(IR) The 1st IC-thread of the 1st Turn of the 5th IR

[Airwhale]

The elven imperial navy would argue, at great length, that the regalia belongs to Eclavia's people, the drow under Eilistraee's care. Eilistraee is the obvious person to care for the artifacts.

King Rhynnon does not have any right to hold the Regalia now, although they do understand the Kings reasons for wanting to keep it from the clearly insane Eclavia.

Keeping the Regalia from it's rightfull owners is an immoral and unlawfull thing to do, no matter if Iuz is doing it, or King Rhynnon.

 

[William Ronald]

In Memoriam

On learning of Eclavdra's death, Al'Akbar turns to his wives Ahava, Bilqis, and Vashti.

"Eclavdra!! I agree with the need for unity against the Whispered One, but I wish you still lived. There was so much you could have done. Are the nations of Oerth so divided that your last act was a desperate protest."

A'l'Akbar orders all flags of the Malkuvah Baklunim, the restored Baklunish Empire, and its embassies and consulates to be lowered to half mast. A day of public mourning is declared in the Baklunish Empire. Al'Akbar walks slowly in silence over the the drow embassy and speaks to some of the Mordheil who are there. (OOC: I assume that Eclavdra still had some people who were functional running her embassy in Ekbir. I will have the following transmitted to Ellistrae and to Eclavdor.)

"I am deeply grieved by the news of Eclavdra's death. Some will call it an act of madness. Others will call it an act of desperation. However, Eclavdra never did anything without a purpose. Perhaps her fear of the Whispered One drove her to try to convince everyone of the need to stand against him."

"I believe the nations of Oerth and Greyspace need to stand against the threat of the Whispered Ones and other forces who might act against us all. Perhaps Eclavdra, seeing the disunity of the nations, tried to have her death force unity. True unity, I believe, must come willingly."

"I will mourn with the Mordheil over Eclavdra's death. Even when we quarrelled, I still respected her abilities. We can only wonder what she might have become."

"With Eclavdra's passing, the Malkuvah Baklunim recognizes the leadership of Ellistrae over Eclavdor. When the Mordheil were struck with the Withdrawal, she acted to ensure that they did not die at the hands of their servitors. Furthermore, she was the first to try to sustain her people through the Withdrawal. Without a source of power or healing, I believe most of the Mordheil would have died. Furthermore, as the daughter of Corellon Larethian and the Queen of Spiders, she has a legitimate claim to the rulership of her people."

"I will honor Eclavdra's last request. I will send an expeditionary force to fight the servants of the Whispered One in Greyspace. Azor-alq, the hero god of light, purity, courage, and strength, will lead it. I may join it after some matters of state are resolved."


(OOC: 5 elite PLs and 1 epic PL for the present, designed to all be very effective against the undead.)

The relief workers in the Celestial Imperium of Tsian continue to distribute food and provide other forms of humanitarian aid. The clergy of the various faiths provide healing and other clerical magic, which probably shocks many in the Celestial Imperium. If asked about their faiths, the clergy of Al'Akbar and others freely tell others of their beliefs. They also share any information about the Baklunish Empire, its customs -- including a respect for the rule of law and a tradition of justice -- and explain about its ruler, the demigod Al'Akbar. The relief workers treat all local officials and lords with great respect but take no sides in the conflict.

(OOC: I recently reposted an overview of Al'Akbar's faith. Suffice it to say that some time talking to the Baklunish visitors to the Celestial Imperium will give an average person a good idea of who Al'Akbar is, his relationship to other deities, and an overview of the Baklunish Empire.)


Al'Akbar contacts the warring parties in the Celestial Imperium. and word of this message will no doubt reach the common people of that great land. The sending is verbal and visual.(Al'Akbar sends the message in the language of the Celestial Imperium.)

"In the name of the peoples of the Malkuvah Baklunim, the restored Baklunish Empire, I great you in peace and friendship. I am Emperor Al'Akbar, the High Cleric, the Restorer of Righteousness, demigod fo Guardianship, Faithfulness, Dignity, and Duty. The Baklunihs Empire and I respect the ancient culture and traditions of the Celestial Imperium of Tsian. If you so desire, I am willing to sponsor a conference where each of the warring parties may seek to resolve their differences. One of your greatest cities suffered the loss of innocent lives and took much damage. I ask each of you to consider how your conflicts may be resolved without causing further harm to the nation that you love."

"You are the heirs of a magnificient culture and civilization that has flourished for millenia. While I am not of your people, your language, your great works of literature and philosophy, as well as your many traditions are known to me. In the past, I have been honored to speak with many of the deities honored by your people. Know that their love for you is deeper than the foundations of the world and vaster than the space between the stars."

"I do not know why the gods of the Celestial Imperium fell silent. However, I am granting spells to clergy whose philosophical outlook parallels that of my own clergy. Some of my allies who are also demigods are granting spells to clergy whose views parallel their clerics. The Baklunish Empire will continue to supply food and other forms of humanitarian aid to all parties in the Celestial Imperium. All those aiding your people have been instructed to treat the citizens and leaders of your great land with the utmost respect."

"May all the peoples of the Celestial Imperium be blessed and sustained in these troubled times and soon see better days."

 

[Kalanyr]

OOC - Rikandur, you didn't need the assurance I'd already accepted I'm just noting what I find distasteful. The duel is most definitely on.

IC -
Faerinaal just stares at the Imp and sighs

"Believe as you will deviling. "

 

[Kalanyr]

Morwel gestures and a thinblade flies to her hand, from somewhere in the court, and she reaches out and grasps the Sendings hand.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

TO WILLIAM (Public)

[sblock]

Eilistraee sends this message to Al'Akbar. She cannot come personally, since she is aiding and protecting the drow in the Hospice of Stars.

To Al'Akbar:

Eclavdra was, sadly, quite sane.
Eclavdra saw that Corellon, my Father, would not forgive her. He would commit her spirit to the Abyss.
Eclavdra knew that death was nigh to her anyways, so she choose to give her death meaning, and afterwards to protect herself from my Fathers' wrath.
Al'Akbar, Corellon Larethian, my Father, is not the nice being most make him out to be.

When my Mother betrayed my Father, and invoked the Godswar, she was defeated and captured.
My Father cursed her. My Father banished her to the Abyss. My Fathers' curse made her over into what she is.
It could well be argued that such punishment was just. It could be argued that Mothers' betrayal merited any punishment imaginable.
And yet ...
Had he simply imprisoned her, and rehabilitated her, or tried to, she would not have become Lolth.
Had he shown mercy, even where mercy was not merited, then Lolth would not have come into being.
The Corruption of the Dark Elves would not have occurred.
The Descent of the Drow would not have occurred.
And a great Evil would have been averted. Unimaginable horror over millennia would have been spared the Children of Corellon.

However my Father, in his righteous rage, knew only justice, and his justice was swift and sure. It struck down the traitor, and it made her over into Demon, and it saw her banished to the Abyss.
And the horror that could be, was, and is.

Sometimes mercy is more than an act of altruism. Sometimes mercy can be an act of pragmatism.
Yet my father does not see it that way. And so, as you know well, the elves in general do not see it that way either. And also, as you know, most of the elves are celebrating the death of Eclavdra.
Eclavdra could not hope for mercy from my Father, and most certainly not from Mother.
The behavior of my Parents has harmed the People, brought unmeasurable suffering and misery, horror and death, upon them upon a thousand worlds, brought millennia of war and sorrow and ruin upon them.

The drow turn away from my Mother and my Brother now. As well they should, and my Mother and Brother both will find the draught of abandonment miserable, and painful, and withering, and perhaps they will come to feel a little of what they inflicted upon their own.
However ...
I hope that the People will turn away from my Father and the Seldarine. For my Father cursed the People as surely as he cursed my Mother, and the People were innocent of Mothers' treason.
Father will never stray from his righteous rage, will never forget or forgive, and will never stop punishing my Mother for the great treason she committed. If the People follow Father, then they too will never forget or forgive, and the division of the People will never be ended, and the horror and suffering will continue for millennia to come.

So yes, I hope the People will begin a Withdrawal of their own, and turn their faces from the Seldarine. Then perhaps Father will step down from the pedestal of righteous justice, and find that he must listen to his heart once more.

However, that is only what may be, and not what is.
Eclavdra, had no salvation. Caught between Righteous Wrath from Father, and Red Vengeance from Mother, there was no Mercy to be found.
Did not Lady Shadow say as much, at the TEC Summit?
And did not Iuz the Old say as much, after her vote?
Thanks to the insistence of my Fathers' righteous rage, they were right.
Eclavdra knew this. She understood the truth well.

The time has come for the People - all the People - to choose their own course, and not be beholden to the dispute between my Family. Enough is enough.
Not even the Gods have the right to dictate endless suffering and misery to their mortal children in the name of a Family Feud.
Let the People say it so.

[/sblock]

ALSO TO WILLIAM (Public)

[sblock]

Eilistraee concludes, in a harsh and resolute tone:

Eclavdra was a pawn, caught between the competing TEC Powers, who would use her to advance their agenda, heedless of bloody consequences and heedless of dangers from without.
The manipulation of Eclavdra by the TEC Powers aided in her death.
Thus it is with the elves and the drow.
They are pawns, caught between the competing Gods of the Seldarine, in their petty and endless feuds ... devoid of mercy or reason, locked in righteousness and vengeance and anger and madness, the Seldarine and Lolth alike heedless of the bloody consequences and heedless of dangers without.
And the result has been the death of millions of elves and drow, and the withering of the gardens of our People.
The manipulation of Eclavdra by the TEC Powers aided in her death.
The manipulations of Mother and Father aided in the death of Eclavdra.
I have a million suffering beings in this Hospice, yet that is a small suffering compared to the greater suffering Mother and Father have insistently, endlessly, decreed.
Well, it ends now. It ends now, before Mother and Father destroy all the People with their Feud.
I give to People and drow alike a new boon!
I give to them the Shining Lady!

[/sblock]

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Now that Gallador has taken a stance which is not directly hostile toward us, the Brotherhood will send the following immediately to Gibenei: 2 epPL, 25 elPL, 120 rPL. The two epics being Elder Brothers, and among the elites, clerics of Wee Jas who will now accept Al'Akbar's offered spells, assuming he doesn't mind them being used on a very tentative basis.

(Serpenteye, please correct me if my understanding of crazospace travel is wrong, and the listed epics and elites are unable to transport the listed regulars.)

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

Guilt Puppy, William, Uvenelei, Festy Dog, Xael, Knight Otu, Airwhale, Venus, Kalanyr!


It seems there are enough forces on Gibenei to proceed with crushing Vecna`s followers, and I don`t think time is on our side! Your generals are invited to help with military plans, I am now waiting for Serpenteye showing.

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

Hmm, it still seems like Warlords might have more regular troops( total IC of Gibenei is propably around 1200,), but we have decisive advantage in Elite and Epic Pl.

 

[Xael]

Melkor & other allied commanders:

[sblock]Mordenkainen gives his support on the idea of making quick strikes against the leaders and elite forces of their enemies with elite and epic troops, but notes that more information might be required. The number of enemy leaders and elite/epic forces and their position(s) should be known before taking any actions of such nature.

Mordenkainen doesn't like the idea of full war with regular troops, but if the enemy leaders are too well protected, he agrees that it is the only way. If such massive battles are to be fought, he points that he would like to bring 70 Regular PLs more to the battle, bringing his total number of Regular forces to 150 Regular PLs.[/sblock]

 

[Rikandur Azebol]

Preludium to Duel.

OOC - Rikandur, you didn't need the assurance I'd already accepted I'm just noting what I find distasteful. The duel is most definitely on.

IC -
Faerinaal just stares at the Imp and sighs

"Believe as you will deviling. "

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morwel gestures and a thinblade flies to her hand, from somewhere in the court, and she reaches out and grasps the Sendings hand.

OOC: Och, I know ... but in case that You might feel slighted I would like to know how You imagine Morwel in mortal shape. I'm betting my left ear that it is shocking sensation to her. Iuz ... remember mortality well enough. And I'm writing Iuz's personality along with tips of his battle strategies and schemes concerning Morwel so You could write Your part of "mixed" action satisfingly for both of Us. How do You imagine this duel ? Full of pathos, like old battles between Light and Darkness. Or like huge mistake made by two, not so different, persons ?

And, maybe, we should wait for finish for players interested in interfering, and Serpenteye.

Acha, DM, Iuz weakens himself to equal Morwel in PL's if he gained more than 0,1 over her. Ok ? This divine power goes to Gallador, temporarily making him Deity. He could easily guess from who it comes. Mostly Evil power, so he wouldn't go mad.

Anyways returning to "reality".

IC:
TEC Summit.

Imp gazed on Faerinnal and yelled on servant, demanding bottle of foul orcish vodka.

"Let it be ... we are both very nervous about those we held dear. I propose to drink."

Dorakaa, Circus's arena.

"Welcome. This is how to be just flesh to be grinded, remeber it well."

Spoke Iuz to Morwel, when weight of mortality fell on Queen's shoulders. Old One ? Yes it was him who take her here. Crude, dirty and filled with stench of blood. Awful place ...

"We have some time ... so prepare Yourself ... and put on some clothes, children will watch."

Iuz walked avay and instead of him come scarred hobgoblin, who eyed Morwel like piece of meat at butchery, not like woman, and spoke in his guttural voice.

"Old One wishes that his people see his triumph. Crowd is assembling ... You have time to prepare Yourself. Do You ever fought on arena ? You have good body, for an elf ... fine muscles, well devolped ... but do You have any experience ? I could give You few tips."

He looked on elven blade in her grasp, smiled to himself and gestured toward the rack filled with all manner of weaponry.

"Maybe You would consider ... heavier weapon ? This needle won't pierce demon's hide without magic. And You should take some dagger or two ... Demons use their fangs and nails often ... and Yours are much less useful."

He presented her with ugly dagger, sharpened freshly with barbed edge. Seeing her gaze hobgoblin smirked.

"Try to move it in the wound, crowd loves big bloodshed. And when one is screaming loudly."