Victorious advance

[Ebiris]

Move along, a nice deva will be told the consequences of this experiment for Ysgard and be sent through the portal to ask them nicely to stop, and retreat if they prove obstinate.

[Anastasia]

The deva chosen is Maliel, short but of fair skin, muscled and wearing light armor. He strides to the gate and through.

In that instant you see all the wizards turn on him, spells uttered before -

"Peace! Peace!" Maliel says, holding his hands out, no weapon there. "I come in peace."

> roll 1d20+30 (+10 he got himself boosted before going, he ain't no fool)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 46 > [d20=16]

All the wizards pause long enough for one to step forward - the one with the symbol of Denier on his robe. "What do you want?" His voice is soft spoken, no force behind it.

"To ask you to cease what you are doing," Maliel says, a brush back of his green hair. He smiles with a charm that borders on the supernatural, "One of my two masters, Alicia Reynes, has dominion over magic. We would be happy to enlighten you in the ways of magic in exchange for cooperation."

[Ebiris]

Well she'd delegate that down a bit of course but it is possible, so Alicia has no qualms with Maliel's conduct so far.

Those wizards were pretty quick to be ready for battle with a celestial who came through their portal to Ysgard though. Smart sense considering typical Ysgard greetings, or natural hostility towards natives?

[Anastasia]

"Why, though?" Another asks, "Why stop us doing this?"

"You're too close to us at a bad time," Maliel admits with an easy smile, "So we'd rather offer you something better and solve this amiably."

Another steps forward, hood pushed back. A tall, white haired man with a white beard, close cropped. His eyes are a frosty sort of blue, intent on Maliel. "Better friendship than umbrage, celestial?"

"Exactly so," Maliel says, coming forward and offering his hand out to the old man. "Part of Alicia's divine portfolio is magic. She has every wish to see it prosper. So if we must ask you to stop, we will more than make up for it."

> roll 1d20+30 (+10 he got himself boosted before going, he ain't no fool)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=12]

The old man considers a time before taking Maliel's hand. "I am Devvan Orcsbane." As the two shake hands, he commands, "Cease the ritual."

[Ebiris]

Good job Maliel. Now he just needs to find out what they were hoping to accomplish and they can work out something equitable.

[Anastasia]

"So," Maliel asks after that, "What was the purpose of this? I hadn't had time to study what you were doing before I got my orders."

"The transference of energy into a positively aspected plane would naturally create a backlash, which could be harnessed. As it is Ysgard, there's no danger of anything but temporary setbacks for anyone caught in it." Devvan replies as the ritual is stopped.

[Ebiris]

That works for most of Ysgard but Sylica lacks that handy resurrection feature so the choice of putting the portal on their proverbial doorstep is indeed suspicious, something she hopes Maliel grasps as well.

[Anastasia]

Maliel pauses a moment, "Do you know you were close to the border of Sylica? While Ysgard is safe, Sylica does not have the same resurrection that Ysgard has."

Here Devvan Orcsbane pauses a moment, "I thought Sylica was a demiplane."

Here Maliel smiles, "We've recently expanded and grown. Ah, I see. You had no idea, did you?"

"I did not," The old wizard agrees, "That was not our intent."

[Ebiris]

Poor show not doing your research like that, or warning people on the other side. What's that stereotype for wizards, high intelligence low wisdom? Feels apt here, Alicia thinks to herself as she monitors the situation.

[Anastasia]

It seems to be winding down as...

Plausibly deniable, possibly a genuine coincidence and possibly catastrophic.

Cowards.

[Ebiris]

According to Deneir the lore they needed for this ritual was 'found' recently so tracking the benefactor would be tricky. We have so many enemies after all. Lucky we caught this in time.

[Anastasia]

The worst of it is that it really could be someone unrelated to the efreet. It could even be Malcanthet.

Alicia, this is Zaaman Rul. You're aware of what's going on?

[Ebiris]

Or Shar, or Lixer, or Glasya, and that's just off the top of my head, she sends to Syala.

Then to Zaaman Rul? I have heard from Barachiel that you are being attacked by Imix and that the efreet have struck many other targets to occupy Seira and Celestia.

[Anastasia]

That is true. I have a boon to ask of you: Should the battle go poorly, would you rise to my realm's aid, so that the last bastion of righteousness on Fire is not extinguished?

[Ebiris]

No one's actually asked her to join the war yet! But she'll hardly turn down a request made in that spirit.

We have been preparing to intervene so that the threat of our response would keep others from joining the war. Should you ask it I will join the current battle with all my strength.

Given it's a war, her divine perception should be able to see into Zaaman Rul's realm unless he or Imix block her, so she'll be able to see what's going on there herself. It may not be a battle an army can meaningfully contribute to, in which case her response will focus on her own presence, possibly Syala's and or Antenora's too. Not Marie, she's done enough today and needs to rest and be kept in reserve.

An emissary must also be prepared to visit the City of Brass and deliver her declaration of war should it come to that, so her avatar drafts one up so they're prepared to go at little notice.

Thus she also summons Antenora and Syala to her so they can prepare, while Syala's avatar ensures their rapid response army is ready to deploy onto the hostile climate of Fire should it be needed.