Season 9, Episode 1: "Run Run Rebel" Report
General Summary
Cast across the Four Winds by Agatha of the White Flame, the Dream Team's divine essence traversed to the planes on which their original identities were founded, the Doors of Death no longer able to contain their mortal souls. Riding alongside the System, they witnessed the arrival of Crow in Paradise, which alluded to the fall of Ember, and the danger Chamas, Abelina, and Anastasia had found themselves in (see Perdition).
This vision was followed by another, a grand vision of fear and consequences, which made clear that time in between did not match that on the Material Plane, and that three weeks had passed in their absence (see It Won't Be Long - Season 9).
Then Isra thundered to consciousness in a luxurious bed, sounds of battle shaking the rafters, and Maximus Erebus came tumbling in. He seemed confused not only at her arrival, but at the state of Apotheosis he found her in, trending between the two identities inside — one half the mortal Isra, one half Calistria, goddess of Lust and Vengeance.
He explained only that Crow had arrived at the Hooded House, the Horsemen of Abaddon in tow, and that she must get to his vaults as soon as possible. Then the Wither creatures invading the mansion began to flood the central courtyard, where four heroes of legend stood guard. At Max's request, Chiro, Flint Penumbra, Neiva, and Gonjo (still trapped in the wildshaped form of a Beast of Armageddon) began guiding Isra through the mayhem, holding back creatures strong enough to break the Petal apart.
With clever magic and strong will, the old warriors of Golarion were able to hold Crow back long enough for Isra to slip through, using her Gravity Boots to fling herself down the hall and into the vaults. Along her journey, psychic waves of an old story haunted her, told in her own voice, and implied that she had once defied the other gods of the First World (see The Sword Made of Stone). It told of a world where Isra could do so again, and promised power to defeat the monsters that snarled at her back. The vault doors melted away, and inside Isra found countless Lanterns running along shelves that faded from view, and a statue in her likeness, standing watch over four plinths made of stone.
Apotheosis reared its mighty head as Isra looked upon four whips, and saw in them Calistria's primary domains of Lust and Vengeance, but also two in between — the lonely path of the Road, and the bloodstained scion of Pain. A version of Calistria appeared by each, offering up Isra a hand, as Sara arrived at the path behind — the path of Nadir.
Outside of their initial welcome, each path offered Isra nothing more, tempting with their choices, but pushing her towards none. And Isra weighed her choices, and her duty to the Flock, and more. She looked at her divine history, and saw that it did indeed possess the power to thwart the gods. That it could turn the tide against the Horsemen, and perhaps, even Crow themselves...
Isra chose to remain mortal, letting the Mantle of the Shepherd fall back about her shoulders, and turned away from the statue of her former life. She successfully exited the Apotheosis, instead becoming of the Nadir, her hold in the dream world that was this Petal solidifying around the core ideal of her existence.
Isra regained her senses just in time for Charon to arrive at her heels, taking in the Lanterns with a satisfied smile, and rending the vaults apart. Using the shrunken head of a Kinder, a cataclysm similar to a Storm broke apart the room, taking the Lanterns and Charon with it, giving Isra only a breath to slide to relative safety. Then she returned to the fountain at the center of the Hooded House, where the battle against Crow raged on, her soul now legendary in the eyes of the gods.
Their secondary goal now complete, the group could fully focus on their assailants. Maximus banished Apollyon back to Abaddon, leaving only two Horsemen remaining on the field. Then Neiva split apart her robes, revealing the terrifying maw that split her torso, opening up a portal to Vulreach that threatened to swallow Szuriel whole. Chiro and Isra were able to slow the god enough for Neiva to complete her dark ritual, pulling the Horseman of War inside her prison tower, and sealing one-fourth of the very Apocalypse within.
Sensing the turn of the battle, Crow seemingly banished Trelmarixian, calling its True Name with familiarity, and slid between Flint and Gonjo, who had been raging against their ooze-like form for all this time. They came upon Isra, seeking a path to opportunity, and began to assault the very fabric of her reality, forcing her to Skip with them to the Outer Gates, and pooling the weight of their miasmic identity into her mind.
They ordered her to break the Outer Gates, stretching her potential to warp time and space, and then a lone figure rose up behind them...
Rewards Granted
Tarot Deck
- Isra's Card of Ill Fate was invoked, to stop Maximus Erebus from intervening in Crow's attemt to send her to the Outer Gates.
- No changes.
Created Content
New and updated articles for:
- Perdition
- Neiva
- Flint Penumbra
- Kauma Gonjodonque
- Chiro
- Crow
- It Won't Be Long - Season 9
- The Sword Made of Stone
Notes
If Cornelius' trial fails I'm going to have to kill both him and Isra in the same session... But Isra had a 50% chance of missing each of the Mysticism rolls that led to her visions, and she passed all seven of them in a row, so maybe the luck is with the party?
Having Szuriel in Vulreach will certainly slow the Apocalypse, but whether or not that means anything will definitely depend on the next few sessions.
Flame in the Night
Tesin Movahesh
Thunder in the Mist
Lockette Endrinmaster 12 2.0
Isra
Report Date
08 Aug 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Comments