Basically, if I want to run a one-off short module, if I want to test how I work with a group, if I want to do something short and sweet and at least a little bit wierd... it goes here!
Inarus flies up high, being careful to stay more then 40ft away from Quiet Gazer, and tries ti catch as many heads as possible within a 40 ft radius then pronounces in a great voice, "Let there be light."
if it gets much bigger it will be a gauntlet instead of jewelry
’Well at least she’s back to her real form, hopefully she can get her sisters to help us, and end this war.’ Usawoti, nears Shuvuu as Qui'gaz'er gives her impassioned plea to her sisters.
’What the heck? All die now?’ hearing the booming voice Usawoti instinctively covers his familiar, trying to protect his friend as best he can. ”I hope Qui'gaz'er and her sisters are …what the heck?’ As he throws his arm over Shuvuu, Usawoti realizes that Qui'gaz'er has returned to her jewelry form the same time the heat started, but this time she was somehow more. ’I think she turned her sisters with her, that was not the idea I had in mind.’
As gore rains down on Usawoti, he flinches slightly until he realizes that what is hitting him is the pieces parts of some of the flying heads, while the irritated voice continues to bellow. He then hears a second louder pop, and more charred goo lands on his head and shoulders. Looking up in time to see the whirling funnel vanish.
As he attempts to see through the blue grey smoke, he hears the sisters conversing, he chuckles and agrees with the lady, ”Yes exhilarating indeed, and I would agree it worked quite well, even if you can’t do it again. Inarus and his horde should be able to handle the rest.” Looking up as the smoke clears, seeing many of the flying heads remaining, he smiles and adds ”Of course I may be able to help a little.” As Usawoti begins to consider how he should attack the flying heads he continues his mental conversation with the Lady and her sisters. ”Where are my manners I am Usawoti of the Shriikirri-Quah, welcome to the … I don’t know, jewelry, or team or menagerie, whatever we are now welcome. We may have to sort out the particular introductions later, but feel free to keep using language, I'm not so good at reading emotion!”
’Well, Inarus did call for light.’ Shifting Shuvuu to his shoulders, he watches where Inarus’ attack hits then focusing he casts flame strike, asking ”Will fire do, Luu Chötgör?” placing the cylinder above and behind Inarus’ attack attempting to catch any who are retreating.
* Not strictly true, but... yeah, that might have been a mistake; look I had it all worked out, once! ... then I lost track of it, 'cause storm (and other interruptions) and had to figure out how it all worked itself out, again... >.> *cough* (still working on that last part, btw, but I'm ad-hocing some things so you don't have to wait yet another week for me to actually, you know, figure out how to numbers. Sorry!
Inarus' words slam into much of fetid, flapping fiendish aerial vegetation, causing heads to explode like overripe melons in a strange comedian's stage show.
The hordes of former followers, spurred on to find freedom, surge forward and slam into the monstrous demonic forces. A massive brazen dragon leads the assault shining forward, slamming first with raging hellish fire, then with teeth and claws.
Usawoti shuts an open door* with a massive column of fire of his own - holy flames, against which the forces of evil are particularly susceptible - to spectacular effect!
* Figurative, not literal. Basically, there was a gap. You filled it. With holy fire.
The foes continue to reel from the sudden and potent assault from the heroes - too quick for the demonic forces to launch their own offensive!
Without warning, a number of the fungi begin turning on their own people, falling into a cannibalistic orgy of violence.
Then the wall of burning, twisted, abyssal fungal forces begins pushing back, assaulting the heroes and their allies and servants. Waves of suicidal fungal monstrosities, too numerous and hideous to contemplate, slam themselves against the heroes, seeking to overwhelm, outmatch, and devour them! Though individuals, the air is so thick, they almost act as a singular whole attempting to outmatch and smother Usawoti, Inarus, and the rest, shoving them toward the most dangerous parts of the battlefield!
These foes are treated as a swarm, now, but with a few exceptions, taking nods from the Mass Combat rules. Because the individual members are (and the swarm itself is) so impossibly big, the swarm has some unique traits. First, it is susceptible to normal weapon attacks, albeit taking half damage; this includes flanking maneuvers, or inflicting various effects that swarms are normally immune to - in this case, it counts against the swarm as extra damage as normal. Second, you may target "vital" or "important" groups or creatures (as you deem fit) in order to deal extra damage, or inflict disadvantages against the swarm. Third, it deals damage unusually - see below. Finally, if you can affect fiends or plant creatures in some fashion, you may affect individuals (or groups) with mind-affecting effects, and may even target specific HD; in this case, if effective, the HD affected are directly removed from its hp (and may, in fact, be turned back to attack itself, as Usawoti's jewelry just assisted with).
Swarm Damage: diminutive is 1d3+5; tiny is 1d4+5; small is 1d6+5; medium is 2d6+5; large is 4d6+5; huge is 8d6+5; gargantuan is 12d6+5; colossal automatically takes half of 12d6+5; a successful reflex save halves this damage, but evasion does not negate. It ignores concealment or incorporeality, but you may apply DR. If you are susceptible, half the damage is nonlethal; if you are not susceptible, all damage is lethal.
'Need to keep back and see if these two armies can soften each other up a little. It looks like some of the Fungi are fighting themselves.' Attempting to discern what is going on, he mentally addresses the 'ring'. 'Ladies, or um whatever I should call you. We really appreciate your help and hope we won't let you down. Can you tell me if we can get any of your previous er plant followers to help us?' Resting Shuvuu on his shoulder, he continues. 'You must forgive me, I'm a little out of my comfort zone here, is there any information I can use to help remove this evil?' He then turns toward the attacking horde, looking for any choice targets, focusing away from Inarus' allies and casts Flame Strike again.
move action: retreats away from badguys, if moving 20 ft will give an AOO he only moved 5 ft. Attack: Casts Flame Strike reflex @ 19 damage:13d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 6, 5, 2, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5, 4, 1, 4) = 44
wow, that's still a lot of stuff. You mentioned that we can "target specific HD" are there any obvious juicy 'officers' that we can target? Will roll a perception check for them... perception:1d20 + 24 ⇒ (7) + 24 = 31
"Ser'slys-tea, Qui'gaz'er, Sorry, I didn't catch your name," Inarus rumbles, "Thank you for your assistance."
"I'm Inarus. Wish there'd be better circumstances for introductions, but C'est La Vie."For a moment a slightly mischievous grin appears on his jaws. "We'll need to thin things out some."
He flies among the horde then hollers in a thunderous voice, "Begone!"
Targeting anything 10 HD and below, my CL is 20 - Holy word
Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, non-good extraplanar creatures within the area are instantly banished back to their home planes.Not sure if the fiends are considered to be in their home plane.
The fiendish fungi reel from the blasts of fiery destruction and powerful sacred words of prayer; Inarus' allies push hard, even as the unholy screeching songs of severed heads and pulsating oozing bodies of miniature humanoids slam into the creatures in waves, pushing them around, shoving them toward the kaleidoscopic doom all around.
Some few of those from Inarus' tunnels are shoved into the radiating tower, melting and bursting, as others return the favor to the fiends in question, and others still use powerful abilities to pop more of the pulsating parasites. Explosions of flesh and vegetation render death to many, as does sheer violence.
'Only get one shot at this, need to make it count but I have no idea what I'm doing, Ye Ye help me.' Finding a place where it is mostly the savage swarms, Usawoti looks up spreading his hands and screams "Ye-Ye, helps us, send a firestorm!"
firestorm, (DC 26) I have no idea how to use this, I assume it gets the Max. dice firestorm:20d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 4, 6, 5, 2, 6, 6, 2, 6, 3, 2, 1, 3, 3, 3, 2, 6, 2, 5) = 70
As more fungi being oozing clear liquid from the hail of destruction from their incorporeal foe, a blast of crisp cold air - the smell of a newly minted snow storm (reminding Usawoti of someone special) - turns into a churning force of fiery destruction. Hordes slam into hordes as the morass of Abyssal fungal infections-give-flesh surge and break against the heroes like a tide.
A trio of "voices" ring out in the minds of many, like a bell, three distinct accents somehow blending into a smooth whole, "We are the flowers of fortune, the Alraune of Usawoti, and the blooming bridegroom's jewelry!" they sing, "The way will be open for he whom we have chosen!"
A blast of radiant pollen and powerful wind eructs from Usawoti's enlarged plant-jewelry and slams through the hordes, leaving a brief moment of freedom.
Draconic claws and teeth cease slamming into the fungal foes, long enough for Iya-ya to summon another firestorm, while others continue a more physical assault!
Usawoti: you have a round of not taking damage. Gust of wind + wind walls are a beautiful thing v. smaller and flying creatures.
To Usawoti:it is very taxing to oppose them, we are afraid comes a small voice, making it hard to even speak; there are powerful forces opposing us - should you and your allies make it past the barrier, we can maybe end them more quickly, but... it is unknown, for sure, it explains, indicating the door, as Usawoti gets three emotes at the same time.
we have managed a feint, they explain, that may enable you to access the door, if you can open it...
Once they activate their feint, which they must do within 1d4 rounds, before losing the opportunity for 1d4 rounds, you have... 1d4 rounds to get 1d2 people per round through the door. That's a lot of d4s... In any event, opening the "door" - whatever that is - probably involves some sort of "sacrifice" on one of the "alters" - poor Shuuvu was going to be that sacrifice, but you stopped it in time. As a random aside... where's that mouse been all this time? Hmmm... I wooooooonnnnnnnndddeeeerrrrrr... heeheehee >:)
Inarus I'm assuming our mind link is still up so you heard what the jewelry said. were still in combat right?
'Thank you Ye-Ye.' Breathing a sigh of relief as the spell takes hold, he hears the voices of the sisters.
'Ladies, I appreciate your help, but I don't understand. I realize we must open some type of door, but I don't know how. There appeared to be a sacrifice needed must it be a life or just flesh and blood? Does the alter matter?'
Leaving the mean names behind Usawati calls to his friend "Inarus, we must open the door, the ladies said we must hurry, what can we do?"
Usawoti looks at the alter where his new friends had Shuuvu placed, trying to figure out what it is and what it meant
what sort of knowledge roll do you need? Or can the ladies give him the information?
what kind of sacrifice is needed, is it a life or just blood, I assume it's just blood because Mope wasn't actually dead. Also can the ladies tell us more? Oh and two characters a round for 1d4 sort of eliminates the possibility of taking the 'horde' with us. Wont leaving them here get them all killed?
"And you're finally calling me by my human name..."Inarus drawls, "Didn't you say I left my humanity behind when did what I needed to do?"
I have knowledges too, around 33 for everything after taking 10. I'd check more but this is the third time I have lost the post and I don't really want to go back and check more figures with boards being unstable.
At least I'm doing SOMETHING rather then doing NOTHING. Even if Something isn't working
But seriously waiting for GM to give me any info via knowledge checks/spellcraft. I did dose myself with arcane sight before I came.
Hey, look, now... just because I'm the GM... >.> ... fair.
... though I'm trying to remember things, and the boards are being a pain about it. XD
... aaaaaaaaaaaaalso, I need you to remind me of your stuff. I've got a ton of critters I'm remembering, here... ;P
Inarus begins to decipher the seven alters - each of which have a powerful aura of different school of magic. He also notices the faint coloring in the stars of the otherwise identical alters, and the patterns on the floor - each alter has two line-like metallic patterns of their particular coloring (only much brighter) that connect it to two other alters, and each alter receives two differing line colors from those alters in turn. The magical auras of these lines seem to be interfering with each other to some extent.
In the end, this complex arrangement presents a seven-pointed star-like pattern.
Currently finding himself near the necromancy alter, Inarus sees the indigo lines leaving, and the green and yellow lines running to the alter. The lines lead to an empty circle "divot" in the floor around the alter.
Death is probably not necessary, but blood certainly is... unless you manage to somehow activate it blindly, or solve the puzzle. That +18 isn't enough to auto-succeed with a take-10, which is why I asked for it.
How are the lines from each alter currently going now?
Inarus examines the lines leading out from the various altars, a mental picture building in his head.
I will wager for things to work, red and violet must lead to orange(conjuration), indigo and red must lead to green(abjuration), orange and blue must lead to violet(illusion), blue and indigo must lead to yellow(enchantment), orange and green must lead to red(evocation), violet and yellow must lead to blue(transmutation) and green and yellow must lead to indigo(necromancy).
Gluttony floods forward out of Inarus and into the alter of necromancy. Indigo lines flare with magical power, as streams of indigo... mist? light? something... slide into the groove around the base of the alter, hungrily seeking for the missing... something.
The abjuration and enchantment auras flicker, ever-so-slightly, dimming in the indigo presence of this activated magic.
"What the ******* **** did they just do?!" demands the voice from around. "Minions, I command you to rend them apart!" it screams as a horrid chorus of screeching from above eructs from the fungal flapping head-monsters, a chorus that begins to seep madness into your ears, your pours, your eyes, your soul.
... a chorus that is suddenly shuttered into silence by unholy flames turned toward righteous cause!
"S͐ͦỏ̈̈r̾̽̀͐͂͑r̀͊̄̏̂̔̐yͬ̉̽̆ ̏̓́t͆ͭ͒hͮ͑͗͗̃à̎̚t̎ͩ̉ ̈ͥͩ̾̔tͮoo̾̿k̍ sͯͥ̐ͣôͪ͗͋ͮ̎ l͛ͮͮͤ̃̚oͪͪ̚ng̒͐-̊̃͌̾͗́͊!ͭͩ͋͋ͨ̓̃" breathes Iya-iya (apologizing for allowing the chorus to last... three seconds, or so, it seems), quickly blasting past you both through the wind and into another part of the horde, "The̸r͟e's a ̕lo͠t̨ ̢of t͝h̶e͝se t͞hi͜ng̨s͠!͟" she 'giggles' in her titanic voice, "I̗̲̩̞̖'̞̻m̝ ͕͉r̻̥̫͔͚̩̝u̪̠̹̩͓n̝̙͔n͇͕i̼̣͍̻ng͎̮̖̺̞ ̭̻͙̦̖͚̯i͉̞͚͙̹n͎͉̺̤̼t̥̮e̪͈r̠͓̗̼̝f̬̠̫̥͕̞͍e͓r͉͈̪͙͈̦e͚̮̬͉̹̬nc̝̼͉e̪,͇̣̻͙ ̝̥̥b̖e̫̭̞s͍̫͚̟̤͙̰t̙ ̫̝I̟̰̲ͅ ̹̲̦̘c̩͉̻a͕̗̤̞͓̤n̫̟̩̻ͅ!" she adds, cheerfully (slightly muffled) now again engulfed.
(Though engulfed, her location is still clearly notable in her position, as shredded fungal matter is flung through the air from that locale.)
At present, hordes are slamming into walls of air and other hordes. How long, exactly, that will last, neither of you know for sure, but it is, currently, holding. If either of you like, you could always take an action to cause damage out there, but note how much time skill checks and the like takes, and compare your limited number of actions to that. I will tell you that you have at least three full actions, so far - the amount of time it's taken Inarus to do his thing (2d4 -> 2 for an extremely complex trap, and 1 standard for UMD; Inarus used a move action to "activate" the gluttony seed). You guys have, like, one round left. I don't mind if Usawoti does something with the three rounds you've had so far. I'm not being too strict on chronology, so long as the gist is followed.
Once they activate their feint, which they must do within 1d4 rounds, before losing the opportunity for 1d4 rounds, you have... 1d4 rounds to get 1d2 people per round through the door. That's a lot of d4s... In any event, opening the "door" - whatever that is - probably involves some sort of "sacrifice" on one of the "alters" - poor Shuuvu was going to be that sacrifice, but you stopped it in time. As a random aside... where's that mouse been all this time? Hmmm... I wooooooonnnnnnnndddeeeerrrrrr... heeheehee >:).
GM Tacticslion wrote:
At present, hordes are slamming into walls of air and other hordes. How long, exactly, that will last, neither of you know for sure, but it is, currently, holding. If either of you like, you could always take an action to cause damage out there, but note how much time skill checks and the like takes, and compare your limited number of actions to that. I will tell you that you have at least three full actions, so far - the amount of time it's taken Inarus to do his thing (2d4 -> 2 for an extremely complex trap, and 1 standard for UMD; Inarus used a move action to "activate" the gluttony seed). You guys have, like, one round left. I don't mind if Usawoti does something with the three rounds you've had so far. I'm not being too strict on chronology, so long as the gist is followed.
Ok, not trying to metagame, just trying to understand, so I have several questions.
not an action yet:
Is the wind the 'flower girls' feint? Or are we waiting for something else?
Did you roll all the 'D4's' and is that information we need to have?
So combat is going on, but we are not being attacked because of the walls of air and other hordes. This will allow three rounds of actions if Usawoti wants to attack or do something else. The question: does it look like the spells we were using was having the desired effect. IE. Does it look like we were winning or are there more 'badguys' pouring in and this combat looks unwinnable and we need to get the door open before we get overwhelmed?
"Ladies, you are under a lot of strain, what can I do to help you, or is opening the door the only way to escape this?" Not wanting to ignore the jab entirely Usawoti asks, "All right then dragon, what can I do to help you! Or do you want me to keep blasting the vegetable vermin?" Realizing what he had said, he follows up quickly, "No offense ladies or Eternal seed!"
Not wanting to ignore the jab entirely Usawoti asks, "All right then dragon, what can I do to help you! Or do you want me to keep blasting the vegetable vermin?" Realizing what he had said, he follows up quickly, "No offense ladies or Eternal seed!"
I'm trying to reach for the seed of the corresponding sin within me, then using it on the altar. That's why I asked if it was possible since vampiric hunger usually cannot be used for objects...
Recognizing what the spiritual dragon was doing, Usawoti takes the seeds found within him and pulls forth first the green abjuration -
briefly causing all his envious desires to surge forthsheisminenoneoyoucanEVERHAVEHERYEYEISMI- - before the alter activates, the lines glowing brighter with the power put inside.
He quickly pushes and launches himself across the distance to the indicated alter, shoving the seed of enchantment into it, even as feelings and thoughts best left to himself briefly overwhelm him.
The two newly activated alters flood the lines with magical energy, causing a circle of green and yellow flooding the divot around the necromantic alter, and Inarus suddenly feels extremely hungry, as the a portion of the wall below the roof opens, revealing an impossibly large space behind it.
This is your chance! ...maybe! ... at least for 1d4 more rounds! XD Good luck!
There was a brief moment of total darkness and silence and loneliness, so complete and absolute that nothing like it could exist in nature, and then you pass through, in the briefest of instants, into the infinite night sky.
Below you is a black void going on for eternity in which stars are scattered like diamonds shining in light only they possessed, lasting forever into antiquity and for an eternity still yet to come. Before you, behind you, above you, and to all sides... the same.
The smallness of your existence is pressed upon you, your insignificance in the face of something so vast, so grand, so... impossible, yet true.
A grand seven-pointed star - of which you are at the edge of one point (the rune beneath your feet indicating "gluttony") is traced through the stars below you and you feel yourself traveling, though there is no particular audio, visual, or other similar elements. Simply... movement.
After an amount of time that is far, far too distant, yet instantaneous, you "rise" into a chamber of "simple" stone. It is less ornate than anything else you've seen, so far, and, as the rune fades below you, you realize the chamber is entirely sealed.
You find a single column in the center of the room, a microcosm of the one you entered, though this column is much shorter and has any entrances above the "roof" - which, at this scale, is clearly a slanted table, though easily reached past by the length of a human arm. Seven holes rest at the center of the column.
There is an inscription in a strange, spidery language.
The translation reads as thus wrote:
"For one soul's prise, one, may claim a soul, and none other. Forever enslaved, this power and place. The seals crumble; death to its foes. The way then closed; none may change. Singular seven-fold eternity."
I am saying this as a GM: there is no a typo in the first inscription's sentence.
"Now that is just just some bloomin' ambiguous fertilizer." an amused voice rings through Usawoti's head. "i agree that it could do with much needed clarification and improved punctuation" adds another. "ee't ee's ree-dee-ku-lous~!" complains the third. "Well, like, duh! What, are they just gonna let us do what-ev'er~?" laughs the first.
Inarus examines the way they came from, and finds none. 'Strange mechanism, I wonder how this works...this should be the mechanism to open the portal to Golarion -
I need to open the way gate not close it. '
Take 20 loremaster on how the equipment works. More or less a 43 for knowledge check everything
Iya-Iya telepathically
"Is the void still open?" Inarus asks Iya-Iya frantically.
"Ambiguous indeed, lets get through this door and make sure no one follows us and we'll figure it out." Dangling from Inarus' incorporeal claws, Usawoti waits to see who follows through the door.
Suddenly, the spirits of Iya-iya and 1d3 ⇒ 2 Yalagach rise through the floor, then solidify.
"Well that was a **** of a thing." says Yalagach.
Looking at her smiling companion, Iya-iya grimaces and spits the rest of the fungal monsters and manages, "T͢hat͜ waś... ̀i͏n͢tere̕st͘i̴n̸g!" She turns to Inarus, and Usawoti, "I͡ ̨ȩn҉co͝ur̡ag͡éd͟ o̢tḩe͏rs to҉ ̛f̧oll͝o͝w,̷ b̷ut...̀ ̢I̡ don'͟t͝ ͞k̵n͟ơw̸ how p҉ossìble͘ ̵th͘at̕ is." she explains.
After waiting for about 21 seconds... nothing happens. No one else comes through.
'Blast, it looks like we lost Chandruu and Agaar, at least the other Dust Mephit is safe in by rucksack. Usawoti after closeing his eyes for a second nods to Iya-Iya and Yalagach then reaching up smacks Inarus in the belly. "Glad you could make it Ladies. It doesn't look like things went the way it was planned."
Usawoti then looks around for a place they might be able to land. "IF were going to continue flying can I ride on someone's back instead of dangling here?"
Usawoti's hand passes through Inarus's insubstantial body. "Oooh that'd hurt. Or would.If I was still human." He snickers. "And no - you can't ride on my back because I'm not really here, remember?" He waggles a ghostly claw at Usawoti.
”Iya-iya,” Inarus stares at the spirits of Iya-iya,”Uh…what happened to you..you’re a little ghostly.”
”So what do you mean by you don’t know how possible it is? What happened after you went through?” Inarus asks Iya-iya.
Telepahtically to Iya-Iya
”I’m worried about the rest – the runes say “For one soul's prise, one, may claim a soul, and none other. Forever enslaved, this power and place. The seals crumble; death to its foes. The way then closed; none may change. Singular seven-fold eternity. I’m worried they can’t come through now – it says the way is closed and none may change – I’m not sure what I should do here. And I promised I’d get them free to Golarion.” He confides to Iya-iya.
They only looked incorporeal while they rose through the floor. Now they look (for them) "normal" again.
To Usawoti, Yalagach says, "Ah, no worries, boss! We're good!" and gives a big thumbs up.
Iya-iya adds, after Inarus speaks, "... ͠yo̕u̷ m͞a͜y̶ ̢ri҉de ̡on͝ ͠my ba͠ck.̴.͜.̢" a pause, then, ".͢.. ͡if you͟ l҉i͏k͘e̵." she adds, primly.
"You can't ride me, though!" adds Yalagach, a mischievous grin on her face. "You're waaaayyyy too big! Besides! What would that one lady you talk to all the time say!" she giggles at her own joke.
Iya-iya rolls her eyes, sniffs (amused, but unwilling to show the little mephit), and turns to Inarus, saying, "J͡u͟st t̕h́i͞s:̕ t͝h̛e̴re ̴w͢a͝s͞ ̡an ̷awf͞ul̛ ͘l̨ot ̶of f͠ig̢hting͠ go̴ín̵g o̧n͢. I w̸a͜s͠ u̵n͟cȩrt̢a̴in if̡ ̀the̛ ́w̵a͢ý ̴cl̀o͞sed͠ b҉e̵hi͝ńd us o͏r͟ no̢t,̴ ͡b͠uţ m͘an̴y w͡e̕r̀e ̢úna̷b͠l͠e t̷o g̢e͟t t́h͢èr̸e̢ ̛at al͢l̵, t̶h̶rǫugh t̛he ̴p̸owe̴r̢f́u͟l͏ ͝w̶in̕d. ͘My͏s̸ęl͢f, ̀I͝ wa̢s҉ ab͢le t͟o̧ snag͝ ̕Y̢a̡la͏gac͡h҉, ́he̷re-̧"
"And thanks, by the way!" interrupts the little mephit.
"҉-̶bu̷t ̶o͝f͢ co̡ur͟s͠e̢, ̷my͘ ҉f̧ri͠e̡nd" replies the dragon, then turning back to Inarus, ".̕.. ̷b̧ut͝ I͠ w͘a̢s unabl͢e ̷t͝o͡ ͘co҉l̸l̴e͏ct̷ ̸anyo̵n̵e e̛lse. ̢An̶d͠ t̨h̶e̵n̴ ͟t̕h̢e͡r͝e ̷wa̛s̛ ͡a̛ll ̸that.͡..̡ ̨d͢i͏st͡a͜nc̕e, ève̕ry͡wh͏e̷re." she finishes less steadily.
telepathically
"I am not worried. You have made a promise - I have no doubt you will keep it." she nods to the table. "If what you say is true - even that odd spelling, then I expect that this is an... accurate... statement, but a deception, somehow. A manner of linguistic sleight of hand. After all, that inscription is clearly ancient. It was written before we got here." She explains. "Be at peace, and we will figure this out." she nods, affirming.
Surprisingly, her mental voice has a soft, warm tone, soothing and kind; a far-cry from the native booming timber and vaguely fiendish twist to her physical voice.
"I wish I had as much confidence in myself as you had in me..what if I do something wrong? What if I accidentally close the way out? "The Seals crumble, death to its foes, The way then closed, none may change."
"If I started tampering with the seals now - it might kill those who are fighting our people, but it may also seal our people in forever...without any hope of escape."
"But now they're blocked from entering this place by the winds, and I don't know what I should do to stop the winds. And they're under attack by fiendish forces too. If I tamper with the seals...would it trap them there with those fiends?"
Inarus starts looking at the holes at the centre of the column, trying to decipher what they would do. Standard action take 20 for knowledge using loremaster, minimum 43
"our winds should have stopped by this point" explains Usawoti's jewelry, "and it was against the fungus; it is unintentional that any of ours were left behind - but the way in was open for so short a time..." she continues.
Its worth noting that, although still fighting for their lives, the creatures downstairs that are your allies are more or less fine, from what Inarus can tell via status. Also, the opening was only ever going to be an opening for 1d4 rounds, and only a couple people could have gotten through in a round. There was no way your army would be able to get up here. Or fit. The place is big, but only about 50 ft. across and high. Not enough for all those people/creatures you left behind.
As an aside: who here has Linguistics, what is your modifier, and can you roll it for me? The more the merrier.
After an amount of time that is far, far too distant, yet instantaneous, you "rise" into a chamber of "simple" stone. It is less ornate than anything else you've seen, so far, and, as the rune fades below you, you realize the chamber is entirely sealed.
You find a single column in the center of the room, a microcosm of the one you entered, though this column is much shorter and has any entrances above the "roof" - which, at this scale, is clearly a slanted table, though easily reached past by the length of a human arm. Seven holes rest at the center of the column.
so how big are the seven holes?
Answering the girls, 'The door was small and only open for a few seconds. Your wind saved us. There is nothing to regret. There are a few of us left, that's better than the options. ' Giving Yalagach a sad smile, Usawoti answers Iya-Iya "It would be an honor to ride with you."
Shrugging his shoulders, "I will be no help reading the inscriptions. But if this is so similar to the room below how do we activate it? Do we need to place something in the holes? does it matter which holes? Should they relate to the area's that Luu Chötgör conquered?"
If I can activate Archaeologist luck before the saves, there is a +2 to all rolls.
As he feels the assault on his mind, Inarus twitches his feet and tail to help focus his thoughts. Activate Archaeologist luck if it is possible
Because of continuous holy aura - we're still in the tower, right - I gain +4 resistance bonus to saves. It has already been factored in.
"I'm so sorry...if I could take the burden on myself..I would." Inarus says, knowing that no words will ever convey his deep regrets at being unable to make the sacrifice.
Gluttony will save 1, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35 Gluttony will save 2, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30 Gluttony will save 3, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31 Gluttony will save 4, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21 Gluttony will save 5, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35 Gluttony will save 6, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (6) + 19 = 25 Gluttony will save 7, v DC 27:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31
Wrath will save 1, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39 Wrath will save 2, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38 Wrath will save 3, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31 Wrath will save 4, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36 Wrath will save 5, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27 Wrath will save 6, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (14) + 19 = 33 Wrath will save 7, v DC 23:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24
Inarus looks at Iya-iya, as he thinks of the possibilities of what might have been. Gone…
’They say that love must live free and not in chains…even if I am chained to this place – there’s no reason for Iya-iya to be. There is no future for her – she needs to go to Golarion’
’I could send her directly to Golarion she’d be safe there – but my people need a leader. Usawoti does not believe in that I am human anymore – I cannot trust him. It seems I have no choice – Iya-iya must be my herald – she has to lead my people on the exodus. It is such a heavy burden to bear, but I have no choice but to leave it on her shoulders. Duty is indeed a harsh mistress.’
”Goddess light our path and grant us speed.” Then he begins to use the keys, one to seal the abyssal portal, one to open the portal at the entrance of the plane, and one at the giant’s border, while simultaneously banishing his people and everyone else to their appropriate destinations.
Good point, what happened to the Eternal Seeds and Mouse? I'd like to banish them too, if its possible
”Iya-iya..” Inarus reaches out to her telepathically. ”I’m sorry. I have one more favour to ask of you. I have just banished you out of the tower to the front entrance – with the majority of my people. There will be a portal opened to Golarion there – convince my people to go through it – it will lead out to Varisa – on Golarion. The portal will only be open for 21 minutes – so they need to make haste.”
”Some of my people will be banished to the Giants Island – help me convince them, as well as any Giants you see to flee to Golarion – this place is going to be purged and there is nothing I can do about it – the only thing I can do is to save as many lives as possible. Inarus answers sorrowfully, his mental voice regretful.”Then take the portal yourself. The portal will only be open for about 21 minutes so you’ll need to hurry. Try to get as many people out – but don’t put yourself at risk.”
"Tell our people to use the telepathic bond to contact those on the Giants Island - telling them to go to the Giants border and use the portal.
Yes Telepathic bond was one of the long list of buffs lol. But only functions on same plane.
Then he opens the mental link to Usawoti, feeling it like pulling a sore tooth. ”Please – help me take care of Iya-Iya and my people – tell the Coven – and the giants – they need to evacuate this plane – there will be a portal opened by the Giants Island border. But make haste – for there is little time – each portal will only hold for 21 minutes. Godspeed.”
"What the actual **** are you doing here, Susulakun?!" shouts a truly enormous green-skinned giant, as a blast of electrical energy slams into the surf nearby, causing the black tide to wither and collapse on itself. "And where the **** is Dishadraluongg?!" He hefts a second javelin and flings it into the surf, briefly setting fire to the shrieking waves.
"Yeah, and what the **** did you do to the gods-blighted sea to tick it off!" asks a female companion flinging what looks like boulders of electricity, though with a bit more joviality than the man.
Usawoti can feel the power of the portal to Golarion before him, on the bridge, but not extending past the gate of wrath.
=========================
Iya-iya breathes and nods - once - not trusting herself even to telepathic speech. Hot tears emitting light steam streak down her face, as she begins to rumble orders and organize folk into a proper exodus (though they are greatly aided by Inarus' will).
Once everyone has been banished from the tower, Inarus curls into a ball and begins to weep.
'I could have kept Iya-iya with me. But if she stayed in the tower, she would get corrupted by it. She deserves a better future then that. To fly free under the open skies of Golarion. Just too bad I won't be there to see it...'
'A gilded cage, no matter how comfortable the cage is, is still a cage. And love must live free. Since I truly love her, I need to let her go...'
Feeling the loss, through the link, Usawoti struggles with answering, finally hearing Inarus speak of love, he cannot hold back. ”Do not give up hope friend Inarus, I believe now that you did what you thought best for her, your people and I. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. Once this cleansing storm is past she could return right? Five hundred years is long for humans, but not for dragons is it? We will learn to open the porthole so she can return to you in time. So until then, clean the tower of the taint so when she returns it will not be as it is now. As for now, how are your people doing? Are they going through to Golarion? Ask Iya-Iya to greet them in your name, remember the Giants call you Dishadraluongg”
Moving his thoughts to the ladies of the ring, ”Ladies you were commanders of armies, any recommendation on how to get these giants moving? I would hope their own survival would be enough.”
Realizing he has landed outside of the gateways, he calls up to the two Giants as loudly as he can hoping many will hear him. ” Dishadraluongg has discovered that a wave of destruction is headed toward us in twenty minutes! He has sacrificed Himself to open that porthole so that we may escape! We need to leave now! I must tell the coven. You two must begin getting the giants through the porthole! There will be others there waiting for us. DO NOT ATTACK THEM!”I will retcon, with them later based on their actions
As Usawoti begins running through the gates, he begins calling out, ” Yephima, Ladies of the Coven, we must flee. We were successful conquering several layers of the tower, we entered the chamber of the keys, Inarus was able to activate three of them. But they are not what we thought. They open and close portholes but they also set of a failsafe mechanism that will flood this dimension with cleansing fire and kill all within. To open the portholes, Inarus sacrificed himself to open a way out for us. There is a porthole to our world, Golarion, on the bridge we have twenty minutes to get any survivors through it. All else will be lost!”I’m hoping they can telepathically communicate with him as he runs to them. If not when he gets there he will bang on the door :-)
"Do not. I have accepted the sacrifice. And I will make the best of my imprisonment. Perhaps by the Goddess's grace, I may be granted release towards the end. Perhaps I will get to see all of you again, perhaps not. Live your lives without me...."
Telepathically to Iya-Iya
Struggling to prevent his grief from spilling over to keep a stoic front and his mental voice even, Inarus reaches out to Iya-iya, "If any of the giant beings get close, tell them Dishadraluongg said the apocalypse is coming and they must flee through the portal to Golarion."
"****!" the woman cuts him off. Turning, she bellows, "OPEN THE WAY TO THE CLOUDS SOUND THE TRUMPET! TO US, QUICKLY, THE STORM IS BROKEN!"
Cursing with a dawning realization, the man begins echoing her words, quickly.
She spares a glance at Usawoti, "I am sorry for your loss, Susulakun." she nods. "We will ensure the knight's sacrifice is not in vain!"
The fortress begins to surge with activity behind him as he runs across the bridge...
======================
Iya-iya continues to pour out orders and organize the rabble. A few fungal invaders fly nearby but are quickly dispatched. "Ev͠ery̴on͏e g̵et̷ ͏in͡, n͏òw! ͠Or͢gan̡i͝źe ̨a͡ccor̕din͢g̷ ̶t͜o͝ mos͏t͢ com͞p̨a͢ct ͞fi͝r̨st! S͜ha͟pe̷c̵hang̶ers - ͏tak̶e yo̕u͟r̵ ̡s͝mall͏est͏ ̶f̵orms,͜ and ͜p̷a̵ck̴ ̧i͞t͟ in̕!͏ A͏s͏ s̛o̶on ́as ͝o͠ne͟ set̢ va̢ni͡s͘he͜s,̛ n͜e͟x̶t̀ g̀o҉e͘s͜!" she orders.
The giants look at her, uncertainly, as she soars above them.
"A̸l̀l͠: ͘list̨e͡n w̕eĺl͡!̸" she says, as giants gather nearby. "D̴i̸s̕ha͞d̡ŗálu͟o҉nǵg҉ ̧h̡a̛s̵ ̀s͏ent͘ ̡m͡e! I͢ ͠have ̧c͜o҉me to͝ ̀d̴ec̛l̶are ̴t́h̴at̕ th͞is ̷en̛ţi͟re͡ ̸wor͜l̀d͢ ҉will͢ ̢b̢e erased! ҉H̶e -" she falters, for an instant, then, "-̨ ̀he has҉-" a deep breath, "s̶a҉crif̢i͟c̸ed ̀hi̶msel̸f s̡o͜ ͠t̡h̴at̷ y͞óu̕ ̧ma̷y a͘ļl ̨li̸v͠e!͜ Śusula͘k͘ùn ̸ís̀ ҉inf̧o͢rm͞i͢n͟g҉ th͝e͏ oth͟ęrs̢ - th̛ey h͡av͜e͝ po͜r͡t̡a͝ls, t͝oo!͠ ͟C̨al̶l̢ any̴ an̕d̡ a̴ll yo̸u ca͘n̵ ̶t͝o ͠ćomè ͜àn͘d ҉l̴i͢v҉e̶!" she declares. Giants begin quickly gathering what they can and organizing themselves according to her orders. Many begin lobbing questions. "No͝ ̴tim̵e̕ fo̢r͝ ͜que͟stiơn̨s!̀ We h͜a͞ve only t͞w̷en͠t̵y m̛in̵ut̨es to̕ ̸g͘e̷t ̴eve̸r͟ýǫne ou̴t̶ t̴o͏ s̵af͡e̶ty! Q͢u̷e͟s͞t̶i͞on̶s wi͢ll͠ be an̡s̕w͘e̸r̨ed͟ when w̴e͘ ̴our̴ out̢si̷de͏ w͜ith̀ ́t̶h̢e͜ ̧ąl͢lie̵s w̛e͡ ̷w̨ill̷ mee̕t͜ the̕r̷e! N̡o̵w m҉ov͝e!̢" she cuts them off.
I heard she mentally tells Inarus, trying to have stoicism in the face of despair, I will guide them as I can she says.
====================
Feel free to post more, but I have something for Usawoti... tomorrow, or Monday, probably, by the time I can get to it. Sorry for the delay.
