What happened, and next steps Options

[Carlo]

All

My investigations suggest that Lyle is on his way to Elenbruch before heading into the wilds of Kasnia. There may be value in seeking to get ahead of him. Does anyone have contacts in Elenbruch/Kasnia who could keep an eye out for him or could anyone get there sharpish?

Similarly if we have any agents in Gressen may I suggest some delicate enquiries about Ivy at the glass shop?

Grisgriel

I spent a lot of time in Gressen before.

I can go to my treehouse and get to Gressen very quickly. I can take people too. It’s easy. But only if you have a mind because if you don’t you’re not really real. And only real people can get to the purple treehouse in my head.

I could go. I wouldn’t be obvious. I can turn my tabard back to front.

I don’t really understand a lot of what is happening as all I feel is anger at these evil people who need to be hurt until they aren’t alive any more.

But I’ll help where and when I can.

Oliver

[dnsmantra]

- Lastly the final letter was signed off with five words that I am cautious about repeating here, from previous experience I believe this will be a cypher or code to reveal a name. If we could break that code then it may give us more information about who our real opposition is.

OOC: I should clarify for those not on the event as it is non-obvious as I just linked the entire props doc. The last set of texts were three pacts in spirit runes (higher up some caves) and the words were words in spirit runes on a pentagram at the five points (lower down) where the bad guys had been doing the Dark Reprisal ritual (see earlier text). As people worked out on the day the words were the opposites of Arala’thaelan's aspects and were the nature of the five mirror realms of the prison used to trap her and reflect her power back at her, twisting it to its opposite.

OOC: Also that the Ishmaic letter at the start was actually a 'business card' (cut out and folded over), which Yorso now has having been met by said Efreet in Three Roads Winding.

Huw

[TimTreadwell]

Tai,

I checked out Glass City Curios at the time. They would seem to have the knack of knowing what other people might need on their travels. They then sell them those things.

They had:

An Orb that allowed the user to gain temporary access to the casting of a miracle they did not have the ability/knowledge to cast.
A golden star that allowed you to perceive if a divination was being answered wrongly.
A bottle of 3 doses of the Blade true Potion.
A powder that allowed a potion to be made magical.

We needed three of these and might have needed the powder had we travelled elsewhere.

We paid the very reasonable asking price of six thousand Grulls. They gave me their business card and I gave them mine. I may have slipped Moab'al'salam a little extra for his trouble so that we would be on good terms should we wish to use their services again.

As far as I could tell they were completely above board and all that they sold us worked exactly as described. Indeed there may be some ways to gain some wider benefit from them for our Church members.

Yorso.

[henghasty]

I spent a lot of time in Gressen before.

I can go to my treehouse and get to Gressen very quickly. I can take people too. It’s easy. But only if you have a mind because if you don’t you’re not really real. And only real people can get to the purple treehouse in my head.

I could go. I wouldn’t be obvious. I can turn my tabard back to front.

I don’t really understand a lot of what is happening as all I feel is anger at these evil people who need to be hurt until they aren’t alive any more.

But I’ll help where and when I can.

Oliver

A fine plan Oliver. I would offer to come with you but disguise is not my forte. The light can be a give away.

[Patch]

Morning All,

Busy weekend at the Reach, so it's taken me a while to get back to you.

The tiles

We secured one of them on Starsday and it is now safely in the Cathedral.

"Safely" is a strong term, while the Tile is, I hope, safe from the disciples of despair here, the tile itself is not safe, it's power is leaking I had an acolyte approach me yesterday saying she wanted to completely begin her life anew, leave her husband and their kids, she decided she has been "reborn" in renewals light... I sent her to Galdor! Also I am concerned "she who cuts" will come looking for her sister... having her lose in the city will lead to a tragic and great loss of life.

I would be grateful if we could turn our powers of divination and communication to how we might reinforce the tile and keep her imprisoned, at least for now, and I think maybe Galdor and any other agents of renewal need to sit down with her and discuss her nature in detail, before we decide to let her loose.

Mockerways

I have reason to believe Ivy may have access to these. It appears she may have entered one today.

I think Tai is bang on... following these pathways sounds like a bit of a plan that may lead us places they don't want us to go... assuming we can work out how this lantern thing works, though frankly if I were securing a cunning hiding place and wanted to protect the keys from evil priests, I'd make it so you had to bless them first or something. It wouldn't surprise me to find we need something dark and evil to get into their secret little clubhouse.

Glass shops

You maybe onto something here. Ivy appears to regularly frequent a glass shop in Gressen. Whilst there she disappears from scrying. I should add that she has similar connections with Coris Mount and somewhere in Shedeff.

I spent a lot of time in Gressen before.

I can go to my treehouse and get to Gressen very quickly. I can take people too. It’s easy. But only if you have a mind because if you don’t you’re not really real. And only real people can get to the purple treehouse in my head.

Right... good plan... Oliver go buy one of those pretty Gressen glass boats in a bottle or whatever, check the place out... and maybe... instead of turning your tabard backwards... you could, you know, just not wear it?

Harpell

[Pstaker]

Glass shops

You maybe onto something here. Ivy appears to regularly frequent a glass shop in Gressen. Whilst there she disappears from scrying. I should add that she has similar connections with Coris Mount and somewhere in Shedeff.

Interesting. I have some skill with glass myself but I am rather out of practice. <OOC - HotE Tag - Glassblower 5>

I will see if I can dig out anything that might help, but I am not surprised that places like that are hidden from scrying.

Galdor

[TimTreadwell]

I think we should assume that the Enemy have bases shielded by a Blinkered Eye which is why they might "Disappear" from scrying.

It might be worth trying to find the location of any of these lanterns that we can. If not on someone's person or in a shielded area they might be findable.

I'll do some research into the Mockerways.

Yorso.

[henghasty]

Sisters and Brothers

I have made some further enquiries about the tile of Arala'thaelan.

I believe it is possible to strengthen and restore it but it is clear that it would require a considerable amount of work and further detailed investigation. As a first step I have learnt that its current weakening arises, in part, from her abilities which will be impaired if the tile is contained within a mirrored space (as per the prison). I have commissioned a local craftsman to construct a mirrored chest for us to store it in for the time being which may help to slow the process of degradation.

There is a forger imprisons in Schottenheim who I believe may have information that may be of use in further exploring how it may be restored.

Radiant may I ask if your stores contain any Heart Glass, Vandling Stone and Meteoric Iron? It is possible we may need some.

Grisgriel

[Patch]

Sisters and Brothers

I have made some further enquiries about the tile of Arala'thaelan.

I believe it is possible to strengthen and restore it but it is clear that it would require a considerable amount of work and further detailed investigation. As a first step I have learnt that its current weakening arises, in part, from her abilities which will be impaired if the tile is contained within a mirrored space (as per the prison). I have commissioned a local craftsman to construct a mirrored chest for us to store it in for the time being which may help to slow the process of degradation.

There is a forger imprisons in Schottenheim who I believe may have information that may be of use in further exploring how it may be restored.

Radiant may I ask if your stores contain any Heart Glass, Vandling Stone and Meteoric Iron? It is possible we may need some.

Grisgriel

Also I need people to gather information both from the Maiden, and other sources...

I don't want to imprison someone who is essentially a good person, who aligns closely to our own aspect of renewal and who ultimately has been held quite long enough, without a damn good reason.

So lets try and get on that a little if we can.

Harpell

[henghasty]

Also I need people to gather information both from the Maiden, and other sources...

I don't want to imprison someone who is essentially a good person, who aligns closely to our own aspect of renewal and who ultimately has been held quite long enough, without a damn good reason.

So lets try and get on that a little if we can.

Harpell

Agreed; it seemed to me that first we should at least understand if we can contain her before deciding whether we want to.

I believe the note we found with the tile sets out in full the concerns of those who imprisoned her and I have expressed my views on this before (which essentially mirror yours).

In light of her affinity for Renewal I suspect Galdor and Yorso may be best placed to glean further information

Grisgriel

[TimTreadwell]

Mockerways: A short discourse by Dr Yorso Dedd.

The Encyclopedia Primordia defines a Mockerway as: A Fey pathway or portal usually signified by a ring of stones. The mockerways used to thread all over Primus and many still remain leading either between two places upon Primus, or acting as a doorway between various Fey courts, vales and the waking world.
Essentially they are pathways/gateways between places or worlds, often attributed to being Fey or Elven in origin. There are other such empowerments - druidic between different worlds via a large forest, groves of import or similar. The strange psychic Spiderfolk of the Great Thrice have web like passages between different parts of the forest and other worlds for example.

Mockerway, a term of Baronial origin, is essentially the Fey name for such a mystical path. There are other names. Webpaths for Spiders, Branchlines & Routeways for Druids.

This is different to the Mittlenacht where you essentially find or make your own “way” or path. It may well make leaving the path in a Mockerway far more dangerous though as these are between places with nowhere else to go.

It is my opinion that the difference between a “Pathway” and a “Portal” is the perceived distance between entering and exiting. A Portal is so exactly aligned that the “gap” may not technically exist though such usually need specific anchors to maintain stability. How many of us, after destroying such anchors, have seen the “Way” destabilizing around us as the alignment wavers giving mere seconds to escape the collapse? Similarly they can often be “overloaded”, breaking their alignment, or countered with opposite power altering the relative size of one end and thus causing a catastrophic failure.

Finding the entrances to these “Ways” are also varied. Walking round a Fey mound widdershins with a piece of clothing on inside-out for example..... or diving into a pool, running at a tree, chanting within a stone circle..... and many others. The standing Stones of Templecombe, for example, were activated by placing specific levels and colours/morality of power into specific stones to reach a specific destination... like a combination lock of sorts.

The significance of such a Lantern as we found? Some are lanterns that reveal weaknesses in the walls of reality, others illuminate the Way whilst still others cast a protective light to keep various horrors away.

It’s all jolly exciting!

[Patch]

whilst still others cast a protective light to keep various horrors away.

It’s all jolly exciting!

Well to be fair it was pretty boring until you got to the last bit... all these Horrors sound pretty "adverse" and we all know that only really ends one way.

All that said, if you want this Lantern so you can have a shufty I will Recall down to your Shrine and you can take a closer look, work out what type it is... I'm hoping not the warding variety, "Horrors" always need a good kicking.

Harpell

[StuartEaston]

Thank you to all of those of us doing all the communing and answering all the questions we are asking and then relaying it back to us. In the interest of putting everything together, one more thing... Have we done any work to discover the location of, or the state of the third tile?

I'm assuming the enemy is either looking for it, or has already found it and the tile and the creature inside could be in their possession.

I'm also extremely wary of releasing the creature contained in the tile in our possession, I don't believe that simply because their portfolio and that of renewal is very similar or overlaps closely that this means we are therefore naturally aligned in philosophy or outlook. Just because someone's spirit is good, gives you no indication of their intentions. I've met plenty goodly people that I was almost diametrically opposed to even though on the surface we should agree about many things. It is very likely that their first loyalty is to their sisters, and we know that the more of them that are free, the more powerful they all become so releasing one empowers the others.

Tai

[Patch]

Thank you to all of those of us doing all the communing and answering all the questions we are asking and then relaying it back to us. In the interest of putting everything together, one more thing... Have we done any work to discover the location of, or the state of the third tile?

I'm assuming the enemy is either looking for it, or has already found it and the tile and the creature inside could be in their possession.

I'm also extremely wary of releasing the creature contained in the tile in our possession, I don't believe that simply because their portfolio and that of renewal is very similar or overlaps closely that this means we are therefore naturally aligned in philosophy or outlook. Just because someone's spirit is good, gives you no indication of their intentions. I've met plenty goodly people that I was almost diametrically opposed to even though on the surface we should agree about many things. It is very likely that their first loyalty is to their sisters, and we know that the more of them that are free, the more powerful they all become so releasing one empowers the others.

Tai

I agree we need to locate the other Tile and I would Ask Yorso and Gris to get on that if and when they can.

We are waiting for some feedback from Oliver and Selguard regarding the Gressen glass shop, I've dropped the Lantern off with Yorso so that he can have a good look see.

As for the Maiden, as I say we need to look carefully at the situation before we make any call, but Imprisoning anyone in a tile (a tile!) for a few hundred years is just wrong... better a deep and meaningful prayer session and let god sort them out. I'm not saying we should release them, but I am saying I believe there are better solutions than a "Tile" if you have a disagreement with someone, most of them Shard shaped...

Harpell

[henghasty]

I agree we need to locate the other Tile and I would Ask Yorso and Gris to get on that if and when they can.


Harpell

Harpell

I am unable to get anything on the third tile directly but it appears, at least, that our foe(s) believe it to be somewhere in the Shedeff.

There is reason to believe that the members of the Triune can sense each other and so it might be possible to use in some way the Maiden to help locate the tile. We will need to discuss how that might work, I suspect that until we have decided what we are to do with her it would be premature to investigate this further.

Grisgriel

[Patch]

Harpell

I am unable to get anything on the third tile directly but it appears, at least, that our foe(s) believe it to be somewhere in the Shedeff.

There is reason to believe that the members of the Triune can sense each other and so it might be possible to use in some way the Maiden to help locate the tile. We will need to discuss how that might work, I suspect that until we have decided what we are to do with her it would be premature to investigate this further.

Grisgriel

This worries me... there will be a lot of dead babies, if She Who Cuts comes to find her sister...

I am going to relocate the Tile to the Grand Abbey at Telmens Slope, its out of the city but defensible and I will stay with it personally. Can you please work to have some form of chest constructed to help reinforce the prison.

I am growing convinced that having the tile in a highly populated area is not a good idea.

If you have never been to Telmens slope, you will find it a way North of Alguz, if you hit the big shiny hill covered in gold you have gone to far...

Harpell

[henghasty]

This worries me... there will be a lot of dead babies, if She Who Cuts comes to find her sister...

I am going to relocate the Tile to the Grand Abbey at Telmens Slope, its out of the city but defensible and I will stay with it personally. Can you please work to have some form of chest constructed to help reinforce the prison.

I am growing convinced that having the tile in a highly populated area is not a good idea.

If you have never been to Telmens slope, you will find it a way North of Alguz, if you hit the big shiny hill covered in gold you have gone to far...

Harpell

Harpell

A grand idea; once the chest is constructed I will join you there.

Grisgriel

[Patch]

And now I'm hearing voices...

And to be fair they do tug at the heart strings... I want a better understanding of consequence and a better idea of whether the voice is telling the truth, if they are messing with she who cuts then we need to look at it, and see if we can find some way to relieve her.

I agree with Tai, that just being objectively good in the supernatural sense does not mean you will always see eye to eye with others who are likewise objectively good... I've just advocated destroying the Throne of Glass and that would lead to a LOT of hardship for a LOT of people... its still the "Good" thing to do on balance though... and I find myself deeply torn about leaving this woman in a tile.

So lets see if we can't narrow down our options there, Failing that at some point I will ask Aven just to make a call, or I will just make the call.

H

[henghasty]

And now I'm hearing voices...

And to be fair they do tug at the heart strings... I want a better understanding of consequence and a better idea of whether the voice is telling the truth, if they are messing with she who cuts then we need to look at it, and see if we can find some way to relieve her.

I agree with Tai, that just being objectively good in the supernatural sense does not mean you will always see eye to eye with others who are likewise objectively good... I've just advocated destroying the Throne of Glass and that would lead to a LOT of hardship for a LOT of people... its still the "Good" thing to do on balance though... and I find myself deeply torn about leaving this woman in a tile.

So lets see if we can't narrow down our options there, Failing that at some point I will ask Aven just to make a call, or I will just make the call.

H

Harpell

I heard similar voices; she certainly knows how to play to our sympathetic audience. I am making enquiries to see if I can speak with her more directly.

Grisgriel

[TimTreadwell]

I'm thinking of popping in there for a chat.

Supposedly impossible to break out? Now there's a challenge.

Yorso (Probably lying about this before you all start.)