It's not long until events move you again. Indeed, it comes with a sensual voice that whispers into Alicia's mind.
Oh Alicia. I've heard such things about you just recently.
Well their trip to the Abyss can't have gone entirely unnoticed.
And?
If you were so curious, you should have just asked.
It's always more interesting to be shown rather than told though, isn't it?
But it's always more fun to be shown by another person.
Well I met someone there who was happy enough to talk regardless.
So, tell me, what did he say? I'm most curious.
Don't worry, he reassured me that you found what you desired.
Yes take that comfort from a liar if you please.
My, my, my. Why don't you come over and we discuss it, just the two of us? Taking such initiative to go there yourself, into such a primal evil? I didn't think you had it in you.
As playful as these chats are, we both know any time I come over it's not going to be pleasant.
I suppose Syala's doing one thing right, then.
There's even a sense of rueful amusement, unhidden. No hostility, no venom.
A Sharran tried very hard to get information about you from one of my Radiant Sisters.
I hope she didn't suffer long.
It might be taken as cloying by a demon, but it's sincere enough. She even went out of her way to rescue Violet from the Adversary after all. Torture is unacceptable, no matter who it's done on.
He, and of course not. He enjoyed every moment of it, even when he told us everything we wanted to know.
Ah, of course.
So was he just a jumped up worshipper, or someone of importance?
It sounds more like the kind of mad scheme a Sharran with more ambition than sense would set about rather than something Shar would sponsor directly.
Merely a servant with dreams of power. They seem so interested in you, Alicia.
That's no secret, Shar's had her eye on me since long before I became a figure of note for anyone else. I imagine her plans for me were at one time not so dissimilar from your own.
Perhaps they're not so different even now. She likes to dangle out information too.
Perhaps, but tell me, do you want to know what this Sharran told us?
Very well, I'll even trade it for something Shar told me. Or rather showed me.
He said that Shar has offered divinity itself to any who capture or slay you or any of your pantheon.
I believe it to be a lie for the gullible, of course.
Or perhaps not, with the Godsrush.
Shar has shown herself to be possessed of surprising resources, and such a feat would certainly prove one more than qualified. As for Shar's latest trick? She now possesses the ability to merge herself with the essence of a plane, making herself all but unassailable. This was recently demonstrated by an avatar on a demiplane, but the implication with Shar herself and the plane of shadow is obvious.
Malcanthet should be pretty clued up on this sort of thing, as far as planes go the Abyss is one of the more demonstrative.
Shar proves to be irritatingly competent.
You two could be twins.
Well they do both have black hair!
I'll take that in the spirit intended. Don't take this as coming from any place of fondness but I suggest you take care if you cross her; she's grown excited over Primus's Prophecy and is only escalating from here.
Like an overeager puppy with far too sharp a bite.
Quite.
With this the conversation winds down. First of all, doing anything in response to it?
She'll tell the rest of the Sylican pantheon.
Not that they need any more reason to be careful about people trying to kill them, but still.
"It's hardly a surprise," Syala concludes.
As Latha opens her mouth to say something, Jessica steps from the shadows. "Good news, sister."
"We could do with more of that," Alicia leans back and smiles at her newly arriving sister.
"I found the Man of the Winds, as requested," she declares as she walks in, "He hides in Phlegethon in Pandemonium, he just moved there from another hiding place. In particular somewhere within or below Windglum, a settlement there that's relatively safe and stable for the region."
This gets Antenora to scowl ever so distinctly, "Phlegethon is particularly wretched, even for Pandemonium. Not only are the winds there, but so is gravity and constant dripping water, like a filthy rain. Light barely functions there, particularly around the stalagmite and stalactites that form everywhere. Have you narrowed it down further?"
"Not yet, not without going there," Jessica says, "Which is a problem." A breath is taken, "Talona is there. No one knows why, but her priests enforce her will and no one has dared to challenge her."
"Talona herself is there, or just her influence?" Alicia asks.
"Talona herself, sister," Jessica says, "Not an avatar. She brought her faithful, a small army of them, along with servitor fiends and other servants."
"Do you think it's related?" Latha asks, "Or misfortune?"
"I'm inclined to think it's misfortune," Antenora says at last, "Talona has no stake in this that we know of, though I can't dismiss that she may be after him and have her own reasons for doing so, distinct from ours."
Does Alicia's portfolio sense give any useful information around this area via her purification domain being naturally opposed to disease/poison stuff Talona would likely be interested in?
Sure. There's a lot of disease and poison being spread, and the army makes out a great deal of numbers.. All sorts of vile things, though none of it seems directed - more just a weapon than a purpose in this case.
Events of being poison, of poison being spread, of disease being infected. Those afflicted are then asked about 'a knife that drips green'. No one's had any idea yet that you've sensed.
Any religious or arcane or planar or history or nature significance to a knife that drips green Alicia would recognise? Take 10 for 80 on whichever knowledge applies, divine insight used.
Nothing truly major by itself - scores of lesser items, but nothing that remotely justifies this level of reaction.
"She's looking for something," Alicia says after a moment. "A knife that drips green."
> roll 1d20+64 Antenora in case she rolls well
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+65 Latha as well
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 68 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+64 Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 83 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+66 Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=18]
"Vague," Syala says with a frown, "But that does strike me as having nothing to do with the Man of the Winds."
"I'm afraid I don't know anything specific, sister," Jessica says, "Not yet, anyway."
"It's rather vague - could apply to any kind of acid or poison charged blade but I don't really know of anything in that area which it could apply to," Alicia says. "I'd prefer to send our avatars but if Talona notices us or we get into any kind of conflict we'd really need to be there in person to stand up to her."
"Which makes it more complicated," Latha concludes.
"We can try to sneak in and find it and risk a confrontation with Talona, or be direct," Syala reasons, "I prefer the direct approach, but I doubt she'll be helpful."
"She won't," Alicia agrees. "Still neither of us are at home in Pandemonium so there's no reason to treat this as an invasion, nor do we owe her any explanations. Lets go there with the intention of staying unnoticed but if we get provoked by something brazen in front of us... I don't really mind getting into Competition with her. Lets go there with myself and Syala, since we're good at countering poisons, and Jessica for the sneaking part?"
"I'll watch Sylica," Antenora agrees.
"That's fine with me," Syala says, "Hopefully this is simple. Jessica?"
"At best we'll still have to find him, in an environment of paranoia and hostility," Jessica points out.
"That's really what I'm counting on you for, sister," Alicia says. "We're all bringing our own skills forward here and have to cover each other's weaknesses."
Okay then, any prep for y'all here?
We'll downplay our presence, so wear concealing dark robes - yes even you Syala, and hide our weapons.
Just for safety, Alicia will leave the special scissors with Antenora here in Sylica in case Talona manages to down her or something catastrophic happens.
Marie will offer everyone her CL 36 epic mage armour (+22 AC) as she always does when people go outside.
Alicia will also cast CL 39 extended nondetection on everyone via divine familiar bullshit so they get the 'self' bonus of 15 + CL so the DC to beat it will be 54.
Past that just whatever buffs people usually use on a regular basis. We're not immediately going into combat.
They'll keep it simple then for now, yes. Where are you teleporting to, precisely?
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 725/725
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 3/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.
Syala
HP: 720/720
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 30ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+18 (+18 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 8/8 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 3/3 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.
We'll aim for some tunnels/caverns about ten miles from Windglum and make the rest of our way there on foot moving at half our normal speed so we won't stand out so much if anyone picks us up via exotic senses.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/4/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
The darkness is only matched by the icy cold, whip-like spray of water. The winds of Pandemonium howl in this foul passage, droplets of water falling like a steady rain. Everywhere are great stalagmites and stalactites, like narrow teeth rising up all around you. Everything is weathered and wet, the scent of frost and mold thick in the air.
Syala bundles her black cloak tighter around herself as Jessica shakes her head.
It's simplest if we don't talk at all when we don't need to. Words can echo here forever, and I've heard reliable reports that those words can become monsters. It's said that the words eventually get absorbed by the rain, and in puddles monsters inspired by the twisted, echoed words spawn.
It's like someone took a fall rainstorm, one on the verge of of being an icestorm, and married that to the most miserable caverns there are. I hate it here already.
It's also the most populated layer of Pandemonium, at least by mortals, because the water means there's food and that enables life without magic or imported food.
Alicia simply nods under her thick water-slick cloak, starting to advance with seemingly hurried strides that don't really cross distance as quickly as she would at her normal walking pace.
It's far from the worst place we've visited, but I doubt Talona's presence improves it any.
She does have a zone of purified air around her at least, the mist caused by dance of the unicorn abating some of the smell and rot.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d100=3]
Fortunately your travels are quiet in the short term. You wander these twisted caves, no great obstacle at first. Then, further ahead, the echos are heard. Distorted and twisted, but you can hear it. A song in Abyssal, fragments caught.
"...blood and..."
"...praise all the..."
"...Let poison flow from your fangs..."
Lets not show our full power. If they cause us trouble we'll return them to Talona but lets try and skirt by them unless they give us a reason.
Beyond the echoes, she can hear well enough within five miles and she has sensual blessing up to give her blindsight and tremorsense that far too, ensuring a good idea of what's ahead of them and how to easily navigate to avoid them too.
You can tell it's about a half mile away as the crow flies. Through twisted and broken passages it's much longer than that. You can feel about a dozen people moving about there, and the vibrations of a few more barely moving.
They've got a bit of time before they reach them then, and they'll make use of the twisted caverns to avoid running directly into them if they can help it.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d100=3]
Your luck holds and you go around. As you do?
We should do something, sister. What if innocents are there?
It's sounded just like a generic ritual so far, they don't all have to involve blood sacrifice of the innocent!
Still, knowing her luck. Then investigate more closely, they'll never see you.
They won't ever see me.
Once Jessica hurries ahead?
She's right. Our mission is important, but so are others. We can't let our own crisis let us become callous to others.
This assumes there's innocents there, but I put nothing past a lower plane.
I won't ignore a cry for help, but bashing down every door we find in case there's trouble behind it doesn't come free of consequence.
A faint nod as Syala waits and...Soon you hear the echos, moments of distant cries of alarm, before there is nothing but silence. The echos cease, no more sound coming from that ritual, nor any movement at all.
Well, Jessica clearly found something that displeased her, but given how everyone's dead it doesn't look like she rescued anyone. Alicia starts to glide ahead to catch up.
Jessica soon approaches. She opens her cloak as she does - for in her arms, a small, white foal sleeps against her chest. It has a tail that is embers, which yet do not burn Jessica in the least.
You can recognize a unicorn foal when you see one, but the fire tail is rather unusual.
Alicia gives her an approving look from under her cloak. Well done, Jessica. Shall we send them to Sylica for now?
Jessica passes the foal to you, a short nod to that.
A plane shift sends the foal to Sylica, Alicia's avatar on the other side taking it to be under the care of some coure in a nice open field.
I wonder how Rosamund's doing, haven't seen her in some time.
Well enough, the last I heard.
Let's hurry, that loss won't be unnoticed forever.
Alicia nods then and they press on further.
Gimme a quick d100.
[18:33] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[18:33] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d100=69]
You walk on - and in the distance after another mile, you feel a figure emerge about half a mile ahead, through the stone walls. Over the howls of the wind you hear it - feminine cries for help, pained and desperate.
[19:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+62 sense motive
[19:02] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 64 > [d20=2]
Because c'mon.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/4/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
It's purest bullshit, yes.
Someone's trying to plant a trap. We'll get close and you can investigate ahead for confirmation, but I don't need to be Antenora to see through this lie.
How quaint.
Should I go deal with it, sister? She won't even know I'm there.
Caution, Jessica. Rather than some local predator of Pandemonium, this could be Talona testing who slew her worshippers to rescue that foal. We're not served by giving everything away so easily.
Then let's go softly ahead, sister.
That's what they'll do, and once they're close Jessica can sneakily investigate.
Do the piteous cries for help just continue monotonously the whole time?
They continue with some variation, but not a lot. Jessica soon slips ahead as you stand in the rainy, miserable caverns. A few moments later she returns.
A succubus that wants to lure prey. Her mouth is...large. It reminds me of the mouth of a shark, but only when she opens it.
Did you read her thoughts? No connection to Talona?
None at all. She's a local who tricks residents who explore out from Windglum. She's also not very intelligent, her mind's damaged and she's unable to heal it. More like an animal than a person.
Well, do as you please with her in that case, and we'll continue on.
Jessica slips away and returns shortly after, a mere nod all the confirmation as she continues on.
Perception real quick?
[19:50] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+87
[19:50] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 106 > [d20=19]
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/4/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
You fly on - and you begin to hear it. The noises of the city, echoed and distorted. Chants. Praises. Footsteps. Coins. So many noises, all of them strong - and a zone, just inside the city, that stands out because nothing comes from it. No sound, no vibrations - nothing at all.
How big is the zone of silence? Are people passing in and out of it or giving it a wide berth?
People pass in and out of it. It's perhaps a quarter of a mile in size roughly.
Talona's secured a section for privacy, we'll want to avoid at least that far. Just remember her senses are going to be as good if not better than mine so her reach extends a lot farther.
Can we sneak well enough to avoid her senses? Then again, it's one thing for us to be noticed, it's another to be identified.
I'm confident I can avoid her notice if I need to. But it's best to assume she'll notice us, but she may not recognize us if we give her no reason to suspect we're anything but another few sneaks in this wretched place. In other words Syala's right, sister. The bigger risk is if she penetrates our nondetection magic or has some other means to identify us.
Which is why we don't want to be seen as anything special. Take care of your movements, don't be seen as too swift or graceful. Assume she already knows there are three humanoid figures where we are but she doesn't know more than that. So long as she's not given reason to investigate more closely, we'll pass by as just part of the scenery.
With that the party progresses on.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 56 > [d100=56]
Around a cavern and several others. Footsteps. You're less than a mile away now, but people have come from town and are heading in your direction. Four in total. The caverns here are a straight shot mostly, not much chance to go around them that way.
Any conversation between the four?
Alicia adjusts things somewhat, reducing the effective caster level of her dance of the unicorn so it isn't quite so pervasive.
Changing it to CL 16 so radius drops to 80 feet.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 16), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/4/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Nothing like that, they're hurrying but stone silent as far as speech goes.
Just like them!
Four people heading our way. I'll use fear if they cause us trouble.
Alicia doesn't otherwise break her own seemingly hurried stride.
You soon come on them - veiled women, each wearing heavy cloaks with hoods, and pale blue veils obscuring their faces.
But your perception is enough to see.
Scarred, ruined faces. Faces once perhaps beautiful, now nothing but grotesque memories. They look up, see you and keep going, faster than before.
Alicia's own features are well concealed by her cloak, and she lets them go past without argument.
I'll use Greater Foresight's free action 1/round divination to see if it tells me if they'll present a threat to Alicia's aims here within the next 8 hours the spell covers.
They will not.
Then they merely pass one another without interacting further.
Onward. To the city - a cramped collection of windtorn buildings, of roads that often become dead end ponds of collected water. Of avenues where people hurry, save for those robed, masked followers of Talona, who march in processions. At the entrance to town, the road is filled with corpses on both sides - sickened creatures, bloated and dead.
Alicia and company hurry too, flitting into the town and finding themselves an isolated alley to begin with.
So Jessica, your leads said the Man of Winds was underneath this town? Shall we explore the caverns, or interrogate the locals?
Rains pound down as you three huddle in it, filth here along with a dead, rotting
I don't like it up here - Talona's doing too much and I think we run a risk of trouble if we linger above. At least below may be more sequestered from events in the city.
Alicia gets a feel for the space below the city through her tremorsense in that case...
You can feel it - lots and lots and lots of caverns. Stretching onward and beyond, no end of them in sight. Many of them have creatures within them, no less.
Nothing particularly stands out to her, so Alicia merely picks out a route they can access from within the town that isn't particularly guarded and leads them towards it.
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d100=8]
As you walk?
Piteous beings of this place, I am Talona, your goddess. In four hours I will release a plague on this town that will slay every creature here. I shall only abate my wrath if I am Karendis. It is a knife that drips green poison.
Any who escape will be given this disease and die on the roads they flee on. Their souls will serve me forever.
This is your first and only chance to save yourselves, people of Windglum.
Well.
What did Alicia say earlier about how she wouldn't mind competing if Talona gave her a reason?
That's it. Right there.
She just looks at Syala and Jessica from under her hood as if to say 'really?'
What an arrogant sow of a goddess. I know that look, Alicia. That's the we're going to make her regret everything she just did look. It's so sexy when you get like that.
Wanton slaughter and disease if her demands aren't met? Even if there's only one innocent soul in this place that deserves respite, she goes too far.
Also please remember I'm RIGHT HERE, Syala.
Sorry, Jessica.
Alicia smiles wryly under her hood at that exchange.
"Come along then, we have a plaguemaiden to chastise," Alicia says aloud, boosting the power of her dance of the unicorn back up to full strength as she steps out of the alley they've hunkered in and starts approaching the silent area of Windglum.
Fear not, Windglum. I am here.
Her hood sweeps back, her miniaturised sword grows to full size in her hand, and she glows with a holy nimbus. There's no subtlety now, only challenge.
Divine aura is in effect, 50 foot radius DC 32, daze function.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/4/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Jessica takes a moment to push back her hood and draw a breath in. Her unspoken voice is louder than the constant rain, louder than the sound of water on water, of howling winds that speak of lamented days past.
Fear not, for the shadows have seen enough.
Syala tosses her cloak aside entirely, her radiance freed. Blessing of the Twelve is in hand as she follows alicia.
Fear not, I'm here to smash in the face of a boring, boorish goddess who thinks she's worth more than the pile of her mother's shit she crawled out of.
For one moment the rains cease. The city is silent everywhere, as of every resident has drawn in a fearful breath. Then the winds erupt in a maelstrom, every wind pitted building here quaking and the howling like that of an unleashed tornado.
Who dares? Three little whelps dare challenge the Lady Of Poisons? Then suffer, city of Windglum. Die at your pitiable savior's feet!
The rain turns a sickly shade of amber, falling harder and harder every moment.
Although purification is one of Alicia's domains, in a direct contest of divine will it's unlikely she can beat Talona's much stronger focus on poison.
But magic and war both reward creative solutions.
"Syala," she says, trusting her to blunt the edge of that poison rain with her druidic magic, acting herself by summoning forth several air elementals.
Quickened Summon Monster X to summon 1d3 elder air elementals as swift.
[19:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d3 elder air elementals
[19:11] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d3=2]
Swift to make one my familiar.
Standard to use Dance of the Unicorn SLA on it as if it was me because familiar share spell.
CL 36, 180 foot radius that negates poisons and because I'm a goddess it ignores the antimagic component of epic poisons."Go, provide shelter from the poison rain for all who need it," she tells that elemental, about to do the same for the others.
That's a round's worth of actions.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/7/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
> roll 1d20+45
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d20=14]
What's the CL on unicorn? I'll sort it all out in one go.
36
I'm going to need a rank check in this process most likely, so go ahead and give me one. At worst it's unused, but unless the dice are crazy I'll need one.
[01:36] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
[01:36] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=16]
Syala opens her hands wide as an aura of purification surrounds all of you, spreading out like a gentle mist in the air. It joins your spell, something to contest the foul rain that falls all around now.
> roll 1d20+45
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d20=8]
As the elementals off, your magic cracks. It sickens in a moment and lets out a crack like a dying cough before it fails. Dance of the Unicorn and Syala's own magic both give way, the rain battering it down like it isn't even there.
Jessica's divine will gathers, shadows gathering around you, as if to protect and hide you from this storm.
Jessica's using alter reality for something like a shadow based miss chance. This is entirely possible within the limits of limited wish, but it's going to require a rank check against Talona to work.
> roll 1d20+12 rank check Talona with strata
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+1 Jessica has a shot at least
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d100 vs 50
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d100=76]
Yet even this only does so much, as the rain falls over all of you.
> roll 1d20+12 rank check Talona with strata
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+1 Jessica she might luck out again, Talona's rolling poorly
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+3 Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=17]
Y'all are lucky Talona's suffering the wrath of the bots today. Jessica needs two Fortitude saves immediately, as does the air elemental. This penetrates any immunities to poison and diseases, respectively.
> roll 1d20+40 (+4 racial bonus vs poison comes in handy here)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 44 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+36
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 43 > [d20=7]
> roll 2d6 Con Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d6=6,5]
> roll 1d8 Con from disease Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d8=1]
Before your eyes Jessica's flesh begins to run. Like runny candle wax, dripping down. She lets out a gurgling noise, coughing up melting flesh. Across her face and hands, all her visible flesh has black splotches grow like blossoms, her skin rotting where it doesn't melt. Her hand gropes for her neck, which just causes flesh and blood to trickle away, rivulets of it staining her chest.
All across Windglum this poison rain falls, stone and metal and wood all melting away before it, drops melting into buildings.
Go ahead and give me the air elemental's saves.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 725/725 (Con is current 35-12=23, will adjust HP if in a situation it matters)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 3/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.
Syala
HP: 720/720
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 30ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+18 (+18 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 8/8 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 3/3 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage. [/b]
Just to clarify, there are 2 dances of the unicorn - one on Alicia and one on the elemental. Did both get dispelled?
Also no saves for Alicia? Or is it impossible for her to fail?
[11:34] <@Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+22 elemental fort
[11:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 35, 37 >
Yes, both were dispelled.
Alicia is off the hook because she got extremely lucky with how the rank checks rolled out.
> roll 2d6+1d8
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d6=1,4][d8=2]
7 con damage to the elemental.
The elemental itself seems to shudder and weaken under this rain, as...
Go ahead and react.
"Then we go to the source," Alicia says grimly, silver light flowing from her to Jessica to if not cure the disease/poison then at least alleviate the symptoms.
Space twists, compressing the route between them and Talona's silent zone so they can cover the rest of the way in a step.
Heal equivalent given via the silver fire.
Paste me Silver Fire's writeup real quick, this is gonna get mechanical.
SILVER FIRE
The deity can emit the silver fire that Mystra uses, as a gift from her.
Prerequisite: Magic Domain, must serve Mystra or otherwise have her favor
Benefit: Silver fire has several abilities as described below.
- At will, the deity may emit a beautiful beam of silver fire. This beam has a range of 70ft and has laser precision, able to turn corners and strike as as much as little of the target as desired. This attack deals 40d10 points of damage, with a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 hit dice + your Charisma modifier + divine rank) for half damage. No mortal means of defense can stop this ability, as it destroys barriers as a divine blast does.
- Once per minute the deity can bestow a Heal, Greater Restoration or Regenerate spell with a touch.
- Silver fire also can be activated within the body of the deity (triggering automatically as a free action, once per round) to completely purge all external magical, supernatural or psionic compulsions from them as a greater dispel magic (caster level equal to the deity's hit dice and with no cap).
Suggested Portfolio Elements: Magic.
Rank check then.
[16:56] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
[16:56] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=1]
Talona cannot lose that roll so no point rolling.
Yet nothing happens. Not even silver fire budges it as Jessica gurgles on her own melting flesh. Syala is there, a hand on her as she applies her own power without hesitation.
> roll 1d20+12 Talona vs Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+3 Syala has a shot
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=19]
When Syala's hand touches Jessica's shoulder, there is an image. An image of an old, withered hag. A body desiccated and ancient, eyes like sores that bore into Syala. Syala grits her teeth and refuses to look away, refuses to yield. She covers Jessica with her own body, as if to ward away Talona - and with a howl, Talona's image fades.
Jessica's body mends, the damage undone by Syala's touch. She coughs several times, blood and flesh expelled until she manages, "T-thank you." Her flesh is whole once more, melt and black spots gone like a nightmare in the morning sunshine.
Syala came up huge there on the dice. She used a heal spell, incidentally.
The disease deals damage every minute and the poison's secondary damage every round. Odds are that does in Jessica fast.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 725/725 (Con is current 35-12=23, will adjust HP if in a situation it matters)
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 3/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.
Syala
HP: 720/720
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 30ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+18 (+18 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 8/8 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 3/3 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used: 1 6th level
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.
Unfortunately everyone in the town is dead now.
Talona won't be getting her dagger though, but that doesn't actually feel like any kind of comfort.
With a step through twisted space they reach the boundary that her blindsight was unable to penetrate, so what can she see with her eyes?
The rain trickles to a stop, its deadly work done. Ahead are empty streets, but farther ahead is a clearing. In that clearing sits a single tent. A mundane tent, something barely of notice had you merely glanced at it and see it elsewhere. However, it is surrounded with bloated corpses, towering piles of them.
Another twist of space, Alicia replacing dance of the unicorn, brings Alicia and company to within 60 feet of that tent and the piles of corpses.
[17:19] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41 CL on arcane sight if needed
[17:19] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 51 > [d20=10]
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/9/5/8/7/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
The tent is quite well warded, but not quite well enough for you. You can see the tent is vastly larger on the inside, it's own place. A palace perhaps, mobile as a tent is mobile. It's also protected to the gills, with enough poison, curses and miseries if anyone tries to move it or damage it that it would be nigh suicidal to even try.
"Behind me, and prepare," Alicia tells Syala and Jessica, tossing up a wall of force between them so they won't be caught in the radius of any of those poisons or curses when Alicia drops a driving rain of desolation down on the tent.
For good measure she also twists space between herself and the tent so that anything fired at her from it will just hit the back of the tent instead.
Quickened wall of force to barrier off Syala and Jessica, please use the time to buff yourselves.
Standard for rain of desolation. Targeted dispel and cold damage depending on the number of dispels, how many to roll?
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/9/5/8/7/6/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Alicia's running recitation so everyone should have:
Recitation, CL 36, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Jessica shifts into shadow form, dark and indistinct now. At the same time Syala draws blessings onto herself, bolstering her.
Shadow form lets her burn HP for up to +15 bonuses to several things, including saves. Meanwhile Syala drops Syala's blessing on herself for +constitution and more fort saves.
Also, you have one problem with your plan:
All creatures within the radius are treated as being affected by a targeted greater dispel magic (maximum dispel check modifier of +30).
Tent isn't a creature and thus not a valid target.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 725/725
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.
Syala
HP: 720/720
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 30ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+18 (+18 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 8/8 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 3/3 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used: 1 6th level, 1 14th level spell
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39), Syala's Blessing (CL36)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.
Boo, fine change it to superb dispelling, how many rolls?
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/9/5/8/6/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
16.
[18:31] <@Ebiris> roll 16#1d20+44
[18:32] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 60, 50, 61, 57, 51, 58, 49, 54, 62, 53, 51, 48, 57, 49, 60, 50 >
A great deal of the magic crumbles around it, fizzling out as you work your will to weaken the protections of this tent.
Perception before anything else.
[17:03] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+117 perception, many moments of prescience dropped
[17:03] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 137 > [d20=20]
It's distant, but you hear a single footstep back and behind, atop a battered and rain-pitted roof, even as the winds of Pandemonium continue to howl.
Can I make out the owner of that footstep with blindsight?
Yes. It is the same withered woman as you saw when Syala saved Jessica.
Your senses take her in - an avatar, not the true Talona.
I'm gonna go fuck her up. Init?
Supreme init and DvR 5 and all. But still, real Talona's obviously in the vicinity too and I don't know what she has.
This is an awkward spot for a few reasons, so go ahead and sketch out what you'll do on your turn and I'll adjudicate/roll init as needed.
Compress space to put myself in melee with the avatar and full attack.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/9/5/8/6/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Moments of prescience left: 3
Go for it, you have supreme.
Alicia doesn't give that avatar a chance to do anything, a mental effort twisting space to connect the area next to her with what's behind the avatar. A quick shout will be all the warning the avatar gets as her magical defences are stripped away before Alicia's blades fall on her.
Quickened superb dispelling and full attack, how many dispels first?
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/9/5/8/6/7/6/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Moments of prescience left: 3
25.
Roll the first two dispels separately from the rest.
[18:15] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+44
[18:15] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=19]
[18:15] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+44
[18:15] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 62 > [d20=18]
[18:15] <@Ebiris> roll 23#1d20+44
[18:15] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 64, 58, 53, 63, 58, 52, 59, 49, 47, 51, 62, 46, 55, 56, 57, 61, 56, 62, 51, 54, 50, 55, 64 >Alicia's blades then follow hot on the heels of that magical sundering!
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d20=4]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 99 > [d20=8]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 104 > [d20=13]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+91 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 100 > [d20=9]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+86 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=4]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+86 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 99 > [d20=13]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 91 > [d20=10]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=4]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+76 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 89 > [d20=13]
[18:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+76 channelled maximised/enhanced vampiric touch, 14th level arcane strike
[18:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=9]
[18:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+48 SR for vampiric touch
[18:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 66 > [d20=18]
[18:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 rank check to inflict negative levels
[18:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=8]
+4 more on the rank check from strata.
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 217 > [d8=6][d6=2,5,6,5,2][d4=1,2,4,2,4,1,2,4,4,3,4,4,2,1]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 202 > [d8=1][d6=4,2,2,4,4][d4=2,2,3,2,1,3,1,4,1,4,3,3,2,1]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 205 > [d8=5][d6=3,3,2,2,3][d4=2,4,3,4,1,1,1,1,3,2,4,2,3,3]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 209 > [d8=5][d6=2,2,2,5,2][d4=1,2,4,3,4,3,4,4,4,2,1,2,1,3]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 205 > [d8=2][d6=1,6,1,6,2][d4=4,2,4,2,1,4,3,2,2,2,2,1,4,1]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 211 > [d8=8][d6=4,3,4,1,5][d4=4,3,2,3,3,2,3,4,1,2,1,1,2,2]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 214 > [d8=3][d6=6,3,6,5,3][d4=4,1,4,4,2,3,1,3,2,1,4,2,1,3]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 205 > [d8=7][d6=1,5,4,2,1][d4=2,4,2,2,4,1,1,1,2,4,3,1,4,1]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 216 > [d8=7][d6=2,1,3,6,5][d4=1,4,1,2,4,4,3,4,1,4,2,3,2,4]
[18:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+120+14d4 and 1 negative level if rank check won
[18:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 212 > [d8=5][d6=6,2,1,5,6][d4=4,1,1,1,3,2,3,2,4,1,4,1,4,3]
Alicia HP: 831+120/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/8/9/5/8/6/7/6/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 3
> roll 1d20+12
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=4]
She's rolling remarkably poorly. Also that's only 4 since avatar.
Talona's avatar moves with inhuman speed, even as much of the magic around it crumbles. It sidesteps your first blow, yet the second and third slash across her side. The fourth bloods her again, across the shoulder. She manages to leap back, wounds leaking black, coagulated blood. "Fast!" she utters, face a loathsome visage, nothing but ruin and death.
Anything else for your turn?
Oh! Spell power also added to the vampiric touch damage so +7 damage on each of those. I take it 99s and above hit so four of them for +28 damage? Doubt that kills her but it's more temp hp for me.Alicia merely tuts. It wasn't fast enough. She should've fought harder but she underestimated an avatar and wanted to save some surprises for the real Talona.
A desultory throw of her sword sends it scything through the air to hopefully blood Talona one more time, or even put her down if she's lucky.
Quickened whirling blade with my last swift.
[19:09] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92+18 whirling blade, same bonuses as the full attack, smite evil on this one
[19:09] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 123 > [d20=13]
[19:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+34+2d6+3d6+120+14d4
[19:10] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 201 > [d8=8][d6=1,2,1,2,2][d4=1,2,2,2,2,1,4,4,1,2,4,3,2,1]
+7 more damage from the vampiric touch I forgot to add on the roll itself.
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/8/9/5/8/6/7/6/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 3
Correct on all counts there in the first bit.
Another rip, sudden and savage. The whirling blade goes through Talona's side, more dead blood spilled as she says in a low growl, "You arrogant bitch!"
Init.
> roll 1d20+29 Talona is fast
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+26 Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=12]
> roll 1d20+13 Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=15]
Init is Alicia (Supreme) > Jessica (38) > Talona (32) > Syala (28)
More in the next post, which is incoming.
Oh, also another negative level on that last hit too, can't forget!
> roll 1d20+77 (+15 shadow form and -90 HP, +2 charge, +2 fiend bane)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=17]
A shadowed blur. Jessica is with you, a sudden strike that seeks to impale Talona through the throat. But the avatar jukes to the side at the last moment, the attack avoided by inches.
A moment later she leaps back as...
What's your current reach? Matters.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 635/725
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.
Syala
HP: 720/720
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 30ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+18 (+18 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 8/8 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 3/3 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used: 1 6th level, 1 14th level spell
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39), Syala's Blessing (CL36)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.
5 feet, I did not go big to my shame.
> roll 1d20+43 (-4 negative levels, +2 spell penetration, just to be clear here)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d20=16]
SR Alicia?
Not 5 negative levels? I hit with 99, 100, 104, 99, and 123 didn't I?
Not that it matters (unless the extra hp damage also wasn't counted and would be enough to kill her). SR is 51.
Typo, yes. Either way it gets by yours and also gets by Jessica's. Fort save, both of you.
[20:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+80 improved mettle
[20:00] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=5]
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/15/8/9/5/8/6/7/6/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 3
> roll 1d20+51 she'll sacrifice 90 HP for +15 here fort Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 58 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20 rank check avatar
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+5 Jessica whew
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=20]
Somehow Alicia ignores it, stops it. The spell does nothing as Jessica screams. She screams loud, a primal sound that speaks of pain - no, agony. Unthinking agony, primal. She howls in pain unfathomable, as if her entire body is ablaze.
Which isn't hard as you can note which spell it is - nerve overload.
480 damage to Jessica. Ow.
Talona smiles, a dark thing as if that howling gives her newfound vitality. She even seems faster now, stronger. Her wounds seem less, or at least that they pain her less.
Syala.
Syala hovers up and just behind, as warmth and light soothe Jessica. Her screams abate, moonlight soothing all wounds. "Three on one," Syala says, grimly. "You choose poorly."
Meanwhile, your exceptional senses let you hear and sense footsteps, a great many rushing out of the tent now.
Go.
Syala used mass lunar healing since Jessica needed all the healing she could get.
[spoiler]
Jessica
HP: 425/725
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Telepathic Block 20ft (Stops telepathy/summons) Magic Circle Against Evil 10ft (Protection from Evil), Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+10 (+10 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Defensive Roll 1/1 Plane Hop 1/1 Superior Invisibility 3/3 Ghost Form 3/3 Shadow Form 2/3 Retribution Domain 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39)
Notes: +4 bonus to people who flank with her instead of +2. Use d8s for sneak attack against evil instead of d6s.
Syala
HP: 720/720
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Divine 30ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+18 (+18 armor), Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Rage 8/8 Divine Blast 14/14 Family Domain 3/3 Wrath Domain 2/2 Add Twin 7/7 (non epic only)
Spells Used: 1 6th level, 1 14th level spell 1 15th
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Epic Mage Armor (CL36), Nondetection (CL39), Syala's Blessing (CL36)
Notes: Automatically converts vile damage to normal damage.
"This is just an avatar," Alicia reminds Syala and Jessica, stepping closer through the twisted space so she can continue her assault on Talona.
But before I do, I need to act on that tent. Does leaving it count as a teleportation effect for greater anticipate teleport? If not can I fire stuff into the tent?
No and sure, respectively.
Alicia twists space inside the tent, connecting the area around the entrance flap with a spot behind all those rushing feet.
Basically anyone trying to leave will just get looped back on themselves now.Reaching Talona, her blades fall upon the avatar once more, this time trailing far more damaging divine fire than the vampiric touch she was relying on previously.
[14:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 100 > [d20=8]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 109 > [d20=17]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 112 > [d20=20]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 109 > [d20=17]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+87 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 104 > [d20=17]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+87 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 107 > [d20=20]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+82 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 89 > [d20=7]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+82 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 87 > [d20=5]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+77 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 79 > [d20=2]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+77 channelled maximised/vivacious/enhanced combust, 15th level arcane strike
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=13]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 crit check on 109
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 112 > [d20=20]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 crit check on 112
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d20=9]
[14:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+92 crit check on 109
[14:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d20=10]
[14:18] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+87 crit check on 104
[14:18] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 95 > [d20=8]
[14:18] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+87 crit check on 107
[14:18] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d20=18]
[14:18] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 SR on combust
[14:18] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d20=15]
[14:19] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+160+15d4 and 1 negative level
[14:19] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 255 > [d8=4][d6=3,2,5,3,3][d4=2,3,3,4,2,4,3,3,2,4,1,2,3,4,2]
[14:20] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+66+2d6+6d6+320+15d4 and 2 negative levels
[14:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 472 > [d8=8,8][d6=6,1,4,2,5,2,6,2][d4=2,3,4,2,3,3,4,4,4,3,2,1,3,3,1]
[14:20] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+66+2d6+6d6+320+15d4 and 2 negative levels
[14:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 474 > [d8=4,4][d6=3,5,5,6,5,6,1,6][d4=4,3,3,4,4,3,4,2,2,4,3,3,1,1,2]
[14:20] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+66+2d6+6d6+320+15d4 and 2 negative levels
[14:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 457 > [d8=4,4][d6=5,1,5,3,3,5,2,5][d4=4,3,1,4,3,2,4,3,1,1,1,3,2,1,1]
[14:21] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+66+2d6+6d6+320+15d4 and 2 negative levels if 104/95 critted, unsure what her AC is beyond it being between 92 and 99
[14:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 459 > [d8=7,2][d6=3,1,5,1,3,4,6,3][d4=3,2,1,3,4,1,1,1,4,3,1,3,4,4,3]
[14:21] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+160+15d4 and 1 negative level if it didn't crit
[14:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 255 > [d8=8][d6=2,3,3,4,5][d4=1,3,4,3,2,1,2,4,2,2,1,2,3,4,3]
[14:21] <@Ebiris> roll 2d8+66+2d6+6d6+320+15d4 and 2 negative levels
[14:21] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 467 > [d8=2,6][d6=6,5,3,5,6,2,1,2][d4=4,4,1,4,1,4,3,2,3,4,3,1,3,2,4]
[14:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+160+15d4 and 1 negative level
[14:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 254 > [d8=1][d6=4,4,1,5,6][d4=4,2,4,2,3,2,4,3,1,2,3,2,1,4,3]
[14:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+160+15d4 and 1 negative level
[14:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 239 > [d8=6][d6=1,2,2,3,1][d4=2,2,1,2,1,2,4,4,1,2,3,3,1,2,1]
[14:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+160+15d4 and 1 negative level
[14:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 249 > [d8=1][d6=4,3,4,2,4][d4=2,1,2,4,1,4,4,3,3,3,1,1,4,3,2]
[14:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d8+33+2d6+3d6+160+15d4 and 1 negative level
[14:22] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 247 > [d8=6][d6=1,2,3,3,1][d4=3,4,2,4,3,1,1,2,2,3,2,4,1,4,2]
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/14/8/9/5/8/6/7/6/6/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 3
Give me an immediate trio of Fort saves, Alicia, -20 penalty to each.
[17:03] <@Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+80-20+30 I'll drop moment of prescience on all of these
[17:03] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 103, 91, 106 >
Improved mettle.
Alicia feels malice, pain and screaming agony touch her. Each is ignored, each is endured. Fates worse than death avoided as the avatar crumbles to dust after a blow cuts it from shoulder to hip. Foul scents linger, unspeakable things that poison the air.
Free act for the moment.
Alicia retreats back through twisted space to the area in front of the tent. "Heal Jessica, quickly," she says to Syala, replenishing her many moments of prescience spell and throwing another dispel at the tent.
Quickened MMoP and then a superb dispelling. How many checks?
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/14/8/9/5/8/5/7/5/6/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 4
9 dispels.
"I have her," Syala says as Jessica groans softly, while you see the loop you created work, at least for the moment. Talona's servants - armed and armored in bone - race forward only to be set back, going nowhere for now.
They'll probably all get ejected from the tent once she dispels whatever bit of magic maintains its whole 'bigger on the inside' part, but she'll deal with that when it happens.
[17:17] <@Ebiris> roll 9#1d20+44
[17:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 49, 51, 46, 51, 63, 45, 53, 56, 47 >
A little more magic dissolves from your spell as Jessica is healed. But then the tent...gets up? Scaled, lizard-like legs taller than you are jut out of the bottom of the tent as it stands up.
This does provoke an AoO out of you.
I'm absolutely not standing in melee range with the tent, so no AoO.
The tent rises up and...
Init in that case.
Supreme init, DvR 5.
Okay.
> roll 1d20+26 Jessica
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d20+13 Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=7]
Init is Talona (Supreme Init) > Alicia (Supreme Init) > Jessica (36) > Syala (20)
The tent rises up, and with a powerful squat, leaps high into the air. It's 120ft up now and on the roof, standing atop it in defiance of gravity, flipped upside down. A field of sickly yellow light surrounds it, like a glassy barrier.
Go.
So what magic did the tent have left on it after the last dispel?
It has 7 spells left on it. Are you looking for details? Feel free if you want 'em.
Eh. Nevermind, the one that actually makes it work as a magic item is really the only one I care about.Alicia dispels the tent again!
One of them will get through and it'll be really satisfying to see everyone crammed in tight as the extradimensional space fails. Or ejected onto the astral or falling out of the tent, something like that.
She's not going into the tent to fight Talona on her prepared ground. A lot of mistakes have been made today but she's not that reckless.
Presumably she's applied more spells to it but it's out of arcane sight range for me to see, so how many dispels here?
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/14/8/9/5/8/4/7/5/6/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 4
12.
[18:32] <@Ebiris> roll 12#1d20+44
[18:32] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 59, 55, 54, 55, 62, 54, 48, 64, 64, 56, 51, 53 >
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 43 > [d100=43]
Probably a lucky outcome.
There's a bursting tear, a sound of something giving way, as the legs vanish. The tent plummets to the ground, landing softly on the broken and pitted terrain.
Free act.
Can I sense anything inside the tent with tremorsense/blindsight or just plain hearing it?
Nothing. To all senses it seems like a plain, uninteresting tent now.
"I think that knocked them all loose into the astral plane," Alicia says, moving closer to the tent so she can determine more accurately what happened.
Within 60 feet for arcane sight.
Any checks? Knowledge or spellcraft?
Yes, but you auto pass since the DC's not that bad.
That's precisely what happened, you can tell. Right now Talona and a bunch of hers and her possessions are in the Astral Plane.
Jessica alights next to you before, "Well...we stopped her, at least. For now."
"We can call this a draw," Syala agrees, "But damn it, we let our own desire to stop her get the best of us. Of course she was prepared to live up to her threat."
Flames consume the crumpled tent as Alicia brings a flame strike down on it.
"When gods posture, mortals suffer. We're not the ones who paid the price here," she says unhappily.
Is there any movement or sign of life at all left withing Windglum?
Not here - but deeper below you can sense movement.
"Speak for yourself, sister," Jessica says softly, a hand to her solid and intact throat. "I paid, but was blessed to be able to afford it. They were not, and for all the fiends who met oblivion from this, I have no doubt innocent souls suffered as well."
And the last thing they heard was Alicia telling them she's here. What a miserable thought.
"No one deserved what was inflicted here. Either way, neither we nor Talona can find what we sought. Lets go home," she opens a gate back to Sylica.
"No." Syala turns away from the gate. "I don't care. Someone might have...or maybe below..." Her voice is tighter, "We made a mistake. I'll at least see if I can do anything to make it a slight bit better."
She ignores the howling of the wind and the miserable rain, walking forward. "Go home if you want."
Jessica looks longingly at Sylica beyond, but lets out a gusty sigh. "No, I'd be a worse person if I let you wander this hell hole alone."
Alicia closes the gate and goes with Syala. "There's movement in the caves underneath the town, I don't think the poison went so deep. I can't sense anyone alive within Windglum though."
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/14/8/9/4/8/4/7/5/6/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 4
"Then let's go search," Syala says, as you look about. With nothing but desolation, a bit of magic from Syala soon leads you into a building. Here are...puddles. Puddles of half dissolved bone and flesh, already congealing into a solid mass. Syala ignores them - some sort of inn from the looks of it - and goes to the basement.
Jessica lingers a moment, eyes on one of them, and follows without comment.
Alicia quietly goes along with Syala.
A basement. Supplies. More puddles.
A cavern passage in it that leads deeper.
More puddles.
A narrow passage, then a larger cavern with more puddles.
More puddles.
Jessica looks away.
Syala strides on until she draws her hammer, and with a strangled cry, slams it into the wall. Stone falls over one of the puddles, a collapsed wall enough to cover it.
"Syala..." Jessica reaches out for her, but Syala wordlessly strides forward, faster.
You can sense movement closer, coming your way amid the endless, miserable wetness of this place.
"Something's coming our way," Alicia warns, determining what she can of it through her blindsight.
It's three humanoids. They approach as Syala looks up, "They're really here," The young man calls.
One is a young man, face scarred all over and one eye nothing but white. He carries a scythe at the ready and walks with a limp. His hair is but a stubble and bone white. Human from the looks of it.
The second is humanoid, but with red eyes and a glare that dances with fire. Her pink hair is wavy and messy, and she wears a thick cloak with the hood down and study clothes beneath.
The last is an old man, limping badly and using a cane. He wears old, tattered clothes and has a massive scar over his neck, as if it was once torn open.
The old man takes them in, "We were told you might come this way!"
"You've found us then, but I caution you go no further. Talona's work has fouled Windglum, it would not be safe for you," Alicia says before anything else. "Who told you we were coming?"
Considering the amount of anti-divination magic she cloaks herself in, it's somewhat concerning she can be predicted.
The man shivers at that question, while the old man says, "I dare not..."
"He speaks of nonsense and madness, but the truth," The pink haired woman says, "Mad, except that he's right. He has no human face, but the beak of a bird. Black feathers over its face too, like a crow. He said you might yet come this way and told us to leave him."
Is that the man of the winds? "Where did you see this beaked man?"
"He's below," The old man points, "Follow the path we were on."
"Thank you," Jessica says, "Go now. Go home. You'll find the way this time." She looks to each and nods as you feel her divine will guide them, take them away from this place. She then strides forward, onwards.
Leaving that in Jessica's hands, Alicia follows her sister now.
Onward. Deeper.
It's really more of a dead end. The end of a cavern passage. A wet place steeped in water, save for one jutting rock where no water drips. More of a smoothed out spike of stone, bone dry amid everywhere. Here a man sits. He has a humanoid body, chalk white in color. It is rail thin, to the point of being skeletal. It has the head of a crow, a beak that is cracked all over. It meets your gaze without fear, no hesitation as you approach.
Alicia's gaze will allow no falsehoods.
True seeing via alter reality. Also see what kind of magic he's got via arcane sight.
[21:01] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41 CL on true seeing
[21:01] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d20=18]
[21:01] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41 CL on arcane sight
[21:01] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 48 > [d20=7]
He is exactly as he appears to be.
He has a trio of spells on him - Aegis of Obscurity, Fortunate Fate and Spell Restoration.
You know Fortunate Fate. Aegis of Obscurity looks rather like Mind Blank, but altered not to hide, but to obscure. Spell Restoration looks to convert magic to vitality.
"Are you the Man of the Winds?" Alicia asks him after a moment spent sizing him up.
One word, a word whispered softly that overwhelms the steady chorus of raindrops here. "Yes."
"Why?" It's Syala who speaks up, a step forward to him. "You sent those survivors towards us, like you wanted to be found. Like you saved them. Like you knew what was going to happen. Why?"
"Death alone is not the answer," The Man of the Winds replies. "Life must endure, Syala-who-cannot-be-seen. Horror. The winds tell me about horror around you. Death is your birthright and hor-"
Syala darts forward, so fast as to leave blurry-bright afterimages of herself. She grabs the Man of the Winds by the beak and silences him. The sense of Syala grows exponentially around all of you, "No half truths, no riddles, no mysteries. Not today. You played that game with Muirfinn. So be it, he was a mortal who sought you out unsolicited. You will not treat us as mortals."
With a lean Syala goes face to face with him, eyes meeting his. "See how ready I am to return another fiend to eternal oblivion, seer." After this Syala lets go and steps back.
> roll 1d20+67 (+15 alter realitying and popping divine insight Syala is so over this today)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=7]
There no fear, no surprise. Only a steady gaze from the Man of the Winds, even as Syala lets her divinity be felt, if not pressed against him. "You accept your divine guilt for today." A statement, not a question. He meets her gaze again, and lets it linger.
"If I'm going to throw my power around, I don't have much choice, do I? I weep for only a very few in Windglum, but those few innocents are worth more than every other fiend, monster and blackguard in this blighted city." Syala keeps her voice even, even as her posture is rigidly tense. "Yes. It was our mistake, and we have to live with that. As Alicia said, when gods posture, mortals suffer. "
"How do you know about the 666th layer of the Abyss?" Alicia asks after that display. "Are you Colke?"
With Syala's gaze on him, "I am not. I know because the winds tell me so. There are such secrets on the winds, if you know how to listen. They are not guarded there. The guards are asleep or never were."
Who is Colke then, and why was he mentioned in the same breath as Malcanthet and Kina-ja?
"Then what is that gigantic corpse-thing there, really?" Alicia asks.
Here the Man of the Winds smiles, his beak twisting.
"Do not speak of him. Do not ask his name. Do not speak his name, for it is lies. Do not speak of his realm's name, for it is lies. He seeks to twist heaven into hell, and hell into heaven. He seeks to destroy. He is the terminus and he is where it will end. He will turn all his lies into truths, and truths into lies. You have seen it."
"Alicia-in-blood, you may be the ones able to kill him." Silence after, the Man of the Winds meeting Alicia's gaze now. "He is one of hers."
"Speak her name," Jessica says firmly, "No games, like Syala said."
Faster now, "Do not speak her name. Never speak her name. Never speak her name. Never speak her name. Do not speak her name. Do not speak her name. She knows you already. She waits for you. She has chosen you. It is your story. The absolute light will not fail you when it is time. I cannot see past the absolute light, but the greatest truth and greatest battle lies beyond it. I am certain of it. Nothing else could rest there. The winds will not speak of it. The winds cannot speak of it. They will not speak of with you, nor the others."
Alicia listens tersely, trying to make sense of the madness. Was this really worth coming here for, and everything it cost?
Is 'he' the one on layer 666, whether giant corpse thing or angelic liar?
Then who is 'she'? She'll honour the request not to speak her name and instead ask, "Is she the ruler of Androlynne?"
"No," The answer is short and to the point. He rises slowly and hops off the rock. "Split that rock open. I have prepared it for you."
"Syala?" Alicia asks. A good donk with her club should shatter it in two. Alicia would cleave it with her sword but if there's something inside she'd also go right through it as well.
WHAM!
One hammer blow splits the rock. It falls away, but in the middle rests a thick emerald bigger than your head. Even uncut it catches the light, giving it a natural beauty.
Jessica kneels before it and inspects it, "It's magical," she notes.
Alicia gives the green rock a look over.
[18:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 spellcraft, divine insight
[18:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=15]
Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/14/8/9/4/8/4/7/5/6/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 4
Gemstone of Truth
Anyone who holds this gem can discern truth from lies, as if by a discern lies spell (CL 50th, save DC 50). It grants a +50 competence bonus to Sense Motive, and has deeper powers if properly cut, polished and refined into a true gemstone.
---
"Truth," The Man of the Winds says, "You will need to understand the truth better against him."
"You made this?" Alicia asks him, somewhat disbelievingly.
"Yes," he says, a simple answer to your question.
"And you're just giving it to us? Why?" Alicia presses.
"You are truth." Is his answer, "Seira is truth. Moore is truth. Alyssa is truth. Tryll is truth. Those she hates are truth. I hate lies."
He sits on the ground here, and the rain ceases to fall there, stone becoming dry in moments. "The winds only speak of the truth. She does not. He does not. He lies in 6, 6, 6. You have seen him as he truly is. He will be stopped. He must be stopped."
"A fiend who..." Syala begins, but her eyes narrow, "I once heard a pearl of great wisdom: That Asmodeus is dangerous not because he is the greatest liar of the devils, but because he so rarely lies. That he does not need to lie to accomplish his aims."
The Man of the Winds faces all of you before he says, "There is no need for lies when the truth is the greatest weapon in Creation. Your light hides you, but it is not a lie, because it is your truth."
This has Syala consider a few moments, "You know much, yet you always hide it. Why?"
With a look of amusement, of open mirth, "Do you sheathe a sword? Do you not protect a magic sword? Is your spellbook unguarded? Does the master allow his acolyte to read his mightiest spells? Does not a master swordsman use a practice sword against novices? The truth is the most dangerous weapon of all."
"Is that why you wanted Kina-ja dead?" Jessica speaks up here, "She chose to champion a lie."
So this isn't merely demonic. Thus Alicia can speculate that 'she' is Shar, but she won't voice that speculation. There's no need, really.
"And so we are your swords against he who lies in 6, 6, 6?" she asks, picking up the uncut emerald in both hands.
"Many are," The Man of the Winds says, "All of you are the final and sharpest weapon. You are the ones I believe can win. Muirfinn could not. The absolute light would not avail him against it. It could dissolve it, but he would not triumph."
The world seems clearer as you hold the emerald. Facts seem self evident. Reality seems better. You notice you can even see Syala, as if her light wasn't there at all.
Alicia looks at Syala and Jessica, nonverbally prodding them to ask anything they feel ought to be asked before they finish here.
Syala considers him a few moments before she shakes her head. "I've heard enough."
Jessica, however, steps forward. "Will you trouble us in the future?"
"I am content," The Man of the Winds declares, hands on his stomach.
To this Jessica watches him with a sharp gaze until, "It would be best for you if we never met again," she says at last, "Justice can be held at bay, but not put aside forever."
Without a hint of fear at that, "We will meet if we must meet again." With a gaze into Jessica's own, "Not all wish your children well. Be prepared, Alicia-in-blood is not the only one targeted in Sylica. His name is Boulek."
Jessica's expression tightens further, but she does nothing more than slowly say. "You have my gratitude, if that is true."
"Then I am content again," Is the last thing he says, as he sits back down. He closes his eyes, as if to drift into the land of dreams.
Jessica turns to go, but lingers after three steps. She doesn't turn around, but she does linger to speak once more. "Your source of knowledge may not be safe forever, or even endure forever. Do you even know what it is?"
To this there is no answer.
"...know this much," Jessica finally says. "It is known as the Ordial. Goodbye, Man of the Winds."
Does the name Boulek mean anything to me?
Skipping the check since you can't fail.
Boulek is said to be an Astral Stalker. A nasty fellow who is quite good at his job, but mostly sticks to mortal targets and keeps his targets separated. In other words he's never done enough to truly get anyone's ire, though he's irritated plenty of targets on all sides of the spectrum. He claims to be professional about it and that holds up, as he even avoids killing anyone but his targets. Between that and the fact that he's been useful to various powers before, he's mostly left alone.
"Goodbye," Alicia seconds, opening a gate to return them to Sylica.
Once through? "I'll get Antenora to have a look at this," she hefts the emerald, "And then see if Elle can refine it for us. Will you be taking care of the Boulek situation, Jessica?"
"Immediately," Jessica says, "I don't feel that he lied to me. I wouldn't be so foolish as to call him benevolent, but he works with a purpose, and his purpose seems to align with ours at the current time."
"I'll have an avatar go visit Roald and the kids," Syala offers as she stays with you, while Jessica vanishes elsewhere.
"She'll have it," Alicia says, giving Jessica the opportunity to protect her own family. "Lets make sure Antenora doesn't see anything suspicious about this that I might've missed, but if she gives it a clear we'll try improving it. It's uncut and has potential for more, I think."
Antenora's not hard to find. She is within one of the deep caverns of the Opal Mountain, where ice girds the walls and yet a steaming warm spring of water dominates ahead. You can see the steam quickly chill and become rills of ice that plummet back down into the waters before it reaches the ceiling. In particular she kneels before the pool, one finger on the surface of the water.
"Hello Antenora, are you busy?" Alicia asks.
Antenora rises, "Nothing that can't wait," She comes over, "Did you go mining?"
"A gift from the Man of the Winds," Alicia says. "It reveals the truth, and will supposedly serve us well on 666, but I'm understandably leery. I wanted you to take a look at it," she holds out the emerald.
"It was an ill-fated trip. Talona threatened to destroy the town and when we challenged her she made good on that threat. She lost an avatar, so we can probably expect more troubles from her in the future," she adds since Antenora ought to know.
Antenora holds the emerald in both hands as she inspects it. "What happened?" Antenora asks as she is focused on the gemstone.
"It turns out that it was foolish to openly and publicly challenge Talona after she threatened to kill everyone in the city. She was prepared to do exactly that, and we couldn't stop it around ourselves, let alone save the city. We erred." Syala says, blunt. "We postured like peacocks and were punished for our stupidity. Our one blessing is that we avoided a confrontation with Talona herself. Had she the ability to repeat that, we may have lost entirely."
Antenora's gaze is on the emerald as she holds it up to the light, seemingly absorbed into its depths. "He's right. There's truth in this and great magic besides that."
"If nothing else, she might think twice about making similar ultimatums in case someone is unexpectedly present who can hurt her if not stop her," Alicia says, determined to salvage some sort of upside from the debacle.
"But we were full of ourselves," she adds a moment later, because it needs said.
After Antenora's appraisal she says, "I think it can become even stronger if properly cut? Elle and Latha might be able to bring more out of it."
"Absolutely," Antenora says without hesitation, "It's meant to be cut and polished. I've heard of stones like that, works of the dwarven gods. Stones so perfect they're meant for dwarven hands to take them, and in turn show them their magic."
"Lets take Latha and visit the Cauldron then? Elle probably has the best facilities for working on something like this, and I'd like you to keep an eye on things throughout just in case anything is revealed that others would miss," Alicia asks.
"Of course, Alicia," Antenora says.
Any prep before going and dropping in? I doubt it but obligatory.
No, it's friendly territory so hopefully no numbers required.
If an army of rogue beholders attacks the Cauldron we'll worry about it then.
You get Latha and go to the Cauldron. Elle greets you deep in her workshop, "So! A magical emerald?" she asks. "What happened?"
"We've been investigating something in the abyss that makes lies out of truths and truths out of lies," Alicia explains. "On layer 666 - a little while ago Malcanthet showed us a fragment from it which was interesting if not especially potent, and in light of Shar's recent escalations we went looking for the source to see if anything useful could be found there. This?" she holds up the emerald, "Is not from there. It's something we obtained from a fiend called the Man of the Winds, and supposedly holds power over truth that will help us overcome the lies of 666. But it needs to be properly cut to realise its full potential."
"I have so many questions about that," Elle finally says, a thoughtful look as she listens to your story. "But is any of that important to this task?"
"I just wanted to keep you up to date on what's going on, we don't talk as much lately," Alicia replies. "But really what matters most is that this came from a source I have doubts in, despite how potent it appears to be. So keep a close eye on things."
Elle laughs softly, "Alicia, I merely marveled at your adventures. You and Seira always come into the most amazing things." She takes the emerald and places it down, "But that's all I needed to know. Treat it as if it could be cursed."
"Do that," Antenora seconds, "I don't trust him and I don't trust madmen."
"You should tell me about some of your own adventures, but I won't distract you while you work," Alicia says. "How long do you think it'll take?"
"To do it carefully? Hours of analysis, hours of to cut it just so," Elle pats the uncut gemstone, "Along with math and magic to make sure the cut is flawless and every angle is maximized and numerologically consistent with truth."
"Well, Latha and Antenora will help - I want Antenora watching every step since she has a divine talent for the truth," Alicia says. "Take as long as you need though, I don't need it right this second."
"Antenora, Latha, come along," Elle says, as the two follow. It leaves you alone as they go to work - going to do anything here or just wait?
Alicia will return to Sylica and do goddess things in the meantime.
A lot of people are going to have their prayers answered with messages about being humble and watchful of the consequences their actions can cause others.
Soon enough Antenora returns with Latha. "Alicia, it's done," she calls as you look up from your focus.
"Welcome back, everything went well?" Alicia says, looking to see if they're carrying anything green and shiny.
Nothing like that. Antenora instead withdraws it. It is an emerald larger than a human fist, chunky and yet shiny-sleek and cut well. It seems to glisten with all the light. It is attached to a chain of what looks to be pure gold, yet it does not bend or warp from the weight of the gemstone. A pendant in other words.
Alicia studies its magic, leaning closer to look.
Take 10 for 80 on spellcraft with divine insight.
Loot post, go check it out.
"It occurs to me that this also works as an anti-Marie amulet given the tactics she employs recently," Alicia says.
"Since it seems to work better at boosting pure magic rather than divine power, I think it would work best if I wore it, and then the two of us could return to 666. What do you think, Antenora?"
Antenora passes it to you, "It's yours," she agrees, then with a soft smile, "Like you'd have to ask for me to give you something."
"Then tomorrow we'll go back to the Abyss," Alicia says. "We'll want to be well rested for it. Hopefully Malcanthet won't be watching as closely now she knows we've already been and gone."
Okay then, any prep for this of note?
Marie will offer out her epic mage armour as usual. CL 37, +22 armour to AC.
Alicia will offer Anty many moments of prescience through divine familiar bullshit. CL 38, 4 chances to boost a roll by +30 insight. She'll also cast extended nondetection on her too too so they get a CL 39 nondetection which is DC 54 to overcome. Extended mind blank too, and greater foresight (CL 38, +7 insight AC/reflex, free action divinations about threats each round), and sensual blessing (CL 38, +25 competence perception, blindisght/tremorsense/scent, and doubled healing).
Alicia will provide CL 36 recitation for +3 luck AC/attack/saves.
They should both alter reality a greater heroism for +4 morale attack/skills/saves and +20 temp hp, and vision of the omniscient eye, +10 insight perception and no dazzling.
I'd like if Syala could cast greater true seeing and freedom of movement on us both.
We'll go to layer 433 to reach it the same way we did last time.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36), greater true seeing (CL 36), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +10 insight perception
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +97
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/7/5/8/6/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Antenora HP: 900+20/900
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), greater true seeing (CL 36), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 36), freedom of movement (CL 36)
Defences: AC 88, CMD 109, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +7 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +10 insight perception
Perceptions: True seeing, 2 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +92
Holy Fury: 41
That all sounds good. I'll work up spoiler blocks in the morning for you, but one question: So I'm clear, what's the party?
Alicia and Anty.
May as well get used to running with smaller squads, and it works here since they'd be the only two able to see through the lies anyway.
When you return, the battles still rage. They roar about the two of you as you appear, nothing but fury and hatred all around you.
[spoiler]
Antenora
HP: 900/900
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Divine 20ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Damage+0 AC+10 (+3 luck, +7 insight), Saves+7 (+14 ref)(+3 luck, +4 morale), Skills+4 (+39 Perception) (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Holy Fury 41/41 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 13/13 Channel Energy 18/18 Lay On Hands 540/540 Remove Disease 11/11 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 25/25 Divine Blast 18/18
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), greater true seeing (CL 36), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 36), freedom of movement (CL 36)
Notes: Can always inflict nonlethal with attacks, spells, SLAs and abilities.
Smite Notes: +2 damage/paladin level on a charging smite. Each point of favored PA on charge is worth 9 points of damage, post charge multiplier (15 on crit).
Typical Charging Numbers: 36 for base smite damage, 72 for charging smite +2 per per level. So 108 bonus damage baseline. Raw attack plus smite is 1d8+145+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.
As before they have a sphere of invisibility up, and Alicia sent a couple of earth elementals through the gate as well to act as a diversion while Alicia and Antenora move towards the castle, retracing their steps from last time.
Like this it's simple enough to escape the warfare, to slip deeper in without being noticed. You hurry to the true gate. You find no guardian outside of that room this time, the previous one gone as Antenora took it away.
Again, be mindful of our words when we're in there.
With that warning given, Alicia leads Antenora through to 666 itself.
Perception real quick before I type up this next bit.
[17:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+97
[17:16] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 115 > [d20=18]
You find the same expanse as before. The celestial approaches, as beautiful as last time - except he isn't. With the jewel worn, it is a broken, twisted thing, just as you saw previously. A look of bitter, dark anger rests on its face as it regards you, as if awaiting your words.
"What is that?" Alicia repeats the question she made before they left last time, pointing past him at the giant corpse-thing on the horizon.
The answer comes in a dreadful voice, as it replies, "Death."
"Of whom or what?" Alicia asks.
Is there another swarm of things emerging from it this time?
Not yet, at the least.
"Everything and nothing," Is the answer, "One day, perhaps."
"Wishful thinking?" Alicia wonders. "So what do you do here between visitors?"
Kina-ja found what she sought. Colke found what he feared. Malcanthet found what she desired. Alicia found what she needed.
You will not be any of those, Antenora.
In your minds as you hear one voice, the voice of the figure before you replies, "Prepare for the day which is to come, one day, perhaps."
He's being very careful about his speech too!
"Did you hear that?" she asks the figure. "Who said it?"
Found what she needed, hm? If you say so, voice. If you say so.
There is no response - but the giant far away turns one eye, the color of the dead night sky, starless and bleak, to you.
Alicia looks past the fake celestial to that midnight eye.
"Hmmm," she hums audibly.
What will Antenora find here, then? she projects her godspeech towards it.
Nothing.
Antenora stands there, spear out as she meets the fake celestial's gaze, as you deal with the giant.
Slowly, the not-angel opens his arms wide, as if beckoning her to a hug.
Antenora stands mute, protective over Alicia.
You will not be any of those, Antenora.
Alicia lets out a soft sigh.
Really, they have what they need - haha, I see now - since they made those scissors, any poking around here is really just for curiosity.
"What do you think, Antenora?"
"It is, perhaps...docile, maybe more than I expected, possibly," Antenora says this slowly. "Most would expect demons to be more aggressive. Someone who saw this might think this is more resigned if they paid attention."
"It gives the impression of being bound by rules more than desires," Alicia agrees, which is why she thought it like the guardians of the godseeds left by the Incarnations.
Of course the non-magical power of lies into truth and vice versa of this plane also reminds her of the guardians, and that's really what they're here to investigate.
"But then it did look like we were about to be attacked before we left the last time, didn't it?"
"You could potentially think that," Antenora concurs. "You might even conclude it's afraid of us."
The look of loathing, of hate on the not celestial's face becomes tighter, clenched.
"The little fragment Malcanthet has from here, was that really all she desired?" Alicia asks, changing the subject to get back to the mystery of this layer.
Malcanthet is a shortsighted fool.
Is that a lie? Telling her what she wants to hear, perhaps?
[13:02] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+137 sense motive, divine insight
[13:02] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 157 > [d20=20]
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36), greater true seeing (CL 36), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +10 insight perception
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +97
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/7/5/8/6/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
You don't think it's lying, or it at least believes the opinion it just put forth.
Well, fair enough.
It's not an out there opinion.
"Still, it appeared to hold a power to affect change beyond magic. I believe I've only seen it's like in certain circumstances," she says, carefully couching her language. "From what does it derive?"
You are wise.
Alicia wonders if that's a truth meant to become a lie (or the reverse) in order to make her foolish.
She shares a glance with Antenora, nothing said immediately, just seeing if anything's making her react.
Antenora glances back at you and after a moment?
Perhaps then that you could speak more of this?
It does not matter. The fated hour is not yet here, but soon.
Alicia redirects her attention to the giant corpse-thing.
"Who is to say what hour is fated?"
The thing writhes back, as if in the grip of some great pain. Lesser versions of itself come from weeping rends in its flesh, buzzing about it like flies.
Many will say it, and you are perhaps not so foolish to not know who said it.
"Hmmm."
She makes lots of noncommittal hums and grunts and sighs here, doesn't she?
"And should the fated hour come, is it your place to change or confirm the outcome?"
It is to do what must be done.
Another look at Antenora, gauging her reaction and giving her a chance to voice anything of her own in response to that.
Antenora is stone faced, silent. Her gaze meets the faraway creature.
Not much help there.
From either side.
"And who entrusted you with such purpose?"
Charisma check here, +3 bonus.
[15:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+25
[15:53] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=7]
+3 more that I forgot to add when rolling so 35 total.
Alicia HP: 831+20/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), good hope (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36), greater true seeing (CL 36), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, 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 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +10 insight perception
Perceptions: Arcane sight, true seeing, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +97
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/15/9/7/5/8/6/7/7/6/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/16
Potentially alarming, but it's worth remembering the Incarnation of Chaos wasn't always the way it is now.
Still.
"Creation was made to find an answer," a clear unambiguous statement, but concerning something she's fully confident nothing on this plane can possibly twist into a lie. "I believe it should be left to those of Creation to decide its outcome, regardless of who originally made it."
Soon.
Will you stand on the Last Day?
"If the Last Day arrives then it means I have already died fighting to prevent it," Alicia answers.
It better not just catch her off guard anyway!
Alicia, something's changed. The realm seems withdrawn, it's not projecting the same properties. The truth feels more radiant.
Alicia looks to see if anything's physically changed or emerged at this point, then.
[17:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+97 perception
[17:06] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 102 > [d20=5]
Physically no.
The emerald you wear grows warm.
You can see clearer. Something retreats. Formless, shapeless, meaningless perhaps. But it retreats nonetheless.
Will you sell your life dearly then, goddess?
"If I have anything to say about it? The price will be too high for those who say different to afford," Alicia says, focusing on that retreating whatever.
No point just making it difficult but do-able after all.
May you survive the days ahead.
That calls for another sense motive.
[18:17] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+137 sense motive, divine insight
[18:17] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 157 > [d20=20]
Huh, killing these checks at least.
It seems sincere.
"I believe I've seen and heard enough for today," Alicia says. "Antenora?"
"As have I," Antenora concludes, "I've learned enough."
Alicia looks at the fake celestial without a word, just mutely communicating 'I've got my eye on you' before she and Antenora fly up an away how they came.
Your retreat is unopposed.
Once out Antenora looks to you.
Curious and informative at once. What did you make of it, Alicia?
Alicia cloaks them in invisibility so they can sneak back out to where they can plane shift away.
I sensed a curious lack of deception all things considered.
As did I. I looks like it hates us so much, but there is a lack of malice in its actions.
I don't know if there's anything helpful for us there, and it's not worth turning the place inside out to discover it at this point. We'll see how things develop for now.
I'm not sure myself. I think the bigger question is that being rather than 666 itself.
I'm not entirely sure if it's a thing like the guardians or a demon lord with a specific task. Come along, talk more once we're out of the Abyss.
d100.
[16:11] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[16:11] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 56 > [d100=56]
Your escape back to Sylica is peaceful. Once there Antenora draws out a long breath, "So many questions, so few answers, but I still feel it was productive."
"I'm not sure," Alicia says, taking off her emerald amulet for now, not wanting to rely on it for daily use. "We didn't come away with anything tangible, but at the same time I would have had doubts about anything we were freely given from there."
"Do we consider it a dead end for now?" Antenora asks.
"I think so," Alicia says. "Whatever secrets it holds, they're not going to be given up before things escalate even further than they have right now. Not unless we use force which I don't think is worthwhile."
"If we can even defeat it," Antenora concludes, "Which is the greater question aside."
"That's always an if," Alicia nods. "An uncertain reward for an uncertain risk. For now I think it best if we let the matter lie."
"Interesting and informative," Antenora concludes, "But ultimately no aid to us now. But perhaps we already have what we need?"
"In terms of having a counter for Shar's trick, yes," Alicia nods. "I'm sure we'll have reason to use it soon."
Thus, with that done...
Any immediate next move after this?
No, we don't really have anything on the docket right now. Basically regroup a bit and be ready to respond of shit kicks off with Shar anywhere or some other unspecified badness happens soon.
Okay, gimme a d100 while I formulate for you.
[18:08] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[18:08] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d100=3]
You all settle in, the tension here even as you see to day to day matters. A few days pass with no sign of an immediate attack, or at least one that you hear of.
"Sister?" You practice. A mortal habit really, but one worth the effort. As you lower your practice sword, Jessica calls, "I bear news."
"Very well. Thank you for the spar," Alicia says to the sword archon she'd been practicing with, dismissing him and going off with Jessica. "What news, Jessica?"
"I've found evidence that Sharrans are intensifying activities and preparations across several planes," Jessica begins without preamble.
"Any pattern to it?" Alicia asks.
"Nothing that I've noticed, only preparations," Jessica says, "It's second hand knowledge, but reliable."
"Well lets go over it with everyone and see if we can figure anything out?" Alicia asks. "I'll call Emmaline back from Aurora if they're not busy in case she has any insights."
So getting your node + Emmaline together?
Yeah, get Marchalu too since she's good at the spy/intelligence stuff.
Thus everyone gathers. It's a quiet and solemn meeting as Jessica begins, "Since we last challenged Shar, I've received words that several Sharran sects have been preparing for combat at the least and war at the most." She stands in front of everyone, "These sources are reliable, and further supported by several of these confirming one another. It's hard to imagine that it's anything less than a general offensive against Creation in some way."
"One cult or sect does not often know what the next does, something like this takes Shar or one of Shar's personal servants," Emmaline says, "While sometimes a region or even a world has a unified church, the structure is usually more dispersed. It takes someone who can work with Shar's blessing, or Shar herself, to do that."
"She could simply be directing things with visions and answered prayers in the right places to move it along," Alicia posits. "That would be easier, if less mysterious, than having a servant travelling around spreading the word for her."
"So where are they?" Marie asks. "Are they all on primes, or elsewhere? Do you know of any identified sects that aren't making these kinds of preparations, or is it wholesale across the entire faith?"
"Several. One on the Deep Ethereal, one in Acheron, two primes and one somewhere on Vacuum," Jessica concludes. "Iy haven't heard of any who are explicitly not doing this, but it's hard to prove a negative."
"So I think we should go forward on the basis that there's a broad front being pushed here," Alicia says. "But for what? Open warfare isn't normally their stock in trade."
Speaking of, does she feel anything with her portfolio sense on the subject?
Nothing imminent, at least.
"Which is why I'm not sure," Emmaline says, "It could be coordinated attacks, or it could be a ruse. After all, Shar needs no army to challenge anyone one on one."
"Well..." Marie considers. "It could be diversionary. Have them create as much chaos as possible, both by usual Sharran methods as well as all out attacks, as a cover for something else?"
"She'd basically be throwing away her entire church by doing so," Alicia says. "So the reward would have to be immense, or things have reached a point where what happens afterwards is immaterial to her."
"Which is why I lean towards ruse than diversion," Jessica says, "I don't think Shar's that far ahead of us yet."
"We can hope, but she's certainly been talking like she is," Alicia says, drumming her fingers on the table as she considers. "A ruse then... to draw us into pre-emptive attacks while she acts elsewhere unseen?" she speculates on what Shar's angle is.
"Logical," Antenora says, "Make us jump when she knows she has our attention, then counterpunch. Yes, I see the logic of it."
"Sacrifice a pawn to capture a queen," Syala agrees, "Classical, and she knows we have to be rattled and concerned."
"Still, then what? We just wait and see what happens?" Alicia asks. "I dislike how we have to cede so much initiative to her."
"Better if we can figure out what her real goal is so we can interrupt her actually important planning," Marie pipes up after that.
"We know what her ultimate goal is," Antenora reasons aloud, "So logically it's something that advances her aim. Unfortunately that does little to narrow it down."
"Shar wants people to hurt," Latha points out, "That informs us as well. She wants to win, but she wants it on her terms and her way. We can disregard plans that don't fit that requirement to narrow away some possibilities.""
"So does anyone have any ideas from the information we've gathered?" Alicia asks.
Because said information is so vague and large scale I'm pretty much relying on an NPC to give some direction here.
Jessica considers, "It seems widespread, but..."
After a few more moments, "Vacuum has to be a feint. There's not enough there to matter. The primes are too indecisive and too contested. Acheron doesn't make sense. The Deep Ethereal, the realm of dreams and memories. Perhaps Morwel through there?"
"Does it connect to that demiplane we went to with Phoebe?" Alicia asks, looking at Jessica's information.
"No, it doesn't seem to from what I know," Jessica admits, "But it's possible I don't have the connection."
"Well, one of Shar's new servitors has history with Morwel... this could be setting up for their debut?" Alicia wonders. "It would be strange for her to leave those arrows unfired before the end too, wouldn't it?"
"Far too unlikely," Syala says, "Good thinking, Jessica. I think we're on the right track. IT all fits together."
"Then how do we stop it?" Antenora asks.
"How good is your information there, Jessica?" Alicia asks. "Do you have spies, or distant observers?"
"Distant observers and a second hand source inside," Jessica says, "But through someone else I'd have to work with."
"Well, step up observation there and warn Morwel. Rather than tipping our hand now, if we wait we might be able to catch Chylas when he makes his move," Alicia says. "Does that sound good to the rest of you?"
"It's our best idea," Antenora agrees after some more thought. "We need to be ready to move if this reaches a peak unexpectedly."
Is this a good time? Seira asks Alicia. There's some interesting news about Fire I wanted to share.
"For now, and warn our allies so they're ready too," Alicia says. "Speaking of, Seira's asking for me."
Now's fine, what's happening?
My portfolio's telling me a coup is imminent, and it's a number of days. I decided to make some waves on Fire with Zaaman Rul, and Akil bin Faheem invited me over to Brass for a chat. My understanding of that conversation is that he knows he's in trouble, that he's terrified, in fact, and that his devil minders don't intend to intervene. He thinks diehard slavers are the ones after him, which is plausible enough. I'm keeping an eye on things.
Devils aren't good for much, are they? Let me know if you need anything from me, although we've noticed Shar's churches across several primes and other planes seem to be preparing for open warfare, so make sure you don't get outflanked by anything happening on that front. We don't have enough information to be sure, but we're working on the theory it's diversionary for something else she's got up her sleeve.
I'm honestly not that worried, but Amaryl and Zaaman Rul are. I just can't imagine anyone emerging as a true power on Fire after a bloody civil war if he isn't the Crimson Firebrand, and given Akil was his minion a transfer of power there wouldn't involve any fighting. Still, keep an eye out in case you hear anything? I'll keep safe from Shar.
I will.
"Whispers of rebellion among the efreet," she says to her companions. "Lets hope we don't get tangled up there again."
"Wonderful," Antenora scowls, "We don't need another distraction right now."
"Unfortunately the planes aren't going to stop for us," Alicia says helplessly. "Is there anything else Jessica? Or any other suggestions from anyone else?"
"Nothing now," Jessica says, nothing more immediately proposed.
"Then lets keep an eye on things - Latha, you keep our allies updated so they know what's coming?" Alicia asks. "And Jessica, even if we're not directly disrupting those buildups, pass along word to locals in their vicinity so they won't be caught off guard either."
Agreements to that and...
Any prep while you wait on events here?
Nope, still passively waiting and seeing.
d100 real quick.
[19:19] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[19:19] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 100 > [d100=100]
You actually cleared out the recent one and a new 100 result hasn't spawned, so reroll.
[19:45] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[19:45] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d100=37]
Mystra's lucky day.
Alicia's work is interrupted by one of her bralani knights. He kneels, "I bring an urgent message. A devil has come forth and requested asylum in Sylica."
It happens now and then, though it's more Antenora's lookout. Some of them are even genuine.
"Rise and tell me about them," Alicia invites, currently sat by the window of one of Liberton's spires, turning her gaze from Sylica which she had been idly watching while answering prayers to focus on the knight messenger.
The servant rises, "It...he, I suppose. He is a gelugon," Is the answer, "He says his name is Ganlax. He offered the mace and noble seal of his commanding officer as proof of his sincerity."
Take 10 for 84 on planes for info on Galnax, divine insight used.
A minor gelugon who serves Baronet Talgarth, pit fiend of poor standing that has begun to rehabilitate his image and earned some favor for excellence in the Blood War.
As you recall, the scandal was that he was found to have a succubus lover. Not a thrall or slave, but a lover. How he avoided a steep demotion or execution isn't clear.
"He if he says so," Alicia agrees easily. "What brings him to Sylica then?"
"He seeks shelter from Baator's reprisals. He claims to have defected," Is the answer.
"Yes but why?" she asks. "Has he had a moral revelation or are we a convenient shield from some enemy he's made back home?"
"He claims to have had moral reservations. However, he specifically requested anyone but Antenora, so I saw fit to escalate this directly to you," Is the answer.
"That does make him sound extremely suspicious, I agree," Alicia seconds. "Well, I shall meet with him myself and see what his problem is with our dear Antenora."
Hello Antenora, a supposedly penitent devil has arrived asking for succor but also said he wishes to meet with 'anyone but Antenora'. Would you like to look in on things while I meet with him?
I will, thank you.
This arouses all manner of suspicions.
Maybe it's a devil who knew Antenora back in the day? That's probably the nicest possible explanation.
Either way, Alicia soon has the devil brought to meet her in a gazebo within Liberton's gardens, bit enough to accommodate giant insectile creatures. Antenora can watch via remote viewing or if she wants she can turn invisible and come see in person.
The devil wears battered leather armor over its insectile form, as a nearby knight carries a bloodied mace and signet ring on a silk pillow. He kneels and presents them to you before retreating.
Ganlax bows deeply to you, and awaits your words.
"Welcome to Sylica, Ganlax," Alicia says, stepping closer to inspect the items on the pillow. "We get so few visitors from your part of Creation, at least voluntary ones."
[19:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+41 arcane sight CL
[19:00] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 47 > [d20=6]
[19:00] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+59 spellcraft
[19:00] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 77 > [d20=18]
[19:01] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+59 planes for authenticating signets I guess?
[19:01] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=1]
The signet seems to be authentic.
The mace is an unholy mace+4.
The signet is only as magical as it is to protect it and leave behind a unique aura if used to seal an envelope or document.
"I will not mince words," Ganlax goes on, a soft chitter before, "I seek protection."
"Yes, better to be candid," Alicia ceases her inspection and focuses her attention on Ganlax. "What do you need protection from, first of all?"
Are you watching, Antenora?
Yes.
"Baator," Is the answer, "My betrayal is known by now. The only reason I am not dead is because I am here. I killed my superior officer and fled to an enemy. There is no mistaking that action."
"And what moved you to slay your own superior then?" Alicia asks.
"He maintained ties to Chaos," Is the answer, voice thick with disgust. "If even the nobles cannot be pure, is there any truth to it at all? Is all of it just a self serving lie?"
"And so you came to the moderately chaotic realm of Sylica?" Alicia asks. "Though I assure you we're quite open about that, no deceit here. Why not seek shelter somewhere more attuned to your lawful sensibilities?"
"You defeated the Spark Hunters," Is the answer, "You have strength, strength rarely seen."
It's not about me. It's about Marie. How typically devilish. My choices aren't what truly matters, it's that I'm with an eladrin.
Is Syala acceptably within the margins for him then? Marie was my familiar too, and now a risen goddess of this realm. If he objects to her that far then why is he here at all?
"There are others with matching strength who could shelter you," Alicia says. "Here you'll be surrounded by chaos, and your own freedoms limited until you can be trusted around others. We'll keep you safe perhaps, but you won't be free to do as you please here."
Perhaps he dislikes me in particular for other reasons.
"I accept that," Is the answer, "In you at least is strength. Purpose."
"So be it," Alicia says. "You will be escorted to Penance. There you will live under our direction, your freedoms only expanded on our discretion. I warn you that though you asked not to be seen by Antenora, it is a place she visits."
This (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,100840.msg1015005.html#msg1015005) place can see some use now.
A mere bow is the agreement.
"Then welcome to Sylica. Do not abuse our hospitality," Alicia warns sternly before he's taken off to Penance and the ring and mace he brought over get put in a vault somewhere.
Once he's gone Antenora appears.
"He was sincere, yet I also felt he was hiding something. I'm not certain what, nothing truly dangerous, but he knows something."
"Something about what, then?" Alicia asks, already mostly putting the matter out of mind as of trivial importance right now.
"I don't know, but I don't think it's important compared to everything else," Antenora says at last. "A distraction, ultimately."
"It's important to someone, so keep an eye on things but don't obsess over it," Alicia nods. "He'll keep in Penance for now."
Anything else to do there with this or good to move on?
Moving right along.
Okay, at this point I'm starting to wrap people up pending level 37's break. Do you have any more todos currently?
We're kind of clear right now, mostly just waiting on shoes dropping.
Okay, last call for any little things to knock out. If not, go ahead and say so and you're in level up time.
All clear.
Then welcome to level 37. Toss any questions into nagging, as well as your summary. You have tons of time to do it so no rush.