Endless rise above

[Anastasia]

A solemn nod to that, "Each one feels important," Cresiel says at last, "It destroys any ability to be impartial, to take the longer view that death is merely a gateway. They matter."

Of course they do. Otherwise Eblis would've been justified in his temper tantrum. Congratulations on fatherhood, Cresiel, I hope you don't mind hundreds to trillions of children.

A sound that isn't really anything but a grunt of displeasure comes from Cresiel in response to that. "They always mattered," he says at last.

But until now, it wasn't personal. Divinity in Creation is ultimately a trap. Deities give and give and give themselves, and in the end, what does that leave? Are we anything more than what are represent now, sanded down by countless prayers and Competitions? Do your hobbies and interests even matter now, because every waking moment is dedicated to the welfare of those who serve you?

Cresiel exhales, "I will endure," he says at last.

Zaphkiel help you.

I will.

Sylvie's startled laugh is heard, rich and beautiful. Cresiel smiles a moment and bows his head, and murmurs, "Thank you."

[Nephrite]

"Everything we do matters." Moore says with a smile. "If it didn't, places like Brightwater wouldn't even really exist, they'd just be a functional place without and real joy in it."

[Anastasia]

"Mother would be besides herself," Cresiel concurs quietly, and then, "Now then, what task must we accomplish?"

[Nephrite]

"I need to find out if we've heard back on something." Moore says. "Remember those pieces of gear I've been looking for? Someone in Dis has two of them, and I asked our diplomats to see if we could come to some agreement on them. I want to get all of them back, then go challenge Shar's stupid castle of eternal nightmares or whatever it is she calls it to get his soul back. I think if we have all the pieces it might make getting him back easier." He explains.

"Other than that, I did some investigation into CRIMSON, and there are a few other... creatures out there like it, and I want to see what we can do about consolidating them there." He adds. "And there's also the matter of the seed we still have unresolved, but right now I want to focus on these, as I think we'll find a way to handle that as we go."

[Anastasia]

"Tell me more about those other creatures," Cresiel asks as you fly along. "How many others are there?"

[Nephrite]

"Two, that I uncovered. BLUE and ORCHID. Someone named 'The Empty Knight' created CRIMSON, and I assume created the other two. CRIMSON was created with the eventual goal of consuming something called 'The Anathem.'" Moore explains. "BLUE is apparently within ORCHID, or... something. Last I checked, ORCHID was near the Broken City in the Astral Plane, but there's no guarantee that it's still there now. I could try and contact it and find out where it is, though."

[Anastasia]

A terse nod, "Then us begin, while we have time yet. Creation's flow will not wait on us long, will it?" Cresiel says.

[Nephrite]

"Yes. Actually..." Moore trails off. "Come with me."

Moore will move to where CRIMSON currently is! Perhaps it can help find the other two.

[Anastasia]

This is easy enough.

What's your plan here?

[Nephrite]

Ask CRIMSON if it's familiar with BLUE or ORCHID, and perhaps if it could help them find the other two somehow, or sense them if they were to go looking.

Also if it's familiar with them, then we can just reach out directly through magic!

[Anastasia]

CRIMSON is found and merely awaits your question, poised.

As you do? You feel a ripple amid the surges of events and prayers you hear. An unknown man's voice who prays, "If you're real, Moore. If you're anything, help me. Show me what I'm missing."

[Nephrite]

"CRIMSON." Moore greets. "I've learned of BLUE and ORCHID, do you know either of those names?" He asks.


Meanwhile, he manages to handle this other situation. Goodness, he'd never have been able to focus like this before.

It sounds like this person is trying to make something...? Hm, maybe he can see through his eyes for a moment?

He'd like to see what this unknown person is trying to do. I'm guessing that's possible since he's being prayed to.

[Anastasia]

As CRIMSON regards you? You can sense a tall man, quiet. Poor. Dreadfully hungry. His name is Sadas and he's trying to get work, trying to stave off starvation. Unfortunately few have work here. A ripple, an image of dead hopes, of a lost war and massive poverty and conquest after.

[Nephrite]

Moore will wait for CRIMSON's response as he regards this man.

Poor and hungry usually go together. What of this place - are there rivers nearby with fish? A forest with animals? Is anything left for this man to pursue?

Even in doing so, Moore considers how much intervention he can afford into a place like this. Perhaps he could send someone with food...?

[Anastasia]

A broken kingdom. A castle and town, both in ruin. A name comes to your mind - Homegrad. Soldiers who serve under the banner of a red fox strut about as if they own the city, they take what they want. Hope chokes under the cruelty of of human and gnoll. The fields are ashes, the rivers choked with the blood and debris of war.