The Ultimate Conflict II

[Realms of Chaos]

The Workshop: The device that Zurkar finds looks like a small compass with a narrow rod reaching out of the far end. The device, superficially, resembles a warforged component, though the rod it too long to fit into most warforged (and would look ridiculously small on a titan).

The Meeting Grounds: Upon arriving, it is hard to tell if you ware even in the same location as before. The floor is nearly invisible under layers and layers of adamantine scrap-metal, littering the floor with jagged edges (not that harm is possible within the Meeting Grounds, of course). Even the columns are partially concealed by the mutilated clockwork dragons hanging from them. The gods assembled upon the stage, including Vecna, Hanali, Bahamut, Ilsensine, and the irritable giant from Faerie, are lingering near the back of their platform while an enraged (and injured) Keltahkonkmet paces back and forth, alternating between angrily muttering to himself and grinning like a demon as he examines the audience. While slightly smaller than Bahamut, the silver dragon is far more muscled and every scratch on his form is worn as a glorious tattoo.

Dozens of heroes and villains (presumably those who were bored) have already arrived, at least some of which seem ready for a fight (or ready to shed blood at the drop of a hat). Whatever the Dragon seems ready to say, however, is apparently being saved for a few more moments until everyone arrives. All of you can see each other among those within the room.

[Ridai]

Rahja hovers over the scrap with her light wings unfolded, surprised to see that they attacked this place as well. "What were they after?" she asks the gods.

[MikelaC1]

My bet is on the crack we brought here she whispers to Rahja

[Starsign]

Things have certainly changed in the Meeting Grounds since Usabhar and Nasiri have been here. They undoubtedly had expected a good deal of anxiety and pressure from whatever the gods have planned but seeing the ever-familiar clockwork dragons mutilated on the columns and the abundance of scrap metal indicated that something was indeed very different this time. The two of them only got a glimpse of the decorations before they both witness Keltahkonkmet there, battle-worn yet ever-mighty. Nasiri quietly gasps into silence, having not known her god would not only be present but probably had a great deal to do with the makeover in the Meeting Grounds. She had not met Keltahkonkmet since... possibly forever; she cannot recall. All she is glad is that the great silver dragon has returned as great as he always is.

Usabhar, having expected his god's return, couldn't be more pleased to see Keltahkonkmet standing before the gods, even if Usabhar does not show any other expression than a focused glare. No doubt he had brought all this mess of clockwork dragons here to prove the need for an attack. As Usabhar sees, his lord is as legendary as always to have made it back from whatever dimension he ended up attacking on his own. Rahja and Celestica may be concerned that the dragons attacked this place but Usabhar is sure that they are simply battle trophies representing the culprits of these past incidents. To see that clockwork dragons have been responsible however poses a strange coincidence with what happened on Emanacal. No doubt then that the High Lord will be here to witness this, if he cares for possibly putting an end of those which have attacked the empire before.

Wasting no time standing around, Usabhar walks through the scrap metal towards Keltahkonkmet. Seeing the great silver dragon again is no less glorious now than it was the first time. The paragon's voice hasn't been as boisterous and pleased than in a long time. "You have finally returned my lord! And with these accursed mechanisms and your glorious form to show." Usabhar views Keltahkonkmet's scars and wounds with such wonder, such confidence that they will heal. The injuries that has lain on the dwarf's own skin is also a testament to his fortitude, rather than reckless or concern. "So then this is our proof; clockwork dragons ruled by the Boiler Man. You have been to their world my lord?" Usabhar can only imagine what sort of fascinating and horrifying sights the silver dragon encountered there, and what he risked to bring to the gods.

[Emperor Ing]

Meeting Grounds

What...what happened here? The High Lord asks, rather baffled. How did it come about that the Boiler Man's forces struck the Meeting Grounds as well as Emanacal? Could it have been a multi-pronged attack? He really had no idea, and this annoyed him. And for what purpose do the forces of the Boiler Man harry the Gods themselves? And how could one challenge the Gods with mere machine and yet hope for victory?

Zurkar's Workshop

Zurkar is at once puzzled, noting that the device at least superficially resembles some kind of...sensor? Gauge? The rod maybe picks up information and the gauge indicates the presence or lack thereof of something. But what it's used for...Zurkar begins to work to find out, making sure all samples of Zurkarnite are nowhere near where they might interfere with a Divination spell cast.

[Realms of Chaos]

The Meeting Ground:

As a few hundred people have teleported in, the Silver dragon finally speaks to those assembled. "Greetings, champions of the multiverse. Good or ill, each of you exists and I assume each of you intend to continue existing. If so, we possess a common enemy. Just a couple weeks ago, the multiverse was nearly torn to shreds and existence could have ended."

"Most of you were told that this was just an "act of nature". UNTRUE. The gods could have probed harder, could have reched through the apocryphal desert and through the temporal energy plane to reach all timelines and search for evidence. This was deemed "Dangerous". I say that dangerous is leaving alive a foe who can tear apart worlds at will. THAT IS DANGEROUS!"

"I have learned the identity of our enemy: an arrogant, Dracophobic monstrosity known as the Boiler Man. Some of you are already familiar with his handiwork." at that, Keltahkonkmet looks back at Bahamut, who looks to Wero in turn. "With that known, it is time to fight back, lest he tear our worlds apart from afar. The world he resides in, as would befit an elder evil, is a world where gods had never ascended. While divine magic "might" still function, I was reduced to fighting tooth and claw as I destroyed the foes that rest before you. The gods are afraid to shed their immortal shells and fight as who they once were. Fighting, therefore, is our personal privilege and obligation."

"ANY QUESTIONS?"

Behind the Silver Dragon, the other gods look on in various states of shock and indignation, though they hold their tongues for the moment.

The Workshop: The device deems to hold some manner of divination magic, though of a subschool you fail to recognize. It's not that it is obscured from your divinations (at far as you can tell) so much as that the subschool seems novel. You lack a point of comparison.

[Emperor Ing]

The High Lord smiles. He likes this unknown God. He is not afraid to do what needs to be done. A tremor echoes through his body however, his own magic quivered in anticipation of fighting the Boiler Man on his own home-world. No question he will be forced to, once again, make due without his magic. However things were different now. The spell that has augmented his strength to truly apocalyptic proportions is now as much a part of him as the muscles they have augmented. No amount of dead magic will prevent his ruinous strength from achieving its potential once in the heat of battle. Interesting, really. The High Lord was frustrated by his own physical weakness in the Third Battle for the Indigo Citadel. Now, circumstances have changed. He relishes the chance for battle. For vengeance, to just let go. Let the full power of what he is becoming let loose and burn all those foolish enough to stand in between him and vengeance. He relishes to crush the clockwork abominations of the Boiler Man For all the lives of his subjects that were the High Lord's to take, he will extract payment in scrap-metal.

On my world, the forces of the Boiler Man used a moon that projected an enormous Dead-Magic field. Are we to expect additional moons?

[Ridai]

Rahja does roll her eyes at all the boistering and accusations. Other than that, the lack of divine magic won't be an issue. "What awaits us on that world, other than these constructs?"

[MikelaC1]

For Celestica however, the lack of divine magic will be a major issue, divine magic is what powers half of her attacks. If arcane magic is also dead however, for both sides, then she would be better off, as her inner ki would not be affected. She continues to listen, already planning for what will confront her in this old world.

[Starsign]

Keltahkonkmet's train of thought was right on the same track as Usabhar's. The paragon knew the Boiler Man would have had a hand, if not outright be behind this whole nightmare as soon as he had witnessed the Boiler Man's world as being some sort of alternate dimension Emanacal. Who else to be suited to fighting on the Boiler Man's own world than the dwarf and his god? They are not so reliant on magic as others in this room are; the loss of magic will only slightly hinder them in combat. All that matters then is to be sure everyone else will survive as frontliners take on what will threaten them. Nasiri on the other hand is considerably less enthusiastic about where they would be going. No magic severely limits her usefulness. Sure she can still fly and act as Usabhar's (mostly) loyal mount but there isn't much she can help with otherwise.

When asked for questions, Usabhar knows enough that he has nothing for proper questions. "I have none, so long as I shall take the frontlines to fight alongside and prove myself to my lord Keltahkonkmet." The less confident Nasiri on the other hand looks around to everyone around her. She is considerably worse off and outmatched in terms of helping on a battlefield. Cautiously she speaks up, knowing she probably shouldn't be coming. "This is kind of out of my league actually," she says to herself quietly. Unless Keltahkonkmet is sure she will be fine or do well on the battlefield, Nasiri is indeed thinking about returning home or to Emanacal. Usabhar, at the least, doesn't seem to mind whatever the couatl will do.

[Realms of Chaos]

Keltahkonkmet pauses, shifting impatiently, as an assembly of voices shouts out their questions, curious as to what the "apocryphal desert" is, what they can expect to fight on the other side, and asking (in a couple cases) if there is any reward, among other questions. The dragon looks at the latter with disgust, through he nods in acknowledgement of good questions and lingers his gaze upon Usabhar when he speaks.

When the dragon next speaks, the corner of his mouth has raised in a smile, "First things first, getting there! Like the meeting ground, the Apocryphal Desert is a demiplane mortals are barred from. Like the meeting grounds, this obstruction can and will be removed. It is a crossroads of worlds and timelines, the entry point each timeline possesses to the temporal energy plane. Finding your way won't be difficult. The thing to remember is not to communicate. No words, no gestures, no telepathy. Anything you try to express will be twisted into unpleasant, if not lethal, magic.

"The temporal energy plane... is harder to explain. I have marked the timeline you should enter and formed a shortcut to your destination. Beyond that, though, be on guard and make sure anyone travelling together is physically bound together. If you get separated, there may be no saving you.

"Once you arrive, you will be near the surface of a planet named Emanacal. The planet is where the Boiler Man resides, down in the core. the indigo dragon yonder mentions a weaponized moon. I have discerned at least three varieties of weaponized planetoid. The first negates arcane magic, constructs, and magical items within a tremendous radius. If it still functions at all, divine magic will be untouched. I destroyed two but at least one remains.

"The second type seems to open up mundane portals to the negative energy plane remotely, flooding corridors with lethal energy. The energy is visible and is on a set schedule from what I can discern, but keep in mind that the first variety tends to wipe out most resistances. At least 6 orbit the planet, with two of them at the poles.

"The final type is the planet itself. If anyone lingers outside or tries to destroy the spheres, the planet can project what is effectively a sphere of annihilation... in mile-wide ray of death form. It takes a minute to charge but should not be underestimated.

"The former two varieties are powered by swarms living just below the surface and are filled with mechanical dragons like the ones around you. Kill the swarm and they are disabled. All three of them are built for planar breaching, however..." the silver dragon smiles broader, showing his teeth, "so the cowards can run away if anyone DARES mess this up.


"As far as the planet interior, it's a labyrinth of caverns and passages leading to the core. Several side-passages were quite... revealing. The planet holds the treasure of a thousand worlds, including at least a couple of artifacts such as a sphere of annihilation. Whatever you find besides those artifacts, you are free to keep..." Keltahkonkmet stops and raises a claw to his chin, thoughtfully, "...actually, if someone finds that sphere, consider it yours if you shove it down the Boiler Man's throat.

"Speaking of which, the boiler man seems obsessed with only two things: technology and utter dissolution. A few umbral blots and at least one consuming vortex reside within the planet so be on your guard. The boiler man has also extracted a few.. prizes from our multiverse already. While I didn't see them using magic, I spotted at least one anaxim and one atropal within the interior. That they existed at all is my only reason to suspect divine magic may work.Worse, the Boiler Man's minions have breached the prison of Thurizdun in our world. An entire arm has been dragged out of its prison, vivisected in the process. DO NOT ENGAGE THE HAND!

"And that just leaves the core, which I saw very little of. In the cores, the air is replaced with clockwork. I am not exaggerating. Where these dragons weren't, more o those swarms were occupying the free area. Occupying the core means being sliced, pummeled, and burntby proximity with the Boiler Man's creations. Shall we cover tactics or do any of you have more questions?"

[Ridai]

Dimension, time and multiverse-spanning super threat, oh my. "Tactics."

[MikelaC1]

So, just so I understand things, our target is a planet, orbited by one moon that will negate all of our arcane magic while leaving our enemy's magic at full power, 6 moons that are flooded with lethal negative plane energy, and the planet itself.

[Emperor Ing]

Not necessarily. The High Lord replies to Celestica. Last HE saw, there was still one moon. The description of whose matches the moon that now orbits Emanacal, my homeworld this very day, rendered inert and indeed fertile thanks to you. The implication being that arcane magic now works on Fake Emanacal.

I suspect these six other moons will make our assault rather difficult. I suspect if we can trick the systems of the planet into firing its laser at the moons, it will make it so much easier.

[Starsign]

Hearing Keltahkonkmet's experience on the alternate Emanacal, a time some may call attacking while others call recon, gives Usabhar an idea of exactly what the group will be facing. These odds did not sound favorable at all; Usabhar is sure many warriors here will get killed in this. All that can be done for the good of the multiverse is to attack soon, protect as many as possible, and let Rahja cure the injured as needed. At the least there is experience which some can go on; the invasion of Emanacal has at least brought knowledge that can be used against the Boiler Man.

So Usabhar decides to speak up, following his own advice in this situation. "As Keltahkonkment stated, if the swarms can be removed then we can get rid of these spheres that unleash negative energy. By our experience, swarms attack in numbers rather than power; anyone not severely durable will be torn lifeless immediately. Of the four who did notice the swarms, Usabhar was the only one who did survive an assault without injury. "Therefore I say we should let some of our most durable warriors handle the swarms, and the core when we reach it." Of who Usabhar does recognize here and will be coming, only him and Keltahkonkmet would count.

Nasiri, still not really feeling up to making a headlong attack, does her best to try and smile. Anyone who looks at her can tell she isn't doing a good job at faking her optimism. Sure she can use magic but that doesn't make up for anything her lord had warned them about. We're they going now? That wasn't going to be convenient for her; she didn't get any warning about this... Then again, Nasiri wasn't exactly invited in the first place. "Exactly... how much time are we given to prepare my lord?"

[Realms of Chaos]

With the general consensus that enough details are on the table to move onwards, the silver dragon moves onwards with minimal delay.

"I hear some of you want to attack the moons directly and move on. While I understand the appeal, I remind you that we only get one chance at a surprise attack. If we knock out too many moons, those cretins will retreat into another dimension. Whatever we do, we need to have soldiers heading towards the core if and when that occurs. In regards to further tactics... I have a plan but I acknowledge that my... displeasure... at needing reinforcements may be clouding my better judgment. I would hear your own ideas first, should you have any. Any resources you require for them, should they sound plausible, will be acquired... even if a god or two needs to be throttled.

"As far as time, I would seek to leave in 48 hours unless some brilliant stratagem should require more. Long enough to rest, recover, and set your house in order before you fight. There will be no time for distractions once you've left."

Almost immediately, a flurry of suggestions ranging from the stupid to plausible to simply insane rain out.

• Many people call out for some variety of pincer attack, with some suggesting a few saboteurs sent to the moon to avoid alerting the worlds, others suggesting that a small party infiltrate the core while the rest distract the boiler man with an attack on the moons, and some suggesting that both get assaulted with equal might in a shock-and-awe approach.
• One hero, a large half-golem troll, suggests stealing a member of the swarm and reprogramming it to infect the others and control one or more moons.
• The Gunslinger Rahja and Celestica saw earlier suggests simply ramming the moons into the main planet.
• One odd-ball (apparently a song dragon shaman) recommends riding through the main planet on a riverine wagon with a caged black pudding, healing it with his aura before splitting it over and over again so the ooze can eat the planet from the inside.
• Some poor fool suggests trying to reason with Thurizdun to see if he might be talked into helping from the other side if he's being tortured.
• Some people suggest lookign into rumors of recent accoutns of spontaneous non-magical healing to supplement whatever will be available in the assault.
• A scholarly shambling mound humbly suggests that if the worldroot were sent into that dimension and allowed to grow, the problem would solve itself.
• A Mummy suggests only sending undead minions into the world to soften up the opposition and ignore the negative energy dangers.
• More than a few think that most of the moons can simply be ignored and call for a straightforward assault on the planet.

[Emperor Ing]

The High Lord steps forwards, the gears in his mind churning in regards to what he can do to bolster this attack. Coordination between our forces is essential. These are not mere soldiers to be thrown about at whim. A simple strategy to be discussed and prayed upon that it remains relevant throughout the dynamic and ever-changing circumstances of battle. No, our strike-forces, whatever strategy they form, should coordinate and communicate with each other in real time, irrespective of distance and obstruction. With appropriate monetary investment, I have every confidence such a device can be made in abundance, and distributed amongst our forces.

Spoiler: Diplomacy

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(1d20+56)[68]

[MikelaC1]

The mummy has a good point about sending undead minions into the moons with negative energy, the inhabitants would get a nasty surprise when they unleashed their protection system. I also like the idea of the huge attack as a distraction while a small group penetrates the core

Of course, Celestica doesnt point out that she really likes the black pudding idea.

[Ridai]

"Very much agreeing on the communication means. I do hope that there are indeed no dead magic moons left. I am against using the worldroot. We barely scraped by various catastrophic ends the first time and we won't have the means to watch it closely this time, perhaps leading to the Boiler Man using parts of it to let it grow in different dimensions or timelines. And I do not think it would want to be used as a weapon of mass destruction. I will also look into the accounts of spontaneous healing, as supporters will be spread very thin in this assault."

[Starsign]

Listening to the flurry of questions being sprouted out all over the place, Usabhar takes a moment to consider the more sane ideas. The most plausible was, of course, Wero's and Rahja's. Communication and recovery over a large area will be vital and by no means should there be any sort of massive ramming plans involved. Most of the other ideas sounded possible, if unreliable. He had to at least give his own words before the suggestions start becoming a shouting contest. "Agreed with Rahja and the High Lord. We will need better ways of communication if we are to change and adapt our strategies in battle. Aside from this," he looks to Celestica, producing his usual narrow gaze with hints of respect. "Sending undead into the planet first will help our own troops as well. They can take the blunt of the offense and leave the rest to push their way through." Soulless undead do serve a purpose after all: being bait and fodder for the enemy. Certainly Usabhar would never bring necromancers himself but those who are willing to provide it should help. "To this, we should make our attack on the Boiler Man himself quiet. If we do something such as ram the planets then we only warn him to make his escape. We send only a few warriors to him instead. To this I suggest myself, Rahja, Celestica, and the High Lord. We are the only ones aside from my lord who has fought the Boiler Man first-hand." Though four people may not be enough in theory, those Usabhar has mentioned have the best chance and coordination to pull it off. The only issue remains the core, something that, should Keltahkonkmet be correct, Usabhar may need to deal with by himself.

The idea of reinforcements hasn't escaped Usabhar's mind as well. A threat of this scale however will make very few fit to fight. Even the mightiest of mortals in Kulomen should not come; the casualties will be too great. Instead, if Keltahkonkmet will be joining the rest in the assault, then perhaps there is another in Kulomen that can come. "My lord, we do stand a better chance with more soldiers and though the gods here will not likely join us, there may be another that could come should we find him." Of course what Usabhar is about to ask for is a tremendous task in of itself, perhaps not worth it even. Yet one who suggests suffering leading to strength and the willingness to not show weakness may be impressed by what these people here are about to do. If nothing else, this one being Usabhar has in mind may be able to be convinced to assist, should he be found. "Will be be able to find Kors'dug'haem for this, shall you or I prove ourselves to him?"

[Realms of Chaos]

The notions multiple heroes bring forth are considered in due turn, though Keltahkonkmet turns to address his living avatar and its compatriots in particular, lending weight to the Dwarf's idea, pondering, "You seem to support sending undead into the planet... and yet you wish for your intrusion into the core to surprise the Boiler Man. I'm afraid you'll have to elaborate on that plan. Otherwise, I believe Kors'dug'haem to be too large for the tunnels, though he may be convinced to aid in assaulting the moons. Oh, and one more thing. I will be joining you to the core! I returned for reinforcements... not replacements.

"As for communication... how much will you require to start and what avenues are you planning to explore. Depending on your methods, there may be resources to speed your progress. Forgetting money, I won't have you wasting precious time re-creating the spear."

Celestica:

Spoiler

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A gentle, juvenile voice rings out somewhere in your skull, "The core is a decoy. He's hiding in the tunnels."

[MikelaC1]

Two things. What is a Kors'dug'haem? Oh, and by the way, the Boiler Man isn't in the core. He hides in the tunnels. Don't ask me how I know. I just do.

[Emperor Ing]

That's- The High Lord responds, but then he hears Celestica's idea, his features soften. That's actually fairly ingenious. The center of the planet is the most obvious location for the Boiler Man to remain. If I did not want to be found, I would hide in amongst the potentially billions of square-miles of surface-area. Naturally the Core is still important but nevertheless, I, for one, believe you. Referring to Celestica.

Lord Wero then turns to the Dragon God. By my estimation, such a development would cost approximately one million gold. If you wish to talk to my son, he may provide a more...concrete opinion on the cost.

[Realms of Chaos]

"Kors'dug'haem is god to the frost giant. He is, or was, also a Xixecal, one of the few abominations to reach true godhood. With the boiler man employing anaxim and atropals, I can't say that bringing him along sounds like a bad idea. Unless the boiler man is hiding in one of the surface tunnels, however, I fear he may be too large for the main strike."

Turning to Wero, whose offer of instant communication has cowed the crowd, "I will be talking to your son, then, High Lord, but the cost you list is easy to meet. Consider it done."

"Anything else?"

[Starsign]

With the ideas and questions presented once more, Usabhar feels fit to first answer Keltahkonkmet's question for clarification. This answer however is complicated by Celestica's sudden burst of information. Thoough Wero may be supportive of her plan, and not because the possibility is reasonable, Usabhar is instead skeptical. He couldn't simply change his train of thought in attacking the core, as it would be the safest place for the Boiler Man to be until he'd attempt to change dimensions. Yet the elf's suggestion can't entirely be ignored. At the least it may mean that there could be another way to use the undead. "If the Boiler Man hides in the tunnels then we a small group could end up wandering around for too long. It may depend on how many tunnels there are but a small strike group would be impractical if we had to check every winding path and passage for the Boiler Man. Instead perhaps we could use undead to go through the tunnels on all sides, and use their progress as an indication of where our small team can go to attack the Boiler Man directly." He thinks for a moment, realizing there may not be all the people in this group to explore even if no one concentrated on the moons. "My lord," he says, looking to Keltahkonkmet once more, "How many of these tunnels exist? I assume the number of entrances are more than one..."

[MikelaC1]

"If the Boiler Man hides in the tunnels "?
The Boiler Man IS in the tunnels, not if

[Emperor Ing]

I will seek counsel for developing greater strategies. When ever you are ready, we will travel to my homeworld. I assure you, the Emanacal you fought upon and the Emanacal I call my homeworld are completely different.

[Realms of Chaos]

The room falls silent as Keltahkonkmet answers the question of the hour, how many tunnels there are to explore. The number of tunnels in the planet, even with just a round estimate, number in the tens of thousands. Even with Keltahkonkmet guiding you away from tunnels he's seen before, fully exploring the tunnel system at a sprinting pace would take weeks spent under constant attacks.

A few tense seconds later, an archmage in the crowd makes a simple proclamation: Divination and Teleportation are no longer optional in this mission. If one of the negation moons remain, it has to be destroyed. Simple as that. Who precisely will make that charge and at what time are left in the air at the moment but a general plan seems agreed upon.

The rest of the meeting is brief and to the point, with various strategies being formed to some limited degree. Keltahkonkmet sends some heroes off to investigate the phenomenon of spontaneous nonmagical healing found on some worlds (any healing is better than no healing).

The assembled necromancers (of which you can count 25, including an shadow, an ancient vampire, a bloodfiend, three liches [including an alhoon and a dracolich], a pale master, a couple warlocks, what looks to be a necrocarnum specialist, and at least a few dread emperors) are instructed to gather their forces and meet back here.

Thirteen artificers of mythical proportions are told to report to Zurkar, helping as needed an otherwise provisioning needed equipment for the upcoming trip (just in case magic works). A small nod may or may not have been given regarding the prospect of a riverine trolley.

A thaumaturge (Virgil) and Demonbinder truenamer (Dante) have been put in charge of organizing more physically powerful outsiders who can still fight even if magic abandons them.

The blind lumi triplets, among the greatest of diviners, will periodically scour the multiverse for some sign of Keltahkonkmet (unless someone else is willing to go without mindblank), who will be suppressing his normal immunities to let it through. If the planet planeshifts elsewhere, you need to know about it as soon as possible to redirect reinforcements.

Considering the absence of deities in the alternate timeline, Keltahkonkmet reluctantly acknowledges that the fey lords may still retain most of their power and that druids have the best chance of keeping their powers among divine casters. Similarly, the two or three binders who chose to respond to the call of the gods may retain their power. These figures, should they retain their power, will be juggled from group to group as their skills become needed, though what remains of alternate-Emanacal lacks much in the way of wildlife to work with.

With these basic facts determined, Keltahkonkment declares that he is going to Emanacal, urging all with vital questions to follow as he continues preparation.

[Emperor Ing]

I perhaps did not annunciate clearly last I spoke of this: If there were three negation moons, two of which were already destroyed, then I can personally attest to the third moon's destruction. Its remains inert, in orbit above the world the Boiler Man has marked for, and failed in the destruction of. I repeat: Magic is now useable upon the Boiler Man's twisted mockery of my homeworld! The High Lord speaks as loud as he can so that his words would be heard. Certainly the fools that call themselves "archmages" will be glad to hear that and it adds an advantage.

When the Dragon God is ready, Lord Wero teleports to the steps leading to his palace. A tight squeeze for the Dragon God to be sure, but fortunately its architecture is rather accomodating, built to be large by the standards of massive dragons such as the High Lord. Before entering, he takes a moment to point to Emanacal's new moon. Behold. He announces. His hubris brought an army fit to destroy a world. His legions are scrap-metal, their vessel, nothing more than a prime real-estate location I am having surveyed and appraised as we speak. Also, I would ask you to please not disturb my staff. They are an...excitable lot. One more thing, please do not bleed on the carpet. With that, he continues inside, leading the Dragon God and questioners through hallways wide enough to march legions through in formation, to the rather spartan doors leading to the Workshop, flanked by the statue of a brass mechanical dragon. Its similarities to the mechanical dragons the Dragon God have fought and the others have seen certainly noticeable, but its brass body more sophisticated, stylized, and more fragile construction differentiate it from the clockwork monstrosities of the Boiler Man. The fact that the palace staff and the High Lord pay it no heed even as movement and conversation indicate it very much alive (in the sense a Construct can be "alive") should at least suggest it is friendly.

Is the Prince available?
I apologize, my Lord. He himself is actually at the city of Sargti right now.
Ah, that is correct. He nods.
He did mention his agreeing to host a soiree there.
Indeed. His other self is available, if you and your...company wishes to speak with him. The construct leans, looking past the High Lord at the massive silver dragon and the others behind him.
Actually no. A third voice rings. The voice of a young dragon to be sure, but with a ringing hum to it, like vibrating glass. The doors open and a hulking construct steps out. Though shorter than the High Lord, its mass is only dwarfed by its oddity. The whole construct appears humanoid, however formed of brilliant, glimmering diamond. The being moves with an alacrity and certainty that betrays the intelligence behind it.
I can hear you all from out there. If it's not too much trouble I have been kind of busy lately. Between the party i'm holding right now, studying Zurkarnite, death-threats from a Phane that calls itself Death, and studying the Boiler Man's constructs, which I completely plan to get to soon enough, the last thing I need is a whole bunch of big feet stomping around all over everything in my workshop. He pauses from his rant, rolling his glimmering shoulders and giving the appearance of making a sigh.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't take it out on you all. It's just been busy these past few days. Anyways! The Diamond Golem claps its hands together, taking a more friendly posture.
Call me Zurkar, I build things. Sometimes I blow things up, sometimes I make people laugh, but mostly I build things, and before anyone gets confused I am, indeed, a dragon. I have two bodies. Also, Father, there are literally thousands of blacksmiths throughout the Empire that would be ecstatic at the chance to forge the shackles of your enemies. The construct balks. Why would you bring them into the heart of the Empire, let alone THE biggest metallic dragon I have ever seen, ever?! I don't care how good everyone thinks I am, you don't need my manacles THAT badly!

[MikelaC1]

On the subject of healing. This might sound like a longshot, and perhaps a dangerous one, but all through this quest, I have been binding myself to the various planes, in order to stabilize them and the Sidereal there. If I were to bind myself to the Positive Energy Plane, through the crack we retrieved, I might have the power to heal. I was loath to bond to a plane of pure energy in the past, but given the lack of healing we now face....