Interlude: The Star-Forge
The Encampment of the False Moon. A riotous whirl of sandstone facings and colored tents, teeming with moon-mad adventurers whose desperation and fearsome need for distraction have birthed one of the foulest dens of sin and iniquity to mar the Voyaging Realm. Among the vaudeville festivities and direst-hour purveyors of food and lodging lie those few mighty peddlers whose business is neither fare nor fortune but power itself.
Sigil and secret, objects of power or sentimental value to the Residents Within - these are their stock in trade, among them a cache of papers distributed by the Ministry of Information For the Inner Ring. Secured by supernatural locks and surrounded by guardian spirits, the contents of these bloodstained pages are known to few within the Encampment itself. Do the peddlers fear the loss of their prey, should the true sophistication of Inner Temple society be made known to them? Or are they merely content to hoard and bask in their hidden knowledge, lording it over the ignorant?
But the party was ignorant no more, for Aeira was able to secure these on a brief excursion to the Encampment. She made no attempts on the greater, more heavily guarded treasures within, noting that Lord Hunger seemed content with the current state of his panoply, and having no wish to call down mightier contingencies than she'd already provoked. Still, the lithe assassin made little secret of her satisfaction at having given her pursuers the slip, though she was shocked to find Hunger dissatisfied at the lack of enemies to subdue. The information within is neither complete nor entirely decipherable, but its contents are illuminating nonetheless, especially should Hunger wish to infiltrate the Temple in person. Though he will never be bound to obey their customs, still it is better to be aware of them, so that evasion is possible.
- The Star-Forges of Plerion -
CONFIDENTIAL - GRADE O-5 AND ABOVE ONLY
FOR DISSEMINATION TO OUTRIDERS PROMOTED TO MARSHALL-CLASS AND ABOVE
From the Sayings of Plerion:
Ignorance is no excuse for disobedience; nor liberty, for disorder.
Named for their long-deceased inventor, the Star Forges are crucial to the stability and prosperity of our regimented Inner Ring. The dome of blue that surrounds the Ring appears impenetrable to outsiders, but within you shall find it is near-wholly transparent, reflecting both daytime and evening sky in mirrored harmony, with night on the outside become day within.
You have likely long wondered at the purpose of the Star Forges whose auditory emissions are deflected into the Middle Ring. Crystallized possibility can be extracted from the stars of the False Heavens, tearing them from the nighttime sky to forge into numinous energy, which can then be repurposed for any number of applications. Empirical observation has long confirmed that extraction via star-forge is the most efficient and least unpleasant means of exploiting the priceless Treasure at the Heart of the Temple, though many have raised the obvious question: what happens when the stars run out?
To which the Council notes that the number of stars in the night sky is very nearly innumerable, and the current rate of extraction will see our civilization through for many millennia to follow, far beyond the circumscribed lifetime of any Inner Resident save the Immortals themselves. While the visible eye may not be able to perceive every star, our mighty astronomical arrays have indeed confirmed that the blanket of seeming darkness above is home to countless stars below the range of human perception.
Fewer, more heretical minds have proposed a different question - what if the Forges were turned to the harvest of the moon itself? The Council, as befits its dignity, has not seen fit to answer so ludicrous a query. Star-stuff suffices to power all but the most esoteric applications of Inner Ring society, from power and lighting to the time-twisting Calendar Engine and even the carefully regimented Dimensional Vortex upon which the Inner Ring sits.
Marshall, imbibe dutifully the information contained above, and take heed as to the tenor of questions that the Council will and will not countenance. Such is crucial to your harmonious existence within our Inner Ring.
- At Temple's Heart -
CONFIDENTIAL - GRADE O-7 AND ABOVE ONLY
FOR DISSEMINATION TO NATIVE-BORN RESIDENTS WITH AWAKENED SOUL EVOCATIONS OF MILITARY GRADE
From the Sayings of Plerion:
No False Moon is this, but the anchor of the world itself! Come now into mine grasp, that my descendants may flourish evermore.
It is well known that the Treasure at Temple's Heart is the source and guiding light of all magics practiced by its attendant civilization. As the vast majority of practitioners are Soul Evokers, an understandable confusion arises: will the Light of one's Soul itself be extinguished should the Treasure ever be depleted?
The answer is more complicated than a simple affirmation or negation would reveal. Rather, without the Treasure's empowering light, most Soul Evokers would be incapable of directly manifesting their own Light in so concrete a manner as they do nowadays, with all but the mightiest relegated to effective mundanity.
This would be only one of the many catastrophic consequences to follow if the Treasure were ever to depart its hallowed perch, but rest assured that its longevity as a power source is effectively infinite! That is why the treasure must be impenetrably defended, not only by the citizenry of the Temple, but by the Immortals of the Council themselves, whose imperishable might is the sole and necessary justification for their continuance beyond the prescribed lifespan of one thousand years.
Do not envy them their eternal vigilance, and mourn not your finite hours, for it is by their tireless regard that the Treasure which shelters us all is kept secure for the generations to come. Theirs is not a privilege but a duty, no reward but an onerous and ceaseless burden, which is why any Councilor elevated to the Rank of Immortal is stripped of all commissions and departmental roles, and their voting power further cut by half.
While Inner Ring residents benefit from regular exposure to the Treasure's directly refracted glow, Middle Temple outriders must make do with the second-hand light that emerges from their Sigils. The worthy are elevated to join us, but do not concern yourself with pity for the other residents of the Middle Temple. Existence itself is a boon to them who live beyond the prescribed ten million. They are defended in large part by our largesse, with a not-insignificant fraction of our star-stuff re-directed to power the Ritual Grounds.
- Ritual Grounds: Maintenance Report e79#CXXXXVI -
CONFIDENTIAL - GRADE C-3 AND ABOVE
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, HONORED COUNCILOR
MEMETIC CENSORSING ACTIVE (The third line is burned off and barely readable, replaced by a series of runes which glow like dull embers)
Groundskeeper Prelairn is missing in action, assumed slain at the nexus of a high-valence anomaly in Sector X. Forensics indicate magic-negating power of up to Class S was deployed at the epicenter, roughly five meters from the last recorded transmission of his Sigil. Tiller Wurm activity is substantially reduced in his absence; the Wurms are agitated for lack of their 'father.'
Knight formations have been disrupted in Sector X, presumably by the same Incursion which slew Prelairn. Preliminary divinations reveal cognitohazard status - Marshalls Farseer and Oracle were burned out, and Marshall Vicissitude slain, by the (assumed) entity's ontological perimeter. Further divinations are not recommended at this time. Speculated typing: S-type 35%, O-type 41%, X-type 11% (!), R-type 14%. NOTE: The irony that Sector X should produce the first potential X-type is not lost upon us. Given the defenses in place we can only speculate as to the apparent coincidental nature of this Incursion, but more deliberate machinations cannot be ruled out. Caution is recommended until further information becomes available.
UPDATE: Patrol activity in Sector X-M has revealed four Incursions of notable strength in this period, including two R-types and Fairbright. We now believe the chance of X-type incursion to be <.1%. For details, please reference patrol log c43#MMXI. Further information is beyond the scope of this report.
Given these and many lesser disruptions in Ritual activity, containment efficacy has fallen calamitously, down 8% in the last 72 hours. Recommend re-commissioning of Star Forge #27 to begin extraction of sub-quadrant F5 to compensate. We have informed the Chief Coordinator that incursion activity may spike as uncontained Power is released into the greater Outside. In light of this limited containment breach, termination or subversion of all major Incursions is the utmost priority. Recommend that High Marshalls Administrator, Capacitor and Wyvernford be elevated to Alert status. We again petition the Council to review the Immortal Deployment Act.
As always, time burns.
Your faithful servant,
Crowelenarch
---
The winner was
[X] Crimson Flare by a hair. This was a hotly contested vote and could easily have gone to any of the three options given the early turnout and high quantity of arguments made.
What was the focus of Aeira's training?
[ ] Stealth - The classic. The power to go undetected opens up enormous avenues of possibility for the enterprising operative. Improves survival rate during reconaissance, extraction, combat and many other missions. Improves the effectiveness of Vershlengorge's stealth cloak, and that of stealth cloaks given by Aeira to others. Does not substantially improve the resistance of Stealth cloaks to high-density blasts of Nullity. Grants +++Element Magnitude, ++Element Control, +++Agility, ++Wits.
Bonus:
None. Stealth is the default arrangement for Aeira.
[ ] Combat - The assassin. This involves not only direct martial expertise but all aspects of the killing arts, including a poisoner's expertise and the logistical peculiarities of infiltration and murder. With this specialty, her control over the raw physical component of her Element improves to the point where it's safe and relevant for her to contribute in combat as an ambush / buffing asset. Also improves her rate of growth overall, making it feasible for Aeira to keep up with Hunger if properly supported and invested in. Grants effective +Progression (Combat), +++Element Control, +++Agility, ++Might.
Bonus:
Antitoxin - Aeira's comprehensive understanding of Voyaging Realm-native plant life allows her to produce the cure to Hunger's damaged liver. Healing is slow, but even a first-stage treatment reduces all penalities (and amplified damage) by half.
[ ] Business - The support. Instead of focusing solely on her skills as a mercenary alone, Aeira studied the dismal science in an attempt to better understand and possibly extricate her family from its dismal situation. While this isn't immediately relevant, it would substantially improve her value to Letrizia as a magus-advisor in the Human Sphere, providing a form of long term income that isn't as vulnerable to abrupt termination as her current line of work. Grants +++Wisdom, ++Intelligence, ++Charisma.
Bonus:
Apocalypse Later - Vastly reduces the risks of taking Aeira out of the Voyaging Realm. Without this, complications will almost certainly ensue.
---
You guys are at
7.4 Arete! Would you like to buy a Stance? Your chances against Avecarn are quite good without one, but not guaranteed.
[ ] No - S A V E.
[ ] Hero-Defeating Stance - Does not build towards All-Defeating Stance, but the best for your current situations. Improves both diplomatic and combat outcomes, all but guarantees survival in combat. Improves Rank, physical stats, effective Defensive Rank and odds against multiple opponents, all great qualities to look for in an Advancement!
[ ] Magic-Defeating Stance - Somewhat improves combat outcomes in most scenarios. Lowers Apocryphal risk in the long run. Grants superior defense against most esoteric attacks, useful in potential future engagements, and improves synergy with Gisena in battle.
[ ] Guile-Defeating Stance - Strongly improves odds of diplomatic victory. Somewhat relevant in combat against intelligent opponents.
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