resources:adventure:his_greatest_work [Memento Mundi]

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====== His Greatest Work ======
===== Initial Brief =====

The Builder Church spread urgently a call for assistance with a matter
of grave importance to the Builder Church.  Those who are deemed
trustworthy enough by the Builder Church to be considered for this
adventure will be able to learn that Architects have grown concerned
that something has gone wrong with the structural integrity of the
Builder's Greatest Work.

===== PCs =====
  * [[user:emmab:pc:armand_cargan|Armand Cargan-Graves]] - Emma
  * [[user:alexander_everett:pc:alexander_everett|Alexander Everett]] - Jay
  * [[user:olivers:pc:ragnar_thane|Ragnar Thane]] - Oliver S
  * [[user:swampselkie:pc:senta_fernbach|Senta Fernbach]] - Sally
  * [[user:michaelc:pc:lucian_graves|Lucian Graves]] - Michael
  * [[user:zacsmith:pc:vulcan_blacksteel|Vulcan Blacksteel]] - Zac
  * [[user:chaos:pc:toli_nutt|Toli Nutt]] - Chaos
  * [[user:busbyldn:pc:cor_nielsson|Cor Nielsson]] - Oliver B

===== Summary =====

The party are asked by the High Architect of the Builder Church to investigate the Builder's Greatest Work following a vision they had that something had gone wrong.  They say they've been unable to receive any Divine Inspiration since, making them concerned something's gone wrong, particularly since the Builder's resurrection at the hands of Marlo Darrish and the Tender.

They set out fast toward the Greatest Work but on the way are accosted by a group of bandits interested in their mana, but their threat is quickly dwarfed by that of a collapsing mountainside.  The party survive and Ragnar notes that something magical triggered this landslide.  They press on to the Greatest Work and find it in a state of wreck, as if something has broken out from inside.  Within, they find the Tender next to the great obsidian orb that housed the Destroyer.  The Tender explains that the Builder is inside it and the party act to free him.  He escapes, but severely weakened and contains to be sustained only by the Tender's healing power.  He explains that Yara Glassinger, the Destroyer, must have escaped while he had slipped away and when he returned tricked him into investigating the prison and overpowered him into the prison of his own device.  He implores the party to stop the Destroyer before she enacts her plan to break down the barrier between this world and the world of the Dragons.

Before they leave, the party are also asked to investigate the Forge which has been corrupted by the Destroyer.  A swirling black ball of energy lies at the centre of the Forge and cannot be damaged, but appears weakened by Vulcan's efforts to repair it.  Ragnar consumes the ball of corruption as a primal and takes on some of the Destroyer's power, able to feel it tugging at him.  He also is flared with molten steel.  Toli notices a set of manacles also in the Forge and takes them for use on the Destroyer later.

Ragnar recognises the Destroyer pulling from Acryn and they set off with haste.  Upon arriving, it's clear the Destroyer was here first, as dark winged gargoyles are assaulting the city.  The party help defend some watchpeople and discover the Destroyer targeting specific locations: first a now dead god known as the Ardent Ring.  They split up with Cor going to the next target, the College of the Stars and helping fend off an attack while the others run to a gambling house run by followers of the Valyddi god Cyrus the Gambler.  They fend off the Gargoyles but Cyrus has died.  His power, however moves to one of his followers, chosen through chance, and an Acrynite by the name of Robert (or Bob for short) assumes the mantle of the Gambler.

Leaving Bob the Gambler behind, the party encounter a group sent by the Council who fill each other in on what's been going on.  Xavier explains that it appears the Destroyer does not understand the Flux, and Ghita Darrish implores for help repairing the College.  The party put together a plan of action, with Zozimos the Curious also present taking an interest in Ragnar's Destroyer aspect.  They persuade Zozimos to stay behind with Jimmy Hoskins, and press on to the College.  They repair it and help defeat some magical experiments gone awry, though Cor gets absorbed by a crystalline experiment and trapped in a pocket dimension.  The party fork out 3 mana crystals and a small ritual is done to bind the crystals into the head of a paper golem, allowing Cor to keep moving and fighting.

Word is received that the Builder Church is under attack by the Destroyer herself and the party make it there just too late to stop the Destroyer murdering the Hierarch and moving on.  They clean up and follow after her as she runs in to attack Zozimos the Curious, who is crippled by her efforts.  The party save the Curious godling, and Vulcan carries him on his back as they head to Founders' Square where the Destroyer has set up an enormous magical ritual to destroy the city.  The party fight, but the Destroyer seems invincible.  Ragnar strides forward, though and using his primal will, miraculous power of the Leader and the heart of a dead god he presses his will against that of the Destroyer and manages to rip the destructive power out of her and him and binding it into the heart.  Depowered from Godhood, the party are able to strike down Yara Glassinger and her minions, and break the magical ritual before the city can be crushed.

The heart now believed to be containing the Destroyer is bound by master crafted chains that Lucian traded the original Destroyer prison for with the Arcane Arbiter as well as the manacles the Builder forged that Toli provides, though both Lucian and Toli touch the heart (with Toli proving a stronger will against it than Lucian).  The city is saved, and Founders' Square remains standing.

===== Debrief =====

The party argue over what to do with the heart.  Armand and Alexander refuse to accept that Ragnar's will is safe enough against the Destroyer's power, and Armand does not trust Ragnar.  They get nowhere sitting in Founders' Square and so move on to report to the Council.  They explain what happened (omitting the presence of a Valyddi god in Acryn) and Armand insists that something be done about the fact that Ragnar's will is all that is keeping the heart bound.  The council member present does not see what the problem really is as Ragnar has proven himself a valuable asset to the city and has a undeniable will.  A council meeting cannot be summoned on such short notice, and the other members of the party suggest that they consult the Builder Church on the best way to bind the Destroyer since the Builder originally bound the Destroyer.

A long argument ensues about how best to bind the Destroyer.  Ragnar notes that previously it was the Builder's will that bound the Destroyer but that failed, and says that his will is stronger.  The new High Architect of the Builder Church is inclined to agree with Ragnar, but suggests that multiple layers of protection could be used.  Everyone is uneasy about Ragnar letting go of the heart, and Ragnar refuses to lose a hand to putting the heart in a safe location, and eventually a deal is struck that Ragnar can keep hold of the bound destroyer heart so long as he is supervised constantly, though Armand insists on special measures to allow this supervision to be permanent and constant, which Ragnar objects to as violating Armand and Alexander's very own Bill of Rights.  Lucian uses a Miracle of the Arcane Arbiter to ratify a deal whereby Ragnar says to Armand "You may watch me with any power that you can bring to bear as long as it does not impinge on my essential freedoms" and agrees to be followed by a Clockwork Golem that can report back to the Council.

Everyone else is served tea by the Builders while this argument ensues.

With that sorted, they confirm that the Builder seems to be doing better, though cannot confirm his exact location.  Each are paid 99R for their work, and the steel splattered across Ragnar is fashioned into steel greaves and bracers.

In the aftermath of a large catastrophe, each set about helping with the clean-up.  Senta and Cor set about helping the Watch rebuild walls and train numbers after their losses.  Cor donates all of his superfluous income to assist with this, and for his selflessness receives a medal of honour from the Watch.  Senta also honours Cor by making him a Holy Champion of the Warrior.

Alexander helps organise clean up and repair crews on the streets using his strategic insight, and sympathetic members of the Council note his help in times of crisis.  Toli opens up his church for a day of free healing, which is very well received by the downtrodden of the city who are tired of the Tender Church's monetary requirement for healing.  The Tender Church are less pleased but offer their assistance with this if Toli warns them in advance.  Toli says he'll do that but has no intention of following through on that.  Armand orchestrates funding for the repair and relief efforts by diploming and guilting the wealthy of Acryn to donate, and puts some of the reserves of his foundation onto this.

Vulcan addresses the dying Zozimos.  He takes him to the Church of the Tender with Toli but they refuse to help the godling if he won't help them (which is far too boring for the Curious).  Zozimos starts making notes on the death of a god, but Vulcan takes him to Jimmy Hoskins who uses a Miracle of Devouring to absorb Zozimos and takes on the appearance of a pregnant woman.

Ragnar, being followed now by a Clockwork Golem with a scribing book that reports directly to the Shield of Acryn, uses his divine will and aura to reach out to the orphans on the streets of Acryn and brings them under his wing into the Thane Academy for Gifted Children.  In tandem, Alexander and Armand build up the schools they've begun to include board, and soon orphans are a much rarer sight as many are either offered shelter by the Cargan-Graveses or Ragnar Thane.

Senta checks in with Bartholomew, concerned that she may have some residual effect from her failure to crack open the prisoner of the Builder earlier.  Bartholomew reassures her that she is fine, and she is relieved.

Toli checks back in with the cult of now Bob the Gambler who has decided to set up shop in Acryn as technically an Acryn citizen (though wearing the mantle of a Valyddi god).  Toli loses 27R to gambling with the cultists who take a shine to Toli and Bob gives Toli a token of favour in the form of a divinely rigged coin.

Finally, Armand having spoken to his son realises that he's forgotten his sense of nobility and uses his own Miracle to give Astraeus his sense of nobility back.

===== Consequences =====

=== All ===
  * +99R
  * One use of [[:builder_priest#divine_inspiration|Divine Inspiration]] from the Builder

=== Cor ===
  * -99R to the Watch
  * Medal of Honour from the Watch
  * Holy Champion of the Warrior (from Senta)
  * Pilots a hastily constructed paper golem from a pocket dimension within a crystal in its head:
    * Inorganic Quirk (see [[:non_human|Non-Human rules]])
    * Additionally, a call of SHATTER to the chest counts as SLAY (drop to 0 hits).
    * If 60s is reached on your death count, you do not die but instead the binding between the crystal and the golem is broken.  You are still safe in the pocket dimension but will not be able to interact with the world until that is repaired.

=== Ragnar ===
  * Being followed by a Clockwork Golem which reports all illicit activity by Scribing book to the Shield of Acryn
  * Cool steel greaves and bracers
  * Right hand is bound in master crafted chains and Builder-forged manacles to the Heart of Destruction (see below).
  * A number of orphans have joined Ragnar's academy.

=== Lucian ===
  * -27R from boosting the Clockwork Golem to follow Ragnar
  * Destroyer Possession: A fragment of the Destroyer slipped into you when you touched the Heart of Destruction.  For one encounter per adventure, chosen at GM discretion, you are possessed by the Destroyer and will want to act to further her goal of destroying all that stands and breaking the border between this world and the Dragons.

=== Senta ===
  * Is not possessed by the Destroyer

=== Toli ===
  * Is also not possessed by the Destroyer
  * One coin of the Gambler.  When tossed, always displays the side you choose (even if tossed by someone else).

=== Vulcan ===
  * Divine Favour of Zozimos the Curious

=== Armand ===
  * School levelled up to Boarding School

=== Alexander ===
  * School levelled up to Boarding School
  * Well known in Acryn Council

=== Astraeus ===
  * Can associate his own rank with himself once more.  He is exactly as noble as he thinks he is.

==== The Heart of Destruction ====

This is a dark metal heart that contains the mantle of the Destroyer.  It is bound physically by master crafted chains and a manacle forged by the Builder, and metaphysically can only be contained by the will of whoever is holding it (currently, the Primal of Ascension, Ragnar Thane).  This artefact:
  * Is physically represented by a Flail that is bound to the hand of the person holding it.  It cannot be DISARMED (it is chained to the holder) nor can it be SHATTERED (it is made of master-crafted chains).
  * It may be used to strike for a call of DO AS YOU WILL so long as damage is called (ie SINGLE DO AS YOU WILL works, ZERO DO AS YOU WILL does not).
  * The rest of the party is STRENGTHENED in psychic combat by the presence of the artefact.  The holder of the artefact CANNOT be (and loses any STRENGTHEN they had) while they are binding the Destroyer.
  * Once per encounter, it may be used to strike for a call of SILENCE YOUR CHANTING which prevents the target from doing any sort of chanting/religious roleplay for miracles for 30s.  Any count they were on is stopped and they cannot invoke a miracle during this time.
  * If at any point, the will binding the Destroyer wanes (currently, Ragnar's Primal Force of Will), the Destroyer will possess the holder and seek to continue her work.
  * At the beginning of any adventure, the holder of this artefact must face a psychic combat with the Destroyer's will.  For every consecutive loss, the following effects occur:
    - One loss: possession by the Destroyer for one encounter during the adventure (chosen by the GM)
    - Two losses: possession by the Destroyer for three encounters during the adventure (chosen by the GM)
    - Three losses: the Destroyer breaks free in her own body and flees to wreak havoc upon the world once more.
  * Retirement option: unleash the power of the Destroyer and call SLAY on a target.  Doing this will instantly and irrevocably consume the holder with the power and will of the Destroyer (who will likely flee to wreak havoc upon the world)

If this artefact leaves the possession of Ragnar Thane, whoever is holding it must face a battle of will (difficult psychic combat) to bind the Destroyer, and find a way to ensure she remains bound.

{{tag>"his greatest work" "ragnar thane" "senta fernbach" "heart of destruction" builder destroyer "alexander everett" "cor nielsson" "lucian graves" "vulcan blacksteel" "toli nutt" adventure}}
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