The past burns (Afina, Tryll)

[Ebiris]

Once the charred woods have thinned out enough to open up a decent field of view, Afina will signal the group to stop while she surveys the area from a decent vantage, seeing what cover and obstacles lie in wait the rest of the way.

[Anastasia]

Make a Spot check.

[Ebiris]

[20:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42 spot
[20:55] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=2]

[Anastasia]

You look around. Ahead the trees (what's left of them) thin out. Far ahead you can see a great gorge in the ground, as if someone took a knife to the earth. Smoke and mists somewhat obscure the view, rising up from the gorge. Far ahead, mostly hidden, you can see the outline of a fortress or castle over the gorge, bestriding it.

You can also spot a few erinyes, flying about and keeping a watch. Fixed, interlocking patterns, so that eyes are on all directions at virtually all times. They execute these patterns with mechanical, practiced efficiency.

[Ebiris]

Nothing they can't deal with - they rely on far more than mere illusion for their stealth after all. Hunkering back down again she asks, 'Tryll, can you or Calleigh check for magic on our approach?'

She'd do it herself but they can manifest their psionic powers without having to speak aloud which is more convenient in the current situation.

[Yuthirin]

Detect Psionics and True Seeing now active!

A moment, and Tryll and Calleigh now see the unseen.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Tryll
HP: 237
AC: 45
Touch AC: 28
Flatfooted AC: 39
Active Effects: Inertial Armor (Extended, CL 25), Mind Blank (CL 15), Fortunate Fate (CL 13), Planar Tolerance (CL 7), Magic Circle Against Evil (CL 24), True Seeing (CL 25), Detect Psionics (CL 25)
Passive Effects: Incorporeal, Hide Mind
PP: 591

Calleigh
HP: 118
AC: 47
Touch AC: 25
Flatfooted AC: 36
Active Effects: Inertial Armor (Extended, CL 25), Mind Blank (CL 15), Fortunate Fate (CL 13), Planar Tolerance (CL 7), True Seeing (CL 25), Detect Psionics (CL 25)
Passive Effects: Magic Circle Against Evil, Tongues, Incorporeal, Improved Evasion

Psicrystal
HP: 118
AC: 31
Touch AC: 14
Flatfooted AC: 29
Active Effects: Inertial Armor (Extended, CL 25), Mind Blank (CL 15), Fortunate Fate (CL 13), Planar Tolerance (CL 7), Magic Circle Against Evil (CL 24)
Passive Effects: Unanimated (currently being used by Calleigh as a staff, gains no bonuses to initiative. No strength or dexterity score)
Psi-like ability (Ectoplasmic Shambler): Ready

[Anastasia]

Spellcraft or Psicraft.

[Yuthirin]

<Rei-chan> DarthSquiddius rolled: 1d20+40 --> [ 1d20=20 ] {60}

TRYLL SEES ALL.

[Anastasia]

Within the range of your magic, you can see a strange aura. An aura that's making things darker, fouler. A curse on the land. You also note you're out of detect psionic's range for most of the gorge, the erinyes or the faraway half-seen castle or fortress, though.

[Yuthirin]

'I see an aura over the land, corrupting it. It appears to be a curse? We're a bit too far away for finer details than that, though I do not appear to see any hidden enemies or traps nearby.'

[Ebiris]

'Devils make poor stewards. If it's not personally detrimental to us it doesn't matter, nothing's going to be rebuilt until all the devils are driven off,' Afina says, spending a little longer watching the airborne patrols. Their pattern is fairly good but can still be exploited by one swift enough, which is something this group can handle, but even if the method is good the implementation can be flawed by laziness or inattentiveness. That's what she looks for in the flying devils, that single weak link upon which the chain depends.

[Anastasia]

Make another Spot check, Afina.

[Ebiris]

[20:44] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42
[20:44] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+42 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{51}

[Anastasia]

They are tireless and precise. No obvious weaknesses, only a few small gaps that speed might let you pass through, but it won't be easy.

[Ebiris]

Where they lack in land management the devils certainly excel in discipline. Afina even allows herself to be impressed, she doesn't think their own patrols around Aurora are so stringent, and this is a backwater by comparison... of course the current conditions might not reflect the norm, considering the high priority ritual probably being conducted here.

Still, she can tip the scales some. Calling on her connection with Air, Afina wrests control over the winds surrounding her. She doesn't use it near to its full potential, only manifesting the beginnings of a stiff breeze blowing Southeast. The devils can surely compensate but she's starting small so as to draw less of an immediate reaction.

Using Control Winds SLA to affect a 960 foot radius which is effecting as a wind blast at a level below strong winds.