Silken touch

[Anastasia]

One word, a word whispered softly that overwhelms the steady chorus of raindrops here. "Yes."

"Why?" It's Syala who speaks up, a step forward to him. "You sent those survivors towards us, like you wanted to be found. Like you saved them. Like you knew what was going to happen. Why?"

"Death alone is not the answer," The Man of the Winds replies. "Life must endure, Syala-who-cannot-be-seen. Horror. The winds tell me about horror around you. Death is your birthright and hor-"

Syala darts forward, so fast as to leave blurry-bright afterimages of herself. She grabs the Man of the Winds by the beak and silences him. The sense of Syala grows exponentially around all of you, "No half truths, no riddles, no mysteries. Not today. You played that game with Muirfinn. So be it, he was a mortal who sought you out unsolicited. You will not treat us as mortals."

With a lean Syala goes face to face with him, eyes meeting his. "See how ready I am to return another fiend to eternal oblivion, seer." After this Syala lets go and steps back.

> roll 1d20+67 (+15 alter realitying and popping divine insight Syala is so over this today)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=7]

There no fear, no surprise. Only a steady gaze from the Man of the Winds, even as Syala lets her divinity be felt, if not pressed against him. "You accept your divine guilt for today." A statement, not a question. He meets her gaze again, and lets it linger.

"If I'm going to throw my power around, I don't have much choice, do I? I weep for only a very few in Windglum, but those few innocents are worth more than every other fiend, monster and blackguard in this blighted city." Syala keeps her voice even, even as her posture is rigidly tense. "Yes. It was our mistake, and we have to live with that. As Alicia said, when gods posture, mortals suffer. "

[Ebiris]

"How do you know about the 666th layer of the Abyss?" Alicia asks after that display. "Are you Colke?"

[Anastasia]

With Syala's gaze on him, "I am not. I know because the winds tell me so. There are such secrets on the winds, if you know how to listen. They are not guarded there. The guards are asleep or never were."

[Ebiris]

Who is Colke then, and why was he mentioned in the same breath as Malcanthet and Kina-ja?

"Then what is that gigantic corpse-thing there, really?" Alicia asks.

[Anastasia]

Here the Man of the Winds smiles, his beak twisting.

"Do not speak of him. Do not ask his name. Do not speak his name, for it is lies. Do not speak of his realm's name, for it is lies. He seeks to twist heaven into hell, and hell into heaven. He seeks to destroy. He is the terminus and he is where it will end. He will turn all his lies into truths, and truths into lies. You have seen it."

"Alicia-in-blood, you may be the ones able to kill him." Silence after, the Man of the Winds meeting Alicia's gaze now. "He is one of hers."

"Speak her name," Jessica says firmly, "No games, like Syala said."

Faster now, "Do not speak her name. Never speak her name. Never speak her name. Never speak her name. Do not speak her name. Do not speak her name. She knows you already. She waits for you. She has chosen you. It is your story. The absolute light will not fail you when it is time. I cannot see past the absolute light, but the greatest truth and greatest battle lies beyond it. I am certain of it. Nothing else could rest there. The winds will not speak of it. The winds cannot speak of it. They will not speak of with you, nor the others."

[Ebiris]

Alicia listens tersely, trying to make sense of the madness. Was this really worth coming here for, and everything it cost?

Is 'he' the one on layer 666, whether giant corpse thing or angelic liar?

Then who is 'she'? She'll honour the request not to speak her name and instead ask, "Is she the ruler of Androlynne?"

[Anastasia]

"No," The answer is short and to the point. He rises slowly and hops off the rock. "Split that rock open. I have prepared it for you."

[Ebiris]

"Syala?" Alicia asks. A good donk with her club should shatter it in two. Alicia would cleave it with her sword but if there's something inside she'd also go right through it as well.

[Anastasia]

WHAM!

One hammer blow splits the rock. It falls away, but in the middle rests a thick emerald bigger than your head. Even uncut it catches the light, giving it a natural beauty.

Jessica kneels before it and inspects it, "It's magical," she notes.

[Ebiris]

Alicia gives the green rock a look over.

[18:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 spellcraft, divine insight
[18:14] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d20=15]

Spoiler: ShowHide

Alicia HP: 831+127/831
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 38), extended mind blank (CL 39), extended nondetection (CL 39), greater heroism (CL 36), extended ray deflection (CL 39), epic mage armour (CL 36), sensual blessing (CL 36), greater foresight (CL 38), keen edge (CL 36 on sword), dance of the unicorn (CL 36), extended greater anticipate teleportation (CL 38), repelling shield (CL 38), freedom of movement (CL 36), greater visage of the deity (CL 36), recitation (CL 36)
Defences: AC 87, CMD 113, spell resistance 51, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 54), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale attack/skills/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +7 insight AC/ref, +4 str, +2 dex, +4 con, +2 int, +4 wis, +4 cha, +1 natural armour AC, +9 shield AC, +3 luck AC/attack/saves
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 5 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +87
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/14/8/9/14/8/9/4/8/4/7/5/6/2
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/22/23/11/7/15
Moments of prescience left: 4

[Anastasia]

Gemstone of Truth

Anyone who holds this gem can discern truth from lies, as if by a discern lies spell (CL 50th, save DC 50). It grants a +50 competence bonus to Sense Motive, and has deeper powers if properly cut, polished and refined into a true gemstone.

---

"Truth," The Man of the Winds says, "You will need to understand the truth better against him."

[Ebiris]

"You made this?" Alicia asks him, somewhat disbelievingly.

[Anastasia]

"Yes," he says, a simple answer to your question.

[Ebiris]

"And you're just giving it to us? Why?" Alicia presses.

[Anastasia]

"You are truth." Is his answer, "Seira is truth. Moore is truth. Alyssa is truth. Tryll is truth. Those she hates are truth. I hate lies."

He sits on the ground here, and the rain ceases to fall there, stone becoming dry in moments. "The winds only speak of the truth. She does not. He does not. He lies in 6, 6, 6. You have seen him as he truly is. He will be stopped. He must be stopped."

"A fiend who..." Syala begins, but her eyes narrow, "I once heard a pearl of great wisdom: That Asmodeus is dangerous not because he is the greatest liar of the devils, but because he so rarely lies. That he does not need to lie to accomplish his aims."

The Man of the Winds faces all of you before he says, "There is no need for lies when the truth is the greatest weapon in Creation. Your light hides you, but it is not a lie, because it is your truth."

This has Syala consider a few moments, "You know much, yet you always hide it. Why?"

With a look of amusement, of open mirth, "Do you sheathe a sword? Do you not protect a magic sword? Is your spellbook unguarded? Does the master allow his acolyte to read his mightiest spells? Does not a master swordsman use a practice sword against novices? The truth is the most dangerous weapon of all."

"Is that why you wanted Kina-ja dead?" Jessica speaks up here, "She chose to champion a lie."