Advancement

[Ebiris]

"I hope it will. After all the hard fighting to save Lifasa and what Muirfinn endured in particular, they deserve some happiness," she agrees. "Now, we don't have time to go look up Valnala right away so we'll leave that until after our meeting on Mechanus. Will you hold onto this?" she offers Vivantha's crown to her sister.

[Anastasia]

"Gladly, sister," Jessica takes the crown.

Okay, who is going on that meeting and any prep for it?

[Ebiris]

Alicia, Antenora, Jessica, and Marie. No specific prep beyond the usual spells for going out and about.

I mean I guess I'll make a knowledge check for the specific part of Mechanus we're meeting in. Take 10 for 101 on planes with all the buffs.

[Anastasia]

It's Gear 49240. It's remote and secluded, used for various quiet meetings under the protections of Mechanus for all sides. Nothing fancy there.

[Ebiris]

That's fine then.

[Anastasia]

The song of the gears is steady and soothing. As you step forth onto the gear - smooth metal, no semblance of nature on this one - you can all hear it.

Antenora takes a moment to listen, expression soft and contemplative.

Jessica turns to Marie and doesn't say anything, but smiles faintly.

Ahead lies a large domed building, blockish in build and made of polished steel. It's bright, well kept and unmarred. Vast doors lead within, large enough for a tarrasque to head in.

[Ebiris]

Marie just smiles and shrugs back at Jessica. It's dull and wearying but sacrifices must be made.

Alicia at least is soothed, waiting for everyone to get their bearings before she walks towards the building ahead of them. She's armed and armoured, but she doesn't really consider that important to worry about at a peaceful meeting, not with everything else they're all capable of. Going unarmed or the like is just posturing when magic and power are so readily available.

[Anastasia]

No matter what this music soothes me, Alicia. It gives us an advantage.

Meanwhile, Antenora and Jessica are the same for how it matters for beings of your power. You stride in, all one great domed space. The walls are richly colored silver-gold, with murals of the Inevitables here. All serving something higher, from the smallest ones to the greatest, from on end to the other to ultimately loop around and begin again.

It is here he awaits. The Adversary is robed in black, a hood up to hide his face. He studies the mural with seeming calm, hardly a reaction at all. Instead as you approach?

Sylica.

[Ebiris]

Alicia takes a look at the mural as she walks in, stopping once they're addressed. "Oinoloth," she says aloud. "We are here to parlay with you."

[Anastasia]

The robed creature turns to you, gaze hidden by his hood.

I know what you wish to gain. I can provide this information.

What is it you want then, daemon?

Sharran trinkets, enchanted items and even artifacts. If they relate to disease or poison, all the better.

[Ebiris]

Alicia considers this while conferring with the others.

We don't have anything disease specific - and I would be loathe to provide such anyway. Dragodan's sword or armour may suffice. Would you be willing to hand such items to the Oinoloth, Antenora?

[Anastasia]

Antenora does not turn away from the Adversary. I am loathe to. I fear all too well they'll end up back in Shar's hands.

Yet I know I would like no request the Adversary makes and that we must stop Violet. I can live with it.

[Ebiris]

"Marie, would you return to Sylica and fetch the sword and armour from your recent prize? Either should suffice here," Alicia says, Marie bowing and departing.

She'll return soon enough, but it does give time to converse if anyone wants to take it!

Assuming no one does, Marie returns bearing a suit of armour and a sword.

Shadow's Victory: This long sword+9, ghost touch and unholy is made of shadow stuff hard as adamantine and with double the base hit points of adamantine. As a free action, the wielder can have Shadow's Victory become any type of bladed weapon. Regardless of the form, it appears as a steel weapon with a serrated edge.
For every shadow within 400ft of the wielder, Shadow's Victory grants the wielder a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, armor class, saving throws and ability checks (maximum +20). If the total morale bonus +5 or higher, the wielder gains immunity to critical hits. If the total morale bonus is +10 or higher, the wielder gains a fly speed equal to a greater shadow's fly speed and the ability to pass through solid objects as they wish. If the total morale bonus is +20, Shadow's Victory deals double damage against living creatures.

Oblivion's Paean: Full plate armor+8. This armor increases the wearer's strike of oblivion class feature's damage by 2d4 points of damage. The wearer's caster level for spells with the darkness or evil descriptors rises by 1. Spells with both descriptors rise by 3 instead.

"We've seen little in terms of disease from Shar, but either of these is a prize worth Rosewater's secrets," Alicia says to the Adversary.

[Anastasia]

As Marie is gone?

Why did you oppose Aurora in the Astral?

There is a few moments of silence before, Why did you support them?

You're new, likely have a thousand daggers aimed at your back and you know that any serious expansion into the Astral would have every force agree to crush you. You're too cunning to make a foolish move like that without a strong reason. Plus what do you care of the slaad? You chose to meet at Mechanus.

[Ebiris]

Alicia lets Antenora try and sate her curiosity without any interruption. Whether the Adversary will be forthcoming or honest she rather doubts.