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Aphonion Tales: The Archducal Council -- Unedited notes; later posts are edited transcripts (posts MWF, update 3/1/23)
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<blockquote data-quote="CPaladin" data-source="post: 8782309" data-attributes="member: 7030144"><p>[Session 128, cont'd]</p><p>7 Ke-Ras</p><p>The Eldar Archmage arrives via voller, and then descends by levitation.</p><p></p><p>They exchange pleasantries.</p><p></p><p>He is Lord Alinar Wranbalar of the House of Telepse olwa (“Silverbranch”). Noting their surprise at his casting levitation magic without any verbal or somatic expressions, he explains that he only uses signs, rituals, and such folderol for magic when he does domain magic; the other magics he just does, as he has done them since the beginning of time. He also points out the domain magic in effect here—a blessing giving the Duchy of Canberry crop fertility, cast when humans first settled here and were kind to the local fey, pleasing the Eldar.</p><p></p><p>He goes to examine the demon, and Kit and Alistair take their leave of him while Dame Brionna travels with him to the laboratory where the demon corpse is warded. (He also makes a comment when we mention the archon about how surprising it was when Glordiadel appeared, but also how pleased they were with Glordiadel’s staying power.)</p><p></p><p>He then begins examining the demon. He has a vial from the Forest of Singing Leaves that he thinks should suffice to break the artifact, which is still pulling energy in, even through the wards. He recommends encasing it in lead, introducing the vial, and doing that in a place that can handle an explosion of up to 9000 cubic yards. We appropriately reinforce a large ballroom.</p><p></p><p>They send that warning to the Empire of the North via a sending by Bishop Waters.</p><p></p><p>As he examines it, Lord Alinar writes with a crystal pen on a sheet of beaten platinum.</p><p></p><p>It is a list of names, that correspond to classes of creatures. Any of these could be bound by the belt if they had the strength to bring it through. The blockade prevents them from bringing through anything more powerful than a Tomua.</p><p></p><p>The Unseen Seen - in Eldar noted “of the substance of all”</p><p>The Chengeth - also titled in Eldar “the insatiable” “the consumer” and “Never pleased.”</p><p>The Tomua - titled in Eldar “The consumer of flesh” and again “the drinker of all water.” <- This is the one that this was binding, if they had the strength to bring it through it would have been worse - this could bind and embody ANY OF THESE (in common)</p><p>The Dwellers in Nukuom - noted in Eldar “a swarming horde”</p><p>Zanatul - noted with the Eldron words “the whisperers”</p><p>Piyai - in Eldar “the Seductresses” a later note in a different hand, also in Eldar “drinkers of all of man’s essence and soul.”</p><p>Mi’ryel - titled in Eldar “the eater of its mother:</p><p>The Spawn - note in Eldron “of the one other” note in Eldar “gatherers for the final gate.”</p><p></p><p>"This belt was bound to a Tomua—since it was worn by a Chengeth, the Tomua is still free."</p><p></p><p>The Council asks about the arctic exploration, and he says that there was an arctic gate at one time. He assumed it was permanently depowered. But if they can recharge it—or if Arthranax has been able to create new entities in his plane in this planar neighborhood, he could bring them through with much less energy. The energy could be supplied by sacrificing perhaps 10,000 elves, or perhaps 500,000 humans.</p><p></p><p>He reports that they have bombarded a half-dozen isolated altars of vile cults in Hanal in the last month, and that he thinks the Aufaulgautharim have done likewise. We ask for a map, to see if there is an obvious arcane pattern.</p><p></p><p>Hanal City has over a million people (the only other city besides Enclaves and Canberry City of that size). Many are fleeing, but it’s unclear how many are from the city versus the countryside. The energy dome has repelled a bombardment by both the Eldar and separately the Noldar. We don’t really know what’s going on inside the dome.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna asks if they could use her spear to anchor a scrying, and he says that he could, using his farsensing to guide her eyes. It would only be dangerous if they were psionically observing the spear.</p><p></p><p>They may also be trying to consume the magical artifacts in Hanal City to provide additional power.</p><p></p><p>"Once Quinliart is defeated, and he will be, the amount of clean-up that will be needed in Hanal City, not to mention the rest of the country… it will be difficult for that city to ever be productive again. And if I were advising Princess Anastasia, I would recommend she move the capital, rather than rebuild directly."</p><p></p><p>Kit speaks with Princess Anastasia. She describes what we know about Hanal City and what is going on there. She then asks how much magical power they had in Hanal City, and especially if there are any artifacts of elven origin, since those would have the most power.</p><p></p><p>Very few elven artifacts, but the armory was significant, and when her mother gathered items, they went into the armory, not to the army. There were hundreds, including dozens of powerful items. The only major elven item was a staff that no one dared touch, because it could control minds, and it did not like being there. (There are about 1000 levels of magic items, plus the staff, and a strange crystal artifact about which she knows nothing else.) She is sure that the staff would fight—it would never just give in.</p><p></p><p>They report back, and ask Lord Alinar if there is any way to talk to that staff. "Perhaps, but there is no connection. It would be dangerous to have Princess Anastasia engage in psionic matters. If they did detect her…"</p><p></p><p>They clear the halls and march with the belt buckle (which Lord Alinar suspends in a magic field) to a ballroom prepared for destruction with walls of force from the Archducal Coven. We start setting off fireworks and ringing bells to cover up the expected sound. Lord Alinar takes out a phial that glows brighter than the sun, says a prayer in Eldron, and touches the phial to the belt buckle. The pillars are demolished, the phial is gone, the buckle is gone, but "the Tomua will know what we did. We can hope that it will do something stupid in response, but they rarely do."</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna and Lord Alinar then go to a scrying room to try to scry on the spear. He asks Dame Brionna to focus on the spear, picturing each detail, and suddenly her vision zooms in and she’s looking at her spear, hung on a wall of trophies, along with a number of banners of lesser Hanalian houses, a couple other weapons, the mitre of a Paranswarmian bishop… likely foes that the Queen-Empress views as defeated. They are in the throne room, though the Queen-Empress is not. There are a few people gathered around a battle map on the table, with all the lines laid out, their people, the Inquisition, Snatterkazian troops, and Bormark. They also see clear markings of certain troop movements, mostly of their troop movements. Kit and Dame Brionna work together to take a clear map. Even now, having lost tens of thousands of troops, the field armies still loyal to the usurper outnumber Canberry’s army at least 2 to 1. The vollers are also much thinner in the air, but their vollerworks are marked on the map, as are some warship movements. (The Council passes on the information about the vollerworks to Ecsilias.)</p><p></p><p>“Bormark must fall first. Not only are they the greatest traitors, but their forces are closest to our most valuable assets.” Some of the strategic assets are marked, notably some mines that are imperial mines near Bormark. One of the vollerworks is close to Bormark. There are three total vollerworks, plus the one in the capital that is now unusable. They hope to cut off the link between Bormark’s lines and the Inquisition’s lines.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna is able to reach out to detect evil through the spear. Of the five generals, only one senses as clearly, profoundly evil (the one talking about the horrible things that should be done to the Cov of Bormark). He does not appear to be the high general. A page brings in a note to the general. Dame Brionna tries to read it and sees it is a dispatch reporting civilian casualties in the last twenty-four hours inside the city. He seems dejected by the toll. The generals wrap up and depart, and servants clean the room.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna tries to follow one of the servants with the scrying. This palace is not well staffed compared to what she would expect. She notes seeing several young men in various shades of green who look very young, but wearing house colors and serving as junior officers. They do not seem enthusiastic. Dame Brionna and Kit mark down their coats of arms.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna abruptly sees several of the young men fall into a crouching bow. An incredibly elegant, elven of some type or another, woman sweeps into the scene. Dame Brionna immediately withdraws.</p><p></p><p>“That was a Noldar,” comments Lord Alinar. “I believe that is Lord Quinliart’s sister. She is a powerful coercer. The feeling that was wrong there… I have not experienced it since the war.”</p><p></p><p>They share all this intelligence with Princess Anastasia and with the Inquisition, including pointing out the mitre, which they might be able to anchor a scrying.</p><p></p><p>The specific mines are silver mines. They speculate that they may be trying to mine mithril, which sometimes appears in small quantities near silver veins, and is key to summoning the Chengoth and similar creatures.</p><p></p><p>Lord Alinar says that he intends to remain until the Tomua has also been located. "The Tomua are more intelligent than most of them—not as powerful as some, but more intelligent, and can be given charge over some of them, as here."</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p>The Council asks the Body for a report on Quinliart’s sister.</p><p>[End Session 128]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CPaladin, post: 8782309, member: 7030144"] [Session 128, cont'd] 7 Ke-Ras The Eldar Archmage arrives via voller, and then descends by levitation. They exchange pleasantries. He is Lord Alinar Wranbalar of the House of Telepse olwa (“Silverbranch”). Noting their surprise at his casting levitation magic without any verbal or somatic expressions, he explains that he only uses signs, rituals, and such folderol for magic when he does domain magic; the other magics he just does, as he has done them since the beginning of time. He also points out the domain magic in effect here—a blessing giving the Duchy of Canberry crop fertility, cast when humans first settled here and were kind to the local fey, pleasing the Eldar. He goes to examine the demon, and Kit and Alistair take their leave of him while Dame Brionna travels with him to the laboratory where the demon corpse is warded. (He also makes a comment when we mention the archon about how surprising it was when Glordiadel appeared, but also how pleased they were with Glordiadel’s staying power.) He then begins examining the demon. He has a vial from the Forest of Singing Leaves that he thinks should suffice to break the artifact, which is still pulling energy in, even through the wards. He recommends encasing it in lead, introducing the vial, and doing that in a place that can handle an explosion of up to 9000 cubic yards. We appropriately reinforce a large ballroom. They send that warning to the Empire of the North via a sending by Bishop Waters. As he examines it, Lord Alinar writes with a crystal pen on a sheet of beaten platinum. It is a list of names, that correspond to classes of creatures. Any of these could be bound by the belt if they had the strength to bring it through. The blockade prevents them from bringing through anything more powerful than a Tomua. The Unseen Seen - in Eldar noted “of the substance of all” The Chengeth - also titled in Eldar “the insatiable” “the consumer” and “Never pleased.” The Tomua - titled in Eldar “The consumer of flesh” and again “the drinker of all water.” <- This is the one that this was binding, if they had the strength to bring it through it would have been worse - this could bind and embody ANY OF THESE (in common) The Dwellers in Nukuom - noted in Eldar “a swarming horde” Zanatul - noted with the Eldron words “the whisperers” Piyai - in Eldar “the Seductresses” a later note in a different hand, also in Eldar “drinkers of all of man’s essence and soul.” Mi’ryel - titled in Eldar “the eater of its mother: The Spawn - note in Eldron “of the one other” note in Eldar “gatherers for the final gate.” "This belt was bound to a Tomua—since it was worn by a Chengeth, the Tomua is still free." The Council asks about the arctic exploration, and he says that there was an arctic gate at one time. He assumed it was permanently depowered. But if they can recharge it—or if Arthranax has been able to create new entities in his plane in this planar neighborhood, he could bring them through with much less energy. The energy could be supplied by sacrificing perhaps 10,000 elves, or perhaps 500,000 humans. He reports that they have bombarded a half-dozen isolated altars of vile cults in Hanal in the last month, and that he thinks the Aufaulgautharim have done likewise. We ask for a map, to see if there is an obvious arcane pattern. Hanal City has over a million people (the only other city besides Enclaves and Canberry City of that size). Many are fleeing, but it’s unclear how many are from the city versus the countryside. The energy dome has repelled a bombardment by both the Eldar and separately the Noldar. We don’t really know what’s going on inside the dome. Dame Brionna asks if they could use her spear to anchor a scrying, and he says that he could, using his farsensing to guide her eyes. It would only be dangerous if they were psionically observing the spear. They may also be trying to consume the magical artifacts in Hanal City to provide additional power. "Once Quinliart is defeated, and he will be, the amount of clean-up that will be needed in Hanal City, not to mention the rest of the country… it will be difficult for that city to ever be productive again. And if I were advising Princess Anastasia, I would recommend she move the capital, rather than rebuild directly." Kit speaks with Princess Anastasia. She describes what we know about Hanal City and what is going on there. She then asks how much magical power they had in Hanal City, and especially if there are any artifacts of elven origin, since those would have the most power. Very few elven artifacts, but the armory was significant, and when her mother gathered items, they went into the armory, not to the army. There were hundreds, including dozens of powerful items. The only major elven item was a staff that no one dared touch, because it could control minds, and it did not like being there. (There are about 1000 levels of magic items, plus the staff, and a strange crystal artifact about which she knows nothing else.) She is sure that the staff would fight—it would never just give in. They report back, and ask Lord Alinar if there is any way to talk to that staff. "Perhaps, but there is no connection. It would be dangerous to have Princess Anastasia engage in psionic matters. If they did detect her…" They clear the halls and march with the belt buckle (which Lord Alinar suspends in a magic field) to a ballroom prepared for destruction with walls of force from the Archducal Coven. We start setting off fireworks and ringing bells to cover up the expected sound. Lord Alinar takes out a phial that glows brighter than the sun, says a prayer in Eldron, and touches the phial to the belt buckle. The pillars are demolished, the phial is gone, the buckle is gone, but "the Tomua will know what we did. We can hope that it will do something stupid in response, but they rarely do." Dame Brionna and Lord Alinar then go to a scrying room to try to scry on the spear. He asks Dame Brionna to focus on the spear, picturing each detail, and suddenly her vision zooms in and she’s looking at her spear, hung on a wall of trophies, along with a number of banners of lesser Hanalian houses, a couple other weapons, the mitre of a Paranswarmian bishop… likely foes that the Queen-Empress views as defeated. They are in the throne room, though the Queen-Empress is not. There are a few people gathered around a battle map on the table, with all the lines laid out, their people, the Inquisition, Snatterkazian troops, and Bormark. They also see clear markings of certain troop movements, mostly of their troop movements. Kit and Dame Brionna work together to take a clear map. Even now, having lost tens of thousands of troops, the field armies still loyal to the usurper outnumber Canberry’s army at least 2 to 1. The vollers are also much thinner in the air, but their vollerworks are marked on the map, as are some warship movements. (The Council passes on the information about the vollerworks to Ecsilias.) “Bormark must fall first. Not only are they the greatest traitors, but their forces are closest to our most valuable assets.” Some of the strategic assets are marked, notably some mines that are imperial mines near Bormark. One of the vollerworks is close to Bormark. There are three total vollerworks, plus the one in the capital that is now unusable. They hope to cut off the link between Bormark’s lines and the Inquisition’s lines. Dame Brionna is able to reach out to detect evil through the spear. Of the five generals, only one senses as clearly, profoundly evil (the one talking about the horrible things that should be done to the Cov of Bormark). He does not appear to be the high general. A page brings in a note to the general. Dame Brionna tries to read it and sees it is a dispatch reporting civilian casualties in the last twenty-four hours inside the city. He seems dejected by the toll. The generals wrap up and depart, and servants clean the room. Dame Brionna tries to follow one of the servants with the scrying. This palace is not well staffed compared to what she would expect. She notes seeing several young men in various shades of green who look very young, but wearing house colors and serving as junior officers. They do not seem enthusiastic. Dame Brionna and Kit mark down their coats of arms. Dame Brionna abruptly sees several of the young men fall into a crouching bow. An incredibly elegant, elven of some type or another, woman sweeps into the scene. Dame Brionna immediately withdraws. “That was a Noldar,” comments Lord Alinar. “I believe that is Lord Quinliart’s sister. She is a powerful coercer. The feeling that was wrong there… I have not experienced it since the war.” They share all this intelligence with Princess Anastasia and with the Inquisition, including pointing out the mitre, which they might be able to anchor a scrying. The specific mines are silver mines. They speculate that they may be trying to mine mithril, which sometimes appears in small quantities near silver veins, and is key to summoning the Chengoth and similar creatures. Lord Alinar says that he intends to remain until the Tomua has also been located. "The Tomua are more intelligent than most of them—not as powerful as some, but more intelligent, and can be given charge over some of them, as here." * * * The Council asks the Body for a report on Quinliart’s sister. [End Session 128] [/QUOTE]
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Aphonion Tales: The Archducal Council -- Unedited notes; later posts are edited transcripts (posts MWF, update 3/1/23)
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