Adventures in New Ganthar IV

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Gunn and Perseus

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The twilight journey back to the offices of Gunn, Incorporated - above which is the suite of rooms which has been your home - is a quiet one, giving plenty of time to reflect on your new standing.

Whatever thoughts occupy you as you walk the streets of your native city are your own. A passerby might see nothing to differentiate Lord Thomas of Knightsfane from Thomas Gunn Esquire, Attorney at Law; and whether you feel pride and satisfaction at your new status, or the bleakness of achieving your ambition and finding no joy in it, the fact remains that your standing has changed dramatically. Doors will open to you now that were closed before; options present themselves that a mere lawyer could not have hoped to see. And those who know of your title will see you in a different light.

Arriving at your own door - for now, even if you may need to seek a home more suited to a baron - you are not immediately surprised to see a light at the window. Lora often works late, particularly when she is anxiously awaiting your safe return. But you soon realise you have visitors; the light, as you open your door, is coming from a reception room, and you smell fresh coffee on the air.

There is no sign of forced entry, and it is unlikely Lora would put the coffee on for an intruder; and a brief telepathic search identifies the minds of Rosalind, her apprentice Pran, and your faithful Lora within.

Spoiler: Yara

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Extricating yourself from the press of nobles and their servants, you find the peace of the late evening streets.

Your thoughts are awash with the deeds of the day. The demon that has been linked to you for so long, slain at last. Your encounter with the memory of Dalvar, revealing more of your destiny as he intended it. Natalia's petition for aid in her sinister designs. The Prince's gratitude, and a step closer to your ultimate goals.

What can these plebians guess of your true intentions? Better that they be kept wondering. They all want you to dance to their tune. But you will have the last laugh.

You stand at a crossroads, your face turned to the path leading back to Maya's Temple. You told Gunn you meant to return there, visiting Katraya on a mission of compassion. Perhaps that is where you mean to go - or perhaps it was a convenient lie.

Many paths lie before you, after all. And it is up to you to choose where you walk.

Spoiler: Theo

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Stepping into your office, you are struck again by the otherworldly sights inside An angel, a being of law and good resplendent in all his power and beauty; and the gilded cage of an ancient assassin, considered evil by many, certainly dangerous beyond measure.

The deva, Hadurel, regards your injury gravely.

"I have seen such injuries before, Champion, when faced with the vilest agents of evil. Although the wound - praise Charis - is but shallow, it is sinister in aspect. It will resist any attempt to heal it, unless you first purge the taint from your flesh. Consult with the most learned healers this Plane can offer, human: that is my counsel to you."

Acknowledging his words, you step to the divinely constructed cell. At your approach, the walls become transparent, only the swirling symbols of containment and warning remaining to mark the boundaries.

Melchizar is pacing, like a caged lion, but stops at the sight of you. Clasping his hands behind his back, he eyes your injury without comment and listens to your words.

"What have I been thinking? Why, mortal, I have had centuries to exhaust the topics I might consider. I passed the time by wondering what manner of place I would find myself in when the cell cleared - and in whose hands I would end up. You would not be the first to see me as a useful advisor.

"But I have thought also of the discussions we had, servant of Charis. I have come to the conclusion none of you had thought through your offers. I have no expectation, then, that they will be repeated. But I remain eager for my freedom; and I will pay whatever price I must to gain it, short of denying my nature.

"What of you, Theodore Roost? Now that the only ears are those in your thrall, what secret desires will you whisper to me? I know the mark of an immortal's rage when I see it, better than any. You have earned the ire of a terrible and powerful foe. Terrible and powerful enough, I wonder, that you would seek my services?"

[gallagher]

He patiently listens to Hadurel's explanation; it is hardly a scratch, other than why a cut should be mended, is there some risk of the coursed wound, or must I go with haste to Rosalind to patch the wound?


And to Melchizar, Theo replies:
There are many things on my mind. I have sworn vows and been given commandments, all to better protect the Prime Worlds from invasion using the Way Between Worlds. I am to defeat Maltur, I am to maintain my Temple, I am to Redeem my Goddess. And I have two days until it all is to come to a head; I will tell you truthfully, Maltur aims to come and slay me. I must meet his ax with my sword.

We will address the other questions in time, but what I have just admitted is of prime importance. And so my first question for you; how is it that one can kill a god? Is Maltur even a God or made of other stuff? Will my sword manage to even bring him harm?

[Timble]

Yara heads to the temple of Maya, thinking of the future. Would she succeed at becoming a god and fix the world to her design? Or would all her efforts come to nothing?

[esorscher]

Gunn enters somewhat beleagueredly, the prospect of conversation with Rosalind draining away the elation he'd felt at finally achieved his life's work. Reminded of the divine web he finds himself ensnared in, he sighs, thinking wistfully that the world might actually be better off with none of them around at all. Then the thought of extraplanar invasion rears its head, and he resigns himself to what he hopes is not an exhausting conversation. "Good evening Sister Rosalind," he says upon entering. "Pran," he acknowledges as well. "Lora, would you please show our clients into the conference room?" He heads for his office to take a deep breath and collect himself before entering the conference room, where Lora has arranged a tray with water and glasses. He pours himself a glass and takes a slow drink of it before sitting down in a comfortable chair at the head of the long table, made from finished zebrawood with manzanita trim. Drumming his fingers (and flashing his signet ring) on the table, he looks at Rosalind expectantly. "How can I be of assistance?"

[dantiesilva]

As Mr. Gunn enters the room they had been siting inside of waiting for him Sister Rosalind bows her head respectfully towards him. "Good evening Mr. Gunn." she says noticing the ring on his hand, and stopping for a moment to try and remember the different types of rings. "It seems you have gotten what you seek Mr. Gunn." she says not 100% sure about the ring, but thinking it had something to do with being one of the richer people in the kingdom.

As they sit down and Mr. Gunn asks them how he can be of assistance Sister Rosalind hands over to him the slip, her Will should she die come the dawn in their ordeal before adding. "I also came to see the bones of Saint Rosalind. I believe I may be able to use their powers to restore the Daughter to a living being, or it may unlock the power within me. Honestly I am not sure which, it is only a theory based on what I know of the woman and the stories they tell in the Empire. However as the afterlife has taught me very recently, Pacem hides much from its citizens, and it is why I came here hoping to spend time meditating with said artifact. Lora however says she has no idea about said artifact or where it would be kept. Do you still have it?" she asks not knowing if Pacem had already come to reclaim it.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara

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Arriving at the Temple of Maya, you find Katraya absent from her usual post and a priestess you vaguely recognise from previous visits in her place. Although you do not know her name, the short black-haired woman plainly recognises you; she raises a hand in greeting and addresses you in a gruff voice.

"Yara, isn't it? The psion with the demon problem? I'd turn back if I was you. Wards are up; don't reckon you'll be getting in here any time soon."

Spoiler: Theo

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Hadurel shakes his head. "The wound will get no worse, unless it becomes infected, but nor will it heal naturally. It may not be urgent, but it will require treatment."

A short time later, Melchizar listens to your question and leans forward intently, his whole expression coming alive at the topic under discussion.

"Before Maltur seized divinity, He was already a demon lord of considerable power. But only one of many would-be deities who thrived on war. His brilliance was to face his rivals, conquer them, and claim their souls and their worshippers for His own. For those who worship the ideal of war can readily be convinced to side with the strongest leader.

"So, what is Maltur? He is the victor. The sum of many mighty foes, and more powerful than any of them. The divine mantle makes him a potent foe, impossible to permanently slay by conventional means.

"Yet that power places limits on what He can do directly on the Material Plane. If He wishes to confront you, He must either induce you to come to Him at the heart of His power, or else distill a part of Himself into a material body - a lesser vessel, but capable of entering the Prime Material.

"Facing His avatar in battle would be perilous in the extreme, but with the Sword of Tariel in hand, you could harm such a foe. Perhaps, with luck and skilled allies, you might even prevail. And that would be no small victory: it would take time for Maltur to recover from the destruction of His avatar. indeed, I believe it would be years before He could actively work against the other gods again. You would buy a season of peace - at least so far as His agents are concerned; a reprieve from demonic invasion. Perhaps even time enough to resolve any… internal conflicts… you may now face.

"I see your unease, human. I sense that this talk of temporary victory, of a battle triumphant while the war continues - these thoughts leave you unsatisfied. But if you wish to destroy Maltur permanently, you will need my help. For only the power of a greater god can permanently slay a god. Power such as that from which I am formed.

"We would have to fight our way together into the very heart of Maltur's realm, face Him in the full and terrible majesty of His power. A suicidal endeavour by most any standard. But, if successful, it would change the face of the multiverse forever."

[esorscher]

"As instructed, I sent word to the Empire of Pacem. I have yet to hear from them. I arranged for the bones to be kept safely and securely, and can arrange for their delivery to you tomorrow morning. Will that satisfy?"

[dantiesilva]

"Tomorrow morning we have to deal with that situation with Theo, and figuring out the key to them was important for the goal Theo wishes to achieve. It is why I have come so late." Sister Rosalind explains turning to Perseus and asking "Do you think the Runewarden would be able to hold the prison for another day given how it was already failing?" Persus understood the runemagic at work better then any of them and he would best be able to answer if waiting until dawn was practical or not.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rosalind came here asking for the bones because DM said she had to sit with the bones overnight, you said He keeps said items in his briefcase, and we are supposed to fight the Daughter come the morning (the whole reason why we put it on hold for a day to prepare our spells and recover) So I'm kinda confused why Gunn is fighting against this so much when he has the briefcase (you said he always has it on him) and he has been told it is needed to return the daughter to a living being (which up to now we have all agreed upon). Is Gunn simply delaying out of spite

[esorscher]

Gunn glances at the expensive water clock in the conference room. "The hour is very late, but then again, I am an excellent customer for the secure storage facility. I will send word to them and have the bones delivered to you at the earliest possible moment," Gunn says. "Where would you like them delivered?"

Spoiler: ooc

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no metagaming please

[dantiesilva]

"As the Gleaming Rose was destroyed during the invasion and has not yet begun to be rebuilt and no housing accommodations have been made with the trust I have no place for you to send them besides here to me, where I shall wait until they are given to me." Sister Rosalind says patiently, expecting it could take a few hours but knowing the MISSION was important enough for her to lose sleep over.

[esorscher]

"Very well," Gunn says, gesturing to the exit. "You can wait at the front desk, or if you prefer, outside." He stands, indicating the conversation is over. After she leaves, he sends no messages to anyone, and retires to his chambers to sleep.

[dantiesilva]

As Gunn leaves for the night letting her know the bones will be brought to her at the earliest possible time she goes outside to wait. After all it wasn't hard to find someone who knew to use the sending spell in his line of work no doubt, it would only take a few hours. Or that was at least what she thought as the priestess of the Lovers sat outside Gunn's establishment, the holy nimbus of light that constantly surrounded her providing more then enough light for her as she sat directly in front of the door and began to meditate. Unaware that the bright light coming off of her may anger some of the neighbors of Gunn's establishment.

Soon it was midnight as the priestess looked up to the sky to the Mother's face. This was taking a lot longer then she had hoped for given the message she had received, and if she were going to help Theo and the others the next day she would need to learn how to control the power of her ancestor. "Well I may as well allow the Mother's energy to flow through me and try and channel it so I have an idea what I am doing tomorrow." the priestess says to no one in particular as she begins to focus on the rays of moonlight coming off of the moon and trying to shape them throughout the entire night.

As dawn comes the priestess begins to pray to the Lover's in front of Mr. Gunn's establishment still as she prays for her daily spells, one to help her get over the exhaustion of staying up the entire night waiting for the bones to be delivered to her however with no such luck happening. When the first employ of Mr. Gunn's business opens she asks the individual to let Gunn know her package still hadn't arrived yet even though she had been out there the entire night.

[Timble]

Yara nods, worried about Katraya's absence.
"My demon problem is long gone, permanently it now seems. I'm here to find out what happened to Katraya."

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara

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The priestess nods cautiously, not entirely convinced. "If that is true, you will have no difficulty entering the temple," she responds. "If you show yourself able to do that, I will gladly take you to Katraya
She is recovering from her ordeal earlier, but I imagine she will be interested to hear how you freed yourself of the demon."

Spoiler: OOC

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Pausing there as i don't know if you actually want to see Katraya, or just to have checked on her.

Spoiler: Gunn and Perseus

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Day 13 - 2 days remaining

Your night's sleep is disrupted several times by weird noises and flashes of light, as Rosalind - true to her vagabond appearance - spends the night camped on your doorstep. Lora, for once, looks disheveled when you see her, shortly before dawn, struggling to prepare breakfast; she normally leaves for her lodgings overnight, returning in time for office hours, but spent last night on a bed roll in the office. You suspect she simply didn't want to walk past Rosalind to get home.

Sweeping mussed hair out of her eyes, Lora nods in the direction of the door. "She's still there, boss. Tenacious cockroach, isn't she? Still, I don't understand why you don't just give her the magic doodad back. What's so important about it?"

Spoiler: Rosalind

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Day 13 - 2 days remaining

Your vigil is long and frustrating, to say nothing of uncomfortable. Your prayers receive no specific answer - aside, of course, from the provision of tremendous magical power on a scale seldom seen in this world. You do however receive a vague impression that the bones of your namesake are close at hand.

Before sunrise, Gunn's follower - Alan, was it? - arrives at the office looking anxious. He takes in your presence with a frown, and is about to speak when a window opens behind him and a red-faced, bleary-eyed man in his fifties leans out to yell at you.

"Azarian! Is this wretched caterwauling your master's doing? For the gods' sake, shut her up!"

He slams the window shut without waiting for an answer, and Alan Azarian lets out a sigh.

"And a good morning to you too, you colossal jackass."

Turning back to you, he shakes his head. "Stuck on the doorstep, Sister? I was hoping Lora would be here, since she didn't come home."

[dantiesilva]

It had been a long fruitless night however thankfully the Lover's had told her that the bones were close. So it is when Alan arrives Sister Rosalind sits up and greats him warmly. " A blessed morning to you Alan. I saw Lora last night here however haven't seen her since I left the building. Last I knew she and Mr. Gunn were inside still. I can't imagine why if he was already sending a message to have the item in question delivered here why he wouldn't also have had a message from Lora sent to you saying she wouldn't be on her way home." Sister Rosalind responds kindly to the young man who had always been kind to her.

[Timble]

"Thank you," Yara says. She hurries up the stairs, anxious to see what condition Katraya was in.

Spoiler: Later

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Everyone else seems to be in the next day, so I'll try and finish this day quicker.
Once alone in her room, she pulls out the Archive Fragment.
"So, little one. You have met Dalvar. How do you feel?"

"You know everything he did, right? Can you tell me about the ritual we are to perform? And how it can create a new god?"

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara

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The priestess looks pleasantly surprised when you are able to pass the threshold.
She leads you inside, to what proves to be the personal quarters of Katraya. It is a small but cozy space, filled with pictures of men and women with a strong family resemblance to the Guardian.
The furnishings are inexpensive but comfortable, the decor muted pastel colours. You notice one curiosity: a collection of ceramic figurines, mostly animals, crowding a shelf on one side of the room.

The Guardian herself is in a night dress, her hair tied back and her magic items set aside. She looks exhausted - more so than the hour alone can account for - but alive.

She looks slightly alarmed on seeing you, and embarrassed; she folds her arms protective and smiles a wry greeting.

"Well, I think you can tell I wasn't expecting guests so late. What can I do for you, Yara?"

[Timble]

"I just came to see that you were alright," Yara says, unsure of herself. "It was my fault that you were in harms way."
She rubs the back of her head.
"It's good to see that you're alive."

[esorscher]

Gunn ponders Lora's question for a while before answer. "How many prophecies have been misread--or prophets misled? I've never trusted the 'gods' before, and I see no reason to start now. Why should I want to overturn a world order that has brought us so much? I know the rules to this game, and I've gotten quite skilled at playing it. Why change anything?"

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Rosalind

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Alan shrugs, producing a key. "Well, if she's still here, at least I can stop worrying about her."

So saying, he unlocks the door and heads inside.

Spoiler: Gunn

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Lora nods her understanding. "Can't say I blame you. I never much cared about the gods either. But they matter to Alan - and I have to say, since I died, I've been thinking a lot more about that kind of thing."

She is interrupted by the sound of a key turning in a lock. As if summoned by the mention of his name, Alan's voice bellows from the entrance.

"Boss? Lora? Anyone here?"

Lora freezes, an expression of frustration and annoyance on her face. Shaking her head, she dashes off, dragging fingers through her hair in a hopeless attempt to make herself presentable.

Moments later, Alan enters, leaving the door open behind him and a clear line of sight to Rosalind in the doorway. "Hey, boss. You seen Lora anywhere? She didn't come home last night, and…"

Catching sight of your expression, he breaks off, tracing your gaze back to Rosalind. "Oh. I… guess I'll go look somewhere else and leave you to talk to the Sister."

Spoiler: Yara

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Katraya regards you in silence for a moment, her expression softening. "Thank you, Yara. That is an unexpected kindness. Perhaps… would like to come in? Not that I make a habit of inviting strange women into my bedroom, you understand, but I think it might be good to talk."

Spoiler: If Yara accepts

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Katraya shows you in and shuts the door behind you. Offering you a seat by the fire, and pulling another across to sit opposite you, she pours a glass of red wine and offers it to you, taking another for herself.

Sipping from the glass, she studies you over its rim. Curling her legs up underneath her in the chair, she raises the glass to salute you.

"Well, here's to you, Yara. You've accomplished a great deal in the short time I've known you, more than I would have thought possible.

"But you seem so alone. Even when you travel with others, you don't show them the real you, do you? It must be hard. Hard to live like that - and hard to stop.

"Sometimes it's easiest with those who know us least. So I'm here, if you want to talk. I can't promise you answers - but I'd be glad to listen."

[gallagher]

Maltur said he is coming here to kill me. If to do so would mean he must form an avatar, then we must prepare for that.

And if we prevail against that, he will be weakened for a long time, from the perspective of a mortal with my lifespan at least. And from there, maybe we can pursue our quarry further.

Theo paused from there, and considered what the implications were for using Melchizar - was it not his purpose to guard against goes like Maltur? Our foe is War itself... What happens after he is defeated? Maltur took his power, and there will always be another. You once told me of your original purpose. Can you stop the next claimant from taking the mantle of War?

[dantiesilva]

As Sister Rosalind is let into the building she takes a seat near the door knowing that with them just opening they no doubt had stuff to do before seeing anyone, so even though she see's Gunn speaking with Alan she makes no move to go into his office trusting that he had in fact sent for the item and that he would see to her as soon as he could, after all they had a meeting with Theo in less than an hour at his office, technically they were already late given they were supposed to be there before dawn, however she needed the artifact if she were to help Theo complete his mission which would help her with her own.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Theo

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The ancient progenitor of vampires gives you a feral smile. "Those I kill stay dead," he says silkily.

"But I see you dislike the flippant answer. Very well.

"If I kill Maltur, He will not return. The divine essence He has accumulated will be scattered across the multiverse. Eventually, perhaps, someone might succeed in gathering enough of it in one place to gain immortality; but it is as likely to be someone of whom you approve as not."

[esorscher]

"Hold on, Alan," Gunn says. "Close the door." He steeples his fingers behind the desk, and looking out at Alan across them, asks. "I understand you're a religious type. What motivates that for you?"

[Timble]

"Sure," Yara says. She had no other plans that night.

Yara thinks for a bit after Katraya speaks, staring into her drink.
"I guess that's true. I've accomplished much and shared little. Not that that matters much. Theo has his temple, Rosalind has hers and Gunn has his business and nobility. For all that I've done I'm unsure what I have to show for it, or what life will be like once this is over. Tomorrow I'll be slaying or purifying and ex-god and not one step closer to realising what I want."

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara

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Katraya swirls the wine in her glass thoughtfully. "Is that what you envy? The organisations they have built? Or is it something more nebulous - a feeling, perhaps, that they have built something that will continue after they have gone?

"I wonder. You say that you have not realised your ambitions. But have you been honest with yourself about what you truly want to achieve?"

Spoiler: Gunn

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Alan pauses, then shuts the door and takes a seat.

"I don't know why you ask me," he says nervously. "I'm a scrapper, not a talker. And you sure know a lot of folk who'd do a better job talkin 'bout this."

He thinks about his answer for a minute, then haltingly begins to speak.

"You know I was a soldier? Fought my share of battles. Goblins. Orcs. Kobolds. That sort of thing.

"Soldiers know their next fight could be their last. Don't matter how good you are: some sneaky little greenskin gets lucky, and suddenly you're worm food. Gets you to thinkin', sometimes: what comes next?

"So when the priests come and tell you they've got the answers, maybe you laugh at them in front of your mates, but you want to hear what they've got to say.

"For me, it was Brother Obren. The old Lord Commander of the Templars. Soldiers respect a fighting man; a clothie who was willing to get his hands dirty and to bleed next to us? That's the kind of priest I could respect.

"He shared a tankard with me and some of the lads, one day, after a hard fight. It had ended with him burying one of ours. He'd said prayers over the grave - can't remember them now. It was what he said in the tavern that stuck with me, not the funeral.

"He said to me that death wasn't the end, which was good. But that it ain't all smiles and sunshine afterwards, which wasn't. Reckoned there's things out there that want to eat us, and if they don't get us, there's all kinds of hells waiting for those who don't walk the path of angels.

"Sitting there, listening to this soldier's soldier tell me with no doubt in his mind that there was a Hell full of demons waiting to get their claws on me - it scared me, Boss. He said that following a god matters - because any sane man would be terrified of what happens when you don't. Once you accept that, it's just a question of deciding which god is the one that suits you best.

"Now, me, I didn't have far to look. I liked what I saw in Obren: the smart soldier who fought tooth and nail to protect those what couldn't. Seemed to me that was what Charis was all about. And I respect that. Not sure She would be too thrilled about some of the choices I've made since, mind. But we all play the hand we're dealt."

[Timble]

"I guess so. I'm just not sure what I'm working towards. Should I just try and restore things to how they were before Charis's fall or try for something new? And what will become of me after my power is used up? Should I ressurect a god or create a new one with it. There's too many variables to keep track of," Yara says as she slumps.

[esorscher]

"Thank you for your honesty, Alan. That will be all." Gunn steeples his fingers behind his desk, deep in thought. The cause may seem just, but based purely on personal affinity for the one asking, he is much more inclined to side with Natalia than Rosalind. Of course, the ally he's closest to, Theo, may provide some useful insight into the matter. Rather than leaving through the front door and encountering Rosalind, Gunn opts to exit through the secret back door, with Perseus in tow, and head for the Church of Charis to consult with Theo.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara

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Katraya gives a small smile. "You know, it speaks well of you that you are given immense power - and all of your thoughts are about how best to give it away.

"If I understand correctly, the god Dalvar invested His power in you. Doubtless He had His reasons; but my Goddess teaches that we are each free to choose our own path. It is for you to decide what destiny lies before you - whatever the gods might prefer.

"You have the keys to divinity. So are your goals best served by having unlimited time and tremendous power with which to pursue them yourself - or by handing them to someone else?

"Who better than you to serve the causes you care about? That is the question. If your answer is that there is someone else more suitable than you to receive this gift, if you truly wish to hand it over… well, I hope the object of your worship is deserving. For make no mistake, that is true worship: to see the object of your attention as more worthy than you of blessing and honour and glory and power.

"It is not for me to interfere with your choices, or to dictate the path ahead of you. But I will say this. You are a truly exceptional individual. You have proven time and again that you are more than equal to any challenge. That isn't the seed of divinity at work in you; rather, it is because of who He knew you would be that Dalvar allowed His power to come to you. If you accept the burden of immortality, you will use it to do great things - but you will still be capable of greatness without it. You needn't fear giving it up, if that is what you choose to do. You need only decide what life you want to lead - and get on with leading it."

Spoiler: Theo and Gunn

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Dawn is definitely breaking by the time Gunn arrives at the Temple of Charis, grey half-light giving way to true morning. The Templar on duty, recognising Gunn and Perseus on sight, has no hesitation about showing them to the High Priest's office - where he knocks and calls inside with their names, not venturing to open the door.

Spoiler: Rosalind

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You are sat alone in the foyer for some time, pressingly aware of the gathering dawn at your back. When someone does come, it is Lora, storming through the inner doors with an expression like thunder.

Seeing you, however, she stops short. Closing her eyes, she visibly composes herself before stepping forward and offering a smile.

"Good morning, Sister. Look, I've nothing against you - you've treated a great many friends of mine, and I know you're a good person. But I just don't see what you're trying to achieve here?"

[gallagher]

Hmmm, Theo says, trying to fully contemplate the impact of his decisions, and how it will be felt for countless generations. The thought of generations gave Theo pause to think - that is just a blink of an eye to an immortal... no wonder that the first answer was so flippant, he may not worry that the next to gather the power of Maltur would be the next enemy of his Goddess. Which gave Theo another idea.

Melchizar, you said to me that it was your job to keep new immortals from sprouting up. Does not the scatter of Divine essence, such that would happen with the destruction of Maltur, make you consider who would claim the mantle of War? Why would we not use the opportunity to collect that power, and give it to someone that observes War in a way that does not threaten the Way Between Worlds?

Or, stated otherwise, what stops you from grabbing that essence yourself? Theo said, now suddenly eyeing Melchizar with equal amounts of suspicion and awe.

After the answer comes from Melchizar, Theo hears a gentle knocking at his door. Who would come at this time? His most trusted lieutenants would be at the site of the Daughter, securing it against foes. Announce yourself, if you wish to enter. Theo said with his sternest commanding voice. After the page says that it is Mr Gunn who has arrived, Theo gives permission to enter, at ease that his ally was the smarter of the pair, and no doubt would help him get all the information he could from Melchizar.