Shadow War campaign In-Game: Chapter 74- Where It All Began

[Navarre]

After a time, Coby concludes his attempt at fellowship. The party lingers, some in pairs or small groups, before going their separate ways.

Vinnrog and Inoke leave for their room but Aphra remains with you and Aldina as Coby looks to you.

"Still such long faces. I really am sorry. I know no ditty is going to do much for you two for a while."

"Been a bit off myself, have to say. I didn't expect to find I was the next legacy Protector of Man today."

"Kinda weird, there being two of us. Guess Sashca wasn't quite ready for Bedlor yet though. Although, that's odd, seeing as she's the one who sent him back."

"Anyway, ya look like somethin's on your mind. Can I help?"

[Gaumer]

"The people act as sheep, stayin' near an' keepin' dear any who be leadin' 'em to what be seemin' to be better an' easier. Bein' an example to the people be the best way to be leadin' 'em, sure'n, but wit' the ones who be in charge now we'll ne'er be seein' such times wit'out the loss o' so many to war.

Bah, 'em who be in charge could be puttin' an end to the lot o' the whole o' the fightin' in one sweep, an' wit' the showin' o' words not arms. Tren be lackin' the support which our enemies 'ave 'ad for too long for us to be catchin' up 'fore any war be startin'.

Hoho, be lookin' as though at least one Bedlor an' Moira be set where Tren be failin' to make strides, hoho. Oi, maybe one o' 'em mirrors o' us'll keel o'ver leavin' us to take their place, hohoho. Sure'n we'd be 'avin' an easier time if'n we could be in charge o' 'oldin's."

Bed sips more wine

"Throw some dust in oil any'ow."

[Strifeter]

Tren regards Coby for a second.

"Aldina mentioned that you may be able to help me. I have the power to pass into the shadow realm as well as the grey realm but everytime I try I feel like I am passing through a strainer and it makes me ill. Any ideas on such a thing?"

[Lutharian]

T'Ning, you set off down a hallway you are sure leads outside. It turns soon to the left, then right, then maybe left again; it is difficult to say. Before you realize it, you are a bit lost in a maze of hallways you don't remember inside the relatively small castle.

Suddenly, you are grabbed from behind. Instinct sends your hands grasping at the fingers of your assailant, ready to break a digit to extricate yourself. But the hands are so small, so delicate, it gives you pause just long enough to breath in the sweet and familiar smell of peaches.

"Sneak Hug!" giggles Rachel.

Her lips, thin but moist, find yours quickly. She presses into you, her weight barely worth mentioning save for the joy of it against your body.

She pulls away and smiles. Her smile is affectionate and true but there is a sadness behind it that only you would see.

"I t'ought ye might be lookin' fir me. No one be findin' us 'ere."

"I t'ink we be needin' a place where we be safe fir a while, wot? Less o' course someone drop t'e whole kit an' caboodle o' castle onto t'e city wit' us in it."

"Wot be on yuir mind, luv?"

T'Ning grins, runs his hands down Rachel's back and rests them on her hips.  "I have many things on my mind love, but for now, just you and you alone.

He pulls her in close, presses his lips to hers, and lets out a sigh of content.

"Tell me love, what's on your mind?"  He gives her a firm squeeze as he says so, a mischevious grin in his eyes.

[Navarre]

Rachel, seeing you have missed the forlorn undertone of her expression, hugs you then looks around before answering.

"T'is Tren. Sure'n 'e be torn to shreds o'er Serena's death same as Serena 'erself. 'E be a man on edge and ready to cut t'e 'ead of t'e snake."

"I canna say I dinna agree wit' 'im t'ough. T'e Vaadjori 'ave nev'r known peace. Ev'r. T'ere always be a tyrant ready to rule t'e lot o' us or wipe us oot altoget'er."

"By my seein', we may as well be at t'e top o' t'e food chain. Better t'an gettin' swallowed whole."

"But t'ose words not fall kindly on t'e ears of such as Bedlor or Liv I bet. I wanted to 'ear your t'oughts."

[Navarre]

Coby ponders.

"Reckon it's maybe a problem with the walls between the planes? No tellin' what sort of chaos you stirred up when you ripped in, not only from another universe, but from a plane of that universe besides the Prime."

"If ya don't mind me askin', how did you manage that? Can ya jump between universes somehow?"

[Strifeter]

Tren looks at him directly.

"I have very powerful friends on that plane that pushed me through. A Nexus. My power is related to jumping between planes, not universes."

[Navarre]

Coby rubs his chin.

"A Nexus, huh? Well, they were only legends here before the likes of your friend Faerun showed up."

"But I hear the Nexuses are some sort of an anomaly, something never meant to exist. Some say they are an aberration; a perversion of nature. ... Not saying anything against your buddy of course."

"But from what I gathered, that one little girl, Bronwyn Moonshadow, ripped right through the realities to make her way into your old Ashearea. The planes had been sealed by her father and she had to tear through a rift to get to him, ain't that right?"

"The planes are sealed here too. Or at least they are supposed to be. I saw Moira push those two Anti-Seraphim off the Prime and the effect looked a lot like what you're saying you feel when you try to teleport."

"I get the feeling the problems a lot bigger than planar walls and alternate realities. Sounds to me like these Ravagers and Nexuses and whatnot ripping their way wherever they want to go has caused holes and tears in the Weaving."

"It's called the Weaving because it's like a tapestry, y'know. Layers of planes and realities and time and all that."

"Just like a tapestry though, ya keep pulling on threads or poking at it with sharp sticks and it gets pretty thread-bare. Sooner or later, ya get holes and, well, sooner or later there's nothing left."

"You might be feeling ill, not because of the journey, but because there's less and less of anything real to journey to. My guess? Ya might have killed the Ravager but the damage has already been done."

[Navarre]

Moira laughs. It suddenly strikes you that you have not heard this beautiful and amazing young woman laugh since the night of Drade's farewell party.

"I do not think I will assassinate and then impersonate myself, thank you very much!"

"But, should I become supreme ruler of the world, I will be a benevolent one. There will be cake for everyone...and maybe something special for you, if you are good."

[Gaumer]

"Hoho, if'n I not be good I be good at it, eh?

I not be speakin' o' assassination. Sure'n there be ends for leaders that be far more painful an' lastin' than death.

What if'n we be makin' ourselves, yerself an' meself, known to all o' this world? Just tell 'em we be who we be, an' 'em others be usurpin' power. Sure'n the World Spirit be sendin' us 'ere for reasons. We already be targets. What be the worst to 'appen? We be splittin' the other Bedlor an' Moira's forces a bit? Changin' the minds o' a few or more o' the people o' this world? It be us gainin' in that.

An' what be the worst o' it if'n we choose to be makin' ourselves known? Nothin' be 'appenin'? I be doubtin' it, not in a world on the brink o' war. None o' the common folk be wantin' a war. But e'en if'n we only be makin' ourselves known to the other Moira an' Bedlor, which I be set they already be knowin' o' us, that be makin' us the dust in the oil for any plans they be 'avin'. But what if'n tellin' folks o' the who we be an' our words o' peace be changin' this world?

I be seein' two groups workin' 'gainst this world an' I can'ta believe the all o' this world's people be agreein' wit' it. Sure'n we could be presentin' ourselves on the West city come sunup. Be makin' aims to ends o' our own, same as Tren, but we get to be usin' the years o' work o' the other ye an' me, an' use the people's own ill-will 'gainst 'em. Sure'n the distraction would be aidin' Tren in 'is ways an' findin' the Trust."

Bedlor laces his fingers behind his head as he lies back on Moira's ample bosom

"Thnk o' it, love, we could be puttin' an end to the whole o' this war by makin' a speech or two an' just lettin' word get tot he ears o' the ones who need to be 'earin' it. End this war by the 'and o' the commoner 'fore any armies take battlefields."

[Navarre]

Moira smiles, her soft hand gently stroking your beard.

"To win a war with words instead of blades sounds better than any alternative I can imagine. Illumian's forces are stronger than the rest, as as I see it, largely because of the union between Hallow Hold and Enghart. If we reveal ourselves, the sheer uncertainty of what it all means will shake the military."

"No single force that opposes Illumian could marshal enough power to take advantage of the discord. It would at the very least place everyone on equal footing."

"Still, I do not know if we could get the true message of our beliefs through to everyone. Tren is at least correct in that the people need to be unified. I simply don't know how to do that."

"It is terrible to say, but the Ashearea we knew was more unified in facing the Ravager together than anything we are likely to do with adding another voice to the cacophony that shakes this world."

[Strifeter]

Tren ponders on everything Coby says.

"Do you know of any way to build up the walls again. Surely there must be a way to repair the damage."

[Navarre]

Coby ponders.

"Welp, guess we'd have to know where the holes are first."

"You say there's something wrong with the Grey Realm? What about all the souls that are stuck there while the gods play their little war? Have you talked to any of them? ... or can you?"

[Strifeter]

Tren looks sad for a moment.

"I used to be able to pass into the grey realm where I could speak to souls there. I have never tried to speak to them from this side. I am blocked from entering there now. I cannot seem to get through. What worries me is that if I am blocked what happens to those who die here? Where does their souls go?"

[Navarre]

Aldina frets.

"What do you mean?? Their souls still go to the Grey Realm, right?"

"I mean, they don't suffer like those Angels Moira banished, do they? You aren't saying they are destroyed?!?"

"Do any of you have a way to see the souls of the Grey Realm?"