High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Aerois #106 | The Valkyrian Ploy (Part 2)

Episode Date: April 1, 2021

Kallus Starbane has made his play in the Battle for Aerois... but how will the Stormchasers respond?! We're sponsored by D&D Beyond! The ultimate Dungeons and Dragons toolset. Clean up your dungeon delving life and speed up your games here: http://bit.ly/HRDNDBeyond2021 We're also sponsored by NordVPN! The best tool to protect yourself online! Discover new content that's normally region locked and stay safe with code HRDND to get a 2 year plan + 1 free month here: https://nordvpn.com/hrdnd ALSO we're sponsored by Manscaped! Go to http://manscaped.com and use code HIGHROLLERS to get 20% off and free shipping! Support the High Rollers and get early access to podcast episodes (and more) on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Rated ESRB E10+. After the dramatic revelations in this initial council meeting, order is grasped at. Many people are escorted away by horizon's guard uh chiefly amongst them the ambassadors from vorten sar and vicerine galilea uh of the sansian commonwealth they are escorted away before like and people are like surging up to speak to them and they're just marched away by danica's forces the The Dragonborn are very unhappy with everybody, except probably the Storm Chasers at this point. Oh my god, we've done it. We're the least hated by the dragons.

Well, I mean, maybe not least hated. All of the other nations are kind of all a bit lost. All of the other leaders who aren't directly involved are all just sort of like, what is going on? What's happening? The Dragonborns are they're pissed at the obviously the people that have aligned with starving but they're also pissed at danica for not letting her uh not letting them you know attack them um but they're kind of but they definitely kind of you know when you've got that friend who's just like what an asshole right buddy and they're looking at you like that's

how they're seeing you now like a kind of temporary ally um i could deal with that that's like that's the relationship that i'm comfortable at that level with them you know not too buddy buddy just you know yeah i agree they are um the rest everybody else is pretty much is you know diverted away from this chamber having sense that there's already been like a disruption there are people that are effectively allied with this force that wants to threaten arois everybody's separated you guys are left in the council chamber with danica uh who when you kind of like when everything's said and done she's just there kind of like resting her hands on her chin just deep in thought um and he's kind of looking at all like on her chin, just deep in thought.

And it's kind of looking at all like the notes and everything that she's been given. And it's just you guys and Danica. Rain is there, probably Sky Prince Aradan, because I think he's close enough to you guys that you know that he's allied and Danica knows that he's allied with you as well. So it's really, yeah, just Rain, Sky Prince, Aradan, Danica, and you guys for now.

What do you guys want to do? This is immediately after everybody's pulled out of the council chamber. Obviously Nova's got things on her mind, so what do you guys want to do? I hand it over to you. Well, you held onto that one for a little while,

but it does beg the question. Starbane's clearly been contacting leaders of Erois, or in contact for a long time. Skyprince, I mean, I hate to ask this, but have you received any kind of communicate from him? Not at all, no. I mean, I suppose, not myself, but we know that some of our nobles were working with him. It's the only way that the Magrona, that Democles, would have aligned himself. Perhaps he reached out to those he thought were more susceptible, perhaps because we were already allied.

He knows he's not Lucius. He wouldn't have risked it. That would have made... We would have been aware of what he was doing, surely. So maybe... I don't know. Maybe there's other people in this room that were already considering joining him. Maybe they haven't yet, but they might be in discussion. We can't trust that any of them are completely free of contact with them surely

danica kind of thinks things over it seems that perhaps that is the case he based on what you have told me he has reached out to one of our largest continent-based empires the commonwealth is large they have considerable forces They control much of the air routes. They have a large fleet of airships. I believe that his contacting them was very tactical. Ganass, well, there's clearly a... He knew that there would be heartstrings to tug at their entrapment here. Mr. Vija, do you have any insight is yeah nova has been ever since kind of screaming at the council members and as everyone's being ushered out nova has just

kind of been sat in her chair with her head in her hands just kind of trying to breathe breathe breathe and i imagine almost tiangong's kind of trying to count for her like just try and stop her like yeah it's just like that slow methodic one yeah yeah lucius would be trying to confide or just be next to nova i think not saying anything just like just touching the shoulder and like comforting i'm here kind of thing yeah so i think you'd hear from her lap where her head is currently lodged you'd hear her go you know what the funny thing is is I absolutely understand

why Vortensar did this Vortensar and the people of Ganas have never felt welcome in Eros but I truly thought that with the new generation with the younger generation we'd finally integrated when when just when the jasaphir accident happened

it was the fault of high elf magicians who are reckless and didn't know what they were doing. They were responsible for teleporting Jasavir across and pulling Vortensar here. And when we arrived on Aroas, I mean, obviously I wasn't alive, but my forefathers, my ancestors, they were treated like criminals. They were locked down. They were sanctioned. Nobody on Aroas trusted them. They were locked down. They were sanctioned. Nobody on Arois trusted them. I understand. You all know me. You all know how much I've been trying and dreaming of figuring out what happened so I could reverse it.

And the frustrating thing is, I felt so close. I shared that information with my family with my professor I shared the information on where ganass was because I wanted to send a message of hope and again my own stupid naivety got in the way I thought I genuinely thought that with this information we could work together to reverse the experiment without influence from Starbane. But he got here first and now that I look back on it I just think that this is stupid. I should have never have expected that we could have done it. I should have never expected... What was I thinking? We could teleport back and switch back to a planet of G'nas that is under the Valkyrian Empire's control?

I'm sorry. You all know I almost once agreed with Starbane, but I saw... Sentry through talking to you, through seeing the Empire through my own eyes. It's not... It's not living, is it? I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. I understand why they did it. I understand.

They want to go home. They want to go where they belong. It's not over, Nova. They haven't... There's not anything stopping them from changing their mind. We have information that they don't. You changed your mind.

They can change theirs. We just need to... It's gonna be hard. Like Danica said, Starbane played a hand that worked. At least we know how he works. Titan and River said they voted.

Why didn't my family tell me? We don't know the full truth. But we are going to find out, okay? We'll get to the bottom of this. We need to put our point across starbane has played his hand it's time for us to play ours indeed danica kind of stands up i admire vorten saar's democratic nature miss nova vita and as you've seen in horizon we try and emulate many elements to it. I myself, I only stand because the people choose me to.

But I've learnt over my many lifetimes, people don't always choose what's best for them. It's one of the difficulties. You give people freedom, but that is not always a good thing. Security, order, these things deprive freedom. Freedom invites danger, It invites chaos. Order provides safety and stability, but it takes those freedoms from us. I fear that with what I know of Ganas, you have a leader, I believe. I know you have your council members, but there is this leader harmony I've heard them spoken of.

They hold considerable sway over the people of ganass if i am not mistaken i suspect that it is harmonies influence harmonies belief that this is the right course of action that has likely swayed the populace but there is a greater ganass is only but one of our problems the commonwealth represents a troubling matter many people will flock to its shores if they wish to believe in this message. As she's speaking, Marika, Quill's mother, enters,

escorted by guards. My apol... I'm trying to... Kind of like this. My apologies, Steward. I must... I bring you urgent messages. I have been inundated with messages from all across Erois ever since the meeting. That message, it wasn't just here.

It was every major city in Erois. We're getting reports asking if this is true. People are requesting stories, information. Smaller villages, smaller towns, it was not present in, but messages from the city will be spreading out. Some members of the Messenger's Guild are apparently carrying some of this propaganda as well. They are no longer working with the greater authority.

Well, thank you for more bad news, Messenger Guild Marika. Thank you. I suggest you go and keep an eye on these communications as best you can. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Of course, she looks at Quill. Are you all right? As well as can be. And how are you? I'm going to be very busy. you i'm going to be very busy um yes these messages but also hundreds of our messengers have stopped responding to our orders they're acting independently it seems

cool he didn't need an army he just needed to turn us on each other he's offered something to people. He's given them a choice. He's given them a choice between doom and a better life. Are we really going to say that none of us should consider it? As Tiangong says,

he gives you a choice between two evils. There's nothing to say that this better life is a better life in his opinion until he starts blowing up worlds again. A century of living

is better than annihilation now. To some. Not to all. But to some. This is going to be a difficult situation. Danica, we need a third option. Believe me, Captain, I do not speak for myself. I am trying to put my mind in the mind of the people, regular everyday people.

To a seamstress, to a baker, to a common soldier. Think of our soldiers. We offer them a choice. Fight in a war that you can't possibly win, or take up this offer. Maybe it's a scam. Maybe. Maybe this callous is lying. I just think in that return. I agree. I think that this is no black and white scenario. He's presented it as such. It's not. I think that there is also an element here that Kallus has made this bargain for a reason. If I was in his place, making an offer like this,

an offer which is going to cost him, the cost of finding new homes, of giving all the people of Arois this better life, that's not an easy thing to pull off, which must mean that invading is equally as difficult. Atomis says that there's still a chance. Maybe there's a way. Maybe there's something here he's afraid of or something that he thinks could shift the balance.

And this deadline, surrender, making sure that he's already got advantages before the cradle falls. It could be that Siaska's the trump card. It could be that she's the one that could sway everything. But he's not going to make it easy. He's already got people in his pocket. He's already securing military advantages. He's put us on the back foot.

But luckily there's still a few things he doesn't know. Certainly things about doesn't know. Certainly things about Horizon nobody knows. What do you all think? What are your thoughts now? I'm assuming that you wish to still stand against him, based on your answers now. You still believe that it is better to fight than to surrender? I did not wait 500 years to let Starbane turn a row

into his own plaything. Spoken like a soldier, Sentinel Prime. But what about it? You have this potential. My understanding is that you could give a new life to Guardians. Are you really willing to commit them to another war? That's their choice to make. I'll give that to them. Mr. Keelak?

Starbane hasn't given us any choice at all. We either join his empire, or he massacres us. Siaska made the choice for us before, and he killed her for choosing for us, for choosing against his whim.

We either die by Starbane's hand or we join his empire and we die by Hadar's hand. That's no choice. But... What if he's correct? What if he's right about this world engine? What if it can stop this Hadar?

Do we know that it can't? Do we know that it will? It's his theory that it will, but we don't know. It's never been done. There's no way for us to know. It's his theory. Do we then... What about the gods? What about the titans? Siaska. Bringing Siaska back.

What if she just it's a coin flip Captain Lucius Miss Nova Siaska made us made the titans made a rowis with the world engine she's the closest thing we have to a god and she opposed starbane sacrificed herself why? I think that's worth considering it is

I'm not I'm I do believe in the gods especially Sayana but I don't think they're infallible what if Siaska made a mistake what if what he says is true? What if he made this offer to her and she rebuffed it out of pride or out of revenge or hate or spite?

What if she denied it for the wrong reasons? Can any of us say that that she's perfect that she made it for the right reasons until we can ask her I don't know if we'll know that answer and we can say the same for Starbane he is not infallible

Miss Nova believed in him to at least have a code of honour. Do you think that he'd keep to his word? Do you think that this offer he makes is genuine? You seem to know him the best, perhaps? We've seen planets that took his offer, Gideon Prime. I've seen it.

It's beautiful. It's prospering. I don't know what else to say. That does not help me. He's also just created a giant weapon to get rid of Titans. Why would he be doing that if he wasn't scared of them in some way, in something that could be done with them?

Why would he do that? That may be the case. May be the case. Maybe he does think that this is a battle he could lose, but he certainly sounds like he's prepared to lose it certainly looks like it sounds like he's prepared to throw thousands of lives his and ours under the boot to test it he strikes me as a man very committed to what he believes from what i've heard and what i've seen and he's terrified of this hadar i don't know much about

people but the way he spoke of it i could tell. He's terrified of this Hadar. I don't know much about people, but the way he spoke of it, I could tell that he's afraid of it. We've seen things that were touched by Hadar. It's definitely something to be scared of, but it's not something to sacrifice an entire world for, especially when you don't know that that's going to work in the first place. It's just a theory that he has. Perhaps he's the only one that can't see it's a theory. Perhaps he's convinced himself that it will work. Perhaps his fear

has made him desperate. That is something to keep in mind. Hmm. We have less than a year, do we not? Around that, by what Navarine and what you have said, what Calus indeed in his own message has said. The cradle will protect us for a year. But that doesn't mean that he can't...

I mean, he's already sent troops, it sounds like. We'll still be engaged in military matters. He just can't bring his full empire to bear i have a feeling that if we intend if you storm chasers if i if these other leaders do intend to oppose him the next year is not going to be quiet it's not going to be easy and if you do intend to oppose him you will need to be at the front of all this if you wish to convince these city states, these nations, these representatives that are here, they will need convincing

to stay on our side, that this is a fight worth fighting there will also be battles that need to be fought yes, more than just you but you will be icons do not display yourselves whether whatever confidence you may have you are here you represent some of the most powerful myself included of beings your heroes to many that means something we're not much use if he's telling the people that we're making decisions for him and fighting their battles. Instead of letting them, he's effectively just told the world that we're making their decisions.

We're not going to be popular. We need to turn that around. If we want to be symbols, then we're going to have to fight and turn that around. If we want to be symbols, then we're going to have to fight and turn that around because he has just communicated that we are an enemy. To some. We need a symbol. The people of Aroas are strong-willed.

Many of them will wish to fight just because it's in their nature. You know this, Aayla, the wild elves. I don't think... I have no doubt that the wild elves of Erois will submit to any foe, no matter how great. They will fight. I believe that nations like Goldthrone,

Goldthrone is a worry. It's struck between two different people. I can see the dwarves of Bloodvale. I think they would fight. I think they would fight for their land, fight for their home, for their gods. Goldthrone, Sivonans, they're driven by prosperity. They're driven by wealth. If Kallus offers them that, I can see them being swayed by it. We'll need to support one way or another. A mess. A big mess. Lucius, you could have some serious influence in Gusthaven.

Tell the people. Make no doubt, Ayla. Tell them what happened exactly I promise you that Gusthaven will stand by you the people will stand by you you've saved them you've protected them, they know who you all are not just Lucius but all of you I

stand by you and if there is nothing else I do believe that the people like me if we need to convince them to fight we will convince them to fight And if there is nothing else, I do believe that the people like me. If we need to convince them to fight, we will convince them to fight. I consider Gusthaven an ally of whatever path you take. I do too. But evidently Democles was still working with him from within. We need to rule that out.

Our mutual friend will make sure that anybody who's working with democles is rooted out i believe we need to go to the source of the very thing starbane hopes we don't utilize in under a year and that is siaska herself that will be our beacon of hope. If they can see her. What of this girl, Vala? She's a part of the puzzle.

I know the Dragonborn. I know that the Bloodlord and the Dragonborn see her as a bargaining chip, but I know Calus was willing to capture her to take in her

maybe that she is indeed part of all this perhaps her and Siaska are our greatest chances can I in the messenger ring just say do we tell her that Vala has divine power Can I, in the messenger ring, just say, do we tell her that Vala has divine power? I think she's our next move, guys.

Oh, man. Tom's going to pull out a big move. He's got a big move. I want the big move from Tom here it comes can I cast zone of truth sure are you going to tell Danica that you're casting it or are you just casting it

yeah I am because I'll know if she willingly fails it or not willingly fails it if you tell her then she'll she can choose right can you choose to you can choose, right? Can you choose to... You can choose to willingly fail a saving throw. Yeah, I'm going to tell her. We need to know that we can trust you, Danica,

and this will apply to everyone here, actually, including you, Sky Prince. I need everyone to be truthful with each other where our allegiances stand were you swayed by starbane have you been messaged by him before where do we all stand and i understand each other i understand your concern cast your spell i have nothing died done anyone that wants to try and fail it, Risma21. She doesn't. Neither does the Sky Prince.

They willingly fail. Anybody in the group, you are all affected as well. Yeah. All right. Everybody just chooses to pass it. You're right. You're all bound by the zone of truth. Well, ask your questions.

Or would you just wish for me to state the truth do you wish to join the Valkyrian Empire I am tempted are we truthful not that I have much choice I told you before that my priority is to the people of Horizon the

thought of committing them to a war that we have a slim chance of winning. It frightens me. Not for myself, but for them. I know they'll follow me. They always have. They believe in me. They worship me to an extent.

But I don't know if I can bear the guilt of sending them to their deaths. If I knew, if I knew for sure that Kallus' plan with this world engine didn't work, if I knew for sure that he was going to betray us, or if I knew for sure that we had a chance to win,

that would sway me. But until I have that certainty, I cannot discount the possibility that accepting his offer may be what's best for my people. And if the people of Horizon call for a different alternative, you can't make the decision for them. I will follow them whatever they wish. But after 500 years i think i know which way they will sway they look to me as a guiding light they always have

i don't wish to make a choice for them i always give them an option always ask them every time i am reborn do you wish for me to lead you they have their say and they do but I also know that this is not Vortensar I do not give them votes on each matter they decide to trust me I make the decision

I think best for all of them because I have the experience and more importantly I have the power to do something about it. Prince Aradan looks around. I... No, I'm... I'm certain that...

I'm not swayed by Calus. There's too much of... His words are pretty his demeanor is noble but siaska siaska is everything to gust haven to me knowing that he killed her that she opposed him that is enough for me and perhaps i should perhaps we should give the people a choice i i don't know but i myself am not swayed from everything i've heard from all of you from everything that you have told me about your adventures in the astral sea the things you've seen yes there are worlds like this elysium that you told me of. These beautiful worlds, but then you told me of this world with this Azaghrat,

this Gideon Prime. There are two sides to Kallus's empire, and I'm not willing to risk it for that coin flip of which one we end up on. Okay. Nova? Nova? Are you swayed?

What? By Starbane. Will you join the Valkyrian Empire? She's gonna lift up her scarf she's been having it in her hands this whole time if I go forward with you now I will be considered a traitor by my home I don't know what to do I will be considered a traitor by my home. I don't know what to do.

I trusted my people. I trusted the council. My family is in danger. I don't know where they are. I don't know what to do I gotta ask what was the roll? what did you roll? it's just a roll

just a roll of the dice? no I mean I could tell you I mean I'd know if you'd roll the saving through or succeed it in fact I mean, I could tell you. I mean, I'd know if you failed the saving through. Or succeed it, in fact. Yeah, that's true. Did you fail or succeed the saving through?

It was a failure. You resisted. And I'll just tell you now, Nova is being truthful. She doesn't know. She respects you guys too much to lie. If this had been back when the ILS was still around, she would have lied.

But right now, she trusts you guys. You're in the zone of truth now, baby. Can't resist that. Gotta tell the truth. And for fairness, I'll ask the others as well. Lucius, Ayla? I think you know where I stand, Quill. I'm sorry, Lucius.

Answer the question. I'm with Prince Aradan. I'm on the side of Erois. I side with Siasca. She laid down her life to protect us from him. And I will gladly do the same. Okay.

Aayla? Valkyrian Empire. That's pretty delightful. I refuse. I refuse to stand by him he blew up a whole world that I came from yes I didn't ever live there but

can't forgive that also it would be an insult to Sentry never stand with him Sentry I feel like this is a yes or no and I know the answer I swore an oath 500 years ago to protect everything that was precious to me. Starbane took all of that away from me. I'm not giving up my oath. Not

for him, not for anyone. I'm not letting him take another home, another life, another world away from anyone. Okay. Well, we know what will happen when we stand against anyone that's decided to join Valkyrian Empire. He may use them to send armies against us. We'll be fighting our own people. Even if they've joined a different empire, they're still Erosians. Keelak, I have a question for you,

because you have not answered your own question. Were you swayed by any of this? I was. It's hard not to be. But I know what will happen if we decide to not join him. It's easy to fall into what sounds like safety, but it's not. It's not safety. We would join his empire to become a part of his army. If we don't join his empire then he sends his army. We can't join him because I believe we have a chance. I genuinely believe that

we can rally enough people to not just fight against Starbane but also find a way to solve this Hadar issue. Maybe it's the world engine, maybe it's not. Maybe Starbane, but also find a way to solve this Hadar issue. Maybe it's the world engine, maybe it's not. Maybe Starbane is completely wrong. Maybe Siaska is the answer. But then it means convincing... You are a steer, aren't you, Keelak? You have the power of sight. I do.

Can you answer here and now does Kallus' plan for this world engine succeed I'll use the I yeah so what's the question you tell me does Kallus' plan for the world engine work in defeating Hadar?

You watch. The eye becomes grey. The fog fills your mind. And your vision accelerates. It rushes. You see an invasion of Erois quickly descend before you. You watch ships come and go in billions and billions of a second, kind of shuddering through.

You watch as the planet is torn apart, and at its heart, some device is secured. The Tassadar, Kallus''s flagship flies it across the astral sea into a world filled with that dead gray flesh he fights his way callus himself leading the charge his sword this tiangong blade in his hand as he carves a path towards a fraction of space one that's oddly familiar a single distant red star seen from the helm of a ship but you are not there your friends are not there callus stands alone and with all his rage and his hatred and his grief. As tears flow from his cheeks, he hurls the world engine into the crack,

into this rift in space. It's consumed, swallowed as his fleet, his empire is torn apart around him. He watches the world engine is pulled into that space and that humanoid figure the featureless figure except for its too wide toothy maw just smiles as it explodes it draws the energy in and you watch as the very nature of reality breaks and shatters, the astral sea becomes merged with the far realm as Hadar ascends to a greater level of power than has ever been seen. His tendrils reach out, gathering multiple worlds at once,

pulling them into giant moors the size of planets until there is nothing. Eventually, Hadar consumes itself and your vision ends with an endless void of nothing. Oh my god. Whoa there. Soon.

Answer unclear. I mean it destroys absolutely everything so yeah that's a no so it does eventually destroy Hadar but once everything

in the known multiverse is consumed and destroyed so it works but it destroys actually everything. Well, because Hadar, but keep in mind what Hadar is. Hadar is entropy. Even in that dull void,

he still exists. There is just nothing left for him to consume. Ah, okay. Yeah, so it doesn't work then. So we're... It depends on the definition of work. I wouldn't consider it working. I think that his plan is to destroy Hadath. Can we record his visions and just play them on a big screen?

That'd be fantastic. Quill is the only way he sees that. Starbane has no clue what he's doing. At all. His plan is a disaster for everything. Dar will consume the world engine and will... He'll... It's...

No. It doesn't work at all it would destroy everything everything that he's trying to do is a is not even going to work against hadar so how how the hell do we communicate that to the entire world because that's very comforting in a way but also terrifying because everyone now thinks that that is the thing that needs to happen wait we don't need to tell every single person of arois we need to tell him we need to convince starving he won't believe us. He's an ass. He's a man driven by fear. But also, Rebell,

you have at least answered my question. As I know that you are telling the truth, even if it is a truth that you believe, you still believe it to be true. And given that your power of sight comes from our gods, from Siaska, I am inclined to believe you. and given that your power of sight comes from our gods, from Siaska, I am inclined to believe you. So Horizon stands with the crew of the Stormchaser,

and to that extent, allow me to reveal some of my own information. My fear is that if a war breaks out, Horizon, the Sky Cities, and this is of importance to Sky Prince Aradan, the Sky Cities will become a vulnerable target. If Kallus knows the winds upon which these Sky Cities, the routes that we take, he will know where to strike. I have developed a way to move Horizon, to make it mobile under my own command. It will be difficult to replicate in Gusthaven

as it uses my own power, the power of the phoenix. But we have been testing it and I believe it to be operational. So consider Horizon to be your bastion. We have defenses. We can keep mobile. Even if Kallus does bring his forces here, Horizon at least can give us hopeful safety.

It is exhausting. If I am empowering the engines, I cannot fight. It takes every ounce of my magic to move the city. But, I can move it. I needed to put my secret basement here.

That's pretty damn awesome. Hey, Orion. Hey, Orion, the storm chaser ship kind of sucks now. We got a whole island. A whole city. Y'all remember those of you who've played FF8, you know when the garden can move?

It's kind of like that. Like the whole garden. Yep, that's the first thing. Balam Garden, I thought, yeah. Yeah. Oh! We're playing Final Fantasy VIII! Yes!

Do you know my one piece of advice for DMs who want to create campaigns? Take all your favourite things and just put them in it. That's what I do! That's what I do! So, I love it. Yeah, she kind of like nods. Yeah, I don't believe we'll be able to convince everyone on Aroas. As much of a hero as Quill is, he's the only one who sees these visions.

And even if you use a spell to force someone to tell the truth, these are not infallible means. I believe you because I've come to know your characters, because I put my faith in the gods that we believe in. But it's too easy to dismantle this as a delusion or perhaps a trick. If you believe that you can convince Calistarbane that he's wrong, by all means, go ahead. But I'm afraid that you'll have more experience in that regard. We're not very good at making friends

with those kind of people. Kind of tend to piss them off. We have one we have Valor maybe we don't have to do it Valor can talk to him and if you think that would actually work maybe even Siaska herself

it does strike a pose it does strike a question Siaska is a true divinity perhaps she knew that the world engine wouldn't work It does strike a question. Siaska is a true divinity. Perhaps she knew that the world engine wouldn't work? Is that why she denied him? Because she knew that his plan would fail? Quill's sight is a partial gift from Siaska,

channeled through Hesper. Perhaps she knew. Why would Calus not believe her? Does Calus not know that Siaska is capable of such thought? Such power? Hmm. I saw an argument between them. They were arguing about Alfheim.

About its destruction. They fought. And, well, you know, what happens in the end just because you love someone doesn't necessarily mean you agree with them oh wait do you think there's maybe any small tiny chance that Vala has

learned some other crazy power because you know crazy powers that just shows people's visions to other people that'd be great that sure would be great right now yeah uh either way he has a goal and that's to defeat hadar he's probably hellbound a nice plan because as far as he's concerned if this doesn't work then what will i mean we need an alternative we do As far as he's concerned, if this doesn't work, then what will?

I mean, we need an alternative. We do. Then perhaps, if I may make a suggestion, whatever happens, things are going to become difficult. If we are to be aligned, if Gusthaven Horizon aligns with the Stormchaser, if we can convince some of the other nations, I fear that you will only have small amounts of your own time to accomplish what you wish to. The next year is going to be full of us doing diplomatic missions, combat, fighting. You will be sent in to engage enemy forces.

If there are things you wish to accomplish, you may only have a short chance to do them. If you have means of reaching this valor or reaching Calus you may wish to do it soon I was going to say maybe that should be our next step we have

we have a means to well we acquired them a while ago a means to attack well, we acquired them a while ago, a means to attack the Tassadar in a sense. Valor gave us a teleportation circle and we made contact with the wings of Ishtar while we were in the Astral Sea.

I don't know who these wings of Ishtar are, but they sound important. We intend to teleport to the Tassadar and find Valor bring her back to Aroes that was our original plan

we figured we'd let you know that we have a way to strike at least at what feels like the very heart of the Valkyrian Empire one that he can very easily replace and regrow of of course, but... I'm glad you didn't tell this to the others. I feel that this information should

stay between the group of us for now. Even the Dragonborn, do not tell them. I do believe the Dragonborn will fight with us. They would seek to use this, to use Valor and to use the Tassadar, this information in a military matter. I think you should go and rescue this girl.

See what help she can provide. Yes, Nova. If I may as well, we need allies. Speak freely. Yes. The Eterna, the Eterna would be a powerful ally. The Tassadar itself is powered by one of the original Triumvirate. Called Tassadar.

Not only could we rescue Valor, but if we could rescue Tassadar itself, that would be a powerful ally for us. Nova Vija speaks correct. Tassadar is extremely powerful. And to my knowledge was not divided up as I once was the Tassadar is complicated

however removing them from Kallus' influence would be advisable well your talking sword seems to agree um Wow. Your talking sword seems to agree. Um, if I could as well ask, my talking sword is in fact the leader of the Triumvirate. However, as they mentioned, they are split. Starbane has several pieces, and I...

split. Starbane has several pieces and I... we have received intelligence recently that Starbane may have found more. However, Tiangong believes that they can be reformed by an incredible infusion of magical energy and Danica, if you can enable an entire city to move, maybe you can help me figure out how to channel magical energy into Tiangong. Certainly possible. I don't know if I would wish to risk my own power, the primordial spirit of the Phoenix. If I lose it, I I would I can perhaps help in some of the theory, but I would be wary to try myself. I understand.

Theory would be a good place to start. But again, this would be another powerful ally. Hmm. I would ask you to consider something. I think that in this next year, you will only have a few scant opportunities

to do things you feel you need to. Perhaps four, three, four chances. You will be needed across Eros in a variety of manners. Consider what those things you wish to accomplish are. Nova Vortensar. I don't believe that everybody in that city will agree with the course of action that's been taken. I know how important home can be. You may wish to consider if you wish to strike out against the council there. I know that you firmly believe that they are perhaps

the people who have been chosen to lead them, chosen to lead the city. But it may be the only way to bring Vortensar back to Eroas' side is the removal of Harmony removal of their council Sentry, you are Sentinel Prime I should say, you lead the Guardians but they are scattered

if you can bring the Guardians, if you can find a way to help them, to reunite them, to bring them all together, that would be a great asset to Aroas. Guardians are some of our greatest fighters, but not just that,

some of our greatest laborers, our greatest artisans, people that are driven to a single purpose, honed to provide that service. If you can do that, that would be a great advantage too. I have a plan in place, but I fear I may have just led them into a giant trap. How so? I asked... I asked Harold to gather them at the City of Glass.

It rings a bell. Please remind me, my geography is not always purposely... Where is this found? My brain has gone dead. It's in Giselle. It's in the Commonwealth. That's the one. Yeah.

Then that is indeed potentially a problem i would perhaps if you can find a way to rescue them of course none of us would none of us expected to sell do not blame yourself but that again is something i would suggest you consider perhaps finding a way to resolve uh whether you go and rescue them or perhaps we can find a way to resolve. Whether you go and rescue them, or perhaps we can find a way to communicate to them, have them move somewhere else, but we should definitely try and make an effort to do what we can. Consider these

things. I have many of my own matters to consider as well, but I feel confident that my resolve aligns with yours. That Gusthaven and Horizon will stand by you. I would also recommend you check in with King Telvin Rooksilver of Suvona. A civil war on

Suvona would be devastating. We must make sure that they are aligned that they are united in some way I fear that the guild of the guilds of traders the traders guild and guildmaster of Suvona will be swayed by Kallus's offer. Dalinor Brassworn is a man who is concerned with wealth primarily.

King Telvin, he follows the advice of his people. Dalinor may sway him. Urianna is an ally, I believe. Consider what you wish to do there as well. I'm sorry to put so much on you, Storm Chasers. I wish I could solve all of these problems myself, but I must attend to Horizon

itself. Our hopes, not just... In fact, no. From what Quillek has told me, from what Keeluk has told me, not just the hopes of Erois, the hopes of our universe may rest on these few actions. I know that is a lot. But you have risen to the occasion up till now.

I suspect, I expect you to do the same now. Get some rest. I feel like you may need it. Oh, pressure! Hey, it's not an epic level D&D. It's not an an epic level dnd campaign if the fate of the universe isn't at hand oh my god oh my god oh my god um quick question what about the massive council of world leaders that are currently here and probably want to come and storm back into this room and have another big old fight we'll need to coordinate with them we're still we still need diplomacy we'll still need to try and convince them hopefully they have remained here i have

a feeling that some of them will leave uh and i did promise them that they would be under no obligations to remain i'm not going to arrest people for making their own choices. Doesn't mean I won't send somebody to keep an eye on them. I think we should probably try and get what allies we can while they're still here, right? Yes, maybe that will take some time. Such endeavours, Miss Ayla, perhaps you are not, I do not suspect you are too familiar with how diplomacy works, but getting these sorts of things can take weeks, months, potentially.

I will do my best to convince who I can. If you have means, if you have leverage over any of these rulers or representatives use it whatever means if this is the fate of not just arois but everywhere do what you have to but this will take time consider what you wish to do first leave the diplomacy to myself and the Sky Prince. We will do what we can from that regard. And if any of these leaders, if any of their countries are in need of assistance, or if there is perhaps a bargain that can be made, I will contact you. I may need you to come in and do some heroics at some point.

Think of it this way. We can do heroics. Cool. We can do heroics so we're a little bit of out of character indeed a little bit of out of character stuff now i don't want to play out a whole year but i would like to get to the end of the year as a cool part of the game. So. Right. As I was saying in character, I would like you guys to think about missions that you are like, we have to do this. We want to go and rescue Valor.

We want to rescue the Guardians. We want to go to Vortensar and kill the leaders and rise up people of Vortensar. What's it going to be called? I'm just saying. Why not go kill them? Throwing it out there, right? Think about those things you want to do

and we're going to put like a kind of like quest log together assume that in between those missions we will have jumps of like a month two months where you guys are being flown around and having to do meetings or go and do minor battles and skirmishes against callous's forces you guys are the avengers now so sometimes you'll be flown out to take out the Hydra base. We don't need to role play or do the battle for the Hydra base because you guys are going to win, but that's going to take time and resources and et cetera, et cetera.

So we're going to kind of jump a little bit in time so we can get to the cool, exciting stuff. But I also appreciate you guys have things you want to do, like Rescue Valor, like Rescue the Guardians. So we'll try and intersperse that stuff over the next year of game time does that make sense are you guys cool with that this is now the captain america films not ant-man very we are very much in civil war avengers and i'd say we're in avengers infinity wargame. I mean, Captain America was pretty damn good, though. Oh, shit.

I thought we were stuck. I didn't think we'd hit Infinity War yet. Maybe we're like Age of Ultron, right? We're kind of like, we're just about, it's Infinity War's there, we're going in. The one that had a falling Sky City. Nice.

I don't want to get to the end of that movie. Oh, no. Oh, that movie. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. And an evil robot. I wonder what Breeze is up to. No, don't. I've had this on my mind for so long.

I know, I know. Just drop it on Sivona. Just drop Horizon on Sivona. Incoming. So we're going to go to two problems. One's down. Just drop it on Savona. Just drop Horizon on Savona. Incoming! So we're going to go to two problems. One's down. Strength.

Yeah. So, unless there's anything you guys want to talk to Danica about, I will assume that you guys go and get some rest, or if there's any other stuff you want to do. I mean, yeah, we entrusted Danicaica or at least i guess i made that choice we entrusted danica with uh the tacit our secret which is probably the only secret the valkyrians don't know about us that we know about them um so yeah she's a full ally now of the storm chaser yeah um and and you know just to stop you guys worrying with the zone of truth and everything you've seen prince aradan and danica are on your side yeah 100 percent

closest we can get to 100 percent uh trust i'd say yeah horizon is your heart it's like you're like the if the storm chases your normandy then like or like you're kind of like you know mobile thing horizon's like okay this is the capital city where we can you know this is our safe haven basically yeah um and gust haven as well gust haven is is the same right so okay cool cool uh nova you you had some stuff. Let Kim go, because Kim had some stuff. After this meeting, I think Nova's immediate priority is trying to figure out where the hell her family is, because obviously she had that message during the meeting,

but in all the panic and screaming and shouting and all that, she's really confused and doesn't know what the hell is going on and if they managed to teleport away so i guess uh she would probably request danica and rain to see if they have turned up in the city somehow um and also probably ask quill if he can send a message to her mother um yeah or actually no i would just no. I would just scry. I would just scry. I would take matters into my own hands. I'm a scryer.

I would just scry. It's my mum. I'm going to scry on my mum. Okay. But also ask her to send a message because why not jam all signals? Technically, your mother doesn't know who's scrying on her, so she would naturally try and resist the spell.

You are familiar with the target, so she has a minus five. You do have a possession or garment because you have your scarf. So this is a minus nine to her saving throw. Even if I roll a natural 20, she can't pass, but I'm going to roll it anyway. I roll an 18. She gets an 11.

Oh, no, minus nine. She gets a nine. You watch as the goggles kind of clear and go cloudy for a second and then they come into clarity you can only see a very short uh distance around your mom i think it's only like a 10 foot radius sphere uh yeah you can see it within 10 feet of the target it's hard to tell where she is but you can see that she has the rest of your family bundled up next to her, like she's holding your siblings,

your dad's there next to her. You can see what maybe is like the edge of Professor Whitsong's coat. You kind of recognize this elven arm and this long coat that you can see that kind of looks like the professor's. They appear to be maybe being held somewhere, or not as like prisoners,

but you can see that there is some sort of bustle of activity around them. Maybe you catch flashes of gold and red armor. They're clearly talking to somebody oh you can see and hear through it your mother is just saying Nova Vija my daughter is Nova Vija she's apparently

here you have to let me speak to her let me speak to her and then you can kind of hear her like we need to make sure everything's okay there's a lot of things happening right now. It's all kind of muffled from beyond the sensor. But she's clearly speaking to like maybe guards or somebody like that.

They appear to be on Horizon. You just don't know where exactly. Okay. I'm immediately going to turn to Rain. My family are here. They're here. They're here. They're at one of your, they're being held somewhere

by one of your ports or something. I need to know exactly where and I need to go to them now. If you could point me in the direction of the most likely tower, I will teleport there right now. Slow down, Miss Vija. Do you know how they arrived?

Did they come by ship? Did they come by teleportation? So my professor, she contacted me in the middle of a meeting and she said something about teleporting. She must have teleported here. She asked where I was. I said Horizon. Then there are two options.

Either your professor is familiar enough with Horizon that they would know the teleportation circles both in the Cardinal pinion and the Garnet pinion. Or she is not familiar with the circles and has just designated horizon as a general location which means that she is somewhere in the city now if they are at either of the pinions i can help if they are in the city i'm afraid that that you'll have to search for them i i the city is large enough there are guards everywhere Quill send a message to my mother immediately please ask her where she is exactly

done phew saying to a creature with which you are familiar now would Quill be familiar with your mum I don't think he is

like you know he hasn't even met her himself yeah exactly yeah I mean that means you'd end up sending a message to Nova why are you in my head why are you in my head what

Miss Veacher I will instruct all of our forces to be on the lookout if you can give me written descriptions of your family i will ask that if they are found they are brought here to the citadel if they are out in the city this may take some time i can't promise we'll be able to find them immediately but i will make sure that our forces are put on alert she was talking to someone in red and gold, so she's definitely, they're with guards somewhere. That's good to know. That's all I can see.

Come in. He kind of leads you over to the table, and he's got the sheets of parchment. Write me a description for them. And he's getting you to be active. Provide me with a written description of each of them. I will send this out. And's kind of like guiding you through it and there's there's a deep level of sympathy from rain like being family he's getting a little

emotional a bit choked up when he's kind of helping you with this oh interesting yeah so yeah he will help you do that sure uh and he takes that and begins like you know passing messages out to guard stations and things like that but you're just gonna have to wait uh unless you want to go searching for yourself hey re i think yeah it'll probably take the team convincing her not to go teleporting off around the city so yeah re what's your plan for the year for the year i gotta save the guardians you don't have to decide now yeah you don't have to decide now i'm this is something where i'd like you guys to think about it because my assumption is that maybe valor is going to be maybe number one that was the kind of assumption i was going with that you guys want to go rescue Valor first and foremost.

Then maybe a bit of time. Or the Guardians. It was the Valor or the Guardians would be like number one priority. And then we'd go through everybody's stuff as they go through. Yeah. And also there may be opportunities

where like you guys like, we want to do this next. And I'm like, whoa, Danica comes to you and says that this place is being attacked and you need to go there and help. Or Kalos is going to capture it. What do you want to do? No, I didn't plan for that.

You're going to do this regenerated mission instead. No, no, no. It's more like, you know, in games like Mass Effect, where it's like, okay, we're going to go do that. We're going to go and save the Normandy crew. Oh, fuck, they've come and kidnapped everybody, and now we've got to decide which one we're going to. Oh, no, it's going to be more like that

so linear yeah it's not linear at all it's more like you'll have choices to do now we're out of the meeting can someone recap me specifically Quill would know because he's a smart boy Tom damn he's sick

the halls of infinite Resplendence and the World Engine and the keys we need to get. We've got a key from Palador, right? Yep. And we only need one more. We were thinking of getting it just from Hesper, right? But...

So, am I wrong that the World Engine is pretty much in the Halls of Infinite Resplendence and we need the keys to get into it? The World Engine much in the halls of infinite resplendence and we need the keys to get into it. The world engine is in the center of Eros. It's like the core of the planet. The halls have access to it. Yeah, it's going to have access there.

Right, okay. En route. And as a point, the halls of infinite resplendence, from what you've understood, is a kind of divine space that's occupies where a telekis uh caused the great event that kind of split arois apart and things like that as well um but it's kind of like this like god house realm place it's kind of a mystical thing yeah it's like a religious thing what we gotta do is you get a key and you just start waving

it around in the air pretending to do the unlock get a key and you just start waving it around in the air, pretending to do the unlock gesture until it finds a hole. Yeah, there it is. Got it. Okay, yeah, I just wanted to remember the exact details of that one because I just lost it. From my notes, it was

where is the world engine located? The island of the Starfall Archipelago. There's an ancient temple made of stone and light. And in the central chamber, there's a beam of light from a stone sarcophagus that goes up to the cradle and to the very core of the planet.

And that was where... That was because it came from a Quill vision. As a point with Quill's visions, they are sometimes abstract. So while Quill may have seen a physical temple, that doesn't mean there's a physical temple there. It means that there is a holy space. Same way when he had the visions of the bottle and stuff.

It's abstract, right? It's going to be in a bottle. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. But between those two, we've been kind of led towards... You're in the bottle now because stuff's happening. Oh, because we're trapped. Right, yeah.

Yeah. That's the vision. Everyone's pushing you which way you want to go oh and when the bottle cracks that's the cradle i get it we've been in a bottle this whole time yeah that's why i wanted to point it out i was just like yeah to point it out i was just like yeah yeah get it um okay cool so figure out next step next step pass it on next up the tassadar get that valor back teleport over there get that back get that valor back the tassadar as well, if we can. I think it'll depend on how it goes. Turn it around on his own fleet and just start blasting.

Plow it into the middle of Hadar and just hope. End of Eros. Hope. Sure. Sure. That's my plan. No. No?

Yeah, no. Whatever. No. No? Yeah, no. Whatever. No. I think we should also upgrade the storm chaser, potentially. Oh, who cares about the storm chaser? We should upgrade our city. But we can't. Danica needs to take so much energy to move that place. We can't rely.

We need to be mobile, independent of Horizon now and again. No, no. Also, Horizon can't go into astral space. That's what we need the storm chaser to be able to do. We need the storm chaser in astral space. You're right. It would be pretty cool if it did that, wouldn't it? It would be pretty cool.

We send the Tassadar down to Horizon, retrofit it all, so the Tassadar is Horizon, then we fly Horizon into Hadar. We're not flying Horizon into Hadar. So you're kind of Sephiroth-ing it. I mean, I'm hearing a lot of, like, we can't do that. You don't know. It's D&D. If I roll persuasion well enough, we're doing it.

I will agree to this. I will agree to this. I persuade gods to spare us. I'll agree to this. If we can get the copyright to play One-Winged Angel when we do it. So, yeah, let's do it. Let me just roll something real quick. Hey, Hadar, could you just stop? See what I roll?

24 on perception. Yeah, let's go with that. No, that's not how it works. Perception, not very good at persuading people. Here's my persuasion. 17. Does he? No, not phased.

He's like, I'd rather eat you instead. I don't think you can persuade Hadar to do anything. Just as a thing. So, we've got a little bit of time left. I don't have anything else planned. I'll be honest. Because I kind of want to see what you guys want to do next. We've still got a little bit of time to read today.

But I think we need to probably have a chat between us. Yeah, anything else. Anything else that you guys want to do before we wrap up for today? Any messages? Any communing? Any crazy shit? I think Sentry might want to speak to Danica. Yeah. Sure. So like after

when everybody's kind of going off. Okay. So yeah, Sentry, you're going to get a moment alone with Danica. Once you kind of people begin to leave, she does seem to almost kind of uh let the weight off of her shoulders and she looks exhausted she's just like this is a lot arsenal prime what can i help you with i i wanted to thank you and um i'll present her my ceremonial axe for you know about Petal

you know how much she means to me sorry Guinevere sorry yes I know Guinevere are you related to Guinevere in some way do you know of Guinevere. Are you related to Guinevere in some way? Do you know of Guinevere?

I did not realize you knew each other. We grew up in Solvang together. Well, she... She spoke of a guardian, that she was her protector, but she said that it had been destroyed, that she had been destroyed during the Sundering. I didn't realize that that guardian was you. If I had known, I would have told you that she was here.

Well, you found her and she's alive and she's doing wonderfully, thanks to you. You've given her a home. She's a very talented and bright young woman, much like her mother. I grew up on stories of Queen uh of queen astoria her beauty her mind she was very much an inspiration for uh well perhaps it's a little uh perhaps it's a little slanderous view to hear but uh one of the one of the girls i used to work with when i was a courtesan had a whole routine about being queen astoria um But it was very flattering. It was very admirable. But yes, I was enamored with her when I was younger. And when Sayana gave me a vision, young girl, I knew who it was.

We'd all heard about the Princess of Solvins. So with my tired and old body, I managed to get out there and rescue her before I needed to reincarnate. I was just glad to help her. It was tragic. I knew what had happened. Seeing this girl wake up, dust the bones of her parents around her, she didn't quite understand. But I'm certainly glad that glad that the guardian protector that she spoke of survived that was you of course that's that brings me great comfort but i need no gift and she kind of like she takes the axe i don't need a gift center essentially but with her being here I'm grounded I'm I know what I need to do

I swore an oath 500 years ago to Solvin Solvin's gone I can't change that but as long as Petal's here as long as Horizon's here I have a home

I have a place where I belong. So thank you. Thank you for everything. You're most welcome. If I may offer you one list, one not piece of advice, but something which I've found great comfort in. Horizon was not always called Horizon.

It was a different kingdom. But the people stayed the same. I don't believe that Solvin is a city. I don't believe that Solvin is a ruin beneath the sea. I believe that... I encouraged Guinevere to call her shop Solvin's Legacy because that's what she is. It's what you are. And many of our

guardians came from Solvin. They were born in Solvin in the same way that its citizens were. If you can find them, if you can unite them, with you and Guinevere, a new Solvin, and Guinevere a new solvent it's just a it's just a stake in the ground a flag planted somewhere where you intend to build a new home think of that perhaps

I will thank you well with that I think that's where we end it and then hopefully next episode Nova can find Mama and Famo. And you guys can figure out whether you want to make a move on the Tassadar or whether you want to go after the Guardians.

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