Emancipation

[Anastasia]

At this the ambassador smiles and goes on, "I'm not privy to what's in that message, only that my role in this particular matter is concluded once I have given it to you. By your leave, then?" he asks, rising.

[Corwin]

"Safe travels home," Seira tells him, granting it.

[Anastasia]

Once he's gone Amaryl turns to you and says, "Do you have any idea what Vlaakith wants?"

[Corwin]

"We are about to see," Seira says upon taking a look.

[Anastasia]

Amaryl scoots close to read it as you open it. Thus the two of you see...an arcane diagram. One of vast complexity, a seal to protect what is within. The seal must be dispelled properly or the seal solved, as a wizard's puzzle, to access the writings of the letter. Failure will destroy the letter utterly.

"What lies written here must be as important as the first day of spring," Amaryl murmurs, a finger reaching out to trace part of the seal.

[Corwin]

"Strange that she'd be this circumspect, but at the same time... can't deny I like a good puzzle!"

She could brute-force the problem, but trying to figure out the puzzle would be more fun, Seira decides.

[Anastasia]

Do you want to skill check this or take an actual shot at the puzzle?

[Corwin]

Let's take the actual shot and if things bog down we can always roll then.

[Anastasia]

It is a circle divided into thirty two equal sections. Each section is connected with tiny arcane diagrams and formulae, encompassing various properties and concepts. In each part of the circle a name is written in silver letters, rising up and off the diagram whenever your hand comes close to one. These names are:

1. The High One
2. Caim
3. Phoebe
4. The Adversary
5. Demedais
6. Yemimah
7. (Empty)
8. Sultan
9. Martinet
10. The Blind
11. Perith
12. Elyssa
13. (Empty)
14. Sasoliel
15. Lathander
16. Khan
17. Calamity
18. World Serpent
19. (Empty)
20. The Watcher
21. The Pale Mother
22. Whirlwind Throne
23. Chariot
24. Juiblex
25. The Queen and the Crone
26. Solitary Wyrm
27. LOSS
28. Ssendam
29. Padisha
30. Radalos
31. Earthmother
32. The General of Gehenna

As the names rise up, the diagrams around them seem to come to life, humming with arcane energy and tiny representations of what they are - of flames and wind, of magic and force, of dozens of other things.

[Corwin]

Seira decides to refresh her memory on each of the listed figures.

Can I get a line each of desc, and a listing of what their representations are? Also, whether the empty sections have any representations.

[Anastasia]

The High One is said to be the leader of the Arch Angels and the highest celestial in Elysium. You know some of him, something few mortals can claim. He is reclusive and yet it is said those with insight can see his influence in a thousand movements, a thousand plans and a thousand better outcomes. 

Caim is the Duke of Logic for Dis, a Duke of Hell. His main MO is to use is powerful mind to reveal flaws in his opponent's minds, to defeat them and bring them to Hell through logic. He's considered the most effective Duke at Dispater's command.

Phoebe you've recently met. She serves Selune and is said to have come from Selune's shed blood and the soil of Arvandor.

The Adversary is the relatively new Oinoloth. Little is known about him, though admittedly this is standard for most powerful 'loths. You do know he had a leading role in the Astral rift Aurora caused, but was chased away by several deities once his poisons were pushed away.

Demedais you obviously know.

Yemimah is the name of the Lost Chalice, whom you know and are having others investigate.

Empty is simply empty.

Sultan is vague - there's a lot of sultans out there, though in context it most brings to mind the Grand Sultan of the efreet.

Martinet is a Duke of Hell that serves Asmodeus personally. He is known as the Constable of Nessus and is the Lord of the Ninth's personal diplomat. Powerful, charismatic and utterly infuriating by all reports - including your own meeting with him.

The Blind is vague, there's been multiple beings called that or similar titles. Not enough to go on.

Perith is a familiar name - an old, discarded name of Sylian.

Elyssa you know as Gond's daughter, who you introduced Calley to.

Empty is simply empty.

Sasoliel is a little known but powerful fallen angel who has thrown in with the 'loths. The dark magic that comes from that cooperation is said to be able to drag a pure celestial's soul down into eternal damnation.

You know Lathander.

Khan is again just a title, though it does bring the Great Khan to mind.

The Calamity is known to be a massive golem the size of a mountain, a nation and world killer that defeated entire armies before vanishing. Little is known of it and divinations reveal nothing about it. It may exist or it may not, but it is said to be the greatest golem ever created.

World Serpent is Jormugandr, the serpent who oversees Ysgard's endless cycle of resurrections and rebirths.

Empty is simply empty.

The Watcher is a title for Helm, though it is sometimes used for other entities. Primarily it is used for Helm, however.

The Pale Mother is Pale Night, a being you know from schemes and plots.

The Whirlwind Throne is the throne of the djinn, seen as more important than whomever holds it at any given time. It's equal to the Great Khan, the Padisha of the Marid and the Grand Sultan, no matter whom sits on it.

Chariot is vague - you simply need more information.

Juiblex is the Abyssal Lord of slime, oozes and other disgusting things like that. It's hostile and hateful, though mostly self contained by the nature of oozes and slime.

The Queen and the Crone doesn't match anything - it seems an allusion to something or a pair of people.

Solitary Wyrm is an obscure title for Tor SALINUS. You know him and want to mount his stuffed head on your wall, I presume.

LOSS is almost certainly Shar.

Ssendam is the slaad lord of madness and other such things. His nature can vary somewhat, though obscure lore asserts he's had some role in limiting the Spawning Stone in some way.

Padisha could be many, but it brings to mind the Padisha of the Marid.

Radalos is an obscure, lost cleric of Tempus, said to have become a 'spirit of war', present at every battlefield according to the lessons of that faith. It oversees many battles for Tempus according to that, and serves his will directly.

The Earthmother is Chauntea. You know her.

The General of Gehenna is the lord of the Crawling City and said to be the greatest of the 'loths. Little is known of him, save that if he and his city ever enters the Blood War, it is said that they will end it at last.

[Anastasia]

Amaryl studies the names, "So many, so many ideas." she says aloud, a finger lingering over Chauntea's name. "Seira, do you think that...?" A thoughtful trail off. "Like to like, perhaps, or some sort of balance and pattern? Or we have to look closer at those little diagrams?"

[Corwin]

"So we have representation of the four elemental thrones," Seira muses, having written notations in fire next to the opposite to be on the same page with Amaryl and Oraga. "Not by names, so it's their office that matters? Also of note is that too many are linked to me personally and to my recent pursuits. Demedais, Helm, Pale Night and Sylian, Yemimah and Caim, Phoebe. Unless it's confirmation bias on my part?"

[Anastasia]

"It could be," Amaryl admits. "Also, do you think the three empty ones tie to Shar and LOSS? The High One and the General are natural adversaries. Perhaps they need to be placed opposite one another?"

You notice one thing right off - none of the ones match who they are around. For example, the Pale Mother is surrounded by skies, holy light and water. As you do that Amaryl waves her hand. As she does, Chauntea's name follows her hand, hovering below it and leaving the previous section empty.

"Oooh." Amaryl muses, "Look at that."

[Corwin]

"I thought that the emptiness might be related to Shar, but given that there's no feeling of loss or drain near those spots unlike what happens next to hers I'm inclined to think the empty spots are for us to rearrange the pieces of the puzzle. And, perhaps, to serve as dividers."

To test her theory, Seira attempts to move Demedais into the empty spot by the Watcher.