The Erasure of Ectra Na'garra
Log Info
- Title: The Erasure of Ectra Na'garra
- Emitter: Solar Flare
- Characters: Delilah, Donna, Ashes, Elyanna
- Place: Underground: Magus Ectra Na'Garra's Manse, the Lab
- Time: Monday, September 27, 2021, 8:45 PM
- Summary: In the aftermath of Ectra Na'garra's defeat, Tessa the psychopomp assists the Valethor gang, telling them of a book on the shelf that is about their actual quarry, Veren. It's blue with a silver spine, and stands out amongst the other books which are a little bitey. This one magically documents Veren's activities, and has been doing so to this day. It is literary proof, all that they need. Ashes brings Lerethil back to life, and the semi-flayer that was inhabiting her is expelled, then stomped. All that remains is to destroy the Manse, which they are very happy to do. Ectra's necromantic library and all things offensive are stacked and doused with flamable chemicals. The group retreats to a safe distance, then a safer distance, then a much safer distance and Delilah unleashes all her fireballs. There are massive explosions, and the underground castle collapses into the abyss, and all evidence of the egotistical magus who thought she could defy the gods is erased, just like her legacy.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Donna 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A black-haired human girl in black robes. Delilah 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A golden haired human girl in white robes. Merek 5'10" 215 Lb Human Male A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes. Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face Elyanna 5'11" 153 Lb Half-Orc Female A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= All the Ghosts =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tessa Human Female A redheaded Psychopomp, bearer of Bethany's soul, deceased. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Delilah 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A golden haired human girl in white robes. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
Tessa stands back with Amelia and Poppy, and the Psychopomp and souls watch as Ashes works; so to does Aurora, wringing her hands with great concern, until the meaning of Ashes' work is made clear. And when a smooth block of stone becomes feet, the statue indeed stumbles; and even with the combined efforts of Ashes and Elyanna, she's still a full sized stone statue, and goes directly down to a knee, wearing an expression that would surely be flooded with tears were she able.
"Thank you," she whispers, as she brings herself carefully back upright. "I haven't... I've been stuck there for decades, watching Ectra perform her foulness. Now I can walk free... you could have given me no greater gift. My people wander mostly in the Desolation, but we go as far as Alexandria for supplies, just... ask the Gnome merchants if they've seen Old Blaster, they'll know who I'm talking about."
Aurora pauses, and pulls one small, unassuming book off the shelf, where it was almost invisible among the other tomes. "Please give him this," she murmurs, offering the book to the two helping her. "It was... my journal, with my observations. Ectra kept it. Tell my people... Tell them I found it. A new star. I *found it*. And I called it Winterheart."
With the books passed on, Aurora takes her first step; and she's unsteady at first, but by the time she's crossed the bridge she'd moving more confidently. She glances towards Donna as she passes the brawler, and bobs her head. Before long, she's reached the mirror, where she pauses, looking at her reflection with Delilah behind it, looking back.
Aurora looks over her shoulder, and smiles at the group. "Don't look at this as a sacrifice," she states. "It's better this way. Ectra murdered me a long time ago, and you've all saved me. That I can save one of you... well. I'm grateful."
As she turns to the mirror, she puts her hands out, pushing them through the glass and stepping through. As she does the statue cracks and shatters, crumbling to pieces that land some outside the mirror, and some in; and as the dust settles there is, standing before Delilah in the mirror, a short, dark skinned woman, no more than three feet tall. Delilah kneels, and gathers Aurora up in her arms; and for a moment the two embrace, before Delilah stands up once more, and the two inside the mirror step around each other. They look at one another, and a few words are spoken; Aurora smiles, and gives everyone outside the mirror a little wave before she turns to wander off.
Delilah puts her hands to the mirror herself, from inside; the glass ripples around her and she bursts back through, gasping loudly as she falls through the other side and stumbles, landing on her knees and coughing. "Oh Gods," she gasps. "*Gods*."
Now
Donna holds the statue's eye as she passes, and simply nods in answer, a faint smile touching the corners of her mouth. Though, she can't help herself, the brawler sort of drifts in Aurora's wake, and when Delilah finally pushes through and falls to her knees...
Well, Donna has never really exhibited much capacity for teleporting. But, one might be fooled into thinking otherwise, the way she appears at her sister's side, one arm looped around the fair twin's shoulders.
The Hobkin can only answer a respectful, "It will be so done, Madame Aurora, thank you, and may the travels beyond be only of peace and wonder." before she tucks the book into her belt until they can properly reequip.
The red woman walks alongside, just in case there is need of support; first steps after such a long debilitation are trying, she knows from the Soldier's Defense and the plague.
With Delilah's fall, Elyanna is sinking into a crouch to try and catch her, but her instincts are of friendship, honor, not blood, and so she ends up with her arms around the knot of both sisters, and nearly catches one of the brawler's arms to the nose in the process.
But, that's fine....
There were challenges...
Trials...
But... they had done good.... and finally, to some extent, came out ahead in the bargain.
Ashlee watches as Auroroa makes her sacrifice and Delilah is returned. She bobs her head, "We will." The red hobkin has answered enough for both of them. She likewise assisted her movement to the mirror, but stepped back as the embraces started.
She's fine with embracing. She doesn't want to do it right now. Instead, she quietly watches, with a glance over at Tessa.
Delilah burries her face into Donna's shoulder, hugging her sister and, by extension, Elyanna as well. "That's twice," she breathes, "That I've been to the Grey Halls in the last week. And Ectra very nearly killed me this time, I'm pretty--"
"She did kill you," Tessa interjects, now standing between the mirror on the group. "I just took the liberty of making sure it didn't stick. It was well outside the rules anyway, what she did to you, so it wasn't any rulebreaking on my part. More of a bend, and not actually a particularly big bend. The souls of the dead -- and she very much WAS dead -- are not supposed to take the lives of the living, and she wasn't even undead by that point. So." She claps her hands together. "On to more pressing matters, yes?"
"I have something that will help you." Amelia and Poppy have arrived alongside Tessa; the former is speaking, the weight of decades spent imprisoned inside Ectra's mind clear in her tone. "You still need to deal with Veren. I have something that will help you." She points towards the library, "Over there, there are many books. Nearly all of them are deeply necromantic or otherwise... vile." She pauses, taking a breath. "But there is one, with a blue spine, bound in silver. It has no title. It is a book keeping a record of everything of note that Veren does -- and it is enchanted. It has been continuing to write itself all along. I believe you will find it useful. But I ask one thing in return." Her eyes narrow.
"Destroy this Manser and everything inside of it. Burn it. Burn it *all* and leave no other trace that Ectra was ever here."
"Yeah, no more of that now, okay?" Donna murmurs, before looking up, and looping her free arm around Elyanna's shoulders. "We did it, y'all. Now let's finish this an' get after our real target."
Patting both shoulders, she starts to rise, tugging her sister and her friend to their feet with her. "Blue spine, bound in silver... Okay. After we got that, you can be *damn* sure we're happy to burn this place t'ashes."
Ashes says, "further than ashes."
Although she doesn't have spells for that. This is a perfect fireball moment. "Thanks Poppy, Amelia. This will help." She starts gathering things, examining the chemicals in the lab to determine which ones might help with the fire and which would be best poured down the hole.
"Thanks Tessa, for understanding how the rules will lean."
Elyanna nods, smiling a touch, still somewhat uncertain of things, but glad things are better than they had been. She returns the pats, then rises to her feet, looking to the recently freed and Grey Lady's servants, both, "Thank you, all, for everything."
Tessa smiles, "Well, seems like it's about time for me to be going. Amelia, I think you'll be wanting to come with me, yes? And don't worry; there is nothing frightening or in any way unfair waiting for you. You have suffered greatly, and you deserve to have that pain soothed, for as long as you need. The Gray Halls will hold only rest and healing for you." She pauses, and nods. "Poppy, you'll be staying, as we agreed. Your life was taken away from you most unfairly, and these four," she gestures towards Ashes, Elyanna, and the Twins, "Have more than earned the odd exception to the rules, and I think we know exactly how to pay that back."
There's a moment when mother and daughter embrace; and then Amelia clasps hands with the Psychopomp, and nods to her with an aged smile. "I'm ready. See you in a few decades, Poppy. Please have a *wonderful* time."
There's a bright flash of light; and when it fades, Tessa and Amelia are gone. Poppy remains; and immediately she gasps. "OH! ... The floor is *cold*," she declares, dancing from one foot to the other, and then immediately falling over, landing on the floor with the solid sound of flesh and bone hitting solid tile. Living flesh and bone.
"Here," Ashlee says, searching around in her satchel, "I have some spare socks."
She is a witch. That is a witch's bag. Her centipede and his friends live in there. "They're clean."
"I think I have a shirt too." She stares, her dark eyes deep in her skull sockets, "You're alive Poppy. I don't get to say that often."
Elyanna nods, looking to the reborn human as she falls, stepping over toward her to take a knee before offering her hand, "There are a great many things to get used to, Poppy, but we are here."
She looks over her shoulder to her friend, nodding, then, "In my pack, I still have the clothes I used during our... er... 'jail break'. With a snug enough belt, the pants should work until we can find you proper clothing of your own."
"I got a belt you can use," Donna says quietly, her voice numbed by the shock of Poppy's miraculous return to life. For a moment, she simply stares, then looks down at her sister. "Hey... Y'gonna be okay here? I wanna get that book and get gone from this place."
"I'm okay," Delilah affirms, and pulls herself up to her feet. She does seem a bit wobbley, but manages not to fall over. "I'll be okay. I'm just glad we're done with this place and literally everything in it."
Poppy, meanwhile, readily accepts gifts of clothing; and by the time all is said and done she's wearing a curious mismatch, but she is at least no longer naked. "I'm not sure I even *remember* wearing clothes before," seh observes. "I do remember breathing though. This is a nice feeling. However, my... my stomach hurts and I..." She pauses, and purses her lips. "I remember what this is. I'm hungry."
Poppy stands there looking vaguely perplexed for a moment, then points to where Lerethil is still laying on the floor. "What about her? I mean, she's not dead. Just... badly hurt."
Nodding, Donna extricates herself from her sister, and heads toward the library, patting Poppy's shoulder in passing. "Take her with," she says, raising her voice as she moves away. "Her people'll get grumpy otherwise, an' she might think she owes us!"
"Oh." Ashes says, looking down at Lerethil. "I can help."
She rummages around in her satchel, and pulls out a paper wrapped bar. She hands it to Poppy. It's a nut and caramel trail mix bar Mahuikaa had them cook up before the left.
Following this, she brings out her tiny holy symbol and kneels beside Lerethil. "Feiu of the Tears, we need her back with us." She touchs the woman's forehead, and the stillness of the grave fills her, and pushes her back to life and consciousness. The Keeper considers Poppy's attire once the ensemble has congealed with some curious marks before shrugging it off.
She nods, "We have good cooking back where we are based, you will see." before she steps over toward the prone merchant, perhaps ready to manhandle her carcass out of here, "The fire should scare off the spider." she notes.
The book is easy to find; it's the only one that's blue with silver binding, as it turns out, and sits on the bottom shelf. (The rest of the books, it should be noted, all look like they're various stages of scary, and a couple even look like they might gnaw your fingers off.)
As Poppy digs in gratefully to the trailmix bar, and oohs like she's just been given the most fabulous meal ever cooked, Lerethil's eyes flutter open and she sits up slowly, touching one hand to her forehad.
"What happened?" asks the merchant. "I--"
Before she can say more, she gags, then rolls over onto her side and retches, vomiting up a mouthful of blood and what looks like a long, slimey black slug; a slug that wriggles and curls pathetically lin the little pool of blood, that Lerethil is left staring at in horrified disbelief.
"That's gross," Poppy observes, standing over Lerethil's shoulder and watching. She takes another bite of the nutbar, and mmms. "Thank you, Ashes. This is *delicious*."
Crouching, Donna examines the book's front cover, then the back, then rises to her feet.
After a moment, she lifts her foot, placing the heel of her boot against one of the middle shelves, and *shoves,* clearly attempting to topple the entire shelving unit, and perhaps no few of the bookcases behind it.
Regardless of how successful her gesture is, she sets into a light jog across the bridge, the book raised in her hand. "So okay, how much o' this shit in here'll blow up real good? An' can Lerethil walk?"
Elyanna frowns, considering the tiny mollusc after it's expulsion from the merchant, who, herself gets grabbed by the collar and pulls back from, "Those were your chains." she explains disdainfully.
As she releases her grip, she steps toward the creature, considering which would be the greater mercy, the fire or the boot, or whether the parasitic collaborator was even worthy of the consideration. By the look in her eyes, the numbers are not running kindly in either case.
"A lot, yes, and step on it Elyanna." Ashlee says, no mercy for Molluscs.
She looks over at Donna's efforts to topple the shelves. "We need a central place to build the pyre. Accelerant trails out to the rooms, and into flammables."
She's not an engineer, an engineer would know how to do this. Also a dwarf. Perhaps an orc. Oh! And a human of course. She has three to advise her, two and a half, what luck!
"Maybe in the basement?"
Lerethil looks down at the slug; her skin pales, and she looks back up at Elyanna. "Is that... why I did horrible things?" she asks, quietly. Tears well up in her eyes, and she lets them just overflow and rolls down her cheeks. "I've been a terrible person," she whimpers, "And I never knew why, I never understood *why*, I just... I just always had to do it, I couldn't help it. I've never been able to help it."
"Ectra ruins everything she touches," Poppy affirms. "Or... well. Everything she *touched*. I don't think she's coming back this time. For real." She pauses, about to take another bite of the nutbar. "At least, I don't think she is. I sincerely hope not."
As for the shelves, the sheer fury of Donna's kick does, indeed, topple one of the shelves; all of the books slide off, and end up plummeting into the abyss that surrounds the library. What are they going to land on? Who knows.
"Actually," Delilah points out, "I bet you at least half this stuff in here would go off like you wouldn't believe. And I can cast fireball a gew times if that helps? I haven't hardly cast anything today, I'm... pretty ready to go."
"It was." Ashlee tells Lerethil, her words monotone and firm. She pats the half-elf on the shoulder, "There, there, everything..."
Her hand drops. "It'll be ok. We have things to explode."
The ashen arvec looks at Delilah, and the abyss, "An extra fireball for the ones that got away?"
"To some indeterminate part." the red woman asides.
Squish!
With the word of her dear friend and spiritual advisor on which slant mercy should take, the Hobkin's boot rises and stomps grindingly into the tiles without hesitation.
"I have, and I knew." she confesses the the newly suffering soul before she turns her gaze her way, "Once I learned my folly I have worked to take a better path."
Her gloved hand is extended to the woman, "Your will is your own. Your soul back in your keeping, free to keep such sins from becoming truly yours."
She leaves the planning stages of the arson for the others. Her last time out turned into a bloodbath, and here she is intent to follow. "*Is* there even a basement?" Donna wonders, tilting her head at Lerethil for a moment. Possibly, as if reevaluating her thoughts on the woman, now that she seems to be out from under previously-unknown influence.
"Hey," she says, quietly. "Lissen to Elyanna. You can do better now, an' that matters as long as you keep tryin'. What happened to you ain't gonna happen to no one ever, when we're done with this place. If it helps... the carts need lookin' to, we're gonna be leavin' here at a run. Mebbe you an' Poppy can go up an' get ready?"
"Yes." Ashlee agrees, but doesn't elaborate further. "Sorry about the wasps."
She starts moving things in the lab, stack and sorting through the chemicals. Flammable ones, whether they produce dangerous fumes or not, are set to one side. Others, more suitable to preserving bodies or other eldrich work, are unstoppered and thrown into the abyss.
If some flashes start down in the darkness, Ashes might change this approach.
Bitey looking books are handled with tongs. Slowly a pyre is coming together. An inuksuk of books. "Help me build a fire-man?"
Lerethil looks up at Elyanna, listening intently, and bobs her head slowly. "I will do my best to be a better person," she affirms. "And... now that that's out of my head," she looks down at Elyanna's boot, "I feel like I finally have a chance. I can't thank you enough."
The merchant pauses, and shakes her head. "Sure, that's... that's what we'll do." Lerethil nods to Donna, as she gets up on her, also wobbley, feet. "But..." She looks to Ashes, and shakes her head. "Don't worry about the wasps. I survived. You killed Ectra and saved people who needed saving, that's all that matters." She reaches into her satchel then, and rummages about, before pulling out a couple of vials.
"Here," she murmurs, handing them over. "Be careful with those, they're inert until you set them on fire, then they'll go off... pretty big. As long as the man who sold them to me was telling the truth, anyway..." She trails off, and squints. "Why do I keep worrying about that? Nevermind."
Lerethil brushes herself off, and looks over at Poppy. "Hi, uhm, I'm Lerethil. And I'm not awful."
"Hi!" Poppy finishes her nutbar, and bobs her head. "I'm Poppy, and I'm not dead."
The two women nod to each other, and then head for the door. "We'll be by the carts!" Lerethil affirms. "We have horses, Poppy. You should see them. You'll like them. Just stay away from the back end."
The Keeper's hand closes about the merchant's, gently drawing her up as they've found their accords, and her steel eyes turn to Donna on her endorsement. She fits herself a wan smile and nods, then, it becomes time to work.
She does feel the need to answer the suggestion of loot to, "We do have an arrangement to honor." trusting Poppy to help the recently liberated elf from straying into compromising greed.
Elyanna moves, then, to help establish their scratch built firestorm, her first few steps a little slick for the detritus stuck to her heel. The halfblood supplements careful use of tongs with using Maidenhead or her unnamed second lash to pull other questionable items from the shelves without touching them.
There is a look to Ashes, one that suggests in due time, some conversations are in order, but she doesn't interrupt their good works with the burdens of sentimentality just yet.
Nodding and giving Lerethil an encouraging smile, Donna sets to work helping build the pyre-man. The heavier barrels of caustic flammables, she lugs toward the pile as if hauling kegs for a bar. When one of the smaller pots seems to contain nothing more than pitch for a spell component, she dips in one bare finger, drawing a long, downward curve on the center-top of the mass, and two angled lines. Then, she carefully wedges the vials into place, leaving the entire lash-up as a silent effigy of their opinion of this place, its owner, and all they stand for.
Ashlee nods, listening to Lerethil, then watching the meeting between her and Poppy. She feels a slight elation, followed by trepidation. Will they be able to fully burn this place down?
As the pyre comes together, she becomes more confident that the answer will be yes.
"We can use a barrel to paint lines to the other rooms." An easily accomplished suggestion. Finally it looks ready to fire. "Should we back out as far as we can, then start the fireballs?"
Delilah watches all the work being done until she's gotten the idea of it (which takes a short enough amount of time that Donna should be, if not proud, then at least not embarrassed), and then gets to work herself on helping; at least until the effigy is finished.
"Well," observes the golden twin, looking over the handiwork, "I mean... I don't have a better plan. Go back into the main room, splash the flammable stuff all over, head outside, cast fireball, and run like--"
Delilah purses her lips, and shrugs. "Y'know, this is silly. I'll let you in on a secret, I worked out a teleporting spell. I could probably bring one other person with me. So two people should just get to a safe distance and I'll cast fireball and then whoever stays with me and I will depart... rapidly."
"...Okay that's a good idea," says Donna, who does not by the sound of her voice think it is a very good idea at all, "but here's a better'n; we paint a trail to the treasure pile, cover it in carpets, an' paint a trail from there to the door, cos I *do not* like the idea of you throwing a bomb at the house an' counting on not bein' scrambled by the blast an' castin' another spell?"
"Donna's idea sounds better." Ashlee adds in her flat tones, "the Manse might collapse faster than expected."
It's very important to ensure the minimum safe distance is safe. "We could all watch together."
"Maybe with wine."
The talk of the finer points of accelerants occurs without any input from Elyanna, as her previous endeavors have already been laid bare. She does dutifully assist in building their pyre man and dusts her hands off once the girls reconvene to survey their work.
She chimes in after Ashes remark with, "Something Myrrish, perhaps."
"Sadly, I don't have any wine, and even if Ectra did I don't want to drink it." Delilah clasps her hands behind her head, "I'd bet you that Lerethil has some back at the cart, though." The golden sorceress nods towards Donna, "As usual my sister has the better idea, which is less likely to get me blown up. But slightly less, I dunno, exciting?" She glances towards the mirror, "I could use a little boredom though, dunno about you three."
Setting up the main room and properly preparing carpets and fuels takes some time; and there's long enough to check and make sure that Lerethil didn't take anything (which she didn't). Finally, once all is ready, it's time to depart; Delilah stops everyone at about the middle of the bridge, and nods. "This is about the extent of my range," she points out. "Should I go ahead and... light it up?"
"We should get off the bridge. Donna should stay with you, to get you away." Ashlee suggests, looking at the structure, "It could go fast."
She's happy watching from 'shore', some position with a good rock to brace against. "I'll be ready soon, light it up."
"Yeah," Donna says, moving up to stand beside her sister. "Was just thinkin' the same thing, Ash..."
The brawler pauses, her face screwing up into a frown. "Y'know... y'hear all about how the *super* cool adventurers just walk away like badasses when everythin's blowin' up behind them. Feelin' a little cheated that I don't dare right now. Fuckin' brainslugs..."
Ely has probably had enough excitement for now, though likely she doesn't consider the latest doings much in the way of penance in the wake of her previous sins.
Baby steps, and all.
Still, she considers her sisters in arms, revolution, and transcendence and, as they take up their safe point to watch the festivities, deigns to encircle the gathered shoulders in her arms as she answers, "Do not."
She glances first to Donna, then Delilah as she continues, "Any weakling can flee the spectacle of their deeds."
There is a squeeze to Ashe's shoulder, and she nods toward the imminent conflagration, "The righteous, the strong, see it to the end."
"Well... either way, I'm sure this is going to be immensely satisfying for all of us." Delilah rolls her shoulders, and holds her hands up in front of herself dramatically. Her eyes and brands glow, as she chants, tracing some arcane runes in the air in front of her; the casting only takes a moment, as she forms a glowing ball of roiling energy. When she's finished she gives it a little push, and it flies off, sailing back through the door and into the manse.
What comes next is a short pause, long enough that one might wonder if it worked, followed by a massive explosion. The front portion of the manse bursts into flames, with enough raw power to crack the stone. Smoke billows out, releasing several plumes that combine into one over the manse.
Then follows the second explosion; a much more powerful detonation that shakes the whole cavern, and releases a shockwave that ruffles everyone's hair.
"Well," observes Delilah, "I guess that--"
It's the third explosion that really does it, emitting a blast that leaves everyone's ears ringing. The entire floating island cracks, and pieces of shake loose, tumbling down into the abyss. For a moment, everything sort of hangs, as if reality has paused. Soon enough it all catches up and the island splits, rupturing in all directions as a massive blast of fire and force engulfs everything. Just as quickly, the blast implodes, sucking itself back in and leaving the island to collapse completely. Everything falls, plummeting into darkness; the bridge crumbles as well, falling down a piece at a time, rapidly coming apart right up to the four adventurer's feet; where, mercifully, the destruction stops. The sounds of rocks crashing against the cavern walls echo upwards for a time; and then, absent the island, all is still again, but for the acrid smell of burnt... well, burnt everything.
As the final detonation truly does it for the house, Donna takes a step back, clamping a hand each on Delilah and Elyannah's shoulders, trusting in Ashes' armor to weigh her down enough to keep from getting blasted off her feet.
"....Y'KNOW," she yells, straining to be heard over the high-pitched whine that seems to come from every direction at once, "I KINDA WANNA ASK IF WE OVERDID IT. BUT FUCK THAT BITCH."
The ashen Arvec faces the spectacle of destruction, wrought with assistance by her hands. She does not flinch at the first explosion, she grew up around goblins after all. Explosions are akin to alarm clocks, a nuisance. There is a slight flinch at the second one, she stands straighter, her body stiffens. No other expression of alarm. That was a big one.
She takes a step back and splays her hands as the third one rocks her, rocks the rock face, rocks the world. The air pressure blast blowing back her heavy hair. Her eyes are just a bit wider, and her goblinoid ears.
Thankfully she remembered to fold them against her head after the first blast, bring her hands up after the second, and open her mouth on the third.
Wow that's loud! She stares as it tumbles and crumbles, in slow motion the physical works of Ectra N'garra follow her metaphysical works.
Into the ashcan of history.
"AND STAY DOWN!" Ashlee shouts as the building vanishes in the depths.
Elyanna is somewhat surprised by the bracing by the dark sister, but comes to appreciate it in the summation of their day's endeavors. As Ashes, she has worked with too many goblins to be rattled by explosions such as those signing their current chapter in defiance of Alexandria's ill-fitting justice.
Steel eyes are rendered molten gold in the firelight as the conflagration works it's way along the stone keep, brightening to platinum as the explosions in stages sunder the island to ever greater degrees.
As her hands come down from the sides of her head, her ears somewhat shielded against such abuses by her craft, is nonetheless left in a world of 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEE....!' in the wake of the explosion that sets her hair to licking frantically at the wall behind them.
Somewhat muted by earstrain the likes of which are rarely, literally worthy of being called 'righteous', Donna's words still prompt the halfbreeds lips to sneer back from her carnivore's maw and she nods in agreement, finding a special pleasure in the savage sound of uttering, "YES, FUCK HER!" in the Father tongue of <Goblin-talk>
Her arm rises to curl overhead, then lash back outward, sending a fist sized piece of debris off in a new direction with a ring off of her buckler, somewhat audible despite the ringing of everyone's ears.
A deep breath swells her chest, then exhales as, "LET US RETURN TO SET YOUR MOMMA AT EASE, WE HAVE INTRODUCTIONS TO MAKE."
For the first time since the trial, the hobkin feels, not just that they have a quarry, nor a trail to follow, but something more...
With the book in their possession, amongst the other mementos....
They are a wolf, with their jaws around the sheep's throat.
"Bitch...."
OOC
<OOC> Delilah is gonna gloss over the preparing of the carpets and whatnot though, a little bit, if that's okay?
<OOC> Donna nodnod!
<OOC> Ashes nods
<OOC> Donna says, "Donna just didn't want Delilah to chance explosioning *right after* coming out of the Grey Halls a second time. XD"
<OOC> Donna says, "I mean, how would she explain herself to Tessa? XD"
<OOC> Delilah snorks.
<OOC> Donna says, "(Wait... what are you doing here now?!) ... ..... ....... Fireballed myself."
<OOC> Delilah says, ""I'm back." "You know it has to stick this time, right?" "...Yes.""
<OOC> Donna XD
<OOC> Ashes says, "so anxious to use spells"
<OOC> Elyanna hides the ACME box behind a bookcase.
<OOC> Elyanna Really hopes that worked >.>
<OOC> Donna XD
<OOC> Donna says, "OKAY GIRLS, LET'S LINE UP FOR THE SLOW WALK."
<OOC> Donna says, ">:E >:I >:I >:I"
<OOC> Ashes says, "heehee"
<OOC> Delilah says, "Which one of us is the >:E ?"
<OOC> Donna says, "Ashes, naturally, skull mask. XD"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "hehe"
<OOC> Ashes grins
<OOC> Ashes says, "ooooooo"
<OOC> Delilah says, "*Awesome*."
<OOC> Delilah Suggests we call it a log there. :3
<OOC> Donna says, "Perfect cut point."
<OOC> Delilah says, "So okay."
<OOC> Elyanna hugs tight
<OOC> Delilah says, "I did something twice in this little excursion, once with Brutus, and once with Ectra."
<OOC> Delilah says, "I *intentionally* put you all up against something I didn't think you'd be able to beat. (Particularly so with Ectra.)"
<OOC> Delilah says, "And you managed to win both times."
<OOC> Delilah says, "Without the help I had lined up. :P"
<OOC> Elyanna hu5
<OOC> Elyanna hi5 even
<OOC> Ashes hugs!
<OOC> Elyanna hugs
<OOC> Elyanna says, "go team venture!"
<OOC> Delilah says, "Exceptionally well done, you three. :D"
<OOC> Ashes says, "Hee. Oh. I wanted Ectra."
<OOC> Elyanna says, "with a blue assed passion"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "ty Delilah!"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "You guys rocked it :)"
<OOC> Ashes says, "Brutus was pretty frigthening too"
<OOC> Ashes says, "but a full on caster battle with support, that was pretty amazing"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "yeah that was seriously like 'uh, we're in trouble'"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "esp when the domination hit"
<OOC> Donna says, "I love that WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO WIN THAT BATTLE but we did. XD"
<OOC> Donna says, "Because FUCK THAT BITCH."
<OOC> Donna says, "Spite is the *best* motivator."
<OOC> Delilah Grins.
<OOC> Ashes nods
<OOC> Ashes says, "well thought that one through ahead of time"
<OOC> Ashes says, "what can I do to waste her casts, and what can I do to hit her more often"
<OOC> Delilah says, "YOu prepared *well* for that fight."
<OOC> Ashes says, "which was debuffs so others could, or throwing weasels, etc"
<OOC> Ashes is spelled out
<OOC> Ashes says, "oooo and also, ticked over to level 12 tonight"
<OOC> Delilah says, "\o/"
<OOC> Delilah Is pretty sure the only reason Delilah isn't spelled out is 'cause she got stuffed in a mirror.
<OOC> Elyanna says, "grats!"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "ely has 1 lvl 1 left"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "plus her cantrips"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "lymrics?"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "diddys?"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "cantrips seems... wrong for a bard"
<OOC> Donna XD
<OOC> Ashes nods
<OOC> Elyanna says, "jingles sounds like accessories for going to the Black Diamond...."
<OOC> Elyanna says, "this will take further thought"
<OOC> Donna says, "Arias?"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "that might be a high level one"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "chords?"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "Ely's alost halfway to 8"
<OOC> Delilah says, "All in all, I'd say this leg of the plot went well."
<OOC> Elyanna says, "definately some nailbiters, well done Del :)"
<OOC> Elyanna says, "I remember running into the trouble between Del and Bethany back at the turn of 2020, have you been sitting on the concept for this plotline since then, or is this something that you kinda came back to and went, 'ya know, maybe I can take things in this direction....'"
<OOC> Delilah was planning on doing the plot then, but then covid happened and I got stressed and I didn't start until... well, when I started properly.
<OOC> Elyanna hugs and nods
<OOC> Elyanna says, "glad you finally got to run it"
<OOC> Delilah says, "But I never had any idea that fighting an Illithid was gonna be involved. :D"
<OOC> Ashes nods, "oh yes."
<OOC> Ashes says, "oh wow"
<OOC> Ashes says, "that is some long planning"
<OOC> Donna says, "Yup!"
<OOC> Donna says, "We were tossing this around since well before the swap-over was even going to be a thing."
<OOC> Elyanna nodnods
<OOC> Ashes nods
<OOC> Ashes has some plots that have been around a while that mostly haven't had a chance to roll
<OOC> Ashes says, "Like Lars from Calamari Calamity"
<OOC> Ashes says, "I feel like we have Veren"
<OOC> Ashes says, "that book will help lots."
<OOC> Ashes says, "it's 3am though and I need to sleep. See you tomorrow. Also Mikilos sent that email"
<OOC> Ashes hugs all!
Ash's Sheet
============================> Sheet for Ashes <============================= Gender: Female Size/Type: M Humanoid Level/Class: <11> Clr5/MTh1/Wtc5 Alignment: TN Deity: Vardama Race: Hobgoblin Hit Points: 52/69 Nonlethal: 0 Experience: 220605 / 220000 (101%) Height: 5'11" Weight: 177 lbs. Age: 27 RPP This PC/All: 8/86 ===============================> Attributes <=============================== Strength: 11 0 Intelligence: 18 4 Dexterity: 15 2 Wisdom: 17 3 Constitution: 15 2 Charisma: 10 0 =================================> Combat <================================= Base Attack: 5 Melee: 5 Ranged: 7 CMB: 5 Armor Class: 12 ASF: 0% AC Pen: 0 CMD: 17 Fortitude: 7 Reflex: 4 Will: 12 Init: 2 Spell DCs (Add Spell Lvl): Int: 14 Wis: 13 Cha: 10 =================================> Skills <================================= Craft/Painting..................4(11) Craft/Weaving..................11(18) Handle Animal....................1(1) Heal...........................11(17) Knowledge/Arcana...............11(18) Knowledge/Nature...............11(18) Knowledge/Religion.............11(18) Profession/Herbalist...........11(17) Ride.............................2(8) Sense Motive....................6(12) Spellcraft......................3(10) Stealth........................11(21) Use Magic Device.................2(5) ===============================> Languages <================================ Goblin-Talk............. Infernal................. Khazdul.................. Tradespeak.............. Yrch-Speak............... =================================> Feats <================================== Arcane Armor Training... Armor Prof Light......... Armor Prof Medium........ Exotic Weapon Prof/Khope Extra Channel............ Extra Hex................ Hobgoblin Discipline.... Practiced Spellcaster/Cle Practiced Spellcaster/Wit Shield Prof............. Simple Weapon Prof....... Skill Focus/Stealth...... Weapon Prof Hobgoblin... ===============================> Abilities <================================ Aura.................... Augury................... Channel Energy 3d6 3/Day. Combine Spells 1........ Darkvision: 60........... Domain: Fate............. Domain: Knowledge....... Hex: Evil Eye............ Hex: Ward................ Hobgob Weapon Familiarit Hex: Healing............. Hex: Soothsayer.......... Lore Keeper............. Master Rider............. Patron: Death............ Regimented Mind......... Speed: 30................ Witch Familiar........... ==================================> RPP <=================================== 1 Aspect Tattoo: Major....................Ability Focus 2 Aspect Tattoo: Minor....................Skill Focus 3 Aspect: Grave Touched...................T3 4 Aspect: Grave-Touched...................T1 5 Aspect: Grave-Touched...................T2 6 Skill Boon..............................Craft: Painting 4 (of 4) 7 Skill Boon..............................Craft: Weaving 8 (of 11) 8 Skill Boon..............................Prof:Herbalist 8 (of 11) ==============================> Emblem of Ea <==============================