Always Ascending

[Nihtgenga]

"Huh. just a load of shite..."
Retiaria tossed the bag aside, hopefully to be actually recognised by one of the magic users.

"I could get them to open the gate at least if you wanted to go that way."

"That'd help, thanks."

"What if we have two of us impersonate goblins and the rest turned into objects? The two who remain can make sure she doesn't try and keep the inanimate objects. A couple new goblins probably won't raise suspicion."

"Hmm... this isn't like back in town, we'd be going right into the Queen Bitch's fortress. I'd rather have us all ready and able to fight, but what do you think, Eve? That work?"

"I think you may be under the influence of some kind of mind control. If you'd like, I can try something to free you from it. There's no guaranty it will work though, and like with your own magic I need you to not resist."

"That fuckin' bitch!" Retiaria thought about this for a moment. "You said she's powerful and beautiful, but that doesn't mean you have to obey her. If she's zapped you with some kind of mind spell, you think she could do that to us when we attack too?"

[Ryuforce]

Duran mostly kept silent as she everyone else discuss the plan on what to do. Hearing the Gnoll both complain yet oddly praise the Gnoll Leader. "I don't care how beautiful or powerful she is, she must face justice for all the lives she's troubled. Every moment I hear anything said about her, it's all the more clear how horrible of a being she is." The paladin declared in response but listened next to Oric's plan, hoping deep down she doesn't have to let herself become another object so soon. "But... I don't think we still got the stuff any more that let us disguise as objects... So.. probably not." She stated but sighed in relief of not having to fear being stuck as a rag once more.

[Rest heal! 8(d1)+2=10]

[HP:25/28] [HD: 2/3] [AC: 18] [Lay on Hands: 15/15]

[Spell Slots: 1/3 Uses / Divine Sense: 4 Uses]

[Prepared Spells - Shield, Protection from Evil and Good, Cure Wounds, Bless, Divine Favor, and Heroism]

[Effects: Lou's buff. MultiAx Torch Mode.]

Lou's Buff - +1 to attack and damage rolls for next hour or until Lou loses Concentration.

[Alice]

THe gnoll blinks, "Well.. I guess you could just cast spells on me till you succeed.." She sighs and sits on a stump, "go ahead.."

She looks at Duran, "You mean the candy drops that transform someone.. I made those!" She smile, "I hope you liked them, I tried hard to make it fun to use... I gave a bunch to the town while I was there, but..." She lets it hang in the air..

"Anyway, I could try to turn a couple of you into goblins.. they are pretty simple creatures so that might work.. and I can turn my own spells off and on." She giggles, "There was this one goblin who loved it when i turned her into a little gold coin and carried her around in my pocket.. She got taken to the goddess though.."

[Nihtgenga]

"You mean the candy drops that transform someone.. I made those! I hope you liked them, I tried hard to make it fun to use... I gave a bunch to the town while I was there, but..." She lets it hang in the air..

"Yeeeeah... Someone liked them a bit too much." Retiaria shot A Look at Oric, "They don't work now, sorry."

"Anyway, I could try to turn a couple of you into goblins.. they are pretty simple creatures so that might work.. and I can turn my own spells off and on. There was this one goblin who loved it when i turned her into a little gold coin and carried her around in my pocket.. She got taken to the goddess though.."

"If you think you can do it, that sounds like a decent plan. Though... what do you mean by 'taken to the goddess'?"

[Roselli]

"I think I have a couple of those candies still. I grabbed one for Red and one for myself. But if you could do the magic, that might work even better. Maybe make it so we're not so lost..."

[Ordos]

Naethra frowned.

"So... we become goblins.  March in there... and drop the illusion (only it's not an illusion, its a definite transformation) when we have a good shot at the queen?  If we defeat her, will the other gnolls just... acquiesce?"

This didn't seem like a good plan.  It would leave them deep in enemy territory, cutting off any route of escape.  It assumed that they'd find better odds striking inside the castle.  But, most worrying of all, it assumed full trust in Eve.  What was to stop her from just not reversing the spell?  She was still loyal to the Queen... or, more appropriately, still indoctrinated.  She was amenable now because she'd been bested, but holding the reigns on the spell's reversal would give her the upper hand.  Why would she relinquish that?  What was to stop her from just delivering them to her Queen, crippled by their new forms and unable to mount a solid defense?

She didn't say this, for fear of alienating Eve.  Instead, she turned to Oric, "do you think you can break what the Queen has done to her mind?  Maybe... maybe we should find a place to camp.  For you to work your healing while we recoup, plan, and prepare." 

Someone would need to keep a watchful eye on the Gnoll. 

[Roselli]

"Im ready for a rest." Gwyn agrees and starts working on setting up a safe place, or at least a comfortable one.

"Its not a complete plan, but I say we try it. Worth the risk." Gwyn suggests.

[darlingng01]

Oric:

I nod to Naethra "I think I can. Even if not permanently, for a little while."

Hearing that she had made the pills gives me confidence "We have a reversion liquid for the pills, will that work on your transformations as well?" If so that's a great safety net.

I help set up camp, preparing a space for Eve and I to begin trying to fix her. I let her know to come see me when everyone's done talking with her so I can get started.

[Alice]

As the party settles in to eat, relax and enjoy an hour to themselves Eve sits on a tree stump, "ok.. do it.."

The party figures out what the magical doodads do.

@Dicho

Once you've held the spell as long as you could you find yourself reverting back into that feminine form. You feel ghostly hands on you as your body's shape reverts.. hear a whisper in your ears.. did you enjoy that little trip to a masculinity you never had? You feel your chest lifted up let to drop and bounce feeling.. heavier than it did before.. I think you were born to end up like this, it would have happened sooner or later.. a tragic 'accident' a potion mix up.. You would have found a way. The ghostly hands recede and the voice goes quiet.

Lou finds her body is now even more busty than she was before! maybe half a cup size, but the new weight is real.

[darlingng01]

Oric:

I decide to put my all into my prayer, hoping that Seln will grant me power to free her mind. I place my hands on her back and begin to pray "Oh divine father of the arcane, master of fates and chance, greatest of scholars and champion of slaves, hear my prayer: Grant me power to free her mind from malicious thrall. Show me the workings of the mind before me, reveal the tendrils of corruption, and allow me to purge them. Let my one word take root within her mind, and give it strength to resist. I [command] thee Eve, grant yourself [freedom] from the gnoll queens thrall."

I sigh as the spell is cast, and nothing seems to happen. Drat.

Cast number two, and I'll try a different word and prayer. "Father of magic and patron of slaves, I call on you to free this servant of her chains. Grant me power so that I may do your bidding. Eve, I [command] thee, [Resist] the gnoll queens thrall."

Eve hunches over, eyes closed concentrating.

Progress! I only have two castings left though... I decide to push my advantage "Guardian of the lost, Master of the infinite, savior of the bound, hear my prayers and grant these slave her freedom. Eve, I [command] thee, see the gnoll queen for what she truly is, I grant you a [Revelation]."

She yelps, biting her lip.

Crap, did I go to far? I decide to give her some time to breath, then see how she's doing "Well? How are you feeling?" I try to observe, watch for the hints of the gnoll queens continued control.

She pants in front of me, "Gods... I hate that bitch.."

I smile, rubbing her back "Do you think you can tell us more about her now? Without her influencing your opinion of her?"

Eve replies "I'll try.. She's pretty powerful as far as I know.. She has a pair of body guards.. really strong fighters.."

I think for a moment "Anything you can think of to help us take her down? Weaknesses or things she likes maybe a bit to much?"

Eve tries to come up with something "ummm... she.. reall likes food.."

I consider how best to make use of that fact, and recall the pastries from the previous floor "Does she have any resistance to poisons or trapped food?"

she shakes her head "I don't know."

I give her a friendly pet "That's okay, thank you for trying. Do you think she still has some control over you?"

she shakes her head again "I don't know.. I want her gone.. I know that."

I decide to wait and spend some time with her until the spells would wear off, to see how she reacts. After half an hour I decide to check "How do you feel about the gnoll queen now?"

she nods "Still hate her."

That seems good. I guide her back to the group "I think she's at least mostly free now. Eve, if you feel her slipping back in let us know."

[Roselli]

Gwyn looks her over and smiles. "It'll be nice to have someone else on our side. Do you think the queen messing with your head had any impact on your magic? Maybe you can do better now that you're free."

Gwyn feeling selfish, "If you needed, I could offer a test. Wouldn't mind if you would do something about my tail. Weird being half and half"

[Nihtgenga]

"Yeah... rest sounds good right now, that fight got me a bit... worked up."

Retiaria found a comfortable spot and dozed off for a while, lulled to sleep by the muffled sounds of Oric's spellcasting. After a quick nap, she ate some supplies then got to work repairing one of her nets.

[Leatherworking tools: 15+2= 17]

Just as she was tying off the last thread, Oric and Eve returned to the group.

"I think she's at least mostly free now. Eve, if you feel her slipping back in let us know."

"Eyy, good to have you with us!" Retiaria fished around in her pack and retrieved a bottle full of amber liquid. Raising it in toast, she declared "To freedom."
She took a swig, then offered it round.

[Ryuforce]

"Well I wish now I knew what those lemon treats would of done to me...." The dragonborn grumbled upon hearing that their target has a thing for food. "still, I don't know how I would feel about using such a weakness against her. I'm sure if we play our cards right we can take her down regardless." She put in her two cents on it, but least if they did try to bait this gnoll with food it hopefully would mean less transformations. In fact she started to shudder at the thought of having to change again if they are going to slip into the lair of the gnoll leader.


[HP:28/28] [HD: 3/3] [AC: 18] [Lay on Hands: 15/15]

[Spell Slots: 3/3 Uses / Divine Sense: 4 Uses]

[Prepared Spells - Shield, Protection from Evil and Good, Cure Wounds, Bless, Divine Favor, and Heroism]

[Effects: MultiAx Torch Mode.]

[Dichotomy]

I frown and bite my lip as I feel my magic wearing off. I knew it wasn't permanent... still, I gasp and squirm as I feel the invisible hands shaping me. It's... most disconcerting. All the more so when I hear the voice of whatever possesses the unseen hands. I hiss at it, trying to keep my voice low as I cross my arms over my chest, trying to hold it still "Scholarship is not implicitly feminine! I wasn't strapping, but there is nothing womanly about a venerable old sage just because he has focus on his mind rather than his body." and then add, petulantly "Had anything like this happened in some other way I would have been able to fix it..."

((Many thumbs up. very sexy))

[Alice]

Eve looks around then runs her hands through Gwens big soft fluffy tail.. "Ok.. I'll do what I can.." She takes a draw off of Retaria's flask.. coughs a bit.. then  grabs Gwen's tail. "Ok.. lets get this down to size!"

The air around Gwen crackles as she feels a pressure over her whole body. The tail starts to shrink.. shrink shrink.... then Eve sneezes and the rest of Gwens body contracts inward.  Moments later she is holding... a squirrel.. by the tail.. it's probably making chittering noises and squirming around.