Ebeli Quest: How to Manage your Plot Devices and Save Creation

[X]Meet up with Sky and the others to find out if Hunhow's still in the Pole of Crystal.


"So, what you're saying is that there was a death curse added to the Exaltations by the dying Primordials that caused erratic behavior?"

You shrug. "That's what Lytek said. Honestly, I think the Solars of the First Age were assholes. I mean, there was Wyldhand, where they dropped a continent into the Wyld to see what would happen."

The facet adamant eyes stare at you for long moments.

"And that is wrong." There is a long pause from Autochthon. Shell glances sidelong at you, then back to her god. "Yes. That is wrong. Apologies, but I am still...attempting to understand mortal perspective."

You can already tell that he is considering what would happen if he dropped the Pole of Metal into the Wyld. Or maybe just one of the countries of the Octet. "Anyway, you'll get better at it," you say with a smile and perhaps too loudly, "You have us to learn from!"

Shell coughs suspiciously.

You feel the dome retract, and the wind hits you. Looking out over the front mandible of the immense adamant construct, you see the smoke in the distance. No, not distance as in far away, but far beneath.

"How high up are we?" you ask.

There is no answer. Instead, the sphere you rode on returns to Elsewhere and you descend on glowing adamant platforms down to the others, hopping off as you reach the ground and leaping into your husband's arms, pecking him on the lips.

"So I see you were successful," he says.

Quorum begins to kneel, but Shell shakes her head, walking a step behind the encounter suit. "So, introductions. Sky, Gaist, Quorum. This is the Great Maker, Autochthon."

"We've met," Autochthon responds, nodding at Gaist. Gaist grunts and nods in greeting. You blink, then remember how Dragon Kings work.

"You. Woke the Great Maker," Quorum says, her tone implying she does not believe what she just said.

You give the confused alchemical a thumbs up, and turn from her to the smoking, rotting ruins of Hunhow and the collapsed black spire. "So, is he dead?"

"No." Ray climbs out from the shambling meat mass, sliding off of one of the sword tentacles, "So we arrived here- after it shot down Quorum's colossus form- and he's ranting about how we were 'dust in the cosmic wind' and Sky one-pumped-this-chump-"

Sky grins. You pat your husband on the hand.

"And we blew up good the spire here that was feeding the bad dreams."

One of Autochthon's eyes rotates. He waves a hand, and a ring of light forms in front of him.

"But I've gotten a look at 'Hunhow' and it's basically armor," Ray continues, sitting on one of the armor's swords, "So the actual core's run off by now. And I'm going to guess that he-" She gestures at the encounter suit. "Is the Great Maker?"

You nod. "Also, he's going to serve in my entourage for a year and a day."

Silence hangs over. Quorum sputters. "So let me get this straight," Sky asks, raising a hand, "You bound a Primordial."

You nod, smile almost Raksha-like.

Ray gives you two thumbs up. You know you're going to have to work out a timeshare.

A second ring of light surrounds the first. The two lock into place, and a mist flows over the field around you, over the corpse of Not-Hunhow, and things reverse. Shadowy images flicker and vanish.

(Int+Occult, 12 dice, +6 successes, 9 successes)

"Shadows of the Ancient Past?" you ask.

"Sorcery is based upon the workings of the Primordials, but yes. This is my seat of power, and I command that which is here, including what transpires."

The world rewinds. Shadowy figures rise. Before you, Hunhow, an echo of him floats. Around him orbit crystals, crimson growths giving them limbs in effigy of the human form. Around him lies the corpse of many a corrupted fix beetle.

Before him walk three figures- one male, one female, crystalline growths over their naked forms, their hair like fiber wire. The third is serpentine, larger, but smooth and translucent like glass.

"Who do you hunt, Blessed? Who threatens the world around you?"

The woman drops the twitching corpse of a gremlin beetle. "The Void," she says.

"Cut out the flesh and the disease remains," Hunhow says, "Someone has hidden the truth of the sickness from you. Someone has veiled the world from your eyes."

"Autochthon," the Serpent says.

Their eyes glow crimson. Flowing tendrils of black emerge from Hunhow, into their extended hands. "I give you the truth. The Great Maker does not love you. He dreams of another world."

The center of Hunhow opens. A heart of Wyld substance emerges and shatters, forming into three weapons. A lance for the woman. A sword for the man. A staff for the dragon.

"I speak of Creation. The home of the Maker, that he dreams of while this one wastes. A dream which we will take from him."

"Who are you?" the man asks.

The flesh giant no longer speaks. Instead, his voice comes from the weapons they now carry.

"I am Hunhow, Minister of Revelation. By your hand, reveal Creation's heart."

The images disappear, but the voice remains.

"By my edge, cleave it beating from its breast."

The mists part. Ligier steps forward, clearing his throat. "So, now that you're awake, I need points of repair that are most dire. As well cooperation from your machine spirits."

You give Ligier a questioning look. "The Blight Zones are one things, but general wear and tear are another. As well, I think this could be an opportunity to reexamine the aesthetic."

"Ku has been most proactive. He will assist you," Autochthon says, "And...aesthetic?"

"Industrial?" Ligier shrugs. There is a huff of steam from the encounter suit.

"Alert me before you change anything too drastically." Ligier bows, and turns to you.

"Sorcerer, I will be directing repairs here. Please alert me before you go to Malfeas, however. Especially if you do so with Ruvelia and the Great Maker."

"Of course." You turn from the demon to the primordial. "So, Hunhow has enthralled Alchemicals. He wants to...despoil? Destroy? Creation?"

"Minister of Revelation. Even accounting for the transgressive nature of the Voidcancer, I do not believe he is one of the Divine Ministers. Rather a subsoul of a consumed Primordial."

(Int+Occult, 15 dice, 9 successes)

"Which means we can find him. By finding who his counterpart is, and using that as an arcane link."

You grin. Solving problems with demons. You liiiiiike that. But, how will you figure this out?

[ ]Head back to your Manse. Research what you know. Minister of Revelation points to a few Third Circle Demons as being a counterpart, and you can narrow it down.

[ ]Head to Yu Shan. Hit the libraries there. Possibly also, say, see what happens when you walk in with The Great Maker although Luna may kick your ass.

[ ]Head to Malfeas and start hitting up requisite Third Circles to see who's Hunhow's counterpart. Also, bring Ligier and Ruvelia and some popcorn.

[ ]Write in.​