"You give up your magical items, Crystalians treasury and your position as Runelord." Shenuska says firmly. "Once we return to the material plane you will leave Xin-Edrassil, never to return. Those are the terms. There is no negotiation."
"I... But I... Grrr! Fine!" Belimarius growls. "I accept your terms."
The runelord divests herself of her considerable wealth, grumbling all the while!
Shenuska dismisses her invisibility and nods in approval. "It is done. Ieldana, will you escort Belimarius to her bedroom please. She is to remain there under guard until we return to the material plane."
She then sends Iron Shen a set of simple instructions. Go with Ieldana and the old woman. Prevent the old woman from leaving the room by any means.
Then she strides forward and slides on the robes of Xin-Edrassil. After shifting a little to settle them she picks up the Invidious Halberd and strikes it once on the floor.
Finally she speaks and magic carries her words across the entire city of Crystalian.
"The Runelord Belimarius is no more. She is defeated and has abdicated her position forever. I am Shenuska and I am Runelord, not of Envy but of Altruism. There is a new world beyond Crystalian's borders and it a world that need the virtues of Thassalion, not its sins! Find your loved ones and secure yourselves in your homes or other safe places - we will soon be returning to the Material Plane. I do not want any of my citizens to suffer more than need be."
Shenuska pauses and then speaks once more. "And if anyone should seek to take advantage of this momentous change... then my mercy will not extend to you. It is a gift freely given, to those that deserve it!"
Sh marches up to the throne and seats herself upon it. "Now for a test while we wait for Calendula to return. Captain, would you please fetch Tannaris for us?"
"Yes, Runelord," Captain Xoxl says with a bow. While he is away fetching the Sword of Envy, Calendula reappears in the room, having found her way out of the maze. After a few minutes, Xoxl returns, presenting Tannaris to Shenuska.
"It did not attempt to dominate you?" The Runelord asks, before nodding in approval. She takes the sword and seems to spend a moment in mental communication with it before lowering it across her lap.
"Rudrik Halvar," She says, more formally than usual. "I would appoint you as Champion of Altruism. Will you take up this sword and wield it in my defence and the defence of Xin-Edrassil against Alaznist and all other foes?"
Theo stood aside as the Runelord was defeated, a little disappointed he hadn't had a chance to properly get stuck in. His illusory protections faded, though not his spell resistance nor dragon form. He kept his eyes on Shen throughout, already feeling certain instincts of gold dragons rising to mind. Now there were two Runelords he would have to keep an eye on.
Nime frowns slightly at Shenuska's assumption of power, but she doesn't say anything.
Once Calendula reappears, she sees to the few wounds that exist among her friends and once those are tended to, she offers to see to Belimarius as well.
”Uhhh... what all would that actually mean? Would I live in Xin-Eldrassil forever? Do I have to stab a lot of people? Could we make the sword of altruism non lethal?”
"That you keep doing what you are already doing, not if you don't want to, hopefully not. I doubt it." Shenuska replies, a smile on her face as she answers Rudriks barrage of questions. "You do not have to accept you know, and if you wished to resign the post after we deal with Alaznist then I can deal with that as well."
Rudrik seems uncertain and then he looks over at Nime. "I uh... I dunno. It seems like a lot. How um... how do we keep from becoming just as bad as the Runelords? They started out as good guys and gals, too."
"Hopefully we will have good people around us to remind us of who we can and should be." Shenuska replies. "And remember, Thassalion has died. There is no Emperor to rebel against, no great empire to covert. Sorshen proved that no-one is fixed as they are, so I would hope that if any of you see me becoming Belimarius then you would speak up to stop me."
She spreads her hands. "I don't want to force this on you Rudrik, if you would prefer not to take the title and wield Tannaris then I understand. I would give a gift, not an obligation."
"Well, unless you really increased how much you ate, it would take quite a bit to get as large as she was," Nime says thoughtfully. "As far as mirroring her behavior and mimicking her emotionally and morally, you've already taken the first step - you've declared yourself a Runelord." She frowns again. "While that in and of itself is not inherently undesirable, it is the first step on the path. And a gift can be an obligation. The expectation that Rudrik would use it how you would like him to."
She shakes her head.
"Forgive me," she says, rubbing her hand over her stomach. "I'm feeling a little out of sorts and saying things that I shouldn't. Do you think Belimarius had any fruit around?"
Rudrik gives Shen and Theo a knowing look, nods toward the captive Runelord, and says, ”Sidebar.” He slips to one side with Nime and removes his helm.
Rudrik puts down his helm and says, "I'll go find you some fresh fruit - a Runelord like Belimarius must have some around here - while you find the water closet."
Rudrik turns back and says, "Something's come up for a hot minute, but I'll be right back." With that he heads back through some of the rooms on the prowl while letting Theo and Shen handle the business of dismantling Belimarius' empire.
Calendula returns from Bellimarius's mind trap before a minute has ended, just in time to catch Shenuska's pronouncement.
After Nime leaves, Calendula gives her opinion.
"I think 'tis more foolish than altruistic, leavin that one alive. I believe her to be beyond redemption. But, I s'ppose," she trails off, staring at Shen, "Tis your city, now. Runelordt."
"I think 'tis more foolish than altruistic, leavin that one alive. I believe her to be beyond redemption. But, I s'ppose," she trails off, staring at Shen, "Tis your city, now. Runelordt."
"Death is certainly traditional, but that would send me a long way down the road to being Belimarius, and despite what Rudrik and Nime may fear I don't want to be her." She gives a fluid shrug. "I hope you are not offended that I have not offered Tannaris to you first? I do not want to impose another loyalty on your beyond that you hold to the Inheritor."
Rudrik discovers that the small pantry in the dining room is well stocked. It contains about a week’s worth of rather sumptuous but nonmagical foodstuffs, including several casks of fine wine. There is plenty of fruit for Nime!
In a small chamber behind the throne room, he also finds a fist-sized emerald floating unattended at eye level, its green glow illuminating the room. This is the entrance to Belimarius's runewell, the Eye of Jealousy. When you are ready, you will need to enter the runewell to break the time lock on Crystilan.
Rudrik returns about ten minutes later with a trencher bearing some grapes, a pear, and an apple, and he sets it down, figuring that Nime is probably in the lavatory.
"Hey, I found something you should see, Shenuska," he says. "Some kind of glowing emerald behind the throne room. It floats. I didn't touch it. Figured it's 'green with envy' or something."
Calendula grips her weapon tight. "This is the only sword I ever fought with. I, I couldn't let go of it now. But no, my loyalty to the Inheritor isn't the question."
The paladin cracks her neck and turns her face away from the clone. "I like you, Shen. And a lot. But," she sniffs, "I don't serve Iomedae and I would never serve you. I serve the world, thru my god. And Edasseril or Crystilan or the Nuska-Dome or whate'er ya wanna call it, don't be thinkin it serves you either. You exist to serve its people. So long as you remember that, I will support yer rule."
She sighs and sits down. "I have difficult feelins about your lettin Belimarius live, regardless a yer compunctions about following Thassilonian tradition, but, as the lawful ruler of the land and as one I recognize as moral and just, I will honor your decision. Afore'n we go an celebrate too early, tho, there's still the Rune Giants need taking care of. Ain't yet liberated your folk from the yoke of tyranny."
Shenusks nods and goes to investigate the emerald. "It is the entry to the Eye of Jealousy." She repoets. "The next thing we have to do is to destroy the runewell and retuen Xin-Edrasil to the material plane. Hopefully that will free our friends here too."
She takes Calendula's concerns seriously, listening to everything the paladin has to say. "I understand Calendula, that is why I have not asked you, yourloyalty is to another and I accept that. It is right and proper. Likewise I intend to rule as well as I am able. I was given a gift, a very great one, for all that it was given unknowingly and I intend to ensure that it is not wasted. There was once a thassalonian tradition of a truthspeaker, a courtier whose role it wws to tell their Runelord the truth no matter what it was. Needless to say that did not survive the brealing of the empire but I am glad that I have people around me who are willing to do it." She offers each of her companions a smile in turn.
"As for the ginat, let us destroy the Runewell first. That should emphasisr to them that they are dealing with a new and greater power. Anything that makes the reansistion smoother is worthwhile in my book."
"Willing to do what?" Nime asks entering the room and the conversation. At Rudrik's questioning glance, she gives a sad shake of her head and makes a bee-line for the fruit tray.
Once it's explained what Shenuska would like to do first, Nime nods.
"Yesh," she says with a mouth full of grapes. "We shouwld returwn the city to the pwoper timewine. That way if wew faiwl to defeawt the gianwts and pewish, at lweast the citizwens are fwee to choowse theiw own destinwy."
"I agree. Getting things set right is the first step, then we can worry about longer-term plans," says Rudrik.
"To be clear, Shen, your offer is really a great compliment, and I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about what it might do to me, to be a general day-in and day-out, always planning for violence and wondering who we're going to have to fight. I mean, that may be what I do now, but... it wasn't what I was really expecting to do with my life, and the scale is a little... different."
"I want to do the right thing, but I'm not sure what the right thing is. Settling down to a comfy life somewhere sounds nice. Rebuilding some kind of new Runelord thing... that sounds scary. But it also has the potential to do real good on a massive scale. But how do you keep it from being misused? I dunno. Those questions are way, way over my head."
"Being my Champion is very different to being a general, Rudrik." Shenuska says gently. "It is more that you are my representative, my martial arm for places where magic is not needed, or wanted. You could easily be a general if you wish but it is not required. Simply I wish to give you Tannaris to wield in my name, but the blade and the title go together."
She pauses for a moment. "I mean this as a compliment, not an insult Rudrik but having you close to me would be most beneficial. You see things in a much simpler light and I think Calendula is right, I may lose sight of what matters as time goes on. Having someone like you around to ground me would be valuable to me, as a friend as well as as a Runelord. Still, a gift is not to be forced. It is your decision, as always."
Rudrik thinks hard on this for a while. Finally he says, "All right, I'll work with you, BUT - on this condition - that if there comes a day when my conscience troubles me from what we do, I hang up that sword and we go separate ways."
"I'll trust you not to mess with my conscience with your psychic powers," he says half-jokingly.
"Maybe we can do some good for the world. If we start doing more harm than good... them I'm outta the experiment," says Rudrik. "But I wouldn't agree if I didn't believe that there is some good we can do, hopefully on a large scale."
"My word as Runelord upon it." Shenuska replies. "I will never attempt to change your mind by any means other than the mundane means available to any ruler."
With the decision made she stands, making herself significantly taller than Rudrik thanks to the throne.
"Rudrik Halvar, I offer you the role of Champion of Altruism. With the role I present you the blade Tannaris, to wield until you leave my service once again. Do you accept?"
"On behalf of those in need, I accept," says Rudrik.
"Captain Xotl." Shenuska continues. "As my duty will shortly take me from Crystalian I am going to have need of a reliable seneschal to oversee Xin Edrassil until I return from dealing with Alaznist. I ask that you take up this position, we will deal with the Rune Giant Queen once we return to the material plane before leaving. Will you guard my people while I am gone?"
"I will do as you command," Xoxl says. "But first, I would implore to finally grant me what I have sought for so long. The chance to rid myself of my impure blood and be fully human."
Rudrik murmurs something under his breath.
"It shall be done." Shenuska replies. "Release Crystalian, send Belimarius from the city, fulfil my promise to you Xotl, negotiate with the giants. It seems I have a busy day ahead. We'd best get started."
The time has come to release Xin-Edasseril from its temporal lock. From your research, you know this will require sacrificing an artifact to Belimarius's runewell by offering it freely. While this act is unlikely to destroy the sacrificed artifact, it will at the very least cause it to be banished somewhere within time and space. Once the artifact is offered, whatever happens to it, you will no longer have it.
When you are ready, Shenuska leads you to the room with the floating emerald and touches it while uttering the passphrase in Thassilonian: “When I envy all, all envy me; what’s not mine shall perish beneath my feet.”
You suddenly find yourselves transported somewhere else. To each of you, it seems that you have suddenly appeared in your home town or some other beloved location from your past!
Calendula finds herself in the home of her mothers, long ago. The room is set up as it only was on her birthday. There are flowers on the table. Calendulas.
This would have been her 15th birthday, probably. That was the corner where she sat and polished her armor for the parade. There was the shrine to the Inheritor. And there, notes on a string from her childhood friends and comrades-in-arms, wishing her a safe recovery after she had taken an orc's axe to the head.
She slowly pulls herself back to the present. You can never go home again.
Shenuska looks at the warm and familiar book-shop that surrounds her for a moment, before narrowing her eyes to look through the illusions. Once freed from their grasp she renews her invisibility. "I suspect this will not be as simple as walking up to the Runewell." She says. "Watch out everyone."
As they passed through, Theo found himself standing in a place he would never forget - one of the VIP spectators sections of the Serpent in Magnimar. Not because of what he witnessed in the Serpent, but because this was where he first met Alika, a moment he could never forget. Well... not unless a Runelord starts mucking around with time itself and results in a timeline where Alika was never born. That got Theo's blood boiling again as he remembered what Alaznist had done.
The illusion faded almost as soon as he recognised it. Which came as something of a relief - whatever illusory nonsense that was set to do would have just angered him further.
As it stood, he simply recast his spell resistance and let a pair of large golden wings form from his back. Not a full dragon transformation, but an easy way to get airborne.
Rudrik is taken for a moment with the transition. His parents’ home, back in the Cove, a cloudy day. The junk wagon out front, visible through the window with damaged wooden shutters. Dim light inside; a family of half-orcs can see without much light. The worn-out couch in the living room, with the colorful throw on it. The thing that really sells the illusion is the smells. His mother’s cooking, the scent of garlic and sausages.
He looks out the slatted window toward the street. The day he went down to the waterfront on a whim. The day he met Nime.
An illusion - a memory. But he has plenty of those. They’re working on the future.
As soon as you step a few feet away from the demiplane's entrance, a towering creature appears in front of you. It appears to be Belimarius herslef, only at a staggering height of 50 feet! She roars in fury, crying out in Thassilonian, “No! None shall intrude upon my home! You are not welcome here!”
Those who have seen through the illusion see the creature for what it really is--a towering skeletal creature sheathed in crackling bolts of purple lightning and wearing a jagged headdress of bone. Strange gasses cling to its nightmarish form.
Tzitzimitls resist weapons except for magic bludgeoning ones. They are immune to cold and electricity and resist fire and spells. They can convert positive energy into negative energy and fire beams of electricity and force from their eyes, and they wield powerful magic, including the ability to use wail of the banshee!
Metamagic rod in hand, Theo reflexively called up the flames.
"Sun Eaters!" Shenuska's invisible voice calls. She doesn't offer any more information however.
"Oh, they smell so good," Nime exclaims as the illusory images take her back to Sandpoint. The small shop. There he is, bringing a tray of freshly baked cherry tarts from the back.
"But we have more pressing matters than reliving wonderful memories," she says out loud and the sensations vanish like mist.
"Don't use lightning on them, it just tickles. It takes a lot for fire to hurt them as well. I remember hearing a story about someone fighting one with an enchanted club."
Wielding the blade of Altruism, Rudrik figures he's going to take a few hits before he gets in close, but he tries anyway. He moves around one of the pillars, leaping and tumbling as he goes (which is quite a sight in full adamantine plate armor). Sadly he can't move quickly enough to guarantee a flanking position with Calendula, but it's a start.
Calendula's blood boils at the sight of the Sun Eater. Taking a step forth, she invokes the name of Iomedae and throws her arms out to strike!
Theodric spell fails to affect the monster due to its spell resistance. It swipes at Rudrik and Calendula as they move to surround it, slicing the paladin and shocking her with the energy around its claw. Rudrik slices it in the back of the leg, then Calendula drives her holy blade into its chest, badly damaging it!
The creature reaches out for one of the pillars of pulsing light, the emerald energy infusing its body with negative power and healing a large portion of its wounds. Its eyes blaze with energy as it fires crackling beams at Calendula, blasting her with electric force!
"Only way forward is through," mutters Rudrik as he smashes Tannaris into the skeleton again with a heavy blow, trying to undo the repairs that it did with its draw upon the magical energies of the pillar.
Calendula winces but runs a hand over her burns, healing the majority of them. She moves into a flanking position with Rudrik, opening herself to an attack once more, before throwing another powerful, heaven-sent blow.
Shenuska gestures and a barrier of whirling blades appears between the Sun Eater and the next pillar.
"Yes, see? Electricity!" Nime calls out. A prayer of protection follows.
Having heard Nime's comment about an enchanted club, Theo called up a spell he'd worked out a little while back but never had a chance to use.
Ethereal flames formed into an orb between Theo and the creature, an orb that shifted into a more detailed shape resembling a mighty dragon's paw. Theo knew the claws were nowhere near as sharp as they looked, but right now that was probably working in his favour. And as soon as its form solidified, it raced forward to strike the giant skeleton.
The fist's strike was quickly followed by a blast of raw sonic force, aimed carefully to avoid hitting his friends.
Theodric's fist of force smashes into the towering skeleton, fragmenting bone. His shout proves ineffective against the undead's spell resistance. Both Rudrik and Calendula land devastating blows again, leaving the creature severely damaged.
Despite this, the monster rips into Calendula with its teeth and claws, though Nime's magic protects her from the electric gases surrounding its body.