(IR) The 3rd IR, Turn 3 (thread 1)

[Serpenteye]

How convenient. A wave of chaos breaks over the world and, coincidentally, an order of infiltrators and assassins makes itself known at the same time. Have we perhaps found the source of the madness, or is it just a screen for a greater power?

 

[Forrester]

How convenient. A wave of chaos breaks over the world and, coincidentally, an order of infiltrators and assassins makes itself known at the same time. Have we perhaps found the source of the madness, or is it just a screen for a greater power?

Stunningly, we are in agreement, Serpenteye.

 

[Maudlin]

The letter left for the Obsidian Order has a single word on the back -- 'Hope.'

Meanwhile the Sages of the Scarlet Brotherhood and Black Academy busy themselves with making sense of the turmoil in the world. There is too much going on at once to be a coincidence or unguided event. Somewhere, someone was scheming, and it was affecting even us.

All reports coming in are verified on location, all intelligence gathered checked and crosschecked by three independent sources. If individuals are found to act a-typically, they are wrestled to the floor and get Dispel Magics, Mind Blanks and Break Enchantments cast on them until their hair falls out from the background radiation.

Meanwhile, Mistress Ferranifer stands on the balcony of her room at the peace conference complex, inhaling deeply of the fresh smell of sulphur and destruction, taking in the chaos happily as she looks out over the city. She is confident the talks will resume, the insults settled.

 

[William Ronald]

Archcleric Hazen mutters, "I see someone is deliberately provoking Chaos"

The attacks against Keoland are investigated and they are urged to stay in the League. Furyondy is asked to stay in the league.
Murlynd appears in Gradsul to defend the city. An ambassador is sent to Turrosh Mak.

Security officials try to capture the members of the Obsidian Order. The individual is MIND PROBED by Heward, a demigod. (Long before this I had proved the existence of the Black Brotherhood.)

Ambassadors are sent to Celene.

A message is sent to the leaders of the different nations and factions.

"We urge you and your forces to remain at peace. Someone seems to be trying to provoke as much chaos as possible. Until we know who is doing this, the Kevellond League urges caution."

"Someone is attempting to provoke fighting. While we have our suspicions, we are seeking the truth."

"We had planned on sending someone to the peace conference in Jalpa. Perhaps it is best that we did not."

"As for the robots, we have had proof of their existence for 65 years. We commend the forces lead by Lord Kalanyr of the Underdark Alliance in trying to stop the rebellious robots."

"The Church of Shade is lying about the robots. I have no plans to attack Kalanyr, with whom I have made peace with as well as his allies, or Anabstercorian. The inaccuracy of Lord Rhaumgaum's statements makes me wonder about his role in these strange events."

Edena:

Alyx left me in charge of his forces. His Queen Yolande is the real one, and efforts are made to take down this imposter. It looks like Celene will be dealing with its own affairs. I presume that the real Queen of Celene is the one Alyx has been running.

I also have to leave for a few hours.

Also, a lot of the players controlling the powers you mentioned are away.

I cannot speak for Turrosh Mak, Darkness, Gnomeworks or anyone else.

 

[LordMelkor{Talos}]

Edena, Shade agents continue to spread anti-Torillian propaganda, they support all separatists movements, but NOT in the realms of our allies.

On the conference Shadow ambassador speaks again:

-I am curious, if United Commonwealth of Toril doesn`t have hostile intentions, why are they bringing more and more armies from Toril?

 

[Serpenteye]

Edena, Maudlin

The powerslist and the map need to be updated. The Grandwood, The Celadon and the County of Urnst are now parts of the Dark Union.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

The Dark Union is able to regain control of Rel Astra, Medegia, the Sea Barons, and the coastal areas, although the fight is costly.
The direct aid of Acererak makes a huge difference, as Drax is unable to stand against him, and the undead army of Drax goes over to Acererak.

The absense of Acererak from Irongate gives the defenders the chance to slaughter Acererak's minions, driving them back past the broken defenses, putting the barricades back in place.

In the west, the Wind Dukes are pacified by the statements from Lyrn, and stay in the Alliance of the Crescent.

However, Zeif remains independent, and still threatens to take Tusmit, Ekbir, and Yecha with it.
Furyondy remains defiant, threatening to break up the Kevellond League.

Anabstercorian confronts the Solistarim leading the robots.
Only they are not Solistarim, nor are they leading the robots.
They are pretending to be Solistarim, and they are pretending to be leading the robots, and doing a very good job of both.
Whatever they are, Anabstercorian catches little of, for the moment he probes past their defenses, they fall down dead.
Efforts to speak with their souls fail, for their souls died also.
However, Anabstercorian did catch two words:

Scarlet Brotherhood

In Celene, the execution date for the false Queen Yolande grows closer.
However, one faction of the elves contends that the Queen, is a fake, and that the fake, is the real Queen.
The other faction, contends that the current Queen is the real Queen, and the fake queen, is the fake Queen, and they hold power now, having thrown the orcs of the Pomarj out of Celene.
The threat of civil war in Celene becomes very real, as the group of elves who contend the fake Queen is the real one move to rescue her.

Gradsul drives off the angry monsters, and peace is restored in Keoland.
Keoland decides to remain in the Kevellond League.
Furyondy remains in revolt, stating that Veluna is telling it what to do and that it doesn't care for that.

 

[Serpenteye]

The bulk of the Dark Union armies then go into the Grandwood with every single planar under our control.

Meanwhile in Rel Astra the God Emperor feasts on Drax's soul and reanimates his body as a common zombie who is put to work cleaning the sewers of the city. But first Drax's corpse is paraded trough the cities of the Dark Union as a warning to those who would rise above their rightful station and against their rightful ruler.

Needless to say, the new governors of Rel Astra and the Sea Barons are utterly loyal to the God Emperor.

 

[William Ronald]

The Kevellond League begins an investigation of the truth of what is going on. (I have family matters to deal with for the next few hours.)

Communes and divinations are performed. An attempt to determine if any 10th level magic spells have been cast in the last week is part of the commune and divination questions. Attempts are made to determine what role Vecna, the Church of Shade, and the Black Brotherhood may have in the current unrest. (the members undergo demigod mind probes.) The demigods Heward and Keoghtom investigate the unrest and question any agents of the Black Brotherhood. (Obsidian Order, Rhialto? Come on, you are showing your cards.)

Turrosh Mak's territory is a considerable distance from Gradsul in Keoland, and to the best of my knowledge, he does not control the forest near Gradsul. If this is correct, then some power that can move large forces at will is obviously involved. Also, evidence of anything that could only be done with 10th level magic or divine power is looked for in the recent events. (Edena, well done. I see Vecna as having taken

Ambassadors are dispatched to the Underdark Alliance played by Kalanyr, Festy Dog, and the Forsaken One.

Varnaith, the Lendore Isles, and the Celestial Empire investigate who is truly the Queen of Celene. If the woman accused of being the false queen is truly Queen Yolande, they will support her. (Edena, on behalf of Alyx I allocated 10 PLs of force from Varnaith to help defend Celene.)

I will e-mail a few players before I leave in the next few minutes.

Edena, can you post the results of my investigation that you just sent me. This way everyone will know it is trure. (Well done, great fan of Jack Vance. BIG CLUE!)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

The Grandwood fights back.

Drax the NPC is considered killed and his PL lost to the Dark Union.
Score one for whoever or whatever is causing this trouble (and, it is not the Moderator, for he is only following instructions.)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Actually, Turrosh Mak really does control the Dreadwood, which is close to Gradsul, or he did ... until the trouble started.

The Voice of Vecna states that Vecna does not involve himself in such petty squabbles amongst the Servitor Races.
Divinations show no 10th level magic was used in any of the incidents.

The investigation is fruitless, since every person caught dies, body and soul.

Civil war erupts in Celene as the two factions of elves fight over who the real Queen is.
Both Queens claim the other Queen is the false one.

In the north, the Fellreev ambassadors conclude turning over the Fellreev to Iuz, while the Hold of Stonefist has successfully declared indepedence from Iuz.

Furyondy, now indepedent, demands that Iuz leave it's territory.

In the far southwest, it is heard that Zindia has agreed to a truce with those attacking it.
How that happened, nobody knows. Not even the Eryptians currently in the Flanaess.
Bewildered, they send people to find out what's going on down there.
So do the allies of Zindia, I presume.

The robots are continuing to move south, and passing into the domain of Kalanyr.
The so-called Solistarim agents started them in that direction, and now they are on a roll again.
This time, against the humanoids.
Once more, particle cannons and laser guns blast away at defenders far less well armed than themselves.

 

[Maudlin]

The absense of Acererak from Irongate gives the defenders the chance to slaughter Acererak's minions, driving them back past the broken defenses, putting the barricades back in place.

OOC: Argl. I suppose I can at least depend on these reports to be accurate. I really don't mind a fight on my hands, but this is getting a bit silly These are the Irongaters again? The 4 PL city? The ones who were fighting a 50+ PL army most of last turn? These are the ones now 'slaughtering' and 'driving back' my 20 PL still there? Even if their gated reinforcements doubled the PL there last turn, they should have been squished utterly (even with 6 attack & defense), let alone be in a condition to do any more slaughtering.

As far as I knew, I was merely still tending some cattle that was waiting for Forrester to come load them up... It's really quite hard to determine a distribution of forces if there are many more of these logic-defying surprises in wait for me

Efforts to speak with their souls fail, for their souls died also.
However, Anabstercorian did catch two words:

Scarlet Brotherhood

The Scarlet Brotherhood of course cooperates fully with any investigation the Solistarim wants to set up. It presents them with the evidence discovered at the Rel Astra uprising, that it is the Black Brotherhood who is behind these rebellions, and that even as they tried to incriminate the Solistarim they are now trying to do so with the Scarlet Brotherhood.

While the SB Leadership was previously amused by the antics of the Black Robes, this is a serious breach of discipline. The loss of prestige is considerable, and so shall be the loss of life.

Korenth Zan sends a polite missive to Kalanyr to get Tharizdun, who appears to have at least some allegiance to him, to intervene with his followers. Melt their brain or some such.

Full mind probing of any and all SB officials commences immediately, with any irregularities meaning instant death.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Heh. Well put, Maudlin.

Irongate, falls!
Acererak and his Minions have a long and delightful feast, for the souls are bright and strong and filled with vitality.
As the bodies melt into goo, and men, women, and children perish utterly, Acererak and his Minions grow stronger and more powerful, filled with pleasure and dark delight, until their power screams through the air.
Acererak's PL increases to 15 from 10, and his Minions to 15 from 10.
They gorge, feast as they have never feasted before, utterly sated and beyond sated, filled with the life energy of hundreds of thousands of souls.

While that is going on, something else happens.

Vecna happens.
Vecna and his legions roar off into the magical dimension, in one great flash.
Over the Shadow Throne, they appear in giant waves, flash after purple flash bringing them in by the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions.
They arrive until a sea of men, women, and undead are assembled in Shadow Throne, a sea that stretches out of sight in all directions.
Tens of millions strong, they raise the Banner of Vecna, and cheer with a roar that is heard over many long miles as Vecna himself appears in the center of them all.

Vecna conjures to his left hand one of the Banners of the Shade.
With his right hand, he grasps his own Banner.
He grins, and raises both Banners high above him, signalling for all the Union of Suel and Shade, then plants the Banners in the Soil of Shade.

Then the Legions of Vecna march off to the front, to face off against the massed might of Iuz, the Kevellond League, Kingdom of Keoland, Lortmil Technomancy, Celene, Pomarj, and their allies.

At the head of the grand and unholy army marches Vecna himself, his staff held firmly in his hands.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Continuing in the Monster Arms Race:


We will breed new monsters via variant polymorph spells in lab
experiments, using the new breeds of monsters to
reproduce with animals of normal races as well, but
the magical genes would be more dominant so the
children would have the same properties of the
magically enhanced parent.

I'm gone for a while so I sent Edena my actions.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Vecna raises his staff, and he and his great army stops.
Vecna speaks:

Let the Solistarim stand with us.
For the Hour of the Scouring draws near, and the Unworthy shall be swept from the Oerth.

Let my kindred stand with us, who feast in Irongate.
For the Hour of the Scouring draws near, and the Ascension of Acererak shall not be denied.
And then he shall be my new lieutenant, for he alone is worthy of that Honor.

Then they resume marching, the shadow ground shaking as if it were an earthquake, and the rumble is like that of an earthquake, as the endless millions who are the Legions of Vecna march onward.
They march to the front, to battle, to glory and death.
They are Vecna's in body, mind, and soul.
To serve Vecna is the greatest glory, to die for him is the greatest death.
To kneel before him is divine bliss.
To accept him into their hearts is to bring to themselves utter fulfillment and a cure to all ills, for He is the Answer to all things.

 

[Maudlin]

Mistress Ferranifer stands on her balcony, watching with far-vision, and laughs, and laughs, and laughs....

 

[The Forsaken One]

Edena..

Above ground there was not even 1 humanoid, monster of the underdark Alliance left... we stated this VERY WELL IN OUR MAILS and templates...... So this is kinda being rediculous if we lose even 1 PL over this since all our PL is like.... 2.5 miles underground...? Even deeper if it can.. Since we very well stated that in our mail we pull back with 100% PL as deep as wel can. So no mistakes about this. We stated this.. so keep this in mind.. If anyone wants to come after us they must go DEEP into the earth and move for weeks through traps and Monters and more magic glyphs and more traps and more ambushes just like I MAILED YOU to get to us. So plz... no doubt about this.... We are out of the way unless someone comes down DEEP DEEP DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP after us.. adn then you will know what they will meet and how the defenses work since I all mailed it to you.

So plz.. no wrong things about the Underdark Alliance this time and no misinterpretations... I'm here now and I will see it all go well.... Their is not a chance that a member/monster of the UA will be seen for like u travel a mile at least underground.. And then like I said I mailed you what they will be facing.

 

[LordMelkor{Talos}]

While Vecna appears in Shadow Throne, his legions standing together with Hordes Of Shadow, Shadow Regent Rhamagaum aproaches him, red sparks burning with anger in the eyes of his skull:

Why haven`t you consulted with us, are you sure it was wise to reveal our alliance so soon? Currently it seems that we have plenty of enemies and few allies!

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

This, of course, means the robots find nothing in their southward move. (a reference to Forsaken One's post above, which is quite true - not a single humanoid or giant remains above ground anywhere in the Western Mountains.)
The robots, finding no targets, return to their ship.

The Legions of Vecna, led by Vecna, staff held high, triumphantly, reach the front, and they stop.
They do not proceed to attack the massed defenders across the line.
They do not attack the forces of Turrosh Mak, Williams, GnomeWorks, Dagger, or the others.
The great army halts, then spreads out.
Vast reinforcements swell the ranks of the Shade, the living and the undead minions of Vecna standing together with the men and women of Shade against the foe.

Vecna takes his place at the center of the great front, and his banner is placed in the Shadow ground, and waves in the Shadow breeze.

Vecna nods to Rhaumagaum, then smiles.
He whispers, half to Rhaumagaum, half to himself:

That knowledge, in their hands, is our weapon.
Time is our friend.
Let them come, or let them wait ... victory shall be awarded to the Deserving.

To the west, Furyondy receives the news of the arrival of Vecna.
Terrified, Furyondy immediately rejoins the Kevellond League.
People and politicians who were denouncing Iuz and his humanoid army are now cheering them on, or at the least are quietly jubilant.
For all that is important now to the people of Furyondy is that Iuz and his hosts are between Vecna and Furyondy, blocking Vecna's way.

 

[Forrester]

Ah, Acererak. So you decided to attack Irongate after all? I thought you were going to pull back (and when doing so, the forces of Irongate would stop attacking, and prepare to be evacuated).

But according to Edena, you have decided to finish them. Unless there's been some grim miscommunication here . . .

So Irongate falls.

Very well.

Very well.