The Shattering IC

[Dorizzit]

War. Death. Suffering. These are all that the Planes know. It has been nearly a year since The Shattering, when the Multiverse itself broke open. A year since the enigmatic beings known as the Unspeakables forced their way through the cracks and began their savage war on the known universe. To say that the planes would all unite under a common banner would have been laughable at best and heresy at worst.

Now, it is simply a fact of life.

The Blood Army fights an infinite war across the Abyss and Hell, Demons and Devils working alongside each other to stem the tide of Unspeakables. The Seven Heavens have become a haven for those who have been displaced, while the angels and a collective group from many planes holds off constant assaults. Elementals of all types work alongside each other to defend their homes from the endless hordes. The Githyanki and Githzerai have joined forces, their ancient enmity seeming petty in the face of annihilation. Perhaps the worst of all the Planes to suffer is the Material Plane; a constant war is fought over it, never having even the brief moments of respite the other Planes receive. The Material Plane, however, possesses one of the strongest forces of defenders in the Multiverse; adventurers. These disparate individuals have joined forces into one of the most potent armies in the history of the Planes, forcing back even the Unspeakables.

But the inhabitants of the Planes are not the only ones to suffer. The fury of the Unspeakables is so great the Planes themselves suffer, even beyond the horrifying breaks in reality through which the Unspeakables walk, slip, slither, and fly. Mount Celestia is eroding, slowly but surely, its edges shrinking and rock slides proving a constant danger to the many refugees. Large stretches of Limbo have been rendered utterly sterile and unchanging. The gears of Mechanus have ground to a halt. A foul poison sweeps through the depths of the Elemental Plane of Water. Powerful quakes wrack the Plane of Earth. The Material Plane is a chaotic mass of natural disasters, torrential rains and volcanic eruptions ravaging the surface of the planet on a daily basis.

Through all of this, champions rise and fall. Armies muster and battle, conquer and shatter. Deities themselves lead hosts of warriors and mages against the Unspeakables.

From this chaos, five individuals go about their business. Soon, however, events shall conspire that shall join them under one banner...

[industrious]

The Former Fourth Aton Province

He does not arrive in a flash of light. He does not arrive in a blaze of glory. He does not arrive alone to stem the turning of the time.

He arrives amidst the absence of light; a dark void appears and he emerges. He arrives with the cold knowledge that this is little more than a delaying effort, that the Shattering will not be defeated at this time, this place. He arrives bearing an army, an army of those who used to work the land. An army that did so no more.

He comes with an army of undead, hideous perversions of life bound to him by his own will. They came to him willingly, seeking vengeance, seeking a chance to reclaim their home. He turned them into his own, loyal to him and him alone. He took them from their families, from salvation, from the very elements of life itself. But he was a creature of his word, and they returned to fight for their former homeland.

He speaks no words, utters no inspirational phrases. The dead do not speak. The dead have no need to speak. The dead kill, and the dead march, and the dead know that vengeance is at hand.

He stays by the back of the line, unleashing torrents of forbidden and unnatural power at the Unspeakables. His companion, who looked by sight to be an angel was not nearly so conservative; he lead the charge, surrounded by a halo of light. It was he who was came in a blaze of glory, for old habits die hard. Inwardly, the man who seemed an angel was nothing of the sort.

The archlich smiles at the forces he commands. And then, as he spoke with a low gravelly voice that grew no louder than a whisper, and twisted his hands with gestures precisely calculated for efficiency and power, began to see the first ranks of the Unspeakables fall.

[AmberVael]

Limbo

Screaming winds laced with flames carve across a perfect sphere, in which jagged white rocks surround a natural disk of the same substance. Hovering in the brutal battlegrounds of Limbo, this small locale holds one who would consider herself a knight. Crimson trickles flow across the rugged stone, hissing and boiling away into the ground it so ignobly defiles. Countless bizarre creatures scrabble across its surface, tearing at each other and the landscape, and the single figure between them all.

Sudden as a thunderclap, three flowing limbs of flesh erupt towards a twisted amalgam of gel and bone, an entity in the mocking likeness of a man. Its quivering mouth opens in a howl of rage, but manages no sound before the offending limbs pierce it with spines of bone, then wrench outwards to tear it apart from within. As it perishes in an explosion of otherworldly gore, a bit of the mockery's greenish gel smears across the smooth black mask of its adversary.

The fleck of ectoplasmic remains are given no attention as the blazing red eyes beneath the mask, Akena's eyes, turn to a new target. Her limbs writhe back, vanishing and leaving nothing but smooth skin behind as they meld into her body once more, but are immediately replaced with another gross deformity as she lunges forward; her arm blackens and expands, claws and strange growths rippling across its surface as she moves to her next victim, letting loose a keening, primal sound of hate and joy.

It is a vulgar, ugly work, but her mastery of it shines through. Seamlessly flowing between one creature and the next, moving faster than the eye can track, Akena tears through them. Blood and gore streams around her in artistic ribbons that echo her movements, ripples from her current of violence that flow from those out of step with her vicious dance. Each enemy falls in turn, the integrity of her blasted landscape flickering time and time again, just long enough for the hungry flaming winds of Limbo to claim those daring to stand against its self-proclaimed champion.

When all is done, her adversaries torn apart by limb and flame, her masked face is held high, hair flapping in the wailing wind like a banner. In a proud voice, she declaims to the howling void of Limbo with crossed arms and stalwart stance.
"Come, meaningless puppets, and face me if you dare! I will send you back to the nothing that spawned you!"

[SPoD]

A Demiplane, Somewhere

The portal was guarded, but not well. A few knights and a wizard, no more. Their dedication impressed her as she slipped between them, unseen, unheard, unfelt. The world was ending, yet they stayed at their posts.

Of course, the natives did not understand the nature of this portal. If they did, they would be crushing one another in a stampede to pass through. It was nothing but a curiosity to them, locked up in some tower in the archmage's castle. They knew nothing of the multiverse, and that ignorance had been what attracted her to live here as one of them these last ten years. She could tell them of the wonders that lay beyond the borders of their tiny world, but they would not believe her anyway.

She paused for just a moment by the window. Outside, the ground that had served this demiplane's inhabitants so well for so many generations had split, revealing...well, she didn't know what it was revealing, only that a million things were pouring out of the gap. Time for her to go.

How odd, though. In all her many centuries of wandering the Great Wheel, it had never once occurred to her that it would break before she did. She wondered how Home was faring. Better than most? Or worse? She bowed her invisible head in rememberance of its scarlet fields and steaming rivers of bile. She sighed.

The wizard thought he heard the sigh, but soon decided it was nothing after all. True enough, she thought. A brief expulsion of unnecessary air from one who is less than naught.

She took one last look at the demiplane's apocalypse, in case she should be called on to write its eulogy. Then she slipped through the portal to another world, as she had so many billions of times before. She wondered how many more times she would do the same.

[Cardea]

Dalton, City-State and Capital of the Aein Peninsula

One second.

Septa Von twirled the bauble in his hand. It was a sphere of hardened glass, encompassing a mass of whirling clockwork. The time, according to its positions, put it roughly near Second-Seventh Hour. It couldn't tell time precisely, but it did have unique positions according to the hour. Such a fascinating thing, really. So small. So... impossibly strong, despite its fragile appearance. He twirled it between his metal fingertips making sure not to scratch the glass. He remembers...

Two seconds.

... it being crafted. Yunra Von crafted it. Yunra always knew the ways of magic more than the other seven, Septa included. And to them, Yunra created these. The Clockwork Shifters. Their personal plane-jumpers. It wasn't all that powerful; planar travel was commonplace. But... she made them. As a gift. It surely helped them fulfill their destiny and purpose, yes. But it also took up her time. Why...

Three seconds.

... would you waste so much time, on such a small power, when such power was easily available elsewhere. Why did she work so much for powers that were easily produced elsewhere? Why did create such small baubles for them, when she could have easily acquired them elsewhere, with ease? Why was she so...

Four seconds.

Septa steps up from the High Tower of Dalton. A compartment in his let opens up, and he places the small sphere inside, its special place keeping it safe from harm. He kneels down placing his hands on his raised knee, and his back foot bent; his back knee not touching the ground. He lowers his head down. His legs hum with power. Panels slide all across his body, revealing a small pathway, connecting each of his appendages to his chest. He opens his eyes, and steps down the side of the tower. His legs speed up as his falling speed increases. Halfway down the tower, he jumps...

Five seconds.

... onto another rooftop, a vision of himself appearing above him, pushing him forward as he disappears. He runs from rooftop to rooftop, his speed increasing more and more. He jumps again, lighter this time, over the city's wall, onto the outlying field...

Six seconds.

... and is gone, running into the distance.

[Niezck]

A Shadow On The Prime

Quickened heart rate, sweating, panting like a dog, bleeding. Silly little people. Why do they run and cower like children in a storm when they face inevitable destruction? They know they will meet their end at his hand, yet they fight it regardless. Silly little people.

A step, now he's close, they can feel the coldness of his skin pressing against their neck as he closes his grip. They struggle to break free, yet can't get past his unnatural strength and agility. They start kicking wildly, foolish little pigs trying to beat a tiger. Contact. A lucky shot at best, no real damage.

A puncture. Their neck begins producing that sweet, sweet juice. It flows all down the powerful arm constricting them, covering the hand that binds. More and more it flows, faster and faster as he begins to lose control, lose himself in the beauty of it all.

A bite. Finally, sweet release. They taste good, though not the best he's ever had. No, that prestige is reserved for a certain nymph he once knew. Still, despite their futile body, their life tastes glorious. It flows, fast and strong into his mouth as the pathetic little pig goes limp and pale.

Withdraw. Blood is one thing, fear is another. To see the horrible, cruel face of your killer before death is a fate Shai enjoys inflicting. He throws the human back against the wall, looks up at him and shifts. His true form becomes apparent within an instant, black and orange stripes covering his body head to toe. Thick, vibrant fur sprouts from his once-pink skin. Fearless eyes and brutal teeth, enhanced by his unnatural nature. He stares at the pig, basking in the fear he's causing.

"Ready to die, little worm?"

He lunges. Death.

[Dorizzit]

Jericho Saul

The Fourth Aton Province's barren landscape becomes more and more visible as the tide of Unspeakables is slowly pushed back and slain. The battle is hard, but between the tenacity of the living dead, the martial prowess of Sir Percival, and your own not-insignificant magical power, at the end of the battle, not a single one of the abominations still stands, the rest having fled to the cracks between the dimensions still visibly scattered throughout the area.

After a brief moment of silence, you can here the gentle flap of nearly silent wings behind you. A blur of red zips past you, then alights upon a nearby tree branch. You have no difficulty identifying the creature; an Imp from Baator. It keeps its eyes fixed upon you as it settles down on the branch, then speaks.

"Greetings, Jericho Saul. My master, Archmage Canceras, desires to speak with you about a matter of mutual interest."

* * *

Akena

The Unspeakables were seemingly endless, constantly pouring out into the untamed chaos of Limbo. Yet before you, they are as nothing; as easily torn apart as paper dolls. This group had been particularly weak; they had put up almost no fight before you tore through them. Seeing your strength, other, more distant, groups of the bizarre beings flee back until you are the only figure standing in the blasted landscape of Limbo.

Almost immediately, however, another person appears in the distance, clearly foreign to Limbo but just as obviously not one of the Unspeakable invaders. Seeing you, he pauses for a few seconds before disappearing and reappearing nearby. He is a tall man, clad in armor and bearing a large greatsword sword upon his back. He bows respectfully.

"I believe you are the one known as Akena, yes? I bear a message from Archmage Adimaeus. He wishes to talk face-to-face with you about a matter of grave importance."

* * *

Lost-To-All

The portal leads out into a titanic cavern. You find yourself in a deep trench, the ceiling of the cavern almost impossibly high above and the walls out of sight. The surrounding stone is a deep red in color, and veins of an odd turquoise crystal run through the rocks. Strange, but you had seen stranger. More unusual is the man leaning against the wall of the trench in front of you, seemingly lost in thought. He seems to be dressed in ordinary clothes and carries no weapons...but looks can be deceiving, as you have learned. As you enter, he looks up, then separates from the wall and bows.

"I apologize if I seem forward, but are you, perchance, the one known as Lost-To-All? My employer, the Archmage Adimaeus, has sent me to request your presence in Sigil."

* * *

Septa Von

Finished with your business in the city, you exit in your own way, clearing the walls in but a few seconds. Still moving extraordinarily fast, your Mechanus-crafted legs carrying you to your next destination. After a few seconds, however, your sensors indicate something strange; an organic being is approaching rapidly, quickly catching up despite your speed. A few seconds later, it has arrived; a human male, barely adolescent. Unlike you, he is flying, his back to the ground and his arms behind his head as though he were relaxing. He speaks.

"You, sir, are a hard man, er, Inevitable to find. Anyway, there's a man in Sigil who wants to meet with you. Said you'd be interested in what he had to hear. Something about the Unspeakables...I think he also said something about the...what was it called? Oh, right. The Core of Mechanus? Does that ring any bells?"

* * *

Shai

You feed, taking cruel pleasure in the pain and terror you inflict beyond the simple necessity of eating. The humans before you stand no chance, their pathetic struggles futile in the face of your power. After a few seconds, you have slaughtered them and slaked your thirst with their blood. From behind you, the soft sound of a man clearing his throat is heard.

Turning to face the new arrival, you see a tall, pale man; closer examination reveals that he is a vampire as well. He is leaning against a nearby wall, his arms folded over his chest. He wears a finely worked, pitch-black chain shirt, and a longsword hangs from his waist.

"You are Shai, yes? I come bearing an invitation to Sigil and request for a meeting from Lord Canceras, the Archmage."

[Niezck]

Wiping te blood from around his mouth, Shai smiles to the new arrival and bows gracefully.

"I am indeed the one you seek. It is a pleasure to meet a brother of the fang such as myself. Archmage Canceras you say? Never heard of him. What kind of mortal man has the courage to beckon me to him?

Taking a moment to smile at the man, Shai cracks his neck as his body begins to shift once more to pink, pale skin. The dark, beautiful fur he once displayed is now hidden to the world, masked underneath his cold stare.

[SPoD]

Lost-to-All


The portal leads out into a titanic cavern. You find yourself in a deep trench, the ceiling of the cavern almost impossibly high above and the walls out of sight. The surrounding stone is a deep red in color, and veins of an odd turquoise crystal run through the rocks. Strange, but you had seen stranger. More unusual is the man leaning against the wall of the trench in front of you, seemingly lost in thought. He seems to be dressed in ordinary clothes and carries no weapons...but looks can be deceiving, as you have learned. As you enter, he looks up, then separates from the wall and bows.

"I apologize if I seem forward, but are you, perchance, the one known as Lost-To-All? My employer, the Archmage Adimaeus, has sent me to request your presence in Sigil."

Living among the mortals on the demiplane had made her careless, she could see. This man could sense her while invisible as easily as if she wore a necklace of everburning torches. With little reason to hide herself from one who could see her and knew her name, she allowed herself to fade into view. A slight female humanoid with pale skin and no hair, she wore a simple grey dress and a bulky grey cloak, the hood of which she lowered as she appeared. Her thin tail snaked out from beneath her dress but stayed as still as the red stone that her bare feet touched.

She considered her response carefully before asking: "Is there any point to me asking who the Archmage Adimaeus is, how he knows who I am or where to find me, or to what end he requests my presence?" She had long since learned that mysterious messengers tended to be exactly that: mysterious. They rarely disclosed the nature of their summons if their master could do so later in a more dramatic manner. Still, it was an unusual time, and such times often led to the unexpected.

[AmberVael]

Akena


"Then why isn't he here?"
Questions Akena, her strong voice resonating through her mask.
"If he desires to meet with me, let him do so! No man need ask me if they may speak to me. Did you?"
She says, apparently missing the implication that she should be going to meet Adimaeus rather than the other way around.

"Am I so terrifying to him that he dares not show his face without permission? Is he so lacking in confidence that he must send another?"
The question may seem a little arrogant, but in her defense, she just slaughtered an army. The average man probably has really good reason to be scared to death of her.
Presumably, however, the Archmage is not so average.

[industrious]

Jericho Saul

"Very well."

His fingers flick in an intricate sign, and Sir Percival is at his side in an instant, a silent monolith. Turning to address the army before him, Jericho gives a few final commands.

"Your land is yours once more, as I have promised. Should you wish it, I will bring back your women and children as well. You may discuss this amongst yourselves before I return."

It was not kindness that bid him to do this; it was strategy. Should their depandants come, the horde of undead would quickly convert them, forming the first undead nation in such a very long time-and he would be its ruler. And should they not...he still had an army.

"Time to go, Warden. Tell us where he is, Imp."

The man takes a jeweled amulet from the pocket of his robes, and the lich and angelic being are swept along the corridors of arcane power.

[Cardea]

Without losing his speed, Septa Von raises his arm, holding it in a position to strike at this... organic. The weights in his arm shift, moving the brunt of the weight of his arm at his wrist. Around his fist, a light blue glow comes forth, creating a small resonating hum. No one should be keeping up with him. He turns his head, his cyan eyes scanning him for threats. He focuses for an instant, before another of him appears, on the other side of the young man. They both speak at the same time, their questions more as commands, in their dull, metallic voice. "Five seconds for each answer. Who is the man. Why is he in possession of Knowledge of the Core of Mechanus that would interest me."

[Dorizzit]

Shai

The other vampire bows in response to your gesture, showing the same respect. He chuckles a little when you speak of Canceras, however.

"Canceras is no mortal; he is a Demilich, one of the most ancient and powerful of his kind. He changes names every so often; have you, perhaps, heard of Terus? Quian? Sheresal? All were names used by him at times."

Indeed, the some of the spoken names are recognizable as legendarily powerful and evil spellcasters.

"Regardless, he seeks not to control you. Rather, he has a...proposition for you. I think you'd be interested in this one."

* * *

Lost-To-All

The stranger nods in gratitude as you return to visibility. He keeps his face as a blank slate, remaining nearly unreadable as you inquire as to the nature of the summons.

"Why wouldn't there be? Adimaeus is, as I said, an Archmage of the highest order. In his youth, he inadvertently unlocked the secret of immortality and has since stood for centuries as a powerful force for what is widely regarded as good in the Multiverse. He knows who you are from a powerful divination he cast several weeks ago, and likewise used divination magic to find your location, where I was dispatched to speak with you. His exact purpose in summoning you is unknown to me, but it is involved with a plan that could end the incursion of the Unspeakables. Do you have any further questions?"

* * *

Akena

To any normal person, the man would seem resolute and unaffected. To your keen eyes, however, the man's tightly repressed fear of you is obvious. Apparently pushing past this, he shakes his head.

"Adimaeus is absent not because of fear or lack of desire; he is, at present, unable to move freely and must remain in Sigil. He sent me as an emissary in his stead."

* * *

Jericho Saul

The Imp smiles unpleasantly as you acquiesce to meet with his master. Lifting off from the tree branch, he flies closer to remain with you as you activate your transportation magic.

"Why, where else would he be? Sigil, of course."

* * *

Septa Von

At your hostile reaction, the adolescent raises his hands in a widely accepted gesture of peace, although he is still managing to keep up with you, somehow. He does right himself, however, losing the relaxed posture.

"Whoa, hey, there, I'm not here to fight. The man is Adimaeus; he's a wizard of some renown, maybe you've heard of him? I don't know where he gets his info; I just run his errands."

[SPoD]

The stranger nods in gratitude as you return to visibility. He keeps his face as a blank slate, remaining nearly unreadable as you inquire as to the nature of the summons.

"Why wouldn't there be? Adimaeus is, as I said, an Archmage of the highest order. In his youth, he inadvertently unlocked the secret of immortality and has since stood for centuries as a powerful force for what is widely regarded as good in the Multiverse. He knows who you are from a powerful divination he cast several weeks ago, and likewise used divination magic to find your location, where I was dispatched to speak with you. His exact purpose in summoning you is unknown to me, but it is involved with a plan that could end the incursion of the Unspeakables. Do you have any further questions?"


"I only asked one question, and you failed to answer it," she said. "Your master might prefer if you listened more closely to what is actually asked of you." She did not care much who this Adimaeus was or what his plan was; she surmised much of what she was told simply by the messenger's presence and the mention of Sigil. What she had wanted to know was whether this man would deal straightly with her, and he had. Still, listening carefully was one of the most valuable skills any sentient being could learn, in her opinion, so she did not feel her impromptu lesson was in vain. It had been, after all, a yes-or-no question.

"I will go to Sigil, as long as you are bringing me there." She had no better place to be right now, and even if she wanted nothing to do with the glorified step-and-fetch quest this archmage almost certainly had planned for her, she would have hitched a free ride to one of the safest places around right now. She bowed her head to the man and stretched out her hand, "I am ready to depart when you are."

[industrious]

Jericho Saul

The medallion activates, and Jericho Saul, Sir Warden Percival, and the Imp vanish.


Making a DC 15 Int check to see if I land at my chosen destination; in this case, Sigil and the middle of a district heavily populated by the undead.
[roll0]

EDIT: Can I just take 10? For story purposes?

[Niezck]

Raising an eyebrow at the chuckle, Shai checks himself to ensure no blood is on this clothing before looking back up at the man.

"The demilich Quian you say? Indeed, I have heard of such a being. Intruiging ... Meeting on Sigil, hm?"

The vampire takes a moment to think to himself, pondering the situation at hand. Should he travel with this man and it turn into a trap, he wasn't sure of his ability to fend off a demilich such as Quian ... Conversely, if his help is truly being requested by Quian, it would be foolish to waste such an opportunity.

"When does your lord wish to meet me, and where in Sigil, it is a large place after all?"

[AmberVael]

Akena

To any normal person, the man would seem resolute and unaffected. To your keen eyes, however, the man's tightly repressed fear of you is obvious. Apparently pushing past this, he shakes his head.

"Adimaeus is absent not because of fear or lack of desire; he is, at present, unable to move freely and must remain in Sigil. He sent me as an emissary in his stead."

Akena frowns, and though the change of expression does not show through her mask, it is easily shown in her tone.
"He would ask me to leave the lands I protect?"
She steps forward, her blazing eyes narrowed as she moves up to the messenger-
Tall as he is, Akena manages to tower over him by a good half a foot (was she even that tall a few seconds ago?), and now stares down at him with an intense gaze that warns him to take incredible caution.
"What is of such importance that he would summon me from my rightful place? To abandon the battle I fight?"

[Cardea]

"No. He does not register in my databases." Both Septa Vons say. In unison, he slams his fists into the ground, halting their speed. One stands next to the first one, the weights in his forearm shifting to the elbow. The other produces a small watch from his leg, and adjusts the hands on it, making one of them point to 'Travel', with one digit still moving the other around the face. The second one shouts at the young man. "Where do I go?"

[Dorizzit]

Lost-To-All

The man bows humbly at your admonishment.

"You must forgive me. While I would normally be inclined to answer in such a fashion, time is of the essence, and such questions are rarely meant literally. Since you are ready to go-"

He withdraws a small disk of iron and drops it on the ground. A thick column of light emerges, growing to a height of eight feet before tapering off. The man gestures towards the portal.

"After you, unless you would prefer that I go first."

* * *

Jericho Saul

Soon after you activate your planar shift to Sigil, you feel a lurching sensation as the transport stops mid shift. You appear in what seems to be a void, blackness all around you, although there is solid ground beneath your feet. Before you stands a Dabus, one of the Lady of Pain's servants. The imp flaps its wings gently and rises into the air.

"I'll deal with this."

He turns to address the Dabus.

"We have received permission from Her Serenity to allow the individuals Jericho Saul and Warden Percival into the city."

He extends a small token made of an odd, greenish metal to the Dabus. The strange creature takes the token and examines it for a few seconds before handing it back. Your trip resumes, the void and the Dabus vanishing as though they had never existed. You emerge in the middle of your intended destination, an area of the city frequented by the unliving. The imp looks around for a few seconds before motioning in a direction.

"Come. I shall take you to my master."

* * *

Shai

The vampire smiles. A normal person would likely find it unsettling, but the sight is commonplace to you.

"Lord Canceras wishes to speak with you as soon as you are available. Now, even, if you have the time. I shall guide you to him when you arrive."

* * *

Akena

The man takes a step back as you loom over him, raising his hands in a gesture of peace.

"He does not want you to abandon your battle, quite the opposite. Adimaeus is gathering champions from across the planes. He has devised a way to end the invasion of the Unspeakables. Permanently."

* * *

Septa Von

The adolescent doesn't stop in unison with you, zooming several hundred feet past you before slowing to a stop, blinking out of existence, and reappearing in front of you. He makes an odd motion with his hand.

"The Tower of the Baring Eye."

[SPoD]

Lost-To-All

The man bows humbly at your admonishment.

"You must forgive me. While I would normally be inclined to answer in such a fashion, time is of the essence, and such questions are rarely meant literally. Since you are ready to go-"

He withdraws a small disk of iron and drops it on the ground. A thick column of light emerges, growing to a height of eight feet before tapering off. The man gestures towards the portal.

"After you, unless you would prefer that I go first."

"No need for that," she answered, "If this is some form of elaborate trap, I enter it willingly. Only those with something to lose have anything to fear, and the only thing I have left to lose is my time. And I have enough of that to spare."

She walked silently toward the portal, squinting in the brightness. "Besides, if I have any enemies, I can't think of a better way to find out about them." She stepped into the glowing rectangle, her tail disappearing last into the light.

[industrious]

Jericho Saul

"Then take me to him, imp."

Saul knew of Canceras; knew of him very well. Knowing of the dread mage's reputation, before he had transcended his mortal form, Jericho had begged the archlich to study at his feet...and been refused.

Centuries had passed since that day, and while Saul had accomplished much since that time, the memory of his first true failure still haunted him, occasionally. He was an acknowledged master of the necromantic arts, of the beings of the Far Realms; now novices and initiates begged to study with him. But inwardly, Saul felt vaguely like the young man he once was, all those years ago. Vaguely. And Saul would never admit to it.

[AmberVael]

Akena

"And when I go to fulfill this mission, who will guard this front? You?"
Akena steps back, but continues to watch the messenger with her blazing red eyes.
"I will go, but know the full weight of what you ask me to do."

[Niezck]

A grin creeps across Shai's face

"Indeed, I believe I can spare the time. Will you be taking us there, or should I make my own way?"

As he speaks, he fiddles around his neck and pulls an ornate-looking amulet out from under his clothes. A hugely complex device, the amulet is host to an array of buttons and dials with strane symbols on each setting and next to each button. Though at first glance it appears ridiculously complex, a pattern can quickly be noticed among the symbols.

[Dorizzit]

((For the sake of expediency, I'm jumping us ahead a bit. These scenes are taking longer than I intended.))

Akena

The man shifts his feet.

"Myself, yes, along with a company of two thousand soldiers that I command. While we cannot individually compare to your strength, certainly, we are not a force to be taken lightly. Thank you for helping us."

He reaches to a small device on his arm. Twisting a few dials on it, he creates a dark hole in reality directly in front of himself.

"If you are ready to go, we can depart now."

Shai

The other vampire's smile cracks open even wider.

"Excellent. Now then..."

Reaching into his coat, he withdraws a circle of metal. Dropping it unceremoniously, he speaks a command word that causes it to expand into a circle of light on the ground, shimmering with blue energy.

"After you, unless you'd rather I go first."

All
One Hour Later

You had been conveyed, from the various messengers, to the Tower of the Baring Eye. The Tower was a renowned interplanar landmark, present in Sigil for countless centuries. It had been the stronghold of the Order of the Baring Eye, an organization of the most advanced Diviners in history, devoted to the obtainment of all forms of knowledge. Unfortunately, they had been viciously attacked around fifty years ago, leaving the organization a shadow of its former self.

The Tower is a massive construction, with over seventy floors, all told. You are presently at the top, a titanic dome of magically reinforced glass from which the entire city can be seen. The room is dominated by a large construction of metal and glass in the center of the room, but whatever it does, it is not currently activated. Each of you has been given an attendant to supply any need you might have.

Jericho Saul was the earliest arrival, nearly an hour ago. The most recent was a construct of some sort, who has been here just over fifteen minutes. Just as it seems like nothing will happen, however, footsteps emerge from the staircase leading into the room. Two figures emerge. One is a half-elf; his age is nearly impossible to determine, but he seems old beyond his years. He is dressed in a white robe, and carries a long staff of matching coloration. The other is the first's opposite in every way; a lich, all flesh has long since rotted from his bones. He wears black robes, and carries a staff of polished Darkwood. Also notable is his right hand, which has five jewels instead of the first knuckle on each finger. The first is the first to speak.

"All of you, thank you for taking the time to see us. I am Adimaeus, and this is Canceras. We understand how much it is we ask of you, but you are the only people who we believe can accomplish this task."

The Lich speaks next.

"Getting to the point, myself and my dear companion-" -he describes the nature of their relationship tauntingly- "Have discovered the cause of the Shattering. Now that we know how it happened, we can fix it. Needless to say, it won't be quite that simple."

The white garbed mage continues as the Lich trails off.

"The problem began in Mechanus. You see...well. Actually, I that I am not the most qualified person here to discuss the events in Mechanus. Septa Von, if you are willing...?"

He speaks to the construct.

[SPoD]

Lost-to-All

The slight figure of the succubus waited silently while the two mages began their dissertation. She listened from beneath her grey hood, but also watched, seeing what they said and hearing how they looked. She considered reading the half-elf's mind, but decided it would be poor etiquette to do so, especially since he had almost certainly shielded his thoughts anyway. Still, she learned much by studying their auras.

When they indicated the construct, she turned to listen.

I'm glad this game is still going, I was worried it had just faded away.

This post is just to keep myself active, but also to use my aura sight. Lost-to-all has True Seeing and Blindsight 60 ft. at all times, in case that reveals anything interesting about anyone in the room, and is automatically aware of all spells or magical effects she sees and can determine whether someone is an arcane or divine caster and the highest level of spells they can cast. I'm assuming these NPC guys fall into "arcane" and "12th level or so" category with a bunch of defensive and contingency spells active on themselves, but I figured I would mention it in case one of them is surprising in some way.

If there's anything really weird that other people wouldn't be able to sense, you can PM me the results.

[industrious]

Jericho Saul

The lich looks around at the varied number of individuals in the room. Both of the archmages were, of course, known to him. And while Jericho's powers were mighty, he knew well enough when he was outclassed.

The lich listens attentively.

[Cardea]

Septa Von stands still, his 'eyes' surveying everyone in the room. He pays special attention to the Lich as it talks. He turns his head, as they turn to him, to answer the Mage. "Protocol demands that I remain silent, until I can confirm that you know what has happened. I will fill in detail if you are missing any. Understand: Protocol asks it. You know my nature."

[Dorizzit]

All

Adimaeus inclines his head to Septa Von.

"Of course, we understand. Very well, then..."

He motions to the device in the center of the room. It rises and expands until it has reached its full form, then halts abruptly. After a few seconds, the glass dome becomes opaque, blocking all light into the chamber. Light of many colors streams out of the projector, twisting and turning to form images. The first created is a detailed map of the multiverse.

"First, for those of you who don't know. Each plane possesses a core that is the concentrated essence of that plane, located at its heart. The origins of the Shattering begin one year ago, at the exact center of the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus."

The map zooms in to an image of a large gear, with a number of constructions built upon it.

"Yes, we know the Plane is infinite. It's complicated. Don't ask. Please. It's one of his favorite topics. I'd like to finish this sometime in the next century."

"Ahem. Anyway, one year ago, Mechanus was attacked by a small group of extraordinarily powerful individuals. By themselves, any of them could have single-handedly influenced the history of an entire plane. Together, they may destroy all of them."

A number of black dots appear on the edge of the gear. They move towards the center, then split up.

"After their arrival, all but one spread out to cause as much havoc as possible, most likely as distractions. This one, though, went right for the core."

Adimaeus indicates one of the dots. The image zooms in onto a non-distinct running humanoid. It approaches the core of the Plane, represented by a golden cube.

"Normally, the Cube has defenders in place. Well. One defender."

A rearing column of flesh and arms appears in front of the figure. A Hechatoncheires.

"The hundred handed ones guard each of the Cores. We don't know why; they are inscrutable at best, but it's an effective defense system."

The beast falls before the figure.

"Usually."

The figure grabs the Core and vanishes. The room returns to normal.

"After he stole the Core, he and his group fled. We have also identified the man himself; Jacen the Fateless. I will explain more about him in a moment, but are there any questions? Septa Von, did we miss anything?"

Lost-To-All:

The room is generally non-magical, although the device in its center is highly charged with magic. The attendants possess no magical abilities or nature. Adimaeus and Canceras, however, are both extremely powerful. They are arcane spellcasters, both in possession of many powerful magical items and effects. Canceras in particular is loaded with a number of long-lasting and contingency spells. Both are capable of Tenth level spells. Canceras' main body radiates very little magic; all of his power comes from his jeweled hand.

[Niezck]

Glancing around at the others, Shai seems quite comfortable in the company of strangers.

He stands still and silent during the presentation before looking at each mage in turn.

"That's surely not good, right? I doubt any of us could take on a hundred handed defender alone ... Regardless of how much any of you may protest that you could."

[SPoD]

Glancing around at the others, Shai seems quite comfortable in the company of strangers.

He stands still and silent during the presentation before looking at each mage in turn.

"That's surely not good, right? I doubt any of us could take on a hundred handed defender alone ... Regardless of how much any of you may protest that you could."

"Then it is well that we are not being asked to do so," Lost-to-All stated flatly. "Rock may beat scissors, but that does not mean that paper cannot beat rock."

Her tail curled and straightened under the hem of her cloak as she thought. "Are you suggesting that we retrieve the Core of Mechanus--and that of any other planes affected--from those who have stolen it, and that this action would then prevent the Unspeakables from establishing further tears through which to attack? And if so, with how many Planar Cores have these thieves absconded?"

I'd like to also get a Sense Motive check to see if they're lying/omitting anything so far. My skill mod is +52, but I figured I should let you roll it.

[AmberVael]

Akena

"From what I recall, the hundred handed are deficient in all but the most basic strategy even if they carry it out with full power. It would not be hard for a person to prepare against them and take advantage of their weaknesses. They do not adapt well."
Akena says, speaking in a thoughtful manner.

[Dorizzit]

All

Adimaeus nods to Shai as the vampire speaks.

"Indeed. That is why we have called all of you together. Unity may accomplish what individuals find impossible."

He turns to Lost-To-All.

"The Core of Mechanus is the only one that has been taken. Why, we'll get to in a moment. But yes, if the mission succeeds, the Unspeakables will be permanently banished from the Multiverse."

Canceras answers Akena.

"That's the funny part. He could've...but he didn't. B****** took it down in a straight slugfest. Pretty impressive stuff. We have a recording, if any of you want to see it."

Adimaeus speaks again as Canceras finishes.

"Indeed. Anyway, continuing on."

He once again motions to the projector in the center of the room, causing a similar transformation as the previous time. In this instance, the image is a three dimensional map of the Multiverse. It becomes covered in a black shield, then quickly shrinks, surrounded by a misty white veil.

"The map of the Multiverse is self-explanatory. The white is an abstract representation of the far realm. If any of you aren't familiar with it, I can give you a basic explanation."

A blinking, golden dot is ejected from the now-tiny Multiverse. Periodically, small spheres of gold are left in its path, a thin line of the same color connecting each of them. As time goes on, a third layer beyond the white veil is revealed. Unlike the peaceful mist of the Far Realm, this layer is a roiling, angry red. As the gold line connects, a stream of the red material flows back, around the spheres and finally into the material plane.

"The area beyond the Far Realm is difficult to describe. In simple terms, it is to the Far Realm what the Far Realm is to us. Horrors to horrors. Fragments of the entities that populate that plane have been drawn back down the path that is formed by the passing of the Core of Mechanus. They are the Unspeakables."

"Allow me to explain. The Far Realm is an existence of utter chaos and disorder. The presence of absolute law enforces order onto it, creating small pocket realities-" -the spheres flash for a few seconds- "-that anchor a path between the Multiverse and the Unspeakables. A proto-core exists at the heart of each of these pockets. If the proto-cores are removed, the reality collapses and the natural order will be restored. If, on the other hand, they are allowed to grow..."

The spheres slowly expand, until they explode in a bright flash and a large, golden tunnel is formed between the red mist and the Multiverse. The stream intensifies, the mist filling the Multiverse until it finally cracks apart and shatters.

"...it would be bad. Currently, the Core is on the border between the Far Realms and the beyond. It will take a few weeks for it to cross over, at which point the expansion of the pocket realities, as well as the arrival of the Unspeakables, will intensify significantly."

[SPoD]

Lost-to-All follows the information presented to her before making her own attempt to summarize. "So, we are to travel across the Far Realm, stopping at each 'bubble' we find and removing the proto-core that is maintaining its existence. When we get to the final such bubble, we seize the true core from the thief, hopefully destroying him in the process, and return it to Mechanus. And we have only a few weeks to accomplish this. Is this an accurate assessment?"

[Cardea]

Septa Von


"Interlopers and transgressors," Septa Von says, as they finish. "Hold little power. If you speak the truth, then it is obvious you are too strained to after Jacen. If the Fateless one is behind all this, then I will go to end him. Can you transport us first, to where we start?"

[Niezck]

Shai remains silent throughout until, finally, after the others speak he simply laughs out loud - a booming laughter that fills the room.

"Well, it'll certainly be a challenge!"

[industrious]

Jericho Saul

"Well now. Can't have the Great Wheel get destroyed, now can we?"

The lich laughs at his statement.

"After all, some of us plan to rule it someday."

[SPoD]

Septa Von


"Interlopers and transgressors," Septa Von says, as they finish. "Hold little power. If you speak the truth, then it is obvious you are too strained to after Jacen. If the Fateless one is behind all this, then I will go to end him. Can you transport us first, to where we start?"

Lost-to-All examines the machine as it speaks. Clearly, it knew more about what was occurring than was being told to her by the two mages. "If you have the names or titles of any of those responsible, I think that is information that we all should have before we begin this wild goose chase," she says to the mages. "I don't want to get through half of this and then find out that you and the construct have been keeping information from us. I will not be happy--nor will they, I'm presuming," she says, indicating the lich, the vampire, and the...whatever the third one with the red eyes was.

Sorry, Vael, I have absolutely no idea what Akena is or what she looks like. :smallredface:

[AmberVael]

Akena

Akena simply takes in the information quietly and listens to the others discuss the situation. She seems attentive and interested, but apparently has been given no reason to make a comment just yet.

[Dorizzit]

All

Adimaeus nods gravely at Lost-To-All's assessment of the situation.

"Indeed. That is what is required to save the multiverse."

Canceras barks a harsh burst of laughter at Shai and Jericho's separate statements.

"Ah, youth."

He directs a harsher gaze at Lost-To-All's second statement, however.

"Don't you threaten us, girl, I was smearing your like across the planes when the Obyriths still ruled the abyss!"

Adimaeus pinches the bridge of his nose and shuts his eyes in irritation.

"Canceras, please. Lost-To-All, I assure you, we have no intention of keeping secrets. In times like these, we need unity. It would be foolish to threaten it with pointless hiding of information. In regards to your question, we do have information on some of Jacen's group. They have made an impressive effort to obfuscate their identities, but we are not without resources. Here is what we know so far."

He snaps his fingers. The central projector starts again, shining an image of a lean man up into a clear vantage point. He is on the short side, with violet eyes and black hair that hangs past his shoulders. He is dressed in black, and a longsword is sheathed at his side.

"This is Jacen himself. We don't know too much about him; what we do know is that he is utterly severed from the web of fate that every other being in existence is bound to. That makes him unpredictable and immortal, among other things. As near as we can determine, he has existed for the entire history of the multiverse, possibly longer. He is both a skilled warrior and arcanist, and has sporadically demonstrated other skills."

Another snap of his fingers and the projector switches to an image of a large, black dragon.

"This is Senumbrax. He has been Jacen's closest companion for over a millenia. He is a shadow dragon of great power, and claims to be a 'pureblood,' although we have not been able to determine what is meant by this."

The next image is of an Mind Flayer. Unusually, it has six mouth tentacles, two of which reach almost to the ground. It also stands head and shoulders above others of its kind.

"Slis'sjil. An Ulitharid, a very rare and superior form of Illithid. Slaughtered its entire city and vanished several years ago, before reappearing during the invasion of Mechanus. An extraordinarily potent Psion. Motives unknown."

When the image changes once more, it becomes a human-sized figure sheathed in a black cloak that totally conceals its body. The only discernible feature is a white oval mask, with no features beyond a painting of three stylized eyes.

"This is Nummus. He is an assassin. That's all we know."

The image shifts for a final time, revealing a tall elf. Clad in armor, he also possesses eyes that are pure pits of red. He holds an ornate spear in his hands. A sick grin twists his otherwise fair face.

"This is the last member of the group we could obtain information on. He is Rabiess, a mass murder and cleric of Tharizdun."

Adimaeus waves the projector down, and it deactivates.

"Now, allow me to discuss our first problem. Travel through the Far Realm is hazardous at the best of times, and I don't think this qualifies. We cannot simply transport you from sphere to sphere. We are, however, in the process of building a ship that will be able to transport you safely through. We are, however, still missing a few key materials. The first thing we ask of you is to retrieve these materials for us; they have proven impossible for our servants to retrieve, and we cannot leave the tower for some time yet."

[SPoD]

He directs a harsher gaze at Lost-To-All's second statement, however.

"Don't you threaten us, girl, I was smearing your like across the planes when the Obyriths still ruled the abyss!"

"There was no threat given or implied," Lost-to-All replies evenly and without expression. "I simply stated my likely emotional reaction to the situation. Whether or not my happiness matters to you is your own concern."

The succubus put no more thought to the matter, watching the images of her likely targets flash before her eyes. She did not know them, or know of them, which in itself indicated they were likely old and powerful. She thought they looked like a random assemblage of freaks and misfits--which probably meant that they were Death incarnate. It had been her experience that anytime a band of mismatched random individuals were thrown together with uncertain goals and dubious loyalty to one another, they usually ended up shaking the foundations of the multiverse.

She looked around the room. I guess that's the plan on our end, too.


"Now, allow me to discuss our first problem. Travel through the Far Realm is hazardous at the best of times, and I don't think this qualifies. We cannot simply transport you from sphere to sphere. We are, however, in the process of building a ship that will be able to transport you safely through. We are, however, still missing a few key materials. The first thing we ask of you is to retrieve these materials for us; they have proven impossible for our servants to retrieve, and we cannot leave the tower for some time yet."

"Then tell us where we are to find these ingredients and we will retrieve them," she says, before adding, "Assuming, of course, that we are all in agreement." She looks to the others around her, waiting for any indication.

[Dorizzit]

All

Canceras hisses Lost-to-All's calm response to his anger. Adimaeus gives the Demilich a concerned look, but apparently decides to ignore the minor conflict and advance the business at hand. He nods at Lost-to-All's prompt to continue his explanation.

"Very well. The first material we require is a significant quantity of Stygian Bilestone. If you all will allow me, I can plant information about it directly into your mind."

[Cardea]

Septa Von



"The implant of knowledge and a transport there, if you can manage it, would be best. We lose time by not going this instant." Septa Von says, withdrawing a loose robe from his leg compartment. He puts it on, and puts the hood of it over his head. Underneath, the blue lights of his body still glow, but his figure is not so... intimidating, now.

[industrious]

Jericho Saul

"By all means. Proceed, Lord Canceras."