In reply to Zog the Faceless (msg # 741):

"Oh, Bugger..." Gromley says-getting ready to head for cover. "Maybe we should make arrangements before we do anything rash." He glances over at the Angel. "We need to negotiate some terms, as we have had some...questionable encounters with some of your people."
(OOC:
10:34, Today: Gromley Underhill rolled 40 using 1d20+28 with rolls of 12.  Diplomacy.)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:51, Tue 21 Feb 2017.

The so-called Gods of Good and their servants had proven weaker than the forces of evil this round, with the death of Bahamaut rippling through the universe. Agon's Hands circled the bridge, ready to seize the godspark, but it seemed all was fine.

"We'll remain loyal to the cause, even if everything else betrays Bahamaut" He said, advancing on the angelic barrier.

Arcana +40

Not the Secret to Life, the Universe and Everything
18:27, Today: Darratheir Burnedbear rolled 47 using 1d20+34 with rolls of 13.  Intimidate check.

17:37, Today: Harald Gaptooth rolled 36 using 1d20+28 with rolls of 8.  Perception.

Could bennie that if needed

'Yes, but surely keeping Tiamat alive is the problem. Here we finally have an opportunity to finally get rid of Tiamat for once and for all. Her existence is unbalanced now – all the gods will accept her defeat as inevitable. We have the Arrow of Fate. We should focus all our attentions on destroying the head of this many-headed hydra of evil.’

‘This creation spark is not the answer. More ‘balance’ is not the answer. Destroying Tiamat is the only answer.’


'But who decided this – the gods? What about what we mortal wants? What if we want to live without Tiamat? This is the only time in recorded history that mortals have the power of life and death over the gods, through the arrow and the spark. Do you really want to use that amazing unique power to return things to the status quo, when you could instead destroy Tiamat forever?'

Martha pleads with the group to hear her out.

18:21, Today: Martha rolled 41 using 1d20+23 with rolls of 18.  Martha religion.

"Your hatred disgusts me," says a voice from behind the party weakly. The deva Amyria struggles to her feet, groaning in pain, her body twisting and popping as she points at Martha. "The point of this battle is life. Tiamat would end life. Even her destruction, if it be necessary, is regrettable. If a life as good and noble as Bahamut's can be saved, that is worth the greatest sacrifice."

She holds out her hand and the Creation Spark reacts, moving of its own accord as it pulls at Martha's hands, dragging Martha physically toward her. "You will not use a Creation Spark or the essence of Bahamut to destroy further, if I must give my life to prevent it."

The angel at the gate watches this impassively. He looks down at Zog. "Is it truly better for Bahamut to rest? Or to simply focus on destroying the dragon goddess? This is a profound thought."

Agon was caught by the keen logic of Martha's argument, and his pride against his oath. Martha had seen the worst of the most evil gods, just as Agon had peered deeply into the divine plan and seen all its breaks and flaws. The positions warred within him, and finally honor won out.

"No, we cannot heal the world by killing more. I hate Tiamat and all her works, but using this ancient power to destroy her would send ripples across the universe that we cannot foresee, ripples which the enemies of Good and Order would only benefit from. We must preserve what we can."

Zog nodded solemnly. "Heed the words of Agon, the sage of ages, and those others gathered here. Even heed Martha, who points to Tiamat's destruction. I do understand, ancient servant of Bahamut, that it seems appealing to take the path of destruction. Destruction, I think, lies before Tiamat one way or the other. But consider this: what is the strength of this plane and all its inhabitants? What do they seek to do, from divine powers to daily inhabitants? Preserve and create life. That is our errand.

"Please stand aside and allow Amyria to create the great life whose aid we have enjoyed and hope to enjoy in the service of good and justice and life going forward. Stand aside."

Will spend Benny if necessary.
20:05, Today: Zog the Faceless rolled 38 using 1d20+26 with rolls of 12.  Diplomacy.

Darratheir had already proven he was a better fighter with his sword than with his tongue. But this time, he felt the need to expose his point of view about this situation.

"Useful or not, this balance between Tiamat and Bahamut is one of Io's legacy and we can't destroy it. I won't let anyone destroy it." Looking at Martha, he continued. "Just like you, I hate Tiamat. One of her servant did this to me." He gestured to show the many burns on his body. "And she did many other horrible thing for which she should die. But like Agon or Zog said, it would be worse for anyone if we were to kill Tiamat. As horrible as she is, she is more useful alive than dead. Please, Martha. Give me this spark so I can help Amyria restore Bahamut's life." And once again, he stretched an open hand toward the woman.

'Fine, take the Spark Darratheir. I can see I am outvoted on this one. It's a shame - we had a real chance of making a change in the world.' She is disappointed that none of the others agreed.

She hands the Divine Spark to Darratheir.

She smiles kindly at her friends, but she glares at the dying angel Amyria. 'I disgust you! I'm glad. You divines think you are all so much better than us mortals, but you will never truly understand us. Our base desires - our hatreds; loves; passions; family bonds. Alien to you - yet these are what make us mortal. You call it disgust - but I call it jealousy; and I wonder if this scheme of yours to stop us killing Tiamat is really just to try and keep us mortals in our place'.

Rant over, she pointedly ignores the angel Amyria, and instead tends her allies' wounds from the battle just won.

In reply to Martha (msg # 754):

"Don't worry about it. Deva ' s are notorious for their having stick up their butts. Plus look at what they wear. Glowing white robes? Please. Try getting a different look from the dawn of creation already!" He rolled his eyes in the Deva ' s direction.

Darratheir nodded the head when Martha gave him the Creation Spark. "Thanks, Martha. You are well better than any superior beings, don't forget it."

'Thanks boys' Martha gives everyone in the party a big hug.

The angel nods. "Very well. The deva may pass."

Amyria does not look at all disturbed at Martha' ire. "You are wrong, Martha. I am mortal. And it is my love for my lord Bahamut that drives me."

She takes the creation spark from Darratheir and turns toward the golden curtain. She pauses for a moment, looking back to the characters, tears spilling from her eyes. “Friends of Bahamut, there is nothing I can say or do to thank you for what you have done for Him. This is not the end. I shall return as I have many times before. Farewell for now and thank you.” With that Amyria steps through the golden curtain.

There is no big explosion, no wash of energy, no feeling at all. Very simply, a moment later, a single humanoid figure bathed in light and clothed in simple cloth strides out to you, smiling.

"Thank you. You have done the universe a great service. I see an end now. You may not understand it, but you have tipped the balance of the universe. Mortals have restored a god. The time of the rule of the divine powers is beginning to come to an end.  You may rejoice at this Martha.

"But to that end, we must win the war, for it is now winnable."

He looks over at Darratheir. "You broke more than an ancient pact when you took that artifact from its place. You opened the floodgates of rage against Tiamat. Even now, on multiple fronts, many enemies press Tiamat. Would you come with me to help plan her final defeat?"

Zog looked surprised by this admission. "The end of the rule of the gods? Intriguing. We should talk more about this."

He shoots Martha  look, smirking.

He nods to Bahamut. "I wouldn't miss the opportunity, Bahamut. I'm in."

Harald went down on one knee, head bowed and hands crossed on the head of his upright axe.

"Bahamut; I swore to do your bidding when first we met.  Since then we have fought through the darkness and back out the other side.  My oath remains and I will follow your bidding."

The other were probably taken quite aback by the fluency of Harald's common speech.  Gone, at least for the moment, was the rough dialect in which he was wont to communicate and instead his words were those of an erudite and educated dwarf.

Agon nodded to Bahamut. He'd never been one to let awe take him, and this past days had proven instrumental in the nature of the gods, and the nature of his own power.  "Lord. Tell us your strategy, and will teach Tiamat a sharp lesson about her limits."

Sonliin frowned with a heavy heart. "Many will perish in this battle to settle this matter. Brains will help us plan the battle but it will be brawn and valor that determines the outcome." he said. "Just remember, we have some kegs to broach when we are finished here Harald."

Just like the others, Darratheir nodded the head to Bahamut. "If we broke these ancient pacts to get the Arrow of Fate, it was only for the greater good. I will follow you to teach Tiamat where she belongs. And once all of this is done, I will return the Arrow of Fate to its place."

Martha is genuinely astonished by the complete change of heart among her companions, but decides to go along with it. She is far from convinced about this 'Bahamut', however.

'Don't you think it's strange how thirty seconds ago Amyria was all like 'your hatred for Tiamat disgusts me - how can you plan to destroy Tiamat, when the balance between the gods is so crucial to Lo's legacy and the world balance?', and now it's all 'now I'm back let's kill tiamat and screw up the balance'.'? she whispers to her boys out of earshot of the resuscitated 'god'.

'I have a bad feeling about these inconsistencies. I feel like the treachery surrounding Bahamut's defeat has not yet fully played out. And you all know I'd be usually be the absolutely last person to hesitate about killing Tiamat.'

"Whatever Bahamut's plan is, I will not let him kill Tiamat. I will only allow a good ass kicking but nothing that could threaten the balance of power between the two of them. I give you my word." he answered to Martha, trying to whisper as well.

'It's not the killing of Tiamat that worries me', replies Martha, also in a whisper. 'It's how quickly and radically he changed his mind. I've only seen one other god be so radically inconsistent and quick to violence before - and that was Tiamat'.

Bahamut seems unperturbed by this. "Your skepticism is understandable, Martha. You have suffered much under the old way. Time will prove all. I have foreseen this for some time, though I will admit I did not see my death as being a mechanism to this end. Still."

He looks at Gromley. "You have nothing to say, Gromley? That seems unlike you."

Gromley smiled and bowed low. "You Said you where speaking to the mortals,  first of all dragons. As you well know,  I left my morality behind a long time ago." He sighed.  "Still miss it a little bit."

"That being said, Tiamat must be stopped. I swore my own oath to your servant to do so, and I do not think the universe is so fragile it can't do without one five headed evil twit. There are plenty of other evil twits ready to take her place...maybe with less heads."

Bahamut shakes his head. "But Martha is correct. Maintaining a balance of divine power between us was part of the problem. An endless back-and-forth is not the solution. Come, though. We will leave and speak of this further elsewhere."

He raises his hand and creates a Planar Portal that rises from the ground to swirl around you. A blast of arcane power washes over this celestial bridge as you and the reborn divine power disappear.....

Continued in Chapter 5!