You are the Apocalypse: One

[Inevitability]

"Good."

"One, you shall receive three revelations before you return, to guide your actions and thoughts.

Of the past, I reveal that you killed Maximilian Bercu.
Of the present, I reveal near every light, shadows form. Be wary.
Of the future, I reveal that your wish will come true."

Then, the light fades again, and One is back in the throne room, its new crown still resting on its head.

Spoiler: Advancement

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One gains one level.

Spoiler: Envivication Update

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The Ritual of Lesser Envivication's effects have increased in power, and all who have already been its targets have increased in power to match its new effects.

Spoiler: Enhanced Lesser Vivacious Template

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Lesser Vivacious is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, outsider, plant, or vermin that worships the True Divine.

Size and Type. When not in the True Divine's domain, the creature gains the Extraplanar subtype. Size is unchanged.

Armor Class. The creature gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC.

Special Qualities.

Divine Touch (Su). As a standard action, a lesser vivacious creature can touch a creature and heal it for 1 HP. This is a positive energy effect, and as such damages undead.

Call of the True Divine (Su). Once per day, when touching a living creature that has all of its hit points, a lesser vivacious creature can force said creature to make a Fortitude saving throw or be discorporated as if in a positive-dominant environment.

Limited Spell Resistance (Negative Energy) (Ex): A lesser vivacious creature has spell resistance equal to 15 + Hit Dice (maximum 35) against any spell or spell-like ability that uses negative energy, including inflict spells.

Positive Adaptation (Ex). lesser vivacious creatures do not exceed their full normal hit points or need to make Fortitude saves due to being in a positive-dominant environment. In addition, they are not affected by a vivacious creature's Positive Energy Ray or Positive Energy Aura.

Ability Scores. Constitution +2, Charisma +2, intelligence is at least 3.

Challenge Rating. As base creature +1.

Level Adjustment. As base creature +1.

[Don nadie]

One stands in awed silence for a moment. The crowd looks at its new spiritual regent, expectant, but the angel cannot produce a sound. Slowly, the unbearable Joy of the Presence leaves its soul. Slowly, One returns to this tainted, material world. As it addresses the crowd, there's a small measure of grief... But also a sense of purpose and faith. A clear direction.

This world must be saved. Converted. Purified. Such is the Will.

One opens its eyes and speaks:

People of the Kingdom! Hear me, and know that through my voice speaks a Will greater than anything in this world.

Hear this: The world is sick. Monsters crawl from the sea to wreak havoc on your shores. Monsters slither through the shadows, trying to bend your faiths and minds. Monsters take the shape of your neighbor, of your friend, of your son. Monsters hide right under the surface.

This world is sick, and full of terrors.

One pauses for a second. There's a rhythm to its words, like the hammer falling on hot iron. One's words must fall again and again, forming a shapeless faith which still serves little purpose. The people are held silent. They've seen the monsters, they've seen them crawl from below their houses and streets. Can they be at all safe?

Hear this: Today a new age has dawned on your kingdom. Today you are bowing not to a new king or a new crown, but to the True Divine. Know that before you've been led by false priests and wrong idols made of dirt. Know that the True Divine is the Light. Know that the Light shall bring miracles beyond count, health to the sick, peace to those who suffer, food for those who hunger. The Light shall bring you purpose.

One pauses again to let this sink. The day is bright and the light warms all present. As they stand in awe, sweat pearls their brows.

You've taken the first step towards liberation. You've Submitted to the True Divine, and in doing so have taken one step back from the abyss. The True Divine is the Light, the Light is the Will. It is the Will that you shall be provided, protected, helped. Those who bend shall receive. Those who praise shall be saved.

Hear this: you shall be saved. For as the night falls, you've taken refuge in the Unflickering Light!

Praise!

Spoiler: OOC

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One concludes its speech here, but I'm giving a space in case something else takes place. If not,
the angel will go to the crowd and begin a whole "heal those who praise the lord" gist, with the added "dissolve those who are really sick (and willing to go) into light". PRAISE THE LORD!

The level up is cool! :D Only one more to get a new feat! Yay! I'm taking Divine Disciple... After level 1,
most of the Radiant Servant of Pelor abilities have to do with the Healing domain... Which One doesn't really use XD I think when I originally thought the character I didn't count on how effective the positive energy + aura can cover the healing and destroying needs.

Alternatively, if you rule that Sacred Exorcist's exorcism can also function vs magical domination, that's another interesting one.

Would it be ok if I take the Travel domain as my additional one? (In case I go with Divine Disciple) I'm interested (obviously) on moving a little faster through the world, and Teleportation next level is attractive.

[Inevitability]

Spoiler: OOC

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So technically the most recent version of the Divine Disciple is the PGtF one, but the only significant change seems to be the updating of some skills and the moving of an extra domain from level 1 to level 4, so I'll let you take levels in the old version.

As I've said before, any domain choice is valid if you can come up with some sensible fluff, and 'go into the world and preach to all creatures' is good enough to justify the Travel domain to me.

Also, you may like to hear that Divine Emissary won't be useless: I actually recently introduced a number of Good-aligned outsiders in another player's storyline. Sure, most of them are dead now, but still!

[Don nadie]

As it concludes its speech, one advances to the crowd. It spends the rest of the day and night guiding those willing to prayer, preaching and fasting with it. When the dawn comes, One leads them in an anthem of praise to the True Divine, and conjures food and water for all present. It keeps an eye for those that show the most fervor, interested in finding new faithful.

The angel will have to travel soon if it hopes to stop those "illithids" from seeding dissent, but the Theocracy must first be safely protected.

Spoiler: OOC

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In that case, Divine Emisary it is. BTW, it's almost been a year and I don't quite remember... How did we calculate HP? Half + CON?

Results of lvl up! +2 Fort and Wil, +4 skill points (Diplomacy, K (religion), Spellcraft and Concentration), +1 CL, Class features, +1 WIS

[Inevitability]

Amongst the nobles and common folk, more than enough express a desire to join One's clergy.

Spoiler: OOC

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Half plus constitution, yes.

[Don nadie]

Spoiler: OOC

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Alright, so I'm taking several issues at once here... Let me know what you want to deal first or whatever.

Over the next days...

One is getting ready for an expedition. The angel feels guilty about abandoning the recently converted so soon, but bearing in mind the danger these "illithids" entail, even if its prisoner were exaggerating, One has no other option. Before it goes, however, One must set things in motion and ensure that the city - and the Kingdom - will be safe.

I----The Conversion of the Faithful

Every night, One spends on the ruins of the last sanctuary. Its presence shines in the darkness, surrounded by the faithful. All together pray and fast from sunset to sunrise, when the angel feeds them with prayers. The faithful learn to embrace the True Divine. They learn to Submit to the Will. Those who're tired and aching, those who wish to accept the True Divine completely are dissolved in light and Joy. Of all that come, One asks that they leave aside their wordly wealth and rather share it with one another. Material things have no meaning, and any attachment to them is sinful.

There are rumors of One's faithful attacking merchants and pawnbrokers, but the angel quickly disentangle itself from those who seek only to take what's not theirs with the excuse of a new Faith. Less happy is the situation of other worshippers. While the angel has learnt not to forbid worship of other deities directly, it tries to find ways of driving worshipers towards the truth. One defies priests of old religions to imitate the miracles it can create by invoking the True Divine, and none can match the Bright One. The angel also increases taxation on churches and is especially eager to help the conversion of former priests and acolyties. One believes they are the most prepared to take the mantle of the Church of Light.

As the days advance, One attempts to find those who're ready to truly submit and the the Ritual of Evivication. The Ritual will take place a few days before One leaves.

Spoiler: OOC

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So, this is simple: look for people! Specially clerics! And turn them!

I'm particularly interested in finding someone able to become the acting co-regent once One is gone.

II---The Seer's Laboratory

One needs the help of the gnome seer once more. The angel dislikes dealing with the little man, so attached to material wealth, but it knows the gnome's talents are unique. The Seer knows it, and that's why he's so obnoxious about it.

One encourages the gnome first to build two simple items. The first is a simple one, a necklace of pure glass which shines with a soft, glowing light. The crystal is meant to protect the wearer from undue influence, hopefully making it impossible for the illithids to prey on the people of the city. One needs to begin with a simple prototype, for the old priest of Unity.

As this item is finished, One has another, more challenging task which the Seer perhaps will find more appealing. The angel is keen noting that the constraints of the flesh push mortals to sin. They need food, and to get it they must work, fight, toil. Their hunger is, to an extent, part of their moral weakness. All who Submit must be saved from these savage needs if they are to embrace the Faith. Plus, the hungry would have another reason to join the Church. Though One would never admit, even to itself, that this thought has crossed its mind.

As One explains its plans, it shows the gnome what it means. It opens its hands and raises a prayer to the True Divine which instantly transforms the sunlight into a soft and sweet bun-like object. It is mana, heavenly substenance, and One hopes it can feed the poor. One would like for the gnome to make an altar of stone from which those who postrate themselves may receive the blessings of the True Divine.

Spoiler: OOC

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Supposing the gnome agrees, there are two things one wants. One is for his friend the "I have slime-holes in my head":

Amulet of the Will
A single drop of glass which glows softly with the light of the stars. It protects the wearer from the influence of evil creatures. (Constant Protection from Evil)

Cost: Constant: 2000 x Caster level: 1 x Spell level: 1 = 2000

If it works, making one for the King and some for the Seers might be cool. This he probably can produce on his own, no matter how E6 the world may be.

Altar of the Providing Light
A heavy altar of marble with beautiful carvings in geometrical patterns. The altar is strangely beautiful and in the darkness it appears to glow with an inner light. When the proper prayer of Submission is performed before it, the altar channels to the power of the True Divine into mana. Every prayer produces enough food to substain 15 people, which may then be distributed. The food spoils by the next sunset, unless treated magically. (At will: Create food and Drink)

Cost:
At Will (portable): 2000 x Caster level: 5 x Spell level: 3 / Duration 24 hours: 2 = 15000
At Will (difficult to move): 1000 x Caster level: 5 x Spell level: 3 / Duration 24 hours: 2 = 7500
At Will (non portable): 500 x Caster level: 5 x Spell level: 3 / Duration 24 hours: 2 = 3750
(At least using the Stronghold's builder's guide)
It will basically be there to feed everyone in the city...

III----A visit at prison
One makes a habit of visiting its prisoner and renewing its protection. It talks to the former priest of Unity trying to discover more about the illithids. Finally, One confronts him.

I am going to fight those creatures. I shall part by the Will of the True Divine and destroy their sham of divinity. Cleansing the world of such an abomination is my duty. I shall ask the Light for the power to carry me to Blackstone island. It makes little sense to avoid the confrontation, as it gives them time to win power. I do not doubt they are aware of my actions here, and they shall redouble their efforts. Speed, thus, is of the essence.

You, however, may wish to join me. This is your oportunity to take revenge on those who wronged you. You've felt my power, it has protected you from their clutches. Even if they still were seeking you, your soul and mind are beyond their grasp. You are no longer an instrument.

As of now, you have a choice. Join me in my travel and face your former masters. Help me destroy them, topple their towers and lay waste to their plans. You may not believe in the True Divine's mercy. You may not even believe in your soul. But you know what they did to you.

The angel, to be truthful, isn't certain of why it wishes to have the ex-slave by its side. Perhaps as a form of showing the illithids that their plans can be foiled by the True Divine... Or perhaps because deep within its soul, One hasn't given up on the idea of redeeming this man.

IV----Bycema's office

One goes through the door like it was never there.

Bycema, Seer of the Theocracy. I plan to leave this territory soon, to prevent a greater catastrophe from happening, to save the city from the same monsters which flew over it mere weeks ago. My destiny is the Blackstone island. But before I go, I need to know what your research has shown. What were the creatures which flew over the island? What did you learn about the former priest of Unity?

[Inevitability]

Spoiler: OOC

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Holy megapost, Batman!

I'll try to deal with it to the best of my ability.

The Faithful Converted

The king tolerates One's policies with regards to faith, though he remains silent on his own opinion.

These measures, combined with the display of miracles and a fair amount of preaching, do have effect: many followers of other faiths convert to the worship of the True Divine, amongst them a number One recognizes has having the talent necessary for channeling the Divine's power.

The number of those who already possess this magic is surprisingly small, though.

Spoiler

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Mechanically, the clerics of this city are mostly experts, with the odd sorcerer or druid thrown in. Part of the reason why Bercu led such a successful cult was that he had actual, honest-to-to-goodness divine power.

That doesn't mean the city is completely void of clerics, though. One does encounter a handful of them, most of which convert to the True Divine's worship.

The Heavenly Bounty

The gnome Seer is quick to put aside his current work at the prospect of the wealth promised by One. The amulets are created within days, and the altar follows a week later. After receiving his payment, the gnome is quick to move on to yet another project, this one personal.

While the altar's limitless bounty is impressive indeed, its implementation does raise several issues. Farmers and fishermen gather near the palace, angry at the massive drop in demand for their products. Their need for food may be taken care of: they still need money for housing, furniture, clothing, and other necessities, and the altar put most of them out of business.

Spoiler

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I assumed the version that could be moved with difficulty got built.

Also, I assumed One'd want to respond to the second bit, and paused there for that reason.

[Don nadie]

Spoiler: OOC

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Hahahaha, I know! But I was like "let's advance this". :P Now we've finished some of the big plotlines and I'd hate to get bored while doing the "prepare to murder some illithids and their god... Or die trying".

The Faithful Converted

One is joyful at the presence of newly converted flocking to its ranks. Perhaps this would've been the most effective means of advancing the Faith: through miracles and taxation rather than outright prosecution. Though One doubts anything would have worked in the city of Maximillian Bercu...

One takes with joy the former priests, and is highly surprised at how a few of them become actually capable of channeling the power of the Light. Before he leaves, One can and probably will leave them with some instruments of the faith, able to channel the True Divine's power in ways that are beyond their reach just yet. One prepares a number of them for the Ritual of Evivification, where they will be anointed as true servants of the Light.

As the faithful flock to their new church, however, One remains concerned about the King. Its co-ruler remains distant, as is far from embracing the new faith. One knows he accepted this arrangement out of a desire for self-preservation, but the angel expected that the miracles and the improvement in his subject's lifes would mean something to him.

Spoiler: OOC

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Oh, I'm not interested in the cleric levels as much as the status. A priest converting is a good way of peacefully converting his flock. Of course, druids will lose their ability to cast, but that's ok :) I actually took inspiration from Islamic Spain, where a lot of people ended up converting to their neighbour's religion because they would save some dirhams and because after all one god is one god XD

The king does worry me ¬¬ This may end up with One substituting him for someone else... Though I don't think the angel is still at the "let's see who are the next in line" stage.

The Heavenly Bounty

One appears above the protestors, a shinning creature of light. Its veils wave softly with the otherwordly breeze as it descends in the middle of them with a song of praise to the True Divine. The crown shines atop One's brow. On its extended hands the light condensates into new pieces of bread-like, grey and smell-less mana.

It addresses the demonstrators:

O Faithful! You gather here with fear, for you see the means of your life under threat. There are changes in your occupation, and they worry you.

It is the Will that all the hungry should be fed. That is a fact. The faithful are and will be encouraged to partake of the Heavenly Bounty, but they are by no means obliged. Taste it yourselves, One adds offering mana to the farmers. Do you think it will substitute your produce? That those who've tasted it will want nothing else? The only ones that will take forsake your grain forever are those who cannot afford it in the first place. This is fair. This is right. For those who hunger are slaves to sin and are unequivocably led to violence.

Life is changing, and your livehood will change, One continues, now having distributed mana to the angry farmers. The Church of Light is expanding, and it is the Will of the True Divine that the needs of the Faithful be met. Homelessness, sickness and hunger, all of these distract the faithful from the pursuit of Truth and Joy. Even if you were to be thrown into the streets, know that the Church of Light will not let you suffer.

But know too that you shall not be thrown to the street. Transformation shall be slow, for the resources of this world are limited.

As the poorest no longer hunger for your produce, other regions of the theocracy, other neighbourly kingdoms do. I urge you to find where these hungry lay and to find the merchants that will be taking your product. Soon, too, you shall adapt your crops to meet the new demand for foodstuffs tastier than the simple grain and lentils the poor used to feed with.

One stares at the crowd calmly, waiting to see how the respond or if they have a leader of any kind.

Spoiler: OOC

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The Church of Light = Communism with prayers. Wait until I get my hands on the Fabricate spell :P I wonder if there are any "purge political rivals" and "summon Stalin" spells in some of the D&D books...

Also, I'm taking from the spell's description that the "mana" is freaking tasteless though very nutricious. I thought this couldn't be changed, so I made mana slightly sweet and nothing more...

If One were a little more evil, it'd add drugs to the mix just to ensure people become dependant on the Church of Light :(

[Inevitability]

The Heavenly Bounty

One's words seem to soothe the crowd. One of them, a hulking fisherman with a greenish tinge to his skin, steps forward and speaks:

"We'll see, One. For now we will return to our nets and fields, but know that if any of us go hungry we will return here, and we won't be sent away so easily."

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Hm... Adding drugs would probably be possible with Minor Creation (a number of them are nonliving, vegetable matter, after all). Just use Substitute Domain to temporarily gain access to the Creation domain, cast the spell while gnomeguy crafts the addition, and enjoy permanent drug-laced mana. The drugs last for only a few hours, but that's enough time to get them in everyone's system through their morning meals.

Yeah, if One ever turns evil the world is in for a lot of trouble.

The Prisoner in Darkness

"The Purifier again? I'd like to say I saw this coming, but unfortunately I'm experiencing some trouble there thanks to you."

The priest's scornful remarks can already be heard as One descends into the dungeons.

"So why are you here this time? Give me another bauble? Talk to me about how I should accept your god? Maybe you just wanted some respite from all those people who pretend to like you so you don't kill them?"

After hearing One's request, however, the priest is silent for a moment.

"You want to go to Blackstone Island yourself? There's hundreds of illithids there, and countless more of their experiments! I saw it myself in the hours following my creation! Even you won't survive that, Purifier!"

Another silence falls.

"Why do you want me go come with you? I'm blind, I'm weak compared to you, and while I may not be a slave to my former masters anymore they still know my kind's weaknesses."

[Don nadie]

The Heavenly Bounty

One nods calmly. Choose one of your own and send him to me. He'll keep the Church of Light informed of your needs, and the Church shall help you. You shall not be hungry. Nobody will, ever again, for as long as the Will guides us.

With those words One raises again into heavens, pulled by the invisible force of the divine. It is surprising how quickly mortals can get used to such an amazing sight, how quickly their worries turn back to the money and food. One shall struggled to guide them into accepting that adoration is the only worthy task, that all other things are unnecesary.

Spoiler: OOC

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Can you belive I just realized Substitute Domain exists?

But yeah. If One were ever to turn "evil" XD Just let these farmers rebel and deface/murder some of the faithful and you'll see what happens XD

The Prisoner in the Darkness

One's head tilts to the side, its expression is kind, motherly, all-embracing. It almost always is. Not that the man can see it.

I know I don't need you, One says calmly. I also know that the island shall be reeking with these creatures. But I believe there is a simple choice: I can stay here and embrace the newlyfound comfort while your former masters plot the destruction of all of us, or I can do what I must and trust the Will shall protect me. I've chosen.

One stands closer, its fingers stroke the man's brow and reach for the orifices from whence the slime may come. Its touch feels warm and kind, like a nurse examining the wounds of a soldier.

For long you helped the illithids without having any choice. You were their slave, their puppet. This time, you can choose. You can choose to help me put and end to their tyranny. You can choose to stay here. One is closer, once again it kisses the mans brow. It whispers softly: this time the choice is exclusively yours to make.

Spoiler: OOC

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Honestly, I can't really think of logical and practical reasons to bring him along. But I think its fitting for One to fixate on getting this guy to submit willingly to the Will and fight for it voluntarily, after having been a slave to his former masters...

[Inevitability]

The Prisoner in Darkness.

"...I choose to go. I shall return to my birthplace with you and confront those who once controlled me. If we stand no chance, than this world is doomed anyway, and nothing I choose now matters."

"But if you are right, if there is still hope, if even I can help save this world... Then this choice is the most important one I will ever make, and that alone is a greater revenge than I could ever hope for."

[Don nadie]

One nods calmly, its lips curling ever so softly in a smile. It shall be so. From the depths of its veils and tunic emerge one of its hands, holding a necklace with a glass piece which seems to shine with its own light. This shall keep you safe from the tampering of your old masters. You may still die, but the choices you make shall be yours alone. I will now prepare our trip. If you have any other information that may wound your masters... Let me know.

After setting the necklace arround him, One goes forth...

Spoiler: OOC

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I think the only "before plan" left is to visit Bycema. One will be wearing the other necklace.

Also before leaving it will proabbly cast Remove Blindness/Deafness XD Maybe even Message to Son of the Storm... I have to decide on that one because while I as a player want allies, One as a crazy-ass-creature-of-goodness may not want to ally itself with him again.

[Inevitability]

The Seer's Library.

Bynema's office has changed somewhat since One last saw it. Large diagrams covered in elvish words and sketches of what seem to be Perditor and the fleshcloud have been attached to the walls (apparently without adhesive or clamps). Bynema's chair is obscured by a large pile of books sitting on her desk, but moments after One enters her head appears from behind it.

"Oh, greetings! Apologies for the mess, I'm just trying to work out some theories here. Why did you come?"

Bynema politely listens to One's request, then grabs one of the books from the pile. It's an unassuming vellum book, a portrait of some kind of goblinoid where a title would go normally. While paging through it, Bynema speaks:

"Blackstone island itself we know almost nothing about. It's got a reputation as a cursed place, and there isn't a single nation that hasn't lost a ship near it. From expeditions sent to chart its coasts we know that it's surrounded by beaches of black sand and stone, and that large monolithic structures are present further inland, but all attempts to send expeditions inland have failed. Even those equipped with magical means of communication just stopped sending messages several hours after departing."

With a satisfied smile, the elf stops browsing the book and shows One its contents. One page is covered in words whose letters don't match those in the common or elvish languages, the other features a drawing of something not dissimilar to the giant floating aberration One faced. There's even a vat strapped to its back in the illustration.

"This is the journal of a hobgoblin explorer from the Empire of Salt, written some thirty years ago. I managed to purchase it off a trader from those lands. It's quite low in academic value; most of the monsters described here are better categorized in other works; but it is a source of information about the thing that was apparently lurking beneath our city."

"My goblin is a bit rusty, but it basically reads this:

On the fourty-fifth day of my journey, I woke to the sound of droplets falling on the cloth above my sleeping hole. This surprised me, because no clouds had been visible when I went to sleep, nor were any expected.

It was then that I noticed whatever was raining down on the cloth was also eating through it. Acting quick, I grabbed the thick hide shield I'd traded with the Shadowscale tribe and used it to protect myself from the viscous shower.

After several moments, the acid rain stopped, and I cautiously peered outside. What I saw shocked me. I've watched scorpion swarms kill a camel in moments, grappled with hungry ankhegs, and escaped an ambush of damnable Lionhead kobolds, but none of these things compared to the revulsion I felt at seeing that thing.

It was like an amorphous orb of flesh, studded with eyes and concealed by thick red clouds raining acid through which horrible tentacles drifted, floating far above me. On its back was a vat of some kind, though no civilization I know would be mad enough to move their goods using such a monster.

Fortunately, it took no notice of me, and continued southwest, to Mount Geiness and Blackstone Island. I found it fitting for such a monster to seek such cursed places, and immediately left in the opposite direction.

When I later mentioned this encounter to the Meatscorch dwarves, they refused to tell me what it was I'd seen, though they did tell me this was why they did not go near the sea. An odd statement: I was nothing near the coast when spotting this monster."

Bynema puts the book away again.

"Sadly, that's it. I couldn't find any other mention of these monsters, not even in the explorer's other books."

"From my own research, I learned a few things. Apparently the thing is made up out of... pieces. That tentacle over there is human tissue according to my divinations. That patch of skin is dwarvish in origin. The few teeth I found encapsulated below four feet of flesh seem to have belonged to a halfling."

"The creature also has a metabolism unlike anything I've ever seen before, specialized in short bursts of strenous activity followed by long periods of dormancy. This combined with its amorphous form also grants it near-unlimited regenerative quality: I'm willing to bet no amount of swords or spells would've kept this down permanently, though fire and magical force should theoretically be able to disrupt this mechanism."

"It's all quite disturbing, to be honest. I'm in communication with several mages from other nations, so I have a reasonable idea of their magical potential, but even the halflings or gnomes wouldn't have transmuters skilled enough to create something like this. In fact, I'd probably consider this degree of flesh-sculpting impossible if I hadn't seen that thing with my own eyes."

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Well, One's cooperated with Perditor before, haven't they? And it's not like One's other allies are that morally perfect (a certain greedy gnome, opportunistic king, and vengeance-bent slime-slave all come to mind).

Also, it'd fit pretty well with the plot threads I'm working out right now.

[Inevitability]

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Hello? You still there, Nadie?

[Don nadie]

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Yass, sorry! I've been taking the DM reins of another of the oldest games I've been in and it took a little of time to get up to speed :P

And you're right, I think One will take Perditor along.

One stands silently, thoughtful. This coincides with what we saw and what the prisioner shared, the angel finally says. It appears as if these illithids have conspired for long, using the flesh of their faithful to build these abominations and their inmortal souls to craft their heinous god. The angel shakes its head, there's fury in its eyes. Such sin. Such hubris. So many souls that have been kept from the embrace of the Light by their unholy magic... It pauses, and sighs. These creatures must be erradicated. At any prize.

This is not an easy decision to make, but such is the nature of the world. In the True Divine's embrace all is clear, all is one. Here, decisions turn into other decisions and one must always decide which evil has priority. One turns again towards the Seer.

Thank you, Bycema. I shall take care of the final preparations and then leave for Blackstone island. I hope that, when I return, the Kingdom will still be at peace... And I trust that shall be your priority.

The Final Preparations

One takes a few more days to leave the capital of the Theocracy. Firstly, One heals the priest's sight with a invocation of the True Divine's power. The priest gaze once again at One, though perhaps to someone who's see it shining in glorious and awe-inspiring beauty the angel now has become a creature to fear.

One also summons again the power of the True Divine to contact the Son of the Storm. It has long hesitated to do it, but Perditor might be an ally. They both have reason to confront the illithids, and any help One gets is something to be grateful for. The Message says: "The illithids are in Blackstone island. There dwells their false god. I depart now to punish them: join me". If necesary, the angel shall coordinate with them.

Finally, One uses its final day to address the faithful and to enact the Ritual of Envivification. Before the thousands assembled, those who've shown the greatest faith receive the highest blessing of the Church of Light. Their bodily forms fade, they dissolve into the Joy of the True Divine and return. They carry with them the pain of re-entering the material world, of becoming separate once more. But they also possess now the joyful memmory, the unassailable faith, the certainty that there is a Will that they are ready to follow.

At any prize.

After a few final words to the faithful, one takes the old priest of Unity along. It raises its voice in a song of praise to the Truth, and both of them raise in the air. The True Divine shall take them to their destiny.

Spoiler: OOC

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I think Air Walk should work for getting there. We can still coordinate with Perditor and meet him halfway through, though.

[Inevitability]

The priest seems grateful at being released from his shackles, and even moreso when One restores his sight.

The ritual proceeds smoothly. Various humans, elves, and half-elves are given the True Divine's blessing, and the masses gaze on in awe as it happens. Possessed of clear purpose, they begin to perform their duties.

Perditor responds with a slight delay, but the monster's message is positive.

Spoiler: Perditor's Sending

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"Meet me where we fought the Liar"

Spoiler: OOC

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I assume the Air Walk is persisted? Wouldn't want the priest to suddenly drop a few hours into the trip.

[Don nadie]

One travels to meet Perditor. It stands as a shining beacon over the waters... Calmly.

Spoiler: OOC

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Yup! Persisted for One and the priest, until we reach Blackstone.

[Inevitability]

Spoiler: OOC

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Please move to this thread.