Getting everyone together after that meeting is simple enough - even Emily thanks to the wonders of teleportation and gates. Everyone waits on you and...
Ball is in your court here.
This conversation deserves a proper setting, and so they are all ensconced in the Cauldron's war room. Troop deployment and defensive positions decorate the illusionary displays upon the walls, but they are all ignored in favor of gathering around the round table at the center.
"Without further ado," Seira says, the room secure through the secrets of its construction and her divine will both, "Amaryl and I have met Io. It is his will that we do not spread word of his return beyond vague rumors. Emily, you may share this information with Alyssa, and those directly linked to Alyssa through outside ties. You know what I refer to. Only do so while you are in a secure location. If you are uncertain whether the location is secure, or a person is eligible, you may ask myself or Amaryl, or address such questions to Io in his realm."
Emily nods gravely at that, listening.
"Well good, that's progress," Donald says, "So what did Io say?"
"Plenty. I'll hit the highlights first, and open the floor to questions. Two decades ago, shortly after our ascension, Alicia and I were approached by the Arbiter, believed to be the Incarnation of Balance by the old deities in the know. He revealed to us under the utmost secrecy that Ao, the Incarnation of Chaos, has tired of Creation and decided to do away with it, with Shar as his weapon. From that point on, we were part of this conspiracy to save Creation, forbidden to speak of it to anyone outside it, for doing so would mean Ao learns of it. And once the omniscient, omnipotent overdeity does so, he may well choose to end Creation right then and there, without waiting on Shar."
Donald starts to speak, stops...and stares. "Ao?" he asks, voice strained.
Elle falls back in her chair, as if in a faint. "We're doomed," she says, voice stricken.
Lady Sanzha....smiles. It's not a kindly smile, but it is a smile. "Ah, it seems we face only the most supreme enemy of them all. How fitting. I trust and pray you have some means of making this more than the impossible, Seira?"
Kascha...eeeps softly, closing her eyes tight. "No..." she murmurs, shaking her head. "You have a plan, Seira? Of course you have a plan. How are we going to stop this?"
"Don't think of this in terms of punching Ao to death. We are charged with finding the Incarnation of Law, to start with. Io also believes that the Arbiter, who we believe to be the Incarnation of Balance, to be trapped somehow by Ao. If we manage to change that, we would have more than a fighting chance. And finally, this is a battle of ideas. If we manage to defeat Shar not only militarily, but with our message, we may well turn Ao's mind around. After all, he can always leave this Creation without destroying it."
She, too, smiles at her friends and family. "I've had a bit of time to get used to this, and I wouldn't have gotten you all involved if I hadn't believed we had a shot. Had I believed it was impossible, I would've started working on allowing you all to survive Creation's fall, the process all of you except Emily know as ascension as One in the Beyond."
"I think...." Emily begins, "A moment would serve us all, to get our thoughts together."
Elle makes a noise of vague agreement, "Do we have any idea where this lost Incarnation is?" Slowly brushing her hair back with her hand, slow and steady movements, "How can an Incarnation even be lost?"
"Then I chose the right time to explore lost arts," Lady Sanzha declares, "A slight reformation of the soul, not without risk but with victory obtained. Any path forward is one of supreme danger."
Seira produces an ancient tome, pushing it across the table to Sanzha with her mind. "Io's treatise on ascension as One. The process is indeed similar, although I can give you a few tips once you feel ready to attempt it. Io believes that it would be a superior method rather than direct ascension within Creation's rules."
To Elle, she says, "My theory is that he was split in three, kept since in the most lawful of planes. Moore believes his disappearance is linked to 21, and since we're looking into finding it and Sylvie we might as well get there."
Sanzha takes the book, opens it and reads a moment. She then begins to turn pages, another and another, another and another. Soon a blur of pages, "This is thousands of pages long, and I have yet to find an end," she advises, "There is much to say about it."
"Logical enough," Elle seconds, "That's somewhere to work from, at least."
Emily makes a noise, "So what about Alyssa, what's her role in this and why did Io empower her?"
"The Arbiter, Zaphkiel and Io have worked together to provide Creation with champions, expanding the conspiracy through their power," Seira informs her daughter. "The lich Sylian is also involved in some way, and Oberuth is his champion there. While I could tell you more, it would be best if you brought Alyssa over to Io's realm and she learned the truth in person."
To Sanzha, she says, "This task takes the utmost priority. If Io's method makes the process much easier and safer, it might not be just you who undergoes it."
She claps her hands afterwards. "Any other follow-up questions, or are we ready to proceed? There is more excitement to be shared."
"Go on," Elle bids as everyone takes that in, "Is it another fireball of a revelation? Why stop at one? Bombard us with them."
Emily nods to that, "I'll let her know immediately."
"The prohibition against talking about this with anyone else, and checking with us first if you are unsure is paramount," Seira tells Emily, using her divine voice to make the point. "Impress that if she doesn't adhere to these non-negotiable rules, she may immediately doom all of Creation in a single word. Don't end Creation."
Judging the matter settled, she looks over those gathered at the table. "All of us, we're it. Our group here, Alyssa's team, Alicia's most faithful, that Celestial pixie, Moore, and one of his Aurora pals, Tryll. Roughly twenty of us, plus Oberuth. There won't be more, as all the power and influence our benefactors had has been spent on this. And yet, it's still an order of magnitude more than we had even yesterday. My friends, I cannot stress how happy I am that I can talk to you all about this now."
Seira doesn't linger on that, however, instead summoning up the image of the events she and Alicia had experienced twenty years previous. Prophecy or not, phrasing might be a factor and she wants all those involved to know of it.
Thus all the memories are taken in, everyone silent after.
"I think," Elle finally says, "We need time to think about this. Time to digest it all and come to terms with it. You've had twenty years, we've not yet had twenty minutes."
"Definitely," Kascha seconds, "Is there anything else, Seira?"
"Yes. Kascha, I'm going to use Io's power to ascend you. I feel it would give us the strongest boost right now, while the One ascension is not for you. Not right now, at least." She looks over at Sanzha. "How long do you need to understand Io's notes properly?"
"Me?!" Kascha turns, wide eyed and sputtering.
"Kascha?!" Donald seconds, then grins and slaps her back hard, hard enough to make her face plant into the table. "Congratulations and ow, you okay?"
"It...makes sense," Sanzha says, then smirks, "Yes, I agree with Seira's logic."
Seira nods, raising to her feet. "Since there are no more questions, the two of us will be departing at once. Sanzha, I believe that Lady Honeydip should attempt the transformation with you, so perhaps it might be good to share the insights with her. It also occurs to me that we learn to understand something a great deal more as we teach it to others, so we preserve the truth about Io and our task while still advancing the cause of a good ally and friend. Please give me a time estimate by my return."
She smiles at her daughter, saying, "Emily, please come back once you've thoughts things through. With things being as they are, you may be forced to step onto the planar stage after all. I would wish for you to be as ready as possible."
Then, she waits for Kascha to pronounce her readiness before transporting the two of them back to Io.
"Thanks, Mom," Emily says, "I have a lot to think and talk about, but..." Shaking her head, "I thought worrying about those leviathans was enough!"
Kascha looks up, "Uh...c-can we take a second?" she asks. "You want me to ascend, Seira? Me? Um....isn't Donald or Elle a better choice? Why me?" Brushing her nose off after that face plant, "I'd just like to know why me."
It really wasn't, though Seira nods at Emily. Giving her time and space is what is needed right now.
At Kascha's question, she says, "A short while ago, when I announced my plans for the planes, the abolition chief amongst them, I said that Amaryl's ascension was not the last. We were establishing a pantheon of our own, and for those interested to step up. It just so happens the next one is you, not Sanzha. As for why you specifically, having another fire-themed deity on our side right now is a good idea, and of us all you are the worst candidate for the One transformation, as it's not for everyone. Also, you are the only one at present without a power boost, and we're going to change that. Don't overthink it. Just step up and do it, like you had when I called you back, and like you had when you came across Aurora's path."
Okay, go ahead and gimme a Diplo check? It's a situation where seeing how powerful your words are can be helpful.
22:22 <CC> roll 1d20+55+4+15
22:22 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 88 > [d20=14]
+10 from Voice of the Dragon, so 98
"Oh.
Oh.
OH."
Kascha takes all that in and nods, "O-okay, Seira. I trust you. Even when I don't trust myself." She stands up, "So lead me on."
Seira takes her hand, and with a smile at Amaryl transports the two of them.
Also, for the record, while giving the infodump to people I would've let them know how to find Io's realm. This is mostly for Emily's benefit.
I assumed that, yes.
You find the entrance to Io's realm as you left it before. Kascha looks about, letting you lead her along for now.
"He promised us that the maze and its defenders would not hold us back this time around," Seira tells Kascha, leading her inside.
A step forward and you are before Io once more.
Kascha eeps softly before bowing, "L-Lord Io!"
The dragon leaaaaans in, examining Kascha with an eye so vast is it surely larger than even a dozen Hannas atop Baleruk. "You smell of Baleruk among others," he notes, retreating back. "You are familiar with that and other things, for you have studied the ways of the wyrm. Admirable."
"Kascha loves research, and her favorite topic is dragons. I think she would make a lovely deity~"
"Then come," Io declares, the divine seed glowing bright and brighter before you, appearing. "Come claim what is given to you, Kascha."
Kascha stares ahead in silent awe and then takes a step forward. Another. Another. She stands before it, "What a miracle," she murmurs, slowly reaching out to touch it, fingers gently caressing the surface. And in that instant - !
The light almost bowls you over, so bright and intense in that moment, and when it is left behind, Kascha is more. Radiantly more, more and more and more yet, like an inferno lit anew.
Kascha gains DvR0.
Seira beams at the Cauldron's newest deity!
The seed's light dims slightly, but is still radiant as Kascha takes but a step back. "This is spectacular," she breathes out. "Unthinkable!"
"Inconceivable?" Seira asks innocently.
"It is..." A pause.
A connection between yourself and Kascha, growing brighter and brighter. Stronger, fiercer.
My congratulations, Kascha. Welcome.
Node update, go read. Notably this frees up her level 3 feat, which is now open. Suggestions for what she can retrain it into are welcome in nagging.
Thank you, Seira directs to Zaphkiel. As for Kascha, she seconds the idea. Congratulations indeed. Picked a color that represents you best yet?
Read the Node update. There's a slight typo in Loyal: Good, Loya, Stunned.
And my post happily provides the best answer to her current goal~
"Io," Seira addresses the dragon in far more regular yet no less respectful tone. "May I use this chance to inquire about Pale Mother? Her origins, her goals, her prison and the plans that exist to deal with her?"
"She came from Beyond," Io repeats, "She wished to visit Creation and Ao chose to imprison her. She is lost in her veiled prison and I believe she wishes to escape it. We have few plans to deal with her, for any force that can free her as of now is in the hands of the Incarnations. If she were to escape and be hostile, oppose her as any other creature of the Beyond in Creation."
"Is there any reason why Ao did this? And is Sylian truly trustworthy? I understand you share his goal of freeing her, but was it originally his?"
"I do not know Ao's motivations in this matter," Io says, "I believe Sylian is reliable, if only because he is tied to Pale Night. He is a creature of his word, if only because words have meaning for him. He rarely speaks anything but truths and words that will advance his agenda. After all," Io reflects, "I believe he is gaining everything he desires by cooperating."
Seira nods slowly. "In that case, just one question. You've spoken of how the Words of Creation are different in Creation, altered into being a source of Good whereas in the Beyond, they would lack that concept. In fact, I imagine that the true Words were broken down into the Words of Creation and their vile counterpart? In that case, how could Sanzha be taught the original language?"
Oh! Thank you Io, I see how to do it. It's so colorful, like when Afina speaks like this.
How about this? Oh! It's so...so...more impactful.
I wonder if 27 would like this or if it would scare him, like Tannin?
Hm, this is like wearing a cloak of color over the words.
Io pauses and slowly turns his gaze to Kascha.
Kascha stops, turns red and quickly clears her throat, "Ah, well, I'm learning!"
"I liked the last one," Seira helpfully points out, even as she waits for the answer to her question to Io.
I like this one a lot. It's so pretty and it feels right.
Io turns back to you after clearing his throat. "I am not sure it can be done lightly - I did some study of the words, but they were not my focus. I do not believe they can be used in Creation as they can be Beyond."
"In that case, once Sanzha is done studying your tome on becoming One, I'll bring her over to meet you and she can decide for herself whether to pursue that course of action," Seira muses. "Once more, thank you for your time, Lord Io."
After pleasantries have been exchanged, she plans to shift herself and Kascha to the House of Knowledge by way of Astral to avoid anyone tracking their point of origin.
As you go out?
Oh Seira. It's that everything's different now! Everything's so, so, so magnificent and alive and I feel so much more.
"I'm glad, though I'd also recommend saving it for special occasions. Projecting majesty to mortals, posing before your enemies or speaking to your friends and equals in a way that proves without a shadow of a doubt the words are yours, even over a great distance."
Then, as they appear in the House of Knowledge, Seira sends Oghma a message while allowing Kascha to hear it.
Greetings. May we visit? I would appreciate the chance to discuss something with you.
You appear in a library that stretches higher than you can see. Up and up and up and up and up, into clouds themselves. Stuffed shelves that go up without limit.
The man here is rather plain and weathered - perhaps 50, with his gray hair long enough to reach his shoulders. A tired looking man, yet his eyes are fast and sharp. He wears a purple cloak and warm clothes, standing and bowing. "My la..dies?" He looks up at Kascha, barely missing a beat, "My ladies, Lord Oghma is occupied at this moment, so please rest and read here until he is available. I am Cansaar, proxy of Oghma."
"The newest member of our pantheon, Kascha," Seira introduces her friend. Doing so at the House of Knowledge is certain to spread the word around, although she'd make a stop in Brightwater later to really get things going on that front.
As for reading material, Seira decides to pass the time with a book on anathemic knowledge.
Kascha just smiles, standing there straight and upright.
Cansaar bows to her again, "My congratulations. I will inform Lord Oghma of this." Then he is gone, leaving the two of you to read.
You find the book you choose is quite good, if strangely forgettable.
Seira figures she might as well sharpen her mind and memory both. With the amount of forbidden magic available to her, it shouldn't be difficult to get better at retaining and parsing this sort of knowledge, and she might as well build up her resistance to boring books while she's at it. She certainly had it while she was a student!
Gimme an Int check for reference, Seira?
20:52 <CC> roll 1d20+20
20:52 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d20=7]
You grasp the book well enough and keep your focus. It's not terribly long as you read all sorts of interesting things before -
"SEIRA ARYN!" A big, booming voice calls, jovial and bright.
"That's my name!" Seira cheerfully agrees, conjuring a bookmark for her book before putting the reading material aside.
Kascha looks up from her book, "Hello!"
The figure is a big, bald and burly man with a black beard, wearing a burnt leather apron and sooty clothes beneath it, as well as leather gloves. He has a ready, easy smile. Gond stands before you, "You're just the one I was looking for."
"I'm glad that things worked out so well, then! How can I help you?"
"I find that you have the Great Xorn? I have something of his," Gond says, "Would you return it to him?"
"I did happen to rescue him, yes," Seira agrees. "It would be a simple matter to return his possessions, as he decided to stay at the Cauldron to avoid further kidnapping attempts. Would it be too much to hope that you know more about his captors?"
"Not much - the armor showed up when its emergency return feature activated," Gond admits, gesturing, a simple sack appearing next to you. "That's one of my improved bags of holding. Stable and powerful, just don't put anything hot as boiling water or hotter in it. The armor's in there."
"That is good news, thank you," Kascha says, then slower, "It...has a emergency return feature?"
"I'll be sure to do that," Seira promises Gond.
"Now then," Gond says as Kascha cries out. Gond picks her up and hugs her, spinning her around and around. "Look at you! You pursued it and Ao found you worthy!" Amid Kascha's cry and Gond's laughter, he adds, "Welcome aboard."
"In our hour of need, my friends are stepping up!" Seira cheerfully agrees. "I'm holding out hope that Sanzha's chance to regain her power will come soon!"
As Kascha is put down and wobbles back and forth, Gond laughs and says, "Ah, you're making your own pantheon there. Fortune and fate favor you, it seems."
"If you're ever interested in moving to a volcano, we have the space," Seira tells him innocently, grinning all the while.
"Oh, I have volcanoes," Gond laughs, "I've built my own!"
"How about building a ring that allows us to visit a Prime? My kid broke one, you see, and while she promised to find another one you know how kids are, she barely cracked a book open to find a replacement."
"Oh, one of those?" Gond hmms, "Well, can't make them any more. Sorry, would if I could, was a big thing a long time ago. Oh! Send her over here, I can teach her and have her try. She might find a work around."
"I'll be sure to do that. Thanks!"
"I'll straighten her out," Gond promises, "Why, if she's breaking things like that, who knows what she'll do next?"
"Who knows indeed," Seira is all too ready to agree.
"Good discussion," Gond laughs, "I think Oghma's ready, so send word when she's ready." Then he's gone, Kascha finally watching with a shake of her head.
"He's so energetic," she says. "Is he always like that, Seira?"
"Pretty much. Lots of inspiration, very nice and kind. Big presence," she sums it up for Kascha, even as she waits for either a direct invitation from Oghma or his own visit.
Oghma is there - this time the form of an old scribe, bend and hunched. He wears robes and is focused on his parchment, always writing away with swollen hands. He keeps writing even as he looks to you, "You bring knowledge to be seen with Kascha. Congratulations and welcome, Kascha."
"I figured it would be a good idea to reintroduce Kascha, and formally announce the Cauldron's pantheon. I always held the hope we'll get there one day, and that day is now."
In fact, she really should come up with a proper name. And probably without Amaryl's input, or it'd be needlessly lengthy and start with an X.
"Of course, the reason I sought out this audience was that I hoped to ask you about one of your more... unique followers. I believe you know the woman I'm referring to?"
"The knowledge is recorded," Oghma declares, "I do know how you speak of."
"Thanks!" Kascha's smiling now, "I'll be sure to do my part, I promise."
"Can you still feel Sylvie as one of your faithful?" Seira gets straight to the chase. "Can you tell whether she's alive or dead, hurt or well? Perhaps, know her location or able to contact her?"
"I cannot," Oghma says, "21, doubtlessly, if she is still alive. If she is dead, her soul has not come here, and I have claim on her soul."
"21 shields her from view and cuts off contact?" Seira tries to clarify. "In that case, were you prevented from seeing as she gave the power of an archmage to her young child? I've been looking into the circumstances of that, given the growing interest into him and the fact he can't sit still and stick to his home Prime."
"It is possible, I do not know, but it the logical culprit if she lives," Oghma explains, "I am aware of her child. Her last prayer to me was for my protection to her child." Writing away all the while, Oghma momentarily turns to that and reads it over, then continues. "Should knowledge of harm to him come to me, I will take action."
"I'm very reassured to hear that," Seira tells him. "I became aware that the boy, Calley, was drafting an arcane thesis that he himself did not seem to understand. Would you be willing to look over my annotated notes and provide insights into them?"
"I am aware of your work, through not of the work itself," Oghma agrees, "I will see any unknown knowledge, it is my duty."
Seira is all too happy to provide her copy of the notes, as well as her interpretations of them.
"--and it seems like it's all gearing up towards creating a portal somewhere outside Creation, which is pretty interesting! But I still can't narrow it down properly."
Oghma looks the notes over and writes away, "You know most of what I have, and I cannot make the connections I should be able to," he says, "This is the work of 21. Still, there are a few bits of aid I can supply."
Oghma proceeds to write some notes, passing them over to Seira.
"Thank you! And this visit also got me thinking into a fresh direction. Would you be able to provide me with a list of specialists in the field of making portals and transportation magic? Perhaps they would have a few interesting insights, and wouldn't be blinded by 21 like we regrettably are. In fact, is Aurora's creator, Medi, one of them? His fate always seemed vague, though here I am, thinking that you of all may well hold the answer to that. If he were still alive and kicking, I could either go to try and rescue him or approach him with an interesting research project. And the same goes for other accomplished wizards of his stature, of course!"
"What you ask for is powerful knowledge," Oghma says, "I will provide so, if you provide me with knowledge of equal measure and importance."
"It's hard for me to judge the worth of knowledge without being privy to it," Seira admits. "I'm wary of offending with a low-bidding offer. Is a unique spell of the eighteenth circle anywhere close? What of a vision of the birth of 21?"
Oghma places his quill down and says, "I would see that memory," he declares, turning towards the two of you at last. "Such a memory would be a fine addition to all I know."
Kascha stays out of it by and large, but adds now, "It must be remarkable."
"I must say this in advance, but I wish to keep its origin a secret. But in the end, they are not what the memory is about. If that is acceptable...."
Seira waits for Oghma to object, and in case he doesn't places his hand on his shoulder while sharing a vision of the memory shown to her by Galaurskax. If he kept to the original offer, it would've been only her own to see, but given he shared it with more than just Seira it's up to her discretion to use! The only changes she makes are to obscure both he and Io, so that the original owner of the memory cannot be divined, which should be in accordance of Io's wishes to remain hidden.
Kascha, too, gets to see this memory as Seira's other hand lands softly on her head and pats it.
Essentially this, with the stated edits. (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104237.msg1136318.html#msg1136318)
Kascha is the first to speak after seeing it, "Oh!" A murmur, thick and powerful. "What a terrible thing, Seira! 21 was never like that before." Kascha hugs herself and shrinks back, "What is that horrible light?"
Oghma is silent, save for the scratching of his quill. He writes with no great haste, yet page after page is filled night instantly, a book being written in an instant, appearing as Oghma writes. The book vanishes after, gone to whatever place Oghma wills.
"It is done," Oghma says, "You will have your list. You also had questions about Medi?"
"Yes. From what I know of the lore, he was either captured and held prisoner in the lower planes after being betrayed on one of his Crusades, managed to escape somewhere after being disillusioned by these events, or was destroyed. I would like to know for certain, and either contact him or try to rescue him. That made me think of another. I would like any information existing that could aid in the successful rescue of Yemimah. One of our own, held in captivity in Dis. That's just not right, and I would like to request your aid in this."
"Medi died," Oghma says, shaking his head, "There's no great mystery to it, only those who refuse to believe he accepted his death."
At this Kascha sighs softly, "That's too bad. I always hoped Elena would get to see him again."
"Death is not the end. Medi slept for a long time, but he has awakened from death." Oghma says, chuckling. Before you his forms shifts - to a gaily dressed bard, lute in hand, a day's dark shadow of beard across his lantern jaw and a ready smile. "It makes a ballad for the ages. Especially because he's rather grumpy about it. Ah, you would think he is merely upset about being woken up early on a day of rest."
"Who killed him?" Seira asks out of curiosity. "And who brought him back? Where is he now, and why has he chosen to stay away from Aurora? In fact, how long ago was he resurrected?"
"My insight to Medi is limited," Oghma admits, "Because he is hidden from me, but his companion is not. He works for another purpose now, with bad graces but acceptance. He speaks only indirectly save to complain, but nonetheless sees to his tasks. I believe he seeks to help against Shar and against the Prophecy of Primus, so doubtless some deity roused him and convinced him to resurrect."
Shaking his head at that, "It may be his own work, he has a way of overcoming the impossible."
"What of this companion, who is not hidden from you? Who is he? How can I reach him? Working against Shar and the Prophecy of Primus is what I'm after, and one of the reasons the Cauldron is seeking to expand its influence," Seira says, nodding at Kascha.
"You may if you wish, but I would not raise your hopes," Oghma says, "Seek Brani the Elder Titan."
"I will, thanks! And what of the Lost Chalice? I have good reason to believe she is genuinely kept in Dis, and it's not the usual misinformation. Can you provide me with any information that would make her rescue easier? Knowledge of the layout of her prison or its defenses, perhaps?"
A strum of his lute, a sad note. "I cannot tell you - Dispater and I have made agreements regarding such things, ones neither side shall break."
"Perhaps that list of capable archmages might have an entry of someone who has the means to find out such information, and isn't covered by such an agreement," Seira muses. "After all, us archmages often have more than one field of interest."
"That's a good thought," Kascha says, "We can follow up with that, someone might know. Though Dispater is famously paranoid. I bet that's why he has that agreement with you, Oghma." Humming a moment -
Return home, Kascha. I would see you now.
- Kascha stops. "Ah...My Lady?"
I await you, Kascha.
"Morwel," Oghma says, a hint of amusement and a decidedly sharp note of chastisement.
I had not realized she was in your domain, Binder. Come when you are finished with your business with Oghma, Kascha.
"We might as well pay Queen Morwel a visit," Seira muses.
It seems like we were winding down anyway, so unless Oghma has more to say we can be provided our list and be on our way?
Sure. The list will be covered later - as in I need time to prep it, as it wasn't the sort of thing I could see coming and prepare for.
Sure thing. So long as it's handled OOC and doesn't require a return visit.
On your arrival in Arborea - you appear before a door, awaiting you without a word. The forest parts around it, a clearing with a door before you.
Seira steps over to the door, and holds it open for Kascha with a disarming smile. "Let's go and say hello~"
Thus you step in.
As you go, Morwel's voice is heard, as if she is next to you. "I wish to speak with Kascha alone first. May I prevail on you to be entertained by Faerinaal and Gywnharwyf in the meantime?"
"I wouldn't mind, once I've said this," Seira voices. "I was there when you summoned her. Kascha's home is the Cauldron. It was important enough for me to come and say it in person."
Morwel's voice is gentle as she says, "Kascha can have more than one home, Seira. She will always have a home here, because she was once with Arborea. Do not be fearful of it, but rejoice and what she has been given with it and what she can give you from that."
"You know that I do," Seira says, turning to give Kascha a hug. She needs to do her best to avoid painful misunderstandings, even if she risks offending a close friend and ally. "I'll leave you to your talk."
Kascha returns it and is gone.
You stand before the entrance to a wild, overgrown garden. A vast wealth of scarlet red roses grow all about, wildly and high, so high as to reach towards the clear night sky.
"Hah!"
The clang of metal, the cries of combat. They come from ahead, deeper in the garden. You know that voice: The voice of Gwynharwyf.
Seira proceeds into the garden!
And as she walks, she sends a missive to her daughter.
Emily, I've had a chat with Gond on your behalf. Come see him, and he will help you make good on your promise to Waukeen.
'I will when I have time, Mom,' Emily says, 'We're figuring everything out still.'
Just remember that when making something is possible, making it twice is often not that much harder.
And with that helpful advice, Seira decides to go say hi to Morwel's beaus.
From here a pleasant hour of sparring, talking and then a light meal follows. It is hazy and indistinct, forgotten as naturally as a pleasant dream.
You remember more when it happens - when the conversation stops. Queen Morwel ishere, sitting on a throne of roses, taking in all she sees. At your side is Kascha, who smiles warmly at you.
"Seira," Queen Morwel says, "Kascha has come farther than I imagined when she was entrusted to you."
"I imagine her reaching farther still," Seira responds warmly. "I see Kascha mastering the fires of creation, except with her own unique touch. I see her unlocking the mysteries of dragonkind together with me, mapping out yet another path to perfection. We've got a long road ahead of us, but we'll get there!"
Kascha blushes, "I'll make both of you proud of me, I promise."
Queen Morwel smiles, a gentle thing indeed. "I have no doubts of that, Seira and Kascha. No doubt in my mind and no doubt in my soul."
"I'm already proud, so I'm just looking forward to what great things you will continue to be part of," Seira tells her with a grin.
"Then I will be watching and ever be your ally," Queen Morwel declares and then?
Anything to add here?
Not at present! Let's take Kascha to Liira to spread the word further.
As you go?
Seira, it wasn't like that. There were a few things Queen Morwel needed to explain to me, things I'll understand better soon. Things that are, ah, private to her. Personal.
I didn't want you to feel pressured or... anything of the sort, really. If you ascending caused any trouble, somehow, I'd rather be the one blamed.
Kascha smiles slightly.
I'm not in trouble at all. Her Majesty's happy for both of us.
Tone can be difficult to judge, sometimes, through these things. Unless there's some of what you were told that you're allowed to share with me and wish to, want to go crash one of Liira's parties?
Can we go home first? I want to talk to everyone and I think I really want to talk to Lady Sanzha and Amaryl too. All of you have been through this.
"Your wish is my command," Seira tells Kascha, shifting the two of them to the maw of the volcano. If they aren't going to a party, they will at least return triumphantly with the Cauldron's inhabitants greeting Kascha!
Going to make any sort of splashy entrance here?
They will descend down the volcano's maw, with dragon statues lining up the shaft as they had during the festival to celebrate Amaryl ascending in truth. Yet this time, the dragons will breathe fire in Kascha's colors for the coming week, before reverting to a random selection of one of the Cauldron's three resident deities.
Kascha can plan the celebration once they arrive at the palace, so that it would suit her palate!
The people are here, cheering, chanting. Your name, Kascha's name. Celebrations have already begun, Kascha blushing and waving as she follows you. She's keeping close, blushing brighter and brighter with every step. Amid the rowdy cheers, the deep tidal wave of noise constantly crashing on you as work gives way to celebration?
Seira! I look away for just a little while and you've gotten ANOTHER? You're the the investment that keeps on paying out.
I do try!
I really must come over and talk to you for this. I'll be there soon, tell your armies that I'm expected, dear.
I doubt they could stop you! But sure, we'll be waiting!
Meanwhile Kascha walks along and waves, faster and faster, nudging you along.
Seira is all to happy to follow! This is Kascha's moment, after all!
From here it's easy enough to slip away and to everyone - ack!
Amaryl hugs Kascha tightly, "Congratulations!"
"Yeah, good work," Donald's there, pulling both of them into his own hug, Kascha letting out a little eep and Amaryl crying, "Let go, your human arms are too strong."
Elle's right behind them, clapping but smiling, but not joining in on that mess, though to Sanzha she says, "He does have strong arms," she says with a warm smile.
Lady Sanzha chuckles but doesn't comment on it.
"Those are elf arms backed by divine power!"
Donald laughs and spins them around and around, getting cries from both Kascha and Amaryl, before letting them go.
Kascha wobbles about from that and into Elle's arms, while Amaryl shakes it off.
"Another step forward," Lady Sanzha says, "That is not all. I have awakened ancient arts to gain further power," she announces. "I have taken the path of the madalani."
"And this might be a nice addition to them," Seira tells Sanzha, drawing a scroll out of thin air and offering it to her.
The dungeon scroll, given IC!
Lady Sanzha takes it, "Ah, something of Air. It will do well Seira, thank you."
"I think of you often and~" Seira tells Sanzha. "How's Io's book looking? I want to go over that first, since it affects our plans and options both."
Here Lady Sanzha shakes her head as Kascha recovers, "It has everything you need...and must be a hundred thousand pages if it's a word, and magic to condense it isn't working. The language and meaning is incredibly dense, and while I'm getting faster at it, it's not going to be quick."
"All I need is an estimate from you, to compare to my avatar's own thoughts," Seira voices. "It will help me plan better. If the book will take roughly a week to decypher, that's different from the work of three months."
Since your avatar's been on it, give me an Int check from the avatar?
21:45 <CC> roll 1d20+17
21:45 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=18]
Your general thoughts is that it'll take some time, not sure how long, but you have a distinct feeling that once it 'clicks', it'll speed up vastly.
"I'm thinking that rather than trying to study it with only brief food and rest breaks, we try to tackle it while overseeing the magical research being done at the Cauldron," Seira suggests to Sanzha. "Perhaps it would be best if you found someone to represent us with the foreign powers for now, however. Do you have anyone capable in mind?"
"I can come up with someone," Sanzha says, "I don't think it's going to be that quick either, so a more measured approach may be best."
"Okay," Seira agrees. "So before Waukeen stops by for a visit, let's get our ducks in a row. I presume Oraga isn't back yet, or I would've known of it. How about Morwel and Lathander's forces?"
"Oraga sent word, he'll be back very shortly," Donald says, "And they're here and integrating now."
"That's great!" Seira cheers, even as she relays a message to the Great Xorn to join them. "How have our forces fared launching another strike at the efreet slave camps to liberate them? And did we get any news of Yan-C-Bin's campaign on Earth against the dao slavers?"
"Not yet, soon," Donald speaks up, "They're finishing adjusting and preparing with new forces."
Seira nods slowly. "Chan, Sunnis and Entemoch should be joining soon, so our allied forces will continue to grow. Very well. Until the Great Xorn gets here, I would like to assign the workload requiring our personal touch for the next week. Naturally, if there are any objections or suggestions, let's air there in this forum."
First, she turns towards her wife. "Amaryl, you didn't have chance yet to look into apprentices, so please test Fooze for suitability. It would be good to spread your faith through some direct means, and that might well be by having someone trained by you tour the lands of your birth."
Moving on to Donald, Seira says, "Continue with what you have been doing. Look into Aurora's contacts, those who never joined the Crusade out of personality conflicts and the like. Let's recruit those willing for the Abolition War."
Kascha is next, and Seira instructs her, "Follow up on our leads from Oghma with the Calley portal theorem, but do it with a look towards further collaboration. An ancient archmage hidden away from Creation might not want to join us directly, though it's up to your judgement to make the offer if you judge it likely, but they may well be willing to work with us either to contribute to a good cause or out of self-interest. We are capable of providing a great deal of incentives to the latter. Another fun aspect of this is that a wise archmage might want to get in on good terms with a newly-risen deity from the start, especially one belonging to a fresh and growing pantheon. That will aid you as well, helping you get your name out there. Finally, keep in mind that knowledge that would aid in Yemimah's rescue is more important than any of the other tasks you've been given."
She'd already covered Sanzha's instructions, so that just leaves Elle. "Work with Laurenal to establish the portal networks on our Prime of birth. It shouldn't take you more than a week if you use the top spells for that, and Oraga will be there to provide protection. Once you're done with that, please establish the very basics of the network on Lifasa, only connecting the major population centers to our academy town barring local opposition."
While only Elle explicitly has a bodyguard, Donald and Kascha would not be leaving the Cauldron without one as well. Although, perhaps, if would make sense for them to collate their targets and approach those together? Up to them, Seira decides.
You get general agreement around as the Great Xorn enters and...
Go ahead. Not trying to short sell a big post, but I knew it was coming and none of it's immediately objectionable.
"Ah! Excellent!" Seira retrieves Gond's bag of holding, and offers it to the Great Xorn. "Courtesy of our friend, Gond. Your armor is there, I am told. A recalling feature, or something more unique? A friend of mine favored it for his."
The bag is taken with a happy laugh and the response is cut off. Armor flies out, a loud clang of metal as it girds the Great Xorn, covering him in armor quite snugly.
It's not like the Xorn has to tell her, it was just curiosity.
"I would like to go into the state of the war," she tells those present. "Our efforts on Earth and on Fire, as well as whether Crystalle came through and provided us with a War Arch and specialized weapons."
Go ahead and refresh me real quick on all of that, Seira? It's been a month or two thanks to Io dungeon and I want to make sure we're on the same page.
Please look here (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104222.msg1131906.html#msg1131906).
"We have some of the weapons, the rest is being developed," Donald speaks up here, "As far as Earth and Fire go, we're preparing for more pushes there once all of our forces are ready again."
"Is there a strike on either plane that would benefit from my direct participation, at the head of the army or otherwise?" Seira inquires. "Xorn in need of rescue, or others enslaved by our enemies? If Valar and Honeydip's efforts are sufficient at this stage, I could focus my energy elsewhere in support of the war. If, however, we have our targets but lack the sufficient force to assault them, I'll open the way forward for us."
"Give me five minutes to find out," Donald says, getting up.
Once he's out, "Back to the war," Amaryl murmurs, "At least we haven't been attacked here yet. I'm worried for that day - it'll be the Cauldron's first true test in this war."
Seira did hope the Great Xorn would contribute as well, but learning to work properly together is what she's trying to advance here, anyway.
"Honestly, with my model of combat, we can only be challenged by a select few," she tells Amaryl. "If that happens, it happens, but those who could challenge me would risk something by coming here and they know it. If, instead, they send an army, I will kill that army. We've moved past engagements where regular troops could prevail. Even a company of Nessian pit fiends, Asmodeus's elite soldiers, will not be able to take Cauldron in a frontal assault. And were he to send a battalion or regiment of them thing would get fun! Also, now that I think about it, I'm not sure how many Nessians Asmodeus actually keeps in reserve."
"I've heard it's 9,999,999," The Great Xorn speaks up, "But that's a lot of 9s. Too many if you ask me."
"No one knows," Lady Sanzha says, "And I doubt he'll be forthcoming if you ask him."
"That's the thing! A reserve exists for a reason. I have plenty of troops, though nowhere near Asmodeus's resources, naturally. But most of them are committed. In fact, a large portion of them were committed even before this war. We know Asmodeus wishes to oppose Shar in his own way, out of sheer self-interest. We know things are heating up in Avernus, in large part due to Pale Night's efforts. Could Asmodeus use all his forces to crush us, or come in person to do it? Naturally. Can he afford to use that much force against us while leaving his other interests exposed? I doubt that, especially since the other heavens may well come together to stop him from acting so blatantly."
"So you're saying that most wars are fought with only what everyone can spare?" Amaryl speaks up at that.
"In essence," Lady Sanzha says, "Committing true forces causes others to do so in turn. The more that is committed, the more cataclysmic wars tend to become. The riskier, too."
"Yes, it's a function of competing needs and interests. How much you're willing to sacrifice to get what you're after."
"Then send more," The Great Xorn seconds, "You can't win if you don't play, can you? It's like when I started gambling gemstones in Brightwater. Everyone wondered why they didn't get gemstones, it's because they didn't bet them."
Let's wait on Donald!
Donald returns, "Got it," he says, "What did you want to know, Seira?"
"Was there any planned operation that got scrapped or pushed back because we didn't have confidence in being able to overcome the opposition?"
"Yes, one," Donald says, "An attack on the Burning Salt Flats," he says, "Partially because we have word they're expecting attack now and fortified, partly because it's well defended and in hostile terrain. Worse than Fire."
"Worse than everything melting in flame," Elle notes, "Impressively lethal."
"Tell me more!"
"Burning salt fills the air - it's a salt deposit that burns and burns and burns," Donald reports, "If you need to breathe, you die without protection. The miasma's poisonous as well, which makes it even more hostile to life."
"I can live there. What else? And what's our target there?"
"Sometimes the salt catches ablaze and steams, creating thick fog clouds of burning, poisonous steam that can stop an attack cold," Donald says. "The target is the Burning Salt Flats Mine, a which has a lot of slaves as not only is there salt, but deeper in, there's boiling adamantine that's siphoned and harvested."
"How strong are the dimensional barriers? Getting those people out would necessitate getting portals out, and it can't be me if I'm running defense. Also, how many slaves at a rough estimate?"
"Moderately strong to begin with, probably reinforced now," Donald says, "Weaker deep in the mines and the depths, but the boiling adamantine and hostile conditions stop most attacks from that direction."
"No, you misunderstood. I can break past most defenses, and lead a dedicated team inside so that they could get these people out. So how strong does this team need to be to punch through the defenses while breaking out?"
"Strong, if they're reinforced it," Donald says. "We aren't clear on how much they have, but I doubt it'll be light."
"Do we have an estimate for the amount of slaves, the amount of defenders or any notable mages present?"
"Thousands," Donald says, "At least. As for the defenders we'd expect the same and we don't have good intel on who has been moved there yet."
"Give me all the intelligence we have on this target, and I'll devise a plan to hit it with Oraga upon her return," Seira decides, before turning to the Great Xorn. "Is there anything in your war efforts that we could be of help to?"
"Magic," The Great Xorn says, "We could use more magic to help us."
Seira nods at the request. "Elle won't take more than a week for her current task, so please use that time to map out your needs more in depth. She'll be the focal point for you on this front."
Smiling at her friend, Seira tells her, "Naturally, the Cauldron's resources are at your disposal once you know better what's required, be it healers, wizards, summoners, magic items or outright new spells for specific purposes."
"Oh, we need a lot that aren't rock and stone mages, you know how it goes for that," The Great Xorn agrees, "Like the time I fought those djinn and I couldn't find a wind mage there to save my life."
"We've got your back," Seira promises him. In fact, Chan's forces may well be of use there.
"One last thing. How is Zaaman Rul faring? What are his plans?"
"That I have more information on," Donald finally perks up, "He's fortifying in place and gathering reinforcements, since an attack against his domain is considered a matter of time. He's calling in every marker and ally he can get in there to help."
"We will be there in strength if the assault is by a highly-placed efreet or devil nobility, and with additional allies should it be lead by Imix or the Sultan," Seira tells Donald. "Can we offer any other aid to him?"
"We can siphon a little more over," Donald says, "Discretionary forces as well as reinforcements and volunteers we're getting can help compensate."
"Since he's Fire-based while we have access to a massive trading empire on a planar scale and to all other elements, is there anything that would benefit him?"
"Supplies, money, soldiers. Mostly the last," Donald says, "Can never have enough soldiers."
"I'll focus on that, then. Now, if there's nothing else?" Seira asks, looking over the others.
I'm fine with moving on if that's all for now. Also, I'll spend the time manifesting elementals to send to Zaaman Rul that suit his needs via alter reality.
Sure. Do you have an immediate next move or are you letting events move a bit?
Many of my next moves rely on forces arriving, integrating and so on. Therefore, encounter me! Research is fine too.
Gimme a d100.
20:43 <CC> roll 1d100
20:43 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d100=49]
You're busy enough with things for the next little while, working away on this or that. But you barely get far into it before you feel it - WAukeen's presence on the edge of the Cauldron.
Seira asks Donald to greet the Golden Lady and intends to meet her with Kascha in the gardens.
Done, done and done.
Kascha is wearing an elegant dress of white cloth with red and golden accents like dancing flames. Her hair is done up in an elaborate braid, little ringlets of curled hair cascading down. She looks impeccable, going barefoot while clad in gold jewelry with red and orange gemstones.
"Ah, ah," Kascha says as you wait, "How do I look?"
"Like you're ready to seal the deal," Seira cheerfully responds, giving her a thumbs up sign.
How about this? Does it still sound right and is it the right color?
"Sorry dear, it's all red to me."
"It's not red," Kascha murmurs, reddening. "It's orange tinting towards red, but still orange."
Seira can't resist pinching Kascha's cheek, timing it as Waukeen just steps into view.
"Ah!" Kascha reddens at this as Waukeen strolls in. She is in the form of a rich merchant lady, golden dress and gown complemented by jewelry of the same shades. A hem of pure woven gold trails behind her silently as she comes in, "Just look at you," she agrees, pinching Kascha's other cheek. "All grown up now!"
"Isn't she lovely?" Seira agrees, beaming at the pair of them.
"She's done well," Waukeen agrees as Kascha blushes even more and sputters, "Come now though, let's talk rather than embarrassing the poor girl."
"Sure. Want to tell Kascha how you helped me ascend?"
"Why, of course," Waukeen smiles, "Dearie, this Far Realm business you've found seems to be effective."
"Hmm?"
"Oh, or did Ao approve her?" Waukeen asks then, "Do tell!"
"Pretty much! Which is why I was wondering about your own experiences with me so that we could compare notes. Amaryl wasn't really a good test case for that, given how long she shared power and prayers with me."
Kaschas' blushing more by the moment as Waukeen takes both of you rhands, "Then let's go sit down and talk about it," she says, "But first, how is the war?"
"Still in the opening stages. We've done well, but it's nowhere near enough just yet."
"Well, wars do take time," Waukeen says, "Short wars are usually fantasy, like those chasing wonderfully too high profits."
"To be fair, a short campaign of open hostilities happens quite often. Just look at the Lifasa invasion. Usually, two forces of comparable strength avoid a full-on clash, so the wars we often see are between widely disparate powers."
A warm chuckle, "Granted, but not wars like this. Not big wars," Waukeen says ,"Mmm, all the gold trading hands already. It's getting me flushed at night," she declares, as Kascha gasps and turns very red. "Kascha, Kascha. Relax with us! We're not any different than before - we are what we are, but we are also thinking and feeling beings. We have our likes and our personalities when we aren't strictly dealing with our duties."
"Naturally, this is the perfect moment to ask you what gets you this hot and bothered out of all the possible concept in Creation," Seira tells Kascha slyly.
Kascha blushes even more, "It's just...you'e teasing me!" she blurts out, hands to her cheeks.
Waukeen's smile is broader, "Why, I think she's learning, Seira."
"Of course I'm teasing you, but that's because you're cute, adorable and many other adjectives, not just because it's fun~"
Peering at Kascha, she adds, "Still, it's an important question. What concepts are you making your own? Those that have precedent, we'll find you teachers so you could master them swiftly. Those that stand on their own in Creation we'll need to nurture properly."
Seira snaps her fingers. "Actually, Waukeen, I've been thinking. Secrets are a decent part of me, and I dislike Shar running a monopoly on them. How do I steal some of that for myself, Helm-style?"
Well, there's also Mask, but no one likes him or cares about him.
A moment, Seira. Let Kascha speak or we may overwhelm her reply.
Kascha looks down at her hands, "Magic, study and learning," she says, "Those are what I love. Studying dragons in particular."
"May I suggest adding fire to the mix? At the very least, the purifying fires of creation?"
"That too," Kascha says, then taps her finger against her lips, "Maybe...maybe a few other things, too. Like rebirth and healing, but that's a great start already."
"How about you think of it in two terms at once. A generic one, where you are all these concepts and, perhaps, one of them is more focal than the rest. And another approach, where you start from a small core of wedded concepts, such as... I don't know, draconic fires of creation, rebirth and healing? Then, as you advance them both at the same time, you'll grow into your roll before you know it!"
"My role?" Kascha muses aloud, looking down. "That is the question, what am I to be now? Yet I'm still me."
"Which is what I was trying to show you," Waukeen replies calmly, "Know yourself and the rest will work out just fine. Why, better than fine, since I'll be here to advise you, as will Seira."
"Amaryl and Sanzha are here, too. And it's not like you stop being you, that's silly. You just become more!"
"More..." Kascha says, "So...what do I do to keep becoming more, Seira?"
"One way is to pretend you are your own's high priestess," Seira tells her, winking. "Get past the silliness of the statement and think about what you would like to have this high priestess do to achieve your goals, which are based on what you stand for. Perhaps you would like to ensure that everyone understands a dragon's majesty? Or it might be that you wish to spread this knowledge to Primes? Or you might be interested in teaching dragons that more can be gained through kindness and cooperation, by following my path to perfection?"
Seira gestures at the world around them. "Decide on a few such goals, and then go out and try to make them reality. Work on short term projects, long term projects and everything in between. That's how things will advance for you."
"I want to make things better, more magic, more fire," Kascha says, "More of everything I like. Is it as easy as that?"
"Why yes, in essence," Waukeen says, "You have the right of it."
"There's more than one way to do it! The one we discussed is what I find most rewarding, and it works, alright. I'd recommend you give it a try."
A warm, quick nod from Kascha, "I think so," she says. "I have time anyway, it took Kascha training and effort."
"Once you figure out how you want to make an impact, I'll do all I can to help you. I can provide pretty decent support too, not just lead~"
"How can I make an impact?" Kascha says aloud, "Someone to worship me...and that sounds so strange," she adds after. "So very strange! Who would serve me like that, Seira?"
Waukeen smiles innocently, "Isn't there a dragon from Aurora that's sweet on you?"
"That could work," Seira agrees. "But you don't have to worry about that! This is quite literally a case of 'if you represent your goals well, the worshipers will come to you'."
"It's not like that with Surru," Kascha turns cherry red, looking away. "He's just..."
Waukeen smiles knowingly, but lets it lie at that.
"So if I do well and get famous, the rest will work itself out, Seira?" Is Kascha's answer.
"The rest becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy," Seira corrects her.
"Then how should..." Kascha trails off, silent.
Now, while Kascha thinks, where were we?
I was curious on how things were with me on your end during my ascension, and on how I could lay a claim on secrets by copying what Helm did to Kelemvor, except with Shar or Mask.
Why, I was pleased when I heard it. We have such hopes and it's such a risk. We never know when Ao will turn one we dare gamble into a nightmare, one who will taunt us for all eternity.
Have there been others you've sponsored?
Yes.
It is not a subject we talk about often, even with ourselves. We have eternity to ruminate on our failures, Seira.
Do any still exist? I stand for hope, all the way to when faced with impossible odds.
I eventually found those who put him to rest.
It would have been kinder than letting that cursed existence remain for eternity, with no hope of a cure, and Seira nods.
What of seizing power over secrets? Unlike Kelemvor's situation, no one actually likes Shar. And Shar's excesses were the reason behind Helm's power grab as well, so I think my chances might be just as good!
The first would be to make secrets a part of yourself. If they are not, then you are wasting your time.
What's the second stage, with the first one cleared?
Make sure it harmonizes with everything else you represent. That is important, as you are many parts that make a whole. Woe to your mind if you tried such a thing, to make yourself whole with something you are not. The madness of a mortal is terrible enough. The madness of the divine? A nightmare, Seira dear.
All I am gathers into what I am. All you are gathers into what you are.
Can you show me an example, perhaps? On second thought I'm not as sold on secrets, so I'm interested in seeing how one's mandate expands. Without the insanity, of course.
"Kascha dear, we'll be right back," Waukeen says, offering you her hand.
Kascha blinks and looks up, "I'm sorry?"
"We'll be right back," Waukeen repeats. "I need to go show Seira something."
Seira waves at Kascha, taking Waukeen's hand. In case the older goddess tries to transport them, she'll allow it to bypass the Cauldron's defenses to streamline the process.
In that instant you are elsewhere. It's a quiet place - a grassland, sunny and bright, with a single hill rising up. You are atop that hill, where covered seats stand. A single human is here, clad in finery and bowing.
"We'll have something pleasant and summery," Waukeen declares, "But nothing too dry." The man bows without a word and vanishes as Waukeen goes to sit. Once done, sitting to face you as you sit as well, "You recall Helm's recent move regarding Kelemvor, of course. While not the perfect example," A pause as the waiter returns with wineglasses and wine, pouring each of you a glass. Waukeen has a sip as he steps back, face impassive. "Mm. A good vintage," she says approvingly. "Helm's exact task is not quite on the scale of what you seek, but elements of it are instructive for your position."
Seira swirls the wine in her glass, studying its appearance before taking a sip.
"I'll need to make sure I know how to watch out for such things to protect myself, and having the ability to step in when someone's being careless with their duties is important. I don't doubt the Cauldron will be seen as a target given that we have several young deities."
With the light going through it, it's the shade of rubies. It's a full taste, like sweetness and the memories of long summer days in childhood. It brings those memories to mind as you savor the taste.
"Now," Waukeen says, "That being said and before we go on, cooperation's always preferable unless it's a fiend or someone incompatible with you. I suppose you could quarrel with Alicia or Sulia over good for example, but conflict for its own sake doesn't help us here." She has a long long, slow sip of her wine, eyes closing. "Merely representing things and expanding your domains and portfolio doesn't always mean conflict. "
Seira nods her understanding. "Besides," she voices, "it's different when you just want a foot in the door as opposed to competing over dominating the concept yourself?"
"In a word? Yes." Waukeen says, "Should you choose to represent wealth more acutely, I'd care little so long as you didn't try to take my position. Mystra has no quarrel with Alicia representing magic in part as well, nor does she have a quarrel with Hanali having some influence as well."
"How does it go, practically? For either case?"
"Practically?" Another sip, a rumination, "With a lot of talking if the powers involved are on speaking terms. If not, the opinions of the other hardly matters. Now, if it's something grander, like what Helm did, it's more complicated. Do you have any more questions before we get to that?"
"Let's get to it!"
"First of all and most importantly..." Waukeen smiles a bit, "Helm centered his move around what he was and his duty. He is the vigilant guard, even over the dead. He made this a natural extension of himself, beyond reproach from his existing position and duties."
"So, if there were a theoretical deity of Good that I felt was shirking his or her duties, I could use my own nature to expand into their responsibilities by claiming them as my own? Is that what you're saying happened with Helm?"
"Yes," Waukeen says, "It's only current politics and positioning that prevented a true divine war," At this the Golden Lady sips and smiles, "I didn't think Helm had that sort of political acumen, but he pleasantly surprised me. Even then, their clergies have been fighting at times, and there's going to be bad blood there for a long while."
"I remember. After all, Demedais is one of my closest friends," Seira agrees. "It's made things awkward around Kelemvor's followers. Still, can you show me how it's done? I just can't grasp how to move from words to action here."
"You gather it to yourself, you prepare and you do it. You contest the other - and know it isn't a fast process, it requires skill and setup," Waukeen explains, "If all is in order, you will contest the other and it will come down to the two of you. You may yet fail here, or be stopped by hostilities. The most common response to such a thing would be war, as well as escalating it to any allies the other deity has."
A sip here, "I would not recommend taking from another good deity. I have reliable information that this is discouraged. However, Kelemvor was not a deity of good, nor was Helm, not truly, until that time."
"What of Fire? With how many of us represent it, what would happen were I to go after Imix? Could Eblis intercede on his behalf? Could Zaaman Rul on mine? Would the final word be Kossuth's?"
"Kossuth holds supreme authority over Fire," Waukeen says, "I am not deeply versed on it, but I know that what happens in Fire is ultimately what Kossuth wants. I would step with supreme caution there. It's unlikely to be a wise investment unless Kossuth is one of your fellow investors in such a scheme. For even if you took something from Imix, you would still be under Kossuth's authority after, and if he disapproved? I hardly think you will find it any gain at all."
"It always made me wonder why there were elemental princes and princesses on opposite ethical side that didn't contest each other in that way, so this makes sense to me now," Seira admits. "How about you? There's Mammon, and probably a couple others that you could contest. Why have you been content to keep to the status quo instead?"
"I would find absorbing fiendish trade distasteful," Waukeen says, "Nor do I want the massive entanglements of expanding deeply into those realms." Here she shakes her head, "I have nominal authority there by my position, but it is not a position I wish to enforce or have an allied deity maintain. It would ultimately be bad for business." Another drink of her wine, "I have no use for Graz'zt, Mammon, Dispater or even when the General of Gehenna oversees trading in his Crawling City. I do not wish to become something that would oversee those things as eagerly as I do the rest."
"In that case, can it be that the reason you're not stepping fully into Good is that you're worried someone might step into the space in between, where you'd actually be interested in enforcing your authority, but Graz'zt and these others might support a challenger to you?"
A swirl of her remaining wine, a long sip. "There are many reasons, that is one. Commerce is not cut and dry. It can score wounds as surely as the battlefield, or see to death as easily as a sword. Trade can sustain a nation and cutting it off can choke the same nation to death. A ban on trading to another kingdom can result in famine and so much death." With that Waukeen finishes her glass and holds it up, her servant coming forth and refilling it. With one more sip and looking at you over her wineglass, "Money is also one of the great ways to influence Creation. I have no passion for battle, but I have fought and killed many times, often without lifting a weapon or uttering a word of magic."
Seira had done the same through intrigue, though it is always more satisfying to just go out and do things. She takes another leisurely sip of wine as she listens to Waukeen, asking afterwards, "Where do you see my divine power expanding? I'm interested in what you consider its natural course to be."
For my reference here, post your portfolio and domains?
Domains: Hope, Knowledge, War, Good
Portfolio: Good, elemental balance, investment, the future
Worshipers: Mages, knights, unarmed fighters, good elementals, idealists
I also have strong ties to fire and (meta)magic through my SDAs.
"Fire and the elements," Waukeen says, "Dragons and commerce for certain." She considers it, "Perhaps other things, but those feel the most important as you grow. All connected by your core ideas."
"I've always wondered if I could expand into healing. I really like the idea of helping people that way! As for the elements, is there anything for elemental harmony? I'm pretty great with fire, but I wouldn't want to neglect the rest."
"It's against the grain," Waukeen considers, "You'd be on your own there, but that also means more opportunity if you can exploit it."
"It's not like I'll have the chance in the immediate future," Seira muses. "I also like building things, though you'd know that from all the temples. Public works, too. Is there anything that cover this?"
"Craft and construction. Creation," Waukeen says, then with a wave of her hand, "Nothing wrong with it, production feeds commerce. Perhaps generosity if properly applied, though that is not a virtue I am overly strong in."
"Creation's interesting," Seira finds herself agreeing. "I suppose we'll see!"
Anything to add here or ask in that case?
I think we're good.
As you return and get settled back in, you feel it in your bones.
Io has freed the dragons you asked him to.
Excellent! May some of them come to visit! In the meantime, Seira intends to check on the progress of Sanzha's red dragon volunteers.
d100 real quick.
22:39 <CC> roll 1d100
22:39 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 64 > [d100=64]
And thus, red dragons. Dragons at rest as Sanzha works over them, arcane devices all around as she occasionally chants, magic flowing from them.
Afina's transformation was flashy and impressive, though not without risk, Seira reminisces. Omni's manifestation wasn't risky in that same sense, although he might not have come into being had the magical energies not aligned perfectly. Therefore, she shouldn't be impatient. Not if they are devising a way of prismatic advancement that negates many of the risks. And yet, Seira can't help but wonder if there isn't something that her personal involvement at this junction might advance in the research.
As you gather your own thoughts, Sanzha speaks as she checks an array of crystals on one sleeping dragon's snout, "I trust your inspection is agreeable, Seira?"
"Hoping for a flash of inspiration to hit me, really," Seira responds.
"Ah, a tidal wave of insight," Sanzha remarks as she works, focus on those crystals. "I have the most recent results on the far table recorded, perhaps they'll inspire you."
Seira cheerfully steps over to take a look!
Gimme a K:A check.
Dropping improvisation on this:
19:16 <CC> roll 1d20+101
19:16 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+101 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{118}
Ah. You see an important point. The flow of magic into them is a little too low, you think. Draconic resistance to magic, while not the greatest, seems to be providing more interference than anticipated. An adjustment there would help smooth over the entire process.
You also note that a quicker cycling of magic through them may well net better results, based on the samples, but it would have be individualized.
"It might be my recent insight into dragons," Seira muses, waving Sanzha over, "but we'll need to power through their resistance to be more effective. It's not overwhelming so we overlooked it in the first stage, but there is a significant divergence from baselines."
Bringing up the diagrams for treatment of their three volunteers, Seira points at the one in the center. "Especially here. Double the dose, risky but manageable, and then weening him off before repeating the procedure? Eyeballing the increase, there, and by the looks of it we'll need to chart the progress for each of them separately, then be ready to adjust our infusion of elemental magic based on the results. Do you concur?"
Sanzha silently takes your advice in and begins to make the changes with uttered incantations, and once done, "I agree, Seira. This should improve our results, or at least mitigate any failures."
"Great!" Seira says cheerfully, deciding to go badger Kascha again. They'll visit Liira after all!
Thus you go to do that - and are stopped cold. "Seira!" Elle rushes up to you, "Scouts have detected efreet forces in the Astral."
Fine, she gets it. She didn't want to visit Liira that much anyway!
"Please send word to Alicia to let her know," Seira requests of Elle. "Fill her in on what we know."
Elle would know the details. Seira herself heads for the Cauldron's entrance, keeping herself out of sight. In case of an attack, she'll just have to educate the efreet on what a terrible idea this is!
Those horrible efreet, not respecting your agenda. Bastards.
"It'll be done," Elle agrees. You find forces gathering there, Amaryl at the forefront. Defenses are being readied, the trading hub fortifying.
"How serious is this effort?" Seira asks Amaryl curiously. She's not about to take control, not when it's a chance to see if the Cauldron's wartime defenses are sufficient.
"We saw a contingent of about 400 to 500," Amaryl says, "And there may well be more coming from other ways, or that is only a scouting force or lure. Our diviners are attempting to discern more about them as we speak, Seira."
Seira nods at her wife, and tries to do a divination of her own. Is their pre-existing plan of defensive deployment to form a choke-hold over the entrance to the divine realm of the Cauldron a good one? Either way, she'll join in the defense of her realm, but Seira is curious whether said defense would be more than enough on its own merits.
An actual divination spell or another spell?
Yeah, the name of that spell's confusing, no two ways about it.
Commander's Helmet
This helmet grants a +15 competence bonus to Charisma based skills and a +6 enhancement bonus to Charisma. The wearer's voice is clear and powerful, able to be heard clearly for 100ft per hit die of the wearer. Yet the greatest function of the helmet is future seeing, allowing the wearer to have an instinctive grasp of which of her strategies are wise. This grants a +20 competence bonus to any check related to leading soldiers and planning battles, as well as the ability to 'sense' flawed plans. This works through powerful divination magic, able to foil any non epic protections to provide this, even if a plan would appear sound with the information the wearer has on hand.
You see a flaw in your plan - you need more ways to stop illusions, to counter them and disperse them.
Elle, please ensure at least one person in each scouting team has true seeing, going forward. I would prefer two, if possible. We'll need the same for our ready forces, and one per squad during battle. I'll handle it right now, but please consider the best way to accomplish it. Perhaps via the war arch collaboration project with Mineral?
That's getting too far into planning, however, and Seira proceeds to grant True Seeing to the spotter on every squad. After all, those roles would require sharp eyes to begin with. And those affected gain an understanding of the gift and how to best use it, of course!
'It'll be done, talking to Alicia now.' Is Elle's reply.
She only meant to update Elle of the needs, given that the scouts are reporting to her at present. Elle would need to learn to carry two conversations at the very least once she ascends, so this is good practice!
'Forces will be ready if you call on Alicia's aid,' Elle responds back, as your magic works through the ranks, murmurings of appreciation, gratitude and awe.
Seira nods to herself, as it is much like she had expected. As the magic spreads, and her orders for future deployments take hold, she looks at their adjusted plan anew!
Your plan feels solid now - you don't feel any flaws in it.
Seira decides to wait on new information, making herself scarce!
Soon enough word reaches you: "The diviners say this is serious," Donald says, "Something's coming for us."
I'm sure you heard from Donald already, Seira tells Elle. Since it's a serious attack, we'll meet it with force. Appraise Romiel of things, and coordinate with Sylica. Once the efreet commit, formally request their intervention and let's catch those bastards between our two forces!
'On it,' Elle says, 'We're going to crush them.'
And then, there's little to do but wait for the efreet to tip their hand!
Before we get into this, any spell prep or the like for anyone?
The spotters got True Seeing, Vision of the Omniscient Eye (+10 insight bonus to Spot, immunity to dazzled and blinded, faerie fire as swift within 60ft if cast with spells to see invisible creatures) and Invisibility Purge (165ft radius sphere negating all forms of invisibility). Duration is 33 minutes.
Every named NPC participating in the defense and myself (me and my avatar) got the usual combat loadout via myself, with my avatar hanging back near the portal area and preserving her strength. Also, she's there in case the enemy has someone with bullshit UMD to bypass the portals' intent-based (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,104190.msg1122827.html#msg1122827) limitation for use. It also seems sensible to forbid fiends, efreet, dao and evil elementals to travel through them at this time.
CL 33 spells for all named chars:
Overall: Glorious Rally, Celestial Valor, Ghost Touch (Armor, Shield and Weapons), Recitation (per round spell)
Defensive: Shield of Warding, Foresight, Visions of the Future, Dragonskin, Foresight, Superior Vigor (per round spell)
Perception Modes and Protections: True Seeing, Vision of the Omniscient Eye, Detect Scrying, Greater Arcane Sight
Movement Modes and Protections: Freedom of Movement, Pass Without Trace, Greater Anticipate Teleport
Skill Checks: Greater Heroism, Voice of the Dragon
Ability Checks: Good Hope, Sign
Immunities and Resistances: Nondetection, Mass Death Ward, Heroes's Feast, Energy Res 30 (all)
Esoteric Boosters: Fortunate Fate, Spell Turning
Benefits:
AC: +17 normal/+12 touch/+12+ghost touch armor/shield incorporeal (+2 insight Foresight, +5 sacred Shield of Warding, +3 luck Recitation, +2 dodge Visions of the Future, +5 natural armor Dragonskin, +ghost touch armor/shield)
Attack: +13 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +6 morale Glorious Rally, +3 luck Recitation)
Damage: +10 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +6 morale Glorious Rally)
Fort and Will Saves: +13 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +6 morale Glorious Rally, +3 luck Recitation)
Ref Save +16 (+5 sacred Shield of Warding, +6 morale Glorious Rally, +3 luck Recitation, +2 insight Foresight)
Ability Checks: +2 (+2 morale from Good Hope)
Init: +2/+6 (+2 morale from Good Hope, +4 one-time bonus from Sign)
66 temp hp
Also fast healing 8 (Superior Vigor), immunity to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and any negative energy effects (Mass Death Ward), immunity to poison and fear (Heroes's Feast), energy resistance 30 to fire/cold/acid/elec/sonic (Energy Resistance x5), being a difficult target to divination (Nondetection), becoming impossible to track without magic, and limiting the usefulness of scent (Pass Without Trace), moving and attacking normally everywhere, as well as receiving +15 to CMD vs grapples (Freedom of Movement), being healed with 150hp once if dropped below 0 (Fortunate Fate), reflecting 1d4+6 spell levels of spells that have you as a target and aren't touch spells (Spell Turning), +10 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks and a really nice and deep commanding voice (Voice of the Dragon), true seeing, +10 to perception and immunity to being dazzled or blinded (Vision of the Omniscient Eye), immediate ability to analyze magic (Greater Arcane Sight) and our favorite combo of detecting when someone's scrying on you and blocking their teleport for 3 rounds any time they try to teleport within a 165ft radius of you.
I and my avatar also cast the following on ourselves (each on herself):
Sensual Blessing, Many Moments of Prescience, Moment of Prescience, Mind Blank, Bibliotheca Arcana
My numerical benefits:
AC: +14 normal/+9 touch/+17 incorporeal (+2 insight Foresight, +5 sacred Shield of Warding, +2 dodge Visions of the Future, +5 natural armor Dragonskin, +8 ghost touch shield)
Attack: +10 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +6 morale Glorious Rally)
Damage: +10 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +6 morale Glorious Rally)
Fort and Will Saves: +10 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +6 morale Glorious Rally)
Ref Save +13 (+5 sacred Shield of Warding, +6 morale Glorious Rally, +2 insight Foresight)
Ability Checks: +2 (+2 morale from Good Hope)
Init: +2/+6 (+2 morale from Good Hope, +4 one-time bonus from Sign)
66 temp hp
Soon enough, a scout. "Ma'am! They're coming," The half dragon kneels before you, "A great army! A great host, thousands and thousands and thousands more, like the grains of sand in the ocean."
"Distance to our forces?" Seira calmly asks him. "And composition of their army? Only efreet, mixed force with devils?"
"E-efreet," The scout replies, "That's all I saw before retreating."
"How far are they?" Seira repeats as she heads out to meet the enemy forces.
"Not close and not far, but advancing. The ways of the Astral are hazy, ma'am." The scout says.
If the efreet are obliging her by advancing in a massive army, Seira intends to teach them that it is a losing proposition. She advances into the Astral, confident in the strength of the Cauldron's defenses. True seeing and other means of perception extended to two miles in the distance, she seeks to answer her questions on the enemy army's composition and distance while also checking whether some part of it is illusional.
Thus your army advances out - and as you do, you see them ahead. A vast force, vast and vast and vast, divine vision letting you perceive them. A truly massive hoard, more coming every moment.
Await your sign and then proceed after me, Seira instructs her army's commanders. They will know it, she is certain.
Since the army is real, there is only one thing to do! Seira zooms towards it with speed and agility only another deity or a legendary hero may perceive, and violently explodes!
I will use an extremely large radius spell once I'm in the midst of their army and mine is safely far away. Let's resolve my approach and then I'll explode in glorious fire?
Incidentally, I'd like to use stealth with the specialized spells boosting it. Is that possible?
Give me a caster level check on true seeing, first of all.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20 : 3, total 3[/blockquote] add 33
FYI, feel free for people to roll for you if you're having problems. It's no issue at all.
As you advance forward, closer in a blur and within range of true seeing? It is all a shadowy mass. The soldiers become little more than phantasms of dimness, a great hoard of the dark.
Seira tries to estimate the spell level that would be needed for something like that. Meanwhile, she relays her findings to Amaryl and the others, advancing as if she had seen nothing out of the ordinary while preparing to dispel the effect once she is within range.
Something beyond the 9th circle for sure, as well as powerful control. Like a master of quasi real illusions or similar things.
Chance to react in case that changes the calculus here, as it's a big situation so I'll give you the extra chance before we plunge into this.
Seira transitions from an unaware advance to throwing out a powerful dispel in the blink of an eye!
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+45 : 19 + 45, total 64[/blockquote]
Before your eyes the armies gathered barely have a chance to react before you soar forward. Your power is sufficient, magic crumbling, legions vanishing before your eyes. Shadowy illusions dissolve into the Silver Sea, your foe collapsing via your magic.
Seira keeps moving, seeking out actual enemies to face.
taking 10 for perception 102 with a range of 2 miles
Amid the collapsing shadows is but one figure - a figure that looks human, beautiful in a cold, unchanging way. Blue eyes watch you, the figure clad in grays and black. He is tall and with a thick beard, eyes on you as you meet his gaze from over a mile away.
Seira decides to meet him in a duel, charging towards him!
Cool. How close do you intend to get before attacking?
120ft. I will also be counterspelling everything at +37, please feel free to roll for me. My base speed in Astral runs off Int 46.
In this case I'm going to call for initiative. Seira, if you're here go ahead and call for a roll or roll it, otherwise I'll ask someone to do it shortly.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+24 : 14 + 24, total 38[/blockquote]
> roll 1d20+8
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=4]
Open Seira.
The man looks up, slowly licking his lips as Seira approaches. "Dragon Princess," he says in a high, cold voice. "I got your attention!"
"It's not hard, this is where I live."
Am I within 120ft? Do I see anything different with true seeing?
You are and no, he seems to be what he is to true seeing.
Seira opens with a standard melee assault, zapping across the distance in a flash of flames! As her opponent is burnt, her summons are there to harass him while Seira herself strikes at his unprotected flank!
Fiery-themed Lightning Leap, Summon Monster VIII for 1d4+1 eligible fire elementals, full attack
Roll 1d20+37 leap SR
Roll 15d6 goldenfire Ref DC37 half
Roll 1d4+1 elementals for flanking
Attack:
Roll 1d20+61+10
Roll 1d20+61+10 (+25 if first attack missed)
Roll 1d20+61+10 (+25 if first attack missed and second didn't)
Roll 1d20+61+10 (+25 if first attack missed and second didn't)
Roll 1d20+56+10 (+25 if first attack missed and second didn't)
Roll 1d20+51+10
Roll 1d20+46+10
Roll 1d20+56+10 bite
Roll 1d20+56+10 claw
Roll 1d20+56+10 wing1
Roll 1d20+56+10 wing2
Please roll my channeled dispel on the first successful hit at 1d20+37 for any/all of this guy's spells.
Damage:
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d6+93+18d6+10
Roll 1d8+91+16d6+10
Roll 1d6+86+16d6+10
Roll 1d4+86+16d6+10
Roll 1d4+86+16d6+10
As requested:
[10:58] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+37 leap SR
[10:58] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=5]
[10:58] <Nephrite> Roll 15d6 goldenfire Ref DC37 half
[10:58] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 57 > [d6=1,5,5,3,5,4,3,2,6,2,2,4,4,6,5]
[10:58] <Nephrite> Roll 1d4+1 elementals for flanking
[10:59] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d4=3]
[10:52] <Nephrite> roll 4#1d20+61+10
[10:52] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 76, 77, 82, 80 >
(If the 76 missed, add +25.)
[10:52] <Nephrite> roll 4#1d20+61+10
[10:52] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 76, 77, 82, 80 >
[10:54] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+56+10
[10:54] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=18]
[10:54] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+51+10
[10:54] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 77 > [d20=16]
[10:57] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+46+10
[10:57] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=16]
[10:56] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+56+10 bite
[10:56] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=10]
[10:56] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+56+10 claw
[10:56] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=18]
[10:56] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+56+10 wing1
[10:56] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 77 > [d20=11]
[10:56] <Nephrite> Roll 1d20+56+10 wing2
[10:56] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=19]
[10:59] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+37 for dispel
[10:59] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=12]
Damage goes here:
[11:00] <Nephrite> Roll 7#1d6+93+18d6+10
[11:00] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 174, 160, 168, 175, 160, 171, 165 >
[11:00] <Nephrite> Roll 1d8+91+16d6+10
[11:00] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 161 > [d8=1][d6=1,6,4,2,3,5,4,3,2,6,4,6,3,1,6,3]
[11:01] <Nephrite> Roll 3#1d6+86+16d6+10
[11:01] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 140, 159, 165 >
Make 11 more dispel checks, please.
[11:37] <Nephrite> roll 11#1d20+37 for dispel
[11:37] <Penuche> Nephrite invokes Penuche's magic: < 45, 53, 41, 54, 44, 42, 43, 51, 50, 40, 53 >
Okay, gimme a Will save, -20 penalty, Seira.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+58 : 5 + 58, total 63[/blockquote]
MoP used.
I see it failed to bring all the arguments.
5+58+16+25-20=84
The figure surprisingly does not resist meaningfully - and you feel it as you tear and burn it apart. A grasping tendril, something seeking your goldenfire. It gets wisps of it before you focus your will, snapping your magic away from the thievery. Before you the figure is torn apart bloodlessly, a creature of bloodless flesh and metal within.
What was he doing? How is that even possible? Was anything actually lost or it's fluff? Was it a deity? Also, can I tell via my War domain whether a battle is still coming to the Cauldron?
Knowledge checks for arcana, religion and planes at 10 are 102
Looks like he was trying to steal some of the goldenfire you produced: Not your actual goldenfire powers to be clear here, but more the fire you produced and used to attack him. It's not a power steal attempt or anything per se, but trying to grab what you emitted instead. Sort of like if someone captures a bit of sunshine in a bottle - it's neat, but you haven't taken anything meaningful from Lathander.
Did you use the War domain to sense in the first place?
Can my control over goldenfire prevent or contest that? Also, no, but I want to use my War domain affinity now, if possible.
You could, sure.
You can sense that the threat of battle looms over the Cauldron as does the raging fires of war, but the immediate threat seems passed.
Then I am, this is a matter of pride.
Putting on a smile for the defenders, Seira raises her arm in triumph!
Elle, please thank our friends. We're lowering our readiness status.
Cheers erupt at your seemingly impossible victory, a tidal wave of them crashing against the Silver Sea. As they echo all about you?
'What was going on?' Elle asks back, 'What in Mystra's name happened?'
Beats me. Some metal-flesh golem with command over illusions? And the cheeky bastard tried to steal my fire, at that!
Since I contested that, has it automatically happened or do I need to do anything further?
That and you, y'know, destroyed the golem.
'Stranger and stranger. Was it the efreet or an opportunist?'
I would be happy if you looked into it. In fact, have our golem specialist take a look at the remains.
Seira sends the remains into one of Lagann's isolated labs for analysis, returning home afterwards.
The cheers are deafening as you return, your name being chanted.
"Seira! Seira! Seira!"
Amaryl is there, bowing as you return, "Welcome back, my champion," she says with a teasing smile, "I see you were victorious again."
"I really wanted to fight an army," Seira tells her with a pout.
"One day," Amaryl agrees with a bright smile. "One day."
"Yep. Not like I'm upset that we're not facing a full invasion now."
I plan to wait for Oraga's'arrival or something happening!
Gimme a quick d100.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 71, total 71[/blockquote]
Soon enough Oraga returns and...
Go ahead and set up dealing with him however you wish.
"Tell me about your glorious quest!" Seira cheerfully demands.
"The enemy died by my sword. A lot," Oraga says, blandly.
You know Seira, my son. You protected those close to you from her wrath and yet you see now. Watch them and understand, understand the virtue that I believe will triumph in the end. All the empty promises of the court of the opposite mean nothing in light of true, eternal hope.
Amaryl is with you and frowns, "And? There's more to a story than stabbing things."
Oraga considers that and inclines his head forward. "They also burned well."
"That one's a time-honored classic," Seira agrees. "What did Mystra have you do, if that's not a secret? I'm getting the sense of 'protecting people', in between all the swording and burning.
Oraga finally says, "It is no secret, but I would prefer not to talk of it. It was..." he trails off a moment, just a moment. "Complex."
"I won't press you," Seira assures him. "Did you hear about Kascha's ascension? Jessica, Alicia's sister, had a similar success recently."
"Unlikely, but you do not lie," Oraga rumbles. "Congratulations."
"Thanks! I'm sure you'll get your chance to have a chat with our newest goddess, but right now I'm most eager to hit at the efreet. The team will be the two of us and Lagann, if you're up to it."
"I am always ready," Oraga says darkly. "They will be crushed."
Crushing the slavers sounds lovely! It's not long before Seira had gathered Oraga, Lagann, Donald and Amaryl together for a little planning for that happy event.
"I'm thinking that we use magic to allow ourselves to glide through rock and magma, then appear outside of the dimensional travel barrier below our target," she reveals her plan. "Our speed will be boosted, but even so it might take us a while to get there. Our chances will be improved by you sensing the adamantine and other metals, despite their boiling state," she tells Lagann with a nod, "and, perhaps, we'll manage to divert some of that towards our own resources. If you have a variant on bags of holding to drain those we come across, so much the better. If not, we'll simply move them out of the way where possible and go around otherwise."
She taps her lips. "I don't think any of us still need to breathe, so that's not an issue, but we might bring a sizeable amount of potions to grant the same ability with us. There might be those among the slaves who both would be interested to take the fight to the slavers and be able to make a difference, and we should stack the deck in our favor if so."
After that diversion, Seira returns to the overall plan. "As we move through the rock up towards our destination, we will occasionally move horizontally to help me triangulate the source of the dimensional block. That would be our first destination, and we will seize it under the guise of stealth, aided by as much magic as I can manage towards that goal. If Lixer's gate guards failed to spot me with it, this garrison should not give us trouble with that first step, either. From that point on, however, they will learn of our presence. I will use an aura of antimagic and we'll proceed to eliminate the defenders and free the slaves. Facing the reinforcements from the outside will fall on my shoulders, while sending the freed miners will be up to the two of you," she says, nodding at Lagann and Oraga there. "Should the situation become untenable quick quickly, I will cast gates from within my aura of antimagic and we'll abandon dimensional blocking altogether."
Seira pauses after providing this rough outline, intending to see whether her plan has any glaring problems she overlooked.
Via my hat or from Donald, since he knows all the intel we have there.
Oraga nods curtly, "Do they have protections that could dispel or stop our rock gliding?"
Amaryl's quieter as she ponders it all, "Anti magic won't stop myself or Seira, but I could see them using it on others. We'll need to account for that and that there are probably a few dirty tricks to be worried about. They have to know the threat of attacking below with the resources involved in this war."
"Oraga has just been granted by Mystra the ability to ignore anti-magic," Seira voices. "While I suppose you could proxy Yandrazrt for the same effect, I'm not too worried over anti-magic's dangers to us. And we should have an ace in Yandrazrt's metal sense and control. I doubt the owners prepared for every possibility, however remote, and we weren't even raiding efreet places by the time this one was designed. It would be too expensive to ward against every esoteric power. We might encounter enemies, of course, and I'll keep a watch for mundane and magical traps."
Does my hat see an obvious flaw in my plan?
Your hat comes back with no obvious flaws.
"I can handle myself," the gnome construct agrees, "Let them try. I'll show them why they all feared me, once on a time."
"I think we're just about ready to go," Seira muses. "Yandrazrt, can you handle the earth glides or suitable variants for Oraga and yourself, and a couple backups just in case? I'll provide the various combat boosts and stealth once we're close enough."
Donald smiles at this, "Right back into it," he says agreeably, "Time to go make another victory in the war. Hey Seira?"
Amaryl hms at that, "Another victory," she murmurs, momentarily lost in a thought, perhaps.
"Yes?"
"What would goldenfire do to that boiling adamantine?" Donald asks, "Especially if there were evil magic or power in the area to dissolve explosively in it?"
"Purification, unless it were really exotic," Seira muses. "I suppose we should give it a try after rescuing everyone, but I don't want to open combat by putting the slaves we're there to save at risk, if that's what you're suggesting."
"No, you're right. It's just an idea - a good and fun one. We should make sure they can't easily rebuild," Donald agrees.
Seira nods. "All that remains, then, is to have a few mages capable of opening more portals from one of our private sections. Amaryl, you should be able to grant them the ability given your control over the realm. What else... healers, of course. We should have a few present, given the conditions we're going to bring the rescued people from even if it weren't after a battle."
"I think so," Amaryl agrees, then frowns, "Or someone like Jetina. Goodness, she was good at healing, like an oak is good at standing tall."
Seira shrugs. "Most people don't need so much dedicated healing. We'll make it work."
CL 33 spells for Seira, Oraga and Lagann:
Overall: Ghost Touch (Armor, Shield and Weapons), Recitation (per round spell)
Defensive: Shield of Warding, Foresight, Visions of the Future, Dragonskin, Foresight, Superior Vigor (per round spell)
Perception Modes and Protections: True Seeing, Vision of the Omniscient Eye, Detect Scrying, Greater Arcane Sight
Movement Modes and Protections: Freedom of Movement, Pass Without Trace, Greater Anticipate Teleport
Skill Checks: Greater Heroism, Voice of the Dragon
Ability Checks: Good Hope, Sign
Immunities and Resistances: Nondetection, Mass Death Ward, Heroes's Feast, Energy Res 30 (all)
Esoteric Boosters: Fortunate Fate, Spell Turning
Special spells on us three:
Spiderskin (+5 racial to AC, +5 racial to stealth), Forestfold (+10 competence to Stealth), Camouflage (+10 circumstance to Stealth), Shadow Form (you can attempt to slip through a solid object or barrier up to 5 feet thick with a DC 20 Escape Artist check)
Benefits:
AC: +22 normal/+12 touch/+12+ghost touch armor/shield incorporeal (+2 insight Foresight, +5 sacred Shield of Warding, +3 luck Recitation, +2 dodge Visions of the Future, +5 natural armor Dragonskin, +5 racial/Spiderskin, +ghost touch armor/shield)
Attack: +7 (+4 morale Greater Heroism, +3 luck Recitation)
Damage: +2 (+2 morale Good Hope)
Fort and Will Saves: +11 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +4 morale Greater Heroism, +3 luck Recitation)
Ref Save +14 (+5 sacred Shield of Warding, +4 morale Greater Heroism, +3 luck Recitation, +2 insight Foresight)
Ability Checks: +2 (+2 morale from Good Hope)
Init: +2/+6 (+2 morale from Good Hope, +4 one-time bonus from Sign)
Temp HP: 20
Also fast healing 8 (Superior Vigor), immunity to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and any negative energy effects (Mass Death Ward), immunity to poison and fear (Heroes's Feast), energy resistance 30 to fire/cold/acid/elec/sonic (Energy Resistance x5), being a difficult target to divination (Nondetection), becoming impossible to track without magic, and limiting the usefulness of scent (Pass Without Trace), moving and attacking normally everywhere, as well as receiving +15 to CMD vs grapples (Freedom of Movement), being healed with 150hp once if dropped below 0 (Fortunate Fate), reflecting 1d4+6 spell levels of spells that have you as a target and aren't touch spells (Spell Turning), +10 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks and a really nice and deep commanding voice (Voice of the Dragon), true seeing, +10 to perception and immunity to being dazzled or blinded (Vision of the Omniscient Eye), immediate ability to analyze magic (Greater Arcane Sight) and our favorite combo of detecting when someone's scrying on you and blocking their teleport for 3 rounds any time they try to teleport within a 165ft radius of you.
I'm requesting that Lagann casts Earth Glide upon himself and Oraga. Also, that someone gets them Mind Blank.
I also cast the following on myself:
Sensual Blessing, Many Moments of Prescience, Moment of Prescience, Mind Blank, Bibliotheca Arcana, Earth Glide
Spoiler block semi placeholder. I'll do all the work and add the other two blocks after session. I don't think we'll get far enough this afternoon to make doing them critical. If I'm wrong we'll have a short pause while I do them, but I think it's a fair gamble in exchange for potentially more posting time.
Thus everything is cast and prepared, then...
Go ahead and set up, this is your assault. Detail things as much as needed.
[spoiler]
Amaryl
HP: 554/554
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Divine 10ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Emergency Skirmish 1/1 Blinding Speed 25/25 Elemental Summon 3/3 Smiting 1/1 Dragonfire 1/1
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active:
Notes: Always goes first with supreme init, +4 bonus to attacks after the first miss in a round.
Donald
HP: 792/792
Negative Conditions:
Aura:
Bonuses: Attack+0, Damage+0 AC+0, Saves+0, Skills+0, Checks+0
Resources: Quick Cast 6/6 Protection Devotion 1/1 +5 One Attack On FA 1/1 (rnd) Take 10 On One Attack (rnd) 1/1 Armor Haste 15/15 Breath Weapon Boost 3/3 Weapon Damage Dice Boost 3/3
Spells Used:
SLAs Used:
Spells Active:
Notes: Two quickened spells/round when under armor's haste, unkillable allows Con saves to not be reduced below 1 HP. Slashing flurry enables extra attacks for penalties.
CL 33 spells for Seira, Oraga and Lagann:
Overall: Ghost Touch (Armor, Shield and Weapons), Recitation (per round spell)
Defensive: Shield of Warding, Foresight, Visions of the Future, Dragonskin, Foresight, Superior Vigor (per round spell)
Perception Modes and Protections: True Seeing, Vision of the Omniscient Eye, Detect Scrying, Greater Arcane Sight
Movement Modes and Protections: Freedom of Movement, Pass Without Trace, Greater Anticipate Teleport
Skill Checks: Greater Heroism, Voice of the Dragon
Ability Checks: Good Hope, Sign
Immunities and Resistances: Nondetection, Mass Death Ward, Heroes's Feast, Energy Res 30 (all)
Esoteric Boosters: Fortunate Fate, Spell Turning
Special spells on us three:
Spiderskin (+5 racial to AC, +5 racial to stealth), Forestfold (+10 competence to Stealth), Camouflage (+10 circumstance to Stealth), Shadow Form (you can attempt to slip through a solid object or barrier up to 5 feet thick with a DC 20 Escape Artist check)
Benefits:
AC: +22 normal/+12 touch/+12+ghost touch armor/shield incorporeal (+2 insight Foresight, +5 sacred Shield of Warding, +3 luck Recitation, +2 dodge Visions of the Future, +5 natural armor Dragonskin, +5 racial/Spiderskin, +ghost touch armor/shield)
Attack: +7 (+4 morale Greater Heroism, +3 luck Recitation)
Damage: +2 (+2 morale Good Hope)
Fort and Will Saves: +11 (+4 sacred Celestial Valor, +4 morale Greater Heroism, +3 luck Recitation)
Ref Save +14 (+5 sacred Shield of Warding, +4 morale Greater Heroism, +3 luck Recitation, +2 insight Foresight)
Ability Checks: +2 (+2 morale from Good Hope)
Init: +2/+6 (+2 morale from Good Hope, +4 one-time bonus from Sign)
Temp HP: 20
Also fast healing 8 (Superior Vigor), immunity to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and any negative energy effects (Mass Death Ward), immunity to poison and fear (Heroes's Feast), energy resistance 30 to fire/cold/acid/elec/sonic (Energy Resistance x5), being a difficult target to divination (Nondetection), becoming impossible to track without magic, and limiting the usefulness of scent (Pass Without Trace), moving and attacking normally everywhere, as well as receiving +15 to CMD vs grapples (Freedom of Movement), being healed with 150hp once if dropped below 0 (Fortunate Fate), reflecting 1d4+6 spell levels of spells that have you as a target and aren't touch spells (Spell Turning), +10 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks and a really nice and deep commanding voice (Voice of the Dragon), true seeing, +10 to perception and immunity to being dazzled or blinded (Vision of the Omniscient Eye), immediate ability to analyze magic (Greater Arcane Sight) and our favorite combo of detecting when someone's scrying on you and blocking their teleport for 3 rounds any time they try to teleport within a 165ft radius of you.
I'm requesting that Lagann casts Earth Glide upon himself and Oraga. Also, that someone gets them Mind Blank.
With the magic precast, even though some of it might take a bit of care to refresh as the three of them go on, Seira uses Donald's estimate for the edge of the dimensional block, adds 200ft to it, and then plane shifts herself, Oraga and Lagann into a suitable pocket of air within all that rock just past that range, deep below their target!
The rock is thick and black, gray and red. Here the heat and fire beats against the three of you like a raised whip, ready to come down and flay any unable to withstand it.
It's rather pleasant to you, really.
Lagann takes one look around and smiles faintly, "In our element here," he declares, while Oraga rumbles deeply.
"Pretty much," Seira agrees.
'We're across,' she sends to Amaryl, before estimating how far from their target they are.
Out loud, she proceeds to say, "We'll advance in a single file. Yandrazrt up front, to sense for metals and divert, steal or go around them as things allow. Keep an eye out for magic as well. I'll follow and back you up on that as well as any more mundane traps. My engineering knowledge might come in handy as well. Oraga brings up the rear. We're going straight down until we spot any magic, and ideally that would be the spell preventing dimensional travel. Questions?"
'Good luck,' Amaryl sends back.
"None," Yandrazrt says, "This will be simple. Follow and if I stop, stop, or you'll be sorry."
You're over a mile out - probably the peril of finding an empty space, really.
"Let's go."
Thus all of you plunge in and...
It's like being entombed in heat, gliding through it and the rough caress of rock. On and on you go as...
Huh. Lagann leads you around and to the sides, up and down. A winding, twisting path, moving forward only slowly, taking a careful path indeed.
Seira follows, not worried about the time. The shorter-duration spells get refreshed every three minutes, and it takes Seira a mere moment to do so as they proceed. She holds onto her curiosity of whether Lagann will manage to grab them some liquid adamantium, but that's only a secondary objective and a distant one at that. She won't bug him over it, since that was presented at the briefing, and just advance quietly while waiting for any signs of magic or of a sapient hand shaping local conditions.
You go on and on until at last you come to a small gap - barely big enough for the three of you. "Traps," Lagann says shortly, "Nothing too hard, but annoying enough. We're about halfway, roughly."
"And the adamantine?" Oraga asks.
"I'm siphoning some as we go," he agrees, "For later study."
Seira studies the traps, of course! And prepares to get things going again.
Spellcraft 10 for 87, K:A 10 for 102. Perception 10 for 102. If I believe I can disable the traps without triggering some alarm, I'll use Disable Device at 10 for 87.
It's varied - blasts that will decimate space around them, traps to dispel magic, little tricks that will cause flash freezing of the area and an explosion moments later when the native heat compensates, traps that transmute the stone into boiling hot toxins and other such things. You could disable them as you go, but unless you're able to work really fast, you suspect it'll slow you down more that way. Most of them look to only take a few moments to deactivate if you cast the right names and sigils at them, fortunately.
This is a case where the epic usages of disable device should be noted as a reminder.
Let's use the epic usage, sure. The right spells for me are via SLAs, which are Quickened. Thus, a swift action, of which I have 2 per round while still able to double move/run. By my understanding, that's either one or two steps. Let's try it by taking 10 for 87 and reducing as needed. If two step reductions are too much for the DC and things explode, taking things a bit slower with a single step is fine too.
Sure.
Seira begins to go, the pace both slower and faster - momentary pauses for Seira to work, then straighter movement as you go. Your pace accelerates once you fall into a rhythm.
After a time you come out again - ahead is a massive, boiling sea of adamantine, stretching to the sides like a great seam. Here Lagann whistles low as heat slams into the three of you, "Now that's what I want to see." The dark liquid boils and writhes, yet no steam emerges, only overwhelming heat. It smells overwhelming like the earth and dirt, of fumes and fire.
"How about working up a miracle and parting that sea for us?" Seira proposes with a grin.
Lagann raises his hand and utters a word of power. Instantly the sea of boiling adamantine begins to part...
...Until it roars back. It flows back together, resisting as dozens of the same, angry face begin to form all over the vast mass.
Skipping the K:P check, you can't fail.
You know what is happening. It appears some sort of elemental spirit has taken resident inside of this lake of adamantine. Naturally, that's like splitting its body in half and it was not amused by your efforts here.
Oraga steps forward, glowering at it, ready to strike.
"Oh wow! This is amazing!" Seira cheers, beaming at the angry faces. "You're amazing! I apologize for not realizing you were an elemental spirit. Do you get many visitors? Do you like it here? You're so huge!"
Being able to speak any language is useful here.
Give me a Diplomacy check since communication isn't a problem.
19:40 <CC> roll 1d20+84 (+2 if male!)
19:40 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 86 > [d20=2]
The faces all watch you now, listening as the adamantine continues to boil. At least it's not attacking you, so that's a point on your side - wait.
It replies in burning Ignan, cracking and popping with the boiling adamantine within it. "I have no name. I have no purpose but to burn and boil. You are the golden fire? I sense your flames."
"Oh yes! Goldenfire, the Fire of Creation, was entrusted to me by Kossuth and Lathander." She grins at the elemental. "Of course, I've tried to put a few of my own personal touches to it. Would you like a name? Who gave you your purpose?"
The faces watch you as they utter, "No one. I was not, and then I was. I came to this place and it was good. What is my name?"
"Agni. It really should be Agni," Seira decides. "My name is Seira Aryn." She'll let her friends introduce themselves, given that Ignan should not be beyond them. "I live in a massive, ever-growing volcano, and I'm wondering if you would be interested in coming over to stay there."
"Yandrazrt," The gnome construct says, perfect Ignan spoken. "We could use you. Our volcano needs more boiling metal."
Oraga rumbles at this, standing tall.
"You think your volcano needs more fire? Everything needs more fire," Agni rumbles right back. "You are wise."
"And we could learn more from each other," Seira points out. "My unique brand of fire, Yandrazrt's command over metal, the way you merge the two disciplines... I can easily see all of us grow in our understanding, and being better at using fire is something I'd love. Won't you?"
"I will obey," The elemental spirit announces. "I will burn and boil there."
"Great! Can you glide through rock similarly to how we had?" Seira inquires. "Since we can't go to the Cauldron directly from here, heading up for a few minutes would be best."
Incidentally, would Earth Glide work on Agni if Lagann cast one of the reserves of it I asked him to memorize? If so, we may as well just do that.
There's no reason why it wouldn't, so long as it counts as a creature.
If Agni agrees, Seira intends to grant that ability to him and then take the four of them back beyond the edge of the dimensional interference. There, she will transport Agni to the Cauldron to settle in the magma lake on the lowest floor by the palace, Amaryl filled in on all the details and there to welcome him along with Lumenbur.
And then Seira, Lagann and Oraga will return below once more!
Gimme a d100.
20:46 <CC> roll 1d100
20:46 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 33 > [d100=33]
The trip back is uneventful.
Magma parts around Agni as it flows in. "It is hot here," he announces, "But it can be hotter."
"Amaryl, darling, please look into that?" Seira requests of her wife. And if need be, her avatar would be ready to assist. Meanwhile, she, Oraga and Lagann will head back for the mines!
"We can do hotter," Amaryl promises, heat buffeting you as you go back. Your trip back is uneventful -now, there is a great gap where Agni was, no impediment to going forward. "We should hit the mines shortly," Lagann says. "This is the time for any other preparation."
Nodding, Seira casts her most powerful spells upon the three of them and channels the usual dispel into her blade.
Celestial Valor and Glorious Rally. +10 to attack, damage, AC and saves. Since Greater Heroism was cast before, the changes from the previous block are: +6 to attack, +8 to damage, +6 (touch and normal) AC, +6 Fort and Will saves, +2 Ref save.
Chain Dispel channeled into Dragon's Grace.
After also taking the opportunity to refresh the shorter-duration spells, Seira tries to triangulate the origin of the dimensional block so that she might plot a course straight towards it!
How precisely are you trying to triangulate the origin of the block?
My stated plan was going horizontally and seeing where I estimate the hypocenter to be. Get the vectors from a couple spots like that, then see where they intersect above us, then head for that point.
It takes some doing and some time, but you get a solid grasp of where it should be.
And that's when they go! This time Seira takes the lead, for she is the stealthiest. If Lagann is spotted while following her, she might well be in a position to silence the guard that managed that feat in time. And Oraga, of course, will be bringing up the rear.
Since we're getting to enemy territory, give me a Perception check so I have that ready.
1:58 <CC> roll 1d20+99
21:58 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 119 > [d20=20]
At last you slip through, silent as a ghost. It is dark here, not that it stops your vision. Here is a twisting, emptied mineshaft, save for a pair of efreet. By chance or skill, they both have their mailed backs turned, looking the other way. If they notice you, they don't show any signs of showing it.
Seira enforces a magical zone of silence about herself, and then she's suddenly there in their midst as helpful earth elementals grow from the ground and grab at the efreet's feet to harass them!
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=3]
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=14]
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 87 > [d20=16]
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 81 > [d20=10]
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 78 > [d20=12]
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+51+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 67 > [d20=6]
22:11 <CC> roll 1d20+46+10
22:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 70 > [d20=14]
22:12 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10
22:12 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 73 > [d20=7]
22:12 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10
22:12 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=18]
22:12 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10
22:12 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 86 > [d20=20]
22:12 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10 wing crit?
22:12 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d20=9]
22:12 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10
22:12 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 83 > [d20=17]
22:13 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:13 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 176 > [d6=1,3,5,1,1,3,5,2,4,5,3,6,4,5,6,5,2,1,3,3,5]
22:13 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:13 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 170 > [d6=6,4,4,1,2,2,2,2,6,1,4,4,6,5,3,2,2,2,2,1,6]
22:13 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:13 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 183 > [d6=6,6,5,2,1,3,3,1,1,4,6,1,6,5,6,6,5,2,4,4,3]
22:13 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:13 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 171 > [d6=4,1,2,5,1,6,4,2,1,4,5,2,4,6,1,2,1,2,6,4,5]
22:13 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:13 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 176 > [d6=5,3,6,3,6,1,4,3,6,4,4,2,5,2,6,4,1,2,2,3,1]
22:14 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:14 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 178 > [d6=3,4,3,6,6,3,6,1,6,1,4,3,5,2,3,1,6,1,6,3,2]
22:14 <CC> roll 1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
22:14 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 165 > [d6=3,5,5,1,2,4,3,6,1,6,4,1,3,3,1,3,1,2,2,2,4]
22:14 <CC> roll 1d8+91+16d6+10+2d6
22:14 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 180 > [d8=3][d6=2,5,5,6,6,6,3,6,1,5,3,5,5,1,5,4,4,4]
22:14 <CC> roll 1d6+86+16d6+10+2d6
22:14 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 164 > [d6=4,4,3,4,2,1,4,5,2,5,2,6,4,4,4,6,5,2,1]
22:14 <CC> roll 2d4+172+16d6+20+2d6 wing crit
22:15 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 269 > [d4=1,3][d6=2,1,3,6,6,4,6,5,5,4,3,6,1,5,3,3,6,4]
22:15 <CC> roll 1d4+86+16d6+10+2d6
22:15 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 162 > [d4=3][d6=4,6,6,4,2,1,6,2,1,4,1,5,2,2,4,4,3,6]
There's also a dispel that goes off, but I think they're both dead.
Suffice to say, the efreet are utterly obliterated, not even getting out a silenced cry before fang and claw rip them apart. Well, that's one problem down.
Free act since they didn't survive the ambush, safe to say.
Seira spends a moment checking over any magic upon them as she waits for Lagann and Oraga to catch up.
Any (now fading) spells they had or any magical gear.
Protection from good, nondetection, Rudalar's watch.
There is a surviving scimitar+1 and a potion of cure light wounds.
Seira grabs those and then leads the way after taking care to disintegrate the corpses and will the corridor clean.
What's Rudalar's watch?
It's a custom spell. I can post it tonight if you're interested.
I am. Let's go~
Lagann and Oraga fall in step with you, as you lead the way.
Are you staying in dragon form?
No, regular me. If I spot a trap or weird magic or more opposition, let me know. Otherwise, let's find out what's responsible for controlling dimensional travel here!
As you begin to go, Amaryl's will is felt.
Seira, a dragon from Io's Maze has arrived at the Cauldron. Bredanalundalum, he wishes to pass on his good wishes and his sincere thanks.
Ooh, nice! Please tell him I'm glad to see him out and about. Does he intend to stay over, or is it more of a courtesy visit? Because it would be nice to have a talented dragon like that around~
Chatting with Amaryl doesn't reduce Seira's concentration as she stalks stealthily ahead, of course!
He's not settling anywhere yet, but he'll linger to talk afterwards. Madigar's with him, though he's asleep right now.
It's largely an empty mineshaft, one that quickly comes to a turn ahead. With a barest glance and focus of divine will, you can see past it. Coming towards you is a patrol of four fire elementals, large sized and walking in two lines of two. Behind them is a single efreet in chain and plate, carrying two scimitars with him.
Seira calls upon Zone of Silence for herself, and waves Lagann and Oraga into position. Once the leading two elementals make the turn, she'll zap to appear in their midst and decimate them while her allies follow after her!
Twinned Ray of Exhaustion channeled into Dragon's Grace. Sign recast.
Lagann nods slightly, spells ready while Oraga is low, ready to pounce.
Go ahead.
Seira turns into fire and flashes ahead, blitzing through two of the now-visible elementals! She turns to then flash-freeze them, before charging the efreet just ahead while her zone of silence ensures no sound escapes her ambush!
Fiery Leap:
19:01 <CC> roll 15d6 Ref DC37 half goldenfire
19:01 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 59 > [d6=2,5,3,5,5,5,4,4,2,6,1,5,1,6,5]
Cone of Cold:
19:02 <CC> roll 15d6 Ref DC33 half cold
19:02 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d6=3,6,1,1,3,4,6,3,2,2,5,6,4,2,1]
Attacking the efreet!
19:03 <CC> roll 1d20+59 charge
19:03 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=17]
Forgot +10, so 86.
19:03 <CC> roll 1d20+33 SR
19:03 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 46 > [d20=13]
Twinned Ray of Exhaustion, even if he saves vs one he'll still get exhausted from both.
19:04 <CC> roll 1d6+73+10+2d6+18d6
19:04 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 159 > [d6=3,3,5,6,1,5,6,6,2,3,3,2,6,4,1,4,6,2,3,1,4]
There's SR here, but you can't fail it, so no need to roll it.
In an instant, the efreet is gutted, crumbling to the ground. At the same time...
Not rolling for the efreet since he's dead with that stabbing either way.
> roll 1d20+11
> roll 1d20+11
> roll 1d20+11
> roll 1d20+11
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=13]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=3]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=5]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+11 cone of cold
> roll 1d20+11 cone of cold
> roll 1d20+11 cone of cold
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=5]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+11 cone of cold
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=4]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=14]
Cold and goldenfire immolates the elementals, leaving naught behind but victory. Lagann strides forward as Oraga adds, "They relied too much on their traps."
Free act.
Telekinesis strips the corpse of anything magical and disintegrate follows up to eliminate any traces. Then, Seira's magic cleans up the area and she proceeds onwards with a nod at Oraga!
There's a zone of silence on me, but since they can 'pray' to me and I'll receive their thoughts and can respond back to them as needed, it doesn't matter for the three of us.
Taking the time to identify, Seira?
No. I have Greater Arcane Sight which means I already know everything about his magical signatures. There is no wait involved like with detect magic. I have 3 actions in a round (standard, swift, swift) so the cleanup also doesn't take beyond a round (and I have my move action to get going that very round, too).
Incidentally, you didn't post that spell the other two efreet had on them, I'm mildly curious about it.
Blame life being real crummy and what time I do have going to Ranbar the last few days. I'll do that tonight.
Loot update.
Oraga strides forward now that it's done, thinking to you, 'I await the real challenges.'
They should be present, given Donald's information. Yet if not, we'll just hit another place afterwards.
That's cool. I'm continuing towards the source of the dimensional block magic.
Upwards and ahead, you think, you aren't sure how much but it's not close.
I want to go there, please move me.
You move along silently - and your superior vision lets you see ahead. Several hundred feet ahead, lost in the haze of heat and fouled air, stands a shield line of fire elementals, each with a massive metal tower shield. They bar the way ahead, a narrowing passage heading on an uphill slope.
What's more, your senses and trap finding skill let you notice the floor and ceiling are studded with slight indentations about the size of a barrel's bottom. Traps set to explode if anything comes within 10ft or so, making any approach likely doomed to explosions and agony.
Luckily, Seira has the skills to defuse traps from a distance! Staying at a distance of 30ft, Seira takes care of the traps while being at her stealthiest! With luck, she'll take the wards down before the elementals notice her, and then the others could join her in taking them out!
Stealth 10 at 106, divine insight discharged.
Ranged legerdemain: Disable Device at DC +5:
19:39 <CC> roll 1d20+77
19:39 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d20=3]
Just to be clear here since it matters - and you made the DC here regardless - what means are you using to be unseen as you advance, if any?
Clarity may matter here.
Epic skills are bullshit so I figured if I were stealthy enough they wouldn't notice me. After all, the fluff had 'being lost' in a haze of heat, and presumably there'd be shadows as well and what not. If that's not how it works, I can invis myself.
No that's fine, I just wanted to make sure I was on the same page. It's been a rough few days for my focus with everything going on.
Seira is ab lur as she sneaks ahead, heat haze and her own stealth keeping her hidden as she gets closer and closer and...
Ball is in your court to decide how close you get and how you act, we'll resolve it from there.
I will get within 30ft of the traps and disable them. I already rolled for that~
I mean how close to the elementals and the like, since the traps are before that and you've disabled them. Just looking for a ball park here, a plan of attack if nothing goes wrong, whatever.
With the traps disabled, Seira gives Oraga and Lagann a mental command to advance even as she detonates three fireballs in the elemental ranks.
Delayed Blast Fireball, goldenfire, Ref DC39 half
20:09 <CC> roll 20d6
20:09 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 70 > [d6=2,5,1,1,1,4,6,5,6,6,5,2,4,5,4,1,1,4,3,4]
20:09 <CC> roll 20d6
20:09 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 69 > [d6=5,6,6,4,4,3,1,5,3,3,2,1,3,5,3,6,2,5,1,1]
20:10 <CC> roll 20d6
20:10 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 80 > [d6=1,6,5,5,4,1,5,4,2,5,3,4,5,3,4,6,5,6,3,3]
> roll 1d20+15 evasion fireball 1
> roll 1d20+15 evasion fireball 2
> roll 1d20+15 evasion fireball 3
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=19]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=20]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=4]
Sizzling goldenfire strikes, burning what cannot be burned. Shields half melt as they stand their ground, sizzling as Lagann approaches. He snaps his fingers and...
> roll 1d20+15 wall
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=5]
> roll 20d8
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 97 > [d8=8,2,3,2,8,7,6,3,2,7,4,7,1,8,6,6,4,6,3,4]
Steel walls appear around them, crunching in silently. When they fade and part, only mangled shields and embers are left behind.
Free act, that was purely clean up.
Seira proceeds with her now-usual cleanup, taking anything magical, disintegrating any remains or piles of nonmagical gear and cleaning up the passageway so that the signs of battle no longer appear in it!
And then she proceeds ahead, with a grin at Lagann.
Lagann returns it with an easy nod, 'Minions, nothing but!' he declares. 'Surely hoping to bore to death any real challengers.'
They must feel themselves safe past all the defenses, though getting all the way to our destination without raising the alarm takes skill all the same. I'm happy to practice it now and then.
Up you go - up and up and up and up. More traps here - simple tripwires, connected to something in the walls. Past all this and higher up is another passage leading deeper in, light coming from there.
Seira heads into it! Mindful of traps, and sneakily!
It's trivial to over look them and peeking ahead with divine vision? A massive cavern is here, lit and with clear vision ahead. Here stone barriers are build, high enough for efreet to use them for cover, dozens of them dotted about. All about passages come into this room, and in the back they all head into a central building of glowing hot red brick.
Elementals supplement them, kneeling before the various barriers with tower shield, blocking the way.
Atop the building stands a single figure - an efreet clad in white and red, bandages top to bottom, nothing else worn. The only visible part of him is his eyes, pits of molten fire that glare ahead balefully.
Oraga, take out that bandaged efreet on the top. Yandrazrt, deal with the elementals.
Seira, for her part, turns invisible and makes her way towards the building and then into it through one of its entrances while under her best stealth!
Also channeling Twinned Ray of Exhaustion into Dragon's Grace and refreshing one-off spells like Sign and Divine Insight, as always when out of combat.
'Hold,' Lagann sends back, 'Are they anticipating a defensive stand here?'
So it seems, although we haven't mapped the mine yet. Perhaps they are wary of slave revolts. Why shouldn't we immediately strike?
'No reason, unless you want a plan beyond striking head on. Do you think your invisibility can hold? If not, I can have a distraction ready.'
Striking as fast as we can is the best plan, because it allows them the least amount of time to protect themselves and because we're just that strong. And knowing I am here is not the same as seeing where exactly I am. Since I've struck at the enemies thus far, the two of you hitting these defenders will get them to think I'm here. Perhaps even long enough for me to clear out the commander inside. Still, if you have a distraction, be my guest.
As Seira waits for Lagann to respond or use his distraction, she dismisses her zone of silence and recasts a much weaker one that would only extend for five feet from her.
Done.
Lagann kneels and places a hand on the ground. In moments, great metal monoliths erupt from the ground, all about the chamber. They are a dozen feet tall and in the shape of a pentagon, pointed tips straight at the ceiling. Lightning begins coiling and flowing between them all as amid dozens of cries of shock and alarm...
Go, there's your distraction.
Wishing Oraga to have a nice challenge with the creepy mummy efreet, Seira begins her dash! Unlike the nigh-instanteneous travel within a spark of fire, the world merely slows down to a crawl as she darts from cover to cover, making use of shadows both natural and those formed by the monoliths, dancing in the haze until even those who might see past her invisibility and perceive her location somehow would only spot a mirage!
And aiming to go inside, yes. Invisible and silent, naturally. I'll also be flying at a very low altitude so I don't set off some ground-based traps.
Cool. I'm going to rule this an active Stealth attempt, I think I'd like to see a roll here after thinking about it. Also, do you have the darkstalker feat?
I don't have Darkstalker. Try to spot me!
11:44 <CC> roll 1d20+96
11:44 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 105 > [d20=9]
I do have mind bland+nondetection, pass without trace, invisibility and silence on me, and freedom of movement in case of difficult terrain. My speed is 260ft (with haste). I'm flying (low to the ground) to avoid tremorsense and traps.
Seira is a blur, speeding around and over barriers, barely felt as the faintest breeze amid the chaos. Amid cries of alarm and the burning rustle of fire elementals, Seira reaches the building and...
Go ahead, nothing's intercepting you yet with that distraction and your stealth.
Seira heads inside, aiming for the origin of the dimensional block magic!
If the entrance has a closed door, I'll use ranged legedermain to unlock/open it as I approach to avoid stopping in one place.
It's easy enough, slipping in smoothly. Within is a wide hall, pipes lining the walls. Pipes of what look to be a glossy peach colored ceramic or the like, glowing with heat. The head is thick and heavy, the passage continuing to another door, this one powerful and heavy, also glowing with heat.
Seira feels just at home with heat, and after a brief glance with greater arcane sight and her various senses including true seeing to ensure no traps, she shifts past the door!
Perception 10 for 102, K:A 10 for 102, Spellcraft 10 for 87.
Using Shadow Form to phase through the door (and recasting it afterwards unless I end up in combat).
You can tell the pipes are enchanted not to overheat or spill what is within them.
Past the door is a vast room, full of great metal pots, vast as barn and taller, each with pipes connecting to them. Here boiling adamantine can be seen, each one with dozens and dozens of nude creatures and similar creatures here. Each has a black brand on their forehead, of a stylized rune that you recognize as one tied to efreet rituals of protection. They move great metal poles that keep the boiling adamantine stirring, working without pause as efreet watch over them. Currently many of them are looking about in alarm, the beginning sounds of battle heard from the way you came - cries and crashes, metal and earth collapsing, that manner of thing.
Are they branded as slaves, or are they simply minions branded against heat? Are the efreet watching over them with whips, etc? Does the brand have aspects of control, too, or just protection?
How many efreet are there?
Are there any other exits out of this vast room? My sight extends up to 2 miles.
It's a brand to ward against heat. No control or anything, just heat.
The efreet don't have visible weapons drawn, though many have scimitars or whips at the ready.
Yes, there's several doors tucked away to the sides and ahead - some are open on the sides and show what looks to be narrow passages mostly for piping.
Seira stops time... and proceeds to explore the chamber, glancing into all the open doors while Forecaging the efreet.
17:39 <CC> roll 1d4+1
17:39 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d4=3]
How many efreet are present? There are dozens and dozens of dudes, so I don't expect they need many supervisors.
A quick count shows that one efreet per pot, and there's two dozen pots all total. So 24 as it is, but you notice two strays on the ground as well.
There are actually too many efreet to spend time on detaining, so Seira uses her stopped time to move at top speed towards the source of the dimensional block! If she finds it quickly enough, she'll be in a great position to seize control of it as she comes out of time stop.
Movement speed right now?
260ft base speed which translates to a pretty crazy run speed, and I can phase through up to 10ft barriers if need be.
Thus you blur ahead, through another door and away from the pipes. Round one gets you into a hall with less pipes, but a four way intersection. Ahead it ends in a stairway rising up. To the left and right are both stairways going down. A few efreet are here, hurrying along as if in a dead run, as well as several slaves - as well as a shambling pair of barbazu, hurrying along as well.
The pair of barbazu get their forcecages, but Seira doesn't stop as she continues towards her target.
Like a crimson blur, Seira hurries on, the second round of her timestop, which leads you to the stairs going up.
Here it comes out into a plainer room, a simple room with a door leading ahead. A few efreet are just heading to the stairs, while a third in plate armor is opening the door out, which is ajar and held firmly in his hand.
Round 2/5.
Seira decides to put the efreet in plate armor into a forcecage of his own, closed much like the ones she used for the fiends, while she attempts to snag as many of the other efreet as possible in a barred variant of the 'cage. She doesn't pause to do more, however, continuing ahead!
One small problem - the efreet has the door in hand, firmly, and that makes it hard to open it. It is ajar a bit at least, though.
Seira fails to see how this is a problem as she phases through it after a glance assures Seira there are no nasty magical traps that would make it a terrible idea. She recasts Shadow Form afterwards, continuing towards her destination!
Ahead is a grand chamber of polished green stone, dark colored and thick. It shines reflectively as you see them - dozens of statues of pur eadamantine, various figures of efreet glimpsed. At the far end of this chamber, glistening amid the green light, is a stairway going up.
A handful of doors on both sides are also here, decorated and inlaid in a glance with various carvings.
A few efreet are here, one going in one of the left side doors and another racing towards the door you just came from.
Round 3/5.
It will be so much fun to explore this place afterwards! Seira drops a pair of walls of force as a double-layered block of the door she emerged through and spends her last moments of this frozen tranquility advancing towards her destination. Surely, it can't be far now!
As you go, a choice - it feels both above and to the left, pulling you in those directions about equally. Which way do you choose to go?
Seira goes up! It looks more impressive, certainly.
Up and up and up. You weave around a pair of efreet running downstairs, scimitars drawn. You emerge in the center of a finer room yet - for behind you is a massive fountain that spews not water, but boiling adamantine. It gushes and steams from the mouths of adamantine maidens and from the pitchers they carry, whilst the walls are shined just as well as below. Ahead lies chandeliers hanging and beautiful floorwork, as well as doors to both sides. At the end ahead is a set of four doors, each closed at the moment.
A few efreet are here as well, paused mid step by your timestop.
4/5.
Seira decides to see what adding goldenfire to the boiling adamantine will do, and leaves a delayed fireball on the very of explosion in the fountain! Donald will find out what happens after all, though Seira doesn't wait for the results as she ghosts through the door leading towards her destination, recasting Shadow Form yet again upon materializing on the other side.
Thus through a door to the left, a glimpse of an image of three efreet, rich and bountiful. Through a hall much the same if on a far smaller scale and through to another room through an archway. Here stands a trio of soldiers, efreet, as well as a handful of slaves standing dutifully before them, arms spread as if to shield them. An archway leads further along - and your enhanced eyes can see a wall of force blocking passage through that archway.
Last round, make it count.
Seira's body turns into holy flames as she zooms ahead. Her will is sufficient to pierce the wall of force with disintegration, and then she dashes past! So long as she arrives at her destination before anyone is able to react to her, the device is as good as hers!
Dashing ahead + fiery leap for the extra 60ft of distance!
Woosh! You blur by the arch as the wall falls, letting you pass. Beyond this is a large room, dominated by a vast sphere of solid green stone. You can also see a sphere of force cloaking the wall, merely an inch beyond it. No guard is here, yet the room is choking in enchantments - wards to strike you with the fury of force and the elements if any of the walls are disturbed, powerful enchantments to make you lose interest and turn away, spells to sicken and lay diseases on you if you dare enter.
What's worse is that the wall of force is segmented, for it's really many special walls creating a sphere, interlinked but not the same.
For within this, somewhere within and beyond those spheres, lies your target.
In that moment time resumes and...
Go.
The distractions she left along the way might help, as could her invisibility-aided superior sneaking skills! That means Seira has a moment to examine the lattice of spells to find her options for unraveling them, unless she simply wants to take the brute force approach with antimagic.
Stealth 10 for 91, K:A 10 for 102, Spellcraft 10 for 102 (divine insight used), Perception 10 for 102.
The sphere of force is many walls, as you saw earlier. That means destroying one will only get rid of that one. They're also permanent, so getting rid of one just suppresses it. The sphere of stone itself isn't magical, just solid stone layered over. However, it has an enchantment on it to deflect rays away harmlessly, such as a disintegrate spell.
Since there doesn't seem to be a penalty for crossing a wall of force, only for disturbing it, Seira phases through it with all her skill!
Once more, Shadow Form!
You can also see a sphere of force cloaking the wall, merely an inch beyond it.
You could do that, but as noted above, there's barely any space past it so you also have to have a solution for the sphere of stone or you get an inch in - barely past it and all - and are stopped cold.
Without going into epic escape artist uses, this is a good time to point to my contingency:
Contingency: Shadow Form if trapped within a barrier composed of magical force (or similar magical obstacles).
In other words, my casting of it gets me (mostly) past the wall of force, but since I'm 'stuck' and can't pass through the wall beyond it as the spell discharges, my contingency casts Shadow Form on me thus allowing me to pass through the wall ahead! I never actually considered this contingency to be of use, but live and learn?
I guess this raises a question I never thought I'd need to ask - how big is Seira width-wise. Like from the tip of her chest to her back?
It will remain a secret but the real answer is 'as big as she wants to be'. I can emulate a variant of reduce person, after all!
We'll go with that, sure.
Pressing in tight, Seira crams herself in - and then the spell triggers again, her contingency tripped.
Go.
Seira pushes herself through the stone, eyes open for what she'll find inside the room!
You get an inch in, cramming yourself through - and past it is a sphere of solid iron, blocking the way yet again.
You may be detecting a theme here.
Seira channels disintegrate into a claw and then makes a hole in the iron. Unless there is a magic upon it that would do nasty things as a result, even though she's not using a ray.
Nope, just magic to strike anyone who touches it dumb. Not something that you have to worry about with what you are. Past that is another inch - and this time a sphere of red quartz just beyond it, yet another one.
This one's enchanted to blast you backwards if touched or disturbed with sharp, violent force.
This time Seira sends out a disintegrate the normal way, and as the ray is on its way establishes a wall of force to cover the gap in the wall of iron she had created.
Done.
Unsurprisingly, beyond that looks to be a wall of smooth adamantine, a sphere ever smaller than the last, again blocking your way.
Through the walls you can hear the sounds of combat and alarm, but it's distant.
It's fine. Seira doesn't need to rush. It hasn't even been thirty seconds objectively since the start of Lagann's diversion, and given her surprises left during Time Stop the defenders must be uncertain of how many attackers there are. Besides, Lagann and Oraga are supremely capable, and Oraga did want to stretch her legs a bit.
Phasing through her own wall of force, Seira disintegrates the adamantine ahead.
If it has a nasty trap on it, I'll defend myself with another wall of force. Otherwise, I'll recast Shadow Form as I proceed.
The adamantine gives, and before you is a sphere of dark, opaque glass. It's getting smaller each layer, this one enchanted to return any harm onto those who dealt it, as well as protection to prevent it from easily shattering.
Strategic disintegrations free up an unconnected block of adamantine, which Seira then animates to smash a path through the layer of glass!
Animate Objects for whichever will fit here. I can also imbue the golem(s) with extra attack, damage and temp hp should it be needed, though I'm hoping adamant wins vs glass on its own.
Just so I can adjudicate this properly, how big a block are you aiming for?
Like I said, as much space as I have to work with here. 3 1-inch intervals plus the width of two walls (iron and adamant) that were never specified to me. I'm sure there's space for at least a tiny animated object.
Whoops, late night sleepiness.
CLANG! Rushing adamantine is enough, the glass shattering in part, enough to reveal what lies beneath - an ornate statue of an efreet with a shield, made of what must be pure adamantine. From the magic on it, it's your source, alright.
After confirming that it doesn't have more traps, Seira tells the statue she's the efreet commander of this mine as she attempts to seize control!
UMD to try and fool it, and whatever else I might need to actually manipulate the controls.
Sure, gimme a check.
I'm fairly competent. Divine insight was used.
18:55 <CC> roll 1d20+85
18:55 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 103 > [d20=18]
With your divine level of skill, getting the statue to listen to your commands is not overwhelmingly difficult. It is yours to turn on and off as you like.
First of all, Seira attempts to determine the level of fine control available. Is the range malleable, and has it been set to maximum thus far? Is there a way to control it from range, now that she's seen the design? Is it possible to make the dimensional travel selective, and allow it only for her companions and the slaves?
The range isn't adjustable or selective. It's a simple on/off sort of affair.
There's also no way to control it from range.
Seira picks up the statue, holding it over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. And then she turns the effect off, teleports herself towards the arch she had passed moments earlier, and turns the effect back on! With luck, the confused guards and their terrified slaves are still there, and this time the slaves aren't standing in the way between Seira and her target.
My animated adamantium puppet is coming too.
Strength score? It's a man sized statue of pure adamantine. That's not light.
32 as myself, 46 as a dragon. I can boost either with magic if it's actually hard.
At 32 you can lift it but it's a heavy load as a medium creature.
42 and being a dragon makes it trivial.
A heavy load is fine for now, I'll just turn dragon if I need to later. Let's go~
Statue over your shoulders, you find that the guards and slaves are still there, reacting in open confusion as...
Go ahead.
Seira drops the statue onto an efreet's foot before rearing back and breathing!
19:45 <CC> roll 18d10+4d10 holy
19:45 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 108 > [d10=8,1,6,3,2,10,4,9,3,4,7,9,1,3,7,9,2,3,4,10,2,1]
x1.5 damage vs evil for 162, x0.5 vs neutral for 54, no damage to good. Ref DC 41 half.
A wall of force will be placed between the efreet and the slaves!
> roll 1d20+14
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=6]
The efreet are consumed by your breath, utterly obliterated by your holy power before they can react further. Only a vague outline of them lingers a moment before they are gone completely.
"That's what you get," Seira says cheerfully. She dismisses the wall and waves the slaves over. "I'm Seira Aryn, and this is a jailbreak. Wanna leave this place for greener pastures?"
Amaryl, she thinks to her wife in the meantime. Sending the first batch of freed slaves to one of our secure forested areas. Please have them treated, and find out where the rest are being held and any tactical information about the efreet that might be of use to me.
She sends the idea of the Arborea-inspired area in the Cauldron to Amaryl to make sure her message is understood.
I will. Keep going!
The slaves eye you a moment before a woman falls to her knees in tears, while a younger man gapes, unmoving. A half elf with hair the color of honey takes a shaking step forward, "Are...are you real?"
"I'm sorry for all you've had to suffer so far, but it's over now. You're going to my realm, the Cauldron," Seira tells them, turning off the dimensional block long enough to send them to Amaryl.
Then, the interference restored, Seira turns into her dragon form, picks up the statue in a claw and decides to really cut loose! They must've planned for this when they built the place so large, and what doors are too small to get through she can enlarge!
Let's see who/what is there past the arch~
As you get ready to go, 'This is a good fight,' Oraga says, 'We're winning, Lagann's magic is powerful.'
Glad you like it! Seira responds cheerfully. I've taken over their main defenses, and starting back out now. Let's meet halfway and see who manages to rescue the most people?
A loud rumble is your reply to that, and somehow you get the impression of a fearsome smile.
Seira's draconic smile is the fiercest! And she doesn't intend to dawdle!
Which archway, by the way?
This is the desc I was given on my way in:
Thus through a door to the left, a glimpse of an image of three efreet, rich and bountiful. Through a hall much the same if on a far smaller scale and through to another room through an archway. Here stands a trio of soldiers, efreet, as well as a handful of slaves standing dutifully before them, arms spread as if to shield them. An archway leads further along - and your enhanced eyes can see a wall of force blocking passage through that archway.
Upon returning, I teleported past this archway to appear next to the trio of efreet soldiers to get them, and now I'm in the hall. There is another archway at the other end that I intend to go through.
Thus Seira goes through the archway. Beyond it lies a narrowing hall, a bevy of slaves and a single efreet behind them, at guard. They guard but a single door, staying in position.
That single efreet is trampled by ghostly unicorns out of nowhere!
Quickened Twinned Seira's Unicorn Arrow
21:30 <CC> roll 6#1d20+59 ranged touch
21:30 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 64, 69, 65, 65, 70, 61 >
21:30 <CC> roll 1d20+33 SR
21:30 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 45 > [d20=12]
21:32 <CC> roll 6#1d8+8+16d6
21:32 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 76, 63, 76, 67, 76, 70 >
"I'm sending you away from here, to safety," Seira tells the slaves, helping them join the first batch she'd freed while keeping Amaryl in the loop.
"Aaaaaah! Lor-" Is all the efreet gets out, torn apart by your arrows. Slain, slaughtered, as the slaves stare as you send them back. Whew.
Seira checks what's past the door they were guarding!
Beyond the door lies a short path to a balcony overlooking some sort of ravine. Using your enhanced vision to look over, you can see a chasm, filled with piles of gold, ingots of adamantine, jewels and other such precious things.
Seira decides to exercise her divine power to get the riches to flow into a bag of holding she drops to the adamantine puppet to hold. In the meantime, she heads off to explore another doorway!
One of those that were available in the room before last, since I don't want to leave the structure via balcony just yet.
Before you do, make Perception.
Taking 10 for 102
As you begin to go and treasure flows into the bag, you hear a distinct thump of stone from beneath all the loot.
This is even better! One of the defending golems is probably hiding below, so Seira will deal with it as it emerges!
Before your eyes, all the treasure flows downward in a vortex - and before your eyes it rise. A shape of boiling adamantine, larger and larger, filling the chasm and more. It rises up, cloaked in riches as...!!!!
Init.
18:41 <CC> roll 1d20+14
18:41 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 34 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+8
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=15]
You won init. Open.
Being a large and scary dragon, Seira breathes upon the golem! And should any of the riches melt off its form, may they keep on being drawn to her bag of holding!
20:20 <CC> roll 18d10 goldenfire Ref DC43 half
20:20 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 92 > [d10=1,3,10,4,1,9,5,7,1,7,7,6,2,5,5,5,9,5]
20:20 <CC> roll 1d4
20:20 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d4=1]
I also have a couple swift actions, but first I want to know what that thing is via K:A 10 for 102, K:P 10 for 102 and Spellcraft 10 for 102
It is a construct - not a true golem, you believe. A unique creature, controlling the wealth as a shield. That hardly requires serious intellect, as you see a barrier of gold and gems come together, shielding against your breath. It blocks it and chunks of it melt away into a slurry rich metals and ruined gems, raining down to the ground.
It's likely not as difficult to injure with magic as a powerful golem is. On the other hand, any powers it has are a complete mystery to you - except one little bit of a story comes to mind. An old efreet tale, of Emir Safar, who crafted a construct to guard his treasures. It wielded them like a shield, or so the stories say, and could not be stopped without destroying the same treasure that thieves valued.
As the story goes, the construct was destroyed by another emir who simply wished to hurt him and bankrupt the emir, rather than steal his hoard. You even recall the name with your perfect memory: Akil bin Faheem, Emir of the Flametongued. It is said he destroyed it with a spear of the hardest metal. In the end, the emir lost his fortune and ultimately vanished from the tales of history.
Easy come, easy go. Seira can't quite help her dismay as she shifts into her usual form and activates the armband of the spark.
The great construct brings both hands together, a massive double fit, draws them apart...and slams them together hard, a titanic BOOOOOOM hitting you like a rampaging balor. The walls crack all over, your ears ringing as...
Fort.
20:55 <CC> roll 1d20+78
20:55 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=16]
> roll 36d8 sonic damage
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 139 > [d8=1,5,1,4,6,5,3,2,1,8,5,6,3,6,6,7,3,3,3,5,1,4,5,6,5,1,3,2,3,4,1,8,2,2,1,8]
Sonic damage and you made the save, so halve that. Secondary effect as well but you're immune to it.
The blast momentarily checks you back, both arms raised as the blast is endured. You'd have worse by lots, but you still feel that one. At the same time, a dozen golden coins narrow and a dozen tiny dots of gold, floating around the golem in orbit, begging to glow a pale white.
And yet the come around the corner and begin to approach. A trio. The first is a fall, muscular efreet in ornate red plate armor, face covered by a full helmet. He carries not a scimitar but instead a heavy club of pure steel. "Seira Aryn," He whispers it, but even from here your healing is sufficient to pick it up. "I've not yet fought a deity. Will your body break in the same way as others?"
The second walks on the efreet's left side, a woman with generous proportions. She wears naught by a tight fitting bodysuit of thin cloth and a full metal helmet. A longsword is in each hand. From her proportions she could be human, a taller elf or half elf or several other things. She's human shaped, but not an inch of flesh can be seen and her face is hidden.
The third walks at the efreet's left side. "So noisy," he murmurs, an efreet, muscular but not overwhelmingly so. He chuckles on seeing the battlefield, eyeing the golem. "Even warded against fear I can't stop the butterflies in my stomach," he declares, slender and with a thick black beard jutting out from the bottom of a full helmet. He wears chain with plate reinforcement, his front breastplate displaying a sigil of a torch against a blue background. "To face a deity like this is a suicide mission."
"Victory will come because the Sultan wills it!" The first declares, "We will present her head to the Grand Sultan's throne!"
Chance to react then adding them to init.
Sound res 30, so 69-30=39 damage. 66 temp hp, so undamaged with with 27 temp hp left. What's the glow all about, I think?
"I'm afraid you are already dead," Seira cheerfully tells the bearded efreet while ignoring his suicidal companion. "Though I'd like to point out that I do accept surrenders."
> roll 1d20+16 (+4 sign) greatclub
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=7]
> roll 1d20+22 (+5 nerveskitter) swords
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=6]
> roll 1d20+`8 (+5 nerveskitter) beard
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=6]
> OOC: 18, so total of 24. They bombed init.
Init is Seira (34) > Swordwielding Woman (28) > Beareded Efreet (24) > Treasure Construct = Greatclub Efreet (23)
Go.
Based on your arcane knowledge, you believe those coins are charging up with force, to strike probably something like a magic missile or an orb of force, or a similar spell.
And Seira is off in a flash! She blitzes the loudmouthed efreet, some of her fiery trail coalescing into elementals that aid her attack even as she sets Dragon's Grace upon the unfortunately slow braggart!
Fiery leap through the club-wielding efreet:
21:53 <CC> roll 1d20+37 SR
21:53 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=12]
21:53 <CC> roll 15d6 goldenfire Ref DC37 half
21:53 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 53 > [d6=5,3,3,4,3,4,2,3,3,3,5,3,4,6,2]
First strike:
21:40 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10 efreet #1
21:40 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 73 > [d20=2]
Chain Dispel discharged upon hit:
21:53 <CC> roll 16#1d20+35 dispels
21:53 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 53, 51, 52, 39, 48, 37, 44, 54, 37, 41, 55, 40, 40, 41, 44, 51 >
Continuing attack routine:
21:48 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10 efreet #1
21:48 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=19]
21:48 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10 efreet #1
21:48 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 73 > [d20=2]
21:48 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10 efreet #1
21:48 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=3]
21:48 <CC> roll 1d20+56+10 efreet #1
21:48 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 71 > [d20=5]
21:48 <CC> roll 1d20+51+10 efreet #1
21:48 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d20=14]
21:48 <CC> roll 1d20+46+10 efreet #1
21:48 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 76 > [d20=20]
21:49 <CC> roll 4#1d20+56+10 efreet #1 natural attacks
21:49 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 85, 69, 73, 75 >
21:49 <CC> roll 1d20+61+10 crit1
21:49 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 81 > [d20=10]
21:50 <CC> roll 1d20+46+10 crit2
21:50 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 60 > [d20=4]
Damage if 7 hits:
21:50 <CC> roll 7#1d6+93+18d6+10+2d6
21:50 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 173, 174, 171, 181, 185, 175, 181 >
Damage for the 2 crits (attacks 2 and 7 respectively):
21:51 <CC> roll 2#2d6+186+18d6+20+2d6 if crits
21:51 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 288, 285 >
Natural attacks damage:
21:52 <CC> roll 1d8+91+16d6+10+2d6 bite
21:52 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 172 > [d8=8][d6=1,3,5,1,5,3,2,6,6,3,2,3,6,4,3,2,5,3]
21:52 <CC> roll 1d6+86+16d6+10+2d6 claw
21:52 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 166 > [d6=6,5,4,1,3,2,2,1,3,5,5,3,6,3,4,4,3,5,5]
21:52 <CC> roll 1d4+86+16d6+10+2d6 wing1
21:52 <CC> roll 1d4+86+16d6+10+2d6 wing2
21:52 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 152 > [d4=2][d6=5,6,1,6,5,4,6,2,1,1,4,2,3,2,2,1,1,2]
21:52 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 161 > [d4=1][d6=3,4,5,2,1,5,2,6,1,1,6,4,4,3,4,5,5,3]
I will end my turn in Gambit.
> roll 1d20+61 ref (+5 ???, +3 ???, +6 ???, +1 ???, +1 ???, +5 ???)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 81 > [d20=20]
Init is Seira (34) > Swordwielding Woman (28) > Beareded Efreet (24) > Treasure Construct (23)
A burst of magic, a blast of goldenfire, a blur of blade, fist and claw.
When it all passes, the leading efreet is sliced in twenty or so pieces, a gurgling cry of, "Sul..." before he fades away. The bearded one takes a careful step back at that display of savagery, "I hate suicide missions," he mutters. "How can anyone but a deity stop a deity?"
"It's certainly possible," Seira tells him cheerfully. "There are a number of efreet I can count on the fingers of my left hand that I would think twice about charging like that, your Sultan being one of them. Then again, while I was infiltrating Lixer's castle on Avernus and found him in the inner sanctum of his base of power, he was the one who chose to flee after I stabbed him, not the other way around. Just saying, in case you're reconsidering that surrender."
"Sorry," The efreet says, sounding genuinely regretful in that moment. "I have someone I'm fighting for."
"I'm not the unreasonable sort," Seira tells him, flicking the blood adorning her blade clear of it. "We all know the reason I'm here, and once I've freed all the slaves I intend to leave. If you cooperate instead of delaying me by a few seconds, I will take every efreet here prisoner rather than ending their existence, regardless of their best attempts to murder me."
She shifts her stance to face this nameless opponent while appearing to ignore both the massive construct and the voluptuous woman. "If the one who sent you here to die for good to buy a few seconds isn't even here, then it is a futile death, for I control time as I need to. Those seconds and more will be regained with a burst of will, and that makes your sacrifice meaningless. Someone who understands those facts but still chooses to throw a subordinate's life away is a person not worthy of being served with loyalty.
Incidentally, since this is on Fire and efreet are Outsiders whose home is Fire, do they expire for good if killed here?
Yes, in case that changes anything for you here. If not, just say so and I'll go on.
It doesn't, just wanted to confirm it.
In that case, I feel this warrants a Diplomacy check.
Dragon!
19:19 <CC> roll 1d20+86
19:19 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 97 > [d20=11]
Init is Seira (34) > Swordwielding Woman (28) > Beareded Efreet (24) > Treasure Construct (23)
"...Better to at least die with honor. This is no worthy death." The woman says, lowering her blades. "You slew Imed Hamawi. The Hamawi family will seek revenge for this."
The bearded efreet turns her and pauses, but shakes his head, "Not alone, not even for that." He steps aside and back, making a clear, careful fallback with the woman. He then points back behind you, towards the construct.
"I'm glad you see reason. There might be times when a fight to the death might be required, but defending a slave mine is not one of those times," Seira voices. "Please give me a few moments to deal with that thing, and then I would appreciate you leading me to where the bulk of the slaves are kept and, if you wish to, help convincing the defenders to lay down their arms. They will be treated with honor and repatriated at the earliest possibility during a prisoner exchange."
As you talk...
Golem is up.
Glowing with more energy, the coins fly and...
Do you have shield up or anything that explicitly stops magic missiles?
I sadly don't. Although I have SR47 and Spell Turning.
Ting! Spell turning deflects the missiles, which hit the gold around the construct to little effect. At the same time it reaches out, both hands going right for Seira.
> roll 1d20+75 vs CMD
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 83 > [d20=8]
CMD?
Seira slaps the massive hands with her dainty ones almost dismissively, given she still has an audience to impress.
It's OVER 100.
Seira is a blur, to the side in an instant as those fists slam down one after another, grasping in vain as...
Go.
A flex of her magical power turns the adamant from her trashed servant into a spear that floats into Seira's hand, and then she sends it flying at the colossal construct with all her strength!
Fabricate and Greater Magic Weapon as my swifts, I'm attacking with the spear!
21:14 <CC> roll 1d20+49+5+10+30 impromptu SA
21:14 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 103 > [d20=9]
21:16 <CC> roll 1d8+71+16d6+5+10
21:16 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 145 > [d8=4][d6=5,4,1,5,4,1,3,5,5,4,2,1,1,4,6,4]
I used the armband of the spark earlier, so I can sneak attack anything. And impromptu sneak attack ensures I sneak attack this time. GMW makes this a +5 adamantine longspear. That +30 on the attack is a single use of Many Moments of Prescience. Let's follow Akil's thing and kill this construct with a spear made of the strongest metal!
You're throwing it as a ranged weapon?
Yes, unless something in the legend of Akil killing one of these things with a spear of adamantine suggests it's immune to ranged weapons.
The spear flies true - and the hard metal cleaves right through the shield of gold and gems, into the construct itself. It sinks deep into it, one giant hand going to paw at the spear, the entire thing stumbling back from the blow as it seems well and truly distracted and...
Meanwhile you notice your other two foes withdrawing away entirely, beating a complete retreat.
Go, construct's occupied.
A windowless cell forcecage appears around the pair, given that those are not the actions of those who surrendered. Meanwhile, a flash takes Seira up close and personal to the construct, where she seizes upon the spear and stabs it multiple times!
22:18 <CC> roll 4#1d20+49+5+10 impromptu SA
22:18 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 69, 74, 76, 72 >
22:18 <CC> roll 1d20+44+5+10
22:18 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 77 > [d20=18]
22:18 <CC> roll 1d20+39+5+10
22:18 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 64 > [d20=10]
22:18 <CC> roll 1d20+34+5+10
22:18 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 63 > [d20=14]
22:19 <CC> roll 4#1d8+71+16d6+5+10
22:19 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 151, 140, 152, 151 >
22:19 <CC> roll 3#1d8+71+5+10
22:19 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 90, 90, 93 >
Give me a Strength check.
17:04 <CC> roll 1d20+15 (+30 if opposed strength check)
17:04 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+15 (+30 if opposed strength check) --> [ 1d20=15 ]{30}
Lunging forward, Seira stabs the construct again and again. It staggers back before collapsing. It falls, all the gold and treasures dimming, turning to old rocks and hunks of rusted iron, a noisy cacophony as it all tumbles to the ground. You did it, you won!
Free act.
A shame about the treasure, though Seira at least recovers her adamantium spear and drops it into her bag of holding along with what riches she managed to get before the rest were fiendishly taken from her.
Such things handled, she turns towards the forcecage to see whether the couple she had let live were competent enough to escape the prison while dimensional travel is interdicted in the few seconds she took her eyes off them to be sportsmanlike, or if it held them.
Unless they got free in a round and escaped past my perception of 102, let's have a chat!
They did not. The bearded one is giving you a long, steady look.
"I regret not having disintegration ready," he says, levelly.
"It is a surprisingly useful spell," Seira agrees. "I believe we have misunderstood each other, and given that I'm not here alone the two of you simply leaving might have ended you clashing with my friends. That would have been a shame, and so let us dedicate a few moments to ensure we are on the same page." She clears her throat before continuing. "My terms are your surrender, where you would help direct me towards the slaves to the best of your ability so that I could rescue them all. In return, I will take every efreet here prisoner rather than killing them in self defense, although if any decide to charge me with an indiscriminate disintegration device I may not be inclined to save them from committing suicide via their own artifacts. Afterwards, my prisoners will be treated fairly and exchanged for our side's prisoners at the earliest opportunity. You will also, to be clear upon that point, get to retain your effects. Ah, and I would appreciate your assistance in getting the guards to stand down, but it is not strictly required as my offered terms."
She approaches the forcecage, asking, "Now that I've stated my terms again, and hopefully a bit clearer this time, do you agree? Is there anything you would like me to amend in my offer, that would still allow me to achieve my goals of rescuing everyone here?"
"...I agree," The bearded efreet says after a moment, "My family will provide a ransom as needed, and a ransom for her as well."
"Excellent," Seira responds, doing away with the forcecage. If she is to experience a sudden betrayal, best that it happen soon rather than while she's helping slaves escape. "Please tell me where the largest concentration of slaves would be."
Meanwhile, she decides to call upon her power to have it answer a far simpler question, that of providing a path to the nearest person held here against their will or otherwise enslaved.
Looking for a variant of Find the Path emulated with Miracle SLA or my divine power.
"Down in the mines and in ore refinement," The bearded efreet replies plainly.
"Makes sense," Seira agrees. "Let's go, I'll keep on rescuing the few kept over here as human shields."
Then, she follows the pull of her spell!
The spell is pulling you ahead, alright.
What sort of marching order are you doing, if you're taking them with you?
I'm in the lead and they are expected to follow at a short distance, say 10ft, although my perception and reaction times are godly.
Fair enough.
You don't have to go far - you can detect them coming right towards you. Coming around the corner is a single efreet, dagger at the neck of a human slave. The slave shakes as the efreet declares, "Surrender to the Grand Sultan or the slave dies and his soul becomes property of the Grand Sultan!"
Some people have common sense, some people are go getters.
"This person's soul is not property and does not belong to anyone he didn't choose to entrust it with. If you disagree, we can call my good friend Helm here. In fact, there was this time where I was facing Shar ove--"
At the same time, Seira speaks in the slave's mind, Trust in me and come to me, you will be saved! and sneakily uses telekinesis to pull him towards her in a sudden, violent pull!
I wish to use the Violent Thrust aspect of Telekinesis and to have the slave ignore the save by being a willing participant. I will catch him! Without damage!
Give me a Bluff check here, which I believe you're trained in so you'll crush it anyway.
I've got this.
19:11 <CC> roll 1d20+82
19:11 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+82 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{102}
CMB, but not needed since you don't fail on natural 1s and you can't fail this.
Like that the slave is ripped away, the efreet dropping the dagger in a moment of sheer shock.
"Fool," The woman shakes her head as...
Init.
19:18 <CC> roll 1d20+24
19:18 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+24 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{26}
> roll 1d20+9
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{20}
Go.
With the freed slave held closely to her, secured with the same arm that caught him, Seira flashes ahead to meet the surprised efreet face to face.
And then punches him repeatedly in that face with her free hand, not bothering to draw Dragon's Grace.
19:23 <CC> roll 1d20+54+10
19:23 <CC> roll 1d20+54+10
19:23 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+54+10 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{67}
19:23 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+54+10 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{74}
19:23 <CC> roll 1d20+54+10
19:23 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+54+10 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{73}
19:23 <CC> roll 1d20+54+10
19:23 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+54+10 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{76}
19:24 <CC> roll 1d20+49+10
19:24 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+49+10 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{64}
19:24 <CC> roll 1d20+44+10
19:24 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+44+10 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{72}
19:24 <CC> roll 1d20+39+10
19:24 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+39+10 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{51}
All nonlethal, since I'm monking it up!
19:27 <CC> roll 7#1d10+71+10+2d6
19:27 <Kobot> CC rolled 7#1d10+71+10+2d6 --> [ 1d10=4 2d6=6 ]{91}, [ 1d10=6 2d6=7 ]{94}, [ 1d10=4 2d6=2 ]{87}, [ 1d10=8 2d6=8 ]{97}, [ 1d10=6 2d6=7 ]{94}, [ 1d10=10 2d6=4 ]{95}, [ 1d10=1 2d6=6 ]{88}
19:28 <CC> roll 7#16d6
19:28 <Kobot> CC rolled 7#16d6 --> [ 16d6=58 ]{58}, [ 16d6=46 ]{46}, [ 16d6=47 ]{47}, [ 16d6=42 ]{42}, [ 16d6=52 ]{52}, [ 16d6=60 ]{60}, [ 16d6=56 ]{56}
Please let me know if this wasn't enough to put him down.
One punch sends the efreet reeling back, a second grabbing him and letting you headbutt him fast and hard. There's no need for a third, the genie already out from the impact, nothing but dead weight now. He can't even react - he's locked in and staring at you all the while, until you forcefully send him to dreamland.
Free act.
"See? No need to worry about that sort of thing," Seira tells the no-doubt shocked man. "I'm going to send you to Amaryl now, and you will be safe," she promises, and it is a simple matter to turn off the teleportation block long enough to send this man and the beaten up efreet on their way, before Seira reestablishes the defenses.
And then she recasts the spell that points her towards the nearest slave and heads off again!
Out of combat, I'm going to refresh Sign and also Spell Turning, since I can't recall if I brought it up before. Also, re: things I intend to have happen and please let me know if I can't, I intend to carry the beacon (it's heavy but even in human form I can manage if I'm not running) and to drop it each time I'm in a combat situation as a free action. Finally, if the stupid efreet from before that I splattered had anything cool, can we say I used magic to put it in the bag along with my adamantine spear?
Sure, that's all fine.
Give me a quick d100?
19:57 <CC> roll 1d100
19:57 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=11 ]{11}
Thus you hurry along and down the hall, back down a floor. Here they run towards you - a seven-set of slaves, "Help! Free us!" A man calls, scarred and limping, "Help!"
That's a bit more agency than she had seen so far! Seira isn't too worried, as true seeing will reveal any complicated subterfuge, but she does send a moment to emulate greater arcane sight's benefits with regards to detect evil.
If anyone in that group is evil or has any magic upon them, I want to know!
None of them have magic beyond the runes the others had.
"Gather around, all of you, and you will be sent to the freedom of the Cauldron," Seira tells them with a welcoming smile.
No evil, then? Okay! Once they are within reach, I'll send them across!
No evil.
Done and done. More are freed as you feel it - the slightest victory each time, advancing who and what you are. It resonates within you, a soft tingling following that.
At the same time, a voice you know well in prayer, one of your faithful from Kesse. 'Dragon Princess,' Tyler Burnar prays, 'I find traces of Sharrans. Guide me this day to excise this rot.'
Glorious! The spell is recast again as Seira cheerfully proceeds ahead. Eventually, she'll probably run into Oraga or Lagann!
And shes's a very good multitasker, which means she sends Tyler Burner her strong approval! And should anything more direct be required, her avatar is ready to take it as far as necessary, all the way to manifestation!
'I will triumph,' Tyler promises, 'Not a trace of them will be allowed to fester in the shadows. This I swear on my life.'
Kesse will never return to what it once was, under Shar. Go with my blessing.
With that done, you race ahead - only for the ground to shake suddenly, sharply.
Seira keeps going, even as she reaches out to Lagann and Oraga.
Are you doing that?
'We aren't,' Lagann sends back quickly.
Can I tell where they are in comparison to myself? Given it's taken me less than five rounds of rushing past the defenses to get to the efreet statue and I've been heading back since, I figure I'm not that far.
Can I tell what the vibration might be a sign of? My basic knowledges are at 102 and I have a bunch of esoteric ones, too.
Do you have anything that lets you sense where they are?
It could be a bunch of things, but at the root it's likely an earthquake, massive weight moving, force or some sort of magical fuckery. Can't really narrow it down from that, unfortunately.
They are my worshippers, plus they are doing some Hopeful Warfarish stuff right now.
"Might I trouble the two of you for a mental image of the mines and the ore refinement facility?" Seira asks the pair of captives. "I'm afraid that the risk of collapse from an earthquake makes keeping you with me needlessly dangerous, and I can proceed there on my own after sending you to the Cauldron."
Should they indicate agreement, Seira will emulate some better Detect Thoughts or one of the telepathy spells I can never recall to view the locations in both of their minds, compare them to make sure I'm not being lied to, and then plane shift them to isolated cells in the Cauldron.
They're down below, fighting and slowly advancing.
"I don't know the mines that well," he admits, "I have information about the general layout and placement, but not details." He answers without open rancor, at least. "We were sent here to kill you, not to manage the mines."
"A shame. Best to keep you two safe, all the same," Seira muses, dropping dimensional blocking to send them to secure cells in the Cauldron, albeit two cells adjacent to each other so that they'd have company. Then, she turns into her draconic form, picks up the efreet statue after turning the interference back on, and hurries towards the next slave her spell detects.
Your path leads you to what looks to be kitchens. Here a dozen slaves are clustered together - another half dozen lying on the ground dead. Most are armed with knives, but one has a scimitar crackling with fire.
This is a rescue! Seira announces. Don't be afraid, gather around, and I'll send you to the Cauldron where you will be free.
The slaves all stare at you, one bursting into tears. Another falls to his knees while others flock you. "The Cauldron...who are you?" One asks, "Th-that's Seira's domain!"
Seira Aryn, at your service! she declares. A wing gestures at the corpses, and she adds, They too will be taken care of. Trust in Helm's protection for them, even as you accept my hospitality.
She transports the lot towards the others, where Amaryl is on top of things. The bodies, however, are sent to her avatar that immediately attempts to resurrect them to see where it is that their souls wish to go.
Then, tracking spell recast, Seira continues on her way.
Also casting Seira's Arcane Thesis, let's try it out!
As they go to freedom - it happens again, the ground shaking, longer and stronger this time.
Seira has no other options than follow the guidance of her spells, moving with haste towards the nearest slave.
Lagann and Oraga, she instructs with, Stay close together and pray to me should something happen. I can lift the barrier to allow you to relocate. In the meanwhile, try to break into the mines to free the bulk of the slaves.
'We're doing that,' Oraga sends, 'The quakes are coming from below here. Some sort of enemy. We move with haste.'
Alert me if you rescue anyone
That's the last of her instructions, however. Seira decides to speed up her search as best as she can!
You race along the rich halls, racing towards what looks to be offices. Running out of a side room is a single slave, a woman crying out, "HELP!" Elven on a glance - as an efreet in chain armor follows out, scimitar in hand and furious. "Rebellious sow!" he snaps, then freezes on seeing you.
Seira slams into him with the all rage of a majestic red!
21:00 <CC> roll 1d20+59+10+30-30 MMoP, 30PA, charge~
21:00 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=5]
21:00 <CC> roll 6d10+77+10+2d6+16d6 nonlethal
21:00 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 200 > [d10=9,10,2,1,3,9][d6=1,6,4,6,4,5,6,5,6,6,6,1,1,6,6,4,1,5]
Forgot the PA, so 230 damage.
With one clawed backhand, the efreet is sent flying and away, landing in a heap in the distance. The slave takes one look at you and simply collapses in a dead faint.
Seira had been planning to take the elf with her, but now she sends both prisoner and unconscious rescue to the Cauldron, to the cells and towards Amaryl respectively.
She recasts her spell even as she kicks the half-closed door to the office opened, giving its layout and contents a quick glance.
It's an office. Nothing unusual here, on a glance it looks like accounting and the like. It's mundane as -
"HELP!" A man's voice, screaming, the sound of something crashing, a door being thrown open.
Seira dashes towards that cry!
And will drop the statue and shrink in size if her dragon form can't pass.
Done and needed.
A single male slave rushes from an office in the back, eyeing you, "Save us, please!" At the same time, twin rays arch out, going right for the unprotected back of the slave.
A wall of force springs up between the slave and hostile magic, shielding him, and then Seira is there!
"I'm here to help," she tells him, searching for the enemy caster. "Are others kept against their will over there, or can I cut loose?"
It is a single fat efreet, scowling and wearing rich, comfortable looking robes. He looms there, half a dozen slaves in his office moving great heaps papers and coins into sacks. The slave gasps, "H-he's there! Just one!"
"Stay behind me," Seira instructs the escapee, while exerting her will on the efreet as she advances upon him.
Hold Person x3, with Arcane Thesis my SR roll is +43 and I don't fail on a 1. Will DC 42 negates (x3).
In this case I'll call for init before you barrage him. With that cry and the wall of force casting he's not surprised.
22:28 <CC> roll 1d20+24
22:28 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=6]
That's fine. If I win init, my action stands so please resolve it~
> roll 1d20+11 he actually has a shot
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+18
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 33 > [d20=15]
And like that the efreet is paralyzed head to toe, unable to move a single muscle.
Free act.
Seira knocks him out, turns off the dimensional interdiction and then sends the freed slaves to Amaryl and the efreet to his cell. A gesture has her magic complete the task of collecting gold and papers alike, and as she heads out after blocking dimensional travel again Seira decides to use her magic to do the same to other offices she passes along the way. She's not going to stay here to loot things, so having her power grab what intelligence and shiny things exist along her path would have to do.
Meanwhile, she follows the guidance of her other spell, once more recast to search for the nearest slave to free!
Just as you start to free the slaves, it happens again. This time the building shakes violently, overwhelmingly. Papers fly and trinkets clatter to the floor, everything shaking uncontrollably. The slaves cry out as they stumble through to freedom.
Seira won't be deterred from her path!
And a good point! Would my 2 mile tremorsense tell me anything more about this? Won't change my action since I'm finding the next slave to free regardless, but info is nice.
It would. Something huge is rising up - and it's absorbing the liquid adamantine it touches.
The shaking dies down as you get the last slaves free, but one lingers, "There's a warded drawer on his desk here," he says, "If you can get in, check it!"
"Sure thing," Seira says, dropping a dispel upon it. "Anything else you can tell me? For example, about where the rest of you are kept?"
Greater Arcane Sight to tell what spell (if any) is on the warded drawer, since I'm curious. Perception 10 for 102 to find anything untowards. And, of course, my dispel:
07:11 <CC> roll 1d20+37
07:11 <Penuche> CC invokes Penuche's magic: < 49 > [d20=12]
It is locked with arcane lock, which gives way to your dispel with ease.
"There's sleeping quarters in places of the mines and just above the mines and processing," The slave says, "They don't let us stay together."
"I'll handle the rest, don't worry. Just head to safety for now," Seira tells him, sending him to Amaryl. Then, everything properly secured from the efreet's belongings and the drawer and expedited through high level magic, Seira proceeds to the next captive!
And uses more magic to secure efreet gold and papers from the other offices she passes, just because she can.
This area is clear now, all slaves on the lower floors according to your magic.
Seira secures her sack, disables the interdiction once more and transports herself towards Oraga and Lagann!
The ore processing room is clear. Lagann is gathering together dozens of slaves as Oraga stands guard silently, eyes roaming everywhere.
"Hurry," Lagann says shortly, "We haven't much time with whatever's shaking the ground. Hurry!"
"Something's rising through the adamantine layers while absorbing them," Seira educates her friends. "I'm keeping an eye on its progress."
She plane shifts the slaves towards Amaryl before restoring the dimensional defenses and refreshing her spell of locating those in need of rescue.
Greater Plane Shift is 8 people at a time, I can manage 3 a round so we're not spending more than a couple rounds on this, I figure, especially if Lagann can help.
Done, done and done. It's getting closer and closer in the meantime - less than half a mile below and rising.
"Let's rescue the bulk of those remaining," Seira decides, adjusting her divination spell to find the largest concentration of slaves and provide her with distance and direction.
Down a side tunnel and a ways away - about a thousand feet away and twisting down that tunnel.
"After me!" Seira bids her companions, turning into a dragon. She could teleport, but that would require opening the dimensional barriers again and she decides against it, picking the statue in her claw and rushing down the tunnel!
She has a fly speed of 350ft and will run there to cross all the distance in time. Double move and fire leap twice for 820ft if it's not a straight enough line and she can't run.
Woosh! The tunnel isn't straight enough to run, but at least big enough for your draconic form. You burst into flames in long stretches, jetting across them in an instant as you rush. Rush past a retreating efreet, thrown aside by you as you push onward.
Soon enough you come to a barracks of sorts, plain bedding on the ground, no beds but so many places to sleep. Dozens of slaves sit in here, waiting silently.
Knock out that efreet I passed and bring him over, I'm taking them all prisoner, Seira instructs Lagann and Oraga.
She sets the efreet statue down and disables the dimensional protections once more, before announcing, I am Seira Aryn! My friends and I are here to rescue you! Portals open all over, a quiet hum picking up about the space. Go on to the Cauldron and your freedom!
Sonorous Hum and Legion's Gates. Let's get this down in a flash. Also, divination for the next concentration of slaves even as these are in the process of escaping, to see if there's more.
It's easy like this - fast, simple when you have this level of power. Gates erupt out, slaves passing through as you get a reply.
'Easy,' Oraga rumbles back, and as he does? You can sense more down a different shaft - and abruptly, the massive thing beneath you begins to speed up, rocketing upwards.
Seira waits a moment for Oraga to arrive, so that they could toss the efreet through and close the gates. In the meanwhile, she estimates where the creature will emerge and how soon, based on current speed.
You estimate you have two rounds.
Seira tosses the statue across, along with her bag of holding. As she waits, she uses more divinations to determine how many groups of captives still exist in the mines and the surrounding area.
Is it coming straight at where I am now? Are Oraga and Lagann going to be here within one round? Is there more than the one group of slaves I sensed earlier remaining?
Straight at you, yes. They are, just. There's nine large groups of slaves and a many scattered ones here and there.
Seira teleports Lagann and Oraga to the first large group she divined earlier after they toss their captive efreet through the gates, shuts said gates down and then glides through the rock to meet her guest in its natural environment!
Refresh me on your full means of perception here, since you're fighting in a truly unusual medium.
scent, low-light vision, darkvision, blindsight, tremorsense, true seeing and foresight to avoid being surprised/flat-footed
Okay, bear in mind that tremorsense will let you pinpoint it's location and attack effectively. However, you're still in solid rock so that's going to block normal vision as well s most spells that aren't touch, because the solid rock blocks line of effect and sight.
Any questions about all this before we begin? This is a complicated enough thing that I feel it's worth hashing out any questions now.
I'm fine, I just want to see what happens!
It's coming closer and closer, dwarfing you in size as you feel the ground rumble more and more, so much to sense and feel as...
Okay then, we'll begin with init.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+24 : 8 + 24, total 32[/blockquote]
> roll 1d20+11
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+11 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{23}
It's 35ft away and closing, Seira. You won init so open.
Seira (32) > Vast Force (23)
Seira glides down and then blows up!
Maximized Empowered Twinned Greater Fireburst
19:07 <CC> roll 1d20+47 SR
19:07 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+47 SR --> [ 1d20=17 ]{64}
360 goldenfire damage
Ref DC45 half
I still have two swift actions, I'll take them after this resolves and I get a first 'look' at this thing.
Where precisely as your positioning relative to the creature when you let out the fireburst?
Can I use it within 5ft of it? It's the first time I'm fighting during earth glide.
Sure, though you're positioning yourself to be ran right into unless that checks it.
Yes, though that's what the two swifts and a 'glance' at the creature are for!
Fair enough.
Your goldenfire bursts on it - and moving like this and being this vast, it has no chance to dodge. Nor does it try, taking it. You burn a bit of it - but it's so massive that it seems to barely slow it down at all. You just aren't hitting much of it, the entire thing gigantic.
It looks to be some titantic thing of boiling adamantine, too big to get a good feel for - but you know enough to realize one thing. It's in the shape of a dragon. A truly mammoth dragon, but a dragon.
This sort of thing requires a special touch, and Seira decides to be unconventional. A moment is spent locating a suitable empty space beneath the dragon and then she teleports herself there! If it's after her, Seira will draw it away. And if not....
I am seeking a small cavern or air pocket below the boiling adamantine dragon, from 30ft below it up to a mile below it.
There's a few of those, sure. Go ahead and elaborate your plan here with your swifts and I'll adjudicate.
Oh, that's even better! In that case, one swift is used on quickened arcane spellsurge, and the other on teleporting to an air pocket directly below us 1.5 miles from my current location. That would be all for my go this round.
Seira appears in the pocket - the walls sizzling hot, but not something that bothers Seira. The massive dragon-alike rises up and out of the stone, parts of it bestriding mine shafts as it ascends.
Go, it can't meaningfully attack you this round.
Take cover and hold on, Seira speaks to all those within the mines. I am about to rearrange the local landscape.
And then, Seira raises her hand high and calls upon her mastery of the arcane! It starts as a tiny bead of pale green light, uncomfortably reminiscent of Lixer's preferences. It feels warm like the sun, however, and the chaos contained within is nothing alike the still paleness of death that clings to Lixer's works, and neither is the way it expands, more and more, up to the original spell's limits and beyond as all in its path are consumed into light and ash!
Widened Maximized Twinned Disintegrating Burst, widening it with Battle Metamagic all the way to the mines to consume all of the dragon.
20:13 <CC> roll 1d20+43 SR
20:13 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d20+43 SR --> [ 1d20=1 ]{44}
480 damage full, 96 on a Fort DC 45 save
> roll 1d20+21 Fort
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+21 Fort --> [ 1d20=3 ]{24}
Constructs hate Fort saves when you can force them to make one.
And thus a huge chunk of stone, of rock and of the dragon are gone. You can see it now amid the sudden clearing - a titanic shape of boiling magma, great hunks of it gone, the entire thing riddled with holes. It is in the form of a dragon, its back and tail to you at the moment. Above you and around you there is a tremendous groan, of the burning earth and flame, getting louder by the moment.
Anything else this turn?
What the hell does it take-- Seira stops time.
Two massive fireballs are primed to explode as time resumes, bursting with goldenfire and ranging across three miles in diameter. As it happens, Seira wills for there to be a large amount of support beams just between the dragon and the mines.
Two more fireballs join their brethren a moment later, weaker but still as far-reaching, even Seira uses her divine power once more, except this time to support the foundation. It might be collapsing, but if by some stroke of luck it could hold out for a few more moments....
And just as time resumes, Seira transports herself to a point above the dragon!
20:50 <CC> roll 1d4+1
20:50 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d4+1 --> [ 1d4=1 ]{2}
21:02 <CC> roll 5#1d20+47 SR
21:02 <Kobot> CC rolled 5#1d20+47 SR --> [ 1d20=2 ]{49}, [ 1d20=13 ]{60}, [ 1d20=11 ]{58}, [ 1d20=1 ]{48}, [ 1d20=4 ]{51}
I had one less action than I thought, so please only take the first four SR rolls.
Round 0: Quickened Time Stop
Round 1: Quickened Widened Maximized Twinned Delayed Blast Fireball x2, supports for the foundations of the mine via emulations of Fabricate or Wall of Stone/Iron, whichever makes sense
Damage of 240 goldenfire, Ref DC 46 half for Fireball #1
Damage of 240 goldenfire, Ref DC 46 half for Fireball #2
Round 2: Quickened Widened Maximized Delayed Blast Fireball x2, supports for the foundations of the mine via divine power of hoping for a favorable outcome
Damage of 120 goldenfire, Ref DC 45 half for Fireball #1
Damage of 120 goldenfire, Ref DC 45 half for Fireball #2
Round 0, time resumes: teleport up to a spot above the dragon.
> roll 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves
> roll 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves
> roll 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves
> roll 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves --> [ 1d20=19 ]{42}
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves --> [ 1d20=13 ]{36}
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves --> [ 1d20=7 ]{30}
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+23 Ref constructs still suck at saves --> [ 1d20=7 ]{30}
The burst of golden flames burn even the boiling adamantine. Below, you see the dragon break apart, a great sea of boiling adamantine gushing down, pouring down as everything above groans - but at least for now, your supports are holding. The new chasm beneath the mine is now rapidly filling with liquid adamantine. You won!
Free act. Well done indeed.
Seira decides not to waste all that adamantine, and gives the coordinates to her avatar. Elle will be asked to open portals below the lake and towards one of the Cauldron's secure vaults.
For her part, she stops time again and spends a few moments on boosting the supports, and makes her way towards one of the groups she divined earlier just before time resumes. There, she immediately begins shuffling people to Amaryl.
21:23 <CC> roll 1d4+1
21:23 <Kobot> CC rolled 1d4+1 --> [ 1d4=1 ]{2}
Two rounds of 5 actions where Seira adds supports, reinforces the ground and takes care of internal stability for the time being. The sixth action is transporting herself to one of the remaining groups.
Give me Perception, please.
10 for 102
No sound of immediate reinforcements or teleports in. You reach the first group and portal them through, then another.
Plan to get all of them back by hook or by crook?
Indeed. With Lagann and Oraga helping speed it up.
d100.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 71, total 71[/blockquote]
Everything seems to be holding up as you rescue the slaves, no meaningful opposition left - or so it seems.
Anything of note, Darling? Seira asks Amaryl. If an infiltrator managed to sneak into the groups of rescuees, there is information about something useful Seira can pick up while here, now's the time!
As she waits on the answer, Seira runs another sweep of the complex with her emulation of find the path and other similar divinations adjusted to work on detecting slaves. A second sweep is run simultaneously with it, this one looking for any efreet and other jailers still alive, since Seira doesn't want to collapse the mines on anyone her friends knocked out without tossing them into jail.
Two swifts, and a standard for Sonorous Hum to help maintain concentration. If no results come this round that change the situation, I'll collapse my supports and head home with Lagann and Oraga.
You look like you've managed a clean sweep.
'We have it in hand and are doing it - two infiltrators that we've found. We're working through them while insuring the victims are not further traumatized.'
Seira sends Lagann and Oraga ahead, before using her divine will to collapse her constructed supports for the foundations and further aiding the collapse along by a generous serving of earthquake.
Then, as things take their course, she transports herself to the Cauldron.
I'm pretty fast so I should win init against such a collapse.
Indeed you will. Congratulations.
We'll do a little bit of wrap up here and get to level ups shortly.
Thus Seira returns home. To a great military cheer from her assembled warriors and faithful, to Amaryl's radiant smile and the words of your friends. As you see to all of that, "I have this in hand, though we're checking in case of deep infiltrators or those who may somehow elude our detections."
"That can always happen," Seira agrees. "The important thing is that they are all taken care of, and that the prisoners are both secure and treated well. And speaking of those, can Sanzha contact the efreet about a prisoner exchange? I'd like her to handle the details personally, or delegate and oversee the process."
"I'll see that she does it," Amaryl agrees. Then in your mind? 'Setting a precedent so that if one of us is captured, that we can expect to be ransomed rather than executed?'
'Not one of us, but our troops. Encouraging decent treatment of captives and taking captives in the first place is in our interests. And on the other side, if that gives efreet incentive to surrender swiftly when I take to the field rather than waste our time fighting them to the death, once again we benefit.'
To give proper encouragement to her troops, Seira speaks out, her voice heard clearly by all. "They said it was an impregnable fortress. They said that slaves will continue to die in the mines as war rages all around them. But that was wrong, and just as we put an end to that for good, so will we do with other efreet holdings! Within our lifetimes, the day will come when we will free all those they have taken against their will!"
From your words a great cheer erupts out, echoing amid all the Cauldron for the sheer volume of it. Words echo long and loud and powerfully, the cheer even louder yet.
Okay, this is purely wrap up territory so do what you will until you're good with that, then tell me so we can get you to level ups.
Okay!
I've already said what I intend for Sanzha to do/delegate and oversee with regards to prisoner exchange. My desire is to repatriate any of ours that were taken, plus as many of those from Celestia as we can manage.
Amaryl brought up an interesting point, so I'll let Sanzha deal with it as she wishes. The pair of efreet that surrendered to me said their families would be willing to ransom them, and if that is a preferred mechanism for dealing with the efreet, we can do that (so that I could ransom Donald, say, if he ever got unlucky with this precedent established). If we do allow for this, I would like Sanzha to receive slaves rather than any money.
I'd like to look at the lake of boiling adamantine that we looted from that place together with Elle and Lagann. OOC is fine, I'm curious whether we can tell what made it awaken into a huge dragon (and into an elemental that chose to come and live with us), whether that's something that will happen naturally as the lake stays with us and so on. Also, whether it's something sentient, or if we could use the adamantine for anything cool.
One of the freed slaves told me to look in that efreet's warded drawer, so I'm curious whether that held anything of interest.
Same with the papers that efreet was gathering and bringing with him. If there's actionable intelligence or blackmail on fellow efreet, that would be neat.
Finally, loot. I think you stopped updating it, but it should come down to what all the fodder efreet had, what the drawer efreet had, what the dead efreet that wanted to kill me for the Sultan had and the efreet statue that blocks dimensional travel. And probably a lot of adamantine on top of that spear I made.
Oh, and almost forgot! Once Amaryl finishes sorting out the rescues, I'd be interested in hearing whether there's a captive hero/servant of another deity that I would need to repatriate, since I'd like to do that myself. OOC is fine there, too.
The ransom is generally set at whatever the ransomer can think they can get. There's various standards in efreet society about that - occasionally slaves are part of the trades, like any other good. It's generally up to the people in question.
It's not too hard to figure out the idea - an animating spirit. Something customized, you'd have to start from scratch since you destroyed the construct. You'd get a few hints from studying it if you wanted to pursue that.
Loot things will be handled in loot, I have a big final post there to get worked up this afternoon or tomorrow.
Most of the slaves aren't that powerful. Think brute workers rather than powerful heroes here. Some do revere various deities as is normal.
I leave it to Sanzha's judgement. It won't be the last prisoner exchange during this war, and I'd like her to set a precedent for how it'd go. Let her get us the best deal she can.
I'll start a project on that since I believe we cracked one of the existing ones? And we do have an elemental similarly animated, so it's a good point of reference. We'll just ask him nicely whether he'd be okay with that.
The nonevil deities will be informed by myself, and if they wish to take action I will defer to them. Otherwise, we'll offer the erstwhile slaves the choice of repatriation or residency at the Cauldron.
Okay, none of that's urgent so congratulations, you've reached level up time.
I hope to get you going again by Wednesday or Thursday, depending on computer arrival and other level ups changing my workload.