[DM]
Idris, as the party finishes bringing the shattered ship unto the beach and make sure no one waited in ambush you sat on a rock, millenia of waves having made it smooth and even somewhat comfortable.
Holding in your hands the massive spear that Fherelai had used in your fight you attempt to find out more about it... And perhaps even make it your pact weapon.
[Give me an arcana check]
[Idris Doryu]
[Arcana Check: 21]
[DM]
Your attempts to make this weapon your own fail... With a burst of insight you realise why.
This weapon is already bound to someone. Fherelai's touch surrounds it's very being, her being somehow linked to it.
You realise that when she is back, however long that process will be the spear will fly to her, landing in her hand. As long as the two are on the same plane they cannot be separated.
[Idris Doryu]
Idris ponders for a while, the weight of the spear heavy in his hand, but the burden of its true ownership even heavier.
A thought crosses his mind, he could easily toss it into his bag of colding, bury the problem away until it resurfaces—but no. That would be a temporary solution. For better or worse, Talos had played a part in this.
With a determined breath, Idris drives the spear into the ground with a firm, deliberate motion. It stands tall, like a lightning rod. Idris takes a knee before it.
He begins as he always does, with respect, speaking to the god of storms and destruction:
"O mighty Talos, god of thunder, storm, wrath and destruction—once again, I seek your ear. You may already know my name but I am Idris Doryu, a humble servant of light, shield and the people, though I know our paths do not often cross."
He pauses, glancing at the spear, and then continues, his tone growing more direct.
"I stand before you with your weapon in hand, a gift once wielded by Fherelai, one who served you in devotion. She sought power in your name, but she failed. In battle, she was defeated, and now this weapon rests in my grip."
Idris’ gaze sharpens, his thoughts shifting to the dilemma at hand. He knows what he is asking—knows it is audacious, even dangerous. But he also knows that destruction and creation often walk hand in hand, something Talos would understand well.
"Though I am no servant of yours, Talos, I have come to understand that sometimes before creation, there must be destruction. I am a protector, a builder, yes—but even I know that sometimes, in the wake of ruin, new strength is born. The death of weak things makes way for the strong as Fherelai once said."
His voice grows more intense as he presses forward with his plea.
"Fherelai was weak, and by her own admission, she thanked us for culling the weaker members of her own cult. But even in defeat, her grip on this spear lingers. It remains tied to her, not fully mine. I believe only you, Talos, can sever that connection and grant me true dominion over this weapon."
He leans slightly closer to the spear, his tone now measured but sincere.
"I know it sounds… counterintuitive, to entrust one who stands against your cult with a weapon of your power. But I do not seek to destroy you or your will. I seek only to use this weapon for something greater. In your storms, there is destruction, yes, but there is also rebirth. Grant me this spear fully, and I will honor its might—by destroying that which is weak, so that something stronger may rise in its place."
Idris closes his eyes for a moment, waiting for the energy of the spear to pulse in response.
"I ask this not for my own gain alone, but to continue the cycle. Destruction… and creation. So, what say you, mighty Talos? Will you release Fherelai’s grasp, or shall I face her again when she returns?"
[DM]
Suddenly a great gust of wind swirls around Idris, dark clouds appearing overhead with unnatural speed. The once calm sky shifts into a roiling mass of thunderheads, flashes of lightning cracking through the heavens. Normally a God would not deign to answer such a plea but it was made with hands upon a weapon blessed by them.
The clouds overhead move faster, lightning flashing in them, all towards a center point. Out of the commotion above they start forming humanoid features, a brow, piercing eyes, a prominent nose. Talos.
Image
A deafening roar comes from the God, lightning striking dangerously close to the spear Idris planted. While it sounded like deafening thunder at first, a word rings in everyone's ears after a few moments.
FOOL!
No response is allowed as any movement from those on the beach is followed by more bolts striking, cutting off all escape.
YOU THINK YOURSELF WORTHY? YOU, WHO WALK THE PATH OF CREATION! YOU, WHO DO NOT KNOW WHO YOU TRULY SERVE?
Another bolt of lightning crashes down, shaking the earth beneath his feet, as the voice grows Darker.
FHERELAI PROVED HERSELF—SHE BROUGHT DOWN THE THUNDER TO HER ENTIRE TRIBE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOU ASK FOR POWER WITHOUT SACRIFICE!
The storm pauses for a moment, the silence heavy, before more words echo through the thunder.
PROVE YOUR WORTH. BRING FORTH THE THUNDER. SACRIFICE ONE YOU LOVE, AND THE SPEAR WILL BE YOURS.
The clouds swirl violently above Idris, the storm waiting for his choice, its wrath demanding the ultimate price.
[Idris Doryu]
Idris stands firm amidst the roaring storm, his posture unwavering as the thunderous voice of Talos crashes down around him. He knows he is being tested, pushed to his very limits—but his resolve is as steadfast as the lightning-struck earth beneath his feet. The god demands proof of his worth, of his right to wield the spear, but Idris will not be swayed by brute force alone. He is no mere servant of destruction—he wants to be the embodiment of balance, of creation now through controlled devastation and where else his path leads him.
Drawing a deep breath, he speaks, his voice calm yet filled with unshakable conviction:
"O mighty Talos, you are right to test my worth, and I do not claim to walk the path of pure destruction like Fherelai. But even creation, as I understand it, needs destruction. I offer you this: let me wield your spear, not as a mindless tool, but as a controlled storm—one that strikes where the weak and corrupt have taken root. Through me, your power will grow. I will not sacrifice one I love, but I will prove my strength by dedicating battles in your name, and by showing that destruction, when wielded by a capable hand, can bring forth greater power."
As he speaks, Idris reaches deep within himself, calling upon the strength of the connections he has forged—not through submission, but through unity, through balance. His mind travels back to the astral vision he once had, where three lines radiated outward from him, each representing a powerful bond, each reflecting a different facet of his being.
First, he calls upon the Deva, his celestial guide, the one who has watched over him since his birth as an aasimar.
The radiant light of creation and divine purpose courses through his veins, and Idris projects that power outward[He is gonna use his Channel Divinity: Watcher's Will more so to only project that power outward not as a statement of defiance], like a beacon of the heavens piercing the storm. The celestial energy flickers around him, a testament to his unyielding faith in creation.
Second, he calls upon his infernal pact—the ancient devil bound to his very sword, whom he has befriended, rather than enslaved.
As he stands, his sword in front of him piercing the ground, the flames of the sword rise in harmony with the celestial light [He'd want to set the sword ablaze with eefe], forming a stark contrast that does not clash, but coexists. The sword pulses with the power of the devil, a force of destruction mastered through friendship and respect, not coercion.
Thirdly, although he has no clue how, he tries to summon the energy of Alistor, the wild force of chaos that he has spilled blood beside and (thinks?) befriended in recent days.
Lastly, He feels the dragon’s influence awaken, a slumbering beast that stretches its wings within his soul. Although unable to sprout his wings currently he would gather everything of the draconic influence that he can
He raises his head, his eyes meeting the storm god’s furious gaze in the heavens.
Bold and unwavering, filled with quiet confidence. Idris knows he walks a dangerous line, but his courage has always driven him to face the unknown with strength, unafraid of the risks that come with forging his own path but also not wanting to drag his party into his mess
"If that makes me unworthy, so be it—but I will face your wrath with my own strength."
The words hang in the air for a moment. He continues, his voice unyielding:
"Fherelai served you with destruction, yes, but still she fell. I offer you a new kind of alliance. Through me, you gain someone who understands both creation and destruction—one who walks the line between light and darkness, and who can carry your power farther than any cult. I offer myself not as a mindless follower, but as a controlled storm, one that will prove itself by spreading your influence where even the fiercest storms have not yet touched.
Idris holds his ground, the combined power of his celestial, infernal, draconic and demonic bonds flowing through him, pushing against the tempest that surrounds him. He stands not anymore as a mere mortal asking for a gift, but as one who has already proven himself to countless being through his mastery of balance, through his refusal to bend to any force.
His gaze sharpens, his voice filled with the resolve of one who knows his path:
"Let me introduce myself once more. I am not Fherelai. I am Idris Doryu—a storm of my own making."
[DM]
[Give me an intimidation check]
[Idris Doryu]
[I would like to use my inspiration]
[Intimidation Check 19 :art_scared: ]
[Not sure If I managed to bring it across properly but Idris does not want to challange/intimidate him but rather show him that he can take a different path. And he is being bold deliberately ]
[DM]
[No worries I got the vibe. Give me a dex save]
[Idris Doryu]
[Dex Save: 23 (Nat 20)]
[DM]
The storm seems to pause for just a moment, as if taken aback by the boldness of Idris's words. The winds howl less fiercely, and the thunder rumbles with a slow, dangerous rhythm. A moment passes and then the storm roars louder than ever before. Thunder crashes overhead, and the sky seems to tear apart with blinding flashes of lightning. Talos’s voice cuts through the chaos, sharp and filled with fury. Unlike before the words are clearer and spoken quickly.
"You dare speak to me of balance mortal? You stand before the Lord of Storms, and you speak of creation—of bonds and control? You think to wield my power as your own? You are nothing but a mortal clinging to false promises and fragile ties."
The ground trembles as more lightning strikes around Idris, the very earth shuddering.
"I am the storm. I am destruction. I am the wave that will plunge all into darkness. There is no balance in my domain, no restraint only pure power. Ruthlessness above all."
The storm intensifies, swirling around Idris, the air so thick with rage that it feels suffocating. A bolt of lightning slams into the spear almost ending Idris’s life in an instant where it not for the paladin deftly jumping to the side. The spear rises, electricity crackling around it before it launches itself into the sky vanishing into the storm. [Idris takes 38 lighting damage... Only]
"You will not be tested, because you are not worth testing. You will never wield my spear. You will never know my power. I will take pleasure watching destruction."
The face disappears as the storm that drove those clouds vanishes. A few moments of silence pass, everyone slightly deafened from the storm. But then the seagulls start crowing and life returns to normal.
[Idris Doryu]
As the storm vanishes and the world returns to an unsettling calm, Idris remains standing for a moment, his breath ragged from the sudden jolt of pain as the lightning coursed through him.
His legs give way beneath him, and Idris falls back onto the ground, landing heavily on his butt. Exhausted, he lets out a sharp exhale. Despite everything, a crooked smile tugs at his lips as he mutters, loud enough for his companions to hear:
"Well, I guess I won’t be friends with the Lord of Storms, at least." He pauses, glancing up at the sky where the spear vanished, thinking to himself. "But that’s just another challenge I’ll have to overcome properly one day."
His voice carries a mix of snark and bold determination, hinting at his belief that perhaps, one day, he might face gods themselves—not just as their servant, but as their equal or rival.
He feels the weight of the god’s words still echoing in his mind: "You will not be tested, because you are not worth testing."
For a brief moment, Idris closes his eyes, pushing through the pain and rejection. Talos had cast him aside—his offer of balance, of creation alongside destruction rejected. But that doesn’t mean he was wrong. Not everyone understands or agrees on the path Idris walks. Not every force can appreciate unity over raw might. But it seems like Talos was never meant to.