Heroica RPG - Quest #147: Judgment Day

[Endgame]

"And neither have we, the ones you are judging. History repeats itself but we survive and we advance. It's a dog-eat-dog world, but there is order where we choose to make it. So I'll ask again: who are you to judge? You are separated from this world. You live in your own realm as you sit and watch ours. Have you asked the poor what they want? All I see here are representatives from the rich."

"I have visions. You are aware of this. And I would be a villain if I did nothing about them. I would also be a villain if I did things using my own judgment. That is why I am the judge. Because I know the paths. And I still wish to hear all sides, to make an informed decision.

I am also the judge, because, well... Someone must carry the burden. It might as well be me.

As for the poor, I have communicated with some who say they have their interests in mind. I did not think that bringing all of the representatives from everyone here was a good idea - getting these six together was already a challenge - so I did it separately."

"We'll see, Charon. I suppose it's up to your master to determine what happens, seeing how he has you so tightly wrapped around his fingers." Karie stated, rather sincerely.

"Some warm welcome." Karie comments, noting the atmosphere. She looks less than honoured to see Immortalis again.

"Where'd you get that impression? I was quite nearly the head honcho here. Immortalis and I have been friends for an eternity. We had a duel to decide who headed the operation, and Immortalis beat me, fair and square... Well, besides that time he cheated and used his prophet powers to blindside me without even looking at me." says Charon with some mirth.

"Ohh yes, and using your portals to redirect my lightning back at me was all fair play.

I suppose this is a bit grim, Karie, but you know what Eschaton is like. I think we'll all be more at ease there."

[Endgame]

"But let us not dwell on the past for too long. Let us head to my realm - Eschaton - so we may continue with the proceedings. Charon?"

"On it."

With another swipe of his cane, another portal is opened. Immortalis gently lifts himself off the ground, hovering just over it, and flies into the portal. Charon, and the party, follow suit, and they find themselves standing in Eschaton.

"I will be at the Judgment Hall, making some final preparations. Just follow along the path, please."

"See you soon."

Immortalis launches into the sky, and Charon disappears into a portal of his own. The party finds themselves and the ambassadors unattended on one of Eschaton's many paths.

Eschaton was as serene as ever. A refreshing wind blows past the party, the teal grass and white flowers swaying in the breeze. The only sounds are the crackling of the azure flames and the sound of gently running water. In the distance, they could see rain watering Eschaton's lush terrain. The clouds stood out against the realm's seemingly infinite sk.

"This is rather... surreal."

"I cannot say this is what I expected of the dragon's lair..."

"I do not believe this place is part of Olegaia. It is somehow... beyond it?"

"*Wheeze*... It's. Wow. After the Shadow Citadel, this is just beautiful."

"Ze dragon seemz to like living in luxury, hm?"

"What do you make of this dragon, heroes?"

Edited March 14, 2016 by Endgame

[Lind Whisperer]

"What do you make of this dragon, heroes?"

"I have no idea how this day will end, but I am certain that if anyone here is willing to "be reasonable," it'll be that magnificent being that just portaled away.

He could have just let things continue, but he made the choice to call you here, to ask you to justify his changing the timeline for the better. He's not some mad, rogue...something, he's a kind, grand being that's actively trying to find the best end for Eubric."

OoC: What's the scale of the model? Would a minifig be able to reach the water if they stood by the fence?

Edited March 14, 2016 by Lind Whisperer

[Endgame]

QM Note: I guess if you bend over and reach under the fence, I guess? It's basically minifig 1:1 scale.

"And zat best end may just be ze end in general. Will you truly lie down and die if he chooses that Eubric should be destroyed? You trust zat dragon that much? I respect zem, but I am not obligated to agree with their every choice."

[Lind Whisperer]

"Does that water make anyone else feel exceptionally thirsty?"

"And zat best end may just be ze end in general. Will you truly lie down and die if he chooses that Eubric should be destroyed?

"No-o, I'll be making a strategic retreat to safer grounds. After warning one or two friends in the city..."

Bother it, the Munchkin thought to himself, I should have dropped by the tavern, and let Gabriel know what might be going down...

You trust zat dragon that much? I respect zem, but I am not obligated to agree with their every choice."

"My first obligations are to my employer, m'lday."

[Kintobor]

"I have no idea how this day will end, but I am certain that if anyone here is willing to "be reasonable," it'll be that magnificent being that just portaled away.

He could have just let things continue, but he made the choice to call you here, to ask you to justify his changing the timeline for the better. He's not some mad, rogue...something, he's a kind, grand being that's actively trying to find the best end for Eubric."

"And you've managed to come to this conclusion in the- what, two times you've met him? Once when you met him after murdering his son and the second after he blatantly threatens us?" Karie scowls. Eschaton's atmosphere wasn't helping. There was never anyone here. Only Charon and his dragon master. "I hope we can all recognize what that was back there, a threat. Immortalis is attempting to intimidate us with a show of force. Lind, does a kind, grand being do that?" Karie sighed. She had a feeling she was going to do something she was going to regret doing when it came to Lind. She turned her attention to Thormanil.

"I don't think I've actually heard of you, Thormanil, which is weird because I've heard of just about everyone in the hall. What's your story?"

[Endgame]

"Wait a moment. You killed this dragon's son? And he's just letting you come into his home? Is this a trap?"

[Lind Whisperer]

"And you've managed to come to this conclusion in the- what, two times you've met him? Once when you met him after murdering his son and the second after he blatantly threatens us?"

"The fact that he didn't instantly blast us out of existence after we executed his son, says a lot."

Karie scowls. Eschaton's atmosphere wasn't helping. There was never anyone here. Only Charon and his dragon master. "I hope we can all recognize what that was back there, a threat. Immortalis is attempting to intimidate us with a show of force. Lind, does a kind, grand being do that?" Karie sighed. She had a feeling she was going to do something she was going to regret doing when it came to Lind.

"That was an example of our future, not a threat.

Why would he threaten us? What would he stand to gain from it?"

"Wait a moment. You killed this dragon's son? And he's just letting you come into his home? Is this a trap?"

"We executed his son, in a perfectly legal quest completion.

And Immortalis himself admitted his son needed to be stopped - and killing him was the only way that was going to happen."

[Kintobor]

"That was an example of our future, not a threat.

Why would he threaten us? What would he stand to gain from it?"

"Lind, I should mention that I've burnt down a hall full of mercenaries that I disagreed with. Burnt everyone inside of it as well. Burnt it to the ground, salted the earth, and then ensured the bystanders remembered it by eating a baby on the front steps. I'm telling you this just as a heads up, since I'm considering doing the exact same thing to Heroica hall incase I disagree with it as well in the near future." Karie raised her eyebrows.

"Beginning to see the picture?"

"Wait a moment. You killed this dragon's son? And he's just letting you come into his home? Is this a trap?"

"Let me put it like this: if Immortalis was mad at us, he'd probably make his opinion heard a long time ago."

[Lind Whisperer]

"Lind, I should mention that I've burnt down a hall full of mercenaries that I disagreed with. Burnt everyone inside of it as well. Burnt it to the ground, salted the earth, and then ensured the bystanders remembered it by eating a baby on the front steps. I'm telling you this just as a heads up, since I'm considering doing the exact same thing to Heroica hall incase I disagree with it as well in the near future." Karie raised her eyebrows.

"Beginning to see the picture?"

"Heh. Good old Karie, always the kidder..."

"Let me put it like this: if Immortalis was mad at us, he'd probably make his opinion heard a long time ago."

"What she said. Which is a paraphrase of what I said."

[JimBee]

Jinnipher crossed her arms and scoffed as Immortalis flew away. "Yeah we'll see who receives the final judgement today."

"What do you make of this dragon, heroes?"

She waved her hand to gesture at their general surroundings. "Look around you. The lizard and his little minion seclude themselves in this ethereal paradise and claim to know all about our world and what's best for it. You look at the wasteland we were just in and you look at this place... I don't know if I've ever seen hypocrisy so vividly symbolized. I don't know if anything you say to him will change his mind, because he's probably already made it up."

"And zat best end may just be ze end in general. Will you truly lie down and die if he chooses that Eubric should be destroyed? You trust zat dragon that much? I respect zem, but I am not obligated to agree with their every choice."

Jinnipher nodded to the Charisian woman. "At least someone around here has the right idea. Umbra Shadeaux, right? The name's Jinnipher." She extended a hand as her deep almond-colored eyes gazed through the young woman. "You seem to have some experience with combat, or at least can think on your feet."

"Does that water make anyone else feel exceptionally thirsty?""No-o, I'll be making a strategic retreat to safer grounds. After warning one or two friends in the city..."

"Is that so, bookworm? I expected no less from a coward like you. If this all goes to shit you're less useful than the ones we're supposed to be protecting. You might as well tell Charon here to ship you back now so you can head for the hills."

[Siercon and Coral]

"Does that water make anyone else feel exceptionally thirsty?"

Siercon figured, why the heck not... "I see we're thinking along the same lines..." He said. He dumped a potion bottle out, and filled it up by reaching under the fencing towards the water.

"And you've managed to come to this conclusion in the- what, two times you've met him? Once when you met him after murdering his son and the second after he blatantly threatens us?" Karie scowls. Eschaton's atmosphere wasn't helping. There was never anyone here. Only Charon and his dragon master. "I hope we can all recognize what that was back there, a threat. Immortalis is attempting to intimidate us with a show of force. Lind, does a kind, grand being do that?" Karie sighed.

"Yes, indeed it was a threat. Or more rather an 'declaration'... which is more odd. He needs something, even if it's just convoluted verification of his assumptions."

"That was an example of our future, not a threat.

"I will never agree with an 'all wise', and 'prophetic' being that holds permanent desolation to be a better option than a 'people sinking into the water'... His prime examples of the evils he has allowed to escape his purges to his own regret, are still clearly far greater fates than an eternal barren void." Siercon said.

"Lind, I should mention that I've burnt down a hall full of mercenaries that I disagreed with. Burnt everyone inside of it as well. Burnt it to the ground, salted the earth, and then ensured the bystanders remembered it by eating a baby on the front steps. I'm telling you this just as a heads up, since I'm considering doing the exact same thing to Heroica hall incase I disagree with it as well in the near future." Karie raised her eyebrows.

"Beginning to see the picture?"

"Yes, a very gross picture indeed. Something I would appreciate you abstaining from around me." Siercon said oddly politely.

[Lind Whisperer]

Jinnipher nodded to the Charisian woman. "At least someone around here has the right idea. Umbra Shadeaux, right? The name's Jinnipher.

"She meant to say Princess Jenny."

"Is that so, bookworm? I expected no less from a coward like you. If this all goes to shit you're less useful than the ones we're supposed to be protecting. You might as well tell Charon here to ship you back now so you can head for the hills."

"...That's...not what I said at all." The Black Knight looked at the Elf blankly.

"She asked if I planned to just lie down and be destroyed along with Eubric. I replied in the negative.

I was hired to guard these fine people. If this ends poorly, I will fight to the death - or as close as the Artefacts allow - to keep that promise."

"Yes, a very gross picture indeed. Something I would appreciate you abstaining from around me." Siercon said oddly politely.

"Heh.

I like this guy."

[JimBee]

"...That's...not what I said at all." The Black Knight looked at the Elf blankly.

"She asked if I planned to just lie down and be destroyed along with Eubric. I replied in the negative.

I was hired to guard these fine people. If this ends poorly, I will fight to the death - or as close as the Artefacts allow - to keep that promise."

"It is exactly what you said. I hope you realize that a 'strategic retreat' is the opposite of fighting to the death. Good thinking, kiddo. You're even more useless by the fact that you can't even recognize your cowardice."

[Lind Whisperer]

"It is exactly what you said. I hope you realize that a 'strategic retreat' is the opposite of fighting to the death. Good thinking, kiddo. You're even more useless by the fact that you can't even recognize your cowardice."

The Black Knight shook his head, and ignored her. Edited March 15, 2016 by Lind Whisperer

[Endgame]

"I will never agree with an 'all wise', and 'prophetic' being that holds permanent desolation to be a better option than a 'people sinking into the water'... His prime examples of the evils he has allowed to escape his purges to his own regret, are still clearly far greater fates than an eternal barren void." Siercon said.

"I do not agree with his ways, but the demon infestation of Mercution was deathly serious. Those demons... Well, they still have their influence on the world even today. Drowning them didn't fully cure the issue, only destroy what was left of humanity there."

Jinnipher nodded to the Charisian woman. "At least someone around here has the right idea. Umbra Shadeaux, right? The name's Jinnipher." She extended a hand as her deep almond-colored eyes gazed through the young woman. "You seem to have some experience with combat, or at least can think on your feet."

Umbra accepts the hand and shakes it.

Hello, Jinnipher. Oui, I am Umbra. I've had a couple of scraps - even one with Heroica, back in the early days of the organization renzzaince - but I am afraid I left my weapons away.

I muzt admit, I did not expect zis Father of Dragons to be... Well, what he iz. Such a kind tone while threatening us with destruction."

Umbra turns towards Arx and Thormanil.

"What does your you and your dragon think of Immortalis, dragoon? I'd be curious to get another perspective on zis supposed judge, especially from someone as well versed as you two."

[swils]

"Holds himself in highest regard, like the rest I've met," Thormanil offers, gruffly. Arx chimes in, <"But Immortalis seems to have much more self control, a better temperament. Nothing like that hotheaded Rastaban we crossed paths with a while ago.">

[Endgame]

Siecon bottles up the sparkling water. It seemed to act as a remedy.

"He might have reason to have that opinion of himself, to be honest..."

[JimBee]

Umbra accepts the hand and shakes it.

Hello, Jinnipher. Oui, I am Umbra. I've had a couple of scraps - even one with Heroica, back in the early days of the organization renzzaince - but I am afraid I left my weapons away.

I muzt admit, I did not expect zis Father of Dragons to be... Well, what he iz. Such a kind tone while threatening us with destruction."

"Theatrics," she replied dismissively.

Bored, Jinnipher took out her shovel and began to idly poke around in the dirt. Maybe she would find some astral treasure.

[Endgame]

QM Note: Sorry, been super busy. Updates will have to wait until tomorrow night.

[Lind Whisperer]

"Theatrics," she replied dismissively.

Bored, Jinnipher took out her shovel and began to idly poke around in the dirt. Maybe she would find some astral treasure.

"You would disturb the home of one of the most powerful beings..." The Black Knight shook his head.

And started digging also.

QM Note: Sorry, been super busy. Updates will have to wait until tomorrow night.

OoC: Np.

[Endgame]

The party's attempts at shovelling yeild nothing but fistfuls of fertile dirt.

The group continues along the path until they find a large ivory building - not unlike a cathedral - looming over them.

Immortalis, Charon, and a unidentified angel stand at the entrance.

"Heroes, ambassadors, thank you for coming here. This angel is another one of my associates."

The luminous angel was made entirely of bright light, sans her jet black hair.

"Hello. I am Telethia. I will be helping you while you spend the rest of your day in Eschaton."

"And I'm sure you'll do a damn fine job, darling." Charon pats the angel's shoulder affectionately. "Now, I'll be off. I've got places to be." And with that, Charon takes a step backwards, and vanishes into thin air.

"I'm not sure if I love it or hate it when he does that."

"On that note, I will be heading into the Judgment Corridor. Enjoy your stay, heroes, ambassadors. Your visit will not be long here, but I try to be a gracious host."

And with that, the dragon launches into the sky, leaving only the heroes, ambassadors, and Telethia.

"They're odd, aren't they? Charon especially. But that's why I'm with the man. Now..."

The angel unfurls a map.

"Now, Immortalis recommends that those who will be judged hide to their rooms in the Barracks, in order to prepare themselve mentally for whats to come. He is not an intimidating judge, most of the time, but he is always a piercing one, so be prepared. As for the heroes... Well, the Barracks offer you little right now. You can head essentially anywhere else the map indicates though - iif one of us angels doesn't stop you, you can do it, as a rule of thumb, so enjoy what we have here."

The ambassadors nod, and head to the barracks, murmuring amongst themselves.

"Thank you for your service, heroes."

"Be seeing you *wheeze* soon! It was nice meeting you, Lind, Jinnipher, Thormanil, Siercon... and it was *cough* nice seeing you again, Karie."

And with that, the ambassadors were gone.

"Now, you more or less have time to spare as Immortalis judges each person individually. Judgments can less 5 minutes to 5 hours, so expect some wait... Eventually, you might have to go to the barracks and hit the hay, but why not get yourself about familiar with Eschaton first? No need to stay in a pack, either... If a place sounds interesting, head to it."

[Lind Whisperer]

The party's attempts at shovelling yeild nothing but fistfuls of fertile dirt.

Lind silently slid a handful of the rich earth into his pocket.

"They're odd, aren't they? Charon especially. But that's why I'm with the man. Now..."

"They're unique. And in the very best way..."

"Be seeing you *wheeze* soon! It was nice meeting you, Lind, Jinnipher, Thormanil, Siercon... and it was *cough* nice seeing you again, Karie."

"Bye, Punii!

See you again soon."

Unless things turn for the worse...

"Now, you more or less have time to spare as Immortalis judges each person individually. Judgments can less 5 minutes to 5 hours, so expect some wait... Eventually, you might have to go to the barracks and hit the hay, but why not get yourself about familiar with Eschaton first? No need to stay in a pack, either... If a place sounds interesting, head to it."

The Black Knight scratched his chin. "Hmm...I suppose it would be polite if I visited the Memorial." Edited March 18, 2016 by Lind Whisperer

[Endgame]

"I hope you haven't been spreading the good word about them, Knight. They... Frown down upon that."

[Lind Whisperer]

"I hope you haven't been spreading the good word about them, Knight. They... Frown down upon that."

"...You mean about their having been slain?

I'm not quite sure what you mean."