Tears of Tiamat [IC]

[BelGareth]

Tiamat's Tears

It come clean and clear, the missive entered your mind with the sleek, power of a midnight predator, bypassing any feeble attempts of protection you had up, it sought you out and was not going to be displeased by failure, that wasn't an option, it wasn't even a thought.

It pierced your thoughts like a knife in the back, sticking clean and swift to your vital organs, and rending your soft flesh like fresh churned butter.

You could do nothing but shudder as the voice in your head spoke.

With the power of the Queen herself.

A bold, and powerful voice, it dripped with venom, with the unfurled hatred of a thousand suns, "He has overstepped his bounds, my pretty" the voice trailed and echoed in your mind "You shall teach him otherwise" it's anger seething under the surface "go and be my claws" it fades out, the last word hissing like a venerable serpent of old.

You know, unmistakably, what you must do, what and who has tasked you.

The thrill of being chosen, of being the tool of her almightyness, a tool that will cut the heart out of those who defy her....

A place far off pulses in you mind, you that you must go, you know that you must heed the call and go to this place, that fulfilling your mistresses command was your only desire.

1

You pop into existence as others step through gates that appeared from the aether, even as more still flutter in through a myriad of methods. Standing in a semicircle around the entrance of a cave, you see each other, knowing that you have all been called for the same duty, these will be your hunting pack, and your first prey was close...

OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=322907)

[greenpotato]

"Fellow champions, I am Allai, Swamp Druid, Black Dragon Devotee and Queen of Creepy Crawlies" A diseased looking humanoid woman sputters with a grin curling her aged face. "We come to slaughter! We come to prove that we were right to be chosen!" She blathers as she turns towards the cave entrance "What moronic gleaming dullard of bahamut dwells within for us to kill in her name I wonder?"

The woman disolves into a swarm of bumbling beetles and other buzzing bugs as a earth elemental winks into exsistance next to where she was.
Free action to Swarm Shape into Locust Swarm
Then use summon elemental feat to.. summon... an.. elemental :smallconfused:

[WebTiefling]

The Gate closes behind Tabithinia as she floats in the air, drawing the whisps of shadows close about her with an unconscious gesture as natural as breathing.

She hadn't been this excited for nearly a hundred years. Her mouth curved upward at the lady of vermin's rant - she fully agreed with the bloodthirsty feeling, but her own approach tended more toward subtlety.

"Yes, dearest, the great Lady has called and it is an honor indeed to be here. Give me but a moment, and perhaps I can determine just where and who we are here to bring down."

She began to peer about for clues to the locale as well as any spells floating about, her True Sight seeing all. She also began pulling together her innate knowledge, her twisted mind pulling out every last hint of knowledge gleened from a hundred thousand books, crystals, tablets, and oral histories.

She was confident their current situation would soon be clearly known.

Spot Check with True Sight: [roll0]
Lore (aka Bardic Knowledge): [roll1] DC 30 gets "Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most, blah, blah, blah"
Knowledge (yes): [roll2]

[ShadowFireLance]

The Air seemed heavy, and it got visibly colder, as the Dragon took shape.
This Red Dragon is obviously Powerful, With rippling muscles and Glimmering Scales, but you catch a feeling of something not right about it, almost Unnatural, Red Dragons should have Red Eyes, not blue...
The two Iron Golems flanking her held Massive swords, steel so cold it was blue.

"Well then. I am The Lady Alighier Dreadmier. Queen of Dreadmier castle."


None, Except to look around at everyone.

[AmberVael]

"Tiamat." The utterance was hushed and respectful, and Icelae listened attentively as the command of the Queen touched her. As the short, impersonal message, she bowed her head in acknowledgment, orange eyes glowing with a predator's anticipation. "Eagerly, mother. I hear and obey." As the presence departed, Icelae closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, calling an image from echoes of dreams and the astral plane, looking to the place where she was being sent and what it was like now. Then, regardless of what she found, she departed. Tiamat's orders were not to be questioned, after all.

The air near the cave shimmered and rippled as Icelae appeared there and carefully took stock of the surrounding area and those she would be working with. Her eyes lingered on Tabithinia for a moment, flicked over Allai, then settled on the cave entrance. It'd be easier to maneuver in there if I were in a smaller form. With that thought in mind she shifted form, drastically changing over the space of a few seconds. Her front legs raised and slimmed as her shoulders hauled back, leaving her bipedal, while her necks shortened, four of her heads becoming thick serpentine locks of hair. Black scaling melted away into pale skin, leaving only her lower arms and legs covered. When the change was finished she was the height of an average human, and structured quite similarly. Interestingly, true sight would reveal this form to be just as real as dragon form.

"I wager they already know we're here." Icelae said, keeping her eyes on the cave entrance. "So we'd best work quickly."

Icelae will manifest Hypercognition before she arrives, just to get a good idea of where she is going.

Her form change is a bit of fluff for her Control Size and Change Posture feats.

[Vorpal_Bunny]

The message left Auska shaken; never had such fervent excitement of malice or devotion touched her so, but never had she been touched directly by the will of a goddess.

Caring little for the conflicts of the dragon gods, she knew, through study, and lore, that the servants of Bahamut had claimed the shards of Reshar's sword, and likely, of Reshar's soul itself. She wanted that sword, but lacked a lawful excuse to seek it. Considering the divine impetus sufficient grounds for a...contract...of sorts, Auska steeled her mind and focus on the task at hand, and looked forward to gaining the long-desired-for Blade of Reshar.

Yes, she would be an instrument to the Dark Queen's will, but would be pursuing the task for her own ends.

As she stepped from the elemental conflagration that whisked her here, Auska readies her blades, and looks to her apparent colleagues in this venture.

Salutations, I see we've all been summoned according to the Queen of Chaos' will, and as such; expect we will have to find ways of working together.

At this Auska bows slightly.


You will find I have a way with the blade, and may offer some tactical advice, but in strategic and diviniatory matters, my artistry is ill-suited. As such, do any of you know yet what we might face?


Spending a few moments in meditation to select her maneuvers readied (Full round action)
Crusader (15): Sudden Leap (TC), Counter Charge (SS), Foe Hammer(DS), White Raven Tactics (WR), Revitalizing Strike (DS), Ironheart Surge (IH), Covering Strike (WR), Divine Surge (DS), Shadow Stride (SH), Leaping Flame (DW), Moment of Alacrity (DM), Manticore Parry (IH), Swarming of Strike (WR), Raging Mongoose (TC), Time Stands Still (DM), Strike or Righteous Vitality (DS)
Swordsage (4): Mountain Tombstone Strike (SD), Searing Charge (DW), Earthquake Strike (SD), Shadow Jaunt (SH)
Warblade (5): Tornado Throw (SS), White Raven Hammer (WR), Hydra Slaying Strike (SS), Orders Forged from Chaos (WR), Iron Heart Endurance (IH)

Starting in Child of Shadow Stance

[Vorpal_Bunny]

Perhaps some preliminary scouting of the terrain contained within this cave? I doubt that any adequately powerful dragons would leave themselves open to direct magical sensing.

[BelGareth]

The cave entrance looks as normal with any enhanced vision, as without.

Your attempts at deciphering where you are recalls some information however:

This is the location of the Legendary Karamanthras, the Golden Great wyrm. The legends go on to say that he is a great Golden Wyrm, who champions the good, and fights evil, standard stuff.

Interestingly, nothing comes up about what he can do, just that he is indeed a Golden Dragon.

[WebTiefling]

"So this is where the shiny worm lives! Ha! If nothing else, I know many beings who would dearly love to get their hands on this information. I think I shall sell it off once we have completed our business here ... or perhaps use it to nudge a few things along."

The endless purple writings that continually slide along Tabithinia's scales pulse slightly at her undisguised glee.

"Perhaps a bit more probing might be in line, though. I have no doubt that a wyrm of his age and power will be most thoroughly protected.

"Does anyone prefer to take the first crack at this?"

Tabithinia is certainly not being polite merely for the sake of teamwork, but instead to see how others approach this puzzle - it could reveal much about them. Though their names are legendary, she has never met them face to face and an opportunity to observe them directly is not to be passed up.

Meanwhile she begins wracking her brain for everything she can remember about Karamanthras - the deeds he has done and his associations with others. Like any being of significant power he had carefully concealed the most salient details, but things could be surmised indirectly.

Myth-Weavers is acting up and I can't see my character sheet, so I'm just repeating my knowledge checks from before instead of specifically for dragons and Bahamut.

(I dramatically messed up the Lore roll last time, anyway)
Lore (aka Bardic Knowledge): [roll0] DC 30
Knowledge (yes): [roll1]
Edit: Got to my sheet -- add 30 to that Knowledge roll for arcana (aka dragons).

[greenpotato]

"I got nothin'" Allai Buzzes "Nothing indirect anyway.."

[BelGareth]

You recall legends of a Champion of Bahamut, a legendary warrior, and mage, who traveled the planes with a group of champions of good.

Karthus the Great, an Exalted Paladin, he rules his own keep on a demiplane created for him, his soldiers keep the peace between planes and balance to the cosmos, or they try. His forces are minor in the general scene of the cosmos, but he is a power to behold, a minor deity to some, a demigod champion to others. He wields the artifact 'the 10-blades of Sartu', a legendary weapon that splits into 10.

Rex0ReturnNone, an anomalous being, it was said he was warforged once, but now his soul resides in the millions of animated construct-bugs that filter though his lair. He is master over genesis, the creation and destruction of things. It is said he can wield the power of nothing and send you to the void.

Garogold the Deep, a dwarf Paragon of legend. He keeps the dwarfholmes of Vanagrad together by sheer fortitude alone, and commands the earth as he breaths.

Sharxthryn, the twice cursed, an ancient Hellborn warrior, he wields the powers of the Hell's against evil in its own form.

Karamanthras himself is an accomplished warrior and mage, there a few accounts that when in his natural form, his scales are marked with runes, but he seldom changes, and the references are rare. It comes up more than once, that the champions come to each others aides more than once.

[WebTiefling]

Tabithinia begins reciting,


Come let me tell you
the tale of your lovers,

You loved the speckled Rex
he strikes you down and breaks apart

You loved the roaring Karthus
ten blades he digs your grave and ten

You loved the deepened Garogold
he buries you deep in earth he sighs

You loved the cursed Sharxthryn
fell evil brought to evil slay he's born

You loved the golden dragon
warrior mage he slays and none knows

You loved them all,
and they will come. Woe is you.

Tabithinia finishes her dramatic recitation with a flourish, and the book she was holding in her claw vanishes.

"We may have quite the party should they all show up. I suggest that those of us with warnings about incoming teleportations should be most aware. But even better, if there is any way to deny the alarm being sent to the others, well, that would be best."

She looks at the others, "Nonetheless, we must go forward, who believes they can enter the lair of the 'great' dragon?"

The word 'great' drips with sarcasm.

[AmberVael]

Assume it knows of our presence. There are likely defenses. If it fears us, it will already be gone. If it is somehow unaware, or unprepared, speed will keep our advantage, and it is the only advantage we have.

Icelae would have liked to take her time, to simply watch and collect data, but that did not seem to be what Tiamat wanted. They were here and had their orders, and so now Icelae would have to work within those limitations. While the others spoke and prepared, she blinked.

She focused herself within the Dream State, exerting her strength past its comfortable limits and straining her form and mind as she brought what she willed into reality. It was no danger to her though- she had long ago learned ways to manage the backlash of her using her powers this way. As shadow, ectoplasm, and force roiled around her, she smiled with confidence.

Icelae opened her eyes a split second later and looked towards the entrance. "We should move quickly, before he has time to prepare. There will likely be defenses, but we should be able to notice and bypass them with relative ease."

With that, she simply went into the cave.

"Dream State:" Temporal Acceleration (47-1pp)

TA Round 1:
Twinned Maximized Body Adjustment (30-1pp)
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 2:
Precognition, Defensive (61-1pp)
Twinned Maximized Body Adjustment (30-1pp)
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 3:
Force Screen (61-1pp)
Twinned Maximized Body Adjustment (30-1pp)
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 4:
Vigor (61-1pp)
Twinned Maximized Body Adjustment (30-1pp)
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 5:
Extended Greater Concealing Amorpha (6-1pp) Linked Forced Dream (5pp)
Extended Moment of Prescience, Psionic (14-1pp) Linked Shadow Body (11pp)
Extended Schism (8-1pp) Linked Synchronicity (1pp) Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 6:
Twinned Maximized Body Adjustment (30-1pp)
Twinned Maximized Body Adjustment (30-1pp)
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchroncity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 7:
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 8:
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 9:
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

TA Round 10:
Hypercognition (15-pp) linked Hypercognition (11pp)
Bestow Power
Bestow Power
Quickened Synchronicity (3-1pp) Bestow Power

Icelae uses the Hypercognition to do her best to determine layout of the cave, as well as the dragon's position within the cave. Note that Hypercognition should "bypass" the divination blocking effects since all it does is enhance your own mental functions.

After the Temporal Acceleration, she becomes incorporeal and does her best to take the shortest route to the dragon, keeping an eye out for traps/defenses with true seeing and arcane sight.

[WebTiefling]

Tabithinia's eyes narrow at the odd powers being displayed. Most interesting.

Having long used temporal acceleration effects, she recognizes the sudden onset of such an effect and growls in frustration as the being did something while accelerated beyond her ability to follow. It annoyed her not to know what the thing had done.

As Icelae became incorporeal and began to enter the cave, Tabithinia's eyes narrowed again - obviously the being wasn't a natural infiltrator.

Being immaterial was very useful in infiltrating lesser places, but against a Wyrm such as Karamanthras, it was probably of minimal utility.

It irritated her to see something done less than optimally, and her pride yearned to show how a good infiltration ought to be done, but she held herself in check, hoping to see how the others would react.

[greenpotato]

Casting Persistent Vigorous Circle on my new allies (you all probably have a way to heal yourselves at this level but it can't hurt)

"Mere insects are often ignored by magnificent dragons" the insects quietly hiss with anger "I doubt they would even deign to think I am a threat in this form"

Allai's thousands of insectile bodies land on the ground and spread out, moving through cracks and under rocks she tries to look as much like a mundane grouping of insects as possible.

[roll0] Move Silently
[roll1] Hide

She creeps forward into the cave after her shiny new companion with her earth elemental sinking into the earth of the cave floor with it's earthglide ability and mirroring her progress just below the surface.

[Vorpal_Bunny]

Auska likewise proceeds, flying forward into the mouth of the cave (equidistant from ceiling and floor), moving as quietly and stealthily as she could manage.


Hide [roll0]
Move Silently [roll1]

[WebTiefling]

Irritated by the lack of activity by the others - she seriously questioned Tiamat's wisdom in selecting such as them for such a glorious purpose as this - Tabithinia casts a Quickened Maximized Extended Time Stop.

The rest of the world stills, and she takes off, moving at top speed into the cavern, almost immediately passing the others. As she moves along, she tosses off buffing spells to prepare herself for the fight ahead.

Time Stop lasts for nine rounds. Cast each round as I move at full speed. I can cover 2.5 miles by the time Time Stop runs out, each round covering around 1500 feet. True Sight on. As soon as I pass the others, I turn on my Permanent Emanations: Selective Antimagic Field and my Selective Enlarged Energy Transformation Field (time stop)

Buffs, one per round:
Quickened Extended Haste
Quickened Extended Antidragon Aura
Quickened Extended Superior Invisibility
Quickened Extended Hide From Dragons
Quickened Extended Improved Blink
Quickened Extended Dancing Chains - 35 50' adamantium chains
Quickened Extended Enlarged Battlemagic Perception