The Reclamation of Zahvroma (Inactive)

Game Master Signore di Fortuna

"If, and only if, the seed were planted in good earth and tended to, it could restore the fertility of Zahvroma's soil," Anakhelm answers. "It bears fruit no matter the season and one harvest would feed a thousand people. However, the tree has only grown once here because none would devote themselves to its care."

"Devote themselves in what way?" Cyna asks after a moment.

"That's a good question, exactly what would be needed to take care of it properly?"

"The soil must be constantly damp and slightly acidic for it to sprout in three years. The sapling must be kept cool and humid until it yields its fruit in eight years," Anakhelm answers. "Once each spring, the dead branches must be cut off and that requires tools made from adamantine."

She shakes her head, "That sounds awfully complicated, and I don't know anyone who has tools made out of that material. I don't know about you guys, but I sure wouldn't want to eat the same thing day in and day out. I say we take the power. I think some of us would better benefit from a boost." She says with a glance at Magestreia.

"Really?" Sādhanā asks, genuinely surprised. "I'd have thought that as a member of the Green Circle, a sacred tree with the ability to ensure nobody starves would be more important."

She raises her hands and shrugs, "Just do whatever you want to then." Personally, being able to destroy the people that were a threat to everything was more important to her, but if they had already decided this is what they wanted, she didn't know why she was asking.

They're not gonna get that thing to grow No way anyhow.

So the entire Green Circle, Kaplan included is useless then?

The terms for it to grow are so specific that I doubt they can be maintained. Sorry, I just don't see it happening. Like Ik said, you've already made up your mind, so do what you want. Don't ask me who you think we should bring back either because I'm not gonna responsible for holding someone's life or afterlife in my hands.

Tesia turns and walks away, signalling that she's done with the conversation.

Tesia knew she wasn't in a good place emotionally right now, after nearly dying and all, and thought it would be better for all concerned that the others make those decisions.

"There is also the small matter of the geas," Anakhelm says. "The one who takes this seed becomes its Caretaker until death. The Caretaker is magically repulsive to anything and anyone, to ensure that absolutely nothing interferes with their duty. They become immune to wounds and magic other than the geas. While they do not become mindless, the Caretaker only desires to tend to the tree. Twenty-four hours after a Caretaker's death, another willing Caretaker must be chosen to receive the geas."

He pauses. "Perhaps that is what the last group found to be difficult. Attempting to destroy the geas destroys the seed. The last fruit borne by the tree is the next fertile seed."

Kaplan isn't touching that thing then. Forget it.

Whoever takes it now, or who we give it to to plant it?

Magestreia steps forward. "I'll take it."

Sienna raises an eyebrow. "Really?"

Magestreia looks at Sienna. "Tesia knows I wouldn't survive without the power that you all have. It would be a fitting way to honor Mirrin."

Sienna walks up to the Anizari and slaps her in the face. "You don't know what Mirrin wanted. It's all well and good to think about providing for everyone on Zahvroma, but this place has survived without an abundant source of food. We can survive without it, anyone who's made the choice to come here can too. I didn't see a sign that said 'free food' on the fort in Valwick."

She looks at Sadhana. "It's not your job to make sure that everyone is provided for. Your job is to make sure that Vesaria survives in forty-five days. If we don't win...there's no point in having a tree. I don't know about you, but I can't unlock a damn door and it would be unfair to drag Ylrhea back to the battlefield when she's decided to step away from it. Unless you're completely okay with her being a bloodstain wherever the hells we end up next."

The tiefling takes a deep breath. "Listen, Chosen of the Anizari, this is your call and that's my two copper on the matter. I would rather be better prepared for the fights ahead than watch my friends and my family die so that some schmuck that I don't give two licks about can eat some fancy god fruit."

"Why'd you slap me?"

"I can't say becoming a Dryad seems all that enticing myself."

"Sorry, it was the heat of the moment," Sienna says. "Just...don't throw your life away because you think someone would be 'honored' by that."

"Isn't being a hero about sacrifice?"

Sienna shakes her head. "Not needlessly."

"I'm used to having more time to weigh the pros and cons of a situation, at least a decade," Magestreia says.

Curious as to why the got wouldn't lay down the negative side of the deal first she turns back toward everyone, though she makes no move to approach. She hadn't meant to upset anyone, but the way Sadhana had reacted to her feelings about the situation....made her feel like Sadhana thought she was stupid or something for not feeling the same way about it she did. Looking at the god she asks, "If that is the price of taking care of the tree....why didn't you tell us about that part first?"

"Mortals are more likely to accept such a selfless burden if they knew of the benefits first," Anakhelm answers. "Though it would have been unfair if I had never mentioned it at all. I love this land, more than I can express in mere words, but my love does not extend to those who dwell upon Zahvroma. The land cannot betray you, but people, even my Anizari, can. That is why I left this world in the first place. I could not guarantee that my anger could be quelled. Gods are not above their follies and that is mine."

She nods but remains silent. This would be a decision that they would have to make without her. She was simply not in a place emotionally equipped to deal with such a life altering decision. She at least felt a little bit better knowing that she wasn't the only one who had doubts about it.

Ruedo looks to Sadhana. "I know you've just met us but Garf is more than our friend, he is our family. We would like him back with us."

Then he glances at the god. "Would we all be affected by this power?"

A tear runs down her cheek, but she says nothing. She simply could not do this...she just couldn't. She hated that Mirrin died....but how could she possibly decide if she should be brought back or not?

Anakhelm nods. "Yes."

Madero stands up and shakes his head. "You are a cruel and selfish god, Anakhelm! You dangle the prospect of unlimited food in front of us, but all you really want is the land to be healed."

"That is the truth," the god answers. "I am sorry your search for me has disappointed you."

"I wondered what it would take to make a perfect world, but I see it's not possible," Madero says. "Not without being used as a puppet by some higher power."

"The gods give nothing freely," Nolletta says. "That is what our history teaches us."

Sādhanā stands in grim silence, listening as the discussion rages on. As Sienna challenges her desire to try to do what would be best for everyone, her jaw tightens, fists clenched so hard she could feel her nails digging into her palms. Did they think it was easy even contemplating the price, weighing the lives of people she knew and cared about against thousands she would never meet but had the right to be protected and cared for anyway? The magus personally held herself responsible for every failure, every sacrifice, and the only person who understood that was miles away, a fact that made her both utterly relieved and unimaginably lonely.

Siena's crack about choosing to put Ylrhea back in danger was especially hurtful, it filled her with anger in fact, but at the same time brought home the fact that if they failed, she and everyone else would be in danger anyway. A part of her felt that Mirrin would be glad to finally be at rest and up in her sister. She'd found her way back to the person she had been, and died for a cause she believed in, but she could never be absolutely sure of that.

She turns to face Magestriea "Yes, a lot of the times heroism does require sacrifice, but it should be because you truly believe it to be necessary. Even your considering it is honorable, and makes it clear how lucky we are to have you with us. You have already given up a lot, your freedom and whatever life might lie ahead is too much to ask of you on top of that."
She turns back to Anakhelm, eyes narrowing. "In an ideal world, the promise of what this seed has to offer, what it can do for the land, would be beyond invaluable. But if we lose this fight, like Siena said, none of it matters. I want to see Zahvroma restored, but we need to ensure this world survives first. Destroy the seed, restore the fallen. We will all have to live with the outcome of our choices, whatever they are." the anizari finishes, looking the god in the eyes.

Were it not for the fact that she'd recently been in the presence of Aroden himself, Celia would have been stunned to be before Anakhelm. As it was the healer remains silent as emotions flare. The tree was something of a legend to her, but her legends becoming a stark reality was something she was slowly becoming used to.

"So be it," Anakhelm says, crushing the seed in his hand. "Chosen of the Anizari, it gladdens me that you, for a brief moment, understood what I offered."

As the pieces fall from the god's taloned hand, Sadhana sees a glimpse of the past.

"Who was in the wrong, Chosen of the Anizari?" Anakhelm asks. "That is the question I leave you."

The god vanishes and a torrent of magic whips through the area, suffusing everyone with great power. The blood on the ground begins to rise and collects around the two ghostly figures. A bright flash later and Mirrin and Garf stand before you once more. Danae's fur turns from a tawny gold to a sleek black.

Everyone gains one level and one mythic tier. Magestreia, Celia and Mirrin gain two tiers.

When Sadhana opens her eyes, she sees a rose made of metal lying at her feet.

Sienna walks up to Sadhana and throws her arms around her. The magus can hear the pain in her words. "I'm sorry...but you and the others come first. You have a good heart for thinking about others...but I couldn't let anything keep us from coming home safe."

Tesia can't speak, overwhelmed by everything that has transpired. Mirrin was back, so why did she feel so guilty? She really didn't understand anything she felt right now. The only thing she knew with any certainty, was that Sepherious and those cultists were going to die the most horrific way possible.

Hating herself for a moment for thinking such things, she who once thought every life to be precious, sinks to the ground as she realizes that there are people out there that don't care anything about life and now.....now she wanted them to pay.

Lowering her face into her hands, Tesia cries, too worn out from the fight and tired of the soulless vermin on Vesaria to do much else. She cared about the land and the people in it, just as much as the others....she just thought it could be cared for in a different way. Was that really so wrong?

Mirrin walks up to Tesia. "Thanks."

Looking up at Mirrin from the ground as tears fall down her cheeks, "Thanks? But I....I didn't do anything....and you...you died...we all...almost did. I couldn't do...anything to stop it. I'm so...sorry." She says in between sobs.

"I made the choice to try...something...whatever that was," Mirrin says, kneeling down. "Being...dead for a little bit did teach me something, though. If I don't live a full life, I'd be a disappointment to my family."

She nods, "So....you're not upset...we brought you back?" She asks, wiping her eyes with little success.

"No, not at all," Mirrin says, giving Tesia a rare smile. "Ylrhea and Arista are counting on me to help you through this."

"I...it just gets harder to do the right thing....to even know what it is sometimes." Sādhanā says quietly, returning the embrace all anger draining from her.

That question would stay with her for a long time.

"I just...I didn't want...to be selfish."

"We just stumble through it, like we always do," Sienna whispers. "We're not perfect and I like it that way."

"It's one thing if I sacrificed myself to finish the job. It's another to die because some @$$hole summoned some daemons."

She nods again as her hands clench into fists, "I know...and that...a$$hole is going to die a...very very painful death, along with all.....his cultist buddies." She looks back down, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't...be talking like that." She says as she starts trying to get herself under control.

Rhadaya kneels beside her wife, a turmoil of emotions herself. She agreed with the use of the seed, though for a more selfish reason. She was glad that Mirrin was back, in fact it would take a while before the image of her being torn apart left her mind, but even more, she wanted to be strong enough to finally kill Sefirous the next time they saw him.

"If it wasn't for you, we'd all be dead by the time the others found us." she says to Mirrin. She turns to her wife taking her in her arms. "It's a hard fact love, but there are people who need killing. The same way you burn a section for the forest to stop a blight from killing everything else, some people need to be put down to stop the poison they spread just by existing." she says fiercely, electricity sparking in her eyes.

Trying to block the images of the grisly encounter from her mind, she wraps her arms around her wife and takes solace in her embrace. Though some tears still escape, she tries to slow her breathing. Wiping her face with her sleeve, she takes in some deep breaths as the sobbing subsides. "I know...I wanted to finish him...for you...so badly. Not just you...but Garf, and everyone else...he's ever hurt. I failed though...how can you love such a failure?"

Cyna shakes her mind free of her bewilderment and sets her focus on what still needs doing. "We still need to free Danae, anyone got any ideas?"

Mirrin looks up at Cyna. "Is it a lock?"

"The stupid cage is....locked with magic and I...don't know how to open it."