Death's End IC

[3SecondCultist]

"You know where I stand, Calia. That's two to three." Marius stands with the bard, coiled to strike should the situation allow. That he has held back for this long is remarkable. Even when you went up against the forces of Urthrax, you have never seen the half-elf in this kind of state. But he is still as Nisus inches nearer to the body in the bag. "That's not Caius. A shapeshifter who called herself Senn killed him and took his form so that he could flush me out. Apparently, I had been attuned to the key, so only I could open the doors. What does it matter anyway? You were going to kill all of us regardless of what happened."

Nisus stops in his tracks, a sudden realization stealing across his face. "The key! Of course, how else would you have made it into the chamber? How is it that you came by this device? When I first visited this place, it was in my possession, but I have since lost it to... lost it... I can't remember. Gods, why can't I remember!" The elf sets to pacing, the current threat to his life left by the wayside. If you listen closely enough, you can hear him humming to himself under his breath as he moves with the energy of an avalanche. Eventually, however, Nisus stands at a loss. "For some reason, I can't access the memories behind the key. I know that it was taken from me a long time ago. But I cannot for the life of me remember the circumstances around its disappearance, or who took it from me in the first place. If I were to guess, I would say that whoever stole it does not harbor the best of intentions for the creations of the Firstborn - that is, if any really do still exist."

[Sen isSaqqara]

Lirian leers at Calia and Marius. "What is it with you people and killing to solve all your problems? And who in their right mind would think that pale fire could be dealt with simply by letting it become forgotten?" She shakes her head.
"Besides. He's clearly repentant, and if you just kill him now, you're damning not only him but yourselves by limiting the good he could do in his attempts to make up for it. Not to mention the good he could do by sharing his knowledge. Even if we do want to let the secrets of Pale Fire die out, which by the way I do support if only as a short term solution, there are doubtless many other pieces of information related to it but not key to it that by implementation could change how we see magic in its entirety. By killing him in a fit of spite, you don't know how many others you may be dooming to death!" She's working herself into a bit of a rage of her own, now.
"I mean, the shapeshifter! You killed her without a second thought! You're dealing out death like it's going out of style! Take a look at yourselves, you're turning into a bunch of homicidal maniacs. And just because return from the beyond is theoretically possible doesn't make it any better. Hells, when you think about it, anything you do to deal with the dead is likely going to go through Necrovian, and possible help him in some manner. And the way this is turning out, it's looking more and more like he's not exactly the neutral god we thought he is." She's running out of steam now, taking more time between syllables to consider other thoughts, and not at all liking what she's turning up. Eventually, she simply sits down, and stares off into the distance, lost in thought.

[Ajadea]

"Sirramar grant me strength." Calia's grip on her sword hasn't slackened - like Marius, she stands ready for the worst. "Senn would have killed us all, if we did not do it first. You can't just tie up a shapeshifter. She could have taken a smaller form and slipped the ropes in a second. Her blades were poisoned - a single hit could have killed. You know this, she stabbed you first!" Her growing frustration is obvious. "I am willing to be merciful, but not if it could cost us all our lives."

Lirian's mention of magical discoveries seem to hit another nerve, one of many already worn too thin. "This? Is exactly what I'm talking about. Of all the things happening right now, and you're worrying about academics? Nothing good can come of the Aurifices' lore. Only more death, more destruction."

She turns towards Nisus again, eyes fixating on his hands rather than face. "You've killed every person who dared step too near to that vault, including our friends. I would know why you do this." She doesn't ask the other half. Why he hadn't attacked them yet.

[Sen isSaqqara]

"This, at least, we can agree on. I'd like an answer to that too." notes Lirian from her reverie. She then proceeds to grumble under her breath. "And of course, I got stabbed first. And I'm still here, aren't I? Freakin' swear, squishiest person in the damned group..."

[3SecondCultist]

Nisus stands between Lirian and Calia, and by his expression you know that he still deems his fate to hang in the balance. But he moves to answer the bard's questions nonetheless. "I did what I did because I feared the knowledge of the Starstone falling into the wrong hands. I had almost forgotten about the key, but... I knew that eventually someone would come for what the Firstborn had left behind. If knowledge like this were to get out, it would shatter the perceptions of the world we live in. More importantly, if the last Firstborn vault really does exist, then there would always be those who sought to abuse that mantle."

Marius, for his part, does stop to listen. However, the cleric pauses when Nisus mentions the key. "Wait, but if you don't remember anything about the key, than how would you even know what to look for? Protecting the secret, I understand, but killing people so that you could keep a lost secret that you don't fully understand doesn't seem like the morally upright thing to do." Still visibly upset, Marius crosses his arms to scowl at the elf.

"By the Twelve, I don't have all of the answers! All I know is that the chamber down there is real, that the Firstborn did exist and that they were wiped out by Necrovian long before any of us ever walked this earth. For what crimes, I know not. But the presence is still here, and the pale fire has resurfaced. Right now, that's all I care about. My own transgressions have been to stop those who might want to take advantage of the power the Firstborn left behind - that means eliminating any witnesses to this place. But like I said, the pale fire has resurfaced. And I won't be able to track it all down on my own."

[esorscher]

"A large store of pale fire was destroyed, along with..." Arran says, then pauses, remembering Soryn. "along with a large goblinoid army led by the hobgoblin Urthrax."

[3SecondCultist]

"I am aware of what happened to Urthrax Wolfheart, and the state of the pale fire. Kamose told me what happened to the other barrels, though. For the past eighty years, I have stained my hands in order to keep the Starstone a secret, but it was not enough to stay the hands of those who sought it out. I think... I think we need to go about this another way. If those other barrels are still out there, then we are all still in danger."

[esorscher]

"What would you have of us?" Arran asks noncommittally.

[gallagher]

I think we all know what he would have us do. The real question would be where to start? We dont have any leads... Ben shoots a glance up at Nisus unless Nisus here knows something but never acted on it...

[Sen isSaqqara]

"The obvious bet is Onyx. It's a haven of old knowledge, what with the great library and whatnot. Besides, didn't you say Senn had a tattoo linking her to some organization in Onyx? You guys could investigate that while I take a look through the library for anything of interest..." She fades off a bit, lost in a dream of an endless library. She likes libraries, and the one in Onyx is legendary.

[3SecondCultist]

Marius looks sharply at the cat-woman when she mentions Onyx. "You want to go all the way down to the Republic? It's a long trek south, you know." However, Nisus starts nodding slowly. "That's... actually a good idea. I have only been down to Onyx once, but I suspect the Great Library will be more than useful for searching more about the Firstborn. Not to mention that if Senn did come from Onyx, you can look for whoever sent her to track down the Starstone from there." The elf looks out at the cliffs - under the sun's harsh gaze, the view of the mountain bowl that surrounds the glacier looks like something out of a children's picture book. Not for the first time today, he takes a deep breath. "I would go with you now, but I have some things to work out with the guild before I do. Namely, I want to get in touch with Kamose again, and see if he can remember anything else about the barrels. And... I'm going to need a new Fiorne guild leader." He looks at Marius significantly, who seems to be physically restraining himself from hitting Nisus.

"Why should I listen to anything you say? Minutes ago you were taking credit for killing guild soldiers who were only following orders!"
"And with your help, we can prevent a disaster of this magnitude from ever happening again. With you in charge of the Fiorne branch, we can protect the secret of the Starstone without having to kill anyone else."
"I... I'm not sure I could work under you directly. Not after this."
"You wouldn't have to. I will head back up to Aquinal after we've settled things in Fiorne, and then I will be on my way to aid in the search for the Starstone." The cleric seems to swallow his anger as he looks over at all four of you. "What do you think? Is this what you want?"

[Ajadea]

Calia starts visibly when Lirian speaks. Returning to Onyx, to warmth and color. The thought did not hold as much excitement as it once might have. "I don't like this," Calia says, shaking her head. "You know my thoughts. But... if this is what is going to be done, I would want there to be someone in Valeria that I know I can trust." Her eyes flick towards Nisus for the briefest of moments before settling on Marius. With effort, she forces her anger and tension back, at least for now. "You would be a good leader, Marius." She doesn't need to try to put conviction in her voice, not to say what she knows is true.

[esorscher]

Arran agrees. "Whoever it is, should know the truth about Caius, and everything. And I intend on going to Onyx." Whether or not he will travel with Nisus is another story, remaining to be written.

[Sen isSaqqara]

"Perhaps we should all head back to Fiorne for the moment. If nothing else, traveling with Nisus for a time might help us to better understand his point of view, and make sure he doesn't try anything. Besides, we should find out what happened to Aveline. Once... someone is installed as the new head of the guild, we can leave for Onyx." Lirian doesn't add that she wants time to question Nisus, and find out the full extent of what he knows. A not insignificant portion of her mind is held captive by the idea of the advanced magitek she saw in the vision, and her head is full of ideas about how to replicate it.

[gallagher]

Yes, a trip back to Fiorne would probably be best. We are definitely going to need to reload on some supplies before we start anything, and I would like a chance to see Kamose again as well. He had sent out for a book for me that I have been dying to get my hands on. Ben says agreeably. Not to mention, it would give me time to pick Nisus's brain. The elf might know a great deal about alchemy. Ben thinks to himself.

I would support your leadership, Marius. If there is any hope of restoring honor to the guild, it must have an honorable man in charge.

[3SecondCultist]

Although you can see that Marius is somewhat uncomfortable with all of the praise, he waits until everyone has agreed on a course of action before speaking. "You know, when I first met you all I didn't know what to think. Sirramar had sent me a strange lot for traveling companions. But I know now that nothing happens by accident. If everything Nisus says is right, and that... sliver of Necrovian is still out there, then the world is in peril. I'll be glad to know that you are out there, helping to make it right." A quick glance at Nisus is enough to tell you that he still doesn't fully trust the Aurifex, but he isn't about to say anything right now. The elf stands apart, ostensibly taking in the view but you know that he is listening. His expression is a mixture of sorrow and determination. "We should leave immediately. I will accompany you back to Fiorne, but I need to head back to Aquinal to do some more restructuring. Come on, you have a long road ahead of you!" With a shrug and a forced smile, Nisus begins to lead you out of the valley and into the beyond.