Shadow rondo

[Anastasia]

There is no direct answer. Instead they rain down. Countless prayers, countless wishes. Whispers of malice. In that rain, lying ahead of you and impossibly vast, lies the false celestial. it faces you, expression one of open loathing and raw hate.

It is a rotted thing, the scent of decayed flesh and waste an overwhelming tide. Compared to it you are naught but a speck, as if an ant put against the mass of an entire continent. Crawling along it like maggots are human sized instances of the false celestial, they skitter and move away whenever your gaze comes on them. Your visions is not adequate to see it all and yet you do.

It is drenched in these profane prayers. They cover it in the hatred of every whisper of those of the Abyss to ravage, to consume, to destroy.

See what you sought, fools.

Your mind recoils instinctively. This is...!

Every word of hate whispered in Creation. Every prayer to the Abyss, to the demons, to the deities of evil are mine to feast on.

Antenora takes a step back, spear at the ready as it bursts with light, a nova of blue brighter than you've ever seen before.

I've let you come this far. Look on me, oh rulers of this Creation, and despair!

Charisma check. +7 sacred bonus. Good luck.

[Ebiris]

[16:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+32
[16:49] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+32 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{48}

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1150/1150
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 39), 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), opal inviolability (CL 37)
Defences: AC 117, CMD 143, 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, immunity to unholy damage
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, +4 sacred AC/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/7/14/4/9/0/3/3/3/1/2/0
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/19/11/4/16/1
Moments of prescience left: 4
Quick-casts left: 0

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+28
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+28 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{48}

It's too much. Not even a deity can endure this. No one can endure every moment of malice you've felt here. Raw, primal terror fills you. You have to get away, you have to scream. The hatred will engulf you entirely. There will be no hope, no mercy. You feel its hunger, its desire to destroy. You are but a child in the dark, the unreasoning fear of childhood all you know.

Antenora's hand is warm in your own. She grabs it and holds it tight. It's like a dash of cold water against your face. Her own expression is one of horror as she squeezes your hand as tight as she can. She makes a sound, a whimper.

It gives you a moment to breathe. A moment to realize it's so bright. Light comes from you, a sustaining force. Slowly, with a will shaken and cracked, you push away the horror. You master yourself, you refuse to be overwhelmed by this tide.

WHY?

They came here of their own will. Not at my plan. All because they saw something that Creation would be better without, and they knew well the risks.

You need not blame me. Rattled as they are, they have already rejected you.

[Ebiris]

Paladins are supposed to be beyond fear, after all!

Still, rather unsettling.

"You have a lot of power," she admits grudgingly, squeezing Antenora's hand back. "But no substance."

A breath, a moment to centre herself.

"Where is Colke?"

[Anastasia]

Flesh opens. Within is a cocoon of flesh, where acids eat away at something - or someone - inside.

I will consume everything and everyone. This is just the beginning.

NO! Not this time, not ever again! I won't let you hurt them. I won't let you hurt HER!

Antenora looks on, composure slowly regained. "One truth that not even you can change is that Alicia is everything to me. I will lay down my life and soul to protect her. You will never consume her as long as I live."

[Ebiris]

Calm yourself, Antenora. That coccoon, that figure. Is it real or another lie?

"Let Colke go, and this can all end," Alicia says mildly, her calm and composure returning by the second. "We'll leave you in peace if you can grant that small mercy."

[Anastasia]

Give me a Diplomacy check, I suppose.

[Ebiris]

[17:35] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+67
[17:35] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+67 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{72}

[Anastasia]

That look. Pure loathing - but a black portal appears. The mass inside appears in the portal and gone.

LEAVE.

[Ebiris]

Antenora?

She does not want to have to do this all over again because they got lied to at the end.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+58
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+58 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{62}

I don't believe he's lying. I don't think he likes those strong enough to resist him. A bully, perhaps.

[Ebiris]

"Where have you sent Colke?" Alicia asks before they go.

Obviously she'll be checking this afterwards.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 1150/1150
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 39), 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), opal inviolability (CL 37)
Defences: AC 117, CMD 143, 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, immunity to unholy damage
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, +4 sacred AC/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +88
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/12/9/7/14/4/9/0/3/3/3/1/2/0
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/19/11/4/16/1
Moments of prescience left: 4
Quick-casts left: 0

[Anastasia]

The portal clears. You see the mass lie on broken ground - and you can see the first layer of the Abyss. Pazunia is spread out before you, in the distance the sounds and sight of the Blood War glimpsed, devils crashing into demons.

[Ebiris]

"Remember this," Alicia says, "Because we will." And then she plane-shifts herself and Antenora to the astral plane.

[Anastasia]

This time there is no resistance.

It's like a new world. Everything is clearer, the oppression of that horrible place gone as the two of you float in the timeless Astral.