What?
Anevia. She's inside. Venting.
You can hear that? I didn't hear anything
No. Not the words. Just what's behind them. She doesn't think any of this is fair, and she's right.
The thing she doesn't get is that it isn't supposed to be fair.
I don't understand. I mean, yes, I get that it isn't supposed to be fair, but what does this have to do with Anevia? Does she need help?
We all need help. That's the problem. To the gods every problem, no matter how large or small, weighs exactly the same. A diseased orphan dying in squalor is exactly as deserving and worthwhile as a king who stubbed his toe. The gods don't really understand matters of scale.
They love everyone absolutely equally, and it isn't fair.
Oh. I see. Yeah, that seems pretty awful.
No, it isn't. That is really the most awful part is that it isn't wrong at all. If they started stacking hardships against each other the worth of mortal lives would be subjective. It would be open to interpretation. That would be more wrong than anything else ever could be.
So its all equal. No one gets priority. The only things that are judged are actions. Not what happens to people, but what they do.
Well, what someone chooses to do about the things that happen to them is is pretty much the most important thing about them.
You're assuming there's always a choice. Sometimes there isn't. Sometimes things just happen, and they force you to do things. Sometimes people don't get the blessing of free will.
How could you be held morally accountable for actions that you have no control over?
Now you get it. The gods have no sense of scale. It doesn't matter if something is so terrible that you can't help but respond in kind. It doesn't matter if your will is ripped away and you are made into a puppet. All that matters is what you do.
Everyone's limit is different. Some people lose themselves from practically nothing. Some people can bear burdens that would ruin others, but everyone eventually breaks. That's what evil is. Its the threshold where people finally stop caring. Its what happens when they can no longer deal with the things that happen to them. That's how good people become bad. That's what Anevia is talking about in there.
That's how angels fall.
Kel looked out over the ruined city and swallowed back the lump in his throat.
"So its just all just a coin toss." he said out loud.
"Heads they win, tails we lose. Be evil, or die good."
"Fighting serves them. Killing evil people sends them to the abyss to be turned into demons who corrupt more people. Bad people dying is actually part of the demon's whole life cycle. Kill cultists, create more demons, who corrupt more good people and make more cultists."
"We're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't."
"There has to be a third option."
Ausk moves position over to another window and passes by Kel You think too much. You kill them because they are supposed to get killed. Because if you don't, then they do bad things to your friends and family. Leave the philosophizing to the Priests....just put that sword to work. Everything sorts itself out. he says, not too unkindly.
Ausk looks out the window Look, just there. You see that. Swore I saw something. Ausk says, trying to get Kel's attention back on the task at hand.
"I wish I could." Kel said with a shrug.
In spite of his introspection, he immediately snapped his attention to the ruined city when Ausk mentioned movement.
Max catches up with the others. "Shall we go? The place seems deserted, and I don't know if there's anything we can do for Horgus."
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Deia tries to follow Horgus around his hose, often getting lost as he runs around the house. Eventually, she gives up and returns to the group.
"I know he is hard to deal with, but I'd prefer to just not leave Horgus here on his own. He should have lots of contacts in the rest of the city, and we can't guarantee his safety. Maybe we can cause a commotion or break something and get him to find us?."
Ausk arches his eyebrow at the witch in between peeks out the window. You want to spend more time with him?
Kel shrugs. "He is difficult, but he isn't a bad person."
"I'd hate to see what Horgus would do if we started to break his things. He might actually dig out that rapier he claims he can use! Anyhow, with his knowledge of his own home, I suspect he would have no trouble remaining safely hidden from any lingering threats. We can check back once we've resolved the many other pressing issues before us."
Ausk gives another noncommittal shrug He's a rich bugger, probably paid for more magical defenses against demons than we can think of. If he truly feared for his life, he would come with us. I say we wish him well and continue on, no need to risk ourselves or these civilians on these streets any longer than we need to.
As the party gets ready to leave, Horgus appears from down the hallway, moving as silently as a shade in his own home. He's cleaned himself up, changed into fresh and fanciful clothes, and seems to have a cheerier disposition than he had when he disappeared just a little while ago.
"If you're leaving, you can leave the people you rescued here. My safe rooms are still fine and, so long as they promise not to steal anything, I'll let them use one or two. It will keep them from getting in your way."
Ausk stares at Horgus. Stunned.
Max is also stunned. But then has a wide smile. "That's wonderful, Horgus! We were worried when you disappeared on us, but it's good to see you settling back into your home. Is there anything we can do to help?"
Well that is nice of Horus, I thought the little toad gave us the slip, maybe we misjudged him.
"Thanks for the offer Horgus, it is very generous of you."
"I'm ready to head back out if the rest of you are."
That sound slike an excellent idea. I'm sure we can tell the ones at Defender's Heart about Horgus so they can get supplies and such to each other.
Kel just smiles and steps forward to shake Horgus' hand. "We'll come check on you later. If you need anything, let us know. Take care of yourself."
Horgus furrows his brow at Ausk and Deia as they stand there, mouths agape in awe.
"What? I'm not heartless! I wouldn't expect an orc to understand, especially since he wasn't here when Anevia tore into me underground, but I would expect Deia to not act so surprised. She heard all about my charity work. I'm just... Angry at my guards and servants for trying to rob me blind. They knew of the safe rooms, but they chose to flee and take half of my belongings with them. It's infuriating, because I tried to treat them well and this is how they repaid me. I'm just glad none of them were able to access my vault or else I'd truly be poor."
"Anyway, my safe rooms are magically protected, and unless this house comes under siege by a small army they should hold out. At least that's what I was told when I had them added to the home, and that wizard was quite well known for honesty and quality in his work. And for what it cost me they had damned well better live up to his reputation! Now, if these people are going to stay with me, I need to set some ground rules. First, obey my rules! Second, don't steal from me! Third..."
As Horgus begins laying out his strict, and rather specific, rules for the other civilians to stay at his home, the party gathers their things and prepares to set out into the ruined city once again. This time you set off further north in hopes of reaching Anevia's home before sundown...
As you make your way through the ruined city you hear the sound of glass being shattered nearby, the piercing sound echoing through the empty streets. Ahead of you you see a field of thick rubble very similar to the one you passed through after leaving Blackwing Library.
Anevia sees the rubble ahead and sighs.
"Looks like another trench ahead of us. I have to wonder if these are the work of single demons or just swaths cut by the rampaging hordes..."
When she hears the glass break she tries to figure out which direction the sound came from. In a whisper she says, "It could be a window falling out of a broken building, it could be looters, or it could be worse. Do we check it out?"
Might as well have a look.
"Yes, a quick inspection may be warranted."
On it. Ausk stalks off in that direction
Ausk, Tina, and Kel try to move off silently and stealthily in order to investigate the noise. As they search the surrounding streets they find each one as empty, silent, and broken as the one before it. The edge of the debris field is littered with partially shattered homes that creak under the stresses of having parts of their foundations ripped away. There are so many broken windows and so much broken glass littering the streets that it's hard to make a determination on which street the sound came from.
As you spend time searching, the winds begin to kick up slightly, going from gentle and intermittent gusts to a steady breeze. With the increased wind comes bursts of movement in the streets as bits of paper are blown out of broken buildings and into the streets. Curtains begin to flutter behind their shattered windows, giving the illusion of life to the dead buildings. The clouds overhead grow darker and the warm, humid air grows cooler, feeling quite refreshing and invigorating as your skin begins to tingle slightly.
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Deia stays with the main group and lets those better equipped for sneaking investigate the noise. "Send a signal or yell should you get into trouble, " she says.
As the winds pick up, she tries to huddle against some rubble or a corner to avoid any blowing debris or flying objects.
Deia waits for some signal should the scouts need assistance.
Tina wonders if this is a magical happening
Rex hangs back with the rest of the party, while the others scout.
In the process of searching for the origin of the shattering glass, the scouts find that the debris field ahead is, aside from the level of destruction, nothing like the earlier trench. It doesn't cut into the ground like the earlier one did, and is instead nothing more than a line of dense debris from where every last item in the path was destroyed. Entire houses, as well as carts, furniture, and anything else that could be broken, flattened before being strewn into the streets to make a continuous line of destruction that leads deep into the city.
Meanwhile, the forbidding weather continues to escalate as the wind adds forceful gusts to its repertoire. With each forceful gust comes the clattering of loose storm shutters, the creaking of metal as hanging signs begin to swing on their hinges, and a slight chill that pierces through clothing.
We should hurry and get to the inn or some other shelter. This doesn't look good.
Max hangs back with Rex and Deia. "It would seem that a storm is forming around us. We should try to make it to Anevia's place as quickly as possible."
Kel nodded and led them forward through the ruined city. When they neared the next trench he grumbled. "This is still a bad idea..."
He let out a long breath and unclipped the leather epaulet on the shoulder of his armor that held his could of rope in place.
"Max, Lann, cover me while I go down and anchor the rope up on the other side."
"Indeed. I would hate to have the storm stir up that debris as we are crossing it." Max checks if there is indeed such a risk, or some other danger in crossing the area.
Tina goes with the others
Rex continues along with the others.
"Kel you need any help?"