The Death of Golarion - Chapter 1: Pestilence

[Kallimakus]

"No it doesn't" Laura answers the catman. "And how could I run when my hero stands and fights. When others do the same and the world is threatened? Not a step backwards. The only way is forward" she says, her voice laced with determination. "Out of my way."

[NeoSeraphi]

Steve shakes his head and stands aside.

Laura enters the temple. She sees a few clerics, but before she can ask anyone for help she hears a loud ringing sound in her ears. Looking around for the source, she sees a statue of Pharasma glowing by the west exit.

[Kallimakus]

Laura turns to look at the statue, bowing slightly at the glowing image of the goddess of Death. She wonders about the exact significance here.

[NeoSeraphi]

A voice speaks out from the statue. "Warrior of light, do you understand the weight placed on your shoulders? A guard's role is to enforce the law. A knight's duty is to protect her Queen. But a soldier...a soldier's responsibility is to give her life so that others may live."

[Kallimakus]

"The purpose of a soldier is to fight so that those that can't do not have to, and to die so that others may live. I only seek to make a difference." Laura says.

[Kvard51]

Korbach stops abruptly when Steve addresses the Lady Knight in an unusually intense manner. You THREE? Where does he get off, when he's the most annoying person I've ever known... Kor listens to his tongue-lashing of Laura with ill-concealed anger brewing. As Laura rebukes Steve and storms inside, Korbach speaks.

"If it isn't our erstwhile Enigmancer. Didst thou run out of ice cream and decide to annoy me some more?"

Korbach get's louder and redder as he goes on, "Just who are you, anyway? You keep making pronouncements as if they are fact, then slipping into inanity and disappearing. Are you here to help? Or just to be a thorn in my side?"

He turns to Brianna and motions towards the temple with his head. "Let's get in there and see if our knightly friend can use our help. Between the four pony-riders of the Apocalypse and the demi-god of condescension here, I'm just about out of patience."

[NeoSeraphi]

The catfolk shakes his head. "Who am I? ...I have been known by many names in many worlds. Ra, Krishna, Yahweh, The Maker, Nethys, Gaia. But you, my heroic friend, may call me...Steve."

He snaps his fingers. "War!"

A black gash, like the one Famine appeared from, slices into being. A man steps out of the darkness and kneels before Steve.

Ahkox hears the commotion. He looks outside and sees War right outside the temple!

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"Life and Death are a cycle. A precious, careful balance. And yet, there exists a man whose actions will disrupt this balance both in this world and the Abyss. You know of whom I speak." the voice continues in Laura's mind.

[Kvard51]

As War steps through the slash in the fabric of reality, Korbach grabs Brianna by the hand. His other hand immediately starts weaving the intricate movements of magic. "Obscurum Caligo!"

As mist begins to settle on the street, Korbach drags the tiefling witch behind him. Putting space between himself and a god and his minion seems like a good choice.

"Another pony-rider, and drawn by your command. I guess that tells me what I needed to know. And I don't think I like you any better now, STEVE!"

Circling through the mist, he heads to the temple door...

Spoiler: OOC

Show

While I'm sure Steve can probably see through the mist also, Korbach definitely can.

Knowledge (Religion) for knowledge on the names Steve listed: (1d20+8)[9]
Knowledge (History) for the same: (1d20+4)[16]

[Kallimakus]

"I think I do." Laura replies, thinking of the one named Death, and his probable cohorts.

[NeoSeraphi]

Korbach manages to get inside the temple. Steve does not give chase, instead seeming to give instructions to the new arrival.

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"Then I must ask you to stand up, and fight for the balance that is necessary to keep this world alive. I will help you, in this regard. All I ask in return, is that you do not give up."

[ArendK]

Brianna cursed as she ducked behind cover alongside Korbach. This was magic well outside her strength and ability, and she ducked down, looking for further, more effective places to take cover and hide. As if Steve wasn't enough of a pain in the rear...

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20+4)[17] Stealth roll to find cover/hide/gtfo

[NeoSeraphi]

Brianna hides inside the temple as well. As she takes refuge, and notices Laura seeming to have a conversation with some statue, a creaking sound catches her attention.

Brianna looks up and notices that strange boy from before, carefully walking across some beams up in the rafters of the temple.

[Kallimakus]

"Never again" Laura says, implying that she will never give up, still ashamed of her decision to turn tail and flee at the Wardstone.

[NeoSeraphi]

From the statue emerges a soft glow of light, which presses into Laura's chest and fills her with determination.

Spoiler: OOC, Kallimakus

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Laura has gained her first tier of Mythic Power. She is now a Champion

[userpay]

"WAR!" Ahkox's wonderment at the odd feeling infusing him is immediately banished by the sight of his nemesis. Yet even as he takes a step forward his vision is cut off by the clouds of mist that billow up from nothing, cutting him off and cooling some of the edge of his temper. Alicia. As much as the half-orc wanted to plant his fist in War's face sooner rather than later he couldn't allow a repeat of what happened before and as such he turns to the woman.

"This is for your own safety..." And picks Alicia up princess style before rushing towards the church doors to at least get her inside.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alicia squeaks in surprise as Ahkox scoops her up, but she carefully grasps his shirt as he carries her deeper inside. When he sets her down, she looks worried. "You're going to fight, again? ...I'm worried that that's just what he wants. But if you need to go, then please just promise me you'll come back in one piece."

[MesiDoomstalker]

Malrut moved further into the church. He heard the others distantly but his attention was riveted on the strange calling.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Malrut moved further into the church. He heard the others distantly but his attention was riveted on the strange calling.

[ArendK]

Brianna looks at Soul, then the half-orc carrying someone full-speed into the temple. The sight of the half-orc made her think of Korbach, and her mind honed in on what she had to do.

Brianna dashed from cover to meet with the new half-orc, carrying the woman. She extends her arms (forgetting entirely that her claws, tail, and horns are all showing openly at this juncture) to take the woman.

"I'll keep her safe. Get anyone else out there to safety." She says hastily to the half-orc, before looking up at Soul in the rafters and yelling at the top of her lungs at him. "SOUL! Get down here. I got something you'll want if you help keep everyone safe!"

Spoiler

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If Malrut has entered, Brianna will do her best as well to guide him deeper with the rest of the people she is trying to round up.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alicia relaxes and smiles gratefully at Brianna.

The man in the rafters stops moving and looks down in surprise. Her shouting knocks him off balance and he loses his foot, crashing to the ground below.

Spoiler: Falling Damage

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(2d6)[9]

Soul sits up and glares at her. "You again?! What are you doing here? This is a temple. This is a place that is sacred to the gods of the world. And you're running around screaming your head off inside of it."

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

Malrut approaches the back of the temple to find a statue of two beings, one an old man reaching down from the heavens, and the other a young woman rising up from the sea. Inside Malrut's mind, a voice speaks to him. The voice is both male and female. Both young, and old. Both tired, and enthused. Both serious, and playful. In his mind, Malrut hears a complete balance of Law and Order, Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, Fire and Water, Air and Earth. In his mind, Malrut hears...Balance itself.

"I have something to tell you, potion mixer, and I fear you will not like what I have to say. Being a hero...sucks. No, really. You stick out your neck for everyone in the world. You put the fate of thousands of innocents on your shoulders, and what happens? You die. Or, you live, and do you get your just rewards? Fame, women, glory? No. You get criticized. The very people whose lives you saved will tell you to your face that you could have done this, that or the other better. They will put on their hindsight glasses and lecture you about all the consequences of your actions, while forgetting that the world still exists because you did everything you could. And then, after you die? They forget all their criticism and lionize you, hold you up as this pinnacle of virtue and self-sacrifice, so they can con someone else into going through the same hell you did when a new crisis arises."

The god chuckles. "But, the earth? The earth does not judge. The earth is grateful. The earth forgives, and the earth never forgets. You may have found yourself at odds with people, child of Hell, but the earth has always been on your side. Famine is not something that anyone can tolerate. Not man, nor beast, nor land. It matters not what this strange person's methods will be. Poisons? Drought? Plagues? Whatever her weapon, she will use it on the earth itself. This is not something I can abide by. So please. I ask of you, humbly. Any selfishness, any pride, any doubt that lingers in your heart. Lay it aside for now. Stand up, for the good of the world you live in. Know that the grass beneath your feet will always be grateful, even if the people who trod on it are not."

[Kallimakus]

Laura raises her head, feeling power surge through her. The commotion catches her attention now, the cry of "War!" particularly. Her hand goes to the hilt of her blade. She had been told to not draw the blade outside a case of emergency. This felt like one. It felt good to have iron in her hands. Hand on the hilt of the blade, she goes to the door, to face whatever was out there.

[NeoSeraphi]

The man kneeling before Steve stands up.

Spoiler

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A tall man with black hair and a pair of swords strapped against his armored back.

Steve shakes his head. "At the People's Council hall right now, there are representatives from every nation in the world trying to gather and make peace with one another. Tensions are high, War. Snap them like twigs."

The catfolk disappears and War grins over at Ahkox. "Whew! Music to my ears. You hear that, little half-breed? I'm gonna do what I did to that chump with the rifle to every diplomat and bodyguard in the whole freakin' plane. I wonder what they'll call it? 'The Great War'? 'The World War'? Nah. Too simple. Oh! I know! They'll call it 'The Extinction of Humanity'. Hah! I love it!"

[MesiDoomstalker]

Malrut approaches the back of the temple to find a statue of two beings, one an old man reaching down from the heavens, and the other a young woman rising up from the sea. Inside Malrut's mind, a voice speaks to him. The voice is both male and female. Both young, and old. Both tired, and enthused. Both serious, and playful. In his mind, Malrut hears a complete balance of Law and Order, Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, Fire and Water, Air and Earth. In his mind, Malrut hears...Balance itself.

"I have something to tell you, potion mixer, and I fear you will not like what I have to say. Being a hero...sucks. No, really. You stick out your neck for everyone in the world. You put the fate of thousands of innocents on your shoulders, and what happens? You die. Or, you live, and do you get your just rewards? Fame, women, glory? No. You get criticized. The very people whose lives you saved will tell you to your face that you could have done this, that or the other better. They will put on their hindsight glasses and lecture you about all the consequences of your actions, while forgetting that the world still exists because you did everything you could. And then, after you die? They forget all their criticism and lionize you, hold you up as this pinnacle of virtue and self-sacrifice, so they can con someone else into going through the same hell you did when a new crisis arises."

The god chuckles. "But, the earth? The earth does not judge. The earth is grateful. The earth forgives, and the earth never forgets. You may have found yourself at odds with people, child of Hell, but the earth has always been on your side. Famine is not something that anyone can tolerate. Not man, nor beast, nor land. It matters not what this strange person's methods will be. Poisons? Drought? Plagues? Whatever her weapon, she will use it on the earth itself. This is not something I can abide by. So please. I ask of you, humbly. Any selfishness, any pride, any doubt that lingers in your heart. Lay it aside for now. Stand up, for the good of the world you live in. Know that the grass beneath your feet will always be grateful, even if the people who trod on it are not."

Malrut's shoulder's slumped as he fell to his knees. He felt utterly defeated but at the same time, a small glimmer of pride, of hope, of meaning smoldered within him. Slowly, words formed on his lips. Why me? Why,
of all the people in this world, why me?

[NeoSeraphi]

"The answer to that question will surprise you. But it is truly as simple as this: because you are willing. The world does not need someone who is strong, yet apathetic. It needs not someone who is wise, yet selfish, nor cunning yet timid. I ask you for aid not because I expect that you will not fall, but because I know that when you do fall, you will stand back up. Call it whatever you like. Determination. Resolve. Stubbornness. Whatever it is, it drove you to this city despite your insecurities and reservations."

[MesiDoomstalker]

Slowly, Malrut brought himself to his feet. His eyes darted between the beautiful young woman and the elderly man but ultimately his eyes rested on the point where the two would meet if the statue would come to life. Yes..
Yes, I'll do it! His enthusiasm was a bit overboard and he scared himself.

[NeoSeraphi]

The statue glows and a mystical energy fills Malrut's body.

Spoiler

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Malrut has gained a Mythic Tier! He is now a Trickster.

[Kvard51]

"What IS it with these people?! I am just about SICK of riddles and mysteries and enigmatic proclamations!" Even to those who don't know him, it is clear Korbach is on full boil. "And now you have a cursed ring.
Another "gift" from the cult of "You really don't want to do that". I'm going to need to kill Steve just to find my happy place again..."

Korbach starts heading to the door, a murderous look on his face. Cat circles his feet, her tail three times it's normal size and the fur on her back standing straight up. She has obviously caught his mood. Before he reaches the door, he stops and turns back.

"But maybe we need to deal with this ring first. Will you bring it to me, Brianna? Let me see if I can identify it. Mother Ambis had a codex that described most of the well known cursed items. She made me learn it. Perhaps her patience will pay off today."

[NeoSeraphi]

A voice calls out to Korbach from behind him. "Good boy. Because I have no use for pesky riddles or long words."

When Korbach turns around, he sees a statue of a woman who appears to be rotting away from the torso down. The woman is carrying a scythe in one hand. The statue's voice continues. "Let me get straight to the point, before you start charging in and get yourself killed. Diseases are a gift, little boy, and a gift I have no intention of granting lightly. That child from the graveyard...she thinks my gifts can be spread around. Her simplistic notions of sharing and equality means that until everyone is sick at the same time, she won't be happy. A ridiculously appropriate juvenile mindset, wouldn't you agree?"

[Kvard51]

A voice calls out to Korbach from behind him. "Good boy. Because I have no use for pesky riddles or long words."

When Korbach turns around, he sees a statue of a woman who appears to be rotting away from the torso down. The woman is carrying a scythe in one hand. The statue's voice continues. "Let me get straight to the point, before you start charging in and get yourself killed. Diseases are a gift, little boy, and a gift I have no intention of granting lightly. That child from the graveyard...she thinks my gifts can be spread around. Her simplistic notions of sharing and equality means that until everyone is sick at the same time, she won't be happy. A ridiculously appropriate juvenile mindset, wouldn't you agree?"

Korbach takes in the entirety of the statue before him. Just my luck. I've always been a leg man... He grimaces slightly and makes to turn away. A headbutt from Cat makes him stop and look again. Her words about Pestilence's juvenile mindset break through his armor of snark and he finds himself drawn to engage in this conversation.

"I'm fairly sure the world would be a better place without those kinds of gifts. But a little sickness is better than a lot of Pestilence. What do you propose to do about it?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The woman scoffs in his mind. "You think the world would be a better place without disease? ...And here I thought you were the smart one? Is my power going to be wasted if I grant it to you? ...No. I need your mind, your wits. Your naivete is an acceptable fault, little boy. So here is my offer. I shall grant you a portion of my power. In exchange, you are to rid the world of that annoying pest once and for all."

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

Soul stands up and wipes some blood from his chin. "How do you know my name?"

Brianna, guiding Alicia to the depths of the temple (and a potential Mal), looks at Soul sternly. "Blame the Catfolk. He was the one who knew you rather intimately."

"Catfolk?! ... Whatever, I'll worry about that later. What 'help' are you asking for?"

" Just help getting everyone away from the crazy stuff outside." Brianna says, reaching for the ring Soul dropped earlier. "Keep everyone safe and away from those things and I'll give this back."

Soul stares at her like she's lost her mind. "You...you idiot!" He backs away from her. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"No, not really, I'm kinda winging it here."

Soul shakes his head. "That is a cursed ring, you -" The sounds from outside get louder and Soul leaps forward and tackles Brianna to the ground as a stray arrow flies from beyond the mist. She falls to the ground and he to his knees, and the arrow strikes him directly in the shoulder.

The man winces and glares at her. "That big oaf you were walking around with before, where is he? Get by him and stay next to him."

Brianna winces at the sight of the arrow arrow buried in Souls shoulder. THAT would probably justify a healing spell if she had one left.

"The big oaf is off doing official hero of destiny stuff! I'm just trying to help everyone else!" Brianna hisses as she tries to get back to her feet and back to cover.

Soul heads behind a pillar as well and shakes his head. "Sticking your nose into business that doesn't concern you, more like. What do you get out of trying to help these people?"

"Can we discuss this later!?" I think there's more important things to worry about than why!"

Soul shakes his head. "Like hell! You're safe, for the moment, so there's nothing else for me to do here." Before Brianna can react, he rushes off into the mist and out of the temple.