May/June 19

Darksun explains that if Ruben joins the Ruby Imperials, he can have unlimited access to their library and they will provide whatever resources he needs. However, he would need to swear allegiance to them, and be at their beck and call, prioritising what they want and need done at all times.

Ruben cannot decide on the spot, even after seeking council from his friends. Darksun gives him 24 hours to think on it, and he instructs Ruben that if he wishes to join the Ruby Imperials, he must present himself to the court the same time the next day.

We are dismissed.

We're taken out through the halls and we notice many rooms with beautiful elaborate metal screens covering the openings. We see some stone tablets with draconic writing on them, they are very old and have clearly been chiseled out of where they were originally found without removing more of the surrounding stone than was necessary, and then brought to the Palace for examination.

Ruben is very excited. He asks Mayb to use her special ability to read some of the writing. Much of it is obscured but Mayb concludes these are very old artefacts, reading references to the Great Ones and the Old Ones (the Elder Gods), and names like Shevan, Zorasastra, and Chromus Major (which are recognisable as draconic names) and something about them being "apocalypse class artefacts used in the current Probability Wars". Ruben feels like the term Probability Wars rings a bell but he can't recall details. He thinks these tablets may be over a million years old, maybe as much as 100 million. Kunoh picks Ruben up and carries him out of the room as he explains this to the party.

On the way back to Coro's Court, Ruben sums up that as far as we have been able to work out, there are 18 Elder Gods now completely extinct. That leaves 13 remaining. 2 of these, anything about them, even their names is completely unknown to us. Of the 11 remaining, it is generally believed that 9 of these are active and 2 are unaccounted for, it's just not clear which are unaccounted for.

We also discuss Darksun's invitation to Ruben, trying to help him work out what he should do. We know from experience that there is not a lot of racial diversity in Semudan, and some, like the Golden Brazier, have a policy of humans above all others, but as far as we know, the Ruby Imperials didn't seem like that - they had a number of people from different races in their ranks, so if they do want something nefarious for Ruben, it may (or may not) have anything to do with his being a dwarf.

We near Coro's Court by mid afternoon. Suddenly Ophion leaps for Mayb in his exemplar form. Mayb ducks and Ophion flies over her, missing whatever he was reaching for. Everyone except Kunoh sees a blue imp appear out of nowhere, giggle and then disappear. Ophion explains he was reaching for the imp, that it was on Mayb's shoulder, he noticed it a few minutes ago and was trying to catch it unawares.

Mayb knows imps are often used as spies, running errands for evil infernal masters. The imp did have the sigil for Mephistopheles on him, but we have no way of knowing if that was fake.

We decide to head for the edge of the city where Tranq saw the Orchids disappear. The riots from previous days have died down, but the mistrust in the air is still palpable. There are still groups of people hanging around, looking like trouble, one wrong glance away from brawling. We manage to make it past without encountering further trouble.

We walk on. The sun starts to set. Ophion notices the imp back on Mayb's shoulder. No one else seems to see it. It speaks to Ophion, asking if he's going to "get this done" Ophion responds, getting everyone else's attention but still no one can see what he's talking to. Ruben, Mayb and Atala all recognise that Ophion is speaking Infernal - everyone assumes the imp must have returned. Ophion asks the imp what it's referring to. The imp tells Ophion it knows we're on our way to kill the Orchids. It says to Ophion that it can take us to the right spot if we want. Ophion suggests the imp simply tell us so we can be on our way. It refuses. Then it says most of us are expendable, that "the big fella just needs you three" (Ophion, Mayb, Ruben?) Ophion confirms the imp means Mephistopheles and tells it that no one is expendable, that we're a package deal. The imp says it can help protect Ophion from burning up from his exemplar form, at no cost, but Ophion doesn't trust the imp and won't engage him any further. The imp takes out an amulet, deep blue sapphire, and throws it to Ophion who reflexively catches it. It magically attaches itself around his neck. The imp calls out "Just remember who gave it to ya when ya use it!" and then appears to everyone. It circles around the group, flying around, shakes its head and says in common "What a sad choice!" and then disappears.

Ruben hears the imp in his head telling him it will see him at the laboratory. Thanks to the amulet, Ophion knows the way the imp was telling him to go. He ignores the amulet and we continue on the same path as before.

We reach the outskirts of town. It is night proper now, and we are on the edge of the jungle.

A small child suddenly darts across the path in front of us, scampering into the underbrush. We can hear something running after it from the way it came. Tranq tears off after the child, while everyone else decides to hide. A 8ft tall lead golem strides across the path following the child. It doesn't notice us. We head off into the jungle after it.

Tranq eventually catches up to the child and asks why he's running. The child shrieks that Tranq is with the Yellow Monk. Tranq very confused responds that he's not with the Yellow Monk, he _is_ the Yellow Monk. The child runs off again. Tranq follows and catches up to the kid in a clearing. He notices 3 other small children hiding further up in the rocks. They call out to the first child to hurry up because the yellow men are coming. Tranq notices wild dogs staring him down. Suddenly the golem breaks through the trees. Tranq grabs the kid and runs off heading for the other children who have also taken off. He catches up to them, and they lead him into a secret grotto.

Atala, Ophion and Ruben suddenly realise Kunoh and Mayb are not with them. Ruben offers to go back for them, while Atala and Ophion continue on trying to reach Tranq.

Mayb and Kunoh are together, a little ways back. Mayb has noticed, when she looks back towards Zanji, she cannot see the city. Not only that but all the constellations that were missing before seem to be back, and the tear in the sky is gone. She notices a light off to the east and points it out to Kunoh. They realise they have gotten separated from the others, and they cannot continue into the jungle as neither of them can see in the dark. They retrace their steps back to the path.

Ruben is lost. He takes a minute and then realises where he went wrong, and continues heading back towards the way they had come.

As Mayb and Kunoh break out from the brush, Mayb puts her hand over Kunoh's mouth. Where there was a city, there is now a stream. There are 2 lead golems in the water, 6 mercenary warriors with lanterns standing on the shore, seemingly trying to figure out a way across. 3 wyverns with riders arrive and land behind them. The mercenaries engage with the wyvern riders, they are clearly together.

Ruben quietly gets Mayb's attention. He had arrived and noticed the same scene.

Meanwhile, Ophion and Atala reach a place where Tranq's tracks just disappear. There are ruins of a great city, and a palace, and 500m above, what looks like a massive 50m across, is a hologram of a blazing white star that is breaking up and falling apart.

Where Tranq's tracks disappear, Atala casts detect magic and notices a thin bright crack through the rockface. There is also something glowing in the bushes nearby. She picks up the item, its a 13 pointed star with 13 circles, made out of twigs. She realises it must be an actuator for the crack. Maybe an alarm.

In the relative safety of the grotto, Tranq puts the child down and he runs to his friends. The wild dogs are clearly upset Tranq is here but the child calms them, understanding that Tranq just saved his life. His name is Nuni. Tranq asks questions, wanting to know what he's gotten himself into. Nuni says they were just taking back what was theirs, and he shows Tranq a flower. [OOC: Tranq doesn't know it because to him they have never existed, but this flower is known in its native lands as a Leopard Orchid]. Tranq asks why the bad guys want their flowers so badly. Nuni tries to explain, but the other children interrupt and say the flower will stop them from dying. And they offer to show Tranq. they lead him underground to a big building with rounded pillars, tiled floor with blue and green swirled tiles. Tranq is unfamiliar with the style of the architecture, it is like nothing he's seen before. The children tell him they need to wait there for Eanandier. The light fades, the children all sitting patiently with the dogs patrolling around. Tranq gives the dogs some of his food. Suddenly the wall glows and opens. Tranq immediately tries to protect the kids, but they assure him its fine, that it's her.

Kunoh, Mayb and Ruben head back towards where Ruben split from the others. Kunoh trips over a jar, with a face on it, with sickly green gems for eyes, with a green light oozing out of them like tears. He thinks he hears whispering and chattering. He shows the others. Ruben immediately realises it's Carkade design but is confused because it seems recent. He grabs it.

A little further down the path, Ruben's clothes suddenly start falling off him around his amulet. Now the amulet is exposed, it is clear it is glowing, and it is warm against Ruben's skin. Kunoh notices the green of the amulet is the same as the eyes in the jar. He knocks the jar out of Ruben's hands and onto the ground. The amulet stops reacting. The jar lands undamaged 20 feet away.

Atala and Ophion notice 2 wyverns flying towards them and over them. The wyverns dive towards them, swooping at them. Atala attacks one, kills its rider. Both wyverns fly off.

Ruben, Mayb and Kunoh rush towards the noise. Then they hear a loud crashing and lumbering coming up behind them and they hide. Two lead golems stride past. Once they are past, Ruben, Kunoh and Mayb follow quietly at a safe distance. They arrive to see Atala and Ophion engaged in combat. They rush in to assist.

The golems are destroyed.

Meanwhile, Tranq sees a small glowing child step out of the hole where the wall was. She says to Tranq that she does not know him, and he introduces himself. The girl, who is clearly Nandi, says that it's time to leave the bodies behind. Tranq demands she not kill these children. She responds that they are already dead.

Nandi explains that they all fell through the gap years ago, to this last remnant of Atlantis. Over time they found the lifelight and now they can ascend. She shows Tranq where the bodies lie, of the children he has just been speaking to and the dogs he has just fed.

Nandi tells Tranq that they're going to the place of the First 31. Tranq tries to convince Nandi that it's not a good idea. She offers to show Tranq the threshold so he can see it's safe. He realises that he's somehow ended up in the past, and that he has a real chance to fix things here. Going all in, Tranq explains that he's from the future, that clearly what they are about to do isn't safe, because in the future the children will end up hurting people, that they will do things that will tear the sky and destroy the stars. Nandi puts her hand on Tranq's face to see into his mind.

At the same time, Tranq sees into Nandi's mind. He sees all about the lifelight, and the fringe of the Otherwhere, the place where the residual divine energy is stored every time an Elder God uses their powers. He learns the Atlantians were aware of it, called it radial energy.

Nandi pulls away. She tells him "We will ascend. But I have learned much from you, and we will not emerge during these times of major discontinuance events, it is my solemn promise". Tranq understands and believes Nandi. She offers to Tranq that he may join them. He considers it, but ultimately decides he has far too many responsibilities. Nandi accepts this and whispers something in his ear those around them do not hear. Everyone hugs. The children and the dogs walk towards the gate.

Nandi tells him to tell the others that the lifelight is anathema to beings from the outer planes because it is a different kind of energy. Tranq asks if they can tell him where Atlantis is, but they do not know - this is just a split fragment.

They walk through the gate and it closes behind them. Tranq blinks and he is suddenly back on the path outside of Zanji, as are the rest of his friends.

Everyone immediately understands that something very major has happened. We talk, and realise we all have two sets of memories. We know we were just fighting golems and talking to little girls about Leopard Orchids, but we also know somehow that these things didn't happen anymore.

Tranq explains what happened with the children. We understand that history has been changed.

We know that no one knows anything about the Ink of Architeuthis. In fact, we realise no one knows much about Architeuthis at all - this Elder God is clearly not a threat at all anymore, maybe is even inactive now?

We head back to Coro's Court. It looks different, no more Emerald Blaze influence, and it turns out we are now here as guests of the Admiral, not the Emerald's Blaze.

Ruben is no longer affected by the ink. There is no tear in the sky, no devastation from where dragons were thrown and exploded.

The Revelationists do not exist.

Tavoras Stone does not exist.

The riots did not happen. The city did not burn and thousands of people did not murder each other in the throes of hysteria.

Ophion suddenly knows that Taleiriah is no longer a threat and that he does not owe a debt to Armell Hart.

Mayb knows her debt to Verenestra is repaid and she is also finally free from Mephistophele's grasp.

Atala knows she is no longer at odds with the Silver Order. The corruption she had known from them seems to be gone now, having never existed. She also knows the item she holds from Drake Olgad is no longer "on loan" - he will not be claiming the shawl back.

We are here in Zanji it turns out, not to do with any ink delivery, but because Ruben received an invitation from the Ruby Imperials who are incredibly pleased to allow him access to whatever records they have that he might find interesting.

Ruben checks for the scrolls he wrote with his inky hand, but they are gone, never to have existed.

Nothing from our past that relates to Architeuthis happened.

And the Leopard Orchids are gone, all mentions of them in the papers from the library gone. They never existed.