Shadow rondo

[Anastasia]

Welcome to level 37, Alicia.

I'd like to begin with a current list of your to dos, if any. This will help me guide you in the coming adventures.

[Ebiris]

Don't really have much, mostly just... watching out for Shar stuff so we can respond and help with that?

It's kind of a big problem I'm having right now, there's no like dungeons or quests for busy epic gods, and our actual designated foe is so far above us we can't go directly fight her but nor are there any good avenues to train up on until we reach her level. So mostly just sitting around doing god-stuff.

[Anastasia]

As a matter of fact I agree with that. Hence...

"Sister."

Jessica comes up as you work, as your senses see to your own and to so many of your duties. She's travel stained, a dull brown cloak taken off as she enters, fading to nothing once she's let go of it. "I've just finished a round of travels and bring a great deal of news. We've been so busy with Shar that events move elsewhere."

[Ebiris]

Focused inward on prayer and magic as she physically rests in one of her palace gardens, Alicia pats the stone bench next to her. "Tell me then," she invites, already bracing for more bad news.

[Anastasia]

"I checked in with Oberuth first," Jessica begins, "We met on the Deep Ethereal while I nosed around there. Shar's sent a few assassins his way as he stomps on some of her Prime Material efforts, but nothing truly to challenge him. Either he's stronger than Shar thinks, or it's token reprisals for now. Shar's willing to waste a few followers, but not for no reason, so I suspect she's appraising his skills. I'm sure she saw him fight Daa-vid and has a very good idea, but that also means that he's proven he's a serious threat."

A long breath is taken as Jessica conjures a cool towel from nowhere, wiping and cleaning her face. "As for the Deep Ethereal, nothing too unusual there, but I didn't stay long. At least nothing huge that twinged my senses, sister."

[Ebiris]

"She can afford to spend lives to learn more about a threat, and if any of them get lucky so much the better," Alicia agrees, offering Jessica a glass of cool and pristine water to drink. "You never can tell what's behind the next fog-bank on the ethereal though, so who knows what all is there."

[Anastasia]

Jessica takes the water and drinks it all down. After she reclines back, the bench behind her shifting into a comfortable chair. She rests there for several moments before, "I'm not physically tired, I can't be any more. But I am emotionally drained. It's been a difficult week, sister."

After a pause for that, "Which is why I didn't stay long. If it's not big enough to attract a lot of attention, there's only so much you can find on the Deep Ethereal without spending great piles of time there. My check there was in case the sky was falling."

Slowly she turns to you, "Air's quiet, mostly. There's a few ominous omens according to Chan. Some manner of abomination stirs or has returned to Air, but details are hazy. She's investigating. Otherwise the djinn aren't doing anything too unusual, just the normal jostling and adventures, and the elementals are likewise. Akadi's been a little more visible, and I hear she hosted a tournament recently, which might mean everything or nothing. I inquired but Akadi wasn't interested in conversation."

[Ebiris]

"Any interesting outcomes on that tournament?" Alicia asks curiously, content to sit on stone herself. Like Jessica she doesn't get tired, nor uncomfortable.

[Anastasia]

"No," Jessica admits, "I'm not even sure who competed in it and why. All I know is that Akadi oversaw it personally. The lack of information is what got my attention in the first place. That sort of event is usually well known, but this one is strangely quiet."

[Ebiris]

"Bizarre," Alicia agrees. "If Akadi oversaw it then the competitors must have been of a high level."

[Anastasia]

"I'll ask around further. As for Earth it's quiet still," Jessica reports, "At least as far as our interests go. The dao are mostly internally focused and seem to have no business with Fire's current situation. I have heard reports of quiet political purges, but nothing solid. I'm not sure that's true or not, I imagine the Dismal Delve is dangerous at the best of times. Though I did hear that Alyssa's group made an inquiry with Sunnis and Entemoch, though they were respectably discreet except to ask my opinion of them."

[Ebiris]

"I'm glad they're making useful contacts, Sunnis and Entemoch are easy to work with," Alicia says with a little nod.

[Anastasia]

"Water's likewise quiet right now," Jessica says, "Though to be fair to all of them, I haven't done much in the quasis and paras. I didn't have time. Nothing that really stands out, but with how the Water Lord kept Water out of the last war, they may be repeating that course if Fire erupts." A pause, Jessica looking up, "As far as Fire goes, it's on a knife's edge. Everyone seems to know something's coming. Some heard it from someone else, some smell it in the wind, others just know. It's close, and Fire itself seems expectant."

[Ebiris]

"I heard from Seira," Alicia agrees. "We don't owe anything to any side, so aren't likely to get involved in any internecine conflict the efreet start. The feeling I get is Kossuth wants a new equilibrium where the strongest rise to the top rather than a weak devil pawn, so any outside interference is going to go against that."

[Anastasia]

Jessica inclines her head forward.

We know enough and have been hinted enough to know more factors are in play here than we can reckon, and more history too. I fear more and more it is the Crimson Firebrand, for who else could provoke this in Fire? A great king that returns in a time of great need. Perhaps he is the chosen hand for Razalim, and this is the apex of Kossuth's plans for this entire war.

A Fire where only the strongest rise would fit his beliefs, too.