Onward with war

[Ebiris]

But what does it do? Is there a meaning behind it Alicia can see? A grand ritual it's driving at? A focus on a particular school? Or is it just a big textbook of assorted spells and lore?

edit: And if it is just a textbook do I learn anything that benefits my own magic?

[Corwin]

"I realized it was a ritual, and here is what Mystra had to say about it once I described it for her, given her inability to see it properly herself," Seira tells Alicia, pointing out the section of Mystra's analysis. After making sure that Alicia had time to take it in, she reaches for a different binder of documents. "This is what Kascha collated for me, from talking to 21's guardian and searching Aurora's library. My next move is to seek out Oghma, unless Moore took care of that angle already."

[Anastasia]

Seira doesn't uncover anything more.

Belated since Seira beat me to the post, but you's suspect it's a ritual of some kind, building towards something if you add the right pieces to it.

[Ebiris]

"I don't like this," Alicia says, looking up after several long moments of intensely going over the parchment. "Calley's uncanny skill at magic and arms is one thing, but this goes far beyond what he demonstrated - far enough to be beyond even Mystra? And there's no... I can't tell what it does," she furrows her brow. "It's like it's trying to hook into my brain and tell me that it's important and matters without giving me any clue as to why. It feels like a trap or a lure."

[Corwin]

"I don't think it's beyond Mystra, merely... sideways. The ritual probably hits against one of her restrictions. And given what 21 is and its origins, I don't find it that impossible. Besides, didn't you feel a little shudder at its name when you first heard it? If our natures are instinctively wary of it, I don't find it that implausible that you'd feel a sense of importance. Still, maybe Moore discovered something that helps us tie it all together better? We should know better in several hours, which... actually brings us back to the original reason for your visit. Do you want to bring him in from the start? And who would you choose to go beat Io's test alongside you? Jessica?"

[Ebiris]

"I've no objection, Ebony spoke well of Moore in her reports from Aurora," Alicia says to the last part, creating a copy of the notes and handing the original back to Seira. "I'll hold onto a copy in case I discover further insights, but I definitely think we should be wary. As for Io's tests? I think Antenora would be most appropriate, her ascension is utterly outside the plans of anyone within Creation."

[Corwin]

Seira nods. "In that case, please ask her to come over? And you can tell me more about the chat with Asmodad. Did you meet at that neutral ground, or was he a guest at Sylica like Triel?"

[Ebiris]

Alicia's avatar comes to visit the cauldron with Antenora, picking up Jessica and bringing her home on that note.

---

"Neutral ground? No he invited us to Nessus, then to Avernus when we refused that. I bargained him up to that fortress in the astral where we fought the Q'pa years ago," Alicia says to Seira. "He wanted to congratulate Antenora and offer his support - in the same way as we're already being supported with those bonds, I felt his power press against them. After we refused that he offered us a... 'seed of divinity', an item that could immediately make one ascend to godhood, or bolster an existing deity. Even Mystra had only ever seen such a thing once when the Incarnation of Law showed it to her so she'd recognise one in the future. I refused that and then he left. But not before confirming he knows of how Eblis ascended, and that before now he's been removing others who had that potential to do the same. He suggested Zaphkiel would be having his own champions ascend like Gathgorian did, and after he left we spoke to our benefactor who I'm now certain is Zaphkiel."

[Anastasia]

Do you intend to bring Antenora into this conversation or just have her here?

[Ebiris]

When she gets here I'll tell Seira so she can be let in.

[Corwin]

"It's so annoying! How did he get to be all that? Unlike his counterpart in Zaphkiel, he didn't start out in Nessus."

[Corwin]

Meanwhile, Seira's avatar is all too happy to greet Antenora and show her over to them.

[Anastasia]

Antenora knocks on the door and enters. "You called for me," she asks, closing the door behind her.

[Ebiris]

"Antenora," Alicia nods. "Seira found Io and he's extended an invitation to us."

[Corwin]

"Yeah. Oh, and Mechanus told me about this neutral ground where deities can interact, and even appeal to Ao if needed," Seira says, snapping her fingers. "I was going to try contacting Primus through it, though that's been obviously placed on hold for now."