"Slightly jolted, but I will be fine," says Kenjakana as she dusts off any remaining soot. "Ready to continue when you are."
Regrouping, the valiant party climb higher and higher into the maelstrom, seeking out the mysterious Storm Queen. The storm roars and lashes you, immense thunderclaps deafen your eardrums until suddenly you break into a fragrant sphere of silence and peace.
By some strange force, the storm is kept at bay within a huge sphere three hundred feet wide. Within, the air is calm and still, filled with the electrifying scent of wet grass and lightning. Colors ripple across the grey clouds as within, smothered, thunderbolts launch and break.
Hovering above you in the center of the calm lies a huge floating barge of oak, mithral and gold. A large rectangular platform with levels and support braces below. From your position underneath the barge, you spot a ghostly blue glow emanating from the top of the barge and shining across the clouds above.
Finally, to an audience of silent weather, comes singing. A woman's voice high above echoes through the space, singing a wordless song, sad yet happy. She barely seems to pause for breath, and it is sung with volume and effort beyond human lungs.
Kicking herself for not doing it earlier, Kenjakana casts Heroism and Heightened Awareness on herself.
"How do you guys wish to proceed?" the half-elf asks the party. "I could go up there and... maybe kill her with stealth and magic, but... well, that doesn't seem like something present company would approve. That said, I don't think... politely asking her to stop is a viable option either."
Any pauses in her words are just the Tien Half-Elf trying to figure out the the right Common words, and "present company" clearly refers to the noble Paladin in the group.
"I'm more concerned that, alone, you'd quite possibly fail and die than I am with the moral implications of killing her by stealth. But, in truth, we're not yet sure exactly why she is doing what she is doing. It is conceivable that she is redeemable or that we can come to some accommodation. Not, I admit, that a full frontal assault is really likely to result in a peaceful solution.
But she knows that we are here. Perhaps we could at least attempt to parley before adopting other measures? I don't see much of a downside to at least trying"
Kenjakana nods.
"There is wisdom in your words, Sir Haldern," the Sage Sorceress admits thoughtfully. Ironically, she did die under similar circumstances. Hence why she so quickly agreed. "Very well, I suppose we can attempt diplomacy first. Worst comes to worst... we fight."
The small Half-Elf casts Tears to Wine on the contents of her waterskin and takes a drink.
Qot will Barkskin himself before they move.
Bladud once again hitches a ride on Jensal, staying mostly quiet as they clear the clouds, see the barge, hear the singing, and even through the followup discussion.
"Sounds good to me," he mutters. Then he points to the deck of the barge, "But let's do our parleyin' over the boat. I still got my air walkin' ability up, but if sh!t goes sideways, i'd rather hit the deck than keep on fallin'."
As he rides Jensal, he keeps an eye out for the dragon ... or any other threats, traps, or oddities.
As a group, the four of you silently rise up alongside the barge to view the deck. Three sights present them to you in turn.
A structure of wood, mithral, and gold, almost one hundred fifty feet long and over fifty feet wide, floats beneath what appears to be a wound in the sky itself, as though someone has pierced it from “the other side”—whatever that might mean. A thin stream of liquid drops down out of the sky into a gold-rimmed pool at the center of the floating structure. The substance at first seems like milk, but a more careful look reveals that quasi-human forms can be seen within it, as just for a moment a bit takes on the shape of a face or a hand clenched in a fist, and then fades back into liquid.
Drips and footprints of the liquid lead to the second sight. Three rocs, two tawny and one grey-feathered, sharp talons and piercing beaks momentarily stilled as they lie togheter in a pile eyes half-closed, visibly relaxed and hapy at the singing of the third sight.
An immense woman, a cloud giant of Zoarth's ilk. Her hair is blonde, her armor golden, her sword huge and her feet bare and wet. She crouches on the deck, fingers gently stroking the rocs' feathers as a happy smile fills the deck with light and laughter. Her song is soothing and calm.
At the sight of you, the woman's calm face turns to fury with the speed and intensity of a summar storm. She rises to her feet, drawing her weapon, as the rocs rouse themselves and begin to emit harsh cries.
With each mighty swing of her massive greatsword, the Storm Queen shouts with rage. “So after all this time, Zoarth can’t even come here on his own? Did those cats send you here? When I am done dealing with you, I will get my revenge upon him and those damned cats! Did he tell you that he left me for dead? That I loved him, and he let those cats destroy all I had worked for? That they would have killed me if I had only been a bit weaker? Did he tell you that? Those cats seeped into our lives from Hell itself, and he chose them over me. We had a life! But it didn’t mean anything to Zoarth. So now, I will destroy him!”
"No, he did not tell us any of that. Please, tell us more. If you have justice and right on your side and we've been deceived then we will both apologize and do what we can to correct our actions.
But why have you attacked the humans who did nothing to aid Zoarth or to hurt you?"
"If... IF? That accursed Zoarth tried to kill me!"
Still somewhat mollified, she stretches out a hand and calms the rocs as she stares up at you.
"...humans? What humans? The scrolls suggested the rift could have side effect, but surely nothing terrible... and, and besides, my cause is just! Everything is on Zoarth's accursed head; and the heads of those thrice-damnned CATS!"
The silent monk crosses his arms around his bow and looks at the others. Could the harm have been done unintentionally? Well, at least it would still have been irresponsible. It troubles him that there's a possibility they were fooled and pushed into actions by a lie. Of course, however, the queen doesn't seem to be "all there"...
It looks like we're all missing pieces of the puzzle. Certainly neither us or you, my lady majesty, have proofs to everything we think we know, right?
Bladud’s bearing eases as well, and he takes a stance similar to Qot’s … leaning on his polearm. He nods along with the group’s approach.
”The humans who got rolled over by the marauding giants,” he responds. Then he frowns as the giantess continues, ”But there does seem to be a dragon-sh!t’s load of unknowns floatin’ around here. You have a past with Zoarth. Tell us about that. And this scroll. And them cats.”
Haldern and Jensal also relax a little, still definitely ready for combat to break out but obviously not planning on initiating it.
"My lady, we are definitely confused right now. We had thought that you'd deliberately sent giants attacking innocent humans as well as Zoarth. And that he was being attacked for no reason.
Please, tell us more of your side of events. I would, if at all possible, prefer to resolve this diplomatically and not through violence. It is truly said that violence should be the last resort.
Tell us more of these cats. I remember Zoarth had cats in his hold but they didn't seem to be more than familiars to me. I admit, I never bothered to detect evil upon them. But Zoarth himself did NOT detect as evil"
"It is truly said that violence should be the last resort."
"Well, let's not get crazy, here," Bladud mutters under his breath, but to his credit, he doesn't interrupt.
"The giants... t-they were to fight Zoarth. To rightfully cast him down from his false castle, with his deceiving cast. My ends make my means just... right? And you sensed no evil? Nor did I until he struck at me, mind consumed with those diabolic felines."
She hesitates still thinking over things, before she starts. "No... no, I do not have to explain myself, 'tell you more of my side of events', I am in the right... either fight, or get out of my way. I am the Storm Queen and my wrath will not be denied!"
"It sounds like it might be the cats that controlled him. Perhaps if we slew them he would be freed from whatever compulsion made him fight you. What do you know of these cats? Where did they come from?"
Trusting Sir Haldern's judgement more than her own, Kenjakana watches and remains silent for the time being.
She shrugs. "I don't know. A summoning ritual gone wrong, he said; they just appeared, and he loved them. Bewitchingly or not, he chose his path, and I will be the one to punish him for it."
Kenjakana decides to interject.
"I'm actually here for a different reason, your Majesty. My friend and I had to stop five of your agents from causing chaos in Jol. Another cloud giantess in your service was prepared to spill innocent blood just to draw out Sir Haldern. That needs to stop."
The tiny sorceress crosses her arms.
"You seem intent on ending Zoarth's life. I've never actually met him, but Sir Haldern has verified the presence of these Cats, and he seems to believe you. You also seem very passionate, so... I'm inclined to believe you. Given what he did to you, I... can understand why you want revenge. Fair enough. Maybe we don't need to fight."
Kenjakana looks at her allies.
"I'm new to this conflict, but one way or another, it looks like we'll have to take someone's side. I've never met him, but Zoarth could very well be some devil-loving cultist nut, Sir Haldern. There are plenty of ways to fool Detect Evil."
"Speaking of which, would you object to my detecting evil upon you?"
She waves dismissively at Haldern, consenting.
She looks at the tiny Kenjaka with an odd expression. "Passion... yes. It... it marks many of our race. Usually to our destruction." She swallows. "My allies... I ordered them to stop whoever would thwart me at all costs. Yet, I never considered what kind of person I was making ally. Innocent blood... should not be so lightly shed." Thinking a few more moments, she reaches out her hands to her roc pets and resumes stroking them, murmuring a tune, as they slowly calm and rest against her.
She hesitates, then nods. "...very well, 'heroes'. You.... have made me unsure. This is not a pleasant feeling. But it leaves me enough to talk about the future."
"My claim is just, even if my... methods... were less so. I can end this storm in a snap, but on one condition- you accompany me to Zoarth's castle, slay his cats and likely himself to if he refuses to repent, if he refuses to be swayed from them. Yes yes, interject 'if he proves evil' and 'if they prove demonic' all you like, the truth will out, I know it."
"With those caveats (that the cats are evil and demonic, that he is mistaken, etc) then I am willing to consider those terms. May my companions and I have a moment to discuss them privately?"
Assuming that she agrees, Haldern takes his companions aside
"I'm inclined to agree to these terms. She is obviously a mighty opponent and victory over her would by no means be certain. And, if she is right, perhaps this whole thing can be smoothed over. I get the impression that it might be possible to sway her from the evil path she is on and convert her back to being a force for, if not good, at least stability.
However, she IS currently evil and clearly has a callous disregard for life. If you think that we should just kill her now then I will go along with that decision.
Note that I will NOT break parley in any way. IF we decide that we are going to fight we MUST give her full and complete warning before initiating hostilities"
Bladud pauses before moving off to discuss things privately. "Tell me, Storm Queen. What'd he do? What was his betrayal? And what plans of yours did he interfere with?"
Qot leans his head forward, heavily.
If she is willing to be redeemed from her evil acts and soul... - his words don't come without pain. They sound shaky from within the shadows themselves - ... Then her path to redemption should start now, on our terms. My vote is to offer her the chance to surrender and go under our custody, giving her our guarantee that her claims will be investigated and properly dealt with. If she refuses, I fear our duty is harsh, but necessary.
The monk/summoner seems adamant, as much as the others can feel suffering on his words.
"...I think that there is hope for her; it took my best efforts, but I think that she realizes she took things too far," the sorceress notes sagely. "And I agree that we should give her claims a chance. As much I as I wish otherwise, her story is... plausible. It has parallels to incidents of fiendish magic I know. Escorting her to Zoarth is probably the best option. If nothing else, it will minimize the conflict."
She glares at Bladud. "Why must you... very well. For the final time." She stands herself to her fullest height, blue glow and greatsword giving her an imperious air. "I am Verakas of the Cloud-Giant people. I loved Zoarth. He loved me, as well he should. A spell went awry, and he found that suddenly he loved his new cats more. I found my entire aviary, my beloved birds, slaughtered. I am a maven, bird-bound among the cloud giants. Each of their deaths was my own. I fell in a state close to death, and Zoarth left me to finish my journey and die. He told no one as he sought a new life." She snorts. "I doubt his fool head ever thought I might recover and seek my revenge."
Verakas nods firmly, and with a harsh gesture the hole in the sky filling the blue pool disappears. A low screaming resounds, and with a perturbed look she retrieves a crystal orb from a pocket and studies it. Waves of force, quite gentle, emanate out as shadowy, monstrous figures inside fling themselves vainly at the orb's walls before disappearing. She stows it away. "...hrm. It is possible I owe you thanks. This orb whispered to me of this power... yet mayhaps it had its own designs, its own use for my plans. You may have allowed me to stop them early. Thank you." Walking over to the pool, she kicks a lever and the ectoplasm slowly empties itself into the sky, disappearing before it hits the cloud below.
With the sound of a soft exhalation, the calm of the pocket spreads. Beyond, you see thunderstorms ease their stresses into clouds of purest white, hail and snow collapse into downpours then sparkling showers as the entire sky gives one huge sigh of relief that their trouble has passed.
Touching the wooden skin of her barge, Verakas directs it south, towards the cloud giant's castle. She casts a glance back. "We'll arrive in one day's time. Prepare as you will."
Verakas spends the journey at the brow of the barge, unwavering and hungry for the encounter ahead. Eventually, clouds part and the damaged magnificence of Zoarth's castle appears. The golden ramp is wound up and gone, and the castle has risen a good hundred feet in a bid to escape the mountain now that the storm has calmed. It still moves far too slowly to be any trouble catching.
Verakas stands and wipes the rain from her spattered face. "The assault is yours; plan quickly, though. Every inch closer makes my blood boil."
Trying to see how sincere she is on her statements of regret that strongly imply she isn't THAT evil
Clearly, I believe her :-)
On the days trip. Haldern would have tried talking to Verakas, trying to work on the part of her that very clearly is not evil, trying to reinforce to her the fact that others have feelings and rights too.
While trying not to be too preachy :-).
Hey, the character has a higher diplomacy than the character :-).
"Verakas, I am very, very sorry for the evil that Zoarth visited upon you. And I am glad that you realize that you went further than you should have in gaining your revenge. Although your revenge is just, that doesn't mean that you can unjustly hurt others in its pursuit"
he'd also use honeyed tongue from a scroll before trying to convince her (so, take the better of the following rolls)
Haldern would change his spells known
Level 1:
Honeyed Tongue
Protection from Chaos
Hero's Defiance
Hero's Defiance
Level 2:
Zone of Truth
Saddle Surge
Inheritor's Smite
Level 3:
Dispel Magic
Good Hope
Verakas remains at the prow, not easily swayed by words; she ignores Haldern for some time. Eventually, however, he wears her down enough for a glance.
"...tell me something I am not yet painfully aware of, paladin." She pauses for a moment, then nods. "Or perhaps I should not be so scathing; your reinforcement is good-hearted... and perhaps needed. My soul is that of all birds; and for them, things such as 'innocents' have little purchase. I needed to be reminded that I am not only in a world of avians."
"I am genuinely curious, how is it that your soul became intertwined with those of birds? What is a maven? Did you choose this life?
I have friends who follow the druidic faith. Like you, they tend to see things as would a creature of nature. But not even they identify with creatures as strongly as you do with your birds"
"It is... not something outsiders, or druids, are interested in. Call it fantasy, call it a fiction of the Cloud Giants... It is ours, and very well, I will explain."
"As for how I became one... natural aptitude, being born under a certain star, a few rituals my mother embarked upon when I was young; any and all of it. As for what it means, well..."
"Among us giants, we believe... animals have a spirit. One for each group or type, it varies. Or at least, they have the potential of such; seeds of gods as yet unsown, or ancient deities now slumbering. Simple creatures, whatever they are; they want for nothing other than the advance of the animals that they are composed of. Mavens can touch a little of these entities, these seeds; it gives us insight into the the animals, some basic empathy, some prophecy on occasion. Very little to what we could have, should those entities awake, enter the fullness of their power."
"...this is a private thing. Druids ridicule it, clerics have never approached animals in the same way they do true divinity. Of the giants, we merge the two. And thus we have the maven."
She looks somber. "Have you ever died, paladin? Many as powerful as you have, in their adventures and crusades. I died three hundred and twenty three times, in an instant, every one of my birds one after the other. That is the source of my vengeance; that is my maven's curse."
After some rest to recover , and his usual ritual to prepare for the combat that will inevitably lay ahead , Bladud stomps up to join the group as they draw the Storm Queen in to discussion.
He says little, having little to actually add. Strange things in this world, he thinks, this woman's not even the strangest ... even on this boat, maybe.
"So Zoarth turned on you," Bladud concludes bluntly, "His new infernal cat friends brain-drained him and made him kill your birds. I ain't never given birds much thought, but given the situation, that ain't very nice."
"My soul has never truly left my body, but it was on its way a few times.
I know that it is not the same thing, but I have a bond with Jensal here that is at least similar in nature to the one that you have with your birds. I know that if was slain, especially by someone that I had trusted, that I would be enraged and hurt almost beyond measure.
Although I cannot condone all of your actions, I certainly now at least partly understand them.
Thank you for telling me of this. I assure you, I do not ridicule it in the least. Your pain is very, very real and your vengeance seems just.
We just need to make sure that innocents are not harmed by your vengeance."
"So you've dealt with Zoarth before, Storm-Queen. How do we throw him off and get him to spill his guts to us?" Bladud shrugs, "Or will showin' up on your boat do that for us already?"
Kenjakana quietly sits with Qot for most of the trip. After resting, she reads her spellbook for a bit and then renews her usual long term magical buffs. The small sorceress takes a moment to look over the lightning damage and finds that hit has mostly healed. When Sir Haldern starts speaking with Verakas, Kenjakana floats over to the conversation and listens.
"Be careful with revenge, Verakas. There's an old saying where I come from: 'Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.' I'm not telling you to stop, but... in my personal experience, whoever said those words wasn't entirely wrong. Hence, be careful."
Ignoring Kenjaka, Verakas focuses her gaze at the castle. "If there's anything of him left, he won't try to lie once prevented with the truth. My presence should be enough to reveal what has occurred."
We've just flown in on a golden barge. I think he knows we're here :-).
So, yes, I vote for just marching (by which I mean, of course, flying) in
"Indirect Approach for me!" chirps Kenjakana as she throws up a series of spells on herself. After taking a swig from her water skin, she vanishes from sight.
"I'll be around," says Kenjakana's disembodied voice.
Entering through the barely boarded up hole intrusion, the party grimly troops its way through Zoarth's castle. The fineness of the filigree and the walls contrast sharply with the battle ahead, and the grievous charges the master is accused of. Cats are again the only living feature, though they keep their distance. Verakas makes to lunge the first time she sees one, but is dissuaded by a stern word or a caught arm. She instead glaes at each one.
Eventually, you break your way into Zoarth's central hall, its brilliance untarnished by the piles of rubble and bloodstains that indicate the battle which took place here. The wizard himself stands atop the central statue's hand, faced away from you. He slowly turns, revealing his aged form, two casts on each shoulder and one purring in a gigantic hand.
He blinks in amazement and stares down as his face softens into gentle wonder. "...well. Well. I did not dare believe it when my beloved pets saw for me... Verakas, my dear, it is you. It's... it's been so long. Ever since you..." He frowns; a wrinkle of confusion crosses his face before softening. "...left. It is a mighty good to see you again." He bows his head slightly towards Haldern. "And it is a different, though no less heartfelt, good to see you again, my friend. I take it by your return you have dealt with my accursed enemy? I see you have made a new ally..."
Verakas just stares up at him, her usual stern expression shifted to one of mixed horror and amazing. "...skies above, Zoarth, what happened to you... we were born but fifteen summer's apart, yet..." She raises a hand and strokes her perfectly rosy cheek, touches a lock of beautiful golden hair, in harsh contrast to Zoarth's wrinkled and gaunt face, and his ash-silver hair.
The cloud giant wizard frowns in confusion.
As we were approaching, I'd have detected evil on every cat that Ibsaw.
In the throne room, I'd detect evil on the cats on his shoukder and in his hands, and on Zoarth himself.
Haldern fails to detect any evil.
As Sir Haldern studies for evil, Kenjakana lands on the ground and takes eighteen seconds to heal off any lingering lightning damage.
Given the Paladin's lack of a reaction, she figures that he fails to see anything obvious. She lifts off the ground again and invisibly glares at Verakas before calming herself.
She surrendered. Her reactions are too... genuine. Too subtle for acting. I can wait. Haldern has yet to say anything either, so might as well.
Qot steps back, looking confused at the exchange. Why did the other aged much more than she did? There's foul magic in the air. Within his shadows, he touches himself and strengthens his skin.
Bladud whistles as they march through Zoarth’s domain. ”This is a big-a$$ castle.” He eyes the cats warily, but says nothing until they are standing in the middle of the awkward giant reunion.
”So,” he mutters when no one else does, ”nothin’ like old friends, right?” he sobers (slightly), ”Your Storm-Queen here tells a different story than you do, Zoarth. Why don’t we all get on the same page, so we can figure out how to take care of all this, eh?”