Okay, so OOC start to this one. You want to invite Sulia over to talk. Anyone or anything else involved?
Just the two of us for now, can bring in more people if expertise is needed or Sulia wants to see the freshly promoted deities for herself, but we'll start off in a nice sitting room with tea and biscuits.
Shar is not invited.
Sulia enters with a warm smile on her face, "Alicia," she greets, coming right to you. A gentle hug is your reward, warm and smelling of tasteful amounts of sweet perfume. "You must simply tell me what has gone on here."
Alicia hugs Sulia back before they sit and... oh.
Ordinarily she'd have Marie here serving tea, being a demure maid-like incredibly powerful eladrin archmage. But of course now she's busy with her own thing as a goddess in her own right. It's for the best but still she misses it a bit.
"It's not the same trick Antenora used," she admits. "As we considered that one is dangerous, and only works for the first apotheosis. But we got thinking of other ways to ascend outside of the usual, and Jessica chased down some old legends about the source of divinity being at the bottom of the Infinite Staircase." Sitting down and pouring tea for them both she goes on, "The lillend discounted such fairy tales but still helped us look. And we found it, a guardian left by the Incarnation of Balance, and a seed of divine potential waiting to be earned."
"You found such a wondrous thing?" Empress Sulia gasps, a hand to her mouth. "Amazing! Can it be used again?"
Meanwhile, there is a knock on the door.
Who's there? "It had limited charges and we exhausted all of them along with a lillend we found there who hadn't been able to complete the trials alone," she tells Sulia before holding up a hand to forestall this topic when someone's about to interrupt.
It's Antenora, primly dressed as Marie usually does for such things. She has a warm smile on her face.
Sulia politely waits a moment at your request.
"Ah, it's just Antenora. Come in," Alicia calls.
Antenora enters, a tray of tea and snacks in hand. "Marie's busy now, but allow me," she offers.
Sulia smiles and rises, "How lovely of you! I did miss Marie's presence. Come, join us."
"Thank you Antenora, having to serve myself just isn't the same," Alicia says, leaning back in her seat with a smile. "Marie's busy being spoiled by Mystra right now so we have to make do."
Antenora gets a hug from Sulia once she puts the tea down. A bit of magic serves all of you as she sits and joins you, "Let her enjoy these happy days," she concurs.
Once she is properly served, "Now then, you expended all of its charges?"
"Yes, it's a limited use item carrying the Incarnation of Balance's approval for any who use it to rise up as a deity - or elevate an existing one. There are others hidden around Creation - Asmodeus has one though I think it will be expended soon. Once used they vanish as if they never were," Alicia explains what's safe to have disseminated. "And their guardians after seeing any pass their tests leave Creation forever based on the Incarnation's command."
"Even more amazing," Sulia says, "Alicia, do you know where the others are?"
"Some, but it's not for me to say," Alicia admits. "The one at the bottom of the stair we found with our own exploration and deduction, but earlier today we were told of others by one who has long guarded that information. Sulia I'm telling you this much because we're friends, and because what's happened in Sylica can't be hidden regardless. But this knowledge and my possession of it is dangerous. Forces greater than we can resist may come seeking these secrets."
Normally I wouldn't do this, but I feel this is important enough that raw Charisma matters. Gimme a Charisma check.
[19:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+15
[19:49] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+15 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{20}
"Truly dangerous," Sulia says, "May is optimistic, is it not?"
"It probably is," Alicia agrees. "But I'd rather have people looking for hypothetical divine seeds scattered across the planes than trying to find some secret buried in Sylica or inside my head. I'm not the only one who was made privy to this knowledge so you can expect to see a rash of other ascensions soon if not already."
"This will start trouble everywhere if it spreads," Sulia agrees in quiet thought after. "I know of Moore and Cresiel, and I hear things from the Cauldron. Will there be others? Have so many also mastered Antenora's secret?"
"No," Antenora shakes her head minutely, "Only the greatest of us all stand much chance to succeed that way. I'm more concerned that some foolish soul learns of it and seeks the Far Realm, only to bring disaster into Creation."
"There are three other... groups, lets say, other than the Cauldron and Moore and Cresiel's group," Alicia says. "While it should become obvious soon who they all are, it's not really my place to speak of the ones still keeping a low profile since we share a benefactor. I don't particularly agree with the choices made, but I have to respect the source of this knowledge," she frowns over her tea. "I know you're interested and I value your support against Shar and against Hell, so I may soon call on you to help with obtaining one of those seeds and to share in its bounty. And speaking of Hell... Asmodeus has the same information, and has charged Bel and Gathgorian with collecting and using these seeds as well - they did the same thing Antenora did, under Eblis's tutelage. That's part of what we're up against."
"Peace, how briefly you breathed amid us," Empress Sulia laments, "If not another war, there will be chaos and there will be violence from this. The stakes and rewards are too high."
"Far too high," Antenora concurs. "It is like a gold rush, only with far higher stakes and powers involved. I fear gold will be seen in Sylica's hills."
"At least Moore and Cresiel are making a splash to direct some attention away from us... perhaps Bel and Gathgorian are being wise by staying to the shadows, but the seeds are a vanishingly finite resource. Soon they'll be gone and everyone will have to Compete as before if they wish to advance," Alicia says. "That's why we must be bold and elevate each other to be seen."
She lowers her teacup and goes for a sugar-powdered biscuit next. "Still that wasn't why I invited you, though it's good to share news. You were planning something big on Daun, weren't you?"
Antenora helps herself to one as well, "No one wants to see Demogorgon win."
"No one," Sulia says, "I've secured cooperation or at least quiet agreements not to interfere in this from others - Mephisto's mages and stoics of particular note, though I have no doubt they'll expand their own interests independently if opportunities are provided. I want to make a large thrust against the Aboleths, strike a blow that will set them back for a generation. Too many have fallen to them, a respite will allow the world to marshal its strength anew."
"Do you want a more potent commitment than the forces we currently have there?" Alicia asks. "Avatars? Proxies?"
"Proxies, I'd believe. I'd rather not up the stakes to avatars and face Demogorgon. The only answer to that would be defeat or escalation," Sulia says at last, "I'd rather not reduce this to a battle of the divine, this is the focus of mortals saving their own world. One my proxies will be there in case Demogorgon escalates."
"This would have been good to send Marie at before but now she's ineligible," Alicia frowns a little. "I could pull Ebony away from Aurora for a little bit. She's not as up on the Daun situation but she can follow your lead and her magic and bardic talents are considerable. Otherwise I could appoint Strength of Light as my proxy for a little bit and he can lend more brute strength to things. Which would work best for you?"
"Strength of Light," There's no hesitation to that, "He'll do best, this needs a military focus."
"He helped train most of our forces on Daun so it'll hearten them to see him again," Alicia smiles. "I'll have him ready to go by the end of the day."
So Strength of Light will be made a proxy for this. I'll give him the Alter Size SDA for the job.
Sylica's realm defence will go down by 3% and Aboleth Empire on Daun gets a 3% bonus from him being shifted around.
Sure. Any other behind the scenes prep for this?
Actually yeah. Give Strength of Light a care package too.
Tablet of Armaggedon: As a full round action (prohibits swift/immediate actions on same round) summons 2d3 Astral Devas immediately, on the third round summons 1d2+1 Tulani Eladrin, and on the fifth round summons one Solar. While maintaining the summons the user must hold the tablet and cannot perform other actions. After 5 minutes the tablet shatters and the celestials vanish. The user suffers 10 points of ability damage to all ability scores (will not reduce any below 1) which cannot be healed magically.
He can give this to someone on Daun that can use it to good effect during a pivotal battle.
Give him this as well:
Demnossa: This pair of heavy adamantine bracers was recovered in the caves around Demon's Valley, the previous owner of them nowhere to be seen. When worn by a character with a base Strength of 24 or less, they are treated as carrying a heavy load and gain no benefits. When worn by a character with a base Strength of 25 or higher, they grant a +2 bonus to Strength and multiply the wearer's carrying capacity by factor of 10.
Yet the true powers of Demnossa only emerge when worn by a character with a base Strength score of 25 or higher, as well as at least 10 levels of a class with good base attack bonus progress (as a fighter) and the Great Ability (Strength) feat. They gain the above bonus to Strength and carrying capacity, as well as an iron body spell (caster level 24th) at all times.
For the sake of this, a character's base Strength score is their Strength score, including any permanent bonuses but before any other bonuses, such from magical items.
He qualifies for the full effect. He may not want iron body in a naval battle but for a fight at the bottom of the sea it might actually be handy. Also iron body probably helps with weird creepy aboleth mucus stuff.
Always a serious consideration.
With that done Sulia rises, "Thank you, Alicia. Now I only have one more question: You asked for my aid soon?"
"Yes, within the next couple of days I might have an excursion which you can assist with. I won't be able to give you the full details until it's time but within three days at most," Alicia answers, standing up.
Sulia leans forward and kisses your forehead, "Thank you, Alicia," she says, "Until that time."
She takes that kiss with good grace and smiles back at Sulia. "We'll be in touch soon."
Rest of the day is basically celebrations + sending Strength of Light off.
Assuming no interruptions next day is going to Bytopia with Latha and either Jessica or Marie, availability of Jessica pending.
Jessica won't be available, she's still busy.
Okay then, so Alicia, Latha and Marie. Any prep for this?
First of all what do we know about Memorial?
Take 10 for 102 on a mega-buffed planes check (greater heroism, guidance of the avatar, divine insight, greater visage of the deity).
Not much. Information about Bytopia is pretty scarce on the ground.
You do recall those that visit feel a sense of loss once they leave, of mourning. The entire realm has a certain haziness to it, a sense of sorrow like a thick blanket.
You blink. Didn't Antenora just send you something? Why are you thinking about such a pointless thing instead of what Antenora said? Wait, you were thinking about Bytopia because you have to visit the Memorial there.
Alicia shakes her head.
Mourning. Loss. Sorrow. The two skies that touch to become one realm. Memorial. A memory of what was lost.
What did Antenora send her?
Anyway, she's with Latha and Marie as they prepare to set off. "Are you two both ready? All settled into your new abilities?" she asks.
"I am," Marie says. "Most of my divine power is spread out into my portfolio rather than flashy abilities. Wide roots grow a tall tree!"
Be strong, Alicia.
"As am I," Latha agrees. "We will triumph."
"You will," Syala agrees as she appears at your side. "Alicia?"
I will. Thank you.
"Yes Syala?" she asks as they see to their last minute preparations.
Syala pulls you into a searing hot kiss, holding you tight for several seconds until she lets you go. "Come back victorious," she declares in a low voice, just for you. "There's still so much we have to do."
Marie politely averts her eyes while Alicia returns that kiss, giving Syala a tight squeeze in her arms.
"We will. And if any trouble happens here we'll drop everything and come running," she promises, letting go of Syala.
Latha does the same, but...
They care for each other so, Marie. It's heartening to see.
Meanwhile Syala returns that, "I know," she says, "Until then."
They're a cute couple! Marie replies.
"Be back soon. Now then... to Bytopia," Alicia says to Marie and Latha, opening a Gate to the Memorial there.
Marie will offer out Epic Mage Armour (CL 35, +22 armour AC) to anyone who wants it.
Alicia will offer mind blank (CL 36) to all.
Will save serious buffs for when we're closer to the place.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/8/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4
Both will take them, I'll do spoiler blocks in due time.
The portal opens - to a flooding torrent of icy cold waters, gushing out vast, pressurized and potent, spraying out from the portal.
Latha brings up her shield to protect herself while calling, "What manner of interception is this?"
Alicia closes the gate with a scowl while Marie exercises her own divine authority to clean the room up in the wake of that.
"We were told Bytopia itself would resist us but I didn't think it would be that blatant. We'll have to take a more circuitous route," Alicia says.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/7/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4
"It might be proportional to how directly you approach the Memorial," Syala agrees.
"We'll gate to Elysium instead and use one of the natural portals at its border to enter Bytopia," Alicia decides once Marie's put their house back in order.
Assuming that's a thing and it wasn't sealed off when the gnomes fucked everything?
Yes.
The portal in question is quiet, sleepy. A small pond amid rolling hills, inviting any and all to come look into the clear waters.
"This pond is it," Alicia says once they've all stepped through her gate and onto Elysium. "If we swim down into it we should come out the other side on Bytopia."
"Have you ever been to Bytopia, Latha?" Marie asks. "I haven't, you never even heard people talk about it in Dweomerheart back when I lived there."
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4
"I think so, once." Latha says at last, "I can remember sorrow most of all. It was beautiful, peaceful and every rock and tree was in mourning. I can remember it clearer now, though I've had no reason to think of it in a long time. It's easy to forget I was there at all."
Latha bows her head in quiet prayer before, "What did he do there, Alicia? What tragedy did he wrought?"
"Thoughts of Bytopia slip away easily even for the divine," Alicia says. "It's like a great shame of the upper planes, hidden away and forgotten for the good of all. I don't expect we'll find anything pleasant on this journey, so brace yourselves."
With that warning she plunges into the pond with barely a ripple, Marie following with similar ease.
Freedom of Movement SLA for all.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword), freedom of movement (CL 36)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35), freedom of movement (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50), freedom of movement
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/8/7/5/6/6/4
Your spellcasting was wise.
The currents are not placid once you swim down and begin to swim up. Suddenly the waters resist, a current pulling you away and down. Yet your magic is enough to resist that, to continue on towards the surface.
Alicia wasn't born yesterday! Propelling herself upwards she surges out of the water and into the air, floating up to take in her surroundings as Marie emerges hot on her heels.
The air is warm as you burst from the spring. A cavern, lit by a glow from the pool. It's quiet here, old torches set into the wall that pop ablaze once you stand here. You're at a dead end behind you, while ahead the cavern winds ahead and meanders upwards.
An effort of will dries them off as they take in their new surroundings. "Lets get to the surface and we'll see what we can see from there?" she suggests, starting to follow the cavern upwards.
> roll 1d20+30
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+30 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{45}
As you go - huh! Marie sidesteps out of speed and instinct, as one of the wall torches just happens to break off and hurtle right at you. It hits the ground and sputters out, easily dodged.
"Let's do that, but on our guard." Latha concurs, picking up her pace.
"This is going to be just like those ruins we used to go to all the time, isn't it?" Marie asks.
"Probably worse," Alicia says, patting her back and continuing on. Warily.
"We have healing magic to suffice," Latha says, as you go on.
Perception.
[21:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+81 perception Alicia
[21:40] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+81 perception Alicia --> [ 1d20=20 ]{101}
[21:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+80 perception Marie
[21:40] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+80 perception Marie --> [ 1d20=2 ]{82}
Far ahead you hear stone quietly sliding and shifting, so smooth as to almost be unnotable. Almost.
Can she make out specifically what's there with blindsight/tremorsense?
Or map out the caves enough to know there's a route to the surface within 3 miles?
Sure. It's a straight shot up to an exit - which had smooth, coordinated, whisper quiet rocks move to 'cave in' the entrance.
Is it within 3500 feet that I can space compress a square here with one past the entrance before that cave-in finishes?
Sure.
"This way, quickly," Alicia says as the distance between them and the surface is shortened to an eyeblink and she steps through, bypassing the rest of the tunnel and that cave-in as well.
It's dark. Night blankets everything as you stand at a cave entrance, which is sealed a split second later. You stand in thick, untamed, old forest. The way ahead 5ft in any direction is virtually impenetrable, as well as above due to a thick, crowding wreath of vines and branches.
"It's so gloomy," Marie says. "Light it up for us, Latha?"
Meanwhile Alicia tries to feel what's out there past all that undergrowth...
Does blindsight/tremorsense detect the edge of the forest within 3 miles? Any significant movement?
No sign of the edge of the forest. There's the normal animal life you'd expect. Light illuminates out, letting you see. It's all untamed wilderness that you can feel growing thicker - vines plump up, branches grow, undergrowth gets thornier.
"We're deep in the forest," Alicia says, watching the undergrowth thicken before her eyes. "Can't see its edge from here."
"Can't see anything," Marie adds. "Let me try something..."
She casts Planar Perinarch, which gives her control over any highly morphic or divinely morphic plane in the same way she'd have control over Limbo with the perinarch spell. It's never been used but I'd assume the fact that she's an anarch and a deity will boost that further.Casting her spell, Marie tries to force the canopy to recede and bend back, exposing the sky above.
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35), perinarch (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/7/7/5/6/6/4
Charisma check. Special circumstances.
[17:04] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 Marie charisma
[17:04] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+16 Marie charisma --> [ 1d20=3 ]{19}
[17:04] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 Marie charisma luck domain reroll
[17:04] <Kobot> Ebiris rolled 1d20+16 Marie charisma luck domain reroll --> [ 1d20=17 ]{33}
Just as a fair warning, I intend to houserule that under the no rerolls houserule. It just slipped through the wickets somehow, at least publicly.
Slowly, like prying fingers away from from something held dear, Marie is able to open a gap in the canopy. Above the sky is dark, yet far up you see storm clouds that rain upside down, down onto rugged lands far above you.
"Come on, lets get airborne. It'll have its own problems but at least we'll be able to see," Alicia says, taking flight with Marie following. Once Latha's above the trees she'll shed plenty of sunlight regardless of whether it's nighttime or not and they can try orienting themselves.
The three of you fly up quickly and escape the prison forest.
All around you is forest, far as the eye can see. Above you lightning begins to dance in the stormclouds, atop them and arcing down, closer and closer to the three of you.
Your keen eyes and divine senses let you note something. The forest is steadily expanding and rising out, land and distance generated spontaneously. As if a deity is controlling it - or perhaps Bytopia itself moves.
"Marie, can you point us towards Memorial?" Alicia asks, seeing nothing to go on even from this vantage.
"Got it," Marie says, concentrating.
Miracle SLA used for Find the Path aimed at Memorial.
You have to go southwest from here, you can feel.
"That way," Marie points in the direction southwest, Alicia compressing distance so they can cover ground more swiftly.
Just as well - lightning strikes where you were moments later, as you advance ahead long and fast.
Movement speed here?
Marie and Alicia are both speed 200, and the space compression adds another 3500 feet covered every round.
As you fly along?
Aunt Alicia, we did it! Alyssa did it!
Congratulations. What are you two going to represent? Ascension is but a single step, now you must bring your efforts into even sharper focus and declare to all of Creation that you are here, and worthy of note.
We're going to work that out soon. After everything we need a little time to rest and mourn.
I understand. I was sorry to hear of what happened to Ianvasah. Remember it's okay to retreat if you're outmatched, you can always come back and win another day.
"Alyssa has become One," she says aloud to Marie and Latha.
"Good for her. Wonder what kind of goddess she'd make?" Marie wonders.
"My avatar is there," Latha agrees, "One of knowledge and magic I suspect, but time will tell."
"Lot of competition for that portfolio, she better have something compelling to offer," Marie observes.
"It is a concern, if these new deities wish to Compete," Alicia speaks up. "Seira and I had already made legends and reshaped the planes before we ascended, our stories were told far and wide. Even then it still took us decades to come this far. For a complete unknown like Alyssa... you're right, she needs something compelling to deserve worship. When Moore tried to claim the prize in Elysium he was rebuffed by the arch angels who bade him to defeat the Hecatoncheires first. I believe that serves a dual purpose, not only of educating him on the dangers when gods blunder, but also giving him a chance to declare himself to all of Creation as something more than talk."
"That's good advice," Marie says. "Still, I wonder... doesn't it feel like things are moving faster? You know how some outsiders can be static for centuries or millenia, and then suddenly advance at a great speed due to some confluence of events? What if something similar can happen with divinity?"
"The thought has crossed my mind. It may be part of Zaphkiel's plan," Latha agrees. "What greater confluence of events could happen than these? Perhaps on some level Creation itself understands that?"
"Why not? So many of the planes have wills of their own - we're literally seeing that all around us right now," Alicia gestures over the stormy and dark Bytopia as they race through it. "Could Creation as a whole have its own super-consciousness? Something so deep and titanic none have ever comprehended it?"
"Little bit scary though," Marie says. "Creation includes Hell and the Abyss and all sorts of nasty places."
"It does, but... well, until it finds an Answer, if it ever does, Creation's totality has the potential for great good and great evil, the same as any person," Alicia says, mulling the concept over in her head.
Just as you mull that, lightning strikes all of you midstep, a barrage perfectly timed.
Are any of you subject to electricity damage?
Marie's immune, Alicia and Latha aren't.
Although if Marie has her perinarch still up she can make it just... not have lightning where they are.
Charisma on that, too. Normally you don't have a plane fighting back, but special circumstances.
[16:40] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+16 Marie charisma
[16:40] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+16 Marie charisma --> [ 1d20=19 ]{35}
The lightning is stopped and held at bay by Marie's control.
"We may want to work with all haste," Latha remarks. "Circumstances conspire against us."
"Isn't the point of a memorial that you're supposed to be able to visit it and remember?" Marie complains. "Also my perinarch spell doesn't last very long."
How far away are they from it, actually? And if this plane is so malleable is it shifting away from them?
Any knowledges to help with those questions?
Does the base spell provide distance to the location?
No need for knowledge on the second, you have enough hands on info to get an answer. I'll give that in the next post pending your reply to the question here.
No, the spell simply provides directions along the shortest and most direct physical route to a destination. It doesn't tell you how far ahead it is it just gives directions at each possible juncture.
You can tell, roughly speaking, it's far away and getting farther.
You can tell the plane is making more land, lengthening the distances involved.
"It's getting farther away," Marie adds. "Faster than we're moving even with Alicia compressing space herself."
"This is no good, we have to risk teleporting," Alicia says, hoping that since they're on Bytopia at least it won't be as easily messed with as her gate from Sylica earlier. "To me," she takes Marie and Latha's hands and attempts to teleport them to Memorial.
Cl check.
[17:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+38 CL
[17:47] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+38 CL --> [ 1d20=1 ]{39}
Ref saves, all.
[18:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+58 Alicia ref
[18:12] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+58 Alicia ref --> [ 1d20=12 ]{70}
[18:12] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+54 Marie ref
[18:12] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+54 Marie ref --> [ 1d20=19 ]{73}
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35), perinarch (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/7/7/5/6/6/4
> roll 1d20+62 Latha evasion
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+62 Latha evasion --> [ 1d20=1 ]{63}
> OOC: Suddenly she's so glad she has no auto fails on 1 anymore.
> roll 70d10
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 70d10 --> [ 70d10=375 ]{375}
Latha nulls and Alicia and Marie both made the save for half.
BOOM! It's like Alicia's spell-like ability was pure explosiveness, sending the three of you hurtling apart rather than teleporting you.
It's not hard to tell that an incredibly powerful force just interdicted you. If it's not Bytopia itself, then something dreadfully powerful awaits you.
With a cry they go flying through the air before miracles and silver fire heal them both, regrouping together. "So much for teleportation," Alicia grumbles as she mends.
"I could try something else but it would only transport me," Marie volunteers. "So you'd both have to go into Alicia's portable hole and I can carry that with me."
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35), perinarch (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/7/7/5/6/6/4
"I think it's best if we find another plan besides going in Alicia's hole," Latha says evenly, "Extradimensional spaces can go terribly wrong if pressured. But that aside, what manner of teleportation do you have in mind, Marie?"
"I suppose you're right," Marie concedes. "It's a spell for moving instantly through the earth to any connected point. It bypasses any conventional defence against teleportation but it's right on the edge of what I can make happen with a miracle so there's no room to make it work on a group."
"We have to do something, physical transit isn't working," Alicia reasons. "Why don't you just try using a miracle to get us there without emulating a specific spell? That usually works better than mere teleportation."
Latha glances back. "Quickly. There's lightning catching up to us."
"Right here we go!" Marie grabs their hands and calls upon the divine power of luck to see them through!
Miracle SLA to reach Memorial.
[19:32] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+36 Marie CL
[19:32] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+36 Marie CL --> [ 1d20=8 ]{44}
Fort saves, all.
[19:51] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+67 Alicia mettle
[19:51] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+67 Alicia mettle --> [ 1d20=19 ]{86}
[19:51] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+54 Marie fort
[19:51] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+54 Marie fort --> [ 1d20=16 ]{70}
> roll 1d20+54 Latha
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+54 Latha --> [ 1d20=2 ]{56}
> roll 70d10
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 70d10 --> [ 70d10=401 ]{401}
Latha takes full, you two take half and Alicia takes none.
Freezing sharp waves of light pulse through you, the miracle fizzling as pain takes its place. You go nowhere, shuddering in the air.
Alicia at least appears unruffled but Marie cringes and twitches. "Oww! That didn't work at all!" she uses a safer miracle to heal Latha before herself.
"It's a shame we can't use Commander Oberuth's trick here," she says, helping to heal Latha some. "I have an idea," she says after a moment, unfurling her portable hole.
"But Latha just said..." Marie begins.
"Not that," Alicia says tersely, taking something out. A simple and unassuming ring. The ring of eternal celerity. She holds it up in the air and her will pulses.
"You may not recognise me, Bytopia, but if you truly hold a Memorial to what happened then recognise this! Here is one who fought in that war of bloody extermination. Let us pass because we have not forgotten what happened!"
Yes it's a ring, but it's an intelligent item with a will of its own that lent its power to one who fought against the gnomes. That's good enough in Alicia's book. Although she suspects that the legends of the ring came far more from its wearers skill and power than what the ring itself brought to the table.
Give me...Diplomacy. You did something, lemme tell you.
[20:41] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+75 this is a time I'll pop divine insight on a diplo check
[20:41] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+75 this is a time I'll pop divine insight on a diplo check --> [ 1d20=14 ]{89}
The skies are suddenly pitch black with storm clouds.
The ground beneath you shakes violently, chasms spreading all over as trees below burst into flames.
The air grows chokingly cold, as everything around you flash-freezes, great piles of icy shards raining down.
A sheer, overwhelmin-
Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage.
RAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGE.
RAGE!
This can't be good, some small part of you realizes, as you feel a fury unlike anything else, all directed in your direction.
"Why did you think that was a good idea?!" Marie shrieks.
"Has it stopped moving at least?" Alicia snaps back, still holding up her relic from the war of the fairest star.
Latha rushes to you, warm sunlight as she moves to shield you.
She's not fast enough, even as Marie can note it's not moving any more. The plane isn't expanding.
Sheer, raw energy explodes around...your hand. The ring within it is instantly annihilated, reduced to nothing. Then it appears again, only for the same force to strike it. Again and again and again. Alicia isn't harmed as the ring is struck, shattering hundreds of times in a second and yet always back.
Slowly, inky, dark magic leaks from the ring. It vanishes the instant it's no longer in contact with it. After thousands and thousands of times, the cycle stops and all is still. The rage is gone.
Marie just watches, appalled and with her mouth hanging open. Alicia looks a bit stunned too, not moving as if doing so might make whatever's destroying the ring hit her instead. She does properly study that magic while it's flowing off though, since it seems they have time!
Take 10 for 100 using divine insight and guidance of the avatar on spellcraft.
"It's..." Marie licks her lips when everything stills. "It's not moving away anymore."
Latha is much the same, still and quiet as she guards you nonetheless.
The ring sits on your hand as you study the dark magic.
A curse. A deep, powerful curse. Something woven into its bones, something of malice and shadows. Something of a singleminded hatred. A subtle perversion of the ring, a reluctance, a poisoning. Something to interfere with, to muddy, to subtly ruin.
The spell work reminds you of that of the God-King's and the Resorts, yet it is not quite the same.
Alicia peers more intently at the ring with narrowed eyes, holding it closer now while it seems like they're safe. And just what have you been hiding all this time?
Loot.
"All this time..." Alicia marvels quietly. "I wore you in front of Mystra and never any clue. Alright, lets try a fresh start together." She plucks off Exoticist's Friend to put in the portable hole and slots the True Ring of Eternal Celerity on her finger.
"Marie, are we still on course?"
"It's said the God-King defeated Mystra with the Fairest Star," Latha matches that marvel, "Perhaps he defeated her again by hiding that?"
"I'm sure he had the ability, but still... all these years wearing it and I never knew. I just thought it had a bad attitude," Alicia says as Marie starts guiding them onwards to Memorial again through the now hopefully calmer Bytopia.
The ring's power fills you, bolsters you.
Alicia gains the following benefits:
Her paladin level is treated as 10 higher for the sake of smite evil, both for daily uses and damage.
Spell power rises by 3 and now also applies as a bonus to damage for any duskblade spell you cast.
Mettle becomes improved mettle.
Your caster level for sorcerer spells rises by 2.
This would indeed have been good to have years ago. A fresh start is a nice thing!
Now they just need to get to Memorial and overcome whatever challenges await them there.
"I never would have imagined," Latha admits. Now Bytopia is quiet - dark and cloudy, but it's not expanding any further. It's just...quiet. Quiet as a graveyard at midnight.
"Alicia," Latha asks, "Is it worthwhile for you?"
"Oh yes, now it's bolstering me considerably in myriad ways," Alicia says. "The tales of its owner single-handedly decimating entire fortresses during the war make more sense now."
"You always had such a grudge against that ring, didn't you?" Marie asks.
"Marie. It's just a magic item, having a grudge would have been silly," Alicia chastises her without actually saying yes or no.
"It's okay, Alicia can be silly without admitting it," Latha says warmly, "She's good at that."
"Seira and Demedais had their fabulous resort sword and shield, you wanted something special too didn't you?" Marie presses with a sly smile.
"Well, I managed just fine either way, wouldn't you say?" Alicia replies, fighting back her own smile to maintain a composed demeanour.
Latha reaches out and gently ruffles Alicia's hair. "They got a fancy sword and shield, you got all of us. Dear Alicia, I say that you came out on top in that exchange."
"Well said Latha!" Alicia nods briskly, putting up with the ruffle of her silky black hair. "That's exactly why I'm all the more enriched for having you with me."
"Yes. But Alicia...do smile." With her own smile, you feel Latha's divine will, as little tickles spread all over you, as if you're being tickled by a dozen skilled hands.
Alicia's expression does break a little bit into a smile before her own divine will flexes to ward off those tickles. "Yes but remember we're approaching a Memorial. Lets try and have a little decorum?"
"You're right. It's nice to relieve the tension but... lets not have Bytopia think we're taking it lightly after we just made progress," Marie says, looking up at the inverted landscape above them.
You look up.
Hills.
In the hills are burrows. So many little burrows. Marie's divine vision can see more. Each burrow is a home, a home to gnomes. A family of gnomes, burrow after burrow near each other and linked, stretching as far as Marie can see. An entire community thriving and alive - and in a moment it fades, a distant memory bleached out.
You hear the gentle murmurs of family, home and hearth. The happiness of children as they play, the contented sounds of family enjoying a meal together. Gnomes tucked into their warm beds in their deep, safe burrows. All a momentary glimpse Marie gets.
Sorrow.
Sorrow fresh and pure is felt, like an echo of tears that resonates throughout her.
Marie gasps. "Do you two see that?" she asks, Alicia looking up as well.
Alicia sees the momentary glimpse, as does Latha.
Latha comes to a halt, "...was that?" she murmurs.
"A memory of what was," Alicia says softly.
"Did Daa-vid come here? Did he do something terrible to all of the spirits of gnomes who came before him?" Marie asks.
"In my world so much history is lost, what we do have is all of the war. Of the gnomes who fought under Daa-vid's banner. But even then there were those who opposed him, like Yandrazrt. They were a people as diverse as humans or elves... and with a history going back almost to the beginning of Creation. Yet all of it's gone now," Alicia reflects on it, glad she avoided having a giggling fit here.
"We've lost so much, did we lose all of that?" Latha's voice is barely a whisper, almost inaudible. "Has Creation already been wounded so grievously?"
...Could Ao have grown bored with the gnomes?
You remember Ilyn? The Incarnations grew bored of his people and so they were simply left to rot in that forgotten stairway. No, what we're seeing here is an injury Creation has inflicted upon itself. The Fairest Star and everything Daa-vid did with it was an idiotic game of the gods. As you take your own place among divinity never forget that.
So much sorrow and loss that Bytopia mourns. So much sorrow that it wants no one to comfort it in its time of grieving.
I will never forget this, Alicia. Our mistakes are as great as our triumphs.
Will the wound ever heal? Will we preserve Creation for eternity with this lingering sore?
That's a question for tomorrow. For today, we observe, and we remember. If the wrong cannot be undone, it must at least be marked.
I will undo it. One day this will be made right. True, it is tomorrow's problem, but we will not pretend that it must not be healed.
Alicia smiles at Latha, and though there's sadness it's a true smile of pride for her friend, not simply a reaction brought on by tickling or teasing.
"Good," she says aloud. "That's why we're here. That's why Creation needs us."
"Then we'll be the medicine Creation needs," Latha vows, "Together, Alicia, Marielle."
"That's our job," Marie agrees as Alicia simply nods.
Thus you fly on and...
Refresh me on your Perception, it may matter.
Alicia: Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Marie: Perceptions: Greater arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Alicia HP: 724/724
Active spells: Many moments of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 36), extended nondetection (CL 36), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 36), epic mage armour (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), foresight (CL 35), keen edge (CL 35 on sword)
Defences: AC 71, CMD 93, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and cold), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 51)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +10 armour AC, +25 competence perception, +2 insight AC/ref
Perceptions: Arcane sight, 3 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +81
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/16/16/15/8/9/15/9/8/6/8/7/6/7/5
Duskblade spell slots: 6/23/23/21/11/7/14
Marie HP: 665/665
Active spells: Moment of prescience (CL 35), extended mind blank (CL 35), extended nondetection (CL 35), greater heroism (CL 35), extended ray deflection (CL 35), epic mage armour (CL 35), greater arcane sight (CL 35), sensual blessing (CL 35), bibliotheca arcana (CL 35), perinarch (CL 35)
Defences: AC 83, CMD 86, spell resistance 50, energy immunity (fire and sonic), status immunity (polymorph, petrification, disease, poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, death effects, disintegration, energy drain, ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting, and fear), nondetection (DC 50)
Stat buffs/penalties: +4 morale skills/attack/saves, +25 perception, +15 insight knowledge
Perceptions: Greater arcane sight, 1 mile tremorsense/blindsight/scent perception +80
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/8/9/9/8/8/7/7/5/6/6/4
You fly on.
Flickers.
Burrows. Families. Lives.
Glimpses as you fly on, above and below. An echoing of nostalgia and sorrow, deep enough to drown in.
Ahead. Onward.
Amid the sorrows, amid memories of days long gone - a shudder.
Flames. Magic. The light of the Fairest Star. "Then if you will not bow?" Daa-vid's voice, a memory, like a white hot brand against your soul.
Alicia and Marie both slow as they see this, when Daa-vid turned heaven into a nightmare.
Latha matches that. It's a moment of light, of light so bright it burns like agonizing fire.
Then silence, silence across all of Bytopia.
"That's all it took?" Marie asks softly, eyes squinting after that light.
"We always knew the power of the fairest star was far greater against the divine. Perhaps so it was with the outer planes as well... all the battles we ever heard about before took place on my prime, nothing like this ever came up in the trials. Did everyone just want to forget?" Alicia wonders. "It's not why we're here, but this is important to see."
She wonders what the guardian thinks of all this, they would have been present after all. Soon she'll have a chance to ask.
A flicker. Sorrow, long and deep. Figures. Figures - you can't lock onto them. They're bright but you can't see them. Error. Impossibility.
The light burns them. Erases them.
Error.
Impossibility.
Error.
The light burns. The light of the Fairest Star burns.
They protected them until the end.
I miss them so much.
I never knew. All that time plumbing the origins of that war and its fallout on my world, and I never knew what happened here. Never knew what was sacrificed and by who. I'm sorry.
She wonders how Lathander can live with himself.
"Those...?" Latha murmurs a single word softly. "If that was us, would Sylica mourn?"
My condolences. If it ever within my power, I will set that right. You have my word.
"Of course it would. It's a reflection of us, if we're not there to give it meaning then what does it have?" Marie asks after Latha's comment, before she adds her own divine voice.
I'm only newly risen, and I know eladrin are the wrong side from here... but I want to represent all the heavens as a goddess. Including this one. Let us honour their memory with you.
The sorrow and memories fade, leaving on Bytopia ahead.
"You ever want to just give a plane a hug?" Marie asks, taking a deep breath and continuing to lead them along the path her spell is directing.
On.
On and on and on and on.
Ahead you at last see it, the Memorial. A massive wall of stone, stretching miles and miles without end. On it you can see in tiny, barely legibile text names. The wall is hundreds of feet tall, each line of names surely thousands of them, and thousands on thousands of thousands of lines that you can see from this part of the wall.
They approach, descending to land at the base of the wall, taking in its immensity before them.
The wall seems to stretch on forever, hills and forest part before it.
Latha goes to look at that, "Names. Names recovered and remembered in memorial."
"Every petitioner, angel... god?" Alicia muses, just looking at it.
Marie silently walks up to the wall itself and lays her hand on its surface.
Does Bibliotheca Arcana download all the names into her brain?
How exactly is the ability relevant to that phrased?
From the spell:
"Finally, you may instantly absorb the information of any written material you touch, as if by a scholar's touch spell. For the duration of the spell, you have perfect recall of the material read in this manner."
Names. Billions of billions of names, more than you can count. So many names, so many memorialized. A number beyond any reckoning, a number you have no words to express its immensity. On and on and on, perhaps forever, more names flow into your mind by the instant.
Marie bows her head as the names flood into her, remembered so long as she maintains this spell. The only thing she can compare it to is when Mystra gave her a glimpse of the weave, that same sort of mind-bending immensity.
But as a deity it's her job to think in these terms. One day she may be responsible for a similar number of people. And she'll do right by them, she swears.
"She's absorbing all of it with her magic," Alicia murmurs to Latha. "What we would have to spend an age doing with our eyes, she can do in an instant. She's taking the responsibility of remembering for us."
"Chronias help her," Latha murmurs back.
More names. More.GMore.AMore.RMore.LMore.GMore.LMore.IMore.TMore.
"It's okay," Marie says without glancing back, her purple hair falling down over her bowed face as she holds her hand onto the Memorial. "Someone has to remember. To carry this knowledge with them outside of Bytopia."
The names keep on coming. Marie bears them all, more and more and more yet.
One foolish mistake lead to this. One misstep on the path towards an Answer lead to this.
Alicia remains respectfully silent until Marie is done. They can worry about the guardian after that.
On and on and on and -
With a shuddering, mind tingling snap, Bibliotheca Arcana collapses, the spell broken. Not from its duration being expired or being dispelled - but simply being overwhelmed, to the point the magic no longer held together.
"Ah!" Marie makes a startled noise, looking up. "It's gone, the spell..."
Do deities have perfect recall? Does that make her forget all the names she got from the spell?
She'd remember all she got.
"I remember at least," she takes a deep breath and lets go of the wall, turning to Alicia and Latha. "So many names, so many souls. And... Garl Glittergold."
The slightest nodf rom Latha, "Then never forget, Marie."
So do we know who Garl Glittergold is?
No.
"Why emphasise that name?" Alicia asks.
"I'm not sure," Marie admits. "It just... resonates. There's more meaning there." She looks back up at the wall. "Maybe he was the first to fall to Daa-vid?"
"That, or perhaps one of the deities fallen to the God-King," Latha quietly replies, head bowed in prayer. "...is there anything if we fall, Alicia, any afterlife that awaits us now? If I am right, do they at least have eternal rest?"
"We know that Daa-vid slew at least one god during the war. Other deities have perished in the long annals of creation," Alicia says. "But what's so restful about oblivion? Shar might sing you a lullaby on the way out, but it's not relaxing, it's not peaceful. It's not anything."
"A deity or a seraph or... yes, I think he must have been someone with a far deeper connection to Bytopia. Perhaps as Morwel to Arborea," Marie says thoughtfully.
"Or a patron of the gnomes - like Moradin or Correllon," Alicia suggests. "Killed so thoroughly along with everyone who ever followed him, only to be remembered by a lonely and forgotten plane?"
"I have some small hope the Incarnations set aside some rest for deities who fell in Creation," Latha admits, "Some reward for our service." She's quiet after, "I think we're right about that. It fits smoothly with what we know."
"Perhaps, but lets not test it," Alicia says. She doesn't really see the Incarnations as 'reward' sorts, recalling what she saw of Mystra's origin with the Incarnation of Law.
"So what now?" Marie asks.
"I think we need to learn more about Garl Glittergold," Alicia says. "That name was highlighted to you for a reason. Bytopia showed us the lives of its petitioners, it showed us what Daa-vid did to end it all... we ought to learn about how Garl Glittergold actually lived. Properly recognise what Creation has lost from their absence."
We're also at the Memorial. Somewhere here the Guardian can be found, if it wishes to be found.
If we can remember," Latha says, "But I will not forget this, that I promise."
If it wishes to be found. Zaphkiel said it though: What was lost must be remembered and mourned.
"Everything we've seen of Bytopia outside of memory phantasms has been wilderness. No homes, no castles, no roads... it's all gone. Everything except this Memorial. Was it destroyed so much in the fighting that Bytopia scoured the ruins as too painful to retain?" Marie wonders, floating up into the air above the memorial wall and looking around.
It's exactly that. Nothing beyond the Memorial is here, only untamed wilds above and below.
"Gnomes liked to dig deep, didn't they?" Alicia asks, following Marie up. Both in the memories they saw here and the ruins left on her world it was the same, living underground just as much as dwarves did. "Try finding the path again, Marie."
Nodding, Marie focuses, another miracle used for her magic...
Find the Path aimed at Garl Glittergold's home.
You're already there.
A shimmer.
Hills. For a moment all are hills here. Seven hills, each of shining gold. Hills with countless burrows. A community vast, large and wide. More than you can count.
For a moment the Memorial is gone and these Golden Hills replace it. Then reality returns, a moment's nostalgia gone.
"Seven..." Alicia says softly after counting them.
"Like Celestia," Marie completes the thought. "Not seven mounting heavens, but... seven shining hills."
"Seven lost, and in them so many more," Latha agrees. "...how many names are on the Monument, Marie?"
Marie shakes her head. "They kept coming in the whole time I was touching it. The spell failed before it finished, but even then..." she takes a deep breath. "Trillions. Perhaps every gnome or other who called Bytopia home from its very first soul right up until Daa-vid came. As old as Creation... could you name every elf who ever lived, Latha? Or every human? I couldn't do that for every gnome, but I'm closer than most."
Silence. Latha does not say a word, head bowed and eyes closed tight.
Only the silence of mourning fills the air, Bytopia completely quiet.
There's a moment of sombre reflection to that, before Alicia's voice breaks the quiet.
"You've become strong, Marie."
"I was always strong," Marie shakes her head, her bright blue eyes glittering. "It was just contained in such an unassuming and cute package. But... you're right, something's changed. Godhood has changed me. I understand the responsibilities and burdens that come with this prestige and power. And... if the time ever came?" she reaches up to brush a tear from her cheek and then touches the side of the Memorial wall. "I hope I could be as brave as Garl Glittergold." Was he a cute little trickster god too, an unassuming little gnome with a big nose and florid cheeks, ever eager to welcome someone to his hearth and tell a story? She wishes she could have known him - would they have been friends?
"You finally matured," Latha says quietly, "All it took was apotheosis." She reaches out and lays her hand on Marie's shoulder, nothing else said by her.
"Finally? I'm a baby in celestial terms," Marie chuckles weakly, an ugly snort that somehow still sounds enthralling as she chokes back a sob from how this place is getting to her. "Bytopia?" she manages, looking up before she clears her throat and tries again like Alicia did earlier. "Bytopia? Can you show me something of Garl Glittergold? What he looked like, how he talked? Please."
A wander.
A memory of feet to the ground.
A quick joke, an easy smile.
Illusions, magic and trickery.
A glimpse.
A golden gnome clad in fine chain armor, a battle axe and a wise, easy smile. Youthful. Golden brown hair and a look that soothes for that one moment before it is gone.
The power of the Fairest Star.
He is there. He shields the others, a shield held up against it. He lasts long moments before his form at last yields to it, a titanic qua-
Reality returns, the memory gone.
Marie sags and leans back against the side of Memorial. "He was like me," she says in a small voice. "The things I've claimed for my portfolio, my domains... we shared them. The same values. He could have taught so much..."
"He sacrificed himself, gave everything... but against the fairest star it still wasn't enough," Alicia says glumly. "I saw visions of the war on my home prime. Of Daa-vid defeating Shar and Mystra both. But they could reform, lick their wounds. Here, in his home? Garl Glittergold had nowhere to run. He knew that and still he didn't hesitate. He understood his responsibility to everyone else here."
"Oh Marie," Latha says, an arm out to support Marie. "You'll meet him one day. I promise."
Marie takes that in the spirit it's given, replying to Latha with a watery smile.
"We should tell Seira about all of this after we're done here," Alicia says. "It's important to her as well. And Yandrazrt. But... as well as learning and mourning, we have another reason to be here. There's still someone who calls Bytopia home, who was here before and after Daa-vid's genocide. We have to find them."
That's easy.
You already have, Alicia.
It's been so long since Bytopia has been truly silent.
"Oh," Alicia says, looking around for the source of that. "The silence is mournful, but... it's a step on the path of grief towards healing," she says, speaking from her own experience that saw the stage of sullen rage beforehand.
Yes. You would understand that, wouldn't you?
Tragedy begets tragedy. Pain births pain. How beautiful that you've broken that cycle.
You are blessed beyond most.
Marie straightens up and listens while Alicia inclines her head.
"It's hard to do on your own," the widowed goddess says. "That's what friends are for. It's... perhaps why Creation is the way it is. So many different perspectives made to form connections and grow in response to each other. So that even tragedy and loss can be overcome."
Does the guardian necessarily need to know her thoughts on such things? Perhaps not, but it's good to affirm them. To herself, to her friends, and to Creation itself.
"Connections, and community," Marie picks up. "Community like we've made in Sylica. Like there used to be here."
Latha stays still and respectful, but at the ready.
That used to be here. Yet that is not the true reason you are here, is it? You seek me.
"Yes," Alicia says. "Shamefully even with my role in Daa-vid's judgement, I never gave any thought to Bytopia before now. Always my thoughts were on the wounds dealt to my world, the scars of battle there. Something I thought so cataclysmic..." her gaze drifts over the Memorial, "Now seems like a scratch."
She takes a deep breath. "Be that as it may, I'm glad to have come here and educated myself. But you're right, the reason we came was for you, and what the Incarnation of Balance bade you to guard."
My first test is complete, but that is not all you must overcome.
"The tests are yours to dispense as you see fit," Alicia says without objection. "What next?"
Tell me, how will your sorrow and your pain lead to a better Creation?
How do you break the cycle of sorrow and suffering?
"You don't ask for anything easy, do you?" Alicia asks ruefully. "I'll use my voice and influence among the gods to ensure no idiotic plans like with the Fairest Star are carried out again. I'll fight against those who directly cause suffering with their actions - and yes I concede, I'll be making them suffer with my actions. That is the cost of prioritising the innocent, and I'll never descend to the same level of cruelty and indiscriminate slaughter. And where I can, I'll reach out to those who can be reached, as I've done with Antenora and precious others, so that more than just not causing sorrow, they can become sources of happiness," she explains her approach.
"We'll create happiness," Marie speaks up, wanting her own feelings to be heard. "Heaven isn't heaven because it's where the Incarnations made Good. It's heaven because it's filled with good people, like used to live here, like live in Sylica. We give people a symbol to strive for, with our existence and our strength we tell them: it's okay. You don't have to cut each other down, you can prosper by working together. You don't have to force someone to kneel, you can give someone a reason to stand up. And it works."
"It works because we're there to help, too." Latha concludes, "We aren't unlimited like you are, we can only use what we have to break the cycle of suffering and sorrow. Compassion, mercy, care, love. Core parts of Good and core parts of who are we. Through that we've improved much - including Bytopia."
I have no quarrel with your answers.
It is so different from her song. Have you heard it before?
"Far too often," Alicia's expression sours, instantly picking up on what's being said.
"I've gotten good at drowning her out with my own songs though," Marie says, perking up. "Would you like to hear one?"
No, it is not needed.
You see divinity. What would you do with it?
Alicia pats Marie's hand as her offer to sing is rebuffed. "We'll use it to further strengthen our pantheon in Sylica," she says. "We know well the responsibilities and duties that come with godhood and can better serve Creation with it. If you deliver us your charge? It will be used for the direct benefit of myself, Antenora, and Syala. I intend to use the power that comes with my use of it to broaden my portfolio into the realm of creation itself. As one who directly opposes Shar's entropy, who wants to create a better future full of life and promise for all, and to guard Creation itself from all threats."
Then I will pose questions of morality to the three of you.
Marie, a child is stolen from a the cradle by kidnappers. The kidnappers are slain but the child is lost, and adopted by a loving family. Years later, the mother of the child finds her child and demands him back, yet the family that adopted him refuses. They are unable to compromise and approach you to decide who gets the child. They live in separate nations and the one denied the child will not seem the child again.
Who shall have the child?
"If it's just an object I'd say the original owner gets it - just because you didn't know it was stolen goods when you bought it is no excuse. But it's a person, so I'd ask the child and go with what they wanted," Marie answers. Just because you're young doesn't mean your opinion is invalid.
Alicia, you are in a loveless marriage forced on you for political reasons. One day you meet on a man who is everything you desire. It is quickly clear there is a mutual attraction between the two of you. Yet your region and religion will both condemn you if you break your wedding vows, no matter how unhappy you are in your marriage. You feel this is your last chance to have a happy life. You are certain to be caught should you choose to break your wedding vows.
Shall you have an affair?
"No," Alicia's answer comes as easily as Marie's did. "My vow will not be broken, even if to keep it brings me pain."
You claim that you will strive to reduce suffering and sorrow, yet you will not address your own pain?
"Words matter, actions have consequences," Alicia says, unmoved. "It's a lamentable situation you've trapped me within for this example - I would hope there is potential to improve my situation even if as you say this is my last chance, but if I made a vow then it must be kept."
Latha, a mother and baby lie dying and you have but a single healing spell. Should the mother die, a child will grow up heartbroken without a mother. She shall learn to lash out and ultimately reject everyone but herself. It is a path that will lead her to the yugoloths and an eternity of torment for her sins. Should the child die, the mother will descend into heartbroken grief. She will learn to lash out and accept only vengeance. It is a path that will lead her to the devils and an eternity of torment for her sins.
Which shall you save?
"Both." Latha says, "Sylica never stands alone." She steps forward, "Guardian, should I not be enough to avert tragedy, then all the others will be there to make up for it."
You cannot.
"Then the mother," Latha says, "The child's soul will fly to Chronias. I will tend to the mother's health and break this cycle."
You cannot.
"To Hell with what cannot be done," Latha says, "Were we that, we would listen to her song and go silent." Her voice is sharp, "Do you think us the type to yield?"
To resist the limits you cannot overcome is foolishness. You are a creature of limitations.
"Yes, and one limitation is that I will not accept a repeat of tragedy," Latha insists, "I won't stand by and let Bytopia suffer, nor would I let Alicia sorrow in solitude as she falls to Hell." She looks ahead, "You asked before how we broke the cycle: We refuse to accept it."
"I don't like to go outside the limitations of these questions because it defeats the point," Alicia speaks up. "They're supposed to force you to think uncomfortable things and challenge your beliefs. But you overplayed your hand with the guaranteed knowledge of mother and child's ultimate fates. Not having perfect foreknowledge of what's to come is a limitation we have to accept in our every action."
Very well.
Alicia, what would you give for this seed?
"That's very open ended, isn't it?" Alicia asks. "It may be easier to say what I wouldn't give. I'm prepared to give of my time and my effort, but even those have limits. If you ask me to wait here for a hundred years and give up my time that way? A century for guaranteed divinity is an utter bargain by any standard, and yet my time is so valuable I would have to demur."
Left unsaid, but with the implied timeframe Zaphkiel and Asmodeus are operating on they may not have a century.
"Ultimately anything I give would have to be expressed through time and effort. Those are the ultimate coins of Creation, most other currency is just a distillation of those. If I paid in money or magical artifice, I would simply be paying through the time and effort I spent acquiring those. The only other way of paying, the currency favoured by the lower planes, is principle. Would I give my principles for the seed? Would I betray a friend for it? Would I harm an innocent for it? I would not."
Marie, what would you sacrifice for this seed?
Marie straightens up as she's addressed. "Well, I'd sacrifice some of my life force, my health, my skill... but well, to a point. We want the seed so we can use its power to further our goals and ideals. If I sacrifice so much I can't contribute or help, then it's not worth it. That's the thing, we're just doing this for power and convenience. As wondrous and precious as the seed is... it's just a thing. A shortcut for what our own efforts could achieve in time. I could walk away and not feel guilty."
A moment of silence before...
I would offer you a weapon of great power to turn away from this seed, Alicia. A sword so great you will never find an equal.
I would offer you a shield of great power to turn away from this seed, Latha. A shield so great you will never find an equal.
I would offer you a specter of the one you mourn to turn away from this seed, Marie. An offer so great you will never find an equal.
"A great sword needs a great wielder, and the seed can help me become that," Alicia says, respectfully declining.
"What do you mean by a specter?" Marie asks, because that offer seems to have more emotional resonance than the baubles being offered to Alicia and Latha.
"I decline, but thank you," Latha says, "Our purpose will not be so easily put aside."
A specter of the gnome you mourned, the Glittergold. Powerless save for his words and advice.
Marie is tempted, but she's not so naive she can't see the problems that would be faced by Garl living a half-life when everyone he cared about is still gone. It's... well the guardian used the word specter and the comparison to undeath is hardly invalid.
"You said earlier that we are creatures of limitations, what about you?" Marie asks. "The Fairest Star was might but ultimately of Creation. You... you can simply enact your will and have it done without caring for what we consider common sense. So long as it's fulfilling your duty to the incarnation who left you here. Can you bring him back fully? Can you bring all of them back fully?"
I could. I will not.
"I'm not worth that much to you?" Marie asks. "Why not? I'd drop it for that, in a heartbeat. But I'm not willing to bring someone back as a revenant - I don't know how it would turn out, we just talked about not having foreknowledge of the outcomes, but... it feels sad to me. I'll trust in Latha's promise to make things right here."
At this the Guardian is silent.
I have no further tests for you. You have soothed Bytopia and answered my own questions well. I see no point for meaningless bloodshed to disturb Bytopia's mourning.
"Thank you," Alicia bows her head, reaching over and taking Marie's hand. "We've proven our capacity for violence against other guardians. You have given us difficult questions to reflect on and we are wiser for it."
Before you it appears - another divine seed. It is yours to claim, no barrier left between you and it now.
Alicia takes the seed in her hand. "Thank you, Guardian." She looks around Bytopia one last time and then opens a gate to Sylica, where this seed can be immediately shared between herself, Syala, and Antenora.
You feel it in the seed as you hold it - there is not merely three charges in the seed. You can feel four within, awaiting you.
She doesn't say so immediately, but in moments when she, Marie, and Latha, are joined by Syala and Antenora and Jessica's avatar in the same hidden part of Sylica where the secret avatars hide out? "This seed isn't like the others. It has four charges, not three."
"Four?" Antenora blinks before she smiles, "Even better!"
"We need all the help we can get," Syala says, "How was it, dear?"
"We learned a lot about the gnomes and their god who was slain by Daa-vid. That ring I've had for years, the one I got from that vampire that was used during the war? It had been cursed by Daa-vid all along, that's why it never did much. Bytopia purged it and now it works properly," she holds up her hand with the ring on it before refocusing on the seed. "Anyway, this... I'd planned on splitting it with one use each for myself, Syala, and Antenora. With the fourth... I'm wondering if perhaps we should keep it in reserve. Have Io look after the seed and see if it's needed to catch anyone up after the rest have been accounted for? Or give it to one of our friends like Sulia?"
"A beautiful win for us," Latha says, but her eyes drift to Marie.
"Marie?" Antenora says after a moment, attention torn from the seed.
Meanwhile, Syala glances before Jessica adds, "I say we save it for now. Sulia's a dear, but she's also not a part of this."
"It was a lot to take in," Marie says. "I'm still working through it, just give me a little time."
"She's only not part of it because Zaphkiel and Io didn't choose her. What does she lack that Alyssa or Dana or Cresiel have?" Alicia asks. "I'm happy to collaborate and work with the allies we're offered, but we shouldn't neglect our own friends and connections. Sulia was there when we made that sortie into Shar's realm recently. Regardless, I was thinking of trying to find one of the seeds with her direct help so she can contribute and share in the rewards that way."
"Ladies," Syala speaks up, "Alicia and Antenora, join me in using your parts of it, and we can discuss the finer points once this seed is safely stored."
"One each," Alicia holds the seed out for Antenora and Syala, focusing on drawing out a single charge for herself.
Thus pure divine power flows into each of you. It's like awakening a new, a second vista of power within you.
Your divine rank rises by one, as does Antenora and Syala's.
"Power," Antenora sums it up with a single word, "Nothing but power."
A long breath from Syala, "It's so much easier than the struggle in the Competition," she admits. "So much easier."
"Just don't get used to it, these are an irreplaceable resource," Alicia says, holding the seed with still one charge left on it. It's tempting to just take it, but the potential for someone unascended to grow is worth more than slightly boosting an existing deity.
Probably. It may depend on the situation.
"I'll take this to Io so it can be kept securely out of anyone's reach until the time is right. Latha, you come with me?" she asks. It's a short trip but even so it wouldn't do to make it unescorted. "Afterwards Latha and I will visit the Cauldron to catch Seira up on what happened in Bytopia. With all that happened back home, she'll want to know about it."
"I've got something important to do here as well," Marie says. "We'll look after things until you get back."
So Alicia will drop by Io to ask him to look after the divine seed for later, and Marie's going to visit Mazel and see if he wants to be her proxy. Hopefully that'll pass enough time for Seira to finish up in the ethereal plane for us to meet up.
"Let me go with you instead," Syala speaks up, going forward.
"As well?" Alicia offers. "I think it's important for Latha to be part of the conversation with Seira."
"My mistake," Syala agrees, "Together with, then."
"Lets go then, hopefully we'll be back soon," Alicia opens a gate to Io's dungeon, also collecting the book Io gave them that has since been added to by Antenora and Sylvie from her avatar who took the time to read it with everyone else's avatars during recent adventures.
Io is found as he always is, a looming presence above you as you return, "You have advanced," Io intones. "My congratulations."
"Thank you, Io," Alicia says, holding up her recent prize. "This is the divine seed we obtained from Bytopia. It had four charges on it but now only one - we'd like to keep it in reserve for now and see where everyone stands after all the seeds have been accounted for before deciding who gets to use it. I wouldn't feel safe keeping it in Sylica so is it alright to leave it in your care?"
"Yes, this realm is safe as any realm can be in Creation," Io concurs.
"Good. Thank you... it would be hard to entrust this with anyone else, but you've already given us more than that," Alicia places the seed carefully down to the side of where Io looms. "Also the book you gave us before on how to become One? Antenora and Sylvie have both added annotations based on their own unique experiences. I hope it will be as educational to you as it was for us," she holds the tome up to him.
The book hovers up to Io, "Your gift is accepted," he intones.
"Then we should go. Farewell for now, Io," Alicia bows to him and they return to the entrance of his maze. "Latha can you gate us to the Cauldron now?"
"I can," she says, "Syala?"
"Hm?" Syala glances over at her. "If you're asking why I came, I wanted to talk to Alicia, and for some reason my attention slipped." With a wry smile, "So I went with it."
That's what their avatars are for. The hidden avatars are never away from each other so they can talk whenever they want!
"And I thought you were just worried about my safety," Alicia says dryly.
"Alicia," Syala turns, "You're a big, strong woman. You can take care of yourself...but thank you." She leans in and steals a kiss, "I can feel creation and the urges for that from you now. We may yet get even better art out of you."
"Yes, I'll need to update some of my doctrine and encourage some of my clerics to take up the new domains as well," Alicia smiles, looking forward to that.
"When this is all over," Syala lingers close to you, a little whisper that does nothing compared to Latha's divine hearing, "We can see about the creation of our family, my favorite type of creation no less." She reaches up with a smile, a single finger lightly pressed against your lips for a moment.
One might think that for Alicia to be hesitant about having a family it would be thoughts of her long dead son that hold her back, but the truth is ever since she became a goddess any thought of having children is accompanied by the horror of the Neverborn, the child of Malcanthet and Talos cursed by Ao in his mother's womb. She knows Malcanthet would never accept her pity, and she doesn't want to have any soft feelings for the succubus queen, but it's there all the same. And even seeing Seira and Amaryl's two children come out healthy and grow up strong doesn't change the cold fingers of dread Alicia feels on her spine whenever the topic of having children comes up.
"When it's all over," she repeats firmly.
When they no longer have to live in fear of Ao's judgement.
"When it's over," Syala echos, meeting your eyes with her own. A long moment together, perhaps more unspoken than spoken.
"Now," Syala says once you part, "To the Cauldron."
Anything else to knock out or just waiting on Seira's end?
Marie wants to make Mazef her proxy.
Okay, how does she plan to do that?
She'll go visit where he's been living on the Opal Mountain, see if he's feeling well, then ask him if he wants to follow her.
Mazel, incidentally.
You find Mazel on a cliff overlooking the forests of Sylica below, in which well worn paths weave through the otherwise wild stretches. He sits on that cliff, perhaps lost in his own thoughts, for he makes no reaction to your appearance.
Oh wait. After a moment he says, "Lady Marielle," he says, solemnly. "Congratulations."
Mazel, right.
"Thank you," Marie says, getting a look at the formerly emaciated titan to see how he's recovered as she approaches the cliff's edge herself. "How is your convalescence going?"
He's put on weight - muscle weight, the good sort. He's still slender but far more than he was now. He opens up a sack at his side and pulls out a loaf of fine bread. "Lady Jessica insists on feeding me," he remarks, offering you some.
"That's good eating!" Marie says with a smile, reaching over to break bread with him before she sits down next to him and has a bite.
"It's strange being a goddess with no faith. I'm confident it'll come, Mystra is helping me like she helped Alicia, and I have the support of all of Sylica. Still, the best way to see what you want happen is to make it happen," she turns her head to look up at him. "When I woke you from your long nightmare you called me Queen. Do you want to serve me, Mazel?"
A chunk of the loaf is down in one bite, a long chew and swallow before he answers. "You saved me," He says it, simple and to the point.
"I did. I'd like to save a lot of people, and maybe you can help me do it?" Marie asks, biting into her portion of the bread. Mmm. Jessica does good work. "I'm well known in Sylica, and I have a bit of a reputation across the rest of the heavens... and elsewhere," her smile twists a little. "But I want to build on that. Not just Alicia's familiar, but a force in my own right. You're a living example of what I'm capable of, so I'd like for you to become my representative. My proxy."
"...me? Pardon the question, but don't you have someone closer to you who can do it? I thought you'd have...but..." a trail off, "I'll do it if you'll have me."
"I could ask a follower of Alicia and I'm sure they'd say yes, but this is for me Mazel," Marie says. "We haven't known each other long, but after what's happened I think I can trust you and we can grow our bond in time."
"Then I accept," Mazel says, to seal it.
Marie smiles and stands up. "Hold out your hand," she asks, reaching forward to clasp it in her own much smaller one. All of Sylica is her divine realm and thus holy enough for her to perform this anywhere within its borders, and for a moment all that can be felt is MARIELLE as her aura is made manifest.
Resolve aura for clarity so no save needed.
It's a feeling the heavens. Not simple pure holiness, but something wilder, of possibilities and rightness that fills the air around Marie as she bestows a portion of her divinity onto the once fallen and now redeemed titan.
So all the usual proxy benefits. Since none of Marie's SDA's are relevant I'd like to give him a custom ability in keeping with the sort of power of those. That being Alternate Form as a coure eladrin has, as an incorporeal ball of light.
Sure.
More power flows into Mazel - a sense of him becoming, your mantle given to him.
He is fuller now, less slender and more muscular, but not all the way. "Now...what is it I am to do?"
"Nothing too difficult," Marie says as her aura recedes into her. "First we'll visit Latha and get you equipped for safety, and then I'd like for you to take a tour of the heavens for me. Start by going to Arborea and then work your way across to Arcadia - it's a good chance for you to continue your recovery amidst peaceful surroundings, and you can tell those you meet about me, what I represent and what I did for you. There's no hurry, this could take years, but you'll be helping me a lot simply by spreading my name."
"I will," Mazel promises, standing up, as Marie feels she's taken the first step forward, one down and so many to go.
Anything else here?
Nope, just wanted to knock that out to get Marie's stuff moving along.
Okay, then I'll get you going once Seira's done.
Meanwhile you arrive at the Cauldron. Amaryl greets you at the border, "Oh, Seira's away but she won't be long," she says, "I also have news to tell you. Come inside, all three of you."
"There's much to share," Alicia says, following Amaryl in.
Once inside, a comfortable sitting room, "I just heard that Moore retrieved the divine seed from Arcadia," she says, once the room is secure.
"Ah, good for him," Alicia nods. "We've accounted for Ysgard's and Bytopia's ourselves. It's what we found searching for the latter that we came to talk to Seira about."
"Another one falls into place," Latha concurs, "Was it well?"
"The seed's fine, but...somehow, we aren't sure but we think it has to do with where it was, another contended with them for it. It was Torm's avatar," Amaryl explains, quietly.
"Just an avatar?" Alicia frowns. That's odd, why would you only send a mere avatar for such a grand prize? Unless he's trying to get several at once... "I'm concerned others have been found if that's the case."
"The same worry crosses my mind," Syala admits, "We may have gotten lucky and he underestimated the situation or was occupied."
Amaryl rests back in her chair, "It could be either of those or Alicia's idea. We just don't know right now. Perhaps fortune is with us and he doesn't realize it's not one of a kind."
"We need to figure out how Torm became aware of it and what others are being pursued now," Alicia says. "There'd be nothing worse than going to all the trouble of finding some place hidden for the ages and never finding the guardian or seed to confirm you're in the right place because someone else got there first. But I can't believe anyone would only send an avatar after such a prize unless they were attempting to reach several of them simultaneously. It makes no sense to set yourself up for failure like that."
"I agree," Latha says, "Yet we cannot ask Torm directly."
"More's the pity," Amaryl says, "Let us check where other Guardians have been? Which places can we reach swiftly?"
"If we could reach them swiftly this would be considerably easier," Alicia points out. Checking is as good as getting the seed if they can do that after all.
"I meant the seeds we've already found," Amaryl counters, "We know where they are and we can see if Torm or others have come by."
"Ah. I can check on two of them easily enough at least," Alicia says, focusing her divine will on a pair of messages.
Queen, it is Alicia. Thank you again for your recent gifts, they were received most warmly in Sylica. Can I ask if you have had any other visitors from outside to your kingdom since we last met?
Oh World Serpent, I trust the imposter has not troubled you since my visit? I must ask however if any others have tried to explore that area since yesterday.
'Well heard and well sung, Alicia. I am pleased my gifts were well received. As of now I have not had any uninvited visitors.'
None. They do not dare. My places are secure once more.
"There's been no activity at the bottom of the Infinite Stair or the isolated part of Jormungandr's lair," Alicia tells Amaryl. "And we just left Bytopia less than an hour ago."
Amaryl's quiet after that, chin resting on her hand. "Then perhaps...it was a stray rotten tree, and perhaps Torm does not fully understand what he stumbled on, until it was too far committed?" she speculates.
"If that's it, we're lucky," Syala agrees, "Far luckier than we have any right to be."
"It makes no sense," Alicia says. "With that seed he could potentially make himself powerful enough to face Dispater. Or if he has the wits for it, trade it directly for Yemimah. Why would he try and face a guardian left by an Incarnation with a mere shadow of his power? Was he that afraid of local Arcadian powers stopping him he didn't want to risk himself?"
"It could also be a matter of stealth," Latha says at last, "We're missing some big piece of this, some motivation or reasoning we can't square away with the rest of what we knows."
Amaryl's head is bowed, "I'm afraid I can't come to a satisfactory conclusion, only many guesses."
"We're definitely missing something," Alicia agrees, drumming her fingers on her chair's armrest. "But it still comes back to the question of how Torm knew about that seed and why he went for it now with such perfect timing as to run into Moore there."
As you all talk, Seira enters and...
Go ahead, Seira.
"One of the missing links is that Moore's search took him through one of Torm's forgotten temples," Seira says as she enters the room with a grin at all present. "Beats me why he only sent an avatar. I'll try to find out, though, so leave that up to me?"
"Ah, Seira," Alicia stands up to greet her friend. "That is an interesting piece of the puzzle and might be the key after all. Perhaps he gleaned enough to be interested without quite understanding what was really at stake?"
"That might be," Seira agrees. "I don't have all the details, but I believe Moore didn't approach the House of the Triad when he realized this-- in fact, it's quite possible he doesn't realize the implications. He certainly didn't know the importance of the God-King's judgement or the war over the Fairest Star. That might account for why the defenders would let Torm through rather than reinforce in strength."
"Speaking of the Fairest Star," Alicia begins, "We just came back from Bytopia after obtaining its prize. It was... well, Zaphkiel mentioned a memorial? He was understating it," she shakes her head. "Daa-vid was there too. He killed the gnome god, Garl Glittergold. Killed every petitioner and angel in Bytopia... it was humbling and shocking to see, and made the destruction seen on our world from that war seem small. I think it would be worth it for you to visit sometime when things are quieter - Bytopia was hostile to our presence at first, but do you remember the ring I got from that vampire? Well it was cursed by Daa-vid himself, that's why it never really did anything for me. Bytopia purged that curse and I think gained some satisfaction for being able to strike something of Daa-vid's that it became a lot more peaceful afterwards. It's still... so empty, and sad, though."
"I do have those Resorts...." Seira trals off, blinking, before she shakes her head. "No. Wait. We knew he killed A god so badly the name got stricken from history, but the entire heaven?! But... we've seen gnomes! Here and there! At the Infinite Stair, in some tomb-- Moore just came across one! Where are they going if Bytopia isn't open for business? I... I just, how could we not realize? All this time! It's been right there! We've talked to Lathander... he can live with himself! How?!"
"It's...broken." Latha says at last, "The entire plane's will has been broken it feels like." Her voice is low, "It's hard to describe except as heart breaking."
"I don't know what happens to remaining gnomes - maybe they just go to whichever other plane supports their alignment or their god if they have another one? But the gnome equivalent to Corellon or Moradin was slain by Daa-vid with the power of the Fairest Star. We saw it in Bytopia's memory, it just burnt through Garl Glittergold's shield and... consumed everything else afterwards," Alicia says, nodding to Seira's sentiments about Lathander. "The memorial has names I think of every one who ever called Bytopia heaven - tiny letters on a huge wall stretching farther than we could see. All gone because of Daa-vid."
"They must be going to other planes - faithful ones go there, ones of other ethos close to them," Amaryl reasons. "...right?" She slumps down after, "I just...I can't even imagine it, Alicia. I can't."
Seira scowls, declaring, "We should try to do something about it, then. I just got back from Deep Ethereal with Sanzha, Elle and Oberuth. The Guardian refused to bring Ianvasah back as an opponent to challenge us, but we had a chance to try and reform her in a dream. It failed, to our regret, but Oberuth's touch helped make it more real as I hoped. Since it was the Fairest Star that killed them, perhaps its power of revival would be able to counter that effect? We'll all be there to help boost it however we can, too."
"That's why I think it's important to see the place with your own eyes, after all we learned about that war closer to home..." Alicia says to Amaryl before Seira's words make her eyes widen. "The guardian at Bytopia? He offered to bring back Garl Glittergold as a ghost as well. But... you're right. Oberuth's power with the Fairest Star is unprecedented and we don't know the limits of it. It... could work?" The symmetry of it feels right at least.
"He's here with Elle," Amaryl speaks up, "Let me go get him."
Seira wilts a bit. "If I could violate the Temporal Compact just a bit, I could do it. So the Guardian clearly could! But we can't stay focused on past failures. Let's give it a try right now?"
"I don't see why not," Alicia agrees with Seira that this is worth trying immediately. "There's far too many for him to do everyone or even a fraction, but... if he could bring back Garl Glittergold, it might... loosen things? Or he might be able to generate a broad enough effect that more normal resurrections are possible after that?" They're in uncharted territory here, but that's how it is with the Fairest Star.
As you talk, Amaryl returns with Oberuth in a shimmer of magic.
"Alicia, Syala, Latha," he nods to each, "What's this about the Fairest Star?"
"Hellman, listen! Alicia, Latha and Syala've been to Bytopia and it turns out that Daa-vid killed everyone there back during the war! Everyone! We have to try and bring them back!"
"Hello again Commander," Alicia gives him a nod and a small smile. "We just returned from Bytopia. Daa-vid's reign of terror wasn't limited to our own world - we saw how he used the Fairest Star to kill the god of the gnomes, and every one else that was in Bytopia. The entire plane has been empty ever since."
"Terrible," Oberuth concludes in a word, then after a glance to Seira, "Do you have a way to do that?"
"If it were easy I... want to hope that Bytopia wouldn't stand empty and grieving for millennia," Seira admits. "But the same power that took those lives also granted you the ability to reverse such damage. Daa-vid's power killed Marianne and Lyris, and you brought them back. High-powered reincarnation magic doesn't hold a time limit, and I've brought Kascha back after millennia of being merged with a plane. This really could work! You'll use-- Alicia said there was a monument with all the names of the fallen, so it will be the focus. You'll try to work it, and Bytopia could try to assist, maybe. We'll help through expressing our domains. Hope, Life, Creation, plenty of them are worthwhile. It can work!"
"In the end we lose nothing by trying," Alicia says, getting swept up in Seira's enthusiasm for the idea.
"Actually..." Syala speaks up here. "This is a bad idea." Her voice is steady and firm, "There's one question: If we somehow brought Glittergold back, would that get Ao's attention? We're meddling in affairs we don't understand, and the sort of affairs that might alert him to something going awry."
"Ao is confident that Shar will succeed, so why would it matter?" Seira wonders. "Besides, Eblis was rescued, and Zaphkiel believes the time will come when he properly rejoins his side. Why would this be seen as a setback, but not all the recent ascensions?"
"I understand what you mean, but... I don't think it's connected," Alicia says. "The Arbiter's herald? He told me that the judgement of Daa-vid was one of Ao's distractions. That's why I recused myself from it. If anything, following up on this would just be running along the path Ao would expect."
"Alright," Syala says, "Just go into this with eyes open."
"We have to do something," Latha agrees after, "Something, anything, if we can."
"Let me bring everyone in the know over," Seira says, sending a request for her friends to join them.
My Node, Oraga and Lagann.
Marie will also come over because she's invested in this.
It's easy to get everyone together and...
Go ahead you two, this is your show.
"It's difficult for me to tell you this, but while we've been taking Bytopia's existence for granted, we never realized that everyone there was dead, from the gnomish deity Garl Glittergold all the way down to every single petitioner, angel and spirit," Seira says gravely. "The power of the Fairest Star in Daa-vid's hands did this during the war, and now the fragment of it granted to Oberuth will be used to try and restore that senselessly lost life. I thought you'd want to be there for it, and help however you can focus the healing power into Bytopia."
"If we can do it... if we can bring back even a little, we have to try," Marie says with a firm nod as she joins the group. "We've worked to fix the damage to the prime caused by that war, but the wound on Bytopia is so much deeper."
"And once we're done there, one way or the other, we have to look at what other blind spots we might have," Seira voices, nodding at Alicia. "Want to take us over to the monument?"
"We don't have a choice, we have to do something," Latha agrees, saying it all.
"Getting there was a trial the first time, but it should allow us to pass now," Alicia says, casting a gate there.
The portal opens without incident this time.
Giving Lagann a sad smile, Seira steps through.
"First time we got flooded," Alicia says wryly, gesturing for the others to go ahead of her before she follows after holding the gate up.
Lagann nods and follows, expression pensive.
!
The Monument lies ahead, going on farther than even Seira can see with her divine vision. It is silent here, the mirror sky and lands above all silent and still.
!!
Oberuth steps through and looks about. "It's huge," he murmurs.
!!! NEVER AGAIN!
Suddenly the sky turns pitch black, a screaming howl of winds.
"Bytopia recognises the power of the Fairest Star - quickly!" Marie raises her voice even as Alicia stands still in the Cauldron. "Show it you're not the same as Daa-vid. Bytopia! Daa-vid's executioner walks on your soil!" she points frantically at Oberuth.
Our friends told us of how so many were killed here, Seira addresses the plane. We've come to try and bring back Garl Glittergold and the others! Please, Bytopia, help us!
With a grunt Oberuth extends his hand out.
Hazy.
Mere dream phantasms.
Lyris, Marianne, Oberuth. Daa-vid.
The last battle is scene again in a few moments before it fizzles, yet it is enough. The sky clears and the winds still.
"It's finished, The God-King is dead and the Fairest Star will not be used again," Oberuth explains, "All I have is an echo of its power in my hand." He keeps his voice calm and level, staying still.
A shudder, as if the entire realm shook for a moment.
Alicia is able to bring up the rear now, the gate to the Cauldron closing behind her. "Still, an echo that was given specifically to undo Daa-vid's destruction," she says. "We must pray it will be enough here."
Hellman Oberuth wished for the power to save those killed by the Fairest Star's rampage in Daa-vid's hands, and he was entrusted with it. And echo it might be, but it brought Daa-vid's victims back to life before, and we all believe it can do it again if you would only guide our efforts! We're all here to help however we can, so just...have faith in us, please!
There's no further attack, at least.
"So," Sanzha speaks up, "How can we make this happen?"
"Garl Glittergold is likely the key," Seira says. "Alicia, did you learn anything during your challenge to help describe him and his life for Hellman?"
Bytopia, can you show us the way things should be? If you show us but a dream, we can stabilize it with our powers and give Hellman something more solid to work on.
"There were seven shining hills that seemed to be the centre here," Alicia speaks up. "That must have been his specific divine realm, like Arvandor in Arborea."
"He liked to wander," Marie speaks up. "He was quick to joke, friendly. He favoured tricks and illusions over battle, but he carried an axe. He looked young for a gnome... here," she crafts an illusion of him as she was shown. A golden gnome clad in fine chain armor, a battle axe and a wise, easy smile. Youthful. Golden brown hair.
Oberuth reaches out to touch the image.
> roll 1d20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d20=2]
There's a moment where nothing happens. A strange moment. A moment that feels far too long.
"...We would have gotten along..." A voice is heard in Marie's ear, cheerful and wise. Strong.
At the same time, Oberuth's hand erupts in white-hot light, blinding to look.
Seira channels her divine will through her portfolio! If ever Hope were needed to work miracles, surely that time is now! Isn't this the true conclusion of the course her life had taken ever since she first left home in Balmuria, almost three decades ago? They cannot fail!
Marie gasps audibly. "I heard him!"
Alicia's eyes are on Oberuth's hand however, concerned and trying to determine exactly what's happening.
Spellcraft.
[19:43] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+73 spellcraft divine insight
[19:43] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 74 > [d20=1]
All the energy of Oberuth's power from the Fairest Star is being called on, as if to preform a feat of magic beyond reckoning.
"It's drawing on all the power the Fairest Star gave to the Commander," Alicia speaks up. "Lend him what we can as well, it's borderline."
Marie needs no further invitation, the illusion remaining but she focuses her nascant divinity towards the miracle being called upon. Trickery, magic, illusion? She's a lot like Garl was, right? Maybe that resonance with her own divinity will help, and besides that she'll add a dash of luck!
Alicia focuses her own divine will on that blazing point of power. The Fairest Star was always used in opposition to divinity, wasn't it? So long as Daa-vid wielded it, and it always came superior against even the strongest gods. But who even knows what it can do with divinity? Her portfolio is less directly aligned to this miracle, simply being her earnest wish to oppose entropy and restore a piece of Creation that was lost in an act for more grandiosely destructive than Shar herself could have dreamed.
Rank checks, all. Go ahead and roll for any of your NPCs who are here too.
[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 Alicia rank
[19:55] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=2]
[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 Syala rank
[19:55] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=9]
[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 Latha rank
[19:55] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=5]
[19:55] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 Marie rank
[19:55] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d20=3]
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+6
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=20]
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+1 Amaryl
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=19]
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+1 Sanzha
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=12]
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+1 Elle
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d20=2]
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+1 Kascha
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=18]
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+1 Donald
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d20=3]
Donald is DvR0, my bad. Result of 3 for him, same as Ranbar.
21:56 <Seira> roll 1d20+0 Ranbar
21:56 <Penuche> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d20=3]
More light. More and more and more and more and more yet.
Light radiant, light eternal.
Blood and bone. Oberuth's hand splits open, the light gushing out of it as his hand knits itself back into shape.
A thunderclap, so loud as to shake all of you.
Alicia remains resolutely focused on what she's doing, but Marie can't help but startle and look around after that thunderclap.
Seira's committed! She's all in, as they say in games of chance, and unwilling to accept another failure today! This is where the final enemy will be driven back!
> roll 1d20+1
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d20=4]
Un.
Not.
Everything but Oberuth and Marie is gone for that moment.
"...hearth and home. That is what mattered to my people until he came."
That was some thunderclap! Marie will trust that the others are still contributing in their own ways as she does her best in turn. "Everyone needs a home to come back to," she says, her smile trembling. "So come back. We're warming up the hearth again."
"...you care." A whisper, barely heard by Marie. "I won't be as I was. Too much was lost by the Fairest Star and not enough is there." A small hand, barely visible to Marie, extends out to her. "Help me. You're the one who cares most of all."
Even if not as he was, he'll be more than he is now. Gnomes will have a future again, as a people and not just horrible stories built around the one who embodied their worst. "The heavens have a hole in them. We'll fill it together," she promises, her hand closing around that phantasmal appendage.
It's solid. Solid enough as the spark from Oberuth's hand shines in that phantasmal hand before - !
Before everyone Marie reaches out and a gnome grasps her hand. A gnome like she described, in tattered chain armor and breathing heavily. He slumps to a knee immediately. "...I forgot...how much pain hurts...and to watch that first step."
"Welcome back," Seira greets the gnome, extending her hand in clear offering of help. "Though we didn't even know it for the longest time, we've been waiting most of our lives to meet you."
Marie squats down as he slumps, still holding his hand. "The first step is always the hardest, right?" she asks with a solidifying smile, channelling her innate heal spell into him. It's probably frivolous compared to the kind of magic he's already received, and he could maybe do better himself... but everyone likes receiving a heal spell, right? It just feels good!
"It worked..." Alicia breathes softly, her posture relaxing but even with Garl's revival her eyes are on Oberuth's hand.
The gnome kneels there, breathing heavy. At the same time sunlight comes down, warmth illuminating both skies and both lands, above and below. "I need...." the gnome taps the ground of Bytopia, and in a moment a burrow tunnel appears. "Help me down there," he requests, struggling to stand. "If it survived, it will help."
Oberuth's hand is restored, no sign of the light that came from it.
Marie squats down to get Garl's arm over her shoulder while hers goes around his back to support him, letting Seira take the other side as she's helping and take him down into that burrow.
"Is your hand alright?" Alicia quietly asks Oberuth, not crowding the gnome while he has plenty of well-wishers right now.
Seira does indeed help support Garl from the other side, asking curiously, "What are you looking for? Is it something like the heart of a Prime, except for a heaven?"
Kascha is there, as is Elle, both ready. Sanzha hangs back while Ranbar does the same, but Donald strolls along and adds, "Well, good thing we were here."
Oberuth shakes his head. "The hand's fine. What the Fairest Star left me is gone. Used up or absorbed by Glittergold, I think." A pause, "Did you feel resistance when we did this?"
As both Marie and Seira help the gnome along, "A reserve of energy," he says, "An...experiment I never got to."
"No. There was that thunderclap but I didn't feel anything on my end. I saw what it did to your hand though," Alicia says. "If that used up the last of your reserve... well, you never wanted it anyway, and it really did undo some of Daa-vid's evil."
"If it gets to giving you a bit of divine energy to get going properly, we'll help you," Seira offers. "And hey, might as well introduce ourselves? I'm Seira, and this lovely lady is Marielle."
Oberuth's answer is silence as he stays back, letting the others go on without him.
Meanwhile, Seira, Marie and Garl head into the earth. A smooth path is ahead, "Garl Glittergold," The gnome manages a tired smile, "How long has it been since I've been asleep?"
Alicia lingers with Oberuth for a moment without saying anything before she follows the others into that burrow.
"About two thousand years I think," Marie says to Garl. "A mortal called Talinn the Seeker managed to fatally wound Daa-vid but then he was sealed away by the Arbiter, to be judged by the mortals of his own world in time. Seira was going to be one of the ones to pass that judgement but she ended up rising as a goddess herself first. The man back there? Hellman Oberuth. He did it, though."
"A very good question. The God-King war was waged on our Prime two millennia ago," Seira says a breath after Marie. "But it was only today that we realized that rather than wrecking most of its surface its damages spread as far as the heavens," she admits, using her domain over knowledge and war alike to check for a proper date range. "The way it had been presented, deities fighting on the surface of a Prime to the death... well, if you absolutely didn't have to, why would you choose there? I guess we just figured that the war was there because the Fairest Star landed on its surface and that our friends across the planes would tell us more if there was anything to tell...."
A nod, "You have my thanks, Sir," A glance to Oberuth, who ends up following once Alicia does. You come to a door in the burrow tunnel, which Garl opens. "Here," he says. It's a simple pool, but one that glows like the radiant sun with a pale blue light.
Alicia is vaguely reminded of that empowering magical rainbow pool she and Seira found once. Sadly it's still a good few decades from recharging, but this one surely hasn't been used in far longer!
"Hope it helps," Marie says as they guide Garl towards its edge.
"What do you need us to do?" Seira asks Garl, examining the pool.
Spellcraft 120, Knowledges 130+
It's a shell wellspring of energy and divine blood - Garl's blood, you'd reckon from the energies.
"Just...stand back," he warns, "This might be...explosive."
"I'll probably be okay, but better safe than sorry," Seira agrees. "Marie, how about you get back first and raise a wall of force?"
"Good luck!" Marie says, backing off with everyone except Seira to the edge of the tunnel and putting up a wall of force in the way. She's good at those!
After making sure the others are protected, Seira tells Garl, "I'm letting go now, so please be careful."
She still supports him with a variant of telekinesis a moment longer, just in case his ability to make it to the pool properly had been overestimated, and flashes back to hide behind the protections!
Shadow Force, then Fiery Leap'ing to Marie's barrier and crossing it. Some TK to help Garl make this dignified, too!
Garl Glittergold steps into the pool. There is no explosion, only that the pool loses its light and Garl stands up straight when it's over. There's a pause before he says, backs to all of you, "Well...I'm afraid I don't have any hospitality to offer at the moment," he says, "But I think the weather on Bytopia will be much better now."
Seira laughs, slipping over to him again. "That's a nice change to the storm that greeted me here. Still, if you feel strong enough, do you think we can work on bringing back the other residents?"
Marie lowers her wall of force afterwards. "We're just glad you're back. And maybe with you back more can be done for Bytopia," she says.
"As I am now, no," Garl admits, "I need time to rest."
"Bytopia sorrowed with you gone," Latha steps forward, "Few could remember their time here - which no doubt contributed to the problem. Bytopia itself resisted us when we first came, until we appeased it."
The gnome deity rests back - the earth of Bytopia itself rises to form an impromptu chair. "Marie, I heard your voice while I slept. Someone made your voice louder."
Welcome back.
"Ah. You'd be a fine prankster if you ever put your mind to it, and who would ever guess to blame you?" A hint of a smile shows on Garl's face.
"So it was sleep? Did you dream?" Marie asks, stepping closer, a glance aside when she hears Zaphkiel. "Some of us wondered what happens to gods when they die. I didn't think there'd be another hidden afterlife waiting but there must have been something after all."
I do want to hear the answer there so I'll wait on it. Though I'd also like to ask OOC if I can tell at least what tier/strata Garl is right now!
That'll be covered IC in a bit.
"I'd wondered too," Garl admits, "It's like being in bed, asleep. Have you ever laid at the edge of awareness, not awake but not quite truly asleep? It's like that. No dreams, no thinking, only a feather-light sense of being aware. When I stirred, I felt Bytopia around me, but it couldn't hear me."
"Were you alone?" Seira asks. "During the dream, or before? Knowledge of the local pantheon was quite literally struck from history. It was a small miracle that Marie learned your name upon reaching the memorial."
Alicia wonders though. The Incarnation of Law said it would destroy Mystra if she didn't choose quickly enough which plane to call home. She suspects that would have been a more complete oblivion than what Garl describes.
"Bytopia wanted me to know. Among all the other names, I felt its importance," Marie speaks up after Seira.
"I was alone. If the others rest there, I didn't feel them," the deity admits, smile gone in a moment. ".... ..... ....thank you, Marie," he says at last. "I owe you a debt unlike any other. I owe all of you. I owe you, Hellman Oberuth, for your gallantry to end that monster's life. I owe you, Seiar Aryn and Alicia Reynes, for your perseverance."
Then his gaze travels to the back, where Lagann stands quietly. "...and you're forgiven," he says at last. He offers his hand out, "I'm almost all out of gnomes. Can you lend me yourself?" He manages a half smile, "I have a lot of burrows to build and you're a fine builder."
Lagann comes forward, the clank of metal as he steps forward. He takes that hand, "Mines, too. Can you imagine what the dwarves have been doing without any competition from gnomish mines?"
"We have a mountain AND a molehill of things to do," Garl Glittergold concludes. "As I am now, I'm at best a half god, a quasi reflection of what I was."
"We've come across a few gnomes in our travels, here and there," Seira voices. "I wouldn't presume to intrude like this normally, but we could help gather those squirreled away who have the power to help with the rebuilding."
"Our own divine realms are yet young, but we'll give what we can to help you get back to where you should be," Alicia says, smiling back at him. "Creation could use more reasons to be cheerful."
"Yeah, don't worry about what's owed. I'm just glad this worked," Marie adds.
"Every gnome will help," Garl Glittergold says, "If you can find them and they can come, bring them to Bytopia."
"Sure, gimme a couple days and I'll have my avatars handle it," Seira promises. "For now... I guess you don't want to be crowded? I'll let you get reacqainted with Bytopia without a bunch of noisy guests."
"I am in all of your debts," Garl Glittergold concludes.
"We'll give you some time to get reacquainted... and to grieve," Marie nods, stepping back. "Please call us when you're ready to talk more?"
Seira offers him a hand, even as she sends to Lagann alone, I'd like you to come back with us for a chat before you truly start helping around
Okay then, well and good. Seira, you want to talk to Lagann? Any immediate todos in reaction to this, Alicia?
"You're a legendary hero," Seira whispers to Oberuth as she steps back and prepares to take her friends home to the Cauldron. It's the highest form of praise she can offer! "Thank you so much!"
Incorrect! I want to talk to everyone here. So that's my Node, Lagann and Oraga.
Alicia and Marie will go drop in on Mystra to tell her what happened and basically ask her to keep an eye on the new neighbour and help him if he needs anything.
Okay then, new topics for everyone!