The Sisters' Chronicles Thread 3: Those Nerds

[Valmark]

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the Sisters' Chronicles OOC
The Sisters' Chronicles
The Sisters' Chronicles Thread 2: Nobody Likes Abadaius

"Hmm... my teacher was an illusionist who could make illusions so real that you could swim in them. I wonder if Serendipity knows any illusionists who could make the battlefield, or part of it, be underwater," Alifa muttered. "Thank you. That's good information to pass along."

---

"Alright, let's start up by reviving him. Look for the graveyard... and don't let Britta know! I want it to be a surprise!" Boots tried to remember where they'd buried Gary, if she even ever knew.

"Given you're the reason I have a home again... Thank you"

The next day (because they had been up for a long time, at least Kat was too beat to keep going) they made their way to the Dread Swamps Pleia ruled over.
Alifa could feel every fey staring at her with a murmur as she passed through the swamp. It was the first time they revealed themselves without being hostile- Pleia's swamps were home to feys that looked like dead trees given humanoid form, and staring at them long enough made the onlooker painfully aware that those things stacked inside their hollow bodies were skulls. Others instead emerged by the swamps, looking like great frogs or mass of algaes with large, unblinking eyes- some emerged atop a mount that looked like a horse... If you didn't stare hard enough. If you did, it'd start decomposing until it looked like a putrescent corpse of a horse with algae instead of hair.

Kat squeezed Alifa's hand, a little unsettled. Possibly more then a little.

They made their way to the colossal skull that worked as entrance to Pleia's sanctuary. It was closed.

---

Boots didn't remember, but Ethrindae knew where the graveyard was so she started leading her there.
"Thinking about it, maybe I know where Xvkhimeras and the others went. We did talk about getting the human and dragonborn kingdoms in on the alliance"

When they found the graveyard, they spotted a squad of black-armored knights talking to the (presumably) gravekeeper. One of them held Serendipity's banner.

[Xihirli]

Alifa extended her wings and shrouded herself in shadow, flying nearer.
"I am Alifa, the Abyss Scar. I bear a message for Queen Pleia, and a parcel as part of her standard relationship with Graax, Protector of Sages and Knowledge."

---

"Hey, everyone." Boots waved to everyone. "Serendipity's guys getting permission to grave-dig, huh? I had the same idea... there is a recent death: Gary. I'm going to bring him back to life. Can you direct me to his plot?" She asked the gravekeeper.

Spoiler: OOC

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Persuasion?
She will Guidance herself before going up to them.
(1d20+11)[16]

[Valmark]

There was silence for a brief time.

Then the skulls hanging from every tree started shaking, then laughing. And slowly, the earth trumbled ad Alifa saw the grand skull open for the second time- emerging from the darkness, Pleia, the Cannibal Queen, walked out with her twin whips and little else.

She looked up and down Alifa- it may have been the first time that someone who didn't really know her looked at Alifa with complete, sincere respect. Pleia held her gaze like she'd do an equal.
"You've changed... Abyss Scar" she said, her voice like crawling worms in Alifa's ears- Kat actually rubbed her ears "And I mean that in the best of ways. Last time I met you and your sister, you didn't look like much more then half-cooked food. What're you bringing from Graax?" she asked, seemingly uninterested in the message.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Half-cooked because they were just half-breeds before the Bloodlust stab.

Or whatever is the percentage of fey blood in an half-elf/nymph bloodline.

---

"Bringing him back to life!? Oh yeah!" the gravekeeper exclaimed happily "Finally somebody who doesn't want to desecrate the corpses!"

"It's either your dead or your living who'll suffer" the graveguard (for that was the name) that was leading the group growled out.

"Whatever, whatever. Here" the gravekeeper led Boots to a section of the graveyard that was kept isolated- all the tombs looked a LOT sturdier and heavier. It was not hard to spot Gary's- someone had left fresh flowers recently.
"A lovely young lass always comes around to bring flowers for this guy"

"People who contracted the corruption are tipically buried isolated" Ethrindae told Boots "In what we can only call fortificated tombs. As an extra precaution"

[Xihirli]

"I have changed," Alifa said, standing resolute. "My sister, as well. Both of us have awakened our latent power."
Alifa pulled from her Portable Hole his staff. "It was damaged in a battle against an Ally of Abadaius... He'll deliver your usual fee upon completion of the repair."
"Queen Krinna is also requesting the rights to farm energy from the swamps she used to live within."

---

"She's who I'm doing this for," Boots confirmed. "Eth, have you got Move Earth?" Boots started trying to get the tomb open.
"Why are you asking random towns to use their dead? I refuse to believe the world's running out of corpses," Clephesia asked the graveguard.

[Valmark]

Alifa noticed that Broken Trust was glowing when she opened the Portable Hole.

Pleia dashed the moment she saw Graax's staff, inspecting it up close- then she turned around.
"For him to give her to you... That's quite something. He's very protective of Jerribeth. Did he say when exactly he'll be free?" she asked, starting to walk back in. Then she stopped and motioned to them to follow, waiting to see if the two complied.

Spoiler: Ooc

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He said one quickling's time. Which means two weeks.

"Oh, and tell Krinna she can send someone to take it from me, already harvested. Just not have her subjects dig into my land- their wings aren't even good munchies"

---

"I have burrowing animals" she said, turning into a sleek-looking badger with shiny fur. She started digging up the earth around the tomb.

"Is it surprising the land of undeads would have a shortage of deads?" the graveguard lifted his helmet- the smile of a ghoul, a high functioning zombie with a paralizing bite, greeted her "Besides, this is not a random city. This is near the frontline- corpses from here can be repurposed fairly fast"

[Xihirli]

"One Quickling's time from... two days ago," Alifa answered. "Jerribeth... was she once a person? And... was Graax ever anything other than a demon?"
She nodded at the Krinna information. "And you won't eat them if they come to collect it?"

---

"The frontline?" Boots asked as Ethrindae seemed to have the digging handled. "This is where the fight against the Darklings will happen?"

[Valmark]

"So he hadn't told you anything?" Pleia shrugged "Whatever, you're not gonna go sell his daughter to Benoth. And yes, the staff's a demon" she sighed.

"Graax did the error of trying to be both good and a demon ruler- in a world where being good and a demon is already harsh" she opened her palm, and conjured an illusion of a nice little field full of green. A young Graax was there with what looked like a flower crown, and a young demoness with a lanky body and a tiny beak was playing around "And paid the price when Benoth destroyed his domain. Graax turned his daughter into an enchanted item to contain her soul and spare her from getting annihilated alongside everything else. The fact that he entrusted Jerribeth to you is... I don't think there's anybody else but me and you who've had the honor"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Remember when Graax said 'Yeah, me too' when Boots lamented that she didn't think being a hero would be like that?

Also in case you were wondering Pleia's speaking in Sylvan and Kat doesn't know it so she's staying silent.

---

The graveguard laughed.

"There's always fighting" he gestured towards the Zone "Day and night, we make sure no darkling can get out -or at least as little as possible- or we'd have been all corrupted or killed since long ago- you must have seen the fortifications around the Zone if you ever passed close enough. We and all the living volunteers" the ghoul stated "But it has always been a defending game. Now, we're preparing an attack"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Boots would be vaguely familiar with this- she saw from afar military fortifications around the Zone, including (mostly, in fact) banners of paladin orders since paladins in general are so important against darklings.

There wasn't time to actually check it out though.

[Xihirli]

"Now he has nobody else," Alifa realized. "No weaknesses. Nobody to hurt to get to him." She pulled Kat in closer to her shadowy form. "But then... not many reasons to keep trying, either."

---

"Okay. Look, we're waiting for someone here. I'll help out on the front lines tomorrow if you leave these dead alone," Boots offered. "I promise you that a few hours with me up there is more valuable than all the bodies you could take from these people. But first I have to see to Gary." She reached down to get the body, since she wouldn't be infected by it.
"Come, Gary. It's time for you to watch the sunrise."

[Valmark]

"Well... She does feel pain. She's sentient in there" Pleia said "Anyway, the Krith-i-Kâ make for terrible food, barely worth munching on their wings. Won't eat them. Well, since I don't want my potions to burn or my scrolls to dry before I'm done making them, either follow me in or hand Jerribeth over"

Kat didn't know what was happening, but when Alifa held her close Kathleyîënis kissed her cheek, just in case Alifa needed one.

---

"Because we will trust someone who's only there to protect the dead" The ghoul went back to bickering with the gravekeeper.

Gary's corpse was... Mostly how they left it, with mutations as well. Boots couldn't feel any corruption, so it was probably safe to handle.

[Xihirli]

Alifa simply handed Jerribeth over.
"Great Queen, I would be delighted to see your workshop, but I'm afraid I'm in something of a rush. We have the devils to recruit, then possibly a forgotten race of ice giants."
In fact, while she thought of it, she fired off a sending toward Taddeus. Myself, my companions are on our way to see your Queen to begin recruitment of the devils; bring her news. Teleportation Circle Sigil Sequence please?

---

"I'm going to need an hour with him." Boots picked him up. "Ethrindae, can you make your little hidey place while I find somewhere out of the way?" She picked up some flowers and went over to a place with a strong tree.
Then she got out the diamond dust Alifa had given her and coated his body in it.
"By order of Clephesia Elevenyenn, Scion Unseelie, Blood of Tanaquill, The Light Against the Corruption... get up and walk!"
The diamonds started glowing, each fragment a different color of the rainbow until Gary's body was a shimmering beacon of prismatic light. As time passed, the glow became brighter and brighter... then weaker as the light was drained into Gary, revitalizing him, sparking his heart, moving his blood through his body, filling his lungs with air, bringing life back to the lifeless.
"Kindle the Light! Through my will, I will help those around me keep from despair and death.
Shelter the Light! Hold back the wickedness and corruption that seeks to darken the world, and stand resolute against the forces what would destroy life.
Preserve My Light! I am a beacon to the rest of the world, and I must remain lit! Do not fall into despair, see the good, the beautiful, and the kindness everywhere I go."
Be the Light!" Her wings came out, glowing brightly as the diamond dust shattered into the wind, leaving behind Gary, color filling his cheeks at last.
"Let the light of my heart shine out to the rest of the world!"

[Valmark]

Pleia went back in with the staff, skull closing behind her.

I, Taddeus Parsimmon Vassimius Emerhet the III, regretfully tells you to uncover some long lost ruin if you hope to find any teleportation circle.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Reminder that nobody uses teleportation circles to make sure no darkling can teleport in and spread the corruption.

---

Ethrindae turned back to normal, following Boots to make the little hidey place.

There was a silent moment where it didn't look like Gary was alive.
Then he patted his body. His face.
He gasped.
"Britta... I'm... Water..."

Ethrindae hurried with a flask, helping him sip.
"Let's assume you didn't mean you're water"

When his throat wasn't quite as parched, Gary managed to let out a couple words.
"I'm... Alive?"

[Xihirli]

Alifa nodded. "Alright, let's get to a crossing then. It'll be faster to walk across Faerie to the nearest crossing to the town than plane shift there and not know where we're going. What's your plane called again, Kat? The planet you grew up on." Alifa held her hand and started leading them out of the swamp toward Lucilla's lands.

---

"I promised you, didn't I?" Boots asked, laying a hand on him to stop any further spread of the corruption. "We're going to stay with you tonight, and remove the corruption from your body in the morning. Then we'll take you to Britta, okay?"
She looked down at her armor, churning with volcanic rock, and the sea washed over it, cooling the armor of magma down to rock and rich, black soil. Eons passed on her armor in seconds until fresh forests grew from the fertile earth, one of the trees on her stomach sprouting into ten berries.
She offered one to Ethrindae and one to Gary.
"Here, eat this. How do you feel?"

[Valmark]

"Alandria" Kat said, humming "I don't mind a walk. Though it may take a long time if you consider that on horses it'd be about three days"

---

Gary gulped the berry, looking down at his body.
"Like I just ate a nice, little soup" he said, inspecting himself "Am I really still ill? Though I do feel very weak"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Resurrection would have removed the corruption already. Well, at least in him since his soul was cleansed of it- if he had remained corrupted then you'd not be able to do anything for him.

[Xihirli]

"Oh my," Alifa said, and took out the jar of spellcraft ink she'd gotten from Nasa's domain. "Think we could shave off a day or two by teleporting to Nasa's Domain first?"

---

Boots made sure with Divine Sense, then smiled wide.

Spoiler

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Assuming he is actually completely cleansed...

"You're not ill. Here, climb on Tilly's back, let's go to Britta's." Boots helped him onto Tilly's back.
"Maybe we should get you a saddle, girl," she whispered to her pegasus. And to Britta's family home she led them.

[Valmark]

Kat shook her head.

"There's not that much difference, and I can't swim fast" she said.

---

"I believe if you had a saddle for everytime you said that we'd have at least three of them" Ethrindae mentioned.

The home was how they remembered it, though there was no smithy under it any longer- comprehensible, since there were two smiths of whom one had been dead and the other was a refugee in the Feywild.

"I'd like to knock myself" Gary stated, trying to push himself off of Tilly "Uh... Maybe an help?"

[Xihirli]

Alifa nodded and sat down. "In that case, let's get some mounts." And out of swamp air and shadow she weaved together twin ravens of darkness, long spears through their wings making them unable to fly, instead using them like forelegs. She flew onto the back of one.
"Alright, this should speed us up."

---

"We'd need three saddles, I change Tilly's shape so often!"
I wanted to introduce him, it would have been a fun moment, Boots thought. But she helped him down.

[Valmark]

"This may be the first Steed that looks in pain instead of looking like it wants to cause pain" Kat said, mounting up.

Thanks to the abnormally fast Steeds it took about half the time to get to the Crossing then it took from Fiamma's volcano to Pleia's abode, rest nothwithstanding. They passed the deer druid which waved to both of them.

Outside the forest they found a pile of corpses with a few symbols of Abadaius remaining to identify them.
Someone had scarred and damaged those corpses beyond repair.

Spoiler: Ooc

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I think Alifa and Kat will fade to black a bit as they catch up to Boots and Eth. Phantom Steeds aren't THAT much faster then pegasi so they'd be at least a day behind.

---

Gary stood shakily in front of the door, supported by Boots.
He knocked. There was a long silence.

Then someone opened the door.
Britta had clearly passed better times- she had bags under her eyes, her hair was messy, and her eyes looked like she still spent her time crying.
Homewever, right now her mouth was open in a "0" of surprise, and her eyes went from Gary to Boots, then back again, seemingly not understanding what was happening.

"Hey... I'm home"
"Is it... Really you?" she looked at Boots, searching confirmation this wasn't about to turn into an ugly joke.

[Xihirli]

Spoiler: OOC

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Got it. Alifa and Kat are gonna be too R-rated to look at for a whole day.

"Britta, this is Gary. I brought him back to life." She put a hand on her shoulder. "Well? He's here. Hold him again like you've been dreaming of doing."

Spoiler: SPELL

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Also, Lesser Restoration on Britta.

[Valmark]

When Boots got to 'Gary' Britta had all the confirmation she needed- suddenly she had thrown her arms around her fiancé, with enough strenght to cause Gary to wobble backwards- but Britta supported him, with her arms and a kiss. At about that time the two seemed to truly understand that they were alive. Together. Again. Tears started streaming down their cheeks- Gary's first tears in a long time, but only the latest batch of tears for Britta.

But for both of them, those were the first tears of joy.

"Sorry... Missed the wedding" Gary chuckled, and Britta slapped his arm light-heartedly.
"Well, I'm sure we can organize another one"

Ethrindae chuckled.
"The world accepted you as its hero in this very town" she whispered to Clephesia to not disturb the two sweethearts "I'm sure it is immensely proud of that choice"

[Xihirli]

Boots smiled at them and backed away, leaving them to each other. "You know what else happened in this very town?" And she started leading Tilly and Ethrindae to the same inn that had kept the circus before.
"I wonder if they have our old room available."

[Valmark]

"Yeah, you said goodbye to me in here" Ethrindae chuckled letting herself be pulled along "Oh, maybe you mean when you chased someone across rooftops by yourself? Or when me and your sister launched ourselves on a daring ride on a giant elk across the streets?"

The tavern was easy to find- though the local barman had no recollection of Boots, he did know Ethrindae. It just so happened the room was free.

[Xihirli]

Boots tossed a platinum on the desk and picked up Ethrindae, flying her to the room where they'd first... become a couple.

[Valmark]

The night before reaching the city Kat and Alifa camped around a little fire Kathleyîënis made. Peter and Hootie were playing around next to them, and Kat had gotten out Morkart's simulacrum's spellbook- the fully empty one, where she had been scribbling a copy of one of Alifa's spells.

"I know I can do this" she hissed out "I've studied your movements fron breathing to fingers a lot more that I can admit without blushing" and she reddened "It's just... Rrgh!" she groaned when her quill slid sideways, making one of the sentences for Identify completely useless.

Spoiler: Ooc

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By the way, should she get Ritual Caster (Wizard)?

---

Ethrindae insisted they took a couple strolls out during the day, like a date, but otherwise was pretty happy with Boots' program.

[Xihirli]

"Come here." Alifa cuddled up against her and opened up her book of shadows to Identify.
"Forget how I do it for a second, Kat. How would you do it? What does it mean to you to know what something is, inside and out? Write that into being, magic is different for everyone. That's why a wizard can't just pick up a spellbook from anyone, they need to devote time and practice to copying it down in the way they understand it."

[Valmark]

Kat listened to the words, and looked at her own work thoughtfully for a little. Then she scrapped the page and started from the beginning.

Over the next couple hours, Kat was hard at work putting down her spell- less importantly then the words, it was the circular patterns she was making. But it seemed to work for her.

She also started a scribble of Alifa in a corner of the page but then shook her head to concentrate back on her work.

By the end of it, Kat looked over her first completed successfull spell.
"It sounds silly but... Uh... I thought that the feeling of wanting to know everything about you would be close enough to what you said. Just needed to turn it into written words"

[Xihirli]

Alifa smiled. "Looks like it worked… and that’s very sweet. If you still have any questions, anything you want to know about me, I’ll answer. I promise, no secrets from you."
Alifa read over Kat’s spell, admiring the artistry.

[Valmark]

It did seem like a fairly good Identify spell. Not great for application as an actual spell, but it was meant to be a ritual.

Kat cuddled up and kissed Alifa's neck.
"I'm good, for now. I know enough for you to be my home in this world"

Spoiler: Ooc

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If there's nothing else Alifa and Boots are gonna meet up again next!

[Xihirli]

Alifa blushed hard and kissed Kat full on the lips.

Spoiler: OOC

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Nope, ready!

[Valmark]

The next day, the two sisters found themselves at the inn- Alifa and Kat having just come in, Boots and Ethrindae having just come down. Mostly to Boots' displeasure.

[Xihirli]

"Lif!" Boots flew forward and hugged Alifa tight. "I missed you so much!"
Alifa kissed her on the cheek.
"I missed you, too." She got out her tuning fork. "To Goenna’s plane? I hope Benjy is okay…"