Clash of Empires #2

[GM Mad]

Clash of Empires #2


Just a quick disclaimer before getting on with the main post. The following post contains MULTIPLE SPOILERS that will answer several mysteries in the New Frontiers game. If you don't want to be spoiled, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER!

[GM Mad]

Rasara

She thinks again for a few moments. "Now I have to think about this decision on a larger scale. I have abilities and skills that will be very useful not only to the rebellion, but also to the rebirth of Nithia. There are wars to come. We will need equipment, magic items, defenses." Jylsera makes her final decision. "I choose to keep these abilities. They will be of great value."

"So shall it be", Mystra intones. "May your talents serve you well."

"You may not have my magical knowledge to draw upon, sister," Nylsara will add, "But I can guide and advise you. I'll have you ship-shape in no time."

"The Army of Stone is an interesting concept. What is it and how does it work?"

"Did you see the numerous statues that line the outer walls of the Royal Palace?" Rasara inquires. "Many more lie in various spots within the city. While upon the Pearl Throne and concentrating on them, I could animate the statues to do my bidding. They were a line of defense against invasion."

"This Pearl Throne sounds somewhat similar to the Arcane Spelljamming Helms," Nylsara will note with interest. "Except those allow the spellcaster seated upon it to become one with their ship and be able to direct it. She could become one with her city and direct its defenders. A great achievement given how long ago this was, Rasara."

"Thank you, sister", Rasara says with a slight bow. "High praise from someone of your skill."

"Also I am curious about the Pyramid and the Obelisk. According to the writing on it, it predates that Palace and likely the Pyramid as well. What is its function and what can you tell me about the reasons for placing the Palace and Pyramid here?"

"The secret of the Pyramids and Obelisks are known only to members of the Royal Family and the secret society who maintains them. The Pyramids gather, collect, and store magical energy that can be tapped into by means of an energy collector. Typically such a thing resembles a magical rod. With it, one can use and direct Pyramid Power. The most common uses of Pyramid Power was in the individual households where routine day to day tasks were made easier."

"In theory, your pyramids sound much like our Alphatian Spell Engines," Nylsara interrupts. "Do you need to sacrifice magic to power your Pyramids?"

"No, Pyramid Power gathers naturally. It is possible to drain a pyramid of its power, but it will return in time."

"A naturally recharging Spell Engine", Nylsara muses. "Something we Alphatians have yet to create. At least in my time."

"The Obelisk itself connects all the individual Pyramids in Menkara, allowing one to draw upon the power of all the Pyramids in the Pearl Islands area."

"Incredible!" Nylsara interrupts again. "Actually linking Spell Engines together to let them share portions of a burden. What a fascinating concept! I wish I had thought of it myself. If these Pyramids have sat untouched for all this time, they must be overflowing with magical energy."

"Who killed you and why? That is all shrouded in mystery. What was the situation in the Empire when it was destroyed?"

"I was ambushed", Rasara explains. "I do not know who killed me. It was a time of great trouble for the Empire. Strange cults had arisen and Nithia was falling into decadence. Chief among these cults were the Mud Sorcerers. The situation was so bad our two largest colonies declared their independence: Thothia and Zakahara. The people had lost faith in their gods. We Nithians were once a great people who controlled much of Arret. Now we are all but forgotten."

[GM Mad]

Nylsara

"I do not think your efforts were for naught. The Chaos Vortex of Alphaks was destroyed. Alphaks was stopped and while still a threat, would have destroyed this entire planet and likely more had you not stopped him. Alphatia still exists and has the chance to reclaim its greatness or to be replaced by something better and more noble."

Nylsara will think upon this for a moment. "You do speak truly sister. Alphatia does still exist, but much like Nithia is only a shadow of its former selves. While Nithia once controlled much of Arret, we controlled dozens of worlds. It will take much work to even approach that lofty status once more."

"The evil monster is now a lich and worse. He must be destroyed, but I have no idea how and that seems like something so far off considering all that is happening. For now, I am glad Alphaks is not a direct threat."

"Alphaks achieved lichdom back in my lifetime", Nylsara will state. "That was why I sided against him and joined the rebellion. Such a mockery could not direct the Empire!"

"A lich is a difficult foe, but they can be defeated and destroyed. They protect their life force with a phylactery. You must find this and destroy it. Only then can a lich be permanently defeated."

"Young Elspeth can be a tremendous aid in this task," Mystra will state with pride. "In fact, you might even say that she's part of the family. Alphaks remains a great threat direct or not, Jylsera. He must be destroyed. The sooner the better."

"Calyra seems none the worse for her ordeal. She is a valuable ally and of great help in our current endeavors."

A smile of pride will come to Nylsara's face. "She's a good girl, in spite of her origins. I loved her as if she was my own child."

"Carnelia has provided for us a helper from her race, by the name of Zabrina."

"How interesting", Nylsara will note. "She was a talented spell caster in my time. I cannot imagine how powerful she is now."

"With assistance we will be successful. In some ways, your actions have laid much of the groundwork for the good that we are now doing. One often succeeds by building on the efforts of others. That the previous efforts did not accomplish their results directly does not lessen the importance of them."

"You speak wisely", Nylsara will agree. "Perhaps I will have a hand in the redemption of the Empire. I only wish I could truly be there instead of being an advisor."

"The original planet of Alphatia was destroyed when you went into the Chaos Vortex. They settled mostly here on Arret, but as the Empire crumbled, their colonies gained independence and rose up. The Thyatians are the largest and most powerful of those offshoots."

(Minor GM Note: Actually, the Thyatians were not an offshoot of the Alphatians. They were in fact originally slaves of the Alphatians who revolted and forged their own Empire. With the decline of Alphatian, they were never brought back into the fold.)

(Player note: By offshoot, I meant that the Thyatian Empire came from parts that were originally in the Alphatian Empire. Meaning they developed out of it, by breaking away. They have a connection.)

"Perhaps she looks to succeed with both. If Thyatis collects more power bases and increases their strength, then surely they will look to strike at Alphatia, especially in her weakened condition. The consequences of allowing her to build unchecked are catastrophic. We started opposing them before we learned all the truths, and this information has only strengthened my resolve."

"That does have a strategic sense to it", Nylsara will agree. "As an immortal demoness, she is content to gather power bases slowly. But one day she will directly attack Alphatia. No doubt she is already attacking the Empire covertly."

[GM Mad]

Origin of the Dark One and the Fall of the Elders

"Who is this Dark One you speak about? And more importantly, how do we stop him?"

Mystra herself will field this one. "That is not an easy question to answer child. But I feel that you need to understand the enemy that all of us face. I will show you what I can."

With a flick of her wrist, Mystra summons a large platinum framed mirror. It hovers in the air before you all. Currently the mirror is pitch black inside.

"By means of a Time Pool spell, one is able to view events from the past", Mystra will explain. "What you are seeing is the limit on how far back I can view the past. Back before everything that currently exists existed. Before creation itself. There was nothing but darkness."

From out of nowhere, several bright pinpoints of light appear on the mirror. They move about reminding the viewer of fireflies. It's difficult to see, but something seems to be attacking the fireflies, however nothing can be seen. A vague image of a gigantic rock can be seen. A tremendous explosion follows and you are forced to look away from the blinding light.

"Behold, the creation of all we know. This image occurred over 15 billion years ago. Those pinpricks of light are beings I have come to call the Ancient Ones. They are the creators of all. They used an artifact I call the Earth Stone to form the multiverse."

The brightness slowly fades from the surface of the mirror. Time passes quickly and stars and planets begin to form.

"Five Billion years have passed since the explosion and worlds and dimensions are being formed. The original gods came into being and they seed life in their image on those worlds closest to the explosion. These are the first generation of stars and planets and the first creatures to evolve in the universe."

"The homeworlds of the older races," Nylsara will say in awe. "We had always theorized that the older, more powerful beings came from beyond Arret. Dragons, Beholder kind, the Arcane to name a few. Otherwise such powerful creatures would have completely dominated our worlds a long time ago."

The image on the mirror leaves the first-generation worlds and focuses back to the place where the Earth Stone exploded. It's currently a bright field of gas and energy. Suddenly, a small point of darkness begins to form in the gas. It grows larger and larger and begins to take in the gas around it. The gas swirls, reminding the viewer of water going down a drain. It's like a great tornado in the void of space.

"The Pit of Despair," Mystra will announce. "It exists at the center of creation and swallows up anything that dares get too close. This is the realm where the Dark One comes from. From a place where no man or god can reach and return."

"Continuing onward, a second generation of stars and planets came into being. Arret is among these worlds. A fragment of the Earth Stone itself is embedded in the planet. My Tower of Magic protects it. Life arose on Arret, but not life as you know it."

On the mirror, you see a race of lizard-like creatures come into being. They build cities and a great civilization. Among their great achievements was a series of Pillar Artifacts that they used to move across the surface of their world. These pillars respond to their mental commands.

"These beings are the first true civilization on Arret. Today they are known as the Elders and only their Pillars still survive. They were powerful beings with what you would consider strange mental abilities."

"Abilities like those possessed by the Illithids?" Nylsara will ask.

"Similar", Mystra will answer, "But still magical in nature."

The mirror flashes back to the Pit of Despair. A strange metal object suddenly emerges from the black hole and is flung out into space. (Something like the part of a conventional spaceship.) Eventually it crashes on Arret. It is discovered by one of the Elders and it changes the lizard-like being, giving him far greater mental magical powers and the desire to destroy his enemies. To that end, the being uses the Pillar Artifact to unleash a mental assault of unimaginable magnitude. The attack resonates throughout the Artifact and is amplified covering the entire planet. The attack virtually wipes out life on Arret. The Elders are destroyed overnight.

"The destruction of the Elders took place some 65 million years ago. With their downfall, some of the Old Gods began to fade away. A few million years later a new generation of gods arose, myself included."

Returning back to the Pit of Despair, the mirror shows a being of pure darkness coming out of the hole in space. He travels across space and toward Arret.

"This is the being we call the Dark One. He emerged from the Pit of Despair and moved directly to Arret. My theory is that the shard of the Earth Stone drew him there. It is the largest fragment that exists from the artifact that created everything. Perhaps this Dark One can use it to undo creation, since that seems to be his goal."

Upon reaching Arret, gods of various shapes and sizes appear to stop the Dark One. Mystra can be seen there, along with others gods that you've heard of. A terrific battle ensues and only the combined forces of the gods can stop the Dark One. They are unable to destroy him, but manage to put him into a deep slumber. A special chamber is constructed to hold the Dark One. It is sealed and the gods hope that it will never be opened again.

"While we were overjoyed with our victory, Arret itself was nearly destroyed in the battle. Because of this, we gods made an oath to not appear directly on the Prime Material Plane again. We are simply far too powerful and your world is too fragile. To that end we created Avatars to visit the Prime and formed Priesthoods to carry out our work."

"It was a viable solution for a time, but our priests were only mortal and our avatars far too powerful to take a direct hand in mortal affairs. Some tasks remained beyond their scope. That is when I and some of my allied gods considered investing a tiny portion of our essence into mortals, creating beings far more than mortal, but much less than a god. They could directly act on the Prime where we could not. That is what you are Jylsera, and there are others like you throughout the Prime."

[GM Mad]

Rise and Fall of Civilizations on Arret


"With the Dark One imprisoned, we new gods began to re-seed the second generation of stars with life. In time the races familiar to you came into being."

On the mirror you witness the first elves and dwarves come into being on Arret.

"Some fifty thousand years ago, the first elven civilization arises on Arret. A civil war soon follows and the losers flee into the interior of the planet. They later become known as Drow. Elsewhere on Arret, the first humans, gnomes, and halflings appear."

"The first human civilization, the Neathars appear and they quickly adapt to life across the planet. A faction of the Neathars discover the metallic wreck found earlier by the Elders. Using the technology within they quickly become the most powerful civilization. They call themselves Blackmoor. Radical Blackmoor priests become corrupt and seek genocide against other humanoid civilizations. Blackmoor inadvertently destroys itself with their own technology."

A nuclear explosion appears on the mirror. Arret shifts on its access and the former Blackmoor lands become its new North Pole. Over half the population of the planet perishes in the disaster.

"Other human civilizations survive the cataclysm. One is the Oltecs. However they fall into a civil war when the more aggressive Azcan faction rebels. Eventually the Oltecs die out due to fallout from the Blackmoor disaster. A few of the Azcan tribes survive and settle on what today is known as Brun. Another surviving tribe settles on the shores of the Nithian River and gives rise to that civilization."

"The birth of my civilization", Rasara whispers in wonder.

"The Nithians advance and become the dominant civilization on Arret. They colonize much of the world and encounter remnants of the other human civilizations."

"On the continent of Brun, the first of the Great Humanoid Hordes is formed by King Loark. The humans there, descendents of the Neathars, are nearly destroyed in the process. The horde encounters a lost artifact dating back to the time of Blackmoor. They foolishly tinker with it, triggering another cataclysm."

The mirror shows another nuclear explosion erupting, in the process the Broken Lands are created. A strange rotting plague descends on the humanoids. Some do survive and they settle in the Broken Lands. The First Great Horde is broken.

"Back in Nithia corruption begins to set in and strange cults arise. The two largest colonies, Thothia and Zakahara declare their independence. Thothia remains much like Nithia to this day while the Zakaharians discover Enlightenment. Eventually, Rasara is killed and Isis in her anger curses the Nithian people. Their civilization is wiped out overnight."

[GM Mad]

Enter the Alphatians

The scene in the mirror shifts away from Arret to another planet that is brownish in appearance.

"While all this was happening, a mighty human civilization had evolved on the 5th planet of the Arretian System. They called themselves the Alphatians. They were among the strongest practitioners of my gifts in the known worlds. They created Spell Engines and forged a great Empire across the stars."

"But as you might expect, they too fell into corruption and decadence. In this particular instance, it was the Emperor himself. While still the Crown Prince, Alphaks commissioned the construction of a crown from a Master Craftsman. To that end, the Craftsman traveled to Arret and sought to purchase raw platinum from the Dwarven Gloryhole Mine. While there he fell under the influence of the Dark One. A spot of darkness dripped on to his finger and proceeded to slowly cover his body."

"As directed by the Dark One, the craftsman sailed his vessel and made the dangerous trek to the Pit of Despair. By the time he had reached the Pit, the crown had been forged. He tossed it into the Pit and waited. Days later, the crown was returned. This crown is today called the Crown of Eternal Night."

"The Crown was given to Alphaks and was placed on him at his coronation. It quickly drove him mad and he achieved lichdom. Nylsara sought to oppose him and a civil war erupted. In his madness, Alphaks opened a vortex of Chaos Magic in his throne room. Nylsara was thrown into the vortex after she had been captured. But Nylsara was prepared for this and had laid a counterspell on herself. Her desperate plan succeeded and the Chaos Vortex was shattered. However, the Alphatian Homeworld is destroyed in the process."

The Mirror shows the brown planet exploding. Two large hunks of the world are shot out into space in opposite directions. One fragment later becomes the inner most planet in the Arretian System. The other fragment becomes the outer most planet. The rest becomes an asteroid belt lying beyond the fourth planet.

"Alphaks and much of his royal palace survive the devastation. However his palace is buried deep within what is now the first planet. An after effect of the explosion twists the magic built into the palace and it now imprisons the former Emperor. Alphaks is not alone in his imprisonment. Jensara, who had been captured earlier is there too. After the lich tires of tormenting her, she is imprisoned in crystal and remained in that state until recently."

"Most of the surviving Alphatians land on Arret and begin to rebuild their society. The majority of their otherworldly colonies declare independence. Alphatia has yet to recover from this disaster."

"An Alphatian wizard by the name of Zhengyi carves out the realm of Vassa on Brun and declares himself the Witch-King. Loyal to Alphaks, Zhengyi attempts to reach his imprisoned master. Years later Zhengyi succeeds and creates a magical mirror that allows passage to the palace inside the first planet. It functions much like the mirror Nylsara created to reach her asteroid retreat."

"However, the wards blocking Alphaks prevent him from passing through the mirror, but others can. Zhengyi becomes Alphaks instrument on Arret and carries out his will."

"Alphaks takes his crown and through the use of magic splits it into five less powerful crowns. These are called the Crowns of Eternal Night. Zhengyi gives these crowns to five handpicked wizards. They become know as the Lich Lords."

"The Lich Lords come into conflict with an enlightened band known as the Fellowship of Mages. The Fellowship defeats the Lich Lords, imprison them in their now lost city of Oos, and take their crowns."

"The Fellowship builds the first city of Elcadan as a place where all enlightened races could meet and learn. A powerful Mythal is laid on the city, making it the first truly enchanted city on Arret. However, the power of the Crowns is too strong and each succumbs to them. Most of the Fellowship fall into madness and proceed to create vast dungeons to protect themselves. A gate to the abyss is opened within Elcadan and demons flood forth. The Mythal keeps them imprisoned inside the city, but the city itself is laid waste."

"In response to the defeat of the Lich Lords, the Witch-King gathers another Great Horde and attempts to lay waste to Brun. This time, they fall thanks to the efforts of great heroes. The Kingdom of Cynalon comes into existence because of this."

"Realizing that Zhengyi is the true enemy, Valen the Paladin and Elenia the Sorceress depart to Vassa to confront the lich. They leave their young daughter in the care of my priests. Unknown to either of them, their daughter has not only received my blessing, but the blessing of Azrella as well."

"The duo manages to drive off the Witch-King and discover the mirror he uses to reach Alphaks. They enter into the mirror right before they destroy it by way of delayed magic. They are unable to defeat Alphaks and become his captives. Eventually they are also imprisoned in crystal and remain in this state until this very day."

"The Witch-King discovers that Valen and Elenia's daughter is a special child and very much a danger to him and tries to hunt her down. He fails as my avatar transported the child into the future to a time when Zhengyi no longer searches for her. You know this child as Elspeth."

[GM Mad]

Isis' Curse

After a pause, Mystra continues. "It seems I strayed somewhat from what you asked. The Dark One comes from a place where no god can go. His sole purpose seems to be the destruction of everything everywhere. He is the ultimate evil and power beyond imagining. We do not know how to stop him. At best all we have done is slow him down and buy ourselves more time."

"Every civilization on Arret that has risen to prominence has subsequently fell into decay and corruption. This cannot be a coincidence. I believe that the Dark One's mere presence on Arret is responsible for this. I and those allied with me have struggled to keep this from happening over and over as it has so far. We have yet to succeed, but we have high hopes for Cynalon as the next great Arretian power."

"I would like to know what I need to do to help restore Menkara and Nithia. I would like to know how to defeat Thyatis and Leeta. I would like to know about the workings of that obelisk and this pyramid. I would like to know how to make magic items and especially Spell Engines."

"The restoration of Nithia has already begun. The one you know as Purr will be the first to be restored. In spite of the way it sounds, Isis' curse is not a particularly vile one. It can be easily lifted. Any Nithian who begged for her forgiveness would have been changed back. The problem arose when all knowledge of Nithia was forgotten. It is difficult to ask forgiveness when you don't know what has been lost."

"Many of those changed were perfectly happy with their new forms. Mostly those who gained benevolent forms and those who were the vilest who reveled in their monstrosity. Those who were in between and learned what had transpired cursed the gods for what was done to them and never sought out forgiveness."

(A past conversation with Purr about the cruelty of the gods bears out this point of view.)

"The final restoration of Nithia will come when the Lifebane is destroyed. It was summoned to Menkara by the Priests of Set in their desire to gain power. The Lifebane has ties to the Dark One himself and it further twisted the already evil priests. They're the ones who killed Rasara as a sacrifice to the Lifebane. Im-Ravin was the Priest of Set who planned all of this."

"Im-Ravin", Rasara repeats. "I should have known."

"Isis' curse changed Im-Ravin into a Yaun-Ti, which pleased him to no end as it made him more serpent like his master. Later, Im-Ravin built a great tomb to house his mortal remains and prepare his soul for the afterlife. It was a death trap to protect his earthly belongings."

"Since this time, the Lifebane has taken on a life of its own. It is sentient and pure malevolence. It now rules the tomb and even further twisted the tricks and traps. Destroy the Lifebane and the last of the curse will be lifted. This will perhaps be your greatest challenge, even beyond dealing with Alphaks and his lichspawn."

"When the Lifebane is destroyed, the energy stored in the Menkara pyramids for the last 2500 years will be unleashed. Cities that had fallen into the sea will rise again. The landscape will change dramatically and all those whom had been changed will be restored, should they so desire it."

"The Pyramids and the Obelisks functions as Rasara stated. The Pyramid collects magical energy that can be directed by the control rods. The Obelisks connect the Pyramids together making a large magical energy network. Nylsara has the knowledge on how to fashion magic items and Spell Engines in particular."

"I have many questions, it seems. Is it possible to contact you again in the future if I learn of more questions or become ready for them?"

"Of course, child. I will always have time for you. Now that you've been here, you can travel to this location on your own. Just cast Teleport without Error and put this library into your thoughts. Then you will be here."

Anything else?

[Jylsera]

Jylsera -

Jylsera decides to keep the abilities 'generated' and passed on by Nylsara. The sheer power is simply too much to pass up, despite the personal power being lessened without Invocation spells.

"So shall it be", Mystra intones. "May your talents serve you well."

"You may not have my magical knowledge to draw upon, sister," Nylsara will add, "But I can guide and advise you. I'll have you ship-shape in no time."

"I am certain to need that skill and proficiency, sister. I may have the abilities and the power, but the skill to wield it is lacking. We will have many conversations on the nuances of magic."


Rasara explains about the Army of Stone. It is an intriguing concept and a powerful force.

"How many of the statues are there in total?"


After the explanation of the Pyramid and the Obelisk, Jylsera is impressed. "How many of these rods are there? And where are they? Are there other uses for the magick than regular home tasks?"

"I was ambushed", Rasara explains. "I do not know who killed me. It was a time of great trouble for the Empire. Strange cults had arisen and Nithia was falling into decadence. Chief among these cults were the Mud Sorcerers. The situation was so bad our two largest colonies declared their independence: Thothia and Zakahara. The people had lost faith in their gods. We Nithians were once a great people who controlled much of Arret. Now we are all but forgotten."

"Not any longer, sister. Menkara is remembered and will be reborn. She will be the seat of power that crushes our enemies and defeats Alphaks once and for all time."


Later it is revealed that the evil priests of Set were responsible for the death of Rasara and that they have become the Yuan-ti. "Then we will eradicate those Yuan-Ti and all of the followers of Set we can find. It does not sound to be an easy task to infiltrate the tomb of Im-Ravin and destroy this Lifebane. How is such a thing destroyed? Is this a task that Elspeth is prepared for?"

To Be Continued...

[Jylsera]

Jylsera -

Nylsara will think upon this for a moment. "You do speak truly sister. Alphatia does still exist, but much like Nithia is only a shadow of its former selves. While Nithia once controlled much of Arret, we controlled dozens of worlds. It will take much work to even approach that lofty status once more."

"To be honest, I am afraid that Alphatia is likely too far down the road of destruction to ever completely reclaim her previous status. Too much has happened. However, there is the possibility to combine the best of what was with what will be and come out with something ultimately better. Alphatia may have fallen farther than Nithia in that it will take much more to restore her and maybe replacing her is preferrable."

"Alphaks achieved lichdom back in my lifetime", Nylsara will state. "That was why I sided against him and joined the rebellion. Such a mockery could not direct the Empire!"

"Ah, I was not aware of that. Everything I have learned about Alphaks had left out that information. I knew he was evil and depraved when you fought him, but it is no surprise he was already a lich."

"A lich is a difficult foe, but they can be defeated and destroyed. They protect their life force with a phylactery. You must find this and destroy it. Only then can a lich be permanently defeated."

"Young Elspeth can be a tremendous aid in this task," Mystra will state with pride. "In fact, you might even say that she's part of the family. Alphaks remains a great threat direct or not, Jylsera. He must be destroyed. The sooner the better."

"It seems I am destined to do battle with the lich Alphaks and if he wishes me as an enemy, so much the worse for him. We will destroy him and all his allies as soon as we are able."

"If Elspeth is the one to destroy Alphaks, that is fine with me. I certainly do not need to complete the task myself to be satisfied. The results are what matter and what comes from the results. As soon as we are able, we will make haste to destroy Alphaks. I would assume his phylactery would have been in his palace and therefore is in the center of the solar system. How can we find out what his phylactery actually is, how to destroy it and where it is exactly?

A smile of pride will come to Nylsara's face. "She's a good girl, in spite of her origins. I loved her as if she was my own child."

"Then she has done you proud, sister. I guess that makes me an aunt, quite unexpectedly."

"With assistance we will be successful. In some ways, your actions have laid much of the groundwork for the good that we are now doing. One often succeeds by building on the efforts of others. That the previous efforts did not accomplish their results directly does not lessen the importance of them."

"You speak wisely", Nylsara will agree. "Perhaps I will have a hand in the redemption of the Empire. I only wish I could truly be there instead of being an advisor."

"You will have a hand in this task and the destruction of Alphaks. You may not be able to physically participate, but your help will be invaluable."

"Perhaps she looks to succeed with both. If Thyatis collects more power bases and increases their strength, then surely they will look to strike at Alphatia, especially in her weakened condition. The consequences of allowing her to build unchecked are catastrophic. We started opposing them before we learned all the truths, and this information has only strengthened my resolve."

"That does have a strategic sense to it", Nylsara will agree. "As an immortal demoness, she is content to gather power bases slowly. But one day she will directly attack Alphatia. No doubt she is already attacking the Empire covertly."

"Perhaps. At this point, we do not have the resources to investigate or counteract such attacks, except to continue to attack them and harrass them in our own battles. The more they have to concentrate on my fleet, the less they will be able to attack others. And at the same time, we are not ready for a full-out war with them. We are still operating a hit-and-run series of battles and trying to out-maneuver them for each island."

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

Rasara explains about the Army of Stone. It is an intriguing concept and a powerful force.

"How many of the statues are there in total?"

"They numbered over 300 in my time."

After the explanation of the Pyramid and the Obelisk, Jylsera is impressed. "How many of these rods are there? And where are they? Are there other uses for the magicks than regular home tasks?"

"There were numerous rods. They were fairly common to those who could afford them. I had one prepared for me which is now in my tomb. There were several other uses for the rods in addition to household ones. Some were used to power the hover-chariots and hover-barges."

(The rods were able to absorb a specific amount of pyramid energy, much like charges in a regular wand. Each task drained x amount of charges from the rod. Once drained, the rod takes eight hours to completely recharge itself.)

Nylsara will be very interested in hearing about the operation of these hover vehicles. Much as it sounds, the chariots and barrages would hover above the ground as it supported or drawn by a fiery manifestation of a beast of burden. These hover vehicles were the primary mode of transportation within Nithian borders. They would lose power if they strayed too far from the pyramids that powered the rods.

"There is an experiment that you must simply try, Jylsera", Nylsara will say excitedly. "I wonder what would happen if one of these control rods was placed inside a Spell Engine. Would it be possible to use pyramid energy to power a Spell Engine?"

Later it is revealed that the evil priests of Set were responsible for the death of Rasara and that they have become the Yuan-ti. "Then we will eradicate those Yuan-Ti and all of the followers of Set we can find. It does not sound to be an easy task to infiltrate the tomb of Im-Ravin and destroy this Lifebane. How is such a thing destroyed? Is this a task that Elspeth is prepared for?"

"Elspeth would be a tremendous help in destroying the Lifebane. She has already vanquished something similar to it," Mystra will say.

"To be honest, I am afraid that Alphatia is likely too far down the road of destruction to ever completely reclaim her previous status. Too much has happened. However, there is the possibility to combine the best of what was with what will be and come out with something ultimately better. Alphatia may have fallen farther than Nithia in that it will take much more to restore her and maybe replacing her is preferable."

"I understand", Nylsara will say after a pause. "You must do what is best of course."

"If Elspeth is the one to destroy Alphaks, that is fine with me. I certainly do not need to complete the task myself to be satisfied. The results are what matter and what comes from the results. As soon as we are able, we will make haste to destroy Alphaks. I would assume his phylactery would have been in his palace and therefore is in the center of the solar system. How can we find out what his phylactery actually is, how to destroy it and where it is exactly?"

"His phylactery can be destroyed like anything else can", Nylsara will say. "The problem is finding it as it is no doubt concealed by powerful enchantments. Locating it will be your most difficult part of this mission."

"Perhaps. At this point, we do not have the resources to investigate or counteract such attacks, except to continue to attack them and harass them in our own battles. The more they have to concentrate on my fleet, the less they will be able to attack others. And at the same time, we are not ready for a full-out war with them. We are still operating a hit-and-run series of battles and trying to out-maneuver them for each island."

"I see…", Nylsara will say. "I am too used to having fleets at my command that I assumed you did as well. Use those tactics that put you at the advantage. Based on what you have said, a direct confrontation is not advisable at this time."

[Jylsera]

Jylsera, the Rebel Admiral -

Jylsera is a bit overwhelmed by all the information presented to her. But likely it will be a big help in the future, once she manages to sort through it all.

She now finds herself 'sister' to two past notable women, Nylsara and Rasara. Nylsara was the Alphatian Admiral that succeeded in thwarting Alphaks evil plans at severe cost to herself and Rasara was the last Queen of Menkara. Both, like Jylsera, were 'daughters' of Mystra and as such held a common shard of the goddess' power. That also meant that they all had a natural proclivity to magic. In addition, Jylsera seems to have the basics of Nylsara's incredible magical knowledge. While she does not have the experience to fully take advantage of it, with some counseling and careful study, Jylsera will certainly make the most of this opportunity.

It also is made known that the to 'departed sisters' can appear again for communication and counseling, Rasara in her throne room and Nylsara in the asteroid base, reached through the Carnelia. That is an advantage to remember, as well as being able to return here. Teleport Without Error is a spell she will have to keep available.

Jylsera is told about the Army of Stone and the Pearl Throne. One of the visions from the seeress Fapatri was of Jylsera seated on a Pearl Throne and together with others defeated the Lifebane, the black vile liquid created by Nithian priests of old. There were many other visions; some of them make more sense now then they did at the time Fapatri told her of them.

It seems that both Alphatia and Nithia had extreme amounts of magical knowledge that is not in much practice now, at least not in the area of the world in which they are currently doing battle. The spell-engines are becoming more commonplace, as they find more of them. And this new information about the Pyramids of Nithia and their power will be a great defensive anchor.

Jylsera mentally goes over the list of tasks that stand before her:
Oppose Thyatis and Leeta and stop them from taking over the Pearl Islands and also from attacking Alphatia.

Destroy the Lifebane to lift Isis' curse and to unleash the power of the Menkarian Pyramids, which will reshape the lands in the image of what they once were. This Lifebane has taken over the tomb of Im-Ravin, the killer of Rasara.

Find the tomb of Im-Ravin.

Examine and explore the rest of Menkara, particularly the Palace and recover the magic available through Rasara's items.

Journey to the first planet of the solar system and fight their way to the center of Alphaks Citadel. Defeat the mad Lich and with Elspeth's help, free the ancient heroes Valen and Elenia, who are in fact Elspeth's parents. Alphaks can only be defeated by destroying his phylactary, which is likely well-hidden and well-protected.

And apparently, Cynalon is the next civilization that the gods are watching to become dominant on the planet. That idea would seem to preclude Jylsera from recreating the Nithian Empire to the level that it once was. The gods have been wrong before, Jylsera decides silently. But this Cynalon will bear watching, that is for certain.

"Where is the temple of Im-Ravin? How can we locate it?" Jylsera will ask.

Rasara explains about the Army of Stone. It is an intriguing concept and a powerful force.

"How many of the statues are there in total?"

"They numbered over 300 in my time."

"Impressive. That will be a very useful defense should it be necessary."

"There is an experiment that you must simply try, Jylsera", Nylsara will say excitedly. "I wonder what would happen if one of these control rods was placed inside a Spell Engine. Would it be possible to use pyramid energy to power a Spell Engine?"

"I will try it when we have the opportunity to do so safely. It may be some time before that happens, but if a Spell Engine can receive a nearly limitless supply of power, the possibilites are phenomenal."

Later it is revealed that the evil priests of Set were responsible for the death of Rasara and that they have become the Yuan-ti. "Then we will eradicate those Yuan-Ti and all of the followers of Set we can find. It does not sound to be an easy task to infiltrate the tomb of Im-Ravin and destroy this Lifebane. How is such a thing destroyed? Is this a task that Elspeth is prepared for?"

"Elspeth would be a tremendous help in destroying the Lifebane. She has already vanquished something similar to it," Mystra will say.

"I see. Then she seems to be prepared for this task as well. That is good, since we will be searching out this tomb of Im-Ravin very soon."

"His phylactery can be destroyed like anything else can", Nylsara will say. "The problem is finding it as it is no doubt concealed by powerful enchantments. Locating it will be your most difficult part of this mission."

"Is there reason to believe that the phylactery must be close to him or can it be anywhere in the multiverse? If he was already a lich before being imprisoned in his Citadel, then likely it is either there on the first planet or the last; the main parts of his old homeworld. Or it could be lost in the asteroid belt. If such is the case, it could be almost anywhere. How does one even begin to search for something that could literally be anywhere?"

"Perhaps. At this point, we do not have the resources to investigate or counteract such attacks, except to continue to attack them and harass them in our own battles. The more they have to concentrate on my fleet, the less they will be able to attack others. And at the same time, we are not ready for a full-out war with them. We are still operating a hit-and-run series of battles and trying to out-maneuver them for each island."

"I see…", Nylsara will say. "I am too used to having fleets at my command that I assumed you did as well. Use those tactics that put you at the advantage. Based on what you have said, a direct confrontation is not advisable at this time."

"We have numerous ships ready to be manned and added to the fleet. In addition, in time we will be able to salvage several more ships that we have recovered. Each step we take to increase our forces, add new bases of operations and increase our power base makes us that much more powerful. We are a threat to Thyatis, even if they do not yet take us seriously. And soon we will be more than a mere threat."

Jylsera asks another question. "There is some much before us to accomplish. Can you give me some advice on what step to take next?"

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

"Where is the temple of Im-Ravin? How can we locate it?" Jylsera will ask.

“Most likely it is underneath the Pyramid of Set in Menkara,” Rasara will answer. “Sit upon the Pearl Throne and think upon it. Its location will become clear in your mind.”

"Is there reason to believe that the phylactery must be close to him or can it be anywhere in the multiverse? If he was already a lich before being imprisoned in his Citadel, then likely it is either there on the first planet or the last; the main parts of his old homeworld. Or it could be lost in the asteroid belt. If such is the case, it could be almost anywhere. How does one even begin to search for something that could literally be anywhere?"

“It can be anywhere,” Nylsara agrees, “but most wish to keep it close so that they can verify its safety. I would wager that it is still within the palace, probably close to the chambers that Alphaks uses. Finding it will not be easy, as I am sure he has used magic to conceal its location. It may be necessary to tear the palace apart to find it.”

Jylsera asks another question. "There is some much before us to accomplish. Can you give me some advice on what step to take next?"

“Once you return to Menkara,” Rasara says, “You can visit my tomb and retrieve several items that will be of use. First and foremost among these items is my Pearl Bracers. They provide protection like normal magical bracers, but these ones have other special abilities that I can cover later in my old throne room. There are also several Ankhs’ of Isis that will benefit any Priestess of Isis and by extension those who worship Mystra as well. Lastly my pyramid energy control rod. With it you can use and direct pyramid power.”

“You’ve seem to have found most of my things,” Nylsara adds, “So I’m not sure what additional advice I can give. We’ll have to talk later and you can explain the current situation in much greater detail.”

“Your friends need you,” Mystra will add. “The Thyatian forces have retaken the Supply Depot you recently liberated. You have gotten Leeta’s attention, my daughter. Her forces will attempt to hunt you down. Go now and do what you can.”


Now what?

[Jylsera]

Jylsera, Rebel Admiral

“Most likely it is underneath the Pyramid of Set in Menkara,” Rasara will answer. “Sit upon the Pearl Throne and think upon it. Its location will become clear in your mind.”

"Thank you, Rasara," Jylsera will respond. "Does this ability work regarding only things within Menkara or does the Pearl Throne's powers extend to areas outside the kingdom?"



“It can be anywhere,” Nylsara agrees, “but most wish to keep it close so that they can verify its safety. I would wager that it is still within the palace, probably close to the chambers that Alphaks uses. Finding it will not be easy, as I am sure he has used magic to conceal its location. It may be necessary to tear the palace apart to find it.”

"I see. That does make the job much more difficult. It does make sense that his phylactery is still within the palace, indeed. It is something to make some serious plans for when the time comes to finally confront Alphaks." Jylsera considers for a few moments, but says nothing further.


“Once you return to Menkara,” Rasara says, “You can visit my tomb and retrieve several items that will be of use. First and foremost among these items is my Pearl Bracers. They provide protection like normal magical bracers, but these ones have other special abilities that I can cover later in my old throne room. There are also several Ankhs’ of Isis that will benefit any Priestess of Isis and by extension those who worship Mystra as well. Lastly my pyramid energy control rod. With it you can use and direct pyramid power.”

"That is something I would like to do as soon as possible. We came here to further explore the city and I admit, we found quite a bit here with this place!" Jylsera smiles slightly at that. "The Pearl Bracers will certainly be a welcome addition to the powers that I wield. We need as much power on our side as we can get. Thyatis will no doubt be a difficult enemy to defeat."

"The other items are also of great interest to me. I am thankful for the use of them. Menkara will rise as soon as we are able and then it will be kingdom versus kingdom; Menkara against Thyatis. I cannot wait to return Menkara to her glory."


“You’ve seem to have found most of my things,” Nylsara adds, “So I’m not sure what additional advice I can give. We’ll have to talk later and you can explain the current situation in much greater detail.”

"That will be helpful I am sure. The extra counsel will prove to be a great assistance, my 'sister'."


“Your friends need you,” Mystra will add. “The Thyatian forces have retaken the Supply Depot you recently liberated. You have gotten Leeta’s attention, my daughter. Her forces will attempt to hunt you down. Go now and do what you can.”

Jylsera is noticably surprised at this news. "Thank you for the information, Mystra. I was not expecting that. The Supply Depot is a very well-defended place. It must have been sabotage or treachery that allowed Thyatis to reclaim it. Can you tell me what happened there?"

"Leeta was bound to recognize the opposition to her eventually. I was hoping to remain more hidden for a little longer, especially enough time to finish exploring the city here. Now we shall have to depart quickly."

"Thank you to each of you for your assistance. I am certain that we will be in contact quite often in the days and months to come."

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

"Thank you, Rasara," Jylsera will respond. "Does this ability work regarding only things within Menkara or does the Pearl Throne's powers extend to areas outside the kingdom?"

“Only within Menkara.”

Jylsera is noticeably surprised at this news. "Thank you for the information, Mystra. I was not expecting that. The Supply Depot is a very well defended place. It must have been sabotage or treachery that allowed Thyatis to reclaim it. Can you tell me what happened there?"

“Leeta has been using magic for centuries now and is well versed in its usage. She also does things that are quite despicable. What you are going to be encountering is one of the weapons she created to do her bidding.”

“There was a once a female warrior by name of Cytulliar. She wasn’t the nicest of people and was a mercenary. She crossed Leeta’s path and paid a terrible price for it. Her soul was removed from her body by Leeta and placed into a glass container. The concept is similar to that of a lich and their phylactery. Simply put, if Leeta was to break this container, then Cytulliar’s soul would be destroyed as well. This would mean instant and permanent death. There would be no after life for her.”

“But not even something that vile was enough to satisfy Leeta. She polymorphed Cytulliar into a Marilith; a powerful type of demon. The change has made Cytulliar more evil and cruel then she was before. But now she’s back by the power of an extremely powerful demon.”

“Cytulliar commands something that Leeta calls ‘The Flying Fortress’. It was a former Silver Dragon sky castle that Leeta captured. It’s a castle with surrounding grounds that exists on the top of a cloud. There is a lake there and it is used as a supply port for Leeta’s fleet of flying ships.”

“The Flying Fortress was sent to the supply depot to investigate why contact was lost with it. When they found your forces there, Cytulliar appeared among them and began to butcher your men. That is how things stand right now.”


While Mystra speaks, images related to what she is saying appear on the platinum mirror she earlier used. The first image is that of who you take to be Cytulliar. She is a cruel looking woman dressed entirely in black leather. She wears black thigh-high boots with heels and nasty looking spikes. Her pants are also black leather as is her shoulderlesss top. Leather swordsman gloves covers her hands and a leather hood covers the upper part of her head.

Next an image of a Marilith appears. The creature has a female head and torso, but has six arms instead of two. Each of these arms bears a weapon. The lower part of the body is serpentine with greenish scales.

The Flying Fortress appears and is as advertised. You see a good-sized castle floating on a cloud. Next to it is a small lake and several ships are docked there.

Lastly, you see Cytulliar cutting a bloody swath through your men. She wields a longsword and a shortsword. She can also, seemingly an innate ability, conjure Cloudkills and many succumb to the poisonous cloud. The last image shown on the mirror is that of Cork being slain by Cytulliar.


After the last vision fades, Nephthys will step up and say, “I can return you to the pyramid when you are ready.”

[Jylsera]

Jylsera, Rebel Admiral -

"Thank you, Rasara," Jylsera will respond. "Does this ability work regarding only things within Menkara or does the Pearl Throne's powers extend to areas outside the kingdom?"

“Only within Menkara.”

"That is what I imagined, but I had to ask," Jylsera says simply. "And if I may ask, I assume your tomb is here in this pyramid. Is that correct?"


“Leeta has been using magic for centuries now and is well versed in its usage. She also does things that are quite despicable. What you are going to be encountering is one of the weapons she created to do her bidding.”

"I did not expect her to be a weak enemy or one without resources. I will, however, have to be more careful about protecting what we do obtain, especially now that they are openly aware of us and our opposition."


“There was a once a female warrior by name of Cytulliar. She wasn’t the nicest of people and was a mercenary. She crossed Leeta’s path and paid a terrible price for it. Her soul was removed from her body by Leeta and placed into a glass container. The concept is similar to that of a lich and their phylactery. Simply put, if Leeta was to break this container, then Cytulliar’s soul would be destroyed as well. This would mean instant and permanent death. There would be no after life for her.”

“But not even something that vile was enough to satisfy Leeta. She polymorphed Cytulliar into a Marilith; a powerful type of demon. The change has made Cytulliar more evil and cruel then she was before. But now she’s back by the power of an extremely powerful demon.”

Jylsera's eyes narrow as Mystra explains the situation. She watches the display played out on the mirror. Finally, Jyslera speaks. "At first I thought perhaps Cytulliar might be worth saving, but it seems she is just an enemy to be defeated. We need to banish her form from this plane and then perhaps destroy her soul, should we get that opportunity."

"I expect her to be a powerful enemy in her own right, this Marallith. We will have to do battle with her right away if they have attacke our base."

Jylsera continues to watch as the Sky Fortress appears on the mirror's face.

“Cytulliar commands something that Leeta calls ‘The Flying Fortress’. It was a former Silver Dragon sky castle that Leeta captured. It’s a castle with surrounding grounds that exists on the top of a cloud. There is a lake there and it is used as a supply port for Leeta’s fleet of flying ships.”

She doesn't say anything, but the image causes her to take aback at first. The image is very impressive. Then Jylsera thinks, "That is something that we need to take for ourselves."

“The Flying Fortress was sent to the supply depot to investigate why contact was lost with it. When they found your forces there, Cytulliar appeared among them and began to butcher your men. That is how things stand right now.”

"I see," Jylsera responds quietly. "It seems we have quite the battle on our hands." Jylsera watches as the cloudkill drops many of her troops and the demoness cuts a bloody swath through the rest. Eventually, Cork is shown to be killed, but Shandara and Donorrow, the captain of the Halcyon and the commander of the Supply Depot respectively, are not on the image.

Jylsera turns back to Mystra as the image fades, a quick look of desperation on her face. Quicly she composes herself for the upcoming task.

After the last vision fades, Nephthys will step up and say, “I can return you to the pyramid when you are ready.”

"I would love to stick around and continue to talk with all of you. For now, circumstances have forced this time to come to an end. I will see all of you again soon. Thanks to each of you for everything. I am ready to return."


When Jylsera is returned to the Pyramid, she will run out as quickly as she can and address the group outside.

"We have to leave immediately! The Supply Depot is under attack! Gather everyone together, I am going to Teleport us there."

"Argent can you quickly Scrye the area with your Crystal Ball to show everyone what we are up against?"

"I have to tell you that this may prove to be a difficult battle. There is a Maralith demon leading Leeta's forces and the command something known as 'The Flying Fortress', a former Silver Dragon sky castle that they captured. Most of the troops are dead, as is Cork and maybe the others."

"I intend to destroy the demon, capture the Sky Fortress for ourselves and the ships that may be at port there. This is a chance to turn potential defeat into a tremendous victory and supply us with much more power for the war. Everyone will need to be at their best for this battle. The demon is the main target and then we want to try to infiltrate the Fortress and take it as well. Be ready for anything and everything. Leeta is a cunning enemy."

Unless there are more questions, Jylsera will use Teleport without Error to bring everyone to the Supply Depot (1900 lbs worth - if more is needed, Argent will have to TP the rest). We should arrive in a fairly open area outside that I am familiar with.

[Argent]

Argent:

Argent is away exploring the palace grounds when the summons comes. Upon hearing it she flies back as fast as she can.

"We have to leave immediately! The Supply Depot is under attack! Gather everyone together, I am going to Teleport us there."

This all comes as an immense surprise! How could she possibly know this? However, now is certainly not the time to raise the issue.

"Argent can you quickly Scry the area with your Crystal Ball to show everyone what we are up against?"

"Uhm," Argents says momentarily dumbfounded. "Use of a Crystal Ball is predicated on how well I know what I'm looking for. The chance of me locating who is attacking the depot is almost non-existent, as I don't know who it is. I can try, but it will take time and as I noted, the chance for success is low."

"I have to tell you that this may prove to be a difficult battle. There is a Marilith demon leading Leeta's forces and the command something known as 'The Flying Fortress', a former Silver Dragon sky castle that they captured. Most of the troops are dead, as is Cork and maybe the others."

"A demon!", Argent gulps. "That's not exactly the kind of enemy you want to fool around with. For one thing demons have an innate ability to resist magic. Our spells may not affect it at all!"

"I intend to destroy the demon, capture the Sky Fortress for ourselves and the ships that may be at port there. This is a chance to turn potential defeat into a tremendous victory and supply us with much more power for the war. Everyone will need to be at their best for this battle. The demon is the main target and then we want to try to infiltrate the Fortress and take it as well. Be ready for anything and everything. Leeta is a cunning enemy."

Unless there are more questions, Jylsera will use Teleport without Error to bring everyone to the Supply Depot (1900 lbs worth - if more is needed, Argent will have to TP the rest). We should arrive in a fairly open area outside that I am familiar with.

Argent has the horrible feeling that they are getting in way over their head, but Jylsera has pulled victory out of such a situation before, so no further words are needed.

[Jylsera]

Jylsera, Rebel Admiral -

"We have to leave immediately! The Supply Depot is under attack! Gather everyone together, I am going to Teleport us there."

This all comes as an immense surprise! How could she possibly know this? However, now is certainly not the time to raise the issue.

Jylsera sees the disbelief on several faces. "Trust me, it is the truth. The information comes from Mystra herself. I am not sure if it is in the process of being attacked or if the battle is finished. Either way, I have no desire to lose the Depot so soon after gaining it. "


"Argent can you quickly Scry the area with your Crystal Ball to show everyone what we are up against?"

"Uhm," Argents says momentarily dumbfounded. "Use of a Crystal Ball is predicated on how well I know what I'm looking for. The chance of me locating who is attacking the depot is almost non-existent, as I don't know who it is. I can try, but it will take time and as I noted, the chance for success is low."

Jylsera is slightly surprised at Argent's answer. "I didn't ask you to see who was attacking. We already know that to an extent. Perhaps it can be attributed to the suddeness of this situation, but I would imagine it is better to scrye those we do know, Shandara or Donorrow or even the fallen Cork. Or if possible just scrying the general area would make more sense."

"I would expect everyone to make the best use of their abilities, not follow instructions to the letter, even if I am to be the new Queen of Menkara. I need each of you to advise and counsel me, not tell me why something won't work."


"I have to tell you that this may prove to be a difficult battle. There is a Marilith demon leading Leeta's forces and the command something known as 'The Flying Fortress', a former Silver Dragon sky castle that they captured. Most of the troops are dead, as is Cork and maybe the others."

"A demon!", Argent gulps. "That's not exactly the kind of enemy you want to fool around with. For one thing demons have an innate ability to resist magic. Our spells may not affect it at all!"

"Perhaps not, but I am not surprised. Leeta is a Succubus. It makes sense that she has demonic assistance. We are likely to become quite adept at defeating their kind before this war is over."

"But you are correct, we may not affect the demon with spells, as they have very high magic resistance. However, we outnumber it significantly and if we hit it hard enough and enough times, it can not stand up to everything. However, do not bother with any electrical spells as these do not affect Greater Demons." Jylsera is not quite certain where she got that information from. Likely it is information acquired from Mystra herself or through Nylsara from her connection with her.

"Prepare what defensive spells you want to use right now. Everyone be ready for a huge challenge!"

[GM Mad]

Post Closed