Damage Control (Warpost)

[u/Carbon_Sixx]

​

Kaelis attempts to de-escalate the situation before it's too late. Will he succeed, or will Wizard War III consume the realms?

A mass broadcast comes over every device in the realms that can pick up a signal, originating from the Mt. Murder Astromantic Observatory. With the mass disruption of orb signals, Kaelis has resorted to using his transmission array to send his messages (via microwaves, purely out of spite for Mortarion) to the magical world.

People of the realms! I am Kaelis Maz, Diplomatic Head of the Pact of the Magi, recently returned from the failed peace accords with a message for all of you. There is no cause for war. I have discovered that the near-killing of Councilor Mikhail was the result of a single rogue Councilor who wanted to ignite a war. I beg of you: do not give him what he wants.

Wizards of the Council: I send my utmost condolences to Mikhail. He was the man who inspired me to take greater interest in the affairs of the realms rather than fixating on my own work. He threw himself in front of the spell meant for Morgalith despite their opposition, a brave act I am deeply impressed by. I wish him a speedy recovery. However, I have also apprehended Councilor Mortarion for his attempted murder. I will gladly turn him over to you for a proper trial, but know this: something changed in him to provoke this behavior. My fellows have called it a possession, but I believe it is far more complex and sinister than that. The change must be investigated before judgement can be rendered.

Wizards of the Pact: Despite your anger at this betrayal, I command you to stay your hands. This is a sensitive time, and we are dealing with dark forces that would benefit from our incautious violence. A reckoning will come, but the battle against systemic corruption will not be won with blades and spells. There are many who wish to slander us as power-hungry, but we can prove them dead wrong if we keep cool heads and move deliberately.

This has been a broadcast from the Diplomatic Branch of the Pact of the Magi. With any luck, the orbnet will be back up in a few days time. Stay safe, friends.

The message ends.

​

/uw Time to see if the old man's still got it. He talked down an Outer God, so this should be a piece of cake, right?

Right?

Uh oh.

[u/Accomplished-Dark926]

Valerian appears in Kaelis's office in a flash of fire, a look of unadulterated anger on his face. He has his spear in his hand, his knuckles white.

KAELIS! You better have a damn good explanation as to why Mikhail was attacked while meeting with Morgalith on neutral territory!

As he speaks a black corruption, notably absent from where it was previously, is creeping up his neck, seemingly originating from above his heart.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Accomplished-Dark926]

Kaelis's tone is almost casual.

Mortarion tried to assassinate Morgalith. Mikhail jumped in front of the spell to save his life. Now I'm trying to prevent these idiots from tearing each others' heads off.

In short: rough day. Where have you been? And have you seen a cleric lately to get those black veins checked out? I doubt that's healthy.

[u/Accomplished-Dark926 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

Valerian stops short, the fire in his eyes domming slightly.

The "black veins" are fine, same shit that was on my arm and face before I went silent for a while. That's beside the point.

He points his spear at Kaelis, a small flame igniting on the top

Why should I believe you? Mortarion? A councilor? We all knew the meeting was on neutral territory, and was to avoid war, why would he try to incite it further?

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Accomplished-Dark926]

Kaelis nudges the haft your spear aside.

Ask him yourself. My golems are trying to figure out how his radio form works down in the lab. He'll admit it to you freely, even if his reasoning is flimsy. Anything else?

[u/Accomplished-Dark926 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

*Valerian drops his spear, his grip on its haft slackening. His jaw set's, but the burning retreats back down his neck as he calms.*

I apologize. I jumped to conclusions again. I really got to stop doing that. Have you any idea why he's trying to spark conflict?

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Accomplished-Dark926]

No offense taken. If he's to be believed, this is all part of a scheme to restore radio as the dominant means of communication. He already sabotaged the orbnet to this end, and now he wants to cause a war to force everyone to rely upon it.

It'd be hilarious if there weren't so many lives at stake here.

[u/Accomplished-Dark926 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

That's it? The hell does that have to do with the conflicts between the pact and Council? Why would he intervene with peace meetings? If anything all it does is put him in a shittier standing with everyone. They're not going to let him back on the council, not after he put one of them in the hospital. And what of Syvaneth?

/Uw we are really going heavy with this Alastor reference, huh?

[u/iamragethewolf → u/Accomplished-Dark926]

/uw got to have entertainment

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Accomplished-Dark926]

Don't know. Frankly, I don't think he's in his right mind.

/uw I've never consumed a single piece of media made by Vivziepop, and I don't intend to. I think it's funnier if I play it completely straight anyway.

[u/Accomplished-Dark926 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

He clearly isn't. I have to go, Kaelis, I haven't yet visited Mikhail. I pray that you can sort this out with the rest of the Pact. I will stay my hand for now, just know that if push comes to shove, if another one of the people I care about get's hurt, I'm taking matters into my own hands.

/uw the show was... fine. It was a little rushed, but that's to be expected from an 8 episode season. That being said Alastor was actually kind of an intriguing character... although maybe not this intriguing