The Ultimate Conflict (Of Havens and Empires) IC

[Emperor Ing]

Spellcraft check because I forgot to in the previous post to identify the spell

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(1d20+60)[77]

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Celestica wasnt sure what to expect, however the final results of the spell were rather...underwhelming...to her. The fact that the gem was glowing however seemed to be a good sign. She attempted to reach out with her mind, and try to "feel" the plane, to see if there was any difference in her.

@Rahja

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Love, you're a bit more familiar with "healing" a plane than I am. Is there something specific I should be looking for?

Once that is done, as Grod suggests, she attempts to transport the group back to the mortal realm.

[Ridai]

Rahja smiles gently at the sight, emitting a small sigh of relief. Now, she simply waits for their return to Bytopia.

Celestica

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Not that I am aware of, I never healed a plane nor have I been gifted with your powers. But from my point of view, seeing the crystal aglow and healthy like that is already more than a good sign.

And feeling Celestica's very being sustaining part of a plane only makes her more beautiful in the healer's eyes, if such a thing is even possible.

[Emperor Ing]

Celestica

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A second voice speaks into her head. She's quite certain it's the voice of Prince Zurkar.
Come find me as soon as you can, I need to talk to you. Don't tell my father I called for you. On the bright side it doesn't sound like an emergency.

[Realms of Chaos]

Lord Wero:

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The spell, though remaining unfamiliar, seems to be a normal (if rare) 9th-level spell and as far as you can tell, control/guardianship of the plane has been transferred to Celestica. You can't be quite sure of what benefit this would grant but there doesn't seem to be any obvious downside either.

Right after you all return to the mortal world, Grod cheerfully responds to Wero, "Well, High Lord, Celestica is now bound to these plains in a sense. Not that her life depends on them or anything like that, no. Instead, she has some... influence out here for the moment. Generally, the spell lets the user access some excess energy of the, erm, Sidereal to accomplish magic. With her, however, the spell is anchoring the spell to her, accessing a stable pool of energy we doubt she can access either way. As the spell lets her use that power, however, we guess you could consider the bond... um... symbiotic."

[Ridai]

"So the energy Celestica gives is in turn replenished by the plane? I would love to learn about this pool of energy within people. And, of course, learning said spell would be quite helpful," Rahja says, curiosity sparking. She can claim to have a pretty comprehensive knowledge of the physical, mental and mystical properties of a very wide range of races and creatures, but there is always something left to learn, something to make her a better healer and alleviate pain and maladies. Or bring comfort and pleasure.

"Grod, my apologies, but I am still a little unclear about these planar crystals. The one we saw represented this small area, but are it's health and bond with Celestica representative for the entire plane?" There is no attempt to hide her lack of experience with such topics, rarely having dealt with such reality-affecting effects and entities in her short (by Aasimar standards) life so far.

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Not sure what to roll to learn about these energy pools, but I'm using my Lore Master ability for a die result of 20 (plus the usual +10 from Overcharge).

Also, take 10 on knowledge (planes) for 74 to learn more about those crystals.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Having returned her group to the mortal world, something that is clearly beyond Celestica's current skill set, she accepts for the moment that she is clearly bound in some way to a pool of energy she doesnt fully understand. The orc may say she cannot access the energy, but since she does have divine powers, perhaps he is mistaken. After all, as is obvious, he doesnt have full command of his faculties. Celestica takes a moment and concentrates inward, trying to sense the new link within her and see if she can follow it back to its source.
She also takes a moment to send a message to her soulmate.

[Starsign]

As they all return to the plane of Bytopia, Usabhar gives Celestica a curious look as if wondering if she'll be alright. The dwarf wishes that they would not have to anchor the entire multiverse to the world of the fey if it came down to it; the fact that Celestica is involved is only a small relief to have a friend involved closely in it. He speaks up to the group cautiously, subtly hiding a bit of worry. "So is this our plan for now then? Find these crystals and anchor them to Celestica?" The dwarf pauses a moment before continuing more calmly. "...I won't protest if it's the only way. I just hope for a better plan we may find in time."

After Rahja brings up her mention about the spell, Usabhar decides to ask Grod, "I would like to understand it as well. I feel that I may need to know more about it if it will be a large part of our journey." The dwarf's interests in learning excite him a bit, though it's hard to tell right now.

[Emperor Ing]

It sounds as though the spell forcibly induces an equivalent of divine ecclesiastical power in its caster, except your "deity" is a dead Sidereal. It's more accurate to call it "induced Ur-Priesthood" I suppose. I saw the magic, it's very simple. Well within my abilities to cast, however its specific functions elude me, I have never seen anything like it.

The magic pool of the Sidereals is finite, and I sense this is only a temporary solution until the planes can be supported by another being of equivalent power. It occurs to me that this spell may have other applications as well. It would be good to have that kind of leverage on some of the more...troublesome planes. He shoots Celestica a mischievous look.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Im quite sure that I am not comfortable with being refered to as an Ur-Priest, if that implies what I think you are implying. Theres no way a paladin could get away with that, and Hanali knows my devotion to her.

[Emperor Ing]

What I am implying is that some planes may be better off gone forever, i'm sure you and I can agree on at least two.

[Ridai]

"Let us focus on the task at hand right here. We are here to save the multiverse, not because of eugenics," Rahja adds to steer the conversation back on topic, though not without a certain sharpness at the insinuation of Celestica being used as a tool for genocide on a planar scale.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Dont worry about that. As much as I despise the devils and their machinations, I would never obliterate the Nine Hells. Cleanse it, for sure

[Starsign]

Usabhar raises an eyebrow at Wero's idea. the dragon's plan sounds absurd, even if potentially doable. The dwarf simply shakes his head. "And I am with the two on this High Lord. Let your plan be still for now when we have a multiverse to save, not destroy parts of it when our real foes could be planning behind our backs. We are best to prioritize safety and protection if we cannot march against our supposed foes at all." He gives a gruff sigh, still aggravated that he could not simply march towards the foes and bring them down for good. Until there is confirmation Baator is behind it, there isn't a point to go marching at their gates. Usabhar wishes he could bring down the Abyss for all their attacks on Sargti, there is neither the time or resources for that, especially time.

[Realms of Chaos]

Listening to the exchange around him, Grod finally speaks up, talking to Rahja, "The High Lord is somewhat right here, we think. The plains are safe for as long as Celestica lives, no doubt. Therefore, the space of this plane will always exist, even if the landscapes around it crumble. Thankfully, the deterioration of the rest of the plane should also be slowed a bit."

Grod seems to think things over for a moment, "We suppose you might be able to better use the geomancer's tome, now, wouldn't you? We'll fetch it from the tower if you wish."

Celestica:

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You can definitely feel a connection to the plains around you, granting you several (minor) benefits:
1. Once per day, you may either triple your land speed or gain blindsense 200 feet for 10 minutes. Both abilities can only be used within the plains.
2. You gain a lion within the plains that basically functions as a familiar.
3. Once per day, you can send a clearly illusory version of yourself into the plains for as long as you concentrate, allowing you to see the world through its senses.

[Emperor Ing]

You make it sound as though there aren't races and creatures that are better off gone. Forever. The High Lord says this in a deadpan joking tone. I once had hesitations regarding genocide, but it is a means to an end. Nothing more. Though I never said I would destroy the Nine Hells. Though he did imply it, no denying that. And Celestica has no doubt that's what he meant, in addition to possibly The Abyss.

I won't ignore this kind of leverage forever, but I will keep my own machinations on hold for now. For now, though, you are effectively a Ur-Priest. In a rather loose turn of phrase. If nothing else, you are a conduit from which the rogue lingering energy of the dead Sidereal may be transited to Byopia. If nothing else, i'm sure your God considers the continuing survival of this plane to be of greater consequence than whether or not she has a monopoly on your source of magical ability.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Celestica has a small smile on her lips as she brings her fingers up, and blows 3 sharp whistles. Moments later, the party might be slightly surprised to see a large lion come bounding up to her. She communes with him for a moment, and then straightens up.
His name is Erish
She turns back to her lion
This is Rahja, protect her as you would me. This is Usabhar, dont bite him, hes a dwarf, you wouldnt like the taste, all grisle. And this is the High Lord, while its well known that dragon steaks are a delicacy, I think he might be a little bit more than you can handle.

[Ridai]

"Yes, please, that would be a great help," Rahja answers, appreciating the help. Soon after, she hears Celestica whistling and within a few short moments, her life sense picks up one particular animal heading straight towards them.

Rahja smiles at the lion, giving a small bow. "Well met, Erish." Squatting before the animal, Rahja reaches out to him, gently touching his face and mane, doing away with fatigue and hunger, if he even needs either. "Truly, a proud and noble guardian." Even though the lion is Celestica's servant, most would still have reservations regarding touching such a beast. Erish leaning into her hand and making satisfied sounds do speak a different language, though. And after a few exchanged words, lions definitely are nicer to talk with than tarrasques.

Straightening back up, Rahja looks to her soul mate. "He's very nice. It's so rare I get to converse with animals from the higher planes, but always a pleasure."

[Starsign]

Usabhar, for the meantime, does not respond to the High Lord, though he takes mind of the dragon's words. Instead he watches Celestica call forth a lion to her side, a power he had not seen before. The dwarf barely needs to bend down to be on height with the lion, giving Erish a nod and admiring the majestic animal. "You seem strong indeed Erish, though I had only heard of your kind until today. I can tell with just a look that you'd survive as a fierce predator if you lived on the frost-bitten lands of Kulomen." He takes no interest in petting or touching the lion, instead talking to it like a fellow warrior.

When the chance appears, Usabhar speaks up to Grod. The dwarf is now more comfortable asking questions without accusing the orc of anything. "If the crystal just extends to the plains of Bytopia, how many are there in the entirety of the plane itself, and what of other planes as well?"

[Ridai]

"Would the answer the first question be 'infinite'?"

[Realms of Chaos]

"Infinite, yes. No real end of them."

[Emperor Ing]

He looks to the Celestial Lion. Even if you have all the preparations and seasonings set up, my aged and arcanum-charged tissue is far too dense. Making a clean slice would be quite difficult without extraordinary preparations, and the density makes the risk of charring my flesh extremely high. Even if you could get through those steps, the meat would be far too thick for most creatures to take a bite out of, let alone digest. Such meat would also have a rather distasteful grainy texture. Furthermore I would take offense to you carving chunks out of me. If you must have dragon steak, I am informed that you should seek out a Metallic around the age of roughly 50 to 300 years old. He says all this in an entirely matter-of-fact tone. Truth be told it is difficult to tell whether the Indigo Eclipse is being informative, insane, or is joking.

You are probably correct, though. He says to Usabhar. To save one plane would require us to find the corpse of the mightiest Sidereal who embodies this plane. And resurrect it, possibly?

[Starsign]

Usabhar fails to understand any sort of humor found in Wero's speech, much how he did with Rahja's joke earlier. If anything he is slightly annoyed about the statement of metallic dragons being appetizing. He makes no bearing comment on it as he quietly chips in on the conversation. "If we could resurrect the corpse, where could we find it and how would we reach it? I was not aware that we could be able to simply find and revive it."

[Realms of Chaos]

Grod raises his shoulders in a shrug, "Maybe... perhaps... we've only been using the land so far. Dealing with the beings behind it is... not our specialty. We'll fetch you the tome. Wait here."

With that, the orc rushes into his tower.

[Starsign]

The dwarf simply blinks a couple times as Grod walks into the tower to get the tome for him and the others. Once the orc is out of sight, Usabhar gives a hefty sigh at the whole recent turn of events. "A fine, complicated mess this has all become," he says in both dislike and confusion. "Binding the powers of Sidereals to an elf connected to the fey. Must we put faith in the woodland tricksters that I so look on in tormented suspicion?" Usabhar asked himself a futile question. Of course he would put his faith in it so long as the others do.

Usabhar turns to look at the other three companions, looking for both something to discuss while not wanting to be so left-in-the-dark experience wise with such adventures. "Have you all been in such journeys before? Has such ever been so incredibly great in scope and size as to expand the multiverse, or was it something that only reached across planets?" By Usabhar's words, it's clear he has almost always stayed on his own world; ironically the stubborn, stoic dwarf may be the most inexperienced of the group.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

I really dont appreciate being refered to as a woodland trickster. There is nothing in my history that colors me as such.

[Emperor Ing]

Ah, the Fey. Just like the Archmagister Prime. Annoying, and impossible to get rid of. However UNLIKE the Archmagister Prime, they are destructive, actively resisting my will, killing my soldiers and my shadows, and stealing my taxes, both in the costs to commission their removal and ambushes against my tax collectors! He rolls his eyes. For what it's worth, here is my advice: Stop executing your officers because they can't get rid of Fey. I won't get into details why, but trust me on this.

I have fought many battles, dwarf. Both on epic battlefields spanning continents, where regions of the Elemental Planes were as strategic as any city or roadway, and border skirmishes against Orc warbands or some petty resistance front that managed to threaten my small town. No battle will ever be larger than the Second Battle for the Indigo Citadel, and hopefully, none such greater battle will ever take place. No, a conflict that binds the Devils and the Demons into alliance with the Angels is truly something unique. Never to happen again, if we are so fortunate.

But oh, such devastation leaves a magnificent power vacuum. One I would be the fool to not take advantage of as much as I can. Yes, it's opportunistic, but I gain the power and prestige of ruling over additional territories, while my new subjects gain the benefit of the safety, security, stability, and prosperity that comes with being a subject to their new High Lord, and they should feel so privileged to be included within my sphere of influence. Am I not magnanimous to share such a gift?

[Ridai]

Somewhere out of sight in the background, while Wero and Usabhar are saying their pieces, Rahja facepalms.

[Starsign]

Usabhar, already growing used to Wero's arrogant self-praising, firstly responds to Celestica. He is kind and apologetic, but also stern and stiff. "I did not mean to compare you to the fae. I simply have my doubts for having to rely on them, even if we have no other alternative at the time."

The dwarf then goes to respond to Wero's own quip. "I cannot imagine demons and devils working together. The former have no such thing as a mind or will; they simply slaughter or be slaughtered as far as I can tell. An alliance with devils will be shorter-lived than one between devils and angels." He pauses, thinking on the other events before finishing with, "But you are correct in that we hope not to see another war such as this one spanning the multiverse. I imagine great losses by the end of it."

[Emperor Ing]

Lord Wero shakes his head. Although their very being demands destruction and havoc, anathemic to any sense of long-term success, prosperity or sustainability, they are not mindless. Not in the slightest, and are as fully capable of planning and strategy as any of us, as predictable and bumbling as it is.

It is probably true we have seen no indication of such an alliance, I have no doubt even they have some semblance of self-preservatory sense to form unusual alliances.