Shadow rondo

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+2
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{5}

Each blow is a struggle. You chip away more, ice spreading and weakening the stone further. Yet it does not yield.

But you know slavery. You've faced Hell so many times. The hesitation fades in your mind - where did it even come from - and you bring your blade down. In one strike you cut the statue in half. It breaks as reality seems to lurch to a side, the entire thing broken. The idol falls away, now nothing but ruined stone.

Antenora merely heals her wounds, a moment to recover.

Divine succorx2 for 220 healing.

The two forces recoil away entirely now, but that isn't the end. Ahead purple rapidly gathers, a familiar sight. Behind you the same, as well as far above and far below you.

Free act for the moment.

[spoiler]

Seething Fury (CL 44): +10 morale bonus to strength for you and Antenora. Melee attacks deal an extra 6d6 points of damage and count as adamantine and epic to overcome damage reduction.

Antenora
HP: 958/959
Negative Conditions:
Aura: Protective 20ft (+4 deflection/+4 resistance vs evil) Courage 10ft (+4 morale vs fear), Divine 20ft (various)
Bonuses: Attack+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Damage+0 AC+3 (+3 luck), Saves+7 (+3 luck, +4 morale), Skills+4 (+4 morale), Checks+0
Resources: Holy Fury 35/42 (enc) Divine Retribution 1/1 Smite Evil 7/13 Channel Energy 12/18 Lay On Hands 555/555 Remove Disease 11/11 (week), Spiritual Connection 3/3 Blinding Speed 15/25 Divine Blast 18/18
Spells Used: Heal
SLAs Used:
Spells Active: Greater Heroism (CL37), Recitation (CL37), Many Moments of Prescience (CL39), Nondetection (CL40), Freedom Of Movement (CL37)
Notes: Can always inflict nonlethal with attacks, spells, SLAs and abilities.
Smite Notes: +2 damage/paladin level on a charging smite. Each point of favored PA on charge is worth 9 points of damage, post charge multiplier (15 on crit).
Typical Charging Numbers: 36 for base smite damage, 72 for charging smite +2 per per level. So 108 bonus damage baseline. Raw attack plus smite is 1d8+147+2d6+2d6 (+4/+4d6 if fiendbane hits). Doesn't include other factors.
Remember everything triples and x5 on a crit when adding things.

[Ebiris]

"Didn't you ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?" Alicia asks loudly, looking at the gathering purple as she brings her blade in after slaying that false idol.

"Never tell the same lie twice!"

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1136/1150
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), Latha's sunmantle (CL 40), seething fury (CL 44)
Defences: AC 113, CMD 144, 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, +40 str, -2 dex, +20 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +15 natural armour AC, -7 size attack/AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves, +2 morale ability checks, +10 morale strength, +6d6 melee damage
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/7/14/4/9/0/4/3/3/1/2/0
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/20/11/4/16/2
Moments of prescience left: 4
Quick-casts left: 0

[Anastasia]

That seems to amuse Malcanthet for some reason, but she doesn't voice a comment.

The energy gathers more and more, rapidly just like last time.

Are you going to cling to me to dodge again, Alicia?

[Ebiris]

"No, look for the path through the lies again," she tells Antenora, shrinking to normal size and taking her hand before looking around. "This is a diversion."

[Anastasia]

Perception.

[Ebiris]

[18:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+88+15 divine insight on this one
[18:47] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+88+15 divine insight on this one --> [ 1d20=8 ]{111}

[Anastasia]

The Gemstone of Truth is warm on your chest. Again - there. A point where things seem wrong and right at once. A haze, a shimmer.

[Ebiris]

"This way. You too, Malcanthet," Alicia says, immediately darting towards it and pulling Antenora with her.

[Anastasia]

"Interesting trick," Malcanthet notes silkily as Antenora follows without question. You race ahead as the purple beams come - and just in time - !

The Gemstone of Truth is an inferno against your chest.

Bonds comes up just in time to block him. The false celestial's blade clashes with yours, a purple spray of ice cold sparks from the impact. His face is a rictus of rage.

The path is again before you. The false celestial is now 60ft away, large as a solar.

Everything you stand for is nothing.

Truth is nothing but an illusion.

Lies shall become truth.

And I will consume them all!

Not as long as I breathe, monster. Once I served lies. Never again.

I couldn't care less about your little temper tantrum, demon prince. But a deal is a deal, and who cares if you die while I get what I want?

Rise, demons!

Standing to the left of the false celestial is a woman. She is burned horrifically and tied to the remnants of a wood stake. Her face is so charred that her blackened skull can be seen. In those empty eyes glows a face, one in each. A face of a leering woman that hungers, that devours. A tongue as long as a whip dangles from each mouth, ruby red.

To the false celestial's right is - ! Syala. Syala with an expression of pure hate, of utter loathing of you. She gazes on you in raw hatred, hands twisted into bitter claws. Not a word is said, but her gaze is like hot acid throw onto your face. She carries no weapon that you can see.

Above the false celestial is the severed head of a human. A blindfold is across its eyes, neck still glistening with fresh blood. It whispers terrible, profane things into the ear of the false celestial. The Dark Speech, words of it so vile that it chills your heart. From its neck vein-like vines begin to grow out, reaching out towards the party.

[Ebiris]

Honestly given how easy shapechanging is, it's a surprise more don't try to appear as their opponent's loved ones, twisted or otherwise. Other than chain devils which are rather famous for it.

Alicia isn't so easily unsettled.

"All the Abyss seethes with rebellion. Against morality. Against decency. Against structure. Against order," she recites, pointing her blade at the false celestial.

"You rebel against objective reality. That's all you are, a petty rebellion against that which is. There is no meaning to be had here. No power behind your words."

[Anastasia]

Give me a Diplo check, you said something right.

[Ebiris]

[19:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+67
[19:41] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+67 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{69}

[Anastasia]

The roar of fury is massive, a deathly din that - !

Well, you pissed him off again. Go you?

Init.

[Ebiris]

They were certainly intended as 'fighting words'.

Supreme init, DvR 5.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+14 Antenora
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+14 Antenora --> [ 1d20=6 ]{20}
> roll 1d20+20 stake woman
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+20 stake woman --> [ 1d20=17 ]{37}
> roll 1d20+6 head
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+6 head --> [ 1d20=2 ]{8}

Init is False Celestial (Supreme) > Malcanthet (Supreme) > Alicia (Supreme) > Syala? (Supreme) > Burnt Witch (37) > Antenora (20) > Severed Head (8)

Before you can react the false celestial faces the party as reality seems to twist. Perhaps not as bad as last time, but it spreads out like a blanket over all of you.

Will all.