061: Out of the blue and into the black

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> And so the party spends a quiet night in the midst of the bustling capital before getting their affairs in order for more travel. Given Rosemund's persistently subdued humor this day in particular, no one proves able to generate interest in going out to see the town and bedtime happens early without much fanfare. Meeting for breakfast in the common room the next morning, Rosemund's mood is...still far from upbeat, but more tranquil than the day before, at the least.
* Franceska is, by comparison, even more sullen than usually.
<Steph> Stephanie's is anything but. Irritation shows plain on her face, and she hacks into morning meal with viciousness usually reserved for living targets.
<El-Cideon> "I'm sure we'll find her," Marina breaks the ice by saying, evidently presuming missing persons the cause of everyone's unease.
<Julia> Julia seems fairly serene herself, quietly chewing on her breakfast and looking out the window. After swallowing she turns to Marina, "Speaking of, we'll be going to the fire and then negative energy planes. I rather doubt they were in your plans when you joined us on our trip. Shall we detour to Arborea first?"
<Steph> "You won't like fire. It's hot and nothing grows there."
<Franceska> "Most of the people who live there are slavers," Franceska agrees dejectedly.
<Steph> "They mostly enslave women."
<Julia> "That boat crew was nice, I thought," Julia says in fire's defence.
<El-Cideon> "We killed the ones that did that," Rosemund says to Stephanie. To Marina: "I am sure that we will too..." She leaves unspoken obvious questions about the vitality of her aunt by that time. "...but I was thinking of something else. I suppose that is selfish! But my mind went somewhere else last night."
<Franceska> "You had a nightmare as well?"
<Steph> Stephanie shudders.
<Julia> "Strange dreams seem to affect us all at the same time, don't they? I would hardly call mine a nightmare though. It was actually quite uplifting!" Julia says for her own part. No terrible scary stars this time!
<El-Cideon> Rosemund shakes her head. "I would not call it that," she says. "Oh, there was a frightful mob that wanted to burn me alive at first but complicated things happened and I had to heal some people and by the end of it an angel was making sure everybody understood that what we do is more important than how we look. Which I suppose that I knew already...but it is still nice to hear someone of sound virtue agreeing with me, yes?"
<Franceska> "I went to hell and was judged for the crimes of being nice occasionally, killing slavers and knowing Stephanie." Distraught, she asks, "Is knowing Stephanie really a reason to go to hell?"
<El-Cideon> "I slept in perfect oblivion," Marina says with a shrug. "Franceska, none of those sound like reasons a person would go to Hell."
<Steph> "Hey, I'm not that bad of an influence!"
<Franceska> "Well I can't think of anything else I actually did!"
<Steph> "It's Hell! They just make shit up!"
<Franceska> "I'm never going to die."
<El-Cideon> "I suppose maybe those are crimes in Hell's estimation?" Marina guesses. "You know, I should think it an encouraging sign to earn their disapproval."
<Steph> "Everyone dies," points out Stephanie. "Some just deal with it better. Hey, Julia, pass the salt."
<Julia> "Usually those are actions that would get one out of hell," Julia says. And since they're sharing she adds, "I had an educational discussion on the nature of sacrifice with an undead king. What really stuck me was the end, he mentioned how an eternal life could certainly cause one to lose their humanity, but with an eternity there'd also be so much to *give* instead!" she concludes happily.
<Julia> "It goes well with that lovely painting, too."
<Julia> She also passes Stephanie the salt.
* Franceska drops her head down on the table.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund looks at Stephanie expectantly.
<Steph> Stephanie sprinkles it liberally upon her remaining eggs. "I dreamed about being a town guard. And that was bad enough, but he'd forgotten about everything except being a town guard! He thought 'showing up to work a minute late' constituted an act of rebellion! And he couldn't remember anything about who he was, only that he was a fucking guard and he had to guard the some place because those were his orders." She shudders
<Steph> "Eventually he ran away," she adds, lamely. "Because his friend did and he followed. A born follower."
* Julia looks towards Rosemund. "I think we got the best ones," she confides.
<Franceska> "That sounds like someone who should go to hell," Franceska voices miserably.
<Steph> "Sounded to me like he was already there," points out Stephanie. "Are you actually worried about this?" she asks Franceska, pointedly. "Lawyer jokes aside, have you so much as kicked a cat that didn't deserve it?"
<El-Cideon> "Yes, by comparison I am satisfied with the dream that I had," Rosemund says.
<Franceska> "Something tells me no one cares, and certainly not amongst those who decide such things."
<El-Cideon> "Well, who *does* decide those things?" Rosemund asks. "Franceska, I have not seen you do anything that a person should go to Hell for. And that is what decides it, right? What we actually do?"
<Franceska> "Who knows? Did we ever meet a human who died after they died to check?"
<Steph> Stephanie snaps her fingers. "Mercedes."
* Franceska snorts. "There's that queen, who was supposedly so good and righteous. Didn't go to some fluffy heaven, did she?"
* Franceska looks up, frowning at Stephanie. "She came back...."
<Steph> "So? She was someplace, and she came back, so let's go ask her sometime."
<Julia> "What about Marina's many neighbours?" Julia asks with a gesture at the redhead to include her.
<El-Cideon> "When she came back she was screaming like she had just died," Rosemund recalls. "As though she had not gone anyplace?"
<Steph> Stephanie pauses. "But you know, I mean, it's not like we necessarily go where we should," she reflects. "Think about that poor girl. Or Jill Cook, or... or what about us? We went to the Abyss, and we're planning on visiting Baator... if we get stuck there..."
<Franceska> "They were elves, so they went to the elf afterlife?" Franceska says with a dismissive shrug. "I think if you bring someone back, you just pull them away from the torture and when they go back, they start from the beginning, all over again."
<El-Cideon> Marina nods. "Obviously I can attest to the fact that a great many souls do find themselves in pleasant eternities, and not without reason. I think you are worrying about this far too much! I haven't seen anything in my time with you to suggest you deserving of the fate you're fearing here. ...Unless there are some awful secrets no one's shared with me?" She looks around the group for input.
<Julia> Leslie's presence and the lich painting put Julia's secrets quite out of the bag so she merely shrugs.
<Steph> Stephanie's silence lingers on.
<El-Cideon> "...Well, be that as it may," Marina says, "what would be our business on these other planes if I went with you? I must admit, I could do with a bit of travel."
<Steph> "Getting in fights."
<Julia> "We need to find a town in fire by a gate to the negative energy plane. A ghoul there has arranged a guide for us to then find Queen Auranelle's castle somewhere in the negative energy plane. Violence would be ever-present, yes," she stops at Stephanie's more succinct answer.
<El-Cideon> "But I take it this happens everywhere you go?" Marina guesses.
<Julia> "More or less."
<El-Cideon> "As long as it's well-intentioned fighting," she decides eventually.
<Steph> "Have you... been in a fight?"
<Franceska> "Well, we do only fight people we don't like...."
<El-Cideon> "Well, I *was* right alongside you when you fought that awful fairy," she reminds Stephanie.
<Steph> "Oh, yes..." Stephanie shakes her head. "You're just so nice I almost forgot!"
<El-Cideon> After a spate of shopping, Rosemund gathers the group together in a circle to warp them across worlds once again--
<El-Cideon> roll 5d100 inaccuracy vs Ashpile
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d100 inaccuracy vs Ashpile and gets 172."12 [5d100=24, 50, 11, 61, 26]
* Franceska makes sure to ward everyone from terrible burning fire or the horrible emptiness of death beforehand.
<El-Cideon> As usual, Rosemund's aim is only approximate. You're in an empty, burning plain, no civilization in sight (though perhaps Ashpile itself would hardly qualify as such). "I do not think that I missed this world at all," Rosemund says, looking around.
<Julia> "I suppose we just pick a random direction now and ask the first person we see for directions?" Julia asks.
<Franceska> "No one had," Franceska agrees, Darrin alighting on her shoulder. "We can do that, or I could take four others with me with a teleport?"
<Julia> "Oh, of course," Julia says shaking her head in amusement at her mistake.
<Steph> "It's just like my dream! It, too, was in a place this empty and boring!" laments Stephanie, grabbing Franceska's hand.
<El-Cideon> "Does it all look like this?" Marina wonders, looking around at ground of compact flame, sky of smoke. "It's almost a vision of Hell itself."
<Julia> "It has other environments of a sort but they're all made of something that's on fire."
<Franceska> "No, Hell had you dangling in burning cages above an ocean of molten metal," Franceska automatically corrects her. "Julia, I'll wait for a few minutes to see if you follow, and then return for you?"
<Julia> "Oh, well I do only have the one scroll and I'd rather not use it just like that..." Julia admits. "Leslie and I will be fine here I suppose."
<Franceska> "Well, if you're sure," Franceska says, raising her staff....
<Franceska> roll 1d20+19 UMD DC20
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+19 UMD DC20 and gets 38."12 [1d20=19]
<Franceska> roll 1d100 studied carefully
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d100 studied carefully and gets 37."12 [1d100=37]
<Julia> "She won't even be much use on the negative energy plane, and I couldn't let her loose in Solanth. But here? Leslie, go find Ashpile," she says, sending her shadow off to explore the wilds of fire, and inevitably slip out of control.
<El-Cideon> The party arrives in the center of town (insofar as Ashpile deserves to be called such). Without the Burning Hand about on exercises, and with the townsfolk evacuated by Crooked Anna, there is no obvious life to the place. In fact, there appears to be even less *unlife* than there was when last you left it--a broad collection of bones can be seen to litter the southern avenue towards and around Halja's shop.
<Steph> "You know, I think this place *has* improved," notes Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> Marina looks at Stephanie with wide eyes. "How could it have been worse? What a miserable, grimy little place to eke out a living," she says with some pity.
<Steph> "See, nobody lives here anymore! So it's not really a place of suffering!"
<Franceska> "It is a sad statement that literally everyone being gone from here legitimately counts as an improvement," Franceska muses. "Before, it had slavers, enslaved women and public executions for crimes that don't warrant such."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund immediately tromps off to the south to investigate the mess, eventually kneeling down by one particular corpse. Beyond, at the end of the street, the concrete dome housing the portal to the negative energy plane has had its door blown off the hinges, evidently from the inside. Within, a standing patch of livid shadow pulses malevolently.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund looks up at Julia. "I think that you might be more useful here than I am," she admits, stepping away from the body.
<Julia> roll 1d20+17 religion what's that shadow all about?
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 religion what's that shadow all about? and gets 20."12 [1d20=3]
<Julia> "Well it looks like someone wanted in and wasn't about to be dissuaded," Julia says, heading over to Haja's shop and calling out, "Hello? Halja?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund points to the corpse on the ground. Halja was obviously badly impaled through the midsection by something, such that the weapon thrust out from her back along with much of her spine. She is not moving and looks even to have been relieved of any obvious valuables. Around her, her skeleton guards--both her giant ones and the modest array reanimated from the Burning Hand corpses--lie scattered and shattered. The door to Halja's shop has been smashed to flinders, but the structure itself yet stands.
<Franceska> "Can you still ask her what happened?"
<Julia> "You know, I'm not actually sure," Julia admits, never having tried this on a twice-dead corpse. "But I'll give it a try!" she crouches by Haja's impaled corpse and casts speak with dead!
<Julia> OOC: DC 23 if not neutral
<Julia> OOC: will that is
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 and gets 19."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> Julia finds that her affinity for undead extends even to them in a state of complete oblivion!
<Julia> "What killed you? Most recently, that is," Julia asks the obvious one first. Hopefully not passion again.
<El-Cideon> "Dead knight," the shopkeep's rasping voice whispers in Julia's head. "Lance charge on nightmare."
<Julia> "Was the guide you prepared for us present?"
<El-Cideon> "In shop. Back room."
<Julia> "What was the guide's name?" Probably dead now but they can check after question time!
<El-Cideon> "Rover."
<Julia> Isn't that a dog's name? Oh well, "What reason did your killer give for the attack?"
<El-Cideon> "None. Spoke only to his men. Ordered to kill. Nothing more."
<Julia> "How many were there?"
<El-Cideon> "Dozen lesser knights. Skeletons killed some." In spite of this claim, you don't see the remains of any knights here. "One dead giant."
<Julia> Last question then. "Where did you find Rover?"
<El-Cideon> "Coldlight Station. Bought from Brother Montmorin's flock."
<Julia> And done! Julia stands up, "Our guide was in the back room of the shop when Halja was killed. Lets go see if they got it as well?" she suggests, heading inside.
<El-Cideon> The shop has been ransacked and cleared of all its stock, but it does look like no one troubled to plunder the shopkeep's private quarters--the door behind the counter remains closed.
<Julia> Julia tries opening it up. Hopefully it's not trapped.
<El-Cideon> It is not. Within is a modest bedroom--the bed itself looking hardly used, and practically speaking probably had no reason to be. A holdover from mortal life? There's a nightstand with an array of perfumes and a bookcase and, sitting on a chair in one corner, a corpse: faintly green, long dead but well preserved, dressed respectably in a butler's outfit. A faintly glowing blue gemstone has been shoved through the dead man's cranium. Semi-alert, it acknowledges your presence only with a sightless gaze, its mouth shut.
<Julia> "Are you Rover?" Julia asks the butler.
<El-Cideon> Evidently so. It stands up upon hearing its name, opens its mouth. Although Rover appears to lack a tongue, there is a dry slip of parchment rolled up within its mouth.
<Julia> She plucks that parchment out and gives it a look over!
<El-Cideon> The cursive script is surprisingly elegant given its contents: "Hello! My name is Rover. I understand GO and I understand STOP. I can defend myself if directly threatened. Please take care that this not happen. Negative energies will repair me but not if I break. I can guide you directly to Whitsunhold but you must make your own way back. It is an honor to serve."
<Julia> Sounds simple enough. Assuming he'll move a direct course with no deviations while going, she moves out into the main room and calls outside, "I've got our guide! Follow the butler!" and then says, "Rover, Go!"
<El-Cideon> Rover trudges out of the shop and makes his way sedately towards the angry black disturbance within the dome.
<El-Cideon> "I suppose I should not be very surprised that it is a zombie," Rosemund admits.
<Steph> "It's better than if it was a ghoul, don't you think?"
<Julia> "He'll lead us straight to Whitsunhold, so lets try and protect him if we get attacked. He'll stop if we tell him to but can't do anything else," Julia tells the others, heading through the portal after him.
<El-Cideon> "It's not the most welcoming gateway I've ever seen," Marina says, eyeing the black gash in the air with some uncertainty.
<Franceska> "At least it's not the Abyss," Franceska says fatalistically, heading in.
<Steph> "I think it's going to be worse," Stephanie notes, matching pace with Franceska. "At least stuff in the Abyss pretends to like you."
<El-Cideon> "It is just as well if they do not pretend," Rosemund says from personal experience as she follows the others. Marina brings up the rear, and on the other side--
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, major negative-dominant, negative energy enhanced, positive energy impeded | '
<El-Cideon> --is crushing, implacable darkness. Nothing can be seen before you save the dim blue glow of Rover's head, drifting calmly away from the portal. Though Rosemund immediately enchants her mace to light the group's way, the natural antipathy of the plane dims even this attempt to a mere few feet worth of illumination. There is nothing at all out there, it is the end of all things, and that is what the world wants you to be--all of you can feel that, but for Fran's magical protections, your very being would wither to dust here within minutes. And even then, there is a quiet sense of...boundless patience, as though the plane finds itself content just to wait for your protections to falter. Behind you, the portal back to Fire is a sultry red glow.
<Julia> "This isn't as homey as I'd expected," Julia admits, but still she boldly follows Rover's lead.
<Steph> "I want to go home."
<El-Cideon> "How long will we be out here, did Halja say?" Rosemund wonders. "I thought that it was bad enough when we were just in dark caves!"
<Franceska> "Too long."
<Julia> "I never asked. We just have to follow Rover, however long it takes."
<Steph> "You know," says Stephanie, peering out. "I can see in the dark. And... it's still dark." She sounds deeply unsettled. "You... you do still have a Plane Shift ready, Rosey?"
<El-Cideon> Rosemund hurries up by the determined zombie, not eager to be lost and left behind in this place. She also removes her hat and lets her wings free. "I hope that nobody minds, I would like to get used to having them out in the open. Just in case, you know?" To Stephanie, she nods. "Of course!"
<Julia> "Not at all," Julia reassures Rosemund.
<Steph> "Good. So. If the lights go out? Like, all of them? Let's go home right away. In fact, everyone should be holding hands." She seizes Rosemund's, at that.
<Julia> "I'm more worried about nightmare riding lancers than a lack of light," Julia says. "We really need to reach this castle and put a stop to what they're doing, whatever obstacles are in our way."
<El-Cideon> It is cold here--not the biting touch of a fierce snowstorm, but the steady and determined chill of a tomb. Your clothing does not seem to avail you against this creeping malaise, and the warmth of another's hand is a distinct reassurance. "It's difficult to believe that there's a whole world like this," Marina says once the portal has dwindled into nothing behind you. "What could be out here? One feels as though there could be *anything* with all this dark."
<Steph> "There could also be nothing. Absolutely nothing. Which is scarier?"
<Franceska> "No, there is definitely something here that wants you dead."
<Steph> "That's oddly reassuring."
<El-Cideon> "But however does it find its way around?" Marina wonders.
<Julia> "Worry not, almost everything here will be undead," Julia reassures everyone. "And after I meet them they'll instead wish our enemies dead."
<Steph> "That's oddly horrifying."
<El-Cideon> "Well--well you see, there is some value in sharing a diverse array of talents amongst your friends," Rosemund says encouragingly.
<Franceska> "I want to go home too, if we're honest."
<Julia> "Do you remember the greasy fat rain on the Abyss? Think of that and the situation will become more bearable," Julia says with ever-present cheer.
<El-Cideon> "There have been an awful lot of times that I would have liked nothing more than to go home!" Rosemund admits. "But you know, that does not stop there being things that someone needs to do in these awful places."
<Franceska> "People to kill, you mean."
<Steph> "Well... maybe we'll talk, first? She's not a slaver, maybe we can find some common ground!"
<Julia> "She kidnapped and possibly killed Rosemund's beloved aunt," Julia reminds everyone.
<Steph> "Probably," amends Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> "The entire story is very strange," Rosemund says, shying away from commenting on the questionable vitality of her aunt. "Thela said this queen bought up all her people's older slaves, or those that were crippled?"
<Franceska> "She did."
<Steph> "Maybe for old people and cripples, becoming a ghost or a ghoul is a step up."
<Julia> "And she'd have their undying loyalty, pardon the pun."
<El-Cideon> "Ah, maybe Julia can help you with that one day," Rosemund says to Stephanie. "Although with all due respect I would prefer to see my last days the natural way."
<Steph> "She might preserve my body, but she can't do anything for my good looks."
<El-Cideon> "I suppose there are some things you have to forsake when you join the ranks of the undead," Marina agrees, sounding much less accustomed to this macabre topic than everyone else who's spent considerable time with Julia.
<Julia> "I can but I need to be present constantly, as Friday's rapid decay showed when I left her at home. Now I can't ever take her out," Julia sighs. Such a waste.
<El-Cideon> "What do they do when you are not at home?" Rosemund wonders. "Do they just sit around and wait for you to come back to give them more orders? I must say, it does not make eternity sound terribly exciting."
<Julia> "Thing usually has them do strange things. When we came back from the Abyss I found Friday collapsed over the dining table. Apparently he'd left here doing a handstand on just her fingertips when I summoned him away. The bones gave out after a few days I imagine."
<Steph> "I think I'll take my chances with Pelor. Ugh, imagine being subordinate to your little monster? Why do you keep him around?"
<El-Cideon> Marina wrinkles her nose. "I do hope that you cleaned that table very thoroughly, in case you ever invite anyone over for dinner."
<Julia> "He's good for delivering spells to things I don't want to get in close range with. And yes, the dining table was thoroughly scrubbed and bleached afterwards," she reassures Marina.
<El-Cideon> "That's about as much as Canterbury is good for," Marina says, nodding along.
<Franceska> "Darrin actually keeps my practice going," Franceska voices, frowning now. "Why did I bring him along, again?"
<Steph> "Because he's hilarious. One look at that monocle and we'll have those nightmare-riding lancers laughing too hard to even charge!"
<Franceska> "I hate you."
<Steph> "You love me, Franzy. You love me like fat kids love cake," replies Stephanie, grinning darkly to herself.
<El-Cideon> The emptiness stretches on and on. You pass the first day's travel without encountering anyone or anything. Not even a pebble interrupts the bleak vastness--or at least, none that you can see, visibility being what it is here. Rover presses on with indefatigable determination, but the human party members eventually need to rest for the night. It's when you're setting out the next morning that Rosemund wonders uncomfortably: "What do you suppose this fake queen would want with Auntie anyway? She is not crippled and, and she is not really all that old. I suppose that she is *getting* old, though I feel we should not observe this in her presence."
<Franceska> "That would be one reason I don't believe the two matters are related," Franceska admits. "Still, no harm in asking."
<Julia> "Presumably she cherishes her secrecy and did not approve of Leah asking lots of questions about her," Julia guesses.
<Steph> "All we know for sure is that she was ambushed while looking into her," notes Stephanie, sounding uncomfortable herself. "Yeah. You might be right. Just, the palace conspiracies... you know, Solata has a lot of really strong, really scary people in it," she says. "I mean, we won the war. Right? I know all the planes are weird and frightening, but..."
<El-Cideon> "We won the war because right was on our side" Rosemund insists. And, in a more practical tone: "And because we worked together while our enemies hated each other maybe more than us."
<Steph> "We also won because we got really good at fighting. How many powerful mages do you think are running around in the capital? There's a reason we can buy all this equipment- and get it made to order, no less! I never liked trading there much."
<El-Cideon> "Is there something so suspicious about powerful mages?" Marina asks wryly.
<Franceska> "They can trace stolen goods far more easily than simple merchants."
<El-Cideon> Marina nods sagely.
<Steph> "They can steal goods better than simple thieves, too."
<Franceska> "You just feel inadequate in the presence of mages, don't you?"
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll perceptions~
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 and gets 13."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 Marina
<Steph> "Who doesn't? 'swhy I learned to use wands," says Stephanie, sounding rather candid. "Sure, most of them are absent-minded idiots who fall over in a stiff breeze, and most mages you can get the jump on. Let's not even talk about the stupid pride and arrogance! Still, about one in fifty is gonna be on the ball, and that's a terrifying prospect for little old me, you know?"
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 Marina and gets 8."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-1 Rosey and gets 18."12 [1d20=19]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 10."12 [1d20=1]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+23 me
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+23 me and gets 36."12 [1d20=13]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+33 D
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+33 D and gets 43."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> Franceska and her avian companion spot it just before it attacks--a ripple in the air, a patch of mobile shadow moving in. Difficult to discern the proper shape of black upon black, but you get the vague sense of a monstrous bat with a wingspan some dozens of feet, veering towards Marina with jaws curiously outstretched for the kill!
<El-Cideon> OOC: init~
<Julia> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+2 and gets 19."12 [1d20=17]
<Steph> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+9 and gets 20."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 ???
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 ??? and gets 26."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 Rosey and gets 5."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina and gets 26."12 [1d20=19]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+3 D
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+3 D and gets 16."12 [1d20=13]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+1 me
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+1 me and gets 4."12 [1d20=3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, major negative-dominant, negative energy enhanced, positive energy impeded | ??? = Marina (26) > Steph (20) > Julia (19) > Darrin (16) >  Rosey (5) > Fran (4)'
<Franceska> "Watch out!" Franceska calls out to Marina, gesturing towards the gigantic bat as her flailing costs her precious time she could have used to better position herself.
<El-Cideon> Marina whirls around just in time to see the terrible shape reaching out for her--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 and gets 33."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+17
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+17 and gets 20."12 [2d6=1, 2]
<El-Cideon> The prehensile maw grasps her around the midsection and bites down hard--the Arborean enchantress manages to struggle away and blink some ten feet's distance to safely cast a spell in the wake of her mauling, however.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 vs SR and gets 22."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> Marina points a threatening finger at the monster but blinks in confusion as her spell fizzles!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> Stephanie loathes fighting without her feet on the ground, she's discovered, but she dances about the horrid little beast. A bolt of fire springs momentarily into being behind it, and she uses her chance to demonstrate her skills.
<Steph> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+18 and gets 28."12 [1d20=10]
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 26."12 [1d20=7]
<Steph> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+13 and gets 22."12 [1d20=9]
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+14 and gets 33."12 [1d20=19]
<Steph> roll 1d20+14 crit?
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+14 crit? and gets 24."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 33 hits. Crit immune of course.
<Steph> roll 1d4+6d6+6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d4+6d6+6 and gets 25."12 [1d4=1][6d6=5, 3, 2, 2, 3, 3]
<El-Cideon> Steph manages to land one slash--but she doesn't cut with quite the efficacy she's used to. The monstrous silhouette appears resistant to her weapon!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia then Darrin
<Julia> First thing's first, better keep their guide from rushing ahead and out of sight. "Rover, stop!" she calls, and then she targets the bat in her sights to try and force it into servitude!
<Julia> OOC: DC 22 will
<El-Cideon> OOC: is this subject to SR?
<Julia> OOC: yes
<Julia> roll 1d20+15 SR
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+15 SR and gets 31."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 will, that passes
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 will, that passes and gets 36."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> The monster proves stubbornly independent yet!
<Franceska> Lacking in any better ways to be of use in this situation, Darrin merely floats near Marina to keep her safer.
<Franceska> OOC: +2 to ac against next attack
<El-Cideon> "What--what is that?" Rosemund gasps, quickly deciding that light is the best weapon against shadow--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 ranged touch
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 ranged touch and gets 17."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 vs SR and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> --but Rosemund's beam too dissipates before making contact!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska has a similar idea, and a bright silver arrow shoots out from her gaudy crown!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+15 SR
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+15 SR and gets 26."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: :(
<El-Cideon> Franceska's attempt too sputters out. A telepathic whisper emanates out from the beast, rife with self-amusement: "Saw your light. Foolish mortals always betray themselves on this plane." A malign aura washes out from it, and Marina decides that in light of all the failed spells, perhaps she'd be better off supporting her allies than attacking!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+24 concentration monster
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+24 concentration monster and gets 32."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Marina is Hasting the party. Everybody not evil, roll will
<Steph> roll 1d20+17 moment of mindfulness
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+17 moment of mindfulness and gets 20."12 [1d20=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 Rosey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 Rosey and gets 18."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 Marina
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 Marina and gets 19."12 [1d20=12]
<Julia> roll 1d20+10 +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy, +2 vs mind affecting
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+10 +2 vs sleep, stunning, paralysis, poison, disease, +4 vs negative energy, +2 vs mind affecting and gets 19."12 [1d20=9]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+10 D
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+10 D and gets 24."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 5d8 everybody made it for half (Julia quarters because Neutral)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d8 everybody made it for half (Julia quarters because Neutral) and gets 26."12 [5d8=2, 7, 7, 8, 2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: D also quarters!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> "Foolhardy, you demented freak!" Stephanie exclaims, before promptly vanishing from sight (such as it is, on this plane) and laying into her opponent!
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 and gets 37."12 [1d20=17]
<Steph> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+21 and gets 28."12 [1d20=7]
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+15 and gets 17."12 [1d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+16 and gets 20."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+6d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7+6d6+1d6 and gets 37."12 [1d6=6][6d6=2, 6, 1, 3, 1, 6][1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> "I'll make you betray yourself," Julia retorts, focusing on a pulse of negative energy not to control the creature, but to overawe it!
<Julia> roll 1d20+17 rebuking, hd affected roll
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+17 rebuking, hd affected roll and gets 21."12 [1d20=4]
<Julia> roll 2d6+12+7+2 total hd I can hit
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 2d6+12+7+2 total hd I can hit and gets 33."12 [2d6=6, 6]
<Julia> OOC: if he has 15hd or less he cowers http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#cowering
<El-Cideon> The monster pulses blackly in space, quite resolute in the face of Julia's demands! "You think to compel me?" it laughs within your head.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Darrin
<Franceska> Darrin continues his efforts for now, barring different orders from Franceska.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund pauses to boost herself with a righteous fury, Pelor's light shining upon her even in this grim place!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Rosey's buffing, go ahead Fran
* Franceska considers her options, and then floats over to Marina and bestows Greater Vigor upon her.
<El-Cideon> "So the mortal flea wishes to dance?" the shadow laughs. "Very well, we shall oblige her." It chants sibilantly to itself while Marina drifts a little further out of its grasp to start a lengthy chant of her own--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+24 concentration monster
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+24 concentration monster and gets 40."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> It vibrates in space and writhes with supernatural agility!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Steph
<Steph> Flickering back into view, Stephanie's onslaught only increases in speed and accuracy!
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 37."12 [1d20=18]
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 23."12 [1d20=4]
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 and gets 27."12 [1d20=7]
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+14 and gets 32."12 [1d20=18]
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+15 and gets 23."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: 37 & 32 hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+6d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7+6d6+1d6 and gets 26."12 [1d6=1][6d6=2, 3, 1, 6, 1, 3][1d6=2]
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+6d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7+6d6+1d6 and gets 28."12 [1d6=6][6d6=2, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1][1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> Each cut proves a shallow gash, but one by one Steph whittles away at the beast's terrible essence!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> Unfortunately she just doesn't have anything that can really hurt it. Aside from Battersby who's on another plane. So she'll just have to keep trying and hope its will falters at a pivotal moment! Also she backs away a bit so if she draws attention Stephanie can get a free hit in.
<Julia> roll 1d20+15 SR
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+15 SR and gets 29."12 [1d20=14]
<Julia> OOC: DC 22 will or commanded
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 and gets 33."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Darrin
<Franceska> At a gesture from Franceska, Darrin circles around the monster to support her!
<El-Cideon> OOC: attacking, or just moving into flanking position?
<Franceska> OOC: The latter
<El-Cideon> Rosemund's mace erupts with sacred light and she charges forward to take one mighty swing at the beast!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+21 and gets 23."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Fran
* Franceska turns into a massive albino bear and joins the attack herself!
<Franceska> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+22 and gets 41."12 [1d20=19]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+20 and gets 29."12 [1d20=9]
<Franceska> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+20 and gets 24."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Franceska> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 1d20+14 and gets 27."12 [1d20=13]
<Franceska> roll 2d4+10
* Hatbot --> "Franceska rolls 2d4+10 and gets 17."12 [2d4=3, 4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: that get past any kind of DR?
<Franceska> OOC: No
<El-Cideon> Fran lands a vicious bite, but only tears off a shred of darkness from the resilient monster. The great shadow's jaw stabs out twice at Stephanie in rapid succession. Meanwhile, with a piercing cry, an ivory griffon bursts into existence by Marina--though sadly not resistant to the plane's effects, it quickly turns out, at least it can get in a good charge or two first? The sorceress herself tries flinging another spell at the monster's unattended wing.
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+19 vs Steph
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+19 vs Steph and gets 56."12 [2#1d20+19 = 33, 23]
<Steph> OOC: one hit
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+17
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+17 and gets 26."12 [2d6=6, 3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 griffon fort vs level drain
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 griffon fort vs level drain and gets 28."12 [1d20=20]
* El-Cideon changes topic to 'Current planar traits: subjective gravity, major negative-dominant, negative energy enhanced, positive energy impeded | ??? = Marina = griffon (26) > Steph (20) > Julia (19) > Darrin (16) >  Rosey (5) > Fran (4)'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13 griffon charge smite!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13 griffon charge smite! and gets 21."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 Marina vs SR
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 Marina vs SR and gets 25."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: :( all. Steph is up
<Steph> Stephanie's onslaught is ceaseless, despite the pain- "Worse things than you have tried!" she shrieks, as her form shimmers and becomes unwieldly. (Displacement!)
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 36."12 [1d20=17]
<Steph> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+19 and gets 31."12 [1d20=12]
<Steph> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+20 and gets 22."12 [1d20=2]
<Steph> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+14 and gets 29."12 [1d20=15]
<Steph> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d20+15 and gets 28."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first two hit
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+6d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7+6d6+1d6 and gets 41."12 [1d6=2][6d6=1, 5, 4, 6, 6, 6][1d6=4]
<Steph> roll 1d6+7+6d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Steph rolls 1d6+7+6d6+1d6 and gets 32."12 [1d6=1][6d6=3, 1, 6, 4, 6, 1][1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> The shadow is by now looking quite badly mauled, and has no clever retort to Stephanie's latest onslaught.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Julia
<Julia> It'll probably die soon anyway but if she can get a minion before then she won't complain! "It'll be easier if you submit!" she calls over.
<Julia> roll 1d20+15 sr
* Hatbot --> "Julia rolls 1d20+15 sr and gets 17."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: :(
<El-Cideon> OOC: Darrin
<Franceska> Darrin tries to support Franceska once more, emboldened by their previous success!
<El-Cideon> Meanwhile, Rosemund swings away thrice with a righteous fury!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 and gets 31."12 [1d20=9]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 and gets 31."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 and gets 31."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: messed up her previous roll but it still would've missed. All these hit~
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6+10
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6+10 and gets 35."12 [1d8=6][2d6=6, 3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10+2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6+10 and gets 32."12 [1d8=2][2d6=4, 6]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10+2d6+10 and gets 26."12 [1d8=4][2d6=1, 1]
<El-Cideon> Rosemund finally clubs the fearsome shade into oblivion! Its shadowy essence merges with the profound darkness of the plane itself, and all is still once more. Marina's summoned companion immediately begins withering from the hostile energies of the plane. "Oh, I'm so sorry about that, I didn't think of it--"
<Steph> "That... that thing was really strong," Stephanie says, sounding unnerved. "And it's just a random... thing."
* Franceska once more resumes her human form, frowning. "Maybe the light was a bad idea?"
<Julia> "They'd see Rover anyway," Julia points out. "But yes, it was inordinately resistant, wasn't it?"
<El-Cideon> "But otherwise we cannot see anything at all!" Rosemund protests. "Just a little glow around, er, around Rover's head. Do we all want to be that close to him?"
<Steph> "I, geez, I'm sorry. I should've bought different swords," says Stephanie, sounding flustered, as she puts her own away.
<El-Cideon> "They are usually very effective!" Rosemund reassures Stephanie.
<Steph> Stephanie nods, but nothing seems able to dispel her overt discomfort.
<El-Cideon> ~