Shattered Star 6.21

[02:40.36] <TenMihara|GM> *****Pathfinder: Shattered Star*****
[02:40.41] <TenMihara|GM> ~Postgame~
[02:40.45] <TenMihara|GM> -Epilogue-
[02:43.41] * Aegis_Steadfast is now known as Alette
[02:45.13] <TenMihara|GM> The Pathfinders had defeated Xin, and acquired a king's ransom in salvage from the crumpled form of the destroyed Reliquary. After gathering it up, the retreat through the skymetal vaults, once they've cleared out the powdered abyssium anyways, goes fairly easily, bringing them back down to the atrium where the Trio of still sane Axiomites is waiting for them.
[02:45.18] <TenMihara|GM> ****Session Begins****
[02:53.04] <TenMihara|GM> Lain, as Alette had taken to calling them, approaches the party as they descend the staircase, weary and dirty, but in good health thanks to Ewan and the Sihedron. "it is done then?" they ask in unison. "i can see that the walls have ceased their self-repair."
[02:53.19] * Alette waves in greeting to them as they return. "It's done, Xin's finally in the boneyard where he should've been an era ago. What do you three plan on doing now?"
[02:58.17] <TenMihara|GM> Lain shakes her heads in unison. "i am uncertain," she admits. "Returning to Utopia is one option, if i can find someone to return me there, but it seems a shame to leave when Xin's legacy lies in shambles."
[03:00.15] * Ewan looks exhausted, even if most of it is emotional, as he leans on Dilys. "It appears Xin himself is at rest, but there's still much left to do to 'clean up'. I don't suppose you would be willing to aid in attempting to understand and make use of everything left behind?"
[03:04.51] * Alette rubs her chin at that. "Well I could return you... but it would be a shame leaving you here having recently become unemployed. I was actually thinking of making a museum of sorts, how'd you like a job as the curator?"
[03:05.14] <TenMihara|GM> "Further," notes the axiomites, "When there were a dozen of me i felt like so much more, but the others were severed and seemed to have formed their own triumvates from what you told me, so i admit to feeling a bit diminished myself as well." They look to Alette curiously. "A museum?"
[03:09.10] * Alette nods. "That's right, a monument of our entire journey, from meeting together in Heidmarch manor, to finally putting the emperor himself to rest. It was a long, perilous journey we survived and conquered together, and came out stronger than we'd ever thought possible. I want to memorialize that, as well as keep the Sihedron safe, secure and out of the wrong hands when it's not
[03:09.10] * Alette needed."
[03:11.36] <TenMihara|GM> The Chamberlain muses on that a moment. "And what duties would you ask of me if i were to be a curator of this collection?"
[03:19.51] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi holds Yalana's claw as they return to the atrium, looking at her new scars and giving her a comforting squeeze. He also glances curiously at the inert clockwork legionaries that hadn't even activated when they'd come before, that Xin had lost his ability to control as his spirit waned.
[03:20.54] <Alette> "Just the standard curator fare, making sure everything's in its proper place, and sharing your stories. There's many people out there who would love to know what you know, a first hand account from creatures who personally worked with Xin himself."
[03:21.04] * Yalana sighs and squeezes Andrezi's hand in return, leaning lightly against him. The crystal seed was safely stored away for the moment, better to not let it be accidentally misplaced. She looked down through the crystal flooring into the water below with a frown. "It feels wrong just leaving this place here. Someone will surely come to try and find out more. Like those gillmen we met
[03:21.04] * Yalana when we first arrived."
[03:23.15] <TenMihara|GM> The Chamberlain thinks for a moment, all three faces furrowed in contemplation. "i find your proposal acceptable. i am perhaps the last being on the Material plane who truly knew Xin from when he was truly the great king he wished to be, and seeing that History does not forget the good he did before Thassilon was tainted by the traitorous apprentices would be a fulfilling purpose."
[03:28.49] <Alette> "Sounds good! So... are you bound here or are you free to come with us?"
[03:32.26] <TenMihara|GM> The Chamberlain shakes her head. "i was called here rather than summoned, so i am here physically, but my arrangement with Xin was mutually agreeable, and he did not need to bind me. Even if he had, his death likely would have undone such magics."
[03:33.54] * Ewan scratches his chin thoughtfully. "That may be a ways off still, but it seems fitting. Proper accommodations will take some work, but should be doable." he notes, chuckling. "Having someone living from those times... Perhaps that's one of the most valuable things that would be in such a place."
[03:39.39] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi nods. "Agreed. There's a great deal of knowledge lost after Earthfall, and we could learn a great deal."
[03:42.04] <Alette> "Well then, let's not keep Sheila waiting any longer, my ship's outside waiting to take us home. Victory celebrations, hungry ears, or maybe just a quit night enjoying company." She said the last part nudging Andrezi. "If nothing's keeping you here then you're welcome aboard, let's all go home."
[03:44.06] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi nods his agreement, then looks to Yalana. "i suspect we'll be back, perhaps with more people to assist with salvaging and excavation. i expect Shiela knows more than a few archaeologists who would leap at such an opportunity."
[03:44.49] <Ewan> "It's going to be a very, very busy few weeks, I imagine."
[03:47.51] <TenMihara|GM> The Scarlet Echo, anchored outside, is waiting right where they left it, undamaged, although near the anchor is the corpse of a reefclaw that had gotten to close, speared with a ballista bolt.
[03:51.20] <TenMihara|GM> The Chamberlain looks up at the flying ship with a curious awe. "remarkable," she says, dissolving into her crystalline dust form and drifting up towards it. Her voice echoes from the three gaseous clouds of math. "A flying machine of this scale is something unhead of even at the height of Thassilon."
[03:52.24] * Alette yanks out the bolt as they walk by. "Nice to know it wasn't boring out here while they waited." Using her wings she flies up alongside the mathematics. "I sort of had the crazy idea of a new kind of propulsion when I observed wind elementals in flight."
[03:53.46] <TenMihara|GM> The Captain and crew look a touch nervous as the strange math clouds crystalize into their elf esque forms, but the arrival of Alette and the other Pathfinders set them at ease.
[03:54.37] * Yalana spread her wings and took to the sky after Alette. "It is one of a kind, for the time being at least. A miracle of engineering. Though one I expect to be eclipsed in short order considering what we've acquired here."
[03:57.35] * Ewan floats slowly after, mostly being yanked along by Dilys. "Iteration is important, I suppose. The amount of skymetal we've found will certainly make research into things more interesting."
[03:57.37] * Alette smirked. "Not to worry, captain. These are Xin's former chamberlain, recently unemployed and even more recently re employed, so be sure and be nice to your fellow employees." Shhe looked a little smug at Yalana. "Oh you know it, I can't WAIT to get some creative juices flowing again. Give me time, I'll give you the fastest ship on the planet."
[03:59.16] <Alette> She hands the bolt to a nearby crewman. "Here, someone dropped this." She clapped her hands together. "alright everyone, our mission here is accomplished, let's go home. Dinner's on me."
[03:59.27] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi smiles at Yalana. "Sounds perfect. You were looking into establishing your own trade industry as well? What better way to swell your hoard than consistent income that gives a bunch of other people jobs too." He smirks.
[04:00.15] <TenMihara|GM> The crewman nods and takes it. "it looked like it was going to cut the anchoring line, so we shot the one and a few others scattered away."
[04:01.45] * Yalana grins broadly at Andrezi's suggestion. "Oh yes. Most certainly. A way to turn a small fortune into a great one." She clapped her hands excitedly. "I'm certain it will be a most interesting endeavour. Even if it is not quite so perilous or exciting as this one has been."
[04:03.14] <TenMihara|GM> The ship hurries to get underway as the crew runs around. The Captain looks a little out of sorts, though he had been talking to Aulthunn in the morning, but he quickly gets things running smoothly as the ship pulls up the anchor and begins moving back towards Magnimar over the ocean.
[04:04.48] <Alette> "Excitement? If you truly do have a little one on the way I'd think your plate will be a little too full for danger and excitement."
[04:07.17] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi chuckles. "Even if we do become parents, i don't intend to stop traveling. There are many more journeys to be had, and one of particular importance." He strokes some of Yalana's scales.
[04:08.21] * Yalana smiles at that and kisses Andrezi's cheek. "Oh, I have no intention of becoming some shut-in homebody. But, having a place to call home will be a nice change. Considering how long I've been traveling. Why, I've never actually had a place to call my own at all!"
[04:10.18] <TenMihara|GM> ANdrezi nods. "i haven't either really, closest thing was my stint at Scarnetti Manor after the um... incident that led to my service there."
[04:16.36] <Alette> "You really ought to tell me the story of that sometime."
[04:18.06] * Ewan frowns, glancing back towards the "ruins" from which they emerged. "I think there's plenty of adventure and work to be had relatively close to home, anymore... But perhaps This journey gave me my fill of being abroad." he mumbles, sighing. "Perhaps while things calm down, we can all take the chance to rest, before anything new begins."
[04:19.49] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi nods. "There's really not that much to it, but we have time on the trip back." Said trip back takes several hours, leaving them arriving over the skies of Magnimar in the midst of the evening.
[04:23.59] <TenMihara|GM> Returning to Magnimar, it's pretty obvious that the underbridge and dock districts are still a mess, though nowhere near as bad as they would be had the Tsunami actually struck. As well the ashen ring where the wall of fire that protected the city arose is still visible on the landed side.
[04:26.19] * Alette hops from the ship as it makes its descent, weaving her magic to summon some beasts of burden to help unload the remains of the clockwork dragon and reliquary. "Someone deliver these to the golemworks, let them know the abyssium power cores belonging to both will be transported seperately."
[04:27.07] * Yalana stretched her wings as they arrived back towards land. She suppressed a yawn. "Mmh. I'll be looking forward to a nice, long, comfortable sleep after all the stresses today."
[04:28.27] <TenMihara|GM> The Golemworks representative scurries to organize some carts to store the salvage and arrange safe transport. ANdrezi smiles at Yalana and nods. "Perhaps a visit to Heidmarch Manor first, to let her and the rest of the Council know we've returned in triumph."
[04:28.38] <Alette> "Well the plus side is you got some fantastic scars from that giant. Though they might end up drawing more eyes to your cleavage."
[04:30.07] * Yalana snorts at that as she runs a claw along her scar. "A shame that. I admit I had hoped to come out of this with a minimum of permanent marks. But I suppose it will be a reminder of what happened."
[04:30.53] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi smiles. "Frankly i think your future draconic kin might respect you more when they see them, showing off that you're as tough as a dragon ought to be."
[04:31.30] <Alette> "And that was when you were still mostly human, imagine how tough you'll be as a pure dragon."
[04:32.45] * Yalana chuckles at that. "I suppose so." She pulled her fingers away. The scar had a bit of an odd texture compared to those a normal person might develop, as it had covered over in scales, slightly differently color to her typical scales.
[04:34.55] <TenMihara|GM> The Heidmarch Manor is still populated at the late evening hour of the return of the Pathfinders. The doormaid recognizes them and quickly ushers them to Sheila's study, where the Venture Captain, her husband, Koriah, Sabriyya Kalmeralm, and the Golemworks founder are deep in discussion, looking a bit tired, with remnants of a light evening meal still scattered about the table.
[04:36.28] * Alette enters when they're guided in. "Knockity knock, been waiting for us long?"
[04:37.53] <TenMihara|GM> They all stop talking immediately and look up as they're addressed. Koriah's gaze moves to Ewan and Dilys, but Sheila offers a relieved looking smile. "You've returned, and in only three days... i think. Has it been three?" Sabriyya rubs her cheek. "i thought only two, but we've been busy."
[04:40.16] * Alette shrugs. "Hard to tell, regardless we've got a few stories to tell, but first let me introduce Xin's former chamberlain." She said, gesturing to the three strange new faces.
[04:42.02] <TenMihara|GM> The Axiomites glide in beside the Pathfinders, and Shielda drops her fork and her jaw. "Did you say Xin's... what... how?"
[04:42.37] <TenMihara|GM> The Golemwork Founder looks to Alette, "Tell me, was my representative courteous while he was observing your salvage?"
[04:43.52] * Ewan gives Koriah a subdued wave, the brief silence making Dilys scoot closer to him. "Has it been only that long...?" he wonders aloud. "We're going to be busy far longer than that at least. Xin had... A lot of research stored away."
[04:44.44] <TenMihara|GM> Sabriyya meanwhile decides to address Yalana. "Any chance you found some ancient Thassilonian boats on that island city? We have a bit of a problem." Koriah looks to Ewan. "Most of us haven't slept since you left, using magic to fight off fatigue. We know you had to save the world and such, but we had no shortage of little catastrophes here."
[04:45.03] * Alette gives a thumbs up. "Yes, short version of the story is those earthquakes were caused by the city of Xin itself rising from the depths where Xin himself has existed as some kind of maddened spirit haunting it this whole time." She nods to the founder. "He was, and he's got some presents for you i'm sure you'll greatly enjoy."
[04:46.06] * Yalana looks to Sabriyya curiously. "Not really, no. Most of the island was completely destroyed, having been submerged at the bottom of the ocean for eleven thousand years. It was barely even possible to tell anyone had ever lived there."
[04:49.12] <TenMihara|GM> The Wizard smiles and nods. "Perhaps i should go and see to that then." He looks to them. "i apologize that i can't be more help, but my engineering expertise is mostly geared towards the arcane." He bows and takes his leave, but Sheila is enamored with the Axiomites, moving up to them. "Hello," she says, suppressing a slightly girlish excitement.
[04:50.22] <TenMihara|GM> Sabriyya frowns and nods. "A shame. A few ships were spared by being further our when the wave hit, but the docks are trashed. Most members of the bazaar of sails were spared because they were up by the irespan for the Reforging festival, but i'm forseeing more than a few economic hiccups even with the minimized collateral damage."
[04:51.46] * Alette looks amused at the excitement. "I thought you'd be interested. They were the only ones spared the corruption and wish to preserve the memory of who Xin was, rather than what he became."
[04:52.58] <TenMihara|GM> Sheila notes to the Axiomites. "i'm a historian by trade, but also a noble on the Council of Ushers, Venture Captain of the Pathfinder Society, and original sponsor of this group." The Axiomites nods. "Lady Alette has offered us a position curating a collection of Thassilonian relics she wishes to preserve, and we likewise wish to preserve Xin's legacy. if you are a historian we welcome your assistance."
[04:55.17] * Ewan snorts, shaking his head with a weary look. "I barely got anything resembling rest, but that's something of a self inflicted problem. The city still looked like it was an utter disaster from the air, I can only imagine what it's like on the ground."
[04:55.46] * Yalana tilts her head to one side and taps her cheek. "That does seem a difficult prospect. You're fortunate to have the ear of a family known for making new ships, who have recently acquired an entirely new lease on creating all new types of ships I should think. If you can afford to allow yourself some time to wait for her to finish existing commissions."
[04:57.05] <TenMihara|GM> Shiela looks thrilled, but glances at Ewan. "i am sure i can find a few more Pathfinders who would be willing to explore the ruins now that the threat of the clockwork army has been neutralized. i take it that is the case?"
[04:57.54] * Alette nods. "Yes, by the way. I plan on making a museum slash vault to house the relics we've acquired." She places the flamma and key on the table. "As well as keep the sihedron out of any wrong hands when we don't need to make use of it."
[04:58.07] <TenMihara|GM> Sabriyya nods. "Yeah, i've seen that skyship of yours. it's something i wouldn't mind getting in on the ground floor of, but in the meantime Korvosa's probably going to gouge us for relief supplies."
[04:59.00] <TenMihara|GM> Sheila looks to Alette curiously. "An intriguing notion. Where were you planning on making this museum of yours? Converting the Scarnetti manor?"
[04:59.24] * Ewan 's head turns to nod in response. "Safely inactive, and ready for study. Anything particularly dangerous should be taken care of, actually."
[05:00.58] * Alette snaps her fingers with a smirk. "Nope. That's going to be the first line of security, I'm going to create an entirely new plane to house it."
[05:01.26] * Yalana frowns at the prospect and looks to Sheila. "I wouldn't be completely certain the clockwork army is entirely safe yet. Their numbers were preserved with powerful time-halting magic and slaved to a clockwork key which we recovered. But I would be very cautious sending anyone into the remains of the palace. While it's unlikely they could do anything which might awaken one of its
[05:01.26] * Yalana soldiers, it might not be entirely impossible."
[05:01.58] <TenMihara|GM> Sheila's eyes widen a bit. "A personal demiplane? A remarkable accomplishment. Have you discovered some magical means to accomplish this? i've heard of temporary extraplanar housing before."
[05:04.20] <TenMihara|GM> Sheila nods. "i see." She picks up the key curiously, pulling out the noqual key that belonged to the clockwork servant they had found beneath irespan. "Magic is rather fascinating. To think that this beat up stone key is actually far more potent than this one made of precious metal."
[05:06.59] <TenMihara|GM> The Axiomites look at the key. "The Guardian Key was one of Xin's finest accomplishments, allowing him to efficiently wind and control his entire clockwork army with a single tool... though i admit when last i saw it its magical aura was substantially more powerful."
[05:08.19] * Alette nods. "Yes, I've learned how to create them, and with what we've found in the city funding a little permanency and construction won't be an issue. Fun fact about Xin, he really really liked skymetal, another fun fact, he has vaults built to contain all of them. One more fun fact, they're still stocked." She gestured to the key. "As for that, most of it was drained because he
[05:08.19] * Alette transferred most of its power to his metal body, so he could use that instead to control the army."
[05:11.05] <TenMihara|GM> The Axiomites nods. "The Reliquary was meant to be a frontline commander of his army as well as an immortal vessel for his mind and spirit, so siphoning the power of the key into it makes sense." Sheila looks momentarily perplexed as they speak, but nods. "Yes, well, if you see fit you could properly record your adventures and discoveries for a future edition of the Chronicles. Perhaps more than one considering, but regardless, you have all done spectacularly."
[05:23.18] <TenMihara|GM> Sabriyya nods. "Sounds like Magnimar is gonna have more than a little influx of wealth in the near future, we're gonna need it, but the immediate problems remain. You lot have done more than enough already though."
[05:27.34] * Alette lets out a pff. "Well I for one haven't done enough and the night's still young so later on I'm going out there to see what needs to be done and what I can do about it."
[05:28.59] * Yalana stifles a yawn. "Well, after exhausting a great deal of my magic, and being nearly decapitated earlier today, I think I need a nice long sleep."
[05:29.41] <TenMihara|GM> Andrezi smiles and nods to Yalana. "i would be happy to join you." Koriah looks to Ewan. "Perhaps we could visit your mother for a proper meal? We didn't eat much this evening."
[05:29.45] * Ewan can't help but laugh. "Things aren't done until the city is back to normal, or better, I'd think. A brief rest, and then getting to it seems appropriate."
[05:33.46] <TenMihara|GM> Sheila looks to Alette. "i would be happy to accompany you and your new acquaintances."
[05:36.04] <Alette> "Sure, be sure and point me to wherever some muscle or healing is needed, those I can provide easily."
[05:42.01] <TenMihara|GM> ****End Session****