Game Thread Final Round Showdown! - Page 2

pianoman90 · #16 Aug 17th, 2016, 05:04 AM

Jorgum of the Sharp Fang

Jorgum could not believe the man sitting diagonally opposite him. The hypocracy! The sheer stupidity and incomprehension of Ignatius was making Jorgum's blood boil. Unbelievably, within a few short sentences, the shining cleric had condemned his world, then espoused hope for all. Your world is hardly worth saving.... Perhaps your world is already lost... The words rang in Jorgum's mind even as the objectionable cleric had the gall to offer him healing! No solutions to the Steward's problem sprang off his golden tongue, no wise words were spoken to assuage the others. No-only empty morals and high grounds were laid out for all to see, as he suavely made sure not to dedicate himself too fully to any course of action. The fool! Did he not realise that inaction was as evil as the wrong action here? If we sit back and do nothing, then this man will surely take what we have so obliquely offered. Jorgum was about to speak, short and angrily, when the newcomer burst onto the scene.

In short, it was attention-grabbing. No doubt, this new woman wished the attention to be dragged kicking and screaming to her, no matter the arguments and squabbles already beginning to appear. It worked too, questions from Rimoka were now flying towards the woman, as if she held the key to the mysteries presented thus far. Perhaps she did, but just like 'Stewie', she was hardly going to offer them on a silver platter. But perhaps her appearance and actions already spoke far greater than her words alone.

Jorgum became lost in thought. Fury still bubbled under the surface, contained and distracted for now by this Virginia Gold, if names on boxes could be trusted. He stared up at the multitude of faces above, searching for the one he now knew to be amongst them. There! Haluk's closed eyes stared down at him, the face that he remembered from the scrying glass fifteen years ago still present. Sorrow and anger welled deep in Jorgum's stomach, emotions that were already running high threatened to fly into overdrive. Through his near-overwhelming sadness, he wondered idly which of the human faces next to Haluk's was Thomas' friend, Ivan, for he felt sure that he would be there too. Sylvia was there too, a few faces down the line from Haluk. He knew now that his brother's efforts had been heroic beyond compare, that they could not solve the problem either was not to their detriment.

Hold on a moment...

Things began to click in Jorgum's mind. The multitude of faces above. The appearance of this woman, who seemed to have visited this place many, many times. The juggler's conundrum. Haluk's face, forever looking outward through closed eyes. It may not be the solution, but by the gods it may well just work. Jorgum cleared his throat, raw emotion now suppressed and replaced by conviction. "I think I understand."

Nodding to the newcomer, Jorgum started simply. "I am Jorgum. My brother lies up there above us, a hero of his time. And he continues to be that hero, for reasons I will get to soon. Confusion, chaos, puzzles and trials have beset the four of us who arrived here together, and I believe it was deliberate, every step of the way." The hobgoblin turned to face the Steward again. "You are the puppet master behind our movements, the grand architect of this sliver of history. Pulling together so many world-lines is impressive enough, but to what end? To release your friends here? No, you could have done this at any time-that tells me that they are not the kings of time at all. Follaus is but a pawn of yours as well, yes? You orchestrated this grand event for no reason other than you yourself are trapped here, held prisoner by those who have come before us. Above us are the brave few." Here, Jorgum waved towards the ceiling, his eyes following his arm until he saw Haluk once more. "Your friend across from me has already alluded to her coming here many times. Every time you draw enough power to push through, you summon more heroes to help you in your final step. The releasing of those above is your final test, and your final lock to your cell. You cannot do it alone, so you tempt the heroes, hoping one will crack. You tempt us now... Hah! You even tempted Thomas and I with our own kin!"

"But I can see through your deception, Master of nothing. Your universe awaits you outside, but you are trapped here, with only the sleeping company of those brave enough to defy you at the very end. But what about your story? Worlds ending, timelines falling down. What if I was to say that I could believe that this is true also? That your juggler is real? Hah-perhaps he was the original lock!" He had said all this into the ceiling above, eyes still pinned on Haluk. Dropping them, he drew a deep breath and scanned the faces of the group. They settled on the Steward once more. "Once, there would have been no-one here, not even you. Chaos roamed free-that is you, by the way, and the multiverse stepped in. I believe the original hero created this prison and locked you in, sealing chaos away forever. Or so they thought. But your power is impossible to contain permanently. I see chaos in every action-every decision sets off chain reactions that are as unpredictable as the wind. That is how multiple timelines exist, yes? So as your power grew, you threatened to escape again, but more heroes came. They tethered more worlds, created more order out of the chaos. And on and on the battles raged. Every creature above us wrapped you in tighter bonds than before, but still chaos escapes through the tiny cracks. You set clues for us to find, the master of chaos is always open for a game or two. But I did not piece together the puzzle until now."

"And now you threaten the world again-the bonds that hold you are weakening, allowing you to exert your will upon the worlds. You wish the juggler would drop his balls, so that you may master the pandemonium that you have created and run amok once more." Jorgum sighed, his monologue nearly at its end. He turned away from the Steward and addressing the others. "It becomes apparent to me that we must therefore join the ranks of this prison, tethering more strands of time to our own bodies. For how else does one help a juggler who has too many balls? We must take on the task of juggling ourselves, spreading the load." Jorgum wondered what each of them would think, the quiet demon boy, the unflappable cleric, the wild woman. Did they have what it took to truly give themselves to the cause Jorgum saw?

He stopped, one question lingering on his lips. He turned to the newcomer. "The only thing that is missing is to understand your role in this. Are you the auditor? The watcher? Perhaps the guard, a final defense against chaos should our plans go awry?" Jorgum stopped, he had said enough. He hardly cared whether the others believed it, but waited only for the response from the Steward and the woman. Provocation and aggression had always been his game, and Jorgum would be damned if he was going to slow down now. If he was wrong, what could the old man do? Laugh in his face? Kill him, perhaps? No, the old man would not do such a thing-that was not his style. He poked and prodded, waiting for the mistake to be made so they doomed themselves. If nothing else, he had at least presented a solution to the old man's problem. But if he was right...

Jorgum's eyes moved skyward once more as he slid back in his seat. Haluk, your sacrifice was not in vain.

Avner · #17 Aug 17th, 2016, 08:20 AM

A chill went through Thomas’ spine as Jorgum mentioned Haluk. He cursed himself for not thinking of it before. If they were from multiple time lines it only made sense that Ivan would have met the same fate. Looking up toward the pods above him Thomas looked at the old druid, pipe still in hand and having not aged a day since he had saved him.

Is he dead? Can I save him? Does he even need to be saved? Oh… Ivan? What do I do? the boy seemed to ask himself as he stared in contemplation for a moment.

His thought was distracted by the sudden appearance of the strangely dressed woman. Her cloak seemed to be tight and draped down her body and she had strange chains for which Thomas could not decipher the use. She wore an emblem of some sort on her chest, he wasn’t sure if was a house coat but it too seemed… tight. Yes Thomas a young boy growing to adulthood could not seem to ignore that and were it not for the powerful presence of the woman he might have been silly enough to entertain a kind flirtation. This woman however seemed to intimidate even the Steward.

The appearance of the woman and the things that Steward had mentioned made Thomas sit in a strange place. Ignatius seemed content on letting this stay as they would, with some hope for a divine being to intervene, where Jorgum was just as content to have them all meet the fate of their predecessors. Rimoka seemed more intent on challenging the Steward than anything else but at least she was looking for answers.

Thomas looked at the woman who had just arrived yet again.

"So what's you're role in all this? You seem pretty familiar with this place but it seems everyone else who meets this Steward ends up there... like Jorgum said, buying time or what not." Thomas gestured to the ceiling.

"So how are you down here?" Thomas then looked over at the hobgoblin siting to his right. "You're brother was brave, as was Ivan, but I don't think following their footsteps is the answer. Its only been 15 years and though I can say that's been just about my whole life, that is just a blink of an eye to some races. Its just not enough time we need to do something more. Maybe knowing more about this juggler would indeed open up our options. I do not think what we can be so auspicious as to choose one of us as superior. I am sure each of our multiverse's offers something in its own way."

Thomas looked up at those who had come before him and then those around the table before he at last turned to Steward. "Maybe the problem isn't the answer... but the question. I know I am young compared to you all but it seems to me the problem isn't with the balls... but with the juggling. What we should be asking is not how to eliminate the balls in the air... but how to make it easier for them to be juggled?"

**Admin Bhelogan** · #18 Aug 17th, 2016, 11:12 AM

Steward seemed mostly pleased with Ignatius’ line of reasoning. "Yes, exactly my point! Who are we to make that decision? Who is anyone? No, I would not leave it to these lesser beings known as ‘Gods’ either. They all too often make for war among themselves with little care for anyone else. I believe that there does not to be a choice. Let me explain…."

Qara then walked into the room. Steward immediately raised both hands to his temples and began massaging in small circles to alleviate the headache that her presence instantly induced. He smiled politely at her, even though it was obviously forced. "Qara, baby, darling! You are early for you, but still late. I’ve already done that bit and refuse to do a repeat performance." He looked at her for a split second inquisitively. "You didn’t find Gray Skull did you? " Steward shook the thought from his head. "Nevermind, there will be time for guilty pleasures later. I see you brought yours," he commented as he sheepishly pushed the box of ‘Virginia Golds’ with one finger to keep it moving around the table. Steward then turned his attention to Rimoka.

"Yes, and No. There are many worlds, universes, timelines, and so forth. If we just sit idly by and do nothing, then yes many will vanish into nothingness. Now I absolutely need your help, and I am positive that you are the right ones to do so. You have passed my tests. But before I can tell you exactly what needs to be done, you need to understand what is going on. You want to see all the cards, and you shall. However, it would be a waste for me to explain to you the finer points of building a grand cathedral before you even comprehended how to build a mud hut. We have to start at the beginning so that you can understand."

Steward ignored the bit about being ‘Master of the Universe’ for now, and turned his attention to Jorgum. He listened to his monolog with great interest, showing facial expressions to match his level of agreement with every point. He started off well pleased, but as the Hobgoblin continued the expressions displayed seemed less amicable. "Let me point out where you are correct. I am trapped here, as are all of you now. Nothing can change that, so you might as well get used to it. I did arrange for your arrival here. I did not cause the circumstances which allowed me to setup such a pathway for you, but I did arrange the challenges. I needed to know that whomever I could guide here would have the right stuff. "

Steward then smiled wieldy at the Tiefling Thomas. "You are hitting the nail on the head there. What if there was no juggler! Our balls would be free to roll about on the ground as they see fit without being manipulated by someone else and put into a position where they can fall and crack. Does this not seem a better path for all? Of course, I will need your help, and theirs!" Steward pointed again to the chambers above.

wodine · #19 Aug 17th, 2016, 09:12 PM

Jurez-vous d'être un bon chevalier? Ignatius could not believe he had gone through so much just to be stuck having the same arguments with the same types of people, who in some cases even looked identical. As a Cleric of the written word, Ignatius had never thought a day would come where he would be so weary of words, but it seems that day had indeed come. Lady forgive me.

Then she appeared.

Like a villain appearing in the climactic scenes of an opera or ballet, as though shuttled through the stage floor by a star-trap this woman in strange garb and of stranger speak appeared, striding, confidently towards the table. A spark of light, like a lime light shining down upon a diva, illuminated her and made her gleam unnaturally, though there was nothing natural about her. Her dress was unlike anything Ignatius had ever seen. Her coat, long and black, clearly some sort of polished leather, wrapped around her almost like armor, yet it fluttered openly in the front revealing a strange sigil on her tunic beneath, one that Ignatius did not recognize as having arcane or divine significance. Her boots, were thick and also made of leather, clearly made to defend against attacks, but she was lacking any sort of grieves to cover her legs, clearly an inferior design, though the aesthetic was appealing. Her makeup was the most striking of all. Ignatius had dealt with harlequins, divas, and whores, but he had never seen any design quite like hers. She was graceful yet odd, and spoke with an arrogance and contempt for the Steward that Ignatius found quite refreshing. She removed some small container from her pocket claiming to be gold, though it appeared to be only paper the color of Ignatius’ hair. She offered to each of them a small tube from the package, which she appeared to be smoking much as the Halfling’s were known to do, only without the pipe. Ignatius had indulged in the Hobbit’s weed on occasion and accepted her offer. Introducing himself in the process of accepting her kind gift as well as her use of what appeared to be an enchanted box of produce flame, I am Ignatius Constantine Hypatius III. Smiling widely as he accepted the offer of the smoking stick he adds, thank you. Breathing in, his chest filled with a hot sensation as he drew the smoke into his lungs; feeling as though his chest were gripped by a vice yet more open than they had ever been. As Ignatius sucked the smoke into his lungs, he felt a pleasant hazy light-headedness and his feet felt as though he had just cast air walk. Suddenly aware that he was unsure how to hold the device, he imitated the women in black, holding it between thumb and finger trying not to look as awkward as it felt, but it was difficult in his armored hands. He coughed, abruptly, jarring him back to reality and yet, as almost by instinct he returned the cigarette to his lips to repeat the process.

You misunderstand me, Ignatius said turning to the warrior woman, I am not content to let the gods decide, however I will not decide. If I could end this by smashing the Steward’s head in with my thundering mace or by calling down holy fire from the skies, I would, and I would be willing to die trying. However, I think we all realize by this point that that is not a prudent option. But if I was asked to destroy a world full of beauty and innocence to save my one? That I will not do. Ignatius takes another drag of the cigarette continuing to emulate the woman in black, exhaling a cloud of particles and smoke, watching them swirl as they disseminate into the air. The cigarette falls from Ignatius’ hand landing at his feet, still burning. Shifting his weight the armored man slides his foot over the ember, snuffing it out of existence. As for your theory Jorgum, I find it has a single major flaw. If he, Ignatius leans forward pointing to the Steward, could be stopped by self-sacrifice, the why would he not design his trials to ensure that only the most depraved and selfish of individuals could succeed? If the only means of stopping the destruction of Oerth was eternal imprisonment, even if it was with you, I would oblige. Do I want to live? Yes. Will I fight to do so? Yes. But would I put my selfish desire to become the greatest playwright since Heward above the entirety of not only my world but countless others? I would not, my magnum opus will be grand, but I also know that like Heward I would one day be usurped, and the world deserves that chance.

Ignatius pondered for a moment the demon boy and the Steward’s response. If that is the scenario, I would rather take my chances soaring in the air than rolling haplessly on the floor.

pianoman90 · #20 Aug 18th, 2016, 03:01 AM

Jorgum of the Sharp Fang

Jorgum smiled, broad and wide. Now we are getting somewhere! His provocative speech, whether true or not had created the desired effect round the table. The old man had lost a little of his glibness, choosing a more direct path to answer the pointy questions Jorgum had thrown at him. Thomas, once he had calmed himself from the sight of Qara, posed some interesting points. Jorgum nodded in response to Thomas' words about Haluk. Yes-fifteen years has been too long for me also, but far less than it should have been perhaps. Even Ignatius begrudgingly acknowledged Jorgum's ideas as valid and worthwhile! Jorgum looked over at the cleric and grinned, though what Ignatius could even see through the fog he was creating around his head Jorgum would never know. "It would be my pleasure to bind myself into endless servitude alongside you, Ignatius. Though you can keep your smoke haze to yourself-I prefer a clear head and a clear line of sight." Jorgum paused for a moment, before adding, "As for my flawed argument-what makes you think anything leading up to this point has been logical? Perhaps the Steward needs something from the best and brightest, something that those deviants who might ally themselves with him are without?"

The woman's effect on the group still intrigued Jorgum, far more than the woman herself. Both Ignatius and Thomas had been captivated by her at first sight. Jorgum could see the subtle changes in their body language instantly, watched as Ignatius imitated and flattered the woman with his every action while Thomas had to subdue his own feelings, lest they bubble to violently and passionately up. Jorgum almost laughed at their behaviour. It would have suited this eclectic meeting perfectly had one of them broken out to profess undying affections onto the woman. Jorgum couldn't see it. Sure, the woman had character, charm and presence, but she was merely a distraction in this game they played, yes? A sixth party watching on as the debate raged around her. Even Rimoka had directed almost all her attention to the woman since she arrived. Was this newcomer worth so much interest? Jorgum hardly thought so-at best she was a passive observer. At worst she was a figment of the Steward's plans-a ploy of misdirection designed to keep the foolish entertained while he got on with the real work. At least Jorgum had the sense of mind to stay true here.

Perhaps that accounted for the others lack of direction in the argument. Ignatius still chose not to posit his own ideas, instead jumping on whatever bandwagon was wending its way past his mind. Thomas had good ideas, but lacked true direction, throwing them out into the ether and hoping they burrowed deep into someone's consciouness long enough for them to develop. Jorgum would not shy away from the hard questions, even if the rest would.

He faced the Steward again. "Your explaination bothers me. You seem to say in one breath that the fate of the multiverse rests in releasing these trapped souls above us. Yet you also say you orchestrated the challenges we faced in getting here, presumably also creating Follaus to forewarn us. You mentioned he was a copy after all. Why would he warn us not to release the 'Kings of Time' only for you to turn around and try to convince us to do just that? Are these creatures above us the Kings of Time at all? Who or what are they?" Confusion took hold for a moment as question and counter-question fought for control in the hobgoblin's mind. Jorgum still felt in the pits of his stomach that the Steward was deliberately trying to stall him, counter his suggestion and distract from the real truth. The sleight of hand that the Steward commanded was great, turning the conversation in on itself again and again. Jorgum folded his hands together and rested his elbows on the table, trying to maintain a grip on the thoughts reeling in his mind.

"And what scenarios do you see playing out here? We can either help you, or not. We can either break the creatures out above you, or not. We can try to stop you from acting, however you wish to act, by force, trickery, magic, diplomacy, or a dozen other ways. But where does this get us? What is the end-game and how do we actually accomplish it? I know, I know-the saving of the multiverse, right? But we still only have your word that there are dangers at all to speak about. In one thing I agree with Ignatius-I will fight with every fibre in my body to save these worlds, I will lay down and die if I truly think it is the right action to do. But one thing that has not been explained is exactly what we are to do in order to accomplish our task. You talk of needing our help. Well Steward, time to fess up precisely what it is you ask of us and how you can categorically prove to us that it is the right course of action." Distrust, directed mostly towards the Steward, still ruled his mind. Jorgum was intent on calling the old man's bluff as many times as he could, ripping away layer upon layer of deceit until he finally saw the true Steward. It was time to pull the rug out from under the Steward's feet-see how well he could remain standing. "One more thing. What happens to those above us when the glass is broken? What have they all become whilst being locked away in this place?" Jorgum looked skyward, finding Haluk's face once again. A sadness crept into his eyes, replacing the confusion and fury he felt when speaking to the Steward. Whatever else happened here, it would likely break Jorgum if he was forced to fight his brother a second time.

Frostburn · #21 Aug 18th, 2016, 05:44 AM

“Categorically prove” Qara snorted out, unable to hold back the giggles. It erupted into laughter as Jorgum finished his sentence. “Oh, I do like him. He makes me laugh. Reminds me of the chef, only… without the tact, the culinary taste or… actually, scratch that. No, more like the other one… what was his name? Pff… oh, easy on the cancer sticks, darling. Here, have another one” she handed the pack over to Ignatius again, “take your time with it. These things’ll kill you, you might as well savour them.”

“Where were we? Right, end of the Multiverse, bla, bla. Let me tell you munchkins a little story. Once upon a time… Darn!” She slapped the table in front of her and jabbed her finger towards Jorgum and then the Steward with a wide grin on her face. “Dharn, that was his name! He was a loud one, he was. And that Ivan… ah, with the dog. And the marbles!” She leaned back in her chair and let her arms fall to her side as she stared up at the monstrosities above her, letting out a steady column of smoke towards the so-called Kings of Time. She waved her cigarette at the deformed bodies and smiled to herself before getting back to the table.

“Anyway, Time. None of us have it, you can’t measure it, and we all want it.” She immediately shifted her position and leaned in, elbows on the table, gesticulating with her hands as she changed her voice to imitate different people: “Can I have more time. We’re running out of time. Please, mum, can I have some more… time.” All of a sudden, her demeanour is cold, her tone deadly serious and face set in stone “Short answer is no. In the end, it’s what kills all of us. Even the Multiverse.”

“So, to answer your question, yes I was here.” With a nod she acknowledged Rimoka and without turning to Thomas, snapped her fingers at him. “Oi, Boy Blue, eyes up here, yeah?” And then continued her thought: “15 years, was it? So despite what Stewie here might say, we did come to a solution. We let Entropy have her due. The idea was balance. What my friend Stu wants to do now is to shift that balance. He wants to let” and she made air quotes to emphasise her distaste at the thought “The Great Old Ones loose and ruin everybody’s Universe. You want to know what the problem is, Jo… Jor, Jürgen, what was your name? The deal is… we don’t know what’ll happen. Every now and again, this whole thing plays out just like it does now. We find balance, and then someone stirs the pot. They're caught with their hand in the biscuit cupboard and the ensuing paradox threatens to snuff out all imaginable existence.” She shrugged, a look of boredom on her face. "Tuesday."

“But here’s the shtick. You know what these ugly things are up here? Look up, what do you see? Not the same thing as me, I wager. Want to know why? Because those things up there… are fear. Think of it, what is it you fear the most? Death? Public speaking? Cats? No. In your last moments in the wretched tragicomedy you call an existence, with your dying breath, what is it we all say? If only I had more… time.” As she spoke the last word, her breath turned to a cold vapour that left her mouth like the cigarette smoke and rose to the being above. They stirred. "And if we let them go... they will end our little paradox problem. By devouring everything. Reset the clock, fade to black, curtains drop, end of the line. End of time."

Khelbiros · #22 Aug 18th, 2016, 06:18 AM

Rimoka crunches her knuckles together, trying to stave off the rage building within her. She listens carefully while she struggles to get her rising anger under control. She's beginning to doubt the effectiveness of Follaus's device; if it was supposed to find the best people to solve whatever the Steward's vaguely defined problem actually was, then it hasn't worked. At least, not as immediately as far as she can see. Rimoka turns her attention away from Qara, who's busy being noticed and tries to think things through again, which is making her headache worse.

Rimoka had first admired Jorgum for being a warrior, but his words and rants speak of a bleak, inner despair. And she's got no idea how Jorgum leapt suddenly to the conclusion that this trial was a harvest of heroes; a deadly trap! She likes to follow things in a clear, straightforward path of thought, and Jorgum isn't offering that; just a sudden accusation. Still, she can certainly sympathise with him if Jorgum's little brother is one of the poor unfortunates trapped overhead. Is Jorgum right, or is he driven to the edge of anger by his grief?

Rimoka listens to Thomas and the Steward speak again. Poor young Thomas is of a similar mind to Rimoka; questioning. "He just wants his little brother back," Rimoka thinks sadly. The Steward doesn't really provide any further that helps Rimoka solve this problem.

Rimoka looks over to see if Ignatius will provide a useful counterpoint to Jorgum's argument, but instead he's making googly eyes at the entrance of the young woman, Qara, and probably composing some idiotic poetry in his head. "There was a young lady, raven dark, and she and I went walking in the park..." Then Rimoka berates herself for mocking the poet; she judged Max badly in their first encounter and the half-orc paladin later proved to be a great ally in the previous trials.

Jorgum rants again, but this time he's getting closer to the questions Rimoka wants to ask. His despair could drive him to strange places, but Rimoka thinks that current approach is more pragmatic than what the others are offering. He could still be her best ally in this.

And then Qara speaks up. And paints a bleak and somewhat confusing picture of events. Rimoka takes a swig of wine to control her headache. She'll certainly feel that one in the morning, if there ever is one. Firstly, she thinks, with her former eye for ruling, Let's establish some solidarity in the ranks.

Rimoka clears her throat and says, "Let me support you, Jorgum, in a demand for greater clarity of what this problem actually is, but let's also avoid crazy guesses as we'll just get lost in a wilderness of words. Let's also stop trying to knife each other. Aren't we all allies here? Don't we just want to save the world, our loved ones and go home safely?" She gives Jorgum and Ignatius a maternal look, as though they are two brothers she has caught mud-wrestling in their finery.

Rimoka expels an audible breath and then starts to count on her fingers. "This is what I know. Jorgum and Thomas, we know that your brothers are trapped her. We know the Steward is as well. We all know that we are heroes of our time strands, and there is no battle we will not fight, or deed we will not do to truly save the world. We know there's a bunch of things that the Steward hasn't told us yet, so let's just get him to finish what he has to say so we can learn more about what we have to do."

Rimoka looks over at Qara. "If the dark priestess is right, then we must choose destruction or oblivion in order to save the world. But how does that work?" She shakes a head in confusion. "How does oblivion save everything? Is that really a decision we're prepared to make on the little information we have so far?"

She turns on the Steward again. "Look, just finish building your damn cathedral so we can all sit back and see what it looks like. Then we might be able to give you some answers." She leans forward on the edge of the table, her ice-blue eyes metaphorically drilling into the Steward. "That's assuming that's what we're really here for."

Avner · #23 Aug 18th, 2016, 07:49 PM

Quote:

If that is the scenario, I would rather take my chances soaring in the air than rolling haplessly on the floor

Quote:

As for my flawed argument-what makes you think anything leading up to this point has been logical?

Thomas slammed his hand on the table as Jorgum made his point to Ignatius.

"PRECISELY!" he shouted in excitement. "You see Ignatius you are still making the same assumptions." Thomas then looked over at some of the others. "We all are. Think about it, if we follow their game what is going to happen? The end, that’s what. They’ve tried this before all of them!" Thomas said pointing up to the ceiling at Ivan and the others.

Thomas’ heart was pounding and it wasn’t because of Qara. The whole fate of the multiverse depended on them, after all this time of being reset, they needed to finally save it or it was over. As Qua had mentioned Thomas knew she was right, they were out of time.

" Rimoka Ivan was not my brother, or my father, but I certainly would have welcomed him as both. True, I looked up to him, but not because of some respectful blood relation. You see if it weren’t for Ivan, well I’d be dead. I won’t pretend to know what happened in all of your different universes but it mine Ivan pulled me out when I was being sacrificed by a demonic cult. It was the same cult that landed him there." Thomas looked up as he said it.

"Now he’s what Qara… some Time eating zombie? I have a hard time believing that, but you seem to know more about all this than the rest of us. So.. how do we do what they couldn’t? What is going to make it any different this time around? I think that’s what Steward is getting at is some roundabout way."

Thomas seemed to calm a little as he started to explain his point of view. Inside he was still a young boy and very excitable, on top of that he was both a teenager and a demon. Really what else was he expected to do at the end of the world. Despite it all he resisted his urge to scream remembering that a screaming demon didn’t usually win people over.

"We gotta change the game, change the rules as it were. We play their game and we’re dead. Not just use… everyone, brothers, sisters, Bauerbergs … multiverses. So you think that if this whatever he is stops juggling that the balls are going to fall? "

Suddenly Thomas cast and image of small spheres before him. At first glance they were paint splattered balls, but on closer inspection it became more obvious that they were a bunch of identical worlds. As he spoke he at first started to have them move in a juggling motion but then threw them up and let them suddenly freeze almost hovering in place.

"Says who? Gods? Stewart already said the gods were insignificant here, this is a place where gods are made. If this is where the rules are made than lets do it… lets change the rules. Why deal in absolutes that don’t hold sway over these cosmic beings. Lets change the game."

Thomas’ attention finally turned toward Steward. "Alright Steward, its your turn. Qara seems to think your friends here are going to devour us all. Since we seem to have a mutual acquaintance I am inclined to believer her. So tell me, what are they going to do? Who is this juggler and how do we get control of his balls."

**Admin Bhelogan** · #24 Aug 18th, 2016, 08:50 PM

Steward looked around the table taking a tally and trying to figure out how many were potentially on his side. He could count two that he was sure would go along. As for the other four, he could not be sure. Perhaps with further persuasion they would come around. Time for all of them was running out, and so a change in tactic was required.

"All right, I will be blunt and simple. We have two choices. We can play the game as has always been done in the past. Like Qara said, last time they decided to let Entropy player her course. We see where that got us. Fifteen years by your reckoning and we are back where we started, or worse. If we play that game three of you will end up in chambers with your friends above and one of you will be made the ‘hero’ who found a way for the juggler to keep his charade up. How long will the new balance last? It gets shorter and shorter every cycle. If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten. "

Steward cross his arms and breathed in deeply. He knew he was about to reveal his cards, and he was not as confident as he would have liked to have been. "Our other choice is to change how things are done here. These entities who alter the balance of reality according to their whims; the jugglers who try to control more than they can manage are the true threat. They need to be stopped." Steward stopped for a moment to let his last sentence sink in a bit.

"This is where we all come in. With your help, we can awake those above us. Ivan, Haluk, all of them. We free them from their chambers of sleep, and we persuade them to join us. I am sure they are none too pleased with how their current existence is playing out. United we will stand against the Kings of Time, and force them into the chambers of eternal rest instead. Instead of the faces of brave heroes who have come before, we would stare at those of the forces of Order, Chaos, Entropy, Justice and the rest. I am talking about a revolution. A reorganization of the forces that govern the multiverse. Only then can we have a change that will bring lasting stability. Instead of ebb and flow of opposite powers, shifting as one temporarily gains the upper hand on the other, we can have a consistent environment where things can be stable and left along. Do I know for sure it will work? Of course not. These are powerful entities I would ask you to do battle with. But I ask of you, is the reward not worth the risk?"

pianoman90 · #25 Aug 18th, 2016, 11:48 PM

Jorgum of the Sharp Fang

"Change the rules... Change the game..."

Jorgum mused quietly to himself, echoing Thomas' words and indeed his own from earlier in the day. All through the trials, he had been battling against the supposed master gamer who called the shots. He had never felt trapped, never felt pigeon-holed into any decision, any course of action because he had consciously chosen to change the rules at the best possible opportunity. Take the plunge, drive the action in unpredictable directions, choose the course that would rattle those around him and keep them off-guard. That was Jorgum's style. It had certainly cut through here too, serving his purposes once more, but now, he had reservations. Both Qara and the Steward still suggested contradictory points, and Jorgum was caught in trying to sort out exactly what they both meant.

"So, suppose we go along with this plan. We release those above and convince them to fight alongside us. Against the 'Great Old Ones', those beings who are Order, Chaos and the rest. And suppose we defeat them. What does that mean? Apart from 'winning', and who knows what that means.." Order, Chaos, Justice, Mercy, Morality. What would the worlds look like without their governing influence? Lasting stability... Hah! The Steward was once again espousing that which he could only assume might happen. What a way to fill them all with confidence. Was this just the musings of a desperate man? The glib, casual nature of their host had completely dropped, his charade stripped away. But this was how Jorgum liked things. None of this tom-foolery, no distractions, no shenanigans. Just talk of action, conseqence and reward. Now he was a man Jorgum could work with.

Jorgum nodded towards Rimoka, her words of support to the hobgoblin reassured him and emboldened him. Thomas too, had broken his shy mould, excitedly jumping on the bandwagon and pushing the ideas further. Change the rules indeed. Let's just see how far we can push that. Turning back to the two protagonists, he addressed Qara first.

"So you were the previous hero, the one who figured out how to keep the juggler juggling. Dharn is up there somewhere, yes? And the dog too? Will they remember you fondly, when we release them?" Turning now to Steward, Jorgum barreled on, declarations flying from his lips. "Yes, I will support you. I will follow this course of action. This may surprise you, but allow me to explain." Jorgum pointed to the creatures above, the root of all the problems and solutions. "These trapped souls have had far too many names ascribed to them. Fear, Time, Kings of Time, not Kings of Time, allies, friends, loved ones, enemies. This tells me one thing-that they are all of these things and none. What they all represent is potential, the potential to be whatever we are skilled enough to make them. Releasing them is the only way for them to realise that potential, whether that is the destruction of the multiverse or its salvation. This is what you mean, yes Steward?" Looking down at the old man, Jorgum grinned. "The risk, the reward, the danger. Nothing is certain, but everything is possible. Perhaps we do not need these Great Old Ones to rule our actions, perhaps Entropy is overrated and underachieving. Do we allow the destruction of everything to unfold before our eyes due to inactivity, do we strive to repeat history only to have it fold back yet again? Or do we, as Thomas so aptly put it, change the game and take it to the next level? The latter is surely our course of action now." Jorgum placed his hands on the table in front of him, the sumptuous food all-but-forgotten in their fiery conversations. The intensity in Jorgum's body language had never left, through the accusations, confusion and now, purpose. "Assumptions will end us, but potential will hold our course true."

Khelbiros · #26 Aug 19th, 2016, 06:12 AM

Rimoka stares at her hands. Two choices. Left or right.

Left hand. Let entropy win. Keep the prisoners trapped.

Right hand. Free them.

Most reasonable people would want to free prisoners.

But is that really the best choice?

With his latest declaration, the Steward is starting to remind Rimoka too much of her former husband. He's sly, and not telling her the full truth, even though she's doing her best to wrestle against her instincts and hear him out. He's offering what they want, but what does he really want? The only clue that Rimoka has is buried in Qara's cryptic words.

She wanted to stop her husband from threatening the world again and now.... is his spirit here in the Steward? Bitter memories, never too far away, crack across her mind like a lightning flash.

PSTD Dammit Why Don't You Leave Me Alone?"I'll let you go home to your parents," the Winter King tells her one day.

Rimoka is in the Pit Room, that's what she calls it, and it stinks of filth and garbage. She's been licking the green stuff off the walls to survive.

The King speaks to her from a little window above...

"Home?" she says in a cracked voice, feeling joy, but also horrified that her parents will be utterly ashamed of the scarred, broken thing left of their former princess.

"All you have to do is use this knife."

A gleaming blade appears on the floor.

"Cut your face."

"Did.... that.... I did..."

"That time, it was my will upon yours. This time, do it of your own free will. Cut your face. Good and sharp. Let the blood drip on the floor. Then you can go home..."

Rimoka's trembling hands reach all too eagerly for the knife...

Rimoka feels her rage burning up again. She turns and spits into a nearby wine cup, trying to spit out her hatred and memories like bitter gall. She needs to stay balanced. Even though her instincts are warning her about the Steward for some reason, they could be wrong. Raging and attempting to kill him will destroy what little negotiation capital she's gained so far. She wants to give the Steward the fairness that Farren always denied her, otherwise everything she's learned on this journey so far from Max, Stand, Talzim and Shilantris will be in vain. Jorgum and Thomas are keen on the option he's presented. Maybe Rimoka can see if she can... make them see?

"Wait, wait," Rimoka says, with an odd strangled breath as she gets back under control again. "The Steward has given us two solutions so far, but what if there's something that we haven't seen on the table yet?

"When I was first surviving on the tundra, I was trying to hunt Slyback Krall, a vicious old white dragon who had developed a taste for soft reindeer herder flesh rather than mountain beasts. He couldn't fly too well, but was cunning. He was hard to track. To cut a long story short, I finally found his trace on Fang Mountain, but the tracks were confusing. I could either go left or right. I went left, and nearly fell into a soft drift of snow that disguised a clawed-out pit that Slyback had made for me. I lost my spear. I went right. Then I stumbled into the lair of a dire ice bear. I had to fight my way out using a bone dagger." She rubs a scar that crosses her neck. "It turned out that Slyback was in the middle of the two ways, hiding just under the snow where I couldn't see him. I got him, but the fight was close. Then on, I was more cautious when I hunted dragons." She grips her knife, flicks it up and catches it expertly by the hilt, jabbing it forward as she mimes a killing blow into dragon flesh.

"So I know we can see the two trails in front of us. Left or right. Keep the prisoners or free them. Thomas and Jorgum are keen to free the heroes and change the rules of the game. But we still don't know what all the rules are yet. The Steward's only told us about two trails. They could be all we get to choose from, or they could be sweet bait on a hook."

Rimoka picks up another potato from the table and gnaws on it, thoughtfully. "The Steward's saying that if we release everyone, they all get the choice. They all get a say in the story. But the dark priestess said before that he wants to become 'Master of the Universe'. If we do what he says, does that mean he gets the ultimate power? And is he really the best person to have all that?

She gestures at Qara. "Fifteen years ago, you chose not to help the Steward. Why didn't you trust him then? Do you regret your choice?"

Rimoka throws her half-eaten potato back onto the table. "I don't know if I can trust him with all my heart and hope. If we do release the heroes, is he really worthy of all the power?"

She cracks her knuckles. "What about if we share it? Rather than the Steward becoming 'Master of the Universe', why not share the power amongst the heroes, those who shed blood getting here? Perhaps a council of heroes." She gestures around the room – at Jorgum, Thomas, Ignatius and at those trapped. "Then I could probably support this choice." She frowns. "I think our choice is important here for some particular reason, as the Steward has done a lot of work to get us here to choose. But at the same time, he's only given us the left and right trails to choose from. I say we see if there are other paths to follow."

Avner · #27 Aug 19th, 2016, 09:10 AM

Thomas seems to nod as the Stewart seems to once again accentuate his own points. On one side the boy was happy that he had the right of it, as if he was once step ahead of the Stewart predicting their path before they set it before them... but was he? The Steward had told him that he could see all this coming, that he had arranged for them to be here. Them specifically.. for Thomas to be there. The little blue demon boy was beginning to wonder if this was precisely what the Steward had planned, for Thomas to set this little plan of his in motion.

For a moment he hesitated, trying to think of it from every angle. What was to say the Steward was evil or even bad? He seemed to want to save the multiverses at least and from what he could tell the man had been pretty honest so far. In fact, delaying things could kill them.

Then Rimoka offered him up the last piece of the puzzle. What happens after they remove these entities from power? Jorgum was right, there would be an incredible void after they were removed. What would the multiverses be without these forces of power that always were.

"Both of you have a point. We don't really know what happens once these powers are removed. We just know what happens if they stay there, its a gamble to say the least. Call me woeful ignorant or young and innocent but I was hoping there would be more to it then becoming a Council of Heroes"

Thomas started conjuring small worlds and spinning them around. "You know... when I was little my parents always wanted to coddle me. Then after the incident the monastery was all about controlling me, making sure I didnt 'go evil' on them and all that. Despite them both time moved on and it eventually demanded they let me free. Free to make my own choices, own my own failures, and distinguish what was right and wrong." to accent his point Thomas stopped spinning the worlds with his hands and let them move on their own. They each seemed to find their own rotation, no two identical. Each was unique in its own way.

Just like a little blue demon boy.

"What's to say the multiverse can't be like that? Can we not give them their freedom to ultimately decide their own course? Now of course we will know more later and I am nothing if not adaptable, so yes if we are forced to fill that void I agree... no one person should have that much power."

Thomas once again removed his illusions and addressed the others. Ever since he had tapped into the wild magic that coursed within his veins he could feel his power growing. This place seemed to make it that much more prevalent and with each moment his confidence seemed to grow.

"I know this all sounds crazy. I mean fifteen years ago I was just a kid who was finally getting to go to the circus with hid dad. As you all know that didn't exactly work out. Each one of you has your own story... hunter of dragons, proud brother of a hero, writer of profound sonnets. Whatever it was that you thought you were or weren't before we all got caught up in this current of time. Now that time is running out and we are faced with decisions, decisions that people like the four of us shouldn't have to make."

Thomas looked down for a moment as if contemplating the gravity of the situation and how it had bared down on them all. As if breaking through the pressure of its restraint his eyes came up again, full of fervor and passion for what they had to do. Glowing with focus on what he had to do, save the multiverse.

"But we do.. we are all that is left. It is up to us now and we can't hesitate. Qara set it herself, we are out of time. We can't stand here and contemplate all the would have could have scenarios. We need to act and we need to act now. Lets face these jugglers of time. We change the game and when we rewrite the rules we don't just handover the rulebook, we do it together. Whether that's granting the multiverse its freedom or taking the reins and finding a way for it all to survive, we do it together. What do you say? Let's go be heroes." As he finished a quirky smile crossed the boys face as if he had finally come to terms with a fate that he had never realized, and he was loving every minute of it.

wodine · #28 Aug 19th, 2016, 11:11 AM

Die Walküre Ignatius placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose and began to massage gently. All this lunacy was beginning to give him a headache. Here he was one of four festering fools standing between a demon and an angel each arguing over scraps. Of the many questions burning in Ignatius’ mind was which was the angel and which the demon? Had Ignatius not been told that he was to trust no one when this journey through time and space began? Was he not warned that the Kings of Time would say and do anything to be released from their prison to devour the world? They each had their own plans their own suppositions but Ignatius couldn’t decide who among them was the most wrong. Everything was quickly turning to nothing. The snow was falling, burying them all and there was no thaw in sight. Brother was battling against brother and wolves were gnawing at the sun and moon. Was there little left to be done other than accepting one’s own fate?

Ignatius’ could see it now playing out across the stage. Lights slowly dimming; more and more crest fallen snow blanketing the stage. A howling of the Night Wolf in the distance. The world would end, not in a fiery explosion of energy and light as so many believe, but in a slow and lonely existence where everything is snuffed out. Darkness would envelope all, and it would be the end. But just before the lights go out, a flutter of instruments – potent and inspiring. Four heroes appear; a debonair gentleman, a redeemed hobgoblin, a blue demon boy, and the mighty female snow amazon. They ride into battle one last time crashing against the darkness, but who would succeed in the epic struggle of light and dark? Without one can there even be the other?

Assumptions will end us, but potential will hold our course true. Ignatius nearly choked on his wine when the hobgoblin ended his latest rant. You must be joking? The only thing I’ve heard you do since we’ve met is make assumptions. You’re assuming things about potential as you speak. Ignatius could hardly believe the hobgoblin. Where it had learned such complex speech alone was a mystery, perhaps some magical enhancement? It was well spoken certainly but lacked the foresight that Ignatius supposed would be common amongst a race that was set off to military service at twelve and expected to be killed by one of a thousand adventurers by sixteen. You wish to change the game, but we’re not even sure which game are we playing? What if you’re playing backgammon, I’m playing chess, and the steward is playing tic-tac-toe?

The snow woman then rewards them all with a lovely parable about hunting white dragons. Ignatius had never dealt with dragons of the frozen north; that was land ruled by wickedness and undead but he had seen his share of Tiamat’s spawn and the righteous brethren of Bahamut, and knew that if she spoke the truth it was no small feat. However long winded her ramblings she had a poignant point. One that Ignatius believed was worth further exploration.

As Ignatius pondered on the other possible solutions that he and the others were not seeing as possible the demon boy of Bauerburg spoke. The boy was excitable and continued generating small illusory orbs to punctuate his point. One more than one occastion Ignatius considered ending the boys fun and dispelling his magicks to make the boy focus, but that would simply further draw the fellowships attention away from what was important and lead to more bickering, though Ignatius continued to reserve the right to put the boy in and anti-magic shell should he misbehave. The boy’s ideas were as well thought out as they were cohesive. Fight Entropy? Fight Justice and Valor and the rest of the primordial forces? Were they even corporeal?

Ignatius removes his hand and attempts to put forth more plausible possibilities, I agree that finding a solution that is both permanent and advantageous for the multiverse is what is best, is fighting primordial forces that are incorporeal ideas which permeate thousands of cultures really in our best interests? What if there is another option, one we are not seeing; one that has yet to be proposed. Remember Follaus’ warnings, nothing be young his device was to be believed and the Kings were to be stopped at all costs. I offer three ideas of which I would like to hear your thoughts; First, what if one or more of us could take on the mantle of juggling, supporting the primordial forces? Would that buy us more time, instead of fighting them offering ourselves to maintain the balance? Second, what if we do postpone the inevitable, at best we gain a few more years and what if we spend that time researching how to solve this problem once and for all? Surely there might be knowledge or magic out there that could stop this nonsense. Ignatius looked around gauging the room before continuing, for his final thought he found to be his most disturbing. Lastly, and I take go pleasure in this though, what if WE are the Kings of Time? What if we are the ruinous forces trying to be set free, and that is why were are here? If we follow what has been done before three of us end up in prison and one is allowed to roam free. That sounds an awful lot like what was described as the natural order of these beings, does is not? Ignatius looks at the rest of the group for their insights in this matter.

What if we are darkness, destroyer of worlds? The thought of something so terrible makes him desire another one of those, what were they called? Cancer Sticks?

**Admin Bhelogan** · #29 Aug 19th, 2016, 05:25 PM

All having responded, Steward took a final tally. It seemed at least three were willing to go along with the plan, up to the point where the current jugglers would be the ones trapped in the chambers above. The fourth was still debating sticking with the old way things were done. He would have preferred that all were in agreement from the start, but the prospects of his mutiny going forward were looking better than he had initially hoped.

"Jorgum, it does not surprise me in the least that you agree with my plan. You are tactical and quick on your feet, and I think you have seen the penalty for dealing choosing a course of action for too long. You have probably seen it many times on the battlefield. I was confident that you would see the wisdom in my plan right away." Steward took a deep breath before turning his attention to Thomas and Rimoka.

"I have two points which I must make very clear here. First; We ought not to replace one juggler with another. You speak of a council to decide the fates, which means you seek to have part of this power to govern the multiverse for yourself. Don’t go down that trail. Don’t let that power tempt you. You may have noble intentions, but in the end, it will corrupt you. As I have stated before, having a juggler is the problem. It really doesn't matter who that juggler is, they will face the same limits as those currently pulling the string. No, it is better to let the fate of a universe be in the hands of those who live there, those who occupy it, those who will be directly affected by its survival."

Steward paused for a moment before addressing the second point. He almost seemed proud of himself, yet somewhat shy to speak of it at the same time, much like a young sinner going to confessional. "As for your concerns with me wanting to be the ‘Master of the Universe’, well Qara could tell you more about that. She has her cancer sticks she loves so much. I have my own forms of entertainment. I promise you, however, that you won’t find anything beyond a benign childhood fantasy about powerful swords and mystical castles, heroic allies and mounts, and thrill filled stories of facing evil villains that are all resolved in half an hour. Perhaps once our current predicament is resolved, I can break out some action figures and show you what it is all about."

With that off his chest, Steward was only left with one hero left to address. The cleric it seemed was having a moral dilemma about his role in this. "Ignatius, you question of perhaps we are the Kings of Time? In a sense, yes we are. But not just us. All of the entities here in the Nexus are, so don't let it go to your head. It is simply a title for those who are now beyond the bounds of a material plane and instead interact with the cosmic forces. You made that change when you passed through the Mirror of Opposition. Or you could even consider it to be when you entered the temple near Bauerburg. Indeed, being here in any capacity puts you in a delicate situation to abuse the power you have been given. That is why I have extended my warning to Thomas, Rimoka and now you. But I urge you to have the confidence in yourself to take action."

Khelbiros · #30 Aug 20th, 2016, 03:40 AM

Rimoka thumps her fist on the table, spilling her wine everywhere. It drips off onto the floor like dark blood, but Rimoka doesn't see it as she's too focused on her companions. "Yes! Yes! I think we're coming close to finding our elusive quarry." Her eyes gleam with excitement. "Ignatius, your words are good and are what I wanted to hear."

She picks up three apples from a nearby bowl and juggles them rather badly. "Let me think aloud, to make sure I have understood. The Steward has said that there is indeed a juggler of time here, keeping everything moving. Who is this person, right here and now? No one has given us a name so far. Are they the heroes above us, trapped like prey in spider-silk? Is it the Steward? Is it someone else? Are they wicked gods? Are they simply the natural elements, like winds and storms, doing what they must do? If so, is it really the right thing to overthrow them?"

Rimoka fumbles her juggling and the whirling circle of fruit goes wild. One apple splashes down into a bowl of soup, and the second one bounces on the floor. She saves one with her left hand, and then bites into it with an audible crunch.

"Thomas believes that we should confront these jugglers together. I agree! Everything we should do should be together. But we should also consider Ignatius's wise words. He has outlined the three trails I sought. Firstly, we could support the jugglers and share their power. The Steward does not agree with this, and warns us that we could go mad with the power! I agree that too much power creates bad kings..." Her face twitches. "But if the power is not controlled, could it still make things worse?"

"Secondly, we could do nothing. This, I think, is what the last champions did, but it just made things happen the same way again. If we delay, in fifteen years time another four heroes could be in this same place, eating this food and having this same conversation. And the chaos in the world could be worse. More towns than Bauerberg could be at risk. That is not good."

Rimoka pushes her blood-clotted grey hair back from her face. In this light, the patchwork of scars criss-crossing her face can be clearly seen, like a deranged maze of ridged tissue. "I was a prisoner once. I waited far too long to escape. I had to be the one to free myself, and I think I could have escaped earlier had I... had I..." Her hand spasms on the edge of the table. "Waiting, no, I will not wait," she says after a long pause, before continuing.

"Lastly, we could overthrow the jugglers and leave.... chaos? Jorgum, I think, is favouring this. And so is the Steward. But... I do not know who the jugglers are. What exactly their purpose is. If we cast them down, I must be assured that the world will not collapse into more chaos and destruction."

Rimoka thinks hard. "If we should confront these jugglers, then we must be careful that their power, like a wild river, will not flow into one person, or, burst its banks and flood the town." Rimoka notices the wine dripping off the table and rights the jug, too late to save its contents. She places her half-eaten apple in the pooling wine, and it gives her an idea. "If we could just... dam the power, perhaps, so we can see where best to divert it to. That is what I would like to do."

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