07/27/2024 -- Operation Anahi

Operation Anahi – Knewidi 15th, 715AR (7/27/2024)

STARRING: Anahi, Angel, Bob, Charon, Fidelis, Koilos, Seth, Thomas,  Zey… and more!

• Zey picks up Charon and heads to Margaux. She is currently eating lunch, rations, and as she puts a fork to her mouth we walk in. She looks at us, looking down at her lunch, and puts it down. She was interested in the book Charon lent her. Zey inquires about the Test she administers, which usually takes a few hours, so he promises to come back around.
  • +RESIST 1 to Magical and Spiritual damage
• Thomas takes some time to read his book, attempting to learn something from it. Ki is interested in learning more about the Land school and so joins Thomas in his training.
  • PHYS CHECK – 3 Successes
    • 1D6 – 5 Successes: The First Mountain has been successfully re-learned!
• Ki begins to study the Third Mountain.
  • MENTAL – 2 Successes
  • SPIRIT – 4 Successes
  • The general forms are able to be comprehended, the mountain more dedicated to an iron defense.
    • 1D6 – 4
    • You are very far along in the journey, training and practicing with this book. Probably a little more effort and you will be able to fully internalize the lessons of the mountain.
• Angel heads casually to the Rat Races. He doesn’t want to do something explicitly mission-y to avoid the attention of Anahi.
• Fidelis is the Commander, Angel is the Marshall, Charon is the Lorekeeper, Zey is the Quartermaster, Thomas is the Spymaster.
• Spymaster begins first. Nothing is upgraded. Antoinette is switched from Supply to Propaganda.
  • 2D6 is rolled. We gain 2 Recovery. Seth utilizes both.
• Quartermaster finishes the rain catch and filtration system, bringing the morale up. Zey hands off the binoculars to Charon.
• Commander spends 1 Intel to find out what a good item to bring, which are the IO Cannon flares and the Soul Catch.
  • Spymaster also has a question, if he wants. There are two approaches, a combat approach or attempting to reason with whatever is left of the old Anahi.
• Marshall puts together the Engagement roll. Rolling 2D6, two 1’s are rolled.
• Fidelis. What are you doing as you try to summon Anahi?
  • He heads toward the edge of camp, not all the way out, but closer to the edge. Taking a very deep breath, he kneels somewhat to the ground,
  • “Anahi, I know that you’re probably listening, if you are… could we please speak? We must.”
  • There are a few moments of silence where nothing happens. And then the air shimmers as Anahi appears.
    • “I’m not always listening, Fidelis.”
  • “Not to me, but the Camp.”
    • “Hm! Very true.”
  • “Would you like to take a walk with me? Just like last time.”
    • “Hmm! Okay.”
  • “There is something I wanted to talk to you about away from prying ears. I stole this so we would be okay. What can I say, Corania is not turning out to be exactly what I hoped,” he lifts up an emerald, and begins to walk out.
• Anahi walks side by side with Fidelis. Approaching the predetermined spot, maybe 100ft away, he begins talking.
  • “I wanted to talk to you. Really just, ask a lot of questions.”
    • “I’ll answer what I can.”
  • “And apologize for everything that I’ve done to you.”
    • “Oh. Well. I was of course afraid of everything. But I suppose you showed me that there were bigger things to be afraid of, and really the fires of Hell pale in comparison to so much else. And in a way they are the most beautiful things.”
  • “What happened in there?”
    • “Ohh. Well, [sigh], first… Bob talked to me. For a long time… I think it might have been years, but time moves differently there. I stayed strong and I clung to my faith… and then… well, he turned to more matters of the flesh. And even then I did not understand. But, after, well… He showed me you. He showed me the Maidens reaction. The betrayal. Everything. And… all of a sudden I realized that I was far more afraid, devastated, and hurt by you than anything in Hell. And, really, Hell began to make me strong. Stronger than anything Corania or the world had given me. I had always wanted to heal, but… I was healing in the wrong way. And you helped to show me this. Without you I would have never realized. It seems like you were ahead of me, now you are but the teacher and I am the student.”
  • “And I am so sorry it happened that way.”
    • “Well. It would have of course been better if you were there too. But, I can’t imagine any other way. Now, looking all around, the despair here is… Palpable. And beautiful.”
  • “What is your first memory of us? Together.”
    • “I remember when you first joined the church. A little pup. I’m still me.”
    • “Specificity, preciseness, is important. Just like the precision of your runes.”
  • “Would you allow me, then, to recount my memory? It fails in comparison to yours, of course, but… When you were first distributing resources to the community I was still there. Just another one of the masses. You gave us food, you gave us medicine. And I was grateful. The first time I didn’t need the medicine, so I turned it down. The second time though… I still didn’t need the medicine, but I asked for it anyway, in order to spend more time with you. I remember us becoming friends long before I entered the church. You would tell me about it, and I still had my doubts, but I would have done anything to listen to you talk more. I remember us sometimes pacing the city, and I’d turn back before the path to the church began or before I strayed too far from the row of tents I called my home.”
    • “I remember you as a little pup. Our conversations… But even then you weren’t really you. There was so much that… [sigh] still… wasn’t done cooking.”
  • “How long did we know each other again? Can you remind me?”
    • Anahi smiles, and she gives you an exact time. Colin doesn’t have this information so it cannot be given.
  • “And, during all of those times… all of those years, you know that I would have killed for you? If someone had asked me, I would have died for you too. I was put in a situation where I could not die to save you.”
    • “But you could die to save yourself.”
  • “I don't know that I could have died, not with Bob's deal the way it was.”
    • “Of course. So instead you killed me to save you.”
  • “There has not been a day that goes by that I do not regret it.”
    • Anahi gives Fidelis a flat look.
    • “If you could go back and do things differently… would you?”
    • “Would you sacrifice me again?”
  • “In the same situation? After I had made the deal? I would have found some other way. The Maiden promised she could help, and at the time, I thought the cost to the Brigade was too great. Now that I have seen (what) the Maiden is and can do… I would have gone with her judgment first.”
    • “Will you come with me, Fidelis? A walk beyond here. Farther away. I wish to… See the Cosmic Stack with you.”
  • “Maybe another time. I don’t mean that as in no, I mean truly another time. When this war is over, and we don’t have to worry about being away from the Brigade for too long. For right now… wouldn’t you…”
    • “There will never be another time. There will always be something else. There will always be more despair.”
  • “This might be the best time for you, but I still have loyalties here to the Brigade. What if something happens to–”
    • “You’re capable of loyalty? I didn’t know that. Congratulations.”
    • “Do you still have loyalties to me?”
  • “I would. Maybe not as fervent as they once were. But to the idea of you… The old you.”
    • “You’ve always been loyal to the idea of me, but not Me. But I’m asking you. My oldest friend. To come along… to see Me.”
  • “We could go as early as… tomorrow. If I just have a chance to heal up a bit, and rest truly. Say goodbye here to those I care about. But, for tonight…”
    • “But that’s a lie, isn’t it? You won’t leave tomorrow. You won’t leave at all.”
  • “Why do you think that?”
    • “Because you’re a liar. I’m… trained to spot lies, Fidelis. That was a lesson that Bob drilled into me. Every time I didn’t spot a lie I would have a screw placed into my skull. Pain is a great teacher. I think that my time with you is a lesson as well, because everytime you look at me… I feel immeasurable pain. What lesson are you trying to get me to learn now?”
  • “That even though– okay. I wouldn’t have left. But it is because I’m scared of you as you are now. You make me very nervous. I feel like you’re not the person I once knew, and I’m still trying to–”
    • “And whose FAULT IS THAT!”
  • “It’s mine. It’s mine.”
    • “Did you think that you could burn me? And throw me away? Like I was nothing?”
  • “Never.”
    • “Then why did you do it? Why even when I’m here do you avoid me like plague? I am a reflection of YOUR choices.”
  • “I recognize that. I don’t know how to face you after what I did to you.”
    • “Maybe it’s not me you have to face, Fidelis. Maybe you just need to face a mirror… that is always a good start.”
    • Anahi turns around, and begins to walk back.
  • “I’d like to make a deal.”
    • She stops and turns her head.
    • “And what makes you think I believe that.”
  • “You said that– the last time we talked the cost was just running one mission together. What would be the cost of spending an hour a day by each other's sides? We don’t have to talk. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. But I’d like to… attempt. To know you better, as you are now. Not reminiscing on who you used to be.”
    • Anahi stops, freezing. She slowly turns around. You watch as a tear made of liquid glass begins to roll down a single cheek, going through the sutured cuts.
    • “Do you mean this?”
  • “I do. I want to know you. Every part of you. Even what I find… so antithetical to the one I used to know. It is still part of you. I told you I’d do anything for you.”
    • Anahi walks up to you, standing face to face.
    • “This I can do for free.”
    • She extends a hand in your direction.
  • Talis reaches out.
• Anahi catches sight of a group of people who are in position nearby.
  • “Oh.”
    • “I mean what I said. I would do anything to help.”
  • “And what does your help look like?”
    • “Undoing Bob's harm. We can give you a chance to go easy if you’d like. Give you an opportunity away from his influence, just like you were away from Coranias for a while.”
  • “You keep phrasing it like it was a choice!”
  • “What is the difference between me and you then? You still have higher powers commanding you.”
    • “I do. Do you remember Corania wasn’t responding for a long time? I was away from the influence of the Church for a long time.”
• “Anahi, look. You didn’t have a choice when you were taken by the Devil when you were sacrificed to him. In your position I would have made the same– I would have caved too, afterwards. But you still have a chance. Do you really want to continue going down this path? Is this what you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life? Is hurting people really all you hope to achieve? You didn’t have a choice before– but you have a choice now.”
  • “Excuse me. I believe I saved many during the Battle of Widowstone.”
    • “You saved them at an immense cost. You were a healer before. Wouldn’t you have done it for free then?”
  • “Nothing is free.”
    • “But were you really in it for the payment?”
  • “You think I’m in it for the payment now?”
    • “Why are you in it, then? What is stopping you from… from leaving this?”
  • “Many contractual reasons could apply.”
    • “What if we could protect you from these complications?”
  • “I helped more people like this than I ever did when I was in the Brigade. The very best you can hope for is a quick death.”
    • “But there are still moments of happiness you can find.”
  • “And I prolong those.”
    • “Do you?”
  • “Better than you. Do you want to talk to the tens of thousands of civilians who died along the way? If I was like I am now… I could have helped them all. Maybe I would have done a better job. But, fine. Let's see how far all of you get without me. There is no more ‘Anahi’ this, and ‘Anahi’ that. Anahi you’re a monster, Anahi you’re not the same, Anahi look at how terrible you are. Hm.”
• Zey cuts Anahi off. She stops.
  • “I’m sorry I don’t have any blood to give you, Elf.”
    • “I mean, we’re not going to let you get away and get to Bob.”
  • “You’re not going to let me get away? So what. You fight me? Is that what you wish?”
    • Zey pulls out his Katar.
  • She offers her neck to Zey. She commands him to do it. Or is he scared?
  • Anahi makes a move to push past Zey. Zey stabs Anahi.
    • 2 successes for 10 stamina, Resistance I to Normal damage
  • It hits against the side of her and does not penetrate her skin. She then releases a burst of fire. As she does this, a swirling tempest pushes everyone back, giving her some room. Space. She looks at all of us.
• Ki, sword in sheath, will walk over toward Anahi. Not taking a combat stance.
  • “Everyone here has been saying what they want from you, and you ask what they want, but… no one here has asked what you want, Anahi. I know you just want someone to be there for you. And I’m so sorry Fidelis is not that person.”
  • Ki attempts to give her a hug, knowing she is covered in glass.
    • SPIRIT CHECK B1 – 6 Successes.
  • As Ki goes in, she extends her arms and for a moment Anahi thinks it is an attack. And then you wrap your arms around her. And there is a moment as the glass pierces you… you lose 10 stamina from the injuries. But you feel Anahis body stop being tense for a moment. She leans close to you, Ki.
  • Ki cries.
  • “I just want to leave. I know Bob. I know what he is. But this place… it’s terrible.”
  • Anahi looks up at Ki.
  • “I know that all of you are being as genuine as you can. And I wish I could trust. But I know too much. I’m just going to leave. That’s what I wish. I will make deals. But I will be Me. Perhaps I might be able to find… the beauty of continuation. But I know that here I will always be alone.”
  • Liquid glass tears begin to pour down the face.
  • “I don’t want to fight.”
    • “Then… How about we… I don’t want to use the word deal, but, you know I have made a lot of mistakes. But… I… I hope you have seen how hard I’ve been trying. I want to try for you too, Anahi. I know others have burned you too much. Could you please trust me? I can be that friend for you. In truth… I could use a friend to be there for me as well.”
• Thomas’ turn begins. He approaches a bit, not too close as to not spook her, but…
  • “We’ve all done terrible things here. Some to you, some to ourselves, some to others. I… cannot choose what you do. I cannot make you trust any of us. And if you really want to go and find what you want to do… then I won’t stop you. But Ki is being truthful, I think.”
    • “None of you know what truth is anymore. And even if you are… any trust you had with me is gone.”
  • “That’s why it’s your choice. I’m just giving it to you. I won’t stop you, no matter what.”
  • Thomas ends his turn.
• Seth stands next to Thomas.
  • “I don’t know you very well, but when my brother was alive he said great things about you. Don’t let Bob control you.”
  • Seth gives his BG action to Fidelis. (ODD – 5)
• Anahi looks around. She frowns. She looks back to Ki.
  • “I wish I could be here for you. It is not in my nature, anymore. It’s not… a choice I have. That was taken. But I can’t stay here, looking over my shoulder at every moment. Bob will likely know what has been said here when I leave. I don’t have a choice in that matter. But I will live on my own.”
  • Anahi turns, using her movement and begins walking away.
• Fidelis begins.
  • “It may not be in your nature to stay, but it is in your nature to help others. If you stay we can help remove Bob’s influence. And, like Seth said, maybe one day we will be able to free you permanently. If Bob knows what is said here, he will take the fight to us, where the entire Brigade waits to stand at your side, and push him back.”
    • “I won’t be caged. I won’t.”
  • “You don’t have to be caged. Not in what we had truly come up with as a worst case scenario for you or if Angels transformation went poorly. What about the Sanctum? Free run of it.”
    • “Free run of a cage is still a cage, Fidelis.”
    • “He will never be dealt with and gone. He is a devil. Just like I am now.”
  • Anahi looks to Fidelis.
    • “I don’t want to be confined to the Sanctum. I don’t… wish. To… be under the thumb of the Brigade in any way. Let me return to Hell. Let me petition one of the other Sovereigns. Let me enter their court. Trust me to find my own way.”
• Charon speaks to Anahi, bidding her to visit any time she would like. Perhaps they can play cards together. Anahi is more into dice, and Charon says that sounds good.
• Angel moves up closer so they can speak.
  • “You were right, Anahi. We were just trying to tell you who you were, who you had to be. That is not fair to you. I know what it is like to be a new person and on your own and all that. Thankfully I’ve had these guys here to support me. I won’t try to make you stay, although like Charon said you are welcome to return any time you would like. I just… I hope you’re able to find out who you are on your own terms.”
  • She nods.
  • “And I do hope you find that beauty of continuation. The Brigade has given me a reason to want to keep going and not give up. I wish that for you as well.”
    • “They will come for you quickly. And I don’t think he’ll stop.
  • “I know. I hope hiding will give us some space but if it comes down to it I… I would give myself up before letting him hurt any of my friends.”
    • “See if you have that choice.”
• Zey sits in the dirt, disgusted with himself.
• “The journey to having hope again in others, and myself, has been… more painful than anything I’ve had to go through. I don’t wish for you to change, Anahi. I wish to help heal your wounds. But perhaps all of us are too wounded ourselves to be that for you. I just know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without everyone else. But… if you do wish to go. Um.”
  • Ki holds out her pinky.
  • “Pinky promise that you’ll come back once both of us are healed enough to get to know each other again?”
    • “Koilos Sky. Are you wanting to make this deal?”
  • “Yes. I want to see you again. And hear your story.”
    • Anahi makes the pinky promise. A flicker of energy around, particles like floating glass…
    • “Thank you, Ki.”
• Thomas has nothing else to say. Neither does Seth.
• Anahi glances over to Fidelis.
  • “I hope to see you again.”
    • “I hope to see you too.”
  • “I hope for you to really see me one day.”
    • “I want to. I really do.”
  • Anahi turns back to the rest of us.
  • “Well, goodbye my old allies. Until we meet again.”
• Angel shows Charon where the Soul Catch is so she can dig it up. Angel offers a hand to Zey to help him up.
  • “It was great of you to stab her.”
    • “Who else was going to do it.”
• As Charon goes to dig up the soul catch it looks to be a very intricate device with a large shard of glass through it. Charon smiles at it. There are small glass pieces on it, perhaps she detected the glass or in some of the preparations at Widowstone Keep she caught on.
• The Party returns to the Keep. As all of us make our way back, Corania is waiting for us. Corania grabs Angel, teleporting him to the edge of the Sanctum.
  • “I’ve made some minor adjustments to everything, I will stay with you until we close everything. Until we get the all clear.”
    • “Alright. Hopefully that’s soon.”
• Charon heads to Margaux to let her know what happened.
• The skies begin to darken above Widowstone Keep. The smell of sulfur begins to hang very heavy in the air, choking out all other scents. He’s coming. He will be here soon. Zey wants to prep for moving. Fidelis will do everything he can to help with that.
• As we begin the activation sequence, Corania begins to move through the stages of the device. A light begins to swirl around Widowstone as, indeed, something is happening. The movement process has begun. But… as this is occurring…
• The skies continue to ever darken. The move is not instant. As all of you, but Angel, are getting ready– rushing back and forth and making sure all of the members of the Brigade are inside… the sulfur smell, Thomas, completely fills your nose. And the noses of all of you. And, Seth, you turn around, and you see a familiar looking devil standing there.
  • “Well hello all of you. It appears like you have been very busy today. A move, it seems like. You weren’t trying to… help Angel get out of a deal, were you? No responses? Hm. I would like you to know that despite everything that has happened I truly don’t have a quarrel with many of you. I can say that you don’t wish to do this. Currently I am but a neutral party. I don’t wish to stop being neutral. Neutral. I am not with the Titans, nor am I with the Gods. I am with… individuals who wish to make deals.”
  • “No, not at all. I have big plans.”
  • “I don’t care about attention now Zey. Attention, it is such a small word. I don’t care. Nobody cares.”
• Charon agrees to inquire with Angel about putting both entities in Bloom's body. They do not allow Bob to follow them, however.
• Bob remarks that everyone is keeping their hands safe from him, especially Thomas.
• Magion, Lavatera, and automatons of Corania wait outside. Lavatera sighs.
  • “Well, I suppose he now knows where Angel is. This might get interesting.”
  • If Bob is willing to make a deal in alteration, they only do this if it benefits them.
• Charon returns, and Bob smiles.
  • Charon hates to be the Baron of Bad News as it were. But it is a hard no.
  • “I think… that… the Titans understand order. They understand keeping one's word. I will be back. I promise you that. Won’t be tomorrow, might not even be next week. But when the time is perfect… I will find all of you. Wherever you’re going here. And I will make sure the debt is paid. Because, oh, there are so many debts that you have.”
  • His top set of eyes are looking just a little too hard. A little bit of excess intensity. He is furious.
  • “Thomas, give Andreas my best. Wouldya?”
    • “I’ll see what I can do.”
  • “And, by the way, what’s Philips' favorite dessert? I don’t know if he’s more cake… pie…”
    • “I’ll have to think on it. We haven’t had dessert in awhile.”
  • “Aw. Well I’ll have to make a delivery. I will… begin slow. I have to make sure it’s all just right.”
• As you feel yourselves falling, descending, tumbling through the Cosmic Stack… Bob smiles. And he disappears. And in this moment… as you are falling.
  • 1D100 – 93
• As the sky clears and all of you look around, you see that your chunk of the Ring currently is wedged into what appears to be a beautiful seaside coastline. Crystal blue ocean expanding out in front of us. As we look at the beautiful scenery, it is here where we will end our session for the day.
  • +1 LVL UP, +3HP