What? The World needs saving AGAIN? IC Thread 2

[Xihirli]

"Hm? What? Yeah, have fun." Diandra began absently singing to herself, singing about the eaves and the leaves and the fields with thorns to herself and the trees.

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: The Religious Traditions of the Calim Desert

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The Calim Desert is home to underground kobolds worshipping a great blue dragon, and a tribe of nomadic genasi worshipping the Primordials. The human settlements are scattered and nothing special religiously speaking.

Spoiler: Tiers of Devils in the Nine Hells

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Sirthis read on the lower types of devils, and how one devil might, through merit and achievement, advance as high as a Pit Fiend from the lowest type of devil, a nupperibo.

[Valmark]

Sirthis climbed up, listening to the song.
º...yeah, I can't ignore that, books will waitº snuggling among the branches, he took out the lute (which he made sure to take after having been caught without the previous day) and waited for the right moment to match her voice and play along.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Performance! (1d20+10)[26]

[Xihirli]

She sang along with the performance, hardly noticing it, but certainly picking up in her absent-minded tune as she focused, as though in a trance, on the task at hand.
Little sapling, my mother said
Just shut your eyes, lay down your head

For soon the world will come to you
If you remain bold and true...

[Valmark]

ºIs that a lullaby?º Sirthis thought, listening to the words. He wondered if he should try singing to Rholl, sometimes.
ºI wonder if she comes from that spying tree territory. Nona did say there were dryads then. I'd ask, if it wasn't abudantly clear that people here don't want to be reminded of their pastº he kept on playing along with the song, watching her work.
ºWonder if I could do the same with magic. I *am* kind of a druid after allº he told himself waiting for her to be done, still playing.

[Xihirli]

After she was done with her lullaby, she began another - it became clear that she spent hours at a time singing alone to the trees, slowly composing some of the best armor fey and druids could hope to procure.

[Valmark]

"She sure has voice" Sirthis murmured, putting back the lute and taking the books he had brought to read. He'd be tempted to nap if he didn't have work to do.

"Ever thought of singing with the band?" Sirthis asked, after a while.

[Xihirli]

She sang right through his comment, then snapped back into reality at the question. She shook her head, smiling. "My singing is fun, but... I have one of the most sought-after skillsets in the world, so... no. But... thank you for the offer?"

[Valmark]

"I actually meant an occasional apparition, not changing jobs. I figure most people would be enthralled, but yeah it was just a suggestion. I get to enjoy it either way so" he put the desert book back. It didn't look it had what he wanted, unless Zargon was a Primordial which seemed far fetched. He started readinhg through the other book.

[Xihirli]

She nodded. "Well, thank you for the compliment." She returned to singing to the trees as the shield was almost done.

[Valmark]

ºSo he WAS a devilº Sirthis thought. It looked like it had been another devil's rise to power that got Zargon kicked away.
ºWonder why Asmodeus is called Serpent of Hollow Worship. But besides that, it's clear enough that Zargon should be somewhere in Toril- or at least means to find him. Can't say I expect to be able to do much else from hereº he shrugged, putting the book back.
"Did your mother teach you those songs?"

[Xihirli]

She stared ahead and nodded. “Yes, they both did. One of my mothers was chiefly a tree-whisperer, but both had voices that would floor you.”

[Valmark]

"I'm going to assume a tree-whisperer is what you are" Sirthis said, dropping down the tree "Well then, I see from whom you took. Maybe in the future I can bother you with a duet. How does it work? I mean the whispering, not duets"

[Xihirli]

“You convince the trees to grow as you direct. If they have enough nutrients, they’re agreeable,” Diandra explained. “But they have to trust you first. I had a tree for a long time... I know what to say.”

[Valmark]

"Uh" he looked at the tree he had been nestled on "Does it mean the trees here understand us? I... Uh... I didn't offend it, did I?" he gestured towards it.
"And isn't that tree growing a bit too fast to form a shield? From where I come unless we use magic trees grow... Well, slow. Is that a question of friendship too?"

[Xihirli]

“I speed it up with some magic. And no, the trees can only understand me, but I understand there’s Druid magic that lets you talk to plants.” Diandra returned to her work after answering Sirthis’s questions.

[Valmark]

"That's true, though I've yet to try it out, haven't been around trees for long" he shrugged "Anyway, I have to go- see you later" he waved, even if she was turned, to go bring back the books.

[Xihirli]

“Hmm?” She asked, then returned to her book.

The library is actually nearly empty - Sirthis had come to it during lunchtime - but Hoket and Aldora we’re taking their lunch at one of the tables over their work.

[Valmark]

"Wow, didn't realize so much time had passed" Sirthis commented, going over to the two of them "Was coming to bring back the books. I talked so much about doing research but after a whole morning I'm out of things to do- at least of those that are considered useful. How you two doing?"

[Xihirli]

“Well, if you like you can read some of these I haven’t gotten to.” Hoket indicated several of the books which were unopened. ((Any you like))
“I’ve figured out that the Rotted Tower was built by animating dead trees and having them twist into the tower together.”

[Valmark]

"Oh, I'm taking the romance book. Are there other of these, Aldora? I mean romance, not Vecna. Feels like those could be a read for the future. Obviously I'm not saying to take them now, I wouldn't disturb your lunch" he took the book, seating besides Hoket.
"Mmm... Have you gotten an inkling on how many floors there are? Vashti only knows that Vecna's Divine Spark is in that tower. Oh, and that Paladines of Pelor brought it there. I have no idea how that happened" he popped one of the goodberries in his mouth.
"Anybody wants one? I've already made them so not eating would just be a waste"

[Xihirli]

Hoket shook his head, but Aldora took one.
“We have plenty of romance books,” Aldora assured Sirthis.
“Ah yes, the Pelor order counted the floors at sixty-five, not counting long staircases,” Hoket answered. “And were sworn to secrecy on why they left Vecna within his own tower.”

The Heart of Vecna: A Romance for the Ages tells the tale of a Netherese Arcanist named Vance falling in love with a farm girl named Phaeryl who he managed to secure city citizenship for by getting her a place as a cleric in Mystryl’s Temple. They shared several loving years and had a daughter they named Osterneth.
Later, Mystryl sent Phaeryl on a quest to fight some of the Phaerim, during which she died. Cursing the gods who used and discarded his wife, Vance vowed that he and his daughter would usurp the gods, bring back his wife, and live forever as a family. His daughter, along with his followers. assisted him in becoming a lich, and the boon ends with that ritual, and him giving Osterneth his heart to keep after his lichdom.

((BTW all the books in Hoket’s pile are in Draconic))

[Valmark]

Sixty-five? My legs- I hope I find an air elemental soon" he sighed reading through the book.
"This story is so sad. Basically when Vecna was still a human he fell in love with a farm girl whom he managed to bring into the city by getting her to become a cleric of Mystryl- which marks how old this story is, since it dates back to Netheril. Basically they wedded, had a daughter and lived happily until Mystryl ordered the cleric to her death. Vecna... Didn't take it lightly and became a lich" he pursed his lips.
"Can't say I don't get him. Though, my own quarry is much more approachable"

[Xihirli]

“Well, consider: even if the story is from Netherese time, this version is likely passed on, the characters humanized. The daughter might be completely fabricated. The wife might be. Just because it’s written doesn’t make it the case,” Aldora said.

[Valmark]

"That's true, I guess. The good thing about stories is getting emotional homewever- even if I knew this book was a complete lie and Vecna was really a crazy old man that ran around until he fell into a rose bush and hit his head too hard I'd still get sad for the tale. I imagine it's also because telling stories is half my job" he closed the book, looking at Aldora.
"I'm sorry, I have to ask. Do the snakes have a mind of their own? Can they be petted?"

[Xihirli]

“Yes and no,” she answered in order. “Is there anything else you require?”
Hoket closed the last of the books he’d grabbed.

[Valmark]

"Not really" he sighed "I've got half a day without knowing how to fill it. My research on Zargon hit a dead end. I know it's likely to be somewhere on Toril and that his cults should be prominent in desert areas, but the book didn't mention any devil-dedicated cults. Only thing I'd be curious of is why Asmodeus seems to be called the Serpent of Hollow Worship"

[Xihirli]

“I’ve never heard that term used for him, sorry,” Aldora tapped her lip.
Hoket stood. “I should practice my newer spells,” he explained as he left the library.

[Valmark]

"Alright, see you later!" Sirthis told Hoket, waving him goodbye.
"Speaking of truth and tale, what's the official version for Netheril's fall? I know already what happened, kinda curious if there's any story tied to it though" he asked Aldora "And since we're on the subject, it's said that gorgons' eyes make you stone but uh, it's been a while now and I'm still very much skin and muscles and all that. Everybody is. Is that just an exaggeration of how captivating they are or is it an active thing?"

[Xihirli]

“Oh gods, that. No, one of us was cursed to never be able to look upon anyone. She’s just the most famous. I was simply cursed with... well.” Aldora stopped for a moment. “Netheril fell literally. It was an empire built of floating cities. When Mystryl died, Magic stopped working. The cities fell, and Netheril was dashed upon the rocks.”