"Thank you Aureus, a reasonable solution. It appears we need to find your other child Qi," Phar says in draconic and then repeats for the others before continuing. "For my part we will not force you to stay together or to go with this Soldier of Iron. His fanaticism makes me a little uncomfortable..." He trails off rather than say more about the man.
"He seemed so reasonable before now," Aureus notes about Aries. "He's a better actor than I."
"That man has been indoctrinated into a powerful militant order," Qi says in Draconic. Phar translates. "It is strange. I've heard of these soldiers but I never thought they were so fanatical. They are long-time protectors of the Kingdom of Stonn. Yes, they have been secretive in the past, but I thought them more accepting. Of course, humans can be fleeting. What was true in one century often changes in the next."
She pauses. "And, yes, I would very much appreciate you finding Ta’kira’kerymor, so that they don't languish alone somewhere lost and unusued. But, your mission to find the items stolen from the slain half-ogre boy must come first. You did give your word to Lady Pendour, so you must get back his signet ring."
Maur motions for Aureus to take Qi from the table. "Good luck, Qi. If only more of your children took after you and not...meh, we don't choose our parent nor our traits. We just deal with life as it comes."
Aureus takes Qi from the table, carefully. The adamantine rod doesn't try to overwhelm her, which makes the hutaakan relax. Then, she tilts her head as if she's listening to someone talking to her. "Well, Qi's definitely telepathic." Aureus looks to Maur. "She says thank you."
Quinn looks down to the ground where he put Cruel Justice in behavioral modification training and steels his own will as he reaches down, draws the blade out of the earth, cleans it off and sheaths it. He carefully presses the soil closed where it has been parted then walks over to Caerth and apologizes for stabbing nature.
Quinn can sense that Cruel Justice is still upset, but he's not holding a grudge against his partner. The adamantine scimitar doesn't speak to Quinn telepathically, but Quinn does get a feeling that CJ doesn't trust Aries any more. Quinn also gets a wave of relief from the blade that Qi has found a new person to hopefully bond with. He approves of her choice to travel with Aureus.
Cruel Justice remains silent and Quinn senses the blade isn't interested in talking; however, Qi responds but this time it is Aureus who translates through the new telepathic bond.
"While she's not willing to help fight in a war, she is willing to help try to prevent war from claiming these lands. She doesn't want us to take her and her family into a battle against Vok. The others would likely be willing to help us fight. Azurak would probably love such a war." Aureus pauses as Qi speaks to her in her mind. "She doesn't think that the Star Arms alone would be enough to stand against a Vok. And definitely not a god as powerful as Druaga."
Angus can feel Azurak's glee at the thought of a bloody war.
"Tir ti onureth bepres wer Caex Ithquenti," Qi says aloud in Draconic.
"She says not to underestimate the Sword Gods," Aureus notes while looking a Maur. "That seems mainly to be for you," the hutaakan says to the dwarf champion. Aureus pauses again while Qi talks to her telepathically. "I'm not sure I understand everything she just said, but she did want to emphasize that while Druaga is not a greater god, his liege, the Sword God known as Mussin, is that powerful and might come to other god's aid if a divine feud brews between Moradin and Druaga."
Aureus puts Qi down for a moment. "Sorry, too much, too fast." She rubs her head. "Aries mentioned that god too. This dark god destroyed a world... is that really true?"
"Mussin did destroy the sister world of Kulan," Qi says in Draconic. This time Phar translates. "That much of the soldier's rant was true. The Star Arms are not connected to that world nor did we witness its destruction in the heavens. Our home had fallen to Kulan long before the God of Decay initiated his Dark Purge, which ripped Trel apart. He and another dark Trelian god fell to Kulan and were found and saved by the traitor whose name I will not utter. That dark trio formed the initial triumvirate that would spawn the Sword Gods."
"Then came something else, the Earthfiend," Aureus searches her mind trying to make sense of what Qi showed her.
"Yes, the Dark One... the Banished Darkness who is now trapped in Carceri," Qi continues. "While that old god can do little to intervene on the mortal plane any more, his cult still exists and if they get involved in a war against the Strandlands, it could spark a Second Mortals' War or a Third Ogre War. That must not happen."
Aureus looks at Caerth. "The Star Arms aren't powerful enough to tip the scales in our favor against gods, and probably not Vok either."
OOC:
Notes about the Sword Gods: Besides Druaga and Mussin, there are seven other active Sword Gods known. This includes Angrboda, the Mother of Monsters; Battus, The Bloody Sword; Belinik, Lord of Strife; Math fab Mathonwy, Lord of Curses; Nether, God of Hate and Tyranny; Xuar, The Jealous Arcane; and a demigod king named Mitica Popecu II who rules over the Dark Kingdom from the City of Kirwa on the distant western island known as Teverroot.
The Dark One, Hiisi, once ruled over the Sword Gods during the Divinity War that was fought between the Sword Gods and the North Gods. (Note that while Moradin is considered an honorary member of the North Gods, his bond with those gods isn't as strong as that of Corellon's or Yondalla's.) The Divinity War is estimated to have ended over a thousand years ago when the young North God of Honor (named Jaeger) sacrificed himself to imprison Hiisi in Carceri. Since then, the deities of the two pantheons have not fought a physical war in the heavens, but their mortal followers on Harqual often clash both politically and on the battlefield. While it is considered bad form for one of these gods to manifest on the Material Plane, it isn't completely forbidden.
Cronn, the Grandfather of the North Gods, for example, sent an avatar to help defend the Great Northern Army that was formed during the war that broke out between the Empire of Swords and the lands (Ahamudia) transported to Harqual from the Dark World, Maran (Aureus's home world). Cronn did this in response to Last Sword Emperor opening a gate to the Abyss, which allowed a demon army to spill out of the Sword Citadel onto the streets of the Imperial city and beyond. (Tens of thousands on both sides died that day.) Without Cronn's aid, the entire Ragik Peninsula might have been overrun by demons. Many scholars and oracles believe that Druaga helped the emperor open the gate, which was destroyed by Cronn.
"You're welcome, Qi. Try to understand that not everyone who fights is violent by nature. I'm not one of those, I enjoy a good fight. But there are those who fight out of necessity. And you may come into the situation to fight for your right to be at peace. Especially if the war comes to these lands."
Maur waves to the rod "Good luck with Aureus."
He heaves up from the chair that creaks alarmingly as the armored bulk shifts yet again "I better go check on Aries."
Caerth nods, taking it all in. So the Star Arms may be willing, mostly, to join the struggle against Vok, but they alone are not enough to defeat the Demon Lord, let alone Druaga. That seems an honest answer, finally, although not what the druid had hoped for.
Perhaps if all of the Arms were to be forged into one powerful item? he muses. But no, any weapon or tool alone is fragile and the risk of losing it to the forces of the Abyss would be too great. Besides, is the strength of nature and people confined to artificial trinkets? No!
"Before you go," Caerth halts Maur. "Apart from through you, how can we make sure Moradin stands besides us against Vok? And the other good gods of the world?"
He thinks for a moment. How would he himself summon the full might of nature against this most unnatural foe? Perhaps he should consult an archdruid.
Or Aeron.
"We need more allies," he sighs, repeating his earlier statements and feeling the dire need even more.
Feeling a guilty twinge about Brutus, the half-orc nevertheless adds, "And we need to get Ta’kira’kerymor first."
"Wait, I think Qi is advising against getting Moradin involved as that might bring the Sword God into the fight. I do not wish to be responsible for spawning a Divinity war. No good can come of that for mortals." He shakes his head. "Some of these arms might help even if they cannot tip the balance, but I think we must seek allies that will not bring the Sword Gods down on us. There must be other ways to counter Vok's power."
"I'm not such an important champion for Moradin to take direct hand. Especially if that would endanger more people. On the other hand, followers and servants of Dark gods...I can deal with them with his blessings without him directly involving himself."
Maur is not trying to sound humble, he is aware that he is one of the most powerful champions on the world. But not THE most powerful. And this little uprising from a small cult of an obscure goddess is hardly realms shaking. Demon being included is bad...but that's still just a demon plot. "Direct manifestation bodes ill for these realms, but it wouldn't be Creator's doing, but the foul ones."
Caerth nods, taking it all in. So the Star Arms may be willing, mostly, to join the struggle against Vok, but they alone are not enough to defeat the Demon Lord, let alone Druaga. That seems an honest answer, finally, although not what the druid had hoped for.
Perhaps if all of the Arms were to be forged into one powerful item? he muses. But no, any weapon or tool alone is fragile and the risk of losing it to the forces of the Abyss would be too great. Besides, is the strength of nature and people confined to artificial trinkets? No!
"You're welcome, Qi. Try to understand that not everyone who fights is violent by nature. I'm not one of those, I enjoy a good fight. But there are those who fight out of necessity. And you may come into the situation to fight for your right to be at peace. Especially if the war comes to these lands."
Maur waves to the rod "Good luck with Aureus."
Aureus looks towards the inn. "Maybe we should just leave him behind," she says. "I don't think we can trust him."
JustinCase said:
"Before you go," Caerth halts Maur. "Apart from through you, how can we make sure Moradin stands besides us against Vok? And the other good gods of the world?"
"While I haven't been on your world for very long, I did hear the story about how Cronn appeared to counter the demon order at the Siege of the Sword Citadel. That god's influence is growing among the people of Ahamudia. Even some of my people worship him now. But, Cronn is a god of the northern people, so I don't know how strong his influence is these lands."
"Wait, I think Qi is advising against getting Moradin involved as that might bring the Sword God into the fight. I do not wish to be responsible for spawning a Divinity war. No good can come of that for mortals." He shakes his head. "Some of these arms might help even if they cannot tip the balance, but I think we must seek allies that will not bring the Sword Gods down on us. There must be other ways to counter Vok's power."
"There are gods and other beings that stand apart from both pantheons. Interloper Gods who have no stake in the fight either way, but they aren't always reliable... or goodhearted. There are also the Celestial Paragons. They have little stake in the feud between the the two pantheons, although they do respect some of the good North Gods such as Jalivier. Their followers are righteous but, they will probably wish to control or destroy us."
"We should avoid getting any other gods involved, if possible," Aureus suggests. "We need to find mortal help."
"That will be hard to come by," Qi notes. "You would have to beseech a knightly order that has no ties to any gods but only to goodly ideals. I'm not a student of violence, so I do not know where you should start. Cruel Justice might."
Quinn can feel through his connection to Cruel Justice that Qi is trying to get Cruel Justice to speak his mind or least tell Quinn where to look for more help. But, the two intelligent items are equally matched and it is a mental stalemate.
"He still won't talk to me," Qi says. "So stubborn."
"I'm not such an important champion for Moradin to take direct hand. Especially if that would endanger more people. On the other hand, followers and servants of Dark gods...I can deal with them with his blessings without him directly involving himself."
Maur is not trying to sound humble, he is aware that he is one of the most powerful champions on the world. But not THE most powerful. And this little uprising from a small cult of an obscure goddess is hardly realms shaking. Demon being included is bad...but that's still just a demon plot. "Direct manifestation bodes ill for these realms, but it wouldn't be Creator's doing, but the foul ones."
"Vok is a demon, yes, but he is a demon who was born here on the Material Plane. His plot is likely conquest of the continent or at least the lands his armies can reach. Malotoch could be a pawn to him or it could be the other way around. I know from my time in her cultist's temple that she sees Vok as her pawn."
"While Vok does not have a direct link to the abyss," Aureus concludes through the telepathic link with Qi. "Malotoch does."
JustinCase said:
He thinks for a moment. How would he himself summon the full might of nature against this most unnatural foe? Perhaps he should consult an archdruid.
Or Aeron.
"We need more allies," he sighs, repeating his earlier statements and feeling the dire need even more.
Feeling a guilty twinge about Brutus, the half-orc nevertheless adds, "And we need to get Ta’kira’kerymor first."
"You could beseech one of the Majestics, druid. Those ancient dragons often have abilities or insights well beyond their kin. Chosen by Mirella to be paragons of the Balance on the mortal world. They rarely act, however. Vok might not be enough of a threat even though he infests the natural word with his blood elves and demon kin."
"Dragons are dangerous," Aureus insists. "They love only their hordes."
"The Majestic dragons of Kulan love nature before all else, Lady Aureus," Qi counters. "Their hordes reflect that love. To them, an ancient tree in a primordial grove is more beloved that a horde of gold or gems."
"That sounds, backwards," Aureus replies.
"Majestics stand above their normal kin," Qi says. "Normal dragons often horde wealth, especially those that have gone rogue and disregard the Balance." Qi pauses. "This makes the Majestics rare, unusual, and a bit aloof from the world. Even when the Ogre Wars were raging, they did not get directly involved. They stood apart and protected the sacred places of Harqual from being ravaged from both sides."
She speaks to Caerth again. "Regardless of what you choose to do, Caerth Heart-of-Oak, you will definitely need more allies if you wish to counter Malotoch, Vok, and their followers. While Lady Pendour is a stout woman with a good heart, she cannot offer the support you will need. Her resources are limited and she must answer to those above her."
"The Gerousia," Aureus adds. "CJ told me about that the Strandlands' senate values age and military service for its members. Maybe we should go see they can help. At least, we should tell them that Vok's followers might try to attack the Strandlands. But, we really should go get Qi's other child first, and then we must find that ring for Lady Pendour."
"You must also destroy the temple under Gurnard's Head," Qi suggests. "It must not be allowed to fester."
OOC:
@Neurotic, I'm going to add a second post a bit later that will be for Maur going to check on Aries. EDIT: It's not going to be until sometime on Saturday.
Anyone else going with him?
FYI, Knowledge checks can be rolled to try to think of people that the PCs might have heard of that could help them against Malotoch and Vok.
Knowledge (arcana) for any powerful magical guilds in the region. Knowledge (nature) for the Majestic Dragons and Harqual's archdruids. Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (the planes) for the Interloper Gods or Celestial Paragons, respectively. Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (nobility and royalty) for either the Gerousia or any known knightly orders common to the Strandlands.
Maur thinks about different facets of the crisis in the Strandlands, but he only knows anything about gods. Local nobility is far too distant from his experiences from The Deep Earth. He was never trying to get to know the surface before he was sent up, so nature is as much mystery to him as local nobles.
Yet, he could have known more about the planar creatures...but knowing enough to hurt the bad ones was always enough for him. Now...it would be useful to know something about celestials...but he cannot remember anything relevant.
Phar taps a slender finger to his lips in contemplation. "Yes, I must think on who might be able and willing to lend aid to this cause. " His eyes seem to lose focus as his thoughts turn inward.
"There may be some who are willing to help," Caerth muses quietly as he considers what he knows about Majestic Dragons and archdruids. He is particularly interested in getting powerful dragons on their side, and in his head he is calculating how fast he can get to one using magic.
"If I travel through the roots of the world's trees, I may reach potential allies quickly, but I will be gone for at least a few days. This Vok creature did not seem in any hurry, so perhaps we can take that time?"
