White Halls

Alalla takes Myllandra's scolding as though it had been addressed to her. She clamps her jaw shut. She is being childish. There is much to be done. She is strong enough to put aside the abuse.

She turns her back on the windows so she can put Erevain and the others from her mind. She taps her glaive gently on the ground as she works through the possibilities.

"How much land will be affected by this Scourge?"

Myllandra's voice is calm. "All of Icewind Dale, including the Ten Towns. A portion of the Spine of the World may also be affected, as well as the Reghed Glacier."

Alalla nods. She ruffles her dreadlocks and sighs. So many bad options.

"Perhaps a compromise? Let us seal the portal as Jerrod did, and set a date for a Scourge in the future. Our armies will handle the demons that have already come, and after that we will evacuate Icewind Dale in preparation for the Scourge to destroy the portal for good."

Though healed, Ug is still exhausted. Exhausted of the fighting, exhausted of the dying, and exhausted of this Angel after only a few minutes. After viewing the window he turns on these Angels
"so while friends of Ug have died, Angels have watched? And done nothing?!" Ug rises to his full height, not caring for the repercussions. "and now angels wish to kill friends? Friends who have done more than you? Friends who have lost their souls today?!"

"Cowards" he hisses disgustedly.

Myllandra draws herself up to her own considerable height. She locks stares with Ug, though he can see nothing beneath her hood. "We did not do 'nothing'. We sent Zenithral. And through him aided all of you." Her tone is patient but firm. "It is not our way to interfere directly, not until things are proven to be out of hand. Not until there is no other recourse."

She turns to Thaistius. "And we might still not be needed. These have proven their worth a dozen times over in their journeys together. Let them try again."

Thaistius crosses his arms as he considers. "We cannot give you much time. Should Demogorgon or Baphomet cross through..." He looks at Myllandra again, then finally nods. He points a metal finger at the group. "You have half an hour, by Prime Reckoning. If the portal is not closed by then, I will have no choice but to begin the Scourge. You had best not be there when it begins. For your sakes."

The thought of being in the Scourge when it begins sends a shiver down the old dwarf's neck. "Surely we will succeed, we have much to live for, but if it is possible, are you able to restore our magical abilities before we return? We would certainly be grateful."

"Thank you, Thaistius."

Myllandra's shoulders move in the slightest of sighs and she turns to the party. "A half hour is enough time, so long as you plan well what you must do."

After hearing Reòthadh's request, she claps her gauntlets together, sending a strange ripple through the air and floor. "Time flows differently here, and so you will find some measure of rest.""You have some time to discuss your plans. When you are ready, I will -"

"By the Hebdomad! How did that get here?" Thaistius holds out his hand and an ornate greatsword forms from sunlight.

Steam and smoke rises from the tiny goblins clothes, his cloth armor smoldering slightly. Excited at seeing his friends, he addresses the angel’s inquiry as eloquently as a goblin can manage.

"Fear not, me Dok, me am most humble of weenoogies. Me come for friends, me stay for fun."

Ug abandons his anger for a moment and rushes his old friend. Picking the goblin up, Ug lifts him to sit on his shoulders and turns beaming to the group.

"Most powerful wizard Dok friend is back!!!" at the confused look on the angels faces he gestures up with his thum at his little friend. Dok is powerful Weenog! Ug is his friend peeweenog!" Ug then sniffs the goblin apparently looking for something.

"does Dok friend have any magic books for Ug to eat?"

Everard reaches out a trembling hand to touch one of the white walls. "I... am not sure what happened. The magic of my prison cell failed when the walls rumbled, and then I made it to one of the mirrors. I passed through and came to another crystal room... but I don't think it was in the same tower, given the view outside."

He looks up at the goblin on Ug's shoulder. "I was quite thoroughly lost, until this I found this odd goblin with his hand in a jar. Before I knew what was happening, he wiped whatever was in the jar all over me, and then sneezed. And... here we are... But where is 'here'?"

The old priest limps over to the window. "By Tempus... The fiend succeeded in opening the portal! Then the legends were true all along..."

"Watch your language, Thaistius," Zenithral says with a straight face, trying to hide a smirk. "Our friend has brought us a member of the Order of the Broken Blade."

Zenithral listens to Everard's ramblings. "Ah, so the two Crystal Towers were linked..." he muses. He turns to address Dok and Everard. "Glad you could join us, Dok. Everard. Meet Thaistius and Myllandra."

Dok’s grin grows in size as he sees Ug, spanning the majority of his face. The weenog happily takes his seat on Ug’s shoulders pulling out his spellbook and thumbing through the pages, ripping one from the book and shredding it into eight roughly proportionate pieces.

"Me has plenty book for everyone!"

Handing Ug the first piece, he directs him to everyone else in the party, insisting until they also consume the paper, once all the pieces are gone the mischievous goblin smiles contently to himself. Quietly at first, and then increasing in volume, those that consumed the magic parchment find their thoughts are not their own. "Mehold! Power of Nooginspeak!"

Dok casts telepathic bond.

"What is to happen to the wilderness and wildlife should it all be purged? Would you wreak the same destruction you seek to prevent?"

As the strange goblin forces the elderly dwarf to consume the chewed up paper, he sputters and coughs at the taste. How could parchment taste so foul?

Thaistius scoffs. "You cannot be seri- Wait. Stop! Why would you put that in your..." The angel turns to Myllandra. "You trust these people?"

Myllandra nods. "They killed a marilith with scarcely any training, and have faced the Pretender on several occasions. That one," she gestures to Alalla, "visited Avernus once in the middle of the most recent clash between Demogorgon and the Fallen One. As you can see, she is still in one piece, and now is a paladin of Torm."

The angel inclines her head toward each of the companions in turn. "Rastix currently holds the status of archdruid and wields the Hearstone Gem, though it is his own heart that is his greatest strength. Ug, who champions the sacred duty of motherhood, has felled many giants. He also bore Crenshinibon himself for some time, though he likely does not remember much of that part.

"Vincent," she eyes the eldritch warrior carefully, "is a servant of neither devil nor angel nor god. He is one of the few given direction by the Lady of Pain." Thaistius flinches at that particular revelation.

"In Reòthadh's blood runs sorcerous power, granting him arcane might comparable to the giant lords of ages past. He once wrestled an ancient dragon and won."

"Zenithral..." Myllandra's voice softens as she looks on the white-haired archer. "He is an aasimar of Ilmater and my ward. He has risen to every challenge in spite of doubts and fears. He will not let the Pretender succeed."

"Halla, Dok, and... Ilmadia... are each powerful in their own right, and are just a few of the mighty allies who support these heroes." Myllandra nods definitively. "This group can handle the task before them."

Halla steps forward, hands holding her skirts in a white-knuckled grip. "'Tis no time for flowery speech! Answer the dwarf's question plainly. What exactly will this cataclysmic Scourge do to the North?" She shows no fear or awe in the presence of these powerful celestial beings. "Ras is not the only archdruid present. Ruin my home, and I may ruin yours."

Ilmadia, who has kept to herself for most of this, steps forward. She straightens shoulders that have become hunched, and lifts a head that has become downturned. She faces Myllandra and gives a slight bow.

"Thank you for taking care of my son all these years," she says, straightening regally. At least, that's what Zenithral hears her say, in the language he has known all his life but only recently come to understand how he knew.

"I know you care for him a great deal," Ilmadia continues, abandoning the Celestial for Common. "It must bother you to only be able to offer 'coincidental aid.' You said I am powerful, but I am not. Not anymore. So we are similar. I am weak and your hands are tied. There's nothing we can do. It's incredibly frustrating. But things don't have to be that way. Make me your agent and give me a portion of your power, and I will take care of Zenithral and his friends."

She adjusts her shield casually. "You know I am very good at what I do."