Love the look, hate the choices

Session 69

We all awaken in the pool of tears. Everything is happening quickly, and with confusion. Prophet is still unconscious, but seemingly alive for now. Guards help us up and out, with Prophet being brought to a healer, Skysibil Abrianna. We're moved to an adjacent room, but Maltheo follows Prophet to keep track of him. There are no visuals to the Skysibil's magic, but she seems to be focusing energy into his mind.

Currently, we are guarded by Tissiphone, other guards, and waiting. Maltheo returns and asks Tissiphone if anything like this has happened before. She says yes, and that it was successful, so that's why it was suggested again. But against someone like Juriel Kryn… that's a whole other bag.

Æsheryn casts Greater Restoration on Prophet's body while the Skysibil does her work. More than any other, Propeht's body feels more like a vessel for other entities and mental holdings. Whatever Prophet was before this fight, there's a tiny piece of that left. The others in his mind can't really get a grip on him. These other entities almost feel like two different hands holding him. They are gripping his spine. A third one was recently released but left an imprint.

Æsheryn tries to loosen the grip of Vesh, over that of the Phoenix, but he doesn't quite seem certain that it had an affect. Maybe it felt like the blood "started drying"? As Æsheryn finishes his spell, the body has been restored, so at least that's done. But it's up to the Skysibil now.

Maltheo and Æsheryn quickly discuss the two guards that were unconscious until we woke up. Somehow Niminion was involved. Cass accesses the Homunculus's memories and is able to see the Nim did some sort of modified version of the Magic Mouth spell and that the message attached can't be released until some conditions are met.

Then, Yahnist sneaks with Maltheo while the latter is in the open and has disguised himself as Tissiphone. He nat-20s past the guards, and is shown in to see the Bright Queen and Niminion. She's wearing her breastplate dress as before, but not wearing her crown or staff, and is holding her head in an "ugh I've got a headache and can't deal with this" mood. Nim mentions to "Tissiphone" that now isn't the time and the Bright Queen is thinking about the aftereffects of what happened to "The Pretender". Nim is being kind and caring to the Bright Queen about it all.

As Tissiphone, Maltheo apologizes for interrupting; explains what's going on with the Librarians and Prophet's body, and asks for a private word with Niminion. They go outside the room. Alone. "Please don't be worried; I just needed a moment of your time" and drops his visage. They chatter about the message; we'll hear it when we leave the Dynasty. "There were some things you weren't supposed to hear". Nim goes to do something and holds Maltheo in stasis while he then forces him to make a saving throw. That high roll is silvery barbed, but into a nat 20! Modify Memory fails. So instead they just say, "Our queen needs to be known as strong. Unwavering. This is the only thing I tried to take away from you. Leave the Dynasty and you'll understand everything."

Maltheo agrees, says that he's only trying to help, and offers a handshake. Nim doesn't take it, but while leaving simply says, "We are both aware of each other now; there's no reason to stand in each other's way"

We all reconvene for a short rest. Skysibil reports, "My explorations into Prophet's mind have been successful I think. I called for Juriel for hours and have found nothing. It seems locking this part of his being away has worked. I don't think there's any way for them to come out, but what is left is a complete mess. We have to wait for this person's spirit to come back inside this new mind. There is little we can do but wait." She gives us his Tuning Rapier in order to make scrying easier if the need arises.

Tissiphone prepares quarters for us in the keep so we can spend a night in the Lucid Bastion. The boys, Maltheo, Æsheryn, and Yahnist, go for drinks to get a general vibe of the common people. Most in Rosohna aren't soldiers as they are stationed elsewhere. The war has been at a stalemate for a while, seemingly dragging on back and forth. Most of them feel like they're the victims in this situation. The Empire has everything, and yet also the audacity to want more. So they feel justified in defending themselves, and to try and recover their stolen religious idols (the beacons). "Why the hell won't they leave us alone?" Then they chat about their lives and goals, and share shots of rice wine.

The gals, Cass and Briya, make it to the Marble Tomes Conservatory. Niminion welcomes them within the library. "After today's events, I'm happy to have somewhere quiet and respectful to come back to. The books can't leave, but nothing is off limits."

Cass searches for the following spells within the library: Clone, Soul Cage, Gravity Fissure, and Modify Memory. She's successful for the latter two, and makes copies to take with her in order to meticulously copy them into her personal spell book later.

Meanwhile, Briya walks and talks with Nim for a moment to get his vibe for the day, but doesn't learn anything new. On her own, she searches for books on magical plants and their propagation. Rolls a high int check, and (we'll find out what happened later with that from the DM)

Cass and Briya meet back up and begin to have a conversation. Cass chats about her vengeance against those who wronged her mistress. Then they talk about Prophet and how sus he'd always been, and about his "bedtime magic" but still can't figure it out. Then Cass talks about the Fey realm and the Fey vs Harpies goings on. Cass wants to raise the Harpy egg to become a new queen and take over the group of them.

Back in the room and all back together, Maltheo speaks about changes that might be needed in the Empire in order to make the world a better place. His father was a soldier for the Empire; believed in their cause. During that time, things were great. But then he died in service. "A great accomplishment," they told us. His mother was of infernal blood. But once dad was gone the respect they had was also gone. She crossed the wrong guards one day standing up for herself. And so she and her son were taken out of town to the border near the woods, to be sold, and so she fought back. "I tried to help, but wasn't as strong back then. I couldn't do much. They took her and she died because I wasn't strong enough," and shows off his tail-blade, "they took that from me as well".

After that, he joined the Empire in order to stay close to them, not wanting another child to have to live through that. "They don't really care what happens to kids like that," mentioning that a person named Ilda is who took him in.

Briya shares that the propaganda machine in the Empire is strong. The further west you go, the more that influence diminishes though. In towns where taxes and tithes can't be paid in gold or goods it's often paid for in servitude and military service. But depending on where that is, it can be seen as either an honor or a fuck you.

During the night, Maltheo's tail blade taunts him, "You were so close to the Queen, and you did nothing, nothing. That is very disappointing, don't you think?" To which he replies, "I don't want to be the Queen, I want to be the King."

The next morning, the Skysibil lets us know she'll be delving into "Prophet's" mind again for the day. Tissiphone gives us a teleport circle to bring us back to Uthodurn. We visit Sumina and again have an audience with the Diarchy, King Imathan Talviel and Queen Simone Fruunast. The King asks where our Prophet friend is, but we only say he still had business in Rosohna.

The Queen says they've been able to establish talks with their Cerberus Assembly contact in Molaesmyr, Orius Alezar, the current leader of the Assembly, and that it will be possible to make an alliance to settle these issues. "We have reached an agreement. They're willing to cooperate with us to get to the illusion gate to ascertain it's threat level, and hopefully close it for good. Archmage Popovsky will assist. She's at the encampment in the city currently. Avoiding violence if at all possible is best, but if need be the key is more important."

Once that's done, the Diarchy and the Empire will be present at the gate when we bring the keys together, and it will be opened. However, what we do when it's opened is the difficult part. She continues, "We've agreed to the Empire's terms, and that it must be sealed for good so the corruption can end. In this endeavor, the Empire agrees to let us take our ancestral home. However, any magical treasure of importance is to be turned over to the Empire as payment for this cooperation. They left us the city; we're leaving them with loot they may claim."

It's clear to us that Queen Fruunast is being stoic about the deal and in general no one is sure what her opinion is. But Æsheryn knows she's livid underneath her calm facade. It was mostly Imathan who brokered the deal.

They also gave us access to their teleportation circle and it can be used to report to Popovsky. "You are to listen to her command. We understand that your personal stakes are high here, and that's why you'll be paid handsomely. Sumina can handle the arrangements for the circle.

Also, now that we're out of Xorhas, Cass connects with the Homunculus, and the magic mouth-like enchantment activates. There's a small illusion of Niminion in wispy silver smoke.

"We all know I don't care for 'The Pretender'. That doesn't mean that Juriel isn't dangerous. It would be blasphemous for me to say so, but I do not think locking her away will be sufficient to keep her from coming back. If you want to get rid of her for good, go and seek out Doolan Taversky within the Cerberus Assembly. Do not mention her to the Kryn; they wouldn't understand."