That receptionist wasn’t kidding.
Julia threw herself sideways as boulders the size of trucks smashed to pieces where she’d stood. Images that Planar Lore had provided her of the Githzérai matched the figures that stood on black metal battlements; their focus fixed on her with deadly intensity. Even as Julia moved, she could feel the force of their minds throwing more rocks her way. With True Sight showing no Mana source, spikes grew from the ground as she dodged. Though she twisted in mid-air, the tips turned with her and shifted into sharped steel cutting through clothes but failed to pierce flesh.
When a boulder dropped from above her, Julia teleported away an instant before impact. Her focus set her on a platform floating unsupported amid a strange void. The location allowed her to avoid invading their home and gave her space to plan. Their Souls shone to her with the fine light of discipline and focus, intent on independence and freedom that Julia had no desire to harm. The Portal’s threshold had placed her almost at the monastery’s wall, and Julia didn’t find it surprising they were reacting with hair triggers.
Julia gained only a moment to take in the black monastery walls rising from a stone island, a glance enough to confirm it appeared as unsupported as the platform she stood on. Beyond the black metal wall which stretched out for at least dozens of kilometres, rose buildings shaped in twisted forms resembling an Escher drawing.
As her attackers shouted intruder to those beyond the wall, Julia dodged again. Behind her, another rain of boulders converged, but she’d already teleported to another floating platform. Snatching a moment to gauge their numbers, two Githzérai appeared within arm’s reach. As one swept towards her feet, the other jumped towards her head with a brutal knee strike. Attacks that should have been a blur of speed, Julia read with ease. Enfolded within Zen State, she observed the moves that tightly synchronised with the projectiles’ focus. As Julia spun from the strike’s path and hopped the sweep, a torso sized rock shot towards where she needed to go. Storing her bracers to avoid them slowing the missile, she lashed out with a strike of her own. Ki Infusion surging with Destruction Mana sent rocks spraying across foes and gained her a moment of distraction.
Analysis
[Name: Niarna
Species: Githzérai
Class: Monk / Psion
Level: 56 / 58
Health: 2,052
Defence: 275
Melee Attack Power: 312
Combat Skills: Zerthi [M](92), Telekinesis [M](87)
Details: A guardian of the Monastery of Will’s Hand, Niarna is a follower in the Monastery''s High Anarch faction.
]
Analysis
[Zerthi
A style of unarmed combat that taps into the Githzérai’s natural psionics to read moments ahead in a battle’s future. ]
The platform they stood on started growing and allowing space for maneuvering. As the pair moved to pincer Julia, she raised a hand and let Ki shine through her palm. As the yang flames lit up the surrounding area, thrown boulders halted or deflected from their course by the attacker’s will. Like the others, Niarna wore loose clothing made of woven cloth in a mixture of deep ambers, browns and greys. There wasn’t even a hint of stubble on his bald head, leaving jaundiced freckled skin exposed that matched his face and hands. His long-sleeved shirt and loose pants covered the rest of his lean body, while armoured greaves and bracers seemed his only protection. A hardness in his angular features and deep-set eyes conveyed a determination that was mirrored in his Soul.
Both Niarna and his companion seemed to struggle in her presence without the battle’s focus, and kept their eyes fixed on her stomach, intent on avoiding her gaze.
“I would know you properly,” Julia stated, quietly composed as she repeated Master Farhad’s words.
In Telepathy’s net, Julia could feel an exchange of thoughts with others behind the wall, but with the Class she’d seen didn’t risk detection by trying to listen in.
“Know you something about our customs?” Niarna asked cautiously.
“I possess only a little knowledge of the Githzérai and none of this monastery,” corrected Julia politely, glad when the boulders stay poised in the air about them. “I seek understanding, as a Master who helped me find my path took the time to learn of me.”
“Know that would need our Master’s decision. Know that if they find you unworthy, you will not leave here,” Niarna stated. “Why should he see you?”
“Slavery,” Julia stated, watching the tension rise in them as she continued. “Just as your people won their freedom from the Illithids I seek the strength to win my own.”
“Know that we will ask.”
Does every sentence start with ‘know’?
Julia waited as she felt the flurry of thoughts begin again. As the exchange slowed, the boulders vanished, and Niarna gestured towards the wall.
“Know our Master will meet with you in the outer courtyard if you can make it past the wall. Know if you attempt it and cannot, you will never be welcome here.”
I’ll take that as ‘yes’.
Niarna’s statements were blandly factual, but something strengthened his will. As he finished speaking, he was no longer distracted by her presence; rather, he met Julia’s gaze directly.
“Your Souls are honourable and disciplined. I would not force entry where your people wouldn’t welcome me. Might I know how I might prove myself worthy of such a meeting instead?” Julia asked.
The question caused Niarna to study her with consideration before he responded dryly, his body language giving nothing away.
“Know that we could take your words as wisdom or fear.”
“To me, forcing my way inside proves I’m unworthy of trust,” Julia stated, hoping they’d understand her reasoning.
“Know those who demand of others should never have. Know your request is now worthy of consideration; you can either await the decision or have it provided if you return,” Niarna said. The words were a flat statement of fact, but they now held a cautious respect towards Julia.
Julia bowed politely and smiled when Niarna returned the motion, though he differed in execution.
“I’ll explore towards the Spawning Stone while your Master considers the matter. I would not wish my lingering presence to imply any preference for haste. Does the Slaadi threaten your monastery as well?”
“Know that the Slaadi threaten all outside their immediate pod.”
Another yes?
When Planar Sense directed Julia away from the monastery, she headed off. Teleport skipped her across a stretch of the void, and she landed on a rocky outcropping floating at the far reach of her sight. The Bracelet of Shadow Vines grew into a set of hooded robes, and Julia put the mask back in place, unsure whose attention she’d attract out here. Picking a path as close as she could to where Planar Sense directed her, Julia set off, ignoring the energy maelstrom high overhead.
((Wise not to force such stubborn Souls. ))
I wouldn’t like someone kicking in my front door or jumping my back fence.
<hr>
Without Planar Sense, Julia was sure she’d have become quickly lost. More than once ground disappearing underfoot had left her floating in mid-air with no land in sight. Islands floating within the void would manifest in a blink, and could disappear just as quickly. Their disappearances made Julia wonder if she’d been moving at all or walking in place within a reality loop. True Sight itself gave her no warning of what would appear or disappear, only the state of things as they presently were.
As Julia reached another island made up of the same barren, lifeless terrain; Planar Sense started providing two directions instead of one. The Spawning Stone’s presence seemed far more substantial on the fresh path, but Julia hesitated as she considered the terrain ahead. Boulders and spires grew randomly out of Limbo’s moonscape barrenness. The lack of air hadn’t bothered Julia, but she felt a pressure present on this island. Something nearby had the intensity of an impending storm without a cloud in sight.
Experience had taught her the hard way that Telepathy’s reach provided no warning of Undead, Elementals, or Constructs of any kind. With all the hiding places offered by the terrain, Julia stayed alert for any motion around her. Despite her concerns, what Julia found wasn’t a foe of any kind but a vortex of energy within the rock itself. Chaos swirled across the stone, its edges continually ripped apart only to be reformed a moment later.
Crouched on the edge of that spiral of energy, Telepathy and Planar Sense both provided her information. The faintest sense of minds beyond, and Planar Sense showed the Spawning Stone path was faster through it. A divination spell came apart in a spray of Mana. After a few more failed attempts at various spells from Detecting Ways, Julia tried another approach.
Analsyis
[Chaos Whirlpool:
The nature of Limbo prevents any constant path existing across the Plane. Chaos whirlpools provide shortcuts between regions of Limbo but are ever-changing; both regarding the location where they’re found and where they lead after they form.]
After having spent days walking - and finding nothing - Julia took the chance. Protean folded in her equipment as Julia’s form became a pebble that fell into the whirlpool a moment later. The energy conduit spat her out instantly, and quick nudges of Flight all that prevented burial amid the spraying rocks. Minds that had been on the edge of her telepathy’s reach became clear in their predatory natures.
While Planar Lore had provided her general details of what to expect, the hunting pod she’d stumbled on still took her aback. The Slaadi she’d found were bipedal and close to four metres tall, with hulking muscular bodies covered in a rough blue hide. While they were without weapons, armour or even clothes, their forms nature eliminated the need. The eighteen of them focused on prey that was annoying them in its refusal to submit.
Webbed hands and feet ended in sickle-shaped claws, with barbed hooks extended from their forearms. Their knife-edged teeth appeared like needles in the massive toad maws that split their faces below glowing red frog-like eyes. Sharp ridges ran down across the back of their skulls and connected to where their neckless heads sat joined to the thick muscle mass that covered their shoulders. There the spikes of the prehistoric ridges blended with their scaled hide that Planar Lore said could be tougher than steel. More than a few among them bore deep scars that still hadn’t reached flesh beneath.
The group surrounded a stone building grown from the landscape of the Plane. Its presence was entirely out of place but made sense as Julia felt more minds nearby. Julia could feel the Slaadi pod''s combined will rip away at the structure while someone inside fought to maintain the idea of it. Spotting the most battle-scarred among them, Julia looked to learn more about the strongest of the Pod.
Analysis
[Species: Blue Slaadi
Level: 32
Health: 1,056
Defence: 320
Melee Attack Power: 352
Combat Skills: Bite [Ad] (50), Claws [Ad] (50) - Special: Infection [M](3)
Details: Their hunting pod has recently returned from the Spawning Stone. They are wandering Limbo seeking more prey to host their pod’s remaining fertilised eggs.
]
These things are tough for their level, but it’s still playtime.
Preparing a spell within Ki Infusion, Julia left Angelic aura off as she reshaped into her Wood Elf form. As she did, Ki Infusion and Armour drew in more yin energies to flood her flesh and erode reality around her. The moment they sensed her, the closest of the Slaadi spun to attack the danger of her presence, not making it past their monstrous instincts.
Instead of dodging, Julia lashed out at the first’s sweeping hand. Her fist struck its palm before its claws contacted flesh. As bones snapped under the impact’s force, Julia flowed in, and an eagle claw strike ripped open a muscle sheathed thigh. Its supernaturally armoured hide came apart, exposed to yin’s consuming nature. Pain enraged it as it bent its body and tried to bite. Its fanged maw opening like a great white allowed the spear that struck upward to pierce its brain.
As the weapon reformed into her arm, Julia continued to defy Slaadi expectations. The pod swarming towards her expected their prey to flee, not move in for the kill. Raking claws shattered beneath fists or elbows, as kicks sheathed in energy pulverised flesh and bone despite armoured hides. A snapping maw replaced a hand as arm sheathed itself through ribs, and spinning away, Julia left a hollowed and heartless foe behind. Another attacker’s sweeping claws widened her dying victim’s wound as she whirled beneath the attack. Her kick speared upwards in reply, smashing its elbow and driving shattered bone out through flesh the instant before she vanished. Power blazed as the last of the Pod swarmed too close, and a pillar of yin released from Ki Infusion’s hold consumed them all.
[Combat Summary:
Blue Slaadi x18
Total-experience gained: 34,128
Fallen: +17,064
Scion: +17,064
]
With a glance at the combat summary, Julia let teleport return her from the fortifications roof, the moment her mask and hood covered her once more she called out in Celestial.
“Hello,” Julia called, hoping they spoke the language. “Are you all okay?”
Even as she spoke, the fortification dissolved away, melding into the rocky ground.
The appearance of the Slaadi’s desired prey screamed adventuring band, though the eight of them weren’t a diverse group. The band looked battle weary and wounded, with blood staining armour and clothing alike. Their lean bodies were shorter than any Elves Julia had met so far, the tallest only a hundred and fifty-two centimetres. Six of them wore battered concealing armour woven of metal strands rather than forged. The rare glimpses of skin within their helms showed a dark moss green hue. Deep green and earthen brown clothes covered the other two from neck to toe their braided hair a rich brown. Their Dark skin matched what Julia could spot among their companions, and a glimpse at them with Soul Sight had already shown the silvery hue of Elves.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
One of those wearing cloth garments passed an amber and silver veined recurve bow to another before staggering towards Julia. As soon as he moved, Julia took in his appearance even as she used Analysis. His features were broader than Elves she’d met, though he shared the high cheekbones and pointed ears. His eyes were dark earthen and amber tones, without a hint of white.
His half robes ended cut just above the knees, with long sleeves that reached to his wrists. Its length allowed Julia to see the matching woven leggings and boots beneath. Their once fine cotton was now bloodstained and sullied. Stopping two deliberate paces from the rest of his band, he politely bowed even though Julia could smell fresh blood from the action as he fought to keep focused.
[Name: ?asèlà
Species: Deep Forest Elf
Class: Wizard / Archer
Level: 30 / 29
Health: 87 (649)
Defence: 110
Magic: 60
Mana: 24 (630)
Melee Attack Power: 120
Ranged Attack Power: 390
Combat Skills: Dagger [Ad] (41), Recurve Bow [M] (15), Various Spell Forms - Air, Water and Lightning Affinities
Details: From a lower sect, ?asèlà never climbed higher than the Silver Tree’s thirty-kilometre branch until enlisting in the militia to gain Wizard training. One of the few surviving members of a Silver Tree militia expedition, a Chaos rift caught him during a branch severing.
Condition: Diseased - Slaadi egg infection (two weeks till hatching)
]
“You have our thanks, though you are a stranger to our tree. Would you sit and take food with us?” asked ?asèlà, forcing his expression to composure despite clear pain. “Though we are bereft of shade, we have food to share.”
His words weren’t any language Julia had heard before and she was glad for Tongues’ help. Every word sounded as if leaves rustling, or a branch creaking in an errant breeze even as the Power translated it. The pain twisting his features conveyed a seriousness of its own, and Julia politely bowed in return.
“I accept if that means peace between us, though I’m sorry, I have no food to share,” replied Julia. At the intonation of her words mimicking his own, ?asèlà blinked in surprise, and the group behind him noticeably relaxed.
At her acceptance, ?asèlà struggled forward, and Julia moved to meet him. His gaze lowered to a point halfway between them, his face paling as he forced himself to move. Spotting that his pace was pushing to match her own, Julia slowed and stepped only when he moved till at last he was barely out of arm’s reach. The smell of blood was far more pungent from him, and as he lowered himself painfully to the ground, Julia saw his robes darkening and clinging to his torso.
I hope sharing food doesn’t mean talking for an hour. He needs healing.
As ?asèlà shook a cluster of dried berries onto a cloth he set on the ground when he paused, Julia reached out and plucked what look to be a raisin from a stem.
Analysis
[Silberry:
These berries make long-lasting rations when properly dried. Grown from Silnat moss exposed to one of the Great Trees’ sap, the berries even dried hold the Sap’s condensed vitae. Though they taste sweet, the fruit’s flesh contains a mixture of materials key for sustaining health. Consuming one provides a full sensation, while a handful gives sufficient sustenance for two or more days.]
Hoping she would not regret this like the frozen gasps, Julia slipped it beneath her mask. When it touched her tongue, there was a syrupy rush of a wild berry flavour flooding her mouth.
“Might I offer you shade and comfort in thanks for your food?” asked Julia, after the initial flavour subsided.
“I offered food to give thanks and welcome,” ?asèlà replied, perspiration beaded on his forehead as he carefully took a berry with painful motions.
“They are delicious I’ve tasted nothing like them,” reassured Julia, not liking the strain on his features she took action.
A quick focus set a Life Mana wall sitting across from them both, the greenish-gold energy tinted by the strange light of Limbo. When Julia checked him with Analysis again, his health was recovering, though it had already fallen further from the walk.
“We already owe you much,” protested ?asèlà. His dark skin holding grey tones that deepened Julia’s concern and another use of Analysis showed his health recovering, but slower than she’d hoped.
Is it the egg hurting things? I hope I’m not hastening its growth. But the condition still says two weeks.
“When you are able, I’d ask you to help others in need till you feel your debt to be repaid,” Julia replied.
“That does not aid you, though,” ?asèlà argued, puzzled by Julia’s response.
“Help can come from unexpected sources. Perhaps you might tell me how your group formed the building you were in,” said Julia, the curious tone quite genuine.
“Lucky knowledge in honesty. When I served my initial apprentice year, I happened across an old leaf scroll about this Plane,” replied ?asèlà, his breathing easing as he spoke. “It mentioned the inhabitants shaping the material of the Plane by a skill called simply Chaos Shaping, and the theory of it. It is a matter of applying one’s will while holding an image in your mind. The inhabitants with stronger minds and wills can control the Plane’s form for kilometres around them. At first, it required trial and error, but when I found the knack of it - a mere thousand beats let me get proficient. I hoped my companions would be safe before I perished, but the group you dealt with found us. Do you know where a Portal is?”
“I can create one for your group. You know of the Slaadi egg in you?” Julia asked, considering his words when he spoke of perishing.
“Yes, I took an injury not long after our arrival. I could detect the infection, but we have no Priestess to heal wounds. We’ve survived as best we could while trying to find a way out,” ?asèlà said, looking conflicted at Julia’s statement.
He doesn’t want to owe me more. I wonder what their culture is like. Is everything a debt that needs repaying?
Analysis
[Chaos Shaping:
The Chaos of Limbo responds to the will of practitioners of this skill. As its rank and effective level increases, it allows for enforcing and maintaining forms, including more complex materials within the structure of objects. ]
Julia expended a skill point and smiled behind her mask at the notification she received in response.
[Chaos Shaping Unlocked!
Chaos Shaping (1)
Chaos Shaping synergy with Protean detected.
Protean Power at Master additional levels applied.
Chaos Shaping (1) -> [J] (6)]
No idea where the damn egg is growing inside him, so I can’t just lift it out.
“That information was useful indeed. How about I get you somewhere safe?” Julia asked, wishing she didn’t need the Noh mask.
“I’ve never met someone with skin the colour of yours,” ?asèlà said, gesturing to her hands conflict crossed his features.
“Yes, I’m not from your world, but I can open a Greater Gate to allow you into the realms of the Elven Gods. There’d have to be ways to reach your homeworld from there,” stated Julia, brushing aside his attempt to delay.
Portals join all worlds, if you know where to find them.
“None of us can channel a Divine’s blessing,” ?asèlà stated firmly after considering her offer. “Why would they aid us?”
“Ask for one of the Lady of the Forest’s servants. Tell them Eakc? rescued you, and she hopes you’ll be given aid. I’m stopping this spell it should have resealed your wound, and I don’t wish to speed the egg’s growth,” Julia explained. As soon as the spell ceased, she carefully helped him to his feet.
Yeah, I’m railroading him. Too bad, he needs someone who knows proper healing to get that thing out of him.
When the energies of Arvandor radiated across the surface of the Gate Julia stepped clear to allow ?asèlà and his companions to approach. One warrior quickly stepped through the Gate’s veil and returned with a smile so broad even his helm’s shadows couldn’t completely conceal it. With excited motions and clicks, he stepped back through, and the rest of the party followed.
“May your Soul find rest in a Great Tree’s shade Eakc?,” ?asèlà said, and as he went to bow, Julia stopped him with her hands gently on his shoulders.
“I just sealed those wounds, let’s not risk them, please,” Julia grumbled kindly and got a relieved smile in response. “Take care ?asèlà, may a Great Tree always give you shade.”
I hope that’s not offensive.
As soon as ?asèlà was through the Gate, Julia ended the spell, groaning mentally in relief as the pain from the Plane’s proximity ceased.
“Rana, I just sent some lost Deep Forest Elves I found in Limbo through to Arvandor. Their leader’s name is ?asèlà. I can only hope I opened it close to Lady of the Forest’s region, but I couldn’t see beyond the Gate’s veil to know where it came out. At least one has a Slaadi egg within them. Please have someone find them and help.”
Letting the spell carry her message away, Julia returned her focus to Planar Sense and the Spawning Stone. As its wild music reverberated through her awareness, she moved in its direction, pushing down the temptation to just rush ahead via Flight.
I don’t want to be targeted by everything that can see me speeding overhead.
Still, she picked up the pace and practiced Chaos Shaping by changing the forms of boulders and spires as she went. The shaping of them responded to her Willpower and imagination as Protean moulding her flesh.
Time Sense told Julia it was hours later when she got a message from Yngvarr that made her smile in delight. The energy of the spell hummed, and Yngvarr’s amused tones lifted tension away.
“I’m going to add casting this to your bill. Rana said, to tell you the Ljósálfar found your lost Elves and the three that needed it were cleansed of Slaadi eggs. They are resting in the Lady’s glades presently, and there are plans to see them home. You can’t help yourself, can you? Do you know the fee Wizards able to cast a Greater Gate to an Upper Plane would charge? I bet you don’t. Why am I not surprised you can even manage it? Torm asked me to send along a shocking message quote ‘my thoughts have been with you’ end quote, so explicit I’m blushing. I mean the things he comes out with, you two need to get a room.”
Yngvarr’s voice was rich with suppressed amusement, and even though the spell didn’t carry it, she could imagine his following laughter.
“Give my best to everyone and lots of hugs. Alfarr needs to stop infecting you with his humour.”
She’d only made a dozen steps when another message came.
“I can’t help you there, and most of your trouble makers aren’t at hand. Alfarr, Torm, Rana and I are working along the Asgard border dealing with Slaadi, and a recent influx of Chaos Elementals venturing out of Limbo. Be careful in there; something is wrong. The Slaadi Lords normally send extra troops to play scavenger on the Blood Wars'' battlefields, not against the Upper Planes.”
The amused tone that had been present in the last message had faded fast during his second, and concern shivered its way along Julia’s spine as she considered the conflict in Asgard.
“Torm, I don’t know the difference being a Fallen makes instead of a Succubus. I can only hope it’s progress towards getting my freedom, my Profile at least is showing attribute changes faster than I had expected. My thoughts have been with you too, don’t let that pair give you grief.”
As she released the spell, she set aside the daydream of spending time with him and moved to push her pace. Line of sight teleports took chunks from the journey, though it increased the chance of ambushing by anything near her arrival sites. Chaos Shaping stretched the ground out before her when she reached the edge of the landmass with only a void ahead. She mimicked the platform near the monastery, with a growing bridge and adding questions to the list she already had for the Githzérai.
When a new landmass formed close by, Julia took stock and activated Angelic Aura. Amid Limbo’s Chaos, Harmony allowed her to feel the rage and blood-lust that Amrúngwen had mentioned. Taking inspiration from Chaos Shaping, she focused on its manifestation, and as she worked, the uncontrolled energies became flames instead. Stretching out her will to hold the ground in place beneath her while she set her imagination and focus to work controlling her aura.
Whenever she lost control, they’d grow wild and erratic, but without frustration, she’d calmly begin again. After days of focus and effort, the flickering flames had become ordered by her focus, and each white flame lay still across her form. Each individually frozen flame bound by her Willpower, when folded down together, formed a scaly armour.
The triad of Powers: Angelic Aura, Ki Aura, and Ki Armour sat layered in place together. She’d hoped to get them to merge but despite her attempts they refused to do so. When Julia moved on, she held all three active. The flames’ light would announce her presence, but she’d deal with whatever attacks came.
<hr>
She hadn’t expected Planar Sense’s reach to stretch as far as it did. Through the initial days of walking and then even more spent teleporting, the Spawning Stone only seemed closer because of the whirlpool’s shortcut. Only the continual levelling of Planar Sense gave her any surety: it wasn’t a false trail if Julia could trust it to say she was using it properly.
A scrap of stone rumbled across Danger Sense, and Julia sent Telepathy’s net out. The Slaadi’s thought she understood easily enough and felt as he signalled the others waiting in ambush. Through his own gaze, she could see the white energy radiating off rocks, the same white flames they’d spotted hours ago. When she moved around a boulder to provoke the ambush, the Fire Balls that greeted her burnt in the surrounding air. A Lightning Bolt erupted across her, and Julia felt her Magic rise in Angelic Aura to push the spell’s energy aside.
[Angelic Aura [B](13->14)]
Monitor colour matrix, anyone?
The scores of Slaadi that appeared were a mix of red, green and blue, making her wonder why they were working together. What little Planar Lore had told her of the Slaadi, they shouldn’t be, and it left her knowledge feeling limited indeed. As more hopped rocks, spires grew to carry others aloft, and the battle at least promised some interest.
[Species: Red Slaadi
Level: 33
Health: 1,059
Defence: 190
Melee Attack Power: 217
Combat Skills: Bite [M] (9), Claws [M] (12) - Special: Infection [Ad](38)
Details: Their hunting pod has recently returned from the Spawning Stone and now guards a Breeding camp by order of the Slaadi Lord, Ygorl, Lord of Entropy.
]
[Species: Green Slaadi
Class: Wizard
Level: 41 / 18
Health: 767
Defence: 40
Magic: 38
Mana: 198
Melee Attack Power: 58
Combat Skills: Claw [Ad] (1), Bite [Ad] (1) - Special: Infection [Ad](5) - Spell Forms: Various - Fire, Earth, Mental, and Dark
Details: Their hunting pod has recently returned from the Spawning Stone and now guards a Breeding camp by order of the Slaadi Lord, Ygorl, Lord of Entropy.
]
Breeding camp, seriously here as well!
As the first Blue Slaadi closed, she felt the Angelic Aura’s effect provoking reckless choices within its mind, and its blood lust soared. The rage she’d seen in the Demons'' gazes in Ternòx shone in its gaze. As it rushed forward, Julia saw it prepare to leap. Expecting to overwhelm it leapt forward, only for a sudden shift in her Elven form to match its height, and its instincts screamed for caution too late. A double block smashed its sweeping claws away. Ki Aura reacted to the blocked attack, and energy cooked through flesh, while the strength in Julia''s blocks shattered its wrists. Undeterred, its maw widened to roar or bite, even as a blocking arm came back, and a fist drove through its skull. The impact twisting its motion; it fell through where she had been.
A Green Slaadi at the back of the charge felt a moment of rage before peace. Its eyes slid closed as its weight pulled its body free from a fist that had burst from its chest. Other Slaadi close by spun at the wet sound, and a kick struck one, driving its shattered pelvis up through its torso. Gliding past, she grasped its out-flung arm and threw it into more. As the red glow faded from its eyes, she dropped a third on top to pin those squirming underneath. Its fading light snuffed out when a Ki strike exploded through them all to pulverise flesh and stone alike.
Teleport carried her past a confused pair even as she was pivoting to gain momentum. As Julia spun, her arms changed to blades, and blood sprayed from bisected foes. The twin blades wreathed in white flames, and she reappeared among more opponents. A dancer’s pirouette carved edges through flesh, and Destruction Mana left ash behind.
While the casters among their numbers lashed out with an arsenal of spells, their attacks lagged behind her ever changing course. From one mass of foes to another, Slaadi spells burst across those left dead in her wake. Fire Balls feeding on Limbo’s Chaos continued to burn beyond their initial burst and set a gauntlet for attackers to run or flee. Illusions of the Sisterhood’s assassins tried to grasp Julia’s mind, but she brushed their phantasms aside. Their attempt to prey on her fears far too weak to make headway seemed nothing more than empty holograms.
Waves of darkness, set to bind or blind, fared no better against her aura, senses, and will. While Julia left invisible attackers broken in her path, their anticipation of surprise turned fatal by True Sight. Casters and melee attackers alike fell in waves as scores came from beyond a ridge. As the last Slaadi fell, Julia brushed aside the combat summary and raced in the direction the attacker had originated. As her gaze swept over the massive field below, Protean changed form, and a stray rock bounced its way down the steep slope towards what lay beyond.
Their vast acreages of pens didn’t hold what she’d feared; rather, each contained a chained and beaten Demon or Devil. All the Demons were the lowest Tiers from their size or appearance, but there was a vast array of types present. Brín, Dretches, Succubi, Hümsi, and dozens of others besides and more Devils than haste let her count. One after another, as the unimportant stone fell, Analysis showed their infected states, with a few mere hours from a Slaadi hatching. Soul Sight showed a developing seed of pure Chaos formed within their chests as the hosts writhed in pain.
Planar Sense jumped and split again as she came to a halt among other rocks. Instead of pointing ahead, it had turned straight up towards the maelstrom’s eye. In contrast, a fresh branch headed towards the prison’s centre where the Portal had flared to life. It was a form shaped of seething Chaos similar in outline to a Blue Slaadi, though its hide drank in light even to True Sight and stood only two metres tall. The force of its presence kilometres away caused Julia’s Danger Sense to scream, even without having its focus. When it moved, it was with a grace and speed that Julia’s perception found hard to track, and it soon stood before a stone plinth and a figure that sat upon it.
The crossed-legged form was a Githzérai, but the cut of his clothing was far different. Instead of stark and practical, Julia could see thick gold thread and gemstones worked through the bright silken robes he wore. While Soul Sight showed, he possessed greater discipline than the Githzérai she’d met his focus was pure narcissistic self-interest.
Analysis
[Name: Krlakai
Species: Githzérai
Class: High Anarch / Prime Anarch / Overmind / Psion
Details: Hired by Yaro Yiyan to maintain the region for his assault forces'' breeding pens. High Anarch Prestige Class is available from combining Wizard and Psion at level 70. Prime Anarch is available from combining Wizard and Psion at level 70 after having gained High Anarch. Overmind Prestige Class is available from combining Psion and Tyrant at level 70.
]
Analysis
[Name: Yaro Yiyan
Species: Unique
Class: Chaos Guardian / Death Lord / Dread King / Berserker
Details: Eldest spawn of Ygorl, initial Guardian of the Spawning Stone. Chaos Guardian is a Prestige Class only available to a Blue Slaadi at Species-level 80 or higher. It combines Berserker and Hunter at Level 80 or higher; this Class forces evolution to Death Slaadi. Death Lord details are unavailable at your current Skill level. Dread King details are unavailable at your current Skill level.
]
[Soul Sight [M](1->3)
Analysis [S] (10->11)]
Yet another thing I stand no chance against.
Teleport set Julia back over the ridgeline, and as she held a position there, she focused on Planar Sense. The shortest path towards the Spawning Stone still led her towards the pens. The longer path had returned to its original course instead of towards the sky’s maelstrom.
Am I in orbit? The Spawning Stone is straight up. I’ve been turning past it this whole time. Falling down the side of the mountain just pushed me so far off the orbit it reset the path.
[Planar Sense [M] (12->13)]
Fine, thanks for the hint!
There have to be thousands of Demons down there. Does the hatching cause them to die, or can they survive it?
((Stronger Demons can survive if the Spawn doesn’t destroy their physical form’s heart or spine during the birthing. ))
Thanks, Laodice, but that could be even more worrying. How much of an assault force is he raising?
Why would he need to raid Asgard? Heck, what is he even building an assault for? The Slaadi are scavengers of the Blood Wars. They rarely engage either side, and neither side trusts them. Though that’s assuming he’s actually raiding Asgard, those might be another Slaadi Lord’s plan or something else. Life - it’s always full of the unknown.
I wonder if my hidden state will also block Krlakai from reading my mind or sensing my presence. Even that won’t stop him from seeing me if his psychic abilities improve regular sense. I practiced Stealth in the Necropolis, but with that many Prestige Classes I''ve no idea what his perception is like.