Standing in the Balance (IC)

[Avalon®]

Broken Chains Derelict speaks out. "I/We am/are not one to shy away from danger. I/We will take part of this raid. I/We have no fear of any spell."

[Man on Fire]

"We may just use the dragon to drop ourselves in on them and beat them before they realize what's going on. Then I can sing a song about our great power and scare the rest of the army. eeing as we defeated their magicians, their morale surerly will drop." Nanny says. "I can also scry to detect where exactly they are."

[Silva Stormrage]

"We may just use the dragon to drop ourselves in on them and beat them before they realize what's going on. Then I can sing a song about our great power and scare the rest of the army. eeing as we defeated their magicians, their morale surerly will drop." Nanny says. "I can also scry to detect where exactly they are."

Zeref nods but looks somewhat dismayed, "Please do that but I warn you that it may not work. They probably have wards against scrying just as they do against teleportation. And dropping into the middle of their army seems somewhat risky. I am not concerned about the giants themselves but they may block our way to the casters who are the actual threat. It is much better to engage them away from the army

[Demidos]

Sure. I can deal with the giants or the army. Either one. I sincerely hope you can control your spell though Zeref. We wouldnt want to destroy our own army, and that spell is quite volatile. Flutter looks momentarily uneasy. Then he perks up. I guess I can handle the towers. I presume they will be heavily defended. Anyone else want to go on anti-caster duty to keep my hands free? I can teleport us as close as you want to go.

[Volthawk]

Well, as you saw before we talked with the gods, I can become a small spider. These usually don't gather that much attention, so that should help with infiltration. That form also does not prevent me from manifesting, so although my psionic power tends towards not being direct combat abilities, I can still have a few ways of causing damage. Also, I can pretty easily read minds, so perhaps going in and doing that first will be useful as it means we may learn more about their plans and situation.

[Man on Fire]

"I want to take the casters, this way we will have good fight and won't shed unnecessary blood." Nanny says, both looking excited as the thought of combat and yet somewhat wanting to avoid needless death.

[JKTrickster]

Iados smiled as everyone went back and forth, trying to figure out a way to help the army. It was a long time since he had been around such eager, young people. While everyone was trying to actively come up with a plan, Iados was content to sit down and enjoy the scene playing out in front of him.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned back and stretched. "I hardly doubt we should be freaking out over this," he said with a smile. "These people, this army, they aren't useless you know. Let's not pretend they don't exist. Now the balancing factor is the ogres and the spellcasters right? Let's keep things simple. We should keep a group behind to guard the General and the camp. Another group makes a direct attack on the casters."

Turning to Azazel, he smiled. "Let me go first to....soften them up. It'll make things easier, and less people would get hurt, right?"

[greenpotato]

"I will go with you" Appleleaf adds resolutely.

[Man on Fire]

"I'm with you. Time to smash!" Nanny yells, excited.

[Lonewolfe208]

Azazel nods towards Iados,

" I will come with you as well. We should focus on creating a distraction."

[Man on Fire]

"Oh, before we go, let me see if I can localize those casters." Nanny says, and then stands with her eyes closed and hands joined. And then she starts singing.

"My falcon,
cloud-eyed.
Ask for me
mountains high.
Ask for me
wise forests.
And set me free.

My falcon,
my transcendent.
Ask for me
swift rivers.
Ask for me
plain wildflowers.
And set me free.
My beloved.

How can I ask
stars in Heaven?
Of your drowny
they're jealous.
Of four chests
of your love
and your kindness.
How can I ask
other women?
They'll see
my heart's with you.
And will say no
even if they know.
I will not find you.

My falcon,
thunderlord
ask for me
among the steppes.
Ask for me
fragant flowers.
And set me free.

Through the ashes
of tumuluses.
Through the towns
burned down.
I leep no more.
I ride upfront.
To find you.

My beloved.

How can I ask
Moon in the sky?
He's in love
with your eyes.
Jealous would
enclose the Sun
so I would not find you.
My beloved.
How can I ask
the half-orc
who's suffering
from mad love?
He would rather
burn down the world
Than let you go.

My beloved.
"

It's really odd to see an ogre singing famous ballad of loves being separated by cruel fate, especially ogre singing it and not botching it. Even more odd to see an ogre dressed like her singing it and doing it really good. For an ogre.

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Casting Greater Scrying to locate enemy casters

[Lonewolfe208]

Nanny sees a clouded vision of the towers.

[JKTrickster]

Stretching, Iados looked at Nanny Grunch and smiled. "So what did you manage to see? Although I am not sure if it will be accurate - those spellcasters may have their defenses up."

[Man on Fire]

"Only clouded vision of the towers. They may be there, if it's not a trap." Nanny says. "How much time we actually have, before we'll have to go? I can make Heroes' Feast for all of us, it will certainly help."

[Lonewolfe208]

Azazel tosses a small grin at Iados:

"Time is of the essence my dear, Iados will confirm that."

[Man on Fire]

"Then scratch that. I'm ready to go."

[JKTrickster]

Iados smiled and shrugged. "Aww c'mon now. That's not fair. You can't use me as an accurate measure of time! Sometimes, I don't even know what to do with all the time I have left!"

Turning to Nanny Grunch, he smiled. "Okay so first we will need something to get their attention. Those towers look awfully important. So why not we go shake it up a little? I"ll stand back and see where the spellcasters will come from. And then together we bring them down first. Anyone have problems with that idea?"

[Demidos]

"I'll take the army if the rest of you can handle the towers and the ogres" Flutter says, a playful smirk in his voice. "Or I can try to get the ogres as well, if you guys dont feel up to it."

[Man on Fire]

"Weren't they giants, not ogres?"

[JKTrickster]

Shrugging, Iados flew upward above the camp. Looking down below, he tried to detect where the spellcasters were hiding. The scanned the towers that were lined up, ready to take the hill and move towards the camp.

Taking in a deep breath, he started trying to figure out logical positions for the spellcasters. Were they in the towers? Or perhaps they were flying invisibly off to the side? Or were the scattered around the force?

Iados flies high enough to get a good view of the invading force. Then he uses his Arcane Eyes to try to detect any strong traces of magic that might hint where the spellcasters are.

Then he rolls some knowledge checks to see if he can figure the most logical place for the spellcasters to be. Knowledge (History) says it regards wars and tactics so I'll roll with that.

(d20+34)[49]

[Demidos]

Flutter follows Iados´lead cautiously.

[Lonewolfe208]

Shrugging, Iados flew upward above the camp. Looking down below, he tried to detect where the spellcasters were hiding. The scanned the towers that were lined up, ready to take the hill and move towards the camp.

Taking in a deep breath, he started trying to figure out logical positions for the spellcasters. Were they in the towers? Or perhaps they were flying invisibly off to the side? Or were the scattered around the force?

You can't pinpoint their exact location, but you do see a few massive fireballs being thrown from various locations.

[JKTrickster]

Looking down, Iados noted that the spellcasters would be rather easy to find. Their obtrusive arcane magic rained down along the armies, giving suggestions to where they were hiding among their own ranks. But he didn't want to mount a direct attack. It would be easier to strike at each of the spellcasters one at a time, but once they moved against one of them, the rest would be sure to follow.

Looking at the array of soldiers battling it out, Iados suddenly realized what he could do. Slowly coming back down, Iados turned to everyone else. "Here I will try to grab the attention of all of the spellcasters. While they are focusing me, attack and eliminate them one by one. With them gone, this battle would be more than over."

Flying back up, Iados flew across the two armies. He held out his right hand, a clockwork blade already forming in it. It looked impossibly heavy, made of grey steel and in the shape of a hand of a clock. It's hilt was cogs and gears, constantly spinning and measuring the time.

Stopping where the two armies met, Iados began casting a spell. Whirling his blade in his hand, he made a decisive cut in mid air. Suddenly a huge behemoth appeared in the sky, facing the opposing army.

Smiling, Iados looked at his handiwork. It was obviously an illusion, but he was sure he had the spellcaster's attention now. With one hand on his hip, he eagerly awaited their arrival.

I cast Silent Image to pretend that I summoned something from thin air. And could I get a rough outline of where everything is? Nothing fancy like a map, but just a rough description would be fine.

Spell List!

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Swiftblade

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1st: Shield, True Strike x 12

2nd: Bladeweave, Gust of Wind x 12

3rd: Greater Mage Armor, Scimitar of Sand, Anticipate Teleportation, Bands of Steel, Arcana Bolt x8

4th: Dimensional Anchor x2, Resilient Sphere x2, Superior Swiftblade's Speed, Celerity x7

5th: Cyclonic Blast x5, Dispel Magic, Greater x6, - Gave up one slot for Arcane Weapon.

6th: Antimagic Field, Forcecage x4, Reverse Gravity x3, Spiritwall x3, Greater Heroism

7th: Foresight, Mindblank, Howling Chain x2, Augmented Haste (Timestop 3 rounds) x5

Wizard

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0th: Prestidigitation x4

1st: Snuff the Light x3, Silent Image x12, Silent Image x11

2nd: Rope Trick, Eyes-In-Time, Detect Thoughts, Sculpted Whirling Blade x12

3rd: Arcane Sight, Battlemagic Perception, Karmic Backlash, Greater Magic Weapon, Sense of the Dragon, Ferocity of Sanguine Rage, Sculpted, Empowered Whirling Blade x8

4th: Heart of Earth, Dispelling Screen x2, Celerity x4, Assay Spell Resistance x4, Greater Mirror Image, Black Tentacles x2

5th: Telekinesis x3, Wall of Stone x6, Refusal, Cloudkill x4

6th: Resistance, Superior, True Seeing, Eye of Stone, Freezing Fog x4, Assay Spell Resistance x4, Dispelling Screen x2, Starmantle

7th: Sculpted Choking Cobwebs x3, Choking Cobwebs, Energy Absorption, Elemental Body, Glass Strike x4, Project Image, Kiss of Draconic Defiance, Bite of the Werebear

8th: Maze x3, Prying Eyes, Greater, Chain Dispel x5, Moment of Prescience, Augmented Slow (Timestop 3 rounds) x3

9th: Maw of Chaos x8, Wish, Shapechange, Visage of the Deity, Greater, Augmented Slow (Timestop 4 rounds) x2

[Lonewolfe208]

As the ground force approaches the area where they saw the fireballs erupt, They see a few shapes take to the air and fly towards Iados and Flutter. Before you all reach the casters, you see a throng of men standing with weapons drawn, and dozens of dead soldiers laying around their feet. As soon as you get within 50 ft of them you feel strangely disoriented.

Roll Intiative.

[JKTrickster]

Twirling his blade, Iados smiled as the fireballs erupted to either side of him. It wasn't the bad aim of the spellcasters; it was just such an effortless task for Iados to divert time to dodge them.

Looking up, he saw several shapes take to the skies, ready to come down on them. Holding up his blade, he readied himself for the following onslaught. Already he was bending time to give himself the first advantage. In the battle between spellcasters, only those who went first had a good chance for survival.

Looking back, he saw that there were some people looking to hold up their reinforcements. While he had not accounted for them, he was sure the rest of the group could deal with them.

"Looks like things are getting interesting," he said simply, before the sound of battle overtook him.

[greenpotato]

(d20+6)[19] Initiative

[Man on Fire]

Initiative (1d20+14)[21]

Nanny waves at the enemies.
"Hello! We're here to kick your arses. Is this a bad time?"

[Avalon®]

Initiative: (1d20+3)[12]

[Demidos]

Flutter cackled, a rather odd sound, admittedly, and twirled in midair. Hello there he called out to the spellcasters, winking as several copies of him appeared and split off from the original.

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(1d20+33)[39]
(1d20+33)[53]
(1d20+33)[44]
(1d20+33)[46]
(1d20+33)[50]

Inititiative
(1d20+27)[44]

Making clones on my turn

[Lonewolfe208]

Iados is first.