#general roktor | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

I keep my eyes closed as I keep falling, and falling, and falling.

Even if I try to open them and see, I soon realize that I can't; I can't hear anything either, nor I can move. I just keep falling for an immeasurable amount of time, which may have been long or short, but in the afterlife, as I learnt, it doesn't matter. I expect to see the line in front of me at some point... but instead, I feel the warmth of... waves. Waves, like the ones which lulled me and saw me grow up, which challenged me and made me strong. It feels calm and familiar. "Home", I think to myself.

Then I regain my sight. It is not home I reached, nor it is the way to the throne of Pharasma. I exist at the same time in two spaces: one is completely black, one is completely white, and they reach, empty, beyond the horizon. As I look down, I see my mirrored reflection on the other side as if I was walking on a thin surface, moving perfectly in unison: just my silhouette, a shape, featureless and in contrast with the surroundings - silvery in the dark, inky in the light. Nothing happens if I try to reach out for the other side; inexplicably, I am there, in both of the places.

When I raise my eyes again, all around I notice some burning figures slowly moving around me, but they don't have a reflection like mine, and their shapes are completely lost to the burning. The ones in the dark environment are calm, mostly standing still. The black ones, instead, seem more restless, and all of them slowly moving towards a square pedestal, a step that leads to a crowd of them. On the black side, instead, the elevated area is empty. I take a few very wary steps closer to the pedestals; the entities seem to turn towards me, so I stop dead in my tracks, worry clawing at my throat.

I murmur, confusion and fear controlling my voice. "Where am I... what is happening...?"

"Welcome." Two voices speak through my mind, indistinguishable but clear. "Welcome, Evangelia from the Lake of Mists and Veils. You are an anomaly, but you nonetheless reached for us. Here, you are safe."

"Reached for you? Was it me?... how?"

"You... died." Their words bring me back to a very harsh reality, which suddenly breaks my heart again as I remember my last moments. Consequently, I falter. Was it really worth it? Have I just thrown my life away?

"...but I should be in a line. Why am I here?"

For the first time, the two voices split, despite still intervening at the same time.

"You are here because you are not ready for what awaits you there."

"You are here because this is where you belong, and I want to protect you from the pain and suffering."

I feel a shiver running down my spine. I let the motivations sink in for a few seconds. They're ominous, and I feel the urge to run and hide. I feel like suffocating, trembling to the thought of being unable to endure all of that. Then I try to answer to them both. "Why do you want to protect me... and save from what I'm not ready for?"

Silence becomes deafening for a little bit, but then only one of the two answers, somehow grave. "I don't know what you have done to get so many people to think about you without even knowing you... but no one deserves to be treated like this. You don't deserve a world full of pain."

"No one deserves it," my drive takes over the negativity when others are mentioned. I see the faces of many I got to know in front of my eyes as I continue. My faith... my blessing... "That's why I was trying to make it better."

But then I start hearing them. So many voices, from all around me, even if they're not coming from the beings that surround me. People of faith, praying for themselves, for their teams, for the poor; asking for health, for love, for hope. They pray for it, and yet, it all goes unheard. My empathy makes my heart quiver as the feeling of abandonment latches onto them. I despair with them as they stop, sad and full of remorse. My legs threaten to fold beneath me. They become my weight... and my strength alike. "But I hear them, I hear them!! I want to be there for them... I promised I would save them - I promised I would save you!!"

"Their prayers are not meant for you," the two return to talk in unison. "These are all the people you haven't met yet, but who already identify you with their hardships, their misery. You represent their sorrow, and all that they have lost."

I can't say I fully understand what they are meaning, but what I certainly know is... it is awful. It is insane. I feel like I'm choking over my tears as I whisper with a broken voice... "This is exactly why I cannot stay..."

The two also seem to contemplate the situation while I'm completely stolen by the anguish. Even just hearing some of them for a moment was enough to shatter me, but even if in pieces, I feel the need to act, to try and ease their spirits. Somehow, I reject the horrifying doubt - I'm the cause of their dismay, I am the source. I just want to help. I just want to try. I cannot give up yet, because I know I still have more to give. I'm eager to. And yet, it is also what brought me here in the first place, putting myself in the frontline for my lake, for Zinnya and Hoyt. And this could be just a drop in an ocean. And as many drops as an ocean begin to fall from my non-existent eyes, I feel them burning like they were there, and I don't care if they are or not. All of this turmoil needs a way out, and I have nothing else left. I cry for them all. "I'm so sorry..."

They seem to give me a little of space before requiring my attention again, and once more, it is only one of the two intervening. The conversation continues slowly, as if he was trying to accompany me through a reasoning, in search for the final answer.

"Was it a good life?"

"Yes, but is it really over? Is there really no hope?" My answer is one more delayed question.

"If you had the chance, would you do everything all over again? All of it, good and bad, which brought you here." Here. In the middle of other burning spirits, speaking to who I believe to be the two brothers of the story. Sacrificing myself for the safety of who survived the monster in my lake, struggling to keep the contact with my deities, with black tears on my cheeks for having tried to know about what I'm involved in. I hesitate. "Would you go through it all just as you did so far, with all the laughs and the smiles, and all the losses and departures?"

He insists, and a warming memory flashes in my mind, gifting me a spark of strength back. "...yes... Some things could have gone better... I mean, of course they could have gone better, they always can. But everything that happened made me who I am, and someone once told me, it was a beautiful thing. I firmly believe in that, still... so, yes. My answer is yes."

It is not disappointment that follows my answer, but the tone drops again, and I can't help but feel bad about it. Selfish. Greedy. "Then you deserve the world you live in. You deserve all the pain, you deserve all the difficulties and the obstacles you will have to face." Then, he softens. "I am glad."

I cannot fully understand his position, but if my guesses are right... this is the younger brother speaking. The one who fought until his end came, loyal to the cause of the gods. A chosen - just like the eldest, just like me.

My last words are for both of them. "Don't think ill of me for this. Please." But they also go unanswered, and I am left with the feeling of guilt stirring my guts. Still, I have little time to think about it. Everything around me starts to quiver; the flames and the pedestals fade from my sight just as they appeared, as I start ascending once more, losing my senses again, until I can blink again.

I am in the line, in the same spot where I left it the previous time. Only four people stand between me and Pharasma, but this time, a familiar face is by my side.

The Man in Red.

#ic #black tears crossed the world #campaign diary #session recap #session 92 #part 1 #black tears #afterlife #boneyard #pharasma #story of two brothers #zinnya #hoyt #general roktor #the man in red #pathfinder 2e #homebrew campaign #pathfinder rp

2 notes · View notes

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

With a simple flick of the fingers of my right hand, I disappeared from Roktor's clutches, avoiding to get my bones cracked for sure. I thanked Miri one more time for the precious gift she gave us, her relocation rings. Zinnya was less lucky, hers broke irreversibly a while ago; but mine and Hoyt's were still working, and they didn't abandon us yet.

"Oh." He stared at me with a new spark in his gaze. He raised his head to lock eyes with mine once more. I was right there. Free, but floating right in front of his face; away from where he wanted me, but still in his reach.

"...you could have run away, as far from danger as you could have. And yet, you stupidly decided to stay right here and confront me still. This is something I can respect." Everyone's breath remained suspended. He snapped ferociously to any interruption of this pause: "I'm trying to realize why I should even care about this situation. I don't CARE if some nobodies died to it. I don't CARE about the cattle it eats. I'm trying to understand if it can be worth facing for ME, for someone STRONG." He sniffed the waters and bared his teeth once more, growling angrily until he started talking again. "So who are you? Who are the ones you came with, hiding behind the cursed rocks?"

I turned towards the others when I caught movement from my left with the corner of my eye. Both the rogue and the witch were approaching now, and I heard Zinnya starting to talk, introducing herself and starting to say things that angered him further more. I couldn't hold back from giving her an alarmed side eye, but then I caught the occasion and spaced out for a few seconds, focusing on where my own familiar was. His warnings had to have been enough; if Cila wanted to do anything, she had plenty of chances to understand it was the right time. I recalled it by my side, and the jellyfish quietly appeared close to me, immediately latching onto my skin and hiding under my scarf behind my neck. I reached back to pat its cap with my tentacle and quietly commanded it to go and stay by Hoyt's side for now. Things were about to get complicated.

"I asked you who you are - I don't care about your accomplishments either! Show me why I should consider your opinions on this creature of yours!!"

"Is that a challenge you're proposing?" I asked in a very low tone, my rage boiling through it. He sneered to my question, so I continued, regaining some composure. "Let's move away from the Fountain - Opak and the Cemetery are to be involved into this no longer."

I indicated one of the far edges of the Fountain, one that looked upon part of the abyss of the freshwater side of the city. I finally exchanged one more look with the others, and they both seemed to convene for once - I could tell from just their attitudes - this was a horrible idea. I couldn't agree more, but I started following the reptilian combatant anyway. I stared at Zinnya as she transformed her familiar, Svalek, into a canine creature - his battle form - and nervously tried to figure out how to face such an opponent with the spells at her disposal. Then I moved to Hoyt, and I saw him swimming silently in position, not too far from Roktor, with both his swords in hand. The General opened his arms wide. He was waiting for us to have our first moves.

Here, at the present moment - here we are, still all together, in front of this mountain of a General that put us to the test.

#ic #black tears crossed the world #musings #campaign diary #session recap #session 90-91 #part 4 #zinnya #hoyt #blinking miri #deadbridge #outsea #general roktor #general opak #general cila #lumen #pathfinder rp #pathfinder 2e #homebrew campaign

2 notes · View notes

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

The jaws of the General were the last thing she saw, for a brief second after returning conscious from already fatal damage.

She would be happy to know that, in the end, Zinnya and Hoyt survived, and that Roktor recognized especially his strength and granted the team approval for the attack on the Vitalia. Hopefully, she will open her eyes again to live it in first person.

If not... she can only hope in who survived, and for a quiet travel through the River of Souls.

#black tears crossed the world #campaign diary #session recap #hoyt #zinnya #general roktor #outsea #death count: 2 #we'll see what happens the next time #gm said it's gonna be fun #i don't trust him #*s a d*#i don't even know if i'm gonna keep writing Lia if she dies for good #but another resurrection spell is going to be attempted maybe?#poor echo #he knows thanks to the status spell #session 91

2 notes · View notes

cosmosoracle · 5 months

Note

Has your muse ever experienced “good karma” — a good deed or kind action, performed with no expectation of reward or repayment, that came back to help them in the end? Tell us about it.

Indeed she has.

The people in the Iron School of Magic in Deadbridge always answered to the party's calls for help after they delivered them a dangerous onyx stone, useful in activities that involve the creation of harmful undead. Echo was always in the front above all - all the more after they freed the city of Bodie's Haunt from the undead curse, and relieved his friend Keelu from his burdens.

Once Lia and Echo's bond developed into love, he risked it all and called for Rasmia to strike a deal with her to bring the oracle back from the dead, and he was ready no matter the cost it could have had - good thing the deal itself wasn't necessary.

Despite Hoyt grew up working alone as an assassin, especially since Lia made sure that he could be brought back to life she always felt like he also started to watch out for her more than she could expect; now, if that happens because of necessity and convenience or actual care stays a mystery, but Lia likes to think he's also coming to like being with the team.

In Outsea, when she exposed herself to defend Opak from a fellow General, the strongest of them all even, Opak also tried to call for reinforcements the moment he could, and finally decided to lend a hand to help the lake of Jaha with the catastrophes the Vitalia is bringing. Little before, fighting alongside Enais to get rid of the drakes which hunted him for years earned her his support in the same future fight as well.

All of her good deeds had beautiful things turning her way after more or less time. She still has to find out who interceded for her with Pharasma to let her escape death a second time; she wonders if it was one of her protectees, or even one of the brothers, or the entity that tested the three of them during the Witches' Gathering. Was it also a consequence of something she did?

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 5 months

Note

What makes Lia angry?

Does she value mercy or justice more?

Anger strikes her and guides her hand when violence, injustice and imposed dominance prevail, especially over weaker or defenseless people. She couldn't hold herself back when Roktor threatened to hurt Opak in Outsea - furthermore, because of her - and even if it led to her second death, she regrets to not have been ready to avoid that, not about what she's done to provoke it in the first place.

Mercy and diplomacy are always her first options, but when they fail, she's left with no choice and will refuse to back down, or at least so it was until the latest experiences. No one knows what the future holds, but if this strength of hers is broken, then important changes are to be had in the near future.

#black tears crossed the world #answered #headcanon #steel and fire #unprompted #outsea #general roktor #general opak

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 8 months

Note

Assumption: Would step into a dangerous situation to save a stranger

"I'll try not to be as reckless as I was when I stepped in to confront General Roktor next time, but I don't make any promises. Still... yes."

#i hear you (ic)#answered #headcanon #anonymous #black tears crossed the world #outsea #general roktor

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 8 months

Text

"Hoyt? Is everything alright?"

It's been a while since I and Zinnya heard the noises from his room. I took my time to get ready and come out of the room compared to her; with some meditation, my oracular curse is also back in control, with just some minor fatigue and excessive glowing from my body. The waving of my skirt and hair all around me could easily be mistaken as flowing movements because of the water. After all, that's also what made it show so much less when I was younger, in the lake. But, above all, now I can swim normally without the collateral flaw of risking to float up because of my lighter weight. And now that I'm fully ready, before going out, I decide to knock on our assassin's door.

"Uh... yes. Much better than an hour ago, thank you. The loss of the book had me shaken, to say the least."

"May I come in?"

I only spend few minutes with him. He seems to be back to his usual demeanor, already busy with some kind of reverse engineering project. "I don't know how long it will take, but we're going to need stronger potions to sustain ourselves from now on."

"Are you equipped with everything you need for it?"

"Yes, don't worry about it."

"Well, in that case... have a good work and afternoon! I will be back soon, and if you need anything, knock on the door." I already know he won't, but I won't let him forget he's got my support. With that said, I swim outside of his room and close the door behind me, then head directly out to the orphanage nearby.

When we first saw the big building, cut in half by the current that divides the freshwater side of Outsea from the saltwater one, it was heavily guarded and impossible to approach. After we spoke to Cila and found her completely favorable to my cause, we also had permission to swim in and meet the little inhabitants of the place. One of them is called Onimia: she's one of the two survivors who came from the Lake of Mists and Veils mere days ago and escaped the clutches of the Vitalia. Lidya, her younger sister, prefers to roam freely through the freshwater area and we never had a chance to find her; but I had quite a few occasions to approach the older one. When I find her, she rushes to me.

Rumors about the fight with Roktor had already spread around the city - that was much quicker than I expected. Even the kids seem to know; and Onimia isn't naive nor blind, and the marks on my body speak very clearly. "I heard someone even died..." she murmurs with tears in her big, golden eyes. Ouch. How could I be so reckless. She just lost her caretaker, the man that carried her and Lydia to safety here in Outsea, and I was about to prolong her nightmare. I hug her tight to it, stroking her hair and letting her lean on me, trying to transmit her as much calmness as I can manage despite the little stab.

"Don't worry, little one... it is true, there was a fight, but everything went fine in the end and even the one who died managed to get back to life. I told you, I came here with my friends to ask help for our lake. And we did it! Outsea will help us defeat that monster, and you won't have to worry about such danger ever again when you come back home."

She seems relieved to the words, but also holds me tighter. "I don't want to go back there if it's dangerous. I very much prefer it here." I chuckle to that. "Of course!"

I cautiously shift the conversation to other topics, and I also catch the chance to inform her about our early departure. "We will have to leave for a while, but when the time comes we will all be back, and I'll come right back to visit you." Around half an hour flows by like it's nothing, and I find myself quite at ease. I grew up in a similar structure as well, and I feel pretty comfortable around the young ones... it kind of feels like home.

But unfortunately, I cannot afford much more time out. With the adrenaline dropping, I'm starting to feel the exhaustion on my body pretty clearly. So at some point I let her go to spend more time with the other kids, and I move on to my next destination, the Fountain, again.

~ ☆ ~ ☆

When I reach the Fountain, Opak is still working to fix the mess Roktor caused. I approach him carefully, watching over his doing and fidgeting with my hands a little before greeting him again. "Am I disturbing you?" But he simply stops for now, and I have his attention. It is actually him catching the chance to apologize to me as well for what happened.

"For what importance it may hold or not... I am sorry I couldn't intervene through the fight. I couldn't convince Roktor to back off when he challenged you, and I couldn't do anything but call the others when things got bad. I'm not as strong as some of the other Generals; and yet, what I did couldn't be enough."

"It's fine... I don't hold any grudge against you, and I know you were watching over us while we were fighting. I saw you cast. You could have just turned to the other way. Besides, I know fighting isn't your calling; mine brought me on this path, and I am aware of its risks."

"It is certainly different, yes. Mine is a quiet calling, while yours... not so much. But each one of us has their own."

"Speaking about it, I actually have come with a request specifically for you." I stop and make myself small in my shoulders while I wait for an answer, then I raise my eyes and see him nodding, listening. I sigh and take off my pirate hat. I retrieve the little blue flag pin that has us recognized as Heroes of Deadbridge under the rule of the new Blue Marquis, then I turn it in my hands...

"You see... this is not the first time I risk to not open my eyes again, and dying a second time really put things in perspective, more than before. I... want to pay respect to the people that fell in the lake, with the little I have left of them to be remembered with." I look up at him again, melancholy and regret in my eyes. "When I found this hat, I was exploring a shipwreck with a friend of mine, one that just recently fell near my town. We found personal belongings and clothes intact, but we found no bodies nearby, and we were naive enough to not ask ourselves why. Now I know that these people from the surface died to the Vitalia as well, and who knows how many more. So I want to leave you this hat, to remember the ones from the surface..."

"This spear, which belonged to the same fighter that wore this armor I have, for the fallen from Jaha..."

"And some of these seashells, for the rest of the people from the whole Lake."

I hold the symbols I just named close to me, waiting for an answer, and I see him narrowing his eyes. I give a sad smile. "I don't know if you can do anything at all with these, but they're all I have..."

"This is not how I usually work, but it doesn't cost me anything. I'll do what I can."

I sigh in relief and hand him over some of the belongings I was most attached to. I am sad to leave them behind, but it's for the best. Many more people need to remember those people, not just me. Many more must know... they shall not be gone with me, if things come to worst again. I can't help to keep acting for that purpose. I need to be ready for whatever comes next, and I keep repeating it to myself: I have to be ready.

"Thank you so." I hold my arms with the hands, and the grip gets tight a few moments later, as my thoughts flow out in words. "I don't want them to be forgotten, going to the other side is... well..." I take a moment, trying to find the right way to continue. "You know, I was even called an anomaly by someone there..."

"I can understand why, at least from my point of view." I'm surprised by such a prompt response and refrain from continuing, blinking my eyes and tilting the head in surprise. He takes a breath and continues, accompanying the speech with his free arm. "As I was saying, I'm not that strong, and I don't know any mean to bring people back to life. Your friends asked me if I could do anything about it, so I suppose they're also unaware; and even if Cila is a very powerful priestess, I'm pretty sure she's also unprovided of solutions to something as drastic as death. And yet, somehow, here you are. You opened your eyes again, after I saw you being eaten by Roktor with my eyes. Of course, this makes you an anomaly."

"Well... yes, of course it makes sense..." I glance at the bright diamonds at the center of the Fountain. I recall Pharasma's words again, about how this gift is something so rarely allowed. There are so many questions left unanswered... but I can't bring myself to talk about them with Opak, not anymore. This is going to be enough. Soon after, I part ways with him, and he recommends to be careful this time, and to have a safe trip.

I find myself alone in my room, finally able to rest a little. I can't sleep though; my mind keeps wandering through the enormous amount of events I just went through in so little time. I focus so much on the place where I supposedly spoke to the brothers, and I can't help but assume that this placr and the sphere I saw being filled with Black Tears where I met Arshea the last time are somehow connected. I keep focusing on it... ans at some point, I get a vision that lasts for just few seconds.

I'm standing on a long road of blue and violet hues, large and dotted in white, which runs to the horizon. On its sides, many other thinner paths branch and proceed straight ahead in their directions: the first one on my left is white, and the others all follow similarly light hues; the first one on my right is black, and it opens a similar series of parallel dark lines. No one walks with me, and I can't turn back. I can't help but wonder what it means...

0 notes

cosmosoracle · 8 months

Text

It's not the easiest thing to wreck something underwater; one would have to go against the force of water itself, or hit the target with strong intent. And yet, Hoyt still manages to damage enough in his room, struggling to let out some of his pent up frustration. He breathes in fast from the magical air bottle to his side when he stops, bubbles floating up and out of the room as he slowly calms down. It takes a bit; he usually is the one that stays in control the most, but even a patient killer has his limits.

Once he returns somewhat calm, his hand instinctively goes to the satchel with the dice he always carries on his side. They are one of the godly gifts he earned from the very beginning of his adventure: accepting to gamble with fate and with his life on the line, he attracted the attention of another entity involved with the Tears and the rest of the mess we are in that introduced herself to him as the Real Deal. His heroic and risky actions were appreciated and rewarded with those little tokens, which, more than once, were able to change the outcome of things.

He pulls all four of them out, taking a moment to observe them and juggle them between his fingers. His reliance on them was undeniable, and not just for himself. Very often, he also reached in the pocket to turn them in the team's favor, especially to save the others from their demise. Just a few days earlier, just a few hours earlier, they had been turned to try and save Evangelia as well in more than one occasion. But when things got too hectic and trying to add some luck to the equation was not enough, he didn't settle down with simple gambling anymore - instead, he would pick the one that was completely corrupted and stained in black, which gave him higher chances to Take What He Wants.

And yet, not even the black die proved to be enough against Roktor. Not only that; it seems like the blackness on its surface had also started to peel off at some point, maybe during the fight, and red dots are resurfacing on its faces. He snarls at them, then he starts to speak to them, and his eyes start to wander around the room.

"What is this... what should this mean? After today... I felt like I had defied Fate this morning, I succeeded against the King that defeated me in my dream. I felt like I had won everything... and then I lost everything instead, right after that, bullied by that fucking thing... We lost the book. Chaldira... Why now?"

"I don't know."

Hoyt turns behind himself, and just like Egon, the Real Deal is sitting on his bed with her legs crossed and her hands on the knees, not minding the water around her at all as she lightly rocks back and forth, shrugging her shoulders. The assassin blinks at her, certainly not expecting a visit face to face; but, once the initial surprise settles, he fully turns and swims a little closer to her as she resumes to speak.

"First of all, just to make things clear... that is not my name," she agitates her finger while making the precisation, almost a little offended at it; but as soon as that is dealt with, she immediately returns more serious, pointing with her head at the group of dice in the hands of the goblin. "Secondly, it wasn't me doing anything to that die. All that happened is that... it was your best pal so far, giving you everything you wanted and bypassing the whole game!"

"I haven't been using it much since our last chat," Hoyt mutters under his breath as she emphasizes the concept.

"...until it didn't work. Today, it didn't give what you wanted, despite you did everything as usual. It was enough for you to doubt it, and, apparently, it's been enough for it to get damaged, in a way, just like mine started to blacken when you insisted on your desires."

"Plus... I'm sure you are familiar with that... old, cursed man with skeletal hands, rowing on his boat over a river of souls from one shore to another...?"

Of course, that rings a bell for Hoyt. He nods as he recalls that exact image from another dream. He had gone just past him back then, turning to stare at him with a sinister shine in its eyes... "I'm guessing it was him giving me the black die."

"And there's even more," the blue skinned woman straightens her back and crosses her arms, clearly disgusted at the mere thought of the figure. "He's the one that has been laughing at you through all these days, the one who's been giving you the unpleasant dreams that have nothing to do with us. I'm giving you free will with the dice. You can use my red ones, his black ones, none at all; you can play a game, with me, with the world - with your life! Who cares! Have fun!... while he's just waiting for you to fail."

"Oh, that I know; and I have been playing the game personally for long enough. That book... what the fuck is that?"

She sighs and turns away. "You know very well that I cannot talk about it."

"I know, but aren't you worried about everything that happened? About the fact that he has it now? "

"That I absolutely am, but unfortunately I am bound and I cannot help you anymore than this. See, I became what I am exactly because I took my risks. Once, I was lucky enough to play and win with the right person, so I became what I am, and here I am today. While all of this? It was the result of the day that, eventually, I played again and I lost."

"Heh, of course," he breathed out, clearly unhappy. "It's part of the game, right?"

"Right."

"Riiight."

The Real Deal favors a break after that. She also looks deeply dissatisfied at everything. She seems to take a few moments for herself to value something, and then she returns to pay attention to the little trinkets. "Do you know how many times you used that die?"

"A lot, especially in the past," Hoyt comments bitterly.

"If I am correct - which I'm pretty sure that I am - it was 27 times with today's addition... and with every single use, you lost a year of your life."

Silence drops in the room, and the rogue opens his eyes a little wider. His humanity beyond the curse always shines through them a little more strongly; the blue hues of the irises are as uncommon as they can be for such an ancestry otherwise. And in them, the loss is extremely readable.

"...what?"

There is no answer from the other, which keeps observing the goblin with somewhat regretful eyes. He needs a bit to come to terms with the situation before continuing to talk. "I wish I knew that earlier."

"I'm sure that sharing these informations about that piece of shit with you very much counts as interference with our deal, but technically not too much. As I already said, I'm sorry I can't help any more than this," she raises one shoulder and looks at him with sincere participation.

"This situation - dancing in the hands of you higher beings without knowing what to do - sucks. What the hell are we supposed to do?"

She sighs and pulls herself back. "Do what you always did so far. Live your life as you please, have fun. But if you feel like something is pulling you in... listen to your guts; it seems to have failed you only once so far. I can't tell you anything else about the book; but when the right time comes, hit me up. I'll be sure to come around."

"Fine." He grabs the black die with his free hand and stares at it intensely for a few seconds, before throwing it away without a second thought.

She smiles to that. "There you go..."

"But if you're really so sorry, do make sure to share all the informations you have with me the moment you can."

There is a single moment of pause before the Real Deal raises her hands, giving Hoyt a double thumbs up. "Okidoki!"

She pushes herself off the bed, then rummages through her pockets and her smile turns to a full grin. "A copper for your effort," she chimes before flipping the money.

Hoyt frowns as he follows the coin being thrown at him. By the time he looks down at her to complain - he's about to call her a cheap bastard - she has already disappeared, just as she arrived. He huffs and catches the coin. When he looks back down at it... a new red die is in his palm.

(Frustration grows even more. 'Why is she like that!?')

#black tears crossed the world #pathfinder 2e #pathfinder rp #homebrew campaign #session recap #session 92 #epilogue #hoyt #the real deal #outsea #???#the man in red #egon #general roktor #black tears #story of two brothers #campaign diary

0 notes

cosmosoracle · 8 months

Text

"The book is gone."

Zinnya gets straight to the point once we're all comfortable around our room. Hoyt has returned to his very gloomy attitude, absolutely infuriated at the situation, but keeping it all in. The half elf seems to have the most pragmatic and realistic approach to it all, swinging her legs as her eyes move between the goblin and me; in the meantime, I have taken a hold of the seashell I sleep in, the cosmic influence on me still way too strong to keep in check to just float.

I give a sad but knowing sigh in return. "I thought so... the Man in Red informed me about his friend being here to deal with you..." I'm surprised that none of the Generals had anything to say or suspect about us - especially Opak, who seems to have been there throughout the whole scene. My eyelids partially drop over my glowing gaze. "I was ready to give it up as well. I had no other choice; when I realized that the tattoo was gone, I just couldn't give up and leave you guys to face this alone. It is my fault if you got into this situation. I'm so sorry, and I promise I'll make it up to you for it."

"You have to make up for nothing, just don't do it again," Hoyt intervenes, direct and imperative as usual. It's one of the rare occasions in which Zinnya also agrees.

"Yeah, Lia, seriously. Don't get eaten, don't challenge huge crocodile men out of the blue, don't get stabbed in the heart! I knew that would have been the best reminder to carve on your locket, but it sounded weird back then. And now I regret it. Don't die again."

She pokes my chest with a finger, and I feel my cheeks warm up in borderline shame. I poke her hand back, then I free the locket from the folds of my scarf and open it again. It is heart shaped, but it's decorated so that it resembles one of the smooth seashells I so much love. It can be read on the inside: 'Don't lose your heart'. I won't tell it to her right now, but I honestly like it more this way instead. Especially after everything that happened with the brothers, with the small seed of painful doubt planted in, it's absolutely needed to have some support...

And speaking about support, only now I realize that I don't feel any presence behind my back watching over me. The Status spell that Echo placed on me after I found Arshea, few hours before Hoyt would return to Deadbridge and the group would be reunited after the break... got broken. We weren't on the same plane of existence anymore, my death cut our connection. I feel my chest clench, he must have certainly been aware of it when it happened... I need to contact him as soon as this is over, but silent tears escape me regardless. I close the locket in my hand and take a moment, then I return to look at my friends in the eye.

"I really don't plan to. Besides... when I died again, I returned in the same spot of the line that I left when it happened the first time. There were only four people in front of me, and once the Man in Red tricked me and left me alone, I had a direct exchange with Pharasma herself."

"Wait... wasn't the Man in Red the one who brought you back? Wasn't it our deal that saved you?"

Zinnya gets a confused look from me. "Um... no, he left me there to be judged. It was someone else who spoke to Pharasma, which I couldn't hear nor see..."

"That. Is. Fucked!"

The witch is absolutely outraged. Hoyt doesn't have an open reaction. I frown, then look elsewhere to pick up the memories again, trying to make sense of them.

"...I doubt it could be him or anyone else tied to a devilish pact. She said that it can be friendship, luck and love intervening with something like this, and that this isn't a gift granted to just anyone. She said that the next time that it happens she'll be right there waiting for me, so I suppose I won't have another chance at returning..." I take a small break and bring a hand to my face, closing my eyes. "I had the most absurd experience this time. I think I also had an exchange with the brothers before going to Pharasma... they also said I'm some kind of anomaly. I don't understand."

"What I understand is that we got involved in something so much bigger than us... fucking gods, having to mess with us mortals for their own deals."

It sounds so familiar it hurts. A flash of Igris' face appears in front of my eyes for a single moment... and just like when I spoke to him, I share the same answer, bitterly, as I see his figure turning away from me and fading. "If anything, this proves that we really are chosen... it's me and you now, Hoyt." And history seems to be repeating itself: the older brother faltered with his faith according to the story, while the young one was devoted to the cause of the gods... just like us.

"Well then, in that case you may want to find a good protection for us when we get the book back," Hoyt raises his chin and looks back at me with a harsh look. "We cannot rely on Rasmia's tattoo anymore. I would do the research myself, but I'm the least well versed in this, so I'll leave it up to you."

I nod; Zinnya tilts her head. "I'm pretty sure that was a kind of ward that she invented herself; now that we don't even have it anymore, it's going to be difficult to find anything about it... honestly, I should have studied it every day since I got it, damn it."

"It doesn't matter; I have a mean to hold researches in a way that goes beyond physical availability of books and texts that may come in handy right now."

"Oh, you mean our miniature library? That's where I keep my cauldron, but I'm pretty sure that if we wanted to use it more, we should have also worked to fill it in with tomes by ourselves..."

"Well, that too to an extent, but I'm actually speaking of a spell of mine." I explain briefly to her how the Pocket Library works: while searching for something, I can conjure a tome from anywhere in the world about the topic and try my luck. Between that and attempting to attune to the collective knowledge of the Divine, maybe I can get a good chance...

"...but, Hoyt... forgive the question, but is there a reason why you want the book back?"

"They came here to us and bullied us into giving them something that isn't theirs just because they had the upper hand. That is something I cannot let slide."

"But that book brought you so many problems," Zinnya also took part in the conversation. "Why is it so important that we keep it?"

Hoyt glares at her in return; it has become such a common occurrence that Zinnya doesn't seem to even notice it anymore. "It is a book with a soul in it, and now it's in the hands of a devil. Do you know what he wants to do with it?"

"No, do you?"

"No, that's why I'm worried and I want it back - that specific one."

"And I want it back too," I add myself back in the conversation. I give a complicit look at Hoyt. "And that book will be specifically recognized by my Zegarek on the back of its cover."

"In any case, at this point I don't think that we have to stay in Outsea for all of this anymore... I like it, but maybe it's going to be best to start heading to the lake Prophyrian and its Vault of Tears. The first week of this month has almost come to an end, and we should take around two weeks from here to reach it if we move fast - just in time for whatever is going to happen there." Our discussion shifts to our travel planning for a bit. Between the chance to make a fast detour to Torch before the New Moon in three days, so that Hoyt can get back his reforged sword Malorak that stabbed me by Notak's hand, going by ship and using my newfound Control Water ability, or having Zinnya conjure for us flying horses, some time passes by, until Hoyt concludes the conversation.

"Then it is decided: we're leaving. It's around midday now, but... you just died. Get some rest; we resurface tomorrow."

We nod in agreement, then we watch him exit our room to return to his. We hear silence for a little bit... then something breaks, and something else after that too. I and Zinnya glance at each other. She's rolling her eyes, talking to herself: "Boys." I hold the edge of the shell a little tighter instead. I will have to go talk go him too before we leave... but, first things first, I start looking for the Missive Stone in my backpack while resuming the conversation with the younger girl.

"You never got to learn the Resurrection ritual from Echo in the end, did you?"

"Oh, no I didn't. He promised to teach me a bunch of stuff, and then he never did. I'm mad at your boyfriend! When you contact him, scare him with the new you died. Make him feel bad, for my revenge."

I'm not in the mood for this kind of jokes. "I'm sure he already knows..." I'm not even protesting to her calling him my boyfriend. "But in any case, I hope I can fix it a tiny bit. I am no teacher like he is, but he taught me that ritual before we left, so now I'd be really glad if you could learn it too. If I fall, someone's got to take care of Hoyt..."

"Hey! I told you not to do it again! Did you even hear me?"

"Yes, yes, I did! This is just in case! I'll be there in a second..."

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

Everything that followed my first few minutes awake had me swinging between my worry about the future and the realization that I was safe for now. Cila came forward to properly tend to Zinnya and my wounds with her healing magic, while the others started to discuss about what was going to be next: in a way or another, all the Generals got convinced, therefore it was official that Outsea would have soon gone at war with the Vitalia.

While we were still at the Fountain, I finally got my chance to check the map that Rasmia gifted me the last time we visited her mansion - a map of the Lake of Mists and Veils with a big red circle. It signaled the movements of the monster through the waters. It had arrived at Egede, a city built right on the shores of the lake, with an important harbor and frequent connections with the underwater communities. Imagining what that monster may have been causing at the moment to those poor people broke my heart, and it also scared me to no end, because Tora and my people were also supposed to be heading west. I contacted him in a hurry, the short message had to be enough.

"What do you mean it's Lia!?" This was the first reaction I got from him hearing my words all of a sudden; the panic of the moment was just so easily broken, and that retort almost stole me a chuckle despite it all. He was fine. There was a break after that, during which I imagined him trying to look around to see where my voice could have come from, but then he tried to follow my instruction and made his answer as easy as he managed.

"We're fine, we found refuge in a cave. The entrance is small enough to stop the monster from reaching-" and the spell was cut short. He was still the same anxious boy I left behind, but he had indeed been smart. What a relief...

Alara deemed it a right moment to propose a change of location. Since I was the one who had it worse, she offered to me first to be carried to the Council by her, and then others joined me - with Zinnya being the most excited about it. Normally I would have declined out of respect and also to enjoy the freedom of swimming that I so missed in the past months, but in that moment I couldn't be more willing and grateful. I lightly curled up in her hold as Lumen also returned on my shoulder, and I observed Outsea as our team and the Generals crossed it.

People were slowly returning to their everyday life. After Roktor storming through and not being seen or heard again, the streets were just returning to get populated, and their eyes were all on us as we passed by. It must have been a rare sight, to have all the high charges moving together like that, not to mention that they were with us visitors.

Alara, the Master of the Depths, was one of the less present ones in the city, only second to Roktor, for her massive size and affinity to the abysses. Her octopus features spread widely behind her and propelled her forward in beats, dark and in contrast with her lilac skin and light blue hair, and her deep red eyes pointed straight at her objective. I and Zinnya often locked eyes with someone from below. I smiled weakly at them, while Zinnya even waved at some. The High Priestess of Gozreh also looked down from Alara's shoulder when we swam above her church, where Crocky was probably waiting, temporarily in the care of someone else. Her posture was graceful and her wide garments flowed beautifully with the waters, the light blue borders shining against her purple gown and dark skin.

All around us, the remaining Generals and Hoyt all kept up with the pace, each of them moving in their own style. Hoyt was controlled and precise, with his training to move in the shadows on the surface easily blending into swift and silent strokes. Khu'Tihua, the shark Captain of the Guards, pushed herself forward especially relying on her strong arms with the long blue ponytail swaying behind her left and right like a fin - completely opposed to our rogue. General Opak was much more elegant compared to them instead, with slower movements that followed the currents and his long coat that seemed to flow through them as if he was one with the water - as one would espect from a follower of the Empress of the Torrent. Lastly, the athletic and agile leader of the Hunters suddenly darted forward, his pink hair being the only detail easily distinguishable as he reached the palace before us. We had already witnessed Quho's impressive speed multiple times, but it was always amazing to watch, really.

And so here we all are now, around a platform that offered enough space to everyone, in a palace that still held its majesty despite being rarely used.

~ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ~

Our contribution to the reunion with the Generals is fundamental. Zinnya had prepared more potions for sharing the memories in the morning, so now all of the leaders are aware of what I had to face back then in the lake, and at least a vague idea of what its targets must be suffering as we speak. I see the disgust and horror in Cila and Opak's expressions, cold awareness in Alara's, but even a hint of excitement in Quho's. Clearly, he just added the Vitalia to his list of targets and future trophies. While on one hand that comforts me because it confirms his will to contribute, it also makes me nervous, because I'm afraid of him getting hurt if he rushes in too carelessly to get his prize. My eyes wander to the wide scar he's got on his side. Hormun inflicted that deep wound the moment we entered the cave to save Zinnya and Hoyt from the abysses. I was able to heal it, but it remains as a nasty reminder anyway.

We keep discussing about a possible plan to attack the monster, and I share all of my knowledge about it and about the other blood aberrations we already found in Bodie's Haunt. They rely on contact with other beings to heal their wounds, and collective attacks being their specialty as both offense and defense. When I am asked about more specific informations, I gather my courage and take off my mangled armor, carving the symbol of Zegarek on its inside to witness the death of its previous owner.

A shiver runs down my spine as I live personally the destruction that Larya tried to protect me from, but I stay focused and describe all of what I see along with the vision. "The chief is trying to reorganize our forces to stop the monster from reaching who couldn't make it out of Jaha in time. They're...futile attempts. The limbs reach everyone one by one, even those that try to run for their lives and cannot face death head on. But the one who wore this armor grabs his spear and charges in with a group of other brave ones, raging. They sink their blades in its flesh, but..." I gasp. "I can't see anything anymore... everything is red, I can barely recognize the silhouettes of my comrades, I hear them coughing. The soldier starts... bleeding out..."

I watch the rest of the scene alone, until my eyes stop shining in white and the light leaves my irises like fire being snuffed out. I blink a few times, and focus again on the calm present, on everyone around me as I look at their faces until I recognize them one by one. I need one more moment, but when I speak again, my voice is deep and steady. "The ones invested by this cloud either start bleeding or can't stop their wounds from doing so. All of this blood is absorbed again as a mean to heal, and it was fast. Too fast..."

Opak reaches out and taps my shoulder. I can read his empathy. I wonder if he also feels guilty for having turned his back on me when I asked for help the very first night we arrived in Outsea. I performed with some other artists in one of the taverns above the surface, and when I was invited to his table, we spoke about anything else but this because of how quickly and irrevocably he dismissed my requests... "I'm really sorry you have to go through all of this."

I look over to him and narrow my eyes, forcing a tired smile. "If my efforts will lead to no one else experiencing such cursed pain... so be it. I'm ready to do so for as long as it takes." I have to make sure he knows I hold no grudges against him for anything. I'll need to go and visit him later at the Fountain. Maybe he will be able to help me with something, and hopefully his involvement may relieve him a little, too.

The confrontations end soon after: all that is left to discuss is when this is going to happen - "We have some business to take care of away from Outsea by the end of this month, but if our strengths are enough and the right occasion arises once we're done, we'll be right back to fight by your side"; how to communicate - Alara suggests sending informations over to her, who is able to contact every other General right away, as she demonstrated various times already; recommending each other to keep in touch through us two, so that we can keep studying the kind of menace that the Vitalia may become to all of us and be prepared. Once that's settled, one by one, the Generals bid us goodbye and each of them returns to their own duty, leaving us alone.

We are also ready to return to the Sweet Eel. We've still got things to talk about, just between the three of us.

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

It's cold. Everything is cold and hurts, with the wounds still burning with whatever amount of acid is still lingering on my skin. And yet, my gills beat with a renewed spark of life as the water passes through, and I blink my eyes, one more time. I don't immediately feel aware of my surroundings, and my eyes take a little bit to focus on what I find in front of me. Something is licking my face, and I feel a hold on my hand...

My fingers close around Zinnya's weakly, while I move my free arm to pat the creature on his head, instinctively trying to reassure him: I'm fine. But am I? I feel as far from fine as I can be. No, that's definitely the wrong thing, but I achieved something much more than that regardlessly.

My body slowly lights up again, my bioluminescence shining through as my oracular curse returns to take over my body. My eyes glow bright as well, and all of me tends to float up, so much so that I would have to start swimming almost constantly to stay in place. I feel weak; I can't keep up with that well. But the witch hugs me as soon as she processes that I'm awake, and I just return the sincere show of affection, confirming my condition in a whisper.

"I am alive."

"Yes, yes you are!"

"But at what cost." I keep my eyes closed for now as Hoyt joins in the conversation with a bitter voice, but I don't feel any anger nor ill intent specifically towards me. On the contrary, he remains close as well, and so does Opak - and so do the other Generals a few moments later: Khu'Tihua, Cila and Quho all reach us in a hurry, frantically asking for details.

"When we heard that Roktor was involved, we tried to come as fast as we could," the High Priestess explains fast as she values the situation. I am barely conscious and still covered in slashes and bites, and while Zinnya is in better shape, her wounds and extreme pallor clearly tell about how close she was to succumbing too. All the back and forth between them, all the voices bring me further in to the world of the living, and I also start realizing things a little more awarely from over Zinnya's shoulder.

"Their determination was as reckless as it was impressive," Opak tries to give a comprehensive summary about how the fight went. General Khu'Tihua, the woman with shark features that leads the city guards, seems especially surprised among the others. "He didn't get even scratched, and he earned the respect and the favor of the Champion of the River."

"It was pure luck," Hoyt aggressively tries to cut things short, but despite his argument, the ones who knew Roktor for much longer than us insist, and Quho is the one who has the last say before General Alara also gets to the Fountain: "However you managed to do it, be proud of your achievement."

"I was told that Roktor made it here," the majestic Master of the Depths looms over us, resting her long tentacles. She is sitting over the crystal that we retrieved from the Myroga's den, which constantly feeds her power through the ley lines. She visibly increased in size as well; she must have had some sort of reaction to it like I did, when my own tentacles grew and I earned a better control over their movements. "Is everyone fine?"

There is an exchange of looks between everyone, and I especially feel their eyes on me. "I am alive," I simply say again, as if trying to convince myself still; "Now we all are," Zinnya adds. Alara observes us for a few seconds without a word, examining us herself; then some tension seems to leave her body as she speaks. "Good."

But... are we good, really? Suddenly, some of the worries I left behind in the afterlife come back like an electric surge; I jolt in Zinnya's arms, temporarily breaking free and reaching for the back of my neck with a hand. "We're not protected anymore-- we're not protected anymore!!"

"Calm down," Zinnya immediately hushes me and pulls me back in her arms. Despite the agitation, I have no strength to put up any sort of resistance. Nor I really want to; being held is comforting, and the Gods know how much I need some comfort right now. "We will discuss about that later. While you were gone, a few things happened, but we managed to buy you some time."

"Was it... you...? But the Man in Red left, and the friend over here--" but she interrupts me again. Of course, with the Generals all around, it's going to be much better to discuss behind closed doors. I forget myself; I'm so shaken by everything that happened that I was about to spill everything on the spot, but it's probably best if the others don't get too involved in this. Besides, they also seem to have quite some other things to discuss. While Zinnya calms me down, Khu'Tihua elbows Alara, giving a poor attempt at murmuring.

"Hey. Looks like we're going to war."

Alara turns to her, and also catches Opak nodding in confirmation. She narrows her eyes. "Oh. Very well then."

Between Zinnya's reassuring words and this brief exchange, I find myself hugging the witch once more, stronger than I did so far - or at least, as much as my wounds and weakness allow me to. I feel my eyes itching as my tears start to flow out uncontrollably, finally for real. I look over at Hoyt as well, soon realizing that he's the only one unharmed. He managed to stay safe even if I was out, even if he wasted his syringe on me. I can't hold it in anymore.

"So you made it..."

"Yes! And you made it with us, too. It worked, Lia!"

Zinnya easily compensates my lack of enthusiasm as I realize that my sacrifice would have been worth something even if I didn't come back. And yet, that's not what I'm most happy for at the moment.

"I'm infinitely grateful to you, for everything you did... but above all, I'm so glad you two are fine!!"

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Note

◇*Kicks door down*◇

◇Hey, I was kind of curious on what Evangelia is, because I've never really had any experience in the TTRPG/ Pathfinder lore. So can you talk about her kin if that's okay? Sorry if this sounds pretty weird, I may be a bit blunt I guess, plus I'm pretty curious.◇

◇Also RIP Lia, Xen and Senka are probably going to be pretty mad at that dude /hj.◇

~ @avatar-of-nature

It's not weird at all! Her ancestry is an uncommon one: she's one of the Azarketi, otherwise called gillmen or, as the name itself translates from Azlanti language, People of the Sea. In ancient times, terrestrial humanoids were transformed into aquatic servants by the alien race of the Alghollthu. Today, with the Alghollthus gone, they feel like they still belong to the waters, some still against their old captors and some still loyal to their own masters, but it's not rare for them to resurface and interact with land inhabitants as well!

And oh yes, there are tons of reasons to be mad at Roktor indeed. If she gets back to life again, she doesn't exclude siding with the other Generals in case they decided to get rid of him in the future... but for now, she'll limit herself to be happy if this effort actually means allies for her native waters. There's way too much to do to create an extra problem for herself right now, and Roktor is absolutely out of her reach...

#ooc #answered #black tears crossed the world #octahedral chaos #avatar of nature #headcanon #general roktor #alghollthu #azarketi

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

"I don't like your style, but you were able to escape from me only by using your strength. Now that's something I recognize." Evangelia's body is floating not too far from the battlefield, thrown out together with a (somehow alive) very desperate Lumen. Zinnya has been awakened by Hoyt, and she's been sent away to take care of the corpse, so that they can keep hoping to bring her back one more time and Hoyt can talk to the General alone.

When things got to their darkest points, with Evangelia having been eaten alive and Zinnya floating unconscious in front of the titan, Hoyt turned invisible. He could have done anything to just take care of his own business and leave this place he hates, but instead he remained and kept avoiding hit after hit after hit. When he was grabbed, he forced his way out of the claws. Only when he moved a little farther away Roktor began to talk again, with a much more controlled voice: "Don't throw away all the work you've done. Don't run away." And Hoyt swam back to the General; following the oracle's example, he dropped the concealment only when he was right in front of his face.

"You have my attention. Speak."

Hoyt takes a breath.

For the entirety of their stay in Outsea, Hoyt never really expressed much interest for Lia's troubles in her lake. He faked participation with General Khu'Tihua when Lia wasn't able to convince her alone, turning the tables; he fully gave agency to Lia when decisions had to be taken, without questioning her will unless he was asked for it; he chose to have her go out of Hormun's den and deal with General Alara to solve the situation when he and Zinnya would have remained stuck there. But now that the rest of the party is down? He really doesn't have any external reason to stay and support the cause. He could have left; he could have just turned his back on them and all of this situation. But he doesn't.

"The creature that the girl was talking about has almost cleared the entirety of a lake; like she was saying, it is a serious threat, and it could reach this same river. I also deem it necessary to have it be dealt with when the time comes, and I consider it to be a worthy opponent for you." Roktor lets the words sink in, then smirks while looking down at his hand - the one that was about to crush Hoyt if he didn't escape.

"Very few people can claim to stand above me, or to have been able to wound a King. Your opinion is heard." He turns to Opak. His tone is much steadier, much less angry, but absolutely just as ferocious as before. "The Generals will go at war with this monster," he states. "And if I deem it fun enough to join, I will also fight when the time comes."

With that said, he turns back to Hoyt, who respectfully bows his head. A tingling sensation spreads through him whole: while Evangelia's dream was about the Vitalia and Zinnya's was about an unknown creature, Hoyt's was about him losing a challenge against a King, with consequent mockery and betrayal by everyone the assassin had around - everyone he cared about, in a way or another. But the dream has been denied. Hoyt has won.

Roktor starts walking along the streets of the city. Hoyt watches him go, only to raise his voice one more time with his last thoughts to offer.

"The memories of the girl can be shared, so that you can see the creature as well. Do you want to?"

Roktor turns one last time, only slowing down his pace for a second. "I don't need to know my enemy. They'll just have to be sorry if they get to face me."

1 note · View note

cosmosoracle · 9 months

Text

"ZEGAREK. WATCH WHO YOUR FIRST TARGET IS."

My own words repeat in my head. My own distorted voice, my lights, my cosmic form at its greater level and size, the curse and blessing of the cosmos taking over me - it's like I can witness it all from the outside now that I recall it.

General Roktor is upon us all. I opened my fight by trying to impose mental injuries onto him and then focused on enhancing my teammates' abilities, but while Hoyt and Zinnya are laying some damage down we all find it extremely difficult to even bother him. He keeps laughing at our attempts. And of course, the most discouraging detail of all: it is obvious that magic has no value to him, not to talk about supporting or healing, so unless I find a different solution to prove myself in this fight, I'm done for.

And yet, I can't let him storm on Zinnya so freely when she didn't even want to get in this mess. I hope both she and Hoyt remember what I told them two days ago in the ruins, while we were looking for Enais: I'm taking the decisions, but if things go too far south, save your lives. That becomes the greatest priority with no question.

I'm taking my responsibilities now, I'm pulling my weight. Maybe he won't recognize my strength, but I know that right now my team is my strength, and my will to keep them safe will prevail until my last breath. I wonder if Opak, standing near the well and not too far from here, is seeing what I'm doing, or if he's also considering it foolish. (What is he doing? Is he casting something...?)

I cure Zinnya's wounds almost to full health, and Roktor grimaces in disappointment. But his attention can't stay on this for too long, because Hoyt keeps darting around him to cut his thighs. His bloodshot eyes lock on him for a second. "You're next."

His claw attacks, his bites, his tail kicks are devastating. I can't hold on for much longer. I know I may not keep standing after this, so my blessing goes to Hoyt, and Lumen rushes back onto me as I try to keep myself alive, ready for the next flurry. And it comes down, and it demolishes me. My conscience fades out for a few seconds as the starlight leaves my form, and I start sinking towards the abyss as my shape returns to my usual proportions. I feel Lumen shaking violently as it keeps its hold on me; it cannot cure me on its own, and all it can do is to not abandon me. I feel my wounds flooded with acid where the bite marks are, and apparently Hoyt took note of it.

He turned invisible right away and gave me a shot of healing potion with his syringe, trying to keep me away from the edge between life and death. But I don't get any time to move beyond the temporary relief. I am grabbed again, and Roktor opens his jaw. I don't close my eyes. I don't have time to rethink my choices. I just have one thought before all goes black.

Stay alive.

☆~☆~☆ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

#ic #ooc #black tears crossed the world #session recap #session 90-91 #campaign diary #general roktor #outsea #zinnya #hoyt #lumen #general opak #tw death #part 5 #pathfinder 2e #homebrew campaign #pathfinder rp

1 note · View note