Victorious advance

[Ebiris]

Never actually confirmed it was an efreet after all, then?

[Anastasia]

No such luck. Suspicious but nothing definitive. I'd like to know if they spotted something and fell back or if it was some other arbitrary reason.

[Ebiris]

Have someone investigate the area and see if they turn anything up? It could be someone looking for staging points for an assault into Sylica.

[Anastasia]

I'll let you know.

[Ebiris]

"Syala says a scout spotted what might have been an efreet in Ysgard near Sylica. Plane shifted out before they could confirm. Might be nothing or it might have been someone scouting for a staging point," Alicia tells Antenora. "We might be pre-emptively attacked even before we can throw our hat in the ring after all."

While her avatar is ensuring forces are at readiness, she thinks if such an attack were to foolishly set foot on Ysgard she'd just drown them. What was a chore for that abomination of Malcanthet's will work just fine for a hostile army.

[Anastasia]

Smiling, "I would love a good fight right now. Do you have a battle plan," Antenora asks.

[Ebiris]

"What we just did in Limbo I can do just as well in Ysgard. Practice against demon hordes is all well and good but if the efreet think to make a sneak attack against us then they'll be treated to a harsh lesson," Alicia answers, pausing to refresh her and Antenora's tea. "After they're all slain we can have our army march through to secure the bodies so that when they're resurrected they can be easily captured."

[Anastasia]

Antenora drinks before giving you a look, "I suppose we're all...maturing into our roles. Why draw your sword when you can strike with the wrath of an angry deity?"

[Ebiris]

"It's not something I'd make a habit out of because fighting on Ysgard makes for good practice, I just feel like being excessive if we're attacked without formal declaration," Alicia says. "It's an advantage we have to being on an outer plane, one that Seira and the Efreet both lack in the astral and elemental plane of fire, and that sort of harsh reminder of the consequences should make most others think twice before coming at us with an army. Of course it's little help against elite squads and assassins."

[Anastasia]

A nod at that, short and curt. "Assuming it is the efreet and not some catspaw."

Going to do anything but wait and see if they attack?

[Ebiris]

Or if we need to strike out due to escalation in the wider war, yeah.

[Anastasia]

An hour passes. Nothing yet. Antenora paces lightly but otherwise waits, along with Jessica.

We've found a portal opening in Ysgard, in a mountain region about 2 miles from the border, hidden. We're looking into it now, because it wasn't here a month ago.

[Ebiris]

Alicia has a look herself with her divine senses!

[Anastasia]

It is in a cleft in the mountain, barely a cave. Pine trees ring it, a layer of snow on the ground. Here a swirling blue portal can be seen.

[Ebiris]

Alter reality to use Analyze Portal on it.

Tells me if it needs a key/command word.
Special circumstances required to use it, if any.
Whether it's one way or two way.
Glimpse of area on other side (60 ft cone).

I'll make a planes check on what I see of the other end to identify its plane, taking 10 for 58.