Okay, so Alicia and Marie want to go visit Mystra? If I have that right, any prep or anything I need to be aware of?
Aka basic setup.
We'll pretty much just go straight from Bytopia to Dweomerheart. Syala and Latha can come with if they want. Just go over through our usual channel to get a meetup with her or an avatar.
You meet Mystra in a small, cozy library. She sits here, a spellbook on her lap to read from. "Alicia," she greets, "Syala, Latha. Join me."
And Marie too!
"Mystra," Alicia returns the greeting, going to take one of the seats with the mother of magic while the eladrin goddess does the same. "Did you feel what happened in Bytopia?"
Latha and Syala join you as Mystra shakes her head. "I have not. I fear you're about to tell me something terribly unlikely, upsetting or remarkable." she slowly marks her page and closes her spell tome, which is gone a moment later. "There never seems to be merely unremarkable meetings these days."
Marie is almost bouncing in her seat with a sort of giddiness that suggests the news wouldn't be upsetting.
Probably.
"Then it pleases us to be the first to tell you," Alicia says with a more restrained smile, nodding to the neophyte trickster goddess. "Marie?"
"Garl Glittergold is back!" Marie blurts out upon that invitation.
A long, pregnant pause.
"Pardon?" Mystra says at last.
"We visited the Memorial," Alicia picks up on that. "And helped soothe some of Bytopia's rage by letting it vent upon a curse left by Daa-vid," she presses a finger against the ring of eternal celerity she's wearing. "And so we saw what happened when Daa-vid came to heaven, when the gnomes there refused to kneel to him. But the power of the Fairest Star that was used to kill Garl Glittergold and everyone else in Bytopia? Hellman Oberuth was given a fragment of that same power to renew and restore after he enacted the judgement of the God King. That same power brought the real god of the gnomes back from death."
"That's not possible," Mystra begins, slowly. "Gods don't come back from a final death, Alicia. Not like that."
"And yet?" is all Alicia can say in response to that. The truth is self evident.
"He said it was like being on the edge between sleep and wakefulness. No thoughts, just a feather-light sense of being aware," Marie adds.
"And yet." Mystra rises, faster than even Alicia can follow. Before your eyes a second Mystra emerges from the first, who steps through a portal that is there for a split second, just long enough for her to move through it.
She is silent after, a statue before, "...And yet, a miracle has happened," she concludes at last.
"As a god he's been diminished, I think even less than I am," Marie says after that conclusion. "But he still has his own knowledge and wisdom. And if gnomes manage to resurge as a people, he can regain what was lost."
"We wanted you to know a great crime from that war has been undone. So many others are still gone, perhaps forever... perhaps not. With Garl back there is some hope. And I hope you and he can be good neighbours," Alicia adds, smiling over at Mystra.
"What you did is impossible," Mystra says softly, "Yet I see it with my own eyes. The Fairest Star..." she trails away, "Hellmen Oberuth." A smile, a slow one. "Yes, of course."
"It can't be repeated. The echo he was given was spent," Alicia says, electing not to think about what could be done with the full power of the star. It should just be a world and people should stop obsessing over harnessing its power. Herself included. "But Creation can shine a little brighter because of it."
"A single miracle, a fair price played for what he did," Mystra concurs after that. "There...may be hope for Bytopia again."
"There is hope," Latha says, softly but with confidence.
"Yes. But we should return to Sylica - Antenora must be worried about us while she's holding things down by herself there," Alicia says. "I hope you'll hear more good news from us soon. We're working hard on growing ourselves and finding more things left behind by the Incarnation of Balance, although now the cat's out of the bag we're far from the only ones doing so."
"Be safe and be well," Mystra bids you, as...
Going home then?
Yes.
"Alicia," Antenora greets you once you return, "We've had our first seekers of power."
"Oh? How violently were they seeking it?" Alicia asks as everyone regroups in Liberton.
"They weren't." Antenora explains as Syala joins you, while Latha departs for other matters. "He asked questions and was subtle, just not subtle enough." An admission as she goes on, "Had Marchalu not been there, we may not have realized it at all."
"Well don't keep us in suspense, who was it and what was he asking?" Marie asks.
'Why Marie, you're the most pleasing when you're begging me for what's next,' Antenora sends, amusement in her voice.
Meanwhile, with no betrayal of what she's thinking on one count, on the other, "His name is Aloran. He's a half fey adventurer - he didn't get any hints, he just assumed because of what's happening. He's not evil, just discreet. Smart." Antenora turns slightly, as an image of him appears. Clear, hazel green eyes dominate, as well as elven ears and a slender build. Human otherwise, or perhaps half elven if you didn't know better. He's wearing a breastplate and greaves along with armguards, but no helmet is worn. "He swore by Titania's name, but he's not one of hers."
Marie goes around behind Antenora and hugs her without saying anything, an angelic smile on her face.
Alicia does not react to this, however. "Well, independent adventurers can't really be planned for but generally they're low impact as well. Not much we can do about those sorts of inquiries but nor are they a threat."
"That was my own conclusion," Antenora says, "But for everyone like this, we'll get a fool who sees power and is less intelligent and wise in how they seek it." She looks to the image, "I've reinforced the local guards and defenders, as well as put the Felis Knights on alert."
"We won't tolerate anyone coming in and breaking things in search of secrets, no," Alicia says firmly.
A smile as Antenora rests on Marie a moment, "Now then, how was your recent adventure?"
"Seira's idea worked. It didn't undo everything, but Garl Glittergold lives again, and Bytopia is soothed. Time will tell what else will come from this, but I think it can only be good," Alicia says.
"He's as nice as I expected," Marie chimes in. "We'll help him rebuild. He'll be a good friend to have."
"You succeeded just as I expected, my love," Antenora's smile grows, "Never doubt your own worth to be here - I saw your worth a long time ago."
Antenora then turns her head to Alicia, "I'm proud of her, Alicia. I'm so very proud of Marie."
Marie beams over Antenora's shoulder at all the praise.
"Yes she did very well today," Alicia says, happy to let her former familiar have the moment. "Every bit what we'd expect from a goddess of Sylica."
"Now then, I do believe Marie deserves a reward from her loving wife," Antenora declares, "If you excuse us, Alicia?"
Alicia gladly gives them their privacy.
It's time to think about going after another seed anyway.
Rolling knowledge for the Askarel Tomb on Pandemonium and its forbidden portal.
[17:23] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+93 buffed up planes check
[17:23] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d20=3]
Very little is known about it. It's said a forgotten, destructive race is entomed here. From the first days, something that was too destructive to allow it to continue to exist. An aberration, a mistake, a nightmare.
Lovely. Does she have a location for it?
Somewhere in Agathion is the common consensus.
But nothing specific? That's unfortunate.
Thinking of what sources of lore they have available, she decides to have Marie pay a visit to Aurora and see if she can find anything in its libraries. They owe Sylica enough that she shouldn't have trouble getting in, and Medi's obscure collection of lore might do the trick.
After she's done celebrating with Antenora, anyway.
I'll have Marie go to Aurora so she can benefit from the +15 untyped bonus from its library and make a check at 51 +4 morale (greater heroism), +15 insight (bibliotheca arcana), +20 competence (guidance of the avatar), +15 untyped (aurora) for +105 to her check.
We should probably have a library of our own for this kind of thing. Or just have a marshal on retainer.
It's a little while. A glance in - yep, still celebrating. The lemons and apricots are a new and interesting touch, you idly note.
As Alicia kills time for that in her office, catching up on so many matters big and small while she monitors her faithful all the while?
"Alicia?" Latha appears before you.
"Yes Latha?" she asks, looking up.
"I feel that it's time to talk to you," she admits, "I had wanted to do something worthy of my new station: And I cannot say that was not worthy."
"I should hope so, we've had a profound impact on Creation today," Alicia says with a bit of justified in her mind pride.
"An impact that will last a long time," Latha echos as you fee it.
A strong connection to Latha, bright and ready.
Node update, go read.
Read it.
"Yes," Alicia smiles at that feeling of connection. "In the long run of Creation, Garl's absence might be seen as only a temporary blip. Though it will still take a long time for Bytopia to be close to what it should be."
"Let's make sure Bytopia has all the time it needs," Latha concurs, "What now, Alicia?"
"I'm preparing to try and find another seed, I just need to narrow down a bit more information on the one in Pandemonium," she answers. "Right now we're scrambling around for them at the expense of anything else, but the prize they represent is too great to do otherwise."
"Other matters can wait," Latha concurs, "And we hope that Hell has not claimed that seed yet, or other seeds far below.
"It's a shame if they have, but we've done quite well for ourselves and at a fast pace. There's no reason to feel dispirited that we haven't gotten all of them," Alicia consoles Latha. "Still I'm not going to ask, we'll go and look for ourselves regardless."
"Then how can I help you with this?" Latha asks, going to join you.
"Unless you know about the Askarel Tomb, I'm waiting on Marie getting back," Alicia shakes her head. "That's the one I'm targeting next, although I plan to work outside our usual group for it. With Empress Sulia and perhaps Queen."
Latha nods slightly and...
Okay Marie, just going to go over and research?
Yes. She'll call ahead to Ebony so she can be let in.
Aurora is at Elysium right now so it's a rather local and pleasant trip for Marie's sensibilities. Ebony awaits her at the gate, "Marie," she smiles slightly and bows her head towards her. "Congratulations. Though I must ask," With a warm smile she says, "Are you contagious?"
"Just being a proxy isn't enough, Ebony?" Marie asks as she floats in the air outside of Aurora's gate, leaning forward with an impish smile. "I suppose it wasn't enough for me either."
Ebony leans in, almost face to face. "I have no dreams of grandeur, but it seems increasingly possible to do. Everyone's talking about it."
"I bet they are," Marie agrees, still smiling. "But I'm not contagious no matter how much you touch me."
Ebony smiles a little bit, "Why, that almost sounds like an invitation to try."
"Oh Ebony, I forgot how fun you are. You should come back to Sylica more often," Marie says in a pleased tone, straightening up. "But for now I'd like a chance to consult Medi's famous library."
"Of course," Ebony straightens up as well. "Come with me." As you head in you see the courtyard is quiet. "We're in a fairly long pause after some rough battles, as well as on resupply and rest. Jaela's out right now on a quest. Adrian's filling in for her, he and Misalea stopped in and volunteered for old times sake."
"Any closer to actually finding the First Vampire?" Marie asks, looking around as they go inside.
"Maybe, some of us are working on leads," Ebony says, "I got back just a few hours ago from one effort. A waste unfortunately, the source was dead. Unrelated demon business, his soul won't be taking divinations while it lies in the Abyss."
"Sounds messy," Marie says. "At least you're not being deluged by bats this time."
"I even had my clothes on, too," Ebony returns dryly, a smile threatening as you head into the entry hall. To the portals and as you go, "How is everyone at home, Marie?"
Meanwhile, Alicia receives a message!
Hi Alicia. I wanted to inform you of something - we ran into an avatar of Torm when obtaining the seed in Arcadia. We are still investigating, but we aren't sure how the avatar managed to get to us without anyone noticing, Illmater said he didn't even sense it at all. I would operate on the assumption that somehow or another, Torm has the ability to mask at least an avatar, maybe with an artifact or something. If we find anything further out, I will let you know as soon as possible.
Alicia thanks Moore for the information.
Meanwhile Marie and Ebony go inside Aurora to see if its library holds information that Alicia didn't have. "It's hectic with all the big changes, everything's reorganising and Strength of Light's away helping Empress Sulia with some aboleth troubles. It's a bit like when we first moved in all over again, there's that same sort of unpredictable energy and potential floating around. Everyone's excited."
"Everything's growing," Ebony agrees, and quieter, "I desire to be there during these times, Marie. Such times are one of a kind."
"And I used to be jealous of all the action you were getting here in Aurora," Marie says, pausing and turning fully to Ebony. "Tell Alicia then. Aurora can spare you for a while, especially if things are quiet here right now. In fact nevermind telling her, you just come home with me after I'm done here," she nods and takes Ebony's arm.
Alicia's not her boss anymore, she can make these kinds of decisions!
A raised eyebrow, "...my, so bossy," Ebony smiles at that, "So very bossy."
"It's good to be in charge," Marie says with an answering smile. "Now come on, lets hit up this old library," she pulls her onwards.
Thus you head to the library and...
Go ahead with getting your check game on.
[16:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+105 Marie planes
[16:41] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 107 > [d20=2]
Since it's been a weekend and I want to make sure my brain is accurate, subject of check?
Location of Askarel's Tomb. Plus any other useful info on it.
Hours pass. Marie reads up and searches, at first with just Ebony. In time Vul'lath joins you without a word. Then Elena, who just happens to float useful books over on occasion.
There!
A bit of lore relevant. 'Askarel's Tomb lies in one of the deepest portals, where the caves cry in dread and the sound ends all the living.'
Clearly she now has to cross-reference with which deepest portal has dread crying caves with deadly sound!
Gimme another check.
[17:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+105 planes with same bonuses
[17:53] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 107 > [d20=2]
There's a few - it's said that in one of the deepest reaches of Agathion the walls cry in dread. Dread at what isn't clear, but these tears bring the living to death's door and beyond it. They are exceedingly poisonous and acidic, as well as having curious properties not well understood. What's worse is that the sound destroys the bodies and minds of the living, further casting them into the abyss of death.
Does she have a physical location for these particular deepest reaches that she can give to Alicia?
The best point to start from it said to be Hanged Rock and then simply follow any path that goes downhill.
[18:36] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+105 same bonuses, check on Hanged Rock
[18:36] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 106 > [d20=1]
Goddess of Luck.
Bad luck, it seems. Or getting Antenora used up all of your luck for a few more lifetimes yet.
Hanged Rock is said to be where the demons who displease...displease...ah. You shake it off, your mind able to overcome the anathema that surrounds it. Hanged Rock is said to be where the demons who displease the Broken Serpent reside. They are hung and never die, in eternal torment and unable to escape no matter what they do. A daring soul could extract promises of vast power from a demon there, if only they freed them - and risk the wrath of the Broken Serpent, who is it said knows all who defy him on this.
[18:52] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+105 same bonuses, check on Broken Serpent
[18:52] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 109 > [d20=4]
It is little known, but the Broken Serpent is a creature - daemon or demon or something else, it isn't clear - that rules over Agathion. A planar lord of some kind, one mainly known by being unknown. Few comes to Agathion and fewer ever return, and whatever entertainments it has, they are rarely seen or understood.
Perhaps it is a daemon, for it wraps itself in secrecy. Perhaps it is a demon, a furious and hateful thing. Perhaps it is something else or something unique, or some horror that rose from being an inmate to being the warden, so to speak.
"Well, I think I've gotten about all I need now," Marie says as she puts an ancient tome carefully back on the shelf. "Elena, Vul'lath, thank you both for being lovely hosts. I'll be borrowing Ebony for a while longer though."
"I'll tell Canderella if she stops in," Elena promises.
"Until next time," Ebony agrees, standing and closing her book, letting Elena float it into place.
Alas she must break up the Ebony and Canderella pairing. But Ebony needs a break so it's fine!
"Come on then," Marie links arms with her and they head out of Aurora so she can gate the pair back to Sylica.
Ebony would object to Marie's monologue there, but no matter. Next move?
After receiving the relevant information from Marie, Alicia will contact her good friend Empress Sulia and ask if she wants to go on an adventure!
'Marie? Certainly - though does it involve birds?' Sulia asks.
Why is Sulia saying Marie there? Alicia's contacting Sulia after getting info from Marie but she's not being referenced.
No, I missed the Alicia part and thought it was Marie taking the initiative.
'Alicia? Certainly - though does it involve birds?' Sulia asks.
I don't believe so. It's deep underground.
'I'm certainly willing,' Sulia sends back.
Excellent. Please come over to Sylica? Don't worry about making an entrance we'll be leaving immediately to meet someone else I'd like to bring on this adventure. I think you'll like her.
'Dear Alicia, who do you have in mind?' Sulia replies.
The new lillend goddess.
'Oh, it would be lovely to meet her,' Sulia sends back. 'To see how she's come into her own.'
Thus when Sulia arrives in Sylica, Alicia takes her to the door under that bridge which leads to the second infinite stairway and the enter Queen's domain!
So for clarity, is it just you and Sulia right now, Alicia?
Yes. We're going to recruit the third member of our rag-tag team right now.
Empress Sulia follows along, in an elegant gown that no bit of mud or dirt clings to. "A door to the Infinite Stair?" she asks, "Does she lie beyond?"
"This isn't the infinite stair you know," Alicia answers. "There was a second stairway, one left unused and discarded. But since the new goddess has taken residence it seems to have regained its functionality. At least her servants visited Sylica by this door, so we'll return the favour." She of course is armed and armoured for battle, her new wooden sword on her back as she opens the door and enters the second Infinite Stair.
A mere nod from Sulia as you open the door.
Green.
Leaves.
You step in and brush aside leaves. For the warmth of the sun shines on this Stair, and trees grow. They growth within and from the stairs and platforms, branches weaving together, often making new paths to follow. The smell of flowers fills the air, like a summer day from childhood.
"Ahh, this looks nicer already. There was a sort of tree motif at the bottom but the atmosphere was otherwise dead when we first came here," Alicia says to Sulia before she reaches out for her new friend.
Queen, it is Alicia again. I've come with a new friend for you to meet and an invitation to go on a journey with us if you're willing.
As Sulia takes it in?
'Come. An escort will be with you shortly.'
"Lets go down the stairs, she's sending someone to meet us so we should get there soon," Alicia says to Sulia, descending off of this platform.
"How arboreal," Sulia notes as you go, "Much less austere than the Infinite Stair. Far more inviting, and I suspect far more inhabited."
"I'm not sure, the stair has its own towns of allsorts on the bigger platforms, but this one... well, there was a species made to be custodians of it but they were all put into a form of stasis by the Incarnations, then awoke when a newly risen goddess made this place her home," Alicia explains.
"Oh? What are they like?" Sulia asks as you begin to walk.
"They look a little bit like dwarves with insect antennae," Alicia answers. "I haven't seen enough to say much about what they're like in terms of culture and personality but they seem to have a lawful bent to them."
"Ah, I see," Sulia says delicately, "I suppose the parts would ensure that. Have you ever seen the giant ant farms in Mechanus, Alicia?"
Meanwhile, you can see them coming up the stairs now - a party of eight of them, each clad in ornate, golden armor and with crimson cloaks. More of Queen's people, approaching steadily.
"I haven't but that would make sense," Alicia says before she slows. "Ah, and here's our escort it looks like."
The eight figures approach and bow in unison, "Queen Alicia," they say, "Welcome to the Queendom."
"Thank you. I bring with me Empress Sulia, a dear friend from Brightwater," Alicia says, introducing her companion. "We would like to meet with your Queen, and haste would be preferable."
"Then come with us," They say, as you are lead on.
A step is ten. A hundred. A thousand.
Space seems to move to fit you, smooth as your own spell to manipulate space, but on a more fundamental level.
Queen's mastery of her domain is clearly coming along in leaps and bounds. On they go then, Alicia keeping quiet for the moment.
Down in a dozen steps, millions needed but a dozen will do. Here you are on the roots once more. Amid this whirl and tangle of them sits a throne of wood, on which Queen sits. Her people stand before her, while several of her sisters mingle amid them. Perhaps she holds court, watching as they chat and mix - yet as you approach, they stop the moment Queen clears her throat.
"Queen," Alicia nods respectfully to her before the throne. "It's good to see you again, and to see you reconnecting with your fellow lillend. This is Empress Sulia, a dear friend who helped me a great deal in adapting to divinity after my own rise."
"Queen," Sulia smiles, "I've heard such wonderful things about you."
"As I of you," Queen returns simply. "As I of you. Now Alicia, why do you grace my court?"
"To invite you on a journey with us," she says aloud. And then for Queen and Sulia's ears only?
I know of another seed and another guardian, in Pandemonium. I would like for the three of us to obtain it.
Queen leans forward, and with a gesture her people flee. In moments you have silence, and her will surrounds you, gives you all privacy.
"Another seed? Another Guardian?" she asks, "Tell me more."
"Information is limited," Alicia admits once they're able to speak freely. "But I have it on good authority that there is one in a place called the Askarel Tomb, in the deepest part of Pandemonium. If we were to start at Hanged Rock in Agathion and proceed ever downwards we should be able to reach it."
"It's no light day trip, but one with a reward we cannot ignore," Sulia agrees.
Queen considers, a hand to her chin before, "Another Guardian," she repeats, lowly, "Yes, I'll join you for this." She rises, clad in breastplate and armor. A wooden longsword is at her side, just like yours - the exact same type of wood.
"Beyond the guardian we also need to take care that others may have learned of it and be seeking the same prize. They might even have beaten us to it," Alicia admits. "But as Sulia says, we can't ignore it. Do you have any doors from here that can take us close, or shall I gate us?"
"There are as many doors as I need," Queen strides forward, as space twists again.
"A deity who rules an Infinite Stair," Sulia goes on, "Once your desires and portfolio become known, not all will welcome you with friendship and rejoicing."
Queen forsakes a helmet as she goes forward. Her hair is long enough to brush against the heels of her feet, a radiant, rich wood brown. Great waves of it, yet none that seem to slow her in the least. "My portfolio is the lillends, courage, endurance, healing, justice. Art too in the fullness of time, but I have just begun. Those who oppose that can try to stop me. I fear none of them, for they are no Guardians."
"That's an admirable portfolio," Alicia says as they move through the twisted space. "Which is part of why you have Sylica's friendship and support. Being able to get an early leg up with another of these seeds will help. But yes, the guardian... we don't know what form the one in Pandemonium will take, it will be different than the one here in the stair. It may not even involve battle, though I suspect it will. They aren't bound by simple magic as we are but there's still a degree of fairness to the challenges whatever form they take," she explains for Sulia's benefit a bit of what to expect.
"The seeds are meant to be found, then? The challenges are possible." Sulia observes.
"Barely," Queen's voice has a hint of an edge in it, "Possible spans from the trivial to the greatest depths of improbable challenge."
Meanwhile you come to a leafy, sunlit platform. Here a single door sits, ice an stony rubble around it.
"The point is that the guardians are a scaling threat, empowered by the Incarnation of Balance to challenge any who come seeking. They might have a lower threshold but I doubt they have a meaningful upper one," Alicia says smoothly, stopping on the platform. "Now before we go through, are both of you protected from casual divinations? I think we'll be served using an illusion so any locals don't see us for what we are."
"I am," Sulia concurs.
Queen merely nods, "I am protected."
Alicia then alters reality slightly to give the three of them the look of nondescript people wearing dirty hooded robes, the illusion seen right through by them but sufficient to fool most casual scrutiny into seeing them as the sort of suspicious looking cultist sorts common across the lower planes.
Alter reality for Veil basically.
That done, she opens the door onto Pandemonium.
Tight.
There's barely enough space to stand as you step out of the door, a narrow, rocky cleft ahead onward.
"It shouldn't be far," Queen declares as you all step out.
Empress Sulia merely readies her staff and strides on.
Fortunately they can all fly. No deadly howling winds yet either. "Downwards is the rule here," she says, squeezing on down that cleft.
Give me 1d100+20 here, Alicia.
[17:43] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100+20
[17:43] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d100=85]
Tighter and tighter. You have to work to go - or simply a tiny bit of divine will. Either way. On and on you go, until you come to a turn. It's then that it slams into you - a screaming roar, a gale wind that scythes through the tiny cleft like a howl of agony.
That's unpleasant. Alicia exercises some control over the winds to dissipate them around the trio.
Alter reality for Control Winds. She can reduce wind strength by 11 levels but she'll drop it down towards 'bit blustery outside' rather than calm just so they don't stand out quite so much.
Were you a mortal, you can feel the force behind them would not yield. Yet you are not, and at the same time Queen and Sulia join your will. Together the winds drop down as desired.
"Moan your sorrows to another," Sulia says with gentle firmness.
"Keep an eye out for anyone else in case we want to make it look like we're struggling more," Alicia says, although she can easily see the farthest of the three deities here. Still, now less troubled by the damned wind they can advance anew.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d100=37]
Onward. It's not far until you see an opening at last. A vast, open cavern - and here hang thousands and thousands. Demons of all kinds are hung here, flailing and moving in vain. A great sea of them, all struggling to save themselves to no avail.
Queen looks at them intently, hand on the blade of her sword, but she does not draw it.
"So that's where the name comes from," Alicia says dispiritedly. "Unless we wish to challenge the Broken Serpent we'll leave them well alone. Down we go," she looks for further passages down from this cavern they can take while avoiding all those hanging demons.
"We could challenge him," Queen suggests, "Let him come slithering over and beat him then and now." Her gaze is on them, blade unsheathed ever so slightly.
'Let me down,' A voice in your mind, a woman's. 'I have treasure to reward you with.'
"It does tempt, but revenge comes in many forms. It's not the initial bite I worry for, but for the poisoned sickness in the years ahead," Empress Sulia says as she looks around herself, at anything but the demons, "We aren't Antenora. We don't have to offer them a second chance right now."
Another voice, this one of a growling man. 'Free me and I'll make you a king!'
Meanwhile Alicia looks about and sees three passages going down. One is a sharp slope but roomy. One is a gentle incline but narrow. The third is a crawl tunnel you'll have to crawl in, but goes down at a good clip.
A third voice, a groan that is utterly inhuman, 'Let me go or suffer my curse for a millenia!'
Alicia can easily shrink to move easily in the crawl tunnel, though Sulia and Queen will have a harder time. Still it's doable with some magic so she'll aim for that one.
"Not today anyway. Remember that we came here for a purpose," she says quietly, leading the way and shuttering out the voices of the damned.
Magic shrinks you all enough to go and down you go. Down this slope, down this place as demonic voices wail in your minds.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d100=5]
You travel down for a time. This leads to a large chamber - one scorched badly with flame, blackened and charred. Not an inch of stone here is free of burns, and in places you can see where the stone sagged, deformed by partially melting.
There's a few passages from here, including one sloping down as well.
"We're looking for where the walls cry acidic tears of dread. We're not there yet though," Alicia says, continuing down.
But she does check if recent magic caused this.
Have arcane sight up to see any lingering auras if applicable.
There is indeed a lingering aura.
Feel free to do whatever shenanigans/spellcrafting you like in response to that.
Spellcraft take 10 for 103 with divine insight/guidance of the avatar to identify the spell and hit the DC 85 to discern the caster.
The spell was Fire Storm and the caster was Bel. How he got the area of effect for Fire Storm so high is an open question.
Not even greater fire storm too. "Problem," Alicia says curtly. "Bel was here, and that means Gathgorian likely isn't far either. They know as much as I do about what we seek." The good news however is that a fire storm's aura wouldn't linger for that long. "We're not far behind though, and there's no telling how they'd fare with the guardian. Lets step up our pace."
They might still have the illusion up but now they'll be moving at their full deific speed and Alicia will be compressing space ahead of them to shorten their journey as well.
Empress Sulia readies her staff as she strides forward, while Queen's blade is out. "Perhaps we can confront them directly," she says, "They can meet justice today."
She'd feel better facing them with Antenora nearby but her allies are strong regardless. "Lets hurry and hope they took the wrong path somewhere here," she says as they pick up the pace.
Onward. More fire, more ruin - and soon enough you begin to hear a wailing. The walls begin to grow wet, sizzling and charred and ruined.
"Acid crying walls, we're on the right track. Of course no telling how big the tomb is when we find it so don't assume we're close yet," Alicia says as the trio hustle ever deeper into Pandemonium's forgotten reaches.
Simple nods as you fly along and...
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 87 > [d100=87]
The howls grow louder and louder as you come to another bend. Here is an open cavern, large enough for all of you and the creature there and little else, with but a single passage going down. A creature sits here, a creature with six arms. A man, body clad in bolted in metal armor reminiscent of an orthon. Yet his flesh is a healthy color, no sign of an orthon's features. It looks up as you come around, patient and unmoving, merely looking at you.
Any magic on him I can see with arcane sight?
[18:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+39 CL if needed
[18:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 43 > [d20=4]
Yes. Superior Resistance and Gyatha's Insight.
The latter boosts his knowledge checks.
"So do you live here or are you guarding something?" Alicia asks, pausing just briefly upon seeing someone, her features shrouded under the illusory hood she's wearing.
Queen readies her sword while Sulia is still but tense. "Yes, do tell us what you're doing here."
"I am Gyatha." The creature introduces himself, "Welcome to my home. Join me and I will tell you how the end comes. I will tell you of the Last Day and how you may yet earn her mercy."
"We care not for your nihilistic musings," Alicia cuts him off right after that.
It's a shame she's being so rude because he's been nothing but polite!
Still they're running against the clock here so Alicia twists space so that a single step will let them go past Gyatha to the end of his screaming and weeping cavern so they can descend without having to navigate around him.
Queen turns to glare at him as you hurry along, yet the figure makes no move to pursue. He does say, however, "Running will not change the inevitable fate. Her mercy is available to everyone, even you."
Alicia doesn't dignify that kind of mercy with any further response.
It's been a week off, so let's freshen up with a new Perception check.
[15:39] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81
[15:39] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 93 > [d20=12]
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Deeper in. Deeper into the moans and cries, into the withered places. The stone itself is charred, burnt. Down twisting-tight tunnels of blackened rock. Down past the tears and the sorrows, down down and down. To another open chamber.
Here they are pinned to the walls of this vast cavern - great, troll like creatures, burnt and destroyed. Dozens of them, left in effigy. A single path winds deeper yet, deeper into this madhouse.
"Sulia, can you tell how recently these died?" Alicia asks, that sort of diagnosis being more her skillset. It'll tell them how far behind they are from what she still presumes to be Bel and Gathgorian's trail.
> roll 1d20+67
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=5]
"A day ago," Sulia says at last.
"Tch," Alicia makes a dissatisfied noise. "I don't know what sort of pace they'll set ahead of us but we may have missed our opportunity. Unless the guardian proved too much for them... come on, lets keep going and hurry," she pinches space to that path ahead to speed them up, every little bit of speed hopefully counting for something.
On and on and on. There! You reach your destination - and there is no trouble until you reach a black portal. This is your destination as the walls weep, sizzling on the blackened stone. Here a spindly, too thin humanoid sits. Unclad and with arms long enough to reach the ground standing it watches you, bald and hunched over. He constantly licks his lips and shuffles to and forth, "At last, at last, a comer comes to come before me. Yet this is not the first or the second in these dying days that die and stay dead. The other spoke of you, he said your name and has spoken of you and yours."
Queen brandishes her blade while Empress Sulia gently lowers her arm with her hand. Instead Sulia comes forward, "Who are these two others who came before you?"
"They burn and will be burned and have always burned," The creature replies in an almost light, sing-song voice. "Lady of Sacrifice, you are too late. Lady of Portals, you are too late. Lady of War, you are too late. I fear that you will not find what you seek, for I have feared it and you will fear once you go inside. The Devil of War and Devil of Storms precede you. The Guardian has surely met them by now."
"And yet meeting a guardian and satisfying one are two very different things," Alicia says, admittedly dispirited by this by now expected news. "What do you know of the guardian anyway?"
"It is and will always be," The creature says, "Tomorrow never comes for it because today and yesterday are the same." It meets your gaze, one tired eye too large, the other far too small. "I am made in the image to serve it, and have served it and will always serve it here."
Any magic on this thing?
"And how do you serve?" she asks. None of the other guardians have needed door guards.
It has permanent spells of see invisibility and detect magic.
"I keep out the vermin, so no vermin will enter and they are kept out," It says. "Are you vermin?"
[17:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+57 sense motive
[17:53] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=15]
To see how legit he is about being made by the Guardian.
"No. Did you try to keep out the devils?" Alicia asks right back.
He seems on the level.
"I did not, for they were not vermin." Is the answer.
Queen's glare is like fire, "They are vermin!"
"Then you won't try to keep us out," Alicia replies more calmly. "What will you do if the Guardian is gone outside of Creation?"
"I will stay. He never said to leave, or to leave in the future," Is the simple answer as it stands aside, no further block to your path.
"Suit yourself," Alicia says. "Can you tell us what to expect from the Guardian?"
"That he awaits if he's still there," Is the answer, "And that you had best not fail to succeed. He has no patience for failures."
Does that mean Bel and Gathgorian are done for? She can only hope for reality to be so kind.
"Then we'll see, shan't we? Come along Sulia, Queen," she advances ahead, either to a Guardian's challenge, or nothing at all.
Thus you enter and ahead is - ruin. Blackened, charred ruin. Nothing is left but destruction and the afterbirth of an inferno, save for one thing.
From the ruin is a flagpole which stands strong and untouched, made of green metal. Baatorian greensteel if you don't miss your informed guess. From it flies a banner of hellfire red, with the image of a greatsword engulfed in green flames on it.
"Damnation," Alicia pronounces. "We're too late, Hell has beaten us here and absconded with the prize."
She supposes if the test were as violent as most she's faced then the devils would be capable, but she'd hoped they'd be thwarted by something more meaningful.
Sulia walks to the banner and with a tap of her staff, disintegrates it. "Bel left a calling card for us," he says, "That was his sigil."
"All this was for nought?" Queen looks on with frustration, lips tightly pressed together. "Damn it!"
Unless this is part of the test? She fears she's grasping at straws but even so Alicia gives the area a thorough look over in case things aren't as they seem. There's nothing lost by spending a moment on that.
Take 10 for 123 on perception with alter realitied divine insight and improvisation to buff it. Also alter realitied true seeing goes up. Taking 10 for 66 on spellcraft to ID the magic of any lingering auras or active spells.
There's several fading auras here. Things like fire storm and Gathgorian's fireball have been used liberally.
You don't see anything remarkable, unfortunately.
"I'm afraid so," she agrees with Queen after surveying the area. "I know of another we can try, it won't be nearly so easy, but... well, with you two here we might have a better shot than otherwise, and I doubt devils could reach it without considerable opposition."
For the record, lets roll planes with divine insight and guidance of the avatar for all the stuff I know about the spawning stone. Take 10 for 101.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Have you made this check before this game? I want to say someone has so this is purely covering bases.
Nope, Alicia famously does not give a shit about slaad.
To the gnashing of Antenora's teeth, I see. Okay then.
The Spawning Stone is said to be where the slaad race emerges. While slaad can breed and reproduce in other ways, such as laying eggs, they come wholesale from this stone, and slaad are normally drawn to it.
It is said the Spawning Stone is restrained or imprisoned somehow. The details of this are not clear, but the sentiment of 'FREE THE SPAWNING STONE' is not an unheard one on the planes.
It is also said that Ssendam takes a great interest in the Spawning Stone, and other slaad lords likely do as well, barring the interference of Ssendam.
Ancient lore, found in Dweomerheart's libraries that none but Mystra's most favored servants have access to, mentioned that once the slaad were far less uniform. The details of why this changed is not clear, lost to endless ages.
It is said if a slaad reaches the Spawning Stone and touches it, they can change to whatever they wish. As to date, examples of a slaad that makes it to the Spawning Stone are vanishingly rare. Or perhaps those who do simply are wise enough not to talk about it.
Does she actually know where it is or how to get to it?
No. This is mostly because Limbo changes it up. The terrain around it changes wildly, the location changes or the distances to other places change.
This is more Limbo being Limbo than anything else, and particularly strong around the Spawning Stone.
"Let us depart for the moment, nothing is served talking here," Alicia adds, opening a gate back to Sylica, next to the doorway under that bridge leading to Queen's Infinite Stair.
It doesn't work. Not surprising considering where you are, you probably at least need to exit back through the black portal.
Bel and Gathgorian clearly didn't.
Is there a dimensional anchor in play here? As I understand it severed astral links don't interfere with deific planar travel, please correct me if I'm wrong.
It doesn't interfere if it's within your own divine realm. It doesn't help getting back to it if where you are isn't there and it's interdicted.
There isn't that you can tell, so something else is muddying the waters here.
Alicia pauses after her failed spell, hand still outstretched in the somatic gesture for a gate.
"Something doesn't add up. Bel was here after defeating the guardian's challenge in order to plant that flag, he wasn't set elsewhere by the guardian's power at the end. But it's impossible to gate or teleport out of here, and if he left by the same route we entered, the one outside would have seen him exit. He only said he'd seen the devils go ahead of us, not that he'd seen them leave."
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/4/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
"Then what?" Queen asks, curiously. "A deception?"
"A deception by the devils or a deception by the Guardian?" Empress Sulia questions, "Unless they had some unknown means to escape this place."
Can I sense any movement or air pockets/other caverns around here with 4 mile tremorsense?
"Bel definitely got here ahead of us, we had evidence further back. If he failed but survived then this may be a bluff to deter anyone else from obtaining the prize. Either that or the guardian is using this as part of its test. Or finally Bel had some greater means to leave directly from here which we're not aware of. Can either of you manage a wish or miracle to interrogate the stone the way a druid would?"
Queen kneels. Her fingers turn into roots and slip into the stone like it's merely loose dirt, spreading far and wide. "I will," she says, "The stone will not lie to me."
You don't sense and caverns or movement int he stone, beyond Queen's roots. They're spreading hundreds of feet a second, forming intricate networks of roots.
"A test, a bluff or the unknown." Sulia reasons, "Unfortunately it's a devil, so an overly elaborate scheme is possible." Her voice is tinged with an open hint of distaste, "Rather than playing guess the diabolical mind, let's assess if the other choices could be true." Sulia focuses as hunks of broken stone from the tomb are moved aside, beginning to clear it out.
"Thank you," Alicia says to Queen. "The outlook doesn't seem positive but there's enough uncertainty we should at least try and assuage all doubt. The thing is were the Guardian to enact some kind of bluff against us, by the nature of their powers they could make it perfect and we'd have to hope for a flaw left out of 'fairness'. The devils would be more limited, and the fact I can't detect any other caverns past this one is a point against that - they wouldn't be able to actually interfere with the guardian's domain without consent. And lastly, the presence of an artifact or sufficient divine power would have allowed them to simply gate out of here. I don't believe Bel can have retained his former status as Lord of the First with it transferred fully over to Lixer, but if he obtained another seed before this one it's mathematically possible he would have ascended past demigod status and be capable of it," she runs through the possibilities before them.
"The stones speak of a great cataclysm," Queen interrupts. "Fire scorched the outer stones and the tomb collapsed."
And I can't tell anything about the collapse from tremorsense? No rubble or buried chambers?
The tomb's so broken that only a few little pockets remain, now that you glance at it. Nothing devil sized. It's like all the stone broke apart from top to bottom.
"That matches what I can feel with tremorsense, other than this void there's only a few little pockets amidst the rubble, nothing meaningful for miles. No, I think by now we have to accept that things are as they appear to be," Alicia says after a moment's testing the ground under her feet. "Lets take our leave."
Sulia turns away, face a thundercloud of dismay. "Our former Lord of the First is owed a debt now," she says, "We shall have to repay him."
Queen's roots curl back within seconds, ripple-smooth as her hands become hands once more.
Bitterly disappointed herself, Alicia leads the way back out through that black portal.
Thus you emerge out, and a Gate is easily cast if you desire it.
"The Guardian is gone," Alicia tells the guardian's servant before doing so.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/3/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
"So it is done," The servant says at last. "Good."
"If you say so," Alicia doesn't think it's very good at all. But she opens a gate to Sylica, mainly so they can get themselves back into Queen's stairway through the door there. It may prove important for what comes next.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/2/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Once there, Queen takes a moment while Sulia adds, "All the more reason to hurry," she says.
"Yes. I'd been leery of trying this possibility but needs must," Alicia says once safely inside the second infinite stair and away from prying ears. "We need to reach the spawning stone on Limbo."
As you do?
"The spawning stone," Sulia says, "That will be no easy task. I've heard Ssendam's been known to interfere when others try."
Aunt Alicia?
"Even reaching it will be a trial nevermind figuring out how to get inside it past whatever defences the slaad have. But you two are deities of chaos which gives us an edge the devils lack," Alicia answers.
Meanwhile she replies to Emily. Yes, Emily?
Alyssa and I are working on the seed in the Astral. Zaphkiel mentioned an unused transitive plane. I heard of what you did in the other stairway, do you think that could be it?
Perhaps. I'm actually working with the ruler of that plane now to try and get the one on Limbo - Hell beat us to the one in Pandemonium. Do you wish an introduction?
If it is that one, it may have some connection or remnant of this connection to the Astral, this Ordial Gate. It would help us a lot.
"Excuse me, we have something else - Emily Aryn is asking for a favour," Alicia says to her companions. "She's newly risen herself and the daughter of two dear friends of mine. She believes you can help her with something Queen, so this would be a good chance for you to make additional contacts and friends."
If you plane shift to Sylica here you'll find the door to her stair awaits under the bridge. I'm with her and Empress Sulia not far in.
"Fine, let some good come of this," Queen says at last.
Thank you! I'll be along with Alyssa!
"I've asked her to come through Sylica with the same door we used, she'll be along shortly with Alyssa Songsteel, another freshly ascended," Alicia says, now waiting.
"Oh yes, I heard of her," Empress Sulia says, then sighs. "Including from one of my more...difficult faithful."
"Oh? Any timely warnings to give?" Alicia asks, curious what sort of adherent Sulia would class as 'difficult'.
"Bring birdseed," Sulia's voice is deadpan, tired and exasperated.
"...birdseed?" Queen turns to her, "What manner of difficult is she?"
"She rather devoutly believes herself to be a bird," Sulia explains, "After a rather unusual event, she's a phoenix in the body of a human."
"I meant more what your faithful told you about Alyssa, but... alright," Alicia says dubiously. "A phoenix in the body of a human? How does that work? I heard Kascha from the Cauldron is some sort of phoenix but she's an eladrin... are feathers going out of style?"
"Well..." Sulia begins, only to stop when the door opens. Into this second Stair Emily and Alyssa come forth.
For Alicia, she sees Empress Sulia. She is clad in a beautiful gown, hair of vibrant red spilling down her back. She is a naturally pretty woman, a quarterstaff at the ready.
With them is Queen, a battle maiden lillend. She is clad in breastplate and armor, a sword at her side. She looks over the two of you with a regal expression.
Go ahead, y'all.
Alyssa holds herself confidently, clad in simple clothes of high quality in purples, reds, and golds, with gloves of fine leather, and inclines her head to the others.
"Greetings, I am Alyssa Songsteel, ruler of the Alyssum Royal Academy. Thank you for making time to meet with us and any help we might receive."
"Emily, Alyssa," Alicia nods to the pair. "This is Empress Sulia and Queen. Queen rules this realm, but since you've caught us in the midst of a journey we'll have to dispense with the usual formalities," she says to introduce everyone, standing on the stairs in her own armour with wooden double-sword over her back.
"Yes, I hear you're working on something in Limbo. Things are certainly speeding up. Thank you for the introductions, Alicia."
Queen nods slightly and lets Alyssa talk.
"Charmed," Empress Sulia smiles.
"Ahem," Emily says, "I just have a few questions to ask."
Alyssa returns the smile and lets Emily go.
"Does the name Ordial mean anything to you?" Emily begins with, "Perhaps tied to another unused transitive plane?"
To this Queen considers one moment, "No, it means nothing to me, child." she answers at last.
"I..." A blush from Emily, "Please don't call me that. I'm not just my mother's daughter." Her voice is even and polite, but firm as she meets Queen's gaze.
The lillend meets that gaze before she inclines her head forward, "Emily," she corrects herself.
Emily's silent a few more moments, fists balled up. "Do any other new or unused transitive planes mean anything to you at all?" Emily asks, rather hopefully.
"It does not." Queen's answer is firm. "I'm sorry."
At this Emily sighs, "Thanks anyway," she says, crestfallen. "Thanks for your aid in this, Aunt Alicia."
That gets Queen to glance at Alicia, before, "Aunt Alicia?" she asks Alicia, outright.
Alyssa looks on bemusedly at the small confrontation over 'child.'
"As I said, she's the daughter of two dear friends," Alicia says to Queen. "I should introduce you to them sometime. But to narrow down the point further? The Ordial Gate is a particular location in the astral plane that was created by the Incarnations to connect with a different transitive plane. One that was never used in favour of the Infinite Staircase. As the Gate cannot be reached by travel through the astral, you can see why Emily thought this might be a productive avenue," she explains things a bit more for Queen's benefit, in case the extra context leads to better insight.
I finally ran into a helpful Guardian, Seira speaks to Alicia. When would you have a few moments to come over and hear what he had to say?
Everyone wants to speak with her right now!
Is it urgent? I just got back from Pandemonium and Bel had beaten us there. I'm about to try for Limbo and I'm helping Emily and Alyssa with the Ordial Gate as well.
Not urgent. Shame about Pandemonium.
Shame, Alicia agrees. I'll come to the Cauldron as soon as things slow down here.
Queen is silent until Alicia finishes, then, "Go to the Roots," she says, "You may find some knowledge there, if there is knowledge to be found."
Anything to roll to find out more about that?
Not in this case, the realm's just not known enough to even allow it.
"Where is that, exactly?"
"Below, at the base," Queen explains, "I will have one of my trusted servants show you in."
"Thank you very much. I appreciate the hospitality."
To that, Queen comes forward and takes your hand. A clasp of hands as she pulls you in close to her, "Go forward bravely."
Alyssa returns it with a pat on her hands, "Thank you. May knowledge and wisdom guide you to success and new journeys."
A firm shake before the stairs ahead of you shimmer. "Go that way, you'll find the Roots and a guide."
Alyssa turns to Emily, "Anything else, or shall we go?"
"Nothing." Emily turns and goes to hug Alicia, "Thanks, Aunt Alicia," she promises warmly, before going to the shimmering stairs.
Once they do the two are gone, and with that, the way ahead for Alicia is now unbarred by distraction.
"Thank you for helping them. Whether or not that avenue proves fruitful it's at least a lead," Alicia says to Queen once they're gone. "That just leaves us with the problem of getting to the Spawning Stone."
"A fell problem," Empress Sulia admits, "Are we enough alone? Yet, the nature of the reward demands a smaller party, does it not?" Here she frowns, "Unless one calls in a great favor from a close friend."
"Anyone from Sylica can help of course, but I'd rather not simply force our way in violently," Alicia says. "The first problem is how to get there of course... although. I have something that can help when we're there. I don't suppose either of you two are anarchs?" she asks.
Two headshakes before, "In truth I don't know if I am," Queen admits, "I've not had reason to go to Limbo."
"Well, I happen to possess an artifact that can make anyone an anarch. For divinities it works a little bit differently - it makes Limbo as malleable as your own divine realm. Please don't spread around that I have this, but I can empower the two of you with it. If all else fails, three divine anarchs focused on reaching the spawning stone might open a path through raw Limbo."
"I don't imagine it is without risk," Sulia says at last, a hand to her chin, "No, I fear we may attract more attention with that, but it is too useful a chance to ignore. Thank you, I accept."
"As will I," Queen says, "We won't avoid combat here, but this may soften our journey."
"Come on then, back into Sylica and I'll take you where we need to go," Alicia leads them back up the stairs and through the door into Sylica, teleporting them to the hidden cave where she's hidden the Icon of Sensation.
As you do?
Alicia.
Yes, Malcanthet?
I want to talk.
The Gith Queen is willing to be a mediator.
"Just a moment before we begin," Alicia says to her companions as they stand in the cave before that golden idol of sensuality. "Malcanthet is trying to entreat me over something."
Interesting. What do you propose we talk about with such mediation then?
Violet and other matters. We have a lot to talk about.
She could taunt Malcanthet over what Violet said about her impending rescue, but it just feels petty and beneath her.
I see. I will wait to hear word from Vlaakith then.
There's no further reply, only the inevitability of silence.
How annoying. "That's handled for the moment. Now come closer to this statue and I'll use it to give you the spark necessary to make Limbo your own," she says to Queen and Sulia, focusing her willpower through the icon and into the other goddesses.
It's easy enough, simple to your will.
"What a remarkable statue," Sulia marvels once it's done, "Wherever did you find it?"
"Stole it from one of Malcanthet's radiant sisters," Alicia admits. "She was experimenting with its sensory boosting properties but I had that prismatic dragon from Aurora take a look and he discerned its deeper power over Chaos."
"As if Malcanthet didn't have enough reasons to dislike you," Sulia marvels, "What a wonderful way to acquire it."
Queen merely adds, "She's trouble?" she asks, plainly. "She needs a good slaying." Her hand goes to her sword at that.
"She's extremely troublesome. If not for seeking these seeds I'd be more active in dealing with her, but she's hopefully busy dealing with her rebellious radiant sisters after sacrificing all of them in a ploy to empower one who is now a guest of Sylica," Alicia says. Though given the message she just heard, perhaps Malcanthet has something she wants to offer to get Violet back?
"Anyway, Limbo..." she gets them back on track. "Unless there happens to be a door near the spawning stone we can rely on from the stair, we might just have to gate ourselves there and... assert ourselves."
"There isn't anything too close," Queen answers, "Anything too near to the Spawning Stone won't stay stable, or the door suddenly crumbles to dust in a second."
A soft click of Sulia's tongue before, "That sounds like Ygorl's handiwork for the latter."
"In that case we'll just have to get there the hard way and hope the power of three divine anarchs - two of them chaos goddesses specifically, can get us there in a hurry. Are you ready to go now?" she asks, preparing to open a gate to 'near the spawning stone' which doesn't really mean anything because Limbo distance and direction is weird like the astral. So just a generic point in Limbo really.
Any prep on your end?
No, I'm still somewhat buffed from earlier and I can throw down short duration stuff if/when we get closer to potential opposition.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Okay, give me a CL check with a +5 circumstance bonus for anarchery.
[18:18] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41+5
[18:18] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=17]
The portal opens - a rippling, rainbow thing that constantly changes colors and shapes, but is nonetheless a portal.
Good enough, off they go through with Alicia in the lead!
You step through and immediately everything is a maelstrom around you. A maelstrom of chaos and elements, tearing at you, ripping at you.
You have the first chance, taking the lead and exposed to it as...
Chance to react.
Naturally Alicia asserts her will over the Chaos as easily as she would over Sylica. Nothing fancy, she simply creates a bubble of air about 100 feet in radius around herself.
Charisma check. Not normally required but this is obviously an unusual area of Limbo.
[19:33] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+19
[19:33] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=13]
Limbo quiets to your command as Queen and Sulia join you. With their will it becomes utterly still, tamed for the moment.
"Limbo is quite violent here but this is controllable," Alicia says, spreading the air bubble out for a four mile radius around them just to clear things up and see if there's anything nearby.
Nothing nearby - but even amid Limbo? About 3 miles away it sits - the side of a mountain, which rises up high and out of sight. It seems solid, unchanging even amid the chaos of Limbo.
Anything distinctive about it enough to provoke a knowledge check?
Sure, go for it.
[20:37] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+71 planes, divine insight
[20:37] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=1]
You recall old stories of great cliffs that overlook a river that approaches the Spawning Stone.
"I wonder if we're close? I heard something once about great cliffs overlooking a river that approaches it... though honestly I always just pictured it floating free in wild Limbo. I'm not even sure how big it is," Alicia admits to Sulia and Queen as they get their bearings.
Orienting herself so the mountainside slopes towards what she would now consider 'down' that still leaves two directions to potentially go in that would run parallel to that cliff. Unless they should go over it and it's on the other side? "Which direction feels best to you two?" They're better attuned to Chaos than she is after all.
"I've heard conflicting stories," Sulia admits as you two look about.
"Let's go to that cliff top," Queen points to the mountain you revealed, "High ground helps, even here."
That's a logical assumption, all Chaos aside, so Alicia nods to Queen and begins flying that way.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d100=30]
> roll 1d100 subtable since chaos
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d100=17]
As you fly up, you can hear the sound of water splashing. It's indistinct and not coming from any one source. Unnatural noise, noise that is without being, projected from nowhere to you.
"I did hear about a river but this is more like phantasmal sound," Alicia says, looking around.
Any magic?
Yes. Magic projects that sound from everywhere.
"It's like it's from everywhere," Sulia says, "Magic to do so, strong and consistent."
"Trickery?" Queen asks, drawing her blade smoothly.
Alicia spends a moment sharpening her senses before discerning more about the magic.
Take 10 for 101 on divine insight/guidance of avatar spellcraft so I can hit DC 85 identify caster.
You spend a minute of time as Queen keeps guard and Sulia is at the ready.
Nothing. Which means it was cast by an item or some other force, not a living creature.
You can study the unique signature of a spell that's already in place and effect to discern who the spellcaster is. This reveals the name of the spellcaster, though no other information is provided. Spells cast by magic items or other inanimate objects reveal nothing. Discovering the caster of a spell takes one minute of study.
"Can't tell who's casting it, I think it's generated naturally - if still using magic," Alicia says. "Lets keep going and get over the rock, see what we can see from there."
It's humid.
It grows humid as you fly up to the top of the rock - and you see it below, where it wasn't moments ago. A vast river, larger than even the Oceanus or Styx as its biggest, swells down below. In the great river are countless slaads of every color - even white slaad. Black slaad are also there, along the banks.
Slaad fight.
Slaad fuck.
Slaad scream.
Slaad frolic.
The slaad all swim upstream and in the same direction.
You see a black slaad on the shore grab a blue slaad up. It is little more than night with two white eyes, and before your eyes it rips the blue slaad apart like tissue paper. It eats the wiggling caterpillars that emerge from within and lets the pumpkins fall into the waters, where other slaad devour them.
Four green slaad swim ahead, conjoined together with stitches as if they were stuffed toys. Anything they pass by begins to bleed from a dozen cuts, and from which sparkling green quartz rains out in place of blood.
The slaad of the libraries swims onward, the catatonic essay entered excellently before you.
The one with the shape of an ape and with twenty two eyes looks onward, as a white slaad pounces on it. Blood and tearing follow, nothing left behind but the essence of a sigh, which marches off to its fate downriver.
In the depths of the water you see a thousand praying githzerai, chained down and chanting meaningless words. From them come the words that speak of colors and tastes, the taste of roasted ham joined with a garnish of sea green.
Alighting on the rock and looking down, Alicia says... "I'm not sure what I expected. It probably should have been this but it wasn't," in a resigned tone.
Empress Sulia stands next to you with a frown. "It's madness," she tears her gaze away, "Do not look too long at it. There is meaning but not coherent meaning."
Queen stands on you other side and looks down at the strange river, "No, you're wrong. Everything is an individual expression. It's not madness, it's perfect individuality. A song sung differently by each singer." A pause, "But they are not strong enough. They need a firm hand to guide them. They need a queen."
"Well what they have is some kind of stone... are they all swimming away from it after spawning or are they swimming towards it for some sort of pilgrimage?" Alicia looks in either direction of the river for clues.
Both directions go on farther than you can see without an answer.
"We could ask one," Sulia says at last, "But the problems with that are manifest."
"They'll see us regardless," Alicia observes, studying the slaad a bit despite the caution against doing so.
Basically trying to sense motive or knowledge or something to get a clue as to whether they're newly spawned or not.
Give me SM and K:P, sure.
[19:56] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+72 sense motive, divine insight
[19:56] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=4]
[19:56] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+71 planes, divine insight
[19:56] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 86 > [d20=15]
They don't look like newly spawned slaad. They seem older, more established. It just doesn't quite fit, with the proviso that slaad so who can say for sure?
"Lets go upstream," Alicia decides after a moment's study. "Stay close?" she manifests an invisibility sphere around them as she did when flying to Rosewater the other day, protecting them from casual scrutiny before flying above the current of slaad.
Give me a CL on that just for reference.
CL 35 since it's alter reality-ed.
Thus you fly up. As you do?
'Are you well?' Sulia sends to you. 'I fear that vision may addle the mind of a mortal, and your nature would find it uncomfortable.'
'I'm fine. It's disagreeable but I've seen far worse things in my life,' Alicia returns, disliking it but not finding it traumatising.
A mere nod is your answer as you fly on.
Go ahead and give me Perception for this bit, it may matter.
[16:54] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 perception
[16:54] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+81 perception --> [ 1d20=12 ]{93}
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
You fly on. As you do, you begin to notice something. It's subtle, but slowly there's less red, blue and green slaad. There's more death slad, gray slaad, unusual slaad, white slaad and even black slaad on the shores.
Looks like the lesser slaad are being weeded out as we go, she broadcasts to Queen and Sulia, continuing to monitor the slaad demographics as they travel.
Queen peers down before she responds in your mind, 'Then we are going in a powerful direction. Towards the stone would be my estimation.'
As you fly on you notice the lesser slaad decreasing in number - and now you see black slaad in the waters as well, not just on the shoreline.
She does wonder why they restrict themselves to that river, why not fly? Hopefully their own flight won't prevent them from reaching the stone but she certainly doesn't want to mingle with the slaad down there.
You fly on. Soon gray and death slaad vanish, and all that is left are white and black slaad, as well as...things. Often so aberrant to be nameless, twisting and roiling things that the slaad assault and tear apart. More and more it is nothing but battles against them.
'Are they so hellbent on destruction?' Sulia muses, 'Though the creatures they slay seem as aberrations themselves.'
'Deviation from the norm must be opposed? It's a strange conundrum of Chaos,' Alicia returns, not getting involved and letting them fight it out.
You fly on, you fly on but not for long.
Look above and SEE.
Did some deity just cast true seeing on all the slaad and tell them to look up at her and her companions? It feels like that's a thing that just happened.
The slaad all look up and about, peering up at the skies.
'Ssendam,' Sulia notes in the depths of your mind, 'I've heard his voice before.'
She nods to Sulia and seeing that none of the slaad are focusing directly on her she glances up as well just in case there's something further up that's meant to be attracting attention.
Far above you see it - a great golden, amoeba-like thing. It is one great glob of ectoplasm, a human brain seen within it, free floating. Dozens of tendrils extend out from it, some only a few feet while others dangle hundreds of feet long, and others yet twist and curl around themselves even longer. In those curled tendrils symbols are glimpsed, ever changing.
Is that a known avatar form of Ssendam or something I might recognise or is it just weird unknowable chaos shit?
Your K:P lets you know that's a form of Ssendam.
One of many, because chaos and slaad.
'And there he is, up there,' Alicia points him out for Sulia and Queen.
Does it look like he sees them?
Sense Motive I suppose. It's legitimately hard to tell with such an unusual body.
[19:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+57 sense motive
[19:40] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+57 sense motive --> [ 1d20=15 ]{72}
You think he is.
"Ssendam," Sulia includes her head as Queen readies her blade.
You will join the great river.
Alicia dismisses the invisibility sphere. She doesn't want to fight Ssendam over this, she knows that she's an interloper and has no special right to the Spawning Stone, that means she's willing to play nice.
Making her voice heard only by the divine she replies. Very well. We mean no harm but it would ill serve any slaad to interfere with our passage there.
We only ask for you to allow us to finish our quest.
Queen merely stands at the ready, a glance below. Below all the slaad look about, more and more focused on Ssendam. A chitter of noises and words follows below as meanwhile the Slaad Lord responds.
Turn away or join the river.
We join.
"Stay close with me ladies," Alicia asks, making herself larger as she descends down to the river, able to use her titanic proportions to wade through the slaad and clear a path for Queen and Sulia.
In an instant you stand in the river. The river is vast as the two stay close to you and they come. White and black slaad, dozens. You're surrounded as... - !
Suffice to say you're in for a bit of a tussle. Init is good.
Alicia has supreme init! And DvR 4 in case anyone else does.
Alicia HP: 1004/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 75, CMD 115, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
> roll 1d20+13 Sulia
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+13 Sulia --> [ 1d20=5 ]{18}
> roll 1d20+15 Queen
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+15 Queen --> [ 1d20=4 ]{19}
> roll 1d20+16 white slaadi
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+16 white slaadi --> [ 1d20=6 ]{22}
> roll 1d20+22 black slaads
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+22 black slaads --> [ 1d20=15 ]{37}
> roll 1d20+16 chaos creatures
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+16 chaos creatures --> [ 1d20=19 ]{35}
> roll 1d20 river
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20 river --> [ 1d20=3 ]{3}
Ssendam (Chaos) >
Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Black Slaadis (37) > Chaos Creatures (35) > White Slaadix (22) > Queen (19) > Empress Sulia (18) > Great River (3) > The Lure (0)
Ssendam (Chaos) >
Ssendam opens.
Before you can react, the strange figure of Ssendam is gone, at least from where he was before. If he does anything else, you do not know of it.
Go Alicia.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 782(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+4 (+4 insight), Damage+10 (+10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 3 10th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 945/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0, AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 45/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
"We advance together, but lets try not to be too deadly," Alicia says over her shoulder to the smaller forms of Sulia and Queen, preparing to wade forward when they're ready but unleashing her divine aura in the meantime.
Free action to use divine aura in fright mode, 40 foot radius and DC 29 will negates. She's holding until Sulia's turn then she'll bull rush forward to clear a path.
She won't take any AoOs on movement through her area but she might if something significant casts magic in her area. Anything epic needs to be flagged.
Alicia HP: 1004/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 75, CMD 115, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Refresh me on what your reach is now?
30 as a colossal biped.
> roll 1d20+40 all the white slaad
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+40 all the white slaad --> [ 1d20=13 ]{53}
> roll 1d20+60 all the black slaad
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+60 all the black slaad --> [ 1d20=1 ]{61}
Some of the slaad are checked by your aura, paused by it as they scream. They scream and point right at you. As the waters of the river rage against your ankles?
Okay, you got 40ft of them. Are you just going shaken or did you want to make a trivial gesture to send them running?
"Begone!" Alicia warns those frightened slaad away, pleased it actually worked!
The black slaad around you scream in colors of the rainbow, swimming and fleeing away as...
They also provoke AoOs since they're fleeing in a panic, rather than a measured withdraw. Want to take it?
Nope.
Thus the slaad flee as the creatures of chaos flee as well, not caring to engage you or simply uninterested.
The white slaads turn to you, as the party is sudden bombarded with the power of chaos all over. Great hammering blows of unstable force, changing and shifting all around you as it hits.
Only you're vulnerable to this. Antenora understands.
> roll 1d20+43
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+43 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{63}
It's just a lot of massed chaos hammers, since you're looking. That many at all this power - and you can see the river augment it further - mutates it into a giant mass of chaotic destruction.
Will save.
[17:52] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+65 improved mettle
[17:53] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+65 improved mettle --> [ 1d20=6 ]{71}
Alicia HP: 1004/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 75, CMD 115, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Yet Alicia shakes off the fearsome barrage, ground stood as the white slaad stay back and out of her immediate range.
Queen is up. Did you want to wait on Sulia or go now?
Wait on Sulia so we all move together.
"To victory!" Queen declares, ground held as she sings. It is a beautiful song of battle lust and fury, each verse demanding action from you. You feel your body throb and pulse with the song, ready to lash out, a need deep inside of you.
Inspire courage, +22 morale to attacks/weapon damage rolls/saves vs fear. Rootmusic means Queen heals but since she's at full HP it's not important. Go Alicia.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 782(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 3 10th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 945/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 44/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
"Follow my path!" Alicia calls back to Queen and Sulia, barrelling through the slaad!
Overrun or bull rush to plow through all the slaad in front of us for Alicia's full movement basically.
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+96 cmb
[18:34] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+96 cmb --> [ 1d20=5 ]{101}
Alicia HP: 1004/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 75, CMD 137, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Alicia plows through with ease, rushing forward and through the slaad. They give way against this assault, barreled past as...
How far didja move?
70 since this is walking rather than flying.
Actually that's terrible, she'll throw a quickened haste on the party and get it up to an even 100.
+1 on her cmb check as if that matters.
Alicia HP: 1004/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37)
Defences: AC 76, CMD 139, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/8/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
On the party advances in the raging river, as you rush past slaad and push onward. As you do? "Be still and be bereft!" Sulia commands. Suddenly the slaad are all slower, yet the river rages as surely as ever.
Antimagic zone as she goes, which obviously hurts the slaadswarm.
Str check all, freedom of movement negates the need for it.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 782(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 3 10th 1 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 945/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 44/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
[19:45] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 str
[19:45] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+30 str --> [ 1d20=9 ]{39}
> roll 1d20+11 Queen
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+11 Queen --> [ 1d20=18 ]{29}
Sulia has freedom of movement.
Yet all of you continue on against the hostile waters, unbowed.
You feel an overwhelming repulsion to what lies ahead. Free, moving, stone, wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT! It thunders in your mind like the roars of Baleruk.
Alicia is however undaunted! "Do you two feel that?" she asks through gritted teeth as she wades through river and slaad alike.
"The stone calls to me," Queen declares as she parries a white slaad's claw, reaching out for her.
"The Spawning Stone does," Sulia agrees as she ducks a thrown rock of all things, magic still stopped for lesser creatures.
Ssendam (Chaos) >
Init is Black Slaadin (37) > Chaos Creatures (35) > White sSlaad (22) > Queen (19) > Alicia (18.5) > Empress Sulia (18) > Great River (3) > The Lure (0)
Ssendam (Chaos) >
Black Slaads are up.
The black slaad begin to withdraw to the banks, not directly assaulting you as the chaos creatures flee. The white slaad are not so easily bowed and instead charge, coming at all of you.
AoO?
Not taking it.
[> roll 1d20+72 (+36 river, rest is negated by antimagic)
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+72 (+36 river, rest is negated by antimagic) --> [ 1d20=16 ]{88}
AC?
88 irritatingly.Alicia HP: 1004/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37)
Defences: AC 88, CMD 137, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/8/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Okay then, Will save and I'll tally up damage in the next post.
[14:07] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+65 improved mettle
[14:07] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+65 improved mettle --> [ 1d20=6 ]{71}
> roll 24d12+102
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 276 > [d12=2,5,3,12,11,6,5,11,5,8,8,12,6,7,12,6,8,10,2,12,5,6,10,2]
DR applies.
> roll 16d4 almost forgot this part
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d4=3,1,1,1,4,2,3,4,1,4,4,1,1,1,3,1]
Anarchic damage as well. Only Alicia is subject to this part of it since she's lawful.
Ssendam (Chaos) >
Init is Black Slaadar (37) > Chaos Creatures (35) > White Wlaad (22) > Queen (19) > Alicia = Anarchic Damage 8 (18.5) > Empress Sulia (18) > Great River (3) > The Lure (0)
Ssendam (Chaos) >
This time the white slaad will not be stopped. They onrush you, clawing. There's noe scape from bites, from claws, from all of it. The bites linger and fester, body recoiling from the raw chaos stuff that wounds you. As you stand your ground amid the storm...
'Why aren't you striking them down?' Queen sends tersely, 'Are you waiting on me?'
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 526(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 3 10th 1 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 699/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 44/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
She just did a big bull rush to clear a path for them, it's hard to also do an attack at the same time! Alicia doesn't mind if people question her tactics but Queen is sounding like she's offended at Alicia being restricted in only being able to do so much within a couple of seconds!
"I'll clear some space now!" she calls over her shoulder.
Yeah sure I'll attack on my turn but at least let me have a turn before complaining over me not doing anything.
Alicia HP: 708/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37)
Defences: AC 88, CMD 137, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/8/14/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Queen was more wondering about the AoOs you passed on. I don't have a horse in the race, but it lets her know if you have some big plan she needs to be cognizant of.
> roll 1d20+80 (+22 morale, +17 favored, +6 various banes, -30 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 97 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+75 (+22 morale, +17 favored, +6 various banes, -30 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+70 (+22 morale, +17 favored, +6 various banes, -30 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+65 (+22 morale, +17 favored, +6 various banes, -30 PA)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+80 (+22 morale, +17 favored, +6 various banes, -30 PA) crit check
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 81 > [d20=1]
> roll 12+128+36
> roll 12+128+36
> roll 12+128+36
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 176 >
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 176 >
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 176 >
> roll 36+262+36
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 334 >
Deals max damage vs favored enemies.
Queen lashes out fast and hard in reprisal, her blows cleaving through slaad around her as she quickly starts to reduce the numbers around her. It buys time, at least a little as she pushes some of them away, while another falls with a cut neck. Amid all of you the river rages as...
Go.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 526(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 3 10th 1 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 699/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 44/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
I don't have combat reflexes so I save my solitary AoO for interrupting dangerous stuff rather than doing incidental damage on a single person moving in a large group.Then Alicia's titanic sword cleaves out above Queen and Sulia's heads to eviscerate every slaad within a thirty foot radius of Alicia's enormous figure!
[17:07] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+77 whirlwind attack, -35 power attack, quickened true strike, channelled maximised vivacious enhanced combust
[17:07] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d20=15]
[17:07] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+126+160
[17:07] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 305 > [d6=2,3,1,3,6,2,1,1]
Alicia HP: 708/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37)
Defences: AC 88, CMD 137, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
I know that but Queen doesn't.
With a single swing Alicia cleaves away more slaad, the white slaad forced back and burnt, cut badly by her blade. They're checked but not down, not quite yet as...
Anything else?
Alicia wraps things up with a quick defensive spell!
Quickend repelling shield and done.
Alicia HP: 708/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38)
Defences: AC 97, CMD 137, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
> roll 1d20+37
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 43 > [d20=6]
> roll 40d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 145 > [d6=5,4,5,6,4,4,4,4,4,2,4,1,6,4,6,5,5,4,3,5,1,1,1,6,1,4,1,1,5,6,5,5,1,2,4,2,5,1,3,5]
> roll 1d20+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=11]
Sulia holds her ground as radiant storms erupt amid her enemies, sharp and sudden. They decimate her foes, the wounded slaad alla round you consumed by bright light. When it's left the way is clear - at least around you, with the black slaad on the shores, the chaos creatures fleeing and the white slaad currently decimated.
Yet the river keeps on pulling, keeps on resisting you, raging even as you advance on.
Str check.
[18:15] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+32 str
[18:15] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 33 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+11 Queen
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=2]
You stand tall amid the waters, even as Queen is pushed back. At the same time GET OUT thunders in your head, like a mantra chanted by a hundred mad monks.
Ssendam does nothing that you can discern or see. The black slaad stay on the banks. Chaos creatures continue to flee. White slaad.
The white slaad retreat as well, the ones still intact and not blinded fleeing to the banks, fleeing up them. For the moment at least the way is clear, or perhaps even they see the folly in opposing three deities. Perhaps even the will of the slaad balks at such a foolhardy venture. They watch from the shores, rabid and ready, yet not advancing on to bar your way.
With a burst of will Queen is no longer pushed back. She strides forward ahead, blade ready.
Alter reality for freedom of movement. Go.
With nothing in range to melee, Alicia is happy to simply wade forward.
Freedom of movement SLA on myself and just moving forward 100 feet.
Alicia HP: 708/1004
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36)
Defences: AC 97, CMD 137, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +32 str, -4 dex, +16 con, +14 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
Queen and Sulia follow, even as healing washes over you.
Sulia tops both of you up with a mass heal.
On you three go - the creatures all get out of your way, from the slaad to the strange chaos things. Nothing is directly opposing you for the moment, at least, even if the slaad hiss, croak, clack and clatter.
For the moment you're in free act. Not even slaad are crazy enough to attack three deities with antimagic in play too.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 776(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 1 9th, 3 10th 2 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 945/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 44/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
Alicia empowers herself a bit more as they go, setting a strong pace through the river.
Tossing up greater visage of the deity and recitation then double moving as we go forward unless the other two have more spells to do themselves.
Recitation (CL 35) - +2 luck AC/attack/saves
Alicia HP: 1074/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
The party hurries on, at the ready as you bolster yourself. Just in time, for the waters abruptly stop and pool into an impromptu lake. Here a golden figure sits - with a head that grows from his ankles and feet that grow from his neck. It hovers in midair, upside down gaze intent on all of you. A gaze of steel and water, of mindlessness and a fearsome, incomprehensible intellect.
You defy my words. You seek the Spawning Stone.
They joined the river, that's not defying his words!
"We do. We will not do it any harm," she replies tersely.
You accept my words. You join the river and make it your own.
Make it her own? Alicia can do that.
The river begins to move again, the current picking up as a large chunk of it freezes underneath herself, Sulia, and Queen, rising up as an iceberg and convenient conveyance to carry them onwards to the stone.
Assuming Ssendam doesn't overrule her anarch-ing anyway.
Queen hops on while Sulia steps up, unbothered and undamaged, water falling away from her to leave her dry. She stands on it now with a smile, only to sit back as a throne of ice rises for her to sit on. "Is that sufficient?"
You live my words. Live words are stronger than dead words.
She takes that to mean that actions speak louder than words and so nods as their iceberg carries them onwards, whether around and past Ssendam or with him keeping pace with them.
Words to live by.
How fast can you move your iceberg?
I have no idea? It's floating along at whatever speed the river's current is going. I guess Alicia would want it to go fairly fast so like twice as fast as it was going previously?
Sure, that works.Thus down the river you go.
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT
Queen stands at the ready, slaad-blood stained sword out. She lets her gaze sweep over the grounds, slaad retreating away from your procession.
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT
Sulia rests on her throne, until...
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT
I feel the pull of the Spawning Stone.GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT
Queen nods, not replying with words.
The words of the Stone echo in your mind, a constant chorus that would drive a lesser being mad. A constant sense of rejection, of denial, of wrongness.
"What I feel could never be called a pull," Alicia says, gritting her teeth. Hopefully she won't feel that same rejection when in the guardian's realm and dealing with whatever challenges are there.
Okay then, give me Perception for the next segment real quick. -10 circumstance penalty since the reasons why are obvious.
[16:59] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+71
[16:59] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=3]
Alicia HP: 1074/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
Thus on you sail. You see a horizon form from the chaos-stuff. A warm, sweltering savanna, the heat of it felt even from here. The river reaches it and goes still, coming to the end in a small lake.
Once they reach that lake she allows her iceberg to melt while stepping ashore onto the savannah. "You two lead the way now?" she asks, trusting that the pull they feel will direct them onwards sufficiently.
The heat of the savanna is thick and moist, humidity heavy. Sulia walks on unperturbed, as beautiful as ever despite the beastly weather. A bare flex of will and cool shade appears over all of you, as if tree foliage gently sways overhead. "A wonderful day for an iced drink and a book in the shade," Sulia observes, "But hardly worthwhile to adventure in."
"Better than cold," Queen mentions for her part, to which Sulia titters softly.
"Spoken like a true reptile," Empress Sulia banters back, "Or a cat. Snakes and cats both enjoy a warm nap in the sun, now that I reckon it."
"My home region was like this. Muggy and warm... more swamp than savannah but it bled a bit towards that in some areas," Alicia says, remaining huge as they march onwards. "It makes you appreciate a cold breeze."
"Oh?" Sulia says, "I confess I haven't ever had a reason to look in. It's Kelara, is it not? I have a few faithful in the Desert Fiefdoms, but as of yet they haven't made headway west. Though more likely the culture of the Baronies will continue to spread with Seira's portal network and accomplish it regardless."
Queen doesn't dignify with that an answer, shoulders straight and stiff as she continues on.
In the distance you hear the trumpeting of an elephant. Yet when you glance that way - over two miles ahead - you see it. A creature with the head of an elephant and the body of a great horse, muscled and strong. It has no legs, but instead hundreds of steel cables that curl together to form appendages, each one interwoven with hundreds of tiny talons that grow out of the steel cables. As it trumpets more of its kind emerge from seemingly nowhere, as if Limbo itself birthed them in between the blinks of an eye. Each one is larger than the largest warhorse, dominating over the grasses of the savanna.
"Yes. Though wasn't your homeland much like this as well?" she recalls her time in the mystic sun-drenched plains where Sulia originally hailed from.
"Strange elephant things ahead," she adds, hoping they won't demand violence.
"Yes, I was rather grateful for cold drinks," Sulia smiles in momentary memory. "I see them. Those are...what in Sune's name are those?" she frowns, "Chaos spawn?"
Queen shakes her head, "Did you expect anything less, Empress?"
"Nothing at all," Sulia admits, "But the cables surprise me. I expected a more organic mutation, not a creature of cold, cabled steel."
"A warrior getting caught on those cables would have a horrendous time of it," Alicia says. "If they challenge us lets try and scare them off rather than get embroiled in more battle."
Quiet agreement as you stride on - and now a few dozen in number, the elephant creatures trumpet and begin to head in your direction.
It was probably too much to hope for to get anything else.
It really was.
Actually though? Anarch. Sorry elephants, up is now down, and the reversed gravity is as strong as it is on the elemental plane of earth.
Basically flipping and doubling gravity in the region ahead of us to fling them up.
To your will the gravity shifts, the strange elephant creatures hurtled into the air. Off they go and gone, falling long and heavily.
"That should clear our path nicely," Alicia says, resetting the gravity just above the savannah so they can continue to walk onwards normally while high up in the air it will continue pulling the elephants 'down' skywards at least for a couple of miles unless some other will changes things.
"You preempted my own efforts," Sulia admits pleasantly, "Fortunately, it does not seem those elephants were anarchs themselves."
"Nor blessed with the protection of one. Lets enjoy our advantage while we can," Alicia says, her tone similarly pleasant as they hustle onwards.
Ahead the savanna parts, changes. Ahead is a rainsoaked bog, swampy and fetid. The stench of hits you immediately, of rot and plants and stagnant water.
Did someone hear her talking about home?
"Maybe we should freeze it over..." she considers, allowing a chance for other ideas given Queen's preferences.
"I rather like your thinking," Empress Sulia says, a glance at Queen.
"I'm a warrior, not a shivering child," Queen retorts, as her own will and anarch powers extend. In an instant the bog is frozen over, ice ahead and trees covered in a thick snow.
"Perish the thought otherwise," Sulia demurs, "Thank you, Queen."
Snow crunches underfoot but the ice is thick enough to bear Alicia's weight as she pushes on through the now frozen over bog. "Makes it a lot more bearable," she says agreeably, even if the stone is still blasting at her to vacate the area.
"Much more bearable," Sulia sa-
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!
Give me a Will save, -5 penalty due to lawful subtype.
[17:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+72-5 improved mettle
[17:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 79 > [d20=12]
[spoiler]
Alicia HP: 1074/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
[spoiler]
Alicia stumbles as it feels like a giant iron spike has been slammed into her skull. A starburst of pain erupts, only supernatural will stopping you from utter ruin. Alicia manages to stay up, even as her head throbs with bright and sharp throbs of pain from such an obvious attack.
"Ow!" Alicia lets out a sharp exclamation of pain, a hand going to her head. "This is becoming more and more of a struggle for me," she admits, gritting her teeth and forcing herself onwards regardless.
Sulia's at your side, a gentle murmuring of healing magic soothing your pains. She supports you and helps keep you up, "Then rest on me rather than bear the sacrifice alone," she offers.
"I'll force myself if we get into trouble, but for now I'll take you up on that..." she shrinks down to the size of a coure and alights on Sulia's head.
Alicia HP: 759/759
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 101, CMD 117, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, -4 str, +6 dex, +2 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural AC, +2 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
For when she inevitably goes colossal again.
Alicia HP: 1074/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/14
With a delightful laugh Sulia declares, "And here I wanted to carry you," she smiles, "Perhaps you'll curry favor that way, it always seems to work for Marielle."
"You are carrying me," Alicia says from her perch, getting comfy as she's so often seen Marie do, though she has to adjust a bit to not get Sulia's hair caught on her armour which Marie never had to worry about. "But it's interesting to be on the other side of this equation for once."
At least Sulia's hair smells nice - like roses of all things. Like this you go and hold on, across the bog.
The ice thumps but no more.
Ahead.
A path. A winding, twisting, path that curls in on itself forever and ever, yet seems to go onward as - !
A path without end. A pattern that does not cease.
Your divine mind is sufficient to endure it an-
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT
Will again, -5.
[18:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+72-5 improved mettle
[18:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 87 > [d20=20]
An ocean of pain as you hold on, Sulia reaching up to soothe you. The gentle touch of healing is like a cooling balm to the inferno of pain within your skull.
"Queen, could you?" Sulia asks, "I fear Alicia may need more tender ministrations." Her focus is on you, as Queen nods. She extends her will and the path snaps, now a long and simple path ahead. The two continue on at a good clip, as Sulia reaches up to gently cup you with her hand, supporting and holdingyou.
She leans her now tiny body against Sulia's hand, squeezing her eyes shut.
Maybe should have sent Marie or Syala on this one. It's her own fault for wanting to be personally involved in everything important?
Is that a lawful or chaotic trait anyway? Probably neutral.
"I hope the guardian's realm excludes this effect even if it's inside the stone," she mutters.
Forward. Hurrying.
You are held by Sulia as the stone roars at you, pounds at you.
Pounding pain. Throbbing agony. Your mind is assailed and yet you hold just a little longer.
"To battle!" Queen's call breaks your suffering, enough to be noticed. A moment later, "Alicia," Sulia whispers, voice gentle.
She growls a little bit, marshalling her mind and soul to action, taking note of her surroundings and preparing to wage war on behalf of her friends!
At the same time you feel Sulia's will. Sacrifice, love. So much of both as she whispers in your mind, 'Because I love my friends, my family, my faithful.' The pain is gone as Sulia visibly staggers, eyes shutting as she lets out not a single protest of her agony. 'I free you to fight, Alicia.'
The end of the path is ahead, a river beyond. Yet it comes from that river - a great, twenty headed slaad. It is vastly huge and with a bloated body, two arms hundreds of feet long reaching out. It moves as fast as a skittering rodent, it's black body rippling like heat haze in the dead of night. It is 50ft away from you and reality churns around it, staying the same yet in constant flux.
Sulia suffers a -20 circumstance penalty to all rolls this fight except for rank checks.
Init. You have supreme and they don't, so open.
"Thank you Sulia. I'll make it quick," Alicia promises and then she's off Sulia's head and right next to the slaad, suddenly as large as it is. Nothing is held back as her titanic swords swing out, carving it up like a roast!
Free action to use space compression, 5 foot step into melee, free action to end permanent emanation, swift action to go colossal and full attack.
Sulia's antimagic is still up, right?
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d20=7]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+88 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d20=4]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+88 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 99 > [d20=11]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+88 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d20=13]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+83 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d20=18]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+83 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d20=9]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+78 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d20=14]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+78 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d20=17]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+73 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=3]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+73 blinding speed, 11th level arcane strike, channelled maximised/empowered vampiric touch
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 88 > [d20=15]
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+83 crit check on 101
[19:11] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d20=9]
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+78 crit check on 95
[19:11] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=2]
If attack 1 misses then using many moments of prescience for +30 on attacks 2 to 5 (which includes the first crit confirmation)
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+46 SR on vampiric touch
[19:13] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 61 > [d20=15]
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:13] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 213 > [d6=2,1,6,5,4,2,2,6][d4=2,4,2,3,2,3,2,1,4,1,2]
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:13] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 220 > [d6=2,5,6,2,5,5,4,3][d4=3,3,4,1,2,3,2,1,3,4,3]
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:13] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 213 > [d6=5,5,2,4,3,4,4,3][d4=3,1,1,1,1,1,3,3,4,3,3]
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:13] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 222 > [d6=5,4,3,3,4,6,5,1][d4=4,3,1,4,4,2,2,4,4,2,2]
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 203 > [d6=1,2,1,1,5,1,1,3][d4=3,4,1,3,4,4,1,1,2,4,2]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 209 > [d6=4,2,6,4,2,5,2,4][d4=1,3,1,3,1,2,3,2,1,1,3]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 213 > [d6=4,2,6,2,6,2,1,2][d4=4,3,1,4,2,2,2,1,2,4,4]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 214 > [d6=3,4,3,4,4,4,1,6][d4=3,4,1,4,3,1,4,2,1,2,1]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 16d6+78+11d4+240 if 101/92 critted
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 395 > [d6=1,5,3,3,5,3,1,1,2,3,4,1,6,3,6,4][d4=2,2,3,2,4,3,1,1,3,1,4]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120 if it didn't
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 211 > [d6=2,2,4,2,5,1,5,2][d4=4,4,2,2,2,2,3,2,2,2,4]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 16d6+78+11d4+240 if 95/80 critted
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 393 > [d6=2,3,6,1,6,4,5,5,1,1,1,6,1,2,1,4][d4=3,2,1,3,1,3,3,3,3,3,1]
[19:14] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+39+11d4+120 if it didn't
[19:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 211 > [d6=6,1,1,4,2,1,5,1][d4=3,3,3,4,3,4,4,3,1,1,2]
Let me know if MMoP got used and if a crit landed since that influences my temp HP. One swift left.
Alicia HP: 1074/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
Antimagic is up but it's not seeming to be affected by it. Give me a d100 on every roll of 90 or higher.
Just for reference:
This material is wood taken from the deepest roots of the Queendom. This wood is a deep, dark brown that takes well to being polished. This material naturally cuts through dimensions and can protect when other materials cannot. Armor and shields made of root wood apply their armor or shield bonus to armor class to touch attacks of all kinds, including against ethereal creatures. Against spells that teleport a creature or send them to another plane, the wearer may add the armor or shield bonus to any saving throw against them. Weapons made of root wood are treated as ghost touch weapons and ignore any miss chance from concealment. Extraplanar creatures take an extra 5d6 points of damage from a root wood weapon.
[19:31] <@Ebiris> roll 8#1d100
[19:31] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 2, 81, 73, 18, 66, 58, 16, 32 >
Noted. It's something funkier.
Alicia's blade strikes - and the creature wiggles about and bursts into countless tiny, fly like black slaad. For just a moment to skitter out of the way. Your second swing adjusts, slices through cleanly. You focus just so, adjusting and moving your sword faster than any can see, striking in spite of those maneuvers. You leave the bloated slaad cut in several parts. It shimmers and cries out before it suddenly falls apart into two smaller black slaad. Each one is only somewhat bloated and has ten heads each.
What actual size category are the black slaad here?
The first one was colossal. These two are only huge.
Feeling vexed at their continual survival when Sulia is enduring pain on her behalf, Alicia throws out the big guns to try and end this as fast as she can, a barrage of radiant rainbow colours erupting all over the multi-headed black slaad!
Okay, can probably position the radiant storms so that each slaad is hit by 3 bursts (two on their far corners and then one across the middle shared between them and opposite Alicia's side.
Quick cast radiant storm.
[20:08] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41 SR on quick cast radiant blast (48 if they still count as the monster I attacked because of spell power, also that had its SR trashed from shattermantle which maybe carries over?)
[20:08] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 54 > [d20=13]
[20:21] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+41 each one needs a separate SR check
[20:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 45, 49 >
[20:08] <@Ebiris> roll 3#37d6 each
[20:08] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 102, 136, 121 >
[20:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d6 dazed/dazzled duration, 41 will to be dazzled rather than dazed
[20:09] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d6=5]
[20:22] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d6 dazed/dazzled needs 2 more rolls as well
[20:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 1, 5 >
Save vs each assault too, so 3 saves, half damage on a successful one.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
The damage done renders the saves irrelevant.
To your blast of power, two split again and become four. Four large slaad, each one with five heads. You hear Queen scoff, "What madness is -
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!
Yet you feel no pain even as you endure, Sulia dead silent as she endures.
Will save then I roll init.
[10:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+72 improved mettle
[10:53] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=8]
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
You weather it, endure as Sulia suffers in your place.
> roll 1d20-7 Sulia
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < -1 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+15 Sulia
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+24 strange slaad
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=1]
Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Queen (30) > Strange Slaad (25) > Sulia (-1)
At the same time Queen raises her voice, another cry to battle. She renews her song, the power of it flowing through all of you vibrantly.
+22 attack/damage/saves vs fear. Slaad are up.
What's this? The four slaad slam together, and in moments, they fuse back together into one. The great big, bloated slaad reforms, letting out a strange mewling sound. Those too long arms reach out, one of them grasping for Alicia.
> roll 1d20+92 (+36 river)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 99 > [d20=7]
AC?
104.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 168, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +22 morale attack/damage
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/7/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
Yet with a sudden sweep of your blade you parry, leaping back and over Queen and Sulia. A little hop made titanic, the ground trembling beneath your movement. At the same time Sulia holds, enduring your pain.
Sulia has issues with possible concentration checks due to this, so she'll mostly hold in case of emergency. Go.
[spoiler]
Sulia -20 pain.
Empress Sulia
HP: 776(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 1 9th, 3 10th 2 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 945/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 43/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
"Sorry Sulia," Alicia says bitterly, this not being as quick and clean as she would like. Stepping back into melee and now bolstered further by Queen's song she reappraises her approach...
So those d100s earlier, they were miss chance right? Since it wasn't concealment do I have any idea of what mechanism it used and how it might be defeated? Any spells on this thing even under anti-magic? What can I see with arcane sight?
It's not concealment - it splits into countless tiny, fly-like things to avoid it - rather like a swarm.
The slaad ignores antimagic as far as you can tell. Most likely a proxy or perhaps an abomination or some kind.
It has no spells on it but is bolstered by the river, in the same way the white slaad were earlier. The moment you realize this, you can see the river around it, flowing, endless and relentless. The frozen bog is the river, the path is the river. The river continues to flow as you stand in it.
Well, perhaps a redo with some extra anchoring to stop them from merging? Or a spell that attacks something else... her sword swings out, this time debilitating her target as much as wounding it.
Full attack, if it splits during the string then attacks focus on just one of the two, then if it splits she'll focus down just one of those and so on until she runs out of attacks or her target stops splitting.
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+96 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d20=9]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+96 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 109 > [d20=13]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+96 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d20=6]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+96 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 116 > [d20=20]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d20=14]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d20=14]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+86 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d20=9]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+86 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 88 > [d20=2]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=4]
[17:48] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 11th level arcane strike, -10 power attack, channelled maximised ravaging touch
[17:48] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d20=15]
[17:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+96 crit check on the 20
[17:49] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 107 > [d20=11]
[17:49] <@Ebiris> roll 10#1d100
[17:49] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 28, 2, 16, 2, 66, 50, 86, 61, 69, 48 >
[17:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+48 SR for ravaging touch
[17:49] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=1]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 rank check for ravaging touch to inflict ability score damage, add strata bonus if it's less than a demigod
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=7]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 110 > [d6=2,4,2,1,3,5,6,5][d4=3,4,1,3,4,3,4,3,1,3,4]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 107 > [d6=1,2,4,2,3,2,3,5][d4=4,4,1,3,2,4,4,4,2,4,4]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d6=1,5,6,5,4,3,1,5][d4=4,4,1,1,1,3,2,2,3,1,1]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d6=2,1,2,3,3,1,3,5][d4=1,4,1,1,4,1,4,3,2,3,2]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d6=3,2,5,6,4,3,3,3][d4=2,1,3,4,4,1,2,2,2,2,4]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d6=1,4,2,1,1,2,5,5][d4=4,2,1,2,3,2,4,1,2,1,3]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 106 > [d6=3,4,6,3,6,1,6,5][d4=3,2,3,2,4,1,1,3,2,1,1]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d6=6,1,1,6,1,1,2,5][d4=2,2,3,1,2,2,1,4,2,1,2]
[17:50] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4
[17:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d6=3,2,6,1,2,2,5,6][d4=1,1,3,3,2,2,1,1,3,2,1]
[17:51] <@Ebiris> roll 16d6+98+11d4 if 116/107 critted
[17:51] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 180 > [d6=3,6,4,1,4,6,1,3,4,4,4,6,1,5,5,1][d4=1,1,4,4,2,1,2,2,4,1,2]
[17:51] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+49+11d4 if it didn't
[17:51] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 103 > [d6=5,3,6,2,3,1,1,1][d4=2,4,3,2,3,2,4,3,2,3,4]
DC 37 fort to half 8 points of ability drain to every ability score on each hit. Shattermantle reduces SR by 2 on each hit so it may hit on subsequent hits even if it tinks on the first. 16 points of ability drain on the crit if it critted.
2 swifts left.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 168, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +22 morale attack/damage
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/5/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
> roll 1d20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d20=8]
Rank check. Ow.
> roll 1d20+43
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+41
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+37
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 52 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+35
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 41 > [d20=6]
You slice it. Again and again and again and again. One becomes two, then one becomes two five headed slaad, then a third slash makes one of them a pair of two headed slaad, and then a final slash...causes all of them to crumple up and collapse, unmoving.
Free act, that's one way to sidestep the entire headache.
She knew that spell would be useful one day!
"Thank you Sulia, that's enough," she shrinks to tiny proportions and retreats to alight on her friend's head again, bracing for the pain that is her rightfule due here.
Alicia HP: 759/759
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 101, CMD 117, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, -4 str, +6 dex, +2 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural AC, +2 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/5/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
Once you land the pain resumes, a torrent of it as Sulia stands. "Thank you, Queen," Sulia says, "Your music helped."
Queen lowers her blade, "Song or blade, all lead to victory," she says, striding ahead. "The river awaits us again."
Not slithering ahead?
Alicia keeps quiet, holding onto Sulia's head and just enduring the pain as best she can.
It's all about the presentation and attitude. Slithering would be more apt, but striding implies a certain determination.
Onward. On and on and on and on.
Then -
Come here.
A complete reversal, a gentle beckoning, a soft crooning into your ears. It's almost soothing.
Has the pain gone away or is it felt in conjunction with the pain and rejection? From the same direction?
"Do you two feel that?" she asks, clinging onto Sulia's head and looking up.
The pain is gone.
"I feel the call of the Stone," Queen says.
"As do I. Do you feel it now, Alicia?" Sulia inquires.
"Yes," she floats off Sulia's head and reverts to normal size. "I'm not being rejected anymore, it's soothing now. Just a bit further?" she takes note of their surroundings now she can better focus and pushes onwards.
Alicia HP: 759/759
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 101, CMD 117, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, -4 str, +6 dex, +2 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural AC, +2 size, +22 morale attack/damage, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/5/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
For when she inevitably goes colossal again.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Thus the party advances on. On and down this river, on to a raised river. Little waterfalls like steps, more and more of them rising up into the air. All around chaos and Limbo swirls without form and shape, but onward. Upward.
Come here. I will recreate you. I will give you a new rebirth.
"We're not going to be recreated," Alicia says firmly.
It doesn't stop her ascending upwards but she's making sure up front that that's non-negotiable.
At the same time Sulia shakes her head, "We're here for something else," she concurs aloud.
"One rebirth is sufficient," Queen calls, "We need not be born again."
There is no response from the sto-
BURSTBURSTBURSTBURSTBURST!
Fortitude saves, all.
That escalated quickly.
[17:31] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 improved mettle
[17:31] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 88 > [d20=13]
Alicia HP: 759+240/759
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 100, CMD 108, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural AC, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/5/5/7/4
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
For when she inevitably goes colossal again.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
> roll 1d20+42 Sulia
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 58 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+44 Queen
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=5]
+4 more for Sulia for 62.
The agony returns. It pounds at your mind, slams into your brain. Everything is a crimson haze as the three of you stand there. Sulia holds her position as blood begins to trickle from her nose. Queen slumps over, coughing up blood as her head visibly swells and pounds.
200 damage, Sulia halves it and you negate it. Mettle's proving its worth todya.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 676(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 1 9th, 3 10th 2 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 745/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 43/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
Again with the slither/stride bit but Queen doesn't have knees!"Endure it, let me carry you this time," Alicia says, growing to colossal size and picking up Sulia and Queen in one titanic hand as she pushes onwards and upwards!
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sulia does not resist as you take her, while Queen slithers into your hand.
Ahead of you reality shifts in a maelstrom as you endure the pain, pressing in on you from all sides, all into your head. Dead ahead is utter chaos, untamed and wild, twisting.
That time it was a mistake, so edited.
Alicia carves a path through that chaos with her anarch powered divinity, clearing an empty path ahead free of obstacles or pain as she rises!
Okay, in this case give me a rank check since you're mixing in your divinity. You gain a +4 strata bonus.
[19:45] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4+4
[19:45] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=18]
There is resistance. Resistance and pain. Reality refuses to twist now, refuses to change. Limbo fights you like a screaming child, biting and thrashing.
Well, if she can't do it with divine anarch power, rely on her magic! "If you two can spare any focus towards smoothing our path..." she invites, compressing the space ahead to at least minimise how much of that dangerous looking turbulence they have to traverse on their ascent.
> roll 1d20+1 Queen
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d20=4]
> OOC: +4 more for a total of 9.
> roll 1d20 vs Queen
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d20=2]
Queen's will comes forth even as her lips are drawn tightly together. The chaos smooths as well, enough to forge a quick path through.
"Go," Queen rasps out.
Refreshing the haste spell on them and compressing space to go even faster, Alicia makes use of the chance Queen has bought her by surging forth!
All of you surge forth - and your haste buys time, but not enough.
No words this time, only a murderous pain in your head, focused like a thousand strokes of a titan's maul.
Fortitude, Alicia. Good luck.
[18:50] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 improved mettle
[18:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=19]
Yet you endure even that, a pain that leaves you breathless. A pain that turns all the world red as you yet step forward, each moment a new pulse of agony.
You stumble.
Yet you keep going.
Ahead lies water, a path that leads to a large lake.
It is a lake full of eggs, of strange things you know are eggs. Spheres of white, spheres of black. Ovals of all colors, all shapes, all sizes. Creatures scurry away, frog like and otherwise.
For in the center of the lake is a vast, smooth stone. A stone a comfortable, worn gray color that the moment you see it is agony and pain and the Spawning Stone rejects you, screaming in your mind.
"We made it," Sulia declares as she holds on tight, "Cease this, you accursed rock!"
Queen stands despite the pain, as - !
One more Fort save.
[19:15] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 improved mettle
[19:15] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=5]
You somehow hold your ground.
Nothing else can be said, for you endure a pain that makes your head want to burst. Even now you can taste copper in the back of your throat, but you endure it all. Suddenly, clarity returns. The pain stops and it's like the world is anew.
The lake is a vast place, of so many eggs and colors and shapes. Millions and millions, more in every direction in every second. Great clusters of them, great masses of them that mix, smash together, merge and split apart. A cycle chaotic and without any end, all amid the gentle sound of water flowing.
The Stone is so many shapes and sizes, as varied as the eggs, different in between a blink of the eye. It is a blue diamond larger than Hanna, from where eggs ooze out. It is a broken circle that leaks the eggs out through unknown locomotion. The Spawning Stone is a tower that gently casts the eggs out from countless windows, like a rain of unborn potential.
Potential. Begin again. The first time was insufficient. The second time will be guided. Be reborn.
Alicia grits her teeth, making sure Sulia and Queen are doing okay in her hand in case healing is needed.
Don't be absurd. That's not why we're here. Our current existence isn't anywhere near its end!
Sulia hops off your hand and grows back to her normal size.
Oh, don't be silly. The best is yet to come for us, let alone an end.
Queen joins her and slithers forward before she raises her sword, as if in challenge to the Spawning Stone.
Deviation is not allowed. Those who come to the Spawning Stone and resist are eliminated.
We are not slaad to be formed into a template. We are not here to spawn. Please don't interfere, we will do it no harm.
You at least earned a Diplo check there, so give me one.
[20:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+63
[20:13] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=17]
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Then defeat the Spawning Stone. Survive.
"As if we'd do anything else," Alicia says more conventionally, a glance at Queen and Sulia to make sure they're with her before approaching, her eyes sharpening to see the reality of things.
Alter realitied True Seeing.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35), true seeing (CL 35)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Gimme a CL check on True Seeing real quick, +3 circumstance bonus.
[00:01] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42
[00:01] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 46 > [d20=4]
Before your eyes the Spawning Stone shifts vibrantly and violently, the waters churning as black slaad suddenly line the rim of the lake, as...
Init. For reference, you're all 60ft from the Spawning Stone. The distance to the slaad lining thelake varies by position, but the closest is 80ft away.
supreme init dvr 4
> roll 1d20+13 Sulia
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+15 Queen
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+80 spawning stone
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 97 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+32 ???1
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d20+32 ???2
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 40 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+18 slaad
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=11]
Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Spawning Stone (97) > ???1 (42) > ???2 (42) > Sulia (30) > Slaad (29) > Queen (19)
Open.
"Remember we're not here for a slaughter," Alicia says, raising her blades. She might not have the most positive feelings toward slaad but at the end of the day this is like visiting Chronias and so they ought to respect the inhabitants. It's not like a violent crusade to the most wretched pit of the Abyss, they're ostensibly here as guests. Then she empowers her magic and throws a storm of stunning radiant light all around the perimeter of the lake!
Quick-cast Seira's Arcane Thesis and then a Radiant Storm. 12 radiant storms so basically one at every hour position on the clock surrounding the spawning stone. Might be some gaps but hopefully that's some decent coverage.
[16:52] <@Ebiris> roll 12#1d20+51 SR for radiant storms
[16:52] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 55, 57, 53, 67, 63, 63, 53, 55, 56, 57, 66, 61 >
[16:52] <@Ebiris> roll 12#1d20+51 SR for radiant storms
[16:52] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 55, 57, 53, 67, 63, 63, 53, 55, 56, 57, 66, 61 >
[16:53] <@Ebiris> roll 12#37d6 damage, DC 46 will half, also changes status condition
[16:53] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 128, 125, 121, 128, 116, 135, 123, 128, 134, 145, 136, 120 >
[16:53] <@Ebiris> roll 12#1d6 duration dazed or dazzled if save passed
[16:53] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 5, 3, 4, 6, 4, 5, 6, 6, 3, 1, 6, 6 >After performing her magic which she's reasonably sure any slaad here can survive but will hopefully debilitate them for a bit, she strides over towards the spawning stone, getting close enough to touch it.
Alicia HP: 1074+240/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35), true seeing (CL 35), Seira's Arcane Thesis (CL 37)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +10 CL checks, +5 spell DCs
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/5/5/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
> roll 1d20+76 (+36 river)
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 79 > [d20=3]
The slaad cry out, dazzled and blasted by your magic. They aren't seriously struck, but it's enough to get their attention as you wade forward. You approach the Spawning Stone and...
Anything else this turn?
Nope, but arcane thesis lets me counterspell with immediates so keeping hold of that last swift action in case some big nasty spell comes our way.
A moment later the Spawning Stone shifts, as a tremendous torrent of rainbow colored energy gathers around it and...
Going to try and counter?
Is it a spell? What spell is it?
[18:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+57 spellcraft
[18:01] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=6]
It's a great surge of magic - it will mutate and twist everything here and possibly even all of you. The only upshot is that as big and ponderous as it is, you may be able to counter it.
She's refraining from using any offensive lawful magic but a counter is fine so Alicia throws her hand out to negate that energy with dispel chaos!
Assuming dispel chaos works for automatically dispelling a chaotic spell.
Gimme a CL check for that? Normally dispel evil doesn't allow one, but normally it's not used by a deity to try and counter the Spawning Stone itself. Suffice to say normal factory parameters have been exceeded.
[19:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+39
[19:07] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 56 > [d20=17]
The chaotic mass of energy shatters into fractals of light, radiance and chaos spreading about. The spell is broken but the power spreads out wildly, shifting about as...
Fortitude save all, but you netted a +10 circumstance bonus for all of you. It wasn't enough to stop the Spawning Stone's power, but it did have an impact.
[19:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+85 improved mettle
[19:29] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 87 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+56 Sulia
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 61 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+54 Queen
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=6]
Yet all of you stand firm as reality twists and changes. Everything but you, the water and the Stone begins to merge together, twisting into primal chaos-stuff, shining and slimy and slithering. It has no shape and yet has a shape, it has colors but no colors you have seen before.
Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Spawning Stone (97) > Chaos Stuff (42) > Sulia (30) > Queen (19)
Chaos stuff is up.
The new slime writhes and twists in on itself, making interior bands that twist together like a tunic squeezed empty of water. It then oozes forward, coming to engulf all three of you.
You can AoO if you want.
[spoiler]
Empress Sulia
HP: 676(714)/782(714)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (30ft)
Bonuses: Attack+26 (+22 morale, +4 insight), Damage+32 (+22 morale, +10 desiccation) AC+4 (+4 insight), Saves+4 (+26 vs fear)(+4 insight), Skills+0 (+8 insight for Perception and Survival), Checks+0
Resources: Channel Energy 16/16 Inspire Confidence 9/9 Inspire Nobility 6/6 Charity Domain 3/3 Nobility Domain 3/3 Suffering Domain 3/3
Spells Used: 1 7th 1 9th, 3 10th 2 14th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL35), Fortunate Fate (CL34), Energy Immunity (Fire) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Cold) (CL34), Energy Immunity (Sonic) (CL34), Freedom of Movement (CL34), Death Ward (CL34), Galya's Stand (CL27), Desert Whispers (CL27)
Notes:
Queen
HP: 745/945 (fast healing 21)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine (10ft)
Bonuses: Attack+22 (+22 morale), Damage+22 (+22 morale), AC+10 (+10 enhancement to natural), Saves+0 (+22 vs fear), Skills+0, Checks+0 immunity to crits/precision damage.
Resources: Divine Blast 18/18 Hunter's Skill 11/11 Bardic Music 43/45
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL30), Hunter's Ire (CL42), Rootmusic (CL45), Queen of the Treants (CL45)
Notes:
Alicia's sword swings out to intercept that oozing charge!
[20:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+60 -19 power attack
[20:11] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d20=15]
[20:12] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+98
[20:12] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 126 > [d6=4,2,1,6,4,3,4,4]
Alicia HP: 1074+254/1074
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 36), haste (CL 37), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 35), recitation (CL 35), true seeing (CL 35), Seira's Arcane Thesis (CL 37)
Defences: AC 104, CMD 146, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural AC, -8 size, +1 attack, +1 dodge AC/reflex, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +10 CL checks, +5 spell DCs
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 4 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/7/8/13/9/8/1/8/5/5/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/7/13
> roll 1d20+84
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 87 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d6+58
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d6=1]
> roll 1d20+87 Queen
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d20=9]
> roll 2d6+68+6d6
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 96 > [d6=4,6,5,3,1,2,3,4]
Three blows ring out and the slime is cut, bashed, slashed. It recoils back from that but a moment, your assault sufficient to hold it at bay, even if the damage heals in a heart's beat.
Sulia takes that chance to rise above the ooze, to fly to the stone. In a firm voice she declares, "Enough," and reaches out to lay a hand on it.
> roll 1d20+7 rank check +4 strata bonus
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d20=7]
That touch abruptly stills the Spawning Stone. "I have no interests in defeating or breaking this stone, Ssendam." Sulia declares, "Your race of slaad requires it. But we will not be deterred."
There is no response.
TIhaewraek iesn no response.
TWhheorsee ikss ntoh reessepeodnse.
TYhoeurdea irse ntoo rteaskpeointse.
TOhbelriev iiso nnot raeksepyoonuse.
Alicia gasps. "Did you hear that?" she asks the others. Did the stone just curse at them using the sort of invective favoured by Sharrans?
Or was it the Guardian?
"Two voices together," Queen declares, as the Spawning Stone rises up out of the waters.
The Stone awaits.
TDhiee Satnodnbee aswialietnst.
TPhaet Shteotniec acwraeiattsures.
TChoem Settoondee aawtahits.
"No!" Sulia calls, "The answer to suffering is never the final death!"
"We did not come all this way to die," Alicia says, a glance back at the chaos stuff which can't exactly be dismissed out of hand even while she tries to give the stone and its guardian her focus. "We dare to seek the seed in your care, as two of us have sought others."
The chaos stuff writhes and twists as it recoils back from your blows.
Queen holds position for now, a glance to it as well as, "We demand to go forward!"
The Stone spins above.
TYhoeu Shtaovneea slprienasd aybdoiveed.
TOhbel Sitvoinoen sbpeicnkso anbsove.
TAhlel Sitsomneea snpiinngsl aebsosve.
Alicia, it's your turn. Go.
"I reject your fatalistic nihilism!" Alicia fires back. No spells, no swinging of her sword, no asserting her will over reality. Just her words.
But they're not empty ones.
"So long as there's still a will to act, then we are not dead, and there is meaning in what we do. I don't know if you were made wrong or if something has corrupted you over time, the only one spouting meaningless words here is you." Her tone softens a bit, "I know... you were given a horrid duty, denied a chance to live and influence Creation by your actions. But this is your chance to change that, not only by discharging your duty, but by ending it and opening a new chapter. You may find meaning outside of Creation, or the Incarnation may invite you back when all is said and done. But please don't surrender to oblivion, and don't condemn us to it either."
"There's nothing to be gained from it," Queen challenges, "One of your kin twisted me for eons and yet I stand here, triumphant and free! Finish your duty and find what you will in what is Beyond here!"
You have no chance for a reply yet. The chaos stuff surges into one wave, and with far greater speed now, darts right at you.
AoO?
A heavy backswing of Alicia's sword meets that charge!
[21:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+74 -35 power attack, moment of prescience
[21:28] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 93 > [d20=19]
[21:28] <@Ebiris> roll 8d6+130
[21:28] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 154 > [d6=3,6,5,1,3,1,2,3]
[21:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+74 crit threat in case it's crittable
[21:29] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=2]
[21:29] <@Ebiris> roll 16d6+260 if that critted
[21:29] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 321 > [d6=2,4,5,6,3,1,1,1,2,6,4,2,6,6,6,6]
In one mighty swing you slice deep into it, checking the assault all by yourself. It's the one moment you need, perhaps.
Sulia.
Before Sulia can speak, the Guardian's voice is heard, alone.
Then survive.
A dagger of gray stone comes forth from the Spawning Stone, and it hovers in the air before it flies right towards you. Faster than you can react, it plunges into your heart.
In that one moment, the world is numb and empty. You feel your body collapse as the waters entomb you. Your sense retreat, fade. Awareness becomes only yourself, divine senses failing by the moment, sputtering out. Your blood spills down your chest, as merely mortal ears can hear Sulia's call of your name, of Queen's snarled, furious curse.
You feel so little, body broken. Power leaves you by the moment. Divinity is gone, your mastery of the Weave crumbling like paper in the hearth's fire. Decades of martial lore atrophy while memories fade, tarnish, slip away. You're passing away by the second, every part of you crumbling back to the nothingness you once came from.
Chance to react, use it wisely.
Survive?
With Sulia right there?
Alicia smiles even as she falls... it's not really her style. She likes to make things happen by herself, relying on hope or a miracle just feels naive, proclaiming how it's all about friendship feels like not doing enough to shoulder the burden herself.
But she brought one of the greatest healers in Creation to this place with her. She chose to share the bounty of this seed not out of some cunning gambit with all the pieces arranged just so, but because she wanted her friend to rise up with her.
And that friend is who she puts her full trust in now. Oblivion won't take her, not with Sulia there. The chance of gaining more from the seed by sacrificing Alicia isn't a calculus Sulia would make either.
So...
Just this once, she'll be the one getting saved. She believes in that outcome with all her heart, meeting eyes with Sulia in that last instant before her senses fade, trusting that her friend's face will be what she sees when she opens them again.
You fade.
You fade.
You fade.
You gasp.
Color and light and life return as your mouth sucks in air, head raised above the waters. Sulia holds you for that moment as she fades away into white light, gone. She smiles as she does so, meeting your gaze.
Everything returns in that single, frantic moment as you become again, you become as you were before that terrible blow.
Light.
Light rises into the sky. A star? Above you a star rises and Sulia comes forth from it, restored.
An inhuman roar. Louder than you have heard even a dragon scream, and in that all of reality twitches violently. A roar of frustration, anger and denial. The Guardian's roar is like a knife across all you see. The chaos-stuff dries away instantly, as waters evaporate and the stone beneath them becomes naught but dust. Only the Spawning Stone survives, untouched by this rage.
Yet perhaps that is alright, because before the Spawning Stone, the divine seed appears.
Just as planned?
Oh if only Alicia really was that clever, but still it's nice when she's right.
"Now, away!" she grabs the seed in one hand, the other touching Sulia's reborn figure while she makes sure a foot is in contact with Queen, plane-shifting them to Sylica in the wake of the Guardian's tantrum and before any of the powers of Limbo can assert themselves.
You appear in Sylica.
Where in it?
Queen's there and Sulia as the former manages, "We did it," she breathes out. "Alicia, you're alive!"
They appear on top of the Opal Mountain, in the same warded temple where a previous seed was used to ascend the rest of their pantheon.
"I am," she shrinks down to her normal size as they all get situated. It's not a grand temple, exposed but shield by light and marked by pillars bearing the symbols of six goddesses as well as Sylica's own symbol. "Thank you Sulia. I knew you'd save me." She holds up the seed in her palm towards the other two, discerning how many charges it holds. "And the prize for our efforts..."
It holds four charges.
"This one is stronger than the one at the bottom of the stair," she meets Queen's eyes before she includes Sulia in her gaze. "It has four charges, not three. I was prepared for this... if we each use one, would you two object if I passed the last to my sponsor? I can't say for sure who it would ultimately go to, but I trust their wisdom that it would be to Creation's benefit."
Sulia looks on at the seed a time, "I suppose it's only fair," she says at last, "Better than to give into the temptation of it, for I feel it even now."
Queen's hands close and open before she breathes out, "You saved me," she says at last, "I will do that for you, my friend."
"Thank you," she lowers her gaze. "I'd say more, but they asked for secrecy. Now... touch it and simply take what you are owed, my friends," she holds it out expectantly, waiting until Queen and Sulia both place their hands on the seed as well before she claims one of its charges for herself.
[What DvR does that take you up to?
5.
More power. It comes into you in a rich torrent, like the first bite of a chocolate cake that oozes with still warm chocolate inside. You feel energized, recharged, more than you were now as new abilities come into you.
"Oh," Sulia says softly, "Magnificent!"
Queen's tip of her tail thrashes wildly as the rest of her stays still, "It is no less divine than the first time," she breathes out.
"Would that there were more," Alicia says regretfully, still holding the diminished seed and resisting the urge to draw on it. What would she even do if Queen or Sulia took an extra charge? It's not as if she could stop them.
"If there are I don't have any more leads on them. Supposedly there is one in Acheron and one in Gehenna, but I have no further information beyond that. With this I've exhausted all the knowledge my sponsor gave me. The rest... is up to us."
"That's fine." Sulia says with a slight smile now, 'We need something to fill our days." You do notice her gaze drifts to the seed a moment, a lingering look, but her hand doesn't move towards it.
"We'll stay busy. But you must excuse me to get rid of this - I fear simply holding onto such a thing for too long for the attention it can bring. Can you both make your own way home while I take this away?" she asks, casting a gate to Io's labyrinth behind herself while Marie appears in response to a mental summons.
"You found it? Good job! Hi Sulia - hello Queen, I'm Marielle, I used to be Alicia's familiar but now I'm one of Sylica's goddesses," she greets the other two present, coming along to escort Alicia on the very unlikely chance someone ambushes her en route to Io.
"Nonsense, we will not go home," Empress Sulia declares with a smile, "What we must do after this is celebrate our trip out."
"...celebrate?" Queen asks, quieter. "It's been...far too long since I've done anything like that."
"Sulia gets it!" Marie grins. "Come on Alicia, you need to celebrate with your friends and not be all business all the time. We'll just be five minutes dropping this off and then we'll be back for the party, okay?" she smiles at Sulia and Queen before pulling Alicia through the gate.
"I do get overly focused sometimes," Alicia admits. "Alright, five minutes and we'll be back, just wait right here," she agrees, stepping through with Marie and closing the gate so they can hurry up to where Io is.
This is simple enough. You return to Io, who looms above when you come to him. "Another divine seed," he notes, "My congratulations."
"Thank you. I'm unsure precisely how many remain of the ones accounted for but... two charges to be used where there's need when all's said and done. Can you take care of it like the other I left here?" she asks, setting it down. "Bel and Gathgorian beat us to the one on Pandemonium."
"They will be safe here," Io concurs.
"Thank you. We'll be in touch again soon." Alicia and Marie take their leave from Io's presence before they gate themselves back to Sylica.
Here you find Sulia is - !
Her mere presence is stronger, a new grace and allure to her. She smiles gently when you return, "Welcome back, Alicia." She has always been beautiful, but in that moment, you see it anew as if you see her for the first time.
Queen's head is half bowed, eyes closed in some manner of reverie.
And Marie, she's here too! "Sorry to keep you waiting," Alicia apologises, "But it looks like growth agrees with you."
"It's a good look!" Marie seconds, going to lean against the table in the middle of the small temple used for important Syliciad meetings. "So you wanted a party - why don't we invite Mystra and Sune and Sharess?" she suggests. Mystra's always hinting to Alicia that she wants to be invited to more parties and it's a good excuse to get Sune in on something like this. Chance for Queen to make some new friends too!
Sulia comes over with a smile, "What a marvelous idea, though perhaps they may be jealous at who obtained the seeds?"
Queen looks up from her reverie, "A celebration for all of us."
"I think they'd be happy for us, but if there is ill feeling better to head it off?" Alicia says. "But a small celebration just with us goddesses should make for a nice event. We can use one of Sylica's beaches."
"Oh yes," Sulia says, "Really now, Alicia," she comes up, "We have to get this just right. We have to plan out and Queen's debut perfectly. A good first impression is vital."
"Beaches are nice when it's just us but you need something fancier for a debut," Marie seconds, mercilessly ganging up on Alicia.
"Well yes, but it's all part of my lovely divine realm," Alicia says in her defence. "We can use Liberton instead if we want it to be a bit fancier, though."
Sulia smiles, and turns you so the two of you face Queen. "Alicia, what sort of dress should we get for Queen?"
"...dress?" Queen asks, meeting Sulia's gaze.
"Well I suppose you could go naked but radiant as Syala does," Empress Sulia counters, "But really dear, isn't that too brazen as well as derivative? Do you want to be known as someone who mindlessly copies Syala?" She puts her arm around Alicia's shoulders for a light hug, "Marie, kindly give her some advice here. I think the two of you would be a natural match for this."
Marie is currently attired in a purple dress with a big poofy skirt, as it happens. "Well you probably don't want something with too much in the way of skirt, it'd get in the way of your slither," she warns, sidling over to Queen. "Have you ever thought about painting your scales?"
"Painting my scales?" Queen echos, sounding almost lost.
"Something warm and vibrant," Sulia calls, "Something colorful!"
"Yes, have you ever seen a mosaic?" Marie asks and with a flex of her power the floor of the temple underneath becomes decorated with colourful geometric patterns of little polished pebbles in various colours making for an eye-catching design. "Something like that for your scales would look beautiful, then you can go with something simple like a waistcoat or something for your top half."
Alicia meanwhile looks at Marie's illusory mosaic and hmms to herself. That kind of thing would actually be nice for brightening up some of the floors around here and she makes a note to commission some permanent work in that vein.
Queen blushes at that, "Well..." she begins to smile, as plans are made and preparations began.
We might cover some of this after the break - Queen's diplomatic debut is both good RP and worldbuliding, but fundamentally the timing of it is all wrong, since we're at level up time. Do you have anything to add here right now?
Nope, all good here.
Cool, welcome to level up time. Go ahead and get started on that. Locking topic.