[align=center]The End of Shadow's Solstice[/align] Odette Vieuxpont was an ordinary woman in an extraordinary city. At least, as ordinary as one human could be amidst a sea of unique individuals at the center of the multiverse. Blonde hair was always a little bit mussed, pearly teeth that stretched in broad grin were a little crooked, and the point of a freckled nose turned up ever so slightly. She, like many whom had found their way into the cage, had arrived clueless. And she, like many, came to be shaped and molded through experience; both known and unknown.
To understand the complexity of the issue at hand, one had to go back to these earlier stages of development. To a simpler time, before the first break, whens there radiated goodness and enthusiasm unparalleled. Into the malignant depths of the Plane of Shadow did she venture, Sixthfinger at her side, to restore life force to injured Shade. It was in time spent there, engulfed in a storm-like vortex of colourless obsidian, Odette found herself marked by negative energies of morphic plane; engulfed by tendrils of shadowstuff that snaked and weaved. It took only a single sliver, and indeed simply that, to bypass protections and invoke a measure of change. This taint, small though it may have been, remained through all that would follow. It, like all connections to the Shadowrealm, was a slow corruption that grew with every misfortune.
Every dip into cloaked conceal, every moment of reliance upon awakened shadow's sentience, held it's own silent weight. Unnoticed, at first, yet slowly and inevitably burrowing. Through conflict, brainwash and witnessed suicide, loss, love blackmail, betrayal. Through shifts in time, bloodied repercussion, a dying prime, Abyssal conquest, and beyond; grasp slowly tightened beneath pearly smile. A silent struggle, yet one that would not prevent the bardess from completing the duties she had assigned herself for the greater good; stymied though use had become through realization. By the time newly committed lover had gone missing, tendrils had run rampant through veins and drew to she friends and enemies of shadow alike. They had attempted to remove it, of course, until cycle came in which Odette would locate portal believed to have been passed through by the Rashemi warrior.
What came was the eventual crossing of paths, though not that which was intended. Sailor turned mercenary, mercenary turned hunter; the travel from prime to prime to prime, stranded more often than not, brought about their own changes. Reflection, by now, shattered to splinters from countless metaphorical deaths. Bargains and business, contracts and convention. There was little to be lost that had not already been taken from she; forging a new path, building a new life. The allure of taint's removal, effects weighing upon the woman heavily, brokered deal known to be foolish. An exchange, a quest, yet not one without collateral for task incomplete; claim made effective on death. Eradication of tenebrosity, however, had been met with promised success.
Months had passed, Cage's gate opened anew. Reunited with company, though not without heartbreak, adjustment had not come easily in transition from solitary hardship and the greet of fresh trials anew. The matter was hardly lacking convolution, however, and purpose had shifted. Though the task remained incomplete, though headway was made, the woman had managed to avoid death's embrace despite a number of close calls. The anti-peak of cycle in the month of Pivot, however, brought to close that which had been eluded for so long. On the trail of the Mimir Killer, revealed truth came with a dose of poison at the behest of efreeti bartender, and the bleaker found her release in the drain of life from mortal shell. [align=center]Present Day, The Pivot 132Ha[/align][align=center][/align] Within the walls of the Taigh de Cáth, bathed in the gentle glow of the meadhall's torches, Odette was laid to rest upon numerous thick furs. Under the effects of Gentle Repose, her lifeless features held a measure of serenity in death. From bronzed lips turned pale, blood and poison had been cleansed and long russet lashes drawn shut; the attempted recall of departed soul to human form rendered unsuccessful. Despite this, many had not given up hope for ambiguous reasons few chose to disclose.
In the wake of tragedy and the consequent threats that followed, all four Nimblewright -gifted by Factor Andor after the events surrounding the Plane of Salt- stood at mechanical attention within the hall itself; dark armor and maroon capes near-motionless in guard. Perhaps strangely, given the nature of the scavenger, any whom came to look upon the woman would find themselves under gaze of an ebony-feathered Raven, the bird silently perched upon ledge nearest to the departed. At her side, blades Diethwenn and Bloodied Rose rested in their sheathes. In addition to the protective care of the Blades, the druidess, Krysstal, currently tended to the reposed form of the Erlkazaran, save for those moments in which privacy was expected and granted without question.
* The Warrior planted "Beast" with it's tip firmly in the wooden floorboard in the middle of the Meadhall, it's deafening howl of rage clamored through the Hall itself*
"Cèilidh!" *The warrior bellowed, moving to his seat in the hall. Despite the loud call of both his howling blade when it was planted in the floorboard and his bark in his own tongue possibly confusing the fellow Blades, the warrior had an expecting look in his eyes, waiting for everyone to gather in their seats.
Beforehand, a missive had been sent to Dace and Xander, inviting them for this meeting. Those Blades who needed letter of invitation, also had those given*
Krysstal shudders at the sudden sounds of metal and yelling, finishing her work and preparations and ensuring Odette is safe and cared for before being escorted out by Tess. A soft smile on the older woman's face can be seen right up to the door, before turning to rage as she turns after her daughter's departure. She says nothing, but moves to a chair, as though silently asking permission to sit.
"Aye...usually darkweavers aint particularly powerful by an' large an' mos' amount to little more than relative annoyances. I'd think tha' this particular darkweaver likely be older an' more powerful than tha average, certainly somethin ta be cautious o'...but nothin on tha order o' a demi-god or balor wha'd cause tha Lady ta flay 'em instantly."
"Simple terms, it would release the soul from its current binding while healing the body to its last mortal state of being, then reunite the two, something like the priest rituals.
Bear in mind... this thing was created to force a lich back to mortality. " He shrugged slightly. "You want a more in-depth analysis of the weave- working behind it, well... that'll be a long while in the telling, and i'd have a hard time explaining it in laymans terms. That's the gist at any rate. "
He looked to the unfamiliar face of Vherr, nodding slightly. "you're friends right about this Darkweaver thing; soon or later you're going to have to put it down, and it's not going to play fair. But its also not just going to hand her back.
Finding what it wants and luring it out needs to stay in the cards for sure... but you need to decide if it gets to keep holding her soul as leverage till then, or if we get her back before seeing this game through."
"Rite, so, we got nae exact pinpoint of this cretin, yet it is about t'barter my b'loved off. If I have t'make a choice, we'll use Dace's attempt and get crackin' to cut open this beast on it's own prime. Ye lot cannae expect me to take any risk when there's also a possible barter ahead. Dace, do it...unless someone is goin' to make a fokkin' good case now to not make use o' this Morrigan sent gift Dace brings..."
A few things to consider before we take any..rash actions.
Odette held contract with this creature for these...shards. It is unlikly that the creature will deal with anyone but her, and the fact she is now dead makes this more difficult.
It is also possible the fact that she has failed means that the contract she forged is not completely null and void. Even if we were to return this shard, if it would accept it for the release of her soul? Unknown.
Given the creature likly knows she had capable friends, if it believed the shards were more valuable than the soul, then most likly it would have resumed the offer to us, not seek the sale of the soul.
Confronting the creature violently could be disasterous in and of itself - if Odette is not recovered first, this could well cause her to be lost forever, if..rash..actions were taken.
It is also worth remembering first and foremost what would the lady herself want?
If.. this item of Daces does what it advertises to do then I would consider this to be the most reliable option, the creature can then be confronted while in relative safty and we can then..renegotiate the terms of this bargain.
Oh.. And one other thing. We should initially try to contact this creature and ask its cost for the prism before we do anything else, it may be more reasonably soilvable.
Dace remains seated, listening to each of the Blade's take on the options, glancing between them and occasionally at Kelth, waiting for a sign to proceed unless a counter proposal is taken.
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