Thus Moore rests and soon enough he awakens to another day. He feels better, recovering from his ordeals as...
You obviously have todos on the list of things to do, and if not, I have plenty. So go ahead and frame what your immediate goals are and things will unfold from there.
He's been rather selfish the past few days, but right now he still has to resolve the lingering effects from what transpired.
Reaching out to Pistis Sophia is certainly an option, but it seems best that he make the sojourn to Solania himself and simply learn what the Mohntain will teach him from there.
Before he goes he will check in to make sure there isn't anything immediate that requires his attention!
The first you find is Kaja - he's sitting by the kitchens, in a light-drenched seat by a window. Wood sits besides him, being steadily petted as Kaja looks out, eyes unfocused.
"Feeling better?" Moore asks as he flies over.
Kaja looks over, "Better every day," he says, "His p-...presence. O-orcus." Kaja speaks quietly, "I can say it now. Like a wounded arm slowly regaining strength, only the wound is in my mind and soul."
He nods. "I'm sorry. It was my negligence that led to all of this. It will not happen again."
He bows his head down. "I hope you can forgive me for the error."
Kaja grunts and looks away. "I've had worse." he finally says, waving it off with his hand. "Live up to the second chance I'm giving you."
"I have a lot of debts to pay." Moore agrees. "I'm actually on my way to Solania to see if I can repair the damage that fat bastard did when he tried to choke my soul out."
A shiver and grumble after that. "It's not an experience I intend to repeat."
"Choke your soul out?" Kaja echos, "What...what did he do?"
"I had the World Sepent spit poison on me to drive his curse out." Moore explains. "While I was... reconstituting,or whatever the term is on Ysgard, Orcus tried to take my soul. It.. well it didn't work, but it left me..."
A gesture out to the window. "I need to see if I can fix the lingering damage, hence the trip to Solania."
"At least you're alive," Kaja blows out a breath, "A damn foolish stunt, though, even if it worked."
"The alternative wasn't much better." He says with a laugh. "Anyway, keep recovering. I'll see you soon." He promises as he heads for the door!
Easy enough. Hope's Landing in bustling and busy, riders above while soldiers train in the courtyard and outside. Not that you have too much of a chance, "Oh! Moore!" Grias floats on over, "I have news."
"Hi Grias." Moore says. "Lay it on me."
"You're temporarily excused from duty to go to Solania as you plan," Grias says, "It was from Lord Erathaol himself."
A smile and nod. "I suppose my plans aren't very hidden after all. Anything else can wait until I'm back unless it's an emergency. If you need to get ahold of me have one of the others use their sending stones."
"Of course," Grias says, then bobs up, "Now who is going with you?"
"I think this is something I should do alone." He says. "If anything tries to attack me, I'll be under Pistis Sophia's protection, so I'm not worried."
"Okay," Grias says, "Rise high up there."
Ready to go?
I am. I'll even pre-empt you.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 69, total 69[/blockquote]
Rising up to Solania isn't too difficult for you - you appear in the misty, foggy valleys after an unusually unremarkable trip.
He was a simple prayer to Pistis Sophia in thanks for letting him travel here and then picks a random direction and begins to fly.
You fly on.
The valley is foggy and silent, peaceful. It's easy to fly here slowly, to wander and let your damaged mind think.
A healthy body and a healthy mind.
He flies on, through the fog and the silence.
Is there really such a thing as that which can never be found again? What if you simply make new with what you had... can he simply relearn what was lost? To restore his body with enough effort?
Is that the same? Does it matter? Even if he can't restore it to where it was... he can improve with what he has.
He flies on.
You fly on.
The valley is foggy and silent, peaceful. It's easy to fly here slowly, to wander and let your damaged mind think.
You idly find yourself wondering if your damaged mind means you're a different person now, so changed by it.
A damaged mind means a damaged body.
He flies on, through the fog and the silence.
Even if he wasn't suffering these lingering effects, he was still a changed person. The experience and wisdom gained taught him that.
He flies on.
Even so, he's not changed for the worse overall. But every experience changes him in one way or another- this is yet another he has to overcome.
He flies on.
You fly on.
The valley is foggy and silent, peaceful. It's easy to fly here slowly, to wander and let your damaged mind think.
You idly find yourself wondering if your damaged mind means you're a different person now, so changed by it.
If you are not the same person, are you now a better person or a worse person? So your mind wanders as you continue your wanderings in the valley.
Better or worse?
He flies on, through the fog and the silence.
He's better, for the experience that he had. Better, for those he met along the way that he was able to show his strength to. Better for the journey he's had.
Worse, for the damage he's suffered and that lingers within him. Is that truly worse, though? Or is it simply a result of the sacrifice that had to be made?
He flies on.
Ultimately, he's a better person. Changed, but ultimately better. Could he still be even better than where he finds himself? Of course.
He flies on.
You fly on.
Ahead is a small pond. Nothing more than an overflow from an underground aquifer, nothing leading into it. It's barely 20ft in diameter, though it is does look deep. Here a young woman kneels, her dress well worn and plain. Her long black hair is tied back with a length of rope and a shepard's crook rests on the ground besides her. She kneels before the spring, head bowed and hands in prayer.
Moore will come down himself, curious who this person is -- but not such that he'll disturb her.
Nonetheless, he will pray himself -- another thank you to Pistis Sophia for the opportunity to find his answers here.
She's perhaps 15 to 20 years old. It's hard to tell, her hair long enough to reach her back, even tied bad. For a time there is nothing but silence between the two of you.
"Stranger, do you think...that either of us will see Mertion soon?" The woman asks, voice very soft spoken, almost missed amid the slightest burbling of the water.
"Is that where your journey takes you?" Moore asks, equally as quietly, as if he doesn't want to disturb the sanctity of this place.
A soft smile follows. "If it's where you need to go, then yes, you'll get there. But sometimes, where we think we need to go isn't where we need to be, I've found."
"It's the next step. I have someone important to me who went to Chronias," The woman's voice stays quiet, "I believe she's waiting for me there." Her head stays bowed, silent after your last words.
"...The struggle of if it is merely a long tilling through rocky soil or if it is a dead path that I follow," she replies after several quiet moments. "My baby girl's up there. They say she was taken there because she was so young."
Moore turns his eyes from the woman to the pond in silence.
"It's a long way up." Moore says, after a while. "Do you feel like you lost part of yourself, and that's what you're trying to be part of again?"
"Any mother would." The woman replies without hesitation. "What of your troubles, stranger? For I've found quiet words with another offer wisdom to contemplated amid Solania's paths."
"I'm trying to find part of me, too." Moore says as he turns to give the woman his attention. "I ran afoul of something that required a drastic solution, and... it permanently scarred me, I suppose. I'm trying to heal that scar, or at least... make it less."
The woman turns - she's closer to 20, you can tell now. "It's not something normal to have come this far." It's not said like a question, simply a quiet statement.
Moore smiles and laughs quietly. "I'm not very normal myself, I suppose." A breath in and then out again. "I think the same could be said of us both."
"It hardly normal to see a pixie here," The woman agrees, rising and taking her shepard's crook.
"It's... a long story." Moore admits. "But I'm here to try and find myself... but perhaps it isn't so incorrect as to say 'find something I lost,' too."
A breath and out again. "Perhaps I can't find what I've lost at all... but that doesn't mean I can't still become a better, stronger person, even with the scars."
"I wish I could tell you," The woman says, "But the answers aren't ours to give."
"You're right." Moore says. "But... if I were to give you an opinion? Don't spend your life trying to reclaim what you've lost. You have an eternity to see her again, but only one life of your own."
"..."
Silence is your answer. A long silence, stretching until, "It's been so long and I've done so much since I began my climb." Her voice is quiet, eyes cast upward. "And yet in recent times Chronias has become so radiant. I've done so much...so much....is it not about me, stranger?"
Moore offers a smile in response to the silence.
"You've become a better person for being here. I think you deserve to enjoy that life for your own sake." He says, looking up as well. "You have an unbeatable soul to have not lost yourself in despair and to have climbed so far. If -you- want to keep climbing, then keep climbing. But... I think your daughter would want you to focus on yourself, and love yourself."
"I want to keep climbing," The woman says, then smiles to you. "May your pay lead you on, stranger."
Moore smiles. "Then never stop until you find what you seek." A bow of his head as he goes up.
He flies on.
You can never find something that's been lost like that.
But your experiences, what makes your life your own, those are what make you a better person, aren't they?
He doesn't need to find what he's lost, merely... replace it with something better.
He flies on.
Give me a Wisdom check.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+21 : 11 + 21, total 32[/blockquote] +GI
You fly on.
Ahead lies a small, simple vegetable patch a mid the fog. Small, enough for several rows of carrots and greens. No one looks to be immediately around.
Moore will land and say a simple prayer to Pistis Sophia in thanks for guiding him.
Hmm, he is rather hungry, maybe he can make a snack of some vegetables.
It's easy enough to do. The vegetables are easily pulled out after you take a moment to pray. They're not bad for what they are - simple vegetables, nothing less and nothing more.
You feel rather better after eating, your stomach full once more.
A healthy body makes a healthy mind.
He flies on.
Perhaps this problem isn't as complicated as he thought, and really just requires taking time to feed himself of both strength and knowledge in order to fix it.
He flies on.
You fly on.
The peaceful valley is a foggy respite from other things, letting your mind remember.
"We'll see each other again before the end, Moore. Be strong."
Sylvie's voice that was not a voice bubbles from the recesses of your mind.
"Em_____n _a__."
Elena's voice, a memory you can't grasp.
He flies on.
That's right, the time he can't remember, from when he was researching... someone.
How frustrating.
But he will remember. The Words are a key to unlock it... he's manifested them as something that he can't read.
So maybe he just needs to apply the idea of "whole" words to anathemic knowledge? Would that work...?
Whole. Is his body whole? It is, but it could be more.
He flies on.
You fly on.
For some time you fly, mind whirling with your own thoughts.
Eventually, below lies a simple tent. It's unremarkable, the most basic of things, little more than tanned animal hides.
Moore flies down to see if anyone is actually in it, or if it looks lived in at all.
But one figure is here. Wood naps away, curled up into a ball within.
Moore opens his mouth, then closes it. He flies in to take a seat and lean on the good doggo and take a nap himself.
It is a deep, dreamless sleep.
When you awaken, Wood is curled around you, keeping you warm. You feel refreshed after your nap.
Resting ones body and mind is important.
He slowly moves so as to try and not wake up Wood in order to get out.
He flies on.
Resting when you're tired is paramount to health. There's no reason to overwork yourself and sometimes solutions come to you after a good rest.
He flies on.
You fly on.
The light of Chronias seems brighter than ever before.
Maybe it's time to...
He turns to look up.
Turns to look into the light.
You see.
"Dani!" The shepherdess cries out, a moment of profound joy.
A vision, as real in your mind as any other memory.
She made it. Good for her.
Moore smiles and says a prayer for her happiness.
A farmer worked hard and long to be fruitful - yet it was not he who ate what he grew.
When we meet, many things will be made right and others will find the hope to be made right in the future.
She promised that you'd meet again before the end. Fulfill that promise.
He nods.
"I will. I'm going to save her." Moore promises.
He takes in a breath.
He has to make himself whole. One.
Perhaps that's his next focus...
Go.
Until that day comes.
So it shall be.
He flies on back.
It's a surprisingly simple, quick trip back. You find Xandra awaiting you just above Hope's Landing. She says not a word, but offers her hand out instead.
Another message?
He flies on to take her hand.
"A war, becoming One and Sylvie. We have much to do," Xandra says, her voice firm, determined. "It seems we have more of the mountain to climb first, as it were."
"Seira has a book on the subject, actually. I should see if she's done with it or not..." he muses. "Actually, let me do that, hold on."
not sure on the logistics here for that. How would you like to approach it? I don't want to take it if they're still using it.
How are you going to get in contact? Realistically her node's about done with it on their end - unless Seira wants to personally read it.
Sending Stone seems the easiest method.
Go over to Seira's thread and toss a sending her way.
Likewise. I'll take care of that, Seira responds to Moore.
'Thank you.' He sends back. To Xandra he nods.
"She'll be bringing it. So, I have a question for you." Moore says.
He gestures for her to follow him back to his room.
Once there he shuts the door.
dont get any ideas!!!
"Do you see in your future you becoming One?" He asks.
What?
"I don't know." Xandra admits that openly, "I have no desire for that power, but....circumstances will be what they will be, and my path up the mountain may take me there. If it is needed, I will do it."
I fixed the... weird... ness there.
"Do you want to?" He asks. "I want to find out what everyone here thinks about the idea eventually, after I do it. It's... a heavy responsibility, but... I feel like you'd be a natural at it, for whatever reason."
"I have no yearning for it. Nor will I shirk from it. I will do my duty." Xandra softens that with a smile, "I will do what is needed and what I feel I must do. A journey up the mountain is seldom as expected."
"I don't expect we'll get much push from Him." Moore says. "I think it'll be up to each individual to decide what to do. In any event... I think knowing what I know about the Words will help. ...When I used them before, at Foggard..."
He clears his throat. "I'd rather not... risk it again, but it seemed like they were able to be used to create effects similar to that of magic. Is that something you can tell me about?"
"I can," Xandra says, "Before that, tell me precisely what you tried to do."
He takes in another breath. "There was an... oppressive silence. It was like we were all being stripped of our power to talk, like we were being..."
Here he frowns and looks off to the side for a moment. He takes a breath in, as if savoring it.
"Like we were being choked. So I wanted to try and allow everyone to be able to breathe -- to be able to talk." He explains.
"I see. What happened when you did, from your point of view?" Xandra then asks, going to sit in the meantime.
"Um... all that was lost from the sheer pain I felt. I... felt an extremely... I felt a force I've never felt before come from me, and then a world of pain afterwards." He says.
"Anything else? Any sense of disassociation or mental dissonance?" Xandra asks. "Nothing like that at all?"
"No. Bleeding, I think... from my ears, maybe? But other than that, no." He says.
"That's good. In theory, you can create anything with the Words of Creation. Material is not the only thing...I'm told it's rather like combat in the Far Realm. You may wish to confer with those who have been there, or have you been there yourself?" Is the answer you get.
"I haven't. I was going to talk to Antenora about it before I went there." He says. "Actually, while we were... together, she did mention she wanted to talk to me about the Words of Creation as well, so I imagine it'll be a similar conversation. I..."
He makes a face for a moment. "I... hm. If I'm going to experiment with what I can do with them, I think doing it in Lifasa is the best idea. When I'm there, I'm bolstered by the land itself, so I may be able to push myself further than I can normally."
"That would be wise," Xandra agrees. She steeples her hands together as she sits, then points at you with both pointers, "However, doing so can range from devastating to suicidal. You are creating from yourself, it is not an easy or a safe tactic, as you've grown to understand."
"I'm certainly not going to try and create a miracle with them." Moore says with a smile. "Though I wonder with enough time if I could understand the approximate level of circle that they can be used for." A breath in and out. "I can feel like I'm slowly learning how to use them in general, it feels like I'll do less... mm... I'll be less fatigued after them, I think."
"Practice makes perfect," Xandra agrees, "Yet don't strain yourself and risk yourself too far. You know why."
"I'm aware." He nods. "Well, since we're waiting for Seira anyway... would you care to go to Lifasa? Mm... you can go there safely, can't you? I'm not up and up on my spiritual wounds."
'I have not inquired." Xandra admits, "How was Lifasa changed?"
"That's... an exceptionally involved question." Moore says. "I... hmm. I might be able to just ask it directly... I'm not really... sure how that works."
"An interesting idea," Xandra says, "I wonder if a world is a good conversationalist?"
"You know, let's just try it." He says. "If it doesn't work, it doesn't work." He gestures once, and...!
Greater Plane Shift, he's aiming for Lifasa's... mm, I don't know what it was called, but I'd say 'Lifasa's World Soul Cavern,' where the final battle took place.
Just randomly teleporting by yourself or with Xandra?
With Xandra. And it isn't random, he knows exactly where he's intending to go!
Thus you appear in a place of light and warmth. Light is everywhere here, radiant light, life and warmth. By yourself, no sign of Xandra this time, despite your spell.
"Oh, rats." Moore says. "Uh... hello?" He calls out. "Are you here?"
You feel a sense of warmth and welcoming here.
It was more talkative before...
He clears his throat. "I'm sorry for intruding, this seemed like the best way to talk to you. Is my friend on Lifasa -- er.. you know, the... world... uh, well, you are the..." He clears his throat yet again. "AHEM. Is my friend outside? Is it safe for her to be... on... the ground?"
Give me a quick Charisma check?
[23:11] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+45 he comes prepared for these sorts of things
[23:11] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=18]
You feel a sense of warmth but of danger and pain, a sensation of the flesh of your arm slowly splitting open, even though it does not.
Moore helps and then realizes he's actually fine.
"So we'll need something to prevent the wounds... okay." A nod after that. "Thank you."
He will Greater Plane Shift back to Hopes Landing.
Thus you return, Xandra waiting for you and...
Go ahead.
"You'll create wounds if you go there." Moore explains. "I know there are spells that... oh! I can probably ask someone there to ward an area." He says as he holds up a finger.
Sending Stone!
To Tepen, he Sends: 'Hi Tepen, I hope you're doing well. I have a project I'm working on that I'd like to do on Lifasa, but it requires an area be warded against spiritual wounds. Could you point me in the direction of someone who could help?'
The reply is simple. 'I would need a bit of hair or blood to determine how strong a ward is needed, first.'
Circle of spiritual protections and the greater version have HD caps, in game it takes a bit of effort to determine if one will hold an outsider safely or not.
'Thanks, Tepen. I'll be by soon.' He sends.
"Do you mind giving up a hair to figure this out?" He asks. "I think having you there with me will benefit us both a great deal."
Xandra bows her head towards you, offering it up wordlessly.
Moore will pluck one hair and pat her on the shoulder.
"I shall return shortly." He says, and then he's off!
Plane Shift to Tepens magical treehouse!!!
Tepen's house is rather quiet this day, a pot of tea and cookies laid out. He sits in a small but deeply comfortable sitting room, chairs as soft as a lover's embrace. It's well lit here, magical light amplifying the sunshine that comes in through big, clear windows. Yet it's not glass but glassteel you believe, surely the fruit of magic.
As you get comfortable," This is it?" Tepen asks.
"I have to ask; do you have animated brooms to keep it this clean?" He grins afterwards and then nods. "Yes, she's a Trumpet Archon If that helps at all."
"No, that's what basic magic is for," Tepen smiles back and takes the hair, "I will be some time at this. Rest and help yourself in the meanwhile."
"I'll have to learn some of your more mundane spells someday." He says. "Thank you." He adds as he goes to pour himself some tea and enjoy the scenery — the scenery of a world he helped save!
A few hours pass in peace. When Tepen emerges?
"There is such a spell, but it is beyond even the legendary lore I have mastered in Aurora's service," Tepen concedes, "I believe it to be a 13th or 14th circle spell, for a normal circle of spiritual protection will not be strong enough."
"Hmm... do you think if I helped we might be able to muster it?" He asks. "I received some special blessing from the world itself, so perhaps if we used my blood or something it may strengthen a circle of protection just for Lifasa?"
Tepen sits back, drumming his fingers on his armrest.
Taking 10 on K:P and K:A.
"I don't know. A situation like this is unprecedented." Tepen finally admits, "At least as far as I've ever understood."
"Well, I've never known you to shy away from the unknown." Moore says with a broad smile. "I think it's qirth trying. If it doesn't work, then I will work on finding an alternative."
Qirth?
"Then I'll need your blood and time to experiment," Tepen finally says.
worth, I swear my phone just gives up sometimes....
Moore offers an arm out in response! "You know, surely there has to be a spell for this... I never quite like cutting my hand."
It is done, the wound nothing with Lifasa's power flowing through you. "I'll send you word once I know."
"Come visit sometime, okay?" He says. "You don't have to fulfill every old wizard stereotype." A grin and a bow. "I'll teach YOU a few spells."
With that, he returns to Hope's Landing!
Thus you return and...
Got an immediate next move?
Nothing. Maybe go see the Authority of Hope?
We're winding down, but gimme a d100 for evening session.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 67, total 67[/blockquote]
Going back, you find Kaja and Jetina playing cards, having a quiet chat. Cresiel is with them, watching without comment as Jetina calls, "Dragon!" she says, laying down her cards. Kaja groans and drops his, a sour look. Xandra is reading a book, calling, "Moore," she says, "How did it go?"
Moore raises a hand. "You're too strong for the spells against spiritual wounds to work. We'd need someone who's a 14th level spellcaster to do it. I am having my friend work on an alternative that uses me as an ingredient."
A cough into his hand. "I have some special protections because of where I was when Lifasa was saved, so i think he'll be able to come up with a special spiritual protection spell for Lifasa that doesn't need anything fancy." He explains. "So it'll be a while before we can go, likely."
Kaja gathers up cards and shuffles, dealing while Jetina adds, "That's not all bad news, then. It's quiet here for us - we're all still resting after what happened."
"You all deserve some time to relax." He affirms. "Hopefully you get some more time to recuperate."
"Rest is important as anything for recovery," Jetina agrees, "Want me to deal you in?"
He considers for a moment, then shrugs with a smile. "Sure, why not."
Cards are dealt as all of you get comfortable, the game beginning. As Kaja draws and discards, "Yet you're still going, Moore, and you had it worst of all of us."
At this Jetina frowns and shakes her head, "I'd need to tie him to his bed to get him to rest longer term."
A grin as he discards a card to draw a new one. "It wouldn't be a good example to the rest of you if I was just bed-ridden after everything that happened." He says and then he leans back. "It goes against my rule of being a source of inspiration. But I know my limits, don't worry."
As she draws, takes a card and discards one from her hand, "I hope so," Jetina says, "I can heal most things, but I have limits."
"Mmm-hmm." Xandra agrees, "Let's not earn the ire of Orcus again, and hopefully he's not going to pursue us."
Kaja shivers visibly as he draws and tosses the card down again, "Tiamat's teats have more luck than I do today," he growls.
"We do still need to go back to Foggard." Moore says. "But... let's give that another day or two before we do." A chuckle, then a look over at Xandra. "I take it you got banned from playing these?"
"Again," Xandra smiles without looking up, turning the page of her book.
Meanwhile Jetina draws another card, "Dragon!" She calls, laying her cards down.
"Already? AGAIN?" Kaja looks on in disgust, tossing his cards down.
As Jetina smiles widely and collects cards, Cresiel says, "Rest is good, but we have things to do besides leisure."
"Yes, you're right." Moore says. "I was going to go see the Authority of Hope, actually... it's... mm." A small smile as he draws his cards again. "I almost feel like I've already met them? It's hard to explain."
"You'd be a good one," Cresiel speaks up at that as cards are dealt anew. "There are usually at least a few who would be a perfect fit for an Authority's office, yet who are not one at the current time."
As Kaja takes his cards, "Yes, you'd do well in that role. But have you met them or is it because you're similar to it?"
"It's probably just the same calling." Moore says with a smile. "Kind of how you feel you've met a warrior who fights the same way you do, or... something like that."
Another discard. "I did consider the idea of... 'applying,' or if you will, but... if the current one is doing fine in the job, then there's obviously no need for a new one." A smile after that. "Besides, I have other plans anyway."
"It's not a position to apply to, it's a calling. You're chosen," Xandra keeps on reading, "The person who is right for the role at that time is the one chosen."
"Really?" Jetina draws and keeps her card, making Kaja growl low. "It's like being appointed by a king to the nobility?"
"Close enough," Xandra says, "Often, Authorities serve until they are called to Chronias. It is a final task and a final honor before ascending. Occasionally an Authority is lost or destroyed, but this is rare." A page turn, "There's more change there than something like Hell's nobility, who have nowhere to go but down."
"Yeah, that's the other reason." Moore admits. "I'm not going to be a proxy or anything, either, so it's my own path forward that I have to fulfill."
A smooth smile as he holds his cards. Could these be any worse?
"That may be it, that we're both called to the same thing." Moore says. "Or... I suppose I can't deny the possibility that I maybe met them when I was in the Lost Realm."
Kaja draws and discards, sighing. "You think so?" Jetina asks, "Or is that just a guess? If so, who is it?"
"Just a guess." Moore says. "I know bits and pieces about them, at least from reading up on all of them." He says.
"Are you familiar with the Authority of Hope?" Xandra asks at that, "Do you wish me to educate you?"
"I know some." Moore says. "But by all means."
"The Authority of Hope is named Mazana, a female spirit. She is ethereal, spending more time without a body than time with. I understand her normal routine is to be unseen and provide powerful boosts to morale and hope to allow mortals to solvea problem with their own two hands, though she is capable and willing of more direct intervention. Otherwise she tends to all of Celestia's hope and various duties there." Xandra says.
"That certainly sounds familiar." Moore says with a smile. "I suppose I ought to just send her a message and see if she's be willing to see me."
"It's worth a try," Xandra concurs, then with a twitch of a smile, "If you hope to meet hope..."
Kaja groans and leans back, closing his eyes shut tight.
Moore shakes his head with a grin as he uses his Stone.
'Hello, Auhority Mazana. I was ho— wondering if you might have time to see me. I have been wanting to meet you for some time.'
Thus you call out to the Authority. There is no immediate reply.
"I think she's busy." Moore says. "Oh, do I win with these, by the way?" He asks as he shows his cards.
Jetina leans over and eyes the cards, "I hope so."
Kaja groans again, going snout first down on the table, dropping his cards to the floor.
'There is always time for hope,' A gentle, warm voice fills your mind.
A smile as he puts the cards down.
'Would you like to come visit Hope's Landing? You're more than welcome.' He sends to her.
"I will arrive soon. I would see such a well named place myself." Is the answer, spoken aloud this time.
"I suppose we need to work on how well known we are." Moore says with a chuckle.
"You are welcome here," Cresiel stands, "We would be honored."
Jetina smiles, "It'll be nice to meet you."
A feeling of warmth is your answer and nothing else.
Moore stands up. "We may as well be courteous and meet her at the front."
Moore will also have Grias prepare something special... perhaps the chocolate cake Cresiel was so fond of?
Any other prep?
nope!
Thus you await in the courtyard, clearing it out for the arrival.
It's nothing so physical.
Instead, you suddenly have a sense of warmth and hope fill you, as if a summer day's best memories are coming alive to inspire you. Confidence fills you, banishing sorrows and worries like piddling, unimportant things.
Moore puts a hand to his chest. Is this what everyone feels when he sings?
A gesture out to the fortress itself. "We bid you welcome, Authority." Moore says, quite formally.
'This is a holy place. The Lord of Chronias did indeed touch it,' The voice in your mind is the same as before. 'I accept your hospitality.'
"We had the... fortune to be visited by a poisoned letter from the Serpent Throne." Moore explains. "He was kind enough to protect this place from further incursion."
A pause before he continues, "You are welcome here in any form whenever you wish. We do also have cake... um, if you're the type to enjoy material things like that."
"That sounds nice," The Authority says, "Would you show me around, Duke?"
"Of course, I'll introduce you to everyone, unless you prefer otherwise. Just give me a... signal." He says with a grin as he goes around, intending on showing her the various parts of the fort, including the trading post (he needs to check in on that more regularly, he makes a mental note!) as well as the others, such as Villisa and Grias.
Any particular parts to emphasize or spend time on?
The soldiers he'd stop at and just chat about, not so much introduce her but explain that it's a staging ground and recovery area for the war.
He would emphasize any individual contributor, especially Villisa,Grias and the others to introduce her to. Unless she wants to stay hidden!
As you show off the soldiers, 'They are brave. But are you and is your morale well, Moore?' Is the question you get, 'War can grind down so much, including hope.'
"I find myself with an over abundance of hope, myself." He says with a smile. "Believing in that endless supply is what helped me persevere through a recent incident involving being cursed by Orcus."
A look out to the soldiers. "I have hope for this war. That we can end slavery across all Creation. To allow everyone to be free... I have hope."
Ass Creation, eh?
"Hope sustains us, gives us something to fight for. Without hope...you understand that." The Authority concludes softly.
i swear to god
"I do. It's what got me to the Lost Realm... losing hope." He says. "That's why I'm so determined to make sure it always exists. Not only to counter Shar, but because all beings deserve to have hope."
Pixies declare war on Moore's cellphone, news at 11.
"Hope is what will save everyone," The Authority agrees aloud now, getting startled looks towards you.
Moore waves at everyone.
"Words to live by." Moore agrees. "Hope for a better tomorrow."
You get general agreement from the soldiers, if nothing else. "But Duke, your voice...?" One speaks up to ask.
"We have a guest." Moore explains simply. If the Authority wishes to expound on that she can!
The soldiers - smile and return to duties at that, a feeling of warm hope suffusing the air.
"So why the secrecy?" Moore asks as he starts to fly back. "Do you just find it easier to do your duty without a physical form getting in the way?"
"Hope is not a material thing, it is a feeling of the soul," Mazana explains, "It is alive in each and every heart that strives for Chronias."
"You should've been there when we opened it." Moore says with a laugh. "I think it's more tangible than you say. At least... the way it manifests itself is. I understand what you mean from a general point of view; We inspire people even if we aren't physically there."
"Hope lingers," The Authority agrees, "Hope sustains when all else is lost. You've dealt with that and see it in Aurora?"
Moore considers for a moment. "I wasn't there personally, but I'll tell you the story of when some of our members met Levistus." He says.
I assume that the encounter with Levistus was rather well-documented, so this isn't exactly a secret or anything.
It's not.
"Some fragment of Levistus, escaped and alive? In a way, that may be the Lord of the Fifth's hope, and Aurora's hope for overcoming him," The Authority muses after you finish.
"I'm still not sure exactly who's plan it was to unleash him." Moore says. "If it was Bel's... well, that certainly ended in an interesting way. But yes, I don't know how that... item actually came to be in our possession, and I'm still not sure who it was who was supposedly speaking when it was unleashed." Moore says as he continues to fly around.
"Either way, yes, I... mm. I think hope is whatever someone needs it to be, material or ethereal, tangible or impossible to truly understand..." He chuckles a bit. "Hope simply is. I think when Shar is finally defeated, perhaps even she will see that."
"All will understand hope one day," Is agreed. "Now shall we continue? Your home is lovely."
"I'm trying to make it my own." He says as he flies along. "I don't have the gardening passion that the Authority of Life does, but I think finding a way to keep some music around here would do wonders."
He flies on. "This is Melia's office, she's out at the moment and busy with handling wartime strategy. She's in charge of subterfuge." He explains.
He flies on, pointing out the other lodgings of the others and the various sitting rooms -- rather plain all things considered, but comfortable and with a sense of home in all of the furniture choices.
"I... want to make this into a place people can come for anything that they need. Trading, relaxing, whatever it is. I'd like to make it so the impact of the name is felt in everyone who comes here." He says.
"That's a fine hope," Mazana says as you show off your home, "What of those who live here, how are their hopes and dreams?"
"Recovering." Moore says, simply. "I... think each of them has their own hopes to fulfill, which I'm happy about."
A smile as he considers this. "Cresiel won't really have hope fulfilled until Hell is completely gone, but... he strives for his own perfection every day. Xandra... hmm." A pause as he considers this, looking out towards the top of Celestia.
"I think Xandra's hopes are just that I fulfill everything she wants me to fulfill. That seems to be her way." A smile after that. "I need to find a good, evil dragon for Kaja to lay low on his own, I think. Hm, I'm sure there are some on Fire somewhere..." A huff after that. "Jetina... I think her hope is to see everyone else's dreams realized. She's that type of person, who's very... selfless. I want to make sure I protect that."
"I see." Is the answer, "A good evil dragon? I followed the rest, but that part lost me."
Moore blinks, then laughs. "I'm sorry. I mean an evil dragon who would be a good challenge for him. The quintessential dastardly fiend. A proper evil dragon." He says.
"Then let's go meet them," IS the answer you get.
"What... now?" Moore asks. "I mean, I'm sure he'd be all for it..."
A laugh, long and light. "I meant your friends. Meeting your friends."
"Oh, I suppose that does make more sense." He says, as he goes to see if they're all still playing cards.
They are, perhaps to Kaja's regret. Said half dragon has his head resting face down on the table as Jetina writes away on a bit of parchment. "That's 284 points for me, 132 for Cresiel and -319 for Kaja," she says cheerfully.
Nearby Xandra continues to read, smiling to herself.
"Don't lose hope, Kaja." Moore says as he flies in. "But... maybe don't go to Brightwater casinos anytime soon."
"My luck is the poorest it's been in ages," Kaja says, as a sense of warmth and encouragement fills the room. All eyes turn to Moore, while Jetina says, "Moore, I didn't hear you start singing."
He gestures over his head. "Our guest doesn't want you to lose hope either, it seems." A smile and a chuckle after that. "I wonder if it'd be possible to use my abilities through pantomime instead... hmmm... probably not."
Cresiel rises and bows deeply, "My lady."
Xandra rises and matches that bow, "Authority Mazana, you honor us."
Kaja looks up and finally says, "By Bahamut's sharpest claw, you must be so, for me to feel like I have any hope next game."
Moore laughs at that. "You have to have hope, especially here. Luck is a TOTALLY different story, though." He adds with a smile.
"Speaking of hope, I was hoping to return to Foggard, assuming we're not caught in the middle of nonsense there again."
"All of you burn bright with hope for your futures," The Authority says, "You are all examples of what Mount Celestia needs to progress in the coming trials ahead. For when Chronias shines, times of calamity and miracles draw nigh."
"I worry that the day Barachiel blows his trumpet may come nigh," Cresiel remarks, "But no matter, I shall live so that if that day is to come, I will face it with on regrets."
Meanwhile, Xandra looks to you sharply, "Again?"
"There was a reason we were going there originally." Moore explains. "Lord Ohgma bade me go there to find more information on the notes we've been gathering." He says.
To the Authority, he turns in her general direction to nod. "We live in challenging times. The time when Hope itself is needed the most. We will continue to strive for the betterment of all, and are humbled by your words of praise. Know that the idea of hopelessness has no power here."
The conversation is stilled as the Authority says, "I am content here. This is a Good place, Moore. You are one after my own calling - one day, when I pass into the light, you may take on this mantle. You would be worthy of it."
Moore beams proudly at that. "You are always welcome here, Authority, in whatever capacity you wish to be. Though, if I'm being honest, I hope — hah — you don't feel the call just yet. Nonetheless, you truly honor me."
"I will go when it is time," The Authority of Hope agrees, "But you are good, solid champions and I am pleased by your hospitality. I would grant you a minor boon, if any of you have need of it."
"You are too kind." Moore says. "I think we can all agree we need all the help we can get, and Pride is the foil to which many fall. Please, by all means."
Unless this is mechanically only for one person!
"Any aid you can give us would be appreciated," Cresiel agrees.
To this the Authority hums, slowly shifting into a laugh. A laugh of summer and sunshine, of the best, half forgotten days of innocent childhood. "Yes, but I mean something more specific."
Moore grins a bit himself. "In that case, do you have something in mind, Authority?"
With an amused laugh, "I do not. Had I known a boon to give you, I would have not asked."
"Well then!" Moore says with a theatric fold of his arms. "Is there anything we as a group have noticed that we need?" He looks to the others.
"Hmm... I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but..." he looks down st the floor as if it has the answer.
Jetina taps the table a few times, "I'm not sure myself, we're fairly capable and morale is something Moore is excellent at."
"Nor can I, not now," Cresiel says, "May I then propose it be used another time? We may have need of it in the future."
Moore nods. "Yes, there may be a time we need to bring hope to someone."
"There's wisdom in that. Too many ask for short sighted things," The Authority says, "I will remember this boon. Contact me when you need it."
"Thank you, Authority. Feel free to visit anytime. Don't hesitate to guide those in need to my doorstep as well." He says. "Oh, would you like to have some chocolate cake while you're here?"
That gets a warm laugh.
Once she is gone and you rejoin your friends, "Ahem," Xandra says. "What was that about Foggard?"
"We need to go back to fulfill the original reason I was sent there." Moore says. "It has to do with Sylvie."
"Do we have any idea if it's safe now?" Xandra asks, "We would be foolish to come in without precautions and protections, not to mention foreknowledge."
"I wasn't just going to go back without checking." Moore agrees. "But I also imagine it'll be obvious at a glance. If we still see devils and demons, then it's still... a problem."
"Then I suggest some manner of summon, who can go and is of no consequence if calamity strikes," Cresiel declares, "Nothing of risk to us and nothing of risk to the summon."
"That's almost mundane." Moore says. "But if it has to travel all the way there I don't think it'd last long enough. Don't those spells have a rather limited timespan?"
"The general ones do," Cresiel admits, "Such as summon monster. Xandra, do you recall if there are better ones?"
"There are," Xandra admits, "I'm assuming scrying won't work if the demons and ice elementals still hold Foggard, and assume eyes-on is superior in that situation. They tend to be specific spells or the powers of strong creatures - such as demons summoning other demons or devils doing the same with other devils."
Moore looks between the two Celestials rather expectantly.
After a beat, "I'll investigate one immediately," Xandra says.
That's a polite way of the DM realizing oh crap, he has to do footwork and didn't get any done last night since I barely slept. It's probably wishable anyway so it's brute force bait at worst with Kaja's ring to avoid spell disruption if you're going right after.
Is there any prep you want to do before Foggard or anything like that?
We could always just try and open a gate there too and see what happens. That's another brute force way, of course.
There would be buffs and things before we go but that's all standard stuff anyway.
Moore is also fine using Miracle and waiting an hour assuming it's safe.
Was a few, had a late lunch after an early breakfast. Was hungry.
Your call on which you try first.
Cresiel can do Gate, so let's try that.
Thus the party goes out to the beach to try the gate spell.
On being opened, the gate blackens and a howling scream erupts, before the gate tears itself apart, leaving a foul chill in the air.
Kaja rushes ahead, shielding all of you with scimitars raised. Xandra brings her blade up to the same, "Erathoal's mercy!" Jetina shields up as Cresiel is at your side, personally protecting you.
"That's an answer," Kaja finally says as the chill fades, lowering his blades.
"Yes, that does rather...answer that question." Moore says with a frown. "I wonder if they haven't found what they seek there yet."
"Or worse, they're still asking," Xandra observes. "Perhaps consulting with the more learned of the situation would be in order."
"A sound idea." Moore says as he invokes his Sending Stone!
'Romiel, I apologize for bothering you. Are you familiar with the situation unfolding at Foggard?'
'No, I am busy with the war efforts,' Romiel sends back, short and to the point.
"Hmm. Romiel isn't familiar with the situation, so I don't know that a lot of attention is being out there." Moore says. "I hate to bother Lord Erathaol, but he's the one who treated with Lixer..."
"We need the information," Jetina says, "We may have no choice in this situation, as I feel he would not approve of us going off without knowledge."
"Well, we're not going to do that." Moore says with a smile. "Don't worry."
Either way, he reluctantly uses his stone again!
'Lord Erathaol, I apologize for bothering you. Regarding the matter at Foggard, do we know any more than when we escaped? It seems the demons and devils are either still there, or one side prevailed but is still there.'
'Darkness has fallen over the library, the after math of a battle between Lixer and Orcus.'
'Do you believe it in our power to remove that darkness? I don't wish to leave it in such a state, if there's something we can do.'
'Investigate, but carefully.'
"What we saw was the aftermath of Lixer and Orcus." Moore says to the others. "We've been asked to investigate -- carefully. Which means We'll prepare for whatever horrors we find there -- but I'd also like us to try and remove the darkness there if we can. I'm familiar with spells like Hallow and the like, but this will likely require something a bit stronger. I think if we can get to the center of it and use things like Miracle, we can do it. But let's not worry about that just yet -- I'd like to make sure we're prepared before we go, so raise your hand if you can see in darkness."
All four hands go up.
Darkvision 120 for Cresiel and Xandra, 60ft for th eother two.
"...So I'm the odd man out, huh." Moore says. "It's fine, we can make that up with magic. Okay. Everyone can fly... mmm... anything else? We'll ward ourselves against the common things..." A tap of his chin and a look to them. "Unless you all can think of anything I'm missing?"
"One top notch escape plan," Cresiel says, "In case this goes terribly wrong. Again."
"Oh! That reminds me, I need to go pick up our Teleport Blocker. That may come in handy." Moore says with a nod. "As for escape plans... well, obviously just using magic is preferable, but if we run into anything that seems to be too strong, we'll use Time Stop and get away from it."
"Let's also appear much farther away and approach slowly," Kaja says, "As well as test our teleportation as we approach so that we know when we reach a forbidden zone."
Moore nods. "That's fine. Anyone have anything else?" He asks.
"We err on the side of retreating," That's Xandra, speaking up here, "I foresee possible dangers here, and it may well be something we need be wary of. I stress that we use the utmost caution and restraint here."
Moore nods. "Agreed. If we have to return later then we will." He affirms.
Plan here will be to get the Teleport Blocker back, then Moore will compile all of the notes he has gained since Seira last met him and give them to Grias in case she comes by while he is out.
Doing spells will be a little cumbersome via phone but I'll make it work.
Okay, getting the blocker back is uneventful. Are there any notes of relevance here that I need to deal with?
I don't think so, just ones found by the realm folks and by Moore re analyzing the ones he had now that he had a clearer picture. I think it was like 20 more than what we had then.
Okay, go ahead and get spells together then.
Okay.
Jetina casts Celestial Valor:
+8 sacred vs fear and emotion effects that would sap the will to fight, +4 sacred to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, armor class and saving throws, weapons count as holy (30m)
Mass Death Ward:
Immune to negative energy and ability/level drain.
Mass Energy Immunity (Cold, Acid)
Moore will handle:
Songs (Inspire Courage, Heroics, Greatness):
+18 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +18 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls
+8 Attack rolls, +3 fort 8d10+8 HD worth of HP
+12 morale bonus to saves and +12 dodge to AC
Life's Grace (I feel like Jetina ought to be able to get this.) on everyone, CL21
Immune to negative energy effects + poison and disease from undead + treat armor as ghost touch.
Fortunate Fate
If reduced to 0 hp heal for 150
In total:
Attack: +31
Weapon damage: +22
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Everyone also gets the extra HP, this roll is added to 8 HD which I will add in the next post.
[blockquote]Rolled 8d10 : 5, 2, 10, 5, 1, 4, 5, 7, total 39[/blockquote]
Cool, waiting on that next post then, go ahead and do that.
Moore: 103
Cresiel: 137
Xandra: 111
Kaja: 103
Jetina: 95
Okay, and where are you aiming to gate to?
lets say two miles from Foggard.
Thus the portal is cast - and Cresiel is there, shield out, as it is torn apart in the same way as last time.
Moore frowns, but this won't deter him!
Lets try 5 miles.
Ahah. At this a portal opens.
"All right. Lets see what we're dealinf with." Moore says as he goes through!
The mists are chilly, cold and thick. Thick as soup here, visibly plunging in all directions to a mere 10ft in front of your face without aided vision.
"Still as fun as before," Kaja growls, scimitars already out and in hand.
"It won't get Breyer." Moore says. He casts Lay of the Land to make sure they know what direction to go in, then proceeds in that direction!
"Make sure you have one of us in sight at all times. Call out if you notice anything amiss." He says to all of them. He then gestures to make this a bit faster!
Haste, CL32. Won't last a hugely long time, but it helps. I guess Moore is the slowest one now at 60+30 movement speed. They can all just double move to make it faster.
Breyer? I don't think it impacts what happens here, but what did you mean? Better?
what in the world
Yes, better. It won't get better in ass Creation.
I'm worried a slaad got into your phone's autocorrect.
A sphere 3 miles in all directions from Foggard is pure blackness, undetectable to your spell. Everything else seems in order as it was before.
"The darkness extends for three miles from Foggard." He tells the others and proceeds!
"Great," Kaja sighs, "Only three miles."
"Only," Jetina says, "Let's go carefully here."
Give me Perception + modes of vision/perception.
Take 10 for 68. Moore has True Seeing.
> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=11 ]{11}
> roll 1d100+20 ???
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100+20 ??? --> [ 1d100=35 ]{55}
Moore flies on with his party. It's bitterly cold, your protections a wise choice indeed. Winds blow - winds pushing against you, strong and powerful winds. They aren't stopping you yet, but they're getting stronger fast.
"Sometimes I wish I was born a Druid." Moore says. "The winds are picking up — we may not be able to break through them, so go slowly!" He shouts.
Theyll try and tough it out but if it starts to get too bad we will re evaluate.
Str checks.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+19 : 7 + 19, total 26[/blockquote]Moore
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+8 : 8 + 8, total 16[/blockquote] Xandra
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+7 : 1 + 7, total 8[/blockquote] Jetina
> roll 1d20+9
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{29}
> roll 1d20+13 Kaja
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+13 Kaja --> [ 1d20=16 ]{29}
Soon enough the winds check Jetina, who cries out and tries to advance, but can only flail in the air and be swept back.
Then Cresiel is there, big and strong, stopping it and holding her.
"Thanks," Jetina says, "Sorry, the winds are really getting me."
"If it gets worse, we will consider other options!" Moore shouts.
Nothing to do but move forward!
Str for Jetina again.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+7 : 20 + 7, total 27[/blockquote]
Now Jetina keeps it up, flying on into the roaring storm. Flying ahead fast and hard with all of you. Yet even that is soon not enough - winds are howling against you, starting to check all of you and push you back.
"We need more than raw strength," Xandra calls over the winds. "Freedom of movement!"
Moore will cast Mass Surefooted Stride and Jetina can do mass Freedom of Movement.
Concentration checks, both of you.
Thats... CL, right?
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+32 : 18 + 32, total 50[/blockquote]moore
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+33 : 12 + 33, total 45[/blockquote]jetina
Could you paste those boosts along with the baseline from earlier, I just realized I forgot to make a spoiler block. Just quoting the previous post with them all is fine and add these two.
Quote from: Nephrite on March 26, 2019, 01:23:16 PM
Okay.
Jetina casts Celestial Valor (CL33):
+8 sacred vs fear and emotion effects that would sap the will to fight, +4 sacred to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, armor class and saving throws, weapons count as holy (30m)
Mass Death Ward (CL33):
Immune to negative energy and ability/level drain.
Mass Energy Immunity (Cold, Acid) (CL33)
Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33):
Enables moving without inssue, +15 to CMD on grapples
Moore will handle:
Songs (Inspire Courage, Heroics, Greatness):
+18 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +18 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls
+8 Attack rolls, +3 fort 8d10+8 HD worth of HP
+12 morale bonus to saves and +12 dodge to AC
Life's Grace (I feel like Jetina ought to be able to get this.) on everyone, CL21
Immune to negative energy effects + poison and disease from undead + treat armor as ghost touch.
Fortunate Fate (CL32)
If reduced to 0 hp heal for 150
Haste (CL 32)
+1 attack rolls, armor class and reflex saves, extra attack on a full attack, +30 enhancement bonus to movement speed.
Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
You can move through difficult terrain at full speed for the duration of this spell, and you can even run, charge, and tumble through such terrain as though it were clear terrain.
In total:
Attack: +31
Weapon damage: +22
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Everyone also gets the extra HP, this roll is added to 8 HD which I will add in the next post.
(http://www.soulriders.net/SMFTest/Themes/default/images/dice_warn.gif) This dice roll has been tampered with!
Rolled 8d10 : 5, 2, 10, 5, 1, 4, 5, 7, total 39
Moore: 103
Cresiel: 137
Xandra: 111
Kaja: 103
Jetina: 95
CLs on any spell marked CL?? in the box, please?
[spoiler]
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+4 (+4 sacred), Damage+4 (+4 sacred), AC+4 (+4 sacred), Saves+4 (+4 sacred), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 32/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL31), Detect Snares and Pits (CL31), Discern Lies (CL31), True Seeing (CL31), Celestial Valor (CL??), Mass Death Ward (CL??), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL??), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL??), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL??), Life's Grace (CL21), Fortunate Fate (CL??), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL??)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL31)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active:
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active:
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid) (CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33)
Life's Grace (CL32) Fortunate Fate (CL32) Haste (CL 32) Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Okay, give me a Perception check, Moore.
[spoiler]
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 32/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
Take 10 for 68.
You fly along into the wind - and soon you can hear it. Some chanting in a chattering, freezing language. A song, singing of the reaping winds.
I can speak every language, so can I identify specifically which one it is? I.e. is it common to ice elementals or something like that?
It looks to be a variant of Aquan, adapted for frigid Ice Elementals or similar creatures.
"I think we found the source of our problem." Moore shouts. He gestures in the direction of the chanting. "I think we're well within normalcy to try and deal with that!"
He waits to hear any objections before going on.
"We can only pray," Xandra says, wind carrying her murmuring.
"Can you tell where from?" Kaja asks.
[spoiler]
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 32/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
Surely he can!
From above.
"Above us!" Moore shouts.
He then starts to head in that direction, ready for anything!
Go ahead and roll init at this point.
[21:29] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 Moore
[21:29] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 58 > [d20=17]
[21:29] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+21 Xandra
[21:29] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=17]
[21:29] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 Jetina
[21:29] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+30 Cresiel
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 48 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20+30 Kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 39 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+11 ???
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+13 ????
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d20+11 ????
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=6]
Init is Moore (58) > Cresiel (48) > Kaja (39) > Xandra (38) > Jetina (31) > ???2 (23) > ???3 (17), ???1 (12)
Open.
Moore will move 90 feet up -- or if he spots the actual enemies. From there I'll determine his actions.
You fly 90ft up and with true seeing, can see 50ft more up. Ahead is a great blizzard, thick and impossible, intermingling and flying down in the party's direction. It's about 60ft by 60ft or so, standing out amid the winds.
Moore tentatively tries something and points at the blizzard!
[21:47] <Nephrite> roll 1d20 ranged touch attack
[21:47] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=15]
He's casting Bolt of Glory at it. I believe, assuming these are native to the elemental plane, that means 7d6 damage, but I'm not sure there. Neither he, nor I, know if this will 'damage' them, but he's testing the waters to see if anything meaningful happens.
The bolt flies through the blizzard, seeming to accomplish nothing whatsoever.
"Tch. THEY'RE IN THE FORM OF A BLIZZARD!" Moore shouts down to the others. "SO LIKE USUAL, WE PROBABLY NEED FIRE!"
That it for your turn, then?
One of these days I'll have ways to exploit the action economy, but yes, that is it for my turn.
Init is Moore (58) > Cresiel (48) > Kaja (39) > Xandra (38) > Jetina (31) > ???2 (23) > ???3 (17), ???1 (12)
"Xandra!" Cresiel calls, "Go forward!" Cresiel does the same, rising up to shield Moore.
Kaja holds for the moment since this really calls on Xandra unleashing fiery booms.
Xandra rises up and waves her hand, and with a cry of power...
[22:29] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+33 SR
[22:29] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=9]
Greater Fire Storm, she's putting the two cubes over the entire blizzard.
33 DC Reflex halves
[22:30] <Nephrite> roll 33d6
[22:30] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 127 > [d6=2,4,3,6,6,4,6,4,4,3,4,4,5,2,3,3,3,6,3,5,4,2,6,6,1,6,4,2,1,2,3,6,4]
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=13]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=16]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d20=5]]o\
Flames erupt amid the blizzard, melting flakes and lashing at it. The entire thing begins to move, to swirl in an intricate pattern as...
Jetina. I note that Jetina just gained the fire domain, that was unexpectedly relevant.
Jetina flies up and follows suit with Xandra!
[22:50] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+33 SR again
[22:50] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 44 > [d20=11]
[22:50] <Nephrite> roll 33d6
[22:50] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 111 > [d6=3,1,3,2,5,2,2,3,1,2,1,2,6,3,3,1,5,5,4,6,5,2,5,6,1,2,1,4,6,6,5,5,3]
DC Reflex... guess what! 33.
Sorry, forgot last night since we had a few days delay and I forgot to recheck the conditions: Give me concentration for Xandra and Jetina.
Are those just level checks? I honestly don't remember how we handle Concentration anymore.
Caster level + casting stat modifier.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+40 : 6 + 40, total 46[/blockquote]Xandra
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+44 : 6 + 44, total 50[/blockquote]Jetina
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=8]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=14]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=4]
More flames scorch the blizzard, which begins to spread apart into thirds - one third up, one third left and one third right. With loud groans they reform - great, looming monoliths of ice in a vaguely humanoid form. Ice Monoliths, something Moore has dealt with before. They're blackened and melting in places, black water dripping from them. They loom above you, gigantic things.
One raises a massive fist in Xandra's direction, before a burst of cold erupts around her.
Fort. Cold damage, so note if immune or warded.
Everyone is immune to cold. Still need a fort?
No need.
Cold explodes around Xandra and then darkness follows, but all fails before her as the same happens to Jetina twice. Yet not a one of them are touched or harmed. A dark blizzard-burst, harmless as wind to heroes with your power and protections.
Moore, go.
Switching aura to SR busting if we need it.
Moore speaks one word in the icy, frozen Aquan: "Leave."
I guess this is an Intimidate check, but he's also just hoping they'll... you know... leave.
Gimme an Intimidate check, then.
Was a few for lunch.
Take 10 for 95
Considering they're elementals there aren't any great tells, but they also aren't showing any signs of going anywhere.
"Kill," Is the one word answer you get.
Well, they aren't wrong...
not sure if that ate his standard. If so he's done for the round.
Cresiel andKaja will hold for the fire twins to fry 'em, and if that fails they'll go in to finish. Go you two.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+48 : 9 + 48, total 57[/blockquote] Xandra SR
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+48 : 18 + 48, total 66[/blockquote]Jetina SR
DC reflex 33 for both
Rolling in two batches:
[blockquote]Rolled 20d6 : 2, 2, 6, 1, 3, 3, 2, 6, 3, 6, 1, 1, 1, 6, 4, 4, 6, 5, 3, 3, total 68[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Rolled 20d6 : 3, 5, 2, 2, 1, 2, 5, 4, 6, 6, 4, 3, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, total 76[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Rolled 13d6 : 6, 4, 4, 1, 1, 6, 6, 6, 2, 4, 3, 5, 1, total 49[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Rolled 13d6 : 2, 1, 5, 6, 4, 2, 5, 3, 4, 2, 6, 1, 1, total 42[/blockquote]
Concentration too, remember.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+40 : 3 + 40, total 43[/blockquote]Xandra
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+44 : 1 + 44, total 45[/blockquote]Jetina
Whoops, clicked this one and forgot I had the window open. My fault.
The winds tug and howl - but even at their worst, Xandra and Jetina are able to keep the magic flowing, freedom of movement helping.
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=7]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=6]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=6]
> Batch 2.
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d20+22
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=6]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=6]
Ouch.
Flames scorch the elementals, burning them, melting the ice and making them cry out. They're melting, a rain of black ice melt flowing down from them, cascading down over all of you. It feels greasy and foul, like you haven't bathed in months wherever it touches you.
Perception, Moore.
10 for 68
You can notice the water closely enough to know Styx water when you see it. It can't be good to be exposed to this.
"They're frozen... STYX elementals!?" Moore shouts.
Would it be reasonable to think that Cleansing Rain might be able to help with this, besides us just... trying to not get hit?
K:P.
Take 10 for 95.
It definitely wouldn't hurt, and if it transmutes them to clear water on slaying them, it may well save you some serious grief.
Okay. Well by all means, continue.
> roll 1d20 touch AC so Cresiel's 1/20 checking
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=14]
> roll 30d12 Good news is that they count as evil outsiders thanks to the Styx
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 206 > [d12=4,1,10,6,4,2,7,8,6,8,1,7,4,12,11,12,6,8,8,8,12,3,5,8,9,6,9,8,6,7]
A great burst of glory erupts from Cresiel, a flash of heavenly light that momentarily illuminates the battlefield. When it clears the elementals are breaking apart, melting faster and faster, dissolving into a heavy rain. You won.
Free act.
[spoiler]
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 32/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
Well except we need to avoid the awful styx water now, don't we??
If you wish to do that, I recommend doing something like that.
Moore gestures and points in the direction of the incoming rain! "Be ready to dodge!" He shouts!
so, Moore is casting Shades, to duplicate Wall of Iron. Your guess is as good as mine as to how this works, so you get to arbitrate!
The idea will be to make it as thick as possible because he's aware the Styx water will likely eat away at the magic that makes up the wall.
Okay, so to be clear, your goal is to conjure the shades (wall of iron) and...?
Well, the hope is that the wall is 80% real, so will stop 80% of the Styx Water. That's the goal, anyway. And he'll make it as thick as he can, so 80% of the Styx Water will eat away at the wall rather than eat away at them. They still have to avoid 20% of the Styx Water, but that's not as bad.
At least, that's how I'd think it would work in my mind.
Okay. So, shadow conjuration and its ilk work 100% if the creature believes them to be real. In this case, since these aren't creatures, they can't really "disbelieve" something, so wouldn't it work as a full on Wall of Iron? Or am I wrong?
i just read that objects automatically succeed so back to A.
Okay, and you're free floating space. What precisely is going to stop a giant, heavy wall of iron from falling like a rock?
Oh, I guess I fundamentally don't understand how the Deep Ethereal works then, I kind of assumed there wasn't a concept of gravity there, is that wrong?
There's no gravity, you fly through will (like in Air or the Astral). The terrain that's there ultimately ends up floating there for whatever reason or through artificial means. There's a reason most of it is empty, misty space. Feel free to revise if this changes your calculus.
In that case, change Wall of Iron to Maze.
Okay and...?
Maze banishes a target into a maze. Is that supposed to do something to the rain? Serious question, I don't get it.
Sorry, I thought it put an area up, I didn't realize it was just one subject.
Okay, does Deadly Lahar (complete mage for reference) work? He's aiming to just stop as much as he can, but the text on that spell doesn't make it clear if you like... channel earth or just Suddenly Magma.
Yeah, throwing lava at it should at least take care of the rain unless it's absolute bullshit.
says the guy who knows it's absolute bullshit!!!
[blockquote]Rolled 10d6 : 6, 4, 1, 1, 2, 5, 2, 2, 5, 3, total 31[/blockquote] whatever this is should be reduced by 20%
Moore gestures and suddenly, a gout of shadowy magma flies from his hands in a wide cone at the falling rain!
Whimper.
Shadowy or not, lava is still lava. It is enough, scorching away the rain with a cone of burning lava. Whew. It isn't great, but it's better than more of that stuff landing on the party.
Free act.
Are the winds still blowing hard?
Yes.
"Let's keep going this way!" Moore shouts to the others. Those things were either guarding whatever is causing this or helping to maintain it!
He flies on in the direction of Foggard with an ear for anymore icy singing!
Take 10 for 68 on Perception.
On the party flies into the frigid winds, growing stronger and yet your magic shielding you.
Quick d100.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 3, total 3[/blockquote]
Ahead in the fog you see something - a mass of floating rock, perhaps the size of four Hannas. By far big enough for a single, hunched over human sized ice elemental to stand on, a great pick ax in hand, digging into the mass.
As you watch ice constantly forms on it, each swing of the pick barely clearing away what forms over it, a thickening layer of ice forming over it, save where the pickaxe strikes.
Moore doesn't see much reason to stop here, but... his curiosity tells him to go over and see what's going on.
If the elemental even cares they're there!
Kaja has blades out while Cresiel is at your side, shield ready.
The elemental looks up, raising its pickaxe like a weapon.
"Peace." Moore says in the frozen Aquan. "Do you need help?"
Diplo, -30 circumstance penalty. You at least make the right attempt, even if it's behind the 8 ball, so to speak.
Take 10 for 65. He's still good at this!
The elemental slowly lowers the pick axe. "Leave and don't take metal," The elemental says, slowly, winds carrying his words to you.
Moore nods and will take off with the others towards Foggard!
As you go, Xandra flies close, "The right choice," she says, "But if we have leisure later, he is mining metals worth our time."
Moore nods and keeps going! It'll be easier to find when the wind stops anyway!
On you fly - and ahead in the fog is the sound of singing, the same sort of song the monoliths sung, keen ears picking it up from below and coming in your direction.
"Incoming!" Moore shouts.
He turns in that direction and prepares himself! He'd throw a spell at it, but with the wind and fog it's impossible to see them.
"Damn," Kaja mutters, whirling downward as everyone turns.
This time it is five - three vrocks, creatures you have battled before. They are joined by a blizzard raging behind them. Yet these are not normal vrocks, but vrocks seemingly made of ice, feathers frosty and beaks frozen. They are the ones that sing, pointing ahead at the party, 60ft below and rising fast.
It's init time. The baddies aren't letting you walk right in.
[21:26] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 Moore
[21:27] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 46 > [d20=5]
[21:27] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+21 Xandra
[21:27] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=11]
[21:27] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 Jetina
[21:27] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+30 Cresiel
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 43 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d20+30 Kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 41 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+10 vrock 1
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20+10 vrock 2
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+10 vrock 3
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=3]
> OOC: +14 for vrock 3 for a total of 7.
> OOC: 17.
> roll 1d20+11 ???1
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+12 ???2
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=1]
Init is Moore (46) > Cresiel (43) > Kaja (41) > Xandra (32) > Vrock 1 (28) > Jetina (21) > ???1 (14) > Vrock 2 = Vrock 3 = ???2 (13)
Open.
These may be dangerous enemies, so Moore casts a protective spell just in case!
Shield of the Archons. He's got nothing else meaningful to do on this turn, but he does switch his aura to SR-piercing.
Cresiel and Kaja will hold so Jetina can do her fire-fire thing without them in the way. Go.
And by Jetina I mean Xandra.
[22:02] <Nephrite> roll 33d6
[22:02] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d6=1,3,4,2,3,5,3,4,1,2,4,6,3,1,1,3,3,1,4,3,3,4,4,1,5,4,4,2,5,5,2,1,4]
I forgot that Xandra does 18 extra damage, so that's 119.
DC 33 Reflex.
[22:02] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+33+15
[22:02] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 68 > [d20=20] SR roll.
To be clear, more greater fire storm?
Yes.
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 39 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+24
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=2]
The blizzard hisses with fire, as the ice vrocks...do not melt, do not scorch. They are untouched by Xandra's flames, and one of them makes a strange gesture at Xandra that...
Fort.
Warded, huh? He should've expected that.
[22:30] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+39+16
[22:30] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 67 > [d20=12]
Yet nothing happens, magic rolling off Xandra, shrugged off. "Do you need support?" Cresiel calls, a prayer on his lips already.
"They're warded against fire." Xandra calls. "I doubt they're warded against maces and swords."
At this Cresiel takes your lead, charging headlong into the line of vrocks. He meets them dead on, plunging down at them hammer raised high.
> roll 1d20+61 (+30 various Moore, +2 charge, +16 holy fury, -33 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=15]
> roll 2d6+66+2d6+8d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 110 > [d6=5,3,6,5,2,2,6,1,1,5,2,6]
A single blow strikes the lead vrock right in the chest, ice cracking loudly. The resonation from that blow is carried by the howling winds, blowing a savage fury against all of you. Cresiel's hair blows wild as he holds his position, radiant with light from his strike. He bears down on his foes, bringing his hammer up again as...
Kaja.
A moment later and Kaja is right behind him, going towards the second vrock, a grin on his face as he rockets down. "Let me find out if you bleed, demon!" Scimitars lash out as he arrives, ducking past a sharp claw swipe.
> roll 1d20+61 (+2 charge, +30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 62 > [d20=1]
Alas.
Yet Kaja's swims are met with a flash of ice. Thick ice surrounds the vrock, momentarily slowing his blades enough for it to duck out of the way. This moment is all he needs, as...
Init is Moore (46) > Cresiel (43) > Kaja (41) > Xandra (32) > Vrock 1 (28) > Jetina (21) > ???1 (14) > Vrock 2 = Vrock 3 = ???2 (13)
Vrock 1 is up.
The first vrock shudders and coughs, a visible cloud of sparkling, icy spores coming from it, all over Cresiel.
Reflex save for Cresiel against freezing spore breath.
> roll 1d20+55 (+16 Moore) evasion
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d20=4]
A flash of fire, Cresiel's shield momentarily ablaze in blinding light. This moment of light makes the vrocks cry out in fear and confusion, the spores no more once you can see again.
Jetina, go.
[spoiler]
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
Since Fire is kind of out, she will hold for now in case they have a trick.
In a freezing moment, the two other vrocks vomit forth the same chilled burst of spores, one on Cresiel and one on Kaja. The cold engulfs them. At the same time a massive spike of ice forms below the party, before hurtling up and breaking into three, assailing Xandra, Jetina and Moore.
Ref save, both of them.
Attack roll vs the three of them.
> roll 1d20+62 (+??? ???)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=12]
ACs?
Moore 82, Xandra 72, Jetina 77.
Do you need me to roll the reflex save for Kaja and Cresiel? It wasn't clear.
Moore: 103
Cresiel: 137
Xandra: 111
Kaja: 103
Jetina: 95
Oh no, I'm going to do that, I just wanted to resolve it all at once.
> roll 1d20+62 (+??? ???)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+55 evasion Cresiel
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 57 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+44 Kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d20=9]
> roll 15d8 Xandra damage
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 66 > [d8=1,2,1,5,5,8,6,4,3,5,5,4,6,6,5]
DR applies and cold damage is already omitted.
Amid the chaos ice and spores strike. Jetina shield blocks while Moore evades to the side, yet Xandra is not so lucky. A shard of ice digs into her side, yet leaves no wound. No wound at all, endured as meanwhile spores cover and sink into Kaja's scales.
Kaja avoids the cold damage by being immune, but not all effects of it.
As this happens, the blizzard blows faster and fiercer, before suddenly Jetina...!
> roll 1d20+84 (+??? ???) CMB vs Jetina's CMD.
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 104 > [d20=20]
Nevermind, a natural 20 so no need for math.
... goes hurtling forward, the winds seeming to grab her, sending her flying past the vrocks and into the blizzard proper.
Cresiel raises his hammer up again, face grim and staring promised death at the frozen vrocks. Kaja brings his blades back around, "Demons frozen colder than Auril's tits! Worry not, you'll slice just as well as warm flesh."
Going to take her held turn here? Otherwise it's your go.
[spoiler]
Cresiel: 137
Xandra: 65
Kaja: 103
Jetina: 95
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
She'll try and right herself and move out of the blizzard -- I assume the area is basically something likes
Us --- Vrocks -- Blizzard (Jetina is here somewhere) -- or something like that?
Either way, she's going to try and move out of the blizzard, if she can.
Sure, make a CMB check. Remember, any bonuses to attack rolls apply to this.
[21:32] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+70 CMB
[21:32] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 78 > [d20=8]
Yet Jetina can't escape the icy embrace of the winds, pulled in. Here winter is absolute, ice beginning to form around her.
Moore, go.
"Jetina! Hold on, we're coming!" Moore shouts.
With that in mind, he starts to fly up and over the battle and towards the blizzard himself!
Idea here is to just try and get around the vrocks by double-moving.
Heading directly into the blizzard, then? To be clear, movement permitting.
Yes, that is correct. At least until he can see her, anyway. Which may be far in, of course.
> roll 1d20+84 (+??? ???) CMB vs Moore's CMD.
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=10]
CMD?
101.
The icy storm lashes at Moore, yet he flies amid it, seeing Jetina within it. Ice is trying to form around her yet it's sliding off, sliding away as...
That it for your turn?
It is!
Init is Moore (46) > Xandra (32) > Cresiel = Kaja > Vrock 1 (28) > ???1 (14) > Vrock 2 = Vrock 3 = ???2 (13) > Jetina
Go Xandra.
Xandra's going to hold pending Kaja and Cresiel dealing with the Vrocks. She doesn't want to catch any of them in anything if she can help it.
> roll 1d20+71 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+71 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=13]
> roll 1d20+66 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+66 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 86 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+61 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 73 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+61 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 62 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+56 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+56 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +12 dervish dance)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d20=3]
> OOC: No crits, they're immune, but still pain.
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d6=2,6,5]
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d6=1,5,2]
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d6=2,1,1]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d6=3,3,1]
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d6=3,1,3]
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d6=3,4,6]
> roll 1d6+88+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 103 > [d6=4,5,6]
Init is Moore (46) > Xandra (32) > Cresiel = Kaja (28) > ???1 (14) > ???2 (13) > Jetina
Kaja is amid them, slicing, slashing. Blades of holy tempered steel slice deep into ice, severing the vrocks apart. One after another falls before him, his blade relentless. One after another as he moves as if dancing, sheer energy and grace.
"Go!"
Go Xandra, Cresiel doesn't want to expend his limited direct offensive spells if he can help it. He will if needed after.
Xandra flies along towards the blizzard as well, but does not enter it.
She's hoping Moore can get Jetina out because she doesn't want to make her an unnecessary target for her spells.
Without a moment of hesitation, Cresiel flies into the blizzard after Moore.
> roll 1d20+84 (+??? ???) CMB vs Cresiel's CMD
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d20=18]
Yet the blizzard coils around Cresiel and recoils back, blocked as he is at Moore's side, not a word said. Ice forms around all of you and slides off, the blizzard winds howling. "MOORE!" Jetina calls as she struggles, and...
Go. Their move this round got stopped by FoM.
"Just give it up, you elementals!" Moore shouts. "Or you'll end up melted and dead like your friends!"
"Jetina! It's okay, come to us!" Moore calls to her.
Using his "give someone a movement" ability on Jetina to try and help her get out.
CMB again, JEtina.
[22:30] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+70 CMB
[22:30] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 82 > [d20=12]
Yet Jetina can't escape, held tightly and pinned. She just can't get away as...
"Strength," Cresiel calls over the winds, standing true against them.
Anything else this turn, Moore?
That's it for him. Since Xandra's up...
"I'll try and weaken them, but I may harm you! Be aware!" She calls out.
Instead of Greater Firestorm, she's going to lob a Hellball at the end of the blizzard -- sort of trying to hit part of it where Jetina isn't, assuming she's in the center, if that makes sense.
[22:37] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+48 SR if needed
[22:37] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 62 > [d20=14]
[22:37] <Nephrite> roll 4#10d6 fire, acid, sonic, electric
[22:37] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 44, 38, 31, 25 >
DC 31 reflex Halves.
> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=16]
The elements slam into the blizzard, striking and burning, searing. Whatever it did, it did enough - Jetina feels the pressure holding her cease. She's free!
Kaja holds for obvious reasons outside of the blizzard.
"Get out," Cresiel calls, holding for the moment, protecting Moore. Yet before anything else, the winds lash like knives, slicing into the three of you.
> roll 1d20+62 (+??? ???)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 77 > [d20=15]
ACs?
Moore 82, Xandra 72, Jetina 77.
> roll 15d12+15
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 104 > [d12=12,5,5,2,7,1,3,12,3,6,4,7,9,11,2]
Fort, those two.
[22:58] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+39+16 fort Xandra
[22:59] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=17]
[22:59] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+40+16 Fort Jetina, mettle
[22:59] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=20]
Cresiel's AC is 78, bare miss for him.
Ice winds as sharp as blades slice into all of you. Moore brings his hands up and sings a note of music, shattering the wnids that assail him. Cresiel merely brings his shield up with a relentless determination, blocking them as the Jetina and Xandra are sliced. Nothing deep, nothing serious on a glance, but it draws blood nonetheless before the blizzard moves back, leaving the four of you behind, fleeing downward on the winds, 40ft below Moore, Jetina, Xandra and Cresiel now, roughly.
Jetina's turn, go.
[spoiler]
Cresiel: 137
Kaja: 103
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 522/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 561/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
"Let it go." Moore advises. "There's no reason to waste further resources if it's running away."
Jetina will just hold for now since it seems to be fleeing.
In that case, Moore turn.
Moore begins flying away, but keeps an eye on the blizzard!
"Let's go," Cresiel calls, as Kaja follows and...
Are Xandra'n'Jetina doing the same, then?
Yar
The party begins to flee - and below they hear it. A massive CLUNG CLANG, over and over again, five or six times before it stops.
"Let's see if we get more friends." Moore says as he continues on, but does watch from that direction.
That is a wise choice - for it comes rocketing up.
It is a great, frozen ice monolith, yet with wings. Great wings of ice, a second head jutting out from it's stomach, arms from its hips and four legs instead of two. It's rushing onward, wings driving it up and ahead furiously, moving fast as a gale. You have a problem!
They're back and they be pissed with a capital P. Init.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+41 : 9 + 41, total 50[/blockquote]Moore
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+21 : 3 + 21, total 24[/blockquote]Xandra
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+20 : 9 + 20, total 29[/blockquote]Jetina
> roll 1d20+30 Cresiel
> roll 1d20+30 Kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=8]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+17 Monolith
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=13]
Init is Moore (50) > Cresiel = Kaja (38) > Monolith (30) > Jetina (29) > Xandra (24)
Open. Sorry about the delay, had something awesome happen.
Lets go with a reaving dispel to start.
8 checks, go.
[blockquote]Rolled 8d20+20 : 18, 7, 10, 13, 19, 14, 18, 18 + 20, total 137[/blockquote]
for your reference
I will take any spells reaved and ID them
38 27 30 33 39 34 38 38
Yet none of the spells are broken and reaved - the magic is mighty, perhaps even as mighty as your own. Someone powerful enchanted this creature.
The limits of reaving dispel manifest. Any other moves this turn?
Nope, that's it.
"Xandra?" Kaja calls, "Can you fire around us?"
"Yes." She affirms.
With a great grin, Kaja lunges down at the monolith ice and storms erupting around him as he does. As he does, a gust of razor sharp wind flares in perfect timing to that, and...
Ref, all.
[21:25] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41+16 evasion, Moore
[21:25] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=3]
[21:25] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+36+16 Xandra, ref
[21:25] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 61 > [d20=9]
[21:25] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+40+16 Jetina, evasion
[21:25] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+55 Cresiel evasion
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+44 Kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 56 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+61 (+30 Moore, +2 vs evil, -30 PA, +2 charge)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 70 > [d20=9]
> roll 2d6+152+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 159 > [d6=2,3,1,1]
> roll 1d20+49 (+30 Moore, +2 charge, -33 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 66 > [d20=17]
> roll 2d6+66+2d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 78 > [d6=2,5,4,1]
Yet all endure, a flash and a split second. Kaja's blade slices through the side of the thing, clearing straight through and tearing deep. "Finish it," Kaja roars, Cresiel right behind him. The second blow slams into the elemental's stomach, cracking ice before it points and suddenly...
Fort all.
[21:40] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+42+19 Moore, mettle
[21:40] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d20=8]
[21:40] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+39+16 Xandra
[21:40] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 64 > [d20=9]
[21:41] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+40+16 Jetina, mettle
[21:41] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+43 mettle Cresiel
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 50 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+45 kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 52 > [d20=7]
Yet whatever it just did rolls off the party, freezing wrath endured as...
Xandra'n'Jetina.
Xandra gestures, and a lightning bolt lashes out at the monolith!
[22:10] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+33 SR
[22:10] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 45 > [d20=12]
[22:10] <Nephrite> roll 20d6 electricity
[22:10] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 55 > [d6=3,6,2,3,4,2,2,1,6,5,2,5,3,1,3,1,1,2,2,1]
Add 18 to that, so 73.
29 DC Reflex halves.
The hope here is that if that kills it, the chain will continue on and blow up the styx water. That's the hope.
Jetina doesn't have much to add here since it's presumably immune to fire, too.
> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=5]
Lightning crackles amid the storm, striking fast and hard. The already wounded elemental shudders and falls to a knee - as much as it can in the air - before starting to break apart. The thing splits apart into two smaller blizzards, one fleeing above and one below.
Is the party going to do anything to pursue them or let them go?
Let them go. If it wants to come back to die then it can.
Indeed, the blizzards flee away, leaving behind the battle.
Cresiel exhales, "Resistance stiffens. Are you well to continue, Moore?"
Free act.
"Yes. There has to be a reason they're all still here, though... we haven't even made it to the darkness." He says. "I wonder if they're all here mining something that was left as a result of the battle?"
"Whatever it is, it's a dark force," Xandra speaks up, flying over as all of you cluster together, calling over the winds. "I fear this will not get nay easier, we must press on."
"Hopefully we've made the point to them that if they stop impeding us we won't go chase them." Moore says as he continues on!
You fly on. The wind stays steady but it's darker ahead, savage. As you do...
You have death ward up, right?
We not only have Death Ward, we have Life's Grace too!
Wisdom. Good choices there, pixie.
Darkness begins to lap at all of you. None of it does anything, your protections stout, but you can feel it like a thousand slimy fingers caressing your body, leaving behind a sense of wet numbness.
"This place is cursed," Jetina cries, "It tries to drink from us like a vampire."
"We will fear no darkness. We will fear no evil. We will go forward and be the light that shines bright." Cresiel intones, "If the darkness is deep, then we will be the sun that banishes the night."
"When evil battles evil, they have no regard for what they leave behind." Moore says. "We will go slowly and carefully... we will remove this foul taint."
A breath in as he flies on... a pause before he wards himself.
Casting Foresight, mainly for the danger sense but the AC helps too!
You fly onward, deeper and deeper. It's getting colder by the moment, your path leading you into what feels like Ice itself. You have to keep moving and sometime shaking yourself off, ice forming on your body and easily sliding off thanks to your magic.
Between the darkness and the foggy conditions, visibility is only 30ft ahead now and dropping. The chanting is heard again, coming from ahead with many voices, getting louder and carried ahead by the winds.
I presume I can see through the darkness via True Seeing, right?
"Know that if you impede us further, you will meet the fate of the rest of your icy brethren!" Moore shouts ahead, in the frozen Aquan. "We are not interested in your metals!"
If they've been attacked because of the mining, perhaps this will help. If they're too stubborn to listen, well......
Yes, to the limit of true seeing's range, whatever that is for you. Are you on regular or greater? Let me know which, this will matter in the next post.
Regular, but if he knows that it works on the darkness he would cast Greater.
Go ahead and do that in your next post and I'll assume you have, since doing it right this second isn't mission critical.
Far ahead you can begin to see space is dark, empty, black. The mists stop and all seems wrong. The chanting comes from somewhere within that darkness, you believe. It is also not magical darkness, just...emptiness, void, or perhaps simply something so profoundly changed seeing in it is impossible. Yet your keen eyes notice when mists comes into it, it is visible within until it fades away in a few seconds.
Is this what The Beyond is like, he wonders?
Either way, he gestures to give himself even stronger vision.
"Hold a moment." He says.
Greater True Seeing, CL23 if it matters.
Done and done.
"Trouble ahead," Cresiel agrees, "How bad is it, Moore?"
"Bad," Xandra answers, "If we go ahead, I am not certain we can return easily."
"Bah," Kaja says, "We can't go running over another what if of facing Orcus. That is the path of cowards."
He takes in a breath and turns to Xandra. "I have an idea, but... it involves trying to make what's empty..." he gestures forward, "whole. What do you think? We could try with just a small bit and see."
"It's dangerous, but Jetina's here," A sidelong glance at her, voice raised over the winds.
"My task is to heal you, be it from injury your own efforts," Jetina's lips curl into a smile
switching aura to charisma.
Moore takes a breath in and tries to speak — a word of clarity, wholeness, a word in praise to the Ethereal.
idea is basically to just shout a Word of Creation (an impersonation as best as he can manage of Xandra's skill.) to try and fill the emptiness nearby with Deep Ethereal.)
Okay, how big and how much?
lets start small and say a 100 ft cube
Gimme Charisma then. Good luck.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+30 : 2 + 30, total 32[/blockquote]No GI on this, let's see if he can do it via moxie!
So as not to leave you hanging, this message will be about 10 minutes, dog needs to go out. It'll be up after that.
so noted
Dogs are dogs and have no sense of time, story at 11.
You pull your will in and - a sharp pain as mist spreads, a hint of it before you close your eyes from the feedback.
400 points of damage. Ow.
Guh!
Moore doubles over as his body cries out.
Leaves him at 201/498
"N... now would be a good time." Moore stammers, as Jetina flies over to heal him!
Heal, recovers 275 and then the fast healing will top him off.
As he slowly opens his eyes to look around — did that work...?
You stagger from it, Jetina there to heal you. You see some mists are flowing about in the immediate darkness.
so the emptiness is still there, beyond the misty area, but the misty area is not empty?
Looking ahead, you can see that the immediate area you aimed at has mists flowing through it. Beyond that the odd emptiness continues but in that region there are the mists of the Deep Ethereal.
"Well... it worked, but how realistic is it for us to do that all the way to Foggard?" He asks. Ah!
"Actually..." He says as he flies forward slightly. "Does this work?" He tries to activate his boots to see if, with this darkness removed, he can teleport or not.
Intent is to fly into the now-non empty space and use his 10ft teleport to see if it works with that area.
Like teleporting with in the misty area entirely and not into the emptiness?
Correct.
> roll 10d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d6=5,3,1,2,5,4,1,2,6,6]
Damage.
OW!
Things twist as you do, but it works.
You've dealt with this before. Beneath whatever this is, there's also a teleportation scrambler effect.
any way I can detect where it's coming from? Spell craft for 85 if so.
You can tell it's coming from deep within, perhaps Foggard itself.
"Well, the good news is that we can teleport here." Moore says to the others. "The bad news is there's a scrambler. So let's take this slowly, and if we need to leave, we'll leave and come back." He says.
So, Jetina gives 11 fast healing over 32 rounds, the plan will be to use that same ability, but on a smaller scale (50 feet cube) to see if the damage is cut down on him. If needed, we can wait in-between effects. 1 mile is 5280 feet, which... well, that'll be a lot of 'fixing' on the way, unless Xandra can chip in, or if we have reason to believe Miracle might be able to do a larger chunk.
Now that we know that teleportation is at least an option in the "fixed" area we have a lot more wiggle room with what we're doing, as long as we don't die doing it, obviously.
Let's try the 'making whole' first with a smaller area and see what happens. So a 50 ft cube this time.
"We also risk being attacked if we go slow, more than usual," Cresiel says, "We should take a defensive position for this."
"We should," Kaja agrees, "As well as be ready to flee like the wind."
"That's fine. Kaja, you on one side, Cresiel, you on the other. Xandra and Jetina with me in the middle, and we'll see what happens." He says.
Charisma again.
[20:33] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+30+15 using GI this time to see if it's easier if he has more moxie
[20:33] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d20=20]
That's a thing. Gimme a quick d100, too.
[20:40] <Nephrite> roll 1d100
[20:40] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d100=10]
It's harder and easier at once, a flash of pain as you do it again.
300 damage.
Xandra is there, supporting you in an instant, Jetina there as well. "Slow, slow," Xandra murmurs. You can see more mist spreading at your command, as you feel empty inside. Yet you also did it again, you have no doubt about it.
You feel as if you've learned a little more about the Words.
Another wince as he doubles over, he takes in a breath.
Jetina can use another Heal, just to avoid needing to wait.
"All right, this time... I want to try something a bit more direct." He takes a breath and this time tries to call on his magic to see what will happen!
This time he's going to use Wish. I guess, in theory, he's basically just trying to emulate the same thing as with the Words, but to see how far magic will avail him in that regard.
Moore casts wish.
Nothing happens.
"The Words likely work because you are drawing from yourself, beyond even the Weave. To create." Xandra says gently after you cast, supporting you.
Moore takes in a breath and lets it out. "I admit I'm a bit surprised, because I would think it's not beyond a deity to fix this... but maybe there's just a fundamental difference there that I don't yet understand."
A shake of his head. "Either way, let us continue. Slowly."
He'll angle to do another 50 ft cube.
Notably, alter reality has added functionalities above and beyond what a mortal wish can do. By and large for raw, off the shelf mechanical uses not tied to those, it emulated limited wish or wish. Just noting since it's worth clarifying OOC.
Charisma again and give me Constitution as well.
[21:12] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+30+15 using GI this time to see if it's easier if he has more moxie
[21:12] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 55 > [d20=10]
[21:12] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+7+15 using GI because wow con
[21:12] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 41 > [d20=19]
More mist spreads, as you feel empty and drained inside. Almost hollow.
You're holding up and even feeling a little better at it each time.
To be clear, I took 300 damage again, right?
Yes.
Another heal, then! Thankfully she has these in spades.
"I... think I'm getting the hang of doing this." Moore says after another moment to recover. "Let me try once more."
Another breath in and then...
Assuming charisma and con checks.
[21:33] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+30+15 using GI this time to see if it's easier if he has more moxie
[21:33] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 56 > [d20=11]
[21:33] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+7+15 using GI because wow con
[21:33] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=1]
More. AGONY.
400 damage again.
Something in you shudders and buckles as the party proceeds on. "Peace. Enough," Xandra says, "Do not extinguish your light. A breath. We've proven you can do it. If it is not lethal to pass through the dark, we can save it as a trump card."
Moore clenches his teeth as Jetina's hands lay on him, restoring him yet again.
A breath, a breath, a breath again.
He nods. "Then let us proceed."
He's gonna wait until he's fully topped off before they go into the murky emptiness.
You breath slowly, resting and recovering. You don't feel quite right still, but you're healed up as far as you'll heal.
Marching order here, same as before? Who is first going into the emptiness?
Moore's first since he has Greater True Seeing. Cresiel, Jetina, Xandra, Kaja.
The emptiness feels wrong, tugging at you - but nothing more. Your magical wards are surely withstanding it as the party proceeds in. It's quiet here save for the chanting, perhaps closer now, the winds still blowing.
You can breathe. Yet Kaja begins to gasp, "Air," he suddenly manages to get out, pounding his chest with his fist.
Oh, of course there wouldn't be any...
Moore tries to cast...!
[22:18] <Nephrite> roll 1d100 spell failure
[22:18] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d100=95]
He's casting Planar Bubble on Kaja. I... admittedly have no idea if this would actually solve the air problem, but... I assume it would?? If it wouldn't then let me know.
CL check on it.
[22:23] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+32
[22:23] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=6]
No good. The spell manifests and fizzles quickly, Kaja managing a gulp of air before going back to coughing.
"Hold on." Moore says, as he tries again.
[22:32] <Nephrite> roll 1d100 spell failure
[22:32] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d100=2]
...And nothing happens.
"Mrrr..." He mutters as he tries once more.
[22:32] <Nephrite> roll 1d100 spell failure
[22:32] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 33 > [d100=33]
...and still nothing!
A third time!!!
[22:33] <Nephrite> roll 1d100 spell failure
[22:33] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 56 > [d100=56]
Obviously, if something will have stopped him from doing this, let me know, but I assume nothing will have.
[22:33] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+32
[22:33] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 50 > [d20=18]
Kaja gasps and gasps before having to struggle and hover, breathing. "Ah...ah....thank you," he finally says.
Moore looks at the others to see if they are in similar states.
They're fine - then again, none of them really need to breathe.
Cheaters.
Moore looks around — that dinging was coming from somewhere close... can he still hear it?
Take 10 for 68 on Perception
...dinging? You mean singing, I presume?
The singing is coming from somewhere ahead, carried by the winds. It makes it hard to tell the distance, as such a wind could carry sound a long way.
yep...
"So sound can still travel here... even though there's no air?" Moore wonders aloud. Either way, he proceeds onwards.
Quick d100 for randoms as you progress onward. Hopefully you avoid them this time.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 96, total 96[/blockquote]you and I both know how that will end.
ta da
Bravo.
As you fly along, you soon come on something. A curious thing - a place were the emptiness seems to shift, different shades of nothing and black shimmering in your vision. A small space, perhaps 10ft in diameter and roughly circular.
"How peculiar..." Moore voices, gesturing to it for the benefit of the others.
Any Ks appropriate here? He also does have detect magic if this radiates any.
K:P.
Take 10 for 95
It looks like space is twisting there, something odd indeed. Something's changing there, mutating perhaps.
Moore turns to Xandra. "It feels like this won't turn out to be good, considering the remnants of what caused it. I think it's worth trying what we've tried on the rest of this place with this, what do you think? We could also try to shape it... maybe something like making it not... well, empty and likely evil."
"What is it?" Kaja asks in the meantime, peering ahead at it.
Jetina stays close to you as Xandra says, "I don't think it's anything living," she finally says, "We're safe on that."
"Space itself is twisting, mutating, almost." Moore explains. "I'm going to try and straighten it out." He says.
"I wonder if it's like with Limbo..." he says quietly as he moves to get within 30 feet of it.
You reach within 30ft of it without incident.
A breath in and out. This time, he tries to exert his will as if he were on Limbo. He isn't, but perhaps due to the unique circumstances...
If he can do anything here, his goal is to try and think "good" as in the concept to try and will that onto the sphere.
Charisma.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+45 : 14 + 45, total 59[/blockquote]
Oh whoops, this didn't light up or I accidentally unlit it somehow. My mistake, apologies for the delay.
What appear is a chunk of rock, ice rimmed and with more ice starting to gather around it.
"Well, that worked." Moore says, a hint of surprise. "We may as well take it and deal with it later."
Plan will be to throw it in the portable hole for now.
Loot posted.
"How are you feeling," Xandra asks as you fly on, "Are you still well after all of that?"
"Fine, oddly enough that didn't take anything out of me. It was malleable like Limbo is." He explains.
A nod at that and on you go. It's not much farther in this nothing-space, in this emptiness. The singing is getting louder and yet with no fog, you find you can see farther and farther. Ahead they loom, well over a thousand feet away, starting to appear in the dark. Dozens and dozens of great ice monoliths, stacked one above another and side to side, all singing in tandem, forming a wall of them.
"Well, that... explains a lot." Moore says. He takes in a breath. "If we're going to engage that, lets prepare before we do."
He turns to the others, "I would try and broker peace with them as they're likely trapped here, but I have a feeling that won't go well."
"That is a formidable obstacle," Cresiel finally says, "They surely are aware of us as well."
Kaja smiles darkly, "We only need to bash one hole in."
"That's true, too, our goal isn't them, but what lay beyond. Nonetheless, lets prepare." Moore says.
Plan here will be to redo all the bardic musics and get some short term buffs going. Since this will likely lead to combat (though I sure wish it wouldn't!) I can do all the math later.
I know you're on vacation next week, so it may be more prudent to push the start of the engagement until then, since I know it isn't great to start combat and then be off for a while.
That's about my take, so go ahead and get things ready if you're going to commit to this.
Oh, and one more d100. Just because evil DM.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 21, total 21[/blockquote]
Relevant if not ultimately exciting
Cool, go ahead and get your prep ready for it. I won't run much over today, got a case of the aches going - I'm happy I'm rested and got through the session, a lot of days I wouldn't of.
Okay. Redoing all the bardic musics, just so those are fresh. I'd guess it's been about 10 minutes or so anyway.
So, to keep track, that's:
Songs (Inspire Courage, Heroics, Greatness, Destined Strike) 6 bardic uses used up here:
[17:39] <Nephrite> roll 10d8 temp hp
[17:39] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 46 > [d8=3,7,5,6,3,8,7,4,1,2]
Moore: 110
Cresiel: 132
Xandra: 116
Kaja: 110
Jetina: 100
Moore will cast Surge of Hope, CL32, this gives everyone a +4 morale bonus on any skill checks we do in the next 32 minutes. He'll also recast Greater Improvisation. blah blah spell failure I assume they're not attacking us right now so it's fine. He'll also toss in Ray Deflection (CL32) for the heck of it, as well as Divine Insight (CL23). The nonlethal damage from the songs gets taken care of by the fast healing from Jetina.
Cresiel can cast Mass Valiant Fury, which gives everyone +6 strength and Constitution for 33 rounds.
Note to self, I need to have them work on some custom spells for girding up our defenses, jeez.
In total:
Attack: +35
Weapon damage: +26
Improved Crit feat, +15 to crit threat
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Please note the attack rolls don't factor in the +6 strength, so those should be +3 higher, I would assume.
I believe that covers all of the preparatory work we can do, but feel free to let me know if you think I missed something.
Spoiler Block for my reference.
Active Spells: Superior Resistance (CL 32), True Seeing (CL10), Bibliotecha Arcana (CL32), Mind Blank (CL15), Greater Improvisation (CL32), Greater True Seeing (CL23), Surge of Hope (CL32), Divine Insight (CL23), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Valiant Fury (CL33)
HP: 498+110
AC: 64 (85), 48 touch, 54 flatfooted 20% miss chance, SR 48, 30 resist all to elements
27/38 Bardic music uses 3/3 Refrain
Spells:
Bard
0th - 4/4 (DC 22)
1st - 8/8
2nd - 7/7
3rd - 7/7
4th - 7/7
5th - 7/7
6th - 6/6
7th - 6/6
8th - 6/6
9th - 3/5
10th - 3/3
Favored Soul:
0th - 5/5
1st - 9/9
2nd - 9/9
3rd - 9/9
4th - 9/9
5th - 8/8
6th - 8/8
7th - 8/8
8th - 7/8
9th - 8/8
10th - 2/3
Spoiler block half done, just a heads up.
Okay, if you're casting anything and you have spell failure, roll it? Less about being pressured and more about seeing resources being expended.
[spoiler]
Moore will cast Surge of Hope, CL32, this gives everyone a +4 morale bonus on any skill checks we do in the next 32 minutes. He'll also recast Greater Improvisation. blah blah spell failure I assume they're not attacking us right now so it's fine. He'll also toss in Ray Deflection (CL32) for the heck of it, as well as Divine Insight (CL23). The nonlethal damage from the songs gets taken care of by the fast healing from Jetina.
Cresiel can cast Mass Valiant Fury, which gives everyone +6 strength and Constitution for 33 rounds.
Note to self, I need to have them work on some custom spells for girding up our defenses, jeez.
In total:
Attack: +35
Weapon damage: +26
Improved Crit feat, +15 to crit threat
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Please note the attack rolls don't factor in the +6 strength, so those should be +3 higher, I would assume.
Cresiel: 132
Xandra: 116
Kaja: 110
Jetina: 100
Cresiel
HP: 745/745 (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551/551
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545/545
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570/570 (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
test to see if this works
[blockquote]Rolled 8d100 : 73, 69, 41, 19, 93, 35, 79, 72, total 481[/blockquote]
Hooray it does
I presume that sorts it then?
yep
Thus you cast and prepare. Throughout this the wall of elementals does not show any further reaction to the party.
Kaja eyes it, "This is unnatural," he murmurs. "Let's make haste."
[spoiler]
In total:
Attack: +35 (+3 more str)
Weapon damage: +26
Improved Crit feat, +15 to crit threat
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Please note the attack rolls don't factor in the +6 strength, so those should be +3 higher, I would assume.
Cresiel: 132
Xandra: 116
Kaja: 110
Jetina: 100
Cresiel
HP: 745 (844)/745 (844) (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32), Surge of Hope(CL32), Mass Valiant Fury (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551 (650)/551 (650)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545 (644)/545 (644)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570 (669)/570 (669) (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
[/quote]
Moore nods and will begin flying forward.
"I will... try to speak to them, but be ready to just punch a hole in their formation and we will move." He says.
goal is to get within 300 feet and hope it won't just attack on sight
You reach this distance without incident, though the song does not cease, either.
"Denizens of Ice!" Moore shouts, his language the frozen Aquan dialect. "I need to travel to Foggard! I have no quarrel with you but have defended myself against those who attacked us! I do not wish to fight, only to travel past you! If you are trapped here, I can release you if you agree to safe passage!"
The ice monoliths do not stop singing.
However, slowly, all eyes turn to Moore. You seem to have their attention.
"I am going to approach so I can prove what I say!" He shouts.
"Be ready in case they decide to change their tune." He says to the others as he approaches to within 100 ft.
going to wait to see if they decide to betray my trust!!!
You approach to within 150ft when suddenly the air around you freezes at once, hundreds of blades of ice forming from that frost, caving in at you like you're a pincushion.
> roll 1d20+74 (+24 various)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 93 > [d20=19]
AC? Miss chance is after if needed.
85
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 53, total 53[/blockquote]
110 temp hp for extra effects if there are any
> roll 10d8 and cold damage omitted, dR applies to this
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d8=1,8,7,7,4,3,3,4,3,2]
OW! You get skewered a few times, but somehow move far too fast and hold a single loud note. It cracks and shatters most of the blades, saving you from the worst of it. Your supportive magic does the rest, at least for now.
"I am willing to ignore that!" Moore shouts. "Any more actions against me will result in hostility!"
Your answer is another swarm of blades, dozens of them freezing into being around you.
Elementals are rarely good conversationalists.
> roll 1d20+74 (+24 various)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d20=1]
Lucky.
But this time you're ready, surging forward a split second before, phasing through the knives and daggers of ice as...
Go. Odds are this leads to init, but in case you had something unusual in mind, go ahead.
"You would fight an enemy of Fire?" Moore openly questions them as he slides away from the blades.
Give me Diplo if nothing else.
Take 10 for 99.
On the wind comes intent, feeling.
A feeling of fleeing this place, of going to Fire and wrecking havoc in that hateful place. You can just imagine yourself doing just that.
Moore nods. "I can free you from here, but in exchange, you agree to attack the efreet of Fire." Moore says, leaving extra words out to ensure his meaning.
No answer, a moment of the elementals just staring at you, as if waiting.
"Wait." Is all he says as he prepares the same Words as before.
goal is a 10 ft cube this time. He wants to start small just in case there's an issue. Cha and Con?
In this case gimme a quick Init check, they were planning at the same time so we'll resolve who goes first with that.
[20:44] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 Moore vs elementals I wonder who will win
[20:44] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=19]
They can't beat that. Make your checks as before.
[21:08] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+45 Charisma
[21:08] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 52 > [d20=7]
[21:08] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+7+6+15 Con
[21:08] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 47 > [d20=19]
A shudder throughout you, a deep feeling of emptiness, worse than before. Yet you hold the line as you utter the words, your entire body screaming at you as you feel empty within.
300 damage.
The elementals gather in power, before a tremendous blast of absolute, bone searing cold erupts around you, all as you reclaim a small bit of the Deep Ethereal.
Fort.
21:35] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+46+16+4+3 mettle
[21:35] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=16]
Yet Moore stands firm even amid this assault, holding his ground as he utters another word, stopping the magic entirely.
Going to go offensive over this, Moore, or what? Go ahead and act and I'll adjudicate into init if needed.
"Enough!" Moore shouts. "You can see with your own senses that this area is safe, now. You can leave, if you so choose!"
He's crossing his fingers that his point will be made by what he's done so far.
Even as you reel with pain, the elementals try again, the same unearthly cold consuming all around you and trying to freeze you to pure ice.
Fort again.
[21:55] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+46+16+4+3 mettle
[21:55] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=5]
Yet Moore endures this as well, throwing off the cold with sheer toughness and force of will. He refuses to freeze as...
Go ahead.
"I hope it was worth your lives." Moore says. "ATTACK!"
There's just no getting through to some people, it seems.
General init now.
[22:07] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 Moore vs elementals I wonder who will win
[22:07] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 47 > [d20=6]
[22:07] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 Xandra
[22:07] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=18]
[22:07] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+21 Jetina
[22:07] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 40 > [d20=19]
Whoops, reversed Jetina and Xandra. So... ...lol, both of them are actually 39.
> roll 1d20+30 Cresiel
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+30 Moore
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+21 wall of monoliths
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=15]
Init is Moore (47) > Xandra = Jetina (39) > Kaja (37) > Cresiel = Wall of Monoliths (36)
Open.
[22:26] <Nephrite> roll 1d100
[22:26] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 100 > [d100=100]
That is for a Magic Disjunction.
And, because I'm dumb and don't describe things, he's aiming for a general point in the center of the wall of monoliths.
What's the range on it, Moore?
It's a 40 ft burst.
No, range. Can it reach from where you are to where the wall is?
Oh, I see. 25 ft + 5 per CL... so that's... yes, that's enough. It's 32x5, so that's 160+25 = 185.
Fantastic. 10 dispel checks.
[23:34] <Nephrite> roll 10#1d20+30
[23:34] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 37, 43, 37, 44, 42, 49, 37, 31, 31, 41 >
Moore calls on the proper names, invokes and gestures. Magic twists around the section of the monoliths hit, a few blue-red sparks cascading down from it, magic broken as...
Anything else this turn?
There is not.
Awesome.
Init is Moore (47) > Xandra = Jetina (39) > Kaja (37) > Cresiel = Wall of Monoliths (36)
Jetina and Xandra are up. Go.
Jetina will Heal Moore for 275.
Xandra is casting Sunlance at the area Moore just dispelled. She's also using a Smite to add to the Sr and DC
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20 : 14, total 14[/blockquote] touch
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+57 : 20 + 57, total 77[/blockquote] SR
[blockquote]Rolled 20d6 : 5, 2, 6, 3, 5, 4, 5, 2, 6, 6, 4, 5, 4, 5, 6, 4, 5, 1, 1, 2, total 81[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Rolled 10d6+18 : 1, 5, 2, 2, 2, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5 + 18, total 47[/blockquote]
DC 43 reflex halves the Sunburst.
[blockquote]Rolled 6d6 : 5, 5, 1, 5, 2, 2, total 20[/blockquote] Sunburst damage
DC 43 Fort to negate the blinding effect as well
> roll 1d20+38
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d20=15][/i
The light of the sun expldoes over a small section of the vast wall, a hunk of one of the many monoliths starting to melt. It glows with sunshine, the light banishing winter's wrath. The winds howl all around the party in the meantime as...
Kaja
Kaja grins like a feral animal, charging the wall of monoliths blades first. He scythes through the wind and...
> roll 1d20+64 (+2 charge, +38 various, -33 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 78 > [d20=14]
> roll 2d6+206
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 212 > [d6=2,4]
Kaja plunges in deep, burrowing like a slashing drill into the monolith, tunneling. As ice goes flying back, his blades cutting through as easily as if it were mere water? Cresiel rushes to your side as the temperature all around plunges, sudden and absolute cold engulfing all of you.
Fort all.
[spoiler]
In total:
Attack: +35 (+3 more str)
Weapon damage: +26
Improved Crit feat, +15 to crit threat
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Please note the attack rolls don't factor in the +6 strength, so those should be +3 higher, I would assume.
Cresiel: 132
Xandra: 116
Kaja: 110
Jetina: 100
Cresiel
HP: 745 (844)/745 (844) (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32), Surge of Hope(CL32), Mass Valiant Fury (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551 (650)/551 (650)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545 (644)/545 (644)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570 (669)/570 (669) (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+42 : 7 + 42, total 49[/blockquote]Moore, mettle
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+39 : 11 + 39, total 50[/blockquote]Xandra
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+40 : 7 + 40, total 47[/blockquote]Jetina, mettle
> roll 1d20+45 Cresiel mettle
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 54 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+45 Kaja, -2 from Cresiel's roll since I looke da tthe wrong number
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 54 > [d20=9]
> roll 25d12 piercing cold so deals 1/2 to immunes Moore, Jetina and Cresiel none, Xandra and Kaja half
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 158 > [d12=11,6,3,7,4,6,5,5,10,11,7,10,8,11,2,7,4,2,9,3,1,5,4,11,6]
39 damage to those two after it's all said and done.
The burst of bitter cold saps at all of you, yet Moore wards himself. Sheer will suffices when nothing else can, enduring the cold as it strikes, all before suddenly great hunks of ice form in the air above, before raining down on the party like a giant sized icestorm.
"Above!" Xandra looks up a moment before it begins, "DODGE!"
Reflex saves, all.
[spoiler]
In total:
Attack: +35 (+3 more str)
Weapon damage: +26
Improved Crit feat, +15 to crit threat
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Please note the attack rolls don't factor in the +6 strength, so those should be +3 higher, I would assume.
Cresiel: 132
Xandra: 77
Kaja: 71
Jetina: 100
Cresiel
HP: 745 (844)/745 (844) (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32), Surge of Hope(CL32), Mass Valiant Fury (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551 (650)/551 (650)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545 (644)/545 (644)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570 (669)/570 (669) (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+41 : 16 + 41, total 57[/blockquote]Moore, evasion
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+39 : 19 + 39, total 58[/blockquote]Xandra
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+40 : 11 + 40, total 51[/blockquote]Jetina, evasion
> roll 1d20+55 evasion Cresiel
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 73 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20+44 Kaja
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 64 > [d20=20]
> roll 10d8 half for Kaja'n'Xandra, none for th eothers
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d8=2,1,2,3,7,1,6,5,2,2]
Ice blocks rain down, battering the party. Yet you all endure, none of you swept along with them, despite plunging down fast and hard. As you see Jetina block one with her shield and another get parried by Xandra's blade...
Go.
[spoiler]
In total:
Attack: +35 (+3 more str)
Weapon damage: +26
Improved Crit feat, +15 to crit threat
AC: +16 (4 sacred, 12 dodge)
Saving throws: +16 (4 sacred, 12 morale)
Please note the attack rolls don't factor in the +6 strength, so those should be +3 higher, I would assume.
Cresiel: 132
Xandra: 62
Kaja: 56
Jetina: 100
Cresiel
HP: 745 (844)/745 (844) (regeneration 19)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Holy Fury 31/32 (enc) Channel Energy 13/13 Divine Retribution 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Knight's Challenge 15/15
Spells Used: Burst of Glory
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Detect Evil (CL33), Detect Snares and Pits (CL33), Discern Lies (CL33), True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32), Surge of Hope(CL32), Mass Valiant Fury (CL32)
Notes: Adjacent allies gain a shield bonus equal to Cresiel's shield bonus.
Xandra
HP: 551 (650)/551 (650)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Menace 20ft (-2 attacks, AC, saves; DC 37)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 9/9 Lay On Hands 16/16 Servant of the Heavens 1/1 Sudden Empower 1/1 Sudden Enlarge 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: True Seeing (CL33), Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Has bardic music in the rare event Moore can't cover something.
Kaja
HP: 545 (644)/545 (644)
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Breath Weapon 1/1 Dervish Dance 12/12 Endless Cuts 3/3 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Goes in and wrecks things. The end.
Jetina
HP: 570 (669)/570 (669) (fast healing 5)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Positive Energy 10ft (1 hit point healing/round)
Bonuses: Attack+30 (+4 sacred, +18 morale, +8 moore), Damage+22 (+4 sacred, +18 morale), AC+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Saves+16 (+4 sacred, +12 morale), Skills+0, Checks+0 Weapons count as holy
Resources: Smite Evil 7/7 Smite 6/6 Channel Energy 14/14 Emergency Healing 3/3 True Believer 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Celestial Valor (CL33), Mass Death Ward (CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Acid)(CL33), Mass Energy Immunity (Cold)(CL33), Mass Freedom of Movement (CL33), Life's Grace (CL32), Fortunate Fate (CL32), Haste (CL32), Mass Surefooted Stride (CL32)
Notes: Divine Vigor is +10ft land movement and +2 temp hp per hit die. Divine Shield is Cha mod to shield bonus to armor class.
[/quote]
Moore will hold just in case of weirdness.
Jetina will Mass Heal for 275 and move towards Kaja.
Xandra will wait to see if Kaja can punch a hole in the wall o' Ice
> roll 1d20+65 (+38 various, -30 PA) gem 1
> roll 1d20+65 (+38 various, -30 PA) gem 2
> roll 1d20+65 (+38 various, -30 PA) gem 3
> roll 1d20+65 (+38 various, -30 PA) gem 4
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 68 > [d20=3]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=20]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=7]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=20]
> OOC: -5, -10 and -15, respectively. Whoops.
> roll 1d20+65 (+38 various, -30 PA) gold 1
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 68 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+60 (+38 various, -30 PA) gold 2
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 67 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+55 (+38 various, -30 PA) gold 3
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 67 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+50 (+38 various, -30 PA) gold 4
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 57 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d6+100
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d6=2]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d6=5]
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 104 > [d6=4]
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 104 > [d6=4]
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d6=5]
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d6=2]
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 106 > [d6=6]
> roll 1d6+100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 103 > [d6=3][/]
A savage gale of ice erupts out behind Kaja as he slices away. He plunges in deep, a hole bored through, the monolith bored through crumbling and cracking all over. A passage is revealed through it!
Chance to react or go since Kaja just made an entrance.
"Go!" Moore shouts.
Moore will take his held action to double move 180 ft.
Xandra will do the same for 240.
On! The party flies on as the three of you make it into the hole and through, beyond it. Dark and emptiness lies ahead, as meanwhile Cresiel isn't fast enough, a barrage of ice coming at him. At the same time, from the back of one of the monoliths, a spear of pure ice is hurled right at you, sleek and deadly.
> roll 1d20+74 (+24 various)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 77 > [d20=3]
AC?
85!
> roll 1d20+74 (+24 various) Cresiel is probably out of luck to dodge
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 88 > [d20=14]
> roll 1d20+86 (+24 various) Cresiel is probably out of luck to dodge CMB vs CMD
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=8]
Glittering ropes of ice go for Cresiel, but he bulls through and to the center. "GO!" Cresiel calls, "GO GO GO GO!"
Go.
"Come on, keep moving!" Moore shouts to everyone else!
Everyone is going to double move. Moore gets 180, Jetina gets 180, and Xandra 240.
Thus the monolith wall is left behind, the party fleeing in good order. You did it! You broke through. You're surely closer to Foggard now.
Free act.
"Honestly, how rude." Moore says with a huff. "Everyone in good order?" He asks, giving everyone a brief lookover.
"Good enough," Kaja agrees, "We're in trouble getting out of here, we need to remember we'll have to fight our way out."
"We're still going, that's good enough," Jetina says, "We simply won't let ourselves lose."
"I don't think we'll be in trouble to leave." Moore says. "I could teleport just fine once I restored the Ethereal. So if we need to leave to recover, we can do so. Anyway, let's continue on and see what else is waiting for us."
With that, he resumes flying towards Foggard! Hopefully it's in better condition than last time...
Give me a fresh Perception check to refresh me on where you're at there?
Take 10 for 77.
You fly on. It's silent now, the song fading. Empty, a chill tugging at your bones.
Yet ahead you can see it.
Foggard is shadowed, a quietly forgotten thing sitting in the Deep Ethereal. It is thickly iced over. It floats there, no visible defender and yet...?
"...Hm." Moore manages to get out. "Be on your guard in this damned place. Let's see what we can do to put it back the way it was."
He continues on!
Coming closer, you see that everything is buried in several feet of thick ice. You'll need to pierce that before anything else.
Before anything, Moore takes a moment to try and get a glimpse as to what exactly caused this!
He's using Hindsight, 'days' version, which gives the following:
You sense the events of the past, stretching back one day per caster level. You gain detailed knowledge of the people, conversations, and events that transpired.
He may only get "it snowed a lot" but he's curious.
All you get is the endless advance of cold and snow.
Well, perhaps it wasn't caused by anything specific...
"Can I entrust the matter of the ice to you both?" Moore asks with a look at Kaja and Cresiel. "I know it's beneath you, but I don't see a reason to use our resources on this."
"Allow me," Cresiel says, hefting his hammer.
As he goes to do that, Xandra says, "Something's wrong within. I come back to one fact: They would not leave something so guarded empty within, Moore. Whatever is within may be sufficient to defend the entire library by itself."
Moore nods to her. "I don't disagree with you." He says, as he looks around at all the ice-covered area. "They were probably trying to keep whatever it is inside of here... I wonder if it's fallout from Lixer and Orcus' battle?"
Meanwhile the ice is slowly broken through. Cresiel works as Jetina keeps her eyes open, taking in the emptiness and frozen fortress.
"It may be," Xandra says, as hammering after hammering slowly yields fruit. Soon enough an entrance is opened, a jagged rip into the fortress proper.
Another nod. "Let's be prepared, then, for anything."
With that, he flies inside and through the ice.
Who goes in first?
Our good friend Moore. He's brave!
The moment you step in, you feel your magic simply vanish. The dullness of reality returns, the Weave now silent in such a place. You know this feeling - in that instant you know you have stepped into an dead magic area.
Do you have any non magic cold resistance or immunity, or are otherwise able to operate in an antimagic field?
No, all the cold resistance comes from either items or magic... I think?
Yep, checking, it's all items or otherwise.
I would say he's able to operate in one, though!
Oh sure, just without magic, unless you have a means of working magic in antimagic.
> roll 3d10
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d10=9,8,3]
Cold damage. Go ahead and act.
"Gah!" Moore shouts all of a sudden. "Well, I figured out the problem! There's no magic in here, but I don't know if that extends to the whole place!"
He turns around to head back through the opening, shivering and rubbing his arms a bit.
"Are any of you naturally immune to the cold?" He asks.
You try and speak, but gag. No air. You immediately begin coughing and choking, your words lost.
Right, his amulet is the thing that usually keeps this sort of thing from happening...
Well, either way, back he goes! Or tries to!
You manage to fly out, Jetina there in an instant. You gulp down air and cough, recovering. Whew.
"How bad is it?" Kaja asks, peering ahead.
"Antimagic and no air,' Cresiel remarks.
Moore nods, taking another moment to get his bearings.
"Yes, correct." He says, huffing. "I can do something about one... but I don't know if I have the power to restore the... well... maybe?" He looks over at Xandra. "What do you think? I'm able to fill the emptiness with the Ethereal, so... why not the Weave?"
"That's dangerous and unpredictable," Xandra finally says, "I fear what would happen. Is there another way we can advance?"
"None of us save you and Kaja need to breathe, we need one who can endure the cold," Jetina pipes up.
"I can," Cresiel speaks up.
"We can try and enter from other points." Moore suggests. "We can also have Cresiel take a look around."
"How about absolutely not?" Jetina challenges right back, "Going alone never works well. Never!" She jabs her finger towards Cresiel, "Don't make us have to try and rescue you, the last rescue went terribly."
Cresiel meets that gaze and after she finishes, unflinching at her words, "You're right," he admits. "It is a highly risky strategy - but merely being here is perilous. Our time is not infinite and there is no guarantee we will not be attacked by staying out here."
"So then lets try another area. Perhaps the dead magic isn't affecting all of it." Moore suggests.
With that, he flies up to look around — is there a tower or any part of the area higher up?
There are a few higher floors, yes.
"Let's try up there." He says - with that he flies to the highest side of the building to look for a window or some other entrance beyond the ice.
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=14 ]{14}
You find what may be not a window, but a gap torn into the uppermost part. It's hard to tell buried in ice but it looks right.
"Let's try there." Moore says. "Cresiel, do the honors please."
Cresiel pounds away. It makes a bunch of noise but nothing comes to it. Soon enough a narrow tear in the buidling can be seen, a darkened room full of old furniture seen.
"Would you enter for us and let us know if the dead magic reaches all the way here, Cresiel?" He asks.
Cresiel does so and quickly returns, "It does," he says, simply.
"Well, that's a problem." Moore says. "We can't assume that the dead magic permeates this place, but..." Moore takes in a breath.
"I think we should try and create a pocket of Deep Ethereal somewhere nearby, leave, and go speak to Lady Mystra. We're not going to get anywhere here trying to fight against both dead magic as well as the Nothingness that lays here. Does anyone else think otherwise?"
"Going ahead is folly," Kaja finally says, "Damn. I hate to retreat, but anyone strong enough to get here is likely left to whatever waits within."
"What's worse," Xandra says, "Is that I feel it's a proxy or even an avatar, something not hindered by anti magic. If I'm right, we'd face a battle we'd be almost sure to lose."
"Then It may be a situation we need more help with anyway." Moore says. "Besides, this isn't a retreat — we just need to plan. Do we want to disrupt the mining operation while we are here?"
"No." It's Cresiel who speaks up, "We've been blessed to make it this far. Let's not risk disaster now, not over mere mining."
"After last time...I agree," Jetina says, "Let's go."
"Then follow me." Moore says as he flies out and under the island Foggard rests on.
Okay, where are you aiming to do this?
1000 feet below Foggard.
He will do his thing to fill the nothing with Ethereal. Aiming for a 25 ft cube.
Make your checks, oh dread pixie.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+49 : 17 + 49, total 66[/blockquote]Charisma
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+28 : 10 + 28, total 38[/blockquote]Con
300 damage.
You did it, a patch of Deep Ethereal appearing - and you begin to feel faint, dizzy. Empty.
Jetina is there again to Heal Moore.
Moore withdraws Vul'lath's Relief to see if he can open a Gate!
Give me a second Constitution check.
[21:09] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+28 con kobot
[21:09] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=6]
[21:09] <Kobot> Nephrite rolled 1d20+28 con kobot --> [ 1d20=3 ]{31}
You feel so empty, but it's enough. The gate works, as you hoped.
"Come on." He says, a bit more quiet than usual. "Something's... mm." He shakes his head, before he makes sure everyone can get through the Gate before he goes himself.
Where are you opening the Gate to?
For some reason, I always just assume you can read my mind.
Hope's Landing.
I'm working on it. I'll let you know when I gain reality warping powers and can do that, okay?
Thus you return home, safe and sound - for now. The light of Chronias shines down bright, chasing away the cold completely.
Moore huffs once as his feet touch the ground outside his home.
"What a day." Moore says as he picks himself up and heads towards the fort.
Let's see if there's anything waiting for us back here. If there isn't, then Moore will proceed with contacting some magical goddess.
You go in to get a meal. Grias is waiting for you, "Moore," he says, "You have a letter, and ah, it's urgent."
"You should've contacted me!" Moore says with a smile. "Let's see it."
He will indeed, look at this urgent letter!
The letter is marked with the image of a silver scimitar. Rather pretty, all told. You can open it if you wish.
I am assuming whatever my knowledge check would be (95ish) would tell me which shitty efreet this is from? Or is this just a generic efreet marking?
And yes he'd Spellcraft for 76 on it to make sure it isn't going to kill him.
It stirs a memory: Razalim, seen on Akil bin Faheem's belt when you met him. He's using it as a sigil.
and I assume the letter is not going to kill me.
Moore will open it!
It reads simply as follows.
I am interesting in meeting with you about the war. A matter of mutual interest can be discussed between us. If you are interested, contact Shining Coin Brigara in Brightwater, she has been paid to act as a neutral go between.
"Does Lord Erathaol know about this already?" Moore asks.
"I was waiting on you, Moore," Grias says, "No one else knows yet."
Moore shakes his head. "Even if I see no issue with this, I can't just go by myself without asking."
With that, Moore says a quick prayer to Erathaol.
'Lord Erathaol, I am in receipt of a correspondence from Akil bin Fahreem.' Is all he says!
The answer is spoken in a soft voice.
"Go and discreetly inquire to what he desires and why. Do not commit to anything but allow him to say what he wishes."
Moore goes to gather the others!
You get them together and...
Go ahead.
He shows them the letter!
"I intend to at least find out what it is this is about. I don't know if any of you are welcome, as it did not say... Opinions? I think sending all of us is too much, but I think it's reasonable to expect I'd bring one person." He says.
Kaja reads it first, Jetina looking over his shoulder. He scowls as she says, "Do you think it's something sincere or a trap?"
Cresiel gets it next while Xandra glances after. "Who can say? I suggest using the utmost caution, but a back channel during a war is far from unheard of."
"We can't expect anything. I don't know why it's been sent to me and not someone else — there could be meaning in that as well." A shake of his head. "I will wait an hour until my magic is back to normal and then go. I think bringing one of you makes sense. If that proves to be a problem... we'll deal with it. Fair?"
Nods all around as...
Who are you taking?
Sorry about the delay, stupid RL stuff.
Cresiel is the obvious choice. Lets have him use invisibility on himself so rank and file folks don't see him and go from there.
Okay, any prep then?
Yes, he will cast Bredanalundalum's Wit before he goes.
You know what, Glibness, too. Just in case. Other than that, no.
Brightwater is as golden and radiant as always as you appear - no signs of duplicity, just the bustle of the golden city. Cresiel follows unseen and...
Go ahead.
"I'm going to introduce you, even if the individual can't see you." Moore says quietly. "Honest to a fault, I suppose..."
It should be an easy enough matter for him to find this neutral party with the right questions asked around to the right people!
Take 10 on GI for 95.
To be clear, this is to find Shining Coin Brigara.
It's not hard. You walk around and talk, soon hearing that she's at Inheritance Temple. It's an opulent Waukeenite temple, with all the fanciness you'd expect. Gold, art, treasures, design. It is elegant as you walk down polished floors shining bright, the walls covered in rich paintings and bits of artwork. You meet Brigara before a fountain that gently burbles out molten gold.
She is a severe woman with black hair tied back in a tight ponytail. Tall and faintly inhuman, something ageless in her face.
"It is good to meet you." Moore says, with a nod and a small bow. "Duke Moore of Celestia." He decides, for the time being, he will keep things as neutral as possible and not use extra words if he doesn't have to.
"Just to set the matter straight, I assume you can see my bodyguard." Moore says. "Nonetheless, I would be remiss if I did not announce it fairly."
"Cresiel," The solar introduces himself.
"Cresiel," The woman's voice is a whipcrack, "The bastard child of Romiel and Villisa, favors your favor and serves Mount Celestia." She recites all this smoothly, "Duty bound, honor driven and righteous serving. You would sooner kill yourself than commit an evil act. Despite your origins you have acquitted yourself well. Currently in service to Duke Moore of Celestia, formerly of Aurora."
"I see all the gold went to the fountain and none to your tongue," Cresiel says mildly.
"Your mother tried to get me married," Is the succinct answer Shining Coin Brigara retorts. "All in a frenzy of match making in this very temple."
"Ah." A single sound, but somehow it seems to carry it all.
Moore can't help himself and smiles, just a small bit.
"I don't think you need to worry about that today." He says. He coughs into his hand, his neutral face back after that. "Is this where you wish to discuss the matter, or do you have somewhere else in mind?"
"This is sufficient. These are his words, not mine." Shining Coin Brigara says, "Akil bin Faheem wishes to discuss starting negotiations to end this wary. A war of futility in his words - both sides strike but the mass of both sides is too strong. A chance to end this war before it spirals out of control and no one wins."
He simply nods. "Very well. If we are interested, then what?"
"Then I will pass word on and a neutral site for secret negotiations will be began," Is the answer. "Something discreet for all parties."
I'd like to use Bredanalundalum's Wit, if possible, to ask a question.
Paste me that part of the spell?
Finally, once per five caster levels, the target may discern what question he should ask someone. This need not be a question the target would think or even know to ask, or even be aware that he should ask it. Creatures under epic abjurations that stop divinations return no result if the target discerns what questions he should ask them.
The question you get is, 'What is the second offer if this one is rejected?'
"Is there a second offer if this one ends up being rejected?" Moore asks.
Not even a blink at that, "There is," she agrees, "Do you wish to hear it?"
"Please." Moore says.
"A proposal to permanently adjust the political landscape of the City of Brass," Is the answer you get. "That the current Grand Sultan's reign may be close to an end."
Moore, thankfully, is able to keep his composure from this.
"All right." He says with a nod.
Let's invoke that power again. I get 5 more, so I may as well use them!
The question you get is, 'What did Akil bin Faheem promise you to ensure your silence regarding this offer?'
Mm, that may not get an answer....
He looks considerate for a moment. "This is a serious matter. If you're a truly neutral party, you must've been given something or promised something to keep silent about it. In the interests of open fairness, I would like to know what that was."
"I was." Your answer is simple and to the point, "What business of it is yours to inquire about?"
"This is not a light matter to be dealing in, for any party." Moore says, simply. "I think it a fair thing to ask, considering I am being expected to accept that these offers are being made in good faith."
Through the power of nosy dragon magic, you managed to say the right thing. Give me a diplo check.
Take 10 for 105. :)
"Access to a..." A moment's pause, "A family member who chose to follow a darker path of commerce than Waukeen."
Moore nods. "Thank you for your honesty."
Take 10 on Sense Motive for 67 to just try and make sure he's not being bullshitted.
Also, using another part of the magic of Wit to see if there are any good questions to ask.
You don't think she's lying.
The question you get next is simple: 'Are there any signs the devils are helping him?'
"Are you allowed to tell me if you think there are any signs the devils are helping him with this?" Moore asks.
Brigara's answer is to go stony faced - but you catch it. The faintest flinch, a tell. You're pretty sure something hit home there.
Cresiel takes 10 on K:P.
"Akil has slave contacts and strong relations with Baator. Your family member fell into Mammon or Dispater's service," Is the conclusion he comes to. "I doubt devils give this sort of access lightly and Akil has the influence to do such a thing. More importantly," With narrowed eyes, "He's willing to invest into this. This offer isn't some casual thing or lark, no. Instead, the question is: Is Akil pulling the strings for this or is someone in Hell pulling the strings? Imagine how much Hell would value installing their own personal choice of Grand Sultan over the efreet."
"I couldn't comment," Brigara finally says.
Moore offers a smile. "You need not answer, you've suffered enough with the knowledge that you have." A nod and a bow to Brigara. "I'm sorry to have brought up a painful subject for you, but I hope you can understand why. I do not wish to put you in a position to be hurt by any of this, but this revelation helps us better frame what is going on beyond this correspondence. For that, you truly have my thanks."
A cool look before, "Regardless, do you have an immediate reply to any of this to pass on?"
"The meaning is understood, and please wait for our reply." Moore says.
In that case, anything else to do here?
There is not, we shall return and see who wants to talk to us.
Reporting the info in then, I presume?
Correct.
Go ahead and write out your verbal report then? This is a situation where exact words could well matter.
Akil ban Faheem, or someone trying to impersonate him, has made two statements.
One, he wishes to discuss starting negotiations to end this wary. A war of futility in his words - both sides strike but the mass of both sides is too strong. A chance to end this war before it spirals out of control and no one wins. This would take place in a neutral location.
Second, if the first is rejected, A proposal to permanently adjust the political landscape of the City of Brass, that the current Grand Sultan's reign may be close to an end.
We believe that there may be involvement from Hell in this, from speaking to the neutral party involved and are also concerned as to why the message was delivered to myself, rather than those higher in position.
Your report is heard by Erathaol, who after merely says, "There are indeed angles and politics in play," he says, What is your opinion of this from your perspective, Moore?"
"It almost feels like Akil wins either way with these options. If we take the first one and he's able to broker peace, he'd be seen as a visionary. It might even lead to The Grand Sultan being dethroned anyway..." Moore says, as he snaps his fingers. "I wonder if that's the ultimate goal here, now that I think about it."
"The goal is to improve Akil's position? As a slaver, he has little to gain from peace, unless he gains something so great as to more than compensate his loss." Erathaol agrees.
Moore nods. "He may be willing to give up slavery if it ensures his own rise. He probably would see The City if Brass become more like Hell somehow... well, if they have a hand here. It feels like he is leaning on them for this."
"Or aim to regain the practice in the future," Erathaol says, as the two of you are within Hope's Landing, a quiet and private discussion. "This will be considered, Moore. Do you have anything else to add?"
"I have to seriously consider why I was approached." Moore says. "I really can't figure that out. I would like to think it doesn't mean anything, but... there's just no way that's possible. He knows I would bring this up."
"And why to yo uand not Seira, or myself or a dozen others?" Erathaol concurs. "He did meet you just before the war. Did you have any private discussions with him?"
Moore shakes his head. "The only one I met remotely privately was..."
I am blanking on that guys name. Commander Asshole with the magic absorbing armor.
"Moore!" The efreet booms, "From the pits of Hell revenge comes for you! From the hand of the Grand Sultan justice comes for you! From my hand oblivion comes for you! I am Nasir Farhad Madani, Commander of the Order of the Burning Heart!"
You mean him?
Yes, Thank you.
"...Nasir Madani. Cresiel was with me for that." Moore says.
"Did anything occur there that's in any way related?" Erathaol asks.
"I don't think so. He insulted us and went about his business after that." Moore says. "Honestly, I think this is the first time I think I've even been addressed by Akil. This is truly an odd circumstance."
"Thank you, then," Erathaol says, "You may go."
Well, it's... his fortress though!
A nod and a smile after that before he goes to check on the others.
Before I forget again, let's also take some time to analyze that chunk of metal we got from the Ethereal.
Loot.
posted
As you head away from dealing with the rock? "Moooore!" Grias calls, flying up, "We have a dragon visitor!"
"Oh?" Moore asks. "Is it the one from Lord Barachiel?" He asks.
A bob downwards, "Not that one at all, it's a new one."
"Well, let's go and see who it is." Moore says as he goes to do just that very thing!
Thus you go out. In the court yard, surrounded by curious soldiers, is Bredanalundalum. He's taking it all in, "Ah, Moore," he calls, "Congratulations again."
"Oh! Hello again!" Moore says, greeting him with open arms as he flies up to meet him. "I'm so glad to see you -- I assume all of you are out and about now?"
"Yes, thanks to all of you. So is Madigar." The wyrm chuckles, "I expected something more like a forest!"
A deep breath in. "I go against the grain, what can I say? Welcome, welcome, nonetheless. Would you like me to show you around?"
"Aaah, no, not yet," The wyrm says. Instead going on, "Are there any other dragons around? Female dragons in particular? I don't suppose you have any as retainers?"
"There are not." Moore says with a small smile. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. I met quite a few when I visited Bahamut's Palace some time ago. I'm sure you're more than welcome there."
"Until then," Bredanalundalum declares, "Then show me your abode, Moore. Ah, is Jetina here as well? How is she doing with her new voice?"
"She's doing quite well." Moore affirms. "You'll have to teach me that trick sometime."
With that, he turns and will give Bredanalundalum a tour -- starting with the outside and the soldiers.
"I don't know how much you're aware of the outside world in its current state." Moore says. "But right now, we're at war with the efreet. You are, of course, not expected to participate in that at all if anything happens here while you're staying. I ... doubt it would anyway, but just know that."
"I have an idea, I've been looking around. We all have been," The wyrm says agreeably, "There's so much going on. Especially alcohol. So much is made, more than I imagined."
Moore nods as he continues to fly around with him, gesturing at various points of interest.
"I like to imagine you all just have meet-ups at random bars across the Planes." He says with a grin.
Laughing at that, "I hear meeting in taverns is popular for heroes," he agrees, "Have you ever had the pleasure?"
"I've done it a few times." Moore agrees. "It's not quite my cup of tea, forgive the joke. I'm more a juice man than an alcohol one."
"It's great fun, even when people start singing," The wyrm rumbles out a laugh, "Have any of the other dragons dropped in yet?"
"Not here that I've seen." Moore says. "The other one... the one from..." he gestures offhandedly away from himself. "Out There. Is she around too, or did she try and go back?"
"She's still there," The wyrm says, "Last I heard and saw."
"There, there?" Moore asks. "Or... Beyond there?"
to clarify since I think he'd understand the meaning contextually, Moore is asking about whether she's still in the Maze.
"Oh, with Io," Is the answer you get.
"Okay." Moore says with a nod. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like. You're also welcome anytime."
"I'll be visiting everyone," The wyrm says, "I believe Kecasandarenala found a place in Sylica and the others are still wandering. Oh, and Madigar is at the Cauldron right now."
Moore nods. "I imagine that's the most fitting place for most of you. Well, you always have an ally here. I'd love to have some more in-depth magical discussions with you, time permitting." Moore smiles after that. "At your leisure, of course."
"My leisure is now," The wyrm invites, "What do you want to talk about?"
Ball is in your court here, oh dread pixie.
"I was curious if you'd come up with anything else besides the one you gave us." He says. "That one is really interesting in concept. I've designed some myself since it feels like when you get to a higher level of arcane magic that we use the actual list of known magic is.... lacking."
"Aaah, you mean my wit?" The wyrm asks, "It's something of a hobby for us, and great magic takes great effort - or great learning from others who made the effort."
"Yes. I've been thinking of trying to devise a way to work out magic that would help in a more general sense too. The giving one insight into questions they should ask — I see no reason it couldn't be applied to, say, a subject rather than a person, if that makes sense." Moore explains.
"Well, symbolically, my wit is based around knowledge," Bredanalundalum explains, sniffing the air. "In particular the acquisition of knowledge. A dragon's hoarding nature makes framing a spell about knowledge through that easier, as calling on names such as Io work better when they conform to draconic tendencies. A spell refocused from that with a compatible but different invocation could do that."
"Hmm, so perhaps..." Moore leans back while flying as he looks up at the sky. "There's already a 'divine' insight... maybe something like 'Subject Matter Expert' for the name? I feel like the name of a spell is usually the most important catalyst for success. If we assume that it's a spell that gives you some form of insight into the topic, I think it's easy to figure out particulars. In this case... I think making it so you have to have a topic, or subject at hand first to focus the spell on gives it the most punch. What do you think?"
"That would help - look at a spell like Legend Lore," the wyrm notes, "It works better and easier with a base like that."
Moore nods. "I think that would work. I'll let you know how I progress with it." A smile after that, "Is there anything I can do for you while you're here?"
"I think I'd like to look around," The wyrm says, and...
Anything else to do here while he visits?
Nope. If he doesn't need anything then we will go on a trip to visit Mystra.
Okay. How are you setting this up? Just going to go over?
Yes, he doesn't feel he's on a first name basis with her so will go through proper channels for visitation.
This takes some time, but soon enough you get a message: You are cleared to arrive at Dweomerheart and present yourself to Erran Valin, who will assess your petition and work from there.
Any prep/anyone going with you?
No prep needed. He will take Xandra with him.
Dweomerheart is at night. Yet it is radiant with spellfire in the sky, shining as brightly as the sun. You appear within a ritual circle beneath a small grove of trees, secluded just off a quiet side road. All is towers and buildings, each surely a mage's redoubt or similar such thing. The air shimmers as you look at it, seeming to ripple with unspoken potential.
"Now we just have to find this Erran Valin." Moore says as he takes a quick look around. "Fascinating place... this is my first visit."
Xandra takes it in, "Dweomerheart is beautiful, more for those with arcane talent. Acts of magic and great mage works walk the streets and form before you. It's said virtually everyone here can manage some magic."
"I imagine there's a lot of magical discussion here." Moore agrees as he starts to follow the road. "I wonder if you're tasked with building your own home here with magic when you're given the honor to reside."
As you ponder that...
Gimme a quick d100 as well as a Spellcraft check for reference.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 48, total 48[/blockquote]
Take 10 for 82
You walk streets of wonder and magic. Streets that float, or with cascades of spellfire in the sky above. Wizards walk freely here, whilst witches and mages join them. You head past a park where a dozen men sit cross legged and float in the air, softly chanting this over and over, "Aldaboah, open and close. Reveal the way by opening the seven gates to power."
Xandra lingers here a moment, listening to them.
Moore tilts his head slightly as he listens in!
Take 10 for 95 on whatever Knowledge is right, here. 98 if it's K:R!
Aldaboah is an old, archaic word of Celestial that means keeper. It's rarely used anymore. Seven gates...a gate.
It feels terribly familiar to you, a strong sense of deja vu. A gate. A gate. A gate.
Listen.
Isn't that the name of C.......
He decides to listen and learn.
"Aldaboah, open and close. Reveal the way by opening the seven gates to power."
"Aldaboah, open and close. Reveal the way by opening the seven gates to power."
"Aldaboah, open and close. Reveal the way by opening the seven gates to power."
Xandra listens as well, "How long," she finally asks aloud. "How long have you been chanting this?"
One of the dozens pauses from the chant and says, "Longer than I can remember. We will chant until the gate opens and the true magics of the holy are revealed to us."
Moore glances over at Xandra. "I know I'm not the one they're waiting for, but it feels like we could demonstrate something for their dedication... don't you?"
He looks hesitant — he was told to listen, not speak, but he also understands what it is they're likely thinking...
"What do you have in mind?" Xandra asks quietly, as they all continue to chant, calling and calling onward.
"I was thinking of just creating a small flower for them." Moore explains quietly himself. "Is that too taboo to reveal?"
"It may be best not to. It would be a gamble," Xandra finally says, "Your talent is a rare one, and as well you greatly exerted yourself with it recently."
Moore nods. "In that case..." he runs his chin. "I suppose I'll just have to wait until I recover. It's right on the tip of my tongue, too..."
"Try and remember," Xandra urges you softly, "You've grown, Moore. Perhaps this is the time to grow further."
Moore takes a breath in.
It was after Benfal.
That huge gap in his memory was after Benfal.
He was researching what happened after Benfal.
He was researching who saved Benfal.
...wasn't he?
Benfal. Benfal. Benfal.
Benfal was saved because of...
Wisdom check, Moore. Good luck.
[18:16] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+6+15 it's always his lowest stat!!! actually no that's probably strength, nevermind
[18:16] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d20=16]
You feel...
You feel...
"Elena."
Why? Why did you just say Elena's name aloud?
There's a twitch in his hand.
That's right, he... promised...her...?
Is that... right?
He takes a breath.
Remember.
Remember!
Elena...
There was something... it was after Benfal.
Elena, and... ...Benfal.
You remember...Elena. Elena clings to you like a memory you can't quite recall, a ghost of a feeling. Little more than a vague sort of memory, a bit of deja vu.
Elena.
Elena.
Elena.
Elena.
He nods to himself.
She'd be happy to know He was back, wouldn't she?
He does have a lot to talk to her about, after all.
"Moore?" Xandra asks after several long moments of introspection.
He blinks, then blinks again, as his world returns to the chanting.
"Sorry, I..." He clears his throat. "I... can remember something, but..."
He blinks, then smiles. "No, no buts. I can remember something." He repeats, this time with more confidence.
Xandra's smile blossoms like a radiant sunrise, "That's wonderful, Moore. What did you remember?"
"Are you familiar at all with what happened with Benfal?" Moore asks, as his face then turns to her more fully, as a dawn of realization hits him. "...Actually, you probably know exactly what happened with Benfal." He says with a click of his tongue.
"Well... anyway, during its liberation, something happened to it that elevated it from a Prime world into Elysium." He explains. "I was doing research into what could've caused it. I...spent a lot of time doing research into what could've caused it."
He clears his throat here, as if to make a point. "I don't remember doing research into what could've caused it. You have to understand something about me -- after I recover myself from... You Know Where, I couldn't remember anything. I... wasn't satisfied with that. I made it a point not to forget things that happened to me again." He says.
He then gestures towards himself. "So as I think you can imagine, after I did research into what could've caused Benfal to be elevated into Elysium, only to have somehow not noticed that several hours had passed, that I didn't think it was just that."
Another pause before he clears his throat yet again. "Anyway... I don't remember what happened. But... after listening to you and listening to them, I can remember the name 'Elena,' who is the... she's a spirit tied to Aurora. So..." He turns back to look at the people chanting.
He pauses there for a moment, about to get lost in his thoughts again before he shakes his head vigorously.
"Did I tell you I tried to use the Words of Creation to get around this?" He asks as he turns his attention back to her. "I tried to put words my soul remembered, but I couldn't, onto a piece of paper. It... uh, didn't work. Well, no... that's not exactly true -- it worked exactly fine, it did what it was supposed to. I just... couldn't read them without forgetting about it again." He says with a bit of a chuckle.
"Ah... sorry, I'm rambling now. This is an important topic for me, as I'm sure you can guess."
"It is. It's much for thought." Xandra agrees. "Do you believe she can help you, then?"
"...Hm." He turns back to the chanting at that. "That's a good... question. I..." He takes a breath. "I may as well ask her when we're done here. The worst that can happen is she has no idea what I'm talking about."
"Then let us continue," Xandra says, and from there?
Erran Valin resides in a small tower tucked away amid a dozen other towers. As blue and purple fire dances in the night sky, the two of you approach.
To be clear, we're approaching the tower they live in, not them, right?
Moore flies up to knock on the door!
"Isn't it weird that the spell called 'knock' doesn't actually do what you'd think it does?" He asks, idly. "This place sure inspires me to think about magic."
You're approaching the tower, yes.
"It's an unus-"
Xandra is cut off when with a wink, you're elsewhere. A dark, starry sky is above you as you stand on a roof. Here sits a large tower's roof, and atop it sits a brass and gold telescope. It is ornately decorated with runes as a dwarf uses it, gazing up at the stars above. The air here is chilly, a brisk fall breeze already with the first hint of winter on it. The scent of wood smoke and apples lingers in the air.
The dwarf turns away and dusts his hands off before gently adjusting a knob on the side of the telescope. "Duke Moore, I am Erran Valin. When the Mother of All Magic is too busy to handle every petition herself, she distributes them to trusted aides to assess them. Tell me what you need and I'll guide you."
"Oh, hello." Moore says with a nod and a bow. "It's good to meet you. It's... a bit of a long story, but if you want the whole thing I'll tell you. The summary is thus: Orcus and Lixer had some sort of fight over Foggard. Now the whole place is trapped in some sort of... void of nothingness, and the entirety of Foggard itself seems to have been cut off from the Weave somehow. I was hoping there might be something we could do to fix that."
"A dead magic area?" Valin says, attention fully on you now. "Tell me everything. Such things must be remedied with all haste, so that the Mother of All Magic's gifts can spread far and wide. To deprive an area of the Weave is to deprive it of Mystra herself. That is never acceptable."
He takes in a breath. "I'll tell you everything I can, but some of the details are unknown as... well, you'll see."
He clears his throat. "This all began a few days ago. I was going to Foggard to investigate something for myself. We came across an area warded against teleportation, which led us to being spied on by Lixer. Long story short, Lixer was fighting against an army of Orcus and Cryonax's at Foggard." He says.
"We infiltrated Foggard itself -- at the time, magic still worked there just fine. We did have to fight some demons that used some extremely powerful silencing ability, but they ended up getting defeated. On our way out, we were met with some extremely powerful magic -- we believe that to have been the work of Orcus or his avatar. Ultimately, we were able to escape... except in our haste, I left an ally behind." Moore says with a bit of sourness to his voice.
"We returned and made rescue, but it was then that the avatar of Orcus appeared and incapacitated pretty much all of us. I was the lucky winner of the 'who gets to be cursed by Orcus' roulette -- don't worry, I fixed that part -- and... well, then Lixer and Orcus must've had some sort of knock-out fight with each other that ripped the Deep Ethereal apart."
He stops here to pause before he looks over at Xandra. "Something is still inside Foggard, and it may be an avatar or something that was created to defend the place -- but we didn't really have the opportunity to check, as that emptiness permeates the whole of four or five miles around Foggard and inside of it, too."
Xandra adds once you are done, "I am a seer and I can only see shadows within. Whatever within is likely tied directly to Orcus or perhaps Cryonax. This is no trivial matter or merely demons causing trouble."
"I'm inclined to agree," Erran Valin concurs, "You have told us of this. What did you hope would come of this meeting?"
"Ultimately, we need to purge Foggard of whatever is there, and need to restore the damage done to the Ethereal. It was my hope by restoring magic to Foggard that it would be an easier matter to get rid of whatever is causing the trouble." Moore explains. "Good or evil, Foggard isn't a place that should be prevented from being accessed."
"Now," Erran Valin goes on, "Is this an official request from Celestia or is a personal request from yourself?"
"I wasn't sent to Foggard on any missive from Celestia." Moore answers. "This is entirely a personal request." He says, open and honestly.
"In that case, I'll pass this up," he says, "It's not my choice to make. Will you be in Dweomerheart long?"
Moore nods. "That is entirely fine." A smile after that. "I do very much wish to look around, but I have some other matters that require my attention. However, it's a deep hope that I have to return to just take in the various sights and sounds."
"I'll have a message send once we come to a decision," Erran Valin agrees, then with a bit of a grunt, "Is that all, Duke?"
Moore nods. "Yes, at least for now. I thank you very much for your hospitality." he says.
With a whisk of magic and air you're back on the street, and from there...
Going to linger here long?
Nah, we have people to see and places to be!
Well, Moore does, but he'll stop back in Hope's Landing first and see if anything happened.
The moment you come in, "Moore!" Grias bobs up in the air, "You've been called to attend Lord Barachiel immediately!"
"Grias, you have one of our Sending Stones!" Moore tells him. "Use it in emergencies like this!"
A huff and a nod after that. "Am I to go directly to him?"
Grias sags, "I got the message not 3 minutes ago," he says, "I checked and you were just returning, so I didn't see the point. You are - a portal will appear outside when you do."
"You're off the hook this time, loyal archon." Moore says, giving him a gentle pat on the top. "I'll be back."
With that, he heads outside!
Sure enough, a portal appears the moment you step outside.
Into the portal he goes!
In that instant you are elsewhere.
The light is nigh overwhelming, for before you are many. Sitting on a throne you have seen before is Barachiel, radiant in his power. Standing to his side is Erathaol, while on his other side is Raziel, aflame with power. The three leave your senses reeling, a sense of them utterly overwhelming you.
"Be not afraid," Erathaol murmurs, and in that moment, you mind is your own again, no longer reeling. "Approach us, Moore."
It is a really good thing they can turn that off, Moore thinks.
He approaches and moves down to kneel in front of them.
"It's an honor, Hebdomad." Moore says, quietly.
"Duke Moore," Raziel greets, "We council over Akil's offers. I wish to hear your own words of what happened, and have Erathaol project the memory so that we may see exactly what happened."
Moore nods and rises from his kneel.
"Of course. It was only a few hours ago that I returned from the Deep Ethereal to find a letter from him that had been delivered." Moore explains. "I went to visit the person indicated in the letter in Brightwater and returned here."
A shake of his head. "Obviously, there's more to it than that, but I feel it may be more prudent to explain my feelings in the moment, as it were, if we are to relive the memory itself."
"Go on," Barachiel invites, "Speak freely, Moore." His radiance is beautiful, all around you the room is bathed in light.
"The entire situation doesn't make sense." Moore says. "I've never even spoken to Akil before, let alone have much in common. He must've known that I wasn't going to simply make a decision on this without speaking to you all."
After a pause, his face sours. "It almost feels like his intention was to be duplicitous from the beginning, especially when you consider the neutral party is somehow connected to Hell via family ties. It wouldn't surprise me if Akil was vying for the efreet throne with the support of those like Lixer. Especially considering Lixer's recent involvement against Cryonax... I have to wonder if this is some sort of elaborate plot, beyond just ending a war that Akil realizes they can't win long term."
A breath out after all of that. Whew!
"A word of council," Barachiel says, "Know that Hell's meanings are ever convoluted. Know that good men have gone mad trying to wring meaning from diabolical feints and gestures. Know that we may never know the truth of this offer."
"Far too often," Erathaol says, "Pieces far removed from the gambit are influenced or in play. Or that this is a feint, a plot and a ploy by the Grand Sultan to lure us into a position."
"Which is why I smite devils rather than talking to them," Raziel smiles a tight, grim little smile. "It is rarely the wrong choice to smite a fiend."
Moore simply nods. "It feels to me like no matter what we decide, it could be used against us. I believe the saying is 'the only way to win is to not play.'"
"Yet to entirely ignore diplomacy is foolish," Barachiel says, "But oftentimes you are correct. Now, is there anything else you desire to add?"
Moore shakes his head. "I do not. I don't see any issue with at least hearing him out."
"Now," Barachiel says, "Do we have your permission to see that memory?" His voice is wonderful and quiet at once, like a restrained rumble of thunder.
Moore nods. "Yes, go ahead."
Erathaol merely raises his staff up slightly, and that is enough. In an instant you relieve that entire encounter, a blur of memory that's yet crystal clear. Every little detail in stark relief - from the faint scent around Brigara that you hardly noticed at the time to the exact inflections of her words. It's so real as to be hyper real, unreal by being more reality that you have ever seen before.
One day he'll have to learn how to do that! That's a useful thing to have!
Once it's done, "Thank you," Barachiel says, "You have served Celestial well, Duke. Return to Hope's Landing now."
Moore bows once again and turns to go!
Assuming He isn't just sent back he'll take care of it in his own.
You are sent back without incident, a ripple returning you.
You're back home and not immediately occupied. Next move?
I think Moore has a date with a ghost of a fortress.
Any prep and are you taking anyone with you?
no prep needed, he will go himself.
Aurora is as you remember it. It sits proud and true, gleaming in the sunshine as you return once more.
Go ahead.
Moore will go inside and see if his old room is occupied!
The shine and power of Lifasa fills you - for whatever reason, Aurora is on Lifasa today. As you bask in that before you enter, "Moore," Prince Westwind calls, flying over from the courtyard. "Welcome back!"
"Prince Westwind!" Moore greets him. "How good to see you again!"
Westwind comes forward and clasps your shoulder, "It's good to see you! Are you staying long? Finnegan and I are planning on hunting an Astral Dreadnought. We could use a third."
"I'm actually here on some personal business." Moore says. "If my duties to the war don't call me, I'd be happy to help you both out."
"Oh, then I'll see you soon for it," Is the answer, Westwind letting you go at that.
"Not -that- kind of personal." Moore says. He huffs, since it's too late now anyway. Back to finding his old room!
With a laugh as he goes, "Poor Ilsenine!"
That aside, you find your room within undisturbed. It is as you left it before.
Moore shuts the door behind him as he stands there.
So many memories.
Memories.
Yes, unforgettable things.
He clears his throat. "Elena?"
"Moore! Hi!" Elena pops in, wearing an outfit rather like Mirima's today. "Welcome back!"
Moore offers a smile and a wave. "It's good to see you again. I have a lot of things I want to talk to you about. Do you have some time?"
"I'm free," Elena concurs, "What do you need, Moore?"
Moore takes in a breath.
"You may have to repeat yourself a few times." Moore says. "Can you remember everything you do here, Elena?"
Elena makes a sound roughly equivalent to, "Huh?" before saying, "What do you mean, Moore?"
He takes in a deep breath.
It's now or never.
He breathes in again.
Out.
In and out.
"After Benfal was saved," Moore begins, "I was tasked with investigating what happened. I spent a lot of time here in Aurora trying to find the answer."
He smiles brightly after saying that. "The funny thing is, I don't remember... finding an answer, or what the answer was." Here he pauses to look over towards his door, then back to Elena. "I think I told you once about where I came from, and my lack of memory from coming out of there. I... made a promise to myself to not forget anything that happened after that. It was very important to me to not forget anything." He says.
"So, color me surprised when there was something that I couldn't remember, even knowing everything that led up to it. I know I did the research, I know I spent the time doing it... and yet, my memory says that I must've come up with nothing... even though there's just no way that's possible." He pauses again here to seem to collect his thoughts.
"Ever since I've been in Celestia, I've tried to get stronger -- to better understand myself and the power I can control. I... have had glimpses, bits and pieces of something that I can't remember." He says. "Like a memory that I'm trying to solidify, but I just can't."
Here he breathes again. "Until just a bit ago. I was watching some people who seemed to be talking about a gate... a Celestial gate." Moore says. "And... for some reason, all I could think of was you." Here he looks at Elena in the face, his expression serious. "I understand what anathemic knowledge is, enough to trust my gut that whatever this is falls into that category. So, Elena, I'm going to ask you -- do you remember the conversation we had?"
To this Elena slowly shakes her head, "I don't remember a conversation like that, Moore. Are you sure you didn't overwork yourself and forget it? Anyone can push themselves too far."
"Elena." Moore repeats, his shoulders sagging slightly.
He takes in a breath. "So either you don't remember it either, or for some reason you won't tell me. Let me ask you this, then; Medi did a lot of research, did he ever try and overcome anathemic knowledge?"
"I wouldn't like to you," Elena says, "I'm sorry, I really don't remember. Anathemic knowledge...yes, I believe I remember him working on it once or twice. It was early in Medicant's time, before things got busier."
"It all comes back to you." Moore says. "I know it does. Please, try and remember yourself -- I think if we work together we can do it."
Elena closes her eyes and lowers her head, silent for perhaps twenty seconds. "Sorry," she finally says, "I really don't remember anything. Anathemic knowledge does that, so I may have forgotten it along with you."
"I don't think you did." Moore says, with a shake of his head. "Surely, Medi had a way to access it... I mean, wouldn't you do that if you had an omnipresent assistant around? If you really can't remember, that's okay, but... I don't think you or I have really forgotten. I think it's there, we just have to remember."
A long pause from Elena, "I really can't. So...do you have any idea on how to actually remember?"
A breath in. "I have some idea. But I wanted to ask you something else -- did you know Medi returned? I...mean, to... er..." He gestures absently away from himself. "I mean, he probably didn't return here, but... I mean to say that he isn't dead."
Elena's words die in her throat as she stares one unguarded moment, "W-what?" she asks, "Medi's back? Medi's ALIVE?!" She reaches out and grabs at you, ghostly hands going through your shirt and chest with nary a sensation.
"...I had a feeling he hadn't come to visit you." Moore says with a sigh. "Yes, he... well, he doesn't know that I know, or... maybe he does now, I don't know what kind of spells he had cast on this place to monitor it."
He looks up at the ceiling. "If you're listening, you ought to just show up, on that note. Don't try and admonish me later for telling her if you won't."
He looks back at Elena at that. "It's a bit of a long story, but I can explain how I met him, if you'd like."
Elena still grasps for your tunic in vain, before saying, "Tell me everything," she says, eyes watering with tears, on the verge of spilling out. "Everything!"
How does a ghost even cry?
You know what, nevermind.
"It was several months ago that I met him for the first time." Moore says. "Ironically, it was when I was trying to brute force my way to understand anathemic knowledge. He visited me in a dream... somehow. He didn't tell me who he was, but he gave me some information and I went about my way."
He rubs his chin and looks thoughtful for a moment. "The last time was just a few weeks ago. He showed up at Hope's Landing, which surprised the heck out of us, especially since I'm pretty sure he was just... there one moment. Anyway, he talked to us a bit about making sure we stuck to the goals of getting stronger to fight against Shar. It... seems that whatever group he's with is focused on opposing her in whatever capacity they can. He seems to be bound by some sort of non-interference agreement, though... or something like that, anyway."
A small smile after all of this. "He didn't tell me it was him, but... something in my gut... I don't know." He shakes his head. "I think it was because of you -- something reminded me of you, which in turn triggered the memory of this... thing that I've forgotten. I don't know, it just... all sort of made sense in the moment."
A few sniffles throughout, "S-so you just think it's him? You don't know, you just think it's Medi?"
"I know it's him." Moore says. "I have absolutely no doubt in my mind of who it is. I even received some divine confirmation on the subject."
"Who? How?" Elena asks, "Who confirmed it? Who?!"
"I went on a bit of a sojourn after I saw him to Solania." Moore explains. "Pistis Sophia was kind enough to tell me that what my soul told me about the truth was what I could believe."
"Tell me more!" Elena sniffles, "Why? How? Why hasn't he come back yet?!"
"I don't think he can." Moore says. "I have no idea how he came back, and I don't know if he'd tell me if I asked. He... might, but..." He shakes his head. "Well, I'll ask the next time I see him. I'll also ask him point blank if he has the ability to come back here."
He clears his throat. "Anyway, the reason I say I don't think he can is he's been... very specific in what he's done with me so far. He's been extremely cagey about details about who he's working with or what he can do. He's more or less said with no uncertain terms that he can't interfere in certain things, so... I have a feeling he's under some sort of clause to not take certain actions."
"Oh...oh...that has to be why." Elena says, then looks you in the eye, "Moore, you're going to find him and bring him here, no matter what you have to do for that."
Moore offers her a sincere smile. "I promise I will."
A breath in and then out. "Would you mind trying to help me recreate the circumstances of my research into Benfal? I think... well, I don't think I can do it exactly, but I wonder if we happen to redo it, if... well, if maybe we'll figure something out."
A lightning fast nod, "I'd be glad to, Moore. Just tell me how."
"I... well, I don't know." He admits. "...I remember I was doing research in the library, that much at least I can't debate. I don't... remember seeing you while doing it, but... how about this, just keep an eye on me while I'm doing the research again, and... I don't know, just focus on remembering. Maybe that's the key -- if we know there's something we shouldn't forget, maybe we'll both... remember?" A shake of his head. "I don't know how it works, but I'm determined."
"Alright!" Elena says, "We'll do this for Sir Medi's sake!"
Okay, plan here?
He's going to just try and replicate as much as he can on research into Benfal.
With that in mind, he'll go back to whatever he wrote originally (surely, some notes survived the anathemic knowledge)
For your reference, http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103953.480.html here is the main part of where he was researching.
With that in mind, his starting point will be the same place he started last time, which is here (on the same page, but may be more relevant) http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103953.msg1090785.html#msg1090785
Okay then, give me a K:P check with the library bonus.
He's going to use his fancy new tricks to make it a nice 120.
You read.
Hours pass like nothing. You read, read and read some more.
You don't remember what you read. No. It isn't important. You read, more and more and more and more. There is a pattern, a reason, something. The books speak to you. Aurora sings to you.
"I watched Medi study, just like this." Elena is sitting next to you, a small smile as she looks to you. She seems content, at ease, wearing a simple gown. "He never gave up. Aurora never gives up. I miss him, but Aurora is worthy of Medi's legacy."
You feel close to something. You ignore Elena for a reason you can't elaborate and you keep reading. Your mind shudders. Something's wrong, something's wrong - again and again and again - !
Will save.
[21:59] <Nephrite> roll 1d20 I think the 20 is the only thing that matters here anyway if it's like last time
[21:59] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=18]
That's really close! The total number is 65 if it matters.
Moore blinks, sitting up. He yawns as he sits up from doing a face plant in his book. Hmmm, fell asleep. Well, it doesn't matter. You have things to go do...don't you?
He taps his fingers on the table.
"This is definitely it." He says. "It's something about this that I can't remember... but what is it? What is it about a gate that I can't remember...?" He takes in a breath.
"A gate, and Elena, and Benfal, and Elysium..." He shakes his head. "It's definitely here. Hey, Elena?" Moore calls out.
Elena pops in, "You called, Moore?"
"It happened again." He gestures at everything around him. "Do you remember anything... anything at all about what I've been doing for the last few hours? I know what I was researching, because I remember researching it the last time."
"Uh...maybe you were...no, actually. I was just busy," Elena says, "Jaela needed that one thing cleaned up, and then 27 and Tannin were in the mess hall and..." A long trail off.
"...That's too much of a coincidence for my liking." He says, but offers a smile. "I think I'm onto something though. It's definitely here, whatever it is we can't remember. ...Hm, maybe I should look at it a different way... do we have any books that contain anathemic knowledge? Maybe if I just... no." He huffs. "I probably already did. I think I'll just have to keep trying until I succeed again."
He taps his table. "Actually, you know what? Are there any books that contain anathemic knowledge? Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way."
Elena shakes her head, "Wait no, there's the one you're using. Eternal Joy - you did reference it again, right?" Elena asks.
"I must've. I must've done that the first time, too." Moore turns to look at the book again and look at the note on the front of it. "...Hm... Tepen says you should have seven days to remember it, but... maybe that's why I can't, I'm trying to tie too many things together."
With that in mind, he opens the book again to look at it, focusing only on the content of Eternal Joy. Again.
For what is probably the third time.
K:P again.
120 again.
You know what, I'll even give you another will save.
[22:28] <Nephrite> roll 1d20 I think the 20 is the only thing that matters here anyway if it's like last time
[22:28] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d20=1]
Mmm. Moore awakens in his bed on Aurora. He yawns and stretches. What a good night's sleep. This was a nice trip back, but really he's exhausted his efforts here. He should get back to what he was doing already.
Moore sits up and takes in a breath. "...Next time, I bring Xandra." He pulls himself out of bed. "Hey, Elena?"
Elena pops in, "Morning, Moore," she says cheerfully, "Did you sleep well?
"I don't remember. You know why that's a problem, right?" He asks.
"Why what's a problem?" Elena asks slowly. "The forgetting?"
"Yes." He says. "You at least remember the talk we had in here about Medi, right? That part's not anathemic? And the part where I asked you if you remembered anything?"
"Oh! Yes, I remember," Elena says, "Did...oh. Something did happen, didn't it?"
"...Hm. There are two of you, right? But you're both the same?" He asks. "So, hm..." He taps his nose. "I wonder what would happen if one of you participated in whatever it is that we both can't remember, but the other one didn't? I think you'd both forget, right? I mean... you're just one person. Darn."
He shakes his head. "It's okay. I think I know what my next steps to solving this is. I'll come back with a friend of mine and try and repeat this with more success. Just... keep thinking about it, okay? Try to see if maybe if you just keep thinking about whatever it was we talked about... it was about a gate. Something about Benfal, a gate, and Elysium."
"I will. Come back with Medi, Moore," Elena says, "Promise me."
"You have my word." Moore says. "Thank you for helping."
if nothing impedes him, he will go back to Hope's Landing
Next move then?
See if anything happened back home while he was gone!
Assuming it did not, then he has Plans.
What sort of plans? It may matter.
He would talk to Xandra about the anathemic knowledge and then make a trip back to Aurora if they don't have any assignments or anything to do.
I mean, he'll talk to her regardless, but if they don't have to go anywhere then that's his plan.
"Moore," Grias bobs in greeting, "Starting in two hours, we'll be on call for rapid deployment for 12 hours. An efreet agent was caught trying to sneak in through the ocean, if something happens you will likely be called on to go there."
Moore nods. "Understood. We will all prepare. Anything else?"
"That's it. Be ready," Grias says, "Good luck!"
Any prep?
Moore will spend an hour casting 5 Phantom Steeds. The rest of our spells are short term so we will hold off.
The courtyard is peaceful as you wait, a few chairs brought out as you enjoy the light above and wait.
Bredanalundalum and Kaja take up one corner, mostly the wyrm taking it up. The two are talking in draconic of this and that, mostly about the merits of gold versus platinum, gemstone cuts and other such things.
Villisa and Cresiel are joined by Xandra, the three having a conversation about spell theory and ways to expand healing magic. It's fairly technical and altogether dense.
Xandra and Jetina play cards - Jetina losing horribly - and discuss this and that. It's a casual conversation, going all over the place.
Thus as you all wait...
Go ahead and set yourself up. To be clear, Villisa and Bredanalundalum are keeping you company as you wait.
For his part Moore reflects on returning to Aurora. Who could Medi be working with that he can't interfere?
Maybe if he can solve his own anathemic knowledge problem he can find out more.
He has to focus on that — he can't just give up.
His attention pulls away from the others to look up towards Chronias. Can he use the Words of Creation to help him with this?
You look up, lost in your own thoughts.
Refusing to give up is an aspect of hope.
Strive to show me that hope can overcome this problem. Do not give up. Experiment, struggle, fight.
Moore smiles for some reason as he turns his attention back to the others. Nothing to do but wait and see what happens!
Hes fine just watching everyone.
Gimme a quick d100.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 94, total 94[/blockquote]
You spend a few hours like this, simply watching your friends.
"But still, gold," Kaja insists, "Platinum's beautiful, but you can't deny gold's luster."
Villisa looks over at that, and with a soft, alluring smile, "Yet there are things that have far more luster than even gold. Don't you think so?"
As Kaja pauses at that, exchanging a look with her, "Mother," Cresiel says, a single word that says it all from his tone.
"Ahem," Xandra clears her throat, "There are many things more alluring that gold - but platinum is not one of them. I find gold's color and beauty to surpass platinum's."
"Yet Mertion stands higher than Mercuria," Jetina cuts in at that, "Far higher."
"And Jovar even higher." Moore says. "The idea of value depends on the person. Platinum may be valued more to some than gold... but if you asked a native of Mineral what the value of platinum or gold is, they'd tell you something entirely different."
Moore smiles at that. "Ultimately the question of value and worth is up to the individual, even in cases where a society has set a standard for monetary worth." He says. "Worth and value are very similar, but ultimately not the same."
"Value is worth," The wyrm nearby says, "One leads to the other, yet they are not the same. Not quite."
Kaja starts to speak, pauses. His eyes slowly cross, "It's treasure and treasure's treasure. Bahamut's teeth, I feel as if my mind is going asunder to try and grasp such a fine, nitpicking point."
Cresiel adds in at that, looking over from his mother, "Value is beyond merely monetary concerns. Would you not give up all your earthly treasures to pass into Chronias?"
"So is worth, but..." Jetina says, "I'm with Kaja. It's cutting too fine a grain into the wood."
"It's about what you see as worthy of value." Moore says. "It'll always depend on the person."
"In the eye of he who sees it," Xandra muses, conversations going quiet as all think on this a time.
Moore nods.
Just like to him, there's value and worth in finding an answer to this knowledge.
A gate, huh...
He takes in a long breath.
Gates are meant to be opened.... aren't they?
"Open wide, Empyrean Gate..."
For a moment, looking into the light of Chronias from above, Moore remembers something. A fragment that slips between his fingers, something distant. A faraway dream perhaps, something long forgotten by even himself.
A smile creeps into his face for a reason he doesn't know.
He's getting closer, even if there are things he keeps forgetting. He won't give up on this, not ever.
Apologies all, I got pulled away ultra abruptly by a family problem. It's sorted now.
Anyway, Will save.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+47 : 16 + 47, total 63[/blockquote]
Gate.
Gate, gate, gate.
How do you make a gate open wide, when the bridge is already drawn and the path is known?
A gate has to lead somewhere, doesn't it?
Gate. This, he ponders.
But if there's already a bridge... then is the gate needed?
...
...
Unless the gate is an alternate way in to the same place, that the bridge doesn't go to? Hmmm.
But to open a gate, any gate... you usually need a key, don't you?
This, he ponders.
K:R check.
Take 10 for 110!
You recall one key above all others in archon lore.
The Hand of the Supplicator, a greatclub that serves as Sealtiel's personal weapon. It is said it can open any door, even the path to Chronias itself. Archon legend holds that on the last day, Barachiel shall blow his trumpet to signal for Sealtiel to open all the paths to Chronias wide.
Hmm... so perhaps there's another gate to Chronias, or something else...
He will have to reach out to Sealtiel when he has the time, perhaps it will give him another piece to the puzzle.
...If there are multiple ways in, someone has to be in charge of proverbially opening the gate individually, right?
Perhaps that's 'the key' in this case....?
This, he ponders.
You ponder for a time, lost in your own thoughts. Xandra comes to sit next to you, silent and merely providing you unspoken companionship.
Someone who guards another way into Chronias...
Huh, Xandra... Xerona. Is that a coincidence?
But if that's the case, how did Benfal end up in Elysium?
There is one thing that connects Celestia and Elysium, isn't there?
Maybe the gate doesn't lead to Chronias, but...
This, he ponders.
You lose yourself in it, mind cast far away as time slips away. You reflect on it all, letting your thoughts run free.
"All the paths of the Holy Mountain rise to the same summit," Xandra finally speaks, quiet. "There is but one way into Chronias." Her gaze is skybound, awash with the light from above. "Would you have it be that way, were it your choice, Moore?"
If there's only one way into Chronias, then...
He blinks, then looks over.
"Hm." A single sound that doesn't reflect much except his own consideration. "I think... it's important to have something special -- something that you only achieve if you take a certain way. I don't think I'd change the way it's set up -- since there are so many ways to arrive at the same end point. If it were different... and, say, you could only get to Chronias by following one, very specific path, then... I think I'd choose a different option."
"It is a specific path," Xandra says gently, "But our lives are never the same, specific path. We cling to it as best we can during our effort to climb higher. It's why no one can make this journey for you."
"Mm... I don't see it like that." He says, with a small smile. "It's like you said, each person is different, and each person follows their own path to what waits on the other side of the Bridge. Yes, ultimately, it goes to the same place, and perhaps, in the end, they all end up very similar in terms of their values, or what have you... but they don't get there the same way. I suppose, you could say that they do, because they all embody certain traits, but..."
A breath in and then out again. "I just don't see it like that."
There's a pause after a moment, before he smiles again.
"Here I am, in Celestia, arguing with an archon about how to get to Chronias. Maybe the people who always question that are right to do so." He says with a bit of a chuckle afterwards.
With a smile, "That sounds like you disagree but can't formulate an argument." Her words lack any sting or fire to them. "Yet sometimes simple thoughts and feelings are the hardest to put into words."
"I think... the way I see it is that the path one takes to get there is what's most important, and the changes the person makes on the way on that path are what I consider when someone asks me 'are there multiple paths to Chronias.'" Moore says.
"It goes back to the difference between the path to Chronias and the path to ending up as part of Her Majesty's dream." He adds. "Personal growth by following a path versus personal growth by following yourself. I... don't think there's that much difference, but I'm sure I'm not the first person to think that way."
Xandra merely inclines her head forward at that, "What of your problem? Have you found any guidance for it?"
"I've been sitting here thinking about that." Moore says. "I think I'm onto something... It's like slowly peeling away the wrapping around a nice chocolate. I just... keep losing the chocolate."
A sigh at that.
"Maybe..." He takes a breath in again. "Maybe if I walk through my thinking, you might see what I'm missing. Do you mind?"
"Go on," Xandra says, "Like an invisible treat you can't remember once you open it?"
"Exactly." Moore says.
"Okay, so... Benfal." Moore starts. "Benfal was a prime, and it was brought to Elysium. That's an indisputable fact. That can't be hidden away with any anathemic knowledge."
He looks up at the sky at that, then back at Xandra. "So, we know that's a fact. How did it get there? That's... what we don't know. What... I do know, is..."
A breath in. "A gate. A gate... something. I mean, I don't think it's a difficult leap of judgement to say a gate was opened, and that's how Benfal got to Elysium." He adds. "...A gate was opened, and that's how Benfal got to Elysium. ...I finally understand now why all of those books have such a sheer amount of repetition in them when this sort of subject comes up."
"Reinforcement. Repetition. Retention," Xandra lists off, "Three Rs, all important. To try and fight what erodes at knowledge itself."
"A gate was opened, and that's how Benfal got to Elysium." Moore repeats.
"There's a book in Aurora that I... don't remember reading, but I must've. It was called 'The Eternal Joy,' and has some anathemic knowledge in it. What's interesting is that the note on the book says that if you read it, you forget it within seven days... but if I read it, I seem to lose complete track of time and just... fall asleep, or get so absorbed in it that I collapse." Moore says. "So... there's something in that book, that connects all of this. Somehow, it paints a direct picture of whatever it is that I can't remember."
A furrow of his brow. "A gate was opened, and that's how Benfal got to Elysium. But... what could the book tell me? Maybe... what kind of gate it was?" He asks.
"Or why," Xandra replies, "Why is more important than what, many times."
"...I must know something else about whatever it is, that I just don't connect." Moore says. "So two individual pieces of information that together make up something much more."
A long sigh. "A gate was opened... ...wait a minute." He blinks. "Aldaboah. It's a Celestial word. Aldaboah. It's... a gate. A gate keeper. A celestial. gate. keeper."
He furrows his brow again.
"A gate was opened, and that's how Benfal got to Elysium." Moore repeats. "A gate was opened, by a Celestial gate keeper, to Elysium. That's how Benfal got to Elysium."
He takes in another breath.
"A Celestial gatekeeper opened a gate. A Celestial gate keeper... so... someone like Xerona, but... instead of this, for another gate." He clicks his tongue. "...I have a dreadful feeling I'm just going to forget all of this."
"A guardian," Xandra says, "A protector. A gate keeper. Someone who tends the gate. A heavenly gate," Xandra speaks slowly.
"A heavenly gate. A celestial gate." Moore says, quietly. "Amazing, beautiful, empyrean, exalted..."
He holds his hand up to say something, then blinks. "A guardian of... a gate. A gate that can take something to Elysium. What is Elysium most noted for...?" He looks down at the ground. "Elysium may as well be like Celestia, but... rather than anything specific, it's just focused on one particular aspect of being, isn't it?"
"It is the plane of good untouched by anything else," Xandra turns to you, "Do you think that means something?"
"I don't think it's a coincidence that the plane ended up in Elysium." Moore says. "I think... that's the key. ...key?"
He blinks again. "...The key, the guardian of the gate, who opened it... who opened a gate that brought the prime to Elysium."
He puffs his cheeks up for a moment. "But what kind of gate could've been opened to do that? I think... maybe that's part of what I can't remember."
"The root of it. The root of why you have to forget," Xandra suggests. "Merely knowing of a gate is one thing, but the details, the knowledge of it. That's what's hidden?"
"I think that's it." Moore says with a nod. "There's... a name, too. I swear I remember... remembering it, before, but I think because I didn't think about it very often, I forgot. I think I remember... knowing the name of the gatekeeper?"
He nods once to himself, more than anything. "Yes, I think that's it... I think knowing the name of the gatekeeper clues you into what the gate is, so it makes sense that I can't remember it."
"Let's look at it form another direction - Benfal was taken to Elysium. Who did it?" Xandra asks, "And why?"
"The prime was going to be destroyed, I think, much like Lifasa was. Either destroyed or pulled down into Hell by Semyaza." Moore says. "I think... I always got the feeling that what was done was done as a last resort to save Benfal from being destroyed, or from falling."
"Something like that isn't used lightly," Is the agreement you get from Xandra. She slowly taps a finger against her side, "We haven't forgotten that or that a gate is involved. That must be what isn't the anthemic knowledge, but close to it."
Moore nods. "And, if the gate itself and the gatekeeper are both anathemic knowledge, then it seems to me like knowing about one leads to the other. I suppose it's possible that whoever or whatever the guardian of the gate is, they may have other duties, but... I don't think it's much of a leap to assume the two are very closely aligned."
"So it's unlikely they have any other duties in Creation that we would know of," Xandra concludes, "Assuming so, we can logically eliminate anyone known to us by other means."
Moore nods. "I think it's also too much of a coincidence we ran across some people using a very specific Celestial word that triggered my memories. Whoever is the keeper, I think it's fair to say they're like Xerona, or... something like that, you know, like the 77+7 archangels."
"They use the same methods - the keeper may well be one of them." A pause for Xandra to mull it all over, as meanwhile Kaja paces a bit, gesturing ahead towards Villisa, who laughs warmly.
"I can think of few duties more important than what this keeper's is. Surely they would be one of them."
"That's entirely possible." Moore agrees. "You know, I wonder what would happen if you read that book. I wonder if you'd have the same reaction that I do... mm. I feel like that'd be cheating."
"What else can we define this as," Xandra brushes that aside, "Is there anything else we can safely infer?"
"Hm..." Moore reaches into his pocket and takes out some papers to look through.
Am I safe to infer that, IC, Moore would still have the writings you list here in this post? http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103953.msg1090787.html#msg1090787
Yes.
"I didn't think about it before, but look at this." He points to some of his writing. "...Er, sorry, ignore the parts where I scratched it out, I was still a bit frantic at the time. Forty-nine, right? Forty-nine what?"
He shakes the piece of parchment a bit. "It's got to have something to do with the name, too. Someone with forty-nine somethings. ...Voices?" He hums. "No, that doesn't sound right. But 49 is 7 by 7, so..."
He blinks again. "...Seven... ... seven, seven, seven gates. Aldaboah, open and close. Reveal the way by opening the seven gates to power." He takes in a breath. "What features to all celestials have? I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that maybe this person has... 49... ...I don't know, wings, maybe?"
The light from above seems so bright as you reason, struggling to find just the right words. The light is so overwhelmingly radiant. The light of Chronias shines down all the more.
"Forty nine. Forty nine. Forty nine." Xandra says it slowly, "Seven times seven. A solar has seven wings by the lore - six wings and the body itself is the seventh. Something seven times greater than a solar. Forty nine voices singing."
"Forty nine voices singing..." Moore repeats. "Yes, I think that's right. They sang a... song? They sang a song to open the gate, that led Benfal to Elysium." He says. "Yes, that's... that seems right. Hm..."
He looks back at his notes. "So I think we can conclusively say that it's something like a solar, but possibly, or perhaps literally, seven times as much. That... at least is a specific piece of information, if nothing else. A solar who guards a gate like Xerona guards the bridge, but... yes, I definitely agree with you that it's not just a name you'd come across casually. It's probably something you have to go out of your way to find."
"Something hidden," Xandra finally says. "The mysteries of the Arch Angels tie to that all too well. Cresiel knows something of those."
Moore nods. "Yes, I agree." He raises his hand to wave Cresiel over.
Cresiel parts from his conversation and comes over.
"Moore?" he asks, waiting.
"If I asked you if you were aware of any solars that might be associated with a hidden gate, Elysium and 49, would you be aware of any? Knowing that this individual, as well as the gate itself, is anathemic knowledge."
"It is not for me to speak of," Cresiel shakes his head, "The Maiden of the Gate is hidden for good reason, Moore."
"We know." Moore says. "I uncovered something about them after Benfal. Somehow or another, Elena of Aurora was involved."
He pauses here a moment. "I've been slowly recalling bits and pieces. I've been given... a challenge, of sorts, from..." he gestures up towards Chronias. "To overcome the knowledge. I don't want you to just tell me who it is, but the fact that you know who they are tells me I'm on the right track."
"Then I will show you something, if this is a mission from above." Cresiel says, "Have you seen me use the Words for obscurity or invisibility?"
"No, but... now that you say it, I think it's been done before to discuss this sort of thing with me, I just never realized it." He says.
Cresiel utters the Words - words of silence, words of gentle rebuke. They surround Cresiel as he says, "Now attempt to detect magic on me. This usage will protect me as a nondetection spell."
Moore does just that!
CL check.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+32 : 8 + 32, total 40[/blockquote]
No good - you can't detect anything on him.
Moore nods. "Okay, I see what you mean. ...could I do the same thing but using a Words for revelation?"
"I don't know," Cresiel says, "I wouldn't even know where to begin. Do you?"
"At the beginning, obviously." Moore says with a smile. "But I don't think that's how I need to approach this... but maybe it is." He shakes his head. "Are you saying that this Gatekeeper is hidden not just because of anathemic knowledge but because The Words hide them too?"
"The Archangels use many ways to hide themselves," Cresiel demurs, "I would not be surprised if it's one reason amid many."
So this is probably one of the...
He blinks.
"Is... this... is the Gatekeeper the '+7'?" Moore asks.
in case it's not clear he's asking if CA is technically part of the 77+7 as the 'plus seven'
K:P.
Take 10 for 106
You recall a book you read at Aurora that...
http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103088.msg1052237.html#msg1052237
"...the seal" Moore says, as of the knowledge just came to him.
"The Guardians of the Seal...Guardians of the... Gate!" Moore says. "Either that or the Guardians of the Seal all come together to make one."
"What guardians?" Xandra asks, "I fear you lost me with your conclusion."
"The 77+7 Archangels." Moore says. "One group of them is referred to as the 'guardians of the seal'. I think seal refers to something hard to translate into Common. It must also mean a 'gate.' Do you see the connection?"
"I do," Xandra says, "Then...we may have a road to proceed down, then."
Moore nods with a smile. "It narrows things down from an infinite amount of hidden things to a much more manageable group."
"How do we investigate them, then?" Xandra asks, "Do you have insight, either of you?"
Cresiel nods his head forward, "I know someone who can help, the one who taught me these arts."
He appreciates the fact that Xandra plays along with not knowing, even though he's pretty sure she knows who it is and even why.
"After our vigil is over, I'd like to speak to them." Moore affirms.
He doesn't even harbor a grudge about being left out of this before!
"It will be done," Cresiel agrees, and...
Anything else to do but see if you get called on?
Not for now.
Have a preemptive roll!
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 24, total 24[/blockquote]
The 12 hours passes without incident - no emergency this time.
"That's that," Kaja announces, "Maybe it was only a single agent after all."
"We probably aren't that lucky." Moore says. "But take the time to relax. Cresiel, I say that but would you make arrangements for us please?"
"I will," Cresiel agrees, "As you command."
Doing anything but waiting on Cresiel?
nope, this is his focus.
Cresiel returns after a few hours, "We'll need to go to Elysium," he says, "We can leave when you're ready."
"We may as well go now, then." Moore responds. "Should I bring anything, as a gesture of good will?"
"There's no need," Cresiel says, as...
Who is going?
This feels like a Cresiel, Xandra and Moore mission.
Elysium is peaceful as you arrive. A gentle river winds through emerald hills, the sky a piercing, perfect blue. All is right here, all is at peace. Cresiel slowly hovers down to the ground and begins to walk, "Follow me," he says, "Do not drink the water, nor stop to rest. Do not fly, walk."
Moore lands and starts to walk himself! "Understood." He says.
It's natural enough for silence to follow. Just walking down a beautiful river. It's idyllic, really.
Why don't you sit down and admire it a time? There's no hurry here. Everything's right and as it should be.
Moore takes in a deep breath as he slows down for a moment.
He's here for a reason.
He's here for himself, and for Elena.
He's here for a reason.
He keeps walking.
"What is this place?" Xandra asks Cresiel.
Without further urging, Cresiel begins. "The lure of Elysium is stronger here. If you sit down, rest or eat here, you may well never have another chance to break away. The realms of the Arch Angels are guarded not by warriors, but by supreme happiness."
Moore nods. "That makes sense. I remember right after Benfal, a lot of people had trouble even getting back to Aurora."
"Keep that in mind," Cresiel says, "Though your power and rank should largely protect you."
Moore nods again. "It reminds me a lot of the times you first took me through Mercuria and Lunia." He says with a bit of a smile. "It was tough to not get lost in the various things going on there. But now I have a mission -- something to focus singly on."
"Focus," Cresiel agrees as you walk on. It's a pleasant path, just...everything you've ever imagined for this. Not a thing is wrong here. Everything feels so right, so fitting. As you marvel at this you see it ahead. A brick house is ahead, cozy and tucked away near the river.
Either the house is another distraction, or it's where they're going.
Either way, with the goal of overcoming something -- overcoming the impossible -- is strong in his mind.
He keeps walking.,
Cresiel doesn't even slow down as he passes it. Yet as you do you smell cooking - a pie, you think. Mmm. Surely flaky, buttery and filled with sweet fruit. You find your mouth getting wet just thinking about it.
That reminds him of that person he met when he woke up in Venya.
She sure was nice -- ... but she must've moved on to Chronias.
Just like he needs to move on here.
"...Is there even really a pie in there?" Moore asks with some incredulous feeling in his voice. "Or is it just the feeling of something home-cooked, rather than something physical?"
Cresiel sniffs the air, "There's a pie," he says gravely, "It would be the best pie you've ever had."
Xandra doesn't even glance back, walking on all the while, keeping her pace to match Moore's. "We'll have to have pie after this," she remarks. "Apple or strawberry pie."
"I wonder if that blue dragon from the Consortium has any pie recipes." Moore says as he continues to walk.
Huh, is this how Whimsical Sweets actually defeats evildoers?
You ponder as you keep going. On and on and on you go - until you come to an old man. He is bent and stooped, ancient and weathered. His skin is a deep brown and his head is covered by a wide brimmed hat. He wears brown clothes, thick and with a cloak.
Here Cresiel stops, "This is Moore," he introduces, "As well as Xandra." He slowly turns and begins to walk back the way he came, the old man following.
Cresiel didn't say to stop walking or to stop following him, so Moore turns slowly and follows after.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Moore says.
He keeps walking.
"Greetings," Xandra says.
The old man nods briskly, "I'm known as Old Lymosh. It's not the name I was born with, but it has sentimental value."
"Sentiment is probably the one thing that has more power here than what this place represents." Moore says as he walks along.
This seems like the type of lesson where he should just answer questions he's asked and not offer himself up unnecessarily.
As the four of you walk there's a short pause before, "Out with it," Old Lymosh says, "Cresiel said you have reason to talk to me. Don't get tongue tied now."
"I am trying to overcome anathemic knowledge." Moore says. "I know that many have tried, but I have reasons -- which, I am sure, many have had before as well. I do not think myself better than them or more deserving than them... but my role in this Creation is to bring hope to the hopeless."
He continues to walk.
"To overcome the impossible is the embodiment of the idea of hope. To do that which others give up on is to bring hope to those with hopelessness. If I can overcome anathemic knowledge, then I can overcome anything, even the Lady of Loss." He says -- his voice carries a solidarity, a focus of will.
"I see the logic." Old Lymosh agrees, a sweeping gesture of one ancient, liver spotted hand. "Secrets are part of Shar's power. Do you have the foggiest on how to deal with anathemic knowledge?"
"Reinforcement. Repetition. Retention." Moore says, echoing Xandra from a few hours ago. "I would imagine that tying the knowledge to something else that isn't anathemic will lead you back to it, time and time again. In the case that I'm working with, it's something that I kept trying to overcome, to remember, and basically kept chipping away it for myself."
Moore takes a breath here. "I know that my soul still remembers it, even if my body doesn't. So I'm aware that the knowledge doesn't simply vanish, even if people think it does -- it simply goes to a place that people generally only go to find answers on things they already question, not things that are hidden."
"Hmph." A stride forward as you can begin to smell pie once more. "Is there any particular anathemic knowledge in particular you resist?"
"That which was opened that let Benfal rise to Elysium, and its guardian gatekeeper." Moore responds.
He pauses, and then adds, "As well as the knowledge from the Lost Realm. Though that may be different."
"You sound like you're close to the answer as it is," Old Lymosh says, as the house comes close once more. The smell is incredible, pie now out on the windowsill. You find yourself eyeing it as he goes on. "Tell me the answer if you can."
Moore takes a breath in.
He knew her name before.
He remembered it before.
It's...
Can he?
He cannot.
He takes another breath.
"No." He ultimately says. "But I can at least remember, for now, the facts that I do know. She is one of the 77+7, one of the Guardians of the Seal -- the Aldaboah."
"That's an old word," The old man says, "Almost as old as I am." Letting that linger in the air, "I meant the solution to anathemic knowledge, though, not the particular tidbit of knowledge."
"Oh." He blinks.
...Elena?
No, the solution can't just be 'Elena,' that doesn't make sense.
"I know the Words of Creation are used to hide things." Moore says. "So it may simply be that they can be used to reveal things, as well. I've been considering that as an option, since it seems like, ultimately, the power to overcome anathemic knowledge has to come from yourself, but... the specifics... I don't know. It seems like the answer to that is just committing the knowledge to your own soul, if I had to put it into words."
"The Arch Angels can even take that away, if they need to," Old Lymosh says frankly, as Xandra and Cresiel watch. The brick house is left behind, the road on and along.
"I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise." Moore says as he continues to walk.
"I think, ultimately, I wouldn't have come this far if I didn't have the desire to do this because of someone else." He says. "Someone who's important to me in a way I can't really explain."
"A good reason, but think carefully. I will only go as far as you appeared here then return home. You have not infinite time," Old Lymosh says. "I understand you wish to find this answer yourself."
He takes in a deep breath.
He lets it out.
I fear we may be in for another long gate moment here. I'm kind of at a loss OOC on this one.
You could just ask him or try a different tack then.
"I do, but I'm coming up with a blank." He says as he walks. "You said I was close, but... I mean, dogged determination and persistence can't really be the answer, right? I've learned quite a bit in my time in Celestia, that sometimes you need to ask for help, even if you want to do something yourself. Would you please share your wisdom with me?"
"I will," The old man says, walking ahead, though looking onward as you continue on the perfect, hilly path. The river can be heard distantly, the sound of moving water a backdrop.
"The secret is the individual, the one. Creation is many things, but it is a Creation of opportunity. Any creature can rise as high as their own wit and power can take them. Any creature can even change themselves, no matter how against their nature it is. One is the first and most important number. Yet mere determination isn't enough. All the will in Creation isn't enough, not against this."
As you stride onward all the while, "It is said that a master swordsman grows to mean some small thing to swordsmanship to Creation itself. A champion who stands true and immortal. Someone who has forged himself that far. Yourself and your music would be considered in the same light to Creation. The secret to anathemic knowledge is to make yourself something that can overcome it, so that Creation itself supports you in this venture. This isn't a battle you can win with will, but with the aid of Creation?"
Moore blinks.
So that's why those who are part of divinity don't have any issue with it...
Another breath in and then out.
"So ultimately, I have to overcome the limits that I think Creation has for me." He says. "I refuse to let this be where I stop, even as I continue on my own path of hope."
"Easier said than done," Old Lymosh says, "But you're grasping the point of it. But throwing will at the problem by itself won't succeed. Remember that." Here he slows, starting to turn around as your arrival point is now there. "One final bit of advice: Most who overcome anathemic knowledge even in part are outsiders. It's not a prerequisite, but I trust you understand why?"
"I assume it's because of what the term 'outsider' really means when it comes to that power of One." Moore says. "The power from going beyond Creation."
"...What course are you destined for?" Old Lymosh says, "Outsiders are connected to their outer plane of origin. Think about that."
Moore smiles softly. "It's a bit of a story, I'll tell you sometime."
He clears his throat. "I think I understand, it's because they start to grow more in tune as part of Creation, right? It's the same as your swordsman, except in this case he's received a little bit of Creation to give back to."
Thus the old man is gone, leaving the three of you.
"Did you obtain what you wished, Moore?" Cresiel asks.
"Well, unless I go turn myself into an outsider — and don't get me wrong, I know how to do that — it seems like what I'm after is just going to take elbow grease as well as having Creation change with me. So, I have another piece of my path forward... that I have to follow through with."
A deep breath. "If there's one place I can think of where Creation and I are more in tune than anywhere it's Lifasa."
"I think that's the logical next step," Xandra agrees, "Lifasa bolsters you. I can think of no better place to advance forward and test this."
"For now, let's go have some pie." He says.
Return to Hopes Landing, have some pie.
Contact Tepen and see if he made any headway into preventing Spiritual Wounds with Moore's blood.
If he hasn't then Moore will go himself.
Okay, new thread time I think.