(S23) A field of Wheat

The last session began with the group having a brief chat with what appeared to be the avatar of Jergal. Some of the group knew the name as a God of death, some were not as acquainted with the gods of this place. Jergal; mostly a minor god, to most of the group's knowledge, but it seemed like the truth was that he was quite a major god, hiding behind minor gods that he had created, for reasons that, at least from what Ularan had said in the past, to culminate in the destruction of everything. This was something a bit too destructive for the group to fully engage with, feeling more abstract a concept by the sheer scale.

But finally with the chance to speak with this creature, the group were able to get some answers, but were just as swiftly finding more questions.

First, the group felt a compulsion to speak with the creature, almost everyone embraced it, but even though it was quite a benign compulsion, Siax's experience with compulsions in the past had been negative and out of sheer principle he withstood that. The creature was writing in a book that Idris attempted to read with his innate skills, and found it was not good for his sanity. Thankfully Jergal closed the book before Idris could be driven into insanity once again.

The conversation with Jergal seemed to be less than straightforward. The creature spoke in riddles and grand phrases that sounded like they made sense, but when thought about more they became more obscure. It looked like the avatar of Jergal sought out the group specifically because they were of interest because their actions intertwined with this creature's grand plan. He also, later in the conversation, told the group that all of them would be suitable replacements for what it seeks: another death god to take over the burden of actually being a death god until its inevitable death.

The main gist of the conversation was that Jergal implored the group not to waste their lives as Ularan had done. Jergal saw Ularan as someone who fought against the inevitable, and thus achieved nothing. What Ularan was doing, Jergal said, was merely delaying a plan that Jergal had laid down.

There was quite a bit of back and forth, but a breakthrough came when Idris, who was able to focus on what Jergal had mentioned, had found some relevant notes in his mental library, notes from the old empire. These were mostly theories from the philosophers at the time about the rituals that had been performed in some of the fallen kingdoms. Apparently when one of the kingdoms had fallen, a grand ritual was done, its signs visible to the surviving kingdoms. There were many hypothesis for what the rituals were for, but it seemed to be a sacrifice; the taking of the energy of a death of a kingdom to do something.

The group all had a discussion there, with Jergal's interjections from time to time, they realise that Ularan could ascend, he could become a death god, he could do so for others. All that was actually needed was all of the god shards - the 27 he held, and the 1 that was bonded to Pine. But Ularan had other plans. Instead of ascending with the shards, he wanted to complete the ritual, and instead of becoming a minor death god, becoming something else with the end ambition of challenging Jergal himself to break the inevitable doom upon the world that the death god had been planning.

There was a lot of obfuscation, but there did seem to be a tie there between the past history of the elven empires and Ularan himself.

With the avatar gone, the group proceeded further into the Uthtower. It was slower progress with the group trying not to make too much sound, and thankfully Pine was able to notice that bones lying down on the floor was a trap, and warn the group. However combat was not wholly avoided, as a lone flameskull was banging its head upon the wall further in. Slowly and carefully the group were able to make it quite close to the creature, and before it could act, Effie was able to wrap it in a blanket of silence. Its screams were not heard, and its powerful (7th level!) spells were not castable. There were other flame skulls in the room, but they did not notice the group, laying dormant, as the group were able to destroy the main flame skull. The necromancer that travelled with them, told the group that it was of the same make as Kalador, one of Ularan's lieutenants who had attacked the Wayside Inn.

The group's way forward was blocked by a wall of bones, but while the silence field was still up, the group were able to dig through the passageway. Unfortunately the other side held living bones, with a swarm and several skeletons rising to attack the group. The group were able to slay them all, still within the field of silence. Making it into the room, the group were able to block the passageway behind them, just in time as well as Siax was able to hear what you guessed was the Idalon; the guardian of this place, entering the rooms to the north.

The group weren't alone when they entered though. In a corridor blocked by a shimmering arcane barrier, an individual stood before it; a black-clad knight, who had tossed to the side a wicked looking greatsword. He seemed to be at times trying to break through the barrier, and others breaking down in confusion. The group realised that this was the brother of Argon, a turncoat sent there to destroy Ularan. But seeing the man now, he appeared to be caught fighting against the compulsion upon him to destroy the leader he had previously followed, one sent by the dark spirit Ularan himself battled mentally with. Idris, seeing this battle of wills in the man, stepped forth and spoke to him and actually managed to get through to him. The man gleefully resisted more, and told Idris to slay him where he stood, knowing the reprieve from that overwhelming battle of wills was only temporary. Not willing to kill a man who he thought might be saved, instead denied him and tried to grab him instead, to restrain him, but the undead man had strength far superior, and this action was enough to break that will to resist, and, falling back into the grip of the dark soul's wishes, he grabbed his sword and attacked the group. He did some grievous damage to the group, but eventually Arya, still in the form of a giant spider, landed upon his head and struck with ferocious precision, finishing him off. Idris had been knocked unconscious during the battle, the necromancer badly wounded, and one of the priests had been slain.

The group now stood in front of the shimmering barrier where, beyond it, Ularan stood silent and still in front of what appeared to be a huge black dragon.

Transcript of chat with Jergal

Pine:
Pine makes a gesture of very obvious respect, and greet him with, "Lord Jergal."

Jergal:

Seeing the gesture of respect, the skeleton inclines his head, and then speaks with a sombre voice
"I have been wanting to speak to you all. To discuss the nature of your actions."
As he speaks, the group feels his gaze upon them, even though the skeleton has no eyes.

"Our paths intertwine once more, converging tributaries flowing towards an inevitable sea. Come, let us speak."

As he says this, you all feel a compulsion to do as he says. Not something you need to roll against; something you can resist if you choose, but even the words themselves have such authority that a small part of you is like 'I want to do what he says'.

Idris:
Idris introduces himself "Hello, it's very nice to meet you. Sir… ah.. Jergal. I'm Idris Doryu, and it's a pleasure to meet you.

Jergal:
"I know who you are. I know the nature of your death, once it comes. You can call me The Scribe, if you find it easier.

Idris:
Idris would nod "I shall call you that then." He then looks to Pine and whispers to him, "The Scribe! Wow, that's a cool name!"

Siax:
Siax, feeling that type of compulsion, would start to get inner anger, that once again he's looking at being potentially controlled by somebody without his will. In his attempt to resist it, the compulsion does not resist him, and crumples before his will, but it is there and Siax has had bad experiences with things like that before. The skeleton that Jergal controls does not seem to react to this obvious internal struggle.

Pine:
Pine will only resist the compulsion if questions are asked that go against what the Three don't want him to talk about.

Idris:
Does not fight the compulsion because he loves to talk.

"So what have you summoned us here for? Why have you appeared before us? What's the occasion?"

Jergal:
"I have not summoned you. I am here, and you have also come here. This is my domain, of endings, of stories as lives conclude, new chapters await the writing." As he says that, he scribbles something down. You get the feeling he might be recording this conversation. "You have sought me out, whether consciously or not, your actions have brought you to this place. To this conversation. What is it that YOU wish to speak of?"

Idris:
Idris would ponder for a moment, then look at the note that Jergal wrote, and then ask him "What did you write down just now?" before approaching him curiously.

Jergal:
"All things have beginnings and ends. I record all."

You can see, as he writes. Your eyes land on the book. Do you try and read it? There's writing on it.

Idris:
Seeing writing, Idris takes a look at all of it.

[Wisdom saving throw: 8]

Jergal:

Idris has been used to the supernatural ability that he's been blessed with; the ability to read and understand all writing. As his eyes pass upon this book, his eyes instantly fill with tears, and he is stunned and disorientated. He is confronted by the enormity of reality's ending and it is too much for his brain to take. His mind could have crumbled here, completely folding into itself and broken, but as you are transfixed in that moment, Jergal slightly moves the book away and breaks that contact. Idris is stunned for several rounds, but it will pass. He is still able to move, but is in migraine territory.

Idris:
"Whoa… -sniff- That's some heavy writing!"

Jergal:
By now there have been a couple of moments passed that have been just filled with silence. It seems that Jergal is more than happy to remain silent awaiting your input.

Idris:
In that case, once Idris has finished with his crying over the beautiful or not beautiful text that Jergal wrote, "So what are you doing here exactly?"

Jergal:
Through the fog and headache that you are still battling with, he looks at you pointedly. "To speak with you. Your actions, all of you, have had a resonance. You have disrupted the flow however [unclear, possibly something?]. Such disruptions are interesting. They present opportunities."

Idris:
"What kinds of opportunities?"

Jergal:

"Or perhaps they are simple ripples that will fade with time. Within your number, I perceive a potential for understanding; the capacity to grasp the true nature of existence." He does not elaborate.

Idris:
"Does this have anything to do with Ularan?"

Jergal:
Hmm. Ularan clings to an illusion of permanence. A childish desire to halt the flow of time. He does not understand that true life exists within the cycle, not outside of it. That is a man that has forgotten to live. A useful tool once, but no longer."

Idris:
"When is it your time to go?"

Jergal:
He sighs; how, you don't know because there are no lungs there

"Ah, a time I look towards. When all has ended, and all has been scribed in this book, I shall turn inwards and end as well."

He does a little gesture with a finger, and you realise that it is an ouroboros, the infinity symbol.

Siax:
Still holding onto his head as well, he would be trying to fight the compulsion, and he would call out and say:
"You talk in riddles and you tell us nothing. Are you here to help Ularan? Or are you the one causing the issues?"

Jergal:
"No riddles. No riddles are spoken here at the site of a dead empire, merely the things I speak of are a higher layer than you are used to. I do not wish to aid or hinder this being you know as Ularan. I only wish to educate. To inform. If you wish that to be the case."

Pine:

"I would like to learn, but I also have to hold to the agreement I have been bound to. Agreements should be binding, and that restricts what I can ask."

Jergal:
"Ah, yes. The Three. Over the millennia there have been many who have turned against their duty, but the Three were the ones who were the most… the ones who brought the most chaos. I hold them no ill-will, but if you intend to keep your peace, then so be it. What of the rest of you? Do you have questions for me?"

Siax:
"Why here? Why now?"

Jergal:
"Because you are about to choose your faith. Your fate. Ularan lies close-by, and he will inform you of his cause, and I wish to let you know the true nature of it. He will tell you that he fights against oblivion. He fights against the ending of everything. I have, for a time that stretches longer than you could conceive, have created gods of death, for the purpose of their own death. As that cycle continues my domain is empowered, and one day it will be strong enough to end everything, and with that my rest could begin. Ularan has striven for far too long to stop this. But I wish to present to you the reason this has happened. The fundamental law of existence; From every ending, a new beginning emerges. I am merely the shepherd of that transition. Ularan fights against that natural order. Oblivion is not a true end, it is a doorway, a transition to another state of being. Without an ending, a story is incomplete. This situation, now, it is not good for this world. There is no god to manage the dead, and the shards of the divine power I have given to this realm are scattered. This must be rectified. Perhaps the Three gods that you call your own," he looks at Pine, "Perhaps another worthy successor. But what cannot be allowed is this nothingness, for chaos will threaten this world in a much more malevolent way than I intend to."

Idris:
"What happens to you when everything ends? Because when everything ends, something new starts."

Jergal:
"I… do not know. It is the only thing I do not know."

Idris:
He would nod, and then think about some stuff.

Jergal:
"If you all decide to oppose my plan, as Ularan has done, I will bear you no ill-will, but that would be a life wasted. It is no… It is nothing you can stop. It would be a struggle against the inevitable."

Idris:
Idris would look at Pine, and ask him, "So what should we do? We are kind of under the orders of the Three Gods that you are aligned with."

Pine:
Pine very much understands Jergal's point of view, and shares it, because of his type of skillset, the need for the passing on as smoothly as possible. In a broader sense he totally gets what Jergal suggests. However very much a part of his character is that if he makes an agreement, he will stick to it, no matter if he regrets it or if anything else is going on, and so because of that, even though he desperately wants to learn etc from Jergal, he is bound in his own mind with what he actually agreed with the Three, which was to be their agent, and to therefore do their bidding. Its difficult for Pine, because on one hand he is bound by the Three and the Three desperately want to become gods again, which is now becoming more at odds with his own beliefs.

Jergal:
Jergal would answer, even though no words had been spoken.

"The Three have proven meddlesome before, but I do not object to their re-acenetion. I believe they would know better this time. As long as there is someone to take the throne, and with the knowledge that their death would come one day, then my aim is complete. It is this stasis, this not-being, that I object to. And despite anything he has told you, that is what Ularan seeks; to break the cycle of death. To break the world."

Siax:
"Is whoever is opposing Ularan right now part of your doing? To prevent him from his plans?"

Jergal:
"No. Everything that opposes Ularan is his own. As I said, a life spent opposing this, is a life wasted. He has created his own enemies. His own tortures. I do not act often. This, our conversation, is enough."

Pine:
Pine finds that he does now have a question, having got clarity on his own thoughts, and Jergal's place within it.
"How can I be assured that whatever ritual Ularan does will in fact reinstate the Three, as Ularan said, if that is not his aim in the long term? He said that his goal was to create a god of death to stop all this from happening, but if that is not what he is actually planning, how can I make sure it does actually happen?"

Jergal:

"You already possess the knowledge how. Your companion does." He turns to the un-stunned Idris. "Simply witness the ritual, and some of the knowledge will be in this creature's brain. It will hold the answer."

Idris:
Idris would look at Pine

Pine:
He would chance his luck and ask if there is anything else that Jergal can tell him that might be of help in these tasks, since Jergal seems to be fine with the Three being reinstated, and so they are on the same side, is there something that Jergal can say to help make sure that happens? For instance the Three told him he had to die to become stronger, but he doesn't know how, or want to make anything worse.

Jergal:

"There is no wrong here. Ularan's opposition merely delays things for a triviality of time. What you can do is this, and this I address to all of you. Embrace the entirety of existence. Joy, sorrow, creation, and destruction. Accept that any beginning has an end. Every end a beginning. Enforce your will upon the world, and do not give it freely."
He goes back to writing.

Idris:
Idris would further press on what Jergal wants them to do, instead of what the group were planning to do to help Ularan.

Jergal:
"I do not wish you to do anything but what your conscience dictates."

Siax:
Siax would turn to Pine,
"If I'm hearing this correctly from Jergal, Ularan is looking to betray the Three. Do we really want to help him?"

Pine:

"I'm not sure that Ularan is. He maybe isn't saying everything, but he is the only one that knows the ritual, and so we would need him anyway. None of us know it, and without the ritual we can't bring the Three back, and we need to bring the Three back, that's the thing."

Idris:
Hearing the conversation between Pine and Siax, and the knowledge from Jergal that he already knows the answer, he would tap into his mental library.

[History with disadvantage = 25]

[DM]:

You concentrate as hard as you can trying to see any information that might have been mentioned, and you catch glimpses. You get the understanding that this information was just entered to the repository that you call your mind and then the towers fell. This was very recent information. It is writings and journals of people who were documenting the fall of the Enclave of the Evergreen. The other empires had fallen before Merdelain, and people wrote about that. There were theories and diagrams, an you come upon the knowledge of a dark ritual was used, that while the cities themselves fell in different ways, this dark ritual seemed to absorb their essence. There is so much argument, and so much vague knowledge, but some of the most prominent philosophers were arguing that this ritual was intended to create a new God.

There are gods and Gods in this universe. A tiered system. This particular ritual was not only intended to ascend a god, but circumvent the first stage a newly minted god would have to have; quite a lot of rules, quite a lot of ways to behave unless they want to be smited by existence. What this ritual was intended to do was to circumvent that, empowering an individual so much that they would be able to even attack one of the core gods, and attempt to take their domain off them.

It doesn't specifically say 'kill Jergal, take over his mantle' but Idris connects the dots there. It wasn't just to make a death god, but to make THE death god, to take down this one.

People that did go to the ruins of the empires found out that the ritual needed all four empires to fall using them. This knowledge is what prompted Merdelain to attempt what had never been attempted, and leave. With Merdelain away, the ritual failed, backfired, and probably destroyed whomever was behind them.

Idris:
As Idris gathers all this knowledge together in his head, he'd think for a moment because there is a lot of information, he looks at Jergal and asks him if he thinks that the ritual can actually bring the end of him.

Jergal:
"No."

Idris:
Idris would turn to Pine and tell him, "We should reconsider, because i don't think the ritual or what Ularan is trying to do will achieve what he told us it would."

Jergal:
"If your aim is to create a god of death, as one or many that have existed over the millennia, you simply must hold the shards of divinity, placed upon this world, and say that you wish to ascend. That is all."

Idris:
Idris would then continue to explain what he found out, about he empires that had fallen, and the reason they had fallen because of the ritual, and basically tell everyone about this information, the revelation he just had.

Siax:

[Can Siax do a check to see if that last statement is a truth or a lie?]

[DM]:
…no. You get the sense that everything this creature says is not only truth but THE truth. But you don't know if that's supernatural or not. You cannot insight this creature.

Pine:
Is it just the shards of death god power? How many are there?

[DM]:
Yes, just death god shards. You know that you have one, and Ularan has the rest. It bonded to Pine when he died. No more shard, no more Pine.

Pine:
"If all that is needed is to hold the shards of god power, is it true then that only Ularan or Pine could ascend in that way, because otherwise the shards would be lost? If the shards need to be combined together, one of them has to die, I guess?"

Jergal:
"They can be freely given, although in your case it would result in your end, but it could be anyone with possession of them. Over the millennia I have not been picky of the individual, as long as the will is there."

Pine:
"I guess we have to see if Ularan is willing then."

Jergal:
"All five of you would be acceptable."

Pine:
"I was meaning to give the shards that he's gathered, because he's got twenty-seven of them."

Jergal:
"He does not will it."

Siax:
Siax would ask Pine "Is this all part of a bigger plan for Ularan? Is this all a ruse to get you to him so he would have all of the shards within his possession?

Pine:
"I don't know."

[DM]
You've incited on Ularan enough before. If he wanted the shard from you, why did he send you to Emberlost? Why didn't he tell you to come? You never got the idea that he was against you, or really lied to you in any way. It always felt like he was leaving something out.

Idris:
"Then what does Ularan need the ritual for, if the ritual was to replace Jergal?"

Pine:
"Revenge? Power?"

Jergal:
"He wishes to stop my plan to end all of existence. If the ritual is complete he believes he will be given the power needed to oppose me. Depose me. And to do as he wants."

Siax:
"Does that go against what the Three want?"

Pine:
"They want to exist, but I can't be sure what the Three would be doing, or want to do."

Idris:
Would turn to Jergal, "Do you know what they want?"

Jergal:
"I remember them. Full of fire and ambition as they strode into my chambers demanding power. I gave this power to them. They had the will, they had the ambition. During their tenure, they wished many things; tyranny, bloodshed, balance, death, terror, as was their domain. Things became unbalanced when they wished for more. They became aware of their role in my plans, and this rankled. They wanted to be more than what had been given to them. This… did not end well. Not from any opposition of mine, but risks were taken and their deaths came swiftly. I believe…" He looks at you, Pine, but you get the feeling he is looking beyond you, to, perhaps, the shard that lives within you, "I believe a lesson was learned, and an existence as a god of death will suffice. This time."

Idris:
"So to like sum it up, the Dead Three are like teenagers in puberty, and you are the Dad."

Jergal:
"Indeed. I am, the Dad."

Pine:
"There's strong dead in Thundertree, the soul that is fighting with Ularan, and ethe broken shards of souls that the wraiths made. Is there a way to put the dead to rest? Can anything be done?"

Jergal:
"Over the millennia, there have been many death gods. Some have taken their calling seriously, Kelemvor for example. Some, instead, have focused on other things. A God would be able to solve all of these problems. These are grievous wounds, but more will appear the longer this situation continues. Perhaps therein you could find the will to ascend."

Idris:
"So if the Dead Three came to you for power, with ambition, would Pine be able to get power as well if he had ambition?"

Jergal:
"Make the Three a two, a four, I leave such decisions to the petitioners."

[DM]
A whisper in Effie's head "And it could be you". The whispers have kept going ever since the group approached the tower. It just keeps going on in the background. (even when they were frozen)

Jergal:
"I do not speak to mortals often, and I have much to attend to. I shall take my leave from you now, and leave you to do as you will in these rooms."

Idris:
"Wait! Before you go, I have one more question! What came first, the egg or the chicken?"

Jergal:
"The egg."

The skeleton just crumbles into dust, and the book from before does as well, as if millenia have passed. The desk quickly follows after. It falls down, clatters. There is nothing but dust left, and the dust itself is fading.
The cultists and the necromancer start moving again.

(S23) A field of Wheat

Transcript of chat with Jergal

Transcript of chat with Jergal

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