Dionysus Your mount is quickly so high, you can see the whole continent. It breaks sharply & starts going southeast.

Arlie_B "I wish I could fly, I'd never set down on the ground."

Arlie_B "So we have a ride in this airship, right? I've been trying to work a way to dangle suspended from a rope when it flies, just for this sensation!"

Arlie_B it takes Arlie a minute or two to say this against the wind.

Arlie_B "So what's your name?"

Dionysus You get no answer, but you end up taking off over a vast stretch of ocean. You can see the globe's curve beneath you & stars above you.

Dionysus You realize it is taking you away from Berellia.

• Arlie_B struggles to breathe. "So-- Where're-- We-- Headed?"

Dionysus You can breathe perfectly fine.

Arlie_B (have you shown him the wiki yet, and if not, should I when there is down time?)

Arlie_B right, retcon that. "So, Where're we headed?"

Dionysus Your trip takes you to what is apparently Palhur. The subcontinent of Malhuin, which is covered in something that is no color you can describe, is below you as it starts to land.

Arlie_B Palhur == Krenata'an?

Dionysus Yes.

Arlie_B "That doesn't look very wholesome."

Dionysus The pegasus fails to respond, but it lands in a patch of normal looking ground near what you know was once the city of Malhuin itself. Largest port in the world.

Arlie_B quick background check, what happened to this continent?

Arlie_B I the player have forgotten.

Dionysus You don't know IC.

Arlie_B "What in the bloody Hells happened here?"

Arlie_B "Is this our stop? Kneel if I should get off, I don't want to catch your flank accidentally."

Dionysus It kneels.

• Arlie_B dismounts, and walks towards the stuff that has an indescribable color.

Dionysus It coats everything--trees, rocks, buildings. It feels unpleasant.

• Arlie_B draws his sword and casts detect magic. Is it magical?

Dionysus Your spell reveals nothing.

Arlie_B Nothing, as in it isn't magical, or as the spell just doesn't work on this stuff?

Dionysus The latter.

Arlie_B Arlie shouts back: "This stuff is odd, what is it?"

Arlie_B "Is it safe to touch?"

Dionysus No answer.

Dionysus But you hear rustling nearby.

• Arlie_B looks over to the rustling and creates a blue zone shield.

Dionysus A person, half coated with the Wrongness, slinks out, moving like a zombie, but without the rot. It grumbles unintelligbly.

• Arlie_B zones it to get rid of magical undeath, and gets ready for battle.

Dionysus It stares at you, sniffs the air, then runs in a different direction.

Arlie_B "Alright, you got me."

Arlie_B "It's undeath, but I've never seen a zombie act like that."

Dionysus You hear a voice not far off, speaking a strange, unpleasant language.

Arlie_B "If I need to take a 'soul bath' after this, I'm going to be pissed, for the record."

• Arlie_B walks backwards towards the pegasus.

Arlie_B on guard.

Dionysus In thickly accented Maraddonian, "Who's there?"

Dionysus The voice is deep, masculine.

Arlie_B "Arlie Battisto, Duke of something or other. Who are you?"

• Arlie_B turns to the voice.

Dionysus "Radarak Brimstone, Ender General of the Corps of the Champion," a black armored, black eyed ender walks around a corner & stares at you. "What brings a Maraddonian Duke of something or other here to this Manfiestation-assimilated cesspit?"

Arlie_B "Right, I had the same question. Ask the pegasus. I warn you, he's not much for conversation." Arlie gestures to the Pegasus.

Dionysus The ender looks to the pegasus, then back to you, "A tale worth hearing, I suppose, but not right now. Are you above joining me in recon? My scouts have not returned, & it has been far too long."

Arlie_B "I'd be a damn fool to not get behind someone as big as you, what with all this around. If my ride goes a different way, I'll have to split up with him."

Arlie_B "What is this stuff?"

Dionysus He looks at you sharply, then shrugs, "Something has caused a great Wrongness, so wrong that the Webweaver & the Whore of Hope are allied against it. This is how it manifests. Something happened here to engulf the entire subcontinent. One of my brethren who was serving as ambassador to another Champion vanished at the time. I am here seeking him."

Arlie_B "If those two can settle their differences for this, then I have no complaints. The Alpha Shemir was talking about this as well. What does the stuff do if it gets on you?"

• Arlie_B follows the man.

Arlie_B emotionally, Arlie is curious and impressed by the Ender. He's also scarred, but knows acting on it won't do any good in this situation. Arlie is accepting the surreal.

Dionysus "It hasn't affected me yet. I can't speak for one less armored."

Arlie_B scared*, sorry.

Arlie_B "Well I'll let you know if it comes up."

Arlie_B "I'm a mutant, and I was able to use my power to make one of the zommbie-men run away. Magic interferes with my power, so if you have anything magical on let me know."

Dionysus He looks at you like you're a fool, then says, "I wear armor imbued with the darkness of the Gifts of the Enders, bear a sword of the same power, & am a servitor of darkness itself. My power is likely drawn from the Webweaver himself, but it might be magic in your book."

Arlie_B "... thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Arlie_B the four minute pause was in character.

Dionysus Ha

Dionysus He leads the way with surprising stealth into the assimilated city.

• Arlie_B keeps up as best he can. When he sees the Ender practicing Stealth, he goes into mission mode as well. Emotionally, Arlie appreciates the Ender's skill and frankness. He sees why he'd make a good commander.

Dionysus You find that you see many assimilated people, but he ignores them completely, indicating that he seeks someone who seems to have power of the stuff.

Dionysus He asks you if you've seen any such thing.

Arlie_B power over the stuff?

Arlie_B "I've seen the assimilated people, and I met a man who had been there when things went wrong. He was recovering in Madziar last I saw."

Dionysus He looks at you sharply, "Who was that?"

Arlie_B "Son of Father of Wealth. He couldn't remember anything, and I think he's dying now."

Dionysus He grunts, "So be it. Madziar is closed to me anyway. There," he points, "Is a circus." The circus ahead of you is glowing with the stuff, brighter than the rest of the place.

Arlie_B "Well at least the Wrongness has a sense of humor, then."

Dionysus He glares at you, "You can sense magic?"

Arlie_B "I can." And he casts detect magic.

Arlie_B Level 4 this time.

Dionysus You sense a brief pulse of old celebration magic & that's it.

Arlie_B does he have darkness magic about him? How powerful?

Arlie_B "I see a glimmer of celebration magic from the circus." He points. "But this stuff blocks the detect magic spells."

Dionysus His power must be faithbased

Dionysus He nods, "Are you willing to go in there, or do I go alone?"

Arlie_B "We're safer together, you're big and I'm a distracting target."

Dionysus He almost grins, "That you are."

Arlie_B "Besides, what's the point of recon without getting a closer look?"

Dionysus "Shut up & let's move in."

• Arlie_B stalks quietly behind the Ender.

Dionysus You manage to slip into the circus area without being seen. The ender motions you to get low as he lifts a tent flap & peers inside. He backs away with a flinch. "I can't see anything in there but the Wrongness. It's... I thought I'd never feel sickened again after I took the armor, but I was wrong."

Dionysus He looks around, then says, "I sense someone in there, Duke Something, but I can't even look at it. You try."

Arlie_B "Let me look."

Arlie_B "If I start to freak out, pull me back before I make a noise."

Arlie_B emotionally determined

Dionysus You manage to look at it without flinching, but something in the midst of it makes you reel--a man in white armor, looking downtrodden. A knight of some sort. Looking at him is... it's a deep contrast--everything Wrong is Right where he is.

Arlie_B "Alright." Arlie turns away and breaths. "There's a knight in there in white armor, looks kind of slumped over. About 6 foot, I might be able to identify country with a closer look."

Arlie_B "He's the source."

Dionysus "Of the Wrongness?"

Arlie_B "He makes Shem look Wrong."

Arlie_B "In comparison."

Arlie_B "He doesn't look to be moving, he's just sort of sitting there."

• Arlie_B casts detect magic again, quietly.

Dionysus No magic, not even the celebration magic from earlier.

Arlie_B "I can't see the magic either."

Dionysus "The knight feels... complete sadness, too profound for me to describe. If I were not trained against it, I would be incapacitated."

Arlie_B "The Son of the Father of Wealth was sad as well."

Dionysus "I doubt he was like this. Did he look dangerous?"

• Arlie_B rubs his eyes. "I only got a short look. If he's as sad as you say, I doubt he has the initiative to go anywhere. But yes, he looked very dangerous."

Arlie_B "Morags are easier to cope with."

Dionysus "I would agree with that. Get a better look while I seek to summon aide."

Dionysus He steps away, slightly.

Arlie_B "Is this still recon, or are we engaging?"

• Arlie_B gets ready to take another look.

Dionysus "We will engage when we have backup."

• Arlie_B casts detect magic this time before looking.

Dionysus No other magic detcted

Dionysus detected

Dionysus No magic, rather

Dionysus You feel so sick you vomit, Arlie.

• Arlie_B wipes away the sick, and looks backwards for the pegasus.

Dionysus It is not far.

Arlie_B ok, Arlie repositions, creates a small puddle of water with water magic, and tries to look into the tent again by looking into the reflection. If it works for some mythical beasts, perhaps it will work here.

• Arlie_B looks for identifying armor, weapons, etc on the knight.

Dionysus A cross with two bars across it hangs from his neck--holy symbol of order.

• Arlie_B lets the tent flap drop and looks up to the ender general.

Arlie_B "Alright, I'm done. He's a order paladin."

Dionysus The general walks over, looking grim, "That would explain why my servants are gone. He must have sent them. Only a paladin? Not a servitor, servant? He is not wielding a gun, is he?"

Arlie_B "I didn't see a gun, but I might not be at the right angle. He had an order holy symbol."

Arlie_B "Thank the Gods for this bloody tent fabric."

Dionysus "I should be able to take him if he's belligerent, which he probably will be if I go in. Do you want in on this, or should I send you off?"

Arlie_B "I need to attack the Wrongness from another angle, and I need to be alive to do that. But I have an idea."

Dionysus "What's that?"

• Arlie_B motions the Ender over to the pegasus. "I can make wild surges. Me and this pegasus will circle, and I'll cover from the air if things go bad for you."

Arlie_B "We might even be able to pull you out of there."

Arlie_B "You'll have to fight blind, you realize."

Dionysus "Blind?"

Arlie_B "You can't even stand to look at him."

Arlie_B "Neither can I."

Arlie_B "In any case, I don't mean any disrespect, but this is a mad plan even for me. Getting word back should be your first priority. This is a recon mission, after all."

Dionysus He nods, "True enough. But I can sense his feelings well enough to fight him, if it comes to it. I would agree that getting word back is utmost, but I have orders to take out the source if I find it, too. If you don't like our chances, you can head out."

Arlie_B "Like I said, I'm worthless down here, but if the pegasus agrees we'll cover from the air."

Arlie_B "If things go bad I'll drop the news off at the next darkness church I run into."

• Arlie_B looks at the pegasus for confirmation.

Dionysus He scowls at what he thinks is a joke, but nods. The pegasus kneels for you.

Arlie_B "Thanks pal, you're a trooper."

Dionysus So you get on? Explain the order of the plan again

Arlie_B We circle from the air. If the Ender starts to lose, Arlie does wild magic to augment him (hopefully).

Arlie_B "Draw him out of the tent if you need help."

Dionysus The ender opens the tent flap cautiously, then there's nothing but white light.

Arlie_B and nothing else? No commotion?

• Arlie_B circles.

Dionysus You see & hear nothing from within.

Arlie_B "Lets circle for another minute. I think he bit it."

Arlie_B "If you feel a bit of unease all of a sudden, that's me."

Dionysus Nothing happens after another minute.

Arlie_B "Alright, let's go back."

Arlie_B Arlie surges the air above the tent as we retreat.

Arlie_B ws

Eklem Wild Surge: 88-Darkness, 92% useful

Dionysus The ender appears behind you on the pegasus, which immediatley lands.

Dionysus The ender falls off & stares at you.

Arlie_B "Are you alright?"

Arlie_B "What happened?"

Arlie_B "I was almost sure you had snuffed it."

Dionysus "I did. I was in the Hells, til something dark carried me back."

Arlie_B "Go and get reinforcements and get to the bottom of this."

Arlie_B "I'll help spread the word."

Dionysus He smirks, "Spread the word that all that is wrong is because the Father of Order has made it so. He knew we were out there the whole time. He has... forsaken his post." He snaps his fingers, & a daemon steed appears from a blossom of fire nearby. "I will see what I can do here, & yes, spread the word. Servant of Tales."

Arlie_B "That was the Father of Order in there? I will. Good luck."

Arlie_B emotionally stunned.

Dionysus He smirks, "May you walk freely through the webs, Servant."

• Arlie_B isn't sure how to take that.

Arlie_B "You heard the man, there is nothing we can do here."

Dionysus The pegasus takes off.

Dionysus Arlie, you are brought back to the clearing, where Sue, another athak, Arsul, & Guiteau are.