With that she continued their trek and momijii kept an alert eye out for trouble.
But was too distracted by all the creature's that continued to bring out those strange half memories. "It seems the majority are going this way Trilliss, should we go with them or go that direction?"
You decide to follow one of the great streams of unjudged, although it quickly becomes apparent that getting into the veritable river of souls is much easier than getting out. You are pushed jostled, elbowed and generally thrust forwards as the crush of souls winds it's way inwards towards the interior. Keeping together proves to be extremely tricky and it request all of Momijii's guile to anticipate random movements from some of the larger unjudged which tend to cause a panic in the smaller ones as they blunder near. Quite how long you spent ducking and diving, through the crowd you really couldn't say.
Time after all had no meaning and the light never once wavered or moved like it would have if the real moon had been lighting the night's sky. Of course back there the hideous Groteus moon had been mercifully absent. Trilliss explained that eventually Groteus would impact the spire of the boneyard signalling the end of everything. She didn't seem overly concerned about it, presumably it wouldn't happen any time soon despite how large and close it seemed in the sky.
With no reliable way of marking time, you instead took note of distant landmarks. Slowly, inexorably, the distant palace grew from a smudge to a distinct spike on the horizon. The graveyard of gargantuan bones gave way to countless somber mausoleums, quiet courtyards full of statues and fields of seemingly endless graves. Maintaining caution for so long is very hard, suddenly however you get a feeling something is up. A pack very large petitioners (fire giants) blunder past causing the smaller unjudged to scatter or be squashed. Suddenly you find yourself in alone with Trilliss in a formal courtyard surrounded by the imposing facades of neo-classical mausoleums. Alone that is bar dozens of statues, all them seem to be of wealthy mean and women in a variety of attire raging from togas to gleaming plate armor.
Momijii saw the strange moon overhead and heard Trilliss'x explanation of it and was rather disturbed by what it implied. As they continued on their way Momijii was startled by the giants stampeding through the area the ungrateful louts were shoving or stomping on anyone in their path. While she would have liked to bring the creatures down a peg she knew that wasn't what she was here for and that she probably couldn't take them all anyway. It was then that things got really strange, if it wasn't all strange to begin with, and Momijii looked around in shock as they were alone in a courtyard. "I don't like this Trillis, this seems wrong. How'd we end up alone here?" She looked at the statues carefully, her eyes open for attackers. This would be a prime place for an ambush.
Then she saw it, a statue moving, and Momijii shifted so that she was between it and Trillis as she shifted her stance and adopted a defensive posture as prepared for battle and demanded, "Who are you and what do you want of us statue?"
"I don't know, this has the feel of a setup..." whispers Trillis.
Another statue starts moving at the same time, wordlessly they move into attack! Their every movement is slow yet powerful, accompanied by the sound of grinding stone.
Initiative rolls:
Combat order:
Momijii
Trillis
Statues
Momijiiis up.
Combart Map
Was I able to adopt my stance before combat officially started? It changes what I do now.
Momijii nodded in agreement with Trilliss and said, "I agree, but we're in it now. Stay close, keep me between you and them, and try to keep me alive..." her voice trailed off for a moment as she realized how dumb that sounded, "or whatever." With that she quickly moved into the pillars and around coming up so that the second statue would have a very hard time flanking her. As she went she gave a roar of anger and channeled her ki into her fists making them burst into flames as she moved in and struck the statue.
Channeling elemental fury, Momiji weaves round the columns and statues to punch the animated statue so hard bits of stone chip away! Trilliss chants a spell which suddenly causes the joints of the athletic looking southern statue to stiffen and swell horrifically. The already slow moving statue seems to be moving through treacle!
<--- FAIL
Trilliss moves to stand at your back a look of satisfaction on her face...
The northern statue woodenly retaliates against Momijii with it's rather sharp looking sword, but you dodge it easily.
<--- MISS
Momijii unleashed a string of attacks against the statue before her. She started with a dragon snap technique and then quickly flowed into a tail slap maneuvar. She noticed about then that other statues were beginning to move and she noticed they were moldy. Remembering the witch and her mold that was part of the cult she said, "We have a problem Trillis, more of them. There is mold on them as well. If you can destroy the mold they might stop."
"Mold? Oh yes I see it now... I'm not sure how to destroy it though, fire maybe? Still look how slow they are. I think we can outpace them, particularly if I pray for aid..."
She concentrates and whispers something and suddenly an electric surge of energy, the likes of which you've never felt before rushes through you. You feel amazing, faster, stronger. A bunch of statues? Pah! You can grind them into the dust, or leave them in your's should you so choose!
The statue you've hit twice now tries to retaliate, but it's slow and you easy step aside in to the path of the other which charged right into you. It's wickedly sharp sword slicing up your flank.
<--- MISS
<--- CRIT?
<--- NO
Momijii felt the blade of one of the statues slice into her even as she dodged another one and said, "I don't like this, these things are too convenient. Where is the nearest way back to the crowds?" As she spoke Momijii laid about her with her blows, shifting her focus to the statue that was nearly done for as she went into a tail bash clawswipe combo that focused on the badly damaged one and switched to the other only if she took the first down.
Momijii's first blow lands on the statue, but it doesn't seem to do anything. Her next swing misses but the third contacts mostly solidly causing the Statue to fall over. Whatever force was animating it seems to have been expended for now.
She pivots to attack the first statue, kicking it so hard that cracks start to maze all over it's front. A couple more like that and it'll be done.
Trillis whispers a prayer and suddenly energy surges over you, causing the wound to close and invigorate you! Suddenly feeling heroic, you're sure these statues are on the wrong side of history - their defeat is inevitable!
The statue swings it's sword once more but with power of fate thrumming through your veins, you simply side step the attack and it whistles past harmlessly.
<--- MISS
Trills groans as another pair of statues rumble towards you, swords at the ready!
This was getting bad, more of the statues were moving now, slowly, and the monk knew that they needed out of here fast. She unleashed a string of blows once more at the construct before her.
As she swung she felt some divine guidance that told her she needed to adjust her strike if she wanted to hit and she tried to follow it.
momijii felt relief that she had listened as she went from a certain miss to something more like a near thing.
Then she followed her strike up with a second one. She was determined to take this thing down.
As she struck her second blow she turned her face to avoid chips of rock hitting her eyes and saw it. Of to the west she saw a shadow behind a pillar and came to the understanding that whoever that was might well be controlling these things. She said to Trillis, "Get ready to follow me as fast as you can once this one goes down."
Cracks fissure up the statue as Momijii pounds it like a jackhammer, eventually something gives and it shatters into a thousand pieces with a sound like thunder!
Trillis nods, "Got you!" She strides forwards and whispers a prayer, a ripple of power emanates from her. You feel a thrill of it surge through your already enhanced veins.
<--- FAIL
<--- FAIL
<--- FAIL
But at the same moment the next pair of statues advances forwards! And from round the back of a pillar you spot what looks like a giant tentacled purple morel mushroom! It emits a piping screech and suddenly a multicolored explosion of leaping, ricocheting energy envelops you and Trillis! Dozens of cuts, abrasions and open sores appear all over your bodies! Some how the extra energy from Trillis's blessing seems to have leeched from your body.
<--- FAIL
<--- PASS
I take it the thing at the bottom of the map is what I saw to the west?
Seeing the fungal creature she believed was behind this attack Momijii drew upon the power of Pharasma's Blessing to counter act the effects of that chaotic mess of a spell that had hit her, burned a bit more ki to wreath her hands in flames again, and charged at it. As she ran she called out, "Trillis! This way, and heal me if you can!"
Fists flaming, Momijii charged the strange fungal horror and punched it as hard as she could. It's flesh parted and inside it was clammy and disgusting.
Heeding Momijii's call, Trillis raced behind her and invoked a secret holy word. As before luminous energy pulses out, wiping away wounds as if nothing had happened. Feeling refreshed Trillis urged you, "I'm sure that thing is controlling the statues, kill it Momjii!
Several heartbeats later the fungal horror recovers and it's tentacles lash out hitting your flesh with the sound of whip cracks!
<--- HIT
<--- HIT
From behind a grinding noise as the statutes move ever closer!
Needing to take the fungal thing down now Momijii drew on her ki one more time as she felt the wave of healing magic wash over her and heal most of her wounds. She unleashed a string of blows, the blessing countering the slowness of the thing's spell, and her flaming fists slammed out hard at the thing.
In a blur of action, Momijii pummeled their surprisingly agile fungal foe. Despite giving it everything she had, she only managed to connect one, but it was a telling blow rocking the repulsive thing back! Yet it was unfazed, emitting a strange piping sequel as it counter attacked, it's tentacles lashing out. Momijii managed to dodge one but the other landed with a terrible sting across her back.
<--- MISS
<--- HIT
Trillis seemed to be waiting for something, so she was taken aback when the plodding statue speed up and charged at her. It's wickedly sharp blade reflecting the hideous Groteous light. Trillis gasped as it cut into her, managing to flinch away from the clumsier swing of it's companion.
<--- HIT
<--- NO CRIT
<--- MISS
Whispering another desperate prayer, Trillis unleashed yet another burst of healing radiance. "Finish it!" she sounded frantic, "I can't keep this up!"
The flames on her fists faded away as the tentacled thing hit her again. The pain was incredible and if it weren't for one tentacle missing she knew she would be done for. With a final trio of blows Momijii did her damndest to end this thing and save them both.
The fungal thing almost evaded Momijii's first blow but at the last moment she slipped slightly causing her to punch lower than intended, which was enough to connect. Seeming surprised the thing started to recoil from her second strike but, twisting her hip mid stroke, Momijii managed to extend her reach flummoxing it. Momentarily stunned it was a sitting duck for her third and final strike! It collapsed in a puddle of purple ichor and as suddenly as they started the statues stopped moving mid stroke. You look around and realize this wasn't a moment too soon for half a dozen other states had moved off their pedestals...
Looking around Trellis whispers, "Damn that was close, we wouldn't have survived much more..."
With relief Momijii saw the fungal thing die and the statues stop moving. She put a hand against the pillar and leaned on it as she nodded agreement, "I don't think I could have lasted another few seconds, good thing we didn't have to." She sighed, "For being dead I sure hurt, can you do something about the injuries before we move on? I don't want to run into any more trouble in the state I am now. After that we'd better get moving."
Trellis had bent down to examine the corpse and absentmindedly replied, "Uh right right, yes I'd better pray for healing." She uttered a different prayer this time and a blue nimbus gathered round her right hand. She touched your arm and suddenly your wounds mostly faded. She repeated the prayer and all that was left was pink new skin.
"Yes I suppose we'd better go." She nudged the corpse with her foot, "I had hoped to identify our assailant, but honestly I've never seen or heard of anything like this before. I've studied texts about planar creatures for years so that disturbs me. It feels like we're dealing with something new here, or something very very old."
You wander for a while through the deserted expanse of mausoleums and eventually you hear the distant hubbub of the unjudged. Before long you rejoin the jostling masses trudging towards the interior. The period that followed after was hard to quantify in time, it seemed to stretch on forever as the pair of you nervously scanned everything and everyone around you. Naturally there was a seemingly infinite variety of souls waiting for judgement, fitting considering the exuberant diversity of sentient life on Golorion. Eventually you notice a change in the surroundings the buildings getting bigger grander with everything generally more upscale. You notice a number of overseers prominently wearing Pharasma's symbol and relax fractionally.
Curiously enough many of the souls started drifting away from the central mass. Trillis noted your curiosity and explained, "The Lady of Graves judges all, but relatively few actually get to see her. See that group there, with the Azata's talking to them? Well unless I'm mistaken that path leads to Elysium. And that other less happy looking bunch are being dragged off to Avernus."
You walk on for a while and you notice a step change in the number of outsiders, almost all of them in fancy court attire, even the devils. Various gaggles of outsiders where engaged in animated debates, while others scanned the seemingly endless line of unjudged sould. "Well this looks like the Inner Court to me, shouldn't be long now." explained Trillis.
Ahead the queue wound its way though a series of higher and higher arches, each more impressively carved than the last. To the right of you, you notice a pair of a pair of hideous barbed Devils dressed like barristers arguing with a vicious looking snake-bodied fiend with a six-armed woman’s torso, pointed ears, and glittering, otherworldly eyes. While to the side an incredibly beautiful otherworldly elf watched them with folded arms and a scowl on her face.
Swept along by the line, you and Trillis drew nearer and their conversation suddenly stopped. The demons stared at you avariciously while the fiend watched you with a predators calculating eyes, seemingly amused. One of the demons shouted out, "Ah there she is! I say you're wrong Grathanfix. She's going to hell for her sins, how could you say otherwise knowing the thing's she's done..." The six armed snake woman laughed brittly, "Hardly Alamozadan, the Abyss has the stronger claim by far, it suits her temperament I think."
The otherworldly elf simply looks at you sadly.
Momijii nodded her thanks to Trellis as she healed the warrior woman's wounds and said, "Thank you." She looked at the fungal thing and said as they left, "I wonder if it was that witch we fought?" She shrugged the matter off and went with Trillis as they continued to make their way to the priestess' judgement.
Eventually they found the throngs of the unjudged and followed them further into the realm of Pharasma. After what seemed like only moments and forever at the same time Momijii noticed the overseers and felt some relief. She didn't expect that they would be accosted again now that they were within sight of what she could only assume were Pharasma's servants. Momijii looked at the places Trillis pointed to and nodded in understanding but kept her mouth shut and her eyes peeled for trouble, just in case.
As they made their way into the line of unjudged souls and followed it forward Momijii noticed the devils and demons arguing. She noticed them eyeing her and kept a careful watch on them, her stand shifting slightly as she readied herself for trouble. She also noticed the otherwordly elven woman and found herself intrigued as she wondered what the woman was. It was around then she heard the devils and demoness discuss her fate and considered what they said with amusement. She looked the trio in the eye firmly with a slight knowing smile curling one side of her mouth and held her fear down as she did so.
Though she showed a stoic and amused mean deep down Momijii was horrified by the thought of being dragged to either of their planes. If she didn't have a bargain in place she would be very worried indeed. Momijii noticed the sad look the elf woman directed at her and Momijii turned to face her fully. Planting one fist in her opposite palm Momijii bowed low to the woman and said, "I am Momijii and I appreciate your sadness for what awaits me. I still don't know everything I've done but I have learned enough to know I likely deserve whatever fate holds for me." She straightened up again and asked, "May I ask who, or what, you are?"
The elven woman had a timeless quality, although the weight of countless years and sorrows weighed heavily upon her eyes. Her clothing was clean but unremarkable apart from a broach with a beautiful swallowtail butterfly motif. She spoke with a quiet confidence hinting an inner strength, ”I have known many names but you me call me Ansed. I am an aspect.” She added that as if it explained everything but in truth it raised more questions than it answered.
The line started to shuffle forwards, and the elven woman motioned you onwards saying, ”I shall walk with you and Miss Mavaine for a little while if I may and offer some advice. Never heed the arguments of demons and devils, for they delight in deception. Nothing is a simple as they suggest, for past has been stolen from you twice. Besides the great old ones have been meddling. What use is there in judging somebody’s actions when they never had the freedom to be anything else?” Curiously her last point had the feeling of an old argument to it.
Momijii felt a certain sense of relief as Ansed walked beside them. She listened as the lovely woman spoke and found relief in what she had to say. "I never intended to listen to them though the dragon blood in me wants to squash them for their mockery and words. Sometimes it is hard to contain the more...base aspects of my heritage." She hesitated before speaking further and then asked, "My past has been stolen twice? I don't understand what that means, and what are these 'Great Old Ones' you speak of?"
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The timeless Elf considers for a moment before replying, "It is good that you do not know or its likely their misbegotten cults would be more frequent." She sighs deeply, "Where to begin? Well Golorion is far from the only world and the pantheon you are familiar with is far from the only one. Some gods are known on multiple world's, usually with different names, Sarenrae is one such - redemption is a near universal concept. Regrettably however some of the baser urges are also universal and there is a collective of particularly abhorrent beings known as the Outer Gods. These baleful cosmic enterties pursue utterly inscrutable aims, mostly holding themselves above any one world, but they been known to have arranged the utter destruction of hundreds of worlds over the aeons to further their own dark purposes. Such beings don't come into existence ex niliho they graduate through the ranks of The Great Old Ones, abhorrent beings of terrible power. Unkillable by any normal means they stand on the edge of apotheosis, lusting for power and destruction and stranger things. Don't be deceived by that however, the distinction between them and a true deity is mostly a matter of semantics. They have their own cults and their own dark miracles. The difference between a true deity and them is scope and self control or lack thereof. It is possible for a true God to wander the streets of Absolom unnoticed. If a Great Old One was to do the same then the entire population, even the Decimvirate, would go irrevocably mad... Keeping them away from Golorion requires eternal vigilance, and frankly the powers that be haven't always been terribly successful on that account..." The sadness in her voice is painful to hear, clearly Answer has somehow been involved in this fight. She sighs once more and adds, "To answer your first question, you have been sold twice, something I find an anathema. The first time was into slavery and the send time they stole your memories. There is a way of getting them back, although it won't bring you happiness."
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Momijii listened intently to the timeless Elf's words about the Great Old Ones and felt a shudder of fear go through her. While the devils and demons may mock her they were a threat she could do something against if needed. These great Old Ones were a far beyond her as she was a solitary ant and could crush her as easily. When Ansed spoke of the fight, and occasional failure, Momijii recognized the sense of personal failure. She knew what that was like, she failed to save the pudgy man with the beautiful dreams, and she reached out hesitantly to place a hand on the strange woman's shoulder, "My Master," she said the words with the respect one would give to an honored teacher as opposed to a slave master, "once told me that we all fail, even the gods can make mistakes, what is important is to learn from them and not repeat them."
She considered what Ansed had told her then, of Momijii being enslaved twice, and she understood what the second was, the loss of all she knew, but the first? Someone sold her into slavery? She didn't like the thought of that as she knew it must mean someone overpowered both her and her Master, or that her Master had died and left her alone. "I have learned enough about the person that I was before, the things I did leading up to my memory loss, to know that you are right, I probably don't want to know." She sighed, "Regardless of my desire to know or not I suspect, before this is over, I will need to know what happened. If nothing else so that I can try to make amends for all that I have done." She considered the first enslavement that was mentioned, "As for the first one, I can only suspect it means that my Master was not there to guide me, or we were both beaten. Neither is a pleasant answer."
She sighed, "Regardless of my desire to know or not I suspect, before this is over, I will need to know what happened.
She nods, "Sometimes one has to grasp the nettle... Speaking of which events in Thrushmoor have been moving apace. The opposition wanted to use Miss Mavine's soul as a kind of bait to help something very unpleasant to slip through the wards that guard Golorion. It looks like that plan is about to backfire rather spectacularly courtesy of your friends. Anyway it seems they're about to do something very foolish, which is why I'm here. Lets just sat I have a vested interest in seeing them fail."
She points to a great arch ahead leading into a winding tunnel through which the line of unjudged souls trudge through, "Through there lies the very heart of Pharasma's realm. Immediately before it is an antechamber where the opposition's messenger is lurking. He can be very persuasive. Now there are rules in this place, the first of which is no soul can be forced to go somewhere they don't deserve. Of course if somebody convinces you that you belong somewhere and you go of your own free will then all bets are off. I don't think he intends to play fair, he's going to use his influence to force Miss Mavine to follow along with him back to Golorion. Think about that for a moment, the gaul of it, stealing one of Pharasma's faithful out from under her nose! Well if he's not going to play fair, neither shall we. With your permission of course that is. What I propose is this, I shall swap your appearance around and then all you need to do Momijii is listen to him and make a show of resisting before you ultimately relent to be drawn back to Golorion. Of course if you agree too readily he will be suspicious, but he is overconfident and is used to getting his own way. Will you do this? Will you risk going back knowing that Pharasma's judgement may not be quite as harsh as you fear? Oh you are no saint I know that, but you had little chance to be anything else."
Bump!
Momijii listened intently to the offer and considered it for a few moments. It was a chance to return and deal with the people behind all of this mess and she very much wanted a little bit of vengeance for what had been done to her. It didn't take her long to turn her focus back to Ansed and she replied, "Yes, I will do what you ask Ansed. The thought of turning the creature's attempts to cheat against him seems poetic justice and quite amusing." Having said what she needed to she looked at Ansed in curiosity and said, "I would ask something of you in return though, something that won't likely be a problem, I would like you to kiss me." She gave the timeless elf a rather serious look, "I haven't had any kind of pleasure in a very long time and you are someone I find very desirable." She smiled shyly then, "I ask for nothing more from you than that."
Ansed looks at you curiously for a moment before pulling you into a passionate embrace. She smells of something floral and is soft in all the right places and her mouth tastes faintly of something sweet, perhaps honey. She gently strokes the back of your neck and it feels almost electric. Your hands start to stray and she whispers, "I am almost tempted but doing that here would cause considerable complications." She smiles enigmatically for a moment still holding you close before letting go, "I'm afraid like all visitors to this realm I am bound by the rules."
A mischievous grin creeps across here elfin face as she tells you both, "Well it's time. Miss Mavine are you OK with this little charade?" Trillis nods, replying, "Oh yes, I think this shall be entertaining!"
Ansed grins and claps her hands, and suddenly your forms shift subtly until Trillis and Momijii appeared to have swapped places. It was a strange experience, with things shifting and tugging yet not entirely unpleasant. "Under normal circumstances that would last a day. Time flows a little differently here so it may last rather longer. Hard to say exactly, in any event I expect as you get closer, Pharasma's presence will simply cancel the enchantment. They say she can always see through to the heart of the matter."
With that you step back into the line of unjudged and head off with a certain amount of trepidation, Trillis was about to meet her goddess and be judged and you disguised as Trillis were about to be snatched away back to Golorion by some cosmic horror! Progress was slow and when you looked back Ansed was gone, and eventually you trudged under the great arch and entered a long winding hallway, which Trillis explained spiraled into the very heart of Pharasma's realm.
Ahead was a huge antechamber but curiously it was suffused with a Stygian darkness. Trillis glanced at you before moving confidently forwards into the darkness the way you might have done. All sound recedes as you enter until the only thing you can hear is your breathing and your footsteps. A strange colour that is no colour washes over the room which is empty apart from you and a great slab of dark grey stone. Some mania grips you and you find yourselves compelled to walk over. And upon that slab you see a seething thing of horror, the Dweller in Darkness from its mass of amorphous flesh there grew at will before our eyes tentacles, claws, hands, and withdrew again. The mass itself diminished and swelled effortlessly, and where its head was and its features should have been there was only a blank facelessness all the more horrible because even as you looked there rote from its blind mass a low ululation in that half-bestial, half-human voice. A tentacle writhed out and formed a human hand which beckoned. In a dozen languages and voices this alien monstrosity purred into your mind, "Come closer..."
Momijii through herself into the kiss with vigor, enjoying the feeling of the woman in her arms and the taste of her. It was one of the most heady sensations she'd ever had and she wanted more and her hands began to slide to far more intimate areas. Despite her desire to have this beauty right here and now she accepted that it wasn't too be when she heard Ansed's whispered words and leaned her forehead against the elf's until they parted. "I understand, the rules are the rules." She gave the being before her an interested smile, "Still, maybe we'll have a chance to meet again somewhere else one day, somewhere we can enjoy what we can't have here."
Momijii looked in interest as she and Trillis seemed to swap appearances. She didn't feel any different but she figured she looked different and hoped she could pull this off. She looked back to Ansed only to find the woman was gone and turned back to Trillis as she said, "We'd better get moving Momijii, we still have a ways to go." She followed Trillis into the chamber ahead, trying to play the part and stay behind the disguised priestess, and looked around nervously.
As they walked through the darkness Momijii found herself very nervous. There were so many ways darkness like this could be used against them that it wasn't even funny. Still, she could only hope that they would get through it in one piece. It was about then that the strange non-color washed over them both and Momijii saw the...thing and drew in a startled gasp. She stared at it, almost entranced by her revulsion and stopped moving. She wanted to run as fast as she could but she felt nearly paralyzed in terror. When she saw it for a hand and reach out to her, speaking through a featureless face, she nearly did break and run. Instead she asked it n a querulous voice, "Why should I? You're a thing of darkness and madness, why should I go anywhere nearer to you?"
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The thing shifts and instead of tentacles there stands a haughty Egyptian pharaoh wearing a brightly colored robe!
Smiling unctuously he replies, "Because Trellis Mavine you have been lied to! From the crib to the grave you have been told there is only one life that you may remember and that all souls must be judged before reincarnation. That is simply not true, the gods well mostly Pharasma decided that mortals must die. Did you know it didn't have to be that way? There are other worlds where gods created children who, barring serious injury might live forever. Of course you didn't! Because nobody on your little homeworld of Golorion is allowed to know. Here's another thing you didn't know, any mortal who overstays their welcome by researching one of the many many ways of prolonging life is hunted down with extreme prejudice. Why? because all of this is a racket. She's got the whole prime material plane wrapped around her little finger - in a spiral if you may. This is all to her most enormous benefit. It is possible to live forever and I can prove it! You don't have to walk through that door and bind your soul to her, you could go back and live forever! Now then, come closer!"
He beckons again.
She looked at the creature suspiciously for a moment and asked, "Why should I believe you and why would you want to share this...gift, with me of all people?" She didn't trust the creature and already knew she would give in, it was why she was here after all, but she was going to make this look good. "For all I know you are an enemy who means me ill intent, what proof do you offer of your intentions?"
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The being's form shimmers for a moment before coalescing as a hooved, hairless, swarthy man with powerful musculature. His eyes are disturbing, like those of a goat. The man bleats while a chorus of voices purrs into your mind, "Some things cannot be told, they must be seen, behold!"
The scene shimmers and then as if on high you witness a soaring view point of the boneyard. Untold numbers of souls trudge inwards to the very center but on the way the multitudes are escorted one by one through a plethora of portals, but rather than finding themselves in the plane they expected they enter a sort of factory where their essence is shredded and processed into blocks which are shipped back to the boneyard and other planes. The scene shifts again and you see gangs of souls in chains with demonic overseers constructing a great palace. The viewpoint pulls back and you can see the entirety of the latest palace to grace Elysium, but now you know it's dirty secret...
Abruptly the viewpoint changes this time following a pair of Pharasman priests walking to be judged. Yes they had lived worthy lives, yes they had kept true in their faith. They wept with joy as Pharasma judged them as worth to serve on in the Inner Court. But how their joy turned to horror when a pair of demons tossed them into a mangle, flattening them while whispering enchantments that turned them into a living carpet - all the better to grace the floor of her inner sanctum!
Finally the viewpoint shifts back to Golorion, you see yourself (actually Trilis) looking in the mirror and marveling. Your skin is soft and supple, the grey hairs and crow's feet have gone. You look rejuvenated! Purring into your mind, the voices sing, "Why become Pharasma's doormat when the world can be your oyster? One is coming who would bring a new age to Golrion! One worthy of worship, through whom you could live forever young. One who desires a new high priest to usher in the new dawn. Could that new high priest be someone like you Trillis?"
Of course you knew this was a pack of lies, but the presentation was very very good, and the subtle magics woven into it made it all sound so reasonable. All you had to do was renounce Pharasma and then a second chance at eden, the whispers in your mind told you to believe it!
Momijii looked on with feigned horror at what she was shown by this being. It was easy for her to play along, the creature wanted to believe she was succumbing and she knew it. There was a gasp as she saw the "fate" of the two priests and she retched slightly at the sight, it was rather gruesome after all, and shakily said,, "A.a.a.alright, I think I'm convinced." She looked up into the goat slitted eyes and said, "I will go with you, if for no other reason than to avoid being a," she shuddered, "doormat for eternity." She gave him a sharp look then, "Your word that what you have shown and told me is true and that I will have this eternal youth and the position of Highpriestess of this new god?" She held her hand out to him, "If so I will go with you."
The discordant choir of voices purrs into your mind, "Yes! By my honor it is all true, soon you shall see for yourself!" Subtle magics cause your muscles to relax and a dreamy warmth to envelop you. It seemed like a trick of the light at first but the being's form shifts to that of a dainty maiden in luxurious silks, holding an ornate folding fan made of black and red lacquered wood and paper.
Using the fan, the maiden draws an oval in the air leaving a red sparking outline. A word of power is spoken and suddenly you can see roiling clouds below. After several moments, the clouds seem to thin and like a tiny model, you see Thrushmoore! The scene seems to be descending slowly towards the Count's Manner on Iris Hill.
The maiden's mouth moves but out of time with it, the discordant choir sings in your mind, "Already the way is being prepared, can you not feel the portal's pull? All you have to do is step through and you shall be reborn a new!" In truth the portal does call to you, in a frighteningly strong way. In the corner Trellis whimpers and cowers away from it, you're convinced if she was to step through it would flense her soul.
Type insanity; Save Will DC 14
Onset 1 day
Effect target is sickened (if manic) or shaken (if phobic) as long as the source of the mania or phobia is obvious; chance of becoming fascinated or frightened (see below)
DESCRIPTION
A mania is an irrational obsession with a (usually inappropriate) particular object or situation, while a phobia is an irrational fear of a (usually commonplace) object or situation. Additionally, if a manic or phobic character is directly confronted by his obsession (requiring a standard action), he must make a Will save against the insanity or become fascinated (if manic) or frightened (if phobic) by the object for 1d6 rounds.
Eep! Sry bout that. I'll try and post at my last break.
Momijii watched as the figure shifted into that of a fan maiden but didn't notice anything unusual as she was too awed by the opening in front of her that the fan created. It took her a moment to realize what was being shown to her, it was an odd height for her, and the view left her dizzy and nauseous. She watched the scene descend and recognized the figures down below. She felt the call of the portal and barely heard Trelliss' whimper and knew this was the right choice. She took her first step toward the opening as she heard the maiden's strange voice speaking to her. She thought little of it as she felt the pull strengthen.
The view shown by the portal continues to descend into Iris Hill, ad as it does so the pull becomes exponentially stronger! Behind you catch a glimpse of 'Momijii' sneaking away round the corner, towards Ansed who puts a finger to her lips.
To your side the fan maiden had shifted form once more, into that of a ravening beats, bipedal with huge crab like claws and neck ending in rows of razor sharp teeth, out of which came a gigantic beet red tentacle! Saliva and bits of flesh hung dropped down from this awful maw and paralyzed unable to act, it licked you in an almost gentle caress, probing where it should not before nudging you forwards! Your foot crossed through the portal and you feel a great tug as you are violently pulled through. You feel weightless for a moment hovering above but then, to your horror Golorion's gravity suddenly asserted itself whilst you where still several hundred feet in the air!
You plummet towards the Count's Manor house, pulled by gravity and the blasphemous rites within. Yet at the very last moment you hear upon the wind Heinrich's voice, "In the NAME OF HASTUR THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING we beseech the AID of Momijii. We knowingly and willingly accept the price!" Out of nowhere a bolt of yellow lightning strikes you and arcs to a distant Star Stelae, near the Sleepless building! In that instant Ansed's disguise is ripped asunder and you hear a scream from your own voice, the distant scrams of Heinrich and your friends. But most of all you where overwhelmed by the impotent rage from the unholy choir in your mind, "NNNNOOOOOOO! WE HAVE BEEN DECEIVED!!" You felt a shudder of dislocation and all was gone for a time.