Session 25: Being Crappy Caster, Devil’s Bargains, Weakness, Getting Yelled at For Putting Cracks in Dome Like I Had Anything To Do With It, Planning, Clones, Clones Talking in My Head, Being Left Behind To Die, Nightshade Bullshit

General Summary

I grab bottle from Varen’s hand and get up from table. He was not needing any more booze, and I most definitely am. I walk over to door where I can look out at screaming and chaos, and finish off what little bit he has left in there. Nightshade asshole! It is almost nothing.
Then, behind me I hear greedy bastard asking, “Are any of you a powerful caster?” and at first I make dismissive snort, but really, it is making me think. I am not powerful caster. No, no, I cannot deny this thing. I mean, I am amazingly awesome fighter yes, but let us be honest, I am only sad, crappy little caster.
Look! I try to make blessing spell again on group, but it only reaches three people before it fizzles out. So I cast spell on myself to make me little bit tougher, but it is so small that it could only protect maybe, against skinned knees. And when I try to do third spell to cause Grandfather to maybe not feel so good, well, there is nothing at all. I am tapped out. No more magic.
I stare down at where tattoos are on my hands, and think of what that power felt like as it moved through me, of potential I could feel to really fuck shit up. And I know, much as I love hitting things with stick, maybe blunt force trauma, it is not enough for things we must fight now.
I make heavy sigh and lean staff against wall. Pulling shadows around me so assholes won’t ask stupid questions, I walk to far corner of tavern where is quiet and dark, and step again through barrier into Czerno, hoping I can sweet-talk god who lives there into giving me more shit.


I do not remember walking back through portal, but I am once again in ancient Sylvan tavern, and outside is yelling and screaming, and over there is group of assholes huddled up discussing how to kill emperor, and not even one moment has passed.
And in my head, I hear soft click of door closing, and I know with certainty that Czerno no longer welcomes me. I reach out for shadows, but they are only air. I try to make shadow fists appear from tattoos, but something has changed. And I know that there is only one way I will be returning to that dark place – it is through usual door that everyone goes through, which, to be fair, may be unlocking for all of us very soon. I guess Boggie did not so much like me strolling in and asking for more shit, even if I was most charming self.
And then weakness hits me, and I am falling over. I reach out to grab onto chair as my legs buckle. I take one step toward group, then another, and I can feel my whole body tremble. Despair is again rising inside me — too much! too much!— but I crush it back down, reaching instead for piece of Czerno that has burrowed into my heart like some kind of nasty parasite. I wind power out of it, and make gesture with two of my fingers crossed, palm facing me, then whipped around and thrust outward. “Tam ne zdes,” I mutter, and then push, sending magic toward table where they all sit.
Poor Skreek. It is only his bad luck that he is in chair closest to me. My power wraps black hands around him and yanks him out of this world and into another.
And I feel... What can I say? It is most intense pleasure I have ever felt, this magic – better than fucking, better than killing. I never before realized how fractured I was until pieces shifted, and I was made whole. Everything I have lost – strength, speed, agility – none of them gave me even little bit of what I have now.
Power is everything in this world, and I have climbed to whole new level. I reach up to wipe tears from face, but it is not tears I am feeling; my hands come away smeared with blackness.
“Ha!” Grandfather says, slamming hands on table and looking at where it was Skreek was sitting. “That’s my granddaughter!”
But then I am shaking even more, and so too is everything else, because there is some kind of earthquake and a loud cracking sound from outside. Varen is yelling at me, “What did you do?” as he rushes out door.
But I am too tired even to go look at what is new disaster that is happening. Instead, I stumble over to where others sit, collapse into chair, and lay my head down on my arms. I can feel Skreek screaming and carrying on at other end of spell I have cast, and it is annoying, so I drop control of spell and there is another pop and he is there sitting at table again, still screaming and looking little bit worse for wear.
Squawk squawk squawk! So much whining! There are worse places I could have sent him.
Varen comes rushing back in. “There are cracks, high up on the dome! I don’t know what this means, but it can’t be good!” He stomps over to me, “Don’t do that again!”
“What?” I am asking. “You asked for powerful caster, and here I am. Do you not want me to be able to cast spells? How do you think I will fight this emperor clone for you if I cannot cast spells?”
“It wasn’t the spell, that caused this. It’s whatever you did before.”
Ummm… stealing his booze? Stepping through shadows? I don’t know. Whatever, guy.
But hey, I am not only one with little surprise. Grandfather decides to tell us now that he has spent last bit of time tinkering away with magic instead of so much with contraptions, and now he, too, is magic guy. Like proper magic guy, not just kinda-sorta magic guy like he was before. This will probably be easier on his joints than running around shooting at things, so maybe it is smart decision, for once. I will wait and see what kind of new tricks he has up sleeve before I am judging.
And then everyone settles back down from little excitement. We get more bottles from behind bar, and talk about how it is we are going to kill clone. Varen tells us that later into loop cycle it gets, stronger clone becomes. But even in most weakened state, clone is still very resistant to damage, and has ability to heal itself. It can shoot radiant damage at us, and sometimes can summon shadowy demon thing. And it is especially important to remember that thing which possesses clone, this “radiance,” comes from another plane. So, if we can banish it, and keep it banished for full minute, then radiance will be gone and we will be left with just shell of clone and nobody inside. Of course, hard part is getting banishment to land. Clone is not easy target like is Skreek! So we must wear down clone, make it use all of its resistance to magics on other spells so it does not have enough power to resist banishment.
And once clone is gone, spell should end and dome will disappear. At least, that is plan. Varen does not seem too sure on this point, but I mean what else do we have to do with our time? Do good deeds for people? Learn to play instrument? Be serious.
And bang! Again we are in street outside citadel, and we are ducking into cafe, and then out back window, and returning to The Golden Chalice. But light is not quite same this time – there is something about flash, something that is not quite as sharp. And we notice on way to tavern that cracks in dome have disappeared. Things are changing in this place where nothing changes, and probably what we are doing is making these changes, but no one knows how.
Also, there is being something strange about Baermek. I do not know how to explain it, but when first I see him after time has reset itself, it is like I am seeing two of him. I think maybe it is my eyes have gone blurry, and when I rub them, extra Baermek goes away (thank god), so maybe that is it. Last thing we need is two of him running around, using bunch of long words to just say so much bullshit!
Back at same table, at same tavern, we settle in to drink same booze we have already drunk before, and continue with making our plans. We tell Varen about how there is Radiant outside dome waiting to swoop in and get all of toys that are hidden away in here, and how important it is that we locate any cryptoporters and other gear so we can keep them out of hands of that asshole. He tells us he has a cryptoporter himself, and asks if it will be a problem if he keeps it. We do not say that it will be problem, of course, but I do not think we will be letting him keep it if it comes to that. Or maybe it just me thinking this, because others, they give him codes for Lightkeepers and for public porter room at Thanedell. I am not sure how I am feeling about this. I mean what do we know about this asshole other than he caused all this bullshit and he is Nightshade? Let us just say, whatever others think, I am not ready just yet to join Team Varen.
It is decided that Ingoria and Varen will go back to University to look again at dead tabaxi since he was so involved in making of cat people, and rest of us will go to scout out entry to citadel. Varen has told us that best chance to get in without assholes spotting us, is gate near where air ship is crashing. He is probably right; it is hard to keep eye out for sneaky people when large ship is falling on your head!
It is short walk for us, like is everywhere trapped in this bubble. When we get there, I look at wreckage of airship and am noticing that there is writing on its side. Words are cut off, but it says:

other Inc

ng Glory

I do not know what this means, but I am curious. Do Sylvans still have airships now? I have never seen this thing before but, it is true, most of time I am in Underdark. I think “ng Glory” maybe means “Morning Glory.” Mama grew these flowers in our garden; and hey, do you know that they are nightshades? Yeah, this is true. Fuckers are everywhere. Maybe Morning Glory is name of ship. And does not “Inc” mean name of corporation that was owning airship when it was all in one piece? I wish there was time to look in wreckage!
Loud noise echoes out from above and cracks appear in dome, just like before. We all of us look up, then at each other, but what is there to say? It cannot be good thing, but there is nothing we can do about it now but keep on with plan.
We poke around area for little bit longer, but there are no more surprises, and we decide Varen is right – this is where we will enter citadel.
And then we are looping again and it is time to kill clone! Finally!
Grandfather gives me his armor, which is good, because I am not maybe being so tough as I was before most recent trip to Czerno. Varen grabs some new armor for Grandfather, as well as potions and scrolls we will be needing. Skreek takes quick trip to library to grab books on bird people, and then he and Varen do some kind of spell to go directly to cellar of keep, right outside door to vault. Ingoria keeps up her usual Sylvan disguise and is able to walk in gate without anyone noticing her. Baermek and I are made invisible, and Grandfather takes potion which turns him into big fart cloud, so it is easy for all of us to get inside citadel.
Even better, all of us are able to get into keep through arrow slits, like I did before. Grandfather can do it because he is still fart. Baermek because, well, it turns out I was not seeing things – he now has strange echo Baermek thing which he can switch places with (but fortunately, it does not talk). Ingoria, is able to use something she calls Misty Step. And I… I have not been left completely without cool shadow powers after all. My tattoos are no longer about the hitting things. Now they are letting me become shadow so that I am able to slip in through arrow slit, no problem. Thanks, Boggie. I take back some of bad thoughts I had about you!
We all of us meet in cellar of keep, outside of vault, and there is last minute drinking of potions and casting of spells. Varen and Baermek stand at entrance, and rest of us are hiding around corner when Varen opens door, just in case big fireball comes zooming out. But there is no fireball! We are not exactly disappointed at this, but maybe little bit surprised and concerned. Why has not Clone set up ambush like he did before? There is no way to know unless we go in, so we peek through door.
It is large room, and mostly empty. There is strange contraption in middle that looks little bit like nightshade dodeca-whatever that we are all knowing and loving. It is shattered though, and blood and other goop have spilled out front of it. Footsteps lead through blood over to throne where sits guy who looks exactly like you would expect sylvan emperor to look like – you know, silver hair and eyes, perfect features, with stick shoved way, way up his ass. Usual Sylvan shit except even more so.
Opposite of throne is little dais with desk on it (and I am very curious what it is that is contained in this desk. If clone has been inside crystal contraption all this time, who is desk for? What kind of notes and things might be inside it?). On wall just behind contraption I can see writing in, it is blood I think, but most of it is hidden behind contraption, and I do not know what language it is anyway.
Varen runs in and yells, “He’s trying to stall us, kill him!” and rest of us follow him in. Skreek, shoots two arrows at Emperor, and it looks like they have hit, but they have really hit nothing. As in nothing is there. Arrows go through illusion of Emperor and thunk into wood of throne. Illusion turns to look at all of us, and sighs. “Well, that’s different,” it says. Varen looks confused and says, “I do not know what this means.”
Iillusion gets up off throne and strolls over toward us. “So, more of you? Just come to spectate? Torment us differently somehow?”
Varen is busy looking around and then yells “Aha!” and runs over to area over by where there is writing in blood. He does some kind of magical blasts, and Real Emperor appears, only he does not look so pretty now. He is still elf with silver hair and eyes, but flesh is rotting and there is some kind of disgusting growth on side of head.
He tries whistling for Skreek right away, but somehow Skreek resists and does not come when he calls. So instead, Emperor makes big nasty sphere of gross darkness appear in center of room, which I am smart enough to be just outside of, unlike everyone else.
I reach for magic and tell him to get down on his knees and grovel before me, which would have been so very cool if it worked, but it does not, and he just gives me look like he cannot believe I even tried to do that. Then he sends back little spell at me to make me afraid, but he isn’t even on top ten list of things I have seen which are scary, so I just ignore him.
And now it is time for whole bunch of spells and counterspells and arrows and swords and blood and curses. (Go steal Skreek’s letters out of his satchel and read those if you really need to know who did what to who. He loves that shit!) And during this all, I hear annoyingly beautiful voice in my head, like chimes and shit.
“Why have you imprisoned us? Where did we go?”
Is anyone else hearing this shit? I whip my head around, looking at everyone else, but no, it does not look like anyone else is hearing voices. Why am I such lucky one? Shit. Sometimes having so much beauty and charm is real curse.
“We are all of us stuck here in time, asshole, and you are what is keeping us trapped! And you know what? Real Emperor is out there, completely fine, living his best life. They’ve completely forgotten about your ass.”
But asshole doesn’t respond to taunts; he just whines, “We are alone. We do not know why. We are trapped.”
Boo hoo hoo. I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I just said that, dipshit. We are all trapped, and you are what is keeping us here. And since I would really like to get out and go somewhere where I am not surrounded by stupid fucking Sylvans all of time, sorry, but you need to die.”
He does not seem too impressed by my threats, but nobody said Sylvans were smart – just pretty, and only if you like that sort of thing, really. “Why does it serve the prison’s architect?” he asks with puzzlement.
And I am like, “I don’t know. Why?”
“It is the only one that can answer. We do not know its reasons,” he responds, and then I understand that by “it” he means me, and now I am pretty fucking insulted and kinda wish I could thunk him over head for old time’s sake. But also, I am wondering what does he mean “architect”? Is he talking about Varen?
Turns out though, I do not need to give him thunk, because this is when Ingoria just goes completely insane on his ass with her claw thing, and he starts screaming higher and higher, until he barfs up thing that looks exactly like Horror that we have fought before in Sylvan ruins.
When I see this black shadow thing he barfed, I forget whatever question it is I may have asked. “What the fuck just came out of your mouth, asshole? Is that ‘Radiance?’”
But he does not answer, just keeps going on about architect. “It says it wants free, yet it does not kill the architect.”
And now, I am wondering even more about Varen. I mean, sure Emperor is not to be trusted – I should not even by listening to his bullshit (even if it is little bit hard to ignore when someone is talking in your head). But is Nightshade to be trusted? No. Definitely not. Could Varen have some kind of secret plan? Duh. He is Nightshade. But could he be one keeping us all here, and is he using us to get something he could not get alone? I mean, we only have his word that killing Emperor will free us all.
“This architect guy is keeping us here? Not you?” I ask clone.
He turns to look at me, in middle of fight, as lightning is flying around and all is chaos. “Who is maintaining it?” he asks. “Who controls the artifact?”
And then Varen completes spell that I know is banishment. Emperor spits out word to counter banishment, but before word is even out of his mouth, Varen counters that, and...
Emperor vanishes.
“Now hold them off!” yells Varen. And, as Sylvan guards start running into room, he uses Dimension Door again and leaves us all behind!
Fucker! I knew it!!
But I do not have long to wallow in righteous indignation, because now Sun Knight appears, and we are all of us soon very, very dead. Oh we put up fight, of course, but there is no way we could survive against that many, since we are already hurt so much from fight with Emperor.
Flash! Boom! Street! Screams! Airship!
Dazed, we get out of view of Sylvans on balcony and into cafe. What the fuck just…
Varen! That asshole left us to die!
We rush off to The Golden Chalice, and when we get there bartender is standing out in street yelling “Why? Why?” and inside is sound of crashing and yelling and glass breaking. We run in and see Varen is trashing place and screaming at top of his lungs. I reach out and grab him with magic, holding him in place, and he is too busy having little tantrum to even resist. We tie him up, and gag his mouth with sealing wax, and Ingoria goes through his stuff, but he only has his usual gear and potions and whatever – nothing that could be artifact.
I am so fucking angry I cannot even see straight. It is obvious to me that whatever it was that was his plan, it did not work out. He did not get whatever it is he came for. I walk up to him, grab his chin in my hand, and hurt him. Unleashing darkness that is inside me, I hurt him worse than ever I have thought it possible to hurt someone with just one touch. I so much want to do it again, but I do not know if he will survive it, and we have questions.
Once he is softened up, we take out wax so he can talk. “What the hell was that for?!” he screams.
Stupid fucking question. “That was for leaving us behind to die, asshole!” I snarl at him.
He looks shocked for moment, then growls, “I followed the plan!”
“This was not plan!” Fuck, I want to hurt him again. “If banishment had worked and dome spell was ended, we would have been dead-dead. There would have been no time loop to bring us back.”
“I. Followed. The. Plan.” he says again, through gritted teeth.
It may have been his plan, but it was certainly not my plan to go back to Czerno quite so soon. “Who is architect?” I demand, getting in his face. “Did you use artifact to make dome?”
He looks at me with great suspicion. “Where is this coming from?”
“It’s coming from me, asshole. Is there artifact?!” I reach hand out toward his face again
“Yes, yes, I used an artifact.” He looks at me with disgust. “But we can’t interfere with it now!”
Can’t? Did asshole just say we can’t? I draw my hand back to my face, swiping downward in front of my lips, then out in a wide circle. “Pravda,” I whisper, and I can feel my power flow out of me, engulfing all of us.
“Now,” I smile, “Tell me about artifact, Nightshade.”

Report Date

10 Aug 2023