Walking to Rosewater

[Ebiris]

"From the context they may have been discussing the entire operation, which is unfortunate for the view we'll get when handling my first question," Alicia says tiredly.

[Anastasia]

Jessica sighs at that, rubbing her temple before, "All they wanted to do was hurt you. All of this, to make you hurt. All of this, because of some thrice damned slight?"

"It brings me no joy," Naeys says, "I'm sorry, Jessica."

Latha leans over and hugs Jessica, an embrace where neither speaks. Instead it's Syala who says, "We're going to have to kill her, Alicia. Not now perhaps, but one day." Her fist balls up, clenched tight. "To protect all of us and ours. She wants to hurt us and our families. The Demon Queen of the Succubus has declared us an enemy and wants us not to die, but to suffer. I won't tolerate it. No one touches any of you. No one."

[Ebiris]

"We'll get her," Alicia nods. "Not today, or even tomorrow... but one day. You're stronger than they realise, Jessica," she concludes, looking over at her recently ascended sister in support.

[Anastasia]

Jessica looks to you, "Thank you, sister. I love you."

Smiling, Syala reaches out to pat Jessica's head, "I love you like the sister I never had," she says, "Don't forget that for every Malcanthet, we're here with you."

[Ebiris]

"Love you too," Alicia says, before she turns to Naeys. "Ask what else the demon invasion was supposed to accomplish?" she asks, hoping this won't come with another intimate scene as backdrop.

[Anastasia]

A sunlit place outside, warm and beautiful. Here in a dug out pit Malcanthet and Violet watch hundreds of mortals rut, mindlessly fulfilling their basest instincts. On occasion as you watch, one collapses and you sense a soul screaming as it realizes it's not going anywhere, home indeed forever. The two snack on light refreshments as they watch and talk.

"...The reasoning is sound, of course," Violet begins. "But besides a chance to topple Sylica if the army succeeds, what else?"

Malcanthet's laugh is lovely, the sound of bells ringing and birds singing and so many other good memories of beauty. "Besides our lovely little present for Jessica?" she asks aloud, "This army gathers up many lesser demons who have outlived their usefulness. Should they perish and demote, all the better. Should they never come back, even better. Should they succeed? Well, everything has a price, even Alicia's defeat. There are leadership resources and favors there I hate to expend, but...omelets and eggs, bodies and souls." A hand is waved, as if dismissing some trivial thing.

A long sip, a memory of the taste echoing - of sweetened tea, chilled. "And?" A simple question, darkly amused.

"Why Violet," Malcanthet says fondly, "To get Alicia's attention. She'll be angry, easy to direct, easy to manipulate. She is powerful," Malcanthet concedes, "But of limited intellect and no creativity, much like her pet devil."

"Then-!" Violet turns to Malcanthet, "It is time?"

"It is time," Malcanthet says, "The Adversary's aid is expensive, as is Umberlee's," she says, "Do not fail, not this close."

[Ebiris]

"Ordinarily I could shrug that off, but knowing how they planned this out and it worked mostly how they wanted really stings," Alicia says.

"Don't sell yourself short, you've changed things in big ways all over the planes. If all that took was brute strength anyone could've saved the Androlynne children, freed Benfal, redeemed Eblis... and those are just the big ones," Marie says supportively.

"I suppose," Alicia says. "Still, I'm vexed at being looked down on so much. Naeys, follow up question on that last part: time for what?"

[Anastasia]

"She may as well have called you a dumb cow," Antenora's voice is restrained, "It does sting and it infuriates me." She speaks levelly, "So she wants a war, does she?"

"It's not how we fall that matters, it's how we get back up," Latha says, "It's inevitable that with so many plans and plots, at least a few will succeed against us."

Naeys nods, preparing in the meantime.

[Ebiris]

"Just lets not get provoked too much. Even being careful and deliberate as we looked into Violet and prepared a subtle infiltration ended up being fully expected," Alicia says.

[Anastasia]

The previous memory continues.

"I will not," Violet vows, "Malcanthet, with this I will be a step closer to unstoppable power."

"The erinyes and the courre can be yours to break," Malcanthet promises, "Whatever will you do with them?" Her voice is light, almost cheerful.

"Demogorgon," Is the answer, "Two of them, a perfect entertainment for him. Set up properly, of course."

"With the souls you will have, the sky is the limit," Malcanthet agrees.

[Ebiris]

"I wasn't even a courre when they were talking about this, was I? It's after we killed Jade," Marie pipes up.

"You still have that reputation, it's like how people call Violet a succubus even though she's a lillitu," Alicia reasons. "I thought there might be something more, but it ties into what happened today. For my own information, ask her when she discovered we were in Rosewater?" she asks Naeys, since it'd be good to know at what point they were given away - or if the Adversary tipped them off in advance.

[Anastasia]

Violet sits before a tome, reading it - profane magic, of sacrifices and blood.

They approach. Be ready.

'Yes, Malcanthet,' Violet replies immediately, rising.

"The Adversary, or perhaps some esoteric long range detection," Antenora considers. "But my guess would be the Adversary."

"Mine too," Syala agrees, "It fits too well."

[Ebiris]

"He played both sides," Alicia agrees. "Well, lets get to brass tacks and learn about her methods. The ritual was nice but I'm curious why she hadn't simply availed herself of the same skills she was handing out to others before then. Ask her how the copying of skills and knowledge through the Styx works?"

This will probably be quite technical so Alicia settles in to listen and watch carefully.

[Anastasia]

It will, so give me Spellcraft and K:A.

[Ebiris]

[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+90 spellcraft with lots of buffs
[18:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=4]
[18:28] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+90 k:a with lots of buffs
[18:28] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 101 > [d20=11]