The Sisters' Chronicles Thread 2: Nobody likes Abadaius

[Xihirli]

"Having just seen you handle a dead bat, how can I refuse?" Boots kissed her and picked her up, heading to Dethera’s room.
Alifa chuckled.
"Come on Kat, I want to get to sleep soon… I think the Lich Queen is going to Dream me. Can you make sure nothing happens while I’m asleep? I don’t like being vulnerable in these lands…"

[Valmark]

"Very well. I'm happy to say that pure elves aren't plagued by this risk" Kat nodded, following Alifa- once in the bedroom Kat sat down with her back along the wall, changing into lighter clothes as she started trancing on the ground.

---

Dethera winked at Boots.

"Wait to see how I handle a living bat"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Anything else you wanna do before trying to long rest?

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: OOC

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Nope! All done!

[Valmark]

That night, Alifa had a Dream.

They were in the throne room of a bleak looking fortress, black jagged walls with barbed prongs threatening to hurt anybody who got too close- Serendipity was there, but she wasn't sitting on the throne. She was standing next to it, and various weaponry had been jammed into the seat breaking it apart.
"You wanted to speak"

---

Boots stood on an hilltop overlooking a jungle. Giant insects, dinosaurs and unknown animals prowled around, the sky setting on the horizon illuminating a tall spiraling white tower of unrecognizable manifacture that nearly reached the paladin's altitude. At least unrecognizable to Boots- the continous, even circular shapes looked a lot like Abadaius' temple structure.

The entity she had glimpsed previously now stood in full view, hunched over like an old person as it stared at the tower.
"My favor" it extended a limb -a blurry shifting form, first a tentacle, then a hand, then a spider's limb, then everything together and so on- towards the tower "Free the one imprisoned within"

[Xihirli]

"I assumed you would want a more detailed report than we were able to provide before," Alifa said. "The Demon Lord Graax was imprisoned by Abadaius for many days and gave them much information, but has agreed to come aid us against Abadaius when we call. Their stronghold was underwater, and an extra planar area all of its own. It was held in place on the Material by a tuning fork. We have killed two Judges, Astios and Burian. Astios has returned to life, leading us to more thoroughly dispose of the bodies. Abadaius has taken to low tactics, going after those we have helped to get to us – so fair warning, that may be here at some point… though I doubt it.
Those who serve Abadaius most zealously are armed with magic items that are useless to anyone not a follower of Abadaius. Another low tactic they have dropped to is aiding the truly perverse… a Druid who was kidnapping fey and fusing them with metal to craft abominations. I don’t believe I’ve left out much of interest to you, but you are free to ask questions." Alifa took a breath.
"The other reason I wanted to speak was to offer a more thorough apology on behalf of my sister. She had just been threatened by a ghost trying to turn me into a darkling undead, so that was fresh on her mind. And where we come from, we had never heard of a Lich dedicated to fighting evil and protecting the living as you are. I beg you to accept her slight as ignorance rather than malicious. Her oath is not against undead, but the dark disease that plagues this realm you and her both love. She will defend this world as fiercely as any native would, and any enemy of the Darkling Curse is lucky to have her around. And I’ve talked to her about being civil. So with that I extend an apology on her behalf, and hope we can start over with no ill blood between my family and yours."

---

Boots understood that she was in a dream, and probably not expected to march up to the tower right that second.
"Where is this? And what does the person imprisoned in the tower look like?"

[Valmark]

The Lich Queen listened silently, nodding along a few times.

"So that's why Graax wasn't talking anymore" she chuckled "He must be pissed. Astios and Burian... Never heard of them, but there again Abadaius' followers don't pass by much" she had no reaction to hearing about the evil druid.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Give me a Persuasion check regarding the apology.

---

"If you believe the world to be round it's roughly on the opposite side of the stone circle in the Inner Lands- there's a swampy Crossing a few leagues off so that you don't have to cross half the world. You're a friend of feys, right?" the entity looked pensive, then added "I think it looks like a muscular, ten feet earth genasi- but I could be wrong, it's been so long. You'll recognize it as the only prisoner that is free to leave"

[Xihirli]

"Real pissed," Alifa said.

Spoiler: Persuasion!

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(1d20+5)[8]

"Alright, good to know. I’ll talk to Alifa in the morning about how soon we can head that way."

[Valmark]

The lich sighed and patted the throne.
"I... Admit that I'm a bit too biased. There was a paladin I put a lot of faith in once" she said "Everybody did. And... Well, he failed. It was a heart filled with pain that I ripped out of me- but... Your sister is not him, I suppose. I will... Keep an open mind" then her jaw clacked in what must be dissatisfaction "I don't see the point in accepting undeath with anything but a desire to help others forever- the liches of your world leave much to be desired"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Although I think she'd cut Osterneth some slack.

---

"Great! Don't fail- what was given shall be taken back if the condition is not met" the entity produced a handful of buttons- they looked like the one Alifa had found in her pocket "These will help you enter it. And bring something to see invisibility with- this tower is not visible in the naked eye" and after the next blink of her eyes Boots was back in Dethera's bed, the necromancer snoring clung to Boots. The paladin had the buttons in her hand.

[Xihirli]

"Thank you," Alifa said. "I expect me and Clephesia will be on the move pretty soon… going after Abadaius’s bloodhounds, probably. Can I ask that you contact us when you are ready to campaign against the Darklings again? Me and my sister would be happy to help, as would I assume Nasa and Fiamma."

---

"I hope you know what happens to people who try to hurt my sister," Boots said, suddenly serious when he mentioned taking back.
Then she put the buttons where her armor was and gently kissed Dethera awake to see how much she really wanted to sleep.

[Valmark]

"I will certainly do so. Speaking of which... I know of one other ally we can turn to" the lich mused "Well, several, but only one I know personally. Part of the 67th Ring- the archdevil Sorei, known among his peers for the brutality of his magic and blade and patron of many eldritch knights. He has long since recognized the threat darklings could be to other planes if they found a way to travel- but he's second in command to another archdevil undeserving of his title. The only reason he hasn't been able to seize power is that being devils open rebellion would just see him kicked out of the Ring into a demonic one" she said "If someone free to travel could help him ascend to the throne then we could very likely mount a full scale invasion rather then this... Defensive fighting we've been doing"

---

Dethera could do with less sleeping.

[Xihirli]

"How would I get to the hells?" Alifa asked. "Or travel between them afterwards?"

[Valmark]

"If you can't get there yourself come to my capital- I shall open a door for you to travel. Really anybody who can travel between planes can get there easily- every Ring is normally accessible through teleportation, so maybe there's a fey queen versed in magic you can talk to as well. Otherwise... Don't know" the Queen shrugged.

[Xihirli]

"Then I’ll see you when we’re ready to go to the hells. Thank you for your help today… and for defending this world." Alifa smiled at Serenity. "If our liches we’re like you, I don’t think my Lala would have had such a rough time before marrying my mom."

Spoiler

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I am ready for morning.

[Valmark]

"I might be telling you the same thing soon enough" and with a snap Alifa was back in her bed, Kat trancing next to it.

---

The next morning, Alifa woke up to a fully geared up Kathleyîënis reading at the desk while Boots woke up in exactly the same way she had woken up during the night- with a snoring Dethera in her arms.

And there were bells sounding, which were making Dethera frowning in her sleep.
"I, Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, am alive once again! Well, unalive!" an happy baron yelled through the halls.

[Xihirli]

Alifa sat up and cleaned up.
"Good morning, Kat." She started putting her armor on. "We’re probably going somewhere. Boots has to do her favor, but if she doesn’t have it yet… the hells."

---

Boots kissed the necromancer in her arms. "Hey, cutie. Do you know the nearest crossing to the feywild around here?"

[Valmark]

"The plane of Pain, Despair where Everything Sucks?" Kat asked looking up with confusion "Why? How? Isn't there only one of them?"

---

Dethera blinked the sleep away and took a looooong time answering.
"Mmm... I think those hot springs bound north are actually a Crossing to the Volcano Lands?" she said frowning "You'll have to leave the Deathlands, going northovest. Can't mistake them, they're right in the middle of the plains- and when there is a piece of land that looks completely random it's the fey's fault"

---

Meanwhile they heard bony clapping as skeleton and other undeads started clapping in time, drummers joining the fanfare.
"As beautiful, powerful and paleful as before if not more!" bats chirped following his words.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Let's see if the undead band plays better this time.
Performance (1d20+2)[4]

[Xihirli]

"Where I’m from, there were a lot. Then only one. But we have a potential ally at the 67th circle of hell. A way to maybe destroy the darkrot at its source."

---

"Thanks, darling." Boots gave her another kiss before sitting up. "I’ll probably be heading that way today."

---

Both princesses popped outside at the racket, Alifa clothed. "Welcome back, Tad."

[Valmark]

"Fiendish Rings. Hell's the plane of Goenna, the Goddess of Despair born from those who wish for death after losing everything they had" Kat corrected her.

---

Taddeus was on a palanquin moved by ghouls, a fanfare of skeletons and zombies preceding and following him playing various instruments.
"Morning princesses! I, Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, hope you had a good sleep! Glad you survived!"

Dethera peered from behind Boots to check if the undeads were fine, then went back inside to get more dressed.

[Xihirli]

"Glad to have you back!" Alifa said.
"I need to go handle something way far away," Boots said. "Passing through the feywild."
"Sounds good. We can ask Ethrindae for directions on the way if you only have a general idea," Alifa said.
Boots smiled and hugged her.
"Now put on some clothes."

[Valmark]

"No need!" Dethera called.
"Yes need" Kat corrected her.
"Oh easy for you to say, you travel with her"

"Uff. If we are to go to the Feywild it should be easy to get there- once out of the Deathlands I should recognize the roads"

[Xihirli]

Boots went into Dethera’s room to get her clothes. "Last looks!" she called to the necromancer.
She came out dressed. "Alright. Thank you for all your help, Taddeus. I hope we meet again soon." She headed outside to reach for Tilly yet again. She thought of fire, and Fiamma. And Aizu. "Come on back, Tilly!"

[Valmark]

"Never the last with some well-applied necromancy! Remember to Send to me if something really bad happens!"

*****

And her elklinnarsalamander came to life, Tilly scrambling on her new legs dragging around the longest tail she ever had- she run circles, getting accustomed to the new way to walk before leaping and tackling Boots, licking her with an hot raspy tongue before staring with her new big bulbous eyes.
This body is so weird! And this place is kinda cold!

Notably, she seemed kind of slow compared to linnars, elks or even the salamanders Boots saw in Fiamma's Territory.

[Xihirli]

"I’ll get a Phantom Steed ready!" Alifa called.
"Well, while that’s happening… I missed you. Yes I did!" Boots started scratching Tilly behind the eyes.

[Valmark]

djfjxowpfjskal

That and more gibberish came from Tilly as she went putty in Boots' care, slumping down with eyes half closed and waving a leg like a dog getting tickled.

"Hey I think you broke your Steed" mentioned Kat.

[Xihirli]

"No… not yet!" Boots kept scratching and kissed Tilly on the head. "I wuv you, Tilly! You’re a good girl, aren’t you?"

[Valmark]

Kfowoap Tilly tried her hardest to reply- nah she didn't, just happily took the kiss and scratches which her new salamander body just loved while murmuring nonsense telepathically.

[Xihirli]

"Such a good girl." Boots kept up the scratches until Alifa was finished making another nightmare steed that dripped blood with every step.
"Ready?"

[Valmark]

"Sure"

Eh? What? Oh right yeah sure Tilly shook a bit and stood up, ready to go.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Confirming that you're heading for the Crossing to Fiamma's Territory?

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: OOC

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Yep!

Boots mounted up and Alifa got in behind her, hugging her sister.
"Don't worry, Boots. We'll figure this Crimson Smile thing out lickety split."
"It wants us to **** up an Abadaius Tower. I'm more than happy to. Oh, and prepare See Invisibility."
"I will... I have something in mind for it, if it's important." Alifa's eyes glinted with malice.

[Valmark]

And so they headed north and a little bit ovest- soon, after a couple days they found themselves out of the Deathlands which was easily recognizable by the fact that the lands, free of any kind of necrotic energies, immediately looked more fertile- even the grass was greener.

On the second night, Kat spoke to them before the group went to sleep.
"The Inner Lands are essentially split in four- the kingdom we met in, ruled by the alleged descendants of the First Hero. South of it, the other kingdom that together formed the empire that was destroyed during the war- essentially the same, but they respect the Second Hero. There was some infighting and they managed to tear thenselves apart" Kathleyîënis shrugged "Ovest of that, the Deathlands. And north this one- essentially the elven lands. You can find elves everywhere but they are mostly concentrated here- especially high elves, since many of them are insufferable snot-nosed rich brats" the high elf spat out venomously "We'll be heading for the heart of the land, near where the major school of magic is located- there we'll find the hot springs. It may be that seeing you're half-elves somebody might try to stop you from accessing them- keep in mind that nobody has neither the autorithy nor the skill to keep you away. People in that area are just a bunch of self-entitled idiots"

It did not take much intelligence to guess that Kat didn't like the place.