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 the Sisters' Chronicles OOC 
 The Sisters' Chronicles 
 The Sisters' Chronicles Thread 2: Nobody Likes Abadaius 
 


 
 Originally Posted by Xihirli 
  "Hmm... my teacher was an illusionist who could make illusions so real that you could swim in them. I wonder if Serendipity knows any illusionists who could make the battlefield, or part of it, be underwater,"  Alifa muttered.  "Thank you. That's good information to pass along." 

 

 "Alright, let's start up by reviving him. Look for the graveyard... and don't let Britta know! I want it to be a surprise!"  Boots tried to remember where they'd buried Gary, if she even ever knew. 
 

"Given you're the reason I have a home again... Thank  you "

The next day (because they had been up for a long time, at least Kat was too beat to keep going) they made their way to the Dread Swamps Pleia ruled over.
Alifa could feel every fey staring at her with a murmur as she passed through the swamp. It was the first time they revealed themselves without being hostile- Pleia's swamps were home to feys that looked like dead trees given humanoid form, and staring at them long enough made the onlooker painfully aware that those things stacked inside their hollow bodies were  skulls . Others instead emerged by the swamps, looking like great frogs or mass of algaes with large, unblinking eyes- some emerged atop a mount that looked like a horse... If you didn't stare hard enough. If you did, it'd start decomposing until it looked like a putrescent corpse of a horse with algae instead of hair.

Kat squeezed Alifa's hand, a little unsettled. Possibly more then a little.

They made their way to the colossal skull that worked as entrance to Pleia's sanctuary. It was closed.

 
Boots didn't remember, but Ethrindae knew where the graveyard was so she started leading her there.
 "Thinking about it, maybe I know where Xvkhimeras and the others went. We did talk about getting the human and dragonborn kingdoms in on the alliance" 

When they found the graveyard, they spotted a squad of black-armored knights talking to the (presumably) gravekeeper. One of them held Serendipity's banner.
Xihirli
Alifa extended her wings and shrouded herself in shadow, flying nearer.
  "I am Alifa, the Abyss Scar. I bear a message for Queen Pleia, and a parcel as part of her standard relationship with Graax, Protector of Sages and Knowledge."  

 

 "Hey, everyone."  Boots waved to everyone.  "Serendipity's guys getting permission to grave-dig, huh? I had the same idea... there is a recent death: Gary. I'm going to bring him back to life. Can you direct me to his plot?"  She asked the gravekeeper.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Persuasion?
She will Guidance herself before going up to them.
 (1d20+11)[ 16 ] 
 
Valmark
There was silence for a brief time.

Then the skulls hanging from every tree started shaking, then  laughing . And slowly, the earth trumbled ad Alifa saw the grand skull open for the second time- emerging from the darkness, Pleia, the Cannibal Queen, walked out with her twin whips and little else.

She looked up and down Alifa- it may have been the first time that someone who didn't really know her looked at Alifa with complete, sincere respect. Pleia held her gaze like she'd do an equal.
  "You've changed... Abyss Scar"   she said, her voice like crawling worms in Alifa's ears- Kat actually rubbed her ears   "And I mean that in the best of ways. Last time I met you and your sister, you didn't look like much more then half-cooked food. What're you bringing from Graax?"   she asked, seemingly uninterested in the message.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Half-cooked because they were just half-breeds before the Bloodlust stab.

Or whatever is the percentage of fey blood in an half-elf/nymph bloodline.
 


 
"Bringing him back to life!? Oh yeah!" the gravekeeper exclaimed happily "Finally somebody who doesn't want to desecrate the corpses!"

"It's either your dead or your  living  who'll suffer" the graveguard (for that was the name) that was leading the group growled out.

"Whatever, whatever. Here" the gravekeeper led Boots to a section of the graveyard that was kept isolated- all the tombs looked a LOT sturdier and heavier. It was not hard to spot Gary's- someone had left fresh flowers recently.
"A lovely young lass always comes around to bring flowers for this guy"

 "People who contracted the corruption are tipically buried isolated"  Ethrindae told Boots  "In what we can only call fortificated tombs. As an extra precaution" 
Xihirli
 "I have changed,"  Alifa said, standing resolute.  "My sister, as well. Both of us have awakened our latent power." 
Alifa pulled from her Portable Hole his staff.  "It was damaged in a battle against an Ally of Abadaius... He'll deliver your usual fee upon completion of the repair." 
 "Queen Krinna is also requesting the rights to farm energy from the swamps she used to live within." 

 

 "She's who I'm doing this for,"  Boots confirmed.  "Eth, have you got Move Earth?"  Boots started trying to get the tomb open.
 "Why are you asking random towns to use their dead? I refuse to believe the world's running out of  corpses ,"  Clephesia asked the graveguard.
Valmark
Alifa noticed that Broken Trust was glowing when she opened the Portable Hole.

Pleia dashed the moment she saw Graax's staff, inspecting it up close- then she turned around.
  "For him to give her to you... That's quite something. He's very protective of Jerribeth. Did he say when exactly he'll be free?"   she asked, starting to walk back in. Then she stopped and motioned to them to follow, waiting to see if the two complied.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
He said one quickling's time. Which means two weeks.
 

  "Oh, and tell Krinna she can send someone to take it from me, already harvested. Just not have her subjects dig into my land- their wings aren't even good munchies"  

 
 "I have burrowing animals"  she said, turning into a sleek-looking badger with shiny fur. She started digging up the earth around the tomb.

"Is it surprising the land of undeads would have a shortage of deads?" the graveguard lifted his helmet- the smile of a ghoul, a high functioning zombie with a paralizing bite, greeted her "Besides, this is not a random city. This is near the frontline- corpses from here can be repurposed fairly fast"
Xihirli
 "One Quickling's time from... two days ago,"  Alifa answered.  "Jerribeth... was she once a person? And... was Graax ever anything other than a demon?" 
She nodded at the Krinna information.  "And you won't eat them if they come to collect it?" 

 

 "The frontline?"  Boots asked as Ethrindae seemed to have the digging handled.  "This is where the fight against the Darklings will happen?" 
Valmark
  "So he hadn't told you anything?"   Pleia shrugged   "Whatever, you're not gonna go sell his daughter to Benoth. And yes, the staff's a demon"   she sighed.

  "Graax did the error of trying to be both good and a demon ruler- in a world where being good and a demon is already harsh"   she opened her palm, and conjured an illusion of a nice little field full of green. A young Graax was there with what looked like a flower crown, and a young demoness with a lanky body and a tiny beak was playing around   "And paid the price when Benoth destroyed his domain. Graax turned his daughter into an enchanted item to contain her soul and spare her from getting annihilated alongside everything else. The fact that he entrusted Jerribeth to you is... I don't think there's anybody else but me and you who've had the honor"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Remember when Graax said 'Yeah, me too' when Boots lamented that she didn't think being a hero would be like that?

Also in case you were wondering Pleia's speaking in Sylvan and Kat doesn't know it so she's staying silent.
 


 
The graveguard laughed.

"There's always fighting" he gestured towards the Zone "Day and night, we make sure no darkling can get out -or at least as little as possible- or we'd have been all corrupted or killed since long ago- you must have seen the fortifications around the Zone if you ever passed close enough. We and all the living volunteers" the ghoul stated "But it has always been a defending game. Now, we're preparing an  attack "

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Boots would be vaguely familiar with this- she saw from afar military fortifications around the Zone, including (mostly, in fact) banners of paladin orders since paladins in general are so important against darklings.

There wasn't time to actually check it out though.
 
Xihirli
 "Now he has nobody else,"  Alifa realized.  "No weaknesses. Nobody to hurt to get to him."  She pulled Kat in closer to her shadowy form.  "But then... not many reasons to keep trying, either." 

 

 "Okay. Look, we're waiting for someone here. I'll help out on the front lines tomorrow if you leave these dead alone,"  Boots offered.  "I promise you that a few hours with me up there is more valuable than all the bodies you could take from these people. But first I have to see to Gary."  She reached down to get the body, since she wouldn't be infected by it.
 "Come, Gary. It's time for you to watch the sunrise." 
Valmark
  "Well... She does feel pain. She's sentient in there"   Pleia said   "Anyway, the Krith-i-Kâ make for terrible food, barely worth munching on their wings. Won't eat them. Well, since I don't want my potions to burn or my scrolls to dry before I'm done making them, either follow me in or hand Jerribeth over"  

Kat didn't know what was happening, but when Alifa held her close Kathleyîënis kissed her cheek, just in case Alifa needed one.

 
"Because we will trust someone who's only there to protect the dead" The ghoul went back to bickering with the gravekeeper.

Gary's corpse was... Mostly how they left it, with mutations as well. Boots couldn't feel any corruption, so it was probably safe to handle.
Xihirli
Alifa simply handed Jerribeth over.
 "Great Queen, I would be delighted to see your workshop, but I'm afraid I'm in something of a rush. We have the devils to recruit, then possibly a forgotten race of ice giants." 
In fact, while she thought of it, she fired off a sending toward Taddeus.   Myself, my companions are on our way to see your Queen to begin recruitment of the devils; bring her news. Teleportation Circle Sigil Sequence please?  

 

 "I'm going to need an hour with him."  Boots picked him up.  "Ethrindae, can you make your little hidey place while I find somewhere out of the way?"  She picked up some flowers and went over to a place with a strong tree.
Then she got out the diamond dust Alifa had given her and coated his body in it.
 "By order of Clephesia Elevenyenn, Scion Unseelie, Blood of Tanaquill, The Light Against the Corruption... get up and walk!" 
The diamonds started glowing, each fragment a different color of the rainbow until Gary's body was a shimmering beacon of prismatic light. As time passed, the glow became brighter and brighter... then  weaker  as the light was drained into Gary, revitalizing him, sparking his heart, moving his blood through his body, filling his lungs with air, bringing life back to the lifeless.
 "Kindle the Light! Through my will, I will help those around me keep from despair and death.
Shelter the Light! Hold back the wickedness and corruption that seeks to darken the world, and stand resolute against the forces what would destroy life.
Preserve My Light! I am a beacon to the rest of the world, and I must remain lit! Do not fall into despair, see the good, the beautiful, and the kindness everywhere I go."
Be the Light!"  Her wings came out, glowing brightly as the diamond dust shattered into the wind, leaving behind Gary, color filling his cheeks at last.
 "Let the light of my heart shine out to the rest of the world!" 
Valmark
Pleia went back in with the staff, skull closing behind her.

  I, Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, regretfully tells you to uncover some long lost ruin if you hope to find any teleportation circle.  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Reminder that nobody uses teleportation circles to make sure no darkling can teleport in and spread the corruption.
 


 
Ethrindae turned back to normal, following Boots to make the little hidey place.

There was a silent moment where it didn't look like Gary was alive.
Then he patted his body. His face.
He gasped.
"Britta... I'm... Water..."

Ethrindae hurried with a flask, helping him sip.
 "Let's assume you didn't mean you're water" 

When his throat wasn't quite as parched, Gary managed to let out a couple words.
"I'm... Alive?"
Xihirli
Alifa nodded.  "Alright, let's get to a crossing then. It'll be faster to walk across Faerie to the nearest crossing to the town than plane shift there and not know where we're going. What's your plane called again, Kat? The planet you grew up on."  Alifa held her hand and started leading them out of the swamp toward Lucilla's lands.


 

 "I promised you, didn't I?"  Boots asked, laying a hand on him to stop any further spread of the corruption.  "We're going to stay with you tonight, and remove the corruption from your body in the morning. Then we'll take you to Britta, okay?" 
She looked down at her armor, churning with volcanic rock, and the sea washed over it, cooling the armor of magma down to rock and rich, black soil. Eons passed on her armor in seconds until fresh forests grew from the fertile earth, one of the trees on her stomach sprouting into ten berries.
She offered one to Ethrindae and one to Gary.
 "Here, eat this. How do you feel?" 
Valmark
 "Alandria"  Kat said, humming  "I don't mind a walk. Though it may take a long time if you consider that on horses it'd be about three days" 

 
Gary gulped the berry, looking down at his body.
"Like I just ate a nice, little soup" he said, inspecting himself "Am I really still ill? Though I do feel very weak"

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Resurrection would have removed the corruption already. Well, at least in him since his soul was cleansed of it- if he had remained corrupted then you'd not be able to do anything for him.
 
Xihirli
 "Oh my,"  Alifa said, and took out the jar of spellcraft ink she'd gotten from Nasa's domain.  "Think we could shave off a day or two by teleporting to Nasa's Domain first?" 

 

Boots made sure with Divine Sense, then smiled wide.
 
 Spoiler 
Assuming he is actually completely cleansed...
 

 "You're not ill. Here, climb on Tilly's back, let's go to Britta's."  Boots helped him onto Tilly's back.
 "Maybe we should get you a saddle, girl,"  she whispered to her pegasus. And to Britta's family home she led them.
Valmark
Kat shook her head.

 "There's not that much difference, and I can't swim fast"  she said.

 
 "I believe if you had a saddle for everytime you said that we'd have at least three of them"  Ethrindae mentioned.

The home was how they remembered it, though there was no smithy under it any longer- comprehensible, since there were two smiths of whom one had been dead and the other was a refugee in the Feywild.

"I'd like to knock myself" Gary stated, trying to push himself off of Tilly "Uh... Maybe an help?"
Xihirli
Alifa nodded and sat down.  "In that case, let's get some mounts."  And out of swamp air and shadow she weaved together twin ravens of darkness, long spears through their wings making them unable to fly, instead using them like forelegs. She flew onto the back of one.
 "Alright, this should speed us up." 

 

 "We'd need three saddles, I change Tilly's shape so often!" 
  I wanted to introduce him, it would have been a fun moment,   Boots thought. But she helped him down.
Valmark
 "This may be the first Steed that looks in pain instead of looking like it wants to cause pain"  Kat said, mounting up.

Thanks to the abnormally fast Steeds it took about half the time to get to the Crossing then it took from Fiamma's volcano to Pleia's abode, rest nothwithstanding. They passed the deer druid which waved to both of them.

Outside the forest they found a pile of corpses with a few symbols of Abadaius remaining to identify them.
Someone had scarred and damaged those corpses beyond repair.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
I think Alifa and Kat will fade to black a bit as they catch up to Boots and Eth. Phantom Steeds aren't THAT much faster then pegasi so they'd be at least a day behind.
 


 
Gary stood shakily in front of the door, supported by Boots.
He knocked. There was a long silence.

Then someone opened the door.
Britta had clearly passed better times- she had bags under her eyes, her hair was messy, and her eyes looked like she still spent her time crying.
Homewever, right now her mouth was open in a "0" of surprise, and her eyes went from Gary to Boots, then back again, seemingly not understanding what was happening.

"Hey... I'm home"
"Is it... Really you?" she looked at Boots, searching confirmation this wasn't about to turn into an ugly joke.
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Got it. Alifa and Kat are gonna be too R-rated to look at for a whole day.
 

 "Britta, this is Gary. I brought him back to life."  She put a hand on her shoulder.  "Well? He's here. Hold him again like you've been dreaming of doing." 
 
 Spoiler: SPELL 
Also, Lesser Restoration on Britta.
 
Valmark
When Boots got to 'Gary' Britta had all the confirmation she needed- suddenly she had thrown her arms around her fiancé, with enough strenght to cause Gary to wobble backwards- but Britta supported him, with her arms and a kiss. At about that time the two seemed to  truly  understand that they were alive. Together. Again. Tears started streaming down their cheeks- Gary's first tears in a long time, but only the latest batch of tears for Britta.

But for both of them, those were the first tears of  joy .

"Sorry... Missed the wedding" Gary chuckled, and Britta slapped his arm light-heartedly.
"Well, I'm sure we can organize another one"

Ethrindae chuckled.
 "The world accepted you as its hero in this very town"  she whispered to Clephesia to not disturb the two sweethearts  "I'm sure it is immensely proud of that choice" 
Xihirli
Boots smiled at them and backed away, leaving them to each other.  "You know what else happened in this very town?"  And she started leading Tilly and Ethrindae to the same inn that had kept the circus before.
 "I wonder if they have our old room available." 
Valmark
 "Yeah, you said goodbye to me in here"  Ethrindae chuckled letting herself be pulled along  "Oh, maybe you mean when you chased someone across rooftops by yourself? Or when me and your sister launched ourselves on a daring ride on a giant elk across the streets?" 

The tavern was easy to find- though the local barman had no recollection of Boots, he did know Ethrindae. It just so happened the room was free.
Xihirli
Boots tossed a platinum on the desk and picked up Ethrindae, flying her to the room where they'd first... become a couple.
Valmark
The night before reaching the city Kat and Alifa camped around a little fire Kathleyîënis made. Peter and Hootie were playing around next to them, and Kat had gotten out Morkart's simulacrum's spellbook- the fully empty one, where she had been scribbling a copy of one of Alifa's spells.

 "I know I can do this"  she hissed out  "I've studied your movements fron breathing to fingers a lot more that I can admit without blushing"  and she reddened  "It's just... Rrgh!"  she groaned when her quill slid sideways, making one of the sentences for Identify completely useless.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
By the way, should she get Ritual Caster (Wizard)?
 


 
Ethrindae  insisted  they took a couple strolls out during the day, like a date, but otherwise was pretty happy with Boots' program.
Xihirli
 "Come here."  Alifa cuddled up against her and opened up her book of shadows to Identify.
 "Forget how  I  do it for a second, Kat. How would  you  do it? What does it mean to  you  to know what something is, inside and out? Write  that  into being, magic is different for everyone. That's why a wizard can't just pick up a spellbook from anyone, they need to devote time and practice to copying it down in the way  they  understand it." 
Valmark
Kat listened to the words, and looked at her own work thoughtfully for a little. Then she scrapped the page and started from the beginning.

Over the next couple hours, Kat was hard at work putting down her spell- less importantly then the words, it was the circular patterns she was making. But it seemed to work for her.

She also started a scribble of Alifa in a corner of the page but then shook her head to concentrate back on her work.

By the end of it, Kat looked over her first completed successfull spell.
 "It sounds silly but... Uh... I thought that the feeling of wanting to know everything about you would be close enough to what you said. Just needed to turn it into written words" 
Xihirli
Alifa smiled.  "Looks like it worked… and that’s very sweet. If you still have any questions, anything you want to know about me, I’ll answer. I promise, no secrets from you." 
Alifa read over Kat’s spell, admiring the artistry.
Valmark
It did seem like a fairly good Identify spell. Not great for application as an actual spell, but it was meant to be a ritual.

Kat cuddled up and kissed Alifa's neck.
 "I'm good, for now. I know enough for you to be my home in this world" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
If there's nothing else Alifa and Boots are gonna meet up again next!
 
Xihirli
Alifa blushed hard and kissed Kat full on the lips.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Nope, ready!
 
Valmark
The next day, the two sisters found themselves at the inn- Alifa and Kat having just come in, Boots and Ethrindae having just come down. Mostly to Boots' displeasure.
Xihirli
 "Lif!"  Boots flew forward and hugged Alifa tight.  "I missed you so much!" 
Alifa kissed her on the cheek.
 "I missed you, too."  She got out her tuning fork.  "To Goenna’s plane? I hope Benjy is okay…" 
Valmark
 "Goenna wouldn't hurt him" 
 "Feys and gods notoriously don't get along... But she left a good impression on me. I believe he'll be fine" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
So, Plain Shift?
 
Xihirli
Alifa and Boots grabbed their respective partners and Alifa pulled them through the planes with her tuning fork, focused in on Goenna’s plane.
Valmark
They appeared inside her audience room, almost on top of the three angels busying themselves with something.

Benjy was there as well. He had an angel rubbing his tummy, one feeding him grapes, and one massaging his wings and back.
"Woe is me! Woe is me! You should massage a little lower to make me less miserable!" and an angel complied.

Goenna was there as well, looking half-entertained and half-pyting (homewever it's written when you feel piety towards someone) the angels that completely believed the little noir fey's act.
  "Welcome back. Everything alright?"  
Xihirli
 "Yes, it went very well. We’re just here to pick up Benjy." 
 "And, O Goddess, to ask your help. We wish to petition the gods to provide any aid possible in our offensive on the darklings. The fey and undead under Serendipity are already preparing, and I am confident that we can involve the fiends on our side as well. Everyone loses if all mortals are overcome by the Darkrot, gods included. Anything the gods can do to help, we would appeal to them to do it." 
Valmark
Kathleyîënis opened her mouth a few times when the fact that she was in front of her idol goddess was registered properly in her brain.
  "I'm happy to meet you too, Kat. My savior as well"  
Kat swooned.

  "Anyway, I'm... Sorry, but us gods can't interfere... Not that we don't want to. But we've set up laws to make sure none of us starts a war with the others"   Goenna apologized   "And given that in the last dark war the gods that broke those rules were promply backstabbed by their own, I don't think any of us should join. Expect maybe Tooru"  
 "I've red that he was one of those who joined the precedent war" 
  "Yes. He can't stay dead, because the violence required to kill him fuels him to new life, but he can be killed. I've... Tried to get him on my side, but all he said is that he'll fight when he sees a war that's exciting enough"  

"All healed!" Benjy declared and flew to Alifa, licking her face.
Xihirli
 "We’re not asking that the gods fight directly,"  Boots said.
 "Necessarily." 
 "But the gods have clerics, paladins, followers, surely? That they could direct to join the battle without violating their noninterference pact." 
 "There is much they could do without breaking their oaths. That’s all we ask." 
Valmark
  "Oh, that's not an issue. If you happen to visit the Zone you'll see what's probably the majority of most gods' followers- and then some more. It's incredible how easily followers of opposing faiths work together if need be- except the racial gods' ones, they hate working with one another. The gods, not the followers"  
 "When you take an entire population's worth of pride and turn it up to eleven, the outcome thinks a little too highly of itself" 
  "Them. We aren't things"  
 "Ah! Sorry" 

Ethrindae strode forward and bowed.
 "Speaking of which, I wish to offer my services as your cleric" 

Silence filled the hall.
Goenna looked befuddled.
  "You're a servant of the fey"  
 "Yes, but I'm not a fey. And even then, the Monarchs and Faerie may have forgiven me but the majority of the fey population still hates me anyway- and so do my own people. Another stain on my name won't really change this" 
  "You've never even prayed to me"  
 "I've not, but Kathleyîënis prays to you. She can instruct me on the ways of your priests- and my power as is is not nearly enough for the fights that I need to be prepared against" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
So, does Boots or Alifa have anything to say in favor or against Ethrindae multiclassing cleric?
 
Xihirli
 "Ethrindae Elevenyenn is the most faithful, wise, beautiful, enchanting, commanding, kind, powerful,  dextrous , gorgeous…"  Boots hugged Eth from behind and started kissing her neck.

 "She would be a fine example. Her deeds would reflect well on you and your church,"  Alifa added.
Valmark
 "Boots, I thank you but let's keep the kissing for later?"  Ethrindae said with a little blush, trying to rein in her wife while they were in front of all those people.

Goenna chuckled in front of all that.
  "Ah... Very well. Faithful, wise and kind are traits I welcome in my clerics"   she said, ignoring all the stuff about beauty and else. Goenna stood up, a little grey pearl and a little black one on the tip of her fingers   "And knowing your past, I know you can take hard choices when you need to"  
   "You... Know my past?"   
Goenna nodded.
  "It is easy for me to rebuild the life of those who caused a lot of pain, at least during the time they've been doing it"  

Ethrindae looked like someone who had been splashed with a bucket of cold water. She wasn't used to getting called out  that  hard.
  "Remember this feeling"   the goddess immediately added   "For this is the path you're picking. My clerics are called to those who lost their loved ones- you will see crying people, and you will see the corpses of old and young alike. This is not for the faint of heart, and is not for those with a cold heart. Protect the people's hearts, be the closure they seek, but remember to protect your heart"   she advanced up to the still kneeling Ethrindae.
  "Do you accept, knowing this?"  

Ethrindae took a deep breath.
 "Yes"  she said.
 "I found the strenght to get past my pain. I will ensure no one else has to go through that as well in my presence" 

Goenna's face softened and she let the grey bead fall on Ethrindae's head, the black one disappearing.
  "Rise, Ethrindae Elevenyenn. Rise, Lady of the Graves"  

And Ethrindae stood up, standing straight in front of the goddess- the grey bead rolled down, until her chest were it sunk in. There was a wind current that blew Ethrindae's hair, then she turned back to Boots and smiled.
 "It's... Done" 
Xihirli
 "Our grandmother was goddess of the crossroads between life and death,"  Alifa added.

Boots put her hands on her wife’s face and gave her a somber smile.
 "You’ve picked up a heavy burden, but you won’t bear it alone… you lost the right to your own burdens when we married."  Boots kissed her gently.
 "I love you, Ethrindae Elevenyenn… through my will and light, I will help you in this as I will in all things…you have seen your share of death, and will see more, and I will stick with you to ensure that you are there to see the Darkrot itself die." 
 "Her tears made a land of beauty and light, but it was also a land of darkness and decay… but that land was also beautiful, even if cold. I see in you the same beauty, not the unmarred beauty of a newborn babe who has known nothing but the warmth and safety of the womb but the dark, prevailing beauty of a widow holding her daughter at her husband’s funeral, strong under her veil of tears. A beauty of heart as well… this world, and your place in it, are worth saving, and I am honored to work with a goddess with the strength of will and beauty of heart that you display."  She gave Benjy a hug and put him on her shoulder.
 "Could you direct us to a crossing, milady? I hope to meet with your High Priestess today." 
Valmark
Ethrindae kissed Boots.
 "Thank you... Both of you" 

Goenna went back to her seat.
  "That'll be hard, she went lost in the Zone a few days back"   she stated   "While the avatar with my consciousness had been kidnapped. I can't find her in there- I can't fathom why she'd enter it, but I have to face the fact that she may be dead if we're lucky"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
If you meant Serendipity she's Amiria's HP.
 
Xihirli
 "That might be a thing to discuss with Serendipity,"  Boots said.
 "That does sound like the sort of thing we go fix,"  Alifa agreed.  "But we should rendezvous with Serendipity. I must again ask where we might find a crossing over to Alandria." 
Valmark
  "Well... Maybe ask her"   Goenna proposed   "Or any other powerful being that could fetch you. Alternatively, I can take you to the Divine Peak"  
Xihirli
 "We would greatly appreciate going to the Divine Peak. We could teleport to her from there." 
Valmark
  "Just remember, there's a chance you end up in the Zone if you don't have an object of the place"   Goenna reminded them as they linked hands.

And then they stood on the balcony that overlooked the maelstrom of souls that marked Goenna's little piece of Divine Peak. It was easier to recognize it by the fact that Goenna became phisically shorter and lost her grey aura of depression.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Btw the depressing effect is still around, it's just that there's not really anything it would impact so I haven't asked for saves.

Also Eth's immune now.
 
Xihirli
 "Kat has a dagger and bow that were made in one of the Undead Lords’ lands. I will bring us there, and we will connect to Serendipity from that location,"  Alifa assured Goenna.
 "Thank you for the warning." 

They linked hands.
Valmark
Goenna waved them off.
  "Safe travels"  

And as they flew aboard dark wings, the group reappeared in Dethera's laboratory- the necromancer was fast asleep at her workdesk, and started groaning when she heard some of the undeads moan and gurgle furiously- the group had appeared right in the middle of the chain working, undeads working together to assemble what seemed to be a monstrously humongous skeleton of a four-legged beast.
Xihirli
Boots extended her wings and flew up a bit, showing off.
 "Hi, Dethera! This is my wife, Ethrindae Elevenyenn." 
 "We hoped to speak to Serendipity at her next convenience. What are you making there?" 
Valmark
Dethera was barraged with questions before she even realized she hae guests, making her jump on like a scared cat.

"I... Uh... We are going to talk about home invasions next time!" She hissed, but was otherwise calm.
"Hi there" she winked at Boots and Ethrindae "Keep that one close" Dethera told the latter.
"And also  wow  I was about ten percent worried the dagger would just horribly murder you but seems like it worked"

Ethrindae frowned.
 "Enchanted to meet you" 

"Likewise. And we could take a trip to the capital. And also!" Dethera suddenly looked excited and run to her creation, patting it and looking at Boots.
"Well? Feel any corruption?"

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
If she focuses, there's a bit.
 
Xihirli
 "Yes,"  Boots said.  "Is that... good?" 
Valmark
"Awwww. Is it a lot?" Dethera annoyedly told the undeads to start taking specific bones of.

"I was trying to make a skeleton mixing in paladin bones in the hope that it would create a construct capable of making others immune to corruption but uh... Seems like it needs more work if you can still feel the corruption in it. Gotta at least double check the darkling body parts and soak them in more paladin blood. Maybe call a couple clerics in"
Xihirli
 "...Right. Me and Alifa should probably head to the capital,"  Boots said, giving Eth a side-hug to try and keep her from getting too queasy.
 "Big day's coming up." 
Valmark
"Taddeus should be outside, you can ask him for a chaperon. Shouldn't go around on your own. By the way, if you die I call dibs on your corpse Boots! Need more bones!"

Ethrindae scowled.
 "We should get moving" 

"Uff. Isn't it 'until death does you part' or something like that?" Dethera pouted.
"You can ask that skeleton to guide you around" she singled out a skeletal soldier, otherwise unremarkable.
Xihirli
 "You don’t know our vows!"  Boots shouted coyly as they went.
Alifa asked the skeleton to lead them to Tad and they followed behind.
Valmark
Taddeus was outside, overlooking... Nothing. Nothing whatsoever was in front of him, despite him staring ahead with a satisfied face.

Then he sniffed the air and turned right to the party.
 "I don't know how you're coming out of my castle but I, Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, extends his hospitality! Doesn't your blood smell stunning? It absolutely does!"  he waved at the group  "Almost makes me feel alive again! At least yours, Clephesia" 

The vampire with the giant hat didn't seem keen on talking about Alifa's. Or Ethrindae's and Kat's, for the matter.

 "Why, this mademoiselle is quite new, isn't she?"  he bowed deeply in greeting to Ethrindae, who looked conflicted. It was hard to take Taddeus seriously for her.
Xihirli
Boots bowed back, extending her wings.
 "All thanks to Dethera." 
 "We’re going to the capitol to meet with Serendipity, expand her recruitment efforts. We thought you might escort us." 
Valmark
 "Yeah... Probably for the best. Most won't know you enough to not dislike Clephesia"  Taddeus whistled, and his undead horse mount came trotting followed by a zombie trying to saddle it. When it finally stopped, the zombie finally managed to complete its task.

 "Assuming you can keep the pace, it's not far"  Taddeus climbed up  "We should get there by nightfall. You'll get to see our beloved city in all its splendor! I assure you, Deathknell is truly a place of beauty" 

He seemed genuely excited to show the group the Deathlands' capital.
Xihirli
Alifa started weaving twin Phantom Steeds, which seemed to be permanently the ravens now.
 "Give me twenty minutes." 

Boots got herself and Eth on Tilly.
 "We have basically three factions to talk to Serendipity about as possible allies." 
 "Four,"  Alifa corrected.
 "The demon rebels." 
Valmark
 "Demon rebels as allies. You don't hear that every day" 
 "It's not so weird. Demon society has rebellion as kind of a core concept" 
 "But they also have the concept of obeying the strongest as part of their society. For there to be  rebels  it means there is a group of demons that is actively going against everything they've been teached to do to survive"  Taddeus replied, the other nerd native to the universe present at the moment.

Twenty minutes later the undead horse, the pegasus and the two ravens rode out of the castle's walls with their five riders. The land was how it had always been- not too fertile, especially away from villages, but with the use of undeads as main working force working the fields was considerably easier.

It was night when they arrived in sight of Deathknell- and even from afar it was like a lighthouse for travelers. Despite the tall walls in what was presumably black stone the five could see from afar the lights of the city that kept it well lit even in the night, with lampposts along the roads and walls. And it seemed like life in the undead capital was in full swing in the night- as they got closer, loud voices crept up on their ears. Undeads and living mingled around, with various stalls and shops adorning the streets like it was a festival- although of course some stalls presented objects you'd never expect to find, like blood or bones.

There didn't seem to be any awkwardness between living creatures and not- at least until the group was at the gates.
Boots started attracting a lot of looks.
 "Apologies. Heavily armored warrior riding a fantastical creature has been not just once a font of trouble around these parts" 

Needless to say, the odor of undeath just saturated Boots' nose.
Xihirli
 "This is the biggest and best weapon against the darkrot... for now,"  Boots said.
Though she wasn't looking excited about it.

Alifa, of course, saw the whole place as basically what Malyanna was trying to build... a queendom built on the power of one powerful wizard.

 "Let's go in."  Alifa edged her raven with impaled wings closer, excited to see it.
Boots patted Tilly.  "It's alright, Tilly. We'll be out of here soon." 
Valmark
 It's scary but also kinda cool. 

With Taddeus speaking for them, the group was let in by the two graveguards at the door- heavily armored minotaur-looking creatures, with massive halberds in their hands.

When they entered, they were able to take a better look. There seemed to be a long line of stalls as far as the eye went, which sold clothes, food, equipment for adventuring including potions and scrolls, reagents, toys and so on. Shops were open at this hour- jewelry shops, clothing stores which seemed to be selling higher-end clothing compared to what was available in the main market, bakeries and so on- essentially, the city seemed to be fully open at night.

Which was probably the truth, as many undeads couldn't get around well during the sun. Speaking of which, them and the living mingled about just fine- there were shopkeepers of either kind of creature, and you could see them joke together and laugh. The non-sentient undeads nobody cared about as they kept doing their work, but there were many vampires, mummies, ghouls, ghosts and so on that enjoyed the nightly life.

There were no undead kids, perhaps luckily. At least none that looked undead.

A flameskull was making magic shows for the audience, making people laugh, and on another stage banshees sang people to tears.

Some people even waved to Taddeus.
 "I'm surprised that people aren't afraid of... You know..."  Ethrindae let the sentence trail as she looked at a vampire entering what looked like the equivalent of a brothel.
 "Well, there are laws in place. You're going to be much less scared of your neighbors if you know that they'll disappear forever if they do anything bad, and when the punishment for most foul crimes is being turned into a brainless soldier and your soul tortured... Well, the crime rate drops. Of course, this does mean we're in part ruled by fear and only undeads can do jobs that put them in positions of power"  Taddeus looked around fondly.

 "But it works well enough, as long as we have a ruler that doesn't condone abusing one's power" 

Kat looked thoughtful.
 "No living among the guards or nobles then?" 
 "Nope. The Lich Queen can enforce her control over all her undeads- she wouldn't be able to do the same with living beings, so they can't do anything of the kind. You can still be well-off"  he gestured towards a clothing store that sold long dresses with corsets and spider-y decorations. Its owner, a drider that looked healthy enough to probably be a living being, waved and blew a kiss at Taddeus, making him giggle.

 "We used to date. Before the whole vampirization-to-become-a-noble matter" 
Xihirli
 "Why should that stop you? She seems still up for it, you seem to like her."  Alifa shrugged.  "Heck, you own your own estate you could invite her to stay at. Are nobles forbidden from dating for some reason?" 
Boots held Ethrindae tight.
 "Every cell in my body feels personally insulted by this place,"  she whispered.
Valmark
 "Being undead is not conductive to relationships"  Taddeus said. He took a deep breath.

 "It is... Hard to talk to people while wondering wether what you feel is real or if you just remember what it's meant to be. Like what I just did. There's no point to me breathing in before a sentence if my lungs don't work"  his voice seemed mournful, but his face was completely neutral.

 "Which is why most of us don't"  the vampire gestured to all the various happy-looking undeads  "We simply try to not get too attached, lest we find out that after all that is not attachment and just habit. The only ones that can be sure they have feelings are ghosts and their kind, as most of them are born by the strenght of said feeling. Even if..."  he glanced at two banshees singing a duet.

  The bride walked to the hill
Flowers in her hair, her sister made a crown
White dress, it belonged to her mother

To marry her sweetheart
She walked up the hill
But nobody was there
She had been left alone

Crying, she turned back
And it was then she could see
Her lovely little home
Darkness descended over it

Monsters snatched family
Darkness crawling from within
Love turned to pain
Destroy, Devour, Darken

That's the darklings' creed
'Beware, beware the darkness'
The last warning of the bride
Before she jumped off the hill.
  
 "...it is hardly ever an happy one" 

Boots felt Ethrindae cling to her, her wife burying her face into Boots. But she could feel the tears.
Xihirli
Boots held her wife tight. Alifa pulled off to one side to purchase a pair of empty books.
 "I’m hoping to put my research assistant to work in Serendipity’s library while we’re busy with recruitment,"  she explained.

Neither of them tried to change Tad’s mind about love.
Valmark
 "Assistant researcher...?"  Kat looked around, then at Peter, then back at Alifa.
 "Me?" 

Peter started waving his legs indignantly at being discarded like that.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Any other shopping you wanna do?
 
Xihirli
 "No, neither of you,"  Alifa said. She started casting a spell coyly as they continued.

 "Oooh, she's being all mysterious. That means she has something cool to show off. Don't worry, these surprises rarely explode." 
Valmark
Peter teleported away moping.

 "Isn't one of her favorite tactics conjuring a swarm of exploding creatures?" 

After about twenty minutes (the city was big and they couldn't go fast without running people over) they came into view of Serendipity's mansion.

Compared to the rest of the city, her home gave an ominous feeling- while the city was made to be accomodating, the building the group stared at was spectral and completely devoid of light, and even with darkvision they could barely make out the outlines of the spiked walls. Atop the gates and the walls demonic-looking statues seemed to stare at the newcomers, and a raised bridge didn't make it possible to walk across- there was moat, the water in it moving lightly from unseen creatures lurking beneath.

Taddeus waved.
 "I, Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, bring renowned guests and friends of the Lich Queen! I beseech passage!" 

There was silence, then the bridge started lowering. On the other side, a man clad in black robes with long black hair and a villanious mustache advanced, flanked by four graveguards.

"Taddeus"
 "Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III"  Taddeus corrected him.
"Still hung up on that? It's been  years "
 "Why, you got any love for your maker?" 
The man frowned and turned to the group.

"My name's Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the II, but please just call me Parsimmon. Or Emerhet"
 "Should take more pride on your noble name" 
"Who are you? Reason for your visit?" Parsimmon pulled out a leather bound book, waiting for the replies. On it a list of names and stuff was written, and they could see him write down  Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, to annoy the gatekeeper probably. Also chaperoning some living. 
Xihirli
Clephesia brought Tilly forward.
 "Clephesia Elevenyenn, Scion Unseelie, Princess Heir to the Winter Court. Ethrindae Elevenyenn, Princess Consort to the Winter Court. Tilly of the Prismatic Wings, Royal Steed to Her Majesty Princess Clephesia. Alifa..." 
Clephesia paused a moment as Alifa, still casting her spell, sent her a telepathic message.
 "...The Abyss Scar, Princess to the Winter Court. Kathleyîënis. Serendipity knows us, we are allies against the Darkrot here to give her information and seek advice as to our next steps." 
Valmark
Parsimmon stared, and then wrote down  Clephesia Elevenyenn, Ethrindae Elevenyenn, Alifa, Kathleyîënis. To exchange military information with Her Majesty. 

"By all means follow me in a straight line. I will take no responsability if you stray off the path"
 "He's kidding, it's just a tactic to make sure people don't try to wander of" 

Either way, Parsimmon started heading away. Peter teleported back to Alifa's shoulder. He was still sulking.
Xihirli
Alifa snatched him up and gave him scritches and petsies while she cast and followed.
Boots brought Tilly up to ride next to Parsimmon.
 "So what was your life like back when you were alive?" 
Valmark
Peter felt loved again.

Taddeus briefly looked around, frowned, then shrugged and kept going.

"I was a son of merchants- naturally got instructed in the subjects that would let me take over the family business" Parsimmon said "So... Well off, I'd say. But not enough. When there was a trial for a work place in the Lich Queen's mansion of  course  I joined" he closed his book.

"There is no better purpose then to serve our undying Queen eternally and loyally, while my family enjoyes the prestige I as an undead bring them"

Ethrindae shrugged, now feeling better after the banshee's song.
 "I... Guess he's also doing it with his family in mind?" 
Xihirli
 "This whole country is weird as heck,"  Boots said to Ethrindae, not whispering.
 "But it’s also the best defense against the darkrot that’s cropped up." 

They rode on.
Valmark
"Most living beings are too petty to be able to work together" the vampire sighed "Unless you find a way to stuff their faces into the problem"

Neither of the two elves seemed willing or capable to contradict that.

The entrance was completely dark, but luckily basically all of the group could see in darkness. Except Tilly, so Boots had to carefully steer her through the place unless somebody turned on a light.

The walls were completely devoid of decoration- in fact, there didn't seem to be  anything  in that castle that was there without a practical purpose. No armors exposed, no carpets, no pictures, no nothing. It didn't look like a place creatures lived in.
Which perhaps was fitting.

"We do have stables for living mounts" the vampire told them "Otherwise no one will care if you bring your pets inside"

 I'm not a pet!  Tilly nigghied  And please, don't leave me alone in here. 
Xihirli
Boots caused her wings to glow (Light Cantrip) to shine the way.
Plus she wanted to lean into her "forest angel paladin" look as much as possible in this city to annoy Serendipity.

 "Tilly comes inside,"  Boots answered the vampire, petting her mane.  "So I can give her all the hugs she deserves." 

Clephesia's bizarre chanting continued... her veins were turning black.
Valmark
"Living" the vampire scoffed when Boots started pouring light on her surroundings.
"Is your friend fine?"

 "Yes, it's just a spell. I hope" 

"Uh. Well, alright then" and with that, trusting in the fact that Taddeus vouched for Alifa, he let the matter drop.

The absolute lack of decor followed them inside, where perhaps predictably undead servitors hurried along the corridors paying them no attention. The entrance opened on a large central room with a spacious staircase they went up, the Steeds and Tilly not particularly struggling with climbing stairs, and noticed that the second floor was an almost mirrored copy of the first. A large room, a big staircase that led up, various doors that led to other parts of the palace.

It was when they got to the third floor that they found themselves in the trone room. Well, it was more correct to call it an audience room- there was a long table with many chairs where people could sit, but no throne or really nothing else dedicated to the Lich Queen, or even to her vassals for that matter.

"She should have already been warned of you entering her castle, the Queen shall join us briefly. Anything I can help you with or get you?"

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Unless for some reason you'd like to postpone that, let's say Alifa can finish her spell before Serendipity comes to talk.
 

 Can we trust things here to be edible?  asked Tilly  Undeads can't have good taste, right? 
Xihirli
Boots passed Tilly a goodberry in answer.

  Could I possibly see the library?   Alifa asked with telepathy.   Even meet Serendipity there?  
 
 Spoiler 
I kinda want to release my monster in the library
 
Valmark
"Mmm..."
 "She's a fellow wizard, she wouldn't damage books"  Taddeus offered  "Same for Kathleyîënis" 

Kat just smiled, bronze faced.

"Very well. The two of you can follow Taddeus, then" Parsimmon sat at the table where he could keep an eye on Boots, Ethrindae and Tilly.

 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Assuming they go with Taddeus...
 


A short while later, on the same floor, Taddeus led them to the library.
 "This floor has pretty much everything the Lich Queen makes use of frequently. Including the library" 

This may have been the only part of the castle that was lit. Since darkvision was good to travel around but not great to see details, white fires hanged low from the ceiling within braizers- they cast an eerie glow, but otherwise worked well.

An old-looking mummy was putting a book in its place as they entered.
"Yyyyyyyeeeeesssss?" The mummy spoke slowly, dragging the words out in a gravely voice. Didn't seem to be doing it on purpose.
 "Aguelinda! Such a long time!"  the vampire swooped in and hugged the mummy carefully, before turning to Alifa and Kat.
 "She's kinda a grandmother to most undeads when they... Struggle with getting accustomed to their new nature" 
"Wwwweeeellllccccoooommmmmeeeee Ttttaaaaadddeeeeuuuusssss" the mummy slowly patted his head, barely reaching it.
"Aaaaaannnnnddddd wwwweeeellllccccoooommmmmeeeee tttttooooo yyyyyooooouuuu aaaaaallllllll.... Yyyyyyooooouuuu sssseeeeeemmmmm aaaaaallllliiiiivvvvveeeee"

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
I will stop writing it like that because it's annoying, but Miriam's gonna keep talking like that.

Basically sounds like an old person with slurred speech.
 
Xihirli
Alifa's jewel-covered dagger came out and cut into her hand. The blood came out thick and black and churning into a... creature? Of black ooze on the floor. Alifa bent down and pet it.
 "Everyone, say hello to Eddie... my homunculus. Blood of the Abyss Scar. And my research assistant."  She took out the journals she'd just bought.
 "While we're on our adventure, Eddie here is going to be researching the Darkrot, Serendipity's party, and the Emotion Primordials. As long as we're on the same plane of existence, I'll know what Eddie knows... in other words, I can be in two places at once."  She pet the goo being.
 "Want to say hello to Eddie, Kat?" 

 

Boots found a chair and pulled Ethrindae into her lap.  "What do you think our castle should look like?"  Boots asked.
Valmark
 I live  Eddie stated in Alifa's mind, and... Gurgled proudly? It couldn't do much more.
 And I'm eager to begin. 

Without hesitation, Kat reached out to pet Eddie- she giggled a little when her fingers poked through the goo.
 Hey that tickles! 

Taddeus gasped.
 "Marvelous spell. You grew in power and knowledge even more, did you not?" 
 "Though... Eddie might not be able to research the... 'Emotion Primordials'"  Kat said  "There's just no information about the Crimson Smile, and that's the only one that is even known" 

 
Ethrindae stroked the forest on Boots' armor.
 "I'm not sure... But I'd like it to be in some lush forest. Where we can live in peace with nature... Maybe a few villages, grown in accordance with druidic costumes?"  she proposed.
 "Not that I pretend you to be a vegetarian" 
Xihirli
 "The cult of Abadaius then,"  Alifa said.  "There's plenty of knowledge to be found, Eddie. But wait until we have permission from the mistress of this castle. Until then, let me explain to you everything I already know..."  and Alifa filled Eddie, and Kat, in on what Wrath had told her, and on Abadaius.


 

 "You bet we will. The Unseelie will love the change in venue... heck, between me and Verenestra, I bet we could unite the courts again and make a new capital somewhere on Aurora."  Boots kissed her.  "Why, are druids vegetarian? Lala isn't." 
Valmark
Alifa noticed that Taddeus was completely out of it, and even Kat struggled to focus and follow her words as she talked about what Wrath revealed to her.

Eddie just soaked everything in.

 
 Spoiler: Don't mind this 
 (1d20)[ 3 ] 
 


 
 "Most of us. It's just hard to eat creatures we've been caring for the day before- especially for those that can speak to them. Even if I don't tecnically take power from the nature of this world, I still respect that" 

Serendipity teleported into the room. She briefly looked at Boots, then shook her head.
   "Wrong sister"   

Then she walked away.

 
Serendipity barged into the library.
 "My liege"  Taddeus bowed, and so did Aguelinda.
  "Welcome, Alifa"   Serendipity said with a smile, ignoring the rest of the present people   "I trust your travels have been fruitful?"  
Xihirli
Boots frowned after her.  "We don't get along,"  she explained.  "Some of my aunts are vegetarian, but I guess I never thought about it. I think you're the only person I'm super close to who doesn't eat meat." 

 

Alifa bowed... shallowly, but there was a bow. She smiled and nodded at Eddie.  "They were indeed. I have brought my homunculus here, asking you permission to have him research while I am away. We have... a lot of information on potential allies."  She reached into the Portable Hole and pulled out the Ice Giant sword.  "What do you know about the frost giants?" 
Valmark
 "I believe you should observe your sister's next meal of choice more carefully"  Ethrindae chuckled shifting on Boots' lap.

  "Should we follow the Queen or...?"  

"If she hasn't expressed a desire to speak with you, I don't think so. But my job is only to make sure you don't break nor steal anything" Parsimmon stated.

 
   "Savages"    Serendipity said    "There are traces of a once great society of giants, but it's believed something happened and all those left went mad. At least those that I know of"    the Lich Queen mused    "I will be honest, I don't know much about giants as a whole, not just frost giants. It is my understanding that Fiamma employs some fire ones"   
Xihirli
 "What do you mean?"  Boots asked, referring to her statement about Alifa.


 

 "We recently fought with an ally of Abadaius who seems to have had a hand in betraying the Frost Giants' kingdom... and this sword might help us unite them again. I also learned of a demon uprising against Benoth... I believe we would recruit many demons if we overthrew the tyrant. Any factions I haven't mentioned, Kat?" 
Valmark
 "Your sister is a vegetarian"  Ethrindae stated explicitely  "She never eats meat and frowns when you talk about eating animals and similar" 

 
Kat shook her head.
  "This is great news"   Serendipity laced her fingers together in deep thought   "About the frost giants, not the demons. Do you know what's the sword supposed to do?"   she stated   "Sure, Benoth's a pretty famous demon lord that many would like dead, but that doesn't mean demons would give us their time. And devils and demons would never work together anyway- they hate each other's guts too much. Or do you know something I don't?"  
Xihirli
Boots looked stunned, straight ahead, not speaking. For a  good  few seconds.


 

Alifa explained.  "This is the sword of the winterlands. The blade was forged to be used by the chief of the ice giants, Rutgert. When Kana was taken over by the agent we were fighting, it was used to seal the entrance to the Winterlands. The Ice Giants lay there frozen, awaiting their hope... and no, I don't know anything you don't about the rebellion against Benoth... But I can introduce someone who might." 
And calling upon her armor, Alifa summoned a single Paladin.
Valmark
 "Did I say something I shouldn't have?"  Ethrindae asked perplexed. It didn't seem like a big deal to her.

Meanwhile Boots felt the presence of a Fiend somewhere.

 
In the library, Alifa's armor burst open- before it latched close again, a mounted knight burst forth and roughly landed on the ground, the wild mount trashing around.

The knight wore bronze looking armor, with an helmet that seemed to bleed from the holes at the top- it didn't protect his mouth, which presented rows upon rows of lethal teeth and a long, sharp tongue. He wielded two blades and rode atop a wolf-looking large white beast with a bone tail, a deer skull as a cranium with blood dripping from the forehead and demonic horns. The blood wrapped around the beast, trailing after it whenever it moved.

He then looked around.

"Captain Rikrerkoth" the knight dismounted speaking in Abyssal, and made a curt nod towards Alifa keeping his blades close to his chest "Leader of the Third Squad of the Freedom Fighters. This ain't a battlefield, correct?"

  "It is not"   Serendipity clapped her hands to attract his attention   "You're in the library of the Lich Queen. Have you heard about me?"  
"Uuuuuuhm..." He lifted his blades "Would it make you an enemy if I hadn't?"   "No"   "Then no, sorry. Knowledge of people outside of my plane isn't exactly important"

  "Then... What's this about a rebellion against Ben-"   "Now THAT I know of" the demon spit on the ground acid saliva, much to Serendipity's evident displeasure "Ever since the great Cykkkrimerix led us in the first uprising, we've been opposing Benoth- we are the voice of the weak, of the downtrodden, the rebellious souls that will forever fuel the fires of freedom!"
  "And... Would you care about helping  us ?"  
"Of course... As soon as we can call our Ring our home again" Rikrerkoth said "We don't have enough strenght to help others significantly right now"
Xihirli
 "I just thought she told me everything,"  Boots said quietly.


 

 "What if it meant fighting alongside devils?"  Alifa asked in Abyssal.  "We are looking for every ally we can get in a war to end the Darkrot… the corruption of souls seeking to sweep over every plane. I want to help you, but I don’t have the time to spare to run around fixing everything when that might not help our goal." 
Valmark
 "Maybe she thought you knew?"  Ethrindae suggested  "Or that you'd worry about your own food if you thought it would bother her?" 

 
The deer-wolf growled, and Rikrerkoth sheated a blade -sliding it into his leg, seemingly painless- and soothed it stroking its mane.
"Calm down, Beris. But you're right" he turned back to Alifa "It's their fault if we're even in this situation! Their fault our ancestral home was torn to pieces! No self-respecting demon would ever side with a devil- there is no such thing as an alliance with those monsters!"
  "The same thing devils say about demons"  
"Lies! There is no way our ancestors would have rebelled had it not been for a worthy cause!"
  "Yes, because all demons are staunch champions of freedom and peace"   Serendipity tried to not be too sarcastic.

Kathleyîënis picked a book and started reading, since she was understanding absolutely nothing of the conversation.
Xihirli
 "Yeah, maybe,"  Boots still looked disturbed.  "Would she hide bigger things from me, you think?" 

 

 "Alright. I'd like to help you, but if the devils are willing to aid us without me fighting a war for them I'm going to accept their aid instead,"  Alifa said flatly.  "We won't keep you anymore, you can return home." 
She let the demon go and looked to Serendipity.  "Where do you think me and Boots would be most useful? Going after the frost giants? Or recruiting the devils?" 
Valmark
 "I don't think so"  Ethrindae shook her head  "I wouldn't even say she was hiding it. Alifa never lied to you, did she?" 

 
  "It's not like the devils are going to do anything for free"   Serendipity noted   "That said, giants make their home here like we do. I'd rather trust them over any fiend, devil or demon"  
Xihirli
 "I don't think so,"  Boots said.  "How would I know?" 

 

 "Got it,"  Alifa said.  "Frost giants it is... then, if there's time, I'll see if we can't unseat Benoth and get some demon rebels on our side as well. The Winterlands... do you know them? The sword can open the path there, but only if a frost giant uses it." 
Valmark
 "You've been relying on each other to survive in this world for more then a month now. Only having one another at times"  Ethrindae insisted, latching her arms around Boots' neck  "She would have told you if there was something important you needed to know, don't you think?" 

 
  "I have a map in my study to show you"   Serendipity said, and turned to Kat   "You aren't coming"   then she proceeded to leave the library.

Kathleyîënis, who had no context, just looked at Alifa.
 "Should I be worried?" 
Xihirli
 "But what if I don't have to know... or she doesn't  think  I need to know?"  Boots asked.  "...I'm finding it very hard to stay upset when you hold me like that, though."  She kissed her wife on the lips.


 

 "I hope not. Stick next to Eddie, he'll tell me if something happens."  Alifa gave Kat a kiss good-bye and followed behind Serendipity.
 "To be clear, is it alright if Eddie researches in your library?" 
Valmark
 "Then when she comes back you'll ask her"  Ethrindae smiled at the kiss.

 "Maybe it was a little on purpose" 

There was a groaning sound as Parsimmon stood up, annoyed.
"I'm going to see if I can get somebody else to keep an eye on you. Or get permission to leave you be. I don't suggest going around on your own" the vampire stated before hurrying out of the room.

 
  "Who? Oh, the black pudding-looking homunculus?"   Serendipity asked   "Sure, if he doesn't ruin any book"  

Her study was on the opposite wing of the castle, on the same floor. She pulled out what looked like a fairly ordinary key, when they approached a door made of black obsidian.
  "I can't strongly enough suggest to never enter this room without first using the key"   Serendipity warned Alifa, turning the key into the door.

The room was as lit as the library, and was empty for the most part.
There was a chest in a corner, and a large desk choke full of neatly arranged documents- most of the floor was occupied by a magic circle of some kind, which Serendipity immediately told Alifa not to lay a feet on.

On the walls there were a blackboard with calculations regarding the damage of a massive explosion, and a world map. It displayed presumably the entirety of Alandria, and was clearly magical- it showed the current climate conditions of every place, and names hovered next to cities and villages and whatever else.

There were no Winterlands in there.
  "Uh. Weird"  
Xihirli
As soon as they were alone Boots reached her hands under Eth's armor and started kissing her with abandon.  "Mission accomplished." 

 

Alifa frowned and produced the sword, tapping it to the map.  "If they were cut off from the rest of the world, I can see why it wouldn't be in any maps... what are the properties of this map? Could we improve it somehow?" 
Valmark
While Boots and Ethrindae were otherwise occupied, Alifa and Serendipity tried to do actually plot-relevant stuff.

  "This map is based on what I found out during my travels"   Serendipity explained   "The clouds are based on my estimations since the last time I've been in each place, and so are names etcera. If something is missing it means I haven't found it"   she pointed at a specific spot where Figrikhariz's cave was mentioned, and so was Aragona's village. The mountain themselves homewever were unnamed. Abadaius' temples were absent as well.

  "We can add to it if needed"  
 
 Spoiler: Int check DC 10 
The sword mentioned one other place- the Ice Maws.
 
Xihirli
 "The Ice Maws... it should be near the Ice Maws."  Alifa scanned the map for the Ice Maws, focusing around mountains and glaciers.
Valmark
Starting from Deathknell, Serendipity plotted a path that went straight south through the mountains that naturally cutted the Inner Lands off from the Outer ones, in the completely opposite direction from Luckreach or Figrikhariz's mountains.

Her planned road went into the forests south of the Inner Lands, that devolved into sickly looking swamps where, according to the map, mostly kuo-toa lived, and then proceed into vast plains that turned to hills then mountains. Within that last mountainous territory there was a grand valley that looked like a frozen lake, where the name Ice Maws stood.
  "There. Not near, unfortunately"   Serendipity said   "They're called Ice Maws because the mountains close to the lake are really just ice pillars. I did wonder how it didn't melt despite not being  that  cold"  
Xihirli
 "Do you have an object associated with the area?"  Alifa asked.  "I can Teleport us there, if we can just make it safer... oh, that reminds me. Goenna's High Priestess has gone missing in the Void. Do you know why that might be? Or whether it would be possible to save her?" 
Valmark
  "What's the void meant to be?"   Serendipity asked   "And yes, I have a souvenir I recently bought from one of the kuo-toa villages"   she pointed to the swamps.

  "Can't make it closer, unfortunately"  
Xihirli
 "The Zone,"  Alifa corrected herself.  "And that’s a start. I’ll bring you back something from the Winterlands,"  she promised.
 "Might I have this souvenir?" 
Valmark
  "Then she's lost. We'll be killing her darkling next"   Serendipity said emotionlessly   "Luckily for us, when Goenna feels her power used against us she'll revoke them. And of course"   she started pulled drawers open- by the looks of it, she kept the more specific spell components in there.

After a little rummaging, she pulled out a pendant with a wooden triangle.
  "Here"  

 
"Sorry for" "The intrusion"

Ethrindae and Boots were interrupted by two twins- they couldn't have been older then eight years old. Long blue hair and red eyes, the two kids looked otherwise alive... Except for their hands. One's left and the other's right held each other, and had been stitched together in that position.

"Parsimmon" "Sent us"

They kept finishing each other's sentence, with a dazzling smile.
Xihirli
 "Thank you, Serendipity."  Answer took ahold of it.  "Is there anything else we should know before we go to the Winterlands?" 

 

Boots looked away from Ethrindae's face, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. She quickly got it back in her mouth.  "Oh... hello..."  she stopped what she was doing, cursing Parsimmon under her breath.
Valmark
  "Very cold. Wear heavy garments"   Serendipity said   "Bring fire, unless you fight an ice giant. Those tend to not be scared by it. Nor ice golems, those are just too cold for fire to work well. And beware the wind, as it usually carries ice snakes with it- you'd be better off trying to ward the cold winds off then fight them all, as it would be a useless drain on your magic"  

 
"You are" "Very pretty" "Like mommy" "Used to be"

The two twins sat by the table, one on the lap of the other. They smiled and just  staaaaaared . It was a lot creepier then Parsimmon huffing in a corner of the table, especially because they took the seat immediately next to Boots and Ethrindae.

Ethrindae just tried not to look at them.
Xihirli
Alifa nodded.  "Thank you, Serendipity."  She clasped her hand.  "Between you and us and all the allies we gather... hopefully by the end of the year there will never be another darkling."  And with the pendant in hand she headed back to collect Kat.


 

Boots, perhaps unwisely, asked a question.
 "Which one of us?" 
Valmark
Kat was still in the library, and seemed to be arguing animately with Eddie.

 "You can carry around a Bag of Holding, so you would move its dimensional space! You can't cover it in Glyphs!" 
Eddie wobbled and gurgled harshly.
 "You just can't! It would break! You'd have to leave it where it was!" 
Eddie drooped down, like a sad puddle.
 "I'm sorry. I'm sure the next idea you have will be brilliant" 
The goo homunculus bubbled a little.

 Welcome, Mistress. Your friend is very smart. Doesn't like being contradicted though. 

 
One twin pointed at Boots, while the other just gasped and covered her mouth like a kid that got caught saying a swear word.

"That was" "Unpolite" "We are" "Sorry"

Ethrindae stared for a few seconds, then just reached with her hand and meekly patted one of the twins' heads.
 "It's fine" 

The twins merely smiled at being comforted.

 On one side, I'm disgusted. On the other, these kids seem to need a hug  Tilly thought back to Boots.
Xihirli
  She's my girlfriend,   Alifa corrected, and gave Kat a kiss to show Eddie the difference.  "We're going to the Winterlands to recruit the Giants,"  Alifa told Kat, holding her hand.  "Let's go get Boots and Ethrindae. Eddie, you're up for work. Enjoy the books." 
And Lif pulled Kat on.


 

Boots took a breath and went up to the kids, then gave them both a hug.  "Hey, kids. It's gonna be okay. What's your name? I'm Clephesia." 
Valmark
 I will. 

Kat dutifully followed.

 
"We don't" "Have a name" "Don't worry" "We'll make it okay"

The twins' smiles widened though, their free hands hugging Boots.

"Serendipity" "Gave us" "The power" "To avenge mommy"

 Ehy... I think their eyes are getting brighter. 

 
At about that time Alifa and Kat entered the room again, accompanied by Taddeus. The vampire looked very confused at seeing Boots hug the two undeads.

Both of the twins' heads just turned 180° degrees, smiling at Taddeus.
"Welcome" "Back" "Did you bring" "Gifts?"
 "Oh! I'm sorry. I kinda got here in an hurry"  as Taddeus apologized, apparently knowing them already, the kids just pouted.
 "I'll bring two each next time" 
They got happy again.
Xihirli
Boots let go of the kids, backing up a bit from their eyes.  "Where to?" 
 "The Winterlands... but first..."  Alifa picked up Benjy and gave him a hug.  "We're going to go somewhere very cold and dangerous. You can come with us if you want, but I could also send you back to Faerie and your family. Do you still want to come with us?" 
 "Did she know anything about the high priestess of Goenna?" 
 "A darkling now,"  Alifa answered.  "An unfortunate loss so close to our war. After the Ice Giants, I think we should go to the fiendish rings and dethrone Benoth... many demons would join us if so, and more to the point the Chaotic Good demons might be in charge for a long time after." 
 "Who would we put in charge?" 
 "Most likely Graax, but the rebels know more about the situation than me. I'll ask more serious questions to Captain Rikrerkoth later... I also might need to contact a devil or two. But that's just what conjurers do." 
Valmark
"I wanna go home!" Benjy said immediately "I'm sorry... But all this is a lot more then I can take. It was fun but... Uh... Fiends? Gods? Land of incredible cold? I think I have enough stories to make the other feys stew in envy already!" the little noir fey giggled.

"Like when I got three angels to pamper me, or when I sav- wait, forget that one. I meant to keep the bull**** for the others"

   "Think we can get them both to join our efforts?"   
 "That doesn't sound plausible. They both hate and blame each other for the destruction of their home"  Taddeus shrugged  "But I suppose it's worth a try? Not that I'm gonna come along. I got duties" 

"Like bringing" "Us gifts"

 "Oh by the way, she's the wizard I told you about"  Taddeus gestured to Alifa, and she immediately got the twins' attention. Though they didn't speak. They looked more awed.
 "Yeah, maybe I talked you up a little. But they kept asking questions about the arcanist from another world" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
No respect for Boots' magic.
 
Xihirli
 Then there's the emotion Primordials who may be able to actually seal the Zone off,"  Alifa reminded everyone. She gave Benjy a final kiss on the head and then touched her tuning fork to him... he shattered in her hands, icy fey shards falling to the ground and melting into nothing.
 "Sent him home, didn't kill him,"  Alifa promised. She put the pendant for the swamps in the middle.
 "I'll teleport us part of the way, then we can get going. Want to watch me teleport us?"  Alifa asked the kids.

And then she, Boots, Kat, Ethrindae, and their menagerie rapidly aged so their hair became white and their skin wrinkled, then rotted off. Their bones fell to the ground, and those, too, decayed rapidly into ash as millions of years were pushed through their bodies in seconds. A dark wind billowed up, sweeping the ashes away.

The ashes settled down far away, gathering up as their skeletons regrew, then their decayed skin that healed and de-aged back to what it was before they vanished.
Boots threw up.
 "What... in the hells..." 
 "Raven Queen's death magic mixed in with mine."  Alifa looked around.  "So where are we..." 
Valmark
The twins stared smiling, soaking it all in.

When they appeared Tilly freaked out, as she didn't even think she could be aged, Kat immediately got her flask to wash the taste of death from her mouth and Ethrindae just chuckled composed.
 "I suppose I did just see us grow old together, Boots" 
She looked away then, a hand politely in front of her mouth like when you hold in nausea.

As Alifa looked around, she realized they were right in the middle of a village built on elevated platforms above the swamp- well, they were caked in mud into the swamp, the platforms were all around them. Ribbiting went on all around them, as halfling-sized frogs crowded around them, bulbous eyes staring. Some of them had spears, some shields, some nets.

One spoke up.
"Friend, thief, murderer?" it said in barely manageable Common. It looked like they were being asked to define what they were.
Xihirli
 "Friend,"  Boots said, trying to recover from the... dying.
  Wait, thief specifically? What an odd choice...   Alifa thought to Kat.
 "We are just passing through on our way to the... Alifa?" 
 "Ice Maws." 
 "Ice Maws. The mountains." 
Valmark
"Ice Maws" one ribbited.
"No friends. Lost ones" another shook its head seemingly sadly and pointed with its spear towards a direction. Far in the distance some hills could be spotted. A bunch more looked in the group's direction and pointed insistently towards those same hills.

  I can only assume they've had more then a few problems with people stealing.  
Xihirli
 "Thank you,"  Boots said.  "Is there any way we can help you? Something you’re looking for in that direction?" 
  With how they’re acting… they expect attacks half the time, it would seem.  
Valmark
The kuo-toas started croaking to one another, a cacofonous chorus of frog calls surrounding the group.

"Catch the evil horse?" one proposed.
"Hunting prey down" another added.
"Hunting  us  down" a third echoed the others.
Xihirli
 "Okay… if I see an evil horse I’ll catch it,"  Boots promised.  "If you want food…"  she summoned forth ten goodberries from her armor and offered them.
 "You might enjoy these." 
Valmark
The kuo-toas stared.

"Throw 'em" one suggested, a gaggle of kids with lucid eyes getting pushed forward.

 "So... Why it is an evil horse?" 
"Because it's evil"
"And it's an horse"
"Stupid"
Kat scowled.

Ethrindae, in her infinite patience, pointed to Tilly.
 "Like that?" 
"That's a bird"
"And it's not black"
"And it's not on fire"
"But maybe it still eats meat?"

Suddenly all the kuo-toas put at least ten feet between them and Tilly, who nigghied annoyed towards Boots.
 Tell them I'm not evil! 
Xihirli
 "A nightmare,"  Alifa’s eyes lit up.  "Boots, I want it. I can bind it to my service." 
 "Uh… Tilly is a good horse."  Boots tossed the goodberries over.
 "We’ll be on our way now… if we see the horse we’ll handle it."  And, going slowly so that none of them would think she was threatening, she headed for the hills.
Alifa followed.
  I haven’t put that much thought to it, because I normally only bind creatures to my service for about an hour… Kat, am I any different from Mokart if I take control over a Nightmare? Or am I another slaver like Benoth? The Nightmare is threatening people… is it worse to dominate it than to kill it? Am I simply forcing it to pay off its debt to the world? Or exploiting it?  
Valmark
When Boots tossed the goodberries, the kids started trying to catch them in the air shooting at them with their tongues. Most missed, and whenever one missed one of the adults would deck it on the head. Two kids actually hit the same goodberry, and got pulled to one another- they ended up headbutting each other, started crying, and got decked. Twice.

Then a kuo-toa stepped forward and started what Boots and Alifa could only describe as stern ribbiting.

One of them mentioned "Tongue skill is vital. They need to learn how to be precise and not fight one another"
Now  that  sentence was in perfect Common. They probably had to explain it more then once.

As they left, Kathleyîënis mulled on what Alifa asked.
  Nightmares are a special case. Unlike normal fiends, they are born from torturing a pegasus until they are reborn out of pain and despair- they are neither demon nor devil, and you'll never get it to trust you. I can't say it'll ever be willing- you will be enslaving a creature, unless you purchase its services   Kat thought back   But also, it would go on to hurt people if left unattended. Or be bound by somebody who may be worse then you. As for killing it... I guess what you should ask yourself is if you'd rather be murdered or be forced into doing somebody's bidding. I know I'd prefer being alive.  
Xihirli
  Maybe we can help it  , Alifa thought.   Boots has access to a lot of healing, maybe we can help it... I just... this armor's gotten me to do a lot of thinking. I think... it's better to have the Nightmare helping than not. And we try to help the Nightmare, by reminding it what it was like to do good.   Alifa held Kat's hand as she made for them twin steeds.
 "We've got some travel ahead of us,"  Alifa said.  "Possibly while under attack by a Nightmare." 
 "Won't that be something, Lif?"  Boots gripped Ethrindae tight and put a big kiss on her wife's lips.  "Me, clad in light riding around a pegasus... you, coated in shadow on the back of a Nightmare." 
 "Yes... nobody would guess I was here to help if I didn't travel with you..." 
 "Not in the undead realm!"  Boots chimed in. She helped Eth mount up to keep her out of the swamp.
 "Alright team, we've ways to go... and keep a sharp eye out for flaming horses." 

Alifa nodded to Peter.  "Peter, nose out for smoke." 

And into the wilderness they went.
Valmark
 "It is funny that our strongest defenders at best mildly dislike you, isn't it?"  Ethrindae told Boots  "Well, strongest defenders of  this  world anyway" 

The group made their way out. There was no road to follow, so they just started going vaguely in the direction of the mountain range- on the way, Alifa noticed a corpse as their path took them near a patch of trees, on its way but not big enough to call it a forest.

It was a young buck's corpse, and by itself it wouldn't be weird- something had cracked its skull open, killing it istantly, clearly burning away the skin. There was no blood around it despite the buck having been torn apart and eaten, instead the only blood was a trail left by some wounded creature that headed  into  the woods.

Within, she heard a chorus of howling sounds, wolves calling out to each other.
Xihirli
Alifa motioned the party to follow her, bringing her phantom raven forward following the sound of the wolf howls.
 "Something is this way... be on watch for wolves, I think they might have been chased off by the Nightmare." 
Valmark
As they barged into the forest, it wasn't long before they could notice fresh tracks of the nightmare- burned hoofprints were on the ground, along the trail of blood. And if that wasn't enough, they felt the  creak  of a tree as something heavy was roughly slammed into a tree.

Following the sounds, they came upon a battle.

A black horse with burning mane, hooves and fire lines tracing his muscles stood in a clearing, a hoof resting through the fractured chest of a wolf. Another had its skull caved in, threw and forgotten against a tree, and another wolf had been impaled with a broken tree branch. Five more wolves encircled the nightmare, and there were also three massive dire wolves that were the muscle of the pack. The crack the group had heard was from one of the dire wolves that had been brutally slammed against a tree, though it was still standing up.

Ethrindae looked in confusion and fear.
 "There's literally no reason for the wolves to be fighting the nightmare- there is so much easier prey. Did the nightmare pick this fight?" 

The Nightmare seemed to be wounded, the broken off point of a buck's horns planted in its flank- it also had various small bites that were bleeding it out.
The Nightmare and Tilly got each other's gaze, and the Nightmare roared in fury causing Tilly to halt, stomping around trying to not move any further.
 Such... Anger... Why's it my fault?  Boots felt in her mind.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Boots has Aura of Courage, so no check to not be thrown off, but Tilly is going to be moving at 20 feet speed as long as she tries going towards the Nightmare.
 


For a moment, the Nightmare started galloping and disappeared- but the moment later it reappeared, landing painfully.
 "Uh. I don't think it can leave this plane for some reason" 
Xihirli
Alifa dismounted.  "Stay here,"  she said, and she approached the nightmare with her hand raised toward it.
  We don't want to hurt you. Come over to where we are, and we can heal you and feed you...   She offered, coming nearer and telepathically communicating with the Nightmare.
  I know it hurts. I know everything hurts. People look at you and think you're immune to fire... I see you feel every lick. Come with us... let us help you.  
Valmark
 LIKE THE LAST ONE THAT WANTED TO HELP ME!?  the Nightmare  roared  back into her mind- a wolf jumped at it, thinking it distracted, and the Nightmare's jaw snapped forward sealing shut on the wolves throat and tearing it apart, the dying wolf falling down still trashing as it suffocated- that wasn't enough to stop the two other wolfes that nipped at its flanks, drawing yet more blood.

The two dire wolves then advanced and tackled the Nightmare against a tree, the last one that was already wounded jumping in front of Alifa as it tried to take a bite out of the intruder trying to steal its dinner- or not. At a command from Ethrindae, The dire wolf suddenly halted, instead encircling Alifa with a couple smaller wolves to not let her get any closer.
 "I can calm them down, but I can't stop their hunt"  Ethrindae said  "If you got a plan, better act it fast!" 

Kathleyîënis, who was not nice, simply shot an arrow right through a wolf's skull.
She earned a disapproving glance from Ethrindae.
 "Look, you said it yourself these wolves aren't acting normal. I'm not treating them like innocent beasts" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
To be clear, but I'm not calling for Initiative because nothing here is really a threat to you. But there  is  a fight going on.

Also roll me Persuasion from Alifa. Nobody can Help her (since they can't communicate with the Nightmare) but any other way to boost it would be fine.
 
Xihirli
Alifa put up a wall of force between the Nightmare and as many wolves as possible, still letting the Nightmare come back to them.
  Come to us. We'll protect you. We're not like whoever did this to you... we can try to get you your wings back. Get behind us, we'll protect you from the wolves... then talk about helping you.  
Valmark
 I need no stupid wing, nor protection. 

The Nightmare raced and weaved through the wolves, racing past Tilly with a snarl.
 What an attitude  she thought to Boots.

 Never mention those again  continued the Nightmare in Alifa's mind  A wizard... It found an half finished magic circle and completed it. The imbecile didn't have what it takes, and now there's a magic circle that's making the animals go mad and keeping me rooted here. 

The wolves looked conflicted- on one side, Ethrindae's spell was keeping them somewhat non-hostile. On the other, they were hunting that Nightmare and now there were a  lot  more dangerous looking people.
Xihirli
Boots dismounted and approached the wolves, lighting herself on fire as she did so.
 "Run,"  she ordered

 
 Spoiler: INTIMIDATE 
 (1d20+11)[ 16 ] 
 


Alifa nodded and stayed next to the nightmare.   Alright then. Let's discuss our working relationship. We can protect you, feed you, keep you healthy. For that, we ask nothing. If you wish us to break the Magic Circle... I will ask your service up until either my death, or until the threat of the Darklings has been removed from this world. I assure you... that one or the other will come soon.  
Valmark
The wolves decided that no, Boots wasn't someone they wished to **** with, and dispersed.

Seeing the momentary peace, the Nightmare bent its legs and sat down, reaching with its mouth to rip out the piece of broken horn stuck in the flank.

 I don't need protection  it repeated, then fell momentarily silent.
 And what then? Will the holier-then-thou pegasi riders smite me for being a monster? Will I fall prey to the darklings?  the Nightmare snorted.

 
 Spoiler: Insight DC 14 
You get the feeling he probably will hate any kind of implication that he needs protection of any kind. He's learned that leaning on others gets you enslaved and brutally maimed, so trust means nothing.
 
Xihirli
  No. The paladin will cure you if the Darklings try to take you. And we have worked side-by-side with fiends like Graax before. We are here to save this world. If you help us, you'll be free to go. Hopefully the Fiendish Rings will have a home for you... we'll likely be stopping there. You are a thinking creature, and part of this world. It needs good, and it needs evil. You have been both... if I were to decide what this world should be like, I would be no better than Abadaius... I won't let her kill you. If at the end of it, you still want to be as you are... that's your choice.  
Alifa held out a hand.   Now shall I have my sister heal you?  
Valmark
 No  the Nightmare stood up shakily  Assuming your sister isn't the elf that shot down a wolf  it looked hatefully at Tilly's riders.

 The magic circle is in some ruins nearby. Follow me  it added, starting to trot in one direction  I suppose my best bet is to accept your offer. 

Tilly nigghied stomping on the spot.
  Am I the only one that thinks we should just beat them up and go? They're mean! And evil! And clearly hate me!  
Xihirli
  I’ll require some insurance that you’ll keep your word… would you be willing to submit to a Planar Binding? Or do you know of a different way I can be sure you won’t betray us?  

Boots pet Tilly.   We haven’t actually seen it do anything evil yet.  
Alifa moved behind the Nightmare. Boots cautiously followed.
Valmark
  Ugh.  

The Nightmare looked back at Alifa.
 I'm not a human, wouldn't that make me trustworthy?  it asked  But sure, that first option sounds good. 
Xihirli
 "Alright, we'll make camp by the magic circle. First thing tomorrow, I'll Bind the Nightmare Planarly and dispel it,"  Alifa determined.  "Lead on." 
 "She used her biggest spell getting us here, I guess she wants more time on the binding than just a day,"  Boots told Eth.
Valmark
The group followed the Nightmare out of the woods, on the other side from where they had come in. He made a rather weird turn about that led them to encircling an hill and enter a patch of overgrown, spectral-looking trees.

A murder of crows' cawing followed them as they walked in, circling them in the sky more like vultures then anything else- but they didn't come anywhere near.

As they got deeper in, they noticed rabbits and squirrels not at all hiding and just staring at them as they moved through.
 "What the hell is happening here?" 

The Nightmare stopped in front of a surface- the vegetation covering the wall had been burned away in the vague outline of a Nightmare-sized wall, revealing behind some kind of ruined entrance to a building dug into the hill. By the damage, it must've been very,  very  old.

Coming close to it, the familiar odor of a sanctified zone reached Boots' nostrils. It was a very weird addition to the Nightmare's sulfuruos smell.
Xihirli
 "Can you talk to them?"  Alifa suggested about the wildlife.  "That should tell us some about the area. Otherwise... we can't fit Tilly and the Nightmare..." 
  Hey, do you have a name?   She asked the Nightmare.
 "In the Hut, so let's just make normal camp." 
 "Ethrindae can hide our campsite. A sanctified area seems like a good place to ward off anything dark." 
 "Great. Why don't you two get to making a camp. Kat, can you come with me? I want to see what Eddie's figured out and cross-reference it against your knowledge of the world." 
  Also,   she thought to Kat.   I'm going to summon a devil and talk to it about recruitment for the war, and I don't need a Paladin here messing up negotiations.  
  Why don't you come with me, Nightmare? Get you away from the sanctified area for a little bit.  

Alifa went off, wanting to get roughly out of sight.
She coated herself in black flames as she moved, to get ready to summon a Devil.


 

 "Alright Eth,  I'll  talk to the animals while you get the campsite ready,"  Boots said, and she glowed briefly, casting Speak with Animals. She approached the nearest hare.
 "Hello, friend. I can't help but notice, a flaming horse came by and you didn't look that frightened. Is that sort of thing... usual around here?" 

 

Alifa stopped when she couldn't see her glowing sister anymore.  "Here's a good spot."  She withdrew a few thorns from her pouch and threw them onto the earth. She let loose her black wings.  "The Abyss Scar summons thee, Devil of the Fiendish Rings!" 
And she pulled forth a Barbed devil.
 "Let's talk business." 
Valmark
 It was burned out of me long ago. Feel free to make one up if you need a way to address me. 

Alifa could be fairly sure that the Nightmare didn't forget his name. It was probably associated to a time he didn't want to remember.

 
While Eth got her Hearth ready, Boots approached a rabbit. Or hare. Whatever was the difference.

 Pain... Hunger... Anger... So... Much...  the second immediately after, Boots struggled as the animal suddenly bared its teeth and jumped, ready to tear her throat apart.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Not that it is a threat to Boots.
 


 
Kat dutifully followed. Alifa could be sure she'd be following either way.
Perhaps more surprisingly, the Nightmare accepted as well.
 That place gives me the creeps. 

When the devil came out, Alifa found herself in front of a tall, spiky blue devil with what looked like a salesman's expression after he saw a great deal.

"Heeeeeey  boss ! How's it going?" It wides its grin and waved at the Nightmare "Whoa, one of those here? Hey, wanna team up and **** them u-" it didn't get to finish the sentence.
Sound of broken teeth accompanied the Nightmare's hoof as it broke the barbed devil's face, and another hoof almost broke some of its ribs as it was slammed to the ground.
"ALRIGHT! FINE!" the barbed devil wheezed out "Let's... Talk business. Pricks"

The Nightmare turned to Alifa and nodded, looking weirdly smug about it.
Xihirli
Boots knocked the hare out and returned to Eth.
 "I think they’re cursed to be more aggressive,"  she said.  "That… might be our job to fix?" 

 

  Good work, Johnny,   Alifa thought to the Nightmare.
 "I want to recruit an army of devil mercenaries to join Serendipity’s forces in an offensive against the Darklings. I propose that I be given a specialized soul cage that sends its victims to your superiors, and in exchange one hundred devils join the cause for each soul sent. Speak to your superiors about whether this deal is acceptable and I shall summon you again in four hours. Is there anything you would like to say before I send you back where you came from?" 
Valmark
 "Yes..."  Ethrindae bit her lip in thought  "I'm not Kat, but if I were to advance a guess... Wasn't Rova the god of monsters and hunger and the like? Maybe that's who the sanctified area belongs to? And the Nightmare summoning did... Uh... Something?" 

 
"Whoa... What're my superiors supposed to do with souls anyway?" the devil raised an eyebrow "Now, give us actual slaves and we can reason. What do you say? I promise we won't treat them  too  badly. We got laws for that kind of behavior" it forced an affable smile.

"Actually wait, maybe we can work something out. It's easy to get their bodies back from the souls... Mmm... Well, maybe I can propose a little something something to my bosses. With a varying fee, so to say. The more precious the soul compared to the cost of bringing it back to life and make a slave out of it, the more devils we could spare to aid... Uuuuh... Whoever you said we should help?"
Xihirli
 "Hopefully we'll fix that when we dispel the magic circle,"  Boots said. She hugged Eth close.  "How long do you think before Alifa and Kat come back?" 

 

 "The Lich Queen,"  Alifa said.  "You do that... come back with the rate, and any alternative methods of hiring the devils your superiors might accept, and I'll speak to you in four hours." 
  Now THIS... this is a line. We don't have a way to keep Abadaius from resurrecting his lieutenants, though... this may be the way...   Alifa thought to Kat.   But let's see if there's any other way.  
Valmark
 "If she's going to be talking to threw different people confronting knowledge, I'm afraid it might be a while"  Ethrindae suggested, as soon as she was done setting up the shadowy dome  "Should we... Kill some time?" 

 
"Sure! Get the nightmare off of me?" Johnny moved off beforehand, and the barbed devil stood up, dusting itself off.
"...so...send me home?"
Xihirli
Boots tackled her.


 

 "Go in peace."  She shunted him off through a portal of black ichor.
  "Alright. Now, let’s give Asimis some more time to go to sleep."  
  Eddie, report. What do you have on giants?  
Alifa took out her book of fiends and handed it to Kat.  "Can you find anything other than souls and people we can deal in to hire the devils? I’ve just realized I’ll hate myself if I go through with this." 
Valmark
Kat looked at the sky.
 "Unless that guy sleeps during the day, shouldn't it be now the correct time? Or you wanna call on him tomorrow night?"  she asked  "Anyway... Yes, I was thinking about it and I can't see the same Alifa that was afraid of what she might become by Binding a Nightmare selling slaves" 

Johnny trampled a rabbit then started eating it before the animal had even finished writhing.

While Kat looked through it, Eddie's report came in.
 They're big and inherently magical. There seems to be two kinds- those born in Faerie are generally more docile and weaker, but smart, while those native to Alandria are bigger, stronger, with better abilities but also generally dumb. The former probably because they are born in service of the Monarch, while the latter... It says there are a lot of ruins with writing in Giant, that indicates there must have been civilizations in the past but for some reason all the giants of this time are only a bit better then animals. That's about it, unless you want a detailed report on their anatomy, how their body parts are great for magic and a Practical Guide to your Very Own Giant Skeleton  Eddie replied.

 Also... There's a lot of books that have the writing completely ruined. But the book itself is still in very good quality. Trying to inquire with the locals has been unsuccesful. 
Xihirli
 Alright. Good work, Eddie. Can you switch to researching the Shadowlands, specifically the Drow… and if you see anything about a drow named Aria, copy down everything about her. 

Alifa nodded.  "Alright. While you read, I’ll contact Asimis."  And she cast Dream to reach the Tabaxi.

She created as their meeting place the mountain area where they’d first… met.
Valmark
 On it, Mistress. 

Alifa was unable to find Asimis- not because he was awake, though.

Kat frowned meanwhile.
 "There's not much that I can find"  she said  "What is tipically accepted as currency is money, precious items and slaves. Beyond that, it's all up to the specific devil you talk to"  Kat looked up to Alifa.
 "Which means that hopefully that devil will come back with other methods of payment" 
Xihirli
 "Money works,"  Alifa said.  "No answer… I’ll try a Sending." 
  Asimis. I know about Confidence. Get in contact with me to discuss. How much of your thoughts are not private?
The Abyss Scar.  
Valmark
But no reply came in.
Xihirli
Alifa shot off another Sending to Serendipity.
  I’ve opened up discussion with the devils. What from the treasury would you be willing to part with to recruit the devils? Undead laborers?   
Valmark
Serendipity's reply came in a tired tone.
   I've got a lot of money and precious stones that are sent to me as tribute for which I don't have a use for. Good?   
Xihirli
  Hopefully. Would it be alright to ask for an estimated value?   Alifa shot off an additional Sending.
If money was no object, then obviously she’d want to negotiate with money.
Valmark
   Uh... I don't know... A hundred thousand? Consider all the useless stuff that belongs to me?   
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
The city itself would be a lot richer, but that's about the most Serendipity could muster in one go. At least according to the Settlement Wealth table in 3.5.
 
Xihirli
 "Okay, we can work with this,"  Alifa said.  "And if they don't accept money... I guess we just accept the demons' help fully instead."  She stretched.  "Alright, ready to head back to the camp? We can arrange the watches so that I can keep my appointment with the devil." 
Valmark
 "Yeah" 

Johnny started heading back, a second dead rabbit in his jaws.

 "Are you planning on telling Oots and Eth anything?"  Kathleyîënis asked standing up and taking Alifa's hand to walk back to the camp.
Xihirli
 "Yes... tomorrow morning, when I should already have something concrete to tell them instead of 'maybe, possibly, the devils might help us.'"  Alifa shrugged, and squeezed Kat's hand.
 "Thanks for being with me, Kat... there's a lot to figure out. Our time is running out, and I can only be so many places at once... I'm glad you can be with me in one of them." 

 

 "We're coming, so stop anything we shouldn't see!"  Alifa called ahead of her as they approached the camp.

 "Damn... uh... five more minutes?"  Boots shouted as a request.
Valmark
 "Give us  four "  Ethrindae added smugly.

 
After three minutes and fifty-five seconds, the group reconvened in Ethrindae's fake-hut to talk briefly before going to sleep.

 "Eddie said anything useful?" 
Xihirli
 "The Giants once had a great civilization, but now are scattered with less complex civilization. But aside from that... not much, no,"  Alifa confessed.

 "Ideally, we'll find one smart giant who still keeps the old ways that we can give the sword to." 
 "That would be nice... but it's possible there's a curse upon them keeping them unintelligent, rather than just... a lack of recovery from a civilization collapse. In that case, we'd have to go on some sort of quest." 
 "Well, that's something we're good at."  Boots pulled Ethrindae against herself.  "Good night." 

Alifa chuckled.  "Me and Kat will take the first two watches. You two get some sleep." 
Valmark
 "Well... Me and Kathleyîënis don't need to sleep"  Ethrindae offered  "You can just go to sleep, we'll keep an eye out" 
 "Actually I, uh, haven't been trancing a whole lot lately"  Kat blushed telling that to the other elf  "I'd like to be fully awake with Alifa" 

Ethrindae stared for a little while, then shrugged and chuckled.
 "Very well. Boots? Let's get some... Sleep"  and they went to bed, leaving Alifa and Kat awake to watch over the group.

Tilly was fast asleep, while Johnny just leaned down a bit further away finishing his gruesome feast. Hootie fell asleep perched on a tree, Peter teleporting on its feathery head to sleep on that.
Xihirli
 "Wake me when it's time?"  Alifa asked Kat, cuddling up to her.

In a few hours, Alifa kissed Kat on the mouth and stretched. She moved quietly a little bit further away, looking over her shoulder to ensure Boots wasn't watching her.

  Peter, keep an eye out while I'm gone.  
Valmark
Alifa moved away from the camp while Kat went to sleep.

Before she was out of sight though, Peter came in.
 Ethrindae's following you! I think. The others seem still asleep. What should I do? 
Xihirli
  Let her. She knows we're recruiting allies.  

Alifa stopped and cast another Infernal Calling, attempting to snatch that same Barbed Devil.  "Come on out, Eth, maybe you can help me negotiate." 
Valmark
Ethrindae emerged from the woods.
 "Not as sneaky as I fancied myself I suppose"  she chuckled  "Sorry, Kat wasn't very convincing. And I figure two heads are going to be better then one for... Whatever it is we're negotiating with" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Roll me Arcana to snatch the same barbed devil that you don't even know the name of.
 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: ......guidance? 
 (1d20+16)[ 30 ] + (1d4)[ 4 ] 
 
Xihirli
 "Money, Serendipity is willing to part with some of her treasury to hire the devils. I'm going to nail it down to an amount of legions vs price and send them her way for the remaining details with Serendipity and her generals." 
Valmark
Looking concerned but not very suprised, Ethrindae nodded as the same Barbed Devil was rudely pulled away from the Ring it lived on. The same affable smile greeted Alifa.

"Sooooooooo... What's it gonna be? Slaves? Souls? Money? Artifacts? Cookies? Those are for me, my boss doesn't like them"

Ethrindae frowned, and the demon whistled "Well, you upgraded I see. Where's the fresh meat gone to? Or the Once-upon-a-time pegasus?"

A message came from Peter.
 Ehy, Johnny's looking around very annoyed. But isn't walking anywhere. 
Xihirli
  Point him my way if he wants to follow me.  
 "Money,"  Alifa answered.
 "The Lich Queen is prepared to part with treasure amounting to 80,000 gold coins in value in exchange for twenty-five thousand infantry, five thousand fliers, one thousand artillery, and five hundred lieutenants to aid in strategy and manage the troops. Do you have authority to negotiate on your superiors' behalf?" 
  We'll see how much we can get with just money,   Alifa thought to Ethrindae.   If Serendipity wants to trade some of her powerful magic items to the leadership for more troops that's up to her.  
Valmark
"Whoa... That's what, two gold a devil?" The barbed devil balked at that "Are we that much of a fodder to you humanoids? And we are the evil ones. Oh, my poor wounded heart" it snapped its fingers and five long sheets of paper burned into existence.

It selected the third one as the others disappeared, and red through it humming to itself.
"How about... Five silvers for every lemure or nupperibo you want, a gold for an imp, ten gold for the likes of a bearded devil, thirty gold for the likes of me... Whoa, we're that cheap? Bastards... Fifty for black abishais, eighty for bone devils, a hundred twenty for horned devils, a hundred eighty for a narzugon, two hundred and fifty for green abishais, four hundred for an amnizu and six hundred for a pit fiend" it recounted "Devils not mentioned on this paper have their price equivalent to the one most similar in standing... For every two hundred we'll send a detachment of ten hellguards, and for every six hundreds we'll throw in a war machine of Serendipity's choosing. She'll get a copy of this contract and the means to send the money at our earliest convinience" the barbed devil smiled.

"If adeguate protection against the darklings' corruption can't be ensured prices triplicate"
Xihirli
Alifa took the sheet of paper.  "Very well. I'll speak to the Lich Queen about the specific devils we'll be hiring and get back to you with our exact order and details on the protection against the corruption within four days. Tell me your name so that I can more easily reach you, and then you're free to return to your plane." 
  See? That wasn't so hard,   she thought to Ethrindae.
Valmark
Alifa couldn't grasp the sheet of paper.
"This is our copy" it said "Put your signature on heeeeere" a golden pen dripping blood appeared in Alifa's hand, the devil pointing where her name was meant to go "And Serendipity will get a copy of said contract. And one to you as well if you prefer. We'll give you four days from when you get your own copy"

Ethrindae frowned, but couldn't read Infernal so limited herself to saying  "I... Think he's looking a little too happy. Devils aren't known to make  fair  contracts, right?" 
Xihirli
 "I need a physical copy I can put my hands on, since I can't read Infernal. I'll get back to you after I read it over with Comprehend Languages,"  Alifa said.  "I come from a world where our devils invented 'invisible fine-print', so I'm going to examine the contract – the physical contract – with every divination I have before I accept. Understood?" 
Valmark
"That's fine"
 "The physical copy of the contract that is levitating in your hand"  Ethrindae cut in, and the barbed devil looked like somebody stabbed in the back.
"What?"  "The physical copy of the contract that you tried to have Alifa sign. Devils are bound by their word- if you go back on it you're cast off among demons. I knew Kat's lessons would come useful. Say it" 

The devil angrily clenched its fist, the contract disappearing.
"You will have the physical copy of the contract you will next be asked to sign by us. Fine? Name's Bebeeebozuh"
Xihirli
 "And none of the 'copies' of the contract given to the Lich Queen or anyone else will have alterations from the agreement we make,"  Alifa added.  "Visible or otherwise. Is that correct?" 
  Good thinking, Ethrindae. Clearly I've gotten soft from our world having only one devil.  
Valmark
  Note to self: if a devil looks satisfied from your deal, you probably were screwed over.  

"Ugh... Sure. Everybody involved in your contract will have the same exact copy of the contract that you ultimately sign" the devil said, much less happy now.
Xihirli
 "Alright. May I have that physical copy now?"  Alifa asked.
  Yep, good idea. I'm not great at reading people, though.  
Valmark
"You will be given one as soon as possible" it said "Well, I suppose it may take a day or two. Can I go home now?"
Xihirli
 "You're dismissed, Bebeeebozuh."  Alifa took a second to make sure he vanished and headed back to camp.
 "I had better get some rest so that I can bind Johnny tomorrow."  She yawned and cuddled up with Kat.
Valmark
Ethrindae followed, and sat down next to Boots ready to do her watch. But before Alifa could go to sleep she whispered  "She knows you're vegetarian. Boots is afraid you're going to keep her out of your business. That you're not going to tell her everything anymore... That you're going to think she doesn't need to know, and thus exclude her from what you do"  the older elf's voice had an inch of coldness in her voice.

 "I know you wouldn't do it, but I'll still say it. Do  not  hurt her. And I say this not only as her wife but also as your friend"  she stated, then softened her voice  "You two need each other far more then she needs me or you need Kat- at least as long as you fight for your lives almost daily. Goodnight" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Long rest?
 
Xihirli
Alifa looked up at Ethrindae, almost betrayed.
  I didn't tell her what I knew about you,   she thought to her, sitting up.
She took a breath.
  I'm not going to keep any secrets from her, but I don't need her judging my behavior, and I don't need you doing that, either. I'm going to make the decisions I need to to save this world, and decide how much of my soul I need to keep afterwards. My soul, my decisions. Boots has tried to save me from my own choices enough times for me to know when to tell her things.  
Valmark
  That is fair. It's in your right to choose how to handle things   Ethrindae stroked Boots' hair gently   But you should ask yourself how much of your sister do you want to keep afterwards, because right now I get the feeling you're fueling what she's most afraid of. If you don't want her trying to protect you... Own your choices. Tell her what you want to do and that she can either support you or stay on the sidelines. Don't go behind her back   Ethrindae shrugged.

  But what do I know, I've only been making mistakes and driving away those that wanted to help me for three hundred years after all. Speaking of which, what do you know about me that she doesn't?  
Xihirli
  That after... what happened with your family, you went on a killing spree of fey,   Alifa answered.   I learned about it from Fiamma and her son. Boots knows about your family that were infected, but not about the fey afterwards. I wanted her to hear it from you, when you were ready.  
Alifa was more pointed than she needed to be with that last sentence.

Boots smiled at Ethrindae's touch and stirred long enough to kiss her hand and pass out again.

Alifa didn't respond about her sister's greatest fear, though. She just hid her face in Kat's hair and pretended to sleep.
Valmark
Ethrindae nodded, getting only a  little  uncomfortable when her past was mentioned. She had had a lot of time to come to terms with it.
  Goodnight. My lips are sealed for your secrets- as for mine, I will have something to tell her when we next wake up.  

By the looks of it, Eth was fine with ending that conversation.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Long rest?
 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Long rest!
 


Boots was up bright and early, and was kissing her wife before her eyes were even open.
 "Good morning everyone! Let's get out of this swamp before the sun sets, hey?" 
Valmark
Kathleyîënis stirred and yawned, sitting up after kissing Alifa's nose.
 "That would be great" 

Tilly stood up, stretching and ready to go, amd even Johnny looked much less cranky after a good night of sleep. Still distrustful and looking like he hated the world, but that was kinda to expect.

Ethrindae stared into Boots' eyes with a smile upon waking up, and got to her feet.
 "I know we've got a big deal of work ahead of us, but I'd like to take a walk first"  she said, holding her right hand clenched into a fist with her left  "I have come to the conclusion that there might be details of my past that you do not know, Boots. Details I think you should know as soon as... possible" 
Her voice cracked a little at the end there. She started walking a little away, checking if Boots was coming or not.
Xihirli
Boots frowned and pulled Ethrindae close so she could hold her hand.  "What's wrong?"  She asked.  "Whatever it is, I can help you fix it... right?"  She did walk with Ethrindae to get privacy.


 

Alifa watched them go, and gripped Kat's hand.  "Kat... am I... shutting Boots out more than I have to?"  She asked.  "I... I don't know if I'm... pushing her away because I'm doing what I have to do... of if I'm telling myself that because I'll feel guilty if she sees what I'm turning into."  She burst into dark fire.
 "The same blood flows through both of us... Tanaquill's, but in her it shone as a bright light, and in me... a dark scar. Why is that? Am I just... darker? Worse? More connected to death and shadow than light and laughter?"  Alifa frowned.
 "I... always knew I wasn't like her. But now I feel like this is the universe coming up and telling me... that she was the better sister... not just the  different  one..." 
Valmark
 "Don't worry... There's nothing to fix. Or rather, it's something you already fixed. I just... Realized you may not know me as well as I thought you did" 

When they were far enough away, Ethrindae kept walking until she stopped in front of a dead tree, the torso had been broken leaving it in a rather sorry state.

 "Have you wondered why Goenna knew me from the lives I took? Or why feys still don't like me even if the Monarchs forgave me? Or why I'm still such a villain to my people after so many years?"  Ethrindae reached out, tearing of a piece of rotten bark from the tree.

 "When my family died... I was like this tree. Broken. Rotted. Angry. And not just at the darklings. When I... When I was holding my sister's neck, I thought... Where were the feys when we needed them? Where was  anybody ?"  she clenched her first, smashing the piece of bark.
 "I blamed them. I blamed the darklings, the feys... This world. I conjured flames and attacked the Crossing we lived around. Torched it and all the magical vegetation around it to the ground. But... I didn't stop there"  Ethrindae pulled her hand away from Boots for the next part.

 "For years, I... The me from back then... Punished the feys that had betrayed me on that day. From the smallest pixie to even a nymph, I would catch them and kill them. Painfully if I could. Before Nabar found the broken elf lying in a pool of the blood of her last victim, I lied to, tortured and murdered darklings and feys alike- I'd not stop to anything, especially since many were stronger the I was. I would seek them out and  like  it- I thought they deserved it for the pain I had been through"  she torn off another another piece of bark and handed it over to Boots. Turning to look at her, her features were stone cold but her eyes had welled with tears, a shaking hand hid behind her back.

 "Here. This... Is what you married"  Ethrindae stated  "Or at least what I used to be. A putrefying, rotted shadow of a living being" 

 
  "And why would that make you worst then your sister?"   Kat hugged Alifa's Shadow Form   "Aside from the fact that I  really  liked the last time you took this form... It's all up to how you use your powers. And that's important. You're not becoming a  monster , Lif. You've got way too much conscience for that"   she stated, giving Alifa a little peck on the cheek  "As for Oots... I... Don't think I can reply to that. It's obvious she wouldn't approve of meeting up with devils and such, but she's been pushing past that whenever she had to. Wasn't so disgusted of death with Dethera right?"  Kat chuckled.

 "I think what should be asked is... Do you want her to partecipate? You wouldn't have these thoughts if you were fine with sidelining your sister, but it's also clear you want to be able to make your choices. But... Maybe you really want to make your choices  with your sister , but also feel like she will try to stop you. Which has happened, can't fault you that. Maybe... You would like to see her as happy for you as you are whenever you make a breakthrough? But you're worried the look on her face will be one of fear?" 

The Nightmare snorted, hearing all that spiel, and walked over to Alifa lying down next to her. Johnny merely waited staring at the houri/wizard/warlock/death goddess.
 "Maybe he's got something to say?" 

Peter teleported on Alifa's head.
 I'm not scared of you! I think you're cool! And I'm the one that should be scared if anybody, I'm so weak! 
Xihirli
Boots stared at the piece of wood. Didn't take it. She shook her head as tears free-flowed down her face.  "No... no, no... Mokart? If you've invaded my wife to make her say such terrible things I'll do... whatever I have to to get her back." 
Boots stumbled back, half in denial.  "Ethrindae  wouldn't  do those things. She's gentle and sweet and kind and... my wife...  wouldn't  do that." 
 "How could you be so sweet, then?"  Boots challenged, as if trying to  disprove  that Ethrindae had gone on a killing spree.  "How could you always think about what's right, and your duty, and healing?If you did this, how did you  make me a better person? " 
Her wings drooped, then faded.
 "... Did  you?" 

 

Alifa smiled down at Peter and gave him scritches. Then she grabbed Kat and gave her a long kiss.
 "I... am not a monster,"  she repeated.  "And I won't let this war turn me into one. There will be compromises, and I'll make them, but I'll try to keep my soul as intact as I can." 
She stepped up to Johnny.   Sorry, I'm sure you must be aching to get that Magic Circle dispelled. Let's get started on the Planar Binding, shall we?  
She left her cloak of shadows where it was.
It was, after all, supremely cool.
Valmark
 "Because... I've changed"  Ethrindae looked down at the broken piece of tree. She looked almost wounded, but not surprised, that Boots didn't accept it.

 "Nabar, Oegh, Ronald, Elwina, Xvkhimeras... They were instrumental in making me into who I am now. But I'm almost as old as Queen Lucilla herself, Boots. There's about fifty years of difference, give or take. I've seen and done a lot of things compared to shorter lived races, even if I still have most of my lifespan in front of me. And most of my adult life... Was spent doing things I'm not proud of. But I had others to help me be a better person"  she looked back up to Boots.

 "Either you were always a better person... Or I made you better, in which case... You should believe others made me into someone better then I was" 
  Everything alright?  
Came in Tilly's voice.

 
 Actually, I was going to tell you to stop whining. With a bit more words. But since you came to a decision I doubt you're interested in what I had to say. Yes, Planar Bind me. 

Kat took out her journal to take notes of Alifa's spell. But first she briefly touched her lips where the kiss had been.
Clearly Hootie said something funny because she giggled and then was back to focusing on Alifa's magic.
Xihirli
For a second, Boots's wings came back out. She looked up at the skies, and then shook her head and dismissed her wings again.
  I am not a coward,   she thought to herself.
 "Why... why didn't you tell me?"  Boots asked, rubbing a few tears away. There was no point... more just followed.


 

Alifa, shrouded in darkness, floated up a little bit, her wings flapping powerfully to keep her in place.
 "As your contract with the Abyss Scar, I bind you,"  she began, and chanted out magically. As she did, the fire wreathing the nightmare's body darkened, slowly shifting in color until it became a bright, burning blue on the dark skin of the Nightmare.
 "While we fight on the same side, you are to take no actions to harm or kill myself or those I call friend,"  Alifa declared, as Johnny's most important order.
 "No matter what order I give you for the rest of your time under this spell, I hereby grant you permission to defy any order that you can honestly describe as suicidal. We will be in dangerous situations, and I expect you to participate in them, but if I give you a command that goes past this and would almost certainly result in your death, you need not obey it." 
And Alifa continued the binding.
Valmark
 "Honestly... I thought you knew. Fiamma has seen everything I did through my eyes- in fact, was it not for her still fueling my body I'd have died a long time ago"  Ethrindae said  "Even Goenna mentioned she knew me from all my victims... Feys don't stick around gods' afterlives, but enough blood and the goddess of death and despair is going to notice apparently"  she lowered her gaze back to the piece of bark.

 "When I realized that after all, you may have been in the dark about it... The first thing I did was tell you. Well, after sleeping" 

 
The Nightmare stomped the ground nervously as his flames changed colors- last time he had been transformed, it had been a life-changing experience. But it didn't hurt, and Johnny stayed still- merely nodded at Alifa's words. Those were acceptable terms.
Xihirli
 "I thought Goenna meant your family..."  Boots fell down onto her knees.  "Ethrindae... this is... I didn't expect this. And... I need time, okay? Before I say anything about this again." 

 

 "Then stand at my side and travel with my companions, Johnny."  The blue overtook the Nightmare, completing the binding.
Alifa smiled to the Nightmare.  "Alright... let's dispel that Magic Circle, shall we?"  She approached it, examining it for any peculiarities.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
7th level Planar Binding. Lasts 30 days.
 
Valmark
Ethrindae nodded  "That's understandable"  she simply said  "I'll... Give you some space"  with a spell, she coated herself in shadows and wandered  off.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
It's a Pass Without Trace spell.
 


Tilly wandered in at about the time Ethrindae left.
  You... Weren't replying. Everything good?  

 
Alifa, Kathleyîënis, Johnny, Hootie and Peter entered the ruins.

The ruined passages were once probably richly decorated, but they were so old now that anything beautiful about them had been long destroyed.

Inhuman wailing could be heard coming from deeper in- hearing that, Johnny rolled his eyes annoyed. It was a very weird movement coming from the horse-looking creature.

Alifa heard skittering in the shadows as she went in, spotting the shadow of a large spider running behind a wall. Before long, they emerged into a grand hall dug into the hill- it looked like the ruins of an ancient temple, with large stairs that led to a center square. Massive webs coated the walls, floor and ceiling, and spiders the size of donkeys crawled along the suspended webs.
Kathleyîënis shivered.
  "I'm not afraid of spiders, but those are a  lot "  

The inhuman wailing came from within a door that was at the center of the plaza.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Imagine a greek teather. Semicircle, with large stairs that double as seats and a rectangular square at the base. On the opposite side of the stairs there's the door with the wailing.
 
Xihirli
Without a word, Boots gripped Tilly close and began to weep.


 

Alifa pursed her lips, and summoned Illumi-Naughty to lead the way, with extra starlight to make sure they could see.
 "Lead the way and open the door,"  she commanded the Star Spawn, falling in line about twenty feet behind him.
Valmark
Tilly lowered a wing in the imitation of an hug, but otherwise nothing was going to disturb Boots for a while.

 
A spider started climbing down, and Kat immediately nailed it to the roof with an arrow.

That seemed to scare the spiders a whole lot, as they started scattering around- pouring into crevices in the wall, the thirty or so donkey sized spiders disappeared from view.
 "Uh. I actually preferred when they were all where I could see them" 

Illumi-naughty threw the door open, which led into a fairly large room- the first thing they could notice was the quite obvious magic circle in the middle of the room. It was red, it pulsed, and lightning cracked anything nearby. A specter of a young guy hovered above it- upon spotting them, it let out an inhuman cry and surged forward.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
It's... A specter. I'm not gonna roll initiative for that, only Peter and Hootie can't solo it. Do whatever you want with it.
 


The second detail was an enormous shrine dedicatad to what... Looked like a massive, massive worm with many spider-like legs- it had three heads, one with a leonine mouth, one with a squid's beak and one like a leech's. Feathery and leathery wings adourned its back in a messy, uneven pattern, and the front legs ended in crab's claws while the tail had three ends, one with a wasp's stinger, one with a scorpion's, and one with an ankylosaurus' mace. Lastly, tentacles marked the space between the wings and the legs.
 "Rova. God of monsters" 

Around the immense statue, a stone circle had been but- instead of a stone floor there was simple ground. Homewever, something or someone had completely smashed the stones forming the circle savagely.
Xihirli
 "Let's dispel the circle and get out of here,"  Alifa suggested, blasting the spectre to pieces with rifts in reality that left behind the distinct odor of rotting flesh. She pointed at the Magic Circle and struck at it with black, sizzling lighting tearing away at the magic.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Dispel Magic, level five.
If necessary, Intelligence:  (1d20+6)[ 18 ] 
 
Valmark
The circle cracked and  roared  in madness and hunger, but then was completely extinguished by Alifa. Impossible to tell what it was supposed to do before the wizard Johnny talked about messed with it.

Speaking of, the Nightmare took off galloping out of the temple as soon as he felt free again.

Kathleyîënis though approached the stone circle and Rova's statue.
 "Rova's the patron of unintelligent monsters and similar. Who would ever build a shrine to it?" 
Xihirli
 "I'm also very curious, Kat,"  Alifa said.  "But right now... I think my sister really needs me. Can we go back to her, let her cry herself out, and then come back with a united group before we poke too many things?"
 

She smiled and took Alifa's hand.   Peter, I need you to find Boots.  
And she led the way back to roughly their campsite, ready to veer toward her sister.
Valmark
Peter teleported out.

When Alifa and Kat exited into the square, they felt a ticking sound. Like very, very sharp and thin spikes hitting the ground rythmically, the sound moved from in front of them to the side.

Kat was holding Alifa's hand  reeeeal  tight, not turning to try and look at the sound's source. Not that there was anything to be seen anyway.
Xihirli
Alifa frowned and cast See Invisibility on herself, peering toward the sound to get a look at it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
And if that doesn't work... detect thoughts?
 
Valmark
Alifa stared into a bulbuous eye bigger then her head.

If the spiders from before were donkey-sized, this one? This one was as big as a  tirannosaurus . It was massive, and had a weird pattern on its abdomen depicting a tear with a multitude of voracious mouths covering it- the spider itself though, except for the size, seemed normal enough.

Oh and the fact that it was invisible.

Upon seeing Alifa cast the spell, the spider backed off along the wall- it moved with surprising grace, almost like an ice skater, as it effortlessly rested on the wall holding eye contact with Alifa. It clearly knew she could see it, even if she hadn't reacted to it.
Xihirli
  Greetings,   Alifa thought to it. She had Illumi-Naughty come up to stand between them and the spider.   Can I help you? I promise, if you want to eat us we're more trouble than we're worth.  

She held Kat a bit closer, and sprouted her wings with dark fire sprouting from her.
Valmark
 "W-what's happening?" 

The spider shook its head, though it looked less like a no and more like shaking your head annoyed by a fly buzzing around it. It jumped and landed lightly on the ground, though it was enough to make Kat jump back- and if that wasn't enough, the spider let out a loud pitched cry that  really  made Kathleyîënis shiver.

Following the cry, spiders crawled out of a hole- there were three of them, and they were 'carrying' among a bed of webs a mask. It... Looked made out of skin, with four spider eyes that looked way too real, meant to cover the upper half of the head.

In fact, it really looked like more of a sliced off face then a mask.
They carried it in front of Alifa.

 "Uh. Those... Actually don't look that scary"  Kathleyîënis said, relaxing now.
 "Maybe don't wear it blindly though" 
Xihirli
Alifa used her Mage Hand to pick up the mask.
 "I don't know if I have ten minutes to spare identifying this,"  Alifa said to Kat.
  Do you need me to put this on now? Is this supposed to be a way we can communicate? Or is this a message from someone that I can read at my leisure?  
Valmark
The spider didn't reply, instead it lifted one of its legs -which looked razor sharp- and simply scratched its head after Alifa's telepathy.

It didn't seem capable of understanding Alifa's telepathy. It was definitely smart enough to recognize spells and offer things though.

The smaller ones rapidly retreated from the room.

 Found Boots!  Peter contacted Alifa at that point  She's with Tilly, crying her eyes out. 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Or at least I assume Boots is there. It's really just been a few minutes over all.
 
Xihirli
Alifa lifted the mask and nodded to the spider, then moved to simply walk away with it.  "Thank you,"  she said, and waited to see if it would stop her.
  If the spider stops me, I think it needs me to wear the mask for us to communicate AND needs me in front of her.  
Valmark
  So there IS an invisible spider!   Kat cast See Invisibility real quick, looking at the spider before turning back towards the exit   Much better. What if it let's you go fearing you'd turn hostile? I did shot one of them when it started advancing on us. Which I feel guilty about now.   she glanced back at the spider.

  I doubt it's going to leave though, so we might as well regroup and identify the mask then come back here.  

Then Kathleyîënis looked around.
  There's no way a spider of that size could come in or leave.  
Xihirli
Alifa nodded and lifted the mask so the spider could see, making sure there was no reason to think she was trying to steal it, and led Kat to where Peter said Boots was.

Boots was still holding Tilly tight, so Alifa gently rubbed her shoulder and took Tilly's spot hugging her sister. Boots's knees quaked and she fell, pulling Alifa down with her so both houri were on their knees.
 "Eth... Eth..." 
 "Shh... it's okay,"  Alifa whispered.  "I know." 
 "You didn't... tell me?"  Boots started another round of tears.
Alifa patted her back and frowned.  "I... wanted her to tell you, when she was ready,"  Alifa explained.
Boots seemed to accept this, and just cried for another ten minutes.

 "It's... mom's done worse things." 
 "And Aunt Titania. And both of our maternal grandmothers. And Malyanna, and Krika, and Zariel, and Baba Yaga, and Tasha, and any number of people our family has gotten along with." 
 "I just..."  Boots sobbed and snot ran down her nose from the crying. Alifa Prestidigitized her clean.
 "She made me better." 
 "Yes. She did,"  Alifa confirmed.  "So, what? So she's supposed to be better than mother and all of them?" 
Boots nodded, then hid her face in Alifa's neck.
 "Boots... she  is . She  is  better than mother, or Malyanna, or Zariel, as a person. But that doesn't mean she ALWAYS was. No one is born perfect, Boots. Not me, not you, not Ethrindae. But weren't you listening at all when Lala was telling us about his story? About Zenov, who was used as a puppet by a goddess and tried to throw himself into lava? About Malyanna, who was tortured into a genocidal monster but fought against Tren Krom at the very end? About mother, who was spinning her wheels in misery and self-pity before she met Lala? About Krika, who served the Abolethic sovereignty and had distinct memories of  being  Tren Krom for most of her life?" 
 "Yeah? What about them?" 
 "All of them became better. Because Lala was the first person they'd met in a long time... in some cases in  all their lives ... who  believed they could.  Everyone can become better if they try. And a lot of the time, all they need to encourage them to try is someone who believes in them. They all wanted to be better. Ethrindae wanted to be better so much she became the wonderful woman you married. The woman who wants to hold you close, save the world from the darkrot, and have a family with you. Whatever she was in the past, that's who she is now. That's who you married. And all she needs to keep being that wonderful person is someone who believes she can be." 
Alifa tightened her hug on her sister.
 "Do you think you can be that that for her?" 
 "That won't bring those feys back..." 
 "No, it won't. Nothing will except  maybe  a Wish. But those deaths aren't on your conscience. They're on hers. And she's now devoted her life to saving others, to ending the dark rot so that no one will end up in the same situation she was in at her darkest. Maybe she'll save more lives than she took. Maybe she won't. The point is she's  trying ." 
Boots didn't say anything.
 "Do you love her, Boots?" 
 "Of course I love her." 
 "Well... you should probably tell her that. Because right now... I don't think she's sure." 

Boots tightly smiled at Alifa and stood up.
 "Eth?"  she called.
Valmark
There was no reply from Ethrindae. Either she was very well hidden and for some reason she didn't reply or Eth had walked out of earshot.

Based on Boots' nutial ring Ethrindae was healthy though, so probably hadn't wondered far. At least before Alifa disrupted the magic circle.

 "Maybe she's going to be waiting for us back at the camp? That's where she and I left our stuff, so she'd be sure we'd be passing by there"  Kat suggested  "I don't think Eth would have ignored Oots' tears this much time had she been here all along" 
Xihirli
Boots nodded and held Alifa's hand all the way back to camp.
 "We should wait for Johnny there, too... there might be new information about this place we should investigate,"  Alifa said, referencing the mask.
Boots craned her neck looking for her wife as they approached.  "Eth?"  She called again.
Valmark
Ethrindae was there. She didn't reply, busy as she was trancing on her bedding- Johnny was there as well, sitting next to her. By the looks of it he had been running, as his body had clearly swet a lot, and Eth had filled a bowl for him to drink from.

More importantly, her eyes looked swelled like someone who cried a lot, though Ethrindae had clearly cleaned herself up carefully. Resting in front of her was the piece of rotten bark she had offered to Boots.

Upon hearing the paladin's voice her ear twitched, but Ethrindae didn't open her eyes.
Xihirli
Boots knelt down next to her and picked up the rotted bark. She pressed it between her hands and then touched it to the ground. Light shone between her fingers and roots sprouted from the branch, digging into the soil. Green returned to it, and rot receded slowly until a healthy sapling was ready to grow.
 " This  is what I married,"  Boots said simply, and kissed her wife. Gently, and sweetly. Perhaps the least hungry kiss Ethrindae had ever gotten from Boots.
Valmark
Arms hugged Boots. Ethrindae opened her eyes and looked into Boots', and smiled.
 "I'm sorry for not telling you before marrying you. But I'm NOT sorry I married you. I love you" 

That was about everything Ethrindae had to say, unless you counted the tighest hug she had ever given Boots.

Johnny annoyedly stood and blinked out of existence, though Alifa could see him since her spell was still going, as he trotted away from the happy couple before crossing into the Material again a dozen feet away.
Xihirli
Alifa got out her pearl snd started identifying the mask, figuring giving them ten minutes should be enough.

Boots held Ethrindae tight against herself.
 "I love you, too." 
She held her wife like that for much of the ten minutes before she took a bit of a step back.
 "I’m really grateful Alifa tracked me down. It would have taken me hours to sort through my feelings without her help."  She smiled at her little sister.
 "Your past is your burden, though I’ll help bear it in any way I can. Your future… is my future."  She kissed her wife again.  "I hope our children grow up to be a lot like you. Not totally… they should be their own people. But a lot." 
Valmark
 "I don't. A gaggle of tiny Clephesia Juniors sound perfect"  Ethrindae joked mouthing a 'thank you' to Alifa. But otherwise she just wanted to hold her wife and never let go again.

 
 Spoiler: Mask 
 Blessing of Rova's Spider Matron 

This mask carries the blessing of the god of monsters. It let's the wielder capable of producing and understanding the sounds and movements of all the creatures that Rova is a patron of- giant spiders, manticores, worms, cockatrices, and so on. It also confers a few bestial abilities and features. It is meant to be a way for a chosen few to interact with the hidden nature of Rova's servants.

 Requires Attunement from someone who has languages and was gifted the Blessing willingly.
 

The wearer of this mask grows additional spider eyes- they have Blindsight up to 10 feet, advantage on Perception checks and cannot be surprised.

Additionally, sharp spider legs grow from their back- they gain a Climb speed equal to their movement speed, and the legs can be used as weapons. They count as two Light weapons with the Finesse property, that deal 1d8 slashing or piercing damage (whichever is more favorable) and can be dual wielded. They can also be used as a reaction to gain either a +2 AC bonus against an attack (by using them as a shield) or a +4 save bonus on Dex saves (using them to glide out of danger). Lastly, wearer ignores difficult terrain and gains a +10 movement speed.

Finally, the wearer can modify their body to be able to move and emit sounds required to 'talk' with Rova's servants- she might grow a lion's maw to roar against a manticore for example, or grow an ant's stinger to lift it to threaten a giant ant, or grow a peacock's tail to strut around a one-hundred eyed peacock, and so on. This feature is common to all of Rova's Blessings.
 
Xihirli
 "...huh,"  Alifa said.  "I don't know if I want to wear this, but for now, it seems like it only lets me communicate. I'll focus on attuning to this."  She put the mask on and started to meditate.
She explained the details to Kat over telepathy.

 "Oh, my Aunt Clephesia would love to meet them!"  Boots said, exuberant. She was not going to be the first of the Elevenyenns to let go.
Valmark
  That mask is weird.   Kat thought back, just observing what Alifa was doing.

 "So...  you  are the Clephesia Junior. I'm right in saying you'd be adorable to have around" 

 

Over the course of an hour, Alifa felt the mask attach to her face- to the point that the skin felt like hers. Blinking, she realized she could see and control all of the four additional eyes- in the latter half she felt her skin  tear apart . But weirdly, as if numbed, there was no pain as the spider legs sliced their way out of her back.

They looked sharp enough to cut a leaf in mid-air, and Alifa could control them as if they had always been a natural part of her body, walking around without an issue.

Kathleyîënis looked at Alifa's new look with a mixed expression.
Xihirli
Alifa climbed partially up a tree on her new legs.

 "You look a little terrifying, Lif." 
 "I often do... Kat, is something wrong? You look... I don't want to guess." 
Valmark
Much like the spider was, Alifa may have been terrifying but her movements were light as a feather, almost like a dancer.

Well, aside from her human legs which didn't really have any grip out of the ground.

 "Does it hurt?"  Ethrindae asked, not THAT concerned about Alifa's appearance. Her Steeds never looked good.
  "I... Uh... You see... Ugh..."   Kathleyîënis struggled for words, then simply shot a Message to Alifa.

  You look dangerous. And that... Feels a little bit like when you used Bloodlust   Kat cast her eyes down to the ground.
  Though I still prefer your base look, this... Isn't... Bad.   if she had more to say, Kathleyîënis ran out of words. And probably was too embarassed to elaborate further, at least in front of Boots and Ethrindae.
Xihirli
Alifa practiced with her spider legs by using them all the way back toward where that spider had given the mask to her.

 "It doesn't hurt... I just hope it still doesn't when I take this off later. I think the spiders know what's wrong with this place... maybe we can help them." 
 "Do you think they'll help us against the darklings?" 
 "I'm not sure if we even want them to... monstrosities can only fight up close, most of them, and that's where the darklings excel at their corruption. They'd be too easily forced to switch sides. No... I want to help because it's the right thing to do." 
Boots smiled at that, and followed Alifa back to where she'd met the spider.
Valmark
Back in the square, unlike earlier the spiders weren't in hiding- while the group coming in caused them to scatter, they mostly rised along the walls or ceiling, or even just went to the corners of the room keeping their distance.

The invisibility seemed to have ran out, because the spider matron was in plain view now, staring into Alifa's eyes with hers. Homewever she wasn't in the central square, rather had retreated into the shrine where she towered rested on Rova's statue, in the center of the destroyed stone circle.

She greeted Alifa upon seeing her. It... Wasn't really talking. More like a combination of sounds and movements with her abdomen and legs to express concepts- Alifa didn't hear words, she just... Understood the message.
 Greetings. You... Calmed the magic. Thank you. 
 "It's not getting aggressive, right?"   "I think the smaller ones wouldn't just leave us be if their leader was angry with us"  Eth reassured Kat.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
I'll use underscore to express what Alifa understands in words so it's easier to read, but remember that there's no word actually being talked. Nor would Alifa say anything to communicate with the spider, but rather use/conjure the necessary body parts to send a message.
 
Xihirli
Alifa approached and responded in kind with almost a dance.
  The Magic Circle, yes. It's gone. Can you tell me what happened to this land?  
Valmark
 Wizard. Messed the magic circle  the spider depicted a make-believe circle on the ground  It mixed with The End's magic. All were filled with hunger. With rage. 

'The End' was expressed by double tapping on Rova's statue. It seemed to be Rova's name according to the spider.

 I couldn't calm the magic. My mind would be wiped had I went too close. You did in our stead. Thank you. 
Xihirli
  So... we already fixed the problem then?   Alifa drummed out.
  Glad we could help, thank you for reaching out. My bed-mate is sorry that she injured one of your kin... if you can bring them forward, my sister can heal whoever got hurt.  

Alifa thought to the others.   It seems like we're done here. Boots, can you heal a spider? And then we can go.  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I assume there's no spider concept of a "girlfriend" Alifa can communicate.
 
Valmark
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Yeah, not really.
 

 My kin wished to kill you. It is regrettable but fair  the matron replied  It is dead. We shall mourn then put it where others will consume the body.  there wasn't a whole lot of hostility coming from the spider, though she clearly didn't like what Kat did.
Xihirli
  Oh. Okay... well, I'm glad we could help. We'll be on our way. May the End guide your steps.  
Alifa flew over to Johnny and mounted up on the blue nightmare for the first time.
 "Let's go, all." 
 "What about the spider?" 
 "It's dead."  Alifa helped Kat mount up behind her.  "To the mountains!" 

And the party, Boots and Ethrindae on a celestial and Alifa and Kat on a fiend, took to the skies.
Valmark
It was the first time Alifa saw Johnny fly.
He didn't have wings and did not need them- his hooves left burning footprints in the sky as he galloped, riding on a bed of heat through the day. He and Tilly were more or less equally fast, with Tilly occupying a bit more space due to the wingspan.

With their speed, the group could see the mountains before long- they glistened under the sun, the never melting frost of the Ice Maws shining light, even a little annoying to look at.
 "With a magical gate leading to a land of eternal cold it could kinda make sense that the ice doesn't melt despite the heat. By the way"  Kat poked one of Alifa's spider legs  "Does it tickle?" 
Xihirli
 "No, there's chitin in the way that keeps it from tickling me,"  Alifa explained. She took off the mask and grimaced as the legs receded.
 "It was a weird feeling... I didn't hate it, but I'm not going to wear the mask around much,"  Alifa said.  "Plus being able to climb really good isn't that helpful when I can fly." 
  Eddie, what have you got on the Shadowlands so far?  

Boots, for the trip, was actually seated behind Ethrindae, and took full advantage of this to hug her wife and leave little kisses on the back of her neck.
Valmark
As Alifa went to remove the mask, she searched around her head but could not find the part where the border of the mask should have been.

There was only her face.

Ethrindae though meanwhile was super happy.
Xihirli
 "Gods damn... BOOTS!"  Alifa called.
Boots swooped in closer on Tilly, looking to Alifa with interest.  "What is it, Lif?" 
 "This thing's cursed." 
 "On it!"  Boots shot a rainbow out of her hand at Alifa, and the mask peeled off easily.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Distant Remove Curse.
 


Alifa took it in her hands and stuffed the mask in her portable hole.
 "Thanks, Boots!" 
 "No problem!"  And Boots went back to coating her wife's neck in kisses.
Valmark
 "Yes... It was certainly weird"  Kat nodded along  "I hope it's not offensive if I say that you look better this way. What I talked to you about my... Reaction... I think I figured out what was it really about. But let's not talk about it right n-" 

Kat didn't finish the sentence. As they got close to the Ice Maws, the sun setting, a massive ice boulder was hurled towards Tilly.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Attack roll!
 (1d20+12)[ 14 ]  adv.  (1d20+12)[ 24 ] 
Damage  (4d6+8)[ 26 ]  bludgeoning damage. Upon Tilly getting hit, Ethrindae makes a  (1d20+1)[ 7 ]  Athletics check to not start falling since there still ain't a saddle.

Tilly needs to make a DC 20 Strenght save to not go Prone and start plummeting down, and if she fails Ethrindae start falling either way. Boots has wings so who cares.

If Boots wishes to catch them it's an Athletics check (or for free if someone uses Feather Fall, since they aren't in danger then). Though Tilly *is* super heavy.
 
Xihirli
 "Eth!"  Boots called as Ethrindae fell from Tilly's back.
Alifa reached out and suddenly Ethrindae sank as if through water, still going down, but significantly more slowly.
 "Tilly, get Ethrindae and onto solid ground!"  Boots jumped off of her Pegasus's back, wings outstretched, searching for the source of the boulder and strapping on her shield.
Alifa also slipped off of her nightmare, strapping her shield on in a way that mirrored Boots.   Johnny, bring Kat with you into the ethereal plane until she sees an opening. Keep her safe until she decides she wants to join the fight.   And she followed behind Boots, flying with her blackened wings.
Valmark
As the nightmare disappeared, and Tilly raced to the ground, the light reflecting on the ice mountains made it hard to spot anything but the ice boulders that were coming straight for them.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Give me disadvantaged perception checks to spot the hurlers.

Also boulders on Boots and Alifa!
 (1d20+12)[ 20 ]   (4d6+8)[ 23 ]  bludgeoning
 (1d20+12)[ 25 ]   (4d6+8)[ 18 ]  bludgeoning

DC 20 Str save to not be knocked down.

We'll hold off for now regarding initiative.
 
Xihirli
Alifa started falling, but a second Feather Fall kept her from going too quickly down.  "Keep going!"  She yelled, righting herself sixty feet beneath Boots and following behind slowly.

Boots nodded, and the winds all about her picked up in a miniature cyclone that propelled her forward... and turned the air burning around her into a tornado of rainbow flame. She sped rapidly in the direction the boulders were coming from, a vortex of light and heat blazing up toward their assailants.

 
 Spoiler 
Casting Investiture of Air, activating Investiture of Flame. New fly speed is 60 feet, ranged attacks have disadvantage.
 
Valmark
It was about time for Boots to be able to see something- though not what she wanted. She spotted Kathleyîënis reappering on Johnny before she disappeared between the ice's lights, at a point a good three hundred feet away from where she was. She didn't see anybody there, but could tell where Kat disappeared to.

Alifa did not, as another boulder completely filled her field of view- Boots homewever noticed that it's trajectory was weird, not arched like you'd expect a thrown rock to have. More like as if it sought Alifa out.

Tilly meanwhile touched the ground and started flying along it.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Another Bouldy, Alifa.
 (1d20+12)[ 18 ] ,  (4d6+8)[ 27 ]  bludgeoning damage
Blah blah strenght save blah blah

If anybody can cover the distance right now initiative, otherwise keep going like this.
 
Xihirli
Boots tucked in her wings and moved back down toward Alifa, who managed to avoid a boulder, and hugged her close with her free arm. They vanished in a shower of sparks, reappearing next to where Kat appeared.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Dimension Door.

Alifa:  (1d20+2)[ 18 ] 
Boots:  (1d20+1)[ 16 ] 
 
Valmark
Appearing next to a hidden valley between the icy peaks, rounding the corner Boots and Alifa came onto an ongoing battle.

Kathleyîënis, riding Johnny, was kiting around two mastodontic icy creatures- claws sharp as knives, thanks to her superior mobility they were having an hard time getting hold of her.

That changed as winds picked up- Kathleyîënis found herself shiver, before realizing that the winds were leaving her bleeding. The group soon realized that the 'winds' carried with them tiny, viper-like ice beasties that had bitten into her body. Before she got surrounded, out of the snow emerged a creature Boots and Alifa had yet to encounter.

Standing seven feet tall, an agile woman with a rat-like face, sharp-ish claws and a leather armor emerged from the snow as if she wasn't bothered in the least by it. With a leap she hoisted Kathleyîënis off of Johnny, pulling her out of the winds, and landed back on the ground with the elf in her arms. Aiming a crossbow, she shot into the empty space above Johnny.

 "Explode" 
The bolt detonated mid air, disperding the winds and the snakes- unfortunately Johnny was also thrown on the ground, though he seemed fine.

The ratfolk started speaking.
"You're a good shot, kid. But completely unsuited to the Maws- this isn't a fight we can p-" turning towards the newcomers, the woman sized Boots with her gaze and stared her up and down.
 "Good warrior. I propose an alliance- I believe joining forced would be  enjoyable  for both parties. What do you say?" 

She spoke in near perfect Sylvan when addressing Boots.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Alright so.

Kat and Imris are 30 feet off to the side, with Johnny 20 more closer to where the 'elementals' are.

The two big elementals themselves are 60 feet in front of Boots and Alifa. You know they are decent enough shots, though it looks like fighting up close may be what they're actually meant for.
 
Xihirli
 "Sounds good!"  Boots responded in casual sylvan.
 "Leave one of the ice elementals alive,"  Alifa said, and pulled from the Far Realm Illumi-naughty, burning with wrathful fire and in the face of the ice elemental.
 "Mgehye'bthnk! ah nafl ah'n'gha!"  Attack! Do not kill! Alifa ordered it, and flew further away to avoid any melee.

Boots flared her fire up brighter and shot like a star in between the colossal ice elementals, her whip coming out to strike into it with light shimmering from it.

  Tilly, go ahead and bring Eth up, the boulder throwers are now occupied.  
 
 Spoiler: ATTACKS 

Illumi-naughty
Whispering Aura (Start of its turn, enemy must make a Wis save to avoid
 (2d6)[ 3 ]  Psychic

Attack! Extra d8 is fire!
 (1d20+12)[ 20 ] ;  (1d8+8)[ 15 ] + (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 14 ] ;  (1d8+8)[ 15 ] + (1d8)[ 6 ] 

Boots will Quicken Fire Shield (warm shield) and strike each one twice.
Elemental Left "Lefty," that Illumi-naughty is also fighting:
WHIP
 (1d20+12)[ 28 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 10 ] + (1d8)[ 7 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 18 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 9 ] + (1d8)[ 2 ] 

Elemental Right "Righty:"
WHIP
 (1d20+12)[ 24 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 13 ] + (1d8)[ 6 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 30 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 13 ] + (1d8)[ 3 ] 
 
Valmark
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Wis saves!  (1d20+3)[ 4 ] 
 (1d20+3)[ 23 ] 
 


As only one claw got in, the group rapidly noticed that against the eternal frost of the ice golems fire was only so-so effective.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Resistant to fire! 18 misses, 20 hits.
 


The two golems seemed very unhappy that Boots got in the middle, and started trying to cut her apart with their claws- while the hits were powerful, Boots did have pretty good armor.

At the same time, winds picked up around Alifa- she felt tiny prickling sensations, and the snow around her body turned a little red as the snakes hiding within the winds bit at her skin.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Swarms do not miss after occupying your space, Alifa.

 (1d4+5)[ 9 ]  cold damage, DC 17 Con save or be Restrained. If Restrained, become Paralyzed.

On Boots!
 (1d20+12)[ 31 ]   (3d8+8)[ 25 ]  slashing and  (2d8)[ 12 ]  cold damage
 (1d20+12)[ 32 ]   (3d8+8)[ 20 ]  slashing and  (2d8)[ 13 ]  cold damage
Add  11  Slashing and  7  cold damage to the crit.
 (1d20+12)[ 18 ]   (3d8+8)[ 21 ]  slashing and  (2d8)[ 8 ]  cold damage
 (1d20+12)[ 13 ]   (3d8+8)[ 24 ]  slashing and  (2d8)[ 5 ]  cold damage

Then it's you.
 


The ratfolk shot a crossbow bolt near Alifa, but it went too wide for her purposes.
 "Fight the wind with explosions if you can, to disperse it. It'll take forever if you try to fight it normally" 
Kat stood up, got back on Johnny, and figured she would be more useful running by Alifa pulling her onto the Nightmare and taking the air away from the snake swarm.

 "I already hate this place" 

Ethrindae and Tilly hadn't gotten there yet.
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: Before our turn 

Alright so

 (2d8)[ 6 ]  necrotic to the snakies
 (4d8)[ 15 ]  fire to the golem who hit Boots twice
 (1d10)[ 3 ]  fire damage to each golem that ends its turn within 5 feet of Boots or tries to move away from her.
 


Alifa opened her mouth and spit out black steam that circled with eyes of burning blue ember. They gathered around the icy winds and, as Illumi-Naughty vanished, the steam elementals pouring from Alifa's face exploded to vaporize the ice snakes in eight explosions of hot blue fire.

Boots smirked at the golems.  "Hear that? My sister killed all your friends and now it's four to two!"  The whip came out, swirling over her head to cut into both golems.

 
 Spoiler 

EIGHT 'SPLOSIONS ALL OVER THE SNEKYBOYS

 (5d8)[ 21 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 34 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 20 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 22 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 27 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 20 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 24 ]  fire
 (5d8)[ 30 ]  fire

Boots, keep up the fight! You got this! Everyone else will be with you in a second!
WHIP on lefty!
 (1d20+12)[ 20 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 8 ] + (1d8)[ 8 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 26 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 11 ] + (1d8)[ 1 ] 
WHIP on righty!
 (1d20+12)[ 16 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 12 ] + (1d8)[ 6 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 25 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 9 ] + (1d8)[ 5 ] 
 
Valmark
The first explosion scattered the winds, dispersing the snakes before they could go after anybody else.

It... Didn't look like the golems cared. They were probably incapable of such a thought.

It was at about that time that Tilly barged into the battlefield, Ethrindae on her. That seemed to trigger something in the golems- instead of continuing the fight, they simply disintegrated, the ice fragments falling to the ground- wind picked up, and the fragments started being lifted and scattered away and around.

Kat brought Johnny back to the ground, while Ethrindae rode up to Boots.

The ratfolk reloaded her crossbow, and turned to the group.

 "And here I thought I was the only one stupid enough to come here. Though you don't look overly dressed for the occasion" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Everybody who doesn't have Resistance or Immunity to Cold will do a DC 10 Con check every hour to not attain a level of exhaustion. The DC will go up at set intervals (I don't think you'll be here long enough for the DC to go up, but who knows).
 


Kat's shadow armor shifted, turning into skin-thight studded leather armor with fur gloves, jacket, boots and collar.
Xihirli
Boots looked fine for the moment, and Alifa seemed pretty happy.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Boots resists cold for the next ten minutes, Alifa just does.
 

 "Oh yeah... I guess we didn't think much about it being 'the winterlands...'"  Boots confessed.  "We're looking for the land of the ice giants. Where are you headed?" 

Alifa nodded to her FLAMING HORSE.  "Anyone who's having trouble with the cold, stick close to Johnny."  She wrapped an arm around Kat.  "I'm Alifa, this is Kat. The rainbow one is Boots, and coming in on the pegasus is her wife Ethrindae. And who might you be?" 
Valmark
Johnny looked at Alifa like someone who missed the punchline of a joke.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Nightmares would still have trouble with cold. Their riders/those close to them too.
 

 "My name's Imris. And... I was headed here"  the huntress presented herself  "I've been tracking my daughter down, and her trail led me here. But... It does seem like I bit off more then I could chew" 
Xihirli
 "Perhaps we can help,"  Alifa suggested.  "Did she have an object she kept with her at all times?" 
She turned toward Boots.  "You do have that prepared, right?" 
Boots nodded.  "Yeah, I haven't changed my spells up much since I prepared that." 
Valmark
 "I do not believe she carries anything any longer"  Imris said monotone, looking down at her crossbow.

Ethrindae seemed to pick up something on that.
 "I think it could still be helpful if you joined us"  she said  "Our group has access to special senses beyond simple tracking, if you can't find her traces"  making eye contact with Alifa, Eth brought a finger to her head.

 "Even if that wasn't true, I'd still appreciate not having to hide from the monsters around here" 
Xihirli
 "Starting tomorrow, I can prepare locate creature,"  Alifa confirmed.  "And I have telekinesis, but it doesn't let me detect people I can't see,"  Alifa explained to Ethrindae.

 "What do you know about where your kid went?"  Boots asked.  "Don't you have any clues? Why come to the mountains in the first place?" 
Valmark
 "She might have found a cave or something that let's her check on things from safety- we used to live underground, and she never got used to it. In addition her eyesight used to be bad- I... Don't know if that's still the case"  hearing that, Ethrindae nodded to herself.

 "And I don't know. We... Haven't spoken in a while. A lot of what she does is a mistery to me" 
 "Should we find a spot to camp in, then? What are we looking for by the way?"  Eth asked.
 "Phisically, I mean. Do we know what exactly should we find?" 
Xihirli
 "To find the Winterlands? No, so Locate Creature may be helpful to locate the giants as well,"  Alifa said.  "To find the child... a child, right?" 
 "She's talking about her daughter like she's an adult. Alifa, you can make a warm place to camp, right?" 
Alifa nodded.  "I can, but Johnny and Tilly can't fit." 
 "Tilly, take a break."  Boots dismissed her.
  Johnny, can you avoid the cold by resting in the ethereal plane?  
Valmark
 "An adult, yes. She should be around your age"  the ratfolk sat down, chuckling  "I may be old, but I think I'd be able to track down a child' 
 "You aren't  that  old, right? Still got plenty of life ahead of you. We should have about the same age in proportion"  Ethrindae stated, sitting by Imris' side.
 "Right... In proportion. But..."  Imris stared at her crossbow again  "Who knows what might happen before the end of this hunt" 

Tilly was dismissed, Johnny went ethereal after replying  I'll come back if it doesn't help  and seeing Kat dismiss Hootie Peter told Alifa  I think I'd like to take a break as well. 
Xihirli
Alifa nodded and shunted Peter off to another dimension.
Then she sat down and a circle of black feathers surrounded them, slowly building up a translucent black barrier around them that would give them a warm place to talk and rest.
 "Tomorrow, Lif can cast Locate Creature. If you don't have another way of tracking her, it would be best to rest,"  Boots said.  "Eth, can you do your hide-thing  around  the hut, so no one finds it?" 
Valmark
Imris nodded- and without laying down a bedroll or taking off her equipment, she simply laid on the snow, hands crossed under her chest. Her sleeping position made her seem dead, really.

Ethrindae started making her shadow dome.
 "I'm not super sure it'll hide Alifa's barrier, though"  she mentioned  "I wonder why the golems ran. Maybe they just needed to confirm our numbers, or tryto shoot us out of the sky" 
Xihirli
 "Or they saw a beautiful, powerful druid ride in on a pegasus and ran home crying."  Boots kissed her.

Alifa, once the barrier was up, opened up her spellbook for Kat to look.  "If you want to copy any more rituals, I know you only need to trance for four hours." 
Valmark
 "There's a couple of inaccuracies I would point out, but"  Ethrindae pulled Boots into an hug  "You're too charming for that" 
 
In the middle of the night, Alifa was woken up by Ethrindae and Kat. Wordlessly, they pointed to a shivering, tiny demon-looking humanoid that was uselessly trying to break into the Hut. The imp held a furled up scroll in its hands.

Behind it, Johnny stood, hoof raised ready to crush the devil on command. By the looks of it, the imp hadn't noticed the giant nightmare behind it.
Xihirli
Alifa nodded.  "I can't leave the hut,"  she said, then she frowned down at Clephesia. She shook her sister awake.
 "Hm? Whazzit..."  Boots reached for Ethrindae and pulled her closer.

 "The devils have sent a representative to speak about the hiring of mercenaries by Serendipity's forces.I can't leave the hut, and I don't want to remove our safety and shelter. Could you go speak to them?" 
 "The devils want to talk to us about Serendipity? Why?" 
 "I... uh, I'm the one who opened up talks with them. We're trading in money, I promise." 
 "You didn't... tell me?" 
Alifa looked at the ground.  "I'm... telling you now. And nothing's been finalized yet. Boots, I was... afraid. That you would stop me." 
 "Well, maybe I should!"  Boots shouted, lapsing into Sylvan.  "You're consorting with fiends, Lif! This is... dangerous stuff. It could put your soul at risk. Why... why in mother's name would we do this?" 
Alifa's tone became steel.  "Because you made an oath, Boots. To wipe out the darkrot." 
 "That was  part  of my oath!"  Boots insisted.  "Another part was to preserve my own light. Because, Lif,  what's the point  of stopping the corruption of the darkrot if we give in to other corruption. Why the  hell  would we bother fighting off the darkness if we're going to coat our own souls in shadow?" 
 "This whole  world  is at risk, Boots! I'm going to keep my soul in mind, but this is so much bigger! This is a whole world! Eth's world. Kat's world. And you can bet whatever you like that I'm going to put that first, over whether or not I  like myself  at the end." 
Boots let a few tears drop.  "If you don't keep that first... I don't know if the world will be worth saving at the end. I don't know if Kat will want to live here if you let yourself succumb to darkness. We – all of us – have to be  better  than what we're fighting... or what's the point?"  Boots challenged.  "If the world ends up corrupted and evil at the end, we failed. Whether it's because of us or the darkrot." 
 "I  won't  lose,"  Alifa insisted.
 "Why not? What are you trying to prove?" 
 "That I can do it! That I can make choices and make them work without my big sister swooping in to save me from danger, from death, and  especially  not from myself! That I don't  need  anyone else saving me! That I can save people my way!" 
Boots looked stricken for a second, so Alifa continued. She coated herself in burning darkness and spread out her blackened wings.
 "You're afraid of the dark? Of us succumbing to the shadows? Look at me, Boots. What do you see?" 
Without even a second of thought, Boots stepped up and hugged her.  "I see my sister. The smartest, kindest,  strongest  person I know. And it doesn't have to be any more complicated than that." 
Alifa let the fire die, and sobbed, collapsing in Boots's hug.
 "You're stronger than me, Alifa. In a lot of ways. Ever since we got here I haven't understood much of what happened. But I took this world's burdens as my own, and found family here. Because of you. I don't just save you, Alifa. You save me. Every day. I don't think you're weak, Alifa. I can't, not when I see you face such heavy problems and... actually  think  about them. I could never do that, you know. I'm not brave enough to think things through and make a bunch of complicated decisions... I hit things. And I listen to my heart to decide what's right, not my head. Ever since I got here my heart's been twisting and turning every which way, and I don't always know what's best. But Lif... if you say we need the devils, I trust you. Okay? Because maybe you don't see your soul shining so bright, but I do. You're the greatest person I know. Every day I see light and warmth and kindness coming off of you... and if you see me as a beacon of light... that's your reflection."  Boots pulled back enough to put a tender kiss on Alifa's forehead.
 "What do you say? From now on, we save each other?" 
Alifa nodded.  "Every day." 
Boots helped Alifa sit down next to Kat. Lif pulled Kat in for a hug once her sister wasn't there anymore.

Boots took a breath, spread her wings, and lit herself up in beautiful polychromatic fire before she stepped out to face the devil.
 "I represent the Abyss Scar. I understand you have something for us?" 
Valmark
Ethrindae smiled at Alifa.
 "Thank you" 

Seeing somebody else address the issue, Johnny backed off into the Ethereal again.

The imp shrieked and backed off when Boots emerged from the Hut, but quickly recomposed itself- not used to it, but not its first time either, apparently.
"Yes" it spoke in Common, and offered Boots the furled up scroll "Here is the contract regulating the fees owed to us in order to make use of our soldiers and machines, and also all the rules for commanding them. If you wish to apply changes, note them on the paper and leave it next to a spot where this spell has been cast" the imp produced a second scroll for Boots, this time a spell scroll "Or just summon Beebozuh again"
Xihirli
Alifa snuggled up to Kat and smiled back at Eth, still pretty puffy from the talk with her sister.

Boots took the contract and walked back into the hut.
 "I got the thing."  She handed the paper to Alifa.

Alifa set about reading it to see if anything was different.
Valmark
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Alright, first off I need you to describe how Alifa goes about examining the contract. She can get Guidance.

Also on a roll of 30 or less Kathleyîënis has managed to scribe Comprehend Languages in time for this and can give Advantage on any of Alifa's rolls to examine the contract (as long as it relies on simply being able to read it).

 (1d100)[ 95 ] 
 
Xihirli
Alifa started out with Comprehend Languages, to make sure no words were unchanged.
 "Kat, can you Identify the contract? See if there are any spells active on it?"  Alifa frowned and tried to remember what level  magic aura  was, and hit it with a Dispel Magic to be safe.

After reading it over with Comprehend Languages, Alifa did two final checks – one with Detect Magic and one with See Invisibility – to see if there was anything else going on with it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Dispel Magic Level 5, since I get those back quick
Any checks needed?
 
Valmark
 "On it" 

There did not seem to be spells or invisible writing on the document of any kind- and given that Alifa had been very clear about her spells, perhaps that was the reason.

The contract detailed the prices and special offers to buy the devils' services, including a 3x overpricing if not provided with adequate protection against corruption. The immediate pitfall that could be a problem was that fee was for "any circumstance that caused a devil's inability to go back to their Ring in the same conditions they left in". With enough of a stretch the devils could ask for payment even if a devil came back stronger then before.

There was also nothing that guaranteed that the hired devils would be in healthy conditions as well- the only thing someone signing the contract would know for sure would be the devil's race they payed for.

Finally, the contract didn't seem to be addressed to anybody specifically. It seemed to be more of a convention multiple parties could sign up in order to make use of the same offer, though how much that could be an issue against darklings was debatable.

Interestingly, the contract was related to 'the conflict currently going on on Alandria'. If there was a second war somewhere else that didn't figure darklings the contract could very well be to hire mercenaries for that war.
Xihirli
Alifa penned in the changes on paper, as outlined by the devils.
  'Provided adequate shielding against corruption' needs to be adequately defined. Either that or strike the clause entirely and raise your standard rates to compensate, with the understanding that we are hiring you for a WAR and that danger will occur.

There must be a clause guaranteeing that the hired devils will be in healthy conditions, able and willing to fight in a way typical of their respective races.

'The conflict going on on Alandria' must be more specific, we are dealing with a Darkling Threat here and I am uninterested in hiring you to go stop a random mugging and declare the contract fulfilled.  

Alifa infernally called Beebozuh and showed him her required changes.  "Take this back home, and stop trying to cheat the Abyss Scar." 
Valmark
"Oh come on, you're killing me. First rodeo with devils, chief?" Beebozuh asked as he looked over the devil contract smiling to himself.

"Sounds reasonable- I'm sure we can clarify at least two of those. You sure you don't need any help stopping random muggings?" the devil asked as he looked around. His gaze dropped on Imris.
"Geez, that one looks already dead. What lame place have you picked now to summon me"
Xihirli
 "You can address all three of my issues, or not bother bringing it back,"  Alifa said simply.  "The more hoops you make me jump through and the more unnecessary steps you devils keep adding to the negotiation, the more I think I should have just gone to the demons. You are dismissed." 
And without answering a single question, she sent him away.

 "Devils." 
 "Why are our two choices devils and demons?" 
 "Well, we tried the gods, but you know how that went."  Alifa rolled her eyes.  "And it's not necessarily a choice, not completely. After the Frost Giant trip, I'll take us to the Fiendish Rings of the demons, where we can help a liberation front. Then we can recruit a strike force of Chaotic Good demons to help us go free the Emotion Primordials. We can fight back the darklings all we want, but without a way to close the rift we're only delaying the problem. To save this world we need to seal off the Zone forever. The emotion primordials can do that... and maybe we can cash in the favor to have them jump back to our world and close our own Far Realm rifts." 
 "What about the other realms?" 
Alifa looked ahead.  "I uh... I've thought about that. I was thinking... after all this, if I could learn from the Emotion Primordials how to  do  the sealing... well, maybe I could jump from realm to realm helping other worlds seal off their worlds." 
 "That could take... an eternity." 
 "Well, not necessarily. If those worlds have people as powerful and beneficent as, say, Serendipity, I could teach  them  how to do it and ask them to do a few realms and teach  their  powerful mages and so on and so forth. If we all just do two realms we could get it done crazy quickly. But... yeah, it could be a long time. I was... hoping Kat might come with me." 
 "You don't want me coming with you?" 
 "It's not that I don't  want  it, Boots. But... back home, you know that Titania has been making steps to let Verenestra take over. With mom... frankly uninterested in politics, the truce will probably keep going indefinitely. But with you as Queen, the Unseelie Court could finally rejoin theirs. We could unite Aurora again. Dual queens, you as queen, doesn't matter that much. Maybe... no Queen,"  Alifa shrugged.  "Maybe for each meeting each population of feys sends a certain amount of representatives, and no representative can be chosen twice. I'm just throwing it out there. The point is... you can do such big things back home. Things I never could. But I can also do big things, just... away. And at the end of it, maybe I'll find a place back home, or maybe I'll stay here. This place... will need heroes. Even after the Darklings are stopped, it will need people with power making sure things don't get too horrible. Or maybe me and Kat will find some other place on our journeys. I don't know. It... Boots, I could save  infinite lives  from an eternity of insanity from Piscaethces. I can't... not try." 
Boots pulled Alifa in to cuddle up.
 "I know. Your heart is too big not to let everyone you meet into it."  Boots cradled her and kissed her head.  "From the beginning I've been playing hero... but your heart's always been in the right place." 
 "I love you, Boots." 
 "Love you, Lif." 
Valmark
There was a collective  ahwwwww  from their respective lovers.

Well, actually only from Ethrindae. But Kat looked pretty happy about it.
 "After Morkart... There's literally nobody who loves me or a place I can call home in this world"  Kathleyîënis said  "I don't have a reason to refuse" 
Ethrindae raised an eyebrow.
 "Pharasing" 
 "What? I said I want to go where she goes" 
 "That's better" 
Xihirli
Alifa reached out and held Kat's hands, but the sisters remained cuddled up for the rest of the night.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Wholesome sisterly cuddling. Long rest finishes up fine?
 
Valmark
 "Before we go to bed... There's something I'd like to point out"  Ethrindae nodded at the ratfolk's sleeping form.

 "I think she may be planning on killing her daughter and herself. And also that her daughter is an undead or a darkling"  the elf lowered her eyes.
 "That kind of empty stare... I'm familiar with. And there's not a lot of reasons her daughter wouldn't be 'carrying anything anymore'" 
Xihirli
Boots put her hand on Ethrindae's arm.  "If anyone's equipped to save her daughter, it's us. And if no one is... well, maybe we can keep her from falling into despair afterwards." 
Boots quickly scanned their bubble for corruption to make sure the ratfolk mother didn't have any in her.
Valmark
There was no corruption that Boots could find.

The next morning, the two elves woke the group up- overnight a thin layer of snow had coated the Hut, making it look like the inside of an igloo without an exit.
Xihirli
Boots took a few minutes to summon out Tilly. Still as a Pegasus, the wings were just too good to pass up.
 "Sorry for the cold, girl." 
 "Can you tell me what your daughter is like?"  Alifa asked after preparing Locate Creature.
Valmark
 It's fine. The love I'm made of keeps me warm  Tilly replied.
 That was a cool line right? 

Imris rose from the ground like a vampire standing up from the coffin, and opened her bag. Inside, various tools and small mechanisms layed and she started working on what looked like brooches with spinning emblems.
 "Thin. Long white hair, she took it from me. Red eyes- she's albino. Or was, anyway"  the ratfolk recounted, almost malinconic  "Fairly tall though, like most of us are. I... Am not sure how much of this will help you find her. She always had the smuggiest smile of this world" 
Xihirli
Boots pet Tilly.   The coolest.  

Alifa took a breath, keeping the description in mind. Then she vomited violently at her feet, a viscous black bile that smelled quite unpleasant. She watched her bile cautiously.
 "If it moves, we follow it." 
 "That is... gross." 
Alifa half-smiled at Boots.  "Hey. That's me."  She cleaned out her mouth, though.
Valmark
The bile moved speedily until it still rested on the ground, but to the left.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Remember that Locate Creatures doesn't tell you the path but does tell you the direction.
 


Alifa could see into the bile's trembling that the described ratfolk found by the spell was moving around, but by the looks of it not enough to change her direction in a meaningful way. Looked like she was walking up and down or something like that.
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
And it will continue telling me the direction as I move.
So... the path, with a few extra steps.
 

 "This way."  Answer followed the bile's motion, walking after it.
Boots sprouted wings, and Alifa followed suit.
 "Kat, on Johnny." 
 "Tilly, can you take the other two, please?" 
Valmark
Ethrindae and Imris, the two old women of the group, got on Tilly while Kat got on Johnny as soon as the ratfolk finished what she was doing.

 "Here"  Imris said and offered what looked like four brooches, that felt warm to the touch.
 "These will keep us warm" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
The brooches are enchanted with resistance to cold, mostly to protect the group from the cold of the place. Assign them to whoever you want- I assume the default to be Ethrindae/Kathleyîënis/Tilly/Johnny.
 


It didn't take long for the black bile to stop moving. After a good twenty minutes of walking, Alifa came to a stop right on top of the bile- then she felt her target start moving, as the bile moved towards the direction the group had come from.
Xihirli
Alifa used a mage hand to scoop up some of the bile, and threw it off the cliff. Her wings out, she leapt after, following the free-falling bile.

Boots, passing the brooches out to Ethrindae, Tilly, Johnny, and Kat, smiled at Imris.  "Thank you,"  she said. Then she also jumped off the cliff.
Valmark
The exact moment the entire party started flying, Alifa felt her tracked target stop moving. Though the reason why was unclear.
Xihirli
Alifa flew down, keeping ready to switch directions as soon as they weren’t blocked by stone.
Boots followed.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Plan is, keep following Locate Creature until we find her.
 
Valmark
As the group descended, for a while nothing happened. The Located Creature wasn't moving any more.

When they were about on the same horizontal level homewever, the frozen cliff was still going- at least until it burst open, and a worm far larger then Tilly burst out- it had fat arm-like appendages, and a massive human-looking mouth which it didn't hesitate to try using to chomp onto Boots.

But the teeth were not good enough to break into Boots' armor- the worm immediately tunneled back into the frozen wall, the tunnel collapsing behind it.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
You can take an opportunity attack, I'm assuming Boots was ready for a potential fight.
 
Xihirli
Boots lashed out with her whip to punish the thing for trying for her.

 "Keep some distance from the mountains!"  Alifa called.  "If we fly out of the worm's reach it can't do anything to us!" 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
ATTACK!
 (1d20+12)[ 16 ] ;  (1d6+7)[ 10 ] + (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 


The sisters kept leading the way, now more wary to stay out of reach of the worm unless necessary to go closer.
Valmark
The direction Alifa was following pointed right at the spot the worm had come out of, homewever. Not that there was a tunnel left behind they could enter.
Xihirli
Alifa frowned at that.
 "Johnny, can you find a tunnel in there if you go ethereal?" 
Valmark
Jhonny nodded, then shrugged, which was as close as he could get to 'possible'.
Xihirli
 "Then try. You and Kat go inside and try to find a tunnel." 
Valmark
 "On i-"  Johnny took her into the Ethereal before Kat was done speaking, and they disappeared.

 "So... What the h- I mean, what was that?"  Ethrindae wondered.
 "I've never heard of a worm with hands and a mouth. Well, a mouth like  that " 

Imris shrugged.
 "I haven't been here long, but I had yet to see such a monster" 
Xihirli
Boots and Alifa stayed level for the moment, Alifa watching the rock she had sent Kat into.
 "Oh, is that odd? I've just been kinda rolling with everything weird we've run into since me and Alifa landed at that circus." 
Valmark
 "It is not a monster I know about"  Ethrindae shrugged  "Our world's that weird?" 
 "It could just be somebody's project gone wild like owlbears"  Imris suggested.

It didn't take long for Jhonny to appear back into the Material- by the looks of it, they had ran back. Jhonny's legs showed cuts with green infection filling the wounds, and Kathleyîënis was sideways trying tiredly to pull herself up- her face and left arm showed the same infected cuts Jhonny presented, her face looking more like an hag's then an elf's, and they both reeked to Boots as the first stages of corruption invaded their bodies.
 "I think we've been poisoned. But we found a passage"  she stated. Kat seemed fairly calm despite the seemingly unpleasant experience.
Xihirli
Boots flew over and laid a hand on Kat and Johnny in turn.
 "It attacked you even while you were ethereal?"  Boots asked.
Alifa wrapped Kat in a hug.  "What happened?" 

Boots took a few flaps back and started pouring out Tanaquill's white fire.

 
 Spoiler: Extended Aura of Vitality 

On Kat:
 (2d6)[ 7 ] 
 (2d6)[ 8 ] 
 (2d6)[ 6 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 (2d6)[ 10 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 (2d6)[ 5 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 

On Johnny:
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 (2d6)[ 8 ] 
 (2d6)[ 4 ] 
 (2d6)[ 7 ] 
 (2d6)[ 11 ] 
 (2d6)[ 2 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 (2d6)[ 12 ] 
 (2d6)[ 6 ] 
 (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 
Valmark
 "I don't... Think so. That it was an attack"  Kat frowned  "We found passages alright but they were all coated in this... Weird, green looking pus that..."  Kathleyîënis looked grossed out now that she was being forced to think about it.

 "It exploded when we were near and got on us. Nearly threw me off Johnny as well. Before I knew it, the pus was cutting the skin where it touched and then digged inside. We decided we should get back at that point. Well, John did a complete turn and got out, I wasn't offered an opinion" 

Jhonny looked happy of his choice, only recoiling a  little  when Boots Laid a Hand on him. He was accepting by now that most healing would come from the pegasi-riders.
Xihirli
Alifa nodded.  "Okay. If it's that dangerous in there maybe just me and Boots should go in. We'll come back out with your child if... if at all possible." 
Boots frowned somberly.  "What, leave them out here?" 
 "If Imris is alright with that,"  Alifa said.  "It's very dangerous in there." 
Valmark
 "I'm coming"  Imris said immediately  "It's my daughter, so it's my duty to finish it" 
 "We can wait out here... If that's for the best"  Ethrindae spoke with Kat nodding along  "Don't be long, we'll try to find a safer place to wait at" 
Xihirli
 "Alright. Johnny, stay with them. Us three can go in with Tilly." 
Alifa grabbed hold of Imris and Boots helped move Eth onto Johnny. Then she got on Tilly's back.  "Alright girl. There's gonna be some gross acid in there... uh... and go." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
With Kat's guidance on where to go, two dimension doors into the tunnels.
 
Valmark
As they appeared into existence, they found themselves in what they could only  assume  to be a tunnel in the mountain.

It was entirely covered in green, slimy goo that seemed to vibrate all around them- then it spurted, like someone squeezing a pimple, and as it got on the group it started... It was less of a burn and more of a  digging into their flesh . But at least they felt mostly fine.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
You take half of  (4d12)[ 24 ]  poison damage and nothing else.
 


None of it got on Imris- instead, a mask came up from her armor which closed around her mouth and nose, with a weird cylinder which she breathed into, and the goo slid around her armor into tiny canals that released it under her feet harmlessly.
 "This is my daughter's doing"  she readied her crossbow.
 "It reacts to movement, unless she improved on it"  Imris' voice cracked a little.

 "She is still a great alchemist" 
Xihirli
Alifa nodded and flew in the direction her spell pointed her, on her guard with her shield out.
Boots followed close behind.
 "We'll do this quick, before the poison becomes a factor." 
Valmark
As Alifa started moving, the goo started spewing more of the stuff that also smelled quite bad on her and her companions.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

So, if your plan is to fly along the normal way this is going to happen every 5 feet.

A Dex and a Con save from everybody! DC 18!
To halve  (4d12)[ 25 ]  poison damage the first and not get Poisoned the second.
 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Tilly:  (1d20+10)[ 25 ]  dex,  (1d20+9)[ 10 ] / (1d20+9)[ 28 ]  con
Cleph:  (1d20+7)[ 27 ]  dex,  (1d20+15)[ 27 ] / (1d20+15)[ 35 ]  con
Alifa:  (1d20+9)[ 29 ]  dex,  (1d20+15)[ 22 ]  con
 


They stopped as the firing continued.
 "This is ridiculous,"  Boots said.
 "How about I send someone ahead to trigger the traps,"  Alifa suggested.  "And we stay back and destroy them as we see them. This goo is spewing  from  something. Something we can break." 
 "Sounds good." 

Alifa flew forward and the air swirled around her, filling with hail.
 "Freezing power, lodge in the heart of the tornado! I call upon wind and cold!"  And in a whirlwind, Bilbo Swaggins formed in his weaker form. He's the air elemental and he is filled with Determination.
 "Bilbo, fly out ahead of us and trigger the traps. Don't worry, they shoot poison. You're immune." 
Valmark
Bilbo advanced down the tunnel in the mountain, and sure enough the poisonous mess didn't seem to hurt it much- the green goo that spurted out of the pustoles on the walls flew harmlessly through its windy form.

There didn't seem to be an obvious trap- or rather, all the slime that covered the walls seemed to be the trap.
Xihirli
 "Bilbo, come back!"  Alifa orders, and the Elemental swings around and flies back.
Alifa wants to see if the pustoles are running out of green goo by having Bilbo spring them a few times.
Valmark
It didn't seem like the walls (or rather, the sickly looking postules that covered them) were running out of goo- they looked like infected wounds filled with never ending pus.
Xihirli
 "To the hells with this. Original plan!"  Boots roared.
 "No, wait! Boots, cast Gust of Wind! See if that does anything!" 
Boots thought this over, and her glowing feathers flapped in the wind and a powerful rush of air rushed through the tunnel. Alifa advanced a bit in the air to see if there was any change.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
"The gust disperses gas or vapor" is what I'm going for here.
 
Valmark
As the pustoles on the walls bursted around the moving Alifa, the wind intercepted the pus launching it down towards the tunnel, where it sizzled impotently. The wind was strong indeed.

Imris proceeded to scrub some of the goo that had fallen to the ground, putting it into a few bottles with different liquids in it- then she turned to Boots.
 "If all else fails, could I have a little bit of the skin where the pus burned into you? Your sister's is alright too"  the ratfolk mom inquired, lifting what looked like a scalpel used to dissect corpses.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
This is a liquid but I guess if a spell can push a creature actively moving against the wind current it should also be able to push a liquid that doesn't oppose it.

How fast are you going to go in the one minute Gust of Wind works?

Also keep in mind two things: you'd have to be within the Gust to be protected (thus Strenght saves, though you'd be pushed down the same direction you're going) and also Boots wouldn't be protected (as she's behind the starting point of the Gust).

Imris' proposition is essentially an Identify spell, just Artificer-y.
 
Xihirli
 "Uh... no deal. Everyone go ahead inside of the gust of wind!" 
Alifa flew ahead to the end of the wind gust to see what was past the corner.
Valmark
Around the bend she could see that the tunnel, still covered in the fleshy membrane, snaked around again after about twenty more feet. It didn't seem to have been excavated with any kind of order in mind- although with the walls covered in goo it wasn't really possible to tell how had they been dug through from the walls.

Imris shrugged and did as suggested, nearly toppling over and holding onto Tilly for dear life to not be pushed around by Clephesia's winds.
Xihirli
Once everyone was across, Boots flew a little forward. Alifa stretched out toward her and both her and Alifa’s skin melted into ooze. Both bodies shifted until Alifa emerged out of Boots’s ooze pool and Boots formed out of hers.
Then Clephesia threw up.
Alifa shattered and a quick blizzard rained ice that melted into her, back next to Boots and the others.
 "Point the air down this way."  Alifa pointed to the next corner.
 "One second… oh Sune that was gross." 
 "Chop chop, Boots." 
 "Okay… ugh my kidneys turned into goo and went into my lungs…" 
 "We gotta move." 
 "Worst part was I could SMELL the whole thing." 
 "Boots…" 
 "Right, right."  Boots pointed the wind wall across.  "Fly across." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Alifa Benign Transpositions Boots over and Misty Steps back.
 
Valmark
One way or another, they resumed their travel through the insides of the mountain- it wasn't too much after that the party found themselves... In a severe drop in temperature.

It was surprising, considering that they were in a mountain that was mostly made out of ice- but they saw how after a bend the corridor's walls had a sheen of light ice and the infection that had been shooting at them was frozen up, and not moving. Homewever it worked, it didn't seem capable of withstanding any further cold. They came upon a fairly spacious cylinder tunnel that run vertically, with various tunnels of substantial size leading out- the walls were irregular, and seemed like there were walkaways and stairs along the borders, but everything was covered in the same fleshy membrane that made it inpossible to see what was actually around them.
The ichor that tracked Alifa's prey was pointing into a wall between two tunnels.

Then Alifa's ears perked up as she felt a faint, distant sobbing coming from the direction of one of said tunnels.
Xihirli
Alifa pointed down the tunnel with sobbing.
Clephesia let the gust subside.
 "Down this way. Do you hear her?" 
 "That could be anyone." 
 "We'll see."  Alifa led the flight through the tunnel.
Valmark
The sisters (and Tilly, and Imris) flew down the other tunnel, the cold threatening to burn their skin- but either through personal or artificial protection, they got nothing more then tittering teeth as they neared the source of the crying.

The tunnel led into a gigantic room deep into the glacier. What where presumably columns but were covered in too much ugliness to recognize held the place from collapsing on itself, and at the centre of the room a massive icicle levitated in mid-air- it was the only thing not covered in the pustoles. The ice shone brightly, being in fact enough that the whole room seemed bathed in sunlight.

At its feet, a sobbing girl kneeled down into the ugliness- she looked remarkably like Imris.

Speaking of which, the ratfolk mom immediately loaded a bolt into her crossbow with a look of anger and hate and pointed it right at the girl.
 "I'm too far, get us closer"  she ordered Tilly, who looked at Boots.

 She's scaring me. 
Xihirli
 "Hold up, Imris! I don't think she's a darkling." 
  Keep her away from her daughter for now, Tilly.  
Boots flew down toward the little girl, activating her Divine Senses as she approached.
Alifa remained next to Imris.
 "What are you doing? Even if she is a darkling, she's early enough in the process that Boots could easily cure her. Put down the crossbow." 
Valmark
 "She  isn't ! I  saw  what became of her!"  Imris yelled out and jumped off of Tilly seeing as the pegasus wasn't moving- she pulled a cord on her armor and a parachute made out of what looked like birds' wings popped out of her, slowing her fall.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Feather Fall.
 


While Imris  slowly  made her descent, yelling  "Stay away from her! She's a  monster !"  the girl recoiled and looked up- the moment she recognized a friendly face in Boots she jumped to her feet, her gaze moving back and forth from Boots to Imris with eyes wide with fear. She didn't know what Boots was doing and seemed to be scared of her mother aiming a crossbow straight at her face. Surprisingly.

What  was  surprising was that Boots' Divine Sense didn't pick up any darklings. Like, at  all . Or any other creature for that matter. If it wasn't that they had been attacked by the giant worm outside it may have looked like they were alone in there, besides Imris' daughter.
Xihirli
 "What in the HELLS!"  Alifa waved her rod and a clear crystalline sphere of force materialized around Imris.
Boots put herself in between Imris and her daughter just in case.
 "Okay, what's happening?"  Boots asked. She turned to the daughter.  "Are you alright? Why are you hiding out here?" 
Valmark
 "No no NO! LET ME OUT YOU- NNNGH!"  Imris held herself from swearing and shot the bolt against the invisible wall- exploding it in her face without actually doing anything to the force sphere. She collapsed, wheezing from the smoke that had no filter out but still alive.
 "She'll kill everybody... If you let your guard down... I know that..." 

Meanwhile the girl breathed out in relief, especially at the kind words- the kid looked up at Boots and broke into tears, running into her arms.
 "It's so scary... My friend... She brought us here... Said we'd be safe here... But now she left and I was all alone and then you came and I thought mommy would... She would..."  she looked past Boots at Imris and hid her face into Boots' armor's forest patch, bawling her eyes out like a kid that lost her mother.
Xihirli
 "She's a child!"  Alifa shouted into the Wall of Force. She was beginning to suspect there was some sort of werewolf thing going on here and that the girl would turn into something, but there were solutions to that.
 "There are ways to keep her from hurting people that aren't to kill her!" 
Boots held the kid.
 "Okay. Uh... I think the spell my sister used to keep her in there wears off in ten minutes. Do you have a way to get through the poisonous stuff? I'm going to take you away from here, then you can tell me all about your friend." 
Valmark
Imris cleared her throat.
 "Not if you are a good person. She's become a darkling- and I won't let you let her get away from me again..."  she looked around.
 "...although I do not seem to have options. She was an alchemist- I'm sure she's done some... Weird... Darkling **** to pass as normal" 
 "No no no I can't!"  the albino ratfolk looked up at Boots with her bright red eyes welled with tears  "What if she comes back? Maybe she's looking for a way out. What if she... Wanders... Never finds me again... And... Starves..."  the more she went on, the gloomier her face and talk got.
Xihirli
 "My sister will stay here, and bring your friend back. Right now I need to get you away from your mom so she doesn't..." 
Boots blinked and realized she was crying some. She couldn't imagine someone's mom trying to kill them, really. She'd been told that was how Eris and Zariel met, but she'd never quite believed it.
 "Look, I need to keep you safe. Can I bring you out if I promise my sister will stay here for your friend?" 

Alifa looked down at the two talking.
 "Boots can't be corrupted, and she can cure it. Let her handle this." 
She calle down:
 "Boots! When you get a chance, try Greater Restoration just in case!" 

Boots nodded.  "Would it be alright with you if I cast a spell on you? It would cure any illnesses you have, and keep you healthy." 
Valmark
The ratfolk sniffled then nodded.
 "B-but... No spells..."  her gaze lifted up and met her mom's again, and she hid her face back into Boots.
 "N-no... No no no... No spells..." 
 "Don't get separated"  Imris hissed and beat her fist uselessly into the wall of force  "She'll just take that chance to hunt you down. One. By. One."  the ratfolk growled out and fell to her knees, coughing.
 "Cast that spell on her. It's not gonna hurt her if I'm lying, right? So there should be no issue. Cast it!" 
Xihirli
Alifa frowned. She didn't really want to cast a spell on anyone without their express consent, especially someone appearing so... innocent. But... who had set all these traps? And how would they get the kid out of here if she wouldn't consent to a Dimension Door?

She flew nearer.   Cast it on her.  
Boots set her jaw and tried to grab the kid.
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Gonna go for a grapple first to keep the kid in touch range.
 (1d20+11)[ 30 ]  Athletics.
 
Valmark
 "No no no NO NO NOT AGAIN!"  the kid started trashing the second Boots snatched her up- she fetched a bottle from her clothes and smashed it in her hand, the glass cutting into her skin. The purple liquid mixed with her blood and started bubbling, as it climbed along her arm like a parasite- there was a  crunch  as the ratfolk's arm broke into four, splinters of bone and cut up veins spreading blood all over the ground and Boots. She screamed.
Until the purple goo encased her four stumps of what was her arm, sharpening them and increasing their lenght until four smooth, slimy tentacles with purple daggers at the end replaced the girl's arms.

At about the same time the girl started screaming, the humanoid worm burst forth from the ground- it had changed since before. Gone was the fleshy exterior, instead it had a chitinous armor that ran its lenght and the hands were all covered in claws, ready to cut through Boots' and Alifa's skin.

Also that one was definitely a darkling now.

 
 Spoiler: Initiatives 
Imris  (1d20+3)[ 19 ] 
Kid  (1d20+3)[ 22 ] 
Darkling worm  (1d20)[ 2 ] 

Imris and the kid are about 150 feet apart (horizontally, Imris is also about 40 feet off the ground) and Boots is next to the kid- Alifa can be wherever. Tilly as well.

The worm came out about 15 feet away from Boots, which seems to be well within his mouth and arm's reach.
 
Xihirli
Alifa swore, seeing the worm. If she used her best spells, Imris would be free to kill her daughter.
Boots also swore.
 "Oberon’s liver! Alright girl, will you let me teleport you out of here or not? I can heal your arm!" 
 
 Spoiler: Initiative 

 (1d20+2)[ 8 ]  Alifa
 (1d20+1)[ 20 ]  Boots
 
Valmark
 " NO!  I'm done being taken! I'm done being held!"  the kid lashed out with her tentacles coiling around Boots- she felt the slimy substanced they were coated with seep through the armor and wet her clothes, as the blades tried actually cutting through to her  "You, Mommy, the army, the darklings... You all just want to use me when I'm useful and shut me off somewhere when I can't help! Me and Mileanis are done with it! Help! Mileanis help!" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Attacks on Boots!

She gets hit with a  24 , a  25  and a  crit , for  15 + 16 + 16  slashing and  1 + 6 + 5  poison damage.

The total is 47 slashing and 12 poison damage.

Then it's Boots.
 


Imris at about that time just sunk to her knees, shaking her head.
Xihirli
Boots clenched her jaw as the child attacked her.  "Kid, I'm not the least bit interested in using you, I just want to get you out of this alive. But THAT THING."  Boots let go of the kid.
 "That thing is not your friend. Alifa! We have to kill the worm!" 
 "Maybe! But was it a darkling before? Maybe it's not too late to cure it." 
 "I'll try."  Boots lunged for the worm and tried Greater Restoration.
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

How do we want to resolve GR on an unwilling target again?
 
Valmark
The worm shrieked as magic rattled through it- cracks opened along its shell, pink light erupting into an explosion that sent the exoskeleton scattering through the battlefield. What was left was a writhing black horror that twisted and turned in pain, although still very much alive and very much a darkling. Its soft flesh was now exposed- it didn't look like it was going to oppose much in the way of resistance.

Imris just stared, making it hard to tell what the ratfolk was thinking about.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
The darkling is now vulnerable to all damage.

Also no opportunity attack from the kid, since she really wanted Boots to get farther from her.


Aaaaand Alifa.
 
Xihirli
Alifa snarled at the worm and all around her body black water and black smoke formed into rings until 99 of them were circling around her rapidly. She pointed out the last she made and it grew out, spewing forth five rangers with shortbows in hand.
In Abyssal, Alifa uttered forth:
  "The Abyss Scar calls upon the Rebels of the 99th Circle! Fire on the darkling and break its body upon this cave!"  
She brought her arm down, and lightning crackled from her being and crackled into the bows of the demons.
  "Loose arrows!"  

Five bows raised and fired twice each.

 
 Spoiler: RUTTERKINS FIRE! 
 Attacking the worm!
They're gonna be joyful! LIGHTNING ATTACKS!
 (1d20+9)[ 21 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 9 ]  +  (1d8)[ 2 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 27 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 8 ]  +  (1d8)[ 3 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 26 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 9 ]  +  (1d8)[ 2 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 26 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 10 ]  +  (1d8)[ 8 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 19 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 6 ]  +  (1d8)[ 2 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 29 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 6 ]  +  (1d8)[ 5 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 28 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 10 ]  +  (1d8)[ 2 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 23 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 7 ]  +  (1d8)[ 3 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 25 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 5 ]  +  (1d8)[ 2 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 18 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 7 ]  +  (1d8)[ 4 ] 
 
Valmark
The monstrous rutterkins, feeling strangely happy -or perhaps not, since they were slaves in their homeplane- let loose a hail of arrows screaming obscenities at the monstrous darkling as they peppered its wiggling body with lightning and metal. The arrows weren't particularly dangerous, but the number and the squishiness of the darkling's body made it so that in a short time it was bleeding profusely as it jerked and wiggled uncoordinated from the lightning.

It let out a wail, and trashed wildly as it went for a desperate attack at Boots, clawing into her with what was left of its handblades.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Which would probably be dangerous if it hadn't rolled below 5 with three of its attacks.

Boots gets hit with a  26  and a  28  to hit, for  (3d10+6)[ 23 ]  and  (3d10+6)[ 28 ]  slashing damage and something something she's immune to.

It's Boots. The kid is only Dashing the hell away from her.
 


The kid took off into a run, getting almost out of the room on her rat legs looking back at the fight from the entrance of one of the tunnels.
Xihirli
Boots looked back at the demons.  "Handle the worm!"  She shouts to Alifa, and vanishes into rainbow sparkles, reappearing in front of the girl.
 "Miss, we don't want to hurt you. I just want to make sure you're not a Darkling, then you're free to go. You don't need to accept any help after that, though if I can protect you from your mother I will." 

Alifa swooped down and joined her archers in destroying the worm, rays of crackling black death launching from her staff.

 
 Spoiler: RAIN LIGHTNING! 

Alifa will blast ELDRITCHLY!
 (1d20+12)[ 22 ] ;  (1d10+6)[ 12 ]  force
 (1d20+12)[ 25 ] ;  (1d10+6)[ 15 ]  force
 (1d20+12)[ 21 ] ;  (1d10+6)[ 12 ]  force

RUTTERKINS! LIGHTNING ATTACKS!
 (1d20+9)[ 28 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 10 ]  +  (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 15 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 7 ]  +  (1d8)[ 7 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 13 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 8 ]  +  (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 23 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 6 ]  +  (1d8)[ 5 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 23 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 6 ]  +  (1d8)[ 8 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 11 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 8 ]  +  (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 17 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 7 ]  +  (1d8)[ 3 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 27 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 5 ]  +  (1d8)[ 4 ] 
 (1d20+9)[ 23 ] ;  (1d6+4)[ 8 ]  +  (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 
Valmark
 "No no no- you're evil!"  the kid snarled her teeth at Boots- which would be fairly funny from a human but with her being a ratfolk it was actually an impressive set of teeth. Probably not a big threat to Boots still.

Looking back, she stared helplessly as the worm got peppered with arrows and annihilated by Alifa's rays- it slammed down heavily, one final roar before it stopped moving. It... Wasn't a good look. The kid looked down, stroking her tentacle arm.

 "My name... Is Imaela"  she looked up at Boots with her eyes in tears, taking a few steps back  "Can I... Have five minutes? You can... Do whatever you want afterwards. Just make it painless"  she cast her eyes down.

Boots heard her mom's snarl from across the room.
 "Don't trust her! She's just buying time for... Something!"  she yelled out, face contorted in anger.
Xihirli
Boots frowned and looked at Alifa.
Alifa nodded, flying closer.
  We can handle it if it's a trick.  
 "Yeah. Okay, just... your mom will be out not too long after that."  Boots stayed close to Imaela.
Valmark
Imris fell again to her knees.
 "I can only hope you don't come to regret that" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Just to confirm, are you going to wait five minutes doing nothing?
 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Yeah, but watching her carefully.
 
Valmark
It was the three longest minutes of Boots' life probably, the room filled the resounding sobs of Imaela, the ratfolk who was as scared of the princess as she was of her own mother that kept staring murderously from afar.

And then, they came to an abrupt stop. Imaela stood up, rubbed her eyes, and started speaking.
 "May I ask something?"  she looked at Boots, then at her sister  "What do you think is worst... To have slain many innocents for what was done to you and then have the strenght to seek forgiveness and try to do better, or be betrayed by almost everybody and never succumb to hatred in the first place, but being filled with self-loathing and having your entire worth be solely dependant on the one person that loves you?"  she asked, with a completely straight face and barely any sobbing. It seemed her desperate mood was completely gone.
Xihirli
  Is she… asking about Ethrindae?  
 "I… no one should have to go through either. But killing an innocent… I think that’s worse. Because you’re NOT a murderer. And I want to help you. I’ll protect you, if you let me." 
Valmark
One of the rat ears on Ismaela's head twitched.
 "I... Understand"  she looked at Alifa.
 "You must have the same opinion, surely?" 
Xihirli
 "Even death is reversible,"  Alifa considered aloud.
 "Given powerful enough magic. And the latter can quickly lead to hurting others. I don’t think your story is over, Ismaela… and it doesn’t have to be sad." 
Valmark
Ismaela shook her head.
 "I thank you for the sentiment, even if you didn't understand who I was talking about apparently"  she looked at a wall, and waved.

Violet mist seeped through the wall, slowly making its way towards the ratfolk who was just smiling happily- she started walking towards it, waving as if seeing a close friend again.
 "Mileanis' back! I trust you finished what you wanted to do?" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
The mist is about as fast as that one fog spell that makes you move 10 feet a turn, so you can do whatever if you want to intervene. Ismalea is walking towards it with no apparent hostility or fear.
 
Xihirli
 "Wait, Kat? I... I'll ensure her life isn't sad." 
Boots frowns at Alifa.
 "We're running out of time on the barrier, Ismaela. Can I cure you now please?" 
Valmark
 "Yeah, how can her life be sad? She's got no family to love and no friends to laugh with, literally no life outside of you"  Ismaela shrugged  "I'm sure she's not at all unhappy and is completely fine with having no real choice but to cling to you, a murderous witch with zero mercy and an ever growing lust for power and hope you never stop loving her like everybody else did" 

Imris growled from her cage, as she stared hatefully at the purple mist and her daughter alike.
 "At the price of sounding ripetitive, kill her! It doesn't matter what she says, they are all lies!" 
 "And yeah, sure, you can...  cure  me"  the ratfolk kid sneered creepily, done with her litany of poison.
 "Or you can save the dust for someone on whom it'd accomplish something" 
Xihirli
Boots took a long step forward and laid a hand on her, her blush deepening and a rainbow shining in her eyes as her diamond dust burned into white fire all over the girl.

 
 Spoiler 
Greater Restoration.
 
Valmark
 "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGH"  the ratfolk hissed as the flames burned her skin. It scorched her alive, leaving pieces of burning flesh on the ground as the hideous smell assaulted Boots- she stared right into her unblinking his as the flayed ratfolk flailed in pain, the live meat turning to cinder- and the mist suddenly rushed all around the ratfolk, seemingly twisting around it as the white fire burned through it. The purple mist turned to what looked like water that flew through the flame and joined with the ratfolk, who though didn't stop screaming.

The force of the maelstrom blew Clephesia away, sending her crashing on the floor ten feet farther.

The flames, homewever, didn't last long. And what emerged...
A tall, violet naked skinned woman (as in, with violet skin, not color violet and skinned) with black, flowing hair stood in the place of Ismaela. She was easily a whole head taller then Boots, and that was about it for humanoid features. Her hands ended in black fingertips with big claws and so did her feet, slightly reminiscing of Ismaela's ratfolk feet. Obscenely large eyes opened blinking along her hair and body, staring down all the occupants of the room- finally, her tail formed. It started the same way Ismalea's tail did, but then suddenly grew larger to the point where it was about as large as three times the woman herself.

She stepped calmly forward and extended her hand to help Boots up.
   That... I'm sorry. Ismaela's... She's suffered a lot, and she's forgotten how to not act like a brat    Boots and Alifa felt in their minds, for the woman had apparently no mouth but telepathy- she shook her head as if something was annoying her, then continued    You're a paladin, so my touch shouldn't harm you. I am Mileanis    she glanced briefly up the ratfolk mother.

   Imris   
 "You monster! I'll kill y-"     No you will  not . I will not see a daughter killed by her mother, nor the opposite   
Xihirli
Boots cautiously stands.

Alifa approaches carefully.  "You. You're a darkling. You're...  her  darkling,"  Alifa realizes. "That's how you knew. You know everything the other Darklings see, don't you?" 
 "Why are you..."  Boots took the hand.  "We've only ever met one darkling who could really talk, and he was leading an invasion into the dragons' lands. Why... how are you... like this?" 
Valmark
   Close enough. We also have our own ways to find out things    the darkling shook hands then stepped back    A strong heart... And a strong mind. Those are all you need to not lose your mind. Markus... Had neither, but that scarf of his... Kept him somewhat sane. I hated to see him die, but our leader deemed it necessary to send someone to command my kind    Mileanis shivered.

   Ismaela didn't hesitate to save her mother... But she was just a kid. With her body turning on her, surrounded by monsters and darkness and death... She just  really  wanted to be saved, and her brilliant mind made it happen    her eyes blinked in unison as the darkling paused to listen to something only she heard.
   I resent you for killing my people, but most of us don't leave you choice. I do not know if I would have was I not at a disadvantage    some of her eyes fixed on the dead darkling worm    And if the two of you weren't special enough to warrant the risk   
Xihirli
 "Your kind is a bane,"  Boots says.  "A plague on the people of this world." 
 "So we think,"  Alifa muses.  "Why do you grow and spread on people? Do you even have a choice in the matter?" 
Valmark
The darkling closed her eyes deep in thought.
   I guess... Most of us don't    she shrugged letting har hair swish around- passing her hand through it, her claw split on the eyes in two, where they reformed along the strands of hair into a pair of eyes.
 
  Even I... Can barely hold it together. Ismaela was lying- your spell did accomplish something. It sedated her own murderous istincts. If our home didn't exist, we probably would have long been estinct    she shrugged.

   But when your kin failed, paladin, the Mgepna'ah'ehye uh'e took up your duty. We are far more worthy saviors then you are- and if we need to be a bane on the people of this world to save it so be it.   

The unknown word rolled into their mind as not a word, but a sound- a cry of help, the voice of a suffering parent seeing its children be tortured tightly bound to a chair, their eyes open unable to look away. But the sound that struck them... Was the breaking of the chains as the parent stood ready to crush whoever would hurt their child.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Guess who used the Deep Speech term for "Free Ones"?
 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Is it you?
 

 "You're saving your people?"  Alifa confirms.  "Your home is dying, you  need  the hosts to survive." 
 "If you can't exist without preying on others, you should not exist!" 
 "...Said the goat to the lion." 
 "What!"  Boots reeled in on her sister.  "This is completely different." 
 "How?" 
Clephesia halts, dumbfounded.
Valmark
She closed her eyes, trying to think on Alifa's question.

   ...it is... A satisfying approximation of our situation    she stated after a while.
   I... Wish to secure the means to talk with you without each other having to worry about turning on one another. If you could... Stall that queen of the deads of yours, it would be enough time for me to secure a trust-worthy mediator. We probably only need a few days. Just make sure there's no war by then    Melianis stated.

   Paladin, you aren't entirely in the wrong. Most of us are just monsters to you, and we are the first to attack. But... Not all of us. Some... are just different    she shook her head annoyed.
   Ismaela is waking up. I need to leave now, or I'm going to be jumping at your throats    the darkling flexed her claws, looking at Boots warily    And that spell of yours isn't particularly pleasant.   
Xihirli
 "Swear to me that you will not spread,"  Boots insists.  "That you will not infect another creature personally, or you’re just another darkling that needs to cleansed." 
Valmark
All of the darkling's eyes blinked.
   I swear that I will do what is in my power to prevent me and Ismaela from turning anybody else into one of us.   
Xihirli
Boots still looks conflicted.  "Alright. Get out of here then." 
Alifa drops concentration on the Wall of Force.
Valmark
Imris fell with a  thud , while the darkling got away. She snapped back to her feet, crossbow in hand, and stared hard at Alifa. She started lifting her crossbow, then examined her self-inflicted wounds and lowered it again.

 "...am I  allowed  to leave, your majesties? Or are you not done consorting with the monsters that threaten life as we know it?"  the ratfolk mother growled out  "Should I go find some more children you can throw into their jaws? After all, if even our own  paladins  start siding with the darklings what is there to lose?"  Imris shrugged.

 "I hope you don't have any loved one to lose, so at least  you  won't suffer when we all inevitably die" 
Xihirli
Boots scowled. The words really did hurt… but the truth was, if she’d killed that Darkling it wouldn’t have been to protect anyone.

 "Yes, go,"  Alifa says simply.  "We’re going to keep making the choices we think will save the most lives… No matter how badly you want to kill your daughter." 
Ignoring Imris entirely, Alifa regards Boots.  "A symbiotic relationship… if what she says is to be believed. Outstanding… maybe there’s even a way darklings and this world could coexist." 
 "They’re a blight, Alifa. There is no compromise with them." 
 "If you really believed that, you’d have killed her already." 
Valmark
Imris scampered off, leaving the sisters alone. They heard her mumble something about being too fast, as she took off running without another word.

Tilly trotted towards Boots.
 I don't know if it was good, but if someone is never given a chance they can't be better, right? 
Xihirli
Boots pet Tilly.
 "It wasn’t good." 
 "Good and evil both have to exist,"  Alifa said.  "And they have to follow the same rules." 
 "Those things aren’t part of the balance of the cosmos. They’re like the Obyrith… they consume and destroy and corrupt everything they touch." 
 "Not everything… not necessarily. This changes everything." 
 "Let’s just get back to Eth and Kat."  Boots loaded up onto Tilly.
Valmark
After about fourty minutes (mostly because the sisters didn't want to run into Imris) the group emerged from a side tunnel into the opposite side of the mountains from where they had come out of. Even on Tilly, it took a bit to find Ethrindae... Mostly because they couldn't find them flying where the group had separated.

Eventually they managed to spot the rest of the group at the foot of the icy jaws, into an alcove dug into an ice wall.

The sisters (and Tilly) saw Imris there, carefully attending to a red-glowing tower about a foot tall, that was radiating heat- next to her, Ethrindae was covered in a blanket with an haunted look on her face, and Johnny was sleeping fitfully next to them. When they approached, the ratfolk stood up with a bitter smile, turning off her heat tower and folding it until it fit into her backpack. She started leaving, smirking at the sisters, especially Alifa.

 "Found those two lying on the ground"  Imris said  "She was unarmed, but the fiend... Not so much. I did what I could. But don't thank me"  the ratfolk stared at the younger sister with perverted amusement  "I only stayed longer then necessary to see your face. Your elf wasn't with them. Guess she likes traveling and ******* with monsters so much she couldn't wait for you to be back, uh? Had to run away with my daughter"  she stared at Alifa, only hate in her eyes left. Probably for the whole 'closing-me-into-an-invisible-wall' thing.
Xihirli
Alifa's face goes stone and solemn.
 "You're not going to kill your daughter,"  she says furiously.  "I'll kill her first." 
Boots knelt by Ethrindae and lifted her up in her arms.  "What... what happened?" 

Alifa shot out a Sending to Kat.   Kat. Where are you? What happened? Will you be safe long enough for me to Scry on you?  
Valmark
Kathleyîënis didn't seem to be in a position to receive Sendings at the time, or at least wasn't replying.

Ethrindae shook her head, not really hugging Boots.
 "Nothing... Well, nothing to me. This violet darkling attacked us- I don't know how, but it easily overpowered Johnny then knocked me and Kat out... Or at the very least me. But it didn't hurt me, not sure about Kat"  Ethrindae shivered.

 "It... Could speak. Said it needed someone that could be trusted... I can only assume it wasn't talking about me"  Ethrindae shook her head. Meanwhile, Imris left.

Then she looked up at Boots.
 "Is it true that you... You were going to ally... With that monster?"  Ethrindae asked, as tears mounted on her eyes.
 "Imris said... That you trapped her so you could work with the darklings. That you'd stop our allies from striking at them. I... You never gave me a reason to doubt you, but she seemed to be so sure of her words..." 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Reminder that from Eth's POV she was saved by a wounded Imris who would have known that Ethrindae has a bitter past and that Eth and Boots are at least lovers. And had every reason to try and spin what happened the most negative way possible (well, every reason for Imris).
 
Xihirli
 "We are  not  allied with that Darkling." 

Alifa swore and got out her crystal ball, spinning it as muck came off of it endlessly, slowly spinning into an image... hopefully.
 "It was my fault, Eth. This Darkling apparently had the ability to mask itself from both vision and Boots's senses, appearing to be an innocent child. This was why I sealed Imris away. In speaking with her we seemed to have handled the situation... until we found out she was a darkling, after all. That was..." 
Alifa refocuses the spell.  "Boots wanted to kill her. I stopped her. I thought there was something else happening, something bigger than just 'we should kill them all.' I thought this might be the beginnings of finding some peace with the darklings." 
Boots stiffened at the mere idea... again.  "I should have... I should have..." 
 "Boots's only mistake was trusting me..."  Black tears flowed down Alifa's face.  "And my only mistake was not killing that darkling filth myself. A mistake I am going to remedy the INSTANT I can get near." 

Boots insistently kept her arms around Eth.  "I am so sorry, Eth. I didn't... I'd never met one that could think like this one can. I thought Lif understood what was going on... she usually does." 
 "It was a thinking creature that was not actively hostile. That has now changed, and she has to die." 
Alifa spun the orb again.  "Kathleyîënis,"  she whispered into the orb.
Valmark
Ethrindae didn't reply. She hugged Boots when the sisters blamed Alifa, and hid her face into her armor- then started sobbing, the tiny rivers of Boots' armor hiding the tears.

Alifa soon saw an image. She was looking into a room- made out of a black material, it was a rather gloomy place lit up by metallic chandelabra with candle projecting a red and yellow glow, showing what was actually a really nice room. There was a big wardrobe, with a desk that held atop it several books and sheets of blank paper (with ink and quill near them) and windows made of stained glass that depicted a knight not particularly dissimilar from the one Alifa saw emerging from the darkling gate of the dragons' plane.

On a gothic-looking queen-sized bed, among bedsheets that looked extremely soft, Kathleyîënis was sleeping peacefully, nicely tucked in. There was no sign of injury or corruption, if she had indeed been taken by darklings.

By the looks of it she still had her black armor on, but there was nothing in sight that seemed to be her bags or weapons.
Xihirli
 "This is my mess, and I'm going to fix it,"  Alifa said calmly, and vanished into black goo.
 "Wait, Alifa!"  Boots held out a hand, but her sister was already gone.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Teleport.
 
Valmark
Alifa sank into the black goo, and all was darkness.

For about a few seconds, then she started seeing a light- the houri was birthed anew as she landed heavily into a mass of black goo splattering about. As it drained, Alifa could see that the room she had landed into was, indeed, the room she had seen through the Scrying.

Kat was there, and had started shuffling in her sleep when Alifa arrived. Briefly the houri felt the room spinning, but just as it came the sensation left.

 
Much to Boots' dismay, Alifa was nowhere to be seen any longer.

Ethrindae lifted her head, glancing at Johnny who was now looking a little panicked at the whole exchange.
 "This... Might be good"  she grimaced.
Xihirli
 "What might be good? My sister ran off on her own! What if she gets hurt or killed?" 

 

Alifa stumbled a second, but grabbed hold of Kat's hand.  "Come on Kat, we're leaving."  She shook her a little.
Valmark
 "She's good at staying alive"  Ethrindae reassured Boots  "And... I know I said you two should support each other, but..."  the elf gestured all around her.

 "Look at what happened because of her. If... If she's going to make you break your vows, and turn you into someone that'd listen to darklings... Or even just make you listen to what she says just because she's your sister... I can't. I've already lost people I loved, and I don't want to lose another because she followed bad company"  the druid looked at Boots bitterly.
 "Maybe it's better if you two strike off on your own with your own methods? We... We can do that" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Yes Eth, you and your underleveled ordinary ass.
 


 
Kat shook slowly, almost coming out of a letargic rest.
 "I... Wh... Wait, Lif?" 

In a second, Kathleyîënis scrambled to her feet as her eyes flew into a panic.
 "You shouldn't  be  here! Get away from this place, right now!"  she growled out as she went to the desk, desperately checking for something- though by the looks of it, Kat wasn't finding it. Or was too panicked to focus anyway.
Xihirli
 "There is no thing that is more threatening to me than to you. Now, let’s join hands, pop to Faerie, and join the others tomorrow." 
Alifa held out a hand for Kat.  "Come on, I don’t have time to go through a whole 'brainwashed by the villain' thing again. Let’s just go." 

 

Boots’s face went to steel.  "Absolutely not. She made the wrong call, but instantly saw the consequences and changed her tune. Never listen to a Darkling, we learned that."  She shakes her head.  "I came to this world for Alifa. Taking my eyes off of her is a non-starter." 
Valmark
 "No, you don't get it"  Kat managed to retrieve a mirror from her desk  "This castle is warded against teleportation, you get in, you don't get out"  she showed the mirror to Alifa.
 "Not the way you got in, at least. Not unless you're like me" 

In the mirror, Alifa saw that the white of her eyes had turned blood-red.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
 Darkrot mutation: Eyes of the Bloodletter 

Your eyes are now conduits for the magic in your blood- they are constantly bloodied, and you can as a bonus action focus and spray your blood towards a target. Make a ranged spell attack that uses your highest mental stat, or a ranged weapon attack that uses your Dexterity. On a hit, deal PBd10 necrotic damage. The range is 30 feet.

Also Alifa roll me a Cha save, a Con save and an Int check.
 


Kat's arm twisted into a blade from her armor, and she cut the door to pieces exiting the room.
 "Unless you have a better plan?" 

 

 "And  I  am traveling for my world"  Ethrindae hissed  "Sure, she learned her lesson... With this darkling. How can you know she won't listen to the next reasonable darkling? How can you know she won't try to find a 'better' option when the time comes for you to need her?"  the druid insisted, looking at Boots in the eyes.

 "Was your vow to my world or to your sister?" 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: ****ing 

Here’s 80 d20s, CHA saves are straight, CON saves are +9, INT checks are +6.
Seriously. gitp’s dice roller is the second most annoying one I’ve ever had to deal with  (80d20)[ 3 ][ 3 ][ 8 ][ 11 ][ 11 ][ 20 ][ 11 ][ 14 ][ 15 ][ 9 ][ 9 ][ 13 ][ 5 ][ 13 ][ 10 ][ 11 ][ 8 ][ 9 ][ 13 ][ 20 ][ 5 ][ 5 ][ 19 ][ 10 ][ 9 ][ 8 ][ 6 ][ 20 ][ 7 ][ 10 ][ 16 ][ 9 ][ 13 ][ 4 ][ 19 ][ 3 ][ 3 ][ 10 ][ 17 ][ 18 ][ 19 ][ 5 ][ 10 ][ 3 ][ 18 ][ 20 ][ 14 ][ 6 ][ 8 ][ 6 ][ 5 ][ 12 ][ 11 ][ 4 ][ 2 ][ 19 ][ 11 ][ 7 ][ 19 ][ 18 ][ 17 ][ 14 ][ 6 ][ 10 ][ 17 ][ 4 ][ 13 ][ 20 ][ 14 ][ 9 ][ 17 ][ 12 ][ 14 ][ 6 ][ 15 ][ 12 ][ 5 ][ 8 ][ 17 ][ 13 ](887) 
 


Alifa followed behind.  "Sounds fine be me. We go outside, get to Faerie, get the corruption paused TOGETHER. Let’s go." 
She follows behind Kat.


 


Boots fully let go of her.  "This will not happen again,"  she insists.  "And you  will not  try to separate me from my sister. This is not an argument." 
Valmark
Alifa felt a little  crack  around her neck, but she felt fine after that. Great, even. Felt like she could fly if she wanted. Well, she already could, but... Another way.

Kat took off running, shaking her head  "I... Don't know. I was being explained things in my dream..."  she said  "If... There is a chance I could make a real difference in this war... If I could be useful to... You... Wouldn't it be good?" 

They turned a corner and running down an hallway came upon a darkling that snarled at them- its back was made of bulging biceps, and its arms ended into lethal blades. It's mouth, triangle shapes, opened like a flower showing rows upon rows of teeth.
 "Not now!   Cgxov vlso  !"  Kat ordered in an unfamiliar tongue- the darkling seemed about to strike, but then quickly dodged out of the way submissively.
Kat murmured a 'thank you' as she ran past.

 
 "I..."  Ethrindae looked crestfallen.

 "...I'm sorry"  she stated, gathering her stuff before starting to walk away.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
I say starting 'cause tbf there's not much Eth can do if Boots doesn't let her.
 


Johnny stood up, trotting near Boots as the closest person to the one who Bound him, and Tilly looked just confused.
 So... What's the plan again? 
Xihirli
Boots let Ethrindae go and sat down angrily.  "I guess we... set up camp. Tomorrow when Lif has enough spells to go back and forth, we set up where we'll meet and keep going."  She wipes away a few tears.  "These last few days have sucked." 

 

 "No,"  Alifa snapped.  "We're both getting this removed at the first opportunity. The darkrot  tempts  you with promises of power. Don't let it, we will find power ourselves."  Alifa ran next to Kat.  "To Faerie, then to whichever of Fiamma or Lucilla is closer to get the corruption halted. Then to my sister to get it entirely removed." 
Valmark
 
 "I wasn't promised power... Bit I understand"  Kat briefly squeezed Alifa's hand and smiled  "We can do it" 
 "Fiamma. Did your sister get a Regeneration spell?"  Kat inquired stealing a glance at Alifa's eyes  "Otherwise, we can stop your corruption but can't really heal what already happened to you... Yet"  they ran into a large hallway, that had a bunch of stairs going up and down. Kat swore and pointed up at a window.
 "Alright maybe we just break one of those and fly away? We don't really have the time to guess the r-"   "I don't suppose I can talk you into staying?" 

Kathleyîënis froze for a second as she turned around- at one end of the hallway, a hooded figure stood. Through the hood, Alifa could see the face of a tall elven woman- she was for sure older then Ethrindae, with black skin and scars all over, and a bandage that hid part of her face. The single eye studied Alifa from behind white long hair, that looked worn out by the time.
The old drow pursed her lips when Kat shook her head.
 "I'm sorry... I don't have the time to explain. We need to leave  now "  she hissed, seemingly already knowing the woman.

 "If it's the Faenya you're worried about, there's a better way"  she turned to Alifa.
 "Our... Leader... Can stop what you call the corruption from spreading. Without effort, and no lasting consequence"  the hooded drow explained
 "It's not an enticing offer, but it's the best one I can make. We need to talk, outsider, and it'll be hard if you leave. But you and Kathleyîënis are no prisoners" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Faenya is the Deep Speech term for 'medicine'. By the context, it seems she's referring to what Alifa calls darkrot.
 


 
Tilly rubbed her nose against Boots, then sat down leaning against her trying to comfort her.
 I think you're doing great! You specifically! Ethrindae is just mean! People are allowed to be wrong every once in a while! 

After a bunch of minutes Ethrindae came back, shivering.
 "Worst idea of my life"  she said, trying to crack the silence while laying down her bedroll.
 "Are you planning on going after the giants? Or are we going back?" 
Xihirli
 "Boots can regenerate us. It’s just a matter of keeping the darkrot from spreading too far into us, and we’ll be able to recover fully." 

Lif considered the elf’s words. Also a darkling, she’d bet… but if she truly had a medicine, Alifa could stop the corruption BEFORE it started affecting her mind and making her stop  wanting to .
She cast Detect Thoughts and stared into the woman’s eyes.  "Can you provide enough of this medicine to halt the spread upon both myself AND Kat? Otherwise we must hurry." 
She looked through the elf’s thoughts for deceptions, particularly whether this medicine even worked.


 

 "Giants,"  Boots answered.  "And we’ll stay in touch with Lif with Sendings so that we can meet there." 
She set up her bedroll next to Ethrindae’s. "Tilly, it’s too cold for you. Take a break."  She lit a fire for everyone else.
 "…Lif is the most important person in my life, Eth. You know that. You knew that when we married. You can’t make me choose between her and anything… or at least, you won’t like what you hear if you do. I did make a vow to this world… but Alifa’s never stopped fighting for it. She made a bad call, and dragged me into it, but she’s one of the best allies we have even ignoring that she’s my sister. If I have to be more diligent in keeping her on the straight and narrow, I will, but I’m not giving up on her. Never. That’sa vow I’m making right now." 
Valmark
 "It isn't... Well, I can explain correctly later, but yes you'll be fine"  the woman nodded.

  Damn, I should have known Mileanis wouldn't be able to hold her murderous side in check. I must be careful to secure an alliance. And get this girl some help before she becomes just another monster   was what the drow was actually thinking about.

 
Ethrindae listened silently.

 "...I... Can understand that"  she sighed.
 "But I can't accept it. No... That's fine in itself. But... You won't even consider the idea"  the elf's skin shivered.

 "If you're more willing to consider what a  darkling  tells you then what the woman you say you love tells you, if I can't trust that you won't put my world before your blood bonds... I can't count on you to be there when we need to snuff out the darklings"  for the first time, Ethrindae was genuely angry.
 "I've been there. My family will never get a second chance. I won't lose someone else to the darklings, no matter what I'm forced to do to ensure that... Or who I'm forced to kill" 
Xihirli
 "Hold on there Eth. On this, we agree completely. Not killing this darkling was a major problem, and that won’t happen again no matter what Alifa says. If I meet a Darkling that can’t be cured, it’ll be killed,"  Boots vowed.  "You know, as long as I actually CAN kill it. I’m not a god. I’m STILL going to wipe out this corruption. But I’ll be more careful not to let that waver, but Alifa is still  coming ,"  Boots insisted.  "So is that alright? Alifa stays with us, but if she ever advises leaving a Darkling alive again I kill it anyway. Promise." 

 

 "Okay, get me some medicine,"  Alifa said.
 "Kat, have you already had some?" 
Valmark
 "Had you ever considered leaving darklings alive? Or really anything that has to do with not eradicating them? Before today?"  Ethrindae asked after a long silence.

 
 "Follow me"  the drow turned around to lead them.

  I hope she doesn't think I betrayed her when she sees our leader. It's not medicine, but I don't have the time to explain the difference.  
 "I'm fine"  Kat hurried after the drow  "I'm... Not sure how it works, but I can be around here just fine. It's something to do with my armor and being an elf"  she added as they walked  "You kinda woke me up before she was done explaining. Not that I mind" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Double checking your plan with Alifa since she's in a time-sensitive situation. Follow the elderly looking drow?
 
Xihirli
Boots frowned.  "I try to cure them first,"  she offers.  "If I can help it. I don't want to kill anyone,"  she answered.  "But... no, I believe you. They are a corruption that needs to be wiped out. That was my vow, and I've kept to it. No Darkling's ever given me a good reason to waver... this one spoke. One other did, but I killed him. I think what tripped me up this time was... she wasn't doing anything to hurt anyone. She was running for her life, and... a kid. That's what got to me. And she didn't register on my Divine Sense. It was all so new. I messed up, but I didn't break my vow. I didn't betray my cause. Ethrindae, look at me." 
Boots cupped her wife's cheeks in her hands.
 "I will wipe out the darkrot. Sometimes I'll mess up... hopefully never this badly again. But I will not stop until my task is done." 

 

Alifa was very conscious of running out of time... but followed. She MIGHT be able to make it if this was a trick.  "Can we move with a bit more urgency here?" 
She communicated with Kat telepathically.   So, who's their leader?  
Valmark
Ethrindae nodded, then smiled. Then a shadow fell over her face.
 "Did you ever consider anything aside from defeating them when it came to darklings? Before today I mean" 

 
Under the guidance of the drow, they moved swiftly through the corridors.

  No idea. I... Got the feeling she respects him but doesn't like him. I don't think the darklings are all one side. Or she just tricked me.  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Not depicted: Alifa passing her saves and nothing else happening to her this time.
 


And then after climbing stairs that led them fairly high up, crossing darklings that snarled at the two girls but offered every respect to the drow, the trio barged into a large throne room. A massive tapestry on the left wall depicted what looked like a war- at the head, a knight in shining armor atop a dragon led an army against black, red-eyed monsters. The pictured skies were filled with warriors with butterfly wings led by a flower-looking woman, and at the back an horned black-robed witch was flinging lightning.

On the right wall, another tapestry- but this showed a black knight, overlooking from atop an oversized castle a ball colored with blue and green, holding an arm with a sword aimed at a vulture that had its beak open around a part of the globe.

The occupants of the room were... Varied.

On the left of the entrance, resting her shoulder against a pillar, a woman with golden eyes and short white hair stared at them expression-less. At least the top of one.
From the chest below, and past the elbow of one arm, she turned into smoke- and just levitated there. A spellbook floated around her, held by a bat with four wings.

Next, two knights could be seen- the eye was drawn automatically to them due to the mess they caused when they spotted Alifa.
One of them could have passed as human- it were wearing a black armor covered in spikes, red silk billowing out of the plates of the armor. It wielded a greatsword with unknown runes on it, and red lightning crackled all around the knight.
The other one was horrid to look at. Unreasonably scrawny for a creature in full plate. The greataxe it wielded in one hand, the shield and most of its body opened in drooling, toothed mouths with long tongues jutting out like worms burrowing out of the ground. They immediately took up arms, but the figure on the throne slammed the fist on the armchair and they relented.

Hanging out above the throne, what reminded Alifa of a Phoenix stood. If phoenixes were made of dying cinders, that is. The legs were of fiery fire, but the more it raised the more it stained, until just pitch black fire feathers remained, similar to Alifa's wings. The eyeless head stared at her inclining its head like a bird, and squawked once revealing a bright blue light within its mouth.

Far less showy, were the figures lounging at the foot of the throne. Coiled up like cats, one of them looked like a boy- just the face, with long white hair like Kat's. Elven ears, but his whole body was black with a bright blue tattoo of his skeleton as the only distinctive trait... Assuming it was, indeed, a tattoo. It had a cat's tail and his legs ended in lionine paws.
The other was fairly scrawny, whole body covered in bandages- the only things showing were its claws, sharp as a blade, the cat tail and ears, and its head that was just a big bright red eye.

Two more women hanged out- one was standing politely on the side, and seemed to have been talking as Alifa saw her closing her mouth when she entered. The woman looked mostly human, but her legs seemed to be made out of metal- they had jaws, and yellow energy and steam coming off of it. She had black hair, a red tail that looked strangely smooth, large and thin like a blade- and a yellow patch on an eye. It wasn't clear wether it was part of her face or not. She had a spellbook at her side.

The other was squatted on a pillar, perfectly stable despite being on a vertical surface- from the knees up she looked just like a normal human, with long platinum hair combed into a ponitail and one of the most pissed faces Alifa ever saw. But from the knees down, her legs were made out of misshapen creatures, as if someone had compressed gibbering mouthers into legs. The middle fingers of both her hands shared that aspect as well, and she had adorned with gems the leather stripes that held her hair in check.

Finally, on the throne, a knight Alifa easily recognized. It was the same person that she saw emerge from the darkling Gate briefly when they were helping the dragons. It wasn't necessarily more imposing then the other occupants of the room, but somehow it was the guy that exterted the most autorithy there.

Oh and there was Meilanis. In the middle of the room. She took one look at Alifa, yelled    ****!    into everybody's mind and instantly puffed into purple smoke, sinking into the floor.

The drow bowed and gestured to Kat and Alifa to do the same.
 "Good tidings, Sire. I've brought one of the outsiders that we've heard so much about. But she's not going to last long here"  the drow started  "Please, it'd be b-"  but when the apparent leader of the darklings lifted his hand, she fell silent. It stared at Alifa, waiting.

  This drow needs me. And that guy? A false king, of an unrecognized land he's just lucky nobody can enter easily. Those around him? Just weaklings that couldn't save themselves and got turned by the darkrot.  I  have real power at my fingertips, power that I worked for and deserve, the power to lay waste to all my enemies and take whatever I want. I could rule the world if I wished, and the world would have been damn lucky to have me as its Queen. And they are asking me to bow?  

For a second, those had been Alifa's thoughts.
Xihirli
Alifa had her wits about her… mostly. The darkrot was in her, trying to get her to keep it. Trying to create conflict and evil.
Still… This man was seemingly the commander of the assault on the dragons…
And she was surrounded on all sides. The only way out of here… was to see her choice through.
She glanced at the Phoenix. That was cool as the hells.

She bowed, briefly.
 "Knight. I was told there was something to keep me from corruption. I can talk peace… maybe better than anyone else, but I need it now or I need to fight my way out. I presume… You were in Serendipity’s party, weren’t you? Back when you were both alive… What was your oath?"  She glances at the drow.   Oh. Do please hurry up with the medicine.  

 

 "I never thought of it as defeating,"  Boots confessed.
 "More curing… And I’ve never wavered. And never will again." 
Valmark
  "Ah... That... Was a long time ago"   The ruler of the darklings spoke slowly, and drew a rune in the air. It was in the shape of a square, and then the man drew a wedge into it that split it in half. And then pushed it.

Alifa felt her stomach burn for the tiniest of seconds- an inky black depiction of the same rune fleshed on her skin through her clothes, then just as quickly disappeared.

The drow woman flashed Alifa an apologetic smile.
  That was it. His blessing will keep it from affecting you- and only that. I know what it may look like, but please... Trust me when I say that he's not an enemy of this world   she glanced at the other darklings in the room.
  But don't trust all of them.  

There was an audible  tch  coming from the woman squatting on the pillar. She seemed to have been looking forward to fighting Alifa... Or seeing her turn into a monster.

  "My Oath was, and is, to do everything in my power to defend my home from those who'd seek to control it. She and I... We didn't see eye to eye on how to do that"   he shrugged.
  "I assume it is a sentiment you share, outsider"  

 
Ethrindae hugged Boots.
 "You faltered once"  Eth said  "But... I trust you. And your love for all, and the beauty to bring to everybody's lives. 
Xihirli
Alifa nodded.  "So you would be... Trevor the Dragonrider,"  Alifa guessed.  "You were believed to be dead, fighting the Dark War. But instead... the first darkling? Or at least... the first one  here, "  Alifa guessed.  "I wonder how long Serendipity knew... were you separated before, or after you became a Darkling? I wonder what her issue was... no, I know."  Alifa smirked.  "Serendipity thinks the only way to save the world is to control it. You can hardly blame her, when she had four equal partners one was  you  and the rest..."  Alifa looked around.  "Your dragon. Your partner. So Gigrokhundarasc is truly dead?" 

Alifa paused.  "I'm sorry, Trevor. Let me... guess... what this is, if I may. Darklings are brought into this world... feral. Suggestible. Scared. Like babies, but with more muscle, no apparent mother, and sharper claws. Over time, you learn from your person. The first thoughts you form are just to stay connected. Promise them what they want, anything, just to keep the from getting you removed. Simple first thing to learn, self-preservation." 

Speaking of, Alifa thought to the woman squatting on the pillar.   Everyone here is afraid I'm going to become a monster except you... tell you what, if I have to bust my way out of here, are you in? To watch every second of my corruption after we escape?  

Alifa pointed to the spot that Meilanis had vacated.  "That rat asked me for mercy. I provided it, and she kidnapped my girlfriend. After I had already accepted her invitation to speak. I'm sure I'm going to communicate again, so let me make this clear from the get-go: Next time I see her, she's ash. Not because she's a darkling. But because she betrayed my trust and went after someone under my protection. That goes for any of you!"  Alifa let out her wings and shrouded herself in darkness.   "Anyone goes after myself or Kat, they don't get Alifa the Diplomat. They get the Abyss Scar, the Caller who Pulls from the Depths."  
 "So. Since you all care about self-preservation, let's continue. Over time, and adapting to your host, a darkling can grow into anything. Even a symbiote... an equal partner in the same body. Am I close? You all want to live... for some of you, that means eating the whole world so no one's left to hunt darklings. For others, it means trying to find a peace. For you..."  Alifa cocked her head, looking at the ruler of the Darklings. "What have you decided, Trevor? Why go after the Dragons?" 

 

Boots held her wife.  "My heart's big. Maybe too big, and too open. But... I don't think I'd be the woman you loved if I dared close it. I'll get hurt by my big open heart, don't think I don't know that... why do you think I've learned how to heal so well?" 
Valmark
  Gigrokhundarasc is dead, yes. He saved me in our fight against the first ruler of the darklings, but... His skull was caved in   'Trevor' shrugged, notably being the first in that place to call darklings with their Common name   Much has happened, it's been a long time. Me and Seren... We split up when I joined the darklings. She didn't have the strenght to wage war to me right there and then"  

He didn't reply to the next words Alifa spoke. Couldn't, 'cause a racous laugh rang out into the hall, the woman that had been squatting on the pillar jumping down like a grasshopper landing with a powerful  thud  on the ground.
  "Nobody teached you that not all darklings are the same?"   she stretched and her spine cracked an unreasonable number of times for a human being   "Sure, the corruption can  try . But I didn't beg"   she smiled, revealing rows of sharp teeth   "I was too busy eating it up. It tried transforming me again, and again, and again and again and again  but it begged to be left alone every time I devoured one of the new limbs, the rolls of fat, the squishy and tender eyes and thyahyaHYAHYAHYA! "   she broke into a maniacal laughter.

But the voice that replied to Alifa's telepathy, while still overly-enthusiastic, felt nothing like the unhinged psycho in front of her and more like a playful child.
   Sure, make it fun for me. These people are boring anyway. But careful not to excite me and then let me down, or you won't like it next~   
 "Amala, please... let her continue"  it had been the half-smoke person to reprimand the laughing woman. She offered a shy smile to Alifa. Kat squeezed her girlfriend's hand possessively.
  "Ugggggh... Sure, Smokey"   Amala annoyedly fell silent. 'Smokey''s eyes flickered for a second when she got called that, but otherwise didn't react.

When Alifa challenged the darklings to **** around and find out, reactions were mixed- Smokey and the drowess flinched, while Amala and the two knights looked ready to throw hands, but their leader sedated them with a fist slammed on the throne's armchair. The phoenix squawked and lifted its wings, mirroring Alifa, and the others didn't seem particularly interested in the display. The cat boy started licking his paws.
 "We were going to punish aunt Mielanis anyway"  he spoke, with a childish tone of voice  "May as well leave her to the outsider, nya?" 
  "No. It wasn't ideal but it ended well for our purposes"   Trevor shook his helm   "I'm afraid I couldn't condone that. Meilanis is one of us. But it'll be on her to avoid the hunt, for as long as it takes for her to redeem the loss of our trust"   it seemed final.

At the last question, Trevor took a deep breath.
  "No offense, but those would require sharing our war plans, and we have no reason to believe you'll be on our side. As long as Seren remains a threat, that won't change"   he explained and inclined his head   "It doesn't help that it is her fate to oppose us"  

 
 "Yes... You wouldn't"  Ethrindae looked at Boots and smiled softly.
 "Let's kiss some of that hurt away" 
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
 Fade to black on Boots' side?
 
Xihirli
  Well, I don't even know if I have to fight my way out yet,   Alifa thought back.
 "From the fact that none of you are correcting me except Amala, I'm guessing I'm...  roughly  correct,"  Alifa mused.
 "Still, you wanted to talk to me. You're...  considering  a path that wouldn't be too horrible for me to hear. Something you think I might help you with."  Alifa let the darkness surrounding her drop.  
"So. What did you want to tell me... and while you're at it, I'm not happy with a 'close enough' guess. What exactly  is  a darkling?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Yes
 
Valmark
 "I'll take that one"  the woman with the eyepatch stated. The two cat-like darklings rolled their eyes.

 "Nya, not staying for another of your explanations"  the boy took the other darkling by the hand and they both pounced out of the room. By the lack of reactions, everybody seemed used to they behavior.

 "Are you familiar with the Far Realm, outsider?"  the woman inquired, looking at Alifa  "It is madness and endless possibilities, nothing like our own world. It twist unfortunate visitors into gruesome monsters, and when unleashed upon a world it completely alters that too. The thing is... There is this  beautiful  place our dear Emerethiel is native of"  she gestured to the drowess  "Called the Shadowlands. Now... Shadowlands are home to Nightmare. Monsters capable of devouring the very stuff planes are made out of"  the woman crossed her fingers with an elated smile  "And what happens when you cross beasts that devour planes with a realm of infinite change? An endless, controlled source of mutations. And an army of creatures that while born of this world all share something that is...  otherwordly . Something that cannot be controlled by those who'd enslave this world. Like Abadaius and his Chains"  she inclined her head.

 "You must have noticed something weird about the people of this world Just look at the two of them"  she gestured to the drowess and Kat- Kat's gaze had gone completely blank the moment the Chains had been nominated, and the drowess was now leaning against a wall, still focused but sweating buckets as she tried not to collapse  "Books are erased, people can't even  start  focusing on his actions- and more, though the exact extent of what he accomplished has since long been lost. Before you came, us darklings were the only ones that could oppose this at all. The God of Fate can't really command people who's fate is not beholden to this world. But it'll be all for naught if we get all destroyed. And as you can guess, being diplomatic as a darkling is fairly hard. Our reputation is both nefarious and deserved, even before considering that people  cannot choose not to fight us " 
  "And all that changes when someone who is neither a darkling nor native to this world comes in"   Trevor concluded.
  "Or at least changes the tools we have at our disposal. If Seren doesn't kill us, that is"  
Xihirli
 "Abadaius... if he doesn't die, I don't go home,"  Alifa realizes.  "You're trying to tell me that you and I need each other, that if as Abadaius has made himself my enemy... my only hope is to... join with the Darklings? Is that what we're getting at?" 
Alifa frowned at Kat. No, something was missing... the Far Realm, the Breach of Piscaethces. It  was  closed here, it must have been.
 "How are you connected to the Far Realm?"  Alifa asked.  "The reason I came to this world was to find out how it had closed off its connection to that world of insanity. If other realities do not follow suit, EVENTUALLY every world will once again be the primordial chaos from which it started. But now you're telling me that there  is  a breach through which the Far Realm is leaking?" 
Valmark
 "Tecnically, we need you but you don't... If you can convince Abadaius to let you go back home. But it's a little difficult, what with him being a god and all, and you could always presumably gather enough power to wage battle to Abadaius by yourself"  eyepatch woman explained  "And, uh... Katria? Old stuff is your forte" 

Katria seemed to be the actual name of Smokey.
 "Tecnically. I'm fairly confident that there has been a breach in the past that was closed- and that Abadaius has done his best to erase any and all references to that. I've found traces in hidden places, deep within the ground, and ancient temples overrun by nature"  she explained, then looked down at her body  "It's hard to get around like this, so it's hard to explore said sites. And most darklings just don't get this stuff the way I do"  Katria's face fell.
 "The hard truth is, Abadaius is probably the only one left who really knows how that one was closed. We can't just kill him, since that information is the only thing that can free the darklings from  having  to be the enemy. Unless we find it somewhere else. As for the current one... We think it was made artificially by the previous leader of the darklings"  Katria looked at Trevor.

  "Understand that if I knew where it was or how to close it I wouldn't be able to tell you. If the darklings are defeated while still needed, there has to be a source from which they can come back"  
Xihirli
 "So, let me be clear. You are offering to stop the Darkling  expansion  after Abadaius's Chains are broken? Or are you offering to let Serendipity destroy you after... or are you saying you can make it so that there  are no  Darklings after?"  That question wasn't strictly necessary... any of those could be alright.
Valmark
  "The darklings will not be forced to be the enemies of the inhabitants of this world"   Trevor replied   "And there will also be no need of the Far Realm. I cannot speak of what we'll do afterwards homewever- all I can promise is, with a leader the mindless darklings can be reigned in. And I don't have any intention to wage useless wars of conquest. But... I might not necessarily be their leader by the end of all this"  
 "With all due respect, Alifa... We don't really know if we'll be alive tomorrow, or if we can ever be accepted. Making promises of peace... Would be disingenous at best"  Katria said apologetically.
 " I  have no love for war, if it helps?" 

The darkling phoenix squawked and bobbed its head in approval. Even the two silent, trigger-happy knights nodded their consent. The only who seemed put out by the idea of not fighting was Amala, really.
Xihirli
 "Alright... there are four brothers who are the key to defeating Abadaius. Confidence, Wrath, Joy, and Determination. He keeps them imprisoned. If we spring them, we should be able to gain our four most important allies. I know where Determination was previously held, he might be in the same place now." 
  They're supposed to be in a specific location, but we never learned JUST how specific.  
 "Wrath is in the Infinite Library. We have to destroy their body to free them. So Trevor, here are my terms. One. Myself and anyone I designate ARE NOT turned into Darklings. Two. Everyone here swears that the war ends after Abadaius is dethroned. All of you and anyone you have influence over will cease all hostilities and hide until I can find you a Realm with a good home for you. Maybe Shar wants to build a new Shadowfell, I could ask. Three. Myself,  you, Trevor , and eight of your best Lieutenants are going to go into the Infinite Library tomorrow. And we will destroy Wrath's body to free them. Only after that will I commit to helping you take on Abadaius. Am I understood?"  Alifa asked.
 "Oh, and after that me and Kat will depart and get this removed entirely. Nonnegotiable. Does your blessing last after I'm completely cleansed?" 
Valmark
  "We need more context then this. How are these... Brothers... The key? Who are they?"   the ruler of the darklings inquired   "We can promise the first point... To an extent. We won't stop recruiting, but we can avoid a small number of people. And I will make sure the darklings don't wage war if no one will try to attack us- we will defend ourselves otherwise"   maybe he was frowning, but there was no seeing through the helmet   "If I'm accompanying you, only three will join us as well. I need my liutenants here while I'm gone- Amala, Toothy and Prosepuitis will accompany us"  

Amala laughed, and hearing their name called the knight covered in mouths made a military salute while the woman with the eyepatch simply nodded.

  "The immunity to the corruption is only a byproduct of what my blessing can do"   Trevor continued   "That said, it only has an effect if you wish to use it. As for its duration, you can either purge it yourself or I can choose to revoke it- but you'll feel it leaving long before you're at risk of getting corrupted"  
Xihirli
 "I don’t have all the details myself, but the Crimson Smile… he’s one of them,"  Alifa explained.  "Confidence, to be precise. They are… similar to the Primordials of my world, I think. In fact, I have a hypothesis that they’re the source of all magic in this world." 
Alifa stares into Trevor’s eyes.  "All that truly matters is, they are very powerful, and Abadaius is keeping them locked away for fear of them. They are powerful allies, and are one of the conditions if you are to have  me  as an ally. I shall accept your alterations to my terms… now do we have an accord?" 
She brazenly approached Trevor and extended a hand.
Valmark
Alifa could feel the stare of all the darklings (and the heat of the phoenix) burrowing into her as she approached Trevor. But since he wasn't alarmed, neither took a step.

Aside from Katria who left  immediately  after Alifa spoke of the siblings. Very slowly, as she could barely move.

The darkling ruler stood, towering over Alifa. He was probably taller then Boots as well- then he shook her hand.
  "Deal. Hopefully this... Wrath wasn't moved, if Abadaius knows you know. Now, any trouble sleeping in your friend's room?"   he inquired, nodding at Kat   "Our rooms are all the same, so there's not much else we can offer you. And please, don't wander the castle by yourself"  
Xihirli
 "I’ll be keeping up an investigation to locate them. As I find the others, I’ll need your help to rescue them, and to keep them out of Abadaius’s clutches until we get them all… The first time we freed one, it was recaptured almost immediately." 
Alifa went back to Kat and held her hand.
 "Yes. I’ll room with my sweetheart tonight."  She put a firm kiss right on Kat’s lips.

  I need to speak with you tonight  , she thought to Kat.
Valmark
  "That can be arranged"   Trevor nodded   "Remember that someone will need to stop Serendipity and possibly the feys from attacking us, or we'll have to go to war either way in a couple of days"  

After having been accompanied back to their room by Emerethiel, Alifa was left alone with Kathleyîënis.
 "I've met a drow and buddied up with darklings in one day"  the high elf sat on the bed  "I've been teached since I was a child that those may be the two worst creatures an elf could ever meet in their life" 
Xihirli
 "Well, we can top it,"  Alifa smiled.   Serendipity, could you Dream me tonight? Major updates in the Darkling war,   Alifa sent.

 "Kat, I wanted to tell you about something that horrible woman who kidnapped you said… she told me that your self-worth was all based on me… And that you were afraid that I would stop loving you. She’d never met you, doesn’t know what she’s talking about. But I won’t be able to get that fear out of my head until we talk it over with you." 
She held her sweetheart’s hands tight.
 "I love you BECAUSE you are a wonderful person, and you astound and impress me again and again." 
Valmark
    I can certainly try.    
 "I... Love you too"  Kat smiled and gave Alifa a kiss  "I had no idea she said that stuff... But don't worry"  the elf smiled proudly at the compliments.

 "I'll keep getting better and better, so that you can be impressed again and again. She doesn't know what she's talking about" 
  Yeah, that little craven is wrong. Kat knows her place- she won't disappoint me by trying to leave me... Again, or fail to be of use.
She's my loyal little owl, after all. I know what's best for her, and she knows that as well.  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Join the sith, Alifa. We've got cookies.
 
Xihirli
 "There's something else I need from you. The darkrot has gotten into me, at least a bit. I need to know what exactly about me has changed." 
Alifa undresses.  "What are my mutations, Kat?" 

Alifa tries something odd. She tries to use telepathy to contact her own Darkling.
  The next time I see my sister, you're going to die. And I'm going to glimpse into your mind while it happens so that I'll be able to taste your death and feel your fear as every last trace of you is annihilated from my system. This – and nothing less– is your punishment for trying to use ME as a host.  
Valmark
Kathleyîënis started speaking, then rethought on that and slapped herself once to refocus.

 "Your neck... There's a tattoo there"  she noted  "It kinda looks like a tied up rope. A thin one. You could make a bracialet out of it, except it looks like it's part of your body?" 

There was no reply. Or rather, Alifa just heard herself. Possibly because she  was  talking to herself, to a certain extent.
And she knew what she was doing, didn't she?
Xihirli
 "That's all?"  Alifa asked.  "Well, I guess I didn't have to undress."  She sits on the bed.  "It's been... a long day,"  she confesses to Kat.  "Can you hold me until I sleep?" 
Valmark
 "No no you had to"  Kat dragged Alifa into laying down on the bed  "Yes, I can do that much" 

 
As Alifa fell asleep in Kat's arms, she woke up somewhere else.

It was a cemetery, filled out with tombs whose name had mostly faded from memory- the air was heavy, the sky blacked out, and Serendipity was standing in front of three massive graves.
The names belonged to Trevor, his dragon Gigrokhundarasc, and the fey queen Flowara.
  "So?"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Imagine that you've got a party of trusted companions and at the end of the campaign one is dead and the rest have become what you all swore to defeat. And you didn't even really win.
 
Xihirli
Alifa stood next to Seren, looking down at Trevor's grave.
 "I met Trevor today. I learned quite a bit of... dubious information. My gut... I don't trust right now. I am partially corrupted by the Darkrot, though it is no longer spreading within me. I'm going to have Boots remove it the next time I see her." 
Alifa took a breath.  "The Darklings are not my only enemy in your world. Abadaius is a scourge against myself and Boots, and has made it his personal mission to destroy us. According to Trevor, the Darklings are his enemies as well, in fact the inevitable chaos that has risen to meet Abadaius's despotic law. He has said – and I believe him – that there will be new darklings as long as Abadaius still holds his... Chains."  Alifa used the word intentionally and examined Serendipity's response to it.
 "In other words, I think we are going in the wrong order. We must dethrone Abadaius first, then remove the darkrot. Further, the Darkrot Rift, where the corruption is coming from... it is related to the Far Realm, and is in fact what I came here to close. It is more important than ever that we locate the Four Emotion Primordials... if I give you the location where we found Determination, could you have some people check there and see if it's been moved to a new location? 
Valmark
Serendipity looked down at Alifa. Her eyes were almost as scary as the rotted part of her face.

  "So"   she replied   "You've been talking to darklings and taking corruption in... And now I should turn my army away from the darklings and towards a god whom, as you say, is their enemy?"   the Lich Queen inclined her head deeply confused.

  And nothing about this strikes you the wrong way?"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Persuasion, Alifa.
 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler 
Persuasion! [roll]1d20[roll]

Why do I have deception proficiency I never lie
 

 "It does, it does,"  Alifa admits.  "It  is  affecting my mind, and I'm going to get this removed before I make any drastic changes... but the simple fact is, Abadaius IS my enemy. He's been trying to kill me since I arrived here. I need him defeated, dead if possible. Way I see it... why not throw my enemies at each other and kill the weakened victor after the fact?" 
Alifa grins cruelly.  "It'll be tricky... but if I pull it off, I think I can end this war with the fewest lives lost." 
Valmark
Serendipity fell silent for a long time, her dead face completely expressionless as she thought it over.

  "So we use the darklings to kill Abadaius and then we slaughter them?"   she confirmed with Alifa.
  "What are these... Emotion Primordials? And the Darkrot Rift?"  
Xihirli
 "I believe I spoke of them briefly with you... and yes, the Darklings will have to be... dealt with,"  Alifa says.  "Your head is clearer than mine right now. The Darkrot Rift is the source of the Darkrot. I don't have many details, but I believe it to be a breach of the Far Realm within the Shadowlands, mixing with the magic of the Nightmare to create Darklings. Including that first lord." 
 "I believe the emotion primordials – Confidence, the Crimson Smile or Smirk, Joy, Wrath, and Determination – to be the ones who closed your original Far Realm Rift. If we're going to permanently stop the Darkrot, we need them. I'm going to focus on finding them. Once we have all four and Abadaius is dealt with, we need to jog their memories on how to close seals." 
Alifa reached out a hand.  "And Seren... I would never jeopardize you as an ally. I know this is difficult to hear, but I want to have total honesty with you." 
Valmark
Serendipity took a deep breath. Or what passed as one anyway.
  "I've already tried trusted allies once"   she stared at Alifa coldly.

  "You have one week to show me meaningful results, otherwise I will go to Abadaius for an alliance. I've never accepted his offers, but I also didn't know just how antagonistic he and the darklings were"   she stated then shook Alifa's hand   "Until then, I will play your game. But take this as a friend's warning... I haven't hesitated to sacrifice my life for this battle, nor the lives of  others . I won't start now"   Serendipity narrowed her eyes at her.

  "And tell your sister that I want to see her. I want her to swear on her vow, her precious bloodline and everything she holds dear that you can be trusted -despite having been in touch with darklings- to be able to control them and bring an end to this war"  
Xihirli
Alifa felt cold crawl up her spine.  "I'll talk to you in a week, then,"  Alifa answered.

There was a lot to consider: for one, Alifa didn't know  what  she was going to do with the Darklings after. For another, Boots didn't really know there was any alliance.
 "A week,"  she repeats thoughtfully.
Xihirli
Alifa speaks up before Seren can end the dream.  "On second thought. If I could deliver to you Trevor and some of his strongest warriors, would you swear to me to aid in defeating Abadaius, and remain at my side so that I can purge his influence from you? I can't quite explain it, or at least... not successfully, there's a hex over you keeping you from getting it. But..." 
No, the threat of Serendipity joining Abadaius was too great. She needed the Lich Queen, badly.
 "I know where he'll be tomorrow. And I can signal you at the proper time to strike... bring my sister, if you can." 
  Hopefully I'll at least get some favor with Eth if I eliminate the head of the Darklings in front of her.  
Valmark
Serendipity stared at Alifa with a look of utter confusion during basically the entire speech. She put her hands to her head, frowning as her mind filled in the blanks.
  "So... Grab your sister and come to you?"   she asked   "And... He'll be there?"   Serendipity struggled with a suddenly exhausted expression. Or as close as her dead face got.

  "Then... I help you take down Abadaius? Al... Alright..."   she recomposed with difficulty.
  "Tell me their abilities and numbers- There's only so many allies I can... ah... I can bring with me... I need to pick carefully"  
Xihirli
 "I don't know a lot about them,"  Alifa confessed. She gave a general description of the Darklings.
 "You'll stay with me, so I can break Abadaius's chains on you, after the Darklings are dealt with. Promise?" 
She still had yet to tell her where they were going.
Valmark
Serendipity stared at her.
  "So, where's the place?"   she asked   "I don't know these darklings, but I can at least somewhat predict their abilities"  
Xihirli
 "…Huh."  Alifa was getting less sure of her plan.
 "…Infinite Library."  Too late to go back to the old deal now.
Valmark
  "The Infinite Library, uh..."   Serendipity frowned   "The guardian of the Library will react to any hostility... But if we just focus on Trevor and his lackeys we can get out before he can do too much damage. So, wait for the signal and bring your sister. All good?"  
Xihirli
 "On my signal,"  Alifa agreed.
  After the Guardian is dealt with  
Valmark
Serendipity nodded.
  "See you tomorrow"  

But the next time Alifa woke up wasn't the day after- she was, in fact, woken up by Kathleyîënis in the middle of the night. The high elf was staring at her with a mixture of relief, fear and pain.
  "Oh thank the gods you woke up... I'm so, so sorry!"   Kat had tears to her eyes  "I-I was curious about that tattoo so I tried touching it... I didn't think this'd happen I swear!" 

Alifa meanwhile felt her head weirdly...  free .
Xihirli
Alifa was confused.  "That what would happen? What’s going on?" 
Valmark
Kathleyîënis looked her up and down.

 "I... Uh... Here, this should help"  she hurriedly retrieved the mirror from before and showed it to Alifa.

Her neck had come undone. Well, not quite- tendrils of black blood connected her head to her body through tiny wires, but otherwise she felt like she could move her head and body perfectly and separated one from the other. Joining them together was probably just a matter of willing them so.

 
 Spoiler: Mutation 
 Dullahan's Curse 

This mutation lets the darkling sever their head and body with an action. While severed, they possess a fly speed of 50 feet and can perform any action that doesn't require the rest of the body- same for the body, as long as it doesn't do something that requires a head (movement speeds are the same as normal).

Unless using a spell that has both somatic/material and verbal components, or any other action that requires head and body to work together, while severed each section gets their own action, bonus action, reaction and movement.

To join back together, use an action to do that while adjacent- doesn't matter if one of the halves had still an action left, the newly joined body will be without their action for that turn.
 

 "We may need to remember to use Regeneration on you  before  the Restoration, or you might die" 
Xihirli
Alifa picked up her head and shoved it into place.  "Will do… And then, Kat? We’ll get matching tattoos." 
Valmark
 "Uh... Alright!"  Kat didn't get it but if Alifa was happy she was too.

The next day, Alifa and Boots woke up properly in their respective loved ones' arms- Alifa on a comfy bed, Boots on the bedrool in a frozen cave.

Alifa was far more comfortable.
Xihirli
Boots woke up and pulled Ethrindae in for a kiss.  "Alright, how about we get moving toward the giants? Alifa can scry us and teleport to us no matter where we are,"  Boots suggested. She reached out a hand and it was petting Tilly's fur once she was in.
 "I love her too much to make her cold,"  she explained as she wrapped her magic saddle around the Polar Bear that was her elk.


 


Alifa opened her spellbook and cuddled up to Kat as she memorized her spells, trying to stay calm in all the craziness.  "Today, Kat, we go all in."    One way, or the other.  
Valmark
  "Why thank you, but I don't get cold"   Serendipity butted in as she teleported right in front of Boots.

Then there was an explosion of ice as Figrikhariz teleported in, too big for the small cave, together with Argona, Taddeus and the undead lord Boots saw a bunch of times following Serendipity but never heard speak.

The lich queen smiled.
  "Your sister says to be ready, she's prepared a trap for the darkling's ruler"  
Argona waved.
 "Hiiiii!... Remind me, can I kiss you? What was your relationship status again?" 
 "Happily married" 
 "See, that? That tells me nothing 

 
Alifa was hugged from behind and kissed on the head.
 "Remember, I'm here for anythint you need" 

And there was a knock on the door.
  "Are you up? It's time"  
Xihirli
Boots held Eth close hearing "happily married."
 "See? I knew Líf would come through. A trap for the Darkling leader? What kind?" 

 

 "We're up."  Alifa stood and slapped her spellbook shut.  "Let's go."  She held Kat's hand.  "Stay with me?" 
Valmark
 "Hey I was asking questions first" 
Taddeus and Figrikhariz took Argona to the side to explain to her the bonduaries of monogamy. Boots could tell she was understanding the explanation because Argona seemed annoyed.

  "She'll signal us when it's time to teleport to the Infinite Library to take down him and some of his warriors- outside of their fortress he'll be far more vulnerable"   Serendipity smiled cruelly   "She got herself infected, and I believe she had to rub shoulders with darklings, but her mind was too strong to give in. You're really lucky, paladin"

    "Wait... That's what this is all about?"   Fig inquired   "Serendipity... What's your plan?"  
  "Isn't it obvious? We wait for the signal, I teleport us in, we kill him... By any means necessary"   she glanced at her black staff.
  "With the serpent's head cut off the darklings will have no chance but to perish. I will end him this time, no matter what I have to sacrifice"  

 
 "Just... Don't get mad if I get kidnapped, alright?" 
  A-ha! Let's go show these pitiful darklings and Abadaius who's the rightful ruler of all in existence!  

The drow awaited them outside the room. She escorted them to the throne room, where Trevor, Toothy, Amala, Smoky and Patches were awaiting for them.
  "Alifa and Kathleyîënis"   Trevor welcomed them   "If you have any last minute preparations now's the time. Katria will craft a telepathic bond with all of us, in order to be ready if we need an emergency exit. Don't worry- she's specialized in magic that doesn't carry corruption"  

The flying torso darkling smiled shyly.
Xihirli
 "Infected!?"  Boots repeated.
 "Will I have time to cleanse her!?"  She stared in clear alarm at Ethrindae.


 

 "I will be furious towards whoever kidnaps you and show them no mercy,"  Alifa answered easily.
  Oh, you're next, infection.  
 "Right."  Alifa coated herself in ice and weaved a body out of air.
 "Spinning into our world like the whirlwind! Blowing aside all in its path with cold winds! Advent, Bilbo Swaggins!" 
 
 Spoiler 
Armor of Agathys Level 5, Conjure Elemental (Air, Determination)
Aaaaaand Mirror Image
 
Valmark
 "I doubt the Lich Queen would be so calm otherwise"  Ethrindae reassured Boots  "Or that Alifa would let herself become a monster to get a few darklings killed. Can't help her own world otherwise... Or come back to you" 

Serendipity massaged her head.
  "After all this time... I can put an end to this conflict. And to the alliance that never should have been"  

 
There was no reply as Alifa continued talking to herself.

Katria drew thin strands of light from each of their heads, connecting them to one another. Alifa started feeling their thoughts seep into herself, something she was fairly familiar with.

Toothy let out a shrill cry that covered the group's weaponry in shadows, and Trevor clenched his fist making Alifa's, Amala's, Toothy's and Prosepuitis' blessing rune lit up in power.

 
 Spoiler: Spells on Alifa/Kat 
 Katria's Barred Hivemind is essentially a fancy name for Rary's Telepathic Bond. You'd have to Identify it or ask Katria for what exactly changes.


Aid, Death Ward, Freedom of Movement, Zealot's Mantle.
 


Prosepuitis then opened a gate, made out of black, rotted teeth, so that Trevor and his retinue could enter it. It  presumably  led to the Infinite Library.
Xihirli
Boots hugged Ethrindae tight.
 "Alright. Today we destroy the Darkrot,"  she said.


 

Alifa stepped in, ready to meet Wrath again.  "Come along, Bilbo. We're going to meet an old friend." 
Valmark
 "Mmm"  Ethrindae held Boots against herself, though she didn't seem as enthusiastic.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Can't help but notice Ethrindae is almost always the only Wisdom based character there.

Serendipity and Figrikhariz not counting.
 


 
Alifa, Kat and Bilbo went through the portal- they found themselves inside the Infinite Library, the only one familiar with it being Alifa. It had been re-shaped a little- there were still books upon books with added floors those too filled with books upon books, but now she could see four large statues depicting a wheel with four wings dotted with eyes, a giant beak acting as a mouth.

Abadaius' statues.

Like the last time, the group could spot the Guardian descending a set of stairs- unlike last time, he was already  pissed .
  "Darklings- begone, wretched monsters!"   he yelled out immediately, seemingly paying no heed to Alifa and Kat.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
I'll take some time to prepare a good depiction of the area since it's choke full of stuff.

Also writing the statblocks in a way that are understandable to you as well.
 
Xihirli
Alifa steeled herself.  "The beginning of the end,"  she muttered to herself.

 
 Spoiler: 'Nitiatives 
Alifa:  (1d20+2)[ 21 ] 
Bilbo:  (1d20+5)[ 12 ] 
 
Xihirli
Alifa was quite happy keeping her distance from the others and flew up, not sure if she would be in range of anything but scattering nonetheless.
 "Bilbo, kill that red thing!"  Alifa then fired off three shots of crackling death, inherited from her grandmother the Raven Queen.

 
 Spoiler 
Eldritch blasts, she's already got her summon out.
 (1d20+12)[ 22 ] ;  (1d10+6)[ 10 ]  force
 (1d20+12)[ 13 ] ;  (1d10+6)[ 11 ]  force
 (1d20+12)[ 21 ] ;  (1d10+6)[ 7 ]  force
 
Xihirli
"Is that all?" The darkling wizard asked and reached up to the ceiling of the Infinite Library. "Cute."
Fire rained down from above, detonating and exploding with chunks of rock.

 
 Spoiler: Meteor Swarm 
 (20d6)[ 67 ]  bludgeoning and  (20d6)[ 67 ]  fire to Wrath and all the statues.
 
Valmark
The meteors torn apart the central plaza of the Library, while Alifa's rays of death scorched open parts of Wrath's body- one of the beams was deviated by the bone spikes emerging out of him.

Without him doing anything, one of the arcane circles orbiting around Wrath pulsed and fire was absorbed into it partially protecting him.
  "I don't know what you hope to accomplish"   Wrath growled out   "But you walked into your tombs today"  
  "I doubt it. You see... This is the day where we take the step towards saving Alandria!"   Trevor and Toothy started advancing- he lifted his blade high   "Hear me! I, Trevor, Shield from the Dark, the Sword that Looms, will never let Abadaius have his way. We shall free you tonight of your Chains!"  
   "I don't know what you're talking... About..."    Wrath clutched his head in pain, scratching with his nails and ripping out pieces of skin that gave way to tiny bone spikes. Then he let out a shriek- and his magic circles went off. One conjured forth a dragon made of shadows, that flew right into Trevor's face and breathed frost over him and Toothy- the other lit up and a portal opened in front of Alifa, a devil emerging from it- a woman clad in red armor smiled before attacking her with a blade.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Toothy and Trevor spent their turn actually moving, since they aren't super fast nor main casters- there's an Illusory Dragon in front of them breathing cold, and an Enryes or homewever the **** is written was summoned in front of Alifa to attack her.

Speaking of, THREE sword attacks on Alifa!
 (1d20+8)[ 17 ]   (1d10+4)[ 5 ]  slashing and  (3d8)[ 19 ]  poison damage
 (1d20+8)[ 24 ]   (1d10+4)[ 12 ]  slashing and  (3d8)[ 19 ]  poison damage
 (1d20+8)[ 10 ]   (1d10+4)[ 8 ]  slashing and  (3d8)[ 17 ]  poison damage

Then it's Kathleyîënis
 


The giant circle in the center of the floor pulsed once.
Xihirli
Kat dashes to stay well away from the fighting and glances at Alifa in concern, but readies a shot from the Love Bow and stands ready to fire the instant Wrath is sufficiently distracted.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
BA Dash to scatter; ready action to fire at Wrath the instant someone's adjacent or she has advantage for some reason.

 (1d20+9)[ 17 ] ;  (2d8)[ 12 ] + (6d6)[ 20 ] +4
 
Valmark
The statues came to life- the four winged golems, already abundantly battered by the meteors swarm, flew forward. Three surrounded the two armored darklings, their wings and beaks battering Trevor's and Toothy's bodies, while one broke off and in a flutter of stone feathers was in Prosepuitis' face.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Bird attacks on Prosepuitis!

Wings and beak deal bludgeoning damage
 (1d20+12)[ 30 ]   (2d8+8)[ 19 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 30 ]   (2d8+8)[ 16 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 32 ]   (2d8+8)[ 12 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 16 ]   (2d8+8)[ 15 ] 
 (1d20+12)[ 14 ]   (3d6+8)[ 22 ] 

Then it's Amala.
 
Xihirli
Amala cackled and charged up to Wrath, her legs a flailing twister of attacks as Kat's arrow followed, shooting into the Emotion Primordial once it was distracted.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

 (1d20+16)[ 26 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 20 ]  slashing +  (1d12)[ 6 ]  psychic
 (1d20+16)[ 31 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 12 ]  slashing +  (1d12)[ 6 ]  psychic
 (1d20+16)[ 19 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 13 ]  slashing +  (1d12)[ 8 ]  psychic
 (1d20+16)[ 34 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 13 ]  slashing +  (1d12)[ 8 ]  psychic

STUNNING STRIKES make 4 con saves foo
 
Xihirli
Bilbo, crackling like lightning, moved with great speed into the face of Wrath, its Determination strong as it struck forward with a tornado of attacks.

Alifa scowled, then flew backwards into her own shadows. Those same shadows reached out to Trevor, Toothy, Kat, and Prosepuitous. Suddenly Trevor and Toothy were surrounding Wrath with Amala and Bilbo, while Prosepuitous and Alifa were suddenly away from the enemies in their face – Alifa and Kat appeared together in the south area of the room, near the Gate, at a nice spot to fire on Wrath with Kat's longbow, and well out of range of any Counterspells to hit Alifa with. Prosepuitis was sent north, but also well away from Wrath so that it couldn't counterspell her.

  I isolated the statues! Break them!   Alifa thought into their mental link.

"A good strategy..." Prosepuitis admitted and rained down fire on the statues and the Erinyes, for good measure.

 
 Spoiler: Rollz 
Bilbo will Multiattack, he has 90 feet of flying so he can get to Wrath; extra d8 is cold.
 (1d20+8)[ 21 ] ;  (2d8+5)[ 14 ] + (1d8)[ 5 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 19 ] ;  (2d8+5)[ 12 ] + (1d8)[ 1 ] 

Alifa will cast Scatter, moving her allies around to make this fight right.

Prosepuitis will Meteor Swarm again to clear out the mobs. Alifa's Scatter means no allies around the statues or the Erinyes, so let's hit them. Wrath can be left alone.
 (20d6)[ 73 ]  fire and  (20d6)[ 65 ]  bludgeoning; make some DEX saves.
 
Valmark
Trevor and Toothy looked at each other, shrugged and rolled with it- as Amala just wailed into Wrath tearing open nasty gashes across his body- unfortunately, both one of her legs, Kat's arrow and Bilbo's wind buffets pinged fruitlessly across some of the bone spikes Wrath grew.

The moment Toothy's axe tore into Wrath's body again his human guise was completely torn to shreds- flinging everybody to their feet (except Bilbo who couldn't be flung to its feet not having any) Wrath's body grew beyond measure, as its bone body took shape. A mouth full of tusks and spikes rested atop an almost snake-like body of bones with several limbs ending with claws emerging from the top half. The lower half had instead spider-like legs (except bony) and acted as the support for the bone abomination that was Wrath.
  "And now you die!"   he stated- notably, the illusory dragon fizzled out as one of the four spell circles around him vanished.

  "I do not doubt you to be valiant... Wrath, I believe is your name"   Trevor and Toothy formed a shield wall in front of Wrath   "But these warriors I've reunited with the hope of taking on Abadaius, they shan't be broken by you!"   they advanced- Trevor's black greatsword shone with the power of the deep darkness, while Toothy's... Alright it did the same as the two paladins Smited Wrath repeatedly, but Toothy's was darker.

Most of their blows found purchase as they tore deep gashes into Wrath's body, drawing out a wail in pain- a shield emerged to glance away a couple of blows from Trevor's sword and Toothy's axe.
  "Taking on Abadaius... Do not make me LAUGH! You  SERVE  him! Maybe not willingly, but everybody does! Every mind's beholden to him!"  
  "If that was true... Then wouldn't your belief that we are enemies also come from him?"  
  "I... Nnngh... Urgh... GRAAAAAH!"   Wrath started tearing into everyone around him. One of three magic circles left oriented itself towards Alifa, and a giant sword manifested into the air. For a second, Alifa could've sworn she could see her parents having an argument, Mab's eyes filled with tears, then the sword tore into her unmaking part of her body.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

Wrath attacks all those within reach as a legendary action first

On Amala:  (1d20+20)[ 39 ]   (3d10+12)[ 34 ] 
On Bilbo:  (1d20+20)[ 25 ]   (3d10+12)[ 28 ] 

BLADE OF DISASTER ATTACKS ON ALIFA.
 (1d20+14)[ 30 ]   (4d12)[ 16 ]  force damage
 (1d20+14)[ 33 ]   (4d12)[ 26 ]  force damage

He's gonna use most of his 'normal' attacks on Trevor, much to both's dismay.
 


Seeing as how her previous target was engaged in a fight with a big sword of reality unmaking, the eynries turned to Kat with her own bow.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

Three attacks
 (1d20+7)[ 27 ]   (1d8+3)[ 6 ] + (3d8)[ 18 ] 
 (1d20+7)[ 12 ]   (1d8+3)[ 10 ] + (3d8)[ 16 ] 
 (1d20+7)[ 21 ]   (1d8+3)[ 11 ] + (3d8)[ 16 ]  piercing+poison

Kat needs to make a DC 14 Con save against Poisoned for every arrows that hits her.
 


The giant magic circle pulsed twice.
Xihirli
Alifa shrank back from her mother's eyes and then felt the profound pain of unbeing. Were it not for her intense mental fortitude, that likely would have been enough to cause her to lose control of Bilbo.

Kat, meanwhile, found a lot of her blood replaced with poison.

Alifa stared at Trevor for a second. She caught herself...  admiring  the Paladin. And with her injuries, she also started to doubt that she could actually fight her Darkling allies.   Kat, that poison's hitting you hard. See if you can just find cover.  
 "Gh!"    Everyone with weapons keep focusing on Wrath. Me and Prosepuitous are on cleanup.  

Amala continued raining blows upon Wrath with glee.

Prosepuitis conjured forth ten darts of black force brimming with rot and the scent of death that ram into the Erinyes, tearing away at her and infecting the fiend.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 
Amala will use Martial Arts to make a bonus action unarmed attack, let's Stunning Strike all of them.
Aaaaand RECKLESS!
 (1d20+16)[ 36 ] / (1d20+16)[ 22 ] ;  (1d12+6)[ 16 ] + (1d12)[ 3 ]   Critical, +17 necrotic, 12 slashing, 3 psychic 
 (1d20+16)[ 33 ] / (1d20+16)[ 31 ] ;  (1d12+6)[ 11 ] + (1d12)[ 2 ] 
 (1d20+16)[ 29 ] / (1d20+16)[ 24 ] ;  (1d12+6)[ 12 ] + (1d12)[ 8 ] 
 (1d20+16)[ 28 ] / (1d20+16)[ 27 ] ;  (1d12+6)[ 8 ] + (1d12)[ 5 ] 
 (1d20+16)[ 19 ] / (1d20+16)[ 28 ] ;  (1d12+6)[ 9 ] + (1d12)[ 6 ] 

Bilbo will keep up the attacks on Wrath with Cold Winds
 (1d20+8)[ 22 ] ;  (2d8+5)[ 19 ] + (1d8)[ 1 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 27 ] ;  (2d8+5)[ 16 ] + (1d8)[ 3 ] 

Prosepuitous will automatically deal  (1d6+8)[ 13 ]  plus  42  necrotic damage by casting Rot Darts at 8th level with Empowered Evocation. To the Erinyes.

Before I do any more turns can you let me know if anything is alive or dead.
 
Xihirli
Alifa flew away from the weapon, hoping to outpace it even as she turned her dark eyes to the Erinyes, dark flames wrapping around her.
 "Pain,"  she uttered, visiting horrible agony upon the devil.

Kat used her quick feet to get away from the sword as well, running down the nearest book aisle to stay out of reach of any of her foes.


 
 Spoiler 
You speak a word of power that causes waves of intense pain to assail one creature you can see within range. If the target has 100 hit points or fewer, it is subject to crippling pain. Otherwise, the spell has no effect on it. A target is also unaffected if it is immune to being charmed.

While the target is affected by crippling pain, any speed it has can be no higher than 10 feet. The target also has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws, other than Constitution saving throws. Finally, if the target tries to cast a spell, it must ﬁrst succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the casting fails and the spell is wasted.

A target suffering this pain can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the pain ends.

Kat, poisoned, just runs for cover.
 
Valmark
The enryes fell to the ground, contorting in pain- she stared for a second at Alifa in hate, then blanked with  fear  as the darkrot pooled in her wounds- she shook her head.
"Ffffff... No... I'm... Out!" And she faded back to wherever she came from, one of Wrath's circles disappearing.

While the darklings, the elemental and Wrath were tecnically wailing on each other Wrath was mostly focused on tearing through Trevor- slowly, bit by bit, Alifa could see that Wrath was  shrinking . His bone body was being broken faster then it could make new spikes. But... It didn't stop him from finding an opening and tearing right through the darkling ruler's armor and his chest. Trevor took a step back, faltering beforing Toothy grabbed him.
  "Taking on Abadaius... Don't make me laugh! You're no less a scourge then he is! You think you have any r-"     "No, we don't"   Toothy's shield opened, and a tongue came out- it dragged itself over some of Trevor's wounds, the saliva bridging the gashes between each other and slowly but surely closing them   "Not a single one of us has ever claimed to be better. We fight for family, for glory, for duty or just because we're mindless... But we are all, nobody excluded, monsters. I will trash my conscience into the mud if it means tearing this world free off of those who'd control it!"   lightning fast, Trevor plunged his blade in one of Wrath's eyes- and with evident extertion he trashed Wrath into the ground, the heavy-set skull slamming on the floor. The sound of cracking bones echoed everywhere, and the sword chasing Alifa disappeared.

  "But if it helps, I'll take my own life when all this is over and no one is threatening Alandria anymore"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Wrath and Trevor both kinda seem close to dying.

On Amala  (1d20+20)[ 32 ]   (3d10+12)[ 31 ] 
On Bilbo   (1d20+20)[ 25 ]   (3d10+12)[ 25 ] 

Then all of you
 


The magic circle pulsed thrice.
   We are to destroy him completely, correct?    Trevor asked mentally to Alifa.
Xihirli
  Kill him, yes, but stop there. If he comes back still an enemy, then we can try completely destroying the body,   Alifa sent to everyone present.

She looked to Trevor for perhaps a split-second too long before shaking her head.
  One way or the other, right Kat?  
 "Amala, take him out! Everyone else wait!" 
 
 Spoiler: Fight! 

Amala's going to try to end this, everyone else I want to Ready an action for an attack if Wrath keeps kicking. Let's call that... a bow shot from Kat, a Chill Touch from Prose, and an Eldritch Blast from Alifa, and a standard thwack from Bilbo.

AMALA GO! Bonus action unarmed strike for five kicks! RECKLESS!
 (1d20+16)[ 23 ] / (1d20+16)[ 21 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 16 ]  bludgeoning  (1d12)[ 4 ]  psychic
 (1d20+16)[ 36 ] / (1d20+16)[ 32 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 16 ]  bludgeoning  (1d12)[ 7 ]  psychic  Crit for 8 bludgeoning, 5 psychic 
 (1d20+16)[ 31 ] / (1d20+16)[ 33 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 16 ]  bludgeoning  (1d12)[ 1 ]  psychic
 (1d20+16)[ 21 ] / (1d20+16)[ 36 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 21 ]  bludgeoning  (1d12)[ 11 ]  psychic  Crit for 4 bludgeoning, 6 psychic. 
 (1d20+16)[ 27 ] / (1d20+16)[ 32 ] ;  (1d12+9)[ 16 ]  bludgeoning  (1d12)[ 10 ]  psychic
 
Valmark
Wrath locked eyes with Alifa.

  "You're making a terrible m-"   and then a  cruuuunch  interrupted him as Amala crushed his skull.

And perhaps predictably, Wrath  detonated . Fire washed out of his form, incinerating all the books in his immediate and less immediate vicinity and enveloping the combatants in fire.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
120 fire damage to Amala and Bilbo, DC 21 Dex save to halve.

From now on you can stop running Amala/Prosepuitis.
 


When the fire cleared out, Toothy was helping Trevor stand up. Amala eyed the wounded darkling ruler, but after a while huffed and turned around, walking away and singing  "I got the kill I got the kill I got the kill~" 

In the crater that broke the stairs, hanging over the chasm was what was left of Wrath- a brilliant red gem that continuously flared enveloped in flames, very similar to the wrath color of Alifa's scepter.

  "We... Uff... Don't have more then half a minute before Abadaius comes..."   Trevor's breath was ragged   "Grab that gem and let's get out of here"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Moment of truth, Alifa
 
Xihirli
Alifa touched down and picked up the gem. She smiled at Trevor.  "Agreed, let's hurry."  She rushed for the portal, holding Wrath close to her chest.
Valmark
Against all prediction, Wrath's flames weren't hurting Alifa- wether they were harmless or there was a reason Alifa was unhurt wasn't clear.

Either way, her and Kat got out just fine- Amala immediately with them, followed by Prosepuitis and then Toothy helped Trevor through. The Gate was shut down behind them- Emerethiel and the other knight Alifa didn't know the name of were there, waiting for them.
 "Welcome home"  the old priestess smiled sweetly, strolling up to Trevor and putting a hand on his shoulder- in the other hand she was holding an unfamiliar holy symbol, depicting two intwined dragons, one black and one bronze.

Under her spell, the darkling ruler's wounds got all better in a few seconds.
 "Anybody else?" 
Xihirli
 "Uh, would that work on me?" 

Alifa then Sent to her sister Clephesia.


 

Clephesia's grin froze on her face and died.  "Alifa says... she's sorry, but she has to stay away... and she'll be back once Abadaius is dead."  She looked with horror toward Ethrindae.  "Do you think... do you think she became one of... of  them ?" 
Valmark
Emerethiel looked at Trevor before replying, and Trevor nodded   "We can trust her a little. She had a pretty good chance to kill me for a moment there"  
 "This isn't a god you could have pissed off, so I don't see why not. It's just clerical magic"  the drow explained  "And while the gods would like to make you think that some spells are taboo, at the end of the day the purest god will grant the most wicked spells, and viceversa. I can heal wounds just fine" 
 
 Spoiler: Sending from Serendipity 
   I'm not your sister, so be blunt. What the hells' going on?   
 


 
While Serendipity started immediately angrily casting a spell, Ethrindae was at a loss for words.

 "...the darklings are our enemies, Boots"  she stated after a long silence.
 "If she has, we'll soon find out wether she likes it or not. Or you can try asking her tonight, she has to sleep eventually" 
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler: Serendipity 
 This is the best chance for your world. I have to help the Darklings destroy Abadaius first. I hope we’re not enemies… one week? 
 


Boots cried. Hard.
 "I will. I’m not letting those monsters take my baby sister, Eth. Never." 
Valmark
It was rather embarassing when the hall of the darklings' fortress resounded with a vocal Sending.

  "THREE DAYS OR I HAVE A SOUL CAGE WITH YOUR SOUL IN IT AND A NEW TORTURED COMMANDER FOR MY ARMY!  

Trevor stared at Alifa, or presumably he did under the helmet.
  "It is more then we had before"  

 
Boots heard Serendipity say that in real time.
Taddeus opened his mouth to speak, and was bashed against the wall by the stronger lich.
  "Say ****ing nothing, you. And you"   the lich stared murderously at Boots   "I'm taking my army into the Zone in  two  days. Be there or **** off. Are we clear, paladin?"   she inquired   "And if I get to Alifa before you do, I will hear no objection to what I do"  
  "Seren!"   Figrikhariz gasped and growled advancing on her friend   "You need to give Alifa the benefit of the doubt. You can't turn on her like th-"     "I WILL NOT BE BETRAYED AND LEFT IN THE DUST AGAIN! NOT THIS TIME! I'M DONE PREPARING- I WILL TAKE DOWN THE DARKLINGS AND WHATEVER SPINELESS BETRAYER THAT DARES STEP IN MY WAY! I WILL BECAUSE I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES FOR THIS WAR! NOT THE FEYS, NOT THE FIENDS, NOT THE DRAGONS AND NOT THE HUMANOIDS!  I  CREATED THE STRONGEST ARMY THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN,  I  HAVE CREATED THE STRONGEST WEAPON THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, AND  I  WILL USE IT TO CRUSH MY ENEMIES UNDER MY HEEL!"  

Fig backed off, the ancient dragoness looking actually scared of her friend.
  "Everybody else has a choice- behind me or watching from a side. You won't like being in my way"  

Ethrindae hugged Boots- judging by her face, she seemed... Happy of hearing Seren's words, if only a little bit.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Would Boots like to try and dissuade Serendipity? Might not have another chance to speak up.
 
Xihirli
Alifa didn't bother trying to look guilty.
 "Serendipity was my best ally against... well,  you  up until recently. I confess I even considered her a friend. But if she doesn't know where the rift is, why not just let her take on the Zone while we go around her and focus on freeing the Four Siblings?"  Alifa suggested.  "In fact, Trevor, I'd appreciate the chance to talk with you, and I think you and I could investigate the tower where I last found Determination while we're at it. Will you come with me?" 
Alifa stepped up to Emerethiel to be healed.  "And I'd gratefully accept any healing you can give me. Hopefully once Wrath wakes up enough to talk, they'll be able to tell me more about the location of their kin. For now my best lead is looking for clues at the location Determination  was  at... and we should really move fast." 

 

Boots froze staring at Serendipity.  "I'm bringing my sister home,"  she said coldly.  "It doesn't matter if she lets me, or if you let me."  She took hold of Ethrindae's hand.  "Marching on the Darklings was always going to be part of the plan. We should try to get some Giants to aid us in the meantime... but if we can't get them in time then so be it. I will have to be enough." 
Valmark
  "No offense, but the darklings are needed against Abadaius, and the Zone is the only place they can thrive in. It'd take years of victims for them to grow again if Seren is left unchecked"   Trevor shook his head   "That said, I have blades pointed both at the feys' and Seren's throats already ready. They were going to strike if we thought you betrayed us, or if Seren was going to attack us, and I can just have them at the ready for a couple days"  

Then the knight stepped forth. Not Toothy, the other one.
 "Coming... Too..."  it was a feminine voice, but a rather raspy one. It felt like someone trying to speak while getting strangled.

  "You? That's a surprise"   Trevor nodded   "Anything you want to prepare before leaving?"   then he nodded at Wrath's gem   "If you want to leave it here, Katria can take a look at it"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Heal x2 on Alifa, Protection from Poison and Cure Wounds on Kat  (3d8+7)[ 13 ] 
 


 
  "A home with a family she was happy to dump in favor of a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters"   the lichess sneered at Boots   "Don't worry,  I 'll find her a nice and cozy place to live"   and with that, she teleported herself and her two undeads away.

Argona and Fig looked at each other, then at Boots.
 "So... Giants?" 
  "I'll try talking to Serendipity. But first..."   the dragoness took human form, the lithe but unnaturally strong woman with silver hair smiling sweetly at Boots.
  "Need a hug?"  
Ethrindae started to speak up, and the dragoness interrupted her with   "From someone who doesn't hate your sister?"  

Ethrindae didn't know how to interject at that.
Xihirli
Alifa's hands tightened around it, but eventually she acquiesced.  "Keep him away from full darklings in case he still hates them when he wakes up... I'll try and talk to him soon, he's the one who told me how to get to him." 
Alifa shook her head.  "We'll travel light. Abadaius is sending his forces into the library... I'm hoping we catch him with his pants down by going to his tower  right away ." 
She smiled at the Knight.  "Happy to have you. Kat, will you join us?"  She leaned forward and gave Kat a kiss.  "I think we really have a shot at this." 

 

Boots hugged Fig tight and her body filled with sobs.  "None of this was supposed to happen,"  she said through tears.  "I'm losing her, Fig. I... love so many of these people, and I found my wife here, but... I feel terrible for saying this, but I wish I'd been able to stop Alifa from stepping into that ritual circle. I wish we'd never come here." 
Valmark
Emerethiel took Wrath's gem- she held it up, staring at it curiously.
 "I'll make sure it doesn't leave my sight" 
 "Of course I'm coming too"  Kat embraced Alifa  "I'm never leaving you alone" 
Trevor looked at himself and his fellow darkling wearing full plate and chuckled   "As light as we can be. Will you Teleport us?"  

 
  "And that's fine. Neither you nor Alifa were ever asked to fix our world for us- and you aren't strong because you never feel pain, or regret"   the dragoness placed a kiss on Boots' head.

  "You are strong because your love is your weapon, because you persevere despite the pain and that includes your love for your sister. And I'm sure this is true for your sister as well- I don't really know her or you, but she struck me as a righteous heart. If not in the means, at least in the ends. Don't lose faith in Alifa..."   Fig's grip tightened.

  "...or she might lose faith in herself. A chain is only as strong as the weakest link in it- Alifa's seems to have preciously few links left in the first place, and she's struggling against them as harshly as she can. Talk to her, and keep an open mind"  

Boots heard Eth sigh and a hand be placed on her back.
 "If I've understood anything about your sister, she's going to trust you with anything as long as she doesn't feel like you're trying to bind her to your own wishes. Alifa's not nearly as open as you are, but I wager her heart is no tougher or colder then yours. Just much more guarded"  Ethrindae frowned.

 "No... It might be that much more fragile  because  it's too guarded" 
Xihirli
 "Yep. Can’t bring us back, though."  Alifa held Kat’s hand and lifted up the Tumultuous Heart.
 "Take Us."  In a swirl of black smoke, the death of the Raven Queen took them away and carried them toward the tower…

 
 Spoiler: Teleport Table  
 (1d100)[ 29 ] 
 


Boots gripped the dragon tight.
 "But I can’t… help her aid the Darklings. Or let them hurt her. If she does ask me to help the Darklings, am I supposed to say yes? Say she’s free to join them?"  Clephesia’s voice stained in desperation.  "How should an open mind help if she’s been taken by them?" 
Valmark
Alifa, Kat, Trevor and the knight you didn't bother to ask the name of appeared in a rain of death and general unpleasantness in front of the Tower of Abadaius, the former prison of Determination and potentially still the prison of Determination.

Something had changed. For starters, the Tower had been razed to the ground.

For seconds, there was a big crater into the ground- the blown-up hole went  deep  into it.
  "...this is where you found Determination?"  

 
  "Starting from the assumption that she isn't a Darkling, you think she would side with your sworn enemies without a reason?"   Figrikhariz smiled at Boots   "'Darklings are the enemy' it is what everybody believes, myself included. But- if Alifa is with them, she may have found out something that changes this truth. The alternative is that she's already gone- but then why would she want to come back?"   the dragoness inclined her head.

  "Unless she's lying. Bottom line is, either she's a darkling and needs to be put down -I'm sorry, I can't sugar coat is- or she not only has cards up her sleeve, but she's playing with an entirely different deck. Force or manipulate or convince her to show her deck to you Boots, then take a decision. Alifa can't keep hiding it, or nobody will play her game"  
 "I'm dumb, I don't get this stuff"  Aragona spoke up  "But isn't it fine to keep things simple by tackling one at a time? What can we do right now that is useful except grieving?" 
Xihirli
 "It was a tower before…"  Alifa muses.  "Are there such things as Invisible Stalkers in this world?"  Alifa gave a brief description of the Air Elementals that could hunt down any quarry.
 "As long as we know what plane of existence to search, we should be able to find them… eventually. It’s not ideal, but it could work. The challenge being that I used all of the circles of power that would be capable of summoning such a creature… I could also summon some trackers from the Fiendish Rings, if you think they would be willing to help me with Darklings present." 

 

Boots took a ragged breath to get herself under control.  "The giants today."  She held Tilly’s polar bear face in her hands and accepted face licks.
 "Maybe we can get that settled before the night falls, and then I can Dream Alifa." 
She saddled up on Tilly.  "I’m ready,"  she lied.
Valmark
  "Ah... We have a working relationship with devils, so maybe not. Arathea, can you tell if there's anything we are missing?"  

The knight sniffed the air, as she started prowling around that hole.
 "Ah... The stench of death lingers"  she got on all four, crawling towards the edge  "Fire, and damnation... and the smell of despair... Abadaius' followers were here not long ago... Theirs is an absolute smell that seeks to drown out all others"  she stopped at the border.

 "...something else... Comforting winds. The steadfastness of the eternal glaciers. There is a smell Abadaius never quite stamped out. The source... Might be here" 

 
Tilly stopped licking Boots' face with difficulty.

Ethrindae climbed up behind Boots, kissing her neck as she held her wife.
 "I'm with you every step of the way" 
 "Woo-hoo! Where?" 
Fig turned back into a dragon.
  "I'll fly back, try to calm down Seren if I can get to her fast enough. This isn't like her, to just rush into danger like that"  
Xihirli
 "Ah. Not…  those  fiendish rings. Perhaps the two of you could vacate for a time, if there’s something we could track?"  Alifa suggested. She approached the crater.  Or Arathea, if your sense of smell is that strong, can you follow the glacial scent? Determination is strongly associated with Ice."  
Alifa took a chance and shot another Sending Asimis’s way.
  Asimis, I’m freeing the Siblings as quickly as possible. The time to tell me where to find Determination is now.  
 "The darkling who kidnapped Kat, she seemed to have a knack for hearing lost souls, for locating pain. Could she track down a specific Shadar-Kai in the Shadowlands? I would be willing to forgive her slight against me." 

 

 "If you’d like to join us, Argona, we’re going to be confronting giants and they might respect your strength if they’re anything like Eris’s friend the Storm King." 
Boots lifted a hand to Fig.
 "Fly you high, Figrikhariz." 
Valmark
 Shrine of Daesicar. 

Arathea sniffed the air.
 "It is coming from the hole. There are people there"  she confirmed in her strangled whisper  "...or at least living beings" 

 
Figrikhariz waved and left.

Argona nodded.
 "Make way, I'll run. Your bear would hate every second of all three of us on her back" 
 Yes please she's almost as big as I am. 
Johnny shuffled awkwardly, standing up to follow his only point of reference.
Xihirli
 "Really,"  Alifa says, probably to both.
She knelt down and gathered up some earth.  "Let's find someone who can look underground for us, shall we." 
She rubbed her hands together, black lightning crackling on them. She pressed her hands to the earth, zapping life into the earth. It emerged upwards, regarding them all, black lightning churning inside of the earth.
 "Earth Elemental begotten by Joy, search underground, find tunnels or living beings, then come back as quickly as you can,"  Alifa ordered in Aquan.
The earth elemental with supercharged speed lowered underground.
While waiting for her unnamed summon to complete its task, Alifa directed some questions at Trevor and Arathea.
 "Which god is Daesicar? Do you know where their shrine is?" 

 

Boots pet Tilly's head and smiled apologetically at Johnny as she began their journey out toward the giants.
She put her hand over Ethrindae's.  "You don't hate my sister, do you?" 
Valmark
Arathea shrugged  "I don't get out much" 
  "It isn't known. Daesicar had a prominent cult bent on turning the world into a second Shadowland, but... It was kinda squashed during my time as emperor. Never saw heads or tails of this god or goddess"   Trevor shrugged.
  "They might not even have been a god, if they existed. Could have been just a charlatan"  

 
 "I don't"  Ethrindae sighed and kissed the back of Boots' neck  "But I can forgive someone hurting my wife only so much... And you know I will take extreme measure even against family" 
Xihirli
 "That useless gods-damned cat. Okay, to find Joy we need to find Aria in the Shadowlands. Katria, she mentioned she loved it. I think that will be my next stop, bringing Emerethiel and Katria if possible."  Alifa tapped her foot, glowering at the ground.


 

 "When I learned about your past... Alifa told me... she said something I'll never forget. 'Everyone can become better if they try. And a lot of the time, all they need to encourage them to try is someone who believes in them. They all wanted to be better. Ethrindae wanted to be better so much she became the wonderful woman you married. The woman who wants to hold you close, save the world from the darkrot, and have a family with you. Whatever she was in the past, that's who she is now. That's who you married. And all she needs to keep being that wonderful person is someone who believes she can be.'" 
Cleph squeezed her wife's hand.  "She made me better too, Eth. She makes me...  think  about things. I just want things to be simple, so I... miss a lot. A lot that I shouldn't. She doesn't." 
Xihirli
Alifa signaled down.
 "Trevor, could you lead the way down? Elemental, stay in the earth near me until I call you."  Manifesting her wings, Alifa followed down the hole, ready to rescue Determination yet again.
Valmark
Trevor nodded.
  "Mileanis says she can try- but I must warn you, she's mostly just good at saying mean stuff to people while in her ratfolk form"   the ruler shrugged   "Can't blame the kid"   and she jumped down the hole.

The knight frowned.
 "I... Can. There is manipulation... There is being jaded and suffering... And then there is malice" 
And with that, the bloodhound knight jumped down as well.

As the group descended into the hole, Trevor landed with an heavy  thud  without seemingly getting hurt, while Arathea glided lightly through the air almost dancing- she landed with grace near the paladin, followed by Alifa and Kat who was presumably getting carried by her girlfriend.

The room they were in seemed to have scriptures dedicated to the worship of Abadaius, but the room was heavily damaged. Big chunks of walls had been blown off, ice that didn't seem to be melting on the ground while in other spots including the ceiling and floor presented deep cuts- near those, what looked like gray sand stood.

Arathea sniffed around, then smelled the cuts.
 "Something... Else. A fight... But one of the fighters had no odor"  she frowned.
 "That is... Weird" 

 
Ethrindae buried her face into Boots' armor, taking a second to ground herself. Literally, she was smelling the grass.
 "Uh... I think your armor may be in spring"  Ethrindae mused with a sigh.

 "Neither a cold heart nor a weak one, I swore on that. I... Tonight I'd like you to help me by letting me Dream Alifa as well. Even if I'll be ready to protect you  from  her... She needs to know that I'll also try and believe in her as well"  she muttered.
 "At least... Just promise that you'll consider that you may have to antagonize your sister to help her. Just like I'll try to support her... If her reasons make sense" 

As they made their descent back into the tunnels, Ethrindae started heavily shivering- Johnny wasn't looking too hot either.
Xihirli
Alifa approached the gray sand with interest and scooped some up in her hand, letting it spill out. She looked about for any breaks in the walls large enough for Determination to have gone through.
 "Perhaps he escaped without our intervention. Can you tell how long ago the fight occurred?" 

 

Boots glowed when her wife breathed her in... in fact, she did so literally, dismounting from Tilly.  "Eth, Johnny, stay near me."  And she burst into flames, careful not to outright burn them, but warming the caves around them for certain.
 "If possible, I will. You can speak to her first." 
 
 Spoiler 
I looked over the druid spells for a loadout that would help Eth with cold, all the spells that would help seem to run out in 10 minutes at most. Flaming Arrows lasts an hour, but that's all we've got.
 

 "Keep an eye out for anything that looks... Gianty." 
Valmark
 "Not really... The sand feels... Like the opponent never existed. And the ice... Isn't melting"  Arathea sniffed the air, though if her expression changed Alifa couldn't tell through the helmet.

There were three holes Determination as Alifa remembered it could've gone through- the ceiling, and two walls. The debris from the cracks of the ceiling and a wall seemed to have poured out all towards the room they had been- another wall instead had debris laying beyond it, having been broken from within their room.

The sand... Didn't really feel like sand. Alifa could see it, and knew what it was in appearance, but she couldn't feel anything at all. If she closed her eyes she might just as well have had an empty hand.

 
It was merely enough for Ethrindae to get by, and she still wasn't looking hot at all.

Exploring the tunnels, eventually Boots&amp;co. Got to the room they confronted the darklings in- the traps that had harassed them the first time were now thoroughly frozen over without Mielanis to attend to them, and when they got into the room proper they saw that the worm's corpse had a layer of ice on it as well.

What stood out was the gigantic ice cristal in the middle of the room, levitating in mid-air- just like before, it was the only thing free from Mielanis' goo.
Xihirli
Alifa pointed out the hole that had been broken from their side.  "This way,"  she said, and sent her Earth Elemental ahead just under the ground following the tunnel.


 

 "Hm..."  Boots took a few seconds to light the worm on fire to both warm up the cave and get rid of the corruption. She flew up to the icicle and dismissed her flames to lay a hand on it.
 "What  are  you..." 
Valmark
The fighting marks kept going- both of the combatants seemed big, with one definitely using ice and the other definitely using some kind of blade.

Rounding a corner, Trevor was tackled by a golem- Alifa istantly recognized it as one of the golems she had fought previously, the ones employed by Abadaius- this one's blade was broken, the tormented souls within freed, and an arm was missing.

Needless to say, the two darklings made short work of the already damaged golem- Arathea's whip coiled around its arm and kept it pinned down, then Trevor smashed it to a pulp. Or... Broken machinery anyway.
  "Seems like Abadaius' soldiers got caught in it. Or at least didn't survive the fight"  

Staring better, Alifa could spot that among the debris chunks of golems glistened- the place had been choke full of those, maybe still was.

 

The icicle rumbled softly under her touch, and Boots spotted an indent in the crystal. The ice was so cold her hand stuck to it briefly, taking off tiny bits of dead skin if she pulled it away. Her fire seemed to not really scratch the crystal.
Xihirli
Alifa blinked at the death of the golems... but kept going.  "Do you have any Darklings stationed at the Shadowlands? Any who might have heard if destruction on this scale happened there?" 

 

Boots backed up and resurrounded herself in flames to keep her loves alive.
 "Okay Eth, I'm going to focus on the blade. I think... I think this is it."  She pulled it from her bag of holding and clutched the sword close.  "I think I'll have to uncouple myself from the ring for a time... but I promise to stay by your side." 
Valmark
  "All the darklings are in the Zone, wether they are in our castle, at the frontlines or preparing for the war- except those like Mileanis and the ones that manage to spread further under their own volition"   Trevor said   "That said... Let me check"  

He took a moment, then said   "Emerethiel says the Shadowlands do have gray sand, but that's hardly a proof"  
 "Could it be... A Nightmare...?" 
  "Absolutely not. If Nightmares can get here that's it. Alandria is lost- darklings, Abadaius, the world, we all lose"  
 "Unless it's a lone Nightmare"  Kat noted  "They may be destructive but the state of the Shadowlands is due to the work of a lot of Nightmares over a long time- a single Nightmare isn't going to make a big dent on a world. Is it?" 

Trevor was silent for a long time. Enough to get into a room- it had been split from side to side, sending the floor crushing down and opening a miniature crevasse.
  "It wouldn't, I suppose. And I just realized that this place must be a lot more instable them I thought"  

Bridging the building together were pillars of ice that formed various bridges- then Alifa realized something.

Someone was moving.

Half buried under a pile of rubble, a guy in a red cloak moved weakly- he had reacted to the voice, but didn't seem to have much strenght left.

There was quite an obvious holy symbol of Abadaius around his neck.


 


Ethrindae sighed, and smiled- she pulled Boots close and quite obviously breathed in, then kissed Boots deeply.

 "You'll make it up to me later, now do what you must do" 
Xihirli
 "Why do Nightmares in the Shadowlands have the same names that twisted Pegasi have?"  Alifa asked. Alifa thought for a second, then shrouded herself in darkness and flew down to the fallen Abadaius Acolyte.  "What happened here? Where is Determination? Talk, and you don't become a darkling."  She unstoppered a standard healing potion and pressed it to his lips.
  Abadaius doesn't give his followers special protections against becoming darklings, does he?  
 
 Spoiler: Healing Potion 
 (2d4+2)[ 6 ] 
 

Boots's mouth opened a few times, and she struggled to focus on the sword... but she managed... just about.
Valmark
  "Mostly just that the people who named the twisted pegasi and the people who named the monsters of the Shadowlands didn't check in with each other. The creatures of the Shadowlands look like they came out of a nightmare- and the experience pegasi are put through is like a nightmare. They came to the same conclusions"  
 "If it helps... My kin calls 'Karask Kelytha' the fiend horses... And 'Entropui' the monster from the Darklands..." 

When Alifa came in, the acolyte barely reacted. A weak laugh left him.
"Sure... Haven't got much to lose anyway..." He pushed himself a little forward and Alifa noticed that he wasn't actually half-buried- his legs had been cleanly cut off. He wasn't dead because there was no bleeding... Nor nothing else. Instead of all the bloody bits, a thin layer of sand clung to his wounds- it seemed to have kept him from bleeding out. His legs had probably been flung somewhere, because they were nowhere in sight.

  "l He does... Kind of. Their objects will kill them if they try betraying him. Becoming a darkling counts, we tried.   

Arathea prowled around the area, sniffing.
 "No blood... If I wasn't seeing it, I'd say nobody got hurt here any time soon" 

 
During the hour, Johnny milled about while Ethrindae took a little rest cuddled up with Tilly- she sank her face into the bear's fur, hugged by Tilly's giant frame. Aragona, who had no trouble with cold, just did some exercise to warm up assuming there was going to be a fight afterwards.

When Boots was done attuning, she felt a rumble run through the cave she was in. Though nothing changed, yet anyway.
Xihirli
 "Hmm.... nevermind. I'll release your soul to a better god than Abadaius."  Alifa took out the jar that Kat's soul had been in and launched a trio of beams of death into him. She then reached out a hand and pulled his soul into the jar that had once held Kat's.
 "Trevor, you wouldn't happen to have a supply of soul cages, would you? I'm sick of Abadaius bringing his servants back against us." 
She launched a question into the soul.   Now... which way did Determination go?  
 
 Spoiler: Query Soul 
Just the one question.
 

 "Karysk Kelyth,"  Alifa repeated.  "I like it. I have a Karysk Kelyth bound to me... I would have brought him had I known how extended my stay would be. Let's keep looking for Confidence... if you have a way to get us all back when we find Confidence, Trevor, I'd like to go into the Shadowlands today. Malyanna my teacher, taught me all about the importance of seizing initiative before your opponent has a chance to adapt. In the Old Tongue the method is called Speeh'Drunn Ehnny-Pehr'sint." 

Not merely relying upon the soul in her jar, Alifa continued seeking out the trail of destruction, paying particular attention to whether or not the rubble was concealing a passage  down .


 

 "You look cute with Tilly,"  Boots smiled to her. She then extended her wings and flew up to the icicle. She took a breath and expanded in midair until she was twice her size,  hoping  that her magic armor would grow around her.
  Are my clothes under the armor magic? Cyric's C***!  

She tapped the greatsword onto the icicle, then slid it into the indent.  "Jeg er Clephesia, Arving Uheldig, Prinsesse-Arver av Vinter Råd. Ved min rett, ved mitt lys, og ved min makt, erklærer jeg Vinterlander gratis!"  She twisted the greatsword within the icicle.

 
 Spoiler: Giant 

"I am Clephesia, Scion Unseelie, Princess of the Winter Court. By my right, by my light, and by my might I declare the Winterlands free!"
 
Valmark
"Kgh...!" And then the acolyte was dead, his soul inhabiting Alifa's cage.

 
 Spoiler: Reply 
...who?
 

  "We don't, very little reason for that. And I doubt Abadaius was going to bother for a random priest"   Trevor said   "Yes, I believe I have something that will suit just fine... You'll have to ask Emerethiel when we are back for the Shadowlands"  

Tecnically there wasn't a passage down- there  was  a pretty big chasm formed by the split building, but wether it was faster down that way was up to debate.

 
Ethrindae smiled, seeing Boots grow in size- and chuckled at the ripping sound as Boots' clothes got dismembered under her armor, which adjusted for her size.
 "Huh. Never tried massaging a woman  that  big" 
 "I'm willing to try!" 
 "You shut up!" 

When she turned the 'key', the icicle  cracked . The cracks grew, encompassing the whole of it- and then it fell to pieces.
Boots was enveloped in a wind of freezing cold as the shard fell out, for what stood now was a massive gate of ice, the center of it looking like a shimmering window glass- Boots saw through it a path through two snowy mountains. And she could see a... Creature, in the air, staring at the newly opened passage from their place in flight. It was hard to tell what creature it was, but it didn't look like a giant.

Ethrindae neared the passage in wonder.
 "It... Honestly looks like a Fey crossing" 
Xihirli
Alifa spread her wings and headed down the hole.  "I'm going to check this out quickly, I still think the sand is the right thing to follow."  She descended quickly to take a quick look about, not really expecting to find much.


 

Boots blushed  hard  down at her wife, then touched down in front of the portal.  "The Winter Fey had part of Faerie before, right? Maybe it... moved here, somehow?"  She took a step forward and shouted in Giant:
 "I am coming to end the curse on the Ice Giants. Will you stand in my way?" 
Valmark
Alifa descended into the dark, Kat looking out worriedly.

The destruction proceeded- assuming the trail stayed the same, she saw pieces of the path on different floors. It seemed like the two combatants had fought their way through the entire building, and judging by the corpses neither of them was on the side of Abadaius- Alifa found more golems and priests cut into sand, but also frozen ones and others just crushed to a pulp.

And then... She found a familiar face.
Well up to a point. In the darkness, struggling against a wall, was a woman slowly making her way up. Alifa recognized the lance-wielding Judge that they had run from when they initially saved Determination- however this time instead of leading a small army she was leaning over her spear using it as a cratch, one of the wings half cut off leaving sand behind. Her armor showed more conventional wounds, a thin layer of frost left over, and part of her face was a bloody mask, one eye smashed in. It looked like she was in a  lot  of pain.

It seemed like she had gotten in between the combatants and got mauled.
"Oh gods damn it" she groaned seeing Alifa "I barely get out alive and  you  show up?"

 
When Boots got through, she finally made out the creature correctly- it was indeed a fey, with ruby lips and strong legs- she flew close to the princess, excited and looking absolutely not cold in the slightest despite the light clothing.

"You're a living person! Right!? I mean one from outside! That- that's a gate that leaves out correct!?" The fey started talking super fast "Oh wow this is  great ! Everybody will be happy to know that! Damn I could smooch you!"

Ethrindae and Aragona got through.
 "Huh. You don't look like a giant" 
"I'll smooch you all if that door lets us out!"
 "I'm game" 
 "I... Think I missed a part of the context" 
Xihirli
Alifa   "Your prisoner... tell me what happened here and I'll forget that I saw you,"   she said with a shrug.  "I'm just looking for Determination." 

 

 "Please express all smooches of gratitude to my friend Aragona."  Clephesia stepped back with difficulty.  "Yes, I have opened the waygate... tell me, where can I find the Ice Giants? Are they... frozen? Do they need help?" 
Valmark
The woman stared at Alifa alarmed.
"Aren't you with that damned cat?" She inquired "Ain't that why you're here in the first place?"

 
"Oh! Right! Yeah they are here!" The fey turned around flying forward "As for needing help... I'm not sure how to explain it. Please follow"

Ethrindae clutched Boots, shakily even as fire lapped at her skin- her skin was cold, the woman completely unsuited for the level of cold that place was bathed in.

Tilly and Johnny came in as well, the latter evidently also hating every second of it. He entered the Ethereal to try and escape some of the cold.

 "Sooooo..." 
"Not right now, I'm flying!"
 "You know Boots, being around you used to be fun. I still remember that nymph you brought" 
 "Excuse... me?" 
Xihirli
 "Asimis? No, he... oh, so you know he's a traitor. Then yes, I'm afraid you die."  Alifa paused.  "Wait, you still talk to your god if you die. No, I don't have time for you. Yes or no, is Determination down here?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Is that initiative?
 

 "Before we met on the mountain. I led a group of Winter Fey to Figrihkariz's lands so that they could live in the cold there. They were led by a nymph,"  Boots explained.  "I promise Ethrindae, I haven't done anything unfaithful with anyone since we were married." 
Boots frowned down at her wife in the cold. She shot a line of fire off to the side of Ethrindae every few steps, trying to keep the warmth up as she followed the fairy.
 "Please move quickly if you can,"  Boots requested of the nymph.  "We aren't all able to live in the cold." 
Valmark
She looked at Alifa, then cackled.
"Ah... This is going to be  fun " the one winged woman shrugged and spit some blood "I can't tell you where it is, we both know that. I can  definitely  tell you that the combatants are wreaking havoc somewhere on the lower levels- just plunge down to your death" she said "Feel free to take yourself out fighting our enemies"

 
 "I know you haven't. Just figured there was more to it then you ferrying nymphs around" 

Ethrindae appreciated a lot the additional fire sources.

"Sure!" The fey started flying away faster then they could travel, but one way or another the small group managed to keep up- mostly by the unknown flying back and forth telling them to hurry up.

It didn't take long for Boots&amp;co. to reach a cliffside- overlooking a...

Well, the slope down led to a frozen wasteland, where a fortress of ice stood- from afar, Boots could see both tiny creatures flying or walking around and massive humanoids, probably giants.

It was what was  past  that was completely dissonant with the frozen plane. A vast, endless desert of gray sand extended as far as Boots could see- she could somewhat tell at a distance that there were guards posted on the perimeter of the desert, but that was all she could tell.

The fey started flying straight towards the castle, though Boots had to take the long way around if she wanted to get to it.
Xihirli
Alifa soared up back to her friends.  "This way down,"  she said.  "Just jump, l I’ll guide your fall."  She dove back down.  "One of Abadaius’s judges are down here." 
 "Kat, good work on that detect magic, keep it up so we can refind the trail below." 
 
 Spoiler 
 I’ll Feather Fall everyone down
 

 "Hopefully, we can finish up here quickly,"  Boots whispered to her wife, and followed, still blazing hot and shooting out a line of flames as near her family as she dared to keep them warm.
Valmark
  "Don't care"   and Trevor jumped down.
 "They're going to be resurrected anyway"  Arathea explained, jumping down as well.

Kat didn't really have a say, since she wasn't going to fight a Judge of Abadaius alone, so she merely jumped down as well.

When the group got to the lower floor, they landed heavily on the stone- that room was surprisingly well kept.
 "Where c-"  Kathleyîënis didn't finish the sentence as a rain of debris showered the group, a black creature flying overhead them- it slammed against the far wall, landing heavily on the ground.

The misshapen creature looked like a massive lizardman, walking on four legs- the two arms had appendages that reminded of a flayed bat wing, and two smaller arms came out of its body. A spike protruded out of it's back, and a fat bladed tail swished around. Alifa realized the clicking noise she heard was Trevor's armor, as the paladin's hands shaked a little- the Dragonrider grasped his blade with both hands, steeling himself.
  "It's not one of ours"   he stated   "It's... A Nightmare"  

Where the tail touched, where the claws rested- the stone just disintegrated, nothing more then sand being left behind as reality was unmade, white smoke filtering out and getting breathed in by the darkling. The shoulder, clearly broken in the inpact, in the blink of an eye was perfectly fine.

  "If you're scared then begone, darkling"   a familiar voice came to Alifa's ears.
Determination stepped through the wall it had broken down by throwing the Nightmare through it- Determination's body was covered in cuts that leaked out what could only be defined as the absence of reality, but the stone creature didn't care, its gaze solely focused on its prey.
It advanced uncaring as Arathea jumped out of its path, fists covered in hard eternal ice as it went for another round with the constantly healing Nightmare.
  "All of you- unless your resolve is unbreakable, leave"  

And then Alifa realized something- Determination's body also had barely spottable chains clinging to it. They were of a blue hue and clung to it then faded into nothingness, but were all cracked up and strained, very unlike the ones that had almost choked the life out of Fiamma. As the two combatants went at each other, Alifa saw how the Nightmare's claws struck right into the chains, eating away at the spell that bound Determination's will and fate.

Determination didn't care- as claws raked across its body, it grabbed the Nightmare by its spike, lifted it high then brutally slammed it into the ground, the sound of bones breaking as the monster screamed in pain- then the giant of ice and stone crushed its skull.

A moment after, a completely untouched Nightmare stabbed Determination's back, momentarily pushing it back and managing to scamper away putting distance between the two.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

Initiative!

 (1d20)[ 7 ]  Determination
 (1d20+3)[ 5 ]  Trevor
 (1d20+5)[ 20 ]  Arathea

Time doesn't have a concept for Nightmares, thus they always act first in a round.
 


The Nightmare's claws raked across Determination, its bladed tail cutting a path trough its flank and sinking the spike into it.

Despite the wounds, it seemed like Determination wasn't feeling anything.
Xihirli
 "…Stay out of the direct fight! Paladin, if you have any healing put it all into Determination. Everyone else, pick a ranged attack and get shooting! Trevor, how are Nightmares killed?"  
Alifa was hopeful that they just had to offset its regeneration enough to make the damage stick, like Fiamma.
 "Earth Elemental! Attack, right in the face!" 

Shimmering in with a bolt of black lightning, the Earth Elemental appeared with a fistful of rock aimed at the Nightmare. Alifa flew up, out of reach of the Nightmare (she hoped) and reached down, her hand firing off dark fire in a burst that exploded into black feathers that orbited around the Nightmare when it hit.
Kat shot it!

 
 Spoiler: Actions and Damages 

Kat probably misses with an 18 for 30 piercing damage, then she'll go for distance from the Nightmare if possible.
Alifa will Chill Touch, 27 to hit for 18 necrotic and more importantly, it can’t regain hit points until the start of Alifa's next turn. Like, even if Necrotic HEALS it I'm pretty sure this is the correct use of her action. And Alifa will get some altitude. She doesn't want to get touched by this Nightmare.
Earth Elemental with the fist of dirt! 22 to hit for 13 bludgeoning and 6 lightning.
 
Valmark
 "Unbreakable"  Arathea repeated, considering Determination's words- she lifted her whip, and with a flick of the wrist it extended. Alifa noticed that it seemed to be made out of a blackened humanoid spine, as it flew through the air and struck the Nightmare- the vertebrae ripped into the Nightmare's flesh, but while it bounced ineffectually the magic on it left gold-tinged bruises on the Nightmare's body.

   "I don't know! Never had to! Emerethiel takes care of this stuff"    Trevor shook his head and Arathea talked  "An unbreakable will... Affirms your claim to exist... The Nightmare has to win that if it wants to feed off of you"  her whip crossed over the Nightmare again, singing it- the Nightmare's claws latched onto Arathea's whip, but to perhaps everybody's surprise but Arathea's the whip didn't break.
 "This whip is proof of my existence... And that I won't be stopped before I get what I seek. You cannot devour it" 
  "Mph... Fine, let's try this"   Trevor raised his blade.
  "I call upon the power of all of Faerie and of Boeker, Monarch of the Storm Peaks! Come, lightning, and crash upon my foes!"   cutting down, lightning came crashing through the crack in the ceiling and hit the Nightmare right into its back- but the monster cackled as the magic traveled to its mouth where it feasted on it, the burns Arathea had left on it partially healed.
  "Ah... I suppose it was too much to hope my willpower alone was enough, if Arathea has it right"  

Determination didn't seem troubled by all of this- it sized the Nightmare up by its throat and just pummeled into it, bashing its head repeatedly. Thanks to having just fed the Nightmare held on, but it was clearly hurt as the blows were strong enough that the floor its head hit on got cracks.

Kathleyîënis' arrow went wide as the Nightmare's body twisted out of the way, locked into the fight with Determination.
Valmark
Alifa's Touch didn't seem to trouble the Nightmare while the earth elemental's blows went wide, or at least it didn't seem to  harm  it.

The Nightmare clearly looked troubled- as its head swerved around and locked onto Alifa, for a moment she saw it atop her, ready to tear her to shreads. But only for a moment- Alifa blinked and the Nightmare was still there, shrieking as it tried to claw at a dagger that had been left stuck into its flank- its blade was shaped in the motif of a red wing, the symbol of Abadaius as the handle.

 "Huh... That Judge must have stuck it there before getting away"  Kat mused- whatever the truth was, the Nightmare turned around as it struck at Determination. Homewever this time despite hurting Determination and generally destroying everything around itself, the Nightmare's wounds weren't getting any better.

Uncerimoniously, Determination punched a hole through the beast's stomach, snapping its spine and leaving it paralized.
Craning its neck around, Determination stared Alifa down.
  "I take it you joined Abadaius as well? That's why you're going around with the darklings?"   it asked her, the damaged Chains rattling around it. Black blood ominously dripped from its knuckles.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
It wasn't gonna survive Determination's turn, not with healing turned off.

Homewever if you can't avoid a fight with Determination we're staying in initiative.
 
Xihirli
 "Just the opposite,"  Alifa said, flying down nearer Determination to show that she didn't intend to fight it.
 "The Darklings are the only creatures on Alandria – save myself and my sister – free from Abadaius's Chains. While he's been keeping you and your kin captive, he's been filling your heads with lies that the Darklings work for him to keep you from joining forces with them,"  Alifa explained.  "I haven't been fooled, I can prove it. The Darklings are the only creatures who can even  speak  about his Chains except for myself. Determination."  Alifa held up Tumultuous Heart.  "This rod is blessed with the power of you and your kin, and it only works for me because my heart is true, because I fight to make the best future I can and save as many people as possible. I have saved you once before. That is what I arrived to do with these Darklings. You know me. I am asking you to trust me: We have Wrath. We want to take you to him." 

Alifa indicated herself and the Darklings with her staff.  "You understand what that means, yes? It's not just me and my sister who are free from him, it's  thousands  of creatures, many of whom are ready to fight. And that means... Abadaius   hasn't won  . It's  anybody's  game and, right about now, I like our chances. We've already taken Wrath from Abadaius's clutches, and now we've found you. We have a drow who can help us traverse the Shadowlands to find Confidence. The game's not over until the king's in mate, and we just moved a pair of pawns across the board and got  two  Queens. You may think Abadaius has won, but I smell his blood in the water and I think you'd like a bite as well." 
Valmark
There was a long silence, and the blue damaged chains wrapped around Determination- it grabbed them, the ethereal chains not so ethereal under its touch.

  "Wrath is with you"   it repeated, and with a strong pull the chains disintegrated, Determination free once more.

  "If you'll take me to him, that's all I need. He has never known freedom- as its sibling, my will is to be there for him"  

Trevor and Kat exhaled a breath of relief, while Arathea merely stared around. Then, she walked forward and picked up the knife with the Abadaius' symbol.
 "It seems like Abadaius' and the Nightmares' magics are natural enemies" 
Xihirli
 "Likely, but I would be careful with that. We've killed a few Abadaius worshippers and taken their gear... it tended to be cursed against anyone not approved by our Bebeaked opponent." 
Alifa pointed out the Nightmare corpse.  "THAT however... if any among your number have a way of making use of the Nightmare body I would appreciate it if we can bring it with us... assuming one of you has a way to bring us back?"  Alifa asks questioningly to Trevor.


 

 "Aragona, come here."  Boots laid a hand on Aragona and another on Tilly, briefly not being on fire. She blessed them both with transparent prismatic wings.  "Eth, ride Tilly, we're going down the slope the fast way."  She extended her own wings, burst into flames, and led the way.

 
 Spoiler 
Extended Fly at 4th level, they can fly 60 ft for 20 minutes.
 
Valmark
 "Mmm"  Arathea slipped it into her belt  "We'll see what happens when someone unworthy is stabbed with it by someone unworthy" 

Trevor hoisted the corpse over his shoulders, Determination not making a single move to help out.
  "Yes... I got something. Gather around"   he stabbed the blade into the ground as soon as everybody was around him.
  "And...  Recall "  
The floor opened under them and the group was swallowed by darkness.

And then spit out back into the darkling's fortress, in the hall- Emerethiel was there waiting for them with a pleased smile.
 "I trust it was succesfull?" 
  "Lead me to Wrath"   Determination ordered. Arathea nodded and started leading it away while Emerethiel looked the Nightmare's corpse over.
 "...huh. And where did  that  come from?" 

 
Ethrindae slipped her arms around Boots.
 "I can ride Tilly if you want to see me frozen and dead"  the druid stated  "How about you carry me? I'll... Withstand the flames" 
Xihirli
 "Determination was fighting it when we found it... and then it killed it,"  Alifa said, looking a bit pleased with herself at the power of the four siblings.
 "I'd like to be there for the family reunion... has Wrath regrown any?"  Alifa hurries to follow Determination. She was happy to leave them with each other...  after  she saw their first exchange.


 

Boots frowned, but nodded.  "I was going to stay near you, but alright. Away!"  And Boots took wing, leading the way to the castle by the most direct route.
Valmark
 "Well... Seems like this may have been a good move, to free those two"  Emerethiel looked at Determination thoughtfully, but the latter wasn't stopping for everybody who wasn't Wrath.
 "Maybe it'll be able to calm Wrath" 

In the library, Alifa understood what Emerethiel meant. An exasperated Katria was running around (well, floating) picking up books- Wrath had regrown... A little bit. Four spider-like bone legs jutted out of his core, and he was scrambling along the shelves knocking down books and generally causing chaos. Two darklings were running after it- a tall, thin one with surprisingly long arms and a darkling that seemed made out of smoke, much like the darkrot elemental Alifa had fought ages past. But they weren't having much success in stopping his rampage.
  "Wrath!"   Determination called.

The spidey Wrath stopped dead in his tracks, drummed up on the wood of a shelf, then jumped- covering several feet of distance, the burning ball landed straight onto Determination's open arms. Without wasting a beat, the stone giant clutched Wrath to its chest.
  "There, there..."   it gently stroked Wrath with the same hands that only a few minutes before were breaking down walls and crushing skulls barehanded   "Welcome back, brother"  

There was a  thunk  as an heavy tear fell out of Determination's eye. It turned to look at Alifa, smiling as more tears followed.
  "Thank you... For freeing him. He's... The youngest of us, and shouldn't ever have known captivity"  

 
One way or the other, Ethrindae sometimes burning in her arms, the group made their way to the castle of ice. Boots was greeted by a sight to behold- massive warriors easily twenty feet tall trained in the courtyard alongside fey warriors with hard features, armors made out of blue stone and weapons of jaggled ice.
Among the warriors, a fey and a giant were directing the training- the fey levitated slightly in mid-air, cloaked from head to toe- he wielded a spear and a buckler, icy winds blowing from weapon, masked face and shield. Alongside him, an old giant with his head covered in runes oversaw the giant part of the small army.

The lithe fey didn't stop though- she waved to the masked fey and before he could get a word in Boots' guide slipped into the castle. The group was led up a flight of stairs.

Entering a hall, Boots found what were presumably the rulers of the two people discussing animately.
  "And I repeat, we can just rebuild elsewhere. We finally have a way out!"   the Monarch insisted. He had fiery red hair, but the rest was of a blue hue- he didn't look particularly imposing, aside from the scythe he held.
  "We aren't feys"   the giant that replied seemed a head taller then the others, and more on the young side- he was covered in a massive armor, his face strikingly similar to the face of the old giant drilling troops outside   "We don't simply will our lands into existence. This has been our home for years- as long as the castle stands strong, I won't accept anybody encroaching upon our lands"  
Xihirli
 "None of you should have... this world shouldn't have,"  Alifa said solemnly.  "We're going to free the rest of them. For now, that means we need the Darklings... and I believe in Trevor's convictions. It's no secret to them that I plan to stop the spread of the darkrot after Abadaius is dealt with... hopefully that can be done peacefully."  Alifa inclined her head.  "I'll leave you with your brother... I need to talk to Trevor about getting Confidence next. Once we have three of you, do you think all of you together could help us storm the Divine Prisons and get Joy out?" 

 

Boots stepped up and held aloft the Giant Sword.  "Kings and Great Ones of the Hall. I am Clephesia Elevenyenn, Scion Unseelie. Princess Heir to the Winter Court. Knight of Light, Champion of the Natural Places. I have opened the waygate between our worlds, having heard of the actions of the Three Faced Sage after he took over the body of Rutgert, your once-chief. The Sunstone is broken, and I leave it to you to decide if you will continue to live in this land of bitter winter." 
She knelt, having given her proclamation in Giant, presenting the sword forward.
 "I believe this sword belongs to your people." 
Valmark
Determination looked down at Wrath, still held in its hands.
  "Abadaius will feel our determination and our wrath"   it stated   "I'm confident we can accomplish something if we get Joy out"  

There was a long silence before Kat gasped.
 "That... Was a pun" 
Determination smiled.
  "There's little point in asking, Alifa. Me, Confidence, Wrath... Would you stay behind if  your  elder sister was in a villain's clutches?"   it asked.

 
The King of the Winterlands and the king of the giants stared at Boots.
  "Oh, I'm leaving. **** you and **** this, we've been here for hundreds of years"   the fey king started storming off, mostly ignoring Boots- he stopped dead in his tracks when the giant's voice boomed, echoing around the hall. Enough that the girl that had guided Boots yeeeped and flew away.
 "Hot" 
  "You will NOT leave, Araldie!"   the giant slammed a fist against a column, cracking it   "If we leave, that Nightmare wakes up and devours this whole place- then comes into Alandria, and then your only chance is hoping it's killed before it finds a Crossing that leads to your precious Faerie!"   he growled out.
  "Scion Unseelie... I'm sorry, I'm not big on plesantries. I'm Rathract, king of the giants"   the giant turned to Boots.

  "Please, help me make him see reason. You must have seen the desert- Alandria will be turned into one if the monster is let out"   he... Begged, as weird as it was coming from someone towering over Boots by several meters.
  "I don't believe you'd wield that sword and be willing to let a Nightmare out in Alandria"  

Ethrindae sidled next to Boots, half to keep herself warm and half to whisper  "I'm thinking they are not talking about the fiend horse one" 
Xihirli
 "Not for a second. But for now I want you to be with Wrath while he regrows. Trust me to get Confidence. Focus on getting the both of you ready for the big jailbreak. I'm going to ask Trevor to give you both a blessing to avoid being infected by the Darkrot if you're willing to take it. I'm sure you're highly resistant, but... this place infects pretty rapidly." 
Alifa took Kat's hand and went to go search for Trevor. She thought into his head to get privacy.

  Trevor, we need to talk before I get ready for the Shadowlands. About your connection to Faerie. And I'm going to have to insist that you stop the expansion and use the forces you would have out recruiting into defending the Zone. I can explain to you why it's the correct tactical move, if you like, but I'd like to speak to you without so many prying eyes first.  

 

 "If it would please the court,"  Boots offers confidently.  "When I reunite with my sister I'm sure we can kill this 'Nightmare.' If you would hold on for just a few weeks I'll return, we kill the Nightmare, and then those that wish to leave can. I would handle it immediately but... half of our party has been separated from us and we're trying to wipe out the Darkrot... I  think ... but now that the waygate is opened my sister should be able to bring us here at any time to finish this. I will ask... for two things. If you would be so kind, O King, I would make two requests of you. Could my wife have something, anything, to keep her warm? And as I said, this sword belongs to your people, and I will leave it here if I cannot take it with your blessing." 
Valmark
   ...come to the hall"    was Trevor's reply.

When they got there,  they saw Trevor riding atop the darkling phoenix- a saddle was affixed on its back without any clear strap, several seats open alongside him.
  "Come for a fly, you two"  

 
  "Oh yeah"   the King chuckled   "I can handle this! With the half of my party that isn't here! Who maybe doesn't even want to work with me!"   Araldie went off, Rathract roaring behind him.

The giants' king sinked back into his throne.
  "...ask my father about the sword, it was his gift to my brother. And... Thank you for opening the portal, but without his feys we can't keep it asleep... And I don't think any giant is equipped to handle the threat"   he sighed.
  "We're going to put as much distance between us and the Nightmare as we can. At least... We have hope now that isn't just waiting while our numbers dwindle. And no, I'm sorry, we don't really have anything to keep someone warm"  

Ethrindae shrugged.
 "I'll survive" 
Xihirli
Alifa helped Kat mount up and then got on behind Trevor.  "Me and my sister have done a lot to help out Faerie. We freed Monarch Nasa from a metal prison, and stopped an evil druid working with Abadaius from experimenting on Fey. Also, I think Fiamma is in love with my sister. If I can get her to talk to the fey, I think she can get them to pull out of their alliance with Serendipity... or at least delay long enough that the assault won't be as definitive and dangerous. And the big reason to stop the expansion... Trevor, we're in the home stretch now. The fight with Abadaius is  imminent , I'm talking  days . Less than a week, if nothing changes. You're highly unlikely to get a new Darkling dangerous enough to help in that fight... and that's the fight that matters, isn't it?" 
Alifa held Kat's hand and burst into dark flames.  "Sometimes, it's not possible to avoid becoming a monster. I understand that. But the  point  of doing that is so that no one else has to... so that the ones with bright eyes and high ideals can go on thinking that doing the right thing and keeping a positive attitude was what saved the day. To make a world where not everybody is as dark as us. This is the last hand. Push it all into the middle of the table, we're not getting anything worth taking before the cards are shown and we already bet everything." 

 

Clephesia frowned.  "I'll talk to my Sister about how soon she can arrive... no, I don't know that I will. Ethrindae, you've seen what I can do. With the help of some giants throwing rocks from a safe distance, and maybe some other fey... do you think I can take a Nightmare as I am now?"  She sounded afraid, but...  "If I don't handle this now, I think a lot of people are going to get hurt." 
Valmark
The phoenix took off when they were all on. Flying outside, Alifa had the first look at the Zone.

It... Actually didn't look that bad. It was a nightmarish landscape, sure- black plants grew with horrifying screaming fruits, and several displayed carnivore plants' characteristics- and of course, it was filled with darklings in all the terrible shapes they came in. The sky was an inky black, and the only light came from a soft red hue the ground had. There wasn't a single breath of wind.

And yet... As corrupted as it was... Life  thrived . Nightmares all played together, or ate, or slept in harmony. They fed the plants that bore the fruits that they ate, and cared for each other. In a bestial sort of way, as they weren't really sapient, but they did. In fact, it may have been the most peaceful society Alifa had seen.

  "Less then a week... Is a long time, with war looming, Alifa. And we have allies that cannot help us in the Zone"   Trevor grunted after a long silence without turning around   "Fighting in our home territory makes us stronger, but also weaker. And Seren has a weapon that will easily destroy us if she gets in place to use it- while the darklings can repopulate, the Zone is the only place on Alandria darklings are at home in. Unless we can score a victory on Abadaius in a couple days, we  need  to strike first   he paused.
  "Of course, if her assault is delayed, then we don't have to strike first. Or at least not so soon. I can easily command all the darklings to mobilitize in that case"  

Trevor took an heavy breath.
  "Do you believe yourself a monster, Alifa?"   he asked bluntly when Alifa included herself among the dark people.

 
Ethrindae looked at the spot the archfey had left.
 "Without the feys?"  the elf looked at Boots, and saw her scared for the first time when it came to fighting a monster.
 "I... Don't know their abilities. But... I've never seen you lose, and I've never seen you scared. I really can't recommend what we should do... Except..."  Ethrindae smiled.

 "As much as she might hate the thought, Serendipity  has  sworn to defend Alandria, and she's probably less busy then your sister is. And if you want to buy Alifa time, pitting the strongest lich this world has ever known against a Nightmare seems helpful. You can Send, right?"  Ethrindae inquired.
 "Remember what Seren said... She's utterly convinced she holds all the answers and all the power. You're good with words... And I'm sure nobody will blame you for manipulating someone for a good cause" 
Xihirli
 "Your word, then: If I can get the attack delayed, you halt the expansion? You don't strike?"  Alifa urged.  "I can't promise a few days on Abadaius, but know that I'll be moving as fast as I can. I believe I've proven that that can be quite fast... I suppose I have you all to thank for lighting a fire under my ass, that's what got me moving so fast." 
At the direct question, Alifa stroked Kat's hand.  "I didn't know, a while back. I was asking Kat if I had the right to take command over a Karask Kelytha... and worried that my Grandmother's blood showed itself in me... like this."  She spread out her black wings for Trevor to see.
 "She told me I care a lot about people, and about saving myself. I told myself that as long as I'm  afraid  of turning into a monster, I'm probably not one. But... ever since I got some Darkrot in me..."  Alifa shrugged.
 "I'm not afraid anymore." 
 
 Spoiler: Persuasion 
Boots! Persuade Seren!  (1d20+11)[ 15 ]   29  inspiration.
 

Boots frowned and nodded.  "I don't...  like  manipulation. But I'll try. That's a good idea, Eth. I wish I could kiss you without singing you."  She smiles at the King again.  "Do you have anything that can help my wife withstand the cold?" 

And she Sent to Serendipity.   Giants: Found. They were keeping a Nightmare trapped. For the Giants to fight the Darklings, we need to kill the Nightmare. Can you help?  
Valmark
  "I promise we will only attack if we run out of time"   Trevor assured Alifa   "And if we have to"   he chuckled.
  "I suppose getting people to move is something darklings are good at"  

When Alifa replied to his question Trevor shook his head.
  "Then you're a fool"   he stated   I do not doubt your dedication to seeing this through, don't misunderstand me. But stop being afraid of your own darkness and you won't see how far you've fallen until it's too late. Me and Serendipity killed ourselves for this war, and it's going to be our end... Although Seren could still be recovered if resurrected I suppose. But... My understanding is that you have a home and loved ones to go back to. This war is not worth losing all that, not if we're in the home stretch"   Trevor let out a weak laugh.

  "Trust the word of a fool. And we're getting the corruption out of you before you leave for the Shadowlands, that's non-negotiable"  

 
  "The blood of our enemies"   the king said.
  "I'll send word for someone to tear up an heavy curtain or something like that to make an heavy cape"  
   I can get myself a Nightmare's corpse, yes. Still the Ice Maws? Get somewhere I can find you.   
Xihirli
Alifa had no problem with that.  "If you have a regenerate, lay it on me and I’ll handle the rest. And Trevor… thank you."  Meeting someone who had gone further down this road… she did feel an odd kinship with this infected beacon of light.
 "But first… What is your faerie connection? Why did you swear by them?" 

 

Boots gave another bow to the king.
 "I have to go pick up someone who can help me,"  she said.  "I’llbe back in one hour." 
She did, however, wait for Eth to get her cape.
Valmark
  "Remember that I fought side by side with the feys in the first dark war, even called their leader a friend- I have gathered several blessings from the Monarchs"   Trevor chuckled   "My sword and armor may have lost it's luster, but Hope's Peak retains every little bit of desire for a better world the feys, the dragons and the devils poured into it when me, Seren, Gigrokhundarasc and Flowara united them"   he shrugged.

  "Of course, the current Faerie is very different from back then. Fiamma and Pleia were barely archfeys, although I believe Pleia planned her betrayal a long time before- and Lucilla? I remember bouncing her on my knee when she was a kid"   the fallen paladin chuckled softly.
  "And then I went ahead and turned her mother into a monster, at the head of an army ready to invade Faerie. Like I told Wrath... I've dragged my conscience into the mud"  

Kat spoke up.
 "But... It was for a good cause, I guess?" 
  "Yup. And anybody who believes themselves in the right when doing horrid things is one bad day from becoming a tyrant. Before, they are just a fanatic"  

 
Ethrindae was brought quite literally a ripped up piece of cloth. Since it came from a giant-sized curtain, it acted as a fairly heavy cloak for her. She looked a little like a princess of the snowlands, with her pale skin and the embroidered cape.
She gave a twirl for Boots.
 "How do I look?" 

Meanwhile Aragona was quite clearly flexing, checking if the giant was staring. He was not.
Xihirli
Alifa nodded somberly.  "I admire you a lot, Trevor... but I hope you understand... the  real  reason I'm trying to defeat – hopefully kill – Abadaius as quickly as possible... is so that I don't have to become you." 
She mused on this.  "I'm not... afraid of it, exactly. But I... remember being afraid of that. I've... convinced myself that this state of mind I'm in is temporary, and trying to act like my old self, thinking I'll go back to who I was before."  She laughed.
 "Like she was some kind of Tanaquil-Damned Saint. Alright Trevor, take us down. I need to get the Darkrot purged and rest up for the next leg of the trip." 

 

 "See if you can get that fairy to smooch you, Aragona!"  Boots waved and started leading Eth back out.  "Let's see if we can't keep you warm, my love."  
She leaned as close as she dared.  "And as always.... you look ravishing." 
Valmark
  "As long as you are aware of the risks in your path to victory"   Trevor said, as he patted the black-streaked fire of the phoenix   "Take us down, Pio"  

At Kat's stare, Trevor shrugged   "Katria picked the name"  
 "No justification needed, I like the name. Fast to pronounce" 

Later, Trevor brought Alifa and Kathleyîënis back in the courtyard of the darklings' fortress, various darklings stopping their playing to snarl- but seeing Trevor and Pio calm around the two, the darklings went back to playing or eating or whatever they were doing.
Trevor pulled out a fruit- it was star-shaped, and there clearly was something writhing within it. Trevor held it up, hand fully open, and the phoenix took it gracefully, threw it in the air and catched it on the fly swallowing it whole and cawing appreciatively before taking flight once again.

  "Being good... Isn't always easy. But never stop trying, Alifa"   Trevor said, as he started walking away   "And if your heart bleeds at the thought of doing something... It may not be worth doing it"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Anything else before short rest aside from finding Emerethiel for the corruption thingy?
 


 
 "Ughhhh... Someone wake me up when there's finally something to smash" 

With the cloak and clinging to either Boots or Tilly, Ethrindae followed the two as they left the remnants of the giants pocket dimension.
Ethrindae whispered something to Boots.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Remind me, do you wanna skip to when Serendipity and Boots meet or is there something else first?
 
Xihirli
 "I will, Trevor. Oh! Before I forget, can you give your blessing to Wrath and Determination when you get a chance? No reason to risk them getting corrupted, right?"  Alifa smiled at the Paladin and took Kat's hand.  "Come on, let's get this removed."  She started looking out for the drowess.


 

Boots lit up the worm again to keep the fire roaring and stayed as close to her wife as she dared. She smiled at her wife.  "I mean... you're welcome to try. Let's kill this Nightmare so we can get the hells out of this cold. If Lif doesn't come back... I think I can channel my blood into learning to pop from place to place." 
 
 Spoiler 
Yeah I'm ready for Seren.
 
Valmark
Trevor grabbed a darkling and appointed it to guiding Alifa and Kat- they found Emerethiel in her room. It was basically the same as Kat's, but it also contained an altar with the same symbol the priestess used magic with, a carpet covering most of the floor, and her work desk was choke full of papers.

The old elf smiled at them.
 "Enjoyed the scenery?" 

 
Eventually Serendipity arrived and was led back to the giant's castle- she, for once, didn't come here accompanied by her undead champion.
   "You'll excuse me if I don't risk my soldiers for this. We do have a brave paladin in our midst"    had been her explanation.

Back at the giants, she was patiently brought back up to speed with what had been happening.
  "The fey princess that manages to get the fey to leave"   was Seren's amused comment.
  "My soldiers-"     "Your soldiers will get us all killed by feeding the Nightmare their weapons and body. I'm amazed you managed to hold it back, really- any of you already knows what to expect from a Nightmare in battle?"   she inquired, followed by a lot of shaking of heads from Eth, Aragona and the giant's king.

  "Perfect. Clephesia?"  
Xihirli
 "Actually, I had two requests for you,"  Alifa said, and held Kat’s hand.
 "Could you remove my darkrot safely, and then in an hour and a half come with us to the shadowlands in search of Confidence, one of the Four Siblings? I have worn myself out and my girlfriend deserves my full attention for a bit."  Lif kissed Kat on the cheek.


 

Clephesia pulled her mouth out of her wife’s neck for long enough to say  "No, not at all. Did you say it would eat armor? Even my fey-blessed armor?"  Boots asked, looking alarmed at her armor.
 "I grew, and now I don’t have anything underneath." 
Valmark
It wasn't clear wether Kat blushed more at getting called girlfriend or at getting pecked, still, she did.

 "Ah, I guess you chose what to do with your corruption"  Emerethiel sighed and nodded, letting them in  "Do you know if you have any mutations in any part of your body that might make it dangerous?"  she seemed to be at least momentarily ignoring the second point.

 
     "I suppose cloth is made out of the same material of your kind's righteousness- rare and easy to rip"       "Ehy! She did call out to you, the least you can do is be nice"    "Sorry, but your sister by her own admission is planning on taking her traitorous little sister home after she wreaks our planet, she didn't  earn  nice. Anyway-"   Seren waved her hand annoyedly   Yes, it can. You need to understand that as long as you use something made from things of this Realm, the Nightmare will eat it up like candy. Sentient weapons and artifacts last longer... But a protracted fight still isn't advised. You also need to pour real will and bloodlust in your strikes, or it won't even notice them. In a certain kind of way... Fighting a Nightmare it's a matter of willpower, in the same way Fey Monarchs control Faerie. Lock its regeneration down, strike it hard and fast, carry no unnecessary protection and remember to heal- death isn't an option. Also, powers that rely on cold and death don't usually work against Nightmares"  
Xihirli
 "I do."  Alifa gripped her head and lifted it off of her body, then placed it back on her neck. She smiled apologetically.  "I'm not a monster,"  she said to Emerethiel, not sure why she suddenly wanted this woman's approval.  "Everything I'm doing is for the improvement of Alandria, to save it from Abadaius... and the darkrot. That hasn't changed."  She looked for a place to sit down while she mentally entered Kat's mind.
  Oh, getting all flustered? Thinking about what I'll do to you the  instant  we're alone?  

 

Boots wasn't about to have an argument. She asked a few more questions about Nightmares and about Serendipity's own abilities. She even seemed to be – gods!  Thinking .
 "Alright. I have a plan. Serendipity, these are the spells I want you to cast before we start. Eth, listen up yours too." 
 
 Spoiler: In the interest of not having the next 8 posts be "do you have this spell?" "yes" "cast it" 

For Serendipity:
Crown of Stars so she has a bonus action damaging option at the ready.
Summon undead (Putrid) cuz they do slashing damage.
Spam chill touch and then damaging option like the Crown of Stars.
Regeneration and any other buffs she can think of on Aragona so she doesn't get torn apart by it.

For Ethrindae:
Enhance Ability (highest mental stat) on everybody with a 4th level spell. So INT on Seren, CHA on Boots, WIS on Aragona('s gloves)
Then a bunch of Guiding Bolts with her lowest available slots
And when needed Cure Wounds with her HIGHEST available slots.

For herself:
Armor of Agathys at 7th
Fire shield (hot)
Extended Guardian of Nature (Strength)
All from her armor
From her own spells:
Death Ward
Regenerate
 

 "Seren, you know what you're doing, shut down its regeneration from a distance. Aragona, stick with me and wail on it. Eth, I want you to keep your distance and fill it with divine power. Tilly, stay next to Eth unless one of us calls for you or falters. Grab us and drag us to Eth if that happens, then Ethrindae you're on healing duty. I'm front and center pouring on the damage." 
The plan finalized, Boots approached the king.  "We're ready. Tell me where the Nightmare is, then start getting away from here."  
Valmark
 "I never thought of you as a monster, Alifa. There is power in corruption, and it's your choice wether to take advantage of it or not"  Emerethiel smiled  "Anyway, you're effectively about to feel your throat getting disintegrated, so you may want to lie down on the bed" 

Kat became a deep red blush.
  I-I am... Now.  

 
Serendipity looked amused.
  "Well then, seems like someone's gotten good at leading a group. Last time we fought together everybody mostly thought for themselves"  
 
 Spoiler: Spells on Aragona 
- Aid, Boots and herself included, +20 hp
- Deathward
- Foresight Twinned with Boots
- Regenerate
- Longstrider twinned with Boots.
 


Then she proceeded to throw on herself a whole lot of spells, no explanation given. Then she... Built something. Sticking her hand into the earth, Serendipity smiled.
  "To me! Rise from the corpses of the giants' ancestors and strike fear and pestilence into my enemies!"   and she pulled forth an half-rotted torso of a dead giant, the thing deambulating on its arms- in the empty sockets of its eyes, a red glimmer of malice stared right at Serendipity. She smiled and gestured for it to follow.

Afterwards, the group was 'shown' the way- it was basically pointing them to a vague, general direction in the endless black desert.
Serendipity outside picked up some sand, letting it fall through her fingers.
  "If it wasn't that it's my plane they are threatening"  
 "What do you mean?" 
  "Nightmares bring nothingness. There's... Freedom in that. I could see some mad cultist conjuring one, if that's what happened"   Seren stood up and started moving forward.
  "Still... If I can preserve its abilities while making it my own, it'll only be a matter of knowing where to aim it"  
Xihirli
Alifa smirked at Kat and settled into Emereth’s bed, steeling herself for losing her neck real quick.


 

Boots didn’t understand what Seren was saying out in the desert, but as they walked she brought to mind her grandmother and her white fire… the white fire of the primordials, she supposed, as Leff had inherited it as well.
She coated her body in it and set her armor to making goodberries. She passed ten around to everybody.
 "Seeing a few seconds into the future is… weird, but I’m getting the hang of it. Eth, focus on blessing our initial hits I suppose. Yours included. Aside from that, plan unchanged." 
Boots kept her eye and nose out for the Nightmare.
  Tilly, you know my sister’s not a traitor, right? She’s always fine what she thought was best. She’s just… still a kid.  
Valmark
Tilly stared at Boots confused.
 Wait, what's the difference between the two of you? Why's she a kid? Because she seems to like books more then mating? Or that she doesn't work out? 
While her questions were seemingly rude, she delivered them with a tone of genuine curiosity. Boots' Steed had no idea where Boots seemed to be drawing the line for Alifa.

It... Was not hard to find it. The group was first passed by druids (giant) that pointed them at a dark figure in the distance- coming up on it, the group was confronted by a sleeping beast of impressive size. It was easily twice Boots' height at the shoulder, and powerful muscles bulged under the hard scales covering its body. With the wings joined at the claws and a sting tail, it looked like a buff, black, armored wyvern with a strange green glow coming from its chest.

It looked groggy, like it was still getting its bearings- whatever they had been doing until now to keep it contained, it was now failing as the Nightmare rose to its paws.
  "No mercy, or it'll just crush you like a twig"  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

Kat could have parlayed, but this group not really.

Initiatives!
Aragona  (1d20+3)[ 17 ]  adv.  (1d20+3)[ 14 ] 
Serendipity  (1d20+2)[ 16 ] 
Nightmares always go first, though for the first round it's still waking up so you go first.
 
Xihirli
As they approached, Boots loaded up on spells. She coated herself in hot fire with a layer of blue underneath. At her core she felt Tanaquill’s flame ready to keep her alive.

 
 Spoiler: Full List 

From the Armor I want Armor of Agathys 7 and Fire Shield (Warm)
From herself, regeneration and Death Ward.
Finally, Spirit Guardians.

Eth will Bless everyone but the summon with a second level slot.
 


She spread her wings and gripped Taglogark’s scale before turning into lightning, reappearing next to her armor wearing only her massive sword as she stretched out into the size of a giant.
Well, a small giant.

She spun her sword and charged.
Valmark
Aragona charged forward, lifting her fists.
 "Aaaand... SMASH!"  she yelled out having the time of her life when her fist slammed into the Nightmare. She had been just a liiiiiiittle pent up from all the giants and feys ignoring her. Including Boots, tecnically.

She didn't seem to have understood how much exactly the Nightmare was a danger to her. Or at least she didn't seem to care as flames erupted around her fists, battering the draconic-looking monster with flaming fists. A spectral hand sank its finger into its throat while Serendipity threw starlight into its eyes- finally, her spirit advanced.

The half-giant lumbered forward, then lifted the sickly green stump thick as a lock and slammed it into the Nightmare's chest, its breath exaling toxins onto the Nightmare who right now was hating every second of waking up.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 


So, Aragona Raged, moved and attacked selling out 10 hp.
She misses with her first attack, dealing 20 damage on the second.

Serendipity's turn is much more eventful. Her Chill Touch seals the Nightmare's healing, and while the Summon actually misses with one attack it does end up piling 26 more damage on the Nightmare. Lastly, throwing a Star hurts it for 25 more damage.

As the Nightmare has no affinity to slashing, bludgeoning, fire and radiant damage it took 71 total damage.

And now it's you. It looks angry at mostly Serendipity.
 
Xihirli
Clephesia, big as a giant and naked as the day she was born, runs to join Aragona, planting herself on the opposite side of the monster in case it had any AoE.
Her resolve carried through the first blow, golden fire frozen inside of ice flying into the creature as the sword buried itself firmly in its.... flesh?
Thinking about whether or not it had flesh or not distracted Boots for a second even as her muscle memory landed a hit, and she chided herself to focus as lightning shone in her eyes... and thunder filled her body, traveling up her arms and through the sword as it landed again, slashing across the nightmare and pounding into its ears, the thunder ready to clap again if the creature dared move.
 "Hello, beastie,"  Clephesia snarled.
  Wow, I like this sword.  
Ethrindae missed.

 
 Spoiler: Damages 

Attack 1: 27 to hit, 29 to confirm: 21 slashing, 14 cold, 21 radiant. Presumably 42.
Attack 2: 27 to hit, 17 to confirm (if that is not enough I will not expend the smite): 18 slashing, 16 cold, 25 radiant. Presumably 43 damage.
Quickened Booming Blade: 31 to hit, 27 to confirm: 15 slashing, 10 cold, 31 radiant, 13 thunder. Likely 59 damage.

Spirit Guardians damage for the round: 9
And Eth just misses.
 
Xihirli
The giant approaches and points to Boots, speaking in Giant. Nobody else understands except probably Seren, but Boots nods grimly.
Light and fire shining off of her, she swings her weapon with a mighty blow. It  explodes  in golden light upon the Nightmare, forming cracks in its substance as Boots grins.
 "Did you SEE THAT!?"  she shouts, but congratulating herself is not the same as grim resolve and her next two attacks phase right through it.
 "Right, right, right. Focus, Boots." 

The Giant King remains at a distance for now, about 20 feet away from the fighting ready to jump in next round.

 
 Spoiler: Damage 

Attack 1: Critical hit, 20 slashing, 62 radiant. 82 more, we got this people it should be at 257 damage now.
Attack 2: 32 to hit, 20 to confirm, doesn’t work.
Attack 3: Hit also not confirmed.
 
Valmark
 "There must be some kind of stretchy clothes..."  Ethrindae scowled when her blast went sideways.

When the Nightmare fully shook out of its slumber, it briefly stared at Boots in hatred... Then it wasn't there anymore.
Ethrindae yelled out a warning, but Boots didn't have time to listen to it. Turning around hearing a crackling sound, Boots found herself face to face with the open mouth of the Nightmare- black smoke filled her nostrils, as the Nightmare charged up, and whatever was in there completely razed her sense of smell before a burst of flesh-devouring smoke, red lightning wracking her body and cold that kinda did nothing engulfed her.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
The Nightmare moves in order to catch Boots, Aragona and Rathract in its Breath Weapon, and lets it loose.
DC 22 Con save from Boots and Rathract to halve 31 Necrotic, 26 Lightning and 34 Cold (which Boots is immune to anyway). Aragona made her save, the Spirit failed it.

Next round, Nightmare jumps at the top of Initiative. Since it finished waking up, its Legendary bits are active as well.
 


And then it disappeared again- turning around, the group saw as the monster assaulted Serendipity. The lich threw up a magical barrier that barely halted the monster's momentum... And then its claws stopped getting catched into Serendipity's dress, making the lich smirk.
  "And here I thought it would never come in useful"  

Aragona launched herself onto the monster- as her punches left fire marks onto the Nightmare, Boots saw how Aragona's body was getting scarred. Her arms had sever burns, and her movements were somewhat robotic as lightning caused her muscles to size up.

Then the Nightmare beat its ripped up wings and the winds didn't really hinder the barbarian, but threw Serendipity off her feet. Standing up, the necromancer annoyedly clutched her spectral hand around the Nightmare's throat and teleported a bunch of feets backwards, just to reduce the chances of another area attack encompassing all of them. The spirit swooped in, cutting at the Nightmare as it... The shells composing its armor vibrated, electrical current charging up.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

Aragona has taken a total of 89 damage.
Serendipity took 21 damage.
The summon took 60 damage.

The Nightmare is at a total of 389 damage. It is your turn.

It's not beyond walking distance, Eth and Tilly are within breath attack range so maybe they wanna move farther.
 
Xihirli
Boots's form was perfect, her focus absolute as she saw into the future to foresee how the Nightmare would move. Three times she swung her sword into its midsection, three times she burned away at it with explosions of power, thunder and golden fire buffeting the Nightmare.

 "We're close! Eth, shoot it!" 

Ethrindae got onto Tilly's back and got some more distance, putting the fighters between them and the Nightmare. She fired a burst of deathly light that missed.

 "Eth! Try to stop thinking about my body pressed against yours and exploring my new size! Focus really hard on not thinking about how  big  my– WHOAH!"  Boots ducked out of the way of a Ballistae bolt from the King. Two bolts phased through the nightmare but one lodged in a wing.



 
 Spoiler: Damage 
Attack 1: 28 to hit, 16 slashing, 28 radiant (44)
Attack 2: 33 to hit, 16 slashing, 27 radiant (43)
Booming Blade: 25 to hit, 14 slashing, 24 radiant, 9 thunder (47)
15 more thunder if it moves, has to make a WIS save to halve 19 radiant at the start of its turn.
Ballistae: ONE hits for 11 piercing
Eth misses.

Nightmare Damage: 543
 
Valmark
 "That's it, I'm taking that blade out of your hands after this is over"  Ethrindae replied missing yet again. Serendipity nodded.
  "It'd surely be for the best. From an outsider's point of view, teasing isn't making either of you stronger. You could stand to focus more, elf"  
 "Sorry if I still got a heart, Death Queen" 

Again, the Nightmare vanished from Boots' sights. And again, by the time she spotted it black lightning clouds washed over he- nope, the black clouds were on Serendipity now, the monster having realized it was better off breathing on the lich then trying to claw at her weird dress. Aragona launched herself on the monster, and now she looked like severe burns were going to be the death of her.
 "Come on! One last push and this thing goes down!"  speaking of pushes, Serendipity was yet again thrown on the ground by the Nightmare's wings- and her hand dropped the grip.

  "NO!"   Serendipity got back to her feet and sized up the Nightmare by a horn, the spectral hand burrowing its fingers into the monster- spite danced on the lich's eyes as she thrusted herself into the Nightmare's face   "Let me be clear- you will  die  here. And your soul will be  mine - your soul AND your body. You will help me accomplish so  much ... What a wonderful world will it be..."  
The Nightmare didn't seem particularly scared, despite its dangerous situation.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 

Aragona has taken a total of 113 damage.
Serendipity took 38 damage.
The summon took 60 damage.

The Nightmare is at a total of 633 damage. It is your turn.
 
Xihirli
Boots flew into the Nightmare's face, eyes burning bright as her sword came forward in a great cleave. Her second blow cut the creature nearly in half, dangling by a bit of...   is that bone?  
But even as she bisected its head with her final blow, sound and fire splitting the skull, it continued twitching.
 "Oh, you're KIDDING me!" 
Ethrindae's ghostly fire hit! But passed through the Nightmare harmlessly.
 "Come ON!" 
Valmark
Boots was in the  perfect  position as the king took up his greatbow and pulled the string back, and then the sound of a cannon as he shot the arrow. It entered through an eye cavity and did what Boots failed to do- bursting through an eye, it went all the way out the other side of the cranium bursting open the brain like a flower, showering all kinds of ugly bits over Boots, Aragona (who fell down to her knees the second the thing was dead) and Serendipity. He beamed as the monster collapsed.
 "Thank you... I... We wouldn't have been able to do this without you"  he smiled as the foe that plagued the giants for a long time laid dead at somebody else's feet.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Take an Ispiration, hopefully it'll make you forget the kill steal.
 


Ethrindae wrinkled her nose.
 "I'm not kissing you until you clean yourself,  darling " 

 
The pain had been... Excruciating. Alifa had felt her eyeballs first burn, then melt into her eye sockets, the liquid dribbling down inside her skull while she was  aware of every second and inch of her face being burned and melted . Her breath died as her neck was dissolved, and she was close to death for a long, agonizing minute as the regenerative magic fought to keep her alive.

At the end, in front of a concerned Kat and a neutral Emerethiel, a cleansed good as new Alifa laid on the bed.
Xihirli
Boots cleaned herself up and shrank a bit, nodding to Seren.  "Thank you for helping me free these Giants. I will be speaking to the owner of this sword, then getting my wife out of the cold. I hope we can fight side-by-side again, Serendipity." 
She bowed to the Giant King.  "Of course, your Majesty. Lead your people back into the world of heat and light, freeing you was its own reward." 

Finally, Clephesia put an arm around her wife.
 "Anything you want to do before I dress?"  she asked, not whispering.


 

Except that was NOT all that happened.
Towards the end, just when it seemed that the pain was done, Alifa screamed in agony and gripped her head, eyes opening wide as, slowly, black horns pushed out of her head. They curled around her head like a goat’s horns, slowly exiting her skull. She screamed until the growth was done, and then stared at Kat desperately.
 "K…kat…"  she said weakly.
Valmark
  "Yes yes wonderful"   Serendipity dismissed Boots as she run her hands over the corpse with grim satisfaction  "Finally..." 

Aragona waved at them, but for now was pretty happy to let Regeneration take its course.

The giant started helping Aragona up.
 "I'm sure my father will let you keep the swore after what you've done" 

Ethrindae elbowed Boots' torso with a smirk  "Yes, get dressed faster. We've got plenty of things to do and not enough time to do it"  then she frowned, massaging her temples.
 "Sorry, sudden... Headache..."  Eth glanced over her shoulder at Serendipity, who looked ready to teleport the corpse away.
 "...I know I suggested it... But are we doing the right thing...?" 

 
Alifa felt herself be embraced tenderly, warmth as Kat held her face close to her chest.
 "Everything's fine, now, Lif... Don't worry"  she stroked the houri's head lightly.
 "And... Uh... Horns grew out. They look... Kinda good? You seem more... Intimidating" 
Xihirli
 "Serendipity is… looking out for the world."  Boots didn’t look happy.
 "And I’ve burned up basically everything, so it’s not like I’m in a position to stop her,"  she whispered.
Boots opened her pack and pulled out her desert clothes.
 "Let’s speak with the King’s father."  Sword in hand, regretful look over her shoulder, Boots led the way to the King’s father, petting Tilly the whole way.


 

Alifa chuckled.  "Right, I get it, Kat,"  She stood with some trouble.
 "Emerethiel, I will return to ask your help in a little over an hour. Kat…"  Alifa wreathed herself in black fire.
 "Let’s go to bed." 
She touched her horns, and then knocked on them experimentally.
 "Heh. I like them." 
Valmark
 "Hopefully she can't do  too  much damage with it"  Eth shrugged  "I imagine she could have set a trap and conjured one whenever she wanted" 

Serendipity left with the corpse. On Tilly it was a short travel back- even with the bigger stride, Rathract and Argona couldn't really keep up so the pair wasn't joined back by them as they made their way back. Eventually the couple found... Basically all the giants, hundreds of them, waiting with bathed breath.

The older giant Boots had seen instructing the rest of the troops was at the lead, presumably the king's father.
"What happened? You're uninjured. Is it done? Where is my son?"

 
After an hour had passed, Alifa and Kat were lounging well rested in their room.
 "So... Horns are normal in your family, right?"  the elf inquired, staring at Alifa's new accessory.
Xihirli
 "It is done,"  Boots said.  "Your son dealt the final blow, and he lives. The Nightmare is dead."  She approached with the sword resting on her hands.
 "This belongs to your people, and unless I receive it with your blessing I will return it to you. But yes, the Winterlands are open and the Nightmare is over. Your people may find a new home on Allandria." 

 

Alifa chuckled and craned her neck to kiss Kat's head.
 "Yes. My mother had horns, and both of her mothers did as well. However, I am the first of  her  children to sport a pair, so far as I'm aware. The blood of Tanaquill wore too thin, I suppose. Or perhaps Ubtao? I'd bet Ubtao's physical form from back when he wasn't a pile of dinosaurs had horns." 
Alifa took Kat's hand and rubbed it along her horns.  "Aren't they nice, though? I like them more every time I feel them. My guess is, the transformative power of the Darkrot, and then the regeneration, sped up the growth of horns that probably  started  growing out of sight after I got stabbed by Dethera's dagger." 
Valmark
The giant nodded.
"I don't think anybody deserves it more then you, hero" he said, and clearly not big on celebrations, simply turned around and yelled out "Alright quit gawking you all! The beast is slain and the King lives- pack up your stuff for we're getting ourselves to a home that isn't a crumbling desert!"

Despite his sterness, it would be quite a bit before the giants stopped hugging each other and praise the warriors that slew the monster.

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
So, where to?
 


 
 "They really are"  Kat kissed them  "So, a mass of dinosaurs is your... Grandfather? Grand grand father?"  she inquired.

 "That must've been uncomfortable. Should we tell Oots she will have horns?" 
Xihirli
Boots smiled and slid her weapon into place.
 "Alright sweetness. I'll uh... see about being able to teleport us tomorrow... unless you know any way to find a fey crossing near the mountain range?"  Boots wasn't hopeful. She got her armor back on and strapped Taklogark's scale to... her back, rather than her arm. The Vanguard Whip had served her well, but she just wasn't fighting large groups enough to justify wielding it by default anymore. It was time for an upgrade.
 "Let's just see if there's anyplace with firewood we can stop at, keep you and Johnny warm until we're able to jump out of here." 
It occurred to Clephesia to ask, after her armor was back on:  "Giants, have you any way of allowing myself and my fellows to move very quickly once we get to Allandria? I am sorry to be going so soon, but in my experience there's always something extremely important to handle that's very far away and I'd like to get to a Fey Crossing tonight if possible." 
 
 Spoiler 
Gonna let Aragona catch up to us while I get armor on, then tell her "hey we're heading out but if you want to stay with the giants that's cool, we're going to teleport to a fey crossing tomorrow unless something happens"

Unless there's a secret fey crossing near us, I don't think we can really  get  anywhere worth putting a lot of energy into. So we're just looking for an acceptably warm place to set up camp after we get back onto Allandria. Hmm... second thought. She'll ask if the Giants have a way to get to a Crossing, since that's such a quick way to get around Allandria, but if they don't have one, back to original plan: Find a camp, teleport tomorrow when she can swap out a spell for it.
 

 "I don't assume I'll be able to go to sleep without getting Dreams from her until we're reunited,"  Alifa said.  "I'll tell her my horns grew in tonight."  She kissed Kat.  "Let's get Emerethiel and Katria, only have about... nine hours to find Confidence." 
She frowns, then adds:  "Not like we give up after nine hours, we'll grab an associated object to teleport to to save our progress, then get back at it tomorrow. I have a lot to do tonight."  Alifa rubbed her eyes for a second.  "Gods, I'll need to take a whole day to stay in bed and relax after all this is over. To-do list is... kill Abadaius, move the willing Darklings to my world, kill the Darklings who insist on continuing to be a problem, keeping Seren from killing me, freeing the giants, freeing the demons..."  Alifa took Kat's hand.
 "For now... Emerethiel and Katria. I want both of them coming with us, but we can grab a volunteer if one presents themself." 
Alifa led the way back to where they'd last seen Emerethiel.
Valmark
Ethrindae shook her head.
 "Probably the king of the feys could have, but uuuuuh... They turned tail and run. 

Even the giants had no idea- hell, they didn't even know what Alandria was like right now.

Aragona elected to come back with them.
 "No offense to the giants, but they are no fun and I have a nymph and an archer waiting for me back home. And..."  the barbarian frowned  "Figrikhariz still hasn't come back for now, I'd rather get back home as soon as reasonably possible" 

The closest spot for some warmth was outside the Icy Maws, so the group started the slow process of getting out of the plane, out of the tunnels and out of the Maws into the forest surrounding the anomalous mountain range.

A couple hours later, the group was able to set up camp.
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
If there's anything you wanna do before long resting like Sending or talking to Fiamma through Eth, this is probably the time. You've got like... 7 hours before Alifa has to come back to Alandria.

Johnny is still with you. He just can't really speak with anybody. And really hates Aragona trying to mount him.

Otherwise I think before the Dream section Alifa will be adventuring quite a bit.
 


 
Emerethiel had moved

 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Perhaps for conviniency to the plot.
 


To the library, where Alifa and Kat eventually tracked her down.
They were talking to Determination, who was holding Wrath captive by hugging him really thightly.
  "Let me go! I'm Wrath dammit! I'm rage incarnate!"  
  "Yes, brother, you're strong and I love you a lot for that. Even if you're as big as a paperweight"   Determination said, not letting the (currently) tiny Wrath out of his grip.
  "Don't talk to me about books!"  
Xihirli
 
 Spoiler 
Boots will spend seven hours kissing her wife.
 

 "If Wrath doesn't want to discuss his knowledge that could be a problem... I was hoping to have a long round of questions about the Circles that a paladin of nature needs to visit."  Alifa waves to Emerethiel.  "Are you ready to go?" 
Valmark
  "I meeeeeean... I guess I could do an exception"   Wrath's flames flares lightly. That tiny, he seemed to also be acting more childishly then when Alifa first talked with him- perhaps it was going to be easier when it regenerated more.

  "Still, if we are talking about stone circles, and the magic kind, I don't really know much except that they are the tomb of the paladins of nature of old. Back then, Abadaius seemed to be running a witch hunt"   the spider-like Wrath told Alifa   "It's hard to remember, now that I'm free from his prison. All I know is, he was really careful in getting rid of all the embodiments of Alandria's will he didn't need. I guess he may have kept somebody in his personal prison, if there was a use for them"  

Emerethiel checked their group- Katria was immediately offering to accompany them.
  "I'll send word for Arathea, we may need someone actually tough with us- and her weaponry is a perfect counter to Nightmares. Just... Do you have any kind of cohordinates? Someone to seek out who isn't probably hidden in something warded against teleportation? Or a landmark? I know a few but I'd rather not just pick one at random, the Shadowlands are hostile enough already. We'd need days to find Confidence, if we're lucky. And Nightmares probably already devoured the concept of luck from their homeworld anyway"  
Xihirli
 "So their bodies are there... I wonder for how long,"  Alifa mused.  "Longer than a century, I'm betting?" 
 "Yes, I have a person to look for. A Drow named Aria,"  Alifa said.  "Kat has some ability to calm Nightmares. Speaking of, we have a Nightmare corpse. Once we're in the Shadowlands I'd love to learn a bit more about what uses their bodies can have. And... yes, Arathea would be welcome." 
Valmark
Wrath cackled rudely.
 "Sorry, sorry, it's just so funny you think it happened so soon. This is stuff that happened before the darklings were even born... When Abadaius didn't have an entire army of monsters aimed at his... Uh... I guess he doesn't have a throat. " 

Arathea eventually arrived, and Emerethiel prepared to cast. It... Was not a spell Alifa was familiar with. Emerethiel patiently drew a magic circle on the ground, with five spots for each of them. Then she frowned and sighed, adding another smaller spot near Katria's.
 "Alifa, Kat, any other creature bound to you I should know about? Like familiars, creature you could summon in the Shadowlands" 
Xihirli
 "Oh. Um, I'm bound to a Nightmare, the steed kind. I can't summon him, though. And I do have a familiar, Peter. If that makes this trickier I can just choose not to summon him, if you like. Kat has an owl named Hootie." 
Valmark
 "I'll just... Fix it up a bit... And... Done"  Emerethiel said- when the magic circle was finished, she took off a silver bracialet and started fiddling with it- it opened and separated into two circles with runes on them, and after selecting a combination based on whatever Emerethiel knew, she closed it up again and stood in the middle of the circle, motioning for the others to take their spots on the circle.

 "No matter what happens, don't go into outside of towns without me, alright?"  she cautioned them.

And then everything went black.

It... Didn't feel weird at all. Alifa was used to teleportation anyway, an expert at it, but still... It didn't normally feel like  nothing . In fact, it was almost a dreadful emptiness that Alifa felt encroach on her heart- whenever she used magic, she could feel Alandria tug at her emotions. This plane...

It couldn't care less about her. It was void.

And then Alifa landed gracefully into what passed as a town square. The sky was a star-less night, and the ground was the same gray sand she saw after a Nightmare's attack. Around them, buildings made out of what seemed to be the body parts of grotesque creatures made for modest homes for the people looking at them curiously- Kat gasped. She had never seen Shadar-Kais, elves with pale skin, raven black hair and eerie beauty. She had heard stories, at best.

Most of them, upon seeing the drow priestess, resumed going by their day- if anything, they seemed to hurry up in order to get  away  from Emerethiel, stealing glances at the weird floating torso+arm+head that made up the entirety of Katria's body.
Xihirli
Alifa called out in Elvish:
 "Wait! Before any of you go, I would greatly appreciate it if one of you could direct us to a drow named Aria! We have no desire to harm you!" 
  Don't harm them,   she added to her companions mentally.
  Kat, stay as close to Emerethiel as you can, alright? I refuse to lose you, especially here.  
Valmark
The Shadar-Kais looked a bit undecided, then Emerethiel cleared her throat and singled one out, beckoning him closer. The elf, surely older then Alifa though not older in proportion, approached fearfully.

 "Obey my words and help my companion"  she said simply, with a tone of mild distaste. The elf nodded weakly and explained directions with a stuttering talk, seemingly scared of Emerethiel. In an unnecessarily long amount of time Alifa was directed towards not necessarily the biggest building in the town, but the most impressive as it was carved into two massive skeletons that seemed to have been weaved together with probably magic. That or it was a single creature with double the heads and limbs, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing Alifa saw.

There was no door, just a curtain formed by skin patches of hopefully not humanoids.

 "So... Why is everybody scared of you?" 
 "Drows, Shadar-Kais. Food chain" 
  "That's... Not the nicest way to put it, Emerethiel"   it was Katria who spoke up- she was traveling holding onto Arathea by the shoulder, so that she didn't slow everybody down  "They are just used to it not being a good thing when a drow is on the move. For Shadar-Kais seeing a different drow from their matron means a town has been left unprotected or destroyed"  she said  "And in both cases there's a chance the drow had a hand in it" 
Xihirli
 "Ah, so in your world the two edgy elves form a society together,"  Alifa realized.

 "Thank you,"  Alifa is careful to say to the elf, and throws the curtain aside.
 "Aria, I am Alifa, the Abyss Scar. I am here to speak to you about the Crimson Smile... or as you might know him... Confidence. Have you an ear for me?"  She called in Elvish.
Valmark
 "...I'm edgy?" 

Alifa entered into a large dining room were sofas of black leather were arranged around a brazier that burned a... Not obviously recognizable combustible, providing the place with soft purple-colored ambient light. A light smell of herbs softly filled the air, which made Alifa's head swoon for just a second.

A woman showed up by one of the doors that led further into the house- tall, the drowess had a kind of austere beauty that suggested she was on the older side of elves, though she wasn't anywhere near Etheriel's apparent age. More like Eth's. Tattoos run along her face and presumably under her dark robes, and a shadar-kai kid was fussing around the woman trying to braid the long white hair.

"Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while" she said, not seemingly caring about Alifa's presentation. Maybe name dropping Confidence told her everything she needed... Or at least cared to know.
"And, wow, you look dreadful. Did you forget your blood baths?" she said, looking at Emerethiel with mocking concern.
 "It's called experience, yo-"   "Let's not fight? Please?"  the smoke girl insisted, Emerethiel taking a deep breath as Katria calmed her down.
Xihirli
 "Confidence has been captured by Abadaius. I was told by their sibling Wrath that I could talk to you about where. But I confess I know little else about you. So, Aria, what do you want? Do you hold Abadaius as an enemy? As an ally? Do you have no opinion one way or the other? And if you need to be persuaded to aid us, what is it that you would want?" 
  Kat, keep an eye out for the exits... and any symbols of Abadaius. We don't know how much we can trust this elf.  
Valmark
Aria smiled and plopped down on the sofa, not really in a hurry to reply.
"I'm a drow, Scab. I'm born to consort with the only creatures that naturally resist Abadaius" she shrugged.
"My kind is as much an ally as it is an enemy- we're the quickest way to sedate a Nightmare. But give us strong enough magic and suddenly we could flood your home with them"

 "She's putting on airs"  Emerethiel shook her head  "What we are is glorified puppets at best, feared outcasts at worst" 
"Says the c-"  "Please, Miss Aria. What we are here to do... It's important. We need your help" 

Aria laughed at the heartfelt request.
"The only thing I need doing is someone giving one of the orphans to Gudra, it's almost feeding time for him. But... I can't really trust a drow without a community and a bunch of strangers" she shook her head "Confidence... They have been trapped into an ever-shifting maze. They're too sure of themselves to stop and second-guess their tactic, so they'll never escape as the labirinth shifts around them to keep them inside"

    "But... How do YOU know that?"     Kat asked, exploring the room trying to find anything suspicious on Alifa's orders.

Aria pulled out one of Confidence's coin-sized symbols, like the one that allowed Alifa to sleep into the barrier of Abadaius' temple.
"Because" she chuckled "Where gods were too scared to live, Confidence found refuge. At least when that used to be true- Abadaius has long since then braved the Shadowlands to erect his places of power. Why, I don't know. But Confidence had been the only missing puzzle piece for long" Aria shrugged, suddenly looking extremely tired.
"I hope that he didn't get the chance to hold all four of them long enough to accomplish what he needs"
Xihirli
 "I as well,"  Alifa said.  "We can make sure it never happens again, Aria. Tell me where we can find this maze." 
Alifa cast Detect Thoughts and stared her in the eyes, ready to pick up any signs of deception.
She also shot a thought to Kat.
  What is a Gudra, and how many orphans can we save on the way out?  
Valmark
"How nice of you. But don't get me wrong- I haven't really got a stake in this fight. I just like to see people miserable" Aria smiled "And a god failing must be a sight to behold, especially now that I've gotten to see whatever Confidence is get screwed. I'll write your failure cohordinates" she stood up and left the room, the kid that did her braid just standing around awkwardly.

Alifa got a weird snippet of thought from Aria- she was thinking about how fun it was going to be when the leader of Abadaius' followers loses his people... Again.

Kat shrugged.
   No idea, I assume she just gave the Nightmares she most often interacts with a name. And... No one? The town I assume will just feed children with parents if we take away orphans    the elf looked down apologetically.
  Besides, where would we take them?  
 "I could just kill her after we get directions  Emerethiel mumbled to herself in common  "She looks like I could beat her with my staff" 
Xihirli
  Would that help anyone?   Alifa thought to Emerethiel.   And how certain can we be that the coordinates will be accurate? If she dies... We won't be able to get them corrected.  
Valmark
 "I know, I know, it's just so... Tempting, the idea of teaching such arrogant weaklings their place sometimes" 

Aria came back with a map- kind of. It was probably a map, but ninety percent of it was just a featurless plain. Which was tecnically accurate.

Instead of landmarks, series of numbers marked spots. There were three situated on the borders of the map, indicating towns, one of them being where Alifa was, with one at the center plus one a little ways off to the side and one in the middle of Alifa's path to the center.
"At the center you'll find your prison"
 "...isn't it in the middle of nowhere?" 
"Like everything here"
 "You know what I mean. There's nothing there for me to attach on- We'd have to walk there" 
"Well, you can latch onto either of these spots" Aria noted to the two marks on the way to Confidence's prison "One of them's a bunch of old ruins, while the other's a destroyed settlement. The latter's closer to your objective"

 "Shouldn't both of them have been completely razed by Nightmares?"  Katria inquired  "For them to be still up... How old are those ruins? There must be something there" 
"No idea. I can at least tell you that the destroyed settlement still exists because a drow keeps it up... Except he went crazy long ago after he failed to protect his people. So it's basically the same as being empty"
Xihirli
Alifa sat and started chanting.
 "If we're in for a long walk, then it's best if I get out some old faithfuls." 
And over time she generated, pulling from shadows, her spear-filled phantom ravens. She got on the first one and ordered it to follow the others.
 "Lead my raven toward the center while I work on getting mounts for all of you, Emerethiel. Aria... pray that we don't have a reason to come back here." 
Valmark
"Why? We were having so much  fun !" Aria exclaimed sarcastically.

 "Wait a moment, Alifa"  Emerethiel said  "I can take us at least  some  of the way... Either to a village with a lunatic drow or some abandoned ruins" 
 "There must be something important in the ruins if they are still standing"  Katria interjected.
 "They could also have monsters or Nightmares in them. The village is sure to be free of anything that could be a threat to us" 
Xihirli
 "The ruins,"  Alifa says.  "Whatever 'important' means, the less of this world's 'civilization' I see the better I'll be able to focus on our mission. What are they ruins  of , exactly?" 
  Though, you know, added something to the to-do list,   she thinks to Kat.
Valmark
They all shrug. It's a really awkward gesture from Katria, since her shoulders are a good thirty percent of her body.
 "That's what I'd like to discover"  the darkling sage added  "We know what happened to Confidence and their siblings is rooted in lost history... But if there were traces of it on other planes, it would be in lost ruins like that one. Places that for some reason, have been left untouched by the reality-eating monsters" 
 "And... You think this random ruin would be useful?" 
 "Abadaius sistematically hunted down and erased anything older then the darklings that he could get to"  Katria insisted  "Anything that survived would have a chance to hide information" 
  Visiting the lunatic drow's place?  
Xihirli
 "The ruins,"  Alifa repeated.  "Come on, we're losing.... daylight."  She giggled briefly.  "Or whatever." 
  Destroy this civilization.  
flat_footed
  The Fullmetal Mod : Every needle needs its thread. 
Valmark
Emerethiel drew a circle in the sand much like the one they first used to get there- and fiddled with the silver bracialet, changing the runic cohordinates she used the first time.

Again, everything was black.

This time though, Alifa didn't really feel a change- void it was, void it stayed as the scenery changed to the once inside of a temple. Presumably. There was really only one wall and the rest of the room had been eaten away by Nightmares presumably, a single surface stending as testament of times past. Homewever, the surface was damaged- if there ever had been something on it, it was long gone.

Katria threw a spell on herself and frowned.
 "Nothing invisible" 
 "Told you it was a waste" 
 "You don't know- give me a little time. Nightmares let it be for some reason. I want to know  why " 

Arathea, what with being mainly a warrior and not a studious person, was staying out of the conversation.
Xihirli
 "Determination, both times we encountered them, was at the coordinates but either up or down." 
Alifa’s black wings extended and she started flying up.
 "Kat, see if you can find a way down… or maybe through that wall. I’ll check the skies." 
Alifa cast See Invisibility herself and flew about a thousand feet up, casting her eyes both around and down to see if a raven’s-eye-view would help.
Valmark
While the darkling and the priestess bickered, Alifa started flying off- then she heard Emerethiel yell after her  "WAIT! Where are you going?"  the cleric said, shifting her focus away.

 "Stray too far and you'll lose this place completely. Never split up when we're outside- we'll walk. Or ride, if you'll make steeds for us" 

Kat started feeling along the ground and the wall, though there didn't seem to be secret passages that she could find.
Xihirli
Alifa shrugged, and crouched down.
 "Alright, keep an eye out." 
In forty minutes, four maimed ravens were ready to carry them.
 "Let’s move."  Alifa unfurled her map and read the directions, leading the way following their directions.
Valmark
Getting outruled, Katria shutted up.

Emerethiel led the group, Arathea taking one of the horses while Alifa and Kat took the last two. Katria just hung onto Arathea to be pulled- she couldn't physically use a horse anyway.

As the group started making their way away, if Alifa turned around she could see that the ruins had disappeared WAY before they should've been too far away- like they never were there. The featurless gray desert and complete, starless night didn't help.

The drow priestess checked her bracialet several times, adjusting her course as they went on- the second Alifa spotted something in the far distance, after about an hour and a quarter of travel, suddenly she found herself (and the rest of the group) no farther then a hundred feet from it.

It was a tall building, the surface formed by what looked like interlocking semispheres of... Well, metal for sure. There was something that looked like a door at its base, and the holy symbol of Abadaius was  splattered  along the surface, rather then being carefully inscribed. Whoever did it seemed to have been scared of being there.

Draped over the building, seemingly sleeping, was a black creature. Likely a Nightmare.
It's amorphous body dripped black ooze, but birthed from its 'back' was a pair of beautiful, black feathered wings that closely reminded Alifa of her own. A scaled neck emerged from the black mass, leading to a dragon's head with curled horns like a black dragon, but angled up instead of down.
Xihirli
Alifa went silent and held up a hand to hush everyone. She looked Emerethiel in the eye and shot her a telepathic message.
  Do you have any way to silently check the door for traps or magic?  
Valmark
Emerethiel shook her head and nodded to Katria.
  Try the resident wizard. I'm fairly sure she uses invisible servant to not have to fly around.  
 
 Spoiler: Ooc 
Katria can use Unseen Servant, and Mage Hand as far as checking invisible goes. Anything else like Detect Magic she'd have to get close.
 
Xihirli
Alifa nodded everyone to follow her and moved a bit further away from the Nightmare to keep from walking it as she cast Unseen Servant herself, taking ten minutes and making the servant Confident mostly just for thematics.
She instructed the Servant to go try the entrance.