031.4 "My magic is far, far stronger than any weapon I could swing, Celestial!"

[Corwin]

[19:50] <Kotono> As Jaela passes through the front hall and by the Medicant Golems, she can see someone at the portals. Hanna is there, arms crossed and already giving Jaela a long, steady look.
[19:50] <Jaela> "What?!" Jaela exclaims. "I didn't do it!"
[19:51] <Kotono> "With me. Now." Hanna says, right to the point, and heading through a portal.
[19:52] * Jaela sighs, but doesn't really do anything to argue as she follows after her mother.
[19:53] <Kotono> You find yourself in the infirmary. It's quiet here, no sign of another besides 27 curled up on a bed. Hanna leans against the wall with her shoulder, wings wrapped around her. "I'm not mad at you," she begins, "But I need to know. Where did Dana get that new armor of hers?"
[19:55] <Jaela> "Oh!" Jaela takes a deep breath and exhales. She gives 27 a brief glance, but decides to ignore the weird badger's existence. "Man. Don't do this to me, mom! I was really worried for a sec!" She shakes her head. "That fucking creepy armor? Filbrez advertized it and a bunch of us went to take a look. It sounded creepy so I passed on it, and Afina got the blood stone thing and forged the armor for Dana."
[19:59] <Kotono> "You don't have a clue of what Lightblood Stone is, do you?" Hanna closes her eyes and sighs, before glaring a moment at Jaela, "Watch your language!" After that and shifting her position a bit, "You've been to Elysium. Have you ever come across pure white energy there, perhaps in a seam in the earth or underground?"
[20:00] <Jaela> "Of course not," Jaela responds. "I mean, Filbrez said it was like pure good that ran in a decent person's veins and made them more angel-like, and how evil people would die if they wore it or something." She shrugs. "So you're saying it's like those Elysium wells of planar will and energy? I actually took a mud bath in one."
[20:04] <Kotono> "A few millenia ago," Hanna begins, nodding to Jaela, "I had business in Elysium, on the third layer, Belierin. I came across a little of it there, deep in the swamps. The locals don't really agree on what it is," Hanna says, "But it's roughly akin to injecting a steady stream of Good into your veins. This can have consequences and repercussions. Dana's not a mortal - she's an aasimar?"
[20:04] <Kotono> It's decidedly a question, pausing a moment. "She looks like it but she doesn't act the part."
[20:05] <Jaela> "Yeah. She said there might've been something weird about her ancestor, and her direct parents are like her. But wait, you mean it'll like brainwash her and shit?"
[20:08] <Kotono> "It's not to be taken lightly." Scowling again, "You know, you're not too old for me to wash your mouth out with soap, young lady." Giving Jaela an even look, "It will have an impact on her. What that impact is depends on her. I'll need to talk to her at the least and make sure she really understands what she's getting into. The benefits of the armor are powerful, but with great power..."
[20:08] <Kotono> Here she allows herself to trail off, "Do you want to come along?"
[20:11] * Jaela grins. "You can try, yeah." She considers the question before her, then. Listening to her mother rant while Dana is being herself sounds like fun, so she nods in the affirmative. "I might as well tag along. I've been meaning to take that Donald guy's offer of training and I figured I'd grab Dana and ask Mirima if she wanted to come along. This is as good a chance as any?"
[20:13] <Kotono> "Ysgard is the place for it," Hanna agrees, going to the portal and spreading her wings out. "You haven't seen her lately, by any chance?"
[20:14] <Jaela> "Who, Dana? Last I saw her was when she got her armor. But it's no big deal." She raises her voice slightly, calling out, "Elena!"
[20:15] <Kotono> Elena appears, blinking before scowling. "You know, I just sent Muirfinn off to find you," she opines, "What is it?"
[20:15] <Jaela> "Why the scowl?" Jaela pouts. "We're pals, aren't we? Comrades?" She nods resolutely. "We sure are. So how are things?"
[20:21] <Kotono> "I wouldn't have sent him looking for you if I knew you were about to call me," Elena pouts lightly, kicking at the ground, "It's wasting his time! But..well...I'm busy. There's this lore contest I'm helping organize, Galariel has me checking over the demiplane connection with the Dragon's Ego, the pixies are holding court and I'm keeping tabs on that too."
[20:22] <Jaela> "So you can do all that at once, right?" Jaela asks. "That's pretty neat. Hey, walk with us? We're looking for Dana."
[20:26] <Kotono> "She's-" Dana begins, but abruptly Hanna yelps!
[20:27] <Jaela> Gae Bog is drawn at the yelp, and Jaela steps in front of Elena while focusing on whatever could make her mother do that!
[20:30] <Kotono> Turning, you find 27 curling up around Hanna's legs. It's gaze is on Jaela, "Three things await beyond the initial reason; three to -" This is cut off as Hanna shifts, kicking her leg back and sending 27 flying! As it is sent tumbling in the air, " - answer the unasked ques - " A stop there as he lands on a bed with a heavy THUMP.
[20:32] * Jaela gapes at the scene, before shaking herself out of it. Gae Bolg disappears, and she turns back towards Elena with a grin as if nothing happened. "Where is Dana, you were saying?"
[20:34] <Kotono> Elena blinks, "Oh yes. Dana's talking with the Master. They're using the strategy room right now - no one else is in there."
[20:35] <Kotono> Hanna sends a rather frosty glare over at 27, "Next time, don't sneak up on me," she says, rather loudly. 27 just blandly looks at her, before curling up and going back to sleep.
[20:36] <Jaela> "So how about it? Wanna tag along?" She nudges the ghostly girl with her elbow. "You still have to tell me how things went."
[20:46] <Kotono> "You mean with..." Blushing momentarily, "Well..." Kicking at the ground, "Um...You know how he's called the stoic angel? He just gave me this look and asked me if I was comfortable flashing people. Totally unexcited, like he could be talking about the weather! Gods, I felt horrible, like I wanted Sir Medi to come back and put me out of my misery! So I yelled at him. A lot. He listened,
[20:46] <Kotono> all calm. He came forward and put his hands on my shoulders and gave me a look. Oh, it was like he was looking into me," Elena sighs, suddenly blushing even deeper, voice wistful. He said, "Elena, you have a beautiful body, but I care little for a body. I care about the soul, and you have a beautiful soul. The way he said it...it sounded like the biggest compliment he could have given
[20:46] <Kotono> me. It was so romantic, him holding me like that and telling me that, and..." Kicking at the ground again, "Then he told me to get dressed." Pouting visibly, kicking at the ground a third time, "I guess hoping to seduce someone known for being dutiful and stoic wasn't the best idea I ever had, but it wasn't all bad."
[20:48] <Jaela> "I still think he fibbed a little there," Jaela muses, "since he did tell you that he liked seeing you in all sorts of outfits? But yeah, I just dunno what to say here. Hug a puppy where he can see it?"
[20:50] <Kotono> Hanna clears her throat, "It means you're using the wrong approach." she says, "He all but screamed he was interested, but I don't think he's interested in a girl who would appear naked before him and try and tempt him into lust."
[20:51] <Jaela> "Did you see the stuff he had Elena model for him?" Jaela asks incredulously. "That's a hell of a mixed message right there!"
[20:52] <Kotono> "Can't say as I did. That bad?" Hanna asks back, rubbing her chin.
[20:53] <Jaela> "Maid outfit, sexy librarian outfit-- I mean, should I just list them all? Do we have that long?"
[20:53] <Kotono> "Please," Hanna retorts, "You may as well, we're in no hurry."
[20:53] <Kotono> Elena blushes a bit but holds her tongue.
[20:55] * Jaela snorts. "You think there's something in there? And yeah, I guess the direct seduction didn't work, but it did give Elena an in. So what should she do now?"
[20:57] * Jaela snaps her fingers. "Oh, and I still have the one from that time. I cleaned it with magic and folded it, so just grab it from my room whenever you wanna, Elena."
[20:58] <Kotono> "I'm just curious." Hanna whistles a moment, "I wonder if I still have that topless maid costume your father got me?" So considering, Hanna taps her chin with a teasing smile, before going on. "Be yourself around him, spend time with him, let nature take its course. Seduction is powerful, but it's not the answer all the time. Sometimes love takes time."
[20:58] <Kotono> "So I should be my-wait what?" Elena double-takes, "What?"
[21:00] <Jaela> "I guess Mom is telling you to be yourself but keep on reminding him you're interested when she's not being creepy around me?"
[21:00] <Kotono> "It's a mother's sacred duty to embarrass her child." Hanna replies with an easy laugh, "Really now, Jaela."
[21:01] <Kotono> Elena blinks, "Right. Okay. So Dana's with the Master in the strategy room," she says, going to the portal and out.
[21:01] <Jaela> "Oh, I'm not embarrassed unless you wear it around people I'm supposed to command in battle." Jaela laughs herself. "And I bet you'd be more embarrassed anyway."
[21:02] * Jaela heads towards the portal leading to the strategy room afterwards.

[Corwin]

[21:02] <Kotono> "Yes." Hanna joins in that laugh further, smiling warmly. "I had that happen once on a mission - I had to use this old dr-" As you head to the portal, someone comes out before you can reach it. It is Muirfinn and another tortle, appearing before Jaela.
[21:03] <Jaela> "Old what? C'mon, this is the best part!"
[21:09] <Muirfinn> "Ah, there you are Jaela. Elena came to me and told me of a lore competition tat Vul'lath and Tepen are holding. Elder Kole and I are going to join it. Would you like to accompany us?" He looks over to Hanna. "You of course are welcome as well, Hanna."
[21:10] <Jaela> "A competition? What, like who knows the most obscure shit, stuff like that?"
[21:10] * Muirfinn shrugs. "I don't know the details yet."
[21:12] <Jaela> "We kinda have things to chat over with Dana," Jaela tells him apologetically. "Maybe another time?"
[21:12] <Kotono> Hanna hums, "That could be fun. You have to exercise the mind as well as the body." Tilting her head back and forth for a moment, "If I have time after this I may look in."
[21:12] * Muirfinn nods. "Feel free to join us after you are done."
[21:13] <Muirfinn> With that, Muirfinn heads back through the portal!

[Corwin]

[21:15] * Jaela snorts. "Just don't exercise with your axe and it'll be fine." Then, she finally leads the way to Dana!
[21:16] <Kotono> From there, Dana's easy to find. She's sitting deep in a chair, the Master next to her. He's talking in a slow, sonorous voice, "...let go. Let go. Let go. Let go." He chants, each repetition softer than the last. "Feel with your heart and your soul, not with your mind."
[21:17] <Kotono> Dana's eyes close and she exhales out, breathing slow and steady, "Let go," she murmurs, armor aglow as she sits there.
[21:17] * Jaela decides to announce her presence. "Is this fun?"
[21:18] <Kotono> "Ah!" Dana's eyes snap open, "Fuck a dragon, Jaela!" An obscene gesture follows that, "FUCK! I was just starting to finally fucking drift."
[21:19] <Kotono> The Master sighs and shakes his head, "Unfortunate timing, nothing more."
[21:19] <Kotono> Hanna frowns at the Master a moment, grunting to herself.
[21:20] * Jaela returns the gesture in spades. "Go choke on a thousand dicks," she tells Dana cheerfully, before glancing at the Master. "So what are you two doing?"
[21:22] <Kotono> "No thanks, don't want part of your sloppy seconds," Dana scowls, as the Master clears his throat. "Dana came to me, asking for help with meditation."
[21:22] <Kotono> "Yeah. This armor makes me feel right, but at the same time I'm not sure I get it. Monks and martial artists can meditate and get in with the inner self, and all that babble, so I figured it was worth a shot." Dana waves a hand, "It's really damned hard to not think."
[21:23] <Jaela> "Yeah, Mom's actually here to tell you about the armor."
[21:28] <Kotono> Hanna steps forward, "I'll get to the point. Lightblood Stone bleeds pure Good. Uppercase G Good. How does it make you feel?"
[21:29] <Kotono> "Like I'm drunk but clear-headed. I feel like I see more, hear more, understand more. It feels...right." Dana says, speaking slowly. "I slept in it last night! I didn't want to take it off."
[21:29] <Jaela> "You can sleep in it?"
[21:30] <Kotono> With a slight smile, "You have some celestial blood in you. It agrees with that, doubtless. I came here to tell you that, and that it will have an effect on you."
[21:32] <Jaela> "If you feel weirder than usual, come talk to me or Mom, pretty much," Jaela adds.
[21:32] <Kotono> "Oh." Dana half frowns, "Well shit, I'm not going to start acting like some stuck up bitch holier than thou who acts like she needs a good hard dicking, am I?"
[21:33] * Jaela grins in response. "No, you're not gonna change."
[21:33] <Kotono> Hanna clears her throat, "I highly doubt it. In fact, that entire sentence ensures you won't."
[21:35] <Jaela> "So yeah, is this meditation gonna take you ages to master?" Jaela asks next, glancing at master and student alike. "Cause I was gonna offer you to come on my own training trip across Ysgard."
[21:37] <Kotono> "Dana's potential for this is limited. Highly limited. Her focus doesn't work this way," The Master admits. "Her mind works on its own principals. Enlightenment will be a tall mountain from this direction."
[21:38] <Jaela> "How about it, then?" Jaela asks Dana. "I feel kinda bad about dragging you away from training, but it's a pretty good chance."

[Corwin]

[19:54] <Kotono> "Training in Ysgard? Hell yes," Dana answers right away, "I'm in."
[19:55] <Jaela> "Best way to break the armor in." Jaela grins once more. "Let's go see if Mirima's interested too?"
[19:58] <Kotono> Finding Mirima leads you to Elrisa's tower. She's inside with Misalea, the two sitting in the garden and chatting. A small spread of fruit and cheese lies before them, slender glasses of wine going with them. Mirima is smiling, holding in laughter. "Oh, so THAT'S what happened?" she asks. "Oooooh!"
[19:59] <Kotono> Misalea laughs after a moment as well, "It worked," she reddens, laughing in spite of it. "It worked well. The principals aren't far removed from it."
[19:59] <Jaela> "What did?" Jaela asks, not particularly bothered by butting in like that.
[20:01] <Kotono> Misalea turns, "Oh, we're talking about the Graceful Blow," Misalea explains, "I've been working in more magic than the standard, since I already know it. Magic is a part of it, but not to the extend that I use it, usually."
[20:02] <Jaela> "Yeah," Jaela is forced to agree. "I always thought the school needed more of it to really bring out its full potential." She snorts. "Then again, I think the same thing about Dana's style, too."
[20:03] <Kotono> "You think every fucking thing needs more magic, don't you?" Dana's hands are on her hips.
[20:04] <Kotono> Mirima smiles as she sips her wine, "Perhaps. Most greater warriors at least learn a little bit. Pure physical means do have a place, as does grace without magic."
[20:04] <Jaela> "What gave me away? The way I keep on saying it?" Jaela rolls her eye. "If I'm saying it that's cause it's true. You either focus on magic as the main or use it to supplement your style, but neglecting it altogether usually ends up leaving holes in your defense or offense. Sometimes both."
[20:05] <Kotono> "I've seen it done without well," Hanna speaks up here, "It's far from impossible or even difficult. It's easier for angels and outsiders, since we can use magic without any formal training, but even then, I've known highly competent warriors who can't even manage a cantrip."
[20:06] <Kotono> "It's easier for men, perhaps," Misalea considers, putting her wineglass down carefully, "They have the brute strength and the mindset to use it. For us, we use grace and magic to compete and overcome."
[20:08] <Jaela> "Yeah, angels and dragons cheat by having magic without training in it," Jaela says with good enough cheer rather than any sourness. "And I'm kinda with Misalea, though for different reasons. Give me any of those competent guys even for a month and let me teach them a few tricks. I guarantee every single one will become that much more hardcore with a smidgeon of magic on top!"
[20:11] <Kotono> "Still," Misalea's smiling as well, "What brings you here today?"
[20:12] <Jaela> "Mirima!" Jaela says at that, turning towards her fellow redhead. "I got a pretty awesome training opportunity out in Ysgard, and I'm going with Dana to try and make the most of it. Wanna come along too? I'd really like that."
[20:13] <Kotono> "I'd love to," Mirima says, but shakes her head. "Misalea could use it more than I, though. She's made progress in the Graceful Blow, but she's still learning."
[20:14] <Kotono> Misalea reddens entirely at that, "I-I am still learning," she admits, red all the way to the roots of her hair, "But I wasn't the one asked. Besides, I'm making fine progress."
[20:15] <Jaela> "Well, and I kinda wanted to get to know you better," Jaela continues bluntly. "I figure you might wanna do the same, right? It's just not the same if everyone's always together and saying hi at breakfast but just sticks to their groups." She shudders, then. "And something tells me there's a guy who'd be out for my blood if I dragged Misalea away." She peers at the girl in question. "Sounds about right?"
[20:18] <Kotono> Misalea blinks, "Adrian?" she frowns, "If anything, we spent a lot of time together in Mechanus. We're spending a few days apart to catch up with other people...no one likes that couple that's attached at the hip." Making a small little face, "Still. Go, Mirima."
[20:18] <Kotono> "Oh, it's not so bad. That's the best phase of being in love." Hanna speaks up, "Especially if you're carrying a child. Everything's so special and pure, and the other person means everything to you."
[20:19] <Jaela> Huh. Well, her intuition is allowed to be wrong, and Jaela shrugs. "Raincheck? Pick wherever you wanna go and we'll do that after the next evil dragon we take out, Misalea."
[20:21] <Kotono> "I will," Misalea looks to Mirima, "Go. I'm qualified to be the leader now, so you really have no excuse not to go."
[20:22] <Kotono> Mirima snorts and rises, "I wasn't going to say no after that," she retorts, and sliding into Elven, "Watch over the children and future of our art, Misalea."
[20:22] <Kotono> "I shall, until the last tree falls and the earth turns to dust," Misalea confirms in the same language.
[20:25] <Jaela> That's way too solemn for a simple goodbye, and Jaela hopes the two aren't embarrassed when they see each other a few days later, safe and sound. "Hold down the fort!" she tells her mother and Misalea, and then with a final wave at the two heads towards the gates.
[20:31] <Kotono> The trio heads towards the gates, with a momentary pause for Mirima to fetch a few things. Once done the three head to the gates, "Where are we going?" Mirima asks, "Somewhere in this realm - Ysgard, I believe?" Here she pauses, "I hardly believe this is the afterlife. I suppose I read of it once or twice, but to be a few steps away from going out into it?"
[20:34] <Jaela> "Crazy, huh? Out of all the afterlives to fight in, though, it's simply the best! Anyway, yeah, we're going to another place in Ysgard. You know how the Aurora is a demi plane? There is another one sorta like it except way larger and stronger, and I pretty much got an invite to it. I figure we'll plane shift through Astral to a point about couple hours away from it and approach the gates properly, then see from there."
[20:39] <Kotono> "Oh?" Dana looks over at Jaela, "Where'd you get the invitation from?"
[20:40] <Jaela> "Some dragon fey elf dude."
[20:41] <Kotono> "That's a remarkable statement," Mirima observes, "How does that even work?"
[20:42] <Jaela> "Magic."
[20:44] <Kotono> Dana giggles, "Is that what you mean by  making them hardcore, Jaela?"
[20:44] <Kotono> Mirima nods, "I expected nothing less. I can't imagine a dragon and a fey..."
[20:45] * Jaela laughs herself. "I dunno, but he pretty much seemed that way. I guess he's following Seira so she probably cheated with her powers to get him that way? But it's definitely magic."
[20:45] <Kotono> "You know," Dana glances, "How is using your powers cheating in the first place?"
[20:46] <Jaela> "Not, like, ethically. But cheating around the normal rules of magic, you get me? Say how we're merging that Dragon's Ego thing to the Aurora. Two demiplanes shouldn't be able to do that, but we're doing that, so we're pretty much cheating with crazy magic no one else short of gods has."
[20:51] <Kotono> "Well, if you can do it with magic," Dana points out, "How is it cheating in the first place? I mean, fuck, if magic can do it that means it's in the normal rules of magic, isn't it? It doesn't logically follow that if you do something with magic, it's outside the capacities of magic."
[20:51] <Kotono> Mirima raises an eyebrow, "Is it possible with mortal magic? I've seen much magic, and I still often find spells that I never imagined existed."
[20:53] <Jaela> "Mirima's got it," Jaela says, nodding at the elf. "Not all magic's the same. Some things, they just stay restricted unless you're a goddess or some high placed angel or whichever." She glances about, deeming them to be sufficiently away now. "Ready for the double plane shift?"
[20:56] <Kotono> "Ready," Mirima agrees. Dana shrugs, "I'll take your word for it."
[20:57] <Jaela> The place on Astral doesn't really matter, although Jaela focuses on where Elrisa's tower used to be. Then, she aims for a spot on Ysgard a couple hours's walk away from the entrance to Sylica.
[21:02] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 20." [1d100=20]
[21:03] <Kotono> On appearing in the Astral, a shadow looms over you! You barely have time to sense the timelessness of the Silver Sea, as a giant looms over out! A giant in chainmail and with a white beard, tall enough to be seven of Jaela, stacked atop each other! It carries a huge hammer slung over one shoulders, eyes nothing but pools of white. "Eh?" The voice of the huge creature booms, peering
[21:03] <Kotono> down.
[21:05] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23 and gets 26." [1d20=3]
[21:06] <Jaela> "Heya," Jaela greets the giant. "Weird how we ran into each other, huh?"
[21:07] <Kotono> "Shit!" Dana curses, "What the FUCK?!"
[21:07] <Kotono> Mirima merely looks up...and up...and up...and up...and up.
[21:08] <Kotono> In a voice that booms over the entire Silver Sea, "I smell a celestial," he declares, "A tiny little angel."
[21:09] <Jaela> "That's me!" she calls back. "Are you strong?"
[21:19] <Kotono> "Stronger than you," He booms back, "Move."
[21:23] <Jaela> "Bitch, please," Jaela says dismissively, giving the giant her best confident grin. "Wanna make me?"
[21:25] <Kotono> "Jaela," Mirima murmurs, "There is bravery and there is folly!"
[21:25] <Kotono> Dana just grins and cracks her knuckles.
[21:27] <Jaela> "We're recruiting for a Crusade against devils," Jaela speaks up, making sure to have her voice carry over. "How else are we gonna find strong guys to join up?"
[21:34] <Kotono> "Hah!" The giant mockingly laughs, "Suicidal bravado." He hovers down, his face as tall as Jaela as he lines it up with your bodies. His breath is like a hot typhoon of air, "Listen to the wise elf. This hammer is what I use when I desire to handicap myself. My magic is far, far stronger than any weapon I could swing, celestial."
[21:36] * Jaela is about to retort when she glances at Mirima. She pauses, then, and shrugs. "You know what? Sure thing. We don't have any problem with you so it's not like I have to pick the fight. But you, with your Celestial, Celestial crap. Got a problem with that? Cause my name's Jaela, and you might as well use it."
[21:39] <Kotono> "Oh, such bravery!" Laughing with an entirely mocking tone now, "Jaela then. I reside in Westenrock Castle. If you're as powerful, resourceful and potent as you think you are, you can find this place. If you can reach there and find me, I'll reward you well."
[21:40] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23+15 this one I really want to know
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23+15 this one I really want to know and gets 43." [1d20=5]
[21:44] * Jaela snorts. "Limbo? We gals got a date in Ysgard, but I'll be sure to stop by after." Giving the titan a mocking bow, Jaela takes hold of Mirima and Dana and plane shifts the three of them back to Ysgard to their original destination.
[21:49] <Kotono> Woosh! In an instant you are on the rugged mountains of Ysgard, "Damn," Dana says, "He'll think you have balls the size of church bells instead of a hole, Jaela!"
[21:50] <Kotono> Mirima sniffs, "That was...discerting," she admits, "I thank the Elffather that he did not take offense. That was not an easy battle, I am certain of it."
[21:52] <Jaela> "I know how dangerous it is to get carried away," Jaela assures the two of them. "So I'm plenty focused on what we set out to do. Kicking the ass of a titan comes after." They are back in Ysgard, and she does what she should have before leaving and bestows Fortunate Fate on Mirima and Dana before covering herself as well. "I guess it's another reason why it's good that we all came together, Mirima? I know it wouldn't be a breeze to fight that guy, but I'm actually pretty strong."
[22:07] <Kotono> "Still..." Trailing off, "A battle that is avoided is a victory. I saw friends go into the next life because of battles that could have been avoided honorably."
[22:09] <Jaela> "We're pretty much on a training trip to better ourselves, though," Jaela muses in response, taking a moment to orient herself. Once she knows the direction they have to take, she starts walking slowly towards their destination. "And I'm always recruiting strong, worthy people! How else can we test ourselves and our potential allies?"
[22:14] <Kotono> As you begin to walk, Mirima doesn't really reply. She lets a silence take over, "I will respect your judgment," she replies, as you begin to walk up the rocky ways ahead.
[22:16] <Jaela> "I'll just have to show you that the trust's deserved."
[22:25] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 87." [1d100=87]
[22:25] <Kotono> roll 1d100 subtables
[22:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 subtables and gets 60." [1d100=60]

[Corwin]

[19:57] <Kozzzzz> Hours pass as you travel along the hard, rugged path. The air is thin and cold, bracing against you and drawing out goosebumps. Ahead is a high cliff, entirely sheer. According to what Jaela knows, high up is a cave that should lead to Sylica.
[19:58] <Jaela> "Right." She pauses, observing the area. "I'm the only one who can fly, yeah? What about short ranged teleports?"
[20:07] <Kozzzzz> "You could just carry us," Dana smirks, "Surely two petite maidens aren't too heavy for you to carry?"
[20:08] <Jaela> "Both at once? What am I, a flying troll?" Jaela rolls her visible eye, however, and turns towards Mirima. "May I?" she asks, extending a hand to her.
[20:15] <Kozzzzz> Mirima takes that hand, "You may," she smiles, "Go ahead."
[20:17] * Jaela picks the elf up in a princess carry and takes off for the top! Her eyes meet Dana's as she ascends and she nods briefly; her return will be quick.
[20:18] <Kozzzzz> Up and up you ascend! Mirima curls up with a hint of a smile, "You are strong," she murmurs quietly, against the whipping wind as you fly up.
[20:20] <Jaela> "Training," Jaela responds with an answering smile. "And I finally commissioned an armor from Afina that fits me a lot better. I couldn't really move well in full plate. Half the time, it was like I was working against it instead of with it."
[20:26] <Kozzzzz> "It fits your form well," Mirima murmurs with an appreciative smile, "Perhaps I can try it on myself later, for it looks entirely fetching."
[20:29] <Jaela> "Thanks! And it'd look pretty good on you, no question about it!"
[20:33] <Kozzzzz> "I'd be glad to show you how it looks on me," Mirima says with a pleasant smile, as you ascend up! Far up there is the cave - as you fly up it comes into view with you after a moment of haziness, clearing as it reveals itself.
[20:35] <Jaela> All the trip they had made on foot was their way of requesting entrance to this divine realm, but Jaela makes sure to ask permission in her mind once more before she touched down in the cave proper. "I'll hold you to that," she promises.
[20:45] <Kozzzzz> Mirima merely smiles back again, looking about the cave. It's a fairly shallow cave - ahead is what looks to be a simple portal. Nothing remarkable there, really, at least on first glance.
[20:47] <Jaela> "I'll be back with Dana in a flash," Jaela promises, and then steps back and jumps off the ledge. She uses her wings to glide down towards her knight friend, enjoying the chance to simply fly for fun.
[20:53] <Kozzzzz> On reachign down Dana is awaiting, "C'mon already, I want to see what the fuss is about."
[20:54] <Jaela> "It's a cave. S'got a portal in it," Jaela spoils it for her with a grin, picking Dana up much the same way she had Mirima before. And then, they're off for the top!
[21:03] <Kozzzzz> Up and up and up! You reach the cave without incident, Dana hopping off. "So this is it, and through is Sylica?"
[21:04] <Jaela> "Short of something weird happening," Jaela responds. "Alright, I'll lead. Let's go!"
[21:21] <Kozzzzz> Into the portal do the trio go! For a moment there is a sensation of warmth and life, of vitality filling you. Sunshine. You come out through a massively tall gateway, set into the side of a steep clifface. You are surrounded by a gently rolling valley, sloping downwards. Far ahead you can see a beautiful, bright city around a river, of wide, clear streets and plazas. Farther ahead on
[21:21] <Kozzzzz> the horizon, a mountain towers to the peaks of the sky. It glistens like freshly cut opal, the peak glowing with the same radiance.
[21:23] <Jaela> For a few moments, Jaela just admires the scenery, much like on her visits to Arborea. She's not on the clock, and all that beauty exists to be appreciated.
[21:23] <Jaela> But then the feeling passes, and she glances at her companions. "The city's our best bet, I think. How about we rendezvous with the river and follow it there?"
[21:26] <Kozzzzz> Mirima stares ahead, spellboundf or a time. Dana just whistles once and turns to Jaela, "Sounds good."
[21:29] <Jaela> This time it would be too much of a pain to carry Dana and Mirima separately, and Jaela simply wraps her left arm around Mirima's waist, doing the same for Dana with her right. "Hold on tight, we'll just glide down together," she announces, and then leaps off the plateau.
[21:38] <Kozzzzz> Mirima puts her head against Jaela's shoulder as Dana merely hangs on, as the duo fly down! As yo ufly down you hardly see a need - there's easy footholds built into the cliff face that you can notice now, and at the bottom you see a pleasant bank of sun-warmed sand.
[21:40] * Jaela laughs as she touches down. How thoughtful of the hosts! But she had plenty of fun with the glide, so she hardly regrets her actions. The realm is pleasant and they know where they should be going. They can certainly take their time and enjoy the trip, she muses.
[21:45] <Kozzzzz> Mirima laughs as well, "It's nicer than Ysgard," she says, "Less cold." She takes in a deep breath of air, "It's sweeter than the air of even my homeland," she murmurs, "How is that possible?"
[21:46] <Jaela> "It's a divine realm," Jaela responds. "That makes it a kind of heaven, same as Ysgard or Arvandor. Heavens just cheat like that with your senses."
[21:48] <Kozzzzz> "It's still fuckin' nice." Dana admits, stretching as her armor glows. "You know...I just realized. I want to end up somewhere like this." She blink-blinks, "I mean, I knew they were nice but boring, but why wouldn't I want to come here when it's all over?"
[21:50] <Jaela> "Boring?" Jaela snorts. "Heavens are places. What makes it fun are the kind of people you are around, and even Celestia's got a bunch of awesome guys to hang around, from what I heard." She grins at Dana. "Good to hear you're finally getting that through your thick skull!"

[Corwin]

[19:44] <Kotono> As you say just that about Dana's skull, it comes from above. A tiny pixie, clad in a green dress and with bright purple hair. It perches on Dana's head, giggles following. "Hi there!" she introduces herself right away, "You're new visitors, aren't you?"
[19:46] <Jaela> "That's right," Jaela responds, grinning at their welcoming committee. "Jaela of the Aurora, and these are Dana," she nods at the pixie's perch, before glancing to her left, "and Mirima."
[19:47] <Kotono> "Bethany," The pixie introduces herself, as Dana rolls her eyes up to get a look. "Welcome! You'll like it here, it's wonderful!" Just like that she's off, flying off and above with a cheery wave.
[19:48] <Kotono> Dana watches her fly off, "Sometimes, you have to realize what happened is so strange that you can only say what the fuck and move on," Dana casually shrugs, "So anyway, nice greeting. We're heading to that city over there, right? Any particular goal here or just ask around?"
[19:49] <Jaela> "Strength of Light's got a reputation," Jaela responds, starting to walk in the river's direction. "He has to, with that sorta name. So asking around pretty much works, yeah."
[19:51] <Kotono> OOC: Going to head into town and GI then?
[19:52] <Jaela> OOC: Sure, unless someone encounters me
[19:53] <Kotono> OOC: Go ahead and roll. I'll have Dana and Mirima aid.
[19:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Dana aids
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Dana aids and gets 8." [1d20=5]
[19:54] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22+15
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22+15 and gets 41." [1d20=4]
[19:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 Mirima tries
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Mirima tries and gets 14." [1d20=8]
[20:00] <Kotono> You wander briefly. It is a city of broad, clean streets and beautiful plazas. The sun shines but not too warm, just enough to caress your skin and soothe away any aches you have. The colors of the realm are bright, vibrant with life. The air is sweet and clean. You wander a bit, past angels and celestials of all stripes. Mortals as well and odder creatures yet. One house has spiderwebs
[20:00] <Kotono> for windows, a sign outsider advertising 'Phase Spider Silk'. Mirima pauses here a moment, "Spider's silk? Fine spider's silk is worth twice its weight in gold...or was, before the war."
[20:01] <Jaela> "Want to stop by and take a look?" Jaela offers, lingering by the sign herself. She glances over at Mirima. "Maybe we could get some for armor or nice clothing."
[20:05] <Kotono> "No." Mirima replies, "Only marveling. Before the war, that shop's contents could buy entire quarters of a full elven city, if it is strongly and reliably stocked."
[20:06] <Kotono> "Eh." Dana looks on at it, "Silk's fucking boring, anyway. Urgh. Daddy thought a woman's warddrobe should be nothing but silk and satin. I'd rather wear two sets of full plate or nothing at all than another damn overpretty court dress."
[20:09] <Jaela> "I think it's good for making clothes that work like armor against ghosts," Jaela muses. "Isn't that the best? Looking like you're helpless when you're really ready for anything?" But since neither of her companions have any interest, she decides to keep on going. "Before the war, huh? I used to think in those terms myself."
[20:11] <Kotono> "Before the war we were a proud nation and a proud order." Mirima says, mirth slowly leaving her voice along with wonder. "I doubt I'll ever stop thinking of it that way."
[20:14] <Jaela> "I think your order's still plenty proud," Jaela states. "S'long as you trust my eye for skill, at least. But for where it goes for home? I thought it myself. Say we free Lifasa, and get our burnt out husk of a world back. Say we find a way to make it a green paradise again, while we're at it. Even then it still won't be home again. You can't regain that once you lose it. So I figure the Aurora's my home now, and that's that. It can be yours too."
[20:20] <Kotono> As you wander and chat ,something catches your eye. A tucked away little cafe off the main roads, a glass window showing small, white, metal wrought tables and chairs within. The smell of sweet things wafts out from it, making your stomachs rumble.
[20:21] <Jaela> "I think I just found a good spot for lunch," Jaela announces, nudging Dana's shoulder and pointing out the cafe. "Come on, it's my treat."
[20:25] <Kotono> "No argument, sold," Dana says as the trio heads inside. It's quiet in here - no one else is in right now, save for a single woman who sits at a table. She wears a plain black cloak, hood pushed back. She's into her middle age and human, sipping a cup of steaming hot tea. Her black hair is greying and cut respectably short, as she rises. "Oh, early guests! Please, be seated."
[20:27] <Jaela> Early guests? That's for people with steady jobs. Grinning at the woman, Jaela claims a table by the windows, saying, "Don't mind if I do."
[20:29] <Kotono> Dana follows, "What smells so good?"
[20:29] <Kotono> Mirima takes a seat, putting her blade down to rest against it. "You live in this realm? Are you a spirit?"
[20:30] <Jaela> Petitioner seems likely, but Jaela doesn't intend to butt in and answer the question instead of the hostess.
[20:30] <Kotono> "Cakes, candy and other sweet things," The older woman smiles a bit as she comes over, "No, only a pentient who fills her free days doing something she'd never have lowered herself to do before. I am entirely flesh and blood yet."
[20:33] <Jaela> "Cake, then?" Jaela glances at Dana and Mirima before returning her eye to the hostess. "I'm good with the special, whatever it is."
[20:36] <Kotono> Your hostess goes back and fetches some. A rich chocolate cake, a slice to each of you. She takes the final seat at the table and joins you, "Are you new to Sylica?" she asks, "You appear as travelers."
[20:37] <Jaela> "Yeah. I guess it does show? Name's Jaela. We've only been here... what, a few hours, tops?"
[20:40] <Kotono> "Ebony," Ebony introduces herself, "I've gotten to know the people of this realm well. So what brings you to Sylica?"
[20:40] <Kotono> "Dana," Dana adds after a bite of cake, lickin gher lips after. She sighs happily, Mirima taking  abite as well. She matches that sigh, "I missed sweet things," she murmurs, mostly to herself nad sounding content.
[20:42] * Jaela tries the cake as well, first of all. There is no rush, all things considered. "Strength of Light does, first and foremost," she finally says. "We're looking to find him. After? I really dunno. Maybe there'll be a chance to see if anyone wants to join our Crusade. But since it's bad form to recruit in a divine realm we'll have to figure out how to ask about that sorta stuff, so it can wait."
[20:45] <Kotono> It's amazingly good! It's chocolate and sweetness and oh wow. It makes you feel good inside, even as the flavor is intense and lingering, like a sweet kiss. "Strength of Light isn't hard to find if you have business with him," Ebony replies, "But what of this Crusade now?"
[20:47] * Jaela licks her lips before she's even aware of doing so and forcibly puts a stop to that. The urge to take another bite of chocolate cake is much harder to resist, however, and Jaela gives in to it. "It's our Crusade against the Hells. We're trying to free our world from occupation and push them back from wherever they're going for a foothold."
[20:53] <Kotono> "Ah, I see." Ebony's reply is openly curious, "Oh yes, the Medicant Fortress? I do believe I'd heard stories of it lately. Tell me, why are you opposing the Hells and what are your aims?"
[20:56] * Jaela coughs. "Aurora. It's the Aurora." But Ebony's hardly the first or the last who will make that mistake, and she just keeps going.
[20:56] <Jaela> "The why of it is kinda silly, don't you think? I mean, it's the Hells. They oppress you. That's what they do. But I guess not everyone takes up arms against them. For us, our world of Lifasa got invaded and taken over so we're going to free it. Then we'll free Benfal. Then we'll keep on doing it till we push the devils into a retreat. Change's possible, innit? It's just very hard. But you can push them back, or Androlynne wouldn't be a name everyone heard of."
[21:01] <Kotono> There's an entire stop there, Ebony looking up from a halfway to her mouth bite of cake on the word 'Benfal'. "Oh, so it's..." she begins, "Strength of Light is on the Opal Mountain - it's the mountain on the horizon. He's running a bunch of Devas through some training, about midway up or so. Don't try and go too far up - the higher peaks are forbidden."
[21:03] <Jaela> "How do we know where to stop?" Jaela asks, taking another bite of cake. Her eye has a calculating look in it as she peers at her hostess, now, however.
[21:04] <Kotono> "The opal light becomes blinding," Ebony replies, "You'll get a warning of sorts if you try and go too high. As long as you don't try and push it you'll be fine."
[21:07] <Jaela> "Mmm." Her slice is almost gone and Jaela savors what remains. She plays with her spoon in an attempt to delay the question, but it really must be asked at this point. "You know about Benfal," she states. "No, more than that. You've got a vested interest in it. Are you a survivor, too?"
[21:09] <Kotono> "I'm not. Just...someone who made a lot of mistakes when she was young." Ebony looks off, out the window and to the sky. "I was lucky - I escaped the grasp of Mephistopheles despite embracing Hell. I got a second chance."
[21:11] * Jaela shakes her head. "With all the Fallen we keep running into, it's nice to hear about some counter examples."
[21:11] <Kotono> Meanwhile your friends busy themselves with the cake, listening and eating.
[21:16] <Kotono> "They do exist," Ebony says, "I know an angel here who was born an erinyes," Fiddling with her fork a few moments, "It takes exceptional circumstances...but Alicia was an exceptional mortal, from all accounts."
[21:20] <Jaela> "It's hard not to hear about that," Jaela agrees. "I guess that's why we're here. You know. Trying to become exceptional, instead of just pretty damn good." It's not a particularly comfortable subject for her, however, so she decides to change it. "So yeah, say we train with Strength of Light and then decide to see about recruitment. As a local, do you know who we could ask about that? Just expecting the goddesses will see us is all sorts of arrogant, so I wonder if there's anyone more accessible."
[21:29] <Kotono> "It's possible if you try. Alicia and Syala are more relatable than other deities. They aren't so overwhelming and otherly." Tapping her plate down as she puts her for down, "Go to Strength of Light and start there. You'd be best going alone and act brave."
[21:32] * Jaela blinks. "Huh. For real?" She glances at Dana and Mirima, before shaking her head. "Nah. Even if it boosts my chances I don't wanna do that by abandoning my friends. Thanks anyway, though." The cake's been eaten, and so she glances at her plate briefly before raising her eye once more to look at Ebony. "How much do I owe you?"
[21:38] <Kotono> "It's free. We don't need or bother with money here for little things. The realm provides. The land cares for us, as if we were all her children." Rising and gathering the empty plates, "There are forges and magical shops here if you decidely wish to part with some coin."
[21:40] <Jaela> "We're pretty covered where that goes," Jaela says, shaking her head. She stands up. "But thanks! We'll try to stop by after the mountain climb."
[21:43] <Kotono> With that the trio part...or at least Mirima does. Dana lingers, going to whisper something to Ebony.
[21:44] <Jaela> "How are you at mountain climbing?" Jaela takes that chance to ask Mirima, waiting for Dana outside.
[21:45] <Kotono> "Not very," Mirima shakes her head as Ebony hands Dana a bit of paper, which the violent princess pockets. Once done she trots out, "So how are we doing this mountain climb?"
[21:47] <Jaela> "No idea," Jaela admits, starting to head towards the very visible mountain in the distance. "If there's a trail, we just follow it up. It didn't sound like the mountain was made for training, just that it was used for that. So it's probably possible for people to get reasonably up, divine realm or not. Even Celestia's climbable by mortals, I hear. But if we get stuck anyway-- hey, how much do you weigh, Princess?"
[21:52] <Kotono> "With armor? Around 200 pounds," Dana says, hand son her hips, "Gonna carry us both around like we're booty you're taking to your lair, Jaela?"
[21:53] <Jaela> "Tempting. Mirima, you'd be around a third of that?"
[21:55] <Kotono> "About," Mirima says carefully, "My, you are strong and commanding," she says with a teasing little smile.
[21:55] <Kotono> "Whatever," Dana shrugs that off, "I don't mind being carried at least. Better than climbing."
[21:56] <Jaela> "I can make it pretty easily," Jaela says after tallying it all in her head. "I'll need to go a bit slower than usual, maybe, but it'll be fine." She grins at Mirima, before asking Dana, "Did you get the recipe?"
[22:03] <Kotono> "Hell yes." Dana holds up that bit of paper, "It says that part of the realm makes it taste so good, but we can get close if we try with this."
[22:04] <Jaela> "Nice!"
[22:08] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 31." [1d100=31]
[22:08] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 63." [1d100=63]
[22:08] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 28." [1d100=28]
[22:17] <Kotono> Up and up and up and up and up and up and up you fly! The Opal Mountain is bright. You do occasionally glimpse pathways, but they often snake into caves or around bends. As you ascend, yo ucome to a plateau. Here dozens of angels are at battle! They clash viciously, fighting all out amid each other! Far above this a single angel watches. He is muscular and toned, topless and his bottom
[22:17] <Kotono> covered in cloth and steel. His wings are snow white, gaze already on you as you fly up.
[22:20] * Jaela alights on the plateau and lets go of Dana and Mirima so that they can find their own footing. Once that's been taken care off, she returns the flying astral deva's gaze evenly and raises an eyebrow.
[22:23] <Kotono> In an instant, he stands before you. A heavy mace is in one hand, "So," He looks each of you over, "You dare to interrupt my training, do you? I see three celestial blooded with the testicles most men lack, the courage to interrupt me! Why have you come here, Jaela of Aurora?"
[22:26] <Jaela> Jaela finds herself holding Gae Trocaire in answer to that mace. The challenging words, however, deserve a response of their own. "You know about me? Good, that makes it easier. This guy at the Cauldron, Donald, said that if I beat you black and blue you'll give me a few pointers on how to do it better next time around." She grins at him. "Don't tell me he got my hopes up for nothing."
[22:28] <Kotono> "Hah. You want me to teach you?" His mace vanishes, "You aren't ready for that. Everyone starts at the beginning - even Alicia did. If you're serious about this, keep up with me." With that he takes to the air, flying back towards Mercia!
[22:29] <Jaela> "Fuck. I'll be back!" Gae Trocaire is stowed away, and Jaela leaps off after the deva. Flying down is easy enough, and keeping up won't be an issue!
[22:34] <Kotono> Strength of Light is fast! Really fast! You struggle to keep up and keep him in sight, as he swoops down and ahead! He zips past Mercia as Jaela continues to struggle, heading back towards the Felic Gate you came in through.
[22:36] * Jaela can only grit her teeth and try to strain her wings to their fullest. There must be a point to this, so all she has to do is hold out!
[22:37] <Kotono> OOC: Make a fortitude save?
[22:38] <Jaela> roll 1d20+35
[22:38] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+35 and gets 44." [1d20=9]
[22:39] <Kotono> The pain in your wings is sharp, but you endure and fly on! Strength of Light stops before the Gate, turning to watch you approach, awaiting.
[22:40] * Jaela touches down far more heavily than she would have wished, cracking the stone with the impact.
[22:42] <Kotono> "You're in this alone then?" Strength of Light replies, "If you want your friends, go get them now."
[22:43] * Jaela takes a few deep breaths and then straightens up. "Of course I do! But I couldn't bring them and keep up!" She pauses, and eyes Strength of Light. "Unless you kept your speed down to mine, and would've done the same even then. Is this what's going on?"
[22:45] <Kotono> "Go get them, I'll wait." So he says, looking back towards the Opal Mountain. "This is the softest part of the training. If this is a problem for you, you should reconsider now."
[22:46] <Jaela> "Nah, I can take it," Jaela says, shaking her head. She flaps her wings a few times, and rises off the ground. "I just want you to be straight with me, is all. I suck at riddles anyway. Be right back!" And then she's off again to collect Dana and Mirima!
[22:48] <Kotono> Dana and Mirima await, the former piping up, "So what was that about?" she asks as Jaela reaches them.
[22:49] <Jaela> "Our training starts at the gate," Jaela responds, picking them up. "Hold on!" And she takes off once more, as her wings get more of an exorcise than they had for years.
[22:49] <Kotono> The return trip to the gate is without incident. Once you reach there, Strength of Light nods and travels through.
[22:50] * Jaela follows suit with a shrug.
[22:51] <Kotono> Through the portal you go, Ysgard's cold air hitting yo uagain. Strength of Light holds his hand out, "We'll be teleporting now to your first challenge. All the challenges are in Ysgard, so fear not death, only failure."
[22:52] <Jaela> "Failure's intimidating enough," Jaela agrees, grasping his hand without any delay. "We'll be sure to avoid it!"
[22:55] <Kotono> "Yes," Mirima adds, as the world shifts around you! You stand in a cool cave. The walls have a faint light to them, enough to see. To your sides are cubbies in the wall, hidden by curtains. Ahead of you lies a silver-wrought portal, "The first trial is through that portal. Your goal is to find the vein of rubies past that portal and bring one back to me. You may not bring anything in
[22:55] <Kotono> with you. Change in the cubbies there, there are boxes to hold your possessions."
[22:57] <Jaela> Change into what? Jaela muses that she'll find out, dismissing her armor into her gauntlet as she heads for the centermost cubby. Clad only in her underclothes, she pushes the curtain aside and steps through.
[22:58] <Kotono> Dana mutters something but takes a cubby, as does Mirima. There's a plain unisex smock of sackcloth hanging in there, above several boxes.
[22:59] * Jaela snorts, ripping a piece of the sleeve to serve as a makeshift eyepatch. She quickly removes what little clothing she has remaining and places it in the box, before dressing up in the smock. Once ready, all that remains is for her to step outside.
[23:00] <Kotono> Jaela is first, followed moments later by Mirima. She wears the sackcloth like a royal gown, strutting ahead. "Blade or not, I will triumph," she declares, "My art is strong."
[23:02] <Jaela> "Yo, Dana, need help with that plate?" Jaela calls over to the last of their number. She nods at Mirima as she waits for the answer, saying, "Your style's good for this sort of improvisation, and my magic'll breech any remaining gap."
[23:03] <Kotono> "Good spirit," Strength of Light says, "Few every pass these trials. You'd best live up to those words," he says, "The last who did was Alicia. You have a hard act to follow." Meanwhile Dana calls out, "I about have it, hold on!"
[23:04] <Jaela> "I'm definitely on the right track, then," Jaela asserts.
[23:06] <Kotono> A few moments later Dana emerges, wearing the sackcloth. She shifts her shoulders with it on, itching at her shoulder. "We will see. Come back with a ruby despite the many challenges ahead of yo uand we'll talk. Her first challenge was surviving an entire way in a grand melee atop a burning volcano. Take heart, t his isn't quite as hard."
[23:08] * Jaela will have to see about the deva taking her more seriously once they're successful. But saying anything before that will just sound like boasts and wouldn't be worth her time. "I'm ready. Let's go!"
[23:09] <Kotono> "Let's," Dana says, going into a trot and through the portal! Mirima follows, stepping through as well!
[23:09] * Jaela follows them in!
[23:12] <Kotono> You stept hrough the portal! It's warm here - really rather warm. The walls are ashy looking black stone - you stand before an empty silver-wrought portal frame, no portal to be seen. Mirima and Dana are ahead - neither with anything on, even the sackcloth changed into. Mirima is blushing from head to toe, covering herself with her hands and arms. Dana has her arms crossed, a foul look on her face, "Oh great, one of those portals," she mutters, "Fucking sadistic training asshole, probably's laughing to himself while we try and survive suicidal odds without protection!"
[23:14] <Jaela> "The mighty protection of the sackcloth?" Jaela asks acidly, before her grin returns. "Forget that bastard, let's go." She approaches Mirima and puts her hand on the elf's shoulder. "It's no different than the Aurora's open air bath. Don't worry about it."
[23:17] <Kotono> "It's the point of it," Mirima murmurs, slowly letting her hands drop. Meanwhile Dana mutters, "I wonder if the self righteous asshole takes the stick out of his ass long enough to do this to the guys who train under him too, or if it just happens to be all the beautiful fucking women?" Marching along and swearing profusely, "Oh, he'd better not be watching or I'll shove his crystal ball up his urethra, up ot his bladder then fucking shatter in there so he pisses glass for a week!"
[23:18] * Jaela pats Mirima again and then lets go. "Alright. Before we go off like that, just cast any spells you have that'll help. Anything with duration of hours is pro."
[23:20] <Kotono> "Then when he pisses out the glass, I'll shove it up his nose and give his brain a pissglass injection!" Dana finishes, making a fist and swinging. Meanwhile Mirima quickly clears her throat, "I can bestow mage's armor on both of you. I already have it on myself."
[23:21] <Jaela> "Let's do it," Jaela agrees. "And keep an eye out for any weapons. Even sticks and stones will break someone's back once I enchant them, and I've got plenty of spells left in me."

[Corwin]

[18:15] <Kotono> Mirima pauses to cast, invisible fields of force surrounding the other two women. Ahead is a narrow, low-ceilinged cave path. OOC: What marching ordeR?
[18:17] <Jaela> OOC: Mirima first, I'll follow close by, Dana last. Also, can Mirima cast False Life on herself?
[18:17] <Kotono> OOC: It's assumed to be precast.
[18:18] <Kotono> roll 1d10+6
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d10+6 and gets 11." [1d10=5]
[18:18] <Kotono> OOC: Add those two to topic HP, make sure to adjust for no con boosters.
[18:19] <Kotono> On the three travel. The tunnel stretches a way before it comes to an intersection - a path going to the left and a ladder build into the side of the wall to the right, leading into a tunnel going up.
[18:22] <Kotono> "I say we go up," Dana says after a moment, "See if it gets colder or warmer. We're underground, so we might be close to a volcano or something. Ysgard has lots of those."
[18:23] <Jaela> "Yeah, let's try the ladder," Jaela agrees. "If it's just the same tunnels up above, we'll try the other path first."
[18:24] <Kotono> Mirima crosses her arms, giving her a semblance of decency. "I only hope there aren't any intelligent creatures here." Going to the ladder and starting to climb, "I'll never live it down if I have to face opponents leering at me while we fight."
[18:24] * Jaela shrugs, not that bothered herself. "Not like you've got anything to be ashamed of."
[18:25] <Kotono> "Oh yeah," Dana waits for Jaela, taking up the rear, "I did this a few times before, too. Damn breasts get in the way without a breastplate."
[18:26] <Jaela> "I'm not surprised," Jaela comments with a snort.
[18:26] <Kotono> "I'll take your warning," Mirima sighs as she climbs up and up - the ladder only goes about 20ft up, emptying out into another tunnel. It's mildly cooler in this tunnel, stretching ahead like the last. It's darker in here - pitch black, not that this bothers Jaela at the last.
[18:26] <Kotono> "And what doe sthat mean?" Dana retorts.
[18:27] <Jaela> "You come off as a closet exhibitionist," Jaela tells her with a grin, throwing a glance back at Dana.
[18:27] * Jaela takes stock of their situation, however, and asks, "Can everyone still see well enough?"
[18:28] <Kotono> "How the hell did I do that?" Dana gives Jaela a look, "Yeah, just fine." Mirima concurs, "The darkness holds no secrets to me."
[18:29] <Jaela> In lieu of an answer, Jaela pauses to think. "Just where can rubies be found, anyway?" she voices, going through her memories of anything she might've read about it. "He mentioned veins or somesuch?"
[18:30] <Kotono> OOC: Got ranks in anything relevant?
[18:30] <Jaela> OOC: What would be relevant?
[18:31] <Jaela> OOC: nature?
[18:31] <Kotono> OOC: Yes, let's say Nature.
[18:31] <Jaela> roll 1d20+5+15
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+5+15 and gets 22." [1d20=2]
[18:34] * Jaela pauses. "Huh. The warmer, the better, from what I recall. Let's give that level below another look, first?"
[18:34] <Kotono> The party climbs back down and takes the other passage! As you do...OOC: Make a listen check, you three?
[18:35] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Dana
[18:35] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Dana and gets 19." [1d20=16]
[18:35] <Jaela> roll 1d20+8
[18:35] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17." [1d20=9]
[18:35] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 Mirima
[18:35] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 Mirima and gets 30." [1d20=9]
[18:36] <Kotono> As you walk down the tunnel, a longer one, "Behind you, Dana!" Mirima snaps abruptly, doing a whirling leap to face backwards!
[18:38] * Jaela comes about herself, ready to strike at whoever is sneaking up on them!
[18:39] <Kotono> 5ft behind Dana, a sneaking thing is seen! It is made of glowing red rock, as if burning up inside! It is humanoid shaped and about as tall as Dana, about to strike her! OOC: Init, saved an ambush.

[18:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+6
[18:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+6 and gets 20." [1d20=14]
[18:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 red rocky
[18:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 red rocky and gets 10." [1d20=6]
[18:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 Mirima
[18:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 Mirima and gets 9." [1d20=1]
[18:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Dana
[18:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Dana and gets 18." [1d20=16]
[18:40] * Kotono changes topic to 'Jaela(20)>Dana(18)>Red Rocky(10)>Mirima(9)'
[18:40] <Kotono> OOC: Go Jaela.
[18:40] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23 arcana
[18:40] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23 arcana and gets 41." [1d20=18]
[18:46] <Jaela> Kicking the construct might be satisfying but she would probably not hurt it one bit. Jaela thus summons a spear of force to strike at it!
[18:46] <Jaela> roll 1d20+26 spiritual weapon, force
[18:46] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+26 spiritual weapon, force and gets 44." [1d20=18]
[18:46] <Jaela> roll 1d8+5
[18:46] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d8+5 and gets 12." [1d8=7]
[18:47] <Jaela> "Get behind me," she calls out to Dana then. "Just striking it won't do us any good!"
[18:49] <Kotono> The spear of force stabs the construct, chipping away flakes of rock! Dana falls back behind Jaela, withdrawing safely! A moment later the construct follows, coming headlong at Jaela and sending one big fist at her!
[18:49] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 (+2 charge, -2 PA) AC?
[18:49] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 (+2 charge, -2 PA) AC? and gets 34." [1d20=19]
[18:49] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 (+2 charge, -2 PA) AC? crit
[18:49] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 (+2 charge, -2 PA) AC? crit and gets 19." [1d20=4]
[18:49] <Jaela> OOC: 19
[18:50] <Kotono> roll 2d8+24+2d6 (2d6 is fire)
[18:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+24+2d6 (2d6 is fire) and gets 35." [2d8=4, 1][2d6=5, 1]
[18:51] <Kotono> WHAM! Jaela catches a flaming fist right in the stomach! It makes her slump forward a moment, the wind driven from her lungs as bile is sent rising up in her throat! It leaves a burning sensation where it hit, of boiling heat! OOC: Mirima.
[18:51] * Jaela hisses, but would hardly be deterred by such an attack! Instead, she prepares to retaliate!
[18:51] <Kotono> Mirima hangs back and gestures, forming three darts of light that slam into the construct!
[18:51] <Kotono> roll 3d4+3
[18:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d4+3 and gets 11." [3d4=4, 3, 1]
[18:52] <Kotono> The missiles chip off more rock, each one burrowing into the construct and bursting! Bits of steaming red blood or lava trickle out from the chip-wounds so far! OOC: Jaela, go.
[18:53] <Jaela> "Go down and stay down, bitch!" Jaela demands, her spear of force striking relentlessly at the construct!
[18:53] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23 should've been -3 before
[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23 should've been -3 before and gets 29." [1d20=6]
[18:53] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18
[18:53] <Jaela> roll 1d20+13
[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18 and gets 28." [1d20=10]
[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+13 and gets 29." [1d20=16]
[18:53] <Jaela> roll 1d20+8
[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
[18:54] <Jaela> roll 4#1d8+5 force
[18:54] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 4#1d8+5 force and gets 47." [4#1d8+5 = 11, 12, 13, 11]
[18:56] <Kotono> OOC: All hit, yes.
[18:56] <Kotono> The statue is chipped up badly, crumbling in places! It falls apart in a gush of steaming magma, cooling quickly on the floor! OOC: Free act.

[18:57] <Jaela> "Want a magical rock?" Jaela offers to Dana, picking the largest cooled down bit. "You could smash its buddies with it."
[18:59] <Kotono> "Sure, beats titsmashing them," Dana takes it and gives it a swing, "It'll do."
[19:00] * Jaela imbues it with Greater Magic Weapon, and then keeps heading down the tunnel they've been following so far.
[19:04] <Kotono> The tunnel extends on! You come to a hole in the ground, a ladder going down. Heat radiates up from the hole. Beyond the hole the passage continues, coming to a T-intersection.
[19:05] * Jaela places her hands on Dana and Mirima's shoulders, imbuing them with the ability to resist fire's harmful effects. "Let's go down below this time," she suggests. "I'll lead."
[19:08] <Kotono> Down and down and down! You come to an open room. Ahead is a great weave of flaming blades and edges, flashing in and out of existance. An ever shifting barrier - and yet it seems to be a pattern to it, a constant cycle. It's 30ft of this, the way ahead visible but mostly obscured.
[19:10] <Jaela> "Study the pattern," Jaela voices, doing the same thing herself. "I'll go first. If I don't trigger some trap after I'm past this part, come after me."
[19:12] <Kotono> The pattern is solid - and indeed, you can see a path through it. It will involve rolling, dodging, leaping, wall bouncing and speed, but you think you'd have a shot of making it. Dana whistles, "Hell, it's like trying to jump through a b arrel of swords and not get cut up."
[19:13] <Jaela> "Do your best!"
[19:13] <Jaela> And then Jaela is off!
[19:14] <Jaela> roll 1d20+7+15 tumble?
[19:14] <Kotono> OOC: Dex check.
[19:14] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+7+15 tumble? and gets 26." [1d20=4]
[19:14] <Jaela> OOC: If just dex then a total of 6
[19:15] <Kotono> Jaela leaps through, bouncing off the first wall...and misaiming, right into blades! Agony fills her as she is cut, sent pingponging through the blades like a blender! She can hear a shout from Mirima as...
[19:15] <Kotono> roll 20d6+20d6 (first 20d6 is physical damage and the second 20d6 is fire damage)
[19:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6+20d6 (first 20d6 is physical damage and the second 20d6 is fire damage) and gets 152." [20d6=5, 4, 1, 4, 4, 4, 6, 2, 5, 6, 1, 2, 6, 2, 3, 5, 3, 5, 1, 2][20d6=2, 2, 1, 3, 2, 5, 5, 5, 6, 5, 4, 6, 6, 2, 2, 5, 6, 3, 5, 6]
[19:16] <Kotono> With searing agony Jaela is sent tumbling down in a heap back where she started, shredded adn burned like a torn up sheet of paper tossed into a fire! "JAELA!" Dana is before her, checing her over and putting her hands to a large gash in her stomach, applying pressure.
[19:16] <Kotono> A moment later Mirima is there, holding one of Jaela's legs in place as it slowly heals.
[19:17] * Jaela simply lies there limply, staring up.
[19:18] <Kotono> "Damn it!" Dana curses and drops her hands, "Bullshit, I didn't think some stupid trap would kill her!"
[19:18] <Kotono> "She's breathing," Mirima says evenly, as the wounds slooowly heal.
[19:18] <Jaela> "Not dead yet," Jaela grumbles.
[19:19] <Kotono> "Oh!" Dana quickly starts applying pressure again, wiping her bloodied hands on her sides, "Oh right, you'll heal here naturally." Stopping her efforts, "Okay, I think at least I saw what you did wrong. A little lower next time on that particular jump."
[19:20] * Jaela grunts. "Figures. Mirima, wanna give it a try next? I've got magic that should keep you safe even if you misjudge the distance."
[19:20] <Kotono> "Alright," Mirima exhales deeply, looking over the route. "I'm ready."
[19:21] <Kotono> "Don't get chopped into steaks," Dana encourages, settling in away to watch.
[19:21] * Jaela casts Fortunate Fate on her as she pulls herself up, ready to follow through if this works.
[19:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 (+2 from previous attempts watched)
[19:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 (+2 from previous attempts watched) and gets 11." [1d20=3]
[19:23] <Kotono> Mirima darts in, leaping and getting past where Jaela failed! She tumbles past a low lying blade and then...right into another! She screams as burns rack her and blood sprays all over, a wave sprinkling over the two ladies as Mirima is deposited as a bloody mess where she started.
[19:23] <Kotono> roll 20d6+20d6 physical+fire
[19:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6+20d6 physical+fire and gets 147." [20d6=6, 6, 6, 2, 5, 3, 6, 6, 6, 4, 5, 4, 6, 1, 1, 6, 6, 1, 6, 1][20d6=1, 6, 2, 3, 3, 6, 1, 2, 4, 4, 5, 1, 1, 4, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 6]
[19:25] <Jaela> "Fuck." By now Jaela is together enough to hold Mirima down and keep pressure on her wounds to return the favor.
[19:26] * Jaela glances at Dana. "Try and see if you learned anything from our fumbles?"
[19:28] <Kotono> Dana follows suit, Mirima groaning. A moment later she rises, wiping her hands off again. "I'll try. Hell, at least none of us will notice if we're about to rag," she tries with a weak smile, then focuses ahead, leaping into the fray!
[19:28] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 (+4 previous attempts)
[19:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 (+4 previous attempts) and gets 15." [1d20=9]
[19:29] <Kotono> Off Dana goes! She leaps into the air and off the wall, tumbling and then coming up into a sprint! She dodges three blades and leaps forward...and just barely clears it, reaching the other side1 "Got it!" Dana calls, seen turning back before the blinking flame blades obscure her again, "Heal up and try again. Nothing dangerous over here - take your time, don't waste your spells."
[19:29] <Jaela> "Was gonna do that!" Jaela calls back. But she does cast one spell, the one which wards her against heat and flames.
[19:30] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 68." [1d100=68]
[19:31] <Kotono> The time passes without incident. As the two of you mend, "I had hoped to see you nude in better circumstances," Mirima murmurs softly as she sits up, wounds mostly fixed now.
[19:32] * Jaela uses her prestidigitation to clean both herself and Mirima up in the meantime, having nothing better to do while she waits for Ysgard to mend their wounds. "Life works in strange ways," Jaela responds to her with her everpresent confident grin. "Let's challenge the blades again?"
[19:33] <Kotono> "I'm ready," Mirima says, "Compared to dwarf prisons, this shall be simple to overcome."
[19:33] * Jaela catches Mirima's hand at that. "Did they mistreat you in prison?"
[19:36] <Kotono> "It was...unpleasant. No sun, no nature, only cold stone. Nothing to do every day beyond meaningless physical exertions of running or walking. Boredom was everpresent," Mirima says, "We occupied our minds, bodies and souls as best we could, but it was forever an oppressive boredom.  They saw to our injuries and fed us well enough for prisoners, nor did they ever lay a hand on us, save
[19:36] <Kotono> to stop escapes or open munity. It was a torment wrapped festooned in mercy."
[19:37] <Jaela> "Doesn't sound nice," Jaela voices. "But not as horrible as it could've been. We rescued people from the lower planes." She shakes her head. "Enough of that. You're free and you're never going back there. Let's do this!"
[19:39] <Kotono> "I suppose. We at least had each other," Mirima nods, squeezing Jaela's hand before turning, "I'll go first, I have it this time."
[19:39] <Jaela> "I'm sure you do!"
[19:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13 (+6 past attempts)
[19:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 (+6 past attempts) and gets 15." [1d20=2]
[19:39] <Kotono> Thus Mirima goes! She repeats Dana's route, just barely avoiding agony and ruin, making it ot the other side with nary an inch to spare!
[19:40] * Jaela can hardly embarrass herself a second time! She follows!
[19:40] <Jaela> roll 1d20+2+8
[19:40] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+2+8 and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[19:41] <Kotono> Hopping through, Jaela repeats her past performance, minus failing! She gets through in the nick of time, safe as well! Mirima claps, "Well done," she congratulates, as farther ahead Dana is waiting, eyes fixed on the tunnel before you.
[19:41] <Jaela> "Thanks!" Jaela responds, walking past Dana and peering ahead. "Anything?"
[19:43] <Kotono> "More tunnel," Dana grunts, "C'mon. I can't see all that far in the dark - about 60 feet or so. We'll have to go make progress to be sure."
[19:44] <Jaela> Nodding at her, Jaela starts leading the way in.
[19:46] <Kotono> On you go! After about 100ft of this, you come to a level on the wall. It sits there in the up position, the hallway continuing past it. "Huh," Dana says, "A...lever. Not what I expected, but I didn't expect to run around starkers, bloody and trying to find a damn ruby today. So why not?" Turning, "So who want sto pull the lever?"
[19:48] <Jaela> "I can do something about the bloody part," Jaela says, and she does, by running her hand close to the layer of it covering Dana. Then, she asks, "You really think we should pull the lever?"
[19:50] <Kotono> "Thank you," Dana sighs as she becomes clean, "Can you think of any reason why not? If it's part of the path we need to go on, we'll need to do it anyway. If it's a trap?" Dana merely shrugs her shoulders, "It's not like we can die forever here. Maybe a death nap will cheer us up."
[19:50] <Jaela> "It could be a trap put there to kill people who can't keep their minds on the goal," Jaela points out.
[19:51] <Kotono> "It's a risk we don't need to take," Mirima says, tossing her fiery red hair with a hint of a queen's regal demeanor, "We shouldn't waste time with obvious invitations to pain. The sooner we succeed, the sooner we can re-establish our dignity."
[19:52] * Jaela tilts her head. "Yeah, I'm with Mirima on this. Let's give the tunnel a try for now. If we come up empty at the end, we'll try the lever."
[19:53] <Kotono> "Fine, let's just go," Dana says as the trio advances. Further ahead you come to another tunnel going down with a ladder. Yet more heat comes up from this hole, as the passage also continues ahead.
[19:54] * Jaela is getting slightly intimidated by the endless tunnels. "At least our clothing can't get burnt off in here," she mutters, climbing down.
[20:01] <Kotono> "Truth," Mirima says as thet rio head down! You reach a bottom again. Before you is a heavy, barred iron door. It glows red hot. Just to the side and in front of it is a small pool of boiling magma. Written above the door is the following: "Only those who bathe themselves in the boiling heat of Ysgard can advance!"
[20:02] <Kotono> Dana looks up, pauses, and reads it again. "So it wants us to...ooooh. I've always wanted to burn myself alive!" With just a hint of sarcasm, "No wait, that actually's giving me goosebumps."
[20:02] * Jaela shudders herself.
[20:03] <Kotono> Mirima shudders, even as you see gooseflesh rising up all over Dana. "Are you mad?!" Mirima sputters, "That's suicide!"
[20:04] <Jaela> "Fuck it, I'll do this," Jaela announces. "Step back in case it splashes."
[20:04] <Kotono> "Wait, I want to!" Dana speaks up, "Seriously, I like pain."
[20:06] <Jaela> "I figured we all would have to," Jaela admits. "But you know what? Fine." She imbues Dana with her second Fortunate Fate that day. "Take a deep breath, jump in, submerge yourself and then leap out. I'll do my best to keep you alive. We clear?"
[20:06] <Kotono> "Crystal," Dana waves, holding her nose as she approaches the pool, and dives in! Mirima just gawks for a few moments, before squaring hers houlders and raising her nose, only half watching.
[20:06] <Kotono> roll 20d6
[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 and gets 71." [20d6=3, 2, 1, 2, 4, 2, 2, 5, 6, 4, 3, 5, 5, 2, 3, 6, 6, 2, 2, 6]
[20:07] <Kotono> Dana sinks into the magma, flesh melting off her body! She screams as she sinks in beneath her head, then pulls herself out! The magma clings to her body, burning further!
[20:07] <Kotono> roll 10d6
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 and gets 41." [10d6=6, 1, 2, 4, 5, 3, 6, 5, 5, 4]
[20:07] * Jaela waits, ready to assist Dana with her powers of healing or pull her out, whichever turns out necessary.
[20:07] <Kotono> roll 10d6
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 and gets 40." [10d6=5, 6, 5, 3, 5, 4, 2, 4, 2, 4]
[20:08] <Kotono> Finally the burning stops, cooling rock all over Dana. She groans, face down. "Oh wow, that huuurts!" she calls, "Hurts so good, harder, hotter!"
[20:09] * Jaela shakes her head, before turning towards Mirima. "You will survive. I guarantee that. But it'll be horrible-- wanna go in together?"
[20:10] <Kotono> Mirima scrunches her face up, "If we must, Elffather help me," Sighing and approaching, taking Jaela's hand, "Had I not seen a human just survive that, I would think it impossible."
[20:12] <Jaela> "It's part of the stupid test, I just know it," Jaela assures her. And then, holding onto Mirima firmly, she matches her steps with her fellow redhead as they submerge themselves in the pool of lava.
[20:21] <Kotono> Thet wo plunge in-aaagh! FIRE! BURNS! You sink in as utter agony engulfs the pair of you!
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 20d6
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 and gets 77." [20d6=6, 1, 4, 6, 4, 3, 1, 1, 4, 3, 6, 5, 4, 3, 5, 3, 4, 6, 3, 5]
[20:22] <Jaela> Submerging yourself in lava hurts. That bit of common sense reinforced by the experience, Jaela pulls herself to her feet. Mirima is urged on up and out along with her, even if her senses left her in the face of such horrible pain!
[20:23] <Kotono> OOC: Make a climb check? Dana has a ton of ranks so she didn't have to roll since a 1 still passes the skill check for her.
[20:24] <Jaela> OOC: Mirima goes first, I'll aid her
[20:24] <Jaela> OOC: In fact, can I fly out?
[20:24] <Kotono> OOC: The pool's too narrow to use your wings.
[20:24] <Jaela> roll 1d20+5 aiding
[20:24] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+5 aiding and gets 25." [1d20=20]
[20:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 Mirima cclimb
[20:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Mirima cclimb and gets 23." [1d20=18]
[20:25] <Kotono> With Jaela's aid, Mirima is able to get out! The cooling magma burns on her, while Jaela is still submerged in agony!
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 10d6 Mirima
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 Mirima and gets 36." [10d6=6, 5, 5, 2, 3, 1, 4, 6, 1, 3]
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 20d6 Jaela go
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 Jaela go and gets 87." [20d6=5, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 6, 3, 1, 4, 3, 5, 2, 5, 3, 6, 4, 4, 3]
[20:25] * Jaela hefts herself out!
[20:25] <Kotono> OOC: Climb check.
[20:26] <Jaela> roll 1d20+5
[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+5 and gets 17." [1d20=12]
[20:26] <Kotono> Jaela gets out as well! She ends up in a burning heap, as Mirima's magma finally cools, leaving her a twitching, burnt heap!
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 10d6 both of you, one more round after this for Jaela
[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 both of you, one more round after this for Jaela and gets 32." [10d6=4, 3, 6, 1, 3, 1, 4, 3, 4, 3]
[20:27] * Jaela is content to lie on the ground and recover her strength for a minute or two.
[20:27] <Kotono> roll 10d6 last burst
[20:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 last burst and gets 29." [10d6=2, 2, 4, 4, 1, 5, 1, 2, 6, 2]
[20:28] <Kotono> As you lie there and agonizing burns fade into whole flesh, Dana grins. She lies by the pool, dipping her face adn then her hands in. She groans each time, "Oh my shiiiit!" she sighs in heady contentment, "The burning is so good!" Meanwhile Mirima looms up from her faceplanted position, "What in the name of the Seladrine is wrong with you, woman?"
[20:30] <Jaela> "Fucked if I knew," Jaela groans. "Another minute. I'm starting to feel my legs again."
[20:30] <Kotono> "Everything," Dana says as her face knits back from a horrific, burnt visage, voice slightly distorted. "Pain makes me feel so alive...god, I need to fuck a fire elemental," Flopping to the side, one can meanwhile note that the iron door has silently swung open.
[20:31] <Jaela> "Were you abused as a child? Sexually?" Jaela can't help but ask, struggling to her feet. She offers Mirima a hand up.
[20:32] <Kotono> "God no," Dana sits up now, burns gone. She rises, "Daddy would've had anyone who touched me beheaded. I just like sensation and pain is an incredibly strong sensation."
[20:33] <Jaela> "So it's not like your senses are swapped?" Jaela shrugs. "Can't be healthy for you, but it's Ysgard." She heads for the opened door.
[20:34] <Kotono> "I still feel pleasure, if that's what you mean," Ahead is a short hall, another burning red door ahead. This one is ajar, at least.
[20:35] <Jaela> "Yeah, that's what I mean." Divine Vigor once more cloaks Jaela, as she leads the way past the hall and the door ahead.
[20:41] <Kotono> Ahead is a long stone pathway over a great, cherry read abyss! It's only 5ft wide - wide enough to walk on safely but not much more than that. It stretches on far ahead, to a great sphere hovering in the air, the pathway leading into a hole into it.
[20:42] <Jaela> "Let's keep close together," Jaela suggests, starting the walk across. "I'll be able to catch anyone falling, if the worst comes to pass."
[20:43] <Kotono> "Right," Dana says, as...OOC: What marching order?
[20:44] <Jaela> OOC: Dana, me, Mirima
[20:44] <Kotono> As you step onto the pathway, you can see below. About 70ft below or so is a great sea of magma, endless heat rising up. Dana whistles as she looks down, "That's an entire reservoir of the stuff."
[20:45] <Jaela> "Can't say it was unexpected."
[20:46] <Kotono> "Expected as the moon follows the sun," Mirima adds as you begin to walk. As you do...OOC: Listen checks, all.
[20:47] <Jaela> roll 1d20+8
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+8 and gets 18." [1d20=10]
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Dana
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Dana and gets 20." [1d20=17]
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 and gets 36." [1d20=15]
[20:50] <Kotono> As you walk on, "Stop!" Mirima calls, "No further!"
[20:51] <Kotono> Dana stops midstep, "Now wha-oooh." Below her the path is full of spider-webbing cracks under her latest footstep!
[20:51] <Jaela> Grimacing, Jaela reaches out for Dana and Mirima. "Grab on to me, we've got no choice but to fly across."
[20:53] <Kotono> The two do just that! As they get a hold of Jaela and vice versa, the ground beneath the three of you crumbles! A20ft section falls away and into the magma, leaving the three of you flying purely by Jaela's effort!
[20:54] <Jaela> "This must be a dream come true for someone out there," Jaela mutters, taking off towards her goal. Without the armors in the way, she's not even impeded in any sense.
[20:56] <Kotono> Mirima hugs Jaela tight, while Dana is just a little less clingy. "Like I said, if he's peeping on this, he'll piss glass," Dana says with angry sweetness, all smile as you fly along towards the sphere.
[20:57] * Jaela laughs, keeping her eyes on the goal.
[20:59] <Kotono> As you fly ahead, you reach the sphere! The tunnel leads right on in, a short passage to a more open space. You can't see much of it from here, you'd need to go in.
[21:00] * Jaela lands, deposits her charges and then leads the way in.
[21:03] <Kotono> "Whew," Dana stretches as she follows, "Y'know, maybe he'll be merciful and there will be some damn clothes in here?"
[21:04] <Jaela> "I'll settle for the rubies," Jaela says curtly. "Just keep your club at hand in case they're guarded."
[21:05] <Kotono> "Right," Dana says as you advance! Within the sphere you find...a magic circle. It's about 10ft wide. Littered around otherwise are bits of rock and rubble, of various sizes.
[21:05] <Jaela> Detect Magic should give Jaela some idea of what it's all about, and it's readily called upon.
[21:06] <Jaela> roll 1d20+21
[21:06] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+21 and gets 22." [1d20=1]
[21:08] <Kotono> It's some sort of circle, but Jaela draws a blank.
[21:09] <Jaela> "So... Conjuration. It either summons shit or sends us elsewhere," Jaela muses, frowning. "Can't tell more than that. Wanna give it a try, together?"
[21:12] <Kotono> "We have no choice," Mirima says, taking Jaela's hand in her own.
[21:13] <Jaela> Her free hand reaches out for Dana, and then Jaela steps within the circle.
[21:14] <Kotono> Woosh! You stand alone now, surrounded by suffocating heat. You stand atop the sea of lava, save for one thing. A slender silver disk is attached to your feet, floating on the surface of the magma! Besides you are Mirima and Dana, in the same situation. Your magic shields you from the heat, but just barely, battering against you. As you stand there a moment, you feel that you can control
[21:14] <Kotono> the disk somewhat with your mind, knowledge coming to you. Left and right and to go faster or slower, you think. As you take that in and the other stare, the disks begin moving forward, the lava picking up a current and propelling the disks along.
[21:17] <Jaela> "No way!" Jaela exclaims, even as she relies upon her blindsight in full. Her eyesight will supplement what she can tell, but only by combining the two can she hope to navigate the flow of magma in any reasonable way.
[21:17] <Kotono> "We're...sailing on the lava?!" Mirima gasps, as the disks begin to pick up speed with the current! You're going to a faraway wall, which has a natural cave opening in it, lava flowing into it.
[21:18] <Jaela> "Magic is fucking crazy!"
[21:20] <Kotono> "Woooooooo!" Dana calls as you flow towards the tunnel! Ruddy red light from the magma guides your way, as you surf the lava! Into the tunnel you go, starting to pick up speed! Burning winds whip against you and send your hair flying back int your wake, as...ack! Sharp turn to the left incoming! "To the right!" Dana calls! OOC: Reflex save, all.
[21:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 Mirima
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 Mirima and gets 25." [1d20=5]
[21:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Dana
[21:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Dana and gets 10." [1d20=1]
[21:22] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[21:22] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 24." [1d20=2]
[21:24] <Kotono> roll 4d6 all, keep track of HP since this will be round by round. I'll note each round passing for fast healing. DR applies to this damage.
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d6 all, keep track of HP since this will be round by round. I'll note each round passing for fast healing. DR applies to this damage. and gets 16." [4d6=5, 3, 3, 5]
[21:26] <Kotono> WHAM! None of you are fast enough, the three women banging into the wall! They bounce off it flatted and bloodied, carried along by the lava current and spinning about in a daze! As you regain your wits, you can see several stalagmites hanging from the ceiling to the tip of the lava, a forest of them! "SHIT!" Dana calls, "Dodge!" OOC: 1 round, +2 HP back. Feel free to react here, you're
[21:26] <Kotono> coming in towards them fast. May wanna dodge.
[21:28] * Jaela slows her silver disk enough to swerve to the left, then dodge back right. Zigzagging that way seems like the best way to get past the obstacle!
[21:29] <Kotono> Mirima does the same, wiping a bit of blood from her nose! Meanwhile Dana also does the same, but doesn't look worried at all! OOC: Reflex saves again, all, since you're dodging. G'luck.
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Dana
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Dana and gets 17." [1d20=8]
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 Mirima
[21:29] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 Mirima and gets 40." [1d20=20]
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 34." [1d20=12]
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 7d6 Dana only, DR applies
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 7d6 Dana only, DR applies and gets 31." [7d6=3, 6, 4, 3, 4, 5, 6]
[21:30] <Jaela> "I know you like pain," Jaela calls over to Dana incredulously, "but this is ridiculous!"
[21:30] <Kotono> "It's like a river from Hell!" Mirima calls amid the heat, a bubble in the magma bursting just besides Jaela as she dodges past it and a stony fate! "And we're stuck riding it!" Meanwhile Dana goes about like a ping-pong ball, bouncing and spinning off barriers, battered around and bloodied further! Ahead the tunnel continues as it goes faster, nothing immediately ahead! OOC: 1 round,
[21:30] <Kotono> +2 HP.
[21:30] <Kotono> "I didn't mean to!" Dana calls, rubbing a bruising arm! OOC: You have one round of actions here, so if you wanna take any while you have a cance, go ahead.
[21:31] * Jaela zooms ahead of the others, intending to spot the next danger first and warn them off in time. Or, if it happens, have them learn from her mistakes.
[21:32] <Kotono> Jaela zooms ahead! Ahead...ack! Two holes in the wall spray out magma waterfalls, only a narrow path through the center safe, or hugging the walls to avoid the flow! OOC: +2, that was your action, shout if you're gonna and I'll call for saves or something else.
[21:33] <Jaela> "Hug the walls or go for center, dual magma sprays!" Jaela calls back, aiming for the center herself.
[21:36] <Kotono> OOC: Reflex save. +4 bonus to Mirima and Dana.
[21:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+24 Mirima
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 Mirima and gets 39." [1d20=15]
[21:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13 Dana
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 Dana and gets 16." [1d20=3]
[21:36] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 35." [1d20=13]
[21:36] <Kotono> roll 20d6 lava bath Dana only
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 lava bath Dana only and gets 76." [20d6=2, 1, 5, 2, 5, 5, 6, 4, 3, 2, 5, 5, 3, 5, 6, 3, 5, 3, 3, 3]
[21:38] <Kotono> Jaela heads for the center, nailing it perfectly! She surfs through the center, lava splashing inches away from her! Mirima is mere feet behind, while Dana tries it, but her angle adjusts wrong, and she goes under the magma hot and hard! She screams as she is burnt terribly, hunks of flesh melted away with the lava shower! Right past this is a ramp in the center of the path! OOC: +2 HP.
[21:38] * Jaela once more speeds up ahead! The ramp is her target, and her efforts will show whether it's a good choice or not!
[21:39] <Kotono> OOC: Reflex saves, +4 for the other two since you're showing the way.
[21:39] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 36." [1d20=14]
[21:39] <Kotono> Mirima glances at Dana and shudders, focusing ahead instead!
[21:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 and gets 17." [1d20=13]
[21:39] <Kotono> OOC: +20.
[21:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13 Dana
[21:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 Dana and gets 29." [1d20=16]
[21:44] <Kotono> Jaela hits the ramp! She soars above the river, making a good 30ft jump! Mirima follows, the two hitting the ramp! You land with a light splash, while meanwhile Dana goes for the ramp...and overshoots! She starts to say something, but abruptly her disk dips below the surface, giving Dana a brief lava bath as she catches up, coming back out!  OOC: +2 HP.
[21:44] <Kotono> roll 20d6 Dana only ow
[21:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 Dana only ow and gets 68." [20d6=2, 6, 5, 2, 5, 1, 6, 6, 1, 4, 5, 2, 2, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 1, 1]
[21:45] <Kotono> "AAAAARGH!" DAna pants with an agonized grin, "I'm trying, dammit! I'm...fuck ahead!" Ahead you can see another sharp turn, this one to the right!
[21:46] <Jaela> "Right, we're turning right!" Jaela calls over, maneuvering her disk to end up on Dana's left. If Dana can't make the turn on her own, then she will nudge her into position and help her clear it!
[21:46] <Jaela> roll 1d4+5 close wounds on Dana
[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d4+5 close wounds on Dana and gets 9." [1d4=4]
[21:47] <Kotono> OOC: Reflex saves.  -4 to yours and +4 to Dana's since you're trying to keep her safe.
[21:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13 Dana
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 Dana and gets 19." [1d20=6]
[21:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 Mirima
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 Mirima and gets 24." [1d20=4]
[21:47] <Jaela> roll 1d20+18
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+18 and gets 23." [1d20=5]
[21:47] <Kotono> roll 4d6 all of you, DR applies. +2 HP after this next line.
[21:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d6 all of you, DR applies. +2 HP after this next line. and gets 10." [4d6=2, 4, 3, 1]
[21:48] <Kotono> WHAM! The trio all hit the wall, bouncing off! Ahead you barely have time to react - more stalagmites! "DODGE!" Mirima says as she coughs up blood and holds her ribs with her hands, trying to weave! OOC: Reflex again, hitting the speedy part of the river, apparently.
[21:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Dana
[21:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Dana and gets 14." [1d20=5]
[21:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 Mirima
[21:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 Mirima and gets 37." [1d20=17]
[21:48] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[21:48] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 32." [1d20=10]
[21:48] <Kotono> roll 7d6 Dana only DR applies
[21:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 7d6 Dana only DR applies and gets 33." [7d6=4, 6, 6, 5, 4, 2, 6]
[21:49] <Kotono> It's just like last time, down to Dana getting beat around! Her nose is broken, face looking more like raw hamburger with char marks than anything else! HEr entire body is battered, but she's up with a defiant grin, "C'mon, I can take it!" Dana calls! Nothing ahead right away, the pace picking up even faster, zooming ahead! OOC: 1 round of actions here.
[21:50] <Jaela> "Heal!" The spell is cast in an instant, and already next to Dana, all Jaela has to do is reach out for one of the princess's flailing arms to bestow it upon her.
[21:51] <Kotono> Dana heals as Mirima points ahead! It's 20ft ahead of you rising out of the lava! A giant fire red kraken, tentacles lashing out! It lets out an unearthly call as you race ahead, keeping pace with you even going backwards! OOC: Init, vs MAGMA KRAKEN!

[21:52] <Kotono> "It's a fucking fire octopus!" Dana shouts, "Holy fuck! Kill it!"
[21:52] <Jaela> "Take out the fucking tentacles first!"
[21:52] <Jaela> roll 1d20+6
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[21:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Dana
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Dana and gets 10." [1d20=8]
[21:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 Mirima
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 Mirima and gets 10." [1d20=2]
[21:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 KRAKEN OF MAGMA
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 KRAKEN OF MAGMA and gets 16." [1d20=10]
[21:53] * Kotono changes topic to 'Jaela(24)>Magma Kraken(16)>Dana=Mirima(10)'
[21:53] <Jaela> roll 1d20+23
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+23 and gets 31." [1d20=8]
[21:56] <Jaela> She has never done this without a spear, but Jaela holds her hand out towards the kraken and calls out, "Photon lancer!"
[21:56] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22 ranged touch
[21:56] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 ranged touch and gets 24." [1d20=2]
[21:56] <Kotono> OOC: HIt.
[21:57] <Jaela> roll 15d6 lucent lance
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 lucent lance and gets 48." [15d6=3, 1, 1, 5, 2, 3, 2, 5, 6, 2, 1, 6, 3, 6, 2]
[21:58] <Jaela> roll 1d4+5 close wounds as swift, Mirima
[21:58] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d4+5 close wounds as swift, Mirima and gets 6." [1d4=1]
[21:58] <Kotono> As Mirima's wounds mend, the Lance of Light slams into the kraken! It tears a gash in its side, seeming to drive it to fury! It's tentacles lash out, striking at all three women!
[21:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 vs all of you, AC Jaela?
[21:58] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 vs all of you, AC Jaela? and gets 21." [1d20=1]
[21:58] <Kotono> OOC: Well lucky you three.
[21:59] <Jaela> "Dana, club the fucker! Mirima, support with magic!"
[21:59] <Kotono> But the lashes are too fast, coming up just before them and not hitting any of them! Meanwhile Dana charges in, trying to dodge tentacles as she does so!
[21:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 AoO provoked
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 AoO provoked and gets 28." [1d20=8]
[22:00] <Kotono> roll 2d8+12 and ref for Dana
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+12 and ref for Dana and gets 24." [2d8=5, 7]
[22:00] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 12." [1d20=3]
[22:00] <Kotono> roll 20d6 guess who just got lava dunked?
[22:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 guess who just got lava dunked? and gets 65." [20d6=5, 5, 6, 2, 1, 2, 5, 4, 2, 1, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1]
[22:01] <Kotono> Dana is hit by a tentacle right across the chest, forced down into the lava like a nail slammed into a board! She comes up, steaming and burnt, club striking!
[22:01] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 (+2 charge, -5 PA)
[22:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 (+2 charge, -5 PA) and gets 37." [1d20=17]
[22:01] <Kotono> roll 1d6+17
[22:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+17 and gets 23." [1d6=6]
[22:02] <Kotono> Dana clubs the thing right across the face, leaping up to smack it! As she does, Mirima calls on magic missile again!
[22:02] <Kotono> roll 3d4+3
[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d4+3 and gets 11." [3d4=2, 4, 2]
[22:02] <Kotono> Missiles riddle the beast, knocking it about like crazy! OOC: Ow. Jaela, go.
[22:03] <Kotono> "C'mon, harder than that!" Dana shouts, "C'mon, you limp tentacled bastard!"
[22:04] <Jaela> A wall of whirring, whirling blades comes into existence, bisecting the kraken! The phantom blade tear at its hide, and seem especially occupied with the beast's tentacles!
[22:05] <Jaela> roll 12d6 blade barrier ref dc23, angled so it gives Mirima and myself cover against the kraken
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 12d6 blade barrier ref dc23, angled so it gives Mirima and myself cover against the kraken and gets 44." [12d6=4, 5, 4, 4, 2, 3, 6, 1, 5, 1, 4, 5]
[22:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 ref
[22:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 ref and gets 23." [1d20=11]
[22:06] <Jaela> OOC: Saved for half
[22:08] <Jaela> OOC: Let's just have it bisect the kraken normally for ease's sake
[22:11] <Kotono> The wall of blade appears, bisecting the kraken! It endures with cuts as a moment later the wall whizzes past, immobile while the lava river is not! A moment later the kraken strikes, trying to tentacle all of you again!
[22:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 No cover, as it's explicitly an immobile wall and you're moving fast down a lava river
[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 No cover, as it's explicitly an immobile wall and you're moving fast down a lava river and gets 26." [1d20=6]
[22:11] <Kotono> OOC: ACs?
[22:12] <Jaela> OOC: 19
[22:12] <Jaela> OOC: I think 30 for Mirima?
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 2d8+12 and reflex for you and Dana?
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+12 and reflex for you and Dana? and gets 16." [2d8=1, 3]
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Dana
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Dana and gets 13." [1d20=4]
[22:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 32." [1d20=10]
[22:13] <Kotono> roll 20d6 lava dunk for Dana
[22:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 lava dunk for Dana and gets 79." [20d6=6, 1, 2, 5, 4, 6, 5, 2, 2, 6, 2, 5, 6, 1, 6, 2, 4, 5, 5, 4]
[22:13] <Kotono> The tentacles strike wildly, bashing Jaela around as Mirima evades, graceful as the wind even now! But Dana's not graceful at all, clubbed and knocked beneath the lava yet again, burning up! OOC: Ow. Dana and Mirima are up.
[22:14] <Kotono> Despite being ablaze, her hair burning merrily and boiling flesh trailing down the burnt path of her ruined bosom, Dana grins. She hefts her club adn strikes again and again, screaming, "FUCK YOU AND DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!"
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25  and gets 35." [1d20=10]
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 and gets 29." [1d20=9]
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 and gets 17." [1d20=2]
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 27." [1d20=17]
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d6+7
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+7 and gets 10." [1d6=3]
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d6+7
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+7 and gets 10." [1d6=3]
[22:14] <Kotono> roll 1d6+7
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+7 and gets 11." [1d6=4]

[22:16] <Jaela> "Need a hand?" Jaela calls over to Dana, even as she finds that grin infectuous.
[22:17] <Kotono> The kraken is clubbed about terrifically, beaten and battered! With all her rage she strikes, slamming it down! The kraken goes limp in the lava, but there is hardly time to celebrate! With the kraken slumped, you can see ahead - and less than 10ft away is a wall and closing! BEfore you can react the kraken smashes into...and through the wall! For a breathtaking moment the duo follows,
[22:17] <Kotono> in a vast red cave and going over a waterfall of lava! Then you're plunging down, plunging down fast and hard! Below you is a vast sea of magma, hundreds of feet below - save for one thing as you plunge down fast, already at terminal velocity! Dotted about are deep and long tubes of water, ice around the edges, as if begging you to try and plunge into one instead of the lava lake below!
[22:20] <Jaela> "Aim for the water!" Jaela hollers, taking off for Dana. She can rendezvous with her and drop the princess off in one of them. Mirima is competent enough in midair to gracefully choose a better path for herself.
[22:21] <Kotono> OOC: At these speeds it's gonna be a stunt. Go ahead and make a reflex save to see if you can hook up with Dana? If you fail, you'll be out of position and doing a lava header, fair warning.
[22:21] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[22:21] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 37." [1d20=15]
[22:21] <Kotono> Mirima screams at the top of her lungs, while Dana grins and shouts, "Oh fucking YES!" Darting ahead, Jaela meets up and slams into her, angling the tow towards water! OOC: Reflex save, Dana and Mirima. Dana's is covered by Jaela's.
[22:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+20 Mirima
[22:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+20 Mirima and gets 27." [1d20=7]
[22:21] <Jaela> roll 1d20+22
[22:21] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+22 and gets 38." [1d20=16]
[22:22] <Kotono> roll 20d6 Mirima and more
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 Mirima and more and gets 75." [20d6=6, 6, 5, 4, 4, 6, 2, 4, 5, 4, 3, 1, 3, 5, 2, 1, 1, 5, 4, 4]
[22:23] <Kotono> WOOSH! Cold. So mercifully cold. Cold water, the heat all gone...and then you stand at the shores of the lava lake. You and Dana are holding each other, silver disks gone. For a moment there is silent, then a great geyser of lava erupts in the lake! It ejects Mirima out, horribly burned and slamming ot the ground besides the two of you.
[22:23] <Kotono> roll 20d6 more fire damage due to geyser Mirima only
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 20d6 more fire damage due to geyser Mirima only and gets 71." [20d6=6, 5, 4, 3, 5, 5, 5, 4, 6, 2, 5, 2, 6, 1, 5, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2]
[22:23] <Kotono> Mirima lands in a terrific heap, burnt all over and barely moving!
[22:23] <Kotono> Dana just grins ear to ear, "Jaela...oh fuck, we have GOT to do that again!" Shouting at the top of her lungs, "That was fucking PERFECT!"
[22:24] * Jaela rushes over to her, and rather than wait for Ysgard channels holy energy all around her!
[22:24] <Jaela> roll 9d6
[22:24] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 9d6 and gets 34." [9d6=1, 4, 5, 6, 4, 6, 6, 1, 1]
[22:24] <Kotono> Mirima's wounds mend! "Ugh," she coughs, as meanwhile Dana calls, "HEY! HEY! RUBIES!"
[22:25] <Jaela> "Are you alright?" Jaela asks her worriedly. "That's two more lava baths than any person needs in their lifetimes."
[22:25] <Kotono> "I'm breathing. Beyond that, only the ones above us can say," Her ovice is a little dazed as she sits up, "Rubies?" Shaking her head clear, "Rubies, she said?"
[22:26] * Jaela channels positive energy again, and then climbs back to her feet to look about herself.
[22:26] <Jaela> roll 9d6
[22:26] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 9d6 and gets 35." [9d6=4, 3, 6, 1, 2, 6, 4, 4, 5]
[22:26] <Kotono> AT where wall meets lake, several rubies blossom like flowers, nestled in the stone.
[22:27] <Kotono> Dana is besides them, kneeling and 'picking' one out. "Victory!" she cheers, "Now we just need to get out of here."
[22:29] <Jaela> "I can handle that, if nothing else works," Jaela says, helping Mirima to her feet next. "Sorry," she apologizes. "I hoped you'd make it for the water, but I knew for a fact Dana wouldn't. And she was already too beaten up from the kraken to take another dunk."
[22:29] <Kotono> "I understand why," Mirima murmurs softly, "It was...heroic."
[22:29] <Kotono> As you turn you can see ahead is a path rising up and into the wall, leading along.
[22:30] <Jaela> "Heroic?" Jaela repeats. "That would've been saving you both. Now do you see why I need this training so much?"
[22:30] * Jaela gestures towards the path out with her head. "Seems like that's our exit. Who wants to bet our clothes wait just past it?"
[22:30] <Kotono> "I hope so," Mirima adds as she straightens her posture, "I grow weary of this."
[22:31] <Kotono> Dana shrugs, "As long as you two only flirt with each other, I'm over it at this point. I'll get him back for this, but the ship has sailed."
[22:32] * Jaela grins at Dana. "Feeling neglected, Princess?" She starts heading for the newly revealed path. "Try putting your moves on Strength of Light."
[22:33] <Kotono> "I'm more surprised I didn't hear about you and Annalise hitting the skids," Dana says. As you climb up Mirima blushes, but regally ignores the entire affair.
[22:40] * Jaela finds herself genuinely at a loss at how to respond in present company. Keeping things too blunt might offend Mirima, but she supposes not being clear enough would just create problems, too. "We're not," she finally decides to say. "There's nothing wrong with flirting with a pretty person you're attracted to. If you think Annalise disagrees, just watch her for a few."
[22:41] <Kotono> "Ooooh. Is that what it is?" Dana gives both of you an amused and cynical look, "Really?"
[22:43] <Jaela> "It's news to you? That people do that when they like other people? Your education was fucked up, Dana."
[22:43] <Kotono> After a moment, "In other words, are you two going to be sharing a bed soon or is this just 'innocent'," She makes air quotes with her fingers, "Flirting." Barking off a laugh, "Look, I just want to know if you two are in that sort of relationship now, since last I checked you seemed devoted to her."
[22:44] <Jaela> "I wasn't the one responsible for the naked portal, okay? That's not cool, Dana."
[22:45] <Kotono> "Well, I'm not the one watching you two holding hands or acting like you're blushing young maidens. Don't bullshit me," Rolling her eyes, "Flirting is NEVER innocent. You're either trying to manipulate her or you're interested in pussy spelunking with her."
[22:46] <Kotono> Mirima grows redder and redder, "Well, that's none of your concern, in any case!" Snapping that off with a cool disdain, "What Jaela and I do is our business."
[22:50] <Jaela> "Yeah, look... sometimes things are exactly what they seem. Manipulate someone? Fuck, don't you even know me? Like I'd do that." She glances at Mirima, then Dana. "Anyway. Don't let this ruin what we've been through. We worked together and we got the damn ruby. You think it would've worked if we just kept sniping at each other like now? We gotta stay focused and be together, or we just lose at whatever it is we're trying. I bet that's the morale of this little dungeon more than anything else, so keep your minds on that?"
[22:52] <Kotono> Dana exhales, "Whatever. I don't care who you flirt with. Let's just finish this." Cutting it off, Dana heads along. Ahead the path winds into the wall - and in a small hollow, you can see portal, identical to the one you came in here through.
[22:53] <Jaela> With the portal in sight, all that is left is to walk through it.
[22:55] <Kotono> The trio walk through! Cooler again. Cool sackcloth covers your bodies as you stand before Strength of Light. Dana tosses the ruby at him, which he catches and holds up to look at. "Congratulations," A hint of a smile shows on his face, "Usually I have to drag charred corpses out of there." Offering a hand out, "We'll celebrate this evening!"
[22:55] <Jaela> "Before I take that hand," Jaela says, "Dana really wants to know if you could see what we've been up to in there."
[22:57] <Kotono> "No." Shaking his head, "I know what the conditions of the portal are. I have magic that notifies me if you fail." Smiling easily, "I'm not a peep."
[22:57] * Jaela grins, shaking that proffered hand now. "You missed out on a great deal, then."
[22:59] <Kotono> Dana gives the angel a glare, but smiles a little bit, "It was still a hell of a time. Lava riding,:" Shaking her head with a note of absolute wonder, "Incredible." His grip is like steel, crushing Jaela's hand utterly. The pain fades as Ysgard does its work, "I'll transport us back to the portal, and you can get a room in Mercia. It's free, don't worry about lodging. Once you're rested
[22:59] <Kotono> up this night, we shall celebrate!"
[23:00] <Jaela> "Sounds good for me!"

[23:01] <Kotono> From there, the trip to Mercia is without incident. Getting inn rooms is simple enough. As you're about to settle in, Mirima approaches, "Let's talk," she says, heading for her room.
[23:02] <Jaela> "Yeah." With a nod, Jaela follows her there.
[23:03] <Kotono> The inn room is nice - unremarkable but nice. You've seen many more or less like this before. Mirima goes to sit, putting Rainwhisper aside. "Were you just flirting and nothing else, or...?" she asks, going to sit on her bed, hands in her lap. "I had assumed your interest ran deeper."
[23:08] <Jaela> "I can't deny the interest," Jaela responds, deciding to be forthright. "But I wasn't thinking of leading you on. And I'm sorry if I did. It was a pretty gloomy place and things felt lighter that way. And I was pretty flattered. I mean, I don't get that much attention. Short of Annalise, I can't really think of anyone. So yeah, I'm sorry again. If I knew it'd hurt you I'd... dunno, try to do things differently."
[23:10] <Kotono> Mirima lies back on the bed, "I apologize as well. In captivity, all we had were ourselves. In time, the natural need for closeness and something...anything to fight the boredom caused us to pair off. In time the boredom grew more crushing. We needed something different...anything. Cheating around started and spread like wildfire. It was something NEW. Something different. Somewhere in
[23:10] <Kotono> that I gained the habit not to even think about it. All we had were each other, and even horrible fights...weren't quite boredom. I fell back into old habits there...and you're very pretty, Jaela."
[23:15] <Jaela> "You're the beautiful one," Jaela insists, before wincing. "I'm allowed to be honest with compliments without causing misundestandings, yeah? I mean it. And it really was very flattering. Still is. I'm, uh, not the cheating sort. Annalise is, well, she is the first time I'm being serious with someone. Dana's bad jokes aside, I'm not gonna step over any lines there just because I think a friend is real nice and pretty and kind. The reason I asked you to come with me was what I said, too. I meant every word. I wanted to get to know you better and wanted you to do the same. But not in the way it was taken, maybe?" She shakes her head. "So you know what I'm all about now. Is it still fine?"
[23:25] <Kotono> "You did nothing wrong," Mirima replies gently, "The mistake was mine." Looking up at the ceiling, "It's fine. You're very luck, Annalise is gorgeous....if the two of you 'hit the skids', as Dana so crudely put it, I would be content if you came to me for support."
[23:27] <Jaela> "And, listen," Jaela says, continuing past that uncomfortable subject, "don't hold a grudge against Dana for how she acts. She can get under a person's skin sometimes, but she's a decent sort underneath if you ignore the massive weirdness."
[23:29] <Kotono> "I'll try. I do not understand how she shares our heritage," Mirima says without hiding a look of open wonder, sitting up now. "I would think her a fiend blooded if I did not know better. I had heard from Misalea that she was with a trollspawn for a time." With a gusty sigh, "I do not even want to ponder that long. I would expect to see her rutting with dogs in magma, based on her apparent
[23:29] <Kotono> attitude. And yet I've heard her called Princess by you and others. Is that true?"
[23:31] * Jaela snorts, crossing her arms before her chest. "Yeah, and a demonic one at that. I didn't like him much when he was around, but he died a hero assaulting Hell alongside us, so we're good now." A shrug follows, and she returns her visible eye to Mirima. "Yeah. She's the heiress to a kingdom on one of the Primes. We found out by accident when Daddy Dearest sent an abomination to try and bring her back. And hell if I knew just how she ended up the way she is. I guess blood's not everything? If full-blooded outsiders can rise and fall, just how much does it really mean, diluted in a mortal for generations?"
[23:34] <Kotono> "Not enough. She proves that." Mirima agrees, "I had heard of people like her...and a few of us tried injuring ourselves at the darkest moments of our captivity, but...but...she is incomprehensible to me. Absolutely incomprehensible." Gently sighing, "A demonic troll. The Aurora is strange indeed. I've not seen as much of it as I would like. We have been addressing issues from our
[23:34] <Kotono> captivity, privately. Many apologies have been given, in particular Misalea pointedly encouraged them when she returned. Are all of you unique and unusual?"
[23:37] <Jaela> Hardly a favorite topic for her, and Jaela shifts uncomfortably. "Your girls are all that's left of your resistance, right?" she asks Mirima, answering her question with another. But rather than pause for an answer, she continues. "How many of them are from the same town? Barring some fluke, I bet they came from all over, one here and one there. Now apply that to a whole world, and you have different races at different spots. It's been culled so badly that even all of us together are barely a drop in the Aurora's forces."
[23:37] <Kotono> "I see." Mirima smiles a little at that, "Yes, that I understand."
[23:40] <Jaela> "We have a bunch of pixies because we rescued them from a 'loth-run prison. Before that, Afina was the only one around. And we've got a bunch of people who came with Old Man Tepen, with Ithea and with that Muirfinn guy. Until that, we had no one alike." She shrugs helplessly. "I'm the only one, I'm afraid. I've got a lead on another who escaped into Elysium, but even then it'd be just the two of us. The rest are with the Seldarine or impaled to a tree."
[23:40] <Kotono> "I'm sorry," Mirima bows her head, "I've heard a little of what Hell does. They sound like barbarians."
[23:42] <Jaela> "Very well organized ones. It's... everything bad you suspect, it's there, and heaps more. Those back, they're tortured. Raped. Abused. Then tortured again until they go so mad they will take any escape. And what Hell does, it lets them escape by damning themselves, and their souls just move on to Hell for more of the same as they slowly get transformed into fodder devils."
[23:43] <Kotono> "...Gods." Mirima's color becomes that of pure milk, "They steal the afterlife from them?"
[23:45] <Jaela> "Even I didn't know that, but Afina's been summoning and interrogating the devils who were to Lifasa. And forget their generals, their leaders. Those serving them are so strong I couldn't take them one on one just yet. Knowing all that and being helpless is pretty frustrating, isn't it? But we're constantly training and working to get more allies. Maybe this trip will land us both!"
[23:49] <Kotono> Mirima bows her head and buries her face in her hands. She shudders several times, "Unforgivable! The one thing...the one promise we're given! The one respite none can ever take away from us, no matter what happens, even if we lose!" A muffled sob is heard, "Unforgivable! The one thing that calls to us, denied!"
[23:51] <Jaela> "They can't do it in battle," Jaela says, even though it must be of little comfort. She'd had time to come to terms to this, but for Mirima it would all be new, she belatedly realizes. "But yeah. That's why I'm not gonna be taken prisoner. And why I won't stop until I've pushed them back on every damned front."
[23:53] <Kotono> "Better to reave your own life than to surrender. I understand." Mirima slowly breathes in and out, wiping her face clean as she looks up. "The words you speak...there is another war waiting to be fought. One we can't lose this time."
[23:55] <Jaela> "We do have one thing on our side," Jaela says. "The devils like to pretend they've got fate and destiny and all those big words on their side. Like they're a force of nature that can't be opposed. But that ain't true at all. And they've got no friends, either, since just about everyone else hates them. They can be defeated, and they can be driven off, and their would-be unshakable prophecies can be sundered into tiny pieces. We can do that if we work at it!"

[Corwin]

[19:07] <Kotono> That evening..
[19:09] <Kotono> Jaela is in her bedroom, having freshened up. She's preparing herself for what's to come, when there is a knock on the door.
[19:09] <Jaela> "Yeah? It's open!"
[19:12] <Kotono> The door opens. Strength of Light is there, a barrel carried under arm, with a sack slung over his shoulder with the other. Mirima and Dana follow him, "Hey," Dana calls, "You ready?"
[19:15] <Jaela> "Yeah, just hold on a sec." Jaela studies her reflection in her conveniently floating shield and then uses prestidigitation to smooth out a few final knots in her hair. The shield's job done, it is banished back into her gauntlets and she approaches Strength of Light and her friends. "Good to go."
[19:16] <Kotono> Shifting a bit, Strength of Light picks up Dana underarm. Around her yelp, "There's a place on the Opal Mountain. Take Mirima and follow."
[19:18] * Jaela grins at Dana. "Don't get dropped," she tells her, the instructions from Strength of Light easy enough to follow.
[19:22] <Kotono> "Hey! You fucking bastard!" Dana yelps as the foursome head out. To this Strength of Light pauses and squeezes a moment, Dana yelping again, "Strooong..." she blushes, "Ooooh...!" With that he heads out and takes off, towards the Opal Mountain.
[19:23] * Jaela just stares for a moment, before shaking her head and extending her hand to Mirima. Once it is taken, all that remains is picking her up and taking off after Strength of Light and Dana.
[19:26] <Kotono> Mirima is picked up, curling into Jaela as they fly. She smells rather good - like a sweet, faintly spicy forest wind. On you fly towards the Opal Mountain, coming to somewhere midway up or so on it. Nestled into the cliff side are several caves, diligent hound archons standing outside. They salute Strength of Light as he lands, stepping out of the way. "You may pass," they bark.
[19:27] * Jaela touches down after him, and lets Mirima down.
[19:30] <Kotono> Ahead is a cave. It is well lit, the walls radianting a gentle opal light. Strength of Light leads you along, soon stopping. "There's a semi hidden cleft here, this way," he says, slipping in between a well hidden slit in the rocks. "It's narrow, but you can make it. Tuck your wings in, Jaela." Meanwhile he still carries Dana - not that she's complaining at this point.
[19:31] <Jaela> "Can do," Jaela responds, following. She glances briefly at Mirima before returning her eye to the way ahead. "New perfume?"
[19:32] <Kotono> "As of a few hours ago," Mirima murmurs back, soft voiced.
[19:33] <Jaela> "It's nice. I should look after myself more, too," Jaela muses, trying to pass without scraping her wings on the rocks.
[19:37] <Kotono> "When we have time again, I could help you with that," Mirima whispers back, softly. Meanwhile past the cleft you can begin to hear the sound of crashing water, distant but steady.
[19:38] <Jaela> "Sure."
[19:40] <Kotono> As you go further ahead, the crashing noise becomes louder. Ahead is a bend, and around it? Ahead four waterfalls crash down, north, south, east and west. They empty into a massive central lake, constantly churning. Far above rocks shine with a steady light, bathing the pool in a rippling radiance. The center of the pool turns into a whirlpool, a perfect circle in the center without
[19:40] <Kotono> water. In the center you can see that the water becomes ice laced, bits of ice flowing into the empty center. It forms a stairway winding down the eye, narrow but walkwable, sparkling darkly in the light.
[19:40] <Kotono> "Goodness...!" Mirima stops to look on, eyes flashing with the reflected light.
[19:43] <Jaela> Her breath is stolen away, and Jaela is enraptured by the sight. "It's a heaven, alright," she murmurs, carrying her eye up to the shining rocks for several lengthy moments before it returns to the radiance of the water.
[19:45] <Kotono> Strength of Light links as well, "Alicia and Syala poured their very souls into making this realm," he speaks over the crashing of water, seeming to drown out that noise with his own voice. "Syala is a gifted artist and has left many of her masterpieces to be found." Dana meanwhile just watches, her mouth a little 'o'.
[19:47] <Jaela> "You're pals?" Jaela finds herself asking. "Normally it would sound ridiculous, but I heard the goddesses of Sylica are lots more accessible than most."
[19:50] <Kotono> As he takes to the air, starting to fly towards the whirlpool's center, "I knew Syala hundreds of years before she ascended. I trained Alicia while she was still partially mortal.  I knew her friend Seira as well, though not as well." His flight is slow now, slowly approaching the center, "When Alicia and Syala defeated Triel's long ago challenge and created Sylica, Seira wasn't to be
[19:50] <Kotono> outdone. She went and liberated an ancient domain from Imix, the Prince of Elemental Evil in Fire." After telling that tale and hovering just above the whirlpool, before landing on an icy step, "They're not quite as...mortal as they used to be, but yes, they're much more accessible than a normal deity would be."
[19:52] <Jaela> "Triel, Triel..." Jaela repeats to herself, before looking startled. "Wait, you don't mean--"
[19:54] <Kotono> Flying to the center, you alight down on the stairs and follow Strength of Light. The stairs continues, the water around you held back by a thin, thin, thin layer of ice. Lower down the whirlpool motion slows, the waters having a rippling light flashing through them. In these waters swim fish of all sorts, many metallic silver or gold, yet others a rainbow of color. "You know him now as
[19:54] <Kotono> Baazlebub, Lord of the Seventh Hell." Strength of Light turns back, "The Furnace of Triel was his creation and challenge to Ysgard, not long before he ultimately was cast down. For countless eternities many attempted the challenge and were baked alive in its merciless heat. Alicia and Syala were the ones to finally defeat the challenge, and so profound was their victory and so powerful
[19:54] <Kotono> was all they poured into the plane, that Sylica was born."
[19:56] * Jaela silently carries Mirima towards the stairs and then walks down beside her in silence, listening to Strength of Light.
[19:59] <Kotono> "Alicia is the most exceptional mortal I ever met. She was born a human woman, and within 35 years became a Goddess." Continuing on, you soon come to the end. You stand at the bottom. Here a dome of transparent ice floats within the deep waters, rocks littered about. There's just enough light to see, casting shadows all over. Around, in the clear waters, fish can be swimming all around,
[19:59] <Kotono> great schools of them of all colors. Within the center of the sphere various rocks begin to shine, a rainbow of color filling the sphere as you stand within! The lights are brilliant as any you could imagine, an endless dance of color! Here Strength of Light sits, putting his sack and barrel down, as well as Dana. "She overcame every challenge I gave her. I never expected anyone to defeat
[19:59] <Kotono> Triel's Furnace, or even if it was possible to win. She has a spark in her soul, an ability that makes the impossible possible. Her, Seira and many of her friends from her world have the same spark. Imagine, two goddesses coming from the same world within a year of each other."
[20:01] <Jaela> "Even one ascention is all but unheard of," Jaela agrees. "So that spark. You think you gotta be born with it, or nothing will help?"
[20:04] <Kotono> "I don't have the foggiest," Strength of Light takes out several tankards from his sack, broaching the barrel. A golden liquid flows out, each cup filled. "Distilled joy. All of you have celestial blood, so it's alright for you to drink." Once each one has a cup, "To victory!" her raises his mug and drinks deep. Wiping his lips clean with the back of his hand, "I never heard of any great
[20:04] <Kotono> auguries of power and promise when any of them were born. They were just ordinary women. I do know that Alicia was favored of Mystra and Seira of Waukeen. What that means to it...I don't know. Occasionally mortals advance in skill with a speed and intensity that startles all of us, achieving great deeds in what is a blink of the eye to us."
[20:04] <Kotono> Mirima drinks as well, a contented smile springing up on her face. She sighs in utter happiness, "Ah, that's good!"
[20:05] <Kotono> Dana chugs her drink down, a huge grin on hre face as she puts her mug aside. "Damn, that's good shit!"
[20:06] <Jaela> Thinking about this would just lead to morbid thoughts, and so Jaela follows the example set forth by Dana and Strength of Light!
[20:07] <Kotono> It is sweet and happy to the tongue. Jaela feels irrepressible joy bubble up in her as she drinks, a smile forcing its way onto her face. It's like drinking sunshine and happy memories, her entire spirit lifted.
[20:08] * Jaela smiles into her drink, and finishes it in one large gulp.
[20:10] <Kotono> Taking mugs around and refilling them, passing them back out after, "Aurora's trying to do the same thing, from what I've heard. I also heard you mentioned Benfal around Mercia." Draining his tankard down again, replying after, "How'd you get wind of that?"
[20:11] <Kotono> With a content smile Mirima finishes her second mug faster than the first, "This is like drinking my happiest memories," she adds, "You were literal, weren't you, calling it distilled joy?"
[20:13] <Jaela> "Heard word of it at a bar in Brightwater," Jaela responds, drinking her fill. "We're always looking. For allies, for troops, for intel on the enemy. We hoped to hear about the latter since we can't quite strike at Hell itself or Lifasa just yet. Ended up hearing about a world in the same situation. We gotta stick together, right? Even if there's nothing in it for us, we know how it is for them, so we gotta help. But they're elusive fuckers so we haven't found even one yet despite spreading the word across the planes."
[20:14] <Kotono> "Haven't found one what?" Strength of Light asks.
[20:15] <Jaela> "Survivor. You know, to work with? I know they've got some sorta resistance going, I heard that much. But they're so crazy secretive I've just about given up hope of finding them."
[20:16] <Kotono> "That I can explain." Strength of Light says, "With the understanding that this stays in this chamber here," Tapping the ground with a knuckle, "You've met one in Sylica already. If you came in through the Felic Gate, you saw a purple haired pixie there, goes by Bethany? We've been secretly gathering them here, as Alicia and Syala are organizing the overthrow of Semyaza's regime."
[20:16] <Jaela> "Huh. I need a bigger drink." Jaela offers her empty mug to Strength of Light.
[20:19] <Kotono> More drinks are passed out, Dana chugging a third one and then a fourth. She has a huge grin on her face, going to plop to the side and rest her head on Strength of Light's lap. He looks at her with a warm smile, patting her head as she rests. "Relax. It's the distilled joy talking," he murmurs to her. Then in a louder voice, "For about twenty years now we've been quietly marshalling
[20:19] <Kotono> the forces of Benfal and preparing to overthrow Semyaza. The day of liberation is coming and soon - Semyaza is starting to lose control of the realm." A moment's pause, "Aurora's rise has perfect timing for that, and our mutual interests are obvious."
[20:21] <Jaela> "You think you're closer to the goal than we are?" Jaela cuts to the chase. "You guys are actually ready to strike?"
[20:24] <Kotono> "Within a year if all goes well," Strength of Light says, "When the day comes, Aurora would be a powerful ally to have against Semyaza. Of course, once Benfal is liberated, the favor can be returned with interest.
[20:24] <Kotono> "
[20:25] <Kotono> Mirima drinks more distilled joy, going to rest her head against Jaela's shoulder with an utterly contented smile and look on her face.
[20:29] <Jaela> A hearty drink helps keep any would-be frown off Jaela's face. "I was gonna say the same thing myself. But that was before I knew about all your prep." She wants to ask how it felt to wait two decades for this to come together, but something within refuses to voice the question. "I didn't wanna mix things up, but since you mentioned it and all. Can we expect help from Sylica in the meantime?"
[20:32] <Kotono> "Most of our forces are either tied up for the liberation or on defensive duty. We can't give you great numbers right now. Sylica is still in its infancy," Strength of Light admits, "Ideally, the liberation of Benfal strengthens Sylica and her two Goddesses." A beat, "That's not to say that we can't help you, but don't go expecting entire armies immediately."
[20:35] <Jaela> "What can you help with?" Jaela asks, and this time when she drinks she doesn't even need the distilled joy's help to retain her pleasant buzz. "Commanders? Special forces? Information on devil defenses or on their outposts we can hit across the planes? S'long as I know what to expect, I'll adjust."
[20:39] <Kotono> "What sort of forces and officers does Aurora need?" Strength of Light answers back, Dana laughing at something or another in the meanwhile. "Mmm. There's two possible commanders we could send. Ebony or Dawnhope. You met Ebony, and Dawnhope is a powerful courre who refuses to promote and has advanced far past her station."
[20:39] <Jaela> "The baker?!" Jaela asks incredulously.
[20:41] <Kotono> Suddenly Strength of Light laughs, slapping his knee and startling Dana. He throws his head back and laughs and laughs, "Ebony is far, far more than a baker, Jaela. She fills her quiet days with that - to polish her humility, as she puts it. She's a skilled bard and mage."
[20:44] * Jaela can't help but laugh mirthfully herself. "No shit? Well, I figured she was hiding stuff, so why not epic magic?" Jaela shakes her head, even as she takes care not to dislodge Mirima. "You asked what we need? Help with integration, since our forces are from all over, and help with understanding our enemy. I think she'd do well with the latter, at least, from what she said. So if she feels like fighting the good fight with us? I'll welcome her happily."
[20:45] <Kotono> "Alright," Strength of Light says, "I'll have that set up while I'm training you." Raising enough tankard up and filling them all up for another round, "To the downfall of Baator!"
[20:46] <Jaela> "To a future without the Hells!"
[20:53] <Kotono> The rest of the night is a pleasant blur. Jaela awakens in this beautiful underwater dome, a faint headache but otherwise no discomfort at all. Curled up behind her is Mirima, using her as a body pillow. Dana's reclining against a wall, snoring softly. Sitting on the ground is a scroll.
[20:55] <Jaela> A brief envy of sorcerers and their ability to pull scrolls closer to them with their minds washes over Jaela, but she gets over it. Shaking Mirima's shoulder lightly, Jaela calls, "Morning," to the elf to wake her up.
[21:07] <Kotono> "Mmmmg..." Mirima hugs Jaela tighter a moment before rising. "Ah, good morning," she smiles to Jaela, before lightly wincing and rubbing her forehead.
[21:08] <Jaela> "Morning," Jaela repeats with an answering smile, rising to her feet herself. "Can you kick Dana awake while I glance at the love note Strength of Light left us?"
[21:09] <Kotono> As Dana is awakened with several shakes, Jaela reads the note. "Make sure everyone is awake before you read farther," It warns.
[21:09] * Jaela whistles. "Dana, you up? This is for everyone. Be ready for anything!" And with that warning, she proceeds to read the note out loud.
[21:11] <Kotono> "I'm up!" Dana gets up, as she reads further. "As of now, your training begins. First lesson - hypothermia endurance and aquatic combat." On reading that word, abruptly the ice dome all around you vanishes, below freezing water gushing in! OOC: Let me pause you here for a sec. This is basically gonna  prelude you into a few weeks of serious training, and I need to focus on #dunes right now.

[Corwin]

[19:16] <Kotono> Pain. Exhaustion. The two become Jaela's watchwords for the next days. Weeks? It all blurs together. The moment the trio overcome one challenge they segue into another. Their bodies are pushed past any limits, brushed aside with an uncaring, devastating efficiency. Sleep comes only when you are too tired to do anything but collapse in an exhausted heap, food when you can fight it out of
[19:16] <Kotono> challenges. At some point you leave Sylica again, out into Ysgard proper. Islands of fire and ice, floating on a sea of magma with freezing winds blowing. Jaela stands atop a jagged mountain peak, half frozen and half fried. Again and again Strength of Light comes from all angles, testing your defenses. Each blow that is blocked numbs your arms and chest from the concussive force behind
[19:16] <Kotono> them, , your entire upper body sliding into numbness as you go back and forth with him.  At some point not long ago you were seperated from Mirima and Dana, and now it is only Strength of Light. "Harder!" he cries, Jaela's spear coming up to parry his mace.
[19:20] <Jaela> A wordless shout if Jaela's answer, as she imbues Gae Bolg with all the holy power she can safely call upon. The butt of the spear pushes the mace aside, and a twirl of her weapon presents its sharp end towards Strength of Light's face. Jaela doesn't linger in trying to put another hole in the deva, not thinking about her odds of accomplishing that one bit!
[19:21] <Kotono> Strength of Light is gone before you can complete your strike, whirled 'round to your side! Only another parry can come, the numbness spreading all into your legs now. He pushes the spear back, coming face to face with Jaela. "Numb?" he asks, pushing Jaela back, threatening to have her tumble down the mountainslope.
[19:23] <Jaela> Tumbling down mountains is for those who can't fly! "You need to ask?" she exclaims, quite incredulous. Since he is quite so close, Jaela tries to slug him once in the face with her gauntleted fist.
[19:24] <Kotono> The monstrous pressure lessens as one hand darts out, catching Jaela's in his own. "Good. Stop!" he calls, gliding back and away. "Rest and sit."
[19:26] * Jaela does a sort of controlled glide to the ground, once more thankful for her wings, and then lies down on her back. The slope makes for a great way to recline and stare up at the view, she thinks briefly. "A copper... for your thoughts," Jaela gasps, trying her best to regulate her breathing.
[19:27] <Kotono> Strength of Light stands above, reaching to his belt. He tosses a dagger down at her, "Catch," he calls.
[19:27] <Jaela> Gae Bolg has already been stored, and Jaela's hand swipes through the air to snatch that dagger up.
[19:28] <Kotono> It looks to be a plain iron dagger - yet it itches. It makes your skin crawl, uncomfortable.
[19:29] <Jaela> "Itchy." Jaela gives it a baleful look, and flips it in the air before catching it once more and driving the dagger into the soil next to her.
[19:31] <Kotono> "Cold iron," Strength of Light lands next to her, picking it up. "Exactly what I was hoping for." Before you can react in your exhausted state, he slashes it across your arm! It itches...but doesn't penetrate or draw blood. "Finally beat that into coming out of you."
[19:32] * Jaela can't help it, she laughs out loud. Air becomes an issue in her worn down state before long, and it dissolves into coughing, but her amusement won't be so easily denied. "You-- you can beat that? Into people?"
[19:33] <Kotono> "Did it to Alicia," Coming to sit next to Jaela a moment, looking up at the sky, "I'm good at what I do."
[19:35] <Jaela> "Heh. I'll treat that Donald guy to something awesome next time I stop by." The sky is perfectly serviceable, and Jaela does the same by returning her gaze up. "You too. You didn't have to help us. I'm in your debt, Strength of Light."
[19:35] <Kotono> "Give the devils a hit for me," Strength of Light says, before rising, "The others are about done." He begins to fly down, "Come with me."
[19:37] <Jaela> "No, I'm serious," Jaela calls after him, struggling to keep up. Luckily, a flight down is mostly an effortless glide. "You ever need something, like a favor? I'm there. And I'm not just saying that because I want to ask you about something else."
[19:39] <Kotono> "I know." Strength of Light continues to glide down as you talk. Below you can see a small valley carved into the side of the mountain. Here a great tree rocks back and forth. Tied to it are two boulders on rope, swinging up and down towards the center, where Dana stands. Her entire body is one bloodied bruise, only her shield in hand. As you descend, you can see that each time one of
[19:39] <Kotono> the stones comes back her way, she lunges at it shield first and knocks it back! She has maybe a few seconds between each knock, slamming wholeheartedly into the boulders each time.
[19:41] <Jaela> "Well, looks like Dana's having the time of her life," Jaela finally says after a few long moments of stupefied staring. "Throw in some sex and she'll probably never want to leave."
[19:43] <Kotono> Strength of Light doesn't reply, instead flying forward and flying by the boulders. A single mace strike shatters each one, leaving Dana staring and staring about. "Hah, told you I'd outlast you, you fucking rocks!" Dana says, before falling flat on her back.
[19:44] * Jaela snorts, flying down over to Dana. Once there, she nudges her with the tip of her boot.
[19:45] <Kotono> "Still...alive." Dana pants, looking up with squinted eyes at Jaela. Strength of Light lands next to you and murmurs to Jaela, "Put some muscle on her. She could use it."
[19:47] * Jaela quirks an eyebrow. "Wanna take a rest?" She nods slightly at Strength of Light. "Nice!"
[19:48] <Kotono> "Just carry me, wanna see Mirima," Dana grunts, to which Strength of Light nods, "Mirima's below, in the fires."
[19:50] <Jaela> "In the fires," Jaela repeats. "Yeah sure why not." Shaking her head, she bends down to pick Dana.
[19:53] <Kotono> With Dana in tow, the trio goes to the sea of lava below. Here on a simple raft Mirima floats. The raft is of black stone, just big enough for her. She floats maybe an inch above the lava, the raft often ablaze. It mostly maintains her modesty, as only a few ashes signify any clothes she was wearing in this inferno. Despite it she is unburned, eyes closed and face restful, as if meditating.
[19:54] <Jaela> "Meditation?" Jaela asks. "Should we test it to see how good her concentration is?" She did it to Dana just before they left the Aurora, after all.
[19:55] <Kotono> "No need," Strength of Light says, shaking his head. "She's succeeded. There's not a burn on her."
[19:56] <Jaela> "Congrats are in order, then!" Prestidigitation ends up employed to clean up Dana in the meantime. "So how does she get back? I'll get her, or she can run over the lava now?"
[19:56] <Kotono> "Carry her. We'll go back to Sylica," Strength of Light asserts. OOC: Skip along a bit?
[19:57] <Jaela> OOC: Sure. I would want to ask him something before we leave for good, but it can happen at any time before we leave
[19:58] <Kotono> From there you dimly remember going back - exhaustion hits you again. The last thing you remember is your legs finally giving up the ghost, collapsing just as you take that final step that puts you before the inn bed. How long you sleep you aren't sure - you think it the morningtime when you collapsed, and it's the morning time when you awaken.
[19:59] * Jaela takes her time upon getting up. Making herself presentable has become ridiculously simple and fast with magic, and so she spends a bit of time just resting and relaxing.
[20:00] <Kotono> Lying about is pleasant - until, that is, Jaela's stomach growls and reminds her that she is absolutely famished. As she reflects on this fact, a knock sounds on her door.
[20:02] <Jaela> "Great timing," Jaela calls over, wrapping herself in the blanket as a makeshift toga. "Door's open!"
[20:03] <Kotono> In comes Ebony. She carries a tray with her, hood draw to mostly hide her face. "Lunch," she says simply, setting it on the room's table. It looks to be a full breakfast for three or four people, loaded with all sorts of appetizing things.
[20:05] * Jaela perks up at the smell. "Thanks. Wanna eat it together?"
[20:06] <Kotono> "It's all for you. I already ate," Ebony smiles slightly as she sets it before Jaela, "Congratulations on making it through that."
[20:07] <Jaela> "Yeah, no kidding." Jaela digs in at that response. "It would be humiliating if it weren't such fun."
[20:08] <Kotono> Ebony waits for Jaela to eat. The food is amazing, and Jaela's stomach feels like a bottomless pit. She gets a seat as Jaela satisfies her deep hunger, "Strength of Light was summoned by Alicia," Bowing her head at that name a moment, "He mentioned that you had something else to ask him? If I can help you with it, I'd be glad to instead of having you wait for him."
[20:11] <Jaela> Awkward. But Jaela doesn't really let it bother her for long. She daps a napkin against her lips and then says, "Okay. There was something Strength of Light told us and asked that stayed with us. But I was wondering if it'd be cool to share it with the Aurora's leadership. And I can't really tell you what it was unless you already know about it, huh?"
[20:13] <Kotono> "I am aware of what he told you," Ebony says, and after a moment, "I sit high in Alicia and Syala's regard. Speak of what you mean, for I already know of what he told you."
[20:15] <Jaela> Strength of Light wouldn't be recommending Ebony without a good reason, so Jaela shrugs. "About your plans for Benfal. If everyone in command over at our place knows about those, things go a lot smoother. And we'll keep it from going down the ranks, too."
[20:18] <Kotono> "Strength of Light made the same recommendation," A slight nod, "Very well, but keep it in the strictest confidence. Our secrecy has been our greatest weapon. When Alicia and Syala first rose twenty years ago, they lead a crusade into Hell. They were not subtle and faced massive resistance. In comparison, Benfal's liberation has benefited greatly by starving the devils of the details."
[20:20] <Jaela> "Yeah, I read about that Crusade!" Jaela grins. "Must've been good times."
[20:20] <Jaela> She peers at Ebony, then. "So if you're tight with Alicia, any chance that you know Antenora pretty well, too?"
[20:22] <Kotono> "We're close," Ebony replies to that.
[20:24] <Jaela> "This thing, you know, with Strength of Light? It was pretty official, so I figured I'd just show up and try to look for him. But I also wanted to meet with Antenora about a personal thing. Think you could pass a word on for me? It's fine if it's later, like some other time or if she has a chance to visit the Aurora instead."
[20:51] <Kotono> "Ah." A few moment's pause, "I will, that I promise you."
[20:53] <Jaela> "Thanks! It's not something I wanna advertise all over Sylica, and I bet that's just what would happen if I tried looking for her." That's another goal accomplished, and Jaela nods to herself in satisfaction.

[Corwin]

[19:43] <Kotono> ---
[19:46] <Kotono> That day passes in rest and recovery. By evening Jaela is at her room's window. Looking out, she can see the Opal Mountain shining, providing a glow that blankets the realm of Sylica. Looking out at the glow, Jaela finds it restful. Hypnotic in its simple, sublime beauty, washing away cares and concerns.
[19:48] <Jaela> Jaela's thoughts drift to Annalise as she rests her armored elbows on the windowsill, as they often do when she has a moment to relax inbetween the training.
[19:52] <Kotono> Images of Jaela's love drift through her mind. A reverie settles in on her without realizing it, drifting into replaying memories close to her heart with nary a concept of the passage of time. Lost in that maze of personal nostalgia, Jaela drifts for a time in a world of her own creation. The light of the mountain settles on her like a blanket, soothing her as she is lost into nostalgia.
[19:52] <Kotono> That is, until...a giggle. A sprightly giggle, enough to catch Jaela's attention.
[19:53] * Jaela blinks, and as she starts coming back to her senses repeats that a few more times. Sufficiently startled into awareness, she looks about herself for what pulled her out of her thoughts.
[19:55] <Kotono> Outside you can see a glowing ball of light. It has a purple tint to it, a vibrant color that seems to grow more radiant in the light from the mountain. Another giggle comes from it, and then it flies up and towards the mountain. In its wake is left a glittering trail of stardust and light, forming an airy path towards the mountain.
[19:57] <Jaela> An invitation or a curious little kid? Could be either, but Jaela likes to err on the side of caution, being in a heaven and on official business. Leaving by the window is hardly new to Jaela; that's why she chose her room at the Aurora to be on the top floor, after all. Deciding to follow, she jumps outside and her wings take care of the rest!
[20:07] <Kotono> Up you go! The path of light and stardust leads you up towards the mountain. Higher and higher the globe of light flies, towards the radiant peak - just below it, soaring towards the mountain there.
[20:08] <Jaela> Definitely an invitation, then! She was told that going up past the midway point was forbidden on her own. Now Jaela is curious.
[20:18] <Kotono> Up and up yo ugo, the light brighter. Ahead there is a small terrance carved into the Opal Mountain. There the purple ball of light flies forth, landing in the arms of an angel. Her eyes are what catch you first - the same opal color as the light here, her wings sharing that shade. She wears armor of gold, long black hair flowing free down her back. She holds the ball of light close,
[20:18] <Kotono> "Greetings," she calls.
[20:19] <Jaela> "Heya," Jaela greets back, alighting. "Nice mountain you have here."
[20:26] <Kotono> "It's not quite my mountain," The woman smiles under the light, "Ebony said that you sought my council."
[20:29] <Jaela> "Close enough," Jaela reponds with a smile of her own. "Opal Angel, right?" She shrugs. "Yeah, I was hoping to, since I'm here and all. I've been wondering about trying to visit you before, or even going for a Sending, but the latter sounded all kinds of impersonal and I guess I keep busy for a casual visit."
[20:33] <Kotono> Antenora closes her eyes for a moment, as the light above you glows brighter. Farther up you can hear something, echoing down faintly. Beautiful song, stirring something in Jaela's blood. "I understand well. Speak of what brought you to seek me."
[20:38] <Jaela> Casual doesn't seem to be working, and Jaela shrugs again. "Right. I'll just go for it, then. I hated devils with everything I had, and I doubt you'd find many more justified in that. I even banded together all a bunch of likeminded people and we're crusading against Hell together. But thing is, it always bothered me that I was turned into this... this zealot. I just couldn't do anything about it at first. Letting go of all that rage is pretty hard even if you don't keep permanent reminders for why you got that way. Some channel it into fighting the devils all the harder, and I guess that works for them. But it didn't feel like it was me. Anyway, that's where I was till a while ago."
[20:41] <Kotono> "Do you still hold all this rage in you?" Antenora asks, soft voiced.
[20:43] <Jaela> "You bet," Jaela responds instantly, not even needing to think about it. "But it doesn't blind me anymore. I guess... well, it's pretty simple. I met someone, and she ended up changing me. Stranger things've happened, you know? So if I'm in a fight, I don't let up. But out of it... out of it, what I'm feeling for them now is pity." She grimaces. "You understand, don't you? I wanted to meet with you because I was sure you would."
[20:46] <Kotono> A smile comes to Antenora's face as she closes her eyes again, nodding once. "Yes. Yes I do. At first I hated Hell with every fiber of my being. It drove me, consumed me. At Alicia's side I entered into many battles against Hell, and in time saw many great devils. Figures that I had envied with all my heart before now seemed little more than tin tyrants. Little more than lost souls that
[20:46] <Kotono> throw away everything for a meaningless return, who bind themselves in chains of misery. More than I hate Hell and all it stands for, I pity every single devil. No matter how richly a soul deserves to be cast into the Pit, I pity them. Thrones of power are empty things, Jaela, meaningless titles and wealth that only cloak the endless avarice, desire and hate that drives a devil.""
[20:51] * Jaela cracks a smile again. "I knew you would," she repeats. "So already, coming over wasn't a mistake."
[20:51] <Jaela> She takes a deep breath. "See, here's the thing. Once I understood how things were, I couldn't just leave them well enough alone. A battle's a battle, and we're at war. But what about those who surrender? What about those who you could change? It started bothering me. And I realized, too, that I could only save one person. I think that's my limit right now, if I'm on my own. And I told you about our Crusade, so there's no one over who'd bother wasting time over this or lose sleep if those devils were killed off for good. What I'm telling you is about as close to heresy to us as it gets without crossing the line. Still... just because I'm at my limit doesn't mean that I can't ask someone from the outside for help."
[20:58] <Kotono> "It's hard." Antenora admits that with a long sigh, "There's no golden key or magic word that can pull someone from the darkness, short of magic that violates them and leaves behind an empty shell. Even then, the connection to Evil will in time poison them all over again. But...that's not what you really want, is it?" She walks to the edge of the terrance, sitting. The orb of purple
[20:58] <Kotono> light rests atop her head, Antenora rolling her eyes up to it a moment. She smiles fondly as she pats the ground next to her, "Sit and look out at the realm as we talk."
[20:59] * Jaela accepts the invitation, draping her legs over the edge. "You got it. It has to be free choice, or it's meaningless."
[21:02] <Kotono> Before you is Sylica, draped in night. The view is long, Mercia beneath you, rolling, deep forests past the Felic Gate. "The truth is...in many ways, I was a miracle. Alicia's first miracle." A brief pause as she stares out at the land, "That one person you want to change matters a lot to you."
[21:05] <Jaela> "Yeah." Jaela rests her arms behind her to support herself. "Even then I'm not that sure of it, but I figure I've got a chance if I just give it my all. But that just makes me realize that with the others I can't give my all for, it probably won't take off. They used to follow this, uh, True King of Hell? Whatever. I just know that made them traitors, and I got them to betray him too. So there's nowhere for them to return, and I figured that might be an in for me. But I just don't know what to do. It's not like I can walk around the Aurora surrounded by a dozen erinyes."
[21:06] <Kotono> Antenora gives Jaela a sharp look, "What was that name?" Her voice raises at that, "The True King of Hell, you said?"
[21:09] * Jaela glances back. "Huh. So you know the guy? We caught his flunky, Afina n'me. Name's Tenraalus, some pit fiend general that defected ages ago for the True King."
[21:11] <Kotono> "I do. We came across one of his minions and have learned more of him. He has a name, but I beg of you never to learn it or speak it. Such are the curses Asmodeus placed on him that the utterance of his name would burst you aflame into hellfire, and any near you, and draw the attention of hideous things."
[21:12] * Jaela blinks. "No shit?"
[21:12] * Jaela considers this for a moment, before asking, "What if you say it to Bel's face?"
[21:18] <Kotono> "Yes." Antenora's smile is gone now, a look of sternness, "I don't know, but I have better methods should I ever face that warlord." Here Antenora shakes his head, "He's a dirty secret of Hell. He seems to have the ability to challenge Asmodeus, to provide an equally coherent order to his order. He is one of the first children of Hell, the terrible beings that rose countless millions of
[21:18] <Kotono> years ago. Perhaps the mightiest of them all. Ultimately he came out second best against Asmodeus and was banished or sealed away. At some point he came back, slowly eating away at Asmodeus's rule."
[21:19] <Jaela> "Fits with how I know the Hells operate," Jaela muses. "So even saying it telepathically or writing it down would set me on hellfire? Cause if not, I don't suppose you'd share? I've kept plenty of secrets instead of blurting them out rashly."
[21:22] <Kotono> "No." Shaking her head, "There is no gain to be known by his name. Should you ever be so benighted as to hear it, you will know. You don't want his attention, Jaela. This is speculation, but I believe he was the mightiest devil in prehistoric Hell. Asmodeus was the smartest, and in Hell, intelligence defeats pure might. At least as far as it is in Asmodeus's Hell. So seek not his name,
[21:22] <Kotono> it only leads to folly."
[21:25] <Jaela> "Whatever. Not like we care that much, I guess. He wanted us to become this King's flunkies but fuck that noise." Considering the matter settled, Jaela returns to her original topic. "It helps that you know about this guy. These erinyes are pretty fucked whatever they do, and if they just stay in our prison they'll get killed eventually. I feel responsible since I got them to follow me even for a while, and I can't help but wonder if they don't have just the right sorta incentive to turn their back on this hellish 'truth'. I mean, the dangers to them aside, they already abandoned one hellish truth before. Who's to say they can't do it again, except do it right for a change?"
[21:30] <Kotono> "I'm not sure," Antenora admits, "I'm not sure the True King of Hell counts as we understand it. It's not a move out of Hell...as much as Asmodeus cursed him, he is still a true child of Hell. It's more of an alternative Hell. This is only speculation again." Admitting as much, sighing as she looks out at the sky, sparkling with stars that seem to reflect the mountain's glow, "Distinctions
[21:30] <Kotono> like that matter to devils. I can still grasp it immediately. Still...you're right. Sylica's done the same. Those with sins who are too great we imprison within gemstones to sleep for millenia, to be reviewed in time. Those who have any hope we attempt to restore and redeem, no matter how dim the chances are. None of them deserve it. I didn't deserve it," Antenora adds with a wry look
[21:30] <Kotono> that isn't quite a smile, "But we try anyway."
[21:34] <Jaela> Just as Antenora understood her, Jaela knows just what she is talking about. "Yeah, I get that. And once I head back, I really should do something about this. I figured... there's gotta be a precaution against betrayal, and so the others let me go for it. A true name? I think it should work, like with dragons. Relying on Geas or some magical manacles is probably a recipe for disaster."
[21:45] <Kotono> "Those can work." Antenora says, "I would offer you an alternative, as well."
[21:45] <Jaela> "I'm all ears."
[21:55] <Kotono> "Alicia and I set up a private place within Sylica. Here those who may be turned to the light are kept, and we attempt to bring them to our side. Simply put, I know well your duties hold heavy on you, and we can help you with this burden, Jaela."
[21:58] <Jaela> "Thanks. I just might end up taking you on that after I get back and look at things."
[22:00] <Kotono> "You're welcome," Antenora smiles fondly, reaching out to take Jaela's hand a moment and shake it. "They're not the ones hwo have your heart though, are they?"
[22:01] * Jaela snorts, responding in kind. "One girl's enough for me."
[22:05] <Kotono> Softly now, "I know." She lingers here a moment, "I know much of love. Every time the mountain glows brighter and a shooting star paints the night sky, another soul has passed to this realm. Every one that does I feel, almost as much as Alicia and Syala do. Every memory passes through my mind as they go into eternity." A radiant smile comes to Antenora, "I can feel the love you hold for
[22:05] <Kotono> her. After all, so many souls do great things for love and end up in this realm. The love that drives them to fight, to strive, to hope and to even give the precious life they have for others. The same sort of love shines in you."
[22:09] <Jaela> Jaela laughs, though she can't shake the sudden embarrassment off entirely. "And it started entirely from lust, too. Plus, she's a woman. It's weird how things turn out." What follows is an idea she's been having for a while, and Jaela decides to give it a try. "Can I bring her along if I stop by again? She's hated universally by the gods, and it's not like I don't understand why, but I don't see how you're supposed to help a person change if you don't give them any quarter, either."
[22:11] <Kotono> "Who is she?" Antenora asks, quietly.
[22:11] <Jaela> "Annalise. She's actually pretty infamous, so maybe you even heard about her."
[22:13] <Kotono> "I'm aware of her," Antenora replies. She's quiet for a little time, before the ball of light on her head bobs up and down. Antenora starts to scowl a moment before she laughs, "Fine, fine." she mutters after that, "Who am I to turn away someone who would change? It is not ultimately my decision, but I think the answer will be yes."
[22:15] * Jaela smiles in relief. "Thanks. More than anything-- yeah. Just thanks. Whatever else, this's been pretty constant for her. She insists no god will ever give her a chance, so she's just rejecting it out of hand. I figure that once I prove her wrong on that, this belief of hers might be shaken enough she'll give things a chance."
[22:22] <Kotono> "I hope so." Looking out at the sky again, a short silence passing, "Ebony's spent her life making up for her mistakes. She's done well...but still strives to atone, something I know too well. Take good care of her. She'd throw down her life in a moment if she thought it was for the right reasons. I don't want her to come to this mountain yet."
[22:22] <Jaela> "She's a mortal?" Jaela confirms, since that wasn't made too clear.
[22:24] <Kotono> "She is," Antenora says, "She'll likely become a spirit or favored petitioner when her time comes. We've all grown fond of her." Smiling, "Still, I don't want it to be her time yet."
[22:25] * Jaela looks out into Sylica once more. "It's why I came to train here. I don't want to lose anyone. I want to protect them all. Short of crazy fuckers like Gathgorian or Abigor I can deal with any devil on my own, so it's not like I needed the training for myself. I'll do my best, alright? More than my best."
[22:32] <Kotono> "There's worse things out there than a Duke of Hell, Jaela," Antenora says, "I've fought against a scant handful of them. The coming battle with Semyaza may be the worst yet." Here she exhales long, "We can only fight our best and as far as we can drive past that. To all of them, we're nothing more than impetous mayflies that intrude on eternities of power. A hard lot..." Trailing off
[22:32] <Kotono> her to look to Jaela, with a smile growing, "But one I would not trade away for all the treasures of Creation."
[22:35] <Jaela> "What got through to you?" Jaela asks, as she finds herself unable to hold that in any longer. She turns her head back towards Antenora. "I mean, if it's too personal that's fine too."
[22:38] <Kotono> "Many things. It wasn't all at once." Antenora admits, "I already told yo uthere's on one golden key. Alicia constantly showed me, taught me, invested me. She used logic coupled with emotion. She invested me into her life, demonstrated how and why with her own blood, sweat and tears. She broke me and reforged me in a better image. It began with logic...she battered me in arguments,
[22:38] <Kotono> pushing back my cold logic with her own arguments. She had me alone, trapped by my own cleverness and desperation. I had to face her arguments; I sought to corrupt her. Instead...she beat me in those. Then..." A pause as she goes on. (More)
[22:43] <Kotono> "I had grown fond of her in a way. I was determind to corrupt her, to win favor with my masters and forgiveness by presenting them her sullied soul." Face solemn and yet eyes wistful as she continues her tale, "She sunk her claws in deeper. She had me invested...and then...she lost Beth, her sister. We had gone on a quest to save her from a diabolical contract. To absolve her of it,
[22:43] <Kotono> Alicia and Beth had to go to Stygia and free captives from the Hall of the Vanquished. They succeeded...at great cost. Alicia came across Duke Agares in the escape, and was brought to the brink of death. The ice flooring around them had shattered, and the Styx was pouring in. Beth exposed herself to the waters to save her sister and escape out of Hell. Alicia lived...but Beth was lost.
[22:43] <Kotono> All that was left was an empty shell of her sister. Alicia returned to her room...and sobbed for hours, a heartbroken child." Here here voice lowers, "I was confused. Instead of triumph or glee, I felt pain. I was unhappy to see Alicia so. That's when she won, I think. She had defeated me in every way, and that cemented it. No real devil would feel those emotions. There was more...so
[22:44] <Kotono> much more, of course, but..."
[22:48] * Jaela feels awkward, like she shouldn't have asked after all.
[22:53] <Kotono> Silent again, "It has to mean something, I think. It has to mean something greater than everything they've done and everything they are. How can you make something purely of Evil not be Evil? Remember when I was talking about the True King of Hell? This is all speculation again, but when I said he presents an alternative Hell, he presents a different ideal. A different belief, one equal
[22:54] <Kotono> or perhaps superior to Asmodeus and his authority. How else can something like that change? The ideal Alicia put forth, of Good but as much of Alicia herself, was superior to Hell and Evil to me."
[22:55] <Jaela> "Yeah. After all, an ideal is really all I can give," Jaela agrees. "Annalise's said that she respects power, but I don't think that's the way. Sure, it's important to have it, but I can't see it changing anyone for the better."
[22:58] <Kotono> "It's an important answer, but at the same time, it doesn't help," Antenora admits, "From what I've heard, she's far more powerful and older than I was when Alicia got me. I don't doubt your task harder because of it. Have faith and fight with all you have."
[23:01] <Jaela> "Trying. I've lost at logic for now, but s'long as I don't give up I can win back ground."
[23:01] <Kotono> "Keep hope in your heart," Antenora replies, "If I can help you at all, I will."
[23:04] <Jaela> "It's all I can do, isn't it? And you helped already, with--" Jaela gestures vaguely. "With today. Everything."
[23:08] <Kotono> "Marie helped too," Antenora looks up at the ball of light on her head, which bobs in the air again. "Even if indisposed towards talking right now. She's happy to help, too."
[23:09] * Jaela grins at the ball of light in question. "Thanks!"
[23:11] <Kotono> "She'll pour all of her gratitude into making better sandcastles next time," Antenora stands now, "I need to return to my duties. Be well, Jaela, and may you obtain your wishes."
[23:14] * Jaela follows Antenora to her feet. "I won't keep you, then. Again, thanks for your time." She gives Marie a little nod, then, and takes off the terrace.

[Corwin]

[18:16] <Kotono> ---
[18:21] <Kotono> The next morning, Jaela and company gather outside the Felic Gate. Ebony awaits the trio, and around her are two lines. One is of about 50 soldiers or so - of varying races from the mundane to the exotic, all armed and armored well, standing at attention. Besides them, likewise in order, are spiders. 50 of them as well, each one just as vigilant and awaiting as the humanoids. "Syala will
[18:21] <Kotono> provide our transport back to Aurora," Ebony declares, "Stepping through the Felic Gate will take us there. Before you are the Goddesses aid. Each soldier is trained well and specializes in armored combat. The spiders are phase spiders, they can skirmish into the Ethereal. They will doubtless be useful on Lifasa."
[18:24] * Jaela ended up keeping Ebony between herself and the spiders, and shows no discomfort whatsoever! "Great. I'll lead the way," she says, and then with one last glance back at the realm steps through the gate.
[18:27] <Kotono> With that step, the group heads through the Felic Gate. There is a moment of disorientation, and you appear before Aurora! Ebony looks up at it for a meditative moment, before turning to Jaela, "I think it best that I escort the forces in. While phase spiders are no more inclined to evil than other mortal creatures, many cultures find spiders distasteful. I would wish to ensure they are
[18:27] <Kotono> accepted well."
[18:29] <Jaela> "Pretty much," Jaela agrees. "I'll hang back in the yard in case there's any bullshit, so just call for me if you need me. And for anything else, there's Elena. Just raise your voice and ask for her if you need anything."
[18:33] <Kotono> "Thank you," Ebony says, as they advance on! Dana goes with them, Mirima lingering with Jaela. "Would you care to come to Elrisa's tower with me?" she asks, "A bottle of wine to celebrate our homecoming awaits, if you are interested." She doesn't quite look at Jaela, watching the soldiers and spiders head into Aurora.
[18:37] <Jaela> "Another time?" Jaela responds, keeping near the gate. "I've got to look over the new guys for a bit, and then I wanted to go say hi to Annalise."
[18:38] <Kotono> "Come anytime," Mirima murmurs, "Or, at your leave, I can come by your quarters this evening with the wine?"
[18:40] <Jaela> "I'll try to stop by later," Jaela says. She's never been gone for so long before, and she can't help but wonder if there's anything she needs to be aware of. Making any concrete plans before that is pointless.
[18:42] <Kotono> OOC: What's your exact plan here?
[18:43] <Jaela> OOC: I'll stay there for a bit to see if integration goes smoothly, and then go inside, and ask for Elena
[18:45] <Kotono> You notice the spiders get a wide berth, though Ebony starts to talk to people and murmuring words. Some aren't so intimidated, a few even going to pet the spiders. The phase spiders don't seem to mind it at all. In fact, they go to one corner of the courtyard and start to make a large web. Around it they begin to spin chairs and seats of webbing, working together in the easy way that
[18:45] <Kotono> speaks of years of practice.
[18:46] <Jaela> Snorting to herself, Jaela crosses the courtyard and heads for the nearest portal. "Elena," she raises her voice. "Divert it towards Annalise?"
[18:57] <Kotono> Elena appears before you. "She's not available quite this moment, though she'll be back soon. Maybe I can send you to Hanna instead?" she says, sounding hopeful.
[18:58] * Jaela can't help the pout that comes on. "I-- no. Probably not. How about just a bit of your time, then? Meet me at the Memorial Hall?"
[19:00] <Kotono> "Okay!" Elena vanishes, presumably towards the Memorial Hall.
[19:00] * Jaela refocuses the portal in front of her and steps through herself.
[19:00] <Kotono> The Memorial Hall is quiet. A meditative silence, as you seen no one about save for Elena. She's waiting just besides you, "Yes?"
[19:01] <Jaela> "I've been thinking," Jaela tells her. "It's not fair that this place's missing someone. Medi's contributed as much to the Crusade as anyone here, if not more. So can you take care of this?"
[19:02] <Kotono> "Oh. You mean...?" Looking about, "For Medi?"
[19:03] <Jaela> "Yeah. A good, prominent place for his image. And something to tell about the life he lead. Who better to do this than you?"
[19:03] <Kotono> "Oh...!" A blush comes to Elena, "Of course! I should have thought of that for Sir Medi!" Bowing her head and nodding quickly, "I'll make it so."
[19:05] <Jaela> "I knew I could count on you!" And then, since she cornered Elena again, Jaela says, "There's something I wanted to do for you as well. Can you tell me how you could wear normal clothes and hold tools? It's not just stuff you pretend you wear because I remember you putting them on. So how does it work?"
[19:13] <Kotono> "Oh." Blushing again, "To be honest? I just can. One day I was moping around. I didn't realize Sir Medi was nearby, and I wished I could dress up like all the other girls." With a faraway look as she closes her eyes, a smile coming to her face, "He surprised me with a spell to allow me to the next day."
[19:15] <Jaela> "Ah." Jaela considers. "I kinda wanted it to be a surprise, but I guess I'll need your help there after all. I wanna take you outside the Aurora. I figure that if we make some sort of enchanted gauntlet that acts like a part of the plane or if you somehow wear one of the golems like a suit of armor, you could go out sometime. Wanna try looking for a good way for it?"
[19:16] <Kotono> "Oh!" Elena blushes all over again, "Um, okay! Do yo uthink you can do it?"
[19:17] <Jaela> "I don't have to do it alone, do I?" Jaela shrugs. "So if Annalise is out, how about Afina? Kascha? Tepen? Vul'lath? Sylvie? Any of them around?"
[19:21] <Kotono> "Most of them are busy researchin-oh I forgot! You aren't aware of the Blade of Endings," Snapping her fingers, "You've been out of the loop!"
[19:22] <Jaela> "Pull me right in!"
[19:23] <Kotono> "Oh, that also reminds me!" Snapping her fingers, "Adrian and Misalea are engaged! Adrian proposed to her and she said yes. Misalea's been floating around in euphoria since then."
[19:24] * Jaela smirks. "I knew something was going on! I'll hafta stop by and offer congratulations. But not before hearing about the ominous-sounding blade."
[19:26] <Kotono> "Essentially, we finally figured out 27. There's more to it, but the upshot of the moment is that they're seeking a blade 27 told them about. It can help with the Duke of Destiny." Elena explains.
[19:28] <Jaela> "So if everyone's busy, how about we go visit 27?" Jaela suggests. "It was talking nonsense when I left, so maybe it'll actually tell us anything useful?"
[19:28] <Kotono> "He's been sleeping a lot since then," Elene says, but nonetheless heads into a portal.
[19:30] <Jaela> Checking it out is worth a shot, and Jaela follows Elena through the portal.
[19:38] <Kotono> You head into the suites. In particular, ahead you see two figures. The first is Crystal, standing at attention at the side of Queen Ilsenine. Queen Ilsenine seems lost in reverie, observing 27. 27 sleeps before a crackling fireplace, breathing slowly and looking all the world to be a slaad-badger-skeleton peacefully aslumber.
[19:39] <Jaela> "So he's sleeping after all?" Jaela voices to announce her presence. Just when did 27 start living in the suites?
[19:40] <Kotono> Crystal steps forward, "He stumbled into these suites unannounced," A look to Elena, who blushes, "Queen Ilsenine decided to observe him instead of having him removed."
[19:41] <Kotono> "A curious thing," Queen Ilsenine replies, "Distasteful in form, and mysterious further in form yet."
[19:42] * Jaela shakes her head. "I guess we're out of luck," she tells Elena. "But don't worry, I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for that research once things settle down a bit." She returns her attention to the pixies, and wonders out loud, "Has it done anything but sleep?"
[19:57] <Kotono> "It hasn't," Crystal replies, shaking her head slightly, "It looks as content as a dog napping at the fireplace in winter."
[19:58] <Kotono> At this 27 raises its head. It opens it's mouth and an impossibly long tongue darts out! It goes right to Jaela, licking her on the cheek! It's a warm, wet, slobbery tongue, recoiling back like a fishing line reeled in. 27 looks gravely at Jaela a moment, before curling back up and going back to sleep.
[19:59] <Jaela> "What. The. Fuck."
[20:01] <Kotono> Elena likewise stares! Crystal sputters and gasps, as Queen Ilsenine watches him further. "A frog's tongue," she observes, "That is what it reminds me of."
[20:05] <Jaela> Jaela shivers in disgust, and Prestidigitation goes to work on making her feel clean again. "Yeah well it's a frog and all. Even if it looks like a freaky badger," she forces herself to say. Stating inane things helps her proceed and gather her thoughts, after all. It seems like the day for the unexpected. While she hasn't come with that intention to begin with, the chance is right before Jaela and she decides to take it. That it would take her away from the creepy slaad is only a bonus. "Majesty?" she addresses the queen, more or less together now. "Would it be possible to have a private audience with you?"
[20:10] <Kotono> Queen Ilsenine pauses a moment, the slightest look and nod to Crystal. "This Court would be pleased to receive General Jaela," Crystal replies, turning back to Queen Ilsenine and bowing, "I shall be but a word away." She heads to the portal and out, taking Elena with her.
[20:14] * Jaela inclines her head in gratitude, even as she thinks of how to do this. In the end, Jaela just decides to come clean rather than try for subterfuge. "I'm honestly not sure if I'll offend you by saying something, but I don't really like the alternative," Jaela admits. "Majesty, I was hoping that since I'm not part of your court we could keep things informal. Is that possible?"
[20:17] <Kotono> Queen Ilsenine inclines her head slightly, "Very well. Permission granted."
[20:20] <Jaela> "We keep on meeting under weird circumstances, so I wanted to get to know you better. I mean, I heard a bit about you from Afina, but it's not really the same. But isn't that weird? We're all working for the same thing. When we win, we'll have to do something about what happened to Lifasa, too. I think it's strange to have that as a goal without even talking about what we want to accomplish. Don't you think so too?"
[20:29] <Kotono> Her Majesty nods to those words, "When I go to the courts, I shall seek the help of those of Spring and blossoming life. Once we save our beloved home, the task of rejuvenating her falls to us."
[20:30] <Jaela> "Can we do that?" Jaela can't help but ask. "Bring Lifasa back from what it became to what it used to be?"
[20:34] <Kotono> "What can be brought to winter can find spring. Such is the Cycle. Nothing lies in sleep or ruin forever," Queen Ilsenine says, "Lifasa will be a paradise again."
[20:35] <Jaela> "It's a nice thought." And Jaela indulges in it for a long moment. "So once we win the fight over our world, you plan on moving there to make it all come true?"
[20:37] <Kotono> "Yes. Until this part of my Cycle ends, I shall strive to make Lifasa radiant again."
[20:39] <Jaela> "I don't think I'd be able to do much there to help," Jaela admits, "but I do have some times to a few heavens. When you need anything from them to move things along, just say the word and I'll try to make it happen!"
[20:40] <Kotono> "Thank you," Her Majesty inclines her head gracefully, "When the time comes, I will. The fey should be sufficient enough, for nature is our domain, however."
[20:41] <Jaela> "Yeah, I get it. I feel at peace with nature, but if I had a domain, it'd be people," Jaela agrees, before grinning. "Don't hold it against me?"
[20:42] <Kotono> A hint of a smile, "Understood. Still...there is one small thing you could do, to make everything better."
[20:42] <Jaela> "What is it?"
[20:44] <Kotono> "In due time, introduce me to your mother. The Court of the Stars is a court as well, and to entirely ignore is not acceptable." Queen Ilsenine says.
[20:50] <Jaela> "I'm sure she'd like that," Jaela responds earnestly. "Although... since we are on the topic of courts again...." Actually saying what she intended to is difficult, and Jaela squirms uncharacteristically. "I'm not part of any court. And I'm pretty discreet when I need to be. I think, well, what it all means is that no matter the title someone has, they're a person too, and can have worries and troubles like any other person? And if someone is really highly placed and can't afford to appear like a real person before her court, that doesn't have to be that way with an outsider like me."
[20:57] <Kotono> Queen Ilsenine nods slightly. For just a moment she smiles, "...thank you." she hesitates a moment, "Be wary. Should you face Gathgorian again, be wary of the nightmares. His spiritual presence scars us mere 'mortal' creatures." Quieter still, "The beds of rest that Aurora has stop them."
[21:00] <Jaela> "I'm still not up for taking that bastard out," Jaela admits, much as it pains her to. "But it won't be that way forever." She returns the queen's smile. "I'll be sure to be careful. And around, for that other thing. I'm just a call to Elena away."
[21:02] <Kotono> "Thank you," Queen Ilsenine says again.
[21:03] * Jaela runs a hand through her hair in embarrassment. "I, um, thanks for seeing me, despite how I must've looked all this time."
[21:07] <Kotono> "I owe you a great debt," Queen Ilsenine murmurs, keeping her voice soft, "All of you that saved me from Gathgorian. That is more than enough."
[21:08] <Jaela> "I'm just sorry it took that long. We tried, but finding leads-- it's like with Tepen, we still can't find the pit fiend that stole the part of his soul. But Afina never gave up, and here we are now."
[21:10] <Kotono> "Yes." Queen Ilsenine merely smiles to that. "Here we are."
[21:14] <Jaela> "I've taken enough of your time, Majesty, haven't I?" Jaela asks then, returning them to more familiar lines that fit the queen's public image. A courtly bow is not beyond her, with her training in such matters, and she executes it flawlessly. "I am very glad for this audience."
[21:17] <Kotono> "I am glad we had it," Queen Ilsenine says, Jaela making her escape. On going out she finds Elena waiting for her, "Annalise is back," she greets her with, "She's waiting for you in your quarters."
[21:19] <Jaela> "So--" Jaela starts saying, before blinking at Elena's words. "Really?" she asks, grasping the blue girl's shoulders. "You're serious?"
[21:19] <Kotono> "Yes. She's waiting for you," Elena is held, "She told me herself!"
[21:20] * Jaela laughs. "That's great! Thanks a bunch, Elena!" The portal is changed to the floor where she lives, and Jaela dives through it!
[21:25] <Kotono> Hurrying to your room, you open the door. On the floor is something new - a deep, soft circular rug. It is an eye-catching shade of red. It looks so deep that you could drown in it. Lying on her side on this carpet is Annalise. The carpet is the only thing she wears besides a smile, all inviting curves hidden by nothing at all. "Why Jaela, you're home." she calls lightly, "Why don't you
[21:25] <Kotono> take off all that smelly armor and feel how wonderful this feels against your bare flesh?"
[21:28] <Jaela> It's not smelly! She cleans it regularly! Yet Jaela doesn't waste even a moment on arguing, kicking the door closed and dropping the latch down from the impact. Her armor disappears into the gauntlet, and she tackles Annalise on the carpet. "I just got back," Jaela murmurs, kissing Annalise. "I missed you. Missed you so much."
[21:31] <Kotono> The carpet feels oh so soft and warm, her body sinking into it. Annalise returns that kiss, "Oh, I can tell." Bringing Jaela close, resting Jaela's head against her chest, "I'm here now. Tell me about your trip. Tell me all about it."
[21:33] * Jaela snuggles closer to Annalise. "Strength of Light deserves his name. I'm glad I went to fight him. And I brought some friends back with me, too." She cups Annalise's cheek. "There's even a surprise for you, once we have some time."
[21:34] <Kotono> "A productive trip. Tell me, what was that surprise?" Smiling down as she holds Jaela, "What of your companions? Did they profit as well from the excursion?"
[21:36] * Jaela giggles. "Dana was in heaven. In oh so many ways. And Mirima's found a way with lava. It was brutal but you can't argue with the results." She steals Annalise's lips again, before grinning and placing her index finger over them. "And if I spoiled the surprise, it wouldn't be a very good one, would it?"
[21:44] <Kotono> Smiling in return to that, kissing her again, "Mmmm. What else? Something surely helped improve your mood. You're absolutely bubbly."?
[21:47] <Jaela> "Loneliest three weeks ever," Jaela responds. Her gauntlets are discarded, and she traces her fingers down Annalise's side. "Let's not spend so much apart again so soon."
[21:53] <Kotono> "I do have to leave in the morning," Annalise reports, "Though I doubt Afina would mind the company." Shivering under that touch, "Do you have any other points of interest, or shall we move onto something else entirely different?"
[21:55] <Jaela> "I'll come along," Jaela says instantly, smiling. "My interest's in you, above all else."
[21:57] <Kotono> "You're welcome to. It will be fun...I'm sure Dana and Mirima at least made up for my absence a tiny bit, no?"
[21:58] <Jaela> "She wanted to. But the one I want is you," Jaela responds earnestly.
[22:02] <Kotono> "Oh?" Smirking a moment, "Mirima, I presume? I don't think Dana has that particular sphere of interest." Patting Jaela's shoulder, "She's gorgeous, isn't she?"
[22:05] <Jaela> "She is," Jaela answers, kissing that smirk away. "And you're beyond gorgeous, and I love you."
[22:06] <Kotono> Returning that kiss again, "Oh yes. I know you do. Still, were you tempted?"
[22:07] * Jaela doesn't need to even think about her answer. "I'll never betray you, in anything."
[22:14] <Kotono> "I know that, too," Her smile shifts back into a sultry smirk, "Do you want her?"
[22:18] <Jaela> "You," Jaela corrects her. "Just you." Her own expression quickly grows to match Annalise's. "And I should really thank you for the carpet."
[22:23] <Kotono> "If you change your mind," Annalise whispers, "I would like nothing more than to strengthen the Graceful Blow, for my gift and their talents would match perfectly. Still...yes, let's cut to the matter of thanks," Annalise whispers.