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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gfunk" data-source="post: 955779" data-attributes="member: 1813">Props to Joachim for this contribution!Session 41 A Celestial Interlude Joachim gazed upon the Platinum Heaven from the ramparts of one of Mertion’s numerous citadels.  As one of Just God’s most powerful mortal agents, he had been granted lavish accommodations in the great celestial fortress.  Looking upon a vast sea of green, the Inquisitor saw large groups of archons and paladins marching crisply across the landscape.  One of Tyr’s many bastions of good and law, the citadel was constructed (or more appropriately, created) from seamless white marble.  In the distance, Joachim could see the City of Tempered Souls, known for its life-giving and restorative fountains.  He basked in the glow gently suffusing the entirety of the plane, regretting that he would have to leave this halcyonic place very soon.In addition to the extraordinary accommodations he had been granted, Joachim had been given the temporary services of a petitioner of Celestia, a Lantern Archon.  The small globe of light flitted back and forth, gathering the cleric’s adventuring gear together.  Joachim began to arm and equip himself, noting the polished sheen on his armor resulting from the minor celestial’s care.  He began to collect his thoughts, planning his next invasion into the Undying Temple.As he went over the scenario in his mind, Joachim heard a wondrous melody flowing downwards from the sky above.  The sound seemed to be that of a wordless song, one of grief the likes of which he had never heard.  The prayer was soon joined by another, then another, and another, until it seemed that an entire chorus was performing.Looking skyward Jocham stared in awe at the congregation of winged Seraphim and Cherubim all singing in unison.  Joachim had frequently heard Entropy refer to these magnificent beings as Solars and Planetars but right now those words seemed like the vulgar attempts of a mortal to ascribe simple names to the unfathomable.The heartrending aria continued, so beautiful and stirring that it seemed to magically affect all that heard it.  Below the Inquisitor, the legions of knights and templars dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in supplication.  Joachim found that he too fell to his knees, sobbing.  The choir’s melody slowly rose to a great crescendo, and the tone of mourning slowly changed from melancholy to rage.  At the highest point of the crescendo, the song ended, leaving only echoes in its wake.Swallowing the lump in his throat, Joachim turned to address his celestial steward.  To his surprise, even the brightness of the Lantern Archon seemed to have dimmed somewhat.  “What was that magnificent song?  I have never heard such music.”The celestial being intoned, “The high choirs are mourning.  Each has lost one of their number.”Wiping the remaining tears from his eyes, Joachim gathered his equipment from the Archon and began to prepare his spells.------------------------------------Just as Joachim began to open an interplanar portal to the Prime he abruptly stopped as a large shadow appeared over him.  Joachim looked up in awe as one of the Seraphim descended to the ramparts.  Teary-eyed but resolved, the great celestial being spoke, without introduction.“Hail, High Inquisitor!  The Maimed God has asked that I speak with you.”Bowing his head in obeisance, Joachim motioned for the Solar to continue.With poise and command, yet without expression, Tyr’s servant spoke, “Our destiny has been sealed to a once unthinkable fate.  We find ourselves in an unenviable position where we must render assistinance to your former comrade, the mad sorcerer Entropy.”The celestial spoke with such confidence that Joachim was wary to question, but nonetheless he was flabbergasted at such a statement, “Help Entropy?  But she is evil incarnate, intent on world destruction.  And you want me to help her?  I don’t understand!”The Seraphim replied without hesitation, “Yea Inquisitor, yet she is not the greater evil.  The dragon Nalavara represents a sure threat to all of Faerun’s future with her continued consumption of newly created souls.  Entropy, while a loathsome creature, is the key to the dragon’s destruction.  You will defend her, and together with the might of the Even-Handed you shall slay the demonic wyrm.”Joachim couldn’t believe his ears, “And what is to stop Entropy from killing me on sight?  You are aware, I am sure, that we share no love for each other.  And even if this dragon is destroyed, then what?  She will turn on me and blast me out of existence.  Afterwards, she can continue with her evil plans that much more unfettered.”“Listen to me, human.  You are ordered, by Tyr himself, to find Entropy and assist her.  We leave you to your own devices on how you may accomplish this.  After your task has been completed, the sorcerer’s fate is in your hands, however, know this: I have a score to settle with that one.  My name is Israfel, and she forced me, against my will, to fight for her against a mighty fiend.  And, as you may have learned from our chorus, Entropy has slain one of our number.  She is to be brought to justice, one way or another.”Joachim stuttered in shocked disbelief.  “En-En-Entropy is responsible for what I just heard?!?”Without blinking, the angel replied, “Yes.  And she has succeeded.  My cherished comrade Eco and her consort Brahmin have both been murdered in cold blood.  Both were guarding the prison of a fallen deity, one who had committed the ultimate crime as ordained by the Overdeity." Israfel paused.  His mission was complete, yet he had a personal request to make, "Though Tyr’s orders in this matter are clear, I beseech you on behalf of the First Choir to recover Eco’s weapon.  It was made by Moradin himself on the Soul Forge in Erackinor.  It is now in the possession of one who was a beacon of light but has now been corrupted utterly by the Revenancer.”Joachim was quickly going from confused to frustrated.  “So if I am to understand . . . Lord Tyr orders that I rejoin an evil ex-comrade of mine that is bent on world destruction, destroy a near-deific ancient dragon, finally bring Entropy to justice, oh, and recover the sword of a near-deific Solar that Entropy killed herself?  All without dying?"A smile cracked the stone-hard exterior of Israfel’s visage, a rare event indeed, “There is no need for such scorn, Inquisitor.  You should be honored, as a mortal you alone can do what the combined might of the Seraphim cannot – enter the Bastion of Unborn Souls.  And take heart in the fact that if you fall, you will join the ranks of the Bene Elim.  Such is the fate of the greatest of Tyr's martyrs.”</blockquote>

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