Alessandra Filosovici's page

"Amnayel." The voice comes out of nowhere as the paladin relaxes after her devotions. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Amnayel doesn't often hear voices in her head, so when she's interrupted by a familiar sound that she can't place a first, she looks around for the source. Finding none, she calls out "It is I. Who goes there?"

"Sorry. I still forget about that." A figure appears in front of the naked paladin, a dark silhouette outlined in vivid white fire. As Amnayel instinctively shields her eyes the light dims and Alessandra appears, looking almost exactly as Amnayel last saw her. "Hey Amny." The dhampir says, smiling. "You're as beautiful as ever."

Amnayel is not alarmed by her current state of dress of course, slowly rising to her feet as the light diminishes. ”Alessandra? What-" she stammers, looking at her wide-eyed. Her amazement fades and turns into a frown, moving her hands to her hips and looking around. She declares sternly "Who dares to play such cruel jokes on me? Reveal yourself at once and apologize or you will regret it!"

"There are much crueler jokes I could play if I wanted." Allie replies. "But allow me one question, please. How do you know Arshea? What did she do to convince you of her existence and her power? How did she earn the devotion of a beauty like you?"

"You live?" Amnayel asks, bewildered. "How? You did not return when Gabriella and I did? Three months I waited. Yet. You are here now? How? It matters not!" Forgetting her question, the paladin rushes towards the woman to throw her arms around her in a tremendous hug.

"It wasn't my choice." Allie replies from within the hug. "I... couldn't come back any earlier. I'm not who I was before Amny. I'm more - much more." She reaches up and presses her lips to the paladin's. The kiss imparts more than just feelings, a vast flood of memory and sensation rushes through Amnayel's mind, straining the corners of her psyche for a moment before it retreats as quickly as it came.

When Amnayel returns to her body she's flat on the floor with Allie crouched over her. "Now you understand." The goddess says, no question in her voice.

Amnayel blinks twice, slowly rising to her feet. She stares at Alessandra for a moment before nodding in ascent, "I. I do." She shakes her head slowly back and forth and says, "I do not know what to say. I am thrilled to have you here, alive, but yet, you are not. I... I am in awe of you." she finally admits, searching for the right words.

"You don't have to say anything." Allie replies crossing her legs and floating about two feet off the floor as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "But I came here to ask you something. If you could see your sister again, would you want to?”

Amnayel gasps, her eyes opening violently. Her right hand goes to her mouth to cover it and stop whatever words she would speak from ever becoming vocalized. The paladin does not know how to respond to this and simply stares at Alessandra, but truth be told, she's staring past her as her mind tries to process what she was just told. As her heart pounds in her chest, she looks upwards to the heavens and says softly "If this is a test, I am failing." before letting her gaze fall to her lap.

"It is not a test Amnayel – but a gift." Alessandra replies with a smile. "It is forbidden, but I am forbidden love so who can gainsay me? Now show me your sword."

When the paladin complies the goddess hold the blade gently in one hand. "Laiayel has never left you Amny. She's always been with you, lending you her strength when you needed it. I can't bring her back, she has received her final rest and true reward, but I can help you both to do this much." From the sword rises a shimmering golden form, seemingly made of tiny weaves of light. Laiayel grasps her sister in an intangible embrace which has no physical form but fills Amny with warmth and comfort none the less.

"This is my gift." Allie says, "Love is not to be denied, no matter what the world says of it. Take your time together, I will return tomorrow."

Tears explode from Amnayel's eyes as she begins trembling. "Laiayel!" she cries out, letting the warmth of her sister fill her body. She collapses to the ground, clutching the blade against her chest, letting it rest against her skin. Something between cries of joy and moans of ectasy come from her body as her mind tries to process everything that is going on. She lies there for an unknown time and she finally opens her eyes, Alessandra is gone.

Alessandra reappears the next evening as promised. It appears that being a deity has improved her sense of timekeeping. "I'm glad you two have been so happy together." She says with a smile. "She'll always be able to come and see you now.”

Amnayel's smile is heavenly. She stands and walks to Alessandara to embrace her. Resting her head on her shoulder, she inhales a deep breath while keeping her arms wrapped around her. "I can't thank you enough, there are no words."

"You don't have to. This is what I do now." Alessandra replies, pressing a kiss into Amnayel's hair. "I'm just glad that I've been able to do it for you - more than anyone else I know you deserve it. Live well Amanyel and if you ever need me, well..." The dhampir grins as light blossoms around her. "A prayer will always find me."

Amnayel breathes a sigh of relief and gratitude at Allie's words. "Thank you, Alessandra. Your gift means more to me than anything. If you had told me today that I could only keep her by swearing to you and giving up Arshea, well..." She lowers her head and doesn't actually say the second half of the statement, either due to the fact that she would have been willing to give up Arshea for her sister or some other unspoken matter.

After raising her head she smiles and says "Thank you. Likewise. Should you ever need of me, I will come." She moves forward and places both hands on Allie's cheeks, connecting their lips for one final kiss goodbye. "Give my love to Gabriella."

Months later, as the Radiant Festival is in full swing Gabbi finally musters the courage to go back to the Tyrant's Grasp. As much as anything else it is an attempt to get peace and quiet, away from the overwhelming hustle and bustle of the festival - which is totally at odds with her dour mood. Standing as near as she can to the epicenter of the blast, which remains hand free she notes idly, she feels... something. Like a familiar hand on her shoulder.

The dhampir looks around wistfully.

"Sometimes it almost feels like you're still here - still next to me," she says. "I don't know what to do now. I don't know how to go on without you." Her voice grows quieter. "Is this the end of my road?"

"I hope not." A familiar voice replies. "I'd hate to think I clawed my way back here for nothing."

Spinning around Gabbi is confronted by a strange sight - a silhouette, outlined in white fire and filled with impenetrable darkness. The contrast is strong enough to eliminate any features, but the inquisitor knows instinctively that it is her sister is standing before her.

Choking back the emotion that threatens to overwhelm her and still not convinced that this isn't some sort of delusion brought on by grief, Gabbi takes a half step towards the figure. "What did you do? How are you here? Are you really here?"

"Of course I am." The figure replies, opening its arms. Her embrace is warm and solid and by the time Gabbi looks up again her sister's face is smiling at here. It's subtly different now - there's a certain ethereal quality to her skin and her features, which were always beautiful have taken on a strange level of perfection, but it is still Allie. "I am so, so sorry Gabbi. So sorry. I never thought... I... I never knew that I'd be leaving you alone so long."

The fact that her sister is here, holdable, touchable, present, seems to unleash a well of emotion within Gabbi and for many minutes she's lost in sobs as she holds Allie to her as if never intending to let her go. "W-where did you go? What h-happened?" she finally manages as the initial wave of feelings begins to slowly recede. She wipes at her eyes and nose, the occasional hiccup still shaking her.

"They got your statue wrong," she adds in a small voice.

"Wait? What?" Allie asks. "I got a statue and they did it wrong? I have to see this!"

The world dissolves around them both and in the blink of an eye the square in Absalom reappears.

"Wow!" Allie says, examining the statue. "They really didn't get it right did they? We should fix that!" She makes a wiping gesture and then the statue changes. Suddenly the three women are standing back-to-back, sword, longbow and staff raised in defiance of their foes. The statues are also incredibly lifelike, as though the heroes themselves simply froze in place.

"Much better." Allie says with a grin, "Shall we walk?"

As they walk it becomes ever more clear that Allie has been changed. In the light of the streets she practically glows with supressed radiance and the few times they pass into shadow she disappears from sight completely, only the warm pressure of her hand remains to reassure Gabbi that her sister is still present. At their slow speed it takes a few minutes before the twins soon find themselves standing across the square from the Starstone Cathedral.

"You have questions." Allie says gently. "This is probably the best place to ask them."

"I already asked them and you haven't answered yet," Gabbi replies, some of her snark slowly beginning to return. "Where have you been and what happened to you?"

Allie grins at her sister and points to the cathedral's huge expanse. "What's in the middle of that thing?" She asks. "And what happens when you touch it?"

Gabbi's eyes narrow and she turns to the cathedral. "What does the starstone have to do with anything? You weren't here; you were with me facing Tar Baphon." She turns back. "I still don't understand."

Allie grins, a wild smile of delight and suddenly she and Gabbi are standing in darkness. Below them sits a vast green and blue sphere, speckled with mountains and covered with racing clouds and all around them twinkle infinite lights in the velvet darkness. "I became a god Gabbi." Allie says, matter-of-factly. "Well, goddess if you want to be picky."

"How? When?" Gabbi demands, focusing on her questions more than the swirling wonder below her. Fear and doubt begin to cloud her face. "Does ... does this mean you're going to leave me again?" More tears threaten to fall.

"Never!" Allie replies, absolute conviction in her tone. Up here, thousands of miles above Golarion her form has shifted and is once again a black silhouette outlined in white fire. She grasps her sisters hand and Absalom reappears around them once more. Allie is standing at about eight feet tall, glowing like the sun and no-one pays her any attention at all.

"They can't see me." She says, answering the question that Gabbi had barely formed in her mind. "They don't see me because they don't know me, don't believe in me. That's why gods have churches and priests - deific power depends on followers. That's how I came back Gabbi, because of you." She lets out a long sigh. "Do you remember the conversation I had with Ulrich before everything? The one about immortality.” She gives a wry grin. ”You know I've always been an overachiever and, well I had an idea, a stupid, mad idea. Just as the Radiant Fire hit I opened a portal to the Negative Energy Plane. I hurled limitless energy at the power of four gods and then stood right in the middle." She gives another wry smile. "Like I said, stupid. But it worked Gabbi - I have more power than..." She searches for a word for a few moments and then just gives up. "But it burned me away. I wasn't a person any more – just a vessel, full of primordial power. You saved me Gabbi - I could feel you, hear you calling out for me and I just had to come back, even when I didn’t know what I was, didn’t remember you – I still knew I had to come. And then the closer I got you the more I became me. I remembered who I was, I took hold of the power inside me and bent it to my will. I became a goddess, a power beyond the mortal realms, because I had one believer. Just one person who would never, ever give up on me." Allie is back in her 'human' form now, crying droplets of pure light which leave black trails down her cheeks.

"I'd be nothing without you Gabbi. Nothing." She drops to one knee and takes her sisters hand. "I love you Gabriella Filosovici. You are my heart, my soul and the reason for my being. So I want to ask you, will you be mine? Now and forever? Will you be my Herald?"

”I will be whatever I need to be to be next to you, always," Gabbi replies, bringing the hand - and consequently her sister - up to kiss it. "Be it herald, companion, or jester." She gives a small shake of her head as she considers that idea. "Scratch the last one - I don't know any jokes." Progressing from the hand, she draws her twin in as if to kiss her but holds back at the last moment. "Whatever you want me to be, just ask."

"Mine. That's all I ask." Allie replies, pulling her sister the last few inches and into her arms.

It is, by far, the best kiss Gabbi has ever had. Her entire body tingles as though she is being suffused with life and power. It is also an impossibly long kiss, time stretching into infinity as the twins hold each other closer than they ever have before. By the time they break away Allie has lost her human form once more but as Gabbi stares into the darkness that is her sister she can see her. A smile in the dark, the flickering wink which Allie always gives when she's pleased with something.

A light clap interrupts their moment and the twins look around to see a pair of minkian looking men applauding them. Allie gives a wave and both men blush and give formal bows before walking away, hand in hand.

"I think you just found me two new followers." Allie says, satisfaction oozing from her tone. "I told Pharasma you'd chose me. Had to play the 'free will' card and everything when I asked if I could have you – it’s the done thing apparently." She grins widely. "But we’re together now and I need your help. I don't have a realm yet and there are some wonderfully promising places if we can just clear them out - but I thought we might do one thing first." She holds up one hand and through a ring of light and shadow Gabbi can see a graceful figure, crouched over a young woman. As though he realises someone is watching the figure looks up, his bloody fangs clearly visible.

"Now I can't interfere directly with mortals." Allie says. "It's in the rules, but my Herald can and I can watch. So I thought we'd go and visit Dad... if you want to?"

It only takes Gabbi a moment to comprehend what her sister is showing her. She nods once. "Just let me find a bow first and we'll go say 'Hello'." She considers something. "What are you a goddess of, exactly?"

"You know, I’m not entirely sure.” Allie replies. ”I’ve only been a goddess for… well, not long. I’m still figuring out what I am, but I do have at least one area of my own.” She points to the men, almost hidden on the far side of the square. ”Mei Rhen would be executed by his father if they found out about him and Shang Zhou, but they still love each other. That man over there,” She swings around to point to an ulfen man, dressed in furs and wearing a corslet of chain mail, ”He loves an ice witch, a relationship which forbidden by both their nations. I’m the goddess of love Gabbi. All the loves which people reject, which they tell you to hide away and never acknowledge. I’m the goddess of forbidden love." She says, her eyes still roaming the square. ”You see that girl?” She adds, gesturing to a young woman walking in the middle of a square of guards. ”She’s from one of the crime families here in Absalom. Her lover is from another family – they can’t be together without triggering a war. I’m her goddess, the one she turns to for help to see him again, even if she doesn’t know my name yet.” She looks at her sister with love overflowing in her eyes. ”As I said Gabbi, you made me what I am.”

The twins lips meet once again without conscious thought and it is another long time before they part again. ”But regardless of anything else I am a goddess,” Allie adds. "And I can absolutely provide my Herald with her weapon." She draws a gorgeous longbow from her back, where it hadn't been a moment before. The bow is pure white, with intricate shadow patterns chased down its length. The patterns shift in the light as Gabbi examines the weapon. "It'll provide arrows for you. I thought about ensuring that it would never miss, but where would the challenge be in that?" The twin-turned-goddess adds with a smile. "Now hold tight."

Fort: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25

Allie doubles over as the brightness hits - her undead nature warring with the sheer power of the Radiant Fire. One trembling hand grasps the scroll inside her coat and pulls it out as she gives a pained glance at her sister.

"I love you Gabbi." She manages, before collapsing to her knees with the scroll unrolling in front of her. She chokes out the few words between heaves and then catches her sister's eye one more time.

{I'm sorry.}

Behind her a thin tear opens in the fabric of the universe and pure darkness spills out, engulfing Allie in its embrace even as the light crashes over them all.

Allie thumps herself on the chest with her staff and grits her teeth as negative energy closes all her wounds in a single painful burst.

Harm out of the staff.

Allie casts another spell as her sister annihilates the demon, speeding her party.

Blessing of Fervor, staying next to Gabbi inside the anti-arcane dome!

"Just shoot now Gabbi, leave the casting to me." Allie places a hand on her sister's shoulder and casts Source Severance, channeling the magic into Gabbi rather than accepting it herself.

Gabbi now has a 5ft radius emanation that acts as an anti-magic field to arcane magic only and abilities from classes that grant arcane spellcasting. If she wants to cast again she has to make concentration DC20 + 2xspell level.

"Irritating prick!" Allie says with a growl.

Still the healer, so going to wait for the rest of you to act.

With Amny stepping in Allie is free to attempt to trap the demon inside her beautiful kimono.

SR: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22

Allie finds herself caught in two minds, but in the end there is only one thing she can do. Gabbi comes first - always. She grabs her sisters hand and pumps them both full of negative energy.

Mass Inflict Critical Wounds: 4d8 + 18 ⇒ (6, 8, 6, 1) + 18 = 39

SR vs Demon: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23

Targeting herself, Gabbi and the demon.

Fort: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18
Twin Reroll: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35
Ref: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26

Allie, through sheer determination and no small amount of luck, resists both spells although it nearly kills her...

"We do have something..." Allie says, "But I wouldn't define it as a weapon exactly. If we can frustrate the Tyrant enough that he uses the Radiant Fire then we can turn it back upon him, which should destroy him completely. Hence all the grandstanding we've been doing - it has to be the Fire specifically, nothing else will work."

"Just what we wanted." Allie replies with a smile.

"It rubs it in all the better..." Allie says, looking for agreement from her sister before she hands the horns over.

"Is it just me, or does he have a REALLY SMALL HEAD?" Allie yells, holding up the horns.

Which are promptly hidden in an extradimensional bag the moment Gabbi is done mocking the Tyrant. Allie isn't a fool and this is a ridiculously powerful item that the Tyrant no longer has access too - that's a big win and not to be squandered!

Allie reaches for her sister and pulls the pain into her own body instead, then seeing Amnayel almost dead on her feet she steps sideways and infuses the paladin with pure life sparing some to lash out at the gallowdead above.

Immediate Action use Take the Hit to take half the damage from the first bite. Then Mass Heal Amny and the gallowdead. 180HP each.

Allie casts another bevy of spells before Gildais teleports them

Everyone gets blessing of fervor and bless, Gabbi gets divine power.

Allie winks back at her sister and also casts a spell, surrounding her sister, herself and Amnayel with a dome that glows briefly gold.

Source Severance, tuned to Arcane.

"Gabbi's up!" Allie says with a smile.

Divine Power.

Allie winces but then smiles to see her sister just fine.

"Well I think that worked!" She says. "Maybe a couple more wards up next time..."

"I don't even know why we bothered!" Allie yells, "What a waste of time. He may be the Whispering Tyrant but I'll shout about this victory all day!"

Take 10 on Bluff for 31.

She hops up onto the mount of corpses and plants the flag of Absalom on the peak.

"Let's see how he likes that."

Allie stays right next to her sister, not entirely sure what she can do against a construct with an anti-magic field.

"You can't and you won't." Allie replies, letting her hand rest on her sister's cheek for a moment. "I love you."

"What do you think will annoy him more, defeating the thing or the fact that it isn't even going to be hard?" Allie asks lightly. "You can take it down, right sis?"

Despite her casual words Allie is going to ensure that Gabbi is bolstered to the nines before the battle begins...

Divine Power, Bless, Blessing of Fervor, Protection from Evil.

"Annoy the Tyrant into doing something stupid? I think we can manage that!" Allie says with a grin. "I'll need a lot of diamond dust though - we have considerable goods we can exchange for it though, Absalom will not be worse off."

"So," She continues once the negotiations are done. "Where shall we be heading first? Any thoughts?"

"Evil really is stupid..." Allie says in a tone of surprise. "I never thought it was actually as true as the stories - but if anything they're worse! Oh well. Ready to head to the big city girls?"

Assuming everyone else agrees Allie leads the way into the circle, apparently without a care in the world.

Once we've checked for loot of course!

Allie targets a vampire with the power of sunlight!

SL: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31 Damage: 10d8 ⇒ (5, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 3, 7, 5, 6) = 61

"You know, villains really are annoyingly predictable." Allie says with a sigh, infusing her sister with divine power.

"Then she will not live to regret it." Allie says with a smile. "Gabbi doesn't like people double crossing her."

"Absolutely. We need to go back to Lysandria and see if she's going to hold to her promise..." Allie agrees. "Then Absalom and the Tyrant..."

"You do know I'd have done that for you?" Allie asks, and it's hard to know if she's trying to raise the tone or not. "And you'll always have me. Wolf form and all!" That does appear to be a joke. When dismissed she leaves, simply pressing a kiss to her sister's forehead, but she lingers just inside the doorway - exactly as Gabbi knew she would.

Allie doesn't think anything of it either, until Gabbi picks up the picture. No normal person would be able to read the minute creasing at the corners of the inquisitor's eyes, or the slight flutter of her nostrils as she draws breath - but to her twin, to the other half of her soul... the signs are obvious. Screaming even.

Allie curses slightly and shoots a look at Rascal. "Sorry folks, I need to take Rascal outside for a few minutes." She takes Gabbi's hand and doesn't allow her sister any say in the matter, simply dragging her out of the keep and out in the pale light. She gives Rascal a good scratch as a reward for playing along and then sits down on a large stone and pulls Gabbi into her lap to hold her.

"It's not your fault." She says quietly, knowing exactly where Gabbi's thoughts are going - her sister has always been most judgmental with herself. "He always makes his own choices."

"We've dealt with all the leaders, and the most likely replacement." Allie says to the group at large, glancing at Gildais for confirmation. "I say we rest here. We don't want Lysandria to turn on us and be less than prepared."

She squeezes Gabbi's hand without saying anything - no one needs to know that she's doing this purely for her sister's benefit.

"You don't get many divine liches." Allie replies, still sounding rather absent minded. "I could imagine a lich having this made for him though."

Allie starts prodding her sister in the side. "And don't scare me like that! I don't like hurting you but you can't just fall down like that!" The undertone of worry that always present when Gabbi gets hurt is plain in her voice.

Then she goes over claims the staff and the scroll and spends some time examining both carefully. "Never seen something like this before." She says eventually.

"Oh stop it!" Allie says sharply, although it's not clear who she's talking to.

Harm and give her the bow again. Allie isn't going to bother standing up...

Allie swears, drops to her knee next to her sister and pumps her full of enough negative energy to slay almost any living being.

Harm, 170HP back to Gabbi - but it hurts.

"Shame." Allie says, making Gabbi just that little bit faster. And everyone else too.

Blessing of Fervor.

"How do you feel about shooting a golem before it's ready?" Allie asks her sister with a grin. Assuming she agrees Allie will part the curtain and let her sister do exactly that.

"We are seeking out a lich in order to end his existence." Allie says. "It may well be the same one you seek. Is your captor nearby?"

"Here to stop the Whispering Tyrant's reinforcements." Allie replies, not answering the question. "How about you?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (4) + 26 = 30

Somehow she manages to do so with at least a modicum of charm.

"Oh come on." Allie says with a sigh. "You haven't actually done anything!"

She summons a column of fire down on the woman and sighs again in disapproval.

Flame Strike: 15d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 6, 4, 4, 1, 3, 5, 4, 3, 4, 1, 1, 1, 3) = 47

"They just get more and more deluded..." Allie says with a sigh, empowering her sister once more. "Amny, promise you'll never be like her? You're far to pretty for us to kill."

Divine Power on Gabbi.

Allie backs out of the room and starts looking for a way to block the door.

"Let's not go back there unless we have to." She suggests.

"Let's work round logically." Allie suggests since there are an absolute barrage of options.

Work around from left to right, so top of the map round to bottom.

"The demilich." Allie replies. "And there's still that Cato woman around. I think we'll have to take her down as well to make sure she doesn't try and take over in turn. Then that should just leave Liar the daughter of Urgathoa. Let's move on."

Clear whole dungeon in under an hour - that would be something!

Amnayel looks to not-Kamosh and nods, "I concur with this assessment.", moving to the front and readying her blade for any trickery or aggression. Still, she holds her attack while the others converse.

"If he left you here then its because he doesn't care about you any more." Allie says bluntly. "We're here to defeat him and his plans. Unless you want to die. In which case my girls here will be happy to oblige - but I would much rather have a living ally than slay you for the sake of your own ego."

She turns to Kamosh. "Because I say so!" She replies firmly. "Undead that serve the tyrant die, those that might fight against him are worthwhile allies, for the time being at least!"

"I'm quite capable of touching myself, thank you," Gabbi says with a smirk towards the paladin.

"Aww, but I like touching you." Allie replies with a smirk of her own. She plants a kiss on her sister's cheek, even though no healing magic is required.

==========
"Why not end it as a hero?" Allie counters. "Fight with us against him, and maybe your story will end - but it will end with a ending that is worthwhile, and that is what matters."

Ref: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 381d20 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 20 = 31 So 40 total.

Allie easily avoids the worst of the lightning and claps her hand onto her sister's shoulder to infuse her with Divine Power.

+4 to everything you care about sis ;) Good practise for Allie's new tactics of "keep Gabbi safe while everything else dies!"

She incants a swift spell and surrounds herself and the group with a glowing silver hemisphere. Undeath Ward

"No thank you." She replies to the alchemist from inside the dome with a smile. "I wouldn't trust you enough to drink whatever you made even if we did help you! All yours Gabbi."