Victorious advance

[Anastasia]

Grand Sultan of the Efreet (Supreme Init) > Alicia (Supreme Init) > Zamar Nazari (28) > Dao (20) > Almas Al'aswad (17) > Slayed (14)

The hulking efreet is Zamar Nazari. A minor if respected noble, a brute who rarely stays in the City of Brass but obeys the Sultan when called on. He wishes to fight, kill and destroy at all times. Notable for burning his foes to char and eating what's left. He's old - millions of years if you're a day old - and powerful. He mostly satisfies his desires for violence in various planar skirmishes, or the Blood War when nothing else is available. As powerful as he is, the various Grand Sultans usually regard him as useful enough to protect him from political scheming. Watch out for his blows, they'll leave you reeling like Syala's. He also gets stronger as his blood is shed, and as he injures his opponents.

The Astral Stalker is Slayed, an outcast from his own kind. He's strong enough to survive his foes trying to kill him and he excels as a fixer for hire. About 2000 years ago he allegedly took a job for the Grand Sultan and vanished - so you suppose that answers the question that poses, at least partially. He's workmanlike, killing and moving on. He has no respect for his opponents, only wishing to end their lives as efficiently as possible. Whatever you do, don't let him get on you with your claws, he's an incredibly deadly precision warrior like Jessica.

The last is the Almas Al'aswad, said to have been made by Kassim the Honored Flame. It's said that he once found a giant diamond deep in the burning reaches of Fire, one that no flame could melt. It is said that he spend an age slowly chipping it down, until at last it became a massive hunting hound with a dozen heads and endless hunger, given life by the endless centuries Kassim worked on it. It is further said in legend that the beast was canny and sought to escape, and in time slipped Kassim a potion that ad him sleep for 99 years, during which the beast escaped and gained his freedom. What became of it varies tale to tale, but it's been seen participating in battles on occasion in Fire, usually on a different side each time.

Anyway, exposition done for now, it's your go.

The Grand Sultan is now 200ft away, watching as...

Go.

[Ebiris]

Alicia looks over those formidable defenders, any of which would be a deadly fight on its own but not a one of them interests her right now. "Worthiness is an empty word on the battlefield," she declares as her sword swings out... and space twists, the 200 feet as nothing between her and the Sultan, her blade emerging directly in front of the Sultan's chest and slashing at him, a quick reversal before he takes another strike from its back end as Alicia executes a familiar dance, putting her all into defeating this mighty foe before any of his bodyguards can interfere!

[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+119 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, many moments of prescience
[18:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 135 > [d20=16]
[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+119 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, many moments of prescience
[18:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 129 > [d20=10]
[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+119 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, many moments of prescience
[18:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 124 > [d20=5]
[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+119 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, many moments of prescience
[18:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 120 > [d20=1]
[18:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+130 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, quickened many moments of prescience cast here for four more uses, smite evil
[18:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 139 > [d20=9]
[18:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+130 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, moments of prescience, smite evil
[18:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 138 > [d20=8]
[18:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+109 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, moments of prescience
[18:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 123 > [d20=14]
[18:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+109 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp, moments of prescience
[18:29] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 126 > [d20=17]
[18:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+74 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp
[18:30] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 88 > [d20=14]
[18:30] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+74 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp
[18:30] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 84 > [d20=10]
[18:33] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+109 crit check for the 126
[18:33] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 113 > [d20=4]

Add +2 to all of those attack rolls if it makes a difference, never added evil outsider bane's bonus.

[18:33] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:33] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 924 > [d6=3,1,4,2,3,3,6,6,5,1,6][d4=3,2,3,3,4,4,1,4,3,1,3,4,4,4]
[18:33] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:33] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 910 > [d6=5,2,1,1,5,3,4,6,6,3,1][d4=4,4,1,4,1,4,1,1,2,2,2,2,1,3]
[18:33] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:33] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 909 > [d6=2,2,2,6,1,2,5,1,2,5,4][d4=3,2,1,4,1,3,4,1,3,3,4,1,3,3]
[18:33] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 920 > [d6=6,4,5,2,4,2,5,5,3,2,5][d4=2,3,1,2,4,4,2,4,1,4,1,3,2,3]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 910 > [d6=5,5,5,3,2,5,2,3,3,1,1][d4=3,2,1,1,2,2,3,1,2,3,3,3,4,4]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 903 > [d6=4,4,3,4,2,6,2,2,2,5,3][d4=3,3,1,1,1,1,2,3,3,1,2,2,1,1]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 913 > [d6=6,6,4,1,5,5,5,1,2,2,5][d4=1,1,2,1,3,4,2,1,3,3,3,3,2,1]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 911 > [d6=4,1,4,4,5,4,1,6,2,5,2][d4=4,2,2,3,2,4,3,1,2,3,1,2,2,1]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 913 > [d6=5,4,4,5,3,4,3,3,5,5,3][d4=1,2,2,3,2,2,1,2,1,2,2,2,3,3]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 12d6+98+6d6+2d6+14d4+1584 if 113 was a crit
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 1781 > [d6=6,2,1,3,4,2,2,4,4,2,1,5,1,5,2,2,1,6,5,1][d4=4,3,4,2,3,1,4,2,3,3,3,4,3,1]
[18:34] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+49+3d6+2d6+14d4+792 if 113 was not a crit
[18:34] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 913 > [d6=5,2,6,2,3,5,6,4,1,6,1][d4=1,3,2,2,1,3,2,4,2,2,2,2,3,2]

After the full attack I'll use a free action to drop my permanent emanation and clear the compressed space so he can't retaliate.

[18:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+2 rank check to see if I can inflict negative levels on him
[18:38] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d20=7]

Pretty sure he can't fail that. 1 negative level per hit (2 on a crit) if he does though.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia: 981+60/981
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), opal protection (CL 33), celestial valor (CL 33), greater anticipate teleportation (CL 33), greater visage of the deity (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 125 (142 vs grapple), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48)
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +3 morale armour, +4 sacred attack/damage/ac/saves, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +14 natural armour AC, -8 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 2 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/14/5/7/6/7/5/3/5/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/22/22/22/9/8/5

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
> roll 1d100
> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d100=7]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d100=29]
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d100=24]
> roll 1d100 need a fourth since evil outsider bane
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 70 > [d100=70]

The Sultan is like attacking the concept of repulsion. Air ripples around him, making it harder and harder to swing with each inch your blade passes. He somehow seems to know at the same time, moving in perfect tandem to avoid your blade. Some sort of insight or natural skill, you know not, but he moves flawlessly. His armor is like hacking through layers of thick diamond, his flesh like yards of adamantine.

Many of your blows aren't enough like this, not even now. Yet some are - only for the armor to resonate, a burst of heat before your blade slips away, turning deadly blows into narrow misses.

"Trickery!" The Grand Sultan says, dodging your blade by an inch. He starts to move and that's your one moment. You manage to swing right back, slashing across his chest. It's a deep cut, finally getting him - but even as he bleeds, he isn't going down. Not quite, perhaps.

He can't fail the roll so no point, yeah. That it for your turn?

[Ebiris]

All actions expended, yes.

[Anastasia]

Grand Sultan of the Efreet (Supreme Init) > Alicia (Supreme Init) > Zamar Nazari (28) > Dao (20) > Almas Al'aswad (17) > Slayed (14)

Zamar views this battle, the carnage from it and your space compression magic. He rears back - and hurls his hammer, right at you, spinning end over end as...

> roll 1d20+93 (+3 ???, +1 ???, +10 pride of the fire giant, +20 true strike)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 107 > [d20=14]

> roll 8d8+95+5d6
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 137 > [d8=5,6,5,2,1,5,1,6][d6=1,1,3,3,3]

Beats your DR. Ow.

Fort save vs stunning, note if immune.

[Ebiris]

[17:20] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 mettle
[17:20] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=9]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia: 904/981
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), opal protection (CL 33), celestial valor (CL 33), greater anticipate teleportation (CL 33), greater visage of the deity (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 125 (142 vs grapple), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48)
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +3 morale armour, +4 sacred attack/damage/ac/saves, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +14 natural armour AC, -8 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 2 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/14/5/7/6/7/5/3/5/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/22/22/22/9/8/5

[Anastasia]

Pain. The war mace hits home with the force of a raging tarrasque, sending you staggering back even with the size difference. Moments later it's back in his hand as he licks his lips, eyeing you all the while.

The dao are falling back carefully, not daring to interfere in such a thing. Perhaps wise, perhaps terrified, perhaps both.

Amid it all, Almas Al'aswad snarls and snaps before bounding forward, heads all lunging out to bite your massive form as...

It does provoke an AoO he's willing to risk for the charge.

[Ebiris]

Saving the AoO for Slayed, come at me bro.

[Anastasia]

> roll 10#1d20+62 (+5 ???, +3 hunter's chase, +4 ???, +1 ???, +5 ???, +1 ???)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 66, 69, 78, 70, 67, 75, 69, 76, 79, 66 >

A savage array of mauling bites follows, the black hound going for you. Yet your mage armor holds, parrying blocking the assault for the moment, even as your chest aches from the mace-blow to you.

Amid all this you see Slayed coming forward, seeming to glide side to side without covering the distance - speed, speed you can begin to follow as...

He's going for the go stab Alicia game, too. AoO?

[Ebiris]

She'd been waiting for this and with a faint smile one of her sword-blades whips out over the crystalline monster's head to eviscerate the foolish astral stalker!

[16:59] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+93 blinding speed, 14th level arcane strike, channelled vivacious/maximised flux grasp
[16:59] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d20=8]
[16:59] <@Ebiris> roll 6d6+59+3d6+2d6+14d4+792 and 1 negative level
[16:59] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 926 > [d6=6,6,1,1,3,3,1,6,5,5,1][d4=1,2,3,4,1,3,4,2,4,1,2,4,2,4]

If he's still alive, DC 38 fort save or -10 penalty to both armour and natural armour.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia: 904/981
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 33), extended mind blank (CL 33), extended nondetection (CL 33), sensual blessing (CL 33), epic mage armour (CL 33), recitation (CL 33), greater heroism (CL 33), repelling shield (CL 33), spell turning (CL 33), dance of the unicorn (CL 33), foresight (CL 33), vision of the omniscient eye (CL 33), opal protection (CL 33), celestial valor (CL 33), greater anticipate teleportation (CL 33), greater visage of the deity (CL 33)
Defences: AC 99, CMD 125 (142 vs grapple), spell resistance 48, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear, dazzled & blinded), nondetection (DC 48)
Stat buffs/penalties: +25 competence perception, doubled crit range, +10 armour AC, +3 luck attack/saves, +9 shield AC, +4 attack/saves/skills, +2 insight AC/reflex, +3 morale armour, +4 sacred attack/damage/ac/saves, +36 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +14 natural armour AC, -8 size attack/AC
Perceptions: Darkvision, tremorsense, blindsight 2 miles, scent, arcane sight, perception +83
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/9/9/14/5/7/6/7/5/3/5/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/22/22/22/9/8/5

[Anastasia]

Grand Sultan of the Efreet (Supreme Init) > Alicia (Supreme Init) > Zamar Nazari (28) > Dao (20) > Almas Al'aswad (17)

Slayed is simply cut in half - he begins to heal rapidly, but it's not enough. His body falls in two pieces and is gone, runed piercings raining down as he vanishes. It's one heavy, decisive blow that bisects him.

One down.

"I underestimated you," The Grand Sultan declares as he holds his chest, the wound sealing over in a instant. A bodysheathe of flame surrounds him, motes of burning stone within it. A moment later he fades from view entirely as...

Do you have true seeing or the like active?

[Ebiris]

No, but I have epic perception and blindsight/scent/tremorsense.

[17:23] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+83 perception
[17:23] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 85 > [d20=2]

[Anastasia]

Huh.

It's like...three of them now once he's invisible, the faint distortions noticed.

One is right where he was. One is 120ft to the left, amid several dao. The third is 10ft behind the first, and is then gone entirely.

Go.

[Ebiris]

[17:36] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+52 spellcraft
[17:36] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 66 > [d20=14]

Can I figure out what he did there specifically to help with narrowing down which is real or if they're all real or semi-real?

[Anastasia]

It's not hard to identify Superior Invisibility, you know that spell when you see it.

The other spell is...strange. Unusual, the structure of it's different. It creates two clones of shadow and illusion and they can be positioned freely, while allowing the caster to move normally and take any other actions. It also momentarily blurs the caster, so that it's hard to tell if one left behind is the caster or if another that appeared is. Combined with being unseen and any of them could be it.

It doesn't cover why one of them vanished, though. Some form of teleportation, escape or further cloaking beyond even your sharp eyes.