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Shemeska's Planescape Storyhour - (Updated 14February2024)
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<blockquote data-quote="Shemeska" data-source="post: 6787520" data-attributes="member: 11697"><p><strong>Bringing the New Year in with a short update and a face we haven't seen in some time now</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">****</p><p></p><p></p><p>As the rattling, agonized wail cut the air like an obsidian blade through the yearning heart of a nycaloth on the slopes of Krangath, Helekanalaith closed his eyes and smiled. The Keeper’s ears involuntarily swiveled forward and he allowed himself a moment of pleasure before pragmatic business began. To the Keeper’s mind, that first touch of his burning stylus upon the newly bound flesh of a petitioner-cum-parchment was ever such a beautiful sound.</p><p></p><p>The Keeper was not alone however in that moment, though his two guests could not be any more different. Staring at him from across the room stood the petrified form of Shylara the Manged, Overlord of Carceri and consort to the Oinoloth. Shylara’s face remained contorted into the same mad, shrieking visage of rage it had been locked within since she’d fallen afoul of a flesh to stone spell while utilizing a surrogate body on the Astral. The rest of her form had been molded and remolded to suite the Keeper’s ever-changing piques of amusement at his semi-rival’s expense, everything from dressing her like a paper doll in ever more tacky outfits to simply leaving her statue naked and lewdly posed in the corner of his office.</p><p></p><p>“You do realize that she’s completely barmy yes?” Came the voice of Helekanalaith’s second guest, the Cheshire Fiend, though technically it was only the Fiend’s illusory avatar rather than a physical presence. Glowing pale blue, it hovered in the air before the Keeper’s desk, peering down at his work and then back at the snarling Overlord’s statue. “Once you release her, she’s going to try to kill you in the most excruciatingly brutal way possible.”</p><p></p><p>“I have no doubt that she will.” The Keeper’s voice was utterly unconcerned, and if anything, betrayed a smug, condescending confidence. He finished his line of calligraphy upon the screaming petitioner’s back and looked up at the Cheshire Fiend.</p><p></p><p>“And yet you’re not worried at all?” The floating Grin flashed a look of disbelief. “After the whole business of being cursed and exiled from Sigil, she tried to have your other co-conspirator Shemeska killed on no fewer than fifteen occasions – and that’s only counting the attempts she made prior to coming into control of the Tower of Incarnate Pain. She holds grudges, and she holds them irrationally so. Are you counting on the Ebon holding her back as punishment for her idiocy on the Astral?”</p><p></p><p>“I’m absolutely aware of her personality, her proclivities, her abilities, and her flaws. I oversaw her education here in the Tower and I keenly understand what she will or won’t do.” Helekanalaith shrugged and glanced at the glowing gemstone floating above his desk containing the bottled essence of Larsdana ap Neut. “Unlike some, I pay attention to promising students, fully aware that each and every one of them sees me as a target. Shylara is powerful, ambitious, and fatally out of control of her emotions.”</p><p></p><p>The Grin waited for more explanation, and finally receiving none, prompted for it, “You didn’t answer my question about what the Ebon will or won’t do as it regards her likely berserk and bloody attempts at revenge and saving what remains of her wounded pride.”</p><p></p><p>“I suspect in the same way that the Oinoloth hasn’t lifted a claw to help her out, he won’t lift another to help me avoid her petty attempts at retribution.” The Keeper adjusted his golden spectacles and softly chuckled. “He didn’t see it worth his effort to help out here in her imprisonment, and she’s his consort, so what chance would I have at his aid?”</p><p></p><p>“You sound jealous if I know you at all.” The Cheshire Fiend gave a sly, taunting expression as it slowly completed an orbit around the Keeper’s desk. “Are you?”</p><p></p><p>Helekanalaith only smirked, not answering the question, though the answer was obvious.</p><p></p><p>“Changing the topic I suppose from your admirable attraction to power, why summon me here at this particular moment in time? I’d been happily enjoying my own pursuits about the planes in this form and others.” The Grin glanced back at Shylara’s statue once more. “Can I assume that you’re planning on letting her go and you want me to ensure that she doesn’t engage in her expected course of action?”</p><p></p><p>“I’ll be releasing her in a relatively short timeframe, but the specifics of when remain to be seen. I’d like to see a certain number of her underlings perish and be replaced with others loyal to me prior to letting her off the leash.” The Keeper glanced down at the list of Shylara’s advisors along with their current status in her absence. More than a few were crossed off, having either killed one another or fallen afoul of her protections when they’d tried to kill the Overlord herself.</p><p></p><p>“Appropriate, though I will seriously miss the statue, especially in its current state.” An illusory blush rose above the Cheshire Fiend’s grin, roughly where cheeks would have been.</p><p></p><p>“Shylara the Manged is the least of my concerns, and not in fact my reason for calling on you.” Helekanalaith smiled at his servitor and child. “Turn your attention to the aforementioned Marauder. I’m curious about what the Oinoloth has her working on, given the transit of a courier from Khin-Oin into Sigil direct to her doorstep.”</p><p></p><p>“I take it the Ebon was not forthcoming about sharing any such details with you?” The Cheshire Fiend was now paying rapt attention to the Keeper and no longer making nibbling motions upon the statue. “You did ask him yes?”</p><p></p><p>“No and yes.” The Keeper smirked with frustration. “I would not think to ask the Oinoloth twice in such a circumstance when he was sitting across from me. This is where you come in. Speak with your people in the Temple of Eternal Darkness and elsewhere outside of her immediate sphere of influence, and have them leak rumors every which way that they can. Someone in one of Sigil’s various circles of power will take notice and either know themselves, or flush out some answer by her reaction to theirs.”</p><p></p><p>The Cheshire Fiend bobbled side to side ambiguously “She has her dainty little poisoned claws in most every pie in the City of Doors and well beyond the Cage, so which one in particular do you have in mind?”</p><p></p><p>“Her contact with the Athar,” The Keeper’s tone contained a mild amount of disdain based on the pronunciation, though why wasn’t immediately obvious. “I want to know why she’s backing them, and what she intends to do.”</p><p></p><p>“My presumption is a local issue pertaining to the growing and long-term conflict between Muriov Garianis and her mountainous ego.” The Grin chuckled at his free reign to denigrate the Keeper’s partner within the Wheels Within Wheels.</p><p></p><p>“There’s more to it than that.” Helekanalaith narrowed his eyes. “You know that as much as I do, if not more so. She never initiated contact with them until –after– she was given orders by the Oinoloth. Somehow this is on his behalf in one manner or another. That’s what I want to know.”</p><p></p><p>“So what you’re saying is that you want me to be a giant pain in her groomed and silk-wrapped ass?” The Grin danced about in the air. “Because that I can do!”</p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">****</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shemeska, post: 6787520, member: 11697"] [b]Bringing the New Year in with a short update and a face we haven't seen in some time now[/b] [center]****[/center] As the rattling, agonized wail cut the air like an obsidian blade through the yearning heart of a nycaloth on the slopes of Krangath, Helekanalaith closed his eyes and smiled. The Keeper’s ears involuntarily swiveled forward and he allowed himself a moment of pleasure before pragmatic business began. To the Keeper’s mind, that first touch of his burning stylus upon the newly bound flesh of a petitioner-cum-parchment was ever such a beautiful sound. The Keeper was not alone however in that moment, though his two guests could not be any more different. Staring at him from across the room stood the petrified form of Shylara the Manged, Overlord of Carceri and consort to the Oinoloth. Shylara’s face remained contorted into the same mad, shrieking visage of rage it had been locked within since she’d fallen afoul of a flesh to stone spell while utilizing a surrogate body on the Astral. The rest of her form had been molded and remolded to suite the Keeper’s ever-changing piques of amusement at his semi-rival’s expense, everything from dressing her like a paper doll in ever more tacky outfits to simply leaving her statue naked and lewdly posed in the corner of his office. “You do realize that she’s completely barmy yes?” Came the voice of Helekanalaith’s second guest, the Cheshire Fiend, though technically it was only the Fiend’s illusory avatar rather than a physical presence. Glowing pale blue, it hovered in the air before the Keeper’s desk, peering down at his work and then back at the snarling Overlord’s statue. “Once you release her, she’s going to try to kill you in the most excruciatingly brutal way possible.” “I have no doubt that she will.” The Keeper’s voice was utterly unconcerned, and if anything, betrayed a smug, condescending confidence. He finished his line of calligraphy upon the screaming petitioner’s back and looked up at the Cheshire Fiend. “And yet you’re not worried at all?” The floating Grin flashed a look of disbelief. “After the whole business of being cursed and exiled from Sigil, she tried to have your other co-conspirator Shemeska killed on no fewer than fifteen occasions – and that’s only counting the attempts she made prior to coming into control of the Tower of Incarnate Pain. She holds grudges, and she holds them irrationally so. Are you counting on the Ebon holding her back as punishment for her idiocy on the Astral?” “I’m absolutely aware of her personality, her proclivities, her abilities, and her flaws. I oversaw her education here in the Tower and I keenly understand what she will or won’t do.” Helekanalaith shrugged and glanced at the glowing gemstone floating above his desk containing the bottled essence of Larsdana ap Neut. “Unlike some, I pay attention to promising students, fully aware that each and every one of them sees me as a target. Shylara is powerful, ambitious, and fatally out of control of her emotions.” The Grin waited for more explanation, and finally receiving none, prompted for it, “You didn’t answer my question about what the Ebon will or won’t do as it regards her likely berserk and bloody attempts at revenge and saving what remains of her wounded pride.” “I suspect in the same way that the Oinoloth hasn’t lifted a claw to help her out, he won’t lift another to help me avoid her petty attempts at retribution.” The Keeper adjusted his golden spectacles and softly chuckled. “He didn’t see it worth his effort to help out here in her imprisonment, and she’s his consort, so what chance would I have at his aid?” “You sound jealous if I know you at all.” The Cheshire Fiend gave a sly, taunting expression as it slowly completed an orbit around the Keeper’s desk. “Are you?” Helekanalaith only smirked, not answering the question, though the answer was obvious. “Changing the topic I suppose from your admirable attraction to power, why summon me here at this particular moment in time? I’d been happily enjoying my own pursuits about the planes in this form and others.” The Grin glanced back at Shylara’s statue once more. “Can I assume that you’re planning on letting her go and you want me to ensure that she doesn’t engage in her expected course of action?” “I’ll be releasing her in a relatively short timeframe, but the specifics of when remain to be seen. I’d like to see a certain number of her underlings perish and be replaced with others loyal to me prior to letting her off the leash.” The Keeper glanced down at the list of Shylara’s advisors along with their current status in her absence. More than a few were crossed off, having either killed one another or fallen afoul of her protections when they’d tried to kill the Overlord herself. “Appropriate, though I will seriously miss the statue, especially in its current state.” An illusory blush rose above the Cheshire Fiend’s grin, roughly where cheeks would have been. “Shylara the Manged is the least of my concerns, and not in fact my reason for calling on you.” Helekanalaith smiled at his servitor and child. “Turn your attention to the aforementioned Marauder. I’m curious about what the Oinoloth has her working on, given the transit of a courier from Khin-Oin into Sigil direct to her doorstep.” “I take it the Ebon was not forthcoming about sharing any such details with you?” The Cheshire Fiend was now paying rapt attention to the Keeper and no longer making nibbling motions upon the statue. “You did ask him yes?” “No and yes.” The Keeper smirked with frustration. “I would not think to ask the Oinoloth twice in such a circumstance when he was sitting across from me. This is where you come in. Speak with your people in the Temple of Eternal Darkness and elsewhere outside of her immediate sphere of influence, and have them leak rumors every which way that they can. Someone in one of Sigil’s various circles of power will take notice and either know themselves, or flush out some answer by her reaction to theirs.” The Cheshire Fiend bobbled side to side ambiguously “She has her dainty little poisoned claws in most every pie in the City of Doors and well beyond the Cage, so which one in particular do you have in mind?” “Her contact with the Athar,” The Keeper’s tone contained a mild amount of disdain based on the pronunciation, though why wasn’t immediately obvious. “I want to know why she’s backing them, and what she intends to do.” “My presumption is a local issue pertaining to the growing and long-term conflict between Muriov Garianis and her mountainous ego.” The Grin chuckled at his free reign to denigrate the Keeper’s partner within the Wheels Within Wheels. “There’s more to it than that.” Helekanalaith narrowed his eyes. “You know that as much as I do, if not more so. She never initiated contact with them until –after– she was given orders by the Oinoloth. Somehow this is on his behalf in one manner or another. That’s what I want to know.” “So what you’re saying is that you want me to be a giant pain in her groomed and silk-wrapped ass?” The Grin danced about in the air. “Because that I can do!” [center]****[/center] [/QUOTE]
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Shemeska's Planescape Storyhour - (Updated 14February2024)
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