Playing Gods

Twelve days after Salvai's miracles, Oracle Triss calls all who wish to be part of Alva's salvation to Delverne Cathedral. It is time for Aurea's army of faithful to join hands. Each one who comes is taken to the holy spring, where they pour out a cup of their blood as oath and in exchange drink a chalice of ambrosia. Excitement spreads fast as the first pledge themselves - for they emerge clearly blessed. A flame-like aurora dances above their foreheads. Their blood glows faintly. Unearthly strength rises within them - their magic becomes suddenly stronger and power surges through their bodies. Delvans soon flood into the capital and the Templars' ranks, encouraged by what can only be Her support. Only the most cynical still question: for all that they gain - and even they must admit the gain is real - what is the price?

The stories spread outside and fear rises. Many worry whether they really are on the wrong side of destiny. Cantor's hard opposition to Delverne meets with growing resentment for leading them into damnation. Pockets of defectors reach out across the border and heated clashes ignite within. The situation is dire for both sides - if Delverne is right, then how can they make the blind authorities see their hubris? And if the Kingdom is right, then how can they win unity over the threat of divine wrath?

Feelings tip the opposite way in the annexed west, where the chasm between races grows starker. Humans are not treated cruelly, but they are second class to light elves and the gap is only widening. Fearful murmurs - that the Delvan Age will save light elves but subjugate all others - sow seeds of quiet resistance. Only the few elves and faithfuls who hear them can intercept and assure them of Delverne's goodwill.

All the while, Templars and Silvan's forces gather along the border. The Arcanists in the Abbey toil feverishly to find that one clue that could save them. And in the Leywood, now tall enough to be seen from all sides, the Tree of Soloros continues to rise ominously.

Over the months of Flowers and Sun, the revolution brewing for Reluir has steadily gathered momentum. The promises of a new, better future took root in the hearts of Reluir's lower class, and as they did dark elves from the Red Torcs began appearing in their towns to rally them. Riots and dissent against the crown grew to the point the Queen could no longer contain them all. Then on the 4th Harvest, the signal finally arrives: Princess Lorna has returned to Reluir, with the might of armies behind her. The time to fight for their freedom is now.

It is true. In a breakthrough for the Torcs, the Southern Federation has agreed to support their revolution. Troops from Tusa bearing the bulk of the Red Torcs have marched secretly east through the Reign Mountains via Sgàile Pass, while ships from the Estran navy await in the Auster Sea. In a sudden turn of events, the Empire region of Iadlain no longer poses a barrier to Estraude either - the Count is abruptly deposed from the inside and replaced with a challenger who throws Iadlain's doors open to the Federation. While confusion and alarm spark in the Empire, the Federation takes advantage and occupies the coastal town of Glanaill, near Reluir's borders. Their dark elf soldiers, together with the dark elvish Torcs, join Reluir's people in overthrowing the crown.

Crowds of peasantry gather in immense numbers and storm political buildings all over the country, including the estates of nobles. There are violent clashes, sieges, surrenders, and both sides win and lose ground. The heart of the rebellion pushes ever onwards and by the evening of the 10th Harvest they reach the capital. There, they turn to the palace, ready at last to face the Queen - and for the Queen to face the fury her tyranny has bred. Whether she or the rebellion prevails, her long and murky games of power must now reach their end.

On the 12th Harvest Triss addresses the oathbound in a divine golden glow. It is time for their first Trial - to build a path to Alva for their Mother Goddess’ coming, as the first of six great miracles. The crowd is electrified - the dreams of their people are coming true. They march to the Cantish border, led by the blessed Templars, to face their ancestral land of Soloros. At the peak of noon it begins.

Delverne launches a spell of fantastic scale, countless mages feeding it and healers holding them steady. The Tree of Soloros explodes into a column of searing white light. Shockwaves of unearthly magic crack the earth. Wildfires and rampant plant growth burst out across the land it as if battling each other. All over Cantor, magic shields fly up to save towns from being flattened, but they are shaky, off-guard and can barely withstand this intense pressure.

Yet things have not gone as Delverne planned. Missing many Ley fragments and skewed too far west, they cannot harness the wild power that has been released. Urgently, they reach out to Cantor: let them enter the Kingdom’s lands as only they, strong with ambrosia and blessed by Aurea, can handle this power. They don’t want this destruction either and if only the humans had not refused destiny, it would not have happened - so now do what is right and stand aside.

At the same time, the Arcanists emerge from the catacombs for the survival of all. With the Abbey as their messengers, they call upon all still holding up to help - their research has pinpointed ancient totems buried around the land that, if unearthed, may unleash a power that could be their lifeline*. It is a dangerous plan though - the power is untested, only half-understood and belongs to the forbidden fallen empire, Telurea.

Even as they speak, defectors collapse the border just north of Valevo and Delvans surge in. The time to act is now. For Delvans the mission is clear - they must claim the path to Soloros, no matter the cost. For Cantish the choices are harsh. Do they place their trust in Delverne’s power and destiny, or do they hang on to the hope of resistance by a terrible ancient magic?

* If you want to receive a totem prompt, please make a reply in this thread.

The Torcs storm the palace - and to their surprise, occupy it easily. The defences are thin and disorganised. Soon they discover why: the Queen is not here. She and all her most powerful mages are mysteriously gone. It is disconcerting but a victory… until the sky lightens the next day. A rumbling shakes the earth from the west. Animals go silent and a wave of icy cold sweeps the entire country, leaving frost in the summer trees. Then, with a shattering sound louder than thunder, something rises from the Reign Mountains.

It looks like the same colossal figure from months ago, except it is even bigger than before and has a strangely malformed head. Queen Morven, who had secretly left the palace for the mountains when the rebellion began, has completed her weapon. As the figure stands, slowly, the world around it falls apart. Entire mountains collapse deafeningly, temperatures drop so starkly that snowstorms erupt. Reluir’s land is split open with gigantic earthquakes, dropping whole villages down the cracks, and the tremors are felt as far as Tusa and Bratkowice.

In nearby Iadlain, winter reawakens and the forest screams in a sudden, elated frenzy. Rampaging monsters overwhelm and obliterate the northernmost town of Corrdubh. The borders of Iadlain capital hold tenuously at first but then an unknown creature appears within the town and breaks the protections open from inside. Eldritch things flood in, of every impossible, unseen kind - among them, four unicorns that leave nothing alive in their wake.

All over the east of the Reign there is chaos, terror, confusion and, within minutes, countless dead. The careful games of power are suddenly child’s play in the face of this incomprehensible cataclysm. Now, whether they fight or flee, hide or stand, scatter or gather, the move everyone must make is: survive.

And inscribed upon the Queen’s empty throne, spoken in a familiar voice by the unfamiliar creature, are the only words that tell of what has befallen the world: “Our Father returns to us.”

* If you want to receive a monster encounter prompt, please make a reply in this thread.