Strange Gaze, finale-Greatwood VP

Log Info

• Title: Strange Gaze, finale
• Emitter: Cryosanthia, Jinks
• Characters: Ravenstongue, Shilde, Skielstregar, Telamon, Vaera
• Place: Feypool, the Greatwood
• Time: Sunday, February 13, 2022, 11:00 AM
• Summary: Five mercenaries tossed out of reality and into a realm bordering dream and the First World brave a nightmare imagining of a forsaken and burning Yggdrasil. The ascent is treacherous, full of fiery hazards and malicious, infernally-tainted fey. They fight through the burning perils and reach the crown of the tree impossibly high in the air.

The nymph's second lost eye is recovered by Telamon and the group finds themselves shunted further from the lands of logic and rules. The lost and tortured form of the forsaken guardian is found and her body made whole. A happy reunion occurs at the Feypool.

Encounters

• Encounter 1 (CR7, XP3600): (1) Hellfire Ignis Boss, Advancedx1 (CR4, XP1200), (3) Hellfire Ignis (CR3, XP800 ea)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  At a glance around PrP Room: Two  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ravenstongue      Half-Elf        Female     Short half-elf girl with violet eyes and black hair.                       
Shilde            Khazad-Aul      Female     Tall for a dwarf, long blonde hair in a thick braid, big blue eyes.         
Skielstregar      Sith-Makar      Male       A bronze/silver scale with fangs and empty eyes.                           
Telamon           Half-Elf        Male       A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes                       
Vaera             Sith-Makar      Female     A tall, dark red Makari with a metallic leg.                              
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  As the GM  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia        Sith-Makar     Female     A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.    
Jinks              Gnome          Male       A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry.                                
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

With the offering made the tree warps, branches tearing through the as as the trunk twists and contracts into a tighter, taller spiral. The boughs thrust up into the sky, taking their fire and smoke into heavens already an angry shade of burning red. The trunk splits and cracks, coughing out smoldering embers. A path opens and the flames shrink back into the gnarled, ancient wood. The smoke withdraws and the light becomes less painful, the heat less intense.

There's movement in the branches above among the flames that remain; spawn of the devouring heat. The scourging fires come to life. The ascent into the boughs will not go uncontested.

Taking one last look between each other one can't help but notice the conspicuous absence of Annae. The wounded warden is gone, leaving a charred section of grass in the shape of her prone form smoldering in her wake.

Shilde puts two thick fingers to the side of her head, rubbing, as she grumbles, "Gravel and sandstone... this is why y'don't deal with the fey." This earns her a bump from her dog, the large canine pushing his head briefly between her shoulders prompting her to sigh, drop her hand, then turn and pat his head.

Telamon smirks at Shilde. "Hey now..." He moves next to Raven, taking her hand as he looks up at the fiery tree. "This isn't going to be pleasant," he says quietly. "I'm glad you're here though. Both from a practical perspective as well as a personal one." He looks to Skiel and Vaera. "Ready for the next push?" he asks.

Skielstregar tenses as the branches and flames move, though a slight sigh of relief as the heat abates. This was not his wheelhouse. "... that ssseemed to do it, we can get you out of here Ann-"

He looks down. A long groan comes from him, and he gets to his feet. "... precisely," he nods to Shilde.

The man readies himself, and nods to Telamon. "Yesss, thisss one isss ready. They have to be." He moves to the front of the group, ready to be the vanguard as always.

"I hope she is alright, and the fey aren't making her some immortal servant due to a blood sacrifice." Vaera sighs. "That did seem to have and effect, but it still burns. Do you think you can use that orb to fill this place with water like the last one? Perhaps putting out the fires will help."

GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Knowledge/Nature: (20)+10: 30

"This is why you don't deal with some of the fey," Ravenstongue says, her violet eyes beholding the flame. She casts protective magic onto herself, looking briefly at the burning tree--

Then her eyes widen with the purpose of realization.

"Hellfire ignis. They're infesting the tree--they're like little imps who have been influenced by staying in Quelynos for too long. This is yet another sign of the corruption."

She raises her hands, anger flaring to life in her face. "We have to get rid of it. I'm willing to fight."

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15

Telamon looks at Vaera with a quizzical glance. "Uh... to be honest, I didn't do that. That happened when I picked it up. All that's happening now is that it's generating a ward." He looks up at the tree. "No, I think we're going to have to do this the hard way." He gestures deftly, and says, "Akar irhandi," wrapping a protective magic around him as well.

GAME: Telamon casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17

The mostly silverscale and sizzling makari grunts at Ravenstongue's input, him grumbling, "Not only isss it fiendsss, itsss fey fiendsss. Great." There's a rush of energy, and a black ichor manifests along his back, sprouting and webbing out to silhouette blackened, boney wings. It folds around him, then >pops<, vanishing. "Let'sss finisssh thisss."

GAME: Skielstregar casts Shield. Caster Level: 5 DC: 13

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

	Jinks has dropped a TIMESTOP!

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

Telamon advances towards the tree cautiously. He's not sprinting, and he has no intention of getting too far ahead of the team. His hand on his knife, as he steps into the tree's interior, wincing slightly at the heat, and he flinches when the pyrotechnics go off, the flash of light. "Hurry up! You're too exposed out there!"

GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (12)+2: 14
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Will: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Shilde rolls will: (20)+7: 27 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+2: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Vaera rolls will: (11)+4: 15
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4

Fire crackles along the branches of the large, twisted tree. As the half-elf enters the trunk, the flames flare higher. They sparkle, and shoot off in all directions, turning into flashing, momentary burst of glowing, colored aerial lights. The fiery explosions are sudden and striking.

And just a little blinding.

Ravenstongue rushes in behind Telamon. "I'm right behind you!" she calls, sticking close to him--as per usual, really, but it's life and death in this particular occasion.

Pothy complain-croaks quietly from the safety of Ravenstongue's shoulder. "Snacks."

"Later, Pothy, if we're not burned to a crisp before then!" Ravenstongue retorts.

<OOC> Jinks says, "Gimme a perception, Skiel"
GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (19)+9: 28

Skielstregar takes a step as a branch explodes, him flinching and covering his eyes. He shakes his head, seeing the other two rush up. "You need to slow! You are keeping usss safe!" he hisses at him. It looks like he gets a bit... hot headed when the heat kicks up. Bounding up and slipping past the mages, he brings his polearm to bear, bits of black ichor seeping off his scales and traveling up the shaft to coat the blade of the weapon.

He squints against the smoke, then points a taloned finger up the stairs at the wall. "Contact!" he warns.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+17: (2)+17: 19

Pointing at the creature catches its attention, and it chatters back at the sith'makar.

"Hey! Listen up!

"When you think this wild chilly down, ah, shake your pretty little head

"Hang tall with the fire

Good times, bad moves."

It dances gleefully.

The smoke that is already filling the trunk grows thicker, becoming cloying and blinding, with an intense reek. It's hard to see, even harder to concentrate, and somewhere else a second amused voice calls out. "HEY, 'MEMBER, THEYS HEADS DON'T COME OFF!" <sylvan>

Shilde raises her hand to shield her eyes from the exploding branch, though by then the damage has been done.. it's more reflex. Behind her, Rocky wimpers, and even while blinking the flash from her eyes the druid turns to her companion.. "Ah.. Rocky.." she sighs. Burying her hand in his ruff, she offers some soothing words, her exprssion far different from her normal gruff countenance, then guides him after the the others towards the tree's interior.

Vaera was not bothered by the heat, and news of the creatures spurred them on, to stop before they could reignite more of the tree. "Deal with the cause, and allow the tree to heal. The root of the problem, so to speak." The red makari chuffs as she readies her thunderbelcher, scanning around the upper levels and seemingly path for them to travel upwards.

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (18)+8: 26 (tar: Skiel)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d100: (99): 99 (smoke hit determination, misses)

A glob of napalm, dripping fiery droplets, flies out of the smoke and narrowly misses Skielstregar. It splatters against the inner trunk, and slowly rolls down, dripping blobs of flame as it does.

GAME: Skielstregar rolls fortitude: (15)+7: 22 (smoke entry save, success)
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (20)+11: 31 (THREAT)
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (7)+11: 18
GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d100: (63): 63 (smoke hit roll, misses)

Skielstregar glances back as everyone is behind him, and his feet bound up the stairs.

And just as quickly, he's hacking and coughing, eyes stinging. "Ugh, Scales! The... sm- hack smoke is terrible up cough cough here!" he yells down, trying to fight through the pain as he guesses where he saw that pixie imp. Winds back his halberd.

And there's a sudden fey home renovation as part of the burning tree wall explodes in a shower of smoldering shards.

GAME: Telamon casts Unseen Servant. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17

Telamon swears as he sees the heavy black smoke filling the upper floors. "Oh, you little bastards..." Suddenly, his eyes light up, and he gestures, speaking, "Sisig bursag!" Then he reaches into a sleeve on his back, pulling out a... gnomish gyroparasol? Handing it to the invisible servitor, who promptly opens it and begins spinning it rapidly. A breeze pushing out from it, the smoke starting to move and drift a bit from the weak wind.

The smoke is far too thick. Telamon's solution is admirable, but Ravenstongue takes a look at it and says, "I don't think that's going to be enough!" She ducks close to the tree wall, trying to defend herself from any more of the actions that these infernal little creatures might take to harm her.

Skiel's shouted warning, along with Telamon's spellcasting and the others' holding back.. not to mention Rocky's whimpering impairment, convince Shilde to hold back as well. "Shhhh...." she says to her dog, while keeping her eyes pinned upon the passage leading out of the tree.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (20)+8: 28 (throw)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (15)+8: 23 (roll to confirm crit)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (15)+8: 23 (throw)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (2)+8: 10 
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d100: (2): 2 (smoke roll, fails)

As more adventurers congregate on the second layer of the tree, the fiery fey respond. Globs of napalm arc through the thick smoke and splash around Skielstregar. Near misses, they hit where he just was.

The Ignis he's engaging directly flails, snapping and clawing. Ineffective attacks which slide off the necrotic sith'makar's scales.

GAME: Skielstregar rolls spellcraft: (18)+6: 24 (Discovers it's a Pyrotechnics spell)

Skielstregar doesn't hear the others coming up, him coughing and holding up a scaled arm to protect his neck as things fly past him and wiff near misses. He cocks his weapon back, the spear tip dripping black ichor as she squints past tears. "Come on... come on..." he rumbles, coughing some. Waiting for the effect to fade enough to get a bead on them.

GAME: Telamon casts Hydraulic Push. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+11: (15)+11: 26 (CMB)
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (61): 61 (smoke roll, success)

Telamon frowns. This smoke is... probably more than just ordinary smoke. But with the servitor generating that wind, it's causing it to thin out... just enough to let him make out one of the little imps. "I see you," he grins, gesturing intricately in a circle. "Anumun lirum!" A burst of cool water jets out from his hand, slapping into the creature and causing steam to rise as well as knocking it downward from its perch... to where Skiel is waiting with his halberd. "Heads up!"

GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (11)+11: 22 (held action, hits)
GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d100: (14): 14 (smoke roll, fail)

Skielstregar feels water hit against him, and sees a figure coming to light as the parasol helps clear up some of the smoke. He steps forward, trying to skewer the imp pixie. "Thisss one has it- agghbbblbblbl!" he sputters as water gets all over him, the cooling liquid simmering and steaming off the metal scales.

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 3d4+3: (7)+3: 10

While Skielstregar gets unfortunately waterboarded, Ravenstongue steps in. "Thanks, dear!" she calls out to Telamon as she gathers arcane magic in her hands. She releases it into the form of arcane darts with a murmur of an incantation that sink into the form of the infernal creature.

GAME: Vaera rolls 1d20+6+4+1-2: (12)+6+4+1+-2: 21 (hits)
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d100: (90): 90 (smoke roll, fail)

Vaera had an eye on the smoke cloud, waiting patiently for any sign of creatures coming out of the smoke, but nothing does. So the red makari pushes into the smoke, finding one of the small creatures near where Skielstregar was. They take aim, but only succeed in splintering off more of the wood from the tree as the shadows and smoke flit out of the way.

GAME: Shilde casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

"C'mon.. we have to help the big'uns," Shilde tells her shaggy friend, hand still buried in the ruff of his neck as she intones a druidic blessing into him, enhancing his strength. Then she leads him deeper into the tree, stopping short behind the raven haired half-sil. "I'll try to get some of the fire out up there."

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14 (fails)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (20)+8: 28 (tar: Telamon)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20 (roll to confirm crit)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (4)+8: 12 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d100: (92): 92 (smoke roll, success)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2+1d3: (2)+2+(1): 5

"AUGG! Water! Why did it have to be water! I hate water. And it's COLD water!" The soakus mostus fiery fey cries.

"Burn baby burn!" Another shouts, moving down to attack Telamon, as the third emerges from its hiding place and runs up behind Vaera.

It misses, but it's enough of a distraction that the wet fey manages to land a decent claw attack.

And the one beside Telamon, gets in a good bite. "Where are your books? I want to burn your books!" <sylvan>

It is now Skielstregar's turn! Telamon is next!

GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (8)+11: 19
GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage12+6+2: aliased to 1d10+7+6+2: (1)+7+6+2: 16
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13 (AoO)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (20)+8: 28 (AoO)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13 (roll to confirm crit)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (4)+2: 6

Skielstregar shakes himself off as his scales are cooled off from the water. Honestly, it was a nice refreshment, but still it stung. He breathes easier with the smoke gone, and the halberd jabs outwards to leave an almost fatal wound to the harrying imp pixie. "Finish that one!" he hisses, pointing to the one that's almost expired before rushing towards the larger one that's heading up on Vaera. She was already getting swarmed, didn't need to make it worse for her.

He elbows off the one that clamps down on his arm, it getting past the protective ward.

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+11: (5)+11: 16 (concentration check)
GAME: Telamon rolls ranged: (7)+4: 11
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20 (AoO)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4

Well, this went sideways fast. All of a sudden one of the little imps comes piling down into Telamon's face, chomping on his shoulder. Swearing loudly and meaningfully in Oruch, he pries the little imp off, trying to backpedal away as it chases after him. He raises a hand to lash it with a ray of frost, but its claw cuts into his arm and sends the beam of ice slashing along the tree trunk. "Son of a BITCH!"

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 3d4+3: (11)+3: 14

"Get off him!" Ravenstongue roars as she sends more arcane magic in the form of darts at the imp trying to tear off her boyfriend's pretty face. It's a solid hit, but the creature is still standing--much to her ire.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8+2: (2)+8+2: 12 (AoO)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8+2: (2)+8+2: 12 (AoO)
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d20+6+4+1-2: (10)+6+4+1+-2: 19 (hits)
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d12+4+1: (1)+4+1: 6
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d20+1+4+1-2: (18)+1+4+1+-2: 22 (hits)
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d12+4+1: (1)+4+1: 6

Vaera coughs as some of the smoke is inhaled as most of it is blown away, and they take a moment to rub at their eyes, before finding their arm was on fire. This is quickly batted out, and she looks to the source of it, before leveling the weapon at the imp, and shoving it back into the wall with two quick, but surprisingly weak shots from the thunderbelcher.

"Heat must be making it act up." The makari grumbles, turning around to see the other remaining foe. "Still good enough to deal with these ones, though."

"Time fer me t'stop eating the pastries," Shilde grumbles, seeing no way to get forward. Instead, she urges Rocky to step back a little bit with her, eyes going up, seeking another way forward.

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (7)+10: 17 (tar: Skiel, miss)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (5)+10: 15 (tar: Skiel, miss)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (7)+10: 17 (tar: Skiel, miss)

The odd crossbreed between devil and imp scampers down the hall, smoldering and smoking and boiling, leaving scorched wood and bubbling sap on the ground in its wake. It leers, lips stretched and melting over a maw of onyx fans. It snaps, snarps, and slashes at the armored sith-makar but cannot manage to find a whole in his defense. It grumbles, its voice like the lazy lavaflow it so resembles.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (20)+8: 28 (tar: Telamon)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15 (roll to confirm crit)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (14)+8: 22 (tar: Telamon)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 (tar: Telamon)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (15)+8: 23 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2+1d3: (1)+2+(3): 6
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2+1d3: (3)+2+(1): 6
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2+1d3: (3)+2+(1): 6
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2+1d3: (1)+2+(1): 4

'Pun of a WITCH!' The fiery fiend-friend shouts back at Telamon. He gets it. Almost. He got a bite in, and he tries again snapping and slashing at the half-elf's knees. He succeeds, ripping into the half-elf's flesh.

One falls to Vaera's shots, while the one behind her lays into her tail, grabbing and yanking with claws the cut through scales, "Raaaaah!" <Sylvan>

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (15)+10: 25 (AoO)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (11)+8: 19 (AoO)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+4: (4)+4: 8
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (10)+11: 21
GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage12+6+2: aliased to 1d10+7+6+2: (3)+7+6+2: 18

Skielstregar is readying himself to take on the more formidable creature, but he catches one at the stairs flinging blood every which way. He snarls, then turns tail. "Hold the line a moment longer, Firebrand!" he says quickly to Vaera as he passes by her, him grunting in pain as his arm is bit into.

From the first floor, there's the harrying pixie imp doing work on Telamon. Then a black ichor infused axe sweeps down from the stairs, carving into the creature with reckless abandon. Throwing it into the wall and leaving it nearly dazed and gone. <Draconic>

Telamon takes an absolutely brutal clawing from the imp, as it lays into his legs and arms as he tries to prevent it from hitting something vital. "SHIT!" he curses, as blood spatters on the ground -- yeah, it's bad for him, but he knows Raven is going to absolutely lose her mind seeing this. When Skiel savages the imp, he takes the opportunity to stumble backwards, passing Raven and slamming up against the wall. "...eh, we'll call it a draw?"

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 3d4+3: (7)+3: 10

Ravenstongue's face twists in complete and utter rage. She conjures arcane magic in her hands.

"*Enough of this!* I am Cor'lana, child of the Feathered One, and I will tear you all apart limb from limb!" she roars, her magic forming into arcane darts that blast into the form of the imp not far from her--

A flicker of a grin crosses her face as she watches it fall to the ground. "Keep falling! I will root you out from this hallowed place!" she bellows. <Sylvan>

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d20+6+4+1-2: (6)+6+4+1+-2: 15
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d20+1+4+1-2: (18)+1+4+1+-2: 22
GAME: Vaera rolls 1d12+4+1: (7)+4+1: 12

Vaera does catch sight of Telamon not looking the greatest, but Skielstregar asking her to continue holding off their enemies makes her turn to the remaining imps she could see for the time being. She takes aim, and sends another volley at the imp, wounding it badly in the process with a crack of thunder piercing the air. "Understood, I will help you hold them off." She grunts, shoving the imp away as it claws at her arms and draws more blood.

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (5)+10: 15
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (14)+10: 24
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (16)+10: 26
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d3+2: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d3+2: (3)+2: 5

The maliciously mischevious character continues to press forward, filling the space inside the tree recently-vacated by the bronze-scaled makari warrior. It burbles, a boiling pustule on its back popping to belch fire and hissing, noxious steam. It snaps out, tearing through molten lips but unable to find purchase with tis teeth. Then it claws twice, drawing thin, hot lines along the lower sections of the ranger.

GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. (tar: Telamon)
GAME: Shilde rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8

Shilde can't quite smother her snicker; something about angry elves seeming to amuse her. The mirth fades quickly upon recognizing Telamon's condition, however. With her twig wand she releases some of its stored healing power, granting the half-elf a small surge of rejuvination. Then, "C'mon," she says again to her dog, urging him forward as she follows, her shield hefted.

<OOC> Jinks says, "So will saves from Skiel, V, and Rocky"
GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (15)+2: 17 (reroll)
GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+2: (13)+2: 15 (Rocky will save)
GAME: Vaera rolls will: (7)+4: 11
GAME: Vaera rolls will: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL) (reroll, also ouch)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+1: (2)+1: 3 (blindness roll)

As the red-scale turns her thunderbelcher on the third almost-imp, it launches at her and attempts to interrupt her shot. Stretched along the barrel, it manages to bite her wrist. A swipe at her trigger finger sets off the gun, not a good technique when one's belly is blocking the barrel.

It takes a gutfull of shot.

Scrambling back, it bleeds fire, and seems to explode. The area going bright with explosions and light, popping off all around.

Blinding light.

Skielstregar blocks his eyes as the explosions go out from the creatures. He yells down the stairwell. "Telamon! Move your incantation! It isss in the way!"

The heat's starting to get to him again.

Telamon just... kind of boggles. How the hell is... oh. It's still spinning the parasol, which is probably in the way. He yells up to his servant, "Put down the parasol, and move aside!"

The gyroparasol was spinning mindlessly, until Telamon's words come up the stairs. Then it stops, and clatters to the floor. There's a faint susurrus of air, as it drifts past the chief ignis, barely noticeable.

GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (12)+11: 23
GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage12+6+2: aliased to 1d10+7+6+2: (7)+7+6+2: 22

Skielstregar is, to be honest, not in the best headspace right now. They're barely up the tree, he's bleeding, his mate is bleeding, this damn thing is in the way, and now Ravenstongue was screaming things in that odd tongue. The parasol falls to the ground.

The warrior kicks the thing out of the way, pulls his polearm back, and swings down hard. "Would you kindly MOVE!" he snarls. <Draconic>

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 3d4+3: (9)+3: 12

Ravenstongue continues her onslaught, looking for all intents and purposes about as feral as a feytouched woman can despite not having suffered a single scratch herself so far.

More arcane energy's sent into the imp in the form of arcane darts, a solid hit as she continues to growl.

GAME: Vaera rolls acrobatics-4: (9)+4+-4: 9

Vaera grunts as the imp explodes in front of her, and she closes her eyes, opens them, and growls. "Scales, when this one finds the rest of you, the next one is going through your head so you can not do that again." She says, trying to find her way back to the bottom, to get clear of the fighting and tend to some of her wounds. This causes her to trip on some of the tree roots, and tumble to the ground in the process, not managing to get particularly far.

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+15: (5)+15: 20 (Acrobatics to avoid AoO)
GAME: Skielstregar uses an AoO! 0 remaining.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12-2: (3)+11+-2: 12

It's falling to pieces. Goopey, molten, burning pieces. The creature snarls something lost in a choking, brackish cough and jumps through the wall of fire to the exterior of the tree trunk. It spits and coughs again, tearing around the outside of the burning tree.

GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Shilde rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10 (Rocky attack! Fails though :()

Shilde brandishes her twig wand once again, stepping up the stairs to kneel beside Vaera as Rocky rushes forward at her command to harry the only one of the imps he can see.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (2)+8: 10 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 (tar: Vaera)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+2: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3+2: (1)+2: 3

As the dog snaps at it, the fiery fey rushes forward. It's leader has left, it must cover the retreat and the wounded foe is the best target. He wants to hit her now that she's down.

The little ignis lands on the red-scale's back and rips into her, clawing and biting, tearing open a wound.

GAME: Telamon casts Hydraulic Push. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+11: (20)+11: 31 (CMB)

Telamon takes a breath, wincing, and then limps forward again, coming up behind Shilde as he sees the imp assaulting Vaera. "Hey. Asshole," he says flatly. Then he gestures, speaking the words... and suddenly the imp is flying backwards as a gout of water slams it off Vaera and up into the wall. "Take a bath." He leans against the hot wood, and growls. "Fucking die already."

GAME: Skielstregar RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 10 temporary HP
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon12: (8)+13: 21
GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage12+6+2: aliased to 1d10+9+6+2: (3)+9+6+2: 20

Skielstregar swipes his weapon at the fleeing leader, but its too tight of a fighting corridor to make it a brisk enough strike.

He hears the clatter of someone falling beside him. The man looks over his shoulder.

And the last one is ripping into the redscale hunter.

That was his breaking point.

A sudden cloud of black miasma poofs and wafts off him, second set of fangs in place, crimson eyes glaring. Veins pulsing black.

He follows after them like a hound playing fetch after the gout of water shoves them against the wall. Ichored axehead buries brutally into the side of the imp, slamming it into the wall once more, "YOU DO NOT TOUCH VAERMIIR, CRETIN!"

He's.. really, really pissed.

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 3d4+3: (6)+3: 9

And as Skielstregar strikes the imp, Ravenstongue follows him up with another burst of magic, the darts flickering into the imp's body.

For a long moment after, she just pants, her eyes trained on the imp.

Finally, a grin cracks her face as the realization that it seems to be very much dead dawns on her. "The bird guts the worm," she says in Sylvan, a rather satisfied sense about her in the imp's death.

But the somewhat macabre moment is dampened by the sound of Telamon's voice. She looks at him, concern replacing the grin. "Are you okay? You were bleeding a lot earlier."

Telamon limps up the stairs to where the rest of the others are, staring around a bit before rubbing his face. "Well, that could've gone better.." He walks over to pick up his parasol, collapsing it and tsking at a bent sprue. "Going to have to have that repaired..." as he tucks it away. Looking to Raven, he smiles crookedly. "See what happens when I don't pay attention?"

Vaera was blinded, and heavily wounded in the process. The red makari rolls onto her back as the creature is blasted off her back. "And I was just getting to enjoy the warmth again." Vaera grumbles, closing her eyes till the spots disappeared out of them. "Are they gone, then?"

There's still smoke. And fire. So, so much fire. The tree is hot for those unprotected by druid magics or the eye artifact. Every few moments seems to be punctuated by a cracking pop as sparks shout out from some new wound on the tree.

Then, from somewhere deep inside the trunk a low, rumbling groan and the whole place shudders.

The aggressive fey infestation may be all-but cleared away but the imitation world tree seems to be in no better shape.

Telamon winces. "I'll live, 'Lana. But we need to finish this." He holds up the glowing orb. "We need to get to the top. 'Sun's light in boughs', remember? The other eye is probably up there." He looks to Skiel, Vaera, and Shilde. "Everyone else fit to move? I don't think we should stay here longer."

"Aye. Time t'finish this," Shilde agrees.. eyeballing the others, particularly Vaera and Telamon and their wounds. "Rocky, keep watch!"

Skielstregar huffs and puffs, the shaft of the polearm creaking under his death grip as he sweeps his gaze about. "They BETTER be..!" he hisses angrily.

The tree shakes and rumbles, and he staggers about to keep his footing. His scales are sizzling hot.

Reaching down, he offers Vaera his weapon haft to help her. "Come on Firebrand, we're not done yet," he growls to her before stamping off towards the the spiral upwards.

GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
GAME: Shilde rolls 2d8+2: (12)+2: 14 (Tar: Telamon)
GAME: Shilde rolls 2d8+2: (15)+2: 17 (Tar: Vaera)
GAME: Shilde casts Create Water. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13
GAME: Shilde casts Create Water. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13
GAME: Shilde casts Create Water. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13
GAME: Shilde casts Create Water. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13
GAME: Shilde casts Create Water. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13

Ravenstongue nods to Telamon. "Let's go," she says, starting ahead of the group. Her voice and steps are filled with conviction.

"Hold on for me, please. We will get your other eye," she murmurs in her Grandfather's tongue. It's a little plea to no one in particular. <Sylvan>

"I know we are not. And I won't complain, but I at least need a moment to stop bleeding from my back." Vaera grumbles as she pulls herself up on the polearm. "But, this did not do much for the place it seems. We need to get it fixed."

The ascent is laborious and hot. There are times when you fear that the entire tree may quit around you and collapse into so much kindling with you trapped inside. Shilde's druid magics do their work, quenching the unquenchable flames to reveal pristine, restored wood beneath. Where the water falls and puddles the embers die and charcoal mends.

Thankfully, the trip is quick and there are only a few turns before you come out at the top of the tree's trunk amongst flaming branches heavy with ashen and blackened leaves. Immediately, you're assaulted by a sense of twisting vertigo with the burning heavens stretching out in every direction and the treeline hundreds of feet below.

Recovering your wits, you see something part-nest, part-bonfire. Nestled there is the sun, burning bright and spilling out the flames that seek to consume the tree in its entirety. Then the sun is a nest. The nest a bonfire. Within the bonfire-nest a white-hot ember, unquiet and twitching with the life of heat.

Telamon stares for a moment, before shaking his head. "This... shit. Dream logic again. Reality is thinner here. Things are unbalanced." He stares at the blazing nest, the ember, for a moment, before looking at the others. "Let me try to take it. This one is protecting me from the worst of things; maybe it'll keep doing so."

Ravenstongue looks at the bonfire nest as the group arrives. She stares at it for a long moment. Pothy even ruffles his feathers on her shoulder and whistles into her ear.

She shakes her head and says to Telamon, "Go ahead. I trust you," Raven says. She means it too, the conviction in her voice as firm as steel.

Vaera stretches and sighs as the healing magic takes effect. "My thanks, Shilde." She offers, before looking upwards, and joining the group heading upwards. She takes in the sight, and nods to Telamon. "If you think you can manage it. You have that orb, but if it is going to burn on touch, then this one may be better prepared to take it. If that is what we need to do."

Shilde waves aaway Vaera's thanks, shaking her head. Universal sign of "don't mention it." When they reach the top, and the second object of their quest is revealed... well, patience might be a dwarf virtue, but she seems to be in short supply of that. "Are we going t'just gawk at it? Pick it up with a pan or something. "

The only thing keeping Skielstregar from racing up the steps in his still sustained anger was Vaera's request for just a beat of a moment. Though still he presses on. Weapon in hand, huffing out gouts of black-laced plumped of air.

He covers his head as the flames spread out in all directions, him barely taking a moment to see the sights around him. He was tunnel visioned to press ahead.

His veins pulse black. Corner of his lip twitching in a snarl. "We don't have the luxury of TIME. MOVE IT, sssoftskin!" he barks at Telamon. Only kept from boiling due to the water Shilde throws at places previously. Though, it doesn't help how he's literally steaming right now.

GAME: Telamon rolls will: (18)+5: 23

Telamon holds the one orb in his right hand, staring into the nest, the sun, the... whatever. And calmly, he reaches out. No fear in his eyes, as he begins to push his hand into the light. No pain, despite what is clearly seen. His flesh peels back, charring, the muscle beneath burning to ash and the bones blackening, crumbling!

And yet.

And yet he shows no sign of pain, as his hand goes deeper, and deeper, even as it's incinerated... reaching out to claim the orb.

The world twists and shudders, folding in on itself even as infinite energies threatens to explode out in every direction. It resolves and you find yourselves standing on a reflected plane, twinned, with your soles touching their mirror image.

You stretch out from flat infinity in opposite directions, one of your aspects in the warmth of midday under a blue, sunless sky and the other beneath a great, dark and empty night. Sounds stretch out into the oppressive nothing and echo. The effect of dual perspectives is... unusual.

The gossamer sheet spreading out beneath both aspects of you is a thing of spiderwebs, starlight, and dreams. The desiccated shape of a grey tree twists down towards the ephemeral floor, curling, hollow, and broken beneath the moonless night. Opposite, blackened and cracked and crumbling to ash is a charcoal stump in the daytime.

"Crumbling mortar!" Shilde blurts, though she's too far to do anything helpful like reach for the half-elf. "I said a pan, y'daft elf!" And then the world ends. Or seems to be. It's certainly doing its best to end Shilde's mind.

Ravenstongue reaches out to Telamon--until it all changes and warps.

Her violet eyes peer out at the world-yet-not-world--the sky beneath her and above her. Her mouth opens slack-jawed in an expression of awe, yet her hands seem to not remember how to cover them in a state of surprise.

Infinity tends to have that effect on some.

"Above, below, all around," the feytouched half-elf says quietly. She has momentarily forgotten her burning lover as her eyes stop on the charcoal stump.

"There," she says, pointing to it. "Tel, we bring it to her."

Skielstregar readies himself as Telamon goes for the stone. His snarl growing louder as bone and sinew melt away. And then-

Reality shudders and warps, and his talons clack against the mirror image beneath him. It was enough to knock him out of that headspace, and he falls to a knee, panting and heaving with his weight against his polearm. The Forgotten effects abated.

"... wha... wha... what the Sc.. Scales?" he raggedly notes, looking around until Ravenstongue notes something of import.

Before too much though can be put into taking it, Telamon heads over to take the orb, and Vaera chuffs, letting them go to do such. What she was not expecting however, was for the world to dissolve around them. The red makari looks around, and closes her eyes, still not one hundred percent after one of the imps blinder her. "This does not make much sense. But we have both orbs, yes? Is that tree still the nymph? But if you give it to them, will they not just set on fire again?"

Telamon stands there, holding one orb in his hand -- his reflection holding the other. Oddly, the change in scenery doesn't throw him off -- his expression is one of wonder rather than confusion or distress. "It's all right, Skiel," he responds, his voice calm. He nods to Raven, walking towards the tree -- or is he walking towards the stump? Are they on one side of the reflection, or the other?

They are on both sides. The sun and moon, in balance, just as in a reflection. "Not if they have both, Vaera," he replies... reaching out to place the orb on the stump. Or is he placing the orb in a knot in the tree?

The trees shake, sobbing silently, and as Telamon walks closer the world begins to tilt to one side-- folding towards the opposite from its reflection. A closing book slams shut with a hollow thump and echoes back through time.

Darkness.

The moon in Telamon's hand brings shape back to the world. The sun reveals color.

The floor of dreams and spidersweb is cold and the light yet dim. A hollow-faced and pathetic creature curls beneath the bent boughs of a tree, half-frozen in the lake benath. Her face is empty and her form abused by hundreds of tiny scrapes left untended through the rise and fall of civilizations.

She wails and it stills your heart.

Blind hands grope towards and empty offering bowl.

Hostile shadows begin to creep in from the edges of reality...

Telamon kneels down next to the sobbing woman. Carefully, he places the orbs into the offering bowl. Then he moves the bowl into her hands. "Take them," he says firmly, his own eyes reflecting the distant stars. "We are here." Compassion in his voice, despite him glancing around at the shadows moving. He really hopes this works because otherwise it's going to probably be ugly.

If Shilde crowds her dog a little bit, her grip on his fur tightening, can she really be blamed? Druid she might be. Stoic dwarf she might be. But this is considerably beyond her level of induction into the sylvan. Blue eyes remain fixed ont he broken figure, and then upon the exchange between her and Telamon.

Skielstregar manages to get his feet from under him after things shift around again. He rests a hand on Vaera's shoulder, watching on with a tension in his shoulders. He couldn't help but feel a little tug of sadness at the sight before him.

"We are here, Protector," Ravenstongue echoes as she stands behind him. The moon to his sun, just as they'd walked before, she is there.

She closes her eyes. "There were many words written about you, cousin of wood and loam, but I cannot bear to repeat what is old when we remake you anew. The tree does not bear the exact same leaves it did from last year."

Ravenstongue kneels with him. It's a gesture of deference and respect. She speaks aloud in Sylvan a poem of her own creation, not the words written so long ago:

"May you see what you lost.

May you usher us into new life.

May you be the trees for the birds to call home.

May your branches reach into the air.

May your wail turn into healing song.

That is my solemn wish, Protector of All-Hours." <Sylvan>

Vaera reaches out to pat the other makari on the shoulder, until she is able to open her eyes and see what was going on. She walks over to where the stump and figure were, once it was clear that they could walk on this strange ground.

"If we are correct, these were your eyes. Stolen from you, and now returned. I do not know what is needed to restore them to you, but if we can help somehow, then let us know. Still, it felt right to do so, and we hope this will let us know that you need not take out your anger on the elves of the woods."

The nymph touches the eyes in the bowl and there's a sharp intake of breath. The floor stretches out a lake brilliant with the moon's reflection. The sunlight spills down through the boughs of a blossoming tree.

The shift is a warm embrace this time; strong, secure, and loving.

It picks you up and sets you down in the Feypool beneath a dawning sky. The camp is just beginning to rouse and there's the smell of cooking breakfast filling the air.

At your back is the Feypool itself, the centerpiece of the ruins. The swirling vortex of frozen crystal has a new feature; a great and mighty tree splits the center of the bowl with heavy, fruitful branches reaching into the sky above. In the roots of the tree is a bowl. Flanking the bowl are the forms of two wardens.

Annae blinks, stunned and fresh-faced as she pushes up from the roots and finds her feet. Her fellow-- the drowned man-- sputters and coughs, spilling out the water from his lungs as the color flushes back into his hands and face.

There's a rapid crunch, the hustling of light feet, and Ikshama-of-Hers appears on the ridge nearest the lodge overlooking the Feypool. She holds her blindfold in one hand, mismatched eyes of blue-and-gold wide in marvel at the changes wrought to the ruins. She's slackjawed and jubilant and entirely beyond words.

Through the bark of the tree a form swims, lithe and perfect. The near-elf fey breaks the surface of the tree and laughs, her smile flawless in its beauty. She reaches out, waving as she looks at all assembled around her holy place before disappearing within.

There.

Here.

Now and always.

Shilde sags into her dog briefly, then pushes away from him before he can assault her face with his tongue. For a moment, regarding the tree, the rejuvinated wardens.. and then at the fey creature herself.. she is slightly slackjawed, forehead smooth as she experiences unabashed wonder. For a moment. And then the scowl reshapes itself as she turns away, grumbling. "Time t'look into a new line of work.." she says under her breath.

Rocky just barks, happy as only a dog can be.

Ravenstongue stands there as she watches the fey woman disappear into the ground. She lets go of a breath that she hadn't quite realized she'd been holding the whole while.

She finally lets out a laugh, a childlike giggle of joy leaving her. She turns to Telamon and embraces him tightly.

No words are needed. Only the moment.

Skielstregar blinks. Dumbly waves as fey woman vanishes. Then slowly flumps to the ground, spent.

It's like a wild ride down a river on a canoe, really. And now that Telamon is expecting it, it's almost comforting, as the group lands in the camp. When Raven reaches out to embrace him, his arms fold around her in turn, and he buries his face in her hair. Murmuring softly to her, as he smiles, finally -- finally -- able to relax. Knowing that everything, for now, is all right.

OOC

Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m14anlozvhu

===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
  >> 19   Telamon          1   <<
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     17   HI2                 
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     17   Ravenstongue     1  Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)               
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     17   Skielstregar     1  Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)               
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     14   Vaera            1  Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)               
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     12   HIAdv               
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     12   Shilde           1  Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)               
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     10   HI1                 
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     10   HI3                 
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 ==============================================================================