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

[Knight Otu]

Aerdi sends diplomats to the Great City for the TEC Summit and the Drow Resolution. They state that they agree with King Rhynnon on the matters of both issues, and urge again all side to cease hostilities in the Underdark until the Summit has been finished.

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

Lord Gallador is currenlty unavailible, Princess Lanfear will represent Gallador`s Concord on the TEC Pact meeting( and Princess Meliana might be there, but she is insane to an extent).

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

Guilt Puppy!

A sinister looking(OOC: think all those little girls in horror movies like Ring or www.fear.com) human girl around 10 years old appears before Iuz and Elder Brothers:

"No, how dare you strike Grandpa Iuz, traitors! He protected Eclavdra from this Elistraee whore, we must harm her, not Iuz! My father, Lord Gallador, will punish your actions against his ally!"

If Iuz is gravely injured, Meliana will try to teleport him to his stronghold.

 

[Rikandur Azebol]

When Elistraee falls, six individuals in sleek red garb, faces obscured by ornate masks, teleport in to surround Iuz. One speaks: "We consider that the theft of Eclavadra's Regalia represents an attack equal to her life. The terms of the pact are clear." The voice is Abbon Craylor's, and he says it with a judicial lack of enthusiasm.

The Elder Brothers attack Iuz.

Meanwhile:

Messages are sent to members of the TEC Pact, starting with the Wolf God.

"We hold Iuz in treason for the theft of Eclavdra's Regalia. Regardless of our position regarding her power, that resolution has not been reached, and so is not binding. Eclavdra is, for the moment, afforded full protection, and likewise Iuz must be held fully responsible for his actions.

We shall shortly loose the reins on our Brothers in the North, who have longed for revenge against his Empire. We request full passage from those territories which lie en route. When we have routed his Empire, the territory shall belong to those who have most assisted us."

The Scarlet Brotherhood moves no troops, just yet.

OOC:
Guilt Puppy, magnificient coup. I congratulate ... But Elder Brothers risk more than just their lives. Iuz can eat souls. He's also Demon Prince. And have Powerful Artifact in his hands ... that is fully capable of giving him edge over the goddes !
Unless very lucky, some Brothers will die today. Let's see ... in comparision with each other our Epic's have such combat capabilities: +1 Attack,+0 Defense. Iuz's edges:
Demigod and Cleric. Serpenteye ... it is stillunclear to me if Cleric's help gives +2 or +1 to Defense ? Judging from weapons used by Scarlet Brothers, they have not technological superiority over Iuz so eventual bonuses nullify each other. So my math looks that way:
Iuz +2 A / +2 or +3 D. Elder Brothers +1 A / +0 D.

Here is how Iuz will deal with Brothers using spellike Time Stop. Three free rounds, on average, to build up magical barrage against Brothers including Curses that will lower their saves and stats, Confusion, Wall of Blades, Word of Chaos and Destruction, and close observation of one of brothers for three uninterrupted rounds, while moving behind them or in other unexpected place to strike Assasin Death Blow wit his Law hating sword. Iuz have magical greatsword that is enchanted against law and good. Brothers aren't bleedinghearts but it didn't decrease their lawfulness. And He uses Regalia to defend himself ... mainly their protective powers first, and careful usage of their offensive capabilities not to hurt any one who wasn't attacking Iuz.

This battle is fought desperately, and much more thoughtfully that his brawling with Elistaree.

And Iuz's momma will safeguard herself from scrying, wasting no time on pointless mourning.
Her boy could defend himself. And Brotherhood will pay.

If dropped below 1 epPL, now he is just 1,1 epPL. Iuz turns tail and flees to unknown place. And will remain hidden from all scrying due to Regalia. And wait until Eclavdra recovers, before giving sign of life. Only to her, and just to restore Regalia to their beautiful Owner. And to tell her his version of treachery and bloodshed started by Elistaree. And Morwel's treason, and Brotherhood's treason. Only He remined faithful to his word, Wolf God, Tempest and Gallador. And if she probes he will add unwillingly that Rhynnon and Al'Akbar seemed to not betray them, this time of course.

IC:
Empire of Iuz, safe place.

M'lady ... Lord Iuz was betrayed by former allies and ordered us to take you to safehouse just in case it is preemptive strike from Menace.

*Scarred terribly Red Abishai, and humanoidal woman in slave's gray dress, wearing silver mask of beautiful elven face and wrapped in bandages covering her whole body. Fresh and smelling strongly of herbal medicines. Eiryne Victoria, wery unhappy with whole situation was violently giving back her breakfast. She rasped between spasms.*

Ughh ... I will kill him for making THIS to me Uuu ... >blee<

OOC:
Sollir, Anabstercorian Sendings reach for Arch Merchant and Eli and Rary, Drelzna informs them that Selitisia the Lich Servant of Vecna fled from Gallador and they should locate her before she ressurects Vecna ! Especially Mercan who is Multiverse famous Diviner, and mightest mages of Oerth Eli and Rary.

 

[Knight Otu]

"Just how foolish are those..." Ashardalon lets loose a draconic swear loosely translated as "non-dragons." Realizing that things do not calm down in the Great City, he then teleports to the Great City as well, in his natural form.

"Cease all hostilities!"
Ashardalon does not even wait if his words are heeded and continues.

"Demigods, great leaders, and several other entities of power are gathered here, at a site of catastrophe, and all that happens is that you smash each other's SKULL? Did you even pause to think what happened? Did you even try to listen to the multitude of reasonable voices? Any fighting at this point will only lead to more fighting!
Do any of you know what happened to the drow? They were isolated from Lolth, that is what happened! But it goes beyond this. Oerth is isolated from the Outer Planes. It is isolated from the Inner Planes!
It is isolated from the Positive Energy Plane, the birthplace of all souls!!.
What impact do you think that will have? And the souls already here, what do you think will happen to them? THEY CANNOT PASS ON TO THEIR JUST REWARDS! They will remain on Oerth eternally, with no chance to receive their just reward! THAT is what we need to worry about now!"

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

OOC-Here's where I'm confused. I was under the impression that only the Outer Planes were sealed, not the Inner ones like the positive/negative energy and elemental planes, but then again I could very well be wrong. Anyways, the point is moot as it seems both of the planes are still functioning as people are still living and undead are still churning-however, this depends on how the multiverse is run in this game. However, Ashardalon could just be trying to make a grand intimidating statement, if so, just ignore my whole post then

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

Serpenteye said something about Gallador's vampiric forces finding the supply of negative energy very weak, back when they were converting the leftover drow, and thus having to supply the energy themselves; it's not unreasonable to think that this should be equally true of positive energy. If I recall correctly, souls normally went to the Outer Planes, to become petitioners, after their deaths; it's going to be a fun question as to what happens with them now.

 

[Kalanyr]

I'll just clarify the bonus for Rikandur:

Militia -4/-3
Regular +0/+0
Elite +4/+3
Epic +8/+7

Demigods add +2/+2 to themselves personally, +1/+1 to those they favour.
Druids/Clerics with gods get a further +0/+1
Every full 4 tech levels adds +1/+1.
Undead for the moment add +0/+2. When fighting those backed by Lesser gods Undead add +0/+0. When fighting those backed up intermediate or more gods they add +0/-2.

In short the
Elder Brothers + Tempest + Their Epics are +8/+7,
Iuz + Morwel + Hachiman + Ellisterae is +10/+10,
Iuz + Morwel + Hachimans epics are +9/+8 or +9/+9 if they have clerics.

If I am correct. If someone has 4 tech levels which its too early to tell yet they'll fight at +1/+1 above the listed.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Uh ... yes.
Ok ...

The Lord of the Yuan-Ti (absolutely frightened out of his wits by now: you'd be frightened too if six or seven odd demipowers were having it out directly below you, and now VECNA is coming back, and there is an undead army out there in space on .. what world? ... and Eclavdra is missing (there is no way the yuan-ti could know where she's been taken, or if she's been taken, or anything else) and all your allies are ... well, you can't even begin to tell what in Serpents' name is going on with them ...) declares:

We are still a part of the TEC Pact.
The Yuan-Ti Empire will remain in the TEC Pact.
As Lord of the Yuan-Ti Empire, I shall attend the TEC Summit.
(then says to himself) Wherever in the name of the Great Serpent it is going to be held, if it is going to be held ...

By the way, the Ice Elves of the Adri are just very nicely saying nothing. Nothing at all.
When in doubt, out of sight, out of mind, they would say.

-

Eclavdra is still incapacitated.
She would have recovered and become good, but Eilistraees' healing was interrupted.
Whether Eclavdra is going to make it through Withdrawal and become a good drow, go uttelry insane, die, or become horrifically evil, is still up in the air.
Since Iuz is (assuming he is alive) trying to corrupt Eclavdra, and because she is in the care of Ashardalon the Dragon, who is evil, and Rary (who is evil) is present, it is more likely than not that Eclavdra will become the superevil drow that was the fearful possibility from the beginning.

The situation with Eclavdra is not decided yet: it is tipping towards evil, and Eclavdra becoming super evil, but it hasn't happened yet.
That fate hasn't quite yet been decreed. But because Eilistraee fell, and is now unconscious, and because Iuz is still out there throwing his corrupting influence, and because Ashardalon is - after all - an evil power, the scales are tipping that way.

The drow who are being treated and aided by Good powers and elves are making it through Withdrawal and becoming good. All over Oerik, thousands of drow taken from (the 99) Underdark cities are becoming good.
The drow who are being incorporated (from the 99 cities) by evil powers (such as the Tharquish Empire under Uvenelei, those who joined with Iuz, those who were taken by Gallador, those who joined Anabstercorians' power, and those in cities held by Paxus' humanoids) are probably going to end up becoming super evil instead. Those who survive the Withdrawal and it's reversal, that is.

The 99 drow cities, including the Vault of the Drow, have now all been plundered and occupied it would seem (you do realize, don't you, that this ... could ... be considered a violation of the TEC Pact ... (chuckles))
Some cities are occupied by good invaders, some by evil invaders.
As I said, some of the drow that were there (those drow who refused to follow Eclavdra to the Great City in the first place, before the Withdrawal hit all the drow) are now dead, some are insane, many are still sick, some are turning to good, some are turning to incredible evil, and some to neutrality.

In the Great City (actually, the drow never really got a chance to even start building the Great City, and the way everyone has been posting, at times it looked like the area was literally packed wall to wall with Celestials, Infernals, humans, elves, drow, and everything else) the drow remain sick, going through the Withdrawal.
As I previously stated, it will take a while for them to make it through Withdrawal.
If Eilistraee had not been interrupted, it would have gone much more quickly, but she was interrupted, and a great deal of evil and malevolent energy came into the Great City: the effects of all that malevolent energy is not lost, on the suffering drow.

The result is that there is TRULY a battle going on for the hearts and minds of the stricken drow.
They are trying to revert to good, to elves, in effect.
The presence of good forces and beings, such as Al'Akbar, Morwel, and Eilistraee, is helping this process along, reinforcing it, giving the drow strength to survive the Withdrawal and make the change.
But ...
The presence of evil powers: Iuz, the Wolf God, the Tempest, Ashardalon, Gallador, Abbon of the Scarlet Brotherhood, is interrupting the Withdrawal, perverting it, trying to reverse it and cause a horrific result: the drow ending up being as much more evil as they were, than the old drow were compared to the elves.
The Awakening of Vecna is also affecting the drow, perverting their Withdrawal, trying to force them away from the path back to the Light.

So, the battle for the hearts and minds of the drow continues.
It is not a physical battle. It is not a battle that can be viewed by any normal means.
But it is there, and for those with eyes that can see it, it is frightfully real and violent.

 

[Kalanyr]

Morwel will also attempt to stop the Tempest looting Ellisterae and since she was fighting by Ellisterae's side she should be as capable of doing this as any are.

If Morwel manages to stop the Tempest from looting Ellisterae (or even if she does not) she'll have the goddess teleported to safety in the Court of Stars for the time being in the company of Faerinall (1 of the Epic PL she brought with her). She will then turn her attention to Iuz and the Elder Brothers (assuming she's in anything like time). And after invoking a Dimension Lock:

With a cold look in her eyes she stares at the Old One and the Elder Brothers
"Give him a chance to surrender and be Imprisoned. His reactions are not incomprehensible if reprehensible. Well Old One ?"

If Iuz surrenders , Morwel will Imprison him. If Iuz refuses Morwel will then join the battle against Iuz and Imprison him on defeat. (Where I believe she now has a fair edge.)