CXXXII. Council of Fate
General Summary
All Shards Assembled
The Ring & Wren teleported back to their home from the mountainous town of Mont Briller, where the entire population had been killed by Ilithid. Lady Kohinoor left immediately to report the deaths of the townspeople to the Hounds of Stal, who send a taskforce to deal with it. The mood in Felstadt was grim as the town began making preparations for a siege. Builders were constructing tidewalls and siege weapons, and scores of people began to depart inland. Now that the Ring & Wren had collected the last Shard of the Astral Diamond, Acheron would be able to use the Soul Forge to re-forge it. The question that plagued the Ring & Wren now was whether to reform the diamond, and if so, when? In the house's library, the party fell into deep discussions. Before they had actually collected all the shards, the party vaguely spoke of using the reformed diamond to empower Egar so that he could fight back Dhor before returning it to Wynna's goddess Enki Adda, the diamond's original owner and the one who had charged her with collecting the shards in the first place. Now that the party had all the pieces in their hands, they realized that they hadn't really thought about what it would mean to empower a god. Empowering a god would make them more powerful than their peers, effectively putting them in charge. Any god given that power would make use of that--it was an inevitability. After Egar's "death" and his conflicts with his own brother, Jäger was no longer sure if he wanted to use the diamond to empower Egar. He was now thinking that neither brother should be more powerful than the other--they should always push and pull for power, like the tides, and like they had always done. On the other hand, after the trickery and machinations they had experienced throughout their adventures, Jäger now began to suspect Enki Adda's intentions, to the chagrin of Wynna. Although most of the party was present when Enki Adda had presented the quest to Wynna, only now did anyone begin to question the task. All previous misgivings or considerations had been kept private, as other concerns loomed larger. Now that the situation had become a reality, Jäger, King, Amari and Kohinoor voiced doubt about submitting the diamond to Enki Adda, especially when Dhor was right on their doorstep. After a few hours of discussion, the party agreed to take a recess to consider their options, gather more information, and get second opinions.Egar's Insight
Jäger went down to Egar's temple at The Rocks to try and contact him, to ask him what he knew about Enki Adda. Inside the temple, Jäger wrapped kelp around his eyes, waded into one of the pools and cut his hand. His blood flooded into the water, forming a red circle around him. He laid in the water, so that it covered his ears. Floating in his own blood, he asked Egar:"Do you know Enki Ada?"-Jäger Ironbeard
"N O."It seemed Enki Adda was an entity far more ancient than Egar; her time had long passed by the time he came to power. Next, Jäger asked:-Egar
"Do you agree with my decision to bring balance to you and my brother?"This query was met with ominous silence. Lastly, Jäger asked:-Jäger Ironbeard
"Are our people truly gone?"-Jäger Ironbeard
"N O."This last response gave Jäger some hope. With as much information as he was able to gather on his own, he returned to the Ring and Wren.-Egar
Obsis' Insight
Meanwhile, Soora passed a tall man in a feathered mantle as she entered the Tentpole in search of a space of perfect darkness. With care, she found a spot she had often come to in the past, when she was still working for the Jawbones. In this quiet place, Soora sat, closed her eyes, and slowed her breathing until she was left in utter darkness and silence. As she lost all sense of where she was, direction, and time, she gradually began to hear whispers from beyond the veil, followed by the sensation of separating from her body and becoming a shroud. Soora sought the wisdom of the shades who had wielded Obsidian in the past, drawing on their memories for anything helpful for the coming fight, and importantly, any secrets about Enki Adda. She also reached out to Obsis directly, intending to bargain for help, even going so far as to offer her life in exchange for aid for Felstadt."y o u a r e t h e m a s t e r o f t h e s h r o u d a l r e a d y"Unfortunately, Soora already knew the answers the shades had to offer her. And as Obsis told, she had already witnessed Enki Adda's greatest shame and secret--how her daughter, Enki Dendarra, had tried to usurp her, and how Enki Adda had to destroy the Astral Diamond to protect it from evil. Obsis, a god with very little followers, only had one way to exert his influence on the world, and that was through his tool, Obsidian, and the one who wielded it: Soora. Her presence was extension of his will as his Champion in the mortal realm, and there was little other help he could provide. But there was one piece of information Obsis had to share that Soora found interesting... The final piece of Obsidian was the path of death, which Soora hasn't yet crossed. There were other shades who had come to the same impasse and chosen to take part in an ancient rite; one where they surrendered themselves to Obsidian, allowing it to transcend their physical limits. Those who took part impaled themselves upon Obsidian's blade--most died, but when they did, their skills and memories are absorbed into the weapon. What Obsis told her next was of great interest to Soora: there were none who had ever completed the rite and and been resurrected afterwards. In whispers, he told her that if she were able to do it, she would be both the weapon's master and be using it at its full potential.-Obsis
Enki Adda's Insight
Soora returned to the Ring & Wren and reported that Enki Adda had no secrets the party didn't already know. At this point, Wynna wanted to put everyone's worries to rest, so decided to ask Enki Adda directly. She filled a silvered bowl with water and held it out before her, using her hands to stir it. The mirrored eye in her circlet opened, and from it dripped molten quicksilver that swirled into the water until the surface became still like a mirror."Enki Adda, I beseech you to show us a vision of your empowered future."From the still water rippled a forth an image of the sweeping vista of Felstadt's coast, which was alive with lush beauty. The city walls were covered in beautiful, verdant vines. Fountains and water spilled down from channels, the streets were filled with people, and flowers grew in abundance. Harkhill was no longer a graveyard--in its place, a terraced ziggurat presided over the town. At its peak, a pink portal--the bridge of paradise--had been restored. Angelic beings and humans went in and out of it at their leisure. Even when Dhor emerged from the roiling sea, huge vines wrapped around him and imprisoned him beneath the waves. The Temple of the One had been transformed into gardens, no longer a place of worship. The Rocks, too, were covered in greenery, seeming to stand lower than they once did. Less attended than they once were. As the vision cleared, Wynna silently sobbed at its beauty. Others were stunned to silence. To Amari, Jager whispered that he had tried to detect evil as the vision played, and had sensed none. Once again, the party recessed to consider the information and prepare for Dhor's invasion.-Aerwynna Cannari
Domain Turns
King, no longer able to use hand crossbows after the Elder Brain Dragon had fried his mind, modified Crow into a light crossbow, salvaging the sides of Took and Taken to bolster it. He also asked for his friends' assistance in modifying some of Crow's old abilities. King went to Lady Kohinoor for help to make this new crossbow, which he called the Crowned Crow deal more radiant damage than Crow had. She told him her own experience with radiant power was based on following through with an oath and had him consider making one himself to use his crossbow to protect Felstadt, but the weapon's bond to Ghislain proved to be too strong and the change didn't take. Following that, he asked Soora to help him increase the range of his bursting shot, which she was able to do. Lastly, he asked Amari to help him change the spell on the crossbow from Daylight to Scatter. Amari launched into a long-winded lecture about changing the energies that powered the spell (and more), but quickly saw that King's attention was dwindling, took the crossbow and just did the enchantment himself. In the three weeks that passed, Milo, Tuck & Baku finally returned from their long trek through the mountains and delivered the party's long-awaited gold. Amari chose to increase the resolve of the troops the party had gathered by spreading legends of their exploits. He also called in a favor and recruited Pegasus riders from the Hidden Tree. During this time, Dhor continued to muster troops and tried to disrupt the communications of the party's motley assortment of troops. A few days later, Amari teleported Soora out to the middle of the ocean, where she stayed undercover for a week, following enemy officers and taking on their personas to seed misinformation and assassinate key players. When she returned, she met with her brother Varis to muster a crew of Jawbones for the war effort. Some of ships expected to bring supplies to the the assembled defense never made it back to port; Dhor's hand was clear in compromising resources. Wynna, for her part, organized two operations to bolster the troops against Dhor's meddling. In response, intel reported that he used his eerie insight to make copies of four of the party's magic items, though none could tell which ones. At last, the Leeward came into port with Roak and Ten Men Clay aboard, ready for orders.Kofi's Insight
During this time, Amari went into the Ring and Wren's library to seek out Kofi and get his opinion on the Astral Diamond business. Kofi was not in the library, however. After a few minutes of searching, Amari found the man sitting in the sunshine of the house's herb garden instead, looking out a window and smoking his pipe. Amari took a seat next to him and looked out too for a moment."I oftentimes wonder what this place looked like in its heyday. It's what I keep coming back to. Things change. You never did tell me the name..."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"That's the way of things isn't it. To change."-Kofi
"A lot of change has come to Felstadt too...Alazar Faunt tried to bring darkness. The Governor tried to bring his own brand of order. Dhor brings the tides and the deep. It feels like this whole time we've just been trying to keep it whole, trying to be ourselves. Sometimes I worry about the type of change that can come. But I've changed as well. I would have never imagined in humble days being able to sustain a stable stream of energy from my body, much less adding density, or changing its heat. Now we're dealing with more energy, higher stakes. This Astral Diamond that we've been trying to keep safe, even with this tiny thing...well, maybe it's easier if you see it."Amari passed the Shard of Intelligence to Kofi, who held it up to the light, examining it. He continued,-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"With this, you gain access to the weave at all times. With all the strings you can attune to. The possibilities seem endless. The power is intoxicating. I don't know what it's like in the realm of the gods, but we've met Egar, we've met Enki Hekkada, we've met Dhor. Being in their realms is something I wouldn't like to make a habit of. I trust Jäger, and Wynna...has shown herself to be capable as well."Amari colored a bit at the mention of Wynna.-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"The vision tat Enki Adda showed us was not bad, but it was different. I don't want to lose Felstadt after everything we've done to try and protect it."Kofi was silent for a moment.-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"This was always my favorite room in this house."-Kofi
"I wanted to grow herbs here, wanted to try my hand at alchemy, but, well..."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"Always like you to try new things. And there's plenty of light in here for it. I like everything you've done with this old house."-Kofi
"I had help along the way."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"You have exceeded everything I hoped for. You've outshined this old wizard. Your dedication, your care for others, your planning...I couldn't have chosen a better successor. And this place is proof of that. This city is proof of that. The choices you made to get here were fraught with danger, but were the right ones. I believe you'll continue to make the right ones. We all make mistakes, myself included. What you've planted here, sown here, is more than I could have envisioned. That heart is Felstadt. That's not going anywhere, no matter what happens next. Felstadt will be safe in the hands that nurture it. I understand your trepidations. I have no love for the gods. They harness power and they wield it totally. There is no peerage among them. There is no council, there are only supplicants. I am no fool, and neither are you. We live in an era of the gods, and so we must deal with them."-Kofi
"If they had a group like mine, maybe they'd..."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"The power they have, you have it too. But you've carried it with more grace than others in your spot have done."-Kofi
"That's what makes me different from them. I have that peerage. I think I figured it out. Thank you for your council. I hope this isn't the last time."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"I guess it's time to find out what's on the other side."-Kofi
The Final Decision
Finally, the time came for the Ring & Wren to convene again and come to a final decision on the fate of the Astral Diamond. After three weeks, they once again took to discussing the matter in the Library of the Ring and Wren."I've spoken with Kofi and he's given some sage advice. What determines whether things change for the better or for the worse is the stewardship of those who nurture. In my opinion it's always been use who do that. We've put in the blood, sweat, and tears. While I don't think the vision Enki Ada showed us is a bad one, I will always put my trust in us. I put my bet on us and I think that whether we live or die, we should do so on our own terms."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"What do you mean?"-Wynna Cannari
"I think we should carry the shards into battle. The concentration of that much power, we each feel it now. I don't know how I feel about it just yet but I think having it spread amongst us, peers, mortals, I think that may make more sense in taking care of this mortal place for now. I don't know if this power should be wielded long-term. I feel its draw even now. That's where I stand."-Amari of the Ring & Wren
"So...?"-Jäger Ironbeard
"We either win together or we die together."-Drayton King
"This is not my city, so I can't know what's best for it. I will just tell you what I think. I don't believe the goddess is secretly evil or anything like that--I believe she truly intends to make the world as we saw it in her vision. The fact that this diamond is already shattered shows that she knows how dangerous it is and that she is willing to abdicate her own power to prevent ill-intentioned people from getting ahold of it. But that's just it. An object that grants power of this magnitude should not exist. We find it useful now, but there will always be those who seek it for themselves, and even if these shards were in the hands of others, let alone the diamond at full power, I would be wary. You can't trust that anyone will do the right thing except yourself. Human kindness is just as cast as human cruelty. I imagine the same is true of the gods. The difference is in what we're capable of. When a man's judgement is clouded, there can be dire consequences to be sure. What happens when a god's judgement is clouded? Who could challenge them? Who is there to check their anger? For mortals, the consequences could be catastrophic. Of course the goddess would protect her diamond from abuse. But it would always be true that there exists an avenue to godhood, just waiting to be claimed by anyone crafty enough to do it, and that would always tempt. It has already happened before. I don't see why it wouldn't happen again. I would feel safer if the diamond were destroyed after being used. I also know this: we are on the precipice of a new age of destruction. The things I have seen are truly frightening. Despite what we may wish, things will only continue to change, and we can't go back. It may be to the benefit of all to have a goddess of healing and knowledge return to the world, and to have power over the other gods. But you do not need a god to make this world a paradise. That power resides within you."The prospect of destroying the diamond put the talks at a temporary pause. Wynna was distraught at the idea, since its safe return was the mission given specifically given to her by her goddess, a goddess she alone served. King requested to meet with Acheron to see if destroying it would even be viable. They waited in anticipation for the Azer to materialize before them. Once he arrived, they showed him the shards and asked him...-Kohinoor Sattari
"Can the Astral Diamond be destroyed utterly?"-Drayton King
"It is not an object that can be unmade. What you hold now is the unmaking. ...There is one path of oblivion. If the shards are made whole into their diamond, they can be subsumed into another...like the process of the forge. The process of fusion. The mantle of creation."-Acheron
"How would that work?"-Jäger Ironbeard
"If you take your greataxe with all its power, what we could do with it would be limited. But if we take the molten stuff of it, the iron, we could forge something altogether new. Something that is not altogether what it was, but something similar. Taking on the diamond, you would cast aside yourself and make yourself something new. Destruction is possible...with sacrifice."The information was helpful. None of the party were particularly interested in using the Astral Diamond themselves, and so after thanking Acheron for his insight and sending him away, they were back at their original dispute: should the Diamond be used to empower Enki Adda, and if so, when? Wynna and Soora were of the mind to re-form the diamond and give it to Enki Adda before Dhor arrived in order to have Enki Adda's assistance (and possibly boons that could be granted to them) for the final battle. King and Amari were of mind to keep the diamond in its shattered form, using the shards in the fight, after which they would be amenable to re-forging the diamond and returning it to Enki Adda. Kohinoor agreed with King and Amari, but abstained from the vote in order to prevent a tie and because she would go along with whatever decision the party made. Jäger was the tiebreaker. Though he originally leaned toward the side of Wynna and Soora, he was convinced by King, who wanted Enki Adda to know that they were capable of protecting Felstadt on their own. And so the matter was decided: the diamond would be re-forged and returned to Enki Adda, who would be empowered by and and would resume her previous role as the goddess of Felstadt; but only after the party used the shards in the fight against Dhor. With one week left until Dhor's forces were foreseen to arrive, the party set to get their affairs in order. The city was filled with a steely atmosphere. Dhor's tide would either break at Felstadt or it wouldn't break at all.-Acheron
Related Reports
Soora Huinë
Jäger Ironbeard
()
8 / 8 HP
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
King (Drayton Honeysong)
Aerwynna Cannari
Amari of the Ring and Wren
Kohinoor Sattari
Report Date
23 Jul 2022
Primary Location