AbyssalRoadTrip
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Abyssal Road Trip - 348 - New Perspective
🕑 Added 2023-10-22 07:07:16 +0000 UTCAmdirlain’s PoV - Ijmti - Cloister Fortress
As Amdirlain stepped off the sparring platform after their session, Tinco smiled. “I’ve fought demons using polearms more often than something like a staff. That was interesting.”
“This training hall is an interesting setup. The weapon parries alone should cause a racket, yet it’s relatively quiet. Are these sparring circles tied into the wards directly?” asked Amdirlain as she dismissed the notification that had appeared after clearing the circle.
[Devouring Cacophony [S] (175->177)]
“I believe they redirect absorbed energy into the wards,” allowed Tinco, and she examined the blades recovering edge. “The enchantments upon these save many hours with a whetstone, or even having to reforge them.”
Unprompted, Amdirlain returned the staff to the rack. When the metal clicked against the rack’s stone, Dagrastûr appeared nearby.
“Am, I need to head back to The Exchange shortly, but I’m glad I was here for your arrival,” said Dagrastûr, and he motioned towards the training hall’s entrance. “Do you have some time to talk?”
“Of course,” replied Amdirlain, and she gave Tinco an apologetic smile. “Can we talk again later?”
“I'll look forward to it,” agreed Tinco. “Perhaps some more sparring as well?”
“Isn’t that merely a different type of conversation?” laughed Amdirlain, and she moved to follow Dagrastûr.
Tinco took up fresh weapons and moved on to another sparring partner before Amdirlain got more than a few paces away with Dagrastûr. Among those who were between partners, she noticed the reptilian Fallen, whose attention she’d drawn upon entering the hall.
When the hall’s outer door closed behind them, Dagrastûr spoke. “The details of your conversation with the Eldest are already spreading through the cloister.”
Amdirlain continued to walk along the corridor, aware that the closed doors didn’t prevent anyone within from hearing. “Is it possible to even keep rumours from spreading? As Rahka showed, if I had shielded the conversation with the Eldest again, another set of rumours would be spreading. Hopefully, those with at least a sliver of the truth might make the rounds instead.”
“Will you be staying to train and help here for a time?”
“I plan to for a little while. I thought not being a stranger might help establish trust so others are more open to opportunities I find for them,” replied Amdirlain. “We’ll see how well that goes.”
Dagrastûr’s hand twitched towards her pendant. “Opportunities you won’t take for yourself?”
“I’m hoping I’ve already done enough, but I’ve likely also done things that might worsen my situation. Either way, I’ll tend to other matters before I risk it.”
“It seems some rumours spread true,” said Dagrastûr. “Is it anything you wish to ask about?”
“Does the cloister have information on the planes deeper within the Abyss?”
Though, if Rahka has had dealings with Naamah, even mentioning the sisterhood’s work could tip my hand.
“Those are the territories of primordial entities,” cautioned Dagrastûr, and he walked past the first door into the library. “Might I know what you seek?”
“Nothing that will harm any more mortals,” replied Amdirlain. “Among other things, I hope to gain enough strength to end some demon lords.”
“Any in particular?”
“Multiple. One is Moloch, another is Orcus. There is a list of a few hundred demon lords and ladies that I’ll also look to obliterate.”
Dagrastûr twitched. “You set yourself goals that would hold you a Fallen for aeons?”
“I don’t like to leave things half done. I might die and want to leave the realm a better place,” declared Amdirlain. “If the scale of my enemies would draw too much anger at the cloister, I’ll keep myself separate from it.”
“Many cultures have sayings about being able to determine the worth of an individual by the enemies they make. I don’t believe anyone from the cloister would expect you to oppose such individuals alone nor be upset at your opposition to them,” reassured Dagrastûr.
“I hope I don’t face them alone. If nothing else, I’m sure many celestials are also working to undermine them,” replied Amdirlain.
A familiar angry melody started to descend the shaft from the upper levels, but Amdirlain continued to stroll towards the shaft.
“Might I ask why those two demon lords in particular? I’m unaware of Moloch and Orcus having any connection,”
“One of Moloch’s lackeys was involved in dragging the three celestials I knew into the Transformation Site. As for Orcus, I’ve seen what state his agents leave worlds in,” explained Amdirlain.
Having told Dagrastûr that I’m interested in those two, I’ll have to work out a method to mess with them that doesn’t involve True Song. Either that or be comfortable providing angry Miss Rahka with at least circumstantial evidence.
“Te said hunting demons formed part of the cloister’s celebrations. Is that the only activity undertaken?”
Dagrastûr shrugged. “We are a very diverse group. Music may be an enjoyable past time to some, but for others, it holds no sway. That is just one of the many past times that elven courts use for celebrations that aren’t of interest to those here.”
“Where lessening the number of demons in existence is something everyone here can see eye to eye on?” questioned Amdirlain.
“At least as far as demons seeking to escape the Abyss. Though we’ll settle for disrupting any Demon Lord’s army, we look for armies heading to Carceri or Pandemonium,” advised Dagrastûr. “The library has texts on every Plane of the Abyss, though many are outdated. With the Abyss changing so quickly, only the most powerful beings remain consistent over the aeons. The texts we keep mostly cover fields of knowledge applicable to multiple worlds.”
“Fauna and flora?”
“More forms of agriculture, animal husbandry, mining, subjects along those lines. The sort of knowledge that is widely applicable to improve mortals’ quality of life,” clarified Dagrastûr.
Dagrastûr caught sight of Rahka approaching and stepped between her and Amdirlain.
Rahka looked past him and spat a greeting. “Orhêthurin.”
“I’ve learnt that Orhêthurin was among the Anar that the Demon Lady Balnérith killed. If you’ve got an issue with how those events turned out, I suggest you take it up with her,” replied Amdirlain.
“I know you are Orhêthurin,” snarled Rahka, and she jabbed a taloned finger at a column bearing her likeness.
“I could show you many images of different people who appear like me but aren’t. My oldest memory from my first life belongs to that of a little girl in a Greek fishing village. A conflict recently destroyed the Greek Gods, who only existed in this realm for five or six thousand years,” stated Amdirlain. “I wasn’t aware the realm allowed anyone, or any Soul, to venture backwards in time?”
[Muse’s Insight [S] (102->103)
Note: Such an excellent presentation of truths to deceive. You’re already inspiring guilt within her. Why not a bit more?]
Gideon, I don’t need your distractions.
Dagrastûr snorted. “A way to be destroyed is to try.”
Amdirlain stared at Rahka. “Then it seems your claims are impossible.”
The lips of Rahka’s reptilian snout curled back. "You are Orhêthurin."
“I am not Orhêthurin,” countered Amdirlain, and she caught Dagrastûr’s frustration with Rahka. “Though having her strength would make fighting Eldritch foes easier.”
“You expect me to believe one like you fought against Eldritch and won?” sneered Rahka.
Amdirlain shrugged. “Those beings come in many degrees of power. Some need a Divine Avatar to kill, while others require the right psionic techniques. I was badly injured fighting some of the Eldritch but easily killed others.”
Rahka glared at her with increased suspicion. “You use mind powers?”
“Yes,” said Amdirlain warily.
“Then open your mind to us, trickster,” demanded Rahka.
At the temptation to give her the middle finger, Amdirlain clenched her fists. “Why should I open my mind to a being as rabidly hostile as you? I’ve asked nothing of you. Dagrastûr gave you an opportunity, and you threw it away because you wouldn’t let go of your anger. Whatever your history with Orhêthurin, I’m not interested. It gives you no rights to make demands of me, and if you did something to Orhêthurin, it would give you even fewer rights to demand anything of her.”
“You will-”
“I’ll do nothing for you, and beings stronger than you have tried to break me. To maintain the peace that is supposed to be found in this fortress, I suggest you stay as far from me as possible, and I’ll do the same for you. You came seeking me, not the other way around; demand less and earn more,” stated Amdirlain.
“Says the one that summoned us,” snapped Rahka.
Dagrastûr shook his head slowly. “Again, Am did not summon. I offered you an opportunity, and I wasted my time.”
The Eldest appeared at the end of the corridor, and Dagrastûr and Rahka froze. Rahka glanced over her shoulder, and the Eldest motioned to her with their tubular limbs. “Let us speak again, Rahka. Since Am is here in the fortress, and you sought her out without an apology, perhaps it is best you leave us to search for peace inside yourself for a time.”
“She is-”
A sharp ringing sound smashed along the hallway at the Eldest’s claws snapping shut. “It doesn’t matter who she was, Rahka. Your behaviour is uncalled for, even against someone only facing the same challenge as yourself. Yet her challenge is worse. We were once celestials and know what lies ahead of us if we can follow the path, for Am lies only uncertainty.”
“She made this torment,” snarled Rahka.
The Eldest swayed from side to side, and their tentacle crest waved with the motion. “We made our torment, through our choices and actions. Your arrogance blinded you to Tarlangeth’s purpose. The anger you’re giving in to shows how little you’ve changed, Rahka.”
Balnérith’s original name. So, she had something to do with the Anar deaths and the Lómë imprisonment.
Rahka’s talons unsheathed from her fingers. “Orhêthurin is in your grasp to squeeze and improve our situation, yet you’re too blind to see it.”
“Does it occur to you that if I could improve the Redemption’s Path, I wouldn’t fear my situation?” asked Amdirlain.
Rahka snarled. “If that isn’t a lie.”
“How you behave leads me to believe your desire to gain redemption is a lie,” replied Amdirlain, and she locked gazes with Rahka.
Her reptilian pupils narrowed further, but Amdirlain felt no compulsion to back down from the other Fallen; their fiery Charisma washed over her ineffectually.
“Was that meant to impress me? You want redemption on your terms, an instant prize because you stamp your feet. You had the heavens, and your actions brought you here. I got cursed by someone I barely said four words to in any month. Which of us deserves to be here more?”
“Mortals defile themselves constantly. Undoubtedly, you earned it in other ways,” snapped Rahka, her lips curled, and her tone dripped contempt. “How many demons did you pleasure as a Succubus?”
Amdirlain’s voice turned flat and cold. “None.”
“Enough, Rahka. You make her journey harder with your anger and accusations. I’ve heard you speak to others above and stir them to take sides in your dispute. There should be no sides here, only the cloister, for we have enough enemies without our walls,” declared the Eldest.
“She was not a Celestial. She is a cursed Mortal who has no place among us. Eldest, drive her away,” demanded Rahka.
The Eldest was suddenly between them. “You do not order me or any of the cloister, Rahka. Am has aided multiple members along Redemption’s Path. Even if I consider one of those that progressed the least, she has provided a hundred times more progress to them than you’ve given to everyone you’ve helped.”
"This demonic slut and the foulness of Orhêthurin go hand in hand. She deserves worse-"
“Where is your proof that Am is Orhêthurin? Even if she was, Orhêthurin obeyed the Titan’s orders, and he entrusted her with setting the path. Did you not find one of her guide stones?” asked the Eldest.
When Rahka grunted in agreement, the Eldest continued. “Orhêthurin didn’t have to provide those, but they have led many here over the aeons. If you would reject everything about her because of your anger, leave and find another way.”
“She deserves to suffer-”
“Why do I deserve that? Because you say so?” interjected Amdirlain. “You’re pretty quick to assign blame, throw accusations, and demand someone suffer. But what about you? You didn’t like it when Dagrastûr even hinted at what you’d done. The path judges everyone by its rules, and it’s an unforgiving mongrel. Yet, how are you different? You didn’t even know my situation and judged me.”
“A Mortal Demon-tainted filth in our halls,” Rahka growled, and the Eldest blocked them from stepping closer. Moving forward, they slowly herded Rahka further away from Amdirlain. “Just like the misery Orhêthurin wallowed in, I’ve no doubt you delighted in being a Succubus.”
Amdirlain unfurled her Charisma and sought to inspire calm, but there was none in Rahka to find. “Then you should be doubting yourself because I’ve not had sex with anyone, even as a Human. You keep returning to Orhêthurin, so your rant is due to your history with her, a dead person, not the path and certainly not with me.”
“I learnt of a Succubus who broke Balnérith’s book of names and a Succubus whose mind couldn’t be read, like yours can’t be. The energy of True Song was involved in its destruction,” spat Rahka. “An energy that matched the Redemption Path’s pendants.”
“The Sisterhood captured me, and Balnérith marked me with a sigil and applied a True Name to the demonic shell the curse placed my Soul in. I picked an evolution Class in the Abyss’s ascension fires that would have made my form a Greater Succubus. The evolution is like a Celestial's transformation between species. It wasn't my doing but the Titan's mechanisms at work,” laughed Amdirlain, and she tapped her sternum where the sigil used to be. “It had had four effects. First, it stripped away the demonic shell. Second, when I exited on Hrz’Styrn, a shockwave of Abyssal Mana destroyed a city. Third, the process also stripped away the True Name that Balnérith forced on me—a name she’d recorded into that book of names. Do you want to know the last one?
"What?" growled Rahka.
“I later learned the book that held that True Name was destroyed simultaneously with the city. Do you see a tie-in between items three and four? I had over a hundred levels in each of four classes: Monk, Assassin, Wizard, and Succubus. Yet I had no ability with True Song to destroy Balnérith’s book and had never even seen it. Does True Song give off the same energies as the Titan's works?”
“Did the evolution change to Fallen require you to use the demon’s ascension approach?” enquired Dagrastûr, cutting off Rahka’s reply.
“I activated the ascension to get away from a Demon Lady with a grip on my throat,” replied Amdirlain. “While I was in the fire, I made the Class selection. I didn’t know it would turn me into a Fallen. I hoped to escape the curse and cast the demonic shell off. It only partly worked in that it got me out of the shell. I’ve since destroyed the Succubus formed from the corruption I escaped.”
“She speaks the truth again,” advised the Eldest.
“No, that can’t be,” protested Rahka.
Amdirlain looked around the Eldest at Rahka and raised an eyebrow. “Going to stamp your feet some more? You complain I didn’t come around to get to know anyone or help, and now I’m here you want me gone? Do you want to change your mind some more or only where it suits you?”
The Eldest spread their claws wide. “You’ve pressured Am, and she has shared the truth with you, but you’ve told her nothing of yourself. There is no balance in the scales between you, and this is unfitting behaviour you've undertaken within the cloister's halls. We're here to support each other, not accuse or judge. The path provided her a pendant that also says it is for her.”
“Her declaration that she isn’t Orhêthurin means nothing. She’s undoubtedly taken on a new name,” huffed Rahka.
“I already told you, even if she had been Orhêthurin, I would still expect you to treat her with the same respect you would give any other member. I will provide you a list of materials to gather for the forges. Make your way to Furnace or another Plane,” instructed the Eldest. “You need to learn acceptance in all matters, not just what you desire.”
Dagrastûr motioned Amdirlain toward the nearest door to the library they’d passed. “I’ll show you the areas that cover the planes of the Abyss.”
Pushing the stone door open, Amdirlain stepped through and looked the place over as Dagrastûr followed. The vaulted chamber was massive, 400 meters tall, 900 meters long, and a width of 300 meters, including an 80-metre open zone that hosted reading tables. Each level, supported by sturdy columns, was nearly ten meters tall and filled with packed shelves. The columns featured decorative engravings depicting scenes of the Fallen and Orhêthurin's likeness. A white illumination throughout the library washed away all shadows but Amdirlain couldn’t determine the source. Amidst the library’s reading tables, some were Fallen with numerous texts spread out while others stood among the racks merely reading in place.
This place has gallons of salt for Rahka’s guilt over Orhêthurin.
The contents of the shelves varied from stone tablets and metal plates to flimsy paper, which the library’s wards kept from decaying. Stepping clear of the long racks closest to the door, Amdirlain found a flawless True Song Crystal spire jutting up twenty metres at the training hall end of the library. Neither the glow nor its presence had registered to Amdirlain’s Resonance. Behind the spire was a free-standing statue of Orhêthurin nearly three metres tall. The statue was facing the spire with hands slightly raised as if she were a conductor sketching a song’s beat to a chorus. Though Amdirlain was sure Orhêthurin had made the spire, its likely age and lack of flaws had her trying Analysis, and nothing came back.
Nothing at all. She knew how to apply some serious masking. That’s what I need to keep a crystal's presence concealed.
“Don’t take any of the materials that can decay beyond the library without putting protections over them,” instructed Dagrastûr.
Amdirlain didn’t take her eyes from the spire but nodded. “Is that one of Orhêthurin’s creations?”
“The spire, not the statue. It maintains the wards and illuminates the library,” replied Dagrastûr after he glanced at what had Amdirlain’s attention. “There are a few volumes written by some past Fallen about their studies of it. Many words that amount to not much; even spells that normally detect True Song return nothing from it. Its purpose appears known, as before its creation, the cloister members had to maintain the inner wards, including those in the training hall.”
“There is a Spell List for detection of True Song effects?”
Dagrastûr tilted his head. “I’m told they’re not as useful as they used to be, but there are a few detection Spell lists related to True Song. I’ve never had a reason to learn them.”
“How are things organised? I’ve got a bunch of subjects I need to expand my knowledge of,” said Amdirlain.
“I hope you have some detection spells that will scour texts,” replied Dagrastûr. “Attempts have been made over the aeons, but the best we’ve been able to do is keep them grouped by subject category.”
The volume of material in the place had Amdirlain holding back a whistle. “None of you are real knowledge lovers, are you?”
"Beings who quietly gather information don't seem to get into trouble," Dagrastûr replied. “Or worse, if there are any who become Fallen, they couldn’t survive to join us here.”
Amdirlain grimaced and then shook her head. “They might sit somewhere, happily sorting information for others, as long as there are books, scrolls, or crystals. Where should I start?”
“The sections where the materials on the planes should be are on the top level,” advised Dagrastûr. He led her into the central area, flying straight towards the end of the library closest to the shaft, and landed on an upper ledge. Once there, he drew her attention to the markers at the end of the different columns showing the category’s start and endpoints. “While the wards preserve the materials, enchantments on objects aren’t preserved. That’s why you’ll mainly find physical copies rather than memory crystals or devices.”
A carved polyptych stretched across the ceiling between two shelves. The five-part image showed sections of the planar wheel.
“it's not fully organised, but one should return texts to the shelves in the right area?” questioned Amdirlain as she eyed artworks above the floor-to-ceiling shelves and racks.
Maybe I’ll need to find a guide instead.
Dagrastûr twitched a shoulder. “Try to return them to roughly where you found them.”
“Am I keeping you from something?” asked Amdirlain. “I mean, I had thought you’d be at The Exchange when I contacted Te.”
“I will return to The Exchange, but others are still deciding on your mentor,” admitted Dagrastûr.
Amdirlain waved at the extended shelves on planes. “Let them know I’ll be here a while.”
“I don’t think that would be safe,” replied Dagrastûr. “Given Rahka’s behaviour, perhaps meet with your mentor whenever at the cloister.”
In the next section, Amdirlain found another multi-panel artwork; this time, it depicted only the elemental planes. “I take it the attempt to show the subject through artwork didn’t pan out?”
“No,” huffed Dagrastûr. “They were there before I arrived, and nothing matched them even then.”
“Would it be okay if I sought help to make copies of all these?” asked Amdirlain. “I’ve got options for psionic crystals to group the information.”
“They’re not all in Celestial,” cautioned Dagrastûr. “They’re in hundreds of tongues.”
Holding back a groan, Amdirlain gritted her teeth. “That makes it more difficult.”
Revealing Ways has a few translation spells, but I don’t think there is a psionic technique with that capability.
“Are you in a rush?” asked Dagrastûr.
It’s hard to explain why I’m in a rush without giving everything away.
“I don’t know how many planes I’ll need to travel through,” admitted Amdirlain. “I’d rather be progressing the powers and skills I need than spending years reading.”
“Neither Moloch nor Orcus has control of anything deeper in the Abyss, so why are you searching there?” enquired Dagrastûr, his fingers tapping lightly against the column at the shelf’s end.
“Balnérith was up to something in the deep planes. The sisterhood is no more, but I’d like to ensure whatever she was working on down there is destroyed,” explained Amdirlain. “If I can overcome what’s in the lower planes, I’ll get stronger as I go.”
“Balnérith is one of the other demon lords on your list?”
Amdirlain nodded.
“Part truths,” noted Dagrastûr.
“Do you blame me, given Rahka’s desire to vent her rage at me? Especially since I know she’s not alone in her scheming. The question I have is: why should I share everything?” asked Amdirlain, and she snorted. "Or anything? This isn't exactly what I envisaged for a supposedly supportive environment."
Dagrastûr titled his head sadly. “You caught that.”
“I knew before the Eldest mentioned it; I’ve excellent hearing. I heard Rahka talking to another Fallen when I arrived. She was working in the forge area in the outer fortifications.”
“Then I’m surprised you said so much to the Eldest or Rahka,” noted Dagrastûr.
“I wanted to clarify my position, and it would be evident soon enough that I was never a Celestial. Human lifespans rarely go over a century unless powers or Mana are involved. My focus is what I can do now and how to reduce the time involved in fulfilling my goals,” explained Amdirlain. “I’ll likely seem in a rush and impatient.”
“You said you were in the ascension fire to become a Greater Succubus,” commented Dagrastûr. “Haven’t you had centuries to overcome that perspective?”
“No,” replied Amdirlain. “I’m not even a century into my curse.”
“But there is such strength about you,” protested Dagrastûr. “Your demonstration of Charisma certainly wasn’t a Mortal’s strength.”
“I still gain levels at a Mortal pace,” advised Amdirlain, and she gave a stiff smile. “Something my enemies are going to regret is that I’m a bit of an addict when it comes to getting stronger. When I’m strong enough, I will end them for all the misery they’ve spread.”
“Let me lend you a hand. I’ll also get some others in here searching for the texts you’ll need,” offered Dagrastûr.
Amdirlain frowned. “You don’t have to do that.”
The featureless expanse of Dagrastûr’s face rippled. “Cloister members help each other. Plus, you said a Mortal Soul is still within you. Perhaps the path will count it as assisting a Mortal.”
“That sounds like an excuse, but I won’t complain. Thank you,” Amdirlain said, and she gave him a polite bow.
Dagrastûr nodded. “We’ll find the useful texts and let you focus on strengthening skills while others search. We’ll let you know when we’ve got a quantity gathered.”
“I’ll admit I gained a bit of progress from sparing with Te,” replied Amdirlain.
“How can you tell?”
Amdirlain gave a half-smile. “I picked up some tricks while sparring with her.”
Let’s not go into notifications and profiles.
“When did you last use an imprint stone or a soul forge?” asked Dagrastûr. “I won’t ask about everything, but I am curious about how advanced your fighting style is rated.”
“The Catfolk have magical technology they referred to as a record,” said Amdirlain. “I’m still working on getting to Grand Master in my fighting style.”
“Most demons I’ve fought never make it that far. Let’s make advancing that a priority to keep you safe whenever you have time to train,” said Dagrastûr.
Comments
Glenn Wright
yes good point - Amdirlain slipped up using her full name
Luboš Hemala
Tinco -> Te?
Glenn Wright
Darn I broke my spreadsheet at some point and didn't notice. Thanks
Luboš Hemala
Hi, I checked back her Cold resistance and in chapter 323 it is at Cold [G](1), but at chapter 326 it is missing :-) Not sure it was intended, but it is strange she wouldn't have it at all. Order(1) also appears to be missing.
