The Ultimate Conflict (Beyond Good and Evil) IC

[Realms of Chaos]

Core OOC Thread (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253202)
Group OOC Thread (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253600)

Fear: After existing as long as you, ignoring the screams has become second nature. Every second of every day, uncountable fears cry out in a horrid orchestra even you have lost your taste for. You can push them aside with but a thought, though you can still remember each one if you only focus on those screams. No, the only time you truly notice the screams anymore is when you find a space where they’ve been nearly silenced. This building, this haven, is one such location. Thousands of people run through this structure and yet their fears are minor and commonplace.

Naturally, you knew of these havens from the moment of their existence, from the moment is started to hush the fear of those around them. Only recently, however, has the organization warranted a personal visit. Haven has organizations on over a dozen worlds now and has been one of the few expansionary forces that has served to relieve fear. This is not their primary purpose, of course, but that’s part of why you’re here. Whenever any organization rises to this level of prominence, it is always prudent to check on their end goals. If their ambitions are a bit too lofty, after all, action may be necessary.

Melina Haakenstad: Oh, these flimsy eyes of yours. Compared with the eyes that you could be using, the eyes you’ve used so often in recent times, you might as well be viewing the world through foggy glass. As the brightness of the sun forces you to squint, you know well that your other forms wouldn’t have even noticed. You are in a town, however, and even the guise of the three draws attention to yourself every now and again. Besides, this is a town that knows Melina, one that you saved from certain doom long before you discovered the truth, before you received enlightenment.

It has been weeks since anything raised its ugly head for you to smash back down, weeks without monsters, wars, or uprising even beyond the horizon. These have been weeks of idle and fragile tranquility. For the past couple of days, however, something has been bothering you, a dark premonition lurking at the edge of your perception. Since this morning, you have felt a tangible pain in the pit of your stomach. The calm is about to give way to the storm. Something big is about to happen.

Nadiyidan: Truth be told, the structure was hardly necessary. You required neither protection from the elements nor a place to store your belongings. Even your small contingent of followers, strong of body and mind as they were, would have ignored the fiercest of storms to benefit from your wisdom and insight. No, the structure was hardly necessary. It was simply symbolic. Built by your followers with their own hands and minds, this was a space that they truly owned, that they truly possessed the right to turn over to you when they’d finished.

Now, you were surrounded by your few faithful, monks and psions and others who’d learned to harness their minds and bodies. Many came from the surrounding community but there were always a traveler or two, coming from afar to hear of your wisdom, to hear you. Far more than they were your worshippers, they were your students from across the many walks of life. In this deeply symbolic place, they had come to learn. This was not a temple as other deities possessed. This was merely a school and you were merely a teacher.

[greenpotato]

After finding a secluded spot Melina shifts the disguise of the three from the recognized trio to a man a woman and a little boy.
She then continues her stroll playing the part of happy young family, she should be enjoying this, a nice casual stroll with the sun beating down but that feeling in the pit of her stomach is preventing her. This feeling has her on edge, what could it be?


She changes into the family just in case the feeling is a premonition of attack, a great disguise can be a great defense.
Disguise check: [roll0] Disguise
Because shes on edge I'm also going to roll a perception check to spot anything out of the ordinary [roll1] Perception

[Realms of Chaos]

All of the people seem to be doing relatively well in the town. The adults continue to work as they had for as long as they could remember while the children continued to play for as long as they could. Families much as the one you disguised yourself as walked down the streets with hardly a care in the world.

Looking around for signs of something afoot, you finally spot something up in the sky. You spot a speck of blackness floating motionless against the black sky. Though you've never seen anything quite like it, it doesn't seem to be alive and it feels strangely familiar.

[greenpotato]

What is that thing? Melina thinks as all six eyes squint upwards.
Realizing she is going to have to get closer to figure out what the thing is Melina changes form, abandoning her disguise in a horrifying display of wet, fleshy transformation. She turns in the spiked worm, calling Finglthyil and Arthyol to her as she does so and dropping a carving of herself just in case a quick retreat is needed. She fixes her thirty eyes on that black dot and begins to writhe up through the air towards it...


Changing form into the spiked worm and excluding all visible villagers from the fear effect as I do so.
Calling legendary Dreadnaughts array from inside her stomach.
Dropping one of the wooden carvings of herself on the ground and leaving her Fine Travelling tentacle behind as a quick escape route.
Going to go straight towards the black dot making perception checks on the way, If nothing happens that makes me stop before I get within 500ft that is where I intend to halt.
[roll0] Perception ( I dont know if you want me to roll multiple but I will just in case)
[roll1]
[roll2]

Edit: Lol, two natural 1's

[Realms of Chaos]

While your transformation causes the average degree of distress among the populace, it allows you to regain access to more of your senses. Even focusing all of your eyes on the blackness in the sky as you approach, you have never seen anything like it. It appears to be nothing more than an oddly shaped polygon of pure darkness, though that fails to explain why it looks familiar. As you approach within 500 feet, the object suddenly starts to expand, extending itself in every direction to form crack-like lines across the sky.

On the bright side, you now know why this crack feels so familiar. It feels almost exactly like your own power.

Make a reflex save.

[greenpotato]

[roll0] Reflex

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:you evade the cracks as they spider through the sky. Seeing downward with an eye or two, you can almost watch as the city below you descends into hysteria.

Fear:The ground below you violently shakes, an earthquake you hadn't been suspecting. As the guards in front of the record room right themselves, you watch as one of their leaders calls to them and leads them elsewhere. You can slowly feel true fear washing over the people in this haven one by one. For that matter, you realize that you can feel a wave of simultaneous fear beyond the haven itself... a single wave of fear stretching across planes of existence. Even compared with the chorus of screams you're accustomed to, this is a genuine cacophony. Something is wrong. Horribly wrong.

Nadiyidan:Your meditations on the mind are suddenly interrupted. You can feel the noise of the earth around you move, shuddering in a large quake. In response to this quake, many of your students wander outside of the temple, where they seem to freeze in place. Their minds are moving but it would seem that they have a hard time telling what precisely they see.

[greenpotato]

Her instincts tell her to flick out of the way of the sinister crack as it reaches towards her but Melina's rational mind wonders what exactly would have happened had the black something touched her?


Melina searches her memory for anything in her past that she either saw her heard tell of that is similar to this phenomenon.
Knowledge the planes [roll0]
Knowledge religion [roll1]

[Aluroon]

~The unchained mind is the-~ Her telepathy abruptly cuts off at the quake, though there is no outward sign from Nadiyidan of any distress at the thought of a quake.

She waits patiently as many are distrated by the events in the corporeal world, but her own mental processes quicken when the mind aura around her students changes. In the blink of an eye she phases through the roof of the building to see what has become of them.

She moves straight up ~400ft. as a move action

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:In the course of your life, you have learned quite a bit about the dark space where the nameless star had originated. You have heard of the vast gate, the portal first created to push past the edge of reality. You have heard of cerebral blots, areas of planar bleed where reality meets its antithesis and begins to destroy itself. Cracks forming throughout the sky, however, are entirely new. What would happen if you touched one you can't quite say. Also, the cracks don't seem as empty as they did at first glance. Hundreds of eyes and claws and far less recognizable limbs can be seen on the other end, fighting to break their way free from these cracks.

Nadiyidan: It takes you a moment to process precisely what you are detecting. You detect a rough disruption of the light above, yes, but the shape feels almost nothing like normal clouds in the sky. The interruption of light isn't shaped like any object you are aware of and doesn't seem to be actively flying or moving, save to spread itself further across the sky. Whatever it is, it possesses no form of mind and seems entirely mundane. You can feel a soft cracking noise as the object grows bigger up above you.

[greenpotato]

With no clue whats going on apart from her own gut instinct that it's bad, Melina hovers in her position. Keeping an eye both on the crack and what it holds and on the commotion on the ground she waits. With no idea whats going on there is not much else she can do.

Activating my gaze attack as a defensive measure: 100ft range and causes daze for 1 round on a failed DC 43 will save
Just in case the things burst out and attack me

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina: The various eyes and features beyond the crack slowly go out of focus, covered in a deep black smoke that slowly seeps down towards the ground. Concealed within the cloud, however, are ocassional masses of delicate tentacles. whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be stopped by your gaze and will likely reach you before the town unless you plan to move.

Roll initiative and start going.

[roll0]

[greenpotato]

Seeing the creatures move towards the village below concealing their form in the smoke Melina prepares to open fire with the long, sharp barbs that protrude from the front of her worm-like form to stop the creatures before they reach the peasants below.


Initiative [roll0]
Going to fire 16 spikes at the concealed creatures and regrow them as part of the same full attack
120ft range increment, but I'm not sure exactly how much closer than 500ft they are so you're going to have to subtract range modifiers. silly me, if the eye has no effect they are at least within 100ft :smallredface:
Attack rolls:

49 damage +20 electricity or 147 +20 electricity on a crit, 19-20 threat range, x3 multiplier and auto confirm. I also have the clustered shots feat if that is going to make a difference here (damage of all attacks is added together before applying DR and Energy resistance)
I'll also have to leave it to you to work out inevitable strike bonuses but it should be pretty straight forward
1st [roll1]
2nd [roll2]
3rd [roll3]
4th [roll4]
5th [roll5]
6th [roll6]
7th [roll7]
8th [roll8]
9th [roll9]
10th [roll10]
11th [roll11] Critical!
12th [roll12]
13th [roll13] Critical!
14th [roll14]
15th [roll15]
16th [roll16]

[Cardea]

Fear


The cosmic irony of it did not escape him, he realized, as he walked on the sky, moving through air and clouds as through they were earth. But he couldn't enjoy the moment. His rib cage expanded and collapsed, in a reflexive sigh, and pushed forward with his mind. His form was encompassed by a shroud, his form disintegrating where it stood in the sky...

... and materializing a few hundred feet from where he felt the disturbance, in all his dreaded glory.

Casting Greater Teleport. Arriving 250 ft. away from disturbance.
Anyone within 10 miles is subject to Aura of Fear from Harbinger of Endings. DC 51 Will Save (Piercing), or become Shaken. Additionally, all perceived light is one step lower.

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:11 spines hit their marks while the others slip oddly thrught eh tangles of tentacles without so much as a scrath. Each group you hit stops moving, gently floating up into the sky with its black cloud, looking from a distance like a normal raincloud. The rest of the creature swarms over you, raking you with tentacle after tentacle as it continues downards

swarm attack [roll0] divide by 3 and subtract 20 for result of 28

Make fortitude save and will save

You may make an AoO.

OOC: Just doublechecking but you electric skin now hurts the creature for 20 electricity, right?

Fear: Well, it would seem you've arrived. You stand over a small rural hamlet, though there is nothing too fearful about the town itself or even lurking within its midst. No, the fear you have felt seems to come from a separate phenomenon above you, 250 feet straight up.

Hundreds of black cracks extend through the evening sky as if the heavens themselves were breaking. Oddly, this isn't one of the many portents of the end-times that you've been familiarized with. No, this would seem to be something else entirely.

[greenpotato]

It's ignoring me? Melina thinks as the swarm continues towards the ground, well I'd better go all out to get it's full attention before it gets to the village


HP: 1128 AC: 122
Yes the creature takes 20e damage when it attacks me.
Due to her Wyld Affliction ability granted by the casteless exalted destiny Melina grows an additional tentacle when the swarm damages her.

AOO with Arthyol the Deceiver(15-20x2 crit):
[roll0] to hit [roll1] damage
Fortitude: [roll2]
Will: [roll3]

If she survives whatever those saves were for she will fire again, this time with all 33 shots. I've added in point blank bonus:
I'm also using the Deadly Aim feat (It's like a ranged power attack) to reduce my attack bonus by 10 and add +10 damage. Something that I figure should work rather well when combined with inevitable strike.
60+20e damage, 19-20 crit, auto confirm 180+20e on a crit
1st [roll4]
2nd [roll5]
3rd [roll6]
4th [roll7]
6th [roll8]
7th [roll9]
8th [roll10]
9th [roll11] Critical!
10th [roll12]
11th [roll13]
12th [roll14]
13th [roll15] Critical!
14th [roll16]
15th [roll17]
16th [roll18]
17th [roll19]
18th [roll20]
19th [roll21]
20th [roll22]
21st [roll23]
22nd [roll24]
23th [roll25]
24th [roll26]
25th [roll27]
26th [roll28]
27th [roll29]
28th [roll30]
29th [roll31]
30th [roll32]
31st [roll33]
32nd [roll34]
33rd [roll35]

The second part I'm not sure on the legality, can I make melee attacks with my sword as part of the same full attack as the ranged volley? If you rule yes here they are anyway (note that none of these attacks are granted by the ozodrin class and so do not count towards the limit in a round imposed by that class):

Arthyol the Deceiver(15-20x2 crit):
1st [roll36] to hit [roll37] damage
2nd [roll38] to hit [roll39] damage
3rd [roll40] to hit [roll41] damage
4th [roll42] to hit [roll43] damage

Tentacle (19-20x3 auto confirm)
[roll44] to hit [roll45] damage +20 electricity Edit: Critical!

[Aluroon]

Nadiyidan takes a moment, content to observe the phenomina.

~Go~ She mentally advises her followers.

Hypercogniton on an Int Check to try and figure out what she's sensing.

[roll0] Int Check Result

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:OOC: I'll say no natural weapons + natural attacks but spines + tentacle(s) is okay.
Launching a full volley at the creature, many of the attacks seem to miss their mark altogether, though a good number of small "clouds" are added to the sky. though a few seem to hit their target perfectly. Melina can hear faint whispers within the cloud but can't quite seem to make them out. for better or worse, the creature has seemed to notice your presence, growing darker as the tentacles swarm towards you once more.

[roll0] divide by 3 and subtract 20 for a total of 30 damage
Another fortitude and will save.




Nadiyidan: Calling upon your mastery of all knowledge, you quickly seek the answer to the question at hand as your followers scatter.

Hypercognition:

...angle of the twigs from the dying tree almost perfectly block out the noonday sun...

...a minor fracture. Try not to put too much weight on it or else...

...fixed vertical planes such as walls of force or ectoplasm, some of which may be made opaque when used by...

...even your strongest magics can't hope to imitate what I've seen...

...not all planar connections are portals. The vast majority, in fact, have different forms such as...

As far as you can tell, you are perceiving some manner of rough planar connection.

[greenpotato]

HP: 1114
Fort [roll0]
Will [roll1]
Growing another tentacle when it hits me.

Full attacking:

Sword
1st [roll2] and [roll3] damage
2nd [roll4] and [roll5] damage
3rd [roll6]and [roll7] damage
4th [roll8]and [roll9] damage

2 Bonus Tentacles
[roll10] and [roll11] +20e damage
[roll12] and [roll13] +20e damage

Form tentacle
[roll14] and 46 +20e damage

and regrowing 16 spikes

I will then have my sword cast lightning bolt on the thing. DC 28 [roll15] e damage, trying to aim along the cloud so that the line covers as much of the thing/s as possible.
Also, my armor will cast cure moderate wounds on me for [roll16]

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina: The last of the tendrils, having congregated around you, are slain by your mighty sword before it even casts off lightning. Not a moment too soon, either. Somewhere in the depths of that creature, echoing off of endless eons, you believe that you've heard a deep gurgling noise, nearly like a laugh. The "laugh" sounds fairly familiar to you, having last been heard as you delivered the final blow. A soft voice, barely even present, seems to brush against the back of your mind, "...and with strange aeons, even death may die". With that, the view of your surroundings becomes clear once more as the last of the clouds float up into the sky. The cracks remain where they hang in the sky and the villagers below can see you quite clearly, having never seen the true nature of the clouds that approached.

[greenpotato]

The sinister hiss that is the mental voice of Arthyol invades Melina's mind with a roar of anger 'That is not possible we slew that %$#& together! Quickly Syeptuagul, follow him through the breach so that we may consume him!'
"How could it have lived?" she asks aloud.
'there is one way to find out, follow him!' Arthyol urges.
'don't be so hasty mistress, those below may need our help against other intrusions by this breach' Finglthyil retorts
'&%@# the peasants!' the sword finishes and her armor simply tuts a disapproving response.
While the danger of the unknown is great the taunt of what Melina perceived to be the nameless star is too great and despite her misgivings Melina writhes forward into the crack.


going to move into the breach/crack thing to try and follow the creature, regrowing spikes before I do

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:Passing through the crack, everything seems to break all at once. Space breaks down. Time breaks down. Even reason and logic seem to break down around you. Of course, you know that isn't quite true. Nothing has actually "broken". Rather, you have simply passed out of the realms where such concepts exist. You yourself have long been infused by the energies of this place (if it can even be called a place), enough so that the transition is only jarring by comparison with the world that you've seen for so long.

Behind you rests the closest to sane perceptions that this realm provides, a colorless wall of some sorts that extends to the end of your senses, filled with cracks as far as you can see. Other than the wall, nothing makes any sort of conventional sense. Living, dead, undead, and other forms of creatures roil through the amoebic sea, traveling in ways that bend the mortal mind. The tiniest and least significant specks of existence coexist with the largest of creatures (some of which are most definitely larger than the wall). You even seem to be inside a couple of them at the moment (though, considering their shape and position, you are generally outside of them as well). Searching for the nameless star, you can't perceive anything that quite meets that description, though even your superior senses can only pierce so many layers of the amoebic sea. You specifically see a few absences of the creature but his presence proves elusive. The cloud creature you met outside, seems to have fully left this realm.

Welcome to the Far Realms.

[greenpotato]

In an attempt to gain some clue as to what happened and where the nameless could have gone Melina tries to communicate with the creatures around her:
"Hello, can you understand me?" first in common, then undercommon followed by aboleth and finally beholder. Unless of course they respond to one before she runs through the full gamut.

If she does get any bites she will then ask "Where is the nameless star? What happened here?" not that she expects an intelligent or even intelligible response from these bizarre creatures.

[greenpotato]

I might also tack on some knowledge rolls if you'll let me.
Knowledge The Planes [roll0]
Knowledge Religion [roll1]

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina: Surprisingly, your query in common gets a prompt response. "I'd be glad to assist," calls out a chipper voice. A young elf dressed in scholarly garb floats up through the layers to meet Melina. "Daruth Winterwood" the elf introduces himself, bowing to her as spiders fall out of his ears. Daruth stares distractedly at the spiders until Melina asks her second question, snapping him back to attention.

"Oh, I'm not familiar with the name. Few things here have any need of names, you know. Rather lonely having one, actually. I'm sure I can find it, though. I've fit Xaxox with a litany of portals." With this, Daruth nods vaguely towards a structure a few layers away, a vague mass that may or may not be a structure. "Xaxox has a name like me," he follows up cheerfully, "Keeps me company like that."

Knowledge (The Planes): The Far Realms are literally what resides beyond the outer boundaries of existence, a realm where anything, everything, and nothing occurs all at once. Known as the amoebic sea for its composition, the realm is morphic and wild and maddening. You are quite certain that no sane beings make their permanent homes out here (or, indeed, even endeavor to do so).

Knowledge (Religion): You can list more cults related to the far realms that you'd care to count. Some of the incurably insane find solace around insanity while others bow down before the godlike beings in this realm in the vague hope they'll be granted boons. Some of these godlike beings, known as elder evils, even travel to the material plane every now and then.

[greenpotato]

The fact that he is right at the opening is suspicious and so is the fact that he is a mortal in this place, perhaps he is an ally of the nameless, the very instrument of his invasion.
"You may call me Syeptugal, Daruth. Normally I would make some attempt at excuse for my unusual appearance but I suspect one who has spent any time in this place holds others to no standards of physical form. Nevertheless allow me to take a more comforting guise" And with that she transforms into the three, in their recognized shape of three women.
"That's better. Now, the portal I came through, surely you must have seen what created it? Or perhaps it was you that allowed the creature passage to the material plane with your knowledge of portals?" Melina asks.
"If we must retire to Xaxox to seek answers then let us do so Daruth" she says sweeping her arm towards the building below.

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina: Daruth seems to squint his eyes as he mulls over what you said. "Portals?" he asks, tilting his head to one side. "Oh, you must mean the cracks," he finally says, pointing back at the giant wall. Cracks of every size and shape fill this great wall. "Nobody... erm..." he seems to have trouble searching for the word, "Caused, caused. Nobody caused them. Sim-simply there. I think it's finally breaking."

[greenpotato]

"Breaking? What's breaking? The barrier between the far realm and the material plane? Do you have any inclining of what could be causing 'it' to break?" Melina asks.

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:"Not the barrier," Daruth responds gazing at the wall with an expression of silent awe, "The whole thing."

[greenpotato]

"The.. whole thing? Do you mean the entire cosmos? I don't understand what could be causing such a thing?" Melina finds it a little hard to beleive that 'the whole thing' can just break. What about the gods? What are those lazy %$@*s gonna do about it?

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina:"Cause? It's old, isn't it? No real chance of lasting forever, not like you and me. Not like this place."

Through the cracks in the wall, you can see a dim light shining out.

[greenpotato]

"It can't simply break because it's old, something must have caused this. What about the creature or creatures that pushed through the cracks into the material realm?"

[Realms of Chaos]

OOC: forget the spoilers.

Melina: Daruth looks at Melina with an odd look of confusion, dejection, and... pity? A spider crawls out of one ear, skitters across his face, and clambers into the other as he searches for words. "Maybe," he says, looking around through the amoebic sea, "but... those... I need to write it," With that final exclamation, Daruth retreats through the amoebic sea towards the blur that he had Dubbed Xaxox.

[greenpotato]

With the Nameless routed for now and no real grasp of whats going on Melina follows this strange man for at least he has some hints as to what might be happening, then again he may just be as mad as, well, as mad as someone who has spent too much time in the far realms.
And so she follows, wishing she had spent more of her years studying the academic arts because something tells her that her brute force tactics might not be able to stop whatever is happening.

[Realms of Chaos]

Xaxox, as it was called, appears to be a wizarding college from the material plane. Down to the decorative fields in front of the structure, everything seems to be intact. Four main structures seem to compose this college: a dormitory, a library, a mess hall, and an instruction hall. None of the doors are open, however, and it's difficult to tell precisely where Daruth has traveled.

[greenpotato]

All three of Melinas bodies walk up to the door of the library and attempt to open it.

If it doesn't easily open she will attack it, destroying it most likely

[Realms of Chaos]

The door opens up easily, revealing the large and web-ridden interior of the library. Though nothing in the room has given into the ravages of age, it has never-the-less fallen into disarray with overturned shelves, random mounds of books, and the aforementioned silky grey webs extending all across the room. Loose books are cause in the web in some places, floating there like the emptied husk. On the other side of the room, scrabbling madly on some paper, is none other than Daruth.

[greenpotato]

Melina walks over to him "How long will this take do you think?" she says with one head as the other two look around the chamber.

[Realms of Chaos]

Looking quite proud of himself, Daruth hands you a sheet of paper upon which he has scrawled notes. In this scrawled and frantic message, the elf's mental deterioration is more visible than ever before. Even so, there is some sign of sense in there... somewhere.


Crack creatures not creatures crack.
Not crack not crack not crack yes crack
Yes crack yes wall weaken
Not wall weaken not crack not crack not crack NOT crack
wall weaken yes breaking wall
Yes breaking wall no strong creatures
Yes strong creatures yes wall shatter
No crack here yes crack there
yes breaking wall yes breaking all
yes wall yes all
No see yes cause
yes cause no here
yes here no cause

[greenpotato]

Melina frowns as she reads the note. "I don't understand, it is cracking but the cause isn't here? Some creature is breaking it but that creature isn't here?"
She hands the note to another body who makes a show of reading it as well. "This isn't much help Daruth"

[Realms of Chaos]

The elf buries his head in his hands, searching for words to make sense of "normal" temporal and causal standards, "You don't understand," he says, banging his head onto the desk. Freezing up as if with realization, he bolts upwards with a grin on his face, "I can show you. Walk between bookshelf two and three. Push your way through the nexus." With that, Daruth points between two bookshelves with thick webbing of some sort between them.

[greenpotato]

One of Melina's bodies does as she was asked and tries to "push through the nexus" between the bookshelves


shes carrying a symbol of herself, so each puppet can be any distance from the puppet that wears her actual body as a ring. They can also teleport to each other across any distance.

[Realms of Chaos]

Pushing through the webbing (nexus?), the puppet finds the bookshelves to extend far further than she expected. Finally reaching the edge, you push through a thin layer of the webbing to escape and...

...you're back outside. You can see the blur of the Xaxox in the distance and you can see the wall once more, leading you to believe that you are right where you were. There is one significant difference, however.

The cracks are nowhere to be seen.

[greenpotato]

The two bodies that remained behind relay what the eyes of the third see and then; "A simple teleport? I'm afraid I don't understand what your trying to tell me. Unless I traveled through time as well as space? Am I seeing a complete wall because it has yet to crack?"
If that is the case maybe it would be easier to wait for whatever caused the crack to turn up and cause it rather than try to get a straight answer out of this demented elf.

Knowledge the planes [roll0] and Intelligence check [roll1] to see if she has any understanding of what just happened or what this 'nexus' gibberish is about.
(I wish there was a intellectual PC here to help my brute out with puzzles :smallfrown: )

[Realms of Chaos]

It would seem that you have indeed traveled through time. Also, the mind-bendingness of the far realms probably won't be too much of a focus in this game for much longer unless you really choose to make it such.


Daruth nods at your latest assessment, finally seeming to be regaining some loose grasp on temporal terms. It quickly becomes evident, however, that you did not travel long before the cracking. You watch as the wall seems to dissolve and "unzip" in some places with the suddenness of an earthquake. No elder evil (not even the nameless star) hammers upon it. No unusual magicks fill the air (at least as far as you can discern). The cracks simply... manifest. You watch as creatures seem to materialize from the amoebic sea, appearing mere yards or miles away from cracks as they slowly move closer, as if to investigate.

A certain black "cloud" is among them.

[greenpotato]

"Okay, I'm not sure this will work but.." Melina stuffs one of her wooden carving into Daruths and before he can protest leaps through the portal with her other two bodies. Together all three move hastily to intercept the cloud as it goes for the cracks.
"Hey, God!" Melina yells sarcastically at the black cloud "Coming to pay me a visit? Did you miss me that much?" and with a thought Arthyol and Finglthyil appear snugly adorning one of her three bodies. Arthyol quivers with anticipation in her hand and his hiss begins to murmur promises of torturous pain.


sorry about the delay in posting, every time I come here lately the site has been down for upgrading with a warning it would be down for days

[Realms of Chaos]

No problem. That maintenance as a bit of a bummer, though things haven't malfunctioned for me since then so meh.

A single red eye opens within the cloud. As the rest of the large cloud starts slinking out through the cracks, the portion with the eye remains within for the moment, staring directly at you will all three of its pupils.

[greenpotato]

"Slinking away coward? Did you have a part in the creation of these cracks or are you simply talking advantage like the filthy parasite you are" She sneers "Of course it must be the latter, you don't have the power to perform an act of such magnitude you have to be riding of the coat tails of a superior being"

[Realms of Chaos]

Extricating itself from the cloud, the red eye silently lifts up and out into the amoebic sea, as if to prove itself self-sufficient against your taunts. No more than 5-feet in diameter and completely flat, the eye slowly makes its way towards you.

[greenpotato]

Melina waits for it to approach, hand resting on her sword. Perhaps it means to speak with me after all.

[Realms of Chaos]

The eye stops 10 feet in front of Melina, simply hovering in place and staring at all of your forms.

[greenpotato]

"So, my old master, do you wish to speak to me?" Melina asks "You approach without hostility despite my efforts so I can only assume you mean to parley, Nameless Star? Speak then, for only the knowledge you hold prevents me from smiting you for the second time"

[Realms of Chaos]

Lacking any mouth of a traditional sort, the nameless star is forced to speak in less traditional ways. While you don't hear anything, knowledge is imparted directly onto your consciousness, free of emotion and context.


By the standards of the Far Realms, the entirety of the multiverse is a mere abnormality and it is far from the weirdest abnormality out there. Everything out in the far realms is in a state of constant flux and even though the multiverse has its perspective of time greatly dilated, it is no exception in this regard. The cracks that you see arise from the far realms pushing in upon the boundaries of the multiverse. What is more, this state of affairs is natural.

Right now, it is likely that the mortal "deities" are seeking some means to protect the multiverse. If there is any chance of saving the world, it would likely lie with them.

The nameless star makes no reference to his earlier taunt from within the cloud, though that may be because he's yet to taunt you with your jump through time.

[greenpotato]

Melina laughs with all three mouths. "Well I have about as much respect for them as you do. If this phenomenon is as natural as you proclaim then maybe I should let it happen, let all the mortals be destroyed, what do you think?"

[Realms of Chaos]

It has always been the nameless star's intention to watch the multiverse end

Sadly, this is not the end. Things are changing and mortals fight the change like ants against the tide but this is merely a change, not the end.

The nameless star does not presume itself to be in any position to give you orders

[greenpotato]

"Hmmm" Melina looks along the crack "If the gods seek to close this crack and end the decay of the universe then that sounds like quite a task, I'm sure they've got it under control" she looks towards the crack and heads towards it I can at least try to stop anything nasty getting through she thinks to herself as she tries to return to the material plane from whence she came.

[Realms of Chaos]

In a sense Melina succeeds in returning. She does, after all, end up back in the material plane. Her location within it, however, is a bit of a mystery. Where once you flew over a city in the middle of the plains, now you hover over an imposing mountainside. The crack that you just flew through is likewise nowhere to be been. In its place, in the calm night sky, hang a few words spelled out in the constellations themselves.


"If you possess the strength to read this portent, know that the Great Wheel requires your strength"
"The gate to the meeting grounds has opened"
"May we all survive into the next golden age"

[greenpotato]

Hmmm, a reaction from the gods? Melina thinks to herself as she gazes upon the words in the sky.


Change shape into the Spiked Worm
Perception check to have a closer look at my surroundings and the land below: [roll0]
Knowledge Religion to figure out what is meant by "the meeting ground":[roll1]
Knowledge Planes to figure out what is meant by "the meeting ground" :[roll2]
Knowledge Geography(Untrained) to figure out where I am:[roll3]

[Realms of Chaos]

Looking around as the spike worm, you can tell that the mountains are surrounded by a lush forest, which is itself surrounded by a desert, which at the edge of your vision (miles and miles and miles away) gives way to a rocky shore. Directly down below, partially hidden due to its construction, is a small town built into the mountainside. Due to the late hour, however, nobody seems to be up at the moment.

As far as the meeting ground, you believe that you have heard of such a place. It is a place at the center of the astral plane, a meeting ground for deities normally barred from access for mortals and less powerful immortals. It is a space where violence is impossible due to its static nature, making it more than ideal as a meeting place.

You can't quite tell where you are at the moment.

[greenpotato]

Melina descends towards the settlement and changes into the three disguising herself as a trio of gruff men dressed in dusty work clothes.
She begins to search for a pub or tavern, or even another person out amongst the starlight. First step is to find out where I am. she thinks to herself.

Disguise:[roll0] (Mundane)

[Realms of Chaos]

Melina manages to find a pub simply enough. The Grinning Demon, it's called. Though the pub seems to be open, however, there aren't too many people in there other than the barkeep. Only a single man with his head in his arms sits at the bar while two elderly men play a game of cards in the back.

[greenpotato]

Melina approaches the bartender with all three bodies"How ya going mate, 3 beers please" She says followed by; "Listen, I've gone and done something a bit silly and I was wondering if I could get a bit of advice?" Asked by one of the trio of gruff men. "Me and me buddies here kinda said some rude things to a passing wizard and zap, here we are. Thing is we need two things to get back, to know where we are and the nearest location of a wizard that could zap us back" One of the bodies explains.
"So can you help us out mate?" Another finishes.

Melina is subjecting him to her Charm effect to make him more helpful, DC 43 will save or become charmed as the spell

[Realms of Chaos]

The bartender scratches absentmindedly as his stubble as he listens to your story. In response to your question, you can swear that you can hear the gears turning within his head as the slow man searches for the answers you seek. "You're on Holsen Peak, right smack in the middle of Ourtibare. As fer' wizzars, I'm 'fraid you may be outta luck, stranger. Non o' that witchcraft's allowed 'round here, though you might find some witches the island or Beriik, South o' 'ere. Good luck findin' a port city, though. Most of those are closed since those things appeared in th'sky."

Sadly, none of those names seem to ring any bells, raising the question of just how far you have traveled through those cracks.

[greenpotato]

"Well, looks like we've been sent quite a ways, none of those names ring a bell" One of Melina's bodies says to another "Too right Greg, we might have a bit of a walk in front of us" the other body replies, the third turns to the bartender; "Thanks for the help mate" It says, and after a pause continues; "I gotta ask though what you mean by "things in the sky" are ya talking about those cracks or are beasties coming out of 'em here too?"

[Realms of Chaos]

"Beasties?" asks the bartender, wiping the sweat from his brow with a rag, "Are you trying to tell me that hellbeasts are coming as well?"

[greenpotato]

"I doubt it, I saw just the one come through but it got put down by some local militia lads with bows. Still it can't hurt to keep alert. Thanks again mate." One of Melina's gruff disguises says before it nods and all three walk outside damn, I just gave them more to worry about.

She strolls casually through the town keeping her eyes peeled and once she is clear of the towns borders transforms into the fifty three legged and sets of at an incredible pace heading south, hopefully towards the port cities that may point the way to this 'Berik'
As the fifty three legged Melina is possibly at her most terrifying, but as it's night and taking into account the speed that she's moving she is fairly confident she can avoid incident.


Her land speed is now 700ft a round, meaning she can move at about 318 mph while running (or half that if she is forced to hustle)
Survival check to avoid getting lost: [roll0]
Perception is now +90

[Realms of Chaos]

Hurrying along the ground at incredible speeds, you watch as the mountainous terrain gives out to forests before surrendering to the desert beyond. Blending in with the night and moving with great alacrity, you manage to circumvent a couple of camps as well as an oasis out in the desert.

Although you hadn't really hoped on it, you don't see anything that gives you any particular idea of where you are. Many of the constellations look the same so you suppose that you may still be on the same world but you can't be certain with the message in the sky blocking out many of the natural stars.

The animals in the mountains and forest are all familiar to you, though this is your first time moving across deserts in the mid of night and you see a couple of creatures for the very first time.

After around half an hour of travel, you at last behold a port city at the base of the bluff you stand upon.

[greenpotato]

Melina advances towards the city, again transforming into the disguise off the three gruff working men to walk the streets. She wanders around until she finds someone to talk to, either someone on the street or the lights of an open pub or hotel.

[Realms of Chaos]

Being a port town, there is no shortage of pubs or inns for you to investigate. Even at this unearthly hour, there are a few sailors and drunkards (and drunkard sailors) walking about the town.

[greenpotato]

Melina walks with three pairs of feet into the most likely looking place and approaches someone relatively sober "Hello friend, I'm new in town, just got here, maybe me and my buddies could buy you a drink and ask a few questions?"



DC 43 will save charm effect

[Realms of Chaos]

rolling for funsies. :smalltongue:
[roll0]

The person who you hail down, apparently a captain by his manner of dress, instantly seems quite agreeable with your offer, leading you "three" into a nearby pub called The Rhash.

"Barkeep! Get me a Rhash Riler and one for each of my friends here," he calls to a pudgy mustached man behind the bar, "It's on me," he calls back to you, eyes blurry and indistinct while under your influence.

[greenpotato]

"Thanks friend, a sailor I take it by your garb?" One of Melinas bodies replies. "You might be just the man were looking for, were trying to get to an island called 'Beriik' but we've got no idea where to start"

[Realms of Chaos]

"Ha!" the captain calls out, "You're looking for Beriik? I was born down there. Wonderful place, 'specially when it snows. I'd offer to sail you down there myself but these superstitious yahoos have shut down the port with this thing in the sky. I tell you, these backwater..."

At this, the bartender approaches with four glasses filled with a bright purple concoction, passing them out, "...gentlemen sure know how to live," the captain finishes, greedily downing the glass.

[greenpotato]

Melina tastes the odd concoction with three mouths. "That's a shame about the port being shut, still maybe you could draw us a map and we could find a way to get there despite the port, we 'av out ways" she says with a over dramatic conspiratorial wink.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Captain eyes you suspiciously for the first time, though you can still see the hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth. "Other ways, eh?" With this, the captain draws out a small pouch of coins from his belt and sets it on the table, "I don't suppose you three could fit one more, eh? Been days since I've seen my wife and child."

[greenpotato]

Melina makes a show of the bodies looking at each other and making a few hushed comments. After a few nods and affirmations among herself one of the bodies speaks; "You might not have the stomach for our method of travel but OK, you can come with us. I'm Max, this is Ebert and that hairy bastard is Leroy"

[Realms of Chaos]

"Captain Roeper," replies the captain in kind, sliding over the pouch of coin (100 gp). Taking a compass out of one pocket, Roeper says, "from the harbor, you just have to head south until you see a small island on its own, almost invisible in the darkness with the lighthouse out unless you've got good night vision. From there, you just adjust the course to south by south-east and it's the first rock you find on the horizon."

[greenpotato]

"Ah, good, do you need to collect anything before we leave Captain?" 'Leroy' asks.


I'm going to modify the spiked worm for high speed and post it here:

---------------------------Speed worm------------------A custom form made for high speed flight--------------
Trade in native spikes for 18pts
native mouth for 2pts
native skin for 2pts
native head for 4pts
legs for 10pts
6 native tentacles 18pts

add
6 Small, Unearthly Wings (18pts)
Colossal Flowing Pseudopod (14pts)
12 wings, wide 6, (204pts)
20 Magic Eating Electricity Secreting Flesh (140pts)
-reduce size to medium (16pts)
1 Dazzling Farsight 4 Special Eye (20pts)
30 eyes (24pts)
Fine Travelling Tentacle (4pts)
Long3, Hooked, Fine tentacle (4pts)
4 Large mouths (10pts)

effects
As spiked worm except
960ft fly speed perfect and no ranged attacks

[Realms of Chaos]

The Captain seems to think it over, "Yeah, I have a thing or two to grab. I'll meet you at the beach beside the docks. Nobody even walks out there with the ships under wraps. I'll see you in no more than five minutes."

The aforementioned beach is easy enough to find and if you wait, the captain will indeed appear four minutes later with a small pack loaded over one shoulder and a sheathed sword by his side.

[greenpotato]

After a few minutes readjusting her spiked worm form for greater speed the Captain arrives. "Perfect timing friend" 'Max' says. "Now, I've got this potion that will turn the three of us into a fast flying creature.." He holds up a vial filled with water "..we'll transform and then carry you alright Cpn'?" The vial of water is then passed between the three bodies and they make a big show of drinking it "I was told that the transformation can look pretty horrific so don't freak out mate.. ARGHH!" and with that Melina transforms.

Excluding the Captain from my fear effect. He is no longer under my charm effect.

[Realms of Chaos]

The captain shakes his head and laughs at the sight of your flying form, "a face that only a mother could love but at least you can fly. I can see why the locals fear magic if that's what the lot have been using." With that, the captain draws forth his compass and tries to climb aboard.

[greenpotato]

"Hold on" the alien creature rumbles, holding on to the captain with a couple of tendril like appendages, and with a great leap springs into motion setting off south at an incredible pace. Melina keeps her many eyes peeled for the small island that marks their first waypoint.


[roll0] Perception
http://www.alicia-logic.com/capsimages01/tns_075BarretOliverFalkor.jpg

[Realms of Chaos]

The first waypoint quickly flies into view as you take off at incredible speeds.

OOC: If they made that movie with a random drunken captain and a shapeshifting spawn of madness, I think my head would explode from the awesome.

[greenpotato]

With the help of the captains compass Melina adjusts course and heads towards their destination, this island of witches.

[Realms of Chaos]

After a good 10 minutes of travel, you finally arrive at a sandy shore and the captain calls down from you back, "This is it. Welcome to Beriik"

[greenpotato]

Melina looks for any sort of large settlement, somewhere that might hold promise of the spellcaster she seeks. "Well, where are we going? Where is your family?"

[Realms of Chaos]

"Right up the shore another half-mile," the captain responds, "right next to the wizard tower. Even in the darkness, it won't be easy to miss,"

[greenpotato]

Melina flys towards the wizard tower and once she sees it she lands and deposits the Captain safely on the ground. "Here we go" She then transforms back into the three "Well Captain I think this is it, you've got your family to return to and we have to find a wizard a soon as possible, thanks for the help" 'Max' says followed by 'Ebert' "Yeah mate, it's been fun" The three then head towards the wizard tower and (assuming they can find a door) they knock.

[Realms of Chaos]

Thankfully, the wizards of the tower didn't place the door to their tower behind some illusion or halfway up the tower or within a pit of foul beasts as a few more reclusive towers have been known to do. Finding the door is a simple task and, at the knock, you thankfully hear some activity inside. After a couple of minutes, a bleary-eyed young man, no doubt an apprentice, pokes his head out of the door. "Can I help you?" the apprentice asks, reluctantly, no doubt yearning for the warmth of his bed.

[greenpotato]

"I doubt it kid, but maybe your master can. I am in need a long range teleport urgently and have a great big sack of gold for anyone who can get me where I need to go" One of the gruff bodies says.

[Realms of Chaos]

The apprentice seems to take some slight offense at the combination of your relatively burly appearances and the banality with which you seem to treat magic. Even so, the apprentice gives a slight nod and slowly closes the door.

Five long minutes pass by, during which you can hear nothing from within the tower. Just as it seems that the apprentice has abandoned you, however, the door slowly swings inward on its own, revealing a small winding stairway beyond it. "Come on up" calls a voice from up above.

[greenpotato]

"Showy bastards" Melina grumbles under her breath as the door opens by itself and she stomps up the staircase.

[Realms of Chaos]

The stairway leads up to a quaint little workroom, from which five other rooms seem to emerge. The apprentice isn't visible but an elderly human with a long beard and deep azure robe stands by a work table, on which rests a large map. Even from afar, however, you can tell that this figure is a mere illusion as he ushers you in.

[greenpotato]

She melds her bodies back together so that by the time she reaches the chamber she is in her original female form. "Greetings, I am Melina." She says to the illusion "I was hoping you would be able to teleport me?"

[Realms of Chaos]

The illusion nods its sagely head. "I have traveled across the world long enough that I can probably get you home. Just show me where it is." With that, the Wizard waves one arm at the map on the table.

[greenpotato]

"Ah no, that's the problem. I don't want to go home" She says with a shake of her head "The gods have commanded me to travel to 'The gate to the meeting grounds' a place I am pretty sure is at the center of the astral plane. They gave me the command but no way to get there, that's where you come in."

[Realms of Chaos]

"Shouldn't be too big of a problem," The wizard responds, "I was on my way there myself. Wait a second and I'll open a gate for you." With that, the illusion succeeds in producing all of the necessary movements and and awkward arcane grunts needed to form a bright shining gateway in one corner of the room. "Consider this one on the house," says the wizard, "I have a feeling that keeping people from this meeting wouldn't help anyone."

[greenpotato]

"That.. that was easy" She narrows hey eyes for a moment and then shrugs "Oh well, never look a gift horse in the mouth"


Use cosmic horror ability to see the other end of the portal and tell if it's this "meeting ground" place.
Also..
Oh wow, I thought I had sense motive trained.. oh well, whats the worst that could happen?

And if the portal does indeed lead to her destination Melina says "Thank you" and steps through

[Realms of Chaos]

The other end of the portal is a large area, perhaps half a mile in diameter, that seems to be seamlessly carved out of ivory or some similar white material. Dozens of warriors, spellcasters, fiends, celestials, and all manner of other beings rest beyond the portal, standing so closely together that their weapons clink with the slightest movement and their collective dweomers cause an audible hum throughout the space. Standing in the center of the chamber are a medley of deities upon a raised platform. You recognize Boccob, Wee Jas, and Obad Hai, and Tiamat among them. At the moment, the deities are looking out among the crowd, as if trying to appraise them.

[greenpotato]

Melina steps through, her sword begins to rattle in his scabbard at the presence of the gods and begins to hiss words into Melinas mind about killing them.

[Realms of Chaos]

After waiting for a couple of seconds, Boccob sighs and reluctantly walks forward to address the masses "I hope you will not mind if I skip the pleasantries but there's no point in keeping you all for idle chitchat at the moment. As all of you have undoubtedly seen the cracks in the sky and have likely fought creatures emerging from them, I'm sure that all of you are wondering what is going on.

First, to clear the air, what you have witnessed and fought was not some "test". This is a serious matter deserving even our full attention and we may all see far worse in the future.

As for what you did see... it would seem that the multiverse is changing. More accurately, it is being wrenched, warped and distorted as an earthquake might do to a single region. Unfortunately, we are at a bit of a loss of how this has started or on how to stop it but it seems to be a mostly... natural event. Those cracks you have seen, unfortunately, may well be just the beginning."

[greenpotato]

"Mostly?" Melina mumbles to herself. She waits for Boccob to continue.

[Realms of Chaos]

Boccob eventually continues his speech, looking bored even as he surveys the worried looks and eager faces among those in the audience. Without even raising a hand to stop the whispers of others, Boccob cuts through the commotion to continue onwards.

"Right now, the multiverse is in flux. As much as I wish otherwise, this is not the work of some death cult or forbidden ritual. As far as any of us can tell, this is a purely "natural" event, a simple calamity to end all calamities. The world is trying to reshape itself. Into what, none of us dare say. All that we know is that these changes have been unpredictable and that they have left the fabric of reality fragile and... pliable... in parts. If we don't act carefully, the great wheel may restart, reform, or end altogether. Your homes, your families, your lives, your pasts... any or all of it of it might end or be unravelled or shifted in this flux with hardly a moment's notice.

With this disaster in the distance, we require the aide of others for three separate purposes. First, our attention will be devoted to suppressing the worst effects of this calamity and we may need to call upon others to act as our representatives in the world. Beyond mere clerics or adherents, they will be our voice and the voice of constancy in these troubling times. If you desire no such honor, none will be granted to you.

Secondly, lesser effects of the calamity may yet make themselves known in the world and we need others who can help track the damages and protect whatever they can. Should more monsters break through the fabric of space, warriors will be needed to fight them. Should a world start fading from existence, assistance will be needed to evacuate all who can be helped. As any of us may pay the price within these coming days, I would hope that you would help your neighbors and trust them to help you in return.

Finally, though we see no way to do so other than waiting for things to end, we require aid fighting back against this calamity. If anyone can find any means, and spell, any artifact that may slow or halt or even reverse its effects, doing so is among the most worthy of endeavors.

As for support, we can lend some small sliver of our power to those who would act as our voices and will continue to provide our blessings to our faithful. Other than that, all we may offer is information, the assistance of our heralds and planar allies, and full access to our godly realms."

[greenpotato]

Melina laughs "Is that it? Your supposed to be gods and you can tell me next to nothing about what is happening?"

[Realms of Chaos]

Boccob, god of knowledge, looks out among the audience. Despite his supposed power and famed indifference, he looks somehow deflated... forlorn.

"I... I wish that I had an answer for what is going on. I have scoured tomes across the multiverse since the cracks first appeared to no avail. There is nothing written about events such as these. As far as I can tell, nothing like this has ever happened. All that we can do is fight back where possible and learn all we can in the process,"

With that, Boccob waves his staff and hundreds of jeweled spheres of metal appear floating in mid-air, one in front of each member of the audience.

"Though our efforts will be directed elsewhere and there is little that any of us could do on our own, our greatest hope lies, for the moment, in unity. Through this sphere, we can communicate with any of you to help spread knowledge learned and coordinate defenses. If you should learn something of importance, you may use it to contact all of us once each day. Though we value the free will of mortals, we... humbly ask that you join together against this unknown threat."