Shadow rondo

[Ebiris]

Sadly there are many glooms after all.

Just as there are many humans, but Alicia still looks distinctive among them.

Anyway, she'll barge into this dull blue tent looking for Colke.

[Anastasia]

Absolute silence reigns in this tent.

Within this tent are cages. Man sized cages that hang from the tall ceiling, held by hands that come out from the rough canvas. In each cage is a creature - hidden by black silk curtains draped just inside each cage. Your enhanced senses can tell each one varies wildly in size. Some are humanoid, some are animal and some are monstrous.

From the ground rises a hand, large enough to sit on. Here a woman sits in red and golden robes. Red with golden patterns and swirls, seemingly without pattern, shape or meaning. Her hair is black and tied in a severe up bun, kept well out of the way with several sticks of ivory, or perhaps simply bone. She sits there, hands in lap and with a perfect, painted white face. No expression, only ruby red lips and eyes of matching red.

"Let it be known you came here of your own free will."

The woman's voice is wrong. It comes from within your minds instead of from outside. You hear it as if spoken without a sound being heard.

"Let it be known that you step into damnation of your own free will."

Antenora is not fazed. She holds her ground, as does Jessica. Jessica steps forward even, and declares, "You speak of things you know nothing of. We seek Colke."

Now you speak of things you know nothing of. Atone in agony.

The woman raises her hand, a dull brown color around it. You can tell what this is with ease - a maximized, empowered horrid wilting with added unholy power. A curse - whomever is injured by this spell will find any water they drink to turn to dust when it touches their lips, dooming them to die of thirst.

[Ebiris]

I'm assuming since darkviolet rather than purple it's not actually Shar here.

As fancy as it is, it's still a horrid wilting at the end of the day, and thus can be counterspelled by the same even if Alicia doesn't tack anything extra onto her version.

Given supreme init I should be able to act before her and counterspell it, so that's what I'm doing.

"Forgive our intrusion, but I'll stop the next curse far more violently," Alicia warns, hand raised up after performing her counterspell.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 854+20/854
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 39), extended mind blank (CL 40), extended nondetection (CL 40), greater heroism (CL 37), extended ray deflection (CL 40), epic mage armour (CL 37), sensual blessing (CL 37), greater foresight (CL 39), keen edge (CL 37 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 37), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 39), repelling shield (CL 39), freedom of movement (CL 37), greater visage of the deity (CL 37), recitation (CL 37), good hope (CL 37)
Defences: AC 108, CMD 118, spell resistance 52, 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), nondetection (DC 55), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/6/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/16/3
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

Correct, it is not Shar's violet.

The spell crumbles to dust, countered and undone by your own magic. The woman withdraws her hand back sharply, cradling it as if struck.

Antenora has her own spear in hand. Nothing is said, but it is ready, blue light from it turning everything here opal blue, as if stained by that color in even, symmetrical bands.

The woman howls, a low but endless hiss of pain. The sound of it echos within your minds, unspoken and yet heard.

Holy! The power of the holy!

"One more time," Jessica begins, voice low, "Where is Colke?"

> roll 1d20+61 Antenora intimidate
<Penuche2> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 79 > [d20=18]

The cry of pain becomes louder, deeper.

I am Colke!

[Ebiris]

Is she wearing any kind of magical amulet that I can see with arcane sight?

[16:19] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+42 CL if needed
[16:19] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 47 > [d20=5]

[Anastasia]

She is not.

[Ebiris]

"Wear this and we'll find the truth," Alicia says, striding forward as she forces the greater gemstone of truth around her neck as she did with the last Colke.

[Anastasia]

That howl becomes even louder as she desperately tries to dodge, rising up as you come in with the necklace.

CMB, she resists.

[Ebiris]

[16:33] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+63
[16:33] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 72 > [d20=9]

[Anastasia]

It's a struggle - but you're just fast enough. The necklace is placed around Colke's neck.

The scream becomes louder, masculine.

'This isn't what happened last time!' Antenora sends to you, moving forward, but it's too late.

A tremendous impact, a raw force slamming into you like a dragon's body check, rushing out from the woman as she claws at her neck, blood glistening from her futile efforts to remove it. Were you less than you were, death would be a mercy. Yet all of you stand against this force as before your eyes, the woman transforms. The tent bursts open above, hands and body parts flying from the rent fabric.

Before you it rises, taller than a titan. The beautiful and profane angel that resists on 666 rises up with a cry of pain and fury, even as the necklace stays tight around his neck.

Antenora lowers her arms, used to shield her face. Spear in hand now, glowing bright as a star, "What did you do to Colke?" she demands.

Around you the tent falls in sundered pieces, cages crashing down and fabric bursting aflame with dark, violet fires. Outside yugoloths howl, as if wolves baying in dreadful terror, as the angel looms above this accursed place.

[Ebiris]

Was this one invested with more of 666's power?

"What are you doing here?!" Alicia demands, readying her own blade out from under her cloak, subtlety a lost cause now, the concealing black garment flaring back under the forces at play here, hood blown off to expose her face.

[Anastasia]

Jessica steps forward as well, rapier drawn as the purple flames spread. Your answer is a cry of fury as...

Init.

[Ebiris]

Supreme init, DvR 5.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 854+20/854
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 39), extended mind blank (CL 40), extended nondetection (CL 40), greater heroism (CL 37), extended ray deflection (CL 40), epic mage armour (CL 37), sensual blessing (CL 37), greater foresight (CL 39), keen edge (CL 37 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 37), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 39), repelling shield (CL 39), freedom of movement (CL 37), greater visage of the deity (CL 37), recitation (CL 37), good hope (CL 37)
Defences: AC 108, CMD 118, spell resistance 52, 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), nondetection (DC 55), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/6/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/22/11/7/16/3
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

Go for it. I'll resolve init after your turn.

[Ebiris]

She got these for Shar, but what might they do for something tied to 666? May as well get use of them. Sword held aside in one hand, Alicia rapidly casts true strike and then withdraws the scissors from her belt to stab into the vastly overgrown figure's shin!

[17:22] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+90
[17:22] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 108 > [d20=18]
[17:23] <@Ebiris> roll 1d6+25
[17:23] <Penuche2> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d6=3]

Scissors of Unbinding: These scissors seem capable undoing unnatural bonds, all it takes it to cut something (or a creature/object if it's something that isn't visible or present to cut). Treat these scissors as an exotic weapon that deals 1d6 points of damage, has a +8 enhancement bonus and a dread weapon against Sharrans.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 854+20/854
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 39), extended mind blank (CL 40), extended nondetection (CL 40), greater heroism (CL 37), extended ray deflection (CL 40), epic mage armour (CL 37), sensual blessing (CL 37), greater foresight (CL 39), keen edge (CL 37 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 37), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 39), repelling shield (CL 39), freedom of movement (CL 37), greater visage of the deity (CL 37), recitation (CL 37), good hope (CL 37)
Defences: AC 108, CMD 118, spell resistance 52, 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), nondetection (DC 55), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/9/14/9/9/6/8/5/6/7/7/3
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/16/3
Moments of prescience left: 4