(IR) The 3rd IR, Turn 7 (thread 2)

[Edena_of_Neith]

WAR

ATTACKS AND DEFENSES ON DAY 3, TURN 7


11TH LEVEL DUELING ON DAY 3, TURN 7

4 against Forsaken One’s Hive Cluster - 75% intact: - 1 to Attacks and Defenses / Attack by Melkor (4), Defense is 6, - 1 modifier is in effect, Final Number is - 1

68 ROLLED.
RESULT: NO DAMAGE INFLICTED

15 against Melkor’s Church of Shade and Shadow Empire - 74% intact: - 1 to Attacks and Defenses / Attack by Anabstercorian (4), Dagger (4), Kaboom (7), Defense is 4, - 1 modifier in effect, Final Number is 12

15 ROLLED
RESULT: 100% DESTRUCTION.
MELKOR'S POWER IS DISARMED, AND IS NOW SUBJECT TO A COUP DE GRACE ATTACK.


7 against (Rhialto) The Black Brotherhood - 88% intact / Attack by Festy Dog (4), ‘o Skoteinos (3), Defense is 4, no modifiers in effect, Final Number is 3

28 ROLLED
RESULT: 50% DESTRUCTION.

4 against William’s Kevellond League - 97% intact / Attack by Black Brotherhood (4), Defense is 4, no modifiers are in effect, Final Number is 0

31 ROLLED
RESULT: 12% DESTRUCTION.
LOSSES ARE SENT TO THE ELDER ONES.

4 against Kaboom’s Nations of the Chosen of Mystra - 100% intact / Attack by Corrupted Allies of Melkor (4), Defense is 9, no modifiers are in effect, Final Number is - 5

60 ROLLED
RESULT: NO DAMAGE INFLICTED

- - -

COUP DE GRACES ON DAY 3, TURN 7

No Coup de Graces went off on Day 3

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

The Fourth Touch

The Fourth Touch occurs across Realmspace, Greyspace, Krynnspace, the Crystal Spheres holding Athas and Mystara, and it also occurs in all of the hundreds of Crystal Spheres a certain Power is sending Red Puddings to.

(The DM chuckles darkly)

It isn't Melkor sending them.
It also isn't the Power that is sending the Black Balls that continue to take people away by the thousands, from ALL Powers, to Ravenloft.
And it is not Yours Truly, the DM.

However, the Mists love it.

The Fourth Touch comes without any apparent effect on anyone.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

A figure robed in Red approaches Melkor.

There is no need for Melkor to go inside himself this time - the Mists have pulled everyone sufficiently far down into evil that the Red Figure can physically manifest now.

It speaks, to Melkor, mockingly:

Well met again, Lord Melkor.
My oh my ... it seems you just lost your 11th level Army.
And oh yes, you also lost all your 11th level magical items, your 11th level infrastructure ... why, my poor sir, even YOU can no longer throw 11th level magic.

(All of the above is quite true.)

Now look at all of them out there.
They're coming for you, my friend.
That Coup de Grace is coming for the Shade.

Bye bye, Shade.
Bye bye, Church of Shade.
Bye bye, Shadow Empire in the Plane of Shadow.
Bye bye, giant Shade City.
Bye bye, Rivalen.
Oh, so sorry ... bye bye, Lord Melkor.

Your next stop is the Royal Prison of Kalanyr ... or maybe Anabstercorian will get you ... he has these just WONDERFUL things planned for you, you know. Or maybe it will be Hazen, or even Siobhan ...

The figure laughs.

Hehe. Lord Melkor, you are going to make quite a prize trophy for Kalanyr's wall.
If Anabstercorian gets you, it won't be the cerebral fluid that kills you.
Heh. Perhaps Hazen will have mercy, and put a Helm of Opposition on you.

(WARNING TO THE PLAYER - THERE IS NO APPEAL AGAINST A COUP DE GRACE. IF THEY ATTACK, AND YOUR POWER IS SUBJECT TO 100 PERCENT DESTRUCTION, THEY HAVE YOUR PC!! BY THAT, I MEAN MELKOR THE GOD, NOT THE AVATAR. THIS IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE. IF THEY CHOOSE TO KILL MELKOR THE GOD, HE IS DEAD. FOREVER. FINIS.)

The figure then speaks, softly:

Lord Melkor, it's not too late.
The Dark Powers offer you a Domain of your own, in Ravenloft.
If you accept, you will be imprisoned in Ravenloft - you know that well.

However, if you accept, and these other fools pull their Crystal Spheres into Ravenloft, we will make ALL OF THEM a part of your Domain.

And you know that the Domain Lord is the SUPREME POWER in his own Domain.

In this, we offer you a way to revenge yourself upon them all, Lord Melkor.
A way to destroy them all, or enslave them all forever.

We win if you do this, yes.
So do you.

If you refuse us THIS TIME, we will not again make the offer.

We will allow you to try to negotiate with your enemies here.
We do not think Anabstercorian, is going to negotiate.

The figure chuckles.

We DO think Anabstercorian is going to kill you.

The figure chuckles again.

They are hypocrites, Lord Melkor.
They deign to call you a foe, and an evil.
They do this, when secretly amongst them is one who is deliberately attempting to bring all of their realms to us.
They do this, when another one of them is seeding hundreds of Crystal Spheres, so that they may come to us.
They do this, when they have massacred millions, and are currently massacring millions (sadly, it's true, folks, and 11th level magic is being used to cover it up, so ... forget trying to find out what is happening. Just know that it's very bad.)

Lord Melkor, become a Darklord.
They will fall.
They will fall, and Ravenloft will take them.
When it does, YOU will rule them all.

If you refuse, we will not help you.
We will watch as your enemies utterly destroy your people and you.
Hazen will not be able to restrain them, Lord Melkor - they WILL attack and destroy your people.
All of your people.
The Shade will be no more.

You may accept our offer.
You may refuse our offer.

Which will it be, Lord Melkor, Lord of All, Rightful Ruler of all the Spheres?

 

[Anabstercorian]

ACTIONS FOR DAY 4

========

11th Level Attack: Level 4 Coup De Grace against Melkor (In the form of a personal attack by Anabstercorian, using the Starfire Cannon and the True Staff of Ancient Penumbra. Goal is to kill ALL the shade (with death and killing and whatnot) and capture Melkor, effectively an Annihilation attack.)
11th Level Defense: Level 4 defense over Knights of Neraka
11th Level Wonder: The Knights of Neraka are cleaning the Oerthian ecosystem of grime, using a one-hour effect.

========

ALL SENTIENT LIFE FORMS WITH THE CAPACITY TO USE DWEOMERS OF THE ELEVENTH TIER, THIS IS A DICTATE OF ANABSTERCORIAN. DO NOT ATTACK MELKOR. HE IS MINE. ONCE I HAVE APPROPRIATELY PUNISHED HIM FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS AGAINST ME, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN CAN HAVE HIM TO PUNISH AS THEY SEE FIT. THAT IS ALL.

========

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

The Scro Star League is able to finally discover that an attack is being made on Crystal Spheres outside of the ones involved in the IR.

The Scro Star League travels to many Crystal Spheres along it's regular trade routes.

None of these have been attacked.

However, news is coming - very sketchy and fragmented via long range magical communication - from more remote Crystal Spheres that they are under very heavy attack by an unknown force.

There are reports of some unholy monster - nobody knows quite what to call the thing, that is destroying whole cities, whole nations, and ... if it is to be believed ... entire worlds.

The Scro Star League has run this through their computers and fact-finding magics, and discovered most of these reports are truthful - some aren't, and are the result of an attack from some other source unrelated to the IR.
The Scro Star League knows casualties are in the tens of millions - however, probable casualties, they say, are in the hundreds of millions.

Also, the Scro Star League has been able to guess with 75% certainty that the Crystal Spheres attacked were ones in which no strong defense existed against attack.
Apparently, whoever is doing this picked out of the way places - which delayed discovery, and picked helpless systems which could not hope to fight what was thrown at them.

- - -

I have stated everyone has a 1 in 3 chance of determining, through 11th level magic, what another Power in the IR is doing.
Therefore, I am assuming all of the Powers in the IR are attempting to determine WHO is sending this attack out at the Crystal Spheres.
I am also assuming that all of the Powers in the IR are attempting to determine who is creating the Black Balls of Emotion which are stealing tens of thousands away to Ravenloft.

Remember, if the 1 in 3 effort fails, the automatic result is a false answer.

Here are the results of these efforts:

Alyx - is certain it is Anabstercorian who is throwing the Red Goo at the other Crystal Spheres, and that it is Tokiwong who is creating the Black Balls which are taking people to Ravenloft.
Anabstercorian: Mr. Draco/Serpenteye and 'o Skoteinos.
Alzem: Creamsteak and Forsaken One.
Black Omega: Mr. Draco/Serpenteye and Tokiwong.
Creamsteak: o'Skoteinos and Creamsteak.
Dagger: Creamsteak and Tokiwong.
Festy Dog: Zouron and Mr. Draco/Serpenteye..
Forsaken One: Anabstercorian and Sollir.
Kaboom: Tokiwong and 'o Skoteinos.
Kalanyr: Sollir and Mr. Draco/Serpenteye.
Melkor (before he was Disarmed): Creamsteak and Mr. Draco/Serpenteye
The Corrupted Allies of Melkor: Kaboom and Tokiwong.
'o Skoteinos: Sollir and Zouron.
Sollir: Sollir and 'o Skoteinos.
Tokiwong: Kaboom and Mr. Draco/Serpenteye
Uvenelei: Anabstercorian and Mr. Draco/Serpenteye.
William: Tokiwong and Forsaken One.
Zelda: Creamsteak and Sollir.
Zouron: Anabstercorian and Creamsteak.

Note that Rajaat is not included because he could not be doing this.
The Black Brotherhood is not included because it has been determined beyond all doubt IC they are not involved.
The United Commonwealth of Toril is in anarchy, and can not determine anything.
The Humanoid Alliance is played by Mr. Draco and Serpenteye - it counts as one of their Powers.

All of the Powers in the IR are attempting to find out who the culprits are, and dutifully reporting their fact-finding conclusions, including the culprits.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

The Red Robed figure, who represents the Dark Powers of Ravenloft, stops talking as Anabstercorian's deafening IR-wide call is heard.

Then he turns back to Melkor, and comments casually, smiling:

You see? I do not think they will be negotiating.

Now, if you come with me to Ravenloft, you will have your own Domain.
And when squid-head yonder comes into your Domain, you will be the one inflicting the punishment on him, and not the other way around!

What say you, Melkor, Lord of All?

Sure, we have a price for our help.
Nothing is free.
Yet we offer you power over your enemies, power to bring Anabstercorian to his knees as your abject slave, power to silence Hazen the Deluded.

We do not pretend to offer all this for free, but we do offer you a chance to rule supreme over your foes.

Again, if you refuse us, we will simply return whence we came.

And then you can go talk to Anabstercorian.
He has 11th level magic.
You don't.
We believe the outcome of said discussion will be clear enough.

Come with us, Lord Melkor.
When you come, all your people come with you, and will be protected from attack.
Come to Ravenloft, and you and yours will rule supreme.

Or, remain here and watch your people die, and be forced to endure Anabstercorian's ... conversation ... with you after you are captured.

The choice, is yours.

 

[Creamsteak]

Public Knowledge,

I am dropping my attack against Melkor. I am maintaining my defense for day four (Level 10). I will continue to hold my defense if it is not attacked.

I request that everyone accept peace now. I request that everyone stop fighting now. I request that everyone head this warning.

I believe that once the fifth touch sets in, its all lost. I believe that once it reaches the fifth touch, it would take everything to stop it from reaching the sixth. I believe our best hope is to try everything now.

I am requesting Absolute Peace. I am listing everyone who accepts the terms of Absolute Peace:

(Some assumptions had to be made)
William Ronald
Black Omega
creamsteak
Alzem
Venus
Kalanyr
Ho Skoteinos
Zelda
Uvenelei
Sollir

If you do not support Absolute Peace, then I offer you only one other option. Preparations for war with Ravenloft, on thier home turf. That certainly doesn't sound like a battle you can win, but if you stop fighting right now and prepare yourself for it, you might be ready when the time comes.

Melkor faces a third decision, to join Ravenlofts side. If he so chooses, and we go to Ravenloft, he will hold all the Aces. If he chooses to not go to Ravenloft, I wonder if some of my brethren would let him choose absolute peace...

 

[Creamsteak]

I call all the Player Characters of the Above Powers to come to the Church of Mercy. If another power wishes to join, any power listed above can allow them in. The Shell around the Church is that of a Level 10 defense (Not to be confused with a 10th level defense, which would be useless with 11th level attacks available), and that can be used to block attacks from outside, or to prevent people from escaping from inside if they were to try to flee after commiting some heinous act.

You are safe, my friends.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Absolute peace is acceptable immediately after I kick Melkor's ass. I'd like to categorically deny any involvement with any sort of Red Goo. I'm the same guy who blasted Luna to a screaming fragment of lava to try and destroy the Red Goo within it, remember? I have not been involved in Red Goo. Neither have I been involved in the little thought balls. Hell, I've got one of the damn things following me around!

Creamsteak, I'll be at the Church of Mercy immediately after I kick Melkor's ass. Please have some bactine ready for me.

 

[Creamsteak]

If you choose to kill Melkor, it's your choice. It was your victory, afterall. You can come to the meeting if, and when, you are ready for peace. If that means you must kill Melkor first, so be it. Keep in mind that removing red goo is non-violent - unless you want to try and fight it. Fighting the Red Goo is a loosing battle, but healing the souls will suffice to help. Just declare you are doing it as a full day or full hour action (or if you want to clean Luna: use one week).

How much Bactine? Should I get a pool ready?