Attack on Sylica

[Ebiris]

"The meeting with Eblis was surprisingly productive," Alicia cuts in. "He showed me how he ascended - also it seems that devil Gathgorian has done something similar, he was there and newly risen to divinity as well. Antenora was able to perform the same feat when we tried, in essence it involves stepping out of Creation and focusing on yourself in the Beyond, becoming One as an existence independent of Creation and fully realised in the Beyond... apparently that translates to divinity as Creation sees it. It raises interesting questions."

[Anastasia]

Oraga listens to all of this and rumbles, a sound like crackling volcanoes.

"Many interesting questions," Antenora concurs. "As well on the nature of mortality versus the divine."

[Corwin]

"Gathgorian?" Seira blinks. "Ah, that devil. Right." She nods slowly. "Eblis, One, independence. Interesting." Looking up at Alicia and Antenora, she notes, "You know, this feels like the opposite of what I talked about with Corellon Larethian. Regular gods like us personify a key aspect of some sort. He agreed with me that focusing on that one key thing and growing from there was the best method. So one, once more, but from the point of view of how it relates to the rest of Creation. Then again, in the Beyond, there is no context from Creation so the focus is on you?"

She shakes her head. "Sorry, rambling a bit. I've just been preoccupied with ascension lately, so this is exciting!"

[Ebiris]

"It's a different approach but arrives at the same goal," Alicia agrees. "We've been talking about it here and wondering what it means for what else is out there. Other Creations apart from this one, or made before... time even is a concept of Creation so is there a difference between the two? Regardless it suggests that Gods are a concept that the Incarnations understood before they made Creation." Alicia says all that and then shrugs, "Possibly. It could simply be that this is the result for a creature borne of Creation undergoing that process, something buried in the metaphysical makeup of mortalkind by the Incarnations that awakens with the right spark when outside. But the point is, Ao's approval or disapproval was irrelevant to the process."

[Corwin]

"Even if he did disagree, we might have options for appeal," Seira muses. "Much as I find it distasteful, some ridiculously powerful outside source is supporting our efforts." She snaps her fingers. "Oh, right. Amaryl finally came into her own, while Sanzha decide to follow suit after her sabbatical. We've been celebrating!"

[Anastasia]

"If you can go outside the process, which is the trick," Antenora says, "And it was far from safe. I fear this would be as dangerous as risking Ao for a typical soul, perhaps even more." Considering this, "Even then, it raises so many questions and possibilities."

[Ebiris]

"Been doing much the same, in our own way," Alicia smiles. "But since you didn't know about Antenora I take it you had another reason for visiting?"

[Corwin]

"In the end, only one way to know for sure," Seira reasonably responds to Antenora. At Alicia's question, she nods once more. "I do. I'm going to be shaking things up on the Inner Planes and I wanted you to know as a courtesy, whereas I was hoping Antenora would be interested in a more active role. In short, I have a multi-pronged plan to eradicate slavery across the Inner Planes, and my opening move is taking out Akil bin Faheem very blatantly."

[Anastasia]

"That slaver?" Antenora's mouth curls in disgust, "How do you plan to do it?"

[Corwin]

"Find out where he will be, show up in person with you and Oraga, ensure he can't teleport away and kill him," Seira responds succinctly. "I'm open to suggestions, of course, but keeping things simple here feels best."

[Ebiris]

"I can spare you, and it'd be good to leave a visible mark away from me to cement your new status," Alicia says to Antenora. "But make sure you're happy with all the plans and objectives first."

Given the alliance between Sylica and the Cauldron, Alicia doesn't mind making enemies of the efreet if it also means supporting Seira's cause. She's got no love for slavery either.

[Anastasia]

"How do we get to him?" Antenora asks, bluntly. "I doubt we'll be able to teleport into his home in the City of Brass, and attacking him in the Sultan's palace is suicidal. That eliminates most of our chances to begin with."

[Corwin]

"The plan involves a basic carrot and stick approach at the core, and seeking to cement any gains gradually," Seira elaborates. "I'm personally getting involved in taking out the worst offender, yet I'm doing it at a time when he is unpopular in the extreme and seen more as an outsider tool of the devils than one of the efreet. At the same time, the major trading companies will start levying tariffs on any trade slave traders and add extra if affordable taxes on slave owners wishing to do business with them. The nature of planar trade is such that efreet and dao slave owners will need to either take it or go without various luxury items they've become accustomed to, and my prognosis is that as long as they are allowed to keep face and aren't unduly burdened they will accept the new status quo. It will also create a visible divide between mere owners and actual traders perpetuating this nasty trade."

Seira purses her lips. "Meanwhile, an underground framework is being prepared without overt ties to me of a similar approach to one you took on Benfal. They will help spirit away runaway slaves to freedom. Of course, there will be an overt component as well. Taking the lessons of Lifasa's resistance under consideration, Valar will strike at the worst of the efreet and liberate entire slave farms when we seize the right moments for it. I trust the framework is clear enough? I've mostly spoken of Fire, here, but there are more subtle plans in action to deal with Earth."

To Antenora, she responds with, "The City of Brass had my vote, since it's an opening move and the locals would have no reason to stop us. But I plan on seeing whether Zaaman Rul has a better idea, since he really wishes to see Akil dead."

[Anastasia]

"For the best," Antenora agrees, "The problem with striking in the City of Brass is that it becomes political. That's the Grand Sultan's domain, and it makes him far more likely to take an interest in events. It's also the most reasonable chance to hit him, since otherwise we'll have to try and find good intelligence on where and when he'll be somewhere more accessible. Still...I think it's worth the risk to bring him to justice."

[Corwin]

"Perhaps Zaaman Rul's intelligence will bear fruit, but even if it doesn't that still a better prospect than striking at Grazzt's home to nab a proxy of Shar." Seira shakes her head. "I appreciate Romiel's information, but he might as well have told me to vacation in Nessus."