The Ultimate Conflict (Of Gods and Royalty) IC

[AmberVael]

"If nothing else, I am sure they remember that every prayer to me reaches my ears." Samhain concurs with a smile. With an imperious wave, she dismisses the entrance to her home, then extends her hands to her nearby allies. "Come. We do not need to use my home for this."

The Harvest Queen focuses her magic once the others have taken her hands, and a whirling wind of shadows spins around them, pulling them from the plane they found themselves on and casting them out into the astral ocean.

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The closing of the Acropolis gate assumes everyone who wanted to go to the Acropolis got there already. She'll direct people in if they haven't gone in yet. They can go make themselves at home, she's not worried.

After that, the Queen is going to take everyone who wants to go now to the Meeting Grounds. She won't be fussed if that's only Erika and herself. She will use Shadowmaster to mimic Greater Plane Shift to move them there with full accuracy.

[Realms of Chaos]

Harvest Queen, Erika, Gidae

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Once within the Acropolis, The Harvest Queen, Gidae, and Erika find that the pathway to the meeting grounds opens up quite easily. Leaving the new throng of loyal followers behind, the three of you find yourselves in a large room perhaps a quarter-mile in diameter. Every surface in the room seems to be carved of ivory, down to the pillars that climb up to unseen depths. A large group has already assembled in the area. Fiendish, celestial, and everything in between, the inhabitants seem strong, canny, and armed to the teeth with such weaponry and dweomers that the room is filled with a soft buzz and clashes of metal on metal just from their attempts to move through the room. Up on a raised platform in the center of the room are several gods or godlike beings. Kord, Wee Jas, St. Cuthbert, and Olidammara stand atop the pedestal surveying the crowd. A fourth character, a roughly feminine form hidden beneath a cloak of rustling leaves, stands behind them.

Harvest Queen:

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You recognize the figure in the back. Though she is no true deity, she is one of the greater powers from the Seelie Court, which might as well be the same thing. She is the one called whisper, a sonic spirit of nature responsible for whispering winds, burbling brooks, and rustling leaves along with similar soft sounds.

Fang/Daniel:

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Turning the corner into the alley where you know the Queen placed the gate, you see only a dead end.

[Maugan Ra]

Erika's eyes light up with an almost childish delight as she takes in the various different individuals gathered here. And a collection of gods as well... oh, this is fantastic.

With a giddy smile on her face, she waits to see what happens next. Regardless of the specifics, it's almost certainly going to be interesting.

[Metroid33]

"Dammit, this is the right ally I know it. they left without us,"Fang falls into a kneel thinking about there options,Daniel, I think our only options are pray to the Queen or go back to that ship and hope they take us."

[Toska Moriarty]

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Alright, So I'm back to this board. You all miss me?
I'm fairly certain that Sebastian can find and follow tracks for Daniel and Fang easily enough. He has a +42 Survival check as it is, and then slap on Favored Terrain, Urban (Another +2) and Favored enemy Humanoid, Human (Another +4) which brings it up to a +48. I'm assuming familiarity doesn't affect anything and that this is hard ground (Cobblestones), which puts the DC at 20 to find and follow tracks. (1d20+48)[64] to find the tracks.
And then to follow the tracks at twice my speed (150 feet per round) I'd take a minus twenty to the DC 20, so to follow the Tracks I'd be at (1d20+28)[32]
Assuming all that goes without a hitch, wearing the Ring of Sequestering he's got makes him completely invisible, so I should only have to make a Stealth for moving silently, and am able to do so at those speeds with a -15 due to race bonuses. (1d20+62)[70]
Additionally, since this is his Favored Terrain, Sebastian is untraceable in Sigil.

Sebastian walks easily through crowds, weaving through them without drawing so much attention as any other feature of the city. Sure, the metallic band wrapped around his finger made that all a bit easier, but that didn't explain how crowds almost seemed to part for him as he waltzed through the streets and allies, following the footprints of a very unlikely pair through muddied allies and dusty streets.

Eventually, he rounds the corner into the last alley, and he stops to wonder why he tracked them even though he knew their destination. Stepping several feet, silently as always, into the alley, he casually leans up against the wall, buried in shadow, stealth, and the invisibility of his ring. Smirking at Fang's comment, he cups his hands around his mouth and looks straight up, hoping to echo his voice around the alley:
"Of course they left without you, you dolt! Since the ship's no-doubt on it's own way out, I think praying might just be your best option. In fact, I'd love to volunteer myself for just such a duty. "

He quickly darts to the opposite wall, still just inside the mouth of the alley.

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(1d20+77)[94] to move silently

Again cupping his hands he shouts again: "Unless, of course, you think either of you should try it. That I'd love to see!"

Following that, he chuckles, still throwing his voice about the alley, off various surfaces, and generally being as annoyingly cryptic as possible.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Grounds:

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OOC: No, seriously, guys. If your character isn't in the meeting grounds, this is not for your eyes. Considering that the Harvest Queen is in there, relying on second-hand information may actually become a plot point.

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As the deities survey the crowd, a few angered mortals murmur and shout loose accusations at the deities. Apparently ready to proceed, Kord quickly clears his voice and walks to the front of the stage."I'm guessing all of you want to know what's going on, right?" Kord looks among the other gods to see if any seek to interject but none do. "Well, I guess that it's my honor to explain things. First thing first. After reading those messages in the skies, some of you may think that those cracks were merely tests, that we would release untold horrors on our own worshipers just to see if someone was worthy for some great "honor" or "duty"."

At this, the deity scans the crowd searching for those who show signs of believing this. "Of course, if we wanted to find those of you with power, all that we'd need were those messages up in the sky. Commoners and weaker beings can't read the message and it would save us a whole lot of trouble. No, this was not some test. We have fought the cracks just as you might have and even our own number has been thinned by this catastrophe. Thanks to our efforts that those of powerful mortals and immortals like yourselves, most of the cracks beyond the astral plane have been sealed. Even so, this may be only the start of an era of loss and change... even for those with strength. In under an hour, we have lost the inner planes. Six planes wiped from existence."

With these solemn words, Kord turns his head downwards, giving the audience a chance to process what has just been declared.

Harvest Queen:

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Even as you listen to Kord, you can hear a faint whisper emanating from the air around you.

So, the courtless queen seems to have done quite well for herself

The voice, if it could be called one, lacks any degree of emotion.

[Maugan Ra]

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Erika tilts her head in consideration.

"Just the inner planes lost? Is it more severe in that area?" she calls out, pitching her voice so that it carries over the crowd to everyone's ears. The implication is apparent - find the centre point of the phenomena, and you're much closer to finding the reason for it.

[Metroid33]

Ugh fine go ahead Sebastian, pray for her. We have nothing better to do.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Grounds:

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The response from the assembled beings is mixed. Some volunteer on the spot to help the deities (if they haven't already) while others outright insult the deities for their negligence and start leaving.

To the rest, Kord continues speaking, "As much as I regret the loss of entire planes, we had limited time to do anything at all and we were forced to prioritize. Thankfully, the elements that we possess in the material and outer planes never came directly from the elemental planes. There is no risk of the world running out of fire or air or life."

After making one more deep sigh, the god of strength resumes "Right now, the great wheel is facing the greatest of hardships it has ever endured and our meager numbers have proved insufficient with our to save even entire planes, much less keep cosmic peace or attend to lesser matters of importance. To this end, we have called upon the strongest we can work together. Even the forces of Faerie and what remain of the elemental lords have left their elusive courts to join us in this endeavor."

With this, he nods to the leafy woman behind the rest of the gods. "Though we have always respected and treasured the free will of mortals, might we call upon you, champions, to help maintain existence as we know it?"

[Maugan Ra]

The Meeting Grounds

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Erika considers this for a moment or so. Work to save all of reality, alongside the greatest and most powerful individuals in existence, at the direct behest of the gods. Now there was a purpose! There was something she could apply herself to, a driving goal to give meaning to her life. Oh yes.

"I get the feeling I should make some kind of grand proclamation." she mutters to herself. Then she simply takes a few paces forwards, separating from the crowd in a visible demonstration of commitment. "Where do we start?" she says instead.

[Infernally Clay]

.: The Meeting Grounds :.

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OOC: Let the awkwardness ensue!

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Gidae, as usual, stayed quiet and in the background as others spoke their minds. There was something... familiar... About Kord's words, about what was happening in the Planes. But how could she have known, even subconsciously, about this? Did she have a part to play in what was happening? Whether she did or didn't, it was apparent she had to get to the bottom of this catastrophe. If she did, she might find out who she really is.

"Six planes gone and even the Gods themselves are dying? Not a pretty sight," she said, finally speaking up and making her presence known, although her eyes held no familiarity with the Gods whom she unknowingly once stood among, "So just point us in the right direction and we'll see it done. I doubt we have much time to waste on pleasantries and the like."

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Grounds:

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Finally stepping back, Kord allows St. Cuthbert to step forward where he left off. After a quick scan of the crowd, the god of law gets right to the matter "As a perfunctory matter to those of you with more straightforward ideals, I must regretfully report that these disturbances aren't the work of some death cult or forbidden ritual. To all appearances, this event seems "natural" in certain ways and fighting it would be much like fighting an earthquake. The world is trying to reshape itself. Into what, none of us dare say. All that we know is that these changes have been unpredictable and that they have left the fabric of reality fragile and... pliable... in parts. If we don't act carefully, the great wheel may restart, reform, or end altogether. Your homes, your families, your lives, your pasts... any or all of it of it might end or be unravelled or shifted in this flux with hardly a moment's notice.

With this disaster in the distance, we require the aide of others for three separate purposes. First, our attention will be devoted to suppressing the worst effects of this calamity. We require others to act as our representatives in the world. Beyond mere clerics or adherents, they will be our voice and the voice of constancy in these troubling times. If you desire no such honor, none will be granted to you.

Secondly, lesser effects of the calamity may yet make themselves known in the world and we need others who can help track the damages and protect whatever they can. Should more monsters break through the fabric of space, warriors will be needed to fight them. Should a world start fading from existence, assistance will be needed to evacuate all who can be helped. As any of us may pay the price within these coming days, I would hope that you would help your neighbors and trust them to help you in return.

Finally, though we see no way to do so other than waiting for things to end, we require aid fighting back against this calamity. If anyone can find any means, and spell, any artifact that may slow or halt or even reverse its effects, doing so is among the most worthy of endeavors. Though we will spread information to all, however, how you choose to act against this threat is ultimately left to you to decide.

As for support, we can lend some small sliver of our power to those who would act as our voices and will continue to provide our blessings to our faithful. Other than that, all we may offer is information, the assistance of our heralds and planar allies, and full access to our godly realms. If you agree to help us, step forwards and we will provide you with a gem through which you can communicate with us"

[Maugan Ra]

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Erika steps forwards smartly at the prompt, smiling slightly. To do otherwise would be to allow the opportunity of a lifetime to pass her by.

"I can fight, and I had some success in manipulating the breaches over Sigil. I might be able to close them fully, but only a few at a time."

[AmberVael]

Meeting Grounds

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The Harvest Queen listens to everything said, a small smirk playing across her lips. She wasn't entirely sure where she would go from here, but the response of the gods to the situation amused her. If the world was naturally changing, and so much had already been destroyed by the change... well, she wasn't sure that could be reversed, or even should be. Though of course if it is really that volatile she might have to play along with them just for purposes of self-preservation.

Samhain mentally sets up her two priorities- securing her own life and power, and investigating the real nature of this calamity, then flicks her eyes towards the faint figure lingering in the back.

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Your words are a contradiction, whispering wind. How can you see my wealth and power and not see my court? Are there not servants who work beneath my banner and in my name? Are there not countless courtiers who seek my favor and attention? And even now, noble heroes array themselves around me and mine. I am not without a court- indeed, all that I do establishes it and my sovereignty within it.
The Queen's mental voice reaches out to the fey, carrying a rather whimsical, contrary feel to it, but her tone remains polite, erring on teasing rather than rebuking.
I assume you addressed me for more reasons than bestowing compliments? Please, speak your mind.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Grounds:

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Erika is one of the first to volunteer with all of the information prevented. As the crowd grows in volume and intensity, the deities walk off of the alter to spread their blessings to those who would seek them.

There is a fourth reason.

What you hear is not a voice. Hundreds and whispers and murmurs combine in a breeze that whips through the room to form a coherent message. The deities, still on the steps of the podium, turn back to the leaf-covered fey.

There is a fourth reason why we have called you.

The deities are far from the only ones to have taken a vested interest in the world. In order to protect ourselves if some great power should try to end existence, we have created... precautions.

In each generation, we find a few individuals destined for greatness and tie them to the fabric of reality itself. While their deaths won't doom the world, their lives may yet serve to protect it, at least to some degree.

Most groups that we talk to learn next to nothing of these mortal leylines but our fourth purpose on this day is to alert those leylines to the crucial role that they play in this game. As luck would have it, we have one of them in our midst.

[AmberVael]

The Meeting Grounds

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"And who is this pillar upholding reality?" The Queen asks, presenting a grinning facade that covered her thoughts. Is this why the being had addressed her at first? Or was that merely politeness? No, the more she thought of it, the more she wondered- was this one of the secrets behind Gidae? If so, how would it affect her plans- how could she use this to her advantage?

But then, all of her companions seemed remarkable; She would not be surprised if it were Erika either. She could suspect and wonder all she wished, but she'd have the answer soon enough. Still, her mind raced as she thought of how to turn this to her advantage, no matter who was named.

[Realms of Chaos]

The meeting grounds:

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A pillar of light shines through the meeting grounds, bright as sunlight but refined to a five-foot column that engulfs Erika.

If you should meet this pillar on your travels, do all in your power to keep her from harm, lest an untimely end come to us all. While she is neither your lord nor master, her existence is precious to us all.

[Maugan Ra]

The meeting grounds

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Erika blinks once. Twice. Ten dozen thoughts spiral through her mind in rapid succession, clashing against each other in insane confusion before... stopping. Deep breath.

"An explanation would be... very much appreciated." she says at last. Her voice, normally whimsical and carefree, is now cold and diamond-hard.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Grounds

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Despite Erika's reaction, nobody else seems too worked up over the issue. They may seem a bit shaken knowing that the last line of defense is composed of a meager few individuals but they seem to sympathize with her disbelief. Had it been themselves instead of her, after all, they would probably feel similarly. Even so, the crowd grows silent and gives her space to breathe as Erika makes her demand.

It was predicted that you would acquire divinity of a sort, that you would find yourself in the protection of one of our queens should you require additional protection

Harvest Queen

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or so we chose to interpret

It was even foretold that you would find your way to others who could blend in with and disguise even your own great power.

How have we chosen wrongly?

[Maugan Ra]

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Erika considers this for a long moment. She should feel angry, really. There should be outrage, or disgust at the way in which her life had apparently been manipulated like this. And yet, she just couldn't find it in herself. Ever since she could remember - which was not really all that long a time - she'd been whimsical and wandering, and above all else searching for a purpose. Should she be angry, now that she'd apparently found it?

"You haven't." she admits at last, grudgingly. "It will require something of an adjustment, but I'm good at making those. Very well then. You said you tied the individuals, ones like me, to the fabric of the world... presumably, distinct aspects of it, hence the need for multiple individuals."

She waves a hand, and from the ground rises a narrow staff of wood, which became a tweeting bird perched on an outstretched finger, became a puff of smoke, and then became the floor once again. "This is my aspect, it seems. Chaos, in the form of directed adaptation. What, for reference, would the likely effects be if I do perish?"

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Grounds:

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Thankfully, those we have chosen simply act as the final defense for reality. So long as you live, chaos shall remain recognizable, if not completely unchanged. There is no guarantee that there will be change should you die but I believe that everyone here would rather not take that chance.

[Toska Moriarty]

Stepping out of the shadows, Sebastian laughs heartily at the other duo. He saunters past the two of them towards the back of the alley, rolling his eyes at Daniel as he does so: "Well, I know you agree Fgang, and judging by the dumb expression You've had on your face, Daniel, I can guess that you're worried..."
He stops at the wall, turning to the both of them. "So let me calm you down. There is no time for theatrics, large rituals, or getting a nice big crowd involved. Even though I want to..." He shrugs, chuckling again as he draws out a dagger and casually twirls it in his hand absent mindedly.

"Now, just give me a moment. I want to get the words right... It's been quite some time since I had to use this." Sebastian closes his eyes, breathes deeply, squeezes the handle of the dagger, and drops to his knees.

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OOC: Sorry I cant finish it right now, still trying to choose which version,. Give me like, 6 hours (work, lol) and Ill be back to post the actual prayer. Sick of waiting, you see, but Ive got to go for now!

[Toska Moriarty]

Eyes still closed, Sebastian places his empty hand on the ground, fingers spread, palm down. He breathes again, whispering the words he's only said once before to himself, and more importantly than Daniel or Fang, to The Queen.

"Green to Red to Brown to Dust,
All things die because they must,
There is no light, There is no mist,
There is only a chill, Death's cold kiss...

To see you walk into your doom,
A single woman in ancient room,
She holds the string, the light, the life,
To make her smile, bring forth the knife..."

On the end of that verse, Sebastian plunges the dagger through his own hand, between the knuckles and the wrist, sinking it hilt deep in his own flesh as the adamantine blade easily passes through the rough, now red-tinted, cobblestone beneath. He grits his teeth as the blood runs through the cracks in stone, and smirks, knowing it'll just heal when he's done anyway.

"Though you bleed and cry and hurt,
She listens now, awake alert,
Talk to her, now at your worst,
But hope and pray she sakes your thirst..."

He trails off, the ancient prayer finished. Trying to ignore memories of the first time he had to call to her, he focuses on one thing: If she still could, she would be listening. Head still bowed, eyes still shut, he cannot help but picture her laughing at him as he speaks to a nearly empty alley.

"My Queen... We have found ourselves in a dilemma; Your gate has closed to us. To speak with GODS, to deal with a sky-written prophecy, and fight the vermin eating away at our world, I, uh, WE, would enjoy nothing more thoroughly than such an opportunity. There is nothing more important than standing by your side, My Queen, enshaddowed or otherwise. Bring us o you, we beg, so we may do so."

Smirk still playing across his face, he continues for one more breath...
"And nothing would make me happier than to see the lovely ladies I've begun miss ever so much..."
...before pulling the dagger from the ground, opening his eyes, and standing. Shuddering a moment, he spins the knife, blood flecking across the stone, before re-hiding it in his sleeves. Holding his hand up to his face , he watches the minor wound sew itself as he awaits an imminent answer.

[AmberVael]

I didn't think things were so formal between us, Sebastian. Shadows crawl around Sebastian and begin reaching for the other two as the Harvest Queen manifests her power. But the poetry and prayer are a pleasant surprise indeed. The darkness grows and swirls in a slow circle as a passage between the planes forms.

Samhain's slender arm reaches through the portal, and she takes a firm hold on Sebastian's bloodied hand before dragging him through. The shadows writhe and whirl, then engulf Daniel and Fang as well, pulling them into the Meeting Grounds.

[Realms of Chaos]

What the Men See:

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Entering the common grounds, you enter a large room carved of ivory, filled with all manner of beings strong, eternal, ephemeral, sagely, wise, and intimidating. The greatest of heroes, villains, and beings that fall in between have been gathered in tremendous number, armed to the teeth with so much magical equipment that you can feel the air buzz with their enchantments. On a platform in the center of the room stand several deities and a feminine being of leaves you aren't quite familiar with. At the moment, however, all attention seems to be not on them but on Erika as the crowd has cleared away the area immediately around her. Your entrance seems to remove a bit of tension hanging in the air.

[Metroid33]

Fang leans over and whispers to the Queen, "How nice it is to see you ladies, especially you your majesty, but I must ask what is going on here? and what is Erika up to?"

[Toska Moriarty]

Chuckling mildly to himself, Sebastian shakes off the magic and stands close behind The Queen. "Well, I have a thing for the older prayers. Especially ones I've confirmed work." Looking around, seeing several faces he recognized and just as many that he hoped wouldn't recognize him, he adds in a whisper: "So what's happening here? Mind filling us in, we were a tad delayed, and all of the sudden Erika is in the spotlight, and more literally than usual...."

He looks around again, rolling his eyes at Fang and using a few quick gestures from back in 'his Nightsong Days' (No doubt long out of style, but hopefully remembered) to signal a request: we do not steal anything. Combat isn't possible here, but if Fang was anything like Sebastian, he'd not be above borrowing a few artifacts if he could.

"Hell, m'lady, I'm not even sure if those nice pirate folks are going to make it."

[Maugan Ra]

Erika nods to the two new arrivals. "Fang, Sebastian. It turns out I'm apparently some kind of cosmic leyline. The embodiment of chaos. I can't say I'm entirely sure what to think about it, but it does answer a few outstanding questions."

She turns to face the being made of leaves. "I suppose I owe you a favour at some point, in return for the explanation. Should prove interesting."

That said, she regards the deities once more. "So. Back to the matter at hand. Something about a gem for communication purposes?"

[Realms of Chaos]

You almost don't notice them until they raise up their baskets. Tiny, dwarflike beings with twisted faces and pointed ears stand throughout the crowd, wearing what looks like tunics of bark as they raise fine woven baskets over their heads. In each basket are assembled gems of every color and cut. Walking with perfect silence, these beings rotate throughout the room, making sure that everyone still present receives a gem.

The Harvest Queen:

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Umberlings, among the least of jesters and couriers within the Seelie and Unseelie courts. Still more intelligent and cunning than the average human, they lack any true power or force of personality, surrendering their fealty at the drop of a hat. When not needed or not noticed, however, Umberlings cease to exist in traditional terms, their one unusual "gift". Though useful for manual labor, their suggestibility and lack of self-concept makes them practically useless to send far distances

[Metroid33]

Fang looks in to the basket, then reaching in and pulling out a Lapiz lazuli, that had been rounded into a perfect sphere, "So how do we use them and who will we be communicating with?" fang asks the ladies, hoping to get some kind of answer out of them as to what else has happened in their absence.