Still deeper the Consortium digs, with adamantite tools to release a crystal monstrosity. In the aftermath of the released crystal construct's rampage, now broken and shattered outside the Village of Battle, the rumors speak of the excavation diggers striking an impenetrable layer of earth beneath the Sea of Despair.

Upon study, Archmage Destanin surmises that only tools from the celestial planes will breech the barrier. The most expedient method to aquire such is to send adventurers into the depths of Inferno to aquire such an artifact.

Being an Archmage of Order and Balance, Destanin finds little trouble in recruiting a group of Tribunal Magistrates and their neutral allies for the job. Nebblerud, Spenner, Ghohma, Eacer set off to dutifully aquire the infernal tool. The paladin Magistrate Jeir accompanies them with great reservation, ultimately convinced by his companions that the weakening of Inferno will justify the means.

Meanwhile, Myshrai Ar'tinuilin secretly plots against his Archmage. He cannot condone the use of such an evil artifact. Demonology, he knows, is not the only method to aquire celestial power. Angels, he knows, might be persuaded to assist, even if it is not as expedient. Rapidly, he searches far and wide for a conjurer of the Light to assist him, finally locating Ernam. Not only are Ernam's specialties of conjuration needed, but the persuasive voice of a most holy paladin or priest - yet only a single such soul, that of Jeir himself, can do so. And Jeir already approaches the great demon Baphomet.

As Ernam attempts to utilize psychic communication with Jeir to persuade him to abandon his unwittingly wicked errand, Spenner is already bargaining with the demon, unravelling knowledge of wickedness and betrayal. Soon, the unholy tool is in Spenner's bleeding, cold, dead hands.

Finally, Myshrai and Ernam have gotten through to Jeir, who has been made to see the grievous error of his ways. The unholy pick is already in the hands of the miners, and digging has begun. Time is running short, and the duo head into the Veil of Organia to find the sacred spot in which to summon one of the Watchers, the great angels that might be petitioned to stop this madness. Myshrai meanwhile spirits to find the Maran. Only they can put a stop to the use of this unholy thing.

Meanwhile, as Jeir and Ernam slip into the Realm of Dreams, they are unknowingly tracked by the cunning Outlander of the Sun, Orau. Seizing his opportunity through the ether and the sleep, he strikes, Ernam is felled, his blood seeping into the dreamy earth. There is no hope for the ritual now, and Orau still remains ignorant of what he has done.

Maran Zambirro and Itholin try their best to plead with the miners to give up their unholy thing, but still the digging commences. Their compassion draws the favor of the merciful gods, yet their hesitating blades will come at a price. No one involved in that which unfolds has come to realize that time is up.

The earth shatters, a chasm splits, and the unholy pick of Baphomet sinks deep into the sea floor.

What follows is madness. Sorrow. Despair. An angel broken beyond recognition rampages through Thera on an insanely righteous mission. Both infidels and innocent alike fall in her wake, and none can thwart her from her path.

After much destruction, the angel is led by our heroes to the Ruins of Maethien, where she madly strides into a portal to meet her destiny, fighting the evils there, the damage of her passage still lingers. The blood of the innocent soaks the earth.

And what of the hearts of Jeir, Orau, and the Maran? Their souls beam with the Light, yet on this day their ideals have forced their hands to unwittingly contribute to an unspeakable evil. Forever they will be scarred with the burden of their errors.

It seems not all things are black and white.

On many levels. Even at the cost of getting mageplague :) Fantastic stuff!

It's always good to hear our efforts are appreciated, and that we're amusing someone besides ourselves. :)

I even pilfered the writeup for a shameless plug.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

It's true. Valg has no shame. Arguably a birth defect, he was born without it.

(My own sense of shame was surgically removed later in life.)

Now that must have been the mother of all plugs.

But, my time and that of others permitting, some interesting things might go down (or, possibly, be prevented by PC actions... ) this weekend.

Well, you've seen one interesting thing so far...

A public service announcement:

A small but vocal contingent of players has been evidently very upset about having to deal with the mageplague recently. C'mon people, your characters are (generally) supposed to be heroes and villians, the kind of people who make things happen in the world instead of grumping about them. Get out there and TCB if mageplaguedness upsets your character!

That being said...

You haven't seen anything yet. If mageplague made you want to play a warrior instead, you probably should roll up a warrior right now.

Interesting things are afoot, but where it all goes may yet surprise you...

Keep it coming please.

One small question regarding the Eldritch Consortium however - did they basically just suffer a significant setback or were they destroyed altogether for their efforts? And also, regardless of what the answer to the above question is, is it so that they were ment to be something of an unintentional catalyst for those things that are still to come? Or is everything still under their control whenever looking at the larger picture and will they continue to play a major role in the upcoming events in some shape or fashion? Or is it something of both of these two things?

...or should I just simply sit tight and wait it out, instead of literally attempting to dig it out like a dog that just caught the scent of a bone underneath the soil?

I know I am being rather very inquisitive. But there's something about this whole business that is sparking my interest by no small amount for some darn reason.

As far as I can figure, the re-emergence of Twist and the apparent vanquishing of the mageplague can only be good for the Eldritch Consortium.

Beyond that, guess you'll just have to wrestle with it in game. :)