Episode 1

Kray watches her. He cannot move his limbs fully, but with strong effort he can shift and make small movements. He has done this to look around, but it is difficult. Better than before though. Initially he was in complete lock, immobilized in every muscle of his body. He seems to have the most movement when she is not paying full attention. And now Maeriks's speech is doing just that.

Kray tries to see a sign. Who is there inside? How much control is Rutcranna wresting away from this Hierophant persona? It clearly seems that the spirit, entity, devil - whatever or whoever it is - is a completely different person. This is clear to Kray for certain now, after the mental closeness that he just experienced with the Rutcranna that was clearly the woman he has known.

But here, in this physical world, that Rutcranna is not here. The Hierophant is the victor it seems. The Hierophant has control of the body that was once Rutcranna. As unsettling as it is, Kray sees that the claim that has been spoken out is likely true.

Yet, at the same time, Kray watches and sees that The Hierophant is not as stable as she would claim. The Hierophant proclaims wisdom and certainty and perfection of control. But Kray sees that this is not the case entirely. It is mostly true perhaps, but there is something wrong.

As Maeriks speaks, The Hierophant's movements and expressions are just off. It is a subtle thing. Likely only Kray and Bryn might notice at all, because of their proximity to her and inability to really look at much anything else as they are immobilized in this manner.

But Kray can see something. With what he has just seen, both in this place and in the other, Rutcranna is gone maybe. But there is little doubt that she has something to do with The Hierophant's difficulties, that are definitely still lurking beneath the surface.

"I will choose ...TO CRACK YOUR HEAD LIKE A MELON, YOU ROTTEN IMBECILE TRAITOR!!! FILTHY DOG!!! YOU SHITBAG!! COCKLESS SON OF A SNAKE!!!"

Boann charges at Maeriks and slaps at him relentlessly, throwing her arms at him again and again in a storm of ferocity. She dives at him like a mountain lion leaping onto a prize pig.

"You call yourself NORACH?!?! Bring us here TO SHAME US AND KILL US?!?! I'll take that spear and FUCK YOU with it, YOU STUPID PILE OF HOG SHIT!!!"

Action: Attempt to Grapple/Disarm Maeriks's of Locust Spear.
Comparative STR Athletics required.
DM Ruling: Maeriks gets Advantage on the comparison. He is clearly much stronger than opponent.

The Ulathi move in immediately, stepping the short distance to take hold of Boann and restrain her.

Rollin.
Edit: FFS

By the narrowest of margins, Maeriks is able to maintain his hold on the Locust Spear. Boann tries to jerk it out of his hands, but she is grabbed by the nearby Ulathi and pulled back. The webbed hands of the Deep Ones grab and slap on Boann’s shoulders, arms, and midsection. Her scanty harlot dress is torn in the rough handling as she is forced to the ground.

One of the fishmen gropes Boann excessively as he puts an arm lock on her to completely subdue her. She lets out a roar of defiance, but she is beaten, partially exposed bare and on her knees.

The other Ulathi do move in closer to watch, and a hiss of their whispers rises up in the chamber, but they do not react violently as a whole. Instead they are still enamored with The Hierophant and The Adept. Nearly all of them are staring back and forth between these two, as if wondering what will happen next, hanging on every word that is spoken.

The Hierophant seems to be snapping out of a short distraction, she stares over at the rustle of activity near to the Throne.

She looks at Maeriks and squints. Silent for a time as she seems to be considering not only his words, but his meaning and the nature of his presence here.

"Enlightened Adept, the brood wives could never be allowed to leave their chambers. Not in this dangerous time. Glaaki is driven from our dwelling, by the Power of Dagan which I have just spoken, yet still The Vile Slug lurks just outside in the wilderness. Soon we will attack him again, and take Nahrooma. But until then we must gather force here and complete the next phases of The Ritual. As you know, the next generation of Acolytes is a treasure that must be protected."

The Hierophant stares down at Boann, and then over at the other crowd of girls nearby, some injured or worse, some standing, and of those, some quake in fear while others are calm.

"Most of these are fertile. Several are already in carry. There are only two useless barrens. The one who attacked you, and the forlorn waif there with the fairer hair." She points down into the crowd of huddled young girls, which includes Sine, Casidhe, Laoise, and Aisling. Laoise, the archer, is the fair hair one. Her eyes widen at the statement.

"That lank is born sterile," the Hierophant again raises her hand in the direction of Laoise, "and that sturdy heifer on her knees has mutilated her own womb. She is an unruly one I see." She glares down at Boann, who is still oppressed by the closest Ulathi.

Boann sets her jaw and gives a look like murder back at The Hierophant, and then drops her stare to the stone floor before her. Her shoulders droop, and the Deep One pushes her down again.

With a snap, The Hierophant adds an extra thought, "We will have to decide if these barrens will be servants or nourishment. They will not do as offerings. Impoverished wretches."

The Hierophant stops, again looking absent minded, confused. She looks down and to the left, as if detecting something that is behind her. Kray and Bryn, still hovering in the air close to the Throne, have the best view of her strange behavior. They see her lips move, in a silent whisper.She snaps back to attention, staring sternly at Maeriks, and then turning to glare at Kray. Her eyes are pinched in scorn and suspicion.

"Enlightened Adept, I want to know why these warriors are in the Throne Room. And I want to complete the Second Phase of The Emergence. I must confirm the progress of your Transition, because you seem lacking to me at this moment."

She glares at Kray, and steps close to him, even as she speaks outward in a loud voice to Maeriks. Her face is only a foot or so away from Kray’s now, yet still he is held fast, completely immobilized.

"This one here I am wary of. He seems…cunning. Like a hunter"

She is looking into Kray’s eyes, and he sees hers widen slightly.

Suddenly Kray and Bryn are thrown back into the room, about 20’ away. They hit the ground hard and roll as the invisible force continues to bear down upon them.

When they finally stop, they are in the midst of several Ulathi. The creatures step close to them, not threatening exactly but surely watchful. Their nets, spears, and knives are in their hands.

"There you are, careful hunter," The Hierophant calls out across the room, obviously addressing Kray. "You lay prone. Injured. Captured. Who do you think is the prey here? Is it me?"

She glares at him. And scans the room to look at everyone else. Bryn. Thorn. Ivor.

"Are these others hunters as well? Do they see themselves as lions who have crept into a herd of stags or gazelle?"

She fixes her eyes back on Kray.

At that moment, a single sharp cracking sound echoes through the chamber. Then the sound of grinding stone again.

Those who look to the north end of the circular chamber, the Great Cube Door has split in two. The two great halves now move apart from one another, one sliding left along the circular edge of the room, the other sliding right.

In the middle between them: a growing opening. And a widening ray of daylight shining through onto the floor.

The Hierophant looks down and to the left. It is barely noticeable. She mouths words to herself briefly…

…then quickly she stares back at Kray, with eyes that are dark as midnight yet gleaming like black stars.

"So tell me, interloper, why are you here? And tread carefully as you answer me. Mark my words: I am not one to be trifled with nor lied to."

Doirind, Ivor, and Thorn have all been listening and watching. Though none of them make any sudden moves, all three are ready to burst into action at the slightest call.

Doirind looks into Ivor's eyes, and places her drusus into his hand. She carefully closes his fingers around it.

"Either hand this back to me, help me up and get me over to that one there..." she nods to a fat Deep One who has his back turned. He stands in the way of the team and the door.

"...or send me off with it before you go." She looks at him with a calm, determined look.

She tilts the point of the blade down to her chest, just to the side of her sternum. If Ivor were to raise up the hilt and drive the blade forward, it would plunge right into Doirind's heart.

With her other hand, she reaches up and strokes the side of Ivor's shaved head. Her caress is soft. "You are quite handsome, Mac Conall." She smiles. She too is very beautiful, but blood is in her mouth.

She looks over at Donnchad one more time, and then back at Rutcranna, and to Rhone.

Then back to Ivor.

"My son Caes, he was only 12 winters when he was struck down. But he had a spear in his hand, stood ground to save his sister."

She coughs blood, and then resets.

"Tierney had auburn hair, that glowed like the sun in the summer. She had blue eyes."

She puts her other hand on top of Ivor's, the one that is clutching his trident.

"Remember me, Ivor. I do not know anyone else who will."

Housekeeping:

Notional Throne Room Grid Map is on Admin thread.

Boann is not pictured with a letter identifier on the map, but she is at the front (closest to Throne) edge of the "Women" block and quite close to Maeriks. She is being manhandled by Deep Ones from Group 5 and Group 6 (one each Grappling her).

Ez, see below the heavy-handed rolls that Kray needs to successfully oppose on STR Athletics if he wants to keep a hold of the shield that he was carrying. The Hierophant wants him as vulnerable as possible when he lands, so the unseen force pulled violently at the shield during the telekinetic shove even while there was no way for Kray to brace to counter such a thrust. He may yet hold onto it, but odds are double-stacked against him. Make roll at Disadvantage.

To anyone who wants to participate: send in an Active INT Investigation check. If you score an 8 or higher, I will send a short write up of an observation that could be useful in the circumstance. These may be things that you have already thought of, so not sure if they will be bonus info to use or not, but whatever I send will be considered noteworthy and generally accurate (even if specific mechanics may not be exact). And on these, I will publish to entire crowd rather than via Note for each success.

Still to be sent: I will send Maeriks' Insight result info to CB by COB Monday. Will incorporate any developments that occur today and tomorrow from any other posts as possible, so that it can be framed in most recent circumstance.

Results of Thorn's EffortsInvestigation Check Success: Points of Observation-------------------------------------------------------------------

The main point of clarity that must be factored into any fight and escape plan is the apparent irresistible power of The Hierophant. Everyone has seen huge stone blocks move, people snatched up in to the air, to be squeezed and thrown across the room with ease. Sorcha Rhone was put immediately to sleep, and we have seen that she is no slouch on mental capability. All of these power displays have been delivered in game mechanics with no Saving Throw. In this Throne Room, The Hierophant seems to be physically undeniable and unapproachable.

Any part of a plan that involves charging the Throne and killing The Hierophant should be reviewed with EXTREME scrutiny. Nothing is impossible I suppose, but such a plan would involve risk of the highest order and chance of failure at top percentages.

These interruptions or moments of brief confusion that some have noticed about The Hierophant's behavior may mean something useful, but they should not be over estimated. There is no evidence so far that suggests that there could be a complete drop in the defenses of The Hierophant. Every brief lapse has been followed by a quick regain of control. And the powers displayed seem to be available at a moment's notice.

In game mechanics, killing or incapacitating an opponent will still demand an old-fashioned whittling down of HPs. And The Hierophant does not show signs of being a low-HP opponent.
There is no evidence that a "kill switch" strike will become available to shut down the Level Boss with one shot.
No plans captured that give's Jalen Urso's purposeful design flaw that would allow 2 laser torpedoes to slide through an air intake port (no bigger than a womp rat) to blow the Death Star to dust in one shot.

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The Hierophant watches Kray, but turns her eyes towards Thorn and watches him as he speaks.

She gives no expression. No response. The silence and indifference lasts long enough to become uncomfortable, or at least out of pace for conversation.

Then she says, "I strive to assert power. I hope to fully dominate. I struggle." The way she speaks the words, it is unclear whether they are offered as statements or questions. She is obviously toying with the words that were just spoken to her by Thorn.

Thorn is locked to full muscle immobilization and is squeezed, not to agony, but to discomfort. His facial expressions are frozen. He does not seem in duress or pain at all to any onlooker. He only seems like he has stopped in place.

She turns back to Kray. "Hunter...," she calls out. "What do you strive for? What do you hope for? Do you struggle?"

The Hierophant stands on the raised stair platform, a few steps in front of the Throne. She smiles, and stares at Kray triumphantly. She may be able to use these mercenaries to her own end.

She looks over, to speak with The Adept.

"First Enlightened, I have heard the words of this mercenary captain. When I came through in the Transition, the first thing that I noticed was the battle prowess of these soldiers. They seem quite dangerous."

She stares Maeriks down, and let's the words sit for a longer time. Again a pause that is out of place, whether purposeful or not is unknown.

"I have driven Glaaki away from Aguragas, but he could not have gotten far in his retreat. The Vile Slug is weakened. Could his final ruin be pressed for today, by those empowered to exploit his injuries? I would make a ruling of whether we might enlist this mercenary captain and his men here as my agents. What does you wisdom say to the prospect of... \" she looks back at Kray briefly, "...hiring...the company of House Mercon to hunt Glaaki and destroy him once and for all?"

The Hierophant tilts her head forward, waiting for an answer from Maeriks, The Adept.

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