Thus the four of you appear, all of Sylica seeming to shine. Radiance and power flows through the realm, echoing your own growth. You can feel as if the realm is more, ready to react.
They stand in a hilltop valley, framing the city at the centre of Sylica in the distance below, the verdant green landscape stretching around in all directions cut through with crystal blue rivers to split the green fields and forests.
"This was once a scorching and murderous desert, designed by Triel to winnow the weak as they sought perfection," Alicia says to Zariel. "It was one of the last things he did before falling to Hell, and the sheer sadism inherent in it left many unsurprised by where he ended up. But still, the challenge was fair, and surmountable. This is the result," she gestures out over her and Syala's and now Antenora's realm.
Do you feel that? she ask Syala and Antenora. It feels like when we first defeated the Furnace, before we wrought Sylica from those sands.
As Zariel looks on, "Triel's Furnace, a forgotten folly."
Yet here we stand, triumphant. Our realm now.
We have advanced. Shall we have it expand? Shall we create again, create more anew?
At this you feel it - a connection with Syala, strong and sharp. You feel her as Blessing of the Twelve grows, a sharp spike growing out atop the head as it takes on a faint sheen similar to Syala's light, seeming more overall.
Node goal reached, congratulations. Go read and reply that you've read the update.
Node read
Take Syala's other hand, Antenora.
Alicia reaches out to take Syala's hand in her own. "Sylica stands ready to grow, as we do," she says, closing her eyes as she feels the realm pulse in time with her heartbeat. "When we mastered the Furnace, we created much of what you see now. Empty, but finished in form and simply waiting to be populated. And populated it has been, our faithful and others drawn to our banner from across the upper planes. Yet still it has remained a demiplane, even if a grand one."
Expand it, in all directions. Make the sea around Sylica a reality. Shallow and warm. Raise islands from the depths, big and small. Rocky crags, sandy beaches, verdant forests, crystal lagoons. She, Syala, and Antenora join their wills to make it happen, the seed of an idea that Sylica will one day boast more islands each rivalling the size of its current incarnation, for now beginning to form the archipelago and an aquatic environment more than suitable for sea elves and the like.
Now, reach out. Do you feel how Sylica is ready to stand among the planes? Don't shy away from that, don't seek the false comfort of a demiplane's seclusion. Reach out, reach out and connect
And true to Alicia's will, the sea encircling Sylica stretches outwards, connecting to the River Oceanus that winds from Elysium to Arborea, and now Sylica. The connection to Ysgard through the Felic Gate remains, but the astral links to Sylica stabilise, permitting interplanar travel for all and not just its deities. For it can no longer be called a mere demiplane, but a true divine realm of Ysgard.
Antenora takes Syala's hand as you feel Antenora and Syala. They pulse in time with you and Sylica, a steady heartbeat that you know will never go out. Not now, not with what you have become.
Rise, Sylica. Let the Opal Mountain be the vigil to which I watch protectively over the realm and the gateway that we greet our faithful from.
Syala squeezes both of your hands as she looks forward, each moment another moment you are close to her, feeling her on levels far beyond the physical.
Be populated with algae and seaweed, plants and animals. Fish, dolphins and even sharks. Let a population worthy of our oceans come forth.
Thus it comes as you will it. A great ocean, vast and full of warmth and life, blossoms to your combined wills. You feel your realm grow, shattering past its limits and becoming more. Life exudes from it like a tidal wave. The River Oceanus winds, a new path from it connecting and flowing into your ocean. The Opal Mountain grows taller, expanding and widening, becoming more as all the realm becomes more.
A sense of accomplishment and power flows through you, Sylica born anew.
I'm proud of you, Alicia. In you I see hope for a better future. All of us need hope, even the divine. Mystra's voice, a gentle whisper in the back of your mind.
You're doing it! Mrr, you make me want to curl up around you and purr, Syala. Sharess, her voice playful.
Alicia smiles at the support from Mystra and Sharess. Hopefully Sharess would be in her feline form for any purring!
Please come and visit anytime, she invites them both.
"A fortuitous time for your visit, Zariel," she says aloud, the Opal Mountain now dominating far more of the horizon in the distance, now it's been expanded. "Though in a way we owe it to you. Seeing your rescue through against all the obstacles in our path has solidified our divine standing."
Antenora bows her head in prayer while Syala watches on, a hand on her hip as she takes in the new horizon.
"I see," Zariel says, "A new ocean, a new world and I feel the chill breath of the Astral expanding anew."
"Yes, Sylica is open now," Alicia confirms. "But you came to see a forest, did you not?" A thought and then the four of them stand at the top of a bare hill, mostly grasses and shrubs yet farther down is the treeline marking the edge of a forest stretching for hundreds of miles.
"This is the Wychwood. When we made Sylica I took inspiration from various sources - the main city imitates Dweomerheart, the inspiration for the Opal Mountain is I believe obvious. This too is my homage to Arborea. A wild place of hidden magic and mystery. Few make their homes here, which is how I prefer it. It's supposed to be just that little bit inhospitable to all but the wild things."
"A place like that..." Zariel begins to walk forward, "I think I would like to see it very much."
Syala follows, "Visitors have lost weeks within, traveling the magical and mysterious woods. Often they find not what they want but rather what they need."
"It's convenient like that," Alicia says dryly, slowly walking after Zariel and Syala into the forest.
"All of the Outer Planes are guilty of that," Antenora remarks as she brings up the rear.
"...yes." Zariel remarks, "Avernus craves war. It thirsts for it. It will have war and I felt it influence and direct things countless times. Like a tumor spreading over a healthy body, turning all it touches into more corruption." As you step into the Wychwood, the wild woods dark from the canopy above, "How it pleased me at first, for I could take revenge on any fools who came to my realm."
"I sometimes wonder if Sylica should be more violent," Alicia admits as they walk along, soon surrounded by forest with the path back to that hill a forgotten memory. "I am a goddess of battle after all, and I enjoy Ysgard. But fundamentally Sylica is a bastion, a place to train, prepare, and rest between crusades. There's war aplenty elsewhere in the planes for us to test our mettle."
Zariel glides ahead, moving through the forest like a ghost. Like Syala when she tries, really.
"I've considered battle arenas, but our army does well enough for now. Still, with our new growth there will be more visitors and more call for friendly contests of skill and arms." Syala remarks, keeping an eye on Zariel.
Antenora glides upward, managing to just keep up with Zariel and joining her. No words are spoken, but from the look they share, likely telepathy instead.
About to ask Zariel more about Avernus, and if she really was responsible for all those fireballs, Alicia holds her tongue when she spots Antenora telepathically conversing instead.
"Yes, it's going to be a lot busier now people don't have to come in through the Felic Gate," she agrees with Syala. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I've already let Strength of Light know," Syala hops over a fallen log, not even breaking her stride. Far ahead wispy, multicolored lights can be seen. "He'll be busy handling the military side of that as well as helping establish a navy."
Zariel and Antenora slow to a stop, the two facing each other without a word spoken aloud.
"That'll help with sending reinforcements to Daun in time," Alicia says. She's a bit slower than everyone else at navigating the forest, coming to a stop a little bit from Antenora and Zariel.
"Daun," Zariel speaks up, "Mephisto's stoics are strong there, but locked in a long war with aboleths."
"We've heard," Syala agrees, leaning against a nearby tree. "Ugly business there with Lixer blundering, too."
"Demogorgon's backing the aboleths and the world is predominantly under their control," Alicia confirms what she knows, going to sit on a mossy rock. "It was Lixer's blundering in that helped us rope Empress Sulia into joining our attack on Avernus. So we're paying her back by helping her efforts in stemming the aboleths there."
"The high wizard of the empire is Xagubloop the Blue as well as a favored servant of Demogorgon." Zariel remarks, "A half fiend thanks to copulating with an avatar of Demogorgon. A devoted followers of demon rites, he has developed several spells to harm wizards. A fact that Mephisto likely does not know, as I never passed that intelligence to him. The bastard had nothing but contempt for me as a Fallen." With a cold look of her own, "I know he sought who created those spells, but Demogorgon's power shields his servant."
"Well, it has been thousands of years, but half-fiends can live a long time," Alicia says. "I'll pass it on to Empress Sulia anyway. We were actually discussing the other day; how the fallen/true devil split among Lords of the Nine is upset by Lixer's ascendance, since he and Glasya form a new bloc as spawn of Asmodeus. Divide and rule, it's an old trick."
"It is. Right now," Antenora begins to narrate, "I believe there's three power blocs. The first is Dispater, Mammon and Mephistopheles. The second is Belial and Baazlebub. The third is Lixer, Glasya and Asmodeus. Levistus stands aside of it all, being imprisoned and trusted by none of them. No matter how I look at it, it strengthens Asmodeus's position, as he has even more influence amid the Nine. Additionally, Lixer is consumed with defending Avernus while Mephisto and the Lord of the Flies occupy one another in an eternal cold war."
A beat as she goes on, "That leaves Dispater, Mammon, Belial, Glasya, Levistus and Asmodeus. Of them, Mammon is distrusted by his own allies for previous betrayals so he projects minimal power. That leaves Dispater, Glasya, Belial and Levistus as the only Lords of the Nine not occupied or in a weakened position. They are divided evenly, leaving Asmodeus to loom over it all. A reorganization caused by many things, but one that ultimately benefits Asmodeus, as always."
A soft noise, halfway between a hiss and a sigh, comes from Zariel. "Always to his benefit in the end. All to put Bel in position so he could be replaced by Lixer. I hear Bel managed to fail spectacularly."
"The invasion of Lifasa was a stunning success," Alicia says, shaking her head. "Bel had his army ready to go, Taelfagn's puppets were flawlessly recruited, trained, and positioned with no one on Lifasa or the upper planes being the least bit the wiser. And yet..." she smiles. "Just a few ragged refugees escaping that initial blitz were all it took to turn it all around. Finding Medicant, recruiting allies - of which I'm proud to count myself as one, and successfully rolling back all of Hell's gains. Bel staked much on those final battles, and he lost profoundly."
"Bel personally lost an entire world?" Zariel asks, voice deep in disbelief. "Bel is one of the best generals Hell has. How did he go so completely astray? I loathe him, but he is far from an incompetent mewling."
"Medicant was the X-factor," Alicia says. "That mobile fortress rife with arcana rivalling the gods gave those refugees an unassailable base from which to grow their strength. Even I'd hesitate to cross swords with some of Aurora's best. Aurora's what they named it, they wanted a fresh start," she explains the name in a brief aside. "They grew in power with startling speed, chaining victories together in guerrilla strikes against Hell's forces across the planes, bleeding away devils from Lifasa all while the resistance there grew in strength. There was also an incident with Abigor going rogue, ascending to divinity and hiding himself in Fury's Heart after eluding Bel's attempts at putting him down. Aurora's forces finished that job instead."
"When it came to the final battle, Talefagn's puppets were almost entirely slain, captured, or subverted before Aurora's crusade re-invaded Lifasa en masse. Bel trod upon the prime for a second time, having already been baited out when Aurora attacked one of Taelfagn's puppets but they fled before he could do anything, wasting the effort and solidifying everyone else's resolve against him. And when he took the field the second time, Seira and Amaryl were there to meet him and send him straight back to Hell."
"It was what made it all work," Syala agrees, "They're blessed in so many ways, so thus Bel lost."
"What happened to him? Death? Destruction? Lixer said he destroyed him but I do not trust that scrawny runt." Zariel declares, resting herself, sitting on the mossy ground.
"I'd thought you'd know better than us," Alicia shakes her head. "Lixer showed Seira a vision of him slaying Bel, but there are other theories. As you said, he's one of Hell's best generals, not a resource to throw aside casually."
"I don't, but I never felt him dying for sure," Zariel says, "But who can say with Asmodeus supporting him?" A sour look, "As if he had any reason for me to know."
"I think it's safe then to assume that Bel is still alive, even if he may not ever reappear again in the same form," Alicia says. "My familiar Marie posited he's already acting under disguise as one of Lixer's advisers to steady the transition, while keeping him on tap if any other lords need to be replaced in the future."
"The only question is that if Marie is right, what did Asmodeus give Bel to agree to that?" Antenora says, "To give up that position is unthinkable."
Zariel grunts at that, looking away into the foliage.
Alicia looks at Zariel and then back to Antenora. "And what does refusing get him?" she asks the obvious retort.
When in Hell it's Asmodeus's way or the high way.
"Still, Bel could choose not to participate and flee. It's happened before," Antenora points out, giving you a sidelong look. "You'd think Asmodeus would sweeten it somehow to ensure compliance."
"There are former Lords," Zariel speaks at this moment, "Tiamat was once Lord of the First, though that parting was forced by planar politics."
"I'm sure he has incentives to offer," she agrees with Antenora before looking at Zariel. "Tiamat was the Lord of Avernus directly before you?"
"She was not," Zariel says, "It was longer ago, a matter of politics as two sets of duties were too much and conflicting."
"Ah," she nods at being corrected. "There's quite a lot of turnover on Avernus compared to the others, isn't there?"
"It is a realm of war," Zariel's voice is bitter, sour, "How many sacrifices have to be offered to the maw of war?"
"Too many," Antenora replies right away.
"Too many," Zariel says, voice tight and tense, "How long has Lixer been prepared for this, the other Lords merely stepping stones for him?"
"It is interesting, since he got involved in the battles for Lifasa and fared little better than Bel. Hardly the sort of performance that would merit a reward," Alicia says. "Still though, I think we've wandered far from the point. We're not here to belabour hellish politicking." She stands up and goes to pat the rough bark of a nearby tree.
"I sometimes miss mortal frailties and the challenges they necessitate overcoming. Needing to forage or hunt for food, find safe water, build shelter. It inspires creativity and it's satisfying to get along in the wild with nothing but your own resourcefulness."
"To stand amid the wild, part of it instead of anything else," Zariel's voice softens, "Simplicity. Peace."
Antenora keeps quiet here, though something makes Syala smile, which she hides with a discreet cough.
"I suppose if all you have is the same solitary tree for hundreds of years it gets a bit stale," she glances at Syala. "Still though, as celestials we don't need to worry about the details of surviving no matter where we are. I remember once Antenora considered going through an ascetic phase and I mentioned that, how an outsider's lack of bodily requirements makes it easy for them to cut themselves off from the rest of the world. A mortal hermit still has to seek food and water, and in doing so engage with the world around them more directly."
"We're closer to islands like this. Closer to being One," Antenora's eyes widen at that, giving you a sudden and rather sharp look.
"Closer to being ourselves, unbound by weakness," Zariel says.
"Hmmm," she hums, looking back at Antenora and nodding. "There's an interesting link there. And yes, our truest self is best expressed alone. We all have to moderate or present ourselves in certain ways when among others, so as to engender cooperation, or simply achieve a certain result from the social exchange. Yet for some that is just them doing as they do - Antenora is whether she's alone or among friends. Yet even Asmodeus must sometimes present a false mask of civility and warmth to push others into doing his bidding."
"The only ones that do not are the Incarnations, for they are so powerful as to be beyond that," Antenora's voice is reflective, thoughtful.
"Still, this forest...it is a good forest," Zariel says, "Sitting here, I can almost remember better days before it all went wrong."
"It is," Alicia agrees with Zariel. "Why don't you take some time to explore and appreciate it by yourself, without us crowding you?"
Zariel rises to go do that and from there...
NExt move, Alicia?
I'll see if Latha got any interesting knowledge from Emmaline.
You find Emmaline and Latha together, in a private little garden tucked into Liberton. Emmaline is asleep against Latha, face placid and restful. Latha merely rubs her shoulder slowly, murmuring to her in Celestial, "Rest, rest, rest," she repeats, a soothing mantra.
Alicia walks up quietly on Latha's other side. "How is she?" she asks softly.
"Healing, repenting. All is slow but she has made strides today," Latha speaks, gently untangling and laying Emmaline down to rest. "She will have much to do when she is able, but for now her soul cries for relief."
"Zariel is much the same, we've given her some solitude to explore the Wychwood. All told she's doing surprisingly well though," Alicia says, looking down at Emmaline a moment before meeting Latha's gaze. "Did you learn anything helpful?"
"Some fragments, some things I've passed onto our agents in the right places," Latha says, "Useful and surely a few will lead to gains, but by and large Shar is too careful with her secrets. The real gain was getting Emmaline talking, engaging with her, letting her unburden her soul."
She nods to that. "How's she handling everything, then?"
"She's dealing, healing,' Latha declares, "As well as you can hope for. Still," Turning to you, "Congratulations. What happened?"
"Zariel," she answers succinctly. "After we restored her to health, Syala and I - Seira as well, we grew in our divinity. Sylica followed."
"Congratulations," Latha says, warmly. "I saw all the islands and beaches. There's several spectacular lagoons, we really must all go spend a day celebrating on one of them."
"Mmm, beat the rush," she agrees. "It has been a while since we had a nice beach outing. And of course Marie has a brand new body to show off."
"Fun for everyone," Latha chuckles quietly. "I've not had time to talk to her deeply. How is she adjusting?"
"She's as lively as ever," Alicia answers, walking a bit away from Emmaline with Latha so as not to disturb her with their conversation. "She did well fighting against Jade and her defenders, enough to stand as an equal with Antenora, Syala, and I. It's done her confidence a lot of good. I think right now she's hunting for excuses to avoid that trip to Mechanus she promised Antenora."
"Well then, I'll let them know we're having a lovely party tomorrow. They just can't go before that." Latha declares with a smile, "You and Syala will attend?"
"Of course. If something comes up, that's what we have avatars for," Alicia nods, happily committing to that.
"So the five of us, then Jessica for six. Anyone else?" Latha asks.
"I think that's enough. Keep it low-key with just us," Alicia says, not wanting to make it a huge thing.
Thus from there...
Next move?
I'll go and appoint Marie as my second proxy and start making avatar #2!
365 days to go before avatar #2 is functional! Mark it in your calendars!
For proxy Marie she gets a bunch of goodies. She takes Alter Size as her salient divine ability for obvious reasons.
The new avatar will be put in a hidden and heavily warded/trapped cave somewhere to grow without anyone bothering it.
Then I guess barring anything that demands attention there's just Latha's celebration.
Go ahead and keep a count of who your proxies are on your sheet somewhere.
Syala is likewise going to start her avatar and surround it with a dungeon. Hey, she needs her entertainments.
The sun is warm and glorious, at high noon despite the hour. Alicia can feel it on her skin, a gentle caress that soothes and rejuvenates her senses. The lagoon itself is a rough circle, with the inside end coming against a horseshoe beach. The beach itself is white sand untouched by anything else and beyond it is gentle grasslands and then a mountain, though no sign of a volcano.
The water is a clear blue, pale and beautiful as it laps against the shore. On the beach a firepit has been set up, where a fire merrily burns, roasting away meats for later. Savory and sweet smoke rises from the fire, the smell of it spreading all over the beach. Jessica is already there and tending to the food, brushing a whole pig with a dark colored marinade. Just beyond that is a grass hut, where a long bench and bar is set up. Bottles of various drinks sit on ice there, a great chest of them open to overflowing.
Near the water line several game tables have been set up. Games and entertainments there and laid out to play, each inviting you to idle in the sun and play with a friend.
"Sister, Syala," Jessica looks up and waves, "Come down, the others will be here soon. Latha went to get Marie and Antenora, they'll be here any moment. "
'I set up privacy magic and severed the astral links around the island save for a single point,' Syala sends, 'All the mundane work is taken care of.'
Given Syala's fondness for lava, Alicia wouldn't be surprised if there are volcanoes strewn elsewhere through Sylica's new growth. Actually Antenora likes it too, but for different reasons, so even more reason to expect it even if she herself doesn't care for the aesthetic.
"You're so dilligent," she murmurs, giving Syala an approving smile as her bare feet gently land on the white sands, a gauzy blue sarong dress worn and her hair loose with a festive pink-petalled flower set above her ear. "Hello Jessica. Will Roald be alright with the children or do you want my avatar to go lend a hand?" she asks, walking over to give her sister a hug.
"Naeys is babysitting," Jessica returns the hug, wearing a simple grass skirt and nothing else. She's already showing signs of tanning, the sun's warmth caressing her skin.
Syala lands and stretches, clad in light as is her habit. Yet that light fades, revealing a matching sarong as yours, save in green instead. "I like the skirt," she says, "Going for an island native look? What outfits do you think the other three are going to pull out, dear?"
"Marie will probably be naked," Alicia says, parting from Jessica. "She still has that problem of clothes falling off when she goes incorporeal, and she's got a brand new body to show off. I can see Latha in the grass skirt, though Antenora will probably just copy Marie."
"Marie probably will be, though I'll disagree and say Antenora will dress up nicely," Jessica nudges you, "How about a small wager on it, sister?"
"Oh alright, if it's just for fun," Alicia allows. "What are you putting up for it, then?"
"Finishing marinating the meat? It should take about an hour," Jessica says, "Oh, and if you lose, use a bit of divine magic to pick up the trick of how and when to marinate just so."
Alicia looks at the hog Jessica's been working on. "Alright then," she nods. "Lets see who Antenora surprises when they show up, then."
Go ahead and intro Marie appearing, as they're about to arrive, and then I'll describe the other two. Just Marie, since she's new and still in the spotlight for that.
The three of them teleport on in at the one safe spot Syala left, and contrary to Alicia's expectations Marie is not in the buff. She's wearing a pair of clamshells over her chest and a glittery green skirt that only goes down above the knees at the front and towards the calves at the back. "Hi!" she waves, flouncing on over. "I really like what you've done with the place, Latha!"
Surprisingly, it's Latha that's gone all natural, save for a lei of red and yellow flowers.
Antenora is wearing a grass skirt like Jessica along with clamshells like Marie, stretching as she steps into the sunshine. "Lovely," she declares, "Good morning, everyone. Mmm, is that roast pig?"
Alicia wordlessly takes over from Jessica at marinating the pig. "Yes, it still needs a little bit," she tells Antenora, adding, "You look nice."
Jessica smiles and pats your back, "Let's go swim," she invites, all of them going off - save for Latha, who lingers with you.
"You lost a wager," It's not really a question, Latha standing behind you and watching you work.
"Just a little one," she nods. "We were debating what you three would be wearing - I expected Marie and Antenora would come naturally, Jessica bet otherwise. I suppose it was wrong of me to underestimate Marie's appetite for fashion."
With a chuckle like the summer sunshine, filling you with warmth, "Yet here I am, the one wearing naught but a lei. I didn't feel like dressing up when I'd be sunbathing like this much of the day."
Meanwhile Antenora swims in the waters, Syala doing the same. Jessica lies on her back and floats, enjoying the lagoon as she relaxes and looks up at the sky.
Oh hi, Alicia. Sharess sounds in your mind. Do you mind us dropping in?
Not at all, we're just having a quiet celebration.
"Luckily Syala's put up spells for privacy, I'm not sure the clothes will last that long."
Indeed Marie has already tossed her ungainly skirt aside so she can go running about and splashing in the water.
Latha merely nods knowingly as you feel them appear within your realm - Sharess and Mystra, a moment later appearing in the one teleport capable spot on the island, just up the beach.
Sharess is naked and purring, "Alicia, Syala," she calls, you made a party and didn't invite me! For shame!" A moment later she's a blur as they all look up, about 50ft up before cannonballing down into the waves, sending them all flying with a loud splash.
Mystra is wearing a short dress of blue and silver, simple and plain. Purple flowers are woven into her hair as she approaches you and Latha, "Congratulations," she says, "Perhaps it is frivolous of us, but we all enjoy our celebrations. So often our roles occupy and dominate our lives."
"It was meant to be just a quiet thing," Alicia says wryly as Sharess drops into the lagoon and sends Marie flying onto the beach with a thud.
"Thank you, though," she smiles at Mystra. "Yesterday was a big step for us and Sylica. Though you're right, my avatar is still having to keep busy. At least she'll have an extra pair of hands in a year."
"Blame Sharess, she insisted I come," Mystra comes over and gently hugs you from behind. An entire human sensation, warmth on warmth for a moment. "So often she says I lose myself in the Weave, lose the simple things that make us more than unknowable rulers of all Creation. What Sharess wants, Sharess gets, even if she has to pick you up by the scruff of the neck and drag you to it."
Latha chuckles at that, while meanwhile Antenora scowls and splashes Sharess - who splashes a recovering Jessica in turn. Water starts getting thrown everywhere, the sound of laughter coming from the beach.
Go ahead and intro yourself, Seira.
Turning herself giant sized, Marie scoops up a boats worth of water to splash over everyone as she rejoins the melee in the lagoon!
"The weave is an all-consuming thing," Alicia admits, recalling the glimpse of it she was shown as she leans back against Mystra. "Mmm, but how do you like the expanded Sylica? Now we're on the Oceanus it should be easier to move into Elysium later. And it'll be even bigger by the time we're ready for that."
Seira appears in her usual adventuring outfit, only to take in the scene and blink slowly. "Huh, so this is where you were going," she tells Mystra. After another look around, she is then standing clad in a black eladrin gown tinted with fiery red, a gift that feels appropriate to wear under the occasion.
Approaching Alicia and Syala, she says with a grin, "Thanks for having me over!"
Syala's off swimming and Alicia's marinating a roast pig while getting hugged by Mystra, so it's a one or the other sort of choice.
Meanwhile Marie's giant waves send the rest of them sprawling out everywhere, wavers wrecking the other swimmers.
Amid that, "It's beautiful," Mystra says, "I'm proud of you, all of you. Even Seira," she looks up with a pleasant smile at her, "You're not one of mine, but you've done well. But all of you have, Syala and Antenora, you and Marie, Latha as well."
I misunderstood Sharess's greeting, but it's okay, I'll be with Alicia rather than teleport into the water.
"And speaking of doing well, poor Donald. I really should throw him a celebratory party with how often he misses out on those!"
"Yes, Marie's doing well with her new station," Alicia sends a disapproving look over at the titanic eladrin now dominating the lagoon. "Hello Seira," she adds, greeting her friend. "Zariel's taking some time to herself in the forest, so we're celebrating Sylica's expansion. It wasn't meant to be anything too big."
"These things just happen organically," Seira agrees. "When I asked Syala to come over for a chat, I figured it'd take place at a Cauldron lab rather than on a beach."
"These things have a way of getting bigger," Latha says, "A drink?" she offers, going over to the iced chest, where so many bottles are.
Mystra glances over and suddenly the tiny waves the others send back are as big as Marie, great tsunamis that threaten to sweep her away. An exercise of sheer will and something more, the Weave singing when Mystra touches it. A song of beauty and joy, resonating like the final piano note of a song.
"Mmm, I've been reminding her she needs to look into that behemoth research," Alicia nods as she tends to the roasting hog. "Perhaps giant cats could even reign in Marie's exuberance."
Said tulani is currently stomping around the lagoon chasing everyone else with enormous splashes of water that Alicia is keeping from inundating the beach. At least until Mystra intervenes and Marie cries out as she's swamped under the reprisals, struggling in vain to keep her feet until she's knocked flat on her back!
"It opens such a fresh new way of looking at things!" Seira happily agrees. "And given our chief opposition, the use of positive energy is so fitting!"
At Latha's question, she nods and smiles. "Yes, please. Whichever you have that suits."
And thus the ground rumbles and the others cheer as the titan Marie is felled, swept off her feet. Amid that thundering crash Latha quietly shakes her head, "Mystra, a question?"
Mystra nods slightly, turning from her Alicia hug to her. "Yes?"
"You DID do something to Alicia's head to attract fairies, didn't you?" Latha asks. "Why?" She starts to go as she does, keeping an eye on yo uas she steps a few steps away, rooting in the chest.
"They always say it's just my proportions..." Alicia says dubiously. If it's a spell it must be a subtle one!
Mystra merely smiles at this as drinks are brought back. "Alicia is Alicia. Her charm is her charm."
"I think I'm going to have a chat with Syala about exciting magical research," Seira says, accepting a drink from Latha as she heads for the water. "Have fun discussing Alicia's proportions and charm~"
"We are rather fond of them," Latha chuckles as you go off.
"It's a blessing regardless," Mystra says, partin from Alicia and having a drink. "Courre and pixies are innocent creatures who bolster the world through their cheeriness."
Meanwhile, Marie finds Syala just coming out of the waters. Her dress is gone, her body drying instantly as she steps out, "Seira," she says, "What was that I heard about Behemoth Creatures?"
"I got the means for making them from Yan-C-Bin, along with a sample." A flick of her wrist produces the research notes, and Seira offers them to Syala. "This is a copy, so don't worry about splashing them or anything. Anyway! The process is both dangerous and interesting, but what truly intrigues me is how it would play with our ongoing elemental harmony project as well as whether elementals could benefit from drawing on a massive amount of positive energy."
Marie shrinks back to normal size and starts swimming around more peacefully with Antenora and Sharess.
"I do like them, but I've never really heard one express what exactly it is about my head in terms I could understand," Alicia takes a drink of her own and sips at it. "Almost like some sort of nesting instinct? I've heard even busts of my head can have an impression on them."
As Marie and friends enjoy as swim? Syala goes over to one of the game tables right by the shore, taking a seat. "Chess?" she offers. She glances at the notes in an instant and then they vanish, "It strikes me as a fluke that can occasionally be reproduced," she remarks, "Do you think it can be streamlined at all?"
Meanwhile, Mystra merely says, "Regardless, enjoy it." A long pull of her drink, "We can become inhuman, become forces, if we lose touch of this. The Incarnations have no great attachment to this mortal perspective, even if they value mortals in finding an Answer."
Latha drinks as well, "So this is important?"
"It is. We affirm what we are with this, and remind ourselves that part of what we are is being a person." Mystra pauses a moment, "Were I lefta lone in Creation, I would likely have become merely a process, the Weave incarnate with no need for anything else. Flat, emotionless, primal. Things like Kossuth or Akadi are close to that, things more consumed in the primal elements and what they are then any attachment to personhood."
"And yet," Latha murmurs, "One must stand alone and sufficient."
"I was just talking with Antenora and Zariel about this yesterday actually," Alicia mentions. "How mortal frailties encourage cooperation and community. I find it interesting that the Incarnations thought to include things like that - where did they get the inspiration from?"
"Chess works," Seira agrees, taking a seat opposite Syala. "A fluke that can be reproduced is a pointless categorization, however. Most magical research falls under that category, after all." She grins to take any sting out of her words, picking black for herself and allowing Syala to make the first move.
"The original downsides of the behemoth creatures has a lengthy growth period and the need for training, though lengthy waits are a fact of our lives given avatars and our plans beyond the immediate. That said, I'm looking for an improvement on the process. An elemental should be able to be imbued such, given that we have many means of them merging with another element. In fact, the benefit here is that we don't need to start from scratch, as numerous documented cases of elementals reforming over the course of their lives exist. If water and fire can coexist to forge the basis for the Cauldron's native forces, why not fire and positive energy? Water and positive energy? Our process of attaining elemental harmony is stable enough that we have expanded our trials and are applying it to a wider selection, and many of the same formulas will be true here as well, given they deal with achieving proper balance. We just need to recalibrate them for new values, which is where your insight would be the most welcome, Syala."
"We don't know," Mystra says, "So often the Incarnations told us little other than commands." Looking over at Latha's bosom, "You may as well ask why breasts exist, rather than some other form of nutrition and sexual attraction. I can grasp some of the likely reasons and they align with what you said, the struggle making mortals experience more, go in new directions. But their ultimate inspirations remain opaque."
"Why does an artist create precisely what he creates?" Latha drinks and looks at the cooking food, "I certainly feel Creation has artistry to it, does it not?"
Meanwhile, Syala takes the white pieces and starts to play. "My insight? I'd be glad to help," Syala says, as she adds, "I could use a favor to call in."
Meanwhile, the others swim away until Sharess begins to spin, forming a whirlpool that drags Jessica, Marie and Antenora towards her. Her cry is heard, "Kittens, watch this!"
Seira laughs, answering Syala's opening move with From's Gambit. "A favor? So the information from Yan-C-Bin's tireless efforts and insight into our own breakthrough into the prismatic studies isn't enough? I think Sanzha will be quite sad to hear that."
Marie shrieks as she's pulled into the whirlpool, though it sounds more excited than fearful.
Alicia glances over and smiles before answering Latha and Mystra. "An artist is inspired by their life. A simple still life or landscape painting is obvious in its inspiration, but still everything else can still be tied back to events in the artist's life and things they've seen or done. The Incarnations had a life before Creation - perhaps even other Creations before this one."
Go ahead and make a related skill check in case you have one, Seira. Otherwise, just an Int check for the chess will do.
Syala smiles, "Of course it's enough, but I like having an excuse to come bother you over things." She moves her pawn in response.
Amid all of the whirlpool they're sucked in - Jessica's grass skirt goes flying, along with Antenora's outfit. Then a tidal wave comes forth, sending all of them, including Sharess, to the beach in a heap.
"I wonder that myself," Mystra admits, "What we could learn if we could deal with Far Realm creatures meaningfully, if we could simply talk to them and get honest answers. What things are beyond here, created and allowed to be? What things inspired the Incarnations? Are we all, or merely a single stone amid a mountain?"
"We might have been set here to find the answer for them, but I wonder what answers of our own we could find out there," Alicia agrees. "If only we had the means to properly map and navigate it."
Meanwhile the now successfully denuded Marie picks herself up and dusts sand off herself. "Is that how you get people naked these days, Sharess?" she calls over.
22:40 <Lucille> roll 1d20+15+2+2
22:40 <Penuche> Lucille invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=3]
Seira continues her efforts to weak the white king's defense! "You don't need excuses to stop by, you know? Is that why you haven't been over much?"
> roll 1d20+10
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=6]
Seira begins to open up an advantage, pressuring Syala's king and pinning her queen. She keeps playing nonetheless, "It's more being busy," Syala admits, "There's so much to do. I can't wait for my new avatar to form." A huff at that, "One thing no one tells you is how busy being a deity is."
"If we could, If." Latha remarks, looking over at Marie with a smile, "Well, I suppose you won in spirit," she murmurs, and then, "What we would need is a way to process the creatures of Beyond, to understand them and deal with them."
"Something beyond the Weave, and they naturally resist divine power to force it,' Mystra watches as well, "Marielle," she calls over, "Is that any way to act around me?" She's smiling at that, the smell of meat becoming richer and richer.
Getting up and dusting herself off, "Seira, Syala, you aren't involved. Is that how Marie should act around Mystra?"
Sharess merely smiles and purrs loudly, despite being in human form. "You aren't the only one here, Mystra. Don't forget it!"
"Isn't that how she usually acts?" Seira calls back. "It cannot possibly be a surprise!"
She keeps on pressuring Syala's defenses, gambling that her knowledge will bear out as sufficient and not leave her over-extended. Then again, she's not playing against Oghma, so it should probably be okay? "It really is, though I try to delegate a lot. There's too much as it is that demands my personal attention, so there's no need to add the more mundane stuff to it."
Alicia's smile widens at Latha's agreement of her victory. "Belated, but yes," she nods. "Unfortunately understanding the Beyond often seems to strip away understanding of Creation."
Marie blushes and looks between Mystra and Sharess. "Sorry, Mystra!" she bows her head. "I haven't forgotten my place just because I got transferred to Alicia!"
"I wish she wouldn't make it sound so clinical," Alicia sighs now, looking over at Marie herself.
"Well I tried praying to you this morning and nothing happened!" Marie retorts.
"You know where the kitchens are. If you really wanted a cake for breakfast anyone there would've been happy to make one for you. Or you could've visited Jessica and Roald to indulge your sweet tooth," Alicia rolls her eyes. "Besides, I've invested a portion of my divine spark in you, so I don't want you getting fat."
Syala's giving ground, slowly losing position. You're on the advantage now as she looks down, "This game's yours," she says, "I don't think I can win without my bishops."
Meanwhile Antenora smirks at that as Sharess laughs, Jessica coming over. "Alright Alicia, I'll take over to finish. Go relax and mingle."
In a sidebar to Marie, 'Be nice,' Antenora sends, 'And I'll give you a nice cake to eat.'
Amid this Syala turns to Seira, "When do you plan on trying to make a behemoth?"
"The day after tomorrow," Seira responds, deciding not to mention that her position was not quite as secure as it seemed. Bluffing and posturing is important in games, after all! "We wanted to confer with you before starting on the actual experiments, so if you have any insights I'd love to hear them. And, of course, you're welcome to join us for the creation itself."
"Thank you, sister," Alicia smiles at Jessica and goes over to watch Seira and Syala's chess match, still sipping at her drink.
'Trying to poach me away, huh? I'll get a reputation at this rate!' Marie gives Antenora a cheerful reply.
Latha stays with Jessica, Mystra joining them. As they chat away quietly, Antenora sits on the table next to Syala and Seira, "I'll play next," she offers. "Alicia, could you magic me over some thing to dri-" That's as far as she gets before a bottle appears in hand.
"Thank you," Antenora bows her head to Sharess, who strides up next to her and takes the other seat, taking a pull from a bottle of local wine - your parent's vineyard.
'Why not? You often kneel before me at night anyway,' Antenora retorts right back.
"I can make that unless celebrations run, in that case it may be my avatar," Syala mentions.
Seira nods, telling Syala, "I'll take you on a tour before we get to the ritual itself. We've had our own expansion recently, after all~"
Standing up, she stretches to get the kinks out and says, "For now, I'd better get back. Have fun celebrating!"
Marie blushes. 'Not in front of Sharess!' she quickly sends back to Antenora, hurrying over to join Latha, Jessica, and Mystra for protection.
"Going already? Well it was good seeing you drop in anyway," Alicia says to Seira.
"Like Syala said, we're ridiculously busy," Seira responds to Alicia, the gown giving way for her usual travel clothing. "Perhaps I'll bring Amaryl along for a quiet getaway another chance?"
"Have fun, kitten," Sharess calls, as Antenora goes over to play Syala.
'Oh kittens,' Sharess is heard by Antenora and Marie in their minds, 'I already know. It's who I am, remember? Trust me, I hear scandalous things all the time, every moment. Think of how many people call my name when they finish? Just that alone.'
Antenora blushes suddenly but says not a word.
I'll move you back to your node when you're doing here, Seira. Say so OOC unless you take a decisive action leaving.
'See, I told you!' Marie sends back to Antenora, grabbing a drink from the chest and guzzling it down in a hurry.
Alicia thankfully remains blissfully ignorant, seeing Seira off then watching Syala and Antenora play chess.
> roll 1d20+10 Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d20+7 Antenora
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=5]
As Syala and Antenora start playing, Sharess just chuckles warmly and drinks. "Alicia," she calls, "Come sit next to me, we can play too."
"Something other than chess though," Alicia says, going to sit with Sharess. "How about a card game?" she looks over at various freshly naked members of the party, "Not strip poker though."
Good to go~
"Too late," Sharess laughs, a deck of cards in hand. "Mercane Bidding sound good to you?"
Meanwhile Antenora frowns, a quick chess match not going her way at all.
"Marie, I think I'm winning. Call a point for team chaos when I do," Syala gives Marie a pleasant smile at that.
"She can't handle your unorthodox strategies!" Marie raises her bottle over to Syala with a cheer.
"Well, this is a one-piece..." Alicia looks down at her dress. "But alright, deal me in."
As Antenora blushes and slows her play, concentrating?
Sharess just smiles and deals, "A wager then. I win, off your dress goes. You win, you dress me up however you like. Though," She adds in a side bar, "I prefer wearing clothes usually, so I win either way. Isn't that the best sort of bet?"
"It is just for fun," Alicia says agreeably. "So yes, I'm fine with that. Marie has this lovely secretarial ensemble she likes to wear when doing my scheduling, I think it would look good on you. Very modest and proper."
Int check, Alicia, unless you have a skill related to gaming. If you do, you can use that instead.
"I win," Syala declares as your hand is dealt, Antenora hanging her head a moment. "Woe. Woe is the lawful order," she deadpans.
"Just don't let your faithful hear you say that," Sharess calls, "We have to keep them focused on what's important. This? We need this, but they don't need to see us celebrate, be less than the ideal they serve."
I have bluff and sense motive, but lets not get too mechanistic with this.
[22:10] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 int check
[22:10] <+Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=4]
"Point for team Chaos!" Marie carols enthusiastically.
Which is why a simple roll suffices, yes.
> roll 1d20+13
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=9]
Eeep. Between your hand and Sharess's opening plays, you're not long for your dress.
Antenora laughs a bit despite it, "That is true. This...I can let my hair down with all of you, but to everyone else I have to be an icon. Eternally clad in gold and opal, ever ready to strike down any evil I see. I love it, but it's hard to be anything but that. It was hard dealing with Aurora at times, because I had to be who everyone knew I was."
"We become more of what we are," Syala says, "It's like becoming One. What we are is what we are. Mortals aren't so bound - I think that's why the Incarnations have them. As great as we are, as transcendent as we can be, we are not as unbound as mortals."
"Mmm-hmm." Sharess says, murmuring, "It's hard for me to pass up a good backrub, a pleasant meal or a nap in the sun. It's because I'm those things, kittens," Sharess says, as she pairs off your 10, clearing more cards in her hand. Yeah, you're pretty much up a creek this game.
Alicia throws down her hand with disgust. "Your game, Cat-Mother," she concedes, standing up. "I somehow always ended up missing things with Aurora myself, but I know what you mean. I have a different 'voice' I use for when I'm Alicia the goddess." Her dress is peeled down and tossed away onto the sands, her tanned and athletic body bare to the world.
"That was a horrible hand," Sharess purrs away as you feel the sun over your body. "I'll have to ask Tymora to be kinder to you."
"She is right," Mystra is simply there, as if she moved when you weren't looking. She sits on the sand uncaringly, sipping from her bottle of wine. "Thus the crux of our dilemma. Were there no mortals, we would all be as Grumbar or the Water Lord. Yet there are mortals and all mortals are, and we are the well spring and shepherds. They come from us and at the same time, we must be more to them while also being ourselves."
"Unless you're me, then showing up naked to your faithful's a typical evening," Sharess giggles, "It can be hard, kittens. We have few barriers amid ourselves because we are often the only ones we can confide in. I've even had peaceful parley with horrid things from Below, all because we understand each other in ways that no others can. As much as we oppose each other, we also have a strand of understanding. How contradictory. How...mortal."
Antenora has a sip of her own drink and chimes in with, "I can't imagine having a friendly conversation with a fiend lord unless they want something."
"Often true," Mystra says, "But for instance, the Red Knight and Asmodeus meet whenever a devil chooses to venerate the Red Knight. They play a game of chess where the winner claims the devil's soul. I had reason to attend one such game, it was surprisingly cordial."
"Yes, but Asmodeus can be cultured and civilized. So can something like Malcanthet. Some can never be." Sharess says, "The ones that get the teeth and claws."
"We did have to host Baalzebub as our first official guest in Sylica," Alicia recalls, sighing. "That was a fraught meeting, even if he was as cordial as could be hoped. One good thing about this," she looks around, uncaring of her nudity, "Is that it makes Sylica that much more ours and moves it further from being his Furnace."
Marie wanders over to where all the good gossip is happening herself. "Didn't you get along well with Glasya as well?" she asks Alicia. "I mean you stabbed each other a lot but I heard from Latha that the banter was pretty playful."
"Mmm, I was trying to walk a line," Alicia admits. "I didn't want to provoke her into committing more fully beyond just an avatar to help out Lixer, and I was already struggling just to handle that. The idea was to keep her focused at a certain level. It made it feel more like a spar than a deadly fight at times, but that was mostly bluffing on my part."
"Fake it until you make it," Sharess purrs, "Your motto?"
Mystra's gaze is less than kind, Sharess smiling as she sits back, every inch a regal queen as she says, "You can smile at jokes instead of sticking up for Alicia. She's more than capable of sticking for herself. Mrr, I like it when she does. She's fiery. It's a shame she wasn't born with red hair to back that up."
"What Sharess is saying is that we took a demiplane and have made it our own divinity," Syala says, "We did exactly that and more blessed are we for it."
Antenora beckons Marie over before adding, "You can't stay mad at a cat, anyway. Even a naughty stray who's strutting around in another cat's territory." She smiles when she says it, all languid amusement. "You simply have to...tolerate it and enjoy it."
"I'm not pale enough for red hair to work on my complexion anyway," Alicia says lightly. "But as Syala says, we have 'made it'. Lixer's lost avatar is proof enough for me."
"You just have to watch out for those claws, don't you?" Marie says as she walks over to lean against the side of Antenora's chair over her shoulder.
'Unless Alicia likes the claws,' Antenora chuckles in Marie's mind, amused as she leans back to look up at Marie.
"Your complexion is all wrong for it," Mystra agrees, "A lost avatar is more than enough proof. Now," A pause here, "Antenora faces the same struggle. As I have confidence in Alicia, I have confidence in Antenora."
Syala idly glances over, the meet being sliced and prepared. No comment, but you see her lick her lips.
"Mrr," Sharess makes a rather feline noise, "Still though, you figured out a long standing mystery as to how Eblis did what he did. That alone is remarkable. The method still seems damn suicidal, but remarkable nonetheless."
"The problem remains: Such a risky method, and anything with Beyond is laden with risk, still suffers the same problem as Ao's approval. It may go wrong no matter what you do, and the losses you can suffer from it are devastating." Mystra says, "I have no doubts that a failure to become One would be catastrophic."
'Once more, she's right there!' Marie protests as Antenora seeks to provoke Sharess.
"Mmm," Alicia only hums thoughtfully. "Really there's no telling how many might have tried it over the eons and been lost to the attempt, we only have the successful ones to look at. Even then... perhaps something did go wrong with Eblis and that's why he immediately fell, whereas Antenora remains much as she was?"
"Personally I think he was just rotten deep down and becoming One forced him to own it instead of repressing," Marie speaks up, ruffling the freshly risen deity's hair. "Antenora's too honest for that."
Antenora blushes but smiles at Marie. "Thank you," she says, "It may be true. Della emerged during that. Perhaps a dark side for Eblis appeared and without aid, he was unable to defend against it?"
"I wonder, such as why similar celestials fell," Mystra remarks as Jessica comes over, carrying a large tray of roast meat, while Latha carries a platter of vegetables and finger foods.
"For now though," Sharess purrs, "Lunch and then a cat nap."
"Ahh, thank you Jessica," Alicia says, leaning back in her chair and turning around a bit so she can reach over and help herself to the spread.
"Yeah, I'm starving after all that swimming!" Marie disentangles from Antenora to snag something herself.
The food's as great as you'd expect. Everyone eats, a pause to simply enjoy the spread Jessica prepared.
As you eat, you hear it and feel it. Amid the sea of prayers and storm of requests? "Saint Alicia," The man's prayer is rough, a voice unknown to you. "I don't know much about this, but I know it hurt my brother and Hand bad. It's bad. I feel it. If you're real, if you listen, can you help?"
Antenora cocks her head to the side, "Beg pardon? I was lost in my own thoughts."
"No one said anything," Jessica says, then smiles, "A sign that I did all of this right!"
"You might be hearing prayer, Antenora," Alicia says softly, focusing on her own. She looks at the source of her own latest prayer to see who it is and what sort of state he's in.
Mystra looks up from her own meal. "Yes. You will off and on until you reach your full blossoming. That is normal."
You see it in your mind's eye. A big, scarred man wearing torn leather armor and clothes. A broken sword is before him. A sword of green metal - Baatorian Greensteel. Shards of it are missing, chunks of it just not where they're supposed to be.
She does a bit of divination and mental probing to get some more context on what happened to him and the sword and who/what Hand is!
Hand is a man, greasy haired and strong. He lies a little away, a wound burning with flickers of green fire. You can sense it, a fragment of the blade is within him.
The sword itself is Magalab, a sword of a pain devil serving Hell. It breaks off pieces of itself into those hit, causing them painful wounds that ultimately kill them.
The two plus a third who rather resembles the man praying battle the pain devil. They're badly outmatched but somehow hang in there - until it's only the praying man left, at which point his blade catches a flaw in the blade and cleaves through, taking the devil's head with it.
Where is this guy? In a dungeon, a house, a forest...?
He lies at the entrance of a crumbling ruin, wounded himself and kneeling besides the blade. Beyond it is open desert, arid and desolate.
With Antenora's ascension still fresh, Alicia is inclined to be a bit more direct in how she responds to prayers right now. Still, just having an angel drop in to heal them would probably rankle and beg the question of where said angel was while they were fighting for their lives.
Instead a gust of wind blows in from the desert, blowing in sand to lightly dust the flagstones of the ruin they're in. All except for one particular stone within the man's field of view, which remains entirely clean of any sand, indeed any that was already on it got blown away by the gust.
A little bit of reality altering ensures that there is now a hollow under that stone, containing a preserved healer's kit and three potions of cure moderate wounds. The kit will have everything he needs to try removing the sword fragments from his brother and friend, and the potions are just there as a little extra to show her appreciation for killing a troublesome devil, and to get them back on their feet for anything else in the ruin that might threaten them.
It doesn't matter if he's not very skilled at caring for the wounded, Alicia will help him in spirit so long as he makes the effort.
I'll give him divine insight for +15 on his heal checks assuming he gets that far and tries to fix them up.
The man looks up at the wind, grimacing and...
> roll 1d20+4 Perception
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d20=1]
He doesn't seem to notice it at all.
Alicia sighs audibly.
Back in the desert, the flagstone in question abruptly cracks in two with a loud noise.
Mystra reaches out and lays a warm hand on your shoulder. "I understand." she says, a voice of long suffering. "The only thing worse than mortals turning their nose up at aid they ask for is being so unperceptive as to miss an obvious omen."
> roll 1d20+4 Perception he won't manage another 1, right? Right?
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=2]
The man sees the stone and gasps, hurrying over to it and removing it.
In the meantime Syala just sighs as well. "Sharess, did I ever miss any that badly?"
"Mmm-hmm?" Sharess agrees, "It happens sometimes. Why, one time I spelled a message out in the apples of the tree and you somehow missed it. I think you were daydreaming. It was there for days and you never once looked up at the right angle. Then I moved it and you looked at the other angle instead. Mrr, the problem is that even observant people miss things, and it can drive the times you work in mysterious ways mad."
"He got it on the second time at least," Alicia says, still monitoring so she can aid his healing attempts. "If he'd missed that I'd have been tempted to just heal them all directly even though I shouldn't reward obliviousness."
As he sets up Antenora nods, "You really should not."
"Mrr," Sharess makes a purring noise as others listen, "A few of my better champions have been observant as a dead mouse. You shouldn't reward it, but understand it's not everyone's strength."
> roll 1d20+15 Heal
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 35 > [d20=20]
For all his flaws at seeing, the man's rudimentary healing is quite effective. He simply does what needs to be done, no squeamishness as cursed metal is pulled out of their wounds and potions are administered. Whew.
"I suppose not," Alicia acknowledges as the devil-slaying heroes are brought back from death's door. And hopefully they'll get to do lots more heroics in the future now! "But still it seems to have resolved well. They slew a particularly nasty devil mostly through good luck but were left with wounds they couldn't treat on their own. So I'm happy to have helped out there," she says for the benefit of those that weren't able to peek in on her divine workings.
A murmur of agreement from that.
"Sister," Jessica speaks up, "What is it like to see and sense so much? How do you stay you so well when you're dealing with so much?" She puts down her food at that, "Sharess and Mystra, you were born this way. But for Alicia and Syala, they had to learn to live with it."
'One,' Antenora murmurs in your mind, 'Capable of a realm others can live in forever. Another world. Almost like their own Creation.'
"Well, I have two brains with my avatar," Alicia mentions. "Mostly it's like a low background hum, few prayers require much of my direct focus or time. And when I'm aware of other locations, it's a lot like using divination spells that give you information, just even smoother. It just genuinely is that easy, but hard to put into words for someone that hasn't experienced. It's like... being in the water and understanding from the shape of it and the feel of the currents how everything else in the water is placed and put together. I'm still me at the centre, there's just this extra medium extending me in all directions."
'Eblis mentioned something similar, to survive Creation even if Shar wins,' she sends back to Antenora.
Antenora nods and smiles, "I'm going to go sunbathe," she announces, "Anyone want to join me?"
"I think I'll go swimming now," Latha declares, getting up.
"How about another game?" Syala asks, "I could go for some more games."
Jessica listens and nods and...
Ball is in your court here, whatever you choose will move it along to you and a few characters. If you're interested in someone in particular, either join them or invite them with you.
"I'll try and regain some pride after Sharess stripped me," Alicia says, turning to Syala and clenching a fist to show her determination to get a win!
Laughs follow, Mystra coming with you. "I'll play whomever wins," Mystra offers, taking a seat at the next table as Syala gestures, "You choose the game, dear. Though really, we should have a wager so I can win something when I beat you."
Meanwhile Antenora and Marie go to nap int he sun while Jessica, Sharess and Latha go swimming.
"Lets go with poker again," Alicia picks that old staple, shuffling the cards from hers and Sharess's game. "But don't be so sure of your victory. If you want a wager... if you win you get to come up with some pretext to keep Marie and Antenora busy a bit longer, if I win they'll be blessedly free to go visit lawful Mechanus after this?"
"Deal," Syala says, some chips appearing before the two of you.
Mystra smiles and looks over to them, "I'm pleased with Marielle. She's lived up to her potential and more aside, just as I'm pleased with Antenora."
Int checks.
[18:52] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9 int
[18:52] <+Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=19]
"She's been a joy to have around, both as a familiar and a friend," Alicia agrees as she deals out the cards and considers her hand. Looks like Mechanus beckons after all, but she keeps her poker face up. "I'm not quite sure about her ardent devotion towards the magic missile spell, but it is iconic."
> roll 1d20+10 Syala needs a big roll
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=12]
The cards begin to fall your way as you play, a lull in the conversation as you all focus on the game. "I have a special place in my heart for those who focus on a single spell," Mystra says, "The Weave is grand and magnificent, yet each spell is a symphony that can be savored for an entire lifetime."
Syala frowns as you rake in some of her chips, a new hand starting, "My luck is not favorable right now."
"I can hear those cogs whirring away," Alicia says pleasantly as she pulls in her chips. A nod to Mystra afterwards, "Actually that reminds me of something I read in an old combat treatise. 'I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times,'" she recites it out. "So Marie's living up to the magical equivalent of that thinking."
"It can lead to great heights," Mystra agrees, "Afina of Aurora uses the same approach, and I've watched with satisfaction as she's mastered haste."
Syala sighs as you lay down your hand, claiming the rest of her chips. "So you can. You're a cruel woman, Alicia," Syala remarks right back. "Oh well, I'm sure Marie will be just fine once she stops shivering in terror."
"Oh yes, everything I've heard about Afina paints her as an exceptionally deadly combatant. Her talent with fire magic and haste is a rare combination... that sort of battle-magic makes me wish she was one of mine," Alicia says with a smile, before glancing over at Antenora and Marie. "I wonder if Antenora might even find an excuse not to go just so she can keep it as a threat to hold over Marie instead."
"She is good at finding excuses, like excuses to run around undressed," Syala remarks casually, a warm smile on her face. "Another game?"
"Please," Mystra says, "Deal me in, poker can be played with three players. What shall we wager this time? Also, one who dresses in the radiance of light truly sits within a glass house."
To this Syala chuckles a bit, "Yes, well....say, is it your fault Alicia always brings home naked women? It started with Antenora and keeps happening."
Mystra merely smiles mysteriously as another set of chips appear, the previous game's ones sorting back out evenly.
"First the fairy affinity for my head and now this? I don't think Mystra's pulling all the strings behind my life," Alicia says as she deals out another hand for the three of them. "But you can pick the wager this time, Syala. Since I chose the last one."
"Hm." Syala hums, "I'll wager one favor, payable on demand. Nothing too serious, fun favors."
Mystra chuckles even more, "Why not, I'll wager my dress if I somehow lose. Alicia?"
Meanwhile Latha and Sharess are swimming around, slowly and more floating than swimming. They're talking away, though as you can't hear it, someone's taking precautions for privacy.
Alicia has no intention of intruding on Latha's privacy of course, intent on her game. "Oh, like that?" she says as Mystra and Syala offer up different wagers. Still, she offers up the same as Syala did to keep it consistent at least on their end. "Fun favour for me as well then."
The cards are dealt as you all begin. "It's been over a century since I've played cards," Mystra remarks, "Yet now a century means as little to me a day does to you. Treasure your mortalness as it lasts, Alicia. Already you have begun to change and in time you will change far more."
Syala throws a few chips in and adds, "You do change. I'm more thoughtful now than I was when this began. There's more to think about and you see so much."
Int checks, all.
[17:25] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
[17:25] <+Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=10]
"Life is change, but it happens more quickly for mortals," Alicia says, studying her hand and maintaining a bland poker face while conversing. "You live longer you get more set in your ways. I'm far different than I was 30 years ago. But 30 years from now will the changes be so pronounced?"
> roll 1d20+10 Syala
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+20 Mystra (holding back)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=6]
Chips go in as you all bet - and Mystra shows a full house, decimating your hands. Ouch.
"A better question: How do you see yourself in a century, Alicia?" Mystra inquires, her won chips flowing to her without a motion on her part, stacking up before her.
You have a distinct suspicion she's going to win.
A difficult question, considering she can't talk about certain tasks the Arbiter charged her with! "I think and hope by then Sylica will have moved to Elysium. I'll still be ruling it with Syala and Antenora. Perhaps even others will have risen to join us by then," she begins. "No," she pauses and shakes her head. "That's where I see myself. How I see myself..." she thinks a moment longer. "Still much the same, I imagine. My goals and ideals I don't foresee changing, and I'm settled enough in my methods that I'll still be bringing sword and spell to evil elsewhere even with my responsibilities as a deity. But then people rarely anticipate that they'll change, do they?"
"How true," Syala remarks, pushing most of her chips in and then the rest, Mystra matching her.
"Change is change. It will touch you when it wishes." Mystra says, "But I think your changes will not be to believes and ideals as much as your inner self. As your mortal days become a smaller and smaller part of you, you will become more divine. More removed in ways, more real and invested in others."
"I suppose Empress Sulia serves as an example there, her circumstances are similar and she has a few centuries on me," Alicia says as she pushes her own chips in, anticipating they'll all end up going to Mystra.
A flush? Geez.
Sure enough, Mystra wins all of your chips. She sits back, hands folded neatly, "Now what favors should I request," she muses aloud, pausing to have a sip of wine.
Meanwhile, Sharess and Latha are laughing, a splash of water exchanged. Oddly enough, one of the splashes travels far more than it should, splashing all over Antenora and Marie. Antenora sits up with a startle, looking around wildly.
Marie sits up as well and laughs at the cat-like reaction the goddess of cats just got out of Antenora. Pulling on her hand, she leads Antenora back into the water to get some revenge!
"You have a long time to sit on them if you want to make us stew," Alicia says, leaning back from the table. "But I think that's enough games for me. How about we join everyone else in the water?"
"Let's," Mystra agrees, dress fading away into motes of spellfire. "It's been a long time since I swam for enjoyment." Looking on with a fond smile, "Alicia, remind me occasionally to enjoy things like this. It's too easy to lose myself in the Weave." With those words she hurries into the water, following Antenora and Marie.
Marie at least sticks to humanoid proportions as she dives in and swims towards Sharess and Latha, a hurried sweep of her arm splashing them as soon as she's in range.
"You should at least save one avatar for enjoying sensual pleasures now and then," Alicia agrees, smiling as she watches the mother of all magic rush into the water, before she takes Syala's hand to lead her along after them.
Like this time passes swimming. Splashing and fun, hours passing at simple enjoyment.
Soon enough it's winding down. Night has fallen, all of you before a bonfire. Sweet things are on sticks, melted and warmed in the fire before being devoured. Antenora has an arm around Marie, the two of them sharing some chocolate on sweet bread. Sharess sits next to Syala, levitating maple syrup and warming it up, then spreading it over little sponge cakes. Latha and Jessica are nibbling on fire roasted, sugared fruits while you...
Last phase of this, go ahead and set yourself up.
By now Alicia's starting to feel a little bit antsy and restless, but her avatar is keeping busy enough elsewhere for her not to feel like she needs to be doing something else. She's sat on the sand by the fire next to Mystra, holding a stick with a speared marshmallow on it close to the flames to get it melted and sticky before she brings it closer to eat.
Mystra finishes her marshmallow, a swig of ambrosia following, then a giggle. "Oh Alicia," Mystra says cheerfully, "I really need to do this more often!"
"I keep telling you, but you're so busy being transcendent in your Weave," Sharess says, a soft purring as she nibbles on her cake.
Taking a long drink of ambrosia herself, Syala nods, "Really Alicia, your dear Mystra needs our help. We need to make sure she remembers to have fun every year or so, minimum."
Antenora smiles, her own ambrosia sipped at, "Mmm..." she says, comfortable against Marie. "Also more Marie in general. After we finish with Mechanus, we really will need to go on more missions together, love."
"Here's to more Marie," Latha raises her own bottle up, "Here's to Marie's new form and Mystra's happiness!"
Alicia picks up her own bottle and raises it to that toast. "To Mystra's happiness and Marie!" she echoes.
"Oh yes, no more pushing papers around Liberton for Marie!" the eladrin in question preens under the attention she's getting. "Maybe we'll even find out some dark secrets on Mechanus and have an adventure while we're there?"
"Sounds like someone's hoping they get kicked out and told not to come back," Alicia points out, gesturing at Marie with her marshmallow stick.
"Oh don't worry," Antenora says with a smug little smile, cleaning her stick of chocolate before poking Marie in the chest with it, "I already filed papers that have accredited us as diplomats from Sylica. We have diplomatic immunity. You'd have to personally insult Primus to get thrown out."
Sharess chuckles into her hand, "Ooooh, it might be fun to try anyway!"
Jessica nods along to that, "You're absolutely right, sister," she says, "Marie's naughty like that. Subversive. It's a good thing she has Antenora."
"Yes Marie, remember you represent me wherever you go. I don't want to be embarrassed by your conduct on Mechanus," Alicia agrees with a stern nod, offset by her amused smile.
Marie's cheeks puff out in a childish looking pout that's almost comical on her ethereally beautiful features. "Something's going to happen anyway, just you all wait," she insists.
"We'll figure out something, love, don't worry," Antenora chuckles, laughter spreading amid all of you, warm. Like this and together, a pleasant day passes and...
Okay, unless you have anything else to do here, next move?
Lets see if Marie and Antenora actually get into any trouble on Mechanus? We can do a side-story there while Alicia keeps house on Sylica, barring stuff happening with Zariel or Emmaline!
Okay, locking this one then.