Shadow War campaign In-Game: Chapter 73- Crisis on Infinite Asheareas

[chrysalis]

I whisper to Bedlor what I felt concerning Ximon.

[Gaumer]

Bed whispers back

"Aye, but what are we to do 'bout it? Sure'n if'n one god be in a bad spot it could be meanin' others be too. All the better for us by my seein'. The less we be dealin' wit' gods the better."

[chrysalis]

"It's not the God's I be worrying about, it's Faerun. He seems to be the key in all this. Heck, for all we know, maybe he is the Trust we are looking for?"

[Gaumer]

"*sigh*

Aye, it be 'for all we know', meanin' we not be knowin' a thing.

'Oldin' that gnome 'bove any others be unwise an', by my seein', wrong. Where be that gnome when 'is mate be needin' 'im? Cryin' wit' 'nother group o'er 'is own damned lack o' emotion. To 'ell wit' 'im I say, 'e be makin' 'is choice. If'n 'e be the all o' this whole thing we be in a might bit o' trouble indeed, for I not be thinkin' the gnome useful as far as I can be throwin' that horse we met outside.

An' this feelin' o' yers, it be 'bout Ximon, right? What makes ye e'en begin to be thinkin' that runt be any part o' yer feelin's?"

[chrysalis]

"I don't know, Bedlor. This isn't something I've tried very much. Let me try it again."

I concentrate again, on Ximon, trying to connect with him and communicate.

[Navarre]

You focus your spiritual energy on Ximon, searching for his soul and making effort to communicate with him.

You feel nothing from him...at all.

[chrysalis]

"Oh no. I feel nothing from him. At all."

[Gaumer]

"Oi, that may be a bad thing, maybe...

But we not be knowin'. What would ye see us do 'bout such? Lessin' ye tell the others that be 'ere what ye know, I not be 'avin' a word to it.

The Ximon o' our own world be a mysterious one; no doubt this one be just the same; more e'en wit' all the magic 'bout."

[Strifeter]

Tren looks around the room.

"So tell me about this castle you have here. How's does one find such a thing?"

[Navarre]

You recall Coby's earlier explanation:

"Off the known maps there's a kingdom, y'see. It's the kind of place where you might find flying horses and castles and clouds don't ya know."

"Once ruled by the Djinn, it's been claimed by the Einshar Maldomkin. Not many Djinn left, nope."

"Even worse, Maldomkin conquered the land with the help of some Djinn traitors. Seems they'd taken to mating with human folk and over some years a lot of those half-Djinn decided they wanted control over their more powerful Djinn ancestors. Sad as the last sugar-milk cone at a birthday party, yep-yep."

"A lot of that kingdom is ruin and rubble now. ... But we ... may have 'happened upon' a cloud castle someone wasn't using,"

Serena frowns at the affable halfling.

"No one just 'happens upon' a structure like this. If you didn't build it, and I'm sure you didn't, then it belongs to someone and I'm sure they'd want it back."

Coby shrugs.

"Maybe they might, if they weren't fertilizing a field and feeding the worms. If Maharajah Utharr had any problem with us don't reckon he'd be wagging his wish-giving tongue about it now."

Jackson scowls.

"Serves him right too. He and his family almost laid claim to the entire Faerie Kingdom. If it weren't for us Defenders, there wouldn't even be any magic left in the world except what they control."

[Strifeter]

Tren laughs a little.

"So what else is rumored to be in these ruins?"

[Navarre]

Aldina pulls back her lustrous black hair, tying it with a yellow ribbon, as she replies.

"We made some discoveries that few mortals, or even gods, of this world know."

"The Faerie Kingdom has been virtually ignored by the Einshar in their wars. A realm full of faerie folk and unicorns, it held little interest to most Einshar as they each made their move to conquer Ashearea."

"But the Faerie Kingdom is not a place filled with magic...It is the source. It is the hub from which the Weaving flows, generated by the very existence of the multiverse."

"There were legends told in the Faerie Kingdom of many other universes. And in these universes there existed beings connected directly to magic and the Weaving. They were called the Nexus."

"While the Nexus beings are surely a myth, the Faerie Kingdom is a fact. It is the hub upon which universes are made. It is the connecting point of all realities; the primal source of existence. It is the canvas upon which the Primordial painted, extending ever outward as those great creators worked."

"We discovered the road to the Faerie Kingdom rather by accident but it is good we did. That realm was under the threat of a tyrant known as Maharajah Utharr."

"He was a Djinn of great power, and the owner of this castle. We defeated him with the aid of the one Einshar who was not only aware of the location of the Faerie Kingdom but of its true importance: Pandia."

"With her Sacred Servant, a grand druid named Summer, we overthrew the Maharajah's plans of conquest. This castle is our rightful spoils; a magnificent dwelling that flies and provides for its owner based on the power of wishes alone."

"However, we are not without risk here. The Maharajah had many children, half-bred with other races of the Faerie Kingdom, captured and placed into his harem. We fear some of them may have escaped."

"We have been looking for his offspring, trying to ascertain if they are any further threat with which we must contend. Summer has likewise sent some of her own servants secretly out into the world to assist us in this cause."

"Otherwise, we travel the air as Fjod would do if he had survived the Coup, protecting all who need protection in the spirit of Ferraki but claiming our deeds under no god's name."

[chrysalis]

I raise an eyebrow and I think of Faerun, "The nexus beings are not myth at all. I can assure you of that."

[Navarre]

Aldina replies.

"Truly? Hmm, I should imagine such a person would go simply mad if they were aware of being the connection to unlimited universes. I am glad to have never met such a person."

"Still, the Faerie Kingdom is the hub of all reality and magic. Given the proper key, it would act as a lock to reshaping all that has ever existed, or that never was."

[chrysalis]

"Oh boy. Bedlor...we have to go get our friend, and now."