The Sword of Myr, again (Surraruthru)

[Anastasia]

You aren't close enough to see, let alone to note where the stones landed. Getting closer is required.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Let us get closer and see if there is a way to bypass them. Avoiding another fight would be preferable."

Want to move up and see, then.

[Anastasia]

You move closer as you see Sylvie and Kascha descending above the grove.

> roll 1d100 luck check for how the stones fell precisely
<Serith> Sunshine_Ko roll for Serith < 60 > [d100=60]

It is a circle of six trees. Each has a valeoloth hung from it, hanging limply with visibly broken necks. They are perhaps a little less than a dozen feet tall, withered bodies of dull brown, metallic gray and rust red. Their eyes are wide open despite being in death's embrace, each locked in a moment of wide eyed horror. From each of their backs come wings made of blades, even now dripping with blood. Each has a falchion impaled through their chest, a large and bloody wound.

There's no reaction as you approach. You can see the stones are more or less on target, all six daemons covered by the stones. In the center of the grove you can see a whirling, twisting point of black.

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru considers the Valeolths, idly wondering if there's a way to bind them, like Thurra... They could be powerful allies in the assault, and almost certainly discontent with their current state... That aside, he inspects the point of black.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Surraruthru
HP: 291/296
AC: 32+6
Touch AC: 17, Flat Footed: 26, SR: 33, CMB: 26, CMD: 42
Init: +12, Touch Atk: 29
Active: Mindblank (CL25), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL25), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will saves
Passive: Improved Evasion, Diamond Body, True Seeing, Detect Magic, Moment of  Prescience

[Anastasia]

K:P check.

[Iron Dragoon]

> roll 1d20+34 K:P
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=13]

[Anastasia]

It looks like some sort of portal to step through.

However, with your true seeing enhanced eyes and studying it up close, you can see it's an illusion. An outer defensive barrier, one that acts as a hollow sphere of annihilation. Touching it will deal grievous harm and almost certainly disintegrate you. It must be moved to reveal the portal it hides within.

Meanwhile Sylvie and Kascha land, silently glancing at you. Around you the valeoloths are silent, unmoving and unreacting - so far.

You can make an K:A check about spheres of annihilation if you want.

[Iron Dragoon]

Surraruthru motions to them to look at the dot of black, and waits to prevent them from touching it.
> roll 1d20+34 K:A
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=6]

[Anastasia]

Useful things:

- You can control a sphere of annihilation with a mental command, but it's not easy. If you succeed, you can move it in a direction you wish. If you fail, it would move towards you instead. That's not good.

- A gate spell will destroy a sphere, but it causes cataclysmic damages and explosion. The fact that there's also a portal inside of it would make it even more explosive. It may or may not damage Secretus' lair, but everything around here would have a really bad day.

- For that matter, the portal there may or may not react if the sphere is moved over it. You'd assume yes, but it also begs the question on how the portal is used if so.

[Iron Dragoon]

Useful things:

- You can control a sphere of annihilation with a mental command, but it's not easy. If you succeed, you can move it in a direction you wish. If you fail, it would move towards you instead. That's not good.

Is this done with a will check or something? Is it opposed? If I do take control of it, can I take it with me through the portal to use as a weapon?

- A gate spell will destroy a sphere, but it causes cataclysmic damages and explosion. The fact that there's also a portal inside of it would make it even more explosive. It may or may not damage Secretus' lair, but everything around here would have a really bad day.

Is there a roll I can make to see if there's a way to channel the explosion into the other side of the portal, or a way to like.. fracture it off and seal it away from any other plane? Or a way to increase the destruction to flat out destroy his little slice of hell?

- For that matter, the portal there may or may not react if the sphere is moved over it. You'd assume yes, but it also begs the question on how the portal is used if so.

I'm going to have to get Kascha and Sylvie in on this one, depending on the answers above.

[Anastasia]

Please don't use post quotes in IC threads. Thanks.

It's a special control check. It's 1d20 + hit dice + Int mod. The DC of a bog standard sphere is 30.

K:P check.

Sure, ask them IC and we'll go from there.

[Iron Dragoon]

> roll 1d20+34 K:P
<Serith> IronDragoon roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=14]

Surraruthru motions Sylvie and Kascha close, whispering, not wanting to alert the Valeoloths, "Once the Sphere is moved, how do you think the portal will act? How can we trigger it?"

[Anastasia]

Sylvie glances back quickly, but nothing seems to be happening. After a few beats she whispers back, "It's either rigged up to somehow coexist and ignore that portal or it's a booby trap."

Sylvie takes 10 on the relevant Knowledge checks.

[Iron Dragoon]

"I'm going to bet it's a trap, with what we know of Secretus. It's probably set up to destroy the portal no matter what, to seal his area off from attack... Who wants to move it, or does anyone have a better idea?"

[Anastasia]

Sylvie considers, "The best hope is to get away, cast a gate on it and pray it destroys it rather than causing a massive explosion."

"Probably so, yes," Kascha whispers back, "Tricky of him, it's a tough trap to deal with even if you neutralize the valeoloths."