By the Grace of Her Grave
| By the Grace of Her Grave | |||||||||
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ShadowHaven Sandalphon Arwen Stilray | Nature's harsh environments and spirits | ||||||||
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Pell Blackhawk Omen Vikar |
Character1 Character2 | ||||||||
| 1.33 hours overtime | |||||||||
Summary
A cousin of Sandalphon comes to her, asking for help getting to a familiar relic. Given it is on the metaplanes, Sandalphon hires runners for help, sending them on a long journey across the expanse of the great unknown, the metaplanes.
Background
The Stilray family has knowledge of a metaplane important to them, and sometimes people take pilgrimages to see it. This day, Arwen Stilray is one of those people, and they intend to travel with people to find the "Graced Grave" in the aether, together with the help of others. Now, while the stilray is large with many members, not all are actually part of the 'family' propper, but many feel a familial obligation, as does Sandalphon, wishing to help her cousin (admitadely as little as possible.) So, runners are hired, and work begins setting Arwen to her goal of the aether.
The Meet
The meet with Arwen and Sandalphon was stilted, to say the least. There was a clear air of combative-ness between Sandalphon and Arwen. Yet, during the conversation, they were both very open to sharing details about the request; Getting Arwen to her desired metaplane, a familial 'bubble metaplane' that contained the grave and a familial item. There was confusion as to why the runners were there, but it was revealed that while related, Sandalphon was not obligated to help bring Arwen to her destination. With the promise of money, and extra for bringing Arwen back alive, the team promises - or at least Vikar promises - to bring Arwen back alive.
But how to get there? The direct route is otherwise unknown, but Stilrays, of course, having a connection to it, offer a route there. Go to Tir Na nOg with the resources Sandalphon has available. Then, head to one of Sandalphon's - - The team, not trusting Sandalphon, immediately declined the offer. So Instead, Sandalphon offered to get them in contact with someone who could temporarily open a portal for the runners. Preferring that method, the team sets off to meet this contact of Sandalphon's.
The Plan
A lot of the planning of a gig like this is just "going". Since the unknown is out there, the team of mages prep their gear, items and all, getting ready to make their way out to somewhere in the great beyond. Having declined to go to Tir Na nOg, the team meets with Vehim, another of the Stilrays. Given the nature of the portal they'd help them open, he affirmed there'd only be barely 48 hours it could stay open in that situation. Agreeing that they were all ready, the team awaits the Vehim to open the portal, and through unto the unknown the team steps.
Dusk Metaplane
Once into the first realm, the team noticed quite a change. The dank basement they were inside of redmond was instead replaced by quiet howls of a dying wind, a stale -2 BGC, and giant clouds like mountains scraping the upper edge of the atmosphere. Sun like lances from god pierced the heaven and stabbed into the dead, bedrock covering the earth for kilometers. Nothing existed here, no bird, no grass, no soul. Save for the four of them, the team was utterly and hopelessly alone.
They continued to move until they could hear, just barely, the sound of metal clanging and breaking against each other. The team, curious as to what was there, moved to investigate. Upon getting close, they were beset upon a gang of reaper spirits, finding themselves surrounded by those who were beset upon war 1000s of years ago, cursed to fight until their final days. The team of runners, clearly hard-pressed against the roaming gang, readied themselves against combat, but the soothsaying from the team, inquiring as to their struggles, seemingly started to pacify the phantoms. With hundreds of years, all of their civilization lost to time, they could only do but fight. The words from the team brought momentary peace to their existence, and when asked how to leave, the Phantoms were more than willing to send the humans away to leave, pointing at the direction of two exits.
Given the distance to the exits, the team had a choice between two different exits, and they chose the closer of the two. The grueling trek would have taken long, but Pell and Vikar were able to summon spirits to aid the team by means of casting movement on them. With the high force movement, Pell was able to help the team run there, but the run itself would be grueling. Omen was beset by the coming down from her drugs, and the team thought to stop but avoided it and tried to push through instead.
Once arriving, worn out, at the location, the team saw the standing stones denoting a rift where they might travel. The only caveat, is the portal was closed. They awaited to find some method of traversing, but the closer they got they realized that they wouldn't have to wait. The standing stones, being interupted, were starting to degrade, causing a rift to form - a break between two metaplanes where travel could occur. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, the team took yet another brave step into the next world afore them.
Floral Prison Metaplane
Once arriving in the next world, the team noticed just how nice everything seemed here. A soft wind, a gentle sun, and plenty of flora around them all. In those moments, standing in the soft warm daylight, they felt at peace. In fact, even Pell felt safe here, given how nature filled the background count was. So, trying to find their way, Pell summoned a plant spirit from the local realm. Once arriving, the plant spirit started to shriek, begging for food, essence, anything. Pell commanded it to quiet, but the damage of its shrieking was already done. From the shadows came dozens of spirits, low in force, yearning for sustenance. They begged to rip and tear apart the runners, so they decide it was a good idea to run. Immediately.
Fighting their way through the hoard of plant spirits, they saw eventually a flare pop up, and the team decided to run to it. Once there, they were offered shelter from a red haired woman. Unsure if they should trust them, the team decided to take shelter with the woman instead of facing the hoard alone themselves. Wanting to flee the hoard of spirits encroaching, the team took the offer for safety from this mysterious stranger. Yet, right before they were about to make their way in, their previously-lost-now-found Arwen bounced off the ward, not having been properly made it through with the team. Pulled back inside to escape the hoard, the gates were closed and the team brought deeper inside the stranger's Sanctum.
While initially cautious, the team's caution only grew into greater suspicion when it was revealed that the stranger, named Chaim, was actually a Baobhan Sith; a Fae Vampire. The team alerted to this was on guard, with Blackhawk himself garnering larger suspicion than the others. Yet, she seemed not violent, and instead helpful. Chaim revealed she was unsure why anyone would willingly come to the Floramire plane, and confessed she was trapped here, but could let the team out on one condition; that she be fed essence from one of the team members. Wile they talked within their ranks, they could tell that Chaim was beginning to crack, and offered a different exit to be found if they would instead let them go for the info of another exit. The reason why, is because Chaim confessed she could not leave to a fae metaplane; if caught, she would be executed for her crimes.
As to why, the team did not bother to ask, but forcing a deal on Chaim, she begrudgingly agreed, and upon delivery of the info of another exit, she offered to guide them to the gate she knew of. With the info of another gate, courtesy of a spirit search from Pell, the team was granted access to the next realm through a reopened gateway. Sun screeching through the portal, burned at Chaim and Blackhawk, causing them to recoil. Yet the team persisted through, finding their way to the metaplane of their desires.
Yet, as Omen went through the portal, she looked back to see Chaim fading away. She simply spoke "I'm glad that the last thing I did was to help someone else' and faded, the last of her essence irrevocably lost, her clock running out of time. Between her permanent wounds and the force of opening a gate, she herself had passed on.
The Graced Grave Bubble Metaplane
Once arriving at their destination, Arwen fell to the ground, exhausted and tired. She relaxed, and passed out rations to the team, remarking how close they were to the exit, to the finality of their trip. 13 hours had passed up until this point. So, the team relieved to be close, trekked on to the center of the realm; to the Grace of her Grave. Upon arriving, the runners immediately had pointed questions to Arwen, such as "Why the actual hell are we here". Arwen, scared and unsure, couldn't help but spill her cause. In truth, the spirit here was a free spirit that used to be the ally spirit of her Great Grandfather. Many of the Stilrays would come here to offer condolences to the spirit, or perhaps mock its being here in general. Long ago, the last Vehuiah of the Stilray family was killed by his sister, but his ally spirit went on a rampage over what happened. Being tricked into a gaes, the Spirit was trapped to the grace, stunned and pierced by a red bident.
Arwen spoke that, the spirit was the outcome of a long lost grudge between members of the family, and Arwen sought to free it and pacify it by offering her life in place of the current Leliel. The team clearly had strong opinions over it - especially Vikar, whos ally spirit of the Dragonslayer prevented them from letting Arwen die due to a promise they made. So, Arwen described what would happen. Removing the Bident would appease the gaes holding Morrigan - the ally spirit in question - Free. The team worried about if this would cause Morrigane to go on a rampage, tried to think of a plan, until Pell had one.
Pouring their magical efforts, years of notation and paperwork, skill and seeking lore and books of magicka old, were poured into her ritual; summoning and binding Morrigane. The team were opposed to the idea, again worried about what would happen, but the mostly immobilized Morrigan, eyes watching the entire time, lifted its hand and worsened the astral tear nearby, causing a rift to form that would allow the team to return to Seattle. Almost as if saying "leave this place". Yet, Pell and Arwen percerveired, and began the ritual to summon and bind Morrigane.
Through 10 hours of effort, Pell was able to push the boundaries and bind the spirit, forcing them into servitude. Once fully bound, Morrigan stepped from the grave, pulling the spear out herself, prostrating in front of Pell. "I may be bound to your service, but do not think my platitudes as fealty. I was free, and I will be again once my service is rendered fully."
Aftermath
With the spirit fully bound, and freed from its captivity, the remaining Pell and Arwen return to Seattle, their course of action from here unclear. Was it right, to have bound the spirit? Should they have fed Chaim? Was all of this worth it, to be so known by Sandalphon, getting so intertwined with the politics? Yet, they persevered, pushing their boundaries, and coming back alive from the metaplanar quest beset on them. The knowledge and effort they exerted and learned will stay with them until they pass away, ever etched into their minds.
Rewards
- 12,ooo Nuyen 6 RVP
- 4,ooo nuyen negotiating
- 18 Karma 18 RVP
- 4 CDP 2 RVP
- 2 CDP free
- Ordeal discount
- +1 Seelie court Rep
- +2 Stilray Family Rep
- Pell summons and binds a free spirit
- Optional rewards
- Up to double nuyen reward in magical gear
- Sandalphon at C6L1 for 6 RVP or 12 CDP
- Arwen Stilray at C2L3 for 4 RVP
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Omen
"This one will stick with me, in numerous ways. It was educational in a way that nothing I've done since leaving my order has been, I got to experience things I've only ever read about, and... it made me question several of my decisions. Allowing my teammate to ensnare such a powerful spirit, although I probably would've had little chance of stopping that on my own. Allowing Chaim to fade away, even though offering any bit of my Essence even temporarily would've been crippling for me. Also left me, frankly, feeling rather impotent. I was out of my depth, and did little to earn that payday. I need to be better."