The Ultimate Conflict (Of Havens and Empires) IC

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

The high lord is quite correct, never make the mistake of thinking demons to be mindless or lacking free will. While the lesser ones are like that, the powerful mariliths are reckoned as some of the greatest military minds in the universe. While organizing an army does run counter to their thinking, they will still try. And while I would still not pursue any sort of alliance with them, I would still prefer them to devils.

[Emperor Ing]

I am of a like mind. Although destructive, maniacal, and lacking of any sense of honor, they're predictable.

[Starsign]

Usabhar quietly strokes his beard as Wero and Celestica state their own opinions and knowledge on demons. He speaks up generously when the two finish. "If they know strategy and planning, then I have not seen it yet. The ones that attempt to bring ruin on my kingdom are, as you both state, predictable and unorganized. It feels like they rely more on numbers and frenzies than they do on flanking, counter attacks, and assistance."

The dwarf gives off what seems like uncaring respect for the demons he has known and thought. "They are like ants to Sargti and Il'Kanaen, come in great numbers but put aside by a great will and blade. It amazes me how they still stand and fight against the devils in the first place." Though Usabhar's might is great enough to make such claims, one can possibly get the feeling that he may be exaggerating the demons' abilities by comparing them to ants.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

That is how they win their battles. By numbers. There are an infinite number of demons, and you cant destroy them unless you destroy them in the Abyss. Even then, more just get spawned. Their strategy such as it is, is just come at you and come at you and come at you. They never run out numbers, so they figure sooner or later, you will. Having 100 or 1000 of them killed to have one of yours killed is a perfectly acceptable trade off to them.

[Starsign]

Usabhar scoffs at the strategy that the demons use. "Then they come in numbers, but never do they make progress. In their great sieges on Sargti, hundreds of them fall with no progress made. Few make it to the gates, and those that do die in one swift motion of my axe. Now they claim nary a life near the capital. And when they try to hunt the dwarves who lie outside, then I stand in their way. Under my guard, few have truly died; with the giants in assistance as well, Kulomen will be the very last place they could take hold of." It comes to mind here that Usabhar has quite a bit of an ego when it comes to his battle and kingdom prowess, possibly in the same way as Wero's arrogance.

Meanwhile, Usabhar tilts his head towards seeing inside the tower Grod went into. He changes the subject, curiously asking, "Hmm, what tower would it take for the orc to take awhile to retrieve a simple tome? I had thought most users of magic would be able to keep things neatly organized in there."

[Realms of Chaos]

At his mentioning, the front door of the tower finally swings back open, revealing Grod to be dragging a book so large that it only barely fits when turned to its side. Apparently crafted of carved stone, the object is easily several hundreds of pounds in weight. "Here... you go" pants Grod.

[Emperor Ing]

Ah, wonderful. The Indigo Eclipse remarks with so small amount of impatience. Although it's a monumental burden for even someone as strong as an orc, to the purple wyrm it's a negligible weight for what amounts to a pocketbook for him. As such he is able to hold it with ease.

He then scans it with his magic senses, attempting to divine it's nature in at least a general sense.

Spoiler

Show

Greater Arcane Sight is in effect here. Furthermore he'll attempt to use the Identify effect of the Inquisitor's Monocle to read the Book's magic. Will take a minute of concentration.

[Starsign]

Usabhar quietly lets Wero skim over the tome, whatever magical properties it has. Though it seems hefty for a mortal, Usabhar would have no real issues lifting it either; dwarves could probably also carry it many lengths without being as tired as the orcish druid. While the High Lord skims through the book, Usabhar asks Rahja and Celestica, "If we may be done here, where shall we be off next? I recall we have a few other leads here, as well as Carceri if we are finished here in Bytopia."

The dwarf seems agitated to simply stand around; in a way he considers standing about as a way of forfeiting the value of life, that being alive means that one should do something. It reflects well on his face and movement, moving his feet so that they never stand in one place while breathing slowly and heavily. As usual he is a being of action, not of solitude and statue.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Celestica, on the other hand, can be very calm and patient when she wants to be. At the moment, she knows that their best course of action is to let Lord Wero peruse the tome, to see if anything can be learned from it. She doesnt have any arcane talents so she is willing to let him handle this aspect. While she waits, she will work on brushing Erish, getting his coat in order.

[Realms of Chaos]

Lord Wero:

Spoiler

Show

Perusing through the tome, it appears to be a miniature prayerbook containing a series of unfamiliar spells, many of which possess incredible range (if modest effects) and seem to run through access to the land. The final two spells (A) access the heart of a realm and (B) grants control over it. The magic held in the tome turns those last two spells into something similar to scrolls, functioning once per reader and requiring 1 minute each just in order to read.

[Emperor Ing]

This may be of some use to us. he concludes upon examining the book. The spell we need within may only be cast by any one of us once. However should my dear Prince replicate the spell, placing it within scrolls or possibly staves, that requirement may be bypassed.

[Ridai]

"We could distribute the spell to the other empowered individuals, buy the multiverse more time. Otherwise, we should see if we can make anything happen in terms of healing the plane with the spells."

[Emperor Ing]

I don't think I was clear: If this spell can be replicated in custom-made scrolls or staves, any one of us could cast this spell a theoretically infinite number of times.

[Starsign]

Usabhar raises an eyebrow to Wero, clearly in disbelief over the High Lord's words. "Create... infinite replications of magic? How is the Prince able to accomplish that and how long would it take for him to make such replicas?" Usabhar looks at Rahja and Celestica to see if they are just as bewildered as him. The limits of magic and the ways that it can be stretched are confusing to the dwarf; it fascinates and loses him at the same time.

[Emperor Ing]

Not truly infinite, theoretically infinite. So long as he has time and resources my dear Prince can create as many magical artifacts as he is willing to produce. As for a timeline, he can create one in under three hours.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

That is, IF it can be replicated. This isnt some simple hold person we are talking about here, its a spell that can heal an entire plane of existance. Power like that isnt easily duplicated.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

However, the only way we can be sure about it is to actually go to Emanciel, and see if it can be done.

[Starsign]

Usabhar tries to relax when Celestica speaks up of going to Emanacal. His voice is rather tense, though not irritated. "So we are to return then after coming here? I had hoped we could stay on Bytopia and look into the other matters we have been told about first." He then shakes his head in defeat of the facts. "But you would be right, If the Prince can replicate the spell, we would need to return there unless we are able to spare the chance to split up for now."

[Ridai]

"Then let us make a quick stop there. High Lord?" Once everything is in order, a greater plane shift brings them straight into the palace.

[Emperor Ing]

It's not a difficult spell, just of an unconventional source and unusually strong. For now I think we can buy more time by every one of us casting the spell at least once in different locations. He looks to Celestica. In the meantime I suppose we can relieve my dear Prince for but a moment. Continue.

[Emperor Ing]

The High Lord rolls his eyes. Why some casters can't manage the transportation of one as grand as he is, he will probably never know. For the moment he degenerates down into his human form.

DIDN'T HAPPEN

[Ridai]

Spoiler

Show

Misremembered Plane Shift's mechanics. Only teleport has the size limitations. xD

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Back on Emancal, Celestica awaits the arrival of Prince Zurkar, idly wondering how many planes will get tied to her if he is able to duplicate this spell. While she waits, she requests a proper animal comb (probably one that would be used for a horse) from whichever guard/servant is nearby so she can work on Erish. She seems eager to see the Prince, and perhaps not just for information on the spell.

[Emperor Ing]

The Prince doesn't appear to be attending court at the moment as the activity of the Chamber of Judgment is reduced from fearful reverence to a hub of bureaucrats and scribes moving every which way in a terrifying mass of confusion. Fortunately it's hard to find someone who doesn't know where the Prince is. Or at least knows where he might me.

Following the guard's directions Celestica is directed to a rather oversized room for someone of the Prince's proportions. Stepping inside, she is greeted by the dispassionate gaze of Korshim. Or rather it would appear there to be two Korshims, one not noticing you, examining the other, held firmly in position by steel moorings and mountings, no acknowledgment or even slight movement suggests this other Korshim is animate. The mountings of which contain large rods jutting out of them that seem to serve no immediate purpose. This centerpiece is flanked on all sides by a massive room layed out in an inverse pyramid, not unlike, Celestica recalls, the Portal Chamber, except being rectangular in shape rather than circular. Each successive tier accessible only by flight, and filled to the brim with tables containing a dizzying array of devices, scrap, and seemingly (and actually) mundane objects. Each one charted out extensively on the paper-filled walls.

A glimpse of purple wings and the stray strands of perpendicular white technomantic power give the exact location of the Prince away as being on the third tier to Celestica's left. As if his voice isn't enough.
If you're an Emanacalian with a tail that's shorter than i'm long, get out. He sounds unusually frustrated.

[Ridai]

Rahja quietly accompanies her soul mate.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Im neither Emanacalian nor possessing of a tail, and I have no intention of getting out. We have come across some very important information, and we need your help. We have come across a spell that can stabilize the planes, and we are hoping you can duplicate it.

The next part is ONLY added if Lord Wero did not come with us.

And I believe you wanted to talk to me without your father present. Well thats the case right now.

[Emperor Ing]

Lord Wero did not accompany them, instead he cast a spell on the book, making it substantially lighter, however maintaining its size. Despite its mass it's easily portable by either the women. Where he went is open to conjecture.
Celestica? Oh Gods, i'm sorry. He hastily corrects himself, quickly flying down to the ground to meet them.
I'm REALLY sorry. It's, it's just been a long day and I have a new appreciation for the utter stupidity of my father's subjects. He manages to spit out. There's no evidence that the Inner Planes exist any further, and i'm supposed to be worried about Frank Mickelson's claim to ownership of some stupid shack? Hahah, no.

Now enough about me, what'd you find? To be honest this sounds too good to be true. He looks at the book, examining the incantations and sigils to try and get the layout of the map.

And it's good you got my Sending. It's kind of a prototype spell, I was worried it wouldn't work. But anyways, you're familiar with the Coup of 421 AD right? The Prince finds it extremely unlikely that Celestica would know about it, but he wants to ask nontheless.

[MikelaC1]

CELESTICA

Slow down, youre talking too quickly.
First of all, we have cast this spell once, on Bytopia. It tied the future health of the plane to me, as long as I live, Bytopia survives. I cast the spell because when we met with the deities, they indicated that the fey would carry the most power in ensuring the survival of the planes and as an elf, Im the closest to fey. The rest of the group theorizes that the deterioration of the planes is due to the death of the Sidereals Celestica looks to her soul mate for confirmation on the last, that part of the conversation with the Orc went over her head.
And no, Im not familiar with that piece of history at all.

[Starsign]

Arriving on Emanacal, Usabhar does his best to hide his wishes to return as soon as possible to Bytopia. He still saw no issue with splitting up the group, each of them are incredibly powerful on their own to the point where more ground would be covered that way. Yet that is not the case; instead Usabhar ends up coming along with the others to the High Lord's capital city. For a small time he simply stands about like a stone statue and waits. However time passes enough that he decides to look for Wero, in interest of continuing their argument they were having beforehand... as well as a factor he had once known back home that may be beneficial for these recent events.

Unfortunately Usabhar is not used to structures such as this castle as he finds himself wandering a little randomly, taking interest in the various architecture and items found around the places he is allowed to traverse. His stubbornness ends up having him walk around achieving little for some time until he eventually gives in and asks for the High Lord's current position, which the dwarf heads for as soon as he knows where it is.

[Emperor Ing]

Hmm, so how were the Fae able to tie that power to you? And how are they able to contain it? The powers of the Sidereals would be tremendous. What if... he begins pacing We can direct the flow of magic between carriers? The Fae to the...Dwarves. Why not. To the Gods...to some artificially created node. back to the Fae. A flow of magic, no one carrier would be overloaded since it would lose what it takes in. A great river of magic whose existence sustains the planes.

Regarding the coup... He pauses, looking much more serious, and something else. Some sort of...brokenedness Celestica is certain she has never seen in the Prince before.

Fifty nine years ago an attempt was made to take the title of High Lord away from my father. From their perspective it was the inevitability of mistake compounded on top of mistake, and the High Lord was weak enough to subdue. However they were discovered just on the eve of the culmination of their conspiracy. By the High Lord himself. In their desperation and with nothing to lose, themselves as full power, they struck at him. However they underestimated my Father's power, and were both struck down.

They...the conspirators were my mother, you know her. Chancellor Vorelogelend... Celestica should recognize the name, Lord Wero's mate, whom to her knowledge has always been fanatically loyal to the High Lord
And my oldest sister, Minaeyoch. As you might have guessed, my mother was forgiven for High Treason, given pardon by the High Lord himself. My sister though... he looks away, clearly broken, and refusing to even look at Celestica.
I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. The scribes were told to sweep it all under the rug. I didn't even know it existed until an hour ago.

Listen. I say all that to say this. What Minaeyoch endures...it's true. Father has already found his punishment for Treason. The only problem is that nobody lives long enough to endure it. I've seen it, it's horrible. I...I need your help. I promised Minaeyoch I would make this right, but I would never act to break my Father's law, and to damn my mother to the same fate is just two wrongs to make a right. I think...we have to convince the High Lord that maybe...he should show mercy towards his daughter. She's served her time manyfold, enough is enough. Please, tell me you'll help me?

-------------

After finally conceding to ask for the High Lord's location, it is pretty fruitless until one guard mentions that he's probably in the kitchen. A bit strange, but as good a lead as any. Following up on this lead, he enters a huge sprawling kitchen, staffed to the brim with chefs tasked with keeping the legion of Palace bureaucrats fed on a near-constant basis. Despite the chaos he is able to make out the High Lord, in human form nontheless, mixing something in a large bowl. He appears to be wearing normal cooking regalia in addition to his symbols of office, most notably the platinum crown. Strangely enough the other chefs don't seem to notice, or even care that their High Lord is probably amongst them.