Sooo; let's try to not start the fight, and do the ritual quickly^^

Riding through the ethereal air on Perdita towards the lich, Hildegard calls out in reply.

"Were you not a mortal once, who came here to accomplish great things? Likewise we are here to banish forever the soul shards of Sserah Nightbane, first defeated by the Seven Heroes in millennia of old. We will not be here long. What would you consider a worthy exchange for our brief use of your home?"

(OOC: Catching up on last week's posts.  Before the Astral Lich is spotted, just making sure that we're all on the same page about who is doing what and when.)

Quote from mamoduck >>

OOC:
Lord Akkron had warned the party about the risks of the ritual including Sserah's soul going to one of the casters instead of the intended objects. Once the ritual starts, Nickeline will cast Protection from Evil and Good on whoever is going to cast the wish. It should last until the end as long as Nickeline's concentration isn't broken.

She does also have a second holy water if someone else can cast the spell (maybe Gorash?)

(OOC: IIRC, Jodie is the one who will actually make the Wish.  She's the best with words, and she's the one attuned to the [Tooltip Not Found].)

Hewelathan tells Nickeline that he has also prepared Protection from Evil and Good, but he agrees that Hildegard should take the holy water, saying, "If something attacks during the ritual, it may be better for me to focus on fighting the threat, summoning an animal spirit or perhaps a whole pack of animals to fight for us."

Hewelathan points out that if Jodie is going to cast her spell as a ritual, Nickeline should wait until Jodie is done casting that spell and is ready to start the ritual to use the wishes before providing protection.

Quote from Faux_Beau >>

Ruby closes her eyes, breathes in deeply, and finishes her incantation in Draconic and touches Hildegard's longsword to complete Cyrunnath's tooth. 

(OOC: @Faux_Beau - Just pointing out that the tooltip is for the 2014 version of the spell, but it looks like Ruby actually has the 2024 version of the spell, which does not require her concentration.  Therefore, Hildegard benefits from that spell for the next 1 hour no matter what other spells Ruby casts.)

Mortal concerns mean little, the lich says, its eye sockets burning with blue flame. But great power has been given to those who know not what it is. The tribute is not to stay, but to leave. When entropy takes hold, power belongs to one who can wield it with authority. You must give one vessel of power to leave this domain of entropy behind forever.

The lich looks at Hildegard expectantly, its demeanor calm. There is no rage in its voice. It isn't even especially impolite. But one thing is clear: it isn't asking.

(OOC: Note that it said "a vessel of power" and did not specify which one. It MIGHT be satisfied with a rare magic item, contingent on expert-tier Persuasion. And it seems willing to let you continue your ritual in peace as long as it receives its tribute after)

Once he's on the surface of the dead god, Hewelathan finds a firm spot where the others can gather as Hildegard and Predita bring them all down from the Ethereal Cruiser one-at-a-time.  This place does nothing for Hewelathan's sense of unease.  Even the light looks unnatural here!  Looking into the distance makes him feel a little queasy.  The place just feels Wrong.  Definitely unnatural. 

Hewelathan tries to focus on the task at hand and keeps watch for anything that could be a threat.  As the others arrive, he lifts them down off of Perdita and discusses their next steps as the group gathers.  But then...

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Selarial  "...that's an Astral Lich," she whispers, her voice trembling slightly. "I've only ever seen two before this one... and... I really don't think it will be as helpful as our Lord of the Shaded Isle."

(OOC: You guys have about 5 rounds before the Astral Lich is upon you...)

Korba immediately draws his Moonblade.  He cuts his arm with the blade to wet it with is own blood.  (Korba takes 5 HP of damage.) 

As Hildegard prepares to ride out and intercept the lich, Korba warns the knight, "The ritual will take at least 10 minutes.  Longer if Jodie first creates a magical sanctuary to protect them during the ritual.  If you cannot reason with it, there is little chance that you can distract it that long.  We will either have to run and try to hide from it, or we will have to fight it."

Hewelathan responds to Nickeline:  "I cannot believe that this lich is just lonely and looking for friends.  I expect that we've already met the only truly beneficent lich, Nickeline.  And he is not near enough to help us here."  He looks wary, ready to defend the others but worried about their chances against a lich.  He says to the whole group, "If we do have to fight it, everyone should scatter.  With 8-against-1, there's a good chance that we can defeat it, but our only hope is that it cannot catch more than one or two of us at a time with its spells, and enough of us survive for long enough to defeat it and then -- hopefully -- revive anyone who did not withstand the lich's power."  Hewelathan gives Korba a couple of Goodberries that he created the previous day before they left the Shaded Isle for the Radiant Citadel.

(OOC: 5 rounds before the lich is within 120-ft)  

Korba uses his action in the first 2 rounds to consume a Goodberry, bringing him back to full health.  If Jodie wants to start the wish ritual right away, then Korba will stay near Jodie to help with the ritual casting.  Otherwise, he'll use the next few rounds to reposition, in case they really do have to fight this lich.

Hewelathan starts to move carefully toward the lich as he watches Hildegard ride out to intercept it.  When the lich gets to a point 120-ft away from the rest of the party, he wants to be just 90-ft away from it, but he'd also like to be at least 40-ft away from any other party member.  As he walks closer to it, he moves off to the side of the axis between the lich and the rest of the party.

Hildegard nods. "I think that can be arranged," she says to the lich. "My companions are at work to bind the shards of Sserah's soul. It will take a few minutes. And then, we will bring you a vessel of power. Is that acceptable?"

If the lich is agreeable, Hildegard rides back to the group to tell them of the lich's terms. "The lich is not hostile, but it says we must give a vessel of power to be allowed to leave here. Do we have anything that would suffice?" Looking uncertainly between the different magical items. Hildegard is not even entirely sure what will be left when this is over.

Jodie listens carefully to the lich's request, "It asked for a 'vessel of power' did it not?  If I were a fey riddler, I would offer the decanter of endless water.  Is it not in fact both a vessel and a source of power?  Does the lich value a clever thought over true power?"

She stirs and considers other ideas, "I hope to be rid of Smiler, but he carries soul coins... Those are indeed vessels of power- able to trap souls.  I was not ready to face Smiler before, but before we are rid of him perhaps we strip him of his ill treasures.  What else can we offer?  Either way, I can handle the negotiation and will accept any guidance you all have to offer."

Jodie silently weighs if she should enhance her eloquence for such a pivotal negotiation.  Words have proven as mighty as evocations. 

"While I talk to the lich, scout a place we can perform the ritual.  If we can reach some agreement or at least buy ourselves some time, I will return and create Jodie's Cozy Hut."

Quote from Faux_Beau >>

 

Did Jodie's Perception 20 give her any prospects of areas that are less visible from the sky or beneath the surface?

 

 You noticed what looks like a cave... except for the rib bone showing through the cracking, stony skin. You could get inside of the dead god's thorax through that opening.

Nickeline takes her decanter of endless water out of her bag. "You can offer this, Jodie, if you think our new friend would accept it. If you really think about it, it's got unlimited power when it comes to creating water."

OOC:

Did we need the luck blade after its wishes are used up by the ritual? It's a vessel for magic power.

Quote from mamoduck >>

Nickeline takes her decanter of endless water out of her bag. "You can offer this, Jodie, if you think our new friend would accept it. If you really think about it, it's got unlimited power when it comes to creating water."

OOC:

Did we need the luck blade after its wishes are used up by the ritual? It's a vessel for magic power.

I don't think so. Jodie just wanted it.

Quote from Faux_Beau >>

Jodie listens carefully to the lich's request, "It asked for a 'vessel of power' did it not?  If I were a fey riddler, I would offer the decanter of endless water.  Is it not in fact both a vessel and a source of power?  Does the lich value a clever thought over true power?"

Hewelathan says, "Your wit with words seemed to charm Cynurrarth, Jodie, but dragons are known to be fond of riddling speech."  He doubts that the decanter would satisfy a lich.  He's unsure, but he doesn't think that such an item is so rare or powerful.  Arcana: 12 (in game log). 

Hewelathan asks Tamphalic and Gorash, "Would you call an enchanted decanter of this sort an item of 'power'?  It seems like it would be a rather simple item to create.  Especially for a lich.  I'm sure that I've heard of such items before, and even I know a spell to create gallons of water."  

Hewelathan doesn't mean to denigrate Nickeline's decanter and agrees that it's valuable, "especially to a man in a desert.  Or to a group on the move, as we have been.  But I believe the lich has no need of water itself."   He argues doubts that the lich will be be satisfied with the decanter.  There may be no harm in offering it, but he thinks that they should definitely have a back-up plan if -- as he expects -- the lich demands something more powerful.  

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

 You noticed what looks like a cave... except for the rib bone showing through the cracking, stony skin. You could get inside of the dead god's thorax through that opening.

Since Korba is supposed to be one of the casters for the ritual, he's willing to scout the "cave" if the group wants to go that way instead of standing their ground / negotiating with the lich.

If the others thing that Korba should scout the cave:

"I believe Liches don't need to drink, or eat or breath for that matter. So I'm afraid a decanther of endless water wouldn't be very valuable to such a creater." Tamphalic answers. "What do you guys think of offering the Spider staff? It's a powerful magic item, and therefore a vessel of power, right? I like the staff, and have made some great uses of it; but if it can be used to not fight this Lich I think it will be for the better."

Jodie nods at Tamphalic's gesture, "I will bargain best I can, but yes I think having a few items to offer gives us the best hope of appeasing the lich.  A staff does hold power in ways other magic items do not.  And it's a far rarer item, except for the legendary items part of the ritual."

Jodie confirms the agreement with the lich, "So we can deliver the payment afterwards?  Then I say let's all make haste and find refuge in the cave near the thorax.  Hold on Korba, you need not go alone..."

Jodie leads the party forward looking for a defensive position within the cave for the ritual.  She positions herself so the emanation would block passage through the cave to anyone outside the emanation.  Jodie begins casting Jodie's cozy hut by playing a soft Elvish ballad.  The temperature slowly begins to warm and a dim glow builds as a shimmering shell starts to form.  You could swear you smell cinnamon and clove in the air.  From the exterior, the emanation is becoming more opaque and a rich violet color.

"I was thinking the more explicit I am about the wish, the less that can go wrong yes?  I would wish for each soul transfer, item to item.  Anything more or less may be fraught with ambiguity.  Any last thoughts?"  Jodie grins sheepishly with what is becoming a consistent need for gallows humor.

Korba... walks straight into the "cave" and falls straight on his face with that Nat-1 Stealth.

Anyway, as Korba and everyone who agree to follow enter the thorax, you find yourselves standing on a petrified, still faintly pulsing heart. And... ten orbs of light approaching from each side. You can't tell for sure what they are, but they don't seem like they're interested in tribute the way the lich was. They're almost like... a vestige of the long-dead diety's "immune system" still trying trying to protect the body even if the divine essence no longer burns with life.

Quote from Mister_Whisker>>

Korba... walks straight into the "cave" and falls straight on his face with that Nat-1 Stealth.

Korba swears about the treacherous ground before he remembers that the "ground" is actually the body of a dead god.  Then he falls silent.

And... ten orbs of light approaching from each side.

(OOC: 10 total?  Or 10 from each side, for a total of 20?  Is there enough space in this cave that they can hover above us, out of reach of a melee weapon?)

Returning to go with the group into the "cave," Hewelathan looks warily at the orbs.  He asks, "Are those the fragments of celestial memories that you mentioned earlier, Lady Selariel?"  He tries to keep his distance from them, backing away, while he waits for an answer. 

Hewelathan is ready to fight, but he asks the others what they think: "Will destroying them provoke that lich?"

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Quote from Mister_Whisker>>

Korba... walks straight into the "cave" and falls straight on his face with that Nat-1 Stealth.

Korba swears about the treacherous ground before he remembers that the "ground" is actually the body of a dead god.  Then he falls silent.

And... ten orbs of light approaching from each side.

(OOC: 10 total?  Or 10 from each side, for a total of 20?  Is there enough space in this cave that they can hover above us, out of reach of a melee weapon?)

Returning to go with the group into the "cave," Hewelathan looks warily at the orbs.  He asks, "Are those the fragments of celestial memories that you mentioned earlier, Lady Selariel?"  He tries to keep his distance from them, backing away, while he waits for an answer. 

Hewelathan is ready to fight, but he asks the others what they think: "Will destroying them provoke that lich?"

(OOC: 10 that you can see. It does look like they have room to fly out of melee range in the massive carcass.)

"Yes, that's exactly what they are," Selarial says with a sad nod. "They're what's left of what I can only describe as the god's 'immune system.' They're lost, broken, and purposeless... but they will still attack any foreign entity as an invader of the divine body."

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

(OOC: 10 that you can see. It does look like they have room to fly out of melee range in the massive carcass.)

"Yes, that's exactly what they are," Selarial says with a sad nod. "They're what's left of what I can only describe as the god's 'immune system.' They're lost, broken, and purposeless... but they will still attack any foreign entity as an invader of the divine body."

Hewelathan says to the group, "Well, even if they haven't attacked us yet, if they're going to prevent us from completing the ritual here, then I guess we should snuff them out first."  He feels a little strange about destroying the remnants of a god, but he supposes that even gods are part of the Circle of Life even if their lives are long by the measure of the elves. 

Hewelathan proposes that they coordinate their attacks to destroy the things quickly and maybe even without them having an opportunity to strike back, "But maybe someone should just keep an eye on the Astral Lich in case destroying these things makes it angry."  He asks Lady Selarial and Nickeline whether they think the things can be damaged with fire or moonlight or the radiance of the stars.  (If he cannot reach their opponents with melee attacks, Hewelathan may have to rely on his magic in this fight.)