Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[PupSage]

"Then give her something to remember the truth by. Slip a note into her clothes to not trust the scientists or something. When we get there, how should I signal you?" Kuori said, already planning how things were going to progress.

-----------

Novi shrugs, "Not entirely sure. Mindflayers were going to sacrifice you to summon a Devil from another plane. We defeated the Devil. Another group of people came through and took out their leader, but are probably going to do something evil with it. Kuori knows more. Oh yeah, Kuori Ronso is back and she's a Cleric of Kuliak now. And she became the Goddess for a bit, and brought us back from the dead, and was the one to actually kill the devil. It was super awesome, she's like a hero!"  

[Muattles]

Responding to Ruin Ash nods. "My name is Ashtuku. I might be considered a freelancer for Aria. They did not have a ritualist close to hand with the talent to help perform the ritual here, and they had something I wanted. But by opening the portal my contract with them is finished, I am a free agent and willing to help you with your problems. I imagine the world would be in considerable peril had you and your friends not placed your lives between that devil and it, so it seems prudent to encourage such efforts by making your life easier with the small things, such as the transportation of a friend."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"As I stated, in there. The world's welfare isn't my problem, fulfilling my contract with her is." Ruin would state with a shrug.

"Though," he would ask, "How much will your services cost?"  

[Kowsauni]

Maukeen

Maukeen would give her sister a grim smile and place her hand on her shoulder. "For now, we part ways. I am not sure when we will see each other again, but my companions and I must return to Aria, and our people...” Maukeen would gaze across the field at all the goliaths emerging from their daze like trance. “...We are a several days journey from whatever remains of Lightlost. They will need someone to guide them home safely. I will contact you as soon as I figure out a way.”

Muakeen would move away form her sister and call out to her comrades. “Alright, fun's over, its time for us to return. You know they get antsy if we are gone too long.” Maukeen would then address the shardmind. “Ashtuku, we thank you for your exemplary service, without your assistance, none of this would have been possible. You saved countless lives today and stopped the machinations of an arch-devil.” She would retrieve a hefty pouch form her side and hand it to Ash. “Here is the rest of your payment. You are free travel back to Aria with us, though...personally... I would advice against it. It is a complicated matter to explain, but our comrades here are wanted persons back in the kingdom, and you have now associated with them. I would not mention to anyone, anything you did or saw here today, especially what you saw of us. This information could get you in deep trouble with the Aria government. I know this seems like a bit of a betrayal, but I tell you this as a friend. You did so much for us today. I don't want see you put in jeopardy. With your skills, I'm sure you can find another way back to the surface.”

With that, Maukeen turns and begins to walk away in the direction of the burning citadel. Lionel and Brodus would form up on Maukeen but Pierette would lag a little behind, her face cast towards the ground, looking distraught. Eventually she would find her voice. “M...Maukeen. I...I have some questions. The things I've seen...I've learned about today. They...they don't add up to what I know. I...I feel like a lot of stuff is being hid from me...you know? I'm so confused right now, everything feels like... Can...can you tell me the truth? You are the only one I trust right now.”

Lionel would cast Maukeen a worried glance. Maukeen would stop in her tracks and after a moment, turn around to face the petite demi. Placing a hand on her shoulder like she di to her sister, she would speak. “I can tell you, that if you return to Aria, your worries and fears will be erased, you will be made comfortable and everything will seem right again. However, if you really want to know the truth, I suggest you leave with them.” She would gesture to Ruin and the others. “Your life will no longer be easy, but you will find the answers that you seek. I leave this choice up to you.”

Lionel would retort angrily. “Are you crazy! You can't just let her walk away! Do you know the s**t that will bring down upon us? They will never trust us again! You were not here when the last time someone esca...” Lionel would glace at Peirette and stop himself mid-word. “Ahem...did not return, but I was. And let me tell you, life was an unspeakable nightmare for a long time.” Lionel would turn to Pierette and shout. “Pierette, you are being incredibly selfish! This is not just about you! If you don't come back with us you will be putting the rest of us in danger, including Maukeen! She doesn't realize what she is saying! If you truly care about any of us then you will...”

Brodus would suddenly move to place himself between Lionel and Peirette, his giant body acting like a wall between them. “Maukeen said it was Pierette's choice to make. Not yours. Leave her be.”

However, it was clear Lionel's words had reached Pierette. Large tears began to roll down her cheek and splash down ash strewn ground below. She began to stammer. “I-I don't want anyone to get hurt, I...I...I...”

Pierette

 

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Technically, she wouldn't have escaped. Instead, taken by that Ruin." Ruin would pipe up, "And it wouldn't be a lie or half-truth. Also, Technically, it is Muakeen, Brutus and Lionel's choice too. The cage door is open for ALL of you to leave."

Diplomacy: CRIT + 7 = 27

"I am not saying it will be easy, but neither is stopping an archdevil's resurrection block party or capturing an Elder Brain in the heart of its cathedral... And we did that... not Aria... The truth of it is at the end of the day, your choice will hurt someone. Either yourself or someone else. As long as you stay, Aria will control every aspect of your life. To them, you are a weapon, nothing more than a spear to point at their problems. But, if you leave, your life is yours... and yours alone. Then It would be your choice to protect or condemn."  

[Muattles]

Ash seems about to respond to ruin when Maukeen provided her information to them. Their rocky face gives no indication on their feelings as they listen to her, eventually nodding acceptance. "From what I have learned since finding my freedom again Aria does not seem like a place I wish to be, regardless of any history I have or have not had combatting an arch-devil that seemed intent on destroying much of the world. I thank you for your warning."

Turning back to Ruin with their payment in hand they allow a small "I do not think my services may cost as much as you think, as I've just received something of a pay day. But resolve your situation first, then we may talk."  

[PupSage]

Kuori heads over to help Novi gather people up, not wanting to see her sister leave.

They had a long walk back to a destroyed village. Maybe it was time to head back to the surface.  

[Kowsauni]

After hearing Ruin's plea, the tears rolling continue to roll down Pierette's, in fact they only seem to get bigger. At last she finally speaks out. “I... I... I know. Deep down... I've always known. My...my life... is a lie. I... I...” Pierette would finally find her voice and shout at the top of her lungs. “I want to know the TRUTH!”

Maukeen would give Pierette a simple nod. As Lionel flew into a rage. “No! I wont allow it! You newbloods have no idea what you are getting yourselves into. You have no idea what are handlers are capable of when you bring their wrath down upon us! I will drag you back myself if I have to." Lionel's skin begins to turn a dark gray as his form begin to blur and grow in size. Two strange tentacles begin to grow from his back. However, before he can get too far, he is confronted by both Maukeen and Brodus. Maukeen shouts to him in a stern voice that gives him pause. “Lionel, I consider you a dear friend. I trust you with my life, which is why I brought you on this. However, I will not allow you to harm Pierette, that is not what we do to our brother and sisters. If something comes from this, I will take the blame and do my best to see nothing comes to the rest of you. Now pull yourself together!”

Lionel would look Maukeen in the eyes and then, after a moment, let out a sigh. His shifting body would return to its normal form. “I guess this is out of my hands once again. Very well.” He would turn and kick a rock, looking utterly defeated.

Suddenly a soft sultry voice would drift out from the shadows, unclear of its direction. “If it eases any of your consciousness, none of you will be returning to your cages in Aria. You are all about to get kidnapped.”

Lionel would turn back around, his face once again filled with rage. In complete disgust, he would state a familiar name to the party. “Fumiyo...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kuori head over to Novi who was beginning to get the Goliaths organized. There were hundreds of them, but by now they were at least out of their cages and beginning to come to their senses. However, it still was going to take some concerted effort to get them organized enough to leave. Most everyone was in a weakened state and both the young and old were mixed in with the able bodied

Kuori would see then hear a voice call out to her from above followed by flapping of the wings of a large creature. She would look up to see Pomona, the Were-bat. Pomona would come to land in front of her breathing heavily. “Kouri! I bring your brother...Ardath,....his men. I delivered your message like you asked... but...he wouldn't let me leave... until I answered all his questions... I'm sorry, I was weak...I-I told him everything! He insisted that I bring him to help. We followed you for three days... but now, we are here.” The batgirl would stop for a moment to catch her breath and then continue. "He is currently talking with Lady Lydia at the secret entrance but they should be coming here shortly. I don't think he cares much for us, but he trusts you. So he is willing to put up with a little strangeness, for now.”

Pomona

 

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin would cross his arms at the sound of Fumyo's voice. "I was wondering how we would have got Vivian out of here... Though, How is Illya, and Can you tell me if it is day or night outside this cave?"

Turning to Ash, and the Arians. "Fumyo, aka the Shadow Fox, aka the leader of the Shadow Court. And a dear friend of mine..." He added the last part as a warning to Lionel.

Taking a moment, he would point at each Arian, "Ash, Maukeen, Brutus, Lionel, and Pieratte."

(Intimidate: 18 Try it, Lionel, and I will ensure you will be drinking your meals through a bamboo pipe.)  

[Muattles]

"Hmm, more drama to resolve before we figure out what to do about the previous drama. I will find a seat while this gets sorted." Ash calls telepathically to Ruin while finding a seat for themself.  

[PupSage]

Kuori takes a moment while people are gathered up. [I am assuming her stepping away last post has her out of earshot of Fumiyo.]

"ALRIGHT!" She yells to get people's attention.

Once it is clear that she has, she will continue, "We of the Lightlost tribe have always been adaptable. We fell to the Underdark from the mountains above and we adapted. We thrived even. But another great cataclysm has happened. The battle costed us many people, our home is mostly in ruins. Though the survivors have made a camp, there is a lot of work before it becomes something worthy of calling a city again."

She motions to Pamona, "Long have been the years that we viewed anything not like us as a monster to be killed in order to protect our home. Those of you who know me know that I left with the intention of becoming a monster hunter. But I've learned that true monsters often look like people, people like us who stab first. We would not have been able to save you if not for the help of my allies, not just those who fought with us, but Pamona here who scouted and the leader of her group, Lydia, a Drider who lead us to a shortcut that was critical in our arrival."

She steps forward, "Just as you are all displaced now, with Lightlost in ruins, so too are Lydias people displaced. People and creatures that vary from the expectations of their people and were effectively exiled by them.
Kuliak lead me here. Kuliak brought us back from the dead to fight for you. Kuliak made me strong and gave me the power to vanquish a Devil that held your souls hostage. So I ask you all to return a favor to the Goddess. Take in these exiles as your own. Replenish the numbers that were lost. rebuild the city. Or take them with you to the mountains above and begin anew. We owe the Goddess for her favor. So accept these outcasts into the tribe. Find strength in your differences.

Ardath and his people will lead you back. If you can fight and have a weapon, keep to the outer perimeter. Children, the injured, and the elderly, keep to the center. Move out."

---
Novi watches on with admiration as the speech unfolds. Shouting back in giant at the end, "Together!"  

[Kowsauni]

Lionel would glare at Ruin, “I couldn't beat her by myself if I wanted to, let alone with you assisting her.” Ruin was not sure if the demi was telling the exact truth, but it did seem he had no intention of fighting.

Maukeen would step forward. “Fumiyo, if you are here, show yourself. Stop skulking in the shadows.”

Fumiyo's melodic voice would drift out again form the darkness. “We are in the Underdark my dear. Everything is but a shadow...”

Suddenly, there is a poof of black smoke and the wolf hengeyokai appears before everyone. “Like I said I can't allow any of you to return to your cages.”

Maukeen raises her eyebrow. “And why is that?”

Fumiyo smiles wryly. “Because Aria's mission here is about to end in abject failure, and I don't want you to bear punishment for it.”

As Fumiyo spoke her last words, a loud explosion rumbled through the underdark. It came from some distance away, beyond the fresh remains of the burning Mindflayer citadel.

Maukeen quickly turn in the direction of the explosion. Shaken, but unable to see what was going on, she would stammer out, “W-what is happening.”

Fumiyo would continue on calmly. “You didn't think we would idly stand by and let Aria acquire an Elder Brain for their experiments. “Do you have any idea what they would do with something like that? Do you think they would allow any of you to have any free will once they were done with it? I'm sorry I will never allow Aria to get their hands on such a creature.”

In the distance more explosions could be heard. Maukeen, who had been cool and in control up to this point, finally, seemed to be at a loss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The goliaths would gather around Kuori to hear her words. Her towering armored form was framed by the burning ruins of her peoples most feared enemy, bathing her in fearsome red light. Kouri's people listened in awe, even if not all were hundred percent on board with her plan to accept outsiders. Pomona became incredibly sheepish when mentioned and looked like she wanted to disappear when hundred of eyes turned to look at her. Still, at Novi words the entire crowd , hundreds of Goliath, would join in and shout in giant, rattling the the earth. “TOGETHER!”

However, even the goliaths' combined chorus of voices was not to disguise the sound of a large explosion in the distance. Kuori would turn a see that another Demi had magically appeared, this time, one she immediately recognized. It was Fumiyo, leader of the free Demi. What she was suddenly doing here was unclear, but it was not hard to guess she had something to do with that explosion right now.

Before Kuori had a chance to stride over to investigate, she was approached by some goliaths from the crowd. She would recognize some of them as being city leaders from her youth. One of them would speak “Thank you Kuori, Avatar of Kuliak, for everything you have done for us today! Without you and the help of your champions, everything would have been lost, and our people might not ever have recovered!” The golaith elders would eye Pomona curiously, who would shyly try to hide her face. “Though it might be difficult for some, we will try to take your words to heart, and accept all outcasts, regardless of their origins, for it was outcasts that saved the Lightlost. We will organize and follow this little one to your brother and his men. Once again, thank you!”

A different elder would suddenly speak up. “Will you be joining us, Kuori? Our people, could use a leader like you. One might even venture to say, in times like this, our people will need their savior, they need you.”

Fumiyo

 

[PupSage]

Kuori thought about it, probably a bit too long even. This was something that she wanted as a child. To be a leader and have the respect and admiration of her peers. That's what every kid in the tribe wanted. But they were close to exposing Aria ...

As much as she was invested in this mission, her people were her heart.

Revenge was gone. Ruin had made it clear that she was little more than a tool to him and not a friend. She didn't have a reason to stay with them. But the Demi people she had befriended gave her a reason. Maybe she could assemble a crew within her tribe and the exiles from Lydia's group instead? Novi, her, Maukeen a few others. They could do this.

Valac probably didn't care if she stayed or left. He likely wouldn't notice so long as he had something to hit. And the newcomer, Ash, had no reason to care.

But, she was the only one fluent in certain rituals. And that was direly important on this mission. Would her absence from the party condemn the others?

The best the Kuori could manage was a noncommittal, "I'm not sure yet. Both groups need me. I am just not sure which needs me more."

------------------

Hearing that, Novi instantly decided to pick up the option that Kuori didn't. Not for hatred of the Cleric, but respect for her cause. If she couldn't stay behind as a leader, Novi would step up. If she stayed behind, Novi would lend their arm to fighting Aria in her stead. The Goliath pushed past the crowd around the cleric and made her way to the newly appeared fox.

They look to Ruin for a cue on what to do.  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Walking up to Maukeen, "You know, I have yet to apologize to Kuori. For being wrong in the demiplane. I wanted to protect Vivian because she was there screaming in pain. And I knew Kouri's answer to relieve the pain, would be death. But, Vivian chose to be here... Not everyone else could make that choice. Not the hundreds of slaves and thralls we fought and killed to get here. Not your people... Just my group, your group, the devil, and maybe the illithids. Deep inside you know this to be true."

Grabbing her hand, he would pull her to look towards her sister and people. "I probably never will. She has found her happy ending and is willing to fight to keep it, my voice won't change that. That said, I will say, I was wrong, to you. When we first met I said some really mean things. You didn't have the experience needed to protect your family, then. I know that feeling... but you have matured, and now your family needs you. Both of them. They need you to be the leader and warrior that you are. There is a war brewing... Now only you can decide if you will fight it."  

[Kowsauni]

The Elder would nod at Kuori. “Kuliak will guide your way. I only hope, she will bring you back to us, when the time is right.” The goliath elders would disperse back into the throng of their people,to help organize, for the long journey ahead, leaving Kuori and Novi to their devices.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maukein seemed stunned, as she tried to comprehend this new turn of events. She would turn and look at Ruin with a blank stare on her face. Once he turned her to look at her sister she would snap back to her senses. Removing her hands from Ruin she would speak. "No, I cannot go back to them now... not like this. I love them, but I cannot return, after what I have I've become. I have another family now, like me, that I must protect. That is why I must return."

"Then let us rescue them together." Fumiyo would suddenly chime in. "I think it is finally time for us to return home, and finish what we started. And then, we can return you to your original family... as your original self."

Maukein's eyes would widen. "What are you talking about? The transformation is permanent."

Maukein would wag her finger. "That is what you were told, a convenient lie to crush your hope. But we have found a way, through an artifact called the Soul Cleanser, to reverse the process," Fumiyo would nod towards Ruin. "Your old companion, Twyla, helped significantly with the research."

This time, Lionel would speak up, his voice filled with anger. “So, you're just going to waltz in there, to that impenetrable fortress we call home and rescue everyone, huh? Why now? What have you been waiting for? Where have you even been all this time? You know what, it doesn't even matter. We don't need you, we don't want you. For those you left behind, we can take care of ourselves.”

Fumiyo would frown and begin to walk towards the demi. “Lionel...”

“Don't you speak to me in that sympathetic voice!” He would growl, his face twisted up in furious rage. “You left us! You abandoned us! You ran away as fast and far as you could, without a thought for those you left behind! You have no idea what your actions brought to us! You... stay back!” He would yell, almost in a panic as Fumiyo got closer “Stay back! I will not let you kidnap me. You might take the others, but you will never take me! I will return to them, I will survi--” Lionel would suddenly lash out and strike Fumiyo across the face as she got too close.

Fumiyo's head would spin from the force of the hit, but she would turn back to face Lionel. Though it had looked like nothing more than a slap, blood dripped from claw marks that appeared on her face.

Fumiyo would reach forward and grab Lionel, squeezing him into an embrace. “I... I am so sorry Lionel. For what they did to you. For what they did to the others. They broke you. They broke you hard. I'm so sorry. I tried. I tried so hard to go back and get the others. To rescue you, to rescue everyone. But I couldn't. I lacked the power to do so... but not anymore. This time... we will do it right. We will get everyone out. And we will make sure Aria can never conduct these kind of experiments again. Now... please. Come with me and help me right the sins of the past. I am not your enemy. I need you.”

Lionel stood there for a moment in stunned silence. Tears began to roll down his cheeks. He said nothing, but, slowly, he brought his arms up and returned her embrace.