58 - Light & Darkness

Previous Session: 57 - Unexpected guests

Fighting (again) for The Dome
...

We feel a surge of energy kicking in.

The Dome's ceiling comes crashing down on us, as the outside Sunlight streams through the hole, and the ceiling starts to scatter. More Bright Irons repel down and start to float into the air, as the we're getting surrounded by 8 Bright Irons.

When looking around, the dome is destroyed, the village is on fire and all the animal kin are dead. Gemini keeps stabbing the corpse of the leader, relentlessly.

Axel
Hey Gemini, are you ok?
Gemini
Fuck, fuck!
Loyal
I think we should leave her to that, and oh, mask.

Loyal looks at the mask. There's an allure to it, he has an haunting feeling. We all hear two voices whisper at the same time.

The Master Puppet Entity
...

Voices from the Mask
Master, such are funny things, aren't they?
Nesvalyn
I don't like that.
Axel
Same.

We hear some noises from some corpses, and we notice the two knocked out Bright Irons standing up, a bit like they were ragdolls.

Voices from the Mask
I've never much used them, but we understand why we chose them.

The masks remove themselves from the faces, revealing smooth featureless faces.

Axel
Are they some kind of Undead?
Voices from the Mask
I'm alive as you are, Axel.
Axel
I don't like the fact it posses people.
Voices from the Mask
I know who you are, everyone.
Nesvalyn
Who are you, or what are you if it's a better question?
Voices from the Mask
More a What. I'm the one who has the answers you're looking for.
Axel
You don't seem to be the kind of trustworthy...
Persy
A little judgmental here.
Axel
We just got through a combat and they tried to murder us.
Voices from the Mask
Word is, you deal with all kinds of beings. Rumors said you're the ones unleashing the Undying.
Axel
Really?
Nesvalyn
It's more Persy and I if you want to precise.
Persy
It was... my options were-
Axel
You don't need to explain yourself. I've been with you long enough to know that you won't take harsh decisions on the spot. You likely had no choice.
Persy
Maybe if I had known, I would've prefer to die there.
Voices from the Mask
But you actually known what you were doing, do you?
Axel
It can be said to anyone!
Voices from the Mask
I know what everyone is doing.
Axel
Are you embodiment of the sun? So you see everything that happens? Am I making correct assumptions?
Voices from the Mask
You rarely do. I'm not the sun, but the shadows.
Axel
Close enough.
Nesvalyn
But why trying to cover the whole place with light to the point there where everything to light?
Voices from the Mask
The Bright Irons' obsession has nothing to do with me. They're easy pawns in my game.
Axel
And this game is?
Voices from the Mask
Any game I wanted to be.
Axel
Why are you contacting us now?
Persy
You came after everything, how convenient...
Voices from the Mask
Because I need you idiots, to get the Undying to unswallow the moon.
Nesvalyn
That's our goal, what are you proposing?
Voices from the Mask
I know where you can find the remaining Wonders.
Axel
What do you want in return?
Persy
They just said they want to have the Moon back.
Axel
It doesn't make sense.
Nesvalyn
They get their Domain back.
Voices from the Mask
We have mutual goals. All you have to do is that one of you wears the Mask.
Persy
Why don't you put your cards on the table then? Why are you doing this?
Voices from the Mask
By curiosity.
Persy
You're not giving much trust here, we don't even know your name.
Voices from the Mask
Then ask me.
Persy
It was an invitation, then fine. What is your name?

The silence happens for a while, then Persy tenses up.

Nesvalyn
So... what's the n-
Persy (interrupting)
Don't.
Axel
How we can call them?
Persy
Anything. For the love of Christ, nobody asks.
Axel
Well that was disconcerting. What happens if we don't help you?
Voices from the Mask
Oh. Nothing, I already got what I wanted.
Gemini
Does that mean I can put it now?
Axel
You shouldn't.
Gemini
I think I'll still do it, it should be fine.
Axel
Weren't you cursed for decades?
Gemini
It's fine, that's my life's purpose.
Axel
No it's not! We should discuss about that later, even if you don't believe in it.

Axel turns to the manipulated "corpses".

Axel
So what happens now?
Voices from the Mask
I'll give you the information you need. You need a Wonder to reforge Irhan's Rage if you want to achieve your goal.

So the sword who stopped The Undying is named the Irhan's Rage, we need to have at least a chance to defeat her.

Voices from the Mask
The Dwarven Wonder the Scale still stands. They're in the desert who used to be a sea, buried in their Kingdom underground.

Making our first step to find The Scale, but within the Golden Sea, it's going to take a while...

Persy
Too far from home.
Axel
To the South then.
Voices from the Mask
Then, I'll be watching. Goodbye, Persistance.

The bodies fall to the ground, and their faces reappear.

Axel
So, what do we do now?
Nesvalyn
Perhaps we should get back to the lab first?

Persy kicks some rubbles.

Nesvalyn
You ok Persy?
Axel
What about putting that frustration...
Persy
Fuck off Axel!
Nesvalyn
Wow.
Gemini
You ok Persy?
Axel
He will be fine later, let's-
Persy
Can I speak for myself?
Gemini
Hey Persy, do you mind standing right by me really quick?

Persy kicks a last pebble and obeys. Gemini casts [Greater Restoration] on Persy which reduces his exhaustion and addiction.

Persy
Thank you Gemini.

She nods. We gather some bodies and get back to the Lab.

Debriefing at the Lab
...

When getting back to the lab, we notice that everybody is fine.
Melody goes to hug Persy, exclaiming they heard the explosion.

Persy
Yeah, we're still kickin'.
Nesvalyn
This 6th clan were cultists, they blew up the dome and we're the only survivors.

Paildreo suggests to hide the entrance to the Dome, or we could go up there and finish burning everything and stop the infection.
Persy casts [Identify] on the mask, and becomes enraged .

Persy
NO, NO! No one touches it!
Axel
Ok...
Nesvalyn
Do you care explaining?
Persy
Trust me on this, I would if I could.
Gemini
What do you mean you can't? That's a bit worrying...
Persy
Yeah...
Nesvalyn
If that's that dangerous, maybe we should put it somewhere safe or far away, like an unreacheable place.
Axel
I mean the hole could be far enough.
Persy
It didn't work last time.
Axel
Or you could put it somewhere safe until we know how to destroy it.
Persy
I need some time to study it I guess.

Persy puts the Wolf Mask in a sac in the Portable Hole.

Persy
I suppose I can at least say that our new friend is bad news.
Gemini
I think that makes sense
Axel
It's good to have it confirmed. I prefer to have it that way instead of guessing.

Nesvalyn checks with Paildreo to get the communicators working for later.

Nesvalyn
Do you need more resources or samples?
Paildreo
I have Pebbles here, but Darling, this is going to take time...
Nesvalyn
I know, I just want to be sure you have everything.
Paildreo
It has everything, including a quantic microwaves.
Nesvalyn
A... what?
Paildreo
It projects foods into reality. We could stay here indefinitely, and I don't think Pebbles eats.

We're having more discussions about the research, checking how everybody is doing.

Persy
So Dir has been destroyed, is there something else we can go?
Melody
We can go to Halim, we can track the person there and convert them back.
Axel
I do like that being the priority.
Nesvalyn
Do you need time to think about it?
Persy
It's something and a start.

Then we're discussing on what to do next, and make the point about what we know.

Axel
Melody mentioned that's where you were transformed into a warforged, maybe we could put you back in your original body?

Persy avoids eye contact, and Nesvalyn puts his hand on his shoulder.

Nesvalyn
I still need to get back to Vizerrik, do you need time to think about it?
Axel
I mean we have time in front of us. To clarify, I'm not blaming anyone, it's just to state facts. But if we have chance to put your soul back, we should take it.
Persy
Why? Why?
Axel
Why what?
Persy
So you can have some worthless flesh bag? This is not Persy. I've never been this. The guy you see is what you need in this fight.
Axel
Do you think we value you because of your metal body?
Persy
It's about having the job done! I'm pretty sure he can't hold as much as I can now!
Axel
That's very insulting to yourself, and to the rest of us, to think you are not worthy getting your old body, because you won't be up to the task. I can't speak for everybody, and I love you for who you are, not for the spells you can cast and how you fight.
Persy
All right! If I got to my old body, I'm gonna die! Would I be still in this case?!
Axel
Do you think a thing is valuable only to its way to fight?
Persy
What? So I should throw my life away?
Axel
I don't think so, but you don't know until you test it.
Persy
I don't think that's the kind of thing that can be tested!
Axel
Are you saying that you're going to live in that current body? Is that what you prefer? I understand that you're afraid, but all of us may not be up to the task, we have many things to do before fixing this world..
Persy
I know all of that! It's not about me being scared! It's about giving the best odds! Not a shitty college kid who barely left his home town and fight!
Axel
You are this college kid, you are still you, you are in a different body, but you are still Persistance Baydenst. What is important to me as your friend is to help you and tolerate you and assist you in this adventure, it is what you are happy Persistance. So I'm asking, do you prefer this body, or do you want to get back to your former body?
Persy
I... I'm sure there's plenty of things I'm missing, how the fuck does that matter if we're fighting a god? Also we have my body! Why are we worrying about this now?
Axel
Because I'm worried about you.
Persy
I'LL BE HAPPY WHEN WE WILL BE DONE! Why are we having this conversation? Look around us! Why?
Axel
Because I care about you Persy, if you're looking for a logical and meaningful reason, you're not going to find it here.

Persy puts his hands on his tampers.

Axel
I care about your happiness!
Persy
Shut up!

Persy punches Axel (hits for 19 dmg). Nesvalyn steps in between to prevent further hostile actions.

Nesvalyn
It's enough.

↪ [Persuasion - Pass ✔] Persy calms down.

Persy
That's. Really. Not. The time.
Nesvalyn
I hear you.
Persy
Listen to me, I'm not good enough in that body, just leave me alone.
Nesvalyn
You know it's false, but I respect your decision. It's ok.

Nesvalyn turns to Axel.

Nesvalyn
Listen, I hear and see what you're trying to do, but it's Persy's decision, and we have to support him and accept the choices he makes.
Axel
That's fine.

Axel leaves, and Nesvalyn turns back to Persy.

Nesvalyn
I still have stuff to do at Vizerrik. Take some time for yourself, but have more faith in yourself, ok?

From that, Persy goes into the Portable Hole to be alone, and Nesvalyn uses the Diamond Tiara of Teleportation to go to Vizerrik alone, doing some researches.