Attack on Sylica

[Ebiris]

"Perhaps only Shar knows for sure," Alicia admits. "Or... perhaps another. Mystra realised Shar's interference in my family when she tried to claim their souls after their deaths. Depending on how long ago it was, Kelemvor or Helm may have noticed something when Nicolas was killed?"

[Anastasia]

"Twelve years," Emmaline says, "Twelve years to the day." She bows her head at that, silent.

'Care to ask, Alicia?' Syala sends to you.

[Ebiris]

To the day? Shar you really are a piece of work.

'I'd thought it might be a good quest for later, but I suppose I can call in with Helm,' she replies.

Thus reality is altered to allow her to communicate with her old friend Demedais's deity. 'Helm, it is Alicia Reynes. Twelve years ago this day a human infant named Nicolas was killed by his father, the father shortly after killed by the mother. Do you recall these deaths and did they pass properly to their deserved rest without interference, or did Shar try to claim them?'

[Anastasia]

'She did, I stopped her,' Helm sends back, voice strong if brisk. 'The child traveled to Zaphkiel as most infants slain do, while the husband traveled to Hades.'

[Ebiris]

'You have my thanks. Stand ever-vigilant, Helm,' Alicia returns. "I just checked with Helm, he who guards the path of the dead to the hereafter," she tells Emmaline. "Fortunate that he is more watchful than Kelemvor was in my own time. Shar did try to claim Nicolas's soul, but Helm did not permit it. He is under Zaphkiel's care, as is common for infants with no patron."

She doesn't see much point in saying where the husband ended up.

[Anastasia]

Emmaline takes a breath - a shaky breath, and nods to you. No words, just a look of confusion, pain, shock.

The tearing of metal is heard, Antenora's fork head dropping into her food, fist curled tightly around it. "She manufactured the entire thing, again. Every member of a family, rended down like animals to serve her needs."

"It's intolerable," Ebony concurs, then with the faintest smile, "That's why we're here."

[Ebiris]

"You said it yourself Emmaline, she wants us to suffer. And if she can use that suffering, turn those she's hurt into her very weapons... well, nothing's beneath Shar," Alicia concludes. "Ebony's right though. That's why we must stand against her."

[Anastasia]

"She...she....she used me for everything." Emmaline says, voice raw as she breathes faster, harder. "She...she...she...my baby." She looks straight ahead, eyes watering.

[Ebiris]

"Yes, just a toy in her sadistic game," Alicia concludes grimly. "I'm sorry, Emmaline, but you deserve to know the truth." And Shar certainly doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt.

[Anastasia]

Tears.

Tears fall onto her bowl of food, splashing against them. Emmaline stares ahead and shakes, crying without a word. It's Ebony who is there, moving the quickest, gently holding her. Yet Emmaline doesn't move a bit, just held.

"A game we'll end one day," Latha adds, "Creation itself is ready to judge Shar guilty."

Syala comes over, laying a hand on Emmaline's other shoulder. That's enough somehow, silent tears becoming loud, stricken wails. Emmaline shakes, shuddering all over.

'She was going into shock,' Syala sends, 'Always better to snap someone out of that and let the pain express itself freely.'

[Ebiris]

Alicia nods to Syala, that having been a good call. There's really not much they can do but let Emmaline cry it out now, and while most probably prefer to do that with some privacy, she's been left to suffer alone for long enough that having people around showing care and sympathy probably will do her more good. "It's okay to cry, Emmaline," she says gently, leaning forward. "We're here for you."

Marie meanwhile swaps to her fun-sized coure form and flutters over to hug Emmaline's shoulder opposite Ebony.

[Anastasia]

Tears. Cries. Wails.

Amid the end of the day is sorrow, Emmaline crying herself out before all of you. She goes from wailing to sniffling to shaking, held by Ebony and others. "What do I do?" Emmaline finally asks, voice broken.

"Make Nicolas proud," Jessica's reply is immediate, "We'll help you with that. Come on, let's get you cleaned up and some rest."

Ebony helps Emmaline up, the ladies escorting her out. Once she's gone, Antenora exhales heavily. "Twelve years to the day!"

[Ebiris]

"She's a psychopath," Alicia concludes after Ebony and Jessica take Emmaline off, Marie tagging with them. "It's not about entropy or oblivion, it's about hurting and loss."

[Anastasia]

Antenora nods slightly, "It's about stopping her. We can't rest until we watch her bleeding out at her feet. Not after yet another thing, yet another family treated like this. Shattered, crushed all for Shar's gain."

"Yes, so..." Latha says, "We all have things to do and need to deal with this. So let's get to it. This isn't a time to sit idle after that."

[Ebiris]

"Please remember that even a goddess must obey the limits on sorcery, and without eight hours of peaceful relaxation I won't be much good to anyone," Alicia says as she stands up from the table. "On the other hand my avatar is reasonably fresh, so I'll send her to go visit Eblis. Antenora, you wanted to go along as well?"