Winter 21st
You teleport in during the morning back to Flint, arriving at Battalion Academy's teleportation circle.
Gerald: "If only every city could have a teleportation circle…"
Aleith|DM: Many cities do. But then there's travel visas involved and everything else…
Chandrasekhar: "We can work on that after we've saved the world from a crazy conspiracy."
Zane: "Or a sane conspiracy, depending on how you look at it."
Phyllis quirks an eyebrow at Zane. "I did not expect that view from you."
Gerald: "Well he's not wrong, it's not exactly crazy."
Zane: "Oh, I'm still going to kill him. But all things considered, a conspiracy to make the world better wether people want it or not is much less offensive than a plan to turn the elite few into all-powerful demigods."
Garrett: "When they lay it out piece by piece, it can be quite convincing. And then they talk about the actual plan."
Garrett: "And that's why we still collect pay from the RHC."
Phyllis: "I should eat him and take his place."
Kasvarina just kind of stares at Phyllis.
Zane: "Ursinho that was a very me thing to say."
Phyllis: "… that's what we call a 'joke,' Kasvarina."
Gerald: "Too late already killed the lich."
Kasvarina: "A lich…?"
Kasvarina: "I don't think Asrabey knew about that one."
Gerald: "I can't think of any other way off hand she'd take the place of a body hoppinh immortal offhand - ah, yeah. We've only cross paths a few times and things just… keep happening." \
Zane: "It… Hm. I dont even know if we can claim credit for the lich."
Zane: "Apart from 'we were in the room at the time'."
Gerald: "Totally counts."
Gerald: "I hadn't laughed that hard in a while."
Chandrasekhar: "Lenz, I appreciate you."
Zane: "Ehhhhh…"
Zane‘ handwobbles.
Gerald: "We melted the ice which lead to it being able to make Poor Decisions again, ergo, counts. Especially because it was funny."
Zane: "It was pretty funny, I’ll grant you."
Zane: "Regardless. Onward to Cauldron Hill."
Phyllis: "The long and short of it is, if you've noticed Nicodemus' predilection towards taking over bodies, heeeee's not the only one who has."
Aleith|DM: You call forth your mechanical carriage and head towards Cauldron Hill. As you're passing through the Central district, Kasvarina speaks up, wearing the arc. "I can sense another memory here, nearby."
Gerald: "Makes sense."
Zane‘ slows the carriage. "Oh? Lets go find it."
Aleith|DM: With her directing you, you end up in front of the Navras Opera House.
Kasvarina: "It’s inside, I believe."
Gerald: "I bet the people inside are going to enjoy this."
Aleith|DM: It's still morning, so it's mostly just workers probably…
Phyllis: "Time for an encore, Reida."
Aleith|DM: Just a showing of your badge gets you entrance, though the security guard is curious what you're looking for.
Aleith|DM: Not far past the entrance, Kasvarina stands still, waiting for the memory to unfold…
Chandrasekhar: "This ought to be interesting. I've performed here, did you know?"
Phyllis: "We need to use the site for a divination ritual."
Phyllis: "I did, I've assisted with stage work here."
Aleith|DM: As the memory event starts, the opera house seems to come apart as it reveals the skeleton of the structure, still open to the sky. Kasvarina walks beside another eladrin.
Aleith|DM: She wonders why he’s building this thing here, rather than back in their homeland, and Navras says that he doesn’t like what Elfaivar is turning into. She asks if he'd mind her staying until the building is complete so she can hear the first performance. Navras sneers and threatens to have security drag her out if he sees her.
Aleith|DM: As that memory closes, however, the opera house reassembles, but the decor is older.
Zane: "Charming."
Gerald: "No offense but you seem kinda bad at making friends."
Kasvarina: "I'm noticing that myself…"
Phyllis: Older than before we viewed the memory?
Aleith|DM: Older than now.
Aleith|DM: yeah
Gerald: "Seemed…? You're a lot different now than you are in these memories."
Gerald: "Also is the vision still going on or something? Things look different."
Zane: "Two-parter. Maybe more."
Aleith|DM: She leads you inside to the stage itself, where a full orchestra is setup, and a mixed choir of humans, elves, and halfling stand on the stage. Navras is conducting the affair. The seating is full, and Kasvarina stares, astonished. "I don't think I saw this, but somehow…"
Phyllis: "'No man steps in the same river twice.'"
Gerald: "Ah, there we go."
Aleith|DM: She places her hand on her head, and the Arc is still sitting on her head. "Very strange."
Zane: "…"
Zane‘ unobtrusively turns to watch behind them.
Aleith|DM: Navras raises his hand, and when it falls, the orchestra starts to play. Soon, the choir starts singing, and Kasvarina gasps.
Aleith|DM: Chandrasekhar: It’s the song of Vekesh, which Navras is said to have performed on the opera house's opening night, before disappearing.
Aleith|DM: It's very moving, and when the scene comes to an end, a few of the workers are standing at the entrances to the seating or the stage, some clapping, others tearing up. The guard who followed behind you is staring in amazement.
Aleith|DM: All of you can choose one item in your possession, and that item has become enchanted to perform the ritual remove affliction once per week, requireing only a standard action to perform (instead of an hour).
Chandrasekhar: "(…the song of Vekesh.)" Quietly, not to disturb. The look on his face is… imagine seeing one of the most famed performances of a work of art that has defined your entire life.
Zane‘ waits quietly. This is some pretty important shit to his good friend Singh, he’s not gonna fuck it up.
Phyllis: "'The proper form of retribution, then, is to endure, rebuild from weakness, and prosper into strength.'" Her own eyes brim with tears, though she tries to remain a stoic appearance.
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina takes the Lost Arc off her head, then carresses it gently. "I'm not sure why you showed us that, but thank you."
Gerald‘ pauses for a moment, before glancing around the party. "Hey Phyllis can you do a scan on our gear? Something feels off in a magic-y way but I don’t know enough about magic to say how."
Phyllis: "Of course." I'm guessing Arcana?
Aleith|DM: It's not hard to figure it out, just takes several minutes.
[OOC] Aleith|DM: Identifying magical properties is just Something You Can Do During A Short Rest
Zane: "Huh. Well that's useful."
[OOC] Phyllis: aha. I thought he was asking about like … something else, like the vision continuing without the arc being visible
[OOC] Gerald: oh naw, just that. haha
Chandrasekhar takes a slow, quiet, deep breath. Bows his head. "'And so shall we live, the green fuse that breaks the rocks.'"
Gerald: "I feel like every time I enter some kind of weird ass memory illusion I come out on the other end with free stuff,:
Phyllis: "You are not the same Kasvarina from before the war. You are not the Kasvarina from after. You might still be in the process of rebuilding, but. Here you are."
Kasvarina: "Yes, thank you."
Phyllis: "Was it the arc that showed you that? Or did Navras leave that as a recording?"
Phyllis: "An illusion of a memory, to show you what you missed."
Kasvarina: "The Arc, I think. Navras didn't seem impressed by me. But he spend decades building this place before it was finished."
Zane: "Huh. A memory of the building, then?"
Kasvarina: "Maybe."
Zane‘ shrugs. "It was real pretty, whatever it was."
Gerald: "…Man we should investigate if we can get it to do that again on purpose later, we could probably sell that memory for a LOT iif there was some way of capturing it and playing it back whenever…"
Chandrasekhar glowers at Gerald.
Gerald: "What? Look at how many people were crying when it ended, it’d be popular as hell."
Phyllis: "I'd do it for free."
Chandrasekhar: "…that memory ought to belong to all of us. Cherish it." He's glowering, but his voice is gentle.
Gerald: "Mm."
Phyllis pulls Gerald aside and quietly admonishes him: "I'd suggest not trying to take monetary advantage of one of their defining influences and beliefs. Okay?"
Gerald: "That's what humans *do* though…"
Phyllis: "Yeah, there's a reason we don't like you much."
Phyllis: "Collectively. Not you specifically. You're great."
Gerald: "I agree."
Aleith|DM: Afterwards, you head for Cauldron Hill. The commandos guarding it stop you at first, but once Captain Dale comes to meet you he lets you through for your investigation, with a warning to be careful.
Phyllis: "But seriously. Don't. Or I'll have you charmed and hexed six ways to Sunday."
Gerald: "I wouldn't know how to do it anyway…!"
Chandrasekhar laughs, -very- gently. "Ursinho, it's alright."
Gerald: "Always careful, Captain!"
Phyllis: "One moment."
Phyllis: "Kasvarina, are you sure about this particular one?"
Gerald: "Can't imagine too many of them are as bad as the one in Ber."
Kasvarina: "I already have unpleasant memories of them locking me up 'for my own good' after I 'lost' my memories. I wouldn't mind finding out what was so important for me to be here in the first place."
Phyllis: "I'm probably being superstitious. There's a prophecy from a Skyseer that's turned out fairly accurate so far, and it makes mention of Cauldron Hill being unsafe to return to."
Aleith|DM: It would probably be a nightmare in itself trying to find a way into the collapsed facility under the mountain, but Ernst is able to find some intact service passages from the top of the Hill that allows you entry.
Aleith|DM: You see a variety of memories in the Cauldron Hill facility, most of them incidental moments of Kasvarina touring with Leone Quital and watching the colossus be built, or her laying geas spells on the key workers there, or her doling out punishment to workers who try to sneak out and return to the real world. She also spends a great deal of time with Alexander Grappa and the golem prototypes he built, training them and raising them so they would be trustworthy. But one extended memory involving Alexander Grappa stands out.
Phyllis: "… I'm also pretty certain the prophecy alludes to you, Kasvarina. But I'm still piecing that part together."
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina has arrived to discuss the problem of Grappa’s disloyalty, and she retires with Leone to make plans over a bottle of wine. During their discussion she realizes Grappa is actually watching from an air vent, and Leone uses his steelshaping magic to pull Grappa out and pin him. They lock the man up and Kasvarina has to break the news to Borne that his father is a traitor to their cause.
Aleith|DM: Later, Grappa sends his bronze golem handservant to request Kasvarina come talk to him. He ambushes her, plants a hand on her face, and casts a spell to lock away her memories. As the old man holds her down he apologizes, and says that all people are is the sum of their lives. He's giving her another chance at life, a chance to be a decent person.
Aleith|DM: The memory-event ends there, though the party knows that Grappa went on to lock away the colossus's memories, then fled and was caught and killed by Leone.
Zane: "… Yeah, that's about what I had figured."
Kasvarina: "Another chance at life, huh…?"
Zane: "Well, yes."
Gerald: "Grappa really was kind of all over the place, wasn't he?"
Phyllis: "I did not know how literal I was being in my earlier comment about you 'not being the same Kasvarina.'"
Zane: "Really, Ursinho?"
Phyllis: "What?"
Zane: "I thought you were being deliberately super-literal, is all."
Phyllis: "No, the same happens to even us. Just … more gradually. You saw the visions of our memories, right? We had no singular life-changing moment like that, only a continual stream of events."
Kasvarina: "Oddly enough, I feel like the 'other' me was becoming a bit more 'human' interacting with those golems… I seemed really pleased when Borne called me 'Mother' that first time…"
Phyllis: "What I was alluding to wasn't literal chapters of our lives as such, but that from moment to moment, the Phyllis that started this sentence is different from the one that ends it."
Zane: "Course you did. You had kids again."
Phyllis looks at Kasvarina, then turns to Chandra. "Though in Kasvarina's case, there are some … striking parallels. Maiden, then mother. And now…"
Chandrasekhar inclines his head towards Phyllis in a nod.
Zane: "The train derails and crushes two women…"
Gerald: "What?"
Zane: "Nevards prophecy."
Phyllis: "You're thinking the same thing I am, yes?"
Zane: "I'm thinking I hate prophecy, but the pieces fit."
Zane: "We'll just have to see what happens."
Kasvarina: "What prophecy?"
Phyllis: "The one I mentioned earlier. I have it in my notes, though we can discuss it later."
Kasvarina: "Alright. On to Resal once we get out of here?"
Zane: "… Urshinho gimme your copy. I know you carry one around."
Phyllis hands him one. "In triplicate."
Zane‘ looks it over and grins. "’But the third was made of stars, and it sang many songs.' Hah."
Phyllis: "I'm not sure what that one refers to."
Zane: "… Really?"
Phyllis: "… the Arsenal?"
Zane: "Close. Its her. And the songs are memories."
Phyllis: "'Her' being Dhebisu?"
Zane: "No, 'her' being Kasvarina."
Kasvarina just seems confused.
Zane: "That whole 'made of stars' is a metaphor."
Gerald‘ makes a shrugging motion in Kasvarina’s direction.
Phyllis coughs, then turns to Kasvarina. "I'm sorry, this must sound terribly rude of us. Would you like to read it for yourself, at least?"
Gerald: "Sometimes Phyllis remembers a thing a skyseer told us and gets all worked up but usually interputs everything too literally until we're in the thick of it…"
Kasvarina: "Alright, if you don't mind me seeing it…"
Phyllis: "And I'm inclined to think the 'made of stars' bit is more literal than that. I don't think she's the trio of birds."
Zane‘ shrugs. "We’ll see. Makes sense to me, though."
Zane: "McBannin, Borne, her."
Kasvarina: "You think I might bring disaster to here? Cauldron Hill? Possibly the city itself?"
Zane: "I think you already did. Working with the Obscurati to build a three hundred foot collosus."
Phyllis: "The old her did, that is."
Zane: "Well yeah."
Kasvarina: "Hmmm. The black steel is Borne, right? Then wouldn't I just be tied into that one?" She offers to hand the page of prophecies back. "We can discuss this more enroute to Resal, then? I need some time to think about these."
Phyllis: "It's an important distinction to make, given the circumstances."
Phyllis nods. "Of course. Let's be on our way, then?"
Zane‘ shrugs. "This is why I hate prophecy. We’ll see what happens. But yeah, Resal next."
Phyllis: "Fatalism is a part of the dwarven tradition. I can't help it."
Zane: "Yes, well, who am I to stand in the way of tradition."
Gerald: "Should write a book about it and sell it…" Gerald gives Phyllis a grin, before turning and running away before she can open up her spell book.
Phyllis uses an orb, joke's on Gerald! … but not really.
Phyllis nudges Zane. "(Personally, I think we're going cheese-collecting in the railyard right now.)"
Zane: "(Damn it Ursinho, now I'm hungry.)"
Aleith|DM: The next day, you teleport over to Vendricce, cross the channel, and head down the road to Airone Azzurro. The mechanical carriage makes the 50 miles to the town only take a few hours.
Zane: "Man you know… I *really* like this thing. I dont think I say that enough."
Gerald: "One could never say it enough."
Kasvarina: "It's certainly…different. And strangely fast."
Phyllis: "I can't teleport us everywhere."
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina doesn't recognize the town at all once you've arrived. The town is mostly humans now, a few soldiers wandering the town because of the small fort nearby, but some old eladrins can be seen working around town as well. With the Arc on, she directs you over to towards an orchard of stunded mango trees.
Gerald: "Won't be much of a crowd there."
Phyllis: "Let's go, then."
Aleith|DM: Vertigo briefly grips Kasvarina, and she begins to step in a light, dancing ring as the memory-event sweeps across the area, revealing a massed crowd of weary and bitter eladrin men standing on a wide field. The trees are faded, and the crowd passes through them without seeing them.
Aleith|DM: As the memory-event begins, the crowd of soldiers listen to a mass funeral service. At the edge of the crowd, Kasvarina, Launga, Athrylla, Latika, and the other women are speaking softly with Sor Daeron about how they each survived. Launga was gathering resources in the Dreaming, Athrylla was shape-changed into a dragon attacking Sid Minos, Kasvarina was teleporting across the world, and so on.
Aleith|DM: Sor looks completely bereft of any enthusiasm as he states that he sees no possible way for the nation to survive if so few women are left. He asks if he was a coward to retreat rather than redouble the assault and die seeking vengeance. Launga says that they all need time to grieve, and that there may be a way to survive. Latika responds that there is no use for grief. Grief is so the survivors can keep on living. The women start to argue about what course to take, while Kasvarina remains silent, feeling wracked with guilt.
Aleith|DM: Then Kasvarina looks up as the priest finishes his rites and introduces the poet Vekesh, who will deliver the eulogy in song. Beside him, a musician strums a simple guitar. What follows is one of the most stirring performances ever delivered in the world's history, though much of it is lost on those who don’t speak Elven or who are unfamiliar with Elfaivaran culture.
Aleith|DM: Laden with mourning and tragedy, the song weaves metaphors from other old Elfaivaran myths and history, and Vekesh draws heavily upon the three aspects of Srasama—maiden, mother, and crone. He seems to follow the traditional three-verse rhythm of eladrin elegies, singing of the maiden's joy and wonder, of the mother's comfort and strife; but when he should sing of the crone's burden of loss and death, he says nothing while the guitarist plays. Then Vekesh repeats the first two verses, adjusting his tone to show that he is mourning not his nation's death, but Srasama's.
Aleith|DM: In his fifth verse he comes to his point: this is only a mourning song if it ends with death. The eladrin people are not defeated as long as they refuse to go with the crone to the afterlife. Vekesh pleads for the listeners to seek retribution, yes, but not to throw themselves to their deaths. They should grieve, and endure, and grow strong, and rebuild from weakeness to prosper with strength.
Aleith|DM: This is the first time since the Great Malice anyone in the army has had the strength to sing, providing a hope that the soldiers here were desperately yearning for. It probably doesn't hurt that Vekesh's refrain is memorable and life-affirming to sing along with. By the time he completes the song, most of the crowd has joined in and men are openly weeping.
Aleith|DM: Yes, it's the same song you just heard yesterday, though without the vast orchestral accompaniment or the large choir. Somehow, it carries more meaning this way.
Zane: "… Man, I really gotta learn Elvish at some point."
Phyllis: It's the opening night, after all.
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina doesn't cry, but she tells the other women to follow her. She walks into the center of the ring, thanks Vekesh, and addresses the crowd. She proclaims that many of her sisters have perished—one of her own daughters included—but she still lives, and others like her. No man here, she declares, will give his life for revenge, not until last woman of their people is found and safely returned home.
Aleith|DM: The crone, she says, would grow old with grief until she joined those who had died before her. So Kasvarina forsakes grief, and asks that those here follow her and her sisters, so that their people may never die.
Aleith|DM: She tells Vekesh to sing again, and this time she and the other women join in a traditional mourning dance. But like Vekesh’s song, they avoid the part of the dance that would signal grief. The memory-event slowly fades with Vekesh’s song, until Kasvarina finishes her dance alone.
Aleith|DM: The performance has attracted people of the modern day, who watch with awem, several of them starting to ask you what's going on. A few of the Crisillyiri soldiers ask whether they should report this, but they seem too amazed to be worried.
Zane‘ talks to the Crysillyiri soldiers. "(Ancient history. Just let it lie.)"
Phyllis: "I …"
Phyllis: "I have so many thoughts right now."
Phyllis: "I feel like I should refrain until a better time, though."
Kasvarina: "I think I can now understand just how I became this other woman, after a loss so great. The pain I was feeling then…"
Phyllis: "The other extreme from the death cult of corrupted ideologues, the so-called Eschatologists."
Phyllis: "Would it be uncouth to suggest that the freshly-grieving Kasvarina took a much-needed message the wrong way? Is literal immortality what Vekesh had in mind, or just a refusal to let grief overtake your spirits?"
Phyllis: "Because I fear the old you never made peace with the prospect of death and ending when she should have."
Chandrasekhar: If his expression at the opera house was one thing, this is… Chandrasekhar is lost for words, utterly. Trying to commit specific nuances of the performance to memory, to-
Gerald` opens his mouth, closes his mouth. Hand wobbles in Phyllis’ direction after a moment.
Chandrasekhar wanders around, addressing a few people's questions. He /is/ the one qualified to do that, after all. At some point, he catches Phyllis' eye for a long, serious moment; doesn't -quite- nod.
Kasvarina: "I don't think you're wrong about that. If you look, this must have been 500 years ago, but Latika, Athrylla, and I hardly look older than we did then…"
Phyllis: "That is my takeaway, at least. My interpretation of both Heid and Vekesh is to make room for new beginnings. Eras and ages end, but give rise to new ones. Like the seasons themselves, or the phases of the moon."
Phyllis: "… the you right now. I think that's what Vekesh meant. Not the freshly-grieving you."
Kasvarina: "Right." She nods. "I can sense another memory here still. I recall where my home here was in Resal."
Aleith|DM: A few of the humans and one of the elderly eladrin follow you as you move away, one of them still trying to get answers as the rest try to follow a bit more discreetly.
Phyllis: "Are we attracting too much undue attention, do you think?"
Zane: "Not for long."
Gerald: "The next one probably isn't going to be anywhere nearly as mind blowingly inspirational or interesting, just a heads up!"
Zane‘ plants himself in the road behind the others and glowers threateningly at the people following them. It’s a good glower. He's got a lot of practice.
Aleith|DM: They…stop following.
Zane: "Good call." And he rejoins the others.
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina leads you to the spot of her old home, though now it's a barren shore stinking with toxic sludge contaminating the river nearby.
Phyllis: "You go on, I'll catch up." She turns to the eladrin, herself.
Elderly Eldarin: "Hmmm?"
Gerald‘ sloooowly lets his eyes move from Phyllis to Chandra, before chasing after Kasvarina.
Phyllis: "Allow me to satiate your curiosity so you at least leave satisfied. Anything to ask?"
Elderly Eldarin: "That was Vekesh’s performance, wasn't it? I was there, all those years ago. Even more stirring now with the flavour of nostalgia to go with it. That lass, isn't she..?"
Phyllis: "Not anymore."
Phyllis: "… It's complicated. But she's not the same as she was then."
Elderly Eldarin: "Huh. I'll leave it at then. That tall fellow with you doesn't seem happy about us following."
Phyllis: "We've had enemies in the area in our prior visits. Pardon our suspicions."
Phyllis: "But all these years later, she's endured and is still rebuilding."
Phyllis: "Take that as you will."
Phyllis bows and returns to the others.
Aleith|DM: The eladrin bows in return.
Aleith|DM: As the memory event starts, once Phyllis catches up, Kasvarina's home reappears around her, the waters in the river once again flowing clear beside it.
Aleith|DM: Inside her house she talks with her daughters Launga and Dala while she packs her bags for another long journey. Launga is older (nearing 70 but still looks like she’s 20), an experienced ranger, and closely resembles her mother but taller. The younger Dala (56, but looking in her late teens) is rounder of face and is using cantrips to alter her hair’s color, trying to inject levity to keep the parting from being sad. Around her neck hangs a three-faceted amber pendant, carved with icons of Srasama's three forms.
Aleith|DM: Launga can't believe her mother plans to go back to Alais Primos after she nearly died there. She offers to go with her, but Kasvarina tells her not to abandon her assignments. If the ranamandala (the ruling circle of kings and queens) reject her and Nicodemus’s request, she might be branded a traitor, and so Launga and Dala both need to show they are loyal. Dala jokes that a good start would be to tell the army that they're hiding a human in their house. Kasvarina gives her a very motherly glare.
Aleith|DM: At that moment, someone walks in from another room, but it's the elderly eladrin that Phyllis was recently speaking with. He's smoking now, and the features shift back and forth from eladrin to a human with salt-and-pepper hair. He watches with amusement as Kasvarina's daughters thank him for saving their mother's life.
Gerald: "Man it's not really something you think about very often, but seeing all these memories back to back like this?" Gerald glances over at Kasvarina and Chandra. "But ya'll really age gracefully."
Aleith|DM: The man reaches out and touches their faces and apologizes for not being able to save them. The two girls don't seem to notice this act.
Nicodemus: "Kasvarina, I want to help you. Please, come back with me."
Zane: "You showed up faster than I expected."
Gerald: "Hey Nico, heads up?"
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina flatly says, "no. I've already learned more than enough not to trust you now."
Gerald: "We already watched the memory where you betrayed her trust."
Gerald: "Now,"
Zane: "That was a good one."
Gerald: "You might be thinking to yourself: 'shit, but which one'?"
Gerald: "But that's that's all the hints I'm giving."
Phyllis: "I see you're still the same after all these years. Poor child."
Chandrasekhar stares at him, head tilted to one side. "I was right, but you didn't have any reaction. That's interesting."
Nicodemus: "Kasvarina, if you want to learn your past, you have three options. Come with me willingly. Come with me as a prisoner. Or be killed. As for the rest of you, I'd prefer not to kill you, so I'm asking you to surrender now."
Gerald‘ lets out a long suffered sigh.
Zane: "Nicodemus. If you try and take her, I will drop you without batting an eye and I don’t care whose body you are wearing."
Gerald: "Nico my man. Do you remember what happened last time you said that to us? Or the time before that? Or the time before that?"
Aleith|DM: He responds to one of the questions Dala asked in the meantime, and encourages them to remember what he told them about the history behind the war, and why the everyday people aren't to blame.
Aleith|DM: After answering the question, he looks up at Zane. "And what about this poor eladrin?"
Zane‘ shrugs. "Not anybody I know. I’d make that sacrifice."
Phyllis: "Rather than assume your decision, I'll defer to you, Kasvarina."
Phyllis: "But so far, you've been learning the past fine enough on your own terms, yes?"
Zane: "Hell, at this point even if it was someone I did know, I'd probably still make the call."
Kasvarina: "You've all been a wonder so far to make this journey with. Nicodemus, William, whatever you want to call yourself now… No. I'm not going back with you. Not after Launga."
Aleith|DM: Nicodemus sighs, blowing out smoke in frustration. He cups his hands in front of his face and says something quietly. "Fine. Let's just finish this little play."
Gerald: "Why do you even care at this point?"
Aleith|DM: He turns back to Kasvarina's daughters and continues talking with them, while keeping a wary eye on you all.
Gerald: "It's not like she's been of any use to you for a while."
Aleith|DM: It's only a few more minutes before Kasvarina finishes packing and the memory begins to fade.
Phyllis: "Do you … remember what I mentioned about the dangers of not being able to make peace with death? With refusing to let things end as they should?"
Nicodemus: "Why wouldn't I? The Kasvarina I know, at her full potential, can do remarkable things."
Phyllis gestures at Nicodemus, not letting the memory play out. "Exhibit A. In all his glory. The eternal manchild, tossing the same temper tantrum over Pala."
Gerald: "Aahaha."
Chandrasekhar: "The /Eladrin/ survive. Pala - the spirit of Pala - could have survived, too."
Phyllis: "But Miller died that day, and arose Nicodemus."
Aleith|DM: Nicodemus laughs. "Pala? That was a brief diversion. You haven't seen anything yet."
Gerald‘ puts a hand over his face for a moment while the laugh dies down. "I thought he was going to say something about love and had a retort all ready to go for that but he just cut straight to ’she;s powerful'. Ah, man."
Chandrasekhar sighs. "So the point is not to bring peace, but to glorify yourself. I can't be any more disappointed with who you've become, so you can stop trying."
Zane: "You gotta respect his priorities, Gerald."
Gerald: "Yeah. That and he probably realized it's not really worth the effort to lie to us and have to keep track of them any more."
Phyllis: "'One man tore himself into two, and his twin selves fought over a woman, tearing her into three.'"
Gerald: "Oh. Speaking of weird ass memory illusions,"
Aleith|DM: Nicodemus snaps his fingers, and purple light floods the area. In the barren ground around you, several golems appear around you, along with a couple hundred ancient eladrin zombies.
Gerald: "Nico. We were doin' a vision quest or some shit the other day and saw one where we were fighting demons over your dead body, and then another one heavily implying that otherworld invaders were destroying the world and Rock Rakus was he only one capable of saving anyone so like…"
Gerald: "…I don't know… maybe rethink the whole direction your life is moving in…? Doesn't really sound great for anyone."
Nicodemus: "No surrender, I take it? Then die."
Aleith|DM: Battle Order: | 37:Gerald | 37:Zane | 27:Garrett | 27:Bleak Golem A | 25:Bleak Golem B | 23:Bleak Golem D | 20:Chandrasekhar | 20:Phyllis | 19:Zombie Horde A | 15:Bleak Golem C | 14:Zombie Horde B | 10:Bleak Golem E | 10:Bleak Golem F |
Chandrasekhar: "Tch… Rude."
Gerald: "I mean think about it. Rock Rakus: Savior Of What Remains."
Gerald: "Do you want THAT to be your legacy? I sure as fuck wouldn't."
Phyllis rolled d20+14 and got 7 ( Total: 21.0 ) for take this or 20, whichever's higher
[Word of Warning: +5 Init and CA against everything for the party]
Aleith|DM: Battle Order: | 42:Gerald | 42:Zane | 32:Garrett | 27:Bleak Golem A | 26:Phyllis | 25:Chandrasekhar | 25:Bleak Golem B | 23:Bleak Golem D | 19:Zombie Horde A | 15:Bleak Golem C | 14:Zombie Horde B | 10:Bleak Golem E | 10:Bleak Golem F |
Aleith|DM: Gerald! Zane!
Gerald‘ immediately moves to the south after giving a signal to attack, before marking Golem E as his quarry and opening fire. [Pounding Barrage]
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+24(1) and got 15 ( Total: 39 )
Also rolled 2#d20+24(2) and got 10 [Total: 34]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 73
Aleith|DM: Battle Order: | 42:Gerald | 42:Zane | 35:Kasvarina | 32:Garrett | 27:Bleak Golem A | 26:Phyllis | 25:Chandrasekhar | 25:Bleak Golem B | 23:Bleak Golem D | 19:Zombie Horde A | 15:Bleak Golem C | 14:Zombie Horde B | 10:Bleak Golem E | 10:Bleak Golem F |
Aleith|DM: Battle Order: | 42:Gerald | 42:Zane | 35:Kasvarina | 32:Garrett | 27:Bleak Golem A | 26:Phyllis | 25:Chandrasekhar | 25:Bleak Golem B | 23:Bleak Golem D | 19:Zombie Horde A | 15:Bleak Golem C | 14:Zombie Horde B | 10:Bleak Golem E | 10:Bleak Golem F |
[OOC] Gerald: er +2 to those attack rolls also not that it mattered
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+26(1) and got 4 ( Total: 30 )
Also rolled 2#d20+26(2) and got 15 [Total: 41]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 71
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+26(1) and got 13 ( Total: 39 )
Also rolled 2#d20+26(2) and got 7 [Total: 33]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 72
Aleith|DM: 2 hits! 1 hit! 2 hits!
Gerald` rolled 5d8+16 and got 3, 7, 5, 7, 4 ( Total: 42 ) for Immobilize EoNT
Also rolled 1d8+16 and got 1 [Total: 17]
Also rolled 3d8+16 and got 8, 2, 8 [Total: 34]
d6+18: 1 [Total: 19]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 112
Aleith|DM: Sigils etched along the golem’s seams flare red, then go black. The golem’s abdomen explodes outward with a cloud of searing, smoking oil. [Witchoil Breach]
Aleith|DM: Bloodied! [112!]
Gerald: "That's probably Not Great."
Aleith|DM rolled 5#d20+20(1) and got 15 ( Total: 35.0 ) for vs Fort, Garrett, Gerald, Phyllis, Golem D, Golem F
Also rolled 5#d20+20(2) and got 16 [Total: 36.0 (High), Avg: 16.00]
Also rolled 5#d20+20(3) and got 12 [Total: 32.0 (High), Avg: 12.00]
Also rolled 5#d20+20(4) and got 3 [Total: 23.0 (Low), Avg: 3.00]
Also rolled 5#d20+20(5) and got 8 [Total: 28.0 (Low), Avg: 8.00]
Total: 154.0, Avg: 10.80
Aleith|DM rolled 4d8+14 and got 3, 3, 3, 1 ( Total: 24.0 )
Phyllis: "We've seen these things bef - augh!"
Chandrasekhar: "Not a fan."
Aleith|DM: 24 necrotic damage to Garrett, Gerald, and Phyllis! They're thrown back several squares, dazed until the end of the golem's next turn, and affected by it's bleak aura (ongoing 10 necrotic [Save Ends], creatures within 3 squares take 5 necrotic damage when you take the ongoing damage).
Aleith|DM: Zane!
Zane‘ flicks his boomerang at Golem E and then hurls himself at Golem D, drawing his bastard sword and driving it into the lantern in its chest. [spending one combat die for an RBA then charging]
Zane` rolled 1d20+25 and got 20 ( Total: 45.0 ) for boomerang
[OOC] Zane: dead
Aleith|DM: Golem E clatters to the ground!
Zane` rolled 1d20+26 and got 3 ( Total: 29.0 ) for Charge
Aleith|DM: Miss!
Aleith|DM: The lantern, by the way, has AC 35
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina casts a quick spell to protect against necrotic damage. [Arcane Defences, resist necrotic 10]
Aleith|DM: She then moves forward, stabbing at Golem A with her rapier before sending a flame spearing through both the golem and Zombie Horde A. [Elfaivaran Warcasting, Ghost-Touch Rapier + Godfire]
Aleith|DM rolled d20+23 and got 19 ( Total: 42 ) for vs AC
Aleith|DM rolled 2d6+8 and got 1, 4 ( Total: 13.0 )
Aleith|DM rolled 2#d20+21(1) and got 17 ( Total: 38.0 ) for vs ref
Also rolled 2#d20+21(2) and got 20 [Total: 41.0 (High), Avg: 20.00]
Total: 79.0, Avg: 18.50
Aleith|DM rolled 2d6+8 and got 2, 3 ( Total: 13.0 )
Aleith|DM: Dealing 13 physical damage, then 13 fire damage to the golem, but 28 to the zombie horde!
[OOC] Aleith|DM: It’s super effective!
Aleith|DM: Garrett!
Garrett‘ rolled 1d20 and got 1 ( Total: 1 ) for superior will saving throw vs dazed at the beginning of turn even if it doesn’t usually allow a save
Aleith|DM: …zombie horde A takes 5 necrotic damage from your Bleak Aura as you take 10.
Garrett‘ can barely stand- so he tumbles to the side and stabs Golem C as he surfaces! [Tumbling Strike]
Garrett` rolled 1d20+27 and got 20 ( Total: 47 ) for vs AC
Aleith|DM: Crit!
Garrett` rolled 4d6+58 and got 5, 4, 4, 3 ( Total: 74 )
Garrett` rolled 1d20 and got 14 ( Total: 14 ) for save vs ongoing
Aleith|DM: Bloodied! [74!] It explodes outward with a cloud of searing, smoking oil! [Witchoil Breach]
[OOC] Garrett: I TECHNICALLY ROLL MY SAVE VS ONGOING AFTER THE REACTION
[OOC] Garrett: YOWLS
[OOC] Aleith|DM: oh
[OOC] Garrett: no this is just me
[OOC] Garrett: prepping an excuse
[OOC] Garrett: for if/when I get hit with that reaction lol
Aleith|DM rolled 4#d20+20(1) and got 11 ( Total: 31.0 ) for vs Fort
Also rolled 4#d20+20(2) and got 5 [Total: 25.0 (Low), Avg: 5.00]
Also rolled 4#d20+20(3) and got 4 [Total: 24.0 (Low), Avg: 4.00]
Also rolled 4#d20+20(4) and got 9 [Total: 29.0 (Low), Avg: 9.00]
Total: 109.0, Avg: 7.25
[OOC] Aleith|DM: You do, but Phyllis doesn’t
[OOC] Garrett: lookin' out for my phllya-beans <3
Aleith|DM rolled 4d8+14 and got 2, 2, 3, 7 ( Total: 28.0 )
Aleith|DM: 28 necrotic damage and you get shoved back again, Garrett!
Garrett‘ reels! And saves vs ongoing but dazed again. :(
Aleith|DM: Golem A moves around the zombie horde before it fires a cannon mounted on its left hip at Zane and Kasvarina! [Integrated Cannon]
[OOC] Aleith|DM: and Chandrasekhar, area burst 2 actually
Aleith|DM rolled 3#d20+20(1) and got 6 ( Total: 26.0 ) for vs Ref
Also rolled 3#d20+20(2) and got 6 [Total: 26.0 (Low), Avg: 6.00]
Also rolled 3#d20+20(3) and got 13 [Total: 33.0 (High), Avg: 13.00]
Total: 85.0, Avg: 8.33
Aleith|DM rolled 4d12+10 and got 12, 7, 5, 5 ( Total: 39.0 )
Aleith|DM: 39 damage to Kasvarina, and 19 to Zane and Chandrasekhar!
Aleith|DM: The area is obscured by smoke and debris, granting concealmeant in the area until the end of the golem’s next turn.
Aleith|DM: Phyllis!
Phyllis conjures [Visions of Avarice] in the center of the field to gather the golems and horde! (( And … Nicodemus? idk ))
Aleith|DM rolled d20+20 and got 9 ( Total: 29 )
Aleith|DM: yeah he's still up, sure
Phyllis rolled 6#d20+24(1) and got 14 ( Total: 38.0 ) for CA from Gerald's thing, Golems BCD, Hordes AB, Nico
Also rolled 6#d20+24(2) and got 6 [Total: 30.0 (Low), Avg: 6.00]
Also rolled 6#d20+24(3) and got 11 [Total: 35.0 (High), Avg: 11.00]
[OOC] Aleith|DM: but with minion HP
Also rolled 6#d20+24(4) and got 15 [Total: 39.0 (High), Avg: 15.00]
Also rolled 6#d20+24(5) and got 4 [Total: 28.0 (Low), Avg: 4.00]
Also rolled 6#d20+24(6) and got 7 [Total: 31.0 (Low), Avg: 7.00]
Total: 201.0, Avg: 9.50
[OOC] Phyllis: vs will
Aleith|DM: Hits all of them!
[OOC] Phyllis: Gonna AP!
Phyllis: But for this at least: The golems are Immobilized (SE)!
Phyllis follows up with a spell that forms a wireframe cube with golden glowing lines. "This may just work… I said NO LIGHTHOUSES." [Spatial Lock]!
Phyllis: "This is the material plane. May your Bleak-ridden influence begone from here!"
Aleith|DM: half the zombie hordes disappear along with the three golems in the middle.
Phyllis rolled d20 and got 9 ( Total: 9 ) for save vs ongoing
Gerald‘ starts giggling.
Zane: "Wha- Ursinho what was that?!"
Garrett: "Ahahahaha! That’s the stuff right there!"
Nicodemus: "Well, that was suprising."
Chandrasekhar: "What in the-"
Phyllis continues holding her hand outstretched, maintaining the cage.
Aleith|DM: Chandrasekhar!
Chandrasekhar: "…hold that gate for a moment, friend."
Chandrasekhar issues forth a [Call of Challenge] on the remaining Zombies and Nicodemus!
Which also means I can shift the Zombies B 1 square closer to the gate, does that do anything?
Aleith|DM: Not immediately.
Chandrasekhar anyways, after that point, Virtuous Strike Charging Zombies A…
Chandrasekhar rolled d20+25 and got 2 ( Total: 27.0 )
Chandrasekhar hits a few of them but godamn are there a lot of zombies.
Aleith|DM: Yep :(
Aleith|DM: actually
[OOC] Phyllis: Is that counting the CA from Gerald?
Aleith|DM moves Chandrasekhar slightly since half the zombies aren't actually on this plane right now…
[OOC] Aleith|DM: AC 30 anyway
[OOC] Phyllis: oh heck
Aleith|DM: Bleak Golems B and D struggle against their bonds….
Aleith|DM rolled 2#d20-2(1) and got 7 ( Total: 5.0 )
Also rolled 2#d20-2(2) and got 8 [Total: 6.0 (Low), Avg: 8.00]
Total: 11.0, Avg: 7.50
Phyllis: "See, the difference between you and me, Nicodemus - you can keep going on forever. I've got a clock to worry about. I have to play with the end in mind."
Phyllis: "You've got time to waste."
Nicodemus: "Hmmm."
Phyllis clenches her hand tighter, causing the edges of the cube to crackle with electricity. "Meanwhile I am NOT fucking around."
Chandrasekhar wades into the crowd of zombies- and he's less smiting them down, more warding off their blows. They're Eladrin-
Aleith|DM: The horde starts to swarm towards Chandrasekhar… [Engulfing Strike]
Chandrasekhar begins, softly at first but quickly louder, to sing the Song of Vekesh, as the zombies swarm him.
Aleith|DM: -but the horde reels back, in shock. [Action aborted]
Aleith|DM: Bleak Golem C struggles
Aleith|DM rolled d20-2 and got 19 ( Total: 17 )
Aleith|DM: Zombie Horde B moves towards Phyllis and swarms over her. [Engulfing Strike]
Phyllis: "What Grappa said - that you are the sum of your actions. How far low have you gone?"
Aleith|DM rolled d20+20 and got 4 ( Total: 24 ) for -2 marked
[OOC] Aleith|DM: 15!] from Sanction!
[OOC] Chandrasekhar: it's also Slowed!
Aleith|DM: The rest of the zombie hordes reappear…except in the space of the spatial lock…as Golem F moves closer before firing its Integrated Cannon at Chandrasekhar, Zane, and Kasvarina!
Aleith|DM rolled 3#d20+20(1) and got 2 ( Total: 22.0 ) for vs Ref
Also rolled 3#d20+20(2) and got 10 [Total: 30.0 (Low), Avg: 10.00]
Also rolled 3#d20+20(3) and got 9 [Total: 29.0 (Low), Avg: 9.00]
Total: 81.0, Avg: 7.00
Aleith|DM rolled 4d12+10 and got 9, 9, 3, 3 ( Total: 34.0 )
Aleith|DM: All three of them take 17 damage!
Aleith|DM: Gerald, Garrett, and Phyllis are no longer dazed!
Aleith|DM: Battle Order: | 42:Gerald | 42:Zane | 35:Kasvarina | 32:Garrett | 27:Bleak Golem A | 26:Phyllis | 25:Chandrasekhar | 25:Bleak Golem B | 23:Bleak Golem D | 19:Zombie Horde A | 15:Bleak Golem C | 14:Zombie Horde B | 10:Bleak Golem F |
Aleith|DM: Gerald! Zane!
Gerald: "Everyone duck!"
Zane‘ pulls Kasvarina down with him.
Gerald` moves right up to the edge of the blast radius of the golem, then unloads on it after marking it as his [Quarry]. [Confounding Arrow] as en entire clip is emptied into it.
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+24(1) and got 14 ( Total: 38 )
Also rolled 2#d20+24(2) and got 9 [Total: 33]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 71
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+24(1) and got 6 ( Total: 30 )
Also rolled 2#d20+24(2) and got 2 [Total: 26]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 56
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+24(1) and got 12 ( Total: 36 )
Also rolled 2#d20+24(2) and got 10 [Total: 34]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 70
Aleith|DM: 2 hits! Misses! 2 hits!
[OOC] Aleith|DM: vs AC?
[OOC] Gerald: yes
Gerald` rolled 3d8+16 and got 7, 5, 1 ( Total: 29 ) for Stun (SE)
Also rolled 3d8+16 and got 7, 6, 6 [Total: 35]
Also rolled 2d8+12 and got 3, 1 [Total: 16]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 80
Aleith|DM: Bloodied! [80!] It explodes…striking zombie horde A! [Witchoil Breach]
Aleith|DM rolled d20+20 and got 3 ( Total: 23 ) for vs Fort
Aleith|DM: Missing.
Gerald` rolled d20 and got 19 ( Total: 19 ) for vs ongoing i guess
Aleith|DM: Zane!
Zane` emerges from the clouds of smoke with sword in hand, slashing at Nicodemus. [Charge, AP if I miss]
Zane` rolled 1d20+27 and got 18 ( Total: 45.0 )
Aleith|DM: Nicodemus clucks his tongue as the eladrin is struck down. "I was going to let him live," he gasps out in the eladrin’s voice.
Zane‘ flicks his blade off to the side at the last minute as a feint before a dagger of pure silver light appears in his left hand and is driven into the eladrins heart. [surprise, its the Arsenal of Dhebisu]
[OOC] Phyllis: soul coffin his face off
Zane` rolled 2d4+10 and got 4, 4 ( Total: 18.0 ) for Furious Assault, Attack Finesse, Brute Dice, Assassin Strike
Also rolled 2d8 and got 6, 8 [Total: 14 (High), Avg: 7.00]
Also rolled 4d6 and got 3, 3, 2, 3 [Total: 11 (Low), Avg: 2.75]
Also rolled 4d10 and got 1, 10, 3, 1 [Total: 15 (Low), Avg: 3.75]
Total: 58.0, Avg: 4.00
Aleith|DM: The man’s dead, Zane. That's a bit excessive, isn't it?
Zane‘ pulls his hand back, dagger gone, and body gone too. [Shadow Coffin]
Aleith|DM: But I guess you’re waiting for a [KO!]
Aleith|DM: The corpse doesn't move. The spatial lock is preventing it.
Zane: "… Fuck."
Aleith|DM: Nicodemus' spirit drifts out the body. "A nice try, Mr. Bieito. If you're finished, I have some other things to do."
Gerald‘ pauses, looking at Zane, then the corpse, then the cage around them.
Gerald: "How do you kill disembodied spirits again?"
Aleith|DM: He drifts out of the field and then when he clears the spatial lock he disappears, the spirit drifting away into ash.
Zane: "Gods that *really* pisses me off."
Gerald: "Wait what the fuck shouldn’t that have stopped him?"
Garrett: "Fuck, he's relentless.
Chandrasekhar: "What the hell kind of mohya…"
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina snarls as Nicodemus disappears, before moving up beside Zane and stabbing at Golem F.
Aleith|DM rolled d20+23 and got 9 ( Total: 32 )
Aleith|DM: And then sending a wave of fire through both hordes and Golem F. [Godfire]
Aleith|DM rolled 3#d20+22(1) and got 15 ( Total: 37.0 ) for vs Ref
Also rolled 3#d20+22(2) and got 20 [Total: 42.0 (High), Avg: 20.00]
Also rolled 3#d20+22(3) and got 7 [Total: 29.0 (Low), Avg: 7.00]
Total: 108.0, Avg: 14.00
Aleith|DM rolled 2d6+8 and got 5, 2 ( Total: 15.0 )
Aleith|DM: 15 fire damage to golem! 30 to both zombies! Horde A is bloodied, and therefore now dazed!
Aleith|DM: Garrett!
Zane: "How do you bend the fire like that? That's super useful."
Kasvarina: "It's something I was taught as we were preparing to siege Alais Primos. Eladrin have-were-masters of the arcane."
Garrett‘ pulses out a call to the city, and the ground resonates- long lost masonry and wrecked rubble pound upwards, thrashing both Zombie Hordes and Golem F! [The City Comes Alive]
Zane: "Sometimes I feel like not studying magic was a terrible oversight in my degree."
Garrett` rolled 3#1d20+25(1) and got 10 ( Total: 35 ) for vs Ref, Horde A, B, Golem F
Also rolled 3#1d20+25(2) and got 11 [Total: 36]
Also rolled 3#1d20+25(3) and got 4 [Total: 29]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 100
Aleith|DM: Hits!
Garrett` rolled 2d6+17 and got 2, 4 ( Total: 23 ) for AoE damage, cold damage, Horde B is now vuln 5 cold, I’m sliding Horde B, Horde A and Golem F are restraind (Save ends)
[OOC] Aleith|DM: 23!] [38!] [38!
Aleith|DM: Horde B is now bloodied and dazed!
Aleith|DM: And disappears from view as it slides completely into the Spatial Lock.
Phyllis: "I have them restrained inside, but I don't know how long that will last. Bear in mind that they can walk out again at any moment."
Aleith|DM: Golem A is stunnded!
Aleith|DM rolled d20+0 and got 20 ( Total: 20 )
Chandrasekhar: "Oh, they're not dead? I knew there was a catch. This'll do, I suppose."
Aleith|DM: Phyllis!
Phyllis attacks Horde A with a [Winged Horde] of her own!
Phyllis rolled d20+23 and got 1 ( Total: 24.0 ) for vs Will, Area Burst 1 but nothing else is in range
Aleith|DM: Miss!
Phyllis [Sustains] Visions and Lock!
Aleith|DM: Chandrasekhar!
Phyllis rolled d20 and got 2 ( Total: 2 ) for save
Chandrasekhar prays for [Virtue] then teleports over to Golem F and pops it with an [Ardent Strike].
Chandrasekhar rolled d20+24 and got 13 ( Total: 37 ) for vs. 33
Aleith|DM: Hit!
Chandrasekhar rolled d8+9 and got 1 ( Total: 10 ) for sanction'd
[OOC] Aleith|DM: 10!
Aleith|DM rolled 2#d20-2(1) and got 4 ( Total: 2.0 ) for saves for Golems B and D
Also rolled 2#d20-2(2) and got 20 [Total: 18.0 (High), Avg: 20.00]
Total: 20.0, Avg: 12.00
Aleith|DM: Zombie Horde A lashes out at Zane and Kasvarina! [Engulfing Claws]
Aleith|DM rolled 2#d20+20(1) and got 19 ( Total: 39.0 )
Also rolled 2#d20+20(2) and got 16 [Total: 36.0 (High), Avg: 16.00]
Total: 75.0, Avg: 17.50
Aleith|DM: Hitting for 20 damage each and pulling them towards it!
Gerald‘ [Disruptive Strike] against Kasva’s attack.
Gerald‘ rolled 2#d20+23(1) and got 7 ( Total: 30 )
Also rolled 2#d20+23(2) and got 12 [Total: 35]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 65
Aleith|DM: Hits!
Gerald` rolled d8+16 and got 2 ( Total: 18 )
[OOC] Aleith|DM: 9!
[OOC] Gerald: +6 from autofire which is an aoe so it’s doubled to 12,,,?
[OOC] Zane: Oh shit son!
Aleith|DM: It's not an area attack, just an effect
Aleith|DM: but still +6
[OOC] Gerald: dang
[OOC] Aleith|DM: doesn't get cut in half or +15 to it either way
[OOC] Aleith|DM: like ongoing damage
Aleith|DM: Bleak Golem C steps out of the spatial lock in front of Phyllis, bringing its Witchoil Fist to bear on her.
Aleith|DM rolled d20+22 and got 11 ( Total: 33 )
Phyllis readies her [Shield] if it'll help! [+4 AC/Ref UEoPNT]
Aleith|DM: It deflects off the Shield!
Aleith|DM: Golem F strikes at Chandrasekhar! [Witchoil Fist]
Aleith|DM rolled d20+20 and got 11 ( Total: 31 ) for Restrained -2
Aleith|DM: Missing!
Aleith|DM: The last of the smoke and debris clears.
Aleith|DM: Battle Order: | 42:Gerald | 42:Zane | 35:Kasvarina | 32:Garrett | 27:Bleak Golem A | 26:Phyllis | 25:Chandrasekhar | 25:Bleak Golem B | 23:Bleak Golem D | 19:Zombie Horde A | 15:Bleak Golem C | 14:Zombie Horde B | 10:Bleak Golem F |
Aleith|DM: Gerald! Zane!
Gerald‘ moves back towards the party a bit, starting off with a [Biting Volley] on Golem A…
Aleith|DM rolled 3#d20(1) and got 2 ( Total: 2 ) for saves for restrained, horde A and B, golem F
Also rolled 3#d20(2) and got 11 [Total: 11 (High), Avg: 11.00]
Also rolled 3#d20(3) and got 4 [Total: 4 (Low), Avg: 4.00]
Total: 17, Avg: 5.67
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+24(1) and got 3 ( Total: 27 ) for vs Ref, crit 18+
Also rolled 2#d20+24(2) and got 14 [Total: 38]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 65
Gerald` rolled 3d8+22 and got 1, 1, 7 ( Total: 31 )
Gerald` and the other too I suppose.
Gerald` rolled 2#d20+24(1) and got 17 ( Total: 41 ) for vs Ref, crit 18+
Also rolled 2#d20+24(2) and got 3 [Total: 27]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 68
Gerald` rolled 1d8+22 and got 8 ( Total: 30 )
[OOC] Aleith|DM: KO!
Aleith|DM: Zane!
Zane` finishes dealing with the horde [MBA] and then whirls to fling a handful of intensely corrosive acidic powder at Golem C [AP, Ungol Dust]
Zane` rolled d20+22 and got 2 ( Total: 24 )
Aleith|DM: Miss!
Zane` rolled 1d20+21 and got 3 ( Total: 24.0 ) for vs Reflex
Aleith|DM: Also miss!
[OOC] Zane: *throws hands in the air*
[OOC] Zane: *somehow misses that too*
Aleith|DM: Kasvarina sends out another wave of Godfire, striking at Zombie Horde A and Golem F
Aleith|DM rolled 2#d20+21(1) and got 18 ( Total: 39.0 ) for vs Ref
Also rolled 2#d20+21(2) and got 12 [Total: 33.0 (High), Avg: 12.00]
Total: 72.0, Avg: 15.00
Aleith|DM rolled 2d6+8 and got 5, 6 ( Total: 19.0 )
Aleith|DM: Horde A is down to only a few staggering zombies! [KO!]
Aleith|DM: Golem F is bloodied and explodes in a Witchoil Breach! [19!]
Aleith|DM rolled 2#d20+20(1) and got 9 ( Total: 29.0 )
Also rolled 2#d20+20(2) and got 16 [Total: 36.0 (High), Avg: 16.00]
Total: 65.0, Avg: 12.50
Aleith|DM rolled 4d8+14 and got 5, 6, 3, 5 ( Total: 33.0 )
Aleith|DM: The witchoil stops as it hits the spatial lock, however, only striking Chandrasekhar and Gerald for 33 necrotic damage each! They’re shoved back and dazed!
Aleith|DM: Garrett!
Garrett‘ charges at Golem C! [Charge]
Garrett` rolled 1d20+26 and got 9 ( Total: 35 ) for vs AC
Gerald` fires off a [Deflection] moments before he becomes dazed, making the attack deal -13 damage to Chandra.
Garrett: !Roll 1d4+20 ; vuln 5 cold
Garrett` rolled 1d4+20 and got 1 ( Total: 21 ) for vuln 5 cold
[OOC] Phyllis: does this count as flanking and CA?
Aleith|DM: Not quite
Aleith|DM: one south and he would be
[OOC] Garrett: charge is +1 or 2 speed )
Aleith|DM: +1 attack, no change in speed
[OOC] Garrett: and I can’t take any actions post-charge right
Aleith|DM: yes
[OOC] Phyllis: aha
Aleith|DM: Unless you AP
Garrett‘ spends that AP! [Low Slash]
Garrett` rolled 1d20+27 and got 9 ( Total: 36 ) for vs Ref
[OOC] Aleith|DM: 21!] Hit!
Garrett` rolled 1d4+27 and got 3 ( Total: 30 ) for slowed UEoNT
Also rolled 3d8 and got 2, 4, 3 [Total: 9]
[OOC] Sugarlips: Grand Total: 39
Aleith|DM: KO!
Aleith|DM rolled d20+0 and got 2 ( Total: 2 ) for Golem B
Aleith|DM: Golem D stomps out of the spatial lock, swings at Kasvarina, but its arm disappears as it hits the spatial lock’s area.]
[OOC] Phyllis: the hell are you rolling saves for, me and chandra still have turns
Aleith|DM: oh right only A which is dead was before you guys
Phyllis steps northeast a little and hits F with an [Illusory Ambush]!
Phyllis rolled d20+23 and got 20 ( Total: 43.0 ) for vs will
Aleith|DM: You pick off the remaining golems and zombies as they come out of the spatial lock, one by one. After another half a minute, you're pretty sure you've taken them all down.
Gerald: "Ugh."
Gerald: "We should… probably… explain what the fuck just happened to the guards instead of getting out of here as fast as possible."
Aleith|DM: …there's a few guards approaching, probably due to the sounds of firearms and cannonfire, yes.
Gerald: "I feel like I'm starting to understand why no one stays put when I tell them not to run. This is going to be such a pain."
Zane: "Shit. Someone's gotta raise this old guy."
Gerald‘ sighs, holstering his shotgun.
Gerald: "Sounds like a job for Ernst, he should have it in his spellbook, probably."
Zane` sheathes his weapon and tucks his hands behind his head as the guards approach. "Yeah."
Aleith|DM: And none of your foes remain in sight, having faded when the last of the lanterns cracked. Just the dead eladrin.
Gerald: "Oh that’s nice, don't even leave any of the golems or zombies behind to make this easier to take at face value! Stupid bleak gate."
Aleith|DM: So how are you spinning this?
Gerald‘ is going to lay out exactly what happened and give a very, excessively detailed play-by-play fter action report to the officers in question. And rely on Chandra to keep good will high and us in a sympathetic light. Which should be easy given we were ambuished by Kasvva’s crazy stalker ex-boyfriend who can't handle rejection.
[OOC] Gerald: probably leave out the bodysnatching and worldwide conspiracy parts though…
Aleith|DM: Diplomacy check?
Chandrasekhar is VERY good at that bit, yes! Also I mean, there's a bunch of dead zombies, that should paint anyone in a good light.
Phyllis rolled d20+26 and got 15 ( Total: 41.0 ) for [Suggestion] for Arcana->Diplomacy
[OOC] Zane: that poor old man got caught in the middle and obviously we'd be happy to pay for his resurrection and medical bills.
Aleith|DM: Well, as long as you're going to resurrect that poor old man…
Aleith|DM: After all, it doesn't look like //you're carrrying any cannons on you, so they're not sure how else to explain those small craters…
Aleith|DM: //It takes you a couple of hours to set everything straight and raise the poor guy, but eventually you get on your way (and with a big empathic 'please never come back').
Phyllis: "Do you feel the pull of anything else here, Kasvarina?"
Kasvarina: "Just a minor pull around my house, but I think those are all memories from my first couple of centuries. They're not anything I don't already know."
Zg Session 81