A blessed homefront

[Anastasia]

The tea is taken. A sip is had, ceremonial. It's placed down, "Then since this isn't a time for ceremony, let's get to the important matters."

[Ebiris]

"A battle's coming," Alicia says, sitting down as well as she gets right to it. "Shar is preparing something, ramping up for her ultimate victory the way Primus prophesied it. Mystra is preparing for an attack on Shadow within the month, to settle things on our terms rather than wait to see what our enemy can build up to. We have a lot of power on our side, but do we have sufficient wisdom to use it effectively in the face of everything in our path?" She nods towards Red Knight, "Perhaps not. We need more. We need you."

[Anastasia]

"You need me," The Red Knight agrees. She leans forward to meet your gaze, "It's in all of our interests to stop Shar."

[Ebiris]

Alicia smiles slightly, "This isn't one I should need to do a hard sell for, no. We're all in equal danger from her victory."

[Anastasia]

"However," The Red Knight goes on,"If Mystra goes to Shadow?" A long pause here. "Disaster comes. Of that I am certain."

[Ebiris]

Alicia is silent a moment. "Recently, Shar managed to strike at Mystra within Dweomerheart. She stole some of her blood, a crystallised portion of the Weave. Subsequently she made a point of showing off a new ability to me as well as a few others, being able to meld herself with the essence of a plane to increase her power and render herself nigh invincible. It was a marvellously effective piece of work, which drew clear inspiration from the underpinnings of how the Weave functions."

She leans back. "And it's a bluff," she's forced to conclude, in light of Red Knight's intuition. "The old legerdemain of looking at the showman's flashily gesturing hand while he stacks the deck with his other. She's got something else, doesn't she? Something she's made use of Mystra's blood for that will let her... slay or warp her, somehow."

[Anastasia]

A drink of tea. A pause in the conversation.

"When you know your enemies need to come and kill you, you turn that to your advantage. You set a trap." The Red Knight notes. "You provoke them beyond measure to come get you and let them step into their own doom."

[Ebiris]

"Mystra's also our strongest figure in this battle - I couldn't defeat Shar, far less slay her even if I got absurdly lucky," Alicia says. "We have others, such as Selune, but holding Mystra back makes the task that much harder, even if it's necessary."

[Anastasia]

"You have a chance." The Red Knight says. "So does Antenora. Seira. Moore. Sylvie." She delivers this statement dispassionately.

[Ebiris]

"And Eblis, Bel, and Gathgorian?" she asks, seeing the common thread Red Knight has somehow managed to decipher there. "It's not something I've felt any extra power from after experiencing."

[Anastasia]

"I cannot see Eblis now," The Red Knight agrees, "But otherwise you're right."

[Ebiris]

Io too, but she's still keeping his presence a secret.

Alicia hums softly. "Perhaps there's more yet to be uncovered, it's not something that comes with existing lore to rely on," she admits. "You're informed, have you thought of attempting it yourself?"

[Anastasia]

"I have. It's the greatest risk," The Red Knight says. "It is not a gamble to be taken lightly."

[Ebiris]

"Perhaps we've gotten lucky not to have seen any failures," Alicia allows. "But back to the point at hand? We've secured the services of Aurora. Having Mystra remain within the demiplane and supporting the assault without exposing herself to Shadow directly is an option."

[Anastasia]

"So long as Aurora holds," The Red Knight concurs. "So long as Aurora holds."