[video, un: billy & un: clary] open to stars & moon

[driving]

- does this really go out to everyone? Okay. Anyways, hey, I'm Billy.

Sure does! ( Helpful, Clary! She turns to the video feed properly, giving a not-very-cool-at-all half wave. ) And I'm Clary. I know I've talked to some of you before, especially about the branded and what they're up to. And... there's seriously no good way to say this, but we have some updates on that.

They were involved in the attack last month, and probably the famine, too. At least, the monster that killed me had that same brand. [ And the whole 'it killed me' business is as good of a segue as any to the topic of Death itself. ]

I was brought back by Death. It told me that the branded had something to do with Temperance. Death used to have her soul, but it was stolen a few months ago.

Which is probably around when the branded started showing up during harvest. ( The takeover between them is smoother than it has any right to be; an easy back and forth as the information is shared. ) As some of you know, a few of us got blank tarot cards from a guy named Vuzor after he said 'balance comes for us all'. Well- ( Clary holds up her tarot card. Temperance is displayed across the front in all its glory with gold writing over it saying TEMPERANCE RETURNS. ) Temperance stands for balance, usually. Keeping it. Which is sort of the theme that the branded have been running with. ( As though needing another ominous piece, Clary turns the card around to the back where a countdown is happening. ) And now we might have a deadline.

Death says we need to prepare ourselves and from the sound of things, it was dead serious. [ Okay, he covers his mouth to stifle a laugh. He didn't mean to make a death pun, really. This is very important information. ] So we've got less than a month to get our shit together, find out what we can, and either try to stop this from happening or get ready to face something that makes everything else we've fought so far look easy.

So if you know anything, or find anything, you better cough it up. [ He stands with his fists clenched like he's about to steal everyone's lunch money, before he clears his throat and his stance relaxes a little. Maybe threats weren't the best way to go about this. He's still getting used to being nice. ] I mean, shit, this doesn't sound like something any of us can face on our own, so it'll be better if we work together.

( And Clary has to turn away from the screen to hide her dumb smile at the bad joke, gaining her composure back in time for Billy to finish. ) Which we've all been doing a lot already, so we should be getting pretty good at it! But like Billy said, if you know anything we haven't mentioned, or find anything out, please let everyone know.

( With that, Clary will reach forward in order to turn the video feed off. )

Comments

voice; @korra

[bearcat]

Sounds like their idea of balance is pretty messed up.

[ yes korra thank you for your contribution. ]

... Are you doing okay? [ what... what do you ask someone who was killed and brought back, anyway? ]

[driving]

I'm fine. Mostly.

[ He's really not all that fine but with all this Temperance business he feels like he has to shove his two-time monster-related death trauma aside and just tough it out for now. ]

Yeah, balance usually seems like a good thing, not...all of this.

video; un: sarah

[notimefordreams]

[Sarah drinks in everything said, from the whole being brought back by Death thing to Temperance and now a deadline and--

A deep, long sigh. And then she tilts her head some, not looking particularly pleased but, well...]

At least we have more than a few days warning this time around. I don't guess either of you know how we should prepare ourselves, do you? Should we gather up food or supplies, is there anything we need to keep in mind -- you know, any details besides "getting our shit together"?

[driving]

Gathering up supplies can't hurt, but I think we need to be prepared for a fight.

[ At least, that's what he's guessing based on the fact that Death returned his former superhuman strength to him. ]

@lalli

[lallipop]

what do you mean you were killed and brought back?

[driving]

I mean I got killed and then, uh, un-killed?

[ The word he's looking for is revived, but un-killed will have to do. ]

text; @vergil

[spardablood]

What was your impression of Death? Are they someone to be trusted with their words?

[driving]

Death seems pretty chill, actually. I might be biased because it brought me back to life, but I'd sure as hell sooner trust Death than Temperance anyway.

[ Temperance already kind of killed him once with the Wendigo, so he's not very endeared to her. ]

audio | un: zack

[colorofthesky]

[ Good grief, this is a lot. He listens to the message a few times before letting out a sigh ]

...so we should be preparing to fight a god, then.

[ ndb, right? ]

[enkelis]

I guess so. ( Which sounds about as awful as it is, yeah. )

Or at least the people working for it?

[primordialerebus]

What the fuck. Also are you guys like ok???? Holy shit!?!?!?!?

[ Is she freaking out? Yeah she's kinda freaking out. What the actual fuck she usually stays the fuck away from this shit for a reason. ]

Wait so was death responsible for all this shit or not?

[enkelis]

I... don't know, that's probably better answered by Billy. Even if it was Death, it's helping us now with the warning about Temperance, so. Can't be fully bad.

video; un: marianne

[cresture]

[THIS IS... A LOT!!! but it helps that the newbie guide had more or less a summary of the events Clary mentioned that occurred last month. you can do it marianne, think...]

Um, should we ask the faction leaders what they know during the audience? [surely they haven't been like DEAD all this time and are keeping on top of things!!!!] If... Death says we should be prepared and find out what we can, then maybe they can answer a few things for us.

[marianne is totally new.... she has no idea how receptive the priestess will be, but this can't hurt right]

[enkelis]

Are they... here? ( Last Clary knew they were gone and no one knew what had happened to them. Which complicates things a lot, not having them here! ) I just don't know if an audience will happen if they're still gone.

If it does still happen and they're not back yet, I really hope whoever is running things knows some advice to help us get ready for whatever is coming.

text | un: natasha

[lie]

[ Let's just slide right by this whole "gods and Death as a real, tangible entity" thing for a sec. And also the tarot card she has burning a hole in her pocket. ]

That's nice and ominous.

[enkelis]

I don't know about you, but I think it seems lie a great time is ahead of us.

un: the warden

[unabatedly]

[ Very, very bad. ]

Azrail told me weeks ago, back when I first met him, that Temperance would arrive when the mortal world was in dire need. He said its return was being delayed-- But didn't say how, or by whom or what.

[ And at the time, it'd been a very vague thing, like speaking of it might've lent power to the idea. ]

I was...encouraged not to leave offerings at its shrine or to fix it, and so it stands still ruined in the Gods Wood. And while Temperance might be a creature of balance - a deity with an immortal soul in a mortal body - in the hands of those people... This is likely to be beyond disastrous.

[enkelis]

Azrail? ( She's thinking she should know that name, but- )

Well. A bunch of innocent people being killed and big monsters walking the planet probably equals "dire need", I think. ( She'd hope? But also not hope, because if the branded are this bad, Clary doesn't want to know what Temperance will be like. )

But I guess our next question is "how does a God return"? And how do we stop it from happening by people like that?

text | un: bruce

[agonise]

In tarot, the Temperance card often features a rising sun crown. That could be what the brand is referencing. We can't keep missing glaring clues.

The branded will launch another attack when Temperance returns. We need to find a way to stop them from carrying out their suicide spells before then and take prisoners.

Voice

[chronosynthesis]

Did you see the card for Temperance before this one? Were there others, for these gods?

[Hi he has 0 idea what any of the tarots are.]

Voice

[chronosynthesis]

I assume Temperance is--or was, a god? [Rather than just their leader, which... would still suck, but not suck quite as much as a god leading their evil murder cult.]

... You were resurrected? By Death--was everyone?

[driving]

Seems like it. I can't say I'm a god expert, though.

Eight of us were brought back. I don't know if that's everyone.

video | un: celdori

[bubblyoutlook]

So basically we've got to kill Temperance again, right? Before it kills us. And Death'll thank us for doing it a solid while we're at it.

[enkelis]

But does anyone actually know how to kill a God? ( Clary heaves a breath.

She feels like they're getting way ahead of themselves, but what does she have to say against it? She's seen the branded first hand. )

voice; un: lightning

[pauldron]

[Well that's. A Lot. Death clearly means little in this world if people could be brought back like that--hell, maybe they've got some special level of Arise or something--but that's secondary to everything else. To the threat that's coming.

A little over three weeks. That's not a lot. And with so little information to go on...]

We need a plan for what happens if we can't stop it. Did Death say where this Temperance is supposed to show up if it does?

[driving]

Death told me to get back to Kyst and warn you guys, but I'm not sure if that means Temperance will show up here.

un: rey | voice

[purpose]

I'm glad you're alright.

[ pressing matters or not, she doesn't choose to skim over that, for billy's sake — sincere, despite how brief it is before she launches into, ]

Has anyone managed to track the branded to wherever they've chosen to hide? If we can get to them first, we might not have to plan to defend ourselves against a god at all.

[ that's one avenue to yeet themselves toward, certainly, but there must be other avenues to consider yeeting down before they launch into 'fight a god' territory. ]

[driving]

Thanks. I'm glad, too. Being dead sucks.

[ at least, it does when you're eighteen and really don't want to be dead. ]

I haven't. Maybe Clary's got something there. Can you use that magic sense you've got to track them?

voice; un: dimitri

[royalboar]

[This is a lot to process. And all of it is... Not good.]

To me, it sounds as if our priority should be to return her soul to its rightful place. Death itself, correct?

[This feels a bit above his proverbial pay grade — what does he know about the nature of gods and stolen souls? Not much, but it is... logical, and given the nature of this world, possibly viable?]

If there is a way to facilitate such an undertaking, of course. But I would rather avoid even more loss of life, or whatever the ominous return of a god might entail, if at all possible.

[enkelis]

( Clary is definitely there with the 'above her paygrade' thing, Dimitri. Biggest of moods. )

Given how the branded have acted in the past... I'm not sure if it's possible to get through this without at least a few losses. ( She hates the idea of it, but. ) Not just that, how do you take a soul, or return it, for that matter.

voice; un: billy k.

[fanboyascended]

[ That is - a lot. Starting with resurrection magic and working all the way down, it's a lot. What catches his attention, though: ]

Stolen? Not escaped?

[cranelike]

( It's a word that stood out to him too, )

And if Temperance was taken, was it by their will or not?

( SOME PEOPLE JUST... want to stay dead and rest, thanks? )

voice; un: eircordelia

[shieldandbanner]

Another thing?

[ Dame Eir blurts out in frustration. And this wasn't even a dictated a letter! She sighs angrily to herself. It was unbecoming to speak through messages this way... ]

To Billy and Clairy,

Neither army will be mobilizing due to winter setting in, especially when there's more to lose with resources, and the wendigos already... already hunting some of our numbers. I... I knew it was possible to reincarnate beings in my world but that already needs powerful magic. Something only the barest handful and only the most powerful clerics in my world can do.

[ She breathes through her end of the compass, as she reads through the answer. ]

But... right now, is Temperance the one we must make pay for what had happened these last months?

[ The last comment is voiced with uncertainty. She is at a loss. Then, she says her name and title. ]

Dame Eir Cordelia.

[driving]

Either Temperance, or the branded. I guess we don't know for sure if Temperance is on their side or is just being used, though I'm leaning towards the former.

[ Death did not sound happy when it spoke of Temperance, and Neria was told not to repair that shrine, so he suspects the worst. ]

video; un: stark

[irondad]

[ Jesus, that's a lot of info to take in. ]

Okay first off– Bon Jovi there was brought back from the dead. And.

[ Clearly the guy's okay, or at least adjusted enough if he's laughing about it, so he's just gonna bypass any and all bland variations of how you doing bb shh shh, to focus on the next issue:

Does it ever pay to be a paranoid, overthinking asshole. Tony scrubs his hand over his mouth, working his fingertips against his bristly mustache. ]

Sometimes I hate being right. You say Death doesn't have her soul?

[driving]

I'm going for James Hetfield, thanks.

[ Because clearly the pressing matter at hand is which mulleted 80s rock star Billy most wants to emulate.

Now onto the slightly less important topic of conversation: ]

And as of a few months ago, yeah. Her soul's been missing from Death's domain.

voice | un: ren

[warfares]

How exactly does one steal a soul? Death's Court is meant to be difficult to locate.

( this assumes that the soul would be kept there, of course, and not elsewhere. )

The branded did retreat to the Gods Wood following the attack on the harvest feast. Could they have done it, then?

un: tsurumaru

[cranelike]

Does one have to go to Death's Court to seize a soul? If that's the case and his court is so difficult to find, then surely that must limit the number of suspects.

voice; un: flora

[foxlore]

If Death held Temperance's soul, can we be certain the branded acted on her behest? Do we know how long it had her soul?

⟪ if the branded were without temperance for a considerable amount of time, there's a chance they got some ideals twisted, right? ⟫

un: tsurumaru

[cranelike]

I agree. Just because someone is taken, that doesn't mean it was willingly.

( Speaking from experience, here. )

voice, un: tsurumaru

[cranelike]

( A stolen soul, though....... )

Do we know if Temperance wished to be taken? ( Sometimes a soul just wants to rest when they die, okay... ) And who is capable of stealing a soul?

[driving]

No idea, but that sounds like something worth finding out. Maybe there's someone we could ask.

video | un: kassandra

[epidioko]

[ The people coming back to life thing is nice but not unheard of -- Kassandra's had some experience with dealing with the whims of gods. Sounds like they have more critical things to think about. ]

"Absolve yourself of your false gods". That's what the magic pond in Fidei forest told me when I searched for more information on the branded after Veris yielded nothing but frightened villagers whispering uneasily about a rising of a cult-- all too skittish to give any details, not with kindness or coercion. I dispatched a report to the Priestess about it all, but never heard back before... well.

[ Before she apparently died? Ugh. ]

So, who are the false gods in this equation? What does the term even truly mean in Fellden? Is this turning into some kind of turf war between the gods with us in the middle? And is Temperance responsible for the actions of the branded, or is she... they, it, whatever-- just being used?

[ Like the Cult of Kosmos back home used the pythia of Delphi, for example, to spew prophesies and divinations dictated by the Cult to move the pieces on the game board the way they wanted? Too many damn questions, not enough answers. ]

[driving]

I'm not sure, but I wasn't the only one who spoke to Death. Maybe one of the others'll know something.

[ He pauses. ] Or maybe that nice little countdown Clary got is our deadline for figuring it out before shit hits the fan.

voice | @orchid

[puppetgirl]

Billy... Clary... my name is Orchid.

[ She speaks softly, a voice soft and quiet, just above a whisper. A pause, as she considers some of the words the others have shared. ]

Do we... really need to kill her? Temperance.

[driving]

I wish I could answer that. [ He shakes his head. ] Maybe we won't have to. She might not even be the real problem, if she was stolen against her will.

{ video } un: ashe

[hipshoots]

I got... a number of questions.

[ Ashe is seated on the floor of her bedroom with her knees drawn up so she can balance her arm atop them and keep the compass up high. It displays her leaning against her bed where a bunch of metal parts and wires lie strewn about. Bob's coming back, baby.

Just... really slowly. ]

Temperance is a god, right? And there's a tarot card of them? Her? [ She thinks Clary said 'her.' ] Are there tarot cards of all the gods that have shrines? [ She scowls a little, because once again she feels out of her depth. ] I don't know anything about the whole reading cards thing.

[ But she lifts her other hand in the air as if to say 'oh, well.' ]

Death said her soul was stolen. I'm guessing it doesn't know by who? Probably her followers, but I wonder if someone powerful and mysterious maybe grabbed her soul to get her to work for them. [ A pause. ] And how does anyone go stealing from Death anyway? Must take a lot of finesse, otherwise the dead would be coming back to life all over.

voice; @daisy

[hacker]

Coming back from the dead is a rough business.

[ her voice is heavy. grim with understanding. ]

So the running theory -- the 'branded' stole Temperance's soul, and now they're ... what? What happens when the countdown hits? Do you think it was Temperance's power they used to cause the famine? The monsters? [ it's too disconnected. there's not enough intel. nothing in fellden happens with enough intel, she's realizing. ] Is this guy Vuzor one of them? I say we grab him and get answers.