Glorious Home

[Nephrite]

Moore claps his hands together. "Wonderful. We still have some work to do here, can you get to Celestia on your own? It shouldn't be too hard to find the base, just tell the golems Moore said you could come in."

[Anastasia]

"I will," Kaja says, and from there...

Next move?

[Nephrite]

He's going to head for the Lliiran quarter.

Moore's going to go give everyone an impassioned retelling of the Battle of Lifasa. Both because he knows that's the best way to get her attention, as well as to showcase that he's still fulfilling his promise to her to be a good orator.

[Anastasia]

Sure. Go ahead and describe how you do it along with making an Perform (Oratory) check after.

[Nephrite]

Moore will take a stroll into the Lliiran quarter of Brightwater and look around for a good place to start.

A few preparatory spells here...

Divine Insight, for reference.

"My friends! Let me tell you a story." He will begin, to get the attention of those around him. "You have perhaps heard the tales of the battle for Lifasa -- the battle for the soul of an entire world. But have you seen it? Have you lived it? Of course not!" A dismissive wave of his hand.

"Today, however, I will show it to you -- show you all the finer points and showcase a great victory over Hell. I ask you all to keep your money to yourselves, as I do this only to repay a kindness given to me by the Lady of Joy herself." Moore says as sweeps his arm across and outward to those he's gathered.

"With that, I begin, on the eve before we set foot on Lifasa..."


Take 10 for 120. For reference, he's weaving in Inspire Competence, Song of Fortune, Divine Insight and Greater Improvisation points into this. I can put all the math out there if you need it.

[Anastasia]

With Cresiel standing behind you and on guard, Moore tells his tale. A story of struggle and triumph, darkness and light. A story that draws people in by the hundreds, gathering them in. It's simple to have them hanging on every word, your wordcraft and charisma drawing them like moths to the flame. An entire swarm of moths, endless and seemingly without limit, filling the street you are on.

Still they yet gather, your story going on and on, eyes on you as you weave your tale.

Go ahead.

[Nephrite]

"We thought we were pressing forward -- making headway, until we heard it." Moore stops, as if to take stock of his own memories. "A cry, shattering the skies and darkening them. A cry so horrid it made our very souls seize up for a moment. Tiamat herself had sent her own avatar into Lifasa." Moore says, his word becoming darkened. "While the rest of us were on the ground, facing the hordes of devils, some went up to face Tiamat -- chiefly, Generals Jaela and Afina."

A pause, a hold of his breath.

He snaps his fingers once, as if to break the silence.

"A pitched battle between them... Tiamat's avatar began to spew a horrid five-fold breath -- until an intervention came." He smiles, his words changing dramatically to match the shift in tone. "Bahamut, The Triune, Queen Titania, Lathander... even Auril! They each helped to dissolve Tiamat's attacks on us." Moore grins, as he remembers the celebration.

"The gods themselves were willing to intervene on our behalf! Because of the bonds we had made, even Auril was willing to let her frosty heart melt a little that day to aid Lifasa's liberation from Hell. Let it be remembered that one should always strive to make allies, to mend fences with each other, rather than burning bridges." Moore calls out.

Another pause, as he stops. He shakes his head.

"Hell wasn't ready to lose yet, even with that. They had another plot, and another, and another... It was then that the entire battlefield was cast in darkness!" Moore shouts as he swings his arms wide. "Prince Lixer himself had cast a spell to douse Lifasa into eternal night, summoning spirits and the damned to rise against our army! No one could see but a precious few!"

"Even while that was going on, Seira and Alicia were battling against an avatar of Bel that he had brought to the forefront of Lifasa. The magic between them all was harrowing -- literally planar-level strikes being sent both ways!"

This retelling will continue until the downfall of Taelfagn. I have no issues typing all of it out if you'd like.

[Anastasia]

By all means, go for it, it's entertaining. I'll reply when you're done.

[Nephrite]

"Yet, even in pitch darkness, we could still fight!" Moore shouts. "Healing magic spread wide to our battered armies as General Afina managed to get herself to the magical nexus creating the false images."

An elaborate wave of his arms. "Facing off against horrors even worse than Nessian Pit Fiends, she fought! Bolstered by the courage of the rest of the armies, she defeated the Hellish creature and managed to unravel the magics around the nexus!" Moore shouts. "A few powerful strikes and spells, or so I'm told, and she shattered the mirror that Lixer had used. The darkness fled, the risen horrors seeping back into the ground - gone, just like Hell's chances against us!" Moore balls a fist up and raises it high!

He probably shouldn't mention the stuff about Levistus... damn, that was a good story, too, he thinks. Oh well.

"We had no time to rest on our laurels, we couldn't sit around and wait. Thankfully, we heard word that Bel's avatar had been defeated. We knew it was time for our final battle." He takes in a breath.

"Into the heart of Lifasa we went. We knew not what horrors we'd face... knew not what was waiting... but we had no fear. We all knew we could do it." Moore affirms. "Each of us, bolstered by the other, stepped foot after foot through the very soul of the Prime world."

A breath to pause for effect.

Another.

"It was silent. We could only hear the voice of Lifasa, calling out to us to save it." Moore says, quietly.

Another pause.

"We continued. Moved forward."

"Then we found him. The Duke of Destiny, Taelfagn. He and his cronies were performing a ritual to cast the soul of the world into damnation forever. To kill the world! We WOULD NOT stand for that!" Moore shouts, raising his voice.

"We dove into combat! Even the strongest spells and blows against him did nothing! He had guardians all around him -- they were absorbing the pain he was supposed to! What a coward, to shirk off damage onto his own allies!" Moore cries.

"More and more and more, we fought. He even used the power of destiny against us, to try and inflict such damage that we could never survive. Even with that sort of power, we managed. We had the powers of those that have given us strength -- those that had supported the Aurora crusade. Selune, Erathaol, Waukeen, Lady Lliira herself gave generously to us. We couldn't lose. What sort of story is that if we did?" Moore asks.

Another pause.

"We didn't lose." Moore says.





"He screamed, 'IMPOSSIBLE! I HAD THE POWER OF DESTINY ON MY SIDE!' as his body was torn apart by the powers he had misused." Moore says with a grin. "We had done it. We had defeated one of the Dukes of Hell. ...Yet, we still had to save Lifasa." Moore shakes his head.


"Another ritural, this time to purge the corruption -- to save the world, unlike the way Benfal had been saved. To purify the world itself." Moore says. "Nine rings -- nine traitorous rings, were shattered like Hell's chains around Lifasa's heart. A light, an overwhelming light of salvation passed through us all and..."


A clap together of his hands. "We had done it. Lifasa, in an instant, was purified. Devils can no longer even enter that place, it is so protected by our hearts and souls."

Another clap. "Why have I told you all this? To remember -- even in the darkness, you can still find hope. You can still find light. Always remember to be friends with each other. Even if you can't agree on everything -- find something to agree on. Anything. Don't make enemies unnecessarily -- we never would have won in Lifasa if we spurned help from those who we didn't see eye-to-eye with."

Another clap. "I tell you this story, for the world is changing. Steel yourselves, my friends, and prepare. Know that your bonds with each other are even more important now than ever, and make friends with those around you. Do it for yourself, and do it for Creation.

One more clap. "Don't lose your joy for any reason."

[Anastasia]

Clapping and cheering follows your performance, a standing ovation that thunders throughout the street. Flowers are thrown, followed by heaps of coins. Cheers, a riot of applause and cheering, deafening.

Your story seems to have done well, you note.

[Nephrite]

Moore holds a hand up in acknowledgement of the praise. If Lliira wants to say anything to him, she certainly knows he's here.

Regardless, he's done what he promised and hopefully fostered some goodwill for the time being, so after the din of the cheering dies down, he will offer one more humble bow and a smile, before he will turn to head back and away from the quarter.

[Anastasia]

Within you, you feel a sense of happiness and accomplishment. Lliira is watching and you feel her approval at buoying everyone's mood with a good story.

[Nephrite]

That's all he came to do -- he makes good on his promises.

He turns to Cresiel. "Is there anything you'd like to do here before we return? I could spend some time chatting it up with Empress Sulia or Sune's entourage to just make our presence known, but... I don't think there's any need to do that right now, especially since we're still a new entity in terms of things."

[Anastasia]

Cresiel speaks immediately, "Empress Sulia is...tolerable, by Brightwater standards, and a trip there could be productive." He keeps his voice down, "I would not recommend going to Sune or Sharess's quarters without Ilsenine, and until the two of you are wedded. You understand what they are about?"

Cresiel's biases amuse me.

[Nephrite]

Moore blinks... a grin creeping into his face again.

"Yes, I am aware of what they both stand for." Moore says, not even trying to hide his amusement. "I've come by both places before -- on my own, in fact -- and am aware of the perils."

He never took Cresiel for someone who clutched their pearls at the mention of something like this. This has been an interesting trip!

"At any rate, then, yes, let's at least stop by Empress Sulia's section of town and introduce ourselves. I've never had any dealings with her but it's my understanding that she did help Aurora on occasion." Moore says.