Black Omen

[Ebiris]

[18:10] <@Kotono> Ah, back home and at rest. John feels better with some time to pull it back together. It's the afternoon and he's working in his back yard when, "John?" Missy-Anne's voice calls.
[18:11] <@John> "Round back!" John calls back, going to rest his spade against the side of his house.
[18:13] <@Kotono> Missy-Anne comes 'round. Lesea is with her, carrying a picnic basket under arm. "Hi," Missy-Anne waves. "I heard you're back after another trip out. How was it?"
[18:14] <@John> "Pretty good. Had a scare with Feather and Myann getting enchanted but we got past that," John answers, giving Lesea a nod of greeting as well.
[18:15] <@Kotono> "Good afternoon," Lesea offers the basket to John, "We brought an early dinner."
[18:15] <@Kotono> "I was hoping you'd tell us about it," Missy-Anne smiles with a coy little look, batting her eyelashes.
[18:17] <@John> "Well sure you can come on inside and we can chat over dinner," John nods agreeably, going to open the back door to let the ladies inside where he'll follow.
[18:21] <@Kotono> Once in and settled in over food and story, "...Oh, so that elemental's still alive?" Lesea smiles, "That's very fortunate."
[18:21] <@Kotono> Missy-Anne plays with ab it of fried chicken, then goes fo ra nibble of cornbread. "I think so." she reaches over and pats John's hand.
[18:22] <@John> "Yeah, I'm just trying to remember the magic words so I can summon him again," John says, his expression screwing up in thought. "I know it was something really simple too... it'll come to me."
[18:25] <@Kotono> "In time, in time," Missy-Anne giggles an bats her eyelashes again, "I'm just glad you're back again."
[18:26] <@Kotono> "It's interesting. Scholary research on the Fair Folk's realm is always rather indistinct. Sketchy, I suppose." Lesea admits, "Far more interesting than trying to pound letters and numbers into children. Speaking of, I took the position of teacher and started classes."
[18:26] <@John> "Oh, good on you," John says approvingly to Lesea. "Give all those kids something to do during the day, give their mums and dads some peace."
[18:28] <@Kotono> "I need more wine if I'm to do this," Lesea sighs deeply, picking at her chicken. "Though the children are strangely knowledgeable about mushrooms.
[18:28] <@Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[18:29] <@Kotono> "I need more wine if I'm to do this," Lesea sighs deeply, picking at her chicken. "Though the children are strangely knowledgeable about mushrooms. I struggled to get much out of them about other things, but mushrooms? They know as much as a learned student of them."
[18:29] <@Kotono> "It's the queerest thing," Missy-Anne murmurs quietly, "I wonder where the children are getting it from?"
[18:31] <@John> "Well it's Myann isn't it? She's the lady of mushrooms," John says as if it were obvious. "Could've been the queen of mushrooms if we'd taken that Kingmaker bloke's offer. But then we'd all have went a bit bonkers so good thing we didn't!"
[18:33] <@Kotono> "That must be it, however that works," Lesea admits, swishing her own cup of lemonade before drinking. "You know, speaking of her, I saw her sitting out in her yard today having a conversation with the air. I assumed it was something I didn't understand, or with someone out of sight."
[18:34] <@John> "Mushrooms," John says simply. "They're great though, she had them fetching eggs and bacon and stuff for us on our trip. Dunno where they get it but I'm not complaining."
[18:36] <@Kotono> "How in the devil's name does that work?" Missy-Anne says, "How do mushrooms fetch things? They don't walk! They're plants!"
[18:36] <@Kotono> "Magic?" Lesea admits, "It sounds more like a manifestation of supernatural power than a mushroom's deeds."
[18:39] <@John> "Yeah, I never actually saw where they came from, you just look away for a minute and then you turn around and it's there," John admits. "I guess some mushrooms do walk anyway though. There's so many kinds of them you wouldn't believe it."
[18:43] <@Kotono> "Hmmm." Lesea murmurs, "How many are there, anyway?"
[18:45] <@John> John shrugs. "Learn about a new one every day and I lost count a while back," he admits. "Could ask her though, she'd definitely know."
[18:47] <@Kotono> "I might," Lesea admits.
[18:47] <@Kotono> "So John," Turning to him, "It's been a little while...is ther eanything you'd like to tell me now that we're reunited again?" Missy-Anne asks.
[18:50] <@John> "Huh? Nah, I figure that's about all of it," John admits, figuring there's no need to tell her how hot Splashuzu's mum was. "Much happened here while we were away?"
[18:59] <@Kotono> Missy-Anne pouts a little bit, "Oh."
[18:59] <@Kotono> "Not much," Lesea smoothly interjects, "Hylath drove off some bears that came looking for a fight. Otherwise, not much."
[19:01] <@John> "Good on 'em," John approves of Hylath's go-getting spirit.
[19:11] <@Kotono> Lesea chuckles, "He dueled them and won, rapier against claw. I was impressed."
[19:12] <@John> "Oh, that is pretty good," John says. "Figured you meant he scared 'em off with loud noises, not fighting all of them by himself."
[19:16] <@Kotono> "No, he fought them," Lesea says, telling the story. OOC: Good with skipping along a bit here?
[19:16] <@John> OOC: yep

~

[18:37] <@Kotono> Rest. The morning sees no sign of Myann - just breakfast laid out. But after a quick meal, Feather catches Myann's voice from outside. It's indistinct, but sounds like she's talking to someone. A few moments later, there's a chorus of cute, girlish voices giving agreement.
[18:37] * Joins: Gildas (~rscuderi@rrcs-24-227-47-10.se.biz.rr.com)
[18:38] <Feather> Pixies, must be the pixies. Or maybe the dead pixies marinating in jello. Grimacing, Feather heads outside to see which.
[18:40] <@Kotono> Feather doesn't see anything but Myann sitting under a tree. She's talking, "...twelth rule is that you obey any human, no matter how boring. Again. That includes not lowering your invisibility.  The thirteenth rule is that you sleep at night and are up during the day. No flipping your sleep cycle, no matter how entertaining nighttime pranks would be."  After each rule, there's a chorus
[18:40] <@Kotono> of agreement from all around. "Fourtheenth rule? See Feather there? If he says something, it's like I said it. Obey and do it immediately."
[18:42] <Feather> "Is there a rule about not manipulating people into ordering them to prank other people?"
[18:43] <@Kotono> "Covered that. We'll take a break. Spend about an hour in the forest, flying around and familiarizing yourself with the borders." Myann waves her hand and waits several moments, "They're gone. I figured the best way to deal with them was to make them official border guards." She shrugs, "They're calling me princess now and hanging on my every word, so it worked. No one has to deal with
[18:43] <@Kotono> them and they keep watch for the city."
[18:48] <Feather> "Are they really hideous beneath all that invisibility?"
[18:49] <@Kotono> Myann grimaces. "The one that has a rock mantle is the least unpleasant." Sitting back against the tree, "I'm just happy we have a few quiet moments after that trip. So much happened and our goal looks within grasp."
[18:51] <Feather> "Yeah," Feather readily agrees, leaning against that same tree at Myann's side. "S'nice. Never thought I'd amount to-- well, that something I'll do might change the world or nothing like that!"
[19:01] <@Kotono> "Mm-hmm. Which is why we have to make the most of this chance. I want to change the Sidhe and break this miserable cycle of madness. We have to do something." She looks over to him, "In truth...I'm a little worried about the mantles if the fey learn to control them fully. I'm still learning mine and it's startlingly powerful. What will the world be like with more like me?"
[19:03] * Feather snorts. "Better?"
[19:05] <@Kotono> That draws a sunny smile out of Myann, "That's so sweet," she rises and embraces Feather, "I think I needed to hear that."
[19:06] <Feather> "S'just the truth," Feather tells her with a grin.
[19:11] <@Kotono> "The truth is that they won't be back for an hour," Myann smiles, as...OOC: Good to skip along?

~

[18:07] <@Kotono> OOC: Going to the Circle first sound good?
[18:07] <Gildas> OOC: That's fine.
[18:10] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:10] -eraniss.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Hatbot into the channel.
[18:10] * Joins: Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-68-203-15-105.austin.res.rr.com)
[18:10] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 57." [1d100=57]
[18:11] <@Kotono> The trip back to the Circle is without incident. You reach the tree and meditate - but there is no voice. The magic grinds like steel on steel, the path to above appearing slowly.
[18:13] <Gildas> Gildas frowns and he casts a quick Detect Magic to see if there's anything different here than there was in the past.
[18:13] <@Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft.
[18:13] <Gildas> roll 1d20+17
[18:13] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+17 and gets 18." [1d20=1]
[18:13] <@Kotono> The magic is fading. Crumbling. You can't tell anything more.
[18:14] <Gildas> He shakes his head and follows the path like normal, but with a much more quick pace than usual.
[18:14] <@Kotono> You reach the high point. The roof stairs going to the treetops is gone - as well as the branches around it. You can see scorch marks above. The path down into the Circle looks intact, at least. But the scent of smoke fills the air.
[18:16] <Gildas> Gildas jogs down the path, wondering if Slayer came here before he came after them.
[18:18] <@Kotono> The stairway ends about 25ft before the ground. Below you is a blasted wasteland, little wisps of smoke rising up from charred dirt and earth. Bodies are about - the fish and the panther can be seen, bloodied corpses. Others are scorch marks on the ground in the shape of familiar sights. Lying on the ground is Eltia, face down. Over her is Kral, as if shielding her. He's bloodsoaked, body
[18:18] <@Kotono> devastated. But - somehow, he looks up at the noise. His lips move, but you can only hear a faint gurgle.
[18:21] * Joins: Soul (~Soul@99-177-222-135.lightspeed.stlsmo.sbcglobal.net)
[18:21] <Gildas> Gildas jumps down to the ground and runs over to Kral and kneels down and holds a hand out to him, immediately casting Lesser Vigor on him. OOC: If possible, i will also cast Bear's Endurance for the temp HP as well.
[18:23] <@Kotono> The wounds slowly begin to heal. "Gildas..." he croaks, trying to rise but failing. "Eltia. Help her and listen." Somehow he manages to roll off of her, face down himself. "Wizards came here. They took the Dreamer. We...we killed one called Hunter and the Dreamer destroyed the mind of one called Seeker. But they were too strong."
[18:25] <Gildas> He checks Eltia for any injuries and begins to dig in his pack for items. "I'm sorry, this... this is our fault..."
[18:26] <@Kotono> Her leg looks broken and she has a nasty lump on her head. But she's breathing.
[18:27] <@Kotono> "No. Don't blame yourself for another's murders. There's no balance in that," With a hacking cough and a tired smirk, "That's what our kind cares about in the end. But...be more worried about what they might do with the Dreamer."
[18:28] <Gildas> Gildas digs into his pack and offers Kral a Potion of Cure Serious Wounds. "Here, please, drink this." He sighs. "They know where we're going, I'm sure... But I don't know where they might've taken her. ..." He looks down at the arrow he's still carrying. "Can this lead us to her?"
[18:30] <@Kotono> The potion is drunk, more wounds healing. He's still in a bad way, but manages to stand. "No. If you're done with it, I can at least reverse the spell and restore your life's energy."
[18:30] <@Kotono> OOC: Post the -potion i nloot
[18:30] <@Kotono> .
[18:31] <Gildas> OOC: Roger.
[18:32] <Gildas> "Yes, we found the... ah... former King of the Sidhe. The Distance mantle." He says as he moves over to Eltia. He takes a slow breath, apparently trying to calm himself somewhat and lays a hand on her broken leg and channels some healing energy to her.
[18:32] <Gildas> roll 1d8+5 CLW
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d8+5 CLW and gets 12." [1d8=7]
[18:35] <@Kotono> Eltia's injuries heal. She's still out, though. "You succeeded?" He limps over to Eltia and checks her over, "She may be out a time. Shock."
[18:37] <Gildas> He nods. "Yes. Well, we found him, anyway... We have more questions than answers at this point. Do you still need healing? I have more potions." Gildas turns to Kral. "Still, to believe those people would come here... what do you think their plan is with the Dreamer? Will they try and use her to stop us?"
[18:38] <@Kotono> "It may be." He nods, "Another potion first." He goes to rest against a tree, "The Dreamer's dangerous. It's why we keep...kept her asleep whenever we could."
[18:40] <Gildas> He digs another two potions out and places them near him so he can drink them whenever he wants. "Hmm... it might behoove us to ask for some outside help to find her, then..." OOC: Two potions of CLW
[18:41] <@Kotono> OOC: Rol lthem?
[18:41] <Gildas> OOC: It's just the default, right? Or is it +1?
[18:41] <@Kotono> OOC: Default.
[18:41] <@Kotono> OOC: +1 since CL 1.
[18:41] <Gildas> roll 2d8+2 for both of 'em
[18:41] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 2d8+2 for both of 'em and gets 5." [2d8=1, 2]
[18:41] <Gildas> OOC: fffffffffffffff
[18:44] <Gildas> "I have a wand as well, if you need it." He says as he shifts and looks over to Eltia again. "Will... the others...ah..." He takes a breath. "Will the other members return in some fashion, or..."
[18:45] <@Kotono> Kral's injuries mend slightly more. "I'll live." Slowly he shakes his head, "They were through. They've returned to the earth." Looking down and sighing once, eyes closed tight, "The Dreamer rules over dreams. She can destroy the mind of any creature who sleeps and enters into the realm of dreams, or cause you to plumment into endless nightmares until you perish. Her mantle is unusually potent.
[18:45] <@Kotono> I fear they're going to use it to eliminate a dreadful enemy, one that may well be you."
[18:46] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "I think, then, I may need to go and ask for some help with the Sidhe themselves. They might be able to locate her, then."
[18:48] <@Kotono> A short nod follows, "There is one bit of hope. If you can find objects made from dreams and wear them, it will provide you some measure of protection."
[18:50] <Gildas> Gildas gestures at the slippers he's wearing. "I think we all have a pair of these, from when we first... ah... ...met her." He says. "So that's some measure of good news, at least. What... er... what do you plan to do from here?"
[18:59] <@Kotono> "Wear those," Kral says, "Get out of here, go to your town. I need to rest and think," he says.
[19:07] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "Would you like me to take Eltia?"
[19:10] <@Kotono> "Y-yes," he says. OOC: Going ot head back to town?
[19:12] <Gildas> OOC: Yar.
[19:13] <@Kotono> The trip back to down leads into the later afternoon. Eltia's still out and Kral is sagging, but the party makes it to Gildas's cabin. "Get the others," Kral says.
[19:14] <Gildas> Gildas puts Eltia in his bed and nods. "I'll be right back." He then moves to go and actually find the others!
[19:22] * Joins: Feather (~DarkFlame@109.66.132.179)
[19:23] <@Kotono> Late in the afternoon Gildas comes by, gathering the party to his cabin. Kral is there, bloodied but mostly healed. Eltia lies in Gildas's bed, still aslumber as...OOC: Go ahead and set up, Gildsa.
[19:25] <Gildas> "The Organization, as I've come to just started calling them, apparently gave the Circle a visit while we were away. They kidnapped the Dreamer." He says. "They gave as good as they got, though... They killed two of them, Seeker and Hunter, but... this is all that's left." He looks rather angry about the whole thing, surprisingly.
[19:27] <Feather> "You mean everyone else's gone?!" Feather exclaims.
[19:27] <@Kotono> Kral nods shortly, "Eltia and I were the lucky ones. We got two of them, but they got the Dreamer."
[19:27] <@Kotono> Myann stares and curses quietly.
[19:28] <@John> "Oh no," John says, recalling the nice tree and the... the deer and the fish was it? They ate each other? Oh man that was freaky... Or was it a panther? But the tree was nice! "Damn, I'm sorry..." he shakes his head in commiseration for Kral's loss.
[19:29] <Gildas> He shakes his head. "It's fine. They'll return in some fashion, it's... a Druid thing." He says with a small smile, as if he's comforting himself, more than anything. "But the fact remains that we need to find her. I was thinking that the easiest thing to do would just be to have the Sidhe help us with that task. I would assume they'd be able to."
[19:29] <Feather> "The pixies?"
[19:30] <@Kotono> "I can ask them," Myann says, "I fthey can, they will."
[19:31] <Gildas> He nods. "If they don't know, we know where Lady Valisha is, at the very least. Or maybe we should just go to Broadpyne? As much as I don't want to be inappropriate, this isn't the time to worry about formalities."
[19:32] <@Kotono> "In the meanwhile, each night you sleep brings peril. Each of you have slippers from the Dreamer? Wear them each night. They'll offer protection," Kral explains. "If left unchecked, the Dreamer can destroy your minds and plunge you into eternal nightmares."
[19:33] <@John> "S'handy," John says, glad he hung onto them. "Either that or we rush ahead with getting that boat, see if it draws them to us so they can't hassle anyone else? I don't want these guys attacking here."
[19:34] <Gildas> Gildas nods to John. "That's not a bad idea either. It might be what we do if it isn't easy to try and find her."
[19:37] <@Kotono> "Wise," Kral says, "Whatever you do, don't do nothing. They have the advantage of time with the Dreamer. Act and act wisely, at least until the Dreamer is neutralized. If you are sucked into dreams, perhaps you can reach her. She seems fond of the four of you."
[19:38] <Feather> "Any chance of finding out where she is that way? Or even freeing her?"
[19:38] <Gildas> "If nothing else, we've dealt with half of them..." Gildas says.
[19:40] <@Kotono> "Divinations, if you have them," Kral says, "We went to some means to hide the Dreamer, but those protections are gone now."
[19:40] <@John> "Maybe if we get through to her in a dream she'll tell us? I figure they've got some way of controlling her to send her after us, right?" he asks to check, "But that'll probably be weaker in her dreams anyway."
[19:41] <Gildas> "I can try Scrying her. It might work... or at least give us an idea." He says with a nod. He seems to realize he's still holding the arrow at that point. "Do you have the energy to take care of this? It can wait if you don't."
[19:42] <@Kotono> "That might work," Myann crosses her arms in thought. "Anything to help this."
[19:42] <@Kotono> Kral reaches out and touches the arrow. He sags after, but the arrow bursts into light and returns to Gildas. OOC: Con damage restored.
[19:43] <Gildas> He nods. "My thanks. You both... are welcome to use this house as it was your own. I certainly used your home enough."
[19:45] <@Kotono> OOC: Sec. In the meantime, what's y'all's plan here?
[19:46] <Feather> OOC: Wear the slippers, have pixies take a look, scry, go visit the vampire?
[19:46] <Gildas> OOC: ^^^
[19:54] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay. Want Myann to ask the pixies offs creen or onscreen?
[19:55] <Gildas> OOC: On is fine with me
[19:55] <Feather> OOC: Let's say off? Since it doesn't involve us?
[19:56] <Gildas> OOC: That's fine too!
[19:57] <@Kotono> There's time for dinner before Myann returns. She comes to join everyone's dinner of bread and leftovers, "No luck. Finding the dreamer will need more power than they have. Either we find a Sidhe noble...or I throw myself into my mantle to see if I can do it."
[19:59] <Gildas> "Well, we know two, and we know where they live." Gildas says. "Let me try and scry on her tomorrow and we'll take it from there."
[19:59] <@John> "Or Gildas can scry or we wait for her to come to us."
[20:00] <Gildas> "She also might come visit us tonight, like you said." He nods.
[20:00] <@Kotono> "Alright," Myann says. OOC: So going to rest a night then, y'all?
[20:00] <Gildas> OOC: yar.
[20:00] <@Kotono> OOC: Everyone make Will saves with a +4 bonus.
[20:00] <@Kotono> OOC: Most bonuses don't apply, though Gildas's bonus against fey does.
[20:01] <Feather> roll 1d20+6+4
[20:01] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+6+4 and gets 16." [1d20=6]
[20:01] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+15 Myan
[20:01] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+15 Myan and gets 25." [1d20=10]
[20:01] <@John> roll 1d20+17
[20:01] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+17 and gets 32." [1d20=15]
[20:02] <Gildas> roll 1d20+23
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+23 and gets 34." [1d20=11]
[20:05] <@Kotono> The night passes. All sleep well except Feather, who awakens breathless and dazed. But you awaken the next morning and that's good enough. The party gets together to go scrying at the healing pool...OOC: Go ahead, Gildas, set yoruself up.
[20:06] <Gildas> Gildas steps to the edge of the pool and kneels down next to it, ready to go!
[20:07] <@Kotono> OOC: Casting scrying? LInk me?
[20:07] <Gildas> OOC: http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/scrying--2512/
[20:10] <@Kotono> The party snacks on mushrooms for breakfast (where -did- she get ones that taste like candy?) as they watch Gildas cast. He goes through the hour long ritual until...
[20:10] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+10 DC?
[20:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 DC? and gets 14." [1d20=4]
[20:10] <Gildas> OOC: I believe it is 19
[20:13] <@Kotono> In the pool, the party can see a place. It is dark black with sources of pulsing orange light. Wrapped in chains is the Dreamer, lying on the floor. Strange patterns are traced into the floor in orange, forming curious symbols. As the party looks, the Dreamer's attention turns to the sensor, seeming to stare at the sensor and the party.
[20:14] <Feather> "Where are you?!" Feather calls out to the image in the pool.
[20:14] <@John> With an uncertain air, John raises his hand as if to wave before wondering if maybe that might seem cruel and so lowers it.
[20:14] <Gildas> Gildas tries to cast a Detect Magic through the sensor to try and see if it gives them any further hints!
[20:14] <@Kotono> Myann meets that gaze, simply nodding.
[20:15] <@Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft.
[20:15] <Gildas> roll 1d20+17
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+17 and gets 27." [1d20=10]
[20:17] <@Kotono> There is a massive thamaturgic pattern on the floor, dedicated into tapping into the mantle of the Dreamer. Is is converting it into a weapon to attack and shatter the minds of those it is aimed at. Meanwhile, the Dreamer speaks not a word, but the party staggers as one. It's like falling suddenly asleep - over the Vastwoods, far in the sky above. A castle float, pure black against the blue sky.
[20:17] <@Kotono> Then, aloud, the Dreamer speaks this, "The veil is gone. Hurry!"
[20:17] <@Kotono> *floats
[20:17] <@Kotono> "Ugh..." Myann stumbles, half falling against Feather. "Sky...castle? Is there where Johann got the idea?"
[20:18] * Feather stares dumbly up.
[20:18] <@Kotono> Feather sees the canopy above, as expected.
[20:19] <Gildas> Gildas almost goes face-first into the pool of water, but manages to catch himself. "I'll fly up and find it." He says as he slowly moves to stand up.
[20:19] <@John> "Ahh...! How're we gonna get up there?" John asks, looking up into the trees. "Mushrooms?"
[20:20] <@Kotono> "Of course," Myann says, "How else but mushrooms?"
[20:20] <@Kotono> OOC: Going up, Gildas?
[20:20] <Gildas> OOC: Yep!
[20:20] <Feather> "Let's go take a look?"
[20:21] <@Kotono> Gildas flies up. The morning sunshine is bright - and far above and ahead, a black castle looms in the sky. It occasionally pulses, growing darker yet and seeming to suck the light out of the sky.
[20:22] <Gildas> With that, he returns back to the others. "It's right up there. You can't miss it... well, not anymore."
[20:22] <Feather> "Definitely going to take a look!"
[20:23] <@Kotono> "Let's go," Myann says, "They must need to be close to affect us and aren't willing to risk a fight. Let's show them why they're hiding up there."
[20:24] <Gildas> "Yes, I'm going to return the favor for The Circle." Gildas says.
[20:24] <@John> "Shroom us up then," John invites, eager to get going even if he has to waggle his tail right off!

[Ebiris]

[18:06] <@Kotono> Two leaf mushrooms come, imbuing Feather and John with the ability to fly. They take to the air, following bird-Gildas and mushroom hawk Myann. Above, the dark castle looms in the sky. OOC: Just going straight up then?
[18:06] <Gildas> OOC: Indeed. I suppose we can look for obvious entrances?
[18:06] <@John> OOC: yep
[18:08] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[18:09] <@Kotono> The party flies up for a few minutes. The castle is about 500ft higher. The air's a little thinner up there, the VAstwoods a sea of green as you rise. But then, the black castle begins to pulse. A gentle throbbing, lines of orange running alonng it.
[18:10] <@John> "We better hurry!" John says, waggling his tail hard!
[18:10] <Gildas> Gildas lets out a warning caw as best he can, since he has a feeling he knows what's coming.
[18:11] <Feather> They can only make an effort of getting there as quickly as possible!
[18:12] <@Kotono> OOC: Fly speeds, y'all, and manuerability?
[18:13] <@John> OOC: 60 good
[18:14] <@Kotono> OOC: 40/good for Myann. In that case since hse'll be the slowest, she'll just perch on Feather's shoulder. I know Gildas will be faster with the monk bonuses.
[18:14] <Gildas> OOC: Mine's 40/good base, if the fast movements count then it's 60
[18:15] <Feather> OOC: 60 good
[18:15] <@Kotono> OOC: Monk ones does since it applies to anything.
[18:15] <@John> OOC: then I'm 90 good
[18:15] <@Kotono> OOC: Noted.
[18:17] <@Kotono> The party races up. John is the fastest, wiggling his tail for dear life. Gildas and Feather are right behind, with Myann on Feather's shoulder. They make it about 3/4ths of the way up, going for pure speed, before a tremendously long and narrow lance of light flies down, then another and another! The castle's firing on the party! (More)
[18:17] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 touch AC Gildas
[18:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 touch AC Gildas and gets 26." [1d20=18]
[18:17] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 touch AC John
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 touch AC John and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 touch AC Feather+Myann
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 touch AC Feather+Myann and gets 22." [1d20=14]
[18:18] <@John> OOC: 19
[18:19] <Feather> OOC: 20 touch, +4 if skirmish is a thing, +4 vs AoOs
[18:19] <Gildas> OOC: 17
[18:20] <@Kotono> OOC:Apparently it does since it doesn't note that you have to attack when moving 10ft or more. That gets Myann off the hook, so once again Hatbot hates Gildas. Damage incoming.
[18:20] <@Kotono> roll 8d8 kerzappy
[18:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 8d8 kerzappy and gets 27." [8d8=1, 3, 1, 1, 8, 3, 5, 5]
[18:21] <@Kotono> The lances of light are too slow for John, who just juke sto the side. Feather rises up, slashing through the light with his sword. It shatters apart like cheap glass, dissipating in all directions. But Gildas gets it right in the head, entire body fried. The pain is an all over-burn, like an overhyped sunburn. But the party continues to rise, reaching even with the castle. You're on the side
[18:21] <@Kotono> - there's a window a little bit above you. There's windows here and there further away, but you don't have time to look long. The castle's starting to glow again, more than last time. OOC: Act, y'all.
[18:23] * Feather rams one of the windows with his shoulder, twisting his body to protect Myann!
[18:23] <Gildas> Surely they can't fire this nonsense from the inside, right? Bird-Gildas flies up to follow after Feather's lead!
[18:23] <@John> John rushes for that nearby window to punch through it!
[18:24] <@Kotono> OOC: Quick str check, Feather. We'll resolve John if you manage to botch this.
[18:24] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 12." [1d20=9]
[18:24] <@Kotono> OOC: Ref save.
[18:24] <Feather> roll 1d20+11
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17." [1d20=6]
[18:27] <@Kotono> Feather hits the glass window head on. It shatters, glass raining around. But somehow he's safe and the party lands inside. Inside is dark. There is no light. Then slowly pulses of orange lines allow you to see. You are in a large room full of shadowy shapes and strange devices. They don't seem stable to the eye, changing before your very eyes. Ahead there is a wall, and a square of it in the
[18:27] <@Kotono> shape of a door is outlined by orange lines.
[18:28] <Feather> Oak Feller drawn, Feather lunges for the door to cut it up!
[18:28] <Gildas> Gildas lands on the floor and shapeshifts back. He coughs and tries to steady himself.
[18:28] <@John> "Never seen anything like this..." John says, looking around at the strange surroundings before following after Feather.
[18:32] <@Kotono> Myann takes elf form, "This is completely alien," she murmurs, pausing to study a beaker. It shifts in her hand, turning into a spoon, which she drops with a yelp. As Feather approaches the door, a frowning face appears on it. It looks to be an old man's face in great, solemn focus. It is outlined by faint wisps of orange light. As Feather raises Oak Feller, wisps of orange power begin to gather
[18:32] <@Kotono> around it. "Mantle...Sun." It intones. OOC: Init here.
[18:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Myann
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Myann and gets 12." [1d20=10]
[18:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d20-3 door
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-3 door and gets 17." [1d20=20]
[18:32] * Kotono changes topic to 'Door(17)>Myann(12)'
[18:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9." [1d20=6]
[18:32] <Feather> roll 1d20+9
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+9 and gets 15." [1d20=6]
[18:32] * Kotono changes topic to 'Door(17)>Feather(15)>Myann(12)>Gildas(9)'
[18:33] <@John> roll 1d20+7
[18:33] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[18:33] * Kotono changes topic to 'Door(17)>Feather(15)>Myann(12)>John=Gildas(9)'
[18:34] <@Kotono> Suddenly, the door is as bright as the sun, tremendous light filling the room! OOC: Fort saves, all.
[18:34] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+47
[18:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+47 and gets 66." [1d20=19]
[18:34] <@John> roll 1d20+12
[18:34] <Feather> roll 1d20+12
[18:34] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+12 and gets 20." [1d20=8]
[18:34] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+12 and gets 25." [1d20=13]
[18:34] <@Kotono> OOC: Strike, wrong tab open. Pretty sure Myann passes with 19+whatever her fort is, though.
[18:35] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18
[18:35] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+18 and gets 19." [1d20=1]
[18:36] <@Kotono> The light is overwhelming! While most of the party manages to avoid it, Gildas is overwhelmed. All is light for him, his vision a haze of radiance. OOC: Blinded, Gildas. You aren't sure if it's temporary or permanent. Feather.
[18:38] * Feather covers his eyes with one hand, using the other to stab Oak Feller into the sun's eye!
[18:38] <Feather> roll 1d20+18 zap
[18:38] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+18 zap and gets 24." [1d20=6]
[18:38] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[18:39] <Feather> roll 1d6+6+2d12+5d6 last is elec, assuming object/construct and no skirmish
[18:39] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d6+6+2d12+5d6 last is elec, assuming object/construct and no skirmish and gets 43." [1d6=3][2d12=8, 8][5d6=4, 3, 6, 4, 1]
[18:40] <@Kotono> Oak Feller is plunged into the door. It sparks all over, the light fading under that strike. No more eye-searing light comes forth. OOC: Free act.
[18:40] * Feather kicks the door open and then peer cautiously ahead.
[18:41] <Gildas> Gildas takes a breath and tries to blink his blindness away with a frown.
[18:42] <@Kotono> The blindness slowly fades. Gildas can see, but he's a bit dazzled still. OOC: Dazzled condition until further notice, Gildas.
[18:43] <Gildas> "Whew..." He puts a hand on himself to heal his injuries from earlier. OOC: Lesser Restoration on himself.
[18:43] <@Kotono> The door opens. Ahead is a series of tall stone pentagons. Each goes up 40ft to a spiked point a mere foot from a black ceiling. There is no light, save for regular orange lines going up these pentagons. They form two rows, a path ahead. In between the pentagons you can see people - thousands of people, from young to old. All are curled into fetal positions, eyes closed tight. Down the path
[18:43] <@Kotono> ahead is some sort of...thing. It is too cloaked in the everpresent dark to see more.
[18:44] <@Kotono> Myann looks around with slowly rising horror, "What...what is this place?" she whispers. "What have they wrought here?"
[18:44] <Feather> "Myann, let's have some light of our own," Feather says, covering them from the door.
[18:45] <Gildas> OOC: I meant Vigor, sorry.
[18:45] <@Kotono> Myann slowly nods and casts light on her blade. Her blade shines bright - but it does nothing to shed any more light. The surfaces here absorb the light without beign any more illuminated. When her light meets the orange light, it simply ceases in favor of the orange light.
[18:46] <@Kotono> OOC: Noted. I was going ot ask in my next line why you used lesser restoratoin.
[18:46] <@Kotono> OOC: Restoration, even.
[18:46] <@John> "Who are these people?" John asks, going to crouch down by one of them and give him/her a little shake.
[18:46] <Feather> "I think we should break up the orange lines," Feather says, casting Animalist Power in preparation.
[18:46] <@Kotono> John's hand goes through it. At the same time...OOC: No more lines. Make an immediate Will save, John.
[18:47] <@John> roll 1d20+13 +2 if enchantment
[18:47] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+13 +2 if enchantment and gets 33." [1d20=20]
[18:47] <@Kotono> OOC: That was a very good save to pull that out on.
[18:51] <@Kotono> The moment John touches the figure, they are gone. In place he sees - mountains. Endless mountains. Knowledge about mountains bombards him like a cannon shot. The mountains sing to him. Endless singing mountains, telling of what lies in the cold stone earth. It is as if he is a bug in front of a tidal wave, the names of a hundred thousand mountains invading his mind like an army. Then pure
[18:51] <@Kotono> instinct picks up, and with a force of will that leaves John panting for air, he pulls his hand back. The mountains leave and John sees people once more instead of...concepts. Absolute concepts, each one the totality of a thing beyond his reckoning. A wave of overwhelming nasuea follows, John's last meal coming up as his head feels like it bursts under the weight of a headache. OOC: Naseauated
[18:51] <@Kotono> for 1 round. Massive headache, -5 to any skill checks that require concentration. Headache lasts until further notice.
[18:52] <@Kotono> That was unwise. A voice sounds from ahead. It is silent and yet heart in your minds. Children playing at the games of wisemen.
[18:53] <@John> Staggering back and turning away, John doubles over and vomits miserably, managing to recover after a few seconds and wipe his forearm over his mouth before clutching his pained head. "Ugh... mantles? They're all mantles..." he dazedly warns the others.
[18:53] <Feather> "Hey! It's that guy, from the fellowship of the five!" Feather exclaims.
[18:53] <@Kotono> From behind another voice is heard, this one in your minds. It's a woman's mocking tones, 'Mantles and more mantles. Hm? You aren't mad? Did you find the same secret the mushroom fey did?'
[18:54] <@Kotono> Ahead it emerges from the indistinct darkness. It seems vaguely humanoid, black wrapped in a cloak, save for eyes of pulsing orange. It merely nods to Feather. Call me Nightfall.
[18:54] * @John just groans, too focused on the pounding in his head to indulge in witty repartee.
[18:55] <Gildas> Gildas takes a breath and clenches and unclenches his hands, his teeth grinding.
[18:55] <Feather> "Return the Dreamer and leave us alone," Feather offers it. "Won't need to fight, then."
[18:55] <@Kotono> Myann glances back. In the room you were just in is a the shape of a woman, wrapped in white funeral robes. They shine light against the darkness, yet illuminate no more than Myann's magic. 'I think not. Call me Revelation.'
[18:56] <@Kotono> "Two of you?" Myann slowly glances back and forth, "In a hurry to end the whole rotten enterprise? For puppeteers who have been running this for centuries, you die easily."
[18:56] <@John> "Call me Little," John snickers weakly.
[18:57] <Gildas> "Your friend Slayer didn't stop us, and neither will you two." Gildas almost spits through his teeth. "Once you're dead and gone, this world will be a better place."
[18:59] <@Kotono> If death is your wish, I will grant it. Nightfall so intones to you, speaking without words or sound. Farewell then. May oblivion be kinder to fools than I. OOC: Init here. They're going hostile. Nightfall is 40ft ahead of the party and Revelation is 25ft behind them.
[18:59] <@John> roll 1d20+7
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+7 and gets 26." [1d20=19]
[18:59] <Feather> "If you have to fight, least you could do is tell us where the Dreamer is so we don't waste too much time looking for her after," Feather complains.
[18:59] <Feather> roll 1d20+9
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+9 and gets 15." [1d20=6]
[18:59] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+3 and gets 18." [1d20=15]
[18:59] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Myann
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Myann and gets 13." [1d20=11]
[19:00] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Nightfall
[19:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Nightfall and gets 21." [1d20=12]
[19:00] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+999 Revelation (guess who has a auto win initiative ability?)
[19:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+999 Revelation (guess who has a auto win initiative ability?) and gets 1011." [1d20=12]
[19:01] * Kotono changes topic to 'Revelation(1011)>John(26)>Nightfall(21)>Gildas(18)>Feather(15)>Myann(13)'
[19:04] <@Kotono> It happens before. Before you got here, before you looked up, before you fought Johann, before you met Myann, before adulthood, before that first moment of light in your mother's arms. There is a terrible certanty of Revelations always being there, always holding up her sleeve like she has a hand to point at the sky. But there is only emptiness, an emptiness that expands out around Feather! It
[19:04] <@Kotono> begins to surround him, and those memories vanish - in all, as if Feather's very life is crumbling to dust before his eyes! OOC: Will save.
[19:05] <Feather> roll 1d20+6
[19:05] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+6 and gets 18." [1d20=12]
[19:08] <@Kotono> Feather gasps as he falls to a knee. His mind reels as he shudders, but his mind mostly remains intact. He's shaking, dazed and down, but he remembers. He remembers himself, his friends, Myann...it's enough. Barely. OOC: 4 points of Wis damage and you lose two ranks of survival. Go John.
[19:09] <@John> OOC: can I reach Nightfall without going over any mantles?
[19:10] <@Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[19:10] <@John> "Hooah!" John cries out, suddenly standing in front of Nightfall and bashing him all over with his staff! OOC: hustle
[19:10] <@John> roll 1d20+17
[19:10] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+17 and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[19:10] <@John> roll 1d20+17
[19:10] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+17 and gets 28." [1d20=11]
[19:10] <@John> roll 1d20+17
[19:10] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+17 and gets 35." [1d20=18]
[19:10] <@John> roll 1d20+12
[19:10] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+12 and gets 19." [1d20=7]
[19:10] <@John> roll 1d20+12
[19:10] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16." [1d20=4]
[19:11] <@Kotono> OOC: Three hits.
[19:11] <@John> roll 3#1d6+9+5d6 and 3 str damage
[19:11] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 3#1d6+9+5d6 and 3 str damage and gets 99." [3#1d6+9+5d6 = 29, 38, 32]
[19:12] <@Kotono> Fighting Nightfall is like walking through a moonless night. Each and every strike causes the darkness around to spread. John's friends are lost to him. He is alone in the night, yet he strikes. The only sign is the feeling of his staff hitting flesh, the familiar give as he batters weak points. OOC: You can see, but darkness covers everything so it's largely moot for now, John. Nightfall's up.
[19:15] <@Kotono> Darkness covers John and Nightfall from the others. Within it an old voice is heard, like that of an old man. "It is time," it whispers, "The last gate has been unbarred. Open wide and ride out once more!" From all directions, shadowy creatures of nightmare appear.  Hideous things on mounts made of thrashing horror, coming at John.
[19:15] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+18 AC?
[19:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 AC? and gets 31." [1d20=13]
[19:15] <@John> OOC: 24
[19:15] <@Kotono> roll 3d8+8 and make a Fort save, don't add damage yet since the save may alter it
[19:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3d8+8 and make a Fort save, don't add damage yet since the save may alter it and gets 14." [3d8=2, 3, 1]
[19:15] <@John> roll 1d20+12
[19:15] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13." [1d20=1]
[19:16] <@Kotono> OOC: No damage but you get a shiny status condition! More coming in the next line.
[19:18] <@Kotono> It's too much. John is beset from all sides. Pain. Agony. When the darkness clears, he lies on the ground, unmoving and rigid. Nightfall floats over him, silent. Savor the Dreamer's power, fool.OOC: John's paralyzed. Gildas is up.
[19:18] * Joins: NeremWorld (NeremWorld@174-31-169-22.tukw.qwest.net)
[19:18] * Kotono changes topic to 'Revelation(1011)>John(26 paralyzed)>Nightfall(21)>Gildas(18)>Feather(15)>Myann(13)'
[19:18] <Gildas> OOC: Can we see Nightfall at all anymore or no?
[19:18] <@Kotono> OOC: You can. The darkness is gone.
[19:18] <@Kotono> OOC: At least what covered him.
[19:19] <@John> "Ahh- get away!" John cries weakly, twisting vainly as he lays in the terror of nightmares. "Don't want... honey!"
[19:19] <@Kotono> 'If you're wise, you'll surrender now. All that awaits you is an eternity of nightmares.' Revelation whispers into your minds. 'Once you fall asleep like that, there's no hope.'
[19:19] <Gildas> Gildas makes a quick incantation and directs a Faerie Fire at Nightfall, coloring it blue so he can't use anymore fancy tricks! OOC: Can I also move to flank him for the benefit of Feather without endangering myself?
[19:20] <@Kotono> OOC: Sure. He actually doesn't have the ability to take AoOs, so.
[19:20] <Gildas> OOC: Okay.
[19:20] <@Kotono> Gildas outlines Nightfall in blue light. It shines around him like a corona, as he runs into position at his flank. As this happens...OOC: Feather.
[19:21] <Gildas> With that done, Gildas shapeshifts... not into his Dire Bear form, but one of a crystaline spider!
[19:21] <Feather> "Who's wise?!" Feather uses as his battle cry, dashing towards Nightfall.
[19:21] <@Kotono> OOC: Vermin form? Okay.
[19:21] <Feather> roll 1d20+16+2+2 stone scimitar
[19:21] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+16+2+2 stone scimitar and gets 33." [1d20=13]
[19:21] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[19:21] <Feather> roll 1d20+16+2+2 oak feller
[19:22] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+16+2+2 oak feller and gets 27." [1d20=7]
[19:22] <@Kotono> OOC: Also a hit.
[19:22] <Feather> roll 1d6+7+1d6+6+10d6+1d6 last is fire
[19:22] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d6+7+1d6+6+10d6+1d6 last is fire and gets 57." [1d6=4][1d6=1][10d6=1, 1, 3, 1, 6, 1, 6, 6, 6, 4][1d6=4]
[19:23] <@Kotono> Feather leaps in. As he strikes, darkness falls over both him and Gildas. He cannot see his blows, only feeling flesh give way beneath his blades. Both are lost in individual seas of darkness, unable to see the other or anything else. Yet Feather's blade comes back bloody, a sign of a hit. OOC: Myann's up. No description since both of you are in darkness and John's struggling with post tramautic
[19:23] <@Kotono> pixie syndrome.
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 10d6
[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 and gets 31." [10d6=2, 6, 1, 4, 2, 2, 6, 1, 5, 2]
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+11 (+3 ???)
[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 (+3 ???) and gets 15." [1d20=4]
[19:25] <@Kotono> OOC: Revelation's up, also unseen.
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+12 (+3 ???)
[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 (+3 ???) and gets 16." [1d20=4]
[19:26] <@Kotono> OOC: John's paralyzed. Nightfall is up.
[19:27] <@Kotono> For Gildas it is silence. For Feather, he hears an old man's voice. "It is time," it whispers, "The last gate has been unbarred. Open wide and ride out once more!" From all directions, shadowy creatures of nightmare pounce on Feather!
[19:27] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+18 AC Feather?
[19:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+18 AC Feather? and gets 27." [1d20=9]
[19:28] <Feather> OOC: 30 right now with skirmish, charge and animalistic power
[19:29] <@Kotono> But somehow Feather parries them all! The darkness fades, revealing Nightfall between Gildas and Feather. Myann's near Revelations, who is on the ground and prone, her robes a bit bashed up. As you glance at this...OOC: Gildas, go.
[19:30] <Gildas> The spider shapeshifts into a dire bear and roars! He raises off the ground and tries to tear into Nightfall with a flurry of fists and claws! OOC: Still dazzled, correct? Also, do I count as flanking?
[19:32] <@Kotono> OOC: Yes and yes.
[19:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+21+1 SF attempt
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+21+1 SF attempt and gets 28." [1d20=6]
[19:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+16+1
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+16+1 and gets 31." [1d20=14]
[19:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+16+1
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+16+1 and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[19:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+16+1 claw 1
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+16+1 claw 1 and gets 23." [1d20=6]
[19:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+16+1 claw 2
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+16+1 claw 2 and gets 22." [1d20=5]
[19:33] <@Kotono> OOC: They all hit. All aboard the pain train.
[19:33] <Gildas> OOC: SF DC is... 21 if he's still alive.
[19:33] <Gildas> roll 3#2d8+15+1d6+1d6 first is cold last is fire
[19:33] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 3#2d8+15+1d6+1d6 first is cold last is fire and gets 86." [3#2d8+15+1d6+1d6 = 30, 31, 25]
[19:34] <Gildas> roll 2#1d6+15+1d6 last is cold
[19:34] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 2#1d6+15+1d6 last is cold and gets 42." [2#1d6+15+1d6 = 22, 20]
[19:34] <@Kotono> Gildas pounces onto Nightfall, grabbing him with both claws! WIth a meaty RIP the man is torn apart, suddenly blood flying alla bout. Light pours out from him and into Gildas as...OOC: One down. Feather, you're up.
[19:36] <Feather> So the dark guy that was too good to use his mouth is all torn up. Feather doesn't shed any tears for his passing, and dashes back towards Myann, leaping into the air and coming down onto Revelations swords-first!
[19:36] <Feather> roll 1d20+16+2+1
[19:36] <Feather> roll 1d20+16+2+1
[19:36] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+16+2+1 and gets 22." [1d20=3]
[19:36] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+16+2+1 and gets 24." [1d20=5]
[19:36] <@Kotono> OOC: Both hit.
[19:36] <Feather> roll 1d6+7+1d6+6+10d6+1d6 last is fire
[19:36] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d6+7+1d6+6+10d6+1d6 last is fire and gets 61." [1d6=1][1d6=2][10d6=5, 6, 5, 5, 1, 4, 4, 6, 5, 2][1d6=2]
[19:37] * Kotono changes topic to 'Revelation(1011)>John(26 paralyzed)Gildas(18)>Feather(15)>Myann(13)'
[19:37] <@Kotono> Feather sprints and covers the distance in a second, leaping down to drive both blades into Revelation. Her middle is pierced and torn up, not a drop of blood or anything beneath the robes. As Feather savages her, Myann closes in to do the same with her blade.
[19:38] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+16
[19:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 and gets 23." [1d20=7]
[19:38] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+11
[19:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 29." [1d20=18]
[19:38] <@Kotono> roll 2d8+16
[19:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+16 and gets 25." [2d8=4, 5]
[19:41] <@Kotono> Already down and savaged, Revelation is unable to resist Myann's blade plunging into where her head should be. The robes burst into light that flows into Myann. She is still a moment before it exits out of her, the entire room's darkness shattered. Mushrooms spourt everywhere, shedding a pale yellow light over everything. The place seems to be made of some sort of black metal. The orange lines
[19:41] <@Kotono> are orange liquid, flowing throughout those lines and with glass covering it from the open air. At the same time, power fills the party. OOC: You wake up and your paralysis is gone, John. Free act+loot post.
[19:41] <@John> "Uhh... gone?" John rolls over and opens his eyes to behold a world free of honey pixies.
[19:42] <Feather> "Those bastards!" Feather rages. "Not telling us where the Dreamer is!"
[19:45] <@Kotono> Myann slowly shakes her head, "We'll find her ourselves." She idly reaches out to pat a mushroom, "My mantle feels so much clearer. Stronger." She closes her eyes, "I'm terrified." Ahead is a gleaming black point that resists the light of the mushrooms. It wavers in shape and size before you reyes, no larger than a small ball. "But I'm sane enough to be afraid."
[19:46] <Feather> "There ain't nothing to be afraid of!" Feather boasts, pointing his swords at the remaining darkness. "That's where we need to go!"
[19:46] <@John> "Yeah I'm pretty scared too," John seconds, the nightmares fresh in mind. But he follows Feather's direction and approaches the black point.
[19:47] <@Kotono> "It's not this place I'm terrified of," Myann murmurs, as she approaches it with Feather. The point gently shifts in shape and size as you stand before it.
[19:47] <Gildas> The bear spits before shapeshifting back. "That was for the Circle." He takes a breath and looks to the black point as well.
[19:50] <Feather> "Hey, that you, Dreamer?"
[19:56] <@Kotono> There's no reply from the point.
[19:57] <@Kotono> "Still, three left." Myann says, "If they didn't attack with the others, maybe they aren't here or they're making sure the Dreamer doesn't escape?"
[19:57] <Gildas> Gildas casts a detect magic on the point to see if he can figure it out!
[20:00] <@Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft.
[20:00] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18
[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+18 and gets 27." [1d20=9]
[20:00] <@Kotono> The dot is a control. Touch it and the room will move to another postiion through magic. The length of time you hold it determines how far you go.
[20:02] <Gildas> "Oh. It's a control." Gildas says as he reaches out for it to tentatively figure out how it works beyond that! He tries thinking 'up' to see if that works.
[20:04] <@Kotono> OOC: How long ar eyou holding it?
[20:04] <Gildas> OOC: A while.
[20:05] <Gildas> OOC: Unless you need something more specific, in that case 10 seconds.
[20:06] <@Kotono> The point is held. There's a faint sensation of swishing until it is let go. When it stops, you see you are elsewhere. Ahead is an empty black hall, no mushrooms here. Orange lines outline doors on either side, half a dozen on each wall before a dead end.
[20:07] <Gildas> "I think we're at the top now." Gildas says. "Shall we?"
[20:07] <Feather> "Uh."
[20:08] <@John> "I guess we search it top to bottom then?" John figures.
[20:08] <Feather> "Sure that works!"
[20:10] <Gildas> Gildas nods and starts forward to the first door on the left.
[20:11] * @John follows Gildas. May as well stick together.
[20:11] <@Kotono> Thus the party searches the room. Each leads to a large room filled with one thing: Books. Hundreds and hundreds of books in heaps and piles. There are books here in languages known and unknown. In addition, in a back room, you find one wall taken up by a map. This map has a flashing black point over a large forest. Beyond that, the map shows the continent of Galast - a vaguely familiar sight
[20:11] <@Kotono> from various books. You can see five other continents on a glance.
[20:12] <Gildas> "I think we might want to take that for the future." Gildas says and gestures at the map. "I have a feeling this castle won't be here for much longer, so we should take what we can."
[20:13] <@John> "Do we really need a map?" John asks. Then again Gildas is an avid book collector so who's he to argue?
[20:13] <@Kotono> OOC: Perception checks, y'all.
[20:14] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+18 and gets 30." [1d20=12]
[20:14] <Feather> roll 1d20+15
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+15 and gets 32." [1d20=17]
[20:14] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+16 Myann
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+16 Myann and gets 25." [1d20=9]
[20:15] <@John> roll 1d20+18
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+18 and gets 21." [1d20=3]
[20:15] <@Kotono> The party can hear the sound of something rising behind them. Glancing back, 10fta way a blank of black metal has risen. The same face as the door is on it, "Initializing...mantle...winter." OOC: Init.
[20:15] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Myann
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Myann and gets 16." [1d20=13]
[20:15] <@Kotono> roll 1d20-3 Face
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-3 Face and gets 10." [1d20=13]
[20:15] <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[20:15] <@John> roll 1d20+8
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+8 and gets 18." [1d20=10]
[20:16] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(21)>John(18)>Myann(16)>Face(10)'
[20:16] <Gildas> roll 1d20+4
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+4 and gets 24." [1d20=20]
[20:16] * Kotono changes topic to 'Gildas(24)>Feather(21)>John(18)>Myann(16)>Face(10)'
[20:16] <@Kotono> OOC: Go Gildas.
[20:18] <Gildas> Gildas shapeshifts into his Dire Bear form and ambles over and takes a swipe at the face!
[20:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+22
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+22  and gets 34." [1d20=12]
[20:19] <Gildas> OOC: I'd try SF but metal face and all
[20:19] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[20:19] <Gildas> roll 2d8+15+1d6+1d6 first is fire last is cold
[20:19] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 2d8+15+1d6+1d6 first is fire last is cold and gets 33." [2d8=7, 2][1d6=4][1d6=5]
[20:20] <@Kotono> Gildas waks up and gives it a dire bear palm. Its smashed in fairly good, the entire thing visibly dented. But it's not down, as the temperature in the room begins to noticably drop. OOC: Feather.
[20:21] * Feather puts a stop to that nonsense, lunging with Oak Feller!
[20:21] <Feather> roll 1d20+21
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+21 and gets 38." [1d20=17]
[20:22] <Feather> roll 1d6+7+2d12 it's always something uncrittable
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d6+7+2d12 it's always something uncrittable and gets 33." [1d6=4][2d12=12, 10]
[20:23] <@Kotono> The enchanted blade slices through the dented metal, bisecting it. The cold fades and silence once more comes - that is, before orange lines begin to glow over everything, spreading rapidly! OOC: Andw e'll pause there.

[Ebiris]

[18:12] <@Kotono> Orange lines spread all about over the black surface. Soon the room is criss-crossed by them in all ways, "Begin...mantle..." The same voice intones from all around, "Dragon." OOC: Init here.
[18:12] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Myann
[18:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Myann and gets 15." [1d20=12]
[18:12] <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[18:12] <Gildas> roll 1d20+4
[18:12] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 and gets 27." [1d20=17]
[18:12] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+4 and gets 20." [1d20=16]
[18:13] <@John> roll 1d20+8
[18:13] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+8 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
[18:13] <@Kotono> roll 1d20-3 face?
[18:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-3 face? and gets 15." [1d20=18]
[18:13] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(27)>Gildas=John(20)>Myann=Face?(15)'
[18:14] <@Kotono> OOC: Open Feather. The face you just chopped is down and doesn't look functional. The voice is coming from all around but has no visible target, or at least an obvious one.
[18:15] <Feather> "You see anything?" Feather calls out, deciding to test his previous idea and cut down the nearest orange line and the surface it runs through with Oak Feller!
[18:15] <Feather> roll 1d20+19
[18:15] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+19 and gets 35." [1d20=16]
[18:15] <Feather> roll 1d6+7+2d12
[18:15] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d6+7+2d12 and gets 23." [1d6=1][2d12=7, 8]
[18:17] <@Kotono> A line is sliced, going dark. But many more remain, even if that one is now silent. The crunch of broken glass follows, as orange liquid hisses and crackles against the air. OOC: Okay. Gildas.
[18:17] <@Kotono> "Dragon mantle?" Myann's eyes widen, looking back and forth wildly.
[18:18] <Gildas> The Dire Bear moves over to strike a paw at another orange line, trying the same thing as Feather!
[18:18] <Gildas> roll 1d20+22
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+22 and gets 31." [1d20=9]
[18:21] <@Kotono> OOC: Damage.
[18:22] <Gildas> roll 2d8+15+1d6+1d6 first is fire last is cold
[18:22] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 2d8+15+1d6+1d6 first is fire last is cold and gets 29." [2d8=1, 7][1d6=2][1d6=4]
[18:22] <@Kotono> More cracking glass follows another line giving out - then a few more around it do th esame, as well as around Feather's downed line. The remaining lines flicker a few times, going from orange to black. OOC: John.
[18:22] <@John> Feather probably has a good idea going, so John goes and slams the iron-shod head of his staff down where two lines cross each other.
[18:22] <@John> roll 1d20+21
[18:22] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+21 and gets 31." [1d20=10]
[18:23] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[18:23] <@John> roll 1d6+13
[18:23] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d6+13 and gets 15." [1d6=2]
[18:23] <@Kotono> CRACK! Yet another line gives, followed by over half the lines in the room fading out. Only a few scattered ones remain. Myann nods and quickly advances, sword plunging into one of the remaining ones.
[18:24] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+17
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+17 and gets 36." [1d20=19]
[18:24] <@Kotono> roll 1d8+10
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+10 and gets 18." [1d8=8]
[18:24] <@Kotono> Another line is impaled, and this time the remainder spark out. The voice intones, "Dragon..." it fades and fades and fades, only a few wisps of fire coming that are no danger, before ceasing entirely. OOC: Free act. Nice pickup.
[18:25] <Feather> "Dragon."
[18:25] <@John> "Well, guess we know to bash in those lines on every floor to save ourselves some trouble now," John says. "Still want to grab that map, Gildas?"
[18:26] <@Kotono> "Mantle." Myann finishes, "I almost wish I'd gotten that one. If nothing else, we'd have a hell of a lot less enemies willing to fight us."
[18:26] <Gildas> Gildas shapeshifts back and moves over to the map to see if it's something he could roll up and get into the Fairy's Backpack. "I'm sure they have one here if you really wanted it..."
[18:27] <@Kotono> It's a fairly large map, but he could do it if he likes. OOC: If you're taking it, post that in loot.
[18:27] <Gildas> He rolls the map up and slips it inside the backpack! OOC: Done.
[18:27] <Feather> "Ever met a dragon that won at anything?" Feather asks reasonably. "They all crazy."
[18:28] <@John> "I guess that's the point?" John figures. "I mean, even in stories they always get beaten by the knight or whatever. I figure the whole point of making dragons out to be so powerful is so the folk who beat them look even better."
[18:29] <Feather> "Yeah, and you're not gonna make some dumb knight look good by beating you! So no dragon mantles."
[18:29] <@Kotono> "Mmm. Ah well, I'm stuck with the mushrooms. They won't ever let me get away," Myann says with a smile.
[18:30] <Gildas> "Well, I suppose we should head back since there's nothing else here." Gildas says. He looks around for any books that jump out at him, intent on at least taking a few before they leave.
[18:30] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 38." [1d100=38]
[18:30] <@Kotono> There's a few interesting books. OOC: Post that you grabbed a few books, details can be hashed out later.
[18:30] <@John> "Next floor down?" John asks, not knowing how to work the thing. "Don't want them taking the Dreamer someplace else while we're going through their stuff."
[18:30] <Gildas> OOC: OK
[18:31] <Gildas> Gildas nods and heads back to the control device. "Yes."
[18:34] <@Kotono> OOC: How long do you hold it?
[18:34] <Gildas> OOC: About a second.
[18:36] <@Kotono> On holding the strange point, the party finds themselves in another place. There are no orange lines here, only absolute darkness. Then, before your eyes, orange lines spread everywhere. Great panes of glass hang from ropes on the ceiling, dozens of feet wide nad about a dozen feet tall. Each is blank and reflects none of the orange light. There are ten of them in all. Past them is the orange
[18:36] <@Kotono> outline of a door
[18:38] <Gildas> Gildas looks up at the panes of glass and simply frowns. "I wonder if we should just destroy them before they inevitably animate and attack us."
[18:39] <@Kotono> OOC: Quick K:A check, Gildas.
[18:39] <@Kotono> OOC: Do you have ranks?
[18:39] <@John> "May as well," John says, walking up to the nearest one to give it a whack.
[18:39] <Gildas> OOC: I do not.
[18:39] <@Kotono> OOC: Damage.
[18:40] <@John> roll 1d6+13
[18:40] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d6+13 and gets 19." [1d6=6]
[18:40] <@Kotono> The glass is hit hard - but John's knocked back and shakes all over! GAH! It's like hitting steel! Solid steel! It doesn't even dent.
[18:42] <Gildas> Gildas decides to cast a quick detect magic since, well...
[18:42] <@John> "Ahh!" John starts in alarm as he shakes from the impact. "Oh well never mind..." he says, going to open the door instead.
[18:42] <@Kotono> After that hit, the glass shifts. In it you see a mountaintop. Floating above the mountain top is a blue dragon, curled up in the air and on a bed of clouds. It looks to be asleep. All around are massive mountains, a panoramic view like nothing in the Vastwoods. Meanwhile...OOC: Spellcraft, Gildas. +4 bonus since you just saw an obvious demonstration.
[18:43] <Gildas> roll 1d20+18+4
[18:43] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+18+4 and gets 30." [1d20=8]
[18:45] <@Kotono> This looks to be some sort of scrying devise. It's automated and quite advanced. The glass is some sort of advanced focus. Meanwhile John opens the door. Here is a room full of orange-ringed pools of water. A person in thick black robes and hood kneels before one, not reacting when John comes in.
[18:46] <@John> "Hullo, you got a funny name and want to pick a fight with us?" John asks the black robed figure.
[18:48] <@Kotono> The figure doesn't even look up. "...Seer." She finally says, voice betraying her gender. She rises, face hidden in shadows. "I suppose this was bound to happen. Even if you hold death at bay, time and degeneration spares no one. Yes, I'll fight you on one condition. I want to see all of you with my own eyes, first."
[18:48] <Gildas> "They're all scrying devices." Gildas explains to the others before he glances in the direction of a new voice.
[18:49] <Feather> "Scry for the Dreamer?" Feather suggests.
[18:50] <@John> "Wasn't really picking a fight myself, just figured that's what you guys were into," John admits. "But look away, sure?"
[18:52] <Gildas> "I can try." Gildas walks up to one, still a bit distracted by the conversation John is having.
[18:52] <@Kotono> The figure advances out, looking all about. "So this is our downfall," she says, "A bunch of country hicks and a Sidhe who stayed sane. The worst part is...I can't see why you stayed sane." Her hidden gaze seems to be in Myann. "A fluke or a jest of fate?"
[18:53] <Feather> "If you can't beat them, join them," Feather quotes, turning towards the apparently ancient mage. "How about it? Help us out? Help the world?"
[18:55] <Gildas> "I'm really getting tired of being called a country hick." Gildas says while he taps one of the glass panes while thinking about the Dreamer's location.
[18:57] <@Kotono> "No. You killed my friends." She shakes her head slowly, Meanwhile, nothing happens to Gildas's tapping. "My family. The only people who understood what it was like to live this long. Just finish it so I can join them in whatever waits after this." She raises a hand, crackling electricity starting to gather there.
[18:57] <Feather> "Not all of them?"
[18:58] <Gildas> Gildas turns his attention to the woman and decides to come back to the scrying device later.
[18:59] <@Kotono> "If that traitor wants to run off, I don't care." The Seer's hand crackles, electricity starting togather in a ball there. "Die." She begins to bring her arm down as...OOC: Init here.
[18:59] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+5 seer
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 seer and gets 7." [1d20=2]
[18:59] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 4." [1d20=1]
[18:59] <Gildas> roll 1d20+4
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+4 and gets 12." [1d20=8]
[18:59] <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[18:59] <@John> roll 1d20+8
[18:59] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+8 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
[18:59] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(25)>John(20)>Gildas(12)>Seer(7)>MushroomMikoess(4)'
[18:59] <@Kotono> OOC: Open FEather. You're all within 10ft of her.
[19:00] <Feather> "Okay, guess you die then," Feather agrees, in the face of the ball of probably lethal lightning. He slips into the state of hyper focus he uses on particularly tricky opponents, and circles the Seer slowly before laying into her with his blades!
[19:01] <Feather> roll 1d20+19 dervishness, attacking after moving for 20ft
[19:01] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+19 dervishness, attacking after moving for 20ft and gets 33." [1d20=14]
[19:01] <Feather> roll 1d20+14 she can AoO me if she has the reflexes
[19:01] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+14 she can AoO me if she has the reflexes and gets 16." [1d20=2]
[19:01] <Feather> roll 1d20+19
[19:01] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+19 and gets 32." [1d20=13]
[19:02] <@Kotono> OOC: Allhit.
[19:03] <Feather> roll 2#1d6+7+2+5d6+1d6 last is fire
[19:03] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 2#1d6+7+2+5d6+1d6 last is fire and gets 69." [2#1d6+7+2+5d6+1d6 = 36, 33]
[19:03] <Feather> roll 1d6+5+2+5d6
[19:03] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d6+5+2+5d6 and gets 27." [1d6=2][5d6=3, 3, 4, 4, 4]
[19:04] <@Kotono> She doesn't even try to dodge. She leans into the blades instead, turning deep wounds into being cut in half. She's cut horizonally around the stomach, her legs and hips falling forward while her upper body falls back. Blood flows out everywhere as she gasps, "Hurts...so much..." She raises a hand up, as if to do or reach for something, but it falls back after a moment. Seconds later, her corpse
[19:04] <@Kotono> dissolves into light, much of which flows into Feather. OOC: Free act. Loot.
[19:05] <Gildas> "Death is too good for people like this." Gildas says with disgust.
[19:06] <@Kotono> "She just gave up," Myann looks away with a little sigh, "At least the others fought for what they did all this for. She just gave up!"
[19:06] * Feather just shakes his head.
[19:06] <Gildas> Gildas goes to the back room and looks around at the pools to see if one already happens to be on the Dreamer anyway.
[19:06] <@John> "Yeah, it was kinda sad," John agrees. "Guess we keep going down till we find the Dreamer?"
[19:07] <Gildas> "How many does that leave? Two?" Gildas asks from the room.
[19:07] <@Kotono> Sheathing her blade once more, "We're just dealing with sad elders. Ugh. All the high talk and they're nothing but this. Nothing but normal. I think so, Gildas," Myann calls.
[19:07] <Feather> "Yeah. Soon it won't be a fellowship."
[19:08] <@Kotono> None of the pools in the back turn on with casually interfacing by them.
[19:08] <Gildas> Gildas sighs. "I'll have to figure these out later, if this thing doesn't crash." He walks out and back past the mirrors and to the control.
[19:08] <Gildas> OOC: I'll hold it for a second again once we go.
[19:12] <@Kotono> Down you go. This time you end up in a hall. Only a few orange lines support anything here. Again, there are doors on both walls, but more than last time, and with a door at the far end leading deeper in.
[19:12] <Gildas> "Do you want to open them all or just go to the end?" Gildas asks while he moves to one of the doors on the left side.
[19:13] <@John> "Gotta check them all," John says, going down the right hand side.
[19:15] <@Kotono> Most of the rooms are simply empty - but about halfway down, Gildas finds one with something. Sitting in there is a simple figure - that of a pixie. A pixie from stories. She's tiny, cute and has vibrant pink hair and wears a dress of green. No stinger, no rocks jutting out, nothing Sidhe-like at all. She sits on a tiny chair sized for her, in a room filled with tiny furniture and the like.
[19:16] <Gildas> Gildas gestures to the others and moves out of the way so they can all see.
[19:17] <@John> "No way!" John says in shocke after coming over to look.
[19:18] <Gildas> "Do you feel anything, Myann?" Gildas glances at her, then back to the pixie. "Does this mean we can find something here to just modify mantles, I wonder?"
[19:18] <Feather> "Are you an ancient wizard?" Feather asks the little girl.
[19:18] <@Kotono> "Nothing. It's not a Sidhe," she says, "I mean, you know how Sidhe can tell other Sidhe? That doesn't feel like one at all."
[19:19] <Gildas> "Oh... I suppose it's possible this is one of the two left." Gildas admits. "I hope not."
[19:19] <@Kotono> The pixie looks up. There's a long moment when she stares, before starting to laugh. A hysterical, all-consuming laughter, only managing to feebly point at Feather. "Ahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
[19:19] <@John> "I guess... she's entertained?" John says uncertainly, looking at Feather.
[19:19] * Feather shrugs.
[19:21] <@Kotono> It takes time for her to stop laughinig. She wipes at her eyes and smiles, "Oh...oh...I suppose I am entertained. And don't call me a Sidhe. I am a fey. A pixie." She takes to the air, "What we would be if not for the mantles. My name is Tangles. I'm told my birth was a mistake, a mutation, since I have the old blood instead of that of the mantles. At least it's what those humans told me before
[19:21] <@Kotono> sealing me up in here."
[19:22] <Feather> "Well, we're unsealing you!"
[19:22] <Gildas> "We're here to find a... friend of ours and to put an end to this ridiculous organization." Gildas says with a nod to Feather.
[19:22] <@Kotono> That gets the fairy to fly over and around. She hovers around John's head before sitting there. "I'll take the highground," she announces in a sing-song. "I hope you killed them all!"
[19:23] <@John> "Hullo tangles. That's Feather, Gildas, Myann, and I'm John," John provides the introductions, marvelling at the sight of an ordinary pixie. He does flinch a bit when she lands on his head, but since no honey comes forth he figures... it's probably safe.
[19:23] <Gildas> "Not quite yet." Gildas admits before he moves to step back into the hallway.
[19:23] <Feather> "There's two left. And one, uh, didn't want to be killed so he went away. That's okay."
[19:24] <@John> "Hey, I just had an idea!" John blurts out, "What if we used Tangles here when we're rewriting the mantles, instead of Myann? So instead of mushrooms it'll just be... normal? Like, would that be different than just removing the mantles, keep everyone from dying?"
[19:25] <@Kotono> "I have no idea what you're talking about, but I like the cut of your jibe," Tangles says cheerfully.
[19:25] <@Kotono> OOC: Going to explore the rest of the rooms?
[19:25] <Gildas> "It's worth looking into." Gildas responds. "We'll explain once we're out of here."
[19:25] <Gildas> OOC: Yar
[19:30] <@Kotono> The rest of the rooms are empty - save the door at the end. Within is the room you saw before, where the Dreamer is held. Her eyes are closed, yet words come. The restof her seems real, too real. Hyperreal. It hurts to look at. But her words can be heard, "Dream, dream, dream. So many broken dreams here. Shattered like glass in a storm."
[19:30] <@Kotono> Yet this time, no fatigue comes. Instead, all of you can taste mushrooms in your mouth. It's a faint sensation and passes quickly.
[19:31] <@John> "Well our dreams are better," John says, going over and trying to see if there's any restraints he can remove from the Dreamer.
[19:32] <Gildas> "They'll be lucky if all they get is shattered dreams." Gildas says as he moves to the other side as John to do the same thing.
[19:33] <@Kotono> There are indeed, but they are easily undone. Once done, the Dreamer rises. It becomes too much to look at. Eyes are averted out of instinct, as her voice is heard more. "So many dreams. What will you do with this dream now?"
[19:33] <Gildas> "Are the last two still here?" Gildas asks. "Or have they left?"
[19:34] <Feather> "Yeah, give those two nightmares?"
[19:35] <@Kotono> "Their dreams are gone. Gone, gone, gone. Gond in the wind. Gone to far away. Lost ot the dreams of cowardice." A chuckle comes, "Nightmares will be their dreams now." For a moment something else overlays the Dreamer's voice. It is something ethereal and soundless, yet makes each of you shiver in profound, gut-wretching horror. When it has passed, "Mushroom Princess. Friends. What will you do
[19:35] <@Kotono> with this dream?"
[19:36] <Gildas> "I think you have the right to do what you want." Gildas says. "Don't you have your own opinion?"
[19:37] <@John> "Yeah, we're probably gonna take away your mantle," John agrees. "You okay with that?"
[19:38] <@Kotono> "Then if not in this realm, then in the realm of dreams I will forever life. Life, life, life, forever in dreams." The Dreamer intones, "I care little for this reality now. The Circle is broken. The Mushroom Princess and her court rises. I defer to her, as it is her place."
[19:38] <@Kotono> "Listen to them, not me," Myann shakes her head, "I've never wanted this authority. Each of them have good heads on them, you know."
[19:39] <Feather> "Sure thing. It's about time something went right," Feather muses. "So, uh, what are we talking about here? When you ask what we should do with the dream, what can we do with a dream anyways?"
[19:40] <@Kotono> The arms of the Dreamer spread wide, "The castle. This castle. This castle. This castle." Slowly she drops her arms, "Will you  make this dream your own or allow it to fade away into morning's sunshine?"
[19:40] <Gildas> "She's asking what we want to do with her." Gildas says. "I think the best thing is for her to go to the Sidhe side and find a place that suits her."
[19:40] <@John> "I don't really care about the castle. Let it go away to wherever," John shrugs at that.
[19:41] <Gildas> "There's a lot here." Gildas says. "I'd like some time to go through it, if I could..."
[19:41] <Feather> "Think it's pretty nice," Feather adds, for his part. "Could use lots more light. Can we add that?"
[19:42] <@Kotono> "If you wish." The Dreamer's hands out, "To make this dream your own, take my hand, Mushroom Princess. Your power is the key. Your mantle has grown stronger than mine. Were this any other situation, a Circle would rise around you for the safety of all. But...I dream that soon there will be no more need for a Circle."
[19:45] <Gildas> "Wait... so the panther... and the fish... were from you?" Gildas blinks.
[19:45] <@Kotono> Myann considers and sighs, "Nevermind that a moment. What do all of you think?" she looks to each in turn.
[19:45] <@Kotono> OOC: Not to you, Gildas, just line collision.
[19:46] <@John> John just shrugs. "What would we ever even do with a place like this?"
[19:47] <Feather> "It can fly and teleport and all that? Let's put the castle just outside town?"
[19:47] <Gildas> Gildas rubs his chin. "We could keep it hidden and flying so it doesn't bother people, right?"
[19:49] <Gildas> "Hey, wait a minute. Do you think this can get through the lava?" Gildas asks all of a sudden.
[19:49] <@Kotono> "That's a thought," Myann says, "But how would we get it down there in the first place? We're just assuming it can teleport."
[19:50] <Feather> "Maybe it could just teleport between here and the place below? Or above, I guess? So we don't need to swim for hours through water and fly all that time?"
[19:50] <Gildas> "Good point." He nods.
[19:56] <@Kotono> "If what's what you all want," Myann says, "Are you sure? I don't want to use my mantle for this lightly."
[19:57] <Gildas> "I think this place will be valuable to us, whether it can teleport or not." Gildas says with a nod. "If I can help somehow, I'd be happy to."
[19:57] <@John> "Well we've still got that boat we can find, haven't we?" John says.
[19:59] <@Kotono> "I don't know if you can," Myann says, but offers one hand out, "Take my hand or arm. It's worth a shot."
[20:00] <Gildas> Gildas nods and takes Myann's hand! "Well, we received some fragment of power from some other Sidhe, so maybe..."
[20:07] * Feather glances at John. "We going for this," he asks, "or you really hate the castle?"
[20:09] <@John> "I don't hate it I just don't think it's any use," John says. "And doesn't using her mantle risk making her go crazy?" he asks, nodding towards Myann. "Still, I guess if we've all got a bit of Sidhe power like Gildas says we can try and take the load off, so..." he shrugs and takes Gildas's free hand, leaving Myann's for Feather.
[20:10] <Feather> "Okay, then! Myann, we've got your back!"
[20:10] <@Kotono> OOC: Taking her hand?
[20:11] <Feather> OOC: yes
[20:11] <@Kotono> With hands and arms grasped, Myann nods and extends her other hand out, taking the Dreamer's. Then - OOC: Cha checks, all.
[20:11] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Myann
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 Myann and gets 23." [1d20=19]
[20:11] <@John> roll 1d20+1
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "John rolls 1d20+1 and gets 12." [1d20=11]
[20:11] <Feather> roll 1d20+1
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+1 and gets 21." [1d20=20]
[20:11] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+3 and gets 22." [1d20=19]
[20:13] <@Kotono> The world seems to shift and omve as...OOC: Aaaand we'll apuse there for the day!

[Ebiris]

[18:02] <@Kotono> Ugh. Ugh. What happened? Each of the party has a pounding headache as they begin to return to awareness. Your eyes are heavy and sticky, as if gummed over. You feel sore all over and each of you is laying on something cool and hard.
[18:03] * @John groans and rubs his eyes without getting up.
[18:04] <Gildas> Gildas makes a similar noise and reaches up to his face to rub at it while slowly moving to sit up but not move much else.
[18:05] <@Kotono> "Oww." Myann groans. John clears thick crust away from his eyes, slowly able to open them. The party lies on a white stone floor. You are in a large room of a white, airy castle. Everything is bright, with tall windows letting in a great deal of sunshine. You can see outside - the forest is around you, and above you can see the beautiful, clear blue sky. The room itself is less of a room and
[18:05] <@Kotono> more of a hall. Decorated pillars are about, forming a red-carpeted hallway further in.
[18:06] <Feather> "Everyone here?" Feather calls out, keeping an arm over his eyes.
[18:06] <@John> "What... where're we?" John asks weakly, slowly sitting up and rubbing his head.
[18:06] <@Kotono> Nearby, Tangles slowly picks herself up from besides John. "Ooooow," she groans slowly, rubbing the side of her head.
[18:07] <Gildas> "Did it... land?" Gildas asks as he slowly pushes himself back to his feet. "I'm... is this the same...?"
[18:07] <@Kotono> "Think so," Myann manages to sit up and look around. She looks behind the party - a tall set of ornate doors are ajar, showing a path to outside.
[18:10] <Gildas> "I hope we didn't land on anyone." He remarks. "Should we... look around? I mean, if this is our castle..."
[18:10] <@Kotono> Myann slowly manages to get to her feet, "We should," she agrees, "I mean, if we did this, we should know what happened." Rubbing her eyes once up, "Even if I feel like I did after a planting day."
[18:11] <Feather> "Look at it from outside, first?" Feather suggests with a grimace, climbing to his feet.
[18:11] <@Kotono> Tangles flutters up to John's head, belly-flopping onto it and holding on.
[18:12] <Gildas> Gildas nods and slowly makes his way towards the door to the outside to check it out from there! "Also, I wonder where the Dreamer got off to...? Maybe she's gone back to the other side."
[18:12] <@John> "Yeah, I'm knackered," John agrees, ignoring Tangles' presence on his head aside from a relieved mental note of the lack of honey. But still, he gets up and ambles towards the open door.
[18:14] <@Kotono> The party heads outside. Outside you can see the immediate area has been cleared of trees and growth. Pleasantly maintained lawns stretch around the castle. A broad, cobblestone path goes ahead, and in the distance you can see Holset - as well a few distant people approaching from it, but they'll take several minutes to get here, looks like. The castle itself is white stone with red tiled roofs
[18:14] <@Kotono> and tower-tops, as well as with red pennants flying from atop those towers. A central tower rises much higher than the others, decorated by many red flags atop it. The sky above is clear save for a few puffy clouds,
[18:14] <@Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[18:15] <@Kotono> The party heads outside. Outside you can see the immediate area has been cleared of trees and growth. Pleasantly maintained lawns stretch around the castle. A broad, cobblestone path goes ahead, and in the distance you can see Holset - as well a few distant people approaching from it, but they'll take several minutes to get here, looks like. The castle itself is white stone with red tiled roofs
[18:15] <@Kotono> and tower-tops, as well as with red pennants flying from atop those towers. A central tower rises much higher than the others, decorated by many red flags atop it. The sky above is clear save for a few puffy clouds and the bright sun. Looking about, you can also see a few golden blocks just off the main entrance, hovering out of the way.
[18:16] <@John> "Well... dunno if it'll be flying anywhere now," John concludes after looking around.
[18:16] <Feather> "Looks like it's your castle," Feather tells Myann at the sight.
[18:17] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "Maybe we can... er... turn that back on, or something...?" He shakes his head. "It looks much more pleasant than the black, at least..."
[18:17] <@Kotono> "It's your castle," she bats back, "Or ours if you insist, but I really don't want that sort of thing. Princess or not," she adds with a little shake of her head. "It's nicer to look at than a black thing in the sky. So." Drawing herself up at that, "What do we do with it now?"
[18:19] * @John shrugs, not having any interest in it himself. Missy Anne would probably love it.
[18:19] <Feather> "Wait for folks from town to catch up, explore it together?"
[18:19] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "We may as well, if they want to come inside. I don't think we fully explored it last time."
[18:20] <@Kotono> Myann nods, a large, broad mushroom appearing to serve as a seat. She sits on it, "I wish I was a city folk sometimes. I'd probably appreciate stupid amounts of wealth and windfalls like this."
[18:22] <@Kotono> It's not too long for everyone to arrive. Robert's first, followed by several of the brood. He stands before it, hands on hips, "What in TARNATION did all of you do this time?!" The Missus follows along with Em, the two staring with big eyes.
[18:23] <@Kotono> Rashen's next, just giving it a long look over before whistling.
[18:23] <@Kotono> Missy-Anne's next, looking utterly transfixed. She then turns to John and casually asks, "John, do you own that or some of that?"
[18:23] <Gildas> "Do you want the actual story, or one that sounds better to retell to people?" Gildas asks with a small smile.
[18:24] <@Kotono> Hylath follows along, "I haven't seen a castle like this since the time I saw images of Sal Farano," he comments, "Truly, most impressive!"
[18:24] <@John> "These guys had a big flying castle, right? So we took it off them and it turned into that," he jerks his thumb at the edifice. At Missy Anne's question he just shrugs, "Dunno if we ever figured on ownership really. Never much wanted it meself."
[18:24] <Feather> "It was real ugly and dark," Feather adds him own insight. "Looks much better now, don't it?"
[18:25] <@Kotono> "Oooh, ooh," Several of the brood dash off, heading for insi-"Stop that, children!" The Missus raises her voice, "Stop that right now!"
[18:25] <@Kotono> "Much better," Robert agrees, "So we have a real, fancy castle now?"
[18:26] <Gildas> "We were just about to go in and re-explore it." Gildas says. "We'd taken a look around before, but it's probably nicer-looking now."
[18:28] <@John> "Oh hey, and this is Tangles," John gestures to the pixie on his head. "She's a fairy, but like, a real one without any weird mantles or stuff so she looks nice instead of freaky!"
[18:31] <@Kotono> "Hi?" Tangles slowly waves, Missy-Anne looking up, "Oh, she's adorable!" she gushes, as meanwhile Robert nods and the party steps inside. The first floor is full of things - halls, meeting rooms, an armory (equipped but a check shows no magical weapons or armor), a library full of books that look familiar (Gildas is fairly sure they're the same ones they saw earlier in the black castle). As you
[18:31] <@Kotono> continue to search, you come to a chamber in the back. Here are two thick stone doors, with an engraved image of a Growth Mushroom above them.
[18:34] <Gildas> "Any ideas?" He asks before he moves up to one of the doors.
[18:34] <Feather> "Try pushing them open? If that don't work, Myann summons that mushroom and you try again?
[18:35] <Gildas> He nods and moves over to try and open one of the doors!
[18:37] <@Kotono> The door is opened. Ahead is...mushrooms. Mushrooms all over. Mushrooms of every shape and size. A wave of happiness settles over the party as you see the mushrooms. You swear the mushrooms look...happy, somehow. In any case, the mushrooms weave together to form many boxes and chests. Within them you can see glittering golden coins, like the kind that come out of the golden blocks.
[18:37] <@John> "Those... those are some chipper mushrooms alright."
[18:38] <@Kotono> Missy-Anne emits a sound something like a squeal. "Look at THAT," she whispers.
[18:38] <Feather> "Must be city shrooms."
[18:39] <Gildas> "I guess this is a mushroom... storehouse?" Gildas says.
[18:40] <@Kotono> For some reason Myann starts to laugh, "City shrooms?" she turns to Feather with a wide smile.
[18:41] <Feather> "Yep."
[18:42] <Gildas> OOC: Do both doors lead to the same place, or are they two seperate doors?
[18:42] <@Kotono> Robert whistles low. "Impressive. If all of you weren't sitting on a ton of gold already."
[18:42] <Gildas> OOC: *separate
[18:42] <@Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[18:43] <Feather> "Still got a ship to fix. Going through lava's hard!"
[18:43] <@Kotono> Myann steps forward, "The mushrooms are telling me there's something back this way, too," Myann says, "Come along."
[18:43] * Feather perks up. "Oh, now we're talking! Lead on!"
[18:44] <Gildas> Gildas will follow suit!
[18:46] <@Kotono> In the back of the treasury, the mushrooms part and reveal a stairway going down. It leads down a winding stair. At the bottom is a torch-lit, broad chamber. Here you see the glass panes of scrying from before. Each one ripples now as you look at them, like water stirred by the wind. Several of them have images within: One of Holset near the Holset Farm, one of Malaines, another outside of
[18:46] <@Kotono> Vasili's lair, a fourth of the Circle, another of the white dragon's lair, one of the gem tree near cave that leads from this layer to the one below and one that looks to be the empty, silent shrikes.
[18:47] * Feather checks to see if it's only a way to look there or this strange newfangled teleportation magic.
[18:47] <Feather> roll 1d20+17 spellcraft
[18:47] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+17 spellcraft and gets 25." [1d20=8]
[18:49] <@John> "Wow, you can look at all sorts of places," John says, peering into one of the panes.
[18:49] <@Kotono> Feather studies the portals. They look to be indeed portals - one way trips to what's shown. As long as someone's on the other side and puts an arm or body part through, you can come back through, though. Otherwise they're one way and of no threat of anything coming through them.
[18:50] * Feather laughs.
[18:51] <Gildas> Gildas goes past them to see if the room that had the pools in it still exists!
[18:51] <Feather> "It does do what we wanted to after all!" he exclaims, turning towards Gildas. "See, we can just go all the way below in a flash without flying and swimming for hours! Well, so long as someone stand in the portal. I guess. Maybe a mushroom could do that?"
[18:52] <Gildas> Gildas blinks and then laughs as well. "It's almost a bit boring."
[18:53] <Feather> "You want excitement, you can just return the hard way on your own."
[18:53] <@Kotono> "It'll make our efforts a lot easier," Myann says, as the others study the portals. "We can do everything we need to in preparation for that trip."
[18:53] <@John> "I wasn't looking forward to trying to drag stuff down that tunnel between those lakes," John admits.
[18:54] <Feather> "So wanna drop by Vasili?" Feather suggests. "Maybe someone can stick a hand through that here portal in a couple hours? Keep at it for ten minutes, then we'll get back, no fuss?"
[18:54] <@Kotono> The door to the back is still there. In the back you find just two remaining. One is surrounded by stones and looks like an amazingly clear scrying pool. The other is a deep blue, and you swear you can dimly see water elementals splashing around in the depths.
[18:56] <Gildas> Gildas chuckles. "I see. How interesting." He nods to himself and walks back to the others. "Certainly. There's probably a lot more of the castle to look through, as well. I'd like some time to go through all their books, but that... will probably take a while, so I can do it while everyone else is busy."
[18:58] <@John> "I'm not doing anything right now," John admits. "What we seeing the vampire for?" he asks nonetheless.
[19:02] <Gildas> "I have a few questions for him." Gildas says. "It's also possible he might know something about our dearly departed organization. He might've even met them!"
[19:03] <@John> "Alright. You wanna stay here, Tangles?" John asks the pixie on his head, figuring she probably doesn't want to meet a creepy vampire.
[19:03] <Feather> "Or he's one of them," Feather mutters. "Might be awkward."
[19:04] <Gildas> "I don't... think he is. Call it a gut feeling."
[19:04] <Feather> "Said he had a friend who was into scrying," Feather recalls, gesturing about them. "Could've been this girl."
[19:05] <Gildas> "It's possible, but I don't think he'd have been quite as hospitable to us in the past." He shakes his head. "We'll find out either way."
[19:05] <@Kotono> Tangles floats off, "I think I want to go back outside into the sunlight."
[19:06] * Feather shrugs. "Even if he is, gonna give him the same offer the others got. We don't need no trouble."
[19:07] <@John> And there definitely won't be any of that where he's going! "Have fun."
[19:07] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "Sounds good to me."
[19:09] <@Kotono> OOC: So if I'm reading this right, Feather'n'Gildas are gonna go visit while John stays here?
[19:10] <@John> OOC: I'm coming too
[19:11] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay then.
[19:11] <@Kotono> WIth that, the party passes through the portal. There's a strange sensation - growing, blossoming, sprouting, shedding spores - before the party stands before Vasili's abode. It doesn't look like it's changed at all since your last visit.
[19:12] <Gildas> Gildas steps forward to use the gargoyle knocker like always.
[19:16] <@Kotono> Myann hms, "Strange," she murmurs as she follows along. The knocker is used and soon the door opens. Abraham is there, who merely nods and heads inside.
[19:17] <Gildas> Gildas heads inside!
[19:19] <@Kotono> The party heads inside. Soon you are in the kitchens, Vasili rising from his seat. Igor goes back to a meal, the scent of richly cooking foods filling the air. Mmm, smells like roasted chicken with something special. "Friends," he greets, "It's been a while."
[19:20] <Feather> "Hey there," Feather greets him. "Everything okay?"
[19:20] <Gildas> "I hope your trip was enjoyable." Gildas says with a smile.
[19:21] <@John> "Hullo," John greets him with a nod.
[19:21] <@Kotono> "It was," He returns that with his own smile, "Everything is well now. Abraham here is preparing a meal, if you'd care to join me."
[19:23] <Gildas> "I can only imagine the types of trips you'd need to go on." He says and then nods to the others. "We may as well, if we're not imposing."
[19:25] <@John> "Alright," John says. He does put a good spread on, he'll give him that.
[19:25] <Feather> "Would give us a chance to catch up," Feather agrees. "About the problem we had, and about this secret mage fellowship."
[19:26] <@Kotono> Vasili pauses at that, stopping mid-sit down. "Beg pardon, but could you say that again?"
[19:29] <Feather> "The fellowship?"
[19:31] <@Kotono> Sitting down now, "Yes, that. I didn't think you'd run in the same circles," he admits.
[19:32] <Gildas> "It's a bit of a story." Gildas says. "But I take it from that you knew them from... I would guess a while back?"
[19:32] <Feather> "They tried to kill us," Feather elaborates. "So now they're the fellowship of two plus one. Self-defense, the other seven."
[19:35] <@Kotono> "Off and on. They're..." he pauses at that, "Were one of the pre-eminent magical groups in the region. Probably the best." Nodding to them all, "They should have been wiser than to rouse a fairy's wrath. They really should have known better."
[19:36] <Feather> "Especially since they're the ones who made the fairies into what the are, you mean? All power and low on sanity?"
[19:37] <Gildas> Gildas nods and takes a seat. "Exactly. And you know us, we're... pretty open to people, even if they aren't what you'd call traditional." He smiles.
[19:37] <@Kotono> "What?" Vasili stops and stares at Feather, "Where did you get that idea?"
[19:38] <@Kotono> "They told us and we know it's true," Myann speaks up now, clearing her throat before that. "They objected to what we were doing and we came to a disagreement. It didn't work out for them."
[19:39] <Feather> "And then we found one of the fey from that time that's still sane and he said the same thing."
[19:42] <@Kotono> "...well then." Vasili says after a long pause, as meanwhile Abraham brings over the meal. Roasted chicken, vegetables, fried potatoes, gravy, rolls and wine.
[19:43] <Feather> "Were you around, back then?" Feather asks curiously.
[19:43] <@Kotono> Pausing to seemingly gather his thoughts, "A sane...and...what happens now?" he says, "I fear events have gone far beyond my normal range."
[19:43] <@Kotono> "Back before...no." He slowly shakes his head, "I'm aware there was a war of some sort, but I don't predate it."
[19:44] <@John> "We need to figure out a way to fix the mantles so fey aren't crazy or super overpowered, and without killing a whole bunch of them off," John speaks up now.
[19:44] <Gildas> "We're going to eventually take a trip down below to where the secret... ah, is stored, I suppose is the way to put it." Gildas says. "We're working on leads and gathering as much information as we can."
[19:45] <Feather> "Now, we change the world," Feather fills him in. "Not now, now. But soon, now. Like John said, we're looking for a good way to do that. Would help if you could check with the two that's left that they're staying out of it? And any ideas you got on this yourself?"
[19:48] <@Kotono> Vasili sits back, not even reacting to the feast laid out. "I can put in a contact, but they don't always reply quickly," he finally says. "Right now, no. I need time to think."
[19:49] * @John doesn't have any compunctions against digging in, heavy topics or no.
[19:49] <@Kotono> Myann fixes herself up a plate in the meantime. "We could use help. The Fellowship was worried that if the Sidhe were sane and had the full power of the mantles, they'd dominate the entire world. A concern I'm finding more credible as my own mantle strengthens. Removing them entirely has their own problems, and leaving the Sidhe insane isn't an option."
[19:50] <Feather> "So far, here's our choices. Leave things as is, and the fey are crazy and hurt people. Change things so fey don't got mantles anymore, and it probably kills most of them. Or fix their sanity, and suddenly you have all these archmages flying around and they've got actual ambitions beyond having fun. See, that's all bad options? The last one is what we'll do if we got no choice, but
[19:50] <Feather> we want a fourth all the same."
[19:51] <Gildas> "I wonder what the fey would say if we asked them what they'd end up doing." Gildas muses. "They probably couldn't really comprehend the idea..."
[19:51] <@John> "There's also the 'put Myann in charge' one," John chimes in.
[19:52] <@Kotono> "I really don't want to be some Sidhe queen," Myann says, "Letting my mantle do it would make a world of mushrooms." She sits back and sighs, "Maybe we could direct that to be productive like with the castle, but I'd still prefer another option."
[19:53] <Feather> "So that's our troubles. Got any of your own?" Feather asks all of a sudden.
[19:53] <@John> "I still reckon Tangles could be handy for clearing away the mantles without killing them," John says.
[19:55] <@Kotono> "Nothing like this," Vasili laughs, sounding rather strangled. "This secret place. Is there any sort of magical dweomer or pattern to study there?"
[19:56] <Feather> "Probably."
[19:57] <Gildas> "There's probably information in the castle." Gildas says. "I can look through it all and see if that gives us any insight."
[19:58] <@Kotono> "If I can examine that, I can say more," Vasili finallys ays, "A chance to study the mantle system is incredible."
[19:59] <@Kotono> Going on, excitement leaking into his voice, "If you could change it and even understand it? The magic that could be netted from that is incalculable.
[19:59] <@Kotono> "
[20:01] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "You're more than welcome to come visit the castle if you'd like to look through the books there. Oh, I also found a map while we were there, if you wanted to see it. You probably already have something similar, though." He chuckles.
[20:01] <@Kotono> Nodding, "An entire castle's library of books? Yes, yes, I think I will. Where is the castle?"
[20:03] <Gildas> Gildas gives him general directions. "You really... ah... can't miss it..."
[20:06] <Gildas> "There were some books there in languages I wasn't familiar with. Your help with those would be greatly appreciated. If you know what they are and could teach me, that'd be even better." He adds.
[20:06] <@Kotono> "Wait, you have a castle there?" Vasili stops, "By your home?" He stares, "How?!"
[20:06] <Feather> "Mushroom magic."
[20:07] <Gildas> "Ah... we... yes. We repurposed their old one...?" He says, unsure of exactly what it was.
[20:07] <Gildas> "Used to be able to fly, shoot lightning... kind of black and orange?"
[20:10] <@Kotono> "Oh." Vasili just sits back, the sounds of eating as John and Myann continue on their meal. Myann pauses and dabs her lips clean with a napkin before, "My  mantle's gotten much stronger, and all of us have gotten stronger as well. I'm called the Mushroom Princess now. You've missed a fair bit."
[20:12] * Feather shrugs, deciding he may as well eat too given all this great food.
[20:12] <@Kotono> There's no reply from Vasili for a bit, before he finally says, "I have," he agrees, "I'll be at that castle sometime after midnight tonight," he says. "It seems I have work to catch up on. Abraham, prepare for another trip."
[20:14] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "I can show you something when you come by, then. I think your expertise might help me."