A Firestorm Over Tephos

[Jormengand]

You walk along the long road to the city of Tephos, wondering what sort of place it will be - though having fallen out of the sky, you are pretty shaken. The voice still rattles in your head...

"Welcome to my invention."

Who could come up with this? A world torn into warring nations, not a single one at all like any other, and this... some holy site, lost to the ages.

"Welcome to my world."

And these people have to live in this world? This world that if this person's simple greeting is to be believed is just a creation of an overactive imagination? Who would make this?

"Welcome to the game."

And is this just a game? Who would make all this just to laugh at the poor people who had to live there? None of this makes sense.

You're distracted from your thoughts by the sight of the city ahead of you.

[Randomguy]

Perhaps someone in this city will help me gain some idea of what just happened. Or at least tell me where I am now.

Vaxiel spreads his wings and flies towards the city, keeping near to the ground, looking for some sort of city gate.

[Jormengand]

You fly forth towards the gate, which is readily apparent, and see that there are several people there already waiting for you. Apparently your landing did not go unnoticed. You are too far away to see much, but what you do notice is that those who are there appear important.

[Randomguy]

A welcoming party? The cities' defenders? Whoever they are, they're probably on edge. I must make it clear that I mean them no harm.

Vaxiel approaches the group and lands a short distance away, close enough to talk but not so close as to appear threatening.

"Fear not."

He didn't quite manage to make his tone as reassuring as he intended, so he took another try.

"Where exactly am I?"

[Jormengand]

"Welcome to the city of Tephos, Chosen one. I am Ser Geoff, the head of the militia, but we're not here to fight you. We're here to welcome to you."

Geoff spends the next few minutes telling you about the current state of Tephos, and the Chosen who are said to come falling from the sky to lead the nations which are fortunate enough to receive one.

[Randomguy]

Vaxiel takes a moment to take in all this new information.


So there are other “Chosen”? Others who fell from the sky into this “invention”, this “game”, from the “real” world? If the old place can even be said to be more real than this one. I should seek out these other Chosen at some point. Perhaps together we’ll be able to find some answers. But before then, I must find out why this Mad Inventor put me here, in one of Pelor’s holy sites.

"I see. So what exactly does being one of these ‘Chosen’ entail? And more importantly, why do you believe that your city requires one?"

[Jormengand]

"It was prophesied years back by The Traveller, whose real name none know, that the Chosen - far mightier leaders than any we could ever produce - would come from the heavens, and lead us to victory against our foes, or else fall to the other Chosen in their attempts to do so.

Of course, no-one believed that - who would believe some random woman coming to your city and telling you that your new god was going to fall from the sky, oh, maybe in the next few years? But then, of course it happened. So, welcome to the city of Tephos."

[Randomguy]

Him, a god? Vaxiel frowned. That was not a title he wanted to claim, nor to encourage.

"I am not your new god, Geoff. I am merely a celestial. This is holy place of Pelor, and it will remain so. But as Pelor and the sun nurture the growth of all life, so too will I nurture the growth of this city."

Vaxiel designates the citizens of Tephos as allies for the purpose of being granted bonuses from his Tactics.

"Now, lead me to the church. There is work to be done."

[Jormengand]

Geoff nods. "Yes sir. I'm aware that you're not a god in any literal sense - just, our new leader, at the very most our representative of the god on earth." He takes you to the church, along with the small escort he has with him.

[Randomguy]

Vaxiel enters the church alone, walk up to the alter and says a quick prayer. "Let me nurturing, as the Sun."
He then exits the building, and addresses the welcoming party gathered before him "I will leave one of my creations here, to defend this sacred place." He reaches up and snaps a leaf off of his hair, and casts it onto the ground before the church, where it quickly starts to grow. He addresses the incomplete creation. "I name you Helianthus. Guard the temple, obey the clerics, do not harm the citizens of Tephos".

"I will begin my work. You can find me at the centre of this city. Send for me when the city is in danger, and keep me updated on any news of other Chosen. I want information on who they are, and what they’ve done since their arrival."

With that, Vaxiel takes off. He circles the city once, familiarizing himself with the layout, and then lands in the town’s centre (which is in fact in the town square not too far from the church of Pelor. Once there, he takes a moment to cast off two more seeds, which grow into his two servants, Ash and Elm. Then, he begins to meditate, claiming the surrounding area as his Grove.

Vaxiel spends the next hour creating his grove and an hour after that working to expand it, unless he’s interrupted after the first hour.


Helianthus takes 10 minutes to grow into a Huge sized animated wooden statue of an angel holding a great sword, adorned with robes made of sunflower petals and with Pelor’s holy symbol on its shoulders, forehead, palms, and on the front and back of the robe.
Craft (Woodworking) Check for the Budding Creation: [roll0]

Ash and Elm are level 6 astral constructs, Ash has Power Attack and Improved Trip, and is humanoid in form. Elm has Power Attack and Celerity. They appear to be made of vines and brambles.
Craft (Sculpting check) for appearance: [roll1]