/dormitory for everyone to stay. See about developing this campus for magical advancement and generally doing good for Lifasa.

Proselytize a bit, which is unlike me but worship is a thing and I would hate to lose the momentum from the double boosts of Lifasa and Avernus.

Help Amaryl forge a connection to worshippers, since like Syala said this is the age of miracles and wonders on Lifasa, and her connection to the worshippers will be even stronger there than in the Cauldron. Back home she's already a known quantity. Here, she'll likely be seen as fully my equal, and maybe it'll help her bridge that tiny gap to DvR1.

Thus you go to Lifasa and...

Okay, go ahead and set up where your library is, describe it and all of that. Describe it and if anyone's there, ect ect. Basically set up the scene of your works and we'll roll off of that.

The wounds caused by their battle had been healed like many others when Aurora's champions restored the world, but to Seira the spot is one of importance. After many years of preparation and the test run of Benfal, it was where she ran wild once more. Perhaps she should have brought Donald along, if only so he wouldn't think she's settled down-- Seira shakes her head to drive away thoughts of the past, gazing up at the golden aurora in the skies above, an echo of the golden flame of the Cauldron.

Her campus is being constructed on a plain bordering a verdant forest, a meeting of climates that appeals to Seira's very nature. A brook burbles nearby, guaranteeing a source of clean water and a bountiful harvest. Of the planned buildings, only the first has been constructed; Seira had started with a library, one to hold a repository of knowledge usually not seen on Primes except her erstwhile home of Balmuria. What it would lack in esoteric resources the library would more than make up in its variety. Books on mundane subjects would have a place there alongside treatises on the major schools of magic, their subsidiaries, and the varied disciplines of pseudo-magic such as psionics. Among other things, the magical resources would make it easier to compare and contrast the various magical approaches to the most common problems mages have sought to revolve for eons while the mundane collections would simplify gaining necessary life skills and enriching one's worldview.

She had been busy, and two wooden building skeletons have already been erected; a school to make proper use of the library and teach a new generation of hopefuls and prodigies, and an inn set to serve as a dormitory for it or to simply house and feed the more casual visitors. She waves Amaryl over to observe the construction from up close. A few dozen locals are in charge of it, volunteers all, and Seira is quite content to allow the work continue uninterrupted. Her complex here should have an indigenous design and feel to it, while her magic is there to ensure the buildings are sustainable and have a variety of magical amenities. She has an experience with running an inn and a magical school, after all, and years of listening to students, teachers and guests has left Seira with the knowledge of what people seek out of such things first and foremost.

"There's one thing I'm undecided on," she confides in Amaryl. "A Mythal would be too much, wouldn't it?" Even though it would look so pretty!

> roll 1d20
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{18}

Amaryl manifests - there and yet not, an avatar and yet not. Between. It's a strange thing for sure, on the border, and yet not damaging Lifasa.

As the workers pause to give you awed looks, slowing in their labors, Amaryl considers. "I'd say it would be too much unless they have an arch mage who could manage it," she concurs, "Unless Elder Magi Tepen wishes to retire here, I don't think they do."

"Of course," Seira agrees with her. Giving the locals a lot of help is one thing, but if there is no one capable of handling the occasional upkeep it merely makes everyone dependent on her goodwill. "Still, this would make a good sanctuary should Lifasa ever need one again, even beyond its current goals. But it's not ours, not just yet." She gestures at the buildings. "This is my influence, and now we can also have yours."

Amaryl closes her eyes, breathing slowly, in and out, in and out. "I feel close," she murmurs. "Close to something."

Seira is ready to whisk Amaryl off world and back to the Cauldron should her emerging powers manifest suddenly, putting Lifasa in danger. But that's a small part of her, and she's quite the able multitasker!

"This is where this new chapter of our life began," Seira tells her warmly. "The two of us against insurmountable odds, except we surmounted them because of what was on the line. We stepped up, and the world rewards such things. What you're feeling is being ready to take that next step closer to me, love." She smiles at Amaryl, asking her, "So what's keeping you?"

"I...I..."

> roll 1d20
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{3}

"I'm just not ready," Amaryl finally says, "Close, so close...but it doesn't feel right in here, yet. I need something more."

"That's what we're here for!" Seira declares. "What is our home away from home missing, here? You've got a lot to work with, we got lucky with the placement. Think about it while I introduce you to everyone?"

She eagerly drags Amaryl by the hand over to the nearest pair of workers. "John, Martha, I don't think you've had the chance of meeting Amaryl yet? Here she is! I brought her~"

The two are a pair of normal people - a man and a half elf woman, strong people. The signs of physical labor on both of them, callouses and muscle. John brushes back a bit of loose hair and says, "M'lady Seira," he bows deeply while Martha kneels before the two of you.

"Hello," Amaryl's voice is soft, "It's a pleasure to meet you. You've worked hard on this, thank you."

"We're getting close, too!" Seira says cheerfully. "Can you feel the way these buildings want to be used?"

"Oh, I don't know about that," John laughs a little nervously, "Your ma'am ship, my wife says I don't even know what she wants. I'm not sure I'd be any better figuring out buildings."

"...he isn't wrong," Martha murmurs, then quietly eeps, "I'm sorry, Seira. I meant no disrespect."

"It's alright," Seira asserts, reaching over to pat Martha's shoulder reassuringly. "I didn't mean that literally. When something's built with both love and purpose, don't you feel a bit of that stick with it? That's what I'm talking about, here, and I bet the kids who will come here to study magic will think the same."

"Oh! Then yes," Martha says, nodding.

"I think she means - we both mean, that we're honored," John says. His voice drops a bit, "I was on the Burning Aeropolis." He holds his hands up, "I'd like my hands to be better for something than crushing and breaking. This opportunity's given it to me. Thank you."

"Just like we want to thank you," Seira responds, grinning at Amaryl before returning her attention to the pair. "People who have seen what all of us here have depressingly often consider any effort to be futile. But it's not! We're going to help the younger generation, and in turn they would help others and these things snowball. They snowball like you wouldn't believe!"

"That's right. Like a pebble that touches off a great avalanche, or a seed that grows into a mighty tree, that in turn grows an entire forest around it," Amaryl concurs, "It only takes time."

"...yeah." John shakes his head, "Martha was a refugee. She never saw that before she made it to Aurora." He puts his hand on Martha's shoulder, "But I saw all of it. Heh, guess I've never had much give up in me?"

"Even with asking me for a date," Martha adds quietly, starting to smile at it all. "Did you see? He asked me again and again until I finally agreed. He'd saved up his money to take me to Cresea's Eatery."

"Dunking my head in that cake was pretty funny, in retrospect," John agrees, his gloom fading. "Expensive, though."

Seira laughs. "It was still better than with us. I asked Amaryl out while realizing we were actually on a date!" Shaking her head in amusement, she says, "And your story's got me thinking. What would you like to see here? We're aiming for a school, a place of learning and knowledge, but it doesn't have to be confined to that. A variety of eateries and restaurants might work out better than the single inn. So what are your suggestions?"

"A builder's guild," John asks right away as Amaryl smiles, blushes and laughs. "Something to that can help people create instead of destroy."

"A good mine," Martha speaks up, "There's gold and mithral in the ground here, and that can support the region for generations."

Meanwhile you see more and more people cautiously stopping, watching in interest and unhidden awe, some kneeling or praying before the two of you.

"I think it's a good time for a short break, don't you?" Seira calls out to the other builders. "Come on over and meet Amaryl! We're just discussing all the things our ridiculous magic could streamline for you, like digging the foundations for a mine or divining a good spot for one. The only request is that I'd like it somewhere close by, so that it could serve as the beginning of a town some day."

'Let me take over once they gather,' Amaryl sends to you. 'It's time to be noticed.'

'Just handling the introductions, honey,' Seira agrees, as that is in fact the main purpose behind this visit.

Soon people are gathered today, standing around the two of you.

Amaryl takes a breath, "Everyone, thank you!" Her voice carries, well trained. "Thank you so much for your effort, first of all."

Seira's eyes are drawn to her wife, same as everyone else's. Amaryl is the focus of this, and she can only step aside and support her.

"Now we are grateful - you have done so much with what you were given! Now it is time for us to reward you your steadfast service, for we aid those who aid us. Like trade, we depend on one another to grow stronger," Amaryl explains, "Magic you know, for mortal mages can manage the same. Identifying a spot to mine the earth's treasures nearby, which will sustain a city for generation after generation. Magical healing, so that the touch of death is further away and you can enjoy the celebration of life fully."

> roll 1d20+41 diplo
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+41 diplo --> [ 1d20=16 ]{57}

You can see the crowd being drawn further and further in to Amaryl's words, listening attentively to her.

'And beyond that, concepts,' Seira thinks to her, knowing that Amaryl has plenty of practice with their telepathy during official events. 'Just like I'm Seira, I'm also the planar concept of Hope. That separates us from mortals, but also allows them to feel it, be drawn to it and take little parts of it into their own hearts.'

And if Amaryl doesn't stand for a concept of her own, Seira muses to herself, she soon will. Perhaps thinking about this now will help bring her closer to that goal.

'Add something about that? I'd like to see you express that to them," Amaryl sends back.

"And we stand for something greater than any single person," Seira speaks up at Amaryl's request, coming over and putting her hand around Amaryl's waist. "Battle, courage, knowledge...." Her lips quirk mischievously, as she thinks to Ales. "Hope and protection, patience and zeal. We are all drawn to these concepts, and those that resonate the most with us are what forges the link between a deity and the faithful. That's how I see it. People want to believe in something greater than them, and deities personifying those concepts are never happier than when they are vindicated and upheld. That's why a trade is the right analogy, but at the same time could be misleading, for we don't expect a quid pro quo. We're happy when you're happy, when you're working to improve your lives. And sometimes, we can't help but step in, each in his or her own unique way, overt or covert. We're all different, after all."

She winks at the crown. "That's why some of you are looking towards Amaryl even now, while I'm speaking, and not because of her transcendent beauty~"

"We represent hopes, dreams, concepts, desires," Amaryl continues, "So look to us and find the resonation within you. Come to us, serve us and we will aid you. We promise you eternity and great insight, so fear not."

"You own a piece of something greater than anything else in the world. Of something more precious than any tangible reward. And finally, of the knowledge that you've earned it through your righteous actions," Seira agrees with a grin. "What's not to like? For me, that means that nothing, absolutely nothing in the universe is impossible. The odds might be against us, the timing might be wrong -- there could be endless reasons and excuses, but I can promise you all a chance." That confident grin morphs in a softer smile, touched with just a dash of uncharacteristic biitersweetness. "Only a chance, yes, and sometimes not even a good one. But there will always be one, and its existence often makes all the difference in the world."

And it is Amaryl's chance, now, to follow up with her own promise. The unique contract every deity promises to their faithful, the same way Seira had just done for herself.

"For me, that means that I can help you. I will grant you swiftness, strength, grace...and most of all, the ability to stand on your own, no matter how hard it is. The strength of will and the wisdom to take the future in your own hands, no matter the pain or fears of the past." Amaryl's gazes sweeps about, meeting eyes as she slowly takes in the crowd. "I will be there for you, merely pray to me." A gentler note in her voice, soothing, "Today, tomorrow, forever. Just as Lifasa is free forever, I will be there - forever. So that you can stand on your own, knowing someone is there to support you."

"As we help all those we reach and you do the same, the amount of lives improved through our actions will ever-grow," Seira picks up smoothly from that. "Even when it might all seem futile, there will be a way to get through the immediate dark spot towards a brighter future." Her voice doesn't pick up; she's not addressing an army. It is, however, steady and unwavering, as befits while stating facts. "There are forces aimed to bringing us down. Some even seek to end all life. But they will fail, because we'll stop them. It's as simple as that. Lifasa and its heroes is the best proof that it can be done, and we're merely asking that we keep spreading this miracle as much as possible."

"Simply go forth, like us now," Amaryl declares, then in your mind. 'Want to make a grand finale for an exit, Seira? I thinking of ascending into the sky and vanishing in a burst of light, and afterwards, paired trees grow where we're standing.'

Seira transforms into a dragon after a mental warning to Amaryl, fun as it might be to surprise her. Allowing her wife to nimbly leap up and settle between her massive wings, Seira flaps them even as all those present are protected through her divine power from so much as a slight gust of wind and ascends with a speed none could match! At Amaryl's request, she breathes fire into the air, setting off an impressive display of fireworks that draws the eye to it and, incidentally, away from where they had been standing as her magical prowess goes to work on it subtly.

From that point, it is only a matter of releasing their faithful from her protective power as she disappears with Amaryl back to the throne room in the Cauldron.

Let's send Kascha on her way once this resolves properly, and then I have another goal!

Sure, what's your next to do here?

Like I said, sending Kascha out on a goodwill tour of the inner planes, with special stops in Mineral and the final one in Astral, both to discuss opening new trade routes. If that happens off-screen, I'll have Donald fill her in on his intel, and also let her know I'm stealthily on Magma. I won't tell her that Donald received instructions to look into the Fire djinn situation with an eye towards hitting some slavers and liberating some slaves, so she won't have to lie if asked about it.

Next is a Sending to Alicia. Tell me if I should skip to that.

Is the intel thing just a generic catchup or do you have a greater goal/hope for it?

First, it allows her to know what she's walking into. So she's not blindsided by Magma's war, for example, and knows to lead with 'we heard troubling things, how may we help?' on Mineral. Secondly, it allows her to confirm or disprove Donald's info for us. Perhaps some of it will even become an interesting quest for me.

Between her prestige from Aurora and our successful assault on Avernus, I'm hoping the tour aids us diplomatically and secures fresh recruits and followers. It would also be able to let us see what the princess and princesses of elemental good on the Inner Planes want. I want her to start with Ben Hadar and fulfill his request.

Also, Oraga is going with her as bodyguard and to show a hint of our steel behind the velvet, adorable glove that is Kascha.

Sure, done and done.  That's off screen bait, it's not really adding anything new. Go ahead and make your Alicia sending real quick.

Bypassing Sending's limits without a drain on her resources in a way that makes archmages everywhere green with envy, Seira sends to Alicia, 'I'm going to visit with Chan. She asked to see me, and said she wouldn't mind seeing you as well. Are you available and interested?'

She hears Seira's sending and replies, 'Not at the moment, I'm catching up with Romiel and then going to Jovar to see Xerona. Please pass on my regrets?'

And that's that! Seira will head for Chan's realm, just outside her palace!

Going as AvatarMe, since RealMe is on Magma. Amaryl and Elle are invited, either/or.

Elle's easy enough to get. With a few words to Lagann she parts and joins you...and Sanzha follows her.

"Chan's palace?" Elle asks, brushing a bit of her red hair out of her face. A moment of magic to cleanse and freshen herself follows, "Is this a trip for diplomacy, pleasure or trouble?"

"Ahem," Lady Sanzha clears her throat, "I will go with you. Amaryl passes on her regrets, but she is grappling with her current concerns and duties."

"It's always a pleasure to visit with Chan, though given that she requested my presence and we've heard of a toss-up on Air, perhaps she is seeking our help to tilt the balance further towards good," Seira responds. She smiles at Sanzha, then, adding, "We might just make this an extended trip across the planes. I've chanced upon something interesting in Magma. That's for later, however. Shall we?"

If there are no objections, she will transport them to the entrance to Chan's palace.

Air.

Free blowing, wide open air. It feels good on your skin, brushing away everything with air and warmth. Before you is Chan's palace - airy and open, elementals flying all about. Bustling, going, hurrying about. Traveling the winds, djinn also spotted. Celestials as well, storm elementals, a few stray ice elementals, a couple of smoke elementals even. A handful of dragons fly about as well - bronze and brass, copper and silver. Even some mortals can be spotted, the occasional other as well, as well as trading caravans coming and going. Great winged ships, wagons that fly here as easily as anyone else, bags of holding on belts surely stuffed with fortunes of treasure and goods.

Seira smiles at the smoke elementals, though her gaze lingers on the flying ships. She's long wanted something like them, and even though a flying divine realm made them obsolete she sometimes gets struck by nostalgia.

"Let's come inside," she suggests to her companions after that brief moment. Even though she's only an avatar, Chan should've noticed her upon arrival.

'Seira!'

You know that voice. The voice of Lliira sounds in your mind.

'Come over sometime soon and celebrate. The party could use you. Fly in as a dragon and get as big as you can, we can put a few people on there with drinks for a great flying party platform. It'll be a highlight of the evening, whenever you come.'

Seira can't quite settle on whether that would be demeaning or awesome. 'I'll do my best!' she responds, not letting those thought shade her reply.

'I'll see you soon,' Lliira sends back, eagerness in her mental voice. 'We'll have such fun!'

Smiling in amusement, Seira heads inside to meet with Chan. Who should she bring? Sanzha, perhaps? Maybe Kascha if she hadn't left yet....

This if fairly simple enough. Some walking, some being lead and then a bit of waiting. The place to wait is the Air Gardens. Here plants grow without dirt, roots interconnecting, blossoms and growth emerging from them in secondary layers. Like this is a great, three dimensional garden of great size. A vast oak tree looms, ivy and moss growing on its trunk, while its roots sprout roses and lillies, tiny little bluebells as well. A cherry tree's branches are heavy with cherries, the roots sprouting more below, dangling vines the color of the morning sky hanging from them, connecting to a bush of gleaming green and purple flowers.

All around you is unnatural beauty, the natural world taken in a direction impossible to most beings.

Seira plucks a cherry as she tends to do whenever she visits Chan's gardens. Just the one each time, as she's not greedy! There are a lot of impossible things across the planes, but few appear truly magical and she never resents the chance to spend time in them.

Once more, she gives thought to recreating them as the Cauldron's Hanging Gardens. Each time before she'd abandoned the idea when a good concept that wouldn't just be an inferior copy failed to materialize, but perhaps this time?

Sanzha floats around, "It's been a long time since I've been here. Lady Chan's taste in greenery is still excellent." Lady Sanzha helps herself to a cherry, "As I recall, she rotates the plants every so often."

Elle merely kneels next to a particular tangle, quietly and intensely studying them. "My shop for a druid right now," she remarks, "Do you know how the plants are being sustained?"

"I've never gone into the particulars," Seira admits. "It would be impolite to snoop, and I never got around to asking before."

"Positive energy," Sanzha sits on a tree root amid flowers, "It's not the hardest thing to do, but the spell work and patterns are exceedingly precise. Far more viable with divine will to do it."

As you talk a gentle, warm breeze flows through the garden. Like a moment of spring remembered, rustling your hair and warming your bodies. Soft laughter follows, gentle and soothing.

"Let's design one of our own, fitting for the Cauldron?" she suggests to Sanzha.

"Seira," Archomental Chan's voice sounds, carried by the wind as she appears. An avatar, clearly felt. A young woman in a green gown, sitting atop an eagle's back. Her hands are in her lap and she smiles, "I'm glad my hint was properly understood."

Seira also happens to be in avatar form, so that's quite fine. "It was rather pointed," she tells her dryly, flying over to give Chan a hug and a kiss. "Even Donald wouldn't mess it up. So is this visit business or pleasure?"

Such are exchanged as then to Sanzha, "You look well, Lady Sanzha."

Lady Sanzha bows to the Archomental, "As are you, Bright Wind."

"Bright Wind?" Chan laughs, a windy sound that brightens the sky all around you. "I'd almost forgotten that title. We really must catch up later. Elle Stronger," Turning to her, "A pleasure to meet you. However is Seira doing on her magic lessons?"

With a blink and then her own soft laugh, "Seira's a remarkable learner. I think she's proved that to everyone."

"I'm working on new spells, actually," Seira is all too happy to tell Chan. "Something to better define me for the aspiring wizard."

"A worthy pastime," Lady Chan remarks, "So! You've heard of what happened to Yan-C-Bin lately?"

"Only that he shouldn't pick fights with storm elementals without knowing who they are."

"That is the essence of it," Lady Chan concurs, "That is indeed the essence of it. He is licking his wounds as storm elementals attack his various holdings, forcing him into a defensive posture. This leaves certain things vulnerable if outside forces come raise trouble now, on top of the woes he already has.. Like one of his personal castles, Raven's Nest. Have you heard of it?"

K:P, taking 10 for 74.

It's a castle of Yan-C-Bin, said to be guarded by giant ravens. These ravens are actually behemoth ravens, a type of overgrown ravens usually kept on the Prime. How he got so many is one of Creation's little mysteries, most likely a vanity project over a long time. You also recall the ravens are difficult to heal, healing fast and being hard to wound.

Beyond that it's full of evil air elementals and other servants of Yan-C-Bin, a fortified place hidden by an eternal swath of dark clouds.

"It's vulnerable, isn't it?" Seira muses. "With Yanny on the defensive, he won't be able to support his gaggle of overgrown ravens and rogue elementals." Looking at Chan askance, she asks, "Are we seeking to hamper him further, or take him off the board altogether?"

"He's too strong to attack, and has alliances to call on if we go for him. Not any time soon," Chan says, a note of regret inher voice before she perks up, a serene smile on her face, "But we can take a step towards reaching that day by dealing with Raven's Nest."

"So we could," Seira agrees. "Who's this we you've got in mind?"

Lady Sanzha laughs, "I think she already has volunteers right here, Seira."

Chan merely smiles wider at that.

"I think that Alicia might find it within her to free her busy schedule, and perhaps Sulia's taste of battle hadn't been sated by facing Glasya," Seira mentions airily with an answering smile.

"Lovely," Chan says with a content smile, "You have a few weeks to make the assault, so gather and prepare it as you will. I'll provide the location, the rest is in your hands."

"I think I'll manage," Seira agrees, nodding. "It'll take me a while to track down a proxy of Shar as it is."

Anything else you wanna address here, by the way?

If Chan happens to hear of Shar doing anything or her proxies out and about somewhere, that'd be cool. Otherwise, not particularly.

I'd like to take Sanzha to Magma and observe things together!

Speficially, my real self had been there for a while gathering data in secret. My hope is that we could observe similar conditions to those that bred the Steam elementals we found in the Cauldron as a result of conflict between Fire and Water, except this one is between Fire and Earth. Maybe spot a useful magical mutation that will ease up on our unity efforts. A good chance to chat with Sanzha about said research, too.

If Elle would like to also come, that's fine.

We'll finish the last few bits here, then.

"So Seira," Chan goes on, "I'm hearing the most marvelous rumors about you and Lixer. Tell me, what happened?"

"Alicia and I have always hated what happened to Zariel, so with Bel gone it seemed like the perfect time to fix that," Seira is all too happy to tell Chan. "We went in with Sulia, and while she and Alicia distracted Lixer I snuck into Noir Jardin. Alicia killed Lixer's avatar who showed up naked in a robe for some reason, and Donald cut up Glasya's avatar as she came over to help out her big brother. Sulia held her off, and now freed, Alicia grabbed the ship Glasya's so proud of and smacked Noir Jardin with it~"

Giggling, Seira adds, "Meanwhile, I killed some of Lixer's elite guards, set off a volcano underneath his throne room and stabbed him while he was trying to subdue Zariel. He ran off like the coward he is, and we all left with Zariel." She taps her chin thoughtfully. "I think there was also this old general and his trusted hellcat steed that got killed along the way? And surely all the phylacteries of the liches that served as Lixer's guard, because his fortress blew up."

Curiously, she asks, "Is that what he's saying happened? I'm told Glasya prophesied my death before running away as we got Zariel freed of her chains. Oh, and Lixer also said his dad helped him kill Bel. He all but threw a tantrum when Daddy didn't immediately show up and smite me at the first sign of trouble!"

Chan slightly tilts her head to the side, "The story is that the two of you lead a daring raid on Avernus with the aid of internal saboteurs. A diplomat from Mechanus had talked to a diplomat from Baator who pushed that line. I heard a similar story from a mercane visitor, except that it was masterminded by Antenora as a revenge against Hell. I also heard a dwarf diplomat from Moradin remark that he understood it was a provoked by an incident in the Battle for Lifasa."

"I wish! Contrary to rumor I'm not actually hosting Bel at the Cauldron, so I don't really have any internal saboteurs to call upon. Not in the time frame we had, anyhow. Ah, and Anty actually sat that one out." Seira grins, then. "It's sort of provoked by me punching Bel in the face, since he ran away, Aurora wrestled Lifasa away from him and that lead to Lixer's takeover."

"You really have to have seen it," Elle speaks up, then sighs dramatically, a hand to her forehead, "My student goes around punching devils in the face instead of casting spells. Woe!"

Laughter follows from all at that, Chan shaking her head. "When all else fails, punching seems to be the default of Creation. If nothing else, we have enough wars to prove that true."

"My fists were imbued with arcane might!"

"True power is in elegant spellcraft," Elle shakes her head, "Really though, greater enemies are annoyingly resistant to magic. Well, everything, really."

"It is easier to augment defensive and martial capability than magical capability," Lady Sanzha points out, "Far easier, especially when you can weave magic by divine will. The music magic I have studied is a middling replacement for it, at best."

"Then blow stronger and faster," Lady Chan remarks, "So that your winds conquer everything. Does not a fast wind fan the flames on hotter and higher?"

"That's exactly the approach I'm taking!" Seira agrees. "Although I do have pretty impressive battle magic in the conventional sense, it just wasn't conductive to a sneaking through Lixer's house sort of mission."

"Well, magic can do anything if you're properly prepared," Elle remarks, "But that's Cyric's trick to it, you have to be smart enough to know what you need and lucky enough for nothing to throw that guess work off."

"I'm a generalist at heart," Seira muses, "so I'll always have something useful up my sleeve! That said," she continues, giving Chan a sly look, "if you have a nice air spell to boost my flames, I'm all ears~"

"I do. I'll give you a nice one if you succeed in eliminating Raven's Nest," Chan offers, "One I think you'll like."

"What, like there's a question about this?" Seira asks with a grin. "I'll take care of it like I promised, anything to make your life easier!"

"That's the spirit," Chan says, and from there...

Next move?

Magma!

Okay, gimme a paste of your plan there, then.

I'd like to take Sanzha to Magma and observe things together!

Speficially, my real self had been there for a while gathering data in secret. My hope is that we could observe similar conditions to those that bred the Steam elementals we found in the Cauldron as a result of conflict between Fire and Water, except this one is between Fire and Earth. Maybe spot a useful magical mutation that will ease up on our unity efforts. A good chance to chat with Sanzha about said research, too.

If Elle would like to also come, that's fine.

Sure, they'll stay along. Any prep for it?

I'm immune to fire, and if someone needs it they'll get the spell that protects from planar effects and fire res 30. That should be enough. Greater Heroism for +skills and Good Hope for +ability checks on us all. And that's it!

Since Elle and Sanzha are joining my real self that did some prep there, let's say we actually know by now where to go to take a look at things and maybe know a site or two of intense fire/earth elemental battles that might create a new type of fused elemental?

Easy enough. You can go right to one if you want or star slower, your choice.

Let's start with one!

The vast plain of stone and magma is before you. The three of you float above it, as below they war. Hundreds of elementals of both earth and fire do battle below you, stone crushing flames and flames melting stone. They fight on to the death, no signs of retreat, only a strangely silent, intense fury that is shown in looks and actions, rather than anything else.

Go ahead and set yourself up.

'Very primal,' Seira thinks to Elle and Sanzha, respecting the silent fury to refrain from speaking. 'Do you think the Cauldron's sort of accident with Steam might be replicated here?'

Clarify your meaning here? It could be a few thing sand I want to be precise in this particular instance, as it may matter.

Fire and Water fought, ??? happened, Steam elementals were born. That set us on the road to elemental harmony that the rainbow pixie managed with Sanzha. But it's still a dangerous process, so if Fire and Earth fight and ??? happens, maybe it'll be easier? We'll have fresh insights?

'Anything's possible,' Sanzha says with some consideration, 'Are you planning on interfering or letting it unfold?'

'I doubt it by itself, but intervening intelligently may increase the odds,' Elle finally says, peering on down.

'How so?' Seira asks Elle, observing the elementals below to estimate how sapient they are.

A glance suggests they're typical elementals. Not truly unintelligent or anything, just...elementals. Nothing looks awry there.

'Forcing them together, pushing it?' Elle asks. Above you is a massive cavern roof, while heat radiates everywhere. It's hot and smoky here, only magic letting at least one of you breath easily. Below the war wages, more of both sides trickling in, joining the melee.

'Let's give it a try,' Seira decides. 'Lead the way, Elle?' Meanwhile, she asks Sanzha, 'In case this doesn't give up any favorable results, how soon can we try to replicate the process Afina went through?'

'In theory, now,' Sanzha says, 'In reality, we need someone with the will, the skill and the fortune to repeat it. It is not an easy path,' Sanzha remarks. 'I scouted Simmer for Aurora for the same treatment, but she would be categorically opposed. Most elemental creatures or elementally touched creatures would, so we would be best served starting from scratch.'

'Someone like Elle, you mean?'

'Wait, what?' Elle whirls on you, just starting to fly down.

'Hmm...' Lady Sanzha considers with a hint of a smile. 'That's not the worst idea I've ever heard. The tides could support it.'

'Your hair would be fabulous! And it's our dragon way of taking in anything and everything that makes us stronger!'

'I have an objection, actually,' Elle points out, 'Afina's spellcasting and abilities were disrupted by the adaptation to it. It took her some time to adjust to each one but the last, which prompted another shift. Can that be mitigated?'

Lady Sanzha glances down, a momentary grimace the fiery battlefield far below. 'Possibly, by a phased induction and the right work, but you'd have to grow into it.'

'I think that works,' Seira concurs. 'We do it right, we take our time carefully, and you not only keep all your arcane secrets but gain a great deal of versatility. That's ridiculously helpful!'

'Let's talk about it when we aren't above a giant elemental war?' Elle sends back.

'Some of my best ideas come in the heat of combat!' Seira protests, grinning widely. She doesn't press the point, however, quite eager to see what Elle had planned to set up their experiment with merging elemental forces.

Post will be in the morning, just ran out of energy on this one pretty hard. Not your fault, crashing early and mechanics in this state make me go blkjdglkdsjgds. Or so.

> roll 1d3 really hoping ofr a three here
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d3 really hoping ofr a three here --> [ 1d3=3 ]{3}

Rei cooperates?! The great miko scandal!

Also Cor, what was the CL on the spells you provided for them? Doing a spoiler block now since resources are being used.

No Spellcraft check for impeded magic, she can't fail it.

Elle descends down, closer and closer. The battles are about 100ft below you or so, Elle hovering there. She sharply gestures, forming a four-fold gate with lines of frost and water, a cold wind blowing. From it they emerge - three titans of ice, elder ice para-elementals. Something Seira is naturally familiar with, appearing amid the greatest conflict, where earth and fire meets in a deadly dance.

'See if this motivates them, since Earth hates Air and Fire hates Water,' Elle sends, hands glowing with foggy mist, ice melting from them as she finishes the spell.

> roll 1d100 higher the better here
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 higher the better here --> [ 1d100=59 ]{59}

Chance to react or throw anything in, or otherwise watch. That and waiting on the CL to finish those spoiler blocks.

[spoiler]

Lady Sanzha
HP: 480/480
Spells Active:
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:

Elle
HP: 510/510
Spells Active:
Bonuses:
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used: Summon Monster X

CL31 on the generic spells, they're not getting dispelled easily.

Seira likes this plan, and a greater ice elemental forms on the battlefield, dwarfed by the titans!

Lady Sanzha chuckles at the display and watches, a little higher up than the two of you.

Chaos below. Fire and earth battle air and water together, the war below turning into a 2 on one 1 conflict as ice is surrounded, assaulted. Elle watches as well, murmuring in your mind, 'Still, it may take try after try. Drill it into them and see if something takes besides a magma elemental.'

'Oh, Seira!' Amaryl's voice in your head, 'Commander Oberuth has arrived at the Cauldron.'

For the sake of expositional clarity and not starting up two divergent rooms at once, Amaryl's handling this part instead of your avatar.

'An avatar of sorts? A fiery, stony avenger?' Seira muses, keeping the stream of ice elementals going.

There will be a greater ice elemental summoned to reinforce our guys once a round.

'How lovely!' Seira responds to Amaryl in the meantime. 'I'll be there soon, but do see what we can do to help?'

'I will. He looks exhausted, I'm taking him to a one of the gingerbread rooms to rest.' Amaryl sends back.

Roll and post 1d100.

[19:22] <@Lisa> roll 1d100
[19:22] <Rei-chan> Lisa rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=95 ]{95}

!!!

The energies below are starting to weave wildly below you. Elementals blur together, fire and earth combining. Something's happening.

'Success! Let's see if this is mundane or remarkable,' Sanzha says, drifting down lower.

'Nothing like a successful experiment,' Elle agrees. 'Watch carefully, Seira, we'll want copies of this in the future.'

Sharing her eagerness over the telepathic links, Seira makes sure to use the Kascha's librarian spell to the fullest!

Bibliotheca Arcana won't let me forget a thing! Also, I'll copy Alicia and precast Guidance of the Avatar and Improvisation, I already have Greater Heroism and Divine Insight precast.

K:P check here, then.

The dice gods wish for me to succeed!

[19:44] <@Lisa> roll 1d20+49+4+15+15+20
[19:44] <Rei-chan> Lisa rolled : 1d20+49+4+15+15+20 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{123}

Someone can probably aid me for a nice and round 125~

It needs something more, Seira is sure of it. Another push, more power.

Meanwhile, 'Oh, Alicia and Marie have also come by,' Amaryl sends to you.

'More elemental powers,' Seira sends to Sanzha and Elle. 'I've got fire and ice covered, so toss the rest into it!'

Then, her magic speeding up, she summons a volcano beneath the blurring elementals before tossing a spear made of ice right into it!

Volcanic Genesis, Quickened Arcane Spellsurge, swift Twinned Polar Ray. What do I roll, and do I do it round by round or toss more spells in free act? I'll respond to Amaryl in a couple posts.

Are you aiming those spells anywhere in particular or just casting them and throwing them in wildly?

I'm aiming them at the center of where things are happening since that's what it seems my knowledge suggests.

Cool, attack rolls then for the rays.

[20:15] <@Lisa> roll 1d20+45+30+4 ranged touch
[20:15] <Rei-chan> Lisa rolled : 1d20+45+30+4 ranged touch --> [ 1d20=16 ]{95}

Twinned spell, uses the same roll twice.

Magic flares on down as more follows - lightning and water from Sanzha and Elle as...

Roll 1d100+20, Seira.

[20:31] <@Lisa> roll 1d100+20
[20:31] <Rei-chan> Lisa rolled : 1d100+20 --> [ 1d100=98 ]{118}

Woah!

Below there is another flash of energy. Before your eyes the elementals are merging, all of them! They're becoming awild riot of energies and power, throwing off energy of all four elements.

Elle grins amid it, 'What is it? An All-Elemental or something new?'

Seira tries to discern that with her magical sight and superior, magic-boosted encyclopedical knowledge!

K:A this time.

[20:42] <@Lisa> roll 1d20+49+4+15+15+20
[20:42] <Rei-chan> Lisa rolled : 1d20+49+4+15+15+20 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{115}

You can see it. It's forming into an All-Elemental, a powerful and extremely rare combination of all four elements.

'All-Elemental it is!' Seira excitedly reports. 'Sanzha, you've been the closest to the research, what's the best approach? I want to take it back home with us, not fight it.'

'Let it form and approach it carefully, they're born mentally mature and almost all have a desire to carve their own niche out. Give the impression you've trying to strongarm it and it'll attack or flee,' Sanzha says, 'Think gentle waves, not a roaring tsunami.'

'I can do that!' Seira responds cheerfully, finally answering Amaryl with, 'Sorry darling, a little busy befriending an All-Elemental with Sanzha and Elle.'

'Alright, shall I let them know you'll be a little while?' Amaryl sends back.

'A few minutes more!' Seira responds, settling in to wait.

And cast Voice of the Dragon plus the other boosters because we're going for magical friendship here!

Okay, list 'em.

Divine Insight, Guidance of the Avatar and Improvisation. Voice of the Dragon, Greater Heroism and Good Hope are all listed already.

Before you it forms - arms of fire and wind, legs of earth and water. All of the elements swirl together as it forms, bigger than Hanna and rising taller yet. It shudders as the elements are bound together, nothing of the army below left. Only a single, new All Elemental, standing amid the burning battlefield.

"Hello!" Seira greets it, slowly floating over without so much as a flap of her wings. It's like they're for show! "Happy birthday!"

The new elemental's gaze is on you, burning and blowing at once, wind and fire. "What are you?" It finally says, a gurgling, crackling voice.

"Seira Aryn, Goddess," she responds, coming closer still at a comfortable, nonthreatening pace. "Too many titles to casually list, but one of my most important pursuits is one of elemental harmony." She gestures at her sides. "These are my friends, Elle and Sanzha, who are seeking that goal alongside me." She smiles, adding, "We're all quite glad to meet you!"

"It's very nice," Elle says, "Congratulations on being formed, your kind are rare."

The All Elemental rumbles deeply, an earthquake of flame and stone coursing through it. "Did you create me?"

"Yes," Seira responds. "Do you like existing?"

"I do," It replies, "Existence is pleasing. I think, I feel, I am."

"I am extremely glad to hear that!" Seira tells the elemental, finally close enough to offer it her hand to shake. "Do you have a name for yourself, or would you like me to give you one?"

IT does not shake your hand, looking at you. "I am...Omni," he finally says. "Yes, Omni."

"I'm offering my hand to shake, Omni, because that's what people friendly with each other do while meeting each other for the first time," Seira spells it out. "I'm sorry, I don't know what customs and knowledge you were born with...." She shrugs. "When in doubt, be direct, I always say."

Your hand is taken, much smaller and shaking your entire body through it. Gaaaah!

Sanzha merely watches this, "We have a home you can come to, if you'd like. It's called the Cauldron."

"It is a realm where the elements struggle to come together, as you have," Seira elaborates on the offer. "A pleasant place, one where you are unique, yet could help guide others to the same level of understanding of elemental harmony you've reached. You will always be among friends there, Omni."

Diplo check.

[22:46] <@Lisa> roll 1d20+45+4+20+15+15
[22:46] <Rei-chan> Lisa rolled : 1d20+45+4+20+15+15 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{117}

Forgot 3 so that's 120, 122 if it's a guy!

"I will come," Omni agrees, "I will see this Cauldron."

"I'm glad to hear that," Seira tells him, saying for everyone's benefit, "I believe this is the best time to return?"

Unless there are any objections, she will transport the four of them to the Cauldron's entrance, so that they could descend into the caldera. The location should be familiar to Omni and ease the transition, but afterwards the inclusion of elementals of all stripes into the fabric of life should point the difference between their point of origin and her home quite clearly. And that's before they even reach the bottom!

Just gonna intro Omni and let him see things, or are you going to be more hands on?

I will be hands on, since it's my two decade breakthrough with an actual elemental and my chance to be more involved with Sanzha and Elle. How about we do the thing you were thinking of avoiding after all, and have me meet Alicia while another me handles that? The latter can go slowly and casually, while the former will be the main thread.

Sorry, but I'm going to stand fast on that one unless there's one hell of a compelling reason since otherwise that's going to become more and more common. That way lies slower posts and more DM burnout. If only I had infinite time, energy and ability to post.

How about we split the difference instead. Say Omni needs to rest a little bit on arriving, he's newly created after all. You can deal with that afterwards at leisure.

Let's do this

Soon enough you go to meet Amaryl while Elle and Sanzha see to Omni. Alicia, Marie and Oberuth are in there and...

Set up the room and your intro, we'll go from there, Seira.

Seira enters the sitting room overlooking the lake of lava so cheerfully she's practically skipping. "You've got such excellent timing!" she gushes. "Just in time to see us succeed, after almost two decades of effort!"

Marie gets a hug, Alicia another and then Seira gravitates to Oberuth to complete the ritual!

At least there is little risk of being overheard by her subjects, as it is one of the private rooms of her gingerbread palace which are closed off too all but her guests and Amaryl through an extension of her will. It's furnished comfortably in the style of her bedroom at her Balmuria inn, and has those same amenities, including the original Barrel of Endless Bounty for when she's feeling nostalgic.

Marie is currently in her humanoid-sized elf guise and so is eminently huggable, giving Seira a squeeze and a smile back. Alicia's a little more reserved about it, sitting down afterwards. "Really? Another prismatic-creature like Afina?" the latter asks interestedly, able to put off her own business to hear about that first.

"An actual elemental! The all-elemental!" Seira responds, using a great deal of self-control to speak just slowly enough to be legible. "Not a heroine with a powerful will of her own, but raw forces of nature coming together and choosing nonviolent coexistence! And! And! I can do it again!"

"That does sound better," Marie says, grabbing an apple from the barrel of endless bounty and biting into it. "Fusing the elements directly rather than relying on a rare heroine's willpower, that is. Though rare heroines are better in general, you can't really count on them appearing to order."

"So how did you accomplish it?" Alicia asks.

Oberuth returns it - but you see the bloodshot eyes, the fatigue on his face. He slumps down after, closing his eyes and listening.

Amaryl merely adds, "Congratulations, you were so due, Seira. We all were."

"You know, I've been thinking along similar lines, myself," Seira muses in response to Marie. "I'm gonna say something blasphemous to the goddess of the battlefield, here," she continues with a sly grin, "but at our level battles are decided by elite forces rather than armies. The armies are just fodder at best, like Glasya had. If I had a choice between an army of thousands of varied elementals and an elite squad of a dozen all-elementals, I'd pick the latter in a fight against her or Shar."

To answer Alicia, she says, "The magical theory will take a while to put to paper, but at the core of it is that all elementals have a natural aversion to those composed of the opposite element, but if you manage a three-way battle the conflict goes out of balance and a magical distortion similar to wild magic begins to manifest. Feeding it with further elemental energies, especially those that were missing in the initial clash, supercharges it and can give birth to the all-elemental, if handled carefully. The caster, myself in this case, needs to make sure she restores the balance definitively and evenly-divided between the elements, except now they are slotted together into one large puzzle rather than exist in competition. I think this is an alternative evolution path for elementals, and a way for them to reach true understanding of their nature and place in the world!" She looks shifty, just then. "Probably best to bring it up with Chan or Zaaman Rul first. Ben-Hadar can be really touchy!"

"Glasya did put her army to inventive use," Alicia says with a frown. "And her flying spine-ship was able to contribute. But fundamentally I don't disagree - numbers just can't surpass the gulf in quality when spells can just be sloughed right off and arrows can't find purchase."

"You're still having trouble with him, then?" Marie asks, sounding sympathetic to Seira's woes with water's archomental. "Still though, it sounds like if you just find more of those battles at the elemental borderlands you'll have an easy time spawning more all-elementals now you've figured it out."

"They're all the closest thing to eternal, right?" Seira not-quite-complains. "I'm thirty nine but to them I'm still a kid. I'll keep on being a kid even millennia later! So when Ben-Hadar is keeping a distance and evaluating me, it's for the long run." Her shoulders slump. "Can't be helped. It's not malicious, so I don't have any reason to go smack some sense into him."

She perks up right back, of course, since the elation is not so easily forgotten and Marie's words make a great deal of sense. "That's a good suggestion! The way I see it, conflicting elementals like that don't have true sapience, so they're struggling to reach it in their own way. Then it's fair game if I pitch in instead of just grabbing random elementals who are at a different stage of their existence. Though maybe I could tie into raw elemental energies-- ooh, I've gotta check with Sanzha and Elle as soon as Omni settles in properly!"

"That's lovely, Seira," Amaryl agrees, "We could...but ah, Alicia," a turn to her, "You came here for a reason?"

"Well, as nice as it is to hear about these successes, I have news of my own," Alicia says. "I went to Celestia to look into why Chronias is more radiant than usual, and talked to our old friend Xerona. She actually had quite a lot to tell us..."

Alicia then tells Seira everything that was in her thread. See this (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104163.msg1113933.html#msg1113933) post specifically.

"To celebrate, right? Oh, and Oberuth, you took my offer to come visit! Let's all celebrate!"

At Alicia's words, however, she settles down. A nice table is set by the window, and she brings a bottle of Balmurian ale to it along with glasses for all of them.

"Io, huh?" she asks, leaning against the adjacent wall and nursing her drink. "I told you how I ran across Bahamut once, didn't I?"

Oberuth takes the drink and drinks deeply, "Go on," he says, listening.

At the moment this is basically your two's show, so I'm mostly going to let you talk it out and interject when prompted or something I feel it right.

"He wanted to recruit you, right?" Marie asks, passing her apple core to Alicia who unmakes it with her awe-inspiring deific power and then pats her familiar's head like one would a small child.

"Well, he was kind of a dick, to use a colloquialism. No-nonsense, but in a really stuffy way. Made me an offer he thought I wouldn't refuse, when I politely did it was like we had nothing more to talk about. Also I think he had that weird 'like me' aura which was just bad form under the circumstances. Still, I figured we had our separate paths-- and then he goes and curses Kascha! How dare he?! That sweet girl, who did nothing wrong, and he brands her with a sigil to send any dragons that see her into a murderous rage?!" Seira crushes the glass in her hand, the remaining liquid vanishing before it could hit the ground at her will. "Her one true passion in life, denied in that manner? For innocently being in the wrong place at the wrong time? To side with fucking Tiamat, of all people!? He's lucky he lives in Celestia, or we would. Have. Had. Words."

"And between Baleruk and Afina you had your first success at embodying elemental harmony in a single creature... funny how that worked out," Marie says, sipping at her own ale.

"Well," Alicia glances at her shit-stirring familiar then back at Seira. "I was thinking Baleruk's ascension might be part of why Io has returned, in point of fact. But I fully agree, Kascha in no way deserved what was done to her."

"If Bahamut and Tiamat were his kids, I can see why he'd be disappointed and leave," Seira hisses, before taking several deep breaths. Her voice doesn't quite calm down, but at least some of her nervous energy leaves her as she says, "In that case, he sounds like someone worth talking to. Both Bahamut and Tiamat are not an option for me, but I do have my contacts. Leave the Io thing to me, I'll look into it."

"Thank you," Alicia says. "It did seem prudent to to leave in your hands. For the rest, we were talking with the others in Sylica about how others could ascend to divinity in spite of Ao's restrictions and the consequences he imposes for failure. Syala had the idea of looking into if any other deities were... well, different. And the one I could think of is Eblis, given his high divine power while lacking both the support structure of being a Lord of the Nine or Archomental, or having his own church. You've had dealings with him as well, haven't you?"

Oberuth says quiet, but murmurs, "The Father of Dragons, sailing amid the profane and insane."

Amaryl meanwhile listens to your comments, "I like Bahamut's faithful," she speaks up, "They're generally fighting the good fight when they saw him. I don't understand how Bahamut can be such a...such a....Donald. Like an oak that refuses to bend in the wind, even to avoid a forest fire."

Alicia looks sharply towards Oberuth at his comment. "Something from your dreams?" she asks. "Could that be where Io's been gone all this time, outside the bubble of Creation?"

"I remembered that clearly the moment you spoke of Io," Oberuth opens his eyes, "I don't remember that until just now, but now I remember that part of the dream vividly."

"I could approach Eblis," Seira muses, concealing a wince. "He had the air of an honorable adversary, though I'm really punching above my weight there. With Shar on the horizon, however...."

She trails off, deep in thought, until Alicia and Oberuth's exchange brings those thoughts full circle. "Outside Creation? My first thought was the Abyss. Might be my bias, of course."

"Insane and profane fits yes, but given the overall tone of Hellman's dreams and Sylian being their source... well, that leads me to the Far Realm," Alicia says. "I can handle Eblis if you look into Io, I just wanted your thoughts on how to approach him. Looking for information not a fight, after all."

"We have to bear in mind we may not be able to trust the bastard," Oberuth rests his head in his hand, "Verify. Even if he's opposed to Ao, he may want a different final outcome to that, one that we don't want."

"How about gaining his interest with a Competition?" Seira proposes. "He seemed to like following heroic mortals to corrupt, so you'll be helping them out while getting your audience. If you don't falter, that's quite the win. But a gamble all the same."

That does bring the matter to Oberuth, and she asks, "How about we look into your situation once more, with more urgency? Would you like that?"

"I'm exhausted." Oberuth says plainly, "Anything that helps I like."

"We'll do that," Seira promises. "And we'll call our markers, too. We've gained enough friends in the heavens over the years, and if we don't rely on them now, then when?"

Have we sought out Sulia or Ilmater with regards to Oberuth? How about Lathander or Mystra?

I presume not for the sake of this, so go ahead and assume it's things you can call in and avenues to explore.

"Yes," Seira states, half speaking to herself. "If our research is not quite up to par, there's no shame in going to the experts." Quirking her lips in a smile, she asks, "Unless you'd like to rock rainbow hair? I think you could make it work."

The look Hellman gives you is flatter than Donald's tact after a dire elephant sat on it.

"In all seriousness," Seira protests, raising her hands to ward off his anger, "it's a valid path if you wanted it. There is powerful magic in Creation, and some of it is itself in conflict. Dragon blood overrides your own, that sort of thing. It's the same with our in-house research into the elements, I'm sure of it! We'll be able to get Sylian's worthless teeth out of your soul if the other methods don't bear fruit!"

"Good. Though I wouldn't mind being unkillable," Oberuth admits, "I'll need it by the time this is all over."

"Speaking of that, it's time for me to get into the God-King competition in all earnestness," Seira muses. "I've been meaning to ask you if you were interested in being my Champion, Oberuth, though I hadn't realized you were this exhausted until Elle spoke of it the other day."

"It's gotten worse in the past days," Oberuth admits, "The tempo has been silent for two decades, and now it's become more." He closes his eyes again and rests back, "Events are moving. That much is not in doubt."

That's... not a yes? Not a no, either. She'll just table it.

"I brought it up since it occurs to me that Ajan might be a good resource for both points of interest," Seira voices. "He might know about Io, and he did display exceptional power. True, he's chained down, but given who he is the jailer of, he would not be an ordinary dragon."

"Ajan's far from normal, that's a good catch," Alicia agrees.

"As for Balmuria itself, it might be good to look in on Marianne discreetly," Seira muses. "If Celestia tells us others are ready to step up, perhaps some of them merely have the potential for great and terrible things, not already standing on the same stage."

"I can ask him," Oberuth says, "I accept regardless...just..." He sits back, eyes shut. "Let me rest a few minutes."

"Kascha was telling us about those beds back on Aurora, in the hospital," Seira drawls, glancing over at Amaryl. "Do you think we could ask to make use of one, if only to see if it's a good stopgap measure?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought of her," Alicia perks up. "Yes. There's Sylian, whoever Io has empowered... I was thinking Sylvie for the last. But she used to work with Marianne too, didn't she? So there's a link there."

"I'll see to it," Amaryl rises, glancing over. "Let him sleep." she adds, then goes off.

"There is indeed," Seira agrees. With the matter resolved, she says, "Hey, Alicia, something else came up earlier. Remember my message about Chan? Seems like our intelligence was right, and Chan is ready to push Yan-C-Bin further. Not quite a decisive battle for the fate of Air, but she did ask for my help in knocking over his Raven Fortress of Solitude. I told her that you and Sulia might be interested." Grinning, she asks, "Is there interest? We can go in a couple days with no problem, her original schedule was weeks from now."

"I'd be happy to help with that, I'll bring Antenora along if you and Chan feel it needs that level of strength brought to bear," Alicia agrees. "We could do that with Sulia before we properly start looking into proxies for dealing with Zariel."

"I can visit Balmuria and look in on Marianne if you want," Marie volunteers. "Be nice to see the old place again."

"I was thinking the same thing," Seira tells Marie. "Perhaps we could go together, if our schedules allow it?"

But the important decision concerns Air, and she says, "I don't really think it needs that much strength, but we could use more practice in fighting together. Getting used to each other's strengths and weaknesses and all that. Plus if Yan-C-Bin shows up to defend it, I'm not waiting on Chan. We'll have a shot at taking him out this way."

"Yeah, I'd like that!" Marie smiles back at Seira. "We ought to hang out more together Seira, have some fun back in the old Balmuria. Eat some fish!"

Alicia closes her eyes a moment before deciding to let it slide. Marie was saying recently how she missed the seafood there. "Well, you can also check in on Sylvie's son while you're there. We had reports from Jessica's last visit that he'd suddenly acquired tremendous skill in arcane and martial fields. There could be greedy eyes on him," she suggests. "And anyway, if Chan thinks this Raven Fortress requires a goddess to assault, it must be defended by more than just common elementals."

"An army of ridiculously powerful and huge ravens on top of the elementals. Chan likely realized the same thing we had, that instead of throwing an army of her own at it, we would be enough."

"I wonder how they got ravens that big. Do you think they might just be rocs with black feathers?" Marie guesses.

"I'd be more worried of a roc than a giant raven anyway. Ravens aren't the most fearsome sort of birds you can get in a fight with," Alicia says. "But yes I suppose it matches the name and theme of the place properly."

"I'll do some research on the subject, but they seemed dragon-sized and probably really nasty for ordinary people," Seira allows. "Alicia here, however, could probably grow up enough to stomp on the castle altogether, so the ravens are manageable. And I'll try my combat dragon form. You haven't actually seen it yet, now that I think about it. I've fully empowered it with divine power by now, so it'd be the first fight in it."

"It's good for stomping on castles or throwing spine-ships around, though I'm quite unwieldy at that size," Alicia admits. "Still, I'll look forward to being the first to see you reveal your draconic majesty and live to tell about it."

"So!" Marie takes out a pair of little spectacles and sets them above her nose before producing a parchment and quill from her handbag. "Alicia and Seira to go attack Raven Fortress. Marie and Seira's avatar to visit Balmuria, look into Marianne and Sylvie's child," her tongue pokes out the side of her mouth a little as she scribbles things down. "Seira to investigate Io's return. Alicia to approach Eblis to learn about his strange divinity. Oberuth to become prismatic human. Am I missing anything?"

Alicia leans over. "Put a comma after Marianne otherwise you're making it sound like they had a child together," she points out, drawing a giggle from Marie as she makes that correction.

"It could still happen one day! Speaking of, how are Emily and Xerandalla, Seira?" the eladrin asks, looking up.

"That's pretty doable with a soul-shaping spell," Seira muses. "Case in point, our kids! Similar principles to what Ilmater talked about-- and you don't want to hear about that. So anyways, I had this grand plan of nudging Emily into things. She's all grown up and hasn't really reached for a job and I had one all lined up for her and she went to some Inner Plane and got busy there instead." Seira shrugs helplessly. "What can you do? At least it sounds like she finally found her motivation to act rather than train! As for Xera, she's been in training in Celestia last we spoke, but maybe that'll change once she hears about our assault on Avernus. If not, I'll just ask her to visit and see about motivating her properly~"

"It's nice that Emily's found something to pursue on her own at least," Alicia says. "Shame I didn't run into Xera on Celestia, but I really only stopped briefly to talk to Romiel and then Xerona, so all the layers inbetween got skipped."

Seira nods happily. "It's been really bothering us. We tried to provide everything since neither one of us had a happy childhood, but without that adversity finding a reason to act must've been pretty hard. Not to mention that until now, there was no safe way for them to elevate them."

"They're both strong and talented enough to be legends in their own right," Alicia says. "So long as you keep an eye to make sure they don't get targeted by any true horrors I'm sure they'll do fine wherever they are."

"As long as they call the Cauldron home, Emily and Xera will remain under my protection," Seira affirms, and her grin shows plenty of teeth. "I'll manifest at the first sign of trouble. I taught them well enough to not find shame in calling for me during such times."

Okay, lemme know when you two are good to move along next.

That will be tonight or tomorrow, jut tossing this out real quick.

Good to go.

All set on team Alicia.

Speaking of teams, it'd be just Seira and Amaryl on our side. Also, is Sulia interested? We don't need to ask her IC about each fight~

Alicia and Antenora will fill in for our squad.

Sulia can't make this one, unfortunately. Okay, any prep to be done for this?

I'm sure we could hit DC 100 for knowledge on the opponents we'll have there, just basic strengths/weaknesses/numbers. After that, we can just plane shift or gate over there and wreck shit. Combat buffs-wise, I can provide Glorious Rally and Celestial Valor (and Good Hope for the ability checks) to all of us, and that should be enough.

Yeah I'll go with Seira's knowledge checks and cast relevant combat buffs before we go in.

Seira, go ahead and refresh me on precisely what Chan told you about your enemies there?

That Raven's Nest is his personal castle. I did a quick check about it and found out it had:

Spoiler: ShowHide

It's a castle of Yan-C-Bin, said to be guarded by giant ravens. These ravens are actually behemoth ravens, a type of overgrown ravens usually kept on the Prime. How he got so many is one of Creation's little mysteries, most likely a vanity project over a long time. You also recall the ravens are difficult to heal, healing fast and being hard to wound.

Beyond that it's full of evil air elementals and other servants of Yan-C-Bin, a fortified place hidden by an eternal swath of dark clouds.

I just want a good concept of what are behemoth ravens and how many there would likely be, and we're all good.

You'd know the general details of the behemoth template, go check that out in R&S. Short version: Superior fast healing, wounds that aren't serious heal instantly, lots of health and endurance, giant sized.

From the rumors you scrape up, it's generally thought to be a few dozen, though at least half of that are on a long-ranging patrol at any given time. However, that's not all. Powerful priests and sorcerers in the service of Yan-C-Bin ride the behemoth ravens on specially made thrones, overseeing that section of Air and raining spells down on those they battle. They are able to use the bulk of the behemoth ravens to give themselves a great deal of cover, making it extremely difficult to attack them.

In addition, the castle has the normal assortments of evil air elementals, a few bad djinn corrupted by Yan-C-Bin, his servants and clergy, some golems and likely worse surprises yet. It's noted Yan-C-Bin transfers forces around every so often, so current information on the exacts of who is within the fortress varies.

Good to go.

Great, gimme CLs on the spells you cast in prep?

CL31 for Good Hope, Celestial Valor, Glorious Rally, Recitation and a one-time use of precast Divine Insight.

Okay, new topic incoming over on Alicia's board for the two of you, since the last few team ups have been on this board. Spoiler block will be there, too.