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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 1615906" data-attributes="member: 1846">This is a horribly condensed version of the major events that led up to the end of the campaign, mostly from Cade's viewpoint. I've tried to mimic the excellent characters that simmo came up with, but they're a pale comparison to the real thing. It might appear in several parts. Revelations Cade and Caleb were sat in a bar, near to the Harmonium Headquarters. Littleby had headed inside with Dunster, intent on getting him healed up, and so while they waited for him to return they started doing some of what they did best - drinking and chatting. Accompanying them were Sir Osbourne de Maddox (sat very quietly in the next booth reading a religious text and drinking water), the three mephits (trying to steal everyone else's drinks/money/items/lives/souls) who were flapping about making a lot of noise and screeching at each other, and Bugger the Modron, who was busily examining his drink with minute detail. Cade had spotted a sign on the way in reading "All weapons must be declared before entry - The Management" and had swiftly changed it to "All weapons must be hidden before entry - The Harmonium" and was quietly observing the bartender scratch his head and try to work out when it had happened. A couple of regulars were also arguing for the return of their weapons so that they could hide them. Cade giggled. When the Expansionist Faction had come to take Dunster away (Cade's mental eyes widened at the sheer size of the fleet they had brought with them) they'd left several powerful magic items. Caleb and Cade had been discussing which ones should go to which people, when it occoured to them to see what would happen if Bugger the Modron recieved an Ioun Stone that would make him more intelligent. At this point Littleby returned, clutching a flagon of Dwarven Ale and muttering under his breath about the lack of a sense of humour prevalent in Harmonium Guards these days. He sat down next to Bugger and joined in on the conversation. Bugger had gone quiet after setting the Ioun Stone whizzing around his head. Various little clicks and whirrs came from him. Suddenly he looked up again and said: "New processes completed. Acessing higher functions. New information revealed." This stopped the inane conversation of everyone bar the mephits, who continued to discuss the relative eating habits of the various Elemental Lords. Littleby quickly asked Bugger what new information he had learned. "Revealing information to non-Modron life form brings cessation of existence via fail safe mechanism. Bugger regrets this." With some magical probing and a hefty break enchantment, and with some trepidation, the group tried to block the fail safe. Whatever this was, it was important. Modrons do not go about revealing information without good reason. Cade held his breath as Littleby asked the question again: "Fail safe mechanism...compromised." A little bit of grey-green fluid oozed from Bugger's mouth. "Bugger postulates reason for Modron March pausing. Modron March only pauses when Primus' attention is totally focused elsewhere. Modron March pauses at exact instant of death of major life forms, including Baron Bwimb. Extrapolation - Tenebrous is killing them. Further extrapolation - Tenebrous has killed Primus and is controlling the Modrons." Cade gasped. The concept that the leader of the Modrons had been replaced was horrifying. That he had been replaced with Tenebrous was worse. His mind raced to understand this...but Littleby had got there first. "If Tenebrous controls the Modrons, why are they marching early?" the Dwarven Loremaster spoke quietly to Bugger. "Modron March equals search for information leading to Wand of Orcus. Tenebrous requires Wand to return to full power. Modrons are unwittingly helping him." One of the mephits fainted at the news. "Bugger has compromised himself. Bugger will be hunted by other Modrons for revealing information. Bugger does not wish to end independant existence. Bugger will go to safe place." The Modron cast some sort of spell and began to sink into the floor, pausing for a second. "Wand of Orcus must not return to Tenebrous. Wand must be destroyed. Tenebrous must be destroyed." And with that, he was gone. Just at the moment, a Malkir walked through the door. Divergence And The Words of Power This Malkir had many arcane devices strapped all over him, and seemed somewhat agitated. "Ah, you're here. Good. You were supposed to be." He spoke rapidly, but in a  slightly distracted manner. "Now, at this point you've discovered...what you need to know. I tell you about the Words of Power, and we head off. Good." He glanced up. Caleb was still clearly trying to work out if this was actually Malkir or just someone that looked like him, Littlby was sat bolt upright in rapt attention...and Cade just grinned his normal smile. "Tenebrous has the Last Word. When spoken it...undoes...it's target. Totally. Beyond any form of return, bar one, the Word of Rebirth. It does, however, damage him every time he uses it, but if he gets to the Wand he'll have enough power to use it much more often. Which is, of course, bad for, well, the multiverse in general." He turned to Littlby "I can take you there." Littlby shut his mouth, caugh just before asking a question. Malkir spoke again. "You must come with me now. The Lady's forces don't like chronomancers - I'm a chronomancer, did I mention that yet? I forget - so I must leave. Meet me here." And he threw down a map before vanishing in a cloud of magical motes of light. Three dabu's burst through the door a second later and began questioning everyone in their speech bubble language. Cade got rid of them as quickly as he could. The group left a note for Serena to meet them at the location that Malkir had left, and headed to the portal. Cade wondered how Malkir was feeling now he'd obviously diverged again. Cade had heard it was supposed to be dangerous. Hopefully Malkir was ok, Cade felt a strange sort of kinship towards him.</blockquote>

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