Past and Present - Cursed Compass

General Summary

As Myra comes out of the memory she looks dazed, a hand on her head as though she can still feel the pounding. She stumbles past the group making it only a few steps before she doubles over retching.
Raijun looks stunned, almost uncharacteristically quiet, as he weighs on what he saw, "Did...did you guys see him butcher those villagers?"
Myra, who had started to straighten, doubles over again though nothing comes out. She looks at her hands as though they aren't hers, "First hand," she whispers.
"Do these actions surprise you?" Amelie asks, "Did you not know who he served?"
If Myra's gaze could wither, "You mean the same one you said you worked with?"
"For a time yes, I have witnessed many of there claims to power, I provided my council and skills to them for some time"
“I knew he’d stop at nothing to get what he wants, but… children…” Sarya trails off.
Raijun seems saddened by the events he witnessed, like it hits close to home, "They reminded me of my orphans, caught in a struggle they never asked for, without much of a chance..."
"Fate has never claimed to be cruel sometimes you are the nightmare in someone else dream," Amelie advises. "In your adventures in the world how many have you battled and won. Don't you think in their place of rest your visage would inspire the same fear in their eternity?"
Myra won't meet Amelie's eyes, "Does intent count for nothing?" she nearly whispers as the air around her seems to chill.
"I've done some things I'm not proud of but man," Raijun sighs, "That was heavy, he barely gave anyone a chance to speak, and killed those kids without hesitation.
Can't say I've never hurt anyone, but I've never gone after kids."
Myra seems to begin searching in the wall they entered through as though looking for a door.
"Intent or not it still creates the same result," Amelie chides, "choices have consequences. You must face your companion had a very different life before meeting you all but I ask - what have his actions shown you about him since?"
"Well I think he cares in a particular way," Raijun comments, "though some occurrences have been concerning, I have some sense of hope he's coming around. However, I can't really make that decision for him, he seems fixated on reveling in his hatred of his mark and planned revenge, and I wonder if that persons demise will bring him what he really seeks."
Myra flashes back to the bodies on the deck of the right price, Myra convinced he was going to attack her over the compass before the Vlypeum fight. She sits slumping against the wall broken, "The dragons were right. We should just return to the cells."
Myra pulls her legs to her chest, "What if it had been your children Amelie Would you ever consider someone redeemable if it had been your children? Maybe they're all safer if all of us are locked in here... Away."
"As a Mother I can firmly say there would be forever be a hole in my heart if anyone took Clauderesa or Melodia and rage in my soul but my faith," she reaches under her arm and retrieves a locket with the eyed symbol of fate on it and opens it, "tells me that we all serve a greater part in a larger story and in time I would make peace with that.
Locked away no - we are all on a journey, a path towards something fate would not have put us together if it did not have plans for us all. You all have such purpose in what you do I can see that there is still much waiting ahead for you what good to the world would you be trapped in a horrid nightmare like this. Looking around to the group meeting everyone's eyes one by one So many people are able to dream because those of strong mind, will, purpose and yes even luck are willing to fight against chaos and keep them safe. "
"That's what I'm talking about Amelie!" Raijun exclaims and goes to the high five Amelie. "We can sulk about the past and let it consume us, or actively pay the penance forward and go out there and be the best we can be. Even if we haven't saved everyone, we certainly have moved the needle for a lot of families, and maybe inspired the heroes of tomorrow, so keep that chin up captain, I need you still!" He extends his other hand for Myra to lift herself up.
Amelie stoically does not leave Raijun hanging.
Myra stares coldly at Raijun and Amelie, a frost creeping out from under her, "And if in the process we unleash those people or items that would do more harm? That would destroy more people, make more orphans. What then? No use crying over spilled milk?! People are not play things. My life is not worth more than another's. What right do I have to unleash this lich back into the world where it could do irrecoverable harm?"
“Abdicating a choice is making a choice too," Sarya says solemnly, "If it comes out with us, then we must destroy it before it causes harm” Sarya looks deadly serious too “Will Slekul use a scroll to help people? Or to conquer and oppress?”
Myra drags her hands through her hair "What happened when I opened the compass? Outside I mean? Did I disappear?"
“Asleep, or so it seemed. I tried to drag you out but… I was so tired…”
“What where you all doing before you arrived?" Amelie asks. "In some dark deep crypt? In one of the Vigils temples to the Crown?”
Myra's laugh is unnerving, bordering on the edge of hysteria, "I believe I was by a pool."
“A pool of souls? A pool of blood or tears of the innocent?”
"I would call it an infinity pool what about you Raijun?"
"My tears yes, after watching Myra out tai-chi me"
Myra's still giggling hysterically to herself, finally accepts Raijun's hand to get up.
“A pool of infinity….. you must have surpassed much to arrive at such a place of wonder and power,” Amelie says in awe.
"It's what they call pools that look over the ocean. Don't be impressed."
“So an ocean of souls looking over infinity…. But that does sound impressive “
"No you don't," Myra's features ripple for a second. She takes a breath closing her eyes and counting to herself.
"There's no souls yet, but I hear that model is available in Sekul," Raijun quips.
“Oh…. So you were by a normal pool of water….. by the ocean…… is this….. a vacation……?”
"That's what I've been told it's called," Myra agrees, slightly more in control of herself.
Amelie turns to Raijun, “And yes they do that is how their version of oracles channel their power. It is a gruesome act but on that provides untold strength.”
Well you can think of our current predicament like that then," Myra says solemnly. She looks apologetically at Amelie, "I'm sorry but if you were near Vivarium before the blast... The probability that your body is still alive... It's... Well... Not very probable."
A moment or two passes as Amelie let’s the idea of having a body different from this shell of inhabitants sinks in “ Ah well my body is….was…. is not as frail as a normal beings so I look forward to dreaming under the stars once again.” Her hands return back to the locket and close it with a firm squeeze
"Well worst comes to worst," Raijun offers, "I'm happy to protect your progeny, and relay any message you might have for them, I actually help run a caretaking group for refugees on the side." He's careful not to use the word orphanage.
"Amelie the Vivarium is gone..."
“That would be kind of you," talking to Raijun, "but I will be getting out of here and embracing my girls again." Turning to Myra, “So it has not moved much since last I saw it at the bottom of the beholden crossing?”
"Well it went up... And then it crashed and burned. So... No? Oh. Um." Myra can't help herself when presented with a puzzle. She pulls out the small locked box from the Slekul corpse in temporus timbers. "Were you traveling with the party who had this?"
“Curious….. did the automatons do this feat or was this something you party had a hand in?”
"The raising, the crashing, or the box? Cause: them, us, found it."
“Yes that item does look familiar,” Amelie takes the box from Myra examining it in her hands, “Ah yes while they searched for artifacts of power one of the Jr members of the Vigil scribes had a few of these. He was a sweet boy shame about the lasers.”
"Who is the vigil?"
“They are the high religious guard and warriors who serve the crown. They are a zealous group of warriors that like your companion will do anything for the crown and are rewarded with powers from beyond their path to aid in their mission. Judging by his proximity to the crown your friend was most likely a high ranking officer”
"Seems like there's a lot he hasn't told us," Raijun says hurt, "last I heard he was just a captain in the army"
"I can only speculate I never worked with him only saw him in passing and in the royal court. Him and the prince were as good as brothers, if you couldn't tell from what we just witnessed they were practically found brothers. Sometimes fate bounds you in ways that you could not expect and in running from the tragedy of his past he found peace in his future"
Raijun subconsciously glances over at Myra when Amelie mentions this concept of found family, "I just hope his future involves him choosing life over strife but sometimes I am unsure. I get the feeling if he had someone to mentor and grow with, maybe things would be different."
Amelie lays her hand on Raijun's shoulder "I am sure he already has some positive guiding forces that have been helping him along his path."
"When he's not trying to murder them," Myra mutters under her breath
Turning to Sarya, "Unfortunately it won't be as simple as killing him. If the principles Larry described are correct then there are a couple of things going on.
1- He's trapped here. Cool great but that implies a lot. To become a lich you must be practiced in very high level magics. It would not be unreasonable for those kinds of powerful mages to break an enchantment holding them somewhere which implies
2 - That this, gesturing all around them, is preventing normal means of escape. That's bad news for us I had been hoping if things got rough I could banish people out but if he can't get out that's going to be no dice for us as well. I've read of a few things that can block planar travel but the one that would make the most sense would be the one Larry talks about as part of the lich's ritual a spell called imprisonment. He only mentions it cause it's also how the lich feeds. To stay a lich the lich has to feed the bound part of his soul more souls.
I also know that 3 - According to Larry we would not have been able to smash a lich that easily which means either A) his phylactery isn't here and he can't access it right now or B) he hasn't gotten enough souls in here to feed it."
Myra glances at Amelie, "giving you the benefit of the doubt and that you aren't going to try to feed us to a phylactery I'm gonna go with a not here."
Amelie’s eyes glow red.
"Alright, maybe a bad assumption. Are you trying to feed us to a phylactery Amelie?"
Amelie's eye glowing intensifies before she smiles and laughs playfully as her eyes return to their normal colors. "No my dear, I seek the same goal as you a return to our world"
"I'd question you more but Larry mentions that at least in theory when a phylactery consumes people it's first in first out one at a time kind of thing."
“I have been here for what feels like a timeless dream, you have not been the first and none have been in this waking nightmare longer than I, but yet I remain”
"Did the others die?"
Gesturing around Well no one else is here, I don’t think time works the same way here but I have never seen any of the return”
"You didn't travel with them?"
"Some I did, some I didn’t, but I always ended back up in that cell."
"Why weren't you killed? No offense."
“I’m not sure I wasn’t. The more I try and keep it in my mind the harder it is to remember “
"Did you help the lich? I mean before?"
"I was involved with the inner circle of the crown but never had direct .... collaborations with the one who is imprisoned here"
"Hmm well I don't know then. I don't suppose you're secretly a lich yourself? We can puzzle through that more later." Gesturing to Sarya, "One of the larger problems with the excellent point you made about murdering the lich is that if we are just souls here, then upon being expelled from this location the souls should return to the bodies."
Myra looks uncertainly at Raijun, "Soul magic isn't really my area of expertise so I'm making most of this up. If your more recent studies say otherwise let me know."
"Similar to us being shunted back to our bodies the lich's soul should be drawn back to it's phylactery (that's basically their whole point). We don't know where that is or how to find or destroy it. So if we let that lich out it would be extremely unlikely for us to be able to find the monster while they are weak. We let him out we are letting him free."
“Is there a way that we could track him?” Sarya asks.
"I'm sorry. I don't know," Myra looks like she's beating herself up for not being able to recall more, " It's been years since I read the guide. I only remember most of it cause I had nightmares about it's contents for weeks. If he returned to his mortal form we could probably use magical tracking? But Larry was very clear that only powerful mages could become liches in the first place so I wouldn't be surprised if he could block it. I have no clue on the phylactery itself. We'd also have to manage to travel to wherever it was which takes time."
Sarya puts her hand on Myra’s shoulder “You know more than I do, which helps a lot”
Myra shoots Sarya a grateful glance, "Amelie, you mentioned you were in their inner circle at least for a time. Do you have any idea how the lich came to be imprisoned? Maybe if we understood the spell better we could find a way to bypass it without releasing him."
“Oh I was there, but I am unsure of the specifics of the arcana involved” Going over her staff and armor in preparation “As we were escaping the guardians of the sunken city the sky’s shifted different colors and we were trapped in a place of constant energy and lighting. The MTL ship was hit with a bolt of energy and one of the large guardians arose from the see and it’s eye glowed bright. As energy flowed around the eye of the guardian a dark sphere from the ship bloomed and the energy collided. A cacophony of darkness and energy erupted from the ship and encased our vessel as well then I woke up here”
"Was the lich traveling with you at the time?"
“I traveled to the sunken city with them but I met my other team there and was traveling with them back.”
"Do you know his name then? The lich. I've heard his titles but never his name."
“I had heard them addressed by different titles depending on who was speaking to them. Some of the names I have heard are The Empowered Soul, Invendore, but I referred to him as Wei Yu,” The air in the chamber turns silent and still.
As the air thins, it gets colder, everyone feels a chill on their spine, it’s as if every molecule has momentarily stopped moving. “Who dares speak my name, what right do you have to even breathe a syllable of it? Do you desire to continue breathing or merely desire to be returned to dust? I have told you once, and I do not intend to repeat myself a third time, KEEP MY NAME OUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH."
Myra's eyes are ice blue as she replies to the air, "Oh don't worry we'd be more than happy to make sure no one remembers you or your name. There are many stories and customs that say as long as a name is remembered a piece of that person lives on, that they are only truly dead when the last person who knew their name dies or forgets it. I'd be happy to make sure Thomas and all the names of your other victims are remembered long after yours has been turned to dust and ash."
“Children playing as heroes," the icy voice of the lich sounds again, "I have seen animals live longer than you, I have spent more time contemplating which color I want my cuffs than you have existed. As you will be not even a blip on time’s clock. I will blink and you will disappear. Child you have not fathomed the size of the world you engage, you merely know the comforts of a world with plush pillows and books. In the real world, happily ever after isn’t how stories end. They end in pain for those that oppose a greater force. Know your place, and stay in it for there is much you do not know, and cannot see.”
Myra ignores him, choosing turning back to the group, "Speaking of names, could anyone hear the boy in the crown's name? It sounded like it was erased to me. Like what Raijun can do with silence but localized to just his name. Tsama or Abio or whatever name he's using today didn't seem to here anything odd in the memory though. Could anyone else hear it? Amelie you mentioned the crown earlier. Does the crown have something to do with the boy's lack of a name?"
"I was never questioned the customs and procedures of the high court. I always addressed him as the prince"
"So you've never heard his name either then?"
“Not that I can recall, I was a tool to him nothing more “
"If you were only treated as a tool why did you stay?" Myra questions.
"For the love of my daughter. She began exhibit the same abilities as me but a much younger age and I could not subject her to the same nightmare I had to endure. I had a dream that placed me me on the right side of the prince at a crucial moment so fate drew me to his side at an opportune time."
"I'm sorry that you felt your options were so limited. Are your daughters safe now? I mean as of the last time you knew."
"Clauderesa was progressing well within the military academy with honors so she should be okay and I have faith that she is keeping Melodia safe. They are good sisters I know they are taking care of each other."
"Why does that name sound familiar." Myra thinks for a moment putting together a number of things before horror flashes across her face before she can reign it in. She swallows, "Your daughter wouldn't happen to look like this would she," As Myra uses alter self to look like the woman who was introduced to them as Claudia in Nightwell.
The statuesque form of Amelie that has been with you through the labyrinth of horrors drops and an emotion other than rage overcomes her form. Tears spill from her eyes her face unable to hold back the emotion of a mother seeing the grown face of her daughter "How...When...Why....she looks older now. Where did you meet her?"
Myra, in concern, goes to try to comfort Amelie grabbing her hands, "Amelie," The voice is that of Claudia's, "When was the last time you saw her?" It's the bubbly kind voice as Myra is concerned.
"She sounds just like I remember, I kissed her goodnight before I left to get on the ship. But she looks older.... I do approve of the hair cut. When did you see her? Is she okay? Was my little harp with her?"
Theres a hesitation and uncertainty on the face of Claudia that the group did not see in Nightwell, "She was fine when we met her but I need to know. When you saw her last... Did she have," the voice shifts suddenly to the more commanding voice "varying moods?"
Amelie's eyes lock with yours in contempt & rage "What do you mean...varying moods?"
Myra's form melts back into her own her hands still holding Amelie's, "I swear to you I will tell you all I know of your daughter but first, can you describe Melodia?" For those familiar with Myra the look in her eyes is similar to that of when she was triaging reach as it was falling from the air.
"Last I saw me little girl she was just past 5, short straight blond hair, very shy, but always full of stories and wonder."
Myra winces thinking of the other women from Slekul that could be. "Does she look like this?" She asks as she shifts into the body of Ryla.
The rage subsides and confusion arrives on her face first "I do not know" Amelie reaches towards Myra's face running a finger along her hair line to an area just above her eye and stops "I always told her not to sit in the window it was only a matter time before she fell" Amelie runs her hand along side Myra's face to hold the image of her know young adult daughter in her hand "I have missed so much... I have lost so much time to this place"
"You may want to sit," The voice is Ryla's, as she starts to transition to a kneeling sit hoping to ease Amelie to the ground. "What form would you prefer I tell you this information in Amelie? If you need a moment to look at either daughter before I return to my body I can give it to you, but I also don't want to cause you more pain by staying in this body."
"This is the best dream I have had in all of my time within this nightmare, but if you could change back to your visage that would be most kind."
Myra's form reverts to her own and with it there is heartache plainly on her face, "I have no spell or divine ability that will compel me to tell the truth. I have no serum or machine for you to be able to divine my intentions. So I hope as a mother when I swear on the health of my god child, someone whose name I will not utter in this gods forsaken place, to tell you as much as I can you will appreciate that I do not do so lightly. And that anything I say if clouded by past experiences is only a representation of the limited information I have."
Grasping Myra's hands like a vice "I only want to know one thing, did they seem happy? The rest can be learned by my own eyes once we all leave this place."
Myra barely holds Amelie's gaze, wanting to look anywhere else but forcing herself to look Amelie in the face, "They were not together last I saw them. They go by Claudia and Ryla now, at least that is how they were introduced to me respectively. Claudia seemed... driven. Amelie, the things they made her do... that she said she did. When we saw her she seemed to vacillate quickly between two personalities. One the bubbly daughter you remember and one ... darker. She was both in charge of a battalion and taking orders from Thirsten Thompson, it was unclear if she was just using him.
Ryla introduced herself to me upon a ship just outside of the Vivarium. She said that she was with the Slekul delegation to look for "vessels from a lost pilgrimage"." Myra smiles weakly, " Though I think you and I both know that if you went missing in the area she was most likely looking for more than just that... She said she was a navigator and a translator for Slekul but we have suspicions that she might also be a Seer for them. I.. gods I told her we hadn't found anyone alive from Slekul and she excused her self shortly after. I'm so sorry."
Amelie lighted eyes fade back showing eyes of deep blue, "I have failed them," she collapses to the ground. "All this time I feared I was gone for months and I could return and save them but both of them have fallen prey to the nightmare I sought to save them from. I sought to forsake myself such that they would remain free but it has only shown what powers they both contain and what destruction they are able to carry out. You dont understand I gave everything such that I would never dream again my soul only to find company within a continuous nightmare."
Myra attempts to catch her softening the fall. She holds her, "We will make it better. You will make it better. Their story is not over and neither is yours. Perhaps this is why your fate brought us to you. So that we may tell you while there is still time to change. Whatever sacrifices you have made do not have to be in vain, as long as you have the will to fight for them there is a chance." Myra untangles her hand from Amelie and holds it in front of her. As they watch, her hand changes, she starts with the hands of Amelie's daughters then changes it back to her own changing the patterns and crossing her hands with faint fairy lights. As she does a faint green glow emanates from Myra's back, "If there is anything I understand it is the magic of change. And the thing people constantly forget is that change takes energy. But if someone," She closes her hand around Amelie's again, "is willing to commit the energy there are very few things in this world that cannot be changed."
Amelie looks up to Myra at the almost angelic glow around her form in the shapeless hallway, a flash of realization comes across her face as her eyes slowly close to open a moment later returning to the piercing red and silver coloration “ Many things can change but I know faint can not, the past is done we must move forward such that this nightmare will end. Thank you my dear, you are a true leader and hero, your mother must be so proud”
Myra blushes and looks away but before she can respond the liches voice echoes through the chamber, “You can change your clothes, you can change your words, but you cannot change the world. You are hopeless to control your fate or the fate of anyone else. You wish to have the means to control a world where you are merely but a speck in a storm. Consider your place carefully, for when an ant thinks its a giant, it’s sure to be squashed.”
Myra draws herself up, still kneeling holding Amelie but looking at the ceiling as though she doesn't have time for the lich, "Who the fuck do you think your talking to? You have before you the fated of two gods, the captain of a ship the likes of which has not been seen in an age, the wrath of the elements. We have fought beings older and more interesting than you and have handled all of your captors without rest. You hide in your magical darkness sending out your homunculus to toy with us. If we are truly so insignificant then show yourself and prove it."
"Child only fools allow themselves to be bated," the icy voice cackles. "I hope your bite is better than your bark, you have seen the appetizer, but the reason I brought you here is the main course."
Raijun speaks up, addressing the bodiless voice, "Yes the Raven Queen knows what you did oh deathless one, you can't escape her forever, I will find you and bring you down to her for judgement even if I have to cross the planes myself to deliver you personally!"
"That pitiful woman masquerading as a god, she is less frightful than the ant screaming at your side," the voice sneers.
Amlie draws herself up, “To the prisoner or vessel of empty power that has endured this timelessness with me there is nothing you can promise me that will keep my from fulfilling my destiny.”
Two feet in front of Amelie two girls appear, beautiful in nature they are her daughters, smile filled, soul inducing, they look exactly how they looked the last time Amelie saw them, “Mother do you no longer care for us? Are you going to save us from our nightmare? We need you!”
Myra erupts to her feet and smashes her staff into the floor casting dispell magic, "ENOUGH."
As the image fades, the children seem to fade away, but in the last moment, both girls reach out for Amelie as they are shunted away, “Mommmyyyy.”
Myra crouches before Amelie grabbing her hands again, "I promise they aren't here."
Amelie stands resolute, "Souls of pure dream would not be so easily consumed by nightmare, I have survived long enough in this place it is time to leave"
“Now is not the time to quibble," the lich comments, "I have but one desire, to leave this god awful place. In this we are aligned, unless you desire to spend the remainder of your lives staring at these dusty and dirty walls, I suggest we work together. You’ll find my gifts are generous and plentiful. The last stage of this prison was designed to keep everyone from proceeding to the final door. To leave the final crystal must be placed on the alter, I have taken the liberty of collecting the 2 you left downstairs and having them placed there. The last one should appear after the last celestial falls. There is no reason for us to be enemies, in this scenario we are both trapped and the gods themselves are stopping our freedom, they demand that we obey, they demand that we submit, I submit to no one, I obey no one but myself. If you desire to submit to their will then return to your cells on the first floor. But if you desire freedom, if you desire to control your destiny, if you desire to see your children, families, and orphans again, take my gifts and use them to free yourselves. What I know about the final floor is that there is a planetar that patrols the area around the altars. That wouldn’t seem so bad, but I have seen it talking as if it’s talking to someone but as I was too far away I couldn’t make out who/what they were speaking with."
The voice pauses for a time but as the group starts to wonder if he is gone it appears again, “I scouted around, I walked towards the altar and reached the range of my true sight which is 120 ft, and looking directly back at me was a Solar along with the Planetar. They aren’t too difficult without their radiant damage but the Solar’s bow is far to powerful, if it hits someone with less than 100 health they just die. That’s no good, I can make an item to lower the effectiveness of the bow by 20HP and up to 1d8 radiant damage, but I need gold dragon scales. For each that can be attained I can lower the bows effectiveness 1 level. It would be foolhardy to immediately engage with an overpowering opponent. Collect the dragon scales first and then let me know, and I can create the item.”
"Out of curiosity," Myra questions, "why did they not smite you immediately? Beings that powerful would have no problem seeing through what I assume is your invisibility."
“Why do you think this entire place has magical darkness? The entire point is to make it so I can move around. Their true sight allows them to notice me, but magical darkness hinders their abilities. Their job is not as much to hunt, as much to prevent escape, they are jailers not executioners.”
"If you cannot be killed what is the difference? At least then they would be able to move you back away from the door that you indicate leads to freedom."
"Yes, because death is the only reason we avoid being stabbed and shot with arrows.”
"I meant the difference to them. Your reasons for not wanting harm are self evident," Myra sneers. "Any chance while you're being so free with information you might tell us what befell of our once companion Abio? I mean it wouldn't hurt to have another body to throw at the dragon fire fodder would it?"
“He’s right here. Why do you think you’re seeing his memories? What possible reason would you be able to see inside his mind? I couldn’t pull you into the compass, because it blocks planar travel, but I could pull you into his mind and link this inter dimensional space to that one. The mind is limitless in it’s capacity, it’s nearly like an entirely different plane of existence.”

Report Date

31 Mar 2022