Characters:
Granmarg The Striking Vanguard, The Boulderstruck, Member of the Earthling Triumvirate
Pomegranite The Treefallen, The Spymaster
Pomegranite The Treefallen, The Spymaster
Mielikki The Field Marshal, Member of the Earthling Triumvirate
Thicket The Grandmaster Terramorpher, Member of the Earthling Triumvirate
Winter
Granarmg schemed with the Minervan faction of the temple to gain political influence in exchange for favours, while Thicket held combat training seminars for the terramorphers who had been working at the Mountain's Maw. As the first winter snow fell, there was a solar eclipse. According to the prophecy of the end times from Wrost, the sun would flicker 13 times, and there had been one other eclipse, so they still had 11 to go. That was plenty of time! In the coming weeks, Mielikki received grim news from Duke Muller: a sickness had spread to the hawks captured in the great aviary, and all had died. It seemed that mass training was impossible and it would take years for the population to recover.
Meanwhile, at the College, Pomegranite noticed that Duke Bachofen was working on Eva's team to create a portal great enough to allow entire armies to go into the Paths. He arranged to meet with him to discuss their progress and Bachofen reported that though it would take several years, they should complete the development before the Void Beast arrived at the Path of the Void. He congratulated Pomegranite on their success in Tauschun, and then informed him that he'd noticed Eva seemed to have lost some of her drive and was no longer pushing to open the Forbidden Paths.
Perhaps she was in a slump after the initial proposal to open the Forbidden Paths had been granted and then walked back. He was confident, however, that it wasn't a political move, as giving up on her principles wouldn't win many votes among magisters in the ongoing election for the next leader of the College. Bachofen was dismissed, and Pomegranite passed on the relevant information to the Triumvirate. Later, he would dispatch messengers to Lumene, Wrost, and Baronde inviting them to a council at the College that Spring to discuss reorganizing the Empire and cooperation against the Void Beast.
Back in Bedrock, the Triumvirate received a series of long briefings from various advisors, starting with Chancellor Petra. The terramorphing of Frilothurn along the western border with the Dwarven Undersands was proceeding apace, though it would take decades to complete. The terramorphers sent north to deal with the rockvineyard shortfalls two years ago had resolved the issue, but relayed that the issue was effecting staple tree and rock production as well. Now that they knew the solution, they could resolve this, but it would take time, and they demanded additional payment. The Triumvirate unanimously granted them an allotment of gold from the treasury, and Petra took her leave.
Next, was the report from Pomegranite's spy network on the rebel/reform movements in the Highland Forests. He had received them personally and dispatched copies back to Bedrock for the rest of the Triumivirate to do with as they pleased. First off, there had been no real change with the peasants: they were still too disorganized to accomplish much, and it seemed they had caught the spies from Wrost early enough that they hadn't spread dissent. Next, the merchants and other wealthy commoners were distracted dealing with Mayor Flint of Bedrock now that he had been given reports from the spy network and were effectively pacified for the time being.
More problematic were the two noble factions. The nobles who had lost power had rallied around Cliffside and were preparing to announce backing for him to become either a member of the Triumvirate, or even King. The nobles who had retained power were now actively working to undermine the Triumvirate's wishes. Both were growing further incensed that the Triumvirate had done nothing to resolve the perception of corruption in the Games, despite assurances to the contrary.
Granmarg suggested they hold a forum with the nobility to discuss these matters. They could pretend that they were listening to their requests and doing something about corruption, while also announcing that Cliffside would be their first choice for Emperor in the new Imperial Reforms that would be happening soon. Mielikki asked that Thicket, as Cliffside's uncle, should get him up to speed and to make sure he attended the forum, which he did.
Several days passed as arrangements were made, but then they had their meeting with Shrub, the self-appointed representative of the council of nobles. She thanked them for resolving the rockvineyard issues in the north, but noted that if they wished to have the proper fare for this season's events they would still need to import green rockflower from Wrost to make up for the shortfall from last year. To prevent such things in the future, it would also be wise to designate all land in Socerne and Frilothurn that had been allotted to the Triumvirate as rockvineyards, and that terramorphing of those lands should take the highest priority.
The Triumvirate more or less ignored these suggestions while pretending to humour her, and then Shrub had a servant bring forth several dozen letters from concerned nobles. They were all addressed to her, and were beseeching her to request investigations into corruption in the Games from the Triumvirate. Something needed to be done! Granmarg was pleased to inform her that they were arranging a forum to discuss their concerns, to be held in Bedrock in a month's time, and this seemed to mollify her for now.
Since the High Priest was (presumed lost) through the mysterious portal, Wildberrybrush gave them the update on religious matters. With the Triumvirate's public support, his conservative Terran faction had made large gains and now rivalled Friedrich Quarry's Minervans, while the Pathists had been rendered irrelevant. The Minervans had not been idle, however. Quarry's meeting with Prince-Bishop Eremon of Lumene had gained them support among the common folk, who sought an end to the wars.
With Quarry missing, Qorvex, the former High Priest, had emerged as a leader of the Minervans and was agitating for the "holy site" of the portal to be opened to the public that they might come closer to Terra. Of critical importance, the terramorpher training program that Granmarg had ordered was inducting humans into the order. Clearly, this had merely been an oversight, and needed to be stopped. The Triumvirate nodded sagely while planning to do nothing. As Wildberrybrush bowed and left the chamber, there was another solar eclipse.
The Triumvirate then descended into a long discussion over many days of how to give Cliffside some sort of sinecure that seemed important. Granmarg suggested making him the "Imperial Envoy", a placeholder position that would be abolished once the Empire was restructured, while Mielikki figured they could place him in an existing office in a rural holding. Both of these ran into the problem that they would be circumventing the Games, and given the rampant corruption scandal, it was probably best to avoid this.
Thicket ended up settling the debate with another idea: they could get away with appointing him to an "emergency" posting that was conditional. If the conditions never came to pass, he would never actually have any power, but if it sounded suitably impressive, it would satisfy the Cliffside Faction. After some debate, they agreed to appoint Cliffside as Supreme Commander of the Demonwar. In the event that it broke out, Cliffside would take over Mielikki's office of Field Marshal. However, since the Demonwar wasn't actually going to happen (you can't trust what the dwarves say...), this would be perfect.
An Unwelcome Surprise
As they were patting themselves on the back for their genius idea, the Triumvirate were interrupted by Wildberrybrush bursting through the doors of the chamber. Still in shock, he stammered that Friedrich Quarry had returned from the portal, and claimed to have met Terrra. By the time they made it to the ruins of the Mountain's Maw, a large crowd had formed and were being whipped into a frenzy by Qorvex, who was demanding they be allowed to hear Quarry recount his meeting with the divine.
He spotted the Triumvirate and made a show of beseeching them to allow the faithful to enter, but Granmarg was able to stall them by saying that they would be allowed to enter once it was determined to be safe (and logistically possible). Leaving the cheers of the crowd behind, they continued to the tunnel leading to the portal. After descending the stairs down, they arrived at the perfectly straight hall of the tunnel, and silhouetted by the green glow of the portal were two figures. On the right was Friedrich Quarry, his human clothes giving him away.
On the left was a strange form none of them had seen before, rotund and humanoid with its arms pointing straight out at the sides. Due to his long time spent underground, Thicket had the best vision in the darkness and could make out some more details. A transparent crystal that was emitting its own faint glow was seemingly jammed through its torso from neck to waist, forcing the head to the right at an angle. It seemed feminine, with exaggerated breasts, a fat torso, and spindly legs.
Friedrich Quarry began to approach along with the other being. Mielikki shouted to halt, and though Quarry stopped, the other figure asked if that was any way to greet his goddess, and continued advancing. It did not walk, instead sliding along the ground while its body remained still. Mielikki grew angry, and upon seeing its body proclaimed that he had seen the form of Terra in sculpture, and that this was a false god. "Terra" replied that he had been misguided, though it had indeed been a long time since she had been in this world.
Granmarg and Thicket were willing to hear her out, though the latter firmly believed that this was not Terra, and did nothing to confront "Terra" while she continued sliding towards them. As she came into the torchlight, it revealed that her body was solid blobby stone except for the crystal and the face, which was perhaps bark. She had plain features, no hair, and pointed stone ears. Looking angrily at Quarry, Mielikki demanded to know what was happening, but the High Priest stated that the fact that their goddess had returned was much more important than if milennia-old dogma had been accurate about her gender.
Granmarg pointed out that none of their stories said that Terra wouldn't come back, so it made sense to him. Mielikki ran through possibilities for what this could be instead, and settled on "some kind of elemental". Granmarg asked what she wanted, to which "Terra" replied that she wished to see the sky, and so he returned up the stairs and announced to the crowds that "she was coming up". The crowd roared, mostly with joy though some were not taking the announcement of Terra being a woman well. Destroying the middle of the stairs as she went, Terra slid up to the surface, and the crowd exploded with cheers, with many falling to their knees and weeping.
Terra called for Friedrich, and he came to her side, at which point she ascended on a stone pillar just wide enough for the two of them, and then moved it as she went northeast in a straight line, leaving a narrow wall behind her. She paid no heed to the crowds nor to the buildings of Bedrock, simply going through them, but with great effort Mielikki and Granmarg were able to direct the small number of guards to prevent anyone from coming to harm. Mielikki gave chase, while Granmarg held the crowds back from following directly, causing them to detour and slowing them down.
In the distance, they all heard a monstrously loud singing voice, and then witnessed a mythical act of earthsinging. In the forest outside Bedrock rose a hundred-foot tall stone sphere, which then rippled into clear crystal. The singing stopped just as Mielikki arrived at the "egg" as he called it, about a mile from town. Up close, it looked like a clear geode. He sent one of his retinue to fetch the rest of the Triumvirate and then turned to that crowds be kept away but it was far too late for that. Much of the city had by now poured out into the forest to witness their god.
A door formed in the sphere, and Friedrich Quarry emerged, proclaiming that Terra was deeply upset that they had removed all animals from their forests, and that it was her wish for them to be returned. Finally, Granmarg and Thicket caught up, and Mielikki updated them on this new request. Noticing them, Friedrich approached and informed them again of what Terra willed. Instead, they immediately began questioning him. What had happened beyond the portal?
Friedrich started from the beginning. On the other side was a realm of pure earth and stone. Had he not been a terramorpher, he would surely have perished. The singing was clearer there, and for a time he travelled toward it, eventually arriving at the source: Terra. She was surprised to see him, and they spoke for many days of the state of the world before she resolved to return once more to aid the earthling people. Granmarg wasn't buying it; what aid exactly was she going to provide? The High Priest was caught off-guard. What couldn't their god do for them? The demonwar, the civil war in the empire, food shortages, whatever. Any crisis would surely be better fought with Terra on their side. The Triumvirate then asked why Terra hadn't come back before this, and Friedrich claimed that she hadn't known of the portal.
Countermeasures
Leaving theological matters to the priests, the Triumvirate decided to focus on the political. A messenger bearing a sealed letter was dispatched to Pomegranite to inform him, and another to one of Mielikki's fellow alumnus from his time with the Dwarves, Vondal of the Tongs Clan. He wanted his thoughts on if the portal was a demonportal, Terra was a demon (she couldn't be a god, at any rate), and if the demonwar was starting in the Highland Forests this time. They also reached out to Dukes Bachofen and Muller to get the ball rolling on reintroducing wildlife back into the Highland Forests.
They then descended into a series of emergency meetings. Granmarg did not take kindly to a new power above them in earthling society, regardless of whether she was a god or not. There was nothing in earthling law that said they were explicitly at her beck and call, and Friedrich Quarry and the hierarchy of the Temple of Terra were definitely not capable of ordering them around. Mielikki believed it was best to be seen as following Terra's directions for now, while Thicket thought that Terra, false god that she was, could still claim a role of power by winning the Games. Of course, given the games wouldn't be happening for two years, she wouldn't be able to do anything official until then.
Ultimately, they decided to not make any rash moves. Mielikki asked how powerful Terra was relative to a normal earthling terramorpher, and Thicket replied that the creation of the crystal "egg" far surpassed what any living person could do. It would take an entire team of the best terramorphers in the Highland Forests or even months to accomplish such a feat. Divine or not, that wasn't the type of being they wanted to up against in a fight.
A few days later, Friedrich Quarry summoned all the priests of Bedrock to Terra's new temple, and Mielikki saw to it that they had multiple members of their conservative Terran faction ready to report back to him. A few hours later, several arrived at the council chambers out of breath. Terra had asked if there were any who doubted her divinity, and Wildberrybrush and some others had stated that they refused to accept her as their god. As punishment, they had been swallowed up by the earth, and were presumed dead.
Notes:
Mielikki, on the earthpope possibly disappearing forever inside the portal "It's fine, they grow on trees".
Bird flu? I wouldn't worry about it, it hasn't spread to cattle yet.
The flag of the Highland Forests is a green tree on a field of red, which represents human blood shed in their wars.
Thicket, as a fanatical religious traditionalist, has to roll to "not be racist".
In the case that an earthling in office dies or is
similarly incapacitated and unable to fulfill their duties, they are
replaced by the next closest person underneath them. Wait, doesn't that incentivize killing your boss? Perhaps.
"Terra" looks like a Venus Sculpture.
It was good that Pomegranite wasn't present for Terra's arrival, as he would have immediately noted that dwarves have pointed ears. Of course, so do elves and halflings, but those aren't relevant to him.
There is no mention of Terra returning in the traditions of the earthling faith. Their apocalypse has an enormous volcano growing and wiping clean the world. Of note, every other faith they've encountered does claim to have their favoured deity return and slay all non-believers.
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