Attack on Sylica

[Anastasia]

Below you is the mountainscape where Sylica rests, paths and ways to your divine realm covered. For countless shadows have spawned, untouched by the life giving aspects of this plane. They are at war over a vast landscape, Sylica's forces arrayed against them. Before you and Antenora's eyes, a vast horde of shadows and worse meet your armies. In the center of it all is a black banner, a great moving cloud of darkness from which it all seems to emanate.

From it you see them - hundreds and hundreds of shadows pour out of the cloud each instant, gushing out like gold from a dragon's ruptured hoard. An army seeming to regenerate itself and grow like a malignant tumor, spreading constantly.

"That cloud..." Antenora murmurs, eyes narrowing as she peers at it, so far below the two of you.

'Alicia!' Syala is heard in your mind, 'I've sent word to Sharess and asked for aid. She's willing to kick up a hornet's nest, so I'm returning the favor.'

[Ebiris]

Back at the Felic gate Alicia's avatar turns to Syala's avatar and says, "I'm right here you know."

---

"Yes, that's something we have to deal with," Alicia agrees with Antenora, a thought and their weapons become capable of harming the incorporeal without impediment before she begins descending.

Standard for alter reality ghost touch weapons, then moving 200 feet down.

Any knowledge check to figure out what's the deal with the cloud?

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia: 806/864
Active spells: Extended nondetection (CL 31), many moments of prescience (CL 31), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 31), foresight (CL 31), death ward (CL 30), greater heroism (CL 31), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 31), spell turning (CL 31), good hope (CL 31), righteous wrath of the faithful (CL 30), dance of the unicorn (CL 30), recitation (CL 30), greater visage of the deity (CL 30), extended repelling shield (CL 31), master's touch (CL 30), sensual blessing (CL 30), celestial valor (CL 31), glorious rally (CL 31), divine insight (CL 31), keen edge (CL 30), ray deflection (CL 31), extended energy immunity (CL 31), extended latha's sunmantle (CL 31), fortunate fate (CL 30), ghost touch weapon (CL 30)
Defences: AC 72 (touch 36), CMD 116, spell resistance 45, energy immunity (fire, cold, acid), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affection, fear, dazzled, blinded), freedom of movement, nondetection (DC 46)
Stat buffs/penalties: +2 insight AC/reflex, +6 morale attack/damage/AC/saves, +4 morale skills, +10 insight perception, +3 morale damage, +2 morale ability checks, +3 luck attack/saves, +36 Str, -2 Dex, +20 Con, +2 Int, +4 Wis, +4 Cha, +15 natural armour, -8 size AC/attack, +7 shield AC, +4 insight skills, +25 competence perception, +4 sacred attack/damage/AC/saves
Perceptions: Darkvision, scent, low-light vision, blindsight, tremorsense 1 mile, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/5/8/4/4/5/4/5/5/4/6/1/3/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/11/11/9/9/3

[Anastasia]

Syala returns that look with a faint smile, "Sorry, dear."

Gimme a quick K:R for it.

[Ebiris]

[18:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+63 popping divine insight
[18:53] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+63 popping divine insight --> [ 1d20=9 ]{72}

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia: 806/864
Active spells: Extended nondetection (CL 31), many moments of prescience (CL 31), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 31), foresight (CL 31), death ward (CL 30), greater heroism (CL 31), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 31), spell turning (CL 31), good hope (CL 31), righteous wrath of the faithful (CL 30), dance of the unicorn (CL 30), recitation (CL 30), greater visage of the deity (CL 30), extended repelling shield (CL 31), master's touch (CL 30), sensual blessing (CL 30), celestial valor (CL 31), glorious rally (CL 31), keen edge (CL 30), ray deflection (CL 31), extended energy immunity (CL 31), extended latha's sunmantle (CL 31), fortunate fate (CL 30), ghost touch weapon (CL 30)
Defences: AC 72 (touch 36), CMD 116, spell resistance 45, energy immunity (fire, cold, acid), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affection, fear, dazzled, blinded), freedom of movement, nondetection (DC 46)
Stat buffs/penalties: +2 insight AC/reflex, +6 morale attack/damage/AC/saves, +4 morale skills, +10 insight perception, +3 morale damage, +2 morale ability checks, +3 luck attack/saves, +36 Str, -2 Dex, +20 Con, +2 Int, +4 Wis, +4 Cha, +15 natural armour, -8 size AC/attack, +7 shield AC, +4 insight skills, +25 competence perception, +4 sacred attack/damage/AC/saves
Perceptions: Darkvision, scent, low-light vision, blindsight, tremorsense 1 mile, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/5/8/4/4/5/4/5/5/4/6/1/3/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/11/11/9/9/3

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+53 Antenora will as well, same DI popped
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+53 Antenora will as well, same DI popped --> [ 1d20=4 ]{57}

You recall rumors, legends. Stories of living clouds of darkness that spew apocalyptic amounts of shadows. The murmurings of madmen and the delusional, for such things are surely impossible. Yet here is one such thing that fits it, a living cloud of death that will see everything around it slain and returned to nothing.

Beneath you mountain paths and passages are warfare. The ghostly battle with the real, flashes of positive energy allowing blades and maces, arrows and stones to strike true. Swathes of fire and bursts of magic fill the air - right now, the defenders look to be holding.

---

Meanwhile at the Felic Gate soldiers rush out and mobilize, Strength of Light just beyond, getting everyone out. His voice is faintly heard as Syala says, "Have you considered contacting Mystra or the Red Knight? The latter's close to you - you'd owe her a favor, but it could be a good way to talk to her, since she has an interest in Ysgard. All the more to go smack around Sharrans."

Then with a scowl, "This attack is so blatant. Is this a double feint or is Shar confident she can force her way to a victory?"

[Ebiris]

At the Felic Gate Alicia's avatar is busily using alter reality to line the cliff-edges with blade barrier effects so as to stymie any incorporeal flanking maneuvers while she herself is giant sized and prepared to just start hacking things to pieces while Syala's avatar supports with area of effect magic. The real Syala is off closer to the front with Latha bringing down her incandescent wrath.

"We're not that desperate yet, but Selune isn't far either if we're hard pressed," she answers.

---

"I've heard stories of clouds like that but none that talk of destroying one, so we'll have to improvise," Alicia says to Antenora as she descends close enough to fire a sunlance down at the trailing edge of the undead army before she starts flying over it to get closer to that cloud.

[19:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 sunlance ranged touch on random beefy looking shadow or nightstalker
[19:06] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+50 sunlance ranged touch on random beefy looking shadow or nightstalker --> [ 1d20=5 ]{55}
[19:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+31 SR if applies
[19:06] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+31 SR if applies --> [ 1d20=15 ]{46}
[19:06] <@Ebiris> roll 30d6 damage to target (doubled since weak to light)
[19:06] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 30d6 damage to target (doubled since weak to light) --> [ 30d6=96 ]{96}
[19:07] <@Ebiris> roll 25d6 area damage to things weak to light
[19:07] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 25d6 area damage to things weak to light --> [ 25d6=86 ]{86}
[19:07] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6 area damage to things not weak to light
[19:07] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 6d6 area damage to things not weak to light --> [ 6d6=21 ]{21}

DC 36 ref half on the area damage, blinded if save fails.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia: 806/864
Active spells: Extended nondetection (CL 31), many moments of prescience (CL 31), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 31), foresight (CL 31), death ward (CL 30), greater heroism (CL 31), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 31), spell turning (CL 31), good hope (CL 31), righteous wrath of the faithful (CL 30), dance of the unicorn (CL 30), recitation (CL 30), greater visage of the deity (CL 30), extended repelling shield (CL 31), master's touch (CL 30), sensual blessing (CL 30), celestial valor (CL 31), glorious rally (CL 31), keen edge (CL 30), ray deflection (CL 31), extended energy immunity (CL 31), extended latha's sunmantle (CL 31), fortunate fate (CL 30), ghost touch weapon (CL 30)
Defences: AC 72 (touch 36), CMD 116, spell resistance 45, energy immunity (fire, cold, acid), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affection, fear, dazzled, blinded), freedom of movement, nondetection (DC 46)
Stat buffs/penalties: +2 insight AC/reflex, +6 morale attack/damage/AC/saves, +4 morale skills, +10 insight perception, +3 morale damage, +2 morale ability checks, +3 luck attack/saves, +36 Str, -2 Dex, +20 Con, +2 Int, +4 Wis, +4 Cha, +15 natural armour, -8 size AC/attack, +7 shield AC, +4 insight skills, +25 competence perception, +4 sacred attack/damage/AC/saves
Perceptions: Darkvision, scent, low-light vision, blindsight, tremorsense 1 mile, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/5/8/4/4/5/4/5/5/4/6/0/3/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/11/11/9/9/3

[Anastasia]

What's your max range on it, Alicia? Matters.

[Ebiris]

1600 feet. We arrived above the back of the undead army at a height of 2000 feet and I've dropped 200 feet over the past two posts to get into range.

[Anastasia]

Awesome, thanks.

Shadows are rising up to the two of you as you descend, Antenora at your side, ready to defend.

"Before, all we could do is react and pray your world protected us," Antenora says, "Show Shar that we are not so weak now, that we are not to be attacked so brazenly."

Your sunlance is flung, the powerful spell racing down. Shadows near it are instantly obliterated as it passes by, sunlight washing them away like water washing away dirt and stains.

> roll 1d20+20
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+20 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{31}

It slams down amid them, shadows obliterated by the hundreds, a momentarily clear section in the rear. Yet more and more expand out - as to the left flank, you can see portals. Dozens of them opening, scantily clad warriors and great cats pouring through, each glowing with golden light.

In Alicia's mind she hears, 'How dare Shar attack a Heaven so blatantly!' Sharess's voice, full of feline rage. Through one of the portals a great black panther emerges, heads and shoulders above the others. You feel it instantly - an avatar of Sharess has taken the battlefield.

At 1400 feet now as you continue to descend, a great column of shadows rises up, twisting and writhing, like a pillar of souls. It's 200ft down from you and extending up rapidly.

Init.

---

Right now no foes have made it through the lines of defense around the portal - yet. But with numbers and shadows spawning, it can only hold so long. Syala watches and sanctifies the area with a thought, summoning spiked, glowing vines from the ground, ready to strike at any that pass nearby.

[Ebiris]

How far out am I from the cloud?

[Anastasia]

That's a very good question. 600ft above it right now and 220ft behind it.

[Ebiris]

How big is the cloud, on that note?

[Anastasia]

Approximately 100ft by 50ft, roughly.

[Ebiris]

Upping the intensity of her attacks, Alicia rears back and hurls another sunlance, this one further imbued with positive energy to detonate at the edge of the cloud against the base of the column of undead rising to meet her, flying along 200 feet to get closer to directly above the cloud.

[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50 vivacious sunlance ranged touch on beefy looking shadow
[19:55] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+50 vivacious sunlance ranged touch on beefy looking shadow --> [ 1d20=1 ]{51}
[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+31 SR if applies
[19:55] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+31 SR if applies --> [ 1d20=1 ]{32}
[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 30d6 damage to target (doubled since weak to light then doubled again since it's undead)
[19:55] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 30d6 damage to target (doubled since weak to light then doubled again since it's undead) --> [ 30d6=108 ]{108}
[19:56] <@Ebiris> roll 25d6 area damage tot hings weak to light (doubled if they're also undead or evil outsiders)
[19:56] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 25d6 area damage tot hings weak to light (doubled if they're also undead or evil outsiders) --> [ 25d6=82 ]{82}
[19:56] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6 area damage to things not weak to light (doubled if they're also undead or evil outsiders)
[19:56] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 6d6 area damage to things not weak to light (doubled if they're also undead or evil outsiders) --> [ 6d6=24 ]{24}

DC 36 ref half on area damage, blinded if save fails

---

Meanwhile back at the Felic Gate Alicia's avatar decides to get some more expert advice by contacting Mystra herself. 'Sorry to disturb but Sylica is being attacked by a giant shadow-spewing cloud that Shar's sent. Do you know the best method of destroying it?'

[Anastasia]

Uh, did you miss the call for init in my last non OOC post? I just thought you were asking questions before rolling init.