Muirfinn rests in Aurora's infirmary, but only temporarily. Your mission from Jaela is clear: You are to take Muirfinn, Priest and Vivantha to the House of the Triad and see to Muirfinn's recovery.
You find Vivantha awaiting in her room, opening the door. "Calleigh!" She says, "Is there good news?"
"We got him back!" Calleigh cheers, giving Vivantha two tiny thumbs up.
"Oh!" Vivantha cries, tears welling up. She sweeps Calleigh into a hug - or really, just grabbing her and hugging her to her bosom. At the same time, "Team hug!" Elena calls, trying to glomp onto Tryll. "Thank you so much for getting Muirfinn back!"
"Gleep!" Calleigh muffles.
Meanwhile, Tryll is...ghost-hugged? 'He lies in recovery in the infirmary, though there is yet much to do. Come, I will explain on the way.'
You reach the infirmary. Priest is there with Muirfinn as Vivantha rushes to his side.
"Oh brave hero," she sobs, hugging his slumbering form.
"He's not awake yet," Priest says, "He will be in time. We travel to the House of the Triad to seek the aid of Ilmaterites."
Behind Vivantha, Calleigh looks confused, then shrugs.
'There were complications, but he has been returned. Due to the nature of his imprisonment, there are concerns that he has been tainted by devil magic, or set up as an unwitting mole for Hell's forces. We will be making for Ilmater's realm upon Jaela's request shortly.'
"As soon as we can," Vivantha says.
Ready to move along?
Been ready.
Aiming for anywhere in particular in the House of the Triad?
Let's shoot to land in a casino.
The House of the Triad lacks casinos. Try again.
You pick a place. I don't know anything about it and I don't wanna end up in some underground S&M dungeon where everybody wants to suffer.
Your grasp of Ilmater's doctrine is truly stunning. I'll let the reader decide if it's in a good way or a bad way.
> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=60 ]{60}
The House of the Triad is rolling hills - at least the part you appear in. You can see the great Mount Celestia far on the horizon. All is calm and peaceful here as you walk around a bit. It's not long until you come to a single apple tree atop a hill. Here a single angel sits, human sized and radiating calm, love and peace. You feel yourselves immediately relax in his presence. His hair is blond and his skin is a pale green. He wears a simple white robe with gold embroidery.
"You bring a wounded soul seeking the aid of Ilmater. Tryll of the Irrigo and of Aurora, Ilmater has heard Aurora's prayers, as he hears the prayers of all who seek healing and reprieve from suffering. He has brought you to me. Tell me the problem."
'Asmodeus captured and suppressed Muirfinn's mind. We're concerned that that there were suggestions or commands left behind after the suppression was removed.'
"Please," VIvantha says, "If you can help him in any way, do so."
The angel merely goes to Muirfinn and rests his hand Muirfinn's chest. As he does, "You will be required to spread goodness beyond, Vivantha," The angel says, "So will Muirfinn. Not because it's needed, but because Ilmater wishes to bring aid to more that suffer."
Calleigh looks confused. "Well that doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense?" Priest asks in a sidebar to you, as meanwhile Vivantha nods, "Whatever it takes."
"Well he's telling Vivantha she's gotta do good stuff, but she's a lillend. That's like telling an angel he's gotta be more lawful. It's silly!" Calleigh replies.
"Archon," The angel corrects idly, but doesn't linger on it. "One can focus on doing good in many different ways. It's not a question of doing good, but doing good in a way that Ilmater wishes it to be done."
Calleigh shrugs.
"Regardless," The angel says, "He will awaken shortly. Be ready."
"'Kay!"
Muirfinn lies under the tree, at peace and asleep. Vivantha is at his side all the while, tense and waiting. She holds his hand tightly.
A breath. A gasp. A cry of distress. Muirfinn's cry is all three of those as Vivantha leans down and hugs him tightly, "Fear not, you're safe, brave hero. You're safe."
"What-" Is all Muirfinn can get out before he's hugged, eyes wide and body trembling. "The nightmares-"
"Are over," Priest adds in a soft, gentle voice. He smiles, "Welcome back, Muirfinn."
In contrast, Calleigh is all exuberance and joy. Her tiny fists thrust into the air while cheering, "Woohoo! Turtleman is awake!"
Like this there are reunions and tears, Muirfinn resting. "Nightmares," is what Muirfinn says once those are sorted out, "I knew nothing but I knew them. I can't remember them now, save for a darkness so vast it was eternal."
"Well, Asmodeus is a big jerk-face! And nobody likes him!" Calleigh grumps. "But we got you away from him, so we won!"
"It's good enough," Vivantha says tearfully, "It's good enough."
Okay, are y'all gonna linger here long?
Not unless we need to
Thus Muirfinn at last returns home. There is great celebration as the tortles greet him, Vivantha at his side all the while. Amid this, you sense Gytha's presence silently approaching.
'Gytha.' Tryll greets him. ''Welcome to the celebration.'
'Amazing. I have never heard of someone being released from Nessus,' Gytha says, 'How did you manage it?'
'We had something they wanted more.'
'Fortunate.'
After a few moments of that, 'Thank you, Tryll. The celestials here have been more than helpful. The unbridled, open love they can show me and understanding of my pain helps now.'
'Good! I thought you might find this place to your liking. It's not an easy place to be lonely.' Tryll replies, observing the celebrations.
Calleigh is flitting about the assemblage, sampling foods and stealing tiny sips from drinks. A tiny cry of, "Ohmygosh this is made of BUG!?" can be heard over the din.
No one seems to mind Calleigh here, even when she cries that out. Everyone's just laughing and smiling.
'Loneliness kills the soul. A wise man told me that yesterday.' Gytha replies.
'It's true. I got so tired of it that I wound up looking for friends. That is...more difficult among mortals than it probably should be, but it is what it is.'
'Yes. I also consider my laboratory now. Would you like to see it?'
'I would.' A moment, then, 'Though it appears Calleigh would like to stay with the party. Alas. Shall we?'
As you go to the demiplane and down towards the lab, through the ocean waters, 'Also, a question. Do you have the psionic ability to reforge your body on the Astral Plane?'
'It's something I've been considering devoting time to, but not at the moment. Why?'
"It's one plank of research I've used. Making a body isn't difficult, but making bodies in the most efficient manner is,' Gytha explains.
'I'm actually quite pleased with my own form at the moment. I've no desire to change the nature of myself, though a back-up or three may not be remiss.'
'Clones are useful,' Gytha concurs, 'Though not the true aim of my work. To better make bodies serves my ultimate aim. The methods available to mortal magic are not adequate for my research and the means behind it are jealously hidden. It infringes on divine territory when one goes too far.'
'We must then forge our own path. Using divine methods gathers attention from divine sources, and they're...finicky. Easier to do it yourself than steal someone else's methods. Less smiting and divine retribution for everyone involved, yes.'
'What is forging body and soul but intruding on the realm of the divine?' Gytha replies, 'Regardless, my laboratory is excellent for making clones.'
'Can it make clones of our forms, though?'
'We're not spirits, so even though our bodies are not material, we still have them,' Gytha explains. 'So yes.'
'Excellent. I've grown quite fond of the advantages.'
'Do you want a clone made?' Gytha asks.
'It may not be a bad idea.' Tryll replies. 'I'm currently examining astral transference and the potential to store a portion of my soul in a sort of seed in a pocket of the Astral in case I die. Combat is becoming increasingly frequent, and I'll not allow myself to be slain so easily. Not when I'm closing in on control over our destiny.'
'It will take time and money,' Gytha warns. '1,000 gold for supplies.'
'Some other time, then. When we have the money.'
In the meantime you return to his lab. It's like you saw before at first, then stretches out. Farther than you can see, full of supplies, tables, books and rambling diagrams and charts.
'Here are my workings and musings on the soul itself and how to create what is and what will always be.'
'I see. Yes, you've done a great deal of work. How long, exactly, have you dedicated to this?'
'A long time. I stopped counting,' Gytha says.
'Mmm. Yes, I suppose you would, after a while. So! Tell me what you've been up to.'
'Seeing people, seeing others,' Gytha admits, 'It's so much and I get easily overwhelmed. There is so much in Aurora, you were correct.'
'It's delightful, yes? Elementals and dragons and celestials and turtle men and that strange living spell that bobbles around and the various peoples that have been rescued from Baator's clutches. It's all very interesting.'
'It is amazing...' Gytha trails off. 'Now, would you like to look at my research?'
'Of course.'
List your Knowledge skills and your modifiers for them?
Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 21
Knowledge (dungeoneering) 26
Knowledge (nature) 26
Knowledge (psionics) 38
Knowledge (religion) 27
Knowledge (the planes)27
Awesome, you're back. Hope you're feeling better.
The study is complex and requires multiple disciplines. You need a solid basis in religion, arcana and planar lore to get anywhere. Fortunately, you have all three of these. A dash of natural knowledge helps as well, which you also possess. It is, in short, the studies of the soul and what comprises it. It involves complicated, custom system to stipulate towards the 'central identity', an elemental of the soul utterly incomprehensible in any language or thought known to Gytha, but absolutely critical to his work. To properly frame it may allow it to be glimpsed, if not properly understood. Gytha believes this is the core and the true soul, with anything else being irrelevant.
(There are several notes and digressions that things such as the Words of Creation may have the words to properly describe the soul, but Gytha lacks the ability to learn them.)
The fundamental, overwhelming problem is that the soul is something infinite. Normal arcana and mortal magics are utterly unprepared to deal with creating one. He's created a bastardized system of arcane notation, numerology and mathematics to attempt to explain it, to try to put into numbers the mysteries of awareness, thought and eternal being of the immortal soul. This is the system mentioned earlier and you find it to be half illuminating and half madness. At times it hurts to even look at, let alone comprehend what is written. Other times the words seem to move about the page, impossible to read without a great deal of focus and meditation.
Yet there is something here. Amid what he has researched, amid possible madness and things mortals were never meant to know, you feel there is something. A revelation perhaps, something buried deep within.
Make an Intelligence check.
[21:06] <Yu> roll 1d20+10
[21:06] <Serith> Yu roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=10]
In the end, it's just a little beyond you. You feel close to something, tremendously close, but you can't grasp it. Something about - !!!
!!!
!!!!!!!
A mathematical formula reinforced with numerology and expressed through magic. For a moment you can glimpse it, a spell so great it can weave the components of eternity and forge a soul. Perhaps even a psionic power if you wished, something so absolute that you feel dizzy. The glimpse passes, leaving you shaken.
Tryll focuses on the formulas, 'This...this is brilliant, Gytha! Nigh-incomprehensible, but brilliant! I feel as though I can almost understand it. It's a bit beyond me. I think that I may be able to assist you, though. Also, you should discuss this with Sylvie and Vul'lath. Bring them down here. This is something I think they'd enjoy helping you puzzle out.'
'Yes, in time. Rest for now," Gytha advises, 'It can take several days to fully digest all of this. War comes to Aurora, does it not?'
'We're always at war. Strife breeds ingenuity.'
'Yes, if nothing else.' Gytha agrees. 'Tell me about Aurora's enemies.'
'Which ones?'
'I see this is going to be a long conversation,' Gytha says.
'Potentially! Would you like them listed in alphabetical order, or by order of appearance?'
'Well....'
Good to move along now, Tryll?
Let's rock n' roll.
Congratulations. Go to nagging and see that it's level up time. Get on that.