049: Here we stand and here we fight all your fallen heroes

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> Leaving behind the relative brightness of the garden, Ione's direction sends you down a passageway boring towards the center of the asylum's loathsome mass. Here the signs of long-ago battle are more plainly demonstrable: the walls are frequently seared, scorched, in some places practically melted from the release of magical energies. Unmistakable bloodstains testify to the wilder resistance obviously encountered in this ward in the past. Dust motes dance silently in stray shafts of light from the garden behind you.
<El-Cideon> "This was the 'intensive care' ward," Ione explains as you float along. "The less manageable inmates were stored here. Often in fetters, I gather, though the prisoners found them curiously easy to strike off when the caretaker required a last line of defense."
<Franceska> "And they didn't turn on her?"
<El-Cideon> "I infer she hid safely in her office throughout," Ione says. "And...exercised some unfortunate degree of control over her charges and their prison."
<Steph> "I guess she had plenty of time to figure them out."
<Julia> "Playing on their manias and phobias, she probably could have yes," Julia agrees.
<El-Cideon> "It was her practice to convert their madness to her own use rather than cure it," Ione confirms, moving along.
<El-Cideon> Yet before you've barely made any progress down this row of cells, you're confronted again by the ghostly echoes of visitors past: six of their number are immediately apparent again cleaning up in the aftermath of a battle, soon to by joined by their missing member as Raymun, the haggard ranger, sidles into view as though sneaking back from the corridor ahead.
<El-Cideon> "Office is just across this next junction, boss," he says to Galina, with a jerk of his thumb behind him. "Lotta crazies between us and her, though." He shakes his head. "Heard her singing, if you can believe that. Lullabies. Doesn't figure at all. We haven't exactly been quiet as field mice on our way down. Someone would've told her what's what, right?"
<El-Cideon> "She knows we're here," Phibous confirms, giving the corridor above him a speculative look. "The walls here are her eyes, and perhaps more."
<El-Cideon> "Explain," Galina prompts.
<El-Cideon> A lackadaisical shrug. "I can't, not properly. But the asylum itself has done its best to inconvenience us in our advance, yes? And not in the manner of dumb traps."
<El-Cideon> "Meaning what?" William asks, sounding impatient with thaumaturgical speculations.
<El-Cideon> "Many a mage may craft golems to do his bidding, but an obedient building is a thing of unusual distinction." He gestures vaguely. "I've not seen magic like this before, so I infer. There is a will at work throughout the structure; this is Victoria's personal abattoir, so logically the controlling influence should be hers." He examines the ceiling again as though expecting the extrusion of a convenient eye or ear. He chews his lip a moment. "Lacks finesse, if you ask me."
<El-Cideon> "It hasn't stopped us yet," Marcus decides. "I won't worry about it now."
<El-Cideon> "If the building itself possesses some special properties, then that could explain why she hasn't already left," Brijid speculates, concluding: "There's something valuable here that she couldn't bring with her."
<El-Cideon> "Orders, boss?" Raymun asks, querying how all of this speculation affects the group's plan for final confrontation.
<El-Cideon> "It's been a while since I enjoyed a stand-up fight with each side knowing what to expect of the other," Galina muses at length. "Do any of you remember the days of pitched battles, how naive we were to think the rebels might play by our rules? I hadn't thought to encounter another here of all places."
<El-Cideon> Finally, decisively: "Strike the colors. She will see who it is that comes to bring justice down upon her, and know why."
<El-Cideon> The shades turn away and fade out of existence once again.
<Julia> "We need colours as well," is what Julia takes away from that. "A flag of some kind, that's what that means, isn't it?"
<El-Cideon> "We should have brought one!" Rosemund agrees.
<Franceska> "I never knew you could make an entire building follow your wishes through magic!" Franceska exclaims, shocked. "How expensive must that be?"
<Steph> "But who's going to carry it? You guys are both lightweights, and I need both hands," points out Stephanie, with a frown. "Rosemund uses both, too!"
<El-Cideon> "I can hardly claim to be an expert on that subject," Ione says to Franceska with a shrug.
<Julia> "Couldn't you just tie a flagpole to your back?" Julia suggests a simple solution.
<Steph> "I can't sneak around with a flagpole! And I'll have trouble going through doors!"
<El-Cideon> "That would work," Rosemund says, "only I think that it might give an attacker something very convenient to grab you by, which is not very desirable in combat."
<Franceska> "Oh please, is that what interests you the most?" Franceska asks scornfully. "Just hire someone to carry the flag for you!"
<El-Cideon> "Ah, regiments usually do have assigned flag bearers, yes?" Rosemund recalls.
<Steph> "They die a lot," points out Stephanie.
<Julia> "Or I could have an undead minion do it!" she smiles brightly as this realisation strikes her. "Alright, I suppose we can try and design a flag later on once we're out of here. And have a name decided on."
<Franceska> "For the flag bearer? Target works."
<El-Cideon> "Ah, that is a very good use for your talents," Rosemund says to Julia encouragingly.
<El-Cideon> The cells you pass gape dark and vacant, oft with padded interiors, some torn, scarred and cracked from the distant abuses of violent captives. The oppressive gloom of the asylum grows ever more stifling as you wend your way deeper into the bowels of the structure. Finally the corridor terminates at a closed door, circular, heavy and secure.
<El-Cideon> "Nearly there," Ione announces. "We should proceed straight across the intersection beyond. Right is the medical ward, whose horrors I shall not revisit, left a security station."
<Steph> "Did you find anything interesting in those places?"
<El-Cideon> Ione's headdress of serpents writhes in agitation. "Let us say that the distance between surgery and torture can be a distressingly narrow thing at times."
<Franceska> Franceska's eyes drift over to Julia....
<Steph> "Yeah, where would we be without clerics, eh?"
<El-Cideon> "But we know the difference very clearly!" Rosemund protests at Fran's insinuating gaze.
<Julia> "It's hard to be a healer without magic, but wisdom comes with a cost," Julia says in her defence. It actually sounds quite rehearsed.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Perception for those in the lead?
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+13 and gets 23."12 [1d20=10]
<Steph> OOC: I'm like 30ft ahead, as usual
<El-Cideon> Through the door, Stephanie can pick out a concerted, agitated babble in a variety of tongues--and perhaps some outright gibberish. The presences of the asylum are distinctly ahead of you in this case, it seems.
<Steph> "There's stuff up ahead," Stephanie calls, sighing. "Again."
* Franceska becomes covered in thorns at Stephanie's warning!
* Julia nods resignedly, preparing to fend off more fake-spirits as they advance.
<El-Cideon> "Is that so?" Ione floats up to the door. "You know, this whole trip has been much more trouble for you than I expected it to be. I wonder if you might wish to turn your backs for a moment and see--indirectly of course--whether I might make things easier for us this time?" Smiling pleasantly despite unnervingly sharp teeth, she toys with one corner of her veil.
<Steph> "I, uh, yes. Please," says Stephanie, turning her head.
<Julia> "Oh, gladly!" Julia says, pleased to have some of the pressure taken off. Obligingly she turns around, and closes her eyes for good measure.
* Franceska has no objections, and she covers Rosemund as well from the sight as she turns away.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund obligingly turns around as Ione, unwitnessed by the party, lifts her veil with one hand while hauling the heavy door open with the other--only to have it erupt in flame around her just as a roar of screaming, howling dementia washes over the party from the entities on the other side--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 ref
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 ref and gets 26."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+12 fire halved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+12 fire halved and gets 16."12 [1d4=4]
<El-Cideon> They wait for you immediately on the other side of the door. No careful positions, no flanking strategies this time, just half a dozen manifestations of madness poised on the other side with fists upraised as though paused in the act of trying to beat down the door to win their freedom. Though not immediately seen by the party proper, the enemy array this time includes:
<El-Cideon> A walking slab with sledgehammer fists;
<El-Cideon> One animalistic, hunched and bestial man, with claws instead of hands and a slavering maw ringed with fangs;
<El-Cideon> A figure with terrifically large and prominent eyes, and a mouth rent monstrously wide to try and give vent to the well of madness itself;
<El-Cideon> A brutal and brutalized-looking man that smokes and simmers as if like to burst into flame;
<El-Cideon> A gaunt stick of a woman with wicked spears for hands;
<El-Cideon> One form ever-shifting, but ever horrific--devilish and demonic in turns, inchoate and animal in others, seemingly whatsoever forms most strike fear into the hearts of its beholders;
<El-Cideon> And, silently, a cloud of ice crystals moves along behind the assemblage as if herding them to meet their unwelcome visitors.
<El-Cideon> OOC: init
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 14."12 [1d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+1 and gets 17."12 [1d20=16]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 and gets 14."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 21."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 Ione
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 Ione and gets 23."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 hammers
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 hammers and gets 25."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 animal
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 animal and gets 30."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 howl
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 howl and gets 29."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 burning man
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 burning man and gets 25."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 spear hands
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 spear hands and gets 19."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 shifty
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 shifty and gets 20."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 cloud
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 cloud and gets 14."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 ???
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 ??? and gets 19."12 [1d20=17]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | ATAVISM (30) > MANIA (29) > AGGRESSION = RAGE (25) > Ione (23) > Rosey (21) > TERROR (20) > RETRIBUTION = ??? (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 fort and gets 17."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 fort and gets 24."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 and gets 16."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 and gets 23."12 [1d20=18]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | ATAVISM (30) > AGGRESSION = RAGE (25) > Ione (23) > Rosey (21) > TERROR (20) > RETRIBUTION = ??? (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> A note in the unholy chorus of the asylum falls silent as the screaming man hardens into stone on the spot--unfortunately, three of its fellow denizens resist and soon charge the hapless medusa!
<El-Cideon> roll 5d100
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d100 and gets 285."12 [5d100=17, 61, 98, 51, 58]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | ATAVISM (30, ph) > AGGRESSION = RAGE (25) > Ione (23) > Rosey (21) > TERROR (20) > RETRIBUTION = ??? (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> Hammer-fists and the burning man rush forward to punch at Ione, while their animalistic compatriot joins them simply to wail and gibber in her face defiantly!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 hammers
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 hammers and gets 31."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 RAGE
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 RAGE and gets 26."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+8 damage
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+8 damage and gets 15."12 [1d8=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4+1d6 fire
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+4+1d6 fire and gets 8."12 [1d8=2][1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#d20+17 Ione will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#d20+17 Ione will and gets 88."12 [3#d20+17 = 37, 21, 30]
<El-Cideon> "So that didn't work out exactly as I meant it to!" Ione admits in a mild panic, stepping back to fire three bolts at her brutish assailant.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+19 and gets 29."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 and gets 29."12 [1d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 and gets 15."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#2d6+4 sonic
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#2d6+4 sonic and gets 26."12 [2#2d6+4 = 15, 11]
<Steph> A panicked medusa is endearing- Stephanie frowns to herself.
<El-Cideon> "Should we help now or, er--" Rosemund wonders, to a response of "YES THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS." Rosemund whirls around to dash up next to the figure with the giant fists and club it once.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 and gets 19."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> The shifting, wavering form jets around combatants to grab at Rosey, while the spear-armed woman emits a beam of light from one point at Rosemund as well!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 ranged touch and gets 21."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 TERROR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 TERROR and gets 24."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d8 beamu
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d8 beamu and gets 33."12 [5d8=7, 6, 6, 8, 6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+8+2 belated Rosey will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+8+2 belated Rosey will and gets 29."12 [2#1d20+8+2 = 13, 16]
* Franceska sticks to her wand of magic missiles, targetting the ghostly apparition!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+18 and gets 20."12 [1d20=2]
<Franceska> roll 5d4+5 ATAVISM
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 5d4+5 ATAVISM and gets 19."12 [5d4=4, 1, 1, 4, 4]
<El-Cideon> The bestial figure wails a ghastly challenge as it's battered by missiles!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & Julia
<Julia> Turning around, Julia is quite startled to see just what's arrayed against them. But whatever their dominant emotions, there's one that can override any of them. "FEAR!" she shouts, a wave of her hand spreading a wave of stark terror across the battlefield!
<Julia> OOC: DC 23 will or panicked 12 rounds. Shaken 1 round if passes.
<El-Cideon> OOC: what's the range on that?
<Steph> Stephanie floats around the bestial thing assaulting Ione. Clearly, his weak point is his mouth, and Stephanie's weapons dart in and out of it in search of his brain and neck!
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> OOC: wolf fang strike!
* Hatbot (~Hatbot@72.183.113.233) Quit (Ping timeout)
<Julia> OOC: 30 feet
* Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com) has joined #astronomy
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=1]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+2 AGGRESSION/ATAVISM/RAGE (TERROR immunes this tomfoolery)
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21, 21, 18 >
<El-Cideon> OOC: latter hits, ATAVISM is incorp though
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d100=26]
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 42 >12 [d6=3,6,6,5,5,3,2,4]
<El-Cideon> As Stephanie shreds wisps of essence away from the animalistic figure, it and two of its immediate companions clutch their heads and wail in stark fright at the terrifying figure down the hall! The manifestation of fear itself seems unaffected, however...meanwhile, the cloud drifts forward towards the melee, at the moment blocked by the manifestations past the door.
<El-Cideon> roll 5d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 345 >12 [d100=77,74,17,83,94]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | ATAVISM (30) > AGGRESSION = RAGE (25, ph) > Ione (23) > Rosey (21) > TERROR (20) > RETRIBUTION = ??? (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> The three swiftest combatants, stricken as they are by crippling fear, swiftly beat a retreat back into the floors that spawned them!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph can take an AoO if she wants
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 Rosey AoO
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 27 >12 [d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+5
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 11 >12 [d8=6]
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 27 >12 [d20=9]
<Steph> OOC: Sneak attack?
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits and yes
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d6=6,1,5,3,4,2,1,3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > Rosey (21) > TERROR (20) > RETRIBUTION = ??? (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> The bestial figure is rent asunder before it can escape! Its furious partners escape proper smiting this day, however. "Much better," Ione calls back to Julia in thanks as she aims her sights on the nearest foe still present, the ever-shifting, nebulous aspect near her.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+19
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=15]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#2d6+4 sonic
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 6, 13 >
<El-Cideon> Rosemund moves in on the apparition to bash it back into dust. "Foul demon!" she calls out. "As though this place were not blighted enough without your kind!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+5
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d8=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7+2 Rosey will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 11 >12 [d20=2]
<El-Cideon> Following Julia's bold example, the nebulous mass forms a menacing countenance for a split-secound and screams its fright through all hearts present!
<El-Cideon> OOC: will everyone up near the door (Fran's only in range if she ever moved)
<Franceska> OOC: Not moving
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7+2 Rosey will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 35 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph/Julia?
<Julia> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=17]
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 36 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia/Ione/Steph shaken 1 round, Rosey panicked
<Steph> OOC: mopm
<El-Cideon> Rosemund drops her weapon, covers her eyes and shrieks out in an overpowering fit of terror! But before she can flee, a shadowy apparition rises up from the floor behind to grab at her once, just as spear-hands rushes in to stab at the nearest foe, Stephanie.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > Rosey (21, panicked) > TERROR (20) > RETRIBUTION = shadow (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 touch vs Rosey
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 vs Steph, also roll will Steph
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9 mind is no longer perfect!
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=16]
<El-Cideon> OOC: pass
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska shoots the shadowy apparition harassing Rosemund, before turning into a bear and making her way over to provide some support!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+18
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 27 >12 [d20=9]
<Franceska> roll 5d4+5
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d4=2,3,3,3,1]
<El-Cideon> The shadow hisses in dismay, battered but not beaten!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & Julia
<Steph> With a flicker, Stephanie's burning companion flashes behind the spear-wielding woman, and she steps in to dispense summary justice!
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 31 >12 [d20=13]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=12]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=5]
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=11]
<Julia> Julia has better plans for that shadow, compelling it to fall in line and obey!
<Julia> OOC: DC 21 will or minionised
<El-Cideon> OOC: all but the 18 hit, Steph
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d6=4,6,3,1,4,1,1,5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 shadow will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=15]
<Steph> roll 1d4+6+1d8+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d4=1][d8=2][d6=4,6,6,4,4,1]
<Steph> roll 1d4+6+1d8+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 31 >12 [d4=1][d8=2][d6=6,3,4,2,1,6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > Rosey (21, panicked) > TERROR (20) > shadow (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> Spear-hands is rent asunder by Stephanie's flashing blades, while the shadow proves a mite too resilient for Julia's efforts. The cloud moves in and reaches a pseudopod for Ione--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 ref?!
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+3 ref passed so normal damage
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 4 >12 [d6=1]
<El-Cideon> Ione takes only a glancing blow before she herself steps back to fire off three somewhat-wobblier-than-usual shots at the cloud.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 48 >12 [d100=48]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > Rosey (21, panicked) > TERROR (20, ph) > shadow (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#2d6+4 sonic
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 11, 8, 9 >
<El-Cideon> As three bolts tear through the insubstantial form of the cloud, Rosemund whirls and flees down the corridor back the way you'd come from, giving the shadow ample opportunity for one last parting swipe.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8 STR
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 8 >12 [d8=8]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > TERROR (20, ph) > shadow (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> The neulous apparition shudders and a wave of chilly air washes across Stephanie, while the shadow glides forward to try and suck the life from the necromancer that had thought to enslave it!
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort, Steph
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 touch vs Julia
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=14]
<Julia> OOC: 14
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8 STR damage
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 1 >12 [d8=1]
<Steph> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 12 >12 [d20=2]
<El-Cideon> Stephanie's blood seems to freeze in her veins, stiffening her limbs and weakening her resolve! (OOC: -4 to attack rolls/AC for long enough that it's academic for this fight)
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska runs away after Rosemund to keep her safe! The worst is if she gets lost, or some of the ghosts they fought their way past would get her!
<El-Cideon> Fran is able to keep up with Rosemund's mad pace, though the other woman shows no sign of slowing or stopping.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & Julia
* Franceska lunges for Rosemund to try and grab her!
<El-Cideon> OOC: hah, sure, roll CMB?
<Steph> "Oi. Oi! Are we running? We're doing that? We're running away?" Stephanie glances frantically at Julia.
<Franceska> roll 1d20+17
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 36 >12 [d20=19]
<Julia> "Oh you little beast!" Julia says, stepping back and trying to suborn the shadow's will once more. "I think Franceska's just keeping Rosemund safe in her own way," she follows up uncertainly.
<Franceska> roll 1d6 because thorns
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 6 >12 [d6=6]
<Julia> OOC: DC 21 once more
<El-Cideon> Rosemund is securely gripped with ursine paws!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 shadow will again
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=13]
<Steph> Stephanie vanishes from sight, as well she might given her weakened state, and assaults the strange apparition that has filled her limbs with glue.
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
<El-Cideon> The shadow holds itself upright to bow properly to its new mistress!
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=20]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=7]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=14]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=15]
<Steph> OOC: crittable?
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit, roll d100s, as uncrittable as its friends here though
<Steph> roll 4#1d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 47, 78, 80, 96 >
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d6=1,5]
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 8 >12 [d4=1][d8=2]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 13 >12 [d4=2][d8=6]
<Steph> roll 18d6/2
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 27 >12 [d6=1,1,4,5,2,6,1,4,2,4,1,2,1,3,5,5,1,6]
<Julia> "Shadow's on our side now!" Julia calls as she feels it submit. "Go kill that cloud thing," she orders it, pointing at the icy cloud.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > shadow (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14)'
<El-Cideon> The shadow hisses its assent, just as the cloud gives up trying to punch Ione and settles for rolling right over her!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 Ione ref
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> But the medusa neatly sidesteps this clumsy attempt, stepping back to fire three more times.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+19
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 29 >12 [d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#2d6+4 sonic
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 11, 11, 11 >
<El-Cideon> The shadow glides forward to obediently grab at the only offending enemy still in the field.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 12 >12 [d20=6]
<El-Cideon> --Quite missing its misty enemy, however.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran, then Steph & Julia
* Franceska dismisses her spell, the thorns disappearing as quickly as they had come earlier, and then slaps Rosemund across the face to try and snap her out of it!
<El-Cideon> Rosemund wails and sobs, but evidently lacks the spirit to properly fight free at this point in time.
* Franceska tilts her head.
<Julia> Going to the other side of the cloud from her shadow, Julia gives it her own slightly less awful bit still debilitating touch!
<Julia> roll 1d20+10 flanking
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Julia> roll 1d8+2 and DC 24 fort or sickened 5 rounds
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 3 >12 [d8=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: note it has SR if this is subject to that
<Julia> OOC: Nope. SU ability
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 fort
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d20=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Ione (23) > shadow (19) > Fran (17) > Steph = Julia = cloud (14, sickened)'
<Steph> Stephanie slips back into the world of the visible, but she can now take advantage of Julia's shadow to flank this twisted cloud!
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=20]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=20]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=10]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit, obviously crit immune
<Steph> roll 4d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 192 >12 [d100=62,7,95,28]
<El-Cideon> OOC: corporeal though!
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 15 >12 [d6=3,4]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d6=6,6]
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d4=3][d8=2]
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 9 >12 [d4=1][d8=3]
<Steph> roll 24d6/2
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 46 >12 [d6=6,3,5,4,6,6,1,5,4,6,2,6,2,3,6,6,2,5,1,3,3,4,1,2]
<El-Cideon> The cloud ultimately loses all coherence and degenerates into stray ice crystals floating on currents of air. In time, Stephanie can feel the warmth return to her body and spirit, and Rosemund, rather sheepishly, regains her senses. "Ah, Franceska, I believe that you can let me go now," she says, still white-faced but with the decency to be embarassed.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<Franceska> "Are you sure?" Franceska asks, reverting back to her human form.
<Julia> "Hide in my shadow would you?" Julia asks her new shadow, rather liking the image of her own shadow detaching to kill any fools who assault her. Obligingly the unliving shadow orients itself against the ground, blending into the necromancer's own shadow.
<El-Cideon> "Yes!" she protests. "I--I do not know what came over me. For a moment I felt as if--oh, the most awful things in the world were about to happen to me, and I had to escape at all costs!" She looks down, drifts back to the rest of the group to retrieve her weapon. "It shall not happen again, I promise you!"
<Steph> "Ah, s'magic, shit happens, right?" asks Stephanie, shuddering.
<Franceska> "Yes, I imagine," Franceska says, shuddering herself after a glance at Julia's shadow.
<El-Cideon> "I suppose that it does," Rosemund, forced to degree despite the crudity of the expression. She draws out her restoration wand to patch up her own depleted strength before looking around for any other hurts needing mending.
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 Rosey STR
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d4=3,4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 more
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 1 >12 [d4=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 WIS
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 3 >12 [d4=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d10+7 Rosey heals
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 10, 14, 11 >
<El-Cideon> roll 1d10+7 one more
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d10=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 Julia STR heals
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 1 >12 [d4=1]
<Julia> "That was just the thing Rosemund, thank you!" Julia smiles brightly.
<El-Cideon> roll 3d10+18 Ione heals
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 40 >12 [d10=10,8,4]
<El-Cideon> Rosemund bows. "Well, that is what I am here for. Well, among other things."
<El-Cideon> "We shouldn't have much further to go," Ione says. "If we come across any more doors, perhaps we examine them more closely this time," she adds ruefully.
<Steph> Stephanie agrees with a nod, and troops off ahead of the group once again.
<Franceska> "You are here to keep us on track, more than anything," Franceska tells Rosemund bluntly. "Although I still wonder. Perhaps we could find whoever enchanted this place and hire them to do the same to our own houses back home?"
<El-Cideon> "She's dead," Ione points out bluntly.
<Steph> "Why would you want a house like this?! It's creepy as hell! How would you sleep at night?"
<Julia> "I've heard of a spell to infuse ghosts into things to animate them," Julia says. "Not just golems, but carriages or bridges or houses... though I expect it would be difficult even for I to develop."
<Steph> Stephanie shudders. "Forget I said anything," she mutters.
<El-Cideon> Beyond the door Stephanie finds an open four-way junction. As Ione had advised, there are passageways to the right and the left, and a closed door immediately across from you. This one is wooden and with much ornate engraving of elegantly-dressed figures, thoroughly marred by long-ago hammerblows.
<Steph> Stephanie walks over to the door and sees if she recognizes any of those figures.
<Julia> "You'd expect all the doors to be left wide open after this place had been ransacked, wouldn't you?" Julia says with a frown. "Was this door impenetrable or has someone closed it afterwards?"
<El-Cideon> Stephanie does not recognize any distinct faces. She gets the impression the activities involved were of more significance--the subjects wear noble finery, engaged in refined and scholarly studies.
<El-Cideon> "I certainly didn't bother closing them myself," Ione affirms. "Though this was many years ago."
<Steph> She moves on to searching the door for anything untoward.
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 15 >12 [d20=2]
<El-Cideon> Stephanie doesn't think she sees anything untoward here.
<Steph> That decided, she tries opening the door.
<El-Cideon> As she does this, a deafening scream erupts from around the opening door to batter at her with arcane energies!
<El-Cideon> OOC: ref
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d8 sonic halved, evasion applies if you got it
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d8=6,6,4,3,2]
<El-Cideon> "Oh, Stephanie!" Rosemund surges forward to immediately patch up her companion's fresh injuries. "Maybe we should, ah, open all doors here with some manner of pulley system from afar..."
<Steph> "I'll heal myself!" protests Stephanie, pushing Rosemund away.
<El-Cideon> "Well--well, if you insist," Rosemund says, sounding hurt. "Just so long as it happens!"
<Steph> "It does! Because of this thing!" says Stephanie, tapping the amulet. "I wonder if Jill will want it back? She's probably not qualified to wear it anymore, though.
<El-Cideon> "Maybe its return will, ah, inspire her to reform?" Rosemund says hopefully.
<El-Cideon> On the other side of the door, Stephanie sees the following:
<El-Cideon> This hemispherical room has the look of a combination office and bedroom, airy and spacious at a diameter of eighty feet, but dimmer and gloomier even than the rest of the asylum. Though the furniture sags with age and, in some cases, is reduced to twisted wreckage by violent magic, still extant are a writing desk, a series of cabinets lining half of the room's circumference, a four-poster bed and, within arm's reach of this, a curiously sturdy metal bassinet. A descending shaft yawns in the wall opposite the entrance; between it and you, your Solati predecessors of two decades past again flicker into their translucent, illusionary existence.
<Franceska> "It creates such a difficult situation, when the original owner might return for their things."
<Steph> "I'll make her go on penance," swears Stephanie. "Eight hours chopping wood, every day!"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, yes," Rosemund says with a nod. "We will work together to make her see the light again!"
<El-Cideon> For all to see and hear, the past echoes continue to go about their business as though wholly alone and without observers--
<El-Cideon> Galina's shade stands in the center of the room, wiping clean her sword, her companions arrayed in a semicircle around her. "That's that," she says, looking at some long-vanished object on the floor. And, solemnly: "I wish her soul godspeed on its flight to the Abyss, so that she might trouble the lands of men no longer."
<El-Cideon> "But that's the trick with fighting the Abyss, isn't it?" Phibous says wistfully. "It never ends."
<El-Cideon> "Speak plain," Galina says, giving him a curious look.
<El-Cideon> "I only wonder whether someone of her prodigious and evil cunning might prosper more in death than in life," Phibous explains. "If certain theologians are right, that is, her soul is as we speak awaking to its new existence as Abyssal gutter trash. Consider ages hence when she's ascended the demonic ladder and poised to menace us again as a proper fiend." He shrugs. "Well, no matter. I'd be glad to kill her again if need be. But all that said...are you sure you should sheathe your blade already?"
<El-Cideon> "I see no more foes," Galina states, pointedly removing her hand from the hilt of her weapon.
<El-Cideon> "I do," Phibous says, quietly, insistently.
<El-Cideon> Galina pauses to examine the ragged bassinet. "I know what I am looking at," she says coldly. She turns her gaze back to the elf. "Only now am I less certain. No one in my company suggests what you are contemplating."
<El-Cideon> "It would do as much for you, given maturity and opportunity, luxuries I hardly think we should allow it," Phibous presses. "As much and far worse, truly, given its nature."
<El-Cideon> "Better reason to refrain," Galina concludes.
<El-Cideon> "We cannot truly imagine that this stillborn crime against nature will amount to anything other than a monster, can we?" Phibous asks with a rhetorical air.
<El-Cideon> "I can't imagine what it will be at all," Galina admits, "any moreso than I could with any human child."
<El-Cideon> "I have witnessed you putting armies to rout, and fiends with especial vigor," Phibous notes. "That this young demon is only a future threat is somehow a salient distinction?"
<El-Cideon> "I kill when I must," Galina states. "I derive no joy from this." She looks at Phibous in a manner that suggests careful calculation whether he could make the same boast. "I sympathize with your myriad losses, Phibous. I recognize that the war left you singularly alone in a manner which the rest of us cannot personally appreciate. But vengeance begets vengeance and I will not feed your obsession. We are not here for the dead. We are here for the living, and those yet to be. So if you voice such ideas again, I will expel you from my company. If you act upon them, I will execute you."
<El-Cideon> As Phibous lapses into a grudging silence, Brijid clears her throat and speaks. "Far be it for me to agree with my forest kin on this matter," she says with obvious distaste, "but none of this addresses what we actually can do for the creature."
<El-Cideon> "Someone else will have to take it," William says with an uncomfortable shrug.
<El-Cideon> "I hear far too much talk of this child as an 'it,'" Jill cuts in with an aggrieved edge to her voice. "I won't have any part of a conversation that talks 'round a person as though they were an object. 'It' is a...he or a she, I'm honestly not certain from a glance, I can only guess the latter. But she's as much right to determine her own fate as any of us, as anyone whose heritage is wholly human. Or elven," she adds for Phibous and Brijid's sensibilities. "I'll hold no child's parentage against her, however sordid her origins. Tell me what is more unjust than to punish a child for the parents' crimes?"
<El-Cideon> "Well and good, Jill," William counters, "but we can hardly stay to look after her and nor could we bring her with us. Azure allowed all this to happen on its doorstep; the city authorities can and should clean it up. Our own mission calls us elsewhere; the aftermath can't be our responsibility."
<El-Cideon> "Actually, it is," Jill counters. "Was her mother not of our kingdom? Was it not our lassitude that allowed her mother to escape here and perpetrate her new abominations?"
<El-Cideon> "Yes on both accounts," Galina admits. "But Jill, there is little and less we can do personally for the child." Galina stampedes over her knightly counterpart as Jill starts to open her mouth again. "Do you imagine we should bring her with us? Can we afford to care for a babe of demonic lineage while pursuing Tetrarchus and Beneventia and Creel across the planes? You know that we cannot. You surely realize that they must already be busy propagating new atrocities. It's why all of you joined me. Our service is to the many. We will redress what individual hurts we can, when we can, but if we stop to address every individual grievance then we may allow a world more of them to come into being."
<El-Cideon> "I'll see them cared for before we leave," Jill insists. "All of them."
<El-Cideon> "We'll see them placed," Galina agrees. "All of them. The surviving inmates and the child will find homes. We may take some days here for assurance if necessary. I will make the Magistrate understand the value in seeing these things done."
<El-Cideon> "And if he doesn't?" Jill asks skeptically.
<El-Cideon> Galina's voice could bend steel: "Then I'll replace him with someone who does."
<El-Cideon> "Down there is what we're looking for," Ione says quietly, gesturing to the door across the room.
<Steph> Stephanie scratches her cheek. "Uh, yeah. Let's go?"
<Julia> "Any idea what became of the child?" Julia asks, wondering if he or she is still around Azure. Wait...the Duchess? Maybe...
<El-Cideon> "The common assumption is that she runs a mercenary company based in town," Ione says. "At least, the appearance of Her Future Grace in town so soon after the fall of the asylum is rather suggestive."
<Steph> "Someone really fouled up raising her, huh?" says Stephanie, with a snort.
<El-Cideon> "Yes, well, Miss Granville has never been known for her easy rapport with children."
<Steph> "Say what?"
<El-Cideon> Ione looks at Stephanie. "I'm sorry?"
<Steph> "Uh, shit, I didn't know Granville raised her! Did we know that? Until just now?" she asks, glancing at the others.
<El-Cideon> "Well, 'tried' is perhaps the proper word," Ione admits. "The little hellion matured with frightening rapidity and struck out on her own while most of us would still chronologically be children."
<Julia> "Of course not. We barely know a thing about either of them," Julia says. "I only just started to suspect as I voiced the question."
<Julia> "That the child grew to be the Duchess," she amends. "Not who raised her."
<Franceska> "I could ask her about Miss Granville when I see her again," Franceska muses. "Once I'm certain I have a way of asking it nicely."
<El-Cideon> Ione nods. "She has the decency to keep her rabble from causing trouble in town," she says with an ounce of charity. "I'm not in a position to speak of what trespasses they commit out on assignment, however."
<Steph> "Eh, you know, murder and arson."
<El-Cideon> Another nod, with evident lack of surprise.
<Julia> "Mass property destruction, lots of collatoral damage and uninvolved deaths or injuries," Julia adds.
<Franceska> "And the arson."
<Steph> "So, aggravated murder?"
<Franceska> "It's luckily out of our jurisdiction."
<El-Cideon> "I should expect as much," Ione says. "I suppose I should call it an accomplishment given she only does it when compensated, given the obvious nature of her sire."
<Steph> "Yeah, well, nurture over nature, I say!"
<El-Cideon> Ione acknowledges this with a generous nod.
* Julia hums uncertainly. "Both have their role, I think."
<El-Cideon> "The nature of our birth casts a long shadow, in my experience," Ione observes. "It only defines us if we allow it to, however."
<El-Cideon> You step forward to descend to your destination as determined by Ione--but this time the echoes do not fade before you as they previously have. Manifestations of madness extrude themselves from the floor, in all too familiar fashion, and adopt the forms of these faded heroes in waxen, glassy-eyed countenance. A whisper sounds throughout the hall, voice the sound of wind through dead trees: "Smile as the puppets dance."
<El-Cideon> OOC: iniiiit
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=10]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Marcus
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 Brijid
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 William
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Raymun
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 Phibous
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Jill
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 Galina
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 13 >12 [d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 ???
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d20=3]
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d20=12]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23) > Marcus = William (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun = Jill (20) > Steph (19) > Phibous (18) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<El-Cideon> roll 7d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 432 >12 [d100=45,79,84,99,85,1,39]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph) > Marcus = William (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun = Jill (20) > Steph (19) > Phibous (18, ph) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<Julia> roll 1d20+2 Shadow!
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=17]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph) > Marcus = William (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun = Jill (20) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18, ph) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<El-Cideon> Brijid, ghostly and insubstantial, glides forward to reach out a hand for Stephanie as her half-brother and Marcus charge in shouting "For the queen! Solanth and victory!" to strike at Rosemund and Ione.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 touch vs Steph
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15+2 charge vs Rosey
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+2 charge vs Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 CHA drain that surely hits, Steph?
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 3 >12 [d4=3]
<Steph> OOC: It hits, yes
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+6 Rosey damage
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d8=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+12 Ione damage
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d8=5]
<El-Cideon> Stephanie's once-useful looks succumb to a gray pallor as her friends are rocked by sledgehammer blows!
<El-Cideon> OOC: also will, Steph
<Steph> roll 1d20+16 mopm
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8+2 Rosey will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: pass
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran!
* Franceska becomes a vicious beast from the very depths of Hell, and then tears at William for daring to strike at Rosemund!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+2 hero point to cast bite of the werebear! swift to become a devil bear!
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=3]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 29 >12 [d20=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: both hit
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11+8+2 bite
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 35 >12 [d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also hit
<Franceska> roll 2#1d8+8+8 claws
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 17, 24 >
<Franceska> roll 2d8+12+12 bite
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d8=5,3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph) > Marcus (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun = Jill (20) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18, ph) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<El-Cideon> The offending manifestation is rightly rent asunder by Franceska's teeth and claws! Raymun the archer nocks his bow and draws back an arrow crafted from his own waxy substance to fire at Fran just as Jill barrels in to slash at Stephanie!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15 arrow vs Fran
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16+2 charge vs Steph
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=16]
<Steph> OOC: Ow
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+11 Steph damage
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d6=2,6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: AC, Fran?
<Franceska> OOC: Hits me
<Franceska> OOC: No wait, sorry
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8 ??? (not damage to Fran)
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d8=7]
<Franceska> OOC: AC is 23, touch AC is 11
<El-Cideon> Stephanie is badly slashed, but Fran neatly evades the arrow meant for her--it embeds itself in the wall behind, and writhes and burrows in as if with a will of its own!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<El-Cideon> OOC: also another will, Steph
<Steph> Stephanie flickers away from sight once more, and starts assaulting Jill in return. A shadowy servant of Pelor is no such thing, and in any case- good practice!
<Steph> roll 1d20+18 i'm invisible
<Steph> roll 1d20+18 i'm invisible
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=14]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 31 >12 [d20=13]
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=17]
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first three hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+1d8+8+6d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+1d8+8+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 39 >12 [d6=3][d8=3][d6=4,6,3,4,5,3]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 39 >12 [d6=6][d8=3][d6=6,3,2,3,6,2]
<Julia> "Take that one, Leslie!" Julia instructs her shadow, pointing at Galina. With malign will the shadow detaches from her own, shooting across with malign intent to touch Galina before sweeping back to embed itself with Julia's more benign shadow once more.
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d4=4][d8=2][d6=4,4,1,5,6,1]
<Julia> roll 1d20+6 touch
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit, Julia
<Julia> roll 1d8 str damage
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d8=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph) > Marcus (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18, ph) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -7 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<El-Cideon> Stephanie shreds the false paladin with ease--the amulet, it seems, will not be returned this day. Meanwhile, the Galina shade crumples badly under its own weight from the shadow's malign influence! From behind the lines, the elven sorcerer clucks his tongue as this barbaric display and fires a bolt of sizzling acid at the devil bear!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 ranged touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 acid, repeats four more rounds
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d4=3,4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> Helping to neuter their foes, Julia casts forth a spell of crushing despair. "You're all dead or ruined!" she reminds them helpfully.
<Julia> OOC: DC 19 will or despaired
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 Marcus
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Brijid
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 11 >12 [d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 Raymun
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 13 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 Phibous
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15 Galina
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 29 >12 [d20=14]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph, despair) > Marcus (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18, ph, despair) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -7 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<El-Cideon> As her companions quail in dismay, Galina scans the battlefield and narrows her gaze on the devil bear. "We recognize your aspect, scion of Baator," she pronounces before circling round to slash once at Franceska with her longsword.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13+4 SMITE
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4+12 SMITE! also roll will Fran
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d8=1]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d20=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 1 WIS damage as well!
<El-Cideon> Rosemund bristles with umbrage as her friends are assaulted all around her. "We are attempting to free all of your true selves from bondage!" she protests. "We should hardly fall to your shades!" She chants a prayer to the lord of sunlight to bestow his blessing upon her and her allies!
<El-Cideon> OOC: +2 STR/DEX, +5 move for all friendlies
<Franceska> There is that. But Franceska gives Galina's shade a truly evil eye full of vengeful promise!
<El-Cideon> Ione focuses her assault on her archer counterpart across the room and lets loose three times with crackling bolts of pure noise!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=1]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=11]
<El-Cideon> Only to miss thrice!
<El-Cideon> roll 5d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 268 >12 [d100=42,42,36,81,67]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph, despair) > Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, ph, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18, despair) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -7 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10)'
<El-Cideon> Brijid continues trying to make friends with Stephanie, while Marcus reaches out a now-ghostly hand for Ione!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16-2 touch vs Steph
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10-2 touch vs Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 STR drain Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 4 >12 [d4=4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, ph, despair) > Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, ph, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18, despair) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -7 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Stephanie nimbly evades, but Ione gasps as her essence is siphoned away!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska tries to deliver on that earlier promise!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+1 Galina, you're such a horrible bitch
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=1]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+1
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 39 >12 [d20=17]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11+8+1
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 38 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: latter two hit!
<Franceska> roll 1d8+8+8+1+2d8+12+13
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 55 >12 [d8=5,6,2]
<El-Cideon> The false paladin is rocked, but not downed by this brutal assault. Meanwhile, the ghostly Raymun glides forward to take William's place and leech away some of Rosey's life force--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d20=3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: fails because of buff. Pelor~
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<Julia> Continuing with its prior orders, the shadow flies out to grasp Galina again, and then recedes back into hiding.
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 8 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8+2 belated Rosey will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=12]
<Steph> Stephanie stamps her foot, summoning up a burning brand behind Brijid and lashing out at the incorporeal haze!
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=12]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=14]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=7]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first two hit, roll d100s
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d100=19]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 82 >12 [d100=82]
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8+6d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 36 >12 [d4=1][d8=7][d6=4,2,6,6,1,4]
<El-Cideon> Brijid wails prettily, almost melodically, as Stephanie's blade evaporates a broad swath of her midsection. Meanwhile, the elven sorcerer continues to train his aim on the largest target in the room--
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 additional acid to Fran
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 5 >12 [d4=2,3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11-2 ranged touch vs Fran
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=16]
<Franceska> OOC: Hits, touch ac is 12
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4 negative levels
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 2 >12 [d4=2]
<El-Cideon> Fran's animal bulk withers from dark energies!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> What use is a blind archer? Lets find out, as Julia tries to strip the sight from Raymun!
<Julia> OOC: DC 21 fort or blind
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5-2 fort
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 6 >12 [d20=3]
<El-Cideon> With an eerie semblance of life, the waxen ranger blinks its even blinder eyes in dismay!
<El-Cideon> "We battered your vile ilk back at home," Galina cries as she presses her assault. "We shall defeat you wherever we find you!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13+4 SMITE
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also will again
<Franceska> OOC: AC is 24, alas
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+4+12 SMITE!
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d8=6]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11-1
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: further point of WIS damage
<El-Cideon> Rosemund looks around for the most visibily damaged enemy and settles on the elven songstress. Hoping to free up Stephanie for efforts elsewhere, she focuses a blast of divine wrath upon the phantom singer!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5-2 will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 15 >12 [d20=12]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 incorp fail chance
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d100=24]
<El-Cideon> Ione takes a step back and unleashes three more shots at the ghostly Marcus, now that Raymun is evidently helpless.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 40 >12 [d20=20]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 11 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 42 >12 [d100=21,21]
<El-Cideon> But her arrows pass harmlessly through him!
<El-Cideon> roll 5d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 370 >12 [d100=58,43,99,76,94]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, despair) > Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18 despair) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -7 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Despite being constantly assailed by Stephanie and near ruin, Brijid takes a step back and, in the heat of battle, issues forth a sinister song of darkness and disgrace!
<El-Cideon> OOC: will all
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11-2-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 9 >12 [d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8+2 Rosey
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 29 >12 [d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=11]
<Julia> roll 1d20+9 +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy, +2 vs mind affecting
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 27 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph/Fran suffer -2 penalty to saves vs charm/fear and attack/damage rolls for 6 rounds
<El-Cideon> The vile melody insinuates itself into the psyches of Stephanie and Franceska, sapping their will to fight and resist! Marcus reaches out again for Ione as she continues to back away--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10-2 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d20=2]
<El-Cideon> --with much less success this time!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska conveys her wishes for Galina to get screwed by demons for all eternity as only a fiendish bear can, tearing at the shade in practice of the real thing!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+1-2-2
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+1-2-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=14]
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=10]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11+8+1-2-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first two hit
<Franceska> roll 2#1d8+8+8+1-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 19, 17 >
<El-Cideon> The echo of your adversary is badly rent, but remains barely standing on one broken leg!
* Franceska looks crushingly disappointed.
<El-Cideon> Raymun scans the field with his sightless eyes, blinking helplessly. He seems somehow to find the generally vinicity of his tormentor, though perhaps his aim is not what it once was--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2 vs Julia
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 50% miss chance if that pegs your AC
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 40 >12 [d100=40]
<Julia> OOC: AC 23
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8 ??? (not ally damage)
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 8 >12 [d8=8]
<El-Cideon> Another bolt of the ranger's own substance impacts the wall to writhe viciously into it!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<Julia> The implacable shadow continues its assault on Galina!
<Julia> roll 1d20+7
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit
<Julia> roll 1d8 str damage
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d8=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Brijid (23, despair) > Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18 despair) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -14 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<Steph> Stephanie steps forward to strike out at Brijid anew!
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
<Steph> roll 1d20+11
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=11]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=19]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=19]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 27 >12 [d20=16]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+1d6
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+1d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d6=5,4]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d6=2,5]
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d4=1][d8=4]
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 13 >12 [d4=1][d8=7]
<El-Cideon> Brijid's song breaks off in an agonized wail as her form is reduced to a pile of debris on the floor!
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > Phibous (18 despair) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -14 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Phibous gestures lazily with one hand and several bolts of magical energy materialize to shoot out at Brijid's slayer, while the acid continues to eat away at Franceska.
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5 MM vs Steph
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d4=2,4,3,3,2]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 acid vs Fran
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d4=4,3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> Now Julia moves, sadly leaving her fake shadow behind, as she flies up to Phibous and shows him a real spell when she reaches out and touches him!
<Julia> roll 1d20+8 touch, slay living
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 9 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: bad kitty :(
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll will now that you're in melee, also
<Julia> roll 1d20+12 hero point reroll first!
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hahaha.
<Julia> OOC: DC 24 fort or dead. Crit does nothing helpful.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3-2 needs a twenty here
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=17]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Galina (13, -14 STR) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> The wicked elf shade crumples to pieces before the might of Julia's necromancy!
* Franceska finds a moment to cheer!
<El-Cideon> Galina, in the teeth of defeat, continues to slash away at Franceska despite her myriad infirmities. "No retreat. No surrender!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9+4 SMITE
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=19]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 13 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9+4 SMITE CRIT?
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=6]
<Franceska> OOC: AC is 24
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+12 SMITE ONLY
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d8=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also more will
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11-2-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: pass finally!
<El-Cideon> "OH, why can none of our enemies realize when they are beaten?!" Rosemund cries out, circling behind Galina to try and drum her out of existence.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15+2 flank
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10+2 flank
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+6
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 9 >12 [d8=3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Marcus (22, ph) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Rosemund neatly bats off the false Galina's head, putting an end to this vicious echo at last! "Excellent work," Ione notes, "now maybe someone can help me here?"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=10]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 3d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 103 >12 [d100=35,57,11]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+4 sonic
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 12 >12 [d6=4,4]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 170 >12 [d100=80,90]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Marcus (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > ??? (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Marcus phases back into existence again, hopefully making Ione's request easier for everyone! Meanwhile, as foes fall left and right, another emerges--from the floor in the center of the room, where Galina originally stood, a manifestation the color of night itself rises into sight. A ghostly presence, ragged and perhaps once human, now only a spirit of vicious intent! "Who is this breaking all my toys?" it breathes out.
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Marcus (22) > Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<Julia> This is where a collective name would have been really useful, Julia thinks.
<El-Cideon> Corporeal again, Marcus bashes away with his hammer instead of trying to drain the medusa further!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17-2
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12-2
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d20=18]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d8+12 ow
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18, 17 >
<El-Cideon> Ione cries out in pain and fright as hammer blows strike her squarely in the midsection!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska pounces on Marcus with the aid of fell magics!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+2+2+1-2-2 lion's charge
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=8]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+13+8+2+2+1-2-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d20=12]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+11+8+2+2+1-2-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Franceska> roll 2#1d8+8+8+1-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 23, 20 >
<Franceska> roll 2d8+12+12+1-2
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d8=6,4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Franceska successfully reduces the shade warrior to a condition even more lamentable than that of his living counterpart! Leaving only a blinded Raymun and a wraith in the field...
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2 more Raymun firing blind, vs Julia
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 32 >12 [d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 50% miss chance
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d100=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<Julia> Bereft of orders, the shadow chooses to attack the one assailing its mistress, gliding over to drape itself around Raymun.
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 11 >12 [d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: that actually hits since he doesn't benefit from his DEX any right now
<Steph> Stephanie rushes towards the wraithlike creature, showing no fear to yet another ghostly marauder!
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=9]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=10]
<Steph> OOC: wolf fang strike!!
<El-Cideon> Alas, this ghost proves too nimble for Stephanie just yet!
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 penultimate acid roll on Fran
<Julia> roll 1d8 str
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 1 >12 [d8=1]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 6 >12 [d4=3,3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, -1 STR, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> "Oh, it's no matter if you smash up my whole gallery, I can always make more~" the wraith whispers as it reaches out a ghostly appendage for Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=7]
<Steph> OOC: miss
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Steph> OOC: Is that an SP?
<El-Cideon> OOC: just a normal incorp touch attack
<Steph> OOC: never mind then
<Julia> "You'll only make what I tell you to make!" Julia crows, attempting to add him to her own gallery!
<Julia> OOC: DC 21 will or minioned
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 will
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 31 >12 [d20=17]
<El-Cideon> The wraith stubbornly resists--for now, at least! Meanwhile, gasping at Franceska's grievous wounds, Rosemund hurries over to lay on a healing hand.
<El-Cideon> roll 4d10+20 heals
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 54 >12 [d10=7,8,10,9]
* Franceska looks far less miserable in the aftermath!
<El-Cideon> "If I'm any judge of things, you've had enough of making other people your toys!" Ione snarls at the wraith as the lets fly three times.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 40 >12 [d20=20]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=10]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 15 >12 [d20=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 incorp bs
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d100=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 40 >12 [d100=40]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, ph, -1 STR, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska snaps her fingers, and all her allies on the field of battle are guided by her magic to strike at their enemies!
<Franceska> OOC: Mass snake's swiftness
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17 attack
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 37 >12 [d20=20]
<Steph> roll 1d100 incorp?
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d100=25]
<El-Cideon> Blind Raymun gropes his way through darkness, seemingly able to home in on a living entity somehow but still having difficulty coordinating his own efforts in striking them--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2 touch vs Julia'
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2 touch vs Julia crit?
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 31 >12 [d20=18]
<Julia> OOC: that's a crit
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 50% miss chance
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 45 >12 [d100=45]
<El-Cideon> OOC: or not
<El-Cideon> Despite a concerted effort of will, his grasp remains off!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<Julia> The shadow rises up to touch Raymund before sliding back down to hide!
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=16]
<Julia> roll 1d8 str
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 2 >12 [d8=2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, ph, -3 STR, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<Steph> Stephanie assaults the wraith yet again, though nobody is there to help her inflict maximum damage.
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d20=18]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=11]
<Steph> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d20=7]
<Steph> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 30 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all but 17 hit
<Steph> roll 3d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 162 >12 [d100=24,48,90]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also evil if it matters!
<Steph> roll 1d4+5+1d8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 17 >12 [d4=4][d8=8]
<El-Cideon> The wraith hisses in a faintly seductive, feminine voice as it's struck. "I will take that back with interest!" it promises.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d4 final acid vs Fran also
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 4 >12 [d4=1,3]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> "No you won't!" Julia sing-songs, slipping away from the archer and trying once more to bring the Duchess's ghost to heel!
<Julia> OOC: DC 21 will
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=7]
<El-Cideon> Rosemund focuses her will, uttering a prayer for divine strength!
<El-Cideon> "The debt is yours to pay!" Ione challenges as she continues firing.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 35 >12 [d20=15]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d100=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 77 >12 [d100=77]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, -3 STR, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska shifts back into her human form, sending five magical missiles at the shade as she maneuvers herself around it, and then her ring turns into a spear she uses to distract it from Stephanie!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+18 umd, any SR?
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 23 >12 [d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: nope
<Franceska> roll 5d4+5
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d4=3,3,4,3,1]
<El-Cideon> Corporeal again, Raymun draws back and fires an arrow at Julia--surely at point blank range he couldn't continue to fail?
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<Julia> OOC: AC 23
<Steph> The presence of just one ally causes Stephanie to see all sorts of new weaknesses in her undead opponent, which she ruthlessly exploits!
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 36 >12 [d20=19]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+12
<Steph> roll 1d20+12
<Julia> The shadow, already in melee with Raymun, just keeps striking at him, whipping back and forth without actually moving away.
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 29 >12 [d20=17]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 19 >12 [d20=7]
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 touch
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=15]
<Julia> roll 1d8 str
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 7 >12 [d8=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 36 and 29 hit
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, -10 STR, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<Steph> roll 2d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 102 >12 [d100=67,35]
<Steph> roll 1d6+8+1d6
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 14 >12 [d6=3,3]
<Steph> roll 6d6/2
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 10 >12 [d6=6,6,2,2,1,4]
<El-Cideon> The wraith's form wavers and a shudder of dismay crosses through it, but it remains in place eagerly groping at Stephanie. "Not again! Not again!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 touch
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Franceska> "As many times as it fucking takes!"
<Julia> Still Julia dilligently tries to make the Duchess submit. Better to gain a minion than kill an enemy! Though it can be both, as Esgara once showed...
<Julia> OOC: DC 21
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 will!
<Steph> Stephanie shudders. "You're making me stab you! You can make it stop!"
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 26 >12 [d20=12]
<El-Cideon> Rosemund rushes forward to bash once at the vile apparition with her blessed mace! "The dead should stay dead!" she shouts out, adding with a sidelong glance for Julia. "Usually!"
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 28 >12 [d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 96 >12 [d100=96]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+8+2d6
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d8=1][d6=3,4]
<El-Cideon> Ione carefully fires three more arrows around and between her allies as she tries to put the spirit down for good!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 21 >12 [d20=1]
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 35 >12 [d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 70 >12 [d100=70]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+4 sonic
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 13 >12 [d6=4,5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 72 >12 [d100=72]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska snaps her fingers again, happy to be the instrument of the wraith's downfall!
<Franceska> OOC: Mass snake's swiftness again
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21 Rosey
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 37 >12 [d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 Ione
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d100 Rosey
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 34 >12 [d100=34]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+7+1+8+1+2+3-4-2 spear
<Serith> Franceska roll for Serith < 24 >12 [d20=8]
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: whiff
<Julia> roll 1d20+7 shadow
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 18 >12 [d20=11]
<Julia> roll 1d8 str
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 2 >12 [d8=2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Raymun (20, -12 STR, despair) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> Again Raymun draws on more of his essence to generate a wriggling, vicious arrow and loose it towards Julia.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+15-2
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=9]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph & shadow
<Julia> And the shadow keeps stealing that essence!
<Julia> roll 1d20+7
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=13]
<Julia> roll 1d8
<Serith> Julia roll for Serith < 6 >12 [d8=6]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, air magic enhanced, earth magic impeded | Fran (21) > Steph = shadow (19) > wraith (16) > Julia (14) > Rosey = Ione (10, -4 STR)'
<El-Cideon> The ranger's waxen form finally crumbles apart under its own weight.
<Steph> Stephanie reaches out and touches the wraith yet again, in hopes of prompting another heated outburst.
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Steph> roll 1d20+17
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 35 >12 [d20=18]
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 20 >12 [d20=3]
<Steph> roll 1d20+12
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 22 >12 [d20=10]
<Steph> roll 1d20+12
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 25 >12 [d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: just the 35
<Steph> roll 1d100
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 79 >12 [d100=79]
<Steph> roll 1d6+1d6+8
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 16 >12 [d6=2,6]
<Steph> roll 6d6/2
<Serith> Steph roll for Serith < 11 >12 [d6=3,6,4,2,4,4]
<El-Cideon> With a wrenching wail, the dread spirit is forcibly exorcised, only so much ectoplasm on the wind now! With its defeat, all is quiet again save the panting of the victorious combatants.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
* Julia snaps her fingers in disappointment. "Oh well, I still have you Leslie," she smiles as the shadow melds into her own once more.
<El-Cideon> "One death should be enough," Ione observes, before politely requesting aid from the always eager Rosemund.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Restorations on Ione/Steph/Fran to get rid of various drained stuff
<El-Cideon> roll 4d10+20 Ione heals
<Serith> El-Cideon roll for Serith < 33 >12 [d10=7,1,4,1]
<El-Cideon> "Let's--let's press on?" Ione suggests. "It's only in the next room.
<Julia> "Things should be quiet with the controller re-killed," Julia says, moving on in the direction indicated.
<Steph> "Uh-huh, sure, let's go?" says Stephanie, nodding intently.
<El-Cideon> Down you descend, into the centermost room of the asylum, to find:
<El-Cideon> Most of this grand hall is reduced to a thorough ruin, but in its remains demonstrates a pattern clearly reminiscent of the dimensions and arrangement of the great experimental hall discovered on Arcadia. Though in no case so intact as to clearly demonstrate their function, it is possible to discern from the shattered stumps and shards of metal still protruding from the floor that a regular array of beds once marched across the floor here.
<El-Cideon> More shades flicker into existence as you enter--but this time only two, Jill and Galina, engaged in a methodical sweep of destruction, no doubt producing the wreckage scattered about this room, before taking careful account of the rows of vacant beds.
<El-Cideon> "They all live?" Galina is asking as the shades' presence synchs up with the reality of the present day.
<El-Cideon> "They do," Jill confirms, hoisting up some unseen victim to standing position. "For what purpose, I cannot be certain. Any moreso than with the girl upstairs."
<El-Cideon> "Her mixed blood is a source of perplexion," Galina admits. "I know not which face she'll adopt. I fear the worst, but it isn't my place to take the decision from her. Intrinsic wickedness is the province of fiends. It's their nature. But her mother was mortal, and for mortals, evil is a choice that we make."
<El-Cideon> "Is it always?" Jill asks. "There are occasions when I think it something we learn instead."
<El-Cideon> "So you would absolve the sinner on grounds of being misled?" Galina infers.
<El-Cideon> "No. I only argue for a qualified response," Jill explains.
<El-Cideon> "Hm," Galina muses with a nod. "I keep thinking of Senacott, back on Pandemonium. Not an example our wayward Duchess has chosen to follow, obviously."
<El-Cideon> "Of course, forgetting one's sins hardly absolves her of them," Jill answers. "But I wonder, does it make atonement easier, or more difficult? Does it cheapen the effort?"
<El-Cideon> Galina has no immediate answer to this, and lapses into a moment's contemplative silence.
<El-Cideon> Jill gives her sister paladin a long, searching look. "Of course you know I say this with all proper respect for our monastic brethren," Jill starts, "but only a fool believes she can find wisdom only within herself. Talk to me. What are we circling round with words?"
<El-Cideon> Galina's expression is almost wistful. "That's a tone I've not heard in a while. Certainly not from our present companions."
<El-Cideon> "They know their place," Jill observes. "But giving orders does not equal leadership. They follow because they see that you will accomplish whatsoever task you set your mind to. I follow because we share a mutual recognition for the necessity of justice, but in this place I wonder if even true vision falls short. I'd understand the currents of your heart today. I don't mean to challenge for stewardship of our group. I only question because no one else will, and because I've known you years enough to recognize the unease within. Share your worries with me, please," Jill closes with a gentle smile that prompts a busy moment's silence.
<El-Cideon> "Being here awakens me to the scale of the fiendish menace," Galina confesses at length. "I knew before, but knowing and seeing are different beasts. It troubles me more than ever that the Regent should be so keen to ignore the flight of our own monsters simply because they no longer prey upon our own people. He thinks it is no longer our problem. I say it is no longer *only* our problem. Should it be no concern of ours that others should suffer if they not be of our blood?"
<El-Cideon> "Of course it is," Jill affirms. "That's why we're here. But the Regent has reconstruction as his concern, as he must. It bothers you so that your request for royal support was so forcefully refused?"
<El-Cideon> "It disturbs me that I had to ask," Galina sighs. "I will tell you what I see in the coming years: the Regent will satisfy himself with the removal of some offending heads, the court will resume its intrigues, and the merchants of Solanth will trade coins of a different countenance. At length, Aric will assume reign over a peace he had no hand in earning. What could any of them have learned in comfort behind the walls of the capital? It was for the countryside to pay the price of Solata's survival; the royal council kept the accounts. 'No more war,' they might cry, 'for it is too expensive.' Could they be in any position to feel the people's wounds? Could King Aric?"
<El-Cideon> "He did lose his mother," Jill points out. "And most gruesomely so."
<El-Cideon> "Unwitnessed," Galina counters, "and as likely not understood by the child. An absence in his life, but I imagine the tragedy one the heir was too young to appreciate. Elsewise, sheltered as he has been behind stone walls, iron guards, the council's paper shield of reports and figures, was our conflict really anything to him but a rumor? Does the boy king understand the sacrifices made in his name?"
<El-Cideon> "No," Jill admits, "but the man might come to recognize this, given time."
<El-Cideon> "Time is the difficulty," Galina explains. "I wonder, do we blind ourselves with the security that one year's triumph brings us? You may rest your faith upon this fact, Jill: the fiends will try again. It may be years before they marshal their forces against us another time, it may be centuries, but they need only watch for our resistance to falter. They have that luxury. They have the time and the patience to wait for us to forget. That we should not live to see this day ourselves is of no comfort."
<El-Cideon> "If they attempt infiltration again, we will thwart them again," Jill says with confidence. "We who have sacrificed so much would hardly give way to them now."
<El-Cideon> "We would not," Galina confirms, suggesting via omission certain doubts about others not within her sight. "But I know you understand how narrow a thing our survival was. I daren't call it victory, with such a majority of the kingdom under sway of the lower planes for those lean years. By no means was our triumph assured; should we expect it to be any moreso in our absence?"
<El-Cideon> "We must have some faith in other people for our ideals to be of any consequence," Jill insists. "Recognize when our era is past. Instruct who we may while we can. There are times when the best a person can do is ensure that her successors are taught to live and rule justly."
<El-Cideon> "Such confidence," Galina observes with a somewhat forlorn smile. "But I fear for the perpetuity of our national resolve when I see our highest authorities refusing to confront the hard lessons. People will forget. They wish for things to be the way they were. And is it not ever a gamble dealing with fiends? We could throw back the forces of Hell time and again without unduly worrying their masters, but they need only conquer us once. I recall a commoners' expression: 'It's a sucker's game.' Someone has to change the rules."
<El-Cideon> The scene shifts. Jill's image disappears; Galina's remains, without looking appreciably older physically but making strides towards the laudable array of battlescars glimpsed in the more recent Arcadian rendition of the woman. For a moment the two are nearly coterminous in a jarring tableaux before the unscarred Galina fades out. The new Galina is watching an older man quietly and sightlessly examine a pile of twisted metal wreckage. Middle-aged, stiffly posed, slightly bentback, dressed in humble robes, hair long devoid of color but not bereft of some youthful thickness and sheen. He looks in every way the indigenously evolved fauna of a library.
<El-Cideon> At last the man opens his eyes--very blue, placid but inquisitive--and speaks: "No trace of enchantment remains. I can derive no information of consequence from these ruins magically." His voice is very soft, almost soothing in its calmness. With an apologetic smile, he adds, "I'm afraid that you and Miss Cook were most thorough. Are you certain there were no production notes or logs?"
<El-Cideon> "We found none," Galina admits.
<El-Cideon> "Mm. Well, I suppose Victoria was hardly a disciplined practitioner," Wilfrid concludes with an air of disappointment. "Deviously inventive, however."
<El-Cideon> "The wretch cared for nothing more than satisfying her own cruel whims," Galina snaps. "She was a beast and I'll not hear her complimented."
<El-Cideon> Wilfrid has no response to this beyond a contrite nod.
<El-Cideon> "But you understand the effect described?" Galina continues. "Can it be reconstructed to suit our purposes?"
<El-Cideon> "Anything is possible, given time and commitment," Wilfrid answers. "I'll require ample share of both to puzzle out the proper matrix of spells, given description alone as basis for my work. Some years, I should think."
<El-Cideon> "You'll have them," Galina promises. "Salvation can't be rushed. I've the children to look after myself. The work can begin in earnest once they're properly seen to. We've not an eternity before us, but years enough I should think." She lapses into an uneasy silence.
<El-Cideon> "We should consider the matter of subject acquisition," Wilfrid prods gently. "I should think it obvious enough that few will volunteer."
<El-Cideon> "As you said, we're years away from...recruitment," Galina settles for saying, feeling her way around the word with some awkwardness. "How many would we need, initially?"
<El-Cideon> "Impossible to say with precision at this early juncture," Wilfrid admits. "But, given the scale of effect required, I would hazard to suggest 'as many as possible.'"
<El-Cideon> "And they won't be harmed?" Galina presses.
<El-Cideon> "If I apprehend the system, it is antithetical to its functioning that this should be so," Wilfrid confirms. "It is in everyone's interest that they should remain in proper health. Of course, the timeframe you require imposes its own hazards. Maintenance presents a logistical dilemma in its own right, especially in the latter stages, and I cannot speculate as to the effects of prolonged deprivation. But physically, only time will wound them."
<El-Cideon> "As it does all of us," Galina concludes.
<El-Cideon> Another sage nod from Wilfrid before he breaches the pregnant silence: "Are you comfortable with what must be done?"
<El-Cideon> "My personal comfort is of no consequence," Galina declares.
<El-Cideon> "Not entirely true, but a reassuring statement nonetheless," Wilfrid admits with a sad smile. "If our work should ever become too agreeable to you, that is the day I would advise you that you are no longer fit for it. But are you certain that we must proceed without your companions? I am afraid I make ill company on my own."
<El-Cideon> "They wouldn't understand," Galina says. "Let them battle what brushfires they may. They'll be happier for it. They deserve that much. Ours is the inferno."
<El-Cideon> The ghostly images gutter and fade out. Ione's response to this display is only a curt nod. She watches you with interest for your collective reactions.
<Stpeh> Stephanie scowls, and kicks a piece of rubble across the room. "Still no closer to what she's actually trying to accomplish," she says, inwardly displeased with how much she can nod along with what the woman said during her first conversation.
<Franceska> "When you start saying 'my friends wouldn't understand', you're probably already too far gone," she notes.
<El-Cideon> "Is it your concern to find and stop her?" Ione asks with interest.
<Julia> "She believes whatever travesties she now commits will lead to some wholesale destruction against Hell or the Abyss, such that they can never harm Solata again?" Julia ponders after absorbing all of that. "Wilfrid's notes will hopefully explain more, but... it seems hopelessly optimistic."
<Steph> "Screw her friends, I wanna know!" Stephanie throws up her hands. "It's all gonna be mysterious magic crud, isn't it? So nobody'll really have a clue but mages, and- no offense- they fuck it up all the time."
<El-Cideon> "I've not been entirely honest with you," Ione admits at length. "I know exactly what she was looking for when she came back to Azure, just as I know why she didn't find it."
<Steph> "Huh?"
<Franceska> "Oh?"
<El-Cideon> "I should apologize," she says with a curtsey, "but what she appears to actually be doing is hardly a technique I would share with strangers whose convictions I could not speak of."
<Julia> "Do tell, then?" Julia invites. "As someone who could well end up strapped to one of those beds, I can hardly view her actions with any sense of charity."
<El-Cideon> "It was known that I came here to retrieve Victoria's patient records after I took in the patients, so when our wayward knight here came looking for Victoria's research notes, she eventually sought me out. I lied, magnificently, and told her that I discovered no such thing. In fact I found exactly the theoretical papers she sought." Ione smiles, and adds with relish: "I burned them."
<Steph> "They were that bad, huh?"
<Franceska> "What was it all about? Indoctrination?"
* Julia nods in approval of that decision.
<El-Cideon> "I'm no magician," she says with a shrug, "so I can speak only of the theory and its hypothetical effect. It was dreary enough that I should not wish it falling into anyone else's hands. So far as I understand, I gather that there are some arcane rituals that allow mages to pool their talents for some enhanced combined effect? Victoria's design was to link her patients in this manner, whether they wished it or not, and coordinate their cumulative skill for her own ends. Insofar as I can tell, she employed this mostly to play games with the reality of the asylum itself. But Victoria Crane was not a woman of great vision."
<Julia> "Not like Galina Merowyn, no," Julia agrees.
<Steph> "Right... so she wants to cast some kind of super spell? And she needs a whole bunch of the best mages to do it, and they gotta be compliant... I dunno, what can you do with that? Blow up Hell? Purge the Abyss? Seal them away forever?"
<Franceska> "You can't do that. But take over enough of Baator to matter, perhaps?"
<Julia> "Or put a barrier around a particular world?"
<Franceska> "A woman who wanted to chase them wherever they went?"
<El-Cideon> "I cannot speak to her goals and motives," Ione admits. "But I feared such might be her desire when she asked me about the late Victoria's notes. It would seem she has already had much opportunity to put them into action if she has been working all these years."
<Steph> Stephanie frowns. "Are there any spells that use magic swords as components?"
<El-Cideon> The medusa shrugs. "Not to my knowledge, but as I said, I am hardly an expert on the matter."
<Steph> "Yeah, so I'm asking the experts."
<Franceska> "Wouldn't it be pretty funny if she opened a gate from the Abyss into the elf heaven?"
<Steph> "No, that would be awful."
<El-Cideon> "It was a mace," Rosemund clarifies. "But that does not even matter anymore! Stealing people is much worse than stealing things! How many would she even need to do...whatever she wishes to do?"
<Steph> "Mace, sword, axe, you get me, right? I don't think she stole it just to bash heads," points out Stephanie.
<Julia> "This is far into uncharted territory," Julia shakes her head. "I've got no idea. Perhaps it has something to do with it being a holy mace, or its association with Pelor... we can only make guesses."
<Franceska> "I actually agree. How about researching the legend for that mace?"
<El-Cideon> Again, Ione can only shrug. "Victoria's notes were not exact. Her purposes were simple and she required perhaps a dozen at a time."
<Julia> "Galina requires far more than that."
<El-Cideon> "But I trust you see why I wished to know you somewhat better prior to disclosure?" Ione adds. "Again, I apologize for the trouble. I did not expect any of this...but you must admit, the place needed a good exorcism, did it not?"
<Franceska> "Solata. Wasn't she about to return when she was ready?"
<Steph> "Yeah... but, I dunno. She seemed to talk about the fiend problems in a kinda all-encompassing way," muses Stephanie.
<Julia> "None of us died or were maimed, so I don't mind. We do this sort of thing all the time," Julia reassures the medusa.
<El-Cideon> She nods graciously. "Well, I will trust that this old ruin showed us all the recollections it wished. I would like to put it behind us if we may. I will return on the morrow with force and burn it from all existence...but for now I should think it time we spent the remainder of our day somewhere more filled with life. I would hate for you to move on from our little town with memories only of crimes past."
<Steph> "Hmm? You have something in mind?"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, at the very least I should think I owe you all dinner," she says generously. "Or whatever manner of other diversions Azure has to offer to decompress after a day as fraught as this one."
<Julia> "That sounds good. A nice night out before we go to Pandemonium," Julia smiles happily.
<El-Cideon> ~