You want to talk to Amaryl, right? Go ahead and set that up, I'll roll off of it and get it going.
"What do you think?" Seira asks Amaryl as they discuss this latest excursion on a balcony overlooking the lake of lava by their palace. She glances back at her sitting wife before returning her attention down at the lava, leaning on the railing with her elbows. "I've had lots of fun going dragon and dominating an enemy that gave me so much trouble before. Even though I'd still find it a challenge without Moore's help, it goes a long way towards showing how far we've come."
Amaryl looks down, gaze on the burning rock below. She turns up to you before, "You were magnificent, as always."
"I had the advantage of practicing those powers properly," Seira muses.
"And it was-" Amaryl begins, before you feel it. A connection to Amaryl, strong as can be.
Node update, go read.
Got it
"We should do something you want next," Seira voices. "On a grand, planar scale. Something where you get to shine, and I support you one hundred percent."
"Once this business with 21 is finished," Amaryl agrees, a smile growing on her face, "It is surely the business of the one who gives us these gifts. It would be rude not to. But...I must decide what I want to get done, and I have an idea."
"Don't keep me in suspense, what is it?" Seira asks with a grin.
"There's a story about how the Red Knight affirmed her divinity by the slaying of a demon lord," Here Amaryl smiles, "I think we can match that, Seira, don't you?"
Seira laughs, she can't help it. "We already did that on my birthday pre-ascension, remember? I guess there's all kinds of demon lords, but I'd say we can deal with all but the permanent fixtures of the Abyss. Let's go for it once we clear our schedule!"
"I'll research a good one - not too strong or too big, but there's plenty of smaller ones who are still powers," Amaryl agrees.
"Find one whose defeat and the resultant temporary power void could help us advance our cause," Seira suggests. "I can't think of anything like the atrocity of Androlynne, but any demon lord whose defeat we could exploit to free prisoners... perhaps one that hoards mortal heroes or their souls?"
"I'll look who is available," Amaryl promises, "Someone without too many or too large an ally, too. We'll have to run if one is important enough for Demogorgon to interfere, and perhaps it's wise to avoid the Pale Mother's few allies."
"If you want to make a statement, better it be direct rather than complicated by drawing those monsters in," Seira agrees.
"This requires research," Amaryl agrees again, "I'll get to that."
Next move since you're basically waiting on Alicia?
Say, Zaphkiel? Seira directs her thoughts heavenwards as she settles back to watch the lake of lava in silence with Amaryl. Sylvie's challenge is supposed to get me to develop new uses of my power and learn, but what I've been trying hasn't worked, beyond a bit of specialized knowledge. Can you guide my way?
You rest with Amaryl, her hand in yours.
What is it you seek to learn, Seira?
Further insights on the path to One.
Soon.
The path to them will be revealed soon. Have patience, for I have provisioned for this.
I want my trusted companions to have the best chance at this ritual, since they are our best chance at victory. If you say it will happen in time, I will wait.
As for next, I'm interested in hearing the progress of our projects. Behemoth research, etc.
Sure, gimme one in particular and I'll start with that one.
...Behemoth research
It was a chance for variety!
Really. Stop looking at me like that. Whimper.
Yandrazrt isn't too hard to find. He's standing over your metalworks, as various smiths work and produce all manner of things. It's a little balcony above it all, his arms crossed as he takes it all in. A look back when you ask, "The behemoths? A status report, Seira? Hold on."
The old golem-gnome cups hands to his mouth, "ALADEEN, DON'T LET ME SEE YOU LETTING ANY IMPURITIES INTO THAT ALLOY AGAIN!" he shouts.
Then, once that's done, "How up to date are you with the research?"
"I'm not, hence the in-person status report," Seira responds with an apologetic shrug. "We jumped straight from a war footing to important research."
"You're aware that the main clog is with specimens?" The gnome asks, "Namely that by the way most do it, there's few that survive the process and become behemoths? That's a problem. However, applying it in lesser ways to promote growth has been productive and we've made good progress there."
"I also believe that Syala provided several more suitable specimens?" Seira voices. "So that we have a decent starting point."
"Do you need a double sized cow or dog?" Lagann asks, a hint of a smile on his face, gruff. "There seems to be only so much of a connection and influx of positive energy that each creature can handle like this, independent of how they normally can endure and heal wounds. It doesn't seem to track to the overall power of a creature, unlike those."
"And that describes where we are now. So where are we headed? After all, we do know the process works. What we would like to do is make it more humane and reliable."
"That's why our research heads in the direction of understanding that connection and the limits of it," Lagann agrees. "My theory is that behemoth creatures have a far higher tolerance than other creatures to positive energy. A talent for it, the same way a wizard might be particularly talented at a school of magic. It's inborn and it's rare, like a child being naturally born with an extra finger."
"And then you're exploring both the means of easy detection for such tolerance as well as how to artificially induce it?"
"Yes," Lagann agrees, "The root cause is the most important aspect. If we can find that, we can discern if and how it can be copied."
"Sounds like you're doing alright, then. What do you need to make things go faster?"
"Time," Lagann admits bluntly, "Some exotic specimens to study would help, too.
"We're too busy currently to quest for them, so how about you requisition those specimens from Brightwater? Waukeen will help us out so long as we pay properly."
"I will, then," Lagann says, "For the short term, we'll have a warbeasts with enhanced size to field."
Seira gives him a thumbs up!
Lagann can requisition Cauldron funds to make this progress faster and smoother. How much does he need?
45k.
Done! Posted in loot.
Let's inquire about the Balmuria uplift next. My agent on that Prime, Laurenal Smythe, will be called upon to see how things go.
Before that, give me a d100 as a result of that expenditure. This is a good roll, possibly, nothing can go wrong even with a bad roll.
Sure
21:38 <Seira> roll 1d100
21:38 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 90 > [d100=90]
You shortly after get a message from Lagann.
"Good news," he says, "We called in a favor and only had to spend 38,500 instead, so it shouldn't be as big an expense."
"Nice!"
Go ahead and update loot with the revised total.
"Early results are promising as well, but it will take time," Lagann adds.
Edited
"I understand. Let me know when there's any progress, because I have another exciting research project lined up for you~"
"My Lady," Is the answer as your servant kneels, "Matters go well. With recent events there is less opposition and our word spreads freely."
"I'm glad to hear that, Laurenal," Seira tells her. "I would like to go over a few specifics with you, now. First of all, is the new transportation network Elle had laid down sufficient? Since we redesigned it to work with local, national and international tiers, it should grant even more people access but that also means the rate of travel rises accordingly. I've been concerned whether our projections were able to keep up with actual demand."
"It has," Is the answer, "It is being used more than before, as more and more times of peace and prosperity come. Lands are bountiful and kingdoms are rich, the people live better lives and that is but one way. Traders go from kingdom to kingdom in a single day, and fresh goods reach farther than before. Diets are more varied and spread out, and advancements and magic spreads along the network."
Seira clasps her hands happilly. "Wonderful! What of the libraries? Abagail gathered a great deal of information about the world for me, with a particular focus on mapmaking. How has distributing it been going? Do you have all the needed resources for those efforts?"
"Our resources are more than generous, and temple donations contribute as well," Is your answer. "Our funds are no problem at all now."
"I know a great deal of projects are running concurrently, but this aspect is particularly dear to my heart. I'm a goddess of knowledge, after all, and anything that aides in exploration of those regions still unmapped would greatly please me."
She will need to revisit that matter another day, after giving Laurenal some time to make better progress on it. For now, she moves on.
"What of our newest, most important project of feeding everyone through our temples?" Seira inquires. "I don't expect to have the logistics to fully manage it just yet, but have we secured the support of every local ruler and lord? Has there been pushback from our remaining enemies?"
"We have general agreement in the Baronies of course, and others vary, but we work on it every day," Laurenal confirms. "Food need is down as it is, as more temples to the righteous mean more who are willing to aid the poor, and increased prosperity means less poverty. Fields are more productive and harvests far better. With the portals, even a region that suffers a crippling failed harvest must merely open their purse strings wider from those from afar, rather than suffer starvation."
"Those are the natural consequences of our efforts," Seira agrees. "On the diplomatic front, the Kesse region and the adjoining lands should be easy to work with, as would the Lost Eastlands. The Sultan would also likely play along, given our past dealings, and Pallanth is as firm an ally as the Baronies for us. Malmuth's situation is shakier, but given their troubles they may find it a more palatable notion than normally, at this time. Don't hesitate to use us for diplomatic clout to get your foot in the door, alright?"
Seira pauses, thinking about it, before producing a copy of her erstwhile endless food barrels. "How about these? Have they and the water fountains taken off? Their widespread use would allow us to use our funds for other projects, although they need to be used carefully to prevent hunger. Used in a measured way, so we don't put farmers and traders out of business, and if such a clash is unavoidable, introduced gradually enough that those farmers have a chance to grow different foods with a focus on luxury, and the traders understand the coming changes and adapt."
"That's what we're doing, Dragon Princess," Is the answer, "All proceeds there as well. In cases of marginal farmers impacted too far by these, we have spent excess funds in either purchasing their land and providing them a trade or literacy - our need for scribes is higher than ever - or at times simply giving them money if it's a temporary disruption. Not all choose to accept it, but many do."
"Consider offering them exotic seeds as well," Seira voices. "You have access to several different Primes through the restricted interplanar transportation network where the faith maintains a proper foothold, and divinations should aid in deciding whether a new species introduced into the local ecosystem would do more good than harm. Brightwater is a possibility as well, but I'd prefer it if we contained ourselves to the Prime Material for the time being to avoid giving our enemies a foothold."
"I will see it done," She says, "Finally, we patrol it well. We know too well our enemies wish to destroy it, and if we venture farther and to other Primes, enemies will strike it from positions of strength. We will both guard it and learn how to rebuild it if needs must, for our enemies will doubtless try to achieve whatever victory they can."
"Excellent!" Seira cheers her own. "And if you need a hand, Amaryl and Kascha are expanding their faith in Pallanth and the Lost Eastlands, respectively. I'll make sure their representatives will come in contact, so you could all work together towards making it a better world for its inhabitants."
"It will be done, as you will it," Is the reply.
Seira smiles at Laurenal once more, before reaching to unclasp her golden earrings. Once she's freed them up, she offers them to her servant. "It's probably the silliest artifact that world has ever seen, but I hope you take them as a token of my appreciation. And those who still remember me will recognize them and make sure to treat you with the respect of your position, which should help smooth things over."
Earrings of Disguise [4,800gp] : Hat of Disguise, slotless.
Given how long it's been in use by me, it should be an artifact by now.
"I will honor and protect them, Lady Seira!" An immediate vow, the earrings taken.
My next move would be to check up on Lifasa's progress via Dugarth Winsam!
Thus he presents himself to you, "Your questions?" he inquires on the summoning.
"Amaryl and I haven't had a lot of time to check in on the university town we helped establish. I'm sad I didn't get to sit in on a single class before things heated up across the planes," Seira tells him. "So I've decided to make the time now to see what's worked, what hasn't and what might be needed to better tailor our approach to helping Primes."
A nod, "Our records are open for your audit. What do you need to know?"
"Which of our projects were so successful we should be doing them on other worlds? Where are we struggling and you require a helping hand?"
"My Princess," Dugarth replies, "Replication may prove difficult in some cases or require adjustments. Lifasa is a special world in a special situation. Of course you know that, but I am duty and honor bound to state that. Besides that, education always attracts those who wish to learn. It's only natural to focus to catering to and in turn being supported by those elements: wizards, sages, clerics, loremasters and any other who value learning. We don't have to worry about it here, but on other worlds you'd have to be vigilant for those who would willfully misuse this knowledge."
Here Dugarth shakes his head, "I've even read of an agent of evil who disguised himself to listen in on lectures about holy magic - so he could better counter and dispel it. Little knowledge is safe from misuse. I know you know this of course, but the potential for matters to go wrong strikes me by the contrast of having few worries about it on Lifasa."
Seira purses her lips. "I generally favor the distribution of knowledge, given that the kind of information shared on a Prime will never be truly restricted on a planar scale. But I'm aware that as a goddess of knowledge, it may be a blind spot of mine. Rather, if we make an effort to show such potential agents of evil the benefits of doing things our way, perhaps we'll be able to save some of them. That would make all risks taken in the process worthwhile."
"May I ask a question, my Princess?" Is the reply to that.
"Certainly, Dugarth."
"I understand that the lore between Primes and the Planes are different by an order of magnitude," he begins, "I can think of reasons why, but why would you say it is, Princess?"
"It's an artificial restriction imposed on Primes," Seira tells him, which is close enough to the truth without over-complicating things. "Theoretically, by the time planar travel and long-term summonings are possible, all planar knowledge should be opened before you. And yet, you can see this is not the case. Only after a great many trials do you learn such things, and often at that point you would find yourself graduating from your Prime, in a sense. A similar thing happened to me as well, so I'm trying to bring us as close to this limit without going over. Given that it's not all that clearly defined, this often requires finesse. Did that answer your question?"
"It does, but it leads to another. Why is this restriction there, my Princess?" Is the next question.
"I'm afraid that this is knowledge I cannot share with you at this time," Seira responds, shaking her head. "Perhaps by the time you are ready to leave the Prime Material? I will say that it is not malicious in nature, and the concept of balance plays a role."
"I understand," Is the answer. "Now, of the programs and techniques that have worked well?"
"Yes. Programs to encourage the wholesome pursuit of knowledge, exploration and programs to combat hunger are at the top of my interests."
"Fortunately, hunger is no great issue on Lifasa," Is the answer again, a slight bow of his head to you. "There are fields that grow food in days, not weeks or months. The land is vital and alive, and those with the power to fix regional issues are there. I'm afraid our insights there are relatively limited, though we do have readings of magic of Lifasa, if that is of any value to you, my Princess."
"As for the others, they proceed well," Is the answer, "Exploration in particular, as flight and teleportation hasten matters."
"Yes, please summarize these findings. I will distribute them to other worlds and see if our agents can make them work," Seira muses. "Speaking of teleporation, I've established transportation networks on my Prime of birth."
A sheaf of papers appears in her hands, and she offers them to Dugarth. "The first version was very basic, a hub and spoke distribution paradigm. The second version is far better designed, although the optimization was built in part on travel data from several decades. At present, as you know there is only the gate at my temple which connects Lifasa to the interplanar network for those who need to travel off-world, but I've been thinking of implementing some form of it on Lifasa for those communities that are amenable to it. Your thoughts on this matter?"
"I believe that you would need to ask those of the divine who have an interest there, my Princess," Is the answer, "I have met proxies and avatars in my time there, open and unhidden. They have taken an interest in Lifasa, we are not the only ones there."
"At present, I'm asking you as a mortal present on that world," Seira clarifies. "I will not use divine power to do it, so all I'm considering at present is mortal interests."
"I understand," Is the answer, "In that case, I would ask Aurora. They also have a presence, and most matters involve them at least in peripherally. If such heroes count as mortal, anyway."
"Those of them currently serving as part of the Crusade do," Seira responds. "Of those who left it, some have been drawn to a higher calling of sorts. Alright, your suggestion works. Since I'm contributing forces to Aurora's new Crusade, it wouldn't do to approach them on my own. Make inquiries with them, as well as with the major population centers on Lifasa, and report to me afterwards."
A bow, "I'll see to it, Princess."
"Excellent! And don't hesitate to let me know if you need any assistance. I know some like to wait until it's a matter of life and death, but anything I can do to help you along on our mission, just tell me!"
"There is one thing I'd like," Dugarth says, "More dragonscales. They're always popular for research or study."
Seira taps her lips in thought, before smiling as an idea appears! A snap of her fingers summons three different scales. They look massive in her hand, yet she holds them with ease, admiring the rainbow patterns traveling across them as if of their own wills.
"These are the scales of Golorodalas, Crowned Wyrm and Red Mountain," she tells Dugarth. "After their transformation to prismatic dragons, of course. Keep them secure, for we are retaining the process proprietary for the time being."
"I will," Is the promise, as...
Good to move along?
Yep
Soon enough Alicia's avatar arrives, standing before Seira somewhere private and quiet.
Go ahead and note if you want anyone else there, as well as exactly where you are, Seira.
Seira receives Alicia's avatar along with Amaryl in a training hall with plenty of space, weapon racks lining the walls. It feels empty with just the three of them present, which is one of the tradeoff if one wishes to have ample room for practice bouts when the opponent can turn into a dragon.
"Seira, Amaryl. Good to see you both," Alicia greets the pair as they stand together in the middle of the hall. "I heard from the others that you've found Sylvie? My own expedition was extremely fruitful as well."
"We did," Amaryl begins, "As well as trials and troubles to go with it."
"What do you know, those research notes really did lead somewhere," Seira says cheefully. "Turns out Sylvie and 21 are holed up in the barrier between Creation and the Beyond, which also serves as a filter of sorts between them. It's a nice place to practice means and tactics against creatures that don't belong in Creation, although Sylvie decided to challenge us before we get to see her."
She shrugs. "I think we've more than proved our mettle, but maybe she wants to treat us all equally?" To demonstrate, Seira creates a deep blue sword that would cut through the Horrors by denying their existence and a matching shield that would filter their essence instead to turn them into something compatible with Creation. "So that's us. How did you our expedition go?"
Alicia looks curiously at the blue armaments Seira created before she's prompted for her own tale. "We found a guardian left behind by the Incarnation of Balance, as well as one other seeker who'd found the place long before us. A lillend. She was in a bad state, the guardian had toyed with her to a degree and she'd become some kind of abomination, but still she helped us pass the guardian's trials. Our reward was a godseed with three charges, like the one Io had made. One went to that lillend, though she'll remain in hiding a time as she tends to the empty stairway she was confined to for so long - it's like a prototype for the Infinite Staircase that the Incarnations made and then discarded because they disliked the race they'd made to maintain it. We used the other two charges to ascend Latha and Marie. I'm worried about the attention we'll garner for having so many newly risen goddesses in Sylica, but we couldn't risk holding onto the seed in case it was stolen."
"Wow! Go you!" Seira cheers. "Screw that attention, you've really advanced your cause!"
This gets Amaryl to gasp, "Another seed? Congratulations!" she declares. "The lillend, what's her name? She sounds like a fast ally, let alone one with a realm unknown."
She nods and smiles. "Yes, in the long term we'll be far stronger from it, it's just the short term that's dangerous. I'm hoping Queen - that's the lillend, she'd forgotten her name, will be a valuable ally in the future as well. She's a bit like Eblis in that she's remarkably stronger than her divine standing would suggest."
"We can't be standing still, then," Seira decides. "Once we get Sylvie out and Sanzha ascends again, we'll need to look for clues of other seeds. If that was Balance, then Law might've left something around?" Blinking, she adds, "Ah, as for the Sanzha thing, it appears that Sylvie has further ideas about using the One ritual, but she's holding out until we've completed our challenges."
Alicia nods. "I was thinking of having Latha do the ritual in time, though the need is less pressing now. If she became One and then used a seed it would probably work well, but we just couldn't risk hanging onto it that long. I'm sure others must exist though, Jessica searched high and low for clues but when we found a good lead to a place no one had ever been, it worked out. Feels a bit like when we were adventurers on the prime going to places no one had been for thousands of years and uncovering ancient mysteries..." she smiles a bit wider now. "There's still things like that in the planes if you're bold enough to go looking."
Seira nods eagerly. "And speaking of boldly going where people have only traveled twice before, do you mind if we tagged along on your challenge?"
"That's fine, I'll need your help getting there anyway," Alicia nods. "I'm a little bit drained from battling the guardian so tomorrow? We can sit on Marie and Latha's big announcements until after we've made our trip out, since I don't want to be away from Sylica when the responses start coming in."
"Sure thing, I'm just waiting right now as it is. Apparently Zaphkiel has that Tryll guy doing something in secret, and Alyssa was concerned she couldn't do it when I relayed the news, so I asked Moore to see about that since they have a decent enough rapport."
"Hmm. It is interesting then that Sylvie's set up a set of challenges specifically for the same groups sponsored by Zaphkiel and Io. Are they collaborating?" Alicia wonders, brought up a bit short as she considers that angle.
"Zaphkiel is aware of her actions, at the very least."
"I'm not sure there's anything he isn't aware of now," Amaryl admits, "He seems to see everything, does he not, even when we hide it." A shake of her head, "I suspect more that Seira's favorite theory about him is true after all. He was able to see there and he knew of it. Who else knows of that place?"
"Consider this as well," Seira adds to Amaryl's words. "The way important speech has something extra which we perceive as color. Sylvie speaks in two colors, this same deep blue and white. Moore suggested that they represent Creation and the Beyond, and while I don't know about it there's a definite link right there. I haven't really noticed anyone else speaking in the same way Zaphkiel is."
"He responded to Jessica when we returned to Sylica with the seed," Alicia says. "But we perhaps invite his presence by accepting his blessings, and greater powers see far indeed. Mystra told me recently of how someone was able to goad her into a specific course of action only by enacting all the planning with no recourse to any magic so that she wasn't able to see what he was putting in motion."
"Troubling and impressive - it worked?" Amaryl asks, "And that if magic is used, she's aware of it?"
"It worked, and yes that's the implication. Not just of the magic but of what's around the magic," Alicia confirms.
"What happened?"
"What power she has," Amaryl murmurs, "How retrained and how troubled by Creation's woes she must be. Like a vast tree that feels all the sun's heat and all the rain, and is scarred by all the lightning of the storms."
"There was an artifact that could only be destroyed by Mystra's own hand," Alicia explains, knowing the lesson is a valuable one for Seira and Amaryl to learn from as well. "Someone set various things in motion to provoke her, defiling temples, slaying those dear to her, and finally making a 'mistake' that gave one of her avatars a clear shot at him. She destroyed him with silver fire, and the artifact which he had only just put on his person for the first time as well."
Seira blinks. "Yeah, that's beyond nasty. Was it recent?"
"She didn't tell me when it happened, but it had the ring of an old wound in how she told the tale," Alicia answers.
"To anger her and provoke her just so," Amaryl marvels, "Bravery was his virtue, if nothing else was."
"He died for it, one can't argue his commitment to his cause," she adds, nodding to Amaryl.
"Bold," Amaryl concludes. "Still though...tomorrow then?" she asks.
"Tomorrow it is."
"We'll be ready," Alicia nods.
Okay then, any prep you too?
Alicia, Sylica having a major strategy talk and a lot of other things is needed, but I'd like to let events finish first since Seira's basically waiting on you. I do intend to cover that and I think it needs to be, this is purely a scheduling concern.
Yeah it's fine we can go straight into the Beyond. Full node so Alicia, Syala, Latha, Jessica, and Antenora. Marie will stay and guard the base.
Just my usual prep.
Locking.