Before everyone heads inside, Setsuna casts Magic Vestment of Zoli's buckler and then passes around some Extended Tears to Wine.
"Those are the Runelords," Setsuna confirms with a nod.
The Oracle goes deeping into thought.
"Based on what I recall, Scribbles believed that something called Runeforged weapons could be quite useful against the Runelords and their allies. He also thought the methods of creation of to be lost somewhere in Runeforge itself. Also, as I recall in those texts regarding Karzoug, 'Among the runelords, his mastery of greed magic was uncontested, yet in the schools of illusion and enchantment (related to the sins of pride and lust), his skills had atrophied greatly. Many believed that weapons infused with illusion and enchantment magic, known as “dominant weapons,” would be particularly potent against Karzoug...'"
Setsuna looks at the statues of Sorshen and Xanderghul.
"Runeforge was created as a place where agents of the seven Runelords could gather to study magic. Seven paths, seven statues. I bet each statue corresponds to their respective Runelord's place of study. Based on what we already know, I would start with either Xanderghul or Shorshen. Given their field of expertise, I'd, uh, rather start with Mr. Runelord of Illusion. How does that sound to everyone?"
Setsuna reflexively spawns her cloak of darkness and inky wings. Setsuna flares the latter and takes to the air. Instead of slowly descending as before, she maintains her height.
"Huh. That's new."
Setsuna crosses her shapely legs and floats over to join Eugeni in the forever flyers club.
The group travels down the hallway behind Xanderghul's statue. This wing of Runeforge is a grand cathedral decorated with peacock motifs and massive chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to brightly illuminate it with hundreds of continual flames.
"I think that I'll do a little scouting."
After chugging her renewable potion of Ward the Faithful and tossing up Freedom of Movement, Setsuna casts on her Dreamed Secrets. Her cloak of shadows instantly wraps around her entire body, making her general features difficult to discern.
"Huh. Neat."
The Oracle promptly vanishes. She returns without a fuss. However, sensing a possible battle approaching, she opts not to decloak and instead renews her Ring's timer as needed.
"In the big room just around the bend, there are six identical men just standing there. Menacingly. There is also a giant peacock in the middle of said room, and I also located a secret door in the middle of the far wall," Setsuna's disembodied voice reports quietly.
"If you anticipate conflict, perhaps we should summon some allies before heading in. I will cast haste on us when everyone is prepared to enter."
Rilee prepares by casting barkskin on Olympus and then recharges the spell to cast it on Zoli. She follows that up by casting greater magic fang on Olympus.
"I can bring in some allies, and some that are very powerful, but I'll be sacrificing other spells that could heal us or control the battlefield. Or would it be better to bring in some mid-range allies, that may not do much more than get in the way?"
"I believe having several weaker allies is probably the better option. Maybe some bovines would do well, they could take up space, soak up damage and also perhaps stampede. If whatever we face is not flying, most of us can conduct ourselves from the air whilst Zoli and the summons hold the ground. Can you summon any bulls or oxen?"
"Leave the summoning to me, Rilee," says Setsuna's disembodied voice. "My only seventh tier spell is summoning. Two to four celestial dire tigers should make things fun."
"Speaking of which...I can now alter reality on the basis of my will to some extent. There is a spell in my repertoire now called limited wish. It can duplicate a multitude of effects, including the magic of spellcasters other than arcanists. I have yet to come to terms with such a versatile tool, but if either of you can think of good uses for it," he looks at Rilee and Setsuna, "feel free to suggest them."
The group advances into the next hallway to prepare to attack. This brightly lit corridor is lined with floor-to-ceiling mirrors. The reflections give the dizzying impression that the corridor opens up to each side, extending infinitely into the distance.
As you take a brief moment to adjust to the strange sensation, you all realize that the reflections of Rilee, Eugeni, Zoli, and even Lion look...weirdly malevolent. Suddenly, the reflections themselves step through the mirrors and attack, from both sides of the hall!
The Zoli nearest to Zoli steps up and slashes out three times at Zoli, but only connects once with Baern's Breath. "You don't trick me, imposter! Taste the wrath of Baern's Breath!" Zoli taunts. From the opposite wall, Zoli is unable to reach Zoli, so she instead tumbles forward as close as she can and strikes out at the creature blocking her path, Olympus! Zoli opens a hideous laceration across the roc's torso! "Outta my way, old buddy! I don't wanna hurt you, but a fake me is too dangerous to let you slow me down!" Zoli calls out.
The Lion on Zoli's shoulder attacks the Lion on Zoli's shoulder, but fails to connect. The other Lion rushes between Olympus' talons, but gets caught in one!
The Rilee nearest Rilee shifts her form into that of a large earth elemental, while the Rilee furthest from Rilee conjures up a familiar thundercloud directly on top of Rilee! It strikes her with a zap of lightning, which stuns her! The elemental form of Rilee says, "Your meddling weakens the Wheel. You must be stopped!"
__________
Rilee drops her staff and stands helplessly as the miniature thundercloud jolts her. Olympus, confused and hurt at his allies' actions, falls back but keeps the rat gripped tightly in one talon.
The casting Rilee calls out, "Olympus, release the rat and attack!" and points at Rilee, giving the appropriate command whistle as well! The bird cocks its head confusedly, and looks at Rilee, then back to Rilee, but simply stands there continuing to be confused.
Zoli gasps as she sees their doppelgangers appear. She considers striking at her "self" but decides that the biggest threat is likely Evil-geni.
Taking a step between the two, she reminds herself, "I'm really sorry but you're not the real Eugeni!" Swings three times at him in quick succession...and on the third hit he shatters into glass and then evaporates as mist.
_______________________
Eugeni floats back to a safe spot, and with a quick chant sends magic missiles streaking towards the mirrors at the ends of the hall. "Break the mirrors!"
The mirrors shatter, and so do the copies!
At the sound of combat, all six humans utter words of magic and vanish!
Rilee shakes off her stun, grabs up her staff and coos to Olympus to soothe his confusion. "Hey, big guy, it's me. The real me."
She casts a spell to heal some of his wounds to prove it.
Her head whips around to face the direction of the spellcasting. "Voices," she whispers under her breath.
Completely oblivious to the entire fight taking place behind her, Setsuna finishes her summoning spell.
Four beefy celestial dire tigers manifest from Nirvana. They immediately rush the three southern triplets.
"Oh, and roars. But you probably heard that."
The tigers pounce on their targets, one of which is torn to shreds, but instead of blood, shards of clear fragments goes flying!
"The master is in study—he is not to be disturbed. Please keep your screaming to a minimum while you are punished for daring to venture this close to his magnificence," the 5 surviving "men" say in unison.
One of the northern men cast a spell on the tigers, who appear to become befuddled and confused. The other two disappear!
Two of the tigers claw at their own heads, while the other two turn on one another and begin a dire-tiger-sized cat fight!
__________
Eugeni has no idea what is going on, so he floats to the corner for a better look as he calls up some mirror images.
Zoli hustles into the room, looking and listening to assess the situation.
Staying close to the shadows of the wall, Setsuna carefully sneaks into the room.
The unconfused celestial dire tigers attack the remaining duo.
"It sounds pretty chaotic. Let's go see," Rilee says to her friend, touching Olympus with her healing spell and moving around the corner to see what's going on. The big roc hops after her.
The two men near the tigers step away and fade from sight, as does the man to the north. Four beams of fire surge forth from nowhere and head straight for Zoli! She dodges three of them, but one hits her right in the face, drawing pained screams from both her and the mouse on her shoulder!
Not wanting to deal with the antics of a bunch of confused cats, Setsuna dismisses her summons as a standard action and then tries to hide her presence.
Looking onto the field of battle and seeing no enemies, Rilee assumes that their foes are invisible. Her form swiftly flows into that of a large bat and she flies into the middle of the room, sending sonic screeches above the register of most beings, which bounce back to her and give her an idea of the unseen objects and creatures in the room.
Rilee screeches to call Olympus out to her, and she casts another healing spell on him when he reaches her.
A series of beams lash out at Olympus and Bat-Form-Rilee, burning them severely. Rilee also catches a brief glimpse of her worst fear manifesting , but she quickly recognizes it as an illusion.
Eugeni also sees a similar magical manifestation , seeing through its illusionary nature as well. He then feels a separate attack on his mind, but shrugs it off with his mental fortitude.
__________
Seeing where the flame comes from--and that she has a straight shot to run there--Zoli takes off, tumbling and swinging.
At the last moment she closes her eyes and says, "Alright Chaldira, guide my blade!"
_____________________
Eugeni floats slightly further into the room, chanting a spell as he does so. A burst of purple glitter erupts near the origin point of some of the beams.
Seeing one of the enemies outlined in glittering particles, Rilee sends Olympus to attack it. While her roc flies to tear at it with his talons, the wild shaped druid flies further in the room to search for more foes, oddly enough flying into the giant statue of the peacock.
With no better options, Setsuna flares her wings and flies over to assist the melee fighters. When she gets close, Desna's Champion hides in Olympus' shadow.
A burst of cold air and clear shards erupts from where Zoli swings her blade! Meanwhile, another man appears outlined in Olympus' grasp!
__________
Rilee suffers a vision -- she looks down at her form and she sees desiccated flesh covering cold, unliving bones. She's dead, but still trapped in unlife. She's severed from the Wheel, unable to take another ride and live again in another body. The terror of being unable to live--
Fades quickly. She forces away the fake sensation and remembers that she lives.
When Rileebat flies to the center of the room, she begins gesturing and screeching in her wild form to cast a spell. Instantly, a bubbling mass of boiling tar erupts from the ground around, scalding the invisible creatures and threatening to stick them to the roiling morass.
Words of magic are muttered from the north, and the tar pool immediately vanishes!
More words of magic are changed, and a bolt of lightning surges forth from thin air! Rilee and Lion squeal in agony, Lion falling eerily still in Zoli's pack...
Even more magical incantations are called out from nothingness, and two more fiery beams blast out at Rilee, who screeches once more in pain before falling to the floor, not moving!
The man in Olympus' talons attempts some magic of his own, but fails to finish it while being squeezed by the bird's claws!
__________
Olympus drops the guy in his clutches in order to make a full attack on him.
Olympus crushes the man between his talons and beak, causing more icy shards to scatter across the floor.
Eugeni grabs a scroll with his middle hand, reading it as he floats forward. Once he completes the spell, his eyes glow purple for a moment. He looks at something no one else can see, and quick as a flash encants another spell with his third hand, sending now familiar spiked globes of force crashing across the room. "There are three of them. I will do what I can. The peacock is an illusion," Eugeni warns the others.
21 touch for *1.5=36 and
20 touch for *1.5=45 and
14 touch for *1.5=45 and
29 touch for *1.5=39 and
After seeing the results of his spell, Eugeni smiles and reports, "One down."