[Game Thread] Chapter 6c: A Shadow Over Feid

[Makenshi]

Zilira envelopes them in the same shadows that she surrounds herself in, first picking up Eloise before they find themselves looking out at the red roofs of Feid from the top of a watch tower full of soldiers who seemed to have been expecting them as most didn't react. They were too focussed on looking out at the city unfolding beneath and following their eyes they could see a mass of Fiends fighting in the air and on roofs in the distance, although it was too far away to make out any details save for vague sizes, and even the larger fiends couldn't be identified well enough. It therefore took them a moment to recognise that not all of the people on the tower were soldiers, or at least Pharean soldiers, as there were a few out of uniform, including a familiar woman in an unfamiliar face.

Niafem was wearing her Quartet mask this time, appearing as a dark-haired woman in predominantly black and purple robes and carrying a mage's staff as she looked over at the four of them, paying particular attention to the Drow before looking to Morgan. "The shadow...'thing' is fighting Invidia who knows where at the moment, both of them are proving difficult to track and keep an eye on, and the former keeps changing its shape. Selene is protecting the injured and Mirik is fighting the Fiends although from our most recent reports they're fighting each other just as much as us. Devils against Demons by the looks of it, with the latter on the defensive. I don't suppose you've any idea what exactly is going on?" She looks exhausted, which was hardly surprising given the situation Phare found itself in at the moment. Only a short time ago its royals had been assassinated and now one of the Seven was rampaging about the place. "If we don't stop this soon, people will be at each other's throats because of that damned Drow's aura." [Could you both please roll a Failure and I'll have to ask you to try and RP some envy/jealousy creeping into your actions/thoughts, although feel free to do so self-aware and with them trying to fight it. The Seven's auras start off comparatively mild before getting worse.DC 28 Will save (if you aren't immune to mind-effecting compulsions).]

OOC Ok, if you guys could let me know your active spells at the moment then that would help.

~MTWC

[Acathala]

Like with Luxuria, Nallaul has little trouble resisting Invidia's aura. "I am called Nallaul. The current theory is that they're looking for a dagger that's apparently ever so powerful, and this place is one of the sites they're searching. You're lucky. At least your city has a fighting chance. Mine had all seven of them, plus the Maidensnatcher. Where is this place anyway?"

 

Greater Anticipate Teleportation
Greater Mage Armour
Contingency (Greater Blink)
Superior Resistance
Ring of Spell Battle
Protection from Evil
Shield
Extended Abjurations
Tremorsense

[SpatulaOdoom]

Originally Posted by Niafem

”Selene is protecting the injured and Mirik is fighting the Fiends although from our most recent reports they're fighting each other just as much as us. Devils against Demons by the looks of it, with the latter on the defensive. I don't suppose you've any idea what exactly is going on?"

”Either Nehrak's friends are jumping in or it's a power play among the fiends, can't say for sure.” Either way it was good for them. ”Nallaul, Niafem, Niafem, Nallaul. We're in Feid, the capital of the country of Phare. Niafem is the one in charge at the moment.”

“Now.” He mutters to himself, drumming his fingers on the bannister as he looks over the city. ”How best to clear the air.”
A bard and archgate of Fisalyth seemed the best option at hand to counter the effects of a member of the Seven's aura.
”What do you think about taking over for Selene so that she can help Mirik or go after Invidia? We seem to have a fair number of soldiers here.”

 

Morgan: Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Energy Absorption, Anticipate Teleport, Voice of the Dragon, Dragonsight, Insight of good fortune, Mage Armor, Shield
Eloise: Disobedience, Greater Magic Weapon (revolver)
Rhys: Disobedience

[Makenshi]

Originally Posted by Morgan

"Niafem is the one in charge at the moment."

"Don't remind me." There was more than a little bitterness to her tone, but also determination. "I'll be lucky if I keep my position after everything that has happened." She glances at the soldiers. "Perhaps I'll join the army proper." She sounds a little distracted for a moment before extending a hand and and casting a Meteor Swarmmuttering in Draconic before four sphere hurtle towards a group of Fiends and explode, although instead of fire they seemed to expand into giant balls of jagged ice. "The Mask only enhances what's there after all."

Originally Posted by Morgan

"What do you think about taking over for Selene so that she can help Mirik or go after Invidia? We seem to have a fair number of soldiers here."

"If we knew were Invidia was, perhaps, but we haven't seen him or that shadow creature for a little while now it's almost as if-" She suddenly trails off as a shadow descends on the tower and several nearby buildings, prompting Niafem and run towards a window and look up. "...by Alainn..."

A quick look outside and it soon became obvious where the two had disappeared to. Invidia was but a dot high up in the sky, only visible really because their eyes were drawn by the massive shadow creature flying high up in the air. It was difficult to make out any details from such a distance, but the thing was immense, at least 70ft tall - or perhaps long, they couldn't really tell what, if anything, it was supposed to be - and with equally massive wings keeping it aloft as it chased the dot that must have been Invidia, who was throwing various spells at it to seemingly little effect while it lashed out with various limbs at him, including what looked like it might be a head.

"How in the Hells did someone not notice that thing?!" Niafem demanded to the nearby soldiers.

"It wasn't there a moment ago ma'am." One of the soldiers replies. "And initial reports were sketchy about its appearance. We chalked it up to the heat of the moment but what if it can change it's shape?"

"Shapeshifter? Hmmm. Perhaps." Niafem frowns, still looking up. "Either way, I like that thing almost as little as I like the Fiends around here." She turns to Morgan. "Niafem wouldn't have been privy to conversation about Shadow to Morgan's knowledgeUnless of course it's another secret Halvan weapon you feel like telling me about, and even then I still have half a mind to throw everything we have at it if it comes any closer to the city." She suddenly frowns. "Wait, that isn't Coiya is it? Or something to do with the Children in the Dark?"

~MTWC

[SpatulaOdoom]

Originally Posted by Niafem

"I'll be lucky if I keep my position after everything that has happened."

”The middle of a battle's not the time to be second guessing yourself or worrying. Do the best you can now with what you have, and let the future sort itself out. If they decide to censure you later, at least you'll have done your best to make sure lots of people are still around to do it.”
Another of Esiard's pearls of wisdom.

Originally Posted by Niafem

"...by Alainn..."

Morgan hustles to the window beside the last of the quartet, looking up into the afternoon sky. He lets out a low whistle at the spectacle.
”Well, if the reports I got were reliable there's a woman, a demi-god specifically, inside that shadow, and she's part of a group friendly to our cause.” He frowns. ”But it's all sorts of vague and complicated. They claim to have connection to the Children in the Dark, but the Children say they don't know them, and we've seen circumstantial evidence that they've connections to at least two different royal lines. In the end we currently know nothing substantial about them, other than they're very powerful and very knowledgeable. They also snatched Tasak Sakean out of the fiends clutches and handed him over.”
Morgan squints into the air, trying to guestimate how far away the dueling couple is.
”I'm comfortable saying they're allies, but I'm very much not comfortable with how little we know about them.”
He looks at her.
”So, I like freeing up Selene to pitch in, but this is your city and your charge. Any ideas?”

[Acathala]

 

Forgot Tremorsense (30ft constant. And I call myself an Arachnomancer. *Hangs head in shame.*

"The middle of a battle's not the time to be second guessing yourself or worrying. Do the best you can now with what you have, and let the future sort itself out. If they decide to censure you later, at least you'll have done your best to make sure lots of people are still around to do it."

"The human's right. Focus on the the things you can change." He looks in on the battle, and his expression brightens. "Oh dear, he seems to be have some difficulty fighting that shadow. Amusing since Drow are meant to be masters of Darkness." Nallaul isn't bothering to hide his dislike of Invidia. He turns to the others and says "If we have time to prepare, I can create golem-like spiders. I'd also appreciate time to cast Ironguard upon myself."

[Makenshi]

Originally Posted by Morgan

"If they decide to censure you later, at least you'll have done your best to make sure lots of people are still around to do it."

"Oh, don't get my wrong, it's quite nice not to have to worry about all the posturing for once, I'm more worried about who is going to make the decision on who to promote, but you're right. Now's not the time."

Judging by her expression, Niafem was equally as uncomfortable with the mysterious nature of Shadow and her ilk. "As powerful as I am, I'm not an Archgate, let alone an Archgate who has the term used for when Archgates become sort-of avatars of their Deityreleased." She looks back up to the fight in the sky, thinking for a moment before continuing. "If she's a Demi-God too then I don't want to risk that winged bastard getting stronger by killing her, but that means freeing up Mirik rather than Selene, and he's fighting the Fiends which isn't..." She pauses, before her attention snaps back to Morgan. "I've got an idea. If you can get help from Alnei and his Trueforged then I think we can free up Mirik with the help of you two as well."

To Nallaul. "If you have preparations then make them now, but I can't guarantee how long you have so I wouldn't start anything that requires a particularly long time and can't follow us easily, as it'll involve a dimension door or two."

~MTWC

[Acathala]

Nallaul elects to only cast Ironguard upon himself, if Morgan can make her plan happen. He really wishes he wasn't here, but Tel'shar would be best aided by Nallaul playing along. If it looked like he was getting nowhere, then the Arachnomancer would reassess the situation. Not killing the elerian feels like a bad move..

[SpatulaOdoom]

”I guess that's as good a plan as any. Alnei and his children are in Halvanna, last I checked, and I'm fresh out of Sendings today. You have a scroll or something on you, and where do you want me to request their presence?”
After a moment's thought Morgan expends another of his carefully hoarded spells along with a couple hundred gold worth of reagents to create a Stoneskin effect upon Rhys and another to give Eloise the benefits of Heroism. That was pretty much it for his enhancing spells, but they had to survive now for him to bother worrying about being out of spells later. A quick mental inventory suggested he had a scroll or two that might be useful, especially in counteracting the mental influences of the fiends, but it is a short list none the less.

 

I forgot that he had spell turning up already.
Morgan: Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Energy Absorption, Spell turning, Anticipate Teleport, Voice of the Dragon, Dragonsight, Insight of good fortune, Mage Armor, Shield
Eloise: Disobedience, heroism, Greater Magic Weapon (revolver)
Rhys: Disobedience, stoneskin

[Makenshi]

Niafem orders one of her soldiers to pass over a cloak not unlike Morgan's own, allowing him to send a message and Alnei and his kin quickly. It might also be worth seeing if Zilira could drop them off, as otherwise they'd have to go to one of the travelling points in Halvanna and then travel from a Pharean travelling point to get to where they needed to be.

While Nallaul prepares and Morgan sends his message(s) Rhys is still looking to the sky, where the two Demi-Gods are trading blows, both magical and mundane. Something is obviously bothering the soldier about it as he turns to look around every now and then, although he doesn't look like he's looking for potential danger. Eventually he lets out a gruff. "Hmmm. No shadow."

"What?" Niafem looks at him curiously.

"Look how big that thing is, yet the only time we get shadows is when one of them creates a large cloud of fire or something else. That thing should be leaving a massiveshadow considering how big it is and how high up it is, but it's not."

"Is there any special significance to that?" She asks, looking up again herself.

Rhys shrugs. "Not that I know of, I just hit things after all, but I'm sure there's something significant about it. The only thing that comes to mind is that she's a vampire, but considering she's out in broad daylight that doesn't seem likely, but then again she is supposed to be a Demi-God and Lalian can walk in daylight, as can Seneca."

~MTWC

[Acathala]

Nallaul takes a look at what Rhys is pointing out..

OOC
Taking a 10 on a 22 for a 32 on a Knowledge religion.

[Makenshi]

Knowledge checks Religion: Certain vampires are capable of functioning normally in light, from the powerful (and not well understood) vampire lords (which are usually centuries old at the least) to the corrupted shadow sun ninja's who have powers that revolve around both lights and shadows. Ergo, Rhys' theory isn't as ridiculous as it first sounds even if you ignore her being a Demi-God potentially being the reason she doesn't burn up in sunlight. ~MTWC

[SpatulaOdoom]

Rhys had better instincts than he gave himself credit for. If he had a little more self-confidence he'd make a good leader some day.
"I don't think she's a vampire. The way Humility, that's one of the Children in the Dark who met with her, described it she animated her shadow to fight with her. The big shadow is her shadow. Whatever she is, I've never heard of anything like it before. My gut tells me it might have something to do with the Darkheart society."
They'd been meaning to look into that, but Nevh hadn't said anything about making any progress on that front.

Morgan momentarily trades his cloak for the borrowed one and composes a message after Niafem actually tells him where she wants them.for Alnei.
Fight in Feid's chancy. Must free up Mirik from minions to fight Invidia. Can you and children help me do? Begging you. Zilira will contact.
Morgan contacts Zilira too, trying to coordinate the aid. He also suggests that she invite Humility along for the ride.

[Makenshi]

OOC Sorry again for the delay. This time off was supposed to give me an opportunity to get things going smoothly but one thing after another seems to be conspiring against me. The cat is back in the house at least, still limping from a nasty bite on his ankle and a little dopey from the painkillers, but it didn't feel right without him around.

Niafem intends to have Alnei and the Trueforged help her protect the injured in Selene's place so that she can relieve Mirik. When Rhys expresses some doubts over Selene being effective against the Fiends Niafem asks him if he knows what a Dervish is with a wry smile.

Alnei's response to Morgan is quick and short. "We are coming."

Once the mage passes this message on Niafem gathers everyone together and uses a Dimension Door to take the two wizards, Rhys and Eloise to the top of another, smaller tower, this one overlooking a large building with familiar iconography - a church of Airis. Only this church was surrounded by and manned with soldiers, only a minority of which were church guards, with the rest wearing military uniforms. There were a few outside fighting Fiends, mostly weaker ones, while a figure surrounded in a soft, white light danced around, cleaving even some of the larger fiends in two with a single blow which often led into another Fiend.

Seeing the battlefield and their position Rhys draws out his elven courtblade - which looked something like a cross between a greatsword and a rapier - before commanding it to shift. "Talon, Elven for "Pierce"Eht." The adamantine sword flowed as if it was liquid into the shape of a massive bow, almost as tall as Rhys' six and a half foot frame. Despite its new form, it still appeared to be made of metal.

"I'm going to go and help the soldiers now. When Alnei and his Trueforged get here tell them that they need to join me so that Selene will be able to relieve Mirik to help against Invidia."

"What about us?" Rhys asks, eyeing a few flying fiends in the distance as if trying to figure out if it was worth taking a shot.

"There are fiends moving through the streets in small groups that we simply don't have the manpower to deal with. Once Alnei gets here if you could help take care of those then it would be a great help. Go to the bottom of this tower and head south-" She points in the opposite direction to the church. "-into the slums towards the southern square, which is where the common markets are normally held in Feid."

Unless there were other questions for her, Niafem would jump off of the twoer, flying down to meet up with soldiers defending the church, throwing out a few bolts of lightning on her way down before flying through one of the windows.

Fortunately they didn't need to wait for long, as less than a minute later the nearby shadows lengthened and grew, growing into a large 'bubble' which then retracted, leaving over a dozen people standing with them in the tower. Morgan recognised Alnei, Nualae, Caelan, Sionn, Ksenia and Aife among the Trueforged, as well as the faces of most of the rest rom when he had helped transfer Alnei's consciousness. There was also another familiar face for the wizard in the shape of a short Drow woman wearing mismatched clothes and tools. So it seemed that Zilira had been able to find Humility and bring her along too. More surprisingly though, Didina had also tagged along, immediately wrinkling her nose at the sight that greeted her.

Alnei smiled at Morgan. "Well, fancy seeing you near trouble, Morgan." He glances to Eloise. "And you haven't learnt any better either I see miss Watson." And then Rhys. "Nor you it would seem." He looks at the monstrously large metal bow curiously. "Is that bow big enough do you think?"

Nualae rolls her eyes. "Father, perhaps now not is not the time to catch up. Where do you need us?" Once Niafem's message was passed on the thirteen Trueforged, moved to join the fight with many of them doing as Niafem did and taking flight directly from the tower, Alnei and Nualae amongst them, before bombarding the Fiendish lines with various psionic attacks, from arcs of lightning to ectoplasmic constructs not unlike those of one of Zera's suspected Godlings.

That leaves Morgan, Nallaul, Rhys, Eloise, Humility and Didina on the tower, with the Halvan soldier giving a curt nod to Humility, remembering what Morgan had told him about how the Children introduced themselves. "Rhys Emlyn of the Halvan Rogue Legion, nice to meet you." And once any other introductions were made he turned his attention to the south. "I don't suppose you've got a lot of flight spells prepared Morgan?"

~MTWC

[Acathala]

Nallaul looks at Humility with slight curiosity, and introduces himself. "I'm called Nallaul, of House........ Well that doesn't matter now since the member list has been severely decimated, with the help of that bastard wael up there." On hearing Rhys speak, he takes a look down to the street below. Climbing is a personal hobby of his, even before becoming an Arachnomancer. The tower doesn't look particularly hard to climb. "Looks like a fairly easy climb without magic, Though of course very exposed if our orherworldly chums decide to flyby murder you. Whilst I could certainly fly down that's personal magic limited to me."