Re: The Game: Chapter 01
In reply to Maeve (msg # 22):
"Ah, but these numbers are not reflections of church's total flock," Baldwin says, choosing the answer Maeve first. "They represent the number of followers who have been endowed with divine magic. If anything, the number of people actually attending temple services has gone up."
Leaving Boreas for last, he turns to the paladin.
"Maybe 'dieing' is the wrong word, Sir Zuriel. I can't know for sure that they are actually perishing, of course -- we know so little about the true nature of the divine. Whether they have grown miserly with their gifts, or too weak to bestow them, or have simply seen their connection to this world steadily deteriorate is part of what I hope to learn during our time together."
He drains what's left of his icewine in silence.
"Now then," he says, fixing his eyes in Boreas's direction. "The meat and potatoes, as it were. The journey I envision involves several separate destinations, to keep with your metaphor, each with a distinct goal in mind. First, we must identify what is actually happening. Second, we must determine what to do about it. And, finally, we must execute the appropriate plan."
He chuckles softly, shaking his head at Boreas as if anticipating further objections.
"Easy enough, when spoken out loud, yes. But I can already read the questions forming upon your lips. You want details. Facts, not fiction. And I will be happy to oblige you."
Baldwin reaches into the folds of his billowing cloak and produces a small metal object. Thoroughly unimpressive despite the fanfare surrounding its appearance, it looks for all the world like a paperweight with a thin slit carved horizontally across its surface.
"An old friend of mine named Magnificent Melvin used to run a magical emporium in Ikuabi packed magical artifacts. I shared my concerns on this matter with him countless times, and though he never offered to help me, he did lend a sympathetic ear. Upon his deathbed, he left me this."
He smiles at some passing memory before pressing on.
"Behold, the Godstone. Though, in all honesty, that name has not yet caught on."
He places the object carefully on the table, slot facing upward.
"Melvin called it an aural analyzer -- gnomes have the most unimaginative names for things. It is said to have many properties, but chief among them is the ability to read the relative power levels for various magical sources. Especially divine magic."
To demonstrate, he holds a silver pendent over the device. It shimmers in the sunlight streaming forth from the windowpane, and many of you recognize it immediately.
"This is a holy symbol of Tassada," Baldwin explains, sliding it into the analyzer's slot, where it clicks easily into place. "Observe."
He adjusts several dials on the object that were not apparent before, aligning them with the symbol, then steps back as the object starts to shudder and hiss like a teakettle. The forward-facing panel of the analyzer lights up and shows three zeroes made from fragmented lines of blue light. (OOC: It looks rather like the display of a digital clock).
"Since this is newly crafted from the temple down the street, it has never been used as the focus for divine spells, and thus the Godstone cannot read it properly. But look at what happens when I insert one that I borrowed from a friend in the clergy."
Baldwin swaps out the symbols, and the display changes to reveal a rather large number. It counts down at irregular intervals, one or two numbers at a time, as you watch.
"I have been studying this device for decades, but I still don't know as much as I'd like about this thing. The number ticks down slowly throughout the day, never reaching zero. At dawn, it is restored to a number very close to the large value it started at the previous day. Since I began observing it, this starting number has trended downward, but I am not certain what it means."
He leaves the Godstone running as he turns his attention once more to the maps.
"I have traveled the world looking for holy symbols from each religion, a task made all the more tedious by the Godstone's fickle requirement that the symbol must have been actually used to channel the energy of the god or goddess in question. This is a state of being I have labeled as 'empowered'."
Baldwin clears his throat in preparation of finally getting to the point, temporarily distracted by the Godstone ticking down four numbers at once.
"As you know, you are not the first group I have sent upon this quest. While each of the other parties were ultimately defeated, many did enjoy partial successes."
He lays out a collection of pendants, each cast in one form of precious metal or another. You can't help but recognize at least one or two of the lot.
"Behold, empowered symbols corresponding to the churches of Hort, Tassada, Rachelle, Cenadora, Ignati, and Tyblin. Curiously, the Godstone only functions with the former three, remaining blank when Ignati, Cenadora or Tyblin's is inserted despite the fact that I know for certain their symbols are empowered."
"This leads me to speculate that there is something Hort, Tassada, and Rachelle have in common that Ignati, Cenadora, and Tyblin do not share, though I'll be blasted if I can figure out what that might be."
"That said, I don't want to overlook the possibility that Melvin's analyzer has been damaged or is limited in some way. We must learn more."
Baldwin waits for his words to sink in, then adopts an extremely serious tone.
"Which brings us to your first assignment, should you be willing to get involved in the affairs of gods and men," he continues. "And of women and toads, as well."
He turns to the third map, which has until now gone unreferenced.
"This map shows the locations of the only two other objects on this plane of existence that seem similar to the Godstone. One, as you can see, seems to be nestled somewhere in the woodlands west of here. The second, I'm afraid, resides in Loe'driel."
Baldwins gives a meaningful look to those gathered before him.
"If I may offer some counsel, I would suggest searching the forests first."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Fri 17 Jan 2014.