Godkiller Chapter Summary - 47 - The Reality Anchor
- Chapter begins mid morning, deep beneath Holocene on the 54th of Spring, Annum 4466
- Our heroes had delved into the mysterious Reality Anchor. A set of celestial ruins hidden beneath the city of Holocene that effect Incana and Chronomancy. A field of influence that spans kingdoms, doing who knows what.
- Well, there is one known effect. A prophecy involving Lord Curtis Renaull and Mallory Boseman. This place, and the being who seems to act as its custodian speak of a greater and mysterious purpose for Mal.
- Last we left off The Street Dogs were at a dead end in a room that held a circle of lights. Lights that corresponded to Zolaen Gods. Their states of illumination hinted at not just one, but three dead gods. Giriam, the god of war, and the god of dreams.
- Mal speculated what the effects of other dead gods could be. Some theories thrown out were that The Bloodshed Presence is something that grew in the absence of a god of war, and the strange dreams you have been having were somehow related to this absent god of dreams.
- In justification of his theories, Mal referenced the others original shared dream. Spade, who’d been previously unaware of this common vision, voiced that he’d also experienced the same.
- All evidence seemed to point to Ayamot being the next on the chopping block.
- 2 doors blocked the groups advance, and before the party could suss out a way past them, Cyrus dropped to the floor. Seizing violently, and emitting a dangerous cast of wild, illusory magic. It came to an abrupt end when his nesting doll absorbed his form. From it, faint words could be heard.
- A woman pleading “No, please stop. He’s sick.”
- And the sound of a physical clash between men.
- Alarm and concern held many tense minutes, but nothing could be gleaned from the doll. Deciding to rely on Cyrus usual, independent capability. The party returned their attention to more comprehensible and present threats.
- Astraeme, the least dangerous of the hostile creatures to inhabit the anchor, could be spotted travelling through thin tunnel systems high above. A deft shot by Deimos and a powerful spear throw by Magnus won the party a crystalline key held by the creature. Opening a door ahead to what seemed to be the old Kerketh base of operations.
- Evidence of the Academy’s downfall at the Anchor, context to their discoveries, and a small green crystal protruding from a strangely preserved corpse were discovered.
- The next chamber proved much more dangerous. Two Astraemor stood as sentinels before an altar of the black damning stone that guarded this place. A violent clash against the angels ensued with Mal as a primary target.
- The celestial creatures proved not only dangerous but extremely sturdy beings. One seeming to manage a direct influence on Mal’s Mind, Soul, or Vizir directly. Connecting him to the anchor as a whole, and making its nature known. This place is not just some ruins. Its a word, the sleeping and forgotten Word of Judgment.
- With the party in a challenging spot, Spade fought his way to the altar. Discovering its purpose. Judgement here could be circumvented with a sacrifice. Blood and coin were not enough.
- Bravery and stupidity are two sides of the same coin. And in this fated place Spade manage to land the coin on its side.
- Slamming his hand down on the altar, Spade’s soul was ripped from his body. This immediately slayed both Astraemor, and as far as a surgeon would be concerned, killed Spade.
- However, this did not feed his soul to The Mortal Coil direct. Trapped in a sort of between state, spade was now one of the many souls held in judgement’s forgotten prison. Able to move around its vast and magical innerworkings.
- Here he saw many… things. While their forms were not exactly physical, the idea of what they were was somewhat understandable to him.
- Structures and creatures within The Anchor as well as other souls trapped in the same state. All of which seemed like husks, uninterested in his presence. Save for one.
- Impossibly, Spade met the soul of a solider that had died before The Undoing. A citizen of Old Zol who spoke Feocaul and Common.
- There were a million different questions Spade could ask, but most pressingly Spade needed to figure out how to get back to his body. Apparently, there were other, more recently judged souls within The Anchor. The Kerketh Academics who died six years ago. It seemed that they may know something, should Spade be able to find their souls. However, this soul spade spoke to made it seem like that may not be so simple.
- Feeling the need to garner some favor with this mysterious soul, Spade asked what this person wanted. They gave a simple, joyless response.
- The death of all gods.
- Chapter ends on the afternoon of the 54th of Spring, Annum 4466