Epilogue: A New Day

[letsplayamod]

In the end, hope triumphed over hate. A new pantheon of gods, gathered from all corners of the universe, came together to unlock the ultimate power and it it flow over the land once more. They proved one goddess that her wisdom was correct, and another that her wisdom was keeping her trapped in a vision of the world that would never be.

You exit the temple of Olympus, battered and bruised, but more together than ever before. Athena raises her hand and drags it before her. In the distance, the keen-eyed will see the barrier that's long protected you finally fading away.

The sun shines down. Two months and you're finally, finally free.

Athena takes care to thank each of you personally. This was exactly what her and Fenyx had theorized was possible - not exactly, but the outcome is greatly acceptable. And now, Athena is bound by her oath to return you home... or wherever it is you'd like to go. You're gods now, you have the privilege.

Speaking of! Once everyone's rested and healed, Fenyx prepared a little get-together for everyone on the cliffs, with a special bonus: they can bring in any person you desire. Family and friends are preferable, but who are they to question if you want to smack your rival across the face for the first time in weeks?

They may react in confusion, however, if you tell them about the bits of Hope buzzing in the air like glowing fireflies. They're not gods, after all. They can't see them.

Dipping lower around half-day, you may peer over the side of the area and see far, far down into the valleys of ocean and cities. And beyond all of that, sailing in from the horizon, ships. Old ships of man-made nature. Sails billowing in a wind that no longer tears them asunder. Now that the storm has passed, life can resume picking up the pieces.

It will be messy, probably a disaster at times, but there's always hope. And if that carried you here, then maybe it will bring those people to the top of the mountain.

[This is the final post of Let's Play A Murder! Players are welcome to invite cast members to this log for the purpose of tagging out reunions (Fenyx and Athena will have personally greeted and asked to bring them here). You may tag this at your leisure, whatever last-minute endeavors you'd like your characters to get into will go here.

Thank you for playing.]

Comments

[pariunt]

[Astarion keeps his distance from the group. After all, he didn't want to spare this other Athena to begin with. He's gazing at the portrait of a particular woman that Typhon threatened him with all those weeks ago..

He only looks up when Tav appears in front of him.]

...Astarion?

[He looks up at her with wide eyes. The woman is ever-so-slightly taller than him. For a moment, he looks like he's not certain what he's going to do, but he doesn't get much chance to decide, because she pulls him into an embrace, near sobbing.]

I thought you were dead!

[And then she looks at the people milling around and switches to a different language. Whatever she's saying, Astarion quickly responds in the same language. Whatever they're talking about, "Withers" keeps popping up.

Later, after things have settled, Astarion can be found with Tav overlooking the cliffs. It's quite clear that the two of them are sickeningly in love, though they also trust each other deeply. If someone wants to speak to Astarion privately, neither of them have a problem with Astarion being pulled away.]

cliffs

[necromants]

[It's only later, when Seymour leaves to go change that Zvei finally makes his way toward the cliffs alone. He isn't expecting company, much less in the form of Astarion and his girlfriend. Then again, he did want to speak with Astarion, so this works out well enough.]

Greetings, Astarion! And miss...?

[C'mon stop being grossly in love and introduce him!!]

[pariunt]

Tav.

[She responds quickly, before Astarion can introduce her, but doesn't say anything else. She seems to be a quiet sort. It isn't shyness, just a general vibe that she's used to being alone and is something of a loner by nature.]

We lead the fortress in the Underdark together. It's beyond time for me to return to it. Tav has been telling me how things are going. That we haven't lost anyone is nothing short of a miracle.

[Tav glances at Astarion.]

Dalyria has been beside herself with worry.

[Astarion blinks.]

Really?

Of course she has. She's your sister.

[necromants]

[He nods at the first part and looks between the two of them curiously.]

The name's Zvei, pleased to meet you.

I am pleased to hear that things went... well enough in your absence, at least!

[pariunt]

Indeed. If something had happened, I...

[He cuts himself off. Tav says nothing, seemingly content to let them have this moment. Or maybe she's trying to figure out what the fuck Zvei is, since she's never seen anyone who looks like him before.]

Well, never mind. Nothing happened while I was away.

[necromants]

[He looks to Tav and then back to Astarion, and his expression probably spells it out clear enough that he doesn't quite get it, but he's trying and that's better than he'd offer most people at this point.]

I know you've been eager to return, and I'm sure you'll set off soon enough. But before that, I did want to thank you for something.

[He glances back at Tav, then at Astarion, tipping his head slightly as if to ask "should she be here for this?"]

[pariunt]

[Tav seems to get the hint, because she shrugs, tells Astarion she wants to explore the location some more, and leaves.]

Did you? What for?

[He's not being coy; he genuinely can't think of anything.]

[necromants]

[Oh good, he's not sure if Astarion has explained the whole "died and ended up elsewhere" thing. Or the "Seymour tried to kill everyone" thing. That's important too.]

For trying to reach out to Seymour, of course. We were able to see that trial and...

[His mismatched eyes drift away, focusing out to the horizon instead.]

...You tried to reach out to him. You wanted to understand. Even though he didn't - couldn't - take the hand you offered, you still tried to offer it in the first place. I wish things hadn't come to that, but knowing you wanted to help... that means a great deal to me.

[pariunt]

Oh.

[Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't that. He grows somber.]

Seymour reminds me of myself. I suppose you do, too.

[Emotional vulnerability comes to him quite easily when it comes to Tav. They could talk about anything and she would listen to him without judgement. But talking to anyone else about it? It's... difficult.]

How close I was to doing something like he did. Though I never thought I was saving anyone but myself.

Even before that, I...

[He catches himself before his voice breaks.]

I was alone.

[necromants]

[Yeah. He gets it. He's still trying to learn how to do it with Seymour, so this is... not the easiest thing, but it's important, so he'll try.]

That makes three of us, I suppose. I was... terrified of admitting to my own feelings. It was easier to cling to the one thing I'd wanted for so long.

[And look how that ended up. He can't say he fully regrets it, because he does have those memories now, but... Well, it's not like he has the opportunity to go back and change things.]

And because of that, I only made it harder for the rest of you to reach him.

[Did anyone else even try? He wants to ask, but keeps his mouth shut. Astarion doesn't need to be dragged into his frustration and anger with the others.]

[pariunt]

I didn't know if I could stop him. Didn't think I could, but I...

[He hates hero-types. Those who think they're more justified than everyone else. That black and white thinking and belief in good and evil, and not people with power and those without.

It's just as well that Astarion cares more about duty over anything else. He wants to go home, and take these people so much like him with him.]

I needed him to know he's not alone.

[necromants]

He isn't. And he won't be ever again, if I have a say in it.

[It's still Seymour's choice at the end of the day. He's the one who was hurt and abandoned, so he gets to decide how long he wants to put up with Zvei. It could be another day or ten years and he'd still be happy to have spent the time with Seymour.]

Whatever happens next, I just want him to be happy. To live a better life than Spira could ever offer him.

[pariunt]

Indeed. He'll be free. Free to make his own choices. To walk his own path.

[The Underdark may not be safe, but Seymour is an incomprehensibly powerful mage. He'll be fine. Astarion is certain of that.]

And so will you.

[necromants]

[Zvei cants his head to the side slightly, blinking.]

...Me?

[Like it's a complete afterthought...]

[pariunt]

[His head tips, a little smile on his lips.]

Yes, of course. You're coming too, aren't you? To the Underdark.

[necromants]

I... Is that where we're going?

[:thonk:]

Well, ultimately it doesn't matter to me. If Seymour wants to go with you, then I'd be happy to come along. I... Thank you. For the offer.

[pariunt]

I will caution you: it's not an easy place to live. The peoples of the Underdark are hostile, the fauna worse. Even the fungi is explosive.

[He laughs at his own joke.]

But the fortress has survived for months. Survived even though I wasn't there for two months. You'll be fine, and Tav can teach you how to hunt. Since your needs will be... different from mine.

[necromants]

Spoken as though I'm not already well-versed in dangerous environments and hunting! I did spend several years as an explorer before obtaining my position with Ruby Dawn, and even then I still went out into the field frequently for my own research.

[The number of times he wandered off to go poke monsters and wildlife that wanted to kill him is beyond counting...]

I look forward to learning all about what the Underdark has to offer! Do you have a bestiary or a collection of notes on the various sorts of beasts and plantlife and the like?

[Ah, you've stumbled onto one of his favorite things: the unknown, and learning all about it.]

[pariunt]

[Astarion smirks.]

Well, if you get into too much trouble, the creature will likely end up as food for my brethren.

[He's clearly not too worried.]

Tav might have something like that on her, otherwise we have several books on the subject in the fortress.

What I can tell you now is if you ever see something fast-moving and burrowing underground, tell me or Tav at once, and don't try and go after it by yourself.

[necromants]

Oh don't worry, I know my place in the group. I am a healer first and foremost, after all.

[Though come to think of it...]

Would you say that you and your kin are similar enough to humans, biologically speaking? From what I've seen here, humans tend to work the same way across worlds, and as such it's easy to heal their wounds. Anyone nonhuman I do typically need to study... though if you're similar enough to elves from my world, that could work too.

[It expends a lot more energy to heal if he doesn't know what he's looking at, after all, which makes him far less effective!]

[pariunt]

My siblings and I are all humanoid. I can't imagine healing magic would be too different on any of us.

["Humanoid" should be easy enough to distinguish as a generic term, even if Astarion doesn't clarify. It's like when a certain other game explicitly calls the lizard people "human".]

And vampires can still bleed. Loose too much, and we die.

[necromants]

Interesting... Do let me know if you receive any injuries and I can test that theory. I am capable of healing even if you don't quite match anything I'm familiar with, but it takes more energy. Best to ensure I don't wear myself out!

[You know how it goes, battles suck if the healer goes down...]

[pariunt]

I am also an elf, of course. Being a vampire hasn't changed that. Though I suppose the elves you are familiar might be quite different from Tav and I.

[eeeonetwothree]

[ When Astarion is alone, Omega approaches him quietly. They have not had a chance to talk. ]

ASTARION. I OWE YOU A DEBT I CANNOT REPAY.

[pariunt]

Omega.

[The greeting isn’t friendly, but nor is it hostile. He doesn’t regret helping Omega at all.]

…think nothing of it. We succeeded, didn’t we?