The Maker of War

[whitesword]

After you have returned and recovered, the items have been identified and await you distributing them, Ellic gives a report.

"All of the information you brought back is valuable, thank you for your efforts.  I know that we lost Mallory, but until right before you went, it was not an asset we had.  What we gained from Sernene and hopefully the rest of Cheadsolas could be a great asset.

Before, I used a chess analogy, so again; we have moved our bishop into play, and to counter our move they were forced to reveal a rook.  The winged fey creature is known as Zat.  It is the only one of its kind of real power on Habololy.  It came from the Gremliv Jungles, likely to join the fey on this battle.  It has been around since before the Doggeden War, but other than that I know little of it specifically.

The grey skinned Unseelie fey is not of Habololy, at least regularly.  Legends talk of him arriving in times of strife.  His name in Skaeshin the Maker of War.  He is a Shardakai fey.  The symbols on his body that you described are the symbol of a cult deity mostly unknown here, Maab, queen of the Unseelie."

Tali, who is present for this conversation, but has mostly been absent in the past several weeks, chimes in, "Maab has never been able to hold sway over much of the forest, but the cutting off of the Beastlands and the swing towards unseelie has been concerning to me that she might gain more influence.  Skaeshin is her best move towards influence.  Luckily, other forces of the forest that are remaining neutral in this war will not in keeping her at bay.  They are on alert for her clerics and I am confident that as long as we can defeat Skaesin, she will not become a factor."

Ajax sighs. "Maab is very dangerous. She is not a power of the Beastlands and her agents will likely be at full strength here. The goodly powers believe she may have engineered the crisis with the Beastlands and almost certainly tried to have Lord Arishimoto and his allies kidnapped in the Outlands. The longer this conflict drags on the greater the risk to all of Habololy from the anger of the outer planar powers. Stronmus has declared war against Tyrogatore and placed a substantial bounty on the heads of his clerics and champions."

[Valdis]

Sernene does return to Cheadsolas, but she requests someone travel with her for protection.  Any volunteers?

Grant will accompany her

[Asinjin]

Grant will accompany her

She seems happy with that, and thinks that will be enough.  I will email to Grant what you find at the town.

[Hero]

After you have returned and recovered, the items have been identified and await you distributing them, Ellic gives a report.

I will use none of those items. Put them to good use in the war effort.

[Hero]

I know that we lost Mallory, but until right before you went, it was not an asset we had.  What we gained from Sernene and hopefully the rest of Cheadsolas could be a great asset.

I can locate him on the Shadow Plane, which means we can go there to rescue him. I will not let a revered cleric of one of the Creators suffer as a prisoner of the dark fey.

[Hero]

The grey skinned Unseelie fey is not of Habololy, at least regularly.  Legends talk of him arriving in times of strife.  His name in Skaeshin the Maker of War.  He is a Shardakai fey.  The symbols on his body that you described are the symbol of a cult deity mostly unknown here, Maab, queen of the Unseelie."

What is a "shardakai" fey?

[Asinjin]

What is a "shardakai" fey?

"A type of fey, like a pixie or a sprite is a type of fey.  They are unseelie." Ellic responds

[Asinjin]

I can locate him on the Shadow Plane, which means we can go there to rescue him. I will not let a revered cleric of one of the Creators suffer as a prisoner of the dark fey.

Ellic says, "I will plan a rescue."

[Hero]

Tali, who is present for this conversation, but has mostly been absent in the past several weeks, chimes in, "Maab has never been able to hold sway over much of the forest, but the cutting off of the Beastlands and the swing towards unseelie has been concerning to me that she might gain more influence.  Skaeshin is her best move towards influence.  Luckily, other forces of the forest that are remaining neutral in this war will not in keeping her at bay.  They are on alert for her clerics and I am confident that as long as we can defeat Skaesin, she will not become a factor."

Perhaps we can put out a call for aid to the religions of the Council deities to combat this new threat? This war is being used as a platform by 2 vile cults to gain influence on Habololy. The faiths of the Oldest Orc, Han~Sui, Dedestroyt...many should find this situation concerning enough to act. Ellic, have you contacted any of the relevant heads of clergy?

[Hero]

What religions stand to lose power if Maab gains influence here? Perhaps we can find allies in Maab's enemies or competitors.

[whitesword]

Ellic says, "I will plan a rescue."

Ajax looks far more concerned than any of you have ever seen. "A journey to the Plane of Shadow is almost certainly one that will end in your death. The plane cannot abide the presence of life and in the course of only a few days you will become a shade or simply die. Worse your soul may be trapped there for eternity. In that place Nilas'Anor's servants are imprisoned and can still access his power.  If you fall there none of our powers can rescue you. Only one of celestial nature such as Solaris, servant of Hemator or Escalon the Arrow or myself could perish and return to the upper planes.  It is strange that they would take the cleric there, for they would have to expend considerable energy just to keep him alive. "

[whitesword]

What religions stand to lose power if Maab gains influence here? Perhaps we can find allies in Maab's enemies or competitors.

Maab would be a rival of Compture above all others but also Lakius. Her title is "Queen of Air and Darkness". Many evil lycanthropes worship her so Dresta would not welcome her either.

[Asinjin]

Ajax looks far more concerned than any of you have ever seen. "A journey to the Plane of Shadow is almost certainly one that will end in your death. The plane cannot abide the presence of life a sin the course of only a few days you will become a shade or simply die. Worse your soul may be trapped there for eternity. In that place Nilas'Anor's servants are imprisoned and can still access his power.  If you fall there none of our powers can rescue you. Only one of celestial nature such as Solaris, servant of Hemator or Escalon the Arrow or myself could perish and return to the upper planes.  It is strange that they would take the cleric there, for they would have to expend considerable energy just to keep him alive. "

Ellic says, "If you are right, then we will not make the attempt.  While I want him rescued, we cannot sacrifice ourselves in a attempt.  Perhaps they sent him there to die to prevent his return from death."

[Asinjin]

Perhaps we can put out a call for aid to the religions of the Council deities to combat this new threat? This war is being used as a platform by 2 vile cults to gain influence on Habololy. The faiths of the Oldest Orc, Han~Sui, Dedestroyt...many should find this situation concerning enough to act. Ellic, have you contacted any of the relevant heads of clergy?

"Grovetender Lastelm will not join either side of the war and has left it to the local grovetenders to decide which side if either they will join.  It would take Scalehome ending lives on a large scale for him to join.

The faith of Dedestroyt would not join a war as a whole, but they are already involved as individuals...mostly on our side.

The Oldest Orc?  Are you trying to make a joke?

Treetop will not fight against Fey and creatures of the forest.

The dwarves of Smofarf have no interest and are too far removed.

Han~Sui has no army, and his clerics have as much allegiance to the nations they belong to to leave.

But to answer your question, I have looked into contacting the religions.  None have responded helpfully.  Our best allies all already here.  Stasis and Tyrogatore.  Tfop sent us Claude for a time and if the pirate war was not engulfing them, they would send more aid."

[Asinjin]

Maab would be a rival of Compture above all others but also Lakius. Her title is "Queen of Air and Darkness". Many evil lycanthropes worship her so Dresta would not welcome her either.

Ellic says, "That is good to know.  There are residents of the forest that are out to stop her.  While they are not our allies or enemies as it pertains to the war with Scalehome, they are certainly out there making sure Maab does not gain a foothold.  What Ajax says gives me more hope that she will not gain ground.  If already agents of good thwart her, adding to that the followers of Dresta and Compture should make it near impossible.  That said, Compture has long had a presence in the forest, I will send out messengers to make sure the religion knows to look out for Maab."