NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 7351162" data-attributes="member: 79141">Session 43, Part TwoSession Soundtrack[MEDIA=youtube]cVVd1mxBZ7k[/MEDIA]Kept Woman, RepriseWhere the final vault had been broken open when they last came here, they now found the seals intact, as they had been five hundred years ago.  They now realised that it was necessary to have been purified on the Pious Mounts of all eight outer vaults in order to pass through here.  But that was not how Nicodemus came through, surely?  So they focused and allowed the original sequence of events to manifest, in which Nicodemus withdrew a clergy key from his robes, inserted it, and opened the vault doors. (Korrigan tried to retain the key, but failed to do so.)Before moving on, Nicodemus warned both of his companions to be wary of what lay within. He said that he had studied for a long time and endeavoured to prepare for this very moment as best he could, but that even he could not guarantee that he would not fall for some charm or trick.  He advised them not to respond the demoness, but to leave all the talking to him.Inside, the floor was intact. Where later it would be eroded by seawater and collapse, they now saw a frieze that told to story of Ashima-Shimtu – how she had betrayed the demonocracy by  granting power to Triegenes, but later – after his death – would not share her greatest secret with his followers and as a consequence was locked in this vault as punishment until she relented.The chamber was empty and peaceful. Because it was so quiet, they could hear the almost imperceptible sound of distant chanting, which even the faintest noise or footfall could obscure. As they moved deeper into the vault, heading down the steps into the lee of the Pious Mount, the muffled chanting drew more distinct.Another revelation came courtesy of Uriel’s ability to intuit the supernatural.  He suddenly announced that the prayers were not in past, in the memory event with them, but in the present. With that, he focused on breaching the event, as Korrigan had done when retrieving Maur Granatha’s sword. The orisons at once grew louder and Uriel followed them up the steps of the mount, opening up the memory event as a drop of oil spreads across water. Matunaaga found that there was an armoured corpse at his feet. Atop the mount, the prayers came from within a circle of golden mirrors, all positioned to face outwards.The others recognised these mirrors, but their warning shouts came too late, as Uriel came close enough to one of them that it summoned forth a hostile doppelganger which attacked him. (Oddly, the ‘doppelganger’ actually took the form of Malthusius, while Malthusius had brought forth an image of Uriel when he came to this place four years ago.)Uriel dodged its blow; Korrigan transformed into a Bolt of Avilona and interposed himself; Matunaaga shot the doppelganger and it fell;  Uru ghost-stepped inside the ring of mirrors, and saw an emaciated woman kneeling in constant prayer; Rumdoom wondered if these mirrors could be smashed and drew back his hammer to throw it.Uriel cried out a warning to the dwarf – he had already ascertained that these mirrors were unbreakable.  Rumdoom ignored him, called upon his understanding of the runes of destruction, and threw his hammer at one of the mirrors, ordering it to break.  It shattered into a thousand pieces.Uriel sighed and used the more peaceful means of reshaping the stone beneath the first mirror and causing it to lower out of the way. Korrigan now recognised the woman as Ottavia Sacerdote.Uru recognised her too, and transformed into the guise of Luc Jierre before addressing her.  This caused Ottavia to cry out in fear – believing this to be a devilish trick (which in a way it was) – and send out a mental blast of psychic energy to drive her assailants away.  They reeled before this assault, whereupon Uriel knelt down beside her and said, “We’re here to help you leave.” Korrigan ordered Uru away from the circle and knelt before Ottavia alongside Uriel. (Uru retreated muttering something about it being best to kill these people in the first instance, rather than risk running into them again.) Using techniques he had practised since his days with the gith, and hoping to focus his thoughts using the power of Ottavia’s circlet, Korrigan named himself, reminded her of who he was and tried to calm her. Quratulain understood the situation and thought aloud, “I was left here too. They want to help us.”Korrigan let her know that they did not think Ottavia had been left behind; they had assumed Ashima-Shimtu had sent her elsewhere at her own request.Seeming to really see him for the first time, Ottavia answered, “She kept me here.”She did, said a familiar, feline ‘voice’.   This was the first they had heard from Ashima-Shimtu since entering the Crypta Hereticum. It was the only way to ensure she did not betray her mortal friends, an act of faith they chose not to repay. And so they return to parley with the poor mistreated prisoner, having broken all their promises to her.  And look what has happened to them in the meantime: The schism-wrought has lost the wife whose freedom he was promised; the gidim-foe has failed to unlock the means to save his people; the immortal failed to save his own skin and returns in a new form; the shadow fey is only half-alive; and the elf-queen has lost EVERYTHING. All and each in consequence of their betrayal. Will they dare to ask another favour of the misused…?”Her monologue was interrupted as the unit slowly approached her and the power of the Arc asserted itself. What’s this? Another game? Very well… said Ashima-Shimtu, allowing the event to lead her.Uriel took Ottavia gently by the arm, explained to her what was happening and urged her not to be afraid. Kasvarina failed to retain control of herself for the first time since their first use of the Arc in Sentosa. Leon made sure to keep a careful eye on her, lest the event took a dangerous turn.She, Nicodemus and Quratulain warily approach the demoness – a lithe, squamous humanoid depended over seawater on hooked chains, in a fashion similar to the angel Linia.  Her blood continually drips into the water.  Runes along the lip of the pit convert the sea spray to holy water that burns her in a fine mist. She seems asleep. At Nicodemus’ request, Kasvarina flies up and removes the hook that pins Ashima-Shimtu’s lips. She awakes and her movement causes the chains to jangle. Then she thanks them for this small relief and bids them speak.Nicodemus explains that they have come to her in the hope of stopping holy war, and defeating the clergy.  Nicodemus knows that she once shared the ‘Sacrament of Apotheosis’ with Triegenes and enabled him to defeat the demonocracy. Though she has always refused to give the ritual to his followers, Nicodemus hopes she will share it with him.His plan is to give it to the clergy!  When they use it to summon their vision of Triegenes – as a warlike God – Kasvarina will give her people the means to kill it and thereby destroy the militant priests who have led the clergy for so long.  In the new era of peace, Nicodemus hopes to be able to return here and free Ashima-Shimtu.Ashima-Shimtu agrees. Without hesitation, or negotiation, she begins to share the details of the ritual with Nicodemus.Ottavia Sacerdote gave a cry and another pulse of psychic energy slammed into the unit, as she broke away from Uriel and dashed towards Kasvarina.  Matunaaga tried to stun her, but the psychic wave stunned him; it was left to Quratulain to discharge her new assignment and interpose herself.  Then Uriel caught Ottavia in a beam of holy light and Leon pulled her into a daydream so that the memory event could continue:Ashima-Shimtu outlines the ritual, then passes the knowledge of it on to Nicodemus. It is a complex arduous, hour-long rite requiring the blood and entrails of a sacrificed lion, an eagle, a whale and a dragon.When the knowledge of the ritual has been shared, Ashima-Shimtu asks them where they wish to go. She can transport them anywhere connected by water. Nicodemus is pleased, as this will hasten his plans no end, and requests that they be transported to Methia. Then, as he leaps into the waters below, he says, “I am sorry, but they will not trust us if we release you, Quratulain. You must remain here for now. Demoness, I beg you on the terms of my promise. Keep this woman here.”Quratulain gives an anguished cry and launches herself after him. Ashima-Shimtu transports her far, far away, and seals her beneath sea ice. …Leon teleported Kasvarina back into the vault as she leapt; Korrigan resisted the urge to jump; Quratulain jumped, carried away by the memory, but Uriel caught her in a telekinetic grip and bore her back to safety.Korrigan waited for the memory event to fade, then spoke with Ashima-Shimtu. He asked why she had kept Ottavia behind. The demoness reiterated that she sought to prevent Ottavia from betraying them (and confessed that the idea of keeping a clergy priestess as a pet amused her).  But, why, asked Korrigan, did Ashima-Shimtu want to help them in the first place? Her reply was surprising – she had done so because they broke their pacts with her. She did not help Triegenes to save her skin, she said, but because his goodness intrigued her. Just as Ottavia’s did. Such power in self-righteousness and certainty! Ashima-Shimtu was drawn to it.Korrigan addressed the terms of his deal. (He had been told to help Asrabey Varal to free his wife; Asrabey would then help him free his. All these things had come to pass, but Korrigan’s wife had died.  (What power could Ashima-Shimtu have had over all this?))  Rather than remonstrate with the demoness, he thanked her for a valuable lesson that had made him stronger and built his conviction to find his own path rather than seek help from a higher power.  Freeing himself from his ill-advised pact (with Malthusius’ help) was a formative moment, he said.  Though he regretted the loss of his wife, he was now at peace with it.Ashima-Shimtu then offered to transport the unit anywhere they chose, just like she had done the last time.  Uriel advised against this; they had gold now and could easily return the way they came.  But Korrigan was intrigued by the demoness’ continued offer of help; and by the tactical possibilities.First, he asked her why she wanted to aid them again. Ashima-Shimtu said that she hope they would one day be in a position to free her from this vault. Korrigan asked what on earth made her think he would ever do that. One day you may understand, said Ashima-Shimtu, that even a demon can change.Uriel again urged Korrigan not to trust her, but Korrigan now voiced his audacious idea:  What if they were to go straight to Methia right now? Whatever preparations lay in wait for them (as Amielle Latimer had warned) Han Jierre could not expect they would arrive instantly, by river!  Sadly, Ashima-Shimtu said that her magic could not take them beyond the fringe of the Dead Magic Zone and the idea, however exciting, had to be abandoned.Uriel was relieved. Surely they would return to the entrance now? But no – Korrigan had already made his peace with accepting the demoness’ help and wanted to make all haste back to Flint. He asked Ashima-Shimtu to ensure they all arrived – Ottavia, Quratulain, Kasvarina, everyone.Before he leapt into the water, Uriel lingered, until Korrigan insisted he go ahead, unwilling to leave anyone behind him.  Then Uriel said to the demon, “I promise when this is all over that I will come back and talk”.Korrigan shoved him in, hoping that this threat would not see Uriel trapped under arctic sea ice for all eternity.</blockquote>

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