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[Nephrite]

Moore extends his hand out to touch Illmater's, assuming that's what he's asking for!

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+13
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+20 (+4 strata)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=16]

Warmth comes to you, life returning and yet...you still feel cold in your bones.

"The power of Orcus resists," Ilmater says, voice heavy. "My friend."

In that moment a burning heat is around you, an intent, "We shall not let Orcus wins," the voice says, "Begone, touch of the Abyss."

> roll 1d20+14
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d20+20 (+4 strata)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=5]

Yet the cold remains.

"Worry not, for there is a third way," Ilmater says.

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "Hope always remains, even in the darkest times."

[Anastasia]

Stooping and pained, Ilmater continues on. "The third way is to go to a place of power, or a place that empowers you. There, you must take an artifact dedicated to Orcus and destroy it."

[Nephrite]

"I... don't suppose we have one of those just laying around." Moore says quietly.

[Anastasia]

"One," Ilmater finally says, "But it is exceedingly dangerous: The Frozen Skull of the Silent."

[Nephrite]

Moore frowns again.

He takes a breath in and out again. "It sounds like I don't have much of a choice, then. But, no matter what, at least there's hope."

[Anastasia]

Jetina stays quiet as Ilmater asks in a shaking voice, his back lacing open with a wealth of cuts. He shudders as his knee pops and breaks, yet stays standing. "Do you know of the skull?"

[Nephrite]

Moore shakes his head. "I've not heard of it before."

[Anastasia]

You can make an K:P check here if you like.

[Nephrite]

I kind of figured I wouldn't get much given the negative levels, but I'll try -- Take 10 for 64.

[Anastasia]

You recall mentions of various darkskulls and skulls, but nothing fitting that particular name.

[Nephrite]

"I... feel like I'm forgetting about something." Moore says with a sigh. "Normally this sort of thing is right up my alley, but..." a deep breath and then a shake of his head again. "I'm afraid in my current condition it may not be a good idea for me to even be near something like that."

[Anastasia]

Ilmater's face reddens with welts, while his arms slowly blacken and burn. "No...no...you would not know of this one, for this one we stopped before it was used for the first time. The Frozen Skull of the Silent causes freezing temperatures that leech the life from the living - and steals the air so that all living creatures suffocate. It does so in a large enough range to cover an entire Prime. It is one of the most foul works of Orcus and had we not stopped it and sealed it away, would have caused the death of at least one world. All that it leaves behind is a dead, frozen world."

"An entire..." Jetina trails off, "Chronias protect us," she looks upward, as the light from above continues to shine down.

[Nephrite]

Moore frowns even more deeply.

"That... truly is an awful thing." Moore agrees. "I..."

He takes in a slow breath.

"Were I in a more capable state, it wouldn't even be a thought to rally a force to go somewhere and take another of his artifacts for this." He says quietly. "The path laid before me is fraught with danger once again, it seems."