236.1 Alicia and the Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze

[Corwin]

[19:41] <Kotono> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
05[19:41] -batcave.dejatoons.net:@#dunes- Alicia invited Hatbot into the channel.
03[19:41] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@24.174.51.230) has joined #dunes
03[19:42] * Alicia sets mode: +v Hatbot
[19:43] <Kotono> That night, Alicia lies down her head to rest. Sleep comes quickly, her exhausted body slipping into it's promised rest. Yet...in her dreams, the burning comes again. Her blood boils, her flesh cooks, her soul simmers. It is a timeless dream and blessed nightmare revelation both, combined into a constant, eternal image of fire.  Arcane fire, spellfire, Hell-Striker's fire, the fire that comes from within her, it all burns within Alicia.  Behin
[19:44] <Kotono> the fire that comes from within her, it all burns within Alicia.  Behind every image she can see Kossuth, the endless pillar of fire that rises forever in infinite heat. (More)
[19:46] <Kotono> Alicia melts down. Her body flows like liquid. Under it, His will shapes her, like hammerblows on red-hot steel. Her toes, her legs, her torso, her arms, her chest, her head, her wings. At the last blow, Alicia's eyes open. She is perfectly aware, as if she never slept. Dawn's early light creeps in. Her bed is singed, several little burn marks all over it. Marie lies at the foot of the bed, dazed and twitching.
06[19:50] * Alicia sits up in her bed with a sense of eerie calm while Marie groans and slowly pulls herself together. Pivoting off the bed, she stands up lithely and rubs her arms, her hands moving further and exploring her body as if checking everything's still where it should be. "Aaooww... this is what I get for trying to wake you from your hot dreams..." Marie mutters groggily from behind her.
[19:54] <Kotono> Alicia's body seems to be about as she remembers it. The same perks and the same sags, really. She still feels a little...different, but it's more inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a red, fire-light glowing.
[19:56] <Alicia> "Something's changed," Alicia replies calmly, mind racing. "I feel different. Kossuth *altered* me..." she then trails off, turning to look at the glowing.
[19:56] <Alicia> "I feel a little different, too, now that you mention it," Marie remarks as she pulls herself together. "Nothing bad, I think... but how? Why?"
[19:57] <Kotono> Hell-Striker sits in the corner of Alicia's room. It's two blades have merged into one, turning the double-sword into a falchion. Crimson fire dances on the edge of it's blade.
[19:58] <Alicia> "Hell Striker?" Alicia steps over and picks up the blade carefully, having some familiarity with this style of weapon from her travels. "You, too? What happened?"
[19:59] <Kotono> The falchion feels deeply familiar in Alicia's hand, skills known and yet not known engraved within her knowledges. 'I am now this.' It answers.
[20:00] <Alicia> Taciturn as always. That's a relief, at least. "Do you... mind?" she asks after receiving no elaboration. She's really not sure, herself... like Marie says, it doesn't feel bad, but at the same time she can't escape a nagging feeling that this is somehow disloyal to Mystra...
[20:01] <Kotono> 'I am. That is all that matters.'
[20:07] <Alicia> "I see," Alicia sets the sword down. "I think I should pray on this," she decides, quickly throwing on some clothes. "Marie, I'm just going to the temple if anyone asks for me, okay?" With the clear indication that she doesn't want her familiar tagging along, she then hurriedly departs her home.
[20:08] <Kotono> Hurrying away, Alicia enters the temple. The doors are open to her to proceed in how she wishes.
06[20:10] * Alicia doesn't want to disturb morning services, so after exchanging pleasantries with anyone present she finds a quiet spot within sight of the altar and either sits or kneels, furniture permitting, and sends her prayers to her Goddess, seeking guidance on whether she should embrace or resist being tempered by the Firelord.
[20:18] <Kotono> Alicia loses herself in prayer. At first the normal distractions of reality nag at her, but with patience and grace they are subliminated, losing herself in her meditations. Time is lost as a feeling of peace comes over her. In her mind's vivid sight, she sees Antenora. She kneels, murmuring, "...though I never expected this or dreamed of it...thank you, Mystra. The changes Alicia has made to me...thank you."
[20:18] <Kotono> The changes Alicia has made to me...thank you."
[20:23] <Alicia> Well, that's certainly one way of looking at it. Mind set at ease, Alicia relaxes somewhat, content to take part in morning services before she goes home to put these changes through their paces.
[20:29] <Kotono> Alicia finds Antenora at the practice grounds, already working away. She takes a long look at Alicia's weapon, raising an eyebrow. "Alicia?"
[20:31] <Alicia> "It seems the changes wrought by the Firelord ran deeper than it first seemed," Alicia explains as she draws Hell Striker, holding the heavy blade comfortably enough. "For what reason I cannot tell, but I do not believe Mystra disapproves."
[20:32] <Kotono> "Mystra seems content to let others do parts of Her will and work," Antenora watches Alicia hold Hell-Striker, "What changed?"
[20:36] <Alicia> "Hell Striker has changed as you see - which means I'm going to have to change my fighting style, no doubt, and my magic has become stronger," Alicia outlines what she's felt so far. "As for my fighting skills? That's what I came here to test."
[20:38] <Kotono> Antenora starts to smile a little, "Shall we then?"
[20:41] <Alicia> "I'm not going to spar with a real enchanted blade," Alicia shakes her head, that being a rule they've always held fast on. "I'll see about picking up a blunted practice one later on, for now I was just going to run through some drills. You're welcome to join me with those, and it'll let us spot any glaring problems before I test myself against you."
[20:44] <Kotono> As they begin, going through the motions, "Assuming no problems," Antenora thrusts out with her spear, impaling a wooden dummy, "What our next move then? Consolidating for the winterwight?"
[20:48] <Alicia> "Yes," Alicia replies, scything her sword through the air with a curving upwards slash, then stepping back to recover and following with a vertical downwards chop. Its rather unbalanced compared to what she's used to - less grace and more power, she thinks irritably.
[20:48] <Alicia> "There's an intelligent slime and that slaad/inevitable crossbreed I'd want to evacuate first, as well. I might go and do that later today, if you want to come along?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "I'm up for it," Antenora whirls the blunt tip of her spear butt back, as if warding off a blow. AS she hops back, "What are you going to do with them?"
[20:53] <Alicia> "For the slime I was considering either the tunnels where we first met Zetsubouko, or the elemental plane of ooze. I'll ask it when we get there," Alicia replies, whipping her flaming sword out in a wide horizontal arc that she's reasonably sure would gut a pit fiend if it connected. "The hybrid is more complicated."
[20:53] <Alicia> "The house is already starting to get crowded as is, and I'm not sure we can reach it the same way we have Hugo - although I had wondered if it would respond to telepathic communication, its probably something the gnomes already tried. Still, getting it out of that cell couldn't hurt, we'll see how things progress."
[20:56] <Kotono> Antenora starts to go, but slips. She recovers in an instant, retorting with a sharp thrust. "We can...mmm. If all else fails, Elysium?"
06[20:58] * Alicia flaps her wings and takes off, flying in a short zig-zag and slicing downwards on her turns as if attacking a line of invisible foes. "I don't want to just dump it somewhere like that, and given how the conflicts between law and chaos have paralyzed it I'm not sure an outer plane would be the best place, anyway."
[20:59] <Kotono> "Then what do we do with it?" Antenora stops her movement, leaning on her practice spear, "Do we just put it in a room somewhere and hope it sorts itself out one day?"
06[21:02] * Alicia stops as well. "Although I'm particularly loathe to see one as a role model, perhaps there is something to be learned from the Concordant Killers in this matter," she states finally.
[21:03] <Kotono> Now with a half snort of tiredness that ripples through her, "So, are we going to try to get a Concordant Killer to play parent to it?"
[21:05] <Alicia> "Hardly," Alicia shakes her head. "But they must have ways of coming to terms with their diametrically opposed heritages. If we could learn what, perhaps we could help the unfortunate gnomish experiment come to find a healthy balance of its own."
[21:06] <Kotono> "Maybe. So how do we go about finding this out?" Antenora goes an dputs her spear back, "My heart's not in practice today. Sorry, Alicia."
[21:10] <Alicia> "It's fine," Alicia allows, sliding Hell Striker into her baldric after its flames go out. "We can research Concordant Killers, and other such conflicted beings, to start with. This isn't something that'll have a quick and easy solution, Antenora."
[21:10] <Kotono> "I didn't say it would," Antenora starts to snap off. "What I said was...no, what I should be saying is that I'm feeling pissy today. Sorry." Antenora breathes in and out, "Sorry."
[21:12] <Alicia> "It's alright," Alicia soothes, cocking her head. "Anything you want to talk about?"
[21:13] <Kotono> "N...well, seeing you change like that. That's all." Antenora starts to head inside, "It's just disturbing my equilibrium. Never mind it."
[21:15] <Alicia> "Do I look that different?" Alicia asks in surprise as she follows Antenora. Certainly Hell Striker looks totally different, but aside from having her spellcasting prowess enhanced Alicia doesn't feel different at all. Well, she might be a little less observant, maybe...
[21:15] <Alicia> *feel that much different
[21:17] <Kotono> "It's just the change at all. And no, it doens't count when Mystra does it." Antenora goes inside, "Just let it lie then, Alicia? I'll see you in a little when we're ready to go?"
[21:18] <Alicia> "I'm still me," Alicia tries to reassure her friend. "Nothing important's changed."
[21:26] <Kotono> Antenora turns and smiles to Alicia, before heading off. OOC: Skip along to your TPing times?
[21:26] <Alicia> "How come you never got all distraught when I got changed, huh?" Marie demands crossly as she randomly flies into the hall. "I still drop all my clothes when I turn incorporeal! And no one's done anything about it!"
[21:26] <Alicia> OOC: sure, no one cares about Marie, anyway
[21:28] <Alicia> roll 1d100 to oasis
06[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 to oasis and gets 55." [1d100=55]
[21:28] <Alicia> roll 1d100 steel jungle
06[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 steel jungle and gets 8." [1d100=8]
[21:30] <Kotono> Woosh! Alicia and company appear in the steel jungle. Besides various bones littered about, it's quiet enough here. Unnatural, but quiet.
[21:31] <Alicia> "Four oh eight?" Alicia calls out, looking around slowly before asking Antenora, "Do you sense anything nearby?"
[21:33] <Kotono> "I do, three things. Two of them are semi intelligent, the last is normally intelligent," She points to the jungle, "It's just within there."
[21:35] <Alicia> The semi intelligent things are probably those crazily moving disjointed things. Pulling down her blindfold to see any invisible blocks of slime, Alicia slowly walks in the direction indicated for the being of normal intelligence.
[21:36] <Kotono> As you do, the slime comes out of the jungle. It oozes ahead, and in you rmind, 'You have returned?' It asks of Alicia.
[21:37] <Alicia> 'I have,' Alicia acknowledges mentally. 'I trust you have been well since we last spoke?'
[21:37] <Kotono> 'I continue to feed. I am well.'
[21:38] <Kotono> Antenora takes some time to look about, but stays quiet otherwise.
[21:39] <Alicia> 'Have you never spoken to the creatures you dine on as you do with me?' Alicia asks, wondering if it's capable of cohabitating with anything peacefully.
[21:39] <Alicia> 'Or spoken with anything else that dwells here?'
[21:40] <Kotono> 'The prey sees me as an enemy. The others do not, but they are of only some intelligence.' It answers, 'They are unusual.'
[21:43] <Alicia> That sounds fair enough. 'This place may not be safe for you much longer, so I must take you elsewhere,' Alicia explains plainly. 'As it would be difficult for you to exist where I live, I had considered either taking you to a vast cavern system, or a realm filled with other beings similar to yourself. If you have any other suggestions or preferences, I would hear them.'
[21:44] <Kotono> 'I wish to see outside. That is all. Anythin goutside is acceptable. The others...are they intelligent as I?'
[21:47] <Alicia> 'I have never been to that realm, but some of those who dwell there are,' Alicia responds.
[21:47] <Alicia> 'It is effectively a vast plane of slime, much of it inert, but there are unintelligent but active slimes in great quantities, and a sizable population of sentients either adaptated to the environment or composed of it much like yourself. I cannot guarantee their attitudes, but you would share some commonality'
[21:49] <Kotono> 'This intrigues me. I am interested in that.'
[21:53] <Alicia> 'Very well, I can take you there, and remain for a short time to ensure it is to your satisfaction before we part ways,' Alicia nods. 'Wait just a moment?' She then turns to Antenora, "I've spoken with 408, and it wishes to see the Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze. I know its not the nicest place, but I feel obligated to go along and make sure its okay before leaving it - do you want to come along?"
[21:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 Antenora very much wants to make a check on this
06[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 Antenora very much wants to make a check on this and gets 31." [1d20=14]
[22:01] <Kotono> "Very well. At worst..." Antenora chuckles, "I can't leave you along there. Besides, you do have prestidigation still, don't you?"
[22:04] <Alicia> "It's the most basic spell there is," Alicia laughs a little herself, swapping her freedom of movement ring for the plane shift one, and casting resist energy to protect the both of them from acid. "Four oh eight? I don't know if you can control your natural defences, but try not to paralyse me when I touch you, please," she requests.
[22:06] <Kotono> 'I shall try,' It sends into Alicia's mind.
[22:09] <Alicia> 'That's all I can ask,' Alicia returns, guessing they'll have to wait an hour and a half before her ring recharges. Hopefully be safe that long, she thinks as she takes Antenora's hand and reaches out to the slime cube with the other, calling upon the magic of her ring to transport them all to the para-elemental plane of ooze,
[22:09] <Alicia> aiming for the side closest to the elemental plane of earth as most likely to at least provide some semblance of solid terrain.
[22:09] <Alicia> roll 5d100 if this even matters
06[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 5d100 if this even matters and gets 192." [5d100=13, 58, 88, 23, 10]
[22:19] <Kotono> Oh MYSTRA. The smell is terrible! It's like rotting earth and shit and piss congealed into one hellish miasma. Alicia's eyes cloud over at the stentch, staggering her! OOC: Make a fort save first tings first.
[22:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 Antenroa
06[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 Antenroa and gets 34." [1d20=6]
[22:19] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22 +4 vs poison
06[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 +4 vs poison and gets 42." [1d20=20]
[22:20] <Kotono> Alicia draws her focus inward, enduring the smell. You stand on an ooze covered rock perhaps twenty feet wide at the most. It floats in an endless ocean of brown, thick ooze. You're in a little sphere of air, ooze all above and below you. There's not much light, the ooze only quasi-transparent at best. Your skin and clothes feel slimy, dirty.
[22:21] <Kotono> Antenora gags, "Filth!" She hisses, placing a hand over her mouth and nose.
[22:21] <Kotono> Your friend starts to slide forward, it's voice in it Alicia's mind, 'Slime.' Itmurmurs, 'This is...!'
06[22:22] * Alicia resists the urge to retch with all of her will. "You don't know how lucky you are not to have a nose..." she says towards the cubic slime, feeling like she'll never smell anything good ever again.
[22:24] <Kotono> The ooze slips into the brown ooze, wading into it with a slicking, sucking noise. Droplets of ooze go flying as it does, splattering on your clothes and face. "Goddess Mystra, I'm going to take a bath after this. The legends of the Paraelemental Plane are not exaggerations!"
[22:25] <Alicia> "I wish I'd waited till closer to noon... I really didn't think it could be so bad," Alicia admits, slitting her eyes against the sickly haze she can feel congealing all over her. 'Do you like it?' she replies telepathically to 408.
[22:26] <Kotono> 'It is wonderful!' 408 replies, as Antenora rubs her hands over her breastplate, "We're going to learn a hard lesson here, aren't we?"
[22:28] <Alicia> 'I'm glad. We can't follow you into the ooze, but we'll remain on this rock for the next hour and a half. Come back if you need anything or change your mind?' she suggests telepathically. "At least we can say that we've been here? That has to take some sort of courage," she weakly consoles Antenora.
[22:28] <Kotono> OOC: Skip along a little bit as you wait and feel miserably dirty?
[22:29] <Alicia> OOC: by all means
[22:31] <Kotono> About 50 minutes have passed. You think, the entire thing is a miserable ordeal of waiting. Antenora's thrown up once, her color gone to a waxen sheen. Alicia's stomach protests but she keeps her breakfast down. The feeling of dirtiness intensifies. Alicia feels dirty all over, even in the quiet crevices under her arms, or between her breastplate edge and side, or in her socks. It's then that there is a lurch! The stone you stand on bobs downw
[22:31] <Kotono> or in her socks. It's then that there is a lurch! The stone you stand on bobs downward! A few little waves of slime spill over the edge before it bobs back upwards.
06[22:32] * Alicia wonders how Antenora can even throw up considering she never eats. Just what is in her vomit? Perhaps she's better off not knowing. "What was that?" she jerks in alarm, wings fanning out to help her balance before they flap and lift her off of the slick and unstable rock, deciding that hovering would be safer.
[22:33] <Kotono> Antenora does the same, the rock bobbing up and down again, this time deeper down, almost sinking. "Oh Mystra..." Antenora brandishes her spear as she looks down, "I don't sense an intelligence, at least."
[22:34] <Alicia> "It could easily be a mindless slime," Alicia considers, drawing Hell Striker. She refrains from igniting it, however, not sure her nostrils could take the inevitable result.
[22:35] <Kotono> "I was afraid you might think that," Antenora sighs again, "Terrible luck."
[22:38] <Alicia> "It could even just be a shift in the currents, or something like that?" Alicia suggests, looking for an upside. "At least we don't have much longer to wait, I think..."
[22:40] <Kotono> With a thick, stony SNAP!, the rock you ere standing on breaks in two! It sinks straight down, showing a wide, gaping, empty mouth of slime! It's as if the slime below it got hungry, a mouth full of earth, ooze and filth! The rock vanishes into the ooze, down it's 'throat', before smoothing out and vanishing.
[22:41] <Alicia> "Oh, come on!" Alicia exclaims in exasparation. "I think this plane actively hates us."
[22:43] <Kotono> "That is...unencouraging," Antenora considers her words for a little while before she speaks, drawing them out. "I'll keep a watch out for naything else. Hopefully your ring will be ready soon."
[22:45] <Alicia> "It's a little over half an hour," Alicia sighs, "I don't mind flying for long periods, but just hovering is a pain. If we weren't waiting on 408 possibly coming back I'd just teleport us somewhere else..."
[22:46] <Kotono> Antenora nods and braces to wait...OOC: Skip along?
[22:46] <Alicia> OOC: yeah
[22:46] <Kotono> roll 1d100+1
06[22:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100+1 and gets 46." [1d100=45]
[22:46] <Kotono> The rest of the time is merciful - it passes without incident. No sign of 408, but your ring is ready to go once more.
[22:48] <Alicia> "Well, looks like someone's enjoying this place... what was that phrase Beth was fond of? 'As happy as a pig in shit'? Feels appropriate..." Alicia mutters. "Anyway, shall we? I'll try and aim for someplace nice so we can get cleaned up."
[22:48] <Kotono> "Yes!" Antenora takes both of Alicia's hands into her own, "I'm goin to scrub and scrub and scrub until I wear a cloth down to dust."
[22:50] <Alicia> Happy to leave this place far behind, Alicia aims for the lovely tropical island she took her friends to during her recent 'funny turn' while exploring the ruins. She'll probably miss but hopefully land at least someplace pleasant by the sea. "Likewise, believe me," she affirms as they go.
[22:50] <Alicia> roll 5d100
06[22:50] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 5d100 and gets 323." [5d100=70, 47, 73, 85, 48]
[22:50] <Kotono> roll 1d9
06[22:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d9 and gets 2." [1d9=2]
[22:51] <Kotono> It's warm and pleasant here. You stand on a sandy white beach, the sea lapping up against your feet. It's not much - more like a long sandbar with a few rocks that has managed to reach out to the sea, with a few hardy grasses growing atop it. Antenora looks around and promptly walks right into the ocean.
[22:54] <Alicia> While speedy immersion would be nice, she'll never get at all the nooks and crannies like this, so Alicia at least takes a moment to strip down, piling her soiled clothes and gear on the sand before she uses said sand to scrub herself thoroughly prior to taking a dip. "You'll want to exfoliate yourself, too," she calls over to the aquatic angel.

[Corwin]

[17:37] <Kotono> ----
[17:37] <Kotono> OOC: AFter removing the muck of the Ooze, were you two going to teleport back to the steel jungle?
[17:37] <Alicia> Yep
[17:38] <Kotono> Go ahead and roll it?
[17:38] <Alicia> roll 1d100
06[17:38] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 and gets 66." [1d100=66]
[17:40] <Kotono> Alicia and Antenora, freshly cleaned of the disgusting oozes of the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze, smell of salt water as they once again appear in the steel jungle. Nothing has changed since they left with 408.
[17:41] <Alicia> "Okay, our next stop will be to make sure the wards on the winterwight are still secure before we go get the last hybrid," Alicia summarises the plan. "Follow me and watch out for trolls or any slimy bezekira we missed?"
[17:43] <Kotono> Antenora rubs her arm against her breastplate several more times. "I will. Mystra willing, we won't see anything slimy today or ever."
[17:46] <Alicia> "Well, you'll see a lot, but hopefully they'll stay in their tubes," Alicia grimaces as she leads Antenora to the main entrance of the structure.
[17:48] <Kotono> As you climb down, Antenora rubs her arms. "I can still smell that filth when I breath through my nose." As you reach the bottom, "Nothing, by the way."
[17:49] <Alicia> "Washing didn't do enough," Alicia agrees. "I'll sweep us both with a sweet-smelling cantrip once we're done in the slime lab," she promises as they head down to the cavernous room of slimy crossbreeds.
[17:55] <Kotono> "Thanks," Antenora goes to clasp Alicia's shoulder. As you walk about the chambers of the slime labs, specimens kept in glass jars all over, "What happened here?" Antenora goes to one of the jars, looking up at a half slime, half flesh bezekira. "It looks as if Juiblex cursed a Hellcat more than anything else."
[17:56] <Alicia> "Effectively they combined hellcats with gelatinous cubes. Some are more cat-like as you can see, others are more cube-like like 408 - although none of the others like it have any intellect," Alicia explains, rapping her knuckles on the tube. "Is it even alive in there, can you tell?" There may be a ton of tubes, but if all their inhabitants are already dead it matters little, she supposes.
[17:59] <Kotono> "I don't sense anything," Antenora says, tapping the class after Alicia does. "I wonder what Dukes or Archdukes are ultimately behind the gnomish cooperations? Has that ever been brought to light to you?"
[18:01] <Alicia> "No," Alicia shakes her head, starting to head towards the door leading to the winterwight chamber. "We've never seen any gnomish lore relating to the upper echelons of Hell, although the relationship seemed to be an unequal one favouring the gnomes, from all accounts."
[18:03] <Kotono> "Perhaps so," As you reach the door, you find it was left as it was last time. "But I would wager my entire wealth that some greater devil send minions and pawns to suffer here for his own benefit."
[18:04] <Kotono> *sent
[18:06] <Alicia> "Possibly, but considering that they were able to fight a war against literally all of creation, I wouldn't discount their ability to bring even fiendish nobility to heel."
[18:06] <Alicia> "Binding the likes of Zquujaj or even this Winterwight seemed to pose little problem for them, after all," Alicia reasons as she casts antimagic field on herself to prevent the still active magical traps from firing as she opens the door.
[18:09] <Kotono> "True, but even if a devil was being raped and tormented for eternity, another would try to use it to some gain." Inside, the war between hot and cold continues. The fell creature contained within gusts out cold, each time spreading and being pushed back every second, a constant back and forth war.
[18:11] <Alicia> "Perhaps we'll find out, some day," Alicia demurs, closing the door after confirming that the spawn of Auril and Shar remains held in place, then walking away before she dismisses her antimagic field.
[18:13] <Kotono> "I hope so..." Antenora turns to Alicia, walking just behind her. "We're getting so strong. If we keep going, then someday we may be able to make a difference on a cosmic scale. If even one true devil lord of Hell can be stopped or destroyed..."
03[18:14] * Taishyr (~ferixstad@c-98-210-201-139.hsd1.ca.comcast.net) has joined #dunes
03[18:14] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Taishyr
[18:19] <Alicia> "We both know they'd just promote another to replace the one we killed," Alicia observes ruefully as she heads back to the stairs. "Not saying it's futile, since we'd unravel a great many plots and schemes, but so long as evil exists in the cosmos, so too will its outer-planar representatives."
[18:30] <Kotono> "I know that all too well. We can't kill Hell, but we can do what we can do make real changes for the better." Antenora's own smile is a rueful one, "Seira now...I could see her saying she'd try to kill all the evil in the cosmos."
[18:35] <Alicia> "Such is the conceit of the young," Alicia chuckles, casting prestidigitation as they leave the lab and sweeping over both of them to bestow a rosy smelling perfume. "Given all she's survived and thrived through at her age, her boundless confidence even has some foundation."
[18:37] <Kotono> As you ascend back up, Antenora sniffs and smiles. "Better. I wonder sometimes, if realism aside, such boundless hope and confidence isn't a good thing. Sometimes I wonder if I'm too jaded for what I'm supposed to be now."
06[18:42] * Alicia shrugs. "Idealism shouldn't be confused with naivete. Wilfully thumbing your nose at all problems isn't that healthy, I think."
[18:43] <Kotono> Antenora considers that as you head to the Museum. You reach it without incident, Antenora following Alicia.
[18:45] <Alicia> As she starts towards the hybrid cells Alicia suddenly pauses. "I just remembered, we left someone else behind here," she grimaces unhappily, turning around to go into the diabolic dissections room.
[18:45] <Kotono> "Hm?" Antenora adjusts course with Alicia, "Who o rwhat?"
[18:46] <Alicia> "The gnomes found a way to make a devil immortal without using necromancy," Alicia explains. "And I don't mean that in the 'doesn't get old' sense," she adds, hunting around for the ranting decapitated hamatula head.
[18:48] <Kotono> Looking around, Alicia finds no sign of the hamatula head at all. Antenora looks as well, glancing. "What sort of un-life then?"
[18:49] <Alicia> "Well, Demedais chopped its head off," Alicia points to the strung up body... the body is still there, right? "And it didn't seem bothered at all." She aids her eyes by searching for evil auras as well.
[18:50] <Kotono> No sign of the body, either. No evil auras. "...strange, that..." Antenora says.
[18:51] <Alicia> "We left it behind here, but it seems to have gone..." Alicia frowns, looking for any trails of ichor or the like that might indicate it somehow managed to roll away or drag itself by its tongue or something similarly unsavoury.
[18:52] <Kotono> OOC: Make search or spot then, whichever?
[18:52] <Alicia> roll 1d20+2 alas I now lack both
06[18:52] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+2 alas I now lack both and gets 9." [1d20=7]
[18:52] <Kotono> No signs of anything like that at all.
[18:52] <Kotono> "Strange and stranger," Antenora follos Alicia around, looking.
[18:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+
06[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+ and gets Error: Check syntax." [1d20=13]
[18:53] <Kotono> OOC: 34.
[18:53] <Kotono> "I don't see a thing," Antenora takes osme time to look about, "Do you?"
06[18:54] * Alicia shakes her head. "I've no idea where it could've gotten itself to, now," she admits defeat. "Well, if it lingers in these ruins then surely it can test its lack of mortality against Kossuth's purifying flames."
[18:56] <Kotono> "I'd wager on Kossuth." Antenora looks about a little more, "A  mystery to be sure."
[18:57] <Alicia> "Not much we can do, I suppose. It might have even teleported for all we know," Alicia shrugs, departing this room and now going to the hybrid cells.
[18:59] <Kotono> The two return to the hybrid cells. On reaching the law and chaos crossbreed, you find it pacing as it was before. Antenora stares at it, not saying a word as her eyes widen.
[19:01] <Alicia> "Can you get anything telepathically?" Alicia asks, looking between the hybridised law/chaos outsider and the turncoat evil/good outsider.
[19:01] <Kotono> "I'll try," Antenora says.
[19:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25
06[19:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 and gets 43." [1d20=18]
[19:02] <Kotono> Antenora promptly falls to her knees, holding her head. "Guuuuuuuuh!" She springs back up, "Okay, bad idea. It was..."
[19:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
06[19:03] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 11." [1d20=5]
[19:03] <Kotono> "I lack the words." Antenora decides, "It was different."
[19:03] <Alicia> "Are you alright? Did it say anything?" Alicia asks her friend in concern, looking at the cyberfrog to see if its showing any reaction.
[19:04] <Kotono> "No...If it was words, I didn't understand it." Antenora frowns deeply, "There wasn't any meaning to it that I could understand."
[19:07] <Alicia> "I suppose it couldn't be that simple," Alicia sighs, looking to see if the hybrid is far enough back that it won't get showered with glass should she break the window. "Can you tell how smart it is, at least?"
[19:08] <Kotono> It's in the back part of the cell. "It's intelligent, about as intelligent as a quick human."
[19:09] <Alicia> "I wonder if any spells that influence mental abilities would affect it?" Alicia wonders, drawing Hell Striker and chopping it down through the glass in one powerful strike!
[19:10] <Alicia> roll 2d4+40 -13pa
06[19:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 2d4+40 -13pa and gets 42." [2d4=1, 1]
[19:11] <Kotono> The glass shatters, broken apart! Antenora holds her arm in front of her eyes, stopping the glass shards. "Not bad."
06[19:13] * Alicia puts her sword away and steps into the cell. "Hello?" she tries in gnomish. "Can you understand me?"
[19:14] <Kotono> The creature goes to Alicia and starts to pace around her. It says not a word, only a flesh-wet sliding of strange gears heard.
[19:15] <Alicia> Does it at least look at her? "We've come to take you out of here," she explains perhaps vainly.
[19:17] <Kotono> It doesn't quite look at Alicia face to face, but it looks at her body at various points.
[19:21] <Alicia> "Hmm... I actually have an idea," Alicia considers thoughtfully, back to Common. "If the deadlock in its brain can be broken, even if only briefly, perhaps that would be enough to stop it from turning in circles? There's a spell I can try if we visit Elle's shop."
[19:22] <Kotono> "Certainly. What spell?" Antenora asks.
[19:23] <Alicia> "Creatively enough, it's called Mechanus Mind," Alicic chuckles slightly. "It's primarily used as a defence against enchantments, but it does have a strong side-effect of making the subject more rational and ordered in mindset."
[19:24] <Kotono> "So, you'll make the law side stronger than the weak...er, chaotic side?"
[19:25] <Kotono> Antenora catches herself, smiling all the while., "Alicia, I completely approve. You're so lovely when you're thinking lawfully."
[19:27] <Alicia> "Exactly," Alicia smiles. "It'll only last a few moments, but in that time it should resolve the being's inner conflict, perhaps allowing it to retain that peace even when the spell ends." Switching to gnomish, she reaches for the creature's hand and explains,
[19:27] <Alicia> "I'm going to teleport you away from here. You'll be safe with us, I promise." Maybe something'll get through, and even if not she feels bad not saying anything.
[19:27] <Kotono> The creature takes it's face to Alicia's hand, staring at it, circling it's head around in erratic jags and then even lines.
06[19:29] * Alicia gently pulls it along a bit towards Antenora so she can take her friend's hand as well, before teleporting the free of them to the desert oasis. Assuming everyone's willing.
[19:29] <Alicia> roll 1d100
06[19:29] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 and gets 46." [1d100=46]
[19:29] <Alicia> three of them*
[19:30] <Kotono> Woosh! You appear in the desert oasis. It's unusually noisy here - you can hear the sounds of laughter and water splashing, carrying.
06[19:31] * Alicia blinks. "I don't think anyone was here two hours ago..." she comments, looking over towards the water.
[19:33] <Kotono> A set of ragged, sandstained wagons sit besides the oasis waters. Several pack animals drink from it, as white wrapped men and women laugh in the water. "Strange..." Antenora murmurs, looking ahead.
[19:34] <Alicia> "We're really far off of the normal trade routes, too. Oh, well, none of our business," Alicia lets it drop, now teleporting the three of them to just outside of Elle's shop in Balmuria.
[19:34] <Alicia> roll 1d100 studied carefully?
06[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 studied carefully? and gets 16." [1d100=16]
[19:37] <Kotono> Woosh! You appear just outside Elle's shop. Donald is standing out of it, hammering away a wooden sign into the ground. He's whistling a merry tune...except one can note he's using the Hammer of the Shard to do the pounding.
06[19:38] * Alicia stares, appalled. "Donald... why are you using the priceless artifact hammer as a carpentry tool?"
[19:39] <Kotono> "Oh hi, Alicia. Why not?" Shrugging as he works, "Seira has it on loan from the Guard, and it's not like it's going to break. Besides, Countess Stronger can say that her signs are so important that an artifact has to be used to plant them. Now that's worthy."
[19:40] <Kotono> Antenora stares at the Hammer, "Throw it into the Abyss, except when another devil comes calling for all I care. It's chaotic, it would probably appreciate being used unusually anyway."
[19:41] <Alicia> "But it could get stolen," Alicia points out. "That thing should be secured safely in the garrison until its needed for killing devils, not bandied around town as your daily tool." She sighs and glances briefly to her conflicted tagalong. "Nevermind, you might as well stick around with it. I might have a use for it in a moment myself if the spell doesn't work."
[19:43] <Kotono> Antenora starts to herd the halfbreed in as Donald waves. His features are delicate and fine, to the point of being elf-girl-like. His voice is musical as he laughs, "Sure thing, Alicia. I also think it's a fun tool, so why don't you two lighten up a bit?"
[19:45] <Alicia> "We just spent the better part of our morning on the para-elemental plane of ooze. See how cheery you can be after an ordeal like that," Alicia retorts tartly, briefly glancing at the sign to see what exactly it says before she follows Antenora into the shop.
[19:47] <Kotono> "In other words, be silent," Antenora goes inside. You can see it's Elle's new inventory list, as well as advertising seventh circle magic.
[19:47] <Alicia> Alicia is confident she'll reach that level soon, herself! Anyway, its only second circle magic she's interested in, so hopefully Alice or Elle can help...
[19:49] <Kotono> Going inside you find Countess Stronger talking with Commander Oberuth. "...that many? Well, I know that...oh, there's Alicia...and what in the name of Mystra's treasury is THAT?"
[19:50] <Kotono> Elle gawks, as the Commander just turns around, shakes his head and goes on. "Guard business, Alicia. Sorry, you'll need to wait a bit, this is going to take a few minutes."
[19:51] <Alicia> "Hello, Elle," Alicia waves. "This is the result of gnomish meddling where they shouldn't, the offspring of a Slaad and an Inevitable. No, I don't know how exactly this was accomplished, but here's the result, plain as day." Nodding to the Commander, "That's fine, sir."
[19:53] <Kotono> "How..." Cutoff by Alicia, words only half formed anyway, "Nevermind that. But yes, I can get you at least some of that. You'll need to talk to the temples for the rest. Protection from Energy is a wide and common spell."
[19:56] <Kotono> "Good. As much protection from lightning as you can muster and carry with teleport. Make it priority, the sooner we mount this expedition the better. As for the wands, we were thinking fireball will be well, as well as anything with superior anti army potential. There's a lot of them."
[19:57] <Kotono> Elle nods and goes to a scroll rack, "Yeah, I know. Don't remind me," Countess Stronger's words are distant now, "You'll have them. Here's a few now." Taking a few scrolls and handing them to Oberuth, "More will come."
[19:57] <Alicia> "Planning on culling the shocker lizards, sir?" Alicia can't help but ask. Surely she'd know if there was a war brewing?
[19:58] <Kotono> "Oh yes. They've been coming towards both Parsifal and the eastern regions of the Barony of Valandia with unusual numbers lately. If something's causing it, we'd rather stomp it out before it gets out of hand. Seira reported that there's a roc living in the mountains now and it likes hunting them, so it may be that they're being driven out of the mountains."
[20:00] <Alicia> "That's unfortunate. Those things can be murderous," Alicia frowns. "Well, you know I'm available to help if need be, sir."
[20:01] <Kotono> "I've gathered a force, though any additional help is welcome." With a nod there, "Can you and any allies you muster be ready by tomorrow morning?"
[20:02] <Alicia> "Certainly, sir," Alicia nods. "What scale of campaign are we looking at?" She doesn't want to leave the winterwight matter alone for too long, although it does partially depend on when Demedais returns.
[20:04] <Kotono> "It will depend on what we find. Xavier, Morund, Darill are being lead by Pollyanna and a few supporting elements to handle the Valandia side. I was going to use trained guardsmen, but you'd be far better."
[20:07] <Alicia> "Wouldn't hurt to bring them along for the experience. Depending on numbers I could even arrange rapid transport to Valandia," Alicia offers. "Anyway, I need to ask Elle about a spell, now." Putting the lizards aside, she turns to the redhead. "Do you have any capacity to cast a 2nd level spell for me, Elle? If not I'll need a scroll if you have one handy."
[20:12] <Kotono> "No, I'm full. What spell, if it's a common one I might have it memorized," Elle answers.
[20:14] <Alicia> "Doubtful," Alicia shakes her head. "I need to cast Mechanus Mind on our new friend here," she cocks her head towards the hybrid. "I'll buy a scroll if you have any available."
[20:16] <Kotono> "It's pretty obscure...let me check." Elle heads back. As she does, Commander Oberuth looks to Alicia. "You've had your own dealings with them? They've proven to have a penchant for interfering and getting in the way of the Guard."
[20:19] <Alicia> "I saw a lot of them right when I first joined and we went to find Kondrux's lair," Alicia replies. "There was another time more recently when a missed teleport put Lord Drake and I in the middle of a mountainside absolutely crawling with them. They really are an unreasonably hostile breed of vermin."
[20:23] <Kotono> "Yes. One of your predesessors in the Guard was slain by a pack of them, too." Oberuth growls a little to that, "You joined soon after she'd passed. You heard the stories about Shamal?"
[20:24] <Alicia> "You've all mentioned her from time to time," Alicia nods respectfully. "She sounded like a good woman."
[20:30] <Kotono> "She was one of the kindest souls I've ever met," Oberuth looks at the wall, away. "It was a stupid, stupid death. She deserved better."
[20:32] <Alicia> "Few deaths hold any great meaning," Alicia muses sadly. "At least you can be reassured that she's at peace with her Goddess, now?"
[20:38] <Kotono> Oberuth doesn't answer to that. Instead Elle comes back with a slightly dusty scroll. "Here. I had to dig for it, it's not a spell you get requested every day."
[20:40] <Alicia> "Never thought I'd find a use for it," Alicia agrees, digging into her portable hole and handing over several platinum coins to Elle in exchange for the scroll. Taking it, she approaches the hybrid and addresses it in gnomish, "I'm going to cast a spell that should give you some clarity, okay?" she explains.
[20:42] <Kotono> "Eh..." Elle shrugs, "This one's on me. Call it a donation to Mystra."
[20:42] <Kotono> The hybird stares at the scroll.
[20:43] <Alicia> "Thank you," Alicia smiles at Elle, keeping her money. With the hybrid's attention on her, she reads from the scroll and then gently touches its arm to hopefully tip the scales in its perpetual mental stalemate.
[20:47] <Kotono> The creature goes still! In a moment, it's movements stop. In words of Common, "No...the answer is order. The answer has always been order." As it utters those words, there is a great tearing! The creature splits in twain! Standing before you is a man sized, gold an dsilver clockwork creature. "Yes. Order. That is it!" It says, voice full of triumph! "That's it!" Besides it is a small, child sized creature. It's skin is grey and it's body is t
[20:47] <Kotono> "That's it!" Besides it is a small, child sized creature. It's skin is grey and it's body is toad like. It groans and holds it's head.
[20:49] <Alicia> Well, that's unexpected... "Ah, are you alright? Both of you?" Alicia looks between the two creatures that stand where previously there was but one, speaking in common herself.
[20:50] <Kotono> "I'm free! This is my purpose! Order! At last!" It looks to Alicia, "Angel, I thank you. I am Enynex 19. I am and was meant to be an Inevitable, but my fate was tarried with and bound to a force of chaos."
[20:51] <Alicia> "You're welcome, Enynex 19," Alicia smiles faintly. "This isn't the outcome I expected, though... what about you?" she kneels down a little to address the small slaad.
[20:53] <Kotono> "What a marvelous experience!" It exclaims, "Though the fall out was not desired...my power is greatly weakened..." It looks up to Alicia, hopping a bit. "For today, call me Ambarandathythissssm. I was bound to that dead mined bit of law there instead of being born."
[20:54] <Kotono> Oberuth watches this, just shaking his head.
[20:55] <Alicia> "I hope you don't mind if I make do with Ambar," Alicia offers in a concillatory tone. "Now that you're both free, what will you do now? If you like I have a friend who could send you to Mechanus and Limbo, respectively."
[20:57] <Kotono> "Yes, I must return to Mechanus and receive proper classifications," Enynex 19 reports, "As soon as possible, if not sooner."
06[20:57] * Alicia nods. "What about you, Ambar?"
[20:58] <Kotono> "Hm?" Waving his hand at Alicia, and going to a set of magic armor on display, "I like this. I also like that. I could go to Limbo, too, and wander elseware later, or now."
[21:00] <Alicia> "Going to Limbo is probably best. You can surely recover better in the realm of primal chaos?" Alicia suggests. "If you'll both come with us, we'll find Latha and she should be able to send you both home."
[21:05] <Kotono> Latha is found with Hugo and Jessica. They're drawing letters and talking with Hugo, though Latha parts away. "I can do so," she says once asked, "Returning them would be best for both.
[21:05] <Kotono> "
[21:07] <Alicia> "They've been deprived of their heritage long enough," Alicia agrees. "Will both of you be okay on your own?" she then asks the odd couple to make sure before they're sent on their way.
[21:10] <Kotono> "I must return," the Inevitable repeats, while the slaad just shrugs. "Sure."
[21:11] <Alicia> "Good luck to both of you, then," Alicia smiles supportively as Latha has the go ahead to work her magic.
[21:11] <Kotono> OOC: Going with her or just letting her go?
[21:12] <Alicia> OOC: she's going herself? I thought she was just casting plane shift on them.
[21:14] <Alicia> OOC: if she insists on going herself I'll tag along so I can teleport her back to Balmuria once she's done, but it seems wasteful
[21:14] <Kotono> OOC: Oh, dur. I'm dumb.
[21:15] <Kotono> Once the two are gone, "Ah, Alicia," Jessica stands up now, "Hugo, say hello to Alicia!"
[21:15] <Kotono> "Hello, Alicia!" Hugo smiles to her, ear to ear grinning.
[21:17] <Alicia> "Hello, Hugo," Alicia replies brightly, going to sit by the child-like hybrid. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much these past few days. Everything's always so busy. Have you been a good boy for Jessica and Marie and Latha?"
[21:18] <Kotono> "Good day!" Hugo nods and kisses Alicia's cheek. "Good day today!"
[21:18] <Kotono> "He's learning at a good pace," Latha says, "He's so very innocent. The Yugoloth within him must have been defeated by his better heritage."
06[21:20] * Alicia laughs and ruffles Hugo's hair. "It's a good day indeed," she agrees cheerily before responding to Latha. "I think it balances out. Human children can be just as innocent without needing any celestial influence."
[21:23] <Kotono> "So?" Latha looks to Antenora, "Were you born innocent?"
[21:26] <Kotono> "It's not the lack of celestial influence, it's the Yugoloth influence." Antenora answers it that way, "Lying is as  natura to a Yugoloth as breathing."
[21:26] <Alicia> "That's what I'm saying," Alicia interjects. "A young erinyes would have nothing to balance out her fiendish nature."
[21:27] <Kotono> "Yes, but look at the hybrid from today, or Concordant Killers. It's not like an opposing side goes away, but Hugo is as sweet as light." Antenora sits next to him, Hugo smiling and kissing her cheek.
[21:30] <Alicia> "I suppose the point has some merit," Alicia concedes. "While I'd expect an ordinary human child to be sweet and innocent, Hugo's upbringing really wouldn't lend itself to that under normal circumstances."
[21:32] <Kotono> "I like you," Hugo smiles to Alicia.
[21:32] <Kotono> "Yes. You would think his Yugoloth side would at least have some effect, but..." Latha shrugs. "It is a miracle as far as I am concerned."
[21:34] <Alicia> "I like you as well," Alicia smiles at Hugo. "Now, why don't you show me what you've been drawing today with Jessica and Latha?" she invites, picking up the sheaf of paper they've been clustering around.
[21:35] <Kotono> It's a childish image of a house with the sun shining down. Several winged women stand outside of it, with big paint drawn smiles on their faces.
[21:36] <Alicia> Awww, it's adorable! "It's really good, Hugo," she beams approvingly. "Can you tell me who each of the people are?"
[21:40] <Kotono> "Antenora, Latha, Jessica, Alicia!" He notes each, even Jessica having angel's wings.
06[21:46] * Alicia smiles approvingly, pleased at his cognizance. "What about Marie?" she puts the paper down once more. "Where is she?"
[21:47] <Kotono> "Haven't drawn her." Hugo takes the paper and supplies, getting to drawing a little thing on Alicia's head.
[21:49] <Alicia> "That's good, make sure she looks pretty or she'll pout," Alicia chuckles as he gets to work. It's amazing they can actually have real conversations with him, now. Clearly those gnomes were stifling him horribly.
[21:50] <Kotono> "Where is Marie? I haven't seen her since she yelled at me earlier," Antenora asks.
[21:50] <Kotono> "Alicia, you know?" Jessica asks.
[21:51] <Alicia> "She's within a mile, at least, since I can sense her," Alicia replies. "If I had to guess she's either getting into trouble with Dawnhope or loitering at the temple. Her mood isn't troubled, at least."
[21:52] <Kotono> "What did she get mad about," Jessica helps Hugo draw, guiding his hand with her own.
[21:53] <Kotono> "Oh, apparently I didn't have sympathy for the fact that she drops her clothes when she goes transparent now." With a smile, "I do admit I find it funny." Antenora pushes down her smile. "The reactions more than anything else."
[21:54] <Kotono> "Maybe." As she murmurs little words to Hugo, guiding him along, "She doesn't stay mad long."
[21:57] <Alicia> "She only really cares about making a fuss, even if she's not actually mad at all," Alicia laughs. "She's such a little drama queen."
[21:59] <Kotono> "Yes. She'd gladly get naked and sit on our heads if it made a fuss. She's just complaining to have fun. I don't really mind it at all," Antenora leans in to watch Hugo.  "See? Use straight, measured lines. Hugo, think aobut it before you make them. A good plan makes good art."
[22:01] <Kotono> "Yes. Antenora's right. Use the order to guide the art within you," Latha leans in on his other side, "Carefully now."
[22:01] <Kotono> Jessica laughs as Hugo starts drawing more erratically. "Fun to draw like this," he says.
[22:02] <Alicia> "That's fine, too," Alicia smiles. "It's more important to have fun with it than anything else. If you enjoy it, it shows in the picture."
[22:03] <Kotono> Antenora and Latha exchange a look, before both of them sigh softly.
[22:03] <Kotono> "Listen to Alicia," JEssica guides his hand in looping jags, "Just draw Marie like that! She'll like that anyway."
[22:04] <Alicia> "He's a child, you two," Alicia looks up to softly remonstrate Antenora and Latha. "Let him draw like one. You can mould him into a great artist when he's older."
[22:09] <Kotono> "Yes, yes," Antenora looks crossly at Alicia. "He's also an outsider. It's as relevant to him as drawing when he's a child."
[22:11] <Kotono> "It may be, but let it lie," Latha goes to stroke Hugo's head, "Draw as you will then."
[22:14] <Kotono> "You know," Softening as she looks at Alicia, "That's something you need to worry about too. Even if not yet and all the way, you're going to be composed of primal good. With your mindset, will perhaps primal law also be a part of you?"
[22:16] <Alicia> "I know you mean well, and its fine to set an example, but let him figure these things out in his own way?" Alicia suggests before shrugging. "Mystra doesn't place any strong emphasis on either law or chaos, but that hasn't stopped Marie from forming the way she has. I really don't know what'll happen there, Antenora."
[22:20] <Kotono> "Either way..." Antenora just smiles to Alicia. "Do you have any plans for the rest of the day now?"
[22:23] <Alicia> "My day is free from now on, and I hope it stays that way," Alicia replies with a smile of her own.
[22:24] <Kotono> "What about tomorrow? Do you want me to come with you to Parsifal?"
[22:25] <Alicia> "If you want to," Alicia replies. "Culling shocker lizards isn't going to be terribly exciting, I'm afraid."
[22:26] <Kotono> "It can't be worse than that ooze, and I went there for you. Compared to this, we'll be taking a vacation." Smiling now to Alicia, "Aaagh, now I want to go take another bath."
[22:27] <Alicia> "I told you you should have exfoliated," Alicia remonstrates lightly.
[22:28] <Kotono> "Oh, go exfoliate yourself," Antenora says lightly.
[22:28] <Kotono> Jessica snickers a little, "What does that word even MEAN?"
[22:31] <Alicia> "It means scrubbing your skin with something rough," Alicia explains patiently. "Gets rid of all the dead bits that pile up. It leaves your skin as soft and clean as can be."

[Corwin]

[18:10] <Kotono> ------
03[18:11] * Rei-chan (Rei-chan@user-5444b0cb.lns6-c10.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
03[18:11] * Alicia sets mode: +v Rei-chan
[18:14] <Kotono> Morning comes. Antenora and Alicia meet together, going to the garrison thereafter. There they meet up with Commander Oberuth in the courtyard. "At ease," he begins, "Alicia, to what capacity can you manage to magic soldiers over to Parsifal instantly?"
[18:17] <Alicia> Marie is also tagging along since electricity can't hurt her at all and she makes convenient bait. "Assuming I use all spells at my disposal and there are no mishaps? I could ferry thirty people there. Given the potential for said mishaps, though, it would be safer to say twenty to twenty five."
[18:17] <Alicia> More could be squeezed into the portable hole but she doesn't think the situation is quite urgent enough for that.
[18:18] <Kotono> "That should be enough." Curtly nodding, "Most of our force will be archers. It's better to kill the little pests before they can get close enough to shock you."
[18:20] <Alicia> "Agreed," Alicia nods. "Marie is entirely immune to electricity, so she could serve as bait to try and keep large clusters of them focused and away from our men."
[18:20] <Alicia> "Electricity feels kinda nice, really. Makes me all tingly!" Marie chimes in happily.
[18:23] <Kotono> "If we're needed as a vanguard to attack while the archers work, Alicia can stop lightning with her magic as well," Antenora eyes Marie.
[18:24] <Alicia> "We have lots of options, certainly," Alicia agrees. "Anyway, if it suits you, sir, I can take the first five to the garrison at Parsifal whenever they're ready."
[18:28] <Kotono> "They'll be mustering here within the half hour." A bit of time passes as you wait, several groups of soldiers forming. Oberuth barks at them to form groups of five, which they do so.
[18:31] <Alicia> "The first teleport will be the most likely to go awry since I've only seen the Parsifal garrison once," Alicia explains. "So I'll take Xavier, Morund, Darill, Pollyanna, and Antenora first. Everyone ready?"
[18:34] <Alicia> OOC: strike
06[18:36] * Alicia has Antenora join the roster and selects the group with her in it for the first trip. "The first teleport is most likely to go awry, since I've only seen the Parsifal garrison once, so don't get too complacent," she tells the four soldiers in the first group, gathering them together along with her familiar before they teleport to Parsifal.
[18:36] <Alicia> roll 1d100 seen once
[18:36] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 seen once --> [ 1d100=73 ]{73}
[18:39] <Kotono> Woosh! You appear just where desired. The garrison yard is full of soldiers preparing, piles of supplies being readied, and quite busy. Your immediate apperance gets some gawkers right away, stopping their work.
[18:41] <Alicia> Formalities should be addressed, so Alicia gets the attention of one of the soldiers. "Captain Alicia Reynes, Crimson Guard. I need to speak to whomever's in charge, here."
[18:43] <Kotono> The soldiers salutes and takes Alicia into the garrison. In a quiet room, a craggy faced, gray haired man sits. "Captain," He slowly stands and nods, "Acting Captain Yeager." He favors his left leg, using a wood cane to support himself. "I'm handling logistics and administration in the backend here."
06[18:46] * Alicia gives him a salute. "I'm bringing in reinforcements from Balmuria to help deal with your shocker lizard problem. Just wanted to check in before I go and retrieve the rest of my squad," she explains. "If you could have any information on the scope of the infestation prepared for us once I'm finished ferrying them, I'd be appreciative."
[18:47] <Kotono> "I'll have a briefing ready, ma'am," He salutes her, "Anything else you require?"
[18:50] <Alicia> "Any archers you can spare to round out our numbers would help, but what I'd really like would be to have a few trackers who know the terrain and can help us find the trouble spots more easily. I'll leave it in your hands, Captain," Alicia requests before she heads back out and then teleports to Balmuria's garrison.
[18:50] <Alicia> roll 1d100 very familiar
[18:50] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 very familiar --> [ 1d100=24 ]{24}
[18:52] <Kotono> You appear back without incident, Oberuth waiting for you. "Any problems?"
[18:53] <Alicia> "None sir, just took a moment to report in with Captain Yeager at the garrison there," Alicia replies. "I'm ready for the next batch."
[18:55] <Kotono> "Go ahead and do your teleportations." OOC: Declare how many trips/who and start making your rolls?
[18:55] <Alicia> OOC: I'm assuming 4 more groups of 5 mooks, unless any other named NPCs are coming?
[18:56] <Alicia> roll 1d100 next group to Parsifal, studied carefully since Marie is there
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 next group to Parsifal, studied carefully since Marie is there --> [ 1d100=27 ]{27}
[18:56] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Balmuria
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 back to Balmuria --> [ 1d100=92 ]{92}
[18:56] <Alicia> roll 1d100 group 3 to parsifal
[18:56] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 group 3 to parsifal --> [ 1d100=97 ]{97}
[18:56] <Alicia> OOC: off target
[18:58] <Kotono> roll 1d10
[18:58] <Kotono> roll 1d10
[18:58] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d10 --> [ 1d10=2 ]{2}
[18:58] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d10 --> [ 1d10=4 ]{4}
[18:59] <Kotono> roll 1d9
[18:59] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d9 --> [ 1d9=1 ]{1}
[18:59] <Kotono> OOC: Oberuth's coming, but that's it, by the by
[18:59] <Kotono> .
[18:59] <Kotono> The third group blinks and vanishes with Alicia! However, they appear standing near a dusty road, no sign of Parsifal around at all.
[19:00] <Alicia> "Had to happen once. Not to worry, I half expected it," Alicia reassures the men, trying again to travel to Parsifal.
[19:00] <Alicia> roll 1d100
[19:00] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=58 ]{58}
[19:01] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Balmuria
[19:01] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 back to Balmuria --> [ 1d100=80 ]{80}
[19:01] <Alicia> roll 1d100 group 4 to Parsifal
[19:01] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 group 4 to Parsifal --> [ 1d100=94 ]{94}
[19:01] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Balmuria
[19:01] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 back to Balmuria --> [ 1d100=18 ]{18}
[19:02] <Alicia> roll 1d100 group 5 which presumably includes the commander to Parsifal
[19:02] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d100 group 5 which presumably includes the commander to Parsifal --> [ 1d100=31 ]{31}
[19:03] <Kotono> The teleports all go without incident here. Your soldiers begin to muster and prepare, as Oberuth leads the way. You meet with Captain Yeager with Antenora and Oberuth and Marie. Captain Yeager salutes, "Sirs and ma'ams," he greets. "You wished for a status report?"
[19:03] <Kotono> "Yes. Go on," Oberuth goes to sit down, leaning forward now. "I've read reports but they're dated. How bad are the vermin spilling over now?"
06[19:04] * Alicia takes a seat herself and settles in to listen to the briefing.
[19:07] <Kotono> "There has been a steady flow of the bastards, usually in groups of four to fourty. We're averaging around three to five encounters a day from reports. Let's see, total estimates as of two days ago for exterminated lizards is one hundred and ninety seven confirmed dead. It's not like them at all, sirs. We see them on occasion and anyone who goes up into the Galkass Mountains tends to see them, but it's never been in this number."
[19:07] <Kotono> Galkass Mountains tends to see them, but it's never been in this number."
[19:10] <Kotono> "Yes, it does appear that something is provoking them out. We have some reason to suspect that a fantastic bird creature called a Roc is at least partly responsible, though I question of it's enough to make that number of them move." Oberuth cracks his knuckles, "Has there been any sightings of a bird like that?"
[19:12] <Alicia> "Honestly I'm surprised they haven't killed the Roc themselves," Alicia remarks. "The creatures are a rapacious vermin like no other."
[19:15] <Kotono> "We haven't...though yes, they're certainly pests and only getting worse." Captain Yeager nods, "We have seen a few larger specimens the last few days, but we haven't bagged any yet. No sign of a bird that we've seen."
[19:18] <Alicia> "I saw one like that once when I was in the mountains, it was as big as a horse," Alicia nods. "No doubt it possesses a far more powerful electric shock to go with its size."
[19:18] <Kotono> "Larger specimens? I've heard reports from the Crimson Guard about them on occasion. Both times that I recall they were seen underground." Rubbing his chin at that, "Alicia, I believe you saw-yes, exactly."
[19:21] <Alicia> "Has there been any pattern to their appearances? Times and locations where large groups are more likely to show up?" Alicia then asks her fellow captain.
[19:21] <Kotono> "Would that mean something's forcing them up? If the Roc was behind it, couldn't they just burrow away and ignore it?" Antenora shakes her head, "Maybe there's another factor at work here?"
[19:22] <Alicia> "Maybe they've eaten everything in the mountains and are coming down here for new food?" Marie suggests. "It sounds like they breed like rats and kill everything they encounter, so it makes sense that they'd depopulate any area they live in after a while."
[19:24] <Kotono> "It's been a steady stream. Let me check..." Captain Yeager goes to some papers, drawing a quill and making markings as he works. "No, no pattern that I see. It's semi erratic movements with day and night encounters."
[19:25] <Kotono> "Why now?" Commander Oberuth crosses his arms, "It's not like Parsifal sprung up overnight. Is it a side effect of everything else going on? Is it a long term effect of Kondrux's defeat? "
[19:28] <Alicia> "I doubt a single bird of prey, no matter how big, could cause an entrenched population of such tenacious lizards to be displaced," Alicia shakes her head. "Either Marie's right and they've ran out of food or living space, or else there's something else in those mountains which is taking their place and forcing them out."
[19:31] <Kotono> "Agreed. For now though, let's stem the tide of lizards coming out. Unless they're demonspawn in scales, they're finite. We can root out the underlying cause at our leisure after," Oberuth stands up now. "We'll begin operations within two hours, Captain."
06[19:31] * Alicia stands up as well, ready to support the operation in whichever way she can.
[19:46] <Kotono> As you walk out into the halls of the garrison, "The four of us can take point. While some of us can fight at range well, we have archers to do that and the lizards need something to aim at if they get close. If any manage to outflank us, the three of youc an fly quickly enough to support the rear?"
[19:48] <Alicia> "Best to have Marie far in advance to give us some early warning so I can cast protective spells before we engage the lizards," Alicia suggests a slight amendment.
[19:49] <Kotono> "That works," Oberuth looks to the little fairy, "Can you  handle that?"
[19:52] <Alicia> "Oh, sure. Unless Talos himself tries to smite me, I've got nothing to fear from electricity," Marie grins.
[19:52] <Kotono> "Don't jinx yourself," Antenora murmurs.
[19:56] <Alicia> "It has happened before," Alicia agrees. "But shocker lizards shouldn't be the same sort of problem."
[19:59] <Alicia> OOC: Oh, I'll cast Greater Magic Weapon on 4 quivers of arrows to be divided amongst the archers. So assuming there's 20 of them that'd be 10 +4 arrows each.
[20:02] <Kotono> OOC: Sure thing.
[20:05] <Kotono> Alicia takes the time to enchant communinal pools of arrows and then the group takes off! They are aided by a pair of local scout/soldiers, leading the way. As you head out of Parsifal, you see that the grounds outside the walls are littered with pikes and sharp sticks. On them, dozens of slain shocker lizards are on display.
06[20:06] * Alicia wrinkles her nose at the charnel display. "A pity lizards aren't clever enough to take the hint."
[20:12] <Kotono> "Yes." Oberuth leads the group along, "Let it raise the city's morale, and let it raise higher when we add our own." Thus, youa re lead along. You are joined  by a pair of soldier/scouts, who along with Marie take the scouting duties. You head out into the rocky outskirts, searching about...OOC: Marie, make a spot check.
[20:12] <Alicia> roll 1d20+6 Marie still has spot!
[20:12] <Rei-chan> Alicia rolled : 1d20+6 Marie still has spot! --> [ 1d20=4 ]{10}
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7
[20:13] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{8}
[20:13] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{23}
[20:14] <Kotono> The two scouts, Baldo and Jymson, eye Marie as they go. As they meet up again briefly, "Anything so far?" Baldo asks, a weathered man with a slightly too big sword strapped to his back. Marie, for her part, hasn't noticed anything yet.
[20:15] <Alicia> OOC: oh, the scouts get resist energy (electricity) cast on them as well, which'll get refreshed as needed throughout the day
[20:15] <Kotono> OOC: Sure. Also sec, go on.
[20:15] <Alicia> "Haven't seen any myself," Marie reports dutifully, flying twenty feet above the ground so she can see over a wider area.
[20:23] <Kotono> As they scout ahead, Jymson, a young man with a scar running down most of his bald head, points, "See that there," he points to the southeast, "That way, can you get a better look, Marie?"
[20:24] <Alicia> "Sure, I'll just be a sec," Marie replies, flying ahead to scout out the path.
[20:27] <Kotono> Ahead is trackless, rocky hill/mountainscape. As Marie flies ahead, it's not hard to see the electric blue crackles. Skittering along over the ground are four shocker lizards. They hurry along, keeping tightly together.
[20:27] <Alicia> "Shocker lizards! Four of them!" Marie calls back to the other scouts, swooping down to distract the beasts.
[20:29] <Kotono> "I'll run back," Jymson hurries away, as Marie swoops down at the lizards! OOC: Is Marie simply going to distract them and nothing else?
[20:30] <Alicia> OOC: yes, she'll be a good sport and act as if their shocks are hurting her but leave the shooting to our archer mooks who need the xp
[20:32] <Kotono> As Marie practices moaning as she's shocked and shot at, word reaches back to the party! Stopping before Commander Oberuth and Alicia, "Four of them, sir," Jymson reports, "Marie's holding there attention like planned."
[20:34] <Alicia> "Lets move up so the archers can shoot them and hold position in front in case they rush us?" Alicia suggests. Four hardly seems worth them drawing their blades.
[20:35] <Kotono> "Agreed. Four should fall to arrows easily." Oberuth leads the group along! You find Marie moaning and acting out her role well enough. Oberuth raises a hand, "Archers, ready!"
[20:35] <Alicia> Marie screams out as if she's being horribly murdered, but occassionally pauses to wink back at Alicia.
[20:37] <Kotono> "They're not catching on. Good." Oberuth murmurs, then, "Fire!"
[20:38] <Kotono> roll 25#1d20+9
[20:38] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 25#1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{22}, [ 1d20=12 ]{21}, [ 1d20=5 ]{14}, [ 1d20=9 ]{18}, [ 1d20=13 ]{22}, [ 1d20=15 ]{24}, [ 1d20=19 ]{28}, [ 1d20=2 ]{11}, [ 1d20=1 ]{10}, [ 1d20=19 ]{28}, [ 1d20=9 ]{18}, [ 1d20=3 ]{12}, [ 1d20=13 ]{22}, [ 1d20=20 ]{29}, [ 1d20=14 ]{23}, [ 1d20=7 ]
[20:38] <Kotono> roll 11d8+66 will roll rest if needed
[20:38] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 11d8+66 will roll rest if needed --> [ 11d8=65 ]{131}
[20:39] <Kotono> Bad things tend to happen when something is the target of dozens of archers who can turn you into a pin cushion. These lizards find that out first hand. A withering burst of fire comes, aided by magic, turning the ground around Marie into a mess of skewered lizard and arrows!
[20:40] <Kotono> "Hold fire," Oberuth instructs, "That was more than sufficient for only four of them."
[20:41] <Alicia> "Good job, everyone!" Marie calls, floating over to rejoin the other scouts.
[20:42] <Kotono> "The magic arrows worked well," Antenora looks back to Alicia, "If we run into more of them, can you manage more castings?"
[20:43] <Alicia> "Oh, certainly," Alicia nods. "Two hundred should be enough, though, hopefully."
[20:43] <Kotono> "You two," Pointing at two archers, "Retreive the bodies and store them." Oberuth continues on, "We'll continue on shortly. There's still several hours to go before dusk and returning back to Parsifal."
03[20:46] * tai-noslp is now known as gonetoro
[20:46] <Alicia> "Maybe we can follow the tracks of those four to see where they came from?" Alicia suggests.
[20:59] <Kotono> "Let me try," Antenora approaches, going to study the trail in question.
[20:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18
[20:59] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+18 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{19}
[21:01] <Kotono> Antenora kneels by the ground, inspecting everything. "I...this way," Antenora points, "I think I have a trail, but it's not a good one."
[21:02] <Alicia> "It gives us something to work from. Sir?" Alicia checks with the Commander.
[21:02] <Kotono> "It'll do. Lead on," Oberuth gestures.
[21:06] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 following trail
[21:06] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+18 following trail --> [ 1d20=11 ]{29}
[21:07] <Kotono> roll 1d20+18 hour 2, needs one every hour
[21:07] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+18 hour 2, needs one every hour --> [ 1d20=8 ]{26}
[21:08] <Kotono> Two hours of slow travel pass. Antenora leads the group upmountain, having to traverse a few cliffs and find walk arounds. But eventually you come to a rising cliff face. A 3 foot wide hole is in the side there, shaded over by a hanging cliff. "HEre," Antenora points.
[21:09] <Alicia> "Well, we could send Marie down in case there's a nest of them down there, otherwise all we can really do is move on," Alicia considers.
[21:11] <Kotono> "It's worth a try. If there is, we can do something to eliminate the nest," Oberuth nods, "Marie, do it."
[21:11] <Alicia> "Sure thing, Commander!" Marie snaps off what could perhaps loosely be called a salute before she flies into the hole!
[21:12] <Alicia> "Perhaps we should spread out in case she comes back with a horde of them on her tail?" Alicia suggests as her familiar investigates.
[21:12] <Kotono> "Good advice," Oberuth says, "Archers, spread back and out! Make a killzone around the hole in case targets emerge!"
[21:16] <Kotono> Meanwhile, Marie plumbs the depth of another deep hole! It goes down about twenty feet, before coming to a split, two more burrow paths plunging at different angles deeper into the earth.
06[21:16] * Alicia takes up a position halfway between the archers and the hole, content to wait while her familiar does her thing.
[21:16] <Alicia> Marie goes left!
[21:22] <Kotono> Marie heads down and left! It goes on a ways, to a little cubbyhole in the rock. Here bits of straw are about, as well as a few broken eggshells.
[21:23] <Alicia> Nothing very interesting, so she retreats back to the branch and then takes the right path.
[21:27] <Kotono> The right path goes down a ways. Two little forks can be glimpsed down midway, showing two more dens. Further down, it leads out. This leads into a wider cavern. Several patches of dirty and dead grass are about, eggs nestled in them. Only two shocker lizards can be seen about, but there are many eggs. Some are broken and some are intact.
[21:29] <Alicia> Marie flies around a bit in the bigger cave on the off chance she'll draw the attention of the lizards before she scoots back up the tunnel to the surface.
[21:32] <Kotono> The lizards hiss and shoot lightning at Marie...but it fails to hav eany effect at all.
[21:33] <Alicia> "Owww! Oh, the pain!" Marie wails theatrically, convulsing a little for effect as lightning cascades around her before she struggles mightly to escape back up the tunnel!
[21:33] <Kotono> The two lizards give chase! Thus, Marie leads them on a rousing trip back up! She gushes out of the tunnel, paired lizards following! A moment after, Oberuth's voice is heard, "Fire!"
[21:34] <Kotono> roll 10#1d20+9
[21:34] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 10#1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{25}, [ 1d20=16 ]{25}, [ 1d20=11 ]{20}, [ 1d20=1 ]{10}, [ 1d20=17 ]{26}, [ 1d20=9 ]{18}, [ 1d20=2 ]{11}, [ 1d20=12 ]{21}, [ 1d20=16 ]{25}, [ 1d20=5 ]{14}
[21:34] <Kotono> roll 10#1d20+9
[21:34] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 10#1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{22}, [ 1d20=13 ]{22}, [ 1d20=16 ]{25}, [ 1d20=11 ]{20}, [ 1d20=9 ]{18}, [ 1d20=17 ]{26}, [ 1d20=13 ]{22}, [ 1d20=14 ]{23}, [ 1d20=14 ]{23}, [ 1d20=3 ]{12}
[21:34] <Kotono> The storm of arrows that comes turns the two lizards into some form of arrow cushion with extreme prejudice. They barely even have a chance to react.
[21:35] <Alicia> "Feels a bit like overkill..." Marie remarks as she looks down at the pincushioned lizards. "They were the only ones I found, besides a couple of eggs."
[21:36] <Kotono> "It was." Oberuth agrees, coming over to check over the damage. "May they enjoy it as they roast in the Abyss. Marie, were those eggs intact?"
[21:36] <Alicia> Marie doesn't think animals end up there, but chooses not to correct the Commander. "About half and half," she responds.
[21:37] <Kotono> "Bring out all the surviving eggs," Oberuth orders.
[21:39] <Alicia> Marie makes a face. "It'll take a long time for me, but okay..." she responds, dispiritedly flying back down the hole.
[21:47] <Kotono> It takes about a half hour for Marie to haul out the intact eggs, eight of them in total. Once it's done, "Gather those up," Oberuth instructs, "Make sure not to crack them." Soldiers do so, the eggs gathered up. Oberuth then peers up at the sky, "A few more hours...let's head back and start fresh tomorrow. We'll reach Parsifal again around dusk."
[21:47] <Alicia> "What are you planning to do with the eggs, sir?" Alicia can't help but ask.
[21:49] <Kotono> "We have Elle, the academy and myraid uses for the eggs. At worst, we smash them and make sure more lizards won't be born in there in a few weeks. A good extermination should ensure that there's no recurrance after it's done."
[21:50] <Alicia> "Wonder what they taste like?" Alicia muses curiously.
[21:50] <Kotono> "That's the best idea for dinner I've ever heard," Oberuth suddenly cracks a smile, "We'll find out tonight then."
[21:58] <Kotono> That evening, you find out the shocker lizard eggs taste kinda like runny fried chicken. It's not a bad meal all in all. That night you rest...Six AM comes too early. It's not because Alicia get sup early, it's because of how she's woken. In the barracks room she's been given with Antenora and Marie, "Captain!" A man's voice calls, "Orders of the Commander!"
[22:00] <Alicia> "Antenora, could you get that?" Alicia asks, getting out of bed and going behind a screen to get dressed. Really, it's not even dawn yet...
[22:01] <Kotono> Antenora does so, armor clad and all. A soldier blinks at her, "Ma'am. Commander Oberuth sends word that a massive swarm of lizards has been sighted outside of Parsifal, as if to lay seige to the city! Your presence is required outside immediately."
[22:02] <Alicia> "Damn, I won't need armour for this, anyway," Alicia says, just dropping it into her portable hole after pulling on her tunic, folding the hole up and grabbing Hell Striker as she emerges from behind the screen. "Lets go."
[22:03] <Kotono> "Thank you," Antenora says, "We'll be along. Excuse us." Closing the door and going ot the screen, "Heard that...oh, right, let's go then."
[22:05] <Kotono> You hurry along with Antenora and Marie! You reach the outer walls, climbing up them with the dawn. As dawn's light splashes over Parsifal, you meet Commander Oberuth there. The gates to the city are closed, wagons being moved inside and archers manning the walls. As you approach, "Past midnight, night patrols sent word back that a massive swarm of shocker lizards was encountered coming down the mountain, numbering in the hundreds. From report
[22:05] <Kotono> shocker lizards was encountered coming down the mountain, numbering in the hundreds. From reports, they're heading in the direction of Parsifal."
[22:06] <Alicia> "How long till they get here?" Alicia asks tersely.
[22:07] <Kotono> "An hour? Two? It's a guess. If they are going after the city, we're going to cut them down unto the last lizard." Oberuth peers out ahead, "Electric or not, they won't tolerate arrows, boiling pitch and magic."
[22:08] <Kotono> "Going after the city? Doesn't that speak of an intelligent motive?" Antenora speaks up there, "They're just mindless animals with electric charges."
[22:08] <Kotono> Shrugging, "Perhaps, or perhaps it's just in their way. No matter why they're coming to Parsifal, we'll deal with them."
[22:09] <Alicia> "Certainly we have lots of magic that can be used to devastate a wide area, although Antenora has a point. Once this is over we should scour the mountains to find what's behind this," Alicia nods. "For now I'll coordinate with the quartermaster to ensure a large supply of enchanted arrows to be distributed among the men."

[Corwin]

[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > That evening, you find out the shocker lizard eggs taste kinda like runny fried chicken. It's not a bad meal all in all. That night you rest...Six AM comes too early. It's not because Alicia get sup early, it's because of how she's woken. In the barracks room she's been given with Antenora and Marie, "Captain!" A man's voice calls, "Orders of the Commander!"
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> <Alicia> "Antenora, could you get that?" Alicia asks, getting out of bed and going behind a screen to get dressed. Really, it's not even dawn yet...
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > Antenora does so, armor clad and all. A soldier blinks at her, "Ma'am. Commander Oberuth sends word that a massive swarm of lizards has been sighted outside of Parsifal, as if to lay seige to the city! Your presence is required outside immediately."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> <Alicia> "Damn, I won't need armour for this, anyway," Alicia says, just dropping it into her portable hole after pulling on her tunic, folding the hole up and grabbing Hell Striker as she emerges from behind the screen. "Lets go."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > "Thank you," Antenora says, "We'll be along. Excuse us." Closing the door and going ot the screen, "Heard that...oh, right, let's go then."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > You hurry along with Antenora and Marie! You reach the outer walls, climbing up them with the dawn. As dawn's light splashes over Parsifal, you meet Commander Oberuth there. The gates to the city are closed, wagons being moved inside and archers manning the walls. As you approach, "Past midnight, night patrols sent word back that a massive swarm of shocker lizards was encountered coming down the mountain, numbering in the hundreds. From
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > shocker lizards was encountered coming down the mountain, numbering in the hundreds. From reports, they're heading in the direction of Parsifal."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> <Alicia> "How long till they get here?" Alicia asks tersely.
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > "An hour? Two? It's a guess. If they are going after the city, we're going to cut them down unto the last lizard." Oberuth peers out ahead, "Electric or not, they won't tolerate arrows, boiling pitch and magic."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > "Going after the city? Doesn't that speak of an intelligent motive?" Antenora speaks up there, "They're just mindless animals with electric charges."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> > Shrugging, "Perhaps, or perhaps it's just in their way. No matter why they're coming to Parsifal, we'll deal with them."
[18:20] <Kotono_Ibis> <Alicia> "Certainly we have lots of magic that can be used to devastate a wide area, although Antenora has a point. Once this is over we should scour the mountains to find what's behind this," Alicia nods. "For now I'll coordinate with the quartermaster to ensure a large supply of enchanted arrows to be distributed among the men."
[18:22] <Kotono_Ibis> "You do that. Antenora and Marie, fly out ahead and scout out the lizards and then return." Oberuth peers ahead into the early morning haze, a hand over his eyes, "Don't engage them - if someone or something is directing them at Parsifal, I'd like to give them a through smashing here and now."
[18:23] <Alicia> "Lets go, buddy!" Marie grins as she alights on Antenora's head.
[18:25] <Kotono_Ibis> Antenora takes to the air, the two flying ahead. This takes about twenty minutes before yo ucan see something ahead. The ground turns electric blue and scaly green-gray. Like a tide, a vast wave slowly surges forward in the direction of Parsifal. Antenora and Marie are about 150 feet away right now and 50 above the ground.
[18:26] <Alicia> Marie suggests flying higher just in case such numbers allow them to generate exceptionally long-ranged electric shocks, ascendiing up to two hundred feet as she tries to get an estimate of how many lizards there are.
[18:30] <Kotono_Ibis> "Right," Antenora flies up quickly, wings flapping with a single white feather falling as she ascends. The tide continues to surge forward. Peering down from her lofty perch, "They're stronger in numbers...if there are this many, this is not going to be an easy battle."
[18:32] <Alicia> "We'll need to put on a good show to keep them focused on us rather than just swarming right past and up the walls," Marie agrees, trying to see if she can spot any of the horse-sized lizards she's heard about.
[18:32] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Make a spot check?
[18:32] <Alicia> roll 1d20+6
05[18:32] -atarians.dejatoons.net:@#dunes- Alicia invited Hatbot into the channel.
05[18:32] -atarians.dejatoons.net:@#dunes- Kotono_Ibis invited Hatbot into the channel.
03[18:32] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@24.174.51.230) has joined #dunes
03[18:32] * Kotono_Ibis sets mode: +o Hatbot
[18:33] <Alicia> roll 1d20+6
06[18:33] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+6 and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[18:33] <Kotono_Ibis> Marie can see a few larger shocker lizards here and there, up to the size of a horse. There aren't too many, perhaps a half dozen sprinkled about the horde.
[18:34] <Alicia> "There's a couple of those big ones," Marie points them out, "But nothing too huge... lets head back so we can let Alicia know and make preparations?"
[18:36] <Kotono_Ibis> "Yes," With that, Antenora takes off and hurries back to Parsifal. They find Oberuth and Alicia waiting, the former having a longbow in hand. Archers line the walls, as well as soldiers readying pots of boiling pitch. The city gates are shut tight, the streets emptied save for soldiers. Pack-wagons have been taken, used to haul supplies to the walls, unloaded into piles at the base of the city walls. Once Antenora and Marie come closer, "
[18:36] <Kotono_Ibis> piles at the base of the city walls. Once Antenora and Marie come closer, "Report," Oberuth says shortly.
[18:38] <Kotono_Ibis> "They're coming. They were about twenty  minutes by air, which means roughly 45 minutes to an hour by ground," Antenora lands at the tip of the wall, perching there before lowering herself down. "It was like a wave of them, like you'd see with barbarian tactics or a horde of lemures. Marie also spotted several larger ones mixed in."
[18:38] <Alicia> Marie gives the Commander the approximate dimensions of the horde, since there's no way she can count that many, and also notes that there were maybe six of the bigger lizards but most were normal sized.
[18:40] <Kotono_Ibis> Nodding to them as they report, "Alright. Marie, you can manage some archery to help fortify the lines? Antenora, what about you?"
[18:40] <Alicia> "We need some way to keep them held up so the archers have time to shoot, otherwise they'll just climb right over the walls and then we'll be in a real mess," Alicia notes. "Some of us will need to engage them out of the city within archery range to try and delay them."
[18:41] <Kotono_Ibis> "I have magic. Alicia," Antenora looks to her, "I could do that or engaget hem more directly." Nodding to her words, "Alicia and I can fly, and Alicia can shield us from lightning. We're ideal for it."
[18:42] <Alicia> "I have a few spells that can delay them - and Antenora can keep her wall of blades ability in reserve just in case any do manage to break through and threaten the walls," Alicia nods, looking to see if there's any appropriate terrain features she could use to anchor a web perhaps 150-200 feet from the city walls on the path the lizards will approach by.
[18:43] <Kotono_Ibis> "Very well." Oberuth agrees to Alicia, as she looks about over. The ground is hilly and rocky, there's lots of little things that could work for it. A web is quite possible in this terrain.
[18:44] <Alicia> "Speaking of, I've already warded myself and the Commander, so here you go," Alicia reaches over to cast her spell on Antenora. "I say we make our stand a hundred feet from the walls, which gives us some room to work with but stays within easy shooting range for the archers."
[18:49] <Kotono_Ibis> "What's your plan," Antenora looks to her, "So we're big targets, the archers fire...is that it?"
[18:52] <Alicia> "Well, naturally we do our best to kill as many as we can by ourselves," Alicia replies, a bit embarrassed. "Given their climbing and burrowing abilities there's little point digging trenches or building walls even if we had the time. Using area effect spells like fireballs on the swarm as it approaches would be nice, but I'm a bit lacking in that department."
[18:54] <Kotono_Ibis> "A shame Seira's not here. She excels at it," Antenora agrees, "We'll do well enough. I can manage some...I don't like using holy light on simple vermin, but...I have no regrets if it's protect Parsifal."
[18:57] <Alicia> "Kossuth's gift would be more useful than Mystra's in this case, wall of blades excepted," Alicia recommends. "It's a pity Hell Striker's new ability doesn't fully mimic the spell it's based on, otherwise it would be very useful. Still, we'll make do."
[18:58] <Kotono_Ibis> "Do so," Oberuth agrees, "Then prepare for the swarm, the both of you." OOC: Ready to skip along a little bit now?
[18:58] <Alicia> OOC: sure
[18:59] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: So quickly detail what you'll do before then, then?
[19:00] <Alicia> OOC: I've already cast all the buffs and distributed the magic arrows, so now I'll just fly around with Anty outside the city until we catch sight of the swarm
[19:03] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+21
06[19:03] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+21 and gets 38." [1d20=17]
[19:03] <Kotono_Ibis> The sun continues to rise into the sky, Lathander's warm blessings caressing the stony ground and Parsifal. After around an hour, Antenora points ahead. "I'm starting to see something on the horizon," Pointing ahead as she stops in the air, "Sparks of electricity. I think they're coming now."
[19:05] <Alicia> "Lets get ready," Alicia looks over herself. "Once the swarm reaches us, use your flame strike on the middle of it while I trap the leading edge in a web, then we'll land to hold any that work around the web while the archers do their work?"
[19:06] <Kotono_Ibis> "Got it. Split them apart like the tides on shoals and let the spillover be shot to death. I can do that," Antenora hovers in place, "I'm ready."
06[19:08] * Alicia has the scroll of web in hand as she flies fifty above the ground, waiting for the lizards to reach them before she casts her spell.
[19:10] <Kotono_Ibis> Ahead, Alicia can see them! They are a tide of electricity and scales, a great wave of Shocker Lizards stretching far and deep! They begin to approach, coming closer and closer! At 100 feet away from the two women, 200 feet away from Parsifal's outer walls, "How close?" Antenora asks, "Before we strike?"
[19:13] <Alicia> "They're well in range for anyone with a bow, now!" Alicia replies, reading off her scroll before it crumbles in her hands, the magic springing to life to entrap the vanguard of the swarm in a forty feet wide nest of webbing!
[19:13] <Alicia> OOC: DC 13 reflex to just be entangled but not immobilised
[19:14] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: How wide is the webbing?
[19:14] <Alicia> OOC: 20ft radius
[19:15] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 12#1d20+5
06[19:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 12#1d20+5 and gets 198." [12#1d20+5 = 12, 18, 17, 9, 24, 24, 17, 18, 10, 23, 18, 8]
[19:18] <Kotono_Ibis> The webbing fires out, trapping the center of the wave dead on! Some resist, trying to move forward, while others are held fast! A moment later, a column of fire appears from above, striking down in the center of the horde!
[19:18] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 15d6
06[19:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 15d6 and gets 67." [15d6=3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 4, 5, 6, 5, 5, 6, 4, 4, 2, 4]
[19:21] <Kotono_Ibis> As a column of empty, burnt ground is cored out amid the lizards, the first wave of arrows comes! They slam down all over, a sea of them cascading down and around! Shocker Lizards are impaled by the dozen, a murderous spread of death taking it's toll on them! A few arrows bounce off Alicia's armor and toughened skin, one even hitting the back of her head and failing to even hurt in the least. The horde is slowed, it's center of progress s
[19:21] <Kotono_Ibis> The horde is slowed, it's center of progress stopped, a part of it's middle vaporized and it's sides splitting apart as it goes raound the webbing. OOC: Go ahead and go, Alcia.
[19:22] <Alicia> "Take the right, I'm on the left!" Alicia calls to Antenora, dropping down to the left and drawing Hell Striker before she hurls it forward to scythe through the procession of lizards starting to work their way around the web!
[19:23] <Alicia> OOC: whirling blade, 60ft line of death, is there a need to roll? If so, how many.
[19:23] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Say 14, and yeah, just use the # function real quick. You only miss 'em on a one.
[19:24] <Alicia> OOC: my minimum damage kills them, too
[19:24] <Alicia> roll 14#1d20+20 -5 pa
06[19:24] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 14#1d20+20 -5 pa and gets 414." [14#1d20+20 = 24, 21, 36, 33, 36, 32, 23, 36, 24, 27, 37, 23, 36, 26]
[19:25] <Kotono_Ibis> A row of lizards is butchered, only a single one escaping Alicia's dreadful wrath! As scales and lightning flies,
[19:25] <Kotono_Ibis> AOOC: GAaah.
[19:25] <Kotono_Ibis> A row of lizards is butchered, only a single one escaping Alicia's dreadful wrath! As scales and lightning flies, Antenora concentrates holy power, blasting a segment of the lizards are more arrows come!
[19:25] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 5d8
06[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 5d8 and gets 24." [5d8=8, 6, 5, 2, 3]
[19:26] <Kotono_Ibis> Between more arrows and holy power, the lizards reduced further! In this eruption, a great crackle of lightning comes from the survivors, right at Alicia! A few moments later, another bolt comes for Antenora! OOC: Make a ref save?
[19:26] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+24
06[19:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+24 and gets 29." [1d20=5]
[19:26] <Alicia> roll 1d20+19
06[19:26] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+19 and gets 23." [1d20=4]
[19:27] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 12d8 Alicia halve this
06[19:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 12d8 Alicia halve this and gets 70." [12d8=4, 6, 8, 6, 6, 7, 6, 7, 6, 5, 2, 7]
[19:27] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 12d8 Antenora halve this holy fuck at that damage
06[19:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 12d8 Antenora halve this holy fuck at that damage and gets 53." [12d8=2, 4, 8, 7, 5, 1, 3, 5, 8, 3, 1, 6]
[19:29] <Kotono_Ibis> Alicia steps back at that shock, felt even through her defenses and speed! Antneora is hit as well, dodging out of the way of the worst of it! The center is starting to break, lizards caught and arrowed and burnt! The sides are becoming ragged, worked over! As an arrow slams down right in front of Antenora, "It's working," she calls, "They're like Spinagons trying to charge an encampment of Arrow Demons! Completely helpless!"
[19:30] <Kotono_Ibis> "They're like Spinagons trying to charge an encampment of Arrow Demons! Completely helpless!"  OOC: Go ahead and go aagain, Alicia?
[19:31] <Alicia> Since they're starting to swarm her its tempting to lash out wildly at the ones scampering around her feet, but that won't kill the greatest numbers. Trusting the archers to pick off those around her, she shifts position slightly for a better line and then hurls her blade forward again to cut through their approaching ranks!
[19:31] <Alicia> OOC: any adjacent to me get AoOs
[19:31] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: I'll say three do.
[19:31] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20 needs 20s
[19:31] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20 needs 20s
[19:31] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20 needs 20s
06[19:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20 needs 20s and gets 6." [1d20=6]
06[19:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20 needs 20s and gets 11." [1d20=11]
06[19:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20 needs 20s and gets 4." [1d20=4]
[19:32] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Go ahead.
[19:32] <Alicia> OOC: how many for whirling blade?
[19:32] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Say 10 this time.
[19:32] <Alicia> roll 10#1d20+20 -5pa
06[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 10#1d20+20 -5pa and gets 297." [10#1d20+20 = 34, 25, 26, 25, 36, 30, 35, 33, 32, 21]
[19:34] <Kotono_Ibis> Another horde of lizards is broken apart, severed by Alicia's whirling blade! A Holy smite follows, grabbing another cluster of lizards!
[19:34] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 5d8
06[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 5d8 and gets 18." [5d8=2, 1, 8, 5, 2]
[19:43] <Kotono_Ibis> As arrows rain down again, Alicia side stepping between two arrows a mere foot apart to dodge, she can see that the battle is going decisively in their favor! The lizards are breaking apart, less of a wave and more of straggling survivors! A bolt comes at Alicia nonetheless, as well as Antenora! OOC: Ref, both of you.
[19:43] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+24
06[19:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+24 and gets 35." [1d20=11]
[19:43] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 8d8 Antenora halve this
06[19:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 8d8 Antenora halve this and gets 30." [8d8=1, 1, 3, 7, 4, 7, 6, 1]
[19:43] <Alicia> roll 1d20+19
06[19:43] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+19 and gets 34." [1d20=15]
[19:43] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 8d8 Alicia halve this
06[19:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 8d8 Alicia halve this and gets 39." [8d8=2, 6, 7, 3, 7, 3, 8, 3]
[19:44] <Kotono_Ibis> Furious lightning crackles in a dance around the two warriors, yet neither is injured in the least! It's as if they're dancing with arrows flying and lightning crashing around them, dealing death to all that come close! Ahead, Alicia can see a large shocker lizard crawling along, coming right ather with several smaller ones on it's back! OOC: Go ahead and act, Alicia.
[19:47] <Alicia> Well, it's hardly a real test of her new sword, but at least she's managing well enough. Briefly confirming that no large groups have passed the invisible line held by her and Antenora, she once more swings Hell Striker forward, aiming for the large lizard and its passengers, and claiming the heads of any others unfortunate enough to be on the line.
[19:47] <Alicia> OOC: how many attacks?
[19:47] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: 6.
[19:48] <Alicia> roll 6#1d20+20 -5pa
06[19:48] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 6#1d20+20 -5pa and gets 191." [6#1d20+20 = 26, 32, 25, 29, 40, 39]
[19:48] <Alicia> OOC: do I need to roll damage for the big one?
[19:48] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: roll damage once, yeah.
[19:48] <Alicia> OOC: which attack? (last two were crit threats)
[19:48] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Say the first for the sake of argument.
[19:49] <Alicia> roll 2d4+27
06[19:49] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 2d4+27 and gets 34." [2d4=4, 3]
[19:50] <Kotono_Ibis> A swath of lizards is cut away once more! The large one buckles but stays up! As Antenora unleashes more sacred light out...
[19:50] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 5d8
06[19:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 5d8 and gets 18." [5d8=4, 4, 1, 4, 5]
[19:50] <Kotono_Ibis> Arrows come flying! As the lizard is impaled and collapsing, it lets loose it's own oversized bolt at Alicia! OOC: ref.
[19:51] <Alicia> roll 1d20+19
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+19 and gets 39." [1d20=20]
[19:51] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 6d8 halve this
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 6d8 halve this and gets 26." [6d8=2, 5, 5, 7, 4, 3]
[19:52] <Kotono_Ibis> But Alicia blocks the bolt with her forearm, lightning crackling down her arm before fizzling away harmlessly! The battlefield is slowing now - only a few scattered lizards remain, volleys of arrows finishing them off.  Without a doubt, the tide is broken.
[19:53] <Alicia> With no convenient large masses to cut into with her magic, Alicia is happy enough to let the archers do their thing. Twirling Hell Striker around despite its greater mass, she idly lops off the head of a staggering dazed lizard that clambered out of the web nearby, flicking the ichor off before she rests the blade over her shoulder.
[19:55] <Kotono_Ibis> Antenora is slowing as well. As the last of the lizards are defeated, she flies over to her. A stray arrow whizzes between the two before Antenora speaks. "It worked well enough...nothing more than an alternative take on a stinking horde of lemures. It was the same sort of near mindless, suicidial charge."
[19:56] <Alicia> "You can't expect animals to use tactics," Alicia shrugs, content to stand and watch as the last dregs of the horde are shot to pieces. "But the fact that they targetted the city like this is troubling, nonetheless."
[19:57] <Kotono_Ibis> "I want to know the why now," Antenora gazes ahead over the battlefield, "What forced this to happen?
[19:57] <Kotono_Ibis> "
[19:58] <Alicia> "A pity we can't ask the lizards themselves," Alicia muses, glancing down at the corpse-strewn ground. "Perhaps if we followed the trail left by the horde and found their rallying point, a clue might be located?"
[20:00] <Kotono_Ibis> "Let's report back on that idea?" Antenora takes off and back towards the city, "Will you want to go immediately or rest the day first? You used much of your magic."
[20:03] <Alicia> "Most of it was simple spells. I still have all of my more powerful ones available," Alicia waves that aside, healing herself a little before she sheathes her sword and follows Antenora. Admittedly it is nice to have a sword that now fits in a sheath, and with it on her hip she doesn't need to turn to the side when going through doors, so there are always upsides.
[20:05] <Kotono_Ibis> You go back to cheers and the gates of the city being opened. A squadron of soldiers supported by archers is coming out, going to sweep out the battleground. Amid the cheers and triumph, "Well done!" Commander Oberuth has his bow resting on the ground. "You're not hurt, Alicia?"
[20:06] <Alicia> "Not at all, sir," Alicia gives him a smile as Marie flies over to join them. "To be honest I'm surprised it went that well. Given their numbers I worried we wouldn't be able to stem the tide, but it seems the walls weren't threatened at all."
[20:08] <Kotono_Ibis> "As terrifying as they are, they're no match for charging protected archers with range and support," Antenora puts her spear down and leans on it. "Most couldn't count on support that was virtually immune to stray arrows, though."
[20:12] <Kotono_Ibis> "Parsifal is safe for the moment," Oberuth rubs his chin, "There is still the question of what's causing this. Did any of this give you any ideas to what's behind it?"
[20:15] <Alicia> "Not really," Alicia shakes her head. "But they'll have left a clear trail. Perhaps if we follow it we might find some sort of clue?"
[20:20] <Kotono_Ibis> "It's worth trying," Oberuth says, "I'll be coming with you, I want to see this myself. Be ready to leave Parsifal within the half hour."
[20:21] <Alicia> "Yes sir," Alicia salutes, already good to go, herself.
[20:34] <Kotono_Ibis> Heading out of the city, Alicia, Antenora, Marie and Commander Oberuth go out. Antenora begins tracking the trail of many lizards...
[20:34] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway.
06[20:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway. and gets 38." [1d20=20]
[20:36] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway hour 2
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway hour 2 and gets 28." [1d20=10]
[20:36] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway hour 3
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway hour 3 and gets 21." [1d20=3]
[20:36] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway hour 4
06[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+18 tracking, with all the mods it's easy anyway hour 4 and gets 34." [1d20=16]
[20:37] <Kotono_Ibis> You travel deep and high into the mountains for four hours. Antenora leads the way at a slow, steady clip. You twist about the mountains, often needing to fly up (And help lift the Commander) cliffs or walk around dangerous paths. But sometime around the noon highsun, you glimpse a tall cliff face. This cliff is dotted with holes from small sized to as large as a hallway cored out of the rock. Antenora stops here, "I think this is it."
[20:37] <Kotono_Ibis>  hallway cored out of the rock. Antenora stops here, "I think this is it."
[20:41] <Alicia> "Hmm... I'll fly up to get the lay of the land," Alicia considers. "Antenora, you're able to communicate with plants, right? Could you perhaps ask any around here if they've... I don't know if 'seen' is the right word, but noticed any creatures besides Shocker Lizards around here?"
[20:45] <Kotono_Ibis> "I'll try," Antenora agrees, going to look about.
[20:45] <Alicia> Marie hovers near Antenora, really curious to see how this works.
[20:48] <Kotono_Ibis> Alicia ascends up as Commander Oberuth keeps watch.  She sees that this is a ragged, jagged part of the mountains. Cliffs and cliffs, not much easy land. Another cliff is about twenty feet deeper in past the top of this cliff, more holes dotting it.
[20:48] <Kotono_Ibis> Antenora kneels before some grasses and flowers growing between cracks in the rock. She touches the tip of the flower with her fingers, "Hello there....yes...Do you know the gray ones? There were many of them and they came from the holes there...yes...yes...No, not that..."
[20:49] <Alicia> Sigh. Once you've seen one cliff you've seen them all... circling around a bit to keep busy, Alicia maps out the surrounding mountains before she descends. Hopefully Antenora's had some luck.
[20:57] <Kotono_Ibis> "Anything different than them...no, no..." Antenora sighs, then to Marie, "It's like talking to a child." After that, she goes onto it, "From the holes. Did you...did you now? Hm. Like it was part of the cliff?"
[20:58] <Alicia> "Oooh, sounds like something good!" Marie cheers as Alicia lands beside them.
[21:00] <Kotono_Ibis> "Okay. Thank you, flower." Antenora releases her fingers and stands. Speaking louder now, "It says it saw part of the cliff moving to make the bigger holes, but it had arms and legs like us."
[21:01] <Alicia> "Hmm... an earth elemental, perhaps?" Alicia wonders. "Did it say where it came from or went?"
[21:02] <Kotono_Ibis> "No. Plants aren't very good with details. Getting simple information is the most you can hope for," Antenora replies, "That was my thought as well. Perhaps the servant of another creature, or something freed in recent times as the seals are released?"
[21:03] <Kotono_Ibis> "An elemental? Magic." Oberuth grunts as he gestures upwards, "We'll have to find out and deal with it, before it can disturb things more. We don't know if there's anything worse than Shocker Lizards in there somewhere, and I don't want to have to defend Parsifal or Valandia against anything worse."
[21:03] <Alicia> "I can't see how an earth elemental would control shocker lizards, so probably a servant for whatever agent is ultimately responsible," Alicia supposes. "Well, barring any other leads, perhaps we could explore the caves that have been dug out?"
[21:05] <Kotono_Ibis> "Let's." Commander Oberuth points upwards, "That hole there is big enough for us ot proceed through without difficulty. Let's get moving."
[21:06] <Alicia> "Alright, I'll take point," Alicia flies up to the tunnel entrance and waits for the Commander to climb up, trusting his abilities.
[21:07] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+13
06[21:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+13 and gets 20." [1d20=7]
[21:08] <Kotono_Ibis> Climbing up goes without incident, the party leading the way. Oberuth follows just behind Alicia, Antenora taking up the rear. Thus you proceed in. As you do, shadows engulfing, "Light," Oberuth orders. "Alicia, you can cast that spell or do likewise?"
[21:09] <Alicia> "Certainly, sir," Alicia reaches into her boot and draws the Third Resort, since a dagger would be easier to handle in cramped tunnels than a big sword. A quick spell is cast and the blade gives off a healthy glow as they advance.
[21:11] <Kotono_Ibis> You walk along the tunnel for about a quarter of an hour, perhaps? It slopes downward a few times and upwards in retort, as if going under mountain's hidden hills. Coming ahead, you see a huge cavern. Great troughs of grass and soft dirt lie about, shattered eggshells all around. Holes all over dot the walls, leading into this room. A few broken and smashed Shocker Lizards lie about.
06[21:12] * Alicia pauses and looks at one of the lizard corpses. "It looks like it was bludgeoned to death..." she observes, crouching down to examine it. "That fits with an earth elemental, but why?"
[21:13] <Kotono_Ibis> Oberuth takes a step in, the steelty slither of his sword being drawn softly echoing about the cavern. "That's the mystery. If I knew why and it wasn't hostile, I'd nominate them for a medal." Oberuth starts to look about, "Fan out and look around. See if you can find anything."
[21:14] <Alicia> "Not if it's only killing a handful and driving the rest towards us," Alicia remarks, reaching over to cast Light on Obureth's sword before she walks deeper into the cavern, her eyes glowing blue just in case there's any magic to be found.
[21:15] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: No check needed at the moment, line coming.
[21:15] <Kotono_Ibis> Far away, Alicia can see the rear wall. This wall has no holes in it, but it glows with faint magic.
[21:16] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+21
06[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+21 and gets 35." [1d20=14]
[21:17] <Alicia> roll 1d20+19 spellcraft
06[21:17] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+19 spellcraft and gets 36." [1d20=17]
[21:18] <Kotono_Ibis> Alicia can tell the magic is Abjuration.
06[21:19] * Alicia looks up at the ceiling and calls out in Terran. "Hello, up there. Can you understand me?"
[21:19] <Kotono_Ibis> Oberuth pauses as he advances on the rear wall, "The back wall radi-" He begins, looking up as well. Alicia can see something rocky scurry into the ceiling, passing through it and away like it was mere air and not solid stone.
06[21:21] * Alicia sheathes the Resort and instead draws Hell Striker, since there's room to swing it around here. "I suppose it didn't want to chat," she comments in Common.
[21:22] <Kotono_Ibis> "Damn," Antenora grunts, "That was probably a watcher. There goes any element of surprise." Antenora looks towards Alicia and the Commander, "The back wall is magic?"
[21:24] <Alicia> "Abjuration, specifically. Not a spell I can identify," Alicia nods. "I'm not quite sure what it does, really..." she looks over the wall to try and discern what area the magical aura extends over.
[21:24] <Kotono_Ibis> It extends over the majority of the back wall, only leaving some edges untouched.
[21:25] <Alicia> "Marie, come over here a second?" Alicia asks as her familiar comes over to alight on her outstretched palm. "Turn incorporeal and try to go through that wall." Nodding happily, Marie turns into a ball of light, her gear all falling onto Alicia's hand as she flies over to try and phase through the wall.
[21:26] <Kotono_Ibis> Marie is able to phase through the wall! It's about five feet thick. On the other side, she sees a passage way continuing onward. It's big enough to walk through three abreast.
[21:27] <Alicia> Marie looks around for magic as she checks both directions of the passage. Is it going parallel to the wall or away from it?
[21:27] <Kotono_Ibis> It's going straight ahead. There's no magic here.
[21:29] <Alicia> Do the dimensions of the passageway match the dimensions of the wall?
[21:31] <Kotono_Ibis> It's a bit smaller than the wall.
[21:31] <Alicia> A bit like a couple of feet or something bigger?
[21:31] <Kotono_Ibis> About 5-10 feet.
[21:32] <Alicia> Marie tries going through the walls of this passage on either side just to check she's not missing anything that's also being hidden by the abjuration.
[21:32] <Kotono_Ibis> It's nothing but soild stone.
[21:35] <Alicia> Marie returns and reports her findings! "Alright," Alicia nods. "Blasting a hole in the wall is probably more trouble than it's worth, but I can teleport us past it and we can explore from there. If its warded by a magic wall it must be important."
[21:36] <Kotono_Ibis> "Likely." Oberuth agrees to that without further comment.
[21:36] <Kotono_Ibis> Antenora cracks a smile at all of this, "At least it's earth and not ooze."
[21:37] <Alicia> "Yuck. I hope we never have to go there again," Alicia grimaces as Marie flies back through the wall, Alicia gathering the other two next to it before she teleports a mere ten feet through the rock to join her familiar.
[21:37] <Alicia> roll 1d100 studied carefully
06[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 studied carefully and gets 68." [1d100=68]
[21:39] <Kotono_Ibis> Woosh! You appear without incident on the other side.
[21:39] <Kotono_Ibis> "Seconded," Antenora shudders and wipes at her arms.
[21:39] <Kotono_Ibis> Commander Oberuth starts walking ahead, taking point with his sword radiating light. "Earth elementals hit like giants, don't they? I'll take point then."
06[21:39] * Alicia then lets Marie revert and get changed under her wing for her modesty's sake. Once that's done, she sets off down the corridor. "Lets see where this leads, shall we?"
[21:42] <Alicia> "Until you get to the especially large ones, or unique ones like Oolu, elementals tend to be fairly weak," Alicia admits as she trails just behind and to the left of the Commander. "I suspect the elementals here aren't anything special, but whatever's controlling them..."
[21:43] <Kotono_Ibis> "If it's a mage, well, I can deal with that," Oberuth glances back, sword-light casting shadows over his face at this angle. "If we're lucky, this won't result in bloodshed."
[21:43] <Kotono_Ibis> "I do hope so," Antenora adds to that, "There's been enough already. But if evil's lurking in these mountains again..."
[21:44] <Alicia> "Maybe it's a vengeful druid trying to destroy civilisation with the power of the natural world?" Marie suggests brightly as they proceed through the tunnel.
[21:47] <Kotono_Ibis> "Such an optimist," Antenora drawls with a smile. Commander Oberuth grunts quietly and leads along without comment. You walk down this path for about ten minutes before you come to a sharp incline going down. It's passable, but steep. The ceiling slopes down here, enough to where crawling will be required for passage.
[21:50] <Alicia> "Times like this where wings are a disadvantage... Why protect such a difficult hallway?" Alicia wonders. "Marie, how about you go ahead and see if it widens out close enough for you to use your bracelet to teleport the rest of us through?"
[21:50] <Kotono_Ibis> "I suspect the answer is that whomever is behind this does not wish to be disturbed."
[21:50] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Gah.
[21:50] <Alicia> "Okay!" Marie nods, flying easily down the passage which is more than ample for her needs. So long as it doesn't twist to make her lose sight of the others, or is more than 110 feet, she should be able to manage it.
[21:51] <Kotono_Ibis> "I suspect the answer is that whomever is behind this does not wish to be disturbed." Antenora kneels down and peers ahead as Marie goes down. Marie finds that it goes seventy something feet before widening into a more gentle slope with the ceiling levelling off. It stretches further ahead.
[21:52] <Alicia> Getting down to the base, Marie first uses her bracelet to exchange places with Alicia. Then she flies down and trades with the Commander. After that she repeats her journey to trade with Antenora. And finally she descends to rejoin the group at the bottom.
[21:53] <Kotono_Ibis> As Marie flies back after depositing Alicia, the former has a moment or two by  herself. Or she would, if the floor did not disgorge a small being of rock
[21:53] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Gah.
[21:54] <Kotono_Ibis> As Marie flies back after depositing Alicia, the former has a moment or two by  herself. Or she would, if the floor did not disgorge a small being of rock! It is about the size of a shocker lizard, humanoid and lacking a real, defined head. In slow, drawling words as heavy as adamantine, "Turn back."
[21:55] <Alicia> OOC: do you mean the latter? This is down at the bottom, right?
[21:56] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: Yes and yes.
[21:56] <Alicia> "Why?" Alicia asks in the same language as Marie flies down to join her. "What lies ahead?"
[21:58] <Kotono_Ibis> "Until the ley point is found, we will not be disturbed. Leave our lands be."
[22:00] <Alicia> "Are you responsible for driving the shocker lizards to the human city further down the mountain?" Alicia asks firmly, since it sounds like the earth elementals might be in charge, after all.
[22:01] <Alicia> OOC: speaking of, knowledge to ID this guy?
[22:01] <Alicia> OOC: and can he cast anything?
[22:02] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: K:P and no.
[22:02] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22
06[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 and gets 25." [1d20=3]
[22:05] <Kotono_Ibis> The elemental does not reply, sinking back into the stone instead and leaving Alicia and Marie behind.
[22:06] <Alicia> "Great..." Alicia exhales as Marie swaps places with the Commander. "An earth elemental just warned us off, sir," she tells Obureth. "It said they won't be disturbed until the Ley Point is found, and asked us to leave their lands be."
[22:07] <Kotono_Ibis> "Hmm." Peering ahead before looking to Alicia, "That's a polite threat. What's a Ley Point?"
[22:10] <Alicia> "It's a place where certain types of magic are enhanced," Alicia replies as Marie flies back down and trades with Antenora. "I found one in the mountains where I found the fragments of the Sword of the Sealed Gate that enhanced summoning and calling magic."
[22:10] <Alicia> roll 1d20+14 arcana, how DO you find a ley point, besides dumb luck?
06[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+14 arcana, how DO you find a ley point, besides dumb luck? and gets 24." [1d20=10]
[22:11] <Alicia> roll 1d20+13 arcana, how DO you find a ley point, besides dumb luck? Lets ask Marie
06[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+13 arcana, how DO you find a ley point, besides dumb luck? Lets ask Marie and gets 24." [1d20=11]
[22:11] <Kotono_Ibis> Antenora appears, listening and catching up. As she does...
[22:11] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+14
06[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+14 and gets 16." [1d20=2]
[22:17] <Kotono_Ibis> "That might mean a magic user is at the heart of this, a summoner." Oberuth scowls a little deeper, "What do you think, Alicia?"
[22:19] <Alicia> "This ley point could be different," Alicia notes as Marie flies back down. "But the earth elemental... the way it spoke, it wasn't acting like a minion. In any case, I think we should press on - the fact remains that they drove the shocker lizards to attack us, and for all their claims about these being 'their' lands, it seems obvious that they're invaders."
[22:23] <Kotono_Ibis> "Good, I think you're right." Oberuth gestures ahead with his sword, "We risk battle, but we risk more if we let sleeping problems lie."
[22:25] <Alicia> "Perhaps there's an elder elemental in charge that we can negotiate with, if we're lucky," Alicia nods as she continues down the passage.
[22:27] <Kotono_Ibis> You walk for perhaps a half hour, twisting passages sloping generally downwards but occasionally up, following the passage. As you head down a dim, unremarkable part...OOC: Make spot and listen checks?
[22:27] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+21 spot Antenora
06[22:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+21 spot Antenora and gets 22." [1d20=1]
[22:27] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+21 listen Antenora
06[22:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+21 listen Antenora and gets 33." [1d20=12]
[22:28] <Alicia> roll 2#1d20+6 Marie Spot/Listen
06[22:28] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 2#1d20+6 Marie Spot/Listen and gets 34." [2#1d20+6 = 25, 9]
[22:28] <Alicia> roll 2#1d20+2 Alicia Spot/Listen
06[22:28] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 2#1d20+2 Alicia Spot/Listen and gets 21." [2#1d20+2 = 17, 4]
[22:28] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+6 spot Oberuth
06[22:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+6 spot Oberuth and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[22:28] <Kotono_Ibis> roll 1d20+6 Listen
06[22:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono_Ibis rolls 1d20+6 Listen and gets 11." [1d20=5]
[22:29] <Kotono_Ibis> Antenora stops, "I hear something," she raises her voice, "It's distant, but it sounds like metal striking."
[22:29] <Alicia> "Looks like there's gold in the walls, too," Marie points out. "Are we in a mine, maybe?"
[22:30] <Kotono_Ibis> "Yes," Oberuth goes and taps the wall, "It could also be fool's gold or a couple of other things. Though if it's being mined, it's probably gold."
[22:31] <Kotono_Ibis> "Dwarves....I think Seira mentioned them a few times, but I had the impression they weren't this close, but..." Antenora looks to Alicia now, "Maybe they're trying to keep the gold to themselves?"
[22:31] <Alicia> "I don't know... I know dwarves live beneath these mountains, but I don't know exactly where - I thought they were a lot deeper than we are," Alicia hazards. "Lets keep going and find out?" Her eyes glow blue to check for magic as they advance.
[22:33] <Kotono_Ibis> As you take a few steps forward, it emerges from the ground once more! This one is like the last, only the size of a large, tall man. It bars your way ahead. "Turn back. These lands are not your own and you are not desired here."
[22:36] <Kotono_Ibis> "We come in the name of the Crimson Guard. Your actions may have lead to one of our nation's cities being attacked.  On that authority, we will not turn back without answers," Oberuth declares.
06[22:36] * Alicia has looked at maps of the country she now serves. Admittedly those maps don't take subterranean dwarven borders into account, but she thinks she has a case. "I think you'll find that these lands are under the domain of the United Baronies. We were almost certainly here first."
[22:38] <Kotono_Ibis> "It matters not. Our authority reigns here. The lizards were a pest, disposed of. Any damages they caused are...unfortunate."
[22:40] <Alicia> "Disposing and dumping on someone else's doorstep are two entirely different things," Alicia replies archly. "We may be able to coexist, but not without assurances."
[22:45] <Kotono_Ibis> Things of value can be provided."
[22:46] <Kotono_Ibis> The elemental says this, looking ahead with it's face that isn't a face at all.
[22:47] <Kotono_Ibis> "We have money enough. The issue is what you did." Now Oberuth crosses his arms, staring ahead at it, "Why don't you take us to your leader and we'll talk about this then?"
[22:47] <Alicia> If they're so quick to offer a bribe they must be working on something really valuable down here. "Who's in charge here? It would be best if we spoke to that person, so we can best establish how we can peacefully get along without any further misunderstandings?" she suggests in a more concillatory tone.
[22:50] <Kotono_Ibis> OOC: make diplo, Alicia?
[22:51] <Alicia> roll 1d20+32
06[22:51] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+32 and gets 42." [1d20=10]
[22:53] <Kotono_Ibis> The elemental is still for a time, then, "Wait." It fades back into the ground, gone.
[22:54] <Alicia> Assuming they're alone for the moment, Alicia asks the Commander in common, "How far do you want to push this, sir?"
[22:58] <Kotono_Ibis> "I'd prefer not to start a fight." After some thought, he speaks with clearness and resolve. "But if it looks like one is inevitable or desired, we'll do what we have to do. Tread lightly at first."
[23:00] <Alicia> "Understood, sir," Alicia nods primly.

[Corwin]

[21:24] <Kotono> <Alicia> If they're so quick to offer a bribe they must be working on something really valuable down here. "Who's in charge here? It would be best if we spoke to that person, so we can best establish how we can peacefully get along without any further misunderstandings?" she suggests in a more concillatory tone.
[21:24] <Kotono> > OOC: make diplo, Alicia?
[21:24] <Kotono> <Alicia> roll 1d20+32
[21:24] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+32 and gets 42." [1d20=10]
[21:24] <Kotono> > The elemental is still for a time, then, "Wait." It fades back into the ground, gone.
[21:24] <Kotono> <Alicia> Assuming they're alone for the moment, Alicia asks the Commander in common, "How far do you want to push this, sir?"
[21:24] <Kotono> > "I'd prefer not to start a fight." After some thought, he speaks with clearness and resolve. "But if it looks like one is inevitable or desired, we'll do what we have to do. Tread lightly at first."
[21:24] <Kotono> <Alicia> "Understood, sir," Alicia nods primly.
[21:26] <Kotono> A little fragment of time passes, perhaps no more than twenty minutes. The elemental rises out of te floor, followed by another. This one is also man sized, but made of shining stones that seem to slowly move about, falling apart yet in constant collective, staying together motion. This is the one that speaks to you. "You will come to me."
[21:26] <Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[21:26] <Kotono> A little fragment of time passes, perhaps no more than twenty minutes. The elemental rises out of te floor, followed by another. This one is also man sized, but made of shining stones that seem to slowly move about, falling apart yet in constant collective, staying together motion. This is the one that speaks to you. "You will come with me."
[21:27] <Alicia> "Very well," Alicia nods, replying in the same language. "Lead us on." Marie helpfully alights on Antenora's head and offers her service in translating for her, since the Commander seems well able to keep up.
[21:28] <Kotono> The creatures silp into the earth! Left behind where the shining, moving one was is a sliding whirlpool of stone. As it's head slips into the ground, it's body already gone, "Follow."
[21:30] <Alicia> roll 1d20+12 sense motive this isn't a trap, right?
05[21:30] -betamax.dejatoons.net:@#dunes- Alicia invited Hatbot into the channel.
03[21:30] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@24.174.51.230) has joined #dunes
03[21:30] * Alicia sets mode: +v Hatbot
[21:30] <Alicia> roll 1d20+12 sense motive this isn't a trap, right?
06[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+12 sense motive this isn't a trap, right? and gets 22." [1d20=10]
[21:31] <Kotono> Oberuth kneels down at the edge of it, peering into the shifting stone. "Almost like quicksand...except stone doesn't work like this at all."
[21:32] <Alicia> "I'll go first. Marie will let you know if this goes horribly wrong," Alicia volunteers gamely, holding her breath as she steps into the whirlpool, tucking her wings in around herself.
[21:34] <Kotono> Alicia is sliding! She is in a skintight coffin of stone, sliding along like a greased pig down a chute! OOC: Make a dex check?
[21:34] <Alicia> roll 1d20+5
06[21:34] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+5 and gets 7." [1d20=2]
[21:35] <Kotono> Alicia slides for a time, before being on solid ground. Her vision swims, utterly consumed with dizziness and vertigo! Meanwhile, Antenora speaks up as Alicia vanishes, "...well, Marie?"
[21:36] <Alicia> As Alicia sits down heavily and holds her head, eyes closed to stop everything swimming so badly, Marie hesitates. "... well, she's not dead? I think the word is 'discombobulated'. Sounds like it's safe, but unpleasant!"
[21:37] <Kotono> "I'll go then," Oberuth steps forward, "If Alicia's state changes for the worse or something happens, find a way out and get help."
[21:38] <Kotono> "Understood, sir," Antenora nods slightly to this, "Marie can get out if nothing else."
[21:38] <Alicia> "We'll be right behind you!" Marie gives him a little wave. Meanwhile Alicia shuffles a bit to the side just in case anyone's right behind her, not wanting to have someone drop on her head.
[21:42] <Kotono> Alicia's senses clear as she gets her bearings. She's standing in a large cavern. A great cluster of stalagmites jut up from the floor around a great smooth stone. A huge being of earth sits there, the rudimentary features of facial features peering at Alicia. He speaks ever so slowly in Common, "What do you want, celestial?"
[21:42] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
06[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[21:43] <Kotono> A moment later Commander Oberuth emerges from the floor! He wobbles a little bit, but ceases almost instantly. He peers about and ahead.
[21:43] <Kotono> Meanwhile, "Well?" Antenora asks, "Anything from her, Marie?"
06[21:43] * Alicia stands up, recovering her poise. "My name is Alicia Reynes, I represent the United Baronies," she begins. "We're here to determine what threat, if any, you pose to our lands."
[21:44] <Alicia> "She seems fine, now," Marie shrugs, clinging on tightly to Antenora's head. "Lets go down together!"
[21:45] <Kotono> "I am Commander Hellmen Oberuth, leading representative of the United Baronies in this matter. Captain Reynes is correct in what she said." Commander Oberuth's eyes look about briefly before focusing on the elemental. "One of our cities was nearly overwhelmed by displaced shocker lizards and the trail of them leads back to here."
[21:45] <Kotono> "Hmph," Antenora just steps into the whirlpool! OOC: Dex for antenora and Marie.
[21:46] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
06[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 and gets 5." [1d20=1]
[21:46] <Kotono> OOC: +1 for antenora but 1ed anyway.
[21:46] <Alicia> roll 1d20+8
06[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+8 and gets 28." [1d20=20]
[21:47] <Kotono> "That was...unfortunate," The creature speaks so slowly it's like listening to rocks move at the pace of a glacier's crawl, each letter dragged out. "They were in our way. We did not desire a swarm of them."
[21:47] <Kotono> From the floor next to Commander Oberuth, Antenora and Marie appear. Marie float sin the air eaisly, even as Antenora falls forward onto her face, eyes crossed and color pale.
[21:49] <Alicia> Trusting the other two have things under control, Marie goes to fuss over poor Antenora until she's recovered. "We're relieved that your intent was not a malicious one," Alicia nods briefly. "That said, though, we would still like to ascertain the reason for your presence in our lands."
[21:49] <Kotono> "Even if it was an accident in good faith," Commander Oberuth goes on, his eyes briefly looking over to the unbalanced Antenora, "The questions posed remain. Yes, once again Captain Reynes is correct. Why are you here now?"
[21:51] <Kotono> Antenora groans, lying there for a few moments. Meanwhile, "An ancient dead portal came back to life. We found out of it and chose to pass through. The matters of the lands above the earth mean nothing to us."
[21:53] <Alicia> "Then what is your goal here?" Alicia asks. "One of your number mentioned seeking out a Ley Line?"
[22:02] <Kotono> "The portal's life did not last entirely...we must find a ley line and use it's power to rejuvenate it once more. The lizards were in our way and threatened our security." It leans forward, great hunks of earth and rock shadowing over Alicia and company.
[22:02] <Kotono> Antenora finally gets up, shaking but up. She stands behind Alicia.
06[22:04] * Alicia could probably offer her services to try and repair the portal, but she's not sure if that's the route the Commander wants to go down... "How do you know there is a ley line nearby?" she asks instead.
[22:07] <Kotono> "I can...sense them." Looming again over Alicia, "But only vaguely. Many portals coincide with them."
[22:07] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12
06[22:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 18." [1d20=6]
[22:09] <Kotono> "I see. When this portal is restored, are you going back to whence you came?" Oberuth peers into the face-like part of the elemental, "Or do you intend to stay?"
[22:09] <Alicia> This intrigues Alicia. Given her recent experience when Mystra let her experience the Weave in its entirety, she's developed a far greater interest in manifestations such as Ley Lines. Still, her own desires here might conflict with those of the United Baronies, so she waits a moment to see where the Commander is going with this.
[22:11] <Kotono> "A small colony. Our place is proper here, for there seems to be no manifestation suiting the earth. More of us came to establish here once we were told that the portal was alive once again."
[22:12] <Kotono> "As long as you do not repeat the same mistake with the lizards or engage in aggression, the Baronies wish you well," Oberuth says, "There are dwarves farther away in these mountains, and I cannot speak for how they will react."
[22:14] <Alicia> "Also, while we mostly dwell upon the surface, we do have mines descending into the mountain. We would insist that our miners would not be interfered with," Alicia adds pertinently.
[22:15] <Kotono> "This is...acceptable." The being of rock and earth rumbles, "Then we have no reason for hostility."
[22:15] <Kotono> "It appears that this is so," Commander Oberuth agrees, "However, give us all a moment, if you would."
[22:16] <Alicia> "Excellent," Alicia smiles, about to offer her services before the Commander speaks up. So she holds her tongue and steps back away from the elemental, looking at Obureth expectantly.
[22:16] <Kotono> "A moment is nothing." The elemental sits where he is, unmoving. Commander Oberuth nods to Alicia and Antenora, taking several steps backwards.
06[22:18] * Alicia follows after him, while Marie settles on her head.
[22:18] <Kotono> "Now then. They look harmless enough," In the softest whisper to Alicia, "And we have the locations we can have you teleport to if that changes. There's no immediate reason for hostility. It does beg several questions: Why did the portal activate? Who told them about it? How many of them are there? What does this colony entail? What will a working portal mean for us? Can we trust them?"
[22:22] <Kotono> "Earth elementals are simple creatures. Unless they're possessed by evil - and I didn't detect any -they're not likely to be actively aggressive." Antenora whispers back.
[22:24] <Alicia> "Likely the portal activated in the same way as the one to the Plane of Water in the bay did," Alicia surmises quietly, "And like that one it requires stabilisation. We can ask who told them about it. As for the colony? Elementals are simple beings, as the name implies."
[22:24] <Alicia> "I don't expect them to care about waging war or expanding voraciously, but I was a bit worried about misunderstandings with our miners, which is why I made that point clear about leaving them alone. As for a working portal?" she takes a deep breath, "It would actually be a tremendous boon, sir."
[22:24] <Alicia> "Planar gateways aren't mere doors for travelling by. The very essence of primal Earth will seep through into these mountains. The effect may be subtle and only felt over a long period, but I don't imagine we'll ever have to worry about our mines running dry if the portal can be stabilised."
[22:26] <Kotono> Closing his eyes to that, "I see then. Mgh." With his own wry smile, "I've been studying devilogy too much. I'm ready to see conspiracies and enemies behind random happenings now, when normal explanations suffice. I was wondering if we would see a cadre of earth devils or some other terror coming through."
[22:27] <Kotono> "I don't think Earth Devils exist," Antenora almost laughs to that, holding delicate, strong fingers over her lips. "With Esthan defeated and by all reports diabolica activity in disarray here, it'sprobably unrelated."
[22:29] <Alicia> "The earlier discovered portal to the plane of water provides some reassurance. I wonder if there might be ones to the other elemental planes in the vicinity of Balmuria as well?" Alicia hazards.
[22:29] <Alicia> "In any case, I'd actually like to offer my assistance to them. There may be another way to repair the portal even without a Ley Line, but I have an interest in Ley Lines anyway, so either way it could work out."
[22:29] <Kotono> "Yes. If it's also a boon if the portal is established..." Oberuth nods a little bit, "But we're also going to do our research into it, just in case."
[22:30] <Kotono> "You know, there's enough fire under Balmuria already..." Antenora considers at that, "Mihail was working on a shrine to Kossuth, wasn't it?"
[22:30] <Alicia> "That's what it turned out to be, yes," Alicia nods, face twisting a little as she recalls that whole sordid experience. Poor crazed man...
[22:32] <Kotono> "An interesting question, but one for later," Oberuth nods, "It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to help them, and also to keep an eye on them. Finding out where that ley point here is could also be useful. Alright. Go ahead and talk to him, Alicia." With another wry smile, "You're damned better at it than I."
[22:34] <Alicia> "You keep up well enough, sir," Alicia gives him a small smile before she returns to the elder elemental. "As it happens, I have some experience both with planar portals and with ley lines, so I may be able to offer you some assistance. If I might ask, though, who was it that pointed you towards the portal in the first place?"
[22:39] <Kotono> "A...mephit of stone and mud. The servant of another, passing a message onto us." After that, looking Alicia over, "You offer yourself to us?"
[22:43] <Alicia> "I am a servant of the Goddess of Magic," Alicia explains. "Ley Lines are an important part of the Weave she tends to, therefore I have an interest in them - I had no idea any were so close to my home. So, I would like a chance to study it if it can be found. And if it cannot, there may still be other ways to repair the portal - I have some experience with such matters."
[22:45] <Kotono> "You will be accepted then," The elemental decrees. "Your help will be appreciated."
[22:46] <Alicia> "You're welcome," Alicia smiles. "Would it be possible for me to see the portal itself, first of all?"

[Corwin]

[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> "The earlier discovered portal to the plane of water provides some reassurance. I wonder if there might be ones to the other elemental planes in the vicinity of Balmuria as well?" Alicia hazards.
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> "In any case, I'd actually like to offer my assistance to them. There may be another way to repair the portal even without a Ley Line, but I have an interest in Ley Lines anyway, so either way it could work out."
[19:47] <Kotono> > "Yes. If it's also a boon if the portal is established..." Oberuth nods a little bit, "But we're also going to do our research into it, just in case."
[19:47] <Kotono> > "You know, there's enough fire under Balmuria already..." Antenora considers at that, "Mihail was working on a shrine to Kossuth, wasn't it?"
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> "That's what it turned out to be, yes," Alicia nods, face twisting a little as she recalls that whole sordid experience. Poor crazed man...
[19:47] <Kotono> > "An interesting question, but one for later," Oberuth nods, "It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to help them, and also to keep an eye on them. Finding out where that ley point here is could also be useful. Alright. Go ahead and talk to him, Alicia." With another wry smile, "You're damned better at it than I."
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> "You keep up well enough, sir," Alicia gives him a small smile before she returns to the elder elemental. "As it happens, I have some experience both with planar portals and with ley lines, so I may be able to offer you some assistance. If I might ask, though, who was it that pointed you towards the portal in the first place?"
[19:47] <Kotono> > "A...mephit of stone and mud. The servant of another, passing a message onto us." After that, looking Alicia over, "You offer yourself to us?"
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> "I am a servant of the Goddess of Magic," Alicia explains. "Ley Lines are an important part of the Weave she tends to, therefore I have an interest in them - I had no idea any were so close to my home. So, I would like a chance to study it if it can be found. And if it cannot, there may still be other ways to repair the portal - I have some experience with such matters."
[19:47] <Kotono> > "You will be accepted then," The elemental decrees. "Your help will be appreciated."
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> "You're welcome," Alicia smiles. "Would it be possible for me to see the portal itself, first of all?"
[19:53] <Kotono> "You may come." The large elemental stands up. Bending over, it lifts the giant stone it sits on with ease, as if it wasn't several tons of hard stone. Beneath it lies a tunnel of smooth stone, falling down into a churning whirlpool of solid rock. It's maybe ten feet wide in a radius. "Step through this."
06[19:55] * Alicia hates these things already. "Right," she nods, bracing herself before she steps into the passage, holding her breath and closing her eyes.
[19:56] <Kotono> Once again, Alicia is flowing through the stone like it's water, dizzing torment! OOC: Make another dex check?
[19:56] <Alicia> roll 1d20+5
06[19:56] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+5 and gets 8." [1d20=3]
[19:58] <Kotono> Ugh. Alicia's world is a spinning, spinning, spinning playground. Rock and earth and world all spin around as her eyes cross. She feels herself falling onto solid ground, a groan escaping her lips.  It's like the world is a carosel and she's having trouble getting off.
03[19:58] * tai-sick is now known as tai-hack
06[19:59] * Alicia crawls forward on her hands and knees to get out of the way for anyone following her, staying like that for a moment until her balance returns before she opens her eyes and hauls herself to her feet.
[20:01] <Kotono> Ugh. Alicia's stomach flip-flops as she gets her bearings. She stands in another wide cave. Ahead of her is a pile of stones, forming a crude stairway. Around a hanging red jut of heavy stone, a crude, doorway shaped hole in the rock can be seen. It flickers in and out of reality, shaking.
[20:02] <Alicia> Phew. Okay, first thing's first, she casts a spell to sharpen her mind and skills, before calling upon the arcane sight granted to her by Mystra, eyes glowing blue as she steps closer and examines the portal.
[20:02] <Alicia> OOC: heroism and arcane sight cast
[20:02] <Alicia> roll 1d20+21 spellcraft
06[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+21 spellcraft and gets 22." [1d20=1]
[20:03] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5
06[20:03] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 22." [1d20=17]
[20:03] <Kotono> OOC: Make dex, Marie?
[20:03] <Alicia> roll 1d20+8
06[20:03] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
[20:04] <Kotono> As Alicia puzzles over the portal, it seems to be no good. Her head is still spinning and dazed, her knowledges of spellcraft coming to naught here. Antenora an dMarie emerge from the ground, this time Antneora flapping her wings a few times, taking immediately to the air. She wobbles slightly but nothing more. "That's it?"
[20:06] <Alicia> "It is," Alicia nods, biting her lip as she adopts the more prosaic approach of simply examining the structure of the portal, using what she knows of the realms beyond to try and figure out what could be done to stabilise it. Marie has a look with her own magical senses, sensing Alicia's momentary puzzlement.
[20:06] <Alicia> OOC: knowledge planes?
[20:06] <Alicia> roll 1d20+18 Marie spellcraft
06[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+18 Marie spellcraft and gets 34." [1d20=16]
[20:07] <Alicia> roll 1d20+24 Alicia planes if it helps
06[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+24 Alicia planes if it helps and gets 34." [1d20=10]
[20:12] <Kotono> It's definintely a portal. Marie analyses it, taking her time. It's out of flux, the energies around it disturbed. It looks like someone not too long ago took steps make it functional, but they were clearly temporary.
[20:13] <Kotono> Alicia can tell it's a portal, almost certainly one to the Elemental Plane of Earth based on it's location and form.
[20:18] <Kotono> The portal looks to be out of sync and flux. If a ley point was founa nd it's energy flow adjusted, it should throw the portal back into sync and stabilize it. You'd need to find the ley point in question to do so, though.
[20:20] <Alicia> What about casting Permanency on it?
[20:25] <Kotono> Alicia thinks that would help, with better odds of success if she pairs it with a source of energy to help bolster the portal when she casts it.
[20:25] <Kotono> As Alicia works, the giant elemental looms over Alicia, watching silently.
[20:25] <Alicia> What sort of source of energy?
[20:29] <Kotono> Either natural energies, such as the ley point, or raw arcane power. Applying more energy of the Weave in it's most basic forms would help. Spellfire in particular might help. Your sword would obviously be able to destroy the portal if you wished, conversely.
[20:31] <Alicia> "I might be able to use one method to renew the portal," Alicia finally announces, stepping back. "It would cost about a thousand gold for materials, but there seems to be plenty of mineral wealth sequestered in the Earth here. How close do you think you are to finding the Ley Line?" she asks the looming elemental.
[20:34] <Kotono> "Not close. There is much earth to search." He answers, as Antenora peers at the portal but otherwise stays quiet.
[20:40] <Alicia> *Ten thousand gold
[20:41] <Alicia> "Well, consider this as a backup plan?" Alicia suggests. "You're likely better than I at seeking out Ley Lines, so I can offer little help beyond an extra set of eyes in that regard. I leave the choice up to you."
[20:43] <Kotono> "The money...is easily done." The elemental gestures upward, "You speak of gold, the earth has gold."
[20:46] <Alicia> "Alright," Alicia smiles. "In that case I'll return here tomorrow and we can get to work. I'd like a chance to study the Ley Line, but there's nothing to stop us finding it after we have the portal replenished."
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+
06[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+ and gets Error: Check syntax." [1d20=19]
[20:47] <Kotono> Commander Oberuth appears a few moments later, undizzied. As he balances, "Will we return now, Alicia?" Antenora asks.
[20:48] <Alicia> "We're done for now, yes," Alicia nods. "I can transport our soldiers back to Balmuria and see about picking up the materials I'll need to work on the portal."
[20:49] <Kotono> "Let's go, then," Oberuth says shortly, "Creature of Earth, I'm pleased we won't have to come to more bloodshed."
[20:51] <Kotono> "It was the will of the earth," The elemental speaks. "You may go."
[20:51] <Alicia> "I'll return tomorrow," Alicia tells the elemental as she gathers everyone and teleports them to Parsifal's garrison.
[20:52] <Alicia> roll 1d100 studied carefully
06[20:52] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 studied carefully and gets 43." [1d100=43]
[20:52] <Alicia> roll 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison
06[20:52] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison and gets 22." [1d100=22]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Parsifal
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 back to Parsifal and gets 80." [1d100=80]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison and gets 74." [1d100=74]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Parsifal
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 back to Parsifal and gets 30." [1d100=30]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison and gets 63." [1d100=63]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Parsifal
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 back to Parsifal and gets 44." [1d100=44]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 5 soldiers to Balmuria garrison and gets 12." [1d100=12]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 back to Parsifal
06[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 back to Parsifal and gets 87." [1d100=87]
[20:53] <Alicia> roll 1d100 Commander and Anty and Marie to Balmuria
06[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 Commander and Anty and Marie to Balmuria and gets 79." [1d100=79]
[21:01] <Kotono> The next day dawns without incident. Alicia rises, ready to go on her wishes. OOC: Setup if you're going, if you're taking anyone with you and then 'port?
[21:05] <Alicia> Since this spell is a painful one to cast, Alicia goes to bed early to have lots of sleep, and has a big breakfast and makes sure to take care of nature's call first so she can get through the ordeal to come.
[21:05] <Alicia> That all taken care of she invites anyone in the house who cares to come along (with the caution that it isn't terribly exciting) and teleports to the portal with Marie and anyone else who's coming.
[21:06] <Alicia> roll 1d100 seen casually
06[21:06] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 seen casually and gets 65." [1d100=65]
[21:07] <Kotono> Antenora and Jessica both come along, Latha staying with Hugo. You appear in front of the portal! The giant elemental waits there. At his feet lie huge chunks of gold, entire small veins ripped out, still having bits of mundane rock on the sides of it. On your apperance, he simply says, "Gold."
06[21:10] * Alicia gives Jessica the portable hole and invites her to put the gold inside. "My thanks. The magical reagents I required for this were expensive," she explains. "Now, I will begin my work - you are free to watch, but I ask that I not be disturbed, for the magic involved is lengthy and requires all of my concentration."
[21:12] <Kotono> Jessica looks it over, whistling, "This is a lot..." she says up to her sister as she works.
[21:13] <Kotono> "As you like." The elemental stands aside. Antenora goes to rest against a far wall. "Good luck, Alicia. I'll keep a watch in case anything tries to interrupt."
[21:13] <Alicia> "We'll have fun finding a money-changer to take it," Marie agrees lightly, settling on Jessica's head as Alicia sets out her reagents conveniently around the portal before she begins the primary incantations off of the scroll.
[21:18] <Kotono> Thus the times begin to pass. An hour and then two, Alicia concentrating away. Three hours, perhaps? The long incantation is involving, Alicia focusing on it as she calls on the proper names, bringing the flow of time into abayance! As it passes...
[21:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21
06[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 and gets 37." [1d20=16]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+14
06[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+14 and gets 24." [1d20=10]
[21:19] <Kotono> OOC: Make a listne cehck, Marie?
[21:20] <Alicia> roll 1d20+6
06[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+6 and gets 18." [1d20=12]
[21:21] <Kotono> Antenora cocks her head up into the third hour, turning to the far aside of the chamber, away from where Alicia works. It stretches about 100 feet into a narrowing corridor that goes out of sight. "I heard something," she speaks aloud.
[21:22] <Kotono> "The Earth...is moving unexpectedly...something is moving through it," The elemental rumbles, turning in that direction as well.
[21:24] <Kotono> Jessica's hand goes to her rapier, "Does that mean it's a problem?"
[21:25] <Kotono> "Yes, if it disturbs Alicia's concentration, not to mention if it's hostile." Antenora answers herself, "Elemental, is it one of your friends?"
[21:25] <Alicia> Marie floats up off of Jessica's head and sends some dancing lights in that direction. "Unless it's a matter of life and death, I'll be counting on the rest of you to deal with it," Alicia calls over as she walks slowly around the portal, occassionally uttering words of power as streamers of spellfire dance from her fingers and into the edifice.
[21:27] <Kotono> As lights illuminate the air, it gives you a lovely view! The stone walls ripple about 90 feet ahead, as something steps out! It is huge, made of sharp, angular rock! It is like living blackstone, three jagged, pick like arms coming from it's upper body. Three legs support it's bottom.
[21:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+17 You can make K:P if you wanna try to ID it.
06[21:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 You can make K:P if you wanna try to ID it. and gets 18." [1d20=1]
[21:28] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22 Alicia
06[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 Alicia and gets 28." [1d20=6]
[21:28] <Alicia> roll 1d20+21 Marie
06[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+21 Marie and gets 28." [1d20=7]
[21:31] <Kotono> "Why..." The elemental's body writhes, "But there will be no answer. This creature is not intelligent, it is a killer and enforcer of darker forces of Earth."
[21:32] <Alicia> "This is trouble!" Marie squeaks, scrambling for her bow. "I'll try to banish it, but you guys need to keep it away from Alicia!" For her part, Alicia briefly looks over at the new arrival but daren't turn her attention off of her spell unless it becomes absolutely necessary.
[21:32] <Kotono> "An assassin?" Jessica grimaces as her rapier comes out, "Got it!"
[21:32] <Kotono> Antenora takes to the air, "Defend Alicia and keep it busy! Don't let it get close to her, no matter what!"
[21:33] <Kotono> OOC: Init here. Go ahead and roll forAlicia as well, in case she chooses to act later on.
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 Antenora
06[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Antenora and gets 9." [1d20=4]
[21:33] <Alicia> roll 1d20+8 Marie
06[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+8 Marie and gets 21." [1d20=13]
[21:33] <Alicia> roll 1d20+7 Alicia
06[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+7 Alicia and gets 27." [1d20=20]
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Jessica
06[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Jessica and gets 23." [1d20=13]
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 friendly elemental
06[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 friendly elemental and gets 14." [1d20=15]
[21:33] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Big ass black rock motherfucker
06[21:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Big ass black rock motherfucker and gets 4." [1d20=5]
03[21:34] * Kotono changes topic to 'Alicia(27)>Jessica(23)>Marie(21)>Friendly Elemental(14)>Antenora(9)>Black Rock Triskelion(4)'
[21:34] <Kotono> OOC: Alicia, holding?
[21:34] <Alicia> OOC: casting, actually, so that eats my standard.
[21:35] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Anything else?
[21:35] <Alicia> OOC: no
[21:35] <Kotono> OOC: Jessica.
[21:36] <Kotono> Jessica positions in front of Alicia, staying ninety feet away. Her rapier is on the ready as she stands guard. OOC: Defending herself and waiting. Marie?
[21:36] <Alicia> Marie flies over above Alicia and Jessica so her aura can protect them, before snapping off a single cold iron banishing arrow at the evil elemental!
[21:36] <Alicia> roll 1d20+27
06[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+27 and gets 35." [1d20=8]
[21:37] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[21:37] <Alicia> roll 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 DC 20 will or banished (+2 per DR component beaten, magic/cold iron/good)
06[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 DC 20 will or banished (+2 per DR component beaten, magic/cold iron/good) and gets 11." [1d4=2][1d6=2][1d4=3]
[21:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
06[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 19." [1d20=8]
[21:38] <Kotono> The single arrow flies! The creature shudders and vanishes away in an instant! OOC: Free act.
[21:39] <Kotono> "...that's it?" Antenora is on the verge of darting forward, holding herself short at the last moment.
[21:39] <Kotono> "Good work, Marie!" Jessica exhales, "It's gone!"
[21:40] <Alicia> "These arrows are handy," Marie sags in relief. "But what would one of those be doing here? Did it come through with you guys?" she asks the other elemental.
[21:40] <Kotono> "That's it?" Antenora repeats, blinking slowly.
[21:41] <Alicia> "Don't look so surprised," Marie sticks her tongue out at her. "I can be useful to have around, hard as it may be to believe." The last is said with a sidelong look at Alicia, who seems to ignore it.
[21:42] <Kotono> "It did not," The elemental intones lik ethe rippling groans of the earth, "Such a creature is called a Black Rock Triskelion. They are servants of dark forces of the Earth. That it came here means it's mission was to stop this for it is a thoughtless brute. It is an assassin and killer."
[21:42] <Kotono> Antenora just shakes her head, "I'm impressed, Marie."
[21:43] <Alicia> "So who sent it and why?" Alicia asks inbetween her incantations while Marie preens.
[21:43] <Kotono> A few moments after that, "Something's going on here," Antenora agrees, "We'll have to look into it aafter you finish the spell. Jessica, Marie, spread out and keep your ears open. We'll need to keep watch now."
[21:44] <Kotono> "If it's evil, could it be the devils again?" Jessica looks about, "Could it?"
[21:45] <Kotono> "Anything's possible," Antenora answers back, "But we don't know enough to really make a good guess. There's more evil out there from Baator."
[21:45] <Alicia> "Maybe you should call back a few of your friends as well?" Marie suggests to the elemental. She then turns to Jessica, "I dunno. Those things serve Ogr-something - the evil lord of Elemental Earth. So what's he got against this colony here?"
[21:47] <Kotono> The elemental falls into the ground, leaving the others behind. Antenora crosses her arms, starting ot pace. "Good question. We've not had any trouble for him. So it's either not related to us personally and it's the portal, or it's someone getting them to use one of their servants as a favor."
[21:47] <Kotono> *from him
[21:48] <Alicia> "Maybe we can take a trip through the portal after its stabilised and see what people are saying over in the Elemental Plane of Earth?" Marie suggests, adding after a pointed cough from Alicia, "Once Alicia's had a chance to rest, I mean."
[21:49] <Kotono> "As long as it's not ooze, I'm good with that," Antenora agrees, then, "Still though...why? We can't really go up and ask the dark forces of Earth, and if it's not something obvious, simple inquiries will probably fail. Why then?"
[21:49] <Kotono> "Maybe it's just malice? It's not like evil has to have  areason, sometimes," Jessica goes to the far side of the chamber, looking around and checking the wall the giant black elemental came through.
[21:51] <Alicia> "Maybe..." Marie muses as she trails along behind Jessica. "But this thing's going to widen the influence of Earth, so I'd figure everyone over there would be happy with it... could be our new friends here are enemies of that Ogramach guy and he just doesn't want them to get the first foothold in this world?"
[22:01] <Kotono> "Could be, but..." Antenora looks to Marie, "That's almost too clean and too easy. A good plan is never that obvious unless you want someone to think that and fall into it."
[22:02] <Kotono> "Not everyone thinks like you or Latha," Jessica throws a little pebble at Antenora, bouncing off her head. "It's just as likely that it's a simple plan by someone who isn't obssessed with detail and ordering things."
[22:03] <Alicia> "Wow, that's probably the first time you've ever complained about me suggesting something sensible," Marie marvels for a moment.
[22:05] <Kotono> "It's not obsessing. What if it's Esthan's master enacting the first part of a plan in revenge? What if it's the Spark Hunters trying to whilttle us down before an ambush?W hat if it's Agares calling in a favor to try and slay us? What if it's Mephistopheles, looking to capture me?" Antenora paces, "We hardly lack enemies who think like that."
[22:05] <Kotono> "What if it's someone who needs to remember that over 2/3rds of the cosmos don't think like that," Jessica tosses another pebble at Antenora. "If it is, we'll deal with it. But you don't have to start twisting yourself into a knot about it."
[22:06] <Alicia> "How many would know that we're here right now?" Marie asks reasonably.
[22:08] <Kotono> "How many could find out, or have set this up to happen in the first place?" Antenora snaps back, before going to take a breath. "The point I'm making is that we can't take this as a simple surface brushoff. Maybe it is just unrelated, but maybe it's not, too. Maybe all of this is the first phase of a greater scheme."
[22:10] <Kotono> "If it is, we'll deal with it," Jessica turns away now, "Antenora, you think about that for now and we'll see where we're at after we investigate some?"
[22:10] <Alicia> "We don't have enough information to draw any conclusions right now," Alicia speaks up from her place by the portal. "Speculation is meaningless and only serves to distract from what little we do know."
[22:12] <Kotono> "I suppose," Antenora relents, going quiet.
[22:14] <Alicia> "But it can be fun!" Marie carols, fluttering over towards Antenora. "Lets see, who hates us and is most likely to have any connections with Ogr-whatsit? Esthan had connections all over the place, of course. Agares is more water-themed, so probably not him... and lets not forget our Abyssal friends!"
[22:14] <Alicia> "But Jubilex is more likely to be involved with the place Antenora loves so much... what about that Ebony sister? Ebony's a rock as as well as a colour, right? A black rock, even! I think we're onto something!"
[22:17] <Kotono> Antenora twitches, "Marie..." she growls, glaring at her.
[22:19] <Alicia> "Oh, what, it's all 'super important strategising' when you do it but the moment I offer a perfectly reasonable suggestion suddenly I'm the bad guy?" Marie harrumphs.
[22:20] <Kotono> "Black rock and Ebony is a completely daft connection to make," waving her arms about now, "Besides, she's a demon! She's just as likely to use a white or a brown colored rock because it catches her attention that moment!"
[22:21] <Alicia> "She's a demon with a sense of style!" Marie counters. "She'd want to do something eye-catching and flamboyant, that leaves no doubt at all who was responsible!"
[22:22] <Kotono> "She's an Abyssal whore. Don't you think it would've had something more sexual in tone?" Antenora challenges back. "I don't think a black hunk of rock qualifies unless you're an elemental in the mood."
[22:22] <Kotono> Jessica sighs softly.
[22:24] <Alicia> Marie is silent and blushes for a moment before she delicately suggests, "It was very rigid, wouldn't you say?"
[22:24] <Alicia> "Please, for the love of Mystra, find a new topic," Alicia growls irritably as she works.
[22:25] <Kotono> "...it is, isn't it..." Antenora blushes all the way to under her armor, before turning to Alicia. "S-sorry!" With that she goes quiet.
[22:27] <Alicia> Marie thinks for a moment before piping up, "So, hey, Jessica! Thought any more about where you and Roald will set up shop after getting married?"
[22:30] <Kotono> "We're thinkinga bout it. I need to think about it right now, so how about we have some q uiet time to do that?" Jessica says sweetly.
[22:31] <Alicia> "Okay," the eladrin relents, busying herself by flying aimlessly around the cave.
[22:42] <Kotono> Three man sized elementals return with the large one, fanning out near walls. Thus, the time passes. Four hours, five six seven. Eight...One near Jessica straightens, and in Terran, "Coming near..."
[22:43] <Alicia> Sixteen hours to go... Marie draws another banishing arrow and goes to float above Alicia. "Where's it coming from?" she asks, looking around for evil auras.
[22:45] <Kotono> The elemental steps back and points dead ahead at the rock. Antenora flies over, and in Marie's mind, 'I'll be ready to intercept it, and you have an arrow ready?'
[22:46] <Alicia> Marie puts some dancing lights in place around the designated point while Alicia walks around to the other side of the portal so it can provide her some cover as she continues to work.
[22:47] <Kotono> The other elementals approach and stand back, at the ready! A few moments later, it emerges! It's the same creature type as before, a Black Rock Triskelion! It's coming right at you! OOC: You guys are prepared, so surprise round. Go ahead and go first to see if you banish it, Marie?
[22:48] <Alicia> Marie lets go of the bowstring and another arrow lances forward!
[22:48] <Alicia> roll 1d20+27
06[22:48] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+27 and gets 34." [1d20=7]
[22:48] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[22:48] <Alicia> roll 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 DC 20 will +2 per whatever DR component is beaten (magic/cold iron/good/chaotic)
06[22:48] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 DC 20 will +2 per whatever DR component is beaten (magic/cold iron/good/chaotic) and gets 11." [1d4=1][1d6=3][1d4=3]
[22:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
06[22:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 20." [1d20=9]
[22:48] <Kotono> OOC: Screaming is the d4?
[22:48] <Alicia> OOC: yes
[22:54] <Kotono> Bam! The arrow flies strong and true, the screaming making little lines pass down it's body! But this time, it hasn't vanished at all! OOC: Anything else, Marie?
[22:54] <Alicia> OOC: can she full attack in a surprise round?
03[22:56] * tai-hack is now known as asdgsdfasdf-ill
[23:01] <Kotono> OOC: Yes, we've been doing it that way.
[23:02] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22 last cold iron banishing arrow then
06[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 last cold iron banishing arrow then and gets 26." [1d20=4]
[23:02] <Kotono> A second arrow follows, but this one bounces off it's great bulk! A second later, Antenora is in front of it, striking away, a holy fury overtaking her!
[23:03] <Alicia> roll 1d20+17 regular arrow what the hell
06[23:03] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+17 regular arrow what the hell and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[23:03] <Alicia> roll 1d4+4+1d6+1d4
06[23:03] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 and gets 12." [1d4=2][1d6=5][1d4=1]
[23:04] <Kotono> roll 1d20+24 (+2 FS 9/10, +2 bane, -5 PA)
06[23:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 (+2 FS 9/10, +2 bane, -5 PA) and gets 37." [1d20=13]
[23:04] <Kotono> roll 1d8+2d6+1d6+31
06[23:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+2d6+1d6+31 and gets 46." [1d8=2][2d6=6, 1][1d6=6]
03[23:07] * Alicia is now known as Ebiris
03[23:18] * asdgsdfasdf-ill is now known as asdgsdfasf-taftforprez
03[23:36] * Kotono is now known as Kowork
Session Time: Thu Aug 06 00:00:00 2009
03[01:07] * asdgsdfasf-taftforprez is now known as QuickBen-sickasallgetout
02[01:33] * Ebiris (WinNT@user-5440d648.wfd79a.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (bedtime -=SysReset 2.55=-)
02[03:59] * Kowork (~kokokoko@ip68-99-109-25.hr.hr.cox.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
03[05:05] * QuickBen-sickasallgetout is now known as taislp
03[05:07] * Kotono (~kokokoko@ip68-99-109-25.hr.hr.cox.net) has joined #dunes
03[05:07] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Kotono Kotono
03[05:17] * Kotono is now known as Kokokokokoko
03[05:18] * Kokokokokoko is now known as Tiny_Ko_Army
02[05:44] * Tiny_Ko_Army (~kokokoko@ip68-99-109-25.hr.hr.cox.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
03[06:02] * Kotono (~kokokoko@ip68-99-109-25.hr.hr.cox.net) has joined #dunes
03[06:02] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Kotono Kotono
03[06:32] * Kotono is now known as Ko-HoI3
03[07:38] * Anastasia (~kokokoko@ip68-99-109-25.hr.hr.cox.net) has joined #dunes
03[07:38] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Anastasia Anastasia
02[07:42] * Ko-HoI3 (~kokokoko@ip68-99-109-25.hr.hr.cox.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
03[07:48] * Anastasia is now known as Ko-DeathAcrinaLaserbeams
03[09:39] * Ko-DeathAcrinaLaserbeams is now known as Tiny_Ko_Army
03[10:48] * taislp is now known as tai-asdf
03[16:39] * tai-asdf is now known as tai-asdgsdfasdf
03[18:08] * Tiny_Ko_Army is now known as Kodazed
03[18:34] * Kodazed is now known as Kotono
03[19:11] * tai-asdgsdfasdf is now known as tai-nebulizer
03[19:37] * Ebiris (WinNT@user-54464c28.lns3-c12.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
03[19:37] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Ebiris Ebiris
[19:47] <Kotono> > A second arrow follows, but this one bounces off it's great bulk! A second later, Antenora is in front of it, striking away, a holy fury overtaking her!
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> roll 1d20+17 regular arrow what the hell
[19:47] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+17 regular arrow what the hell and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[19:47] <Kotono> <Alicia> roll 1d4+4+1d6+1d4
[19:47] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 and gets 12." [1d4=2][1d6=5][1d4=1]
[19:47] <Kotono> > roll 1d20+24 (+2 FS 9/10, +2 bane, -5 PA)
[19:47] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 (+2 FS 9/10, +2 bane, -5 PA) and gets 37." [1d20=13]
[19:47] <Kotono> > roll 1d8+2d6+1d6+31
[19:47] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+2d6+1d6+31 and gets 46." [1d8=2][2d6=6, 1][1d6=6]
[19:48] <Kotono> Antenora positions dead in front of it, blocking it's large way with her small body! "Over here," she snarls, as meanwhile the huge leading elemental closes in, a single devastating slam to the black rock triskelion!
[19:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+29 (+2 charge, -4 PA)
06[19:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 (+2 charge, -4 PA) and gets 43." [1d20=14]
[19:48] <Kotono> roll 2d10+15
06[19:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d10+15 and gets 34." [2d10=9, 10]
03[19:48] * Ebiris is now known as Alicia
[19:51] <Kotono> Slammed and blocked from the side as well, the black behemoth looks unmoved by the spearing and the massive slam! Meanwhile, the three medium elementals rush to Alicia's side, shielding her! OOC - Init.
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 Antenora
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Antenora and gets 6." [1d20=1]
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Jessica
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Jessica and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Big elemental
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Big elemental and gets 16." [1d20=17]
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Medium elemental 1
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Medium elemental 1 and gets 5." [1d20=6]
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Medium elemental 2
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Medium elemental 2 and gets 16." [1d20=17]
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Medium elemental 3
06[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Medium elemental 3 and gets 7." [1d20=8]
[19:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Triskelion
06[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Triskelion and gets 19." [1d20=20]
[19:52] <Alicia> roll 1d20+8 Marie
06[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+8 Marie and gets 20." [1d20=12]
[19:52] <Alicia> roll 1d20+7 Alicia
06[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+7 Alicia and gets 23." [1d20=16]
03[19:53] * Kotono changes topic to 'Alicia(23)>Jessica(21)>Marie(20)>Huge Elemental=Medium 2(16)>Medium 3(7)Antenora(6)>Medium 1(5)'
03[19:53] * Kotono changes topic to 'Alicia(23)>Jessica(21)>Marie(20)>BRT(19)>Huge Elemental=Medium 2(16)>Medium 3(7)Antenora(6)>Medium 1(5)'
[19:53] <Kotono> OOC: Holding/casting, Alicia?
[19:53] <Alicia> OOC: continuing to cast my spell.
[19:54] <Kotono> Jessica, having sprinted to stand in front of Alicia, is on guard, another obsticle between Alicia and the huge black rock terror! OOC: Marie.
[19:54] <Alicia> "This is getting expensive!" Marie complains as she draws one of her silvered banishing arrows and lets fly at the triskelion!
[19:54] <Alicia> roll 1d20+27
06[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+27 and gets 45." [1d20=18]
[19:54] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[19:54] <Alicia> roll 1d4+3+1d6+1d4 DC 20 or gtfo
06[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+3+1d6+1d4 DC 20 or gtfo and gets 9." [1d4=3][1d6=1][1d4=2]
[19:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
06[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 25." [1d20=14]
[19:55] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22 arrow 2 banishing
06[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 arrow 2 banishing and gets 37." [1d20=15]
[19:55] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[19:55] <Alicia> roll 1d4+3+1d6+1d4 DC 20 or gtfo
06[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+3+1d6+1d4 DC 20 or gtfo and gets 13." [1d4=2][1d6=5][1d4=3]
[19:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
06[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 23." [1d20=12]
[19:55] <Alicia> roll 1d20+17 regular arrow
06[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+17 regular arrow and gets 25." [1d20=8]
[19:56] <Kotono> More arrows fly! The screaming bursts of sound leave little impact craters, dealing some damage to the behemoth! However, it's not vanishing away this time! It's three piercing arms lash out, trying to impale Antenora and the elemental in front of it!
[19:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+29 (-1 PA) Antenora
06[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 (-1 PA) Antenora and gets 47." [1d20=18]
[19:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+29 (-1 PA) Elemental
06[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 (-1 PA) Elemental and gets 47." [1d20=18]
[19:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+29 (-1 PA) Antenora
06[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+29 (-1 PA) Antenora and gets 37." [1d20=8]
[19:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+24 (-1 PA) Elemental
06[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 (-1 PA) Elemental and gets 25." [1d20=1]
[19:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+24 (-1 PA) Antenora
06[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 (-1 PA) Antenora and gets 25." [1d20=1]
[19:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20+24 (-1 PA) Elemental
06[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+24 (-1 PA) Elemental and gets 25." [1d20=1]
[20:00] <Kotono> roll 2d6+13 Antenora
06[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+13 Antenora and gets 21." [2d6=3, 5]
[20:00] <Kotono> roll 2d6+13 Antenora
06[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+13 Antenora and gets 18." [2d6=4, 1]
[20:00] <Kotono> roll 2d6+13 Elemental
06[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+13 Elemental and gets 18." [2d6=1, 4]
[20:01] <Kotono> The creature fights hard at what's around it, landing a pair of wounds on Antenora, grazes and scrapes across her body! The huge elemental is hit once, seeming to barely notice it! OOC: huge elemental is up.
[20:01] <Kotono> "You are not wanted here," The elemental insists, it's fists slamming into the giant black behemoth!
[20:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-5 PA)
[20:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-5 PA)
06[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-5 PA) and gets 32." [1d20=6]
06[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-5 PA) and gets 28." [1d20=2]
[20:02] <Kotono> roll 2d10+18
06[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d10+18 and gets 24." [2d10=1, 5]
[20:03] <Kotono> Pounding away at the black stone, the huge elemnetal lands a few devastating blows onto it, making it's rocky body show a few more cracks! Two of the medium elementals hold, staying on guard! OOC: Antenora.
[20:04] <Kotono> Antenora rocks back with the wound, blood coming from  her gouged arm. As energies surround her spear, "I'll return you to your master as a pile of rock dust!"
[20:04] <Kotono> AOOC: Gah.
[20:04] <Kotono> Antenora rocks back with the wound, blood coming from  her gouged arm. As energies surround her spear, "I'll return you to your master as a pile of rock dust!"  Antenora flies up and back, boots glowing, as she makes a massive charge into the titantic rock!
[20:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (+2 charge, +2 bane, +2 FS 8/10, +8 smite, -12 PA)
06[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (+2 charge, +2 bane, +2 FS 8/10, +8 smite, -12 PA) and gets 40." [1d20=13]
[20:06] <Kotono> roll 2d8+1d6+2d6+108
06[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+1d6+2d6+108 and gets 135." [2d8=8, 6][1d6=4][2d6=3, 6]
[20:07] <Kotono> Antenora darts in, spear impaling it's stomach! Black rock falls away, but for all the agony, the creature endures the blow and seems only a little broken and not shattered! The last medium elemental holds in the meanwhile! OOC: Alicia. Holding still?
[20:08] <Alicia> OOC: not holding, casting. I can't interrupt it.
[20:09] <Kotono> OOC: /me nods. Okay, Jessica.
[20:09] <Kotono> Jessica holds her position as well, "That's it," she calls, "Break it in two!" OOC: Marie.
[20:10] <Alicia> Since they seem to have it under control, Marie elects to save her last banishing arrow for an emergency and sends a flurry of normal ones at it instead, tiny thundercracks echoing through the cave with each shot!
[20:10] <Alicia> roll 1d20+27
06[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+27 and gets 45." [1d20=18]
[20:10] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22
06[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 and gets 37." [1d20=15]
[20:10] <Alicia> roll 1d20+17
06[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+17 and gets 18." [1d20=1]
[20:10] <Alicia> roll 1d4+4+1d6+1d4
06[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 and gets 15." [1d4=1][1d6=6][1d4=4]
[20:10] <Alicia> roll 1d4+4+1d6+1d4
06[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+4+1d6+1d4 and gets 11." [1d4=3][1d6=1][1d4=3]
[20:12] <Kotono> Two more arrows riddle the black rock, more cracks forming over it's body! It is speechless an dsilent as it tries to rip Antenora and the elemental apart further!
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 (-2 PA) Antenora
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 (-2 PA) Antenora and gets 40." [1d20=12]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 (-2 PA) Antenora
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 (-2 PA) Antenora and gets 42." [1d20=14]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+28 (-2 PA) Elemental
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+28 (-2 PA) Elemental and gets 47." [1d20=19]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23 (-2 PA) Elemental
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 (-2 PA) Elemental and gets 32." [1d20=9]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23 (-2 PA) Elemental
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 (-2 PA) Elemental and gets 30." [1d20=7]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+23 (-2 PA) Antenora
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+23 (-2 PA) Antenora and gets 31." [1d20=8]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 2d6+15 Antenora
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 2d6+15 Antenora
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+15 Antenora and gets 25." [2d6=6, 4]
06[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+15 Antenora and gets 26." [2d6=5, 6]
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 2d6+15 Elemental
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 2d6+15 Elemental
06[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+15 Elemental and gets 20." [2d6=3, 2]
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 2d6+15 Elemental
06[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+15 Elemental and gets 18." [2d6=2, 1]
06[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+15 Elemental and gets 20." [2d6=3, 2]
[20:15] <Kotono> Antenora and the Elemental are wounded several times, blood trickling down from a cut on Antenora's temple. Her hand goes up to wipe it away, as the huge elemental retorts!
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-4 PA)
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-4 PA)
06[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-4 PA) and gets 29." [1d20=2]
06[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-4 PA) and gets 35." [1d20=8]
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 2d10+17
06[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d10+17 and gets 21." [2d10=3, 1]
[20:16] <Kotono> Another blow wounds it, as the rear two elementals stand on guard! OOC: Antenora's up.
[20:17] <Kotono> Antenora flies in and out again, boots glowing as she marshalls power into her spear, before charging head long!
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 (+2 charge, +2 bane, +2 FS 8/10, +8 smite, -14 PA)
06[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 (+2 charge, +2 bane, +2 FS 8/10, +8 smite, -14 PA) and gets 32." [1d20=7]
[20:18] <Kotono> 2d8+1d6+2d6+120 Also 7/10, not 8/10. Dur.
06[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+1d6+2d6+120 Also 7/10, not 8/10. Dur. and gets 133." [2d8=6, 2][1d6=2][2d6=1, 2]
[20:20] <Kotono> Antenora charges again, a titanic smashing blow in it's chest! A crater is left from the massive impact, shattering around her spear! But the creature survives, massive blow or not! The last medium elemental holds! OOC: Alicia. Still castin'?
[20:20] <Alicia> OOC: yep
[20:21] <Kotono> Jessica stays in position, ready and able to interdict if needed! OOC: Marie.
[20:22] <Alicia> Marie lets her last banishing arrow fly out on a wing and a prayer!
[20:22] <Alicia> roll 1d20+27
06[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+27 and gets 34." [1d20=7]
[20:22] <Alicia> roll 1d4+3+1d6+1d4 DC 20
06[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d4+3+1d6+1d4 DC 20 and gets 13." [1d4=3][1d6=4][1d4=3]
[20:22] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
06[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 21." [1d20=10]
[20:22] <Kotono> OOC: Carry on with the normal strikes.
[20:22] <Alicia> roll 1d20+22
06[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+22 and gets 25." [1d20=3]
[20:22] <Alicia> roll 1d20+17
06[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+17 and gets 20." [1d20=3]
[20:25] <Kotono> The arrow hits in the shoulder, lines an dcracks running down it's side! IT buckles slightly at it, body starting to fall apart, but still intact! OOC: It's up.
[20:25] <Kotono> With a mindless intensity, it continues it's assaul ton the targets in fron tof it!
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-4 PA) Antenora
06[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-4 PA) Antenora and gets 37." [1d20=11]
[20:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-4 PA) Antenora
06[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-4 PA) Antenora and gets 27." [1d20=1]
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+26 (-4 PA) Antenora
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+26 (-4 PA) Antenora and gets 29." [1d20=3]
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-4 PA) Elemental
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-4 PA) Elemental
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-4 PA) Elemental and gets 27." [1d20=6]
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-4 PA) Elemental and gets 31." [1d20=10]
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+21 (-4 PA) Elemental
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+21 (-4 PA) Elemental and gets 27." [1d20=6]
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 2d6+19 Antenora
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+19 Antenora and gets 25." [2d6=5, 1]
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 2d6+19 Elemental
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 2d6+19 Elemental
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+19 Elemental and gets 25." [2d6=5, 1]
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 2d6+19 Elemental
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+19 Elemental and gets 27." [2d6=6, 2]
06[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+19 Elemental and gets 28." [2d6=3, 6]
[20:28] <Kotono> The elemental is rocked back far and hard, devastated, while Antneora gets another scrape! But both still endure! OOC: Huge elemental is up.
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-4 PA)
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-4 PA)
06[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-4 PA) and gets 41." [1d20=14]
06[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-4 PA) and gets 33." [1d20=6]
[20:28] <Kotono> roll 4d10+34
06[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4d10+34 and gets 63." [4d10=10, 7, 7, 5]
[20:29] <Kotono> With twinned blows to it's cratered chest, the black rock triskelion is shattere din half! It's top falls down and away, breaking apart into hunks of rock as it's legs wobble! For a moment it looks like it'll fall over, but the entire defeated mass winks away! OOC: Free act.
[20:29] <Kotono> Antenora starts to jet back, stopping after tne feet. She then calls, "We got it. Tough, but it was mindless and iddn't even try to get around us."
[20:30] <Alicia> "My arrows were useless this time..." Marie deflates, landing on the ground near the portal. "Sorry you two got hurt."
[20:31] <Alicia> "It might have just come back again if it was banished," Alicia commiserates as she continues casting. "This way it's certainly gone for good."
[20:31] <Kotono> Antenora promptly touches herself all over, golden light soothing her wounds. "You did fine. You bought is time, and yes, we know it's defeated now." OOC: +16 HP.
03[20:32] * tai-nebulizer is now known as tai-blrgh
[20:33] <Alicia> "Hey..." Marie pauses a moment, thinking of how it vanished so abruptly when it died, looking for magic in that direction to confirm her hypothesis.
[20:33] <Alicia> roll 1d20+18 spellcraft, was it a summon?
06[20:33] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+18 spellcraft, was it a summon? and gets 22." [1d20=4]
[20:35] <Kotono> OOC: Link me to spellcraft?
[20:41] <Kotono> Antenora goes back to guarding Alicia as Marie works. "What, Marie?"
[20:49] <Alicia> "Well, it didn't leave a corpse, and I can sense fading magic... that means it didn't travel here via a plane-shift or another portal, it was summoned. Twice, even," Marie explains.
06[20:49] * Alicia frowns as she casts. "A creature that powerful? That's some seriously potent conjuration... so which horrible archmage has slipped under our noses this time?"
[20:51] <Kotono> "Who knows? The spectral form of Esthan?" Antenora just shrugs, "Say Marie. Why don't you go fly around in the walls a bit and see if there's anything lurking around?"
[20:52] <Alicia> "Because I can't actually see anything when I'm inside walls?" Marie replies. "The elementals have better abilities than I for sensing stuff inside the rock."
[20:55] <Kotono> "Pah." However, at that, one of the elementals wordlessly walks into the wall and vanishes.
[20:56] <Alicia> "Well, if someone is assailing us with summoned monsters, we have a way of dealing with them that works as well as Marie's arrows," Alicia comments, taking the sheathed sword of the sealed gate off her belt and tossing it towards Antenora. "If it had tried to get past you to attack me it might have saved us some time."
[21:04] <Kotono> Antenora catches it in midair, putting her spear away and drawing that. "Understood, Alicia." With that, the work continues. Five hours...six...eight...twelve...the time passes. Fatigue nibbles at Alicia, focusing on her magic. Sixteen hours. Hunger tickles, as well as all of nature's various needs, but she endures. Twenty. Jessica leans on a wall, yawning deeply. Antenora is more stoic, though she hides a yawn on occasion as well. Twenty two
[21:04] <Kotono> Twenty. Jessica leans on a wall, yawning deeply. Antenora is more stoic, though she hides a yawn on occasion as well. Twenty two hours....almost there. Most of the names are called. Almost...twenty three...and then at last, with a final word and calling to the eternal flows of time, Alicia finishes the spell! (More)
[21:06] <Kotono> The portal shakes! Briefly a gleam comes from within! OOC: Make a spot check, Alicia?
[21:07] <Alicia> roll 1d20+2
06[21:07] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+2 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[21:08] <Kotono> There after, the portal turns solid! It looks like solid work, spellfire burning in it and bringing it life!
[21:09] <Kotono> "Well done, Alicia," Antenora approaches, "It looks solid, I think?" Antenora offers a hand to Antenora, "Tired?"
[21:09] <Kotono> Jessica blink-blinks and straightens up, "Oh, it's done? It's -yawn- lovely, Sis!" Jessica speaks around her fatigue.
[21:09] <Alicia> roll 1d20+14
06[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+14 and gets 26." [1d20=12]
[21:15] <Alicia> "I'm exhausted, but..." Alicia frowns a bit. "For a second there I saw a symbol manifest in the portal - a six-banded sphere. There were writings on it but it was gone too quickly for me to catch them. Does this ring any bells?" she glances at the large elemental for a moment, checking for evil as she returns her gaze to the portal.
[21:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+14 Antenora arcana
06[21:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+14 Antenora arcana and gets 34." [1d20=20]
[21:19] <Kotono> Antenora snaps her fingers together, "Oh yes, that does sound familiar. I remember hearing it from a commanding Bone Devil - it's the symbol of an old guild of mages. The Black Six. He was summoned by them ages ago."
[21:20] <Alicia> "Really?" Alicia blinks. "Know anything about them? I wonder if they made the portal to start with..."
[21:21] <Kotono> "No, just that fragment. I wasn't supposed to be listening," Antenora whistles, "But idle ears are the Heavens work."
[21:21] <Alicia> roll 1d20+13 has Marie heard of the Black Six?
06[21:21] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+13 has Marie heard of the Black Six? and gets 26." [1d20=13]
[21:23] <Alicia> "Well, they're surely long gone now, so they shouldn't mind us appropriating their portal," Alicia muses. "But why is it here?" she glances to the elemental again. "Have you seen any structures or crafted objects in your explorations down here?"
[21:24] <Kotono> "No." The elemental answers, "Natural caves only."
[21:25] <Kotono> "Maybe it's a leftover?" Antenora suggests, "If they're long gone, Mystra only knows what they wanted it for in the first place."
[21:26] <Alicia> "Well, I'll take a quick peek on the other side to make sure it's safe - I can plane-shift back if something goes wrong - then we'll go home. I'm going to sleep all day," Alicia swears, stepping up towards the portal.
[21:27] <Kotono> "Likewise," Antenora agrees, "Marie, can you keep watch while we sleep?" Meanwhile, Alicia steps through the portal! (More)
[21:28] <Kotono> Alicia stands in a vast cavern. A circle of stones is what she stands in. About her endless stretches of cavern loom, the air thick and rich with the scent of rock.
[21:29] <Alicia> It's the elemental plane of earth, alright. She looks around, mostly at the stones as the primary landmark of the area, committing them to memory in case she ever needs to use this portal from this end. That done she steps back through.
[21:31] <Kotono> Alicia appears back through without incident. "Any problems?" Antenora asks immediately.
[21:32] <Alicia> "No, seems to work properly, and it definitely looked like the plane of Earth," Alicia shakes her head, turning to the elemental. "You should be able to travel back and forth freely, now. Perhaps you can investigate with allies back home to find out who was behind the triskelion attacks?"
[21:33] <Kotono> "I am curious." The elemental agrees.
[21:34] <Kotono> Meanwhile, Antenora crosses her arms, a slight wince as she does. "There's a fair bit to look at and chew on now. ...well, tomorrow, afte rsleep. Oh, and Alicia...could you touch me and sooth my wounds? I was only able to heal a few of them."
[21:35] <Alicia> "Oh, of course," Alicia nods to Antenora. "Sorry, I would've done it earlier but any loss of focus would've ruined my magic." She steps over and heals Antenora a bit with an infusion of positive energy.
[21:35] <Kotono> "Thanks," Antenora breaks a smile at that.
[21:36] <Kotono> Jessica yawns, "If it's done...can we go home, Sis? I'm going to ruin my days and nights for a few days, but I want to go home and go right ot sleep."
[21:36] <Alicia> "I'll heal you some more once I've replenished my spellfire reserves back home," Alicia promises, also going to heal the large elemental. "I'm going to grab some breakfast/supper in Balmuria, too, before I turn in."
[21:37] <Alicia> roll 3d8+15 for elemental
06[21:37] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 3d8+15 for elemental and gets 26." [3d8=3, 1, 7]
[21:40] <Kotono> As the elemental heals, "Let's go back home then? Still..six bands and the Dark Six...I wonder...You know, I'm hoping you weren't right now about Ebony, Marie." Antenora almost starts to pace, before sighing.
[21:41] <Alicia> "We can think about it after I've slept," Alicia suggests leadenly, gathering everyone together. "Until next time," she bids the elemental farewell, teleporting the group home.
[21:41] <Alicia> roll 1d100
06[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 and gets 42." [1d100=42]
[21:59] <Alicia> roll 1d100
06[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 and gets 73." [1d100=73]
[21:59] <Kotono> OOC: Where in the caverns, by the by?
[22:00] <Alicia> OOC: by the portal, since I spent most time there
[22:03] <Kotono> Woosh! The three of you appear near the portal. It's quiet at the moment, a single medium sized elemental standing nearby.
[22:04] <Alicia> "Hello," Alicia greets the elemental in Terran. "Have there been any further incidents with Triskelions or other aggressors?"
[22:06] <Kotono> It looks at Alicia, and speaking very slowly, "No."
06[22:08] * Alicia considers it too soon to ask if they've had any leads, but now reassured that they're safe she has nothing else to do here. "Good. I may return in a few days," she tells it, before teleporting their little group home.
[22:08] <Alicia> roll 1d100
06[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d100 and gets 61." [1d100=61]
[22:08] <Kotono> Once you appear home, Antenora stretches. "So now what?"
[22:10] <Alicia> "Not much we can do at the moment - I'll probably check in on them in a few days to see if they have any leads on who sent that Triskelion at us," Alicia replies. "Otherwise we take things easy and wait on Demedais returning - I'll probably go on a buying trip for the Reveller's Oasis tomorrow, since it's been a couple of weeks since I stocked up on exotics."
[22:11] <Kotono> "I've been wanting to see that," Antenora speaks up, "Oh Marie, you officially own it, don't you?"
[22:12] <Alicia> "Yep. I'm the the mysterious and beautiful but rarely seen owner!" Marie preens as she flutters around Antenora.
[22:20] <Kotono> "Oh, you must love getting to play that role," Antenora watches Marie flutter around.
[22:27] <Alicia> "Eh, it's pretty boring, really," Marie admits, deflating. "The cranky old witch does most of the work around there," she gestures towards Alicia briefly.
[22:29] <Alicia> "I admit, it hasn't taken off quite as I'd hoped," Alicia offers for her part. "If it weren't for me providing a supply of exotic cuisine from the outer planes I think it wouldn't even be able to stay afloat."
[22:39] <Kotono> "Cranky old witch? I don't think Alicia's that old yet." Antenora eyes her, "No, not at all. Shelooks just right. Well, why don't we see how it's doing?"
[22:41] <Alicia> "I use my old lady disguise when I'm there, remember?" Alicia reminds Antenora. "Anyway, you're welcome to come along. They might remember you from when I first bought the place."
[22:47] <Kotono> "Oh. I had forgotten." Antenora rubs the side of her head, "I don't mind, no. I suppose I wondered if you'd gotten to lax with Marie, if she could get away with that sort of comment."
[22:49] <Alicia> "I know she loves me, really," Alicia smiles crookedly, reaching over to tousle Marie's hair. "Besides, I rather enjoy playing the cranky old witch from time to time."