Something Wicked this way Comes...

[Barthac]

After we see what these two have cooked up, why don't we go somewhere safe and see if he'll talk to me some more.

[Mr. X]

Claudus nods, and falls into step behind you.

--------

Entering into the lowest chamber of the Tower of Planer Mysteries, you find Fredric and your brother waiting for you, standing before a large, intricately patterned, arcane ritual circle.

[Barthac]

Just the kind of thing you'd expect to find in the basement of a wizard's school. What in the hells is it for?

[Mr. X]

"It is the framework for a spell that, in theory, shall form a bridge between this world and the Astral Plane."

Fredric replies.

He glances at Karazi,

"We are hoping to be able to create a safe haven for the people of this world on the other side, while the Blight and the Titan are dealt with here."

He nods, more to himself than to you.

"We are here to test the efficacy of master Vark's formulae, and to see what lies on this other plane, to determine if our plan has any hope for success.

[LordDice]

"Aye, A true Fortress....where you'd need magics hardly seen upon our world just to breech the outer defences !"


"Now that they've joined us, shall we start ?"

[Mr. X]

Fredric withdraws a sheet of parchments, and hands a hand full to Taalkar, and another to Claudus.

On them are written strings of somewhat non-sensical words, broken down into syllables, with notations for pronunciation and rhythm.

The strings are grouped in numbered paragraphs, so that you may easily distinguish one from another, and determine their order.

Fredric leads each of you to a position around the circle.

"For those of you who have never taken part in a major ritual before, I'll warn you that the process is fairly arduous."

He indicates the the parchments he handed you.

"You probably don't understand any of the words I've given you, and frankly, your comprehension, in this case, is not required.

The ritual demands merely that you keep Karazi at the front of your mind as you read the words, while he works the spell.

Keep an eye on me during the ritual, as many of your words are to be spoken in response to Karazi's, and occasionally along with him. I shall que you on when to speak, and on which paragraph to read, in case you lose your place."

He turns to Karazi.

"If we are all prepare, you may begin the ritual at your leisure."

[LordDice]

"Indeed, lets get this stone rolling then !"




Taking his position in the Ritual he pulls out a small jug, taking a swig before throwing it to his brother.."A little whiskey to calm the nerves never hurt."


Settling his staff before he he starts channeling magic through it and into the Ritual Circle...odd designs flare fade upon the staff as it conducts so much power.

Starting the Chant he slips into a semi-meditation...letting himself feel the Ritual, to know his place in the world and in the magics...Soon there is nothing but his magic and the blended magic of the Ritual.

[Mr. X]

The magic whirls and crackles around the circle as the words are spoken, and the energies are channeled...

... It is known that magics of this scale are rarely attempted, and that lesser practitioners have been broken and even killed by the mere forces drawn up in the casting...

But among this gathering, your powers eclipse those of all who have come before you, and the formulae is worked with relative ease.

As the final words are intoned, the space within the circle twists and warps, and is finally rent asunder, revealing a tear or rift in the very fabric of reality...

... A silvery mist drifts through the tear, spilling over the chamber floor like massless water from a tank...

Through the rift is a vague world of silvery clouds and mists... You cannot make out any features of terrain, but the way is open.

[LordDice]

"It works !....but I'm having to hold it open it seems. I cannot take my attention away enough to do much. We're going to need a more permanent version of this in order to proceed further I suspect."

"Fredric, create something in that void. We'll need something to locate ourselves, and find out if this portal is opening in the precice location upon the other Plane or not."

"We may have to add a secondary spell to target an area specficly in the Astral. In order to actually have a chance at building up a fortress in there"

[Mr. X]

Fredric withdraws a scroll from his pack.

"I can erect our first walls, but we ought to view the area beyond before we commit to it... Positioning may still be relevant in the astral plane."

He approaches the rift, before pausing and turning back to you,

"Come, and worry not about the duration of the gate. I can return us home without it if need be."

So saying, he steps through the rift, and vanishes into the mists.

[LordDice]

"Aye, I suppose you're right...Lets see what we've got to work with !" he comments, carefully stepping into the portal.

[Barthac]

Taalkar shoulders his axe, Sure... what could possibly go wrong... he passes through the gate.

[Mr. X]

Passing through the rift is a surprisingly mundane experience... Like passing through any other doorway or threshold.

The mists are thick and obscure your vision, and the are is cool, but just short of being cold.

Curious, however, is the click of your boots upon stone tiles beneath your feet.

The mists clear a little after a short while, and you find yourselves standing on a wide, flagstoned floor... There is no ceiling that you can see, only the mists above, and the edges of the floor are obscured by the mists as well... They might go on forever.

You pull up sharply, as you see a red line painted on the floor before you, with the word 'Clearwater' painted over it.

Fredric stands in the center of the floor before you, but a short distance passed him is another line, with the words 'Black Harbour' painted over it.

As you approach, Fredric nods his head to acknowledge you, but doesn't turn around.

"It appears that Vark already laid foundations for us."

Spoiler

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It may be a trick of the shifting mists, and a bit of your imagination, but you catch odd, almost recognizable shapes forming and vanishing in the mists...

You are never able to focus on one, but you often catch them out of the corners of your eyes.

[LordDice]

"Just like a human to do something like this and not even bother to put a roof on it !....nobody wants the weight of such emptiness pressing upon them !"

"That said, this ought to make things easier to start setting up here"

With a quick wave of his staff he summons a giant block of stone. "More building material for later"

[Mr. X]

Fredric chuckles, at your mention of the ceiling, and moves to stand beside you as the great blocks of stone materialize before you.

"I had surmised that Vark was in the process of attempting to form some kind of bridge between Clearwater and Black Harbour, but I was somewhat uncertain..."

He trails off thoughtfully.

For Taalkar:

Spoiler

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You and Claudus are a bit behind your brother and Fredric, and so it is only by luck that you catch a bit of the mist as it swirls upward, forming into an ethereal claw, and rests itself gently onto Fredric's shoulder has he speaks...

... The moment it touches him, Fredric trails off, and he looks weirdly at your brother, the red lights in the pits of his eyes flairing malevolently...

Spoiler

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Please roll Initiative.

You have time for one action before combat begins.

[Barthac]

Taalkar tenses Brother, look out for Freddie... he thinks to his brother.

Stop right there, Freddy boy. He reaches out a open hand towards Fredrick and the clenches it dramatically... suddenly a fist appears around the mage and also clenches.

Spoiler

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Using my 6th level strength domain spell, Grasping Hand.

Attack roll (1d20+27)[41] +18(caster level/initiator level)+0(Wisdom, i guess thats still my casting ability since I am casting as cleric) + 10 (Hands strength) -1 (size)
Grapple Check (1d20+32)[48] +18+0+10+4 (size matters)

[Mr. X]

The hand seizes Fredric for a moment, but nearly as suddenly a baleful green light bursts from within, shattering the hand...

Spoiler

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Fredric casts Quickened and Stilled Desintigrate on the grasping hand, employing the Stage 3 power of the Hands of the Maker (Sacrifice Spell), and sacrificing one 5th level spell (5 spell levels, 4 for Quicken, 1 for Still) to apply the metamagic effects to the Desinitgrate spell.

Fredric slides away, bringing up his hands, as bluish light crackles along the runic inscriptions on his gauntlets... Before a a blinding explosion of raw energy erupts towards you.

Spoiler

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Fredric employs the Stage 4 power of the Hands of the Maker (Unmaking). This produces a beam of raw destructive energy dealing 1d8 damage for each spell level Fredric pours into it.

He beam is wide enough to hit all of you, but you may halve the damage with a DC 28 Reflex Save.

Fredric sacrifices five 4th level spells, to deal a total of 20d8 damage to all of you.

Damage: (20d8)[103]

[Mr. X]

Taalkar leaps away from the blast, while Karazi shapes up a wall of stone, providing him with significant cover...

Claudus attempts to roll away, but isn't fast enough, and takes the full brunt of the eruption.

You watch, almost in slow motion, as his flesh is pealed away, his clothing disintegrates, and his armor is weathered and cracked...

By some miracle, he survives... Staggering to his feet, a vial in one hand, his sword still hanging limply in his other.

In a single fluid motion, he pops the vial's cork, and downs the brackish fluid...

It is with freakish speed that his body recovers... Muscles knot and form, bulging even larger than before, skin flows back over them like molten wax, and he weaves weirdly side ways as he stands tall... Looking almost more like a snake about to strike than a man...

And in that moment, his wrist snaps, sending his sword whirling towards Fredric...

Spoiler

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Claudus uses a Swift action to drink a Demonic Infusion.
He recovers 70hp, and receive a +8 enhancement bonus to his Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution.

Ranged attack vs Fredric (-4 for inappropriate weapon), DC 22: (1d20+21)[37]
+1 Keen Longsword crits on a 17 or better. (x2)

Damage:(1d8+14)[15]
If crit: (1d8+14)[21]

The blade strikes Fredric in his booted foot... The Wizard pays it no mind, indeed he doesn't react at all, even as the blade pierces through flesh and bone, and even burries itself into the stone, pinning the him in place.

[Barthac]

ENOUGH! Taalkar screams as he leaps madly into the air. He disappears in mid flight, the only trace of him is the large arcing blade of his deadly axe.

Spoiler

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Stance: Leaping Dragon Stance
Mauevers: Ancient Mountain Hammer, Iron Heart Surge, Pouncing Charge, Claw at the Moon, Iron Bones, Death from Above

Going for a charge using Leap Attack, Power Attack (+9), Shock trooper (-9 to hit Shunted to AC), Pouncing Charge Manuever (Allows a full attack action), and if I hit Stone Curse.

Now for the math
Jump check DC20(ish): (1d20+31)[42]

ToHit (+2 for charge among other things)
1: (1d20+35)[38]
2: (1d20+30)[38]
3: (1d20+25)[39]
4: (1d20+20)[36]

Damage (PA +9, +18 Leap Attack)
1: (1d12+40)[50] + (1d6)[6]
2: (1d12+40)[43] + (1d6)[2]
3: (1d12+40)[48] + (1d6)[5]
4: (1d12+40)[47] + (1d6)[1]

If any of those hit:
Stone Curse: Will Save (DC 26) or or all movement modes except flight are zero for one round

My Final AC is 29.

As he moves through the broken panes of his reality he notices something odd above... a hulking shape... a familiar claw... he decides that this must be the thing controlling Freddy... Sparky doesn't seem to mind lashing out at this new threat instead. Landing a few paces behind the wizard, he looks up to see if his attacks had any effect.

[Mr. X]

Sparky rips through the creature with ease... It's bones and structures rupturing before the vicious blade, obliterating the creature...

You land solidly behind Fredric, as black chunks and drips of ooze rain from the mists above... The bits sizzling acidically as they touch your armor and clothing, though the damage they cause is negligible.

Before you, Fredric stands statue still, the clawed hand vanished from his shoulder.

Above, the shrunken soul of the man held within the creature drifts listlessly... He will be lost in the mists before long.

Spoiler

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Karazi, it is your move.

[LordDice]

Glancing at Fredric's lifeless form for a second before looking back up at the Soul seemingly drifting off into the ether. Making up his mind he tries desperately to think of something.


Closing his eyes for a second he concentrates upon a spell he hasn't used much.

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting Telekinesis...Thought since it's a force effect it'd be able to move an incoporeal thing too. maybe see if I can usher the spirit back into Fred like that. otherwise use it to pick up Fred and poke the soul with him.

Obviously very high level soul magics involved, that of just "bashing them together and hoping for the best"

[Mr. X]

Your powers gently grasp the soul, and bring it close to you...

The man is starved, his cheeks hollowed.

As you bring him closer, you see a single trinket still hanging about his neck... A dark iron dragon on a light chain... Tiamat.

[LordDice]

Looking askew at Fredric, trying to see if he'll come too anytime soon he starts looking around a bit more at the surrounding area..Not as secure as he was thinking that's for sure.

While he looks around he tries to talk to the Soul "Hello friend, we mean you no harm. Do you know what that was that seemingly ...ate you ?"

[Mr. X]

The man's eyes roll listlessly, slowly coming to focus on you.

"... She... She dissapeared... She left... Me..."

Behind you Claudus joins you, but remains silent, peering over your shoulder.

Off to the side, Fredric starts suddenly, returning to life like the flare of a tinder-twig.

He turns to approach you as well, but is caught by the sword piercing his boot. He considers it curiously for a moment, before grasping the blade, and yanking it free.

For Karazi:

Spoiler

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Would you please make a Knowledge(Nature) check?

[LordDice]

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand..."

"You okay there Fredric ? Something had a grip upon your very soul there for a second. This fella here was inside him...probably been there awhile"

Spoiler: OOC

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Knowledge Nature (1d20+18)[34]

[Mr. X]

having pulled the sword free, Fredric hands it back to Claudus.

"It wasn't my soul, precisely, but indeed the creature's means were more than sufficient to compel me... I do apologize for any injury I may have cause. For what it is worth, I did attempt to pull my blows where I was able."

He eyes the soul, chewing his lip, but hesitates to speak.

For Karazi:

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Despite your recent deification, the meddling in souls and spiritual planes is new and uncharted territory for you. Growing up under the Falgen Stoneshapers, your dedication to the gods was always more lip service than anything else. And so, beyond the usual afterlife myths of the heavens and hells and limbos, your religious understanding of what you're dealing with is severely limited.

However...

While you were neglecting your prayers, you were whole heartedly devoted to understanding the significant powers that you were directly dealing with, and the natural orders which pervaded them... The flow of the stone... The manners in which rocks gave way to soil... The circumstances under which trees would take root there, and the habits of all the creatures that dwealt above and beneath them, and how their fates were intertwined with that of the the mountain itself... And after a moment's consideration, you realize that your considerable education on the subject is perhaps a more applicable tool...

Your main realization, in fact, is more a memory of a phrase a tutor once said to you:

"Where there Can be life, there is life. And where there is life, there will be creatures to feed and prey upon that life..."

It stands to reason that the Astral Plane, being the sort of 'in-between' place you understand it to be, is a place that dead souls must travel through on their way to wherever they ought to end up... But souls are a life of sorts, and if they can survive in this place, them there must indeed be denizens native to this place... And some of these denizens must no doubt feed and prey upon the souls passing through...

A fact which could prove disasterous for the large number of refugees you wish to bring here.

As you frown in thought, Fredric finally speaks up.

He indicates the man's pendant.

"If this man's faith in his goddess was strong enough for him to carry her symbol with him into the afterlife, it is unlikely that she would have neglected to gather him, were she able..."

He sags,

"I had heard it suggested that Tiamat and Bahumat both died in conjuring the dragon over Beluvah...

I hadn't wanted it to be true... I had hoped that Kulkov's soul might have found its peace..."

He trails off into brooding silence.

[Barthac]

I dinna mean to hurt you, lad. Bahumat and Tiamat are indeed dead as is Moradin. Nerul and Lathander will soon follow. Those gods kinna help us, now. They fought the blight in the best they could and they failed.

Taalkar slaps him on the shoulder heartily, It's not all lost though. Not yet anyway. I've talked to the Titan of the blight. I've cursed him and spit in his eye and I live to tell about it. This thing is powerful, but it's dumb. It hasn't won this far with tactics or planning but sheer strength. We lost at beluvah because of betrayal and our ignorance of the blight. What we need are weapons to fight against the blight and a plan to seal up that Titan.

[Mr. X]

Fredric nods.

"That we do."

He glances around.

"There are at least ten thousand people in Clearwater that we will need to house and keep fed and watered here... Perhaps a million more on the Gnomish Isles, and several thousand from Bastion and the North, if they yet remain salvageable, and if we intend to rescue them from your purge.

To house that many shall require more than a castle... It shall require a city to contend with Timaril's vastness... But the space beyond the mists seems limitless. We might be able to do it.

[Barthac]

Taalkar turns to Karazi, I think I can help our lost friend there. He glances up, feeling slightly silly, thinking that on of those winged archons would be nice right about now, One of you flying things, get over here right now. I need ya!

[Mr. X]

The words are barely off your lips when you are all blinded a brilliant bolt of lightning, and nearly deafened by the air splitting with thunder, as it strikes the ground before you...

When your vision clears, a winged creature kneels on the stone before Taalkar. Dwarfish in stature, it radiates power... A flickering white light surrounding the heavy mace in its hand, it's helm and breastplate bearing the mark of a single eye over an axe wreathed in lightning, it's eyes brilliant points of pure light, beaming from within its helm, it's wings equal parts billowing storm-clouds and masses of gray feathers.

It doesn't speak, but clearly denotes it's servitude to you.

...

Fredric and Claudus gawk at you, visibly shocked by the appearance of the angel.