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[Anastasia]

"A transparent dome has appeared over the valley, we suspect it blocks lawful or good creatures but does not impede demons," is the answer you get. "It may be the crux of their aerial defenses around their portals."

[Ebiris]

Good thing Marie and Jessica are already in there, although whoever put that dome up is probably quite powerful. Good target for Jessica to take out. "So they're fortifying around the portals? It sounds like they intend a permanent presence with that much effort."

Also means those portals can't just be someone maintaining gate spells, they've gone well past the duration of even the most powerful caster's abilities.

Any knowledge for how they're pulling this off on that note?

[Anastasia]

Sure, K:P.

[Ebiris]

[17:06] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+50+15 planes, real Alicia is making the check while somewhat buffed
[17:06] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=7]

[Anastasia]

Well, there's a few ways.

First of all it could be an epic spellcaster doing various bullshit such as a custom gate spell that lasts far longer. Always possible and can't be counted out.

More likely they're semi to permanent portals made from either a transitive plane such as the Astral or directly to another plane. Not impossible, possible with the proper magic or divine will.  This many at once suggests either divine will and strong divine will - divine will not countered no less by the resident deities of Ysgard, though admittedly that's not the nature of those on Ysgard, as they'd rather fight - or more likely some sort of magical working.

The upshot is that no matter the exact means, someone powerful is enabling this.

[Ebiris]

Well Marie can shut them down with her teleport block spell but if they're permanent they'll just ping back up after her spell ends which won't be much more than five minutes.

Alicia might have to step in directly after Marie and Jessica clear the area.

"What else have our scouts seen?" she prompts the messenger.

[Anastasia]

"Troubling," Latha murmurs, while Syala shakes her head, "We can take care of the portals if need be."

"There are demons of all kinds flying - mostly vrock, but any with natural flight ability and some without. A few obyriths have been seen as well, though always isolated from the other demons. We have seen banners and sigils of various unattached forces and assorted Demon Princes and Demon Lords, even ones who war constantly, such as Demogorgon and Orcus."

[Ebiris]

"Have any notable balors or unique demons in leadership positions been spotted yet?" Alicia asks.

[Anastasia]

"Shanazel, a balor who serves Demogorgon. Temparkus, a balor general who formerly served Graz'zt but is now leading his own company in the Blood War. Choking Waste, a former vrock mutated into a plague carrying monster and who roams the Abyss, ma'am," is the report.

[Ebiris]

Real Alicia will take 10 for 75 for more info on those three.

[Anastasia]

Shanazel is a demon who did well, promoting over the ages. A cruel monster, he thrives on driving troops forward to death or victory. He has a knack at getting victory. A skilled marshal and prone to furious rages, he can prod his demons to the same rages. He wields Arcanast, a whip that flays any creature struck by it.

Temparkus is a balor general, relatively cool headed for one of his kind. He hates but in a more intellectual way, driving others along to be his instruments of destruction. He rules from the rear, preferring not to do battle unless he must.  His origins are obscure, but it's said he formed from a puddle of blood on Pazunia. He's known to wear a full set of adamantine armor he calls Mydakos that provides him powerful defenses and makes him hard to strike.

Choking Waste is a vrock experimented on by the former Oinoloth. He eventually was freed and released as a walking plague, infecting any he came on for ages. It's said in time he learned to control it - at least enough not to sicken his allies or minions. To get close to him is for disease to devastate you, to die a horrible death choking on your swollen throat and failing lungs. He carries with him Empty Grace, a greataxe said to be deadlier than his diseases, somehow.

[Ebiris]

"We'll have to be a bit careful with Choking Waste but the rest are fairly conventional. Shanazel is actually a lot like one of the nine Lifasan traitors, the goblin," Alicia muses. "Are the demons still concentrated in our direction or have any branched off?" she asks.

[Anastasia]

"They're concentrating with minimal guards on flanks, ma'am," Is the answer you get.

[Ebiris]

"Thank you. Syala, Latha, do you two have anything to ask?" she invites the other two before dismissing their messenger.

[Anastasia]

"Are there any signs of a disproportionate number of succubi or possibly mind controlled slaves?" Syala asks.

"No, My Queen," is the answer that is given. "Though must succubi are not front line warriors and may be concentrating in the valley itself."

"It's possible, but no," Syala says, "Even if it is Malcanthet's work," You feel her will flare, quietly sectioning off these words from your servant, "If she wishes it to remain uncertain, she'll ensure that we can't put it together so easily. If she wants it known, we won't miss it when she makes that obvious."