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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lylandra" data-source="post: 9845084" data-attributes="member: 6816692">Not in my living room!We report to Francesca di Maiano, who teleports us to Reggetiano, a suburb of Alais Primos. From there, we move downward into what seems like a cleverly set out system of connecting tunnels. Our destination is a pesceteria where we are supposed to meet the Donna Aneenya, a powerful member of the Familia that Cippiano had suggested to meet as a first step into Alais Primos. However, the lady in question is not currently present, but is visiting a nearby cemetery. So we agree to look out for the Donna.That short delay gives us time to notice something unsettling. High above the rooftops of Alais Primos, faintly glowing orbs drift through the air: soft spheres of light that move with no clear pattern, and that very much seem like celestial beings. No one nearby seems surprised by them though.So we wait patiently until the Donna has finished her visit and follow the old lady's strange entourage, consisting of her own Bravuras, armed and alert; other Dons, wary and calculating; and their escorts, hands never far from hidden blades. The old woman herself walks slowly but without hesitation bcak to the pesceteria, leaning on a cane more for emphasis than necessity. What is astounding to us is, that she appears to be wearing a wedding dress.Only once the doors are closed and guards posted does Morgan Cippiano formally introduce our group.The Donna studies the two of us with sharp, tired eyes.“I have heard of you,” she says. “I heard what you did to save others in dire situations. And that not even a crown on your head could stop you from doing the impossible. So maybe... you might just buy us… a chance.”She wastes no time explaining the city’s condition. On Cardinal Tito Banderosso’s orders, the military was withdrawn to Sid Minos weeks ago and is now too distant and too fractured to intervene. Crisillyir, she says, is leaderless, frightened, and ripe for fanaticism.Gabriel nods, showing not too much discomfort with this situation as he makes his position clear at once:“And we won't change anything about that. We will not turn this nation into a military dictatorship, merely replacing one tyranny with another,” he says. “Nor will we place the army into the hands of zealots.”The Donna nods approvingly. One of the Dons, Stoyan, snorts skeptically and voices doubts about whether a handful of foreigners can do what Crisillyir cannot. Especially in mystical times like these, where rumors can massively exaggerate the feats of individuals.Before we can recount the story that it is usually our enemies who exaggerate our capabilities by having us supposedly summon towers to throw at the Danoran army, the Donna intervenes.„'Tis mystical times, just as you said. And if my bambino can now teleport into my kitchen whenever he likes, when he was barely even able to crawl before, then I have no doubt that every single word is true.“The child, bored with the conversation, promptly teleports onto the conference table in a flash of light, beams proudly, and vanishes again.Stoyan falls silent, but we get that this is due to hom being in a strategically bad position, not because he believes any more in us than before. Meanwhile Gabriel mentally tells Auryn that he'd definitely need to get a magical safety lock for the future Vantrys baby.(And now I'm reminded of that one episode of Lucifer where Amenadiel wanted to make his home flying-baby-proof <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />)The Donna resumes, recounting the last few days in grim detail.When the gods did not answer prayers during Nightfall, many high priests, convinced they had been abandoned, took their own lives in what amounted to a grim, collective despair. Riots followed. Banderosso ordered the military to suppress them and clear Plaza Hyperion. Then the Cardinal left for some Obscurati meeting and ordered the military to Sid Minos.The next time, she heard about Tito Banderosso was when he was brought back, fallen into a deep coma. Then, a desperate high priest attempted to restore the sun through performing a miracle. It failed, just as expected. That failure opened the door for Vitus Sigismund, who declared that the priest's miracle failing wasn't human inability, but rather divine ignorance. So the Goddess herself had to be judged for her inaction.Legate Savina Tullius stood as prosecutor, calling herself „advocate for the people“, her words sharp and convincing. With no one willing or able to defend the goddess, Sigismund summoned her to Enzyo Mons, pronounced her guilty, and cast her, as well as the high priest acting as her vessel, into the lava.From that day on, the other high priests went into hiding so as not to end up like the priest of the goddess of the night sky. The Dons agree on one thing without hesitation: this cannot continue,so Vitus Sigismund must be stopped as soon as possible.Their first proposal is as direct as it is brutal: gather Sigismund, the accusers, and their followers under a pretense, and eliminate them in one decisive strike.Gabriel is horrified when he hears about that bloody proposal.“That is not a new beginning,” he says coldly. “That is a massacre. One that I won't be part of, just to make this clear.”Another Don suggests a quieter path: locating the hidden high priests and evacuating them one by one, removing Sigismund’s targets and weakening his hold. This plan earns careful consideration, and they ask the Familia to proceed discreetly.Finally, Morgan Cippiano offers a third idea.“And what if we make Sigismund accuse Triegenes?”The room goes still immediately.Cippiano explains his thought further: Sigismund demands gods to punish. If Triegenes is named, someone must serve as his vessel. He'd be willing to volunteer as he knows that none of the Dons is that religious. And as Triegenes is such a beloved god, it would be the easiest to have people find him not guilty.We consider this to be a very clever plan, as, unlike other gods, Triegenes cannot be accused of false promises, since his teachings demand personal responsibility, making it up to each individual to influence their own destiny.„Regarding the volunteer... Should it come down to this, we'll have to debate this position.“, Auryn adds, giving Morgan Cippiano one short glimpse at the Humble Hook. The Donna chuckles softly.“And I am definitely out. My husband once sang me a song of Desna,” she says. “That is the closest I’ve ever come to faith.”She pauses, then adds, almost casually,“But I have heard Triegenes wrote an autobiography. Hidden somewhere in Odiem.”Both Gabriel and Auryn share a knowing sigh when their hear „Odiem“, but the prospect of an actual written document from Triegenes sounds very much promising.(Of course it had to be in Odiem <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />)Before we rush off to Odiem to get hold of the biography, we first want to seek dialogue with Vitus Sigismund. And as luck would have it, the commotion outside announces that the mob has once again captured a high priest. So we take the opportunity to witness one of these god trials live.Chains scrape against stone as we see a deva woman being chained up in Plaza Hyperion. Legate Tullius announces her as the High Priestess of Vekali, goddess of nourishment and desert springs. The accusation follows swiftly: Vekali has broken her promise to feed her people. Her lands are now a desert. We are surprised, even shocked at the effectiveness of Savina Tullius' accusations. Her voice carries easily over the crowd, practiced, smooth, and merciless. Each sentence sharpens the charge, framing divine neglect as betrayal. The crowd murmurs, anger and despair feeding one another.And to our dismay, no one comes to the goddess's defense. No priest steps forward. No voice rises in protest.Only then do we notice a few figures in the crowd who do not shout, who watch instead. We immediately get that these are Obscurati agents who do their best to keep a low profile.The priestess is then dragged onward, up the long, blackened path to Enzyo Mons.The cathedral looms above the lava flows, where Vitus Sigismund is already waiting for the convicted and the spectators. At his side stands an Advoral, an angel with the body of a great lion, wings folded, eyes downcast. We take a quick glance around and notice the surprisingly high number of celestial beings around here.Sigismund raises his hands and calls upon the people to judge. He asks whether Vekali has failed her people, whether she has abandoned them and left the desert oases to be consumed by sand.The question barely needs asking. The crowd answers as one: „Guilty!“Even the high priestess does not speak against it. Whatever strength she once had has been burned away by grief, fear, and certainty that resistance is pointless.So Sigismund begins the Sacrament of Apotheosis. The air thickens. The lava glows brighter. A towering divine form coalesces above the cathedral floor: Vekali herself, vast and bewildered, drawn unwillingly into the world, into a mortal vessel. Sigismund steps forward, preparing to carry out the sentence.But when the bald man is about to push the Goddess into the lava below, Gabriel uses his telepathy to contact Vekali.„You are not guilty. I will help you. Please, do not resist my magic.“And then, in what must have been lo longer than a few heartbeats, he borrows future time to turn himself invisible, fly toward the goddess, and teleport himself and Vekali to safety.In her place, an illusion remains - a divine being falling into the lava, dissolving in fire and light. The crowd screams. Some collapse where they stand, most likely believers of Vekali.(Now this is what illusion spells are for. WHat was a bit tricky was the timing, as Gabriel wanted to catch Vekali mid-fall in order to minimize the chances of "disbelief" attempts. And yes, he also mentally explained his plan to Auryn beforehand.)Far away, in Flint, Gabriel lands heavily in his living room alongside a very large goddess. As soon as Vekali touches the ground and table with her hands, water starts to erupt underneath her palms, forming puddles that start growing at an alarming rate.“Please, get your hands off the table.” he says, hands raised, realizing that he is mere moments away from having his furniture destroyed, and his home flooded. Vekali, being irritated by the sudden change of her surroundings and the rather confined space, does as asked as she raises her hands.„You are safe now. But please... don't touch the table. Or the sofa. Well... just don’t touch anything.”(This is still the place Gabriel cares most about, and he most likely has known most of the furniture for decades if not centuries. So... definitely something he'd scold a goddess for)It takes quite some time to calm her and get to know more about the mysterious woman. Vekali is confused, aware both of her godhood and of memories from the deva she once was. She speaks of her people leaving long ago, of winds and time turning fertile land into sand. She expresses sorrow, but no guilt. Still she regrets what happened to her believers and never wished to upset them.Gabriel listens to her stories and stays with her, explaining what is happening, waiting patiently until the ritual’s connection fades on its own. When it finally ends, a day later, the deva priestess is free, if shaken at the experience of being a vessel for her goddess.Back at Enzyo Mons, Auryn watches the aftermath. Those who fell – all believers of Vekali - did not die. Angelic figures, doormen of a nearby shrine, carry the unconscious to their shrine and care for them. The city breathes again, though uneasily.She waits to see what Vitus Sigismund is up to after his verdict.When the crowd disperses, Vitus Sigismund remains in the cathedral, kneeling amid ash and blood-stained stone. The Advoral stands behind him, silent as everAfter Vitus has finished his prayer, Auryn greets him calmly. While getting closer, she notices that the man smells strangely of what must be blood. Then she asks him for the reason of  his trials.His answer comes easily. Too easily.„The gods abandoned Crisillyir in their times of need. The high priests failed their people. Judgment is necessary.“Auryn raises an eyebrow.„You do realize that it wasn't the gods, but the Obscurati and their failed ritual who plunged the world into misery? The very same secret organization that you once risked your life for to uncover their machinations? The gods had no hands in this. It was mortals, like you and me.“She touches the Humble Hook before she continues.„And if mortals caused this misery, then it should be mortals who set things right. At least this is what Triegenes taught his followers: To take up responsibility for their fate.“Sigismund acknowledges that it was the Obs who caused the calamity. However, he choses to ignore her arguments as the gods clearly abandoned the faithful in their hour of need.Auryn presses on, accusing him and Savina of orchestrating these verdicts through fear and rhetoric, of killing innocents through spectacle. She reminds him of who he was, of the man she once freed from captivity in Mutravir. A man who would not have allowed this madness to happen.Sigismund replies that it is these believers, the people of Crisillyir, who are passing judgment and that there is obviously no one willing to speak in defense of the gods.„The people of Crisillyir, who are being coerced by Savina's speeches and intimidated by your conviction. The presumed will of a swayed crowd is not justice. A man like you must know that“(Vox Populi vox dei feels eerily close to home these days)Sigismund erupts, his composure shattering in a sudden, violent rage. The Advoral remains silent—eyes lowered, wings tense. It becomes painfully clear that the angel has been ordered not to intervene and to stay silent.Auryn is shocked by his reaction. And then it dawns on her. She knows too well where she has smelled this particular scent of blood before.„It is her... you have spoken to Ashima-Shimtu, am I correct? She was the one who gave you the ritual. Her demonic influence can be subtle, and her tongue is sharp with wit. But I urge you not to fall for her.“„What are you even talking about? A demon could never gain a grasp on me!“, Vitus says, dismissing her suspicion. Far too quickly to be genuine for her taste.The truth settles in her chest like cold iron: Whether through demonic essence or his own blind obsession, Vitus Sigismund cannot think clearly anymore. So she withdraws, returns to the meeting place and waits for Gabriel, knowing now that this is not merely a political crisis or a religious schism, but a tragedy unfolding in slow motion.(I guess this is where we'll see a deviation from the original material. Let's just say that there will be some surprises up the way <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> )</blockquote>

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